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A few months ago I was asked about the independence referendum and Catalonias secession process and I cannot say whether it was out of responsibility or adventurous audacity I replied that, as weeks go by and it becomes increasingly apparent that the vote is an unstoppable reality, that it will be held and Catalans will turn out in droves, Germany will force Rajoy to reconsider his stance on the matter. I argued that, when they see that the referendum is imminent, the powers in Madrid will have to up the ante and make Catalans an offer to persuade a majority of them that they would be better off remaining in Spain and to encourage them to vote No. I anticipated that Rajoy, who has created this state problem and has pushed it to the limit, will be an impossible interlocutor as he will not be able to backtrack on everything he has said and done for months and years and, therefore, the time of this PP government will have passed and a snap election will be needed in Spain.

I also pointed out how the fact that Spain is a Kingdom and not a republic further compounds the crisis because, as commander in chief of the armed forces (no mean feat!), the king of Spain lacks the political clout that would otherwise allow the president of a republic to intervene in the conflict. At the time I was well aware that my words struck my interlocutors as unreal, but I insisted on my position based on the fair knowledge I have of Catalonias reality, as well as of Madrids courtiers. There is a decisive factor in this process that is often overlooked: the sheer ignorance of Spains political leadership and how it has been trained by Spanish nationalisms two strands, both as ancient as they are active today: the imperial Spanish nationalism of the absolutists and the pathetically jacobinical nationalism of the liberals.

The obsolete, stale thinking of Spains rulers, and to some extent of the entire political class on the right and the left, is astonishing. They dwell in the outer social and cultural boundaries of the Court, with branches and mirror-images in the provinces capitals.

With no prior knowledge of the history and culture of Catalan society, their ignorance and hubris prevented them from taking a moment to consider what was going on in Catalonia. It is hardly surprising that the Spanish PM and his deputy believed that subjugating and humiliating Catalonia was an actual possibility: to beat them ten to nil. This explains Rajoys landing in Barcelona, only a couple of months ago, accompanied by construction tycoon Florentino Perez and their entourage, to offend anyone with a modicum of dignity. Only now are they beginning to wake from their comfortable stupor to a nightmare.

I mentioned ignorance, but the authoritarian culture that permeates every fibre of the State (and of those political leaders, in particular) is even more worrisome. Not long ago, they were still contemplating the use of force. Their pride had been hurt by a rebellious citizenry, which prompted them to envision another military occupation of Catalonia, with its leaders thrown in jail. In the 21st century, in Europe and in the EU. You might not believe me or prefer to take it with a pinch of salt, but if you do, it is because you do not know the world that these individuals come from. When their fever subsided, and in order to maintain the principle of authority and the unity of Spain (a sacrosanct idea for normal people), they pushed the limits of a process that had begun seven years earlier when they deliberately blocked the appointment of new judges to the Constitutional Court to ensure that its ruling on the Catalan Statute would not disappoint: they occupied Spains justice system politically to turn it into a partisan weapon against Catalonias civic demands, at the expense of denying its democratic nature. Creating an unofficial political police unit was second nature for the political heirs of Francos exceptional courts. The result of the strategy followed all these years, first by the Spanish government and later by the entire State, is brutal: Catalan society has already split from Spain as a state and a country. Most of Catalonias adult population stopped recognising Rajoy at their prime minister years ago. Furthermore, they no longer recognise the monarch, the justice system, the various Spanish police forces and the army, as well as Madrid-based and Spanish media in general. Likewise, there are no names in Spanish society and culture that Catalans share and recognised as their own.

When Catalan president Carles Puigdemont says that he will not abide by a hypothetical ban from holding office imposed by the Constitutional Court, he is merely putting into words the reality which his fellow citizens inhabit today. Madrid refused to sit down, they would not even listen; but now they will have to negotiate. The palatial Spain of the royals, Rajoys Spain, nurses its sore loin and thinks it is having a bout of lumbago. But if it went for an MRI, it would learn that the condition it has brought upon itself is far more serious and requires hospitalisation.

There will be a referendum. They have known that for weeks now. The PSOE and the PP will make vague promises which they cannot carry through. The former carries the weight of Susana Diaz around its neck; the latter is the main culprit of it all. Podemos will follow suit with their usual rhetoric to conceal that they are closing ranks with Rajoys state strategy. Bank-owned news outlets, which have soiled and slandered Catalan society among Spains public opinion, will shift from offending and denying the democratic nature of the Catalan vote to heralding the incoming cascade of promises, provided that Catalan voters behave like normal people, as common sense dictates.

Only the European Union here lies Angela Merkels political onus will play a role in this conflict which concerns an important member state in the post-Brexit Union. Spain is unable to change. It has always failed to resolve its own problems by itself. If General Franco had not died, we would still be living under his regime and we would not have moved on to a restored post-Franco monarchy. The US took action at the time and endorsed the operation. Now it is Germanys turn to do so.

The only way all of us will make it through by democratic means will be thanks to a Catalonia that beyond the post-Franco era will not allow its democratically elected leaders and their families to be persecuted. The States indignity and its criminal actions against Catalonia have crossed every red line and if any political leaders should face a court of law for their actions, you will find them in Madrid, not Barcelona. Catalonia has no interlocutor in Madrids court and is waiting for Merkel. Does anyone believe that the Catalans will beg Rajoy to pardon Mas, Ortega and Rigau?
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- After a nearly two-year absence, Toys R Us announced that it is returning to Times Square in response to customer demand.

The company will open a temporary 35,000 square-foot store located at 1466 Broadway in the historic Knickerbocker Building.

Scheduled to open in August, the store will include a dedicated play area for kids.

"The Times Square holiday shop reunites our brand with an iconic New York destination which we are thrilled about," said Dave Brandon, chairman and CEO of Toys R Us, Inc.

"More importantly, the store offers customers a host of products tailored to the needs of city dwellers and visitors -- all in interest of bringing play to kids and families around the world," he said.

The three-level store in Times Square will have one main entrance on Broadway and include:

Level One:

Lower Level:

Level Two:

Play Space:

Interactive Elements:

FOLLOW TRACEY PORPORA ON FACEBOOK
New Delhi: A uniform GST rate of 18 per cent will be charged on takeaways as well as food served from a non-AC area of a hotel or restaurant if any of its part has a facility of air conditioning, the government has said.

The new Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, which was rolled out from July 1, provides for levy of 12 per cent on food bill in non-AC restaurants.

The tax rate for AC restaurants and those with liquor licence will be 18 per cent while 5-star hotels will charge 28 per cent GST.

The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) has clarified through an FAQ on the GST rates that will be levied by restaurant-cum-bars where the first floor area is air- conditioned and used for serving food and liquor while the ground floor only serves food and non-AC.

The CBEC said tax will have to be charged at 18 per cent irrespective of from where the supply is made, first floor or second floor.

"If any part of the establishment has a facility of air conditioning, then the rate will be 18 per cent for all supplies from the restaurant," it said.

With regard to tax rates that would be charged for take- away food from such restaurants, the CBEC said, "Tax has to be charged at 18 per cent on supplies of food made from their takeaway counter."

Besides, such restaurants are also not eligible for the composition scheme as they are engaged in supplying liquor.
Meanwhile, Sairat, has been acquired for a Hindi remake by producer Karan Johar.

Sairat, as we all know, is a landmark in Indian cinema. Marathi cinemas most successful product to date, it spawned a series of attacks on director Nagaraj Manjite from an estranged wife who claimed ill treatment and a whole lot of monetary compensation. True to his personality, Nagaraj went back into his shell.

To be honest, I couldnt enjoy the success of Sairat, nor understand its impact fully, as I was thrown into the deep-end of the ocean, and asked to swim. I couldnt even understand what was going on. I chose not to speak as I didnt want to hurt those who were hurting me, says the soft-spoken director.

Nagaraj is now ready to direct his third feature film (he directed the highly-acclaimed Marathi film Fandry before Sairat) and his first in Hindi with Amitabh Bachchan in the lead.

Meanwhile, Sairat, has been acquired for a Hindi remake by producer Karan Johar. The film will feature Sridevis daughter Jahanvi Kapoor and Shahid Kapoors brother Ishaan Khattar. Nagaraj says he has absolutely no regrets about not doing the remake of Sairat. I have many more stories to tell. And Id rather tell a fresh story than go back to what Ive already done. The people who are remaking Sairat in Hindi are responsible, reputed entities. I am sure they would do something totally fresh and exciting with Sairat.

Like adding two rooms to the Taj Mahal? Laughs Nagaraj, I dont think it would be anything like that. We dont add rooms to the Taj Mahal. But someone else can build another Taj Mahal. As far as I am concerned, I am done with Sairat. Id not want to revisit it any other language.

Nagraj now gets ready to direct Amitabh. I wouldnt like to say much on that right now, except it is a dream come true to direct Bachchansaab. I hope I can do justice to his presence in my film.
Himachal Transport minister GS Bali said the toll could climb to 50 in the incident which took place Saturday night.

So far eight bodies have been recovered which included the driver and the conductor of Chamba depot bus. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

Shimla: At least 46 people died when two Himachal roadway buses were hit by a massive landslide, which was triggered by a cloudburst, on the Mandi-Pathankot National Highway on Saturday night.

Mandi Deputy Commissioner Sandeep Kadam told ANI on Sunday evening that 46 bodies were recovered so far and rescue operations were underway at the accident site.

Two search and rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are operational in Mandi. The Army and Himachal Pradesh Police are also engaged in the rescue operations.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh visited the site of the accident earlier on Sunday and announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each for next of kin of the deceased.

One of the buses was going from Manali to Katra and another from Manali to Chamba when the accident happened. The buses had halted for a tea break at Kotrupi in the night when the tragedy struck, said special secretary (Disaster) DD Sharma.

The landslide swept away the road and the buses for almost 800 metres down into a gorge and there was no trace of one of the buses which was completely buried under the debris so far.

Director General of Police Somesh Goyal said that as per preliminary information there were eight passengers in the Manali-Katra bus while 47 passengers were travelling in the other bus.

Authorities have been directed to arrange for on the spot postmortem, he added.

This is the third such incident in Himachal. Earlier 45 bus passengers were buried in a landslide near Matiyana in Shimla district in 1988 and 42 passengers were buried in another mishap at Luggar Hati in Kullu district in 1994.
Jaitley, however, refrained from making any comment on the standoff between India and China in Doklam.

Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the country faced two serious threats  one in Jammu & Kashmir and second being problem of Left-Wing Extremism in central India. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Terrorists in Kashmir are "now under great pressure" and the financial crunch caused by demonetisation and the crackdown of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on foreign funding have checked illegal activities in Jammu and Kashmir on a large scale, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said on Sunday.

Jaitley, however, refrained from making any comment on the standoff between India and China in Doklam, just saying "let us have full faith on our security forces".

"Today no big militant can dream of committing terror acts and continue to terrorise the Valley for decades, but today their life shelf has dwindled to a few months. I will specifically praise the Jammu and Kashmir police for working hard (towards eliminating terrorists)," he said at an India TV conclave.

Jaitley said the country faced two serious threats - one in Jammu and Kashmir with most of the incidents "happening from across the border" and the second being the problem of Left-Wing Extremism in central parts of the country.

"Since independence, Pakistan has never agreed that Kashmir is an integral part of India. That has been their unfinished agenda. They tried conventional war. But India's capability was way ahead in the conventional war. The wars of 1965, 1971 and Kargil clearly proved this," he said.

The defence minister said that security forces were constantly trying to clean up the Valley of terrorists.

He said terrorists have felt the pinch of demonetisation - the move to scrap large banknotes that the government announced last November - and have also felt the effect of the actions taken by the NIA against foreign funding allegedly used for subversive activities.

"Whenever there was an encounter (earlier), hundreds and thousands would come out to throw stones. Many a times, terrorists would escape under the protection of stone throwers. This is now becoming a history.

"Those who were coming in hundreds and thousands, today their number is limited to 20, 30 and 50. For the first time in the history, we have been they have started looting banks," he said.
On a suggestion by her father, the Plus Three student has been saving money since her little age of 4.

At an appropriate time, she wanted to spend it for her by buying a new vehicle with complete cash payment.

Bhubaneswar: A college girl in Koraput district of Odisha on Saturday set an example of smart saving for others by purchasing a two-wheeler vehicle for her with Rs 5 currency notes.

Priyanka Panda, daughter of Bhaskar Panda of Jalaput village under Nandapur block in the tribal district, spent money that she had saved over a period of 14 years from her expenses. On a suggestion by her father, the Plus Three student has been saving money since her little age of 4.

At an appropriate time, she wanted to spend it for her by buying a new vehicle with complete cash payment. She paid 12,000 pieces of `5 currency notes at the showroom counter. Although, it was a tough job for the showroom employees to count the total amount that contained 12,000 low-value currency notes, but they lauded Priyanka for her unique act.
The MoS PMO said this about the recent 'threat' by China through its official media asking India to withdraw troops from the Sikkim.

Jammu: Union minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday played down the heightened rhetoric by Beijing over the Doklam standoff, stating that India was fully equipped to face any challenge.

He said the government was confident about the steps it was taking in this regard.

"We are well equipped to face any challenge whether externally or internally," Singh told reporters in Jammu.

The MoS PMO was responding to a question about the recent 'threat' by China through its official media asking India to withdraw troops from the Sikkim sector.

"I think for us the more important thing is to see what we are doing. I am not here to respond to what somebody is tweeting from the opposition parties. We are confident about what we are doing," he said.

China had recently said that it had conveyed its firm stand to India that it must take "concrete actions" by immediately pulling back troops from Doklam in the Sikkim

section with "no strings attached" to resolve the current standoff.

The BJP leader also said that the government was giving "befitting reply" with regard to ceasefire violations on the Indo-Pakistan border, and was dealing with terrorism in Kashmir with a "stern hand."

On appearance of militant Zakir Musa's posters in Kashmir asking youths and students to keep away from Independence day functions, Singh said such posters have come up in the past too.

"The government will take a call on this. The more these (terrorist) leaders come up with such things, the more they expose themselves. The youths cannot be threatened by the diktats of these militants," he said.

The Union minister also hailed the "proactive" role of security forces on the borders.

"It is going to reap results sooner or later. I am sure this (proactive role of forces) will bring terrorism to its logical conclusion," he said.

Singh also emphasised that the Centre's stand on Article 35A granting special autonomous status to Jammu and Kashmir was clear.

"BJP's stand on Article 35A is clear. Opposition is waiting in the wings for this coalition government (in the state) to fall. We will not oblige them," he said.

Replying to a question on Uttar Pradesh governor directing all madrasas to sing the national song on Independence day, Singh said, "Vande Mataram is a symbol of

India's national ethos. It is, therefore, wrong to associate it with any particular religion or sect".

"We need to educate the masses on this more intensely. Vande Mataram was composed in 1870. It later become a national song in tribute to martyrs, irrespective of religion. It is a poem which became an unifying force in pre-Independence and post-Independence era. How can this be a dividing force? It has been wrongly perceived."

On the recent infant deaths at a hospital in Uttar Pradesh for want of oxygen, the Union minister said, "I am sure there is a responsible government in the state. We have a CM who is extremely proactive. Whatever is required, will be done. What has happened is bad and all of us feel for it."
The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively to the ceasefire violation.

Earlier, five army jawans were injured and two others seriously hurt in an encounter with terrorists in the Shopian district on late Saturday night. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Rajouri/Baramulla: The Pakistan Army violated the ceasefire and invoked heavy mortar shelling and firing of small arms in the Naushera sector of Rajouri and Uri sector of Baramulla district in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. Three Indian jawans have been injured in the casefire violation in Uri sector.

The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively to the ceasefire violation.

The Pakistani troops opened fire at Indian positions at Baaz Post in Uri in Baramulla district at around 4 pm, Indian Army sources said.

The sources said three soldiers suffered bullet injuries in the firing and were admitted to the 92 Base Hospital of the Army here.

Further details are awaited.

Earlier, five army jawans were injured and two others seriously hurt in an encounter with terrorists in the Shopian district on late Saturday night.

Three terrorists were killed.

Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan, said, "The terrorists initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars who were believed to be in the village".
Seven militant groups said that Indias plans to celebrate the 70th I-Day grandly is a sign of nervousness due to Doklam standoff.

The NE militant outfits also slammed the NDA govt saying that it is working to saffronise the region with its slogan of 'One Country, One people, One culture'. (Photo: PTI/Representational)

Guwahati: Seven separatist militant outfits of Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya, proclaiming themselves as pro-China have given a joint call for boycotting the Independence Day celebrations in Assam and other northeastern states.

However, Khaplang faction of NSCN, which has been leading a joint forum of northeast militant outfits, has not been the part of the joint call. The NSCN-K has called for the boycott of Independence Day in Naga inhabited areas but separately.

Seven militant groups in their joint statement sent to local newspaper said that Indias plans to celebrate the 70th Independence Day in a grand way is a sign of nervousness due to Doklam standoff with China.

The joint call has been given by anti-talk Ulfa(I) and United People's Liberation Army from Assam, Coordination Committee (CorCom), the conglomerate of four outfits of Manipur, and Garo National Liberation Army of Meghalaya.

The joint statement said, This year, India under the premiership of Narendra Modi who boasted that he confronts the world Eye to Eye, is getting ready for the 70th Independence Day Celebration with a grand display of its military power and hardware, perhaps attempting to outdo the Chinese PLA's 90th Anniversary Celebration on 30 July 2017 which was indeed very impressive. Or Perhaps, it is also a sign of nervousness or apprehension of the Indian government at the border fracas at Drok La or Drong Lam, the tri junction of our close international border with China; and hence to hide the same.

The statement, which has been drafted very carefully obviously to appease China further said, India's policy towards neighbour China is now wide open as the facts of the Drong Lam (Drok La) impasse is vivisected by the experts exposing her weakness and helplessness of the situation to the full view of the world to see."

They also slammed the NDA government saying that it is working to "saffronise the region with its slogan of "One Country, One people, One culture".

The seven militant groups in its appeal said, To mark our peoples collective defiance on this day, a general strike shall be observed throughout the region from 1 am to 6.30 pm on August 15.

The decision of NSCN-K not to be part of this joint statement, appeasing China, has been seen as significant development in the security circle after the death of S S Khaplang. Security sources did not rule out the possibility of NSCN-K joining the ongoing peace-process in Nagaland soon.
Gary David Goldberg (June 25, 1944  June 23, 2013) was an American writer and producer for television and film. Goldberg was best known for his work on Family Ties (198289), Spin City (19962002), and his semi-autobiographical series Brooklyn Bridge (199193).

Background [ edit ]

Gary David Goldberg was born on June 25, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Anne (nee Prossman) and George Goldberg, a postal worker. He had an older brother, Stan, who is 5 years older and a well-known summer camp director. [1] He attended and graduated from Lafayette High School in Brooklyn. He studied at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, and San Diego State University, ultimately deciding to become a writer. In 1969, he met the woman who would become his wife, Diana Meehan. They founded and ran a day care center in Berkeley, California, during the 1970s. [2]

Career [ edit ]

Goldberg began his show business career while living in Israel in 1972, landing the lead role of Scooterman in the language teaching show The Adventures of Scooterman. His first "real job" not in front of the camera [2] came in 1976, when he became a writer for CBS' The Bob Newhart Show. This was followed by The Dumplings, The Tony Randall Show, and later CBS's Lou Grant, for which he was also producer. [2]

In 1982 he formed his own company Ubu Productions (named after his Labrador retriever Ubu Roi, who died in 1984). In 1982 he created Family Ties which ran for seven seasons and was a critical and ratings hit, continuing to be shown to this day in syndication; it helped launch the career of Michael J. Fox. He later produced Brooklyn Bridge and Spin City. In 1989 he produced and directed the feature film with a marquee cast, Dad, starring Jack Lemmon, Ted Danson, and Olympia Dukakis. This film was followed by Bye Bye Love (which he produced but did not direct), starring Matthew Modine, Paul Reiser and Randy Quaid; and Must Love Dogs, starring Diane Lane and John Cusack. He received two Emmy awards (1979 for Lou Grant, 1987 for Family Ties) and four Writers Guild of America Awards (1979, 1988, 1998, 2010) for his work. [2] He also received the Women in Film Lucy Award in recognition of excellence and innovation in creative works that have enhanced the perception of women through the medium of television [3] in 1994 and the Austin Film Festival's Outstanding Television Writer Award in 2001.

Controversy [ edit ]

Tracy Keenan Wynn and more than 150 other television writers over age 40 went to court with AARP as their co-counsel in a far-reaching series of 23 class action lawsuits that charge Hollywood's television industry  networks, studios, talent agencies and production companies  with age discrimination. The most famous industry quote cited in the case came from Gary David Goldberg, who told TV Guide Magazine his program had "no writers on the set over the age of 29by design." [4]

On January 6, 2009, the Superior Court of the State of California, for the County of Los Angeles, granted final approval to a consent decree resolving age discrimination claims asserted against defendants International Creative Management, Inc. (ICM) and Broder Kurland Webb Agency (BKW). The consent decree affected a full and final resolution of the class claims, including all individual claims subsumed in the cases. Under the terms of the consent decree, defendants ICM and BKW paid $4,500,000 into a settlement fund. [5]

Personal life [ edit ]

His daughter is the comedy writer Shana Goldberg-Meehan.

He died of brain cancer in Montecito, California on June 23, 2013, just two days shy of his 69th birthday. [6]

Bibliography [ edit ]
This is the second time when Union Home Minister appealed for talks in the recent past.

Siliguri: President of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) Bimal Gurung claimed that Home Minister Rajnath Singh has invited them to New Delhi for talks on Sunday at 4:30 pm.

In a press statement, Gurung said, "Today the GJM received an intimation from the Union Home Minister requesting us to join for talks on Sunday at 4.30 pm in New Delhi. Because the movement has today transitioned into a people's movement - with all the hill political parties as well as non-political bodies together- I have submitted this invitation for their consideration."

"I am hopeful the hill parties leading the movement will attend this meeting and help find a possible road map for Gorkhaland statehood. I thank the honorable Home Minister for the kind invite and hope the central government will do justice for the Gorkha's at the earliest," he added.

This is the second time when Union Home Minister appealed for talks in the recent past.

The release was circulated after the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) held a meeting in Kalimpong on Saturday.

However, it is confirmed that members of the GMCC will be attending the talks.
As many as 14,000 Rohingyas are living in India, says MoS Kiren Rijiju.

New Delhi: The Centre has asked the state governments to identify and deport illegal immigrants such as Rohingyas, saying that such people can be a security risk on account of being roped in by terror organisations.

The Union home ministry told the states last week that illegal migrants are more vulnerable for recruitment by terror outfits even as the increase in such activities in the last few decades is a matter of serious concern.

According to a ministry communique, the illegal migrants, apart from infringing on the rights of the Indian citizen, are also a major security challenge.

The recent trend of infiltration by Rohingyas, the ministry added, from Myanmar into India also infringes on the rights of the Indian people.

During the Monsoon Session, minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju informed the members that as many as 14,000 Rohingyas, registered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are living in India.

The minister said nearly 40,000 Rohingyas are staying illegally in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi & NCR, Hyderabad, Haryana and Jammu. On November 16, 2016, the government disclosed in Parliament that nearly 20 million or two crore illegal Bangladeshi migrants are living in different parts of the country.

The ministry communique said India shares its borders with many adjoining nations with people from the sub-continent region having many similarities in terms of physical looks and a common history. Due to a variety of reasons, including political and economic turmoil, in neighbouring countries, people from such countries often enter India.

There are cultural and ethnic similarities, and, on many occasions, such migration goes unnoticed as they settle in the Indian territory, the letter states. The states have been told to form a special task force in each district to identify and deport such people.
Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahli said on Sunday that the unusual order is directed only at madarasas.

The order issued by UP minority welfare minister Laxmi Narain Chaudhary told clerics to ensure their students participate in cultural programmes. (Representational image)

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government order directing all madarsas in the state to celebrate Independence Day and record the proceedings have evoked mixed reactions from the minority community.

The state government order also told the heads of the madarsas to hoist the national flag and lead their students in singing the national anthem at 8am on Independence Day.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board member Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahli said on Sunday that the unusual order is directed only at madarasas.

If you have issued the same order and directives for all the schools, colleges and educational institutes, then we have no objection. If it is only for madarsas, then it seems to be an unusual order. It seems that our patriotism is under suspicion, he said.

He said Muslims have been celebrating Independence Day since 1947 in madarasas by hoisting the national flag and singing the national anthem.

Maulana Yasoob Abbas, a spokesperson of All India Shia Personal Law Board, said though it is alright for clerics to shoot video of Independence Day celebrations at madarasas, the governments order should apply to all educational institutions.

There should be no objection in getting the Independence Day events photographed or video-graphed. This will enhance transparency and trust. However, we feel that this directive should be for all educational institutions of other religions also. Madarasas had participated in the freedom struggle, he said.

The order issued by UP minority welfare minister Laxmi Narain Chaudhary told clerics to ensure their students participate in cultural programmes based on the theme of national unity on August 15.

The minister of state in the same ministry, Baldev Singh Aulakh has even warned of action against clerics if they do not record qcvideo of Independence Day celebrations at madarasas, adding that government officials will check the religious schools randomly.
The first hospital he sought help from, gave him three cylinders which he immediately drove to the hospital in his car.

A man holds the body of a child while walking out of Baba Raghav Das Hospital in Gorakhpur. (Photo: AFP)

Lucknow: Kafeel Khan, a child specialist at BRD Medical college, who used his personal resources to save the lives of children on August 11, has now been removed from all hospital duties.

The doctor was removed on the basis of a report by a news channel that highlighted an old case that was pending against him and also on charges of doing private practice,

Dr Khan had emerged as a hero on social media after he went out of his way to borrow oxygen cylinders from other hospitals when the oxygen supply began drying up in BRD Hospital.

On the night of August 10, Dr Khan, child specialist and doctor in-charge of the encephalitis ward, received a frantic call from the hospital, informing him that all oxygen will soon dry up.

Aware that patients of encephalitis will not survive without continuous oxygen supply, Dr Khan swung into action and rushed to nearby hospitals to borrow cylinders for some critical patients.

The first hospital he sought help from, gave him three cylinders which he immediately drove to the hospital in his car. The doctor then made several such trips to various hospitals nearby to borrow oxygen cylinders till the next morning.

He managed to collect 12 oxygen cylinders and soon after received a call from a local supplier promising to send cylinders, but only on cash payments. He th-en handed over his debit card to one of his juniors and asked him to withdraw cash to furnish the payment at the earliest.

By Friday morning, when the cylinders started running dry, the doctor instructed his junior staff to pump oxygen through ambu bags (a self-inflating bag).
PM Modi on Sunday spoke to Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal over telephone and enquired about the scale of the devastation.

Guwahati: With deteriorating flood situation, the Army was called out to rescue marooned people on Sunday, and the Air Force has been put on standby in Assam.

At least 14 people, including a minor, were reported to have died due to the second wave of floods, which has wreaked havoc in 19 out of 33 districts of the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal over telephone and enquired about the scale of the devastation.

Mr Sonowal apprised the Prime Minister about the measures taken by the government for providing relief to the affected people and also informed the administrations of all 19 flood hit districts have been directed to ensure speedy relief distribution to the victims.

The PM also assured the chief minister of all kind of cooperation from the Centre. The Principal Secretary of Prime Ministers Office, Nripendra Mishra, also directed Assam chief secretary V.K. Pipersenia to submit a report on the damage and devastation.

State Disaster Manage-ment Authority said the Army has been called out to assist the administration in rescuing people in Nagaon and Kokrajhar districts. The IAF has also put its men on standby, and their copters can be deployed in minimum time for relief disaster management official Rajib Prakash Baruah said.

We have also deployed additional forces from National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response force, said Mr Baruah.
The UP CM said action would also be taken against government doctors found indulging in private practice.

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who on Sunday visited the Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur, where over 30 children had died in 36 hours last week, along with Union health minister J.P. Nadda, warned of exemplary action against all those found responsible for the horrifying tragedy amid Opposition calls for his resignation.

Talking to reporters after visiting the hospital, the chief minister said: We are waiting for the report of the committee constituted by our government. We request everyone to wait for that report. If any death takes place, not only in Gorakhpur but in the entire state, due to negligence of the hospital or staff, the government will take strong action those responsible. Nobody will be spared. The CM turned emotional and said: This is sensitivity, and not politics.

He promised that his government would take such action against the guilty that it would prove to be a deterrent for others. The CM said action would also be taken against government doctors found indulging in private practice.

Yogi Adityanath said he had instructed doctors at the BRD Medical College at allow the media in groups to visit hospital wards and see the facts for themselves.

The CM also said the Centre had sent a team of doctors from New Delhi to shoulder the responsibility of local doctors at the hospital. This is my fourth visit to BRD Medical College after becoming chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Our campaign against encephalitis has been running for quite some time and we are determined to eradicate the disease that has claimed hundreds of lives. No one can understand the pain of seeing children die better than me, he said.

The chief minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was deeply concerned about the situation and was in constant touch with the state government.

Union health minister J.P. Nadda said the Centre will provide all possible help to the state government in dealing with the situation. As health minister I have faced queries from Yogi Adityanath on dealing with encephalitis and I know how concerned he is about the issue. We will do all that is possible to help the state government on this issue, he said.

Meanwhile, the parents of a baby girl who died on August 10 told reporters on Sunday that the oxygen level at the BRD Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur, where 63 children died over the past five days, were alarmingly low. Ajay Shukla, the father of Sarika Shukla, who was only 17 days old when she died around 5 pm on August 10, said oxygen levels were low two days before the deaths took place.

On August 8 too, there was a low oxygen supply situation at the NICU ward and a monitor that they were told was an oxygen level monitor was beeping with the red sign which indicated low oxygen, said Mr Shukla. He further said the scenes at the hospital were chaotic when so many babies started dying on August 10.

The hospital has said the baby had died of a cardio-respiratory failure, meaning a cardiac arrest that led to respiratory failure.

Another father, Zahid, said his daughter Khushi, 5, died at around 5 pm on Friday when her body went cold. But the hospital declared her dead at around 10 pm. The doctors kept taking out blood from the body to show mediapersons that she was alive, Zahid said on Sunday.

She had high fever in the morning on August 10 and private doctors referred her to the medical college. She was admitted to the hospital at 12.30 am on Thursday and was all right till the time she was getting proper oxygen supply, but her body turned cold and stiff after it was replaced with the ambu bag. She became breathless and around 5 pm, and her body became still, he recalled.

He also accused the hospital staff and doctors of having misbehaved with attendants. When I asked the hospital staff to change my daughters wet shorts, they asked me to bring diapers, said Zahid.
The KVKs will broadcast over 5,000 rounds of video-conferencing/recordings of the Prime Minister from next week.

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nationwide discord amongst farmers with concerns mounting in the agricultural sector, as the 70th Independence Day approaches.

The PM will send his message highlighting the farmer welfare initiatives to the agricultural community through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), an official on condition of anonymity told ThePrint.

The Information & Broadcasting Ministry is laying out a detailed plan incorporating live video conferencing and recorded message playback as a part of the massive outreach programme, the official said.

The message will speak of the government's dedication to the kisan, or the farmers, the importance of Swaccha Bharat Mission, actions taken to empower women and improve infrastructure in villages.

The KVKs will broadcast over 5,000 rounds of video-conferencing/recordings of the Prime Minister from next week.

Serving as agricultural technology centres, there are over 600 KVKs spread across the country. Besides making available the latest technology for agriculture, the KVKs also provide information and various other resources.

The Centre was alarmed after all the BJP-ruled states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and even Tamil Nadu and Punjab saw massive farmer protests. Even the RSS-backed Bharatiya Kisan Sangh criticised the government's inaction despite the PM's promise of working for farmer welfare.

Alongside the KVKs, Narendra Modi's messages will be played across many schools and cinema halls as well.
The ratio gap between organ donors and the patients in need of the organ is huge.

New Delhi: There are a large number of people still waiting for a transplant and it is a fact that these patients will succumb to their ailments due to an insufficient number of organ donors.

The ratio gap between organ donors and the patients in need of the organ like liver, kidney, a heart, etc. is mammothian and this relative difference in numbers is not going to close anytime in the near future.

Under such a circumstance, the relatives of the patient will do anything to secure an organ and see their loved ones live a little extended life. Here are few facts to consider when looking for organ transplantation, says Dr. SatishChandra, Medical Expert of Credihealth.

1 3D Printing

The emergence of this new technology holds a great promise to revolutionize the whole organ transplant industry. This machine has the capability to materialize any object almost out of nothing and this feature of the printer has attracted the attention of many doctors. It not fictional anymore that one day we might see a developed version of this 3D printer that can make your organs for you.

2 Extra Kidneys

When the thought of an organ transplant comes to mind it is usually thought that the old dysfunctional organ will be removed and replaced by one that is functional and healthy. But, it's not the case with kidneys; in a normal kidney transplant, the organs are not removed. It is due to the intricate location of the kidney; the doctor, therefore, leaves the two kidneys intact and places the transplant somewhere else in the patient's body.

3 A Match does not Guarantee Acceptance of the Organ

Just securing an organ for transplant is not enough to save the life of the patient. It is pivotal that the patient's body accepts the organ. Earlier, an organ transplant patient could not survive for very long because our immune system sees the organ as a foreign body and starts to attack it in the vain attempt to protect itself. Therefore, it is essential that the organ is the closest match possible.

4 Life Expectancy

You must have seen it in many popular movies that the relative of a person struggles to secure an organ and in the climax, they finally come across one and the patient and the loved one spend a merry life thereafter. But it's not the case; there are several complications and very frequent visits to the doctor. A person is considered to be lucky if they live for a decade after the transplant. This is mainly due to organ rejection by the body.

The demand for organ donation is increasing day by day. The reason for this can be several and the paramount among the reasons is a lack of education about organ donations. Combining the population of India and China, it accounts for nearly one-third of the total world population and the numbers of donors in these countries are the least in ratio of the population.

Educating the benefits of becoming an organ donor in these countries can solve half of the world's problems. Securing an organ for your loved ones might be the most onerous task that you can come across. There is a whole black market capable of providing the required organ for the right price.

But, there are several risks involved with it that could prove fatal for your loved ones. Therefore, think hard about your choices before deciding on the source and institute of organ transplantation.
The youth, identified as Dhruv Bagla, was arrested but released on bail.

New Delhi: In yet another incident involving high-end cars, a drunk youth driving a Mercedes rammed his car into a Maruti Swift while trying to avoid a traffic check post in Delhi on Friday night.

The youth, identified as Dhruv Bagla, was arrested but released on bail. The driver of the other vehicle suffered minor injuries. The police identified him as Mahipal, who was on his way to the New Delhi Railway Station to pick up his employer Ajay Agarwal, a former director general of Tihar jail.

The accident is the latest in a series of incidents in Delhi involving high-end cars and drunk drivers, some of which have led to fatalities. DCP B.K. Singh said Bagla and and his co-passenger and friend Karan Jain, 20, were returning allegedly after having drinks at a pub in Connaught Place. The accident happened at the intersection of KG Marg and Tolstoy Marg, a few hundred metres from the outer circle of Connaught Place, at around 11 pm. As the Mercedes turned towards KG Marg from Connaught Place, a traffic police team signalled the car to stop. The car tried to sped away, but crashed into the Swift, said the police.
Medical superintendents of all govt hospitals, top health officials to be present.

New Delhi: In the wake of the death of at least 30 infants at a medical college in Uttar Pradeshs Gorakhpur area, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will conduct a review meeting regarding health facilities in government hospitals in the city.

In the meeting, which will be held on Wednesday, the chief minister will meet with the medical superintendents (MS) of all hospitals run by the city government, to undertake a stocktaking exercise. Senior officials of the health department will also be present there, said a government official.

The medical superintendents have been instructed to prepare status reports on stock of medicines, diagnostic equipments, and other facilities, which will then be reviewed in the meeting, the official said.

The decision comes after at least 30 infants died in a span of 48 hours since August 10 at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, which coincided with an alleged shortage in supply of liquid oxygen.

The Yogi Adityanath government has, however, rejected suggestions that the deaths were linked to the shortage of oxygen in the unit. In a similar incident in 2012, four patients were in the intensive care unit of the state-run Sushruta Trauma Centre in North Delhi died because the oxygen supply suddenly stopped, following which a probe was ordered.
Donald Trump represents the eminently foreseeable outcome of Reagan's Republican bargain: welding together a coalition of racists and religious fanatics with the finance sector and its lobbyists, making two groups who had spent a century cordially loathing each other into one.



Welding big money to big racism was a winning strategy, at first. The finance sector supplied the cash to run campaigns and the megachurches supplied the warm bodies for the polling places. Wall Street's most efficacious complex derivative, the Republican Party, was able to promulgate policies that made the rich even richer, at the expense of all those turkeys who turned out over and over to vote for Christmas, only asking in return that women be punished extravagantly for seeking abortions, as though the Jesus Christ's central concern was the Day After pill.

But it was obvious that this situation would rupture some day. Some day, the "base" would notice that though they were being told that lazy, criminal brown people were the cause of all their problems, the actual men in nice suits in DC were doing awfully well, and consistently enacting policies that made their lives worse.

All it would take would be for a candidate to emerge whose only real campaign promise was, "Vote for me and I will make the comfortable elites of this country as miserable as you are." Donald Trump's many extravagant and foolish campaign promises  walls, Obamacare, trade, etc  were all obvious lies on their face, but their subtext was something 100 percent truthful: "I, Donald Trump, will be such an unpredictable, vicious, bullying loose cannon on deck that it will make life terrible for everyone: brown people (especially poor ones), 'liberals,' and, of course, every asshole in a nice suit who took your votes and gave you nothing in return."

Just like his Republican predecessors, Trump was asking the turkeys to vote for Christmas. He was always going to give hereditary mediocre millionaires like himself giant tax breaks. But the GOP was the turkeys-for-Christmas party already, and at least Trump promised to pants the farmers before he sharpened the axe.

Trump is delivering on that promise today.

Today, the Republican Party is the party whose leader and president has refused to condemn actual Naziism in America. It's the party whose brand is now drawing an equivalence between people who oppose Nazis and people who embrace eugenic pseudoscience and genocidal violence.

Donald Trump has canceled all press events today. Yesterday, he ran from reporters who asked him to call terrorism "terrorism." Donald Trump, the "alpha" whose campaign dared Democrats to condemn "radical Islamic terrorism," who finds it easy to condemn department stores and TV networks and Hollywood actresses in intemperate language, that man cannot find it in himself to risk the ire of his base by calling white supremacist terror "white supremacist terror."





Donald Trump's cowardice has made the Republican Party into the murderers' party, the lynchers' party, the party that stands idly by while their supporters murder anti-racists. The party that is, just maybe, a little happy to see it happen.

The 2018 elections are 14 months away. Every would-be Republican candidate in America is waking up this morning and asking themselves how they'll sweep this under the rug. Donald Trump just gave everyone in America who deplores murder, racism and terrorism a reason to go to the polls and vote "anything-but-R."





America's elections are consistently won by "none of the above." The safest gerrymandered districts are only safe so long as tens of millions of voters refuse to hold their nose and mark the ballot for either of the parties. Winning an election in America is a combination of:

1. Convincing your party's base that they should hold their nose and vote for you, despite your manifest defects;

2. Convincing your party's base that they should hold their nose and vote against the other candidate, because of their manifest defects; and

3. Convincing the other party's base that their own candidate is so defective that they shouldn't hold their nose and vote, but rather stay home and send a message to the party establishment that you're sick of being asked to vote for damaged goods.

For the super-rich campaign funders, the optimal game-theoretical outcome of this is to field a candidate who is nearly enough of a greedy, corrupt defective as to demoralize your base, but not quite; the race to the bottom between Democratic and Republican power-brokers has each party on an endless hunt for people who are a little less obviously corrupt than the other side's pick, but still corrupt enough to bail out banks, pad big pharma's profits, slash taxes on the rich, and spy on everyone in order to neutralize any real political change.

Trump's campaign won the race to the bottom. There's a real risk that establishment Democrats will treat Trump's rebranding of the Republicans as the American Nazi Party as an opportunity to sell out even more. Imagine the campaign funds  and industry jobs  that the Dems could vacuum up by promising to be the party of "big money and covert racism" instead of "big money and murderous racism in the streets."

But the domestic terrorists who marched in Charlottesville last night  and the brave people who stood up to them  show us that we can't afford more of the same. We don't need a party that condemns racism in theory, but still refuses to take a stand for workers, for health care, for a social safety net, and all the other systems that civilized societies put in place to make life good for everyone, not just the tiny minority of (generally white) rich people at the very top.

Donald Trump is giving Republican voters a good reason to stay home in 2018. If the Democratic Party wants to seize this moment, it will be bold, and give voters a good reason to come out in 2018: an agenda that includes universal health care, universal access to college education, a $15 national minimum wage, universal access to abortion on demand, action on climate change, and an end to monopolism and too-big-to-fail corruption.

The super-rich will never be numerous enough to elect their candidates on their own: by definition, there just aren't that many 1%ers and even fewer 0.1%ers. They can only maintain power by appealing to spite: vote for us and we'll make life worse for anyone who's not rich, and the most-not-rich Americans are brown, so you'll punish them more than anyone. (That's actually not the only way to maintain power: they can also cheat by engaging in voter suppression, which is why it's vital to fund nonprofit impact litigators who are suing over unconstitutional poll taxes and other tactics to take away votes from brown people).

The people who turned out to fight Naziism yesterday set a high bar for bravery, putting their bodies in front of violent bigots who understood that the cops would not stop them, who understood that the president would not condemn them if they committed brazen murder.

The Republican Party only has itself to blame for this situation. They will reap what they sowed.

But the Democratic Party owes it to the brave and the dead to meet their bravery and honor their sacrifice, to stand up for people and principal, not convenience and comfort.
The major reason for the delay in declaring the results of law courses is a lack of faculty.

Mumbai: In a drastic move, Mumbai University (MU) passed a circular on Friday night that sought the help of practicing lawyers with the assessment of final year law exam papers in order to speed up the process. The results of final-year MU exams have been delayed for over three months. So far, no results have been announced pertaining to the law department. The MU, via the circular, also sought the help of chartered accountants for the assessment of the taxation subject of the commerce department.

The government will offer Rs 14 per paper to the lawyers. Before issuing the circular, education minister Vinod Tawde had discussions with some lawyers. We had been called for a meeting where we were asked about what we feel about this programme, said a senior lawyer.

Student groups, however, are unhappy with the move. Advocates are lawyers. How do you expect them to assess our answer sheets when they are not our professors? They dont know our syllabus or the paper pattern. Just because they are lawyers, would they know everything about our law paper, asked Sachin Pawar, president of Students Law Council and a law student.

An official from MUs law department stated on the condition of anonymity, A teacher knows how to correct the paper and assign marks, which cant be done by anyone except a teacher. If any goof up happens, who will take responsibility? It is a criminal offence to waste a students year.

The major reason for the delay in declaring the results of law courses is a lack of faculty. Law has only 102 faculty members for assessment and most of them are lawyers, so they cant spend the entire day assessing answer sheets. Meanwhile, MUs law department is positive about declaring all the results by next week. Dr Rashmi Oza, head of department said, All post-graduation courses results assessment is done. It has been handed over to the central computing facility department, which will announce them by next week.
The duos arrest takes the total number of arrests in the case to 13.

The NCB suspects that the accused were given the responsibility of finding customers for the seized contraband after it landed in India. (Representational image)

Mumbai: Two Dongri residents who are alleged drug-peddlers were arrested by the Ahmedabad Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in connection with the the seizure of 1,500 kg heroin off the Gujarat coast on July 29.

They were held from Porbandar. The NCB suspects that the accused were given the responsibility of finding customers for the seized contraband after it landed in India.

The duos arrest takes the total number of arrests in the case to 13.

The two accused were identified as Suleiman Sadiq (45) and Saud Aslam Patel (23).

Sadiq and Patel were nabbed after the investigators learnt that they were in touch with two accused  Irfan Shaikh and Vishal Yadav arrested in the heroin seizure case.

The Mumbai NCB was not aware of their arrests, officials in Mumbai said.
Washington has levers against Beijing but using them in the form of tweets in making foreign policy as he goes along is a road to disaster.

US President Donald Trumps failure as a leader is writ large over how he is handling the question of North Koreas nuclear ambitions. The tussle between giant United States and pigmy North Korea is taking on farcical tones were it not for the seriousness of the issues involved. The nub of the problem is simple: Pyongyang wants to enter the nuclear club as a protection against being taken over by the US on South Koreas behalf while Mr Trump is using bluster to try to humiliate Kim Jong-un and at the same time seeking Beijings help.

In the event, Mr Trumps strategy, if he has one, is not working. China does not want a reunified Korea with US troops right on its border and President Xi Jinping, the lifeline to North Koreas existence, played along with the US in not vetoing a new anti-Pyongyang United Nations sanctions resolution, is holding firm to safeguard its interests.

Everyone realises that there are no good options. What complicates the picture is Mr Trumps lack of leadership skills as he veers from praising Mr Xi to haranguing him to perform Americas job. Washington has levers against Beijing but using them in the form of tweets in making foreign policy as he goes along is a road to disaster.

Mr Trump first suggested that if North Korea built a missile that could reach mainland America, it would cross a red line, first after saying: It wont happen. In July, Pyongyang demonstrated such a capacity, according to experts. Apart from pressing Mr Xi further, Mr Trump has resorted to painting a blood-curdling picture in his new diatribes against the North. His secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, is putting the kindest construct on it without conviction.

President Xi is happy with the travails of the United States with an eccentric and unpredictable President as it gives him a chance to appeal for calm and peace. In striking contrast, he is not following his own advice in unleashing a barrage of threats and insults at India by state-controlled media on the standoff at the tri-junction in the Himalayas.

North Koreas nuclear programme is the most serious of the problems facing the US administration as Americans wake up each morning to read the latest of Mr Trumps tweets making his foreign policy advisers lives an adventure. Although Mr Trump has sought to repair his ties with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation after calling it obsolete, he has cancelled the landmark proposed trade deal in East Asia excluding China, much to the comfort of Beijing.

There is a rising tide of foreign policy experts in the US who are pinpointing two traits of the President: his abdication of the traditional American leadership role assumed by Washington since the end of World War II and his inability to bone up on the intricacies of foreign policy issues, despite his advisers briefing. These deficiencies are a major hurdle in coping with the North Korean crisis.

Mr Trump is very mindful of his domestic constituency, the less prosperous and poorly educated whites left behind by the technological revolution. The America First slogan naturally appeals to them even as it trumps all that America has stood for in the post-War years. Mr Trump does not realise that he cannot wish away a large slice of recent history to please his domestic constituency.

Mr Trumps future depends upon the fate of the current investigations into his campaigns links and potential complicity with Russia on seeking the presidency. The special prosecutor, Mr Robert Mueller, is assiduously at work. Investigators thus far have already brought out some embarrassing leads. Mr Trump has no easy options. He has been already warned by legislators against sacking Mr Mueller and is being frustrated in his original efforts to build a better relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, despite the two long meetings he had with the Russian leader on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Germany.

Meanwhile, the crisis on North Korea continues to simmer. There are suggestions that US and Pyongyang officials are conducting private talks to find a way out after the young Kim Jong-un threatened to fire a missile at the US military base in Guam. Mr Kim is a match for Mr Trump in overblown rhetoric, imitating as it does the standard Chinese Communist Party rhetoric of the old days.

Little is known about Mr Kim from the Kim dynasty except that he is something of a recluse, not visiting fraternal countries or receiving high-profile foreign political guests. Rumours have swirled around him on the murders he has ordered of several relatives and former close associates, including his step-brother Kim Jong-nam, murdered at a Malaysian airport, a case that is still being processed.

For the wider world, the fate of Mr Trump is more important because the future political direction America takes is still of great significance.

China is playing a balancing game in placating America to an extent without cutting off it trade lifeline to Pyongyang, UN resolution notwithstanding. The US can greatly harm Chinese interests but Beijing, in line with the rest of the world, is feeling its way to discovering how best to deal with Mr Trumps America.

Unpredictably is a serious problem for the worlds chancelleries in dealing with major foreign policy issues. North Korea has popped up the question rather early in Mr Trumps presidency, leaving the ultimate American response still a matter of conjecture. It is not known how seriously Mr Trump took the advice of his predecessor, Barack Obama. that North Korea would be the most difficult immediate problem he would have to face in his presidency.

While Chinese ideologues must be smirking at American discomfort at having Mr Trump as President, President Xi has his own problems to worry about in hammering out a team loyal to him at the forthcoming congress in the autumn for his second five-year term, with an eye on a possible extension. But the real decisions will be taken in secret conclaves before the congress meets.
If the SP, the BSP and the Congress had united, the BJP would have been left with only 90 seats, says Sitaram Yechury.

Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) general secretary, looks quite overwhelmed by the affection and good words received from his co-members of the Upper House as he closes an exemplary innings in the Rajya Sabha. On the last day of the Monsoon Session, Mr Yechury spoke with Sanjay Basak and Sreeparna Chakrabarty about how competitive communalism between the BJP and the Trinamul Congress was squeezing out the Left in West Bengal, the propaganada against the CPI(M)-led government in Kerala and the future of Opposition unity against the Narendra Modi-led BJP.

What is your opinion about the attempts at Opposition unity? Will your party go with the Congress to stop the BJP juggernaut?

At our party congress it was decided that there would be no electoral understanding or an alliance with the Congress. We are working with non-Congress secular social movements and secular parties and certain popular struggles. We shall unite and try and build independent strength of our parties through our Left struggles and within non-Congress secular parties along with other peoples movements. We will see whether there can be any alliance with the Congress; we are having a party congress in 2018 and they will work out an alliance for the next three years.

As far as the Opposition unity is being talked about, we have already said that this was not the way by which an offensive against the current BJP government could be built. The alternative can be built only through peoples struggles. We are focusing on two major issues  privatisation and the very significant cuts in peoples welfare projects like MGNREGA, LPG subsidy cut or agrarian distress. These two issues will build popular movements.

This will give rise to a broader forum of non-political parties which will include Left parties plus mass organisations and people organisations. Our firm understanding is that only by sharpening and strengthening people struggles an electoral understating can come across.

The BJP made a grand show in Uttar Pradesh.

In UP, BJP lost three per cent of votes and in Uttarakhand it lost 10 per cent. Also, it lost sitting governments in Goa and Punjab. The BJP has only perfected the art of losing elections but forming the government. Thats not an incredible victory. The main reason why it won in UP was division in the Opposition votes. A sharp ruthless communal polarisation accompanied by extremely scientific social engineering. Targeting all non-Yadav OBCs and non-Jatav dalits who were very ably aided by a very weak index of Opposition unity. If the SP, the BSP and the Congress had united, the BJP would have been left with only 90 seats.

What is the reason for the Lefts continuous decline in West Bengal?

It is not that we are not making any inroads; public activities that culminated in the Nabanna march were very heartening. There is sharpened competitive communalism between the Trinamul Congress and the BJP and that is why we say that they both are playing politics in tandem. The Trinamul minority communalism directly feeds BJPs Hindutva communalism. These two feed each other and whenever this happens the Left gets squeezed out though temporarily. Thats why we say Didi bhai-Modi bhai.

Can you imagine schoolchildren coming out with weapons on Ram Navami. This a trend which the Left had kept under check for 40 years; it is reviving. One should remember that on August 15, 1947, Mahatma Gandhi was not in Delhi but in Noakhali, which was known for the worst communal riots. In the psyche of large number of Bengalis, all this remains but instead of suppressing that if you rake it up then you will have mayhem and thats exactly what the Trinamul and the BJP are doing.

Do you think the Centre will target the Kerala government?

Whether in Kerala, Tripura where elections are due or West Bengal, the BJP sees in the Left, particularly CPI(M), a consistent ideological and organisational opposition. All other parties it can manage to break through intimidation, appeasement or the CBI. With the Left, the BJP knows it doesnt work. In the recent RS polls in Gujarat, they bought Congress MLAs. They will try to weaken Kerala and Tripura and try to squeeze out the Left in West Bengal.

As far as Kerala is concerned, their own central home department data says that in the first two years, more CPI(M) people were murdered as compared to the RSS. The violence, particularly in northern Kerala goes back to many years that is because the RSS-BJP standard technique of expanding their social and political presence is by creating violence. In northern Kerala, there is substantial Muslim population which acts as a fertile ground.

This time around, the violence started the day results were announced for Assembly elections. Many CPI(M) workers died. The idea is to create a situation where you say there is a breakdown of law and order and then destabilise the government. The BJP in Kerala is plagued by corruption charges so the violence is to divert attention.Our government took the initiative. Our state secretary called a meeting of political parties and the chief minister called a meeting of political parties.

What do you think is the future of the Congress?

The Congress has to decide as to why it is going down. The economic policies it pursued, the neo-liberal policies, burdened the public and the consequent discontent only favoured the communal forces. This is how the communal forces entered the scene in 2014.

What do you have to say about corruption charges against many Opposition leaders?

What about the Vyapam case, the Panama papers, Sahara Birla diaries where the PM is directly named? It is selective pursuit. Earlier, we used to say that CBI is Congress Bureau of Investigation. Now it is Communal Bureau of Investigation.

Was the refusal of a third Rajya Sabha term to you a blunder?

When I became the general secretary I had proposed to focus on party work. Then the central committee felt that it would be gifting the seat to Trinamul. After that the situation in West Bengal and the people suggested that the one seat in Bengal can be won by us with the support of the Congress. However, we are not going to go with the Congress, so Congress had said that if Sitaram was the sixth candidate then it would not contest. The Politburo said that it was against party line. The central committtee said circumstances have changed and it led to voting and on that basis they said that Sitaram should not go.
Cyber surveillance is being tightened further ahead of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Messaging app WeChat and microblogging service Weibo are China's most popular social media platforms, and have thrived due to the absence of western competitors like Facebook and Twitter that are banned by the country's censors. (Representational image)

Chinas cyber regulator on Friday said it was investigating the country's top social media sites over failing to comply with strict laws that ban content which is violent, obscene or deemed offensive to the Communist Party.

The Cyberspace Administration said it was investigating Tencent Holdings WeChat, Weibo and Baidu's forum site Tieba over suspected violations of the country's strict cyber-security laws.

"Users are spreading violence, terror, false rumours, pornography and other hazards to national security, public safety, social order," the regulator said on its website.

The companies did not immediately respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment on the probe.

This is the latest in a series of regulatory actions against the country's top tech firms as China's cyber authorities adopt an increasingly hardened stance on censorship, doling out harsh punishments to firms that fail to comply.

Cyber surveillance is being tightened further ahead of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China expected to be held later this year, when global attention will be on news coming from the world's second-biggest economy.

Last month, cyber authorities called on the same firms to carry out immediate "cleaning and rectification" at a meeting with their representatives, where the authorities cited specific examples of illicit content, including rumours about party officials and misrepresenting Chinese military history.

Prior to the meeting, Weibo was ordered to partially close its video site over violations, wiping out a combined $1.3 billion worth of stock between Weibo and parent firm Sina Corp.

Messaging app WeChat and microblogging service Weibo are China's most popular social media platforms, and have thrived due to the absence of western competitors like Facebook and Twitter that are banned by the country's censors.

WeChat and Weibo have about 940 million and 350 million monthly active users, respectively.
The bodies of nine young men shot dead overnight in Nairobis Mathare slum had been brought to the city morgue, a security official said.

Protesters of Kenya opposition leader Raila Odinga demonstrate in the Mathare area of Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo: AP)

Nairobi: Kenyan police killed at least 11 people in a crackdown on protests as anger at the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta erupted in the western city of Kisumu and slums ringing the capital, officials and witnesses said on Saturday.

The bodies of nine young men shot dead overnight in Nairobis Mathare slum had been brought to the city morgue, a security official said. The men were killed during police anti-looting operations, the official added.

Separately, a young girl in Mathare was killed by police firing sporadic shots, a witness said. The run-down neighbourhood is loyal to 72-year-old opposition leader Raila Odinga, whose party rejected Tuesdays vote as a charade.

A reporter in Kisumu, centre of post-election ethnic violence a decade ago in which 1,200 people died nationwide, said tear gas and live rounds were fired. One man had been killed, a government official said.

The unrest erupted moments after Kenyas election commission announced late on Friday that Kenyatta, 55, had secured a second five-year term in office, despite opposition allegations that the tally was a fraud.

Interior minister Fred Matiangi said the trouble was localised and blamed it on criminal elements rather than legitimate political protest.

Odingas NASA coalition provided no evidence for its rejection of the result. Kenyas main monitoring group, ELOG, said on Saturday its tally matched the official outcome, undermining NASAs allegations of fraud.

In addition to the deaths, Kisumus main hospital was treating four people for gunshot wounds and six who had been beaten by Kenyan police, its records showed.

One man, Moses Oduor, was inside his home in Obunga when police conducting house-to-house raids dragged him out of his bedroom and beat him with clubs.

He was not out fighting them. He was rescued by my sister who lives next to him. She came outside screaming at the police, asking why they are beating people, his brother, Charles Ochieng said, speaking on behalf of a dazed Oduor.

More shooting was heard outside the hospital on Saturday morning. In Nairobi, armed police units backed by water cannon moved through the rubble-strewn streets of Kibera, another pro-Odinga slum.
Hyeon Soo Lim, was arrested in Jan 2015 on charges of subversive activities against the N Korean regime, an accusation denied by Ottawa.

Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim, who was imprisoned in North Korea for more than two years returns to Canada. (Photo: AFP)

Ottawa: A Canadian pastor imprisoned in North Korea for more than two years returned home days after being released, officials said.

Hyeon Soo Lim, 62, was arrested in January 2015 on charges of subversive activities against the North Korean regime, an accusation denied by Ottawa.

Although sentenced to hard labor for life, he was granted "sick bail" following a visit to Pyongyang by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's national security advisor Daniel Jean.

"Today, we join Pastor Lim's family and congregation in celebrating his long-awaited return to Canada," the foreign affairs ministry said in a press statement on Staurday.

"Canada has been actively engaged on Mr. Lim's case at all levels, and we will continue to support him and his family now that he has returned," it added.

According to local media reports, Lim was flown to a military base in Trenton, some 170 kilometers (100 miles) east of Toronto. His liberation came at a moment of high tensions between North Korea and the United States. Three Americans remain in the custody of the regime of Kim Jong-Un.

Pyongyang has threatened to launch missiles on the island Guam, a strategic US outpost in the Pacific some 3,300 kilometers (2000 miles) from North Korea. US President Donald Trump for his part as promised to rain down "fire and fury" on Kim's regime.

Lim, who belongs to the Light Korean Presbyterian Church, was considered at the time of his arrest one of the most influential Christian missionaries in North Korea. He had previously traveled extensively in the country to work in orphanages and hospitals.

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. Jang was arrested and executed for treason in December 2013.
Trump also contends that the 'hatred and bigotry' broadcast across the country had taken root long before his political ascendancy.

The nationalists were holding the rally to protest plans by the city of Charlottesville to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. (Photo: AP)

Bedminster: President Donald Trump is blaming "many sides" for the violent clashes between protesters and white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Trump also contends that the "hatred and bigotry" broadcast across the country had taken root long before his political ascendancy. Trump's comments are drawing criticism from Republicans and Democrats who say he should be denouncing hate groups by name.

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer, a Democrat, says that he blames Trump for inflaming racial prejudices with his campaign last year. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican, says that the president "must call evil by its name."

A neo-Nazi website is praising the president for not condemning white nationalist groups for the demonstration that turned violent. The Daily Stormer says that Trump's comments are good and amount to no condemnation at all.
The CDU has plumped for a soft-focus campaign centred on patriotism and Merkel herself.

German Chancellor and candidate of the Christian Democratic Union for the upcoming election Angela Merkel delivers a speech in Dortmund. (Photo: AP)

Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel has returned from a three-week Alpine holiday to embark Saturday on what may be the most bizarre election campaign in the countrys post-war history.

After months of studiously ignoring the race for the September 24 election, Merkel will kick off a series of rallies across the country with an hour-long speech to supporters in the western city of Dortmund.

But just six weeks out from the European Unions top economic power and most populous nation going to the polls, Germans are barely taking notice of the election.

The CDU has plumped for a soft-focus campaign centred on patriotism and Merkel herself. The party drew ridicule for its soporific slogan For a Germany in which we live well and happily, and a campaign poster featuring a young female voter literally asleep in a meadow.

In a column called Wander Woman this week, Rene Pfister of Der Spiegel noted the fascination Germans had with the down-to-earth images of Merkel hiking in gear she has been wearing year after year that were splashed on the pages of newspapers and magazines during her holiday.

It is among the curiosities of this election campaign that even Merkels summer holiday led her poll numbers to climb, Pfister said, adding that her no-nonsense style mirrored Germans own view of themselves.

Even after 12 years in power, Merkel, frequently called the worlds most powerful woman and Europes de facto leader, looks set for a fourth term.

Gone are the warnings of her political demise heard at the height of the 2015 refugee influx, when nearly 900,000 asylum seekers entered the country. It is probably the strangest election race in the history of the Federal Republic, Heribert Prantl of the national broadsheet Sueddeutsche Zeitung wrote this week.

The party drew ridicule for its soporific slogan For a Germany in which we live well and happily, and a campaign poster featuring a young female voter literally asleep in a meadow.
Carla Del Ponte said that without an international court or prosecutor to try the Syria war crimes cases, justice would remain elusive.

The prosecutor said that the Assad government had perpetrated horrible crimes against humanity and used chemical weapons. (Photo: AP)

Geneva: A UN commission probing Syria rights abuses has gathered enough evidence to convict President Bashar al-Assad of war crimes, an outgoing member of the commission said in interviews published Sunday.

Veteran former war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte, who is preparing to step down after five years serving in the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, told Swiss media the evidence against Assad was sufficient to secure a war crimes conviction.

"I am convinced of that," she told Le Matin Dimanche and the Sonntagszeitung weeklies, adding though that with no international court or prosecutor tasked with trying the Syria war crimes cases, justice would remain elusive.

Read: Putin claims Syria chemical attack was against Bashar Assad

"That is why the situation is so frustrating. The preparatory work has been done, but nevertheless, there is no prosecutor and no court," she told Sonntagszeitung. "It's a tragedy."

Del Ponte, a 70-year-old Swiss national who came to prominence investigating war crimes in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, made the shock announcement earlier this month that she would resign from the UN commission because it "does absolutely nothing".

She lamented that "everyone in Syria is on the bad side. The Assad government has perpetrated horrible crimes against humanity and used chemical weapons. And the opposition is now made up of extremists and terrorists."

Read: Pentagon chief says Assad took Trump's chemical warning 'seriously'

In Sunday's interviews, she said she had handed in her resignation letter last Thursday, and that she would officially step down on September 18, after the commission presents its latest report to the UN Human Rights Council.

UN chief Antonio Guterres appealed last week for the commission to continue its work despite Del Ponte's departure.

The commission has been tasked with investigating human rights violations and war crimes in Syria since shortly after the conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests that have evolved into a complex proxy war.

The continued violence has left more than 330,000 people dead and displaced millions.

The commission, which once Del Ponte leaves will count just two members, has repeatedly urged the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court, in vain.

Read: US aware of Syria planning chemical attack, says Prez Assad will pay heavy price

"I do not want to be an alibi for an international community that is doing nothing at all," Del Ponte told Le Matin Dimanche, explaining her decision to leave the UN commission.

"My resignation is also meant as a provocation," she said, adding that she hoped it would "put pressure on the Security Council, which must deliver justice to the victims."

Del Ponte however said that if an international judicial process is eventually established for Syria, "I am ready to take on the position of international prosecutor."

She stressed that international justice was vital for Syria, where the crimes committed were "far worse" than what she had seen in the former Yugoslavia.

"Without justice in Syria, there will never be peace and thus no future," she said.
This cover illustration may not be striking enough to pull your attention from across the room. There's nothing particularly wrong with it, it just isn't an overwhelmingly dynamic composition or subject matter.

There's a guy patching a hole in what appears to be a giant space balloon holding atmosphere for people inside. Not horrible, but not inspiring. As usual when this is the case, I start to look around at what was happening in the world.

As it turns out, 1964 brings us some amazing space stories, such as the "Afronauts".

The US and the Soviet Union were deep in competition at this point, pushing further and further outward, with sights set on the moon. A Zambian school teacher named Edward Makuka Nikoloso, inspired by Zambia's recent independence, created the space program that he dubbed the "Afronauts" and claimed that they would be the first to the moon, beating the two super powers.

To put it simply, they didn't have the technology, training, or funding to do anything of the sort. They lacked support from their local government and ultimately dropped their plans after the pilot of their ship, 17 year old Matha Mwambwa, became pregnant.
Standard Chartered and upSWOT launch business analytics solution

US

Reporter Lyndsey Young

Through the new solution, Standard Chartereds SME clients can connect the business apps that they use with upSWOT to generate real-time insights and dashboard analysis using the data aggregated
Waystone acquires KBA

Ireland

Reporter Jenna Lomax

Following the finalisation of the deal, KBA and Waystone will both relocate to new headquarters in Dublin
US direct lending market to grow, according to Ocorian research

United Kingdom

Reporter Lucy Carter

59 per cent of capital markets executives expect growth in the US direct lending market over the next 18 months, according to recent research by service provider Ocorian. Only 1 per cent expect loan volumes to remain stagnant
Standard Chartered makes significant investment in value exchange Partior

Singapore

Reporter Jenna Lomax

The investment is part of an initiative to accelerate Standard Chartereds deployment of blockchain technology across its global wholesale payments and settlements network, while also expanding the use of Partiors technology in global capital market
James Alex Fields was w/ the Vanguard America folks in #Charlottesville. Learn more about the group > https://t.co/HNloF8Btnf @ADL_National pic.twitter.com/TmJLi0kfZo  Oren Segal (@orensegal) August 13, 2017

An Ohio man has been arrested that authorities suspect of being the driver who killed one and injured 19 w/5 in critical condition in Charlottesville Saturday after the cancellation of a white supremacist rally has Northern Kentucky roots.

James Fields Jr., 20, of Maumee, Ohio, is being held on suspicion of second-degree murder, malicious wounding and failure to stop in an accident that resulted in death, officials confirmed to The Enquirer.

Online documents show Fields shares an address with his mother, Samantha Bloom, 49, in Maumee. Documents also list several Northern Kentucky addresses for Bloom, who confirmed to The Toledo Blade Saturday night she and her son recently moved from Florence, Kentucky, for her job in northwest Ohio. Bloom, told CNN affiliate Toledo Blade, her son told her last week he was going to an alt-right rally, but she was not involved in his political views. CNNs attempts to reach Bloom were unsuccessful.

In a photo posted to Twitter by the Anti-Defamation League and reported by BuzzFeed, a man who appears to be Fields Jr. can be seen brandishing a black shield handed out by the self-proclaimed fascist group Vanguard America.

Videos of the incident show the Challenger barreling into pedestrians at high speed and slamming into the back of a second vehicle. With the cars front badly damaged and its mangled bumper sticking out one side, the driver backs up a high speed for several blocks, then turns left and speeds off, chased by police.

Fields Jr. has been charged with one count of second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and one count related to leaving the scene of the wreck, according to the AP. He is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced late Saturday that federal authorities will pursue a civil rights investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash. Investigators want to know if Fields Jr. crossed state lines with the intent to commit violence.

There has been no talk of any terrorism charges being brought forth as of this time.

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Cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 45F. Winds light and variable.
Business / Companies

by Staff reporter

CLEARANCE of goods at the country's border posts has reportedly been at a standstill since Friday following a technical hitch with the customs and excise department's automated system, also known as Asycuda.Scores of trucks were stuck at Beitbridge and other ports as shipping agents resorted to manual clearance of goods.Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) spokesperson Canisio Mudzimu confirmed the glitch in a statement yesterday, saying the problem had since been rectified."The technical problem was caused by some power outages, which affected part of Asycuda World's functionality. However, urgent maintenance work is being conducted in collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development consultants," Zimra said."As you appreciate, Asycuda World enables clients to submit their customs documents to Zimra from anywhere in the world provided that one is registered with the authority and there is Internet connectivity at the place from which one will be transacting. Asycuda World enables pre-clearance of goods, which entails that importers can clear their goods before arrival at the port of entry as a way of facilitating smooth flow of cargo. Where the goods would not have been pre-cleared and the system is down, a business continuity process will be evoked to facilitate trade," said Zimra.But truck drivers at Beitbridge Border Post complained that the fault had negatively affected them.Shipping and Forwarding Agents' Association of Zimbabwe chief executive Joseph Musariri called on Zimra to timeously communicate with stakeholders when facing connectivity challenges."We appreciate Zimra's system which has made our job easier, but their network is not reliable and develops faults regularly," he said."We only urge Zimra to come public when such problems occur because there is confusion between us and our clients waiting for their goods," he said.South Africa, whose customs and excise system is well-oiled, kept releasing trucks whose numbers kept swelling because they were not being released at the same speed as they came.
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News / National

by Staff Reporter

Zimbabwe will stand by South Africa's President Jacob Zuma as his political opponents plot to oust him before his term expires, President Mugabe has said.President Mugabe pointed out that Zanu-PF and South Africa's African National Congress jointly fought colonialism and would stick together.President Mugabe said this at the sixth Presidential Youth Interface here yesterday, where tens of thousands of people turned up to hear their Head of State and Government speak."Independence, of course, gave us an opportunity of using it now as an instrument to help South Africa, Namibia to get their independence."Saka, tese, we still relate to the South Africans. ANC and President Zuma; whatever the South Africans or some from Zimbabwe might say about him, we will just relate to him in a proper way as he is the current President of the ANC."It is with the ANC that we have, for a long time, had a partnership. It is that which we continue to relate to; with those either in Zambia, Angola, South Africa. (They) remain our comrades because we were in the same trenches with them."So, hatiti zvatakawana Independence, tose hushamwari hwedu hwakapera. Hatidaro. That friendship which we created during the struggle continues to be the friendship we work with in developing our countries and sharing ideas. That's why there was the creation of the Southern Africa Development Community," President Mugabe said.Last Tuesday, President Zuma survived a no-confidence vote, under secret ballot, in South Africa's parliament.A total of 177 MPs favoured the motion but 198 opposed it - with nine abstaining - giving President Zuma the right to carry on at the helm of South African politics.This was the eighth time since 2009 that President Zuma survived an attempt to remove him from office.Zimbabwe and South Africa share strong political, economic and cultural ties.In 2016, President Zuma recounted the close ties between Zimbabwe and South Africa to The Sunday Mail.He said then of President Mugabe, "We have enjoyed a good working relationship since South Africa's liberation as well. We regard him as an elder statesman in our region and continent who is always ready to provide guidance and leadership when called upon to do so."I can define my relationship with President Mugabe as being fraternal, brotherly, and comradely and of extreme importance to both South Africa and Zimbabwe, the region and Africa as a whole."
A 32-year-old woman from San Antonio was arrested Saturday morning at the Federal Prison Complex on Knauth Road after she attempted to deliver heroin and another drug to inmates, the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

The woman hid black tar heroin and suboxone, which is used to treat an opiate addiction, inside balloons that she ingested, the statement said.
News / National

by Staff reporter

The military has remained disciplined, contributing in this and other ways to promoting peace and stability in the country, Commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe Air Marshal Perrance Shiri has said.Speaking to journalists in Harare ahead of Defence Forces Day on Tuesday, Air Marshal Shiri said the men and women in uniform were "resolute and unequivocal" in their support for Government, and stood ever ready to stave off threats.Separately, Zimbabwe National Army Commander Lieutenant-General Phillip Valerio Sibanda said his charges would continue supporting Government development programmes.Air Marshal Shiri said, "One of the legacies of the Air force of Zimbabwe since 1980 is subservience to political leadership."We have co-existed with our politicians peacefully. We have complemented each other. Politicians give us direction, playing their role in mobilising people, while we concentrate on providing security to the people of Zimbabwe."You may have heard the history of other African countries where whenever there were difficulties, the military was manipulated by other countries to destabilise the situation or even overthrow a democratically-elected Government."He went on: "We went through difficult phases, especially the Land Reform Programme, and earned ourselves a lot of enemies. Were it in other African or Third World countries, the military would have been used to destabilise the political programme."However, in Zimbabwe, we were together with the Government throughout the Land Reform Programme. We endured and succeeded. Look at what happened to (Kwame) Nkrumah of Ghana, (Patrice) Lumumba of the Democratic Republic of Congo and (Salvador) Allende of Chile. The military was used to dislodge them."Air Marshal Shiri encouraged the Air Force and the general citizenry to remain patriotic in spite of challenges."For example, we have gone through a very difficult patch of sanctions, and we know that as we go into the future, there will be a lot more challenges. However, as long as our people remain patriotic and professional, they will be able to tackle these challenges."Mind you, the situation may be vibrant; it can be dynamic, it can change. The nature of the threat can change. What is important is to have a flexible force, which can adapt, remain professional and confront the threat."Lt-Gen Sibanda commended his charges for their patriotism and dedication to duty."First, we must understand that for development to take place, there has to be peace so that people can go about their aspirations and achieve what they want. For Zim-Asset to succeed, there has to be peace. We are playing our own part in a small way in two clusters of Zim-Asset; the first one being Food Security and Nutrition."We continuously assist Government and Government ministries like the Ministry of Transport. We have a number of officers who are helping that ministry to try and get the National Railways of Zimbabwe going through technicians."We are also assisting the Ministry of Agriculture with Command Agriculture. We continue to engage in certain short-term support of various ministries, like the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, in grain distribution."
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A young Kildare man who penned a song about Conor McGregor was left close to tears following a heart-warming gesture by the Notorious.

McGregor has invited Mick Konstantin and a friend to Vegas for the August 26 showdown with Floyd Mayweather after his song - There's Only One Conor McGregor - went viral earlier this week.

The catchy tune proved a huge hit with McGregor whose management team contacted Konstantin through Facebook to offer the Celbridge man an all-expenses trip to Sin City.

Konstantin was in studio recording the song - which will be released this week - when he received the message and admitted he was close to tears when he digested the news.

Read More

"I was speechless, I nearly started crying," Konstantin told Independent.ie.

"Then, after reading it I thought it may have been a prank. It would have been some prank! I ran out of the studio and ran up and down the street a few times. It took a while to sink in."

McGregor confirmed the offer when speaking to Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting on Friday night and Konstantin says the gesture tells you everything you need to know about the Irishman.

"Conor McGregor didn't have to do this. I am nothing to him and even in his interview he just mentioned it, he didn't make a big deal about it," added Konstantin.

Especially coming up to the fight. He has a lot on, to even think about it is outrageous. I always thought he was the f***ing man, the way he manages himself. The way he trains and the way he promotes himself. Mick Konstantin

"You can also tell what his fans mean to him. He is always signing autographs and always had time for fans. This gesture just confirms what I thought."

There is Only One Conor McGregor is not the first song that went viral by the ucalaly-playing Konstantin, who is a primary school teacher in Maynooth.

During Euro 2016, he wrote a song called Taking Over France that was viewed millions of times.

He expects There Is Only One Conor McGregor to be available to download on iTunes and aired on radio early next week. Possibly number one on August 26?
The papers will address the issue of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic after the UK has left the EU

Ministers are to publish a new series of detailed papers setting out their aims for the Brexit talks amid criticism about a lack of clarity over the Government's negotiating position.

The papers, to be published from this week, will include one covering the thorny issue of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic after the UK has left the EU.

A second batch of papers, to be released in the run-up to the October meeting of the European Council in Brussels, will look at "future partnership" arrangements, including the UK's proposals for a new customs agreement with the EU.

Brexit Secretary David Davis said the publication of the papers would mark "an important next step" towards delivering last year's referendum vote to leave the EU.

The disclosure comes as Mr Davis prepares to embark on a third round of talks with the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier in the Belgian capital at the end of August.

Read More

Mr Barnier is reported to have warned EU ambassadors the first two rounds had failed to produce sufficient clarity on the opening issues of the Irish border, the rights of EU citizens in the UK, and Britain's "divorce bill".

His gloomy assessment cast doubt on whether the talks will have made enough progress to begin discussions in the autumn on a new free trade deal between Britain and the EU.

Ireland's premier Leo Varadkar meanwhile has expressed his frustration at the failure so far of the UK Government to come up with firm proposals to ensure that there is no return to the "hard" border between the North and the Republic.

On his first official visit to Northern Ireland earlier this month, the Taoiseach even put forward his own suggestions for a "soft Brexit" - including the possibility of creating a new EU-UK customs union.

Sources at the Department for Exiting the EU said the "future partnership" papers would show that the Government is ready to move on to the next stage of the negotiations.

They insisted the issues of Britain's withdrawal - which include the divorce bill the UK will have to pay in respect of its outstanding liabilities - remained "inextricably linked" with the talks on its future relations with the bloc.

Mr Davis said: "Over the last year, the Government has been working with British businesses and the British people to establish exactly how our new relationship with the EU should look and feel.

"I've launched this process because with time of the essence, we need to get on with negotiating the bigger issues around our future partnership to ensure we get a deal that delivers a strong UK and a strong EU.

"It's what businesses across Europe have called on both sides to do and will demonstrate that the UK is ready for the job.

As well the issue of the Irish border, the first set of new position papers will also cover continued availability of goods for the EU and the UK, and confidentiality and access to official documents following the UK's withdrawal.
Gerry Kelly urged the parties to come together to restore the political institutions at Stormont

A senior Sinn Fein MLA has called on all the nationalist parties on the island to work together to deliver a united Ireland.

Delivering a speech in Co Mayo to commemorate the 1981 hunger strikes, Gerry Kelly also paid tribute to the late Martin McGuinness and said the political institutions at Stormont should be re-established.

"I challenge the leaders of the SDLP, Fine Gael, and Fianna Fail to stop hiding behind the mantra of now is not the time to discuss unity. One hundred years on since 1916, as we face into Brexit, now is the time not only to discuss unity, but to plan and deliver Irish Unity," he said.

The Sinn Fein man added: "Sinn Fein wants an Ireland that is defined by hope, prosperity and opportunity for all citizens irrespective of their age, gender, religious persuasion, cultural identity, political affiliation, ethnic origin, or sexual orientation."

He paid tribute to the late Martin McGuinness and the 1981 hunger strikers.

The North Belfast MLA also insisted that the political institutions at Stormont should be re-established.

"We want the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement re-instated but on the basis of equality, mutual respect and integrity.

"The present talks, now stalled, are about implementing agreements already made. That is basic to a power-sharing Executive and Assembly," he said.

Sinn Fein demands in the talks process include an Irish Language Act, a Marriage Equality Act, a Bill of Rights and measures to deal with legacy issues.

Mr Kelly said these are not unreasonable asks for people living in Northern Ireland, "especially when they are rights everywhere else in Ireland and Britain."

Northern Ireland has been without a functioning devolved government since January, when the coalition led by the two biggest parties, the DUP and Sinn Fein collapsed, over a green energy scandal.

In January, Mr McGuinness resigned in protest over the DUP's handling of an inquiry into the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme.

His party had demanded that DUP leader Arlene Foster step aside temporarily to allow an investigation into the scheme she set up, but Mrs Foster refused.

Since then the two parties have been deadlocked over a number of issues.
An area of woodland in south Dublin has been sealed off

Police have begun a fresh search for a bank worker who went missing in 2000.

Gardai, who are investigating the disappearance of Trevor Deely, have sealed off three acres of woodland in Chapelizod in south Dublin, broadcaster RTE reported.

Mr Deely was 22 when he vanished in south Dublin after calling to his office in the then Bank of Ireland Asset Management building on Wilton Terrace in the early hours of December 8 2000 following a work Christmas party.

Detective Inspector Paul Costello said a perimeter had been set up with no public allowed access allowed.

Speaking at the scene, he said: "The reason for this is because we are conducting a search of this area over the coming days, searching for evidence connected to the disappearance of Trevor Deely."

He was last seen in Haddington Road.

CCTV footage, released by police earlier this year from the night he went missing, showed a man in black clothing acting suspiciously at the rear entrance to Mr Deely's office block between 3am and 3.34am, just before Mr Deely arrived.

It showed the man dressed in black step out on to the footpath outside the offices on Wilton Terrace, a short distance from Baggot Street bridge, at 3.34am.

Moments later, Mr Deely could be seen arriving at the rear gates of the bank offices followed by the man, and the two of them have a brief conversation.

Mr Deely then leaves through the same gates carrying an umbrella and stops briefly to fix his jacket.

The last sighting of Mr Deely is on CCTV as he passes a Bank of Ireland ATM machine on Haddington Road at approximately 4.14am.

Detectives said today's search is unrelated to him but renewed their appeal for the man to come forward, according to RTE.

Mr Costello urged any potential witnesses to come forward.

He also said this is "a very very stressful time" for the Deely family and asked for their privacy to be respected in the coming days and weeks.
News / National

by Staff reporter

Zanu PF National Secretary for Youth Affairs, Kudzanayi Chipanga says the highly subscribed nationwide Presidential Interface rallies have sent opposition political parties into panic mode as demonstrated by their move to form a grand coalition to take on President Robert Mugabe in the forthcoming elections.Thousands of youths, senior party members and government officials as well as supporters of the revolutionary Zanu-PF party this Saturday gathered at Phelandaba Stadium in Gwanda for the sixth Presidential Youth Interface rally.The bumper crowds proved that Zanu-PF which won all 13 constituency seats in the 2013 harmonised elections still has a strong support base in the province.Chipanga said the interface rallies have sent a clear message that President Mugabe has the backing of the youth who form the largest constituency of the population.He scoffed at opposition parties that have formed a coalition in the false hope that they will remove President Mugabe from power.Youths have however been urged to ensure that they register to vote in the coming elections.Provincial youth chairman, Dumezweni Phuthi said the province is optimistic that the concerns of the youths will be addressed.Youths in Matabeleland South want to benefit from government's economic empowerment programmes such as command agriculture and the command fisheries.With mining being a major source of employment in the province, the youths are also looking to be supported with machinery and equipment among other things.
A hospital maternity unit has contacted pest control to remove foxes, over fears the animals could enter the building.

Southmead Hospital in Bristol said it was looking for help capturing and ridding the site of the foxes to ensure the safety of mothers and newborn babies.

The proposals, made in a Facebook post last week, were met with anger from nearby residents.

One post called the plans ridiculous while another said: Foxes would not put your patients in any danger. They are beautiful creatures. To kill them is totally heartbreaking and very wrong.

The hospital said: We are particularly concerned that at this time of the year with many of the units windows open, there is a potential risk of foxes entering the building.

We recognise that many people view foxes as part of everyday urban life now, but they are still potentially disease carriers.

Therefore, to ensure the safety of mothers and newborn babies, we have needed to take action to manage the risk.

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We have enlisted the services of a licensed pest control company and have asked for any foxes captured to be removed and treated humanely.

While this is a last resort, we have to prioritise the safety of babies within our care.

But the hospital later appeared to row back on the plans, saying it was pausing all existing activity while it looked at the recommendations of animal welfare organisations.
US President Donald Trump, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are shown on a television report in South Korea (Ahn Young-joon/AP)

Senior US national security officials have said a military confrontation with North Korea is not imminent, but they cautioned that the possibility of war is greater than it was a decade ago.

CIA director Mike Pompeo and HR McMaster, Donald Trump's national security adviser, tried to provide assurances that a conflict is avoidable, while also supporting the president's tough talk.

They said the United States and its allies can no longer afford to stand by as North Korea pushes ahead with the development of a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile.

"We're not closer to war than a week ago but we are closer to war than we were a decade ago," Mr McMaster said, adding that the Trump administration is prepared to deal militarily with North Korea if necessary.

But he stressed the US is pursuing "a very determined diplomatic effort" led by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that is coupled with new financial sanctions to dissuade North Korean leader Kim Jong Un from further provocations.

"The US military is locked and loaded every day," Mr McMaster said, repeating Mr Trump's threat.

Mr Pompeo said "there's nothing imminent today", in response to a question about how worried people should be over the escalating tensions.

He said the US has a "pretty good idea" of North Korea's intentions, but he declined to provide specifics.

The CIA chief described Mr Kim as "rational" and responsive to "adverse circumstances".

He added: "The reaction in North Korea that we are intending to get is an understanding that America is no longer going to have the strategic patience that it's had that has permitted him to continue to develop his weapons programme. It's that straightforward."

Meanwhile, top US military officer General Joseph Dunford is in Asia and is expected to meet with leaders in South Korea, Japan and China.

Gen Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters travelling with him that he aims to "sense what the temperature is in the region".

He also will discuss military options in the event the "diplomatic and economic pressurisation campaign" fails.

"We're all looking to get out of this situation without a war," he added.

AP
The head of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said on Sunday it was time for political leaders to accept the survival of Syrian president Bashar Assad's government.

Hezbollah general secretary Hassan Nasrallah, addressing a rally held in Lebanon's southern Marjayoun district, advised the Lebanese government to normalise ties with its war-torn neighbour.

Lebanon's political parties are split over whether to restore relations with the pariah Syrian leader.

Syria maintained a military presence in Lebanon for three decades before withdrawing in 2005.

Hezbollah has invested heavily in Mr Assad's survival.

More than a thousand of its fighters have died fighting alongside government forces in Syria.

"The world today has taken for granted that the government will stay on," Mr Nasrallah said of Syria.

US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said in July Washington was prepared to defer to Russia in Syria.

Russia is a key backer of Mr Assad's government.

AP
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Opinion /

IT started as a journalistic duty. But today I have to confess: It's now an obsession.It's an obsession that is killing me softly and slowly. But it is the kind of death I am prepared to die again and again.I am a willing victim.The over 70 war veterans I have interviewed as part of the "Chronicles from the Second Chimurenga" series have left me drained and traumatised.Their stories of torture have tortured me. Their stories of pain have pained me. Their stories of death are killing me. But their ultimate triumph is the reason why I continue to criss-cross the country in search of more stories.A few years ago I went to Mt Darwin to interview Wereki Sandiani, whose Chimurenga name was Philip Gabela.He told me of how Rhodesian forces captured him and did to him what not even animals do to each other."The interrogation by the CID continued before I received treatment. When they started treating me, that's when I saw the cruelty of the white man. Instead of amputating my right leg just above the ankle, they decided to amputate it just above the knee. I was not given any sedative to kill the pain."They amputated my right leg while I was watching using a hacksaw. It was as if they were cutting a tree . . .They chopped my leg using the hacksaw, wrapped the piece that they had chopped off in a cloth and put that piece into my mouth saying, 'Come on, eat your flesh.'"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?This is just one of scores of horrendous stories I have heard over the past five years.The interviews have changed how a appreciate pain, how I look at war veterans, what I think about our Independence.My heart bleeds when I hear the ignorant belittling war veterans. My blood runs cold when I see the foolish belittling the liberation struggle.Let me take this opportunity to thank Norman Bethune and Joseph Khumalo.These two veterans of the Second Chimurenga have offered immeasurable assistance in locating and identifying former freedom fighters.The two have always been available when we needed to cross-check facts because, naturally, some comrades' recollection of the war is not as accurate as it could be. These two comrades are my guides, leading me down forgotten paths of Zimbabwe's history.They now call me "Huni", which I take as an honour.Of course, I have to also thank Kuda Hunda, who has captured these amazing stories with his gifted lens; while ZBC's Forget Tsododo and my sister Tendai Manzvanzvike are fellow sojourners in this journey of self-discovery.This journey has taken me to Tanzania to speak to Former President Benjamin Mkapa and the great Hashim Mbita.The talk with Mbita is like the old scar that one scratches in a bitter-sweet way.The man was dying. And he vouchsafed to me information that he said could only be published after his death, or that of a certain senior political figure here in Zimbabwe.We duly did that when Mbita breathed his last. And it was to have quite an impact on the internal politics of Zanu-PF that led to the fall of the Joice Mujuru cabal.I have also been to Namibia to talk to the Founding Father of the Land of the Brave, Sam Nujoma. And what a font of wisdom he is!"Soon, we will all be gone and you won't find this history anywhere," he told me. And that too drives me to push on through the mental anguish caused by the stories I record.I have made a "new family", the foremost member being Nyaradzo Tongogara, who spent much time convincing Mai Tongo to open up.Mai Tongo wept as if General Josiah Magama Tongogara had just passed away as she narrated their journey during the liberation struggle.She is my mother now..I also have a new brother in Dr Dennis Magaya, who has for years traversed Zimbabwe in search of the place where his father, Soul Sadza, was buried.How can I forget the journeys to Zimunya where Shambakumanja took us through some horrific hours with Soul Sadza?Mukoma Dennis's determination through heartache spurs me on.I will tell him now what I always tell him when we meet: "Don't get tired Mukoma Dennis."Chemist Ncube, a veteran of the struggle who survived death by a whisker during the Badza-Nhari rebellion, has also made a lasting impression.As we prepared to interview him, he said: "Regai nditange ndakumbira my fellow comrades vakarara kwese kwese kuti vandibvumire kutaura nemi."Then he sprinkled snuff on the table and appeared to fall in a two-minute trance.I can now sing that touching song, "Ropa Rangu Ratsidza Kufira Zimbabwe". I can now feel the almost spiritual attachment our veterans have to this land.
Rakhine activists appealed this week to the chief minister to intervene over allegedly unpaid compensation for villagers displaced by an oil pipeline.

The Rakhine State government decided in May that compensation would be allotted after field inspections were conducted to tabulate the farmlands, orchards, homes and cemeteries damaged by the pipeline project.

According to Ko Myo Lwin, chair of Ann townships Pipeline Affairs Monitoring Group, some area farmers received only K300 million out of the K800 million that was promised to them in exchange for their land.

On August 10, activists from Ann and Kyaukpyu townships and Mandalay Region met with the Rakhine State Chief Minister to demand the accounts be settled.

Th monitoring group blamed the Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE) for the holdup, saying the department had yet to send over a finalized list of calculations of who is owed what.

The Ann Township Administrator informed MOGE via a letter to send the list by July 30. But the list hasnt been sent yet. The chief minister promised he will help us. He advised us to resubmit the letter, said Ko Myo Lwin.

A field inspection group started surveying the farmlands last August.

The pipeline passes through over 40 villages under nine village groups in Ann township.
Opinion / Columnist

What has been unfolding in opposition circles over the past few days reflects the fact that the opposition lacks relevance in fulfilling its backers' desired goal.As President Mugabe was discussing lucrative co-operation with his Iranian counterpart, President Hassan Rouhani, in Tehran last week, a farcical opposition "coalition" was taking shape back home.That "coalition" is riven by anarchism which left MDC-T deputy president Ms Thokhozani Khupe and her acolytes black-eyed in Bulawayo last Sunday.s President Mugabe was discussing lucrative co-operation with his Iranian counterpart, President Hassan Rouhani, in Tehran last week, a farcical opposition "coalition" was taking shape back home.Shameful stuff. But I digress.Iran is an important international development partner and has made giant strides in various sectors of a modern economy despite crippling Western sanctions.Its rich cultural history dates back thousands of years to the Medo-Persian Empire and Sassanid Era when Iran conquered the ancient world.The country's success has its source in the people-oriented revolution of 1979, which the West deemed repugnant because it overthrew an American-backed shah.After that revolution, the United States attempted subversion by arming Iraq under Saddam Hussein for a bloody war that killed hundreds of thousands of Iranians between 1980 and 1988.Apart from highly destructive arms of war, American logistical and intelligence support was critical to Iraq's performance on the battlefield.The painful effects of that war were a hard lesson for Tehran in terms of self-defence.Jeff Faux reported in 2016, ''Today, enter almost any urban neighbourhood or rural village in Iran and you will see prominently displayed photos of the local men and women who were killed in that war.''However, in recent years, though having a deep historical perspective, the row between Tehran and Washington has centred on the latter's nuclear-enhanced economy.Washington alleges Tehran is building an atomic bomb.But what is apparent is that Washington wants to control the Middle East economically, politically and culturally.Nonetheless, in the case of acquiring superior weapons, any rational being was going to justify the Iranians' alleged actions given the fact that their country still bears scars of a war in which chemical weapons were deployed by the US and Hussein.The Iranians understand their actions more than any one else could.Many people have the wrong perception that nuclear energy is only used in the production of weapons of mass destruction.Zimbabwe has large reserves of nuclear-rich uranium.Radioisotopes, nuclear power process heat and non-stationary power reactors have essential uses across multiple sectors, including consumer products, the food and agriculture industry, medicine and scientific research, transport; and water resources and the environment.Exploitation of nuclear energy is essential in modernising economies. All states that have reached modernity possess nuclear technology.Coincidentally, the West has also wielded sanctions against Zimbabwe to subvert the gains of the people-oriented 1980 revolution.The country's main opposition is a product of a Western crusade towards that bid.What has been unfolding in opposition circles over the past few days reflects the fact that the opposition lacks relevance in fulfilling its backers' desired goal.The tailor-made "coalition" of non-entities and its propensity for anarchy and violence shows that the Washington project lacks utility.President Mugabe last week said of opposition activism: ''We have bits and pieces; lots of bits and pieces that call themselves parties, trying to come together. And I have said in the past (that) they don't have any record, any record of their having been fighters anywhere.''Political zeros. I have said it does not matter how many zeros you try to put together, they never constitute a unit. They remain zeros.''The President's summation of opposition zeros was accurate given the ruinous fighting between MDC leaders soon after the signing of the cosmetic deal.The violence that left Ms Khupe hospitalised undressed the whole notion of ''coalition''.How can anyone believe in an opposition that is without a dignified and principled leadership? A leadership that proves lame and whose major strategy over the years has never been its own?One day, many years ago, Tsvangirai stood on a platform and said: "Handiti muri kufa nenzara?""Yes!" his supporters cheered back. "Hamusati,'' he bellowed ignobly.Here is the "coalition" leader, a man who vowed to rig the vote by bringing hardship upon the people.Those who blindly follow him must heed Pan-African revolutionary Ahmed Sekou Toure's counsel: ''An African statesman can never be an undressed boy begging from the West.''Where is Morgan today? A spent force finding solace in the shadows of his past.Fifteen years after his maliciously pessimistic utterance, with this year's unimaginable bumper harvest, hunger is already an aspect faded from our horizon.Morgan and his foolhardy cohorts must remember that their ''kith and kin'', Ian Douglas Smith, once proclaimed that Zimbabwe would not be free, not in ''a thousand years''.But all this was in vain.And this was before the heroic guerrillas made the final push into Salisbury during ''The Year of the People's Storm''.Well, another people's storm is coming: this one will wipe away the quisling opposition and water the tree of our freedom and empowerment.
SlutWalk Protest Marked By 5 Arrests, Tensions With Cops & Zionist Demonstrators

By aaroncynic in News on Aug 13, 2017 4:22PM



Five people were arrested Saturday afternoon towards the end of Chicagos SlutWalk march, a yearly protest organized to show solidarity with survivors of sexual assault and end rape culture. The arrests came after the group rallied and then marched from a park near Water Tower Place through the Magnificent Mile to the Loop. They followed a demonstration at which tensions were sometimes evident between SlutWalk demonstrators and protesters from a new Zionist group.

Im tired of black women not being able to be safe, Shanna, a speaker at the rally prior to the march, told a crowd of around 150 people. We endure a high amount of sexual harassment, sexual assault and abuse. Not only because our bodies and our personal agency is taken as a f***ing joke, but also because we have limited access to support, resources, institutions, and we are more exposed to povertyespecially poor black trans women.

This years SlutWalkChicago is the oldest continuously organized one in the countrysaw some controversy in the preceding weeks after an emerging organization called the Zioness Movement announced it planned to join the demonstration after organizers banned "Zionist displays"a move done in solidarity with Palestinian people, SlutWalk said. (The group later reiterated that Stars of David were not banned and stated that "all symbols of faith and heritage are welcome.")

The purpose [of SlutWalk] is to say women should be free to wear what they want with out being targeted, to wear nothing in fact We want to express ourselves, too, Amanda Berman, one of the leaders of Zioness, told Chicagoist. We are progressive Jewish Zionists and in fact maybe there may be progressive non-Jewish Zionists," added Berman, Director of Legal Affairs at the New York-based Lawfare Project, a group that describes itself as the legal arm of the pro-Israel movement. Zioness emerged in the wake of the Dyke March controversy and the charges of anti-Semitism that swirled around it.

About a dozen members of the Zioness Movement attended the rally in the park, holding large stylized signs that featured a woman with the word Zioness emblazoned on its side. At several points, some of the group attempted to insert themselves in the circle of attendees listening to speakers. Other attendees blocked their signs with either signs of their own or large red umbrellas, a symbol of solidarity with sex workers. At several points, SlutWalk organizers urged attendees to avoid engaging the group. Come tell one of us, well try to handle it, but we do not tolerate any kind of antagonistic behavior or abuse, one organizer told the crowd.

The same motivations that bring me to SlutWalk Chicago today are the ones that bring me to the work of advocating for Palestinian human rights as a Jew and as an American, said Scout, an organizer with Jewish Voice for Peace, which allies with SlutWalk. To move confidently, loudly, proudly, sexually throughout Chicago requires me to think about the ways other peoples freedom of movement is restricted, both in Chicago, across the world, in Israel and in Palestine where others movement and freedom of expression is restricted.

After the rally in the park, SlutWalk marched up and down the sidewalk of Michigan Avenue with chants of survivors, we all stand together and no means no, it doesnt mean maybe, dont touch me, I aint your baby. At several points in the march, demonstrators were blocked by police from crossing one side of Michigan Avenue to the other.

According to the National Lawyers Guild, a volunteer organization that provides legal support to progressive social movements that had several representatives on the scene, three arrestees were released with tickets, one with a misdemeanor, while the fifth is being held with charges of aggravated battery to a police officer.

The individual being held is scheduled for a bond hearing at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. SlutWalk organizers and the Trans Liberation Collective are demanding the charges be dropped and say they plan to hold a vigil outside Cook County Jail beginning at 1:00pm.

"The Trans Liberation Collective condemns in the harshest possible terms the brutal actions of the Chicago Police Department against marchers at SlutWalk Chicago this afternoon," the Collective said in a statement posted to its Facebook page. "We further condemn the outrageous arrests and detentions of five marchers, some of whom are TRANS and gender non conforming, and especially the retaliatory and ridiculous felony charge currently being levied against the one trans marcher who remains in detention."

This post has been updated.
Multiple Vigils Set For Sunday In Solidarity With Charlottesville As IL Leaders Blast White Nationalists, Trump

By aaroncynic in News on Aug 13, 2017 5:00PM



Photo: Tyler LaRiviere

Several solidarity demonstrations and vigils will take place Sunday in Chicago in response to the horrific attack on counter demonstrators in Charlottesville, Virginia by white nationalists.

Dozens of people were injured and one person was killed Saturday during a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, amid a gathering centered around the removal of a confederate monument. Clashes broke out between white nationalists toting Confederate and swastika flags, counter-demonstrators, and police, which culminated in a 20-year-old Ohio man driving a vehicle through a crowd of people, injuring 19 and killing one 32-year-old woman. Two Virginia state police officers were also killed later in a helicopter crash.

President Donald Trumpwho has received support and adulation from many prominent white supremacists, including former Klu Klux Klan leader David Duke and white supremacist Richard Spencer (who were both in attendance)issued a controversial initial statement, which was later celebrated by some on the neo-Nazi forum the Daily Stormer.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides, said Trump, according to CNN. On many sides. It's been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. This has been going on for a long, long time."

In case you're wondering if President Trump inspires neo-nazis--this is from their publication The Daily Stormer: pic.twitter.com/cT4OZv7VMP  Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) August 12, 2017

In addition to the car plowing into the crowd, several other major clashes happened, including the beating of an African-American man by a group wielding large poles.

Earlier in a parking garage in #Charlottesville - white supremacists beat this black kid w/poles. [Photo for by @zdroberts @NationofChange] pic.twitter.com/LLPBPjb8si  Zach D Roberts (@zdroberts) August 12, 2017

Several Illinois politicians condemned the actions of white nationalists in Charlottesville, who on Friday marched with tiki torches at the University of Virginia, along with Trumps statement, which was blasted as milquetoast.

This display of hate in #Charlottesville is disgusting, tweeted Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth. Our nation's strength comes from our values of diversity and inclusion.

"No, Mr. President, not ;many sides,'" tweeted Senator Dick Durbin. There is one side with nazi flags and nazi salutes. America is not on that side.

No, Mr. President, not "many sides." There is one side with nazi flags and nazi salutes. America is not on that side. https://t.co/sDpFC9buIz  Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) August 12, 2017 This display of hate in #Charlottesville is disgusting. Our nation's strength comes from our values of diversity and inclusion https://t.co/HdovJskOxy  Tammy Duckworth (@SenDuckworth) August 12, 2017 The hatred, bigotry, and violence displayed by white supremacists in Charlottesville today is shocking and unacceptable.  Jan Schakowsky (@janschakowsky) August 12, 2017

A group of between 50 and 70 people assembled at Trump Tower on Saturday for a vigil in honor of those injured and the woman killed, 32 year-old Heather Heyer, who was reportedly a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.

Several groups have planned solidarity demonstrations and vigils with the victims of the fascist attacks on demonstrators Sunday at various times and locations in the Loop.

Demonstrations will be held at 1:00pm at both the corner of Wacker and Wabash and at Millennium Park.

One person has been killed and multiple others injured, wrote the International Socialist Organization, who will host the demonstration across the street from Trump Tower in a statement. We must mourn and we also must organize. Come rally to demonstrate that we are united against the racism and bigotry that they represent. We must show that right wing hate, racism, and violence will not be tolerated. Solidarity is needed. The action is also endorsed by Democratic Socialists of America - Chicago, Gay Liberation Network, Veterans for Peace, the ANSWER coaltion, and more.

Three people dead, a 32 year old woman and 2 people in a helicopter, and 35 wounded by the KKK, Nazi thugs in Charlottesville, Virginia have shown the whole world the reality of the Trump/Pence Regime's fascist America, said the organization Refuse Fascism, who is organizing the demonstration at Millennium Park, in a statement emailed to Chicagoist. Parading through the streets with torches chanting Hail Trump while spouting the most vile racism and anti-semitism, these shock troops revealed the ugly face of the fascist future that the Trump/Pence Regime has unleashed.

Womens March Illinois, Indivisible Illinois, Planned Parenthood of Illinois and a few other groups meanwhile, have called for another vigil at 6:00pm at Federal Plaza.

Indivisible Chicago supports the right to free speech, however the hate and bigotry promoted by white supremacists gathering in Charlottesville is an affront to everything we stand for and has no place in society, the group said in a statement emailed to Chicagoist. We call on President Trump to take a stronger stand against white nationalism. His statements so far are not nearly enough especially since he and his administration (and political campaign) helped give voice and power to this hatred for the past year.
Update 2.22pm: Gardai are investigating if a known criminal is linked to the disappearance of missing bank employee, Trevor Deely, in 2000.

Gardai are investigating if he was killed by a known criminal after newly enhanced CCTV footage showed Mr Deely talking to a man dressed in black outside the Bank of Ireland on Baggot Street.

Gardai are understood not to believe that Mr Deely knew the man prior to this encounter.

Detectives are hoping the search will lead to the possible discovery of a body.

Detectives believe the same man was caught on CCTV following Trevor along Haddington Road.

The man has not been identified yet and Gardai have not linked the search in Chapelizod to their appeal for the man to come forward.

Earlier: Gardai will continue their search today for Trevor Deely, who disappeared in Dublin 17 years ago.

The 22-year-old was last seen walking home from a Christmas party in the Haddingdon Road area in 2000.

The 3 acre site in Chapelizod in south Dublin has been sealed off and the search is expected to last a number of weeks.

Detective Inspector Paul Costello says the search area remains closed to the public.

This is a woodland area which is adjacent to the R112 at Chapelizod and it runs down to the banks of the river Liffey and all that area is restricted to the public, he said.
Ministers are to publish a new series of detailed papers setting out their aims for the Brexit talks amid criticism about a lack of clarity over the British Government's negotiating position.

The papers, to be published from this week, will include one covering the thorny issue of the border between Ireland and the North after the UK has left the EU.

A second batch of papers, to be released in the run-up to the October meeting of the European Council in Brussels, will look at "future partnership" arrangements, including the UK's proposals for a new customs agreement with the EU.

Brexit Secretary David Davis said the publication of the papers would mark "an important next step" towards delivering last year's referendum vote to leave the EU.

The disclosure comes as Mr Davis prepares to embark on a third round of talks with the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier in the Belgian capital at the end of August.

Mr Barnier is reported to have warned EU ambassadors the first two rounds had failed to produce sufficient clarity on the opening issues of the Irish border, the rights of EU citizens in the UK, and Britain's "divorce bill".

His gloomy assessment cast doubt on whether the talks will have made enough progress to begin discussions in the autumn on a new free trade deal between Britain and the EU.

Leo Varadkar meanwhile has expressed his frustration at the failure so far of the UK Government to come up with firm proposals to ensure that there is no return to the "hard" border between the North and the Republic.

On his first official visit to Northern Ireland earlier this month, the Taoiseach even put forward his own suggestions for a "soft Brexit" - including the possibility of creating a new EU-UK customs union.

Sources at the Department for Exiting the EU said the "future partnership" papers would show that the Government is ready to move on to the next stage of the negotiations.

They insisted the issues of Britain's withdrawal - which include the divorce bill the UK will have to pay in respect of its outstanding liabilities - remained "inextricably linked" with the talks on its future relations with the bloc.

Mr Davis said: "Over the last year, the Government has been working with British businesses and the British people to establish exactly how our new relationship with the EU should look and feel.

"I've launched this process because with time of the essence, we need to get on with negotiating the bigger issues around our future partnership to ensure we get a deal that delivers a strong UK and a strong EU.

"It's what businesses across Europe have called on both sides to do and will demonstrate that the UK is ready for the job.

As well the issue of the Irish border, the first set of new position papers will also cover continued availability of goods for the EU and the UK, and confidentiality and access to official documents following the UK's withdrawal.
The head of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said on Sunday it was time for political leaders to accept the survival of Syrian president Bashar Assad's government.

Hezbollah general secretary Hassan Nasrallah, addressing a rally held in Lebanon's southern Marjayoun district, advised the Lebanese government to normalise ties with its war-torn neighbour.
Two north Canberra roads will be closed for out-of-hours works from Sunday night.

Flemington Road in Mitchell will close from 8pm Sunday to 6am Tuesday. Northbound traffic will be diverted onto Old Well Station Drive and traffic travelling south directed to Randwick Road while crews work on storm water and realignment works for the light rail.

Gungahlin town centre, as of April. Credit:nearmap.com.au

Gungahlin's Gozzard Street will close between 8pm Sunday and 6am Monday for the installation of median bollards aimed at managing traffic movements into and out of the shopping centre carpark.

The closure is not expected to have an impact on ACTION bus services.
 Flash

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza on Saturday slammed the "warmongering" declarations of U.S. President Donald Trump as "threats to peace."

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza reads a statement in Caracas, Venezuela, on Aug. 12, 2017. Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza on Saturday slammed the "warmongering" declarations of U.S. President Donald Trump as "threats to peace." In a statement, Arreaza said that Trump's statement about not to "rule out" a military option in Venezuela was a "violation" of UN and international laws. (Xinhua/Str)

In a statement, Arreaza said that Trump's statement about not to "rule out" a military option in Venezuela was a "violation" of UN and international laws.

"Venezuela categorically rejects the unfriendly and warmongering declarations of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, who has threatened us with a military intervention, in violation of United Nations principles and international law," said the foreign minister.

Bolivian President Evo Morales also condemned on Saturday the "armed interventionist eagerness by the U.S. against Venezuela," slamming the international community for keeping silent.

Writing on Twitter, Morales stated that "we condemn the armed interventionist eagerness by the U.S. against Venezuela, a country which seeks peace in dialogue."

Venezuela's government has been severely criticized by the international community for creating a National Constituent Assembly (ANC), which will rewrite the Constitution. This has been widely derided as a power-grab by Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro.

Several Venezuelans interviewed by Xinhua also dismissed Trump's words as "imperial interference."

"It is an act of arrogance. It is not the first time that Trump has acted like this towards Venezuela, which has been besieged for a long time," said Cristobal Alva, a Venezuelan poet from Guatire in the northern state of Miranda.

Rosalia Pulgar, a pensioner from Caracas, said that "we are prepared to resolve our own problems."

She highlighted the "moral and military...preparation" of the Venezuelan people and added that "diplomacy" was the right way to resolve conflicts.

For economist Gerardo Zambrano, Trump's words are a "brutal and cynical" threat against Venezuela, which menaces to plunge Latin America into "a regional conflict."

"We have a nationalist and anti-imperialist army, differing from previous decades. This is why I believe the United States, with its imperial attitude, does not want direct confrontation, but will use neighboring countries or even mercenaries," said Zambrano.

Also on Saturday, South American trade bloc Mercosur rejected the use of force in Venezuela, according to a statement by Argentina's foreign ministry.
But as the former cop and KPMG partner works to change community perceptions, rebuilding love with tax professionals amid repeated technology failures is proving a tough ask. There's a sense of irritation and fatigue with the ATO featuring in most submissions to the Inspector-General of Taxation Ali Noroozi's review. Credit:Nic Walker Not-so-rosy picture There's a sense of irritation and fatigue with the ATO featuring in most submissions to the Inspector-General of Taxation Ali Noroozi's review into the future of the tax profession. (Noroozi has also been called on by a Senate committee to do another separate wide-ranging review of the agency post the Cranston affair). While the profession commends the ATO for undertaking a digital transformation journey, H&R Block's Mark Chapman says "most tax agents won't quite recognise the rosy picture that the Commissioner paints, particularly in relation to ATO systems".

H&R Block's Mark Chapman says "most tax agents won't quite recognise the rosy picture that the commissioner [Chris Jordan] paints". "We continue to have reservations," Chapman says. "[ATO] outages negatively impact the ability of tax agents to service clients and cast a particularly poor light on the Commissioner's decision to give myTax another burst of free marketing in [the August 9] release." H&R Block is protecting its turf. It wants the ATO to stop fiercely pushing taxpayers to lodge their own returns without a tax agent  it says about 74 per cent of individuals and over 95 per cent of businesses still use an agent to lodge their returns. Historically when tax agents have had IT issues, the ATO hasn't been forgiving, some accountants say, but the agency has tried to be more communicative about its own IT outages. Credit:Eddie Jim Superficial love

The only predictability about the [ATO's] system is that it offers spasmodic service levels Matthew Tol, accountant Chapman says while the ATO revamped its marketing to "now explicitly acknowledge that taxpayers have a choice to use tax agents, a belief persists that this acceptance is superficial and not shared across the organisation". "Most concerning for the profession, the Commissioner of Taxation [Jordan] has used public forums to either question the role of agents or to promote the role of the ATO as a competitor to agents." The ATO imposes strict deadlines on agents and their clients. Credit:Louie Douvis H&R Block isn't the only stakeholder to express annoyance with the ATO.

Jordan says "overall our systems are performing strongly, better than they were last year. We're also receiving fewer complaints  nearly 30 per cent less than at the same time last year." IPA's Tony Greco has called on the ATO to pay accountants penalties for loss of functionality. Credit:Peter Braig Takers, not givers But Ballarat-based accountant Matthew Tol says "if the ATO's systems actually worked, they'd be even more ahead of their self-proclaimed marvellous performance. The only predictability about the [ATO's] system is that it offers spasmodic service levels." He says the ATO imposes strict deadlines on agents and their clients and is "strident in enforcing those", at times with penalties. Historically when agents have had IT issues, the ATO hasn't been forgiving, Tol says.

Chartered Accountants national tax leader Michael Croker also wants the ATO to publish a minimum service standard, which, if breached results in compensation. "They take, but they don't give," he says, although he notes in recent months the agency has been more communicative with the profession and more willing to extend deadlines when systems go down. Asked whether the IT debacle got the tax community offside, Tol says: "To be honest, in some of the smaller firms, it [the ATO] is looked on as a bit of a joke. If any other business operated with the same service standard, they'd be out of business. And these are the guys collecting revenue for the government." CPA Australia's Stuart Dignam also advocates financial penalties on the ATO when systems cause "serious disruption to a tax agent's business". Credit:DEAN LEWINS Stability not assured

Lobby groups are also voicing concerns. Tony Greco, from the Institute of Public Accountants (IPA), which represents mostly smaller accounting firms, has called on the ATO to pay accountants penalties for loss of functionality. The ATO doesn't believe it needs to adhere to commercial service standards. Greco says in the submission that if that's the case, "future stability is not assured". "If the ATO cannot meet an agreed service standard, the concept of imposing a financial penalty should be considered," he says. The Financial Planning Association says tax financial advisers "are largely invisible to the ATO". Credit:Andrew Quilty Chartered Accountants national tax leader Michael Croker also wants the ATO to publish a minimum service standard, which, "if breached by the ATO, triggers automatic 'no detriment' procedures and  in extreme cases  monetary compensation". Its submission also notes the not-so-rosy current state of affairs between the ATO and some of its members. The submission quotes Chartered Accountants members venting their frustration, such as "the ATO calls us clients only when it suits them".

The big four firms have also weighed into the debate, and raise questions about whether the ATO is sufficiently resourced. Credit:Ryan Stuart "To put it mildly, the ATO has a delicate path to tread in its relationship with tax and BAS agents," Croker says in the submission. "In recent months, the importance of the agent community has been a regular theme in the Commissioner's speeches and conversations with professional bodies. But the technology tide is turning, and much harder conversations lay ahead." Ineffective compensation CPA Australia's corporate affairs manager Stuart Dignam also advocates financial penalties on the ATO when systems cause "serious disruption to a tax agent's business" that result in "distress and economic loss". Tax software developers often experience a significant delays, PwC said in its submission.

"While the ATO has a compensation mechanism ... members of the profession have found these to be inadequate, with few businesses ever qualifying for compensation in circumstances where there has been a government agency IT failure," he says in the submission, adding it needs to develop a support service to help practitioners, including those suffering mental health issues, through tough times. The Financial Planning Association's policy manager Heather McEvoy says tax financial advisers "are largely invisible to the ATO". While the ATO's digital transformation process received recommendations that they be included within the ATO's system, their members were still not able to access the client data held by the ATO. KPMG's Grant Wardell-Johnson says "contingency arrangements should be priortised before the roll out of further system changes" Credit:Daniel Munoz "There have been many incidents where the information provided to tax financial advisers by super funds and other product providers has been inaccurate, creating a liability for financial planners and clients," she says in the submission. Rethink projects
"He had a handful of my ass. I know it was him."

Taylor Swift is a pop star, one of music's most savvy businesswomen and a $280 million brand. And yet, she was none of those things in a Denver courtroom on Thursday, where she testified against a man that she says groped her at a 2013 meet-and-greet.

Swift was just another woman in a world that requires women to insist - to prove, over and over again - that their experience qualifies as truth. In a world that decides, off the bat, that women are crazy or mendacious or simply wrong. And so Swift insisted, more times than anyone should have to and in increasingly descriptive terms, that a former radio DJ had the audacity to put his hand under her skirt and violate her.

On the stand in the civil trial in Denver, Swift identified former radio DJ David Mueller as the man who grabbed her, in front of fans and cameras, when they posed for a photo at that city's Pepsi Arena. After her camp reported the incident to his employer, he was fired. Mueller then sued her, alleging her accusation was false and unfairly cost him his job. He contends it was a jostle, that someone else did it and also that he believed his hand was on her rib. Swift has countersued, arguing that he, in fact, had assaulted her.
There's something daunting about taking a skull that's thousands of years old, often smashed or degraded in key places, and working out what its face would have looked like.

There are no photos to compare with to see if you're wrong, and according to a prominent facial anthropologist, there is not a lot of evidence to back up most of the facial reconstructions we see today.

Dr Susan Hayes uses a combination of art and science to create facial approximations. Credit:Paul Jones

The University of Wollongong's Dr Susan Hayes has built a career on turning skulls into faces and hopes to share a little bit of her knowledge with a Queensland audience as part of National Science Week.

Dr Hayes, who practices a new approach to what she prefers to call facial estimation, has been involved in several high-profile cases involving both research and police work.
Pell says Perennials are the ones breaking out of the "false constructs" behind age-based systems of classifications which divide people into generations such as millennials and baby boomers. Rebecca Wilson is the founder of Start At Sixty. "By identifying ourselves as Perennials, we supplant our constricting label with something that better reflects our reality online and off," she says. "Amazon and Netflix get it right with recommendation engines that target people based on behavioral data over outmoded generational stereotypes, so why shouldn't we?" 'Living the best part of their lives' Overcoming these outmoded generational stereotypes is the driver behind Rebecca Wilson's business Starts at 60.

Sophie Gilliatt (left) and Katherine Westwood now employ 30 people and turn over $5 million a year. The former investment banker and marketer describes the website as her "passion project" which she started at night as her three children were asleep. Wilson is 41 but identified a lack of coverage around older generations. Sophie Gilliatt (left) and Katherine Westwood, the co-founders of the Dinner Ladies, outside Westwood's shed where it all began. They are living the best part of their lives and yet people look at them and don't understand. Rebecca Wilson

"I thought this is a really important stage of life and nobody is giving them media, nobody is giving them any coverage and nobody is really making products for them," she says. "They are living the best part of their lives and yet people look at them and don't understand." Wilson began the business at home while her children slept. "The first part was me at night blogging and slowly acquiring an audience of 60-year-olds in Australia," she says. Since Wilson launched Starts at 60 four years ago it has grown to an estimated turnover of over $3 million which she plans to boost by adding products such as Starts at 60's newly launched travel aggregator. Wilson says the tag Perennial is relevant to her audience.

"The talk by this generation and the feeling in this generation is that they are not the person the media thinks they are," she says. "They are not old, they are not in aged care. People think they must be old and need a walking frame but stop and think of your parents. I'm in my 40s and my mum is in her 60s and she is travelling and she is healthy." 'It could not be more invigorating' Katherine Westwood and Sophie Gilliatt have seven children between them and juggle their families with a booming home cooked food delivery business, The Dinner Ladies, which has just expanded from Sydney to Melbourne. Westwood is 50 and Gilliatt 49 and the pair met at the kindergarten gate and set about launching The Dinner Ladies 10 years ago from a camp stove in Westwood's shed. The business now has a turnover of over $5 million a year and Gilliat says she thrives on the hectic pace of her life.

"It could not be more invigorating," she says. "We see quite a few people who have concentrated on their families and bringing up their children but they get to this stage when they have a little bit of time and they are not sure what to do. We thought 'Oh my god, we haven't worked for ages what skills do we have?'. We realised we had skills from running our own households and cooking for our families." Westwood urges others to take the plunge regardless of age. "It is never never too late, no matter what stage of life you are at," she says. 'A more thoughtful process' For Menachemson, starting a business the second time around has been a different experience.

"My strategy has been more thoughtful and mindful," she says. "In the beginning it was about taking risks and not really knowing what you were doing. You are still taking a risk and putting yourself out there but it's a more thoughtful process than in the past." Menachemson says she has found support from networks such as the Entrepreneurs Organisation. "Being a part of EO has helped me to learn and grow in ways of taking risks," she says. "Even though I have the experience it's still a risk to start a new business." Her advice to other Perennials with an entrepreneurial idea is to "start today". "The more you think about it you won't do it," she says. "Small steps matter."
Promised benefits from deregulating Victoria's energy industry have failed to materialise, leaving consumers paying much more for the same service, a review has found.

The review singles out the big three retailers  AGL, Origin Energy and Energy Australia  for putting profits ahead of customers.

It recommends that an independent umpire set a standard "no frills" price to keep costs in check, a move that could save the average household more than $200 a year.

Report coauthor and former Labor deputy premier John Thwaites said the government had gone down the wrong path with market deregulation and must step back in to control costs.
Over a third of members said failing to indicate was a big problem for drivers, while tailgating and mobile phone use were recognised as the reason for the majority of rear-end crashes.

The insurance organisation surveyed its members in order to determine the most common rules drivers see broken on WA roads, and over one third of respondents said they regularly saw other motorists exceed the legal speed limit.

Dodgy drivers speeding and failing to indicate are the biggest worry for West Australians on our roads, according to a new RAC driver survey.

The car after the accident. Credit:Dash Cam Owners Australia

"Road rules and laws are there for a reason, so it is worrying that so many drivers are openly breaking them  especially when WA has the worst road fatality rate of any state in Australia," he said.



"Last year, 195 Western Australians were killed on our roads, with many more seriously injured. Speed continues to be the leading cause of crashes, so it is both unacceptable and heartbreaking that more than a third of survey respondents regularly see drivers breaking speed limits.



"A further quarter of respondents said they see people tailgating and using their mobile phone behind the wheel  two dangerous habits which have been shown as being the main contributors to rear-end crashes."

Surprisingly, only 19 per cent of survey respondents said they had witnessed incorrect merging on WA roads, and only nine per cent reported drivers who failed to give way.

"RAC is urging drivers to obey the road rules. They are in place to keep you safe. Our state's road fatality and serious injury rate is unacceptable, and WA drivers need to take more responsibility for their actions," Mr Golsby said.



"You're in control of what you do behind the wheel, but you're not in control of the consequences of your decision."

According to the latest Road Safety Commission statistics, there have been 90 deaths on WA roads so far this year.
An indigenous group in remote north-western WA is reportedly the first to start charging tourists who want to visit their traditional lands.

The Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation, traditional owners of remote lands and coast in the northern Kimberley, has started charging cruise ship passengers to visit the area's spectacular waterfalls and rock art caves.

The traditional owners of the land will charge cruise operators like Silversea Expeditions for visiting the Kimberley.

Ship and boat operators bringing in tourists are this tourist season being charged $200 per berth, but by 2019 this will rise to $152 for every individual visitor.

The Wunambal traditional owners said the funds would be used to help get indigenous Australians out to the remote sites so they can greet tourists, pick up rubbish and protect cultural sites.
Los Angeles: Chinese President Xi Jinping is a "hard arse" and US President Donald Trump should use clear, quiet diplomacy instead of tweets in dealing with China on North Korea, former Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd says.

Mr Rudd, who has returned to the US from a trip to China, said "the Chinese baseline conclusion" is Mr Trump's threat of unilateral military action against North Korea was just "one huge bluff".

China, because of this view, will only do a few things to try and talk North Korea into coming around to a more reasonable posture, Mr Rudd told CNN's Fareed Zakaria GPS on Sunday.

"This guy is a serious hard head," said Mr Rudd, referring to Chinese President Xi. "He is a serious hard arse.
Beijing: China's military has warned freedom of navigation patrols by the United States in the South China Sea will cause it to boost Chinese defence capacity in the disputed waters.

China issued the rebuke on Friday after the USS John S McCain a day earlier conducted the US Navy's third freedom of navigation patrol since the Trump administration took office.

Mabini (Johnson) Reef part of the disputed islands China has built up in the South China Sea. Credit:New York Times

The Chinese military "immediately sent out warships" with two missile frigates identifying the US naval destroyer and warning it away from Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands, which China calls the Nansha Islands, according to China's foreign ministry.

China's Defence Ministry said it expressed its strong opposition to the United States for the "show of force".
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.
State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) presented a check to Yardley Borough Police Chief Joseph Kelly for $68,600 for the purchase of a new police vehicle and motorcycle during a visit to the station. Our police put themselves on the line every day to keep our community safe, said Sen. Santarsiero. Dating back to when I was a Lower Makefield Township Supervisor more than...
In secret, behind locked gates, our Nation's Oldest City dumped a landfill in a lake (Old City Reservoir), while emitting sewage in our rivers and salt marsh. Organized citizens exposed and defeated pollution, racism and cronyism. We elected a new Mayor. We're transforming our City -- advanced citizenship. Ask questions. Make disclosures. Demand answers. Be involved. Expect democracy. Report and expose corruption. Smile! Help enact a St. Augustine National Park and Seashore. We shall overcome!
Keyline has been awarded a 15 million contract by the A14 Integrated Delivery Team (a joint venture between Costain, Skanska, Balfour Beatty and Carillion), as part of the Highways England A14 upgrade between Cambridge and Huntingdon, creating two new jobs at the companys branch in Peterborough and one at its Norwich branch.

Acting as the sole supply merchant for the A14 improvements, which will help to combat congestion and improve safety, Keyline will be responsible for delivering the required materials for the groundworks and channel drainage across the entire project.

As a result of the A14 project win, two new recruits will be working in the sales office and have been announced as Rachael Moore, who will be a Senior Sales Coordinator at Keylines Peterborough branch, and Kieran Bell, who will be a Sales Office Coordinator based in Norwich. They will be responsible for helping to fulfil and deliver materials to the 20-mile long site.

A further vacancy at Peterborough for a transit and yard worker is currently being recruited for, and is expected to be announced in due course.

Emma Ward, Head of National Sales, said: We are delighted to be part of the integrated team working on this major project with Highways England.

The positive impact of the A14 improvements is already being recognised by the creation of three new jobs at our branches in Peterborough and Norwich. The completion of the A14 scheme will continue to create a positive legacy for local communities and businesses by connecting people, and enabling economic growth both regionally and nationally.

The new A14 will be open to traffic by December 2020 with Keylines contract scheduled to end in April 2020.
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
Bhupesh Bhandari, senior associate editor, died on Saturday, August 12, of heart failure. He was 49 years old. Bhupesh was head of the Weekend section and the editor of Business Standards Hindi edition. He had joined Business Standard in April 2000 from BusinessWorld magazine, starting out as a writer for the weekend section. A commerce graduate, Bhupesh came to Business Standard with a reputation for solid corporate reporting. During his 17 years in the paper, he headed the corporate bureau; served as resident editor in Delhi; edited The Strategist, a weekly management and marketing section; and became the first editor of the Hindi edition before going on to edit the Weekend section. His knowledge of the intricacies of telecom policy and the pharmaceutical industry was unsurpassed, making him a critical contributor to the papers editorials on these subjects. He also wrote a fortnightly column 'White Knight'. He has authored several books, including The Ranbaxy Story: The Rise of an Indian Multinational (Penguin, 2005); The Satyam Saga (2006), for which he was a co-author; and The Spectrum Grab: The Inside Story of the 2G Scam (2012). The latter two were published by Business Standards book publishing division.

In Business Standard, Bhupesh leaves behind many friends and colleagues who will miss him for his quiet, puckish humour, his deep knowledge of Urdu poetry  Ghalib was a particular favourite, quoted at will  and, not least, a formidable workout routine. He fought his illness gallantly, accepting with grace and equanimity the adversities of medical setbacks and the debilitating treatment that accompanied kidney failure. August 18 would have been his 50th birthday, and before he left for his final surgery, Bhupesh had said he would take his colleagues out for drinks to celebrate. That isnt to be but many of us would be happy to raise a toast on that day in affectionate remembrance of a colleague who left us far too soon.
STANTON

Lincolns War Secretary

Walter Stahr

Simon & Schuster

743 pages; $35

During his second tour of America, in 1867, Charles Dickens dined in Washington with the secretary of war, Edwin McMasters Stanton. The evening was something of a dream come true for Stanton: Dickens was his favourite author, a writer he read nearly every night. For the novelist, a maestro of deathbeds, it was a chance to learn of Lincolns final hours from the man who had supervised them two years earlier. With his champion whiskers and voluble temper, Stanton could resemble Spottletoe in Martin Chuzzlewit, but in many ways he more closely resembled Dickens himself: a difficult, self-made, emotional workaholic of prodigious achievement.

Over most of the last century the sine curve of Stanton biography has exhibited the same mood swings as the man himself: Otto Eisenschimls Why Was Lincoln Murdered? (1937) did the war secretary preposterous and lasting damage by putting forth the notion that he was complicit in Lincolns assassination; decades later Benjamin Thomas and Harold M Hyman, as well as Doris Kearns Goodwin, treated Stanton with regard and understanding; then, two years ago, William Marvel offered a severe cutting down to size. In this latest effort, Walter Stahr, a biographer of John Jay and William Seward, presents a judiciously sympathetic treatment that tries to calm a still-uncalmable subject.

Death suffused Stantons life: He lost his first wife, an infant daughter, a brother (to suicide), a young son. His grief, while often histrionic, was always real. It also fell to him to prosecute a war that would claim the lives of more than 600,000 Americans. Work was his master and his mental salvation, from his Ohio boyhood on. He could afford little more than a year at Kenyon College, and studied law with an attorney in his native Steubenville. An interest in politics (Ohio was a swing state even then) had him aligning with the Democratic heirs to Andrew Jackson, opposing Henry Clay, the political idol of another young lawyer named Abraham Lincoln.

During the secession winter of 1861, he rejected South Carolinas bid for sovereignty, opposed the plan to abandon Charleston harbour and prevented the shipment of armaments manufactured in Pittsburgh to states in the process of leaving the Union. He may even, to his face, have compared President Buchanan to Benedict Arnold. The case for his zeal in all of this rests partly on what Stahr admits are somewhat suspect latter-day accounts composed by the subject himself.

Because of Stantons administrative skills and widely known probity, Lincoln installed the Democrat as a successor to his corrupt secretary of war, Simon Cameron, in 1862. For the next three years the two men, unlikely partners, made the bloody, fitful slog to Appomattox. The president exasperated Stanton, whom he called Mars, with his humourous parables and digressions, but aides in the War Departments telegraph office would remember a camaraderie between the men, and Lincolns young secretary John Hay assured Stanton, after the presidents death, that their boss had loved . . . and trusted him.

Stanton helped to raise and deploy an astonishingly large army. He got the troops fed, and when politically necessary he got them home to vote. Just as he had used photography to expose forged deeds in the Mexican land cases, he harnessed and micromanaged the still-new marvels of telegraphy and rail travel to become the Unions Organizer of Victory.

Stantons zeal against slavery was even longer aborning than Lincolns, but he made strenuous efforts to recruit freedmen to the Union Army and came to favour black suffrage more quickly than some of his cabinet colleagues. Early in 1865 he infuriated William Tecumseh Sherman by asking him to step out of the room so that the black leaders they were meeting with could give the secretary of war their candid opinions of the general.

Stahrs biography opens on the night of April 14, 1865, when Stanton ran the United States government from a tiny parlor feet away from the bedroom where Lincoln lay dying. Stahr quickly absolves him of the conspiracy innuendo that has dogged him from Eisenschiml to Bill OReilly, and on the vexed matter of whether he said that Lincoln now belonged to the ages or the angels, Stahr suggests that Stanton most likely said nothing at all.

The account of Stantons last few unhappy years can be a bit rushed. He was blamed for not having prevented Confederate atrocities against Union POWs at Andersonville; criticised for the secrecy surrounding the military trial of John Wilkes Booths co-conspirators; and mocked for trying to steer a course between the radical Republicans and the increasingly reactionary Andrew Johnson. Stahr again takes a middle position, arguing that both self-interest and principle (he viewed himself as a critical check on Johnson) played a part in Stantons hanging on to his office until the president tried to dismiss him and helped to trigger the impeachment crisis. Stanton finally left his post when Johnson was acquitted in May 1868. Late the following year, just before his death at 55, he was too sick to take up the Supreme Court seat to which President Grant named him.

Stahr admits that his subject was duplicitous and even deceitful, but argues that he was a great man if not a good one. He was almost certainly indispensable in the preservation of a system that has since allowed us to be freely led by a long succession of good and great and awful and, finally, absurd men.



2017 The New York Times News Service
Against the backdrop of uncertainty over continuation of its Lucknow development centre, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has told the Uttar Pradesh government that it is not retrenching any staffers but is consolidating the operations to a bigger centre in Noida.
In the backdrop of uncertainty looming over the continuation of its Lucknow development centre, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has conveyed to the Uttar Pradesh government that it was not retrenching any staff, but only consolidating its operations to a bigger centre in Noida.
The flood situation in Bihar continued to be grim on Sunday as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sought the help of the Army and the Indian Air Force in relief and rescue of thousands of people affected by the deluge, officials said.

"The flood situation in Bihar is grim. The state government is fully alert and we have sought help from the Army and IAF helicopters to rescue affected people and distribute relief among them," Nitish Kumar said at an official function here.

The Chief Minister said he had requested Prime Minister Narender Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to provide all possible central help for rescue and relief for the affected. "Both have assured of the assistance," Nitish Kumar said.

Nearly half a dozen districts in Seemanchal and Koshi areas in the state were the worst affected following heavy rains during the past three days.

All major rivers in Bihar are in spate after heavy rains in their respective catchment areas in Nepal and Bihar.

Floodwaters have submerged hundreds of villages, affecting thousands of people. So far, no casualty has been reported due to Bihar floods, officials said.

The state government has placed its staff on alert, ordering the evacuation of residents from flood-affected Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea, Katihar, West Champaran, Saharsa, and Supaul districts, Disaster Management Department officials said.

Informed sources in the Chief Minister's Office said a team of 80 Army men of Bihar Regiment from Danapur Cantonment in Patna rushed on Sunday evening to Kishanganj and Araria to rescue people.

"Nitish Kumar has also sought 10 additional teams of the Disaster Relief Fund from the Centre for affected districts."

The state government has already deployed teams of NDRF and SDRF in these districts.

The Disaster Management Department has asked people living in low-lying areas to move to higher grounds.

Reports reaching the state capital said hundreds of people fled their homes after water entered their villages in Supaul, Saharsa, Bagha, Gopalganj, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Khagaria, Darbhanga and Madhepura districts.

A Water Resources Department official said: "Water entered these villages after all major rivers were in spate following heavy rains in the state and the catchment areas in Nepal."

The railway stations in Kishanganj and Jogbani in Araria were flooded by water, leaving scores of passengers stranded.

According to officials, crops worth crores of rupees were damaged and road link to several places had been snapped.

(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.)
Spiritual leader Dalai Lama and Baba Ramdev on Sunday oozed bonhomie and displayed their friendship for the world to see on the stage of the World Peace and Harmony Conclave here on Sunday.

Both the leaders shared a rather light moment in midst of a serious discussion of world peace, where even the strained ties between India and China was brought up.

#WATCH: Dalai Lama and Baba Ramdev share a light moment at World Peace & Harmony Conclave in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/JACFezv56B  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

Baba Ramdev touched Dalai Lama's feet and in return, the later blessed him and got playful and yanked on his beard.for quite some time!At one point the Tibetan spiritual leader showed no signs of letting go of Ramdev's beard, but the Yoga guru took it sportingly.

Amid laughter and guffaws, the Dalai Lama then poked at the flat midriff of Ramdev, to which the latter responded by displaying his incredible skills and flexed his abdomen.in the trademark 'Baba Ramdev' style.

The event highlighted the friendship between the two spiritual leaders.

Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, Union Ministers Dr Harsh Vardhan and Dharmendra Pradhan were also present at the event.

Meanwhile, while speaking at the event, Dalai Lama said that it is fear that ultimately leads to irritation and anger among people. "Fear creates irritation, irritation creates anger, anger creates violence."

However, Baba Ramdev propagated for a tit-for-tat reaction for China

"We talk in the language of yoga but the one who doesn't get it must be answered in the language of war", he said.
The management of the institution has been so abysmal in the last few years that tragedies like these have been a daily occurrence
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged the media to desist from reporting fake news of the tragedy at the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College at Gorakhpur and instead report the actual situation.
UP CM Yogi Adityanath has rejected reports that a lack of oxygen supply caused 60 deaths in a government hospital in Gorakhpur. File photo

Rejecting reports that lack of oxygen supply was responsible for deaths of over 60 children in a government hospital in Gorakhpur in the last five days, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Saturday that a committee has been set up under the Chief Secretary to go into the gas supplier's role and other lapses.

He and his Health Minister Siddharthnath Singh quoted figures of child deaths in August over a period of three years and after the BJP government came to power to claim that the deaths have occurred due to vector-borne diseases like Japanese Encephalitis highly prevalent in the region.

Flanked by Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel and the state Health and Medical Education Ministers at a press conference, Adityanath asserted that stringent action will be taken against those found guilty.

He and Siddharth Nath Singh contended that there has been no death due to lack of oxygen supply to Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Medical College and Hospital, but did concede there was a problem in supply of liquid oxygen for four hours on August 10 which was made up by the system switching to cylinders.

The Chief Minister also said that BRD College Principal Rajiv Mishra has already been suspended on grounds of negligence and administrative lapses relating to delayed payment to the gas supplier.

He said that a magisterial inquiry has already been ordered and the report will come soon, while the Committee headed by the Chief Secretary is expected to give its report in a week.

Adityanath requested the media to be responsible and only broadcast authentic death statistics.

"We are sensitive to each death in the hospital and will request you all to be careful about the facts and figures," he said at a press conference here.

Expressing his sympathies to the bereaved families, Adityanath said that encephalitis was a big challenge for the state government as well as an emotional issue for him as he have been waging a war against it since 1998.

He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had enquired about the situation and assured all central help. The Union Health Secretary was in Gorakhpur, he said, adding that Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and his Minister of State were monitoring the situation as well.

Adityanath also said that during his review meeting in Gorakhpur on August 9, he had asked officials if there were any issues or they required any help from the government but was told that there were none.

The Chief Minister said that he himself had visited the BRD medical college on July 9 and August 9 to himself look at the situation but was not informed of any shortage, including of oxygen.

Meanwhile, citing figures, Siddharth Nath Singh said that 567 deaths occurred in August 2014 at a daily average of 19, 668 deaths in 2015 in the same month with a daily average of 22 and 587 deaths in August 2016 with a daily average of about 20, but the state government taken steps to improve health services in the last three months and there had been a reduction in fatalities.

"In August this year up to the 11, 133 deaths have occurred," he said.

Also denying the shortage of oxygen or disruption of the central oxygen plant had lead to the deaths of children, including infants, he attributed the deaths to some being underweight, early delivery, sepsis, pneumonia and other infections. A few deaths, he added, happened due to encephalitis as well.

Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tandon said pending payments of the vendor supplying oxygen were cleared on August 5 and funds sent to the BRD medical college, but it was "surprising" that Principal Rajeev Mishra did not release it till August 11.

(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.)
Facing public anger, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday visited the hospital here where over 60 children died in five days and said anyone found guilty of negligence would not be spared.

Flanked by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, who accompanied him on a tour of the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, the Chief Minister said they are waiting for a report of the probe committee set up by the government.

He said if it is found that any death is caused by negligence of the hospital authorities then his government would take the strongest action. "Nobody will be spared," he said, reiterating what he said on Saturday at a press conference.

Adityanath also sought the Centre's help to set up a virus research centre in the eastern part of the state to fight vector borne diseases like encephalitis, which claim several lives each year.

"The atmosphere of eastern UP is such that there are many vector borne diseases like encephalitis. To stop the diseases we need to have a full-fledged Central Virus Research Centre," Adityanath said.

Nadda said the Centre has approved Rs 85 crore for setting up a central Viral Research Centre in Gorakhpur.

"The approval for a Central-level Viral Research Centre has been given. The research centre will be set up in Gorakhpur to help in finding out the real problems of the vector borne diseases in the areas of eastern UP and will help in finding a permanent solution. For this purpose the Centre will release Rs 85 crore," said Nadda.

Initially, it was reported that the children died to to lack of liquid oxygen in the BRD college, but Adityanath on Saturday clarified that the deaths occurred due to encephalitis and other reasons, and not because of lack of oxygen supply.

Earlier, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel and Health Secretary C.K. Mishra visited the hospital on the directions of the Centre to look into the lapses in the BRD Medical College.

Principal of the BRD Medical College R.K. Mishra was suspended for alleged negligence and callousness.

(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.)
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Ahead of Independence Day, the Centre has written to states to organise events in schools towards creating a patriotic mood and a mass fervour to help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modis New India vision.
A top American commander has offered the US help to India to modernise its military, saying that together they can improve India's military capabilities in significant and meaningful ways.

Over the past decade, the defence trade between the US and India has touched nearly $15 billion and is expected to gallop in the next few years, as India is looking at the US for some of the latest military hardware including fighter jets, latest unmanned aerial vehicles and aircraft carriers.

"I believe that the US is ready to help India modernise its military. India has been designated a major defence partner of the US. This is a strategic declaration that's unique to India and the US. It places India on the same level that we have many of our treaty allies," Commander of the US Pacific Command or PACOM Admiral Harry Harris told PTI.

"This is important, and I believe that together we will be able to improve India's military capabilities in significant and meaningful ways," said Harris, who has been personally pushing for a strong India-US defence relationship.

The Admiral said he is fairly happy with the level of defence cooperation that exists today between the two sides.

"We have been partners with India in the Malabar exercise series, the maritime exercise, for a number of years. I participated in one of the very first... One of the early Malabars, in 1995," he recollected, reflecting on the decades old association with India.

Noting that the exercise, and the complexity of it, has improved steadily over the years, he said he is very pleased that Japan is part of Malabar.

"I think the trilateral relationship between India and Japan and the US, that relationship is very important," he said as he advocated for Australia too joining this group.

"We could explore together bringing Australia into the exercise. That has merit. There's a lot of common interests in the Indian Ocean, between Australia and India. But that's really a decision for India to make, and then a decision for Australia to participate, if so invited. I'll leave that to those two countries," Harris said in response to a question.

According to Harris, there is a lot that India and the US can do together.

"I'm pleased that India is a participant in Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the Pacific exercise that's hosted every other year in Hawaii. I'm pleased in general with where the relationship is going, and I look forward to more as the years progress," he said.

Responding to a question on India's decision against the American move to have a joint India-US naval patrol in the Indian Ocean, Harris said the US is not disappointed at all.

"I'm not disappointed. This is on the patrols... I'm not disappointed at all, I'm encouraged that we were able to have a discussion about it, and I hope that that discussion remains open," he said.

"We stand ready to participate at whatever level India wants us to participate," Harris said.

Harris refrained from giving any answer on India and the United States starting to share information about Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean region.

"I don't want to answer the question, because I don't want to imply that I'm sharing intelligence, or anything like that. I'll just simply say that a close relationship between US and India is clearly helpful to the United States, and I believe helpful to India as well," Harris said in response.

Harris reiterated that he believes that the deepening US-India relationship is the defining strategic partnership for the 21st century.

"I'm very interested, and very supportive, of what's happening in India. The Indian armed forces, and that whole piece?I think that the opportunities for our two countries are simply great. It's fantastic," Harris said.

Noting that India remains an important line of effort at Pacific Command, Harris said America?s leadership is working closely with India's to grow the partnership between the two countries.
The commerce ministry has commissioned a study to work out a new structure for three state-owned trading firms - MMTC, STC and PEC -- a senior official said.

State Trading Corporation (STC), Project & Equipment Corporation of India (PEC) and Metals & Minerals Trading Corporation of India (MMTC) are under the administrative control of the ministry.

"There is lot of overlapping of their functions. We have asked an agency to look at whether we have to close or merge them; what should be their mandate; what more they can do in this changing world," the ministry official said.

The ministry also wants to assess their revenue generation and understand the strengths and weaknesses of these three trading firms.

"Crisil is undertaking this study and soon they would submit their report. After that, the ministry will take a final view," the official said.

While PEC is wholly owned by it, the government owns about 90 per cent stake in MMTC and STC. MMTC and STC were created in 1963 and 1956 respectively. PEC Ltd was carved out of the STC in 1971-72.

According to industry observers, state trading companies like MMTC and STC have lost their relevance as well as business following liberalisation.

MMTC used to be a canalising agency for import and export of non-ferrous metals and fertilisers.

Similarly, STC was a canalising agency for imports of essential items of mass consumption such as wheat, pulses, sugar and edible oils.

PEC was engaged in export and import of machinery and railway equipment.

After liberalisation, said an observer, the government de-canalised various items and now these state-owned firms which were set up as a specialised trading arm of the government lost their relevance.

Currently, these firms are engaged in exports and imports of items such as agro commodities like pulses.

In 2016-17, MMTC has incurred a loss of about Rs 30 crore. STC too reported a loss of Rs 16.5 crore in the last fiscal.
As a crisis unfurled at Google over an employee memo that argued biological factors helped explain the shortage of female engineers and leaders in Silicon Valley, some of the most pointed critiques of the companys handling of the issue were posted to its own message boards.
When France elected in May, the prospects of mending the euros inherent flaws suddenly brightened. Adopted in 1999, the common European currency was intended as a political project to foster unity, but the crisis in Greece a decade later exposed the euros inability to enforce shared rules, principally on government debt and spending.
In a diplomatic gamble, President Donald Trump is seeking to enlist China as a peacemaker in the bristling nuclear-edged dispute with North Korea at the very moment he plans to ratchet up conflict with Beijing over trade issues that have animated his political rise.
Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev on Sunday came out in support of Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Sadiq over the Babri dispute, saying that the matter should be resolved peacefully.

While speaking at World Peace and Harmony conclave, Ramdev said, "This is not a matter of land or Ramjanmabhoomi and Masjid. This is a matter of conscience."

Speaking at the same event, senior Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Sadiq advocated for peace in the issue of Babri Masjid, stating that if the Supreme Court's verdict is in their favour, then the Muslim community should give up their claim on the disputed land.

"The Supreme Court is dealing with the Babri Masjid issue and we have full faith in the top court's verdict. If Babri Masjid verdict is not in favor of Muslims, then they should peacefully accept it. And if the verdict is in favor of Muslims then they should happily give the land to Hindus. The issue should be dealt with respect by both the communities," Maulana Sadiq said.

Adding context to his seemingly controversial advice, the cleric further said that one receives thousands in return on giving away just one thing close to them.

His comments come in the wake of the Shia Waqf Board telling the Supreme Court that a mosque can be built at a distance from the disputed land, as the latter on Friday commenced the cross-appeals hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, to look for an amicable settlement of the dispute.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh) [India], Aug.13 (ANI):|Development in Arunachal Pradesh has come to a grinding halt due to poor flow of funds to central educational institutions like NERIST and NIT, besides other central public sector understandings (CPSUs).

Former Lok Sabha Member and Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee president Takam Sanjoy criticised the Centre for its apathetic attitude towards a sensitive border state like Arunachal Pradesh.

The non-payment of salaries to staff and faculty of the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST), is a glittering example, he told ANI.

"This was the first such unique institute in India set up by UPA Govt in 1984 funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development to impart technical education to students of under developed and educationally backward north east India, and it was granted deemed university status in May 2005," he said.

Sanjoy added that NERIST is now without a permanent director since Dr Deepankar Pal left in October 2014 though such appointments are directly under a board headed by the Prime Minister.

"Repeated agitations by NERIST students demanding a permanent director and regular payment of staff salaries has failed to have any impact on mandarins and NDA lawmakers in New Delhi," he said, adding staff salary payment has been irregular for the last four months.

"Even Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who represents the Arunachal Western Parliamentary constituency, has never bothered to act indicating his total lack of accountability towards his own state," Sanjoy said.

He charged the Centre with playing with the lives of hundreds of students of NERIST and NIT.

He also revealed that public sector undertakings in the state have stopped all welfare activities since the Centre stopped the release of their budgeted annual funds.

"It is time for the present government at the Centre to act sensibly for the masses or else the Congress would be left with no alternative but to launch a "Delhi Chalo" movement to register our protests," he concluded.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Calangute Police on late Saturday night busted another sex racket in Goa's Baga by arresting three middlemen and rescued a girl.

Calangute's Police Inspector Jivba Dalvi formed a team and raided the place in the presence of an NGO.

During the raid, the police arrested Sunil Kumar Sahu, a resident of Mumbai's Dharavi, Veeru Sitaram and Santosh Kumar Singh both are from Janakpuri in Delhi.

The team rescued a girl, who was brought for sex trade from Delhi. She was later produced before the Deputy Collector, who ordered to lodge her in a Protective Home at Merces.

Police also seized a Ritz car, with No- GA 03 P 954, in which the accused used to deliver the girl and cash of worth Rs. 54,000 from their possession.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Union Health Minister JP Nadda and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will reach Gorakhpur on Sunday, to enquire about the tragedy where more than 70 children in Baba Raghav Das Medical College's hospital died due to alleged oxygen shortage.

Another child succumbed to encephalitis on Sunday, taking the death toll over 70. 11 children died on Saturday and until Friday the death toll stood at 60.

Earlier on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered and a committee has been formed to look into the .

Addressing the media, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, who briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier yesterday, said that he has asked a team of top ministers to determine if the death of the children was actually due to a disruption in oxygen supply at the hospital and assured to "not spare anyone found guilty".

Gorakhpur is Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath's Lok Sabha constituency.

At a press conference in Lucknow, Yogi also said that he has also sent two ministers to the BRD Medical College to investigate the matter.

He said, "We have suspended the principal of the BRD Medical College and taking him guilty for his actions and an investigation on him has already been ordered and is underway. Those found guilty won't be spared."

Adityanath also emphasised on the fact that Japanese encephalitis remains a challenge for his government and assured that a solution has been found to address the menace.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel said that Prime Minister Modi had especially asked her to visit the hospital and get the necessary information that may help in the issue.

State Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tandon claimed that the deaths of children was not due to oxygen supply, supporting which he also released a list that claimed that most of the children died due to kidney failure and were premature.

He also said that there had been a delay in payment to the oxygen vendor by the college authorities and a probe has been ordered for this too.

Adityanath also outrightly blamed the principal, Rajiv Mishra, for laxity in performing his duty.

According to data procured from the BRD hospital, in five days - from August 7 to August 11, a total of 60 deaths occurred in the hospital.

The procured data also shows the number of oxygen cylinders sent for refilling each day, showing a clear shortage of liquid oxygen in the hospital.
In a harrowing incident, a man died, after he and one more person, were allegedly thrown from a train in the Palwal District of Haryana after an altercation with co-passengers.

"The police is investigating. Three people are being questioned," said police.

The deceased suffered severe injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital.

However, he succumbed to his injuries after few hours.

Reportedly, the duo were allegedly pushed out of a Delhi-Indore train near the Asaoti Railway Station, which is close to Palwal. A murder case has been registered in the regard.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Ahead of Independence Day, a suspected Improvised explosive device (IED) bomb exploded near Imphal's Singjamei Police Station on Sunday.

A team of Imphal West Police, headed by the Superintendent of Police (SP) Themthing and Singjamei Police team along with personnel of Assam Rifles rushed to the blast site for inspection.

Militant outfits of the Northeast region, including Manipur are under suspicion as they had recently called to boycott the Independence Day celebration.

No casualty has been reported yet.

Further investigation is underway.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Two Indian Army soldiers were killed in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian on Sunday morning.

The encounter has been going on since yesterday evening.

The area has been cordoned, as around three terrorists are believed to be holed in.

Attempts are being made to smoke them out.

Meanwhile, in another development, a group of terrorists attacked a police searching party at Bandipora's Hajin area.

Cordon and search operation has been launched by the police and other forces to nab the terrorists.

Further details are awaited.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Every year, 90% people in need of a critical organ to save their life end up facing death due to unavailability of donors.

According to organindia.org, for 5000 hearts required there are only 70 available donors. Similarly, only 5000 kidneys are available against a demand of 21000.

This screwed up demand and supply ratio is due to very less people who actually donate their organs. In fact, India has one of the lowest count of organ donors in the world.

Compared to 26 donors per million people in USA and 36 donors per million people in Spain, India stands at an alarming 0.26 donors per million people, which means that there is not even one person donating organs in one million of population.

While awareness about organ donation and transplantation in India is limited to only certain sections of the populace, the situation becomes even dire when the people having pledged to be organ donors don't contribute to this cause.

Dr Neerav Goyal, Senior Consultant & Head of Liver Transplant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi highlighted the major reasons for these concerning statistics, "The major reason is unawareness about organ donation. Even people who take the pledge do not actually end up donating their organs due to lack of literacy on the registration process and the complexities attached with the procedures."

"Another factor which hinders the organ donation is that there are many unscientific and superstitious myths attached to it which discourage people to come forward to register. Those who are willing to donate at times succumb to such pressures which are created by family and friends. However, in contrast, most major religious support organ donation as a life saving practise," the doctor added.

According to the Indian law, despite the will of the donor final approval over the donation is subject to the deceased's family. If they are unwilling, the donor's organs cannot be harvested. Even though there are no costs that the family of the donor would have to bear for the donation process.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Promoting the 'Sankalp se Siddhi' campaign to be launched by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said Sunday that this initiative will help in bringing forth a corruption-free India.

While talking to ANI about the initiative, he said, "Prime Minister Modi has given a clarion call to observe 'Sankalp se Siddhi' from 2017 to 2022 to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the Quit India Movement to the 75th anniversary of Independence."

He said that the programme will help in achieving the goal of a corruption-free India.

"We have suggested certain pledges to schools and colleges to achieve a caste free, dirt free and corruption free India," he added

In addition to bolster the programme, BJP has arranged a number of competitions for students across all age groups.

"We have arranged painting and quiz competitions for students. We have also initiated a 'New Indian Manthan' in colleges and universities," he added.

Speaking about the West Bengal government's refusal to follow the initiative, he said that the party wouldn't want to comment on it through media.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the 'Sankalp se Siddhi' programme while addressing the parliament on August 9, the 75th anniversary of the Quit India movement.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
While the nation mourns the tragic deaths of over 70 people at Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital, actor Kamal Haasan has expressed his outrage and shock over the developments.

Haasan took to Twitter and requested Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to take Nobel Laureate Kailash Sathyarti's advice seriously, so that nothing like this happens ever again.

"Children of UP die. @k_satyarthi's request to UP CM is the best course. See that it never happens again. India mourns its loss."

Earlier, Satyarthi tore into the Uttar Pradesh government on Twitter as he wrote, "is this what 70 years of freedom means for our children?"

The Nobel peace laureate also appealed to the Chief Minister to do something about this and correct decades of corrupt medical system of UP to prevent such incidents.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has ordered a thorough probe into the matter and assured strict action against those who were involved in the alleged shortage of oxygen supply in the hospital.

So far at least 71, including infants, have died from encephalitis at the BRD Medical College hospital.

According to data procured from the BRD hospital, from August 7 to August 11, a total of 60 deaths have occurred in the hospital.

Over 30 infants at Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Medical College's hospital died last Friday due to alleged disruption in the supply of liquid oxygen.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
According to a report by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO), the country has spent more than USD 76 billion in last 16 years on arming the Afghanistan's security forces.

The reports said despite spending billions of dollars, the U.S. is still far from its main objective of enabling the Afghan security forces to operate independently.

As per the data shared by US Department of Defence with GAO, about 86 percent of the funds were provided through the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund (ASFF), which was established in 2005.

However, the United States is likely to continue its support to Afghan forces as the country's "stability and security continue to face threats from the Taliban-led insurgency, criminal networks, and terrorist organisations, including the militant Islamic State group-Khorasan," the report said.

Earlier, General John Nicholson, commander-in-chief of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, had said that it is imperative for the NATO to win the war against the insurgents in Afghanistan because failure in Afghanistan will embolden extremist groups in the West.

"Failure will embolden terrorists and jihadists globally to include those already inside our own countries. That is why we are here and that is why we must win," said Nicholson.

As United States President Donald Trump is set to unveil its new military policy in Afghanistan, Nicholson said that they should and will defeat the insurgents to safeguard their own homeland.

"If we fail in Afghanistan, we will invite terror attacks on our homelands. Failure with unleash millions of migrants out of this region and the rest of the world," Nicholson said at a gathering in Kabul held to mark the sacrifices of by Afghan and foreign soldiers.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Portuguese authorities said on Sunday that at least 12 wildfires remained active throughout the country as hundreds of firefighters were deployed to battle the flames.

According to the latest status report by the National Authority for Civil Protection, there are currently 12 ongoing fires, of which six are thought to be larger and more complex to extinguish, reports Efe news.

Among them, two in the towns of Tomar and Ferreira do Zezere were leading to great concern and that around 580 firefighters, backed by 180 land vehicles and eight airplanes, were trying to extinguish the flames, the report said.

On Saturday, a record-breaking 268 fires were detected throughout the country in one day and more than 6,550 firefighters mobilised.

Portuguese authorities on Saturday asked the European Union for reinforcements, to which Spain has already responded.

Two Spanish military emergency units were sent to help Portuguese civil protection forces, as well as two firefighting planes which joined a Moroccan aircraft that was already on the scene.

Meteorological forecasts suggest that Sunday could be dry, hot and windy, which is dangerous weather for fires.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Facing public anger, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday visited the hospital here where over 60 children died in five days and said anyone found guilty of negligence would not be spared.

Flanked by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, who accompanied him on a tour of the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, the Chief Minister said they are waiting for a report of the probe committee set up by the government.

"I have formed a high level Committee under the supervision of the Chief Secretary and a thorough probe has been ordered to check the cause of the deaths in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and the supply of oxygen," he said.

"Let the report of the Committee come... I want to assure you all that not only in Gorakhpur but in any government hospital if there has been any lapse then we will take strict action after the BRD hospital tragedy," he said.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has extended every possible aid to the state government after he briefed him about the situation at the BRD Medical College Hospital.

"The Prime Minister is very concerned. Centre is providing all help to the state government and a team of doctors has flown in from Delhi to Gorakhpur and they are camping here," he said.

Adityanath also sought the Centre's help to set up a virology research centre in the eastern part of the state to fight vector borne diseases like encephalitis, which claim several lives each year.

"The atmosphere of eastern UP is such that there are many vector borne diseases like encephalitis. To stop the diseases we need to have a full-fledged Central Virology Research Centre," Adityanath said.

He accused the opposition parties of politicising the issue. "Those whose sensitivity has died are now trying to add salt to the wound by raising the sensitive issue unnecessarily," he hit out.

Nadda announced that the Centre has approved Rs 85 crore for setting up a central Virology Research Centre in Gorakhpur.

"The approval for a Central-level Virology Research Centre has been given. The research centre will be set up in Gorakhpur to help in finding out the real problems of the vector-borne diseases in the areas of eastern UP and will help in finding a permanent solution. For this purpose the Centre will release Rs 85 crore," said Nadda.

Initially, it was reported that the children's deaths occurred due to lack of liquid oxygen in the BRD college, but Adityanath on Saturday stated that the deaths were due to encephalitis and other reasons.

The Chief Minister and Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh had contended on Saturday that there has been no death due to lack of oxygen supply at the BRD Medical College and Hospital, but did concede there was a problem in supply of liquid oxygen for four hours on August 10 which was made up by the system switching to cylinders.

Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel and Union Health Secretary C.K. Mishra visited the hospital on Saturday on the directions of the Centre to look into the lapses in the BRD Medical College.

Principal of the BRD Medical College R.K. Mishra was suspended for alleged negligence and callousness.

The opposition Congress has demanded that Adityanath should apologise to the families who lost their children in the tragedy and the dismissal of the state Health Minister.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
BJP President Amid Shah on Sunday vowed to free Karnataka from the Congress' "corruption".

"We have to free Karnataka from the Congress for ever as its government in the state is the most corrupt in the country. We have to ensure that the Congress does not return to power again," he told party leaders here on the second day of his three-day visit to the state.

Addressing the state political affairs committee members, Shah said he would camp in the city from October onwards to tour and address public rallies across the state for bringing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) back to power.

"Though the BJP could not retain power in 2013 after forming its first government in the state in 2008 for various reasons, the conditions are favourable this time to not only win a majority, but also form the next government," he said.

Appealing to state BJP leaders to work unitedly to achieve the 'Mission 150 seats' target in the next assembly polls, due in April-May 2018, Shah said indiscipline, infighting and dissidence would not be tolerated at any cost.

Citing initial surveys conducted by the party and others separately, he claimed that the people have made up their mind to give the BJP another chance owing to the failure of the Congress government in delivering its promises.

"It's heartening to know that the majority of the people across the state are happy with the performance of the Modi government over the last three years and hope to benefit from the party equally if voted to power," he said.

Accusing the Congress of polarising the people on caste and religious lines by promising a particular community separate recognition and job quota, Shah said the ruling party had no development agenda, but was instead "indulging in caste politics, language by accusing the Centre of imposing Hindi in the state and denying river water share and seeking a separate flag for the state".

Later in the day, Shah visited the Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Mutt at Nelamangala in Mandya district and released "The Story of a Guru", a biography of its seer Balagangadharanatha Swami, authored by Sudhamahi Regunathan, former vice-chancellor of the Jain Vishva Bharati University in Rajasthan.

He also called on Art of Living Founder Ravi Shankar and interacted with people who gathered for the occasion.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Mumbai, Aug 13 IANS) Popular film celebrities like Rishi Kapoor, Kajol and Manish Malhotra greeted Bollywood's "Hawa Hawai" girl and veteran actress Sridevi on her 54th birthday on Sunday, hailing her as a "true treasue of Indian cinema".

Besides making a name in Hindi cinema, Sridevi has also worked in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada movies.

Sridevi, who returned to films after a 15-year-long hiatus with "English Vinglish" in 2012, was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2013. She was last seen on screen in a powerful role in "Mom" earlier this year.

Sridevi made her debut as a lead actress in Bollywood in 1978 with "Solva Sawan" and gained popularity with "Himmatwala" in 1983. She has a number of commercially successful movies to her credit with projects like "Mawaali", "Mr. India", "Chandni" and critically acclaimed films like "Sadma", "ChaalBaaz", "Lamhe", "Khuda Gawah", "Laadla" and "Judaai".

Here's what the celebrities had to say:

Rishi Kapoor: Many happy returns of the day!

Abhishek Bachchan: Wishing my favourite a very happy and healthy birthday.

Manish Malhotra: Wishing the one and only Sridevi, Happy Birthday. Stay wonderful. Most favourite muse here.

Riteish Deshmukh: True treasure of Indian cinema, wishing you a very Happy Birthday mam.

Satish Kaushik: Wishing the forever beautiful and great actress madam Sridevi a Happy Birthday... Happiness Always.

Kajol: Wishing my favourite actor a wonderful year ahead. 50 years working and making it look easy.

Prosenjit Chatterjee: Wish you many many happy returns of this day. Respect your dedication...

Sophie Choudry: Happy birthday to my favourite. Talent, beauty and grace beyond words. So proud to be your fan! Lots of love.

--IANS

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(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Actor Deepak Dobriyal, known for his memorable role in "Tanu Weds Manu" and for his latest performance in "Hindi Medium", says people respect character actors more than earlier days and that filmmakers are also writing substantial parts for them.

Deepak will soon to be seen in Saif Ali Khan-starrer "Kaalaakaandi" and Farhan Akhtar-starrer "Lucknow Central".

"I think a character actor is not a derogatory term anymore, unlike earlier days. Thankfully, story writers are sensibly writing characters for people like us that play an equally important part in the narration. This is a good thing. In fact, I think the whole story telling style has changed," Deepak told IANS.

Coming from Delhi, after a seven years long theatre career, Deepak had to struggle for a few years in Mumbai before getting into the film industry. But struggle has not made him a bitter person.

"I had an image of a serious actor in theatre, whereas in the film industry, I am known mainly for comedy roles. Isn't it funny? It's not that socio-political changes don't affect me, but I do not air my opinion on things. Rather as an artist, I express things through my art," he said.

"I know people tag us as a character actor, but tell me aren't all heroes playing 'characters' on screen? If you look at a film from a performer's point of view, we all are putting equal effort and dedication," said Deepak, who shared screen space with actors like Irrfan Khan, R. Madhavan and Kangana Ranaut.

Deepak said in "Lucknow Central", in which he is playing a Bengali prisoner, he had a great time working with Farhan.

"As we all know that he is a multi-talented personality, but on the set he will never make you feel like a small actor or something. He treats all people around him well. In the film, we all shared a good equation," said Deepak.

--IANS

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Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Sunday said India should attack Pakistan and conquer Pakistan-administered Kashmir as he called for a complete boycott of all Chinese goods.

Speaking at the India TV conclave 'Vande Mataram' here, Ramdev said: "So many of our jawans have been martyred. They (Pakistan) have attacked us so many times. Why not a war to end all such attacks? We should conquer Pakistan-administered Kashmir and merge it with India."

He also said that India "should support Balochistan independent movement and break Pakistan into three parts".

Ramdev, who has a huge business empire, disclosed that his company is "in the process of" acquiring 150 acres of land in Jammu and Kashmir, and "would be offering jobs to Kashmiri youths soon".

He also called for a boycott of all Chinese goods in India, saying that China was fully backing Pakistan in its terror activities.

"We can easily outpace China and become a superpower," he said.

Ramdev said he was very optimistic about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government taking action against terror masterminds like Hafiz Saeed, Dawood Ibrahim and Masood Azhar.

"Wait till 2019, I think he can do it," he said.

The yoga guru claimed that anyone "who masters the art of yoga, can never become a terrorist", adding that "not a single person who has mastered yoga ever became a terrorist" in history.

He said that a terrorist or a suicide bomber normally has a "dyslexic problem" because he is brainwashed to the core.

On the other hand, a person who has learnt Yoga believes the world is his family.

"For him, all religions and God, in all his manifestations, are the same," Ramdev said.

--IANS

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As the shows no signs of easing amid reports of India and China enhancing troop deployment, India will have to be patient and be prepared for a long haul while keeping diplomatic channels active, a former envoy to Beijing who has long experience in dealing with China, said.

Ashok Kantha, who retired in January 2015 as India's ambassador, said that the is not the first prolonged one between the two nations. The Wangdung incident in the Sumdorong Chu valley in Arunachal Pradesh in 1986 dragged on quite some time, before it was resolved through talks.

"If the Chinese take time to come to some kind of understanding, so be it. The Indian side will have to show their staying power to stay the course, and wait for some understanding," Kantha, Director of Institute of Chinese Studies, told IANS.

Recollecting the 1986 standoff, the former diplomat, who has also handled China ties as the pointperson (Joint Secretary, East Asia) of the Ministry of External Affairs, said: "I was involved in the Wangdung incident and its dissolution. The buildup started in middle of 1986? We had some kind of de-escalation only by end of 1987, and actual disengagement between forces in immediate proximity to each other took nine years to achieve," he said, adding that the Doklam incident may not take so long. "But if it takes some time, then we will have to wait. We'll have to be patient."

On reports of increased deployment along the border in the eastern sector, he said that India would have taken precautionary measures in terms of deployment "but nothing on a large scale is happening".

"I don't anticipate any outbreak of hostilities in the area."

According to him, the diplomatic channels between the two countries are active and the ambassador in Beijing and New Delhi are both "veterans of handling India-China relations".

Security Advisor Ajit Doval was in Beijing last month, during which he held bilateral talks with his counterpart State Councillor Yang Jiechi on the sidelines of a BRICS security meet. "Communication has not been disrupted. Normally we have a good communication with China."

"They may say no talks without pullback by India, but in practice talks are talking place. Border personnel meetings are taking place, at Nathu La. Different channels of communication are active".

According to China expert Srikanth Kondapalli, the heightened tensions between North Korea and US could lead to de-escalation in the Doklam issue.

"The North Korea situation is happening next door to Beijing. A nuclear fallout will affect the capital city. We may possibly see some de-escalation? No country can fight a two-theatre war," Kondapalli, Professor in Chinese Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, told IANS.

China has already boosted troop deployment along the North Korean-Chinese border that stretches 1,415 km across Liaoning province.

According to him, the North Korea-US tension is a "wild card".

"We have to wait and watch, and it all depends on Trump and Kim," he said.

Kondapalli said he had heard from sources in the Defence Ministry and in media reports that the Chinese side has mobilized some 700 troops and an additional 300 troops in Doklam plateau.

He said there are reports that China has stationed its J11 and J10 ace fighter aircraft in Tibet, and the HQ9 surface-to-air missile system opposite Arunachal Pradesh.

According to another view, strategic expert Jai Kumar Verma says the Chinese in fact "want to wriggle out of the situation".

"The Chinese cannot afford a war with India and nor can India," Verma told IANS.

He said that President Xi Jinping is seeking re-election as the general secretary of the Communist Party of China ahead of its 19th Congress in October.

"He wants to gain strength by raising the Doklam issue.

"They are building up troops, but China does not want war with India. This is only threatening," he added.

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The Congress on Sunday rubbished claims by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath that the deaths of over 60 children in a Gorakhpur hospital were due to vector-borne diseases, and termed them as "murders" and a "massacre". The party has demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the incident.

The Congress also alleged that the Adityanath government was running an "operation cover-up" in an attempt to bury the truth.

"According to evidences that have emerged till now, and looking at the comments of the officials and the kin of the victims, the unusually high number of deaths occurred due to neglect and mismanagement, and not due to any disease as being claimed by the BJP government in the state," Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill told reporters at a press conference here.

"It has been proved that it was not just a tragedy but it was a murder and massacre," he alleged.

Attacking Adityanath, Shergill said, "The Chief Minister, the Health Minister, the principal of the Baba Raghav Das Medical College are all responsible for the deaths of the children in the state."

The Congress has demanded the resignation of state Health Minister Siddhartha Nath Singh over the deaths of 60 children in the government-run hospital in Gorakhpur, which is represented by the Chief Minister in the Lok Sabha for last two decades.

Initially, it was reported that the children died to to lack of liquid oxygen in the BRD college, but Adityanath has insisted that the deaths occurred due to encephalitis and other reasons, and not because of lack of oxygen supply.

Shergill said the hands of the Uttar Pradesh government were bloodied with the deaths. "Now they have launched an operation cover-up by ordering a Chief Secretary level-probe," Shergill said.

"We demand an independent probe, under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge," he said.

Referring to the probe ordered by the Uttar Pradesh government, the Congress leader wondered, "How can an accused probe allegations against himself?"

He also asked why the autopsies were not carried out on the children who died in the city hospital. "How can the government claim that deaths happened due to any disease without carrying out autopsies or any probe?" he questioned.

Firing salvos at the BJP-led government in the state, the Congress leader asked, "Why was no case registered against the hospital officials and why has not the Health Minister been sacked yet?"

Principal of the BRD Medical College R.K. Mishra was suspended for alleged negligence and callousness.

--IANS

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Three militants, including top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Yasin Itoo, were killed in an over 24 hour-long gunfight that ended on Sunday in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district and also left two soldiers dead. A dozen stone-pelting protesters were injured in clashes with security forces in the area.

Yasin Itoo, alias Mehmood Ghaznavi, the operational commander of the Hizbul, was among those killed in the gunfight in Awneera village in Shopian.

The other two slain militants were identified as Umar Majid and Irfan.

Earlier, the third militant was believed to be Adil Malik.

Itoo, also spelt as Yatoo, was a resident of Chadoora area of Badgam district. One of the longest surviving militant commanders, he had joined militancy in 1997.

The three slain militants were locals belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. Three AK-47 rifles were recovered from their possession.

The house in Awneera village in which the militants had been hiding was blasted by the security forces.

Jammu and police chief S.P. Vaid tweeted on the success: "One of terrorists killed today morning at Shopian is identified as Yasin Itoo; operational commander of Hizbul Mujahideen. Great success!"

In an earlier post he said: "Today morning three terrorists eliminated at Zainpora Shopian. Well done boys!"

Over a dozen youth were injured in clashes with security forces as they pelted stones during the operation in Awneera village.

One protester sustained a bullet injury and was shifted for treatment to Srinagar city.

Another protester with pellet injuries to his eyes was referred by doctors to a hospital in Srinagar.

A senior police officer said two militants had managed to escape from the cordoned area during the operation.

Five army soldiers were injured in the gunfight. Two injured soldiers later succumbed to critical injuries.

The injured soldiers are being treated at the army's base hospital in Badami Bagh area of Srinagar.

Earlier, acting on specific information, the security forces surrounded Awneera village on Saturday evening upon which they were fired at by the militants, leading to the gunfight, a police spokesman said.

Seven civilians had sustained pellet injuries on Saturday when protesters engaged the security forces in clashes to break the cordon around the site of the gunfight.

Internet services have been blocked in Badgam district following the identification of Itoo among the slain militants.

In another incident, three security personnel, including two policemen and an army soldier, sustained injuries when militants fired at a cordon laying party in Hajin area of Bandipora district on Sunday.

The cordon and search operation was later called off as the militants managed to escape from the area.

--IANS

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India and Turkmenistan will hold bilateral talks on Monday to boost economic and technological ties between the two countries, it was announced here on Sunday.

Turkmenistan's Foreign Affairs Minister Rashid Meredov is on a three-day visit to India from August 13 to 15 on the invitation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Along with Swaraj, he will co-chair the sixth meeting of the Turkmenistan-India Intergovernmental Commission on trade, economic, scientific and technological cooperation, a statement from the External Affairs Ministry said.

During the visit, Meredov will also have a series of other meetings and will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the statement added.

--IANS

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The annual report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) says that the average overcrowding rate in Indian prisons is 14 per cent. What the report does not reveal is that 149 jails in the country are overcrowded by more than 100 per cent and that eight are overcrowded by margins of a staggering 500 per cent.

These alarming statistics were revealed in the Centre's reply in response to a question in the Lok Sabha on August 8. It also brought into focus the horrendous levels in Satyamangalam sub-jail in Erode district of Tamil Nadu where 200 prisoners are "stuffed" in a space meant for 16 people.

The overcrowding rate actually oversimplifies an understanding of the problem. What this statistic fails to capture is the feeling of being stuck in a dark, dingy enclosed area where privacy is non-existent, where threats of bodily violations constantly loom, where money and power determines the floor space you get to stretch your legs, where the entry of "more guests" implies the quality and quantity of food and sanitation would further suffer.

Prisoners in India are usually housed together in mega dormitories, where inmates are kept in close proximity with little regard for dignity and basic living conditions. This is a far cry from the UN's Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, which suggest that prison accommodation shall be mindful of "minimum floor space, lighting, heating and ventilation".

While prisons have been recognised as a correctional facility worldwide, Indian prisons are still governed by a 123-year-old law -- The Prisons Act. The prisons are just like the Act that governs them: rusty, outdated, neglected. This directly impacts the occupants of these prisons.

Overcrowding takes a toll on already constrained prison resources and even makes separation between different classes of prisoners difficult.

The Bureau for Police Research and Development's report on the implementation of the Mulla Committee recommendations revealed that 60 per cent of the jails were unable to assign new prisoners to a particular barrack or ward due to overcrowding.

One needs to break up the problem to understand its dimension beyond percentage levels of overcrowding.

The rate suffers from multiple limitations. Most Indian prisons were built in the colonial era, are in constant need of repair and part of them are unhabitable for long periods. While the prison capacity gets reduced on the ground, this is not reflected in official figures.

Also undertrial and convicted prisoners have to be housed separately. So do inmates with mental disabilities and those with communicable diseases. These segregations further impacts the occupancy levels for inmates but the occupancy rate does not account for this.

With high levels of understaffing, the situation becomes even worse. As a result of lack of supervision, inmates are confined in their cells for longer hours. This increases the possibility of tensions and violence. With limited resources to manage and contain these incidents, the functioning of prisons also becomes order-oriented, there is limited attention on correctional facilities, reform and need for privacy.

If the overall objective is to make prison conditions "human", it is crucial to identify the primary causes for overcrowding. There is clearly a problem of both supply and demand. With 33 prisoners per 100,000 population, India has one of the lowest incarceration rates in the world. If the state is unable to adequately house these prisoners, it is a reflection of the priority it accords to prison and broadly criminal justice.

The government needs to build more prisons and remodel existing ones. The prison modernization scheme which led to the constitution of 125 new jails was discontinued in 2009. The government, when asked about its revival in the Lok Sabha, chose not to respond.

While government data reveals the alarming levels of overcrowding, it is still understated. The government needs to build more prisons and employ more staff to make their functioning more transparent and humane.

(Raja Bagga is Programme Officer with the Prison Reforms Access to Justice Programme at the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI). The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at raja@humanrightsinitiative.org)

--IANS

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The Iranian Parliament on Sunday overwhelmingly approved the general outlines of a motion to counter the US' "terrorist and adventurous" acts in the region, the media reported.

The general outlines of the motion were passed with 240 votes in favour and one abstention during an open parliamentary session, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Parliament ratified the motion prepared by the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission in July.

The Parliament will convene again next week to discuss the details of the motion and vote on the bill.

The legislative move by Iran follows US President Donald Trump's signing of a sanctions bill on Russia, Iran and North Korea on August 2.

Sanctions against Iran is mainly in response to Tehran's growing missile programme.

Iranian officials have said the country's missile programme was for deterrent purposes.

--IANS

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Iraqi forces on Sunday killed 12 Islamic State militants in Iraq's province of Salahudin after fierce clashes, security sources said.

The clashes erupted before dawn when dozens of IS militants attacked the military bases after heavy mortar barrage and machine gun fire in Zuwiyah area, about 250 km north of here, a source told Xinhua news agency.

The troops fought back and foiled the attackers from storming their bases, but the militants managed to block the main road between Salahudin's province capital Tikrit and the city of Mosul in northern Iraq, the source said.

In the morning, reinforcement troops and helicopter gunships reopened the main road after defeating the extremist militant, who withdrew to Makhoul mountain range in the northern part of Tikrit, the source added.

After the withdrawal of the extremist militants, the troops found 12 of their bodies and two destroyed armoured vehicles, three trucks along with large amount of weapons and ammunition left in the battlefield, the source said.

The clashes also resulted in the killing of three soldiers and the wounding of eight others, the source added.

Iraqi security forces and allied paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units freed Tikrit and other key cities and towns in the predominately Sunni Arab province of Salahudin from the extremist IS group in June 2014.

The incident came as Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared Mosul's liberation on July 10 after nearly nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.

--IANS

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Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday termed the West Bengal government's decision to not celebrate Independence Day according to the New India pledge suggested by the Centre, as "unfortunate" and hoped that "wisdom will prevail".

"I am shocked at the language of the letter (issued by the West Bengal government)... It is very unfortunate that it has decided not to celebrate Independence Day 'in this manner', what is wrong with the manner that we suggested?" the Human Resource Development Minister asked.

No one was compelled to follow the HRD Ministry's suggestions on the celebration of 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement and the 70th Independence Day, and that still everyone followed the instructions voluntarily, he said.

In a letter sent to all District Project Officers, the Sarva Shiksha Mission-West Bengal instructed them to stop "all preparations for the Independence Day in keeping with the circular dated July 25, 2017 of Manish Garg, Joint Secretary MHRD".

"It has been decided by the school Education Department that Independence Day 2017 will not be celebrated in this manner," said the letter dated August 11.

To commemorate the Independence Day and Quit India Movement anniversaries, the Ministry had issued a number of instructions to educational institutions.

The institutions were instructed to conduct: a pledging ceremony on freedom from communalism, casteism, poverty, terrorism and unhygeinic conditions; quiz competition on freedom struggle; visit to any martyr's memorial; and painting competition, between August 9 and August 30.

"These are secular agenda, national agenda, not a political agenda...I am very happy to see everyone participating voluntarily and posting pictures on our website," Javadekar added.

--IANS

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North Koreans are raised to be soldiers and "have no ounce of freedom", according to a journalist who lived undercover in Pyongyang.

"Their lives were completely mapped out according to the great leader," Suki Kim, who spent six months undercover in North Korea in 2011, told CNN on Saturday.

"Any information from outside is forbidden and not shown to them in any way. It's really a system of absolute control."

Kim, author of "Without You There Is No Us", posed as a missionary and a teacher at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. She taught English to the sons of North Korea's ruling class, children expected to be the regime's future leaders.

She described the complex psychology of people there "being really lovely and absolutely human" but living in a bubble, emotionally and intellectually isolated.

"To try to understand North Korea, it's basically a cult of the great leader," Kim told CNN.

"It's a military dictatorship with one of the largest armies in the world and also it's a place where communication is blocked.

"If you block the rest of the world from your country entirely, then how can you actually have information to teach people that other things exist?"

Kim said computer majors in the university did not even know about the existence of the internet. Her students had to attend weekly meetings to report on each other, "so there's a surveillance system".

"There's a building that exists for studying the great leader. You go and study the great leader and you also guard that building. You clean that building," she said.

According to Kim, citizens have access to only one newspaper and one television station dedicated to teaching them about their leader.

"They (the citizens) don't travel inside or outside of their country, giving them little time or access to think about anything else but their leader and therefore conditioning them.

"The country is nothing like we've seen before. It's a nuclear power that is also absolutely enslaving its citizens for the sake of this really one-man nation."

"It's the saddest place in the world," Kim added.

--IANS

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AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday said that no individual or organisation can "give" away mosques as Allah is their rightful owner, after the Shia Waqf Board told the apex court that the can be built at a distance from the disputed site in Ayodhya.

"Masjids can be managed by Shia, Sunni, Barelvi, Sufi, Deobandi, Salafi, Bohri but they are not the owners. Allah is the owner," tweeted the Hyderabad MP in an obvious reaction to Shia Waqf Board's latest stand.

"Even AIMPLB (All India Muslim Personal Law Board) cannot give (the mosque)," added Owaisi.

"Masjids cannot be given just because one Maulana says so. Allah is the owner not a Maulana. Once a Masjid always a Masjid," said the MP.

He tweeted that the Supreme Court, which is hearing the title suit, will decide on the basis of evidence.

The Shia Board had told the apex court on August 8 that a mosque can be built in a Muslim area at a reasonable distance from the site of the temple-mosque dispute.

Claiming that the Babri mosque site was its property, the Shia Board said it was entitled to hold negotiations.

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A youth injured in clashes with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Sunday died in hospital, police said.

Owais Ahmad Dar, 24, was hit with pellets fired by the security forces during clashes between stone pelters and the security forces in Kakapora town of Pulwama in the evening.

"The youth was shifted to SMHS hospital in Srinagar where doctors declared him dead on arrival," police said.

Clashes had broken out at many places in south after three militants, including Yasin Yatoo alias Mehmood Ghaznawi, the operational commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, were killed in a gunfight in Awneera village of Shopian district.

--IANS

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The public sector banks (PSBs) are more focussed on limiting losses from the previous bad debts rather than seeking new lending opportunities, and thus cannot give low demand as an excuse for their credit slowdown, according to the mid-term Economic Survey.

The Economic Survey Volume II 2016-17, tabled in Parliament, said: "The problem is that public sector banks are in damage limitation mode rather than seeking out new clients and opportunities. So, how can they regain their true function of providing credit to support economic growth? What actions will be necessary to ensure that problems will not recur?"

"Inadequate demand cannot be the full explanation for the credit slowdown because the growth in lending by private sector banks is robust and much greater than for the PSBs," it said.

The Survey, authored by Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, noted that burdened by stressed assets and atmosphere of uncertainty that existed for some considerable time, banks, especially those in the public sector, have focussed on their Non-performing asset (NPA) problem than on new lending.

Highlighting India's Twin Balance Sheet (TBS) challenge, the earlier Economic Surveys have emphasised that tackling this challenge will require four R's - Recognition, Resolution (which targets corporate balance sheets), Recapitalisation (which targets bank balance sheets) and Reform.

The government and the RBI have taken important actions to address the Twin Balance Sheet challenge. It is to be hoped that they will work expeditiously. But even as they play out, thinking about a strategy - of complementing resolution with reform and recapitalisation - to create a banking sector that can help revive credit, investment and growth must be an ongoing priority.

"Even as the new measures aimed at resolution unfold, it is worth thinking about the other 'R's in the context of a strategic approach to the banking sector," the Survey said.

The most important element, surely, is the fourth R - Reform. Three elements will be key to any reform package. First, rescues can be selective. The prompt corrective action (PCA) framework can be invoked to ensure the worst performing banks are winnowed out of future lending and shrunk in size over time. Rescues could then be extended solely to the group of viable and near-viable banks.

Second, the role of private sector discipline could be expanded, including by allowing, in some cases, majority private sector ownership. Third, these measures should be coupled with specific actions, for example recapitalising banks and strengthening their lending procedures and risk management frameworks, the Survey said.

Over the past few years, the government and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) have moved decisively on recognition and most recently on resolution. In May this year, the government had passed an ordinance to promote resolution.

The RBI followed up decisively by identifying 12 loan accounts to be taken up under Bankruptcy Law.

Meanwhile, to facilitate reform, the RBI has placed six weak banks under the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework, forcing these banks to start reducing the scale of their banking operations, amongst other measures.

"It is to be hoped that these actions will decisively address the TBS challenge. Some doubts have been expressed by observers on the scope for delay in, and stymieing of, the resolution process because of the relatively untested procedures and the inherent difficulty in writing off debts to the private sector," the document said.

Early and prominent successes will help quell these doubts and policy-makers are closely monitoring progress, it added.

--IANS

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Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday spoke with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over phone and discussed the flood situation in the state.

"Spoke to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and discussed the flood situation in the state," the Home Minister tweeted.

Rajnath Singh said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had already reached the flood affected areas and the Centre was rushing additional NDRF teams to Bihar to help in the ongoing rescue and relief operations.

According to the Home Ministry, river Mahananda at Dhengraghat in Purnia district is flowing at a level of 37.6 metre -- 1.95 metre above the danger level.

The current level of the river is 0.49 metre less than its previous high flood level of 38.09 metre on August 15, 1968, the ministry said.

--IANS

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The Government Railway Police (GRP) has arrested a Tripura militant in Assam who planned to incite violence ahead of Independence Day and recovered a large quantity of ammunition from him, police said here on Sunday.

"During a routine checking, the GRP personnel arrested the militant identified as Naresh Chakma, 34, at Badarpur railway junction on Saturday. Over 600 cartridges were recovered from the extremist," a Tripura police official said.

While the police were checking Chakma's bags, his associate Biswajoy Chakma managed to escape.

"Biswajoy was also carrying some arms and huge ammunition. Both are residents of Natun Bazar village in Gomati district," the official said, adding that Naresh confessed to the GRP officials that they had planned to incite violence before Independence Day.

However, it is not yet clear if the militants belonged to the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT).

"Naresh also told the GRP interrogators that he along with Biswajoy were staying at a hideout in Comilla (eastern Bangladesh). On August 1, they entered India though the Meghalaya border and went to Dimapur (Nagaland) to purchase the bullets of different sophisticated arms from a Myanmar arms smuggler," the official said

NLFT cadres undergo arms training in several hideouts in Bangladesh, which shares a 1,880-km border with Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (263 km).

Banned in 1997 by the Union Home Ministry, the outlawed outfit had sought Tripura's secession from India.

--IANS

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On August 9, at a modest gathering of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) faithful at this citys protest hub, Jantar Mantar, the slogans and speeches were appropriately evocative. Called to draw national attention to the murders and attacks on their swayamsevaks (volunteers) in Kerala, allegedly by CPI(M) activists, the demonstration was occasioned by the killing of a young Dalit tempo driver, S L Rajesh, on July 29 in the latest cycle of assaults and reprisals.
Every time the Left Democratic Front (LDF) came to power in Kerala, there has been an increase in violence, Arun Jaitley, Union minister for finance, defence and corporate affairs, had said on August 7. Jaitley had visited Kerala following the murder of a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) worker on July 29. Between 2006 and 2011, when Kerala was ruled by the LDF, the number of crimes registered increased 30 per cent to 148,313 in 2010, from 105,255 in 2006, according to the data from the Crime Records Bureau (NRCB). During the same period, the crime rate (per 100,000 people) increased 35 per cent to 424.5 in 2010, from 312.5 in 2006.
The Shiromani Akali Dal today attacked Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, saying he should "talk less and deliver more", a day after he accused the SAD-BJP regime of framing "toothless" law on outdoor advertising and causing "revenue leakage".

The opposition party also asked him to elaborate about his contributions made to the state after becoming a minister, except flagging off fire tenders.

Former minister and SAD spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema, in a statement, said, "Today we have learnt of your latest dream that the state lost heavily in outdoor advertising during the last five-year of the SAD-BJP rule. We are looking forward to see how you will earn this so called lost money for the state.

He said that you should earn Rs 75 crore through the outdoor advertising in the next three months to prove your point.

"If you are unable to do that, then seek an apology from Punjabis for trying to be-fool them with false statements and cheap theatrics," the former education minister said.

Sidhu, he said, seemed to have been "stricken by an Akali phobia" and claimed that it was because of this he was "hell bent" on reversing the every positive step taken by the erstwhile SAD-BJP government.

"Sidhu has stopped the BRTS project which was undertaken to decongest Amritsar. The project has been scrapped by him despite the fact that 15 of the 93 buses purchased for the project had already started running.

"Earlier, Sidhu scrapped the amphibious water bus project at Harike Pattan which was designed to put the wetland on the international tourist circuit," he alleged.

Asking Sidhu not to let his "hatred" for the SAD come in the way of the state's development, Cheema said Sidhu should realise that he had been given the mandate to serve the people, not to discriminate against them.

"Governance is not a comedy circus where you will make a few guffaws and laugh off everything. Here you will have to deliver on your words. Five months have already passed. You have not made a single contribution to the state.

"Your one single act of flagging off fire riders also led to embarrassment for the government with the tenders breaking down after travelling a few meters after the inauguration," he said, taking a dig at the minister.

Sidhu, the local government minister, yesterday hit out at the Akalis for allegedly "looting" the state by facilitating individuals in outdoor advertisement and cable businesses.

He had also alleged the previous SAD-BJP regime for "revenue leakage" by framing "toothless" law pertaining to outdoor advertising.

(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 Delhi court has directed the chairman of an SIT, set up to re-investigate the 1984 anti- Sikh riot cases, to explain why further probe was carried out in a case while the mandate was to re-visit facts.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Ajay Singh Shekhawat said the reply filed by Special Investigation Team (SIT) chairman on interpretation of expression "investigation/re-investigation as per the mandate given to the SIT" was unsatisfactory.

"In these circumstances, let court notice (be issued) to the chairman, SIT i.E. Anurag to appear in person to clarify on the facts as to why only further investigation was carried out despite the mandate of SIT to investigate/ re-investigate the facts," the court said.

It listed the matter for September 13 for clarifications.

The court passed the order in the 1984 riots case in which the SIT filed a closure report on the ground that no incriminating direct or circumstantial evidence was available against any person and further investigation of the case has been closed.

According to the prosecution, the case relates to an incident of November 3, 1984, when a mob of 300-400 people started pelting a 50-year-old Sikh man with stones in a factory area in west Delhi's Anand Parbat.

The victim fell down after which a policeman, patrolling the area, fired from his revolver in air to disperse the mob and the injured identified as Ajayab Singh was taken to hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors.

The prosecution said that a case of murder and rioting with armed weapons was registered at Patel Nagar police station.

As the persons involved in the crime could not be identified, an untraced report was filed which was accepted by the court in January 1985.

However, in February 2015, the government constituted the SIT for investigating/ re-investigating cases of 1984 riots. The SIT comprises its chairman IPS officer Anurag, members Rakesh Kapoor, retired district judge, and Kumar Gyanesh, Additional DCP.

It was decided by the SIT to further investigate this case and several family members of the victim and others were examined who said they have no knowledge about the accused as they were not present at the scene of crime.

The SIT said in its closure report, "during further investigation, it is revealed that Ajayab Singh was killed by a mob of 300-400 rioters on November 3, 1984 at about 10:45 AM ... Anand Parbat industrial area. An offence as alleged in the FIR have been established. But despite making all possible efforts accused persons could not be identified.

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today accused state AAP leader Sukhpal Khaira of politicising the plight of cotton farmers due to whitefly infestation in some areas of Mansa.

Strongly reacting to Khaira's allegations of involvement of Chief Minister's Office (CMO) and cabinet ministers in the sale and distribution of "fake and poor" quality pesticides to the farmers, Amarinder said it was evident that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader had no connect with the situation on the ground.

"Khaira should go to the Punjab Agricultural University to take lessons on the subject and should try to understand the grassroot situation of the extent of whitefly infestation in the state from the Vice Chancellor and the faculty," Amarinder said.

"As the leader of the opposition, it was Khaira's duty to act responsibly and to play the role of a constructive opposition instead of indulging in "petty politicking" that he is engaged in," he said.

"The position, he holds, requires decorum and sincerity, with accountability to the people, which the Leader of the Opposition seemed to be totally non-cognizant of," he added.

"The Arvind Kejriwal style of functioning, which Khaira seemed to be trying to emulate, had failed miserably in the recent Punjab Assembly polls and Delhi," the Chief Minister said, adding that "AAP had proved, time and again, that it was least interested in addressing the concerns of the people."



"Khaira seemed to have forgotten that the politics of confrontation and blatant "lies" that AAP, led by Kejriwal, had been resorting to had "failed" totally in Punjab and he would not succeed in "befooling" people, Amarinder said.

Punjab needs a constructive and responsible opposition to strengthen the efforts of the government in bringing the state's growth and development back on track, he said.

Khaira had blamed the Congress government for failing to protect the cotton crop from whitefly pest attack.

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The Army today paid floral tributes to three of its personnel killed yesterday.

Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman and Sepoy Ilayaraja P were killed in an encounter with militants in the Zainapora area of Shopian last night.

Junior Commissioned Officer Naib Subedar Jagram Singh Tomar, 42, a resident of Madhya Pradesh, was killed yesterday after Pakistan army fired on Indian Army posts.

"In a solemn ceremony at Badami Bagh Cantonement here, Chinar Corps Commander, Lt Gen J S Sandhu, and all ranks paid homage to the martyrs on behalf of a proud nation," a defence spokesperson in Srinagar said.

In a wreath-laying ceremony organised in Rajouri, the General Officer Commanding, Ace of Spades Division laid the wreath on behalf of the General Officer Commanding, while White Knights Corps (16 Corps) and all the ranks of the division paid tributes to the slain soldier.

"The Army paid last tributes to Naib Subedar Jagram Singh Tomar, who was martyred on the Line of Control (LoC) in KG Sector yesterday," an army spokesperson in Jammu said.

Cabinet ministers Choudhary Lal Singh, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, Minister of state Zahoor Mir, along with chief secretary B B Vyas, principal secretary Home R K Goyal and Director General of state Police, S P Vaid, joined the army in paying tributes to the two jawans who were killed in the encounter in Badami Bagh Cantonement in Srinagar.

Waman, 25, who hails from village Lonagra in Akola, Maharashtra, had joined the Army in 2011. He is survived by his parents, a brother and a sister.

Ilayaraja P, 25, hailed from Kandani village of Sivagangai district in Tamil Nadu and had joined the army in 2012. He is survived by his parents, wife and sister.

The mortal remains of the three soldiers have been flown for last rites to their native places, where they would be laid to rest with full military honours.

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A day after banning the controversial book "The Adivasi will not dance", the Jharkhand government today suspended its author Dr Hansda Souendra Sekhar, who is a government doctor.

Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravansi told the assembly that Hansda, who is posted in the state's Pakur district, has been placed under suspension with immediate effect.

The authorities have started seizing the book and are also looking for the doctor, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saryu Roy said.

The state government yesterday banned the book, "The Adivasi will not dance", for allegedly hurting the dignity of Santhal tribal women.

Today, the government issued a notification saying that the content of the book may disturb law and order situation in the state.

The book's content is in contravention of provisions of various IPC Sections like 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups), 153B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 292 (Sale of obscene books), the notification said.

An order to seize all the copies of the book has also been issued, it said.

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The BJP is committed to the Agenda of Alliance, which forms the bedrock of its coalition government with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir and provides for maintaining status quo on constitutional matters like Article 35A Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh said today.

At the same time, he said the stand of his party, the BJP, on Article 35A as well as Article 370 is well known but the matter is sub-judice.

"As of now, the (PDP-BJP) coalition government is running on Agenda of Alliance (AoA) in which we have maintained status quo on on the constitutional matters," Singh told reporters here.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated the same thing, he said quoting Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti who met him in New Delhi yesterday.

Singh was responding when asked to comment on a controversy generated on Article 35A, which grants special privileges to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir.

"But on the other hand, we (BJP) are sticking to our BJP party's manifesto. When such a time comes (to implement BJP manifesto), we will see what is to be done. But as of now, the government is based on AoA, in which we have maintain status quo on constitutional matters," he said.

Replying to a question about his comments of the Article 35A, Singh said, "it is a constitutional matter. All are aware about the stand of BJP on it. We are sticking to our stand.

"The government has been running in the state on the basis of Agenda of Alliance. The matter is subjudice. It is in the Supreme Court. So it will not be feasible for me to comment on it."



He said that the PDP-BJP government had been formed on the Agenda of Alliance and "We are committed to it."



Mehbooba had yesterday said that the prime minister had given "100 percent" assurance of backing the Agenda of Alliance.

Article 35A of the Indian Constitution has come under focus after two women born in the state approached the Supreme Court, contending that their rights of residency have been snatched due to this provision.

"Before the formation of the government (last year), there was three-month-long debate on all the issues and only after that the government was formed (in J&K)," Singh said.

On the reports of differences between PDP and BJP, he said, "these are mere speculative reports.

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A number of books with a patriotic flavour have been brought out to celebrate and coincide with 70 years of India's independence, touching upon issues that fired the country's conscience and shaped its polity.

There is another book by former commander of the British Field Army Barney White-Spunner, who has dealt with the topic of Partition.

In "Partition: The Story of Indian Independence and the Creation of Pakistan in 1947", the author illustrates the story of 1947 with experiences of people and what independence and partition meant to the farmers of the Punjab, those living in Lahore and Calcutta, or what it felt like to be a soldier in a divided and largely passive army.

The book is published by Simon and Schuster. Pan Macmillan India has also come out with an update, expanded 10th anniversary edition of Ramachandra Guha's "India After Gandhi".

In the last decade, India has witnessed, among other things, two general elections; the fall of the Congress and the rise of Narendra Modi; a major anti-corruption movement; more violence against women, Dalits, and religious minorities; a wave of prosperity for some but the persistence of poverty for others; comparative peace in Nagaland but greater discontent in Kashmir than ever before, Guha says.

The tenth anniversary edition, updated and expanded, brings the narrative up to the present, he adds. Puffin Book' "India at 70: Snapshots Since Independence", written by Roshen Dalal, is an account of the nation's evolution in the past seven decades.

It captures snippets of each of these 70 years through important events in various areas like politics, culture, science, sports, literature, music and television industry.

"I wrote this book in a short and easy-to-read format, to provide youngsters with an overview of India after Independence. To set up the structure of government, hold elections, relate with other countries, and plan India's development has been a mammoth task, but that is not all that has gone into building a new nation," says Dalal.

Puffin India also announced its new series "Discover India" with the release of the first six books - "Off to Goa", "Off to Maharashtra", "Off to Uttar Pradesh", "Off to Tamil Nadu", "Off to West Bengal" and "Off to Gujarat" - to celebrate 70 years of India's independence.

With puzzles, crosswords and dozens of other activities, the books by Sonia Mehta seek to entertain, educate and enlighten young minds.

HarperCollins India has brought out a 'Freedom list' that offers readers a kaleidoscopic view of India, replete with its challenges and accomplishments.

The issues these books cover range from women in the freedom struggle to the trauma of Partition, from strife and wars to a deeply personal depiction of life in the pre- Partition era, from poets and patriots to the weary generations.

Among the books are "Pathways to Greatness" by A P J Abdul Kalam, "Footprints on Zero Line: Writings on the Partition" by Gulzar, Krishna Sobti's "Zindaginama", "India's Broken Tryst" by Tavleen Singh, "The People Next Door: The Curious History of India's Relations with Pakistan" by TCA Raghavan and Vera Hildebrand's "Women at War: Subhash Chandra Bose and the Rani of Jhansi Regiment".

Simon and Schuster has also come out with the 10th anniversary edition of Alex von Tunzelmann's "Indian Summer: The secret history of the end of an Empire" and a paperback edition of "India Conquered: Britain's Raj and the Chaos of Empire" by Jon Wilson.

"Indian Summer" depicts the epic sweep of events that ripped apart the greatest empire the world has ever seen, and saw one million people killed and ten million dispossessed.

It claims to reveal the secrets of the most powerful players on the world stage: the Cold War conspiracies, the private deals, and the intense and clandestine love affair between the wife of the last viceroy and the first prime minister of free India.

"India Conquered" revises the way people think about nation-building as much as empire, showing how many of the institutions that shaped 20th century India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were built in response to British power.

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A Canadian pastor imprisoned in North Korea for more than two years returned home days after being released, officials said.

Hyeon Soo Lim, 62, was arrested in January 2015 on charges of subversive activities against the North Korean regime, an accusation denied by Ottawa.

Although sentenced to hard labor for life, he was granted "sick bail" following a visit to Pyongyang by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's national security advisor Daniel Jean.

"Today, we join Pastor Lim's family and congregation in celebrating his long-awaited return to Canada," the foreign affairs ministry said in a press statement yesterday.

"Canada has been actively engaged on Mr. Lim's case at all levels, and we will continue to support him and his family now that he has returned," it added.

According to local media reports, Lim was flown to a military base in Trenton, some 170 kilometers (100 miles) east of Toronto.

His liberation came at a moment of high tensions between North Korea and the United States. Three Americans remain in the custody of the regime of Kim Jong-Un.

Pyongyang has threatened to launch missiles on the island Guam, a strategic US outpost in the Pacific some 3,300 kilometers (2000 miles) from North Korea.

US President Donald Trump for his part as promised to rain down "fire and fury" on Kim's regime.

Lim, who belongs to the Light Korean Presbyterian Church, was considered at the time of his arrest one of the most influential Christian missionaries in North Korea.

He had previously traveled extensively in the country to work in orphanages and hospitals.

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.

Jang was arrested and executed for treason in December 2013.

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An assertive China and the violent extremism poses greatest challenge to the Asia Pacific region in the long term, but North Korea is the most immediate and pressing challenge, a top American commander has said.

"The biggest challenge is an aggressive and assertive China. But the most immediate challenge today is and remains North Korea," Commander of the US Pacific Command or PACOM Admiral Harry Harris told PTI in an interview.

"The other issue that faces all the nations in the (Asia Pacific) region, including the United States, and we're actively engaged in this, is ISIS and kind of violent extremist activity, terrorism really," Harris said.

Referring to developments in the southern Philippines, he said the US was involved in the effort to help the armed forces of the Philippines who have been struggling to retake Marawi City after it was overrun by militants who have declared their allegiance to the Islamic State's caliphate.

"I'm concerned with the potential for terrorism in Southeast Asia, and in South Asia," he added.

"I met with my Indonesian colleagues just this past week. So, I'm worried about Indonesia, Malaysia, the southern Philippines, and Bangladesh. And so, I think that that's the other area (of challenge in the region)," he said.

The jurisdiction of US Pacific Command starts from India and includes rest of the Asia including China, Japan, Australia and the entire of Indo-Pacific region.

Both the previous Obama Administration and now the Trump Administration have been focusing on the Asia Pacific region.

Cabinet Minister of the Trump Administration - the Secretary of State and the Defense Secretary - have made several rounds of the region.

Harris, however, said North Korea is the immediate concern. "The most pressing concern today is North Korea. The biggest challenge that we face here is China. I'm very concerned about ISIS getting a foothold in Asia," he said.

Responding to a question, Admiral Harris said he believes that China's assertiveness is a challenge to the rules-based order.

"I also think that there are good things that China is doing, in the space. Security space. And we should acknowledge that," he said, referring to the counter- piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, humanitarian assistance, disaster response etc.

"But I believe that their actions in the East China Sea, and the South China Sea, are aggressive. Overly so. And they are coercive to their neighbours. They're trying to circumvent the very organisation and treaty to which they've signed on for. The UN Commission on Law of the Sea. So I think they should be held accountable for that," Harris said in response to a question.
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang arrived here today to take part in Pakistan's 70th Independence Day celebrations tomorrow, the media reported.

Wang, the "special guest" for the Independence Day, is accompanied by a high-level delegation on the two-day visit.

He was received at Benazir Bhutto International Airport by officials of Pakistan government and Chinese Embassy, Geo reported.

The visit comes on the "directions of (Chinese) President Xi Jinping as a special gesture", according to Pakistan's Foreign Office, which described it as a "reflection of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership" between the two countries.

From Pakistan, Wang will head to Nepal, Chinese foreign ministry announced in Beijing yesterday.

The visit to Pakistan and Nepal by the top Chinese official comes as India and China have been locked in a military standoff for nearly two months at Doklam near Sikkim.

The face-off began on June 16 after Chinese troops tried to build a road in the disputed area. India has protested the move saying China was unilaterally changing the status quo at the trijunction with India's ally, Bhutan.

As a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Wang is among the top leaders in China.

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Delhi Police has arrested the alleged sharpshooter of a Delhi-based gang, who was wanted for a broad daylight murder, after a shootout in Uttarakhand.

A team of Special Cell officers nabbed Jarnail Singh, carrying a reward of Rs one lakh for his arrest, yesterday from village Bichai in Rudrapur area after a shootout in which he was injured.

He had tried to evade arrest by refusing to surrender and firing at the police team which returned fire in self-defence.

A .32 bore pistol and three bullets were recovered from Singh who is presently undergoing treatment at a super speciality hospital in Uttar Pradesh, police said.

The police had received specific information that the murder accused was spotted in Rudrapur and thereafter, a Special Cell team along with local police had raided the village.

However, Singh had sensed presence of the police in the area and tried to flee.

According to the police, he belongs to a gang led by one Jitender and was the prime accused in a 2015 murder case.

Apart from that he and his gang leader are also accused of and wanted for firing at police officials last year in Haryana.

In that incident, while Singh had managed to escape, Jitender was arrested and a huge cache of country-made weapons and ammunition was recovered from the vehicle they were travelling in, police said.

Jitender, for whose arrest there is a reward of Rs two lakh, had later escaped from police custody with the help of his gang while being taken to court, police said.

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The flood situation today deteriorated in Assam, where the Army was called out for rescue operations as 10 more people were killed and 22.5 lakh affected in 21 districts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who toured various flood-affected areas in Dibrugarh district, an official release said.

"The prime minister expressed concern and assured all possible help and support to the state government in handling the situation," the statement said.

Sonowal informed Modi about the devastation caused by the flood in middle and upper Assam and the disruption to vehicular movement on National Highway 37, the lifeline between the two areas.

The Army's Red Horns Division of the Gajraj Corps has dispatched multiple teams after receiving calls for help from various district administrations, a defence spokesperson said.

Following today's toll in flood-related incidents, the total number of persons losing their lives in this year's flood-related incidents in the state went up to 99, including eight in Guwahati, an Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report said.

Principal Secretary of Prime Minister's Office Nripendra Mishra asked Assam Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia to submit a report detailing the damage and devastation caused by the current wave of floods in the state.

According to the ASDMA, 10 persons were today killed in flood-related incidents in three districts.

While six persons lost their lives in Kokrajhar, three died in Bongaigaon and one in Biswanath.

The flood situation is likely to worsen with Brahmaputra and 10 other rivers flowing above the danger mark at 15 places, including the state capital.

At present, 22.5 lakh people are affected in 21 districts, the ASDMA said.

The districts are Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Morigaon, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

Nagaon Deputy Commissioner Shamsher Singh said, a crucial dyke at Hatimura was breached by the Brahmaputra at 2 am and its flood waters inundated vast areas of the district.

The authorities have issued an alert in the district with flood waters submerging the NH-37 at four places between Kaliabor and Jakhalabandha, forcing the authorities to stop traffic, thereby cutting the link between upper and middle Assam.

NH 37 passes through Kaziranga National Park.

Singh said personnel from the Army, NDRF and SDRF have been engaged in rescue operations, while people in Nagaon town have resorted to panic purchase of goods from the market.

A defence spokesperson said about 3,000 people have been rescued by the Army from Bodoland Territorial Area Districts and Karbi Anglong.

As per the ASDMA report, Dhubri is the worst-affected with 3.98 lakh sufferers, followed by Morigaon with 3.14 lakh people affected in the deluge.

The condition in Morigaon suddenly worsened after the surging water breached the dyke of Brahmaputra in Lahorighat and flooded more than 100 villages in Lahorighat and Bhuragaon revenue circle, affecting over one lakh people.

Currently, 2,734 villages are under water and over 1.35 lakh hectares of crop areas have been damaged across the state, the ASDMA said.

Authorities are running 678 relief camps and distribution centres in 17 districts, where 1,83,584 people are taking shelter at present.

At least 4,000 persons have been evacuated to safer places by the SDRF, NDRF and Army personnel in many districts.

The devastating flood has damaged many embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructures in Dhemaji, Udalguri, Darrang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Morigaon, Nagaon, Majuli, Golaghat, Charaideo, Chirang, Dhubri, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Biswanath.

Currently, the Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Guwahati, Nimatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur, Goalpara and Dhubri towns.

Other rivers like Burhidehing at Khowang in Dibrugarh, Subansiri at Badatighat in Lakhimpur, Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur, Puthimari at NH Road Crossing in Kamrup, Manas at NH Road Crossing at Barpeta, Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta, Sankosh at Golokganj in Dhubri, Katakhal at Matizuri in Hailakandi and Kushiyara at Karimganj town are flowing above the danger marks.

NF Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Pranav Jyoti Sharma said, a total of 22 trains have been cancelled, while 14 others are stranded at various places as tracks are flooded at many places across the North East.

Most of the forest areas in Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Lawkhua wildlife sanctuary are under flood waters.

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The Army today said it has launched a search and rescue operation in Himachal Pradesh's Kotrupi village, where two buses were hit by a massive landslide triggered by a cloudburst, killing at least 34 people.

"Two columns of the Army from the Dah Division began rescue operations," a defence spokesman told PTI here.

Over 50 passengers were travelling in the state roadways buses along the Mandi-Pathankot national highway when they were hit by the landslide near Padhar last night, officials said.

Thirty-four bodies have been recovered so far, they said, adding that the toll was likely to rise as more people are feared trapped under the debris.

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People thronging the rooftops and a sky full of kites is a common sight each Independence Day across the country. This year is no different with several kite clubs holding competitions to celebrate the day.

Nibhul Pathak of Kite Club India, Ahmedabad told PTI that kite flying is a tradition followed in north India, particularly in Delhi, Lucknow, Muradabad and Bareilly.

"The tradition of flying kites with messages written on them is very old. In 1927, freedom fighters flew kites written with 'Simon, Go Back' to protest against the British rule," Pathak said.

The trend of writing messages on kites clearly hasn't waned, with kites bearing messages of "Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao" soaring high in the sky.

Bollywood and cartoon-themed kites are also popular among buyers, said Mohammed Imran, who has been coming to Delhi for last 20 years to sell kites.

He said that each year kites with latest film posters and actors are in huge demand.

"This year there are kites with Aamir Khan's 'Dangal', Shah Rukh Khan's 'Raees'. We also have kites with cartoon characters like 'Doraemon' printed on them.

"PM Modi can also be found on many kites along with photos of the Rs 500 and Rs 2000 currency notes," Imran said.

Talking about the kite flying competition to be held on August 15, Gufran Mohammad of Modern Kite Club said that several teams will be taking part in the competition.

"Usually 32 teams take part in the competition with seven people in each team. With 12 kites given to each person, the team that cuts all the opponent kites first wins.

"There are tournaments as well, with quarter final, semifinal and final matches with trophies and cash prizes to win," he said.

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The country's first aviation university at Fursatganj in Uttar Pradesh's Rae Bareli district is all set for inauguration on August 18.

Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, his deputy Jayant Sinha, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Congress vice president and Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi, among others are expected to attend the inaugural event, officials of the Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University (RGNAU) told PTI.

The central university was planned as an autonomous body under the administrative control of the Ministry of Civil Aviation with an aim to facilitate and promote aviation studies, teaching, training and research.

Air Vice Marshal (retired) Nalin Tandon has been appointed as the Vice Chancellor.

The university is planning the launch of its flagship programme in 2018 at its campus in Fursatganj. A number of management development programmes have also been planned and shall be conducted in subsequent years, the officials, who did not wish to be named, said.

The Cabinet had in 2013 given its approval to the proposal for setting up of the university.

The Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University Bill, 2013 had received the assent of the President of India and published in the Gazette of India on September 19, 2013.

About 26.35 acres of land available with the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi, an autonomous flying training institute under the central government, was identified for setting up of the RGNAU in its first phase (2013-14 to 2018- 19).

Fursatganj lies at the border of Rae Bareli and Amethi.

In line with its objective of promoting aviation teaching and training, RGNAU has signed an MoU with GMR Aviation Academy for Joint PG Diploma in Aviation/ Airport Operations which is an employability oriented program focused at providing trained manpower to the industry, officials said.

The university is also planning to launch MBA programme in aviation management in near future, they said, adding RGNAU shall also be affiliating colleges/ institutes for B.Sc. (Hons.) in aircraft maintenance.

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Over 10,000 people of different communities gathered at the popular Zoo Lake resort here to mark India's Independence Day with Indian-origin artists enthralling the audience by their performances.

The 'India Day' was hosted here by the 'India Club' two days before the Independence Day.

Visitors were enthralled by the music and dance performances by expatriates and South African-Indian artists. People also got an opportunity to savour different Indian regional cuisines.

The highlight of the day was the performance by Anavarata Dance Institute, compromising African dancers led by second generation dance instructor Anushia Pillay. It performed dances to music from all regions of India.

Children and young adults with roots in Indian states staged many performances showcasing their unique cultures.

"From humble beginnings 12 years ago, India Day has evolved into a massive undertaking in which NRIs and the local Indian community work together for months," said Debajit Shome, one of the organisers, said.

In her first public address since taking office, new Indian High Commissioner Ruchira Kamboj expressed her happiness at the massive turnout at the event.

Kamboj, who served a term a decade ago as Consul General in Cape Town, described her new position in Pretoria as "a homecoming".

"I have come to realise that this country possesses not only a uniquely genuine spirit of welcoming, but also serves as an epitome of reconciliation," she said.

Kamboj said India's relations with South Africa were based on "acceleration and expansion".

"Since, 1994, and the end of apartheid, trade has emboldened, cultural and economic ties have deepened, and people-to-people ties have solidified," she said.

"The relationship between India and South Africa is truly special -- it stands for peace in a times of turmoil; serves as a platform for collaboration in times of chaos; and above all, is an alliance of trust and conviction," Kamboj said.

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India has taken up with China a complaint filed by an Indian passenger alleging misbehaviour with Indians at the Shanghai Pudong international airport by the staff of a Chinese airline, sources said today.

The matter has been taken up with the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Pudong airport authorities after it was brought to the notice of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, sources told PTI.

Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines has denied the allegation saying that after checking related materials and the airport CCTV footage, it found news reports about the incident did not conform to the fact, state-run Xinhua news agency reported last night.

"Instead, the airlines employees offered meticulous service," the airline said in a statement.

The company claimed that it is dedicated to providing quality flight service for passengers around the world.

Earlier, media reports said that North American Punjabi Association executive director Satnam Singh Chahal wrote to Swaraj alleging that he noticed that at the exit gate of the airplane for wheelchair passengers, ground staff was insulting transit Indian passengers.

Chahal, who travelled on August 6 by China Eastern Airlines flight from New Delhi to San Francisco, had to stop at Shanghai Pudong to catch his next flight of the same airlines for San Francisco. He said when he complained to concerned Airlines he was shouted down by the official.

"I noticed from their body language that they were frustrated from the rising border tension between India and China," Chahal was quoted as saying in the letter, apparently referring to the nearly two-month long standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam in Sikkim section.

Chahal even suggested to Swaraj to issue an advisory for Indian transit travellers to avoid transiting through China.

Last month, China had issued a safety advisory to its nationals in India to pay close attention to their safety and take precaution for their security to avoid being affected by prevailing anti-China sentiment. Enable Ginger Cannot connect to Ginger Check your internet connection

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Actor Swara Bhasker today demanded UP Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh's resignation in the wake of 30 infants' death at a state-run hospital in Gorakhpur.

District Magistrate of Gorakhpur, Rajeev Rautela, had said that at least 30 children had died in the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College within 48 hours.

Taking to Twitter, Swara expressed deep anguish over the death of the children.

"UP health minister Siddharth Nath Singh Please RESIGN," she wrote.

In another tweet, she said, "Gorakhpur Children Tragedy Indefensible!!!"



This comes after Swara had launched an online campaign last month against mob lynching, demanding a ban on cow vigilante groups.

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State-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC) has bought the country's first shale oil from the US and is looking to step up imports from America as part of its crude diversification strategy.

IOC bought 1.9 million barrels of US crude in its second import tender seeking oil from the Americas, company Director (Finance) A K Sharma told PTI here.

India, the world's third-largest oil importer, joins Asian countries like South Korea, Japan and China to buy US crude after production cuts by OPEC drove up prices of Middle East heavy-sour crude, or grades with a high sulphur content.

IOC had last month sealed a deal to import 1.6 million barrels of Mars crude from the US and 400,000 barrels of Western Canadian Select oil for delivery at its Paradip refinery in Odisha -- the first ever such purchase of US crude by an Indian state-run refiner.

"In the second tender, we have bought 950,000 barrels of light sweet Eagle Ford shale oil and 950,000 barrels of heavy sour Mars crude. This is for delivery in end-October," he said adding the oil was bought from trading firm Trafigura.

The first cargo was loaded on ships on August 7 and would after a 40-day journey reach Paradip sometime around September 20, he said.

Sharma said IOC has received government nod for buying one cargo (or shipload) of US oil every month till March 2018.

India allows import of crude oil only on Indian carriers but US oil can be imported only on foreign vessels. So a special permission is needed for using foreign-flagged ships for ferrying the oil.

"Shipping Ministry has given as permission to import one cargo from US on DES (Delivered Ex Ship) basis," he said.

DES means the seller makes arrangement to deliver the goods to the buyer at the named port of destination. The seller has to bear all costs and risks involved in bringing the goods to the named port of destination.

As per present policy, when a domestic refiner tenders to buy a crude from foreign nation, Indian shipping lines get the first right of refusal by virtue of they being allowed to match any lowest bidder for transportation of crude oil. Only when they waive their right can the oil firms use a foreign line.

Transporting US crude needs very large crude carriers (VLCCs) and can be done only by foreign shipping lines. And to do that, oil companies have to obtain permission of the shipping ministry.

Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) has bought two of the US cargoes. A few days ago it bought 1 million barrels of US WTI Midland sweet crude for delivery in October - its first purchase of the sweet variety from the US.

In July, it bought 500,000 barrels each of Mars and Poseidon varieties of medium-to-high-sulphur crude for delivery to its Kochi refinery between September 26 and October 15.

Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) is also looking at buying US crude oil.

Sharma said buying US crude has become attractive for Indian refiners after the differential between Brent (the benchmark crude or marker crude that serves as a reference price for buyers in western world) and Dubai (which serves as a benchmark for countries in the east) has narrowed.

Even after including the shipping cost, buying US crude is cost competitive to Indian refiners, he said.

"We are not looking at any term (or fixed quantity) deal from US as of now. We will tender to buy crude and if the US crude is competitive as compared to others, we will buy it," he said.

The deals by IOC and BPCL came within weeks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US when President Donald Trump talked of his country looking to export more products to India.

An oil ministry official had last week stated that Indian shipping lines do not have vessels to match the demand. They account for only 22 per cent of the total oil transportation and bulk of this is coastal shipping.
Iran's parliament today approved more than half a billion dollars in funding for the country's missile programme and foreign operations of the elite Revolutionary Guards in response to US sanctions.

The move follows a spike in tensions between Tehran and Washington since US President Donald Trump took office in January with a vow to get tough on the Islamic republic.

"The Americans should know that this was our first action," said parliament speaker Ali Larijani, after announcing overwhelming support for a package "to confront terrorist and adventurist actions by the United States in the region".

After the result was announced, lawmakers shouted: "Death to America."



A total of 240 parliamentarians out of 244 present voted for the bill.

It mandates the government to allocate an additional $260 million for the "development of the missile programme" and the same amount to the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations wing, the Quds Force, state news agency IRNA said.

The Quds Force leads Iran's military role in Syria and Iraq.

The vote came after the United States imposed fresh US sanctions against Iran in July, targeting its missile programme.

Tehran says the measures violate a 2015 deal with world powers that eased sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Trump repeatedly threatened to tear up what he once called "the worst deal ever", but last month he backed away from a key campaign promise to withdraw from the nuclear agreement.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the bill passed on Sunday had the support of the government.

The bill is "very smart particularly because it doesn't violate the nuclear deal and doesn't allow the other side to make excuses," he added.

"Iran boasts potential and actual options to confront hostile US actions".

The United States has had no diplomatic ties with the Iran since 1980, and Trump has halted the direct contacts initiated by his predecessor Barack Obama.

A string of close encounters between US ships and Iranian vessels in the Gulf in recent months has added to the tensions between the two countries.

Araghchi said that the Iranian bill was a far-reaching response to the measures passed by US Congress that Iranian media have called the "mother of sanctions" because they sum up all existing anti-Iran sanctions.

"Iran recognises the entire American military and intelligence forces as terrorist groups" for their "implicit and explicit support for terrorist groups" in the region, their role in creating the Islamic State group, and "the support for violators of fundamental humans rights especially the dictator and violent regimes," the bill's text said.

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India is deploying along its volatile border with Pakistan a smart Israel-developed fencing system having a 'quick response team' mechanism which strikes when the CCTV-powered control room detects an infiltration attempt.

The is implementing an ambitious project called the comprehensive integrated border management system (CIBMS) as part of the Narendra Modi government's plan to completely seal the Indo-Pak and India-Bangladesh borders in the next few years.

The is tasked with guarding the over 6,300-km-long two borders and its chief, in an interview to PTI, said the new frontier guarding systems will bring a "sea change", for the first time, in this domain.

"There is going to be a paradigm shift in our operational preparedness. As of now, we patrol from point-A to point-B (along the border). What we are now planning is to shift to a QRT (quick reaction team)-based system and a number of new technologies which have not been tried so far are being tested," said K K Sharma, the director general of the 2.65- lakh personnel strong force.

Sharma, a 1982-batch IPS officer, explained how the new border guarding mechanism, first along the "volatile" Pakistan border and then at the Indo-Bangla frontier, will work.

"The new equipment and technologies will be integrated and a feed, from CCTV cameras, will go to the border out post where there is a monitor installed.

"This will be monitored round-the-clock by two or three men. Now, we have softwares which are in a position to detect any intrusion or any change in the scenario and create an alarm," the DG said.

An automatic alarm will indicate the exact place where this intrusion (at the border) is taking place or an attempt is being made or something is being seen, he said.

"Once we get the alarm, we will zoom our night vision cameras on that and when we come to know what is happening, we will be able to neutralise the threat. This is the idea," Sharma said.

The BSF, raised in 1965 for border guarding roles, is running two pilot projects of 5-km each in Jammu in this context and this, the boss said, will subsequently be set up at four more porous patches: One each along the Indo-Pak IB in Punjab and Gujarat and one each at Tripura, West Bengal and Dhubri (Assam) along the Indo-Bangla border.

The DG said the new system will see that instead of his troops patrolling day-in-and-day-out along the border, they will be sitting in the border outpost ready to move if there is any threat.

"This will be a sea change. We have leap frogged in terms of gaining technology. From the patrolling mode to the QRT mode. This is the CIBMS. This is a paradigm shift in what we are going to do now," he said, adding however, the patrolling will not be totally done away with.

Sharma, who took BSF's charge in February last year, said the "human intervention (armed troops) will come to neutralise (terrorists) only.

"The technology will guard the borders for us. The technology will not have the weakness or frailties that humans have," the DG said.

He said the systems, of smart fences and surveillance methods, is from the state-of-the-art technologies being used in Israel.

"In fact, we will have the latest versions of all those things that are being used there (Israel)," he added.

The DG said it was his firm belief that the future of border guarding lies in technology and not in increasing the manpower.

"This is what I also told a Parliamentary panel that please give me money for technology. Don't give me more manpower. I am happy to say that the present government is very positive on this proposal," the DG said.

The government has given us the mandate of sealing the borders with the help of technology where there are gaps initially and then increasingly deploy this by gauging the vulnerability at the borders, he said.

Sharma, who has spent about five years in the BSF, said the new border fencing and surveillance system will be a multi-tier protocol.

"There cannot be a thing like 100 per cent fool-proof. But, this new system will be more effective than the existing system and we will have multi-layered security systems.

If one fails, then the second system will detect it. This will be nearly fool proof... As fool proof as it can be," he said.

The BSF boss said the pilot projects put under trial are by the way of 'proof of concept' method, where an experiment determines if a concept for a particular task is feasible or not.

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As Air India Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) today announced induction of first third-party aircraft for major maintenance work at its Nagpur MRO unit, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said profit-making subsidiaries of Air India should be kept out of proposed privatisation.

The announcement of the induction of SpiceJet's Boeing737 for "C checks" at the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility was made here in the presence of Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Gadkari and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Air India Chairman and Managing Director, Ashwani Lohani and SpiceJet chairman, Ajay Singh were also present.

Gadkari, the Minister for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, is part of the five-member ministerial panel, headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, tasked with deciding on the process of privatising Air India.

"I would urge the aviation minister that the subsidiary running the MRO is kept different from its parent, because if a decision on Air India (stake sale) is taken, I hope this company also doesn't go to some other party. Any business that is profitable should be encouraged by the government," Gadkari said.

On June 28, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave in-principle approval for considering strategic disinvestment of Air India and five of its subsidiaries.

Gadkari also urged SpiceJet to launch services from Nagpur to destinations such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Delhi, saying there is a huge untapped traffic potential from the city.

Responding to Gadkari's remarks, Raju said that any suggestions on Air India were welcome, and if they had come from a colleague (Gadkari), they had to be taken "seriously".

"But we all need to work together," he added.

Later, when asked about Gadkari's views, Raju said, "The discussion on Air India's divestment is an ongoing process and his comments are welcome."



This is the first major maintenance work to be carried out for any external party at the Nagpur MRO facility, which will be completed in six days.

"Once the capacity at the Nagpur MRO facility is fully utilised, it will create thousands of jobs," Raju said, expressing hope that foreign airlines will also avail of the MRO services here.

SpiceJet chairman Ajay Singh said the airline is planning to make Nagpur one of its hubs for operations, and launch air services from the city.

Built over 50 acres of land in MIHAN special economic zone, the MRO unit was set up as a joint initiative between the Air India and the US aircraft maker, The Boeing Company, in 2010.

Besides maintaining Air India's Boeing aircraft fleet, it has the mandate to carry out third-party works too.

AIESL is working aggressively to expand its foot print in the high-growth potential MRO segment as most of the private airlines carry out these works overseas.

So far, Air India and Boeing have invested around USD 116 million in the Nagpur facility. Of this, about USD 107 million has been invested by Boeing alone.

AIESL had signed an agreement with the SpiceJet for C1, C2 and higher checks to be carried out on latter's Boeing 737 -800/900 aircraft in September last year.

The contract is worth USD 6 lakh per year and is valid for three years with assured 100 days of work each year.

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The UP government has asked all the medical colleges to ensure that there is no shortage of medicines or oxygen, days after at least 30 children died in a state-run institute in Gorakhpur, an official said today.

The Uttar Pradesh government's medical education department, in a letter to the medical colleges, also directed them to immediately pay all the outstanding dues to the oxygen suppliers (if any).

"After the Gorakhpur tragedy, we have issued a written order to all the nine government medical colleges and 12 other prominent medical institutes in the state to ensure that there is no shortage of any medicine or oxygen in the hospitals," additional chief secretary, medical education, Anita Bhatnagar Jain told PTI.

"If there is any pending payment, which is yet to be made to any gas supplier, then it should be done immediately. There should be no shortage of oxygen in the institute, and adequate stock of oxygen must be maintained," Jain said.

The principals of all the medical colleges in the state have also been told to personally ensure that there is no shortage of any medicine or oxygen, and no laxity in this regard will be tolerated, she said.

"The deaths of children in Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College in Gorakhpur was not because of shortage of oxygen. The payment for gas supply in BRD Medical College was already done.

"Principals of all the medical colleges have been told to personally ensure that there is no shortage of any medicine or oxygen. They have also been told to personally monitor the gas level. There should not be any delay in making payments. If there is any problem, then it must be conveyed to the state government at the earliest," Jain said.

Under pressure over the death of at least 30 children at the BRD Medical College in his home district Gorakhpur, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath yesterday refuted the reports that oxygen shortage led to the tragedy and blamed its principal for not bringing the issue before him.

The incident has triggered outrage with the Samajwadi Party and the Congress seeking the resignation of state health minister Siddharth Nath Singh.

The Congress has also demanded the resignation of the chief minister.

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today paid tribute to the two Army jawans killed in an encounter with militants in Shopian district, an official spokesman said here.

Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman and Sepoy Ilayaraja P were killed in the encounter with militants in the Zainapora area of Shopian last night.

The spokesman said the chief minister extended condolences to the families of the slain jawans.

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Nawazuddin Siddiqui is ecstatic that his two-year-old son, Yaani got a chance to play Lord Krishna at his school's Janamashtami function.

The 43-year-old actor took to Twitter where he posted a picture of his younger child dressed as one of Vishnu's beloved reincarnations with a flute in his hands.

"I am glad to the school of my kid that gave him an opportunity to play the character of 'natkhat nandlala'," wrote Nawaz, alongside the photograph of little one.

While the actor's son had a gala time playing Kanha, the "Munna Micheal" actor pulled out of a Ramleela event last year after Shiv Sena protested that no Muslim had been a part of the production for over 50 years.

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Facing flak from villagers over its project at Kathirmangalam, ONGC has brought out radio jingles through CDs of its operations in Cauvery delta area.

Besides detailing the history of the oil well at the village, the jingles state that a pipeline leak on June 30 was closed that day itself with the help of the administration and police. ONGC had removed contaminated light oil from a field and paid the land owner Rs 60,000 as compensation.

ONGC also assured the land owner that the rehabilitation of the land to its original condition would be taken up to make sure the land is cultivable.

The jingles were released yesterday at Kumbakonam by ONGC cauvery Asset Executive Director and Asset Manager Kulbir Singh and Rajendran,Basin manager.

The jingles say ONGC has been producing crude oil and Natural gas from wells near Kathiramangalam for more than eight years with no harmful effect on the ground water level or it's quality.

The recent water samplings done by TamilNadu Water Supply and Drainage Board also confirmed the quality.

Requesting the people of Kathiramangalam not to panic, the jingles say that the damaged pipe has been sent to a lab in Mumbai for further investigation to find the reason for the leak and the results are still awaited.

The jingles also refer to 'missing' signboards above the land through which pipeline passes and says that concrete markers are now being fixed.

The villagers have been up in arms against ONGC's exploration work and a protest by them had turned violent on June 30, leading to use of "minimum force" by police, which was criticised by opposition parties.

Also, shops remained shut for several days in the village to express solidarity with the protesting locals.

On July 17, the National Confederation of Human Rights Organisations had urged ONGC to publish a white paper on its ongoing oil exploration operations and future plans in Cauvery delta areas in the district.

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The 126th Patriots' Day anniversary was observed today throughout the state to honour those heroes of the state who fought against the British during the 1891 Anglo-Manipuri war.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh paid floral tributes to the portraits of Bir Tikendrajit and Thangal General located at the Hicham Yaichampat memorial sites in Imphal in the morning.

A contingent of 1st Manipur Rifles paid gun salutes during the occasion.

Later, in the evening session, similar floral tributes were paid to the fallen soldiers at (Shaeed Minar) Bir Tikendrajit Park located at the heart of Imphal town, followed by customary patriotic songs.

The BJP and Congress too observed the annual event at their respective party offices which was attended by senior party leaders.

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Convicted prisoners in Punjab's jails would be granted remission of up to one year in their sentences.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh had recommended the remission in prison sentences as a goodwill gesture on the occasion of the 70th Independence Day.

The recommendation was approved late tonight by Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore who is vested with powers to grant the same under provisions of Article 161 of the Constitution.

A spokesperson of the Chief Minister's Office today said a remission of one year would be granted to prisoners who were awarded imprisonment from 10 to 20 years.

Likewise, a remission of nine months would be given to those with sentences of 7 to 10 years and 6 months to those incarcerated for a term of 5 to 7 years.

Prisoners, with sentences of 3 to 5 years would be given a remission of 3 months. Those with a conviction of less than 3 years would be entitled for a remission of 2 months, the spokesperson said



These remissions would, however, not be granted to a person convicted of heinous crimes.

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With more and more Indian professionals travelling on business purpose, a report has revealed that these trips are being extended for leisure, a trend which is slowly blurring the lines between business and leisure travel.

About 38 per cent of the total respondents took one to three business trips, out of which 29 per cent had extended at least one of their trips for personal travel, according to FCM 'Bleisure Report, India'.

"Business travel has always been restricted and policy driven. While leisure travel, particularly outbound, has been niche with very low penetration," FCM Travel Solutions (Indian subsidiary of FCTG, Australia) Managing Director Rakshit Desai told PTI here.

"However, the survey has unlocked a remarkable trend called Bleisure (business and leisure). It is interesting to note that the lines between corporate and leisure travel are increasingly blurring," Desai said.

In the report, FCM Travel Solutions has included business travel bookings and expense reporting data from the survey undertaken among 800 corporates and small businesses in India.

FCM Travel Solutions is the Indian subsidiary of Flight Centre Travel Group, Australia.

The report revealed that 'Bleisure' travel has recently become an unconventional employee perk in India with 65.5 per cent of the respondents saying their employer allowed them to add leisure travel onto business trips.

However, 27.6 per cent respondents said their companies do not permit them to combine personal travel with their business trips, which is the highest among all countries, it said.

The surveyed millennials (25 to 34 years old) had the highest appreciation for bleisure travel with 75 per cent considering it a major work perk, the report said.

They were also the most likely group to extend a business trip with colleagues (25 per cent), while 50 per cent of respondents in age group of 50, would use the opportunity to travel with a family member or partner, it said.

About 44 per cent of the respondents also favoured 'bleisure holidays' that enabled experience and exploration, the report said adding three most popular activities for them usually include sightseeing, dining and art and culture.

Besides, 25 per cent of the respondents were more likely to use the time to visit friends and family, it said.

Almost 9 per cent of the respondents added personal travel to their business with an objective of saving money and 3 per cent added personal trip to recover from the jet lag before commencing business meetings, the report added.

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Travel gear maker Samsonite is targeting 25 per cent of revenues from online sales channel in the next five years leveraging on its e-retail platform planned for launch next year, a top company official has said.

"In India, online sales contribution is 8 per cent whereas on a global scale, approximately 9 per cent is the online sales contribution. It is expected to grow to 25 per cent in the next five years with the help of eBags, an e- retail platform specialising in luggage. We intend to launch eBags in India in 2018," Samsonite President, Asia Pacific, Subrata Dutta told PTI.

The US-based company will be expanding in the offline market as well and plans to add 50 stores this year to take its count over 400 in the country as it eyes a growth of 12-15 per cent in sales.

"At present, we have over 350 stores in India. We plan to open additional 50 stores by the end of this year. We are expecting a 12-15 per cent growth in sales. This will be in line with our past growth trends," he said.

The company, which sells Samsonite, American Tourister brands among others, had clocked a revenue of Rs 2,400 crore in MRP value terms for 2016. American Tourister contributes around 70 per cent of the revenue in the country.

The company gets 60 per cent of its turnover from metros and tier I cities and sees opportunity in the lower tier cities.

Samsonite's product range includes luggage bags, backpacks, duffel bags. Dutta said the company sees huge potential in the womens handbag space with its brand Lipault.

"The big opportunity in India lies in converting the large unbranded market to branded, reaching out to the customers in smaller towns and being relevant to travellers beyond air travellers," he said.

"We see womens category as a future growth driver, with our womens hand bag brand Lipault in particular," he added.

Travel products, which include trolley cases in soft and hard material comprises 65 per cent of the company's business in the country, while the non-travel products like backpacks, laptop briefcases, duffels and totes account for the remaining 35 per cent of the business.

The Indian luggage industry is estimated at approximately Rs 12,000 crore, of which the branded market at retail value is Rs 6,000 crore. Samsonite enjoys close to 40 per cent market share in the branded segment.

India contributes approximately 5 per cent to the overall group's turnover and is fifth globally after the US, China, Korea and Japan.

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The Shiv Sena today slammed Hamid Ansari for his "insecurity among Muslims" remark, saying the former vice-president should rather have scorned at those in the minority community, who refuse to sing 'Vande Mataram'.

"The former vice president has said Muslims in the country are feeling insecure. He should instead have attacked the fanatic thoughts of those Muslims (who feel insecure).

"A large part of the community is not ready to sing 'Vande Mataram'. This is an insult to the motherland," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

It added that Ansari's image would have got enhanced had he slammed those who were ready to leave the country but not chant 'Vande Mataram'.

Not singing the national song was as terrible as the attacks on Muslims in the name of cow protection, the Sena said.

It added that if Ansari felt that Muslims were insecure in the country, he should have quit as vice-president long back and expressed his feelings.

"But, making such remarks on the last day (in office) is not anguish but soreness of losing power," the editorial in 'Saamana' said.

Ansari, whose second term as the vice-president ended on August 10, had said in an interview that there was a feeling of unease and sense of insecurity among Muslims in the country as the "ambience of acceptance" was under threat.

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The US is ready to help India modernise its military and jointly they can improve India's military capabilities in "significant and meaningful" ways, a top American commander has said.

Over the past decade, the defence trade between the US and India has touched nearly USD 15 billion and is expected to gallop in the next few years, as India is looking at the US for some of the latest military hardware including fighter jets, latest unmanned aerial vehicles and aircraft carriers.

"I believe that the US is ready to help India modernise its military. India has been designated a major defence partner of the US. This is a strategic declaration that's unique to India and the US. It places India on the same level that we have many of our treaty allies," Commander of the US Pacific Command or PACOM Admiral Harry Harris told PTI.

"This is important, and I believe that together we will be able to improve India's military capabilities in significant and meaningful ways," said Harris, who has been personally pushing for a strong India-US defence relationship.

The Admiral said he is fairly happy with the level of defence cooperation that exists today between the two sides.

"We have been partners with India in the Malabar exercise series, the maritime exercise, for a number of years. I participated in one of the very first... One of the early Malabars, in 1995," he recollected, reflecting on the decades- old association with India.

Noting that the exercise, and the complexity of it, has improved steadily over the years, he said he is very pleased that Japan is part of Malabar.

"I think the trilateral relationship between India and Japan and the US, that relationship is very important," he said, while advocating that Australia too should join this group.

"We could explore together bringing Australia into the exercise. That has merit. There's a lot of common interests in the Indian Ocean, between Australia and India. But that's really a decision for India to make, and then a decision for Australia to participate, if so invited. I'll leave that to those two countries," Harris said in response to a question.

According to Harris, there is a lot that India and the US can do together.

"I'm pleased that India is a participant in Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the Pacific exercise that's hosted every other year in Hawaii. I'm pleased in general with where the relationship is going, and I look forward to more as the years progress," he said.

Responding to a question on India's decision against the American move to have a joint India-US naval patrol in the Indian Ocean, Harris said the US is not disappointed at all.

"I'm not disappointed. This is on the patrols... I'm not disappointed at all, I'm encouraged that we were able to have a discussion about it, and I hope that that discussion remains open," he said.

"We stand ready to participate at whatever level India wants us to participate," Harris said.

Harris refrained from giving any answer on India and the United States starting to share information about Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean region.

"I don't want to answer the question, because I don't want to imply that I'm sharing intelligence, or anything like that. I'll just simply say that a close relationship between US and India is clearly helpful to the United States, and I believe helpful to India as well," Harris said in response.

Harris reiterated that he believes that the deepening US-India relationship is the defining strategic partnership for the 21st century.

"I'm very interested, and very supportive, of what's happening in India. The Indian armed forces, and that whole piece...I think that the opportunities for our two countries are simply great. It's fantastic," Harris said.

Noting that India remains an important line of effort at Pacific Command, Harris said America's national leadership is working closely with India's to grow the partnership between the two countries.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
      :    AQI 300  ,          
By William James and Alistair Smout

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Sunday that it wants talks with the EU to move on to the next phase, as it set out details of the future relationship it wants with the bloc and senior ministers presented a united approach to negotiations.

Britain is keen to start talking about its post-Brexit relationship with Europe, wary of the need to reassure anxious businesses, citizens and investors. But Brussels has insisted that progress must be made on divorce arrangements first.

"We need to get on with negotiating the bigger issues around our future partnership to ensure we get a deal that delivers a strong UK and EU," Brexit minister David Davis said in a statement.

Britain's call to move forward with Brexit talks came as finance minister Philip Hammond and trade minister Liam Fox presented a united front that there should be a time-limited transition period - signalling a truce between rival factions in Prime Minister Theresa May's cabinet.

Davis's Brexit department said it was preparing to publish several papers, including plans for a new customs arrangement and a proposal on how to resolve the difficulties of a non-physical border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

"We've been crystal clear that issues around our withdrawal and our future partnership are inextricably linked," a source in Britain's Brexit department said.

"These papers show we are ready to broaden out the negotiations."

Talks so far have focused on how much Britain should pay to leave the EU, what rights British and EU citizens will have, and how to manage a land border to the bloc in Ireland. The two sides will be looking for a solution to those issues at the next round of talks due at the end of this month.

The decision to announce the publication of papers on its plans indicates Britain's desire to counter criticism from Brussels about its approach to the talks.

In July, EU officials said progress was difficult not because Britain had unacceptable demands, but because it had no position at all on many issues. EU negotiators have warned that an already-tight timetable could be delayed ahead of a scheduled March 2019 exit.

IRISH SCHENGEN AREA?

A British paper focused on "issues unique to Northern Ireland and Ireland" is expected ahead of the talks, but no further details of the proposal were provided on Sunday.

The Sunday Telegraph reported that Britain was seeking a "Schengen area" between Britain and Ireland, which would allow free movement of people and a "light-touch customs regime" across the border of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The Brexit department declined to comment on the story.

The report, which cited an unnamed source in the Brexit department, said that Irish citizens would be able to work freely in the UK, and British citizens would work freely in Ireland. Citizens of other EU countries could access the UK over the Irish border but would not be able to work in Britain without a work permit.

Separate papers would also address "Continuity in the availability of goods for the EU and the UK" and "Confidentiality and access to official documents", the Brexit department said.

Eager to push talks past the opening divorce issues and on to the future trading and legal ties to the bloc, Britain also promised a series of "Future Partnership" papers in the run-up to October's European Council. The first will be a proposal for new customs arrangements.

The push to move forward with Brexit comes as Prime Minister May's top ministers moved to strike a more united tone on leaving the European Union, after in-fighting in the wake of an electoral failure in June in which May's Conservative party lost its majority in parliament.

Some still dispute her approach, with former foreign minister for the now-opposition Labour party David Miliband and pro-EU Conservative MP Anna Soubry warning in Sunday newspapers of the economic "self-harm" of leaving the single market.

However, pro-European finance minister Hammond and ardent Brexiteer trade minister Fox set out a joint position in the Sunday Telegraph that a transition period was needed when Britain leaves the EU, but single market membership would still end and the interim period would not be used to stop Brexit.

Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said in a tweet that the article was the "right way forward" and would "create certainty and a great new European relationship".

(Reporting by William James and Alistair Smout; Editing by Alison Williams and Susan Fenton)

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
To help decongest Delhi, Union minister Nitin Gadkari will on Monday lay the foundation stone of Rs 260-crore project that includes widening of a highway stretch near Dhaula Kuan, an official statement said.

"Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping will lay the foundation stone on August 14, for NHAIs project to decongest one of the Delhis most congested corridors which leads to Indira Gandhi International Airport," the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways said.

The project has been sanctioned at a cost of Rs 260 crore. For undertaking this project, Ministry of Defence has agreed to transfer 13 acres to National Highways Authority (NHAI). The time period for completion of the work is 18 months, it said.

"The first bottleneck is junction of station road with NH8 in front of metro station and as per NHAI plan, this junction is being made signal-free," it said.

The ministry further said a flyover is proposed to be constructed on right carriageway for traffic from Gurgaon to Delhi and at the junction, provision for U turn is also being provided. Further, two foot over bridges with escalators are also to be constructed for facilitating pedestrians.

For segregating buses, it said, proper bus bay is being provided. On station road, a vehicular underpass is being constructed for facilitating smooth movement of defence personnel.

"The stretch from Dhaula Kuan Junction to Parade Road is proposed to be widened to ensure minimum four lanes on either side for through traffic. Near junctions, additional structures are provided. In this stretch, a vehicular underpass is also proposed to be constructed for connecting defence establishments on either side," the statement said.

At Parade Road Junction, the curve is being improved by road widening to allow smooth turning of traffic towards airport/Gurgaon.

"For junction improvement, part of land is also required from police station. The bids for the project have been received and work is likely to start in October, 2017. The time period for completion of this work is 18 months," it added.


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Akere Muna Archives

So, when my learned colleagues described to me what happened during the last hearing in the Yaounde Military Tribunal of July 29, 2017, in the case of Agbor Bala, Dr. Fontem, Mancho Bibixy and others, I was greatly saddened and troubled. Saddened and troubled because, it could have been you or I, not because we are Anglophones or Francophones, but because we are supposed to be citizens of the same country.

Letter to My French speaking Sisters and Brothers

The Indivisible Nature of Freedom

Freedom is indivisible, and when one man is enslaved, all are not free. When all are free, then we can look forward to that day when this city will be joined as one.

This is an extract of the amazing Berlin speech of President John F Kennedy in which he spoke the words that rocked Berlin and, through it the entire universe: Ich been ein Berliner. In fact, he was saying if one person is not free regardless of her/his origin no one can claim to be free. This speech inspired the hash tag #je suis Charlie Hebdo, after the barbaric murder perpetrated by terrorists at the office of the French Newspaper Charlie Hebdo. In solidarity with the pain and indignation that gripped Paris and the French, the whole world was one. As a matter of fact President Kennedy was himself inspired by an 18th century report of a series of speeches made by Cicero in 70 BC. By simply stating civis rumanus sum the Latin phrase for I am a Roman citizen one could lay a claim to the right for the same protection as the Roman Citizen.

This is a trial in which all the accused persons are Anglophones and all those judging and prosecuting are Francophones. Two courageous high ranking gentlemen in uniform, knowing the potential consequences of not conforming and in defiance of any threat they could face from the powers that be, told the truth and affirmed not to have seen the persons in court commit any of the acts of violence that supposedly took place, and of which the defendants were accused. These star witnesses opening the famous case therefore provided statements and seen these citizens set free. But no, they are still in prison.

They are incarcerated for seeking their rights, and peacefully asking for better conditions for their professions and a better life for all. They did so by proclaiming their citizenship  citizenship, which they believed, afforded them the right to freedom of expression, the right to protection and a guaranteed solution to their grievances. Instead, they met with unparalleled repression, arrests, relocation and a trial that has taken eight months just to start, with no end in sight.

Instead of being the citizens they wanted to be, they are now being called Anglophones, terrorists and secessionists. Any other Cameroonian be they Francophone or Anglophone could have raised the issue of injustice and bad governance. It is one that is becoming pervasive throughout our society. You and I are out free. It is because we have resigned ourselves to the current state of affairs. We have come to accept that it is proper for some to embezzle public funds and not be called to account, for some to abuse of their powers and engage in the crudest form of nepotism, all the while lecturing others about the love of country and attempting to distract us from this reality and attempting to divide us through branding and labeling. Even the courageous prosecutor in the Military Tribunal who had followed the case from the beginning found himself transferred to Ebolowa. Is it because he refused to oppose bail? Is it because he paid special attention to the procedure code? This code, which guarantees your rights and my rights?

Freedom is indivisible. We cannot pretend to enjoy any freedom when our fellow citizens are incarcerated unjustly. Justice Ayah Paul, of the highest jurisdiction of our land, a secondary school classmate of mine (known in school in the most premonitory manner as the incorruptible judge after a school play in which he was the judge- we were only 16 years old then) will have just gone past 200 days of detention. We still have to find out, why. Many Cameroonians Anglophone and Francophone, many of the respectable leaders in our society, Bar Leaders from many countries, the United Nations many, the international Crisis Group, the African Union and several others, have pleaded for these victims who are fighting for our freedom to be set free.

A Cleric in his sermon at the funeral service for Bishop Jean Marie Bala (another mystery of our country) had this to say. True power is not violent, true power constructs peace, true power builds the development of the wholesome nature of the human being. In this poignant homily, Reverend Father Joseph Akonga Essomba says, in this life, there are those who will be considered as being mad just because they are not worrying about themselves but about the importance of their mission here on earth. Is this why those who fight for our freedoms and well being are branded terrorists? Are there some people who feel threatened and terrified by the truth?

My Francophone sisters and brothers I say this. We must now proclaim the indivisible nature of freedom. As a nation we are you and you are we. I have no problem saying I am francophone if it means identifying myself with what is right and what contributes to the building of our nation.

Let all the francophones who read this take to their social media accounts and proclaim the unifying message in this time of crisis: I am Anglophone. This message will confound and threaten all those who wish to divide us for their own selfish purposes. Even beyond your social media, let your neighbors, your colleagues, your classmates, and other acquaintances, know that you stand with them in opposition to injustice and you will be steadfast in defending their rights.

Yes, you must proclaim it  I am Anglophone and you will thus in the words of the Rev. Father Akonga be negating the answer of Cain, of the Bible, to the voice that asked him where was his brother Abel. Cain answered, am I my brothers keeper? Yes we are! Affirmed the Rev. Father with vehemence,  we are brothers keepers That is why the enslavement of one of us is the enslavement of all. Freedom is indeed indivisible. Each and everyone should affirm,  I am Anglophone So we can all be called terrorists even if that is the prize we have to pay to salvage our nation. Epictetus the Greek Philosopher said something we might as well reflect upon No man is free who is not master of himself That is what Cameroonians need now. Freedom that allows them to be themselves. One that respects their diversity and makes of it a unique form of richness. One that gives them equal opportunity and equality before the law. One that rewards hard work and integrity and refuses impunity. One that will cause them to able scream proudly: this is Cameroon, my homeland my dear fatherland!

Akere Muna
Tuesday, August 8, 2017 at 9:24AM

Tile, the leading smart location company, today released the new Tile Pro Series featuring its most powerful Bluetooth trackers to date, Tile Style and Tile Sport. Waterproof 1 and durable, the Tile Pro Series features notable hardware upgrades including twice the Bluetooth range (now up to 200 feet) and twice the loudness of its predecessors, Tile Mate and Tile Slim.

The new premium line of products reflect consumers various lifestyles. Tile Sport features a unique tread-like design and dark slate finish with a graphite ring that offers extra durability. Framed with a champagne gold ring, Tile Style is satin white with a subtly-ridged texture, making it the perfect accessory to attach to valuable items. Both new products come with a convenient hole so that they can easily loop onto keyrings or bags.

The Tile community is creating a world where everyone can find the things that matter to them,said Mike Farley, CEO and Co-Founder of Tile. The new Tile Pro Series was built with both performance and style in mind so that Tilers can find their things wherever life takes them - whether hitting the slopes, traveling the world or enjoying a night out.

The Tile Pro Series is accompanied with new Tile app features designed specifically for the new products. Now with volume control and two additional ringtones, the Tile app allows users to personalize the sound of their Tile devices. A redesigned proximity meter provides improved accuracy to help Tilers more easily find their stuff within the new products expanded 200-foot range. If an item is tucked deep underneath blankets or if the user doesnt want to interrupt those around them, the proximity meter will visually let the user know if they are getting closer or further away from the item.

When it comes to Tile, what you see is a tiny device that attaches to your things. What you dont see are the millions of Tile community members helping keep your belongings safe. Everyday, we hear powerful stories of how the anonymous heroes of our community help each other simply by running the Tile app. Its a simple action, but one that has a lasting impact, said Farley.

Every day, Tilers are activating their own personal search party to find their things. The Tile community spans more than 230 countries and territories and locates over two million unique items every day. Working together, it has recovered lost and stolen cars, bikes, bags, jewelry, pets, passports, cameras and, of course, countless keys and wallets.

Tile is simple and easy to use. Tilers can ring their things with one of the eight preset ringtones using the app, or use the Tile in reverse to find their phone -- even if it's on silent. They can also see the last place they had their item on a map, and if the item has been moved, they can enlist the power of the Tile community to help them find it.

Tile Pro Series Pricing and Availability
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 ...
Under the weather

As extreme climate events continue to increase in frequency and severity, industry professionals discuss the role of the insurance industry in developing adaptation and mitigation measures, as well as the implementation of captives for climate-related risks

View all Editor's picks
Our Promise: Welcome to Care2, the world's largest community for good. Here, you'll find over 45 million like-minded people working towards progress, kindness, and lasting impact.

Care2 Stands Against: bigots, racists, bullies, science deniers, misogynists, gun lobbyists, xenophobes, the willfully ignorant, animal abusers, frackers, and other mean people. If you find yourself aligning with any of those folks, you can move along, nothing to see here.

Care2 Stands With: humanitarians, animal lovers, feminists, rabble-rousers, nature-buffs, creatives, the naturally curious, and people who really love to do the right thing.

You are our people. You Care. We Care2.
Kerrville, TX (78028)

Today

Except for a few afternoon clouds, mainly sunny. High 58F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies early giving way to a few showers after midnight. Low 41F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
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If you want to get your hands on a Koenigsegg, youll have to wait a good four years for delivery. Though the manufacturer is working on reducing those waiting times, in the end its a relatively small operation and the labor involved in producing each one of its hypercars is intensive.



So what to do if you want one now? Look on the second-hand market, where we found this 2012 Koenigsegg Agera R for sale.

Look familiar to you? This appears to be the very one, complete with Speed Racer livery, that Christian von Koenigsegg and company revealed at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. And it doesnt appear to have left Switzerland ever since, as its listed for sale by Seaside Cars AG in Zurich.

The R was the second version of the Agera introduced, after the original but before the S, RS, and One:1. It packs Angelholms signature 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8, rated at 1,140 horsepower for a 2.9-second 0-62 time and a top speed quoted at 273 miles per hour. (Later examples were upgraded to 1,157 hp and their 0-62 times dropped to 2.8, and we wouldnt be surprised if this one had returned to the factory for the enhancements).

With 18 examples reportedly made, the Agera R was one of Koenigseggs more prolific models  but thats relative for a company that produces fewer than 20 cars each year. Like what you see? It can be yours for 1.8 million Swiss francs, or about $1.87 million in equivalent US funds. Considering that the car was said to have cost $1.6 million when new, that only goes to show that depreciation doesnt apply at this level of the automotive market.

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Automakers come and go from Italys supercar valley  the area between Modena and Bologna thats home today to Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and Pagani. From 1959 through the 1990s, that included De Tomaso as well.



Alejandro de Tomaso left this world in 2003, far too young at age 74. But before he left his namesake company behind, he commissioned one last concept. And now that concept car is coming up for auction.

It was called the Nuova Pantera or the Pantera 2000, and it was designed by the inimitable Marcello Gandini  the same talent who penned the Lamborghini Countach, Lancia Stratos, Alfa Romeo Montreal, and Bugatti EB110 (to name just a few of his most notable creations).

De Tomaso was already well acquainted with Gandini, whom he had hired to revise the original Pantera in 1991, pen the Mangusta (eventually made by Qvale), and design several Maseratis and Innocentis during De Tomasos stewardship of those marques as well.

The Pantera concept was shown to a crowd of 500 gathered for the automakers 40th anniversary celebration in 1999, then disappeared into obscurity. One of two prototypes made and the only known survivor, its design was said to have influenced the Bugatti Veyrons, and you can see a certain similarity to the profile and rear buttresses.

With no interior, engine, or actual running gear, the mock-up cant actually be driven, so its limited to display. But were sure some enthusiast of the marque will snap it up when the gavel drops next month in London at RM Sothebys, which commissioned Tim Scott to capture these images for your perusal.

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Planning a track session or a day at the races in the UK? Chances are, unless youre heading to Silverstone, youll be visiting one of the tracks owned and operated by MotorSport Vision.



The network run by Jonathan Palmer (father to Renaults Jolyon Palmer and a former F1 driver himself) includes Brands Hatch, Snetterton, Oulton Park, Cadwell Park, and the Bedford Autodrome. And now its adding Donington Park to its portfolio as well.

The Competition and Markets Authority (the UKs antitrust agency) has cleared MSV to take over Donington. The company secured a 21-year lease on the property earlier this year, and has already started investing in upgrading the facilities  but was not allowed any involvement in its operation while the government body was evaluating the move.

I am delighted that the CMA has decided to clear MSVs purchase of the Donington Park circuit business at the initial, Phase 1 level, said Palmer. My management team at MSV are all very excited about the potential of Donington Park and we are planning a great new era for the circuit.

Donington Park has hosted a wide array of races over the years, from touring cars and trucks to motorcycles. It hosted a solitary Formula One race (billed as the European Grand Prix) in 1993, dominated in the rain by one of Ayrton Sennas finest performances. The track was slated to host the British GP in 2010, but the race ended up staying at Silverstone.

With Donington now secured, Autosport reports that MSVs next step will be to complete the conversion of the former air force base at Laon-Couvron in northern France into another racing complex, expanding the companys reach outside the UK for the first time.

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With a growing lineup of performance automobiles, you can bet that at any moment, the powertrain engineers at Porsche are working on some new engine to motivate them. But this project has our interest piqued more than usual.



According to Auto Motor und Sport, in a report cited by Motor1.com, Porsche is working on some sort of new high-performance engine. It isnt saying what its for, but the people working on it may give us a clue.

Apparently this mysterious new engine is being developed by the same engineers who worked on Porsches LMP1 program, which the automaker shut down recently.

Like other manufacturers, after the invitation from the FIA, we are participating in discussions about the future of F1 for power units, Porsches R&D chief Michael Steiner told Auto Motor und Sport. Our team in Weissach is not working on an F1 engine at the moment but on a highly efficient engine from, but we have not decided what we will do with this engine.

This is the first confirmation weve seen in some time that Porsche is even considering participating in grand prix racing, after years upon years of rumors that its parent Volkswagen Group was weighing a potential F1 program. Aston Martin and Cosworth have also reportedly taken part in the powertrain strategy sessions Steiner mentions, and given the trickle of information, wed bet thereve been others involved as well. Toyota, Ford, BMW, and PSA have all supplied engines to Formula One in recent history but dont currently, while major automakers like Hyundai, General Motors, and Mazda have not  nor have any of the Chinese automakers eager to break out of their domestic market, for that matter, but were just spit-balling here.

Ultimately Porsche could be working with an eye towards F1, but divert the engine program towards something else  like a successor, for example, to the 918 Spyder. After all, the Carrera GT that preceded it essentially grew out of an aborted LMP1 program. But with Porsches expertise being applied all across the VW group, theres no telling where this secretive engine could end up being used.

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Thousands of people packed downtown Penticton Saturday morning for the Peters Bros. Grand Parade.

The parade followed a new route this year, heading down Winnipeg St., due to changes made to Main St. during downtown revitalization.

Upwards of 100 entries from across Western Canada and the United States took part.

Photographer Mike Biden was there to capture some of the scenes.
Photo: Darren Handschuh

Will the summer of 2017 be the driest on record?

We will know in a few hours.

If no measurable rainfall lands on any of the several weather stations in the Valley by midnight, 2017 will have gone 45 days without measurable rainfall.

The record of 44 days was tied as of midnight Saturday and if the clock strikes 12 tonight without any rain, a new record will officially enter the books.

Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa West said the previous record was set in 2003.

West said rain and thunder cells are popping up in Southern B.C., but it's all about whether those cells pass over one of our weather stations in the area. There has to be .2 mm of measurable rain at our weather stations.

Earlier this week, the weather prognosticators were calling for a 60 per cent chance of rain Saturday with showers Sunday, but West said there is now only a 30 per cent chance of rain Saturday afternoon with the risk of a thunderstorm.

There's a lot of potential (rain) streaming up from the south, it just a matter of whether or not some of that stuff stays together by the time it reaches Kelowna, said West.

West said there is a good chance of rain overnight as there is a frontal system moving into the Interior overnight and we have some rain coming to the Okanagan.

That rain is expected to continue through the night with a 60 per cent chance of continued precipitation Sunday.
Penticton Fire Marine Rescue were sent out yesterday afternoon to respond to reports of a boat in distress.

MR-201and Naramata responded, but neither team found anything.

Crews cleared and returned to their areas later that afternoon.
Originally Posted by BubbaJones

My POINT was, for all the finger pointing at Clinton and Obama, Bush essentially doubled down on the Clinton deal. He did so BECAUSE of Afghanistan and Iraq. Those wars had become increasingly unpopular and Bush desperately needed a "win" on the foreign policy front. Your opinion of his neocon credentials is irrelevant.



An opinion shared by many millions.



It's worse than that.



Afghanistan was the Bush War the president did NOT lie U.S. into.



For the Bushies to lose the War they DID lie U.S. into would have compounded the disgrace.



So the Bush administration marched in place on Afghanistan, concentrating their energies on preventing their needless War from becoming a resounding defeat.



The result of course is that Afghanistan is now the longest War in U.S. history, involving 3 different presidential administrations; with no end in sight.



And as predictable as the sunrise, Bush inflicted catastrophic geo-political destabilization across the region.



How bad?



Most of ISIL senior military leadership was composed of former Saddam / Iraq military command.



It was Bush / Cheney / Rumsfeld that opted to fire them all; leading to blossoming of the regional caliphate.



All that's not merely a $Trillion $Dollar burden on the U.S.

The refugee burden on our close regional friend Jordan is enormous.



Bush's lie is a mistake that will be paying dividends for generations.
Alexa Welsh and Jake Bickelhaupt of Uptown's 42 Grams, the recipients of two Michelin stars in 2014, and each year since. (Bill Hogan/Chicago Tribune)

Talk about soul food.

This Uptown BYO, the legit offspring of underground restaurant Sous Rising, took its name from the supposed weight of two souls (based on a doctor's research in 1907) and indicated the level of commitment supplied by husband-wife team Jake Bickelhaupt and Alexa Welsh.

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A Charlie Trotter's alum, chef Bickelhaupt quickly proved his technical skill and nimble creativity, and Welsh, as combination host and master of ceremonies, guided guests gently through the multicourse experience. 42 grams became a darling of critics and luxury-dining fans alike, cementing its place in the culinary heavens by securing two Michelin stars in its inaugural year.

Debuts don't come much more impressive than this, yet I have the feeling that Bickelhaupt and Welsh are just getting started.

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42 Grams, 4662 N. Broadway St., 42gramschicago.com

 Phil Vettel


People fly into the air as a vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. (Ryan M. Kelly/The Daily Progress)

Unlike the bigoted protesters in the 1960s, the demonstrators in Charlottesville, Va., did not wear hoods. On Saturday, we saw their faces clearly. And they were angry white men.

If we are to get to the root of the recent escalation of confrontational bigotry in America, we must acknowledge who is fueling it. That is the growing demographic of insecure white males who blame their social and economic failures on everyone but themselves.

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Demonstrations like the one this weekend represent the false notion that white men are losing the unfair advantage they have enjoyed in America since its founding.

The fear that African-Americans would somehow gain economic parity with white men has long been one of the driving forces behind bigotry in our country. Today, that bigotry has been expanded into a cultural war against immigrants  a fight that is largely defined by education or more specifically, the lack of it.

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Americans who thought that racism and bigotry would simply die out with the aging population must be sorely disappointed. Young men are largely driving the modern hate groups, and their numbers have escalated in the last two years.

They are people like Dylann Roof, who was was 21 when he killed nine African-American parishioners during a prayer service in Charleston, S.C. And James Alex Fields Jr., 20, who is accused of plowing his car into a crowd of anti-rally protesters Saturday, killing a woman and injuring at least 19 people.

While young men are at the forefront of the violent encounters, they are by no means the only perpetrators of hate. Just as it was nearly a half-century ago, there are many more bigoted sympathizers who stand with them in spirit, if not in person.

They are Donald Trump 's people. And he knows it.

Regardless of how we might feel about former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard David Duke, he is right in telling Trump to take a look in the mirror and recognize that it was white Americans who put him in office.

I would recommend you take a good look in the mirror & remember it was White Americans who put you in the presidency, not radical leftists. https://t.co/Rkfs7O2Ykr  David Duke (@DrDavidDuke) August 12, 2017

It wasn't every white American, though. It was specific white voters.

Trump won the largest margin of white voters without a college degree in nearly four decades. Two-thirds, or 67 percent, of non-college whites supported him, compared with 28 percent who supported Hillary Clinton, according to the Pew Research Center.

Let's break those numbers down by the sexes. According to exit polls, 71 percent of white men without a college degree voted for Trump. And 61 percent of white women without a college degree supported him.

These voters represent the core of red state America. In rural swing states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, they are the ones responsible for pushing Trump across the finish line.

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By no means should we assume that every uneducated or undereducated white Trump supporter would join a hate group or even become a sympathizer. Most of them likely were appalled by the violent images that came out of Charlottesville. Neither should we think that well-educated whites can't buy into the white supremacist argument that America has somehow been stolen and needs to be brought back to where it belongs. Indeed, there has been a recent movement to recruit on college campuses.

But the people who are most likely to be swayed by the bigoted rhetoric of white nationalist, neo-Nazi and armed "Patriot" groups certainly can be found among Trump's low-income, less educated supporters. They are among those who tend to feel most vulnerable to the changing demographics.

It is clear why Trump refused to denounce these groups when he addressed the Charlottesville violence. People who fear that the America that was created to advance the prosperity of white men is being taken away are a crucial part of his base.

And with recent polls showing that he is losing support among his most loyal supporters, Trump cannot afford to turn on them.

Much of what he has tried to accomplish so far in the presidency has been for this group of people. They are the ones who want a wall built at the Mexican border and support a ban on Muslim immigrants entering the United States.

They hate the idea of sanctuary cities and agree with Trump that law and order can best be achieved in local communities by "getting tough," which seems to mean locking up black people and throwing away the key.

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They are the reason Trump surrounded himself with people like Steve Bannon, his chief strategist, and Jeff Sessions, his attorney general  men with documented biases toward immigration and civil rights.

On Saturday, Trump chose to dilute what could have been the most heroic speech of his presidency by adding "on many sides" to his weak condemnation of the violence in Charlottesville. And he did it to appease this important part of his base.

So insecure white men can gather around a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee while carrying Tiki torches, use their cars to run people down and expose their hatred without hiding behind a mask.

They may think they lost ground under previous administrations, but as long as Trump is president, they have nothing to fear.

dglanton@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @dahleeng
A man holds up a rose during a vigil in Federal Plaza on Aug. 13, 2017, to stand in solidarity with Charlottesville, Va. (Nuccio DiNuzzo / Chicago Tribune)

A day after street battles at a white supremacist demonstration in Virginia led to the death of a 32-year-old woman, hundreds converged on downtown Chicago to denounce hate groups and slam President Donald Trump's handling of the violence.

About 400 people gathered at Millennium Park and stopped traffic at times Sunday afternoon as they marched north to sidewalks across the Chicago River from Trump Tower, one of multiple similar marches that unfolded across the U.S. over the weekend.

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The Chicago protesters chanted and carried signs with slogans and images blasting Trump and members of his administration. The president has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum for not specifically condemning white nationalists and neo-Nazis in a speech Saturday after their gathering in Charlottesville, Va., spun out of control.

Some left protest marches in Chicago's suburbs to meet up with those attending larger rallies in the city. Mary Edly-Allen was part of the Indivisible Lake County group that gathered in Libertyville earlier Sunday and then took the train to join those in Millennium Park.

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"Staying home wasn't an option today," Edly-Allen said. "I feel like it's my responsibility as a white person to be out here."

Edly-Allen waved a large sign that read, "United we stand in love, Divided we fall by hate" on one side and, "Dear racist, who taught you how to hate?" on the other. The mother of four said it's up to everyone to start having "some really tough conversations" to combat racism.

Many who gathered here said they were thinking of the woman killed Saturday when a car was driven through a crowd that was protesting the demonstration of white supremacists. Some carried signs picturing the woman, Heather Heyer and one of the last messages she apparently left on social media before heading to Charlottesville: "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention."

Nineteen others were injured in the incident. Authorities identified the driver of the car as 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr., of Ohio, and charged him with second-degree murder, as the U.S. Department of Justice announced a federal civil rights investigation.

"As a mom, I thought about the mom this morning who is waking up to the news that her 32-year-old daughter was run over at a rally trying to be against hate," Edly-Allen said.

Kate Mauldin of Chicago leaned with her sign near a sidewalk where Chicago police officers were keeping protesters from crossing the river to the foot of Trump Tower. Traffic moved on Wacker Drive once protesters passed, and Chicago police said no arrests were made.

"My grandpa fought Nazis so I wouldn't have to," Mauldin's sign read. She said both of her grandfathers fought in World War II, including one who was a sharpshooter in the European theater.

"I can't imagine what they would think today," she said. Some of the racist groups that descended on Charlottesville carried flags with swastikas and shouted Nazi slogans.

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Organizers got word of the Chicago march out across social media and set up a microphone to allow speakers to urge the crowd to stay engaged on social issues and continue to appear at marches.

Ted Sirota of the group Refuse Facism said for many protesters, Charlottesville adds a new sense of urgency to a struggle they see as moving well beyond their disappointments at the voting booth.

"People realize this is turning into a life-or-death situation," Sirota said, as another protester held a sign with a large image of Heyer's face nearby.

"Obviously this is something that has really touched a nerve  it could be this generation's Kent State," he said, referencing the 1970 shooting of four student protesters of the Vietnam war by members of the Ohio National Guard.

Many in the crowd said they have become outraged by what they see as Trump's coddling of white supremacist organizations and his supporters in their ranks. As he addressed the Virginia situation at a separate event Saturday, the president condemned what had occurred, but used the phrase "violence on many sides."

Carol McKinny of Libertyville said she was especially appalled Trump did not specifically denounce the KKK, white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups for their ideology and said she blamed him for instead giving fuel to their message. The weekend in Charlottesville had started with white supremacist marchers carrying torches through the town.

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"What Trump said about all sides is crazy. There are just two sides  there's evil, and there's good," said McKinny, who said she was marching for those persecuted or belittled for the color of their skin, their religion, sex or sexual orientation.

"We can't normalize hate," she said.

Cherie Jones Das, 64, said this is her fourth rally in Chicago and that she used to protest the Vietnam War in the 1960s.

"I just could not believe what was happening in Charlottesville. We are moving backwards in time," she said. "An older woman had a sign up that said, 'I can't believe I'm protesting the same old (expletive),' and that's exactly how I feel."

Gabe Popovich, 39, brought his 5-year-old daughter, Vivian, to the rally in Millennium Park. She had made a colorful sign that read "All people are good," surrounded by peace signs and hearts.

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Near the Chicago River, surprised tourists snapped photos of marchers and held up their cellphones to capture video of the scene, all with the giant "TRUMP" sign on the blue-silver tower in the background.

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At the microphone, speakers urged those gathered to remember Heyer's name as they stood up to hate.

"She just went to do what we're doing right now," one said.

Chicago Tribune's Jeff Coen contributed.

Nereida Moreno is a Chicago Tribune reporter; Yadira Sanchez Olson is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.

nmoreno@chicagotribune.com

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Police tape sits on a vehicle at the scene of a shooting in Chicago. (Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune)

An off-duty Chicago police sergeant shot an 18-year-old man during a confrontation in the Morgan Park neighborhood on the city's Far South Side, according to police.

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said there were a number of unanswered questions as his department and the Independent Police Review Authority were investigating.

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About 5:05 a.m. Sunday, the officer was involved in a confrontation with the 18-year-old in the 11100 block of South Hermosa Avenue, according to police.

"The 5th District sergeant was returning from work when he observed an adult male acting suspiciously in the 10000 block of South Wood," Johnson said at a news conference Sunday. "The sergeant was in his personal vehicle and began to question him, at which point he became elusive and unresponsive. The officer continued to question the man and the encounter escalated in some way which prompted the off-duty officer to discharge his weapon and strike the individual in the arm."

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The 18-year-old was stabilized at Advocate Christ Medical Center, officials said.

Johnson said a weapon had not been recovered.

The Chicago Tribune's Tony Briscoe contributed.
Chicago police are searching for the driver of a car that was believed to have been involved in a fatal hit-and-run crash. (Provided by Chicago Police Department)

Chicago police released photos of a car and of a man who could have been involved in a fatal hit-and-run late Saturday in the Chatham neighborhood on the city's South Side.

About 8:25 p.m. Saturday, a 39-year-old woman was trying to cross the street in the middle of the 8200 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue when a car hit her, officials said.

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The driver of a white Cadillac CTS sedan had been traveling south when the motorist hit the pedestrian, police said. The motorist kept driving south after the crash, police said.

The woman was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead at 9:30 p.m.

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She was identified as Dominique Wilbourn, 39, of the 8100 block of South Drexel Avenue in the East Chatham neighborhood, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

Police later released photos of the car and the man believed to have been involved in the crash. The white car appears to have a sunroof.

The man is seen wearing red shorts, red shoes and a white T-shirt.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to contact police at 312-745-4521.
SPRINGFIELD  Senate Democrats on Sunday voted to override Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner's veto of a measure to overhaul how tax dollars are parceled out to schools, but a key hurdle in the House remains before checks can be sent to the state's more than 850 districts.

The vote represented another loss for Rauner a month after lawmakers enacted a budget and major income tax hike over his objections, as legislators argued the governor's latest move threatened to undo years of work aimed at easing the inequality of Illinois' school funding formula.

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"Over the years, there have been various reasons why we haven't been able to fix this problem, this veto isn't going to be one of those this time," said sponsoring Sen. Andy Manar, a Democrat from Bunker Hill in central Illinois. "It is not going to be the reason we stop this time. Kids deserve better than what they are getting today."

Also on the line are the twice-monthly payments the state sends to schools. That's because Democrats tucked a provision into the budget to prevent that money from being spent until a new school aid formula is in place. Schools are expected to open on time, but the pressure is on lawmakers to act before districts have to slash programs, cut hours or shut down in the coming months.

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"Is that really the legacy we want to have during our tenure as legislators? That we shut down the education system? I don't want to have that on my shoulders," said Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood. "I don't want to go to sleep with that on my heart."

Despite the Senate rebuke, a Rauner spokeswoman defended the governor's veto, saying, "There's no question that Gov. Rauner's education plan is better for almost every child in Illinois."

"The senators who voted to override the governor's veto aren't casting a vote against Gov. Rauner," said Diana Rickert, Rauner's deputy chief of staff for communications. "It's a vote against the children of Illinois."

The debate unfolded less than 24 hours after Rauner released an Illinois State Board of Education analysis about the impact of the governor's amendatory veto, which represented a substantial rewrite of a bill lawmakers approved in late May but didn't send him for two months amid political jockeying in Springfield.

Under Rauner's changes, CPS would get $463 million less in state money this year compared with the Democrat-approved version, according to his education agency's analysis. That money would be redistributed to other districts, meaning more than 97 percent of school districts would see more money this year under Rauner's plan than under the legislation backed by Democrats, according to the administration's analysis.

For example, the state's second-largest district in Elgin would receive $12.8 million more under the governor's amendatory veto, while Rockford District 205 would get an additional $9.5 million, the administration said.

Critics noted that Rauner's numbers don't take into account a major factor: when school districts lose students in future years, they would lose state money.

Rauner tried to frame the issue as a matter of fairness ahead of the vote.

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"Should we continue, should all of you, continue to spend the same amount of money to that district even though their kids are all gone?" Rauner said. "At some point we need the funding to follow the students."

Rauner again took aim at Chicago, saying lawmakers "have a choice."

"Are they going to vote to give their school districts more money? Or are they going to vote to give the bailout to the city of Chicago?" said Rauner, who has long railed against CPS leadership and the Chicago Teachers Union.

During debate, Republicans echoed the governor's comments, calling for further negotiations to try to reach agreement and remove uncertainty for students, parents and teachers.

"All we are asking for is that the city of Chicago's public schools be treated no better," said Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon.

Democrats countered that they would not fall prey to Rauner's attempts to pit different parts of the state against the other.

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"When are we going to work as a collaborative body to ensure that all of our children are the recipients of the goods that this state has?" said Sen. Donne Trotter, D-Chicago.

In the end, lawmakers voted 38-19 to override Rauner's veto, two more than the minimum needed. One Republican, Sen. Sam McCann of Plainview near Springfield, joined the Senate's 37 Democrats to reject Rauner's proposed changes.

McCann previously has split with Rauner on union issues. The senator said while the bill was not perfect, he did not want a repeat of the budget impasse when it came to school funding.

"There is one thing worse than one-party control, and that is one-man control," said McCann, who beat back a primary election challenge last year after splitting with Rauner. "Are we going to fear the governor? Are we going to fear his political operatives? Are we going to fear his money and his friends' money? Or are we going to fear the mirror?"

The House now has 15 days to try to overturn the governor's veto. The House is scheduled to be in session Wednesday and will hold a hearing on education funding. It's unclear if they will take up the veto then, or wait to let more pressure build. Neither lawmakers nor the governor has shown much of an appetite the previous two years to play political chicken over school funding for too long, given the potential for a huge backlash from parents.

An override will take 71 votes, but there are just 67 House Democrats, meaning some Republicans would have to buck their governor. If the override fails, or is not called for a vote in the House, lawmakers would be left to negotiate a new plan as schools wait for funding.

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Mayor Rahm Emanuel issued a statement Sunday saying Rauner's veto had "brought together rural, suburban and urban educators and legislators."

"The Senate's vote is a bipartisan rejection of the governor's divisive politics and of his repeated attempts to pit children with different backgrounds and from different parts of the state against one another," Emanuel's statement read in part.

Among Democratic governor hopefuls, J.B. Pritzker praised the Senate for overturning Rauner's "reckless veto," and state Sen. Daniel Biss of Evanston voted to override Rauner.

Northwest Side Ald. Ameya Pawar repeatedly has called Rauner's attacks on CPS "racist." About 47 percent of the district's students are Hispanic, and about 38 percent are African-American.

Also Sunday, despite the earlier partisan bickering, lawmakers came together to approve changes to a sometimes-controversial program that provides tax credits for companies that bring jobs to Illinois.

Known as the EDGE program, short for Economic Development for a Growing Economy, the state relies on the credits to try to attract businesses to Illinois over other states. But the incentives have come under heavy scrutiny given the state's ongoing budget problems, and the program was allowed to expire.

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Under the new proposal, which now heads to Rauner's desk, the amount of the credits would be lower than in the past. However, companies also could get credit for the cost of training new employees and investing in low-income communities. Companies that retain jobs at existing businesses also may qualify in some cases.

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce praised the approval, "especially in a time at the Capitol where there is widespread debate over many complex issues," saying it "serves as a vital economic tool to propel Illinois' business climate on a pathway to success."

mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @moniquegarcia
People fly into the air as a vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. (Ryan M. Kelly/The Daily Progress)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  Police in Charlottesville, Virginia, came under criticism for failing to keep apart warring white nationalists and counter-protesters who battled it out in the city streets on Saturday amid what at first seemed an anemic response from authorities.

Anger over the how police responded came from all directions and intensified after the deaths of a woman struck by a car that plowed into a group of counter protesters. Experts said police appeared outnumbered, ill-prepared and inexperienced.

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"The worst part is that people got hurt and the police stood by and didn't do a godd---- thing," said David Copper, 70, of Staunton, Va., after an initial morning melee at a park that when unchecked by police for several minutes.

Fourteen people were injured in clashes; nine others were hurt in the car crash. Later, two Virginia State Police troopers were killed when their helicopter smashed into trees at the edge of town and burst into flames. The loss of police officers only compounded the calamity on a day that pushed police, city officials and residents to their limits.

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Cable news replayed a seemingly endless loop of the early violence at Emancipation Park, where police in riot gear had surrounded the expanse on three sides, though seemed to watch as groups beat each other with sticks and bludgeoned one another with shields. Many on both sides came dressed for battle, with helmets and chemical irritants.

Police appeared at one point to retreat and then watch the beatings before eventually moving in to end the free-for-all, make arrests and tend the injured. The governor declared a state of emergency around 11 a.m. and activated the National Guard.

"The whole point is to have overwhelming force so that people don't get the idea they can do these kinds of things and get away with it," said Charles Ramsey, who headed both the District of Columbia and Philadelphia police departments. Demonstrators and counter demonstrators "need to be in sight and sound of each other but somebody has to be in between," he said. "That's usually the police."

Complicating the dynamics was the fact that several dozen groups of armed militia  men in full camouflage toting assault-style weapons  were in the middle of the crowds. Some claimed that they were there to keep the peace, although none were seen trying to stop the skirmishes.

Cornel West, the Princeton professor and writer who attended a morning church service at First Baptist Church in Charlottesville with a large group of clergy members, said "the police didn't do anything in terms of protecting the people of the community, the clergy." West said that "if it hadn't been for the anti fascists protecting us from the neo-fascists, we would have been crushed like cockroaches."

Richard Spencer, the white nationalist and one of the leaders of the rally, said police failed to protect groups with which he is affiliated. "We came here as a demonstration of our movement," Spencer said. "And we were effectively thrown to the wolves." The police, he said, "did not protect us."

Local and state authorities declined to address specific questions about how the demonstration was handled or their strategy for the day. The city's mayor, police chief, city manager, and Gov. Terry McAuliffe also did not answer questions at an early evening news conference.

Thomas, the police chief, said only that the city will be "reviewing events of the day over coming weeks and months."

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McAuliffe thanked law enforcement and noted that "this could have been a much worse day today." He put the blame squarely on the white nationalists "who came here to hurt people." He added, without mentioning a specific incident, "And you did hurt people."

Lt. Joseph Hatter, a commander with the Charlottesville Police, said officers tried to create separate areas for protesters and counter protesters to "reduce the violence." But, he conceded, "It didn't work, did it? I think there was a plan to have them separated. They didn't want to be separated."

About the apparent delay in reacting to the violence, Hatter said, "I don't know that we did wait. I think we did the best we could under the circumstances." He declined to elaborate.

State Del. David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, minority leader of Virginia's House, praised the response by Charlottesville and state police.

"Things were getting out of hand in the skirmishes between the alt-right and what I would describe as the outside agitators who wanted to encourage violence," he said.

Asked why police did not intervene sooner, Toscano said he could not comment. He said they trained hard to prepare for the demonstration "and it might have been that they were waiting for a more effective time to get people out"of the park.

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Experts on handling large demonstrations said authorities in Charlottesville are likely not as prepared for such events, which occur with more regularity in cities such as New York and Washington. They also said that separating antagonists is paramount.

"Big cities handle this stuff all the time," said Eugene O'Donnell, a former police officer and prosecutor in New York City. "It seems an enormous stretch for Charlottesville and even for the state police."

O'Donnell, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said that "planning on paper can vaporize pretty quickly" and "many police think that if you do nothing, it's less bad than if you do something. ... Police departments need learn to strike a balance and create safe zones for people preaching hate."

But he also said that too often the police are faulted for the poor choices of others.

"When people run amok and cause damage, people blame the police," O'Donnell said. "When police act proactively, they get blamed for overreaching. People ask, 'Why weren't you more patient'?"

Heim and Silverman reported from Charlottesville. Hermann reported from Washington.
Confederate Army Gen. Robert E. Lee was vilified during the Civil War only to become a heroic symbol of the South's "Lost Cause"  and eventually a racist icon.

His transformation, at the center of the recent violence in Charlottesville, Va., reflects the changing moods in the United States around race, mythology and national reconciliation, historians say.

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Lee monuments, memorials and schools in his name erected at the turn of the 20th century are now facing scrutiny amid a demographically changing nation.

But who was Lee beyond the myth? Why are there memorials in his honor in the first place?

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The soldier

A son of American Revolutionary War hero Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee, Robert E. Lee graduated second in his class at West Point and distinguished himself in various battles during the U.S.-Mexico War. As tensions heated around southern secession, Lee's former mentor, Gen. Winfield Scott, offered him a post to lead the Union's forces against the South. Lee declined, citing his reservations about fighting against his home state of Virginia.

Lee accepted a leadership role in the Confederate forces although he had little experience leading troops. He struggled but eventually became a general in the Confederate Army, winning battles largely because of incompetent Union Gen. George McClellan. He would win other important battles against other Union's generals, but he was often stalled. He was famously defeated at Gettysburg by Union Maj. Gen. George Meade. Historians say Lee's massed infantry assault across a wide plain was a gross miscalculation in the era of the rifle.

A few weeks after becoming the general in chief of the armies of the Confederate states, Lee surrendered to Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia on April 9, 1865.

The slave owner

A career army officer, Lee didn't have much wealth, but he inherited a few slaves from his mother. Still, Lee married into one of the wealthiest slave-holding families in Virginia  the Custis family of Arlington and descendants of Martha Washington. When Lee's father-in-law died, he took leave from the U.S. Army to run the struggling estate and met resistance from slaves expecting to be freed.

Documents show Lee was a cruel figure with his slaves and encouraged his overseers to severely beat slaves captured after trying to escape. One slave said Lee was one of the meanest men she had ever met.

In a 1856 letter, Lee wrote that slavery is "a moral & political evil." But Lee also wrote in the same letter that God would be the one responsible for emancipation and blacks were better off in the U.S. than Africa.

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The "Lost Cause" icon

After the Civil War, Lee resisted efforts to build Confederate monuments in his honor and instead wanted the nation to move on from the Civil War.

After his death, Southerners adopted "The Lost Cause" revisionist narrative about the Civil War and placed Lee as its central figure. The Last Cause argued the South knew it was fighting a losing war and decided to fight it anyway on principle. It also tried to argue that the war was not about slavery but high constitutional ideals.

As The Lost Cause narrative grew in popularity, proponents pushed to memorialize Lee, ignoring his deficiencies as a general and his role as a slave owner. Lee monuments went up in the 1920s just as the Ku Klux Klan was experiencing a resurgence and new Jim Crow segregation laws were adopted.

The Robert E. Lee statue in Charlottesville, Va., went up in 1924. A year later, the U.S. Congress voted to use federal funds to restore the Lee mansion in the Arlington National Cemetery.

The U.S. Mint issued a coin in his honor, and Lee has been on five postage stamps.

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A new memory

A generation after the civil rights movement, black and Latino residents began pressuring elected officials to dismantle Lee and other Confederate memorials in places like New Orleans, Houston and South Carolina. The removals partly were based on violent acts committed by white supremacists using Confederate imagery and historians questioning the legitimacy of The Lost Cause.

A Gen. Robert E. Lee statue was removed from Lee Circle in New Orleans as the last of four monuments to Confederate-era figures to be removed under a 2015 City Council vote.

The Houston Independent School District also voted in 2016 to rename Robert E. Lee High School, a school with a large Latino population, as Margaret Long Wisdom High School.

Earlier this year, the Charlottesville City Council voted to remove its Lee statue from a city park, sparking a lawsuit from opponents of the move. The debate also drew opposition from white supremacists and neo-Nazis who revered Lee and the Confederacy. The opposition resulted in rallies to defend Lee statues this weekend that resulted in at least three deaths.
Some call it the Witch's Hat. Other northern Californians have taken to calling the rocky outcrop Shark Tooth, for its jagged point jutting out the water, as if loosened from a giant great white and upturned in the surf.

But whatever the locals have called the formation for a century, it has been a prominent backdrop for generations of families visiting Martins Beach, who used the idyllic waters to surf, fish and learn values of conservancy in a getaway near bustling Half Moon Bay.

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Then Vinod Khosla, billionaire and a co-founder of Sun Microsystems enriched by investments in Silicon Valley venture capital, paid $32.5 million in 2008 for land adjacent to the coast, including the only road to Martins Beach  cutting off access to the beach with a closed gate and painted over access signs in 2009.

Private security guards roamed the public beach south of San Francisco, tossing out surfers and swimmers found there.

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On Thursday, Khosla learned not to mess with surfers, when he lost an appeal to bar public access to the Martins Beach Road.

"This is not simply a win for surfers in San Mateo County," Surfrider Foundation legal director Angela Howe told The Washington Post. "This is a win for all of the beachgoing public that wish to enjoy California's beautiful 1,100-mile coastline."

A three-judge panel of the California 1st District Court of Appeals rejected the appeal of Khosla's management companies, Martins Beach 1 and Martins Beach 2, in a suit challenging the legality of his road blockage, filed in March 2013 by the Surfrider Foundation.

The group, which defends public use of coastal lands, argued in the suit that Khosla's failure to obtain a permit modifying access to the beach was a violation of the Coastal Act of 1976, which regulates public use of beaches in the state.

The appeals court upheld the lower court's 2014 decision to allow access to the beach, striking a blow for public-use activists in the state  and sending a message to the growing issue of wealthy individuals transforming the coastline into private land, said Eric Buescher, a lawyer on the team representing Surfrider.

"The decision is an important step to vindicate the principle that the public has a right to access the California coast regardless of their wealth and resources," Buescher told The Post, calling the gate and use of guards a "defacto privatization of what is an incredibly valuable public resource." The decision also ordered Khosla to pay nearly $500,000 in attorney costs.

Howe said the beach is the kind of place where families have potato sack races and raise children to treasure public conservation. The serene waves are cherished by surfers and sea lions and seabirds call it home.

"It has a special place in the heart of the community," she said.

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The suit came after community members and Surfriders sought an amicable solution, Howe and Buescher said. Protests and letter-writing campaigns to apply public pressure failed. The situation escalated in October 2012, when the San Mateo County sheriff cited a group of five surfers on the beach for trespassing. The charges were dropped in 2013.

In 2014, the state lands commission sought to end the legal battle by paying to create road or sidewalk access to the beach on Khosla's property, or to use a portion of the road. Surveyors estimated a price of $300,000. Khosla countered with an offer of about $30 million.

"The owner was not interested in good faith negotiation based on that initial demand," Buescher said. The government even considered using eminent domain as a last resort to take access back.

Buescher said the defense team's arguments centered on Khosla's right to use the property as he wished, but the appeals court agreed that aggressively targeting alleged trespassers and barring access constituted development, which he failed to defend with a permit. A 2016 letter from Khosla's lawyer claimed the area was in disrepair and use was declining for years.

As of Friday morning, the gate was still barring access to the road, according to a local news affiliate.

While local conservationists are celebrating the win, Khosla could still challenge the decision all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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"We'll go every step of the way. This is important not just to this beach but the state of California," Buescher said.

An email seeking comment on the decision sent to Khosla Ventures, the investment firm created by Khosla, went unanswered Friday.

His firm's site says the company looks to correct problems with technology.

"We seek out unfair advantages," the company says.
In this April 27, 2017 file photo, Omarosa Manigault-Newman, political aide and communications director for the Office of Public Liaison at the White House under President Donald Trump's administration, speaks in New York. Manigault-Newman clashed with a veteran news anchor on Friday, Aug. 11 during a panel discussion on policing in black communities held at the largest gathering of black journalists in the country. (Richard Drew / AP)

NEW ORLEANS  Less than 10 minutes into White House aide Omarosa Manigault-Newman's appearance on the stage at the National Association of Black Journalists convention here, things got tense.

Manigault-Newman was on her feet, microphone in hand, pacing the stage in a heated argument with moderator Ed Gordon, host of BET's "Weekly."

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"If you want to talk about Donald Trump, have a problem with Donald Trump," Manigault-Newman said. "I'm not going to stand here and defend every single word and decision."

"No, I'm asking you about Donald Trump," Gordon replied. "I'm not going to let you railroad this."

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The session only went downhill from there.

Manigault-Newman's presence on stage, along with journalists and activists focused on police brutality and family members of black men killed by police, roiled the annual convention of black current and former journalists and public relations professionals.

In protest, multiple panelists declined to participate in the panel. But the event went on when Gordon agreed to fill in as moderator, he told the audience Friday.

Manigault-Newman was preceded on stage for "Black and Blue: Raising Our Sons, Protecting our Communities," by two women whose relatives were killed in encounters with police.

But a line of conference attendees snaked through the hallways of the Hilton Riverside Convention Center, all anticipating what they would soon see when Manigault-Newman appeared: drama.

Manigault-Newman, the former "Apprentice" reality TV star and now director of communications for the Office of Public Liaison, didn't disappoint.

She began by telling the story of the loss of her father and brother to violence in Youngstown, Ohio, a story that she said has allowed her to understand the pain of families who have lost children or loved ones to gun violence.

At the White House, she told the audience, she brings people to the table to have influence on policy discussions.

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"I fight on the front lines every day," Manigault-Newman said, prompting gasps of disbelief from people in the audience. "If you're not at the table, you're on the menu."

"Are you suggesting that I just walk away?"

But the moment Gordon attempted to turn the topic to Trump, Manigault-Newman objected.

"You immediately go to Donald Trump!" Manigault-Newman protested, suggesting later that Gordon was attempting to "walk all over" her "aggressively."

Moments later, Trump's voice billowed over the loudspeaker for several seconds before his face flashed on two large screens in the room.

"I said, please don't be too nice," Trump said in a video of his speech to police officers on Long Island July 28. "Like when you guys put somebody in the car and you're protecting their head, you know, the way you put their hand over? Like, don't hit their head and they've just killed somebody - don't hit their head."

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"I said, you can take the hand away, okay?"

Manigault-Newman was asked whether Trump's comments were appropriate for a commander in chief, and she replied simply, "No. Next question."

Gordon later suggested that there was a debate among the panel organizers about whether Manigault-Newman would be asked about the Trump administration during the event.

"It would be foolhardy that we could assume that anyone would come here and sit here and not ask certain questions," Gordon said.

Nevertheless, question turned to the Trump administrations policies, including efforts by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to revive the war on drugs and "broken windows" policing.

Manigault-Newman could not say what, if anything, she had done to address these issues within the administration, but continuously defended her role as a convener.

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She said that part of the problem is an unwillingness of activists to come to the table. Civil rights leaders have "refused to meet with the White House," she added.

And she argued that the issue of police brutality is front and center for the Trump administration, despite the president's recent comments, which were widely interpreted as endorsing the use of excessive force by officers.

"It's on the front burner because I'm pushing the issue and raising the issue," Manigault-Newman said.

It wasn't long before the audience was in open disbelief - and discomfort - as dozens of cellphone cameras captured the exchanges.

A group of people stood with their backs turned to the stage as Manigault-Newman continued to spar with the moderators and panelists.

At one point, she accused the moderator of making light of her family's tragedy, which he denied.

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"I have it on tape, boo," Manigault-Newman replied.

"Ok boo, play it," Gordon replied tersely.

NABJ President Sarah Glover at one point faced the audience herself to explain Manigault-Newman's appearance at the conference.

Before giving the microphone to Glover, Gordon called the panel a "quagmire" that had "reached the point of diminished returns."

"We invited Donald Trump, President Trump, various members of the Cabinet, including Omarosa," Glover said. "Her personal experience is her personal experience."

The panel is "about how we can further the conversation about the issues happening and surrounding black men," Glover said.
Rick DeLeon, Sergeant At Arms for Texas Senate, tells Planned Parenthood supporters that they are not allowed to enter the secure back hallway of the Senate while they are in session at the State Capitol on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 in Austin. (Tamir Kalifa / AP)

AUSTIN, Texas  The Republican-controlled Texas Senate backed a plan Saturday night to restrict insurance coverage for abortions, over the objections of opponents who expressed concern it could force some women to make heart-wrenching choices because no exceptions will be made in cases of rape and incest.

The 20-10 party-line vote for preliminary approval requires women to purchase extra insurance to cover abortions except amid medical emergencies. A final vote Sunday will see the measure clear the chamber, meaning it's now on a fast-track to Gov. Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it into law.

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Legislators debated other bills limiting insurance coverage for abortion during Texas' regular session that ended in May, but Abbott called a special session and revived the issue.

Ten states already have laws restricting insurance coverage of abortion in all private insurance plans: Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Utah. All make exceptions if the mother's life is endangered; only Indiana and Utah also make exceptions for rape and incest.

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"Texas must take steps to prohibit taxpayer and premium dollars from subsidizing abortions that are not medically necessary," said Sen. Brandon Creighton, a Republican from Conroe, near Houston.

The bill passed the Texas House earlier this week. Both Creighton and its House sponsor, Republican Rep. John Smithee, said the rules only apply to "elective" abortions and promote "economic freedom" by not forcing Texas policyholders who object to the procedure to help pay for insurance coverage for women undergoing it.

"What we're saying here is: If you want to buy this coverage, you can buy it," Smithee, a Republican from Amarillo, said during House debate.

Outnumbered Democrats in both chambers dismissed the bill as purely political, arguing that insurance companies already cover only medically necessary abortions. They also said the law will require purchasing insurance plans that insurers won't actually offer because too few women will buy them, not knowing in advance that they will be undergoing abortions.

Sen. Sylvia Garcia, a Houston Democrat, said Saturday night that the bill would effectively require women to buy "rape insurance." She tried to include exceptions for rape and incest, but failed on a 20-10 vote.

"No woman plans to have an abortion and certainly no woman can plan to be raped, no woman can plan to be attacked by someone she knows in her own family," Garcia said. "Those are the most heinous of the heinous crimes."

Texas approved some of the nation's strictest limits on abortion in 2013, but those were mostly struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last summer. Still, abortion clinics around the state have closed and the number of abortions performed in the country's second-largest state has fallen from more than 82,000 in 2006 to around 54,300 in 2015.

"One of the talking points we've heard lately is abortion should be considered health care," Elizabeth Graham, director of Texas Right to Life, told a Texas Senate committee. "Really, the definition of health care is to make a person well and to encourage health. The definition of a successful abortion is the complete death of the unborn child."

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State policy analyst Elizabeth Nash of the Guttmacher Institute, a national research group that supports abortion rights, said she knows of no current analysis of the impact of states imposing coverage restrictions, nor the extent to which health plans offer supplemental coverage for abortion.

"My sense is that there isn't any identifiable impact of these restrictions since most women pay out of pocket already," Nash said by email.

A Guttmacher analysis in March said about 60 percent of privately insured abortion patients pay out of pocket, because their policy doesn't cover the procedure or because deductibles are high. But many women who get abortions are too poor to afford private insurance.

Nancy Northup, president of the New York-based Center for Reproductive Rights, depicted the insurance bans as "a shocking infringement" on women's right to opt for private insurance to cover a legal medical procedure. In cases where a woman opts for an abortion after detection of a severe fetal abnormality, the costs can run into the thousands of dollars, she said.

The insurance bans also have been criticized by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which says insurance coverage of abortion should be comparable to that of other essential health care services.
Santa Rita, Guam  Living on Guam is a dichotomy. It's a beautiful island in the middle of the Western Pacific that plays an important strategic role in scary world events, the homeland of the Chamorro people for 3,500 years or more. We who call Guam our home are reminded of this reality every day.

We wake up to colorful sunrises, drive to work next to the deep blue Pacific Ocean, see brilliant rainbows and spectacular cloud formations every day. The reef life, waterfalls, beaches and sunsets are awesome all the time. The living is easy, and we love it intensely. Some 1.3 million people visit Guam each year to enjoy it with us. Mostly Asian, the visitors come to enjoy the beauty of Guam and the warm hospitality of the Chamorro people. Tourists are the bedrock of our economy.

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But we also see uniformed soldiers, warships, submarines that we know are heavily armed, and huge military planes and helicopters daily. There are international military exercises here regularly. Nearly everyone on the island has at least one relative serving in the military. It's just a small island  we know each other, including the U.S. Armed Forces personnel stationed here. We shop and eat and drink together.

This has been Guam's fate. The island is large enough to host a good number of people and has plenty of fresh water and a substantial deep harbor. And we're used to being treated as a pawn in other powers' strategic games: In 1941, the United States gave up Guam without much of a defense against a Japanese attack in World War II. U.S. forces sent their dependents home just before Japan attacked, leaving a small contingent of soldiers ill-equipped to protect the island. Chamorros suffered greatly at the hands of the Japanese for 2 years. More than 1,000 Chamorros were killed.

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Memories of that devastating time were recently brought back, as President Donald Trump and North Korean President Kim Jong Un threatened each other, making the people of Guam feel as though we all have targets on our backs. On Aug. 9, North Korea announced that it might fire missiles to within 25 miles of Guam.

We try to shrug it off, make some jokes about how idiotic these leaders are and then get on with our lives. As we watch hour after hour of the news, people say brave things like: We are strong, we are resilient, our faith will sustain us. The U.S. military will protect us this time, because now we are U.S. citizens. It seems all the world's media is finally looking at us.

Just about everyone on Guam is getting tearful, panicky calls from friends and family off the island begging them to leave and go somewhere safer. Social media is heavy with these conversations, and people are angry that this is happening here again.

We just celebrated our Liberation Day with memories of war fresh on our minds.

One woman told me that her son called this morning worried sick, as his whole family is on Guam except him. If Guam is bombed, he will be all alone in the world. She spoke with him for quite a while and said he's OK now. She asked him to pray for peace and is confident that the U.S. military will intercept any missiles fired at us.

Another friend told me that she has broken out in a terrible rash from stress. She has a granddaughter in the military stationed at the Korean Demilitarized Zone and fears for her safety. The young woman told her grandmother by phone this week that they have been immunized for poisons and wear protective clothing. They will have only two minutes to act if attacked, she said. But "don't worry, Grammie, we're going to be all right. You raised a tough Santa Rita girl." After she hung up, my friend cried, because she knew her granddaughter was terribly scared and just trying to put on a brave face.

A neighbor looks at it this way: We've all been given one life to live, and she is choosing to be the best person she can, to live fearlessly and courageously. Another said she will not let this ruin her life. She will continue her everyday life, she said, and she rests in the hands of God.

A veteran told me that he knows the scenarios of engagement and is aware of the assets and capabilities of the United States and its allies. He also knows that no one wants a nuclear war, because everybody loses. He said it's time for a regime change in North Korea.

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Many people here have been angry about a Fox News graphic showing that Guam has a total of 3,831 Americans affected by the threat  which excludes the local population of 160,000 people, all of whom are U.S. citizens, too, though as an unincorporated territory of the United States, we don't vote for president and have no voting representation in Congress. It's a never-ending dilemma for us, leaving us with a sense of disempowerment. We've worked for years on decolonization and self-determination but haven't made much progress.

We are all watching, though, to see whether the military starts sending dependents off Guam again. We are fervently hoping that cooler heads will prevail.

The Washington Post

Shannon J. Murphy is a longtime resident of Guam and a former journalist. She is the managing editor of guampedia.com, an online resource about Guam.
What makes American democracy shine is not the absence of hate but the response. Repugnant ideas have always swirled in this country amid the legitimate: Racism, anti-Semitism and crackpot nationalism exist. Such ugliness is not outlawed. It is protected by the Constitution. It also is marginalized and rejected by the nation at large because discriminatory ideologies are empty of worth. Most everyone can see that.

And yet there was the disgraceful spectacle in Charlottesville, Va., over the weekend: A ragtag group of hatemongers  neo-Nazis, Klan members and other rightists among them  showed up to strut their vapid values. They came to make noise and make asses of themselves, while ostensibly protesting the planned removal of a Confederate statue. Counterprotesters were on the scene to meet speech with speech. Here was democracy in action. It was certain to be a tense scene but still, this was our country for the better because even Nazis have the right to march. As do those who think Nazis are vile.

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Virginia officials braced for trouble, and unfortunately it arrived. The two sides clashed, leading Gov. Terry McAuliffe to declare a state of emergency. After police and the National Guard moved in to disperse the crowds, a car rammed into the crowd, killing one person and injuring dozens. Soon after, a Virginia State Police helicopter crashed in the vicinity, killing two. The driver of the car was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

The loss of life and the many injuries are tragic and regrettable. Violence is not an acceptable price to pay for expression. The First Amendment guarantees the right to peaceable assembly, and so the violence shouldn't have happened in Charlottesville. Anyone who was responsible, on either side, committed a wrong.

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Perhaps this is what President Donald Trump was fumbling to express in the hours after the rioting when he said, "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides." Trump had more to say in the first hours after the incidents, including a plea for understanding. But conspicuous through its absence was a direct, immediate condemnation of the ideology of hate on display.

It wouldn't have been hard for the president to find the right words to name-check and reject the nasties. Virginia's governor, even while dealing with catastrophe, immediately struck the right tone in his message to the "white supremacists and Nazis" who came to Charlottesville. "Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth," he told them. "Shame on you. You pretend that you're patriots, but you are anything but a patriot. You want to talk about a patriot, talk about Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, who brought our country together."

Trump can't be blamed for the rioting in Virginia. But the haters and stooges of white nationalism see something in the president that gives them permission to act out. Trump is no oratory giant. He's a sloppy speaker whose nasty streak on the campaign trail acted as a dog whistle to the ugly right. Whether by design or carelessness, Trump avoided calling out the haters by name Saturday. That omission hurts. A recovery effort Sunday by the White House to assert that "of course" Trump was referring to white supremacists and all extremist groups came up woefully short.

He got one thing right, though, by saying Saturday's tragedy should be seen as a starting point for reflection. "We want to get the situation straightened out in Charlottesville, and we want to study it," he said. "And we want to see what we're doing wrong as a country, where things like this can happen."

Those words need to be taken to heart by the president. He's got some studying to do about the consequence of language, and how to speak like a leader who wants to unite the country.

America does have a problem with racism, with anti-Semitism and many other forms of bigotry and intolerance. That's no secret. The question Americans must confront every day is how will they respond.

Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook.

Become a subscriber today to support editorial writing like this. Start getting full access to our signature journalism for just 99 cents for the first four weeks.
State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, from left, (D-Oswego), state Sen. Linda Holmes (D-Aurora) and Ginger Ostro, executive director of Advance Illinois, talk with participants at a meeting Saturday in Aurora on state budget issues. (David Sharos / The Beacon-News )

Jack Dellorto of Aurora likes to stay informed regarding issues coming out of Springfield.

"I want to learn more about local taxes as well as the state budget, and I'm wondering why all the parties involved can't work together," Dellorto said. "I want to learn more about how this all works."

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A meeting in Aurora offered an opportunity to explore some of the critical issues affecting Illinois citizens as state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) held a three-hour informational meeting called "What Is Really Happening In Springfield?" at Waubonsie Valley High School Saturday.

Kifowit, along with state Sen. Linda Holmes (D-Aurora), served as moderators and facilitators of the event, which included speakers like Ralph Martire, representing the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability; Naperville Township Assessor Warren Dixon, who spoke about property taxes, and representatives from Advance Illinois, who focused on education issues.

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Kifowit said the effort was designed to increase communication "beyond an email or Facebook posting."

"I get a lot of questions about various things and wanted to give people the chance to talk with the experts and get more information than something you can post on social media," she said. "The bottom line is there are a lot of questions out there about what is going on, and this hopefully is a better way to address some of those issues."

Dixon provided an overview of taxing issues involving commercial, industrial and residential components and said that funding from some sources has dropped.

"Back in 2007, 40 percent of the (estimated assessed value) in Illinois was commercial, and today, that has dropped to 33 percent," Dixon said. "One of the issues that continues in Springfield is how economically based is Illinois and if it is pro-business."

School funding is also an issue, Dixon said, as the Chicago Public School system continues to receive more state aid than places in the Fox Valley area, which forces more of a burden on local taxpayers.

"School funding, on average, makes up about 60 percent of the tax bill statewide and here in this area around Naperville and Aurora, it's more like 73 percent," Dixon said. "The state clearly has direct impact on what people pay locally."

Ginger Ostro, executive director of Advance Illinois, a non-profit education advocacy group, spoke about education and said Illinois continues to provide inequitable funding for its schools.

"For every dollar spent in more affluent communities, only about 81 cents goes to low-income schools and communities, which means the cycle there never changes," Ostro said. "The facts are we don't invest money in the neediest students. We need to continue to work for adequate and equitable funding."

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Kristin Eccles, a Realtor in Naperville, said she wanted to learn more about property taxes and how they are assessed in the area as her clients "ask all the time" about the topic.

"People continue to want to sell their homes because the taxes are too high, and I feel I need to get more educated about this as well as how the state budget affects all of this," Eccles said. "I've been working in this field for three years, and while questions about taxes have remained the same, we've seen more corporations leaving which puts more of a burden on the residents and it's become a vicious circle."

Holmes noted Saturday's issues "were complex topics" and it was important to have open discussions about them.

"The current educational funding bill as well as the property taxes and budget are all important," she said. "This is all about providing knowledge as well as transparency about what we're doing."

David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News
Women from the Indivisible Lake County group make their signage ready before boarding a train to Chicago where they would gather with others and march against white supremacy on Sunday, Aug. 13. (Yadira Sanchez Olson/Lake County)

A small group of women wearing blue t-shirts with a heart-shaped American flag and the word "Indivisible" gathered at the Libertyville Metra Station Sunday, just minutes before boarding a train to a march in Chicago at Millennium Park.

Those attending the impromptu downtown rally were planning to march to the Trump Tower in response to a white supremacist rally Saturday in Charlottesville, Va. that also attracted counter-protests and turned violent. One woman was killed and 19 other people were injured when a car was allegedly intentionally driven into a crowd.

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The members of Indivisible Lake County, a group resistant to the current national problems they say the Trump administration has incentivized, wanted to make their voices heard at the march, which they described as a peaceful way to show there are those who will stand against hateful oppression.

Lincolnshire resident Julia Hamilton shares donuts she bought for people who boarded a train to march against white supremacy in Chicago on Sunday, Aug. 13. (Yadira Sanchez Olson/Lake County)

The goal is to "bring attention to the better side of humanity, which is love," said Mary Edly-Allen of Libertyville.

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On Sunday Edly-Allen held a sign that read on one side: "Dear Racist, Who taught you how to hate? Love, Humanity." The other side read: "United we stand in love. Divided we fall by hate."

Saying she felt traumatized watching images on TV of the Ku Klux Klan and white supremacist groups chanting racial slurs and acting defiant against the counter-protesters, Edly-Allen said this is a moment in time that requires mobilization and action.

"We're revisiting hate all over again. And, just like with any other disease, it cannot be healed unless it comes out to the surface," Edly-Allen said.

Libertyville resident Carol McKinny said she would be marching for all the people who stand to be persecuted or belittled for the color of their skin, where they're from, what religion they practice, their sex or their sexual orientation.

McKinny said she was especially appalled President Donald Trump didn't specifically denounced the KKK, white supremacist and Neo Nazi groups for their ideology after Saturday's violence. She blamed him for, instead, giving fuel to the groups' hateful message.

GRAPHIC: Video footage shows a car plowing into a crowd of peaceful marchers on Aug. 12, 2017, following violent clashes between protesters and counter-protesters at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va.

"What Trump said about all sides is crazy. There are just two sides  there's evil and there's good," McKinny said, referencing statements Trump made at a press briefing the day before in which he stated, "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides, on many sides."

Trump has since received swift and harsh criticism from both sides of the political spectrum for not singling out the groups for their violent agenda.

The Indivisible Lake County group wants those who reject a racist ideology to not sit back, and instead speak out against it.

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"We can't normalize hate. We will not come together with white supremacists and accept that this is OK," McKinny said.

After Trump's announcement the White House has since released a statement identifying the groups. It said the president "condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred. Of course that includes white supremacists, KKK Neo Nazi and all extremist groups."

Edly-Allen said as her group walked to Millennium Park from the train station Sunday, they were met with people who gave them a thumbs up and cars that honked in support of their signage.

Hundreds were expected to march from Millennium Park to Trump Tower.

Before the Indivisible Lake County group boarded the train in Libertyville, they were also inspired by a family from Lincolnshire who bought them donuts.

"We can't make the march, but I wanted my boys to see we show solidarity for what's right and we stand against what's wrong," said Julia Hamilton.

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Yadira Sanchez Olson is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.
The Cole siblings  Amilys, 6, Alayna, 7, Adalyne, 4, and David, 3  wake up their frogs during the Frog Jump competition Saturday at the Lake County Fair in Crown Point. (John Smierciak / Post-Tribune )

Calvin Dykes learned the hard way Saturday that with great frog power comes great responsibility.

Calvin, 8, and his family traveled from Glen Ellyn, Ill., to his uncle Rick Tiemens' place in Lowell a couple days ago. The plan: to inaugurate the young lad into the proud Tiemens' family tradition of competing the annual Lake County Fair Frog Jump.

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Their frogs  a mixture of Indiana jumpers from Tiemens' pond and Illinois amphibians  were carefully selected, Calvin's mom, Barb Dykes, said.

Going out at 11 p.m. Friday night to hunt the slippery beasts was the simple part, according to Calvin.

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"We put them in a bucket and then don't see them until the next day," he said. "It's actually really easy."

The harder part came, he said, when it was time to let everyone choose their racer. His cousins, Jaylyn Marie Tobin, 6, and Brooklyn Marie Tobin, 4, both of Crown Point, ended up picking the ones ready to go.

Little Brooklyn's frog jump measured a 17 feet, 5 inches.

Another key part of Calvin's training was sharing his jumpers outside the family, Barb Dykes said. Because of this, Kevin Mendoza, 10, and Brisza Navarro, 11, of East Chicago, got to participate in their first jump.

Kevin's frog garnered a 16-foot, 2-inch jump, while Brisza's did respectably well with a 12-foot-3 leap.

"It was exciting, but next year I think maybe I'll get my own frogs," Kevin said. "We live by a really big park, and when we walk there, there's frogs everywhere in the grass. We always find them at night."

Out of the bunch, Calvin's was the one that wouldn't jump any significant distance, even as he tried to "rile him all up." Still, the experience left the young lad better for it.

"I got to spend the night at Uncle Rick's in a room with a bunch of dead animals," he said, with Barb Dykes clarifying that her brother is a hunter.

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"He's the fun uncle," Calvin's dad, Brian Dykes, added.

And would there be a reward for Calvin's effort even though his frog wouldn't jump? Some might say he was going to have the best gift any 8-year-old boy could want.

"I'm taking them home to scare the neighbor girls because they're really annoying," he said, smiling.

The frog jump rules haven't changed much in the years since the Lake County Fair competition started. Contestants of the human variety must be no older than 16 and each has one chance to get their frog to jump the farthest inside a roped area. The frogs have 30 seconds and three jumps to demonstrate their ability.

Michelle Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
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.
The highly anticipated final of the 16th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students, organized by Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) and the Peoples Government of Hunan Province, took place on August 12 in Changsha, Hunan Province.

Zhao Zhihang from Sudan was crowned the winner of the 16th Chinese Bridge Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students. [Photo by Confucius Institute Headquarters ]

At the end of a compelling affair that had spectators sitting on the edge of their seats, hanging on each word from the contestants, Zhao Zhihang from Sudan was crowned the winner of the prestigious competition, beating Sha Mier from Malaysia in an intense session of questions and answers with the added pressure of a ticking time clock.

Zhao Zhihang and Sha Mier, together with the other three finalists, made it to the last stage of the competition out of 145 college students from 122 countries.

Front from left to right: He bende, Sha Mier, Zhao Zhihang, Mu Chenpeng and Liu Siyuan. [Photo by Wei Jia/China.org.cn]

And what a final it was. When it comes to working a crowd, Zhao Zhihang was no slouch, rendering fluently a catchy rap in trendy Chinese words. Not to be outdone, Liu Siyuan from Australia performed a graceful dance in tribute to her idol Yang Liping, one of the most famous dancers in China. It was a pity that Liu Siyuan could not master Chinese as smoothly as she could those dance moves, which caused her, the only female finalist, to strike out in the first round.

The elaborately designed second round took two more contestants out of the running. The sections questions, which were threaded together with magic performances mostly inspired by the ancient Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road, a major theme of this years competition, proved too much for Mu Chenpeng from the US and He Bende from Germany. And Zhao Zhihang went on to see off Sha Mier and win the competition.

Apart from the impressive performances by the contestants, the person who stole the show was a dainty girl from Sudan who made a moving guest appearance. Born blind, Li Can, a student at the Confucius Institute at the University of Khartoum, wanted nothing more than an opportunity to learn Chinese in China. Despite her handicap, Li Can made a habit out of listening to Chinese tapes and imitating the people speaking on them, devoting herself to learning Chinese with an indefatigable fervor.

Li Can, in the middle, singing The Invisible Wings with her classmates at the Confucius Institute at the University of Khartoum. [Photo by Wei Jia/China.org.cn]

Her favorite Chinese song is "The Invisible Wings," an inspirational and life-affirmative song that extols the strength of being fearless no matter the obstacles. She could sing it so well that its almost impossible to tell whether it was a native Chinese speaker singing when she sang the song or not. When the music to the song played in the venue where the final was being held and Li Can began to sing it with such power, she must have known that the Chinese language and her tenacity were the wings that brought her to Changsha.

After singing the song and sharing her story with the panel of judges and the audience, it was announced that Li Can had passed the Chinese proficiency test (HSK), especially held for her alone, with flying colors and she was granted a scholarship because of her grades by the Confucius Institute Headquarters (Hanban) on the spot so that her dream of studying in China could come true.

Li Cans passion for the Chinese language and Chinese culture is shared by all the contestants of the Chinese Bridge competition, an event that is more about helping the outside world better understand China than deciding who can speak better Chinese.

The grand finale of this years Chinese Bridge, like those before it, saw a new group of energetic and talented young people who are fascinated with the Chinese language and Chinese culture take the center stage. Their moment in the limelight is not only about their mastery of Chinese, but also the appeal of the countrys culture and language with a splendid history and an even brighter future.
A high-level think tank has suggested the population of the Xiongan New Area, a new economic zone about 100 kilometers southwest of Beijing, should be capped at 5 million, the Beijing News reported Saturday.

The report by the think tank affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said the population density of the new area should not be too high with an initial population of about 1 million and a long-term limit of 5 million.

The report said Xiongan will primarily serve as a new home for Beijing's "non-capital" functions, while driving the development of neighboring Hebei Province. With this primary goal, the new area should avoid a surge in population and sidestep the "big city disease" that Beijing is suffering now, the report noted.

The think tank was set up last year to look at the integrated growth of Beiing, Tianjin and Hebei.

The new area will be built in several stages. In the first stage, an area of 100 square kilometers will be developed, with 200 sq kms to be developed in the middle stage and 2,000 sq kms in the long term.

In the long term, its population density will be 2,500 people per sq km, lower than Shenzhen special economic zone, Shanghai Pudong new area and Tianjin Binhai new area. In 2015, there were 5,713 people per sq km in Shenzhen, 3,809 in Shanghai, and 1,323 in Beijing.

China announced plans to establish the Xiongan New Area in April. It covers Hebei's Xiongxian, Rongcheng and Anxin counties with a total area of 1,577 sq kms. Currently there are 380,000 people in Xiongxian, 390,000 in Rongcheng and 260,000 in Anxin.

In the initial stage, most of the development will occur near beaches and on agricultural land some distance from all three county seats. The initial urban residents are expected to mainly come from higher education institutions, research institutions, administrative institutions and corporate headquarters that move from Beijing.

Xiongan will also recruit talents from across the world to help its development.

To house people moving from Beijing, Xiongan will provide public rental housing or encourage these institutions to build apartments for their employees.

Xiongan will focus on development of high-end industries in the future and develop a smart and green city.

The current urban and rural population in the three counties will mainly engage in the service industry in the future or may enter employment which demands less complicated skills.
China's coal producers posted higher profits in the first half of this year as the country made progress in reducing capacity in the bloated industry.

Large coal companies earned 147.5 billion yuan (about 22.1 billion U.S. dollars) in total profits in the first half, 140.3 billion yuan more than the same period of last year, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic planner.

The turnaround came after China forced about 111 million tonnes of coal production capacity out of the market in the first six months, 74 percent of the annual target.

Last year, China eliminated 290 million tonnes of overcapacity in the coal industry.

With more than 400 million tonnes of coal capacity shed since last year, China has accomplished half of its goal of reducing 800 million tonnes of coal capacity in the 2016-2020 period, the NDRC said.

The effort to trim overcapacity is part of China's bid to overhaul the economy as its growth slowed.

The coal industry has become more orderly, with rare illegal capacity expansions and a better industrial structure, according to the NDRC.

It said more measures will be taken to dispose of debt-ridden zombie companies, resettle laid-off workers and encourage mergers and restructuring.
The "comfort woman" Huang Youliang passes away in China. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

A Chinese woman forced into front-line brothels for Japanese troops during World War II died on Saturday, bringing the number of surviving "comfort women," a euphemism for sex slaves, to only 14 on the Chinese mainland.

Huang Youliang died at the age of 90 at her home in Yidui Village in China's southern island province of Hainan.

In October 1941, 15-year-old Huang was raped when the Japanese troops invaded her hometown. She was later put into a brothel and forced to have sex with Japanese soldiers for two years.

In July 2001, Huang and seven other "comfort women" sued the Japanese government, demanding an apology, but the Japanese court repeatedly rejected their appeals over the past decade, claiming that individuals have no right to sue the state.

Women forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army before and during World War II were called "comfort women." Research shows some 400,000 women in Asia were forced to be "comfort women" for the Japanese army during World War II, nearly half of whom were Chinese.

However, the Japanese government has refused to acknowledge legal responsibility for the "comfort women" issue so far.

Efforts by a total of 24 Chinese "comfort women" to sue the Japanese government in four cases since 1995 all failed. Huang is also the last victim to have sued the Japanese government over sex slavery on the Chinese mainland, according to Su Zhiliang, director of a research center on comfort women under the Humanities and Communication College of Shanghai Normal University.








U.S. President Donald Trump [Xinhua]





Last week, Donald Trump unveiled the reforms he hopes to make to American legal immigration policy. Unsurprisingly -- as with almost everything Trump has to say about immigration, legal or otherwise -- left-wing media immediately attacked the proposed changes, calling them everything from un-American to racist.

Indeed, for many on the left, the reforms are intimately linked with Trump's other highly controversial immigration policies -- like the Mexican Wall and the ban on Muslims from some countries -- and many commentators seem incapable of speaking about them in isolation.

However, what's interesting is how vapid the left's criticisms of the policies actually are (also interesting is the fact Trump modeled the policies on the immigration systems of two countries regularly praised by liberals, Canada and Australia).

Rather than attacking the specifics of the plan, they've mostly resorted to accusations of xenophobia and to citing America's history as an immigrant-friendly country. Looking at the specifics of Trump's plan, however, it's somewhat difficult to understand why it's so controversial.

The plan would be based on a points system: People wishing to migrate to America would be awarded a certain number of points based on specific factors, and those with the highest number of points would be given entry priority.

Potential immigrants would get points based on their age (with people aged 26 to 30 receiving the highest number of points), education (with people holding doctorates from American universities receiving the most points), and English ability.

Also taken into account would be the immigrant's salary compared to the median household income of the state in which they'd be working (so, for instance, if the immigrant would be making 300 percent of the state's median household income, they'd receive 13 extra points) and whether or not the immigrant has a Nobel Prize or an Olympic Medal.

The plan would also -- and this may be one of its most contentious points -- reduce the number of legal immigrants entering the country over the coming several years.

So, what are they left's arguments against it? To get a broad idea, I'd recommend watching CNN's Jim Acosta question Stephen Miller, Trump's senior policy advisor, about it during a White House press conference. Acosta brings up the poem affixed to the Statue of Liberty's base, which is often quoted when someone wants to highlight American's history as a country welcoming of immigrants, and the story of his father, who fled from Cuba to the U.S. in the 1960s.

However, these are emotional arguments, not serious, factually-based ones, and Miller quickly gained the upper hand in the conversation by asking Acosta a very simple question: What is the number of immigrants that should be allowed into the U.S. each year to meet the standards of the Stature of Liberty poem?

Acosta gave no direct answer, making it clear that, whatever thinking he'd done about immigration policy, was largely superficial.

And this superficiality regarding immigration is embedded throughout the leftwing pronouncements. No doubt most liberals would consider themselves pro-immigrant, but the problem is that this label doesn't mean anything.

How many immigrants does someone have to support coming into their country for them to be considered pro-immigrant? Surely many people consider Trump anti-immigrant, but is someone really anti-immigrant if they're still allowing hundreds of thousands of foreigners to legally enter their country each year?

Answers for these questions might exist, but the left's problem is that they haven't thought them through. Rather than calling people racist or xenophobic, they should come up with specific immigration plans and be able to explain why their plan is best for the country. Until they do, it's going to be hard to take their criticisms of Trump's policy very seriously.

One does have to question Trump's choice, however, to have Stephen Miller publically defend his immigration proposals. Miller came into the public eye at the beginning of the year when he made a series of TV appearances that were criticized not only by people on the left, but some on the right as well.

Miller is a dreadfully cold and uncharismatic public speaker, and several incidences from his past have been dredged up that would make one question his tolerance towards people who aren't white. Letting someone who many on the left already view as one of Trump's most racist advisors be the voice of an immigration policy proposal that was obviously going to be denounced as racist was a very poor tactical decision.

However, it's the immigration policy, and not Stephen Miller, that the left is going to have to attack in a credible way if they want centrists to pay attention. Insults are a far cry from productive debate.





Kyle Burnaby is a journalist from Cheyenne, Wyoming. He now lives in Bangkok.





Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.


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Activists said on Saturday that 25 rebels were killed by a blast near the Syrian-Jordanian border.

The slain rebels were from the Jaish al-Islam militant group and lost their lives when a blast targeted their position near the Nasib border crossing with Jordan a day earlier, according to the London-basded Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Nasib is located in the southern province of Daraa.

No party has yet claimed responsibility for the explosion but the Islamic State (IS) extremists have previously carried out similar bombings in the same area.

The blast came as the Syrian army said it had captured 30 km of the borderline with Jordan in the southern province of Sweida near Daraa.
US President Donald Trump will reportedly sign an executive memorandum on Monday authorizing the US trade representative to determine whether to investigate the allegedly "unfair" Chinese trade practices, which could pave the way for punitive tariffs on Chinese exports.

But it is of critical strategic significance that his administration demonstrates reason and avoids making a rash decision it will soon regret.

Given Trump's transactional approach to foreign affairs, it is impossible to look at the matter without taking into account his increasing disappointment at what he deems as China's failure to bring into line the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. His idea of exploiting trade as a bargaining chip in dealings with China dates back to the campaign trail.

But instead of advancing the United States' interests, politicizing trade will only acerbate the country's economic woes, and poison the overall China-US relationship.

Blaming China for "unfair" trade is unfair in the first place. The trade imbalance, regular fodder for China-bashing on Capitol Hill, is to a great extent, self-inflicted, an outcome of the US' political restrictions on exports to China. Yet this essential aspect is conspicuously absent in the US' narrative. The list of US gains in trade with China can grow or shrink, depending on how trade issues are handled.

While Trump's prior identity as a businessman may explain his transactional propensity, the deal he seeks demands the impossible of Beijing.

It is unfair for him to consign the burden of dissuading Pyongyang on Beijing; likewise to accuse Beijing of doing "little" or "nothing".

East Asia expert and former US ambassador to the Republic of Korea Christopher Hill was correct in observing Trump should not "outsource" the US' own troubles to China.

As Chinese President Xi Jinping again told Trump Saturday, Beijing also seeks denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. It would not have voted in favor of the latest United Nations resolution against Pyongyang's missile/nuclear adventures if this was not the case. The only difference is, Beijing wants to break the circle of escalation.

By trying to incriminate Beijing as an accomplice in the DPRK's nuclear adventure and blame it for a failure that is essentially a failure of all stakeholders, Trump risks making the serious mistake of splitting up the international coalition that is the means to resolve the issue peacefully.

Hopefully Trump will find another path. Things will become even more difficult if Beijing and Washington are pitted against each other.
BEIJING - China is concerned about the European Union's anti-dumping probe against Chinese tire products and urges the EU to use trade remedy measures discreetly, an official with the commerce ministry said Friday.

The European Commission, or the EU's executive arm, announced on Friday that it would launch an anti-dumping investigation into truck and bus tires imported from China.

There is no sufficient evidence that Chinese exporters are dumping truck and bus tires onto the EU market and hurting EU industries, said Wang Hejun, head of the Ministry of Commerce trade remedy and investigation bureau.

The amount of Chinese tire exports to EU countries has remained stable in the past two years, said Wang, who attributed lower product prices to a decline in global commodity prices.

In February this year, the United States terminated its anti-dumping investigation against bus and truck tires from China as no damage to US industry was found.

Chinese and European tire firms have enjoyed close cooperation, and the EU-initiated probe will not only undermine the interests of Chinese enterprises, but also affect the development of the EU tire industry and the benefits of its own consumers, Wang said.

The Chinese government is highly concerned with the EU investigation and will protect the justified rights of Chinese companies, he said.

The EU, a WTO member, should have stopped using the surrogate country approach to conduct anti-dumping investigations against China by Dec 11, 2016, said Wang, citing Article 15 of the accession protocol signed when China joined the WTO.

He urged the EU to fulfill its WTO obligations by conducting the investigation fairly and using trade remedy measures discreetly.
ACCRA - The China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) has completed the conversion of Ghana's Nuclear Reactor from a Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) reactor to a Low Enriched Uranium (LEU) one.

At a ceremony to celebrate the completion of work here Thursday, China's Ambassador to Ghana Sun Baohong noted that this project had opened a new window in the bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

In response to the Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI) by the United States, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) supported the conversion of Ghana's HEU plant installed in 1994.

"This is another achievement we have chalked in our bilateral cooperation," Sun noted during the inspection of the facility.

She added:" It is a good day because it is the start of another opportunity in our cooperation. China and Ghana are longstanding friends and we have carried out a lot of cooperation in all fronts and nuclear energy; we have carried out cooperation for 25 years."

She noted that Ghana was ahead of many other African countries in the field of nuclear energy, adding that the program is very significant in various respects.

"This program is very significant to the global non-proliferation undertaking. It is also significant to enrich our cooperation in science and technology. And it is also very important for the further steps of Ghana to engage in peaceful use of atomic energy and in this context I firmly believe that it has opened a new window for our cooperation," Sun said.

The ambassador pledged the full support of the embassy to the cooperation on nuclear power development between Ghana and China to enable engagement with the Atomic Energy Commission in further exploring the possibilities in cooperation.

China was chosen by the IAEA to carry out the more than $20 million conversion project because the original HEU reactor was of Chinese origin. The process involved replacing the original core of the reactor which has 90.2 percent uranium enrichment with one that is below 20 percent.

"We've been cooperating very closely with China on the technical front and also financial assistance for the whole project. We are appreciative that now the conversion is finished and today we would put power in the thing as a way of beginning the whole process of application of this technology," Kweku Aning, Chairman of the Governing Council of GAEC, said in his brief remarks.

Among the Chinese institutions which have cooperated with the GAEC over the years and on the project are China National Nuclear Corporation(CNCC), China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA), China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE) and China Atomic Energy Commission (CAEC).

"Our cooperation with China in the area of nuclear has been very beneficial, especially for research, for training and also support for industry, nuclear security and other issues so they have helped us move from Highly-Enriched Uranium (HEU) to Lower Enriched Uranium (LEU)," Anning added.

He expressed the hope that GAEC and the Chinese institutions would continue to collaborate to make Ghana's dream of becoming a nuclear power a reality.

Director of the Nuclear Research Institute of Ghana, Francis Ofosu, told Xinhua that the nuclear reactor had been very useful for the country as countless number of students had used it over the past two decades for their Masters and Ph.D level research work.

"With the completion of the conversion, a major hurdle has been cleared and our research is back into full operation," he added.
HAVANA - Leaders from China and Cuba's silk industry gathered here on Friday to discuss ways to expand silk production in the Caribbean country and explore a new area of bilateral growth.

The seminar sponsored in Havana by the Center for Foreign Economic Cooperation (CCEE) of the Ministry of Agriculture of China offered guidance on improving the production and industrialization of silk in Cuba.

"This is not only a training project, but also contributes to China-Cuba cooperation. We hope this course can become a platform where we can share information, attract business investment and increase exchanges," said Li Bin, representative of the CCEE.

The day included conferences, visits to production sites and workshops where participants learned new techniques in silk development.

The Ministry of Agriculture of Cuba has a five-year sericulture, or silk farming program, and seeks to expand not only its knowledge of the sector but also attract Chinese investment.

Cuba is adopting sericulture as a sustainable alternative to support the development of its biomedical, biotechnological, cosmetic and textile industries, expecting it to increase incomes and jobs.

"Our courses here cover the whole process, from cultivating silkworms to producing silk, to silk cocoon processing, dying, weaving and even include the medical use of silk fiber," Wei Kai, a professor from the Soochow University located in Suzhou City, eastern China.

Wei and three other Chinese experts on the subject will provide training to more than 20 Cuban officials.

"China has been cooperating with Cuba for five years now and there is a small sericulture experimental field in operation. Our courses here are intended to introduce all relevant technology and products in the sericulture downstream industrial chain to Cuban researchers," he told Xinhua.

Luo Zhanyong, chairman of Guangdong SILDA Silk Co, said that this exchange will allow China and Cuba to expand cooperation in this sector.

"We hope to take the technological and industrial system of silk production beyond China. Cuba's silk sector has just started and we hope to have a development opportunity in Cuba via this industry," he said.
Xiamen, a coastal city in East China's Fujian province, is China's most popular destination for graduates to visit in 2017, according to a ranking list released by biaozhun007.com, an evaluation institute, and travel platform Mafengwo.com.

Xi'an, capital city of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, and Sanya, South China's Hainan province, ranked at second and third respectively.

The list is based on popularity for graduates, number of hostels and scenic spots. The top 10 tourist destinations are as follows:

No 10 Dunhuang
Two men chat beside a logo of Alibaba at its headquarters on the outskirts of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Agencies]

HANGZHOU - Chinese tech giant Alibaba has signed an agreement with its home city government to use the company's technology to create an online system for house rentals.

The system will cover apartments put up for rent from all sources - the government, individuals, real estate developers and agents, according to the agreement signed earlier this week.

People seeking rental housing in Hangzhou city, Zhejiang province, will be able to use the application and website created by Alibaba for every stage in the process, from searching for apartments to signing contracts and payment.

Information on apartments, user reviews, and credibility ratings of owners, renters and agents will all be shared, said Han Junqing, director of Hangzhou Real Estate Registration Center.

The smart house renting system, as it is called, will be supported by Alibaba's big data, online payment technology, and commerce credit system and can prevent fraudulent deals, sources with the government and Alibaba said.

China's housing rental market in major cities has been dominated by real estate agents, and fraud and disputes are not unusual.

Though some big real estate companies already have apps, the information is not shared with others. Apartment seekers have to repeatedly compare offers from different apps, and these companies lack a mature credit system comparable to Zhima Credit from Alibaba subsidiary Ant Financial.

The Chinese government is prioritizing the development of its rental market to rein in runaway home prices in the country's big cities. Hangzhou is among the first 12 cities chosen by the central government to take bold reforms to boost the rental market.
BEIJING - Chinese experts appealed for more efforts in intellectual property rights (IPR) protection for online images at a workshop in Beijing.

Experts in IPR protection and visual content suggested improvement in legal protection, establishing industry norms and more public awareness.

The workshop, hosted by the Copyright Society of China, was the first one to discuss copyright infringement of online images in China.

Online pictures are often "stolen" on popular services such as WeChat and Weibo, and those who post the images usually do not know they are violating IPR protection rules, said the experts.

"Public awareness of IPR protection is most important for copyright protection for online images," said Wang Ziqiang, an official from the Copyright Society of China.

Infringement is not just committed by individual users but also online organizations, including news providers and big companies.

According to Yang Dejia, a judge from the Beijing Haidian District People's Court, the district-level court tried more than 2,800 cases related to online image copyright infringement in the first seven months of 2017.

It is necessary to update the current IPR law and regulations to meet the new demands of today's digital world, said Lin Qiang, an official from the Images Copyright Society of China.

Chai Jijun, founder of Visual China Group, suggested a communication and cooperation plan with large Chinese Internet companies to protect online image copyright.
CHANGSHA - More than 700 residents in a central China village were evacuated Saturday as a dam above it was breached during heavy rain and landslides.

Heavy rain has pounded parts of Hunan Province since Friday. At a village in Yueyang County, rain-triggered landslides clogged the floodway of a dam, causing a surge of water in the dam and collapsing the dam wall, the local government reported.

Dozens of houses were flooded, but there were no casualties as all villagers were evacuated in time, it said.

Across the province, floods trapped hundreds in the county of Pingjiang and the city of Jishou. Landslides occurred in Luxi county.

Water at a section of the Yuanjiang River has surged nearly seven meters in the past 24 hours.

The Hunan provincial weather forecast bureau said heavy rain will continue on Sunday.
BEIJING - China's Ministry of Public Security has been investigating crimes related to earthquake rumors online and charity fraud after a deadly earthquake struck Southwest China's Sichuan province, the ministry said Saturday.

Rumors of earthquakes in different areas in China created and spread by several Internet users since the Sichuan earthquake have caused social panic and harmed social stability, according to the ministry.

The ministry has put four people under administrative detention for sending rumors via Wechat, a Chinese mobile instant messaging app with millions of users.

The ministry also launched an investigation into charity fraud that took advantage of people's sympathy for the earthquake victims.

Internet users should not create, believe, or pass on rumors, said an official with the ministry.

The ministry welcomes reports of online rumors from the public.
Such studies help prepare children for higher education abroad

Chinese students visit King's Coll countries. TAN XI/ FOR CHINA DAILY

When Chinese parents first sent their children to the UK for summer camps and courses, the kids stayed with host families and attended standard language schools. Now, some of the UK's most celebrated private schools are competing to attract Chinese children to their summer programs.

As the number and sophistication of Chinese customers has increased, so have their requirements. Most parents are looking for quality courses at a well-known school with on-site accommodations. Parents also are willing to send their children abroad at a younger age.

English language skills in China have improved in schools, leading to more Chinese parents considering enrolling their children in specialized summer courses or specific skill-development classes.

"Many young people in China want to ensure that their academic performances are supported by training in the personal qualities that will make them excel in the multinational workplace of the future," said Alexander Nikitich, founder of Carfax Education Group.

As a result, the group receives more requests from students who want to use the summer to develop their skills in areas such as interview training, presentation making, English language for math and sciences and career planning.

Talent development at summer camp is increasingly popular among Chinese students. "We had a student who has been the national math competition prize winner, and a student with a desire and ability to sing opera," said Nikitich, who has worked in the industry for over 20 years.

The demand from Chinese families has grown so much in recent years that Carfax opened a dedicated Chinese desk three years ago operated by UK-based Chinese-speaking education consultants.

Nikitich said Chinese participants in his school program come from very rich families, the majority of whom are from Shanghai, Beijing and Shenzhen, but this year clients also come from other parts of China, such as Chengdu, Wuhan and Xiamen.

The recent trend also indicates that students who take part in overseas summer camps are getting younger as their parents are eager to equip them for further studies and potential emigration in the future.
A primary school student focuses on reading a book. [Photo by ZhangXingjian/chinadaily.com.cn]

For the past 35 years, teacher Jiang Yiming has been dreaming about being part of an education aid program.

"Now, I manage to do it before my retirement," the Shanghai Sanlin High School teacher says.

Jiang was one of 40 teachers dispatched by the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission to Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region on Aug 1 to support local education. It is the second group of teachers sent to Tibet since June 2016.

Jiang has been sent to the Shanghai Experimental School in Shigatse city for a one-year exchange program and will teach as a math teacher.

"Each time I watch news on Tibetan students' determination in pursuing their studies, my heart is shocked by those words and images," Jiang said, " Shanghai, a metropolis with rich educational resources, should shoulder the responsibility in bridging the gap in the field across the nation."

Unlike other remote areas in China that require education support, Tibet seems to be more challenging for those education volunteers due to its unique geographical conditions.
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]

The ongoing standoff between the Chinese and Indian troops in China's Donglang area seems to have spilled over into bilateral exchanges. According to reports, Shobha Karandlaje, Karnataka provincial general secretary of India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, has voiced support for a campaign against Chinese goods sponsored by the radical right-wing group Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

She also urged her party to "create awareness among the people about the problems caused by China at the border and the need to boycott Chinese goods". Boycotting Chinese imports, she believed, would teach China a lesson because "the economy of China is largely dependent on Indian markets".

In one way or another, Karandlaje was bluffingfor no good reason. Her perception of China's "economic reliance" on India is laughably wrong. China's trade surplus with India, its seventh-largest export market, reached $45 billion last year, but its exports to India accounted for just 2 percent of its total export volume. For India, China is its biggest trade partner and home to about 3.6 percent of the South Asian state's total exports.

Suffice to say, calling for the boycotting of Chinese products and those related to Chinese investors is not just a fool's errand but also risks backfiring. The truth is, China is no stranger to such "protests", most of which have ended up going down the drain partly due to the lack of participants.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has organized a 15-day "Boycott Chinese Products" campaign, and said the latest boycott, led by the group's economic wing Swadeshi Jagaran Manch, has received "huge support". But Chinese investments are resilient and Chinese goods are welcomed in India not only because they are affordable, but also because they match the market demand. It is the Indian economy that will suffer because of the boycott.

Chinese cellphones have grabbed over 50 percent of the market share in India, and are mostly assembled locally. Any attempt to keep them at bay or shut down Chinese-invested factories will hurt the Indian economy and cost Indian jobs.

Compared with imports from the West that boast advanced industrial chains, Chinese products are probably the only affordable, user-friendly choice for Indian consumers, owing to the fact that China and India are the world's two largest emerging economies. Beijing also has the need to transfer some of its excessive capacity; and India is among the most suitable destinations. The bilateral trade ties may be subject to turbulence if the boycott gets out of hand.

And the latest campaign against Chinese goods might not necessarily stem from the simmering border row between the two countries, because similar attempts to "play the economy card" and arouse nationalistic sentiment have appeared when regional elections approach. It is not likely to go far in pushing for a "complete ban" on Chinese imports, and the Narendra Modi administration is yet to make concrete moves to endorse the boycott.

But it is never too early for Chinese investors to protect their joint ventures in India, as China will not compromise in the face of the Indian troops' transgression.

Mao Keji is a researcher at the School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University. The article is an excerpt from his interview with China Daily's Cui Shoufeng.
Sino-US trade / China Daily

US President Donald Trump will sign an executive memorandum on Monday authorizing the US trade representative to determine whether to investigate China's intellectual property and trade practices, which could pave the way for Trump to use Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose tariffs on Chinese goods and eventually trigger a trade war.

Section 301 authorizes the US president to impose trade sanctions on countries that are judged to have violated trade agreements or engaged in unfair trade practices. Since 1989, the US has issued a Special 301 Report every year, focusing on intellectual property rights. The US Trade Representative put China on the "Priority Watch List" in 1989, and in 1991, the United States threatened China "with reciprocal sanctions in the form of 100 percent tariffs" imposed on a list of goods. Under this threat based on section 301, China narrowly averted an outright trade war by agreeing to a Memorandum of Understanding on the Protection of Intellectual Property in 1992.

In the next two decades, the US Trade Representative launched many investigations into Chinese companies. Despite that, the Chinese economy has developed robustly.

According to International Monetary Fund data, China's nominal GDP in 1989 was $461.10 billion and that of the US $5.66 trillion, or 11.39 times that of China. And China's GDP based on purchasing power parity in 1989 was $1.04 trillion, compared with the US' $5.66 trillion.

When a "Special 301" investigation against China was launched in 1991, China's nominal GDP was $415.60 billion and the US' $6.17 trillion, which was 14.86 times that of China. And China's GDP based on purchasing power parity was $1.26 trillion and the US' $6.17 trillion, or five times that of China.

But last year, China's nominal GDP reached $11.39 trillion, with the US' being $18.56 trillion, just 1.63 times that of China. But more importantly, China surpassed the US in terms of PPP based GDP$21.27 trillion compared with $18.56 trillion. In percentage terms, the US' purchasing power parity-based GDP was about 87 percent of China's.

On the foreign trade front, China's import-export structure used to be unbalanceda large percentage of the exports were primary products and imports mainly comprised manufactured goods.

But by the time the US launched investigations into Chinese companies based on the Special 301 clause in 1990, China's exports of manufactured products ($46.20 billion) exceeded its imports ($43.50 billion) for the first time. China has maintained a trade surplus since then.

China has gradually developed into the largest exporter of manufactured goods and the largest importer of primary products. Last year, it exported about $2.09 trillion worth of goods, about 10 times more than in 1989.

Apart from having a balanced import-export structure and a trade balance, China has climbed up the international value chain with its share of the global market increasing from only 0.9 percent in 1948 to 14.2 percent in 2015, about twice that of the US.

And that China made these achievements despite the US' continued use of the Special 301 clause of the Trade Act of 1974 shows that those investigations have had limited impact on the economic development of China. China has become the world's largest manufacturing economy and the largest exporter, and has the largest foreign exchange reserves. Therefore, the use of Section 301 by the US will not have much impact on China's progress toward stronger economic development and a better future.

The author is a researcher at the International Trade and Economic Cooperation Institute of the Ministry of Commerce.
CAI MENG/CHINA DAILY

: Since single children of their families are finding it increasingly difficult to take care of their parents, some provincial-level governments have formulated a policy to grant employees "nursing leave" so that they can fulfill their filial duties. Four experts share their views on how to better deal with the challenges of aging society with China Daily. Excerpts follow:

Uniform standard for regulations needed

Diao Pengfei, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Sociology, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences / CHINA DAILY

One of the consequences of China's one-child policy, which was implemented in the late 1970s, is that a couple, if both are the only child, may have to take care of four aged parents. And some of those born in the 1980s and 1990s, may even have to take care of up to six elderly peopletheir two parents and four grandparentswhich despite having the needed resources they cannot do owing to the pressure of work.

Now some local governments have formulated a policy to grant people "nursing leave" so that they can fulfill their parental duties. For example, a regulation passed by Henan province says, if a person's parents aged above 60 fall ill, the employer should grant him or her up to 20 days' paid leave per year to attend to his or her ailing parents.

And the Fujian provincial regulation says employers that do not grant their workers such a leave will be punished and barred from bidding for government projects, and denied market access as well as bank loans.

The problem is that there is no unified standard. The Henan regulation says people working in Henan are eligible for such a leave if their parents also live in the province while the Guangxi regulation states anyone working in the region can apply for the leave. There is a need to have a uniform standard for the regulations, although it is a welcome change to see local authorities are trying to address the problems of aging population.
Japan's political landscape is not expected to stabilize to suit Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's style of politics despite the Cabinet reshuffle on Aug 3. Support for his administration is not constant, although approval ratings have risen slightly.

Abe is becoming increasingly unpopular for his alleged involvement in scandals and his high-handed approach to important issues such as security-related legislation. While the Cabinet reshuffle has brought him some relief, big troubles remain. He is still embroiled in controversy for allegedly pressurizing the Ministry of Education to allow his friend Kotaro Kake to open a new veterinary school. Most of the people in Japan say Abe has not yet fully explained the issue in parliament.

The Ministry of Defense, under Tomomi Inada who resigned a week before Abe reshuffled the Cabinet, covered up Japan Ground Self-Defense Force's activities during a United Nations peacekeeping mission in South Sudan. The two houses of parliament held only ad hoc hearings on the scandal on Thursday as demanded by the opposition.

When his approval ratings reached a record high early this year, Abe was certain of leading the ruling Liberal Democratic Party well beyond 2020. But with his rating dipping since then, some LDP lawmakers are revving up for the party's leadership election in September 2018.

Former Japanese defense minister Shigeru Ishiba, who has openly criticized the Abe administration, has hinted he could contest the LDP's top post. Fumio Kishida resigned as foreign minister to become the LDP's policy chief, in an apparent move to prepare for the leadership election. Shortly after being appointed internal affairs minister, Seiko Noda had said she is ready to take on Abe for the LDP leader's post. Noda had distanced herself from Abe after her bid to win the LDP leadership election in 2015 failed.

The LDP has been dominating Japanese politics thanks to the weak opposition camp, which has failed to capitalize on the nosediving support for the Abe administration. However, new political undercurrents may be strong enough to bother Abe and the LDP.

Goshi Hosono, a member of the lower house of parliament and former deputy president of the Democratic Party of Japan, has quit the largest opposition party and is planning to float a new party. He is exploring various possibilities, including working with popular Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike. The fledging Tomin First no Kai, or Tokyoites First Party, which Koike effectively heads, dealt a crushing blow to the LDP and DPJ in the capital's assembly election in July.

In a Nikkei Shimbun survey on who should be Japan's prime minister, Koike ranked third, only behind Abe and former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi's son, Shinjiro Koizumi. Although Koike has brushed off speculations that she is interested in Japan's highest office, a member of the lower house and Koike protege, Masaru Wakasa, said on Monday that he has launched Japan First, a society which aims to train people interested in contesting elections in the future. Wakasa was expelled from the LDP for supporting Koike in the Tokyo governor's election last year.

Now an independent, Wakasa intends to establish a political party, using the Japan First society as its training base. And Koike is scheduled to deliver a lecture at the society's first meeting on Sept 16.

The Tokyoites First Party's big win has given Wakasa and other like-minded people hope for changing Japan's political dynamics. The new party could be an alternative choice for the public, which is unhappy with the Abe administration and the existing opposition parties. Some nonaffiliated lawmakers and DPJ members are said to be in touch with the Japan First society.

But before the new opposition forces gain ground, Abe could call a snap election, perhaps later this year. In an interview with the Nikkei Shimbun in January, LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai said: "The successor to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cannot be anybody but himself."

The future of Abe does not seem to be so sure now.

The author is China Daily Tokyo bureau chief. caihong@chinadaily.com.cn
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BEIJING - President Xi Jinping extended on Saturday condolences to his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, over a deadly train collision that killed 49 in the North African nation.

In a message Xi sent to Sisi, the Chinese leader said he is shocked to have learnt that the train accident that occurred close to Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria has resulted in heavy casualties.

Xi, on behalf of the Chinese government and the people, as well as in his own name, mourn the victims, and extended his sincere condolences to the injured and the families of those killed in the accident.
BEIJING - Vice-Premier Wang Yang will leave for Pakistan and Nepal to attend activities marking the 70th anniversary of Pakistan's independence and visit Nepal from Aug 13 to 17.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang announced it here on Saturday.
The power of youth to take action on climate change took a step forward when the United Nations Development Programme launched its summer camp for climate action in Beijing last week.

The camp aims to encourage young people to engage in tackling climate change and promote the development goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which lists 17 measures to end all forms of poverty, fight inequality and ensure that no one is left behind.

The opening ceremony in Beijing brought together 50 young Chinese participants, aged from 13 to 17. Over nine days, they will spend their time at the Panda Solar Station in Datong, Shanxi province, and participate into a variety of interactive activities covering several sustainable development topics, building teamwork and cooperation skills through debates and practical workshops.

Business leaders from the renewable energy and technology sectors will also share their insights with the participants to give them a better and deeper understanding of clean energy.

"Climate change is a defining issue of our time," said Agi Veres, UNDP China country director, at the opening ceremony. "Through exciting initiatives like this summer camp, UNDP can empower youth to take leadership on climate action today so that, by the time they become leaders in the future, they can be the generation to tackle climate change."

She hoped that the young generation would not only be the beneficiaries of prosperity but also key collaborators for promoting sustainable development and driving the achievement of these goals.

Last year, UNDP began a partnership with Panda Green Energy Group, which operates the Panda Solar Station, to promote clean technology and enhance engagement with the next generation of young leaders to take action on climate change.

The station uses different kinds of silicon solar cells, in black and grayish white, to present an image of two baby pandas when seen from above. The first stage is operating with a capacity of 50 megawatts, meaning its average daily output could supply 120 average Chinese households with electricity for a year.

Li Yuan, CEO of the group, said the station is not just a clean energy project but more a global platform to support young pioneers to lead action against climate change through sustainable and green development.
WASHINGTON - Doing anything unilateral against China on trade issues is expected to hurt both and produce no winner for the Trump administration, which has been searching through the policy toolbox for outdated means even without a consensus within itself.

Senior administration officials said on Saturday that Trump will direct the US trade representative (USTR) next week to determine whether to investigate China's trade practices under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

The move again raises grave concerns among the business community that Washington may unilaterally impose tariffs on Chinese products, triggering bigger trade conflict between the two largest economies of the world.

Besides, the US Commerce Department has launched the so-called Section 232 investigations into imported steel and aluminum products on the grounds of protecting national security. A Section 201 investigation led by US International Trade Commission on imported Chinese solar cells and modules is expected to release its findings in September.

All these tools have a common feature: they were meant for the pre-WTO era. Section 301 and Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974, and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 were all put in place during the Cold War era, and were rarely used since the launch of World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995.

In its heyday in 1980s, Section 301 was aggressively used by the Reagan administration against Japan to protect US automobile and semi-conductor industries. The US abuse of such unilateral actions, however, provoked widespread backlash from its major trading partners.

"This law was mostly deployed before an effective, internationally agreed system to solve disputes -- namely the WTO -- existed," said Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a think tank based in Washington D.C.
TEHRAN - Iran's parliament voted Sunday to allocate 520 million US dollars to develop missile program to fight the US "adventurism" and sanctions, state news agency IRNA reported.

A total of 240 lawmakers voted for the bill, out of the 244 parliamentarians present.

The vote came after fresh US sanctions in July against Iran, targeting Tehran's missile programme.

The bill mandates the government to allocate an additional 260 million dollars for the "development of the missile programme" and the same amount to the Revolutionary Guards's foreign operations wing, the Quds Force, state news agency IRNA said.
US President Donald Trump is expected to sign a memorandum on Monday to announce whether the United States will take the next step toward investigating China's policies and practices on intellectual property, a move that would likely cause more tensions in bilateral trade.

White House officials, speaking on Saturday on background, said Trump is expected to direct US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to determine whether to investigate any of China's laws, policies, practices or actions that may be unreasonable or discriminatory or that may harm US intellectual property and innovation technology.

Chinese officials have long insisted that the country has been taking steps to better protect intellectual property rights as part of a larger effort to create a more innovative economy.

Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a nonpartisan think tank based in Washington, described the possible action by the Trump administration as dusting off an outdated US trade law that allows the US president to unilaterally impose tariffs on another country.

Section 301 of the US Trade Act of 1974 was used most by the Reagan administration, when Lighthizer served as deputy trade representative.

Bown noted in his article posted on Peterson's website that US trading partners have become increasingly unhappy with such an "aggressively unilateral" approach, with the government acting as police, prosecutor, judge and jury.

"The fallout from Trump's rogue use of yet another outdated US trade law would be considerable," he wrote.

Mei Xinyu, a researcher at the International Trade and Economic Cooperation Institute of China's Ministry of Commerce, said that the unilateral move by the US "might trigger a trade war", while arguing that Section 301 has limited effect.

In the two decades between 1989 and 2009, the trade representative launched many investigations into Chinese companies, he wrote in an op-ed for China Daily. "Despite that, the Chinese economy has developed robustly."

"The use of Section 301 by the US will not have much impact on China's progress toward stronger economic development and a better future," Mei said.

If the US institutes an investigation, it would consult with China and seek interested parties who wish to comment. It would likely to be a hearing, and these investigations can take as much as a year before the US reaches a conclusion, according to a senior administration official.

The official said the executive memorandum Trump is expected to sign is different from an executive order. The memorandum itself does not order a Section 301 investigation. Rather, it authorizes the trade representative to decide.

The official also indicated that no firm decision has been made as to whether the US will pursue a case involving the World Trade Organization.

Wayne Morrison, a specialist in Asian trade and finance with the Congressional Research Service, said that if the US did not use the WTO dispute settlement process, and then imposed sanctions against China, it could generate concerns that the US was undermining the very process it fought to create when the WTO was established.

"China could also challenge the US use of unilateral sanctions in the WTO or might respond with its own sanctions against the United States, which could threaten to cause a trade war," he said. Zhao Ping, director of the international trade research department at the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Academy, said China, as a major exporter to the US, also has large amounts of imports from the US. If the Trump administration was to apply serious sanctions, it might set potential barriers for US products to enter the Chinese market.

Sino-US relations are of strategic significance, she said. "In addition to trade, the US government also needs China's help in a variety of ways, such as global governance, regional security and anti-terrorism."

Wei Jianguo, vice-president of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, said rising frictions are normal, but this doesn't mean there will be an intensive trade war, as the two countries and their economic and trade relations have become more interdependent.

The Trump administration has been addressing China-related trade issues in a different approach. If Sino-US trade ties were profoundly altered or damaged, it would possibly end an era of spreading global prosperity, according to Wei.

US consumers and manufacturers should be aware that China has provided them with cheaper and increasingly higher quality products and an increasing magnitude of foreign demand, but the country also lends much of its surplus saving to the US, Wei said.
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A Bellaire High School graduate described by her friends as passionate and strong was among those injured when a car plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, her mother said on a fundraising page.

Natalie Romero, 20, was one of at least 19 people hurt when a driver sped into a crowd in a pedestrian mall, according to this GoFundMe page. It shows Romero with a bloodied face and bandaged head.

Heather Heyer of Virginia, 32, died from her injuries and several others remained hospitalized on Sunday.

Those who know Romero said they weren't surprised the rising sophomore attended the counter-protest.

"She's so strong, bold, and fierce," said fellow University of Virginia student Yaselly Sanchez, who served as Romero's mentor through a UVA program for Hispanic students. "She's been very active and is grounded in her beliefs. She becomes iconic to everyone she touches, and she's a true gem who's only just beginning to shine."

Alexa Gracias, a rising junior, described Romero as "full of conviction" and the "most passionate girl I know."

Victoria Giron, another UVA student, praised her classmate as "very outspoken about issues affecting minority students."

As news of Romero's injury spread, Houstonians rallied around her. Some called her a "rock star" and a "hero," praising her for taking a stand for her beliefs.

"Natalie was there because of the person she is and to support the rights of everyone," Bellaire High Principal Michael McDonough wrote on Twitter. "Natalie has always had a strong spirit for being an active citizen. She was always a fervent rights advocate and her peers found her inspiring."

Romero balanced a college-prep workload at Bellaire High while serving as a leader in the school's Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. She was named Outstanding JROTC cadet for Houston ISD in May 2016. She earned the Harlan Andrews Founding Principal Scholarship for leadership, character and commitment to excellence, McDonough said.

The GoFundMe campaign to cover medical costs raised more than $6,000 in the first 12 hours.

Friends called Natalie a fighter and said they know she will make a full recovery.

"Her determined and optimistic outlook through her recovery process is nothing short of inspirational, and I just hope I'll be able to live up to her example in continuing the work she was doing when I get back to Charlottesville," fellow UVA student Patrick Talamantes said.

Naureen Ali, who has known Romero about three years, said Romero sent her a video from the rally Saturday morning before it turned violent. "She was very close to people who were heavily armed, but she was keeping herself safe. She was not somebody that would ever put herself in harm's way. She's very cautious and careful," she said.

Later Saturday, Ali said, Romero stopped responding to her text messages. Ali worried about her after seeing news reports about the car that ran into the crowd. A few hours later, Ali saw a post on Facebook that said Romero was hospitalized.

"She will need a lot of time to deal with this and move through this, but I think she will have a full recovery from the physical damage," Ali said.

Ali started working with Romero through HISD's EMERGE program, which helps low-income and minority students get accepted into Ivy League schools. She was Romero's program manager with EMERGE and helped steer her toward a selective scholarship program at UVA.

She said Romero, above all else, is "kind, caring, gentle and compassionate."

"She really speaks out against injustice at all levels for all people," she said. "So this story is extremely troubling. Had the perpetrator been possibly any other race or religion, this would be considered an act of terror."

Staff writer Jaimy Jones contributed to this report.
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Natalie Romero, a Bellaire High School graduate, was among those injured Saturday when a car plowed into a group of counter-protesters in Charlottesville during a white nationalist rally.

According to a Gofundme.com page set up by her mother, the 20-year-old is currently recovering in a hospital.

When news of her involvement in the counter-protest spread, Bellaire High School Principal quickly posted to his Twitter page that he was not surprised that the woman was there in defense of civil rights.

"As well as I know Natalie (BHS '16) , I'm not surprised she was at the event," said Michael mcDonough, principal, on his Twitter page.

"Natalie has always had a strong spirit for being an active citizen. She was always a fervent rights advocate and her peers found her inspiring," said McDonough in an email Sunday about the 2016 grad.

He said one of her most notable accomplishments was her leadership in the school's Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps. Romero was named as Outstanding JROTC cadet for all of Houston ISD in May 2016.

"She balanced a heavy AP course load along with her duties as lead JROTC cadet," said McDonough. "She was selected as an HISD EMERGE fellow which brought with it specific college prep programming. Additionally, she was awarded the Harlan Andrews Founding Principal Scholarship at graduation based on her leadership, character, and commitment to excellence."

So far, the fundraising page has garnered $3,800 in 11 hours.

Romero was one of 19 people injured, and one killed, when a car sped into a crowd at a mall where protesters were gathered.

"Natalie was there because of the person she is and to support the rights of everyone," said McDonough.
Dayton needs jobs. A national economy that has seen a steady decline from a high of 4.7 percent unemployment in February to a promising 4.3 percent in July has not affected Dayton residents - yet.

But there's some good news on the horizon with the addition of some new employers and the Dayton Chamber of Commerce's attempt to couple area businesses with a pool of candidates seeking jobs.

The business organization will be hosting the annual Job Fair in a few short weeks and this announcement serves notice to both businesses and prospective employees to get ready for the fair.

The event is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Dayton Community Center, 801 S. Cleveland St. in Dayton.

With the Texas economy hovering just above the national average and Dayton higher than that, Chamber Executive Director Paula Moorhaj is hoping the marriage between business and prospective employees will make a dent in the economic outlook for the city.

This is the first year the event has been sponsored by the Chamber.

"We still need employers who are offering jobs or considering adding someone in the near future to come and interview some great candidates," Moorhaj said. "What I'm seeing on our Facebook and through visits, there are a lot of people who need jobs in our area."

While the number may seem discouraging, the director said she believes the Chamber can make an impact.

"I think we will have a great turnout based on what we're seeing," she said. "We're calling local businesses to invite them out to participate and if they're looking for seasonal employees for the holidays, this would be the place to secure a worker."

The chamber is also reaching out to surrounding communities.

"Sometimes we don't have a lot of jobs to offer locally because we're small, but other towns like Crosby, Baytown, Beaumont or Cleveland might have the right position available," she said.

Moorhaj is planning on 30-40 businesses to be present at the job fair.

The city council began the job fair several years ago before Moorhaj was hired on at the Chamber, and so this year she takes the reins of the event.

"This really is part of the Chamber fulfilling its mission to help business and our community," she said.

"Our job is to promote economic growth in the city," the chamber executive director said.

Local business hiring local employees who spend money locally is the formula for helping the local economy.

The good news? The event is free to all!

"All I need is for businesses to let me know they are coming and we'll reserve a spot for them," Moorhaj said.

Businesses will be provided a table and two chairs. There will also be quiet rooms setup where they can interview employees away from the ball room if they desire.

"Job seekers should come with 10-12 resumes in hand and dressed professionally for the interview," she suggested. Moorhaj even offered to take a copy of the resume and keep on file at the chamber in the event they hear of job openings after the event.

There will be tables and chairs where employees can fill out paperwork and return to their prospective employer.

"Seasonal help, full-time or part-time help, we want Dayton working," she said.

The chamber has a form for employers to fill out and reserve a spot.

According to the United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics data, the state of Texas began the year at 4.8 percent unemployment and rose to its highest of the year at 5 percent in March and April. By May and June, the rate dropped to 4.8 in May and a year low of 4.6 in June, possibly reflecting the employment of students throughout the state.

The numbers are slightly higher than the national numbers that began at 4.7 percent in February and have steadily declined to 4.3 percent in July. The numbers add up to 1.074 million new jobs nationwide. Of those, Texas is responsible for 76,992 or 7.1 percent of the jobs added to the economy the first six months of the year. Texas hovers in the 12,000-plus mark but hasn't exceeded that by the end of the first six months.

Dayton began the year with an 8.5 percent unemployment rate that rose to 8.6 percent in February. There was a significant drop in April to 7.7 percent and to its year low of 7.3 percent in May and then rose slightly to 7.6 percent in June. That number is considerably higher than the state or national average. Those numbers reflect the city of Dayton proper and not surrounding areas included.

For more information on the job fair, please call the Dayton Chamber office at 936-257-2393.
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With his wife by his side and his son at his feet in front of him, new City Manager Theo Melancon received a big welcome from the residents and leaders of Dayton and Liberty as well.

Smiling from ear to ear throughout the ordeal, Melancon and his wife, Cecilia, couldn't believe the warm reception and the large turnout in their honor.

"We're very, very excited," he said. "We didn't expect such a turnout. It's wonderful to have a community that really embraced us pretty much since we walked through the door."

Hundreds of residents, city workers, city and county officials extended a warm welcome to the young family who moved here last month from Gladewater to take the reins at city hall.

"It means a lot to me to have that community support," he said.

His wife and son, Jeremiah, have already enjoyed days utilizing the city amenities.

"Cecilia and Jeremiah have spent a lot of time at the pool and parks," he said.

"He loves it," Cecilia said. "We have a lot of space for him to run around and explore."

Another benefit it they are only three hours from Theo's family in Rayne, La.

"My hometown is Rayne, the frog capital of the world," he laughed, "and I grew up just outside of town."

The similarities between Rayne and Dayton are what drew Theo to the area.

"Highway 90 runs through both towns and the railroad right next to it," he laughed.

Dayton's downtown area reminded him of Rayne, except his hometown has gone through a revitalization.

"It's definitely something I foresee here and both towns are about the same size," he said.

He also wants to put a stamp on himself here in Dayton as he grows and makes his mark.

"When you're in your hometown, people still see you as someone's cousin or little brother and not your own person," he said. He's ready to step out of the shadow and shine.

He's lived in Texas for five years and only has a license to claim being a Texan, but promises to work on changing his Louisiana accent to a Texan one.

His wife is a transplant from Michigan and couldn't be happier.

"I did my undergrad at Michigan State in nutrition and my MBA at Michigan," she said. She wanted to do more on the business and food service side of nutrition.

"There was an opening in Alpine, Texas, and I took that job," she said. The town is home to Sul Ross State University in the far west part of the state.

A recruiter had contacted her and told her of the opening and she was ready to go, but had no idea where it was.

"He told me I was three hours from a mall," she laughed, "but I told him I was good with Amazon."

She said the community was very tight-knit and welcomed her with open arms and the experience was truly positive.

The two millennials met in a rather unusual way - online.

"Being two working professionals in two small communities, it was hard to meet anyone outside of our workplace," she said.

She did her internship at Yale University, but loves the southern charm.

Married for five years, they have a 2-year-old that requires a lot of attention.

"Right now I'm taking care of Jeremiah and getting our house together for the time being," she said. A job might be on the horizon, but right now she's focused on motherhood.

Theo said he felt lucky to get a job where now he can grow along with the city.

"There are a lot of good people in town who see where Dayton needs to go and maintain an identity," he said. "I'll be nothing more than a shepherd to get us there."

He hopes to be here three, five, 10 years from now.

"I hope to continue to grow as a professional and be a better city manager as the city grows, too," he said.

Dayton, he said, will provide plenty of opportunity.

"I could see myself in other city jobs, but only for two or three years," he said. "I hope to be ushering in a new era for Dayton for a long time."

Their favorite hobbies include cooking together and karaoke.

"We're just thankful to be here and put our roots down here in Dayton and make a life for ourselves," she said, "and watch the community grow into the vision of the council."
The date to sign up for health care insurance is drawing near. This is the time of year when we start seeing posts on social media sites that claim our representatives in Washington, D.C., should be forced to purchase their coverage through the Affordable Care Act, better know as Obamacare.

Because I have grown tired of seeing these posts, and because I started wondering where our representatives bought their health insurance, I begin searching the Internet for answers. Here is what I discovered.

For years, members of congress could choose from many different plans that were offered by the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. That is no longer true.

As of January 2014, lawmakers and some of their staff are required to purchase their health care from ACA exchanges, now called marketplaces.

This came about because Senator Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, asked for an amendment that required lawmakers to get their health care through the marketplaces and a version of that amendment was adopted.

To offset the cost of the insurance, members of Congress get subsidy pay.

I do not understand why anyone making a six-figure salary needs help to pay for their health insurance.

The president and his staff are exempt from the amendment and will continue to purchase their health insurance through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.

Senator Grassley suggested yet another amendment to the health care bill. It would have prevented members of congress and their staff from receiving any subsidies.

As you can imagine, this provision was not popular.

To solve any arguments, and preserve the subsidies, President Obama issued an executive order. This allowed the Office of Personnel Management to announce if members of Congress and their staffs purchased insurance through the District of Columbia's Small Business Exchange, they would receive the same subsidies as they would have received under the ACA.

Last year, a federal judge ruled that executive order a violation of the separation of powers and violates the constitution.

Will President Trump's Justice Department try to appeal Presidents Obama's unlawful executive order? We will have to wait and see.

Don't hold your breath while waiting.
Five students at Dayton High School have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams.

The College Board's Advanced Placement Program (AP) provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to take rigorous college-level courses while still in high school, and to earn college credit, advanced placement, or both for successful performance on the AP Exams. About 22 percent of the 2.2 million students worldwide who took AP Exams performed at a sufficiently high level to also earn an AP Scholar Award.

At Dayton High School, three students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with scores of 3 or higher. Two of these students graduated with the Class of 2017 and one will graduate with the Class of 2018. The AP Scholars are Kayla Barnett (Class of 2017), daughter of Robert and Stephanie Barnett; Andrew Hicks (Class of 2018), son of Andy and Kelly Hicks; and Jessica Nunez (Class of 2017), daughter of Joseph and Maria Nunez.

One DHS student earned the achievement of AP Scholar of Honor. This student had a score of 3 or higher on at least four AP exams with an average of 3.25 on all AP exams taken. The DHS student receiving this honor is Derek Guinn (Class of 2018), son of Ronald and Essie Guinn.

Finally, one Bronco earned the achievement of AP Scholar with Distinction. This student was also Valedictorian of the Class of 2017. John Bartee, son of John and Kerri Bartee, scored a 3 or higher on 5 or more AP exams with an average score of at least 3.5.

Dayton ISD is very proud of the achievements of all its students.

Through 34 different college-level courses and exams, AP provides willing and academically prepared students with the opportunity to earn college credit or advanced placement and stand out in the college admission process. Each exam is developed by a committee of college and university faculty and AP teachers, ensuring that AP Exams are aligned with the same high standards expected by college faculty at some of the nation's leading liberal arts and research institutions.

More than 3600 colleges and universities annually receive AP scores. Most four-year colleges in the United States provide credit and/or advanced placement for qualifying exam scores. Research consistently shows that AP students who score a 3 or higher on AP Exams (based on a scale from 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest) typically experience greater academic success in college and have higher college graduation rates than students who do not participate in AP.

The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success - including the SAT and the Advanced Placement Program. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools.
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The San Jacinto County Commissioners Court approved the construction of a new road for the Camp Strake project during their Aug. 8 meeting.

Camp Strake is designed to give the Boy Scouts of America a first-class and state-of-the-art camp to provide for the various programs of the organization.

Originally located in Conroe, the new location is set on Hines Lake Road in the community of Evergreen. The location is also going to be used as a habitat for red-cockaded woodpeckers.

"We're really excited to be part of San Jacinto County," said Camp Strake COO Thomas Franklin.

Franklin and Project Manager Don Fernbach discussed the proposal and the necessity for a new road before commissioners.

"A number of parts of our development has driven us to the need for a new county road to access our property to meet the needs of the traffic to that site," said Franklin.

The plan is to use an existing easement through the Sam Houston National Forest and Hines Lake Road as part of the development of a two-lane road with a new access point brought in for the property. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) have already discussed their plans with the Sam Houston National Forest and Sam Houston Electric Cooperative (SHECO).

"We came to an agreement that if we ran the power underground to the right hand side of the eastern edge of Hines Lake Road all the way down to the corner of the property and turn and go in, we could bypass that habitat and it would allow us to do that," said Fernbach.

SHECO only agreed if a section of the road was closed to public traffic in order to install their underground utilities.

"The new road cut in would be maintained by the Scouts," said Fernbach.

Fernbach further stated that the road will not be a burden to the county and will be a chip-sealed road. However, the agreement with the county also states that the road will be turned over to the county in 10 years, to which Pct. 4 Commissioner Mark Nettuno objected.

"I think if you're going to take it, you need to take it and take it forever," he said. "Because in 10 years is when it's going to need to be redone."

Pct. 3 Commissioner Thomas Bonds, whose area of coverage involves the location for Camp Strake, also spoke on the matter and did not agree with the expenses being passed to San Jacinto County.

Fernbach explained that the BSA is set to pay for the road in its entirety. However, Bonds further commented that construction crews for the project have done serious damage to Hines Lake Road.

"Now I can't go out there and fix the road," he said. "We didn't tear the road up."

Bonds also states that he cannot see Camp Strake as a benefit to San Jacinto County.

Franklin countered by saying Camp Strake has the potential to bring in sales tax revenue into the county with a projected estimate 800 to 1,000 people onto the property every weekend. He also said the BSA is willing to address the 10-year portion of their agreement and will be willing to pay to maintain the road.

"We've got to have it," he said. "I can't have a one-lane road that can wash out."

Fernbach also commented on the issue and said the forestry service is not willing to widen the road due to the habitat for the local woodpecker population.

The court deferred action on the agreement between the county and the BSA but did approve constructing a new road with the obligation to maintain and build it being placed on the BSA. The motion was approved 4-1. Pct. 2 Commissioner Donny Marrs opposed.

Franklin also told Bonds the BSA is willing to help address the current condition of Hines Lake Rd.

"We're going to work with you to get that road fixed as soon as possible," he said.

In other news, the court listened to a presentation by Maurice Mascorro of NCIC Inmate Communications, Inc., regarding communication equipment for inmates in the San Jacinto County Sheriff's Office jail. No action was taken.

Sheriff Greg Capers and District Attorney Robert Trapp also discussed continuing the interlocal agreement with Houston Forensic Science Center, Inc., noting their efficiency in helping county law enforcement solve their cases.

The court also accepted the resignation of County Auditor Carole Martin.
A 28-year-old Houston man was charged with Assault Causing Bodily Injury-Family Violence on Aug. 5. The suspect and the victim are boyfriend-girlfriend. They got into a confrontation while at the victim's husband's residence in the 2200 block of S. Mission Circle. The victim took the suspect's keys and would not let him leave. He chased her, she fell and then the suspect allegedly got on top of the victim and choked her. His bond is set at $25,000.

A 25-year-old Friendswood man was charged with Assault by Contact. He is accused of assaulting his mother at their home in the 16700 block of Blackhawk Blvd.

Burglary

Two vehicles were broken into in the 2900 block of Park Bend Drive at approximately 5:51 a.m. on July 31. The victim told police that his dogs were barking at that time and he contacted a neighbor with surveillance video who confirmed a suspicious vehicle in the area. Both of the vehicles were left unlocked. A wedding ring, sunglasses, an iPod and some cash were stolen.

A burglary was reported at a residence in the 700 block of Hidden Woods Lane. The homeowner told police that he left for work at approximately 7:30 a.m. When he returned home at 6:00 p.m., he found the front and back doors to the home were unlocked. A drone, tools and landscaping equipment were stolen.

The theft of a firearm was reported in the 3200 block of Duchess Park Lane. The gun was taken out of an unlocked vehicle. The last time the victim remembers seeing the handgun was possibly July 28.

A purse was stolen out of an unlocked vehicle parked near the pavilion at Stevenson Park located at 1100 S. Friendswood Drive. The burglary occurred between 7:00 p.m. and 8:20 p.m. A purse was stolen out of a second vehicle parked in the same location. The victim of that burglary was in the process of contacting her credit card companies and discovered that one of her stolen credit cards was used at a Timewise gas station located on the Gulf Freeway in Webster.

Theft

A company vehicle was stolen from Sam the Plumber, located at 220 E. Edgewood, on July 26. The vehicle is described as a black 2000 Ford F250 truck with Texas license plates DGL0340. The vehicle has a yellow pinstripe down the length of the vehicle and there is some damage to the bed area of the truck. The vehicle had new 20" black rims and new tires.

The theft of sheetrock was reported at a home under construction in the 1600 block of Longwood Glen Lane. At the time of the theft, the sheetrock was inside the home. In total, 195 sheets of sheetrock were taken.

A League City woman may soon be charged with Theft of Service after she left the City Animal Hospital located at 400 N. Friendswood Drive without paying for services. The League City woman brought her dog into the clinic for an examination and received an estimate for services prior to the services being performed. When the suspect was presented with her invoice, she advised that she could not pay and left the business.

Two men walked into Rancho Mexican restaurant located at 146 W. Parkwood Avenue and stole a money jar used for a veteran fundraiser. The men were last seen leaving in a green Toyota 4-Runner with a light saber sticking out of the back. Police do have leads on the identity of the suspect.

Fraud

A Friendswood man reported four fraudulent ATM withdrawals from his bank account. He believes a card skimmer was used while he was out of the country.

A Friendswood man received a couple of email alerts regarding fraudulent transactions on his credit card. The charges were made at a League City Kroger, a Santa Fe Domino's Pizza and Bertand Express in San Leon. The victim suspects his son who was just released from prison.

A Friendswood man reported that someone opened up a joint account with his name with Bank of America. The suspect had transactions on the account of more than $12,000 and a $4,000 transfer out of another account. The bank's fraud division has frozen the accounts.

Criminal Mischief

On July 31, sometime overnight, a window was shot out of a vehicle parked in the 1900 block of San Joaquin Parkway.

Sometime between noon on July 30 and 12:41 p.m. on July 31, two tires were slashed on a vehicle parked in the 900 block of Riverside Court. A suspect has been named.

Narcotics

A 21-year-old Friendswood man was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was stopped for a traffic violation in the 16700 block of Blackhawk Blvd. He did not have a driver's license. The officer checked his identifiers and found that he had a Friendswood warrant. The warrant was confirmed and the suspect was taken into custody. During an inventory of his vehicle, the officer found some marijuana.

A 33-year-old Bay City man was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance in Penalty Group 1. The suspect was stopped in the 400 block of W. Parkwood Avenue with an expired temporary license plate. As the officer approached the vehicle, she noticed that the temporary tag was altered. A "7" was taped and reprinted over the original month. The suspect did not have a driver's license or insurance, and the suspect claimed that he was in the area checking dumpsters and gave the officer consent to search his vehicle. During the search, the officer found a baggie tucked in the steering wheel cover that contained methamphetamine. The bond was set at $60,000.

Friendswood Police are investigating the death of a 22-year old Houston man in the 16900 block of Hibiscus Lane. Several teens were at the location at the time of the death and the victim was found with a syringe in his pocket. A witness told police that the victim was just released from a drug rehab. The home was unkempt, full of garbage and in disarray. Police believe unsupervised teens are staying at the home. Another syringe partially filled with a dark liquid substance, possibly heroin, and a metal spoon were found in the deceased's back pocket. The Harris County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct an autopsy. A 37-year old man died in the same home from an accidental overdose in 2015.

A 19-year-old Friendswood man was charged with Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The suspect was stopped for a traffic violation in the 5000 block of FM 2351. When the officer approached the vehicle, the suspect only rolled down the driver's side window approximately two inches which was enough to emit the strong smell of cologne he had sprayed inside the vehicle. The suspect kept a hand tucked down in the seat, so the officer asked him to show both hands. She ordered him to do this several times before he complied. The suspect denied a request to search his vehicle. A police K-9 arrived and gave a positive alert for the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. A search was conducted and a baggie of marijuana residue was found.

A Friendswood man was charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance in Penalty Group 3. The suspect was stopped in the 17100 block of Blackhawk Blvd for a defective headlight. During contact with the suspect, the officer detected the smell of marijuana. The suspect exited the vehicle so that the officer could conduct a search. She first checked the suspect for weapons, but instead, found a baggie of Xanax in his pocket  113 tablets. During the search, the officer found a baggie of marijuana.

When an officer noticed a vehicle stopped in the roadway with both doors open in the 200 block of Whispering Pines, he stopped to see what was going on. Upon closer view, a woman was seen pushing a man over the center console into the passenger seat. The officer asked the female suspect, a 26-year-old, to exit the vehicle. However, when the officer asked the male to exit, he got no reaction. The male was extremely intoxicated to the point that he needed medical attention. Once the male exited the vehicle, the officer found a baggie of cocaine and Somas in the man's pocket. After a search of the vehicle was complete, officers found more Soma and Hydrocodone. The male was transported to the hospital and the female was taken into custody and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance in Penalty Group 3 and Possession of a Controlled Substance in Penalty Group 4. Her bond was set at $3,000.

Driving While Intoxicated

A 40-year-old Friendswood man was charged with Driving While Intoxicated and Fail to Notify Owner Upon Striking a Fixture. An officer observed the suspect strike a pole with a bicycle crossing sign on it with his vehicle in the 300 block of E. Parkwood. But, instead of stopping, the suspect continued to drive until he was finally stopped in the 3100 block of FM 528. The vehicle had significant front end damage, was leaking engine fluids and smoking. The suspect exited his vehicle and exhibited signs of intoxication. He had a bottle of alcohol and several prescription bottles inside the vehicle. The driver failed a field sobriety test and voluntarily gave a blood specimen. During booking, he was found in possession of Xanax.

A 53-year-old Houston woman was charged with Driving While Intoxicated. Her vehicle was first observed at the intersection of S. Friendswood Drive and Whispering Pines making an illegal turn and driving onto the median. Once the officer got turned around and followed the vehicle, she noticed the driver was crossing over the lane divider. During contact with the suspect, the officer detected the smell of alcohol and the suspect exhibited signs of intoxication. She failed a field sobriety test and refused a breath or blood test. A blood search warrant was granted.

Public Intoxication

A 35-year-old Friendswood man was charged with Public Intoxication and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. A witness reported an intoxicated male at the Ice Box gas station located at 1401 S. Friendswood Drive. According to the witness, the man narrowly missed being hit by a car in the parking lot and he appeared to be disoriented. When officers arrived, they contacted the suspect who exhibited signs of intoxication. He was standing next to his vehicle, he failed a field sobriety test and he was a danger to himself and others if allowed to leave in the vehicle. During an inventory of the vehicle, the officer found a partially rolled up marijuana cigarette and two Crown Royal bags containing marijuana residue.

Traffic

A 20-year-old Houston man was charged with No Insurance and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The suspect was stopped for an equipment violation in the 2300 block of S. Friendswood Drive. He was identified with his driver's license but he did not have proof of insurance. The suspect appeared overly nervous but did provide the officer with permission to search his vehicle. During the search, the officer located several drug paraphernalia items throughout the vehicle including a pipe and several baggies containing marijuana residue.

A 25-year-old Houston man was charged with Driving While License Invalid in the 5500 block of FM 2351. He was driving with expired registration. His driver's license was suspended and his passenger had an outstanding felony theft warrant for her arrest.

A rollover accident was reported in the 1000 block of W. Parkwood at 6:58 a.m. on August 5. When police arrived, a black Chevrolet Cruze was rolled over on the north side of the roadway, but there was no driver or passengers found at the scene. The owner of the vehicle was identified and police contacted his place of business. Coworkers reported that the man did not arrive for work. A receipt found inside the vehicle, led officers to a fast-food restaurant in Alvin where they were able to view surveillance video and identified the owner of the vehicle as the being the driver at approximately 5:30 a.m. that same morning. Police have still not had any contact with the driver/owner.

Found Property

An abandoned bicycle was picked up from the 1400 block of Cambridge Drive.

An abandoned trailer was towed from the 2500 block of W. Parkwood Avenue. The trailer had a blown tire, no registration and no license plates.

TIP OF THE WEEK

FISD has new times for some school zones. aThe start times of two schools are different from last year. Cline Elementary, on Briarmeadow Ave., has changed to an 8 a.m. start and 3:05 p.m. dismissal. Friendswood High School, on Greenbriar Dr., has changed to an 8:45 a.m. start and 3:50 p.m. dismissal. All other FISD schools times are the same as last year.

According to the Texas Department of Transportation, there were 663 vehicle crashes in school zones last year, resulting in 21 serious injuries. The most common factors contributing to these crashes were driver inattention, failure to control speed and failure to yield the right of way at stop signs.

Remember, cell phone use is banned in active school zones and violators face fines of up to $200 in school zones where signs are posted. Always obey school zone speed limit signs; traffic fines usually double in school zones. Drop off and pick up your children in your school's designated areas, not the middle of the street. Keep an eye on children gathered at bus stops. And, be alert for children who might dart across the street or between vehicles on their way to and from school.
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Dueling groups of armed protesters chanted and gave speeches Saturday outside Houston City Hall, sparring over immigration and police brutality even as the nation reeled from violence at a white nationalist rally in Virginia hours earlier.

Around 50 protesters from a left-leaning coalition read poems near Hermann Square and sang to voice their opposition to Senate Bill 4, while across the street about 15 counter-protesters from the Texas Patriot Network and Proud Boys chanted and waved a Texas flag.

"This is a protest against SB4, against police brutality and against the threat of fascism," said Houston Socialist Movement organizer David Michael Smith, who showed up armed and wearing a red hammer-and-sickle shirt emblazoned with an outline of Texas.

"Both of these things today are growing in significance and take on additional weight because of the threat from the far right, something that you see with open Nazis in the streets in Charlottesville, Virginia today," he said.

Across the street, conservative counter-protesters, some wearing camouflage, and others wearing Make America Great Again hats, offered a smattering of dissenting opinions, affirming their support for police and for SB4, the so-called "sanctuary cities" legislation. The law, signed by the governor in May, gives police officers new authority to question a detained person's immigration status and blocks local governments from passing laws that would prohibit such question.

"We're here to show our congressmen, our Senate and all of our police that we stand behind them enforcing the laws," said Jeremy Brooks of the Texas Patriot Network.

When asked if he'd still support Houston police Chief Art Acevedo in light of his opposition to SB4, Brooks said he supported the chief's right to his own opinion.

"It's his job to enforce the law. Whether or not he agrees with them, guess what, he has to enforce the law," he added.

"How would you feel if he said, 'You know what? I drink, I like alcohol so I'm going to allow people to take to the streets drinking and driving because I choose not to enforce that law."

Fellow counter-protester Laura Lee echoed Brooks' concerns.

"We don't support racism or inequality, but we want our laws followed," she said. "Illegals are not immigrants. They're breaking the law to be here."

For much of the protest, left-leaning groups ignored their opponents across the street.

"We always come here peacefully and they always come hard," Leobardo Santillan said in Spanish. "We are tired of that intimidation. We are tired of the border watch and the rednecks and now some of ours had to come armed because we are responding in the same form. So they can see we are not afraid."

At times, the protesters converged at a police barrier along Walker, briefly trading barbs before police calmed the crowd.

As the afternoon wore on, the situation degenerated to juvenile taunts, with one anti-immigration activist hurling fat-shaming insults while those on the left stared back in stony silence.
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A gunman is on the loose after a Sunday morning shooting in north Houston.

Bystanders spotted a man running into an apartment complex at Werner and Tidwell around 3 a.m.

Two shots rang out and then the man came running back out and fled down the street and around the corner, according to police.

A witness called 911 and first responders found a wounded man in the parking lot.

The victim had been shot twice, once in the left arm and once in the right hip. He was rushed to Memorial Hermann Hospital in serious but stable condition.

Authorities did not immediately release a suspect description or motive.
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A few hundred people stood at the foot of Houston City Hall to support Bellaire graduate Natalie Romero and the other Charlottesville victims and to denounce the hatred expressed during that rally near the University of Virginia.

Many carried signs, a few reading "Houston loves diversity," "White silence = white consent" and "True patriotism fights hate."

RUMBLES IN HOUSTON: Armed protesters square off outside Houston City Hall

The organizers handed out miniature American flags, red roses and candles. The crowd was emotional, many tearing up, especially when an organizer led a chant of the name Heather Heyer, the woman who was killed when a sports car rammed into counterprotesters Saturday, and when Romero's mother spoke.

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Now Playing: A few hundred people stood at the foot of Houston City Hall to support Bellaire graduate Natalie Romero and the other Charlottesville victims and to denounce the hatred expressed during that rally near the University of Virginia. Video: Houston Chronicle

The crowd was very responsive, cheering on the speakers and participating in rousing chants, including "No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA!"

Organizers led in songs, including "This Land is Your Land."

"We are shocked, saddened, and deeply troubled at the murder of one of the protesters and the injury of many others. We reject this violence, and the violent white supremacist ideology that fuels it," event organizers wrote online.

"We in Houston express our solidarity with the brave people who stood against fascists in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday."

The vigil is co-sponsored by several groups, including Socialist Alternative Houston, Democratic Socialists of America - Houston, FIEL, Pantsuit Republic and Indivisible Houston.

The gathering comes a day after a car plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters opposing a white nationalist rally near the University of Virginia. One woman was killed, and a Bellaire High School graduate was among the at least 19 injured.

THE SCENE: Bellaire High grad among those injured when car drove through crowd

Left-leaning Houston protesters denounced the violence at an unrelated event opposing SB4 Saturday.

"These things today are growing in significance and take on additional weight because of the threat from the far right, something that you see with open Nazis in the streets in Charlottesville, Virginia today," David Michael Smith of the Houston Socialist Movement said at the pro-immigration rally.

Over the weekend, Black Lives Matter Houston threw its weight behind gatherings opposing white nationalism.

"We support the efforts of those who are gathering to denounce the white supremacist that are terrorizing the citizens of #Charlottesville," the group wrote on Facebook. "We stand firmly on the truth that BLACK LIVES MATTER. We are Black Lives."

HISTORY IN TEXAS: See the Confederate monuments, slavery artifacts in Texas
A fight that led to gunfire and a SWAT standoff in southwest Houston ended Sunday morning with one person wounded and another in handcuffs.

Two men got into a verbal altercation around 1:30 a.m. outside the Woodscape Apartments in the 9700 block of South Gessner.
A 'Unite the Right' organizer has issued a statement blaming Charlottesville government officials for violence.

Organizer Jason Kessler, along with others behind the rally, including Richard Spencer, plan to hold a press conference this afternoon.

"The blame for today's violence is primarily the result of the Charlottesville government officials and the law enforcement officers which failed to maintain law and order by protecting the First Amendment rights of the participants of the 'Unite the Right' rally," Kessler told NBC 29 in Charlottesville, Va. Reporter and anchor Henry Graff, posted the statement to his twitter account Sunday morning.

GRAPHIC VIDEO: The moment the car crashed into protesters

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Kessler's statement claims law enforcement did not separate the two opposed groups, was "poorly under equipped for the situation," and forced demonstrators out of Emancipation Park and into a confrontation with counterprotesters. The statement goes on to claim that attendees of the rally "were victimized" by counterprotesters carrying weapons and pepper spray.

The decision to hold the rally at Emancipation Park, formerly known as Lee Park, had been contested by law enforcement and officials in the days leading up to the event. Authorities negotiated with Kessler to have the demonstration at McIntire Park. Emancipation Park was not suited to the size of the crowd expected and they anticipated it would be difficult to keep protesters and counterprotesters separated, according to NBC 29.

Kessler and his group argued they should have the right to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee in front of the statue. A judge eventually ruled in the group's favor.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Saturday morning as the demonstrations turned violent. Torch-carrying white supremacists marched through the University of Virginia the night before the rally.

One person died when a man drove a car into a crowd of peaceful protesters. Dozens more were injured.
(Xinhua) 10:19, August 13, 2017

Chinese love of shopping shows no sign of decline, according to latest figures. [File photo: Baidu]

Chinese consumers continued to show more willingness to spend as well as optimism about personal income growth and employment opportunities thanks to a stabilizing economy, according to a survey.

China's Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) reached 112 points in the second quarter of 2017, up two points from last quarter and the highest score since Q4 2013, according to the latest survey from global market research firm Nielsen.

Nielsen's CCI measures perceptions about local job prospects, personal finance and immediate spending intentions. Consumer confidence levels above and below a baseline of 100 indicate degrees of optimism and pessimism, respectively.

Nielsen's CCI in Q2 exemplifies the steady growth of China's economy, which expanded 6.9 percent in Q2 of 2017, the same as in Q1.

China's development strategies, including coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, and the Belt and Road Initiative, help the Chinese economy expand steadily, and the country's upgraded consumption is accelerating as more Chinese are willing to spend, said Vishal Bali, Managing Director of Nielsen China.

The Nielsen report showed that personal finance grew to 69 from 66 while perceptions about local job prospects increased to 68 from 66. Moreover, immediate spending intentions reached 56, up from the previous level of 55.
Watches are not rocket science. Or are they? Watches are not rocket...

Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well, thats a shame, because with some watches, youll need one to understand how to tell the time. Perhaps you dont have a PhD. Well,...
WASHINGTON  Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz called on the Trump administration to investigate the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday that left one counter-protester dead and scores of others injured.

"I urge the Department of Justice to immediately investigate and prosecute today's grotesque act of domestic terrorism," he wrote in one of several statements on social media. "It's tragic and heartbreaking to see hatred and racism once again mar our great Nation with bloodshed."
Voyager 1, the most distant human-made object from Earth is currently coasting 12.9 billion from home.

To commemorate its launch nearly 40 years ago, NASA is asking the public's help in crafting a 60-character message to beam to humanity's most daring explorer.
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Before the end of the year, the IWC collection will be enriched with 17 new references in a 37mm case diameter that clearly aims to capture the hearts  and wrists  of the lady. The new Portofino Midsize collection offers a variety of case materials, as well as different dial and strap colours and diamond settings to meet what the brands CEO Georges Kern describes as an increasing worldwide demand for watches set with diamonds.

But despite the brands testosterone-filled recent past, the Portofino collection, which traces its origins to the large 46 millimetre grande dame watch of 1981 (Ref. 5251) already included a much smaller 34 mm version launched in 1984, when the Portofino name was first introduced.

The quaint fishing village on the Ligurian coast of Italy from which the Portofino takes its name was used to set the scene for the Midsize line in spectacular style with the help of renowned photographer Peter Lindbergh and a cast of award-winning Hollywood actors. Some of the best photos from among the 21,000 images taken during this three-day shoot were on display at an exhibition unveiled by Peter Lindbergh and Cate Blanchett, one of the stars of the shoot, at the Zurich Film Festival last weekend. The exhibition will travel to Hong Kong, London and Miami before ending its journey in Dubai.

Ladies complications

The flagship in IWCs Portofino Midsize line is a moonphase complication using the Calibre 35800 self-winding movement with a 42-hour power reserve and its headline model has a 37mm red-gold case set with 90 diamonds, with a further 84 diamonds on the black lacquer dial. Other red-gold models are available with 66 diamonds set on the case and 12 on a black or white mother-of-pearl dial. There is also a stainless-steel version with the same diamond setting. All but two models in the new collection feature Santoni alligator leather bracelets that are produced exclusively for IWC by the famous shoe manufacturer. Two models with an equally Italian touch in the form of refined Milanese straps complete the collection.



Two additional models in the same 37mm case diameter offer a practical day and night display on a 24-hour scale around the interior of the mother-of-pearl dial with its 12 diamond hour markers. Available in stainless steel or 18-carat red gold, these are powered by the IWC Calibre 35700 movement, which offers a 42-hour power reserve.

Midsize

Although lacking in romanticism, the infix Midsize at least wears its heart on its sleeve. The core of the collection, these ten references have the same 37mm case after which they are named and are powered by the IWC self-winding Calibre 35111, again with a 42-hour power reserve. They are available in stainless steel or 18-carat red gold with diamonds either on the case or the dial and alligator leather straps in a wide variety of colours: black, light brown, dark brown, grey, red, lilac and orange.

The new range is completed by three Portofino Automatic models in the slightly larger 40mm case diameter with cases in 18-carat red or white gold set with 72 diamonds, slate or silver-plated dials and black or dark brown alligator leather straps.

Click on the photo at the top of this article to see a slideshow of the full IWC Portofino Midsize collection.
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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CLEVELAND, Ohio - At the risk of stating the obvious, it's clear that the new Cleveland Metroparks Edgewater Beach House is the architectural hit of the summer.

The $4.5 million structure, which opened in June, has already been enjoyed by scores of thousands of Clevelanders flocking to the beach and the Metroparks Edgewater Live Thursday concert series.

The beach house is the latest and most dramatic improvement to the largest of the city's five lakefront parks, all of which were leased to Metroparks in 2013 after decades in which the Ohio Department of Natural Resources did a sub-optimal job managing them.

At a gut level, it's easy to see why the beach house, designed by the Cleveland based architecture firm of Bialosky, with landscaping by Akron-based Environmental Design Group, has been embraced so quickly.

But architectural successes like this are relatively rare. It's important to understand what's working so well here, and why it should stand the test of time.

Stripped to essences

First, there's the matter of necessity and efficiency. The beach house, essentially a one-story masonry rectangle topped by an open-air second floor and a wing-like roof, is exactly what it needs to be and nothing more.

It's satisfying to see a structure stripped to functional essences that produce a powerful aesthetic charge by virtue of their minimal elegance.

The ground floor, wrapped in blocks of sandstone and blond bricks, neatly encloses restrooms, a restaurant-scale kitchen, plus serving windows, a safety office and a honking big cooler for beer.

The main attraction is the second floor, essentially a public living room with unobstructed views of the beach and the downtown skyline.

The breezy, wide open space features balconies perfect for people watching, plus a double-sided, propane-fueled fireplace flanked on both sides by comfortable wicker-style furniture and picnic benches.

Hearth and horizon

Designed to extend seasonal use of the second floor, the fireplace fuses the potent imagery of a community hearth with the blue horizon of Lake Erie.

There's also a nifty steel-framed bar that can easily be opened or closed in minutes without elaborate setting up.

But it's the sweeping roof of the beach house that captures the most attention. A tapered, curving wedge made of steel trusses wrapped in tongue-and-groove planks of cedar, the roof resembles both an airplane wing and a boat hull - two streamlined forms shaped by the elements they pass through.

The roof is both supported by the clustered, circular steel columns that hold it up, and held down by those very same columns against the powerful lakefront winds that could actually lift it up if it weren't anchored so firmly.

During a visit last week, architects Jack Bialosky and David Craun, along with Metroparks chief planner, Sean McDermott, told me last week that the roof is designed to withstand winds up to 100 mph.

Potent symbolism

Beyond its elegant strength and expression of physical forces, the roof has a certain poetic grace.

At a kinesthetic level, it brings to mind the first time you stuck your hand out of a car window as a child to feel the airfoil effect - the same principle that makes and airplane fly and a sailboat go.

The building's roof evokes that sense of uplift and joy and discovery, plus the emotional sensation that there are times in life when the worries get lifted away, and you can move with grace and elegance through the day.

The beach is the perfect place for that kind of symbolism, and the Bialosky design hits it right on the head.

It's also especially nice that the roof is tapered at its edges, both for structural reasons and to catch more direct light from above and reflected light bouncing up from the sandy areas below. The tapering adds luminosity to the roof, making it appear to glow with heightened significance.

The right location

Location is another critical factor in the success of the beach house.

The building replaced a dowdy, one-story beach house located about 200 feet to the north of the present site, where the older structure crazily blocked views of the beach from the main Edgewater parking lot.

The new building sits at the intersection of three major generators of foot traffic: the beach itself, the big parking lot, and trails from pedestrian tunnels south of the beach that pass under the West Shoreway and lakefront rail lines to connect to the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood.

The pair of tunnels at West 76th Street, specifically, spills you out into the light and air just south of the beach house, where an elevated walkway carries you right out to the second level of the new structure.

Fred May, 76, a retiree who lives in the St. Augustine Towers at 7821 Lake Ave. in Detroit Shoreway, used his walker to trek slowly through the tunnel to reach the beach last Tuesday.

"I feel at home, I feel comfortable," he said as he walked onto the elevated walkway at the beach house. "I like the way it's structured," he said of the beach house. It's better than the way it was."

He got that right, and from the designers' point of view, it was not by accident.

Bialosky, Craun and McDermott, said last week that they studied the precise walking distances from the outer edges of the three sources of traffic, and decided to locate the building at the point of maximum overlap.

The location gives the building a sense that it has captured the energies latent not just in the immediate landscape, but an extended radius that stretches north and west to the Lake Erie horizon, and east to the downtown skyline, also clearly visible from the building and the beach.

Grace notes

Apart from its other merits, the beach house project includes lovely grace notes including the trio of wood and metal swings suspended from the underside of its elevated walkway, plus ample landscaping, and a multi-purpose plaza that doubles as a stage for events.

Metroparks, which is celebrating its centennial this year, has done a superb job at Edgewater.

Bit by bit, the agency is bringing Cleveland closer to the long-sought goal of giving the city the waterfront parks it truly deserves. That's a great way to begin Metroparks' second century.
The crash on Friday, which killed 42 people in Alexandria, resulted from an outdated railway system operated manually by humans, according to Hisham Arafat

Egypt's Transport Minister Hisham Arafat said on Saturday that a deadly train collision in Alexandria on Friday was caused by the Egyptian railway's manual-operation system and poorly developed infrastructure.

Arafat made the remarks in a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to discuss the preliminary results of a probe into the crash, presidency spokesman Alaa Youssef said in a statement.

"Initial indications show that the collision is attributed to the reliance on humans for railway operation, as well as the lack of infrastructure development over decades," Arafat said.

The incident, which took place on the outskirts of Egypt's coastal city of Alexandria on Friday, left 42 people dead and dozens more injured. Transport ministry officials have said the crash was caused by a malfunction in one train that brought it to a halt, with another train smashing into it from behind.

A number of provincial railway operation officials have been suspended and two drivers questioned over the incident.

El-Sisi said those responsible "should immediately be held accountable and offered no leniency, regardless of their positions," the Saturday statement added.

The president urged a quick upgrade of railway infrastructure, including an electronic signal system to be implemented nationwide to "limit this kind of accident and improve passenger safety procedures."

Arafat said the ministry has bought new engines and carriages, adding that the ministry is investigating the reasons for train delays in recent months.

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CLEVELAND, Ohio - Korea wasn't always a politically divided peninsula with a democratic south and an authoritarian north led by a dictator trading tit-for-tat threats of nuclear annihilation with an American president.

The Cleveland Museum of Art reminds us of those important facts in a new exhibition that, thanks to current events, has taken on a suddenly heightened relevance.

"Chaekgeori: The Power and Pleasure of Possessions in Korean Painted Screens," focuses on the 18th and 19th centuries, when Korea was united under Joseon dynasty kings whose courtiers and civil servants competed for intellectual status with folding screens depicting their book collections.

"Chaekgeori" (pronounced check-oh-ree - the "G" is silent) literally means "books and things."

The word describes the little-known Korean art genre in which artists painted elaborate, quasi-trompe-l'oeil scenes of bookshelves filled with stacks of books and collectibles arranged to show off the erudition and sophistication of their owner.

Co-organized by the Korea Foundation and Gallery Hyundai, the traveling show is visiting Cleveland in truncated form.

Small but powerful

Installed in the museum's Focus Gallery, it includes just 9 of the 35 screens and paintings illustrated in the exhibition's catalog.

Nevertheless, the show provides entrancing evocations of peaceful, quiet study. We could all use some of that now.

The Cleveland museum first made local audiences aware of chaekgeori in 2011 with its purchase of a superb late 19th century example attributed to Korean royal court painter Yi Taek-gyun, one of the most influential practitioners of the genre.

Technically speaking, the museum's 10-panel folding screen is a "chaekgado," literally a picture of bookshelves.

It depicts staggered, open shelves in a rough approximation of Western linear perspective, creating an appearance of three-dimensional depth. Each shelf is stacked with books, writing implements, flower vases, Chinese porcelains and scrolls set against luminous rear panels of deep blue.

Order and reason

The work evokes a world of system and order and rationality in which cerebral pleasures are available to those able to access them through reading.

The show includes several other examples of bookshelf, or chaekgado, paintings on folded screens, along with chaekgeori paintings that depict stacks of books and collectibles that appear to float on visually flat backgrounds without shelves.

The show also includes two contemporary interpretations of the genre by Korean artist Kyoungtack Hong, born in 1968.

One depicts stacks of book-filled boxes framing a photorealistic portrayal of Mount Everest; the other is a crowded, nearly psychedelic interior landscape in which colorful piles of books are overrun by animal skulls and plastic toys and figurines.

Hong's paintings reinterpret traditional chaekgeori through the sensibilities of surrealism and photorealism, achieving a hallucinatory intensity that amplifies aspects of earlier and more traditional examples in the exhibition.

Those earlier examples include an anonymous, nearly monochromatic eight-fold chaekgeori screen on loan from a private collection.

Visual intensity

Painted with a razor-sharp, eye-tingling patterns approximating the effect of 20th-century Op Art, the chaekgeori in question includes scenes of a pair of ducks landing on a stack of books, and a tortoise blowing filigreed curlicues of smoke out of its mouth.

The museum's exhibition is part of a growing commitment to the art of Korea, which includes the 2013 establishment of its first gallery devoted to the country, and the appointment in 2015 of Sooa Im McCormick as the museum's first curator of Korean art.

McCormick contributed an essay to the show's catalog that explores the meanings of the scholarly accoutrements included in chaekgado paintings.

Nailing an attribution

She also collaborated with Prof. Byungmo Chung of Gyeongju University in Korea to determine, based on a hitherto unnoticed seal impression on the third panel from the right in the museum's 10-panel chaekgeori screen that it is one of only three known works that can be attributed to Yi Taek-gyun.

Cultural exchange is the show's overarching theme. As the catalog points out, the custom of chaekgeori and chaekgado paintings was an outgrowth of Italian Renaissance images of early museums, libraries and bookshelves communicated to China through Jesuit missionaries, and then to Korea through trade and diplomatic contacts.

The telltale sign of this long-distance game of cultural telephone is that of Western linear perspective, a foreign concept adapted by Chinese and Korean artists with their own spin.

So what you're seeing in the Cleveland museum's 10-panel chaekgeori painting and others like it is a variation on a technique invented in the West to create the illusion of three-dimensional depth on a two-dimensional surface.

Today, though, it's the bold, flat, visually forward-pressing nature of chaekgeori painting that appeals so much to the Western eye, plus the evocations of the pleasures of reading and surrounding one's self with beautiful objects.

Cleveland's show reflects on layers of peaceful cultural transmission that unfolded over centuries, producing a fascinating synthesis that is just now being rediscovered by art historians.

The exhibition combines a breakthrough in art-historical understanding along with a welcome new window on the cultural history of a region that's now very much in the news.

Those factors give this otherwise tranquil and deeply absorbing exhibition a touch of unexpected urgency.
AVON LAKE, Ohio - There are more than 100 diseases that have dementia as a symptom. Lauri Scharf, support services manager for the Alzheimer's Association Cleveland Area Chapter, said dementia may or may not indicate Alzheimer's disease.

She tells the story of a woman she knows. "She moved in with a friend," said Scharf. "She was sleeping a lot, eating sweets and had behavioral outbursts. After an assessment with a neurologist it turned out she had a mental health issue, but it was not dementia."

Determination of dementia, Scharf noted, can only be certain if a qualified neurologist does a complete assessment. Even a heart condition, she said, can cause someone to walk slowly giving some people the impression of dementia.

A Cleveland chapter representative was scheduled to give a presentation of their Minds in Motion (MIM) program at the Old Firehouse Community Center in Avon Lake on August 10, but it was cancelled. "We had a change in staff and regrouped," said Scharf, "so we will be starting our MIM programs in September."

MIM is a community-based social program that incorporates physical activity and mental stimulation for people with early to mid-stage signs of Alzheimer's disease or other dementias, along with their care partners.

The goal is to provide participants with social engagement opportunities. "With this program, caregivers and care receivers both attend," said Scharf. "It is a session to enrich the mind, body and soul in a comfortable social setting. It's for support in their journey."

MIM affords early stage education and a group to stay connected with. Scharf said they have discussion groups, a topic-of-the-month, and those who have already been diagnosed speak of their challenges. Their stories bring hope and inspiration to the others in the group.

"There was one man who was diagnosed who told how he was still able to make motorcycle trips with the help of index cards he took with him for each phase of his trip. These folks have come up with amazingly inventive way to cope and to continue to be a vibrant person in the community," she said.

The chapter is having an open house for the public due to their recent move from Chester Road to Harvest Drive in Avon. The new address is 37309 Harvest Drive, right behind the library. The ribbon cutting for the open house will take place at 9:30 a.m., Tuesday, August 22. People who attend can tour the facility and gather literature. Light refreshments will be served.

Scharf said people are always surprised to see the variety of programs available. "We believe in a variety of services, no matter what stage, for dementia and cognitive impairment."

The fall schedule of programs includes the following:

September - Rock, Paper, Social Media. Experience the current trend of rock painting, hide & seek, and the power of social media. Learn the basics of Facebook and Instagram and how it can spread awareness nationwide.

October - Brain Aerobics. We generally work out our bodies, so let's also work out our minds to keep brain healthy. Brain Aerobics are based on humor and fun as we do mental exercises to increase our memory and focusing skills.

November - Who's in your back yard? Explore Ohio's great outdoors with live animals and hands on artifacts. The Metro Parks will be presenting the wildlife that can be found right in your back yard.

December: Wine and Cheese Pairings. Just in time for your holiday events. Be a "foodie" and impress your friends and family by expanding your palate and enjoy the complimentary cheese tasting. Non-alcoholic beverages provided.

The programs are held the second Thursday of each month from 1:30-3 p.m. in the Old Firehouse Community Center which is located at 100 Avon Belden Road.

For more information or to register for a program, call 216-342-5589 or visit the chapter's web site: http://www.alz.org/cleveland/in_my_community_59694.asp.

A 24-hr helpline is also available for those who need help with dementia issues. Call 800-272-3900.
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- People crammed the streets of Cleveland's Little Italy for the Feast of the Assumption this weekend, heading to bocce games, lining up for rides and -- of course -- choosing from an array of Italian foods.

The street fair is one part of the 119th Feast of the Assumption, a celebration of the Catholic religious day of when the Virgin Mary was assumed into heaven. There's also sit-down dinners, parades and other events.

The Feast of the Assumption runs for four days. The days and hours are:

Today: noon to midnight.

Sunday, Aug. 13: noon to 11 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 14: 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 15: noon to 11 p.m.

For more about the festival and its history, click here.
EUCLID, Ohio -- Euclid police are reviewing a struggle between a police officer and a Cleveland man that was caught on video and spread on social media Saturday.

Richard Hubbard III, 25, was driving a 2011 Hyundai when he was pulled over on East 228th Street before 10:30 a.m, according to a news release. Police ordered Hubbard out of the car, instructing him to face away, so they could arrest him. Hubbard did not face away.

A video shows Hubbard on the ground while a woman yells. One of the officers is shown slamming Hubbard's body repeatedly into the ground. The officer briefly puts his hands around the man's neck and pushes his head into the ground a couple times.

The officer then sits over him and punches his face multiple times. The other officer pats his partner's back before the officer on top of the man slides an object away.

Police have not identified the officer.

"It is the mission of the Euclid Police Department to provide professional and transparent service to the residents, business owners, and visitors to the City of Euclid," Lt. Michael Houser said in the news release. "This entire incident will be reviewed, in detail, so that the public can have a full and open understanding of the series of events that eventually led to this violent encounter."

See the news release below, or click here on a mobile device.

The violent struggle lasted more than three minutes, and additional officers were needed to eventually take Hubbard into custody, police say. A police dash camera recorded the incident, and cleveland.com has requested the video.

Hubbard was medically examined at the Cuyahoga County Jail Euclid Annex. He posted bond on charges of Driving Under Suspension and Resisting Arrest.

The arresting officer, who was treated and released from an area hospital, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending further review.

A video of the struggle was posted on the Black Lives Matter Cleveland Twitter account, and protestors gathered at the site at 7 p.m. Saturday to oppose the treatment of Hubbard.

Rally after video surfaces of struggle between Euclid police and man Posted by cleveland.com on Saturday, August 12, 2017

If you'd like to comment on this story, visit Saturday's crime and courts comments section.
BRIGHTON TOWNSHIP, Ohio - A Hiram man was killed early Sunday after he crashed his motorcycle in Lorain County, state highway patrol officials said.

Robert Seneff, 23, died just after midnight Sunday in the single-vehicle crash in Brighton Township, the Elyria Post of the state highway patrol said in a news release.

Seneff was driving his 2010 Honda motorcycle eastbound on Ohio Route 18, west of Quarry Road, when the motorcycle went off the right side of the road, the patrol said. The motorcycle hit a culvert and flew into the air.

The motorcycle hit several trees, ejecting Seneff, the patrol said. Paramedics took Seneff to the Lorain County Fairgrounds where they were to meet Metro Life Flight medics, but he was pronounced dead at the fairgrounds before he was to be flown to Cleveland for treatment.

Seneff was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, the release states. Officials don't know if drugs or alcohol are factors in the crash.

Highway patrol authorities continue to investigate the crash, the release says.

If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section.
Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met with the United Nations Libya envoy Ghassan Salame on Sunday for discussions on the latest developments in Libya, the foreign ministry said.

Salame, the UN's Special Representative in Libya and head of the UN support mission there, met with Shoukry at the start of a two-day visit to Cairo, according to Ahmed Abu Zeid, the Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman.

The official visit will include high-level discussions on the situation in Libya, with Salame also due to meet with Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit.

During their meeting on Sunday, Shoukry updated Salame on Egypt's most recent efforts at resolving the Libyan crisis, as well as the challenges that Egypt faces as a result of the breakdown of security in Libya, Abu Zeid said.

Salame, meanwhile, informed Shoukry of the results of his field-trips to several Libyan cities, and his contacts with various international and regional players involved in the situation.

"Minister Shoukry asserted that steps should be taken to restore the unity of Libya and activate Libyan national institutions," Abu Zeid said.

Shoukry also highlighted the significance of the Sakhirat agreement, which was signed in Morocco in 2015. The agreement mandates a peaceful transition of power in Libya and the establishment of a national unity government.

The minister emphasised the UN's crucial role in implementing the agreement.

Salame praised Egypt for helping to resolve the Libyan crisis, including efforts to achieve a peaceful solution through negotiations and strengthening the political process.

Shoukry and Salame expressed their hopes for further coordination between Egypt and the UN in order to preserve the unity and independence of Libya, Abu Zeid concluded.

Shoukry met with Salame in Paris in July, following a Libyan ceasefire agreement.

Egypt plays a significant role in negotiations to end the Libyan conflict within the framework of the 2015 Sakhirat agreement.

After the ousting of long-time Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country slid into conflict, with rival governments and parliaments now in the west and east.

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The drivers will be held for 15 days and tested for drugs pending the results of the probe into the incident, which left 42 dead

Prosecutors in Alexandria have ordered the detention for 15 days of the drivers of two trains that collided near Alexandria on Friday killing dozens of people, state-run news agency MENA said on Sunday.

The prosecutors ordered the two drivers be detained and given drugs tests pending the results of a probe into the causes of the crash.

The two trains collided between Cairo and the coastal city of Alexandria, killing 42 people and injuring dozens more. One of the trains stopped on the tracks and the other train ploughed into it from behind, according to preliminary investigations.

One of the trains had been travelling to Alexandria from Cairo, while the other was coming from Port Said.

On Saturday, Transport Minister Hisham Arafat said the crash was caused by the Egyptian railway's manual-operation system and poorly developed infrastructure.

Egyptians have long complained that successive governments have failed to develop the dilapidated transport network and guarantee basic railway safety standards.

Several deadly railway crashes have taken place in Egypt over the years. In 2012, a train ploughed into a school bus south of Cairo, killing 50 people, mostly children.

The country's worst train disaster took place in 2002 when a fire swept through a passenger train heading to the south, killing some 360 people.

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Stories from home: Arabic-language books for local refugee children

As their families work to rebuild their lives in a new country, Syrian refugee children living in the New London area will now be able to enjoy the simple pleasure of reading stories from home.

Connecticut Colleges Committee on Refugee Relief and Education acquired dozens of Arabic language childrens books for the New London Public Library, after learning of the need from Start Fresh, a New London area refugee settlement team associated with New Haven-based Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services.

We learned that parents are speaking Arabic to their children, yet are not able to read their children stories because there are no Arabic-language childrens books available, said Professor of Government and International Relations Tristan Borer, who chairs the committee.

Written by Arab writers, the roughly 80 hardback texts range from colorful picture books for the youngest readers to chapter books for teens and young adults, and are available to all Arab-speaking families in the region. The books arrived by mail from The Khalid Shoman Foundation - Darat al Funun in Jordan, and The Little Arab Magazine in Kuwait, in response to a request from committee member Waed Athamneh, assistant professor of Arabic studies.

Our mission as a committee was to help refugee children read excellent Arabic books to not only learn Arabic, but also to connect with their culture and values, said Athamneh, who interviewed women and children living in a refugee settlement camp for her new book, Refugee Voices: Women of al-Zaatari Camp in Jordan.

I learned about the dangers of losing one's identity as a refugee child, so the urgency to provide good education for refugee children never left my mind, Athamneh said. As a professor of Arabic literature, nothing matters to me more than literacy and literary education, especially for children and young adults. Moving forward, our goal as a committee is to further support refugee relief and education initiatives in cities and towns beyond the New London area. I look forward to working with the New London Public Library, and seeing the little children read and learn in Arabic soon.

Comprised of faculty, staff and students, Conns Committee on Refugee Relief and Education began in 2015 as a task force to explore ways for the campus community to lend support to newly resettled refugees from mainly Arab countries. The committee works closely with Start Fresh to identify needs and develop programming.

Earlier this year, the committee and Start Fresh co-sponsored a screening of the award-winning documentary Salam Neighbor, which raised close to $1,800 for local Syrian refugee families.



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July 20, 2017
Egyptian police have killed two members of the Hasm militant group in a shootout in Qalioubiya governorate, a statement by the interior ministry said on Sunday.

The ministry said the two suspects, identified as Mohamed Mekki and Mohamed Moftah, shot at police as they tried to apprehend them at their hideout.

The men were involved in assassinating a National Security officer in July, according to the ministry.

One of the militants was previously sentenced in several terrorism-related cases and received a 15-year prison sentence.

Hasm has claimed responsibility for a number of attacks against Egyptian security personnel in recent months, mostly targeting police checkpoints.

Egyptian security forces have arrested and killed dozens of suspected Hasm members in the past few months.

Egyptian officials have said that that the group is linked to the banned Muslim Brotherhood group.

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Egypt's transportation minister Hesham Arafat accepted on Sunday the resignation of the head of the railway authority Medhat Shousha, two days after a train collision in Alexandria killed 41 people and injured 179, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported.

On Friday, a train travelling from Cairo to Alexandria crashed into the rear of another train en route to Alexandria from Port Said. The second train was stationary at Khorshid Station when the crash occurred.

Earlier on Sunday, an administrative prosecution suspended eight railway officials, while prosecutors in Alexandria have ordered the 15-day detention of the drivers of the two trains, state-run news agency MENA reported.

On Saturday, the transport minister said the crash was caused by the railway's manual-operation system and poorly developed infrastructure.

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has said that those responsible "should immediately be held accountable and shown no leniency, regardless of their positions."

The president urged a quick upgrade of railway infrastructure, including an electronic signal system to be implemented nationwide to limit this kind of accident and improve passenger safety procedures.

Egyptians have long complained that successive governments have failed to develop the countrys dilapidated transport network and guarantee basic railway safety standards.

Several deadly railway crashes have taken place in Egypt over the past years.

In 2012, a train ploughed into a school bus south of Cairo, killing 50 people, mostly children.

The country's worst train disaster took place in 2002, when a fire swept through a passenger train, killing some 360 people.

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Cloud News

Champion Solutions CEO Chris Pyle: The Channel Must Be 'The Tip Of The Spear' In Cloud Market

Matt Brown

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Chris Pyle, CEO of Champion Solutions Group of Boca Raton, Fla., doesn't want solution providers to sell themselves short on the cloud.



"Don't let anybody [make you think], 'I'm a little VAR and this is my little patch and I can't go anywhere else,'" Pyle told an audience to kick-off the Channel Company's XChange 2017 conference in Orlando, Fla., Sunday. "That's B.S.," Pyle said. "I do more cloud business outside Florida than I do inside Florida," including a recent deal in Kuwait.



Still, successfully evolving from the world of traditional hardware sales to cloud sales and services is fraught with challenges, and today one of the key challenges is that vendors are threatening to marginalize the channel, Pyle said. Cloud vendors like Microsoft have to be reminded that in may cases, the services being provided to their customers are provided by channel partners.



[Related: XChange Security University: 5 Ways Partners Can Talk To Customers About Ransomware]



"We have to be the tip of the spear, not our vendors," Pyle said. "That's the challenge. At the end of the day, we don't want to be where a vendor reduces our commission to zero one day because the vendors have the needle so far in the client's arm. Who gave them the needle? We did, and we have to really turn them on."



In a way, Pyle's willingness to go toe-to-toe with the largest cloud vendors in the world is a sign of Champion's success. Pyle had to transform the company from a traditional hardware reseller to a high-profile Microsoft cloud solution provider with its own software IP. Along the way he had to overcome resistance to change among Champion leadership, sales teams accustomed to banking big checks on hardware sales and customers skeptical about a traditional reseller's ability to sell cloud.



He did it by sticking to a simple strategy: acquire, engage and monetize.



Under Pyle's leadership, Champion acquired MessageOps, and the platform became Champion's Microsoft Cloud business unit. MessageOps helped transform Champion into a strategic solution provider that migrates customers to the cloud while helping unleash the business value of the cloud, Pyle said, by offering productivity tools, orchestration and offering platforms like CSP Boss, which offers customers on-demand training and services for Office365.



The shift, along with new branding, helped the company overcome skepticism among customers that were hesitant to begin buying cloud software and services from their traditional hardware reseller. Champion now more fully engages with its customers, and with potential customers, and Pyle's team fields calls from around the world.



"In five years, we went from zero, to now 90,000 MessageOps members, and now our salesforce is getting all these inbound leads," Pyle said.



Pyle said evolving into a strategic cloud service provider doesn't mean traditional VARs have to give up on selling hardware, but they do have to recognize that the hardware business is changing in ways that can't be reversed. The server, he said, is "going the way of the buggy whip."

"I love hardware; I don't care what they say. It's not a dirty word, but price and availability was your value-add," Pyle said. "We had to evolve. We do $25 million in maintenance in our business, but now hardware is self-healing. It calls home. That might sound good, but as an integrator, it's a challenge."



Jonathan Gibney, vice president of operations at Southbridge Technology, a Brookfield, Conn.-based solution provider, said his company has evolved into selling hosted Microsoft Exchange and hosted cloud space, and has wrestled with the challenges Pyle described.



"It's a work in progress," Gibney said. "We deal in that small market area and we're still fighting people who believe [Google] Gmail is a great business app. So there's still lots of opportunity to move people to a better solution at a reasonable price. "We know servers are going the way of the buggy whip,"Gibney said, echoing Pyle's comment. "We see servers for the average user going that route, so there are a lot of opportunities to be that implementer, to convert people to the cloud, but also to remind people what the cloud is. We're in the process of converting a client from the cloud back to their own solution. The cloud provider they chose wasn't our choice, and they actually all of a sudden went dark. We have to remind clients that the cloud isn't something very theoretical, it's just other people's equipment, and at the end of the day if they go out of business, you could be in an equal amount of trouble. If you've got that strong relationship with the client, if you're that trusted advisor, I think you can fill in most of the blanks for them."



Michael Goldstein, CEO of LAN Infotech, a Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.-based solution provider said the channel should take Pyle's promotion of VAR empowerment as a call to arms. "It's good to hear that whether you're a two-user firm, or a $100 million firm, we all suffer from the same things. You have to look for the innovation and take that next step. You can't listen to the vendors too much; you really have to follow what you think is best."



Goldstein said LAN Infotech has gone through similar challenges in its evolution to the cloud, but is enjoying good traction in the market now. "We've broken a tooth or two on some of the offerings that are out there. We suffer from the same Microsoft issues of shrinking margins, and we're always going the route of 'super-size it' because we have to pay the bills. Azure has been great for us, and a lot of smaller companies are adopting the cloud as it becomes more mainstream. It's not only for the big guys anymore. We're looking to move a lot of workloads up to the cloud and figure out how to better monetize it and stay on top of the security aspect of it."
The Ransomware Conversation

Ransomware is front and center as a threat to businesses, as made clear by recent high-profile attacks on businesses big and small. At XChange Security University in Orlando, Fla. on Saturday, Sophos North American Enterprise Region Sales Engineering Director Matthew Hickey spoke about ways partners can work to drive awareness with customers and help them protect themselves against a ransomware attack. Those methods include more advanced security techniques, as well as helping customers get back to basics around security. Take a look at five ways Hickey said customers could engage with customers around ransomware.
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STAMFORD  The sand-colored colossus stands quietly in the South End next to Kosciuszko Park.

It looks out on the bustle of the restaurant row and chain of apartment buildings in the Harbor Point development a few blocks away, but few visitors venture to the columned edifice at 1 Elmcroft Road. Only a few cars take up spaces in its parking garage.

Two years after Harbor Point developer Building and Land Technology bought the approximately 470,000-square-foot office complex that was technology firm Pitney Bowes headquarters, the building known as Silicon Harbor sits nearly empty. As the second-largest office vacancy in the city, it has yet to fulfill BLTs vision of becoming a technology hub. But in a sluggish leasing market neither BLT officials nor real estate experts are particularly surprised nor worried about its predicament.

Im sure the owners would have liked to have leased it sooner, but you have to get your arms around repositioning it, re-tenanting it and going in the right direction with it, said James Ritman, Stamford-based executive vice president of commercial real estate firm Newmark Knight Frank. The whole program is relatively new.

Becoming Silicon Harbor

BLT acquired the building in July 2015 for $38.5 million, after Pitney Bowes had moved its headquarters to a smaller base at 3001 Summer St. Pitney had been based at 1 Elmcroft from 1986 to 2014.

The Stamford-based BLT already ranked as a dominant developer in the city and the largest in the South End. Since building work began in 2009 on its mixed-use Harbor Point, BLT has constructed more than 2,300 apartments there and a busy corridor of restaurants and stores. It plans to build another 2,400 units as part of the waterfront project.

It also owns three other office buildings in the South End at 333 Ludlow St., 2200 Atlantic St. and 100 Washington Blvd.

The reason we bought the building was because knew it was a great, high-quality asset, Ted Ferrarone, BLTs chief operating officer, said in an interview last week. Historically it has been a little isolated. But as we build out more of Harbor Point, we think it would ultimately become more central and attached to all of the development.

With the purchase of the I.M. Pei & Partners-designed building, BLT would take on its second vacant property that formerly housed a major corporation. It acquired in 2012 a nearly 600,000-square-foot downtown complex, soon to be known as the BLT Financial Centre  which had served as the headquarters for reinsurer Gen Re before its move about seven years ago to Long Ridge Road.

This was a smart buy at the right time at an incredibly low-basis number, said Christian Bangert, executive vice president of Stamford commercial real estate firm Rhys, speaking of the Pitney Bowes building. This was a way for them to get another huge asset in the South End. It was a strategic play. They have plenty of time and resources.

BLT renamed the building Silicon Harbor, a nod to Silicon Valley that epitomized its goal of attracting technology firms. It would also make a number of improvements, including taking out some interior walls to take advantage of the buildings large floor plates.

Our transformation of this phenomenal property into Silicon Harbor is a response to the drivers of demand in todays office market, Carl Kuehner III, BLTs CEO, said in January 2016. Technology and creative tenants are driving office space absorption nationwide, and if we want Stamford and Fairfield County to benefit from that trend we need to offer the space they want.

Such firms continue to build their presence in the city. Job-search giant Indeed announced last month it would add 500 jobs in the coming years. The sectors growth has not yet translated into tenants at Silicon Harbor - only BLTs own offices are now based there  but a number of local leaders think it has the potential to attract such occupants.

It needs some kind of entrepreneurial ecosystem to get it going, said Janis Collins, co-founder of the Westport-based business accelerator program The Refinery. Those startups would generate jobs and revenue from people who would work there, eat there and live around there.

Leasing prospects

Like other landlords, BLT grapples with a leasing market that still has not fully recovered from the last recession. Citywide vacancy rates are running at more than 25 percent, according to a number of real-estate firms latest counts.

Im not surprised its still vacant, Bangert said. Its a very big building. A lot of prospective tenants want to see other businesses in the building. They might be skeptical or wary of being the first into it.

The progress of the BLT Financial Centre, which now operates about half-full, offers a reference point for Silicon Harbor. Professional-services firm Deloitte moved into about 120,000 square feet in November 2014. This summer has brought the two latest arrivals: Consumer-goods firm Henkel moved its North American headquarters into about 155,000 square feet, while professional-services firm RSM took about 29,000 square feet.

Silicon Harbors predicament also parallels that of 677 Washington Blvd., an approximately 700,000-square-foot complex that stands as the citys largest vacant office property. It formerly housed the Stamford operations of banking giant UBS, which last year moved across the street into a smaller setup at 600 Washington Blvd.

I think Silicon Harbor and 677 Washington are competitive in the sense that they both have large blocks of space, but the buildings are very different, Ritman said. 677 Washington is a more traditional office building and might attract a more traditional office user. Silicon Harbor offers more of an environment that younger, growing tech companies would imagine as their workplace.

BLT officials said they remain confident they can attract tenants, although they have not set deadlines.

Theres no way to say what would be the hard timing; were just looking for the right tenants, Ferrarone said. Were a long-term property holder in Stamford, including the South End with Harbor Point. Were committed.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; Twitter: @paulschott
Its tempting to imagine what Gov. Dannel Malloy could have done differently. I suppose his fate was sealed the minute he signed into law two successive tax increases, thus sparking a major and concerted effort by the business community, specifically the Connecticut Business & Industry Association, to elect tax-averse Republicans to the state General Assembly.

Malloy is, in fact, a pro-business governor, as evidenced by his bad habit of awarding multimillion-dollar subsidies to United Technologies, Amazon, hedge funds in Westport and Greenwich, and others. But the more he demonstrated his business-friendliness, while also demanding concessions out of teachers and public-sector employees, the more he alienated an already divided base. He was damned if did and damned if he didnt.

Future governors will surely labor mightily to avoid being wedged between protecting business interests and weathering their political attacks. They could, in fact, do something Malloy never did, a policy initiative already available that would surely gain broad public support, inspire entrepreneurship and lower costs for everyone, including entrenched business interests.

Im talking about the public option.

The first thing you need to know about the public option is that it is not single-payer health insurance. It is not a substitute for private insurance. Instead, its an alternative. If the state were to implement it, it would give consumers, you and me, more choices than we currently have. Unlike single-payer, which would reorganize the entire system, the public option is easier to implement. The best part: the federal government pays for it.

An overlooked part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, is Section 1332. In brief, it allows states to innovate their own systems of insurance and care with near-total federal reimbursement. It would allow state officials to leverage two state programs  Medicaid and Connecticuts employee plan  to bargain directly with pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers and hospitals. You and I could buy into the program just as we would buy any policy. Experts say this would lower overhead costs, which would lower premiums, while at the same time improving benefits.

More importantly, for the purpose of this business column, is that the public option would increase competition. Insurers, doctors, hospitals and drugmakers currently enjoy enormous control of health care, which is why costs are so very high. If insurance companies in particular had to compete for your business, that would lower prices, which would mean more coverage for more people, which in turn would lower prices even more. This is the policy equivalent of a no-brainer.

So why havent we done it yet?

You know why.

Pushing for the public option would mean facing the fury of all those companies that make Hartford the Insurance Capital of the World. The last thing private insurers want to do is compete with the state. They would likely fight it, arguing that its government interference or some other conservative, and phony, talking point that were familiar with. But insurers would not be alone. Some doctors might object to lower prices, just as some hospitals might. Leftists would complain, too, saying the public option doesnt go far enough in creating universal health care.

The time might be right for the public option. The political winds have shifted since Malloy won the governorship. Indeed, Aetnas departure sends a kind of signal only politicians can hear: that loyalty to major insurers is no longer risk-free. Theres no sense in aligning with insurers, as Malloy did, if theyre going to leave.

Then theres Donald Trump. The Kaiser Family Foundation concluded that the president has triggered so much uncertainly that hes causing premiums to soar by double digits. An analysis released Thursday looked at metropolitan areas across 15 states. Insurers that assumed the administration would stop cost-sharing reimbursements asked for premiums hikes of 2 to 23 percent. Insurers that assumed the IRS would not enforce the individual mandate asked for premiums hikes of 1 to 20 percent. These are increases, by the way, that are on top of increases insurers already requested for the coming year.

So the stakes are high for everyone in Connecticut, even those of us insured through employers. Uncertainly is high. Rates are going to climb. And costs will continue to soar. Yet we can do something about it by exercising an option already available to us. We can drive drive down costs, liberate entrepreneurs, empower small business. The political will is building.

Now we need leadership.

John Stoehr is a fellow of the Yale Journalism Initiative.
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Your daily commute just became more dangerous, thanks to the president.

In his zeal to kill unnecessary federal regulations, President Donald Trump has ordered the cancellation of a plan to require mandatory sleep apnea testing for truck drivers and railroad engineers.

The Federal Railroad Administration and its sister agency covering truckers said they would still recommend testing but would not require it. Why? Perhaps it is the Trump administrations campaign promise to cut two regulations for each new one imposed.

Im all for draining the swamp, but this exercise in cutting red tape will likely cause deaths.

It wasnt until December 2013 when railroad officials began giving serious thought to sleep apnea. Thats when Metro-North engineer William Rockefeller ran his train at 82 mph into a 30 mph curve at Spuyten Duyvil in New York, sending the cars off the tracks and killing four passengers.

Rockefeller initially said his brakes failed. Then he said hed been sort of dazed, mesmerized, comparing it to highway hypnosis. When he realized what was happening, it was too late. His emergency brake application, coupled with the momentum of the huge locomotive pushing  not pulling  the train made derailment inevitable.

Rockefeller was a 15-year veteran of Metro-North and spent 10 years as an engineer. But he had also recently changed his work shift. On the morning of the accident, Rockefeller left his home at 3:30 a.m., after going to bed at 8:30 p.m. the night before at the end of a nine-hour shift.

But not only was he tired, he was also overweight. Subsequent testing showed he suffered from undiagnosed sleep apnea. Federal investigators said his medical condition meant he was an accident waiting to happen, and criticized Metro-North for not testing its employees. The FRA then proposed mandatory testing and Metro-North complied.

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Rockefeller is now earning a $3,200 a month lifetime disability pension because of his sleep apnea, and has filed a $10 million lawsuit against Metro-North, claiming it was responsible for allowing him to speed.

There was another railroad crash in 2016 when an engineer spaced out when entering the station in Hoboken, N.J. The accident killed one person and injured 14 others. Investigators believe the engineer may also have had sleep apnea.

Neither of the trains had Positive Train Control, which might have prevented speeding that caused the accidents. That technology is still months away due to railroad officials dragging their feet.

Sleep apnea may affect up to 20 percent of the population, with obesity being a contributing factor. In sedentary jobs like truck driving and railroad engineering, obesity is a big problem.

So why not test for it? We test airline pilots vision and health, including potential sleep apnea. We also should test railroad engineers and truck drivers. Our lives are in their hands and we have a right to know theyre not drunk, blind or falling asleep at the wheel.

An average Metro-North train at rush hour can carry 1,000 passengers, the equivalent of two fully-loaded 747s. Dont we have a right to know that the engineer is in good health? Not according to the Trump administration, which sees such mandatory medical testing an unnecessary burden on business.

Metro-North says 18 percent of the 320 engineers who have been tested suffer from sleep apnea. To its credit, the railroad says it will continue testing all crew members, even without the FRA requiring it.

Jim Cameron is a longtime commuter advocate based in Fairfield County. Contact him at CommuterActionGroup

@gmail.com.
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STRATFORD  A 50th birthday party turned tragic early Sunday, when a woman was killed by gunfire and a man was left critically wounded, police said.

The shootings occurred just after midnight outside 1584 North Ave. following an argument in the street, police said.

A 27-year-old female, who police identified Monday as Raenetta Catchings, of Stratford, died from gunshot wounds after being transported to Bridgeport Hospital. A source said the woman had been shot twice.

A 24-year-old male remained in critical condition Sunday as a result of a gunshot wound, police said.

The shooting is an isolated incident and there is no further danger at the scene, Stratford police Capt. Frank Eannotti said. North Avenue was closed for several hours as a result of the shooting and subsequent investigation.

Police on Sunday did not disclose a motive for the shootings, or whether a suspect had been identified.

The North Avenue neighborhood, a collection of well-maintained single-family homes and neatly trimmed yards, was the definition of peaceful Sunday afternoon. Neighbors went about their business, washing cars, coming and going and performing chores outside.

A man who lives down the street from the crime scene said its a good neighborhood. But, he added, the house where the shootings occurred has been a problem since the family moved in three years ago.

There has been trouble over there before, the man said, adding he was out of town at the time of the shootings. I heard about the commotion when I got back.

Family members were gathering at the house where the woman was killed Sunday afternoon, but they declined to talk about the tragedy. The family is mourning, one man said.

According to police, the family living at 1584 North Ave., a large yellow house with a gabled roof line, and the family next door in a single-story white house are related. A party Saturday night involved both homes, police said.

A large sign in the shape of Superman and displaying the words Happy 50th Birthday Henry was still posted outside.

The neighbors are related and the party spanned both yards, Eannotti said.

On Sunday afternoon, about a half dozen police officers, including an officer with a K-9 unit, were seen searching a field near Nichols School, located a short distance from the North Avenue crime scene. Police did not respond to questions about whether that search was related to the murder investigation.

Stratford Mayor John Harkins said this is the towns second homicide of the year, but added its rare for a homicide to occur in the town of just over 52,000 residents.

Its not at all common, Harkins said. Our police do a good job and we take it seriously. This is a safe place to live.
NEW DELHI - One by one, the infants and children slipped away Thursday night, their parents watching helplessly as oxygen supplies at the government hospital ran dangerously low.

At least 30 children died Thursday and into Friday at a hospital in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh after its supply of liquid oxygen was disrupted over an unpaid bill, officials said. A home ministry spokesman told the Press Trust of India, citing police reports, that 21 of the deaths were directly linked a shortage of oxygen.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. as medical practitioners and relatives - the tanks running dry - handed out manual resuscitator bags to families in a desperate attempt to save the young patients.

"We saw children dying around us," said the father of one victim, who gave his name only as Vijay. "Obviously, it's the hospital's fault. So many children have died because of them. My son was fine until nighttime, then something wrong happened."

Two more children died Saturday at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur, an impoverished area in the eastern part of the state, as authorities scrambled to firm up supplementary supplies and investigate the tragedy. The government suspended the medical college principal Saturday.

The state's health minister and hospital officials have denied charges that the deaths were caused by the oxygen bill dispute. An estimated 60 children have died at the hospital since Aug. 7 from a variety of causes, officials said.

In a news conference Saturday, the state's chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, called the tragedy despicable and said the state had set up a committee to investigate the role of the oxygen vendor.

"The guilty will not be spared," Adityanath said.

Parents of the victims described feelings of anger and bewilderment over the incident, saying they were struggling with guilt over not being able to save their children.

"The idea is devastating - that she had to suffer while trying to breathe," said Manger Rajbhar, the father of a 5-day-old girl who died in the chaos.

The deaths provoked widespread outrage and condemnation across the political spectrum and on social media, where a political cartoon spread that showed the babies as little angels hovering in the sky as an Indian government official tries to reach them.

"30 kids died in hospital without oxygen. This is not a tragedy. It's a massacre," Indian Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, a child advocate, said in a tweet. "Is this what 70 years of freedom means for our children?" (The country is set to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its independence from Britain on Tuesday.)

The hospital owed $89,750 to a Lucknow-based medical supply company called Pushpa Sales Private Limited, documents obtained by The Washington Post show, and the firm had written letters to the hospital and district magistrate for the past six months demanding payment. The company asserted that the hospital was violating the terms of its contract by running a balance of more than $15,625. The agreement expired July 31, and Pushpa discontinued the oxygen supply Aug. 4.

On Thursday, employees who handled the storage plant that pipes the oxygen wrote to the hospital's chief medical officer to warn him that supplies were low and would last only until Thursday evening, according to a letter obtained by the news channel NDTV. The oxygen supply then dipped to a critical level, the channel said.

State officials claimed they had obtained sufficient backup supplies from nearby nursing homes.

The hospital is in Adityanath's parliamentary constituency. The controversial monk, who was tapped by the governing Bharatiya Janata Party to head Uttar Pradesh earlier this year, is the longtime head of a large temple there.

Adityanath had visited the hospital this week to inaugurate a new critical-care unit. Many of the young patients were suffering from encephalitis, a potentially deadly illness that causes acute swelling of the brain. The disease is often spread by mosquitoes, and infections rise during the monsoon season.

Zahid Ali, the father of a 5-year-old girl suffering from encephalitis, said he and other family members were still in shock after the death of his daughter Khushi on Friday night.

Ali said Khushi, who was running a high fever, had been admitted to the hospital's encephalitis ward Thursday. She was responding to treatment while on oxygen, he said, but her condition deteriorated as the cylinders ran dry that night.

Hospital staff gave the parents a manual resuscitator and asked them to pump it themselves, he said, and he watched in horror as his daughter first became breathless, then turned "stiff and cold."

"At that time, I understood that my daughter was gone, but doctors kept on telling me that she is still alive," he said. She was pronounced dead several hours later.

- - -

Arjumand Bano in Gorakhpur and Farheen Fatima in New Delhi contributed to this report.
Saudi Arabia's security forces have sealed off a Shia-majority town in the east of the Sunni-ruled kingdom, Human Rights Watch said Sunday, following months of unrest and clashes with police.

Saudi authorities last week said they seized control of a district of Awamiya, a town in the eastern Qatif region where protests have escalated into clashes with security forces in recent months.

HRW on Sunday said Saudi security forces had completely "surrounded and sealed off" Awamiya.

The New York-based group said that, based on comparative satellite imagery from February and August, large sections of the town had sustained extensive damage, including to civilian infrastructure.

"Saudi authorities should take immediate steps to allow people to safely return home, allow business and clinics to reopen, and compensate residents for property damage and destruction caused by security forces," HRW's Middle East director Sarah Leah Whitson said.

Saudi authorities have blamed "terrorists" and drug traffickers for the recent unrest in Awamiya, where clashes between protestors and security forces since May have left civilians and police dead.

The town in Saudi Arabia's oil-rich east was also the hub of a short-lived protest movement in 2011 inspired by the Arab Spring.

One of the movement's leaders, Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr, was executed in January 2016 on a terrorism indictment.

Nimr's execution triggered more sectarian tension both across the Gulf and with Saudi Arabia's main regional rival, Shia Iran.

Saudi Arabia's minority Shia community, which makes up an estimated 10 to 15 percent of the country's population of 32 million, has long complained of marginalisation.

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In theory, U.S. strategy in Afghanistan has been to train an Afghan army that can fight al-Qaida, the Taliban, and now the Islamic State  and then largely to withdraw. After 16 years, its not surprising that many people think that strategy has failed. In fact, it hasnt really been tried.

The Bush administration didnt think such a force was needed. The Obama administration not only didnt execute its own strategy, it also only grudgingly provided the resources necessary to avoid outright failure. The Trump administration has not increased those inadequate resources. In short, the strategy of trying to build an Afghan security structure that could successfully combat the Taliban only began six years ago and then was undercut after four years  scarcely enough time to build a whole new army.

When I left Afghanistan in 2007, our target of a 216,000-strong Afghan army and police force was unmet. This security force included no serious air force, artillery, logistics or medical services, since it was designed on the assumption that the war was largely over. Our advisory presence was small in the army and almost nonexistent in the police. Iraq was soaking up all available resources, and my warnings that the fighting was about to get worse were ignored. Only in fall 2009 did the Obama administration decide to build to the current goal of 352,000 security personnel, including essential supporting forces. That effort did not begin to receive funding and equipment until a year later.

These expanded goals were only really pursued for four years and were heavily undercut by policy shifts. Virtually every aspect of the training was rushed and under-resourced. The development of essential support functions, from logistics to artillery to air, was delayed for a year so that all available training facilities could be devoted to getting infantry into the battle. U.S. and NATO training teams never reached much over 50 percent of required personnel, and even that low level took several years to achieve. Advisory teams were delegated to the National Guard and Reserves rather than the regular U.S. Army, a clear indication that this was a lower priority effort. Proper advanced training for these teams took several years to set up.

Then, the decision to end U.S. involvement in active combat by 2014 converted a conditions-based strategy to one driven by Washington timelines. Withdrawal of advisers consistently outpaced the readiness of the Afghans to take over. By 2014, many of our forces were devoted to getting packed up and out of the country rather than to the fighting. But worse was yet to come.

Critically, Afghan security forces trained with U.S. and NATO forces, and thus learned to fight as we do - with air support. But from January 2014 to November 2016, that air support was withdrawn. The Obama administration declared that we are no longer at war with the Taliban. This nonsensical phrase, which I heard from senior officials at the National Security Council, left the Taliban free, except in the most extreme circumstances, to reinforce, maneuver and mass for attacks.

Only at the end of 2016 was the administration sufficiently shocked by the failure of its strategy to lift the prohibition on air support and end further withdrawals. But this left in place a greatly reduced U.S. and NATO force sufficient only to prevent immediate defeat. Since the Trump administration has largely maintained this inadequate force, it is puzzling that the White House wonders why it has not achieved a different result.

Our commanders may perhaps be faulted for not arguing harder against the political mistakes of Washington. I believe that they tried but found that the Obama White House resented every effort to speak truth to power. The Afghans can be seriously criticized for allowing politics to intrude much too far into senior military appointments (something that is being reversed by President Ashraf Ghanis appointment of battle-tested commanders). Nonetheless, our advisory presence still does not cover every Afghan army corps, nor their subordinate brigades. Much of the rush to failure has been Washington-driven.

Even a great effort to correct the mistakes of the past would not produce results on the battlefield for a year or more. Whether this can or should be done deserves serious debate. But that discussion should be based on a clear understanding of what has  and what has not  already been tried in Afghanistan.

Neumann was U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan from 2005 to 2007.
A commando operation backed by Russian warplanes and helicopters has killed 25 members of the Islamic State militant group in central Syria, a monitor said Sunday.

Supported by regime ally Russia, Syria's army has waged a months-long offensive to recapture the vast desert region that stretches from the country's centre to the Iraqi and Jordanian borders.

On Saturday, "25 IS group members were killed and others wounded in a commando operation by Syrian regime forces with air support from Russian warplanes and helicopters" in the northeast of Homs province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

Six members of the regime forces were also killed, it said.

A military source said the operation occurred "20 kilometres inside Daesh (IS group) terrorist lines".

The raid allowed regime forces to seize control of three villages in the area, official news agency SANA reported the source as saying.

The army has captured swathes of territory from the jihadists in the province. According to the Observatory, IS group now controls just dozens of villages in the east of Homs.

The Syrian "Badiya" is a large stretch of desert that extends over around 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 square miles) of territory.

Since 2015, much of the Badiya has been held by IS group , but Syria's army has been chipping away at it since May.

Last week, the Observatory said regime forces had ousted IS group from Al-Sukhna, the last jihadist-held town in Homs province.

Syria's army and Russia this weekend confirmed its full recapture.

"The liberation of Al-Sukhna from IS terrorists opens up possibilities for Syrian government forces to launch an assault and free the city of Deir Ezzor," a Russian army statement said.

The jihadists hold the majority of the vast desert province of Deir Ezzor including most of its provincial capital.

The recapture of Deir Ezzor "would largely -- if not completely -- mark the end of the fight against IS group," Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Sunday told the Russia 24 television channel.

Regime forces have more than doubled the territory they control in Syria over the past two months, he said.

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are also fighting the jihadists in the south of neighbouring Raqqa province.

A US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance meanwhile is battling to retake the provincial capital, Raqa city, from IS group.

The jihadists also hold the majority of the vast desert province of Deir Ezzor including most of its provincial capital.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests.

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Great Allegheny Passage improvements coming

The bids were opened Nov. 1 and Adam Eidemiller's was the lower of two bids received. The project will take two weeks starting within the next week.
Two soldiers and three rebels were killed in an overnight gunbattle in Kashmir, officials said Sunday, in the latest bloodshed in the disputed Himalayan territory.

Hundreds of Indian soldiers and counter-insurgency forces surrounded Awneera, a village about 50 kilometres (32 miles) south of the main city of Srinagar, on Saturday evening following a tip-off about armed militants in the area.

A fierce firefight broke out in which three militants and two soldiers were killed, army spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia told AFP.

A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the militants were identified as locals.

As news of their death spread, hundreds of residents from neighbouring villages took to the streets in protest, throwing stones at soldiers and chanting slogans against Indian rule.

In a separate incident early Sunday rebels fired at an army convoy in the northern are of Hajin and injured two police officers and a soldier, the same police officer said.

On Saturday a civilian and a soldier were killed in gunfire between Indian and Pakistan soldiers along the heavily militarised de facto border splitting the territory.

At least 130 militants and 39 soldiers have died in clashes so far this year, officials say.

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 fought since 1989 in Indian Kashmir, demanding independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan, and tens of thousands -- mostly civilians -- have been killed.

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Country folk have long known it  now the experts have confirmed it.

Research by scientists at Newcastle and Durham universities suggests that grouse moors are not the ecological deserts some campaigners claim them to be, but are teeming with endangered birds.

Take the vulnerable lapwing: the scientists have found their numbers increased a spectacular 24 times where there were gamekeepers, compared with land that did not have any.

They also found eight times as many golden plover and six times more curlew  a species RSPB scientists say is one of their highest conservation concerns.

And that is because gamekeepers are experts, not just at cultivating game birds for people, such as me, who like to shoot, but at protecting all wildlife from a range of pests and vicious predators. These are fantastic results which should delight every true bird-lover.

Yet did the RSPB leadership welcome them? Not at all. Instead, they sneered at them, questioning the integrity of the scientists, preferring their own fantasy of conservation, in which hard choices between species dont have to be made and where foxes and other predators are allowed to wreak havoc.

It is a squeamish, Disney view of wildlife  one which protects all cuddly wildlife at any price  that costs lives of countless birds and creates imbalances in nature.

So whats going wrong at the RSPB? How did this organisation with so much money and so many good wardens and scientists become the Venezuela of the conservation world  arrogant, unaccountable and failing to protect those it is supposed to look after?

It is a squeamish, Disney view of wildlife  one which protects all cuddly wildlife at any price  that costs lives of countless birds and creates imbalances in nature

The heart of the problem is that the RSPBs leadership appears to lack the courage to manage nature. Everyone who lives in the countryside knows that nature left to its own devices is a brutal place.

To millions of ground-nesting birds around Britain, foxes are a constant threat. They are natural-born killers that destroy nests, devouring eggs, chicks and parents. Yet the RSPB doesnt want to upset its activists by shooting them.

So, instead, it builds fantastically expensive fences to try to keep them out of its reserves. But nothing stops a hungry fox. Whether it is over, through or under the fence, the fox will find a way. And then the fox is not inside a chicken coop but a whole bird reserve.

Even if fences worked, they would be too costly to use throughout the countryside. And what would become of the birds outside the fences with those ravenous foxes?

Shooting foxes is a more effective way to control their numbers. Yet the RSPB shoots four times as many deer. On average, it allows its wardens to shoot only one fox a day across its 200 reserves  and birds suffer every day as a result.

Even if fences worked, they would be too costly to use throughout the countryside. And what would become of the birds outside the fences with those ravenous foxes?

If you go to an RSPB reserve and see a flock of birds, they are likely to be tourists, not residents. Due to foxes, fewer birds fly out than in.

Every conservationist knows that birds thrive on fox-free islands such as Orkney. Gamekeepers replicate this in our countryside but the RSPB does not. It has a choice between foxes and birds  and it appears to favour foxes. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds has become the Royal Society for the Protection of Foxes.

So, you might ask, how many birds are left on the RSPB reserves? Astonishingly, the charity is refusing to tell us. Until 2012, it published an annual table of bird numbers, but it has been silent for the past five years.

Vulnerable: The golden plover is on the amber (threatened) species list

Two years ago, the RSPB had seven hen harrier nests in England  albeit producing only one chick. Last year there was just one. And this year? None

The figures are such a secret it even refused to let Newcastle and Durham scientists count birds on its land. Does that suggest it has something to hide?

Perhaps the RSPB cant afford annual counts? Not so. This big business keeps getting bigger.

Over the past ten years, the RSPB has taken in a staggering 1.2 billion through membership fees, donations and government grants. Of that, 228 million came from the taxpayer amid the struggle to finance key public services. And what are we getting in return?

The RSPCA's squeamishness over predator control comes with a price  one paid by species on its reserves.

Well, not a land fit for birds. Take hen harriers. The RSPB is always making a noise about this species and blaming gamekeepers for the lack of them. So you would think the charity would be doing a brilliant job for this bird. If only.

Two years ago, the RSPB had seven hen harrier nests in England  albeit producing only one chick. Last year there was just one. And this year? None.

Last week, I challenged the charity to publish its bird numbers. Journalists have been ringing the RSPB asking it to do the same. What has been the response? Not a dickie bird. Or even a tweet.

If you go to an RSPB reserve and see a flock of birds, they are likely to be tourists, not residents. Due to foxes, fewer birds fly out than in

If private grouse moors can have their bird numbers independently audited, so should a big public charity with all its Government grants and tax privileges.

In an era when teachers and doctors are publicly accountable for their work, why does this massive charity think that it can get away with not being transparent?

The fact is grouse moors have become some of Britains best bird sanctuaries. And as it becomes clear how gamekeepers are among the elite of the conservation world, the reaction of the RSPB suggests it is focused more by hatred of grouse moors than love of birds.

Not that you will have heard this on the BBC  because the RSPB has powerful friends there. As I found out a fortnight ago on Radio 5 Live, if you speak up for the grouse moors on the BBC, its presenters will shoot you down.

We need respect for the law and those doing the hard work of managing nature. We also need respect for science

If you search for BBC stories critical of gamekeepers, you will find hundreds; if you try to find BBC stories critical of the RSPB, you will have to look very hard.

It is no coincidence that the BBCs chief countryside presenter Chris Packham is a vice president of the RSPB. He says grouse moors are ecologically disastrous and calls those who work on them satanic, evil and psychotic. And as an employee of the BBC he is meant to be impartial.

The charity is also having difficulties with red kite, once an endangered bird of prey. No longer. Our law gives them unlimited protection. The result? We have squadrons of red kite killing vast numbers of small birds.

An RSPB scientist has complained about the big predatory effect they have on smaller birds on one of its reserves. So what does the RSPB management tell its wardens to do?

Put out dead animals for them to eat. But that just boosts the numbers even further. And what will happen when the RSPB decides it has other priorities and stops the feeding programme? Then the red kite will hoover up all the small birds. After that, the red kite will starve.

If you search for BBC stories critical of gamekeepers, you will find hundreds; if you try to find BBC stories critical of the RSPB, you will have to look very hard

The RSPB thinks these fantasy conservation techniques of fox fences and putting out meat for birds of prey could work. It also appears to believe you can never have too many foxes or red kite.

Its squeamishness over predator control comes with a price  one paid by species on its reserves. Its activists who hate the idea of hounds killing foxes should equally hate the idea of foxes ripping apart ground-nesting birds.

You would have thought bird activists would have been up in arms about the appalling conditions that many commercial chickens are kept in.

I was not surprised that eggs were withdrawn last week due to contamination with insecticide.

Some of these birds never see the light of day. Compare their appalling brief lives with grouse, which live entirely in the wild for around two years, and you will see how ridiculous the attacks on grouse shooting by chicken-eating activists are.

The RSPB tries to deflect attention from its lack of birds by lecturing others. Yet farmers and gamekeepers are unsurprisingly resistant to its advice.

So the RSPB shouts even louder in the media  vilifying those in charge of managing the countryside.

Nothing stops a hungry fox. Whether it is over, through or under the fence, the fox will find a way. And then the fox is not inside a chicken coop but a whole bird reserve

Yelling doesnt work; nor does it help that last year the RSPB walked out of discussions on how to increase hen harrier numbers just months after having agreed to a civil servants plan.

The officials know the lack of hen harriers is not just down to rogue gamekeepers  the numbers of these birds are also falling fast where there are no grouse moors because of foxes and the pressure on their space from our islands fast-growing human population.

Our Government has tough decisions in deciding whether farmers should be allowed to protect lambs from foxes and gamekeepers protect grouse from buzzards. But whatever it does decide, we must all obey the laws Parliament passes. That includes any gamekeepers who illegally kill birds of prey.

We need respect for the law and those doing the hard work of managing nature. We also need respect for science.

Last year, a group of professors wrote an article for a Royal Society publication saying that RSPB press releases attacking grouse moors had only passing resemblance to the science they were supposed to be based on.

Shooting foxes is a more effective way to control their numbers. Yet the RSPB shoots four times as many deer. On average, it allows its wardens to shoot only one fox a day across its 200 reserves  and birds suffer every day as a result

Until now, the RSPB has felt it does not have to listen to anyone. It is protected by its wealth. However, now the 1 billion cover-up has been exposed, it will have to collaborate if it doesnt want to become known as the society that forgot to protect the birds.

Jeff Knott, RSPB Head of Nature Policy said: This grouse moor funded report tells us what weve known for some time; grouse moors are good for grouse.

'Some other ground-nesting species benefit indirectly while others do not. The fact that the killing of predators reduces predation is hardly ground-breaking.

For the RSPB, controlling predation is part of the conservation tool kit. This includes a range of measures, with lethal control only an option of last resort, rather than the first port of call.
Now, years after it is too late to help us, we learn that Anthony Blair was a student Marxist, an admirer of the bloodthirsty advocate of Red Terror, Leon Trotsky. When did he stop thinking this? We dont really know.

But isnt it interesting that all those who faint like shocked maiden ladies at the bearded Leftism of Jeremy Corbyn still fawn over the supposed moderation of Blair?

Yet Blair was the man who smiled sweetly as he tried to abolish sterling, surrendered to the IRA, wrecked our economy, our constitution, our civil service, our defences and much of our education system, and wounded the monarchy, too.

Now, years after it is too late to help us, we learn that Anthony Blair was a student Marxist, an admirer of the bloodthirsty advocate of Red Terror, Leon Trotsky

The disclosure reminded me of the recent unwise boast by Blairs one-time close aide, Peter Hyman, who blurted out that the New Labour project was infinitely more revolutionary than anything proposed by Jeremy Corbyn. The plan, Hyman disclosed, was to lock out the Tories to ensure that the 21st Century was a Labour century. Not very democratic.

Blairs revelation about his youthful love for Trotsky was delivered on BBC Radio 4 to the establishment historian Peter Hennessy. In a soft-hitting interview, Baron Hennessy amusingly asked the Bomber of Baghdad: When did you discover the great gifts you have for explanation and performance?

Dont laugh. This is obviously the way to get the Blair creature to talk. On the one occasion I interviewed him, I began to wonder if waterboarding might not be justified, after an hour of tedium in which he had given me nothing but the political equivalent of his name, rank and number.

In those days, he still hoped for office. Now thats all over, so he can start to tell the truth. Lets have more of it. So, when and how did he stop being a Marxist? We have always known that his great university pal was an Australian called Geoff Gallop. Blair himself has said in his autobiography that Gallop belonged to the International Marxist Group. This was a secretive sect, some of whose members had codenames and used to shout Victory to the IRA! on demonstrations.

Blair recalled that his first reading of an admiring biography of this guy Trotsky (given to him by Gallop) had been like a light going on and had changed his life. Then, giggling, he said that, yes, for a while he was actually a Trot. This was for not longer than a year. Well, maybe. Whod have any record now?

But when Professor Hennessy asked Blair what happened next, the former Premier began to say When I was in the, in the, and suddenly changed course to In the early Seventies. This was plainly not what he had been about to say. Well what was he in? Why did this previously unpolitical leader of a college rock band go out of his way to join Harold Wilsons stodgy, middle-aged Labour Party, as soon as he left Oxford? At the time, revolutionary students utterly despised the Labour Party as a sell-out. But some of them swallowed their scorn and joined it, with the express purpose of taking it over from within.

I know all this because I, too, was a Marxist at university and for some years afterwards, a fact I do not conceal and readily discuss, unlike the many members of Mr Blairs Cabinet who also have Marxist pasts.

There was some guff about how Blairs mind was moderated by his wife, Cherie, herself a blazingly Left-wing person. Her one failed attempt to become an MP, in 1983, was personally endorsed by Tony Benn at the height of his Leftism. Benn even went to Margate to speak for her.

In the Hennessy interview, Mr Blair says he then disagreed with Mr Benn because he wouldnt back the expulsion from Labour of the Trotskyist Militant tendency. Yet here was his wife, supposedly the moderate member of the family, campaigning alongside the same Mr Benn. It doesnt add up.

One day, and I hope it is soon, people will grasp that Mr Blair was not the pseudo-Tory moderate we were sold (and some of you bought) in 1997. He was the most radical political leader this country has had since Oliver Cromwell.

Mr Blair was the figurehead of all the many thousands of Sixties and Seventies campus revolutionaries who, by 1997, had quietly clawed their way into positions of influence in politics, the Civil Service, the law, the BBC and schools. And he did his damage all the more effectively because neither his enemies nor his supporters ever fully understood what he was and still, in a way, is  a smiling menace.

Daves dirty little secret  and a very big mystery

Isnt it amazing that, in all his years in office, we never saw a picture of David Cameron smoking? Even though he was smoking, as I understand, quite a bit. The same is true of Barack Obama, another slave of tobacco.

Is this perhaps because most educated people these days regard smoking as unpleasant as well as stupid, and think that anyone under 70 has no excuse for not knowing this?

Isnt it amazing that, in all his years in office, we never saw a picture of David Cameron smoking?

Not a good look for a political leader  and not a very good look for a former Prime Minister caught smoking, drinking and embracing a Corbyn supporter at the recent Wilderness festival.

Is it possible that nobody ever snatched a picture of him smoking while in office? Or are certain people granted exemption from embarrassing photographs?

If so, how are we superior to the old USSR, which used to pretend in its official media that Mikhail Gorbachev did not have a huge birthmark on top of his bald head?

Kim needs friends, not foolish threats

I am sorry for North Korea. Not for its leaders, but for its people, some of whom I have met.

When I travelled to that country some years back I was determined to get a bit further than the usual stuff about Kim-worship, mass rallies and the Pyongyang metro.

I found desperation. Accidentally close to a stunted young soldier, I was able to see the marks of hunger on his face, as well as to study his threadbare clothes and ancient weapon, whose wooden stock was split and crumbling and whose metalwork was worn to the point of danger.

Kim Jong Un will not quit if he thinks he will end up in a prison cell. He would rather take his chances

I found drunkenness on what seemed to me to be an epic scale. In a short visit, I saw and heard so many examples of this (including a citizen passed out on the street, and then shielded from my sight by others) that I have little doubt it is a huge plague, probably tolerated by the regime as a safety valve.

I found economic collapse. My pseudo-grand hotel in central Pyongyang switched off its electricity as soon as the foreign guests had left for the day. Expensively electrified railway lines had almost no traffic, and the trains were hauled by ancient diesels. Farmland was tilled by the methods of the 19th Century.

And what is to become of them? South Korea will not reunify. It fears bankruptcy and a great wave of millions of half-starved refugees. China only offers colonial domination, which this proud people do not want. Japan is still loathed after a harsh occupation.

Kim Jong Un will not quit if he thinks he will end up in a prison cell. He would rather take his chances.

Given the immense likely cost of the new Korean war we seem to be heading for, I am more than ever sure that a grand gesture from the West, a high-level visit, and offers of real investment, might finally end this foolish, dangerous confrontation.

North Korea is the last trace of the Cold War, stranded without friends by a quirk of history. As long as it thinks it has no way out, it will continue to take terrible risks. Threatening war in return is not going to solve this.

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It is a pattern we simply cannot ignore. In no fewer than 16 British towns and cities, grooming gangs have been prosecuted for raping young females since 2011, culminating last week in the conviction of 17 men and one woman at Newcastle Crown Court.

With the exception of two cases the perpetrators were from South Asian backgrounds. All but three victims were young white girls.

As the Chief Crown Prosecutor who brought the cases against the Rochdale grooming gang in 2012, I've come to know a disturbing amount about this crime.

And I'm sorry to say that while courts have changed a lot to make justice more accessible to victims, I don't believe that attitudes have changed for the better. If anything, they're getting worse.

Chilling: TV drama Three Girls was about the Rochdale abuse case. This image shows Amber (Ria Zmitrowicz), Holly (Molly Windsor), Ruby (Liv Hill) - (C)

Will South Asian communities condemn these atrocities  and take the necessary action? I'm not convinced. As for wider society, we must start to understand what drives this abuse if we want to stop it. Child grooming is happening under our noses  everywhere. At bus stops, in takeaways, on street corners. But we walk past, because we don't see what's happening. And neither do we see the attitudes driving it.

In particular, the appalling misogyny fuelling the growth of grooming gangs has barely been discussed.

I recall a conversation I once had at an Asian wedding where a young man told me, 'men are like gold and women are like silk'. I thought he was going to tell me something profound but shuddered as he explained that, 'if you drop gold in mud you can wipe off the mud, but if you drop silk in mud it's tarnished for ever.'

This encapsulates the hardline bias against women that has become part of the South Asian mindset. It demonstrates how Asian child abusers see teenage girls on our streets. Partly, they hate them because they're free. Girls should be pure and locked up away from temptation. When teenage girls are on the streets or drinking alcohol, the men see them as tarnished goods, available for sex. It gives them a licence to abuse.

This viewpoint wasn't always so prevalent. As a young man, I saw women in Afghanistan going to university in skirts. I marvelled at the Taj Mahal, built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife. And as a Muslim I knew the Prophet himself said that your mother is three times more important than your father.

But over the past few decades ultraconservatism has swept across South Asia, and the killing of unborn babies because they are female is on the rise. There are huge parties to celebrate a boy's first birthday but nothing to mark a girl's. Men can get away with anything and women have become second-class citizens.

Women of all faiths are suffering as a result. In India there have been some of the most sickening cases imaginable. In urban areas with a shortage of toilets, women are terrified of walking to communal lavatory blocks at night because so many of them are being attacked and raped.

The same sickening attitudes towards women in Pakistan and India are now held by growing numbers in British towns and cities  with white girls seen as the lowest of the low.

Many of those involved in child grooming are in loveless marriages. They've been made to marry a girl from their homeland to satisfy extended family and they work hard in low-paid jobs. They often get up in the middle of the afternoon and work through the night six days a week.

This humdrum existence causes pent-up frustrations that quickly turn into aggressive behaviour towards those with more freedom and choice.

For those involved in grooming, the level of control is scary and their wives (they're nearly always married) suffer badly. During one case I asked a woman if she had suspected her husband was involved in grooming. 'Yes,' she said, 'but what could I do? He controlled me, left me with the kids and no money. He made sure I was powerless.' The wife of Rochdale grooming gang leader Shabir Ahmed killed herself.

A number of commentators have argued that it was racism that motivated the Newcastle grooming gang, as they saw the girls as 'white trash'. I won't deny that racism can be an issue. But violent misogyny is the underlying cause  and the bravery of girls to put these men in Newcastle behind bars, as they have in other cases across the UK, is remarkable.

But stamping down on the crime is one thing. What are we doing to tackle the barbaric attitudes behind it?

The fight to protect girls from growing numbers of abusers is bigger and tougher than most imagine.

I sat in court during the Rochdale trial and even some of the victims didn't fully understand what had happened to them. One girl kept referring to her 'boyfriend' raping  and we had to remind the jury that we did not believe him to be her boyfriend.

These were kids with chronically low self-esteem who were very vulnerable. Some had learning difficulties and were being raped by men 30 years older than them. For one young girl, the only way we could get her into court was for her liaison officer to make her a bacon butty and put on a Disney film in the morning. Then she would go in and talk about being raped by men.

That's why it is essential that police get the best intelligence to pursue more prosecutions. I'd also like to see better use made of frontline workers to identify girls at risk.

Cutting services and ending funding for organisations that support girls is making it harder to stop this crime. We can't just rely on the police.

A few years ago, the then Home Secretary made child abuse a national priority and said we needed to end a 'culture of inaction and denial'. She's now Prime Minister  and more in the Asian community should take note of this message. They need to make their voices heard and denounce this evil behaviour.

I know there will be some in my community who talk of being scapegoated by the Newcastle case. There will be talk of Islamophobia and an anti-Muslim conspiracy. Some will even try to play down the crimes committed. It happens every time.

I've spent a lifetime specialising in dealing with uncomfortable cases and I know we can't flinch from difficult conversations. The Asian community cannot go back to victimhood. We need to challenge a misogynistic culture that's getting out of control and we need to talk about the predators in our community. Then we can finally put a stop to young girls' lives being needlessly ruined.
Thousands of workers at the Mahalla Textile and Weaving Company in Egypts Mahalla city continued an open strike at their factory for the seventh day in a row on Sunday, while negotiations with the factory administration and the Ministry of Public Business are ongoing.

According to Faisal Loksha, a leading activist worker at the state-owned company in Gharbiya governorate, negotiations started on Saturday when a delegation of officials visited the factory and met with a group of workers to discuss their demands.

Company CEO Ahmed Mostafa, officials from the manpower ministry and a group of MPs visited the factory on Saturday, Loksha told Ahram Online.

The heads of the sectors at the factory met with the delegation and later spoke with the workers to discuss the newest offer.

Loksha said that the delegation offered the striking workers a raise if they return to work, but the workers rejected the offer, insisting on all their demand.

Last week, the workers started the open-ended strike, making several demands including a 10 percent raise in basic salary, a 10 percent raise in social benefits, and an increase in their food allowance.

The workers also demanded that the companys general coordinator be replaced by a new board of directors.

Loksha also said that 50 workers discussed with the administration on Sunday a new offer that includes an increase of the lunch allowance from EGP 210 to EGP 300, the formation of a committee to look into workers promotions, and a 10 percent raise.

The workers are still insisting on the two raises; a 10 percent raise in basic salary and a 10 percent raise in the social benefit salary, Loksha told Ahram Online.

The company has lost an estimated EGP 40 million since the strike started last week, according to Al-Ahram Arabic news website.

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A great-great-grandmother has marked her 90th birthday with a hair-raising 13,000ft skydive to raise money for charity.

Amy Cook, from Kingston, London took on the tandem parachute jump with the aim of raising just 500 - but has already smashed the 2,000 mark.

The daredevil pensioner, who turned 90 on August 8, said she had always wanted to do a skydive and feared this would be her last chance - but was left unimpressed when she was instructed to remove her false teeth before jumping from the plane.

The funds raised from Amy's jump went to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, after the hospital cared for her 56-year-old daughter, Jane Fuller, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.

Thrill-seeker: Great-great-grandmother Amy Cook took on a tandem parachute jump last week with the aim of raising just 500 - but has already smashed the 2,000 mark

Speaking after her jump at the Go Sky dive in Salisbury, the grandmother-of-eight told MailOnline: 'It was amazing and I really enjoyed it. The only thing I didn't like was having to take my false teeth out before the jump.

'I flopped out of the plane and was hit by a force of wind but then it was nice and calm as we slowly went down.

'It's something I have wanted to do all my life but my husband didn't like heights so I never bought it up because I didn't want him to worry.'

Amy added: 'My grandson, Tom, did a parachute jump for his 30th birthday last year which gave me the idea.

The funds raised from Amy's jump went to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, after the hospital cared for Amy's 56-year-old daughter, Jane Fuller (pictured right)

The daredevil pensioner (pictured moments before she jump) said she had always wanted to do a skydive - but was left unimpressed when she was instructed to remove her false teeth

Taking the leap: Speaking after her jump at the Go Sky dive in Salisbury, the grandmother-of-eight told MailOnline: 'It was amazing and I really enjoyed it'

Amy added: 'The only thing I didn't like was having to take my false teeth out before the jump'

'It was my last chance to do it and a great way to thank The Royal Marsden for taking care of my daughter, Jane.'

Speaking about her mum's thrill-seeking challenge, Jane, from Sutton, said: 'I wasn't pleased when I found out about what she was planning to do but it's wonderful to raise money for such a worthy cause.'

Jane, who underwent surgery and radiotherapy at RMH, added: 'The staff have been wonderful to me and I cannot fault the care I've received.'

Describing her daredevil jump, Amy said: 'I flopped out of the plane and was hit by a force of wind but then it was nice and calm as we slowly went down'

The great-great-grandmother added: 'It's something I have wanted to do all my life but my husband didn't like heights so I never bought it up because I didn't want him to worry'

Amy's grandson, Tom, did a parachute jump for his 30th birthday which gave her the idea

Jane (pictured after her dive) said: 'It was my last chance to do it and a great way to thank The Royal Marsden for taking care of my daughter, Jane'

The charity raises money to support The Royal Marsden, a world-leading cancer centre.

Amy has three children, eight grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

'Most of them thought it was wonderful but a couple of people think I'm mad,' Amy said of her family. 'I'm a late starter  I learnt to swim in my forties and to drive in my fifties.'

To support the great-great-grandma, visit justgiving.com/fundraising/amy-cook11
She won praise from fans this week for 'keeping it real' by posting a very 'honest' bikini selfie on her post-Vogue holiday in Greece.

And now ex-Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, 59, has vowed that she'll never be parted from her beloved two-piece until the day she dies.

'I happen to love bikinis and have never felt that it mattered to anyone how I looked wearing them,' she told The Sunday Times. 'I fully intend to continue wearing them to my grave.

'I had no idea that sharing a picture of myself in a bikini on Instagram could provoke either the compliments or the outrage.'

And she pointed out that while at the helm of Vogue she encouraged women to feel proud of their natural shape and 'consciously tried' to show that being slim is not a prerequisite for self-confidence.

Former Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman, 59, became an internet sensation this week thanks to a refreshingly 'honest' bikini snap

For the snap that became a sensation, Alexandra wore a mismatched Boden two piece, with her hair scraped back into a messy bun, and earned a deluge of praise

The image, posted on Wednesday afternoon, has since racked up almost 7,000 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.

The fashion editor wants women to realise that being skinny is not a prerequisite for self confidence

The former fashion editor said that she's realised being comfortable with your figure has little to do with how you actually look

'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.'

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's 96,000 social media followers were quick to shower the fashion editor with praise, with one Instagrammer writing: 'A good shot. You've gone up in my humble estimation'

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.'
Clarks has come under fire for being 'sexist' for the second time in a week for labelling its school shoes for girls 'Dolly Babe' while the boys' range is called 'Leader'.

Miranda Williams, 34, from Eltham, South East London, was shopping for school shoes for her twin daughters when she came across the 'appalling' designs.

The Labour councillor for Greenwich tweeted about the ranges, saying she was 'appalled' by this example of 'everyday sexism'.

She echoed the sentiments of another mother who this week prompted a huge online debate by accusing Clarks of offering flimsy and 'inferior' styles for girls, compared to its sturdy range for boys.

'The idea that we should be bringing up a generation of boys to aspire to become leaders while the best hope for girls is to be Dolly Babes is just grim,' Miranda told The Sunday Times.

'It makes me so angry. It's bad enough that girls' shoes are so flimsy and so unsuitable for jumping in puddles or climbing trees compared to boys' shoes, which are so much more robust. 'But to create such a stereotype is totally unacceptable.'

A spokesperson for Clarks told MailOnline: 'The Dolly Babe shoe is an old and discontinued line, with only remaining stock being sold through our stores.

Clarks sold shoes for girls called 'Dolly Babe' but the boys range was called 'Leader'

The Leader shoes are still available on the Clarks website but the Dolly Babes have gone

'However, following customer feedback regarding the name, we have removed the shoe from sale online and are in the process of removing the name from the remaining stock in store, though this process will take time to complete.

'We are working hard to ensure our ranges reflect our gender neutral ethos and we apologise for any unintended offence caused.

The Leader range is still available from Clarks while Dolly Babe shoes can be bought from other stockists such as Amazon and John Lewis.

The girls shoes cost 36 while the boys styles are priced at 40.

Miranda Williams, 34, discovered the range when looking for school shoes for her daughters

Miranda called the range 'sexist and said she was appalled by the gender stereotyping

Earlier this week the retailer was again under fire for 'discriminating' against little girls with an inferior school shoe range.

Jem Moonie-Dalton, from London, accused the brand of 'discriminating' against girls and reinforcing gender stereotypes after she was left disappointed by the styles on offer for seven-year-old daughter.

Taking to Facebook, the 38-year-old said the boys' section was filled with shoes that are 'sturdy, comfortable and weather proof' while the girls' shoes 'have inferior soles, are not fully covered and are not well padded at the ankle'.

Twitter users replied to Miranda's complaint, agreeing that branding shoes for girls Dolly Babe is 'offensive'

The post, which has been shared more than 10,000 times since, sparked a heated debate between parents - with some claiming Clarks had plenty of 'sturdy' school shoes available for girls.

Of the 78 styles of girl's shoe listed on the Clarks 'Girls School Shoe' webpage, 52 are open topped shoes, 20 of them are trainer-style, while the final eight are boots, according to BBC Trending.

Clarks responded to the complaint saying it was going to see the children's shoe department divided into 'story' rather than gender.

The retailer issued a statement explaining it is focused on creating 'more unisex shoes' following customer feedback but that 'it is not always possible to implement all the changes we want to make as quickly as we would like'.
Romy Fraser OBE, 70, founded Neals Yard Remedies in 1981. She sold it in 2005. Divorced with two grown-up daughters, she lives on a farm in Devon that supports a community of small businesses.

By my mid-30s I was a single parent working as a teacher in London, dreaming of opening my own school. But then my friend Nicholas Saunders, who set up Neals Yard Wholefoods, asked if I would like to rent one of his spaces as an alternative pharmacy.

He knew I was passionate about homeopathy, and in 1981 there were few places to access natural remedies.

Romy Fraser, 70, founded Neals Yard Remedies in 1981 and later sold it in 2005. She explains how she was inspired to study homeopathy when she discovered how powerful herbs are

I took out a bank loan of 18,000 and opened a tiny apothecary in the yard selling homeopathic products, essential oils, Bach flower remedies and dried herbs.

Id grown up in the country. If we had a cold my mother prescribed cinnamon tea. We never took antibiotics.

I was inspired to study homeopathy when I discovered how powerful herbs are. I was living in Scotland when someone cut themselves badly. A friend, who had learned about herbs from her Polish granny, wrapped the hand in marigold leaves. By the time we got to hospital the wound had almost healed.

I felt passionately that people could use natural products rather than depending on the NHS  which became the idea behind Neals Yard Remedies.

I emphasised to customers that I was not a practitioner: I was giving them options. One of our early regular customers was Hollywood legend Lauren Bacall. Natural medicines drove the business, but toiletries and essential oils provided the profit. Eventually we opened an eco factory in Dorset.

Id always planned to fund an educational project. So, in 2005, I sold the company and bought Trill Farm, an organic farm that offered courses. Im still a teacher at heart, but I love the fact I created a business based on plants.
Seven years after it first went into production, a full trailer of the upcoming fully painted animated film of Vincent Van Gogh's life has been debuted.

Loving Vincent, which was produced by painter Dorota Kobiela and filmmaker Hugh Welchman, will be finally seeing theatrical release on September 22, and fans who have been eagerly anticipating its arrival got a look at the full trailer last week.

The film, which is the world's first feature-length painted animation, follows a character based on real-life portrait subject Armand Roulin as he investigates the artist's 1890 suicide.

Upcoming: The all-hand-painted biopic of Vincent Van Gogh has seen a full theatrical trailer released

The process: Every frame of Loving Vincent has been created with oil paintings based on the famous artist's work

It sees him revisit Van Gogh's greatest works and come into contact with important people in his life.

The concept for the ground-breaking new film was born in 2011, and production started in 2014 - with an all-star cast including Douglas Booth, Saoirse Ronan and Chris O'Dowd eventually signing on.

Every scene in the film is made from an oil painting on canvas - the very same technique Van Gogh used for his own work.

Body of work: The film is the world's first feature-length painted animation and the trailer references some of his most famous works

Made with care: The film was made with the help of 125 artists bringing Van Gogh's famous works to life

Painstaking: The 65,000 painted frames were created using video footage of the actors, such as Chris O'Dowd

Sitting pretty: Another one of Van Gogh's paintings in the trailer is that of Adeline Ravoux, who is played in the film by Poldark actress Eleanor Tomlinson

The film features more than 120 of the artist's most famous paintings transformed into around 65,000 painted frames to become animation thanks to the help of 125 artists.

Many who participated were found through a viral callout, which saw talented fans of the artist brought to work on the movie in Gdansk, Poland.

Sylwia Piekarska, PR manager at Breakthru Fims, said last year: 'The idea was originated by the director, Dorota Kobiela.

Helping out: The film features an all star cast, including Irish actor Chris O'Dowd (right), who were painstakingly painted onto the scenic backdrops

Working out: Dozens of artists have worked painstakingly to bring Van Gogh's paintings to life - and the film is one of the most anticipated of autumn 2016

Sylwia Piekarska said: 'We are bringing to life not only Vincent's paintings, but also the characters of the people he painted'

'She wanted to combine her passions to bring together painting and animation.

'She was re-reading through Vincent's letters, and found one of his final letters which said 'we can only speak through our paintings' - that's what inspired her, and she wanted to bring Vincent's paintings together to tell his story.

'The whole film was painted by hand, and painting for seven to 10 hours a day is a very demanding job.'
Women with a steady heart rate have a greater chance of being in a relationship, according to research.

Scientists discovered that women with so-called low heart rate variability were nearly twice as likely to be in a relationship at the end of their six-month study as those with a high rate.

One theory is that large variations in heart rate may be linked to the nervous system involved with emotions.

Scientists discovered that women with so-called low heart rate variability were nearly twice as likely to be in a relationship at the end of their six-month study as those with a high rate

The researchers, from Lakehead University in Canada, told Biological Psychology magazine: Perhaps it is our heart and not our head that determines which of us will find love after all.

Other research has shown that being generous to others can also help fight heart disease.

This is because altruistic acts decrease stress, which can contribute to the condition.

Volunteering can also help reduce blood pressure, having a positive affect on general wellbeing.
Millions are to be offered checks at GP surgeries and pharmacies in an NHS drive to prevent heart disease and early deaths.

The strategy aims to raise dramatically the detection of 'silent killer' conditions including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and irregular heartbeats.

Seven million adults in the UK are thought to have at least one of these disorders that has never been diagnosed or treated  leaving them at higher risk of heart attacks, strokes, dementia or sudden death.

Now, NHS England has ordered local health authorities to ensure they identify those at risk and get them the correct treatment, which may include statins.

Seven million adults in the UK are thought to be at a higher risk of heart attacks, strokes, dementia or sudden death

Under the blueprint, doctors will be urged to install blood pressure machines and heart rate monitors in waiting rooms so patients can test themselves.

GP surgeries will also be expected to trawl their lists to identify patients who may have a potentially fatal irregular heartbeat  atrial fibrillation  so they can come in for tests.

High street pharmacies will be expected to play a role by providing free blood pressure checks on request. They will also join GPs in offering pin-prick blood tests to diagnose high cholesterol, for which statins are usually prescribed.

The measures  designed to prevent thousands of deaths a year  will be backed by hard-hitting campaigns on Facebook and local radio, telling adults to get their blood pressure and cholesterol checked.

Dr Matt Kearney, director for cardiovascular disease prevention at NHS England, said: 'We could prevent hundreds of strokes and heart attacks if we improved identification and treatment of these conditions  at least hundreds, potentially a lot more.

'People are often walking around undiagnosed  There are proven treatments for these conditions and they're all very effective. What's common to these conditions is they generally don't have any symptoms.'

Heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes, is the second biggest killer in the UK after cancer and claims 160,000 lives a year.

But doctors behind the scheme say thousands of these deaths could be prevented by detecting more patients who have the underlying problems.

They also suspect many people previously told that they have high blood pressure or high cholesterol are on the wrong medication or none at all.

As part of the strategy, letters will go out to these patients suggesting they start taking statins or other medication, or up their dose.

Heart disease, including heart attacks and strokes, is the second biggest killer in the UK after cancer and claims 160,000 lives a year (pictured, a pacemaker)

Pharmacies and GP surgeries will be encouraged to display adverts urging patients to come in and get their cholesterol and blood pressure checked at the same time.

Cholesterol can be checked with a simple test. A doctor, nurse or pharmacist pricks the patient's finger and drips the blood on to a paper strip, which is fed into an electronic device. This gives a reading in less than ten minutes.

Patients will normally have to book in advance and may have to pay 10-15 if at a high street chemist such as Boots or Lloyds Pharmacy.

If diagnosed with high cholesterol or high blood pressure, patients will be told to see their GP, who may decide to prescribe medication.

The scheme  the NHS RightCare Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Pathway  is being rolled out across the 209 clinical commissioning groups in England. So far, it has been introduced in 84 CCGs, in two waves, since being published in September. The remaining areas are expected to take it up within the next two years.

It is being overseen by a team of doctors, nurses and senior managers in NHS England who advise CCGs on policies that are likely to work best for their populations.

Dr Kearney said cardiovascular disease was a big issue for the NHS as it is responsible for a quarter of all 'premature' deaths  those before the age of 75. 'It's also really expensive for the NHS. It costs 7billion a year,' he added.

'It's only going to get worse. We've got an ageing population  an obesity epidemic and a diabetes epidemic. All of that is going to drive a rise in strokes, heart attacks and vascular dementia.'

Several CCGs have launched their own successful strategies and these are being championed by NHS England.

THE THREE KILLERS BEING TARGETED HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE The condition affects at least one in four adults  11million in England. It occurs when there is abnormally high tension in the blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. This puts extra strain on them as well as the heart, brain, kidneys and other organs. Over time, high blood pressure greatly increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, dementia and kidney failure. It can be treated by losing weight, cutting fat and salt intake, reducing alcohol and caffeine and exercising more. If blood pressure is very high, patients are given medication to relax the blood vessels. These include ACE inhibitors or angiotensin-2 receptor blockers. The campaign aims to raise awareness and diagnose more patients in pharmacies and GP waiting rooms. Existing patients may be offered check-ups and put on stronger medication. ATRIAL FIBRILLATION Affecting up to 1.4million adults in England, atrial fibrillation (AF) sees the heart beat irregularly or very fast. It does not pump blood efficiently, leading to blood clots and strokes. There may be no symptoms until patients have a stroke or their heart suddenly stops. AF sufferers are four to five times more likely to have a stroke. The condition can be treated by beta blockers which restore heart rhythm, or drugs to thin the blood. Some patients may be fitted with a pacemaker. The campaign is encouraging GPs to identify 'at risk' patients, including those with asthma, diabetes, previous pneumonia, or other heart conditions. HIGH CHOLESTEROL An estimated 60 per cent of adults in England have high cholesterol  26 million. The numbers with dangerously high levels are not known. The condition occurs when there is an excessive amount of fatty deposits in blood vessels, causing them to narrow, which restricts the blood flow to vital organs. If untreated, it can lead to heart attacks and strokes. High cholesterol is normally treated by cutting down on saturated fats, such as milk, cheese, cream and cakes. Patients may be prescribed statins or daily aspirin, to prevent the formation of blood clots. The campaign will encourage patients to get checked through a simple 'pin-prick' test. Those previously diagnosed will be offered statins  if not taking them already  or a stronger dose. Advertisement

They include Bradford, which launched a major public awareness campaign in 2015 encouraging patients to check their blood pressure.

Adverts appeared on Facebook, Twitter and local radio stations and the public were invited to heart disease education events at church halls and community centres.

The Bradford Healthy Hearts scheme is estimated to have prevented 211 heart attacks and strokes in its first year.

If the other CCGs in England managed to prevent even half this number, more than 20,000 heart attacks and strokes would be avoided annually.

NHS England figures show approximately 6.75million adults have undiagnosed high cholesterol and 5million have undiagnosed high blood pressure. Some half a million have undetected atrial fibrillation.

Many of these patients have more than one of the conditions so it is hard to say how many in total are undiagnosed. But Dr Kearney said a 'conservative' estimate was at least 6.75million patients.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol are strongly linked to vascular dementia, the second most common type after Alzheimer's disease.

The British Heart Foundation's Dr Mike Knapton said better detection and treatment of the three conditions 'will reduce the burden of disease on individuals, their families and the NHS'.

Jamie Waterall, lead for cardiovascular disease prevention at Public Health England, said: 'We are supporting the delivery of this important programme, which will improve the public's health and also save the NHS money.

'Key elements of the programme include the NHS Health Check, which helps over 40's avoid serious heart problems, and the Heart Age Tool, which will make adults aware of their heart health in the same way as they are of their weight or height. 1.3 million people have already calculated their heart age.'
Heavy rains from Friday have caused major damage at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate in northern Virginia.

Mount Vernon CEO Curt Viebranz said about 100 feet of a brick wall located between Washington's iconic mansion and the Potomac River fell over after the estate was hit by more than 5 inches of rain in a single hour Friday evening.

A pathway between the mansion and Washington's tomb was also washed out.

Viebranz said no historical buildings were damaged, but the cleanup and repair costs could still total in the seven figures, or 'north of a million bucks.'

He said staff have been working around the clock to make sure the estate stays open for visitors.

Heavy rains have caused major damage at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate in northern Virginia

The estate was hit by more than 5 inches of rain in a single hour Friday evening

Mount Vernon CEO Curt Viebranz said about 100 feet of a brick wall located between Washington's iconic mansion and the Potomac River fell over

The damaged wall is seen from another angle in the photograph above

Staff have been working around the clock to make sure the estate stays open for visitors

'It was torrential...It actually sheared some of the bricks,' Viebranz told The Washington Post.

'The force of the rain and the runoff was just . . . Mother Nature.'

Viebranz said that he personally inspected the tombs of George and Martha Washington to ensure that there was no structural damage.

The estate at Mount Vernon is owned and operated by a private, non-profit organization.

The estate at Mount Vernon (left) is owned and operated by a private, non-profit organization. It was the home of America's first president, George Washington

Although Mount Vernon has seen mudslides before, 'weve never had anything this severe,' according to Viebranz.

He said that staff members who have worked at the estate for the past 30 years 'dont remember anything of this magnitude.'
Can I take legal action against my partner?

Zelda reads all your letters but regrets that she cannot answer them all personally

I have been fleeced and betrayed by a man Ive been seeing. I gave him a lot of money as he promised to pay me back, but he hasnt. He owes me thousands. The police arent interested as its a civil matter. I had suspicions that he was also seeing someone else and he finally admitted to having a sexual relationship with a colleague. He made some awful remarks about my body and told me he hated holding my hand; he then told me how wonderful sex was with this other woman and that he loved kissing her. If he doesnt repay the money I think I will have to start a legal process to reclaim it, but have no idea how to do this. Can I do it on my own or do I need to seek legal advice?

If a man keeps asking you for money, Im afraid its not you he is interested in but the contents of your wallet. This man has behaved appallingly and Im so sorry for you. It is different if you have known someone for years, love and trust them and want to help when they get into difficulties, but I would advise any man or woman to never give in to someone who asks for money, especially early on in a relationship, because you can get badly hurt  both financially and emotionally. It sounds as though this man is angry and trying to hurt you  he has been dishonest and made cruel and unkind remarks. Remember that this is just him being vile and the horrible things he says are not true. You are much better off without him  as you know. You could make a claim by visiting gov.uk/make-court-claim-for-money but, as its a substantial amount, it might be better to seek legal advice as the process could be quite daunting to carry out on your own. Also, if he knows you have instructed a lawyer he might be more likely to settle the debt without risking having to go to court. So contact Lawyers Online (lawyersonline.co.uk, 0844 346 3635).

I feel lonely and friendless

I have just finished my first year at university. I made two good friends, but we live in different parts of the country. Ive been feeling down and alone for quite a while and Im not really in contact with the group of girls I knew at school, apart from my forever best friend. She has another group of girls that I am not part of and splits her time between me and them. I try not to feel jealous when I see her going on holidays or girls nights out with them, and distract myself by doing other things. I have a part-time job and the people I work with are friendly, but I still feel lonely. I know I should stop feeling sorry for myself and pull my socks up. There are people in my life who love me, such as my parents, so why do I feel down and unwanted all the time?

It sounds as if you feel on the edge of friendship groups rather than part of them. Maybe you dont have much self-esteem, so doubt yourself and feel as though you are not really wanted. Sadly, I often hear from people who long to be part of a group, but the other members are not particularly kind and can be insensitive, so do not include them, which can cause a lot of sadness and depression. Talk to your best friend about how you feel left out and lonely and ask her if she can include you with her friends. You sound like a lovely girl and perhaps, in time, you could become part of their group. You could also ask your two university friends if they would like to meet up with you during the summer or even go travelling. And when you go back to university, try joining clubs, societies or team sports. Also check with your GP to see if you need some short-term medication for depression and look into university counselling to raise your self-esteem.

My relationships never last

I am a 37-year-old woman and have never had a long-term relationship. Most have been a month or two and the longest was about three. I have lost count of how many Ive had in total; its probably around two or three a year. I take time to get to know these men and then after two dates we have sex. I am not sure why they break up with me. Sometimes we fall out or they dont call and, though I try getting in touch with them, eventually I give up.

Sadly, the men you have dated have taken advantage of you. Perhaps they also had a history of non-commitment or short-term relationships. Im afraid it sounds as though all they were looking for was sex. Try to find out about future partners track records and whether they have a good history of sustaining long-term relationships before getting too involved. Having sex with someone after two dates is quite soon and perhaps you should get to know future boyfriends far better before getting involved sexually. It might also be worth exploring why you find it difficult to maintain a relationship through counselling with Relate (relate.org.uk). This could help you to figure out whether you find it difficult to believe in happy relationships because of unhappy family patterns, for instance, or if you struggle to handle arguments and are attracted to men who are players and not good for you.

If you have a problem, write to Zelda West-Meads at: YOU, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS, or email z.west-meads@you.co.uk

Zelda reads all your letters but regrets that she cannot answer them all personally
A couple of weeks before the general election, I had to travel to Theresa Mays constituency in Sonning near Maidenhead to do a vox pop of female voters. I stood outside a primary school at 3.30pm, waiting to speak to the mums round the gate. There were none. Ah. They were all in huge, shiny 4x4s in the adjacent car park, texting and shopping online. I couldnt help but think, how lovely, to finish work at 3.30pm and collect a tot from school, take it home and watch CBBC.

Most of the women wouldnt scroll down their windows to talk to me, as they were too busy and have no interest in the election, but one did. She chatted away, told me how nice Theresa May is, and that the PM had come along to her childs party. Which one is her house? I asked her. Oh, and she showed me her phone, as she scrolled through texts and Facebook messages. Every missive was full of joy and trivia: Can you do lunch in Carluccios? And, Do you have any royal blue satin left over for a party frock and where did you get those balloons? Have you a loose- bottomed cake tin? And, Yes, pick up dinner on your way from the station, love you! Ive made panna cotta!

If someone were to wrestle my phone from my hot, tense little hands, they would read my messages and emails and promptly have me admitted to an asylum. On Monday, I was reminded how terrifying my inboxes are when I had to look up an email from 2011. Loads came up, not one was the message I was looking for, but each contained lawyers letters, and bills, and final demands, and VAT returns to sign with a half hours notice, and more bills, and accountants bills, and loads headed complaint and me asking my agent to please give me an update as to what you have done for me this month. Youd be hard pressed to find any joy or trivia. Even yesterday, I got an email headed, Wow!, telling me, Your lovely house you had to surrender in the Dales is in the papers, as a boutique b&b! They said the former owner had great taste! Maybe you could book it for a holiday? I dont want to know that!

The only respite I get from being assaulted by email and text is by fantasy shopping and house hunting online (in the brief few moments my internet is working). Ive been looking at houses in Somerset, and saving my favourites. A buttery Georgian townhouse in Bath I could have bought for cash when I sold my London house. My current favourite is two modernist barns in the middle of 110 acres of ancient pasture with a view of Glastonbury Tor. I keep imagining what peace I would get, in the middle of all that land, but I bet the postman would still annoy me, and emails would still penetrate.

I fantasy shop clothes, too, mostly on Net-a-Porter and My Theresa and The Outnet. I place my dream items in the shopping basket, but I never check out. I found the perfect gown for any award ceremonies I might be invited to, or balls, or city weddings (oh, the hollow laughter; no one invites me anywhere): a black silk gown that puddles on the floor, with spaghetti straps, plunging back and gold mesh at the decollete by Dries van Noten, for 300 in the sale. I used to own a lot of Dries: an embroidered sheer silk shirt, a black silk slip dress, a soft wool pinstripe blazer that was long and mannish, but nipped in at the waist with a kick like a pony. The shirt developed holes as it was so delicate, the slip dress frayed at the edges and went grey, and Gracie chewed the buttons of the jacket.

Youd be hard pressed to find joy or trivia in my emails. Theyre all lawyers letters and bills

Anyway, when David was here last, he decided to make gooseberry crumble, so I handed him my iPad to look up a recipe. He swiped it, and The Outnet came up, with my lovely dress. Let me buy you that for your birthday! he said, tiny eyes twinkling. No, my birthday is not till September! and I quickly summoned a crumble recipe. My iPad suddenly felt incredibly domestic.

I woke this morning to a lovely text from him. I have just woken from a nightmare. You left me after a terrible argument because I couldnt remember the dress you showed me on your iPad. Problem is, Ive forgotten it. And I know you will test me. So do I get another chance? Please remind me. xxxx

I replied, Please dont buy me that dress. x

I need to become more Sonning.
Companies seeking a license will see waiting times cut dramatically if the new law is passed by parliament

Egypt's Trade and Industry Minister Tarek Kabil has announced executive regulations that will form part of a proposed law for industrial licensing, aimed at streamlining application processes and boosting investment.

In a press conference in Cairo on Sunday, Kabil said the new law, which will be sent to parliament soon, sets the time-frames for company license applications based on the risk levels involved.

It also aims to make the licensing process more simple, with a one-week notice period, rather than the previous "bureaucratic" 634 days.

Companies operating in dangerous sectors will have their licenses finalized within a month, according to the new law.

The minister said the new law will mean a "boost" for investment in the country.

In recent years, Egypt has passed several investor-friendly laws to attract investors who have long complained about bureaucratic regulations.

An investment law ratified in June grants investors a number of incentives, including tax breaks, with associated bylaws to be approved by the cabinet soon.

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Victorias new glow-tos

When Victoria Beckhams first make-up collection for Estee Lauder landed in Selfridges last year, it was one of the most successful beauty launches in the stores history. And when I met with the designer for the big reveal of her A/W 17 range, it became obvious why. Shes passionate, creative, attentive to detail  and, unusually, sees make-up as a means of telling stories.

Victoria Beckhams first make-up collection for Estee Lauder was a success

The heavenly Victoria Beckham x Estee Lauder Cheek Creme in Blonde Mink was inspired by memories of her mother whipping out her lipstick and rubbing it on VBs cheeks, whenever I looked peaky.

Victoria Beckham x Estee Lauder Cheek Creme in Blonde Mink, 46, esteelauder.co.uk

She used the Eye Matte Duo in Bleu Electrique/Nude to lift a smoky eye when receiving her OBE from Prince William earlier this year. Her six-year-old daughter Harper clearly has excellent taste and likes to wear mummys Aura Gloss in Honey on cheeks  but only round the house.

Eye Matte Duo in Bleu Electrique/Nude, 48, esteelauder.co.uk

Aura Gloss in Honey, 30, esteelauder.co.uk

The Eye Foil in Blonde Gold is a go-to for all-out sparkly lids, while the stunning Matte Lipstick in Black Cassis (right, 38, all esteelauder.co.uk, from September) mirrors the burgundy shade that runs through her A/W 17 catwalk collection.

Even the ranges gold, vintage-style casing echoes the zips she uses on her clothing. She says her obsessive eye for detail drives David mad at home, but I love her for it.

Eye Foil in Blonde Gold, 28, esteelauder.co.uk

Matte Lipstick in Black Cassis, 38, esteelauder.co.uk

Every so often, I discover a product I dont ever want to be parted from. In the case of James Read Coconut Melting Tanning Balm (30, jamesreadtan.com), my addiction was instant. A solid balm, it melts upon contact with warm skin, leaving behind a delicious coconut scent and hydrating sheen that makes uneven skin look incredible. It then develops into a butterscotch glow thats as perfect for pre-holiday prep as it is for maintaining your tan afterwards.

James Read Coconut Melting Tanning Balm, 30, jamesreadtan.com

For all those still seeking the Holy Grail for lustrous, thick, fast-growing locks, Hairburst is causing quite a stir on Instagram. With more than 800,000 followers, posts are dominated by those raving about its range of hair-growth vitamins and Avocado & Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner (24.99), which improve scalp health and reduce breakage in as little as two weeks. We love the strawberry and blackcurrant Chewable Hair Vitamins (from 19.99, all hairburst.com).

Avocado & Coconut Shampoo and Conditioner, 24.99, hairburst.com

Chewable Hair Vitamins, from 19.99, hairburst.com

This week we're... mad as a hatter for Andrea Garlands brilliantly nostalgic Alices Adventures in Wonderland-inspired lip balm compacts. Available in Clear, Red Tint or Pink Tint shades, pop open Drink Me, White Rabbit or Mad Hatters Tea Party and youll find a nourishing balm and handy mirror to apply it on the go. 15 each, andreagarland.co.uk.
Autumn dressing up calls for a sleek new spin on the razzle-dazzle 1980s. Strut your sultry stuff in lavish velvet, hot metallics and power heels.

Dress, 930, Preen by Thornton Bregazzi. Earrings, 152 each, Maria Black, from Liberty. Ring, 111, Maria Black. Shoes, 490, Salvatore Ferragamo.

Top, 1,345, Christopher Kane.

Dress, 295, Three Floor, from harveynichols.com. Earrings, 210, Eshvi.

Dress, 1,450, Jil Sander. Earrings, 40, Shashi NYC. Bag, 600, Persephoni, from Machine-A. Boots, 835, Giuseppe Zanotti.

Top, 350, Bella Freud. Trousers, 490, 3.1 Phillip Lim. Shoes, 490, Salvatore Ferragamo.

Jacket, 249, and trousers, 175, both Whistles. Earrings, 105, Joomi Lim.

Contributing fashion editor Hannah Hughes

Fashion assistant Joanne Toolan

Make-up Jose Bass

Hair Shukeel at Frank Agency using Kevin Murphy

Model Djaja at M+P Models

Producer Lucy Coghlan

Shot on location at the Barnhouse at The Lakes by Yoo, a luxury estate offering stylish homes for sale and rent in the Cotswolds.

Prices at the five-bedroom Barnhouse start at 3,000 for a two-night minimum stay; thelakesbyyoo.com

Stockists

Bella Freud, bellafreud.com

Christopher Kane, christopherkane.com/uk

Eshvi, eshvi.co.uk

Giuseppe Zanotti, giuseppezanotti.com

Jil Sander, jilsander.com

Joomi Lim, joomilim.com

Liberty, liberty.co.uk

Machine-A, 020 7734 4334

Maria Black,maria-black.uk

3.1 Phillip Lim, 020 7591 1320

Preen by Thornton Bregazzi, preenbythorntonbregazzi.com

Salvatore Ferragamo, ferragamo.com

Shashi NYC, shopshashi.com

Whistles, whistles.com
It goes without saying there is a plethora of work that goes on in preparation of our main fashion stories. Firstly we need to decide the trend we wish to portray and pair it with the ideal location, find a photographer to capture it all, cast the perfect model to encompass the look, hair stylist, makeup artist, props and logistics. In short its no small feat to bring it all together!

As YOUs Bookings Editor I am always on the scout for the best locations, which has enabled me to be lucky enough to travel all over the world hunting for the perfect landscapes, traditional villages, beaches or even the weird and wonderful, like hot air balloons in Moroccan deserts. There really is never a boring day. And just sometimes these fantastic locations are a little closer to home and we relish the opportunity to share these with our readers. So when our fashion team began plotting our 80s inspired extravaganza seen in this week's magazine (and online here), we were looking for stylised LA opulence and came across the fantastic find that is the Barnhouse at Lakes by Yoo in the beautiful Cotswolds countryside. With a high fashion pedigree, its interiors were designed by none other than Kate Moss - you dont get more stylish than that!

Sumptuous interiors at the Barnhouse at Lakes by Yoo, Cotswolds.

Set in the rich natural beauty for which the area is known, Lakes by Yoo offers a modern and exciting approach to holiday rentals a world away from anything we have seen before, offering the most incredible homes away from home. The effortless style and understated privacy make it an obvious choice for celebrities (Kevin Spacey made it his UK base while shooting here earlier in the year and would be seen regularly exploring the extensive grounds on foot). Just one of their premium rental options (look out for the Poolhouse brand new this summer! We are already eyeing it for next years summer antics here at YOU HQ), the Barnhouse offers five double bedrooms and your own private pool for the ultimate lounging. Equipped with a full kitchen you can either cater yourself or the ever accommodating team at Lakes by Yoo can organise a rather special private chef for you, should you be looking to be extra spoilt!

Kate's opulent interiors, a true style haven.

Who needs flights to LA when we have such incredible holiday homes on our doorstep? The exterior of the Barnhouse at Lakes by Yoo.

So after finding the perfect location, our next step was planning how to get the team, clothes (four suitcases), props and equipment from our London office to our new grand if disappointingly temporary home. A destination like this needs a certain amount of understated style and a task like this needs a rather large boot space! To our rescue came the new DS4s, which were perfectly suited for our hectic escape from the city and the long winding gravel paths of the estate. Not only did the cars easily accommodate our excessive amounts of luggage, the sleek design looked perfectly in place in the grand settings of the Barnhouse. No one needed to know that we were working and not in our natural excessively luxurious habitat. And as everyone knows, any road trip is only ever as good as its soundtrack and in order to get us in the right creative space we belted out 80s classics the whole way to the DS 4s premium Denon sound system, the team's rendition of The Human League classic Dont you Want me Baby, safe to say, left a lot to be desired.

The new DS4s proved invaluable transferring the fashion team and their many suitcases to the leafy seclusion of the Cotswolds.

The Barnhouse at The Lakes by Yoo is an 850-acre luxury estate that offers stylish homes for sale and rent in the Cotswolds. Prices for the Barnhouse (five bedrooms) start from 3,000 (two-night minimum stay). www.thelakesbyyoo.com

DS 4, price from 22,635 OTR and DS 4 CROSSBACK, price from 23,355 OTR. For more information, visit DS Urban Store at Westfield London or the DS website www.dsautomobiles.co.uk/home
The Delhi government's free medicine scheme will now come with a price for poor patients.

At one of the biggest Delhi government healthcare institutions, GB Pant Hospital, the pharmacy is lacking about 70 per cent of medicines it would normally stock.

In the overcrowded pharmacy, Raj Kumar Kalra, 66, did not get six medicines of the 10 he was prescribed by a doctor.

Few patients have apparently complained about medicine counters being closed

'I stood in the queue for more than three hours to get only four medicines but failed to get the remaining six prescribed to me.

'Nothing has changed despite the government launching the free essential drugs scheme. My day got wasted as after standing in the queue for more than three hours, the staff at the medicine counter could not provide me with six medicines.

'Even doctors are not aware that they have to put a stamp on the prescription,' Kalra explained.

GB Pant Hospital in central Delhi

On Saturday, Mail Today looked into the issue and found that many of patients returned disappointed after not getting the required drugs.

Yet, few of them complained about the medicine counters being closed.

'We have repeatedly informed the director of the hospital about a shortage of 70 per cent of the medicines at our store. People are not getting three out of five medicines mentioned in their prescription,' a pharmacist said, speaking anonymously.

Imrana Begam, 33, who came early morning to get the medicine, also faced the same problem.

She said: 'I have come to get the orthopaedic medicine for my son. It is not available. Now, I have to purchase it from the market.'

Sources from Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital and Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital and Sanjay Gandhi Hospital in Mongolpuri spoke about unavailability of medicines, resulting in some medicine counters being closed and patients being left disappointed.

Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital

Many of patients returned disappointed after not getting the required drugs

Recently, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal made a thorough check of the availability of life-saving medicines, but insiders at the hospital pharmacy said that for the last two-three months, no purchase of lifesaving drugs has been made despite authorities repeating requests.

Patients are advised to purchase medicine from outside sources.

Recently, this paper reported on the shortage of supply of drugs at all government hospitals due to failure of the Central Procurement Agency (CPA).

The CPA was formed in 2015 for centralised procurement of medicines and equipment at all government hospitals.

Dr Rajiv Chawla, director, GB Pant, was approached for a comment.
A financial crimewave is sweeping across Britain as high-tech fraudsters employ a worrying array of scams to plunder people's bank accounts.

It is viewed as the crime of the 21st Century. Figures released last month show that one in nine adults has either been the victim of a cyber attack  often with money secretly taken from a bank account or swindled as they visit a bogus website.

The number of computer attacks is now almost as high as all other notifiable crimes put together.

Rising crime: Financial fraud is almost as common as all other reported crimes put together

This new crimewave is costing the economy 193 billion a year, according to a study by the University of Portsmouth. Worse still, banks are now saying they will not necessarily compensate victims who have been 'careless'.

Most con artists hide in the shadows of the internet, making them hard to catch. They fleece victims using myriad tricks.

These include hacking into personal computers using malware to steal personal information, breaking into bank accounts using so-called phishing scams and using bogus websites to defraud people of money.

Government organisations such as ActionFraud are fighting back. But last week Ross McEwan, head of Royal Bank of Scotland, which was bailed out by the taxpayer, said the bank would not automatically compensate fraud victims who had mistakenly given their details to online scammers.

Fraud expert, Glenn Wicks, says: 'Make no mistake, modern fraudsters are vile creatures. They think nothing of destroying lives with their heartless tricks. Fraud is costing us billions of pounds a year and has become Britain's biggest crime menace.'

Wicks, who is an investigator for the Government Insolvency Service's criminal investigations department, says the best way to avoid being scammed is to step back for five minutes and ask yourself if an offer is too good to be true.

Under no circumstances should you respond to someone pressuring you into sharing personal or financial information, such as your date of birth or bank details.

Hidden enemy: Most con artists hide in the shadows of the internet, making them hard to catch

The elderly are the fraudsters' biggest target. A common con is for a fraudster to phone, claiming to be from the police or a bank, and explain the householder has been a victim of cyber-crime. The victim is then warned only to share their bank details with the caller, no one else. A courier may then visit to take away the victim's bank cards.

Lonely hearts are also regularly targeted with sob stories for cash, while greed is another hook.

For instance, you may be told you have won a fortune on a foreign lottery, but must pay cash to receive the prize. Wicks says: 'Do not be embarrassed about coming forward if you feel conned.

'These people are professional fraudsters and know every trick in the book. We are all vulnerable, old and young, rich and poor.'

ActionFraud is the national fraud and cyber crime reporting centre but you can also contact your local police force to report a crime or seek advice. The latest Crime Survey for England and Wales found that fraud and computer misuse accounted for 5.2 million of all incidents in the year ending March 2017. Of these financial fraud represented 2.6 million cases.

Banks do not always compensate victims of financial fraud who give their details to scammers

According to the survey, all other crimes  including such instances as burglary, criminal damage, vehicle theft and violence  totalled 5.9 million. The following are 21st Century financial scams  including ways you can tackle them.

Cyber attacks

What it is: Hackers break into a firm's computer system and steal personal information that may be sold on to other fraudsters or used to plunder accounts directly. Sometimes the company whose IT system has been broken into is held to ransom. For example, 2.5 million was stolen from 9,000 Tesco Bank customers in November last year.

How to combat it: There is little you can do as an individual, other than ask yourself how safe your money is. A bank is legally bound to refund losses, but a successful attack indicates a security weakness. If you feel vulnerable put your money elsewhere.

Malware

What it is: Software with a virus that can read personal information on your computer  or destroy it. The bug is often activated by users inadvertently opening an attachment or clicking on an email link.

How to combat it: Never open attachments from a sender you do not know. Do not store account names or passwords on a computer. Consider installing security software from the likes of Norton Security and McAfee.

Crime wave: It's estimated that financial fraud costs the UK economy 193 billion a year

Phishing fraud

What it is: A scam where fraudsters try to hook you into providing personal information, such as bank details, via email. The sender often poses as your bank or the taxman and asks for bank details urgently. Armed with this, the fraudster can plunder your account.

How to combat it: Your bank or the taxman will not email asking for account details. Also fraudsters often make spelling mistakes which should ring alarm bells.

Identity theft

What is it: This covers a number of techniques, ranging from intercepting bills in the post to noting details given over a mobile phone in a public place  to plunder your account. Fraudsters may also use the information to open a bank account or take out a loan in your name. Such scams can go unnoticed for months.

How to combat it: Credit reference agencies such as Experian will help check whether fraudsters are applying for credit in your name. ActionFraud also offers support against this crime.

Cashpoint con

What is it: A sharp-eyed robber looks over your shoulder at a cashpoint machine to watch you tap in a PIN code  often then pickpocketing your card. Sometimes fake keypads and spy cameras are used to read the PIN code tapped in.

Other tricks include a 'Lebanese loop', with a magnetic device connected to the cash machine that swallows your card. Another con is 'skimming', where a crooked member of staff swipes your credit card in a black box while you are not looking to capture all the details.

Lost cash: Banks do not always automatically compensate victims of financial fraud

How to combat it: Check your statements. Report transactions that you do not recognise.

Romance scam

What is it: Those looking for love who fall victim to fraudsters are conned on average 10,000 through dating websites and lonely heart pleas. Online smooth talkers persuade victims to pay for fictitious plane tickets and immigration fees  or help them with financial woes.

How to combat it: Ask friends for advice and do not part with any money. Use internet search engines to see if a name comes under 'dating scam'.

Bogus booking

What is it: Tricks include fraudsters stealing the names of well-known websites. For example, accommodation rental website Airbnb has a '.co.uk' suffix, but crooks might use an alternative suffix such as '.co.com'. The logo of a recognised trade body such as the Association of British Travel Agents is not enough, as it can simply be pasted on to websites to give false confidence.

How to combat it: Do an internet search of the owner and property to see if it ties up with the online description.

Social media

What is it: Websites and apps such as Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook are a hunting ground for fraudsters. By sharing your location, photos and other information with more than a close network of friends, a jigsaw can be pieced together enabling personal information and bank details to be stolen.

How to combat it: Be aware how many people could be reading your messages  and be wary of revealing any financial details. It may also be possible for criminals to eavesdrop on personal messages when you use free public wi-fi hotspots.

Phone trickster

What is it: Elderly and vulnerable people who prefer talking by phone rather than communicating online are the main target. Tricksters may promise money for accident claims  or pretend to help you fight fraud by getting you to share your personal bank details with them.

How to combat it: Consider blocking calls using a 50 device or special handset. Or sign up to a free 'call protect' service as offered by BT. Register with The Telephone Preference Service to block unsolicited marketing calls from British firms.
Lloyds Banking Group has shortened the terms of some of its zero per cent balance transfer deals in a sign that banks are responding to a Bank of England crackdown.

Earlier this year Lloyds was offering a Halifax-branded card giving customers 43 months interest free  a market-leading rate.

The equivalent card today has been pegged back to 38 months.

Lloyds Banking Group has shortened the terms of some of its zero per cent balance cards

One of the banks other branded cards is also offering a less generous interest-free period.

MBNA is offering a 39 month deal, but before Lloyds had completed its purchase of MBNA earlier this year the card operators offer had been 41 months.

Interest free balance transfer cards have been under regulatory scrutiny recently with the Bank of England saying it is concerned at the lengthening in interest-free periods. The average period offered has doubled since 2013.

Lloyds has a 26 per cent market share of the credit card market and is second only to Barclaycard.

Antonio Horta-Osorio said surging consumer credit was not the fault of the banks

Lloyds chief executive Antonio Horta-Osorio said last month that surging consumer credit was not the fault of the big banks.

If you look at the Bank of England numbers in terms of consumer debt and you compare them to the BBA [trade association] numbers which have the major banks, you see that the growth in consumer finance according to the Bank of England is much stronger than the BBA numbers, he said.

I think most of the growth in consumer finance is being done in sub-prime or near-prime segments which we dont participate in.

A bank spokesman said: We believe we remain competitive.
Greenland is traditionally associated with cold weather and wildlife. With strict environmental laws and a harsh year-round climate, it does not normally attract much mining interest.

But Rod McIllree, an intrepid Australian geologist, has been working in the country for 11 years, the last three of which have been spent developing one of the largest and highest-grade ilmenite projects in the world.

Bluejay Mining, McIllrees company, is listed on AIM. The shares are 17p and deserve to rise considerably as the Greenland site moves into commercial production.

Bluejay Mining's shares are 17p and deserve to rise considerably as the Greenland site moves into commercial production

Ilmenite is used to make titanium dioxide, a pigment that is an essential component of white paint. Titanium dioxide is also deployed as a colouring in sunscreens, make-up and food and has a variety of industrial uses, too.

After the financial crisis, when economic growth stalled, titanium dioxide prices fell and several mines cut production or ceased operating. Now, global supplies are constrained and prices are rising, at between $200 (153) and $300 per ton, against a low of just $70.

The price range depends on the quality of the mineral deposits and Bluejays are exceptionally high quality.

The firm currently operates along almost 20 miles of coastline in north-west Greenland, but the entire site, known as Pituffik, covers 60 square miles so there is considerable potential for expansion.

Local infrastructure is robust as well, so Bluejays ilmenite can be transported to ports and shipped overseas with relative ease. The proximity of shipping hubs and the quality of the ilmenite means the cost of production is among the lowest in the world, so Bluejay is expected to be highly profitable once it starts shipping.

Buyers are already showing interest and the company expects to send out samples to prospective customers this year, with production starting at the end of 2018.

Analysts expect production of about 100,000 tons next year, rising to more than 300,000 by 2020. Initially, McIllree will plough sales proceeds back into the business, but the group is expected to be solidly profitable and potentially dividend-paying within three years.

Greenland is known for its tough stance on environmental issues, but McIllree has developed a close working relationship with the government

There are hurdles to be overcome before then. First, the company needs to complete environmental and social assessments and apply for an exploitation licence. Greenland is known for its tough stance on environmental issues, but McIllree has developed a close working relationship with the government, which is keen to support good quality resource projects, so the signs are encouraging.

Bluejay also needs about 50 million to bring the Pituffik project to fruition. Shareholders would be reluctant to food the bill, but alternative solutions are likely to be found.

Leading refiners and chemical companies may well sign offtake deals, under which they will provide upfront capital in return for a fixed amount of ilmenite at a set price over an agreed period of time. Shipping companies may also provide finance and, if McIllree secures some renowned purchasers, banks will almost certainly be willing to provide loans.

One of Bluejays key advantages is its location, just 1,100 miles from North America. Other ilmenite producers  mainly in Africa  are several thousand miles away, so shipping costs are considerably more expensive.

Bluejay is focused on the Pituffik project, but it owns licences elsewhere in Greenland and it has a large copper site in Finland too, which may well be sold to generate extra cash.

Midas verdict: Bluejay has yet to move into production, so there are clear risks associated with this investment. However, McIllree knows what he is doing, the resource is high-grade, the Greenland government is supportive and prospective buyers are interested in the groups ilmenite. At 17p, the shares are a buy.
A pizza oven maker favoured by Bake Off star Paul Hollywood, Richard Branson and the Hairy Bikers has sold a spicy 15 per cent stake to a private equity firm backed by some of Britains top corporate executives.

Gozney Ovens signed the agreement with Provenance Investment Partners.

Its investors include former Diageo boss Paul Walsh, former BBC Director General Greg Dyke and John Lovering, who used to chair Debenhams  as part a deal that values the business at around 5 million.

The firm has been valued at 5 million after the deal with Provenance Investment Partners

The firm was set up by Tom Gozney in 2009 with a 5,000 loan from his mother.

The entrepreneur, who was expelled from several schools, came up with the idea after cooking his girlfriend a soggy, inedible pizza in a conventional oven.

His companys latest innovation is Roccbox  a portable wood and gas stone oven that can cook a pizza in 90 seconds.

The firm is set to generate 5 million in revenues this year as Provenance backs its plans to expand abroad.
The liquidator of collapsed fashion group BHS has launched a legal action against Sir Philip Greens fashion empire.

The action has been filed in the High Court by SHB Realisations, formerly BHS, and now being run by liquidator FRP Advisory.

The issue at stake remains a mystery as the legal document, submitted at the end of July, gives no details other than to name SHB as the claimant and Arcadia Group Limited  the parent company of Greens fashion empire  as the defendant.

The liquidator of BHS has launched a legal action against Sir Philip Greens fashion empire

City lawyers Jones Day filed the docket at the High Court on behalf of SHB Realisations, while Linklaters, another of the Citys top law firms, is Arcadias defence lawyer.

Arcadia, Sir Philip Green and FRP Advisory all refused to comment.

The move marks the first public sign that the BHS saga is far from over and a new chapter in the long-running story of BHSs dramatic collapse.

Green sold BHS to former bankrupt Dominic Chappell in 2015 for 1. A year later the company collapsed with the eventual loss of 11,000 jobs.

The crash triggered a protracted public war of words over the companys multi- million pound pension deficit, which cast a shadow over the lives of thousands of former BHS workers left facing cuts to their retirement incomes.

Green  who had owned and run BHS for 15 years  and his family earned hundreds of millions of pounds in dividends while the group was profitable.

After the collapse of BHS Green came under widespread attack over the pension deficit

After the collapse Green came under widespread public attack and was savaged by MPs over the pension deficit.

He pledged to sort it and last February he agreed to pay 363 million into the BHS pension fund.

Administrator Duff & Phelps took control of BHS in April last year, but then FRP Advisory was appointed as a joint administrator in July at the insistence of the Pension Protection Fund.

FRP was finally appointed liquidator of BHS last December, meaning all assets are being sold off to pay out to creditors.

The Pension Protection Fund remains the largest single creditor of the former BHS group.

Last December FRP said it had collected a vast quantity of data concerning BHSs finances which it said would allow it to conduct a full and extensive investigation into the companys financial history and subsequent insolvency.

It also said it was probing a number of historic matters of concern and key transactions.
Controversial businessman and Labour party donor Chai Patel has signed a deal to buy half of Bupas care homes to create Britains biggest operator.

City sources said Patels company, HC-One, has agreed to pay up to 450 million for the 150-home portfolio. The deal will catapult HC-One from the third largest care home company in the country to the largest, potentially worth more than 1 billion.

However, the agreement could collapse if Patel  the former chief executive of upmarket healthcare provider The Priory  fails to raise enough funds. The entrepreneur has a few weeks to come up with the financing.

Patel has signed a deal to buy half of Bupas care homes to create Britains biggest operator

Bankers said HC-One may look to raise the money from US hedge fund Och-Ziff as in early July it struck a deal with the investment firm, Citibank and Deutsche Bank for a 286 million loan. Financiers at Gleacher Shacklock are advising HC-One, which looks after people with dementia.

Bupa hired Bank of America Merrill Lynch last year to find a buyer for the care homes, many of which are deemed to be low quality, according to a financier close to the sector.

HC-One was sold in 2014 to a group of private equity firms including Formation Capital for 477 million. The transaction netted the HC-One management team, including Patel and its directors, around 30 million.

Patel, who became embroiled in the cash-for-peerages scandal in 2005, created HC-One in 2011 and it took over a third of Southern Crosss homes after the firm collapsed. Since then HC-One has been on a major acquisition spree.

HC-One and Bupa both declined to comment.
To celebrate Flooding of the Nile Day, the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square is organising two free guided tours for evening visitors.



Elham Salah, head of the Museums Sector at the Ministry of Antiquities, revealed that the tours would be in Arabic and be held 18 and 24 August, during the museums evening open hours.



Salah said that guided tours in English would be provided on request during the same hours of the Arabic tours. Sabah Abdel Razak, director general of the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, explained that the tours would go through all exhibited artifacts connected to the Nile, such as boats and the Nilometer.



The museums August piece of the month is a limestone Ostrava depicting the Nile god Hapi.

The flooding of the Nile is an important ancient Egyptian festival celebrating the natural cycle of the Nile flood. It was celebrated by ancient Egyptians as an annual holiday for two weeks starting 15 August, and known as Wafaa El-Nil.

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Super-rich dignitaries from the Gulf states are boycotting some of Londons best-known hotels because of their Qatari ownership.

The tiny Arab nation is locked in a bitter dispute with neighbours, including UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and Saudi Arabia, over allegations it supports terrorists.

Now business leaders, politicians and diplomats have put together an unofficial blacklist of Qatari-owned hotels.

Rich dignitaries from the Gulf state have made a blacklist of Qatari-owned hotels in London. They include Claridges (pictured above), the Connaught and the Berkeley

They include Claridges, the Connaught and the Berkeley  some of Londons most prestigious lodgings where rooms can cost thousands of pounds per night.

All three venues are owned by Constellation Hotels, part of Qatars sovereign wealth fund.

It comes after Qatars tycoons and businesses embarked on a 35 billion spending spree in London in recent years, snapping up landmarks and luxury brands.

The list of hotels was reportedly started by a businessman from the United Arab Emirates after Saudi royals planned a visit to Claridges in Mayfair.
The Smiley Company is smiling again, thanks to Nicolas Loufrani's plan to create a lifestyle brand with more style.

The smiley face symbol was once associated with the 1990s rave scene, but Loufrani has turned the firm into a licensing business, co-creating designs for fashion, home decor and marketing on behalf of retail and manufacturing clients, but also the likes of Dior and Adidas by Stella McCartney.

Loufrani's father Franklin trademarked the original smiley in the early 1970s and founded the company through a newspaper promotion aimed at making people happy, using the logo to highlight good news.

The smiley face symbol was once associated with the 1990s rave scene, but Loufrani has turned the firm into a licensing business

Nicolas joined in 1996 and transformed it into a consumer merchandising licensing model. Today it is one of the world's top 150 licensing firms with 230 global licensees and sells more than 210 million products. It has worked with H&M, McDonald's and Renault.

The London-based firm has 40 staff and last year turned over 185 million (168 million).

Loufrani said: 'The brand was not doing very well in the 1990s. Sales had declined and I decided with my father to try to revamp it. Smiley was started in 1971 and throughout the 1970s and 1980s it was doing really well.

'He was doing everything from food products to gifts and advertising campaigns. It was on a lot of things and the brand became massive and sold hundreds of millions of products. It was really licensing a logo without any branding.

'It was very original to want to trademark a logo. He was the first to say 'I'm going to start a business, and this will be about spreading happiness and I'm going to use this logo as the trademark for my brand'.'
A former British soldier dubbed 'Tim the Cannibal' by his Kurdish comrades has revealed how he left his comfortable life in London to fight ISIS in their Syrian backyard.

Tim Wordsworth, a scaffolder from East London, estimated that he fired 1,000 rounds at ISIS while fighting with the People's Protection Units of Syrian Kurdistan (YPG).

The married 39-year-old said he was inspired to take up arms against the murderous organisation because he was left with unfinished business from his Army days and in response to the slaughter of thousands of Yazidis by ISIS in August 2014.

He was nicknamed 'Tim the Cannibal' by his fellow fighters because he used to slurp up the blood of dead jihadists he delivered to mass graves.

The ex-British soldier spent six months fighting ISIS with the YPG - he said a lot of his 'dear friends' had died fighting the terror group

The married Londoner had previously served in the Army for four years but felt he had never achieved his goal of becoming a rifleman so joined the YPG in the fight against ISIS

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, he described the fighting as being 'like World War One' and revealed the unimaginable horrors he witnessed, such as seeing dead ISIS fighters whose bodies were so badly mangled that their jaws were 'above their skull'.

He also recounted staying in houses where the occupants had 'probably been murdered brutally', and finding starving cats and dogs roaming in villages recaptured from ISIS.

The fighter revealed how depraved ISIS fighters threw nitric acid in the face of pre-pubescent girls or threw them down a well if they refused to have sex with them.

The 39-year-old arrived in Syria on February 18, 2015 after a 33-hour bus journey through Turkey - he then spent six months fighting with the YPG against ISIS

He said: 'The actual reality of war, of horrific injuries and total terror of death was the f****** worst experience of my life but there's also this wolfpack thing, especially with the Kurds, that you get drawn into and in the end I got drawn into it. I was blessed to survive.'

Tim said he became an 'adopted orphan' of the Kurds and became famous among them, which he likened to the fanfare surrounding pop star Justin Bieber.

After fighting with the YPG for half a year he spent one month on the frontline with the peshmerga, the government-backed army of Iraqi Kurdistan, fighting ISIS in Iraq.

However he was imprisoned for three-and-a-half months after insulting the Kurdish president Masoud Barzani in a Facebook rant which he said he later regretted and admitted was 'stupid'.

He had been persuaded to join the peshmerga by Joe Robinson, himself a former soldier, who was arrested in Turkey last week on suspicion of terror offences relating to the time he spent in Syria with Kurdish militia along with Tim.

Speaking about his friend, Tim said: 'Joe is a lovely young man, with a lovely girlfriend and I want him to get out so he can have a family with her.'

Discussing the impact his departure had on his Lithuanian wife Dalia, who he married in 2010, he said: 'It caught her totally by surprise but if I'd told her it [going to Syria] could have been pulled.

'In the beginning she was really shocked but it helped her find her own feet for a bit. When I came back she moved back in with me. She thought I might leave again but since coming back I make dinner every Friday night. During my time in Syria I thought to myself that I would come back and start a family.'

Tim told MailOnline about the unspeakable horrors he witnessed during his time in Syria but also said there was a 'wolfpack' mentality among the Kurds

Immediately after arriving at the YPG safehouse in Syria, Tim was fast-tracked due to his military experience and given an M16, two grenades and four magazines of ammunition

Before he became a jihadi hunter in Syria, Tim had served in the Army for four years, in the 2nd battalion of the Royal Green Jackets. He did two peacekeeping tours, in Bosnia in 1998, and Kosovo, in 1999. Despite that he felt he was 'never the rifleman I wanted to be' and was faced with 'personal jealously' of friends who had stayed in the Army.

He told MailOnline: 'I had a great time in the Army, it was such a supportive organisation but I never had to fire a shot at the enemy during the whole of my four years. And of course I longed for professional fulfilment.

'To be a rifleman is pretty much everything and so I had a big hope in myself that I would do the job of a rifleman that I was trained for and I got to do that job in Syria and Iraq against an evil enemy. It was years and years of being a civilian and thinking I'll never really be a rifleman.'

As well as this feeling of unfinished business, Tim, whose grandmother was a Holocaust survivor, was also inspired to fight ISIS after reading about the genocide of the Yazidis in Sinjar by ISIS. According to a UN report, 5,000 Yazidi civilians were killed by ISIS when they captured the town in August 2014.

The former soldier said: 'To be a rifleman is pretty much everything and so I had a big hope in myself that I would do the job of a rifleman that I was trained for and I got to do that job in Syria and Iraq'

Tim revealed how YPG fighters would use anything - whether it be ammunition, weapons or uniform - that they took from dead ISIS terrorists

Tim's journey began with him flying to Istanbul on February 13, 2015. He then boarded a bus for a 33 hour journey that travelled through the Kurdistan region of Turkey to Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.

From there he contacted the 'Lions of Rojova' Facebook group [the name for Syrian Kurdistan] after reading a news report about two former British soldiers who had done the same thing.

He was then taken through a series of safehouses before being smuggled across the border into Syria, which he reached five days after touching down in the Turkish capital.

Westerners who had reached the YPG safehouse were then split into those who were ex-military and those who were not.

'They said "if you're ex-military and feel ready to go the frontline, good, we need to go now" as an operation was starting to liberate a place called Tell Hamis in northeastern Syria', Tim recalled.

'So I was fast-tracked. I was given an M-16 and two grenades and four magazines of ammunition and we were shipped off to the frontline.'

Tim revealed how he became famous among the Kurds for being one of the few Westerners

One of Tim's jobs in Syria involved transporting the bodies of dead ISIS fighters to mass graves

Tim (pictured second right) had to transport dead ISIS bodies on the back of a truck to mass graves

In the first Syrian village he went into with the YPG Tim did not come under fire directly but vividly remembered seeing human remains for the first time.

He said: 'I saw a scalp and demasked face. I was staying in houses where people had probably been murdered brutally, [it was] haunting with their pictures on the walls. It was haunting for me. It brought back everything from Bosnia and Kosovo, as they were like graveyards. It all came back to me.

'For the first few days we were going into villages unchallenged... ISIS had gone or left some gruesome human remains.'

Following the liberation of Tell Hamis, Tim was split off from the rest of the Westerners who were with the YPG, apart from a Dutchman and American in a mobile unit.

He said: '[We were travelling] in some of the insane armoured vehicles the Kurds had made themselves that looked like something out of Mad Max, which they call panzers... they go into battle and burn to death inside these things.'

Tim was inspired to join the fight against ISIS because he had long been interested in the region but also because he was horrified by the reports of the ISIS slaughter of the Yazidis in Sinjar in August 2014

Tim recalled how the YPG mobile unit he was used 'insane armoured vehicles the Kurds had made themselves that looked like something out of Mad Max'

After only a few days in the mobile battalion Tim encountered fierce resistance from ISIS fighters for the first time - at the village of Tel Khuzela.

He recalled: 'We stopped about a kilometre away from that frontline but you could tell there was a f****** big battle going on.

'This Kurdish Heval said "come on, come on" he wanted us to run behind this home-made panzer the Kurds had which they called 'The Mouse', it was basically a little agricultural machine with welded plates. We ran behind it up to the frontline and that was the first time a round passed really close to my head.

'It came real close to my head, a high velocity round. I hit the deck and I continued the rest of the way to the frontline on my knees, crawling. I had to crawl to the earth berm, where a lot of the conflict is done. When I finally got there, there was a rain of bullets coming over the top of the berm from the ISIS village 700 metres away.

'I crawled through fire to get to this berm which was off the road and that day I fired, I had to rebomb my magazines that day, I fired a lot of rounds, I shot at a man and saw him go down, but obviously there were other people shooting at him. I fired a lot of rounds at the windows, the doors and this figure I saw.

'That was the day Konstandinos Scurfield [a former British Royal Marine] was killed. His panzer went out into this hail of fire towards the village and he got hit by an RPG rocket. The next morning I saw Kosta's green woolly commando hat and trainers on the wall, burnt and bloody.'

The 39-year-old said: 'I was blessed to survive because some of my dear friends are dead now'

Tim said YPG fighters would 'p*** on the bodies of dead ISIS fighters and kick them in the head'

After firing his first shots against ISIS Tim joined the Taboora Soran.

He said: 'He had a Tabor which was equipped with Humvees, armoured American made Humvees, bought on the black market and captured from ISIS but it was a crazy Tabor. I'd seen their handiwork, I'd been into a village they had gone into first and this Danish guy had managed to throw a grenade at the only ISIS in the village and split their heads open, wounded them in horrible ways.

'I saw their bodies, but the Kurds were p***ing on them, kicking them in the head. Obviously they've got a right to because their relatives have been killed by ISIS.'

Tim recalled seeing lots of dead ISIS bodies just weeks after joining the YPG in Syria

Tim revealed how everything was taken from ISIS fighters, such as weapons and ammunition

The Taboora Soran was the lead group into an operation to capture the town of Al-Hawl in northeastern Syria.

Tim said: 'I was based on a little farm on the very, very frontline within small arms range about 800m from the ISIS village and there was a lot going on. Thankfully I didn't get killed.

'In my first real invasion of an ISIS village I was in the Humvee with my commander and I was very confident because I was with him, he's a lion, a charismatic leader and one of the most famous generals of the Kurds. But when we got to this next farm the Humvee started leaking fluids, so he put me in a panzer and told me to fire from a small slit when we got into contact.

The former British soldier estimated that he fired 1,000 rounds at ISIS in fighting that he described as being 'like World War One'

'There had already been an air strike and we were waiting for the next air strike. I remember seeing out the blackness of the night another air strike, like a red mushroom cloud, and then we went for it. And pretty soon ISIS, who were living in tunnels to avoid the air strikes, were firing hundreds of thousands of rounds at us.

'Because Kosta had been killed in a similar vehicle by a rocket I was convinced I was going to get hitbut I fired about three magazines from this little slit. We were getting hit by so much fire and I started praying "please get me out of this vehicle and I'll never come into a battle again'''.

When Tim's panzer went back to resupply he exited the vehicle and went AWOL from the attack.

Angry with himself, he felt he'd 'bugged out' from the attack and made a vow never to do so again.

'Afterwards I made up my mind to go on operations with the Tabor and I would be in it for the long run... and I fulfilled that', he said.

The former soldier said: 'I was staying in houses where people had probably been murdered brutally, haunting with their pictures on the walls. It was haunting for me'

Tim became an 'adopted orphan of the Kurds' during his time fighting with the YPG

Tim then moved to an operation in the Abdulaziz mountains.

'That was my first time seeing lots of dead ISIS', he said. 'Because they had been air striking it. I saw ISIS with all sorts of insane injuries, with their jaw above their skull.'

He added: 'For a while I had been the only the westerner in Taboora Soran, so I was like the adopted orphan of the Kurds and became famous among them. Soran would drive me around, he's so sociable like any general. They called me Tim Soran. I was famous, it was amazing. It was crazy, it was like being Justin Bieber or something, absolutely insane.'

Tim said ISIS was a regular topic of conversation among the Kurds.

'They would find phones and media devices on dead ISIS', he explained.

'They would then crowd round and watch the ISIS videos with stirring music played to them. We would harvest the weapons, ammunition, webbing, armoured vehicles, motorbikes and uniform from ISIS. Everything we found dead ISIS with, we would use.'

Syrian children hold up the peace sign in one of the heartbreaking pictures taken by Tim in the war-torn region where 330,000 people have been killed since the start of the conflict in 2011

One of Tim's unenviable tasks was delivering dead ISIS bodies to mass graves.

He said: 'We had to pick up dead bodies and put them on the Hummer and take them up the hill to the mass graves where they were buried.

'It was high summer and lots of them had swollen up. When you pushed them onto the Hummer, bullet wounds would open up and I'd get sprayed with bad blood and all sorts in my mouth, everything. Later on I was afraid I had AIDS. When I was in prison I asked for an AIDS test and they told me I was HIV negative. Because apparently AIDS is rampant within ISIS. Because some people come with AIDS to ISIS and they share sex slaves.'

He added: 'So I was becoming mad brutalised, f***up brutalised, delivering bodies to mass graves, stealing bags from bodies, I walked on top of bodies to steal their bags as everything is taken from ISIS. I would find woolly gloves, apples, Snickers bars, ammunition, grenades but we'd heard wild stories about people finding gold and vast amounts of money and narcotics but I never found anything like that.

'Their faces were squashed and flattened. It was a f***up experience. In front of one of my American friends...the Panzer that all these bodies had been on was covered in human gore, mixed internal organs that had leaked out of dozens of ISIS.

'All this gore was stuck to the outside of the Panzer: brains, blood, liver. I wanted to have some fun. I grabbed a big handful and started scoffing it. Kamal [my American friend] was like 'what the f*** are you doing?' From this Jack*** morning, this legend grew up and I got called Tim the Cannibal. Apparently Westerners coming through safe houses had heard of Tim the Cannibal and this myth grew. Crazy.'

The ex-soldier said: 'Some of the Westerners like to take command but they can't because they've got no official power, no official rank, only some Kurds have that. I was the cowboy'

Tim said one of the horrors of the war was seeing starving cats and dogs dying of thirst in towns recaptured by ISIS thugs.

WHO ARE THE YPG? The YPG, or 'People's Protection Units', effectively serves as the military of the autonomous Kurdish-led regions which emerged in northern Syria with the retreat of state authority in 2011 that accompanied the outbreak of civil war. The militia is financed by the administrations of those regions. The force and its political affiliate, the PYD, are opposed not only by Turkey but by the Kurdish authorities in neighboring Iraq. Turkey views the YPG as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has fought a three-decade insurgency in Turkey, and as a threat to Turkish security. The YPG has played a key role in an ongoing US-backed campaign to isolate ISIS's base of operations at Raqqa. The YPG's 60,000-strong strength includes the YPJ - the all-female militia that numbers around 24,000. Advertisement

'Whenever I could I tried to feed the starving dogs', he said.

'There are lots of hungry dogs, I saw mother dogs with their fur falling out, puppies that are mad and aggressive. It's one of the heartbreaks of war. I think we should feed ISIS to the dogs. They are the raper of pre pubescent girls and if those girls won't have sex with them, they throw acid in their face or throw them down a well. It's the sickest and blackest of actions.'

After fighting ISIS with the YPG for seven months Tim joined the peshmerga, the Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq whose name translates as 'those who face death'.

He'd been persuaded to join the group by his friend Joe Robinson who was arrested in Turkey last week on terror charges relating to his time fighting with the Kurdish militia in Syria.

They had first met in the fight to liberate the town of Tel Tamer in Syria.

But Tim only spent one month with the peshmerga before he was thrown in jail after insulting Kurdish president Masoud Barzani on Facebook, describing him as a 'biblical level criminal'.

He said: 'People were making lots of anti Barzani comments so I thought I'd trump their comments...it was stupid and someone sent it to the security services.'

He explained how the YPG dislike Barzani as they believe he ordered the peshmerga (who he controls) to withdraw from the Sinjar mountains, which led to the historic genocide of the Yazidis by ISIS in August 2014. They claim he did this because ISIS had captured his son and were threatening to behead him.

Tim (second right) fought alongside Joe Robinson (far left) in Syria with the Kurds - last week he was arrested in Turkey on terrorism offences

Tim joined the Taboora Soran within the YPG and fought alongside their 'courageous' commander (pictured together)

Tim explained how Soran would drive him around and said he was 'so sociable like any general'

After being released from prison following a three-and-a-half month stint Tim arrived back at Heathrow airport, where he was arrested straight off the plane.

His parents and wife were waiting for him and he said his parents were more nervous than Dalia who 'took it in her stride'.

He recalled: 'It's funny as I'd worked as an electrician at Heathrow in Terminal 2 and I flew back into the new Terminal and in the middle of the night as I was being escorted by two terrorism officers, I saw two of the electricians I'd worked with who were on the night shift. They were like "what are you doing here Tim?" I was like "I've come from Syria fighting terrorists". It was a surreal moment.'

He added: 'The police were very professional and eventually they gave me no further action.'

Since returning to the UK, Tim is working as a scaffolder and living in East London with his wife.

He said: 'It's good to come back into the scaffolding industry as there's a lot of ex soldiers. It's the toughest job in the construction industry, [the] most adrenaline job. It's good hard, physical work that cleanses the soul.'

Prior to his time in Syria Tim worked as an electrician at London Heathrow Airport (pictured) - he revealed how he saw two former colleagues on his return to the airport when he was escorted off his flight from the Middle East

However his mind is still preoccupied with events in the Middle East, particularly the welfare of his friend Joe Robinson.

He said: 'Joe is a lovely young man, with a lovely girlfriend and I want him to get out so he can have a family with her. If not, let him get married in prison, have a bit of decency. He's a resilient chap and says he's learning Turkish.

'Joe's fought the common enemy, which is ISIS, the enemy of President Erdogan.'

'I just want to raise awareness of Joe and who he is so nothing will happen to him. The world's eyes will now be on him all the greater.'
A 23-year-old woman who was diagnosed with anorexia at just 12 years old has revealed how she turned her life around to chase her Hollywood dreams.

Laura Beverley, from New Zealand, had to be hospitalised and tube fed after her weight plummeted to dangerous levels before she had even reached her teen years.

But after undergoing treatment in San Diego more than 10 years ago, the LA-based film star said she found a way to 'stop destroying myself' and live a normal life.

Laura Beverley, 23, was diagnosed with anorexia at just 12 years old and has revealed how she turned her life around to chase her Hollywood dreams

The New Zealand woman, who is now an aspiring actress living in Los Angeles (right), had to be hospitalised and tube fed (left) after her weight plummeted to dangerous levels

Speaking about her disorder, Beverley told Daily Mail Australia her situation changed dramatically just before her teenage years.

'When I was 12 I was placed into a hospital for anorexia. I had been in a gradual slide to that point,' she said.

'At the time I didn't know how sick I was, I had started going through puberty and that was changing my body.

But the treatment facilities she went to in New Zealand were not specialised to deal with eating disorders and failed to work for her.

'I didn't understand why everyone was against me and I didn't think anything was wrong,' Beverley said.

She added: 'When you are in the middle, it is all that you can see and all the world is for you. It is all-consuming and prevents you from seeing the other parts of life.'

Speaking about her disorder, Laura (pictured during treatment in San Diego) told Daily Mail Australia that her situation changed dramatically just before her teenage years

When she failed to get better, her parents heard about a treatment program from Sweden that had produced promising results.

'We met another family who had sent their daughter to the Mandometer Method program and they highly recommended it, so we went to a talk.'

Convinced by the certainty of Dr Cecilia Bergh, one of the scientists who spearheaded the treatment, Beverley's family took her to one of their American clinics, splitting the family up.

The in-patient program she attended, called the Mandometer Method, was developed in Sweden in 1993 and focused on helping Beverley reconnect with what her body felt.

When she failed to get better, Beverley's parents heard about a treatment program from Sweden and took her to the clinic's centre in San Diego, America

Beverley (second right) said her family, including (L-R) dad Dean, sisters Alex and Anna and mum Mandy Beverley, were all impacted by her disorder but helped her overcome it

The in-patient programme called the Mandometer Method, gave Beverley incentives to move through treatment, which was when she put her efforts into becoming an actress

The program gave incentives to patients as they moved through treatment, which was when Beverley finally discovered she was ready to put a long-term plan into action.

She said: 'I knew I wanted to get into acting since I was eight years old, but had never made firm steps towards it.'

'During treatment, my case manager asked me to make a dream-board and I had put pictures of actors and movies all over it, so part of my reason for getting better was having something bigger than me to work towards.'

As her life returned to normal her passion for drama began to increase, eventually leading her to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts at UNSW and star in the science-fiction feature film Infini.

'Even though I had teams of people helping me, the decision to get better eventually had to come from myself,' she said.

'But finding what to do with my life took the focus off destroying myself and helped me to get better.'

Her case-manager asked her to create a dream-board, which she filled with pictures of actors and movies, and she was allowed to attend acting classes as she regained a normal weight

Beverley said finding her passion and being able to work towards it helped 'take the focus off destroying myself and helped me to get better'

Mandometer Method Today's Mandometer is an app wirelessly connecting a smartphone to a small scale. The patient's plate is placed on the scale that measures it during a meal. Feedback is provided based on questions about how 'full' they are. The patient's plan is monitored by their case manager. Patients then use 'warm room' therapy following the meal to help them relax and refrain from exercise. Meals start out with small proportions and get bigger over time. Treatment usually takes between 6 and 12 months. Source: www.mandometer.com.au Advertisement

Beverley's team included a Mandometer case-manager who watch her progress and provided one-on-one meetings about her meal plans and goals.

At meals Beverley said they would use the Mandometer tool and a food scale, which today can be used with a smartphone, to track their consumption in real-time.

'As you ate it would take off the weight and ask you how full you were, so you were slowly teaching yourself how to get back in touch with your body,' she said.

Afterwards, patients would lie in a 'warm room' to help reduce anxiety, aid digestion and help them to relax.

After six months in the clinic she returned to New Zealand and took part in extensive follow-up checks with their Melbourne centre.

'The treatment really helped me mentally. At the time I was in a pretty dark place and really didn't see the point in getting better,' she said.

The program Beverley took part in involved a Mandometer tool and a food scale which would measure food consumption versus how full the patient was to help them get in touch with their body

Beverley now lives in Los Angeles and said she is aware of the Hollywood standards often associated with that world but instead chooses to ignore them and refuses to weigh herself

The aspiring actress moved to Los Angeles last year and said she is aware of the Hollywood standards often associated with that world.

'There is a pressure, but I try not to buy into it, because so much of what we see on TV or in magazines is the superficial side,' she said.

'That's not why I got into acting, I'm in it for the stories and the art.'

That is why she now refuses to weigh herself, a practice she learned in the program, instead listening to her body and giving it what it needs.

'It does take hard work, a lot of trust in your loved ones and people that are helping you, there will be good days and bad days, but you will see the sun shine again!'

'I would tell those suffering to love yourself, and if that is too hard, find the few things about yourself you do love and keep adding to that list.

'As hard as it is in this day in age, stop comparing yourselves to others.'

The latest research findings will be presented at the Eating Disorder Forum in Sydney 16 August, and Mandometer Clinic in Brighton, VIC, on August 19.

You can reserve a place in Sydney, or to register in Melbourne.

Those wanting more information about the Mandometer Method or the clinics upcoming talks can visit mandometer.com.au
A man is accused of breaking into his mother's house and bludgeoning her and two others to death on Saturday in New York.

Bobby Vanderhall, 34, allegedly took a large hammer from Lynn Vanderhall's garage on Perry Street in Long Island around 1.15am and broke through a basement door.

He then beat his mother, 58-year-old Lynn Vanderhall, to death in the kitchen, according to police.

Next, he found his sister, 29-year-old Melissa Vanderhall, and one of Melissa's friends on the staircase and beat them with the hammer, authorities said. The friend was able to escape, however, and call for help.

Vanderhall found the last victim, 29-year-old Janel Simpson, in an upstairs room. She also died from bludgeoning.

Bobby Vanderhall, 34 (pictured, July 2011), is accused of breaking into his mother's house and bludgeoning her and two others to death on Saturday in New York

Vanderhall allegedly took a large hammer from his mother, Lynn Vanderhall's, garage on Perry Street in Long Island around 1.15am and broke through a basement door before beating her (left) and his sister, Melissa Vanderhall (right), to death

A friend of Melissa was able to escape and call for help. Vanderhall found the last victim, 29-year-old Janel Simpson (pictured, November 2015), in an upstairs room. She also died from bludgeoning

Vanderhall had been kicked out of his mother's house and was homeless, according to Lt Stephen Fitzpatrick of Nassau County homicide.

According to police, Lynn Vanderhall had an order of protection against her mentally troubled son.

'When he came here last night, the doors were secured and he became enraged,' said Lt Fitzpatrick.

'He went to the garage, he obtained a large hammer...With this hammer, he broke through the basement door.'

Vanderhall had been kicked out of his mother's house on Perry Street (pictured) and was homeless, according to Lt Stephen Fitzpatrick of Nassau County homicide

'The family right now is distraught,' said Juanita Johnson, a cousin of the Vanderhalls. 'We in shock.'

The survivor, who wasn't identified, was hospitalized in stable condition. Police said she's 29 years old.

According to police, Lynn Vanderhall (right, with Bobby and Melissa Vanderhall in November 2015) had an order of protection against her mentally troubled son

Denis Simpson said his daughter, Janel (pictured, March 2016), had worked late as a secretary at Northwell Health and then went to her friend's house to hang out. He described his daughter and her friends as fun-loving women

Denis Simpson told NBC New York that his daughter, Janel, had worked late as a secretary at Northwell Health and then went to her friend's house to hang out.

He described his daughter and her friends as fun-loving women who had gone to the Carnival in Trinidad and were planning a trip to Cuba in the fall.

'These girls don't give problems, these girls just have fun,' Simpson said.

Vanderhall, who police described as more than six feet tall and at least 230 pounds, was arrested within two miles of the house after police found him asleep in a car.

He was charged with three counts of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. He is being held in Mineola and was scheduled for arraignment on Sunday.

Police say Vanderhall has a history of mental problems and a rap sheet that includes DWI and sexual abuse charges.
Insiders of the notorious surf gang the Bra Boys have slammed a new generation of thugs who are claiming affiliation to the group.

Key members such as John Gannon have labelled the young men - many of which sport the Maroubra-based gang's infamous 'My Brother's Keeper' tattoo - as no more than 'wannabe outlaws'.

It comes after a man bearing the inked slogan and his teenage brother were arrested over the murder of a homeless man near the Sydney beach last month.

Members of the notorious surf gang the Bra Boys (pictured L-R are Macario De Souza, Koby Abberton and Sunny Abberton) have slammed a new generation of alleged ice-fuelled thugs who are claiming affiliation to their group

The men involved were Ray Travers, 20 and his brother Jackson, 18, who were charged on July 27 for the murder of Peter Hofmann, 68.

Mr Hofmann had been living in a Ford Laser after a series of failed investments, and was found dead in the car with multiple stab wounds on June 21.

Ray, the older brother, had alluded to himself as a Bra Boy and bared the group's infamous 'My Brother's Keeper' tattoo across his stomach.

However, core members of the surf gang have slammed his alleged connection to the group and said they fear he was part of a rising trend of young, drug-fuelled men claiming links.

It comes after Ray Travers, 20, and his brother Jackson, 18, were charged on July 27 for the murder of Peter Hofmann, 68

Ray (right) has alluded to himself as a Bra Boy and bares the group's infamous 'My Brother's Keeper' tattoo across his stomach

The brothers were charged with the murder of Peter Hofmann (pictured) who had been living in a Ford Laser after a series of failed investments, and was found dead in the car on June 21

'This is gutless, shocking stuff, its not what were about,' John Gannon, now a personal trainer, told The Daily Telegraph.

'We are wary of these guys coming through who are getting the tattoos and using the name.'

Mr Gannon said young men today had easy access to hard drugs such as ice and as such were much more violent than they had been in their day.

'We want to move away from the thuggery stuff. Its really not what we want to be about,' Mr Gannon said.

However, core members of the surf gang such as John Gannon (pictured) have slammed his alleged connection to the group, claiming they are 'wary of these guys coming through who are getting the tattoos and using the name'

Koby Abberton (left) who helped found the group was among those members who denied they had links to the death of Peter Hoffman

An associate of Ray Travers had also described the young men as 'wannabes' and not members of the beachside tribe, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.

Bra Boys founder Koby Abberton was among those members who denied any link between the group and the death of Mr Hofmann.

The Bra Boys were founded in the Sydney's coastal suburb of Maroubra in the 1990s, and gained notoriety due to their alleged links to violence and crime.

They were thrown into the national spotlight following a 2007 documentary on the group including the Abberton brothers, narrated by Russell Crowe.
Virginia Gov Terry McAuliffe strongly condemned all of the so-called 'patriotic' white nationalists whose violent clashes with activists led to one fatality after a driver intentionally plowed into a group of anti-fascist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday.

'Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth,' McAuliffe proclaimed.

'You are not patriots,' he said. 'You came here today to hurt people and that is not patriotic,' McAuliffe added.

'My message is clear we are stronger than you. You will not succeed. There is no place for you here and there is no place for you in America.'

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Virginia Gov Terry McAuliffe strongly condemned all of the so-called 'patriotic' white nationalists whose violent clashes with activists led to one fatality after a driver intentionally plowed into a group of anti-fascist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday

A Dodge Challenger (pictured) intentionally plowed into counter protesters, killing one woman and hospitalizing 19 others, as violence erupted at a rally where thousands of white nationalists gathered for an alt-right event

'Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth,' McAuliffe proclaimed. 'You are not patriots,' he said. Rescue personnel help an injured man after the car drove into a large group of protesters after the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville

Witnesses said the car was traveling up to 40 miles an hour when it hit and reversed before ramming into the crowd again and speeding off with someone's shoe attached to its bumper

Virginia State Police in riot gear keep watch from the top of an armored vehicle after the car plowed through a crowd of counter-demonstrators marching

Video released on Saturday showed the moment a Dodge Challenger accelerated into a crowd throwing bodies into the air as people screamed before reversing at high speed and sending another 19 people to the hospital for their injuries.

Police arrested 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr shortly after the incident. He was charged with second-degree murder and is currently being held without bail.

It came after violent clashes erupted as hundreds of white supremacists including armed militias marched into Charlottesville sparking violent confrontations with the counter-protesters.

Police cleared the scene with tear gas but the violence continued.

Horrifying video from the scene of the attack shows the silver muscle car speeding towards a group of fleeing anti-fascist protesters.

Another clip shows the vehicle ramming into the crowd at high speed and victims crying out in pain as they desperately seek medical help.

Witnesses said the car was traveling up to 40 miles an hour when it hit and reversed before ramming into the crowd again and speeding off with someone's shoe attached to its bumper.

President Trump admonished the day's tragic events, saying in a press conference: 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, violence, on many sides... The hate and division must stop, and must stop right now'

During Saturday evening's press conference, Charlottesville Police Chief Al Thomas (pictured), said the victim the incident was a 32-year-old female. He said she was struck by the vehicle as she was crossing the street. He didn't release any information on the woman

Fields was apprehended and is currently in police custody. He was arrested a few blocks away from the bloody scene

Nine pedestrians were treated with injuries that ranged from 'life-threatening to minor' after the car plowed through the crowd

During Saturday evening's press conference, Charlottesville Police Chief Al Thomas, said the person killed in the incident was a 32-year-old female.

He said she was struck by the vehicle as she was crossing the street. He didn't release any information on the woman pending her family's notification.

Thomas said a total of 35 people had been treated for injuries, 14 from individual engagements on the streets.

Nine pedestrians were treated with injuries that ranged from 'life-threatening to minor' after the car plowed through the crowd.

'What the world saw today is not our story,' Thomas said as he concluded and encouraged residents to stay indoors. 'Outsiders do not tell our story.'

President Donald Trump admonished the day's tragic events, saying in a press conference: 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, violence, on many sides... The hate and division must stop, and must stop right now.'

Trump had earlier tweeted about the violence that erupted amid the white supremacist march. He tweeted that 'we ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for.'

He then wrote: 'There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!'

James Alex Fields Jr (left), of Ohio, was arrested Saturday after he 'intentionally drove his vehicle into a crowd of anti-fascists at white nationalist rally, killing one woman and injuring 19 others' in Charlottesville

The White House was silent for hours about the clashes except for a solitary tweet from First Lady Melania Trump. The president has received previous criticism for being slow to condemn acts of hate done in his name.

And though the White House may have been slow to condemn the hateful acts, Virginia Gov McAuliffe gave an impassioned speech in which he sent a message to the individuals responsible for the hateful acts in Charlottesville.

'My message is clear we are stronger than you. You will not succeed,' he said. 'There is no place for you here and there is no place for you in America.'

McAuliffe also said he spoke to the president on Saturday following the horrific acts of violence in Virginia.

'I told the president that there has got to be a movement in this country to bring us together,' he said.

McAuliffe said he told the president that he's willing to 'work with him to stop the hate speech and the bigotry in this country'.

Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer assured the residents of the city that 'we are going to overcome this'.

'Jews will not replace us' and 'white lives matter' were among chants heard at the rally, according to witnesses

White nationalists carry torches around a statue of Thomas Jefferson on the grounds of the University of Virginia

'This tide of hatred and tide of bigotry was brought here by outsiders who belong in the trash heap of history,' he said.

'This day will not define us,' he said, adding that the individuals responsible for the violent actions do not believe in democracy.

'At the end of the day if you disagree with someone you don't take them down you move forward,' he said.

'Tomorrow will come and we will emerge stronger than ever.'

Almost 200 white nationalists, neo-Confederates, and alt-right activists, were heard chanting 'white lives matter' and 'Jews will not replace us' on Friday night.

They clashed with University of Virginia students who held an anti-racist protest, and were seen holding up signs which read: 'VA students against white supremacists.'

Students on Friday night were heard chanting 'go home Nazis'.

Almost 200 white nationalists, neo-Confederates, and alt-right activists, heard chanting 'white lives matter' held burning torches on Friday night
The teenage son of Princess Dianas lady-in-waiting has died while free-diving at a luxury Greek resort.

The body of Harry Byatt, 19, was found on the seabed off the coast of Zakynthos.

The alarm had been raised five minutes after the Oxford Brookes University student dived into the Ionian Sea using a mermaid-style monofin and snorkel and did not resurface.

Harry Byatt was the son of one of Diana's ladies-in-waiting, and was working as a watersports instructor in Zakynthos

Diana with Alexandra, in blue, her childhood friend who was her lady-in-waiting from 1991-1997

Mr Byatt was found unconscious and after attempts to resuscitate him on a rescue boat and by medics on shore failed, he was rushed to hospital by ambulance.

However, he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Mr Byatt had been working as a watersports instructor at the Peligoni Club on Zakynthos. It describes itself as an exclusive beach club and offers a wide range of high-end facilities and watersports to well-heeled guests, including wealthy young Britons.

Mr Byatts mother Alexandra, 55, had been a childhood friend of Diana, and was her lady in waiting from 1991 until 1997.

She is the daughter of Sir Julian St John Loyd, who served as land agent to the Queen at Sandringham between 1964 and 1991. Harrys father Duncan Byatt, 55  now a senior civil servant at the Cabinet Office  had been the chief executive at The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry from 2009 to 2010, helping to set up the charity which supports the Armed Forces, young people, and conservation.

Harrys father Duncan Byatt, 55  now a senior civil servant at the Cabinet Office  had been the chief executive at The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry from 2009 to 2010

The Peligoni Club, a luxury resort where Mr Byatt was working as a watersports instructor

Mr Byatt was a pupil at the renowned 34,000-a-year Eastbourne College before going on to Oxford Brookes.

The teenager was an enthusiastic fan of boats and watersports, and was regularly photographed wake-surfing, sailing, and windsurfing.

In recent weeks he shared many photos on Instagram, showing him boating with friends and sunbathing. In one post, he wrote: Life is good.

The Peligoni Clubs managing director Ben Shearer issued a statement revealing his great sadness at the news of Mr Byatts death.

He added: Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and colleagues.

He was diving with a monofin and a snorkel when the incident happened

Mr Byatts colleagues at the club paid tribute to him by taking to the sea on paddle-boards and arranging themselves in the shape of a heart.

Scores of friends have also taken to social media to pay tribute to the happy and amazing teenager, nicknamed Hazard.

One friend, Bodhi Gorringe, said: You were a brother, a son, my friend and my hero. I will never forget you, Hazard, and am always thinking about you.

Oxford Brookes Shooting Club, of which Mr Byatt was a member, said on Facebook: Harry was always at the socials and competitions providing laughs and fun, always putting a smile on peoples faces. We will truly miss him.

Eastbourne College said it would fly its flags at half-mast at the beginning of next term as a mark of respect.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: We are supporting the family of a British man who died in Zakynthos, Greece, and are in contact with the local authorities.
Brexit Secretary David Davis was warned by an EU chief last night that he would be putting the security of British people at risk if he pulled out of pan-European crime-fighting agreements.

The remarks by Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliaments chief negotiator, came as Mr Davis prepared to publish a series of detailed position papers on Brexit.

The papers will outline the UKs negotiating position on areas such as our customs arrangements, including the issue of whether there should be a border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

Brexit Secretary David Davis was warned by an EU chief last night that he would be putting the security of British people at risk if he pulled out of pan-European crime-fighting agreements

But Mr Verhofstadt warned Mr Davis against pandering to the obsession of Tory hardliners who want to break free from the authority of the European Court of Justice, which oversees the operation of the European Arrest Warrant (EAW).

The EAW has allowed the UK to deport over 8,000 foreign suspects who would otherwise be clogging up British jails.

Our security and police services are working together because terrorists and criminals dont respect national borders, Mr Verhofstadt said.

The remarks by Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliaments chief negotiator, came as Mr Davis prepared to publish a series of detailed position papers on Brexit

The withdrawal of the UK from pan-European crime fighting instruments could put the security of both UK and EU citizens at risk after Brexit by reducing cooperation, which would be deeply irresponsible.

A source close to Mr Davis said the papers would highlight the British teams were on the front foot in the negotiations.
Two men escaped serious injury after being tossed into the air in separate incidents in the early hours of yesterday morning at an annual bull festival in the Spanish holiday resort of Calpe near Benidorm.

Safety bars failed to protect one spectator as the animal rushed the barrier, pushed its horns through the gap and threw him around before dumping him concussed on the ground.

Onlookers fearing the worst rushed to aid him - and he was taken to hospital suffering a gore injury.

Two men escape serious injury after being tossed into the air in separate incidents in the early hours of yesterday morning

But it later emerged the incident looked worse than it was and he had not been seriously hurt.

Shortly afterwards another bull targeted a Spaniard who it had chased off a raised platform inside the circuit.

The youngster, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, lost his footing and fell to the ground as the animal went for him.

Footage showed him being smashed up against the metal bars of the safety area before he managed to wriggle away so he could receive medical attention.

The top he was wearing was torn to shreds but he escaped any gore injuries.

On Tuesday a 37-year-tourist from Valencia attending the same week-long festival called the Bous Al Carrer, was seriously hurt after being gored in the thigh as he took a photo.

He ended up being knocked unconscious after being lifted in the air and smashed on the ground.

The white sunhat he was wearing was knocked off his ground and left lying on the floor outside the safety area.

This bull targeted a Spaniard who it had chased off a raised platform inside the circuit

The youngster, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, lost his footing and fell to the ground as the animal went for him

He was rushed to hospital for an emergency op after losing a large amount of blood at the scene - and the night's remaining events cancelled.

Last year a 15-year-old boy was gored by a bull at the same festival, which runs from August 6 to 12.

The youngster was injured after losing his footing as the animal charged towards him during the annual event.

He was taken to hospital after a doctor treated him for an injury to his left armpit at the scene.

Distressing footage showed the unnamed youngster, dressed in shorts and a vest top, trying to reach the safety of a fenced-off area as he lay helpless on the ground with the bull over him.

Safety bars failed to protect one spectator as the animal rushed the barrier, pushed its horns through the gap and threw him around before dumping him concussed on the ground

The most-famous festival involving bulls is the San Fermin festival in Pamplona which takes place every July.

Dozens of runners, including tourists especially Americans, are injured every year as they are chased through the streets of the old town.

The Calpe event is popular with Brit expats and holidaymakers. Bulls are let loose in the old town as part of celebrations which go on practically 24 hours a day.

Hundreds of people attend the daily bull events which form the highlight of the festival, sitting upon makeshift platforms or standing within the steel cages.
Former Humberside Police Detective Chief Superintendent Colin Andrews pictured

The police watchdog has condemned a force for its 'lamentable' failure to investigate the alleged sexual assault of a vulnerable woman by an officer.

The 36-year-old woman claimed a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) from Humberside Police had assaulted her in her home, only for the complaint to be dismissed by a police colleague, Colin Andrews, and the case dropped.

Andrews was later jailed for stalking and other offences.

Last night, the woman, who has a lifelong right to anonymity as a victim of alleged sexual assault, said: 'It's not just the assault but the dreadful way I was treated that has changed my life.

'I can barely leave the house and live in constant fear of bumping into him. I was not for one second taken seriously.'

The PCSO was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and misconduct after the alleged offence at the victim's flat in East Yorkshire in 2012.

After the alleged assault, he told his inspector: 'Boss, I've f***** up. I've been to someone's house on my patch. She started coming on to me and I never resisted and we had a bit of a fondle. My head's up my a***.'

Yet three days after the incident, he was allowed to resign and face no further action.

The Mail on Sunday has been shown a damning confidential Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) report into Humberside's handling of the case. The report concludes: '[The victim] was not provided with an adequate service by Humberside Police.

The police watchdog has condemned a force for its 'lamentable' failure to investigate the alleged sexual assault of an anonymous vulnerable woman by an officer

'The standard of victim care was likewise lamentable.'

The report criticises the force for failing to 'investigate properly' or refer the case to the Crown Prosecution Service 'when there was sufficient evidence to do so'.

Humberside also failed to acknowledge that the victim was a vulnerable adult who had a drinking problem. The report reveals that the PCSO had paid visits to six other vulnerable locals and had been accused of sexual assault in 2010  although these allegations had never been investigated by anyone in the force's Professional Standards Branch.

Andrews, Humberside's Criminal Justice Unit Business Manager, was responsible for dropping the case, according to the report. In 2015 he was convicted of witness intimidation, aggravated stalking, harassment and assault. Described in court as a 'Jekyll and Hyde' character with 'sociopathic tendencies', he was jailed for 12 months.

Last night, the victim, who has tried to kill herself several times because of the trauma, said: 'I never had a chance. The whole thing was brushed under the carpet. Humberside Police tried to make the whole thing disappear.'

Nazir Azfal, former chief prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service for North West England, said: 'This is a catalogue of failures and the victim has been let down by the system.'

Our investigation has established that a detective inspector  not Andrews  appointed senior investigating officer had never been trained for the role, and branded the victim 'an architect of her own downfall'. To save the force cash, the detective had not been trained in investigating sexual offences.

The officer failed to record the allegations against the PCSO as 'crimes', did not seek early CPS advice and failed to carry out basic steps such as collecting blood and urine samples. After the woman threatened legal action against the force, officers simply cut off contact with her.

The victim has since sought remedy through the civil courts  in 2015 she received 8,000 in compensation from Humberside Police  but the case has never gone to criminal court because of insufficient evidence.

Last night, Humberside Police said: 'It's clear that the initial investigation could have been referred to the CPS. The decision was reviewed after we undertook a managed investigation on behalf of the IPCC in 2013. This review made recommendations for changes within our Professional Standards Branch, which have since been put into practice.'

A spokesman for Andrews said: 'He refutes any assertion that he acted improperly in his dealings with an investigation into a PCSO in 2012-13.'
A toddler has died after being knocked down by a car 'driven by a relative' on Saturday afternoon.

The young boy, named locally as Christopher Ward, was hit in Bessbrook, County Armagh, and taken to hospital for treatment.

Christoper, aged three, died from his injuries at the Daisy Hill Hospital, Belfast Live reports.

It's understood the little boy, named locally as Christopher, was hit by a car in Bessbrook, above

It is understood the large vehicle was being driven by a relative.

Councillor David Taylor extended his condolences to the family of the child.

'I am very sorry to hear of the tragic passing of the young boy fatally injured in a traffic accident at Bessbrook today,' said the Ulster Unionist representative.

'This is a heartbreaking incident which has no doubt left his family distraught and has come as a great shock to the entire local community.

He was taken for treatement at Daisy Hill Hospital, above, but died of his injuries around 1pm

'My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very sad time and I hope and trust they will find the necessary strength to cope with their grief over the difficult days which lie ahead.'

Police have appealed for any witnesses to the collision to come forward.
It looks strong and stable. And the coiffure captures the Prime Ministers signature style. But there the familiarity ends.

Instead, a newly commissioned wax image of Theresa May owes more to a likeness of former daytime television host Richard Madeley.

The figure is set to join other world leaders such as Donald Trump and Angela Merkel in the permanent exhibition at Madame Tussauds in London.

Sculptures and statues are a notoriously sensitive matter.

A proposed figure of Margaret Thatcher planned for Parliament Square caused controversy when it was revealed it would be minus her famous handbag, while activists at Oxford University demanded the removal of Cecil Rhodes from Oriel College, claiming he represented white supremacy.

And then there are those dodgy likenesses which prove that imitation is not always the sincerest form of flattery  as these bizarre examples from around the world go to show. Can you guess who they are supposed to be?

Lookalike: The sculpture of Prime Minister Theresa May is a dead-ringer for presenter Richard Madley

(From left) 1: Try doing that on the catwalk! This 18-carat solid gold contorted sculpture of a fashion icon is in the British Museum. Stumped as to who it might be? You can find all the answers below. 2: You might need a lorra lorra guesses to correctly identify this bronze sculpture standing near the Cavern Club in Liverpool

(From left) 3: Were not sure this statue of an ex-US President will get too many votes. 4: Get the sub on, quick! A former England football manager in Sweden

(From left) 5: More surgery is needed to turn this effort into anything like the king of pop. 6: Steer clear of this F1 tycoon in Shanghai - looks more like John Lennon

(From left) 7: No, he wears a kilt! The Chinese get the national dress of a tennis hero all wrong. 8: It's off to the Tower for whoever made this ghastly image of a much loved Princess. 9: Heartless... how could they make a great Welsh diva look like this, and put it in Cardiff?

(From left) 10: Artistic licence or labouring a point? A former political party leader in a Scottish library. 11: The great thinker is turned into a mad scientist in this monument-fountain in Germany
Amber Rudd is preparing to mount a bid for the Tory leadership if Theresa May steps down as Prime Minister, The Mail on Sunday has learned.

The pro-EU Home Secretary has told friends that she intends to put herself forward and has brushed aside claims that her small constituency majority  she won Hastings and Rye by just 346 votes in Junes poll  could rule her out of the race.

Her plans will confirm suspicions of Tory Eurosceptics, who believe Ms Rudd is on manoeuvres with Chancellor Philip Hammond, who shares her opposition to a hard Brexit.

Amber Rudd is preparing to mount a bid for the Tory leadership if Theresa May steps down as Prime Minister, The Mail on Sunday has learned

The Brexiteers have also been alarmed by Ms Rudds growing friendship with Ruth Davidson, the increasingly influential Remain-supporting leader of the Scottish Tories.

Although Mrs Mays grip on power looks secure in the short term, potential contenders are starting to build alliances at Westminster.

The expectation is that they will sit out the next 18 months until Brexit before making their move.

Backers of Ms Rudd enthuse about her charisma and confidence, qualities which many felt to be lacking from Mrs May during the General Election campaign

Backers of Ms Rudd enthuse about her charisma and confidence, qualities which many felt to be lacking from Mrs May during the General Election campaign.

A senior Government source said: There is a clear Remain gang in the Cabinet, and it appears to be coalescing around Hammond and Rudd.

A pro-Brexit MP said: She would be an unacceptable choice for half of the party, particularly if she was in bed with the Remainiac Chancellor.
Fresh fruit could be left rotting in fields this autumn because migrant workers are staying away from Brexit Britain, it has been claimed.

Recruiters of vital seasonal labour say there is a shortfall of about 15,000 workers to meet demand for the rest of 2017.

There is concern that late crops of strawberries and raspberries, plus apples and pears, could be hit, resulting in greater reliance on imported produce.

Fresh fruit could be left rotting in fields this autumn because migrant workers are staying away from Brexit Britain, it has been claimed

Some shoppers have noticed that some strawberries are lasting only a couple of days instead of the usual four or five.

This is because some growers do not have enough workers to pick fruit as soon as it is ripe  and the longer it remains on the plant, the shorter its shelf life.

The Association of Labour Providers, whose members supply the vast majority of seasonal workers, says that a third of agencies do not expect to be able to fill vacancies for the rest of the summer.

About 45 per cent do not think they will be able to find sufficient workers to pick winter vegetables or pluck turkeys for Christmas.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has commissioned a report on migrant workers, which is due to be published in September next year

Most of the 85,000 seasonal workers needed on British farms are recruited from Bulgaria and Romania, with the rest coming from other Eastern European countries.

But many are shunning the UK because of the fall in the value of the pound against the euro and uncertainty over the rights of foreign nationals to remain here after March 2019. Instead, they are heading for farms in Italy, Spain, France and Germany.

Farms hit as rural crime soars Rural crime has rocketed by 20 per cent in the first six months this year, forcing farmers to turn their premises into fortresses. Gangs are targeting animals and also quad bikes, tractors, Land Rover Defenders and power tools, says insurance firm NFU Mutual. More than 1,000 rural police stations were closed between 2000 and 2012, meaning farms are increasingly seen as a soft touch. The rural crimewave is costing an estimated 42.5 million a year, forcing farmers to step up security and invest in CCTV, motion detectors and alarms. Tim Price, of NFU Mutual, which presents its latest analysis of the problem tomorrow, said: Farmers have no option but to turn their yards into fortresses. Jamie Stephen, a farmer in Worcestershire, said: I had a 3,000 quad bike stolen. I was woken by revving and my dogs barking. Someone rode it over the fields to a waiting vehicle. Tanya Robbins said her husband checked a van near their farm in Gloucestershire and found it had thermal imaging equipment to find out what we kept in our buildings. A Home Office spokesman said last night: Lasting success in tackling rural crime will lie in the response of local services and communities. Advertisement

Farming Minister George Eustice has insisted the issue is under review, but trade experts say time is running out, and a new agricultural workers scheme must be agreed to ensure British producers have a reliable workforce.

Ali Capper, chairman of the National Farmers Union horticulture board, said: Weve had a shortage this summer that is going to be exacerbated this autumn. We need seasonal workers until Christmas. Everyone is really concerned.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has commissioned a report on migrant workers, which is due to be published in September next year. But Mrs Capper said: Its not good enough. We are calling for an interim report by the end of the year which can be implemented in 2018.

Laurence Olins, chairman of trade body British Summer Fruits, added: At this time of the year strawberry crops are usually picked every other day, but with the shortage of workers its only two days a week.

John Hardman, of the Hops Labour Solutions agency, said: Some people who came here for the summer have already gone home, and others are leaving at the end of the month. There are clear indications we will see fruit rotting in fields. Some firms are also withholding investment and thinking, should they plant crops next year?

The worry is some growers could decide to expand abroad and import produce to Britain. Were advertising in the UK but its a non-starter. People here dont want temporary work in agriculture.

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has called a meeting of industry representatives to discuss a new seasonal workers scheme next month.
Sally Faulkner may never see her children again as her ex says he has no interest in bringing them back to Australia.

The Brisbane mother has not seen Lahela, six, and Noah, four, since the notorious failed child recovery attempt from Lebanon last April.

Ms Faulkner and Channel 9 hired agents who snatched her kids from their father Ali Elamine, but she and a 60 Minutes crew were caught and locked up in Beirut.

Sally Faulkner may never see her children Lahela, six, and Noah, four, again as her ex says he has no interest in bringing them back to Australia

Her ex-husband Ali Elamine said he and their two children were just getting on with their lives in Lebanon without her

Mr Elamine, who was paid US$500,000 to drop the charges, said he and his two children were just getting on with their lives.

'We dont really care, were not interested, and at the end of the day I will do what I like regardless of what she says,' he told News Corp.

The 32-year-old's stunning revelation came after his ex-wife accused him of neglecting their children and refusing Australian embassy welfare checks.

Ms Faulkner said she had not heard from Lahela and Noah in a year and the only photos she saw were school pictures and shots sent to her anonymously.

'Hell say he is abiding by all the court orders but its not true and ultimately the kids are the real victims, they are the ones losing. Id do anything to know they are okay, its been two years. Weve tried and tried to contact them,' she said.

Ms Faulkner said she had not heard from Lahela and Noah in a year and the only photos she saw were school pictures and shots sent to her anonymously

Ms Faulkner and Channel 9 hired agents who snatched her kids from their father, but she and a 60 Minutes crew (pictured with producer Stephen Rice) were caught and locked up in Beirut

Earlier this month she implied Mr Elamine was seeing another woman, a stunning blonde he was seen surfing with, and left the kids with a nanny.

'They choose to be naive about the pain they are causing two tiny children, who would feel confusion everyday,' she wrote on Facebook.

'Every day they are left in the village with a maid and their grandmother. I would like to think a human being could not be so self consumed, but not everyone is capable of empathy.'

But Mr Elamine hit back, saying the children were surrounded by family and attended school, and that there was a mix up when embassy officials came and the kid's weren't there.

'Anything I say is spun against me and for sure its all done on her part I dont care about anything but my kids... and when they grow up they will know what she has done,' he said.

Ms Faulkner implied Mr Elamine was seeing another woman, a stunning blonde he was seen surfing with (pictured), and left the kids with a nanny

Mr Elamine also claimed he surfed with Australian Ambassador to Lebanon Glenn Milne (pictured) 'every weekend' and so would have been told if there was a problem

He vowed to tell both the children, when they were older, about what their mother did in snatching them, so they would 'have enough evidence to know what is right'.

Mr Elamine also claimed he surfed with Australian Ambassador to Lebanon Glenn Milne 'every weekend' and so would have been told if there was a problem.

News of their supposed surfing trips incensed Ms Faulkner, saying it destroyed her faith in humanity.

'The same Ambassador that witnessed it all. The man who's home I stayed at, the day I was released from prison after trying to recover my children,' she said.

'The man who saw just how broken Ali had left me on that day.'

Mr Elamine said the children were surrounded by family and attended school

'What happened Ali? What did our children do to deserve this? What did I ever do as their mother to deserve this? Remember this moment?' Ms Faulkner wrote next to this old photo

The Department of Foreign Affairs said Mr Milne surfed in the same area as Mr Elamine near the Lebanese man's beach club in Jiyeh, 30km south of Beirut.

'Mr Miles surfs for private recreation and has, by chance, surfed at the same location as Mr Elamine on several occasions, along with many others also at the same surf break,' DFAT said in a statement.

'They have not socialised together. No special arrangements are required for access to the public beach in question.'

Ms Faulkner consistently posts old photos of Lahela and Noah on social media as well a the few she got from Lebanon, pleading with her ex to bring them back.

Lahela pictured in the Beirut safe house Ms Faulkner hid in with her children before they were caught

Ms Faulkner consistently posts old photos of Lahela and Noah on social media as well a the few she got from Lebanon, pleading with her ex to bring them back

'What happened Ali? What did our children do to deserve this? What did I ever do as their mother to deserve this? Remember this moment?' she wrote next to pictures of the family smiling inside a cable car years earlier.

Earlier she posted photos of the children looking downcast in Beirut and compared them to happier-looking photos when they were with her.

One showed Lahela looking distracted, not facing the camera, and standing apart from her classmates during school photo in December.

'What is she thinking in this moment? She looks so lost,' she wrote.

Ms Faulkner posted a photo of Lahela (back right) looking distracted, not facing the camera, and standing apart from her classmates during school photo in December

Ms Faulkner also posted a shot of the little girl frowning at her fifth birthday last year and compared it to her smiling on her fourth

Another photo, this time of Noah, was along the same lines, accompanied by the caption 'you can't tell me you've done the right thing, Ali'

'I miss you Lahela. I hope you were looking out the window dreaming of the moment you and your brother come home and are truly happy again.

'I just want to cuddle you and never let go. Don't be sad baby. Please don't be sad.

'Ali, look at our little girl's face. Isn't this enough for you?'

Ms Faulkner also posted a shot of the little girl frowning at her fifth birthday last year and compared it to her smiling on her fourth.

'Sickening. How's your power trip going, Ali? Still convincing yourself you've done the right thing?' she wrote.

Another photo, this time of Noah, was along the same lines, accompanied by the caption 'you can't tell me you've done the right thing, Ali'.

On Wednesday Ms Faulkner posted a haunting poem by Liz Archer which she implied applied directly to her situation and was clearly directed at Mr Elamine.

Ms Faulkner now has a new family, including a toddler son, with Brendan Pierce (L) but still wants her older children back

She was in January spotted driving a luxury BMW X5 despite trying to crowdfund $20,000 to pay off legal fees from her doomed child custody battle

'My children stolen and their minds warped, a nightmare started to unfold. I told my kids I loved them, but they looked at me now so cold,' it read.

'The words they said to me were so unkind, I could hear your voice within them, as clear as day I was not blind...

'Character assassination was your game, a smear campaign you ran. It seems for me to exist as mother... you'd placed a total ban.

'You've taught your children to psychologically repress a part of themselves to psychologically kill and deny a loving parent.

'What does that say about you as a parent? What does this say about you as a person?'
The guns are locked and loaded, the F-16 fighter jets line up along the runway ready to scramble at a moments notice and the military, as their motto proudly proclaims, are Ready to fight tonight.

Yesterday, The Mail on Sunday became the first newspaper to visit both major military bases on Guam, the tiny Pacific island in the crosshairs of the growing crisis between North Korea and the US that could lead to the terrifying prospect of thermonuclear war.

In the latest round of a series of escalating and terrifying threats, North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-uns Stalinist regime has vowed to fire four ballistic missiles at the island.

As President Trump ratcheted up his bellicose rhetoric, promising fire and fury like the world has never seen, the 7,000 US military personnel on the island calmly prepared for battle.

President Trump has ratcheted up his bellicose rhetoric, promising fire and fury like the world has never seen, the 7,000 US military personnel on the island calmly prepared for battle

Two SSN 688-class submarines and their supply ship, the USS Emory S Land, in Apra Harbour. The subs are equipped with 12 Vertical Launch System tubes for firing Tomahawk cruise missiles that can carry nuclear warheads. At 360ft and 6,927 tons submerged, they are powered by nuclear reactors and are perfect for strike warfare

We are constantly in a high state of readiness, said military spokesman Greg Kuntz. The systems are here, we are in place and we are ready to go.

The Mail on Sunday visited Naval Base Guam and Andersen Air Force Base on the US territory and vital strategic outpost, population 162,000, just 2,000 miles from the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, from where Jong Un has threatened to launch his weapons, possibly as early as next week, to create a historic enveloping fire around the tropical isle.

We witnessed first-hand the extraordinary, multi-billion-pound military might the worlds greatest superpower has amassed on Guam.

They include 1.7 billion nuclear-powered attack submarines, B-1B Lancer bombers capable of obliterating North Koreas underground missile bunkers, littoral combat ships designed for a sea- to-land invasion and the biggest weapons cache in the Pacific, 7,500 tons of explosives and munitions, stored in dozens of igloo-shaped reinforced concrete bunkers.

The collection of firepower nestling under swaying palm trees and languishing in crystal-clear tropical waters was a breathtaking  if surreal  sight.

Naval Base Guam is a 15-minute drive from the tourist centre of Tumon, a bustling area filled with shops selling trinkets emblazoned with the stars and stripes and Guams motto: Where Americas Day Begins (because of its geographical location, Guam is the first US land mass to see sunrise).

The Mail on Sunday's Caroline Graham: We witnessed first-hand the extraordinary, multi-billion-pound military might the worlds greatest superpower has amassed on Guam

Guam became a US territory in 1898 during the Spanish-American war. Residents do not pay American taxes or vote in presidential elections but are US citizens by birth. The moist tropical air is thick and causes everyone, especially those in uniform, to sweat profusely within seconds of leaving an air-conditioned car or building.

At Shamrocks Irish bar, manager and former soldier Sean Hale, 37, whose mother is from Tipperary, said business has slumped since the crisis escalated in recent days. He said: Normally were packed on Friday and Saturday nights but its dead this week. The guys are staying on base.

They are not drinking. They are hanging in their dorms, going to the gym. They know they have to be ready to go at a moments notice.

Driving past postcard-perfect beaches filled with tourists, mostly from South Korea and Japan, stray chickens run along the grass verges outside ubiquitous American staples like McDonalds and KFC.

In the latest round of a series of escalating and terrifying threats, North Korean tyrant Kim Jong Uns Stalinist regime has vowed to fire four ballistic missiles at the island

THE BACKBONE OF AMERICA'S BOMBER FORCE The BL-1B carries the largest payload in the USAF and holds almost 50 world records for speed and range. The BI-1B Lancer is the backbone of America's long-range bomber force. It carries the largest payload in the USAF and holds almost 50 world records for speed and range. Advertisement

The views of the Pacific, azure blue and dotted with surfers and snorkellers, give way to military signs touting Marine Drive before you reach the stone-arched gateway to the naval base. Inside lies a sprawling collection of buildings and jetties around Apra Harbor, home to the elite Naval Special Warfare Unit One and Submarine Squadron 15 and the US Coast Guard.

Two of the four 688-class SSN submarines based at the station are tied up in the harbour.

Alongside is the USS Emory S. Land, a submarine tender and support vessel whose claim to fame is that it featured prominently in bestselling US author Don Browns 2012 thriller Fire Of The Raging Dragon about a fictional future war in the South China Sea.

The USS Coronado has just arrived in port. She is an Independence-class littoral combat ship, designed for speed around a trimaran hull and built to allow marines rapid access in shallow coastal waters  like those around the Korean peninsula.

Thirty miles away, at the northern tip of Guam, is Andersen Air Force Base. It is here that any attack on North Korea would begin.

Last month, after North Korea launched its latest ballistic missile test, two B-1B Lancers left Andersen and flew over the Korean peninsula in a show of force.

The USS Coronado is an Independence-class littoral combat ship, designed for speed around a trimaran hull and built to allow marines rapid access in shallow coastal waters  like those around the Korean peninsula

'DO NOT LOOK AT THE FLASH OR FIREBALL - IT CAN BLIND YOU' Authority's in Guam issued the guide to residents on how to survive a nuclear attack by North Korea Guam authorities issued a chilling guide to surviving a nuclear attack on Friday which warned: Do not look at the flash or fireball  it can blind you. Hotel manager Ermar Reyes, a father of four, said: Everyones stocking up on food and water. When you live on Guam, you are used to typhoon warnings but this is the first time theyve issued a nuclear guide. Its chilling. Advertisement

Several of the F-16s are airborne during our visit. No operational details of exercise missions are made public, but locals have reported higher than normal sightings of F-16s and other aircraft, including maritime patrol planes and refuelling tankers, in the skies in recent days. Asked about reports that North Korean missiles could strike Guam within 14 minutes of launch, a military insider laughed: Theyll never get this far.

Andersen is home to THAAD, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, a multi-billion-dollar state-of-the-art system designed to engage multiple targets simultaneously using radar and interceptors fired from trucks.

Developed after Iraqs Scud missile attacks during the first Gulf War in 1991, it is designed to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles as they descend towards Earth.

A sleek B-1B Lancer bomber is parked on the runway. Nicknamed The Bone (from B-One), the supersonic bombers cost 250 million each and can fly at Mach 1.25.

This photo distributed by the North Korean government shows what was said to be the launch of a Hwasong-14 intercontinental ballistic missile, ICBM

A PAC-3 interceptor is deployed in the compound of a garrison of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in Konan

It comes after Pyongyang carried out missile test launches. The US and the rogue state have exchanged fierce rhetoric in recent months

Carrying a huge payload of conventional or nuclear weapons, there are thought to be at least six B-1Bs at Andersen. They would serve as the first line of attack should Trump order a military strike. America would be likely to use stealth bombers such as F-22s, F-35s and B-2s alongside the B-1Bs to, as one source told me, obliterate the missile bunkers, the missiles and Long Dong Kim if it comes to it.

In military-speak, Guam is a power projection platform.

Lieutenant Colonel Chris Occhiuzzo, deputy operations group commander, says: We train every day. We dont train for any specific threat. We are ready to fight tonight.

One of the most extraordinary sights on the base is a line of Hayman igloos. The storage units, along a half-mile-long road, are packed with 7,500 tons of explosives and weaponry: the largest cache of munitions and explosives in the Pacific region.

This is one of the most strategically important bases for the US in the world, one airman tells me. When weeks like this happen, the world focuses on Guam, a place most people couldnt even find on the map. But it is a critical base for the US 365 days a year.

One of two U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers is refueled during a 10-hour mission flying to the vicinity of Kyushu, Japan

On Andersen, so big it feels eerily quiet, the only openly busy place on a Saturday afternoon is the PX shop, known as The Exchange.

The car park is full of vehicles, their bumper stickers declaring Freedom is Not Free and Heroes Dont Wear Capes, They Wear Dog Tags. There are 7,000 military men and women on Guam and another 7,000 family members. Inside the PX, wives stock up on groceries but also luxuries at the in-store Victorias Secret lingerie outlet.

Nothing gets in the way of combat shopping, a source joked. This is the most action at the base outside of the runways. The wives never know when their men might be called to action. Shopping is a necessity but also a good tension buster.

There is a stoicism to the islanders but also very real concerns. The latest rumour spreading like wildfire is that an attack could come as early as tomorrow or Tuesday.

Boutique worker Padgy Conlu, 28, is married to a soldier. My husband tells me not to worry, that everything is under control but, of course, I worry for my family, she said.

Like many here, she is critical of Trump for ratcheting up the rhetoric against the crazy North Koreans. I agree with the President on many things but not this, she said, shaking her head.

What will any of this accomplish? You dont argue with a crazy man. Trump needs to calm things down.

No one wants to go to war. We just want this whole thing to settle down and go away. We just want to go back to our quiet island life.

However, if the US, and, potentially, long-standing allies such as the UK, have to go to war, the forces on Guam are prepared.
North Korea is secretly funding its nuclear arsenal through a multi-million-pound arms business that poses as a Malaysian company, a new documentary reveals tonight.

The award-winning This World programme discovered that North Korea is behind Glocom, which is hiding in plain sight by selling weapons to Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia.

This means the rogue state can evade tough international economic sanctions in order to enrich its brutal regime.

Andrea Berger, a securities expert with military think tank RUSI, said the North Koreans were sophisticated at concealing their business activities.

The rogue state can evade tough international economic sanctions in order to enrich its brutal regime by selling weapons to Africa, the Middle East and South East Asia

Andrea Berger, a securities expert with military think tank RUSI, said the North Koreans were sophisticated at concealing their business activities. Pictured is a North Korean missile test of the the medium-range Pukguksong-2 missile

The BBC discovered that Kim Jong Nam had been secretly planning to become a European citizen and defect to the West.

Many have the view that it is extremely isolated, that it doesnt have trade relations bar China.

'But that couldnt be further from the truth. A North Korean national insurance company was able to operate in the UK and Kim Jong-uns motorcade was armoured in the US and re-exported without the knowledge of US customs.

The programme also examines the family feud that led leader Kim Jong-un to order the audacious assassination of his elder half-brother Kim Jong Nam at Malaysias Kuala Lumpur airport six months ago.

The BBC discovered that Kim Jong Nam had been secretly planning to become a European citizen and defect to the West.
A man suspected of being the 'Blues Bandit' and robbing eight banks in Arizona has been arrested by the FBI.

The agency says 35-year-old Juan Rivera Jr was taken into custody Thursday by Phoenix police and the FBI Bank Robbery Task Force.

In the robberies that occurred between October 2016 and May 2017, the man wore a suit, fedora-like hat and glasses. Similar to the outfit worn by the Saturday Night Live characters, The Blues Brothers, the robber was nicknamed the 'Blues Bandit'.

The FBI Bank Robbery Task Force and Phoenix police arrested 35-year-old Juan Rivera Jr on Thursday. He is suspected of being the 'Blues Bandit' (left and right) and robbing eight banks in Arizona

In the robberies that occurred between October 2016 and May 2017, the man wore a suit, fedora-like hat and glasses. Similar to the outfit worn by the Saturday Night Live characters, The Blues Brothers, the robber was nicknamed the 'Blues Bandit'

Six of the incidents targeted Desert Schools Federal Credit Union branches inside Walmart stores. The robber also struck a US Bank inside an Albertsons in March and an Academy Bank inside Walmart in May.

In each robbery, the thief displayed a note demanding money and threatened the use of a weapon.

AMOUNT OF MONEY STOLEN Robbery 1: $4,242 Robbery 2: $1,655 Robbery 3: $3,176 Robbery 4: $1,641 Robbery 5: $631 Robbery 6: $575 Robbery 7: $633 Robbery 8: $1,881.54 Total: $14,434.54 Advertisement

There were no injuries reported in the bank robberies, but Rivera has been hospitalized because of injuries he suffered during the arrest.

According to court documents, Rivera suffered injuries from self-harm before they were able to make contact with him. He's currently still in the hospital.

He was described as between five-foot-seven and six feet, and weighing around 180 pounds with a gauge hole in his right ear.

The FBI says Rivera became a suspect after authorities discovered the identity of the owner of the vehicle used in the robberies.

Rivera has been charged with a criminal complaint, officials said. The complaint was filed in federal court accusing him of being the man behind the burglaries.

In each robbery, the thief (left and right) displayed a note demanding money and threatened the use of a weapon. There were no injuries reported in the bank robberies, but Rivera has been hospitalized because of injuries he suffered during the arrest
A two-year-old girl who tragically died after being run over by a vehicle in her family's driveway in Queensland has been named.

Hope Bunston was killed Friday after she was hit by a utility driven by a 51-year-old man at the Lockyer Valley property.

Emergency services were called to the scene on Mount Berryman Road, but the little girl could not be saved.

Hope Bunston, two, (pictured) was killed Friday after she was hit by a utility driven by a 51-year-old man at her family's Lockyer Valley property

Queensland Police confirmed that the Forensic Crash Unit investigated the incident, but no one is believed to be charged.

Hope was reportedly struck shortly after 4pm at the Blenheim property, where she was living with her mother Nicole Bunston and father Ben Parfitt, according to The Courier Mail.

Hope's mother posted a series of heartfelt tributes to her daughter on social media following the toddler's death, stating that her 'baby is in heaven tonight'.

'Why you had to join the angels I don't know, but play all night baby you have no bed time anymore,' the distraught mother wrote.

'Pull all the flowers off those beautiful plants up there, I still can't believe your gone.

'I hope God is letting you ride the big horses not keeping you on Shetlands. I am sure you are getting away with everything'

Hope's mother Nicole (pictured) posted a series of heartfelt tributes to her daughter on social media following the toddler's death, asking 'why you had to join the angels I don't know'

Emergency services were called to the scene on Mount Berryman Road (pictured), but the little girl could not be saved

Queensland Police confirmed that the Forensic Crash Unit were investigating the incident, which occurred around 4pm Friday

Family member Tamara Parfitt created a GoFundMe page in the wake of Hope's death, with the money set to go towards the little girl's funeral.

In her description, she referred to Hope a 'little cowgirl' and 'sweet little princess who was taken from this world way too young'.

'She was the kindest little soul and was the most amazing little girl in the world.'

The page had already raised nearly half of it's $8,000 goal, with the community rallying behind the family to offer their condolences.

The young girl's death is one of a recent spate of similar tragedies where children in Australia have been killed in driveway accidents.

In July, 18-month-old Mason Wright (pictured) died after he was hit by a reversing car driven by his father at his Brassell home

Three -year-old Wyatt Searle was also killed back in March, when he was struck by his father Jeremy's car outside his family home in Cootamundra, south-west New South Wales

In July, 18-month-old Mason Wright died after he was hit by a reversing car driven by his father at his Brassell home.

Mason's mother was reportedly in the shower at the time of the incident, with the young boy said to have a 'happy smile (and) charming strong active attitude,' according to a family friend.

While in March, three-year-old Wyatt Searle was struck and killed by his father Jeremy's car outside his family home in Cootamundra, south-west New South Wales.

The young boy was reportedly told to stay inside moments before the deadly accident.

'He just walked out the door... no one had any idea he followed his dad... it was split-second,' the boy's uncle told The Daily Telegraph.

A seven-month-old boy also died in December after his pram was reversed into, while another child was taken to hospital with a skull fracture following a driveway incident the same month.
David Duke has said that white nationalists will 'fulfill the promises of Donald Trump'

Far-right author David Duke has said that white nationalists will 'fulfill the promises of Donald Trump', calling a massive rally in Charlottesville 'a turning point'.

Duke's remarks came Saturday morning, before the rally in Charlottesville, Virginia turned violent. Later in the day, however, he blasted President Donald Trump for 'attacking' white nationalists.

A former leader of a Ku Klux Klan group in the 1970s, Duke made headlines in the 2016 election when he said he supported voting for Trump, and Trump stumbled in an interview when asked to disavow him, later claiming he had a bad audio connection.

On Saturday morning, Duke attended the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville flanked by scheduled speaker Mike Peinovich, the alt-right podcaster better known by the pen name Mike Enoch.

David Duke is seen at Saturday's rally in Charlottesville, where he said that white nationalists will 'fulfill the promises of Donald Trump'

'This represents a turning point for the people of this country,' said Duke in video captured by an Indianapolis Star photojournalist.

'We are determined to take our country back. We are going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump. Thats what we believed in, thats why we voted for Donald Trump,' Duke said.

'Because he said hes going to take our country back. Thats what we gotta do,' he continued.

President Trump admonished the day's tragic events, saying in a press conference: 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, violence, on many sides... The hate and division must stop, and must stop right now.'

As the day's event's turned violent, with clashes between antifa and white nationalists and a car attack on a crowd leaving one dead and a score injured, Duke and other rally participants turned sharply critical of Trump.

Responding to a tweet in which Trump called on citizens to 'condemn all that hate stands for,' Duke blasted back: 'So, after decades of White Americans being targeted for discriminated & anti-White hatred, we come together as a people, and you attack us?'

Duke and other rally participants turned sharply critical of Trump after the day's events turned violent, accusing the president of attacking them unfairly

Ironically, Trump's statements regarding the rally were blasted by many on the left for not denouncing white nationalists in strong enough terms

Brad Griffin, who publishes the 'Southern nationalist' outlet Occidental Dissent under the pen name Hunter Wallace, was also sharply critical of Trump after the rally

'I would recommend you take a good look in the mirror & remember it was White Americans who put you in the presidency, not radical leftists,' Duke continued.

Ironically, Trump's statements regarding the rally were blasted by many on the left for not denouncing white nationalists in strong enough terms.

Like Duke, many far-right rally participants expressed anger at Trump and local authorities after the day's events.

James Alex Fields Jr, 20 (pictured), of Maumee, Ohio, was named as the man who drove a car into a crowd of of anti-fascist counter protesters on Saturday

They claimed that rally organizers had planned a peaceful protest of the removal of Confederate monuments, saying they were attacked by police and funneled into a direct confrontation with antifa counter-protesters.

'Trump should not have praised the state and local police. They did the opposite of their job. Total disaster,' alt-right figure Richard Spencer said on Twitter.

'Charlottesville was the definitive proof that he [Trump] IS NOT on our side,' tweeted Brad Griffin, who publishes the 'Southern nationalist' outlet Occidental Dissent under the pen name Hunter Wallace.

The day of violence ended in tragedy, with a car plowing through a crowd, killing one and injuring 19.

Suspect James Alex Fields Jr, 20, of Maumee, Ohio, has been charged with second-degree murder in connection with the crash.

A state police helicopter also crashed, killing two on board.
A New Jersey member of the notorious MS-13 gang, who recently landed himself on the FBI's 'Ten Most Wanted Fugitives', has been captured in Virginia.

Walter Yovany Gomez was taken into custody without incident in Woodbridge on Friday according to the FBI. Federal authorities will seek to extradite him to New Jersey, where he faces murder and racketeering charges.

Gomez and a co-conspirator struck Julio Matute in the head with a bat, sliced his throat and stabbed him in the back 17 times with a screwdriver in Plainfield, New Jersey, because he was suspected of socializing with a rival gang.

The co-conspirator was convicted in the May 2011 slaying. Gomez was put on the FBI's list in April.

Gomez is from Honduras, where MS-13 originates, he came to the US illegally.

The FBI said in a statement they were able to capture Gomez in part due to the public's assistance. They said they received several tips putting him in the area of Woodbridge.

The bureau had offered a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to his arrest.

President Donald Trump commended law enforcement and immigration officials in Long Island, New York last late last month for cracking down on the bloody MS-13 gang after a string of brutal murders were committed in Suffolk County.

'We are taking the fight to the drug smugglers, human traffickers and the vile criminal cartels like MS-13 who are being thrown out of our country so quickly you can't even count,' Trump said.

'We are liberating American communities from these vicious, violent gangs.'
Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest has branded the Greens 'the party for paedophiles' for opposing cashless welfare cards.

The billionaire mining magnate championed a switch away from cash welfare payments to curb 'rampant drug and alcohol problems' in Aboriginal communities.

His call came after Aboriginal elders last week released a confronting video showing a man stomping on a child and dragging them by the hair.

Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest branded the Greens 'the party for paedophiles' for opposing cashless welfare cards

Mr Forrest, a philanthropist worth $6 billion, accused the Greens and others of putting lofty principles and 'human rights horses**t' ahead of practical action.

'The Greens might as well be the party for paedophiles, the party for child sex abusers  you're the party of human rights and you've forgotten the human rights of children,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

The Fortescue Metals boss said welfare was being spent on drugs, alcohol, and pornography - leaving children to wander the streets as it was safer than at home.

He was flanked by Aboriginal community leaders Bianca Crake and Jean O'Reeri from Ceduna, South Australia, and said local people were 'begging' for the cards.

'Kids are dying and the instant someone plays politics, you literally consign another life to being molested, to being abused, to being kept from school, or worse, committing suicide,' he said.

His call came after Aboriginal elders last week released a confronting video (pictured) showing an Aboriginal man stomping on a defenceless child lying on the ground

He was flanked by Aboriginal community leader Jean O'Reeri (R) and Port Headland mayor Camillo Blanco (L) and said local people were 'begging' for the cards

Mr Forrest said the government was instead listening to academics and left-wing politicians who claimed to know better than the communities themselves.

He also had the support of Port Headland mayor Camillo Blanco and Alice Springs councillor Jacinta Price, who said violence between Aboriginal people was too often dismissed.

But Greens senator Rachel Siewert, an outspoken critic of cashless welfare cards, claimed Mr Forrest was running a 'bizarre commentary' against his opponents, saying no one had a 'monopoly on the truth'.

'I will not be bullied into supporting the cashless welfare card and will not be dignifying his absurd and offensive comments any further,' she said.

Greens senator Rachel Siewert (C), an outspoken critic of cashless welfare cards, claimed Mr Forrest was running a 'bizarre commentary' against his opponents

Mr Forrest, a philanthropist worth $6 billion, accused the Greens and others of putting lofty principles and 'human rights horses**t' ahead of practical action

Trials began 18 months ago in East Kimberley, WA, and Ceduna and reduced alcohol and drug abuse, domestic violence reports, homelessness, and ambulance call outs.

But there were also claims of work-arounds and increased crime, and half the 2,000 trial subjects said the cards made their lives worse.

The budget announced it would expand the trial to four sites, but this would require the support of parliament, where the Greens and Labor said they would not support bringing it to communities that didn't want it.

Aboriginal and community leaders hoped the horrific CCTV released last week would shock politicians into supporting a wide-ranging expansion.

In another piece of confronting footage (pictured) a man can be seen dragging a child by the hair

Aboriginal and community leaders hope the horrific video (pictured) will shock the government into expanding the use of cashless welfare cards

The disturbing footage was put together by the Minderoo Foundation, councils and the police to show the dire situation in regional Western Australia.

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.

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.

Mr Forrest said the government was instead listening to academics and left-wing politicians who claimed to know better than the communities themselves

Ms Blanko appeared 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.

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.
The lid has been lifted on just how much young Australians are making through posting pictures and videos on social media.

In this week's 60 Minutes, the show delves into the world of Instagram, revealing the staggering amounts earned by the budding stars through documenting their everyday lives.

'Those superstars in Australia I would think they'd be able to command $20,000 to $30,000 per image,' social media expert Jules Lund revealed.

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The lid has been lifted on just how much a bunch of young Australians are making through posting pictures and videos on social media

Taking advantage of the visual channels is 25-year-old Natasha Oakley, who regularly posts images on Instagram for brands such as Bonds to her 1.9million followers

'I don't think my business would have ever existed without social media,' Natasha Oakley (pictured) revealed

Taking advantage of the visual channels is 25-year-old Natasha Oakley, who regularly posts images on Instagram for brands such as Bonds to her 1.9million followers.

'I don't think my business would have ever existed without social media,' she revealed.

'It played a huge role in where I am today.'

She has been so successful, she now has her own swimwear and active wear collection, while being the face of a string of high-profile modelling campaigns.

Yet not all financial successes on the site stem from a desire to make top dollar, as blogger Lauren Bath reveals she found doing what she loved proved to be profitable.

'I never got into Instagram to get something out of it. I did it because I liked it and I love the people, the community, the sharing of the images Everything that happened, happened because I was so genuine. It was a good start.'

Yet not all financial successes on the site stem from a desire to make top dollar, as blogger Lauren Bath (pictured) reveals she found doing what she loved proved to be profitable

'I never got into Instagram to get something out of it. I did it because I liked it and I love the people, the community, the sharing of the images', Lauren Bath revealed

Instead of a constant barrage of branded items in her posts, the former chef uses Instagram to promote cities and states, and travel to some of the most picturesque holiday destinations worldwide.

And despite 31-year-old internet sensation Wengie recently becoming a millionaire through her web exploits, she warns of the stresses that comes with the job.

'One day people could love you, one day people hate you, its a roller coaster ride of emotions,' she said.

During the show, a group of money-making millennials reveal their secrets into just how to be successful in the rapidly growing online industry.

Under the Influence airs this Sunday on 60 Minutes, 8.30pm on Channel 9 with reporter Peter Stefanovic, who has labelled the young stars exploits as 'the closest you'll get to seeing money grow on trees'.

And despite 31-year-old internet sensation Wengie (pictured) recently becoming a millionaire through her web exploits, she warns of the stresses that comes with the job
A mother and her children ran for cover after a gunman opened fire on police officers with an AK-47 assault rifle following a police pursuit in New Zealand overnight.

The mother-of-four woke to gunshots fired outside her children's window shortly after midnight on Sunday in Waikato, New Zealand's North Island.

The incident happened when an officer saw a red Holden Commodore speeding down a road in central Morrinsville. The car failed to stop and the officer took chase.

After a short distance, the driver of the Holden stopped, got out of the car and started shooting at the officer with the semi-automatic gun, Stuff reported.

The incident happened when an officer saw a red Holden Commodore speeding down a road in central Morrinsville - the car is pictured with bullet holes in the front windscreen

The officer dived for cover before calling for backup.

When backup arrived one minute later, the police returned fire.

There were about 30 shots fired, about 15 of them hitting the front windscreen of the police car.

The gunman and his two passengers fled the scene.

One passenger was found immediately and the other was found later on Sunday morning.

The gunman remains on the run.

A mother, who phoned the police when she heard gunshots through her children's window, recalled the horrifying moment.

'I was told to stay low and if the kids' bedroom was by the road we were to go and move them to a room with the least windows,' the woman told Stuff.

She said her four young children were asleep in the Avenue Road home when they woke to the gunshots.

'It was practically right outside from us,' she said.

There were about 30 shots fired, about 15 of them hitting the front windscreen of the police car - officers escaped without injury

The gunman started shooting when he was pulled over on Kurunui Road in Morrinsville (pictured)

With the gunman on the run, the mother-of-four said armed police swarmed her house in search for him.

Armed police remained at the family home throughout the night.

Waikato Police Superintendent Bruce Bird urged anyone with information as to the whereabouts of the gunman, to phone the police.

'We would urge any people in the community to be extremely vigilant. If you note anything suspicious, contact us immediately,' he told the NZ Herald.

The gunman's passengers, a man and a woman aged between 25 and 30, are speaking to the police.

Police believe the gunman might still be armed.

No officers were injured, nor were the two passengers. It is unknown if the gunman was injured.
Motorists interested in obtaining custom number plates for their vehicles have been warned to stay away from using offensive words.

South Australia's transport department officials say a total of 129 plate applications were banned in the last financial year for using foul and rude language that was deemed unacceptable for the general public.

These were words such as FORKING, or PHARQ and KIDNAPR or H1TRUN.

Motorists in South Australia have been warned against offensive custom number plates

A total of 129 applications with rude and foul languages were blocked by the SA transport dept

South Australia government has raised about $7.8 million in custom and personalised plates

Other number plates that received the axe were words such as PERVERT, DABITCH, TIHSHO, UPYRS, DE4THRO and BOMBU.

The state also drew a firm line when it came to number plates that displayed references to sexual position or body parts mainly seen on classic cars.

'In South Australia, a personalised or custom plate is considered unsuitable if it contains inflammatory or defamatory references in any language which could be considered by a reasonable person to be inappropriate for public display,' the SA transport department told The Advertiser.

'This includes words that refer to racial groups, have a sexual reference, a religious profanity, offensive text speak or refer to gang names.'

South Australian Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Stephen Mullighan told the publication that personalised number plates were a good source of income for the state government.

'While these plates are becoming more and more popular, it's important to make sure that they meet community standards,' Mr Mullighan told the publication.

The state government raised about $7.8 million a year from fees relating to customised number plates.

In South Australia, custom number plates could set one back at $200 a year for six characters and an additional $55 for seven characters.

Plates such as FORKING, PERVERT, BOMBU, DABITCH and H1TRUN have been banned
President Donald Trump allegedly suspects his chief strategist, Stephen Bannon, is behind some White House leaks about fellow staffers, according to a new report.

Sources reportedly told Axios that West Wing staff believe Bannon was behind leaks about National Security Adviser HR McMaster and that Bannon's job could be in jeopardy.

Trump has been 'irritated' with Bannon following a series of Breitbart reports targeting McMaster, according to the report.. Bannon was formerly the executive chairman of Breitbart.

President Donald Trump (left) allegedly suspects his chief strategist, Stephen Bannon (right), is behind some White House leaks about fellow staffers, according to a new report, meaning that his position could be in jeopardy

According to the report, Trump has been 'irritated' with Bannon following a series of Breitbart reports targeting National Security Advisor HR McMaster. Bannon was formerly the executive chairman of Brietbart (Trump, left, speaks on the phone in January 2017 as then-National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, second from the right, and chief strategist Bannon ,look on)

Also in the report, sources say Trump has been fed-up with what he views as self-promotion by Bannon.

One such example includes Bannon's extensive cooperation with Josh Green, a reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek, as he wrote his book titled Devil's Bargain.

The cover showed Bannon sharing equal billing with Trump.

On Friday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a government-wide crackdown on leakers, including a review of Justice Department policies on subpoenas for media outlets that publish such sensitive information.

Many suspect that the new White House Chief of Staff, General John Kelly, will help crack down on White House leaks.

Kelly has become increasingly defensive of McMaster, a longtime friend and fellow general, which some say has him at odds with Bannon.

A Wall Street Journal editorial on Tuesday urged the Trump administration and Kelly to not question McMaster's loyalty and start questioning Bannon's.

Also in the report, sources say Trump (pictured, Saturday) has been fed-up with what he views as self-promotion by Bannon

One such example includes Bannon's (pictured, June 2017) extensive cooperation with Josh Green, a reporter for Bloomberg Businessweek, as he wrote his book titled Devil's Bargain. The cover showed Bannon sharing equal billing with Trump

White House aide Sebastian Gorka relayed a message to West Wing staff last week to not mess with Kelly.

'This is John F Kelly. This is a man you do not toy with,' he said during an appearance on Fox and Friends.

'He will get to the bottom of the leaks.'
A Brisbane Uber driver has been charged after refusing to let a female passenger exit his vehicle.

The 45-year-old Logan Central man was meant to drive a 25-year-old woman to a Fortitude Valley bar Saturday night, but refused to pull over for more than an hour.

It marks the third time a driver for the ride-sharing app has been charged with committing a serious crime against a woman in the past month.

A 45-year-old Brisbane Uber driver has been charged after he failed to let a 25-year-old woman he was taking to a Fortitude Valley Bar get out of his car for more than an hour (stock photo)

The incident occurred around 11pm, when the man allegedly drove through a number of inner-city suburbs after refusing to pull over and drop his passenger off.

Police allege the man then headed towards the Clem 7 Tunnel and was 'driving in a concerning manner'.

The victim, who detectives confirmed was uninjured in the incident, tried to raise the alarm and get assistance from passing motorists by opening her door.

The driver then eventually stopped on the M1 motorway, with the woman able to call police.

Detectives from the Southern Brisbane Criminal Investigation Branch charged the man with one count of deprivation of liberty, and he is expected to face the Brisbane Magistrates Court on September 5.

A spokesperson for the ride-sharing app told The Courier Mail that 'the safety of Uber riders is paramount' and that they were assisting police with investigations.

The victim, who detectives confirmed was uninjured in the incident, tried to raise the alarm and get assistance from passing motorists by opening her door and was evetually able to call police (stock photo)

It follows two other incidents involving Uber drivers who sexually assaulted female passengers in Brisbane last month

It follows two other incidents involving Uber drivers who sexually assaulted female passengers in Brisbane last month.

A 47-year-old Samoan man was charged after he picked up a woman in her early twenties from the Fortitude Valley nightclub precinct.

He allegedly raped the woman three times during one attack and was also later charged with raping a teenager in September 2015 while operating as an Uber driver in Ipswich.

A separate incident that occurred on July 7 involved a 37-year-old man who was charged with one count of rape against a 16-year-old girl he had picked up using the app.

It is alleged the man, who had moved to Australia from the United Kingdom, drove to an isolated location before assaulting the girl who had gone out to buy ice cream.
Wonder Women, spacemen and a royal cameo from Prince William and Kate Middleton were just some of the outlandish get-ups exhibited by City2Surf entrants.

More than 80,000 competitors took part in the event on Sunday, which began at Hyde Park, in Sydney's inner-city, before finishing up at the beautiful Bondi Beach, in the city's east.

While some treated the event seriously, there were thousands who took a more lighthearted approach to the day.

Competitors took to the streets of Sydney in all types of weird and wacky costumes to celebrate the incredible fundraiser.

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Outlandish costumes of the City2Surf entrants put the fun into fun run on Saturday in Sydney

More than 80,000 competitors took part in the event on Sunday, which began at Hyde Park before finishing up at the beautiful Bondi Beach

Wonder Women, spacemen and Nintendo superstars Mario and Luigi (pictured) were just some of the outlandish get-ups exhibited by City2Surf entrants on Sunday

A royal cameo from Prince William and Kate Middleton (pictured) was spotted during the fun run festivities

While some treated the event seriously, there were thousands who took a more lighthearted approach to the day

Wonderwomen happily made their way the course looking chic in spot-on costumes

With people dressed as hot dogs, spacemen and various animals, there appeared to be no rhyme or reason to the dress code.

Even Santa Claus made an appearance.

Temperatures soared to 23C on Sunday but the hot weather failed to deter people from their favourite get-up.

Competitors were pictured in heavy gorilla costumes, thick Mario Kart suits, and one man pulled out all the stops and dressed as a furry platypus - beak and all.

Competitors took to the streets of Sydney in all types of weird and wacky costumes to celebrate the incredible fundraiser

With people dressed as hot-dogs, spacemen and various animals, there appeared to be no rhyme or reason to the dress code

Temperatures soared to 23 degrees Celsius on Sunday but the hot weather failed to deter people from their favourite get-up

Superman and his offspring were snapped by a photographer making their way through the track

Santa Claus was spotted taking a leisurely stroll away from his usual duties at the North Pole

Competitors were pictured in heavy gorilla costumes whereas others took a more laid back approach, just adding something splendid to their outfits like long ginger beards (pictured)

An astronaut was pictured looking nonchalant with a pair of shades and a wry smile

Nearly 20,000 individuals raised the money for 984 charities this year, with Team National Breast Cancer Foundation leading the way with $117,220 donated so far

Sydney's famed City2Surf race kicked off Sunday morning, with competitors setting off in brisk conditions for the 14km run

Harry Summers, 27, was named the winner of the event for a second consecutive year, after completing the race in a time of 42 minutes and 16 seconds.

He had been recovering from a recent injury and had only been training for six weeks in the lead up to the event.

'Time wasn't important because it was a tactical race and I knew I wasn't in record shape, so I thought I'd let the boys take the pace and I just went with it," he told the ABC after the race.

While the first female to cross the line was Celia Sullohern, who did so in a remarkable 47 minutes and 11 seconds.

Wheelchair athlete Kurt Fearnley also claimed a back-to-back title with his time of 41 minutes and 11 seconds, despite problems with his right wheel.

The 2017 event has so far raised more than $4million for charity, adding to the more than $32 million raised since fundraising became associated with the event in 2008.

Nearly 20,000 individuals raised the money for 984 charities this year, with Team National Breast Cancer Foundation leading the way with $117,220 donated so far.

There was no limitations as to the dress-code with one man opting to present himself in a pink tutu, blush tank and a fairy crown with a vale

The 2017 event has so far raised more than $4million for charity, adding to the more than $32 million raised since fundraising became associated with the event in 2008

A pair of escaped prisoners were captured only on camera as the duo made their way along the track hand-in-hand

Buzz Lightyear and Woody from Toy Story looked immaculate among the 80,000 strong crowd

Among the active-wear clad runners was a dinosaur who bore the heat in a specialised costume

A group of girls didn't leave home without their black tanks, hot pink mini skirts, pink high socks and running shoes with matching headbands

Pokemons Pikachu made an appearance at the fun-run, not forgetting his special running shoes

Two girls were sighted donning bright purple skirts with their running shoes and white tops with a blue and white stripped detail

More than 80,000 people took part in the event, which began at Hyde Park before finishing up at Bondi Beach

Harry Summers (pictured in dark blue, second from right) was named the winner of the event for a second consecutive year, finishing in 42 minutes and 16 seconds

Wheelchair athlete Kurt Fearnley (pictured right) also claimed a back-to-back title with his time of 41 minutes and 11 seconds

The course took runners from Hyde Park in Sydney's CBD down Williams Street and through the tunnel at Kings Cross.

Continuing through Rose Bay they then marked the half-way point at the notorious 'Heartbreak Hill', before heading towards the ocean and finishing in Bondi.

Runners were staggered around an 8am start, with presentations commencing shortly after 10:30am.

The race is expected to wrap-up around 2pm, with road closures around the city ending shortly after that.

While most people wore bright coloured singlets and shoes, a number of participants embraced the spirit of the fun run by donning fancy-dress costumes

Animals proved a popular theme, with groups dressed as lobsters, gorillas (pictured) and even a Tyrannosaurus Rex

One enthusiastic runner opted for Australian icon Dame Edna Everage with his costume

While most people wore bright coloured singlets and shoes, a number of participants embraced the spirit of the fun run by donning fancy-dress costumes.

Animals were a popular theme, with groups dressed as lobsters, gorillas and even a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

While Australian icons such as Dame Edna Everage was emulated by one enthusiastic runner, complete with purple wig, bejewelled glasses and sequined frock.

Others found innovative ways of getting the kids involved, with one young girl catching a ride as a man pulled her along.

The 2017 event has so far raised more than $4million for charity, adding to the more than $32 million raised since fundraising started in 2008

As competitors headed down Williams Street in the Sydney CBD, one runner dressed as a Tyrannasurus Rex chased them

Others found innovative ways of getting the kids involved, with one young girl catching a ride as a man pulled her along

And pets weren't left out either, there to greet their owners at the start and finish of the race.

On Saturday New South Wales Transport warned of extensive road closures due to the event, asking people to prepare in advance.

'The event requires road closures from Hyde Park to Bondi Beach from 3.30am so participants and volunteers are urged to catch public transport which is included as part of their pack,' information from Transport New South Wales read.

Runners looking to travel home from the event were also advised they could use their race bib or finishing medal as a ticket for public transport, according to Transport New South Wales.

Pets weren't left out of the fun either, with many there to greet their owners at the start and finish of the race
The organizer of the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville vowed that he and his supporters will continue to demonstrate in the city despite the violent clashes with counter-protesters on Saturday that led to one death and 35 people injured.

Were going to be back here, and were going to humiliate all of these people who opposed us, said Richard Spencer, head of the white nationalist National Policy Institute, in an interview with DailyMail.com.

Well be back here 1,000 times if necessary, he added. I always win. Because I have the will to win, I keep going until I win.

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White nationalist leader Richard Spencer (center) ominously vowed to return to Charlottesville, Va despite the day violence with counter-protesters

Virginia Gov Terry McAuliffe strongly condemned all of the so-called 'patriotic' white nationalists whose violent clashes with activists led to one fatality after a driver intentionally plowed into a group of anti-fascist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday

His comments were a sharp rebuke to Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who demanded that the white nationalist demonstrators leave the Virginia on Saturday after declaring a state of emergency due to the chaos.

McAuliffe strongly condemned all of the so-called 'patriotic' white nationalists whose violent clashes with activists led to one fatality after a driver intentionally plowed into a group of anti-fascist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday.

'Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth,' McAuliffe proclaimed.

'You are not patriots,' he said. 'You came here today to hurt people and that is not patriotic,' McAuliffe added.

'My message is clear we are stronger than you. You will not succeed. There is no place for you here and there is no place for you in America.'

A Dodge Challenger (pictured) intentionally plowed into counter protesters, killing one woman and hospitalizing 19 others, as violence erupted at a rally where thousands of white nationalists gathered for an alt-right event

'Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth,' McAuliffe proclaimed. 'You are not patriots,' he said. Rescue personnel help an injured man after the car drove into a large group of protesters after the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville

Witnesses said the car was traveling up to 40 miles an hour when it hit and reversed before ramming into the crowd again and speeding off with someone's shoe attached to its bumper

Virginia State Police in riot gear keep watch from the top of an armored vehicle after the car plowed through a crowd of counter-demonstrators marching

Spencer said his organization is not planning additional public rallies this weekend but is preparing to hold another one as soon as possible.

He said he will not stop protesting in Charlottesville unless the Virginia reverses its plan to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a public park.

Spencer, 39, is a long-time leader in the white nationalist movement and drew nation-wide criticism for a speech he gave after the 2016 presidential election, during which he chanted Hail Trump! Some audience members gave Nazi salutes.

Video released on Saturday showed the moment a Dodge Challenger accelerated into a crowd throwing bodies into the air as people screamed before reversing at high speed and sending another 19 people to the hospital for their injuries.

Police arrested 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr shortly after the incident. He was charged with second-degree murder and is currently being held without bail.

It came after violent clashes erupted as hundreds of white supremacists including armed militias marched into Charlottesville sparking violent confrontations with the counter-protesters.

During Saturday evening's press conference, Charlottesville Police Chief Al Thomas (pictured), said the victim the incident was a 32-year-old female. He said she was struck by the vehicle as she was crossing the street. He didn't release any information on the woman

Fields was apprehended and is currently in police custody. He was arrested a few blocks away from the bloody scene

Nine pedestrians were treated with injuries that ranged from 'life-threatening to minor' after the car plowed through the crowd

Police cleared the scene with tear gas but the violence continued.

Horrifying video from the scene of the attack shows the silver muscle car speeding towards a group of fleeing anti-fascist protesters.

Another clip shows the vehicle ramming into the crowd at high speed and victims crying out in pain as they desperately seek medical help.

Witnesses said the car was traveling up to 40 miles an hour when it hit and reversed before ramming into the crowd again and speeding off with someone's shoe attached to its bumper.

During Saturday evening's press conference, Charlottesville Police Chief Al Thomas, said the person killed in the incident was a 32-year-old female.

He said she was struck by the vehicle as she was crossing the street. He didn't release any information on the woman pending her family's notification.

Thomas said a total of 35 people had been treated for injuries, 14 from individual engagements on the streets.

Nine pedestrians were treated with injuries that ranged from 'life-threatening to minor' after the car plowed through the crowd.

'What the world saw today is not our story,' Thomas said as he concluded and encouraged residents to stay indoors. 'Outsiders do not tell our story.'

President Donald Trump admonished the day's tragic events, saying in a press conference: 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, violence, on many sides... The hate and division must stop, and must stop right now.'

Trump had earlier tweeted about the violence that erupted amid the white supremacist march. He tweeted that 'we ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for.'

He then wrote: 'There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!'

The White House was silent for hours about the clashes except for a solitary tweet from First Lady Melania Trump. The president has received previous criticism for being slow to condemn acts of hate done in his name.

And though the White House may have been slow to condemn the hateful acts, Virginia Gov McAuliffe gave an impassioned speech in which he sent a message to the individuals responsible for the hateful acts in Charlottesville.

'Jews will not replace us' and 'white lives matter' were among chants heard at the rally, according to witnesses

White nationalists carry torches around a statue of Thomas Jefferson on the grounds of the University of Virginia

McAuliffe also said he spoke to the president on Saturday following the horrific acts of violence in Virginia.

'I told the president that there has got to be a movement in this country to bring us together,' he said.

McAuliffe said he told the president that he's willing to 'work with him to stop the hate speech and the bigotry in this country'.

Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer assured the residents of the city that 'we are going to overcome this'.

'This tide of hatred and tide of bigotry was brought here by outsiders who belong in the trash heap of history,' he said.

'This day will not define us,' he said, adding that the individuals responsible for the violent actions do not believe in democracy.

'At the end of the day if you disagree with someone you don't take them down you move forward,' he said.

'Tomorrow will come and we will emerge stronger than ever.'

Almost 200 white nationalists, neo-Confederates, and alt-right activists, were heard chanting 'white lives matter' and 'Jews will not replace us' on Friday night.

They clashed with University of Virginia students who held an anti-racist protest, and were seen holding up signs which read: 'VA students against white supremacists.'

Students on Friday night were heard chanting 'go home Nazis'.

Almost 200 white nationalists, neo-Confederates, and alt-right activists, heard chanting 'white lives matter' held burning torches on Friday night
Eric Bellquist was wrongly arrested in connection to the Putney Bridge attack but police could have avoided this with a search of his name

Police hunting a jogger who pushed a woman in front of a bus could have avoided embarrassingly arresting the wrong man by simply Googling his name.

Millionaire banker Eric Bellquist has received death threats and been forced to hire a bodyguard after he was wrongfullyly detained in connection with the shocking attack by the runner on Putney Bridge last week.

However, records from the Mapmyrun app, which come up by running Mr Bellquist's name through the search engine show that - although he has not recorded any exercise since 2013 - he has one preferred route he always takes from Sloane Square to Battersea Park, some three-and-a-half miles from Putney.

It is one of several pieces of evidence to distance Mr Bellquist, 41, from the crime and raises further questions as to how he was ever arrested.

His lawyers managed to produce irrefutable proof that he was in the United States at the time of the incident.

Footage of the incident, showing a man apparently knocking a woman into the path of an oncoming double-decker, sparked outrage when it was released by Scotland Yard.

The Metropolitan Police has since confirmed officers did not check whether or not Mr Bellquist was in the country at the time of the incident before his arrest, nor that they checked his running routes.

Mr Bellquist has one preferred route he always takes from Sloane Square to Battersea Park, some three-and-a-half miles from Putney

Millionaire banker Eric Bellquist has received death threats and been forced to hire a bodyguard after he was wrongly detained

Prior to his current position at Hutton Collins, Mr Bellquist worked in the European Leveraged Finance and Sponsor Coverage group at Lehman Brothers

Mr Bellquist, who did not appear to be at home today, was dramatically hauled away in handcuffs from his home in west London last week after police released CCTV footage of the incident and appealed for members of the public to identify the jogger.

Asked whether the force would be issuing an apology to Mr Bellquist, a spokesman said last night: There were reasonable grounds to arrest the man in connection with this offence.

He was subsequently released with no further action to be taken.

Police have renewed their appeals for people who might recognise the attacker from CCTV footage to come forward.

The video clip has provoked widespread outrage and shows the woman walking across the bridge to work when she is pushed into the road by a male jogger wearing a grey T-shirt and dark shorts.

Mr Bellquist was wrongly arrested after shocking CCTV apparently showed a jogger pushing a woman

A jogger was running across Putney Bridge in west London when he barged into the woman

The Metropolitan Police said that officers had received a 'good response' after calling for information on the incident

The 33-year-old woman was lucky to escape serious injury after a bus driver swerved to avoid her on the bridge in south west London

She narrowly avoided serious injury after an approaching double-decker bus swerved to avoid her head as she lay inches from its wheels.

Meanwhile, the driver of the London bus who swerved to avoid the woman who was pushed over has insisted he was 'just doing his job'.

Bus operators Go Ahead London told 5 News: 'The driver commented that he is pleased to have been a hero, he was just doing his job.

'He is pleased to have been able to react the way he did and that there was no serious injury to the lady.'

The bus stopped after the fall and passengers tended to the woman - who received minor injuries - following the incident during rush hour, at around 7.40am on May 5.

Officers claimed 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'.

Bellquist, pictured here giving his opinions on The Finance Forum on Youtube, is aged 41, and a partner at Mayfair based private equity firm Hutton Collins

Mr Bellquist (pictured), who lives in Chelsea, west London, joined Hutton Collins in 2002

Speaking earlier this week, sergeant Mat Knowles said: 'After he pushed her he ran across the bridge and 15 minutes later came back.

'By this time the members of the public who had helped the woman were gone and she tried to talk to him as he ran past her but he just ignored her.

A senior source from the bus company Go Ahead London said it was only down to the slow speed of the vehicle that the accident did not result in serious injury.

Mr Bellquist has worked for investment firm Hutton Collins since 2002.

Over the course of various transactions he has represented Hutton Collins in the leisure, media/telecom and manufacturing sectors.

He currently represents Hutton Collins on the boards of Byron Hamburgers and was responsible for the firm's investment in Caffe Nero.
Lorry drivers have been pictured on Britain's motorways eating and reading at the wheel, with one even appearing to use his elbows to steer.

The men have been snapped looking at paperwork, talking on mobile phones and using cutlery as they drive down high-speed carriageways.

Police and motoring experts have warned that attitudes need to change to reflect the fact that such distractions, even for a few seconds, can have fatal consequences.

One man was seen steering his lorry with his elbows as he crossed his arms at the wheel

Two lorry drivers were pictured reading at the wheel as they drove down the M20 in Kent

The AA said the ramifications of such behaviour can be 'dire', while road safety charity Brake described the images as 'shocking'.

Four drivers are pictured on the M20 near Ashford in Kent, two reading, one holding a piece of cutlery and a food container, while another has arms crossed and elbows on the steering wheel.

Another driver of a lorry on the M4 near Swindon looks at a piece of paper, while another uses a mobile phone near junction 46 of the M1 in Yorkshire.

Brake's Jason Wakeford said: 'These are shocking images showing drivers with a total disregard for the safety of other road users.'

He also condemned cuts to road traffic officers as 'savage' and called for traffic policing to be made 'a national priority'.

The AA's Edmund King, who recalled once seeing a motorist eating a Chinese takeaway using chopsticks, suggested there is a worrying perception that people, especially those in high-up lorry cabs, will not be caught.

He said: 'I think the problem with some lorry drivers is they get particularly bored on motorways - they are on long, straight roads, they are driving for hours.

One driver eats his lunch at the wheel as he drives along the high-speed carriageway

'I think some feel that because they are high up in the cab it is harder to spot them and I think that encourages some of them to do things they really shouldn't.'

Police forces around the country have been using unmarked vehicles, including lorries, to catch out drivers engaging in distracting activities behind the wheel.

PC Dan Pascoe of Surrey Police described this technique as 'invaluable', with the force catching 26 people in one day earlier this month.

He said: 'If we can promote the fact that we're out in all different types of vehicles, whether it's an unmarked lorry, an unmarked van, an unmarked car, an unmarked motorbike, we'll use everything that we can as different tactics to deal with people.'

Mr King said: 'Driving a 44-tonne lorry, whether it's on a motorway or any other road, the consequences of looking down and being distracted for a second or two seconds are absolutely dire.'

One driver on the M4 near Swindon looks at a piece of paper, left, while another uses a mobile phone near junction 46 of the M1 in Yorkshire

Last year lorry driver Tomasz Kroker was jailed for 10 years after killing a woman and three children by ploughing into their stationary car on the A34 near Newbury, Berkshire, while distracted by his phone.

A spokesman for Kent Police said the force runs many road safety operations every year but called on motorists 'to play their part too', while a West Yorkshire Police spokesman said the risks associated with drivers using phones are 'very clear' and put 'you and other road users at risk'.

Penalties and fines for drivers caught using a phone illegally were doubled to six points and 200 respectively in March.

A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: 'Anyone who is distracted can be prosecuted for careless or dangerous driving.'
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Hundreds of North Korean students were photographed standing in line to join the country's military as clerics on Guam have prayed for peace.

The mass enlistment took place as tensions on the Korean peninsula have reached their most critical since 1951. North Korean despot Kim Jong-un has threatened to test missiles near the Pacific island which is home to nuclear-capable B2 bombers.

Both Kim and US President Donald Trump have increased their rhetoric in the past week threatening each other. US Vice President Mike Pence has travelled to Colombia where he discussed the deteriorating situation in Venezuela and North Korea.

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Hundreds of North Korean students were photographed signing up for the nation's military amid growing tensions between the hermit state and the US with Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump threatening each other

North Korea claims hundreds of students have volunteered to join the its military amid the worsening diplomatic situation

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has threatened Guam and has warned President Trump against acting impetuously

North Korean dictator and US president Donald Trump have been sparring verbally, although both have been threatening military action leading to instability in the region.

North Korea has threatened Guam while the US has sent B2 bombers based on the Pacific Island to the peninsula as a show of force.

Catholic priests on Guam have been praying for peace with the archbishop calling for 'prudence'.

The largely Catholic territory should pray for a 'just resolution of differences, and prudence in both speech and action', said Archbishop Michael Byrnes, echoing a flurry of international calls for US President Donald Trump to show greater rhetorical restraint.

A 'prayers for peace' lunchtime rally in the capital Hagatna drew around 100 people. But despite Guam having become the centre of a threatened showdown between the United States and nuclear-armed North Korea, many said they were unfazed.

'I am really not scared because if it's our time to die it is our time to die,' added Sita Manjaras, 62, a retired teacher from Tamuning.

Father Mike Crisostomo said their response to the threat was to have faith and pray.

'This goes to show to the other worlds, to the other nations and the countries, that Guam maybe small, our faith and our trust is big,' he said.

At the island's main church, the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica, Father Paul Gofigan told the congregation to be prepared in case North Korea does launch its missiles.

'What would you do if you have only 14 minutes left? The thing to do is pray and reflect,' he said

'Prioritise your life. This is a wake-up call, no matter what happens'.

The images of people signing up for Kim Jong-un's military were released by the North Korean propaganda network

Kim Jong-un has repeatedly threatened the United States, even claiming he would launch a nuclear strike

Trump has been engaged all week in verbal sparring with the North over its weapons and missile programs, declaring Friday that the US military is 'locked and loaded.'

He has told Guam Governor Eddie Calvo that US military was prepared to 'ensure the safety and security of the people of Guam.'

Despite the increased tensions, North Korea has released a Canadian pastor who was jailed for more than two years.

Hyeon Soo Lim, 62, was arrested in January 2015 on charges of subversive activities against the North Korean regime, an accusation denied by Ottawa.

Although sentenced to hard labour for life, he was granted 'sick bail' following a visit to Pyongyang by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's national security advisor Daniel Jean.

Canada's foreign affairs ministry said: 'Today, we join Pastor Lim's family and congregation in celebrating his long-awaited return to Canada.

'Canada has been actively engaged on Mr. Lim's case at all levels, and we will continue to support him and his family now that he has returned,' it added.

According to local media reports, Lim was flown to a military base in Trenton, some 100 miles east of Toronto.

His liberation came at a moment of high tensions between North Korea and the United States. Three Americans remain in the custody of the regime of Kim Jong-un.

Pyongyang has threatened to launch missiles on the island Guam, a strategic US outpost in the Pacific some 2,000 miles) from North Korea.

US President Donald Trump for his part as promised to rain down 'fire and fury' on Kim's regime.

Lim, who belongs to the Light Korean Presbyterian Church, was considered at the time of his arrest one of the most influential Christian missionaries in North Korea.

He had previously traveled extensively in the country to work in orphanages and hospitals.

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.

Jang was arrested and executed for treason in December 2013.

US vice president Mike Pence will meet Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos later today at the start of a weeklong trip to Latin America that is likely to be dominated by conversations about the deepening crisis in Venezuela, where the U.S. accuses President Nicolas Maduro of a power grab that has sparked deadly protests and condemnation across the region.

Trump appeared to complicate the discussions Friday with an unexpected statement that he would not rule out a 'military option' in response to the Venezuelan government's attempt to consolidate power.

The statement drew immediate push-back, including from the Colombian Foreign Ministry, which condemned any 'military measures and the use of force,' and said that efforts to resolve Venezuela's breakdown in democracy should be peaceful and respect its sovereignty.

Pence's trip will also take him to Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; and Panama City, Panama, where he is expected to deliver a number of speeches, meet with the country's leaders and tour the newly expanded Panama Canal.

In Colombia, Pence is also expected to highlight trade, business investment and other ties between the nations, including U.S. support for the country's efforts to implement its peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

The U.S. will also likely be looking for assurances that Colombia is taking seriously the surging coca production in the country, which has been blamed partially on Santos' decision in 2015 to stop using crop-destroying herbicides.

A July United Nations report showed that coca production in Colombia had reached levels not seen in two decades, complicating the South American country's efforts to make its vast, lawless countryside more secure.

The Trump administration has been putting pressure on the country to curb the flow of drugs into the U.S, and Colombia has stepping up its forced eradication program and increased seizures of cocaine.
Muslims in favour of gay marriage say the Koran supports same-sex unions.

Islamic activist and university student Fahad Ali has this week founded Muslims for Marriage Equality as the Turnbull Government embarks on a postal vote on the issue.

He argues the Koran supports his position, even though homosexual acts are punishable by death in 10 Muslim-majority nations with Sharia law, including Iran and Saudi Arabia.

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Muslims for Marriage Equality founder Fahad Ali says there's a diversity of Islamic opinion

Muslims in favour of redefining marriage will campaign for the 'yes' case on gay marriage

Islamic Friendship Association of Australia founder Keysar Trad opposes gay marriage

'There is a strong thread of egalitarianism and social justice within the Koran and we think that it is very applicable to the question of same-sex marriage,' he said.

'The notion that all Muslims are opposed to equal rights for same-sex couples is absolutely incorrect.'

Mr Ali, a University of Sydney science student who is also an activist with Muslims for Progressive Values, is campaigning for the 'yes' case in the gay marriage postal vote.

His new group, Muslims for Marriage Equality, was set up only days after Islamic Friendship Association of Australia founder Keysar Trad declared gay relationships were wrong because 'they should not be encouraged to engage in sexual activity'.

Mr Trad also favours changing the Marriage Act to allow men to have multiple wives.

Australia's first openly-gay imam Nur Warsame is supporting the 'yes' case for gay marriage

However, Mr Ali said plenty of Muslims supported gay rights.

'There is a diversity in belief and opinion on equal marriage within the Muslim community,' he said.

Australia's first gay Islamic imam Nur Warsame is also supporting the 'yes' case, with ballots being sent out to Australian households from September 12, as part of a $122 million non-binding poll.

Voters will have until November 7 to return the papers with a result likely to be known by November 25.

Non-practising Muslim senator Sam Dastyari (left) cut a rainbow cake with crossbench senator Derryn Hinch (right)

Muslims for Marriage Equality is also offering temporary postal addresses to anyone who is listed as a silent voter on the electoral roll for safety reasons.

The only Muslim MPs in federal parliament, Ed Husic and Anne Aly, both support gay marriage and are members of the Labor Party.

Senator Sam Dastyari, a non-practising Muslim who moved from Iran when he was four in 1988, supported gay marriage in 2005 as New South Wales Young Labor president.

He last week cut a rainbow cake with crossbench senator Derryn Hinch outside Parliament House.
More than 60 children have died due to lack of oxygen at a hospital in India because suppliers' bills have not been paid, it has been claimed.

Parents were forced to watch the young patients die on the wards at the hospital in Gorakhpur, in Uttar Pradesh, after a disruption to the oxygen supply.

Now Yogi Adityanath, the chief minister of the state and a key ally to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, faces calls to resign.

Parents have recounted panic and horror as their children suddenly began gasping for air amid an apparent drop in oxygen, and nurses handed out manual pumps to aid their breathing.

They claim the company that supplies oxygen to the hospital had earlier threatened to stop distribution unless the government paid its long-overdue bill of 6.8million rupees (80,000).

Medical staff attend to a child at the Gorakhpur hospital where parents blame many deaths on oxygen shortages

An child suffering from Japanese Encephalitis lies on a bed at The Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur

At least 64 children died over six days at the hospital, with Indian media reporting that 30 deaths on Thursday and Friday were from a lack of oxygen in the children's wards.

Suppliers' bills had allegedly not been paid, leading to a shortage that saw panicked families using artificial manual breathing bags to help their stricken loved ones.

Local officials have conceded there was a disruption to the oxygen supply at the hospital, but insist the deaths were caused by encephalitis and other illnesses, not a lack of available oxygen.

Adityanath, a firebrand Hindu priest from Modi's conservative nationalist party, vowed to leave no stone unturned as he toured the hospital in his signature saffron robes.

'If the investigation finds any authority guilty of negligence, he will not be spared at any cost,' Adityanath told reporters in Gorakhpur, the city he represented for nearly two decades.

He repeated that the deaths were caused by encephalitis - a mosquito-borne virus that every year ravages poorer, eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh, India's largest state with more than 200 million people.

A father mourns the death of his child outside Baba Raghav Das Hospital in Gorakhpur amid allegations an upaid bill led to a disruption in oxygen supply

Gorakhpur is the hometown of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, a key ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh (UP), Yogi Adityanath walks out after a visit to the Baba Raghav Das Hospital in Gorakhpur, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, on August 13, 2017

'I am a poor man who doesn't understand what happens here, but it was clear that day the oxygen wasn't going up. The doctors and other staff here were very worried,' Ram Prasad, sitting by his two-year-old daughter's bedside, told AFP.

'They rushed to my kid too and gave us a manual pumping machine. It was the longest one-and-a-half to two hours of our lives. We spent the night pressing that machine so that nothing happened to our daughter.'

Others described the hospital in total chaos, with helpless parents carrying the lifeless bodies of their children, crying out for help.

'It was very sudden. We didn't know what was happening,' Bechna Devi told AFP beside her three-and-a-half year old daughter Saroj.

'Every hospital staffer around us was in a rush and they simply told us to use that pump machine for our child.'

Gorakhpur's police commissioner Anil Kumar told AFP on Sunday that 11 more children had died at the hospital on Saturday.

'But I reiterate, they were not due to lack of oxygen supply,' he said.

As anger grew, opposition parties and government critics led the charge for Adityanath's resignation.

A father cares for his child at the Baba Raghav Das Hospital where at least 36 children have died in the past six days

An Indian relative holds the body of a child while walking out of Baba Raghav Das Hospital in Gorakhpur, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, on August 13, 2017

Relatives mourn the death of a child at Baba Raghav Das Hospital, where angry relatives have demanded answers

'The death of innocent children in Gorakhpur is a tragedy of epic proportions,' Sanjay Jha, a spokesman for India's main opposition Congress party, told AFP.

'The fact that it happened in a state-run hospital is a manifestation of pathetic governance. The buck stops with CM Adityanath, as his government has clearly misplaced priorities... He should resign forthwith owning full moral responsibility.'

The hospital's day-by-day breakdown of the death toll showed a jump Thursday when 23 infants died, including 14 babies at its neo-natal unit.

Doctors admitted that the oxygen supply had been disrupted for a couple of hours late Thursday, but said no deaths had occurred at that time.

The head of the hospital was stood down pending an inquiry into the oxygen shortage, which allegedly stemmed from nearly $100,000 in overdue bills, some dating back to November.

'If there is any pending payment which is yet to be made to any gas supplier, then it should be done immediately,' senior state health official Anita Bhatnagar Jain told the Press Trust of India on Sunday.

'There should be no shortage of oxygen... and adequate stock of oxygen must be maintained.'

Adityanath, who won Uttar Pradesh in a landslide in March for Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, ordered a review of oxygen supplies in the state's hospitals and medical colleges.
Police in Surrey dispersed 500 people from inside an office block overnight on Saturday after an illegal rave broke out at a business park.

A 'large number' of officers and a helicopter were called to the scene in Dorking around midnight on Saturday before getting into a two-hour standoff with approximately 500 people inside.

Neighbours uploaded pictures of the party to Twitter where it was quickly branded the 'worst rave ever'.

Surrey police were called to an office block in Dorking around midnight on Saturday after an illegal rave broke out inside

A neighbour who lives opposite tweeted an image of a man standing in the windows of the brightly-lit office block around 1am.

She wrote: 'We've got an illegal rave opposite our house. Crazy scenes.... #betterinthe90's #worstraveever.'

Jessica Smith, who lives on the same road where the party was taking place, told Mail Online: 'I noticed a large group of people hovering at the bottom of the road when I arrived home around 10.15 pm, then around midnight helicopters circling above the house woke us up.

'We looked out the window and police had formed a human barricade at the end of the road and there were so many police cars.

'We've never seen so many people in one place before! Most exciting thing to ever happen in Dorking!

A volunteer police officer going by the name of Special Sergeant Sam also got in on the action and couldn't resist making a joke at the revelers' expense.

'Never thought I'd say I would be first on scene to a rave #dorking,' he wrote, shortly after 3am.

Even police could not help getting in on the joke, with the first officer on scene calling it a 'so-called rave'

Special Sergeant Sam, who responded to the incident, could not believe what was happening

'Ended 12.5 hour shift after ending up dealing with large scale so called rave. 50+ officers on scene.'

Surrey police said no arrests have been made following the party, though sound equipment has been seized and investigations are ongoing.

The rave is believed to have taken place in a newly built and vacant office building on a business park near Dorking West station.

It is not known who organised the rave or why the building was chosen.
Australia's Mr Papparazzi has opened up about the night Princess Diana died revealing he's lucky he didn't die too.

Darryn Lyons, 51, owned a photography business in London when Princess Diana was killed, which he believes is a conspiracy.

Mr Lyons said it was the 'most traumatic' moment in his life, he revealed in his column in The Geelong Advertiser.

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'Mr Paparazzi' Darryn Lyons (pictured) believes Princess Diana's death doesn't add up

Mr Lyons said Princess Diana's death was the 'most traumatic' moment in his life because he was working in London at the time

Princess Diana (pictured) was killed in a car accident 20 years ago in London

Photographers were locked up, offices raided and papers seized after the crash (pictured) Mr Lyons revealed

All 'hell broke loose' after the 1997 crash in a Paris road tunnel which left photographers locked up, offices raided and papers were seized.

'I feel lucky I wasn't killed in all the cloak-and-dagger stuff that was going on at the time,' he wrote.

'There were death threats against me, and my staff were abused on the street. The aggression shocked me.'

Mr Lyons, who was accused of selling photos of dead Princess Diana through his company Big Pictures, said his office was raided and his phone lines were tapped.

The situation escalated when the former mayor of Geelong, Victoria, heard a ticking noise believed to be an explosive device in his office which had no power but surrounding buildings did.

Princess Diana suffered fatal injuries and died along with her boyfriend Dodi Fayed and her driver and security guard Henri Paul 20 years ago this year on August 31.

Mr Lyons was accused of selling photos of Princess Diana, but he revealed he has never sold his photos of Princess Diana dead in her car (pictured) and never will

However an inquest, which Mr Lyons gave evidence in, was held in London and ended in 2008. It found Princess Diana died unlawfully, blaming negligent driving by Mr Paul affected by paparazzi which contributed to the crash.

Mr Lyons' photographer in Paris, Laurent Sola, took photos of the late princess dead in her car, which Mr Lyons still owns.

The 51-year-old said he has not sold the photos and never will despite once being offered a quarter of a million pounds by British and American news publications.

The former paparazzi believes the death of Princess Diana was 'suspicious', not adding up

Mr Lyons' office was raided and phone lines were tapped after the accident when he was working in London (Mr Lyons pictured in 1989 at a party a few years before the accident)

The former paparazzo revealed he was once offered a quarter of a million dollars for the photos of the late princess by news outlets in the UK and America

'When I heard Diana was dead I immediately withdrew all the images from the market on moral grounds. No deals were done,' Mr Lyons wrote in the publication.

Mr Lyons revealed he felt 'suspicious' about the death because he believed the aspects did not add up.

The former newspaper photographer raised a lot of questions about what happened that night, wondering what has been kept secret from the fatal crash.

The former Geelong mayor raised lots of questions about the fatal crash (pictured) and wonders what else is being kept secret

Mr Lyons says the late princess was considered an enemy to the royal family because she 'exposed and embarrassed' them

Mr Lyons raised a lot of questions about what happened that night including where the Fiat that crashed into Princess Dianas car went and why her bodyguard had never spoken about the tragedy.

The former paparazzo, who had a career with Daily Mail in London, says the late princess was considered an enemy to the royal family because she 'exposed and embarrassed' them.

After his career as a paparazzo, Mr Lyons turned his sights to politics, becoming mayor of Geelong, the town he grew up in before moving to London at 22.

Mr Lyons became mayor in late 2013 where he primarily focused on building a better city by lifting Geelong's profile to attract tourism.

However, the former mayor was fired by the Victoria Government in April 2016, along with his entire council, following a Commission of Inquiry.

The inquiry found the council had dysfunctional leadership, a bullying culture and was unable to manage Geelong's economical challenges.

The state appointed administrators to run the council until late 2017 elections.
A mother-of-three has been denied the only medication that eases the pain from her kidney disease, leaving her in extremely poor health.

For 10 years Linda Fenn has battled against the West Coast District Health Board in New Zealand in a fight for access to pethidine - a drug that prevents pain signals reaching the brain.

'If I was an animal and I was found like this, there would be an uproar... but I'm laying on a bed and no one cares, and no one is speaking up for me,' she told the NZ Herald.

Mother-of-three Linda Fenn (pictured) has been denied the only medication that eases the pain from her kidney disease, leaving her in extremely poor health

Since defending her access to the medication in 2008 she has faced ongoing turmoil attempting to justify its necessity to her doctors.

She was born with medullary sponge kidney and nephrocalcinosis, causing her to often pass kidney stones in immense pain.

'Anyone who's ever had a kidney stone will tell you it's the cruellest pain you'll experience. It's indescribable, the stones travelling down the tubes,' she said.

Medical officials first became weary of her use of the drug as it can cause neurotoxicity and wanted to manage her access to it more closely.

Her arguments against doctors only encouraged their concerns, who then said she was 'drug seeking' causing Ms Fenn further anguish.

'If I was an animal and I was found like this, there would be an uproar... but I'm laying on a bed and no one cares, and no one is speaking up for me,' Ms Fenn (pictured) said

After a discussion with the health board, she saw a specialist who determined she had no evidence of an addiction to the drug.

Despite this and heated discussions with medical staff who were not comfortable with prescribing her the drug pethidine was withdrawn from Buller Hospital in 2012.

That decision was later found by a health commissioner to be clinically appropriate.

Today she weighs just 33kg, has lost her teeth and is reliant on others for care.

Her bones protrude from her body, and she lives in fear of dying.

In late July Ms Fenn posted to Facebook that she would be going into a care facility fearing her she had nothing left to give

A close friend of Ms Fenn's, Vicki Harmon, believes she lost all quality of life citing she is in extreme pain, with only access to panadol.

The general manager of the board, Philip Wheble, said they would rather talk to the patient about a care plan than media.

An investigation is currently underway with the Health and Disability Commissioner but Ms Harmon says time is running out.

'To be honest, she's very close to death. And she's going to die and no one is going to be held accountable,' she said of her friend.

Late in July Ms Fenn posted to Facebook that she would be going into a care facility fearing her she had nothing left to give.

'Unfortunately I've run out of time and I'm not going to survive now,' she wrote.

'But I'm going to a beautiful respite care facility care on Tuesday morning...

'...I get to spend my last time I have in a beautiful place surrounded by compassionate and kind people...' Ms Fenn said.

Daily Mail Australia has approached Linda Fenn for further comment.
Prominent ABC presenters are tweeting in favour of same-sex marriage and ignoring a directive from their employer to refrain from taking sides on the issue.

Lateline presenter Emma Alberici and Sydney radio drive broadcaster Richard Glover have declared their support for redefining marriage despite a memo from ABC management.

The ABC's editorial policy manager Mark Maley sent an email to staff on Thursday last week reminding employees to be 'circumspect' on social media as the federal government embarks on a same-sex marriage postal vote.

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Former A Current Affair reporter Emma Alberici has tweeted arguments for gay marriage

Lateline presenter Emma Alberici tweeted in favour of gay marriage after ABC memo to staff

The ABC presenter tweeted 'no' case supporters were 'denying marriage' to a loving couple

'Advocating for one side or the other will make it more difficult for the ABC to be seen as impartial. The more high-profile you are the more important discretion is,' his email said.

However, Alberici has appeared to ignore this memo by publishing a series of weekend tweets that appear to show she favours changing the Marriage Act.

'I understand the arguments in favour of same-sex marriage. Please tweet me your reasons to deny marriage to a loving, same-sex couple,' she said.

Earlier, the former A Current Affair reporter said Australia was lagging behind other first-world nations.

'Australia is the only English-speaking democracy not to have legislated same-sex marriage,' she said.

Emma Alberici (left) told cabinet minister Mathias Cormann about a gay friend of her daughter

Three days before that staff memo, Alberici opened an interview with Acting Special Minister of State Mathias Cormann by mentioning how a 15-year-old friend of her daughter's was kicked out of home after he had come out as gay.

'Now whilst you and your colleagues are bickering in your party room, aren't you concerned about the message you send to young, vulnerable gay and lesbian Australians that they don't deserve the same treatment as other Australians?',' she asked.

Emma Alberici had asked a senior minister if political bickering was harming young gays

After that Monday night interview, Mr Maley sent staff a memo pointing out that 40 per cent of Australians opposed gay marriage.

'It is very important that we are impartial and that all perspectives are given a fair hearing and treated with respect by the ABC,' his email, published in The Weekend Australian, said.

Sydney 702 drive presenter Richard Glover has also voiced support for gay marriage, despite a follow-up email from ABC's head of radio Michael Mason to be 'respectful, balanced and impartial'.

On Friday, he tweeted his piece for The Sydney Morning Herald making the case for gay marriage by mocking a conservative columist at The Australian, Gerard Henderson.

'Yikes. I'm in trouble with Gerard. #marriageequality. Or do I mean same-sex marriage?,' he said.

The ABC staff memo had advised journalist to use the term 'same-sex marriage' instead of 'marriage equality'.

ABC Sydney radio drive presenter Richard Glover wrote an opinion piece for gay marriage
It's an incredible fast-moving, venomous and potentially dangerous creature.

But can you see the snake lurking in this room, just centimetres from a young baby's crib?

Posted to Facebook by the Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers page, the picture has left dozens of people battling as they search for the young serpent hidden in the room.

Can you see the young snake lurking in this room, just centimetres from a young baby's crib?

While rated as mildly venomous, the Yellow-faced Whip Snake (stock image pictured) would still leave any young child in pain

While rated as only mildly venomous, the Yellow-faced Whip Snake hiding next to the box of nappies on the left-hand wall would still leave any young child in pain.

The young Yellow-faced Whip Snake grows up to one-metre in length, with its venom causing much swelling and pain to humans.

Found inside a home at Little Mountain, on the Sunshine Coast, the owner had made the common mistake of confusing it for an Eastern Brown snake.

'A local was vacuuming his house today when he saw what he thought to be a young Brown Snake in the babies room!'' Max, a snake catcher, posted on Facebook.

While it proved a struggle for some, the Yellow-faced Whip Snake was spotted hiding next to the box of nappies on the left-hand side of the room (pictured)

'Keeping an eye on the snake he gave us a call and I rushed out. The culprit was actually a mildly venomous Yellow-faced Whipsnake.'

Of the dozens of people to view the photo, some have had success while many have been left sssstruggling.

The photo shows just how vigilant Australian homeowners need to be in keeping an eye out for the dangerous reptiles during the upcoming snake season.
Police say a drunken American man was punched by a passer-by as he gave the stiff-armed Nazi salute multiple times in downtown Dresden, Germany.

Dresden police said Sunday the 41-year-old, whose name and hometown weren't given for privacy reasons, suffered minor injuries in the 8.15am Saturday assault.

Police say the American, who is under investigation for violating Germany's laws against the display of Nazi symbols or slogans, had an extremely high blood alcohol level.

Police say a drunken American man was punched by a passer-by as he gave the stiff-armed Nazi salute multiple times in downtown Dresden

Police say the American, who is under investigation for violating Germany's laws against the display of Nazi symbols or slogans, had an extremely high blood alcohol level. Hitler Youth in Berlin performing the Nazi salute at a rally in 1933

His assailant fled the scene, and is being sought for causing bodily harm.

It's the second time this month that tourists have gotten themselves into legal trouble for giving the Nazi salute.

On August 5 two Chinese tourists were caught taking photos of themselves making the gesture in front of Berlin's Reichstag building.

The were detained, faced charges for 'using symbols of illegal organization' and were released on bail for 500 euros.
Uber continued employing a driver after he sexually assaulted a passenger, only for him to seriously attack another woman as it's revealed firm failed to report 48 serious crimes.

Police have also accused the company of obstructing investigations.

It is facing a licence review in London, one of the 20 British cities in which it operates and its biggest European market.

Uber was reported 48 time for serious offences committed by drivers

Head of the Metropolitan police's taxi and private hire unit Neil Billany said Uber, which has a presence in 633 cities worldwide, seemed to be 'deciding what [crimes] to support' in a letter seen by The Sunday Times.

He spoke of a 'significant concern' that Uber was only reporting 'less serious matters' that would be 'less damaging to [its] reputation'.

He accused Uber of 'allowing situations to develop that clearly affect the safety and security of the public' by keeping drivers' crimes from police  including at least six sexual assaults on passengers.

In at least one of the sex cases, Uber continued to employ the driver, who then carried out a more serious sexual assault on a second woman passenger.

Mr Billany said two public order offences and an assault also went unreported.

'Had Uber notified police after the first offence, it would be right to assume the second would have been prevented.

'The victims complained to Uber and were left "strongly under the impression" it would tell police, but it did not do so.'

Neil Billany's letter, which was obtained by an FOI from Caroline Pidgeon, says Uber is covering up sex attacks

In the year to February 2017, Scotland Yard recorded 48 alleged sexual assaults by Uber drivers, most of which were reported by passengers.

Others allegations were made through Transport for London (TfL), the capital's regulator.

Mr Billany said the failure to report public order cases meant it was too late to prosecute by the time word reached police.

Caroline Pidgeon said the incidents mentioned in the letter were 'deeply concerning'

His letter to TfL's head of taxis and private hire, Helen Chapman, was dated 17 April 2017 and obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by Caroline Pidgeon, who chairs the London Assembly's transport committee.

She said the incidents were 'deeply concerning'.

'This apparent cover-up of reports about such serious criminal activity is shameful.'

TfL called the failure to report 'totally unacceptable' and said it will form 'part of the consideration' about whether Uber's licence is extended past September 30 after being renewed in May.



Caroline Pidgeon said the firm's apparent failure to report the assaults was 'shameful'

The letter revealed a road rage incident classified as a firearms offence.

The driver took 'what the passenger believed to be a handgun from the glovebox and left the vehicle to pursue the other party on foot'.

The 'gun' turned out to be 'pepper spray  legally classified as a firearm', whose possession 'clearly appears to be a criminal offence'.

Uber 'refused to provide any further information' without a formal request under the Data Protection Act when police asked for more details.

The firm said the 'pepper spray' was actually a legal can of criminal identifier spray.

It claims to have helped police when asked and called said the refusal was due to a misunderstanding.

A spokesperson for Uber said it reports all incidents to TfL.

'We were surprised by this letter as in no way does it reflect the good working relationship we have with the police.

'We advise people to report serious incidents to the police and support any subsequent investigations, but respect the rights of individuals to decide whether or not to make such reports.'
A former spy has claimed security at the Ritz Hotel in Paris on the day Princess Diana died was 'shambolic'.

Alan McGregor, 68, who retired from the Saudi secret service five years ago, claims the princess may have been deliberately killed having left the 4,000-a-night hotel on August 31, 1997.

The princess, who was aged 36, died alongside her lover Dodi Fayed and their driver Heni Paul, after the car they were travelling in crashed in a Parisian tunnel.

A former secret service agent has claimed security in the Paris hotel were Princess Diana was staying alongside her lover Dodi Fayed, pictured, on the night of their death was 'a shambles'

The couple died alongside their driver Henri Paul, pictured minutes before their death in 1997

Former spy Alan McGregor criticised security on the night of Diana's death in Paris

Mr McGregor told The Sun: 'The night she died my wife woke me up to tell me the news. My first response was "I'm not surprised".

'I'd seen so many breaches in her security at that hotel and strange goings-on it was bound to happen sooner or later. The security that night was ludicrous.'

Mr McGregor, claims the car, which was a Mercedes S280, was delivered to the hotel's front door by a bellboy rather than a member of the security services, which was a major breach of good practice.

The former Army officer said the car had been collected from a public car park, which Mr McGregor believes was another major lapse in security.

He added: 'Diana herself used to always say she feared for her life and nobody really asked why. The question is whether it was planned.'

MailOnline has contacted the Ritz hotel in Paris for a comment.
Around 200 survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire (pictured) are still in hotels

The survivors of the Grenfell Tower disaster may have to wait a year to find new homes, with around 200 believed to still be holed up in hotels.

Theresa May promised to find new accommodation within three weeks of the tragedy in June, but it has now been almost nine and the Government is drastically delaying its deadline.

The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, has written to residents pledging they will find them permanent homes 'as quickly as possible, and within 12 months'.

It comes following news that 70 of the 80-plus victims of the inferno have now been identified.

According to the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, 134 families are still living in temporary accommodation, with a further 24 from Grenfell Walk, where properties were also destroyed in the fire.

No exact figure is available on how many people this equates to, but it is believed it could be around 200.

The council said all survivors had been offered one emergency solution, but only 19 families accepted, according to The Sunday Times.

Theresa May promised to find new accommodation within three weeks of the tragedy in June, but it has now been six and the Government is desperately and drastically delaying its deadline

Luxury flats in the borough have been prioritised for those who lost relatives in the fire.

A council spokesman commented on the housing situation last month, saying:

We are dealing with severely traumatised people and we do not want to rush anyone to make a decision.

'Some people are simply not ready to make big decisions about the future housing needs of their family.

Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, has written to residents pledging they will put a permanent new roof over their heads 'as quickly as possible, and within 12 months'

'No-one is being forced to move into any property, and multiple offers are being made until households are completely happy to move. No one will be made intentionally homeless if they refuse an offer.

'It will take a long time for offers to be accepted, because of the highly emotional state of those we need to house and the complexity of their needs.'

Hundreds of residents will be evacuated from their high-rise flats after an investigation found their homes may not be safe following the Grenfell tragedy.

The gas supply to 242 flats in Ledbury Towers in south London was cut off with immediate effect on Thursday.

Danielle Giblin, 33, said her mother, who has lived in Bromyard House for almost 40 years, broke down in tears after being told she must leave.

It also emerged this week that barely 15 per cent of the 18.9million raised in the wake of the Grenfell disaster has been given to survivors.

Data from the Charity Commission shows 7.25million has been handed to distributing organisations on the ground.

But only 2.8million has reached survivors, almost two months after the blaze ripped through the 24-storey tower block
She's a bikini blogger and social media influencer boasting some 2 million followers.

But alongside the fame and fortune that comes with being an Instagram star is also the constant speculation that not all is as it seems.

And despite rumours that how she looks in real life is different to when laying on one of the world's sunniest beaches, Tash Oakley says she refuses to use photoshop.

The 27-year-old founder of 'A Bikini A Day' denied she had ever doctored an image of herself and uploaded it to Instagram, telling 60 Minutes' Peter Stefanovic that being an online sensation meant she'd simply learnt 'how to pose'.

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Social media influencer Tash Oakley (pictured) has denied ever photoshopping any images she shares with her 2 million Instagram followers

The 27-year-old also refused to tell 60 Minutes reporter Peter Stefanovic (pictured) how much she earns. Social media influencers can reportedly earn up to $30,000 per individual post

Sydney-born Oakley put her stunning Instagram photos down to simply 'knowing how to pose'

'I have not photoshopped an image... but in saying that there's no way I can say that no one has photoshopped an image of me,' Oakley said.

'It's all about lighting, it's all about angles, we know our angles and we know how to pose for a photo.

'We're like any model in the world I guess.'

Having ridden the ever-growing wave of social media to fortune and fame, Oakley is now one of the leading 'influencers' in Australia.

Partnering up with her Hawaiian-born friend Devin Brugman to form their bikini blog, the pair are now sent a daily influx of swimwear from designers keen for promotion.

With the world's top influencers commanding somewhere between AUD$20,000 to AUD$30,000 per Instagram post, there's no doubt Oakley is making a top dollar.

But when quizzed on exactly what she earns, the blonde beauty refused to answer.

'Can I ask how much you make out of Instagram?' celebrity reporter Peter Stefanovic asked Oakley.

Oakley has regularly faced rumours that how she looks in real life (left) is different to when she is laying on one of the world's sunniest beaches in a bikini (right)

'It's all about lighting, it's all about angles, we know our angles and we know how to pose for a photo,' Oakley, left, said

Clearly dodging the question, she skirted around the topic by turning the tables on Stefanovic, asking: 'Can I ask how much you make?'

Eventually drawing out something of an answer, the voluptuous beauty.

'Honestly, we have been progressively making more money over the years,' Oakley said.

'But essentially all the money we make is going back into the business and the things we are passionate about.'

Her television appearance comes just days after she revealed her life is not nearly as breezy as her Instagram account might suggest.

The world's top influencers commanding somewhere between AUD$20,000 to AUD$30,000 per Instagram post. Oakley is believed to be among the top paid Australian influencers

Oakley (left) co-founded the A Bikini A Day blog, swimwear label Monday Swimwear and now, 'athleisure' brand Monday Active with her friend Devin Brugman (right)

Speaking to news.com.au, Natasha said from the moment she wakes up, at 7.30am, she hits the ground running with work on her multiple business ventures.

In addition to her blog she's also the co-founder of fashion label Monday Swimwear and now, 'athleisure' brand Monday Active with her friend Brugman.

After waking up, filing through emails and having a coffee, the stunning blonde sets always sets aside time for exercise.

She completes a program by her boyfriend, Gilles Souteyrand, and says having access to gyms in hotels made it 'easier than people think' to get a regular workout in.

At 9am, she says she'll eat either a smoothie or a 'breakfast salad' before getting ready to 'shoot some content' for her online platforms.

'Essentially all the money we make is going back into the business and the things we are passionate about,' Oakley said

'I'm constantly brainstorming new ideas and new concepts for our brand and I love every second of it' Tash said

The rest of her morning is consumed by taking care of business.

From midday until 2pm Tash says she's 'usually in meetings' and then she'll 'grab a salad or sushi' for lunch.

In the afternoon the busy blonde will typically indulge in some sunshine and work from her laptop outside.

Tash will then eat a dinner of 'fish and vegetables or salad'; sometimes substituted with ramen or Thai, before running a bubble bath and listening to some music.

It's always lights out before 10pm, with Tash placing high importance on getting at least eight hours of sleep every night.
An Uber driver has been accused of holding a female passenger captive which left her locked in the car for more than an hour.

Brisbane driver Umar Gammeda allegedly held the 25-year-old woman captive against her will in his car on Saturday night.

Mr Gammeda, 45, told 7 News he did not mean to frighten the young woman.

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Brisbane driver Umar Gammeda (pictured) allegedly held a 25-year-old woman captive in his car on Saturday night

The 13 minute trip (pictured) lasted more than an hour after the woman claims Mr Gammeda drove past her destination

'The GPS signal is, just got lost. And just we go the wrong way,' he said.

The young woman was picked up from her Paddington house and requested to be dropped off six kilometres away at Wickham Hotel in Fortitude Valley, a 13-minute drive expected to cost $20.

However, the woman alleges Mr Gammeda drove past her destination.

The woman told the network she was hanging out the window crying and tried to get out of the car several times after he did not stop the car when she asked him to.

Mr Gammeda said he told the woman to be patient and to wait a few minutes.

The total cost of the hour long trip was reportedly $68.31 after the terrified woman got out of the moving car on the M1 motorway and allegedly called police.

Uber has banned Mr Gammeda from the app and refunded the woman the cost of her trip (stock image)

Uber has since banned Mr Gammeda from the app and refunded the woman the entire cost of her trip.

Mr Gammeda will face court with the charge of deprivation of liberty in September.

It follows two other incidents involving Uber drivers who sexually assaulted female passengers in Brisbane last month.

A 47-year-old Samoan man was charged after he picked up a woman in her early twenties from the Fortitude Valley nightclub precinct.

He allegedly raped the woman three times during one attack and was also later charged with raping a teenager in September 2015 while operating as an Uber driver in Ipswich.

A separate incident that occurred on July 7 involved a 37-year-old man who was charged with one count of rape against a 16-year-old girl he had picked up using the app.

It is alleged the man, who had moved to Australia from the United Kingdom, drove to an isolated location before assaulting the girl who had gone out to buy ice cream.
Philip Hammond has been brought to heel over the terms of Britains departure from the EU, Brexiteers claimed last night.

After a summer of bitter Cabinet infighting, the Chancellor and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox yesterday put on a public show of unity.

In a joint newspaper article, they agreed Britain would leave the EU single market and customs union immediately upon Brexit in March 2019, and that there would be no attempt to stay in the EU by the back door.

No back door: Chancellor Philip Hammond (left), who favours a 'softer' Brexit and hardliner Liam Fox (right) agree that the UK will pull out of both the EU single market and customs union

Crucially, they accepted that the length of any transition period would be limited and that Britain would be free to negotiate trade deals with third countries.

Mr Hammond enraged Brexit-supporting MPs over the summer as he appeared to freelance over the terms of transition while Prime Minister Theresa May has been on holiday.

He suggested transition could last up to four years. And he enraged Dr Fox by suggesting Britain would not need to be able to sign new trade deals with non-EU countries during the transition period.

Last night former Brexit minister David Jones said the article showed the Chancellor had rowed back. He said: It was a clear case of when the cats away the mice will play.

Theresa May will hope the intervention of the two minsters will quieten divisions over Brexit

Theresa May left them and we had all kinds of stuff from Hammond which was unhelpful including what appeared to be a misrepresentation of Liams position. By getting the two protagonists together to come up with an agreed statement looks very much like No10 knocking heads together.

It also makes clear the PMs position has not changed at all from her Lancaster House speech in January. Her position is enormously strengthened because she has shown she can get Mr Hammond to come to heel.

Another Brexiteer, senior Tory backbencher Nigel Evans, said: The flying of kites is a well-seasoned tradition especially during the summer months and that kite has now been cut adrift and is floating away. There will be no endless transition period.

Mr Hammond and Dr Foxs Sunday Telegraph article was an attempt to put on a show of Cabinet unity ahead of Mrs Mays return from holiday this week and to paper over the very real enmity between the two men. Mr Hammond backed Remain while Dr Fox was a leading Brexit supporter.

Warning: Conservative Remainer Anna Soubry has warned the Prime Minister she needs to face down the 'hard Brexiteers' in the Conservative ranks if she wants to hold on to power

They wrote that a transition period was needed to give businesses confidence they would be able to carry on trading normally, but it cannot be indefinite; it cannot be a back door to staying in the EU.

We are both clear that during this period the UK will be outside the customs union and will be a third country, not a party to EU treaties.

Former Labour foreign secretary David Miliband said in The Observer that Brexit was an unparalleled act of economic self-harm. He called for another vote on the final deal with the EU  either a second referendum or in Parliament.

Leading Conservative Remainer Anna Soubry indicated in The Mail on Sunday that she could be prepared to join with politicians from other parties to stop the country staggering recklessly towards a hard break with Brussels.
An Army officer who defused almost 100 Taliban bombs in Afghanistan has been dumped from the Army after 27 years because he sought help for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Major Wayne Owers, 46, approached Army medics after he suffered nightmares and anxiety attacks over what he witnessed in Afghanistan.

After receiving treatment for two years the Army decided he was no longer fit to serve and gave him a medical discharge along with 6,000.

Major Wayne Owers, pictured, said he received 6,000 from the army after he was medically discharged for medical reasons after admitting he was suffering from PTSD

Major Owers, pictured here in Afghanistan, defused almost 100 bombs in just six months

According to the Sunday Mirror, Mr Owers was not offered a non-operation post, unlike fellow soldiers who have suffered a physical injury.

Since 2012, almost 2,000 troops have been discharged after developing PTSD.

He said: 'The Army was my life but in my darkest hour when I most needed help I was told, "You are no longer fit to serve".

'I was mortified. It was a devastating blow. I could have continued serving. The doctors treating me said that I was making progress.

'What message does that send out to soldiers who think they might have PTSD? If you ask for help youll be thrown out of the Army. The idea that the MoD is serious about treating soldiers with PTSD is nonsense.'

Major Owers believes some soldiers may avoid seeking help as PTSD could end their careers.

He said he told an army medic he was suffering from PTSD during treatment for a knee injury in 2015. He said he was having nightmares and waking up in a sweat because of flashbacks he was having from Afghanistan.

Major Owers enlisted in 1990 and received a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service and a Queen's Gallantry Medal.

Several of his comrades suffered amputations after explosive devices detonated while they were being defused.
Velmando J. Williams, 22, was charged with attempted murder and first degree arson after he allegedly set the Riviera Beach apartment on fire on Friday night

A father is accused of setting fire to his Florida apartment with his three young children inside following a domestic dispute with their mother.

Velmando J. Williams, 22, was charged with attempted murder and first degree arson after he allegedly set the Riviera Beach apartment on fire on Friday night.

Neighbors and firefighters used hammers and chairs to smash the windows so they could rescue the trapped children, including a one-month-old girl and two boys aged one and three.

The two boys were handed out the window of the second-floor unit.

Authorities had to use a thermo-imaging device to locate the baby girl because of how thick the smoke was.

The girl was found unconsciousness lying on a bed. She was being shielded from the flames by a door that had fallen on top of her.

Firefighters used hammers and chairs to smash the windows so they could rescue the trapped children, including a one-month-old girl and two boys aged one and three

Authorities say Williams set the unit on fire after getting into a dispute with the children's 19-year-old mother

'I have no idea how that door ended up on top of that baby. Ill take every bit of luck I can,' Riviera Beach Fire Rescue chief Ken Brock told the Palm Beach Post.

The girl was revived outside by paramedics and remains in hospital. Her two brothers have since been released from hospital.

Authorities say Williams set the unit on fire after getting into a dispute with the children's 19-year-old mother.

The mother is believed to have left the apartment shortly before the fire started.

The fire destroyed their unit and damaged six other neighboring apartments.

Williams was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail.
The body of a missing Swedish journalist is not on board a crowdfunded submarine that sank off the Danish coast on Friday, police have revealed.

Officers had been hoping to find the remains of 30-year-old Kim Wall on board the wreckage of the UC3 Nautilus submarine which was wrecked in Copenhagen harbour on Friday.

Miss Wall was last seen on board the vessel with amateur builder Peter Madsen who is now being held on suspicion of negligent manslaughter.

A picture of the pair standing in the sub's tower emerged on Sunday, Aftonbladet reported, marking the last time Miss Wall was seen before vanishing.

Danish investigators say they have found evidence the Nautilus was sunk deliberately as they continue land and sea searches for any sign of Miss Wall, Swedish newspaper Expressen reports.

Police have raised the wreckage of Danish sub UC3 Nautilus which sank in Copenhagen on Friday, but failed to find the body of journalist Kim Wall, 30

A new image has also emerged which Swedish media claims shows Miss Wall on board the sub alongside Madsen on Friday, after he claimed she had disembarked

Miss Wall, 30, (left) had gone along for the submarine's maiden voyage to report on Peter Madsen (right), who built it himself. He is under investigation for negligent manslaughter

Miss Wall's family and boyfriend have not heard from her since she boarded the submarine and police have been unable to contact her

The UC3 Nautilus was raised from the bottom of Copenhagen harbour on Saturday night where it had been under 8m (24ft) of water since sinking on Friday morning

Despite not finding Miss Wall's body, Danish investigators are continuing to search in water and on land for any sign of her

The freelance reporter boarded the sub, which was built by Madsen, on Thursday night in order to write a story about it.

On Friday morning the Danish Navy were scrambled to help the stricken sub, before reporting it sunk at 10.45am.

Madsen claims he was the only one on board at the time, and that he dropped Miss Wall off at the mouth of the harbour shortly after 10pm the previous night.

But Danish police on Sunday said he has given them several conflicting accounts of what had happened, without elaborating further.

Miss Wall's family and boyfriend have not heard from her since she boarded the submarine and police have been unable to contact her.

Around the time he claimed to have dropped Miss Wall off, Madsen sent a mysterious text to a friend saying she had left the vessel and cancelling a trip he was supposed to be taking on the submarine the following day, according to local reports.

He did not respond to questions from the friend about why he had dropped Miss Wall off or why the trip was being cancelled.

Madsen was arrested on manslaughter charges on Saturday before a judge ordered that he be held in custody while investigations are carried out.

He is charged with having killed Miss Wall 'in an unknown way and in an unknown place sometime after 5pm on Thursday.'

Police technicians are pictured investigating the rescued private owned submarine UC3 Nautilus today

Madsen claims he dropped Miss Wall off at the mouth of the harbour and was the only one on board when his craft (pictured right) sank

The privately owned submarine, Nautilus, arriving in Copenhagen harbour today. Danish investigators say they have found evidence the Nautilus was sunk deliberately as they continue land and sea searches for any sign of Miss Wall

The 40-ton, 18-meter long Nautilus, one of three subs built by Madsen, was found by divers under 7m (24ft) of water, though they were unable to enter it safely

Speaking to reporters at court, Madsen said 'there is something I really want to tell you later', without elaborating any further.

Before the two-hour hearing, which was held in private and attended by his relatives, Madsen smiles, chatted with his lawyer and told reporters: 'I would very much like to express myself'.

The prosecutor asked for doors to the hearing to be closed as information likely to distress Miss Wall's family was about to be heard.

If convicted, Madsen faces between five years and life in prison.

The 40-ton, 18-meter long Nautilus, one of three subs built by Madsen, was found by divers under 7m (24ft) of water, though they were unable to enter it safely.

A salvage ship, the Vina, has now raised the sub from the sea bed close to Copenhagen's south island of Dragoer and brought it back to shore to be inspected.

Authorities were alerted that something had gone wrong with the submarine by Miss Wall's boyfriend after she failed to return home, prompting a major search operation involving two helicopters, three ships and several private boats.

Kristian Isbak, who had responded to the Navy's call to help locate the ship, sailed out immediately Friday and saw Madsen standing wearing his trademark military fatigues in the submarine's tower while it was still afloat.

Divers had located the submarine underwater on Friday but were unable to enter it safely

The submarine was reported missing early on Friday by Miss Wall's boyfriend after she failed to return home, prompting a major search operation by the Danish Navy

'He then climbed down inside the submarine and there was then some kind of air flow coming up and the submarine started to sink,' Isbak told The Associated Press.

'(He) came up again and stayed in the tower until water came into it' before swimming to a nearby boat as the submarine sank, he added.

Madsen said there was a valve error that became serious when he tried to repair it.

Footage aired on Denmark's TV2 channel showed Madsen, 46, getting off what seemed to be a private boat and making a thumbs up sign as he walked away.

Upon his rescue from Kge Bay, Madsen said: 'I'm fine. But I'm sorry because 'Nautilus' has gone down.'

Miss Wall is a freelance journalist who graduated with a masters from Columbia University before going on to write about identity, gender, pop-culture, social justice and foreign policy.

Madsen, pictured above in 2008 in front of his submarine, was seen standing the tower of the still-floating submarine moments before it sank, according to a rescuer

Peter Madsen, who built the submarine himself before inviting Miss Wall along for the maiden voyage, is still under investigation for negligent manslaughter as investigators say there is evidence it was wrecked deliberately

She is from Sweden but spent time living in New York and Beijing. Her writing has appeared in Harpers, The Guardian, New York Times, Foreign Policy, Vice Magazine, Slate, South China Morning Post, The Atlantic, Roads & Kingdoms, and TIME.

The submarine was Madsen's third attempt at building such a structure and was the largest privately built submarine in the world at the time of its launch.

The Nautilus was a diesel-electric submarine. The diesel engine is uses when sailing or propelling just below the surface, while the electrical engine is used when the submarine is deep below the water's surface.

It was built like a post-World War II submarine, with a galley, crew bunks, officer's mass, bridge and engine room.

It's named after the famed submarine manned by Jules Verne's Captain Nemo character in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
The man behind one of Australia's most recognisable characters, Pauline Pantsdown, has come out of retirement to campaign for gay marriage.

University lecturer Simon Hunt, the 55-year-old satirist behind the character based on One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, shaved off his beard on Saturday morning before applying his make-up to resemble the red-headed senator.

He had received a call the night before from Labor senator Sam Dastyari and hastily agreed to go on a tour of market stalls in Sydney's inner-west - marking only his fourth public appearance in character since 2001.

Pauline Pantsdown has made a public appearance to share a halal snack pack with a senator

This week also marks the 20th anniversary of Mr Hunt releasing a controversial single, Backdoor Man, where Pauline Hanson's voice was edited to declare she had a 'horrendous plan with the Ku Klux Klan' and wanted a 'homosexual government'.

Following legal action, the song was banned from the ABC and its youth radio station Triple J.

A little more than a year later, Ms Hanson lost her seat of Oxley.

She would remain in the political wilderness for the next 18 years, until winning her Queensland Senate seat in 2016 after nine failed attempts to revive her political career.

Pauline Pantsdown tours a market in Sydney's inner-west with Labor senator Sam Dastyari

Sam Dastyari (left) and Pauline Pantsdown (right) share halal snack pack in Sydney kebab shop

The real Pauline Hanson (right) turned down Sam Dastyari's halal snack pack offer last year

As for Pauline Pantsdown, the alter ego has only made four public appearances in character since 2001 - including this weekend.

'Sam messaged me the night before and we had a couple of hours in the afternoon,' Pantsdown's creator told Daily Mail Australia.

'I had a very short time. I had to shave my beard off. I had to get it all together.'

Mr Hunt, who works full-time as a design lecturer at the University of New South Wales, said he had been too busy to continue as a Pauline Hanson impersonator.

'I didn't see it as a continuing B-grade career,' he said.

'I've got a job and I'm looking after my dad.'

Pauline Hanson (right) asks fellow senator Sam Dastyari (left) on Q&A if he is a Muslim

Pauline Pantsdown encourages young people to update their electoral enrolment

The postal vote on gay marriage has, however, galvanised him to don some make-up and encourage people to update their electoral enrolment.

'A lot of other LGBTI people and activists, I had my qualms about the postal plebiscite whether to boycott or go ahead,' Mr Hunt said.

'We've reached a consensus that we need to go ahead and we've got this incredibly short time to get people enrolled.'

Dressed in a red dress, to symbolise the colours of Australia Post, Pauline Pantsdown campaigned in Glebe and Ashfield in Sydney's inner-west on Saturday afternoon in a bid to get young people to update their electoral details.

Pantsdown also shared a halal snack pack with Senator Dastyari, more than a year after Pauline Hanson turned down his election night offer to join him for chips and kebab meat covered in lots of sauce.

'Good morning fellow Australians. My name is Pauline Pantsdown. If you are seeing me now, it means my snack pack has been murdered,' she said.

That, in itself, was a parody of Pauline Hanson's 1997 video she had made in the event she was murdered, which inspired Pauline Pantsdown's 'I Don't Like It' hit single.

Pauline Hanson opposes gay marriage but has a gay chief-of-staff, James Ashby, who favours same-sex marriage.
A man was photographed seconds after he heroically pushed his fiancee out of the way of a white supremacist's car in Charlottesville Saturday.

Marcus Martin, 26, was a counter-protester at the tragic day's events, marching the streets with his fiancee Marissa Blair, 27, and their friends.

When a Dodge Challenger suddenly rammed into the crowd, Martin didn't hesitate to push his bride-to-be out of the way, resulting in him being hit by the accelerating vehicle.

Martin was photographed in mid-air seconds after he saved Blair's life, and other photos reveal that when the car backed up over him, his shoe was dragged off.

Amazingly, Martin survived the 'intentional' car crash but sustained a broken leg in the horrific incident, as Blair live-streamed the entire event on Facebook.

Speaking exclusively to the DailyMail.com, Blair revealed the moment Martin pushed her out of the way, saying: 'He saved me then he was under the car.'

Marcus Martin, of Lovingston, Virginia, was a counter-protester in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday. He heroically saved his fiancee's life when he pushed her out of the way of a speeding Dodge Challenger and was photographed, flying through the air (pictured)

Martin was marching through the streets with his fiancee Marissa Blair (pictured together right) and their friends. He survived the 'intentional' car crash but sustained a broken leg in the horrific incident. Pictured: Martin before the accident (left)

Moments before Martin was struck, Blair said they had been walking through the streets, chanting and laughing.

She added to the DailyMail.com: 'We were saying, "Whose streets? Our streets!" and just having a good time. We were right at the intersection, deciding to go right or left. We went left.

'We hear a commotion from the top of the street. It happened so fast. I felt myself shoved out of the way. [Martin] had pushed me out of the way.

'It was so fast. All he could think was to push me. He saved me then he was under the car. I checked myself and then immediately thought, where's Marcus?

'I started looking where the car had hit people. I saw his hat had blood all over it but he wasn't there. I found him with no blood on him.

'We were taken to the hospital and I overheard someone say that the heavyset woman who they were doing CPR on had died.

'I started asking around but I knew that it was my friend Heather. She had been standing right in front of Marcus.'

Blair continued: 'It was senseless. People said we were wrong for being there but it was that guy [driver] who was wrong. Why would anyone think that it's okay to do this? He rammed into us.'

Blair wrote on Facebook: 'A car intentionally ran through a crowd of peaceful counter protesters. This is right when it happened. My fiance pushed me out the way. He got hit, his leg is broke. We're alive'

Blair said she attended the Charlottesville rally in protest of the alt-right groups that were gathered there.

She said she drove the 50 minutes from Lovingston, Virginia, with Martin and Heather Heyer, 32, who was killed in the 'senseless' car crash.

Heyer's family set up a GoFundMe page for her, with her mother writing: 'She died doing what was right. My heart is broken, but I am forever proud of her.'

Blair added: 'I'm still numb. My friend is dead. Heather was with us because this is what Heather believed in. She died standing up for what she believed in.

'We had been witnessing everything that was going on. We've been here for it.

'We couldn't have hate groups walking around our city with no peaceful opposition.

'We knew the risk we were taking. But we said they aren't going to do this anymore.'

The woman who was mowed down and killed at an anti-fascist rally in Virginia has been identified as Heather Heyer, 32 (left and right)

Blair had live-streamed to Facebook the moment James Alex Fields Jr allegedly drove through a line of innocent counter-protesters.

She later informed her Facebook followers that she and Martin were safe following the tragic events.

The video shows people screaming 'look out' and a commotion ensues.

Blair is shoved away from the street and onto the sidewalk. The videos shakes while the crowd runs for safety.

Blair realizes that Martin isn't with her and begins screaming out his name, trying to find him. In a panic, she says to a friend, 'Where is he, Marcus?'

Blair begins moving through the throngs of injured people, looking for Martin when the video suddenly cuts off.

She returned to Facebook to post an update later that day. She wrote: 'A car intentionally ran through a crowd of peaceful counter protesters. This is right when it happened.'

Martin's shoe was dragged off when the Challenger backed up over him again (left and right)

Blair continued: 'My fiance pushed me out the way. He got hit, his leg is broke. We're alive. I lost a good friend today.

'Everyone has an opinion, but we were out there spreading love and not allowing hate groups to terrorize our city! Our country!!

'The only person is wrong is the person behind that wheel. Feel what you do, but spread LOVE today. Spread LOVE everyday. Promote LOVE. Send LOVE out to the universe.'

The couple got engaged in February after dating a little more than a year.

Blair also shared that it was her friend, Heyer who died after the alleged 'intentional' act by Fields, who is from Maumee, Ohio.

The couple got engaged in February after dating a little more than a year, according to their Facebook profiles

Martin (left and right) didn't hesitate to push his bride-to-be out of the way, resulting in him being hit by the accelerating vehicle

Blair added: 'I lost one of my good friends today, killed for peacefully standing up for what she believed in. Rest In Peace you sweet sweet soul.'

Heyer had worked with Blair at the Miller Law Group PC in Virginia for the past three years.

Charlottesville Police Chief Alfred Thomas Jr. told reporters Heyer was killed while crossing the street after Fields Jr plowed his Dodge Challenger into the protesters.

Despite the efforts of those on the scene to revive her, she died.

Video of the Dodge Challenger, which is registered to Fields, showed the driver accelerating into the crowd, throwing bodies into the air as people scream, before reversing at high speed.

Fields was charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and failing to stop at the scene of a crash that resulted in a death, according to police.

James Alex Fields Jr, of Maumee, Ohio, was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly drove his vehicle into a crowd of anti-fascists at white nationalist rally, killing Heyer and injuring 19

Video of the Dodge Challenger, which is registered to Fields, showed the driver accelerating into the crowd throwing bodies into the air as people scream before reversing at high speed

The deadly crash came after violent clashes erupted as hundreds of white supremacists including armed militias marched into Charlottesville.

Police cleared the scene with tear gas but the violence continued. Charlottesville Police Chief Al Thomas said a total of 35 people had been treated for injuries, 14 of those were from individual engagements on the streets.

Horrifying video from the scene of the car attack showed the silver muscle car speeding towards a group of fleeing anti-fascist counter-protesters.

Another clip showed the vehicle ramming into the crowd at high speed and victims crying out in pain as they desperately sought medical help.

Witnesses said the car was traveling up to 40mph when it hit and reversed before ramming into the crowd again and speeding off with Martin's shoe attached to its bumper.

Fields (left and right) was apprehended and is currently in police custody. He was arrested a few blocks away from the bloody scene
The Hoddle Street massacre killer has revealed to his psychologists that he regrets the chaotic killings he was responsible for three decades ago.

Julian Knight was 19 years old when he took to shooting passing cars on the busy Melbourne street, killing seven people and injuring 19.

The failed army cadet wrote a letter to his psychologist explaining the chilling moments running through his head while he shot passing cars on August 9, 1987.

Julian Knight (pictured) has opened up for first time after he killed seven people on Hoddle Street, Melbourne

The 19-years-old shot passing cars on the busy Melbourne street in 1987 and has revealed he is remorseful for his actions

A letter written by Knight shows the exact moments running through his head after massacre

In documents obtained by Sunday Night, Knight wrote the step-by-step movements he took as he opened fire in Clifton Hill.

'Ambush now! Confused! Shoot ... shoot ... shoot ... shoot. Don't stop! This is it!' Knight wrote in his jail cell at Port Phillip Prison, Victoria.

'So noisy. Chaos. Firing on vehicles on both sides of the street... Some hit. Move on.'

In Knight's letter, he wrote of having a vision of soldiers while he opened fire on Hoddle Street who then 'fell dead and wounded'.

Knight's psychologist Tim Watson-Munro told the program he hadn't seen a remorseful Knight in 30 years.

'He's expressed profound remorse today. I saw a side of him today that I've not seen over 30 years,' Mr Watson-Munro said.

'And I put it to him again forcefully, 'Are you sorry? Have you got any idea about the victims and what they've been through?' And he strongly empathises with that.'

'He's expressed profound remorse today. I saw a side of him today that I've not seen over 30 years,' Mr Watson-Munro said

Knight's brief army career saw him bullied for six months before he stabbed a senior cadet in the neck at a night club before the massacre.

The killer was left with no friends or girlfriend and decided to drown his sorrows at a hotel before turning Hoddle Street into a war zone.

Knight has been in jail since the massacre and will not be released unless he is on his death bed.
Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci  also known as 'the Mooch'  was critical of President Trump's response to the violence caused by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia this weekend.

'With the moral authority of the presidency, you have to call that stuff out,' Scaramucci told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos during his first post-White House interview, airing Sunday morning on This Week.

On Saturday, Trump condemned hate 'on many sides,' which many, including a number of Republicans, interpreted as Trump equating the white supremacists, marching on Charlottesville, with the counter-protesters, of which one was killed.

'I wouldn't have recommended that statement,' said Scaramucci, who held the White House's top communications post for just 10 days. 'I think he would have needed to have been much harsher as it related to the white supremacists.'

Scaramucci also renewed his public tussle with White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, saying the former Breitbart head's toleration for white nationalists and white supremacists is 'inexcusable.'

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Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci said Sunday that he thought President Trump should have been 'much harsher' in condemning the white supremacists marching in Charlottesville, Virginia

The Mooch was back on television Sunday morning, for an appearance on George Stephanopoulos' Sunday show, This Week. On Monday, he'll appear on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Scaramucci pointed to Trump's National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, who labeled the white supremacists' actions 'terrorism,' as someone who handled the crisis in Charlottesville more aptly.

On Saturday, from his Bedminster resort, President Trump said, 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides.'

Trump's remarks came after 20-year-old James Fields of Ohio allegedly used his Dodge Charger to ram a crowd of counter-protesters, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring 19 more.

He's been charged with second degree murder.

Stephanopoulos wanted to know from Scaramucci why Trump would choose those words.

'He likes doing the opposite of what the media thinks he's going to do. I think he's also of the impression that there is hatred on all sides. But I disagree with it,' Scaramucci replied.

Scaramucci also discussed the statement in the context of the ongoing staff drama that has plagued Trump's White House.

On Sunday morning, Ivanka Trump went further than her father, calling out white supremacists and neo-Nazis by name

'I think people are reluctant to tell him the truth,' Scaramucci said. 'Maybe Ivanka would do that, you saw her tweet this morning, maybe Jared would do that, but you've also got this sort of Bannon-bart influence in there, which I think is a snag on the president.'

On Sunday morning, first daughter Ivanka Trump dashed off two tweets, saying 'there should be no place in society for racism, white supremacy and neo-nazis.'

In his own condemnations, Trump never mentioned white supremacists nor Nazis.

Scaramucci mentioned Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump's husband, of having a positive influence, though knocked Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, who formerly headed the right-wing news site Breitbart.

'If the president really wants to execute that legislative agenda, which I think is so promising for the American people ... then he has to move away from that sort of Bannon-bart nonsense,' Scaramucci said.

Bannon, along with now former White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, were the two aides Scaramucci ripped into in his now infamous screed, recorded by New Yorker reporter Ryan Lizza, which the Mooch today said he thought was off the record.

Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci tweeted that he appreciated George Stephanopoulos' 'fairness' after their Sunday morning back-and-forth. He's headed to Stephen Colbert's Late Show Monday night

He continued attacking Bannon today, suggesting Trump knew that he needed to extract the former Breitbart chief from the administration.

'The whole thing is nonsensical. It's not serving the president's interest,' Scaramucci said of Bannon's positions, which tend to be nationalist in nature.

Trump, the Mooch argued, needed to be more 'mainstream' and get moderates and independents on board with his agenda, so that he could keep establishment Republican senators in his corner too.

A number of Republican senators, both conservative and moderate, condemned the president's response to Charlottesville yesterday.

'Mr. President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism,' tweeted Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., chimed in similarly, saying the president needed to define the events as 'domestic terrorism' at the hands of white supremacists.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, got more personal when he gave his warning.

'My brother didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home,' Hatch wrote on Twitter.

While the Mooch suggested it was Bannon's ideology that was hurting Trump with members of his own party, he also hinted that the chief strategist may not be around for long.

'I think the president knows what he's going to do with Steve Bannon,' Scaramucci told Stephanopoulos.

Stephanopoulos wanted to know what that is.

'Well, let's leave it up to the president. It's his decision,' the Mooch replied. 'But I mean, at the end of the day, I think the president has a very good idea of who the leakers are inside the White House.'

'The president has a very good idea of the people that are undermining his agenda that are serving their own interests,' he added.

When Stephanopoulos asked if Bannon was one of those people, Scaramucci replied yes.

Scaramucci was also asked if he thought Bannon was a white nationalist or a white supremacist.

The Mooch said he didn't know.

'I think the toleration of it by Steve Bannon is inexcusable,' Scaramucci added.

Scaramucci also discussed the president's decision to give him the boot after spending a week and a half on the job.

'I was probably running too hard and acting more like a corporate CEO than I was say a political operative, and that is my mistake,' Scaramucci said. 'And I have to own that.'

Sunday's appearance with Stephanopoulos marked Scaramucci's first on-air interview since he left the White House on July 31.

He'll also appear Monday night on Stephen Colbert's Late Show.

After his on-air interview with Stephanopoulos, Scaramucci stuck around and did a Facebook Live with ABC's Rick Klein and then answered questions on his Twitter account as well.

Klein asked the Mooch how Trump might fix the lackluster response.

'He's not the kind of guy that walks things back,' Scaramucci said. 'I think the way these things get fixed is through actions.'

On Sunday, a White House spokesperson updated the president's comments.

'The President said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry, and hatred. Of course that includes white supremacists, KKK Neo-Nazi and all extremist groups,' the spokesperson said. 'He called for national unity and bringing all Americans together.'
Soap actress Paula Williamson will wed Britain's most notorious prisoner Charles Bronson behind bars.

A bride-to-be excitedly tries on a gown as she prepares for a bizarre white wedding  behind bars.

The former Coronation Street star will marry the 64-year-old career criminal in Wakefield prison.

Former Coronation Street star Paula Williamson, pictured, is due to marry Britain's most notorious prisoner Charles Bronson at a ceremony inside HMP Wakefield

Charles Bronson, pictured, as spent 38 of his 43 years behind bars in solitary confinement

The couple are due to get married at HMP Wakefield where Bronson is serving his sentence

Bronson, who has again changed his name to Salvador - after his favourite artist -has spent the past 43 years in prison. He as been in solitary confinement for 38 years.]

As well as Coronation Street, she has appeared in Emmerdale Farm and Hollyoaks.

The actress told the Sunday Mirror: 'This isnt how I planned my life but you cant help who you fall in love with  and I am in love. When I was younger I wanted to be a successful actress.

'But Charlie is not the monster people think he is, and for that day he wont just be a prisoner, he will be my groom.'

Her wedding ring will be engraved with the initials CPS for Charlie Paula Salvador as well as the initials for the Crown Prosecution Service.
Lara Trump has attacked Morning Joe's Mika Brzezinski for saying that Donald Trump was 'happy to pander to Neo-Nazis' in the wake of the violent Charlottesville protests.

Brzezinski slammed the president after he failed to condemn the white supremacist and nationalist groups at the Unite the Right rally after they turned deadly yesterday.

Instead he chose to lay blame on 'many sides.'

'We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides,' he said.

Mika Brzezinski - who has repeatedly clashed with the president - claimed Donald Trump had been reluctant to upset his far right supporters

Lara Trump attacked the Morning Joe co-host for suggesting Trump was 'happy to pander to Neo-Nazis' in the wake of the violent Charlottesville protests

Trump's daughter-in-law Lara (right) Eric's wife, has hit back at the Morning Joe co-host (left), tweeting a statement the president made on Brzezinski's show

His failed attempt to condemn the act as terrorism was met with harsh criticism. But today, his daughter, Ivanka Trump, had no qualms about calling out the far right.

'There should be no place in society for racism, white supremacy and Neo-Nazis,' she tweeted. 'We must all come together as Americans -- and be one country UNITED. #Charlottesville.'

Yesterday, Brzezinski - who has repeatedly clashed with the president - claimed Donald Trump had been reluctant to upset his far right supporters.

'Trump was happy to pander to Neo-Nazis & KKK members who support him. These anti-American hate groups are certainly happy with him. #Shame.'

The tweet refers in part to David Duke, a former KKK member who previously voiced support for Trump.

Ivanka Trump, had no qualms about calling out the far right. 'There should be no place in society for racism, white supremacy and Neo-Nazis,' she tweeted

Ivanka, pictured watching her father answer questions about North Korea on Friday, said that people 'must all come together as Americans -- and be one country UNITED'

President Trump admonished the day's tragic events, saying in a press conference: 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, violence, on many sides...' but many thought he did not go far enough

Now Trump's daughter-in-law Lara, Eric's wife, has hit back at the Morning Joe co-host, tweeting a statement the president made on Brzezinski's show.

'Ridiculous, Mika. "David Duke is a bad person, who I disavowed on numerous occasions. I disavowed him, I disavowed the KKK" Trump on Morning Joe,' she tweeted.

Brzezinski and Trump have clashed repeatedly in recent months including one occasion when the president went on a vicious, personal attack on the news anchor, calling her 'crazy' and claiming she 'was bleeding badly from a face-lift' at New Year's Eve.

Yet Brzezinski wasn't the only one to criticize Trump for his statement after James Alex Fields Jr, of Maumee, Ohio, allegedly plowed his vehicle into the crowd at the rally yesterday, killing one woman, and leaving 19 injured.

Even his fellow Republicans slammed Trump for failing to tackle the issue.

'Very important for the nation to hear @POTUS describe events in #Charlottesville for what they are, a terror attack by #whitesupremacists,' tweeted Sen. Marco Rubio, a former 2016 GOP presidential candidate.

The Dodge Challenger (pictured), which is registered to Fields, plowed into counter protesters, killing one woman and hospitalizing 19 others, as violence erupted at a rally where thousands of white nationalists gathered for an alt-right event in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday. Police said a total of 35 people were treated for injuries

People were heard screaming and crying in the aftermath of the smash, as blood was splattered on a car's windshield and victims were desperately calling out for medical help

Thousands of white supremacists took to the streets of Charlottesville for the Unite the Right rally on Saturday

'We should call evil by its name,' added Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, the most senior Republican in the Senate. 'My brother didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home.'

Sen. Cory Gardner, Colorado, Rep. added: 'Mr. President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism.'

Republican strategist Ana Navarro commented on Trump's statement and said: 'This is not 'many sides'. It's White Supremacist Terrorism. The President of the United States does not have the spine to say so. Shameful.'

Texas Sen Ted Cruz immediately called for the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute the individual responsible for the 'terrorist' act.

Late Saturday night, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said racial bigotry and hatred 'cannot be tolerated'.

When reporters asked the White House what exactly Trump had meant by 'on many sides', an official responded.

The president was condemning hatred, bigotry and violence from all sources and all sides, the official said. 'There was violence between protesters and counter protesters today.'

Florida Sen Marco Rubio called out the president for not describing the events in Charlottesville for what they are, 'a terror attack by #whitesupremacists'

Meanwhile, Arizona Sen John McCain called the white supremacists 'traitors' to their country

Texas Sen Ted Cruz weighed in on the deadly crash and violent scene in Charlottesville, calling it 'repulsive and evil'. He also urged the Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute Saturday's 'act of domestic terrorism'

Trump was swiftly denounced on Twitter for failing to denounce the white supremacists in Charlottesville or even reference racism or antisemitism in connection with the violence

Duke previously said on Saturday that the white supremacist demonstrators were 'fulfilling the promises of Donald Trump'.

'That's what we believed in, that's why we voted for Donald Trump. Because he's going to take our country back,' he said.

However Duke, who Trump finally disavowed under increasing pressure, took issue with Trump's tweet condemning the violence, and responded: 'So, after decades of White Americans being targeted for discriminated & anti-White hatred, we come together as a people, and you attack us?'

David Duke, once a supporter of Trump, criticized him after the president condemned the white nationalist rally

Ironically, Trump's statements regarding the rally were blasted by many on the left for not denouncing white nationalists in strong enough terms.

Trump took a break from his time in Bedminister to tweet about the violence, saying: 'We have to respect each other, ideally we have to love each other.'

He tweeted that 'we ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for.' He then wrote 'There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!'

Trump also tweeted his 'condolences to the family of the young woman killed today, and best regards to all of those injured in Charlottesville, Virginia. So sad!'

He also expressed his 'deepest condolences' to the families and fellow officers of the police who died in the helicopter crash.

The White House was silent for hours about the clashes except for a solitary tweet from First Lady Melania Trump. The president has received previous criticism for being slow to condemn acts of hate done in his name.

Trump added: 'We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!'

First Lady Melania Trump tweeted: 'Our country encourages freedom of speech, but let's communicate w/o hate in our hearts. No good comes from violence'

And though the White House may have been slow to condemn the hateful acts, Gov McAuliffe gave a powerful speech in which he said all of the so-called 'patriotic' white nationalists are not wanted in the United States.

'My message is clear we are stronger than you. You will not succeed,' he said. 'There is no place for you here and there is no place for you in America.'

McAuliffe also said he spoke to the president on Saturday following the horrific acts of violence in Virginia.

'I told the president that there has got to be a movement in this country to bring us together,' he said.

McAuliffe said he told the president that he's willing to 'work with him to stop the hate speech and the bigotry in this country'.

Violence erupted at the rally on Saturday where thousands of white nationalists gathered for an alt-right protest.

One woman was killed and 19 more were injured after Fields Jr, of Maumee, Ohio, allegedly plowed his vehicle into the crowd.
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A man who was too busy running a bike shop to visit his local pub decided to do the obvious - buy a 12,000 camper van and convert it into a mobile boozer.

Ben Levy, 29, spent months to painstakingly transform his Volkswagen 1957 Splitscreen into a personal watering hole complete with an optical bar, leather seating and even a dart board.

The car nut splashed out thousands of pounds fitting it with beer taps, wine racks, disco lights and even a bell to ring for service.

The pub - named the 'The Dub Inn' as a play on the Volkswagen nickname 'Vdubs' - also has a cooler and 240-volt power supply so customers can enjoy their pint extra-cold.

Car nut Ben Levy, 29, spent months painstakingly transforming his Volkswagen 1957 Splitscreen into his personal watering hole. Pictured: Ben enjoying a pint outside his mobile pub

The pub features beer taps, wine racks, disco lights and even a bell to ring for service. Pictured: The interior of 'The Dub Inn'

Fancy a pint? The Dub Inn is the only pub that can come to you. Ben bought the Volkswagen 1957 Splitscreen for 12,000 in 2014

Ben decided he wanted to create his own bar after finding himself too busy at work to get down his local as often as he'd liked to.

He and his mates now enjoy a pint and a game of darts by the roadside or outside his house - but he insists he never drives it after having a few too many.

Since the pub was spotted by a fellow enthusiast at a VW show, Ben's invention has gone viral and been shared millions of times on social media.

The unique vehicle - which Ben bought in July 2014 for 12,000 - can also be hired out for weddings and other special events.

Free music, great beer: Ben pours a pint from one of The Dub Inn's beer taps

Pictured left: A Coors Light tap is visible in the foreground while, in the background, red leather seats - which Ben took from a real pub - can be seen. Pictured right: A selection bottled beers

Pictured: The steering wheel of the VW pub

Pictured: A guitar, bar stools, a couple of pints and plenty of crisps - what more could you need?

Ben and his mates now enjoy a pint and a game of darts by the roadside or outside his house - but he insists he never drives it after having a few too many. Pictured: The back of the pub

Ben, of Oldbury in the West Midlands, said: 'I bought it off a guy who imported it from Canada.

'I thought, "Let's do something different", so I decided I wanted to build a pub inside of it after a friend of mine came up with the idea.

'I thought it was a bit of a joke at first - but it was something I hadn't seen done before so I thought, "Why not?"

Ben said he finished the work on his days off.

Ben said: 'I thought it was a bit of a joke at first - but it was something I hadn't seen done before so I thought, "Why not?" Thousands of pounds and many a day's work later and The Dub Inn was brought into the world

Cozy: Pillows rest on the pub's leather bench seats while behind them lies a barrel of cider

The unique vehicle - which Ben bought in July 2014 for 12,000 - can also be hired out for weddings and other special events

Game of darts? The mobile boozer is not lacking in the kind of entertainment one would expect at a more traditional, static pub

'It took me a few months earlier this year to completely transform it,' he said. 'I have basically done it all by myself.'

He added that it 'certainly looks the part' since he put in genuine pub seating taken from a static boozer.

It has even won two prizes camper van shows after causing 'a bit of a stir'.

He added: 'The pub down the road is still our local but there is not much time to go out because of work and it is just somewhere to escape from time to time.

'It has its limitations with space but it looks great and you can fit about four people inside with a couple of drinks.'
A woman captured the moment her two cars were stolen from her home after culprits broke in and stole the keys from inside the house.

Police are now hunting for the group of offenders who tore off in a hurry on Friday as the shocked homeowner watched on in disbelief while filming.

In the video a woman, from Queensland's Gold Coast, can be heard yelling in the background as the footage shows two vehicles leaving her residence.

The Gold Coast woman captured the moment two cars were stolen from her Pimpama home after culprits broke in and stole the keys on Friday

Police are now hunting for the group of offenders who tore off in a hurry while the shocked homeowner watched on in disbelief, while filming

Initially the recording highlights a white Mazda BT50 dual cab being reversed quickly out of a driveway.

Once the ute clears the driveway a white Holden Cruze is seen speeding from the same exit point.

The drivers and the cars quickly flee the property with their as the victim films the disgraceful incident.

Police are now investigating the incident.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crimestoppers.
A LARGELY virtual border could be put in place between Northern Ireland and the Republic after Brexit, government papers will suggest this week.

CCTV cameras, automatic number plate recordings and limited customs spot checks are among ways in which ministers want to mitigate Brexits impact on the province.

They have been examining the US-Canada border which uses electronic tracking to allow free movement of goods.

Theresa May will offer free movement into the UK for Irish citizens after Brexit, along with 'light touch' customs controls on good moving across the border

The issue is among the most challenging being navigated by ministers during early Brexit talks. The Governments formal position will be set out this week.

A paper on the issue will be published on Wednesday, following a paper tomorrow on post-Brexit customs arrangements.

Further papers including on agriculture and fisheries will be published next week as Brexit Secretary David Davis returns to the negotiating table in Brussels.

Ministers are keen to make progress on Ireland, the Brexit divorce deal and rights of EU citizens so they can begin trade talks.

Last night it was confirmed that Irish nationals will continue to enjoy free movement into and out of Britain after we leave the EU.

Ministers, who have said they do not want to return to the borders of the past, will pledge to protect the Common Travel Area, an arrangement between the UK and Ireland which predates either country joining the EU.

The proposal emerged after Chancellor Philip Hammond and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox issued a joint statement on Brexit after weeks of infighting

In her Lancaster House speech in January, Theresa May said she wanted a practical solution to borders that maintains the Common Travel Area with the Republic.

The issue is complicated by customs arrangements. When the UK is outside the EU customs union there will need to be some checks on goods crossing the border  although these could be mainly electronic with some physical spot checks.

Earlier this month Irish premier Leo Varadkar suggested he could veto the start of trade talks in October unless UK ministers agree to maintain a soft border between the North and South.

He said he had seen no evidence that technology could solve the problem of keeping goods and traffic flowing across a border with 200 crossing points which is used by 177,000 lorries a month, 208,000 vans and 1.85million cars.

He wants the EU to create a unique EU-UK customs union that would allow the Northern Ireland border to continue as it is.

Every year an estimated 20,000 people come to work on the British mainland from the Irish Republic.

The arrangement for Irish nationals will replicate the Common Travel Area and mean Irish nationals being treated differently to other EU nationals.
A puppy has been left with severe facial scars after being burned with battery acid in a horrific case of animal abuse.

The three-month-old puppy named Chance is currently undergoing treatment at a San Bernardino animal hospital in California.

The pooch, a labrador and pit bull mix, was found on Wednesday with a broken jaw and burn injuries to his face.

The three-month-old puppy named Chance was left with severe facial scars after being doused in acid in California on Wednesday

Veterinarians at Loma Linda Animal Hospital who examined the puppy said in addition to his broken jaw, it appeared he had also been beaten over the head.

One of the pup's eye can't be saved due to the burns and he is now battling an infection due to his injuries.

He has to overcome the infection before he undergoes surgery to implant a plate to help his jaw heal.

Sedna Moseley, who works at the hospital, said in the long term Chance will always be disfigured.

'This is the single worst case of animal abuse I have ever seen and make no mistake this was abuse, it was deliberate,' she said.

The pooch, a labrador and pit bull mix, was found on Wednesday with a broken jaw and burn injuries to his face

One of the pup's eye can't be saved due to the burns and he is now battling an infection due to his injuries

'The acid could have been gross negligence, but then you also have the broken jaw. The two of them together there's no doubt.'

Moseley said she thinks Chance will be okay psychological once he recovers from his injuries.

'He's very loving, every time I go up to him he just wags his tail,' she said. 'I think in the right home... psychologically he'll be fine.'

It is not clear who the owner of the puppy is, or who was responsible for the sickening attack.

Poochmatch, an animal rescue shelter, is currently accepting donations to help pay for Chance's upcoming surgeries and treatments. Visit poochmatch.com to donate.

Sedna Moseley (above), who works at the hospital, said in the long term Chance will always be disfigured. She said he was very loving and still constantly wags his tail
Authorities have ordered evacuations as a wildfire threatens crops and homes in a rural part of Washington.

The State Fire Marshal's Office on Sunday morning said one home and one outbuilding were lost. It estimated the blaze to be nearly 16 square miles (41 sq.m).

Residents of between 25 and 30 homes in Adams County have been told to leave immediately.


Victoria's first policewoman to be wear a hijab on duty has revealed the challenges she faces being a Muslim on the frontline amid the heightened threat of terrorism.

Maha Sukkar made history in November 2004 as the first Victorian police officer to be allowed to wear a traditional Muslim head-covering with her uniform.

Almost 13 years after graduating from the police academy, the 42-year-old senior constable says there are still challenges being a minority in the force.

'I see challenges, in this day in age, is when we have to keep explaining to people who we are, what we do,' she said in a video for the Islamic Council of Victoria.

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Maha Sukkar is Victoria's first police officer to wear a hijab and says it's still a challenge

But the Victoria Police Force's Multicultural Liaison Officer said this was an opportunity.

'Sometimes I see it as something good because it's better to explain your side of the view, although some other people misunderstand it,' she said.

The Lebanese-born police officer, based in Melbourne, said this was especially so during an era of Australia being on a heightened terror alert.

'You should always tell people how you think about certain things, especially the challenges we face in the current climate,' she said.

Ms Sukkar (right) receives her police badge from then police commissioner Christine Nixon (left) in 2004 as the first recruit to wear a hijab

Ms Sukkar says being the first police officer to wear a hijab is her 'greatest achievement'

The former graphic designer from Beirut moved to Australia in 2000 and has been a senior constable since November 2008 - four years after graduating from the Victoria Police Academy.

Her 80-second video begins with the policewoman saying she enjoys helping people.

The law enforcer, who grew up during the Lebanese civil war, praised Victoria for embracing her as a 'Muslim police officer and as a human being'.

'My greatest achievement is joining Victoria Police, being the first woman to wear a hijab in a police service, whether that's in Victoria or all over Australia,' she said.
Five men arrested over their role in an alleged $810 million drug ring have gone from living lives of luxury to sweltering in a primitive Dubai prison cells in 45C heat.

Michael Ibrahim, 39, older brother Fadi, 43, and other members of the 'Dubai Five' have now spent more than a week hauled up in prison since their arrest last Monday.

The two brothers - whose sibling is Sydney nightclub owner John Ibrahim - and their friends had reportedly splashed $42,500 on hiring a luxury yacht for the day on Dubai marina.

But at 1am the following morning, UAE police working in sync with their Australia and Netherlands counterparts ran a coordinated sting, raiding and arresting the brothers and their group when the clock ticked over to 'zero hour'.

And now, with no date set for their extradition back home, the Ibrahims and three other men are spending their days hauled up in overcrowded prisons across Dubai - a far cry from sipping Moet & Chandon a week ago, The Daily Telegraph reported.

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Five men arrested over their role in an alleged $810 million drug ring have gone from living lives of luxury to sweltering in Dubai's Al Barsha prison (pictured) where cells reach 45C

Fadi Ibrahim (right), 43, and other members of the 'Dubai Five' have now spent more than a week hauled up in prison since their arrest last Monday

Both Fadi and Michael Ibrahim (right) are siblings of renowned Sydney nightclub owner and so-called 'King of the Cross' John Ibrahim (far left)

After spending the day allegedly celebrating sealing a new drug deal, the group had their overnight stay in the marina interrupted by the police raid.

Michael and Fadi, along with Sydney-expat Koder Jomaa, convicted killer Mustapha Dib and Commanchero bikie Hakan Arif were all arrested, with none resisting.

'You'd never have guessed it was those same guys on the boat,' a crew member from the Xclusive Yachts said.

'They weren't raucous and there was nothing flashy about them. They had hired the yacht for 24 hours  it costs $US1400 ($AUD1750) an hour. They asked if they could bring their own Moet & Chandon onto the boat.'

The five were then taken to the Al Barsha Police Station and placed in separate cells in the underground centre, notorious for overcrowding and its warm temperatures.

A member of the Dubai Police anti-narcotics department, who organised the raid on the Australian men, told The Daily Telegraph they were all drug tested before being taken to Al Barsha.

'Al Barsha is a good jail, there are three meals a day, a phone box and set smoking times they are being well looked after,' officer Qaid Abdul Aziz said.

With the notoriety of Michael and Fadi making them the focus of much attention in the wake of the raids, the other 'Dubai Five' members have flown under the radar.

The 'Dubai Five' had reportedly splashed $42,500 on hiring a luxury yacht similar to this one for the day

From sipping Moet & Chandon on board the luxury yacht one moment, to being hauled up in a Dubai prison the next

Sydney-expat Koder Jomaa (pictured), a 47-year-old father-of-two and owner of a health food business in Dubai, had been living next to the marina where they were arrested

Jomaa, a 47-year-old father-of-two and owner of a health food business, moved from Sydney a few years ago and was living next to the marina where they were arrested.

Dib has previously made headlines after getting five years jail for the manslaughter of a 14-year-old boy in 1998. He stabbed the boy with a knife during a street fight.

In 2012 he was found guilty over the shooting death of a 20-year-old woman and was sentenced to 30 years in jail. But in early 2016 he was acquitted and freed.

The fifth member of the group was Hakan Arif, who has links to notorious bikie gang Commancheros and has previously been convicted of drugs charges.

But it's understood that police believe Michael is one of the main players in the ring and allegedly organised the tobacco deal implicating John Ibrahim's son.

Daniel Ibrahim was arrested by police as part of the raids in Sydney last week for allegedly handing over a suitcase holding $2.25m to buy illegal tobacco.

Daniel Ibrahim, the son of Kings Cross nightclub giant John (right), was arrested as part of the sting on a drug syndicate alleged to be operating in Australia, Dubai and the Netherlands

The 'King of the Cross' John Ibrahim (left) with his son Daniel (right) who was released from custody on Friday night after his $630,000 bail surety was paid in full

His release came a day after John Ibrahim's girlfriend Sarah Budge (pictured) was granted bail after also being arrested as part of the raids

The 26-year-old was released on Friday after two nights in prison when his $630,000 bail surety was paid in full.

His release came a day after John Ibrahim's girlfriend Sarah Budge was granted bail after also being arrested as part of the raids.

She is not involved in the alleged drug-smuggling syndicate but has faced court on firearms and ammunition charges.

Court documents suggested she was in possession of a Glock 26 pistol with its serial numbers removed when she was arrested in Double Bay on Tuesday.
Senator John McCain was out hiking in Arizona with two of his children on Saturday as he continues his battle with brain cancer.

The Republican, who has returned to Phoenix to undergo chemotherapy and radiation, took a stroll in Cornville with his daughter Meghan and son James.

They trio posed alongside each other for a photo in Oak Creek, which Meghan shared on Instagram.

Senator John McCain was out hiking in Arizona with his daughter Meghan and son James on Saturday as he continues his battle with brain cancer

'Saturday morning hiking oak creek with Dad and brother Jimmy. #f***kcancer,' she wrote alongside the photo.

The 80-year-old shied away from the sun in a long-sleeved shirt and jeans.

Meghan and her father have been on numerous weekend hikes ever since news broke that the Senator had been diagnosed last month with glioblastoma - a form of brain cancer.

He also took some time out on Friday night to watch his beloved Arizona Diamondbacks with his daughter and wife Cindy.

McCain watched the team face the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Chase Field.

The senator tweeted, along with a picture of the family: 'Having fun at the @Dbacks game with @MeghanMcCain & @cindymccain - let's go #Dbacks!'

The senator tweeted, along with a picture of the family: 'Having fun at the @Dbacks game with @MeghanMcCain & @cindymccain - let's go #Dbacks!'

Meghan McCain also posted a picture on Instagram, captioned: 'Go D-BACS!'

Meghan and her father have been on numerous weekend hikes ever since news broke that the Senator had been diagnosed last month with glioblastoma - a form of brain cancer

Meghan McCain also posted a picture on Instagram, captioned: 'Go D-BACS!'

The Arizona Republican underwent a procedure last month to remove a blood clot above his left eye.

It was then that doctors discovered that the extracted tissue was cancerous.

A statement from his office at the end of last month said: 'In accordance with the guidance of his physicians, Senator McCain is returning to Arizona to undergo further treatment at Mayo Clinic.

'On Monday, July 31, he will begin a standard post-surgical regimen of targeted radiation and chemotherapy.

'During that time, Senator McCain will maintain a work schedule. He plans to return to Washington at the conclusion of the August recess.'
A white nationalist was fired from his job after Twitter users began naming and shaming alt-right supporters involved in yesterday's deadly Charlottesville rally.

The rally - which was described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as 'the largest hate-gathering of its kind in decades in the United States' - attracted thousands from neo-Nazi groups, the Ku Klux Klan and other far-right organizations.

It also culminated in a horrifying alleged attack on a group of antifascist counter-protesters as alleged white supremacist James Alex Fields Jr allegedly drove into a crowd, killing one person and injuring 19 more.

As the reverberations of that deadly assault continued to be felt on Sunday, Twitter user Yes, You're Racist began naming and shaming those who were photographed waving torches and allying themselves with violent far-right extremists.

The first of those was Cole White, who has now been fired by Berkeley's Top Dog restaurant as a result.

Cole White (pictured at the rally) has been fired from his job as Twitter begins naming and shaming alt-right supporters involved in yesterday's deadly Charlottesville rally

After his employers Top Dog restaurant, in Berkeley, were alerted that White attended the rally, he was fired (a general view of a Top Dog restaurant in Berkeley)

A spokesman told reporters inquiring about White that they would be releasing a full statement tomorrow, but that 'for now, we feel it is imperative to let you know that Cole White is no longer employed by Top Dog, LLC'.

An employee at Top Dog confirmed to DailyMail.com that White had been fired.

White was one of thousands who gathered for the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville on Saturday - and one of many identified online.

The event, which was openly attended neo-Nazis and other hate groups, was ostensibly intended to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee from the newly renamed Emancipation Park.

The park - formerly the Lee Park - became a focal point for right-wingers of all kinds, from gun rights activists to alt-right members, to out-and-out fascists.

Now some of those at the event are - like White - being targeted by online vigilantes who are using photographs from the event to try and identify them.

Another person identified by Yes, You're Racist is Peter Cvjetanovic, 20, of Reno.

He was said to be the angry-looking torchbearer who marched through the University of Virginia on Friday night as part of the rally.

Peter Cvjetanovic, 20, (right) of Reno, has been identified as the angry-looking torch bearer who marched through the University of Virginia on Friday night

Yes, You're Racist identified the torch bearer in this post above

Two more torch bearers were identified as Ryan Martin and Jacob Dix of Centerville, Ohio

Others include more well known names on the alt right scene such as Richard B Spencer, co-editor of AltRight.com

The student, an undergraduate studying history and political science, told KTVN he had traveled to the march 'for the message that white European culture has a right to be here just like every other culture'.

'It is not perfect; there are flaws to it, of course. However I do believe that the replacement of the statue will be the slow replacement of white heritage within the United States and the people who fought and defended and built their homeland.

'Robert E Lee is a great example of that. He wasn't a perfect man, but I want to honor and respect what he stood for during his time.'

He added that he wasn't the 'angry' person seen in the photos but defended his beliefs as 'a white nationalist.'

'I care for all people,' he said. 'We all deserve a future for our children and for our culture. White nationalists aren't all hateful; we just want to preserve what we have.'

In total 19 people were injured and one killed when James Alex Fields Jr (seen center, holding a shield at Unite the Right on Saturday) allegedly drove into them in his Dodge Challenger

Fields (seen here at Unite the Right) has been charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and failure to stop following an accident resulting in death

The efforts to hit out at far-right supporters have likely been spurred on by the intense coverage surrounding Fields' alleged attempt to run over an entire crowd of counter-protesters.

Adding to the fury felt by those on the left was what was seen as Donald Trump's mealy-mouthed response to the fatal crash.

The president - who has a substantial far-right following, and was openly supported by the Ku Klux Klan, among others, during the election - spoke out after the incident.

But instead of condemning the violent right-wing attacker, he complained of 'this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides - on many sides.'

The repetition of 'many sides' led to some, including neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer, saying that Trump was blaming the antifascist victims as much as the white supremacist attacker in an effort to avoid condemning far-right extremists.

'No condemnation at all,' the Stormer wrote, 'When asked to condemn he just walked out of the room. Really, really good. God bless him.'

A Twitter user, by the username @FearsWilliam, who describes himself in his bio as being the 'charismatic leader of a white breeding cult', was spotted doing the Nazi salute at the rally

Others at the rally included Twitter user with @millennial_matt who was spotted holding a flaming torch during the march on Friday

Others identified by the Twitter account include more well known names on the alt-right scene such as Richard B Spencer, co-editor of AltRight.com who was pictured being arrested by several police after the rally turned violent.

A Twitter user, by the username @FearsWilliam, who describes himself in his bio as being the 'charismatic leader of a white breeding cult', was spotted doing the Nazi salute at the rally - and even retweeted the photo which identified him at the rally.

Others at the rally included Tim 'Treadstone' Gionet, aka Baked Alaska, a right wing internet troll who was reportedly maced during the protests.

His friend, Twitter user @millennial_matt, was also spotted holding a flaming torch during the march on Friday.

Fellow nationalist pal Mark Daniel Reardon also made an appearance at the rally.

James Allsup was also identified on Twitter as a speaker at the alt-right rally

The Twitter account asks people to name and shame the man in this white suit

Donald Trump provoked fury from some on Saturday as he complained of 'hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides,' with some took to be an attempt to avoid blaming white supremacists

Protesters gathered at other across the US on Sunday, including these people who arrived at the White House, angry at Donald Trump's failure to wholeheartedly condemn the neo-Nazis

In the wake of the violence seen at Unite the Right, protests sprang up at events all over the US.

Many were rallies in solidarity with those hurt and killed in Charlottesville, and protests against the Trump administration.

There were also rallies by rightwing groups, most notably in Seattle, where a pro-Trump event was hosted in Westlake Park.

Those events bred in turn counter-protests that attracted far-right and antifascist campaigners, respectively.

There were few instances of outright violence, but tempers flared during a confrontation between antifascist counter-protesters and police in Seattle, resulting in at least one person being arrested.

The friction emerged when police blocked antifascist groups from advancing on Westlake Park to confront the pro-Trump group.

Antifascist members sprayed Silly String on police before apparently charging them - leading to a brief scuffle before the police line was restored. Police were filmed using pepper spray and flashbang grenades on protesters.

Saturday's violence led to further protests on Sunday from both the left and right wings. Tension built in Seattle when antifascist protesters (pictued) sprayed cops with Silly String

The protesters were angry because police blocked them from approaching a pro-Trump event being held in a public park. Police used pepper spray (pictured) on the antifascist group

Charlottesville itself was host to two more events on Sunday.

The first was a vigil for Heather Heyer, 32, who was the woman killed when the car struck the antifascist counter-protest, as well as the 19 others who were hurt.

Among those laying flowers there was Marcus Martin, who was photographed being bowled into the air as the Dodge Charger slammed into the group.

He had been able to push his fiancee out of the way, but that left him in the path of the vehicle - which, after striking him, then backed over him.

Miraculously, he only suffered a broken leg. He was seen tearfully paying respects to Heyer, a friend whom he and his fiancee had attended the counter-protest with.

Also on Sunday in Charlottesville, Unite the Right organizer Jason Kessler held a press conference in which he tried to blame the crash on the local city and police.

But his conference was cut short when protesters interrupted, with a number of them charging him and one woman knocking him into shrubbery before police spirited him away.

Marcus Martin (center, being hugged by his fiancee), whose leg was broken when a white supremacist allegedly drove into a crowd of antifascist protesters at the Unite the Right rally on Saturday, attended a vigil for those hurt and killed

Martin was visibly moved as the vigil took place in Charlottesville. He had been friends with Heather Heyer (right), who was killed in the incident
Fleas in two Arizona counties have tested positive for the plague, the same catastrophic Bubonic disease that killed millions, according to officials.

Navajo County Public Health officials confirmed on Friday that fleas in the region tested positive for the disease following similar reports from Coconino County Public Health Services District in Arizona.

Both are located in the northern part of the state.

Navajo County Public Health officials confirmed on Friday that fleas in the region tested positive for the Bubonic plague. It follows similar reports from Coconino County Public Health Services District in Arizona

The Bubonic plague killed millions during the Middle Ages

'Navajo County Health Department is urging the public to take precautions to reduce their risk of exposure to this serious disease, which can be present in fleas, rodents, rabbits and predators that feed upon these animals,' the public health warning states.

'The disease can be transmitted to humans and other animals by the bite of an infected flea or by direct contact with an infected animal.'

To reduce risk of exposure, officials have urged those living, working, camping or visiting the area to take precaution.

This includes avoiding sick or dead animals, not letting pets roam and avoiding rodent burrows.

While the news may shock those familiar with horror stories of the plague, findings such as these are actually fairly common in the area.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states through studies that outbreaks occasionally occur in southwestern US states like Arizona during cooler summers following wet winters.

Symptoms of the Bubonic plague include sudden fever, headache, chills, and weakness and one or more swollen, tender and painful lymph nodes, according to the CDC. The bacteria can spread to other parts of the body if untreated.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states through studies that outbreaks occasionally occur in southwestern US states like Arizona during cooler summers following wet winters
Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci continued his assault on President Trump's Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, saying he didn't know if Bannon is a white supremacist or white nationalist.

'You know, I don't know, I mean I've never sat down with Steve Bannon and said, "Hey, are you a white nationalist or a white supremacist?"' Scaramucci answered when asked the question by ABC News' Rick Klein. 'But I think the toleration of it by Steve Bannon is inexcusable.'

Scaramucci, doing a trio of interviews on Sunday, blamed Bannon's ideology for some of the president's recent missteps, including Trump's much-panned response to the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday.

He also hinted that Bannon could soon be ousted, advising the president to move away from this 'Bannon-bart nonsense.'

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Former White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci continued to publicly criticize Steve Bannon, going as far to say he wasn't sure if Bannon was a white supremacist or white nationalist

Chief Strategist Steve Bannon was blamed by Anthony Scaramucci for President Trump's widely-panned messaging over the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, in which Trump seemed to equate neo-Nazis and white nationalists with the hate groups' counter-protesters

ABC News' Rick Klein (left), in a Facebook live with Anthony Scaramucci (right) on Sunday, asked point blank Scaramucci's view on Bannon's beliefs

The Mooch was back on television Sunday morning, for an appearance on George Stephanopoulos' Sunday show, This Week. He then appeared on Facebook Live and Periscope. On Monday, he'll appear on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert

After two appearances with ABC News journalists, Anthony Scaramucci took more questions during a live Periscope event

On Saturday, Trump had condemned the violence on 'many sides,' whereas a neo-Nazi used his car as a weapon to mow down counter-protesters, killing one and injuring 19 others.

The president was criticized for seemingly equating neo-Nazis and white nationalists with the counter-protesters marching against the hate groups' racist messaging.

During a sit-down with George Stephanopoulos on ABC's This Week, Scaramucci blamed Trump's tone deaf response on White House staffers being reluctant to tell him the truth.

'Maybe Ivanka would do that ... maybe Jared would do that, but you've also got this sort of Bannon-bart influence in there, which I think is a snag on the president,' Scaramucci said, mushing together Bannon's name with the publication, Breitbart, which the White House aide formerly ran.

'If the president really wants to execute that legislative agenda that I think is so promising for the American people, the lower-middle class people and the middle class people, then he has to move away from that sort of Bannon-bart nonsense,' Scaramucci added.

'The whole thing is nonsensical. It's not serving the president's interest,' Scaramucci said of Bannon's positions, which tend to be nationalist in nature.

The former White House communications director, who was fired on his 11th day on the job after he blasted Bannon and now former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus in a phone call with the New Yorker's Ryan Lizza, also hinted that Bannon's tenure might be ending soon too.

'I think the president knows what he's going to do with Steve Bannon,' Scaramucci told Stephanopoulos.

Stephanopoulos asked him for more details.

'Let's leave it up to the president. It's his decision, but at the end of the day, the president has a very good idea of who the leakers are inside the White House,' Scaramucci said.

Previously, Scaramucci had suggested Priebus was one of the leakers.

Priebus was pushed out of his position shortly thereafter.

'The president has a very good idea of the people who are undermining his agenda that are serving their own interests,' Scaramucci added.

When Stephanopoulos asked if Bannon was self-serving, the former communications director said yes.

After appearing on This Week, Scaramucci did a Facebook Live with ABC News, where he sat down with Klein.

'Is Steve Bannon a white nationalist or a white supremacist in your view?' Klein directly asked.

Scaramucci replied with a shrug, saying he didn't know.

Scaramucci, or 'The Mooch' as he's often called, finished off his trio of interviews by taking questions on Periscope.

While many questions were on the lighter side  he explained he wore women's sunglasses because they look good on his face shape, and expressed his love for Fruit Loops  he also spoke regretfully about his White House exit.

Scaramucci pointed to a photo he uses as part of his Twitter profile, where he's pictured next to Gens. David Petraeus and John Campbell saying it't an 'inside joke' because the two retired generals 'happen to like me.'

He connected that to being axed as new White House chief of staff, Gen. John Kelly, was cleaning house.

'I sort of feel like if Gen. Kelly knew me, he knew me better, he would have known and I'll state this on the record, I could have certainly worked underneath him, I had no problem with that,' Scaramucci said.

'My ego is not such that I need to report directly to the president,' he added, suggesting that that tidbit had been reported to help usher his ouster.

'I wish him well,' Scaramucci said of Kelly.
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A hat-maker is hoping to raise 1 million for her business by raffling off her stunning country home.

Tricia Hamilton is selling her 19th century cottage near Bristol by charging buyers just 2 a ticket, after finding it hard to find a buyer.

Roselands was built in 1829 and has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, two reception rooms, a number of outbuildings and sits on an acre of land.

Tricia Hamilton is selling her 19th century cottage near Bristol by charging buyers just 2 a ticket, after finding it hard to find a buyer

Mrs Hamilton said: 'The house has been up for sale for a year but we just haven't found the right buyer.

'It's unique, which works well for such an unconventional sale.

'It's not a typical four-bedroom and I'd describe it as a 'Tardis,' as it's much more spacious than it first appears.'

The milliner is originally from Surrey, and her children and 91-year-old mother are still based there in the town of Oxted.

As well as her family ties, Mrs Hamilton explained that business opportunities in Surrey are also an attraction.

She added: 'I'd love to move back home and be near my family. I'm also developing business opportunities in the area, which I'd like to build on.'

The retired schoolteacher, who runs Tricia Designs, has sold her hats to customers around the world and currently displays them at Amulet Boutique in Bristol.

Roselands was built in 1829 and has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, two reception rooms, a number of outbuildings and sits on an acre of land.

Buyers can enjoy comfortable surroundings in this spacious living area in the property, which also boasts garden views

As well as relaxing in the home's reception rooms, guests can be entertained in the property's large kitchen and dining area

She will need to sell a whopping 500,000 tickets to meet her 1 million asking price - although the house is currently on the market with Knight Frank for 875,000.

Her intention is to raise the funds from the raffle and reinvest it in Tricia Designs so hats can be manufactured in the UK.

Details of the competition are yet to be finalised but it is against gambling laws to raffle off anything over a certain value unless there is some test of skill involved.

As a result, she is having to consider a variety of different ways to sell tickets - including a history quiz.

Mrs Hamilton has six months to sell her home through the contest, with an option to extend. If the asking price is not reached, a winner will take all the money collected - minus the costs.

Under the terms and conditions of the competition, the winner will have all the fees and stamp duty paid for them.

Mrs Hamilton is selling the property (pictured, one of its bedroom) so that she can move closer to her family in Oxted, Surrey

For those who love to shop until they drop, the property boasts a walk-in wardrobe which is attached to one of its bedroom's

The quaint cottage near Bristol has a sprawling lawn in its back garden, perfect to relax in and entertain guests in summer

Peter Ellis, director of Accommodation Unlimited, said: 'It sounds like a brilliant way to sell your property and in some cases it has worked - whereas in others it has failed spectacularly.

'It can involve selling a lot of tickets - in this case to nearly one per cent of the population. We could be talking around a thousand tickets a day for the next six months.'

The transaction could also have tax implications, as the income would be from proceeds of a competition rather than the sale of their property.

Rebecca Cave, of Taxwriter Ltd, said: 'Contracts would have to be drawn up very carefully to ensure that liability to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is met by the correct person.

'As for Capital Gains Tax (CGT), many factors could be relevant to this tax, such as if the property was used for business purposes or let out while the current owner held it.'

Tricia added: 'This is a chance for someone to win a life-changing mortgage-free house.

'I would love to see someone with a family win it as it's a great place to raise children. Everybody I've spoken to has said they would be interested in buying a ticket. But I want to make sure it would be legal and above board before going ahead.'
A victim from Saturday's Charlottesville riot that left three dead and several injured, took to social media to show the severity of his brutal beating after he was treated at a nearby hospital.

Deandre Harris, 20, was one of the members counter-protesting at the white supremacist rally 'Unite The Right,' when a group from a gang approached him and one person began clubbing him with a pole.

In the photo of the attack, captured by photographer Zach D. Roberts, the furious man is shown gripping the stick in his hand as Harris kneels hunched on the ground helplessly.

'Me and about five of my friends were out protesting. We thought (the racists) left, but at one point they came back,' Harris said in an interview with The Root.

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Man is shown gripping the stick in his hand as Deandre Harris is hunched on the ground

Harris said and his friends did not initiate any form of physical violence

Harris, (center) was beaten to a pulp by white supremacists at the rally

Harris was transported to the Martha Jefferson Hospital, where he was treated

Harris had eight stitches in his head, a broken wrist and a chipped tooth, as well as other lacerations

Harris was left with eight stitches in his head, a broken wrist, lacerations and a chipped tooth from the onslaught.

He said he and his friends did not initiate physical violence towards the rioters.

'Everyone was exchanging words with the group, but then the KKK and white supremacists just rushed us,' he said.

The controversial rally took place right outside the Charlottesville Police Department, which was shown in images from the deadly event.

'No police were there to help me at all,' Harris revealed, while adding he was shocked the event was not shut down sooner.

Harris said 'everyone was exchanging words with the group, but the KKK and white supremacists rushed' up to them

Dozens were injured in skirmishes and many others after a white nationalist plowed his sports car into a throng of protesters

The riot took place right outside the Charlottesville Police Department

Protesters and counter-protesters alike were injured at the rally

'I think for them to be allowed to come here and protest is really crazy. How do you expect the KKK to come to your city to protest, and them not be violent?' he said.

'I understand everyone is entitled to their freedom of speech, but the government and the mayor made a bad business move. It's only caused havoc in your own city. It's crazier that people have the hatred in their heart to want to kill black people.'

Deandre, an aspiring musical artist, moved to the city of Charlottesville two years ago when he began working as an instructor for a special education program.

Harris said he and his family are seeking a possible lawsuit against the perpetrators.

Loved ones of the victim have since created a GoFundMe page to help aid in Harris' medical expenses.

When describing the event on the page, Harris said he was 'knocked unconscious repeatedly' and each time he tried to stand up, he 'was knocked back down' to the ground.

'If it was not for my friends that I came with I would have been beaten to a pulp... Once I was dragged off to some near by steps I was taken to the designated area for injured protesters & counter-protesters,' he wrote.

'My injuries were too extensive to be treated at the scene so I was taken to the ER at Martha Jefferson Hospital. I was diagnosed with a concussion, an ulnar fracture, and had to receive eight staples in my head. I also have a laceration across my right eyebrow, abrasions on my knees & elbows, and a chipped tooth.

'I'm so blessed to be alive to tell my story and to show the world that racism is very much still alive ... I appreciate the support from my friends, family, and the news platforms that have reached out to check on me,' he added.

'We will not let this fade & disappear. People are carrying real hate in their hearts for the Black Community and I refuse to just let it happen. God Bless & thank you all again!'
An Alaskan teenager who killed a whale that fed his entire remote village hasn't been the same since he was targeted on social media with death threats and branded a 'murderer' by activists.

Chris Apassingok, 16, hunted the 57-foot bowhead whale back in April near his remote Siberian Yupik village of Gambell on Alaska's northwest edge.

The teenager was widely praised by fellow hunters and those in his remote village as they celebrated the killing as a sign of his passage into adulthood.

Chris Apassingok, 16, was praised by his family after he hunted the 57-foot bowhead whale back in April near his remote Siberian Yupik village of Gambell on Alaska's northwest edge

His proud family shared photos on social media of the whale carcass on the shoreline as they carved the mammal up to help feed the village.

News of the killing quickly went viral worldwide when environmental activist Paul Watson - who is the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - shared a local newspaper's story about Chris' hunt on Facebook.

His post, which has since been deleted, began: 'WTF, You 16-Year Old Murdering Little B******! Some 16-year old kid is a frigging 'hero' for snuffing out the life of this unique self aware, intelligent, social, sentient being, but hey, it's okay because murdering whales is a part of his culture, part of his tradition.

'I don't give a damn for the bulls**t politically correct attitude that certain groups of people have a "right" to murder a whale.'

Chris, pictured with part of the whale outside his family's home last month, was targeted by animal activists who sent abuse and death threats over Facebook about his hunt

His mother Susan Apassingok said her son hasn't been the same since he was targeted. She said the whale Chris killed provided their entire village with food

Following Watson's post, Chris was hit with a barrage of abusive messages and death threats from the activist's followers.

Paul Watson - who is the founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - criticized Chris over the whale killing

The teenager's mother, Susan Apassingok, told the High Country News that he hasn't fully recovered from it.

She said six weeks after the hunt, Chris stopped going to school, he barely spoke and his mood darkened.

'I can't get anything out of him,' Susan said.

'We struggle to buy gas, food, they risk their lives out there to feed us, while this Paul Watson will never have to suffer a day in his life. Why is he going after a child such as my son?'

While Watson's original post was removed from Facebook, the activist later posted: 'This has been my position of 50 years and it will always be my position until the day I die.'

Chris, whose native name is Agra, (pictured in the middle) was widely praised by those in his remote village as they celebrated the killing as a sign of his passage into adulthood

His proud family shared photos on social media of the whale carcass on the shoreline as they carved (above) the mammal up to help feed the village. The small Alaskan village is still living off the meat from the whale Chris killed

Chris' mother said the abuse started when environmental activist Paul Watson shared news of the killing on Facebook and labeled her son a 'Murdering Little B******'

In a recent statement, Watson and Sea Shepherd said: 'Paul Watson did not encourage nor request anyone to threaten anyone. Paul Watson also received numerous death threats and hate messages.

'It is our position that the killing of any intelligent, self-aware, sentient cetacean is the equivalent of murder.'

The small Alaskan village is still living off the meat from the whale Chris killed.

Alaska Natives have been hunting whales in the region for 2,000-odd years. They follow a quota system from the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, which means they can only hunt a few whales each year. It equates to between 600 and 1,000 tons of food.
Around 50 guests at an Ibiza hotel popular with British holidaymakers have fallen ill with suspected gastroenteritis.

Five people needed hospital treatment and doctors were made available for around 45 other guests following the outbreak at the four-star Hotel Algarb in Playa d'en Bossa.

A probe is now underway to establish the cause, although it has been initially linked to rainwater from midweek storms on the island filtering into hotel water tanks and being used to make ice.

The five people hospitalised with 'light gastroenteritis' have now been discharged.

Around 50 guests at the Hotel Algarb in Playa d'en Bossa, Ibiza, pictured, have been struck down by suspected gastroenteritis

A hotel source told a local paper the problem had now been eradicated because results of tests had come back normal and described the admission of five people to hospital as a 'precaution to avoid any risks.'

She added: 'We made a medical team available to clients for 16 hours.'

It was not clear today how many Brits or Irish nationals were affected, although the hotel is described as being popular with British people.

It boasts on its website of enjoying a privileged location 'right by the longest and most beautiful beaches of Ibiza' next to famous clubs like Ushuaia.

The hotel is aimed at tourists aged 25 to 40.

The alarm is said to have been sounded between Friday and Saturday.

The hotel is popular with British and Irish tourists on the party island but it is unknown if any were among those affected (file picture)

A hotel spokesman said he was unable to immediately quantify the number of British or Irish guests who had been affected.

He added: 'The outbreak has affected 50 of the 1,000 guests in the hotel and we have confirmed that its origin is not food-related.

'The theory we're working on, which has not been confirmed yet, is that it was due to a filtration in the hotel tanks of the rainwater that has fallen these days on the island.

'Although we made a medical team available for those affected which has been sufficient for most of them, and the gastroenteritis has been light in all cases, five people preferred to go to hospital and they have all now been discharged.'
City plan for Lhasa approved

The State Council has approved the city plan (2009-2020) for Lhasa in Southwest Chinas Tibet autonomous region.

It urged the local government to meet the goal of affordable housing projects in the plan and guarantee supply, regional distribution and funds investment. Shantytowns, villages and dilapidated houses in the city should be renovated and equipped with improved facilities.

Details:>> State Council approves city plan for Lhasa

State Council OKs Anshans city plan

The State Council has approved the overall urban planning (2011-2020) for Anshan in Northeast Chinas Liaoning province.

It urged the local government to develop counties and key villages with potential, optimize the overall layout of villages and towns, and provide equal public services to urban and rural areas.

Details:>> State Council approves Anshans city plan (2011-2020)

New guidelines on shared cars

The Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development recently issued guidelines to promote a short-term rental business model for small and micro vehicles.

Mobile internet and mobile applications were encouraged to be used to book, unlock and return cars and pay online. Car-sharing firms should collect, store, use and protect the private information according to the laws, and no other services should be provided.

More measures target poverty-relief

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the Ministry of Finance and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development released guidelines on social security for the impoverished population.

The guidelines instructed local governments to pay part or all of the minimum pension insurance for registered poor people and said the fee should remain at the current level, even if it is raised for other people.

More autonomous power for universities

The Ministry of Education recently released a guideline on reforms to talent development.

It delegated more autonomous powers to higher education institutions, allowing them to employ staff members, decide salary levels and evaluate professional titles themselves.

Promote agricultural technology services

The Ministry of Agriculture has decided to promote agricultural technology services in seven poor regions by hiring technicians to help poor families develop their business.

The seven pilot regions are located in Hubei, Hunan, Hebei, Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces.

Develop civil aviation in NE China

The Civil Aviation Administration has issued a document aimed at developing civil aviation in Northeast China.

It set targets for training professionals, providing funds and subsidies, and cutting taxes.
The man allegedly responsible for killing one woman and injuring 19 others when he plowed his car into them had idolized Hitler and had a fascination with Nazis, his teacher claims.

James Alex Fields Jr, 20, is accused of driving his Dodge Challenger into a crowd of peaceful counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday afternoon.

Horrific videos show the car accelerating into the crowd before the vehicle reverses and drives off, leaving behind injured people screaming in pain.

The man from Maumee, Ohio, had been pictured marching with a racist, right-wing group known as Vanguard America, a few hours before the deadly attack.

Now, Fields' former high school teacher claims that Fields admired Adolf Hitler, sympathized with Nazi views and wrote a paper that was a 'lovefest' for the racist group.

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James Alex Fields Jr (left and right) was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly intentionally drove his vehicle into a crowd of anti-fascists at a white nationalist rally, killing a woman and injuring 19 others in Charlottesville, Virginia. His teacher claims Fields idolized Adolf Hitler

James Alex Fields Jr., (2nd L with shield) is seen at the "Unite the Right" rally in Emancipation Park before being arrested by police and charged with charged with second degree murder

The man (far left with glasses) from Maumee, Ohio, had been pictured marching with a racist, right-wing group known as Vanguard America, a few hours before the deadly attack

Fields was clearly seen marching with Vanguard America, a far-Right group, although they have denied he is a member

Derek Weimer told the Washington Post he taught history to Fields during his junior and senior years at Randall K. Cooper High School in Kentucky.

The teacher said Fields once wrote a lengthy research paper about the Nazi military.

Weimer said: 'It was obvious that he had this fascination with Nazism and a big idolatry of Adolf Hitler. He had white supremacist views. He really believed in that stuff.'

He added that Fields' paper was a 'big lovefest for the German military and the Waffen-SS.'

Weimer said he blames himself for not being able to steer Fields' away from these views, saying: 'When youre a teacher and you see one of your former students do this, its a nightmare scenario. This was something that was growing in him.

'I admit I failed. I tried my best. But this is definitely a teachable moment and something we need to be vigilant about because this stuff is tearing up our country.'

History teacher Derek Weimer (pictured) said: 'It was obvious that he had this fascination with Nazism and a big idolatry of Adolf Hitler. He had white supremacist views. He really believed in that stuff'

Horrific videos show the car accelerating into a crowd of people before the vehicle reverses and drives away, leaving behind injured victims screaming in pain (pictured)

The teacher added to WCPO that Fields had 'radical ideas on race' and he wanted to join the Army but wasn't allowed to enlist because of his mental health history.

Fields' mother said she was shocked about her son's affiliation with extremist groups, admitting she thought he was going to the rally because it involved Trump.

His mother, Samantha Bloom, said in an interview Saturday night: 'I just knew he was going to a rally. I mean, I try to stay out of his political views. You know, we don't, I don't really get too involved, I moved him out to his own apartment, so I'm watching his cat.'

Bloom was informed during the interview by an AP reporter that the rally was indeed organized by white nationalists. 'I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trump's not a white supremacist,' she said.

Fields (pictured next to the Challenger) was apprehended and is currently in police custody. He was arrested a few blocks away from the bloody scene

Samantha Bloom (right), the mother of Fields, said she told her son to rally 'peacefully'

In an interview with The Toledo Blade, Bloom said that her son texted her Friday to say he had dropped his cat off at her apartment so he could go to an 'alt-right' rally in Virginia.

'I told him to be careful,' Bloom said. '[And] if they're going to rally to make sure he's doing it peacefully.'

She had returned from dinner Saturday evening unaware that her son was involved and had not yet been contacted by police.

He told her about the rally last week, but didn't offer details about it.

Bloom said she was surprised with the deadly outcome. 'Yeah, that he would run his car into a group of people for... I'm really not clear on...'

When pressed by the reporter about what Bloom was told by her son, it does appear that he had indicated it was an alt-right gathering.
Small-time thieves turned pirates looted bicycles, electronics and other consumer treasure after cargo containers plunged into the ocean.

The enterprising crooks used small boats to plunder dozens of containers that fell from the Brazilian cargo near Sao Paulo.

In scenes reminiscent of the classic 1949 British comedy film 'Whisky Galore,' where Scottish islanders loot a cargo of booze from a wrecked ship, some seaside residents could not contain themselves when the modern-day bonanza tumbled from the 'Log-In Pantanal' on Friday.

Photos posted on Brazilian news site G1 and social media Saturday showed the seafaring scroungers plundering the still floating containers.

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They were filled with consumer goods including car tires, electronics and bicycles.

A spilled cargo of school backpacks litters the surface of the sea in a photo shared online.

In another, men can be seen walking up a beach with what look like new bicycles.

Police said 45 containers fell from the ship and that looters were being vigorously pursued.

In one incident, a 'piracy' patrol chased down two speedboats loaded with stolen goods.

'In total, nine crew members were caught with more than 100 items of various products, mostly electronics and household products,' a spokesman for the Sao Paulo police said.

It was not yet known how the accident occurred.

But an amateur video posted online showed 'Log-In Pantanal' rolling heavily in high swell near the shore.

The ship is registered in Brazil and is 597 feet long.
The majority of suicide bombers that terrorist group Boko Haram uses to kill innocent civilians are women and children, a study has revealed.

Analyzing 434 suicide bombings carried by the Nigeria-based group since 2011, researchers at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point and Yale University found that at least 244 of the gender identifiable 338 attacks were carried out by women.

In just 2017 alone, Boko Haram has already sent 80 women to their deaths.

The majority of suicide bombers that terrorist group Boko Haram uses to kill innocent civilians are women and children (pictured: Boko Haram militants)

Analyzing 434 suicide bombings carried by the Nigeria-based group since 2011, researchers at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point and Yale University found that at least 244 of the gender identifiable 338 attacks were carried out by women

Following the abduction of 276 female students aged 16 through 18 from their school dorms April 2014 - which sparked the global 'Bring Back Our Girls' campaign - the ISIS-affiliated insurgent group's use of women bombers increased.

'Almost immediately after the Chibok kidnappings ... Boko Haram's use of women suicide bombers skyrocketed,' said Jason Warner, assistant professor at the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point, to CNN.

Warner added that the report suggests 'that Boko Haram started using women suicide bombers after it realized the potency that gender and youth offer in raising its global profile after the Chibok kidnappings.'

Usage of women as bombers increased after Boko Haram abducted 276 female students aged 16 through 18 (pictured: some of the freed Chibok girls)

A graph showing the progression over the years as the number for women shot up after April 2014

The report also states that Boko Haram is 'at the forefront of normalizing the use of children as suicide bombers.'

'Boko Haram has shattered demographic stereotypes as to what a suicide bomber looks like,' says Warner.

'It is the first terrorist group in history to use more women suicide bombers than men, and is at the vanguard of using children as suicide bombers.'

The study further details how of the 134 suicide bombers with determinable ages, 60 per cent were teenagers or children, and the youngest was seven.

The study further details how of the 134 suicide bombers with determinable ages, 60 per cent were teenagers or children, and the youngest was seven (pictured: residents place the bodies of a suicide bombing under a sheet in Nigeria)

Bokok Haram has utilized girls at a rate of four times more than boys, according to the study.

Yale-based researcher Ellen Chapin told CNN that Boko Haram 'deployed 42 teenage girls and 23 little girls (12 years old and under), compared to 11 teenage boys and five little boys.'

The militant group is responsible for an estimated 35,000 deaths over the last six years.

Warner added that a 'vast majority' of their victims are 'innocent, everyday Nigerians, Cameroonians, Nigerians and Chadians, not government or military personnel.'

The suicide bombings carried out by Boko Haram by target can be seen in the graph above

He added: 'The loss of life caused by Boko Haram - and the war against the group - has been staggering. '

Warner added that the conflict has forced more than two million Nigerians to flee their homes, with 'profound humanitarian consequences.'

According to the report's authors, women and children are less likely to be searched, making them easier targets.

They can hide bombs a lot easier in plain sight and men sometimes dress as women to be afforded the 'luxury' and slip through security easily.

According to the report's authors, women and children are less likely to be searched, making them easier targets. They can hide bombs a lot easier in plain sight and men sometimes dress as women to be afforded the 'luxury' and slip through security easily (pictured: a man walks past a the scene of a bombing in northeast Nigeria)

The researchers also found that women and children are far more easily swayed by Boko Haram than men, and they are far more expendable.

A former insurgent told researchers that women 'are cheap and they are angry for the most part,' and also stated that 'using women allows you to save your men.'

One of the lead authors of the report, Hilary Matfess, told CNN that the choice to use suicide bombers 'upends social norms about women and children, which make them effective beyond merely the lives that they claim when they are detonated.'

But there is mistrust growing caused by the use of women and children in such capacity and that is believed to 'undermine social cohesion and will make the process of post-conflict reconciliation and redevelopment all the more difficult,' she added.

With the area in which Boko Haram is based in northeastern Nigeria being extremely dangerous, fieldwork for the study was limited.

'Media reports often did not report full details of the bombings,' added Warner.

'Even getting approximate ages of bombers proved to be very difficult ... and media accounts often did not even report the gender of the bombers.

'In instances where age or gender was not reported, it might be reasonable to expect that the bomber was an adult man, and thus, age and gender were not newsworthy enough to report at all.'

Matfess conducted face-to-face interviews with former insurgents, victims and family members affected by Boko Haram for most of her time on the field.

She added that the group also uses improvised explosives that are carried out by coerced and often unwilling victims known as person-borne IEDs, or PBIEDs.

'Children and those forced into serving as bombers cannot be considered "suicide bombers" and the counterterrorism measures against PBIED attacks can differ than the tactics deployed against an autonomous, dedicated suicide bomber,' she said.

The researcher added that a town hit hard by the bombings, Maiduguri, has begun a campaign to bring awareness to women and child bombers, finding it easier to identify them.

'The policy is well intentioned, [but] it risks stigmatizing the bombers, many -- though not all -- of whom have been coerced or forced into serving in this role,' she said.

'The widespread suspicion of women and girls that these attacks have resulted in already puts women and girls at a disadvantage in the community.'
A teacher who was flown back to the UK after contracting E.coli in Turkey has died.

Caroline Hope arrived back in Glasgow last month following a crowdfunding appeal for a medical evacuation.

Her mother Catherine Hope confirmed she died today at the city's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

Ms Hope, who had been living in Turkey for four years, picked up the infection during surgery to treat advanced colon cancer in June.

Caroline Hope, 37, had been living in Turkey for four years and was fighting for her life after contracting a deadly infection due to complications from cancer surgery

Ms Hope's mother Catherine Hope confirmed she died on Sunday at the city's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital

Desperate to bring her home, her family and friends raised more than 31,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to pay for a private medical evacuation, as there are strict rules around repatriations for medical reasons

The 37-year-old English teacher had decided to return home to Scotland after receiving her cancer diagnosis in January.

But complications from the surgery left her fighting for her life in Medical Park Hospital in Izmir, Turkey.

Desperate to bring her home, her family and friends raised more than 31,000 through a crowdfunding campaign to pay for a private medical evacuation, because there are strict rules around repatriations for medical reasons.

Friend for life: Bella (far left) who has known Ms Hope (centre) for 25 years and set up the fund-raising page

Ms Hope's mother Caroline said: 'I would just like to thank all the people who put money in towards bringing Caroline home'

The mother, of Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire, thanked everyone who contributed to the appeal and all the staff on the high dependency units at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital who cared for her daughter.

'I would just like to thank all the people who put money in towards bringing Caroline home,' she told the Press Association.

'She was so grateful to be back in Scotland.'
Commons Speaker John Bercow is throwing a taxpayer-funded dinner in Parliament to honour a Pakistani MP in charge of a 420million foreign aid scheme which in the past has been beset by allegations of fraud.

The money, from the UKs foreign aid budget, is being lavished on controversial cash handouts that have been compared to exporting the dole.

The Mail revealed earlier this year how the costly project has been dogged by accusations of fraud, and a report from Britains aid spending watchdog warned that a quarter of recipients are not the countrys poorest.

Money, from the UKs foreign aid budget, is being lavished on controversial cash handouts in Pakistan (pictured, people queue for their money via debit card system)

But now Marvi Memon, the Pakistani politician in charge of the scheme, is to be given an award by Mr Bercow  even though it is British taxpayers money footing part of the bill for the giveaways.

A dinner will be held in the State Rooms of Speakers House on September 5 where she will be guest of honour.

She will be the inaugural recipient of the Speakers Democracy Award to recognise and celebrate individuals who have championed democracy, or brought about social change in an emerging democracy.

Miss Memon is a member of the countrys ruling party, the Pakistan Muslim League. When the party was in opposition it claimed the cash handouts scheme  the Pakistani governments Benazir Income Support Programme  was riddled with rampant corruption, nepotism and embezzlement.

Now, however, she is the chairman of the programme, which is supposed to give families payments to boost their incomes.

Households pocket 4,500 rupees (34.50) every three months, which they can spend however they want, as part of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

John Bercow is throwing a taxpayer-funded dinner in Parliament to honour Marvi Memon, a Pakistani MP who runs a cash handout scheme which has been beset by allegations of fraud

Most get the money via cash cards that are topped up with money that they can withdraw from cashpoints or use in shops. Some get the cash in envelopes at post offices.

The scheme was set up by Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of Pakistans former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, in 2008, a year after her assassination, and was seen as an attempt to help him be re-elected as president. The cash cards have Miss Bhuttos face on them. There is no suggestion that Miss Memon is involved in any of the past allegations of fraud.

British taxpayers fund around 7 per cent of the programme, although in previous years the UK contribution has been nearly 20 per cent. Around 235,000 families are receiving payments funded by Britain.

But a study commissioned by the Department for International Development (DFID) into the project warned that those given cash cards were susceptible to being tricked out of money as they do not know how to use cash machines properly.

It included the example of one place where the village school master collects everyones cards and takes a 100 rupee (77p) cut from their money for helping them take it out.

Pakistani newspapers reported last August that an investigation was being launched after a growing number of complaints about fake accounts and alleged corruption from project staff.

The Mail revealed earlier this year how the costly aid project has been dogged by accusations of fraud (pictured, families queue up to withdraw the cash)

DO THE POOR REALLY BENEFIT? Britain has pledged to give 420.3million to the Benazir Income Support Programme between 2012 and 2020. The Department for International Development and watchdog the Independent Commission for Aid Impact say there are problems ensuring it is the poorest who get the money. The ICAI reported that a quarter of recipients are not the countrys poorest. Abdul Malik Baloch, ex-chief minister of one of Pakistans four regions, Balochistan, complained in 2015 that most of the money meant for poor families in his area was being misappropriated. Pakistan is now the biggest beneficiary of British aid money, with 416million spent on projects there last year. The country has a space programme and is one of only a few nuclear powers. Advertisement

Seven employees were suspended on corruption charges and 125,714 suspicious accounts were suspended. Last night the Speakers office refused to disclose the guest list for the dinner and said a budget for it had not yet been set.

A spokesman for Mr Bercow said: The Speaker has traditionally been expected to host official lunches, dinners and teas for visiting dignitaries. The costs of such occasions are met out of the Speakers Office budget, in line with long established practice.

She said Mr Bercow and a panel of three MPs from the last Parliament  Tory Fiona Bruce, the SNPs Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh and ex-Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman  had chosen Miss Memon as the inaugural recipient of the award after considering other nominations made by MPs.

Announcing the award, Mr Bercow said: Ms Memon has fronted a substantial and impressive programme of empowerment through her BISP work, by giving over 5.3million of the poorest women a modest stipend for essentials such as food, clothing, healthcare and education.

'This has done a great deal in terms of combating poverty and child malnutrition.

A DFID spokesman said: Cash transfers get aid directly to the poorest who need it most and cut out the middle man. Sixty million people have less than 1 a day to live on in Pakistan - this money allows families to buy the basics they need such as food, medicine and clothing.
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Weighing up to 57,000kgs and as long as a London bus, theyre not your usual swimming partner.

But champion freediver Guillaume Nery doesnt seem fazed by these magnificent sperm whales off Mauritius.

The whales glided through the Indian Ocean carefully dodging Mr Nery, 35, a world record holder who can swim underwater for more than three minutes unaided.

It is the first stage of Mr Nerys project One Breathe around the World, which will see him take part in 10 spectacular dives.

The sperm whale is one of the deepest diving mammals in the world. Typically it makes dives of up to 400 m, but can reach depths of up to 2-3km

The diver, from Nice, has broken four world records and can dive 126 meters below the surface on a single breathe.

In 2002, he became the youngest ever free dive record holder, by diving to a depth of -87m using the force of his fins alone.

He then beat the world record a further three times. In 2004, he pushed the record to -96 meters (314.9 ft) in Saint-Leu, la Reunion.

On September 6, 2006, he broke the record again at -109 meters (357.6 ft) in Nice.

Footage from 2015 purportedly showed Nery reaching the bottom of the 660ft (200 metres) Deans Blue Hole in the Bahamas hole before swimming back to the surface.

However he later admitted the video was doctored to make it seem he had scaled the drop.

The sperm whale is one of the deepest diving mammals in the world. Typically it makes dives of up to 400 m, but can reach depths of up to 2-3km. It is thought to be able to hold its breath for up to two hours, although 45 minutes is the average dive time.

They are found in most of the worlds oceans, but tend to avoid the high Arctic.
The Archbishop of Canterburys daughter has admitted she did not turn to her father for help when suffering from depression.

Katharine Welby-Roberts said she felt unable to confide in her father Justin Welby, 61, despite his role helping people through difficult times in their lives.

The 31-year-old began to recover from her mental health problems only when she met her now-husband Mike Roberts.

The Archbishop of Canterbury , Justin Welby (pictured) with his daughter Katharine Welby-Roberts

The couple married at Canterbury Cathedral in 2014 with her father, who became Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013, conducting the ceremony. She now has a ten-month-old son, Elijah. Mrs Welby-Roberts, who has written a book to help others who are suffering from depression  which she was diagnosed with aged 19  said: I wished I was dead and thought about dying and how I would die but I would never, in fact, have acted upon it because there would have been too much guilt about what it would have done to other people.

And despite her fathers public role helping those in need, she never turned to him for help. She told The Sunday Times: Not from my family. From other people, fine. I still honestly cant really explain it.

Justin Welby conducted the ceremony between his daughter, Katharine and husband Mike Roberts in 2013.

At that stage, my relationship with my parents wasnt very close. There is only so much you can do when your daughter isnt talking to you. They werent aware how dark my mental health had got.

I wish I had known more about mental health and I wish there had been more education out there for my parents.

If I was 19 now and diagnosed with depression, both of my parents would have handled it completely differently simply because they have more information now and better understanding. But times are changing very quickly.

Mrs Welby-Roberts suffers from chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as anxiety and depression.

She has previously appeared in a video for Heads Together, the mental health charity that has been promoted by Prince Harry and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Archbishop Welbys early career was in the oil industry. In 1989, he studied for ordination at St Johns College, Durham. After several parochial appointments he became the Dean of Liverpool in 2007 and the Bishop of Durham in 2011. He was installed as Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013
A 12-year-old boy has lost his life and his father rushed to hospital with serious burns after trying to rescue him when a home went up in flames.

Metropolitan Fire Service crews fought the huge blaze that broke out in the inner south Adelaide suburb of Netherby but were unable to save the boy.

Up to 35 firefighters took more than half an hour to extinguish the fire which started shortly before 3:30am on Monday.

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A 12-year-old boy has lost his life and his father rushed to hospital with serious burns after trying to rescue him when a home (pictured) went up in flames

Metropolitan Fire Service crews (pictured) fought the huge blaze that broke out in the inner south Adelaide suburb of Netherby but were unable to save the boy

The injured man is in a critical condition after rushing back inside to rescue his son, and six other people were evacuated, Seven News reported.

Commander Rainer Kiessling of the South Australia MFS said the group of six people - believed to be international students - were saved from the back of the home.

'The rear of the premises was heavily involved in fire and there was very narrow access from the rear yard to the front so obviously the intensity of the fire was keeping the students trapped in the backyard effectively,' he said.

Up to 35 firefighters took more than half an hour to extinguish the fire (pictured) which started shortly before 3:30am on Monday

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and fire service (pictured) investigators and detectives are interviewing nieghbours and witnesses

Fire crews (pictured) arrived on the scene just before 3:30am and took half an hour to extinguish the flames

The single-story home on Smith Dorrien St was badly damaged in the blaze, causing the roof to collapse.

An investigation to determine the cause of the fire is ongoing, and investigators are interviewing neighbours and witnesses.

Fire crews (pictured) rescued six people believed to be international students who were trapped behind the home

The home (pictured) was extensively damaged in the huge blaze, causing the roof to collapse
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Thousands gathered in cities across the US on Sunday in response to the shocking violence seen at Charlottesville's 'Unite the Right' rally on Saturday.

Anti-fascist groups, Black Lives Matter supporters and others gathered in cities in states from coast to coast, including a planned march on Trump Tower in New York, a candlelight vigil in Florida and a rally in a public square in Cleveland.

In many cities the events were loud but peaceable - however, things took a nasty turn in Seattle, Washington, when antifascist protesters were blocked from reaching a pro-Trump 'Freedom Rally' in Westlake Park.

The antifascist group - some holding signs with anarchy symbols - faced off with police in riot gear and sprayed them with Silly String.

A brief scuffle was captured about 45 minutes into this Facebook video, as protesters appeared to rush police, leading to them pushing back to maintain the line and stop them reaching the pro-Trump rally.

Police also deployed flashbang grenades and pepper spray against protesters, who chanted 'The cops and the Klan work hand-in-hand,' and 'Who do you protect, who do you serve?'

There were also reports of fireworks being used against police. At least one protester has been arrested.

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NEW YORK: A march against white nationalists was held outside the Trump Tower in New York yesterday, with demonstrators calling on tough action against racism

NEW YORK: The planned march in New York was held outside the hotel bearing the President's name amid widespread condemnation of his response to the crisis

CHICAGO: A sign proclaiming Heather Heyer, the anti-fascist protester who was killed when a car crashed into a crowd in Charlottesville, a heroine and a puppet of US Attorney General Jeff Sessions were on display yesterday in Chicago

SEATTLE: Riot cops opened up with pepper spray and flashbang grenades on antifascist protesters after clashes in the city. Police were stopped in the protesters reaching a pro-Trump rally in Westlake Park, leading to anger and friction

SEATTLE: Tensions rose after some of the protesters sprayed a front line of police officers with Silly String, amid chants of 'The cops and the Klan work hand-in-hand,' and 'Who do you protect, who do you serve?'

WASHINGTON, DC: Euguene Puryear leads a march from the White House to a statue of Confederate General Albert Pike

SEATTLE: Some of those at the front appeared to charge the police, who pushed back. The line was restored. The scenes came as a response to violence and death at a far-right rally in Charlotteville, Virginia, on Saturday

SEATTLE: At least one person was arrested in the clash between police and the antifascist protesters. Members of the crowd saw the line as the police protecting the right-wing rally group

SEATTLE: There were also what appeared to be fireworks being let off near the antifascist crowds, which were also rubbing shoulders with far-right protesters who had left the park to demonstrate in the streets

Courtesy Truth Against the Machine

Some in the countrywide protests objected to President Trump's lackluster response to the Charlottesville violence; some showed up in support of the activists who were injured and killed when a white supremacist; still others protested what they saw as police complicity in fascist violence.

Protesters in some southern states pushed for the removal of Confederate monuments - the issue that initially prompted white nationalists to gather in Charlottesville.

'People need to wake up, recognize that and resist it as fearlessly as it needs to be done,' said Carl Dix, a leader of the Refuse Fascism group organizing demonstrations in New York, San Francisco and other cities, said by phone from Charlottesville on Sunday afternoon.

'This can't be allowed to fester and to grow because we've seen what happened in the past when that was allowed. It has to be confronted.'

Also out in force were far-right groups composed of white supremacists, white nationalists, alt-right members and others similar political groups - some counter-protesting the antifascist marches, others holding their own rallies.

RIGHT NOW: Tense scene in Seattle as police deploy flash bangs and pepper spray pic.twitter.com/497Gbs6g5f  Joel Franco (@OfficialJoelF) August 13, 2017

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Thousands gathered outside the White House and on the National Mall to protest after Donald Trump was seen to give a feeble response to white supremacists after antifascist protesters were hurt in Virginia on Saturday

ATLANTA: A protester climbs a Confederate monument with a chain in an attempt to topple it on Sunday. The Charlotteville, Virginia violence came after a far-right protest against the planned removal of a Confederate statue

NEW YORK: Police blocked off the sidewalk outside Trump Tower in New York ahead of the city's marches and rallies, forcing protesters to camp out on the other side of the street. The outcry came after clashes at Charlottesville's 'Unite the Right' rally

NEW YORK: Secret Service agents and NYPD officers blocked off and patrolled Fifth Avenue, where Trump Tower is located, and forced the protesters to shout their anger from across the street (pictured: the sidewalk opposite Trump Tower)

CHICAGO: Protesters gather outside a Trump building in the city, calling for an end to white supremacy and racial divides in the United States

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: Marcus Martin (left and right), who was hailed as a hero when he pushed his fiancee out of the path of the car that claimed the life of Heather Heyer, 32, appears emotional in a memorial to the slain woman

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: Martin, whose leg was broken when white supremacist James Alex Fields Jr allegedly drove into a crowd, killing Heyer and injuring 18 others, was joined by friends and supporters

PHILADELPHIA: Luke Mueller holds up a sign with a quote from neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer praising Donald Trump for not singling out white supremacists in the wake of the alleged murder in Charlottesville

LOS ANGELES: Protesters in the California city also objected to Trump's remarks in the wake of the terrifying and brutal alleged murder

Charlottesville descended into violence Saturday after neo-Nazis, skinheads, Ku Klux Klan members and other white nationalists gathered to 'take America back'.

They also opposed plans to remove a Confederate statue in the Virginia college town, and hundreds of other people came to protest the rally.

The groups clashed in street brawls, with hundreds of people throwing punches, hurling water bottles and beating each other with sticks and shields.

Eventually, a car rammed into a peaceful crowd of anti-white-nationalist protesters, killing Heather Hayer, 32.

A state police helicopter monitoring the events also crashed into the woods, killing two troopers. In all, dozens of people were injured. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: This makeshift memorial was constructed at the spot where the fatal collision occurred; mourners left flowers, balloons and candles to remember the dead by well into the night

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: A woman is seen lighting a candle at the scene of the crash, which injured 19 people and killed a 32-year-old woman

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: People hug during a vigil at the spot where white supremacist James Alex Fields Jr allegedly drove his car into a group of people before reversing over them

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: Brittney Cain-Conley (center, in hat), lead organizer for religious antifascist group Congregate Charlottesville, addresses the crowd at the memorial site

HOUSTON, TEXAS: Ericka Chaves (center) is seen at a City Hall vigil. Her daughter, Natalie Romero, 20, was one of many who sustained injuries when a car plowed into her and 19 others on Saturday

ATLANTA: Protesters climb and spray-paint a Confederate monument at Piedmont Park on Sunday prior to attempting to topple it using a chain

ATLANTA: Protesters appeared to reference the dismantling of a statue of Saddam Hussein during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, with banners claiming 'The people want the fall of the regime'

ATLANTA: The peace monument at the 14th Street entrance depicts an angel of peace stilling the hand of a Confederate soldier about to fire his rifle

ATLANTA: A police officer approaches protesters, stepping past a photograph of Heather Heyer, 32, who was killed when a white supremacist drove into a crowd of antifascist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday

ATLANTA: Atlanta Police Department Major Timothy Peek moves into Piedmont Park to help prevent protesters from toppling a Confederate monument with a chain

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Earlier on Sunday, crowds had surrounded the White House with banners and chants. As night fell, the mood changed to a more somber one as people held a candlelight vigil

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Some protesters remained, but the tone of their placards was less accusatory and more hopeful - such as this Martin Luther King quote

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Some protesters formed a peace symbol out of tea candles, accompanying a picture calling for unity across the races

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Others waves American flags while surrounded by gentle candlelight

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Heather Heyer's face was seen across the country in protests and vigils; her death made her a symbol of brave protest against hatred

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Crowds rejected the notion that patriotism need be tied to racial divides as they waved American flags while at the vigil

WASHINGTON, D.C.: People of all races and groups gathered on Pennsylvania Avenue in order to show solidarity with the victims of the violence that took place this weekend

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Another gathering took place here, in front of the statue of Confederate General Albert Pike, the only member of the Confederate military with an outdoor statue in the capital

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The crowd outside the Albert Pike memorial held a moment's silence in recognition of Heyer's death

DALLAS: A statue of Robert E Lee stands in the background as Kristian Hernandez, co-chair of the North Texas Group of Democratic Socialists of America, leads a demonstration against white supremacy and a candlelight vigil on Sunday

DALLAS: Leslie Decker, left, and Ashley Sheets attend the candlelight vigil in Lee Park. Protesters decrying hatred and racism converged around the country to counteract the white supremacist rally that spiraled into deadly violence in Virginia

NEW YORK: A protestor, who was marching on 5th Avenue against white supremacy and racism on sunday, is held on the ground while being arrested by New York City Police officers

NEW YORK: The city had been heavy with protesters all day, particularly around Trump properties, after what many saw as the president's failure to decisively condemn violence by white supremacists

NEW YORK: People holding signs including 'Cops & Klan go hand in hand' march through Midtown Manhattan on Sunday as they rally against white supremacy

NEW YORK: Protesters hold up traffic in busy Midtown Manhattan as they protest against racism and white supremacy in the USA, in the wake of the Charlottesville incident

HARRISONBURG, VIRGINIA: Brenda Diaz-Castro holds a sign during a candlelight vigil on Sunday, demanding 'No Nazis, No KKK, No fascist USA'

GREENSBORO, N.C.: Greensboro City Councilwoman Yvonne Johnson (left) listens during a rally (right) to mourn the violence in Charlottesville

CHICAGO: Protests in the streets turned into a celebration of life as protesters held up flowers in memory of Heather Heyer and to salute those allegedly injured by white supremacist James Alex Fields Jr

CHICAGO: More protesters hold up flowers in memory of Heather Heyer

CHICAGO: Heyer herself became something akin to a folk hero thanks to her death

CHICAGO: Black Lives Matter protesters were present at many of the events across the US, including this gathering

CHICAGO: Many protesters referred to the attacks as 'white nationalist terrorism' or some variation of the phrase

LAS VEGAS: Crowds stand in solidarity with the Charlottesville victims during a vigil at the Reverend Dr Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Statue in North Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS: Aja Hawkins participates in a vigil for those hurt and killed in the alleged attack on Saturday

Earlier on Sunday Jason Kessler - the man who organized Saturday's ill-fated 'Unite the Right' rally - attempted to shift blame for the death onto the city.

Massive boos and cries of 'shame' rang out as he tried to blame the death of Heather Heyer 32, who was killed by a white supremacist protester, on the city of Charlottesville.

Kessler explained that he had applied and was granted a permit to assemble yesterday, and had arranged security and liaised with police for the protest.

But earlier this week, the city ordered Saturday's rally to be relocated out of Emancipation Park to a larger one, further out of the city, citing safety reasons.

'They rescinded permission,' he said. 'We fought them in federal court and we beat them in federal court. [But] it upended all our security arrangements.'

He also blamed the local police, who he said 'refused to do their job' and failed to 'follow through with security arrangements' that protected protesters and counter protesters.

He went on to 'condemn the violence yesterday' and said he 'would like to disavow any folks getting hurt' but he was quickly drowned out by the boos and jeers of the crowd.

Members of the crowd then moved in on Kessler, with one man swinging blows and another woman tackling him and sending him sprawling into bushes. He was then spirited away by police.

Police say James Alex Fields Jr (pictured on Saturday, in glasses and white shirt) was responsible for killing Heyer and injuring 19 other people by driving his car into them then backing up over some of his alleged victims

Fields is seen here holding a shield at the Unite the Right rally in Emancipation Park on Saturday

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Protesters amass on the National Mall earlier on Sunday in order to show solidarity against the violence seen in Charlottesville at the far-right rally on Saturday

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Protesters gathered outside the White House on Sunday, objecting to what they see as a president who tacitly encourages white supremacists and fascists

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Outside the White House, protesters gather to express their concern over the rise of fascists, white supremacists, neo-Nazis and other far-right groups

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The nationwide rallies come after the violence that occurred in the wake of the 'Unite the Right' rally, which was described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as 'the largest hate-gathering of its kind in decades' in the US

WASHINGTON, D.C.: This protester chose to directly contrast Adolf Hitler and Martin Luther King during a gathering in the Capitol on Sunday

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Protesters gather at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall, some of them in protest against the Donald Trump's feeble response to the alleged murder of an anti-fascist protester on Saturday

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Protesters gather by the National Mall reflecting pool in solidarity with those hurt on Saturday. Trump spoke out against the 'hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides' rather than directing ire specifically at white supremacists

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Participants at the Capitol solidarity rally applaud as a speaker addresses them about their protest

LOS ANGELES: The home of Hollywood brought out famous antifascist fighters Indiana Jones and Wonder Woman to protest Saturday's rally, which attracted members of neo-Nazi groups and the Ku Klux Klan

LOS ANGELES: Several people held up signs outside City Hall (left) demanding people 'Remember Heather Heyer'. Other protesters had signs with lines such as 'Silence = Violence'

LOS ANGELES: Donald Trump was a feature in many protest signs, such as the one seen on the left of this photo. Trump has a strong support base within far-right groups, and it's been speculated that he does not wish to alienate them

SEATTLE: Tae Phoenix, a singer-songwriter and activist, hands out signs in Denny Park as people gather for the city's 'Solidarity Against Hate,' which was a counter-protest to the Westlake Park 'Freedom Rally' group

CHICAGO: The violence in Charlottesville brought out thousands of supportive people across America, who were horrified by what they saw as a rising tide of rightwing violence

PLYMOUTH, MASS.: Demonstrators from around Massachusetts gathered on Sunday in solidarity with those injured and killed in the Charlottesville protests

PLYMOUTH, MASS.: The Massachusetts protesters were fewer in number than those in New York and Chicago, but no less passionate, calling for equal rights and mutual respect

PLYMOUTH, MASS.: This protester objected to the claims that some far-right members made that they are just 'patriotic' - since their vision of 'America' excludes non-whites

DURHAM, N.C.: Thousands gathered in a plaza in downtown Durham in support of the victims of the Charlotteville white supremacist rally

DURHAM, N.C.: North Carolina had a number of such gatherings - but this was, perhaps, the most well-attended of them

PITTSBORO, N.C.: Dylan Field, 11, stands on the Confederate monument at the Chatham County Courthouse for a vigil commemorating the victims of the riot in Charlottesville

PITTSBORO, N.C.: Protesters - including some wearing T-shirts reading 'Religious Left' - protest around the Confederate monument at the Chatham County Courthouse

PITTSBORO, N.C.: A driver-by gives the protesters a thumbs-up as they demand an end to racism while protesting outside the Chatham County Courthouse

CHARLESTON, S.C.: Rev. Nelson Rivers calls for a removal of a monument to pro-slavery politician John C. Calhoun during a demonstration at White Point Garden. The Charlottesville clashes came about when far-right protesters objecting to the removal of a Charlottesville statue of a Confederate general met antifascist counter-protesters

WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA: Jaanet Gauthier (center) of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, protests against racism and violence on the front lawn of the Shenandoah Valley Civil War Museum

WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA: People in Winchester, around 80 miles from Charlottesville, gather to encourage acceptance of all people regardless of color

Prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer, who attended Saturday's rally, denied all responsibility for the violence. He blamed the counter-protesters and police.

Adding to the fury felt by those on the left was what was seen by some as Donald Trump's mealy-mouthed response to the crash that claimed Heyer's life.

The president - who has a substantial far-right following, and was openly supported by the Ku Klux Klan, among other white supremacist groups, during the election - spoke out after the incident.

But instead of condemning the violent right-wing attacker, he complained of 'this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides - on many sides.'

The repetition of 'many sides' led to some, including neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer, saying that Trump was blaming the antifascist victims as much as the white supremacist attacker in an effort to avoid condemning far-right extremists.

'No condemnation at all,' the Stormer wrote, 'When asked to condemn he just walked out of the room. Really, really good. God bless him.

The White House later added that the condemnation 'includes white Supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups.'

However, Trump has remained noticeably quiet since the White House's remarks.

FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA: Kim Wyman of Spotsylvania, Virginia, joined more than 60 demonstrators at the intersection of the Blue and Gray Parkway and William Street to protest against hate and racism

OAKLAND: A protester dressed as Wonder Woman - whose comicbook adventures saw her fighting Hitler's Third Reich - protests neo-Nazis. including those seen at the Charlotteville protests on Saturday

NEW YORK: A Black Lives Matter protester marches in Manhattan in protest at the violence that occurred at the Charlotteville 'Unite the Right' counter-protest

NEW YORK: Protesters, some of whom are from Black Lives Matter, hold a banner that reads 'Honor the dead, fight like hell' as they block Manhattan's Sixth Avenue amid traffic

NEW YORK: Protester Sherry Wolf argues with police to allow protesters to march in an effort to show solidarity with victims of the violence that took place in Charlottesville

NEW YORK: Thousands gathered across the US on Sunday - including in New York (pictured) as protests and counter-protests formed in the wake of the shocking violence inflicted at the Charlottesville, Virginia 'Unite the Right' protest on Saturday

NEW YORK: The fiercely liberal city of New York largely saw leftwing protesters, but there were right-wing counter-protesters too, including this pro-Trump supporter

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: A woman tackles Jason Kessler, organizer of the Saturday protest, on Sunday after his press conference fell into chaos when it was swamped by protesters

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: Kessler had tried to blame the city and cops for the death of Heather Heyer 32, who was killed by a white supremacist protester who had attended Kessler's rally

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: Kessler is seen here addressing the press while protesters hold placards reading 'Shame!' and showing swastikas with lines drawn through them

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: A protester shouts anti-Nazi chants at Kessler, an alt-right blogger. He claimed that the city's decision to refuse Kessler's request for a rally permit led to the violence

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA: Kessler is seen left during his press conference and right fleeing after protesters surrounded him and began shouting furiously

NEW YORK: Many of those marching in New York (pictured) objected to the President condemning both sides of the Charlottesville protest - even after a far-right member drove into a group of leftwingers

NEW YORK: Trump did have some supporters outside his tower, such as this man in a Make America Great Again hat - who then appeared to get into a heated argument with an anti-Trump protester

NEW YORK: Protesters walk down Fifth Avenue with signs calling the president a 'racist coward' and demanding people 'resist against white supremacy'

NEW YORK: Others invoked wider objections to the Trump administration and inequality in the US, including Black Lives Matter signs (far left) and gay rights placards (center, rear)

NEW YORK: A drummer keeps time as protesters chant out marching songs in their continued protest through Manhattan. Here, they are passing by Columbus Circle, at the edge of Central Park - and close to a major Trump building

NEW YORK: Many in Trump's home city were there in solidarity with the fallen of Charlottesville, and to condemn the president

NEW YORK: The New York protest - called a 'Peace and Sanity' rally - came a day after one died and 19 injured after James Alex Fields Jr drove his car into Black Lives Matter and antifascist protesters

NEW YORK: Trump's administration - characterized as a 'regime' - received a lot of heat in New York; many signs were bilingual with both English and Spanish spellings

NEW YORK: City Advocate Letitia James, left, wait her turn to speak as City Comptroller Scott Stringer address protesters in Brooklyn at the 'Peace and Sanity' rally

NEW YORK: City Advocate Letitia James, center, address protesters at a 'Peace and Sanity' rally in Brooklyn borough of New York. Some protesters also objected to the rising nuclear tensions between the US and North Korea
Three major aid groups have suspended missions to rescue stricken migrants in the Mediterranean, saying they felt threatened by the Libyan coastguard.

Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders, and Germany's Sea Watch all believe their crews can no longer work safely because of the hostile stance of the Libyan authorities.

'We leave a deadly gap in the Mediterranean,' Sea Watch's founder Michael Busch Heuer warned on Facebook, adding that Libya had issued an 'explicit threat' against non-government organisations operating in the area around its coast.

Tension has been growing for weeks between aid groups and the Italian government, which has suggested some NGOs are facilitating people smuggling and is trying to enhance the role of the Libyan coastguard in blocking migrant departures.

Save the Children, Doctors Without Borders, and Germany's Sea Watch ave suspended missions to rescue stricken migrants in the Mediterranean

This month, Italy began a naval mission in Libyan waters to train and support its coastguard, despite opposition from factions in eastern Libya that oppose the U.N.-backed government based in Tripoli.

Immigration is dominating Italy's political agenda before elections early next year, with public opinion increasingly hostile to migrants. Almost 600,000 migrants have arrived in Italy over the past four years.

The organisations all believe their crews can no longer work safely because of the hostile stance of the Libyan authorities. Rescuers are pictured helping to disembark migrants from a dinghy in June last year

Aid groups and some Italian politicians warn that migrants intercepted by the Libyan coast guard are taken back to inhuman conditions. Pictured are Red Cross members waiting for migrants arriving on board a Spanish coastguard vessel in June this year

Most sailed from lawless Libya in flimsy vessels operated by people smugglers. More than 13,000 migrants have died trying to make the crossing.

Ships manned by charities have played a growing role in rescues, picking up more than a third of all migrants brought ashore so far this year, compared with less than one percent in 2014.

Aid groups and some Italian politicians warn that migrants intercepted by the Libyan coast guard are taken back to inhuman conditions in detention camps on the Libyan mainland.

However, prosecutors in Sicily have opened investigations against some NGOs, which they suspect of collaborating with people smugglers, and Rome has proposed a Code of Conduct setting stricter rules on how the groups can operate.

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said in a newspaper interview on Sunday that Libya's growing role in controlling its waters was curbing people trafficking and producing a welcome 'readjustment' in the Mediterranean.

Migrants are rescued by members of the Aquarius rescue ship run by non-governmental organisation Doctors Without Borders

MSF's decision to halt its rescue operations was part of this positive process, he told daily La Stampa.

Save the Children said its rescue ship, the Vos Hestia, would dock in Malta until it received assurances about the intentions of the Libyan authorities.

Libya was trying to increase the range of the waters its ships controlled from 12 nautical miles around its coast to 70 nautical miles, the humanitarian organisation said.

'The necessary pause in operations from charity rescue ships likes ours and others will undoubtedly put lives at risk,' its operations director Rob MacGillivray warned.
Shantytown renovation has always been a part of Premier Li Keqiangs inspections.

From 2008 to 2016, the Chinese government has helped more than 80 million people move out of shantytowns.

Shantytown renovation is an important project about livelihood and development, Premier Li said at the beginning of this year on shantytown renovation tasks for 2017.

In the 2017 Government Work Report, Premier Li put forward a yearly target of renovating 6 million more houses in shantytowns, lifting nearly 20 million people out of poor conditions.

At a State Council executive meeting in May, tasks for shantytown renovation during 2018-20 were decided, aimed at renovating 15 million shantytown houses. Nearly 50 million people will benefit from it.

The shantytown renovation project is aimed at creating comfortable living conditions for people in poor conditions. It is a big thing that must be gone through with no matter how difficult it is.

 Visiting a shantytown in Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Feb 3, 2013

The Chinese government is determined to renovate all kinds of shantytowns that accommodate more than 10 million households. The efforts will not only break the dual structure of urban economy and rural economy within the city, but also lower the threshold for urbanization.

 Meeting with the press after the annual National Peoples Congress in Beijing, March 17, 2013

We will strengthen management innovation and institutional development pertaining to urbanization. We will expand the rebuilding of shantytowns so that cities will take on a new look instead of having stretches of shantytowns existing side by side with high-rise buildings. We will make plans for urbanization in a coordinated way in accordance with national guidelines for developing a new type of urbanization.

 In the 2014 Government Work Report

Shantytown issue is an issue left over from history. Its also an urban scar. As there still are many shantytowns across China, we will make persistent efforts and heal it at last.

 At a shantytown renovation project site in Xiyuzhuang community, Tianjin, Sept 11, 2014

Shantytown renovation is not just building new houses, but also creating a livable environment. Efforts should be made to ensure that new houses provide a comfortable and convenient living environment for residents.

 At a newly renovated residential community in Guiyang, Guizhou province, Feb 14, 2015

Shantytown renovation is what millions of families with housing difficulties lay their hopes on. It is a key part of the people-oriented new type of urbanization.

 In a written instruction to a national video conference on shantytown renovation, Oct 10, 2015

You see? Ordinary people are still living in such conditions. China still has a lot to do.

 In Xiaobeiguan shantytown in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, Jan 4, 2016

Shantytown reconstruction is an important livelihood project to pay off what the government owed to the people throughout history. It is also conducive to Chinas new-type urbanization, as well as the stable and healthy development of the real estate market.

 Inspecting a shantytown area in Jinan, Shandong province, April 21, 2017

Shantytowns are depressions in the city, so our task is to elevate them, and make our utmost efforts to provide new houses and new lives for you as soon as possible.

 Talking to residents of a shantytown area in Jinan, Shandong province, April 21, 2017

If there is a surplus after completion of renovation projects, the money should be invested in any follow-up construction.

 Inspecting a shantytown renovation project in Baoji city, Shaanxi province, July 11, 2017
Jim Gray, the mayor of Lexington, Kentucky, said Saturday he would push to remove two Confederate statues in the city

A mayor in Kentucky has proposed removing two Confederate monuments from his city in response to violent clashes between white nationalists and antifa in Charlottesville.

Jim Gray, the mayor of Lexington, Kentucky, said Saturday that he would ask the city council to vote on the removal of two monuments honoring Confederate generals from the former courthouse.

'The tragic events in Charlottesville today have accelerated the announcement I intended to make next week,' Gray said in a statement just hours after a protest of the removal of a Confederate statue in the Virginia city devolved into violent clashes.

'I am taking action to relocate the Confederate statues. We have thoroughly examined this issue, and heard from many of our citizens, Gray said.

One statue (pictured) honors Lexington native John C. Breckinridge, a former US vice president who became the final war secretary of the Confederacy

The second statue (pictured) honors John Hunt Morgan, a US senator who became a Confederate general, raising the 'Lexington Rifles' and dying in battle

The two monuments honor Lexington native John C. Breckinridge, a former US vice president who became the final war secretary of the Confederacy, and John Hunt Morgan, a Confederate general who raised the 'Lexington Rifles' and died in battle.

KENTUCKY IN THE CIVIL WAR Kentucky was officially neutral during the Civil War, but came under Union control early in the conflict. The state sent troops to both sides of the war, which is remembered there as a true conflict of 'brother against brother'. US President Abraham Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis were both born in Kentucky. Advertisement

Under state law, the Lexington city council must petition the Kentucky Military Heritage Commission to remove the statues, as well a propose a place to move them to.

Veterans Park, on the southern outskirts of the city, has been proposed as a new location for the statues, which are currently on the grounds of the old county courthouse in downtown Lexington.

The city council will vote on a motion to submit the petition on Tuesday, Gray said.

'I think this is a good solution and the right thing to do,' Lexington Vice Mayor Steve Kay told the Lexington Herald-Leader.

'I think moving the statues to Veterans Park will allow the city to still honor history. But we will also be able to add additional signage to give the statues the appropriate context and explain how they came to be and what was going on in Lexington at that time,' Kay said.

The two statues are currently on the grounds of the former Fayette County Courthouse (pictured) which is being renovated into a visitor's center and event space

Kentucky was officially neutral during the Civil War, but came under Union control early in the conflict.

The state sent troops to both sides of the war, which is remembered there as a true conflict of 'brother against brother'.

US President Abraham Lincoln and Confederate President Jefferson Davis were both born in Kentucky.

Debate over the monuments in downtown Lexington dates back to the summer of 2015, when vandals painted 'Black lives matter' on the statue of Morgan.
Scientists have developed a flexible battery that could run on saline solutions such as bodily fluids such as tears, sweat or even urine.

A new paper published on Thursday by researchers at Fudan University in Shanghai, China proposes a new technique for manufacturing batteries that would replace toxic chemicals with salt water.

The batteries could for a safer way to power wearable or implanted devices, the paper published in the the journal Chem proposes.

A new paper published on Thursday by researchers at Fudan University in Shanghai, China proposes a new technique for manufacturing batteries that would replace toxic chemicals with salt water (stock photo)

Batteries typically consist of positive and negative electrodes separated by an electrolyte.

'Most existing energy storage systems are based on strong corrosive or toxic electrolytes, posing a huge safety hazard as a result of solution leakage,' the study authors write.

The research proposes two forms of flexible batteries: one shaped like a piece of tape with the electrodes separated by a thin sandwich layer, and one shaped like a threat with two nano-tube electrodes inside.

The replacement of toxic chemicals with saline could make the batteries ideal for power devices implanted in the human body (stock photo)

The scientists said that soduim sulfate, a non-toxic chemical often used in detergents, worked best as an electrolyte.

But they added that a simple saline solution, or salt water like that of bodily fluids, also performed well.

That could make the batteries ideal for implanted devices.
They delightedly announced their engagement last month.

So Vicky Pattison is naturally plotting her future and wedding plans to fiance John Noble, with stag and hen dos being a big focus - yet the 29-year-old reality star admits she has one big rule for their raucous farewells to singledom.

In an interview with The Sun, the Geordie Shore original revealed she has banned her beau from visiting a strip club on his big night out, shortly before insisting their 'sex life and general naked life' is something they 'keep to themselves'.

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Loved-up: Vicky Pattison is naturally plotting her future and wedding plans to fiance John Noble, with stag and hen dos being a big focus - yet the 29-year-old reality star admits she has one big rule for their raucous farewells to singledom

Vicky soared to fame in Geordie Shore's 2011 inauguration, yet left the show in 2014's series eight after many dramas played out before she was hurtled into yet more reality stardom including a victorious stint on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here.

After many failed attempts at love, the raven-haired beauty was adamant that the businessman is 'The One' - as she determinedly revealed last month that she will marry him - only for him to pop the question shortly after.

As they plot their nuptials, one thing is for sure - that Vicky has a plethora of ground rules for her soon-to-be husband - particularly surrounding the stag.

She told the publication: 'No strippers. Weve decided that when it comes to the wedding, we each get three vetoes on the others ideas. So far Ive used up one of mine.

Look at me! In an interview with The Sun , the Geordie Shore original revealed she has banned her beau from visiting a strip club on his big night out, shortly before insisting their 'sex life and general naked life' is something they 'keep to themselves'

No from me: 'John wanted to get married in a top hat and tails, and I said no... But I can imagine my big Nos... For example, I dont think that having a stripper is OK.

'John wanted to get married in a top hat and tails, and I said no... But I can imagine my big Nos... For example, I dont think that having a stripper is OK.

'Everyone else has said to me: Oh, but its his stag do... But I wouldnt go and get a load of penises in my face, so why should he see a stripper? John looking at other naked women is not OK in any capacity.'

The scenario echoes that of her engagement to Geordie Shore co-star Ricci Guarnaccio in 2012, when he stated his desire to visit a Newcastle strip club with his co-stars - leading to an explosive row with Vicky.

Begrudging the fact they were in the 'honeymoon' stage, after she split with her boyfriend Dan to be with Ricci, she put the question to her female co-stars about what man in his honeymoon would want 'a load of half-naked girls gyrating on them'.

Not happy: 'Everyone else has said to me: Oh, but its his stag do... But I wouldnt go and get a load of penises in my face, so why should he see a stripper? John looking at other naked women is not OK in any capacity.'

Happy days: Vicky soared to fame in Geordie Shore's 2011 inauguration, yet left the show in 2014's series eight after many dramas played out before she was hurtled into yet more reality stardom including a victorious stint on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here

Aside from her stripper woes, Vicky, who recently collaborated with Ann Summers, was asked whether she would replicate Ola and James Jordan's raunchy couple's shoot for the lingerie giant.

She said: 'Oh God no, hes for my eyes only. I remember seeing the couples shoot Ola and James Jordan did and that was great, but for me, our sex life and general naked life is something we should keep for ourselves.'

Vicky's chequered love life has played out very much in the public eye, with her romance with Ricci being just one chapter in her story, after the handsome star popped the question in Mexico during the third season of the show.

The relationship went down in flames amid accusations of violence between the pair. Following the acrimonious split, Ricci claimed Vicky broke his nose during an argument - after which she dubbed him 'a fantasist'.

Her eyes only! She said: 'Oh God no, hes for my eyes only. I remember seeing the couples shoot Ola and James Jordan did and that was great, but for me, our sex life and general naked life is something we should keep for ourselves'

No! The scenario echoes that of her engagement to Geordie Shore co-star Ricci Guarnaccio in 2012, when he stated his desire to visit a Newcastle strip club with his co-stars leading to an explosive row with Vicky

Prior to her relationship with Ricci, Vicky was romantically involved with co-star Jay Gardner before she later starred on Ex On The Beach on which she had sex with co-star Ross Worswick on screen.

The stunning star first grew amorous with her boyfriend Dan, who she later left for Ricci, in series two, before enjoying frequent intimate relations on camera.

After romping both Ricci and Ross on screen she later lamented the decision to have sex on TV. She went on to meet Stephen Bear on her second appearance on EOTB, when the pair enjoyed a brief romance after the show.

In her 2014 autobiography Nothing But The Truth, she wrote: 'The worst thing about having sex on TV was that my mam stopped speaking to me for ages when she found out.

Loved-up: Prior to her relationship with Ricci, Vicky was romantically involved with co-star Jay Gardner before she later starred on Ex On The Beach on which she had sex with co-star Ross Worswick on screen

Happier times: 'I hated having sex on camera so much. The b***hing is nasty but Im actually a bit of a prude when it comes to that side of things. I despised that my parents could potentially see it'

'I hated having sex on camera so much. The b***hing is nasty but Im actually a bit of a prude when it comes to that side of things. I despised that my parents could potentially see it.

'Of course, I was drunk when it happened. It was something Ricci pushed for and because I was p****d I caved in.'

She stunned viewers when she also headed to the 'sh*g pad' with co-star Gary Beadle, who she formerly blasted for his womanising antics.

Her other high profile relationships comprise of a rumoured fling with TOWIE star Mario Falcone and her Judge Geordie co-star Alex Cannon, who she maintains is her 'best friend'.
Adriana Lima was a showstopper at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Monday when the venue played host to the fifth annual Beautycon Festival.

The 36-year-old, who's the longest-running Victoria's Secret Angel, slid into an off-the-shoulder black crop top that showcased her chiseled midriff.

Her full-sleeved ensemble included a high-waisted pair of black trousers that featured satin stripes and gold-colored zippers running up the sides.

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Sizzling: Adriana Lima was a showstopper at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Monday when the venue played host to the fifth annual Beautycon Festival

Black stilettos rounded out the look for Adriana, who complemented the getup with dark lipstick and her wavy black hair free over her shoulders.

In addition to stomping the pink carpet, she - along with some other guests - stood for photos at the Variety Portrait Studio, posing against a pink and purple backdrop.

Leaning forward, the Brazil-born bombshell blew a kiss at the camera in one photo, and she stared enigmatically over her left shoulder in one of the other snapshots.

Looking fabulous: The 36-year-old, who's the longest-running Victoria's Secret Angel, slid into an off-the-shoulder black crop top that showcased her chiseled midriff

Close-up: Black stilettos rounded out the look for Adriana, who complemented the getup with dark lipstick and her wavy black hair free over her shoulders

Affection: In addition to stomping the pink carpet, she - along with some other guests - stood for photos at the Variety Portrait Studio, posing against a pink and purple backdrop

At what?: Leaning forward, the Brazil-born bombshell blew a kiss at the camera in one photo, and she stared enigmatically over her left shoulder in one of the other snapshots

Tracee Ellis Ross showed a good deal of cleavage in a sleeveless off-white top she tucked into a high-waisted pair of faded sky blue jeans with frayed hems.

The group of gleaming necklaces she sported matched the gold-colored embroidered stripes fringing the white blazer she slid into, including encircling her cuffs.

She'd also accessorized with hoop earrings and a gold-colored clutch; her photos included a joyful one of her beaming with her hands behind her head.

Hello, gorgeous: Tracee Ellis Ross showed a good deal of cleavage in a sleeveless of-white top she'd tucked into a high-waisted pair of faded sky blue jeans that had got frayed hems

Portraits: She'd also accessorized with hoop earrings and a gleaming gold-colored clutch, and her photos included a joyful one of her beaming with her hands behind her head

Coordinated: The group of gleaming necklaces she sported matched gold-colored embroidered stripes fringing the white blazer she'd slid into, including encircling her cuffs

Zendaya had pulled on a wide-set pair of glinting bright yellow trousers hemmed above the ankle to allow for a full view of the purple stilettos she slid into.

A pink purse with gold, red and orange accents was slung cross-body from her right shoulder, draping over the short-sleeved white blouse she worn that day.

America's Next Top Model executive producer Tyra Banks had on a black beanie with a splash of red fabric across the front that had: 'SUPERMODEL' emblazoned over it in white.

Aglow: Zendaya had pulled on a wide-set pair of glinting bright yellow trousers hemmed above the ankle to allow for a full view of the purple stilettos she slid into

High spirits: She'd stood for photos at the portrait studio as well

Garnishing the look: A pink purse with gold, red and orange accenting was slung cross-body from her right shoulder, draping over the short-sleeved white blouse she'd worn that day

Announcing it: America's Next Top Model impresaria Tyra Banks had on a black beanie with a splash of red fabric across the front that'd got: 'SUPERMODEL' emblazoned over it in white

Dynamic duo: A necklace with a red medallion dangled over her sleeveless black top, and she posed at the studio both alone and with her T-shirt-wearing pal Jonathan Burford

A necklace with a red medallion dangled over her sleeveless black top, and she posed at the studio both alone and with her T-shirt-wearing pal Jonathan Burford.

JoJo Fletcher of The Bachelorette fame had slipped on a black and white striped sleeveless top with a plunging neckline, knotting it at her slender waistline.

Her large red trousers stopped high enough for her to show off her black ankle-strap stilettos; she posed for the portrait photos as well.

Beaming: JoJo Fletcher of The Bachelorette fame had slipped on a black and white striped sleeveless top with a plunging neckline, knotting it at her slender waistline

Cheery: Her large red trousers stopped high enough for her to show off the black ankle-strap stilettos; she posed for the portrait photos as well

Laverne Cox had worn a purple turtleneck with chic black slacks, whilst Willow Shields had pulled herself into a frilly and intermittently sheer red and pink dress.

Ireland Baldwin, daughter of Alec, cut a stylish figure in a grey, green, purple, brown, tan, yellow and blue striped dress as she hit the carpet in nude ankle-strap stilettos.

The 21-year-old model and cousin of Hailey Baldwin showed off her sprawl of arm tattoos.

She let her wavy platinum blonde hair down for her day at Beautycon.

Carpet cavalcade: Laverne Cox had worn a purple turtleneck with chic black slacks, whilst Willow Shields had pulled herself into a frilly and intermittently sheer red and pink dress

Elaborate: Kelly Rowland had decked herself out in a voluminous flowing ensemble with ornate patterns sprawled all across its surface in greens, blues, golds and black

She looks smashing: At the front, it'd been hemmed at mid-thigh, allowing her to showcase her vertiginous legs as she trod the carpet on a pair of black ankle-strap high heels

Kelly Rowland had decked herself out in a voluminous flowing ensemble with ornate patterns sprawled all across its surface in greens, blues, golds and black.

At the front, it'd been hemmed at mid-thigh, allowing her to showcase her legs as she trod the carpet in a pair of black ankle-strap high heels.

Yara Shahidi had pulled a lacy and largely translucent blue blouse over a matching solid blue top, slipping on midnight blue trousers and bright multicolored shoes.

Hand at the waist: Yara Shahidi had pulled a lacy and largely translucent blue blouse over a matching solid blue top, slipping on midnight blue trousers and bright multicolored shoes

Legacy: Ireland Baldwin, daughter of Alec, cut a stylish figure in a grey, green, purple, brown, tan, yellow and blue striped dress as she hit the carpet in nude ankle-strap stilettos

Strike a pose: Amber Rose was also in attendance at this year's Beautycon

Wow: The mother of one wowed in a skintight green skirts, adding a striped crop top

Beaming: Amber highlights her flat stomach and her derriere in the figure flattering look

Happy: The TV personality chose a green knit featuring black and red stripes across the torso

Fancy: Ashley Tisdale flashed her stomach in a flirty ensemble as she walked the carpet

Looking good: The actress arrived for the event in a chic black and white look

Natural beauty: The 32-year-old former Disney star paired white jeans with a crop top and black Nine West 'Cartolina' booties

Chic: The gorgeous star styled her brunette locks in waves, opting for a deep side part
Their complicated love triangle had dominated the first series of Made In Chelsea when the E4 reality show first hit screens six years ago.

And now Caggie Dunlop has found herself linked once again to Spencer Matthews' former flame Funda Onal, as the brunette bombshell has now married her ex-beau Scott Sullivan.

Scott - who has dated the likes of Katie Price, Bianca Gascoigne and Jodie Marsh - revealed the couple's happy news via Instagram, a day before their nuptials had taken place.

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From a love triangle to a love square! Caggie Dunlop's former flame Scott Sullivan has married Spencer Matthews' ex-girlfriend Funda Onal

He shared a sweet snap of the moment he had proposed to dancer Funda and told his followers: 'Going to marry her head off tomorrow.'

TV presenter Zoe Hardman then confirmed the duo have in fact married, as she was in attendance on their big day. Zoe shared a snap with Funda in her bridal gown and gushed: '#weddingfun @fundaonal.'

Funda looked sensational in her lacy wedding dress that featured an intricately detailed semi-sheer panel across the chest. She swept her glossy locks up into a chic chignon and was smiling broadly as she clutched onto a beverage.

She and Scott had got engaged back in November last year, after he popped the question during a romantic trip to a Malibu vineyard. While announcing her engagement via Instagram, Funda insisted she had been the 'happiest girl in the world...'.

Past fling: Funda's former love rival Caggie had dated Scott two years ago back in 2015

Old flame: Funda, meanwhile, was in a relationship with Caggie's ex-flame Spencer when he first joined Made In Chelsea in 2011

Proving that Made In Chelsea's convoluted love triangles aren't just onscreen, Funda and Scott began dating in 2016, a year after he was linked to her love rival Caggie.

Caggie had confirmed her romance with the dark-haired hunk via Instagram in 2015, with sources claiming at the time that she had been 'embarrassed' over Scott's 'colourful' dating history.

He has enjoyed past romances with a string of glamour models, including Katie Price, Jodie Marsh and Bianca Gascoigne.

A source had told The Mirror at the time: 'Caggie is really into Scott, but she is a Chelsea girl at heart and shed rather no one knew about his colourful love life.

Moving on: However, the following year the dark-haired hunk had proposed to Funda in November 2016, before tying the knot with her on Saturday

Stunning: TV presenter Zoe Hardman had been a guest at Funda's nuptials and shared a snap of the beautiful bride to her Instagram page

'Hes a wealthy guy and he has talent but there are too many embarrassing pictures of him leaving clubs with glamour girls for her liking.'

Scott had dated mother-of-five Katie for two years between 2002 and 2004, but their relationship came to an explosive close during the star's appearance on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!, as Katie had struck up a romance with her now ex-husband Peter Andre.

At the time, Scott had been left furious with Peter's flirty displays towards Katie and threatened to 'punch his lights out' ahead of flying out to Australia where the reality series is filmed.

Following the breakdown of his relationship with Katie, Scott went on to date her nemesis Jodie Marsh, before finding love with Bianca five years later in 2009.

Interlinked: Proving that Made In Chelsea's convoluted love triangles aren't just onscreen, Funda and Scott began dating in 2016, a year after he was linked to her love rival Caggie

Colourful dating history: Caggie was said to have been embarrassed by Scott's past, as he dated a string of glamour models including Jodie Marsh back in 2004

He had seemed pretty taken with the former Celebrity Big Brother star and was quoted in 2010 talking about his plans to propose to Bianca that year.

Meanwhile, it seems Scott fell for Funda months after his split with Caggie, sharing the first picture of his wife to Instagram in May 2016 - a month after posing with her Made In Chelsea ex Spencer Matthews.

Spencer and Funda had dated in 2011, with the commercial model - who has appeared in campaigns for the Trainline and Sensodyne - starring alongside the reality star in the first series of Made In Chelsea.

However, the show appeared to put pressure on the duo's relationship, with Spencer's eye beginning to stray after he was re-acquainted with his all-time crush Caggie.

History: He had dated Katie Price for two years between 2002-2004, but their romance came to an explosive end as she had fallen for her now ex Peter Andre on I'm A Celebrity while dating Scott

Former flame: Following the breakdown of his relationship with Katie, Scott went on to date her nemesis Jodie Marsh, before finding love with Bianca five years later in 2009 - whom he had been keen to marry

Viewers saw Spencer pursue Caggie, despite dating Funda. He lied to Funda about attending one of Caggie's gigs and had taken the blonde beauty out for dinner, with Caggie later revealing he had claimed he would dump Funda for her, if only she said the word.

Funda and Caggie had clashed multiple times onscreen, with Spencer's ex accusing Millie Mackintosh's BFF of exchanging a few telling looks with her man.

In a bid to befriend Funda and put her mind at rest, Caggie invited her out to brunch but her attempts to be amicable later backfired, after Spencer surprised Caggie with a surprise birthday trip to Cannes following an argument with Funda.

Smitten: Scott later fell for Funda months after his split with Caggie, sharing the first picture of his wife to Instagram in May 2016 - a month after posing with her Made In Chelsea ex Spencer Matthews

Reality past: The commercial model - who has appeared in campaigns for the Trainline and Sensodyne - appearing alongside ex Spencer in the first series of Made In Chelsea in 2011

On board a luxury yacht in the French Riviera, Spencer then revealed that he and Funda had split, leaving Caggie shocked and Funda, not surprisingly, fuming when she learned of her ex-beau's grand gesture towards his so-called 'pal'.

Things then came to a head at one of Caggie's musical performances. Funda arrived mid-way through Caggie's vocals, later taking swipe at her co-star as she remarked: 'I thought she was the warm up act.'

She confronted Caggie and Spencer over their getaway at the bash, but the duo denied anything had happened between them and insisted they were just pals.

Spencer told Funda it had been 'really hard' for him to break up with her, but she hit back: 'If [Caggie is] who you want, the go for it. Have fun, good luck - I think you're going to need it.'

Awkward: Viewers saw Spencer pursue Caggie on the show, despite dating Funda, which ultimately led to the breakdown of his relationship

Not impressed: Funda had clashed with Caggie over Spencer on multiple occasions and was left furious after Spencer whisked the blonde off to Cannes for her birthday

Drama: During their trip to Cannes, Spencer revealed he had split with Funda to Caggie and the duo were left to defend their close relationship to his ex on their return

Caggie, meanwhile, tried to reassure Funda that she would 'never have gone' to Cannes if she had known about her break up with Spencer, as she would have found it 'inappropriate'.

She again reassured Funda that 'nothing happened' between herself and Spencer, insisting she had 'no reason to lie' to her.

In the few series that followed, Caggie's relationship with Spencer progressed, as the duo confessed to dalliances, but their romance never appeared to materialise into something serious before Caggie quit Made In Chelsea in series three.

Spencer is now dating Irish model Vogue Williams, after meeting her on The Jump earlier this year. They confirmed their relationship in February.
He became a household name after starring in Georgia Love's season of The Bachelorette, and now The Bachelor.

But in The Sun Herald, Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson insisted that he's 'oblivious' to his newfound fame, and is kept 'grounded' by his nine-to-five marketing job.

'I got my old job back at a marketing agency and I work nine-to-five Monday to Friday, so my life is kind of boring still,' the 30-year-old told the publication.

'My life is still boring': The Bachelor's Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson, 30, insisted he's 'oblivious' to his newfound fame, and is kept 'grounded' by his nine-to-five marketing job, as told in The Sun Herald

Despite having a bevy of beauties vying for his affection on national television, Matty said that his life is still relatively normal.

'I got my old job back at a marketing agency and I work nine-to-five Monday to Friday, so my life is kind of boring still.

'I love marketing though and I think it's good to have a job like that, it just keeps you grounded.

'I don't think it's for me (red carpet appearances and the like). I'm more the kind of guy who will be sitting at my desk writing emails and marketing proposals,' the Bondi native continued.

Normalcy: Despite having a bevy of beauties vying for his affection on national television, Matty said that his life is still relatively normal: 'I got my old job back at a marketing agency and I work nine-to-five Monday to Friday, so my life is kind of boring still'

Not his thing? 'I don't think it's for me (red carpet appearances and the like). I'm more the kind of guy who will be sitting at my desk writing emails and marketing proposals,' the Bondi native continued

Meanwhile Matty will need to become accustomed to his newfound fame, with the news he's been signed to IMG Talent, which also has The Bachelorette's Sam Frost and Sasha Mielczarek on its books.

'We watched him win the hearts of Australia on the Bachelorette and again on this season of The Bachelor. The Talent Team at IMG are really looking forward to working with Matty,' David Malina, Vice President, Talent IMG, told Daily Mail Australia last Thursday.

Matty rose to national fame last year as runner-up on The Bachelorette Australia, starring Georgia Love.

Represented: Meanwhile Matty will need to become accustomed to his newfound fame, with the news he's been signed to IMG Talent, which also has The Bachelorette's Sam Frost and Sasha Mielczarek (both pictured) on its books

Coming to our attention: Matty rose to national fame last year as runner-up on The Bachelorette Australia, starring Georgia Love. But his journey on The Bachelorette ended in heartbreak as Georgia instead chose plumber Lee Elliott as her winning beau

But his journey on The Bachelorette ended in heartbreak as Georgia instead chose plumber Lee Elliott as her winning beau.

Matty was confirmed as The Bachelor in early March this year, after weeks of rumours he had signed a contract.

It is understood he began filming in Sydney in late February. The finale reportedly took place three months later in Thailand.

The Bachelor Australia continues Wednesday and Thursday at 7:30pm on Network Ten.
A hen -do in Torremolinos? A loo queue in Ibiza? No, its Cara Delevingne leading the posing with 12 chums as she marked her 25th birthday yesterday.

Cara and her modest crew  including sister Poppy, models Suki Waterhouse and Georgia May Jagger, and actor Jaime Winstone, as well as aristo pals such as Octavia Calthorpe and Mary Charteris  spent a week partying in Mexico and swamping social media with snaps from the trip of a lifetime.

Looks like 13 is lucky for some...

Cara and her modest crew  including sister Poppy, and models Suki Waterhouse and Georgia May Jagger spent a week partying in Mexico

Aspiring stage star Cressida Bonas has been complaining that she hates being pigeonholed as Prince Harrys ex  but its her fellow actors who seem to be worst affected.

Cressida, 28, and Shakespearean actor Peter Hamilton Dyer ,who are starring in the play Mrs Orwell, spent more than an hour being photographed for a newspaper article  but guess whose picture got the chop?

Peter, who plays George Orwell in the show at Londons Old Red Lion Theatre, tells me: It was the longest shoot Ive ever done for any play. And they only used one picture... of Cressidas face.

Poor Cressie, dating Harry really has damaged her career...

Cressida, 28, and Shakespearean actor Peter Hamilton Dyer, pictured together, are starring in the play Mrs Orwell
Lauren Bushnell's called 'Dibs' on a new man this Saturday, writing as much in the caption of an Instagram photo of the two of them together.

This boyfriend of hers is one Devin Antin, whom she was also seen sharing a kiss with on her Instagram Story, he with an arm draped across her shoulders.

Rumors had been swirling since last month that Lauren was dating Devin, months after she'd broken up with her The Bachelor fiance Ben Higgins this May.

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Marking her territory: Lauren Bushnell's called 'Dibs' on Devin Antin this Saturday, writing as much in the caption of an Instagram photo of the two of them together

In a report that ran online July 13, Us Weekly had quoted a source that said Lauren and Devin 'have been dating for a while now,' and are apparently close to the point that Lauren's gone to a Golden State game with his sisters.

Sources have told TMZ that 27-year-old Lauren's new flame is a year her senior, a real-estate investor and a friend from before she found reality TV fame.

Their relationship had been platonic before Lauren's now-broken engagement to 29-year-old Denver-born Ben, but has apparently become rather more than that by now.

Cozying up: This boyfriend of hers is one Devin Antin, whom she was also seen sharing a kiss with on her Instagram Story, he with an arm draped across her shoulders

Ben had told Us Weekly, in a story that ran online this week, that when he'd discovered Lauren had struck up her new romance, 'I decided to go for a run,' and 'was praying the whole time like: "God, please release some anxiety."'

He's said: 'I stopped and thought, if Im the man I claim I want to be, then I need to celebrate Lauren. So if shes happy, I will celebrate that the best I can.'

Lauren, a flight attendant from Oregon, had swept to victory on the 20th season of The Bachelor - which aired in 2015 - and won Ben Higgins' hand in marriage.

With the ex: Rumors had been swirling since last month that Lauren was dating Devin, months after she'd broken up with her The Bachelor fiance Ben Higgins this May

Their engagement lasted long enough for them to star on a one-season spin-off reality show that aired last year and was called Ben & Lauren: Happily Ever After?

That Freeform show lasted a grand total of eight episodes, the finale broadcast last November, and Ben and Lauren's relationship managed to hack it until this May.

Lauren confided to Us Weekly in June that she and Ben 'check in on each other occasionally. Obviously some things that we need to talk about like if he gets a package to our house or mail. So, friendly terms - yes,' she explained.
EastEnders star Danny Dyer has reportedly reconciled with wife Joanne Mas, almost two months after the couple are said to have separated amid claims of wayward behaviour and an affair with former Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding.

The actor, best known for his role as straight-talking pub landlord Mick Carter, was allegedly living in a 1,700 per month flat close to the BBC soaps Hertfordshire studio in the weeks following his departure from the family home.

But the Daily Mirror reports Dyer, 40, has made significant headway in his attempts to save their troubled marriage, with Joanne agreeing to take him back  on one condition.

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Turbulent: EastEnders star Danny Dyer has reconciled with wife Joanne Mas, almost two months after the couple separated amid claims of wayward behaviour and an affair with former Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding

A source said: 'Danny is still living in the new flat but relations with Jo have improved a lot. They both came together for their daughter Danis 21st birthday and had a great time. They are working things out.

But Jo has given Danny a list of conditions and one is that while they patch things up, she wont do his washing.

It's understood that they might push ahead with plans to renew their wedding vows in September, 12-months after they exchanged vows.

On again? Danny and his wife Joanne appeared to put on a united front as they celebrated their daughter Dani's 21st birthday together

Reunited: Joking around at their daughter's 21st birthday bash (above), a source revealed the pair 'looked so happy together'

Danny and Joanne appeared to put on a united front as they celebrated their daughter Dani's 21st birthday in August.

Posing in a number of snaps from the bash on Instagram, the EastEnders star was seen joking and fooling around with his wife of nine months, with a source claiming the pair 'looked so happy' despite rumours of a separation.

The long-term couple seemed to be back on track as they pulled funny faces together in the cosy snap.

Clearly having spent a whole day at the family home amid rumours he had moved out, Danny also posed with the birthday girl in an earlier snap - which saw the pair setting up decorations ahead of the party.

While the brunette appeared to be having a ball in her selection of party photos, it was Danny and Joanne's seemingly close relationship that stole attention - with an insider revealing they looked more loved-up than ever.

Ready to go: Clearly having spent a whole day at the family home, amid rumours he had moved out, Danny also posed beside the birthday girl in an earlier snap

A source told the Daily Star: 'They looked so happy together. You wouldnt think they werent a couple any more. Everyones hoping that they will get back together.'

The pair were reported to have split earlier this year - following reports the actor had a long-term affair with former Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding when filming 2012 flick Run for Your Wife.

Joanne and Danny, who had been together since 1992, had only walked up the aisle last September in an idyllic Spanish-themed ceremony witnessed by their three children - daughters Danni, Sunnie, nine and son Arty, three.

In light of the alleged infidelity, Danny has moved 18 miles away from the family home and was spotted removing belongings from the house he shared with her to move into a 1700-a-month rented apartment with a helping hand from on-screen wife Kellie Bright.

In July, it was reported that Danny was residing in a hotel near the EastEnders set.

Celebrations: Elsewhere, Danny is currently planning a 'low-key' 40th birthday bash with his children in the midst of his personal woes while his closet confidants - including Lee Ryan and Kellie Bright - rally around him in his hour of need

Danny's youngest children reportedly visited the star's new digs and helped their dad stock up on shopping after having a tour of the apartment.

Sources told The Sun: 'At first, we hoped Danny and Jo would patch things up again as they have so many times before. Its not the first time Danny has stayed away rather than go home after filming. But its clear this time it is different.

'He is obviously hoping that she changes her mind and that they can work things out. But things have never been this bad between them before. Before he was forced to take his break from EastEnders this year he was in a pretty dark place...

'It is clear that the problems between them are much more serious than that. Danny would never have moved out otherwise.'
He is already a familiar face, having found love and a happily ever after on The Bachelor.

But in The Sunday Telegraph, Sam Wood stated that he'll 'be popular' with his mates, with Uber's latest marketing campaign.

Giving away a week of free rides for those called Sam or a spin-off of the name, the 37-year-old playfully told the publication: 'Sam has to be one of the best names out there.'

'I'll be popular with my mates': Bachelor star Wood, 37, stated he has 'one of the best names' in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph, as Uber is set to offer a WEEK of free rides for those called Sam

'Sam has to be one of the best names out there. I love how many variations there are and I think it's a great name for both boys and girls.

'I have no doubt I will be popular with my mates during the free rides week,' the fitness enthusiast continued.

Hell's Kitchen and Home And Away star Sam Frost also issued her excitement over the promotion saying in a statement: 'It seems everyone knows a Sam.'

Uber's latest and most unusual marketing campaign will see those called Sam or a spin-off the name, offered a week of free rides, worth up to $20 a day.

Those with the name Sam will have to register for Uber by midnight next Friday, to be eligible for seven days of free travel, to commence the following Monday.

Having his say: 'Sam has to be one of the best names out there. I love how many variations there are and I think it's a great name for both boys and girls.I have no doubt I will be popular with my mates during the free rides week,' the fitness enthusiast playfully told the publication

What's in a name: Hell's Kitchen and Home And Away star Sam Frost also issued her excitement over the promotion saying in a statement: 'It seems everyone knows a Sam'

Free travel is just the icing on the cake for Sam, who is eagerly awaiting the birth of his first child with fiancee Snezana Markoski, 37.

Snezana, at 29 weeks pregnant, is already a mother to 12-year-old daughter Eve (from a previous relationship).

Celebrating their 'babymoon', Sam and Snezana recently travelled to Maui, Hawaii, and posted a series of loved-up pictures to Instagram.

In May this year, the couple announced they are expecting the first ever Bachelor baby.

Picture-perfect: Celebrating their 'babymoon', Sam and Snezana recently travelled to Maui, Hawaii, and posted a series of loved-up pictures to Instagram

'We're so excited to be able to let the world know that our little family of 3 is soon to become 4 @samjameswood you are going to make an incredible father,' the brunette beauty wrote on Instagram.

Sam said in an earlier interview with NW magazine that the pair hopes to have at least one more child after this pregnancy, but admitted to struggling with baby names.

'We don't see eye to eye yet on the name thing - do we sweetie?...I think we're both traditional - we don't want anything wacky,' he told the weekly publication.

The couple fell in love on season three of The Bachelor Australia, in 2015.

Announcement: In May this year, the couple announced they are expecting the first ever Bachelor baby. 'We're so excited to be able to let the world know that our little family of 3 is soon to become 4 @samjameswood you are going to make an incredible father,' the brunette beauty wrote on Instagram
Their daughter Luna is already an internet sensation with fan pages dedicated to her.

And on Saturday, Chrissy Teigen added another sweet snap to the collection of adorable pictures of their daughter Luna.

The pouty one-year-old sits next to her father on the couch in the photo which was shared to Instagram.

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Kisses! On Saturday, Chrissy Teigen added another sweet snap to the collection of adorable pictures of their daughter Luna

Teigen, 31, also posted a video of her toddler hanging out with her father and Chrissy's mom Vilailuck Teigen.

The family has just returned back from an Italian vacation where they were seen enjoying gelato and taking plenty of photos to remember the trip.

Luna is no stranger to the road, she has traveled with her father as he toured the United States on his Darkness & Light Tour.

Where'd she pick that up from?: Teigen posted this pouty pic in June while getting glammed up

Grandma's here! Chrissy's mother Vilailuck joined the family as they relaxed back in California

He will resume his concerts in Glasgow on September 8 and will remain on tour until mid-October.

John and Chrissy welcomed baby Luna in April 2016, three years after marrying in Italy.

They first met when Chrissy appeared in the music video for his single Stereo in 2007.

Happy baby: Luna did not appear to suffer any jetlag from her family's trip to Italy last week
She was tragically diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in October 2016.

And Emmerdale star Leah Bracknell, 53, has now revealed her targeted biological therapy has stopped working and she is surviving solely on 'alternative treatments'.

Despite the heart-wrenching news, the mother-of-two displayed her trademark optimism as she thanked fans for their support and insisted she was 'gloriously living in defiance of expectation'.

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Tragic: Emmerdale star Leah Bracknell, 53, has revealed her targeted biological therapy has stopped working and she is surviving solely on 'alternative treatments'

Leah's partner Jez Hughes told supporters that the NHS treatment she had started at the end of 2016 was 'definitely not working' so they were looking to take the 'next steps'.

He wrote on her crowdfunding page: 'We have found out the drug definitely isn't working so she has been off this for a while while we find out the next steps.

'We think it probably stopped working back in March or even before. So for the last five months she has been prospering solely on the alternative treatments.'

He continued: 'This is due to your incredible support as these aren't cheap. So we are so grateful for the opportunity to keep Leah strong and well. We really believe it is working.'

Leah has been using plant-based healing oils and also has frequent sessions in an infrared sauna.

Heartwrenching: Leah, who payed Zoe Tate on Emmerdale (pictured), was tragically diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in October 2016

Positive: Despite the heart-wrenching news, the mother-of-two displayed her trademark optimism as she thanked fans for their support and insisted she was 'gloriously living in defiance of expectation'

Jez said they will go back to their original plan of raising the 50,000 needed to get pioneering immunotherapy in Germany - but may have some therapy in the UK too.

Dedicated supporters have been following Leah's journey with unending kindness, and have already donated 64,000 towards their plans.

Leah, who played Zoe Tate on Emmerdale, shared a snap of her smiling as she looked hopefully at the sky.

She captioned it: 'Thank you for all your love and support, it means soooo much. Gloriously Living In Defiance of Expectation.'

The former Emmerdale star, who is originally from London, has now given some insight into her cancer battle after sharing a poem online that includes the line 'take away the pain'.

Optimistic: Leah Bracknell, 53, shared a new image of herself 10 months after her cancer diagnosis

Leah posted the poem, which it is thought she may have penned herself, on her Facebook page.

It follows the stricken actress' decision to publish a photograph of herself on a country walk on her blog about her cancer battle.

Taking to her public Facebook page, the poem Leah posted described a 'fire in [her] belly'.

The poem read: 'I got me a butterfly net to catch me all the love and beauty and wishes and dreams and black cat kinda luck.

'And fire in my belly, honey in my heart kind of memories that melt my sweet heart and take away the pain.

'I spy me a sky full of blessings coming my way. Net at the ready, I raise my head for a kiss. And here they come.'

Leah appears to have written a poem about her illness, asking for the pain to be taken away

The actress looked frail when she appeared on ITV's Loose Women earlier this year

Last month Leah shared a new picture of herself as she enjoyed a day out in the countryside.

Posted on her blog Something beginning with C, the picture showed a frail Leah beaming at the cameral as she walked through a field.

Leah, who was known for playing Zoe Tate in Emmerdale from 1989-2005, previously raised 60,000 for immunotherapy treatment, which is not available on the NHS.

The treatment 'reprogrammes' the body's defence system to attack cancerous cells. Trials show it could stop cancer from spreading and reduce tumour size.

The experimental treatment, which she received in Germany, isn't a permanent medication as it stops working when the cancer starts to resist it.

Leah has also tried to get better using the help of shamanic healers, who visited her in hospital.

The healers believe illness has a spiritual cause and results in a loss of energy or power.

The actress previously confessed that she didn't want to know how long doctors have given her to live.

'I didn't want doctors to 'guess-timate' how long I have left,' she explained to the Loose Women panel during her last TV appearance.

'I don't wake up every morning feeling fearful - I wake up feeling grateful and excited about life.'
They have been married for six years, having wed in May 2011.

And Claw's star Niecy Nash enjoyed a romantic, five day getaway with husband Jay Tucker at the Live Aqua Cancun Resort in Mexico.

While there, the couple celebrated Jay's birthday, complete with a meal prepared by Chef Caesar at the MB restaurant.

In love: Niecy Nash, 47, enjoyed a romantic, five day getaway with husband Jay Tucker at the Live Aqua Cancun Resort in Mexico

For a portion of her vacation, the actress, 47, looked lovely in a mult-colored, tribal print cover-up.

Niecy accessorized with large gold hoops, bangles and of course, her wedding ring.

Husband Jay looked handsome in a soft pink polo shirt, white linen pants and a straw fedora hat.

Summer style: For a portion of her vacation, the actress looked lovely in a mult-colored, tribal print cover-up

Beach-ready: Husband Jay looked handsome in a soft pink polo shirt, white linen pants and a straw fedora hat

Animal lover: Niecy changed into a black swimsuit layered under a leopard-print cover-up

Claws: The actress showed off her purple manicure

The duo looked to be more in love than ever, with their getaway resembling that of a honeymoon.

While at the resort, Niecy and Jay took in a couple's message at Feel Harmony Spa as well as a tour of the Tulum ruins.

But their fun wasn't over yet. The duo enjoyed a snorkeling session at the Cenotes Sac Actun, near Tulum, Mexico.

So cute! The duo looked to be more in love than ever, with their getaway resembling that of a honeymoon

While there, the couple celebrated Jay's birthday, complete with a meal prepared by Chef Caesar at the MB restaurant

Relaxation: While at the resort, Niecy and Jay took in a couple's message at Feel Harmony Spa as well as a tour of the Tulum ruins (both not pictured)

In it for the long run: The couple have been married for six years, having wed in May 2011

Niecy currently stars on the TNT comedic drama, Claws, as nail salon owner Desna. Her character shoots her two-timing boyfriend, who then comes back for revenge and aims a gun at her.

In an interview with The New York Post, the actress -who's mother was shot and eight years later, lost her brother in a shooting - discussed her emotion while filming that scene.

'Its always challenging when somebody pulls a gun on me [in a scene],' she began.

'I saw my mother get shot when I was 15, so I have to double- and triple-check the gun and make sure its empty. Then I try to manage my real feelings about it because if thats not where the character is, then I dont need to be ahead of her...'

Party! The couple celebrated Jay's birthday, complete with a meal prepared by Chef Caesar at the MB restaurant (not pictured)
The first of three sophisticated new detective dramas based on celebrated author J.K Rowlings Cormoran Strikes book series will launch on BBC1 at the end of August.

Strike: The Cuckoos Calling will follow private investigator Cormoran Strike and assistant Robin Ellacott as they endeavour to solve crimes on the streets of a modern day London that producers claim will reflect contemporary society while having a distinctly nostalgic feel.

Harry Potter author Rowling, 52, has published three Cuckoo novels - Calling, The Silkworm and Career of Evil  under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith; a fourth, titled Lethal White, is expected to be released soon, although a publication date is yet to be announced.

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Coming soon: Strike: The Cuckoos Calling, the first of three sophisticated new detective dramas based on celebrated author J.K Rowlings Cormoran Strikes book series will launch on BBC1 at the end of August

Tom Burke, 36, best known for previous TV roles in The Musketeers and War & Peace, plays the titular Strike, a physiologically damaged PI with a colourful past as an ex-Royal Military Police special investigator and former soldier.

Actress Holliday Grainger, 29, will co-star as Strike's enthusiastic secretary and assistant Ellacott.

Speaking at a Q&A on behalf of the new show, writer Ben Richards - who adapted the series from Rowling's original source material - revealed the show will be a breath of fresh air for fans of detective drama.

Troubled: Tom Burke, 36, best known for previous TV roles in The Musketeers and War & Peace, plays the titular Strike, a physiologically damaged PI with a colourful past as an ex-Royal Military Police special investigator and former soldier

'It does feel very different tonally and visually from other crime dramas. Theres something interestingly retro about it while also remaining contemporary  it does have a bit of a Morse-like quality.

'Even the humour is similar  I was watching an old Morse the other day, and the great thing about that series was that it was funny but the humour wasnt arch or crazy  it just came out of everyday scenarios.'

He added: 'There is a gentleness to it which I think has been missing for a long time in crime dramas where were often a bit too obsessed with having crazy twist after crazy twist.'

Partner in crime: Actress Holliday Grainger, 29, will co-star as Strike's enthusiastic secretary and assistantt Robin Ellacott

Strike, the star of the books, is almost an anti-hero, a private detective and former soldier who lost a leg below the knee while serving in Afghanistan and who is always inches away from bankruptcy.

He eats junk food, drinks too much and encounters his future business partner, Robin Ellacott, only when she turns up to work as a temp secretary he thought he had cancelled.

Reflecting on her role as the hard working secretary, Holliday admits she identified with the character immediately.

Prolific: Harry Potter author Rowling, 52, has published three Cuckoo novels - Calling, The Silkworm and Career of Evil  under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith; a fourth, titled Lethal White, is expected to be released soon

'I loved the books and felt like I understand exactly who Robin was,' she said. 'She's just so lovely and compassionate and I think you recognise the best aspects of yourself in her.

'She feels like your mate or someone who you want to be your mate I love the way you get to know Strike and Robin as they get to know each other.'

Strike  The Cuckoos Calling starts August 27 at 9pm on BBC1.
Priyanka Chopra stole the show in East Hampton, New York on Friday as she attended the Guild Hall's summer gala in style.

The 35-year-old entertainer looked amazing in a billowing white gown with a plunging necklace as she posed for shots at the event, which included a cocktail party, dinner and auction.

The star of ABC's terrorism thriller Quantico accessorized with a gold choker and white purse, with her auburn locks parted and down at the swanky event.

Gorgeous gaze: Priyanka Chopra, 35, dazzled in East Hampton, New York on Friday as she attended the Guild Hall's summer gala

The event commemorated the opening of a gallery titled Avedons America, featuring the works of late photographer Richard Avedon; and honored Bonnie Lautenberg, the widow of late New Jersey Senator Frank Lautenberg.

She uploaded a breathtaking Instagram selfie from the event that she captioned, 'I go where my soul takes me.. #sleeplessnights.'

The Bollywood beauty has been busy on many fronts, as she continues to work as an actress, musical artist and philanthropist.

Priyanka, who hails from Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India, shared a shot of her work as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador, as she posed in between four young ladies, sharing a message of hope and positivity with more than 18.7 million Instagram followers.

Brilliant beauty: Chopra posed at the event, which included the opening of a display from late photographer Richard Avedon

Elegant: The voluptuous entertainer put an exclamation point on her ensemble with a gold choker

Multi-talented: Chopra also penned and performed the new Will Sparks track Young and Free, which was released Friday

'The world is in need of so much from us.... and the youth is a fountain of resources.... brimming with enthusiasm, energy and ideas,' she wrote. 'If everyone picked a cause and became a Champion for it, the world would truly become a better place.'

She then asked her fans, 'Which cause would you choose and what ideas do you have to make a difference?' adding the hashtag, '#WeTheFuture.'

Hard at work: Chopra's career continues scorching, as she's an international star across multiple platforms including TV and film

Priyanka's also resonated her positive words in song, as she penned the lyrics for the new Will Sparks track Young and Free, which she's also featured on.

'This song reminded me of how much I love making music,' she told Billboard Friday, adding that she 'wrote this song at a very precarious time in [her] life.'

She said that the lyrics she wrote were driven by 'a need for freedom, whatever that freedom may mean to each one of us,' clarifying that 'being young and free is a state of mind that we all need to find in this crazy world to survive.'
It seems reality TV and raunchy scandals are a many of the things The Bachelor's Simone Ormesher and Seven Year Switch's Kaitlyn Isham have in common.

And on Friday, the blonde beauties were spotted meeting up over a coffee and lunch along Chapel St, in Melbourne.

Simone, 25, and Kaitlyn, 29, appeared to have looked like they had known each other for a long time, embracing one another with a big hug and warm smiles.

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Birds of a feather! The Bachelor's Simone Ormesher and Seven Year Switch's Kaitlyn Isham were spotted meeting for coffee and lunch in Melbourne on Friday

The Bachelor babe looked cosy in a red, oversized puffer jacket, matched with black yoga pants and white sneakers, and holding a bunch of yellow chrysanthemums.

During the lunch, she took off her jacket to reveal her petite shoulders, in an off-the-shoulders, cropped black top.

Meanwhile, the Seven Year Switch star seemed to coordinate her ensemble with her gal pal.

Gal pals: It seems reality TV and X-rated scandals are a many of the things the Melbourne ladies have in common

Melbourne girls: Simone (left) is currently on The Bachelor vying for the heart of Matty J. Meanwhile Kaitlyn (right) first came to fame on the switch therapy show Seven Year Switch with her boyfriend Mark Pisani

She wore black bottoms and a cropped top that exposing her torso, but in maroon and featuring trendy shoulder cut out detailing.

The two appeared to enjoy each other's company, sharing a laugh and even taking a selfie together.

They seemed to be deep in conversation, possibly over their shared experiences on reality TV and raunchy scandals.

Let me get a selfie! The two appeared to enjoy each other's company at the Chapel St cafe, even taking a selfie together

Having a laugh: They even shared a sharing a laugh while waiting for their food

Recently, photos have emerged of Simone in a lace bodysuit that exposed her chest at a buck's party, where she was hired as a topless waitress.

Daily Mail Australia understands Simone no longer works as a topless waitress and is now employed by a digital marketing company.

The busty socialite is said to be 'a nightclub promo girl' in Melbourne and formerly worked as a Meter Maid on the Gold Coast.

Ladies who lunch: They seemed to be deep in conversation, possibly over their shared experiences on reality TV and X-rated scandals

Too much fun? Kaitlyn appears to be a great time with Simone and shows off an animated facial expression

Blonde beauties: Recently, photos have emerged of Simone in a lace bodysuit that exposed her chest at a buck's party, where she was hired as a topless waitress

She is reportedly not signed to a modelling agency but is actively pursuing a career in that field and hopes to become a model full time.

Kaitlyn's secret past of adult webcam modelling also came out during her time on Seven Year Switch.

The explicit pictures resurfaced on a US internet forum this week after users learned Kaitlyn, who is from Florida, was being featured on Australian TV.

Controversy: Daily Mail Australia understands Simone no longer works as a topless waitress and is now employed by a digital marketing company

The past: The busty socialite is said to be 'a nightclub promo girl' in Melbourne and formerly worked as a Meter Maid on the Gold Coast

The images were allegedly taken from videos broadcast several years ago on an adult webcam site.

In a statement, Channel Seven said: 'Kaitlyn is honest about her social website activity which happened several years ago during a very low point in her life.'

They continued: 'As she rebuilt her life and came to terms with the heartbreaking loss of a treasured family member, Kaitlyn took control of mistakes she had made and tried to remove the offending vision that was no longer a truthful representation of her or her life.'

Controversy: Kaitlyn's secret past of adult webcam modelling also came out during her time on Seven Year Switch
Last week, a preview revealed Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson's feisty sister will be headed into The Bachelor mansion.

And while the women vying for the 30-year-old's heart might not be thrilled about the intrusion, fans are hoping the arrival of Kate Clifton will cause an upset.

Taking to Twitter last week, viewers expressed their desire for Matty's sibling to convince him that 'villains' Leah Costa and Jen Hawke should be given the flick.

Strong-willed siblings: With the announcement that Matty Johnson's (left) sister Kate Clifton (right) will enter The Bachelor mansion, some viewers are hoping her arrival will force out the 'villains' in the show

Kate first made her appearance on The Bachelorette last year, when she confronted Georgia Love with intense questions as she tried to determine whether the journalist's feelings for Matty were real.

Some fans have their fingers crossed Kate will unleash her no-holds-barred attitude when it comes time for her to enter the mansion - and hopefully, spell the end of the 'bullies' on the show.

'Matty's sister is coming next week. Hopefully this will be the end of Leah and Jen,' wrote one fan.

End of the road? Some viewers are hoping Kate will convince Matty J to give 'villains' Jen Hawke (left) and Leah Costa (right) the flick

Elsewhere on Twitter, another fan backed up the idea, adding: 'Omg please let Matty's sister tell on Jen to Matty.'

'Yess Matty's sister calling out Leah,' another social media user posted.

Another added that Kate's strong personality had her shaking in her boots, writing: 'I'm still scared of Matty J's sister from last year.'

Unleash the fury! Fans took to Twitter to call for Kate to use her sass to get rid of certain competitors on the show

Kate's upcoming appearance was announced in a preview trailer following Thursday's unplanned double elimination.

During the episode, Matty showed his darker side as he kicked out Sian midway through the rose ceremony and then declared to the remaining women that he 'wasn't some puppet'.

'When I pick someone for a single date, that's because I picked them myself. I decide who goes on those dates,' he defiantly told them.

Fear factor: Kate's last appearance in the reality TV franchise had some viewers shaking in their boots
His most iconic role was that of boxer Rocky Balboa.

But it seemed that after six Rocky films, Sylvester Stallone may be slowing down a step, as he took a punch from Chrissy Metz on the set of This Is Us on Saturday.

Of course the 71-year-old screen legend took the swipe in good fun, as he posted the action shot to his Instagram.

Pow! It seemed that after six Rocky films, Sylvester Stallone may be slowing down a step, as he took a punch from Chrissy Metz on the set of This Is Us on Saturday

For the funny image, Chrissy, 36, looked determined in a black top, while Sly appeared to be dressed in military-inspired garb.

It looked as though the picture was taken in between takes, as a snack table appears in the background.

The shot, which has since garnered almost 30,000 likes, was captioned 'getting punched out by the amazing @chrissymetz On the set of THIS IS US.'

Another snap featured denim jacket-clad actor Milo Ventimiglia, 40, and showed the duo standing behind a motorcycle.

Buddies: Another snap featured denim jacket-clad actor Milo Ventimiglia, 40, and showed the duo standing behind a motorcycle

That caption revealed that it may have been Milo who originally got the Oscar-nominated actor involved in the project.

'My good buddy Milo Ventimiglia who nice[sic] enough to invite me to be on the show #thisisus #harleydavidson,' wrote Stallone.

Seemingly confirming that the Rambo star was in fact taking on a military role in the program, he also appeared with Justin Hartley, 40, who appeared to be wearing military garb as well.

Fighting men: Seemingly confirming that the Rambo star was in fact taking on a military role in the program, he also appeared with Justin Hartley, 40, who appeared to be wearing military garb as well

Stallone again kept his caption simple, stating 'On the THIS IS US set with Justin Hartley, this is a fantastic show and he is great to work with!'

The news that the Italian Stallion star would be joining the cast for season two broke back in early August when the TCA tour featured This Is Us on August 3rd.

During the panel, the show's official Twitter account revealed the news that that Sylvester Stallone will make a guest appearance on the upcoming second season.
He's a husband to Sian, and proud father to daughter Asher, two.

But in Sunday's Stellar magazine, Sky News' Paul Murray spoke candidly over the effect of losing his firstborn son Leo, just 33 hours after his birth in August 2012.

'It's hardened me. Absolutely hardened me,' the 39-year-old media personality told the publication.

'It absolutely hardened me': Sky News' Paul Murray, 39, opened up on the death of firstborn son Leo, who passed away just 33 hours after his birth, in Sunday's Stellar magazine

Paul opened up on the first hours following son Leo's birth on August 18, 2012.

'They put him (Leo) under a heat lamp, gave him some transfusions and basically it was 12 to 18 minutes before they could get a pulse.

'We were told by the end of the first day that basically he wasn't able to make it, but we didn't expect it to be so fast.'

Going on to detail the life-changing effect, Paul continued to tell the publication: 'It's hardened me. Absolutely hardened me.'

Union: Paul married Sian in 2008, later conceiving their first child, son Leo, via IVF

Proud father: Paul and Sian later conceived naturally, welcoming daughter Asher, now two, on Christmas Day, 2014

Paul married Sian in 2008, later conceiving their first child, son Leo, via IVF.

Born on August 18, 2012, Leo tragically died just 33 hours after his birth.

The newborn passed away from velamentous cord insertion, where the blood vessels in the umbilical cord aren't protected, hence a significant loss of blood.

Paul and Sian later conceived naturally, welcoming daughter Asher, now two, on Christmas Day, 2014.

The happy news continues with the couple expecting their third child in November this year.

Baby announcement: The happy news continues with the couple expecting their third child in November this year
They married last month.

And now Peta Murgatroyd and Maksim Chmerkovskiy are showing just what a perfect couple they are by taking a series of stunning photos while on vacation in Lake Como, Italy.

The couple are actually attending a friend's wedding, though it seemed all the attention would certainly be on the DWTS newlyweds.

Artistic: Peta Murgatroyd and Maksim Chmerkovskiy are showing just what a perfect couple they are by taking a series of stunning photos while on vacation in Lake Como, Italy

Maksim, 37, looking like the epitome of a dapper gentleman in his classic black tuxedo and white shirt.

He did make things slightly more casual by apparently opting to forgo a tie of any kind.

Wife Peta, however, stole the show, and stunned in a red strapless number that fell all the way to the ground.

The 31-year-old New Zealander's frock featured a low v-cut neckline which provided just a glimpse of her decolletage.

Dashing: Maksim, 37, looking like the epitome of a dapper gentleman in his classic black tuxedo and white shirt

Keeping it laid-back? He did make things slightly more casual by apparently opting to forgo a tie of any kind

Head-turner: Wife Peta, however, stole the show, and stunned in a red strapless number that fell all the way to the ground

Peek-a-boo: The 31-year-old New Zealander's frock featured a low v-cut neckline which provided just a glimpse of her decolletage

Basic but beautiful: Accessories included a black choker and a small black purse with gold chain strap.

Accessories included a black choker and a small black purse with gold chain strap.

Her dirty blonde tresses were parted on the right and fell in sensual waves down past her left shoulder.

Crimson lipstick that matched her dress, along with ample blush and subtle eye make-up ensured the professional dancer looked perfect for her impromptu photo shoot.

The newly hitched couple looked breathtaking in almost every scenario, which included a cobbled street and an ancient looking brick building.

Cinematic: Her dirty blonde tresses were parted on the right and fell in sensual waves down past her left shoulder

Statuesque: Crimson lipstick that matched her dress, along with ample blush and subtle eye make-up ensured the professional dancer looked perfect for her impromptu photo shoot

Teamwork: While the pictures were clearly amazing, it turns out that the photographer was none other than Val Chmerkovskiy, Maksim's 31-year-old brother (pictured left)

While the pictures were clearly amazing, it turns out that the photographer was none other than Val Chmerkovskiy, Maksim's 31-year-old brother.

He even appears in one of the snaps with the couple.

Though he proved quite useful for the shoot, a source told E! News that Maksim and Peta will continue their romantic getaway alone after the wedding.
With his fortune, one surely wouldn't mind receiving a gift from Ben Affleck.

And on Saturday, the Justice League star was spotted in the LA neighborhood of Brentwood, carrying a beautifully wrapped present.

The Oscar-winner appeared to be in good spirits, as was evident by the big smile on his face.

Special delivery? On Saturday, Ben Affleck, 44, was spotted in the LA neighborhood of Brentwood, carrying a beautifully wrapped present

Ben was casually dressed in a solid maroon T-shirt.

The 44-year-old was trendy with his set of slim-fit jeans and white sneakers.

The star rocked his tousled hair and usually-scruffy beard.

In June 2015, he wife Jennifer Garner announced they were divorcing after a decade together.

Happy place: The Oscar-winner appeared to be in good spirits, as was evident by the big smile on his face

The two, who have three children together, have decided to put their children first in their relationship, as both prepare to split.

The duo officially filed for divorce in April of this year.

Since their split, Ben has moved on to SNL producer Lindsay Shookus, 37.

Simplicity: Ben was casually dressed in a solid maroon T-shirt and a set of slim-fit jeans

A source told People in July that the duo began an affair in 2013, while both were married to other people.

'[Ben and Lindsay had a] full-on had an affair. They would fly back and forth, but he would mostly visit her in New York. They didn't hide  They would use the Mandarin Oriental [hotel]. They were regulars.'

But another source close to Ben and Jen told the site that the duo did not date until both were separated from their spouses.

'They've known each other for a while. They're dating. It is relatively new. It's still in a really early stage. He's working on himself, he's working on being happy and healthy.'
She built her reputation as one of reality TV's most lovable party girls.

As six years since MTV's Geordie Shore burst on to our screens, Charlotte Crosby is showing no signs of slowing down after hitting the cobbles in Manchester on Saturday.

The Sunderland lass, 27, was dressed to the nines and joined by pals as she let her hair down in Northern party capital.

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Sizzling: Six years since MTV's Geordie Shore burst on to our screens, Charlotte Crosby is showing no signs of slowing down after hitting the cobbles in Manchester on Saturday

Showcasing her endless pins in revealing leopard print hot pants, Charlotte's curvaceous figure turned heads as she entered the club alongside friends.

Donning a figure hugging white blouse, Charlotte looked in fine fettle showing off her sun-kissed look from her holiday to Dubai recently.

Letting her dyed blonde locks flow past her shoulders, the star wore a smattering of light makeup to bring out her natural good looks.

Showing off her toned thighs, Charlotte clutched a Louis Vuitton handbag, completing her look with subtle gold jewellery and a pair of simple black heels.

Get my good side: Showcasing her endless pins in revealing leopard print hot pants, Charlotte's curvaceous figure turned heads as she entered the club alongside friends

Meanwhile, on her recent trip to Dubai some fans suggested she had lost too much weight since her early Geordie Shore days.

One fan wrote: 'Omg I can see all your bones, I'm not hating either I love Charl think it might just be the way she's posing'.

'I do think from other snaps she is looking a little too thin...' another shared. 'She looks healthy and I know she is naturally very petite anyway but she needs to not get any thinner now'.

Despite their worry, many of Charlotte's loyal fanbase were quick to support the Sunderland beauty as they defended her against nasty 'keyboard warriors'.

Early doors: Showing off her toned thighs, Charlotte clutched a Louis Vuitton handbag, completing her look with subtle gold jewellery and a pair of simple black heels

'All you keyboard warriors commenting on her body seriously need to get a life,' a fan began. 'Charlotte is perfectly healthy, has curves in all the right places and works hard to look the way she does.

'It's all about the angles and you always look skinnier laying down so stop trying to body shame her you bitter twisted cretins.... RANT OVER!!'

While one other posted: '@charlottegshore u look absolutely beautiful and genuinely happy within yourself. I think it's terrible people just can't be happy for others to be happy. Be the amazing person u already are'.

'@charlottegshore bit rude too tell her she too skinny and needs too eat have u seen her Snapchats she always post food and eating on there and she looks amazing it's called healthy food and gym hate body shaming no one is perfect!!!

Charlotte also faced further Instagram backlash after she was been slammed by fans for commenting under a particularly plump-lipped selfie: 'My lips are natural'.

Posting the snap to her Instagram account last week, the reality star is seen to look loved-up with her tattooed beau Bear, but fans were quick to question her claim of filler-free lips.

Perplexed by her comment, fans told Charlotte that although they had 'no judgement', of her surgical choices, 'lying about it is kind of a joke'.

The doubting fans were referring to the earlier days of Geordie Shore, in which Charlotte can be seen displaying a noticeably thinner lipped pout.

Despite this, Charlotte defiantly commented in response to people pointing out her most voluptuous feature: 'My lips are natural'.

A representative for Charlotte confirmed to MailOnline the star was joking.
It's the end of week two on The Block and the teams have worked tirelessly to complete their guest bedrooms.

And on Sunday, Elyse Knowles' boyfriend Josh Barker was not impressed when rivals Ronnie, 41, and Georgia, 33, won guest bedroom week.

The 28-year-old was left reeling as the couple beat him and Elyse by just half a point, in what was one of the closest room reveals ever.

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'The winner was not judged correctly!' Elyse Knowles' boyfriend Josh Barker (pictured) SLAMS The Block rivals Ronnie and Georgia as they beat them by just half a point

Josh and Elyse were hoping to win the week  and the $10,000 prize money  by having an ensuite and walk in wardrobe in their guest bedroom.

Ronnie and Georgia meanwhile skipped putting a bathroom in their guest bedroom.

'The winner was not judged correctly in my opinion,' Josh said to camera after Ronnie and Georgia were declared the winners of the week.

Success! Rivals Ronnie, 41, and Georgia, 33, (pictured) won guest bedroom week

Winning space: Pictured is Ronnie and Georgia's bedroom

The tradesman added: 'The guest bedroom that three other contestants created was kind of like another retreat basically for a guest, as opposed to just a bedroom.'

Josh and Elyse, Jason and Sarah, as well as Wombat and Sticks, all decided to add ensuites to their guest bedrooms  which will no doubt pay off come auction day.

Ronnie and Georgia were commended by the judges on how well they had styled their room, topping the leader board on 28 points.

Luxe: Josh and Elyse finished on 27.5 points, with judges Shaynna, Darren Palmer and Neale Whitaker all loving the extra panelling around the room (pictured)

Judge Shaynna Blaze said the room, which included timber floors and a marble desk, was 'glamorous.'

She criticised their curtain rail but overall, loved the space.

Josh and Elyse finished on 27.5 points, with judges Shaynna, Darren Palmer and Neale Whitaker all loving the extra panelling fitted around around the room as well as the velvet bedhead.

The other teams were commended on their luxe spaces, with Jason and Sarah finishing on 27 points, alongside Hannah and Clint.

Modern: The other teams were also commended on their luxe spaces, with Jason and Sarah finishing on 27 points (seen is their space)

Contemporary and chic: Seen is Hannah and Clint's space

Wombat and Sticks came last, on 26.5 points.

At the scoring this week, Clint wore a pink tutu as part of an agreement between the contestants that the team that place last have to don the costume.

Host Scott Cam told the teams that it was the highest week two scores he's 'ever seen.'
She is embroiled in an acrimonious divorce with estranged husband James Stunt.

But Petra Ecclestone, 28, put her messy split to one side as she headed out for a family shopping spree with sister Tamara, daughter Lavinia and niece Sophia in Beverly Hills on Saturday.

Petra, who had enjoyed a night on the tiles the previous evening, looked none the worse for wear as she strode out into the sunshine, clad in a pair of tiny denim hotpants which showcased her tanned and toned pins.

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Leggy: Petra Ecclestone, 28, put her messy split to one side as she headed out for a family shopping spree with sister Tamara, daughter Lavinia and niece Sophia in Beverley Hills on Saturday

The billionaire heiress teamed the thigh-grazing shorts with a baggy white tee telling emblazoned with the word War and box fresh trainers for the day of flashing the plastic.

Her platinum tresses were swept up into a casual ponytail and a light dusting of make-up accentuated her pretty features.

Oversized shades hid her sparkling eyes from the punishing Californian rays.

Her supportive sister Tamara, 33, rocked a casual monochrome look of an ivory t- shirt and quirky ripped jeans, which showed off her honed legs.

For comfort she slipped on furry sliders and tied her brunette locks into a ponytail.

It was a girls day out for the sisters who brought along their daughters Lavinia Stunt, four, and Sophia Rutland, three

Sisterly support: Petra showed off her toned pins in denim hotpants while her supportive sister Tamara, 33, rocked a casual monochrome look of an ivory t- shirt and quirky ripped jeans

Sophia, who Tamara shares with husband Jay Rutland, looked cute in a white t-shirt teamed with spotted leggings and bow embellished pumps.

Meanhile, Lavinia, donned a t-shirt with an ice-cream design, paired with dove grey leggings and pink shoes.

Petra has been in Los Angeles for the last week, enjoying a family holiday with her children, along with Tamara, her husband Jay and Sophia.

She enjoyed a glamorous girls night out in West Hollywood on Friday but failed to raise a smile as she stepped out.

Petra looked phenomenal in a denim bardot dress, which featured a crossed hem that showcased her tanned, slender pins.

Sombre: She enjoyed a glamorous girls night out in West Hollywood on Friday but failed to raise a smile as she stepped out

Her blonde tresses were swept up into an elegant ponytail and she enhanced her sparkling peepers with smoky eyeshadow, fluttery lashes and liner.

Completing her make-up with a swipe of bronzer and frosted pink gloss on her lips, the mother-of-three looked effortlessly glamorous for her night on the tiles.

She added height with scarlet stiletto sandals.

Keeping her accessories simple and sparkling she wore diamond stud earrings.

Leggy:Petra looked phenomenal in a denim bardot dress, which featured a crossed hem that showcased her tanned, slender pins

Polished: Her blonde tresses were swept up into an elegant ponytail and she enhanced her sparkling peepers with smoky eyeshadow, fluttery lashes and liner

Petra had initially postponed her trip with her children to attend the case management hearing to decide how to split her 5.5 billion fortune with the businessman - but James could not attend the hearing due to being in hospital.

The battle could go down as the biggest divorce settlement in celebrity history.

Petra's father, 86-year-old tycoon Bernie Ecclestone admitted that it was 'frustrating' for her to have postponed her holiday, only for James not to come to court due to being in hospital.

The former chief executive of Formula 1 said: I dont know what is going to happen in October if he is ill again. It is frustrating for Petra. It would be better for her to get it over with.

Moving on: Petra has been in Los Angeles for the last week, enjoying a family holiday with her children, along with sister Tamara, her husband Jay Rutland and daughter Sophia, three

Petra is fine, she understands that this is the way the world goes around. She will now have to wait until October unless he [James] pulls out with an ingrowing toenail or something.

A full hearing has been scheduled for October which is due to last for two days.

The former couple are expected to fight over their 158million mansion in Los Angeles and a Grade II-listed home in London's Chelsea, worth up to 100million.

A family court hearing earlier this year was told Mr Stunt had signed a prenuptial agreement worth 16million.

Bernie told MailOnline: 'Under the circumstances she is doing okay. Her priority has always been the children and that is what she is focusing on.'

Divorce: The battle between Petra and estranged husband Jame Stunt could go down as the biggest divorce settlement in celebrity history

Six years ago the couple married at Odescalchi Castle in Rome in front of 350 guests and were serenaded by an array of pop stars in a glitzy 12million wedding.

They share three children Lavinia, and two-year-old twins James Jr and Andrew.

Petra has hired lawyer Baroness Fiona 'Steel Magnolia' Shackleton, who represented Sir Paul McCartney in his divorce battle with Heather Mills.

The court heard last month that James, once rumoured to be worth 3.3billion, was abusive, violent and took overdoses during his marriage to the heiress.

The businessman, who runs an international gold bullion firm, was accused of behaving in a 'disgraceful' and 'unedifying' way prior to the hearing on June 27.
She's the former Miss Universe Australia who has forged a multi-million dollar business empire.

But on Sunday, Jennifer Hawkins went back to her humble roots in Newcastle, NSW, for a cover shoot for Stellar.

The 33-year-old stunned in swimwear and a figure-hugging dress for the magazine

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Back home: Jennifer Hawkins went back to her humble roots in Newcastle, NSW, for a cover shoot for Stellar and stunned in swimwear and a figure-hugging dress

Flashing her signature smile, Jen wore a George Alice top.

The tight-fitting top, which has a v-neck, showcased Jen's lean and toned stomach.

Keeping it classic, Jen teamed it with a pair of plain black swimsuit bottoms from her Cozi swimwear line.

Stunner: Jen also showcased her ample cleavage and enviable curves in a figure-hugging black midi-dress

The Myer Ambassador looked effortlessly cool, with her hair loose and flowing she wore minimal makeup  just a touch of mascara and a nude lip.

In another shot, Jen was seen walking up from the surf surrounded by a crowd of hunky surfer men.

Showcasing her ample cleavage in a figure-hugging black midi-dress, the model teamed her look with a pair of slides.

Not picture perfect: Jen revealed she's experienced many ups and downs in her 13-year relationships with Jake Wall

Opening up about her life in the 13 years, Jen revealed that she and her now husband Jake Wall have experienced many ups and downs.

'With Jake's mum passing away and a few things happening in my family...it hasn't been perfect,' she confessed.

But since meeting in a Newcastle nightclub in 2003 the couple, who tied the knot four years ago, have had each other to lean on.
She is no stranger to flaunting her envy-inducing curves in a number of skimpy ensembles.

But Demi Rose put on her boldest display yet when she stripped completely naked for a saucy photoshoot in Cape Verde.

The 22-year-old British model left little to the imagination as she got cosy on the beach, while subtly protecting her modesty with her hands and baring her pert bottom.

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Sizzling: Demi Rose, 22, put on her boldest display yet, as she stripped completely naked for a saucy photoshoot in Cape Verde

Demi oozed body confidence in the striking sultry snaps where she sported wet locks and dramatic smokey eyes.

Her fine form was on full display as it showed off her sculpted back and her bootylicious buttocks - which sported tan lines from her recent skimpy swimwears.

The bronzed beauty channelled her inner mermaid as she struck a number of fierce poses while the tide came in.

Demi covered her eye-popping assets with her arms in another snap which was positioned slightly in front of her.

Bold: The British model left little to the imagination as she got cosy on the beach, while subtly protecting her modesty with her hands and baring her pert bottom

Racy: Her fine form was on full display as it showed off her sculpted back and her bootylicious buttocks - which sported tan lines from her recent skimpy swimwears

Sexy: Demi oozed body confidence in the striking sultry snaps where she sported wet locks and dramatic smokey eyes

Proving slightly chilly, Demi then embraced gothic glamour in a semi-sheer kaftan.

The number still managed to flaunt her sensational assets and flawless curves as she posed up a storm.

Her sex-kitten display comes after she was spotted cuddling up to DJ Tom Zanetti while filming for his music video on a lavish yacht in Formentera in July.

Demi Rose looked just as eye-catching in the final product, as the sizzling clip for Zanetti's new track More & More was unveiled.

Gorgeous: The bronzed beauty channelled her inner mermaid as she struck a number of fierce poses while the tide came in

Protection: Demi covered her eye-popping assets with her arms to risk flashing too much flesh

Like a pro! The beauty is no stranger to flaunting her envy-inducing curves

Covering up: Proving slightly chilly, Demi then embraced gothic glamour in a semi-sheer kaftan

The summer house track, filmed out in and across Ibiza, also features vocals from Karen Harding.

Demi first got a taste for the limelight when she was chosen to be part of the Taz's Angels at its peak in 2015 after rising to fame through her Instagram account.

In a previous interview with The Sun, she revealed: 'I've had Instagram since I was 18. Posed for selfies and pictures and it just grew from like 60,000 to 200,000 to a million to 3.2million now.

Va va voom! The number still managed to flaunt her sensational assets with its deep plunge

Working with what she's got! Demi folded her arms together to place prominence under her assets

Sensational: Her flawless curves and peachy derriere was on full display as she posed up a storm

Video vixen: Her sex-kitten display comes after she was spotted cuddling up to DJ Tom Zanetti while filming for his music video on a lavish yacht in Formentera in July

'In school I was quite popular on MySpace and that kind of followed on to Instagram. It was really weird when people started recognising me and stuff on the street. I just got used to it.'

Confident in her sex appeal, the former beauty student claimed her curvaceous figure rivals the Kardashians in a more recent interview with The Sun.

The model told the publication: 'I have an amazing life travelling the world and showing off curves to rival the Kardashians.

'I love the best parties, yachts and fast cars  but deep down Im just a kid from Sutton Coldfield who got lucky.'

Star: Demi Rose looked just as eye-catching in the final product, as the sizzling clip for Zanetti's new track More & More was unveiled

Famous: Demi first got a taste for the limelight when she was chosen to be part of the Taz's Angels at its peak in 2015 after rising to fame through her Instagram account

'I'm a kid who got lucky': Confident in her sex appeal, the former beauty student claimed her curvaceous figure rivals the Kardashians in a more recent interview




He's the Aussie hunk currently wooing a bevy of beauties as this year's Bachelor.

And it's no surprise Matthew 'Matty J' Johnson has ladies falling at his feet, with him flaunting his muscular physique during a surfing expedition on Saturday.

The 30-year-old flashed his rippling six pack as he got changed in the car park following a surf at Sydney's famous Bondi Beach.

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Stripped off! Matty J, 30, flashed his impeccable frame as he changed in the car park following a surf at Sydney's Bondi Beach

Matty J looked happy and relaxed as he dried off and got dressed at the back of his Mazda CX7.

Clad in nothing but a towel, which was wrapped around his waist, he flaunted his toned abs and bulging biceps.

The known beach-lover looked to be in tip-top shape as he wrangled his arms into the sleeves of a pink T-shirt.

Impressive! Clad in nothing but a towel, which was wrapped around his waist, Matty flaunted his toned abs and bulging biceps

Matty looked slightly stiff at one point while he got changed, possibly grimacing against the chill of the breeze against his skin.

The handsome marketing manager recently confirmed he was 'very, very happy' after finding true love on The Bachelor.

And it seems he has another reason to smile as he has just been signed with IMG Talent, one of Australia's top celebrity agents.

The agency also represents The Bachelorette's Sam Frost and Sasha Mielczarek.

He's a looker! Matty J has another reason to smile as he has just been signed with IMG Talent, one of Australia's top celebrity agents

'We watched him win the hearts of Australia on the Bachelorette and again on this season of The Bachelor.

'The Talent Team at IMG are really looking forward to working with Matty,' David Malina, Vice President, Talent IMG, told Daily Mail Australia.

On Friday, the hunk revealed that he now understands why stars like Georgia Love were 'selfish.'

'You have to be,' he said on Channel 10's The Living Room, 'Knowing that the end goal, for me, was to find love was the light at the end of the tunnel.'

'Horrible feeling': 'It's a pretty heavy weight on your shoulders,' he replied, 'that being in the limousine by yourself, going home alone - it's a horrible feeling,' he said

His confession came after the show's host, Amanda Keller, asked him if being rejected by Georgia on The Bachelorette had made it harder for him to eliminate contestants on The Bachelor.

'It's a pretty heavy weight on your shoulders,' he replied, 'that being in the limousine by yourself, going home alone  it's a horrible feeling.'

'And then knowing you're going to put somebody else through that  it's tough, but you have to be selfish.'
They are the pinnacle of Essex glamour.

So you couldn't blame Georgia Kousoulou and Chloe Sims for putting on a sizzling display as the enjoyed yet another day of TOWIE filming in Marbella on Saturday.

Georgia, 26, looked absolutely sensational as she flashed her toned stomach in a plunging bikini top and semi-sheer trousers while Chloe, 34, dressed to accentuate her curves in a white lace dress.

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Why hello! Georgia Kousoulou, 26, and Chloe Sims, 34, put on a sizzling display as the enjoyed yet another day of TOWIE filming in Marbella on Saturday

Georgia looked summer ready in her skimpy bikini top and matching bottoms, which she teamed with a pair of flared sheer trousers.

She opted for comfort with white sandals and donned a pristine coat of make-up which complemented her blonde tresses.

Chloe also rivalled her on the glamour front in a figure-hugging white lace midi-length dress which flaunted her ample assets.

The stunning star looked in high spirits as she strutted along in a pair of open-toe white heels which showed off her hot pink pedicure.

Sizzling: Georgia, 26, looked summer ready in her skimpy bikini top and matching bottoms, which she teamed with a pair of flared sheer trousers

Stunning: Lauren Pope was sure to make a striking display as she got comfortable at the table to film for the 21st series of The Only Way Is Essex

She's got front: The beauty donned a daringly low-cut swimsuit which she paired with breezy white kaftan

Beauty: The star looked utterly glamorous in a pair of cool, purple tinted shades

The cast were filming a breakfast scene after finally welcoming Jon Clarke to Marbella after he lost his passport back at the airport in London.

Lauren Pope was sure to make a striking display as she got comfortable at the table to film for the 21st series of The Only Way Is Essex.

The beauty donned a daringly low-cut swimsuit which she paired with breezy white kaftan.

Lauren, who recently had her implants removed, has re-joined the cast of the ITVBe reality series, having previously quit TOWIE in 2015.

Rolling cameras: The cast were filming a breakfast scene after finally welcoming Jon Clarke to Marbella after he lost his passport back at the airport in London

She's back: Lauren, who recently had her implants removed, has re-joined the cast of the ITVBe reality series, having previously quit TOWIE in 2015

Speaking exclusively to MailOnline, Lauren revealed that she was persuaded to make a return during an alcohol-fuelled meeting with the show's producers and her long-standing pal Chloe Sims.

Lauren said: 'I had a drunken night out and I bumped into Chloe Sims and she was with a couple of TOWIE producers. Our meeting was basically drinking cocktails all day and in my tipsy state I agreed to go back!'

Meanwhile, the breakfast party was held for Jon, who looks trendy in a tight white top and shorts as he greeted his pals.

Hunk: Meanwhile, the breakfast party was held for Jon, who looks trendy in a tight white top and shorts as he greeted his pals

Oops! He missed a flight with everyone else from London after he misplaced his passport

Jon had been in an on and off relationship with Love Island series three star Chloe Crowhurst before jetting out to Marbella.

They had reunited following her stint on the ITV2 dating show, but she revealed the duo had split again at the beginning of August.

Prior to their Marbella trip, a spokesperson for ITV confirmed the addition of Ruby Lacey and Maddie Hooper.

Ex: Jon had been in an on and off relationship with Love Island series three star Chloe Crowhurst before jetting out to Marbella

Former flame: They had reunited following her stint on the ITV2 dating show, but she revealed the duo had split again at the beginning of August

Newbies: Prior to their Marbella trip, a spokesperson for ITV confirmed the addition of Ruby Lacey and Maddie Hooper

Mixing things up: Fans will see the girls make their debut when TOWIE returns to screens next month in September, with a source claiming to The Sun that bosses recruited the girls as a result of Georgia's popularity with viewers

They said: 'Georgia has become one of the most popular Towie girls ever - she is well-loved with Towie fans and bosses wanted to bring her some mates onto the show'

Fans will see the girls make their debut when TOWIE returns to screens next month in September, with a source claiming to The Sun that bosses recruited the girls as a result of Georgia's popularity with viewers.

They said: 'Georgia has become one of the most popular Towie girls ever - she is well-loved with Towie fans and bosses wanted to bring her some mates onto the show.

'Viewers can look forward to seeing a lot more of Georgia and her friends this series.'

It was continued: 'Viewers can look forward to seeing a lot more of Georgia and her friends this series'

Fun: Despite the early hours, the pals proved to be having a great time as they larked around
They've been married since late 2010, and share three young children together.

And on Sunday, Spanish actress Elsa Pataky gushed over her husband, Chris Hemsworth, as they celebrated his 34th birthday together.

The 41-year-old actress shared a picture of herself lifting her shirtless husband into the air while they holidayed on the Great Barrier Reef, calling him her 'koala bear.'

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'Happy birthday to my koala bear!' Elsa Pataky cuddles up to shirtless husband Chris Hemsworth as they celebrate his 34th birthday

'Happy birthday to my koala bear!!' Elsa's Instagram post began.

'Best weekend ever! Love you always and forever!!' she wrote, adding hashtags including 's**t I'm strong.'

She revealed the pair are staying with friends on Orpheus Island - a private Island which hosts up to 28 guests.

Lapping it up! The blonde, wearing a black one piece, relaxed in a hammock on the beach

Chilling out: On her Instagram story, Elsa shared a video of Chris drinking from a coconut and eating on the beach with their friends

Having fun: She also shared a shot of herself snorkeling

Going strong: They've been married since late 2010, and share three young children together

On her Instagram story, Elsa shared a video of Chris drinking from a coconut and eating on the beach with their friends

She also shared a shot of herself snorkeling in the ocean.

The blonde flaunted her incredible figure in a black one piece while relaxing in a hammock on the beach.

'Ya massive jerk': The Thor star turned 34 on Friday and his younger brother Liam Hemsworth, 27, shared a shot of Chris shirtless (pictured) to mark the occasion

Family first: Brothers Chris and Liam, pictrued here in Melbourne in October 2015

The Thor star turned 34 on Friday and his younger brother Liam Hemsworth, 27, shared a shot of Chris shirtless to mark the occasion.

Liam added a rubber duck and a sponge to the picture, and captioned it: 'Happy birthday Chrisso! Love u ya massive jerk ;) xox @chrishemsworth #bathtime #rubberducky.'

Elsa and Chris live in Byron Bay with their young children, twin sons Tristan and Sasha, three, and daughter India Rose, five.

The Fast and the Furious star recently opened up about settling in Australia and told Australian Women's Weekly: 'The energy of (Byron Bay) is amazing.'

'It gives you a relaxed style of life,' she continued.
She announced she was departing the beloved ballroom dancing show after seven years in May.

And Natalie Lowe has revealed that she wants to start a family and work her way through her bucket list, now she has quit Strictly Come Dancing.

Speaking to the Daily Star, the Australian dancer, 36, admitted she felt like she was 'running out of time', and that another series would 'hinder' her having children with her fiance James Knibbs and achieving her other goals.

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New chapter: Natalie Lowe has revealed that she wants to start a family and work her way through her bucket list, now she has quit Strictly Come Dancing

Confirming she had made the 'right' decision, Natalie admitted she has other goals she wants to achieve, and quitting the show gave her the time and space to do so.

She explained: 'I just felt like I was running out of time.

'It was the right decision for me. It was as though I was competing against time and myself.'

Besotted: Explaining her decision to leave and focus on life with her fiance James Knibbs (above), she explained: 'It was as though I was competing against time and myself'

However, the dancer went on to admit she was also keen to start a family with her fiance James Knibbs - something she feels she can only achieve away from the show.

'I've still got a few things I want to do before I start a family and another series could hinder that,' she added.

Natalie and James became engaged in October 2015, after a two year romance stemming from a chance meeting on a train between London and Leeds.

Broody: She went on to admit the pair were keen to have children, adding: 'I've still got a few things I want to do before I start a family and another series could hinder that'

Besotted: Natalie and James became engaged in October 2015, after a two year romance stemming from a chance meeting on a train between London and Leeds

Having pulled out of Strictly due to injury, the blonde had been travelling to a meeting - while James was only on the train as his other had been delayed.

Speaking to OK! at the time of their engagement, company director James had admitted with a laugh: 'I have to thank East Coast for being late. Getting that train was the best decision I ever made.'

Meanwhile Natalie confirmed she was hanging up her heels and leaving the beloved ballroom dancing show in May.

She told Press Association: 'This was a very difficult decision for me not to accept the invitation to appear on this season of Strictly Come Dancing.

'It is with a very heavy heart that I have arrived at this decision.'

Last dance: Meanwhile Natalie confirmed she was hanging up her heels and leaving the beloved ballroom dancing show in May

Since joining in 2009, Natalie has been partnered with notable names such as Ainsley Harriot, Greg Rutherford, Ricky Whittle and Scott Maslen.

She notably finished in second place with actor Ricky in the 2009 series, and in 7th place with Olympic long jumper Greg in the last series.

The beauty continued her statement: 'Ill be forever grateful for the amazing time, opportunities and memories that Strictly has created for me.

'My time on the programme has been everything that I dreamed it would be and more.

'From the friendships I developed, the amazing dances I was able to perform in and the experiences that Strictly provided, it has been an incredible and extraordinary adventure.'

Runners-up: She notably finished in second place with handsome actor Ricky Whittle in the 2009 series

Going for gold: Natalie finished 7th place with Olympic long jumper Greg Rutherford in the last series (2016)

Natalie joins a number of other professionals who have made their exit this year - including Joanne Clifton and Oksana Platero.

However while head judge Len Goodman has also decided to depart the show, dance legend Shirley Ballas has been confirmed as his replacement.

She gushed after the news broke: 'I am so excited and over the moon to have been given this wonderful opportunity. I can't wait to get in to the ballroom and be part of the incredible and respected judging panel!'

Clearly ecstatic at her casting as a devoted follower of the show, she added: 'Strictly Come Dancing is so loved by the British public, I have always been a massive fan. I just can't wait!'
Meanwhile, the Crime Branch has found that the letters were fabricated. It will recommend to the Director General of Police to charge a case for forgery.
She's living the dream as The Only Way Is Essex films its summer special in Marbella.

And Amber Turner looked sensational as she stripped down to her bikini yet again for a beach day in the Spanish city on Wednesday.

Strutting along the seafront with the wind in her hair, the blonde beauty, 23, showcased her incredible swimsuit body as she enjoyed a day off from her punishing filming schedule.

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Looking mint: Amber Turner looked sensational as she stripped down to her bikini yet again for a beach day in the Spanish city on Wednesday

The star slipped into a plunging mint green bikini which flaunted her ample assets and chiselled abs.

The matching high-cut bondage-style bottoms drew attention to Amber's tanned and toned pins.

Bringing a touch of Essex glamour to the grassy knoll she teetered on nude wedge strappy sandals.

Providing at best minimal protection from the sun, the television personality wrapped a semi-sheer sarong in the same fresh hue around her slender waist.

Blonde beauty: Strutting along the seafront with the wind in her hair, the blonde beauty, 23, showcased her incredible swimsuit body as she enjoyed a day off from her punishing filming schedule

Strut: The star slipped into a plunging mint green bikini which flaunted her ample assets and chiselled abs

Keeping her make-up look glamorous for the beach day, she styled her blonde treses sleek and straight, with bronzer and a slick of berry lipgloss completing the look.

The Essex native looked blissfully happy as she embarked on her second series of TOWIE.

Amber joined the TOWIE cast with her boyfriend of four years at the time Jamie Reed, 34, who was making his comeback to the show after leaving in 2012.

But she kicked off the series by cheating on him with co-star Dan Edgar, 26, in Tenerife which brought their long term relationship to an end.

Jamie put his heartache behind him when he moved on with brunette model Jade Lewis.

Leggy: The matching high-cut bondage-style bottoms drew attention to Amber's tanned and toned pins

It comes after Amber turned up at Jamie's house uninvited in May and persistently called his phone when he was on another holiday with his new girlfriend.

Jamie confessed it was hard being around his former flame following their dramatic break up and would even like her to move to Australia for some time.

Speaking on The Showbiz Show, he said: 'Its all kind of settling down now. With my ex girlfriend and what she did - the Twitter response has been so nice.

'The people on the streets have been so nice. I dont want to say that it has wasted 4 years... I just hope that she is happy.

'But I would like Amber to spend a couple of years in Australia. In the nicest possible way! So in a couple of years time we could meet and say what happened.'
She is known for flaunting her curvaceous figure on social media, as she models her swimwear line Chasing Summer.

And Imogen Thomas certainly showed no signs of stopping during her recent trip to Spain, as she set pulses racing in another saucy ensemble.

The 34-year-old looked every inch the beach babe in a plunging coral swimsuit, as she enjoyed a thrilling ride around the harbour on a jet ski.

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Hot stuff: Imogen Thomas continued to flaunt her figure during her recent trip to Spain, as she set pulses racing in another saucy ensemble

The mother-of-two showed off her envy-inducing figure in the one-piece, which tightly hugged her slender frame all the way down.

The striking coral swimsuit plunged into a deep V neckline, secured with a ribbon tie at her cleavage, to leave her famously ample assets on show.

Cutting off at a daring height at her thigh, the swimwear then drew attention to her long and lean legs as she posed glamorously for cameras.

Taking the plunge: The striking coral swimsuit plunged into a deep V neckline, secured with a ribbon tie at her cleavage, to leave her famously ample assets on show

While she first commanded attention on the beach in her mirrored Aviator shades, the star really turned heads when she clambered onto a jet ski later on.

Speeding out to sea, Imogen revealed the swimsuit's sexy open back and skimpy rear cut - displaying even more sun-kissed skin and letting her peachy derriere take centre stage.

The former Miss Wales could not stop herself from beaming as she cruised around the shore, proving to be completely relaxed while away.

Life's a peach! Speeding out to sea on a jet ski later on, Imogen revealed the swimsuit's sexy open back - displaying even more sun-kissed skin and letting her derriere take centre stage

Imogen underwent a breast reduction earlier this month, after admitting she had been unhappy about her 'droopy' E-cup chest.

Imogen - who has two children with partner Adam Horsely - previously revealed that she 'hated' her breasts after she had a boob job.

She told new! magazine: 'I just hate my boobs. I get really bad lower back pain. When I take my bra off theyre droopy and so heavy!

'Id like to be a B cup, probably. Ive decided to have a lift as well because after having kids my boobs have gone south.

Confidence is key: Imogen underwent a breast reduction earlier this month, after admitting she had been unhappy about her 'droopy' E-cup chest

'Some women lose their boobs completely and dont have any after breastfeeding, but Ive still got mine and obviously theyre massive  and I wish they would just reduce naturally but that havent.'

Although it's been an ordeal, Imogen revealed she has now learnt a valuable lesson to distill onto her daughters Ariana, four, and Siera, 20 months.

She explained: 'Thats the one thing Im going to be strict about  they are not getting their boobs done.'

The brunette is thought to have gone down to a C-cup during the operation at London's St John & Queen Elizabeth hospital.
She is in a fresh new romance with Whisky Wisemen co-founder, Nick Harborne.

And the happiness was evident on Katharine McPhee's face, as she headed out to dinner at at Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill & Jazz in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

The 33-year-old multi-talented looked sensational as she made a very leggy display in a plunging vest top and thigh-skimming skirt for the night out.

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All eyes on her: Katharine McPhee, 33, made a very leggy display as she headed out to dinner at at Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill & Jazz in Los Angeles on Saturday night

Katharine oozed sex appeal in the trendy ensemble which consisted of the cleavage-flashing top and the tiny skirt which consisted of star buttons down the front.

She flaunted her style credentials to perfection as she expertly draped a denim jacket over her shoulders while strutting along in a pair of towering heels.

Katharine sported a striking coat of make-up, which complemented her effortlessly tousled brunette locks.

Her high-spirited demeanour comes after embarking on a new relationship with Nick Harborne.

Saucy: Katharine oozed sex appeal in the trendy ensemble which consisted of the cleavage-flashing top and the tiny skirt which consisted of star buttons down the front

Stylish: She flaunted her style credentials to perfection as she expertly draped a denim jacket over her shoulders

The pair first stepped out together in LA last week, before they were seen enjoying a smooch after a romantic lunch at Fred Seagal in West Hollywood a day later.

After the photos emerged, the Whisky Wisemen co-founder then took to his Instagram to share a sweet selfie of the pair to confirm they are dating - which he playfully captioned: 'Kat's out the bag...'

The new romance follows Katharine's two-year relationship with co-star Elyes Gabel - which came to end last summer.

However according to Just Jared, the brunette beauty and her handsome British beau, 33, 'amicably' parted ways, and have since remained friends, as they work together on CBS drama Scorpion.

Star: Katharine catapulted to fame in May 2006 as the runner-up on the fifth season of American Idol - losing out on the title to Taylor Hicks

'They still love each other but just couldnt make things work,' a source said of the couple, who first began dating back in 2014.

Katharine catapulted to fame in May 2006 as the runner-up on the fifth season of American Idol - losing out on the title to Taylor Hicks.

She went on to play Karen Cartwright in hit musical NBC series Smash, which ran for two seasons back in 2012 and 2013.

Katharine now stars in Scorpion, which follows a group of friends attempting to solve global problems, and is anticipating the release of her Lifetime TV Movie The Lost Wife of Robert Durst, in which she plays the lead role's first wife Kathie.

The new drama flick was shot in Vancouver, Canada, where Nick is based - implying the pair had met during her stint of filming in May.
Their romance blossomed on the set of Adelaide film, Hotel Mumbai, last year.

And it seems Dev Patel, 27, and Tilda Cobham-Hervey's, 22, relationship is still going strong, with them spotted enjoying quality time together in Sydney.

The Daily Telegraph reported on Monday that Dev spent some time with Tilda and her family in Adelaide, before jetting into Sydney on Saturday.

Young love! Dev Patel and Tilda Cobham-Hervey snuck into Sydney on Saturday following a brief stay in Tilda's home city, Adelaide, last week

The couple enjoyed a low-profile visit and were apparently spied in the car park at Sydney Domestic Airport.

According to the publication, the duo's brief jaunt to the Australian city was kept very quiet.

Although they did pose for photos with adoring fans, the loved-up pair managed to steer clear of the spotlight.

Under wraps: The couple enjoyed a low-profile visit and were apparently spied in the car park at Sydney Domestic Airport

The Lion star broke the hearts of his female fans after confirming his relationship with fellow actor, Tilda, in March.

The couple first set tongues wagging over Oscars weekend when Adelaide-native Tilda accompanied Dev and his mother to the Weinstein Company's pre-Academy Awards bash at Montage Beverly Hills.

They were then spotted holding hands in Los Angeles the day after the prestigious event.

Heartthrob: Dev broke the hearts of his female fans after confirming his relationship with fellow actor, Tilda, in March

Hotel Mumbai, slated for release later this year, will be Tilda's first major film debut.

Fast-becoming Hollywood's new leading man, the former Skins actor plays main character Arjun in the flick.

Tilda has also starred in Australian television series like The Kettering Incident and Barracuda as well as local films like Girl Asleep and 52 Tuesdays.

The brunette will also star in the highly-anticipated mini-series F*****g Adelaide.
Cally Jane Beech has lashed out at trolls on social media, after they criticised her for taking a three-day holiday without her daughter Vienna.

The former Love Island star, 25, took to her Instagram story on Sunday to brand the haters, who she nicknames the 'parent police', as 'disgusting' for making her feel like she was not a good mother.

Explaining she had visited Ibiza while Vienna was staying with her father Luis Morrison, Cally assured fans that her sweet little girl was surrounded by love, and told the trolls to 'get a life'.

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Furious: Cally Jane Beech has lashed out at trolls on social media, after they criticised her for taking a three-day holiday without her daughter Vienna

The brunette recently jetted to Ibiza for an extended weekend break, while her daughter stayed with Luis - who Cally split from last month.

However, the reality star confessed she had received hateful messages for taking the trip, and took to her Instagram to blast the trolls as 'disgusting' and 'judgmental'.

Clearly infuriated, she shared a lengthy rant with her followers - detailing her dislike for those who judge her without knowing her, when her girl is 'very happy' and 'has so much love around her'.

Relaxed: The brunette recently jetted to Ibiza for an extended weekend break, while her daughter stayed with Luis - who Cally split from last month

Not happy: However, the reality star confessed she had received hateful messages for taking the trip, and took to her Instagram (above) to blast the trolls as 'disgusting' and 'judgmental'

She began: 'I think its disgusting that some people, who I call the 'parent police', try to judge other people's lives when they have no idea what they're doing.

'I can't even go out for a meal with friends without people thinking, 'Oh my god she's left her baby.''

Addressing her recent trip to the White Isle, she stood up for herself by stating bluntly: 'I went to Ibiza for 3 days. Vienna wasn't even at home, she was with her grandparents and her dad as it was Luis' birthday.'

Hitting out: Clearly infuriated, she shared a lengthy rant with her followers - detailing her dislike for those who judge her without knowing her, when her girl is 'very happy'

'Get a life': She began: 'I think its disgusting that some people, who I call the 'parent police', try to judge other people's lives when they have no idea what they're doing'

Taking a break: Addressing her trip to the White Isle (above), she continued bluntly: 'I went to Ibiza for 3 days. Vienna wasn't even at home, she was with her dad as it was Luis' birthday'

'If you're one of these people who comment nasty things on Instagram when you don't know them, you've really got to get a life,' she continued, proving to be riled up.

'It's not very nice when you have no idea who someone really is. I still have feelings too.'

The stunner went on to admit she had become upset by the comments while at a Miss Swimsuit UK event on Saturday night, and felt sad her friends had to comfort her over something which could be easily avoided.

Calling the haters out as parents themselves however, she continued: 'You shouldn't judge other parents on how they're living their lives and what they're doing.

Judgmental: Confessing she had been upset by the comments, she continued: 'It's not very nice when you have no idea who someone really is. I still have feelings too'

Standing her ground: Calling the haters out as parents themselves however, she continued: 'You shouldn't judge other parents on how they're living their lives and what they're doing'

'My child is happy and my child is looked after. I spend every single day of my life with her, apart from those three days in Ibiza.'

She wrapped up her lengthy rant with a call for people to stop commenting on her parenting methods and her daughter, as she will block them if they do.

Cally finished: 'Say what you want about me. If you don't like me, don't follow me, but don't bring my child into it. She's 3 months old.

'She has so much love around her, and its disgusting how some people behave behind social media.'

My girl: Assuring fans Vienna is more than happy, she added: 'My child is happy and my child is looked after. I spend every single day of my life with her, apart from those three days in Ibiza'

Taking a stand: She wrapped up her lengthy rant with a call for people to stop commenting on her parenting methods and her daughter, as she will block them if they do

She also admitted she had received hate for not breast feeding Vienna, but was quick to slam her followers were judging, as she had been unable to produce milk.

She added: 'Not many people know me, however some people take it upon themselves to slate me for not breastfeeding.

'But I actually didn't produce milk, so even if I wanted to, I couldn't.'

Cally jetted to Ibiza last month, for a few days of relaxation while Vienna stayed with her father to celebrate his birthday.

Daddy's girl: Cally jetted to Ibiza last month, for a few days of relaxation while Vienna stayed with her father Luis (above) to celebrate his birthday

The pair welcomed their daughter in May, but separated romantically last month amid claims her former co-star had cheated on her.

Sharing a lengthy statement to Twitter, Cally explained that despite the pair having called time on their romance, she still found Luis' actions 'very hurtful' and insisted the 'Luis I know would never have done that'.

She penned: 'We have gone through a really tough time as a couple for months now due to Luis not being himself and the guy that I fell in love with. It went from bad to worse and resulted in us splitting up.

'Shortly after, he did get with another girl and that crushed my heart. [Whether] we broke up the week before it makes no difference, it was still very hurtful and the Luis I know would never have done that.'

Happier times: The pair welcomed their daughter in May, but separated romantically last month amid claims her former co-star had cheated on her

Cally continued: 'I hope that Luis can fix his demons in his life and get himself back on track as he has been very lost and it's resulted in a drastic mistake which [has] hurt everyone around him.

'The relationship just hasn't been great and I miss the old Luis we all know. Maybe at some point if he finds himself and is the Luis I fell in love with again, maybe he will have a second chance at his family but right now I'm just concentrating on our daughter and seeing where life takes me.'

Reflecting on a difficult few weeks however, Luis took to his own social media to admit he is trying to re-build his relationship with Cally, after learning from his 'mistakes'.

The ITV2 star explained to fans: 'Just first of all Im trying to put things right as Ive recently lost myself. I'm going to say I havent been and Im honestly gutted about it.

'Im trying my hardest to get my family and Cally back and put things right.'
She's a doting mother of two and a successful business woman.

And on Sunday, PR maven Roxy Jacenko shared a sweet clip to her Instagram of herself and daughter Pixie, five, dancing in the street.

It seems the pair irritated her son Hunter, three, with their antics as the blonde tot is seen shouting at the duo as they were having fun without him.

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'It's not permitted according to Hunter!' Roxy Jacenko irritates her three-year-old son by dancing in the street with her daughter Pixie, five

'8am Sunday's - dancing in the street not permitted according to @huntercurtis14,' (sic) Roxy captioned the humorous clip.

Hunter can be heard screaming 'No!' and 'Stop!' as Roxy jumps around and laughs with Pixie.

Roxy showed off her trim figure in leggings and a vest on the family outing.

Sibling rivalry? Hunter can be heard screaming'No!' and 'Stop!' as Roxy jumps around and laughs with Pixie

Her boy: Pictured is Roxy's son Hunter, three

Roxy also shared a picture of herself with Hunter on the same day, saying he was her 'assistant' handing out water to City2Surf runners she joked that he was 'thrilled to be working Sundays.'

Roxy - who manages Hunter's Instagram account - also shared a shot of Hunter on his own page as he did pull-ups with his father, Oliver Curtis.

Earlier this month, Roxy revealed she became 'depressed' after her husband Oliver was sentenced to 12 months in prison for insider trading in June 2016.

Sweet: Roxy also shared to Instagram on the day, a snap of herself with her boy, saying he was her 'assistant' handing out water to the City2Surf runners

Family: Earlier this month, Roxy revealed she became 'depressed' after her husband Oliver was sentenced to 12 months in prison for insider trading in June 2016

The 37-year-old businesswoman told News.com.au she tried to hide her misery from the world after the father of her two young children was jailed.

Roxy, who did not seek professional help for depression but was treated for breast cancer last year, called the period the 'worst 12 months of (her) life'.

The Sweaty Betty PR founder confessed she reached her lowest point just weeks before Oliver's release from Cooma Correctional Centre, telling News Corp: 'I got to the eleven month point and I broke.'

She explained: 'Five days I'd come to work with puffy eyes and miserable... I'd then have to go to a function or an event and I'd have to turn it on. And yes I would turn it on, but I was crumbling inside. I couldnt cope anymore.'
On Friday, Vanderpump Rules' Stassi Schroeder was unceremoniously dumped by her on/off boyfriend Patrick Meagher during their four-year anniversary.

'Broken up with on our anniversary after I planned a trip for us to Mexico,' the 29-year-old reality star - who boasts 1.3M social media followers - tweeted.

'Call me Carrie Bradshaw. @rachaelnobrien you're coming w me now.'

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Cold! On Friday, Vanderpump Rules' Stassi Schroeder was unceremoniously dumped by her on/off boyfriend Patrick Meagher during their four- year anniversary (pictured Monday)

The 29-year-old reality star - who boasts 1.3M social media followers - tweeted: 'Broken up with on our anniversary after I planned a trip for us to Mexico. Call me Carrie Bradshaw'

The New Orleans-born blonde then shared an Instagram snap of the Sex and the City heroine striking her groom Mr. Big after being left at the altar at their wedding captioned: 'Currently.'

Stassi (born Nastassia) went on to ask her comedian gal pal Rachael O'Brien to 'accompany me to Mexico, close the shades & feed me oatmeal on the trip I planned.'

In Michael Patrick King's 2008 film, Carrie is comforted by her three best friends (especially Samantha Jones), who join her for her lavish Mexican honeymoon vacation.

Schroeder has already removed all evidence of the 38-year-old radio presenter - who hosts SiriusXM's The Wrap - from her Instagram account.

The New Orleans-born blonde then shared a snap of the Sex and the City heroine striking her groom Mr. Big after being left at the altar at their wedding captioned: 'Currently'

'You're coming w me now!' Stassi went on to ask her comedian gal pal Rachael O'Brien (L) to 'accompany me to Mexico, close the shades & feed me oatmeal on the trip I planned'

BFFs: In Michael Patrick King's 2008 film, Carrie is comforted by her three best friends (especially Samantha Jones, R), who join her for her lavish Mexican honeymoon vacation

The troubled couple rekindled their romance in May following their splits in both December and July of last year.

'I think he's a wonderful person but right now, we do not mix well,' the Hollywood Medium guest star admitted to ET in December.

'We fight. We fought way too much, it was way too up and down, we're both so stubborn. It's not like there wasn't enough love, that was there...I never experience just dating and being on my own and I said I want to give it at least a year of not having a boyfriend.'

It's over: Schroeder has already removed all evidence of the 38-year-old radio presenter - who hosts SiriusXM's The Wrap - from her Instagram account (pictured in 2014)

'We fought way too much, it was way too up and down, we're both so stubborn': The troubled couple rekindled their romance in May following their splits in December and July of last year

'Season 6!' On April 27, Bravo officially renewed Vanderpump Rules for a sixth season, and Stassi confirmed on Monday that Meagher finally filmed his cameo in it

The Sharknado 4 actress keeps busy recording her Straight Up with Stassi Podcast, which streams three times each month on Play.It.

On April 27, Bravo officially renewed Vanderpump Rules for a sixth season, and Stassi confirmed on Monday that Meagher finally filmed his cameo in it.

Fans can catch more of Jax Taylor and his girlfriend Brittany Cartwright on their spin-off Vanderpump Rules: Jax and Brittany Take Kentucky, which premieres August 23 on Bravo.
She reportedly visited her ex Arthur Collins in jail last week, to 'discuss matters surrounding their child' ahead of his alleged nightclub acid attack trial.

But Ferne McCann appeared to take her mind off the difficult situation on Saturday, as she dolled herself up for a friend's hen do in Essex.

The former TOWIE star, 26, shielded her blossoming baby bump in a chic monochrome co-ord by European brand Maare, as she shared a number of playful snaps of her outfit on Instagram.

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Chic: Pregnant Ferne McCann shielded her blossoming baby bump in a chic monochrome co-ord on Saturday, as she dolled herself up for a hen do in Essex

The reality star was effortlessly glamorous in the two-piece, printed with a black and white tribal pattern all over.

The shirt, adorned with quirky fringe detailing, remained sophisticated with soft chiffon sleeves, and a subtly plunging neckline.

Tying in a chic striped ribbon belt at her waist, the wrap-around skirt then concealed her baby bump from view - before cutting off high at her thigh in a sexier touch, to leave her long and slender pins on show.

'There is a baby in there I promise!': First sharing a full length shot, Ferne then snapped a quick selfie of her proudly cradling her bump

Adding height to her frame with towering black heels, Ferne accessorised with statement drop earrings to glamorously tie her look together.

Sweeping her hair into a low ponytail and adding bronzer and a nude lip, the TV personality was every inch the glowing mother-to-be as she documented her night on Instagram.

First sharing a full length shot, Ferne then snapped a quick selfie of her proudly cradling her bump, captioned: 'There is my baby in there I pwomise but this outfit disguised it! What's everyone up to on this fine morning? let's spread #love' (sic)

Pregnant: Ferne is expecting her first child with ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins, who currently faces trial for an alleged nightclub acid attack

Ferne is expecting her first child with ex-boyfriend Arthur Collins, who currently faces trial for an alleged nightclub acid attack.

It was reported earlier this week that the former TOWIE star had gone to visit the 25-year-old scaffolder and businessman at HMP Thameside in south London in the past two weeks.

Ferne split from Arthur earlier this year, amid allegations that he carried out an acid attack at an east London club that left 22 people injured.

Rumour has it: The former TOWIE star allegedly went to visit the 25-year-old at HMP Thameside in south London in the past two weeks

A source stressed that the couple were 'certainly not' rekindling their romance, claiming that Ferne was visiting Arthur to discuss matters surrounding their unborn child.

A source told The Sun: 'They are most certainly not back together and she has no intentions of doing so. But she saw him to discuss certain matters, given she is carrying his unborn child. She clearly didn't want to be seen as she went in and kept a very low profile.'

The insider claimed that Ferne was keen to keep a low profile and arrived at the Greenwich prison, ahead of Arthur's trial in October, wearing a hoodie.

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Ferne for comment.

It's over: She dumped Arthur earlier this year amid allegations that he carried out an acid attack at an east London club that left 22 people injured

Her outing comes as Arthur denied carrying out an acid attack which left two clubbers partially blinded and others disfigured.

The 25-year-old pleaded not guilty in June to six counts of causing grevious bodily harm and 11 of actual bodily harm when he appeared at Wood Green Crown Court today via video link from HMP Thameside.

A 24-year-old man and 22-year-old woman were each blinded in one eye while up to 18 others were burnt after the attack outside the Mangle nightclub in Dalston, east London in April.

Allegations: A source stressed that the couple were 'certainly not' rekindling their romance, claiming that Ferne was visiting Arthur to discuss matters surrounding their unborn child

Keeping a low profile: The insider added that Ferne arrived at the Greenwich prison, ahead of Arthur's trial in October, wearing a hoodie

Collins was arrested by armed police in his underpants at in Rushden, Northamptonshire, during an early morning raid.

Previously Ferne sobbed as she discussed becoming a single mother after Arthur was charged with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Speaking with hosts Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby, the former TOWIE star fought back sobs as they addressed his charges, at one point having to stop the interview as she was unable to speak.

Pleading guilty: Arthur denied carrying out the attack which left two clubbers partially blinded in June, pleading not guilty to six counts of grevious bodily harm and 11 of actual bodily harm

Attacked: Arthur, 24, was arrested and charged with intent to do grievous bodily harm in connection with the acid attack in London nightspot Mangle (above) in April

Ferne explained: 'It had been such a stressful, surreal situation to be in but I'm actually feeling good, feeling positive because I'm pregnant.

'I think that has given me strength and hope to get through this.'

Explaining that she's been overwhelmed with the support she has received, Ferne - who is 12 weeks pregnant - revealed: 'I've got such a strong support group, everyone has been so amazing.

'This is the reason why I haven't spoken to anyone because when most women are pregnant they don't tell anyone until they're at that three month stage.'

Upsetting: Ferne had broken down in tears on This Morning as she revealed she wants to be the best mother she can be to her unborn child

Emotional: Feeling good: Ferne explained: 'It had been such a stressful, surreal situation to be in but I'm actually feeling good, feeling positive because I'm pregnant'

Just two days after Arthur was arrested, she told MailOnline that she will go forward with life as a single mother as she professed her determination 'to do all she can to have a happy and healthy child'.

Her full statement read: 'Ferne is grateful for the sympathetic way news of her pregnancy has been covered and people's support and obviously her first concern is for her child's health.

'Nor does she wish to discuss her ex-boyfriend who she does not recognise from the events of the last week.

'Ferne is in no way seeking sympathy for her situation and is determined to do all she can to have a happy and healthy child and face the challenges of being a single parent with all her energy.

'Her thoughts are with the victims of the horrific attack on Easter Monday.'

Staying strong: Just two days after Arthur was arrested, she told MailOnline that she will go forward with life as a single mother
Jaime King stunned in a plunging pink pencil dress at the second day of Sundance NEXT FEST in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday night.

The 38-year-old mother-of-two paired her sheer asymmetrical frock with grey pointy pumps featuring metallic straps.

The Nebraska-born blonde's rosy lipstick matched her ensemble, and she wore her blonde bob middle-parted in waves for the event.

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Stunning: Jaime King stunned in a plunging pink pencil dress at the second day of Sundance NEXT FEST in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday night

Black carpet fashion: The 38-year-old mother-of-two paired her sheer asymmetrical frock with grey pointy pumps featuring metallic straps

Ready for her close-up: The Nebraska-born blonde's rosy lipstick matched her ensemble, and she wore her blonde bob middle-parted in waves for the event

Joining Jaime at the Theatre at Ace Hotel was Marianna Palka, the writer-director-star of her family dramedy B***h, which hits US theaters in November.

'It's the most powerful film I've worked on,' she told V Magazine in May.

'My character is supposed to have this intense hatred for [her brother-in-law, played by Jason Ritter], but in real life I'm looking at someone I really deeply love and care about. That kind of history can't be manufactured.'

King and the 37-year-old Emmy nominee previously collaborated on six episodes of CBS sitcom The Class in 2006-07 as well as her directorial debut, the 2011 short The Break In.

Marquee: Joining Jaime at the Theatre at Ace Hotel was Marianna Palka (R), the writer-director-star of her family dramedy B***h, which hits US theaters in November

She told V Magazine in May: 'It's the most powerful film I've worked on'

Jaime continued: 'My character is supposed to have this intense hatred for [her brother-in-law, played by Jason Ritter], but in real life I'm looking at someone I really deeply love and care about'

Ethan and Palmer: King and the 37-year-old Emmy nominee (L) previously collaborated on six episodes of CBS sitcom The Class in 2006-07 (pictured) as well as her directorial debut, the 2011 short The Break In

Following the screening and Q&A, Brooklyn 'noise pop' musical duo Sleigh Bells performed a set onstage the Ace.

Earlier that day, the Mistletoe Promise actress' husband Kyle Newman shared three Instagram snaps of their adorable sons James, 3; and Leo, 2.

The Hart of Dixie alum and the 41-year-old Barely Lethal director will impressively celebrate their 10th wedding anniversary on November 23.

Hyper dark: Following the screening and Q&A, Brooklyn 'noise pop' musical duo Sleigh Bells performed a set onstage the Ace

'Bro Bro & Covfefe!' Earlier that day, the Mistletoe Promise actress' husband Kyle Newman shared three snaps of their adorable sons James, 3; and Leo, 2
It might not be the most comfortable way to ride a horse, but it's certainly eye-catching.

Candice Swanepoel showed off her virtually bare behind in fringed leather chaps, skimpy panties and a bra as she channeled her inner cowgirl during the Victoria's Secret holiday shoot in Aspen, Colorado on Saturday.

The beautiful 28-year-old blonde completed her look with boots, of course, and a cream cowboy hat.

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Bare butt rider: Candice Swanepoel showed off her beautiful booty in cowboy chaps and skimpy undies during the Victoria's Secret holiday shoot in Aspen, Colorado on Saturday

'Wild Wild West out here': The beautiful 28-year-old blonde also wore boots and a white hat

Rightly proud of her toned behind she posted an Instagram clip of herself jiggling her cheeks that she captioned, '#giddyup, #bumbumtamtam' with three horse emojis.

In a second video clip, she posed from left to right, looking over her shoulder.

Candice captioned it: 'Wild Wild West out here.'

Channeling her inner cowgirl: The scantily clad model strolled across a meadow, followed by Josephine Skiver astride a horse

A tip of the hat: Candice swapped her chaps for teeny black lace panties, a black leather jacket and matching black hat for the shoot

Father and son: Candice shared this snap of the two men in her life - fiance Hermann Nicoli, a 35-year-old Brazilian model, and their 10-month-old tot Anaca

A black and white video showed her strolling across a meadow in her revealing outfit as Josephine Skiver, also scantily clad, rode a horse behind her.

Edward Razek, senior creative at Victoria's Secret, described the shoot in a picture he posted saying: '13 Angels, 2 photographers, a crew of 100+, one big time director, and an $80 million ranch - no one does Holiday like Victoria's Secret does Holiday!'

The 'big-time director' is Transformers' Michael Bay, seen with seven Angels in Ed's snap.

Bevy of beauty: Director Michael Bay is surrounded by Angels in this snap posted by Edward Razek, senior creative at Victoria's Secret. Michael is capturing the action in Aspen

Chaps: Fellow angel Taylor Hill shared her own photos from the shoot, including this woodsy shot

Arty: Hill, 21, posted a few previews from the upcoming shoot on Instagram with different filters

Aside from Candice and Josephine, the Angels include Sara Sampaio, Adriana Lima, Alessandra Ambrosio, Taylor Hill, Elsa Hosk, Niki Baratta, Jen King, Lily Aldridge, Lais Ribeiro, Jas Tookes, Romee Strijd and Behati Prinsloo.

Candice appears to be in Aspen with fiance and long-time love Hermann Nicoli, a Brazilian model.

The South African native posted an adorable Snapchat photo of the 35-year-old holding their excited 10-month-old son Anaca on his lap as he tried to eat his lunch in a cafe. She captioned it: ' Feliz dai papai!'

Ride it: The Angel straddled a horse in her skivvies, covered by a large brown blanket
Known for his love of pranks, Keith Lemon is often seen leaving his celebrity pals squirming.

But it seems his latest joke didn't appear to go to plan, as the Celebrity Juice host, 44, was left looking rather distressed as he wrestled with Spencer Pratt, 33, outside of The Ivy in Los Angeles on Saturday night.

The former Hills star appeared to have Keith in a headlock and his tight grasp led to the TV personality's face turning a very deep shade of red.

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It's all turned sour! Keith Lemon, 44, appeared to be left irate with Spencer Pratt, 33, as the duo wrestled while leaving The Ivy restaurant in Los Angeles on Saturday night

While it appears as if the pair had been wrestling in jest, things between the duo seemed to have been taken a step too far and at Keith's expense.

The alter-ego of comedian Leigh Francis appeared to grow tired of his tussle with Spencer and was seen raising a hand at the reality star to stop.

At one point, Spencer appeared jovial as he choked Keith, wrapping his arms around his neck. But the move appeared to bring Keith a lot of discomfort as he held onto Spencer's arms - no doubt to try and loosen his grip - while pulling an angry grimace.

Ouch: While it seems the pair had been fighting in jest, things between the duo seemed to have been taken a step too far and at Keith's expense as he was left grimacing while in a headlock

MailOnline has contacted representatives for both Spencer and Keith.

The pair had began fighting while leaving The Ivy restaurant together and grappled with each other in the street, before falling into the shrubbery of a shop front.

While Keith was clad in a playful shirt and dark jeans, that he teamed with a vibrantly patterned Bum Bag around his hips, Spencer was seen sporting a tropical print shirt and stone-hued shorts.

Play nice! Spencer appeared jovial as he choked Keith, wrapping his arms around his neck, but the move appeared to bring Keith a lot of discomfort as he held onto Spencer's arms

He appeared to be without his wife Heidi Montag, 30, who is currently pregnant with the couple's first child.

The duo had first confirmed they were starting a family together in April, before revealing a month later that they are set to welcome a baby boy.

Addressing the sex of her baby, Heidi told US Weekly magazine: 'I thought Spencer really used to want a boy, and then a few months ago we had a conversation where he said, "Let's just make sure it's healthy. Boy or girl, I don't care."

'I hope to have a little girl one day, but for my first child, I really wanted a son.'

And insisting she is keen to add to her brood, following the arrival of her and Spencer's first child, Heidi added: 'I'm hoping to God that we don't just have one, but if we do, I wanted a son.

'It'd be a more natural bond for Spencer since he and his dad are so close.'

The couple are set to welcome their baby in October later this year.
Sailors man their mooring lines aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Sterett (DDG 104) as the ship departs Naval Base Guam after a scheduled port visit

President Donald Trump on Saturday reassured Guam it was secure amid mounting regional tensions, vowing that American military forces "stand ready" to safeguard the US Pacific island territory against a belligerent North Korea.

The North has threatened to fire ballistic missiles over Japan toward the tourism-dependent idyllic island, as Pyongyang and Washington ratchet up their war of words.

With Guam's safety in the balance, Trump assured the territory's Governor Eddie Calvo: "We are with you 1000 percent, you are safe."

A member of Trump's Republican Party, Calvo insisted during the two men's call that "I have never felt more safe or so confident with you at the helm," according to his office.

"We're going to do a great job, don't worry about a thing," Trump then added. "They should have had me eight years ago, or somebody with my thought process."

Trump has warned the North that it would "truly regret" attacking the US, and that the US military is "locked and loaded." Earlier this week, he threatened "fire and fury."

The North's official KCNA news service, for its part, accused Trump in an editorial of "driving the situation on the Korean peninsula to the brink of a nuclear war," calling the US "the heinous nuclear war fanatic."

Key Pyongyang ally Beijing, meanwhile, has pleaded with Trump to tone down his rhetoric to prevent tensions from boiling over.

- Public warning system -

If North Korea does launch a missile strike, there is a public warning system in place and a 14-minute window to react, Guam Homeland Security said.

On Friday, it posted guidelines on its website about measures to take in the event of a nuclear attack.

"Expect to stay inside for at least 24 hours unless otherwise told by authorities," the advisory warned.

"If caught outside, do not look at the flash or fireball -- It can blind you. Take cover behind anything that might offer protection. Lie flat on the ground and cover your head."

It also offered advice on removing radioactive fallout, telling residents to "take a shower with lots of soap and water," use shampoo but avoid conditioner "because it will bind radioactive material to your hair."

- Typhoons scarier than Kim Jong Un -

And yet tourism officials are jumping on the unusually high attention to the territory as an opportunity to attract more visitors to the island of 162,000 people that draws more than 1.5 million tourists a year.

"The circumstances are unfortunate but this is a good opportunity for us to educate the world about Guam and our culture, about where we are, and who we are," Guam Visitors Bureau marketing director Josh Tyquiengco told AFP.

"Guam is more than a military base. We are a safe family destination. We reassure potential visitors that we continue to be a safe... place to visit."

Guam

He said there had only been a few booking cancellations from South Korea.

And island dwellers say they fear a powerful typhoon more than the wrath of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

"Kim Jong Un is as crazy as typhoons but I am more scared of typhoons because they are real threats," said Rolando Zepeda, 57, a teacher at Saint Anthony's School.

Calvo, who noted that this is not the first time North Korea has threatened the island, bluntly told Guam residents to simply conduct their daily business "as usual."

Guam hosts two US military installations and 6,000 US soldiers -- making it an attractive target for the North.

"United States forces stand ready to ensure the safety and security of the people of Guam, along with the rest of America," the White House said in a summary of Trump's call with Calvo.

In an earlier call, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly told Calvo: "We are all over this... The wonderful island of Guam is very well protected."

Pyongyang has said it would take less than 18 minutes for a missile to cross the 3,400-kilometer (2,100-mile) distance to the US territory.

In addition to the US military bases, Guam is also equipped with the sophisticated THAAD weapons system which is capable of destroying intermediate-range missiles in the final phase of flight.

Officials, however, have sought to brush off fears and say there has been no change in the threat level for now.
Odinga's opposition coalition claims that hackers breached the election commission's electronic voting systems and falsified the results

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has been declared the winner of the country's election, but not everybody is happy.

His opponent Raila Odinga insists the election results have been manipulated, and protests have broken out in poor neighbourhoods in two of the country's major cities.

It's too soon to say how long, or how significant this unrest will be, but it carries risks for Kenya, a country considered one of the most dynamic and democratic in east Africa.

- How did we get here? -

The disagreement erupted just hours after Tuesday's vote ended, when Odinga insisted preliminary results being announced by the electoral commission (IEBC) were fraudulent.

Such allegations are not new for Odinga, a veteran opposition leader who has stood for president three times previously.

He placed third in 1997, and in both 2007 and 2013 he cried foul.

The 2007 vote -- which international observers said was riddled with irregularities -- is notorious as it sparked two months of violence that left 1,100 people dead and 600,000 displaced.

In 2013, he went to court over the elections, and lost.

In poor neighbourhoods in Odinga's western stronghold Kisumu, and in the slums of Nairobi, rioting started immediately after Kenyatta was declared the winner

Despite all that, the 72-year-old is a popular political figure in the country, and his allegations carry weight with his supporters, particularly among his Luo ethnic group who believe they have long been denied political power by Kenyatta's Kikuyu ethnic group.

- What exactly are Odinga's complaints? -

Odinga's National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition claims that hackers breached the IEBC's electronic voting systems and falsified the results.

Odinga has provided documents allegedly showing a database being manipulated, as well as documents purported to be from the IEBC server showing him to be the true winner.

On Thursday, NASA officials demanded that he be declared president on these grounds.

They also complained they had not seen about 25 percent of the tallying forms meant to back up electronic results streamed directly to the electoral commission's headquarters.

NASA demanded access to the IEBC's servers if they were to accept the results of the vote. The coalition has so far ruled out going to court.

The IEBC, for its part, has denied NASA's claims.

- What's happening now? -

In most cities in the country, nothing.

But in poor neighbourhoods in Odinga's western stronghold Kisumu, and in the slums of the capital Nairobi, rioting started immediately after Kenyatta was declared the winner.

Three people have been killed so far in the unrest, including a child shot in the back while watching protests from his balcony in the Nairobi slum Mathare.

Nineteen people were also wounded in that neighbourhood, according to charity Doctors Without Borders.

Businesses believed to belong to Kenyatta supporters were torn down in Kibera, another slum in the capital.

Police have countered the rioters with tear gas, and also live bullets fired into crowds in some instances.

Uncertainty over the election has seen many businesses stay shut, and people remain indoors in the capital since the vote.

- What's at stake for Kenya? -

Plenty.

The country is one of east Africa's largest economies and has been growing at a healthy five percent every year since 2013.

The vote dispute threatens that prosperity, and the violence may do even more damage because it calls into question the stability of a country that's also considered the region's strongest democracy, said Nic Cheeseman, a professor of African politics at Britain's University of Birmingham.

"Obviously, everything that happens like that is bad news for the country," Cheeseman said.

Even without the unrest, things were expected to be tough for Kenya over the next year.

The government may have to cut spending, harming growth, and food prices, which became a campaign issue after they spiked, aren't likely to come down anytime soon, Cheeseman said.
Protesters burnt shacks to the ground in a Nairobi slum as violent demonstrations against Kenya's presidential election results flared for a second day

Kenya's defeated opposition faced mounting calls at home and abroad to calm their supporters Sunday after claims of election rigging sparked violent protests that left at least 16 people dead.

Odinga's flashpoint strongholds in western Kisumu and Nairobi's slums were quiet Sunday, with signs life was returning to normal after two days of running battles with police, who in some cases fired live ammunition to disperse protesters.

But UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres urged thwarted presidential candidate Raila Odinga to "send a clear message to his supporters urging them to refrain from violence", a message echoed by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.

The anger erupted on Friday night after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the victor by a large margin over Odinga following an election pollsters had described as too close to call.

Odinga's National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition has insisted their candidate is the rightful winner, saying he was robbed of victory through hacking and manipulation of an electronic vote tallying system.

However calls for them to take their grievances to court, while Kenya's foreign partners heap congratulations on Kenyatta, have left them isolated and under mounting pressure.

Odinga, 72, a mainstay of the Kenyan opposition since the 1980s, has been silent since his loss was announced, but was due to address supporters in Nairobi's Kibera slum on Sunday afternoon.

His party officials have said they will neither back down nor take their grievances to court, as they did in 2013 when Odinga also cried foul over his loss.

"We will not be cowed, we will not relent," NASA official Johnson Muthama told reporters on Saturday.

In Nairobi's Mathare slum, shops and markets slowly began opening and there was no sign of police or protesters on Sunday.

"We want to hear Raila. We want to hear what he has to say. It's him who will guide us. If he tells us to go on the streets, we will go on the streets. If he wants us to stay home, we will stay stay home," said 25-year-old hairdresser Humpfrey Songole in Mathare.

Kenya: post-electoral unrest

- 'Exercise restraint' -

According to an AFP tally, 16 people have died since the result was announced Friday.

Seven of those were in the west, which was also calm Sunday morning.

"We have three bodies that were taken to the main mortuary in Kisumu, we also have one in Homa Bay, and there's one in Migori and two in Siaya," a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity, as he is not permitted to speak to the media.

"These are people killed in the confrontations with officers since Friday night," said the officer.

Newly elected Kisumu governor Anyang' Nyong'o -- father of actress Lupita Nyong'o -- urged police to withdraw and allow people to peacefully protest the "stolen election".

Nine people have died in the capital, including a young girl whose family said she had been shot in the back while playing on a balcony in Mathare as police opened fire on protesters.

The Doctors without Borders (MSF) charity said on Twitter that it had treated 54 wounded people in its clinics.

The post-election violence is the worst since a disputed 2007 poll which Odinga claimed was stolen from him. That led to two months of protests and ethnic killings which left 1,100 dead and 600,000 displaced.

Raila Odinga has tried four times to win the Kenyan presidency

Britain's Johnson called on Kenya's opposition to "exercise restraint" to ensure calm.

The European Union's foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini urged the opposition "to respect the results and to use legal means available for appeals and complaints."

In another blow to the opposition, local election observer group ELOG, which deployed 8,300 observers and conducted a parallel tallying operation, determined Kenyatta had won with 54 percent -- the same figure given by the electoral commission.

- 'Zero-sum game'-

Kenyan media also urged Odinga to address his base.

"NASA must direct its supporters to stand down, no matter how justified it feels that the presidential tally was rigged," wrote the Standard newspaper in an editorial, while slamming the police response to protests.

Interior Minister Fred Matiangi denied that police had fired on "innocent protesters", saying officers had clamped down on "criminal elements" taking advantage of the tension to loot and rob.

Politics in Kenya is largely divided along tribal lines, and the winner-takes-all nature of elections has long stoked communal tensions.

Odinga's ethnic Luo supporters -- and their allies from other groups -- believe they have been denied political power by elites from the Kikuyus, the same ethnic group as Kenyatta, the country's biggest community.

"The reason elections have become a trigger for violence is the relationship between power and prosperity. It is a zero-sum game and winning becomes a life and death matter, hence losing is not an option," wrote the Daily Nation in its editorial.
Nepal's railway to India was a lifeline for the small southern frontier town of Janakpur but it fell into disrepair after years of neglect and since 2014 the train has sat stationary

Three years after its last train hit the buffers, landlocked Nepal is building a new railway network to boost its ailing economy -- helped by the rivalry between its powerful neighbours, China and India.

The railway to India was a lifeline for the small southern frontier town of Janakpur, used to import everything from sweets to clothes and cosmetics and fuelling a vibrant border economy.

But it fell into disrepair after years of neglect and since 2014 the train has sat stationary, its rusting carcass now a playground for local children, while Janakpur's markets are empty.

"When the train was running, we would have a lot of business. I was easily providing (for) my family," said Shyam Sah, whose small family-run cosmetics shop has suffered an 80 percent drop in profits since the railway closed.

Now it is being rebuilt with Indian backing, one of three new rail lines -- one funded by China in the north and a third by Nepal itself -- that the country hopes will help boost international trade.

Nepal remains largely isolated from the global economy, dependent on aid and remittances.

Growth slowed dramatically after a 2015 earthquake but is expected to normalise at 5 percent from 2018 -- one of the slowest rates in South Asia -- according to the World Bank.

In recent years it has courted its two large neighbours for investment in an attempt to plug itself into a rail network that links the far eastern reaches of Asia with Europe.

But geography is not on its side.

The Himalayas form a natural border between Nepal and China, leaving it largely dependent on India -- with which it shares a 1,400 kilometre (900 mile) open border -- for the majority of its imports and exports.

- Game-changer -

Nepal is rebuilding the railway to India with Indian backing, one of three new rail lines -- one funded by China in the north and a third by Nepal itself -- that the country hopes will help boost international trade

In recent years Kathmandu has tilted towards Beijing as part of a nationalist drive to decrease the country's reliance on New Delhi.

China has responded, ramping up its diplomatic ties with Nepal -- mostly through large-scale infrastructure investments.

In 2017, Beijing pledged $8.3 billion to build roads and hydropower plants in Nepal, dwarfing India's commitments of $317 million.

Feasibility studies are also underway for a Beijing-backed railway connecting Kathmandu to Lhasa in Tibet, cutting straight through the Himalayas at an estimated cost of $8 billion.

Ankit Panda, senior editor at The Diplomat magazine, said that could be a game-changer for the small country.

"The rail line with China holds potential depending on the demand side of the equation, on how China allows Nepal to leverage that link for commercial growth opportunities," he said.

But it has strained relations between India and China, who are currently locked in a tense standoff on a remote Himalayan plateau in Bhutan sparked by a new road being built by China.

"China knows that its chequebook diplomacy with the smaller Asian states is a sore point with India, which simply cannot afford to put up the kind of capital outlays that the Chinese promise," said Panda.

The project is part of its "One Belt, One Road" initiative, a massive global infrastructure programme to connect Chinese companies to new markets around the world that critics see as a geopolitical powerplay.

Regional rival India has snubbed the plan and skipped a summit in Beijing in May.

New Delhi is funding the reconstruction of the Janakpur line, rebuilding the tracks to carry broad-gauge trains that will allow it to connect to the rest of the subcontinent's expansive rail network.

- Battleground -

Meanwhile Nepal is building a 945-kilometre line that will cut across the southern plains from east to west.

Nearly a third of the track has been built, but construction has stalled for lack of funds and it is not clear when it work will be finished.

The old railway fell into disrepair after years of neglect and since 2014 the train has sat stationary, its rusting carcass now a playground for local children

Some experts warn that Nepal has become a de-facto battleground in a geopolitical struggle for regional supremacy between India and China -- a position that Kathmandu must navigate carefully.

"None of them (smaller Asian nations) want to become a de facto satellite state," said Michael Auslin, Asia expert and fellow with the Hoover Institution.

"But by having both India and China essentially compete over it, from one perspective it makes it a battleground, from another perspective it means that Nepal is playing the two off against each other," he added.

Meanwhile, the people of Janakpur are eagerly awaiting the rail revival that will connect them to India once again.

"When the train stopped, everything finished. Business has gone down for all of the city," said bookshop owner Rajendra Kusuwah.

"After the new rail comes, it will open doors for development."
US Vice President Mike Pence's tour would be dominated by the crisis in Venezuela and how US "partners and friends" were looking to the "future" regarding that country, while others were stuck in the "past," a senior US administration official said

The United States "will not stand by as Venezuela crumbles," Vice President Mike Pence said Sunday, but he emphasized a peaceful path even as he stood by President Donald Trump's startling warning that US military action remained a possibility.

"We have many options for Venezuela, but the president also remains confident that working with all of our allies across Latin America we can achieve a peaceable solution," Pence said in a news conference alongside Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, as he began a week-long Latin America tour of four countries.

His trip comes after Trump on Friday said he was mulling a range of scenarios for crisis-hit Venezuela -- "including a possible military option if necessary."

Trump's comment drew condemnation from Caracas, which called the threat "reckless" and "craziness."

The rest of Latin America -- even countries strongly opposed to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's usurpation of his country's democratic institutions -- also strongly rejected it.

Santos re-affirmed that regional stance by saying he told Pence frankly "that the possibility of a military intervention shouldn't even be considered."

He added: "The Latin American continent, every country in Latin America, would not favor any form of military intervention."

- Seeking Venezuela's 'isolation' -

Colombia, Venezuela's neighbor, is a stalwart US ally and a fierce critic of Maduro and his policies.

But it and many other Latin American countries have bitter memories of past US adventures in the region, including invasions, the propping up of military dictators and the sponsorship of guerrilla groups and paramilitaries.

Pence's trip to Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Panama was dominated by US efforts to find joint action with Latin American partners to increase pressure on Maduro.

Washington has already imposed unilateral sanctions on Maduro and nearly two dozen of his officials over the establishment of a new loyalist body, an all-powerful Constituent Assembly, that supersedes the legislature controlled by the opposition.

Specifically on the threat of military action, Pence said: "President Trump is a leader who says what he means and means what he says."

But he emphasized his trip was "to marshal the unprecedented support of countries across Latin America to achieve by peaceable means the restoration of democracy in Latin America, and we believe it is achievable by those means."

- Eclipsing other issues -

Trump's stated possibility of a US military operation looked likely to shadow Pence at every stop, eclipsing bilateral issues, especially trade, that he was raising along the way.

In Venezuela, Maduro's regime has seized onto Trump's threat as proof of its oft-repeated claim that the United States wanted to topple the current leftist government to get its hands on Venezuela's oil reserves, the largest in the world.

The Venezuelan opposition coalition seeking to oust Maduro through early elections on Sunday also rejected "the use of force, or the threat of applying such force, by whatever country against Venezuela," in a statement.

Venezuela's leftist allies Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador and Nicaragua meanwhile all backed Venezuela in a confrontation against its "imperialist" foe.

Venezuela's economy is heavily reliant on its oil exports, and shipments to the US -- its biggest customer -- account for 40 percent of its crude production, but only eight percent of American oil imports.

The US sanctions so far have been against individuals and not targeted Venezuela's oil industry, which would have consequences for US refineries.
Kuwait is a major producer of oil and gas, which make up around 95 percent of its export revenues

Emergency workers are battling to contain an oil spill near a joint Kuwaiti-Saudi oilfield in the Gulf, an official said Sunday.

"Emergency oil teams are still struggling to put an oil spill near Kuwait's southern Ras Al-Zour area under control," said Kuwait Petroleum Corporation spokesman Talal al-Khaled in a statement carried by the official KUNA news agency.

There were no official reports on the source or size of the spill in the waters off Kuwait's southern coast, near the joint Kuwaiti-Saudi offshore Al-Khafji oilfield.

Kuwaiti media however on Sunday quoted local oil experts as saying the spill originated from an old 50-kilometre (31-mile) pipeline from Al-Khafji.

The experts estimated that as many as 35,000 barrels of crude oil may have leaked into the waters off Al-Zour, where Kuwait is building a massive $30 billion oil complex that includes a 615,000-barrel-per-day refinery.

Emergency teams have sealed off two power and water desalination plants in the area to prevent the contamination of drinking water.

Kuwait depends largely on desalination for its fresh water supplies.

Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, located south of Kuwait along the Gulf coast, said the spill had not reached their waters.

Saudi Arabia said that it had put into action a "crisis management plan" and was conducting an aerial survey of its oil plants along the coast in a statement published by the official SPA news agency.

The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation said teams from Saudi Arabian Chevron and the Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) had joined the teams cleaning the coastal waters.

Kuwait is a major producer of oil and gas, which make up around 95 percent of its export revenues.
Kashmir has been the scene of sporadic violence for decades

Two soldiers and three rebels were killed in an overnight gunbattle in Kashmir, officials said Sunday, in the latest bloodshed in the disputed Himalayan territory.

Hundreds of Indian soldiers and counter-insurgency forces surrounded Awneera, a village about 50 kilometres (32 miles) south of the main city of Srinagar, on Saturday evening following a tip-off about armed militants in the area.

A fierce firefight broke out in which three militants and two soldiers were killed, army spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia told AFP.

A police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the militants were identified as locals.

As news of their death spread, hundreds of residents from neighbouring villages took to the streets in protest, throwing stones at soldiers and chanting slogans against Indian rule.

In a separate incident early Sunday rebels fired at an army convoy in the northern are of Hajin and injured two police officers and a soldier, the same police officer said.

On Saturday a civilian and a soldier were killed in gunfire between Indian and Pakistan soldiers along the heavily militarised de facto border splitting the territory.

At least 130 militants and 39 soldiers have died in clashes so far this year, officials say.

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 fought since 1989 in Indian Kashmir, demanding independence or a merger of the territory with Pakistan, and tens of thousands -- mostly civilians -- have been killed.
Iran says its missile programme is for defensive purposes only

Iran's parliament on Sunday approved more than half a billion dollars in funding for the country's missile programme and foreign operations of the elite Revolutionary Guards in response to US sanctions.

The move follows a spike in tensions between Tehran and Washington since US President Donald Trump took office in January with a vow to get tough on the Islamic republic.

"The Americans should know that this was our first action," said parliament speaker Ali Larijani, after announcing overwhelming support for a package "to confront terrorist and adventurist actions by the United States in the region".

After the vote result was announced, lawmakers shouted: "Death to America."

A total of 240 parliamentarians out of 244 present voted for the bill.

It mandates the government to allocate an additional $260 million for missile development and the same amount to the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations wing, the Quds Force, state news agency IRNA said.

The Quds Force leads Iran's military role in Syria and Iraq.

The vote came after the United States imposed fresh US sanctions against Iran in July, targeting its missile programme.

Tehran says the measures violate a 2015 deal with world powers that eased sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Trump repeatedly threatened to tear up what he once called "the worst deal ever", but last month he backed away from a key campaign promise to withdraw from the nuclear agreement.

- 'Hostile US actions' -

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the bill passed on Sunday had the support of the government.

The bill is "very smart particularly because it doesn't violate the nuclear deal and doesn't allow the other side to make excuses," he added.

"Iran boasts potential and actual options to confront hostile US actions".

The United States has had no diplomatic ties with the Iran since 1980, and Trump has halted the direct contacts initiated by his predecessor Barack Obama.

A string of close encounters between US ships and Iranian vessels in the Gulf in recent months has added to the tensions between the two countries.

Araghchi said that the Iranian bill was a far-reaching response to the measures passed by US Congress that Iranian media have called the "mother of sanctions" because they sum up all existing anti-Iran sanctions.

The bill sends "a direct message of Iran's dissatisfaction with the violations of the deal by the other side while avoiding breaching it in the process," Foad Izadi, a professor of international politics at Tehran University, told AFP.

By defining the cost to the US of violating the nuclear deal, the Iranian bill would help to safeguard the agreement, he said.

"When the other side doesn't pay any price, it breaches the deal with no obstacles, but it is hoped that if they are to pay the costs, at least they calculate them and reduce their violations."

The bill's text said that Iran "recognises the entire American military and intelligence forces as terrorist groups" for their "implicit and explicit support for terrorist groups" in the region, their role in creating the Islamic State group, and "the support for violators of fundamental humans rights especially the dictator and violent regimes".

Under the law, the foreign ministry is tasked to create and publish a blacklist of people to be put under sanctions -- in cooperation with the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations wing, Central Bank, and ministry of intelligence.

Tehran's sanctions aim to ban such persons from entering Iran, confiscate their assets within the powers of the Islamic republic, and block their financial transactions.

It excludes whistleblowers who reveal America's "illegal activities, crimes, torture and election fraud", namely in Iraq, Afghanistan or elsewhere.

The bill also mandates the economy ministry to prioritise deals with countries and companies that ignore financial and military sanctions on Iran.

It orders the foreign ministry and the judiciary to take measures to protect Iranians in US prisons for violation of sanctions or facing persecution and extradition elsewhere.
General John Nicholson, commander of US forces in Afghanistan, said Thursday's US air strike killed Abdul Rahman, who he claimed was a provincial leader in IS's Afghanistan branch

Several senior Islamic State group members in Afghanistan -- including a provincial leader -- have been killed in a United States air strike, an official said Sunday.

General John Nicholson, commander of US forces in Afghanistan, said Thursday's strike killed Abdul Rahman, who he claimed was a provincial leader in IS's Afghanistan branch, known as IS-Khorasan Province (IS-K).

Rahman's death comes a month after US forces killed Abu Sayed, the head of IS-K. That marked the third time in a year that the affiliate had lost its leader.

"The death of Abdul Rahman deals yet another blow to the senior leadership of ISIS-K," Nicholson said in a statement.

"He found out just like those before him that there are no safe havens in Afghanistan. We will hunt them down until they are no longer a threat to the Afghan people and the region," he added.

Nicholson said that three other senior IS-K members had been killed in the strike in Darah-Ye Pech district in the northeastern province of Kunar.

He identified Rahman as IS-K's provincial emir in Kunar and said he had been a "primary candidate" to succeed Sayed as the affiliate's leader following the latter's death, also in an air strike in Kunar, on July 11.

US forces have regularly been targeting IS fighters in Afghanistan since the insurgents gained a foothold in the east of the country in 2015.

The US says it wants to defeat them by the end of the year.

In April, the US military in Afghanistan dropped the so-called Mother Of All Bombs (MOAB) to target IS hideouts in a complex of tunnels and bunkers in eastern Nangarhar province, killing over 90 militants.

IS continues to wreak havoc in the war-torn country though. Earlier this month it claimed an attack on a mosque in Herat that killed 33 worshippers.
Gharials are close to extinction

Bangladeshi conservationists introduced two rare river-dwelling crocodiles to potential mates Sunday in a last-ditch attempt to save the critically-endangered species from extinction.

A 36-year-old female gharial -- a fish-eating crocodile once native to rivers across the Indian subcontinent -- was brought from a zoo in northeast Bangladesh to the capital Dhaka, where it is hoped she will mate with an older male to repopulate the species.

A separate 40-year-old male was returned to the zoo in Rajshahi where there are only females.

Gharials can only breed until the age of 50 and as the small captive population in Bangladesh ages, conservationists decided intervention was needed if the species was to have any chance of survival.

"This is our last hope to rescue the critically-endangered gharial from total extinction," Sarowar Alam, who heads the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Bangladesh gharial project, told AFP.

"We're hopeful we'll get some results, even though there are fears these adults gharials may have lost the urge to mate."

Bangladesh, with its vast network of rivers, was once a key habitat for the gharial, a crocodile distinctive for its large body and long thin snout.

But today they are virtually extinct in Bangladesh and the few which are seen likely made their way downstream from India.

There has been no sighting of gharials in Bangladesh's two Himalayan rivers -- the Ganges and Brahmaputra -- in more than a decade.

The species has also all but vanished from its erstwhile habitats in Pakistan and Bhutan, with fewer than 200 existing in rivers mainly in India but also Nepal.

There are 11 captive gharials in Bangladesh, officials say, and if the breeding programme is a success it is hoped the infants can be released back into the wild.

"This is the first time we've decided to exchange the gharials among zoos so that they can mate and breed," Jahidul Kabir, the government's conservator of forests, told AFP.

The Padma and Jamuna rivers, the main tributaries of the two Himalayan rivers, have been identified as potential sanctuaries for the species should it repopulate.

Conservationists have built artificial sandbanks in the zoos for the breeding exercise. Though gharials spend most of their time in water, sandy banks are essential for building nests and basking.
As part of its economic reforms, Saudi Arabia is due to introduce value-added tax (VAT) in early 2018

Saudi Arabia's budget deficit halved in the first six months of this year, the finance ministry said Sunday, following sweeping spending cuts and a stabilisation in oil prices.

The ultra-conservative kingdom has moved to diversify its traditionally oil-dependent economy following a sharp fall in crude prices.

The budget deficit dropped by 51 percent to 72 billion riyals ($19.2 billion, 16.2 billion euros) in the first half of 2017, the finance ministry announced.

"This result reflects an improvement in the management of public finances as a result of economic reform introduced through Vision 2030," said Saad al-Shahrani, a high-ranking ministry official.

The Vision 2030 plan, announced by the kingdom last year, aims to develop Saudi Arabia's industrial and investment base and boost small- and medium-sized businesses to create local jobs and reduce reliance on oil revenue.

It is the second budget report released by Riyadh since the authorities announced in May they would begin issuing the figures on a quarterly basis to boost transparency.

The kingdom has regularly posted budget deficits since 2014, following a slump in oil prices.

Saudi Arabia, the world's largest crude exporter, in December projected a budget deficit of $53 billion for this year.

Revenues for the first half of the fiscal year were up 29 percent to 308 billion riyals ($82.1 billion, 69.4 billion euros) from the same period last year.

Spending in the first six months dropped 2.0 percent to 380.7 billion riyals.

As part of its reforms, Saudi Arabia is due to introduce value-added tax (VAT) in early 2018 along with the UAE and Qatar.

Three other Gulf states -- Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman -- plan to follow at a later date.

Riyadh announced in June it had begun taxing foreigners working in the private sector as part of its fiscal reforms.

The country is also preparing to sell just under five percent of energy giant Aramco next year.

Saudi Arabia raised $17.5 billion in its first international bond offering in October 2016.
Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga claims three presidential elections have now been stolen from him

Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga vowed Sunday not to back down over an election he claims was stolen from him and urged his supporters to boycott work while he mulls his next move.

The 72-year-old emerged for the first time since his election defeat on Friday night, urging massive crowds in Nairobi's Kibera and Mathare slums to stay away from work Monday and steer clear of police after 16 people were killed in protests.

"We had predicted they will steal the election and that's what happened. We are not done yet. We will not give up. Wait for the next course of action which I will announce the day after tomorrow (Tuesday)," he told a heaving crowd of supporters in the capital's largest slum, Kibera.

While deadly protests that broke out Friday night after President Uhuru Kenyatta was re-elected appeared to have fizzled Sunday, AFP photographers witnessed a violent clash between rival supporters in which two men were badly beaten.

Just hours after Odinga's visit to another slum, Mathare, supporters from his Luo ethnic group torched businesses belonging to members of Kenyatta's Kikuyu who they accused of attacking one of their own.

Kenya: Call for calm

An AFP photographer saw the Luo man lying on the ground, with blood seeping from his head.

Several hundred people then gathered on either side, armed with sticks, bows and arrows. Clashes followed in which a Kikuyu man was beaten, his head smashed in with sticks and a rock, according to a second AFP photographer.

Calm later returned to the area, AFP journalists said.

- 'Zero-sum game' -

Politics in Kenya is largely divided along tribal lines, and the winner-takes-all nature of elections has long stoked communal divisions.

Three of Kenya's four presidents have been Kikuyu and the other Kalenjin, leaving Luos and other major ethnic groups feeling excluded from power and marginalised for over half a century.

Voting in Kenya is largely divided along tribal lines, stoking communal divisions

In 2007 Odinga and his allies claimed an election was stolen by Mwai Kibaki -- a Kikuyu. Foreign observers agreed there had been irregularities.

Political grievances -- over land and access to power linked to old ethnic fault lines -- burst into the open, leading to two months of violence which left 1,100 people dead and 600,000 displaced.

"The reason elections have become a trigger for violence is the relationship between power and prosperity. It is a zero-sum game and winning becomes a life and death matter, hence losing is not an option," the Daily Nation wrote in its editorial.

Odinga, who scored nearly 45 percent of votes, has a huge following notably among the poor who are drawn to his platform of more equitable economic growth.

- 'We are ready to die' -

Odinga's National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition has insisted he was robbed of victory through hacking and manipulation of an electronic vote tallying system.

Local election observer group ELOG, which deployed 8,300 observers and conducted a parallel tallying operation, determined Kenyatta had won with 54 percent -- the same figure given by the electoral commission.

The election was Odinga's fourth failed shot at the presidency

The United Nations, Britain, France and the European Union have issued statements urging Odinga to call his supporters to calm and use legal means to express his grievances.

However NASA ruled out turning to court, where Odinga lost a claim against a disputed election in 2013.

The election was his fourth failed shot at the presidency.

"We're very ready for whatever will come," said Duncan Nyamo, an Odinga supporter who was among the crowd in Kibera. "We are ready to die."

- Life returns to normal -

Friday's announcement of the election results sparked immediate protests in Odinga's strongholds, which have left at least 16 people dead according to an AFP tally.

On Sunday there were signs of life returning to normal as shopkeepers cautiously reopened after two days of running battles with police, who in some cases fired live ammunition to disperse protesters.

Seven of the dead were killed in clashes in the west of the country, which was also calm on Sunday.

"These are people killed in the confrontations with officers since Friday night," said a regional police officer.

Nine people died in Nairobi, including a nine-year-old girl whose family said she had been shot in the back while playing on a balcony in Mathare as police opened fire on protesters.

The Doctors without Borders (MSF) charity said on Twitter it had treated over 80 people, some with gunshot wounds, fractures and soft tissue injuries.

Police inspector general George Kinoti said in a statement there had been only six people killed when they tried to attack officers. The police said the girl was shot by "unknown persons".
Vast crowds cheer Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga as he makes his first public comments since results showed him losing the August 8 presidential election

Churches preached peace on Sunday in Mathare, a Nairobi slum that has been hit by days of violent demonstrations since last week's disputed presidential vote, but it was opposition leader Raila Odinga the people were desperate to hear from.

Odinga had been silent since the Friday night declaration that his opponent, incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta, had won the election, but he re-emerged Sunday afternoon to reiterate his claims of vote fraud and to announce that his next moves would be unveiled on Tuesday.

"I want to tell you not to go to work tomorrow (Monday). We are not done yet. We will not give up," Odinga told thousands of fist-pumping supporters who gathered in a dirt clearing in Nairobi's Kibera slum.

The speech was exactly what his supporters wanted to hear as they waited for a sign from their flagbearer after scenes of looting and clashes in opposition strongholds like Kibera and Mathare and in parts of western Kenya.

- 'Ready for whatever will come' -

A worshipper awaits the start of prayers in the Divine Church of Africa in Nairobi's Mathare slum, which has been hit by deadly post-election violence

"It was quiet and we were worried, because we did not know the plan. Now, we're very ready for whatever will come," said Duncan Nyamo, an Odinga supporter who was among the crowd in the slum.

"We are ready to die."

In both Kibera and Mathare, roads still displayed burn marks from tyres set ablaze by protesters over previous days, but on Sunday many people were going about their business and some shopkeepers were timidly reopening.

"It has been very violent over the past few days, but it's a lot calmer today," said Susan Atieno, 19, as she sold doughnuts on a garbage-strewn roadside in Mathare.

AFP's tally of deaths between Friday evening and Saturday night stands at 16, including nine killed in Nairobi's slums.

- Deep frustration -

A total of 16 people have been killed in the post-election violence in Kenya, including nine in the Nairobi slums of Mathare, Kibera and Kawangware

Slum residents flocked to church on Sunday where pastors urged peace, while understanding the concerns of their congregation.

"What you have to understand is the amount of frustration here," Reverend Julius Tai said outside his tiny corrugated iron church with 30 plastic chairs for worshippers.

Kenyatta, a wealthy member of the Kikuyu elite, was elected Friday with more than 54 percent of the vote, beating Odinga, a Luo.

It is the fourth time Odinga has lost a presidential election, running on a platform of more equitable economic growth, an argument that goes down well in the slums.

But ethnic grievance is also a key aspect of his appeal.

"Since independence, only two tribes have ruled the country, but the others also want their share of the cake," the pastor said.

Three of Kenya's four presidents have been Kikuyu and the other Kalenjin, leaving Luos feeling excluded from power for over half a century.

- 'Violence is useless' -

Ten years after the worst electoral violence in Kenya's history left 1,100 dead, the pastor called for peace.

"I firmly believe in the rule of law, and we should use the justice if we want to protest against the election result," Tai said.

"Violence is useless. After all, we are all Kenyan brothers, and you don't kill your brother."

Kenyan security forces patrol the Nairobi slum of Mathare after protests by supporters of opposition Raila Odinga who claims last week's election was rigged

Nearby, Reverend John Gitonga gave a sermon at his church. "It is important to respect peace, we are not different from our neighbours," he said.

Religious beliefs are strongly held in Kenya and among the protesters, said Patrick, a 25-year-old Odinga supporter who had taken to the streets in recent days.

"Today, it's the day of the Lord, so the slum is quiet. But we are waiting for Raila's instructions, and we'll do exactly what he says."

Susan, the doughnut vendor, was more circumspect. "I will listen to Raila to know the way forward, but violence is not good for business, I have to pay the rent, and to eat," she said.

And if he calls for violence? "I will listen to God first," she replied.
Malaysia's ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad led a town hall meeting aimed at highlighting a major financial scandal that has ensnared Prime Minister Najib Razak

A forum led by Malaysia's ex-leader Mahathir Mohamad, who is seeking to oust the government, descended into violence Sunday as participants threw shoes and chairs and set off flares.

The town hall meeting was aimed at highlighting a major financial scandal that has ensnared Prime Minister Najib Razak, and which has spurred Mahathir, 92, into coming out of retirement to take on his ex-protege.

But about 90 minutes into the event in Shah Alam, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, troublemakers started throwing shoes, chairs and bottles towards Mahathir, organiser Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman told AFP.

They also set off flares during the short outburst of violence in the community hall where the event took place, with video footage showing the room filling with smoke.

Mahathir, who had been taking questions from the audience when the violence erupted, was escorted from the building and was unhurt, Syed Saddiq said. At least two people were injured, he added.

"It is clear it was designed to silence Mahathir and the opposition," said Syed Saddiq, the youth chief of Mahathir's recently established Bersatu party.

"But we will never be cowed by these cowards."

Senior opposition figure Azmin Ali accused Najib of "using gangsterism to silence Mahathir. This is a cowardly act".

It was not clear who was behind the violence but it illustrates that political tensions are rising before elections which Najib must call by mid-2018, and that Mahathir is viewed as a potent threat.

Mahathir, who was premier from 1981 to 2003, has excoriated Najib over allegations billions were looted from state investment fund 1MDB in an audacious campaign of fraud and money-laundering.

Before the violence erupted at Sunday's event, called "Nothing to Hide" and attended by some 2,000 people, Mahathir had repeated his criticisms of Najib over 1MDB.

Najib, whose United Malays National Organisation has been in power at the head of a coalition since independence in 1957, and 1MDB deny wrongdoing.

Mahathir's party has joined the opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan, or Alliance of Hope. It last month announced a new leadership line-up, with Mahathir as chairman and his former rival Anwar Ibrahim -- who is in jail -- as overall leader.
Former Shabaab deputy leader and spokesman Muktar Robow (centre), pictured in 2008

A one-time deputy leader and spokesman for Somalia's Shabaab insurgents defected to the country's government on Sunday, a local official said.

Muktar Robow was the subject of a $5 million bounty from the United States for his role with the Al-Qaeda linked Islamist militants.

But his split with former Shabaab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane four years ago led him to seek safety in his hometown in Somalia's southwest Bakool region, though he never formally renounced the insurgency.

"Muktar Robow defected from Shabaab and he is now in Hudur meeting with government officials," district commissioner Mohamed Moalim told reporters, referring to the Bakool district capital.

Godane was killed by a US air strike in 2014, but the bad blood between the militants and Robow appeared to have continued.

A security source told AFP Robow's surrender came after Islamist militants attacked him last week.

His name also no longer appears on the US's Rewards for Justice wanted list.

The defection is a blow to Shabaab, which remains deadly in Somalia despite the presence of a 22,000-strong African Union force dedicated to fighting it and supporting the internationally backed government based in Mogadishu.

Uganda's military last month said 12 of its soldiers had been killed in Somalia in an ambush claimed by the group.

Shabaab has also carried out attacks in Kenya and Uganda, both contributors to the AU force.
Members of the Syrian White Helmets bury their fellow comrades during a funeral in Sarmin, a jihadist-held town, on August 12, 2017, after seven were shot dead early in the morning during a raid on their base, according to the organisation

The United States expressed sadness and horror Sunday over the killing of seven members of Syria's White Helmets rescue service in a jihadist-held town near Idlib.

The seven were killed Saturday by unidentified assailants in a raid on their base in Sarmin, nine kilometers (5.6 miles) east of the city of Idlib.

The town is controlled by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham jihadist alliance, which denounced what it called an "ugly crime."

State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert extended condolences to the families of the victims.

"We are saddened and horrified to hear about the brutal murders of seven Syrian Civil Defense Members, more widely known as the White Helmets," she said.

"These cowardly acts of masked men took the lives of civilian volunteers who work tirelessly as first responders in order to save lives in incredibly dangerous environments," she said.

The White Helmets emerged in 2013, working to rescue civilians in rebel-held areas.

They have since gained international renown for their daring rescues, often filmed and circulated on social media, and were nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize.
South Africa's Caster Semenya, who won the women's 800m race at the world championships in London, claiming her third world title, has been dogged by accusations that she took testosterone suppressing medication

South African Caster Semenya, dogged by gender accusations since shooting to fame in 2009, won a third world title in the women's 800m on Sunday.

Semenya, the defending Olympic champion and also world champion in 2009 and 2011, timed 1min 55.16sec, the fastest time of the year so far.

Burundi's Francine Niyonsaba, the Olympic silver medallist and world indoor champion, finished second in 1:55.92, with American Ajee Wilson taking bronze (1:56.65).

"I just love you guys!" Semenya said in an address to the sell-out 60,000 seater London Stadium crowd.

"It feels like home in London. I used to say Berlin was like my home. Obviously it is South Africa, but there are such fantastic people here. Beautiful."

Semenya added: "I'm lucky to have a great support team who work with me. Full credit to them. Another world title is a fantastic honour for me and I love to do it here in London.

"The crowd are so welcoming to me and it makes it feel even more special."

Semenya hinted that it would now be time to tackle the world record of 1:53.28 set by Jarmila Kratochvilova back in 1983.

"We need to clear 1:55 first and it will require a lot of hard training," she said.

"I have Olympic, world and Commonwealth titles now so maybe it is time to target the world record. It's the next thing on the list. I know it will be difficult but I will have to attempt soon, maybe."

In the race itself, Wilson went out fast, with Niyonsaba on her coattails and Semenya happy to sit back in the pack. The South African was fifth going through the bell in a fast pace of 57.98sec.

Wilson made a move with 250 metres to run, Kenya's Olympic bronze medallist Margaret Wambui immediately falling off pace.

Hitting the home straight, Wilson and Niyonsaba were neck and neck before Semenya moved smoothly outside the lead duo and motored through the line for a convincing victory.

Semenya is back in the spotlight following a study funded by the IAAF and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that showed female athletes with naturally high levels of testosterone enjoy a competitive advantage of up to 4.5 percent over their rivals.

The 26-year-old South African was one of a number of women taking medication to lower her testosterone level until 2015 when the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) suspended an IAAF rule that enforced a limit on naturally occurring levels.

Semenya has studiously avoided the controversy, instead concentrating on her track performances and she won a bronze in the highly competitive 1500m on Monday in the opening race of her ambitious bid for a distance double.

Semenya, who stands to be awarded the 2012 Olympic gold medal after Russian winner Mariya Savinova was disqualified for doping, now has to await further meetings between the IAAF and CAS to discover if she again has to take testosterone suppressing medication.
US-backed Syrian forces fight fierce battles with IS jihadists in the Old City of Raqa on August 13, 2017

US-backed fighters fought pitched battles Sunday with Islamic State group jihadists inside their Syria bastion Raqa, an AFP correspondent said.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, the Arab-Kurd alliance, first entered Raqa two months ago and have since captured more than half of the northern city, but their progress has met fierce resistance from IS.

On Sunday, the two sides battled inside Raqa's Old City, trading volleys of mortar rounds and heavy machinegun fire, said the correspondent who was on the outskirts of the historic centre.

A warplane from the US-led coalition provided air cover and bombed IS positions in the Old City, with plumes of smoke billowing into the sky.

"There is heavy fighting. Our forces are trying to surround more and more Daesh (IS)," said Nuri Mahmud, a spokesman for the Kurdish YPG militia that dominates the SDF.

He said IS jihadists were "using every means at their disposal to survive".

Near the ancient wall surrounding the Old City, the AFP correspondent saw SDF fighters help five wounded comrades to safety after they were hit by shrapnel from a landmine explosion.

IS fighters have heavily mined the city to slow the SDF advance, and are also using booby-trapped cars, drones and suicide bombers.

Nevertheless the US-backed alliance has seized nine districts in the city's west and east since first entering Raqa on June 6 after a months-long campaign.

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 that between 20,000 and 50,000 people remain in the city, though others have given lower estimates.
Charlottesville's plan to remove this statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee sparked the wrath of white supremacists

A pretty university town imbued with American history, Charlottesville, Virginia has been thrust into the news by right-wing extremists whose views are deeply at odds with the city's sense of its own values.

This weekend was the second time this year that white supremacists occupied the normally peaceful streets of the city of 50,000. Dozens of Ku Klux Klan members had marched there on July 8.

But on Saturday their ranks had dramatically swollen, as hundreds of white nationalists -- some of them armed, and some from out of state -- arrived to take part in a rally that deteriorated into chaotic violence. One woman died and 19 people were injured after a car rammed a crowd amid clashes between demonstrators and counter-protesters.

Charlottesville owes its recent unhappy appearance in the headlines to the presence in one of its public parks of an imposing equestrian statue of General Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), the man who directed the Confederate troops of the pro-slavery states during the US Civil War.

When city officials voted in February to remove the monument -- seen by many as glorifying the cause of slavery -- they had little reason to suspect their community would become a national rallying point for radical, racist and anti-Semitic groups preaching white superiority.

- 'Not who we are' -

The contrast could not be greater: On one side, militants in camouflage garb driving in from across America in pickup trucks flying the Confederate flag.

On the other: a town of elegant red-brick buildings with neatly manicured lawns, where 80 percent of voters supported Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and residents feel scant sympathy for the xenophobic and hate-filled slogans of the "visitors."

"We are very clear that that's not who we are," Kristin Szakos, a City Council member, told AFP in July. "We make resolutions expressing our welcome of immigrants, our dedication to racial equity and reconciliation."

With a Jewish mayor and a black police chief, Charlottesville seeks to reflect the open and welcoming sentiment symbolized by its most prestigious local institution, the University of Virginia, founded in 1819 by former president Thomas Jefferson.

The campus is regularly ranked among the 25 best in the country, and UNESCO has classified its architecture as a World Heritage Site.

Also on the UNESCO list is nearby Monticello, the superb estate of Jefferson, the third US president. A man of wide-ranging knowledge and a voracious reader, Jefferson himself drew up the plans for his hilltop home, which overlooks Charlottesville and the surrounding wine country.

To listen to the people of Charlottesville, the fight over Confederate monuments, angrily waged in several Southern cities, is clearly not one they would have picked.

During the nation's bloody Civil War, fighting never quite reached the town.

Locals wish the same could be said today.
Hyeon Soo Lim, 62, was imprisoned by Pyongyang in January 2015 for carrying out "subversive activities," a charge steadfastly denied by Ottawa which sent a high-level delegation to secure his release

A Canadian pastor recently freed from imprisonment in North Korea spoke Sunday of the "overwhelming loneliness" and harsh conditions he experienced during his two-and-a-half years in a labor camp.

Hyeon Soo Lim, 62, was imprisoned by Pyongyang in January 2015 for carrying out "subversive activities," a charge steadfastly denied by Ottawa which sent a high-level delegation this week to secure his release.

The missionary finally returned home on Saturday, with his captors citing clemency on medical grounds.

He appeared slightly frail but in good spirits as he returned to his congregation at the Light Korean Presbyterian Church in Mississauga, a Toronto suburb.

Wearing a black suit and tie with a white shirt, the pastor sat alongside his son in the first row of worshippers. His granddaughter, who was born while he was away, perched on his knees.

He told the congregation: "From the first day of my detainment to the day I was released, I ate 2,757 meals in isolation by myself. It was difficult to see when and how the entire ordeal would end.

"During the winter, I had to dig holes that measured one meter wide and one meter deep. The ground was frozen. The mud was so hard that it took two days to dig one hole.

"It was incredibly challenging. My upper body was sweating, my fingers and toes were frostbitten. I also worked inside a coal storage facility, breaking apart coal."

The Canadian government has also thanked Sweden for its role in securing Lim's release, which comes as the United States and North Korea are engaged in a standoff after Pyongyang successfully tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles.

US President Donald Trump raised the stakes this week by vowing to rain down "fire and fury" on the authoritarian state, which is presently holding three American citizens.

At the time of his arrest, 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 was arrested and executed for treason in December 2013.

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 picture taken on August 12, 2017 shows a general view of people observing the wreckage of a fatal train collision in the area of Khorshid on the outskirts of Egypt's Mediterranean city of Alexandria from the day before

The head of Egypt's railway authority resigned Sunday after 41 people were killed in a train crash, the prime minister's office said.

A statement said that Transportation Minister Hisham Arafat had accepted the resignation of Medhat Shousha.

Arafat "affirmed the investigations are ongoing to reveal the causes of the trains' collision," according to the statement.

Egypt's latest train disaster saw two trains collide on the Cairo-Alexandria mainline on Friday, leading to the deaths of 41 people and injuring scores more.

It was the deadliest train accident in the North African country since a train ploughed into a bus carrying schoolchildren in November 2012, killing 47 people.

Also on Sunday, prosecutors ordered the detention of four people, including the drivers of the two trains, according to a statement.

Prosecutors also called in 10 other officials for questioning over the crash.
Elon Musk's SpaceX is poised to launch an unmanned cargo ship carrying a supercomputer to the International Space Station (ISS) today.

The supercomputer is hoped to help direct astronauts on future deep-space missions.

The goal is to test the computer for one year to see if it can operate in the harsh conditions of space - about the same amount of time as it would take for astronauts to arrive at Mars.

The liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Dragon cargo ship, is planned for 12:31pm ET (5:31pm BST) from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

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The goal of the mission is to test the Spaceborne Computer (rendering pictured) for one year to see if it can operate in the harsh conditions of space, about the same amount of time as it would take for astronauts to arrive at Mars

SUPERCOMPUTERS IN SPACE The goal is to test the Spaceborne Computer for one year to see if it can operate in the harsh conditions of space. This is about the same amount of time as it would take for astronauts to arrive at Mars. As astronauts travel millions of miles away, communications will become increasingly delayed. Messages from Mars to Earth would be delayed from between four minutes to 24 minutes one-way, depending on the distance between the planets, according to the European Space Agency. Supercomputers will be key to directing deep-space missions as astronauts become less reliant on instructions from ground control. Advertisement

The Dragon is packed with 6,400lbs (2,900 kg) of supplies, including a sophisticated supercomputer made by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), called The Spaceborne Computer.

About 10 minutes after launch, the rocket will attempt to make a controlled landing back on solid ground at Cape Canaveral, as part of SpaceX's ongoing effort to re-use rocket components after each take-off.

The weather forecast is 70 per cent favourable for launch, but if the launch is delayed for any reason, the next attempt would have to wait until next week.

This is due to a spacewalk planned for Thursday by Russian cosmonauts, who will deploy a series of satellites from the orbiting outpost.

The mission is the 12th official trip for SpaceX, which has a $1.6 billion (1.23 billion) contract with Nasa to supply the astronauts living in orbit over 20 trips.

As astronauts travel millions of miles away, communications will become increasingly delayed, meaning supercomputers will become key to directing missions.

Messages from Mars to Earth would be delayed from between four minutes to 24 minutes one-way, depending on the distance between the planets, according to the European Space Agency.

'Such a long communication lag would make any on-the-ground exploration challenging and potentially dangerous if astronauts are met with any mission critical scenarios that they're not able to solve themselves,' said HPE senior vice president Alain Andreoli in a statement.

The new supercomputer aims to provide 'sophisticated onboard computing resources that are capable of extended periods of uptime,' he added, describing the year-long effort as 'the first step in that direction.'

SpaceX is poised to launch an unmanned cargo ship to the International Space Station (file photo) today, including a supercomputer that could direct astronauts on future deep-space missions

The liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Dragon cargo ship (file photo), is planned for 12:31pm ET (5:31pm BST) from Cape Canaveral, Florida

Elon Musk (pictured) and his company SpaceX are hoping the supercomputer will help astronauts on a future mission to Mars

Another experiment on board is designed to help scientists study Parkinson's disease in greater detail in the hopes of finding better treatments.

Un-impeded by gravity, protein crystals can grow larger in space.

Scientists hope to use this environment to help them understand an important protein in Parkinsons disease, known as Leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2).

Until now, this protein has been difficult to study in Earth, according to researchers at the Michael J. Fox Foundation, which developed the research project.

Other experiments on board include a stem cell investigation for growing new lung tissue, and equipment for growing vegetables in space.
SAN DIEGO (AP) - An SUV fleeing from U.S. Border Patrol agents smashed through a guardrail and hurtled into a ravine off a San Diego freeway, killing three of the vehicle's occupants and seriously injuring a fourth, authorities said Friday.

The chase started after two agents on routine patrol ran the license plate of the GMC Envoy on Thursday after and were told that the vehicle was associated with a possibly armed man suspected of murder and human smuggling, the agency said in a statement.

When agents signaled to the SUV to pull over on busy Interstate 15, the driver took off.

The speeding driver swerved to exit the freeway when the SUV smashed through a guardrail before rolling down an embankment, ejecting the vehicle's occupants, the California Highway Patrol said.

Two people died at the scene, and a third person died at a hospital. A fourth occupant was seriously injured.

The deceased included a 28-year-old man from San Diego and a woman and man believed to be in their 20s, but authorities are still working on identifying them, California Highway Patrol Officer Jake Sanchez said. A 22-year-old man from San Juan Bautista, Mexico, remained hospitalized.

Border Patrol officials have not said whether the murder suspect was in the SUV at the time nor would they elaborate on the suspect's identity or offenses.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in San Diego said they did not have information Friday beyond the statement giving the basic facts. They referred calls to the California Highway Patrol.

Supervisory Border Patrol Agent Mark Endicott told The San Diego Union-Tribune that agents are "highly skilled and highly trained and develop a reasonable amount of suspicion before attempting a vehicle stop."

Border Patrol policy states agents can only chase vehicles when the benefit outweighs any immediate danger of such pursuits, according to the newspaper.

The policy was overhauled in the 1990s after a Border Patrol chase in California's Riverside County ended in a deadly crash near a high school. Four students and a father who was driving his son to school were killed.
NEW YORK (AP) - New York City police are searching for a man they suspect in a series of violent robberies against women.

On Friday, police released a photo from surveillance footage of the man they say robbed at least five women in Brooklyn.

Investigators say the suspect punched and tackled his victims and, on three separate occasions, pointed a gun at them.

Police tell (http://bit.ly/2vW5ovz ) WNBC-TV the first robbery was July 11 and the most recent was July 22.

They say the man stole cellphones from the women and, in some of instances, fled with debit cards and cash.

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Information from: WNBC-TV, http://www.nbcnewyork.com
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Latest on memorial for Australian woman shot and killed by a Minneapolis police officer (all times local):

8:05 p.m.

The fiance of Justine Damond, an Australian woman shot and killed by a Minneapolis police officer, has told more than 200 mourners "it felt like a privilege to love Justine."

Don Damond spoke Friday night at the memorial at a stage at Lake Harriet in southwest Minneapolis. He shared with the crowd some of the optimism expressed in three or four pages of words she would free-write every morning.

He said, he had "immense gratitude for being the one she chose." They were scheduled to be married next week.

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7:55 p.m.

The father of an Australian woman shot and killed by a Minneapolis police officer says at her public memorial service that "you have stolen our daughter and ripped her from our arms."

John Ruszczyk choked back tears as he talked about the pain of the loss of his daughter, Justine Damond. She was planning to get married next week.

Ruszczyk spoke at the memorial Friday night at a band shell at Lake Harriet in southwest Minneapolis.

He said: "Justine my daughter was killed by a bullet fired by an agent of the state. I don't understand. I should have been on a plane to her wedding but we were flying to her funeral."

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6:35 p.m.

Mourners wearing heart-shaped stickers have gathered at a lakefront stage to remember an Australian woman shot and killed by a police officer responding to her 911 call.

A banner above the band shell at Lake Harriet in southwest Minneapolis reads, "Move from fear and survival to fascination and creation." An Australian flag stood on the sage next to a large color photo of Justine Damond and pink and white flowers.

The 40-year-old was fatally shot by Officer Mohamed Noor on July 15 after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault near her home. A man at the back of the crowd held a sign that read, "NOOR RESIGN NOW."

Damond was engaged to be married in August. Her fiance, Don Damond, and her father, John Ruszczyk, were among those scheduled to speak at the public memorial.

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12:25 p.m.

A judge has approved a search warrant for investigators to examine the smartphones of two Minneapolis police officers in the fatal shooting of an Australian woman last month.

The search warrant application was filed Thursday. It shows that an agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension requested permission to download data from the iPhones issued by the Minneapolis Police Department.

The application says the information "may more clearly define" the officers' actions before and after 40-year-old Justine Damond (DAY'-mund) was killed on July 15.

Investigators have said Officer Mohamed Noor shot Damond after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault near her home.

Noor's partner told investigators a noise startled him just before Damond approached their police SUV. Noor was in the passenger seat and shot Damond through the open driver-side window.

Noor has declined to be interviewed by investigators and cannot be compelled to do so.

(This item has been corrected to show Damond was killed on July 15, not July 14.)

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12:15 a.m.

An Australian woman shot and killed by a Minneapolis police officer responding to her 911 call will be remembered at a public memorial at a lake near her home.

The life of 40-year-old Justine Damond (DAY'-mund) will be celebrated Friday night at Lake Harriet Band Shell in southwest Minneapolis.

Damond was fatally shot by Officer Mohamed Noor on July 15 after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault near her home.

Damond was engaged to be married in August. Her fiance, Don Damond, and her father, John Ruszczyk, are among those scheduled to speak at the memorial.

Attendees are encouraged to wear blue to honor Justine Damond. The memorial will end with a silent walk around Lake Harriet.
KUWAIT CITY (AP) - Abdulhussain Abdulredha, Kuwait's most prominent actor and comedian who delighted audiences with a comical portrayal of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, has died, according to state-run news agency KUNA. He was 78.

The actor was reported to be in a coma in a London hospital earlier in the week.

When news of his illness was first announced, Abdulredha received scores of well-wishes, including a phone call from the emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah.

Abdulredha began his career in the mid-1960s as one of the founders of TV drama and theater in the Gulf. Through his political and social satire, he documented a number of Kuwait's most important historical events, including the 1983 stock market meltdown, the spread of political Islam in the 1980s, and the issue of thousands of stateless people living without rights in Kuwait - known locally as the bidoon.

One of his most prominent plays, "Bye Bye London" (1981), addresses the influx of Arab tourists into London in the 1970s and touches on issues of Pan-Arabism.

In the comedy "Seif al-Arab" ("Arab Sword" 1992), Abdulredha portrays a comical version of Iraq's dictator Saddam Hussein during first Gulf War and his invasion of Kuwait.

In 1987, a number of religious politicians filed a defamation lawsuit against him, resulting in the cancellation of one of his plays. He received a sentence of three years in prison but was able to leave on bail.

He had a guest appearance in this year's "Selfie," a well-received Saudi-produced Arab comedy that aired during the Muslim religious month of Ramadan.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos spoke about a range of subjects, from for-profit schools to sexual assault on college campuses.

Some of her comments:

FEDERAL ROLE IN EDUCATION:

In this Aug. 9, 2017, photo, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is interviewed by The Associated Press in her office at the Education Department in Washington. It's been six months since her bruising Senate confirmation battle, and DeVos remains highly divisive. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

"We think that there has been an overreach in many cases on the part of the federal government in really intruding on states' issues and states' areas of responsibility as well as trying to engineer things from the federal level in a way that is not helpful to students overall."

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FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS:

"Let's be clear, no student should be defrauded and in case of fraud there should be remedy. But we also know this approach has been unevenly applied and if there's going to be regulation around some institutions we believe it needs to be fairly applied across the board."

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SCHOOL CHOICE

"I think there is an opportunity for the federal government to set a tone and I'm working to continue to do so every opportunity I have to talk about this to encourage states to look at programs within their states to consider the president's, the president has talked repeatedly about empowering parents with more choices and we are collectively discussing the best way to implement something like that, to encourage that from the federal level without enacting a big new federal program that's going to require a lot of administration."

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ACCOUNTABILITY

"Michigan has had a very robust accountability mechanism in that the chartering authorizers are held accountable for the performance of the schools that they charter. And there have been charters schools that have closed because of lack of enough students, so not enough parents choosing to send their child to whatever school or their fiscal performance. The fact that there have been charter schools closed I think is evidence of the fact that there is accountability. At the same time, there have been zero traditional public schools closed in Michigan for performance and I think that's a problem.

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AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS

"I think this has been a question before the courts and the courts have opined. We have not been involved with the Justice Department's posting and again I think as they have stated, this was an internal issue and one that they are continuing to move forward on. I think the bottom line here is that we want an environment where all students have an opportunity, an equal opportunity to get a great education whether that's at the K-12 level or the higher-ed level."

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HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

"Let me just comment on what I think was an out of context comment and a misunderstanding with the HBCUs. When I talked about it being a pioneer in choice it was because I acknowledge that racism was rampant and there were no choices. These HBCUs provided choices for black students that they didn't have. I think that that comment was - while I could have said it, stated it much better - my intention was to say they were pioneering on behalf of students that didn't have another choice. This was their only choice."

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BUILDING TRUST WITH MINORITIES

"My last three decades have been working on behalf of primarily minority families and students to allow them to make choices for their kids. And to think anything otherwise, my feelings otherwise for providing opportunities for minority students is just absolutely false. I mean, that's where my heart has been for three decades is to really empower and allow all families the same kind of opportunities I've had for my kids."

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SEXUAL ASSAULT ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES

"We know we have to get this right. We have to get this right on behalf of all students. I think it goes without saying, but I'll say it, sexual assault anywhere at any time is horrible and we need to decry it and at the same time we need to ensure that the processes to address it when it happens are done right."

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SEX EDUCATION IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS

"Having conversation around how you treat one another is a good thing, but also know that often actions speak louder than words and so I think the opportunity to model good behavior when children are at a very young age is important. I have six grandchildren and I'm keenly aware of the opportunity I have as a grandmother and my husband as a grandfather to pour into those children. And I would just hope that all parents and grandparents are really intentional about that. They're the primary educators. Clearly educators in the classroom have an opportunity as well but it's not a one place, one time conversation. It's really is a lifetime of conversation and modeling I think."

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PUBLIC SCHOOLS

"I know there are many schools that do a great job for the students they serve. And at the same time I know that even the best public school might not be a great fit for every single child and we need to recognize and acknowledge that. But we also need to encourage schools, public schools that are doing a great job to not rest on their laurels but to continue to improve because unless you're constantly oriented around continuous improvement and excellence we know that there's going to be reversion to something less than that."

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TEACHERS

"I think we need to honor and support great teachers in a way that I don't think they've been probably recognized as much recently, and we also need to be honest if there are classroom teachers who are not doing the job and I think there's got to be more conversation around that because we know for a fact that great classroom teachers are irreplaceable when it comes to students' ability to advance and achieve."
WASHINGTON (AP) - Among the paintings and photographs that decorate Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' sunlit, spacious office is the framed roll call from her Senate confirmation. It's a stark reminder of the bruising process that spurred angry protests, some ridicule and required the vice president's tie-breaking "yes" vote.

Six months on the job, DeVos is no less divisive.

Critics see her as hostile to public education and indifferent to civil rights, citing her impassioned push for school choice and her signing off on the repeal of some protections for LGBT students.

In this Aug. 9, 2017, photo, a framed reproduction of the roll call vote in Congress to approve Betsy DeVos as education secretary hangs on a wall in her office at the Education Department in Washington. It's been six months since her bruising Senate confirmation battle, and DeVos remains highly divisive. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Conservatives wish she had been less polarizing and more effective in promoting her agenda, noting that the department's budget requests are stalled in Congress and no tangible school choice plan has emerged.

DeVos is undeterred.

"We have seen decades of top-down mandated approaches that protect a system at the expense of individual students," DeVos told The Associated Press. "I am for individual students. I want each of them to have an opportunity to go to a school that works for them."

In her first comprehensive sit-down interview with a national media outlet since taking office, DeVos touched on some of the most pressing issues in K-12 and higher education.

She said Washington has a role to "set a tone" and encourage states to adopt choice programs without enacting "a big new federal program that's going to require a lot of administration." At the same time, she confirmed that a federal tax-credit voucher program was under consideration as part of a tax overhaul. "It's certainly part of our discussion," DeVos said.

DeVos, 59, appeared confident, but reserved during the 30-minute interview last week in her office, where photographs of her children and grandchildren and drawings and letters from young students are prominent. Large windows overlook the Capitol. Across the street, visitors lined up outside the National Air and Space Museum, which DeVos toured this year with Ivanka Trump to promote science and engineering among girls.

DeVos defended her decision to rewrite Obama-era rules intended to protect students against being deceived by vocational nondegree programs, saying that "the last administration really stepped much more heavily into areas that it should not."

Liberals accuse DeVos of looking out for the interests of for-profit schools, and they point to Trump University, the president's for-profit school that was sued for fraud. Supporters say the Obama regulations unfairly targeted for-profits and failed to track students' long-term careers.

The decision by the departments of Education and Justice to roll back rules allowing transgender students to use school restrooms of their choice enraged civil rights advocates, who said already vulnerable children could face even more harassment and bullying. Conservatives saw DeVos fulfilling a promise to return control over education issues to states, cities, school districts and parents.

"We really believe that states are the best laboratories of democracy on many fronts," DeVos said.

On the issue of school choice, DeVos was resolute. Another major flashpoint: charter schools, which are publicly funded but usually independently operated, and voucher programs that help families cover tuition at private schools. They're often criticized for a lack of transparency, and studies about their effectiveness have produced mixed results. DeVos disagrees.

"I think the first line of accountability is frankly with the parents," she said. "When parents are choosing school they are proactively making that choice."

For DeVos, who spent more than two decades promoting charter schools in her home state of Michigan, the closure of some low-performing charters was evidence of accountability. "At the same time, there have been zero traditional public schools closed in Michigan for performance and I think that's a problem," she said.

DeVos got off to a rocky start in the Trump Cabinet.

She was satirized for some of her gaffes during the confirmation hearing, such as saying that guns are needed in schools to protect students from grizzly bears. Teacher unions accused her of seeking to privatize public education. Parents and teachers jammed Congress phone lines to oppose her nomination.

It took Vice President Mike Pence's historic vote - the first by a vice president to break a 50-50 tie on a Cabinet nomination - to secure her position after two Republican senators defected.

DeVos is still sometimes met with protesters at public events, and her security detail has been bolstered at an additional cost of $7.8 million.

But DeVos isn't retreating.

She actively advocates for school choicce, once comparing education to ride-sharing services such as Uber and Lyft, and saying that parents, like riders, need options. Of the 17 K-12 schools that she has visited so far, only seven were traditional public schools. DeVos didn't attend public school herself or send her children to a public school.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, said in a recent speech that DeVos was a "public school denier" and quipped that DeVos can start talking about school choice even in reply to a simple greeting.

Conservatives say she may have oversold.

"She has made things harder for herself by acting as the secretary for school choice instead of the secretary of education," said Mike Petrilli, president of the conservative Thomas B. Fordham Institute. "She has missed the opportunity to make it clear that she wants to see all schools succeed."

Moderates are upset.

"I have feared that in trying to rush in with a simplified notion of choice - that she will love charters to death," said Robin Lake, director of the Center on Reinventing Public Education, a pro-charter group. "At this point, six months in, I don't see any evidence that we are farther along on helping with achievement, equity, with moving the country forward."

Asked to name some of the strengths of public schools that she has observed in her job, DeVos said only that she is "a very strong supporter of public schools."

"But we also need to encourage schools, public schools that are doing a great job to not rest on their laurels but to continue to improve because unless you're constantly oriented around continuous improvement and excellence we know that there's going to be reversion to something less than that," she added.

DeVos' proposal of a $9 billion, or 13.5 percent, cut to the education budget angered the left, but also drew criticism from top Republicans. The $20 billion school choice program that President Donald Trump promised during his campaign has so far failed to materialize. Last month, the House rejected his administration's plans for a $250 million private voucher program and a $1 billion in public school choice.

Petrilli said that was partly due to DeVos' divisive rhetoric and problems filling senior positions at the department, as well as controversies plaguing the White House. "Anyone in her position would be having a difficult time because of her boss," Petrilli said.

What grade should appear on DeVos' report card after her first six months in office?

"A very incomplete," said Patrick McGuinn, a professor of political science and education at Drew University.

In this Aug. 9, 2017, photo, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is interviewed by The Associated Press in her office at the Education Department in Washington. It's been six months since her bruising Senate confirmation battle, and DeVos remains highly divisive.(AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

In this Aug. 9, 2017, photo, flags decorate a space outside the office of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, at the Education Department in Washington. It's been six months since her bruising Senate confirmation battle, and DeVos remains highly divisive. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
The violence that broke out during a demonstration in Virginia has been building for months during a series of confrontations between white nationalists and people who oppose them.

Here are some of the clashes that have occurred across the United States this year:

- July 8: Ku Klux Klan members demonstrating in support of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee are confronted by hundreds of shouting opponents in Charlottesville.

- June 4: Police fire stun grenades and arrest more than a dozen people during a confrontation between supporters of President Donald Trump and so-called anti-fascist opponents in Portland, Oregon.

- May 7: Supporters and opponents of the removal of Confederate monuments in New Orleans converge in the same area, leading to angry confrontations that include scuffles and shouting.

- April 29: Members of the Traditionalist Workers Party, the National Socialist Movement and other groups engage in shouting matches with counter-demonstrators in Pikeville, Kentucky.

- April 18: Supporters and opponents of white nationalist Richard Spencer fight outside his appearance at Auburn University, resulting in three arrests.

- Feb. 2: Fights break out when the founder of a far-right men's organization appears at New York University, leading to 11 arrests.

- Feb. 1: Protesters hurl smoke bombs, break windows and spark a massive bonfire, prompting University of California at Berkeley officials to cancel a talk by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos for safety concerns.

- Jan. 20: Violent protests occur on Inauguration Day in Washington between supporters of President Donald Trump, including some white nationalists, and opponents. More than 200 people are arrested.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - White House official Omarosa Manigault-Newman clashed with a veteran news anchor during a panel discussion on policing in black communities held at the largest gathering of black journalists in the country.

The director of communications for the White House Office of Public Liaison was a late addition to the Friday afternoon panel at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in New Orleans.

Her conversation with anchor Ed Gordon became testy when he attempted to question Manigault-Newman on President Donald Trump's policies around policing in communities of color. Trump recently said some police officers are too courteous to suspects when arresting them.

FILE - In this April 27, 2017 file photo, Omarosa Manigault-Newman, political aide and communications director for the Office of Public Liaison at the White House under President Donald Trump's administration, speaks at the Women's Power Luncheon of the 2017 National Action Network convention, in New York. Manigault-Newman clashed with a veteran news anchor on Friday, Aug. 11 during a panel discussion on policing in black communities held at the largest gathering of black journalists in the country. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

The conversation quickly escalated into a tense exchange before Manigault-Newman, a former "Apprentice" contestant, left the stage. Several people in the audience, which included non-journalists, turned their backs in protest during the discussion.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Vice President Mike Pence will visit Colombia amid escalating tensions with neighboring Venezuela and North Korea.

Pence is set to meet with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on Sunday at the start of a weeklong trip to Latin America that is likely to be dominated by conversations about the deepening crisis in Venezuela, where the U.S. accuses President Nicolas Maduro of a power grab that has sparked deadly protests and condemnation across the region.

Trump appeared to complicate the discussions Friday with an unexpected statement that he would not rule out a "military option" in response to the Venezuelan government's attempt to consolidate power.

In this Aug. 10, 2017, photo, President Donald Trump, accompanied by Vice President Mike Pence, speaks to reporters before a security briefing at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. Pence departs Sunday for Latin America, a trip that comes on the heels of yet another provocative statement fromTrump that Pence is sure to have to answer for: this time Trump's sudden declaration that he would not rule out a "military option" in Venezuela, where president Nicolas Maduro has been consolidating power, plunging the country into chaos. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The statement drew immediate push-back, including from the Colombian Foreign Ministry, which condemned any "military measures and the use of force," and said that efforts to resolve Venezuela's breakdown in democracy should be peaceful and respect its sovereignty.

Pence's trip will also take him to Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; and Panama City, Panama, where he is expected to deliver a number of speeches, meet with the country's leaders and tour the newly expanded Panama Canal.

In Colombia, Pence is also expected to highlight trade, business investment and other ties between the nations, including U.S. support for the country's efforts to implement its peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

The U.S. will also likely be looking for assurances that Colombia is taking seriously the surging coca production in the country, which has been blamed partially on Santos' decision in 2015 to stop using crop-destroying herbicides.

A July United Nations report showed that coca production in Colombia had reached levels not seen in two decades, complicating the South American country's efforts to make its vast, lawless countryside more secure.

The Trump administration has been putting pressure on the country to curb the flow of drugs into the U.S, and Colombia has stepping up its forced eradication program and increased seizures of cocaine.
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's parliament voted overwhelmingly Sunday to increase spending on its ballistic missile program and the foreign operations of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, chanting "Death to America" in a direct challenge to Washington's newest sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

The lawmakers' vote comes amid growing anger in Iran over U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to renegotiate the nuclear deal struck with world powers in 2015. While they stressed the bill wouldn't violate the terms of that agreement, it again increases the friction between the two nations that routinely have tense encounters in the Persian Gulf.

In a session Sunday, 240 lawmakers voted for the bill, with only one abstention from the 247 legislators on hand, Iran's state-run news agency IRNA reported.

This photo taken on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017, shows an open session of the Iranian parliament in Tehran, Iran. Iran's parliament voted overwhelmingly Sunday to increase spending on its ballistic missile program and the foreign operations of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, chanting "Death to America" in a direct challenge to Washington's newest sanctions on the Islamic Republic. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

The bill now heads to an oversight committee called the Guardian Council, which is expected to approve it. Abbas Araghchi, a deputy foreign minister and senior nuclear negotiator on hand for the vote, said moderate President Hassan Rouhani's government would support the bill.

"The bill has very wisely tried not to violate the (nuclear deal) and also gives no chance to the other party to manipulate it," he said in comments reported by IRNA.

Under terms of the bill, some $800 million will be put toward several projects, including the Defense Ministry and its intelligence agencies. Among the agencies receiving money would be the Revolutionary Guards' Quds force, an expeditionary force run by Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who has been in Syria and Iraq.

The Guard, separate from Iran's conventional military forces, answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The bill also imposes a visa and travel ban on U.S. military and security organizations and their commanders who have provided financial, intelligence, military, logistic and training support to terrorists in the region, naming the Islamic State group and the Syrian branch of al-Qaida.

Iranian officials often accuse the U.S. of being involved with both groups. The U.S. is actively involved in a massive military campaign against the Islamic State group and has struck the al-Qaida affiliate as well.

Perhaps more relevantly, the bill also includes banning visas for American officials involved with the Iranian exile group called the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq. Prominent U.S. lawmakers and politicians have met with the group and spoken at its rallies. The MEK has paid one of Trump's Cabinet members and at least one adviser in the past for giving such speeches.

IRNA also referred to the money also being used to develop nuclear propellers. In December, Rouhani ordered officials to draw up plans on building nuclear-powered ships, something that appears to be allowed under the nuclear deal, over an earlier dispute on U.S. sanctions under the Obama administration.

Trump signed a sanctions bill earlier this month that included new measures imposed on Iran. That sparked new outrage in Iran, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accusing Trump of trying to "kill" the nuclear deal.

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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

In this photo taken on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017, lawmakers attend an open session of the Iranian parliament in Tehran, Iran. Iran's parliament voted overwhelmingly Sunday, Aug. 13, to increase spending on its ballistic missile program and the foreign operations of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, chanting "Death to America" in a direct challenge to Washington's newest sanctions on the Islamic Republic. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

In this photo taken on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017, lawmakers attend an open session of the Iranian parliament in Tehran, Iran. Iran's parliament voted overwhelmingly Sunday, Aug. 13, to increase spending on its ballistic missile program and the foreign operations of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, chanting "Death to America" in a direct challenge to Washington's newest sanctions on the Islamic Republic. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
BAGHDAD (AP) - The Islamic State group on Sunday claimed responsibility for an attack on Iraqi troops outside Karbala that left one dead, according to a statement from the group.

The attack late Saturday came as Iraqi forces prepare an assault on an IS-held town west of Mosul after the country's prime minister declared victory over the extremists in the country's second-largest city in July.

The IS-claimed suicide car bomb attack late Saturday struck a checkpoint outside Karbala and injured two others, according to Iraqi Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool, spokesman for the Joint Military Command.

The IS statement said the attack targeted a cement factory outside Karbala and resulted in dozens of casualties.

Karbala, some 90 kilometers (55 miles) south of Baghdad, is home to the Imam Hussein Shrine, one of the holiest sites in Shiite Islam.

After nearly nine months of grueling urban combat against IS in Mosul, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory there in July. The operation deprived IS of their last significant urban foothold in the country.

Now, Iraqi forces closely backed by the U.S.-led coalition are preparing to retake the IS-held town of Tal Afar west of Mosul.

The Islamic State group has launched waves of insurgent style attacks like the Karbala car bombing in the wake of territorial losses in Iraq. As Iraqi forces close in on the handful of IS-held pockets of territory in Iraq, coalition and Iraqi officials have warned that such attacks could increase.

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Yousef reported from Cairo.
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - When North Korea makes a threat, the government in Seoul usually vents its anger while South Koreans mostly shrug off what can seem like a daily barrage of hostility.

President Donald Trump has introduced a new wrinkle to this familiar pattern. His recent Pyongyang-style threat to unleash "fire and fury" on North Korea has been met with silence from the top levels of South Korea's government - and worry, sometimes anger, from the country's citizens.

It highlights an interesting feature of South Korea, a strong U.S. ally, trading partner and fellow democracy where there can seem to be as much, maybe more, worry about Trump's unpredictable style of leadership as there is about archrival North Korea.

FILE - In this May 14, 2017, file photo, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, right, presides over a meeting of the National Security Council at the presidential Blue House in Seoul, South Korea. When North Korea makes a threat, the government in Seoul vents its anger while South Korean citizens mostly shrug off what can seem like a daily barrage of hostility. Trump has introduced a new wrinkle to this familiar pattern. His recent Pyongyang-style threat to unleash "fire and fury" on the North has been met with silence from the top levels of government in Seoul - and worry, sometimes anger, from the country's citizens. (Yonhap via AP, File)

Many South Koreans ignore Pyongyang because they have lived with near-constant North Korean belligerence, and sometimes violence, since the Korean Peninsula was divided in 1945 and the two countries fought a bloody, three-year war five years later.

The government in Seoul, however, is far from indifferent to its northern neighbor.

When North Korea on Thursday repeated a threat against Guam, saying it was working on a plan to launch missiles into the waters near the U.S. territory, Roh Jae-cheon, spokesman of South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, appeared on TV to declare that Seoul and Washington were prepared to "immediately and sternly punish" any provocation by the North.

Contrast that with the official silence out of Seoul after Trump's comments on Tuesday, which seemed to take a page out of the North Korean playbook by warning of "fire and fury" if the North didn't stop threatening the United States.

South Korean citizens and the media have been less shy about ripping into both Trump, for his threat, and the government of President Moon Jae-in, for not taking the U.S. president to task for evoking a potential war that would likely result in tens of thousands of Korean deaths.

"Doesn't the Moon Jae-in government have to say something about Trump's over-the-line comments?" Jang Shin-ki, a 42-year-old man who lives in Seoul, wrote on Facebook.

There are feelings of bewilderment and powerlessness: Why should South Korea get sucked into a crisis created by a war of words between leaders in Washington and Pyongyang?

"Moon has talked about how South Korea should be in the driver's seat when it comes to dealing with North Korea, but that clearly was just rhetoric," Choi Do-hyun, a 39-year-old office worker in Seoul, said in an interview. "In reality, he can't say a word to Trump over an uncoordinated, excessive comment that threatens to send the Korean Peninsula to the path of war."

Moon, a liberal who favors engagement with the North, has kept mostly quiet over the past week. In a meeting with military officials Wednesday, he said that South Korea would need to "slightly supplement" its military readiness in the face of threats from North Korean nuclear weapons and missiles.

The daily JoongAng Ilbo newspaper took those comments as a sign of Moon's lack of urgency while Washington and Pyongyang trade "verbal bombs as if they are predicting a real war."

"These are times of emergency, when the strategic balance of the Korean Peninsula is entirely changing, and the expression 'slightly supplement' reflects an understanding of the situation that is too lax," the newspaper said in an editorial Thursday.

South Korea has long worried about being sidelined in international diplomacy meant to persuade the North to abandon its nuclear ambitions. The angst even has a name in Seoul: Korea Passing.

The Hankyoreh newspaper called for South Korea's government to take on a bigger role in solving the North Korean nuclear problem.

"It's very concerning that both Trump and (North Korean leader) Kim Jong Un are more unpredictable than the countries' previous leaders," the newspaper said in an editorial. "Although rhetoric is just rhetoric, you can't dismiss the possibility that a small misunderstanding could lead to an accidental clash if the comments continue to escalate."

The paper compared the situation to "two cars speeding toward each other."

FILE - In this Aug. 10, 2017, file photo, a man watches a television screen showing U.S. President Donald Trump, left, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a news program at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea. When North Korea makes a threat, the government in Seoul vents its anger while South Korean citizens mostly shrug off what can seem like a daily barrage of hostility. Trump has introduced a new wrinkle to this familiar pattern. His recent Pyongyang-style threat to unleash "fire and fury" on the North has been met with silence from the top levels of government in Seoul - and worry, sometimes anger, from the country's citizens. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

FILE - In this July 29, 2017, file photo, people watch a TV news program showing an image of North Korea's latest test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea. When North Korea makes a threat, the government in Seoul vents its anger while South Korean citizens mostly shrug off what can seem like a daily barrage of hostility. Trump has introduced a new wrinkle to this familiar pattern. His recent Pyongyang-style threat to unleash "fire and fury" on the North has been met with silence from the top levels of government in Seoul - and worry, sometimes anger, from the country's citizens. The signs read "North Korea launched in the same way as last July 4." (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2017, file photo, 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. When North Korea makes a threat, the government in Seoul vents its anger while South Korean citizens mostly shrug off what can seem like a daily barrage of hostility. Trump has introduced a new wrinkle to this familiar pattern. His recent Pyongyang-style threat to unleash "fire and fury" on the North has been met with silence from the top levels of government in Seoul - and worry, sometimes anger, from the country's citizens. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)
ROME (AP) - The Latest on Europe's response to the large number of refugees and migrants trying to reach the continent (all times local):

1:15 p.m.

The Romanian coastguard has intercepted a boat carrying 69 Iraqi migrants in Romanian waters of the Black Sea.

A spokeswoman for the coastguard says a patrol boat spotted the motorized yacht sailing under a Turkish flag on Sunday, about 10 miles from the port of Mangalia, in southeast Romania, close to the border with Bulgaria.

Authorities escorted the boat to shore. The boat was carrying 30 men, 10 women and 29 minors. It was driven by a Cypriot and Bulgarian.

Police are investigating.

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1:00 p.m.

A second humanitarian group is suspending migrant rescues in the Mediterranean Sea due to Libyan threats.

Germany-based Sea-Eye said Sunday that "with a heavy heart" it was forced to halt its ship's rescue activity for its crew's safety.

A day earlier, NGO Doctors Without Borders similarly cited Libyan threats in saying it's suspending sea rescue activities.

Libya has warned that it's extending its own search-and-rescue area to beyond the 12-mile limit Italy and other countries consider the boundary of Libyan territorial waters. A Spanish NGO rescue ship reported that the Libyan coast guard last week fired warning shots at them while the vessel was in international waters.

Humanitarian groups say migrants returned to Libya risk inhumane treatment.

Italy's foreign minister says fewer smuggler boats mean less earnings for human traffickers.
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) - A renegade leader of Somalia's Islamic extremist insurgents, al-Shabab, has surrendered to the government.

Mukhtar Robow was flown to Mogadishu Sunday from Hudur in southwestern Somalia, said Col. Adam Ahmed, a senior Somali police official. Robow was earlier airlifted from the Bakool jungle area where he and hundreds of his militia have been fighting al-Shabab since early last week.

Robow had fallen out with the al-Shabab leadership, which has been carrying out a purge of its ranks. The action against al-Shabab leaders was started by al-Shabab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane who started to kill his rivals. Among those killed was the rapping American Jihadist, Omar Hammami and Ibrahim Afghani, one of the group's founders and others. Godane was killed in a U.S. airstrike in 2014.

Robow's defection comes after the United States in June cancelled a $5 million reward offered for his capture. His surrender is the culmination of months of negotiations and it is believed the cancellation of the bounty for his capture helped convince Robow to give himself up to the Somalia government.

Robow, who was the deputy director of al-Shabab, is the highest official to have ever quit the group. Estimated to be in his 50s, Robow is one of al-Shabab's most experienced leaders, having traveled to Afghanistan and trained alongside al-Qaida around 2000 after studies in Sudan. He had served as an al-Shabab spokesman, military commander and spiritual leader who planned and executed deadly attacks on Somali government troops and African Union peacekeeping forces, according to the U.S. Rewards for Justice program.

Already under house arrest in Mogadishu is the former spiritual al-Shabab leader Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys. Aweys also defected to the government because of the purge within al-Shabab.

Al-Shabab last year was named the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa, with more than 4,200 people killed in 2016, according to the Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

The extremist group has vowed to step up attacks after the recently elected government of President Mohamed Abdullahi "Farmajo" Mohamed launched a new military offensive against it. The group also faces a new military push from the United States after President Donald Trump approved expanded operations, including airstrikes. Al-Shabab still controls parts of rural Somalia.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Seeking leverage with Russia, the Trump administration has reopened consideration of long-rejected plans to give Ukraine lethal weapons, even if that would plunge the United States deeper into the former Soviet republic's conflict.

The deliberations put pressure on President Donald Trump, who's fighting perceptions he is soft on the Kremlin amid investigations into whether his campaign colluded with Moscow to interfere in the 2016 U.S. election.

The proposal, endorsed by the Pentagon and the State Department, reflects his administration's growing frustration with Russian intransigence on Ukraine and a broader deterioration in U.S.-Russian ties. The tensions were seen most recently in Russian leader Vladimir Putin's order for America to eliminate more than half its diplomatic personnel in Russia.

FILE - In this June 20, 2017, file photo, President Donald Trump shakes hands with Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko during a meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Seeking leverage with Russia, the Trump administration has reopened consideration of long-rejected plans to give Ukraine lethal weapons, even if that would plunge the United States deeper into the former Soviet republic's conflict. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)

Awaiting Trump and his closest advisers is an authorization to provide Ukraine with anti-tank and potentially anti-aircraft capabilities, according to U.S. officials familiar with plan. It's not dramatically different from proposals rejected by President Barack Obama, who feared an influx of U.S. weapons could worsen the violence responsible for more than 10,000 deaths in Ukraine since 2014 and create the possibility of American arms killing Russian soldiers. Such a scenario could theoretically put the nuclear-armed nations closer to direct conflict.

While Obama was still in office, Trump's campaign also rejected the idea of arming Ukraine, preventing it from being included in the Republican platform.

Now, however, it's under discussion by Trump's senior national security aides, according to the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to talk about the matter publicly. While there is no deadline for a decision and one is not expected imminently, the debate is going on as U.S. and Russian diplomats prepare to meet as early as this coming week to explore ways to pacify eastern Ukraine, where Russian-backed separatists have fought the central government for three years.

"The Russians have indicated some willingness to begin to talk with us about a way forward on Ukraine," Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said after seeing his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, last week in the Philippines.

Tillerson noted his recent appointment of a special representative for Ukraine, Kurt Volker, who will coordinate with Russia and European countries to give "full visibility to all the parties that we're not trying to cut some kind of a deal on the side that excludes their interests in any way."

Russia hawks in the U.S. and uneasy American allies have feared such a prospect since Trump took office after a campaign in which he questioned NATO's viability and repeatedly expressed his wish for a new U.S.-Russian partnership. At one point, two years after Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region, Trump even challenged the notion that the Russians would "go into Ukraine."

Volker has proposed a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Putin ally Vladislav Surkov, before the end of the month. Lavrov said after his talks with Tillerson that the meeting would be in Moscow. U.S. officials say no venue has been determined, with the neutral venues of Geneva or Vienna also in play.

Volker, a former U.S. ambassador to NATO who is known as a Russia hawk, supports arming Ukraine. Such action, he says, would boost the U.S. negotiating position in the east and offer Kiev the means to defend itself against any future aggression. Unsurprisingly, Russia opposes such assistance and warns of consequences.

"I hear these arguments that it's somehow provocative to Russia or that it's going to embolden Ukraine to attack. These are just flat out wrong," Volker told an interviewer last month as he visited Europe on his first trip in his new post. He argued that arming Ukraine would help rather than hurt efforts to stop Russia from threatening or interfering in its neighbor's territory.

All proposals in recent years have focused on arms that are deemed "defensive" in nature and none would appear to give Ukraine any strategic edge over Russia's vastly superior military forces.

"We have not provided defensive weapons nor have we ruled out the option to do so," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said on Aug. 3. "That's an option that remains on the table."

A White House official would not comment on internal administration deliberations but noted that since the crisis began in 2014, the U.S. has provided Ukraine with support equipment for its forces and training and advice to further defense reforms.

Some U.S. officials say the idea is gaining currency because of Washington's impatience with Russia and its start-and-stop implementation of a 2015 agreement designed to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The Minsk Accords were agreed by Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia with the goal of enforcing a cease-fire in the east and introducing political reforms to give the area more political autonomy.

While the Obama administration allowed Europe to take the lead on the Minsk process, Volker has been empowered to make the U.S. a player in the effort.

The objective now is to change Russia's strategic thinking, one official said, and providing defensive weapons to Ukraine would be one way to do that.
CAIRO (AP) - Two members of a group suspected of being linked to the Muslim Brotherhood were killed Sunday in an exchange of gunfire with the police in a province outside the capital Cairo, the Interior Ministry said.

In a statement, the ministry added that the militants were hiding in a building in the province of Qaliubya and belonged to Hasm movement which was behind the killing of a police officer in July.

Hasm, which routinely targets Egyptian security forces in bombings and drive-by shootings, had claimed responsibility for gunning down Capt. Ibrahim Azazi on Friday while he was heading to a mosque.

The ministry said that the two militants, who were in their early twenties, were previously sentenced to 15 years for belonging to a terrorist group and participating in violence.

Meanwhile, two policemen were killed and six were injured late Saturday after their vehicle was struck by an improvised explosive device in the town of el-Arish in the northern Sinai Peninsula, the officials said.

The policemen's deaths bring the total number of security personnel killed in separate attacks in el-Arish and the border town of Rafah over the course of the past three days to 10, they said.

The officials requested anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media.

Egypt has been struggling to contain an insurgency by Islamic militants led by an affiliate of the Islamic State group centered in the northern region of the Sinai peninsula, though attacks on the mainland have recently increased.

The country is currently under a state of emergency, declared by President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi since twin bombings targeted churches in the northern cities of Alexandria and Tanta on Palm Sunday killing at least 45 people. The attacks were claimed by the Islamic State group.

The restive northern Sinai has been under a state of emergency since October 2014, after Islamic militants killed more than 30 soldiers in a single attack.
BERLIN (AP) - A top leader of Germany's anti-immigrant AfD party says it won't distribute campaign posters with the slogan "Islam? Doesn't fit with our cuisine" written above a piglet in a grass field - because it inspires too much sympathy for the pig.

Alexander Gauland, one of nationalist Alternative for Germany's main candidates in the Sept. 24 election, says the poster is "unusable."

He told Sunday's Bild newspaper: "that's because of the little piglet; I'm concerned children will say: 'What? They want to slaughter this pig?'"

"The poster campaigns for the piglet, not against Islam, so away with it."

AfD is sticking with other anti-Islam posters, including one with two white women in bathing suits and the slogan "Burkas? We like bikinis."

The party garners 8 percent support in the latest polls.
PIKE ROAD, Ala. (AP) - On a humid afternoon, U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, on his campaign bus named the Drain the Swamp Express, pulled into a central Alabama farmer's market and said he is the true conservative to help enact the agenda of President Donald Trump.

Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore in his own stump stop said the country voted for change with the election of Trump, but there are people in Washington D.C. who don't want it. "The swamp!" someone interjected from the crowd.

In the Alabama race for Attorney General Jeff Sessions' former Senate seat, the Republican slugfest primary is about love of all things Trump - with contenders competing to woo Trump voters - and disdain of the so-called swamp of Washington D.C.

FILE - In this Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2017, file photo, U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore holds a press conference in Montgomery, Ala. In the Alabama race for Attorney General Jeff Sessions' former Senate seat, the Republican slugfest primary is about love of all things Trump, with contenders openly wooing Trump voters, and hatred of the so-called swamp of Washington D.C. Sen. Luther Strange, who was appointed to the position in February, is trying to fight off a field of firebrand challengers, including U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks and Moore in the GOP primary. (Mickey Welsh/The Montgomery Advertiser via AP, File)

But Sen. Luther Strange, who was appointed to the position in February, last week was handed what could be his trump card in what's become a contentious GOP civil war. Trump delivered an endorsement of Strange one week before voters head to the polls, on Tuesday.

"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 tweeted Tuesday night.

The Strange campaign within hours had radio and digital ads touting the endorsement in the closing days of the campaign in a state that overwhelmingly supported Trump in 2016.

"I think it's going to make the difference. That's what I told the President," Strange said. Strange said the president offered his support in a Tuesday phone call and asked what he could do. "I said, well a tweet would be great," Strange said.

Despite national plummets in his approval ratings, Trump remains popular among Republican voters in the Deep South state where Trump resoundingly defeated Hillary Clinton.

"The average working man out here in America, we do not give one damn bit about the Russia situation," John Lake, who works at a Mobile-area shipyard, said during a Brooks campaign stop earlier this summer. "We're thinking about how we are going to pay our bills, how are we going to retire."

While Strange is boosted by Trump's endorsement, he could also be dragged down by accusations of his ties to establishment Republicans.

Strange is backed by a super political action committee tied to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The PAC has pumped millions into an advertisement blitz on behalf of Strange as it seeks to beat back GOP insurgents. Ever since a series of messy primaries led to losing general election Senate races in 2010 and 2012, Republicans led by McConnell of Kentucky have worked aggressively to defeat challengers deemed as fringe.

But that backing has become a major rallying cry for Strange's challengers. Brooks has labeled him as the candidates of the "swamp critters."

"The principled conservatives, my constituents, they're excited about telling Mitch McConnell that we don't like him butting into the state of Alabama and we want different leadership and we want support for President Trump's agenda," Brooks said at one campaign stop.

"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 said.

Moore was twice removed from duties as chief justice for defying courts on gay marriage and the public display of the Ten Commandments. He is particularly considered a tough competitor for Strange in the GOP primary because of his heavy support from evangelical voters.

The heated Republican primary will head into a September runoff unless a single candidate tops 50 percent of the vote in the first round of balloting on Tuesday.

Becky Gerritson, the head of the one the state's most active tea party groups, said Republicans in her area don't care for McConnell. Moore won the tea party organization's straw poll, but Gerritson said she supports Brooks.

"They are sick and tired of what is happening in Washington," Gerritson said. "We voted for Trump because we are ready for change."

FILE - 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. In the Alabama race for Attorney General Jeff Sessions' former Senate seat, the Republican slugfest primary is about love of all things Trump, with contenders openly wooing Trump voters, and hatred of the so-called swamp of Washington D.C. Sen. Strange, who was appointed to the position in February, is trying to fight off a field of firebrand challengers, including U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks and former chief justice Roy Moore in the GOP primary. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

FILE - In this March 22, 2017, file photo, Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala. is interviewed on Capitol Hill in Washington. In the Alabama race for Attorney General Jeff Sessions' former Senate seat, the Republican slugfest primary is about love of all things Trump, with contenders openly wooing Trump voters, and hatred of the so-called swamp of Washington D.C. Sen. Luther Strange, who was appointed to the position in February, is trying to fight off a field of firebrand challengers, including Brooks and former chief justice Roy Moore in the GOP primary. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
CARTAGENA, Colombia (AP) - The Latest on Vice President Mike Pence's trip to Latin American (all times local):

7:10 p.m.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is striking a balance between Latin America's opposition to military intervention in neighboring Venezuela, and President Trump's assertion that military action is an option.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence listens to Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos during a joint press conference at the presidential guesthouse in Cartagena, Colombia, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Cartagena is the first stop of Pence's weeklong trip to Latin America, that will also take him to Argentina, Chile and Panama. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara).

Pence held a news conference Sunday with Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos in Cartagena. Santos said he told Pence the U.S. must not even consider military action in response to Venezuela's crisis.

Pence did not directly rule out idea of U.S. military action. Instead, he emphasized that the U.S. will work together with many nations in their "neighborhood" to pressure President Nicolas Maduro so Venezuela's democracy can be restored.

Pence said several times, "but the president sent me here" to build on that partnership. Pence says, "As President Trump said a few days ago, we have lots of options for Venezuela."

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7 p.m.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is railing against Venezuela's descent into crisis. Pence says during a news conference in Colombia that "Venezuela is sliding into dictatorship" and says "the United States will not stand by" as democracy in the country "crumbles."

President Donald Trump shocked many last week when he said he would not rule out a "military" option when it comes to dealing with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's attempts to consolidate power.

Pence says he's confident they can find a peaceful solution, but did not explicitly rule out a military option.

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6:55 p.m.

Colombia's president has told U.S. Vice President Mike Pence the U.S. must not consider a military response to crisis in neighboring Venezuela.

President Donald Trump said last week he would not rule out a "military option."

Pence landed Sunday in Colombia, then held a news conference with President Juan Manuel Santos.

Santos says the U.S. and Colombia are great friends - and adds, "But since friends have to tell each other the truth," he told Pence that military intervention "shouldn't even be considered."

Santos says: "America is a continent of peace. It is the land of peace. Let us preserve it as such."

Pence did not directly respond, noting only that Trump has said the U.S. has many options in Venezuela.

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6:40 p.m.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence says he has one message as he begins a trip to Latin America in Cartagena: "The United States stands with Colombia."

He's also telling Colombian officials that a spike in coca production in the country "must end."

Pence is speaking at a joint press conference with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos on the first day of a weeklong trip to the region.

He's also announcing a decision by the U.S. to allow Colombian Hass avocados into the country.

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4:55 p.m.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is being greeted by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos at the presidential house in Cartagena, Colombia.

Pence had an informal meeting shortly after arriving in the country. He told Santos that President Donald Trump sends his greetings and thanks Santos for his hospitality.

Pence and Santos will be holding joint meetings on the lush property before delivering statements and taking media questions.

The visit comes after Trump said Friday he would not rule out a "military option" in response to the crisis in neighboring Venezuela. The Colombian Foreign Ministry has condemned Trump's statement, saying it opposes any military measures.

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4:45 p.m.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence has landed in Cartagena, Colombia, as he begins a weeklong trip to Latin America.

Pence's trip comes amid a series of crises, including rising tensions with North Korea, growing political upheaval in Venezuela and deadly violence at home in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Talks during his trip are expected to focus on how best to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to restore Democratic rule and bolster trade relations across the region.

Pence's trip includes stops in Argentina, Chile and Panama.

President Donald Trump remains at his golf club in New Jersey.

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1:45 p.m.

Venezuela's chief opposition coalition has issued a restrained criticism of President Donald Trump's talk of using a "military option" against the country's socialist government.

In a statement issued Sunday, the Democratic Unity coalition says it rejects "the use of force or threats of applying the same in Venezuela on the part of any country."

The statement doesn't directly mention Trump's statement on Friday, which alarmed many countries throughout the region, including allies such as Colombia. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence will be meeting later Sunday with Colombia's president.

The opposition declaration also ties its criticism to a renewed complaint about Cuban influence in the country.

Democratic Unity leaders have been among the key targets of a crackdown by Venezuela's government, which is backing a constitutional assembly to remake the country's political system.

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12:20 p.m.

A Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee is throwing cold water on President Donald Trump's statement that he's not ruling out a "military option" to help resolve the political crisis in Venezuela.

Here's what South Carolina's Lindsey Graham thinks: "I have no idea why we would use military force in Venezuela."

Graham says he's "a pretty hawkish guy" and knows why American troops are in places like Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, South Korea and Europe.

But Venezuela?

He says: "I'm open-minded to a reason, but at the end of the day, our military should be deployed when there's a national security interest that can be articulated to the American people. I don't see one in Venezuela in terms of the military force."

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12 p.m.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo (pahm-PAY'-oh) says that when President Donald Trump raised the prospect of possible U.S. military action in Venezuela, he was trying "to give the Venezuelan people hope and opportunity to create a situation where democracy can be restored."

Pompeo says Venezuela "could very much become a risk" to the U.S. if it descends into further chaos.

The CIA chief tells "Fox News Sunday" that "the Cubans are there. The Russians are there. The Iranians, Hezbollah are there. This is something that has a risk of getting to a very, very bad place. And so, America needs to take this very seriously."

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10:40 a.m.

President Donald Trump's national security adviser is defending the president's statement that he's not ruling out a "military option" to resolve the political crisis in Venezuela.

H.R. McMaster says Trump has asked his team to consider what might happen next in Venezuela.

McMaster says officials "want to not only be able to cope with the current situation, but understand better how this crisis might evolve."

He says the U.S. wants to protect the Venezuelan people and "prevent an even greater humanitarian catastrophe."

McMaster tells ABC's "This Week" that Trump "never takes options off the table in any of these situations and what we owe him are options."

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7:45 a.m.

Vice President Mike Pence is set to visit Latin America at a time of unrest in Venezuela.

Pence plans to meet with Colombia's president, Juan Manuel Santos, later Sunday at the start of a weeklong trip likely to be dominated by conversations about the crisis in Venezuela.

Colombia's Foreign Ministry has rejected President Donald Trump's statement that he wouldn't rule out a "military option" in response to the Venezuelan government's attempt to consolidate power.

The Colombian statement said efforts to resolve Venezuela's breakdown in democracy should be peaceful and respect its sovereignty.

Pence's schedule also includes stops in Argentina, Chile and Panama.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, and Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos, arrive to give a joint press conference at the presidential guesthouse in Cartagena, Colombia, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Cartagena is the first stop of Pence's weeklong trip to Latin America, that will also take him to Argentina, Chile and Panama. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara).

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, is welcomed by Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos at the presidential guesthouse in Cartagena, Colombia, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Cartagena is the first stop of Pence's weeklong trip to Latin America, that will also take him to Argentina, Chile and Panama. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is welcomed by Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos, left, at the presidential guesthouse in Cartagena, Colombia, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Cartagena is the first stop of Pence's weeklong trip to Latin America, that will also take him to Argentina, Chile and Panama. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence walk past the honor guard after being received by Colombia's Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin, far right, upon their arrival to the Rafael Nunez airport in Cartagena, Colombia, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Cartagena is the first stop of Pence's weeklong trip to Latin America that will also take him to Argentina, Chile and Panama. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, and his wife Karen Pence wave upon their arrival to the Rafael Nunez airport in Cartagena, Colombia, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Cartagena is the first stop of Pence's weeklong trip to Latin America that will also take him to Argentina, Chile and Panama. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) - Tudor Postelnicu, a Romanian politician who headed the country's secret police and suppressed dissent as a top aide of former leader Nicolae Ceausescu, has died, his wife said Sunday. He was 86.

Maria Postelnicu told Digi24 her husband died Saturday, weeks after he was admitted to a military hospital in the Romanian capital with breathing problems.

Postelnicu joined the youth wing of the Communist Party in 1945 after the party was legalized and rose within its ranks. In 1978, he was appointed to head the feared Securitate secret police, a position he held until 1987. He then became interior minister until Ceausescu was overthrown during a 1989 anti-communist revolt.

Postenicu was sentenced to prison in 1990, serving four years for aggravated murder before being released on health grounds. He was incarcerated again from 1998 to 1999.

At the time of his death, he was on trial with other former officials for crimes against humanity in the 1985 death of dissident Gheorghe Ursu, who died after being beaten by interrogators and inmates on the orders of the Securitate. Ursu kept a diary where he was critical of the Ceausescu regime.

Postelnicu was on a committee that crushed a coal miners' protest in the Jiu Valley in 1977. Later, as Securitate chief, he orchestrated a campaign to discredit dissident writer Paul Goma, who fled Romania in 1977, claiming Goma was a foreign agent.

As the 1989 revolt erupted, Postelnicu ordered a crackdown on unarmed demonstrators in the southwestern city of Timisoara in which 90 died.

He is survived by his wife. No funeral plans were immediately announced.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - The college town of Charlottesville, Virginia, is reeling after violent clashes erupted between a large gathering of white nationalists and hundreds of counter protesters. Three people were killed amid the turmoil that has exposed the nation's roiling racial and political divisions.

A federal investigation is underway after a 20-year-old Ohio man allegedly rammed his vehicle into a crowd of anti-racism protesters, killing a woman and seriously injuring scores of others.

Virginia State Police are also investigating after two troopers died when their helicopter, which had been deployed to the protests, crashed outside the city.

Takoda Patterson, center, protests against racism in Oakland, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. A group of several hundred demonstrators gathered to decry racism following deadly violence that erupted at a white nationalist demonstration in Virginia. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Here's a look at what's happening in Charlottesville and the reaction so far:

___

THE PROTESTS

White nationalists descended on the city this week to rally against plans to remove the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a city park.

The gathering is believed to be the largest in a decade of such groups, including neo-Nazis, skinheads and members of the Ku Klux Klan. Hundreds of other people came out to protest against the racism.

Fights broke out Friday night, when hundreds of white nationalists marched through the University of Virginia campus carrying torches. The violence escalated Saturday with street brawls and clashes.

Rally supporters and counter-protesters threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays. Men dressed in militia uniforms were carrying shields and long guns.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency. Police in riot gear ordered people out. Helicopters circled overhead.

___

THE CAR CRASH

A 32-year-old woman was killed when a Dodge Challenger suddenly barreled through a street filled with peaceful counter protesters Saturday afternoon. The impact hurled people into the air, and video of the crash shows the car reversing and hitting more people.

The woman killed, Heather Heyer, was hit as she crossed the street.

State police identified the driver as 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr., who had recently moved to Ohio from where he grew up in Kentucky. He was charged with second-degree murder and other counts.

His mother, Samantha Bloom, told The Associated Press she knew her son was attending a rally in Virginia but didn't know it was a white supremacist rally. She said: "I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trump's not a white supremacist." She became visibly upset as she learned of the injuries and deaths.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said federal authorities will pursue a civil rights investigation into the circumstances of the crash. He said violence arising from hatred cannot be tolerated.

___

THE HELICOPTER CRASH

A state police helicopter deployed to the protests crashed outside the city as the violent clashes seemed to be quieting down.

Robby E. Noll, who lives near the crash site, heard the helicopter sputtering. He said pieces of the helicopter started to break off as it fell from the sky. Black smoke then billowed out from the tree tops.

Both troopers onboard were killed. Authorities identified them as Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, and Berke M.M. Bates, who was one day shy of his 41st birthday.

State police said the crash was linked to the protests but have released few other details. The crash remains under investigation.

___

THE REACTION

President Donald Trump on Saturday condemned the "egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides" in Charlottesville.

The statement drew ire from Democrats and some Republicans who called on him to specifically denounce white supremacy. Former Vice President Joe Biden tweeted: "There is only one side."

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer, a Democrat, said he blamed the nation's increasing political divisions "at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president."

U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, a Republican from Colorado, said on Twitter: "Mr. President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism."

The Daily Stormer, a white supremacist website that promoted the demonstration, praised Trump's reaction.

"Nothing specific against us," the website stated. "No condemnation at all. When asked to condemn, he just walked out of the room. Really, really good. God bless him."

On Sunday, the White House issued another statement saying Trump "said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred and of course that includes white Supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups." The White House would not attach a staffer's name to the statement.

These undated photo provided by the Virginia State Police show Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, left, of Quinton, Va., and Lt. H. Jay Cullen, of Midlothian, Va. The two were killed Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, when the helicopter they were piloting crashed while assisting public safety resources during clashes at a nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va. (Virginia State Police via AP)

Protesters against racism march through Oakland, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. A group of several hundred demonstrators gathered to decry racism in the wake of deadly violence that erupted at a white nationalist demonstration in Virginia. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Protesters against racism block traffic on both directions of Interstate 580 in Oakland, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Several hundred demonstrators marched to decry racism in the wake of deadly violence that erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Protesters against racism march through Oakland, Calif., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. A group of several hundred demonstrators gathered to decry racism in the wake of deadly violence that erupted at a white nationalist demonstration in Virginia. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - As political tensions threatened to erupt into more violence in Kenya, following the country's disputed elections, a fresh spate of graffiti urging peace cropped up in Nairobi's Kibera slum.

"Peace Wanted Alive" and the peace sign symbol was sprayed in many prominent locations in Kibera, which has been the site of violent protests against President Uhuru Kenyatta's election victory. The graffiti urges residents to refrain from violence.

Many of the peace slogans were sprayed by Solo 7, the name used by Kenyan artist Solomon Muyundo who is a member of Art 4 Peace group. As Solo 7 Muyundo started spraying the peace slogans to encourage Kenyans to avoid the violence in which more than 1,000 people died following the country's 2007 elections.

Kenyans walk past graffiti calling for peace in Nairobi's Kibera area Sunday Aug. 13, 2017. The neighbourhood erupted into violence a day earlier, as supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga demonstrated after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared victorious in Kenya's presidential election.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Solomon Muyundo has placed his peace graffiti on thousands of locations across Nairobi. This week he has been busy putting up graffiti to promote peace.

Kenyans read the newspaper and talk in front of a pub that has been tagged with graffiti calling for peace in Nairobi's Kibera aera Sunday Aug. 13, 2017. The neighbourhood erupted into violence a day earlier as supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga demonstrated after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared victorious in Kenya's presidential election.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Kenyans walk past graffiti calling for peace in Nairobi's Kibera slum Sunday Aug. 13, 2017. The neighbourhood erupted into violence a day earlier as supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga demonstrated after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared victorious in Kenya's presidential election.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

A man repairs a tire in a shop that has been tagged with graffiti calling for peace in Nairobi's Kibera slum Sunday Aug. 13, 2017. The neighbourhood erupted into violence a day earlier as supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga demonstrated after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared victorious in Kenya's presidential election.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Kenyans walk past graffiti calling for peace in Nairobi's Kibera area Sunday Aug. 13, 2017. The neighbourhood erupted into violence a day earlier as supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga demonstrated after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared victorious in Kenya's presidential election.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

A man sits in front of a graffiti calling for peace in Nairobi's Kibera slum Sunday Aug. 13, 2017. The neighbourhood erupted into violence a day earlier as supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga demonstrated after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared victorious in Kenya's presidential election. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

A woman walks past graffiti calling for peace in Nairobi's Kibera slum Sunday Aug. 13, 2017. The neighbourhood erupted into violence a day earlier as supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga demonstrated after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared victorious in Kenya's presidential election.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

Kenyans walk past graffiti calling for peace in Nairobi's Kibera area Sunday Aug. 13, 2017. The neighbourhood erupted into violence a day earlier as supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga demonstrated after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared victorious in Kenya's presidential election. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)

A Kenyan shopkeeper opens his store tagged with graffiti calling for peace in Nairobi's Kibera area Sunday Aug. 13, 2017. The neighbourhood erupted into violence a day earlier as supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga demonstrated after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared victorious in Kenya's presidential election. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - About 100 passengers and employees were evacuated from a Florida airport after a natural gas leak in a restaurant.

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport spokesman Greg Meyer said in a Sun Sentinel report that two concourses in Terminal 3 were evacuated early Sunday.

Meyer said the closure lasted about an hour.

Meyer said the gas leak came from a restaurant in one of the concourses. Broward County authorities were investigating what caused the leak.

All restaurants in the terminal reopened when passengers were allowed to return.

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Information from: Sun Sentinel , http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
SAUGUS, Mass. (AP) - A Massachusetts business that calls itself one of America's oldest barbershop is marking a major milestone.

George's Barber Shop in Saugus is celebrating the first major renovation and expansion in its 115-year history with a grand reopening Monday.

The business was founded in 1902 by Italian immigrant George Moriello. It's run now by his great-grandson, Mike Moriello.

He tells The Daily Item of Lynn (http://bit.ly/2vtScvD ) there are older barbershops in the country, but none have been owned by the same family and been at the same location longer than George's.

The renovated shop will feature twice as many seats and double the floor space. The staff will expand from five to eight master barbers.

Moriello says the shop's secret is "a blend of old-school style with a modern flair."

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Information from: The (Lynn, Mass.) Daily Item, http://itemlive.com
WARSAW (AP) - Hundreds of people have gathered in an ancient forest in Poland to protest the widespread logging the government has ordered there.

The Bialowieza Forest, one of Europe's last primeval woodlands and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the subject of a heated political dispute over the logging ordered by Poland's conservative ruling Law and Justice party.

Environmentalists and the European Union oppose the logging, while the government argues it is necessary to fight a bark beetle infestation.

People take part in a protest against large-scale government logging in the Bialowieza Forest, Poland, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017.The logging has been the source of a standoff between the conservative Polish government in Warsaw and the European Union, with Warsaw ignoring an order by the EU court to immediately stop the logging. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

Environmentalists from Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and elsewhere in Europe joined Polish activists on Sunday to oppose what they see as destruction of the natural site.

The government has defied a July order by the EU's Court of Justice to immediately stop the cutting.

People take part in a protest against large-scale government logging in the Bialowieza Forest, Poland, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017.The logging has been the source of a standoff between the conservative Polish government in Warsaw and the European Union, with Warsaw ignoring an order by the EU court to immediately stop the logging. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

People take part in a protest against large-scale government logging in the Bialowieza Forest, Poland, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. The logging has been the source of a standoff between the conservative Polish government in Warsaw and the European Union, with Warsaw ignoring an order by the EU court to immediately stop the logging. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
HAGATNA, Guam (AP) - Tourists haven't been deterred from visiting the tropical island of Guam even though the U.S. territory has been the target of threats from North Korea during a week of angry words exchanged by Pyongyang and Washington.

Chiho Tsuchiya of Japan heard the news, but she decided to come anyway with her husband and two children. "I feel Japan and Korea also can get danger from North Korea, so staying home is the same," said the 40-year-old.

Won Hyung-jin, an official from Modetour, a large South Korean travel agency, said several customers called with concerns, but they weren't worried enough to pay cancellation fees for their trips.

Visitors sit on a tour bus in Tumon, Guam Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. Tourists haven't been deterred from visiting the tropical island of Guam even though the U.S. territory has been the target of threats from North Korea during a week of angry words exchanged by Pyongyang and Washington. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

"It seems North Korea racks up tension once or twice every year, and travelers have become insensitive about it," Won said. His company has sent about 5,000 travelers to Guam a month this year, mostly on package tours.

The U.S. territory has a population of 160,000, but it attracted 1.5 million visitors last year. One-third of Guam's jobs are in the tourism industry.

Guam is a key outpost for the U.S. military, which uses it as a base for bombers and submarines.

The island's sandy beaches and aquamarine waters make it a popular getaway for travelers from Japan and South Korea. Guam is only about three hours by plane from major cities in both countries.

The number of South Korean travelers in particular has been growing lately because five low-cost airlines started flying to Guam from South Korea, said Antonio Muna, the vice president of Guam Visitors Bureau. This helped boost arrival figures to a 20-year high in July, Muna said.

The threats came in a week in which longstanding tensions between the countries risked abruptly boiling over. New United Nations sanctions condemning the North's rapidly developing nuclear program drew fresh ire and threats from Pyongyang. President Donald Trump responded by vowing to rain down "fire and fury" if challenged. The North then threatened to lob missiles near Guam.

Kenji Kikuchi, 39, arrived from Japan last week and planned to leave Tuesday as scheduled. He was aware of the threat from reading the local newspaper and was a little worried. But he said North Korea's missiles would fall in the water not on Guam. His 8-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter weren't concerned.

"They talk about it, but they don't care about it. So they like the sea and the pool," he said.

The Guam Visitors Bureau has heard reports of cancellations, but Muna said it doesn't yet have any concrete figures on how many took place. Officials are still expecting a strong August, Muna said.

"Japan and Korea make over 90 percent of our arrivals. And they're much closer to North Korea than Guam is," Muna said.

The agency has been relaying assurances from the governor and defense officials that Guam is protected and safe, he said.

Trump told Guam's Republican governor the global attention would send more tourists to the island.

"You're going to go up like tenfold with the expenditure of no money," he told Gov. Eddie Calvo in a telephone conversation Calvo posted Sunday on Facebook. Trump said he'd been watching scenes of Guam on the news, and "it just looks like a beautiful place."

At a news conference Monday, Calvo said that Guam is in a "normal state of readiness and its business as usual."

There is "no change in security threat levels."

He told the reporters that "we are defended and will be protected."

___

Associated Press writers Kim Tong-hyung in Seoul, South Korea, and Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu contributed to this report.

In this Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, file photo, a family plays in the sand in Tumon, Guam. Threatening to fire a volley of missiles toward a major U.S. military hub _ and the home to 160,000 American civilians _ may seem like a pretty bad move for a country that is seriously outgunned and has an awful lot to lose. But pushing the envelope, or just threatening to do so, is what North Korea does best. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa, File)

Tourists walk in Tumon, Guam Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. Tourists haven't been deterred from visiting the tropical island of Guam even though the U.S. territory has been the target of threats from North Korea during a week of angry words exchanged by Pyongyang and Washington. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Chiho Tsuchiya, left, from Tokyo, who just arrived to the island on the day, speaks to a journalist in Hagatna, Guam Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. Tsuchiya said she is worried about the North Korea situation but not enough to cancel her trip. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Visitors get on a tour bus in Tumon, Guam Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. Tourists haven't been deterred from visiting the tropical island of Guam even though the U.S. territory has been the target of threats from North Korea during a week of angry words exchanged by Pyongyang and Washington. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

Kenji Kikuchi plays with his son Hideki in Ypao Beach, Tumon, Guam Monday, Aug. 14 2017. Kikuchi was aware of the threat from reading the local newspaper and was a little worried. But he said North Korea's missiles would fall in the water not on Guam. (AP Photo/Grace Bordallo)

Tourists visit Tumon Bay Area in Guam Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. Tourists haven't been deterred from visiting the tropical island of Guam even though the U.S. territory has been the target of threats from North Korea during a week of angry words exchanged by Pyongyang and Washington. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

A woman holds rosary in her hand as people gather at Plaza de Espana, to pray for peace in Hagatna, Guam Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Residents of the U.S. Pacific island territory face a missile threat from North Korea.(AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

A group of people sit and pray under the tree for peace at Plaza de Espana, in Hagatna, Guam Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Residents of the U.S. Pacific island territory face a missile threat from North Korea.(AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)

People gather at Plaza de Espana, to pray for peace in Hagatna, Guam Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Residents of the U.S. Pacific island territory face a missile threat from North Korea.(AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)
The videos that rolled across the television screen were startling: Americans beating each other with clubs and sticks on the streets of a quiet college town. White supremacists with torches; anti-fascists pushing back. An improvised flame thrower fashioned from an aerosol can. Bottles of frozen water hurled like bricks at one another's skulls.

Kevin Boyle, an American history professor at Northwestern University, watched it unfold, the feeling in his gut both horror and a sense that the racial tension bubbling for years had finally, almost inevitably, begun boiling over.

"Given our political moment, I'm not surprised that we've come to this point," he said. "I'm terribly depressed we've come to this point but I'm not surprised. It didn't come out of nowhere."

White nationalist demonstrators use shields as they guard the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

Historians and political scientists have been warning that American politics had become a pressure cooker, full of racial tension building once again to the point of a deadly clash, like the one in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday that claimed three lives.

White supremacy has always lurked in America's shadow, said Boyle, whose teaching focuses on the history of racial violence and civil rights. Then, he believes, President Donald Trump was elected and emboldened their hate.

"Donald Trump gave them permission to come out into the real world," he said. "As long as they were existing in this kind of sad little shadow world where they were just talking to each other, it was disturbing, but it's not as profoundly dangerous as when they feel they can take the public square."

Saturday's chaos erupted around what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade - more than 1,000 neo-Nazis, skinheads and Ku Klux Klan members who descended on the city of Charlottesville to "take America back" by rallying against plans to remove a confederate statue. Hundreds came to protest against the racism. The two sides engaged in bloody brawls on the street. The day turned deadly when a car plowed into a crowd of peaceful anti-racism protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. A Virginia State Police helicopter deployed in a large-scale response to the violence then crashed into the woods outside of town and both troopers on board died.

The violence had been building for months during a series of confrontations between members of the "alt-right" - a loose collection of white nationalists, racists and anti-immigration populists - and people who oppose them. It began the very day Trump put his hand on a Bible and took the oath of office. Skirmishes broke out at his inauguration between his supporters, some of them white nationalists, and those against him. More than 200 were arrested.

It was on that day that Richard Spencer, among the nation's foremost white nationalists, realized that something had fundamentally shifted in American political discourse. He was giving a media interview when someone ran toward him and punched him in the head on video.

"We're in a totally new world," he remembers thinking. "Political violence is a real thing."

Days later, anti-fascists hurled smoke bombs, broke windows and ignited a massive bonfire at the University of California at Berkeley to protest a planned speech by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos. Violent clashes have piled up since: 11 arrested after fights broke out at New York University when the founder of a right-wing men's organization was scheduled to speak; clashes outside one of Spencer's appearances at Auburn University; a shouting match between the two sides in Pikeville, Kentucky; confrontations in New Orleans when the city moved to remove a confederate monument; police opening fire with stun grenades and arresting more than a dozen during conflicts in Portland.

Spencer, and others who support white nationalism, blame the other side.

"With Trump's election, the radical left of this county has come unhinged," said Kyle Bristow, the founder of a law firm dedicated to alt-right legal advocacy.

But both sides agree on the general narrative of how the widening racial and ideological divide took root: Some white Americans began feeling left behind by progress. The decline of the white working class coincided with drastic cultural changes, like quickly diversifying demographics and the election of the nation's first black president.

"With the election of Barack Obama, there was so much talk about being this post-racial moment, and on some levels it was extraordinary," said Steven Hahn, a history professor at New York University. "But it didn't take long for the really vicious racism to surface. It turned out to be an instigator of an enormous amount of rage, and I think Trump both fanned it and inherited it."

Trump was long among the prominent members of the birther movement - those who questioned Obama's citizenship and his legitimacy as president. His campaign was launched with racially-tinged rhetoric about the dangers of immigrants, which has continued into his presidency, said Hahn, who watched videos of Saturday's clashes and saw in them reflections of the Ku Klux Klan movement of the 1920s.

Now white supremacist groups are actively trying to move into the mainstream. The Daily Stormer, a popular alt-right website, published a story in the run-up to the Charlottesville gathering, calling on followers to leave white hoods or Nazi costumes at home, and go for fitted shirts and suits instead, to attract recruits. They needed to look sexy, the author wrote.

Whether they might be successful in spreading their message depends a lot on how American leaders respond, said Boyle.

Trump quickly came under fire for his response. He said "we condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides."

The "on many sides" emphasized at the ending drew the ire of his critics, who pushed back on his statement as failing to specifically denounce racism and equating the white supremacists with those who came to protest their hate.

"The bottom line is if it weren't for a bunch of neo-Nazis marching around it would have been a regular peaceful day in Charlottesville," said Kyle Kondik, with the University of Virginia's Center for Politics. "Whether he likes it or not, the president, the person that holds that office, is supposed to act as the person setting a moral standard for the country, and I think he's been falling far short in that regard."

He pointed to other Republican leaders who took a strong stand against the racists who descended on Charlottesville on Saturday.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, for example, tweeted: "We should call evil by its name. My brother didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home."

Kondik worries about how quickly the nation's toxic political divides will continue seeping into all parts of American life if the president doesn't realign the country's moral compass.

"It's been an ugly couple of days, and you just wonder if we're backsliding in terms of race relations," he said. "It's an unpleasant thing to think about, but something we have to think about as a country."

A counter demonstrator uses a lighted spray can against a white nationalist demonstrator at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency and police dressed in riot gear ordered people to disperse after chaotic violent clashes between white nationalists and counter protestors. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency and police dressed in riot gear ordered people to disperse after chaotic violent clashes between white nationalists and counter protestors. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
A multi-million pound airport on the South Atlantic island of St Helena could soon have its first scheduled service  after safety concerns meant the UK taxpayer funded project nearly failed to get off the ground.

The airport, built with 285 million in funding from the Department for International Development (Dfid), had been due to open last year as part of a long-term plan to end St Helenas dependency on UK Government subsidies.

However the St Helena government announced more than 12 months ago it was being postponed indefinitely amid concerns that the local wind conditions on the South Atlantic meant it was too dangerous for commercial airliners to land.

The airport at St Helena was due to open in 2016 (Royal Navy/PA)

A damning report into the project said it was staggering ministers and civil servants did not foresee the problem.

But the St Helenian government has announced an agreement with airline SA Airlink to start a service running from Johannesburg, a stopover at Windhoek in Namibia and on to St Helena.

It has been reported a proving flight  required by the South African Civil Aviation Authority  will take place on August 21.

It is envisaged the weekly Saturday service will be operated using an Embraer E190-100IGW aircraft with the flight time from Johannesburg to St Helena being approximately six and a quarter hours including a half hour stop in Windhoek.

Governor of St Helena Lisa Phillips said: Undoubtedly, 2017 is the year of positive change for St Helena. Very soon a trip to South Africa, for St Helenians, will take a matter of hours rather than days.

And we will be able to welcome tourists here in larger numbers and improve the economy of the Island and offer a better life for those who live here.

Airlinks chief executive officer Rodger Foster said: Airlink is confident that our Embraer E190 is most suited to the demanding environmental conditions prevalent at St Helena and that we will establish a safe and reliable air bridge between St Helena and South Africa.

Our AVRO RJ85 landed at St Helena Airport with 61 passengers. Video clip of the landing by @wisemonkeysSTHL : https://t.co/qMAKjTNQa0  Airlink (@Fly_Airlink) May 4, 2017

The airport was meant to start operating in May 2016 but test flights a month before revealed the problems with wind shear.

The problem of wind shear on St Helena was noted by Charles Darwin on his voyage on the Beagle in 1836 and MPs challenged DfID about why it had commissioned an airport paid for by the British taxpayer, without properly appreciating the danger of this effect.

Officials told the MPs that it had commissioned a feasibility study from engineering consultancy Atkins for the airport build and acted upon its recommendations, as well as taking advice from the Met Office and aviation regulators.
A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a mother and daughter were stabbed to death.

Scotland Yard said Joshua Cohen, 27, was arrested in connection with the killings of the victims, aged 33 and 66.

Man arrested on suspicion of double murder after being spotted by member of public in park https://t.co/XPPm4BRpjc pic.twitter.com/E0VxKJIQkZ  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) August 12, 2017

A member of the public spotted the suspect in Golders Hill Park, north west London, after detectives launched a manhunt on Saturday.

Police crime scene tape

Police were called to an address in Golders Green Crescent on Friday at 8.50pm after reports that two women had been seriously injured, pronouncing them dead at the scene.
Ousmane Dembele has had his suspension extended by Borussia Dortmund until further notice as he continues to be unsettled by interest from Barcelona.

The 20-year-old Frenchman skipped training on Thursday and was swiftly suspended by the Bundesliga club for the weekends DFB-Pokal first-round encounter with minnows Rielasingen-Arlen.

Dembele is under contract with Dortmund until 2021 and an initial offer from the Spanish giants has been rejected by Dortmund.

(Marius Becker/AP/PA)

And Dortmund have now made the decision not to lift the suspension on Dembele, with Sporting director Michael Zorc telling Dortmunds website: Our focus now is on a concentrated preparation of the team for the Bundesliga opening match against Wolfsburg in the coming weekend.

Ousmane Dembele has the possibility to do individual training off the group.

Dembele joined Dortmund a little over 12 months ago from Rennes on a five-year contract and has attracted top European suitors after a breakout season at the Westfalenstadion.

He scored 10 times in 49 appearances in all competitions in the last campaign while he broke his duck for France with the winner in the 3-2 friendly triumph over England in June.
Maria Sharapova has pulled out of next weeks Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati in an effort to ensure she is able to participate at the US Open that starts at the end of this month.

The former world number one, now placed 149 in the rankings, continues to be troubled by an injury to her left forearm that she initially suffered at the Bank of the West Classic in Stanford and which forced her withdrawal after winning her first-round encounter.

She sat out the Rogers Cup in Toronto and will be absent in Cincinnati as she focuses on being fully fit for the final major of the year at Flushing Meadows, where she would need a wild card to compete.

Sharapova hopes to be back for the US Open

2011 champion Maria Sharapova has withdrawn from #CincyTennis due to an ongoing left arm injury.



: https://t.co/S61MtuNbWe pic.twitter.com/mWCrTy9eYq  Western & Southern Open (@CincyTennis) August 13, 2017

Sharapova said in quotes on the WTA Tours official website: I arrived in Cincinnati eager to play. However, following the doctors advice on-site, as a precaution for the US Open, I am unfortunately withdrawing from the tournament with the left forearm injury I sustained in Stanford.

I want to thank the tournament for the wild card opportunity and really look forward to competing here next year.

The 2011 champion was set to play French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko in a highly-anticipated first round clash, but the world number 12 will instead go up against either a qualifier or lucky loser.
Grenfell Tower survivors have resorted to searching for new homes privately out of frustration at the councils rehousing efforts two months after the fire.

Kensington and Chelsea Council said the vast majority of those who escaped the blaze, 158 households, remain in hotels, while no-one has yet secured permanent accommodation.

Dissatisfaction at the temporary properties being offered by the authority has led some survivors to take matters into their own hands.

Nicholas Burton, a leaseholder who was one of the last to escape the inferno with his wife on June 14, said the council had shown him houses too far away or in a poor state of repair.

Nicholas Burton's wife is still in hospital

I could have put up every single family in 48 hours if you just go to the private sector. There are hundreds of flats in the estate agents but they dont want to pay the money, the former 19th floor resident told the Press Association.

But they are paying the money because my five weeks in my hotel cost 12,990. I have the bill. They gave it to me by mistake.

I had to go and get private accommodation because my wife is still in hospital and they will not give her to me unless we have a place to live.

I am sure one or two other families have decided they cannot wait any more. Those with children have September coming shortly and they are going back to school  they do not want a hotel room.

(PA Graphics)

The 50-year-old said his lease stated that the councils insurance would have to cover any rent in the event of his flat becoming uninhabitable.

At least 80 people died when the blaze devoured Grenfell Tower, the charred skeleton of which still looms over the west London neighbourhood.

Theresa May initially said in the aftermath of the fire that she had fixed a deadline of three weeks for everybody affected to be found a home nearby.

Her comments were later clarified by Communities Secretary Sajid Javid, who claimed the deadline was for every survivor to have received an offer for a temporary new home.

Theresa May visited the scene near Grenfell Tower in June

While all of those forced to leave the 24-storey block and nearby Grenfell Walk have since been offered temporary accommodation, only 23 families have been rehoused, while 22 others have accepted offers.

A council spokesman said in many of these cases, residents have the option to convert to permanent housing if they would like to.

Homelessness charity Shelter, which has been working with survivors of the tragedy, said many people were staying in hotels because they were reluctant to move twice.

Head of policy and research Kate Webb said: I think a lot of people are not ready to think about moving into temporary accommodation  they want time to grieve and they want a permanent home.

Protests were held ahead of a meeting of Kensington and Chelsea Council in July

Pointing to a previous suggestion by the Government that more than 60 luxury apartments in Kensington would be offered as permanent accommodation from July, she added: I think it is disappointing that the homes werent made available quite as quickly as people were told they would be.

Displaced residents were given a promise by the council that they would be rehoused permanently within 12 months.

Bereaved families will be prioritised during this process, along with those suffering from serious mental, physical or learning disabilities and those in need of a carer.
Vice President Mike Pences visit to Latin America comes amid unrest in Venezuela and concern by its neighbours about a possible American military role.

Mr Pence planned to meet with Colombias president, Juan Manuel Santos, later on Sunday at the start of a week-long trip likely to be dominated by conversations about the crisis in Venezuela.

The United States accuses Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro of a power grab that has sparked deadly protests and condemnation across the region.

Nicolas Maduro

President Donald Trump on Friday said he would not rule out a military option in response to Mr Maduros moves.

That statement drew quick condemnation, including from the Colombian foreign ministry, which opposed any military measures and the use of force, and said efforts to resolve Venezuelas breakdown in democracy should be peaceful and respect its sovereignty.

CIA director Mike Pompeo said Mr Trump, by raising the prospect of possible military action, was trying to give the Venezuelan people hope and opportunity to create a situation where democracy can be restored.

Mr Pompeo told Fox News Sunday that Venezuela could very much become a risk to the US if it descended into further chaos.

Mike Pompeo

Yet a Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee who calls himself a pretty hawkish guy expressed scepticism about the idea of American troops in Caracas.

Im open-minded to a reason, but at the end of the day, our military should be deployed when theres a national security interest that can be articulated to the American people, South Carolinas Lindsey Graham told Fox News Sunday, adding: I dont see one in Venezuela in terms of the military force.

Senator Lindsey Graham says American intervention should only take place where there is a national security risk (Scott Applewhite/AP)

Mr Trumps national security adviser said the Trump administration wants to get a handle on the current situation under Mr Maduros embattled government and understand better how this crisis might evolve.

The US has imposed sanctions against Mr Maduro and more than two-dozen current and former officials in response to a crackdown on opposition leaders and the recent election of a pro-government assembly given the job of rewriting the countrys constitution.
LONDON, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Three Britons were jailed on Friday for running a huge cannabis farm inside a former Cold War nuclear bunker in an isolated area of southwest England.

The gang used the bunker, built in the 1980s to house local government officials in the event of a nuclear attack, to cultivate more than 4,000 cannabis plants capable of producing 2 million pounds ($2.6 million) worth of drugs a year.

The bunker, located in Chilmark near Salisbury, was no longer owned by the Ministry of Defence but was still intact with its nuclear blast doors in place which made it almost impenetrable, police said.

The men, who were arrested in a midnight raid in February but only after they had left the site, also locked workers inside so they could tend to the plants 24 hours a day.

The farm was thought to have been running since 2013. To keep it operating, the gang bypassed the mains supply and instead siphoned power from a pylon outside, illegally using about 650,000 pounds worth of electricity.

"This was without doubt the largest cannabis factory we have seen here in the county, with almost all of the 20 rooms inside the bunker converted for the wholesale production of cannabis," said Detective Inspector Simon Pope of Wiltshire Police in a statement outside the court in Salisbury.

The men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce class B drugs and conspiracy to abstract electricity.

Martin Fillery, 45, was jailed for eight years and his accomplices Ross Winter, 30, and Plamen Nguyen, 27, for five years each. ($1 = 0.7703 pounds) (Reporting by Michael Holden; Editing by Richard Balmforth)
By Josh Smith

KABUL, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Several senior members of Islamic State's central Asian affiliate were killed in a U.S. air strike in Afghanistan, officials said on Sunday.

The attack on Thursday killed Abdul Rahman, identified by the U.S. military as the Kunar provincial emir for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan, according to a statement from the command in Kabul.

"The death of Abdul Rahman deals yet another blow to the senior leadership of ISIS-K," said General John Nicholson, the senior U.S. commander in Afghanistan.

Three other senior ISIS-K members were also among those killed in the strike in eastern Kunar province.

Nicholson has vowed to defeat Islamic State militants in Afghanistan this year.

The group's emir, Abu Sayed, was reported killed in a strike on his headquarters in Kunar in July, the third Islamic State emir in Afghanistan to be killed since July 2016.

In April, Nicholson deployed a 21,600-pound (9,797 kg) "Massive Ordnance Air Blast" bomb against Islamic State positions in neighboring Nangarhar province, one of the largest conventional weapons ever used by the United States in combat.

On Saturday, Afghan officials said as many as 16 civilians, including women and children, had been killed by a U.S. air strike in Nangarhar, but American officials said only militants were killed.

As part of an increased campaign against both Islamic State and the Taliban, the dominant Islamist militant group in Afghanistan, the U.S. Air Force has dropped nearly 2,000 weapons in the country as of the end of July, compared to fewer than 1,400 in all of last year.

Despite some battlefield successes by Afghan and American special operations troops, Islamic State has continued deadly attacks around Afghanistan, fueling fears that the group is seeking to bring the group's Middle East conflict to Central Asia. (Reporting by Josh Smith; Editing by Kim Coghill)
By Katharine Houreld and Ed Cropley

NAIROBI, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga called on Sunday for a strike to support his claim to the presidency and accused the ruling party of "spilling the blood of innocent people" as he brushed off growing pressure to concede election defeat.

The election commission on Friday declared President Uhuru Kenyatta the winner of the presidential poll by 1.4 million votes. International observers said Tuesday's vote was largely fair and a parallel tally by domestic monitors supported the outcome.

But Odinga's NASA coalition says the whole vote was rigged, and that Kenyatta's ruling Jubilee party has conspired with security forces to crush dissent.

Odinga doubled down on his attacks in a speech to 4,000 cheering supporters in Kibera, Nairobi's biggest slum.

"Jubilee have spilt the blood of innocent people. Tomorrow there is no work," Odinga told the crowd, which chanted back "Uhuru must go". He promised to announce a new strategy on Tuesday.

Senator James Orengo, one of Odinga's chief supporters, said the opposition would call for demonstrations.

"When we people call you to action, peaceful action, don't stay behind," he told the crowd. He also called for a boycott of Nation television and newspapers, Kenya's largest independent media group, over their coverage of the disputed elections.

The rally, Odinga's first public appearance since Thursday, made clear he has no plans to renounce his claims of victory despite calls from the international community for him to concede.

Police and protesters clashed repeatedly in Nairobi's slums on Saturday. Presidential spokesman Manoah Esipisu laid the blame at Odinga's door.

"The violent protests are unlawful," he said in a statement. "The police will not tolerate breaches of the peace. Instead they will protect the lives and property of Kenyans, and they will restore law and order."

DEATHS

After Kibera, Odinga went to Mathare, another Nairobi slum, to see the family of an eight-year-old girl killed, according to a witness, by a stray police bullet. Police have confirmed the death and said they are investigating.

As Odinga left Mathare, police fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of his supporters, who had climbed trees and rooftops to get a glimpse of their hero.

Reuters reporters have seen police repeatedly fire tear gas and live rounds to disperse crowds of people in slums. Police have also detained and attacked journalists.

At least 24 people have been killed in election-related unrest so far, a rights group said on Saturday, including the girl in Mathare. The Kenya Red Cross said on Saturday it had treated 93 injured people.

Sunday was largely peaceful, to the relief of Kenyans who fear a repeat of the ethnic carnage that followed 2007's disputed vote.

Around 1,200 people were killed then and 600,000 displaced. Regional trade was also paralysed and Kenya's economy - the region's biggest - took years to recover.

Some Odinga supporters are convinced that victory was stolen from them in the 2007 and 2013 polls, both marred by irregularities and problems. Odinga contested both, and lost, and his supporters say they will not back down this time.

"We are sick and tired of these people stealing the country from us. We need to split this country in two," said David Orwa, 44, hinting at the ethnic rifts that lie beneath the surface of the nation of 45 million.

Odinga is a Luo, an ethnic group from the west that has long felt neglected by central government and excluded from power. Kenyatta is a Kikuyu, a tribe that has provided three out of Kenya's four presidents since it gained independence from Britain in 1963.

NO POWER-SHARING DEALS

Diplomats and regional leaders are presenting a united stance in urging Odinga, a former political prisoner, to concede.

"I want to congratulate Uhuru Kenyatta," Federica Mogherini, foreign minister for the European Union, which did over $3 billion worth of trade with Kenya last year, said.

"In line with the African Union, the EU expects the opposition to respect the results and to use legal means available for appeals and complaints."

A Western diplomat said the international community was not interested in revisiting a power-sharing deal to end the unrest and stalemate, as happened a decade ago. That avenue was "not an option", the diplomat said.

"If you have evidence that the election was rigged, produce it," he said.

"Most of the stuff NASA are alleging is not accurate."

Initially, the coalition charged the electoral server had been hacked, and produced 50 pages of computer logs that security experts said were inconclusive at best.

They later said a secret source within the electoral board had passed them the true election results. That two-page document was debunked by the election commission, which pointed out basic mathematical errors. (Additional reporting by Maggie Fick in Kisumu and George Obulutsa in Nairobi; editing by Andrew Roche)
The controversial Hambanthota port

The governments manner of communicating details of the Hambantota port deal to the public has been less than forthright, and lacking in transparency, considering public apprehensions over the fallout of the project. In an attempt to get around the opposition to a big time give-away of control over a national asset  a strategically located deep water port  there seem to have been attempts to pull the wool over peoples eyes.

The impression conveyed and widely reported as to the ratio of shares held by the Sri Lankan side and the Chinese side, was misleading. Of the two companies to be newly set up under the unprecedented 99-year agreement, the Hambantota International Port Services (HIPS) company - which was granted with the exclusive right to develop, operate and manage the Common User Facilities of Hambantota port including security  50.7% of shares were said to be held by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and the balance 49.3% by HIPG (Hambantota International Port Group) in which the China Merchants Port Holdings Co. Ltd. (CMPort) holds a 85% stake.

However a disclosure made by CMPort on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange categorically said SLPA will hold (i) 15% of the shares of HIPG and (ii) 42% of the shares of HIPS on the Concession Agreement Effective Date. Sri Lanka is clearly a minority share holder in this deal, which translates into a loss of control of a national asset of strategic value, which in turn has implications for sovereignty.

"Hambantota International Port Services (HIPS) company - which was granted with the exclusive right to develop, operate and manage the Common User Facilities of Hambantota port including security  50.7% of shares were said to be held by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and the balance 49.3% by HIPG (Hambantota International Port Group) in which the China Merchants Port Holdings Co. Ltd. (CMPort) holds a 85% stake"

The agreement was signed in the teeth of opposition and protests which included a strike by Ceylon Petroleum Corporation trade unions which hobbled fuel distribution in the country till the government took drastic measures to end it. After that there were reports of the TUs having talks with President Sirisena and being assured that there would be amendments.

This seems to have been an exercise of humouring the lads, because it turns out that amendments can only be made by agreement between both parties, which is not saying much. The impression was also given that the CPCs protest was narrowly defined over the right to provide bunkering services. But CPCs statements on the issue from some time ago would show that their actions are carried out in the context of a broader protest against the sale of state assets.

The re-drafting of the original Concession Agreement to reduce the Chinese stake from 80% to 70% etc. was parleyed by the government to sound like a move made with a view to protecting independence and sovereignty. However, had the government been honest it would have admitted to formidable behind-the-scenes pressure exercised by India to bring about these changes. This would particularly relate to the amendments ensuring that security aspects could be handled by Sri Lanka, including the granting of permission for port visits by military vessels.

The loud hints by a cabinet spokesman at a recent media briefing, that the Joint Oppositions disruption of the parliamentary debate on Hambantota was the result of Indian interference, is laughable against this backdrop. (Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera told reporters There was a call from a diplomatic mission in Colombo to the JO during the proceedings.., and said you know who it is.) Was this a diversionary tactic to project the government in a defiant light, when in fact it had capitulated to pressure?

"The government earlier engaged in similar obfuscation in relation to the re-drafting of the Chinese funded Port City project, when it did away with the clause that allowed freehold sale of a part of the land to the Chinese. The government sought to project it as a move to protect sovereignty, but later cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne inadvertently let it slip that this was done under Indian pressure"

The government earlier engaged in similar obfuscation in relation to the re-drafting of the Chinese funded Port City project, when it did away with the clause that allowed freehold sale of a part of the land to the Chinese. The government sought to project it as a move to protect sovereignty, but later cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne inadvertently let it slip that this was done under Indian pressure.

The reality of Indian concerns in relation to activities in the Indian Ocean Region which it considers as its backyard is nothing new. We may recall that the Letters exchanged between former president JR Jayewardena and former Indian Premier Rajiv Gandhi with the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987 had a clause that said Trincomalee or any other ports in Sri Lanka will not be made available for military use by any country in a manner prejudicial to Indias interests.

Indias concern at the time was the cosy relationship between the JR government and the US. Today while it has become more closely aligned with the US and Japan, Indias bogey is China. With the unstoppable juggernaut of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) creating road, rail and trade connectivity across Asia, Africa and Europe in order to secure Chinese energy supply lines and trade routes, Indias worries extend far beyond Sri Lanka and Hambantota. The investment in Hambantota, at $US 1.12 billion, and Colombo Port City at $US 1.4 billion, would seem like small change in comparison to Chinas infrastructure investments in other parts of South Asia.



According to a recent report in India Today China has pledged US$60 billion since 2013 to Pakistan (including $US 46 billion in the China-Pakistan-Economic Corridor, or CPEC, as part of the BRI), $US 8.3 billion to Nepal (at an investment summit held this year), $US 7.3 bn to Myanmar for the development of Kyauk Pyu Port, and a soft loan of $US 25 billion to Bangladesh for a variety of projects.

"With the unstoppable juggernaut of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) creating road, rail and trade connectivity across Asia, Africa and Europe in order to secure Chinese energy supply lines and trade routes, Indias worries extend far beyond Sri Lanka and Hambantota"

Given the current scramble among big powers to secure their energy sources, sea lanes of communication and access to markets, these states will continue to engage in power games with each other in Asia. Its up to the political leadership of smaller sates like Sri Lanka to avoid getting caught in the crossfire and act in the interests of their own people.

In Sri Lanka, the US wants to change the Constitution. India wants to maintain hegemonic status. China wants to extend its footprint. But the people of Sri Lanka do not want to sell out to any foreign power. The political leaderships of successive regimes seem to have underestimated this expectation.

In recent times Sri Lankas responses to pressures from foreign powers have taken the form of ad-hoc reactions and attempts to play one against the other, often ending in capitulation, rather than the adoption of positions based on high quality research, analysis and guidance designed to serve the national interest.

The independent thinking required for this type of policy input relating to geopolitics, which could very well come out of the countrys existing international relations think tanks, seems to be hamstrung by the governments expectation that these institutions act as its echo-chamber for policies already arrived at, based on political considerations. This is hardly a comforting situation, given the gravity of possible repercussions of such decision making, in the long term.
US displays a section of its nuclear arsenal

August marks the two independence days of India and Pakistan, English lawyer Sri Cyril Radcliffe, was given a hasty assignment to draw the boundaries for two nation states, India and Pakistan and he delivered within five weeks. The man who had never visited or been to India or a has had any serious research of the myriad matrices of diversities that layered the land cut across them creating an artificial boundary that would have ramifications for decades to come.

The boundary making is commonly known as the partition which resulted in the largest loss of life out of a short but brutal violent chain of riots in the region. Fast forward the situation to the current context Kashmir has been the site of multiple conflicts and ongoing political violence.

India and Pakistan have become nuclear powers and are deeply involved in the geo political power struggles that are manifesting beyond the Indian subcontinent with extra regional players such as United States and China at play.

India has surged its troop numbers last week along its eastern border with China, thus India remains on high alert across the porous borders it inherited from its colonial masters.

Irrespective of the Independence week and hype, global attention remains on the circumstances that are emerging from the making of another porous border which separates North and South Korea. The Demilitarized zone (DMC) is the zone that separates the two Koreas spanning 250 km which is a result of the armistice that was agreed upon between warring Koreas and the United nations in 1953 effectively ending the Korean War.

The armistice ended the war but was never signed, it was to be signed in 1954 yet the legal document called for a demilitarized zone, which exists to date, yet the separation of the two Koreas created a perpetual conflict situation and the American involvement and the 83 US military bases that are littered across South Korea remains an existential threat to the North. With 35,000 troops stationed in these bases, South Korea thus accounts as the third largest American military base in the world.

"Fifty five years on from the Cuban Missile crisis, the 21st Century seems to be sliding into a new moment of nuclear emergency, as the US and North Korean hostile rhetoric is played purely out in terms of nuclear threats"

Offensive Realist International Relations thinker John J. Mearsheimer emphasized that the most frightening moment of the 20th century was the 1962 Cuban missile crisis. Unless one is an ardent fan of cold war history, the gravity of the stand off between American and Soviet navies in 1962 is incomprehensible.

The US Navy set up a surface quarantine line 500 miles from Cuba with a panoply of naval assets including an aircraft carrier, two cruisers, 22 destroyers and two guided missile frigates to block the approaching Soviet armada on October 24, 1962 carrying nuclear weapons to be positioned in Soviet silos that were built in Cuba.

This tense blockade according to Mearsheimer was the most dangerous moment that could have triggered a nuclear war in the 20th Century.

Currently nine states that are in possession of nuclear weapons namely United States, Russia, United Kingdom, India, France, North Korea, Pakistan and Israel. They cumulatively hold an estimated 15,000 nuclear war heads that could be delivered through an array of missile systems mounted on sea, air and land platforms. The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was signed to prevent the expansion of nuclear weapons programs beyond the original five countries which had a programme in 1970.

The growing nuclear arsenal is in Asia, as nuclear weapons programmes are still ongoing and North Korea has demonstrated an accelerated interest in expanding its Nuclear Arsenal and a failure of the NPT. The NPT is a weak governance mechanism to dissuade the proliferation of nuclear weapons. A state may enter the treaty voluntary and any existing signatory can leave the treaty and face zero

repercussions or penalties.

Fifty five years on from the Cuban Missile crisis, the 21st Century seems to be sliding into a new moment of nuclear emergency, as the US and North Korean hostile rhetoric is played purely out in terms of nuclear threats.

Kennedy managed to avert the Cuban missile crisis by constantly keeping his generals in check when they were insisting on a strike, Trumps team is mostly made out of generals and he made it a point to emphasis the importance of them from his chief of staff, defence secretary to national security advisor. Plus Trumps off the cuff remark of fire and fury that he will unleash on Korea does not help any de-escalation and it reinforces Americas intention of a military strike as a primary option.

Rex Tillerson, the Secretary of State who is the only none military figure in Trumps inner circle seems to be trying his best to avert a catastrophic outcome, by cautioning the President about going down a militaristic approach in dealing with Kim Jong-Un. His efforts have isolated him more within the ranks as extreme and radical conservatives are beating war drums over Korea. Tillerson may be the next casualty in the Trump cabinet, if the President resorts to a military option.

Trumps response came in the aftermath of North Koreas reaction to the latest set of economic sanctions enforced by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which in effect will shut down most of North Koreas coal, iron and seafood exports, in numbers the sanctions translate as shaving off $1 billion of the $3 billion annual trade revenue. North Korean administration responded with a counter threat to launch a miniaturized nuclear warhead to hit the American pacific island base at Guam.

Kim Jong-Un as the Kims before him, understood the political and strategic relevance of the nuclear programme; he would have seen fate of countries like Iraq, Syria and even Ukraine who had some level of a nuclear program after they gave up on it. His international political relevance and domestic political stability is both contingent in the ability to demonstrate power, thus the nukes had played the dual role of keeping foreign aggressors at bay and a means to an end to maintain domestic political order.



On the contrary the US is going for a nuclear option, especially when an American President is seen so close to authorize a nuclear strike, hurts Americas global standing and will create chaos in domestic politics. Yet the bitter truth is that the American president under the Atomic energy act of 1946 has the total control of the American nuclear arsenal. He can authorize or call for a nuclear strike with no consultation of his security establishment and this decision cannot be overridden by any other branch of the government.

Thus the congress and the judiciary will have no means of containing or influencing the decision once the President takes it. Thus Trump has both the option of launching a nuclear strike and going in for a military engagement with North Korea by using War Powers resolution passed by the US congress in 1973.

The resolution enables the American president to use the military option for any international campaign when the congress has yet to declare war. As the US congress has the sole right to declare War. Still the president can use the resolution to intervene and seek congressional approval 48 hours after his actions. Thus President Trump virtually has a free hand if he wants to initiate a nuclear strike followed by military intervention

Level of military tension is so high and it is further aggravated by American live fire exercises that are ongoing currently with Japan and the huge military exercise code named Ulchi-Freedom Guardian, to be conducted by a near 40,000 troop contingent encompassing American and South Korean military personnel.

China has clearly signalled its strongest reservations for the exercise that is scheduled to take place from 21-23 August. The exercise given the strategic context may bring back the Ghosts of the NATO led operation Able Archer of 1983 which almost took NATO and the USSR to a global war. The question remains, will the burgeoning Asian Century be checked by an Asian Nuclear Winter?



The writer is the Director, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS)
The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) warns that all coastal communities in Sri Lanka to be on alert due to a strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake that hit off the Indonesian island of Sumatra this morning.

The International media reported that there was no tsunami risk.

DMC Assistant Director Pradeep Kodippili said it was only an alert warning and there was no need for evacuation of people.

The quake hit at a depth of 35 kilometres (22 miles) at 10:08 am (0308 GMT) 73 kilometres west of Bengkulu, according to the United States Geological Survey.

"The earthquake was quite strong and shallow, it was felt all the way to Padang, West Sumatra, but there was no threat of a tsunami," Mochammad Riyadi, an official at Indonesia's meteorology and geophysics agency told AFP.
verall the widely-predicted but yet dramatic resignation of Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake last Thursday appears to have produced more positive than negative factors for the National Unity Government and the United National Party (UNP).

Ravi Karunanayake, who was earlier the Finance Minister resigned one week after a witness gave some apparently damaging testimony against him at the sittings of the Commission inquiring into alleged bond scams at the Central Bank. The witness Anika Wijesuriya - daughter of business magnate Nahil Wijesuriya - gave details of financial transactions relating to the Monarch Residencies apartment leased out to the Karunanayake family. She said these deals involved Perpetual Treasuries Arjuna Aloysius, one of the main figures in the ongoing inquiry.

In his headline-hitting resignation speech in parliament on Thursday, Mr. Karunanayake said he was not sad but proud because his move would set a new tradition of political leaders resigning even before allegations made against them were proved beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law. He also said he believed the Joint Opposition and other groups were conspiring to exploit these allegations to undermine the National Unity Government and the UNP.



Yesterday our sister paper, the Sunday Times revealed that a crackdown was now imminent against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, his family members, top officials and close associates. At a Cabinet meeting last month, President Maithripala Sirisena had expressed grave concern over the delays in proceedings in the cases against the former President, his family members and associates. There had been reports that billions of rupees in public funds had been plundered and deposited in secret accounts at foreign banks. The President had said he believes some UNP front liners were among those stalling the prosecution in the Rajapaksa cases for various reasons.

Now the President has taken charge of these issues. At a Sri Lanka Freedom Party Central Committee meeting on Thursday, President Sirisena indicated a crackdown on the cases against the Rajapaksas and their associates would come soon, perhaps even this week. He said the Join Opposition front-liners appeared to be jubilant over Mr. Karunanayakes resignation but they would soon face the consequences for what had happened and for the billions plundered during the Rajapaksa regime.



Civic action groups have also been calling for these cases to be expedited by assigning them to one High Court which would hear only these corruption and fraud cases. During a TV interview last Thursday some civic action group leaders again made these suggestion but Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapakshe said such a move was not possible under the present Constitution. That means it would need a Constitutional Amendment and further delays.

President Sirisena last Thursday implied he was ready to appoint not just one, but even ten Commissions to probe the massive corruption allegations against the Rajapaksas and their associates.



According to certain media reports, the Central Banks former governor Arjuna Mahendran - another key figure in the alleged bond scam - was before 2015 the chief investigation officer of the personal wealth management division of the Emirates NBD Bank in Dubai. It is alleged that among the deposits in this bank were more than 2.5 billion US dollars from three former Sri Lankan VIP politicians. Senior Minister and the Cabinets Joint Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said the Karunanayake issue and the money involving the transaction was only a Loonu bika (a tiny piece) of the billions plundered during the former regime.

Whatever the wheels within wheels, deals within deals and mysteries within mysteries, we hope justice will be done soon and that the billions of dollars plundered from Sri Lankas people would be returned to them with these judicial hearings and justice moving faster, as they did in the case of Ravi Karunanayake.
Several conditions favourable to the country had been recommended by the Cabinet Sub Committee appointed to study the contents of the Hambantota Harbour Lease Agreement, Minister Susil Premajayantha said.

Minister Susil Premajayantha is a member of the Sub Committee.

Decreasing the 99 year lease period, the ratio of shares to 50 percent or to a close proportion, security of the harbour, leasing on partnership basis with China, jurisdiction under Sri Lanka are some of the amendment recommended by the committee, he said.

However, the agreement had been signed in a hurry before the committee report could be presented, he said.

Although provisions are included for amendments in the agreement a signed agreement can be amended only by mutual consent, he said.

Meanwhile, arrangements are also being made to lease out the Trincomalee harbour to India. The country would have to face difficult situations by transferring two main harbours on either sides of the country to foreign nations, he said. (Dayaseeli Liyanage)


The 'Politics and Political Leadership' National Diploma programme organised by the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) was officially inaugurated at the institute on Sunday. A number of ministers, other political leaders and the Election Commission Chairman attended the event. Pics by Nisal Baduge
- Justice Dikgang Moseneke

Former Deputy Chief Justice Moseneke receiving a memento from the Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor E. Lakshman Wijeweera

A rapt audience of University Dons and students of the Faculty of Law, heard Justice Dikgang Moseneke, former Deputy Chief Justice of the South African Constitutional Court, say that he thought that they did not know he was an ex Con, when a question was raised by the audience as to his contact with the icon Mandela.

Former Justice Moseneke said it was a tremendous task to bring together eleven languages to one platform in the process of making a Constitution for South Africa. He also said the National Anthem represents the major languages of four, by having each verse for one of the languages. What is there so cumbersome to draw up a Constitution for Sri Lanka where there are only two major languages, he questioned, when South Africa could bring about a Constitution for eleven languages of the country onto one platform, Constitutional reforms hold significance in the reconciliation of transitional societies. The post-apartheid South Africas Constitution-making process is one of the most successful and inspirational Constitution making processes of the world.

Former Deputy Chief Justice Dikgang Moseneke is an eminent judge of South Africa, who was engaged in activism at a young age and therefore had experienced the process and impact of the Constitution-making in South Africa in different perspectives. At a time whern Sri Lanka is also going through the Constitution-making phase of the reconciliation process, it is important to share the experience of South Africa in using the Constitution as a tool to bring divided communities together.

The Department of Law, Faculty of Arts in the University of Peradeniya in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat Technical Assistance Mission to Sri Lanka, conducted this dialogue with Judge Dikgang Moseneke on the South African experience regarding the Constitution-making in polarized societies, in order to disseminate knowledge on the significance of Constitution making in transitional communities.

"The National Anthem represents the major languages of four, by having each verse for one of the languages. What is there so cumbersome to draw up a Constitution for Sri Lanka where there are only two major languages, he questioned"

Justice Dikgang Moseneke practised as an Advocate in Johannesburg and Pretoria, and was elevated to the status of Senior Counsel in 1993. He served on the technical committee that drafted the interim Constitution of 1993, and was appointed Deputy Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission; which conducted the first democratic election in South Africa. After serving as a judge of the High Court in Pretoria, he was appointed as a judge in the Constitutional Court and in June 2005 as the Deputy Chief Justice of the Republic of South Africa.

The discussion at Peradeniya focused on the challenges and achievements of the difficult Constitution making process in South Africa as it transited from apartheid into a pluralist democracy. Justice Moseneke emphasized the significance of Constitutional reforms in the reconciliation process under one of the pillars of transitional justice: the guarantees of non-recurrence.

He said special attention was also given to the mandate and performance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of South Africa; which is the only truth commission to have been given powers of amnesty.

At the rostrum - Professor Lakshman Wijeweera with the delegates

Justice Moseneke narrated his experience on the drafting process of the South African Constitution. The audience was fascinated to hear how people from different backgrounds were brought onto a single platform to map the future of South Africa by drafting the Constitution. The debate that occurred during the Constitution drafting phase between the recognition of individual rights and group rights were discussed. Special attention was also given to the mandate and performance of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) of South Africa; which is the only truth commission to have been given powers of amnesty.

This dialogue was held at the Senate Room of the University of Peradeniya, chaired by the Acting and also the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University Professor R. Lakshman Wijeweera.

The Head of the Faculty of Law and Senior Lecturer Dr. (Ms) Samanmala Dorabawila introduced former Judge Moseneke.

Among those who were present were Constitutional Court Advocate Karen McKenzie of South Africa, Counsellor Johannes Van Niekark of the South Afrian High Commission, Head of Human Rights Sumedha Ekanayake and Human Rights Adviser Eleanor Paton were among those present with Ambassador of South Africa Ms.Robina P. Marks. Saman Ratwatte PC was also present.
It is raining and he apologises for being late but then Biharis (like he and I) are used to waiting. We belong to that place of perpetual waiting. Like him, I crossed the proverbial seven seas, loved and lost and we spoke of a lone bench in the park under the diffused light of the street lamp where he had sat wondering what it would take to become a writer.

In the 1980s, he went to the United States. His latest book The Lovers is about memory and a beating heart.

He told me about the book he was reading at the time. It belongs to that time.

"You cannot write unless you write much," Somerset Maugham wrote in The Summing Up.

Many decades ago, he had sat on a bench in Delhi reading this book and wondering what makes you a writer. He was then a student at DU and still an immigrant.

The Lovers; Amitava Kumar; Aleph Book Company

His latest, The Lovers is a tale of such encounters of love and loss narrated by an immigrant.

For the sake of memory and its keepers, the solace is writing. It is also the joy of remembering. The question is how does an immigrant love? And he says, "With a weak but beating heart."

An interview with Amitava Kumar:

Who is an immigrant? What is the immigrant experience of love?

An immigrant is someone who does not belong. An immigrant experience of love is where you ask whether the other person loves you  or doesn't  because you are a foreigner. There is a great line from a story by Hanif Kureishi about immigrants are those who wear mismatched clothes. Do you remember the malicious but maybe accurate line of Paul Therouxs about Naipaul? Vidia on a London street was less likely a Nobel Prize candidate than a shopkeeper...

You have used Zadie Smith's "Oh he loves her, just as the English loved India & Africa & Ireland; it is the love that is the problem, people treat their lovers badly." What does it mean? What does it mean in the context of your book?

I thought it made a great epigraph for the book. It says love isnt innocent. Love is a dangerous thing. It gives us delight but it also causes damage. I think Smiths equating it with colonialism is very clever: she makes us see that good intentions hide grand illusions.

Why did you write this book? Is it autobiographical? Tell us about your encounters of love as an immigrant?

This is a book about youth. It is autobiographical only in the sense that I was trying to remember what it meant to be young. Because the body forgets, it forgets even what was once so intimate.

Im not telling you anything more  youll have to read the book to learn more about my encounters.

Tell us about your journey to the United States?

I went to the United States, to New York, when Reagan was still President. The Iran-Contra hearings were my first real experience of American television. I watched it with a fellow Bihari on a black-and-white TV that a neighbour had donated to our household. Im talking of another time. It was difficult to even make telephone calls. My parents had to book trunk calls. How many of your readers who are young will even know what that means?

What is your process of writing?

An idea is born and it takes shapes in the form of numerous jottings in various notebooks. I was on an Amtrak train, joining from New York to Philadelphia, when I wrote a little section in my notebook about a monkey in Arrah, Bihar. That section, more than 20 years later, became a part of this novel.

What is nostalgia? How does Patna affect your writing?

I dont subscribe to the common sense idea of nostalgia as a longing for ones past or for what is now gone. I think of it more as a desire for what never was.

When people talk of those days of the past, they are really talking of the days that will never come back. Those days during which mangoes were cheap and delicious, even though your father remembers them being cheaper and more delicious during those days that will never come back.

Im cheating right now by quoting from a poem in my book Bombay-London-New York. I cant remember more of the lines. Which is to say, I could remember more in those days that will not come back. As for Patna, it enters my work partly as a memory of the days that are no more. The days when Phanishwar Nath Renu and other writers gathered at the Coffee House each evening. Or when JP gave a call for total revolution. Or when my mother was still alive.

What does an encounter with a lost love mean? Are you forever a migrant if you are from a place like Bihar?

My favourite line is from a story by Junot Diaz: "The half-life of love is forever." Which means that loves are never lost: they remain radioactive with memory.

But what I also know is that any encounter with such a love is only a reminder of what has been lost. When I was writing this book, I read some of my old journals and letters. It was the most depressing thing Ive done.

Biharis are champion migrants. Think of the distant places they have travelled, not as well-heeled tourists but as indentured labourers. Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad. When I was writing my first book, Passport Photos, I went in a train with the men from my village in Champaran to the fields and stone quarries of Punjab.

Today, so much of the working population of Indian metropolises is made up of migrants from Bihari towns and villages.

What do you carry as memory? Is it a burden? Does it make you love better?

What one remembers is often painful, but the greater pain is the idea of losing ones memory. It is a great fear of mine. In The Lovers, Kailash is setting down his memories because he doesnt want to forget. Or maybe he remembers too much and wants to unburden himself by sharing those memories.

Do memories make you love better?

I dont know. I believe Kailash thinks that despite remembering, he is likely to only repeat his mistakes.

Who do you love? How do you love?

I love my family, my kids in particular. They are my life. I love my friends, particularly those who I think Im in conversation with in my writing. Ive dedicated The Lovers to one of them, Teju Cole.

How do I love?

With a weak but beating heart.

Where is home? Is it imagination?

Im often asked whether India is home or the US. And I say neither. Im an in-between man. I wish I could say something lofty like, My only home is in language. I think the truth is closer to what a friend once said: Home is where there is free Wi-Fi.

What writers do you like? Tell us about the bench and Somerset Maugham in the early 1980s when you were an immigrant in Delhi

On page 221 of The Lovers, Kailash offers the following list. This was also the list I followed during the last phase of writing the novel.

But Maugham belongs to my youth. My mother had two or three of his books. I read Cakes and Ale when I was in Patna, maybe in my early teens, and liked it very much. A few years later, filled with the secret knowledge that I was going to be a writer, I read more of Maugham. I remember sitting on a bench at the India International Center on a warm evening reading The Summing Up. I was probably waiting for a free screening of a movie to begin. There were lessons about writing in what I was reading. The main lesson I think I was seeking, or at least the one I chose to absorb, was one about inhabiting the persona of a writer. It would have been better of course if I was actually doing any writing.

It took me many years to become a writer. And even when I had published a lot, I realised that I wasnt writing too much about America. It felt safer to write, even from a distance, about Patna.
[Here Nehru talks to the fictional special assistant to Lady Mountbatten, Lady Wallace, after hearing that the former has passed away.]

There was a rusty click when he opened the dispatch box and timidly lifted the lid, as if he were somehow afraid of what he might unleash. Slowly, he turned the box around to reveal its contents, deliberately offering them to me.

Quickly, I pushed the breakfast tray down to the far end of the coffee table so that he could lay the box in the space created. It was full of letters. Hundreds of them in different sizes and shapes, all neatly tied up in batches of twenty or so with lawyers red tape. And I realised immediately what they were. He had no need to say anything. Here was his confession. That was why he had come.

All this time? All these years, Panditji? I said. I knew these letters were the sum of Edwinas correspondence to him. And somewhere in a box or drawer on the Mountbattens country estate, Broadlands, in England, was the other half from him. Yes, he whispered, his voice soft, almost feminine with old age.

Two a day, at first, after she left. I would work all day and unburden myself to her at night. Then once a day and then, with the pressures of state, sometimes just one or two a week. She would tell me off for that! He hesitated, as if having come so far, he had become unsure of how much to trust me with. Always in diplomatic bags, always under a double cover. We were so afraid of letters falling into the wrong hands, communists perhaps. Look! He selected a bundle of letters and handed them to me. She made me number them, so that we would know if one went missing.

Photo: Amazon.in

I was reluctant to intrude, but he stole a march on me, deftly untying the tape and letting the letters drop into my lap. They separated with a gentle rush, like slowly melting snow from the branch of a tree, and came to rest on my knees and on the floor around me. Seizing the opportunity, the little boy abandoned his train and moved to pick them up. Meticulously, he delivered them alternately, one to me and one to Jawahar.

Precious, I said. Widening his eyes, the child nodded and stroked the soft watermarked paper of one letter with the tip of a finger. Taking it from him I noticed that Edwina had written To the Prime Minister on it in her spidery writing, while the next one had been addressed To Himself. May I smoke? Jawahar asked.

He knew very well that he could and had done so on many occasions in our house, but it was a mark of the man that still he sought permission. I assented and taking the matchbox from the drawer in the coffee table, I struck a match for him. He leant forward to cup his hands around the flame and I felt the warmth of his breath on my hands and face. Sitting back on the sofa, he drew up his legs and crossed them beneath him.

Inhaling and exhaling, he watched the curls of smoke rising and dancing as if he might somehow conjure the tall svelte figure of Edwina out of the air. I think, he said, his voice thin and quiet as if coming from a far off place, It was that she was my escape and I was hers. Writing to her, being with her  it was always dreamlike, a state most unbecoming of a Prime Minister.

He exhaled slowly. But in truth, Pippi, I think I am only incidentally a prime minister. He was losing himself in a reverie and I realised that for him, I too was now only incidentally there.

I would send her poems: Yeats, Swinburne, Euripides, Auden, Blake, the Song of Solomon and poor ham-fisted efforts of my own. I would lose myself in tales of myths and legends. I would write about the Buddhist caves of Ajanta and the Temple of the Sun in Orissa, where there is no sense of shame or hiding anything. Ah! Pippi, you should see the faces of the Bodhisattvas on the walls at Ajanta. They are thousands of years old yet still so real and alive, looking down at me, each one a jewel in itself. The women are painted with such beauty and such grace, they make me feel pain at the vulgarity and cheapness of the life we see.

He heaved another sigh and tapped the ash off the tip of his cigarette.
The fact that 62 children have died since August 7 at Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital is a shocking man-made tragedy. It was caused by a long delay in payment to the private medical supplies firm Pushpa Sales Pvt. Limited for liquid oxygen - a critical medicine, especially in the case of children who need an additional infusion of oxygen because of limited lung capacity.

The companys sales manager at Gorakhpur, Deepankar Sharma, pointed out that as per the agreement, payments should be made within 15 days, and the arrears should never exceed Rs 10 lakh. Our payment was due since November 2016, and only two partial payments were released (in May and June). However, we continued to supply oxygen for about nine months on humanitarian grounds.

But finally, we did not have enough funds to pay the company from which we source paynents. Sharma added that after waiting for about three months, we sent the first the first letter in February 2017.

According to him, the first payment due was then around Rs 42 lakh and yet Pushpa Sales continued to send reminders - in April, May and June, two in July and August, informing the hospital that it was becoming difficult for the firm to ensure supply from their own funds.

At the time, the total amount due was more than Rs 60 lakh.

UP minister for medical education Ashutosh Tandon, who too was in Gorakhpur, said that the hospital principal, Rajeev Mishra had forwarded the suppliers August 1 letter to the government, following which money was released on August 5.

The principal had received the funds in his account on August 7, but had been unable to explain why he had failed to release it, Tandon said.

As expected, the UP government played down the tragedy, like others before it. Photo: PTI

Interestingly, Union minister Ram Vilas said the situation was a test for the BJP government in UP. I am sure the chief minister will take it very seriously. This is an hour of test for the chief minister, Paswan stated.

Of course, as expected, the UP government played down the tragedy, like others before it.

The UP government claimed that the rate of death of children in BRD Medical College Hospital in the 11 days of August this year was lower than the comparable rate in previous years.

This facile statement in effect is saying that because the deaths of 62 children were less than the comparable number in previous years, they are not unusual.

But the UP governments statement is shocking. If the BRD Medical College had a consistently horrendous death rate in earlier years, it should have been seriously revamped and subject to continuous oversight. In fact, a time-bound judicial inquiry is required to find out why this medical college had such a high fatality rate among child patients.
It's the time of the yearly ritual of a bombastic, euphoric celebration of Indian independence. The key word is independence here. The word "partition" seldom occupies our minds when we approach this day. The "we" of course is the suave, urban middle class that has aspirations for the future. Partition, as we try and console ourselves, is what fate was for Pakistan.

India became independent. It was the birth of a prosperous country as opposed to a "moth-eaten" Pakistan. To quote Ashish Nandy out of context, the hubris of freedom for us is best captured by looking at Pakistan as "a bird which has two wings but no body".

Pakistan with no real "body" to talk of experienced the ill-effects of Partition. We, on the other hand, were destined for a better future. This is broadly the fiendish idea that informs our public mind even today.

Think of our school textbooks to realise how we get taught about "our independence" and "their partition". The public memory being perpetually short, casteist and gendered compounds our increasing dissonance of comprehending Partition as a memory, a non-linear action of events which continue to form, re-form and transform identities to this day.

Partition, especially for students like I, was always inconsequential, something that barely had a mention of a footnote in our school textbooks. People rail against the NCERT books for not adequately covering the multiple traumas of Partition. I can only imagine how horrible the situation is for state government books.

There needs to be a concerned engagement with how our present lives are shaped and formed by the cataclysmic event of Partition. Photo: LIFE

We used to have a mention of two-three truisms at best  the number of people who migrated from both sides, a couple of pictures of trains flooded with hapless people and occupying the top storeys of the trains and how a certain Cyril Radcliffe came and drew the borders for the two countries.

The description, even with these mentioned ones, stops here. The lifeless numbers of migrations not only occlude the possibility of multiple narratives of anguish, despair and suffering but categorically enclose the chapter within these unsubstantiated, bogus bullet points.

For instance, the horrific rapes by people who were once the victims and at other times the perpetrators, gets sidelined almost to say that in the New India, it is the future of the migrated lot that counts and not the sombre memoralisation of victimhood.

Visual imagery was the second dominant part wherein trains, leaders, cartographic maps of new India occupied the centre stage. Image as a purveyor of memory, storytelling and as something that generates a minimum act of empathy about the consequences of Partition were used to be secondary. In textbooks, it was always about the heroic sacrifices of our leaders (even here one can see a clear selective bias) at the expense of what transpired in the daily lives of common people whose rhythm of quotidian activities were given a sudden, disturbing jolt of disruption and migration.

The poignancy of the event was never conveyed to us in our school days. The images made it sound as a largely ephemeral, episodic event instead of provoking our impressionable minds with what gets wiped out and what gets included in our understanding of history.

The horrors of an arbitrarily drawn border by Radcliffe never reached us. The objective fact of the border being made public on August 17 instead of August 15 becomes a more important matter to memorise. It is maybe because of this insufficiently imagined sense of Partition that undergirds our shallow modern articulations of anything and everything related to Pakistan.

At least today, with the benefit of hindsight, one can probe into all those worldviews that were just not introduced to us in schools. If history is reading the past in order to understand the present and thereby make a better future, partition studies need to be an integral part of our post-colonial imaginations.

It should start with reflecting about our complicity in ignoring lived experiences of our own grandparents and their generations. There is plenty to be learnt from the "partition-grandchildren" as well for a group of, for the lack of a better word, "independence-grandchildren".

Oral histories have certainly been a tremendous effort on the part of scholars, starting with Urvashi Butalia's The Other Side of Silence: Voices from the Partition of India, that should become a part of mainstream story-telling. Shows like Buniyaad, films like Tamas and many others should be a part of compulsory viewing, sadly a space today that has been ceded to jingoistic war movies.

Theatre plays, nukkad nataks, documentaries etcetera on partition stories need to be delved into at the earliest. A rich treasure trove awaits to be mined by students who are keen to rummage through these media to comprehend our modern-day resentment.

This cannot merely pop up as a yearly ritual of celebration and triumph. There needs to be a concerned engagement with how our present lives are shaped and formed by the cataclysmic event of Partition.

It should be a starting point of curiosity for people belonging to every possible stream, ranging from social transformations in the fields of arts, architecture, science and technology, music, businesses and many more.

We, as students, need not don the hat of an academic to make sense of each and every complexity of all these streams that got transformed by Partition. At the same time, to neglect them as a mere episode after which everything fell back in place would be tantamount of us being collectively unethical toward our nation-building process.
Virginia State Police arrested three people Saturday related to the planned Unite the Right rally in Emancipation Park and the ensuing disorder.

Troy L. Dunigan, 21, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct; Jacob L. Smith, of Louisa, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault and battery; and James M. O'Brien, 44, of Gainesville, Florida, was arrested and charged with carrying a concealed handgun, according to police.
RICHMOND  A board member of the Virginia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union resigned his position over the weekend in protest of the groups decision to file a lawsuit that kept Charlottesville authorities from relocating a white nationalist rally from a park that police said they wouldnt be able to keep safe.

Whats legal and whats right are sometimes different, said Albemarle County resident Waldo Jaquith in a tweet. He said he still believes the organization does essential work, but cant facilitate Nazis murdering people.

Saturdays protest, anticipated for months, turned into a hectic melee of brawls, beatings and chemical weapon attacks well before its scheduled start time of noon. Police said 15 people were injured and, at about 11:30 a.m., declared the assembly unlawful, clearing the square.

A few hours later, a car plowed into a crowd of anti-racist counter-protesters on a Downtown Mall street, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring at least 19.

Late Saturday night, the ACLU released a statement reacting to the days violence.

Since its inception, and even as we have and will continue to fight for free speech for everyone, the ACLU of Virginia has stood up for respect, decency, equality and humanity for all, the statement said. What happened today had nothing to do with free speech. It devolved into conduct against individuals motivated by hate that was initially thuggish, and ultimately, deliberately murderous.

In the immediate aftermath of Saturdays unrest, police faced criticism from both white nationalists and counter-protesters for not doing more to intervene.

For hours, police watched but generally did not attempt to break up the groups as they beat each other with sticks, sprayed each other with chemical weapons such as pepper spray and hurled projectiles at one another, including cans filled with cement, and bottles  some filled with water, others urine.

Many on both sides protested peacefully away from the skirmishes, but it was clear that a not insignificant faction of the attendees, armed and decked out in makeshift body armor and homemade shields, came with the intention of fighting one another.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe defended the police response to the situation in remarks Sunday morning. Likewise, a state police spokeswoman insisted Saturday that police had done their best to keep the situation safe.

We stepped in when, obviously, it got to a certain level to try to break it up, said Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corrine Geller. But theres also an officer safety concern.

Police warned early last week that they didnt believe they could keep the large gathering secure in the small square at Emancipation Park and city officials said they would only grant the permit if it was moved about a little over a mile north to the much larger McIntire Park.

Organizers called the request absurd, noting that the reason for the event was to protest the citys plan to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from Emancipation Park.

The Virginia ACLU and the Rutherford Institute took up the case, arguing that officials were attempting to move the event not because of concerns about a large and violent crowd, but because they disagreed with organizers views.

The ACLU of Virginia stands for the right to free expression for all, not just those whose opinions are in the mainstream or with whom the government agrees, said Executive Director Claire Guthrie Gastanaga in a statement.

Meanwhile, Charlottesville City Attorney Craig S. Brown had argued We firmly believe there is a threat of violence if it takes place in Emancipation Park. We firmly believe the same threat of violence exists if its moved to McIntire Park. The key to preventing violence is to keep the sides apart and it is easier to keep the sides separate at McIntire because it is bigger.

The case was heard Friday evening in federal court, and U.S. District Court Judge Glen E. Conrad granted an injunction forcing city officials to allow the rally in the square. He said he granted the injunction because testimony indicated that rally organizer Jason Kessler could successfully prove that the city revoked his original permit based on his ideas.

After the court victory, the ACLU called on police to handle the expected crowds using de-escalation tactics and flexibility, and avoid the kind of over-militarized response that was mounted on July 8. We encourage everyone participating to commit to non-violence and peaceful protest. We will be there to observe and document police practices as we were on July 8 and at other rallies and protests across Virginia since January and before.

Jaquith did not respond to an interview request, but authored a string of tweets Saturday evening after the violence unfolded explaining his decision to resign from the 32-member board, which he said he has sat on for two and a half years.

The city was well aware of many dozens of violent threats, which is why they wanted to move it. The ACLU *should* have known, he wrote. Enabling speech is great. Enabling violence is not.

When a free speech claim is the only thing standing in the way of Nazis killing people, maybe dont take up that case.

Gastanaga did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Sunday morning.

Jaquith urged people not to vilify the organization, which he said remains important.

I hope that other board members who think this was a mistake will stay, and push for change, he said. Quitting is the easy way out.
I live on Guam. Here's how we're coping with the North Korea nuclear standoff.

Living on Guam is a dichotomy  a beautiful island in the middle of the Western Pacific that plays an important strategic role in scary world events, the homeland of the Chamorro people for 3,500 years or more. We who call Guam our home are reminded of this reality every day.

We wake up to colorful sunrises, drive to work next to the deep blue Pacific Ocean, see brilliant rainbows and spectacular cloud formations every day. The reef life, waterfalls, beaches and sunsets are awesome all the time. The living is easy, and we love it intensely! Some 1.3 million people visit Guam each year to enjoy it with us. Mostly Asian, the visitors come to enjoy the beauty of Guam and the warm hospitality of the Chamorro people. Tourists are the bedrock of our economy.

But daily we also see uniformed soldiers, war ships, submarines that we know are heavily armed and huge military planes and helicopters. There are international military exercises here regularly. Nearly everyone on island has at least one relative serving in the military. It's just a small island  we know one another, including the U.S. Armed Forces personnel stationed here. We shop and eat and drink together.

This has been Guam's fate  the island is large enough to host a good number of people, has plenty of fresh water and a nice-sized, deep harbor. And we're used to being treated as a pawn in other powers' strategic games: In 1941, the United States gave up Guam without much of a defense against Japanese attack in World War II. American forces sent their dependents home just before Japan attacked, leaving a small contingent of soldiers here ill-equipped to protect the island. Chamorros suffered greatly at the hands of the Japanese for 2 1/2 years. More than 1,000 Chamorros were killed.

Memories of that devastating time were brought back as President Donald Trump and North Korean President Kim Jong Un threatened each other, making the people of Guam feel as though we all have targets on our backs. Last week, North Korea announced that it might fire missiles to within 25 miles of Guam.

We try to shrug it off, make some jokes about how idiotic these two leaders are and then get on with our lives. As we watch hour after hour of the news, people say brave things like: We are strong, we are resilient, our faith will sustain us. The U.S. military will protect us this time, because now we are U.S. citizens.

It seems all the world's media is finally looking at us.

Just about everyone on Guam is getting tearful, panicky calls from friends and family off island begging them to leave and go somewhere safer. Social media is heavy with these conversations, and people are angry that this is happening here once again.

We just celebrated our Liberation Day with memories of war fresh on our minds.

One woman told me her son called worried sick, as his whole family is on Guam except him. If Guam is bombed, he will be all alone in the world. She spoke with him for quite a while and said he's OK now. She asked him to pray for peace and is confident the U.S. military will intercept any missiles fired at us.

Another friend told me she has broken out in a terrible rash due to stress. She has a granddaughter in the military stationed at the Korean DMZ and fears for her safety. The young woman told her by phone last week that they have been immunized for poisons and wear protective clothing. They will have only two minutes to act if attacked, she said. But "don't worry, Grammie, we're going to be all right. You raised a tough Santa Rita girl." After she hung up, my friend cried, because she knew her granddaughter was terribly scared and just trying to put on a brave face.

A neighbor looks at it this way: We've all been given one life to live, and she is choosing to be the best person she can, to live fearlessly and courageously. Another said she will not let this ruin her life. She will continue her everyday life, she said, and she rests in the hands of God.

A veteran told me he knows the scenarios of engagement and is aware of the assets and capabilities of the U.S. and its allies. He also knows that no one wants a nuclear war, because everybody loses. He said it's time for a regime change in North Korea.

Many people here have been angry about a Fox News graphic showing that Guam has a total of 3,831 Americans affected by the threat  which excludes the local population of 160,000 people, all of whom are American citizens, too, though as an unincorporated territory of the United States, we don't vote for president and have no voting representation in Congress. It's a never-ending dilemma for us, leaving us with a sense of disempowerment. We've worked for years on decolonization and self-determination but haven't made much progress.

We are all watching, though, to see if the military starts sending their dependents off Guam again. We are fervently hoping that cooler heads will prevail.

Shannon J. Murphy is a longtime resident of Guam and a former journalist. She is the managing editor of guampedia.com, an online resource about Guam.
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.

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.

Now Trump has inherited a mess. Not only is Kim testing ballistic missiles at an alarming rate, but also the Defense Intelligence Agency now assesses 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 like 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 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 who 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.

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 hatred and violence we saw in Charlottesville demand leadership from the General Assembly to stop the hate and create a commonwealth that welcomes and provides opportunity for all.

I join the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy in calling upon the General Assembly to:

 Pass bills to track hate crimes, and to publicly welcome all. Bills were proposed last year to track hate crimes and welcome all to Virginia, but were defeated or not even considered.

 Establish a task force to propose how Virginia can create an environment that welcomes and offers opportunity to all (people of color, Muslims, immigrants, women, LGBT and poor white men).

Mary Bennett, Albemarle County
As a white male teenager in the 1950s in my hometown of Montgomery, Alabama, I remember well the racial tension and violence of those years. In those days, the strife was over things that affected the daily lives of people: the schools they could attend, the restaurants and hotels they could patronize, and the neighborhoods where they could live.

On the surface, the strife this week is over a trivial matter, a statue, but it has brought out the same old emotions and hatreds that we had hoped were just a blurred memory.

Personally, I see no problem in having a monument that depicts a historical event or person. But if that monument causes pain to many of my fellow citizens, then I say, Why don't we just quietly remove it and put it away in storage?

Maybe someday in the future it could be regarded as just another historical marker to an unfortunate time in history  or maybe not. But so long as it causes pain, there is no point in leaving it there to rub salt into the wounds.

As I write this, I am just learning that someone was killed and several were injured by a hit-and-run driver  presumably a domestic terrorist. We don't yet know the driver or his affiliation, but we do know that the strife was precipitated by the Ku Klux Klan, white supremacists, Nazis, and the likes of David Duke. They stirred up the lingering fuels of racial hatred and bigotry and lit the match that led directly to the violence and death.

I wish that our president had made the type of clear statement he has made about other terrorist incidents, instead of implying some sort of false equivalency.

In contrast, the words of Virginias governor, mayor, and police chief showed the type of leadership that is needed to try to bring peace.

Charles E. Branch, Auburn, Alabama
To our neighbors back in troubled Charlottesville:

I am watching events there unfold on national news at our new home in Seattle, and am unsure what to say of comfort to my friends and neighbors there. It seems clear that Jason Kesslers group has violated the good graces of our fair city in the name of heritage, but the Nazi paraphernalia shows this group for the hate-group it is.

I can only offer the following facts:

 The Confederacy lost their war 152 years ago, when they fought for the enslavement of more than one million human beings (slavery was the actual states right in contention). The United States defeated the Confederacy at a cost of nearly 620,000 Americans, with a verdict of equal rights under the law for all human beings in America.

 The Nazis lost their war 65 years ago, and they fought to dominate and exterminate millions of ethnically inconvenient human beings. The United States helped defeat the Nazis at a cost of roughly 418,500 dead Americans. (And millions more worldwide).

 Mr. Kesslers group has aligned themselves on the losing side of Americas most costly wars, apparently in a bid to establish white dominance in Virginia.

To the people of Charlottesville, take heart. There are roughly 300 of them, but roughly 46,597 citizens of you. There are another 340,000,000 Americans out here who, for the most part, are against the hatred expressed by Kessler and his ilk.

The weight of history is against the long-term success of hate groups like Kesslers. Two major wars lost. National laws built around the idea of equal treatment under the law for all Americans (Brown v. Board Of Education, the 14th Amendment, etc.). An active-duty military of 1,301,443 personnel  including 407,563 from ethnic minorities.

Neighbors, I suspect this is very unsettling for you there in Charlottesville. Please stand up for each other. None of you should have to cower in your homes or hang your heads, especially those of you that have risked your lives to defend the very freedoms Kessler is abusing.

Paul S. Reinhart, Seattle, Washington
In the years since I left Charlottesville for the Northeast, the question Where are you from? has become far more difficult to answer. The rather exculpatory response I used to give went something like this: Charlottesville. Its in Virginia, but not the backwards and racist real Virginia youre assuming. Its very progressive and accepting.

But when your friends then Google Charlottesville, and the images that appear are of torch-burning white supremacists rallying around a Confederate monument, this answer no longer seems truthful.

By now, rather than continuing to whitewash my depiction of Charlottesville, I have taken to offering a more nuanced view. It is, I say, a town with a top-ranked university, delicious restaurants, an exceptional music scene, and a historical patriarch who wrote the Declaration of Independence.

But it is also a place that deifies a racist who grew rich on the labor of his slaves, wealth then used to found the cherished university. It is a place that sought to continue this system during the Civil War, and later erected monuments to the men who fought and died in the pursuit of enslaving others. And it is a place that participated in the institutionalized racisms of schools, laws, and economy that have permeated America, and particularly the South, during the last 150 years.

So, let us concede to the alt-right, and leave standing the statue of Robert E. Lee in downtown Charlottesville, but let us do so in a way that is conscious of the flexibility of symbols. As with any work of art, the meaning of a monument is not fixed by its creators intentions. It changes with the shifting values of society over time, and by the setting within which it is contextualized, as argued by Sanford Levinson in Written in Stone.

Instead of living in an imagined utopia sanitized of its past, Charlottesville should put a large plaque on the statue bluntly explaining how Lee fought to enslave African-Americans and was not a hero, but a villain. An entirely new statue commemorating slaves from the citys past (Sally Hemings seems an obvious choice) could even be erected across from Lee, or the statue itself added on to, in the subversive nature of Fearless Girl on Wall Street. But the statue of Lee should remain standing, not as a celebration of racism, but as a reminder of the shame that birthed a town.

Max Weiner

Middletown, Connecticut
As a former resident of Charlottesville and a onetime police reporter for The Daily Progress, my heart broke for my old hometown on Saturday, but my heart soared at the outstanding job my old brothers and sisters at

The Progress did in covering the mayhem.

Stay strong, Charlottesville. Your community is about so much more than this, and yet you are blessed to have a crew of journalists equal any terrible day.

Sean P. Scully, Calistoga, California
Union finance and defence Minister Arun Jaitleys much-publicised Kerala sortie on August 6 to expose the CPM hand in political killings and Kerala governments counter propaganda through an ad blitz in national dailies last week starkly point to the creed of violence practised by the BJP-RSS and CPM in the State since the late 1960s. A deep sense of distrust prevails. On August 5, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) took over the security of RSS leader V. Sasidharan in the northern town of Panur, the hotbed of political violence. Sasidharans appeal against his conviction for the murder bid on Kannur district secretary P. Jayarajan in 1999 is pending. He suspects the State police mobile picket near his house is a trap. Ironically, he was among BJP leaders at the peace table opposite CPM leaders, notably Jayarajan, in Kannur recently.

Data bear out the wary trudge towards peace in Kannur, and now the capital city of Thiruvananthap-uram, where RSS local leader Edavakode Rajesh fell to machete and dagger blows. After the States formation in 1956, 527 Communist cadre have been killed while other parties lost 442, and BJP 185. In 12 years between 2006 and 2017, figures with State and National Crime Records Bureaus show that Kerala witnessed 107 political murders; 50 of the victims belonged to CPM, 42 BJP and allies, Congress 3, Muslim League 6 and others 6. But it does not follow that Kerala is the countrys homicide capital. NCRB figures for 2015 show Kerala accounted for mere 334 murders, roughly one percent, of the total 31,480 murders in the country. The number of political murders the same year: Uttar Pradesh, 28; Jharkhand 15; Kerala 12; and Madhya Pradesh 10. Peace efforts have paid off, at least for now. The cessation of violence is often a pause in the decades-old history of turf war by the CPM to retain its territory and the BJP for more leg space and later a safe perch at the high table of Kerala politics.

Gruesome as it is, the CPM has been involved in many political killings in the state, either as the killer or the victim; it was the constant, the variables being the RSS, the Congress, the Muslim League and even the CPI. Over the years the killings bear an eerie staccato- starting with the murder of RSS leader Vadikkal Ramakrishnan in 1968. Thalassery, the epicentre of revenge killings, has not slept a wink since then. On January 25, 1994, RSS leader C. Sadananadan Masters legs were chopped off. Retribution came the next morning when SFI State vice-president Sudheesh was done to death in front of his parents. The next major bout started with the RSS bid on CPM leader P. Jayarajan on August 25, 1999, followed by the murder of BJYM leader and school teacher K.T. Jayakrishnan Master on December 31 the same year.

Strangely, violence begets sympathy. The BJP, for decades confined to the margins of the States bipartisan politics, increased its overall vote tally from 6 to 15 percent in last Assembly elections. Its electoral growth has been commensurate with its direct action to checkmate the CPM. Says Prof M.N. Karassery, a social commentator: At work is the sympathy factor. The more the CPM is known to physically take on the BJP, the latter gains in public sympathy. This was the case with the Communists, who were banned and hunted by the Congress and the police post-Independence. Congress leader Moyarath Sankaran, a historian of standing, was tortured to death in Kannur central jail after he switched to the Communist party. The halo of martyrdom benefited the Communists, who had since not looked back.

In the early 1960s the RSS, backed by Konkan traders and business honchos, forayed into the Left bastion of Kannur, challenging the Koyas, well entrenched in beedi business. The land has been blessed with the greats of A.K. Gopalan and KPR Gopalan. The beedi turf split, with CPM promoting Dinesh and the RSS, Ganesh brand. There has been a set pattern to the internecine engagements. Most victims on both sides are poor and belong to the subaltern Thiyya community, which forms the cadre base of both the parties.

Killer squads of either party compete in savagery. If its a severed head on the gate, it could be a corpse stuffed with sand to rot on the wayside. Both parties subscribe to the use of force, and so the cadre cant be otherwise even at the slightest provocation. It seems contagious, this urge for violence, and had infected campuses in the state. Political murderers are given folkloric status. Leaders visit them in jails and make sure that their stay is comfortable. Outside, on public platforms, these leaders employ their demagogic skills to incite violence, even making it sound heroic.

Party chieftains believe in tit for tat and administration-sponsored peace conferences are mere interludes to the next gory chapter. Would parties, not merely the leaders, resolve to give up arms? As proof, they should restrain the cadre and those breaching the party diktat should be disowned. That would bolster the meek cops into action. But if assurances are flouted still, the party leaders, the phantom bosses who patronize killer gangs, should be held to account for the bloody deeds. There is the option to tap Section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code and book party leaders, based on the logic that cadre-based parties have a chain of command and the order for action comes from above. Possibly, an extension of vicarious responsibility.

CPM central committee member E.P. Jayarajan, who has a bullet lodged below the ear, following a murder bid on him on a train, says only tough administrative measures and awareness campaigns on secularism can checkmate the Sangh Parivar, which is communal and polarizes society. Asked about the party on its own checking the RSS, Mr Jayarajan said, its the people who fight such elements. There are attempts to couch the blood thirst in tradition and folklore, that the violence is a legacy of the martial arts tradition of northern Malabar, marked by the eye for eye logic. Folklore abounds in deceit and skulduggery. Warrior chief Kathiroor Gurukal was killed by rival Thacholi Othenan in crass deceit, by spraying sand on the opponent to blind him. Do not valorise such bloody duels. Tracing the genesis of revenge killings to the martial arts tradition is simplistic because such savagery had manifested in different times and climes. Why CPM-RSS clash alone should be yoked into that category, commented Prof Rajan Gurukkal in one of his treatises.
Some of the warnings coming from the world of science on global warming are the direst yet. Even French President Emanuel Macrons hint that US President Donald Trump could change his mind on climate change and support the Paris accord in some form, may not be sufficient to convince the scientific community that man can do anything to mitigate the disaster awaiting us. Humankind is apparently way over the line with regard to climate change.

If our fears are only to do with the rise in sea levels, which has been dominating our thoughts on the problem, we are barely scratching the surface of the ill-effects of climate change. While its bad enough to learn that Mumbai, Chennai, Surat and Kolkata will, by 2050, be among the top cities in the Asia-Pacific region to face huge losses every year from flooding, Miami and Bangladesh are likely to be hit very hard this century too.

Many other regions are on the drowning list before the 21st Century runs out. However, scientists warn that rising sea levels is barely the tip of the iceberg of the climate change crisis. As we collectively hurtle towards destruction, the knowledge that the planet has warmed only by one degree Celsius since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution is no consolation. The direst warning is that famine, economic collapse and an unforgiving sun that cooks the planet are factors enough to tip the balance. The news from Antarctica of the trillion tonne breakaway calf from the Larsen C ice shelf to form one big iceberg four times the size of Delhi, but which could melt at some point, could be just another sign of several such disasters in the offing.

Dystopian movies featuring zombies on a failing planet may seem bizarre in this day and age. But dont speak too soon. Climate apocalypse is not as far away as is commonly believed. But, before we condemn the climate naysayers, lets look at the evidence tendered thus far. The Syrian civil war from which ISIS arose, plus the resultant refugee crisis, can be traced back to climate change as it is linked to the drought that began in 2006-07. Farmers and labour began to shift to cities where there were neither jobs nor food and protests worsened into riots and then into insurgency and war. The same urban migration is happening in swathes of South India, which are set to witness steep decline in rice yields due to failing monsoons and successive years of drought  rice yield will be down by 14.5 per cent by the 2050s and 17 per cent in the 2080s, according to estimates.

Guatemalas food security is so much under threat that many areas are said to have been left ungoverned after the civil war. The Nile Delta is facing increasing danger from rising seas that bring in salt incursion. In Lagos, Nigeria, half the people are living below the sea level now and may have to relocate. The double whammy of a failure of the maize crop in China and the USA could be disastrous. All this is not impossible according to British researchers, who ran 1,400 climate model simulations on a supercomputer and found the probability of severe drought was higher than if solely estimated from past observations.

The extreme events of flooding in certain parts are often used as pseudo-evidence by climate change deniers. An IPCC (Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change) scientist rebuts this with warmer sea and warmer air allow the atmosphere to transport more moisture, so that the same meteorological situation favouring heavy rainfall is associated with more intense rainfall in a warmer world. There are many more reasons to worry than the scepticism. Arctic permafrost is said to be a major cause for concern this century as it contains 1.8 trillion tonnes of carbon and when it thaws, carbon may evaporate as methane. The date for such evaporation is being moved up rapidly, according to writer David Wallace-Wells, who authored an article in the New York magazine.

The worst case scenario forecast by the writer is the possible triggering of a sixth mass extinction. Since many of the five recorded till now may have been caused more by climate change than the one major asteroid collision which may have killed the dinosaurs, the chilling foreboding that man may be hastening doomsday is inescapable. A majority of scientists are said to lean towards the belief that human ingenuity might save the Earth someday soon. It is with a prayer on our lips that we think of the future of our children and the generations to come.
Mumbai: Newly appointed censor board Chief Prasoon Joshi hopes to carry out his responsibilities in a constructive manner and make a positive difference.

The government replaced Pahlaj Nihalani, who has hogged headlines for his controversial decisions, with Joshi in a surprise announcement last evening.

Good intent is the best beginning. Bearing responsibility and doing my best has been my endeavour. I have believed that right and responsibilities are better served with constructive contribution, Joshi told PTI after his appointment.

One hopes to make a positive difference with the guidance and support of respected minds, he added.

The 45-year-old award winning lyricist will serve as the chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for a period of three years or until further orders, the information and broadcasting ministry said in a release.

The government has also reconstituted the existing board with new members such as Vidya Balan, Vivek Agnihotri, Gautami Tadimalla, Narendra Kohli, Naresh Chandra Lal, Neil Herbert Nongkynrih, Waman Kendre, T S Nagabharana, Ramesh Patange, Vani Tripati Tikoo, Jeevitha Rajasekhar and Mihir Bhuta.

Later speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Joshi said he is glad to have good people on board.

All the people who have joined will make a difference. It has to be done together. I think there is some sort of understanding that has to be brought in, Joshi said.

It is a job that needs to be done and we need to look at it constructively. I would do it to the best of my ability.

I have just come from Delhi though I did accept it but I did not expect that things will happen so fast.

Joshi said he understands the expectations of the industry from the board and will try to take everyone along.

I am happy that the film industry has expectations from me. I have a lot respect for the film industry. I will try to take the opinion of people, who have good thoughts, as it is a new thing for me. I don't know how it (CBFC) functions. I am not someone who will sit back and talk, I will work.

People from the film industry have often said the job of the CBFC is to certify films and not censor it.

Asked if he shared similar views, Joshi said, It is too early for me to answer a lot of questions. I will answer all the questions but let me get a hold on it. The whole process is still not fully known to me. I am not yet familiar with the nitty-gritties. It takes time.

Joshi, a two-time National award-winning lyricist, was born in Almora (Uttarakhand). He is best known for writing songs such as Maa from Taare Zameen Par, Bolo na from Chittagong and Zinda from Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

The lyricist-writer was awarded the Padma Shri in 2015 for his contributions in the field of arts, literature and advertising.

His appointment comes at a time when the film industry and the board are at loggerheads.

Nihalani, who was sacked six months before his tenure of three years was to end, was mostly in news for suggesting arbitrary cuts in films such as Spectre, 50 Shades Darker, Deadpool, Udta Punjab and most recently Lipstick Under My Burkha and a documentary on Amartya Sen.
New Delhi: Nawazuddin Siddiqui was once going to be seen in a stage play of Ram Leela, which was to be held in his village Budhana, but had to pull out after the political party Shiv Sena raised an objection against a Muslim artist being a part of the show.

The talented actor didn't have to face a similar disappointment this time around as his son got a chance to play Lord Krishna in a school function.

Taking to Twitter, the actor posted a snap of the tiny tot dressed as Lord Krishna.

He tweeted, "I am glad to the school of my kid. Who gave him an opportunity to play the character of 'natkhat nandlala'."

I am glad to the school of my kid . Who gave him an opportunity to play the character of " natkhat nandlala" pic.twitter.com/pJ9V1MHffX  Nawazuddin Siddiqui (@Nawazuddin_S) August 13, 2017

Nawaz was left heartbroken when he was not able to play a part in the Ram Leela and took to Twitter to express it.

He had tweeted, "My childhood dream could not come true, but will definitely be a part of Ramleela next year. Check the rehearsals."

On the work front, Nawaz will be next seen in 'Babumoshai Bandookbaaz' alongside Bidita Bag.

The film also features Divya Dutta, Murli Sharma, Jatin Goswami, Shraddha Das, Anil George, Jeetu Shivhare and Bhagwan Tiwari in pivotal roles.

The flick is all set to hit the screens on August 25
The team of Babumoshai Bandookbaaz decided to turn their film promotion trip into a holiday. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, whose last visit to the Charminar had him selling boxers there (as part of a promotional event), decided to go there this time as well. As the film is a hatke one, the team had fun giving hatke answers when asked about what theyre looking forward to in Hyderabad. While lead actress Bidya Bag still prefers Kolkata biryani over the Hyderabadi one, producer Ashmit Kunder says it is the mirchi bhajjis he is most looking forward to.

The Central Board for Film Certification had ordered 48 cuts for the film, which must have surely vexed its makers. Is Nawaz happy about the appointment of Prasoon Joshi as the new CBFC chief? He says, Prasoon Joshi is responsible and respected in many ways, so we are expecting something good from him. I cant say anything about how his approach will be to films like ours, but we are hopeful. I feel he is the right person.

Did his character in the film, of a sleazy guy who is filled with lust, affect things at home? Nawaz laughs and says, Youre making me give naughty answers. But yes, my wife was upset with me and didnt talk to me for two days.

Nawaz is no stranger to experimentation. After doing unexpected roles in Freaky Ali and Munna Michael, he has not been shying away from shaking a leg in movies. This was not a conscious decision. It so happened that I got such roles. Dance is something anybody can do if you practise well. The same goes for me. It is not really challenging, he says.

His recent tweet about being dark-skinned created a buzz. Nawaz has no qualms in naming the casting director at whom the tweet was intended. I dont believe in things like colour and complexion. These sort of comments are not right because in our country, almost 90 per cent of the population is brown-skinned. A lot of people promote fairness creams, which means you are giving an inferiority complex to that 90 per cent of Indians. You have to be very responsible. Celebrities shouldnt be promoting fairness creams. It is absolutely wrong. We should condemn it, he says.

Nawaz reveals the one thing nobody knows about him so far. The actor says, I am actually a very confused person. I am focussed when it comes to work but otherwise, in every aspect, Im very confused and indecisive.

One of the scenes in the movie was filmed at Nawazs hometown of Budhana in Uttar Pradesh. He says, It was gratifying to work amongst neighbours and relatives who have seen me since I was a little boy. They were very cool about it.
Mumbai: Bruno Mars said Saturday he is donating $1 million from his Michigan concert to aid those affected by the Flint water crisis.

The Grammy-winning star told the audience at his show in Auburn Hills, about 30 miles (48 kilometers) from Detroit, that he and tour promoter Live Nation are redirecting funds from the show to the charity The Community Foundation of Greater Flint.

In 2014, Flint switched water sources and failed to add corrosion-reducing phosphates, allowing lead from old pipes to leach into the water. Elevated levels of lead, a neurotoxin, were detected in children, and 12 people died in a Legionnaires disease outbreak that experts suspect was linked to the improperly treated water.

Im very thankful to the Michigan audience for joining me in supporting this cause, Mars said in a statement. Ongoing challenges remain years later for Flint residents, and its important that we dont forget our brothers and sisters affected by this disaster.

Mars, who was born and raised in Hawaii, performed at the Palace of Auburn Hills during his sold-out 24K Magic World Tour. His latest album, 24K Magic, recently achieved double platinum status.
Latha Hegde, who made her acting debut with the Telugu film Tuntari, has now wrapped up shooting for her first Kannada film Athiradha.

Talking about her role, she reveals, I play an NRI who comes back to India and becomes a journalist (TV reporter). The film is based on a real-life incident, which happened in Bengaluru. I am a part of an outfit, which deals with exposing education scandals. I watched videos of a TV reporters work to prepare for my part.

Born in Sirsi, Karantaka and raised in New Zealand, Latha is glad to make a debut in her mother tongue. I came to India after 15 years, but I am still fluent in Kannada. In fact, mouthing dialogues in Telugu was difficult, but that experience has helped me in getting my lines right for the Kannada debut, she shares.

Latha is also going to make her Kollywood debut with Oh Andha Naatkal, directed by James Vasanthan. The film also features Raadhika, Kushboo, Suhasini and Urvashi.
The ongoing show of paintings by artist Hari aspires to create abundant funds which will be donated for supporting the infrastructure and basic amenities for a visually impaired school.

Infographic

This is not the first solo show of works by artist Hari, the sales of which will go for a social cause. The present show, titled Tempera, at a five star hotel is his 67th exhibition which is passionately dedicated for the betterment of society and its inhabitants. The artist tells more, Couple of my recent shows were to support Netra Vidyalaya, a school and college for the visually impaired and part of the Jeeyar Educational Trust, and yet another one to support NTR Model schools. The present show is devoted to creating a monetary fund to support and strengthen the infrastructure of Devnar Blind School for children in the city. I am very happy that through my love for painting I am able to make a difference at organisations where funds are indispensably required for smooth functioning.

The exhibition is passionately dedicated for the betterment of the society as a whole

Hari accomplished his academic studies in painting from J.J. School of Fine Arts, Mumbai and JNTU College, Hyderabad. The present series of his works have been rendered in tempera style of painting (where the artist uses knife and acrylic paints as the medium to portray abstract art). The themes of his mostly figurative paintings amalgamate myriad images picked up from nature, surroundings, mythological tales, human figures and many more. When asked about his preference to experiment and render in varied styles and not stick to a single genre, he explains, More than establishing my personal connotation, my objective is to create a work that appeals to the art lovers and buyers and contributes to increase the fund accumulation. So I try my best to create multiple styles, subjects and compositions.
Dating is hard enough without the codes of what type of relationship you're in or not.

Everyone knows the famous line: "It's not me, it's you", is code for the relationship is over. Then there are more modern labels to keep up with like 'ghosting': When someone does the disappearing act because they want to avoid you.

Now according to the New York magazine's Beta Mal there's a new term singletons need to be on the look out for. It's called benching.

Benching: An individual unsure if he/she wants to date you, but still wants to keep you around if they do decide to change their mind.

When someone stays in contact with you via social media or a phone call but don't actually spend any real time with you, then you are being benched.

Even if you do plan to meet, it may just fall through at the last minute.

Dating experts Selina and Vicki of Project Love told the Metro that benching is the cause that has made online dating so popular. "It requires minimum effort (and commitment!) from the bencher and keeps options open with the benchees," they said.

So, are you being benched?
WAYANAD: Jackfruit experts from nine nations along with scientists, fruit lovers, fruit vendors, traders, environmentalists and health activists are brainstorming at the Regional Agriculture Research Station (RARS), Ambalavayal, here, on how to save the giant fruit from the existing ostracism in the rich-mans menu and utilizing the entire crop every year of which more than 80 percent is currently wasted. Experts presented 38 research papers shedding light on ways to exploit the virtues of the fruit which has the potential to play a pivotal role in the nations food and nutritional security.

The fest showcases more than 200 products including popular items like Chakka halwa, payasam, mixture, toffees, vinegar, chakka varattiyathu and processed tender jack which would soon be a replacement for meat for vegetarians. RARS has already established a germplasm of 68 jackfruit accessions, but the enthusiasm of farmers is not very inspiring. The six-day fest which will conclude on Monday, focuses on all aspects including supply of quality seedlings, farming, nurturing, introducing value addition techniques, packing and marketing. At the venue, jackfruit is omnipresent. One can spot jackfruit trees everywhere. Children enjoying jackfruit toffees moved around. Ice cream vendors sold chakka ice cream and chakka payasam was served in different outlets. A chakka sadya with 12 dishes was also served at the venue. More than hundred varieties of the fruit were exhibited.

Though the demand for promoting jackfruit in a big way was in the air for almost a decade, there is a feeling among jackfruit lovers that the discrimination towards the big fruit still lingers at higher levels of the administration. Though journalists like Sri Padre continue to write about the multi-faceted potential of the fruit for more than a decade, and organizations like Uravu, the centre that focuses on the promotion of indigenous knowledge and skills in Wayanad, conducts the jackfruit fest every year since 2006, the state has wasted ten years without doing anything fruitful to tap the potential. Jackfruit lovers now pin their hopes on the enthusiasm of agriculture minister V.S. Sunilkumar who has the spirit of a farmer.

On the sidelines of the festival RARS, director Dr P. Rajendran told DC that despite the nutritional and medicinal value of the fruit and the economic and environmental importance of the tree itself, not much attention has been paid to it. The jack is one of the most solar efficient trees, which in a five-year period, adds 12 per cent organic carbon to the soil, which is equivalent to 40 tonnes of carbon, he said. With this workshop we aim at promoting jack farming among farmers and also popularizing value addition and marketing techniques, he added. The festival has been organized under the joint auspices of RARS, Ambalavayal under the Department of Agriculture, Indian Council for Agricultural Research and the International Tropical Fruits Network and International Society for South East Asian Agricultural Science. The major impediment cited for commercialization of the fruit is lack of training, equipment and techniques for post harvest handling and processing. The jackfruit pulp itself could be a raw material for more than a dozen commercial products like jam, fruit bar, squash and pulp power toffee, drum dried sheets/flakes etc.

Plant fruit trees to ensure zero hunger in future: Hassim

If you want zero hunger and sustainable development, plant fruit trees, said Mohd Desa Hassim, chief executive officer of International Tropical Fruits Network, an NGO engaged in jackfruit promotion. Based in Indonesia, the organization has its presence in 34 countries with 245 honorary members.

Mr Hassim told DC that promotion of fruits like jackfruit was essential for food security. "In the era of climate change we should think of an era without rice. So promote fruit bearing trees that are also able to withstand hostile climatic conditions. Currently, the price of tropical fruits are increasing because of the growing demand and reduced production, he said.

Mohd Desa Hassim is of the opinion that the government should promote jackfruit farming on wastelands. Private-public partnerships could be promoted.

On the strategy in Malaysia for promoting fruits, Mr Hassim said that it was ideal to select a few varieties of fruits as the quality and processing methods of each varied. The whole system of the country should be alert for the mission, he said. The promotion demands research to develop new high yielding and pest resistant varieties, designing equipment, planning marketing strategy and developing a support network, he added. Mohd Desa Hassim is participating in the jackfruit festival with a three-member team.

A successful saga to save the big fruit

Subhash Koroth, 33, an engineer-turned-entrepreneur from Taliparamba, Kannur is a lively presence at the jackfruit festival venue. He moves from one stall to another and also attends the expert sessions on value addition.

Love for jackfruit led this youth to countries like Indonesia and Vietnam where he visited jackfruit processing factories in his quest for technology in value addition. Now he owns one of the few modern jackfruit processing factories of the country, after investing Rs 1.3 crore. Started in 2015, his company Artocarpus Food Pvt Ltd. processes up to 10,000 jackfruits per month, supplying jackfruit products as raw material to many food industry majors.

RARS to become international jackfruit research centre

RARS will soon be promoted as an international jackfruit research centre with the support of the central government. Jackfruit processing units would be started in every district. According to a study of Kerala Agricultural University the state has a jackfruit wealth which is worth enough to produce value added products worth Rs 15,000 crore. We are yet to tap even 10 percent of the potential.


Sometimes its a blessing not to have a car and a driver. The protective cocoon between you and the world is ripped open, exposing you to the real world, the garbage-strewn, broken, uneven pavements, that you stumble on while navigating, one eye on the app for nearest available cabs, the other on the city's crazy traffic.

The plus? Spoken Kannada shows a tiny, teeny improvement. You go from mangled phrases to sentences, as you master the art of directing, the Class X pass from Haliyal or Bantwal or Hassan or wherever, through roads that overnight, sport all the politically correct new names.

Throw a few ellidara boss into the conversation, lecture him about the perils of not wearing a seat-belt and how he cannot just snap it on when he sees a traffic cop, commiserate over the drop in revenue, allow him to vent about how rival taxis cause the biggest number of accidents on the highways, and yet how no-one sees or hears about it because, unlike some, the cops are tasked to clear the wrecks on the highway to the airport; Give a listen to a third driver about how the political machinations behind the push for Kannada and the religion tag, was creating new fault-lines, and how easily the BJP could turn the tables and retake Karnataka, and you see what I mean

Ive learnt more about the city and the politics of our state, while mapping Bengaluru in an Ola in the last four weeks than I have in all the forty years since I originally moved here and cracked the code on jumping in and out of buses - my sibling got a motorbike - while having the singular pleasure of having my bottom pinched. That last frontier, the Metro, where the perverts now rule, awaits.

A steep learning curve, no doubt. But garrulous cab drivers have always been the best political commentators of our times. My cabbie in Kabul - and I had just landed in the Afghan capital, days after the Taliban were booted out - took me on an unsolicited recce through bombed out roads, straight to the spot where Amitabh Bachchan had shot for Khuda Gawah. He gave me more insights into Gulbadin Hikmatyar and Ahmed Shah Massood than any warlord or expert, before or since.

So this time when I was given the brief on the difference between a Vokkaliga and a Lingayat, and the even finer line that separates a Veerashaiva from a Lingayat - the original Shaivites and those who venerate a highly evolved mortal - one could only stop and salute!

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hasnt probably heard of the old adage  if it aint broke, dont fix it. Should he be tinkering with tried and tested formulae when, what he needs to do, is stay the course until the polls?

The Hublot watch, despite the BJPs best efforts is a weak charge. But thats not to say the BJPs master strategist Amit Shah, in his newly minted avatar as Rajya Sabha MP and PM Modi's poll winner supreme - (Ahmed Patel's victory in the RS tussle just a blip, Shah wont be as complacent when it comes to the Gujarat assembly) - will not pull the lid off the Mahadevappas and the D.K.Shivakumars and throw whatever else he can find to tar and feather the Siddaramaiah government.

The CM may, by accident or design, have allowed the cart to run away with the horse. Design, methinks. A masterly political passing of the buck. Whether its the flag or the primacy of the Kannada language, both striking at the core of Kannadiga pride, and now, the clamour for a religion tag from the Veerashaiavas, Siddaramaiah has allowed someone else in his political fraternity, in this case, the young and ambitious M.B.Patil, to lead the charge, while keeping his own distance from it, until he feels it is politic to speak out.

So here's my set of questions. When does a sect become a religion? Why does a majority upper caste community want a minority tag? Who does it help? Can this really wean the Veerashaivas away and into the Congress fold? Is it just a means to rattle the oh-so complacent BSY-led BJP, and nothing more?

My cabbie of course scoffs at it all, saying the clamour for a religion tag does not come from the poor or the deprived, who must put food on the table or perish. The only people who benefit are the men who sit atop vast educational empires which can avail of all the wonderful loopholes designed to thwart anyone from outside that charmed circle, from improving their lot.

Mr Shah must have an inkling of the danger posed by the ticking bomb in the form of the ever shriller demands by the Lingayats and Veerashaivas, and now his own Vokkaliga leaders, asking for a religious tag. The Lingayats are after all, the BJP's go -to vote bank, and have been ever since Veerendra Patil was shamed by the Congress, and the upper caste Lingayat- Brahmin-Jain vote moved en bloc, first to the Janata Dal (U) and Ramakrishna Hegde, and then to S. Bangarappa and in recent years, to the BJP.

The BJP knows it cannot call on the Vokkaligas, except in Bengaluru city of course. Although, one wonders why S.M.Krishna seems to be on ice as well. He's missing from all of the 'Welcome Amit Shah' posters in the city. Either way, Mr. Shah will reach out to the various maths that hold religious provenance and of course, the right-leaning Sri Sri Ravishankar through Sunday, and over the months in the lead-up to the polls.

The Lingayat maths have traditionally stood by the BJPs former chief minister B.S.Yeddyurappa, and brought him the solid 50 seat base that is his to own. But here's the thing - could BSYs ambitious Mission 150 be just that? Ambitious? Dependent solely on his backing from the Lingayat math? BSYs track record in office isnt exactly stellar either. And the rumblings within the BJP - which Shah tackled head on during his interaction with the party rank and file - is a signal of a deeper malaise. While BSY has no real challenger within the party, word is that the cases of corruption against him will come up next month in the Supreme Court.

Not only will that be hugely embarrassing for the BJP, a party that has made its corruption-free tag its singular USP, my cab driver says that only Modi's popularity among the caste-free, aspirational young can over-ride the thumbs down from the slowdown of the economy.

So here's the conspiracy theory - the loud, vocal, not to be missed support for BSY, at the airport on arrival and again, at the party headquarters, twice in one day was directed at the Lingayat seers and the BJP's traditional voters with the message being that the party backed BSY all the way. But hey! If the highest court in the land rules against him, they could not be blamed if they pulled an Yogi Adityanath out of their hat!

If you dont believe me, Mr. Shah, just ask - no, no, not the political committee, but your friendly neighbourhood cabbie
As India marks 70 years of its independence from British rule, few know that the rumblings against the British taxmen aka the Collector began in Mangalore where in 1837, 20 years before the first Mutiny, the revolutionaries went to Bavutagudde and brought down the Union Jack that was hoisted there. The revolutionaries then hoisted their own flag . The South Canara Gazetteer (Published by the government) records the event but Bavutagudde is little known, as is Bikarnakatte, its name derived from the Kannada word 'Bheekara Nyaya Katte,' meaning a place where the most harsh justice was executed, where the revolutionaries were hanged. Gururaj A. Paniyadi reports.

In 1837, that is twenty years before the first war of Independence that shook the East India Company in India, people of Dakshina Kannada district had fought and for two weeks succeeded in freeing the coastal city of Mangaluru from the British rule!

This year is the 180 years of the great historic event where the armed revolutionaries freed Mangaluru from the British, brought down the Union Jack flag of the British and hoisted the revolutionary flag at Bavutagudde.

This victory was however short-lived as the revolutionaries were defeated. If some revolutionaries were deported to Singapore as punishment, many key leaders including the King of Bangady were hanged in public at Bikarnakatte. Some of them died in the prison too.

Cover of Amara Sulyada Swathanthrya Samara (Freedom struggle of Sulya) by N.S. Deviprasad Sampaje

Though Mangaluru takes pride in this event and organise a program to mark the 180th anniversary of this event, hardly anyone remembers that their ancestors fought the first armed movement of the region against the British, 20 years before the first war of Indian independence in 1857!!

People of Kodagu and Canara (Coastal Karnataka) were unhappy with the British rule on various issues which lead to the rebellion against the British. In 1837 this anger turned into a movement against the colonial masters.

The rebellion was started at Kodagu by leaders like Aparampara, Kalyanappa and Puttabasappa. The leaders brought it down to Sullia, Puttur and finally ended in the liberation of Mangaluru - the seat of the British Collector.

By March end the fight against the British gained momentum in Dakshina Kannada. Revolutionaries fought back the British and pinned them down in various parts of the district.

The revolutionaries plundered the British collectorate which was then situated at Balmatta and defeated the British army. They hoisted their flag at Bavutagudde. The revolutionaries won initially and ruled for some days, historian Dr Peter Wilson Prabhakar who is also the principal of Vivekananda College told Deccan Chronicle.

The South Canara Gazetteer (Published by the government) mentions that the revolutionaries went to Bavutagudde, and brought down the Union Jack flag of the British hoisted there. The revolutionaries then hoisted their own flag there.

Bavutagudde literally means the Hill with hoisted flag. The hill is an elevated place in Mangaluru. The entire old City (including old port) of Mangaluru is visible from this place. It is believed that British had their flag at this place as it was an elevated place and also a military post. This flag was brought down and revolutionaries hoisted their flag marking freedom from the British rule.

But this place has been completely forgotten by the people. Even authorities and politicians have forgotten this and no-one even organises a commemoration to remember this event.

Bavutagudde is now just a name as any other place and the historical importance has been completely forgotten.

It is said that for 13 days the rebels held control over Mangaluru city Though revolutionaries had victory first, it was short-lived. The British reinforcement arrived at Mangaluru from other places and recaptured the city. The rebels were arrested by the British. If some were deported to Singapore as a punishment, many of the key leaders including Banga King were hanged at in public at Bikarnakatte in Mangaluru. This was a move to send a message that rebellion against the British would not be tolerated and would be punished severely, Dr Peter Wilson Prabhakar added.

The place where the revolutionaries were hanged is known as Bikarnakatte. It is believed that the name has been derived from Kannada word Bheekara Nyaya Katte, meaning a place where the most harsh justice was executed. Over the years Bheekara Nyaya Katte came to be known as Bikarnakatte. Even this place is not much remembered by the people. Sadly there is neither any memorial nor any place to remember the first ever armed revolution against the British in Mangaluru.

Leaders of the revolution

Hulikadida Najaiah, Ramayya Gowda, Lakshmappa Bangarasa, Goode Appaiah, Goode Timmaiah, Kujagode Appayya, Mallappa Gowda, Kankanooru Chenaiah, Karanika Subbaiah, Ookanna Banta, Patel Shankarnarayana, Manegara Naranappa, Amin Venkata.

Infographic

Row over naming of road

Interestingly despite Bavutagudde having such an important place in the history pages, naming the road here is now run into controversy. Though Bavutagudde is a historical place where the revolutionaries hoisted their flag after defeating the British, the road here is now in controversy as there is a fight between two groups on naming there road. If one group wants it to be named after Mulky Sunder Ram Shetty as per MCC resolution, another wants to be named after St Aloysius as the college is situated on this hill. Third group has demanded it to be named as Idgah Maidan road as there is an old Idgah there. However Amara Sullia Horata Samithi has been demanding this road to be named as Bavutagudde Road.
Chicago: A high school student is campaigning to be the governor of the US state of Kansas, gaining national attention for his unlikely effort.

Sixteen-year-old Jack Bergeson's entry into the governor's race in the Midwestern state got a boost on Wednesday when he appeared on the ABC network's late-night comedy program "Jimmy Kimmel Live."

"One of the major things I want is to get kids involved in politics," Bergeson told the talk show host Kimmel, in a live video link from his bedroom at his parents' house in Wichita. His running mate is fellow student Alexander Cline, who is running for lieutenant governor in the 2018 race.

Should they win, they would have to juggle their government duties with academics, as they would both still be in their last year of high school next year. Bergeson will not even be eligible to vote for himself.

Their campaign is made possible by Kansas's lack of age requirements for a gubernatorial candidate, according to The Kansas City Star newspaper. Almost all other states have age minimums, including neighboring Missouri, where a governor must be at least 30 years old.

The teen, who is running as a Democrat, said on social media that he has already raised more than $1,300 for his quest to be the youngest governor in US history.

"We understand that many do not take young people seriously when they run for office," Bergeson wrote, "but once voters hear our unique message of a platform that takes the best of both sides, we believe Kansans will understand that the old way of politics is no longer viable for a government that should be working with and understanding them."

Among Bergeson's campaign promises is an "overhaul" of the state's health care system and a pay raise for school teachers.
The Telangana government said the state has got great injustice in allotment of Krishna waters to the projects in the region. (Representational image)

Hyderabad: The Justice Brijesh Kumar Tribunal has decided to start hearing the arguments between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states over allotment of Krishna waters from the 1,004 tmc ft quota earmarked for undivided AP from July 6.

As per the directions of Tribunal, both states have submitted their replies on Thursday to the Statements of the Case (the reply by AP to the statement of TS and vice versa) filed earlier.

The Tribunal gave time till May 15 to both the states to file rejoinders to the replies.

The Tribunal also stipulated May 30 as the date for filing of the Draft Statement by both the governments on what the actual relief, like project specific allotments, they want from the Tribunal.

Based on these averments, the Tribunal will hear the arguments and give its verdict.

On Thursday senior counsels C.S. Vaidyanathan from TS and A.K. Ganguly from AP were present before the Tribunal.

Both the states stuck to their points of view either in statement and replies.

The TS government said the state has got great injustice in allotment of Krishna waters to the projects in the region, and in undivided AP, arguments before various tribunals reflected only the needs of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions and not Telangana projects and allocations.

The AP government, refuting this allegation, said that undivided AP consisted of all regions, including Telangana.

It said that the decisions and allotments taken at that time were collective decision by the then government in the interests of all the regions of the state and as such, it cannot be accused of any injustice.
BJP president Amit Shah wears a Mysore Peta, a traditional headgear, upon his arrival on a three-day visit to Karnataka as part of his 110-day nationwide tour, in Bengaluru on Saturday. (Photo: PTI)

Bengaluru: Attacking the Karnataka government, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Saturday said in his public life, he has not seen any other establishment in the country "as much corrupt and shameless" as the one led by Siddaramaiah.

In spite of several raids and arrests, the Congress does not even punish wrongdoers because they fear they would expose the government, he said addressing a group of intellectuals, invited by the party in Bengaluru.

The BJP, however, has always punished the wrongdoers in power, he added.

The BJP chief said that the Narendra Modi government had introduced 106 central schemes but their benefits were not reaching people in the state.

He also asked people to overthrow the "corrupt" Siddaramaiah government because the grants by the Centre for various central schemes were not percolating down to the people.

The BJP chief urged people to ask the Karnataka government that where the grants given by the centre had vanished.

"You should at least ask Siddaramaiah where has the money gone? Someone asks or not, but I am going to come to Karnataka during the run-up to the Assembly election and ask for the accounts from Siddaramaiah," he said.

Under the Manmohan Singh rule, Karnataka had received Rs 61,691 crore from the central government, but under the 14th Finance Commission, the Centre gave Rs 1,86,975 crore to the state, Shah said.

"The money has increased three folds under Narendra Modiji's government," he said.

Attacking the Congress, he said the BJP was among the few parties which has protected internal democracy within the party, unlike the Congress which runs on dynastic principles.

"Can anybody predict the next national president of the party (BJP). But one can predict with precision who could be the president of Congress after Soniaji decides to retire. Everybody knows it will be Rahul Gandhi. There is no confusion about it. There is no internal democracy there," he argued.

The BJP is the only party in which a boy who spent his life pasting posters (himself) and a tea seller (Modi) can climb up the ladders of the highest ranks, he said.

Shah also said that whenever, the BJP ruled the nation, the GDP grew rapidly, unlike in the Congress rule.

"When Atal Bihari Vajpayee took charge as the Prime Minister, India's GDP increased from 4.4 per cent to 8.8 per cent, and when Manmohan Singh left after ten years of rule, the GDP climbed down to 4.4 per cent," he said.

"Now under the rule of Modi, who is the son of a tea seller, the GDP has increased to 7.2 per cent from 4.4 per cent," he added.
At least 14 people, including a minor were reported to have died due to second wave of floods, which has wreaked havoc in 19 out of 33 districts of the state. (Photo: DC/Manoj Anand)

Guwahati: With flood situation deteriorating, the Army was called out to rescue marooned people and Indian Air Force (IAF) has been put on standby in Assam.

At least 14 people, including a minor were reported to have died due to second wave of floods, which has wreaked havoc in 19 out of 33 districts of the state.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal over telephone and enquired about the scale of devastation caused by the current wave of flood in the state.

Sonowal apprised the prime minister about the various measures taken by the state government to provide relief to the flood-affected people. He also informed the PM that the administrations of all 19 flood-hit districts have been directed to ensure speedy relief distribution to the victims.

Modi assured the chief minister of all kind of cooperation from the central government in overcoming the havoc caused by floods.

The Principal Secretary of Prime Ministers Office Nripendra Mishra also directed Assam Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia to submit a report to the PMO detailing the damage and devastation caused by the current wave of floods in the state.

Assam State Disaster Management Authority said that the Army has been called out to assist the local administration in rescuing marooned people in Nagaon and Kokrajhar districts.

On Assam government's request, IAF has also put its men on standby, their choppers can be deployed in minimum time for air dropping of relief and rescue operations, state project coordinator of disaster management Rajib Prakash Baruah said.

We have also deployed additional forces from National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response force, said Baruah.
On Saturday, Mr Xi and Mr Trump spoke over phone to discuss the escalating tension after Kim Jong-Un threatened to fire missiles at Guam (Photo: AP/ Representational Image)

New Delhi: In a classic demonstration of Chinese double-standards, President Xi Jinping on Saturday asked his US counterpart, Donald Trump, to avoid remarks and actions that could escalate the already-tense situation in the Korean peninsula over North Koreas aggressive behaviour.

Beijings desperation stems from its awareness of the military and economic consequences of starting a war with India, which has a strong military.

On Saturday, Mr Xi and Mr Trump spoke over phone to discuss the escalating tension after Kim Jong-Un threatened to fire missiles at Guam, a US island territory. Mr Xi told Mr Trump that China is ready to work with the US to appropriately resolve the issue, state-run Xinhua reported. The concerned parties should avoid remarks and actions that could escalate tensions on the peninsula, Mr Xi was quoted as saying.

But Beijing is unwilling to show the same wisdom in its dealings with New Delhi over the Doklam stand-off. China regards Doklam as its territory and calls it Dong Lang even as it has conveniently ignored a Bhutanese government statement in June calling Chinese road-construction in the area a violation of the understanding between China and Bhutan. Instead, Beijing has claimed, without any proof, that the Bhutanese have acknowledged they don't have any claim over the Doklam area. China has demanded that India withdraw its troops from Doklam even as it is unwilling to withdraw its own troops.
Children admitted in a ward in the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur, on Saturday. (Photo: PTI)

Gorakhpur: Tragedy continued to descend upon Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital, as another child succumbed to encephalitis on Sunday, taking the death toll over 70.

11 children died on Saturday and until Friday the death toll stood at 60.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister JP Nadda visited the hospital on Sunday.

Adityanath had on Saturday said that a magisterial inquiry has been ordered and a committee has been formed to look into the Gorakhpur tragedy.

He said that "he has asked a team of top ministers to determine if the death of the children was actually due to a disruption in oxygen supply at the hospital and assured to "not spare anyone found guilty".

"We have suspended the principal of the BRD Medical College and taking him guilty for his actions and an investigation on him has already been ordered and is underway. Those found guilty won't be spared," the chief minister added.

Responding to the suspension of Medical College Principal, senior Congress Party leader and former health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad branded the move as 'eyewash', and demanded that an all-party delegation should look into the matter.

"The administration was notified of the lack of oxygen. Local media reports also hinted at the possibility of a large tragedy in the hospital. It is shocking that nothing was done about it. Suspending the Principal after this and announcing an enquiry into the matter is just an eyewash. There should be an all-party probe into this; the matter should not be submerged at any cost," said Azad, while addressing a press conference in Gorakhpur.

Further, Azad urged the state health minister Siddharth Nath Singh to submit his resignation immediately.

According to data procured from the BRD hospital, in five days - from August 7 to August 11, a total of 60 deaths occurred in the hospital.

The procured data also shows the number of oxygen cylinders sent for refilling each day, showing a clear shortage of liquid oxygen in the hospital.
Ramdev said that China has retaliated with a war threat every time India approached on peaceful terms, and asked Indians to answer them on the same front. (Photo: PTI)

Mumbai: Amid the escalating strain in the relationship between India and China , Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Sunday reiterated that India needs to be prepared on all fronts for a possible war with China , if they don't reciprocate on peaceful terms.

Addressing the World Peace and Harmony Conclave, Ramdev said, "If China was open to the idea of peace, then the Dalai Lama wouldn't have been here.

He said that China has retaliated with a war threat every time India approached on peaceful terms, and asked Indians to answer them on the same front.

"We should be ready with any kind of answer they seek. If they don't understand peace, we should answer them with war," he said.

He also said that China is an epitome of "promoting war and hatred" in the world, further reiterating his appeal to boycott Chinese goods.

"All the Indians who feel for their country should boycott Chinese goods immediately."

Earlier, Ramdev had asked all the people in the country to ban Chinese products which would reduce their market in the country.

"Indians should strictly ban the purchase of Chinese products. This will reduce their market in our country and they would be compelled to step back," he said.

Ramdev further asserted that Chinese companies have captured Indian market with their electronic goods, automobiles, toys and several others.

Meanwhile, Indian and Chinese troops are still locked in the month-long standoff in Doklam and both sides have moved additional troops, ammunition and military equipment to the area.

The stand-off emerged after Chinese troops were stopped by the Indian Army from constructing roads at the Doklam border.
Sepoy Ilayaraja P and Sepoy Gowai Sumedh Waman - the two soldiers who lost their lives in the encounter in Shopian. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

Srinagar: Two army men were killed and three others, including a captain, injured in an encounter with terrorists in Shopian district of south Kashmir, the police said tonight.

Three terrorists have been gunned down and operations are underway.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation on Sunday following information about presence of terrorists in Avneera village of Zainapora area of the district, a police official said.

He said as the security forces were conducting searches, the terrorists opened firing on them which was retaliated by the law enforcement personnel, triggering a gunfight.

Five soldiers were injured in the gun battle, he said, adding that they were evacuated to the 92 Base Hospital of the Army for treatment, where two among died due to the injuries.
KURNOOL: YSRC president chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy gave a call to people to send AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu home for his failure to keep his electoral promises made during the time of the 2014 elections. Charging Mr Naidu with all round failure, he asked during his road show for the Nandyal byelection: Shall we let go of this Chief Minister? Do we need to send such people to home or not? Leaders would act responsibly. And I ask you to take up that responsibility and send Naidu home, he said.

Speaking at Gospadu, the YSRC chief asked why the entire Cabinet was staying at Nandyal. Where were these people during the last three-and-a-half years? Why are they concentrating only on Nandyal now? Are they here only because the YSRC is contesting this election? Naidu is concentrating on Nandyal because he had not done anything and no section of society received any of his governments benefits, he said. He said that the farming community had borne the brunt of the Naidus governments failure to implement the farmers loan waiver scheme. The CM promised to waive all loans taken by the farming community. But most of them are still facing hardships due to debts.

The promise to set up a Rs 5,000 crore price stabilisation fund was not fulfilled, he said. As a result farmers cultivating cotton, chilli and pulses did not get a remunerative price. Mr Naidus promise of constructing the Gundrevula project is pending, he added. He held Mr Naidu responsible for encouraging defections in the Opposition parties and luring voters with money in Nandyal. To appease the voters, Naidu issued thousands of government orders releasing funds for development programmes, he said. The affection showed by the CM towards Nandyal people will last till the end of the byelection only, he said.

He alleged that Mr Naidu was threatening Opposition leaders by conducting police raids on their residences, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy said. He said the people should catch ruling party leaders by the scruff of their neck and question them for going back on election promises. Mr Reddy claimed that Mr Naidu had not fulfilled a single election promise in toto. He did not fulfil even the promises made for the betterment of this constituency and his Cabinet colleagues have the audacity to seek votes in the bypoll, he said.

He promised to develop the district by bringing in an airport, Urdu University, and creating a smart city besides a mining school, food park, cement factories and industrial parks. It is three years since and nothing has come up so far, he said. You have to teach such people a fitting lesson by rejecting them in the election and show the power of ballot, he said.
Khaplang faction of NSCN, which has been leading a joint forum of northeast militant outfits, has not been the part of the joint call. In picture: Ulfa militants. (Photo: PTI/File)

Guwahati: Seven separatist militant outfits of Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya, proclaiming themselves as pro-China have given a joint call for boycotting the Independence Day celebrations in Assam and other northeastern states.

However, Khaplang faction of NSCN, which has been leading a joint forum of northeast militant outfits, has not been the part of the joint call. The NSCN-K has called for the boycott of Independence Day in Naga inhabited areas but separately.

Seven militant groups in their joint statement sent to local newspaper said that Indias plans to celebrate the 70th Independence Day in a grand way is a sign of nervousness due to Doklam standoff with China.

The joint call has been given by anti-talk Ulfa(I) and United People's Liberation Army from Assam, Coordination Committee (CorCom), the conglomerate of four outfits of Manipur, and Garo National Liberation Army of Meghalaya.

The joint statement said, This year, India under the premiership of Narendra Modi who boasted that he confronts the world Eye to Eye, is getting ready for the 70th Independence Day Celebration with a grand display of its military power and hardware, perhaps attempting to outdo the Chinese PLA's 90th Anniversary Celebration on 30 July 2017 which was indeed very impressive. Or Perhaps, it is also a sign of nervousness or apprehension of the Indian government at the border fracas at Drok La or Drong Lam, the tri junction of our close international border with China; and hence to hide the same.

The statement, which has been drafted very carefully obviously to appease China further said, India's policy towards neighbour China is now wide open as the facts of the Drong Lam (Drok La) impasse is vivisected by the experts exposing her weakness and helplessness of the situation to the full view of the world to see."

They also slammed the NDA government saying that it is working to "saffronise the region with its slogan of "One Country, One people, One culture".

The seven militant groups in its appeal said, To mark our peoples collective defiance on this day, a general strike shall be observed throughout the region from 1 am to 6.30 pm on August 15.

The decision of NSCN-K not to be part of this joint statement, appeasing China, has been seen as significant development in the security circle after the death of S S Khaplang. Security sources did not rule out the possibility of NSCN-K joining the ongoing peace-process in Nagaland soon.
Violating ceasefire in Naushera sector in Rajouri district, Pakistani troops invoked heavy mortar shelling and firing of small arms. (Photo: ANI/Twitter)

Rajouri/Baramulla: Pakistan Army on Sunday violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Naushera and Uri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir by opening fire at Indian posts.

The Pakistani troops opened fire at Indian positions at Baaz Post in Uri in Baramulla district at around 4 pm, injuring three jawans, Indian Army sources told PTI.

The sources said three soldiers suffered bullet injuries in the firing and were admitted to the 92 Base Hospital of the Army.

Violating ceasefire in Naushera sector in Rajouri district, Pakistani troops invoked heavy mortar shelling and firing of small arms.

The Indian Army is retaliating strongly and effectively to the ceasefire violation.

Earlier, five army jawans were injured and two others seriously hurt in an encounter with terrorists in the Shopian district on late Saturday night.

Three terrorists were killed.

Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan, said, "The terrorists initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars who were believed to be in the village".
The citizens have stepped up their campaign for an integrated Cantonment Metro and Railway stations, and are opposed to BMRCL encroaching a playground

Bengaluru: I will meet BMRCL Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola on Monday to understand the reason for shifting the Cantonment Metro station alignment. Since we are working towards a suburban rail, the original location will be convenient. Otherwise, the purpose of public transport is defeated," MP P.C. Mohan told Deccan Chronicle, adding that he was never consulted when the location was changed.

The citizens have stepped up their campaign for an integrated Cantonment Metro and Railway stations, and are opposed to BMRCL encroaching a playground.

Mr Rajkumar, one of the citizens who is part of the campaign, stated in a note, There has been zero consultation with local people and zero transparency by BMRCL. They have not released a public drawing/design to show how the playground will be restored." The note states that the citizens have little faith in Namma Metro authorities on multi-modal integration of transport. BMRCL has promised a walkway between Cantonment Metro and Railway station. But the note states, BMRCL providing direct access is not likely. Have they succeeded in linking the Metro with Majestic and Yeshwanthpur railway stations even after such a long time? But Bengaluru Development Minister K.J. George has remained silent so far on the issue.
Siliguri (West Bengal): President of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) Bimal Gurung claimed that Home Minister Rajnath Singh has invited them to New Delhi for talks on Sunday at 4:30 pm.

In a press statement, Gurung said, "Today the GJM received an intimation from the Union Home Minister requesting us to join for talks on Sunday at 4.30 pm in New Delhi . Because the movement has today transitioned into a people's movement - with all the hill political parties as well as non-political bodies together - I have submitted this invitation for their consideration.

"I am hopeful the hill parties leading the movement will attend this meeting and help find a possible road map for Gorkhaland statehood. I thank the honorable Home Minister for the kind invite and hope the central government will do justice for the Gorkha's at the earliest," he added.

This is the second time when Union Home Minister appealed for talks in the recent past.

The release was circulated after the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) held a meeting in Kalimpong on Saturday.

However, it is confirmed that members of the GMCC will be attending the talks.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said the country faced two serious threats  one in Jammu & Kashmir and second being problem of Left-Wing Extremism in central India. (Photo: PTI)

New Delhi: Terrorists in Kashmir were "now under great pressure" and the financial crunch caused by demonetisation and the crackdown of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on foreign funding have checked illegal activities in Jammu and Kashmir in a large scale, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said on Sunday.

Jaitley, however, refrained from making any comment on the standoff between India and China in Doklam, just saying "let us have full faith on our security forces".

"Today no big militant can dream of committing terror acts and continue to terrorise the Valley for decades, but today their life shelf has dwindled to a few months. I will specifically praise the Jammu and Kashmir police for working hard (towards eliminating terrorists)," he said at an India TV conclave.

Jaitley said the country faced two serious threats - one in Jammu and Kashmir with most of the incidents "happening from across the border" and the second being the problem of Left-Wing Extremism in central parts of the country.

"Since independence, Pakistan has never agreed that Kashmir is an integral part of India. That has been their unfinished agenda. They tried conventional war. But India's capability was way ahead in the conventional war. The wars of 1965, 1971 and Kargil clearly proved this," he said.

The defence minister said that security forces were constantly trying to clean up the Valley of terrorists.

He said terrorists have felt the pinch of demonetisation - the move to scrap large banknotes that the government announced last November - and have also felt the effect of the actions taken by the NIA against foreign funding allegedly used for subversive activities.

"Whenever there was an encounter (earlier), hundreds and thousands would come out to throw stones. Many a times, terrorists would escape under the protection of stone throwers. This is now becoming a history.

"Those who were coming in hundreds and thousands, today their number is limited to 20, 30 and 50. For the first time in the history, we have been they have started looting banks," he said.
A Bengalurean being accosted by a sexual pervert in broad daylight, with her pleas for help ignored by passers-by has caused a ripple of concern amongst city dwellers. While most women say they havent encountered anything worse than the occasional catcaller, Supriya Chandran and Neha Anand tell Joyeeta Chakravorty that womens safety on the streets can no longer be taken for granted.

The time was 1 p.m, the day, August 6. A woman, Rajyashree, waiting by the roadside on the NICE stretch for her husband, who had gone to fetch a mechanic to repair their malfunctioning scooter, was horrified to find a man wearing a bindi and lipstick, and clad in a formal shirt and jeans, approach her. As he began to unfasten his shirt on drawing closer, she began to shout for help, but all the cars simply sped by on the highway and it was only after she began to take his pictures that he fled, leaving her shaken and fearful.

The episode has left women everywhere aghast at what could happen in a few unguarded moments even in broad daylight on the outskirts of the city. "It is disappointing and horrifying to hear about this. It is only when you read about such an episode that you begin to think about your preparedness as a woman," said 22-year-old graphic designer, Supriya Chandra who hails from Dehradun.

"It is actually shocking to read about these cases as Bengaluru is still safe compared to other metros and the working class here is more educated ," agreed 21-year-old Neha Anand , who works in a technology startup in the city.

Although the duo have never encountered anything apart from the occasional stare from passing men, they are unwilling to take anything for granted anymore. "I guess we have been lucky, but, then you cannot say what's going on in anyone's head. So we need to be informed and also confident in dealing with such situations," they added.

The fact that the woman, Rajyashree, took to the Bengaluru city polices Facebook page to narrate her ordeal and also tried to contact the number of the NHAI patrolling vehicle, but got no response, is even more worrying to the two.

"I think the cops need to check for drunk drivers not only on Fridays and Saturdays but also be equally alert on week days at least in certain pockets so that such elements dont feel free to indulge in such activity," suggested a worried Neha. "If it can happen to X then it can happen to Y too. So such cases cannot be treated as a one-off as sexual perverts are everywhere. We need to take care of our own safety and security, she observed.

"Today people do not wait to help anybody. But it is important for men to come forward and help a woman in distress, especially if they see something fishy going on. People should want to help their fellow citizens," stressed an equally strung up Supriya.

What would have been their reaction in such a situation? "We would have definitely called the police or reached out to friends on speed dial. But it is hard to say how one would react," remarked Supriya, who is all for women being taught self-defence tactics either by their companies or the government. What about the array of safety apps now available? The two look blank, seeming unaware of them, but then agree they are worth a try. "It is better to be safe than sorry," summed up Neha.
CHENNAI: In what could be much-needed respite to the State government, Union commerce and industries minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the Centre is willing to consider TN plea for Neet (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) exemption for a year for government medical colleges alone but ruled out permanent exclusion from the national level eligibility test.

As soon as the minister conveyed the Centres willingness to cooperate if the state brought out an ordinance seeking exemption for this year, the TN government dispatched a delegation of three secretaries including the health secretary to the national capital with the draft ordinance.

Tamil Nadu, which had initially sought permanent exemption from Neet by passing two Bills in the Assembly, later made efforts to be out of its ambit for at least a year or two. And with the Centre now giving the nod, health minister Dr C. Vijayabaskar informed that admissions would be held on the lines held last year, and assured that in future the students would be well prepared for NEET and the syllabus too would be oriented likewise.

The Centre is ready to cooperate in case the Tamil Nadu government comes up with an ordinance seeking exemption from Neet for government medical colleges only for a year in order to help rural students, Ms Nirmala Sitharaman said.



Admitting that Tamil Nadus situation was unique, she told reporters here on Sunday that though students who had qualified in Neet included those from the state board, students from rural Tamil Nadu were largely out of it.

Except the government colleges, Neet was already implemented in other institutes, the Union minister said and ruled out any further exemptions.

Govt confident of completing admissions by month-end

Responding to Nirmala Sitharamans comments after consulting Chief Minister Palaniswami, health minister Dr Vijayabaskar, said an ordinance in this regard would be submitted to the Centre on Monday morning. He thanked the Union Minister for making the announcement which would delight students.

Vijayabaskar said care is being taken to ensure that the proposed move does not face any legal hurdles and that the government is confident of completing the admission process ahead of the month-end deadline.

The development comes after Palaniswami, state ministers and Lok Sabha deputy speaker M. Thambidurai had several meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central ministers over Neet.

As far as private colleges and deemed universities are concerned, Tamil Nadu is already admitting students as per Neet. The problem comes only in terms of government college admissions and also in terms of seats surrendered by private colleges to government colleges. There is difficulty in rural students getting admissions. That is our understanding based on the interaction with the State, Nirmala said and asked the State to specify in the Ordinance that the exemption for one year is being provided to help rural students get admission in government colleges.

In Cuddalore, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan said the Centre was inclined to accept the Neet representation from TN.

Why no permanent exemption, asks Stalin

Lashing out at the Centre and State governments on the latest development, DMK working president and Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly M.K. Stalin, accused them of staging a drama on the issue and betraying the students. He said the Palaniswami government should step down accepting its defeat on the Neet issue. He demanded that the state government disclose the details of the various meetings held with the Centre on the subject and also on the assurance given by the Centre. If the BJP-led government was really interested in the welfare of TN students it should have obtained the Presidential assent for the two Bills for permanent exemption from Neet.

Meanwhile, Actor Kamal Haasan in a tweet asked the state government to talk immediately (with the Centre) on the Neet issue since the matter involved the future of students.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who on Sunday visited the Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur, where over 30 children had died in 36 hours last week, along with Union health minister J.P. Nadda, warned of exemplary action against all those found responsible for the horrifying tragedy amid Opposition calls for his resignation.

Talking to reporters after visiting the hospital, the CM said: We are waiting for the report of the committee constituted by our government. We request everyone to wait for that report. If any death takes place, not only in Gorakhpur but in the entire state, due to negligence of the hospital or staff, the government will take strong action those responsible. No one will be spared. The CM turned emotional and said, This is sensitivity, and not politics.

He promised that his government would take such action against the guilty that it would prove to be a deterrent for others. The CM said action would also be taken against government doctors found indulging in private practice. Yogi Adityanath said he had instructed doctors at the medical college at allow media into hospital wards.

Meanwhile, the parents of a baby girl who died on August 10 told reporters on Sunday that the oxygen level at the BRD Medical College Hospital were alarmingly low. Ajay Shukla, the father of Sarika Shukla, who was only 17 days old when she died around 5 pm on August 10, said oxygen levels were low two days before the deaths took place.
Bengaluru: The city police have made elaborate security arrangements for the Independence Day celebrations at Field Marshal Manekshaw Parade Ground on Cubbon Road on Tuesday. More than 1,200 policemen will be deployed at the stadium to ensure peaceful celebrations. Besides, the police have also beefed up security across the city.

City Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar said that additional commissioners will supervise security arrangements, where parade and cultural programmes will be held. Nine DCPs, 16 ACPS, 51 inspectors, 91 sub-inspectors, eight armed police forces and other security forces are deployed for the bandobust duty. We have also stepped up security across the city and at vital installations, he said.

Further, the police have installed 50 security cameras in and around the venue to keep a close watch on any suspicious movements. Four baggage scanners, hand metal detectors and door metal detectors have been set up and everyone will be allowed only after thorough frisking. Only those who have passes for the event will be given entry, that too only after they produce a valid identity card, the police said. Considering the prevailing security scenario and to avoid any untoward incidents, the police have prohibited flying of unmanned aerial objects for three days.
Hyderabad: As many as 900 Indian workers, about 100 from the Telugu states, working for Petron Gulf LLC in Sohar in Oman are stranded after the company stopped paying its employees four months back. The workers are now dependent on the charity of their friends, waiting for some solution to their predicament.

As global oil prices started falling in the middle of 2014, Gulf countries began adopting austerity measures. The first victims were blue-collar migrant workers, who were left in the lurch without payment, food and proper shelter. Petron Gulf LLC Company is one such company.

Tork permits of the workers have expired, as the organisation failed to renew them for the workers on time.

Amongst the stranded, there are around 30 workers from Jagtial, Nizamabad and Karimnagar district of Telangana state, and the others are from West Godavari, East Godavari and Kadapa districts of AP.

Telangana Gulf Workers Association president Nangi Devender Reddy said that while there are measures being taken to repatriate the stranded workers, the Centre through the Indian embassy in Oman should take up the issue legally and ensure that the Indian workers get their dues.

He said the Indian embassy in Oman had reached out to the stranded workers and was supplying them with food.

The embassy said that it is working with the Oman ministry of power to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

The embassy is in daily contact with the workers. The embassys officer is at the site and all feasible solutions are being explored, read a statement released by the embassy.

Embassy asked workers to move labour court

Mr Uppalapati Ramesh from Jagtial district has been working with Petron Gulf LLC for eight years and was paid well till the last couple of years when salaries started getting delayed.

He is currently in Hyderabad on vacation and is wondering if he should return as scheduled for next month.

Mr Ramesh, who was a farmer before joining the Oman company, said, My gratuity amount, service and leave benefits are also pending. I came on vacation in June without a penny in my hand. I am not confident of going back. I do not want to suffer there. I heard the embassy is taking some measures but I have not yet decided on going back.

On an average the company has to pay around `5 lakh to each worker in the form of gratuity, leave and service benefits. The TS wing of the Indian Social Club is assisting them with food and other amenities.

Mr Balapalli Linga-reddy, also from Jagtial district who is in Oman now, said over phone that the Indian embassy had asked the workers to approach the labour court and has promised to arrange a return ticket with a no-objection certificate with five Omani Riyals for expenses.

The condition is very bad here. We had to depend on only rice for days till the embassy intervened, he said. We are now living in the fear of being thrown out of our houses as we have not paid rent, he added.
Hyderabad: The state governments efforts to get 15 tmc ft of Krishna river water released from the Almatti and Narayanpur dams has not yielded any results as Karnataka has refused the request, stating that the matter should be settled at the highest level.

Irrigation minister T Harish Rao had written to his Karnataka counterpart MB Patil last week, requesting him to release 15 tmc ft of Krishna waters immediately to tide over the drinking water scarcity in Hyderabad city and 300 villages in Nalgonda district. He also spoke to Patil over the phone, informing him that he will be deputing a senior engineer to work out the modalities.

Accordingly, Nagarjunasagar dam chief engineer S Suneel flew to Bengaluru four days ago, met the minister and handed over the letter. He was directed to meet Anzum Parwez, managing director of the Krishna Bhagya Jal Nigam, the controlling authority of the Almatti/Narayanpur dams, who promised to discuss the issue with board officials.

Suneel also met Rakesh Singh, principal secretary, water resources, who also promised to consider the request positively.

After waiting in Bengaluru for two days, Suneel was told that such a request cannot be agreed at the official level, and a decision should be taken at Chief Minister level.

Suneel told Deccan Chronicle, The managing director of the Krishna Bhagya Jal Nigam clearly told me that if at all releases have to be made, a gazette notification needs to be issued and for this he requires permission from higher-ups like the irrigation minister and the Chief Minister. He told me that inflows into Almatti are declining and whatever inflows they are getting are just sufficient to meet the irrigation requirements in the command areas.

Sources said that with Karnataka going in for Assembly elections in a few months, the Congress government cannot take the decision of releasing water to Telangana state as such a decision may be politically exploited by Opposition parties.

TS special chief secretary, irrigation, SK Joshi confirmed to this paper that the Bengaluru trip had yielded nothing and the matter would have to be pushed at the political level.

Asked about the drinking water crisis in the state, Joshi merely said, We are hopeful of getting inflows this week as heavy rainfall is predicted. We will review the situation from time to time.

Suneel said that due to ongoing dredging operations by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Board, there will be no immediate crisis as far as Hyderabad city drinking water needs go. But 300 villages in Nalgonda district, who-se only source is the Nagarjunasagar dam, will suffer."

When contacted, Harish Rao said, Though they were sympathetic about our request, it seems they are hesitating due to political compulsions. We have been told that there will be heavy rains in the Mahabaleswar area in the coming week. As the Almatti and Narayanpur dams are full, any additional inflows will have to be released to Telangana state.

He said the government would wait for a week. If the scarcity continues we will take up the matter at the highest level. Either I may go to Bengaluru or the Chief Minister will contact his Karnataka counterpart, Harish Rao said.
Officials say if it rains well as predicted, crops sown in a large extent of land can be saved (Representational Image)

Hyderabad: The ongoing rains have failed to bring much respite to standing crops that have been affected by dry conditions since early July. Officials say if it rains well as predicted, crops sown in a large extent of land can be saved.

Eleven districts continue to reel under deficit rainfall ranging from 20 to 50 per cent. Of the total cultivable area of 1.06 crore acres in the state, crops have been sown in over 85 lakh acres by August 11. Only 30 lakh acres of the total cultivable area have irrigation facilities; crops in the remaining 76 lakh acres depend on rain at all times.

The recent rain could save standing crops in less than 35 lakh acres; the other 50 lakh acres still await water. The rain brought respite only to maize and soya crops that were on the verge of drying up.

There is no major improvement in the condition of paddy and cotton which were sown in large areas, and officials and farmers are looking to the heavens for help.

Major irrigation projects can irrigate 23.78 lakh acres, medium irrigation projects 3.58 lakh acres and the tanks and other minor irrigation facilities 2.64 lakh acres. Then again, they can provide irrigation only when they have water.

With water levels in all major and medium reservoirs and minor irrigation facilities remaining almost at dead storage with no major rainfall since July, not even 10 per cent of the irrigation need could be met.

Most of the districts continue to reel under deficit rainfall and agriculture officials stated that the crops could be saved only if the rains continue in the remaining days of August.

Agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said, Out of 584 mandals in the state, 213 mandals continue to reel under deficit rainfall. Another 258 mandals received normal rainfall and 111 recorded excess rainfall.

He said crops were affected in Adilabad, Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagityal, Peddapalli, Bhupalapally, Sircilla and Medak districts.

How it rained

13 % The average rainfall received in the state from June 1 to August 9 is 367.7 mm, against the normal of 423.4 mm, indicating a deficit of 13 per cent.

Standing crops in Adilabad, Asifabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Nizamabad, Jagitial, Peddapalli, Bhupalapalli, Sircilla, Medak and Vikarabad districts have been adversely affected. Badradri, Mahbubabad, Warangal Rural, Mahbubnagar, Karimanagar,Kamareddy, Sangareddy, Siddipet, Jangoan, Yadadri, Wanaparthy, Suryapet, Nalgonda, Nagarkurnool, Khammam, Ranga Reddy and Warangal Urban districts witnessed normal rainfall.

Only Gadwal, Medchal and Hyderabad districts experienced excess rainfall.
New Delhi: Ahead of Independence Day, the Centre has written to the states to organise events in schools towards creating a patriotic mood and a mass fervour to help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modis New India vision.

However, West Bengal has instructed its schools to desist from following the Centres circular, Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said, terming the decision of the Trinamul government as unfortunate.

Mr Javadekar told reporters, the instructions, such as administering of the prime ministers Sankalp Siddhi oath or commemorating the martrys of freedom struggle or various wars/terrorist actions, are not binding on the schools and were part of a secular agenda.

It is desirable that this momentous occasion should be celebrated with an objective to create a festive and patriotic mood across the nation and a movement is created to involve every citizen of this country in the mission of realising the vision of a new India, which is clean and free from poverty, corruption, terrorism, communalism and casteism, joint secretary, MHRD, Maneesh Garg wrote to the states.

In the letter, Garg also requested the states to publicise the events, to be held between August 9 and 30, to help create a mass fervour in favor of the mission.

It added that apart from administering oath, the schools, including those affiliated to the CBSE, may be asked to organise quiz competitions on the struggle for Independence and the countrys development and painting competitions on the same theme.

The quiz can be downloaded from the Narendra Modi App or the government's official portal, it said. Meanwhile, Javadekar shared a copy of the memo issued by the State Project Director of the West Bengal Sarva Shiksha Mission, which says that it has been decided by the school education department that Independence Day will not be celebrated in line with the Centres circular.

The language used in the West Bengal governments memo is strange and unfortunate. I will talk to them. What we have proposed is a secular agenda, not a political party agenda, he told reporters here.
A rogue elephant was shot dead in Taljhari forest of the Sahibgunj district in Jharkhand. (AFP)

New Delhi: Indias top hunter told on Saturday how he felled a rogue elephant which had killed 15 people in a series of attacks since March.

Nawab Shafat Ali Khan said he shot the elephant late on Friday just hours after being called in by authorities. Saturday was World Elephant Day.

Mr Khan said he shot the elephant at point-blank range, but before the animal fell it tried to swing its trunk at the hunting party, forcing him to fire a second time.

If we had been hit by his truck it could have been fatal. It was a dangerous operation, Khan said of the hunt in Sahibganj district of Jharkhand.

The marauding elephant, believed to have lost its way after becoming separated from its herd, crushed four victims in Bihar in March before crossing into Jharkhand and killing 11 more.

Jharkhands chief forest and wildlife conservator L.R. Singh said the decision to kill the elephant came after a week-long operation to try to tranquilise and capture the animal.

It was quite a difficult operation because of the thick bushes and since the animal had turned rogue, it charged at us before I pulled the trigger, Mr Khan said.

At least 100 people, including forest officials and villagers took part in the hunt, but Mr Khan said he was the only person authorised to shoot.

The area is inhabited by the Paharia tribe, one of the poorest indigenous tribal communities.

Mr Khan, who has carried out 24 previous government-sanctioned hunting missions, said he was baffled by the elephant. This entire belt is inhabited by native tribal communities who have co-existed with wildlife for centuries, the elephants behaviour  that he was stalking humans  is still a mystery.
Bengaluru: BJP national president, Amit Shah declared his chief ministerial candidates for the 2018 Assembly elections as the state unit chief and former Chief Minister, B.S. Yeddyurappa here on Saturday making it clear that he would stand for no dissidence from rival claimants even in the face of some unhappiness in the ranks over the role of BSY's coterie.

Arriving at the airport to a near euphoric welcome, he addressed party workers at the BJP office in Malleswaram.

Mr. Shah, who is here on a three day visit to bolster party unity and build it up from the booth level, said the party hoped to gain a foothold in south India by coming to power in Karnataka in the coming assembly polls and told party workers not to rest until they had removed the 'corrupt' Congress government in the state.

"My focus in Karnataka is not only on strengthening the party base, but also on removing the corrupt Congress government and installing a BJP government in its place in 2018," he said, noting that since winning the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won one election after another in the country.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity has helped the party win many elections. In my three days here we will discuss preparations for the Assembly elections. Besides strengthening the party organisation from the booth level onwards, we will have to chalk out a plan for the coming poll," Mr. Shah said, urging the party workers to fight unitedly to bring the BJP to power in the state.

Also, observing that the country had never seen such unemployment before as today, he said, Mr Modi had promised to generate two crore jobs, but has been able to create only one lakh jobs during the last three years. On the contrary the Siddramaiah government has provided 30,000 jobs in the government sector. While the Congress party wants to help the last man in a queue, the BJP government wants to benefit those at the top. This is the difference between the Modi government and a Congress government.

Referring to the Make in India programme announced by Mr Modi, Mr Gandhi noted that not even one new industry had been opened by his government.

On the other hand, lauding the performance of the Siddaramaiah government, he asserted that it would come back to power in the state in the 2018 elections as it had delivered on all its promises. In his address, CM Siddaramaiah exuded confidence that his government would return to power for a second term.

BJP leaders are hoping to come back to power by fomenting communal trouble in the state. But (Amit) Shahs tricks wont work in Karnataka, which is a land of Basavanna, Kanakadasa and Kuvempu. Nobody can stop me from retaining power in 2018 and Rahul Gandhi from becoming PM in 2019, he thundered. Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, KPCC president Dr G. Parameshwar and former Union Minister Muniyappa spoke.

DKS: I am a disciplined Congress soldier

Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, who is smarting under the recent Income Tax raids on his properties , described himself as a disciplined solider of the party on Saturday and reassured Congress leaders that he had not done anything to cause them any hurt or pain.

Addressing the rally to felicitate AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi, he referred to the the Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat saying it had turned into a big fight, but eventually truth had won (Satyameva Jayate). This victory has given a big boost to the Congress workers, he added.

Claiming that efforts were being made to divide the Congress, he urged party workers not to be disturbed by such attempts, but remain courageous as only the party could protect the country. Mr Shivakumar was put in charge of keeping the Congress flock together before the Rajya Sabha elections in Gujarat and was raided even as he was busy keeping the MLAs safe at a resort near Bengaluru. Meanwhile, working president of KPCC S.R. Patil asserted that no force could destroy the Congress. The Congress has a history of successfully fighting the British. When it could take on the mighty British empire, why not the opposition parties in the country? he asked.
CM Siddaramaiah at a function to inaugurate development projects at Aland in Kalaburagi district on Sunday. (Photo: KPN)

Kalaburagi: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday sharply reacted to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Amit Shahs attack on his government saying although Mr Shah is good at criminal acts, he cannot devise a strategy to dislodge my government.

Addressing BJP workers in Bengaluru, Shah had accused the Congress government of being corrupt and had asserted that his mission was to root it out.

Siddaramaiah, who flew down to Aland town near Kalaburagi to lay foundation stones for various development works, hinted that he was not overawed by the poll achievements of Shah, who is hailed as a master strategist.

Shah may have succeeded in Uttar Pradesh. But we are no kids, we have been in politics for the last 40 years. If he was a master strategist, why did his plans not succeed in Punjab, Goa and Manipur ? Winning elections in Karnataka is not like ordering IT raids on some Congress leaders. This is the land of Basavanna, his divisive politics will not work in Karnataka , Siddaramaiah observed.

He pooh-poohed BJP state president BS Yeddyurappas Mission 150 plan saying the BJP cannot hope to win more than 50 seats in the coming Assembly election.

Why will the people vote for BJP whose Chief Minister had gone to jail? he asked adding,

People will back my party as we have given them free rice, waived farmers loans and fulfilled most of the promises made before the last poll. The people will not betray the government which has provided them free food, education and other benefits, he remarked.

He took strong exception to Shahs statement describing his government as most corrupt.

Shah makes these remarks in the presence of Yeddyurappa, who was sent to jail on corruption charges. Shah must be aware of the fact that many other BJP leaders from the state have gone to jail," he added.

Earlier during an interaction with the media, Siddaramaiah contended that Shahs campaign in Karnataka would not help the BJP much as people know that the BJP does not stand for social justice.

People will not support them, he added. He described the IT raids on Congress leaders such as DK Shivakumar, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Govindraj and Shamanur Shivashankarappa as a conspiracy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah to decimate the Congress.

Are BJP leaders Harishchandras? We will not be cowed down by such raids, he declared.

BR Patil is Aland candidate: CM

Even though sitting Aland MLA BR Patil has not yet formally joined the Congress, he has been declared as Congress candidate from the same constituency in the ensuing Assembly election. Siddaramaiah declared Patil as the Congress candidate during his visit to Aland to lay the foundation stone for various development works.

Patil, who got elected on KJP ticket in 2013, has made a representation to KPCC to admit him to the party.

BJP president creating unrest

KPCC Working President Dinesh Gundu Rao has accused BJP National President Amit Shah of visiting Karnataka to destablize the state government by misusing central investigative agencies.

Talking to reporters here on Sunday, he said Shah was in Karnataka since Saturday mainly to polarise the Hindu vote by creating communal unrest. The saffron party had a hidden agenda of instigating people and creating law and order problems. It would not be allowed here as the Congress was confident of defeating the communal party in the coming elections.

"The BJP's Mission-150 seats will be reduced to Mission-50," he quipped.
Bengaluru: Is Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil trying to emerge as a strong Lingayat leader in North-Karnataka? The answer seems to be yes if the lead he took to hold a meeting of Lingayat leaders and pontiffs of several mutts demanding separate religion status for his community, is any indication.

All these years, the ruling Congress Party lacked a popular leader of the community which has a large presence in 60-80 Assembly constituencies in N-K region. It looks like Mr Patil is trying to fill the gap by taking the lead in attracting Lingayat voters-the main vote bank of the BJP in the region. The Congress wants to break this hegemony by nurturing a young leader to take on State BJP President B.S. Yeddyurappa who claims to be the champion of the Lingayat community.

After the row over according a separate religion tag for Lingayats, the party chose Mr Patil to take on senior leader and president of Akhila Bharathiya Veerashaiva Mahasabha Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Not ready to antagonise his community, Shamanur played safe saying Lingayats-Veerashaivas were like two faces of a coin.

But CM Siddaramaiah who reportedly wants to break the unity of the community to split the vote bank of the BJP, backed Mr Patil who organized another meeting to confuse the community saying Veerashaivas and Lingayats are different. By doing this, Mr Patil is fast emerging as a strong Lingayat leader of N-K region.

Sources close to Mr Patil told DC that he had done what Shamanur had failed to achieve despite having a strong hold on Lingayats in Davangere and adjoining districts. Former IT/BT minister and KPCC Working President S.R. Patil belongs to the Lingayat community but is not as powerful as Mr Patil. In recent bypolls in Nanjangud and Gundlupet, the services of the water resources minister were used to woo Lingayat voters and the ruling party won both seats comfortably. Now, the onus is on Mr Patil is to expand his area of operation in districts in the N-K region to attract Lingayats to the Congress party.

Sources pointed out that in 2008 Assembly polls, the BJP had won the maximum number of seats from Vijayapura, Bagalkot and adjoining districts.

However, in 2013, the saffron party fared badly in these districts as the votes got split between BJP and KJP. The Congress wants to check the saffron party's surge in the coming Assembly elections for which Mr Patil is being prepared to checkmate it.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: BJP's state office bearers meeting in Thrissur on Monday is expected to be stormy as the report on the medical college scam sent to Delhi was reportedly modified.

BJP president Amit Shah will hold a road show, 'Red Terror', across the state tentatively from Sept 9 to 20. Several BJP chief ministers will also be accompanying him.

For the first time, former state president V. Muraleedharan has spoken out against his group leaders getting axed.

State secretary V. V. Rajesh and Yuvamorcha State general secretary Praful Krishna were fired over medical college scam report leak and Kozhikode fund collection row.

BJP sources told DC that it shows that Muraleedharan is getting panicky as he fears that there are chances of central BJP leadership targeting top leaders in the party for conspiracy on the medical college scam.

There are chances of Muraleedharan camp turning their ire against state president Kummanam Rajasekharan at the leadership meeting. His supporters will demand his resignation, said a BJP source.

However, top leaders of the party vehemently denied reports of him diluting the internal committee report to go soft on his staff members.

A prominent BJP leader told DC that when the media reported all aspects of the scam, they will not resort to something foolish and infuriate Mr Shah further.

Meanwhile, state leaders have sought Shahs convenience from Sept. 7 for his road show spanning 20  22 days.

Amit Shah will be camping in the State only for three days. But on each day of the road show, there will be at least one BJP Chief Minister camping in the State. So far Goa CM Manohar Parrikar, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh have confirmed their participation, said another leader.

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat will also be arriving on Monday, and camping in Palakkad. In all likelihood, he is expected to meet few top BJP leaders to take stock of the situation.
CHENNAI: The merger of two factions of the AIADMK is getting closer to reality with former chief minister O. Panneerselvam set to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday. The AIADMK leader will meet Modi at his official residence in the national capital at 11 am.

Panneerselvam was expecting to meet Modi on Friday soon after the swearing-in ceremony of M Venkaiah Naidu as Vice President of India. However, it is understood that the Prime Minister was upset with the OPS camp since it did not agree with the formula of him accepting the deputy chief ministers post. A senior BJP leader said it was explained to Panneerselvam that being in the government would help the party, the administration as well as himself.

The meeting assumes significance since it comes close on the heels of the EPS camp terming as illegal the appointment of Dhinakaran as deputy general secretary by his aunt Sasikala.

The OPS camp had on Friday moved the Election Commission seeking to strengthen its petition against the appointment of Sasikala as general secretary by quoting portions of the resolution passed by the EPS camp.
Congress leader K. Jana Reddy suggested that Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy should be continued as PCC chief till the polls (Representational image)

Hyderabad: The extended state Congress executive meeting, held in the presence of partys new incharge R.C. Kuntia, decided on Sunday to draft an action plan to take on the TRS government on its failures and simultaneously take steps to strengthen the party from the grassroot level.

The four-hour meeting that was preceded by Mr Kuntia holding one-on-one meetings with state Congress leaders revolved round the action plan.

It was decided to hold a major public meeting on the lines of the Sangareddy meet every three months, appoint members to all party committees starting from the polling booths, upwards through the village, mandal, and district levels by the end of September.

Taking up major agitations against the government on all its failures periodically and exposing the misdeeds of the government regularly are part of the action plan, according to sources.

The party decided to take the chargesheet prepared against the government to every nook and corner of the state to expose it in public, by undertaking a Gadapa Gadapaku Congress (door to door campaign).

Mr Kuntia met party official spokespersons separately and asked them to get equipped with all facts and figures on major issues to effectively counter the claims of the TRS government. He said they should do their home work properly on crucial matters.

Congress leader K. Jana Reddy suggested that Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy should be continued as PCC chief till the polls.
From the meeting of the Opposition parties called by the Congress on Friday, it is evident that their unity remains a work in progress. Its also evident  based on how far the process has got in the past month or so since it was initiated  that the participants are watching the state of play in relation to their own respective state politics as all are state-level parties, barring the Congress. The Communists too are now essentially confined to Kerala, where their electoral clash is with the Congress.

On Friday, the NCP stayed away, miffed that the Congress suspected it of not voting in favour of Ahmed Patel in the high-voltage dramatic Gujarat Rajya Sabha vote last week. But the NCP protests too much. The chances are it didnt want to fall foul of the BJP, given the allegations of high-level corruption against its ministers in Maharashtra and at the Centre when it was in government, which the BJP may try to exploit. Nitish Kumars JD(U) has already jumped ship and moved to the NDA.

From the perspective of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the key states will be Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra in electoral arithmetic and prospects of anti-BJP parties cooperating. If the index of Opposition unity is high, there will be a fight against the ruling party. Mayawatis BSP has a crucial role in UP, whose electoral dynamics also tends to have a spillover effect. However, while aiming for Opposition unity, the Congress must be much better prepared in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.
Messaging app WeChat and microblogging service Weibo are China's most popular social media platforms, and have thrived due to the absence of western competitors like Facebook and Twitter that are banned by the country's censors. (Representational image)

Chinas cyber regulator on Friday said it was investigating the country's top social media sites over failing to comply with strict laws that ban content which is violent, obscene or deemed offensive to the Communist Party.

The Cyberspace Administration said it was investigating Tencent Holdings WeChat, Weibo and Baidu's forum site Tieba over suspected violations of the country's strict cyber-security laws.

"Users are spreading violence, terror, false rumours, pornography and other hazards to national security, public safety, social order," the regulator said on its website.

The companies did not immediately respond to emails and phone calls seeking comment on the probe.

This is the latest in a series of regulatory actions against the country's top tech firms as China's cyber authorities adopt an increasingly hardened stance on censorship, doling out harsh punishments to firms that fail to comply.

Cyber surveillance is being tightened further ahead of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China expected to be held later this year, when global attention will be on news coming from the world's second-biggest economy.

Last month, cyber authorities called on the same firms to carry out immediate "cleaning and rectification" at a meeting with their representatives, where the authorities cited specific examples of illicit content, including rumours about party officials and misrepresenting Chinese military history.

Prior to the meeting, Weibo was ordered to partially close its video site over violations, wiping out a combined $1.3 billion worth of stock between Weibo and parent firm Sina Corp.

Messaging app WeChat and microblogging service Weibo are China's most popular social media platforms, and have thrived due to the absence of western competitors like Facebook and Twitter that are banned by the country's censors.

WeChat and Weibo have about 940 million and 350 million monthly active users, respectively.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.
Hagatna: The Catholic faithful in Guam led prayers for peace Sunday in the shadow of North Korean missile threat, with the western Pacific island's archbishop appealing for "prudence" amid an escalating war of words between the US and Pyongyang.

The largely Catholic territory should pray for a "just resolution of differences, and prudence in both speech and action", said Archbishop Michael Byrnes, echoing a flurry of international calls for US President Donald Trump to show greater rhetorical restraint.

A "prayers for peace" lunchtime rally in the capital Hagatna drew around 100 people. But despite Guam having become the centre of a threatened showdown between the United States and nuclear-armed North Korea, many said they were unfazed. "I am really not scared because if it's our time to die it is our time to die," added Sita Manjaras, 62, a retired teacher from Tamuning. Father Mike Crisostomo said their response to the threat was to have faith and pray. "This goes to show to the other worlds, to the other nations and the countries, that Guam maybe small, our faith and our trust is big," he said.

Dora Salazar, 82, who made the 14 kilometre (nine mile) journey from the village of Mangilao for the peace rally, said she was praying for the North's leader Kim Jong-Un. "We pray that God will touch his heart," she said.

In response to Trump's threat of "fire and fury", North Korea has pledged to have plans ready in a matter of days to launch an "enveloping fire" of missiles towards Guam.

At the island's main church, the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica, Father Paul Gofigan told the congregation to be prepared in case North Korea does launch its missiles. "What would you do if you have only 14 minutes left? The thing to do is pray and reflect," he said. "Prioritise your life. This is a wake-up call, no matter what happens".

Trump has been engaged all week in verbal sparring with the North over its weapons and missile programs, declaring Friday that the US military is "locked and loaded." He has told Guam Governor Eddie Calvo that US military was prepared to "ensure the safety and security of the people of Guam."

While 85 percent of Guam's 162,000 residents are Catholic, with temperatures hovering around 31 degrees Celsius (88 Fahrenheit) many locals and tourists preferred to head to the beach rather than church. "No one feels threatened. Should we? Definitely not," said Australian tourist Kirstie Bridgement. "Guam is the most protected island. We feel safer than ever."

The island houses two large US military bases and is home to more than 6,000 US military personnel. American tourist Bryan Sanchez said it was difficult to understand the threat "especially with the way culture is like with memes, anything is going to be turned into a joke. "People just aren't, I guess, as aggressive or too worried about that kind of stuff in our day and age."

Meanwhile, two community groups opposed to the presence of the US military in Guam, Independent Guahan and Prutehi Litekyan, have organised a "People for Peace" rally in Hagatna on Monday. "What's happening in Guam is a global issue, because if our island is attacked, it could be the catalyst for a global catastrophe," Kenneth Gofigan Kuper of the Independent Guahan movement said.

The rally organisers said in a statement that "Guam has been forced in the middle of other nations' conflicts, particularly as an unincorporated territory of the United States. "As a result, many of Guam's people know the painful and horrific effects of war as World II survivors and as veterans. "Thus, the members of Independent Guahan and Prutehi Litekyan, both organisations dedicated to the decolonisation and demilitarisation of Guam, feel it is imperative for the community to stand together in a call for peace."
Beirut: A commando operation backed by Russian warplanes and helicopters has killed 25 members of the Islamic State jihadist group in central Syria, a monitor said Sunday.

Supported by regime ally Russia, Syria's army has waged a months-long offensive to recapture the vast desert region that stretches from the country's centre to the Iraqi and Jordanian borders.

On Saturday, "25 ISIS members were killed and others wounded in a commando operation by Syrian regime forces with air support from Russian warplanes and helicopters" in the northeast of Homs province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

Six members of the regime forces were also killed, it said. A military source said the operation occurred "20 kilometres inside Daesh (ISIS) terrorist lines".

The raid allowed regime forces to seize control of three villages in the area, official news agency SANA reported the source as saying. The army has captured swathes of territory from the jihadists in the province. According to the Observatory, ISIS now controls just dozens of villages in the east of Homs.

The Syrian "Badiya" is a large stretch of desert that extends over around 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 square miles) of territory. Since 2015, much of the Badiya has been held by ISIS, but Syria's army has been chipping away at it since May.

Regime forces have ousted ISIS from Al-Sukhna, the last jihadist-held town in Homs province. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are also fighting the jihadists in the south of neighbouring Raqa province.

A US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance meanwhile is battling to retake the provincial capital, Raqa city, from ISIS. The jihadists also hold the majority of the vast desert province of Deir Ezzor including most of its provincial capital.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
Beijing: India has taken up with China a complaint filed by an Indian passenger alleging misbehaviour with Indians at the Shanghai Pudong international airport by the staff of a Chinese airline, a report said on Sunday. The airline has denied the allegation.

The matter has been taken up with the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese foreign ministry and the Pudong airport authorities after it was brought to the notice of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, sources said.

Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines has denied the allegation saying that after checking related materials and the airport CCTV footage, it found news reports about the incident did not conform to the fact, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Instead, the airlines employees offered meticulous service, the airline said in a statement. It claimed that it was dedicated to providing quality flight service for passengers around the world.

Earlier, media reports said that North American Punjabi Association executive director Satnam Singh Chahal wrote to Swaraj alleging that he noticed that at the exit gate of the plane for wheelchair passengers, ground staff was insulting transit Indian passengers.

Chahal, who travelled on August 6 by a China Eastern Airlines flight from New Delhi to San Francisco, had to stop at Shanghai Pudong to catch his next flight of the same airlines for San Francisco. He said when he complained to concerned airline, he was shouted down by the official.

I noticed from their body language that they were frustrated from the rising border tension between India and China, Chahal was quoted as saying in the letter, apparently referring to the nearly two-month long standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam in Sikkim section.

Chahal even suggested to Swaraj to issue an advisory for Indian transit travellers to avoid transiting through China.

Last month, China had issued a safety advisory to its nationals in India to pay close attention to their safety and take precaution for their security to avoid being affected by prevailing anti-China sentiment.
Karachi: At least 17 people were killed and nearly 30 others injured on Saturday when a powerful blast targeting a vehicle of the security forces went off in Pakistans Quetta city.

The high intensity blast occurred in a parking lot near Pishin bus stop which is in a high security area. Balochistans home minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti told media that a truck of the Frontier Corps was targeted in the blast.

The bomb disposal squad has reached the spot and we will be able to confirm soon whether it was a suicide attack or a planted bomb, he said. Bugti said around 30 injured persons were shifted to the Civil hospital for treatment and admitted that the condition of six to seven people was critical.

So far I can confirm that 10 people have been killed and their bodies have been shifted to the mortuary of the hospital, Bugti said.

However, According to several television channels, around 17 dead bodies were brought to the hospital and most of them were badly charred and burnt. At least 17 people lost their lives in an explosion near Quettas Pishin Stop, Geo News reported.

The blast was so loud that it was heard in far off areas and caused a huge fire in which some vehicles and auto rickshaws were also damaged. An official of the Edhi trust in Quetta said around 15 bodies were shifted before adding that the death toll could be much higher.

The explosion was very powerful and loud. Its intensity was severe. Several car and auto rickshaws have been burnt or damaged after the blast as they caught fire due to the intensity of the blast, the official said.

Quetta, the capital city of the restive Balochistan province, has witnessed several terrorist attacks recently by militants and separatists while banned outfits have also carried out sectarian killings in the province.
Islamabad: Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) has fielded its candidate for the upcoming by-election in a Lahore constituency for the National Assembly vacated by former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who was disqualified last month.

The JuD candidate filed nomination papers for NA-120 under the banner of Milli Muslim League (MML) which is yet to be registered as a political party.

Officially, however, Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh has filed his nomination with the Election Commission of Pakistan as an independent candidate as the MML awaits registration as a recognised party.

Earlier, ousted Premier Nawaz Sharifs wife Kalsoom Nawaz filed her nomination papers for NA-120 seat. Her most powerful rival for the September 17 by-election in this Lahore constituency, Dr Yasmin Rashid of the Opposition Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf has also filed her nomination papers.

A pitched electoral battle is expected as this by-election, just months ahead of the next general elections, will have a large bearing on the future political standing of both the rivals parties.

JuD chief Saeed is the mastermind behind 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and is currently under house arrest.
Three local Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants and two army men were killed in an overnight encounter in south Kashmir's Shopian district on Sunday. Three others, including a captain, were also injured in the 16-hour-long fierce gun battle.



Director General of Police of Jammu & Kashmir SP Vaid, tweeted, "Today morning 3 Terrorists Eliminated at Zainpora Shopian. Well done boys!" Two army men, identified as sepoys Ilayaraja P and Gowai Sumedh Waman, were killed and three others injured in the initial phase of the encounter on Saturday night.



Sources said based on a specific input about the presence of a group of five heavily armed Hizbul militants, including its Kashmir chief Yasin Itoo, alias Mehmood Ghaznavi, in Zainpora area of Shopian, 56 km from here, Armys 3 Rashtriya Rifle and special operations group (SOG) of police started a search and cordon operation on Thursday evening at around 7 pm.



"As the security forces were engaged in house-to-house searches, the hiding militants in a bid to break the cordon fired upon them, triggering off a fierce encounter. In the initial firing five army men, including a Captain, sustained injures," they said and added the injured were shifted to 92-Base Hospital in Srinagar, where two of them succumbed.



Reports said as the encounter was going on, locals rushed out of their homes to pelt stones on the forces to help the holed up militants to escape. The police responded by firing tear gas shells and pellets, in which several protesters were injured.



Sources said the operation was halted for the night but the forces maintained cordon of the area to stop the militants from fleeing. "The gunfight resumed with the first light of the morning and three militants were killed after forces blasted off four houses where they were hiding. Two militants, one of them believed to be Hizbul chief Ghaznavi, managed to escape from the encounter spot," they revealed.



The slain militants were identified as Umar Majid Sheikh, Adil Malik and Irfan ul Sheikh, all resident of Shopian. Three Ak-47 rifles were recovered from their possession, police said. In wake of the gunfight, authorities blocked internet services in Shopian district and other sensitive parts of south Kashmir.



In a separate incident, militants opened fire after police and army started a cordon and search operation at Wahab Parray Mohalla in Hajin area of north Kashmir's Bandipora district. A police spokesman said that the firing wounded two cops who were referred to hospital. The CASO was going on in the area to flush out the militants, he added.



135 militants, including top commanders like Abu Dujana, Sabzar Bhat, 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.

Meanwhile, a civilian injured in an explosion in Dalgate area of Srinagar on Saturday night succumbed on Sunday at SK Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) hospital.
The Supreme Court has dismissed the Karnataka governments plea against a High Court order that had quashed the concessions granted to SC/ST category people in liquor business in hotels.



The HC had declared unconstitutional the 2014 amendments brought in by the state government in its excise rules. A bench of Justices Ranjan Gogoi and Navin Sinha declined to entertain the special leave petition filed by the state government against the judgement of January 20 this year.



The court pointed out that since it had already rejected similar pleas made by the affected parties on May 4, it was not inclined to consider the petition by the state government.



Senior advocate Basava Prabhu Patil, representing the state government, defended the amendments to the Karnataka Excise (Sale of Indian and Foreign Liquors) Rules, 1968.



The changes granted relaxation to people from the reserved category by reducing to half the bedroom capacity requirement for hotels and lodges to serve liquor as compared to those run by the general category people. SC/STs were also given concession in annual licence fees. B Govindaraj Hegde, Secretary of Federation of Wine Merchants Association of Karnataka, challenged the amendments to the rules effected by a notification of June 9, 2014. He had contended it would encourage dubious investment by liquor barons in the name of backward class people.



The HCs single judge as well as division bench struck down the amendments. It had held that the state failed to discharge the burden of demonstrating that such classification or a differential treatment was with a view to achieve the object of providing more opportunity to the reserved class. The decision was not backed by detailed study and, therefore, it was arbitrary too, the HC had said.


Just 101 Indira Canteens will open on August 16 against the earlier target of 125. Besides, just 13 Indira kitchens will open against the target of 28.



Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had promised to open canteens in all the 198 wards on August 16. The target was revised to 125 as the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) struggled to find suitable places in many wards. The civic body aimed to open the remaining 73 subsidised eateries on October 2  Gandhi Jayanti.



Just 87 canteens have been built so far and 11 more will be ready in the next few days. The BBMP hopes to increase the figure to 101 by August 16. Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi will inaugurate the canteens.



Mayor G Padmavathi has blamed the opposition BJP and restaurant owners for the delay in the ambitious project. They (the Opposition and restaurant owners) have been obstructing the project. I have seen employees of some restaurants protesting against the canteens at several places, she told journalists on Saturday.



Two firms  Rewards, and Cheftalks Food and Hospitality Services  have been contracted to cater at the canteens. While Rewards will run canteens in 12 Assembly constituencies, Cheftalks will cater in the remaining 15 constituencies, the mayor said. The firms will earn Rs 25 on each plate of meal besides a subsidy of Rs 32 and Rs 34 per plate, respectively.



Each kitchen will be manned by 15-18 workers who prepare the food while each canteen will have seven staffers. Each canteen will serve 5,000-6,000 people, she added.


As the Uttar Pradesh government directed the 'madrasas' (Islamic Seminaries) to celebrate Independence Day by unfurling the tricolour and recital of National Anthem, sharp differences have emerged among the Muslim clerics on the issue.



While a section of the clergy has asked the Muslims not to sing National Anthem as some of the lines in it were not in accordance with the tenets of Islam, some other clerics found nothing wrong with the anthem.



The clerics owing allegiance to the Barelvi sect have made it clear that neither National Anthem nor Vande Mataram would be sung in the Madarsas affiliated with them. A written directive had been issued to the madarsas in this regard, sources said.



We have asked our madrasas to hold I-Day celebrationstricolor will be unfurled, said senior cleric of Barelvi sect Maulana Asjad Raza Khan.



The students would sing sare jahan se achha Hindostan hamara (Our country better than the entire world) rather than national anthem and vande Mataram, he added.



Prestigious Deoband based Islamic Seminary Darul Uloom, however, said that there was nothing wrong in singing national anthem and vande mataram.



All India Shia Personal Law Board spokesman Maulana Yasoob Abbas also slammed opposition to the singing of anthem and vande Mataram.



The state government had, in a circular issued to all the 'madarsas', directed them to unfurl the tricolor followed by the recital of national anthem and national song. It further directed them to explain to the students the significance of Independence Day followed by a recital of patriotic songs by the students.



The government also directed the madarsas to conduct videography of the entire program and submit the video and pictures to the concerned government official.



According to the sources in the government, it was for the first time such a circular had been issued to the 'madrasas'.
Facing flak following death of 30 children allegedly owing to shortage of oxygen at BRD Medical College in his Lok Sabha constituency of Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday sought to indicate that the deaths had been caused by encephalitis and slammed the media for what he termed resorting to ''fake reporting'' on such a sensitive matter.



A preliminary probe report by the Gorakhpur district magistrate, however, admitted that there was a ''breakdown'' in the supply of oxygen on the night of Thursday. Speaking to reporters after visiting the BRD Medical College, an emotional Adityanath said that he had been fighting battle against encephalitis for the past 20 years and no one ''understood'' the agony of the people better than him.



The chief minister also seemed to suggest that one could expect high casualty figure given the fact that three to five thousand patients visited the BRD Medical College every day.



''You (media) should not resort to fake reporting.....you (media) should visit the wards and report from there and not from outside.....go and see for yourself in the ward whether the patients are being treated or there is a carnage,'' he said.



Adityanath, who was accompanied by union minister for health J.P.Nadda, said that the government would wait for the report of the chief secretary led high level committee before taking action in the matter. ''Let the report come out...we will not spare the guilty,'' he added.



Nadda said that the union government would set up a Regional Centre for Research at Gorakhpur to facilitate research on vector borne diseases.



The opposition parties, however, continued their attack on Adityanath. Congress on Sunday termed the deaths as ''murder'' and demanded resignations of chief minister and the state health minister.



Notwithstanding the denials of the state government, a preliminary report by the district magistrate said that there was a ''breakdown'' in the oxygen supply on Thursday night.



30 children, mostly new born, had died allegedly owing to shortage of oxygen at the hospital in a period of 36-hours between Thursday and Friday. The government had suspended the principal of the medical college Dr. R.K.Mishra on charges of laxity.
The UP Congress today termed the large number of infant deaths in a Gorakhpur hospital "murder" and demanded Chief Minister Yogi Adiytanath's resignation, saying if he was unable to handle an institution, how will he run the state.



"70 children were murdered in the last four days (since August 10). The state government is responsible for their murder. This government is a killer and I want to ask how many more children will be killed," Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Raj Babbar told reporters here.



"When a chief minister is unable to handle a medical college in his home district, how would he run the state? He should immediately resign from his post," he told a press conference here while attacking the UP CM.



Demanding a compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the victim's parents, he said a case of murder should be lodged against those who are guilty.



Babbar said the Congress would run a state-wide campaign on the issue but did not disclose the date when it would start.



He hailed the media for the "unbiased reporting" on the issue and said, "Who will decide it was death or murder? The entire focus of the government is on cow-slaughter, singing of Vande Matram, where the flag is being hoisted on August 15".



The Congress leader said that under the UPA government, Rs 150 crore was given to the BRD medical college hospital and a 100-bed ward was also constructed.



"The chief minister had visited the hospital, but he was not aware about the oxygen crisis. The CM has constituted a probe committee but the government has already said that deaths were not due to shortage of oxygen. Then why a probe?" the UPCC president said.



He also slammed state Health minister Sidharth Nath Singh for terming deaths in August as "routine".



Referring to the statement of a BJP MP that the incident was "massacre", Babbar said, "A case of murder should be lodged against the government and those associated with it".
In a jolt to Hizbul Mujahideen, its three militants, including self-styled chief operations commander Yasin Itoo alias 'Gaznavi', were killed in an encounter that began last night and also claimed the lives of two armymen in Shopian district of South Kashmir.



Following a tip-off to the local police, a cordon was laid in Awnira village of Shopian last night by the Special Operations Group of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and the CRPF.



Militants fired at the approaching security personnel, wounding five Army personnel, two of whom later died. This prompted the security forces to wait till dawn while keeping a tight cordon around the area before launching a major strike.



Intermittent firing continued the whole night, and the operation began in full swing in the morning. All three terrorists holed up were killed. They were identified as Irfan, a tech-savvy militant involved in online propaganda for the militant outfit, and Umar, who was personal security man of Ghaznavi.



Itoo, from Budgam district of central Kashmir, had a long association with Hizbul Mujahideen and was involved in keeping alive the prolonged unrest of 2016 following the killing of group's commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces, besides recruiting several young men into the outfit, police said.



He was identified by his family members who were brought to the scene of the encounter by police from their residence in Budgam.



Itoo, often called a 'vintage militant' as he joined Hizbul Mujahideen in 1996, had surrendered in 2007 and later released on parole in 2014. He joined the militant group again and was its self-styled chief operations commander.



One Kevyt Konekivaan (KK) series rifle used by Itoo and two AK series rifles were recovered from the encounter scene.



Security forces launched a cordon and search operation yesterday following information about the presence of militants in Awnira village of Zainapora area of the district.



As the forces were conducting searches, the militants opened fire which was returned.



Five soldiers were injured in the gunfight yesterday and had to be evacuated to 92 Base Hospital of the Army for treatment. Two among them succumbed to injuries last night. They were identified as Sepoy Ilayaraja P, a resident of Tamil Nadu, and Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman from Maharashtra.
Karnataka houses the maximum number of wild elephants in India, says the latest elephant census report of the union environment ministry.



With 6,049 jumbos in the wild, the state tops India's elephant list followed by Assam (5,719) and Kerala (3,054). The protected forests of Nagarhole, Bhadra and Bandipur have the maximum elephant density.



The census report pegs the total number of elephants in India at 27,312. The highest density was seen in the southern zone (11960) followed by the north east (10,139). The numbers are far less in the north west and central India.



The report- released on Saturday  cautioned against trend analysis with 2012 figures as two different counting methods were used in the two census.



The 2012 census came up with an estimation of 29,391-30,711 jumbos, which the experts now felt was erroneous.



If I do a comparison with 2012 figures, then we have a stable population, said Raman Sukumar, a professor at the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and the technical consultant behind the latest census report.



Other major elephants bearing states are Tamil Nadu (2,761), Odisha (1,976), Uttarakhand (1,839), Meghalaya (1,754), Arunachal Pradesh (1,614), West Bengal (682) and Jharkhand (679).



In Karnataka, as many as 654 blocks in 33 forest divisions were sampled for the census exercise that began last year.



The results show an overall density of 0.67 elephants per square km, which extrapolated to an area of 8976 sq km where these jumbos are distributed, led to an estimated count of 6,049 elephants  the highest in the country.



According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Asian elephants are endangered and found a place in the IUCN's red list. African elephants, on the other hand, are listed as vulnerable.



As per the available population estimates, there are about 400,000 African elephants and 40,000 Asian elephants.



An attempt must be made to bring to an end the chapter of man-animal conflict. A war must be waged against poachers and hunters who harm elephants and other wildlife, union environment minister Harsh Vardhan stated.



India has 101 documented elephant corridors, the number of which went up in the last seven years since the 2010 Elephant Task Force report came out. The 2010 report identified 88 corridors (27 priority-1 and 61 priority-2), out of which seven corridors became dysfunctional and 18-20 new corridors being used by the animals.
According to the police, the incident took place on August 3 in Kekri, a block of Ajmer district, around 135 km from the state capital. The victim has been identified as Kanya Devi Raigar.



"Raigar was branded a witch and severely tortured before being beaten to death, she was also made to eat faeces by her relatives," Superintendent of Police (SP) of Ajmer, Rajendra Singh, said. Singh confirmed that case has been registered against four of her relatives, Pinky Raigar, Sonia Raigar, Mahaveer Raigar and Chandra Prakash Raigar.



"Four people have been detained and a case has been registered under the Rajasthan Prevention of Witch- Hunting Act, 2015 and relevant sections of IPC "Shankar, sub inspector of Kekri police station told DH. According to the police, the victim reportedly succumbed to her injuries and died on the spot.



On claims that the relatives had pierced her eyes with a hot rod, Singh said the body was cremated by the relatives and no post mortem could be conducted, "so it is proving difficult to ascertain these claims".





The police said a distant relative of the victim registered a police complaint on August 11. But they police the FIR on August 13 after her daughter also registered a complaint.





"I had received the complaint on August 10 from a relative, but we could not file an FIR as the complainant was not a close relative of the deceased," SHO at the Kekri Police Station Hari Ram Kumawat told PTI.







"Thorough interrogation of the accused will reveal what transpired that day," he said, adding that three persons have been detained and will be arrested soon.

Four people have been detained in connection with the death of a 39-year-old woman In Rajasthans Ajmer district. The victim who was a relative of the accused was allegedly tortured and forced to eat her faeces after being branded as a witch and was eventually beaten to death.
Pink City based Suresh Gyan Vihar University (SGVU) has taken back 266 Kashmiri students, who were earlier evicted by the varsity administration after they failed to clear their fees due to no payment of funds under Prime Ministers Special Sponsorship Scheme (PMSSS).



Attributing to the technical snag, causing the delay in receiving sponsorship money, around 266 students were shinted. But after the intervention of the chairman of All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), the body responsible for disbursing the scholarships, varsity the had to admit them back.



The Chairman of AICTE, Sahasrabuddhe, who was in Jaipur on Sunday said in his speech at a private engineering college, that the action will be taken against those private universities against who lure Kashmiri students to take admissions in their colleges but fail to assure them sure scholarships.



He said, This is my warning to all the universities to not to play with the career of students. They should not give fake promises to the students and later harass them". The chairman also said that last year around 2400 students were given scholarships and this year the number is likely to be about 2800.



One week ago 266 Kashmiri students of SGVU were forced to leave the campus after the varsity failed to receive the scholarship amount extended to them by the central government. According to the varsity officials out of 466 Kashmiri students presently studying 266 were unable to pay their fees by not receiving scholarship in time. These students mostly hail from the militancy hit areas of Jammu and Kashmir such as Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Ramban, Poonch, Kargil, Leh and Ladakh. Under PMSSS, launched by then prime minister Manmohan Singh, a student is entitled tuition, hostel and mess fees.



The central government sets aside a sum of 74 crore rupees to sponsor the education of 5,000 fresh students every year. Out of the 5,000 scholarships, 4,500 are meant for general degree courses and 250 each for engineering and medical.



Three days ago, the AICTE also issued a warning for the universities on its website, which clearly mentions, Any candidate who is taking admission in any institution other than institution allotted by AICTE through counseling is not eligible, for scholarship under the scheme and AICTE is not responsible and will not be able to pay scholarship under any circumstances.



In the desert state of Rajasthan, around 1700 Kashmiri students are presently studying under PMSSS scheme in different varsities.
Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday removed the in-charge of the Encephalitis Ward at the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur after the death of 30 children owing to alleged shortage of oxygen. The in-charge of the ward Dr Kafeel Khan was shunted out immediately after chief minister Yogi Adityanath's visit to the Medical College. Sources said that some more heads were likely to roll in the next few days. Adityanath, who visited the Medical College on Sunday, was shown black flags by some youths while he was coming out, the police said. The youths were arrested. A group of students allegedly owing allegiance to Samajwadi Party (SP) held a demonstration before the house of UP health minister Siddharth Nath Singh in Allahabad in protest against the children's death.
The suspended principal of the Gorakhpur BRD Medical College, Dr Rajeev Misra, on Sunday received support from the Indian Medical Association that criticised the Uttar Pradesh government to single out the doctor for punishment.



The suspension of the principal of the medical college should be revoked and all attempts should be made to control the crisis so that no further deaths take place, IMA, India's largest association of doctors, said in a statement.



Suspension of the principal alone is wrong. If you're suspending him, then suspend the local administration too and ban the company. Payments are a major issue and must be made on time, said IMA president Dr K K Agarwal



Following the tragedy in which more than 60 children died, the Uttar Pradesh government suspended Dr Misra, who later resigned and blamed the red tapes for delayed payment to the oxygen supply firm that cut the supply.



On Sunday Dr Kafeel Khan, the nodal officer for the department of paediatrics at the BRD medical college, was also removed by the state government.
Googles recent acquisition of Halli Labs, an artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) startup started by an IIT-Delhi alumni Pankaj Gupta, has fuelled Bengalurus ambition of becoming the hub of AI and ML product startups.



Halli, which means a village in Kannada, was born five months ago in Bengaluru for developing solutions to traditional problems using AI, ML, deep learning and natural language processing technologies.



Commenting on the development, Googles vice-president for product management Ceasar Sengupta tweeted, Welcome Pankaj and the team at Halli Labs to Google. Looking forward to building some cool stuff together.



The company says it is focused on building deep learning and ML systems to address old problems. Gupta said the company will be joining Googles Next Billion Users team. Halli Labs will help get more technology and information into more peoples hands around the world, he said.



Gupta is interested in the areas of personalisation, applied machine learning, AI, user growth and engagement, search, recommendation and discovery products, distributed systems, graph infrastructure and algorithms. He has published over 30 papers and filed more than 20 patent applications. Google and its parent company Alphabet are vigorously persuing acqui-hiring in AI startups along with other technology giants Baidu, Samsung, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook and Snap.



According to a startup founder working in the similar space, AI and ML are still in their initial stages, just like how smartphone and mobile apps were a decade ago. All startup founders are very much aware of its importance. But they are groping in the dark to identify problems so that they can resolve it via business solution based on AI and ML tools.



He also said human beings are better than machines anyway in doing activities. But there are many tasks which can be done at par and at a lower cost by AI, ML supported machines, he said.



Bengaluru is emerging as hub of AI and ML startup as various accelerators and incubators are giving primacy to them. According to analysts, Kalaari Capitals KStart and TLabs are incubating lots of startups in this area.



Tech experts said, AI helps machines to carry out tasks in a smart and intelligent way. ML is applications of AI to give machines access to data and let them learn for themselves. Machines and devices with AI are classified into one of the two fundamental groups  applied or general.



Applied AI is where common problems, majority single solutions, for example, intelligently trade stocks and shares, or manoeuvre an autonomous vehicle. Generalised AIs are systems or devices which can handle any task and here some of the most exciting advancements are happening today, said an analyst.



Artifacia, a Bengaluru-based startup that provides an AI-based visual discovery platform to fashion and lifestyle retailers, and brands, is really a classic example of this. It helps them improve product discovery, and hence conversions on their apps and websites.



Artifacias major differentiator is its visual-first approach to solving product discovery problems for end-users. Basically, what it means is that in the case of categories like fashion what matters is the visual quality or the attributes of the image, like what makes the dress unique, whether it is the colour, style and shape, and so on. We combine the understanding of these product images with the users interests, demography and available product data with our AI technologies to be able to recommend the right kind of products to end-users, Navneet Sharma, Co-founder and CEO, Artifacia said.



Besides IBMs Watson, which the company describes as a cognitive system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) technologies mostly in healthcare and education and IPsofts Amelia, Microsoft Corporations AI and Research Group, Amazon AI Services, Facebook AI Research (FAIR) and OpenAI, a non-profit lab partly funded by Elon Musk of Tesla are doing enormous work around in this area. Not to be left behind, Indian IT services companies like Infosys Nia, TCS Ignio and Wipro Holmes artificial intelligence platforms also are driving these initiatives.



In a recent letter to employees, Infosys Chief Executive Officer Vishal Sikka said there is a need to massively embrace automation in the commoditising parts of our core business, and bring grassroots innovation into everything employees are working on. Doing so requires us to reach back within ourselves and to learn, to exercise our learnability. Learn about AI and automation, learn about new technologies, but most importantly learn to learn, to innovate, to build with creative confidence, Sikka said.



Demis Hassabis, the founder of London-based AI startup DeepMind which was purchased by Google for $650 million back in 2014, is heading the AI initiatives of the global tech giant. As part of its initiatives, the company is bringing humans at the complex game of AlphaGo to play instinctively and begun making steps towards crafting more general AI programme.



Hassabis has now stated that the only way AI can realise its true potential is by imbibing and taking inspiration from human intellect than banking on layers of mathematics. But different types of machine learning, such as speech recognition or identifying objects in an image, require different mathematical structures, and the resulting algorithms are only able to perform very specific tasks.



Building AI that can perform general tasks, rather than niche ones, is a long-held desire in the world of machine learning. But the truth is that expanding those specialised algorithms to something more versatile remains an incredibly difficult problem, in part because human traits like inquisitiveness, imagination, and memory dont exist or are only in their infancy in the world of AI.



Backed by emerging technologies, we can expect that AI will go beyond mere automation of routine tasks and help us to address complex business challenges not previously tackled by traditional IT and engineering.


The Kannada Textbook Editorial Board of Mangalore University has decided to withdraw the lesson Yuddha Ondu Udyama (War is a Business), by writer Baraguru Ramachandrappa, said a release from Mangalore University Registrar Prof K M Lokesh.



Ex-servicemen had taken serious exception to a chapter in the First Year BCA Kannada textbook Padachittara, where it is mentioned that soldiers are involved in sexual assault on women in border areas. The author had written in the chapter that one of his friends is a soldier and, according to him, soldiers are involved in incidents of sexual assault.



The decision to withdraw the lesson was taken during a meeting held on August 12.

Students, ex-servicemen, and various organisations had opposed the lesson.




Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, who is also MLA of Mangaluru constituency, said that the state government has sanctioned Rs 10 crore for road works and other development programmes in the constituency.



Briefing reporters here on Sunday, he said that he has also submitted a proposal seeking additional Rs 10 crore for development works in the constituency.



Three roads near Santhosh Nagara masjid at Munnur (Rs 15 lakh), the Kolike Road (Rs 10 lakh), the Green ground road in Belma (Rs 15 lakh), the Badyaru road in Belma (Rs 10 lakh), the Dotamajalu in Belma (Rs 15 lakh), the Assaigoli-Madaka (Rs 10 lakh), the Nekkare road in Manjanady (Rs 10 lakh), the road leading to Someshwara beach (Rs 10 lakh), the Moorukatte-Kaneer Thota road (Rs 10 lakh), the Shanthibagh road in Someshwara (Rs 10 lakh), the Paddayigudde in Amblamogaru (Rs 10 lakh), the Inoli Malaraya Temple road (Rs 12 lakh), the Mudipu Junction to Theertharakadu SC Colony (Rs 14 lakh), the Kurnadu-Madhyanadka road (Rs 20 lakh), the Pudu Sujeera Temple road (Rs 20 lakh) have been listed for development, said the minister.





Niranthara Jyothi

Under the Niranthara Jyothi scheme, the state government has selected five villages in the Mangaluru constituency  Naringana, Sajipanadu, Manjanady, Keenya and Pavoor  to provide 24 hours of power supply. Under the scheme, all the old electricity wires and transformers will be replaced. I have appealed to the energy minister to include five more villages in the constituency under the scheme, said Khader.



Further, he said that four villages in the constituency, namely Harekala, Konaje, Pajeer and Balepuni, have been selected for Grama Vikasa Yojane. Under the scheme, the government has released Rs 1 crore to each Assembly constituency.

The state government has also sanctioned Rs 4 crore for a Mudipu First Grade College building.



Cong will win

On BJP president Amit Shahs visit to Karnataka, the minister said, Even if 10 Amit Shahs visit Karnataka, it will not cause any harm to the Congress. The Congress will come back to power supported by the welfare programmes initiated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.



Condemning the death of children due to shortage of oxygen supply at a hospital in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, Khader said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should order for a high-level probe into the incident.



Grant to schools

On the withdrawal of grants to two schools in Bantwal, Khader said that the decision was taken by the Dharmika Parishat and not by the state government. It is not right to politicise the issue. The educational institutions that provide free education and hostel facilities are given 15 kg rice per person free of cost by the government. There is no political vendetta in the withdrawal of grants to the schools, he insisted.



While asked about the Indira canteen, the minister said that, depending on the response in Bengaluru, the chief minister will take a decision on extending it to other towns in the state.



Rs 40-cr proposal on Paschima Vahini

U T Khader said that to mitigate the drinking water woes in Mangaluru constituency, a proposal of Rs 40 crore under Paschima Vahini has been submitted to the government.



Under the Paschima Vahini, a dam will be constructed across river Nethravathi at Harekala to supply water. The dam will be for multi-purpose use and will connect Harekala with Adyar as well.
Union Minister of State for Ayush Shripad Yesso Naik has called upon private medical institutions to partner the government in providing quality healthcare to people in rural areas.



He was speaking after inaugurating the 3 Tesla MRI and Cath Lab Facility at Yenepoya University in Deralakatte here on Sunday.





Expressing concern over shortage of medical professionals, he said the National Health Policy 2017, brought out by the Union government, gave impetus to public healthcare. There is a need to bring down treatment costs for less-privileged people. Medical institutions must share the responsibility. The health policy aims at making optimum use of available resources to make healthcare facilities accessible to all. It also seeks to raise the public health expenditure to 2.5% of the GDP, Naik said.



The minister said there were ample opportunities for research in the traditional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda and Unani.



On the occasion, he released a booklet on dengue awareness, published by the Department of Ayush.



Yenepoya University Chancellor Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi said the varsity had planned an integrated Ayush campus at Kinya near Talapady. The 3 Tesla MRI facility at Yenepoya University is the first of its kind in Dakshina Kannada.



NRI Entrepreneur B R Shetty, who was the guest on the occasion, announced a global conference on Ayush in Dubai in November. He lauded the Yenepoya Medical and Charitable Hospital for providing healthcare to the underprivileged.



IAE and YMK Foundation Chairman Y Mohamed Kunhi, Yenepoya University Vice Chancellor Dr M Vijayakumar, Registrar Dr G Shreekumar Menon and Yenepoya Medical and Charitable Hospital Chief Operating Officer Dr Mohammed Amin Wani were present.


More than one baby is made to share a single bed at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of the government-run Vani Vilas Hospital. Babies with congenital birth defects, asphyxia etc share NICUs.



Vani Vilas Hospital, an exclusive hospital for women and children, has only around 60 beds for preterm infants, while they handle at least 1,500 deliveries a month, besides 200 babies who are referred from other parts of Karnataka.



According to sources from the hospital, the NICU has a severe shortage of nurses. Dr Sahana Devdas, who is in charge of the NICU, said the 15 nurses provided under the National Health Mission (NHM) are not insufficient.





Sometimes, there are only six nurses and sometimes eight, which is not enough. There needs to be one nurse for one baby in a ventilator, and one nurse for two babies, which is not the case in the hospital, said Dr Sahana.



Nurses work in three shifts. Most of the time they are careless and are not properly trained, sources said.



We can try and manage the babies delivered in the hospital, while it is difficult to manage those that are referred due to bed shortage, Dr Sahana said.



We are a tertiary centre. We cannot refuse patients, said Dr Geetha Shivamurthy, medical superintendent of Vani Vilas Hospital. The hospital put forth a proposal for more doctors and nurses for their new building in February.



Dr Shalini Rajneesh, principal secretary, Health & Family Welfare department, said the proposal for expanding the hospital has already been put forth under the NHM and an approval is expected anytime.



For a hospital with 3,000 deliveries a year, we provide 12 beds with an additional four beds for babies referred from outside. We cannot give more beds to Vani Vilas, as an increased intake may affect the quality of service. Hence, we are trying to de-congest the hospital by upgrading neighbouring hospitals, said Dr Rajani M, deputy director, child health, District Health and Family Welfare Society.



Dr Sahana said that due to the heavy intake of patients, the hospital needs a separate centre for neonatology.
Along with the Ramayana circuit, the state tourism department is working on the all-India Buddhist circuit.



Karnataka does not figure in the places listed by the Union governments Buddhist circuit.



The state government, however, has identified four places and will soon submit the list to the tourism ministry for inclusion in the Buddhist circuit. The places identified by the department include Mundgod in Uttara Kannada, Maski in Raichur, Sleeping Buddha in Yadgir and Sannati in Kalaburagi. The state tourism department has also hired a private agency to identify more Buddhist centres in Karnataka, N Manjula, Karnataka tourism director, told DH.





The department is working on creating a Buddhist circuit in the state besides being a part off an all-India circuit, she said, explaining the reason behind identifying more centres in the state.



The Indian and Sri Lankan governments, during their last interaction with the state at the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas and tourism trade fair had shown keen interest in the Buddhist circuit. The Centre, in 2015, had released three routes of the circuit, which do not include Karnataka. The Centre covered Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.



The places which we have listed have a connect with Buddha and King Ashoka. They are not well-known like others in the country. But we are keen to include these places in the modified central Buddhist circuit grid, said a senior state tourism department official. He mentioned a natural Buddha rock in Yadgir. Another tourism department official is working on identifying the locations connected to Buddha and Emperor Ashoka.



Archaeological sites of Maski in Raichur on the banks of Tungabhadra have edicts of Ashoka. We are working with the Archaeological Survey of India to popularise and promote this site like Hampi. Sannati too is a lesser known spot and is another place which has a close connection with Ashoka, said the tourism official pitching for a strong ground to include the state in the Buddhist circuit.
Four youths attacked a police constable on duty in Vivekanagar late Saturday night and tore his uniform. However, the police detained a suspect minutes after the incident.



Santosh, the constable attached to the Vivekanagar police, who was injured in the incident, has been shifted to a private hospital.





According to the police, Santosh and his colleague Yogish Gowda were on night patrol. They received complaints from local residents that four youths were consuming alcohol near Srinivagilu signal and creating trouble for road users.



The constables went there and spotted the four consuming liquor. They approached the suspects and asked them to move out of the public place, said the police inspector.



The suspects picked a fight with Santosh and slapped him. They attacked Yogish Gowda when he rushed to Santoshs rescue. Later, they tore Santoshs uniform before fleeing.



We despatched a Hoysala patrol vehicle after receiving the information. Based on alerts, the Hoysala staff picked up a youth, the inspector stated.



The police said that all the four are local residents and there are credible leads about the three others who are at large.



The jurisdictional police have registered cases for attacking and preventing public servant from discharging his duty



Another incident

In another incident, the Mahalakshmi Layout police have arrested two youths for assaulting a traffic police constable at Laggere during a check for drunk-driving on Saturday night.



A senior police officer said that around 11.30 pm, constable Ajay Kumar, attached to Rajajinagar traffic police station, stopped the riders Abhilash and Abhishek near Kempegowda arch for riding in one- way.



The duo started quarrelling with the constable and in the melee, the duo attacked Kumar. The constable alerted his colleagues who chased and caught the duo.

The police booked the duo on charges of assault and obstruction. The suspects were arrested and remanded in judicial custody.
The Congress on Sunday charged BJP president Amit Shah with trying to create communal tension and misusing I-T department to destabilise the state government.



AICC spokesperson Dinesh Gundu Rao told reporters that Shahs main agenda is polarisation of people on religious grounds by creating communal tension. Hence, Shah has been confidently saying that he knows how to win the Assembly elections in the state. But, Shah will not succeed in his game plan. The Congress will come back to power, he added.



The BJP chief has termed the state government as corrupt. But, he does not have moral right to talk about corruption. Many of the state BJP leaders are corrupt. The BJP is trying to defame the Congress government by misusing the I-T department. Besides, the saffron party is carrying out a misinformation campaign against the government using social media, he charged.



Rao also accused the BJPs Vistaaraks of misleading people on the achievements of Union government led by Narendra Modi.



Vistaarks are distributing pamphlets to people, making false claims. The Modi government has failed on all fronts, he charged.



BJP hits back



The BJP reacted immediately and termed Rao as frustrated. In his address to the intellectuals, Shah has only highlighted the achievements of the BJP government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was hard facts. To dub it as a lie is travesty of truth. Dinesh Gundu Raos rantings, however, will not alter or change the ground reality, BJP spokesperson S Suresh Kumar said, adding that the Congress appears to have been rattled with Shahs visit to Karnataka.




Adichunchanagiri seer Nirmalanandanatha Swami on Sunday clarified that the Mutt would not get involved in politics. But, the Mutt produces politicians and blesses them.



Speaking after release of the book The story of a Guru here, the Swami said, BJP president Amit Shahs visit to the Mutt was not unplanned.



I had invited him to visit the Mutt several times. I had wished to get the book based on the life of Balagangadharanatha Swami released by a leader with religious belief. Hence, I had extended invitation to Shah, which he accepted and visited the Mutt, he said. The book is authored by Sudhamahi Regunathan.



He pointed out that the Gorakhnath Mutt in Gorakhpur had a heritage similar to Adichunchanagiri Mutt. But, along with Ashta Sutras the Gorakhnath Mutt had adopted one more Sutra, that is politics. Hence, Adityanath of the Mutt became the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. But, Adichunchanagiri Mutt will never get into politics, he clarified.



The Mutt has blessed politicians like Kengal Hanumanthaiah, H N Ananth Kumar and B S Yeddyurappa.



It had the power to produce more leaders, the seer said.



Shah hails Kempegowda



In his speech, Shah said Nadaprabhu Kempegowda, who founded Bengaluru, was fond of establishing religious centres.



Shah said, Kempegowda, a chieftain under the Vijayanagar empire, had dreamt of a model city and developed Bengaluru to be a centre for trade and education. He also wished to set up religious centres and he could succeed only with the blessings of the Adichunchanagiri Mutt, the BJP chief said.



Shah said, the Mutt was doing commendable work by running 464 educational institutions with 1.35 lakh students. While the erstwhile kings were concerned about the welfare of the people, the mutts were successful in developing a civilised society, he said.



Shah said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become an ambassador of Indian culture, by spreading it to the world.



The seer felicitated Shah by presenting him a silver idol of Ganesha. Union Ministers D V Sadananda Gowda, Ananth Kumar, BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, BJP national secretary and MP Mahesh Giri were present.




Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will construct 2,200 bus shelters in the city. They will be erected on design, build, own, operate and transfer (DBOOT) basis by advertising agencies on lease for 30 years during which they can display their ads.



The ad agencies, in return, will pay BBMP for each bus shelter every year. The shelters will be built on sites identified by the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) after it conducted a survey with the BBMP.



Nandeesha J R, executive engineer, BBMP told DH, Bus shelters will be uniform in design.



However, these new shelters will all be in the city centre, which already has hundreds of shelters, while the outskirts will remain neglected, with commuters forced to brave the elements.



With advertisers seeking bus shelters with only visibility for their brands in mind, the Palike ends up building multiple bus shelters on the same road in the city while the outskirts remain without shelters, said Sathya Sankaran, urban expert and member, Citizens for Sustainability (CiFoS).



Unscientific shelters

The BMTC and the traffic police have been grappling with unscientific bus stops.

Shelters built close to traffic junctions for higher visibility, cause traffic jams as buses block vehicles.



Corporators, MLAs and MPs, in a bid to seek publicity, build unscientific bus shelters, said Shankaran. There are no basic amenities like dust bins, bus information displays and maps etc in the shelters, he added.



Additional commissioner of police (Traffic) R Hithendra, said: We have requested BBMP to shift 122 bus shelters located close to circles. We have been warning BMTC bus drivers not to offload commuters near signals which could lead to accidents, he added.



A BMTC driver said, Most commuters dont wait at the shelter where more than two buses have already halted. Hence, we are forced to stop the bus away from the shelter. Commuters too have no option.



What commuters say

At some places, bus shelters are near a garbage dump. It is hell waiting for a bus when it rains, said Padma Shree, a fashion designer.



Bus shelters are in a pathetic condition. We dont have space to sit or even stand. With most buses halting away from shelters, we are forced to run to them to board them, said Pamadi Venkaiah, a commuter.




Let Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president Amit Shah or anybody else come and stay in Bengaluru, the Congress will not be affected by it, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday said.



Speaking to reporters at a helipad in Aland, he said no matter whatever strategies Modi and Shah devise in Bengaluru ahead of the ensuing Assembly elections, the Congress will not be affected by them. The BJP is opposed to social justice. People from Ahinda (Kannada acronym for minorities, OBCs and dalits) will never go with the BJP, he added.



The chief minister was in Aland to perform ground breaking ceremony for the construction of mini Vidhana Soudha at a cost of Rs 100 crore. He also inaugurated various development works.



We are not opposed to Income Tax raids. However, we are against politically-motivated raids. The Congress party is being targeted through I-T raids which is condemnable. Blaming the Centre for I-T raids on the houses and offices of the Congress leaders Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Ramesh Jarkiholi, Govindaraj, D K Shivakumar and others, Siddaramaiah said these raids were politically motivated. Are the BJP leaders Sathya Harishchandras? Why is it that there are no I-T raids on their houses?



Replying to a question on who will be the next chief minister if the Congress returns to power, Siddaramaiah said a decision in this regard will be taken by legislators and the party high command and not by party leader B Janardhana Poojary.



The chief minister reiterated that there will be no early polls and they will be held only after his government completes its term. The Congress party will come to power in the next election with clear majority, he stated.



Upendras party



On actor Upendras plans to launch a new political party, Siddaramaiah said there was nothing wrong in it. In democracy, everybody have an opportunity to float their own political party. On the demand for a separate religion status for Veerashaiva-Lingayat, he said the government would take action within the legal framework. He said the state governments job was limited to sending a recommendation in this regard to the Centre.


An elderly woman forced the guard to open the BBMP park in eastern Bengaluru, where a 13-year-old girl died after a playground slide crashed on her Saturday. She wanted to go for evening walk, the local corporator has claimed.



The woman, who lives close to the park in MVJ Layout, Mahadevapura, argued with the watchman and forced him to open the gates so that she could go for her evening walk, Vijnana Nagar (ward number 81) corporator S G Nagaraj suggested.



Police had said that Priya Gowda and her two friends sneaked into the park which was locked as work on installing the slide was under way.



The watchman, a contract employee with the BBMP, went to guard another park in the neighbourhood once the woman left the playground in MVJ Layout. The three girls sneaked into the park after seeing the gates open. Priya died from grievous head injuries later.



Local residents, however, contradicted the corporator, saying the park remains open in the evening. The park usually remains open on most evenings regardless of the progress of the work (on installation of the play equipment). We believe the work had stopped in the past few days because of rain, said Jawahar Prem Kumar V, whose house overlooks the park.



The day after the tragedy, the park was locked and all uninstalled play equipment were lying on the ground. Some residents were seen peeping into the park to see the accident spot. One of Priyas bloodstained shoes was also seen on the spot.



Seemanth Kumar Singh, Additional Commissioner of Police (East), visited the park on Sunday. He said a case of causing death to negligence had been opened against the BBMP official concerned. The park was not secured and the on-duty watchman was missing at the time of the incident. The Mahadevapura police have summoned both the watchman and the contractor for questioning.



Priya lay bleeding in the park for over half an hour after the slide crashed on her. Her shocked friends could only move the slide aside. Many people gathered in the park, but most of them were busy taking pictures of my girl or filming her on their phones, Priyas father Subramanya Gowda said. No one was willing to take a vehicle and take her to hospital.



It was an army man, a resident of MVJ Layout, who rushed to the park after learning about the incident through a friend. He took Priya to a hospital in his motorcycle where she was declared brought dead, another relative said. Priya was the eldest of the two children of Gowda and Vijayakumari. Her 10-year-old brother Deekshith Gowda remains inconsolable.



Her body was brought to her house in Baddi Krishnappa Layout after the post-mortem was over at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital on Sunday morning. Her last rites were performed at the Mahadevapura crematorium around 3 pm.




A student of Class X in West Midnapore district committed suicide following instructions of the infamous Blue Whale online game on Saturday.



Ankan Dey (15) choked himself to death by covering his head with a plastic bag and tying it tightly around his neck with a nylon cord at his residence in Anandpur, police said on Sunday.



The boys father Gopinath Dey, who owns an electronic shop, said Ankan, after returning from school on Saturday, visited his shop and started playing computer games.



Ankans mother Shampa had called him for lunch, but he said he will first take a bath. When he did not come out of the bathroom, we broke open the door and found him lying on the floor choked. We rushed him to the hospital where the doctors pronounced him dead, Dey said on Sunday.



Ankan was a student of Anandapur High School. He did not keep any bad company. We do not know what happened or what prompted him to take such an extreme step. Yes, he was addicted to computers and online games, but that is a common feature among many kids of his age. It is so unfortunate, said Malay Dey, the boys grandfather.



District Superintendent of Police Bharati Ghosh on Sunday said the police are probing all angles and have already questioned five of Ankans friends, who have claimed that the boy was hooked to the deadly Blue Whale challenge.



We have seized the computer used by the boy along with his mobile phone. His friends, teachers and family members are also being questioned. Though there were no injury marks on the body, we are probing all angles, including the one about him hooked to online games and the Blue Whale challenge, Ghosh said.



A 14-year-old Mumbai boy had jumped off the terrace of his residence on August 1 in a bid to complete the challenge.



Reports of kids falling prey to Blue Whale challenge have also emerged from Indore and Dehradun.


States collected Rs 32,632.96 crore as cess towards the welfare of construction workers in 20 years, but a parliamentary panel has found wide discrepancies to the amount spent.



According to the panel, a dismal 23% (Rs 7,516.52 crore) has been spent, which includes Rs 375.82 crore towards salaries of the officials who run the state welfare bodies. As per the Building and Other Construction Workers Act 1996, 1% of the total construction cost could be collected as cess to fund workers in case of an emergency.



A report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour, headed by BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, has articulated the huge mismatch.



Karnataka with 10.74 lakh registered workers had collected the highest cess, Rs 3,861 crore, but spent only 6.21% (Rs 240 crore). In contrast, its neighbour Kerala collected Rs 1,474.73 crore and spent Rs 1,455.88 crore.



Haryana, which comprises a construction hub Gurugram near Delhi, collected Rs 1,847.05 crore, but spent only Rs 172.07 crore. Gujarat collected Rs 1,564.64 crore but spent a meagre Rs 35 crore or 2.23%.



The panel said the cess figures provided by the Ministry of Labour and Employment till March 31 do not match with the construction activities carried out in the past 20 years, after the Act was promulgated.



The committee is of the view that had the cess been collected/deposited fairly, it could run into crores of rupees, it said. The committee also stated that the collection of cess from private bodies has not been properly done.



The committee is astonished to note that no efforts have been made to compare the collected cess futures with the total construction activities carried out in the respective states, it stated.



When it came to spending, the panel said salaries and allowances accounted for 5% of the expenditure from cess.



Only Rs 7,140 crore has been spent on the welfare of workers and recommended that the expenditure should not be mixed with the spending on the welfare of the workers.



The committee said that the utilisation was very poor as the states did not develop a fool proof system.
Plans have been submitted to widen the 250-year-old Stover Bridge as part of a 28.5million scheme to improve the main road between Newton Abbot and the Drumbridges roundabout.

Earlier this year, Devon County Council planners approved the upgrade of the A382 which will involve straightening the alignment of the road , widening the section from Trago Mills to White Hills Cross and developing a section of dual carriageway between Drumbridges and the Trago Mills Roundabout.

Along with a new road to be developed from White Hills Cross to West Golds Way (Jetty Marsh II), the scheme would support economic growth and help in the delivery of planned housing development to the west of Newton Abbot. Shared footpaths/cyclepaths are also planned as part of the scheme to encourage sustainable travel.

Now Devon County Council has submitted an application for Listed Building Consent to carry out the work to widen the Grade II listed bridge to Teignbridge Council.

The proposal is to widen the Liverton Bridge on the A382 by 10m on its western side, to accommodate a road and footpath, and alter 150m sections of boundary wall to Stover Park.

The application says: "To accommodate future traffic growth Devon County Council is proposing highway widening of the A382. The position of the Grade II Parkland and the Grade II Icehouse, together with the alignment of the proposed widened A382 and roundabouts mean alterations are required to two sections of the parkland wall.

"The proposed works include two sections of the Parkland wall to be adjusted, the first is just south of Stover School entrance for a length of 60m. This section is approx 0.4m high (when compared to the other wall sections of 1.5m in height), presumed to have been altered since construction and so is of lower value.

"This section will be carefully dismantled and re erected in the new position, varying from 0m to 5m back from the current position This re built section can be raised to the height of the other walls (approx. 1.8m in height) if deemed suitable, otherwise the 0.4m in height will be replicated.

"The second section southwest of Stover Park Farm is 90m in length. This section is of typical height (1.5m) and will carefully dismantled and reerected in the new position, varying from 0m to 5m back from the current position.

Made of Devon limestone, the walls abut the Grade II listed Stover Bridge which carries the A382 from Newton Abbot to Drumbridges over Liverton Brook.

A keystone carries the date of either 1773 or 1775 which is the time Stover was being laid by James Templer.

The aim of the overall A382 improvement scheme is to improve journey times and safety, increase capacity and reduce congestion.

Cllr Jeremy Christophers, leader of Teignbridge Counci l, said that the investment for a 'golden thread' through the heart of the district was crucial to the development of our local economy and hailed the planning permission being granted for the A382 scheme in June as a 'really good day for the people of South Devon'.

He added: "This is very good news for the people of Teignbridge and arguably it is bigger for the people than the South Devon Highway scheme. It connects Kingsteignton and Newton Abbot to the A38 Expressway, but an equal benefit, is that it also binds Bovey Tracey and Heathfield into quicker access to the heart of Teignbridge. It will cut down travel times, it will be safer, and rarely, it is not just about delivering housing, but the delivery of employment spaces and better leisure opportunities for people as time goes forward.

"It is a really good day for South Devon as this is more than just a road as it will also provide cycleways and walking routes. I am very excited that this will deliver jobs, homes and leisure opportunities for the future."

The meeting heard that the A382 is a main connection from Newton Abbot to the A38, but it is the eighth worst A-road in Devon in terms of safety, with two fatal collisions in the past five years. Traffic flows are high with more than 900 vehicles per hour southbound during evening rush hour. The widening scheme would increase capacity, and the new link would alleviate future congestion, particularly as around 6,000 new homes are being built in the Newton Abbot area.

Teignbridge Council planners will make a decision on granting the Listed Building Consent for the work on the Stover Bridge.
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New heritage trails celebrating key moments in Plymouth's history will be installed as part of the Mayflower 400 celebrations.

Initial plans to introduce historic trails took a setback after a 4.7million funding bid was rejected by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

But now the leader of Plymouth City Council has allocated 3.5million of capital funding to get the project under way, the Plymouth Herald reports.

As well as the trails, improvements are due to be made to key public spaces and buildings in and around the Barbican to make the locations more welcoming.



The three heritage trails, which will form part of a national network of trails, are designed to showcase the city's rich heritage and enable locals and visitors to grasp the scale of Plymouth's part in the nation's story.

The Mayflower StepsThe first trail will journey around the historic Barbican and Sutton Harbour area and take visitors back to the 16th and 17th centuries.

Proposals have also been made to restore Elizabethan House - a historic property laid out in the style of a merchant or sea captain's home from the 1600s - to create what the council describes as an "immersive attraction" to help visitors get a sense of life during this period of history.

The second trail will help visitors navigate between the Barbican and The Box - the city's new visitor attraction, museum and gallery  which will house the wider history, art and culture of Plymouth.

(Image: Penny Cross)

The third will trace the journey along The Hoe, looking out towards Plymouth Sound.

The Mayflower National Trail will connect 11 destinations across Britain to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower journey - a symbolic moment in the shared history of Britain, the Netherlands and the USA.

Using his delegated authority, Cllr Bowyer has given the green light for 3.5 million for the projects.

He said: "We want Plymouth to look its best in the global spotlight and I hope people are as excited as I am about the physical changes.

"We've got something brand new in the form of the trails and improvements to public areas  and something very, very old  our incredible Elizabethan houses to help us tell this incredible story.

(Image: Penny Cross)

"We are planning a year-long cultural programme including major events, but these projects are about improving areas so that Plymouth people, as well as visitors, can enjoy them for many years to come."

The event is expected to bring in millions of pounds to the region's economy.

Cllr Bowyer added: "The immediate impact of these projects during 2020 is estimated to be in the region of an additional 500,000 visitors, creating an additional economic impact of at least 18 million and 360 jobs.

"Longer term these projects will support our target growth figures for visitor numbers which is good for jobs, good for local business and good for families living in and around Plymouth."

It is hoped that local people of all ages will play a big part in the design process and get involved in creating way-markers and interpretation panels by unearthing stories through research with historians.

Works are due to be carried out at the Mayflower Steps and Mayflower Museum, Sir John Hawkins Square - behind the law courts, Prysten House, and the entrance to Southside Street - the gateway to the Barbican.

The project team is asking for funding to help support further detailed investigations into the condition of the city's two Grade II* Elizabethan buildings, the Elizabethan House in New Street and the Merchant's House in St Andrew's Street.

Given their age  older than the USA  specialist advice and contractors will be needed for restoration.

(Image: John Allen)

Charles Hackett, chief executive of Mayflower 400, said: "These trails will be a permanent and lasting reminder of the part Plymouth has played in the Mayflower story.

"This is an opportunity to put Plymouth at the heart of an internationally significant commemoration  but also for Plymouth people to get involved as this is their story too.

"This is why we are so keen to get all of Plymouth on board to help us showcase the great things that Plymouth has."

Plymouth's Mayflower leadership group and the National Mayflower Compact Partnership are chaired by Adrian Vinken OBE.

He said: "It's exciting to see the ideas and projects we've been planning over the past few years finally starting to come together.

"Parts of the city will be transformed for the better by the time we get to 2020."

The paper agreed by Cllr Bowyer also gives the green light to investigate the feasibility of a Mayflower monument, as well as the need for waterfront event infrastructure on the Hoe linked to Mayflower events.
A grandmother from Fremington in North Devon has said the support of her loving daughter is the reason she has foster cared for nearly 25 years.

Karen, 76, currently fosters brother and sister George, 9, and Grace, 10, and is a registered carer for Jacob, 22. Following in her footsteps, Karen's daughter Lily, 52, is also a registered foster carer. The names in this article have been changed to protect the identity of the foster children and their carers.

The family, which spans three generations, live in the same house together including Lily's two children and her partner, giving Karen extra support when needed, as well as integrating the foster children into a busy, family environment.

In fact, mother-of-three Karen, who is originally from North London, attests her longevity as a foster carer down to the support she receives from her daughter. She said: "Lily and I work as a team and we know each other inside out. If things get too much for me, I know I have Lily by my side to take over for a while."

When her three children were growing up, Karen worked as a dinner lady to fit around their school life comfortably. As a result, she would often look after other children during the summer holidays when their parents were at work. It was during this time that fellow parents suggested Karen would make a good foster carer.

After completing her training to become a registered foster carer, Karen initially worked with social services and then moved to independent fostering agency, Five Rivers, when she eventually relocated to North Devon. Since then, Karen has worked with Five Rivers, which has a West Country base in Exeter and Truro, for nearly two decades.

Karen said: "At first I didn't think I would be able to become a foster carer because I was a single parent, but after some research I realised that actually that wasn't the case at all. I've watched my grandchildren grow up around foster children and I believe being around other children is really beneficial for every child as they grow up."

Nearly 25 years later, Karen has cared for 25 long term foster children and approximately 60 who stayed with her on a short term basis, including those in respite care and mother and baby care, in which Karen supported the mothers as they developed the skills needed to care for their children independently. Karen has forged lifelong relationships with a lot of the children, now adults, who she once cared for, keeping in touch with many on a regular basis.

Karen continued: "It can be very difficult saying goodbye to a foster child, particularly one you've cared for and watched grow for many years. It's like one of your own children leaving home and moving away. But the most rewarding thing about foster caring is seeing the positive, good person they've become when they walk out the door, when quite often they arrive introverted and distressed."

While Karen's daughter Lily grew up around foster children and started training to become a foster carer at the age of 25, she admits the profession can come with its challenges. Lily said: "I would find it hard when a foster child would shout or disagree with mum, but I learnt quickly to walk away from those situations. Being a foster carer definitely makes you more patient as a person."

Karen's agency Five Rivers is calling for more people in the local area to consider a career as a foster carer to help tackle a nationwide shortage which includes a current shortfall of 480 carers across the South West of England and more than 7,000 throughout the UK, according to figures from the Fostering Network.

Karen acknowledges there are certain traits that can make a good foster carer, in particular an ability to speak to a young person on a personal level, being approachable and a good listener. She offered advice to anyone looking to become a foster carer, saying: "Do plenty of research into the career and, if you can, speak to other foster carers and ask lots of questions. It's a big responsibility, but so rewarding in equal measures."

She continued: "We've always had full support from Five Rivers. If there is ever an issue, we can pick up the phone and one of the team is on hand to speak to us or come and visit in person. It's great knowing that we've got such a strong support system in place at all times."

Five Rivers offer a range of training schemes and qualifications, helping their foster carers develop and enhance their ability to support young people. As a result, Karen and Lily both undergo regular training and first aid sessions to ensure their skills are up to date.

Nigel Jackson, fostering service manager at Five Rivers for the West Country, said: "Karen and Lily epitomise the types of foster carers Five Rivers is proud to work with and support throughout their fostering career. The commitment they show to their foster children and to support each other is inspiring. Being a foster carer requires understanding, compassion and lots of patience and it's clear that Karen and Lily have these attributes in abundance. It's credit to them that they've forged such long lasting relationships with their former foster children."

People from all walks of life can become foster carers as long as they are over 21 years of age, including single people, co-habiting couples, same sex couples and people living in rented accommodation. The only requirement is a spare room for each foster child.

A career in foster care offers many benefits including competitive rates of pay and flexible working. For more information about fostering contact Five Rivers on 01722 622492 or see here.
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A ride at a Westcountry theme park will remain closed until further notice after a teenager was killed when he was thrown from a similar machine in America.

Tyler Jarrell, 18, died after being thrown from the swinging claw-shaped Fireball ride - also known as the 'Afterburner' - at the Ohio state fair.

Now the Health and Safety Executive has issued an enforcement notice on similar rides in five British parks - including one in the South West.





The rides at Pleasure Wood Hills in Norfolk, Ryan Crow Amusements which operates across the North East, Coney Beach Fair in Porthcawl, Joseph Manning which operates in Herefordshire and Brean Theme Park in Somerset are all now shut.



A HSE spokeswoman said: "HSE is aware of the tragic accident involving the KMG Afterburner (themed as Fireball) machine in Ohio on July 26. There are five machines of this version operating in UK and all have been thoroughly inspected within the last 12 months. There is no verified information regarding the immediate cause of the US accident.



"Following the incident, HSE initiated a re-inspection of these machines. As a result, an Enforcement Notice has been served on the machines, which are now to be taken out of use until the notices have been complied with."





"HSE will ensure operators are kept abreast of information as it arrives and will take such action as is necessary to ensure the rides are inspected and tested as necessary to ensure safety."

Tyler died after his seat snapped off and sent him flying into the air, and seven people were injured in the accident.
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A young Donegal woman who is a rising star in the world of classical music has been described as a truly outstanding talent by the legendary Sir James Galway.

Amy Gillen, 21, is a classical flute-player from Bridgetown, Laghey, who has just returned with a major award, the Galway Rising Star, won at the Sir James Galway Flute Festival in Switzerland recently.

In a recent interview, Sir James said they music students playing was of a very high standard and was up there with the big time guys in the flute world.

He stated: When Amy Gillen played the other day .. I thought that was really and truly outstanding. You really dont hear flute playing like that from any of the big time guys. She really put it to them I tell you.

Amy, the daughter of Ashling and Billy Dillon, Bridgetown, near Laghey, has been studying music since she was six and initially began with the recorder before began the flute.

She has studied under a number of top local teachers as well as the guidance of the Donegal Music Education Partnership.

Now she has just finished her third year of her undergraduate studies in music performance in flute in the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and is preparing for her finals next year.

I started music at the Donegal School of Music with Jim McDermott. Sister Concepta got me started in record before I started with Jim. When I was 8 sister concepta said I should move on to the flute, but it all started through the Donegal music education system, she stated.

I was just passionate about music, I play piano as well. I just love classical music but I also love other different kinds of music as well. I love jazz and traditional irish Music, I play bit of that as well, she stated.

She said her recent trip to Switzerland, her third time to play there after being invited to the prestigious event, was an amazing experience. After her studies she hopes to be a fulltime musician but say she could not have got this point with a lot of support from her parents and brother Michael John, grandmother Margaret Gillen in Moville are among her biggest supporters

She said all her family, including aunts and uncles, are very supportive, as well as the Donegal Music Partnership and all the teachers she has learned from since she started playing
The Exam Helpline 2017, provided by the National Parents Council Post Primary (NPCpp) and sponsored by eir and the Irish Independent, will open next Wednesday (16th August) offering confidential advice, information and support to Louth students receiving their results.

The 1800 265 165 Freephone helpline is open from 10am on results day, Wednesday, 16th August, to take calls from students and parents seeking advice and up to date information on what choices are available to students. It will open for three days the week of the results as well as a further three days the following week, after the release of CAO Round One offers.

The Helpline is sponsored by eir and the Irish Independent and supported by the Department of Education and Skills and staffed by members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. The Helpline receives thousands of calls every year, giving expert advice to students to enable them to make informed choices about their future career paths and further education.

Those seeking advice, information or reassurance can contact the Helpline on 1800 265 165 and speak to experienced guidance counsellors. All queries on 3rd level courses, leaving cert appeals and repeats, CAO procedures, no offers and financing your further education will be dealt with in a professional and confidential manner.
Una Birch of Thomastown, Kilkerley, Dundalk who has died at the age of 88, combined raising a large family with a busy job outside the home.

Not surprisingly regarded as a great organiser, she also found time to engage in her varied interests and pastimes.

Una passed away peacefully in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital on July 2, 2017, surrounded by her family.

Originally from Legion Avenue, Dundalk, she was a daughter of the late James and Winifred Gray, and attended the nearby Castletown Girls School.

As a young lady she went to England, working as a nurse in Whipps Cross Hospital in Waltham Forest, London.

Una returned home in 1950, when her mother became ill and subsequently worked for a time in Clarks shoe factory.

In 1954, she met Matthew Birch. They married the following year.

From 1967, until she retired in 1989, Una was a manager with the catering company of John D. Carroll, which numbered major local firms, Ecco and PJ Carroll & Co., as well as the Dail restaurant, among its clients.

She had responsibility for Ecco, which at its height had a workforce of 1,800.

This was one of the roles in which her organisational skills shone through, and she thoroughly enjoyed her work.

All this was achieved while raising a large family, and anything that had to be done, she was the person to do it.

Somewhat surprisingly, perhaps, given her profession, Una loved baking, cooking and preparing barbecues.

Gifted with her hands, she was accomplished at dress-making, and has been described as an angel on earth during her lifetime.

She enjoyed, and was adept at, crosswords, and travelled extensively with her husband, Matthew.

She visited her sister in Vancouver, Canada and New York to see her son, Dermot when he worked there, while Boston was another port of call, where there are relatives from Matthews fathers side of the family.

Una is survived by her husband, Matthew, sons, Patrick (Faughart), Matthew (Bellurgan), Eugene (Manydown Close), Dermot (Clonbur, Co. Galway), Paul (Ravensdale) and Conor (Kells), daughters, Mary (Faughart) and Una (Newtownbalregan), brother, Ronnie (Hyde Park), sisters, Carrie (Canada), Mona (Culhane Street), Phyllis (Tateetra), Annette (Meadow Grove) and Frances (Legion Avenue), grandchildren, great-grandchildren, son-in-law, daughters-in-law, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

She was predeceased by her parents and by her brother, Wilfie, Castletown Road.

After reposing at her home, her remains were removed to St. Nicholas Church, where the funeral Mass was celebrated by Fr. Paddy Rushe, and a eulogy given by her son, Matthew.

Readings and Prayers of the Faithful were given by Stephen, Matthew Jnr., Tracey, Lauren and Lola.

Gifts symbolising Unas life were brought to the altar by Una, Mary and Niall  a family picture, crochet blanket and rolling pin.

Jenny and Sinead participated in the Offertory procession, while a reflection was given by Patrick.

Grandson, Sean Og played the pipes and flute in the church and at the graveside, including Unas favourite, the Isle of Innisfree.

Burial took place in St. Patricks Cemetery, Dundalk.

The Months Mind Mass Sunday, August 6, 2017, at noon in St. Nicholas Church.
You cant laugh away your votes against the promises our nation has made to Michiganders anymore, Rep. Walberg

Im worried about Rep. Tim Walbergs wife.

At a recent Coffee Hour in Dexter conveniently held during conventional business hours when most people were at work, the following exchange happened as the representative of Michigans 7th Congressional District had an aide ask a question collected from the crowd:

Question:

You have shown with your votes  and I should say we have many variations on this one  you have shown with your votes and your comments that you want to cut Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security. Which one do you want to cut the most. Answer:

And when did I stop beating my wife? Is that the next question?

This hack joke is meant to mock the premise of a question as if its a ridiculous, offensive accusation.

In this case, its a statement of Walbergs views and voting record. As a Member of Congress, he has long backed cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security  the social insurance promises we make to citizens, the unfortunate and the disabled that Walberg calls entitlements.

Hes long been on the side of cutting these promises, though like most Republicans who dont want to own this extraordinarily unpopular stance he adds some clever hedges. In 2012, he claimed that hes in favor of cuts to Social Security to save the program and added that he opposes cutting the expectation of what our present recipients are receiving and those soon to be on it  even as he advocated for raising the full retirement age, which is already 67 for Social Security, so that there will be a lot fewer Americans that are soon to be on it.

Yes, taking years of Social Security benefits from tens of millions Americans whove been promised it is a cut, especially because many people would die in the extra time they have spend working. And in 2011, Walberg signed on Ryans plan to come up with a way to reform Social Security. And we all know now that reform is conservative for cut.

Walberg continually voted for cuts to Medicare to Medicaid proposed in Paul Ryans budget over the last seven years. During the pre-Trump era, conservative groups were free to spin his votes for half a trillion of Medicare, including bringing back the donut hole, and dicing 1/4 from Medicaid as non-cuts because they were never likely to become law.

This dodges were safe and easy when Republican dreams of hollowing out the safety net were limited by President Obamas veto pen.

Thats changed now.

The House Trumpcare contained nearly carbon-copied versions of the giant cuts to Medicaid that Walberg backed in the past jammed into a bill that pretended to be just about repealing Obamacare.

Walberg voted for it  THREE TIMES.

That sent the legislation on to the Senate  where the Medicaid cuts became bigger. Activism by groups like National ADAPT and the AARP revealed some of the horror behind these cuts, which could both imprison people with disabilities who dont want to be homes while also kicking poor seniors on nursing care out into the streets. These cuts proved toxic and helped stop what seemed to be a plot by Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan to get the Senate to back the House bill. But with one more vote in Senate, Tim Walbergs dream of cutting Medicaid would have come true.

In 2018, Republicans are likely to pick up at least one seat and we know now that conservatives like Walberg have no qualms about gutting Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security with less than a majority in the Senate and a president who is the biggest electoral vote loser in 140 years.

Walbergs support of the ACA repeal means 56,431 people in his district still have to worry about losing their health insurance if the GOP can wrangle up enough votes for a straight repeal, which the Freedom Caucus now backs.

This is no longer theoretical  or a joke.

We already know for a fact that Paul Ryan and Tim Walberg wants to cut Medicaid by $834 billion over the next ten years. Ryans 2018 budget contains $200 billion in cuts to mandatory programs including Social Security and Medicare. The House Budget Committee has voted to cut Medicaid spending by $487 billion from 2018-2017. Trumps budget includes significant cuts to the Social Security Disability Insurance.

What of any of this does Walberg oppose?

And since he has clearly backed cutting spending on all three programs, his constituents need to know which hed like to cut most so they can prepare, as these cuts are closer than ever to becoming a reality.

The evidence is clear that Tim Walberg wants to gut our core social safety net. If anything like this amount of evidence exists for him beating his wife, she should let the authorities know immediately.

[Photo of a Walberg coffee hour from earlier this year by the great Anne Savage.]
We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides. It has been going on for a long time in our country  not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. It has been going on for a long, long time. It has no place in America.  President Donald Trump on Saturday after a white power rally in Charlottesville, Va., left three dead.

During the 2016 campaign, Donald Trump called Mexicans rapists, offered a Muslim ban, backed a wall with Mexico, disparaged the father of a slain Muslim soldier, declared a female journalist had blood coming out of her wherever, said a Mexican-American judge couldnt be fair in a case against him, encouraged violence at his rallies, bragged about sexual assault on tape; and called his opponent, Hillary Clinton, a nasty woman at a nationally televised debate. This is not a complete list; its just off the top of my head at 5 a.m.

Long story short, its not difficult to see why Trump was endorsed by the KKK. So when beltway pundits and some on the left moaned about having to vote for the lesser of two evils, some of us with an understanding of history and who have encountered extremism in our own lives were frustrated. The choice was between someone you may not have particularly liked for whatever reason  her voice, her husbands record on crime, her neoliberalism (whatever that is)  and a dude endorsed by the KKK. Pick a side.

After Trump narrowly won the election, pundits kept waiting for the pivot to presidential behavior. Instead, to put a fine point on his campaign courting of white supremacists, he put three well-known figures in the White House: Steve Bannon who bragged about his publication, Breitbart, being a platform for the alt-right; Stephen Miller, known for his anti-immigrant screeds; and Seb Gorka, who has ties to Nazi-allied groups in Hungary.

White supremacists are emboldened. This weekend, they marched in Charlottesville, Va., a flashpoint because a confederate statue is slated to be removed. On Saturday, James Alex Fields, 20, allegedly plowed his car through anti-fascist protesters, killing one and leaving 19 injured. Two police officers were also killed in a helicopter crash.

The president went on TV after the tragedy and pundits expected him to condemn white supremacist violence. He didnt. Instead, he blamed bigotry and violence on many sides, and weirdly brought up former President Obama. Needless to say, the neo-Nazi website, The Daily Stormer, was elated and announced Trump was on their side (He loves us all.)

If Trump had done the bare minimum and briefly condemned white supremacists for the tragic violence, he would have enjoyed media accolades for days, perhaps weeks. His team knows this. There is no benefit of the doubt here. This was a calculated move and a chilling one.

I am so sick of beltway pundits fetishizing a warped concept of objectivity when this is where were at today. Desmond Tutu perhaps put it best: If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.

My grandfather put off having a family and enlisted at age 32 to fight Nazis. He got his back shot up and lived with incredible pain until he passed away at 97. My daughters Jewish family was murdered by Nazis in Europe. And now Nazis are emboldened right here, prepping for a race war they believe has the blessing of the president of the United States. Many sides, my ass.

Pick a side.
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University of Virginia

Of course it had to start at the University of Virginia.

Well, no, it didn't have to be the University of Virginia. It just worked out that way.

Truth is, the white supremacists could have had their march anywhere. There are enough of 'em.

But UVA somehow fits. Not just for the Robert E. Lee statue. Though being supported by Naziswhoops, white nationalists, whoops, the alt-rightkind of takes the wind out of the sails of the disingenuous, we're-just-decent-Southern-folk-celebrating-our-historical-heritage argument, doesn't it?

You lost; get over it.

It isn't as if this is racism's first appearance at the University of Virginia and environs .

Talk about celebrating heritage.

We have to keep that in mind. Trump might be wolf-whistling and permission granting, calling ollie-olllie-oxen-free for haters and goose steppers to come out from under their rocks, blinking into the light.

But they were always there. He didn't invent them.

Just the opposite: they invented him. Or at least helped. Let's not blow them out of proportion, particularly since they like to seem bigger than they are. I never heard from a hater in his mother's basement who didn't speak of "we." An army of one.

And to pretend this is some awful new development is the kind of self-flattery that looks so unappealing on the right. Our nation is not so much changing into something new as reverting to something old. Something we thought we had escaped but obviously haven't.

An awful old development.

Granted, beyond the usual baker's dozen of pimply teens and bowl cut storm troopers. There were a lot of angry white guys with torches Friday nighttiki torches to be sure, the mom's-basement touch that always detracts from the Albert Speer perfection these guys are always lunging at and missing.

It would almost be funny except, of course, it's not.

Particularly after Saturday, with violence spreading around Charlottesville, and a protester plus two state troopers killedone of the counter-protesters, of courseand the president apportioning blame on both sides.

The guy who mows people down in a car, the people mown down, potato, po-tah-to, plenty of blame all around. The police quelling the disturbance counterbalancing the haters who sparked it.

At least Trump renounced his alt-right suppor... oh wait. No, he didn't do that. It's a big tent, Trumpism.



Back in the good old days, hatred was more subdued, more genteel. When I heard the marchers were at UVA, I couldn't help but recall that racism was so strong there, the school has its own classic poem immortalizing it. "University" by Karl Shapiro begins:

"To hurt the Negro and avoid the Jew

Is the curriculum...."

Shapiro had lived in Chicago for a decade as a child, dabbled in poetry, got accepted into UVAhe had a recommendation letter written by William Carlos Williams.

He only lasted a year there before dropping out. But not before the school, founded by Jefferson, had left its scars on him, living in a world where his fellow classmates, he later sa id, saw "Jews as a cut above Negroes but not much."

Shapiro returned the favor, plunging a knife deep into his school and twisting, though pausing to limn the lovely campus:



"Where boxwood and magnolia brood

And columns with imperious stance."




Who paid to have the Confederate statue in Travis Park made and then placed in the park?

P.L.J. McGanity

The city gave it space, but a womens group willed the statue into being.

According to the San Antonio Light, April 17, 1900, the Confederate statue was the first public monument ever erected in San Antonio. The monument was a work that for three years has been filling the hands and hearts of the Daughters of the Confederacy of San Antonio.

As credited in a speech by former U.S. Rep. Christopher Columbus Upson at the April 28, 1900, unveiling of the statue, on Oct. 6, 1896, Some 30 intrepid and leading representative surviving Confederate women of San Antonio organized the Barnard E. Bee chapter No. 8 of the Texas Daughters of the Confederacy to collect and preserve material for a truthful history of the war between the Confederate states and the United States; to honor the memory of those who fell in the service of the Confederate States and to record the part taken by southern womenin their patriotic devotion during the struggle and to fulfill the duties of sacred charity to the survivors of the war. The National Association of the Daughters of the Confederacy was organized in 1894 and changed its name the following year to the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The UDC still exists.

The Confederate monument, as it was called, stands about 40 feet high, including the 8-foot statue on top of a column and pedestal. Unlike many such Confederate memorials, installed all over the South during the 1880s and 90s, ours doesnt commemorate a general or politician. Hes a generic private soldier with a rifle, the image in granite form, said Upson, of a brave Confederate soldierproudly pointing heavenward, whither has gone the spirit legions of his departed compatriots in arms. On the column, a Texas star and a wreath are inscribed, and in center are the words To Our Confederate Dead.

The figure was designed by Virginia Montgomery of New Orleans; the base and column by San Antonios marble man Frank Teich, a quarry owner and sculptor who also made the statue. The base was composed of artistically carved graniteput into monument shape in the park less than two weeks before the unveiling ceremony. Teich may have been chosen for this project because of the columnar shaft and ornamentation of the base; he carved the columns for several local bank buildings around the turn of the last century as well as embellishments for San Antonios City Hall and Maverick Building and courthouses in La Grange and Victoria.

Although friends of art had been invited in the newspaper to watch Teich work on the statue in his studio for weeks before the dedication, the monument was shrouded from view when the event began at 4 p.m., with several thousand people gathered to witness the pleasant ceremony with a speakers platform set up opposite the covered statue.

As was the custom at the time, the occasion was largely given over to speechifying politicians, most notably San Antonio Mayor Marshall Hicks and John H. Reagan who had served in federal and state government before and after the Civil War and was introduced as the last surviving member of the Confederate cabinet, where he was postmaster general.

The main speaker was Upson (1829-1902), a New York native who moved to San Antonio at 26 to practice law, served as an officer in the Confederate Army and in Congress from 1879 to 1883. An orator of distinction, according to advance publicity, Upson made multiple references to the Daughters of the Confederacy and Mrs. A.W. Houston, president since the chapters inception, as champions of the statue. By her zealous work and faithful devotion to the cause, (Houston) has done much for this beautiful tribute to the noble forces who wore the gray, he said, also crediting the loyal support of each and every member of the organization.

The Daughters raised funds through bake sales and bazaars; when those efforts fell short, they appealed to local business people for subscriptions or pledges to contribute toward the monument. It wasnt an easy time for such appeals. After the Panic of 1893, the country had fallen into an economic depression that lasted nearly until the end of that decade.

After his speech - which touched on the heroism of the parks namesake, Alamo garrison leader William Barret Travis, and those earlier defenders of a lost cause - the monument was to be unveiled by Houstons granddaughter little Laura Winstead...chosen for this position by a unanimous vote of the chapter.

Winstead pulled the rope, says the Lights next-day story. Unfortunately, by some means, the part around the figure was caught, and only that portion of the veil that covered the column and pedestal came down. The mayor then sent for the hook and ladder company and later on, before the audience retired, Fireman Duncan ascended the ladder, cut the veiling and revealed the figure of the Confederate soldier in all its artistic beauty.

Before the crowd broke up, surviving Confederate soldiers gave the Rebel yell. While it was often heard at troop reunions - which by the late 1880s, had begun to include both Confederate and federal veterans - this might have been the last time it was performed in public here.

Well-received at the time, the monument was intended to last. San Antonio may well be proud of this handsome monument, which will ever be an ornament to Travis Park, said the Light.

Long before the present controversy over the statues fitness for public display, there was a challenge to its location in Travis Park. While the Alamo Cenotaph was being built, some Texas Centennial officials wanted it to be in Travis Park, but to locate the large memorial (there) would necessitate moving of (the) Confederate monument, says the Light, April 24, 1936. Such a move (was) strenuously opposed by the Daughters of the Confederacy, who got their way when the newer monument was installed in Alamo Plaza.

historycolumn@yahoo.com
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One person was arrested Saturday afternoon and a second detained during competing rallies about the Confederate statue in Travis Park that drew more than 300 people.

The rallies, which were by turns peaceful, joyous, tense and confrontational, came on the same day of a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that left one dead and dozens more injured after a car plowed into the demonstrators and two more dead when a police helicopter crashed.

San Antonio police charged Michael Murphy, 20, who was advocating for removal of the monument downtown, with misdemeanor assault. The second person was not charged, said Sgt. Jesse Salame, a police spokesman.

At one point, the protesters left the park, marching along Pecan Street chanting:  Hey hey, ho ho, this racist monuments got to go.

More than 40 police officers scrambled to barricade the protesters, using their bikes to form a shield and block the streets briefly. Demonstrators stood at an impasse, their faces less than a feet away from the officers.

Support officers stood from afar with gas masks at the ready before the protesters returned to the park, eventually dispersing.

The rallies come after a similar event on July 4, where a handful of protesters with SATX4, a group similar to Black Lives Matter, marched to Travis Park and called for the removal of 40-foot monument that includes an 8-foot statue of a soldier on top.

Other cities, including Dallas and Oxford, Mississippi, where the University of Mississippi is located, have had similar conversations about Confederate monuments in recent years.

Johnathan David-Jones, co-founder of SATX4, said other activists petitioned for the statues removal two years ago, but the movement didnt gather traction. After newly elected Mayor Ron Nirenberg took office, this group decided to try again.

Last month, District 1 Councilman Roberto Trevino and District 2 Councilman Cruz Shaw jointly filed a request to relocate the monument of the Confederate soldier at Travis Park to a more appropriate location where it will be preserved and integrated in to an educational context.

Meanwhile, Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, introduced a bill during the special session that would make it impossible for statue  and others like it across the state  to be removed. Shaw said Creighton's bill undermines local government control.

After the first resolution was filed, This is Texas Freedom Force, a group dedicated to the preservation of Texas history, organized Saturdays rally. Sons Of Confederate Veterans, Daughters Of Confederate Veterans and the Alamo Militia also got involved.

Those that do not understand history are doomed to repeat it, the organizers said online. We believe that this monument should continue to proudly stand just like it has since 1899 without being touched.

Online and during the event, the group stressed it had no connection to white supremacy or the KKK, and that racism would not be tolerated.

The group encouraged its members to bring Confederate flags and long guns, which many did.

Police kept the protesters barricaded on separate sides of the park, which upset some demonstrators. One protester advocating to keep the statue intact, who wouldnt provide his full name, said the opposing sides wouldnt be able to come to a resolution if dialogue wasnt allowed.

But during the rallies, some protesters  from both sides  would walk to each others side, trying to provoke each other with slurs and profanity before police pulled them apart.

Nazi, Nazi, Nazi  out, out, out, one man, clad in a bandanna, yelled at another man carrying a Confederate flag.

After four or five hours, as temperatures climbed into the triple digits, the group advocating for the statues removal began marching on the streets before it reached the makeshift barricade of police officers. Chief William McManus watched the interaction from afar.

Mike Lowe, co-founder of SATX4 called on McManus to join the conversation, but the chief stayed put.

Why wont the chief of police, whos out here, not have a conversation? Lowe asked in a megaphone. Lets go, chief, lets go, chief. Were nonviolent. Were not carrying arms. Who do you protect? Who do you serve?

Around 6 p.m., both groups began to disperse. A few demonstrators remained, carrying signs and flags.

Our community is in the process of having difficult but important conversations about our collective history, Nirenberg said afterward on Facebook.

We are committed to remembering the past, while replacing oppression with justice, and building equity where there was once segregation, the mayor added. These are not easy conversations but I am confident that San Antonio residents can come together in a way that continues to honor our American free speech traditions.

eeaton@express-news.net

Twitter: @emilieeaton
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AUSTIN - The Texas House voted 98-43 for a bill addressing Gov. Greg Abbotts top priority of curbing local officials authority over property tax increases Saturday.

The bills author said the measure would give taxpayers some protection but not 1 ounce of relief.

People whose local property tax bills are putting a strain on their budgets are crying out for help, say Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and some other champions of the proposal to institute automatic rollback elections when property tax revenues rise above a certain level.

But House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, said he can promise only that his proposal would give people the protection of having more say over proposed tax increases.

It does not provide one ounce of property tax relief. Its not intended to, and anyone who suggests that it is giving you bad information, Bonnen said as he outlined the bill for the House.

Whether a property tax revamp passes may go a long way toward determining whether Abbott considers the special session a success, judging by his comments before it began.

I would say this is the No. 1 issue that we must address, Abbott said of property taxes on the eve of the session, during a forum at the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation.

The session, which can last up to 30 days, began July 18 with an agenda set by Abbott including a must-pass bill to keep state agencies open and 19 other topics, many aimed at reining in local officials power over spending, taxes and regulations.

Its tough for a parent to pick among multiple children, especially if you have 19 children, but I would say of the 19 items we have on the agenda, addressing property taxes ... is the most important issue, Abbott said then.

Local officials from around Texas, including San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, are fighting the property tax bill, saying it would affect their ability to provide key services, including police and firefighting services that protect public safety.

Critics say if lawmakers want to lower local property tax bills, they should address the school funding system, which relies heavily on those taxes. The House has approved school finance changes; the Senate is expected to consider the issue Sunday

Under the current law affecting cities, counties and special districts, people can petition for a rollback election if officials move to raise local property tax revenues more than 8 percent.

The Senate has approved lowering the threshold to 4 percent and making the rollback election automatic if revenues increase beyond that. Abbott has suggested that a 4 or 5 percent trigger would be appropriate.

Bonnens committee changed the threshold to 6 percent, also with automatic elections, before voting out Senate Bill 1. Both the House and Senate measures contain exemptions, although their details differ. School districts, which already must have automatic rollback elections, wouldnt be affected.

Bonnen staved off amendments to SB1 to honor commitments he made to his colleagues in order to move the contentious bill through committee to the full chamber for a vote. He said amendments would kill the bill.

In a key test of the House leadership on the issue, the chamber voted down a proposal to tighten the rollback trigger to 4 percent. Among other amendments that went down was one offered by Rep. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio to put limits on commercial property appraisals that he said are out of control.

Gutierrez cited a personal example, saying he and his wife had bought commercial property and its appraisal rose from $633,000 to more than $1 million. He said their tax bill would rise from $17,000 to almost $30,000 under the appraisal, which they are fighting.

Its not possible, he said. This is whats happening to every small business in my commmunity.

Bonnen said Gutierrezs amendment would shift part of the tax burden now paid by commercial property owners to homeowners.

If given final approved by the House in another vote, the bill will return to the Senate for consideration of changes. The Senate can ask for a conference committee to negotiate differences.

The Houses proposed 6 percent threshold is more palatable than 4 percent to Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. He said he would prefer that local officials be left alone to manage their revenues, but that the county could live with 6 percent.

Rep. Diana Arevalo, D-San Antonio, is among the bills opponents, saying that it starves cities from being able to raise adequate funding to fund basic services like public safety.

The tax measure is a big part of Abbotts push to crack down on local officials authority over everything from the use of public restrooms by transgender people to annexation to tree-cutting to property tax levels.

Abbott has contended cities actions threaten Texas reputation of being the state for freedom, for free enterprise. Patrick, in a recent appearance on Fox Business News, decried cities policies, saying that all our problems in America are in cities that are mostly controlled by Democrat mayors and Democrat city council men and women.

Local officials pushback has been vigorous, joined by some sympathetic lawmakers. Theyve been heartened by House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, who has been particularly tenacious in opposing Abbott and Patrick on the high-profile bathroom bill. That measure would restrict the restrooms transgender people can use and forbid local ordinances protecting their access to facilities that align with their gender identity.

The bathroom bill would target a vulnerable population and threaten Texas economy by prompting boycotts since its widely viewed as discriminatory, say Straus and other opponents.

Backers say the bathroom bill is intended to protect the privacy and safety of women and children, thwarting predators who would take advantage of a lack of a bathroom law to hurt them.

The bill has been all but declared dead after a flood of opposition from businesses, including top executives; law enforcement; and faith leaders who say pastors supporting the bathroom bill dont speak for the religious community overall.

Gutierrez said urban and rural Texans should be concerned about the focus on overturning local policies by Republicans who previously have been the disciples of local control.

To make his point, Gutierrez on Friday posted photos on Twitter of himself and others sporting T-shirts bearing the slogan, Greg Abbott for Mayor, Cause Being Governor is Hard.

It sounds to me like theyre ready to go out and fix all the potholes and collect all the garbage, Gutierrez said. If the T-shirt fits, wear it, Governor. And it looks to me like Patrick wants to be the city manager.

Patrick forced the special session when it became clear that the bathroom bill and a property tax revamp wouldnt pass the House in the regular session in a form with which he agreed. He did so by stalling the separate legislation necessary to continue several state agencies, including the Texas Medical Board.

Abbott, the only one who can call a special session and control its agenda, put Patricks pet initiatives on the to-do list for lawmakers. The Senate, over which Patrick presides, has moved quickly on most of Abbotts agenda.

People can always count on the Senate and the lieutenant governor to fight for what they want us to do, Patrick said Friday, indicating how he would frame the session.

Straus, who has been on the opposite side of the two statewide leaders on a number of issues starting in the regular session, has overseen a more deliberate pace in the House.

The House has been reluctant to consider some Abbott priorities but has been enthusiastic about others, such as school finance reform and addressing the health care system for retired teachers.

Our priorities are helping public schools and retired teachers while starting to ease the burden on local property taxes. Those goals are within reach, Straus said in a Saturday statement.

Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, author of the bathroom bill as well as one on tree regulations and one with bipartisan support addressing maternal mortality, said the Senate focused on the agenda laid out by Abbott.

Many of us came back and took our jobs very seriously about addressing the issues on the call, she said. It has been a lot of work, and it has been at times emotional and at times contentious but when you talk about the future of Texas the reflection of our values of who we are, I think that those should be emotional and contentious issues.

Asked about the political implications of the agenda stretching into the next election, she said, I think every session, every vote you take has political implications, whether thats during a regular session or a special session.

Sen. Jose Menendez, D-San Antonio, said the special session has really helped shine a very bright light on where people stand on important issues. In a (regular) session where 6,000 bills are filed, its easy to kind of hide under the brush of all those bills. But here, where you only had 20 bills, its very easy to see where you stand on these things. Its important for people to say, Did you take a stand against something thats going to water down our tree ordinance, or make it worse for us? Yes or no..... Where are you in terms of discriminating against people based on their gender identity? Are you for discrimination or not?

People need to realize where politicians stand, not just listen to their soundbites, and then hold us accountable by our actions, by our votes, not just by what we say, Menendez said.

Rep. Lyle Larson, a San Antonio Republican who has been at odds with Abbott and Patrick on a number of fronts, voted for SB1 and supports proposals to limit cities annexation authority and revamp school finance.

But overall, Larson said, I think this is political session more than it is a governing session. Our focus is on a lot of of the hot-button issues that the governor and the lieutentant governor will probably base ther campaigns on.

Political scientist Jerry Polinard of the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley said the special session has been a replay of the regular session with regard to the leadership divide, which has pitted priorities touted by Abbott and Patrick that are important to the most conservative tea-party elements of the GOP base against a more moderate Straus approach focused on basic services.

The question thats at least in the background is, has enough been done that the governor wont feel it necessary call an additional special session? Polinard said. We wont know the answer to that, of course, for another couple of days or so.

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac
AUSTIN - The Texas House voted 98-43 for a bill addressing Gov. Greg Abbotts top priority of curbing local officials authority over property tax increases Saturday.

The bills author said it would give taxpayers some protection but not one ounce of relief.

People whose local property tax bills are putting a strain on their budgets are crying out for help, say Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and some other champions of the proposal to institute automatic rollback elections when property tax revenues rise above a certain level.

But House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, said he can promise only that the proposal would give people the protection of having more say over proposed tax increases.

It does not provide one ounce of property tax relief. Its not intended to, and anyone who suggests that it is giving you bad information, Bonnen said as he outlined the bill for the House.

Whether the bill makes it through both chambers may determine whether Abbott considers this special session a success, judging by his comments before the session began.

I would say this is the No. 1 issue that we must address, Abbott said of property taxes on the eve of the session, during a forum at the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation. Its tough for a parent to pick among multiple children, especially if you have 19 children, but I would say of the 19 items we have on the agenda, addressing property taxes ... is the most important issue.

The session, which can last up to 30 days, began July 18 with an agenda set by Abbott including a must-pass bill to keep state agencies open and 19 other topics, many aimed at reining in local officials power over spending, taxes and regulations.

Local officials from around Texas, including San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, are fighting the property tax bill, saying it would affect their ability to provide key services, including police and firefighting services that protect public safety.

Critics say if lawmakers want to relieve local property tax bills, they should address the school funding system, which relies heavily on local property taxes. The House has approved a school finance reform bill, and the Senate was scheduled to take up its own version of the topic Saturday.

Under current law, people can petition for a rollback election if cities, counties and special districts move to raise property tax revenues more than 8 percent.

The Senate has approved lowering the threshold to 4 percent and making the rollback election automatic if revenues are scheduled to increase beyond that. Abbott has suggested that a 4 or 5 percent trigger would be appropriate.

Bonnens committee changed the rollback threshold to 6 percent, also with automatic elections, before voting out Senate Bill 1. Both measures contain exemptions, although their details differ. School districts, which already have automatic rollback elections, wouldnt be affected.

Bonnen staved off amendments to the measure to honor commitments he made to his colleagues in order to move the contentious bill through his committee and the Calendars Committee to the full chamber for a vote. He said amendments would kill the bill. In a key test of the House leadership on the issue, the chamber voted down a proposal to tighten the rollback trigger to 4 percent.

The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration of changes. The Senate could ask for a conference committee to negotiate differences.

The 6 percent threshold was more palatable than 4 percent to some, including Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. He said he would prefer that local officials be allowed to manage their revenues, but that the county could live with 6 percent.

Rep. Diana Arevalo, D-San Antonio, is among the bills opponents.

Senate Bill 1 does not provide relief for taxpayers. In fact, it forces taxpayers to spend money on costly elections every year. Futhermore, it starves cities from being able to raise adequate funding to fund basic services like public safety, she said.

pfikac@express-news.net

Twitter: @pfikac
Rep. Will Hurd, the Texas member of Congress with perhaps the most to lose in next years midterm elections, wrapped up a seven-day, 20-town-hall tour of his sprawling district in Helotes on Saturday, trying to strike a tone of bipartisanship and moderation.

Hurds 23rd Congressional District covers parts of 29 counties from San Antonio to El Paso and is considered the most competitive in the state. Speaking to constituents Saturday, Hurd sought to highlight his independence and his willingness to work with members of both parties.

During appearances in Helotes and in Castroville, he broke with the administration on key issues: on Russia, The Russians tried to influence our elections; on climate change, Man is having an impact on the environment; and on the border wall, Hurd trotted out his tried and true line that the border cant be secured with a wall from sea to shining sea.

He also offered some praise, including what he called a major diplomatic success story of getting Russia and China to sign onto sanctions against North Korea, one of the issues Hurd said hed been asked about the most on the tour.

He touted a bill hes introduced in the House that would use technology rather than a physical barrier to try to secure the border as well as work by members of the San Antonio congressional delegation from both parties to get a new federal courthouse and said it would take bipartisan efforts to reduce health care premiums. In response to questions during the Helotes event, Hurd, who opposes the Affordable Care Act, said he supports a requirement to provide insurance to those with preexisting conditions.

Hurd made headlines this spring when he and El Paso Democrat Beto ORourke, who is challenging Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, took a cross-country road trip in March, which they streamed live online. The Helotes Republican invoked that during his tour of the district.

If we can focus on the things that unite us as Americans, we can continue to be one of the greatest nations on the planet, he said. The other thing I learned is we can disagree without being disagreeable.

Texas country music star Robert Earl Keen joined Hurd in Saturdays appearance at Floores Country Store. Keen praised the Congressman, who lives in Helotes, as a revolutionary and positive force. Keen closed the event with his song I Gotta Go, which Hurd said caps off his morning music playlist and was played during his trip with ORourke.

Hurds show of moderation hasnt mollified all who want to see a Democrat representing the swing district. He was followed throughout the tour, dubbed DC2DQ as a play on a visit from the nations capital to small-town Dairy Queens, by members of TX23 Indivisible who questioned him about his vote for a budget that included $1.6 billion for a border wall the Congressman says he opposes, his support for legislation that allows internet service providers to sell customers data and Republican efforts to de-fund Planned Parenthood.

They also questioned his decision to not hold a meet-and-greet in San Antonio. Many residents of the district on San Antonios South Side cant travel to the surrounding towns to see Hurd speak, Darlene Kilpatrick, the TX23 Indivisible co-chair, said. Even his vote against the Obamacare repeal elicited scorn from Kilpatrick, who said Republican leadership allowed Hurd to vote against the bill because they knew it would safely pass the House.

He just wants to sound like a moderate, Kilpatrick said. He says what we want to hear and he votes with his party all the time.

Hurd said he expects the border wall funding to come out in the Senate and he supported other provisions of the budget including military pay raises and Veterans Affairs funding. In response to the complaint about the lack of a San Antonio stop, he said, Helotes is San Antonio.

Chris Anderson, 65, of Helotes, said she brought her teenage grandson to learn about grassroots-type politics. Anderson said issues Hurd touched on like improving care offered by the Veterans Affairs Department and tax reform appealed to her and her husband, whos a veteran and former small business owner. A Republican, Anderson said she was also impressed by Hurds talk about reaching across the aisle.

I think he represents a different force in politics, one who is committed to bipartisan work, having that be more than words, she said.
Richard Nixon was elected president in 1968, but you could argue that he really won the presidency in 1966.

That year, Nixon rehabilitated his image (tattered by an embarrassing 1962 defeat in the California governors race, which was capped by a petulant election-night tirade against the press) by stumping and fundraising for Republican candidates across the country and helping to produce a GOP wave election.

Nixon visited more than 60 congressional districts, including 47 of them considered crucial by his partys leaders. He flew to Anchorage, Alaska, to boost U.S. House candidate Howard Pollock. He hobnobbed with the members of a Newark, Ohio, Elks Lodge on behalf of Congressman John Ashbrook. And he blasted Democratic President Lyndon Johnsons Vietnam War policies at Asheboro High School in North Carolina.

Along the way, Nixon built alliances and collected political IOUs that were crucial to him two years later. He schmoozed with party chairs and connected with likely national delegates.

On a more modest scale, Julian Castro's new political action committee will enable him to do something similar.

Castro, the former San Antonio mayor and housing secretary under Barack Obama, filed paperwork last week for the PAC, called Opportunity First. Castros committee is designed to help candidates for federal, state and local offices, and to build a war chest in case Castro decides to follow through on hints that he might seek the 2020 Democratic nomination for president.

There are significant differences between the Nixon of 1966 and the Castro of 2017, beyond party affiliations and personalities. Nixon was a former two-term vice president and a 1960 presidential nominee trying to make a comeback. Castro is a young up-and-comer still in the process of building his brand.

Both of them, however, entered a midterm election cycle having been out of elective office for a spell and needing to keep their names in circulation. In both cases, their parties were out of power and they had the chance to play an important role in turning things around.

In the words of Mark Jones, a Rice University political science professor who has observed Castros rise over the past decade, Opportunity First allows the former S.A. mayor to be something of a sugar daddy to his fellow Democrats and help some of his allies attain political office.

While its easy to overstate the importance of the PAC as a clue to Castros intentions, it adds weight to what already seemed evident before the filing: A Castro presidential run in 2020 is a serious possibility, though by no means a certainty.

Many Texas Dems would prefer to see him (or any registered Democrat with a pulse, for that matter) fill the partys void in the 2018 gubernatorial race. But Democratic friends in D.C. encouraged Castro, during the tail end of his stint as housing secretary, to give the presidency some consideration. Their argument was that Donald Trumps election last year rendered obsolete the old notions of how much political experience was required to be viewed as a serious candidate for president.

Castros governmental resume  four years as a councilman, five years as S.A. mayor and two-and-a-half years at HUD  might seem thin next to the credentials that Nixon or Lyndon Johnson brought to the White House. But next to Trump, it makes him look like a seasoned old pro.

Jones made another important point when I talked to him on Thursday. Looking at the forbidding landscape of Texas politics (forbidding for Democrats, that is), Jones said, He (Castro) is much more likely to be elected vice president of the United States than governor of Texas in the next four to six years.

Getting clobbered in the 2018 gubernatorial election would leave Castro in the same zone occupied by Wendy Davis, Bill White, Chris Bell and Tony Sanchez. Nowhere to go.

A loss in the 2020 presidential race, however, would not only raise his national stature, it could serve as a dress rehearsal  an extended audition  for a possible VP selection. Thats how George H.W. Bush, John Edwards and Joe Biden got their running-mate offers. Remember that Castro was in the mix for a slot on Hillary Clintons ticket last year, but she ultimately passed him over for the more experienced Tim Kaine.

The Opportunity First PAC doesnt prove that Castro will be a presidential candidate any time soon. But it does indicate that he has no plans to stay on the political sidelines. Whether or not his name appears on a ballot, hell be a political participant, not a spectator.

ggarcia@express-news.net

Twitter: @gilgamesh470
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Champagne is the universal symbol of celebration, so perhaps you are anticipating a celebration or are in the midst of celebrating something at present.

Dreams on Female First

Champagne is also associated with expense, so perhaps you are worried about a big expenditure in the near future or have already spent a great deal of money and worried about the repercussions.

Perhaps you are quietly proud of yourself for achieving something during your waking hours. It might be something small yet meaningful for you.

If you toasted someone with a glass of champagne, it's possible you are feeling enthusiastic about something right now.

Champagne can also celebrate a change so maybe you are entering into a new phase in your life with a new job, new home, new location, new project or relationship.

A bottle of champagne could represent you bottling your feelings up during your waking hours. It might be time to talk to someone about the way you're feeling.

If the glass spilled or the bottle was broken, perhaps you are celebrating something too soon and you need to put more into a project before your start clinking glasses.

Source: www.dreammean.com

www.auntyflo.com

www.edreaminterpretation.org

by Lucy Moore for www.femalefirst.co.uk

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Fifth Harmony's new album is their most "raw" yet.

Fifth Harmony

The American girl group - which features Ally Brooke, Normani Kordei, Dinah Jane and Lauren Jauregui - are poised to release their first LP since the departure of Camila Cabello in December 2016, and have promised the lyrics are all based on their own experiences and they truly "believe" in the songs.

Normani told The Sun on Sunday newspaper: "We wanted to be raw and draw from our experiences.

"Every time we stepped into the booth it was something that we believed in, not something we were forced to sing. This is all us."

Two of the songs are based on their relationships but Lauren insists they haven't drawn reference from her rumoured romance with Ty Dolla $ign.

She said: "No ma'am. Those were songs we all related to at some point, not necessarily now.

"We want people to listen to it and feel the love."

And one track, 'Bridges', takes a swipe at US president Donald Trump and his controversial plans to build a border wall with Mexico as the quartet sing: "We build bridges, not walls."

The song means a lot to the group.

Normani said: "Bridges is our most personal song, because it's a commentary on what's going on in the world right now."

Ally recently explained why the new record feels more personal to them than their two previous albums, 'Reflection' and '7/27'.

She said: "It's cool because for this record we were able to be in pairs for the most part to write the songs.

"For example, Normani and I would go in to [the studio] and that's how we created 'Messy' ... so you kind of have that extra personal attachment when it's coming from you."
Praising Cambodias trade reforms, Canadian ambassador to the country Donica Pottie has urged the ASEAN nations government to continue with that policy to facilitate trade and investment, particularly in the garments sector. Pottie made the call while paying a courtesy visit to commerce secretary of state Ok Boung in Phnom Penh recently.Pottie, who urged Ok Boung to work further to ensure lower cost of production, better factory management, smoother documentation and more simplified export procedures, said she hoped to see a bilateral forum for bringing together Canadian importers and Cambodian exporters in the garment sector, a leading English-language daily from Cambodia reports.

Praising Cambodia's trade reforms, Canadian ambassador to the country Donica Pottie has urged the ASEAN nation's government to continue with that policy to facilitate trade and investment, particularly in the garments sector. Pottie made the call while paying a courtesy visit to commerce secretary of state Ok Boung in Phnom Penh recently.#

Cambodias garment and footwear exports rose by 7.2 per cent to $7.3 billion in 2016, up from $6.8 billion in 2015. In 2016, around 8 per cent of the nations exports in this sector went to Canada, up from 7.5 per cent in 2015.Pointing out to reforms undertaken, including digitialisation of procedures to obtain certificates of origin and the implementation of trade facilitation agreements, Ok Boung said while it took two weeks earlier to obtain a certificate of origin, now that can be issued in two days.Welcoming the trade reforms, the Garment Manufacturers Association in Cambodia (GMAC) said more could be done to help facilitate exports. (DS)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
Gap Inc has announced that it will open its newest digital Gap brand flagship store on Yahoo! Taiwan to build on its e-commerce success and cater to the growing demand of online shopping in Taiwan. By offering a new online avenue, Gap is creating an omnichannel retail experience whereby e-commerce and physical stores are all part of the shopping ecosystem.

The launch of Gap Yahoo! flagship is part of the companys commitment to building a seamless inventory and making its products available to customers. They can place their orders 24/7 using Gaps Yahoo! flagship store, and have orders filled from the nearest store or fulfilment location.

In line with online shopping trends in in the market, Gap also gives customers the option to pick-up orders in nearby convenience stores so they can get their products anytime they want. Since the product offerings on Yahoo are the same as stores, customers can also choose to visit a store to try-on their preferred styles and sizes before making a purchase, said Gap in a press release.

Gap Inc has announced that it will open its newest 'digital Gap brand flagship store' on Yahoo! Taiwan to build on its e-commerce success and cater to the growing demand of online shopping in Taiwan. By offering a new online avenue, Gap is creating an omnichannel retail experience whereby e-commerce and physical stores are all part of the shopping ecosystem.#

We are thrilled to launch this new partnership with Yahoo!, one of the largest online marketplaces in Taiwan. We believe the time is ripe for the launch of a joint digital storefront, said May Ng, vice president and GM, Greater China Ecommerce and head of Hong Kong and Taiwan for Gap Inc. As one of the first international fashion apparel brands on Yahoo!, Gaps new digital storefront will offer the same range of range of iconic, yet modern clothing and accessories available in the brands physical stores. Our store on Yahoo! is an exciting addition to our presence in Taiwan and will enhance the shopping experience for our customers.

Gap Inc is committed to creating a seamless brand experience across all channels, from store to online to mobile, that allows customers to shop for what they want, when they want, where they want, and how they want. added May Ng. The launch of Gaps Yahoo! Taiwan store, is an exciting new chapter in Gap Incs larger omni-channel retail strategy, designed to strengthen and integrate shopping experiences across physical stores and digital technology platforms.

In celebration of the site launch, there will also be special events and promotions during the launch week from August 8-14. In addition to free delivery service, customers can enjoy discounts and Gap will also be offering door busters and exclusive styles in its newly opened Yahoo! flagship store.

Since entering Taiwan in 2014, Gap has enjoyed widespread popularity among customers, as seen in its steady business growth in the market. With the addition of Yahoo! Taiwan along with its directly operated site, the brand will have 11 physical stores in Taiwan and two e-commerce options, allowing customers in every city access to Gaps optimistic, modern American style and great customer experience. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk  India
11 August 2017, Indonesia: Fiji and Indonesia have signed a Plan of Action on Disaster Management Cooperation that will see the two countries exchange cooperation in the areas of disaster preparedness, management and response.

Fijis Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management permanent secretary Mr Meleti Bainimarama signed the cooperation with Indonesias Disaster Management secretary general, Mr Dody Ruswandi.This covers areas of cooperation between the two countries on exchange of technical information, capacity building, exchange of specialists, and transfer of technology. This signed PoA is an instrument to spearhead the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding on Disaster Management that was signed between the two countries in Fiji last year.Witnessing the signing was the Fijian Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management Hon. Inia Seruiratu who thanked the Indonesian Government for working with Fiji on disaster management and rehabilitation schemes.Minister Seruiratu and his Indonesian counterpart Hon. Minister Mr. Willem Rampangillei witnessed the signing.
I Am On Location, a Seattle, WA-based new video news service, secured funding from a local investor.



The amount of the deal was not disclosed.

The company will use the funds for expansion into the Phoenix, Tucson, Seattle, Portland, Spokane, Denver, Los Angeles and Sacramento media markets this month whole a nationwide service is anticipated later this year.

Led by Alex Day, President and CEO, I Am On Location is a real-time, location-based news video company which provides certified and trained news videographers with a location-intelligent technology platform to quickly distribute news videos from location to its newsroom network.

The platform allows commercial news operations to request and consume news video content while providing work to freelance journalists, prosumer videographers, and photographers allowing them to earn money while capturing video.

Following a a free two-week unlimited use trial offering which includes custom assignments, news organizations can purchase videos for $20 per shot.

Video journalists use their own personal equipment and transportation to source news events video. All videos are verified as authentic by app-tagging the location and time of all uploaded clips. Video shots, VOs and/or interviews are only produced by authenticated certified videographers who are regularly trained and monitored.

FinSMEs

13/08/2017
Popular Malayalam actor Dileep, arrested in connection with a case of plotting the abduction and sexual assault of a noted South Indian actress in February, moved the Kerala High Court seeking bail on 10 August. It has now emerged that in this second bail application, Dileep accused his ex-wife Manju Warrier for conspiring against him, reports The News Minute.

"It is pertinent to point out that ADGP Sandhya is understood to be a person very close to the Malayalam cine actress (Manju Warrier) who, at the very initial stage of the investigation openly made a statement that there is a conspiracy in the case as if she had direct knowledge about it. The actress had come out in public against her close association with ADGP Sandhya," read the bail application.

The Malayalam actress in question is close to Manju Warrier. Many members of the Malayalam film fraternity gathered at Durbar Hall for a meeting held to express solidarity with the victim, and Warrier said that a conspiracy had been hatched against the actress.

Notably, in a previous report to the court, the police had stated that Dileep hatched the conspiracy against the actress because he wanted to exact 'revenge' from her, as he held her responsible for the failure of his first marriage to Manju Warrier.

Along with the allegation against his ex-wife, Dileep has also made accusations against filmmaker VA Shrikumar Menon and producer Liberty Basheer, as well as investigating officer ADGP Sandhya. He has alleged that Sandhya turned the cameras off during his questioning when he spoke about Warrier and Menon.

The actor in his second plea submitted on 10 August said that the scenario has completely changed and that he is not the kingpin of any criminal conspiracy or even a participant therein. On 11 August, the Kerala High Court adjourned to 18 August the hearing on this plea.

The court had dismissed his first bail application on 24 July after finding that the investigation in the case was progressing and the mobile phone, stated by the prosecution as a key evidence in the case, had not been recovered.

Dileep, charged under various sections of the IPC, including for hatching criminal conspiracy for abduction and assault of the actress in a moving car on 17 February, is currently lodged in a jail in his home town Aluva. He was arrested on 10 July and since then, he is in custody.

The Malayalam actress was abducted and allegedly molested inside her car for two hours by the accused on 17 February. They had forced their way into the vehicle and later escaped in a busy area in Kochi.

With inputs from agencies
Jaipur: A 40-year-old widow in Rajasthan's Ajmer district was allegedly made to eat faeces, tortured and beaten to death by her relatives, who accused her of being a witch, the police said on Sunday.

The incident took place on 3 August in Kekri, a block around 135 km from Jaipur, they said.

"Kanya Devi Raigar was branded a witch and severely tortured before being beaten to death, she was also made to eat faeces by her relatives," Superintendent of Police (SP) of Ajmer, Rajendra Singh, said.

The police registered a case on Sunday against four people  Pinky Raigar, Sonia Raigar, Mahaveer Raigar and Chandra Prakash Raigar  under relevant IPC sections, including murder, and provisions of the Rajasthan Prevention of Witch-Hunting Act, 2015.

The woman succumbed to injuries at the spot, the police said.

On claims that the relatives had pierced her eyes with a hot rod, Singh said the body was cremated by the relatives and no post mortem could be conducted, "so it is proving difficult to ascertain these claims".

"Thorough interrogation of the accused will reveal what transpired that day," he said, adding that three persons have been detained and will be arrested soon.

The woman's husband died about a month ago and she was living with her son and daughter, the police said.

The police said a distant relative of the woman had lodged a complaint on 10 August.

"I had received the complaint on 10 August from a relative, but we could not file an FIR as the complainant was not a close relative of the deceased," SHO at the Kekri Police Station Hari Ram Kumawat said.

However, after the woman's daughter lodged a complaint, the police registered a case, he said.
Even as the Centre assured assistance to flood-hit Assam, the state authorities on Sunday directed officials concerned to speed up rescue and relief operations as the situation continued to get grimmer in the state.

Over 14 more deaths were reported in the last 24 hours in the flood-stricken state. The Times of India reported that the army has been deployed to rescue marooned people and the IAF has also been put on standby for relief and rescue operations.

The Army's Red Horns Division of the Gajraj Corps has dispatched multiple teams after receiving calls for help from various district administrations, a defence spokesperson said. He added that about 3,000 people have been rescued by the Army from Bodoland Territorial Area Districts and Karbi Anglong.

The report added that 21 of the 33 districts have been hit by one of the worst floods that Assam has ever witnessed. Following Sunday's toll in flood-related incidents, the total number of persons losing their lives in this year's flood-related incidents in the state went up to 99 an Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report said.

Over 22.5 lakh people living so far have been affected by the third wave of floods this year. According to India Today, a red alert has been issued by the weather department in the states of Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh. The report added that the worst affected areas in the state are Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Kikrajhar, Dhubri, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivsagar, Charaideo, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and enquired about the scale of devastation caused by floods, apart from assuring of all central cooperation.

Sonowal apprised Modi about his government's relief and rescue efforts and that district administration in all flood-hit districts had been directed to ensure speedy relief distribution.

The chief minister visited a flood relief camp at Bhismak LP School at Panchmile in Sadiya on Sunday and took stock of the arrangements made for the camp inmates. He visited Kundil riverside and directed the water resources department to take immediate measures to stop soil erosion due to floods.

Continuous erosion by Kundil river has been causing a serious threat to Panchmile, Lakhimi Gaon, and Bogoribari, apart from threatening the Kundil Bridge.

Sonowal told media persons that Kundil river's dredging will be taken up during winter to check the change in its course due to soil erosion. He added that the state government was taking steps to tackle problems faced by people in Amarpur area, including improvement in road connectivity.

A proposal to construct two bridges to connect Amarpur to other places had been submitted to the Centre, the chief minister stated, adding that the Ministry for Roads and Highways will conduct a survey for the proposed project.

The India Today report added that the ASDMA has warned about the swollen Brahmaputra. ASDMA said that the river is flowing above the danger level at several locations and that the water level is rising five centimetres every few hours. Besides the Brahmaputra river, nine other rivers are also flowing well above the danger mark in the flood-affected state. ASDMA added that Buridihing, Dhansiri, Jia Bharali, Puthimari and Sankosh river, in particular, were flowing above danger levels and have submerged more than 20,000 hectares of cropland.

The chief minister also visited Aithan Ring Bund at Bogibeel, Dibrugarh, and took stock of the situation. He asserted that the state government was serious in finding a permanent solution to the recurring floods, he assured the affected people of adequate relief and said the district machinery had been pressed into service to meet the requirements of survivors.

He held discussions with railways authorities on the expeditious completion of the road-rail bridge at Bogibeel.

Assam Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Pallab Lochan Das on Sunday directed deputy commissioners of flood-affected districts through video conferencing to gear up rescue and relief efforts on a war footing.

The deputy commissioners were directed to keep a vigil on relief and rescue efforts down to the grass-roots level. According to PTI, heavy to very heavy rain is expected for the next few days in Assam as well.

With inputs from agencies.
Patna: The flood situation in Bihar continued to be grim on Sunday as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sought the help of the Army and the Indian Air Force in relief and rescue of thousands of people affected by the deluge, officials said.

"The flood situation in Bihar is grim. The state government is fully alert and we have sought help from the Army and IAF helicopters to rescue affected people and distribute relief among them," Nitish Kumar said at an official function here.

The chief minister said he had requested Prime Minister Narender Modi and Union home minister Rajnath Singh to provide all possible central help for rescue and relief for the affected. "Both have assured of the assistance," Nitish Kumar said.

Nearly half a dozen districts in Seemanchal and Koshi areas in the state were the worst affected following heavy rains during the past three days.

All major rivers in Bihar are in spate after heavy rains in their respective catchment areas in Nepal and Bihar.

Floodwaters have submerged hundreds of villages, affecting thousands of people. So far, no casualty has been reported due to Bihar floods, officials said.

The state government has placed its staff on alert, ordering the evacuation of residents from flood-affected Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea, Katihar, West Champaran, Saharsa, and Supaul districts, Disaster Management Department officials said.

Informed sources in the chief minister's office said a team of 80 Army men of Bihar Regiment from Danapur Cantonment in Patna rushed on Sunday evening to Kishanganj and Araria to rescue people.

"Nitish Kumar has also sought 10 additional teams of the National Disaster Relief Fund from the Centre for affected districts."

The state government has already deployed teams of NDRF and SDRF in these districts.

The Disaster Management Department has asked people living in low-lying areas to move to higher grounds.

Reports reaching the state capital said hundreds of people fled their homes after water entered their villages in Supaul, Saharsa, Bagha, Gopalganj, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Khagaria, Darbhanga and Madhepura districts.

A Water Resources Department official said: "Water entered these villages after all major rivers were in spate following heavy rains in the state and the catchment areas in Nepal."

The railway stations in Kishanganj and Jogbani in Araria were flooded by water, leaving scores of passengers stranded.

According to officials, crops worth crores of rupees were damaged and road link to several places had been snapped.
New Delhi: Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday spoke with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar over phone and discussed the flood situation in the state.

"Spoke to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and discussed the flood situation in the state," the home minister tweeted.

Spoke to Bihar CM @NitishKumar and discussed the flood situation in the state. The NDRF teams have already reached the affected areas. 1/2  Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) August 13, 2017

Rajnath Singh said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) had already reached the flood affected areas and the Centre was rushing additional NDRF teams to Bihar to help in the ongoing rescue and relief operations.

According to the home ministry, river Mahananda at Dhengraghat in Purnia district is flowing at a level of 37.6 metre  1.95 metre above the danger level.

The current level of the river is 0.49 metre less than its previous high flood level of 38.09 metre on 15 August, 1968, the ministry said.
-Swagata Yadavar

Why are children in India shorter than children from other countries even those poorer than India? It was the urge to solve some of Indias development puzzles like this one that drew American scholars Dean Spears and Diane Coffey to India in 2009.

The couple co-founded the Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (RICE) in 2011 and settled in Sitapur, a rural district in central Uttar Pradesh, four years ago. With a population of 4.5 million people, it is the size of Sierra Leone and Liberia and has a similar infant mortality rate.

Sierra Leone and Liberia have a health ministry, education ministry, a Unicef mission; Sitapur has none of that. So it made a lot of sense to go somewhere like that and add value, Spears stated in an earlier interview.

Spears and Coffey have a masters in public administration and completed their PhDs at the Princeton University. Spears specialised in economics and public affairs and Coffey in demography. The two met and fell in love when Spears was a teaching assistant in a statistics class where Coffey was a student. They got married in 2011.

Their research in India has established links between open defecation and high infant mortality in rural India. It has also exposed the caste prejudices that encourage open defecation. A surprising fact showed up in their study: many people in rural areas, especially in north India, choose to defecate in the open even if they have a toilet at home. Many reasoned that it was a more pleasant, comfortable and convenient option.Their new book, Where India Goes: Abandoned Toilets, Stunted Development, and the Costs of Caste throws up many such insights that sanitation experts and administrators would never openly admit to.

Q: At least one person in 40 percent of rural households with latrines in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan defecates in the open, according to the SQUAT survey. Why do Indians hate to use latrines?

Spears: There are a few things that play into (the habit): people like to wake up early in the morning and be on the field and it is considered manly. Some young women are kept in the house all the time, like a young daughter-in-law isnt allowed to go outside. The biggest reason is casteism and people worrying about what will happen if the latrine pit gets filled up.

All around the world people use the simple pit latrine and when it gets filled, somebody has to empty it and either the family does it themselves or they hire someone to do it. It is unpleasant but it is not an enormously big deal. In India, it is an enormously big deal because it is associated with being a Dalit. The Dalits dont want to be doing it either and they are looking at forward to a better future when they will be no longer oppressed.

A lot of families with latrines think that if they use them, it will pollute their home and they will never be able to empty them. To avoid all this, it is easier is to defecate in the open. It is going to be a hard problem to solve because it is rooted in these old and strongly held issues of social inequality.

Q: You talk of the connection between infant mortality rate (IMR) and sanitation in your book. Could this be the reason Indias IMR is falling at a slower rate than in poorer countries like Bangladesh?

Spears: If you live next to neighbours who defecate in the open, there are germs on the ground, a lot of the people dont wear shoes, they get their fingers on it [germs], their moms get their fingers on it and then there are flies on it and they get it on the food and the entire environment is where there is lot of faeces and a lot of opportunities to get on germs.

One interesting thing is that it is not about your own households open defecation but your neighbours. People who live close to people who open defecate are more likely to die. In Bangladesh where open defecation is as less as one percent, the infant mortality rate is much lower than India even though it is much poorer than India. It is not the only reason but it is one of the important reasons.

Q: Can you tell us how sanitation factors ensure that Muslim children have better chances of surviving in India than the Hindu children?

Spears: There was a puzzle in health economics literature that within India, Muslim babies are more likely to survive infancy than Hindu babies. It is a puzzle because richer populations are healthier on average and on average, Muslim populations are poorer than Hindu populations in India.

It is not really about being a Muslim or Hindu baby at all because there is the same advantage of living next to Muslim neighbour. We were looking at what is so different about neighbourhoods where Hindu and Muslim live. We found that Muslim neighbourhoods are less likely to have piped waters, less likely to have other state services than Hindu neighbourhoods. But, on average, there is less open defecation in Muslim neighbourhoods because they are more likely to have and use latrines than Hindu households.

Of course, (this is not the case) in all states but on average children living with more Muslim neighbours are going to have healthier environments than people living with Hindu neighbours.

Q: For a long time, it was assumed that Indian women do not want to defecate in the open. Your book breaks that myth. Can you elaborate?

Coffey: This is complicated. For women whose families do not want them to defecate during daylight or who insist that they always are accompanied when they defecate in the open, it can be very helpful to have a latrine. Also, some women who grew up using latrines may marry into households that dont have them and they may feel uncomfortable defecating in the open. But our research suggests that in many parts of India, such women are in the minority. Many women are opposed to using affordable latrines with small pits, just like men. Also, open defecation is normal for women just like it is normal for men, so it is often not seen as the shameful or uncomfortable practice that city people assume it is. Finally, for some women, open defecation provides a welcome, socially-acceptable opportunity to get out of the house and walk around a bit. Such opportunities can be few and far between, especially for young women whose movements are often carefully monitored by their in-laws or husbands.

Q: How has open defecation impacted the health of Indian women?

Coffey: Research by Dean Spears and Josephine Duh shows that women who are more exposed to open defecation are thinner, on average, than women who live in villages and neighbourhoods where more people use latrines. And underweight is an important health problem in India. It makes both men and women less productive. When pregnant women are underweight, babies are often born too small and are less likely to survive infancy. Further, my research with Dean Spears and Michael Geruso on the effect of open defecation on childrens haemoglobin levels in Nepal suggests that open defecation likely contributes to high rates of anaemia among men, women, and children in India, as well.

Q: What is the cost India is paying for this high incidence of open defecation?

Spears: It is hard to put a number on but one thing that we do is we look at a small part of it. If children are healthy when they are babies then they grow up stronger and taller, they are able to concentrate at school and learn more and they have higher achievement. Our whole workplace would be healthier if they were exposed to a healthier environment, including sanitation, as children.

We can see that in wage data. If we look at a survey like India Human Development Survey and how much workers in India make, we find that adults are paid more and are more productive if they are born in a better disease environment. Their families get to consume more and they pay more taxes and government gets more revenue.

So what we do is that if you can cause a household to stop defecating in the open, just one household, there would be money in the future but it will be an equivalent of increasing the revenue of India by Rs 20,000 per household. Thats just looking at governments revenue, but then the family gets to eat more, there is more productivity and they will be healthier and they will be more likely to survive.

Q: Indias high open defecation rates have less to do with poverty, literacy or governance. Your analysis is contrary to what most policy makers and sanitation experts believe. How did they react to it?

Spears: It is not like it came out in one moment, we had research papers in 2013, 2014 and we have been talking to a lot of people over the years. When we talk to people in international development organisations, they often seem very surprised, especially if they are not from India or they maybe think it is offensive when we talk about it.

When we talk to a state or district government, they are not surprised. They may not have spoken about it but when we say it is about caste and untouchability, people from the state and district government who go out in the field and are in touch with village life are not surprised at all.

We were talking about the state-level secretary in rural government and we were giving him our presentation, he said: Oh wow, I didnt know this specifically that I could say it but I suspected it and now that you have said it, it just made things clear to me.

Governments are good at building latrines.You had different political parties across the decades and rural sanitation has always been about building latrines. (But) this sort of issue which is about long-standing social attitude  and when open defecation is common and it is something people believe in  then it is hard for the government to do something about it.

Q: Gandhi spoke about this but in your view, why are beliefs related to sanitation and caste still strong when things around are changing?

Spears: In rural India, caste, caste system and untouchability are still important. If you see survey data on untouchability, a lot of people say that they still practice untouchability and ghoongat (the veil). Many say that they would favour laws that will make it illegal for a high-caste person to marry low caste or Hindu (to marry a) Muslim.

As long as many people in India still believe in these things, when they think about latrine they (will) think about caste.

Q: Are there any strategies at all to stop open defecation?

Coffey: In the last chapter of the book, we have outlined some strategies that we think are worthy of experimentation. One is to challenge peoples beliefs about latrine pits by teaching people how pit latrines work: how long it takes them to fill; and to make clear that emptying decomposed latrines is not the same thing as manual scavenging. Another is to experiment with ways of accommodating beliefs about latrine pits  perhaps more of the governments subsidy could be spent on the pit alone and less on the superstructure. We also think that, in a diffuse but nonetheless important way, it would be useful for the government to address the manual scavenging that still exists and to raise awareness about links between casteism and poor sanitation.

Q: Is there a gradual change in our sanitation policy  are we looking at behaviour change and creating a demand for the toilet first?

Spears: It is certainly something that policy documents talk about. Policy makers know that what matters is hundreds of block offices across a dozen of rural districts actually organising something that changes the way people think about casteism. It is easy to sit in the office in a capital and write down on a paper behaviour change what is hard is to actually find a way to change peoples mind about inequality.

Q: Has there been community-led total sanitation (CLTS) intervention in India?

Spears: There is not a lot of CLTS in India and I even think there is an important debate about how much it has contributed in other countries. For example, we have a graph about it in our book about CLTS in Bangladesh.

CLTS was invented in 2000 and people talk about how it was an important part of what happened in Bangladesh. But open defecation in Bangladesh in 1991 was much less than what it is in India today. It was already going down in Bangladesh and if you look at open defecation before and after CLTS, it is going down at the same rate. That doesnt definitely prove that CLTS doesnt work but we need to think about it carefully.

In CLTS, people are supposed to come together as a community against open defecation. In most places, community means local area, my town or my village but in India, it means religion or caste.

The whole idea of CLTS is to get the whole village to cooperate but people in villages in India, unfortunately, dont co-operate, especially ones where open defecation is common. Exactly the places where casteism is important, those are the places where open defecation is common and those are the places where there is a lot of conflict among castes.

Q: What happens in a scenario where everyone gets and actually uses a latrine?

Spears: Imagine if Swacch Bharat Mission was successful and magically everyone was using the latrines. In a few years, they are going to fill up and who is going to empty them? It is going to set back progress in social liberalism because, one way or the other, Dalits will be the people who have to empty the latrine pits. I dont think there is a solution to the problem and I think it is problem that we should all be thinking about.

Swagata Yadavar is principal correspondent with IndiaSpend.
New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh Sunday appealed to the leaders of the Gorkhaland statehood movement in Darjeeling to call off their agitation, and urged the West Bengal government to initiate dialogue with them, a Home Ministry official said.

During a two-hour meeting chaired by Singh in New Delhi on Sunday evening, the leaders of the Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) submitted a memorandum to the Centre detailing their demands.

The home minister appealed to the leaders to call off the indefinite shutdown in Darjeeling, which entered its 60th day on Sunday. He also requested the leaders to end their hunger strike, the official said.

"I also appeal to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to initiate a dialogue with the GJM and other stakeholders of Darjeeling, who are on a strike for last 60 days.

Appeal to GJM & other stakeholders to call off hunger strike&to withdraw bandh call, allowing normalcy to return to the area: HM #Darjeeling pic.twitter.com/c1aNdi61MB  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

In the meantime, the state government should restore all civil supplies and also restore Internet services, Cable TV and local channels," the statement said.

In the meantime, state govt should restore all civil supplies and also restore internet services, Cable TV & local channels: HM #Darjeeling  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

The home minister said he was concerned about the developments in Darjeeling and the loss of valuable lives and sufferings of the people in the last two months.

"Violence can never be a solution to any problem. In a democracy, solutions are always found through restraint, mutual dialogue and within the legal ambit," he said. Singh said every one is aware of the strategic importance of the locality and the challenges the region face. He added that a solution should be found, "keeping in mind the national interest, as well as in the interest of our Gorkha brothers and sisters, who are brave and large hearted people and have contributed immensely to nation building".

Singh appealed to the people of Darjeeling to display sensitivity, and also keep in mind their civic responsibilities. "No grievances and problems can be resolved without any dialogue," he said.

The BJP's Darjeeling MP SS Ahluwalia also attended the meeting.

Swaraj Thapa, a leader of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which is a part of the GMCC, said the home minister had told them that he was mindful of the sufferings of the people in Darjeeling. "We urged him to start the process for (creation of) a separate state. The state is suppressing our democratic movement," Thapa said.

The GJM leader said the home minister had appealed to them to end the agitation. "We will soon decide the future course of action," he said.

The GMCC, the apex body of the hill parties, had earlier said that it would continue the agitation for a separate state and sought the central government's intervention to break the logjam.

Two top leaders of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, which has been ruling the autonomous hill council  Bimal Gurung and Roshan Giri  did not attend Sunday's meeting.

Supplies of food and essentials were drying up due to the strike. Internet services have also been snapped in the hills since 18 June, when the agitation started in protest against the West Bengal government's decision to introduce Bengali as one of the subjects in schools in the hills.

Except medicine shops, all business establishments, schools and colleges remained closed in the hills. Police and security forces patrolled the streets in the hills and kept a vigil on the entry and exit routes.
New Delhi: A son of a former Manipur minister was found dead after he allegedly fell under mysterious circumstances from the second-floor terrace of a restaurant in south Delhi's Hauz Khas village, police said on Sunday.

Police said Sidharth, 19, fell down from the building housing 'Match Box' restaurant around 4 pm on Saturday. He was rushed to a hospital but he succumbed to his injuries there, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Chinmoy Biswal said.

The young man's father Okendro R is a former Education and Home Minister of Manipur.

"Some flower pots were found broken at the rear side of the restaurant building while his personal items like purse, cell phone and spectacles were found lying on the terrace. There was no eyewitness to the incident," Biswal said.

Sidharth was staying along with his sister and brother in Safdarjung Enclave area in south Delhi.

A mobile crime team inspected the spot after Sidharth's sister said she suspected foul play in the death.

Apart from questioning restaurant staff, police were examining the closed-circuit television footage from the restaurant.
Gorakhpur: The Union government has approved the setting up of a regional medical centre at a cost of Rs 85 crore in Gorakhpur for in-depth research into children's diseases, union health minister JP Nadda said on Sunday.

The announcement comes in the backdrop of the deaths of at least 30 children in 48 hours in a government hospital in Gorakhpur.

Nadda, who was addressing a press conference along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, said that before coming to Gorakhpur he had given his nod to the proposal for a regional medical research centre.

"During the last parliamentary session, I had assured Adityanath ji that a full-fledged institute will soon be set up," he said.

"Before coming here (Gorakhpur), I had approved the establishment of a regional medical research centre in Gorakhpur, at a cost of Rs 85 crore. This institute will conduct research into the infections of children and their possible reasons," Nadda said.

Earlier at the conference, Adityanath made a made a strong pitch for establishing a full-fledged virus research centre in Gorakhpur.

"The geography of east Uttar Pradesh is such that we cannot win the war against vector-borne diseases until we have a full-fledged viral research centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given AIIMS, we have started it. But, there should be a full-fledged viral research centre in Gorakhpur," Adityanath had said.

Nadda said that Adityanath used to raise the issue of Japanese Encephalitis during every session of the parliament.

This was the first time that the issue was not raised as Adityanath was not there, the Union minister said.

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed concern over the deaths, and was constantly monitoring the situation.

"The Government of India is extending all possible support to the state government. The Centre has taken initiatives for Uttar Pradesh as well as for Gorakhpur, whether it is the establishment of an AIIMS or an ICMR centre," he said.
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New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the death of at least 30 children at a state-run hospital in Gorakhpur, alleging that the Yogi Adityanath government, through "operation cover-up", was attempting to bury the truth.

The party said according to reports that have emerged till now, the unusually high number of deaths occurred due to neglect and mismanagement, and not due to any disease as is being claimed by the BJP government in the state.

"The chief minister, the health minister, the principal of the Baba Raghav Das Medical College are all responsible for the deaths. The UP government has blood on its hands. And now they have launched an operation cover-up," Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill told a press conference in New Delhi.

The chief secretary-level probe ordered by the government was an "eyewash", Shergill said, demanding an independent probe, under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.

"How can an accused probe allegations against himself?" he wondered, referring to the probe ordered by the Uttar Pradesh government.

On Saturday, Adityanath rejected reports that the children died due to shortage of oxygen. He asserted that no one will be allowed to go scot-free and stern action will be taken against those responsible.

Follow the liveblog here
The death of 72 children in Baba Raghav Das (BRD) medical college in Gorakhpur shook the nation on Saturday. But amid the sordid news, the tale of how Dr Kafeel Khan, nodal officer for the Department of Pediatrics at the medical college, provided one with a silver lining.

The doctor reportedly thought on his feet and arranged for oxygen cylinders with the help of his friends and private vendors.

According to a report in DNA, parents of children admitted to the hospital said that had it not been for Khan, the number of fatalities could have been far higher.

Khan, with the help of hospital staff, drove to his friend's clinic and borrowed three oxygen cylinders, alleviating the lack of oxygen in the hospital. CNN-News18 also reported that Khan paid Rs 10,000 to an oxygen supplier out of his own pocket.

BRD Medical College Dr Kafil, child specialist Statement In Gorakhpur pic.twitter.com/s7Xsag6G81  Bahujan Samaj Party (@BspUp2017) August 13, 2017

But, one day after the tragedy, Khan has been terminated from his services by the hospital. According to a report on India Today, Khan was ousted on Sunday.

He is the second person from the hospital administration, following the suspension of the principal of the BRD medical college, Dr Rajeev Mishra. According to PTI, Mishra was suspended following the death of 30 infants within a span of 48 hours since 10 August. Mishra resigned from his post to take "moral responsibility" for the incident.

Confirming the resignation of Mishra, UP health minister Sidharth Nath Singh said, "Yes, he has resigned. But we had already suspended him and initiated enquiry into his misdoings."

According to ANI, Dr PK Singh, principal of Rajkiya Medical College in Ambedkar Nagar, has been given additional charge of BRD Medical College. He will be taking over Mishra's responsibilities. The report added that Dr Bhupendra Sharma has been appointed as the new nodal officer for the Department of Pediatrics in the hospital, taking over Kafil's role.

It is yet to be revealed why Khan was released.
After visiting Gorakhpur twice in 2017, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath visited his former parliamentary constituency for the third time on 9 August to gauge the impact of government schemes in various districts. As part of his itinerary, the chief minister visited the region's largest hospital Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College.

He inaugurated a 10-bed ICU, a six-bed Critical Care Unit facility at the hospital, which gets a large number of encephalitis patients. Thousands have died of encephalitis in Gorakhpur since the first case was discovered in the late 70s, but none had left the impact as it did on Friday when a shocking news of 30 children being dead in a span of 48 hours at BRD Medical College was reported.

However, starting with the alleged non-payment of dues to the oxygen supplier by BRD medical college to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's press conference on Saturday evening, several key developments unfolded. Following is the timeline that explains how the entire news broke out and the key developments in the story so far:

- Around 7:30 pm on 11 August, a report surfaced stating that-30 children die in 48 hours after oxygen supply disrupted

-Gorakhpur district magistrate Rajeev Rautela confirmed the "death of 30 kids in the last two days" and seven deaths in the last 24 hours.

-Employee of Pushpa Pvt Ltd- supplier of liquid oxygen to BRD college alleged of non-payment of dues worth over Rs 68 lakh

- A magisterial probe was ordered and a detailed report was to be submitted

- One 11-year-old suffering from encephalitis passes away on Saturday morning, taking death toll at Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College to 63.

- A report confirming 60 deaths over five days in the hospital released in the press.

- Uttar Pradesh health minister Siddharth Nath Singh said Opposition parties should not politicise deaths

- New oxygen cylinders were brought to the medical college

- Kailash Satyarthi called Gorakhpur hospital tragedy 'a massacre'

- Pushpa Sales office was raided by police

- Yogi Adityanath has ordered a thorough probe: CM's office

- UP ministers hold meeting with BRD Medical College officials

- Siddharth Nath Singh holds a press conference and said death of children did not take place due to shortage of gas

- Narendra Modi's office tweeted saying that PM is constantly monitoring situation in Gorakhpur

- UP government suspended BRD Medical College principal

- Siddharth Nath Singh admits oxygen supply was cut off for two hours

- JP Nadda seeks report from Uttar Pradesh health department

- BRD Medical College principal takes responsibility for the deaths

- Narendra Modi speaks to Yogi Adityanath to take the stalk of the situation

- Union Health Minister JP Nadda spoke to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and assured him of assistance from the Centre

- State Minister of Technical and Medical Education Ashutosh Tandon says: A high-level committee headed by Chief Secretary Rajiv Kumar will investigate the Gorakhpur incident

- Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath calls for a meeting of ministers Siddharth Nath Singh, Ashutosh Tandon and MoS Health Anupriya Patel over the Gorakhpur tragedy

- Yogi Adityanath addressed a press conference; attempts to deflect culpability by blaming infants deaths on dirty surroundings and open defecation and said anyone found guilty will not be spared.

- MoS Health Anupriya Patel and Siddharth Nath Singh meet to discuss the tragedy.

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Death toll in the Gorakhpur hospital tragedy crosses 70 on Sunday morning, as Encephalitis claims another life in the government hospital, according to ANI.

Minister of state for minority welfare Baldev Aulakh had company in Times Now, that debated the Independence Day story instead of Gorakhpur on its 9 pm show on Friday. When a panellist mentioned the BRD hospital deaths, he was brusquely told by the anchor not to divert and focus on the real issue.

What gets one's goat is that instead of fixing this huge medical problem in eastern Uttar Pradesh, the government puts the patriotism test higher up on the priority list. In fact, even as these children were choking to death, one of Adityanath's ministers was directing all madrassas (Islamic schools) to hold celebrations on Independence Day and videograph the event. This was followed by a warning that action will be taken against those madrassas that do not follow the order.

Encephalitis is a deadly vector-borne disease which claims hundreds of lives in the state every year. According to a report by the Directorate of National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme (NVBDCP), 26,686 cases of encephalitis were reported in Uttar Pradesh between 2010 and August 2017. Of this, 24,668 cases were of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and 2,018 of Japanese Encephalitis (JE). Out of those reportedly suffering from AES, 4,093 died in the same period. On the other hand, there were 308 JE deaths registered in the state  15 percent of the total people who suffered from JE between 2010-2017.

According to an RTI reply, a Department of Pediatrics report stated that from 2009 till 2011, 3,745 children had died in the hospital. Further, the report also revealed that the incubator, pulse oximeter and infant ventilators in the hospital are out of order.

Siddhartha Nath Singh claimed no one from the hospital had informed them about the issue of lack of oxygen and said: "In August 2015, 668 deaths took place in the paediatric section of the hospital. In 2014, 2015 and 2016, 17 or 18 deaths per day on an average were reported from the BRD Medical College."

BRD Medical College and Hospital is not unfamiliar to tragedy. Since 1978, this hospital has an average of over 200 deaths per bed, making Gorakhpur highly endemic to encephalitis.

He said that the medical team from Delhi will be investigating these vector-borne diseases and that they will be waiting for the report from the committee to give further updates.

The chief minister said that a committee chaired by the chief secretary is looking into the developments in the NICU, which will investigate whether the deaths were due to encephalitis or due to lack of oxygen. He also urged reporters to go to the ward and see the children, rather than spreading rumours.

I have seen children die due to encephalitis, so nobody can be more sensitive towards those children than me, Adityanath added. He also said that Japanese encephalitis isnt the only issue Uttar Pradesh is facing, My worry isnt just encephalitis, but also the rise of swine flu, dengue, chikungunya and other illnesses. He said that the state government is making special provisions to fight these diseases.

He added that vaccinations for over 90 lakh children in 38 districts to fight against Japanese encephalitis. The chief minister emphasized that this was his fourth visit to BRD medical college and that he had also visited the hospital on 9 August as well.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed the press after his visit to the BRD medical college in Gorakhpur. He addressed the visits by JP Nadda and Anupriya Patel to Gorakhpur, saying that major immunization and treatment drives are taking place. Adityanath also said that the Centre has sent a team of doctors from Delhi to tackle the encephalitis issue.

"The chief minister, the health minister, the principal of the Baba Raghav Das Medical College are all responsible for the deaths. The UP government has blood on its hands. And now they have launched an operation cover-up," Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill told a press conference in New Delhi.

The party said according to reports that have emerged till now, the unusually high number of deaths occurred due to neglect and mismanagement, and not due to any disease as is being claimed by the BJP government in the state.

The Congress on Sunday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the death of at least 30 children at a state-run hospital in Gorakhpur, alleging that the Yogi Adityanath government, through "operation cover-up", was attempting to bury the truth.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda said that the Centre has approved the setup of a regional medical centre in Gorakhpur. According to PTI, the centre will be built at a cost of Rs 85 crore.

According to the Indian Express , a four-year-old boy suffering from encephalitis died on Sunday, taking the death toll to 72 in the past week. Initially, ANI reported that 11 children died on Saturday and the death toll stood at 60 on Friday.

The Nodal Officer for the Department of Pediatrics in BRD medical college, Dr Kafeel Khan, has reportedly been ousted and Dr Bhupendra Sharma has been appointed to take his place

He also addressed BRD medical college principal Rajiv Mishra's suspension, saying that he has been receiving complaints about Mishra. "His work was disorganized, substandard," he said. He also dismissed the praises that the hospital's nodal officer of the paediatrics department was receiving. He said that if 52 cylinders were in stock in the hospital on Friday night, then Dr Kafeel Khan's three cylinders would make absolutely no difference.

Uttar Pradesh Director General Medical Education KK Gupta spoke out on the death of 72 infants in BRD medical college in Gorakhpur in the past five days. According to ANI, he said that this is the peak season for diseases like encephalitis, adding that this makes it clear these deaths have no relation with shortage of oxygen.

Earlier, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel and Health Secretary CK Mishra visited the hospital on the directions of the Centre to look into the lapses in the BRD Medical College.

He also said, "Prime Minister is concerned about the deaths and asking for regular updates. The Central government has taken several initiatives for Gorakhpur. For better treatment, a three-member team of specialist doctors is here." According to Hindustan Times, a three-member team of AIIMS doctors has been sent by the Centre to visit the encephalitis ward at the hospital in the district.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda said the Centre has approved Rs 85 crore for setting up a central Viral Research Centre in Gorakhpur. "The approval for a central-level Viral Research Centre has been given. The research centre will be set up in Gorakhpur to help in finding out the real problems of the vector borne diseases in the areas of eastern UP and will help in finding a permanent solution. For this purpose the Centre will release Rs 85 crore," said Nadda.

What u were doing with tht  for last 5 terms as Gorakhpur MP & now as CM. Kids died day aftr ur visit to hospital,wasn't it clean then? https://t.co/2SY07dhiH0

Lalu Prasad Yadav's tweet from Saturday bashes Yogi Adityanath's statement in Allahabad, which said that the death of children in his hometown was caused by filth and scourge of open defecation. "There are vector-borne diseases, such as encephalitis, you must be hearing media reports of BRD medical college these days...it is a tragedy that lives of young children have been snuffed out at such young age because we do not lead a clean and hygienic life," he had said at the gathering. Lalu retorted to this statement, asking Adityanath what he was doing in his five terms as Gorakhpur MP.

Black Flags shown to @myogiadityanath at BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur. Last time that hapnd he put the protesting students behind bars.

Media reports state that on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, Khan, who was at his home, got to know that the hospitals central pipeline was running out of oxygen and that emergency oxygen cylinders could provide gas only for two more hours.

Dr Kafeel Khan, the head of encephalitis ward at Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, thought on his feet and arranged oxygen cylinders with the help of his friends and private vendors.

Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda said that the Centre has approved the setup of a regional medical centre in Gorakhpur. According to PTI, the centre will be built at a cost of Rs 85 crore.

According to the Indian Express , a four-year-old boy suffering from encephalitis died on Sunday, taking the death toll to 72 in the past week. Initially, ANI reported that 11 children died on Saturday and the death toll stood at 60 on Friday.

The Nodal Officer for the Department of Pediatrics in BRD medical college, Dr Kafeel Khan, has reportedly been ousted and Dr Bhupendra Sharma has been appointed to take his place

Have been receiving complaints against him ( Rajiv Mishra, suspended Principal). His work was disorganized, substandard: KK Gupta #Gorakhpur pic.twitter.com/uJgXyylI5n

He also addressed BRD medical college principal Rajiv Mishra's suspension, saying that he has been receiving complaints about Mishra. "His work was disorganized, substandard," he said. He also dismissed the praises that the hospital's nodal officer of the paediatrics department was receiving. He said that if 52 cylinders were in stock in the hospital on Friday night, then Dr Kafeel Khan's three cylinders would make absolutely no difference.

Uttar Pradesh Director General Medical Education KK Gupta spoke out on the death of 72 infants in BRD medical college in Gorakhpur in the past five days. According to ANI, he said that this is the peak season for diseases like encephalitis, adding that this makes it clear these deaths have no relation with shortage of oxygen.

In what seems to be a damage control exercise by the Uttar Pradesh government, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union health minister JP Nadda will visit Gorakhpur on Sunday to take stock of the situation at a government hospital, where 72 children have died of Encephalitis, ANI reported.

Adityanath's visit comes just a day after he rejected reports that lack of oxygen supply was responsible for deaths of over 60 children in a government hospital in Gorakhpur in the last five days.

Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday instituted a committee under the chief secretary to go into the gas supplier's role and other lapses.

Adityanath and Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh quoted figures of child deaths in August over a period of three years and after the BJP government came to power to claim that the deaths have occurred due to vector-borne diseases like Japanese Encephalitis highly prevalent in the region.

Flanked by Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel and the state Health and Medical Education Ministers at a press conference, Adityanath asserted that stringent action will be taken against those found guilty.

He and Siddharth Nath Singh contended that there has been no death due to lack of oxygen supply to Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Medical College and Hospital, but did concede there was a problem in the supply of liquid oxygen for four hours on 10 August which was made up by the system switching to cylinders.

The chief minister also said that BRD College Principal Rajiv Mishra has already been suspended on grounds of negligence and administrative lapses relating to delayed payment to the gas supplier.

He said that a magisterial inquiry has already been ordered and the report will come soon, while the committee headed by the chief secretary is expected to give its report in a week.

Adityanath requested the media to be responsible and only broadcast authentic death statistics.

"We are sensitive to each death in the hospital and will request you all to be careful about the facts and figures," he said at a press conference in Lucknow.

Expressing his sympathies to the bereaved families, Adityanath said that encephalitis was a big challenge for the state government as well as an emotional issue for him as he has been waging a war against it since 1998.

He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had enquired about the situation and assured all central help. The union health secretary was in Gorakhpur, he said, adding that Union Health Minister JP Nadda and his minister of state were monitoring the situation as well.

Adityanath also said that during his review meeting in Gorakhpur on 9 August, he had asked officials if there were any issues or they required any help from the government but was told that there were none.

The chief minister said that he himself had visited the BRD medical college on 9 July and 9 August to himself look at the situation but was not informed of any shortage, including of oxygen.

Meanwhile, citing figures, Siddharth Nath Singh said that 567 deaths occurred in August 2014 at a daily average of 19, 668 deaths in 2015 in the same month with a daily average of 22 and 587 deaths in August 2016 with a daily average of about 20, but the state government has taken steps to improve health services in the last three months and there had been a reduction in fatalities.

"In August this year up to the 11,133 deaths have occurred," he said.

Also denying the shortage of oxygen or disruption of the central oxygen plant had led to the deaths of children, including infants, he attributed the deaths to some being underweight, early delivery, sepsis, pneumonia and other infections. A few deaths, he added, happened due to encephalitis as well.

Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tandon said pending payments of the vendor supplying oxygen were cleared on 5 August and funds sent to the BRD medical college, but it was "surprising" that Principal Rajeev Mishra did not release it until 11 August.



With inputs from IANS
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government has asked all the medical colleges to ensure that there is no shortage of medicines or oxygen, days after at least 30 children died in a state-run institute in Gorakhpur, an official said on Sunday.

The Uttar Pradesh government's medical education department, in a letter to the medical colleges, also directed them to immediately pay all the outstanding dues to the oxygen suppliers (if any).

"After the Gorakhpur tragedy, we have issued a written order to all the nine government medical colleges and 12 other prominent medical institutes in the state to ensure that there is no shortage of any medicine or oxygen in the hospitals," additional chief secretary, medical education, Anita Bhatnagar Jain told PTI.

"If there is any pending payment, which is yet to be made to any gas supplier, then it should be done immediately. There should be no shortage of oxygen in the institute, and adequate stock of oxygen must be maintained," Jain said.

The principals of all the medical colleges in the state have also been told to personally ensure that there is no shortage of any medicine or oxygen, and no laxity in this regard will be tolerated, she said.

"The deaths of children in Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College in Gorakhpur was not because of shortage of oxygen. The payment for gas supply in BRD Medical College was already done.

"Principals of all the medical colleges have been told to personally ensure that there is no shortage of any medicine or oxygen. They have also been told to personally monitor the gas level. There should not be any delay in making payments. If there is any problem, then it must be conveyed to the state government at the earliest," Jain said.

Under pressure over the death of at least 30 children at the BRD Medical College in his home district Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday refuted the reports that oxygen shortage led to the tragedy and blamed its principal for not bringing the issue before him.

The incident has triggered outrage with the Samajwadi Party and the Congress seeking the resignation of state health minister Siddhartha Nath Singh.

The Congress has also demanded the resignation of the chief minister.

Follow the liveblog here
Amid the tragedy that claimed the lives of more than 70 children at Gorakhpurs Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, a doctor's quick thinking saved many.

Dr Kafeel Khan, the head of encephalitis ward at Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, thought on his feet and arranged oxygen cylinders with the help of his friends and private vendors.

According to a report in DNA, parents of the children admitted at the hospital said that had it not been for Khan, the number of fatalities could have been far higher.

Media reports state that on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday, Khan, who was at his home, got to know that the hospitals central pipeline was running out of oxygen and that emergency oxygen cylinders could provide gas only for two more hours.

When the hospital staff called up the oxygen supplier for emergency supply of oxygen cylinders, they were told that cylinders could be provided only after they cleared their dues, according to the DNA report.

Around 400 children suffering from encephalitis were battling for their lives in the hospital.

Khan along with two of his hospital staff, drove to his friends clinic and borrowed three oxygen cylinders.

News18.com wrote that Khan put the cylinders in his car and drove back to the hospital. The cylinders however lasted for 30 minutes only.

By the morning, when children had started gasping for breath, Khan instructed his junior doctors to pump oxygen with Ambu bags (small pumps used manually to aid breathing).

Khan then dialed some other oxygen suppliers and managed to get 12 cylinders.

According to DNA, Khan made four trips to ferry the 12 cylinders to the hospital.

News18.com reported that Khan even paid Rs 10,000 to an oxygen supplier out of his own pocket.

However, Khan was devastated at the end of the day, as he could not save all the children, according to the report.

Follow the liveblog here
Facing public anger, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday visited the hospital where over 60 children died in five days and said anyone found guilty of negligence would not be spared.

Flanked by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, who accompanied him on a tour of the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, the Chief Minister said they are waiting for a report of the probe committee set up by the government.

He said if it is found that any death is caused by negligence of the hospital authorities then his government would take the strongest action. "Nobody will be spared," he said, reiterating what he said on Saturday at a press conference.

Adityanath also sought the Centre's help to set up a virus research centre in the eastern part of the state to fight vector borne diseases like encephalitis, which claim several lives each year.

"The atmosphere of eastern UP is such that there are many vector borne diseases like encephalitis. To stop the diseases we need to have a full-fledged Central Virus Research Centre," Adityanath said.

Nadda said the Centre has approved Rs 85 crore for setting up a central Viral Research Centre in Gorakhpur.

"The approval for a Central-level Viral Research Centre has been given. The research centre will be set up in Gorakhpur to help in finding out the real problems of the vector borne diseases in the areas of eastern UP and will help in finding a permanent solution. For this purpose the Centre will release Rs 85 crore," said Nadda.

Initially, it was reported that the children died to to lack of liquid oxygen in the BRD college, but Adityanath on Saturday clarified that the deaths occurred due to encephalitis and other reasons, and not because of lack of oxygen supply.

Earlier, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel and Health Secretary C.K. Mishra visited the hospital on the directions of the Centre to look into the lapses in the BRD Medical College.

Principal of the BRD Medical College R.K. Mishra was suspended for alleged negligence and callousness.
Allahabad: Samajwadi Party students' wing Sunday hurled tomatoes and eggs at the local residence of Uttar Pradesh health minister Siddharth Nath Singh, in protest against the deaths of children at a hospital in Gorakhpur.

"We staged a protest outside the health minister's residence over the Gorakhpur tragedy. Eggs and tomatoes were hurled by some of the activists who were agitated over the deaths of innocent children," Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha leader Faisal Mansoor told PTI.

Over 60 children have reportedly died at the BRD Medical College Hospital since 7 August, many for want of oxygen whose supply was disrupted after bills were not paid to the vendor.

At least 30 children were reported dead in the last two days alone.

The incident sparked a national outcry, with Opposition parties demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Meanwhile, Sunil Dubey, in-charge of the Civil Lines police station under which Singh's residence falls, said, "We have heard about the protests outside the minister's house. However, no complaint has been registered in this regard, and there have been no arrests".

Earlier in the day, BSP chief Mayawati termed as "irresponsible" Singh's remarks that "many children die" in the month of August every year at the Gorakhpur-based state-run hospital.
Lucknow: The UP Congress Sunday termed the large number of infant deaths in a Gorakhpur hospital "murder" and demanded Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's resignation, saying if he was unable to handle an institution, how will he run the state.

"70 children were murdered in the last four days (since 10 August). The state government is responsible for their murder. This government is a killer and I want to ask how many more children will be killed," Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Raj Babbar told reporters here.

"When a chief minister is unable to handle a medical college in his home district, how would he run the state? He should immediately resign from his post," he told a press conference here while attacking Yogi Adityanath.

Demanding a compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the victim's parents, he said a case of murder should be lodged against those who are guilty. Babbar said the Congress would run a state-wide campaign on the issue but did not disclose the date when it would start.

He hailed the media for the "unbiased reporting" on the issue and said, "Who will decide it was death or murder? The entire focus of the government is on cow-slaughter, singing of Vande Mataram, where the flag is being hoisted on August 15".

The Congress leader said that under the UPA government, Rs 150 crore was given to the BRD medical college hospital and a 100-bed ward was also constructed. "The chief minister had visited the hospital, but he was not aware about the oxygen crisis. The CM has constituted a probe committee but the government has already said that deaths were not due to shortage of oxygen. Then why a probe?" the UPCC president said.

He also slammed state Health minister Sidharth Nath Singh for terming deaths in August as "routine".

Referring to the statement of a BJP MP that the incident was "massacre", Babbar said, "A case of murder should be lodged against the government and those associated with it".
One of the more unusual things about India is that what is said is often less important than who says it. This is true to some extent for most parts of the world, of course. But in our country the primary motivation ascribed to something controversial being said is the identity of the person holding the view.

And so, if I speak in favour of Patidar reservations, it is because I am Patel and pushing my own community. Or if one is against the use of shotguns on protesters, it is because she or he is Kashmiri and backing their own community over the greater good. The most vulnerable such people are India's Muslims, who are casually accused of parochialism and narrowness.

This happens without an examination of what they are saying. This phenomenon I am describing is visible to us in our everyday lives and on television news, so I do not need to describe it further. All readers will know what I mean. However, I think that we have not yet seen this phenomenon entering high politics, which is full of politeness and decorum. I believe that tradition has been broken with the prime minister's comments on the former vice-president.

They followed an interview on Rajya Sabha TV with Karan Thapar in which this question was asked: "...the Muslim community is apprehensive, it's feeling insecure. Is that a correct assessment of how Indian Muslims feel or is it an exaggerated one?"

Hamid Ansari replied: "Yes, it is a correct assessment, from all I hear from different quarters, the country; I hear the same thing in Bengaluru that 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."

This line made front pages. The interview has to be seen or read in full to gauge how measured and controlled Ansari is. He said absolutely nothing wrong. He is reporting his assessment of what he is hearing and seeing. He doesn't even blame the government. But the response from the BJP was quite vicious and aggressively communal.

I was disturbed and saddened by the words of Modi, who mocked Ansari on his last day in office. Readers will remember that Ansari was vulnerable from the beginning to the BJP. Ram Madhav, the party's general secretary, made some ignorant observations about Ansari's conduct, which he later deleted from his Twitter account after it turned out that what he said was factually incorrect. I will not repeat what happened because it was distasteful.

During all this, Ansari remained the picture of decorum and decency. On his last day, Modi said to Ansari's face, that he (Modi) got to know the "real meaning of career diplomats only after he became prime minister as it was difficult to immediately interpret the meaning of a diplomat's handshake or smile."

Modi said Ansari's family had a long association with the Congress and the Khilafat movement. He said that as a diplomat his work was focussed on West Asia and Ansari associated with the "same sort of atmosphere, same kind of ideology and same kind of people."

Even after his retirement, Modi went on, Ansari had mostly worked with the Minority Commission and Aligarh Muslim University. Modi ended with this barb: "There may have been some struggle within you (in the 10 years that Ansari was vice-president) but from now onwards, you won't have to face this dilemma. You will have a feeling of freedom and you will get an opportunity to work, think and talk according to your ideology."

What ideology, according to the prime minister, does Ansari hold? Modi didn't say. He didn't need to. It is impossible not to miss the intent of Modi's thrust. He was deliberately reducing Ansari to his Muslim identity by linking his career as a diplomat in the Arab world and educationist and his reflections on intolerance with his religion. Modi's twitter supporters and the television channels took his cue and hammered Ansari in the most vulgar fashion.

Ansari himself began his speech with the couplet: Mujhpe ilzaam itne lagaaye gaye, begunahi ke andaaz jaate rahe. Meaning that he had been accused unfairly so often that now proving innocence was impossible. Should not all Indians worry that a vice-president demitting office says these words?

We probably won't give it much thought. Or most of us will dismiss his warning.

Are Indian Muslims feeling insecure? It doesn't matter.

If India's vice-president says they are, he's saying it only because he's a Muslim.
Patna: Incessant rains in the last 72 hours in neighbouring Nepal, coupled with heavy rains in the last 24 hours in the Seemanchal area, have caused floods in Kishanganj, Purnea, Araria and Katihar districts of Bihar.

An Information and Public Relations Department (IPRD) release quoted chief minister Nitish Kumar as saying that due to rains in the catchment areas of Nepal and the Seemanchal districts, rivers like Mahananda and Kankai had swelled, causing floods in the four districts.

It added that the most affected district was Kishanganj, where the flood waters had entered the town.

"I have talked to the prime minister, Union home minister and defence minister over the phone, apprised them of the flood situation in these districts and requested them to help the state deal with the situation. They have assured me of all possible help," the release quoted Kumar as saying.

The chief minister also demanded an additional deployment of 10 companies of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in the state, besides deployment of the Indian Air Force's helicopters to carry out relief-and-rescue operations, it added.

Kumar, who is keeping a close tab on the situation in the flood-hit districts, held a high-level meeting on Sunday to assess the scenario, besides reviewing the state government's preparedness and arrangements for the relief-and-rescue operations.

After taking stock of the ground situation from Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and Disaster Management Department's Principal Secretary Pratyaya Amrit, he directed the officials to carry out the relief-and-rescue operations on a war footing.

The chief minister also asked the officials to seek the Army's help, the release said.

Kumar said the NDRF and SDRF teams, which were stationed in the state, had been dispatched to the affected areas to carry out the relief-and-rescue operations.

The chief minister talked to the people's representatives of the flood-hit districts and took feedback from them. He also asked the ministers in-charge of the districts to camp in their respective areas.

Kumar issued necessary directions to officials to shift the flood-affected people to safer places.

Briefing reporters, chief secretary Singh said the flood waters had entered seven relief camps, which were set up in Kishanganj district, and steps were being to taken to shift those who had taken shelter in these camps to safer places.

Principal secretaries and secretaries had rushed to their respective districts in helicopters, he added.

Amrit said parts of East and West Champaran and Sitamarhi districts were also affected due to heavy rains, but could not give any figure as regards how many people were affected.

The flood waters had also entered the Narkatiaganj area of West Champaran district, officials said.

As per the East Central Rail (ECR) chief public relations officer (CPRO), eight trains had been cancelled due to waterlogging at the Narkatiaganj yard.
India has taken up with China a complaint filed by an Indian passenger alleging misbehaviour with Indians at the Shanghai Pudong international airport by the staff of a Chinese airline, sources said on Sunday.

The matter has been taken up with the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Pudong airport authorities after it was brought to the notice of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, sources told PTI.

Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines has denied the allegation saying that after checking related materials and the airport CCTV footage, it found news reports about the incident did not conform to the fact, state-run Xinhua news agency reported last night.

"Instead, the airlines employees offered meticulous service," the airline said in a statement.

The company claimed that it is dedicated to providing quality flight service for passengers around the world. Earlier, media reports said that North American Punjabi Association executive director Satnam Singh Chahal wrote to Swaraj alleging that he noticed that at the exit gate of the airplane for wheelchair passengers, ground staff was insulting transit Indian passengers.

Chahal, who travelled on August 6 by China Eastern Airlines flight from New Delhi to San Francisco, had to stop at Shanghai Pudong to catch his next flight of the same airlines for San Francisco. He said when he complained to concerned Airlines he was shouted down by the official.

"I noticed from their body language that they were frustrated from the rising border tension between India and China," Chahal was quoted as saying in the letter, apparently referring to the nearly two-month long standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam in Sikkim section.

Chahal even suggested to Swaraj to issue an advisory for Indian transit travellers to avoid transiting through China.

Last month, China had issued a safety advisory to its nationals in India to pay close attention to their safety and take precaution for their security to avoid being affected by prevailing anti-China sentiment.
Srinagar: Three militants were on Sunday killed in an overnight encounter with security forces in Shopian district of south Kashmir, the police said.

Two army men had lost their life in the gunfight on Saturday, while three others were injured.

Three militants have been killed in the encounter at Zainapora in Shopian, Director General of Police (DGP), SP Vaid told PTI.

Vaid said the identity and group affiliation of the slain militants is being ascertained.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation following information about presence of militants in Avneera village of Zainapora area of the district yesterday.

As the forces were conducting searches, the militants opened fire on them which was retaliated by the law enforcement personnel, triggering a gunfight.

Five soldiers were injured in the gunfight yesterday and were evacuated to 92 Base Hospital of the Army for treatment.

Two soldiers among them succumbed to injuries last night.

The operation was halted for the night but the forces maintained cordon of the area to stop the militants from fleeing.

The gunfight resumed this morning and the three militants were killed.

A defence spokesman identified the slain Army men as Sepoy Ilayaraja P, a resident of Tamil Nadu, and Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman, a resident of Maharashtra.
Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday demanded a CBI probe into an alleged embezzlement of over Rs 600 crore of government funds by a Bhagalpur-based NGO.

Senior Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar said the amount of fraudulent withdrawal of government funds has gone upto over Rs 600 crore so far in an investigation which was being carried out by the Economic Offence Unit (EOU).

On 10 August chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh had said that the amount of government funds that were embezzled by the NGO was around Rs 302.70 crore which might rise further.

Prasad told reporters that the figure of embezzeled funds had reached Rs 1000 crore and claimed that the money had also gone out of the state besides being invested in real estate and other places.

"One can not deny the money laundering aspect. There is the involvement of banks also and hence a state government agency is not capable of carrying out the probe in a fair manner," he claimed.

"So, we demand a CBI probe into the scam. Everything will become clear if the CBI carries out probes... We will also request the CAG to do a special audit in this connection. The Enforcement Directorate can also probe it," he said.

He also demanded the dismissal of deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi from the government for his alleged links with the NGO's founder.

Sushil, who held portfolios of finance and commercial taxes for several years, had the responsibility of finance department without whose permission money cannot be transferred in any bank account, Prasad claimed.

He said it was his duty to put a check on the financial irregularities.

Prasad alleged that both chief minister Nitish Kumar and Sushil had links with the NGO that siphoned off over Rs 1,000 crore of government funds.

Showing a photograph to buttress his claim, the RJD chief claimed that Nitish was awarding the NGO's founder secretary in it.

Sushil and other BJP leaders such as Union minister Giriraj Singh, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, former Union ministers Shahnawaz Hussain and other leaders were also seen in the photograph as they had close links with the NGO, he claimed.

"Our party MLAs will also raise the issue in the upcoming Monsoon Session of state legislature (beginning August 21)... These funds have been transferred in violation of provisions of Bihar Treasury Code and Bihar Finance Rules and Sushil Modi has direct or indirect role in the embezzlement," he alleged.

Taking a jibe at Nitish Kumar's review meetings in various districts, the former Bihar CM asked, "Is it an example of zero tolerance for corruption. Nitish has destroyed the state in the name of development."

Countering the RJD chief's charges, JD(U) spokesman and MLC Niraj Kumar said allegations could not be made merely on basis of photographs, rather they must be supported by facts.

On Prasad's demand for a CBI probe, Kumar claimed he has suddenly developed a kind of affection for the central agency against which he had been spewing venom.

"The state police are capable of probing the matter. Let the facts come first and then he (Lalu) should react," he added.

Meanwhile, the SSP said three more FIRs were lodged in this connection yesterday.

Three separate FIRs have been lodged for embezzlement of funds of District Board, District Nazarat and Cooperative Department.
Rawalpindi: Continuing its tirade against deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday distributed pamphlets listing reasons for his ouster.

The PTI party said it had prepared a response to Sharif's repeated questioning of why he was disqualified by the Supreme Court.

"We will tell you why you were disqualified," Dawn.com quoted the pamphlets, which were distributed from a private helicopter at Liaquat Bagh and nearby areas ahead of the gathering here, as saying.

The pamphlets listed 10 reasons, including money laundering, looting taxpayers' money and lying to Parliament and public about Panama leaks, for Sharif's ouster from public office.

Leaders of the Imran Khan-led party had earlier submitted an application to the district administration seeking permission to drop pamphlets in the city from a helicopter.

The same reasons are also expected to be announced at the gathering on Sunday at Liaquat Bagh which is being held by PTI and the Awami Muslim League.

PTI spokesperson Fawad Chaudhry earlier claimed that Sharif had attempted to mislead the public by distributing copies of his 'iqamah' during his homecoming rally.

"We knew Nawaz Sharif would not be able to understand the [Supreme Court] ruling in English," the report quoted Chaudhry as saying.

"We gave him time to get help from someone who could explain the verdict to him, but in the end we have no choice but to tell him the reasons behind his disqualification ourselves."

The former prime minister had in nearly all of his speeches that he delivered on his way to Lahore from Islamabad during his four-day GT Road rallies demanded that he be told the reason for his disqualification.
Violating the ceasefire again, Pakistani troops on Sunday fired from small arms along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. This is third ceasefire violations along the LoC in Poonch district in the past over 24 hours.

"There was a brief ceasefire violation by Pakistani troops along the LoC in Mankote sector of Poonch district early this morning", a police officer said on Sunday.

There was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the firing.

On Saturday, Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) Naib Sudebar Jagram Singh Tomar and a woman identified as Raqia Bi were killed as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire twice along the Line of Control (LoC) and shelled forward posts and villages in Poonch sector.

On 8 August, Sepoy Pawan Singh Sugra (21) lost his life in unprovoked Pakistani firing. Till 1 August this year, there have been 285 instances of ceasefire violation by Pakistani forces.

In 2016, the number was significantly less at 228
Surat: Special Operations Group of Surat police has arrested four persons for printing and circulating fake currency.

Rs 40.73 lakh in counterfeit notes were seized from their possession, police said.

An SOG team raided a house at Sania village near Surat on Sunday and seized fake notes in denomination of Rs 2,000, Rs 500 and Rs 100.

Police had earlier arrested three persons for trying to circulate fake currency. The arrested men revealed that they had got the notes from one Ravi Gandhi.

Police raided Gandhi's row house at Sania and arrested him. A printing machine, a cutting machine, a laptop and the paper used to print fake notes were found at the house, apart from Rs 15.38 lakh in fake currency.

Altogether, Rs 40.73 lakh in fake currency were seized from the possession of Gandhi (30) and the other three.

Gandhi thought of printing fake notes first when he was in urgent need of money to repay a loan of Rs 80 lakh, police said. Further probe is on.
In the wake of two MLAs in Gujarat violating the secrecy of vote in the Rajya Sabha elections, the Election Commission is contemplating measures to improve the layout of the polling station for such polls to minimise the scope of the ballot paper being seen by anyone not authorised to do so.

Sources said improvements could be made in respect of seating arrangements and positioning of furniture at the polling station for Rajya Sabha polls.

The Election Commission, which rejected the votes of two rebel Congress MLAs - Bhola Bhai Gohil and Raghavji Bhai Patel - had looked into the relevant portions of the video recording of the 8 August ,Gujarat polls following complaints from the Congress.

A leaked video had also surfaced which apparently showed an MLA displaying his ballot paper to his party's authorised representative, who was seated on a sofa.

The sources said sofas should not be used inside a polling station.

They said that instead of the ballot paper being displayed to the authorised representative by keeping it in the hand, an option could be to put it briefly on a table near the representative for him to see.

There is a provision of open voting in the Rajya Sabha elections which entails an elector showing his marked ballot paper only to the authorised representative of the political party to which he belongs before inserting it in the ballot box.

The sources said that the ballot paper has to be shown in a manner that it is visible only to authorised representative and he cannot tell the MLA to change his preference. The choice of ballot should also not be visible to any official present to guide the MLAs to the ballot box.

The bitterly-fought contest for the third Rajya Sabha seat in Gujarat, which Congress leader Ahmed Patel eventually won, had gone to the wire with the two sides making every effort to get the numbers. The BJP had fielded Balwantsinh Rajput after his defection from the Congress against Patel, who is political secretary of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The Congress complained to the Election Commission that Bhola Bhai Gohil and Raghavji Bhai Patel had shown their vote to BJP leaders, which was against the rules. The BJP, on its part, had contended that the Congress had not raised objections in time and the Returning Officer was the statutory authority to decide the validity or otherwise of a ballot paper.

The poll panel had observed in its verdict that the two MLAs had violated the voting procedure and secrecy of the ballot papers and hence invalidated their votes.

BJP president Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani were the two other candidates elected from Gujarat in the high-profile biennial elections to the upper house.

The sources said that some modifications and insertions could be made in the handbook for Returning Officers in the light of the Gujarat experience to improve the layout at polling stations.

The Election Commission had last year also taken corrective measures in the election process for Rajya Sabha and legislative council elections after an "ink controversy" surfaced in the Rajya Sabha polls in Haryana and 12 votes marked using a wrong pen were declared invalid.

The poll panel had issued directions that an integrated violet sketch pen with certain specifications will be used for all future elections and it shall be given to each voter by a designated polling officer and taken back after the voter comes out of the voting area.
New Delhi: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Sunday said India should attack Pakistan and conquer Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as he called for a complete boycott of all Chinese goods.

Speaking at the India TV conclave 'Vande Mataram' in Delhi, Ramdev said: "So many of our jawans have been martyred. They (Pakistan) have attacked us so many times. Why not a war to end all such attacks? We should conquer Pakistan-administered Kashmir and merge it with India."

He also said that India "should support Balochistan independent movement and break Pakistan into three parts".

Ramdev, who has a huge business empire, disclosed that his company is "in the process of" acquiring 150 acres of land in Jammu and Kashmir, and "would be offering jobs to Kashmiri youths soon".

He also called for a boycott of all Chinese goods in India, saying that China was fully backing Pakistan in its terror activities.

"We can easily outpace China and become a superpower," he said.

Ramdev said he was very optimistic about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government taking action against terror masterminds like Hafiz Saeed, Dawood Ibrahim and Masood Azhar.

"Wait till 2019, I think he can do it," he said.

The yoga guru claimed that anyone "who masters the art of yoga, can never become a terrorist", adding that "not a single person who has mastered yoga ever became a terrorist" in history.

He said that a terrorist or a suicide bomber normally has a "dyslexic problem" because he is brainwashed to the core.

On the other hand, a person who has learnt Yoga believes the world is his family.

"For him, all religions and God, in all his manifestations, are the same," Ramdev said.
Agartala: The Government Railway Police (GRP) has arrested a Tripura militant in Assam who planned to incite violence ahead of Independence Day and recovered a large quantity of ammunition from him, police said on Sunday.

"During a routine checking, the GRP personnel arrested the militant identified as Naresh Chakma, 34, at Badarpur railway junction on Saturday. Over 600 cartridges were recovered from the extremist," a Tripura police official said.

While the police were checking Chakma's bags, his associate Biswajoy Chakma managed to escape.

"Biswajoy was also carrying some arms and huge ammunition. Both are residents of Natun Bazar village in Gomati district," the official said, adding that Naresh confessed to the GRP officials that they had planned to incite violence before Independence Day.

However, it is not yet clear if the militants belonged to the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT).

"Naresh also told the GRP interrogators that he along with Biswajoy were staying at a hideout in Comilla (eastern Bangladesh). On 1 August, they entered India though the Meghalaya border and went to Dimapur (Nagaland) to purchase the bullets of different sophisticated arms from a Myanmar arms smuggler," the official said

NLFT cadres undergo arms training in several hideouts in Bangladesh, which shares a 1,880-km border with Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (263 km).

Banned in 1997 by the Union home ministry, the outlawed outfit had sought Tripura's secession from India.
New Delhi: Ahead of Independence Day, the Centre has written to the states to organise events in schools towards creating a "patriotic mood" and a "mass fervour" to help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'New India' vision.

However, West Bengal has instructed its schools to desist from following the Centre's circular, Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar said, terming the decision of the Trinamool Congress government as "unfortunate".

Javadekar told reporters, the instructions, such as administering of the Prime Minister's Sankalp Siddhi oath or commemorating the martrys of freedom struggle or "various wars/terrorist actions", are not binding on the schools and were part of a "secular agenda".

"It is desirable that this momentous occasion should be celebrated with an objective to create a festive and patriotic mood across the nation and a movement is created to involve every citizen of this country in the mission of realising the vision of a new India, which is clean and free from poverty, corruption, terrorism, communalism and casteism," Joint Secretary, MHRD, Maneesh Garg wrote to the states.

In the letter, Garg also requested the states to publicise the events, to be held between 9 and 30 August, to help create a mass fervour in favor of the mission. It added that apart from administering oath, the schools, including those affiliated to the CBSE, may be asked to organise quiz competitions on the struggle for Independence and the country's development and painting competitions on the same theme.

The quiz can be downloaded from the Narendra Modi App or the government's official portal, it said.

Meanwhile, Javadekar shared a copy of the memo issued by the State Project Director of the West Bengal Sarva Shiksha Mission, which says that it has been decided by the school education department that Independence Day will not be celebrated in line with the Centre's circular.

"The language used in the West Bengal government's memo is strange and unfortunate. I will talk to them. What we have proposed is a secular agenda, not a political party agenda," he said.
Would Shivaji have fought to carve out a kingdom of his own, had it not been for the Mughals?

According to a recent Mumbai Mirror report, the Maharashtra education board has revised history textbooks for classes VII and IX, removing almost all traces of the rule of the Mughals and the monuments they built, instead focusing on the Maratha Empire founded by Shivaji. The role of the Indian king in medieval history and that of his family and the Maratha generals, reportedly, have been expanded upon.

Historically, political identities have evolved in their retaliation to thriving empires and powerful kings. Indian historians feel an overcorrection of history in terms of present political experiences results in ripping off its context, its truths, and its nuances. In the book Traditions in Motion: Religion and Society in History; Oxford University Press (2005) is a chapter on Shivajis identity, where his unique style of Hindu revivalism is intricately explained against the backdrop of Mughal practices. It has been mentioned here that by the 17th century, an important ritual among the Rajput rulers was getting a tika, or an auspicious mark, from the Mughal emperor. The abhiseka on the other hand was an archaic style of royal consecration that had nothing to do with the Mughals. Shivaji deliberately chose the latter ritual and rejected the tika. Identities develop in resistance to established orders, within those established orders.

But in order to argue over history, it requires that one first reads it. Scottish historian and writer William Dalrymple spoke to Firstpost about the right way to read and write history. The end of the Mughals is linked to the rise of Shivaji. If you selectively choose periods, it will be harder to teach history neutrally. In 2015, the MET Museum in New York showcased the exhibition Sultans of Deccan India, 15001700: Opulence and Fantasy. I would say it is easier to sit in New York and get a better sense of Deccan history than in a classroom in India, says Dalrymple, best known for his books on the Mughal era, especially White Mughals: Love and Betrayal in Eighteenth-Century India; Penguin (2002) and The Last Mughal; Penguin (2006).

Dalrymple adds, In the 17th century, the Mughal Empire was in power in India, which from Agra ruled all of North India, as well as most of modern Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. But the Deccan was fragmented into small, culturally-dynamic and independent sultanates, the most prominent of which was Bijapur, which was also closest to Portuguese Goa. In 1610, the Dutch Mannerist painter Cornelis Claesz Heda arrived at the court of an unlikely but enthusiastic patron Ibrahim Adil Shah II. He ruled the central Indian kingdom of Bijapur. He was a scholar, lute player, and had a keen interest in poetry, singing, calligraphy and chess. It was Hedas good fortune that Bijapur then happened to be ruled by someone with a keen interest in painting. Ibrahim Adil Shah II was a contemporary of Akbar. While Akbar liked to have himself depicted at the head of his army, raiding the forts of his Rajput rivals, Ibrahim is typically depicted either sleeping, being fanned by his servants and having his feet massaged, an opium cup by his side, or strumming his tambur. Hedas letters have left behind an outsiders insight into this world.

Dalrymple then shared that in Ibrahim Adil Shah IIs court, craftsmen, artists and scribes were drawn from a wide variety of backgrounds and religions: there were Shias, Sunnis and Hindus. Although Ibrahim was officially Muslim, he was syncretic and the one trait that he shared with his Mughal contemporary Akbar was a fondness for Hinduism. He visited Shaivite temples and the monasteries of the Nath yogis, and interestingly, was more fluent Sanskrit than in Persian. Early on in his reign, Ibrahim gave up wearing jewels and adopted the rudraksha rosary that symbolises the austerity of the Hindu sadhu.

Do we need to first erase one hero in order to embrace the virtues of another?

Renowned historian Romila Thapar told Firstpost, It is not only a question of discovering new heroes but also of seeking to legitimise the status of the caste to which the hero belongs. The basic question concerns the inter-relation between national history and regional history. Over emphasis on some aspects of the history of one region also has a bearing on the history of adjoining regions and sometimes even more distant regions.

Neeladri Bhattacharya, who has served as the chief adviser of the NCERT history textbooks replied to the same question with the answer: Who you celebrate and who you villainise has a politics and it is that politics which has to be understood.

Syed Irfan Habib is one of the few historians in India whose scholarship has helped academia re-imagine a hero in a different light. Through his book To Make the Deaf Hear: Ideology and Programme of Bhagat Singh and His Comrades; Three Essays Collectives; 3rd edition (2007), thinkers are re-understanding Bhagat Singh as a social revolutionary, and not just a martyr, especially through his reading into Bhagat Singhs writings on the responsibility of the media, the evils in the caste system and the necessity of women to be in the forefront of social struggles.

We cannot find a hero in the medieval past and re-imagine him as a figure relevant to modern concerns. Shivaji was a great hero who was fighting for his own little kingdom, which he wanted to carve out of the Mughal Empire that Aurangzeb had established from north India to the Deccan. He had commanders who were Muslim, who fought on his side against the Mughals. Shivaji didnt communalise, he says, adding that positioning a ruler like Shivaji as a symbol of nationalism would be a mistake because nationalism didnt exist back then. These were bifurcated feudal struggles against a large empire, which is why Rani Laxmi Bai is known to have said Mai apni Jhansi nahi doongi, where she wasnt voicing the demands of other rulers in the Central and North India.

The history department of Rajasthan University in June included in its syllabus a book claiming Maharana Pratap defeated Emperor Akbar in the Battle of Haldighati (1576). Maharana Pratap was fought by Man Singh of Amber (later, Jaipur), a fellow Rajput of the Kachhwa clan, whose fortunes had soared under the Mughals. Man Singh was deputed by Akbar to go fight this war. Today, when people say that Akbars motive was to bring Maharana Pratap to his court and pay obeisance, they are putting a spin on the historic facts. That was not the motive. Maharana Pratap had committed himself to fight, he didnt surrender and died as a fighter, while other Rajputs had collaborated with the Mughals and were enjoying the spoils of the kingdom, explains Habib, and added that those in power should understand that we cannot talk about the past in a way that we have to live it.

Historians feel the need to de-politicise history and feel that each political formation is somewhat guilty of the practice of fine-tuning history to suit the acoustics of the present political setting. Aditya Mukherjee, director, Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Advanced Study, JNU, was one of the co-authors of the widely referenced book on modern history India's Struggle for Independence; Penguin (1988) edited by late historian Bipan Chandra. Last year, the book was under fire for referring to Bhagat Singh and other revolutionary leaders as revolutionary terrorists. However, Mukherjee, along with the other co-authors had then explained to Firstpost how they are very much in favour of removing the word from the book, as it had acquired quite a negative meaning over time. Mukherjee told Firstpost that if one looks at the history of modern scholarship, most of it has actually been anti-congress, anti-emergency and radical. Let academics define history, and keep politicians out of it, otherwise we will find heroes where none existed, he said.

It will be harder to understand Shivaji without a detailed reference to the Mughals. A case in point is historian Sunil Khilnanis Incarnations: A History of India in 50 Lives; Penguin (2017), which features a chapter titled Shivaji: Dreaming Big, where it is stated,

The big showdown between the Mughal emperor and the Maratha upstart occurred not on the battlefield but at Aurangzebs Agra Court, in 1666. The previous year, one of Aurangzebs generals had dealt with a partial defeat to Shivajis forces and the Mughals now hoped to incorporate him into their empire. They thought they could buy him off in a way the emperor Akbar had done two generations before with the troublesome Rajputs. Shivaji saw advantages to the deal so he journeyed to Agra in hopes of striking a deal. Once there, however, he was slighted and mistreated by Aurangzeb, who placed him under house arrest. Shivaji outwitted his captor, slipping away, in a basket of sweets. He then headed back to his hill forts  not to hide  but to announce himself as a new power. Aurangzeb never forgot this humiliation. In his will, it is recorded: Negligence for a single moment becomes the cause of disgrace for long years.

There is no need, perhaps, to balance history, for those who have read it in detail believe that it balances itself out on its own. It pays for its own sins and takes its own revenge.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah is sitting at the head of an organisation that has no resemblance to the one he took charge of three years ago. He has transformed a mostly-cadre-based party  almost all of it loaned from RSS and affiliates  into the world's largest political party by membership. He has ensured that the party struck roots, polling booth by polling booth, bringing unprecedented electoral dividends from across the country.

Reversals in Delhi, Bihar  and more recently, the botched up Operation Ahmed Patel  notwithstanding, Amit Shah has cemented his place as the second-most powerful man in India. Known for his ruthless decision-making and the relentless pressure he places on the party structure to keep it battle-ready, Shah evokes awe for his seemingly unmatched organisational skills and electoral strategies.

Now, three years into his stint as BJP president, Shah has overseen some stunning successes, and some reversals. Today, it is easy to bestow titles like "election winning machine" on Shah. But what did Narendra Modi see in Shah 30 years ago, which made him zero down on a man 14 years his junior as his most trusted political aide?

Back in the late 80s and early 90s, Modi  first as RSS pracharak and then as Gujarat BJP's organisational secretary  was already getting a first-hand experience of Shah's political and organisational skills. But it was when they worked closely together in the formative years of BJP's emergence in Gujarat that Modi realised a quality Shah is not otherwise associated with: Simplicity. People in the know within the BJP relate an anecdote to underscore this little-known aspect of Shah's personality: The story goes that Shah insisted on wearing a pair of simple khadi clothes for his wedding. Opulence, even beyond affordability, is a given in Indian weddings. And here was a well-heeled Gujarati business family groom wearing khadi for his wedding attire. This was certainly not normal. Shah's commitment to the cause, to the point of being stubborn, caught Modi's attention, and he took him under his wings.

Simplicity in personal habits was a mantra Modi himself swore by, following his years of grounding as wandering RSS pracharak. But simplicity alone wouldn't have taken Shah very far with Modi. Another trait that Modi liked in Shah was his ability to take risks. Shah was a congenital risk-taker. A few months before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, he volunteered as the party's general secretary to oversee polls in the countrys largest state  Uttar Pradesh. His friends cautioned him about the risk of treading a land mine where leaders with larger-than-life egos would cross swords with him at every instance. Even Modi was averse to the idea of Shah going to Uttar Pradesh, as the state was far too complex to comprehend, on account of caste cleavages, religious acrimony and vestiges of feudal past. But Shah insisted and eventually delivered 73 out of 80 parliamentary seats for the NDA. This prompted Modi to declare him as the "man of the match", immediately after the elections.

As Rajnath Singh moved to the government as Union home minister, Shah was given the assignment of leading the party. The decision met with a certain amount of scepticism. And it was not without reason, given Shah's limited experience at the national level. Though BJP won major states like Haryana and Maharashtra, its debacle in Delhi was seen as a singular failure on Shah's part. A section of the party's top leadership was dismayed by Shah's campaigning, which relied heavily on muscle and money.

His perceived "abrasiveness" was attributed as the prime cause of the party's debacle in Delhi. But Delhi was too small a defeat to warrant a significant change in style of functioning of Shah. This was followed by a comprehensive defeat in Bihar where a combination of JD(U), RJD and Congress clearly outfoxed Shah and the BJP. In spite of these setbacks, however, Shah was credited with achieving an unattainable feat of establishing the BJP as a prime political force in the North East. The party got Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur in its kitty. Only a year ago, it was unthinkable that the BJP would make any impact in the North East.

Then came the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. This was a real test for Shah on two counts: First, it was coming on the back of the Delhi and Bihar reversals, and second, the NDA's Lok Sabha success of 73 seats became a challenge for him: How could he better that? Anything less than a spectacular win would be seen as a loss of BJP's sheen and the Lok Sabha showing to be a mere electoral fluke. And there was little doubt that Uttar Pradesh was the toughest ground for Shah, as he had to grapple with unpredictable variables of party stalwarts' egos, their coteries, and complex caste calculus. But by this time, Shah had learnt lessons from his mistakes in Bihar and Delhi and prepared a roadmap well in advance.

Much before the Assembly polls were scheduled, Shah travelled across the state and co-opted various caste groups from the OBCs and scheduled castes, and offered them a share in power. He co-opted leaders like SP Baghel, Dara Singh Chauhan and certain BSP leaders to build a formidable social block of non-Yadav OBCs. At the same time, he also disabused senior leaders in the state of any notion that their patronage would ensure tickets for chosen candidates. He was very clear in his mind that winnability was the only criterion.

In spite of pressure from within to project a face for the chief minister, he decided not to do so, over fears of losing the accretion of non-Yadav OBCs and non-Jatav SCs. What he was trying to build was a social mosaic which had never been attempted before. And this entailed a serious risk. But Shah enjoyed the total trust of Modi throughout this time. This is the precise reason why Modi put his own prestige fully at stake, by turning the state Assembly election as his personal battle.

Those working with him recall how he would not let party units, right from the block level to the national level, while away time. His 115-day programme of travelling across the country by hopping on commercial flights, trains and road stands in sharp contrast to similar programmes organised by previous BJP presidents. In similar programmes by LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi or Rajnath Singh, the BJP president used to be the focus of the campaign. But Shah launched the most intense campaigns without keeping himself at the centre. He consciously checked the culture of hiring chartered flights for travel of party leaders so as to establish greater connect of the leadership and the organisation with the people.

It's not without reason that Shah is seen as a veritable number two in the BJP's scheme of things. For the first time, he has introduced many innovative methods to strengthen the party's organisation, largely borrowed from Modi's book in Gujarat. That he is not a traditional, mild-mannered leader who believes in circumlocution has ruffled many feathers in the BJP's top echelons. At times even senior state leaders have described him as "arrogant and inaccessible", which is in quite in contrast to his generally amiable and accessible predecessors. But Shah is different, if for nothing else but the fact that he is a genuine extension, a mirror image, of Narendra Modi himself.
Bengaluru: Attacking the Karnataka government, BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday said in his public life, he has not seen any other establishment in the country "as much corrupt and shameless" as the one led by Siddaramaiah.

In spite of several raids and arrests, the Congress does not even punish wrongdoers because they fear they would expose the government, he said addressing a group of intellectuals, invited by the party in Bengaluru.

The BJP, however, has always punished the wrongdoers in power, he added.

The BJP chief said that the Narendra Modi government had introduced 106 central schemes but their benefits were not reaching people in the state.

He also asked people to overthrow the "corrupt" Siddaramaiah government because the grants by the Centre for various central schemes were not percolating down to the people.

The BJP chief urged people to ask the Karnataka government that where the grants given by the centre had vanished.

"You should at least ask Siddaramaiah where has the money gone? Someone asks or not, but I am going to come to Karnataka during the run-up to the Assembly election and ask for the accounts from Siddaramaiah," he said.

Under the Manmohan Singh rule, Karnataka had received Rs 61,691 crore from the central government, but under the 14th finance commission, the Centre gave Rs 1,86,975 crore to the state, Shah said.

"The money has increased three folds under Narendra Modiji's government," he said.

Attacking the Congress, he said the BJP was among the few parties which has protected internal democracy within the party, unlike the Congress which runs on dynastic principles.

"Can anybody predict the next national president of the party (BJP). But one can predict with precision who could be the president of Congress after Soniaji decides to retire.

Everybody knows it will be Rahul Gandhi. There is no confusion about it. There is no internal democracy there," he argued.

The BJP is the only party in which a boy who spent his life pasting posters (himself) and a tea seller (Modi) can climb up the ladders of the highest ranks, he said.

Shah also said that whenever, the BJP ruled the nation, the GDP grew rapidly, unlike in the Congress rule.

"When Atal Bihari Vajpayee took charge as the Prime Minister, India's GDP increased from 4.4 per cent to 8.8 per cent, and when Manmohan Singh left after ten years of rule, the GDP climbed down to 4.4 percent," he said.

"Now under the rule of Modi, who is the son of a tea seller, the GDP has increased to 7.2 per cent from 4.4 per cent," he added.
Bengaluru: On the second day of his three-day visit to Karnataka ahead of the 2018 Assembly polls, BJP President Amit Shah on Sunday visited Adichunchanagiri Mutt, which is highly regarded by the dominant Vokkaliga community in the state.

His visit to the mutt at Nagamangala taluk in neighbouring Mandya district, with a significant influence over Vokkaligas, is seen as an attempt to woo the community.

Vokkaligas are the second largest community in Karnataka after Lingayats; they are significantly present in the old Mysuru or southern Karnataka region.

Shah met the present pontiff of the mutt Nirmalanandanatha Swami and offered prayers at the temple.

He later released a biography on Balaganagadharanatha Swamiji, the previous pontiff, titled 'Story of a Guru'.

Lauding the works by the mutt and its pontiffs for the welfare of society, Shah made a special reference about Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda, the founder of Bengaluru, who is highly regarded by Vokkaligas as he belonged to the community.

"Having come here, I will fail in my duty if I don't remember Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda, who was the follower of Adichunchanagiri Mutt," he said.

Shah also appreciated the efforts put in by mutts and religious institutions in India towards ensuring a welfare society.

"In many countries in the world, it is entirely the government's duty to ensure the welfare of society. There are welfare states in many countries, but it is only in India where attempts are being made to create a welfare society because of the efforts being put in by mutts and religious institutions along with the government... sometimes they are even ahead of the government," he added.

Sounding the poll bugle in Karnataka, Shah had on Saturday kicked off his visit to the state, declaring that the party stands united and said, 'Ab Ki Baar, BJP Sarkar' (This time, a BJP government).

Earlier on Sunday, he chaired a meeting of the political affairs committee of the Karnataka BJP at the party headquarters here, which was attended by state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa, Union ministers Ananth Kumar, Sadananda Gowda and other state leaders.

Sources said that during the meeting, Shah asked party leaders to work together unitedly towards ensuring victory in the coming Assembly polls.

Shah's comment to the faction-riven state unit comes after Yeddyurappa came under criticism from a section of party workers over his alleged "arbitrary style" of functioning with another senior leader K S Eshwarappa openly flagging the issue until both were told to shun open display of differences.

Later in the day, Shah will visit the Art of Living Ashram to call on spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravishankar.

He is also scheduled to address conveners of various projects and departments of the party, and Vistaraks involved in the party's 'Deen Dayal Upadhyay Vistar Yojna.'
Jammu: In an escalating war of words, the BJP on Sunday hit out at the National Conference (NC) for calling itself the "voice of Dogras" of Jammu, saying NC been totally rejected by the people of the region, and it does not represent the ethos of the area.

"NC been rejected totally by the people of Jammu region, and it does not represent the ethos of the region. A clear evidence of this is the way the party was decimated in the previous elections of the state legislative assembly," state

BJP spokesman Arun Kumar Gupta said in Jammu.

NC provincial chief Devender Rana had on Saturday said that as representative of the Dogra people of Jammu, there should be a referendum among people of Jammu on Article 35A.

Taking a dig at Rana, Gupta said "the tally of the NC has reached an all-time low and it is odd to claim that it represents Jammu".

"The claims made by NC regional chief Devinder Rana on Article 35A are not true as the Jammu region does not support this provision at all. Rana's claims with regard to this provision are totally misleading and spurious," Gupta said.

In fact, the NC is afraid of this issue coming under scrutiny now and wants to shut debate among people, he added.

The BJP leader said "the issue is pending its disposal in the Supreme Court whether Article 35A needs to be scrapped from the Constitution. That is the issue to be decided in the highest court of the land and will be properly scrutinised, he pointed out.

When an issue of such great sensitivity is in the court, to claim that Jammu supports this provision is misleading and false, he said.

The claims of support for Article 35A in the Jammu region are totally misplaced and the NC should observe the legal nicety of desisting from commenting on an issue with the Supreme Court, he added.

"In fact, commenting on any issue before the courts and seeking to raise passions is flawed and not proper. The process of a matter being sub-judice needs to be understood and respected," he said.

Gupta said "the BJP's stance on Article 370 as also Article 35A is very well known among people, and does not need to be reiterated here. Rana claims that scrapping Article 35A will render Article 370 hollow but a decision regarding it can come only from the apex court".

"A political party voicing apprehensions about it are out of place," he said.
Last week, Narendra Modi didnt mince words to BJP MPs as he welcomed Amit Shah to Parliament for his first term in the Rajya Sabha.

Lashing out at truant lawmakers who have embarrassed the government on at least three occasions during the just concluded Monsoon Session, he warned, "Amit Shahji ke (Parliament mein) aane se aap ke mauj-masti ke din samaapt ho gaye hain.

In other words, with Shahs entry into Parliament, party time is over for BJP MPs .

The sentence succinctly encapsulates what Shah has come to represent in the time of Modi. He is the disciplinarian extraordinaire to whom Modi has entrusted the task of transforming the BJP from a flabby, directionless, moribund party into a giant formidable election machine, sculpted and honed to conquer the peak that has eluded the RSS since it signaled its political ambitions with the creation of the Jan Sangh (the BJPs earlier avatar) in 1951: To replace the Congress as the single dominant national force and extinguish Nehruvian secularism with the creation of a Hindu rashtra.

As he observes his third anniversary as BJP president, a stint crowned by the gift of a seat in the nerve centre of our democratic polity, Shah can look back with satisfaction. In three short years, he has stamped his imprint so strongly on the party that the legacy of its stalwart co-founders, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Krishna Advani, has faded into distant memory. There is no room for Vajpayees utopian Gandhian socialism or Advanis fuzzy brand of Hindutva as cultural nationalism layered with swadeshiconomics in Shahs lean and mean BJP.

His success is self-evident. After helping Modi to script his stunning 2014 Lok Sabha victory and surpass Vajpayee and Advani by netting the BJP its first ever majority government at the Centre, Shah has touched greater heights. In the past three years, he has enlarged the BJPs national footprint, spreading it into areas hitherto out of bounds for a party that was known as a Bania-Brahmin party of the Hindi heartland. Today, the BJP rules in 18 states, including three in the North East. Some it has bagged fair and square through elections. Others have come through questionable backroom maneuvers. But every success reaffirms Shahs motto: Alls fair in war and politics.

Even his most bitter critics will acknowledge that Shah has breathed new life into the BJP and energised it. This is no mean feat. It is rare for a political party to be active and on the go when it is in government. It is even rarer for a party president to be almost as powerful and high-profile as the prime minister. For instance, does anyone recall the names of Congress presidents when Indira Gandhi was prime minister or BJP presidents when Vajpayee was in power? Under both, the party stagnated, eventually losing its capacity to win elections in the face of organisational decay.

Shah, on the other hand, has not only kept the party relevant and active, he has become as much a household name as Modi, though he lacks the latters mass appeal. Shah's success can be explained by the following statistics: In three years as party president, Shah has visited 325 of the countrys 680 districts, held 800 organisational meetings for election micro management in 16 states, addressed 575 rallies across the nation and sat in on 105 meetings with the prime minister, Union ministers and 44 meetings with BJP chief ministers on various issues. He has also chaired more than 75 government-party coordination meetings.

The figures also reveal another hallmark of Shahs tenure: He has taken over the political management of governance, leaving Modi free to concentrate on policy making and administration. Its a neat division of labour, facilitated by the empathy and understanding that has developed between them through long years of partnership in Gujarat. Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi failed to achieve this equilibrium during UPA rule because they were not on the same page on many issues. The result was dissonance in governance as politics and policy often pulled the administration in different directions.

Shah undoubtedly hopes to go down in history as BJP's most successful president. He has certainly scored higher on the election front compared to his predecessors. However, success has a price and the glitter of poll victories cannot hide the fundamental manner in which the BJP has changed under him.

This was a party that prided itself on collective decision making. Even as Vajpayee and Advani towered over everyone, the BJP always boasted of a pantheon of leaders of near equivalence. It also believed in mentoring a generation of future leaders, most of who are in the current dispensation, starting with Modi himself.

And its core strength lay in the nurturing of state leaders who have won successive Assembly elections for the party. Modi was a star in a galaxy that included Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Vasundhara Raje, among others.

Shah has refashioned the BJP into a one man special-purpose vehicle: To help Modi pursue power. He has centralised decision making by creating levers of powers and setting up structures that only he controls on behalf of the boss. When Modi warned his MPs that Shah would be watching them in Parliament, he was only reiterating what everyone in the party already knows: That Shah keeps a hawk eye on even the lowest worker through an intricate information chain.

It is ironic that the party which prided itself on being "different" is starting to look more and more like Indira Gandhis Congress as Shah sacrifices the old BJP at the altar of winning elections.

In which case, a Congress-mukt Bharat could simply mean replacing it with another of the same.
Raichur: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at the Modi government over farmer and unemployment issues, accusing it of making "hollow" and "false" promises".

"We don't make big promises; rather we will perform and show. When Modiji's government came, farmers were promised full help, but across the country farmers are committing suicide," Gandhi said.

He said in Karnataka and Punjab, Congress governments had stood by the farmers.

"Wherever there is Congress party government, you will see them standing with farmers, because we understand that farmers make India strong. If farmers are strong India will be strong, if they are weak India will become weak."

The congress leader was speaking at the state Congress committee's 'Samanatha Samavesha' in Raichur to felicitate him for his role in providing special status to the backward Hyderabad-Karnataka region during the UPA rule, by an amendment of Article 371(J) of the Constitution.

Speaking about article 371(J), Gandhi said Congress has fought with the people for this for their development.

Claiming that BJP veteran LK Advani as Union home minister was against Article 371 (J), he said after Congress came to power in 2004, the special status was granted which has benefited people to a large extent today.

"I'm happy to note that the amount that BJP has put here in five years, that much amount is being put in three months by the Congress government today," he said, taking note of various developmental activities in the region.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjuna Kharge, general secretary in-charge KC Venugopal, KPCC president G Parameshwara and several other party leaders were present at the event.

Stating that Congress believes in Gandhiji's preaching of helping the poor and those at the fag end of the line, Gandhi said, "BJP and RSS's thinking is different; they

believe that if they help those at the forefront of the line, things will be good. This is the difference between us."

He noted that Finance minister Arun Jaitley had said in Parliament that loan waiver was not the government's policy and a BJP leader had said they did not want to make farmers lazy by doing it.

"When you waive the loan by India's 10 richest Industrialists, they don't become lazy, but when you waive farmers loan they will become lazy. How fair is this?"

He lauded Siddaramaiah for announcing the farm loan waiver in Karnataka.

Gandhi said when the Congress-led government was at the Centre, every year minimum support price (MSP) on crops used to increase by about 15 per cent, but after BJP came to power it has been increasing only by two to three per cent.

He said Congress government in Karnataka is making efforts towards ensuring farmers fair price, through unified marketing platform.

"We are helping farmers and weaker sections wherever we can, but they only speak and make hollow and false promises," he added.

Taking a dig at the Modi government for low employment rate, Gandhi said the government in Karnataka is doing a far better job in this regard.

"...they speak about Make in India, not even one factory has opened. Who has got employment here because of make in India? Now tell me how many jobs has Siddaramaiah given in Karnataka?--30,000..."

"False promises on one side, on the other hand Congress Chief Minister working from heart for the people and doesn't make hollow promises. This is the difference between us and them," he said.

Accusing the Modi government of indulging in false and hollow promises, the congress leader said people know that Congress will do, what it says.

"Farmers know that only Congress can help them and youth in India have understood that Narendra Modi canot provide employment to them. It is now proved and youths have realized it," he said.

Hitting out at the government on demonetisation, Gandhi said, "last year I don't know what happened on November 8th Narendra Modi got an idea, he came on the TV and said Bhaio, Behno I'm going to ban the notes in your pockets...as though it was fun. Whole of India, small farmers, labourers, and women were affected."

"On November 8, Narendra Modi gave axe blow (kuladi maari) to entire India...people are feeling its effects even today," he said.

Gandhi also called on party men to face the Assembly elections early next year unitedly in Karnataka as he expressed confidence about winning the polls.

"...Congress party will win the election on the strength of its work, the work done towards farmers, youth in the state. I want to tell our party workers that you are our strength. We should all work together with unity and have to fight this election," he said.

"We should work for poor, weaker sections, Dalits, adivasis, backward classes and those in need of help. What we have done in the last five years, we will do more than that in next five years," he added.
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
tech2 News Staff

The official name of Google's next mobile operating system, Android O, might be announced on 21 August, according to tweets by Android Police's David Ruddock.

The Android O unveiling date has been doing the rounds online, after Google shipped Android O's final beta last month.

According to one source whose information I cannot verify, Android O will receive a name on the day of the solar eclipse (August 21st).  David Ruddock (@RDR0b11) August 10, 2017

I'm not going to ruin the surprise of the name. It doesn't really matter and I feel like spoiling it actually is kind of a spoiler.  David Ruddock (@RDR0b11) August 10, 2017

He also added in series of tweets about publishing the name when it will be released and mentioned that the name won't be random.

That said, if Google publishes something somewhere that corroborates the name we've been told, we *will* publish that.  David Ruddock (@RDR0b11) August 10, 2017

It also sounds like Google is planning some degree of spectacle around this. It won't just be a random "oh hey here's a statue" thing.

 David Ruddock (@RDR0b11) August 10, 2017

Previously, he tweeted out mentioning the delay in the release of the Android O update on Google Pixel.

The Android O update for Pixel has been pushed back (surprise). No new ETA.  David Ruddock (@RDR0b11) August 10, 2017

Google announced Android O during the Google I/O 2017. The new operating system (OS) brings new features like Notification Dots, Picture-in-Picture, Autofill and Smart text selection. Google has improved the security and increased the booting speed in the new OS.

Notification Dots show the notification of an app after a long press. A small notification bar pops up at the top right corner of the app and shows the notification of the particular app. The Autofill feature helps in filling forms inside an app. Smart Selection feature is a machine learning based features that selects only important text to be copied.

Google Security and Google Play Protect helps in securing a smartphone. Google Play Protect scans apps on the device and takes more control of background apps.
tech2 News Staff

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is looking forward to cutting the fee which telecom service providers (TSP) pay each other while connecting calls from one operator to another, thereby the consumers may have to pay less for making calls.

As per a report in the Times of India, the regulatory body is mulling on decreasing the Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC), to 10 paise per minute as against 14 paise per minute for wireless to wireless local and national long distance calls. In a consultation paper released by TRAI in 2016, Consultation Paper on Review of Interconnection Usage Charges, the body sought review from various stakeholders about such charges in this matter.

In an open house session in the Parliament last month, which was attended by stakeholders, parliamentarians, and telecom operators. Telecom giants such as Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone had vouched for IUC to be fixed at more than double the current price, which is 30-35 paise per minute, while telecom newbie Jio wanted it to be reduced to half the price at seven paise per minute.

Meanwhile, Lok Sabha MP, Prem Singh Chandramuja had observed, TRAI should clarify why it did not implement 'Bill and Keep' regime as per its submission made before Supreme Court? Consumers have been unnecessarily burdened by paying extra. TRAI should immediately withdraw 14 paise IUC and benefit should be passed on to consumers."

While telecom operators such as Jio want the interconnection feet to be brought down to half the current price, as it feels that IUC is 'an artificial barrier created by incumbent operators with legacy technologies', other operators such as Airtel, Vodafone India and Idea Cellular earn thousands of crores from it. According to the Times of India, Airtel had IUC transactions to the tune of Rs 10,279 cr last year.

According to Times of India's source, TRAI is looking forward to decreasing the IUC charges for calls made over the internet to at least three paise per minute. Sources who have spoken to the paper have said that the IUC rates for VoIP calls are around 3 paise per minute and that 14 paise is too much of a cost, which is bound to come down.

Disclaimer: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd which publishes Firstpost
tech2 News Staff

ZOPO, a Chinese smartphone brand, has announced the ZOPO 2nd Anniversary sale, to celebrate two years of ZOPO in India. This sale is also being bundled as a part of their Independence Day sale.

The Chinese smartphone maker is offering upto 60 percent off on their smartphones. The discounts are provided between the range of Rs 1,000 to Rs 4,000. ZOPO Speed 7 which comes with 13 MP camera and Speed 7+ from its Speed series are being offered at a discounted price of Rs 7,999 and Rs 8,999, respectively. Meanwhile ZOPO Hero 1 which comes with a 13.2 MP camera, is priced at Rs 6,999, down from Rs 9,989. The sale is available on Flipkart and Amazon.

Discount on ZOPOs budget phones Color series Color C and C 1 is between Rs, 1000 and Rs 2,000, where the former is for Rs 4,299 and latter is for 2,999. Here is the complete list of smartphones and their new sale prices.

Sanjeev Bhatia, CEO, ZOPO Mobiles India, said, "This mega sale is for the people to celebrate this festive season together with ZOPO Mobile. We want to make sure that we offer our smartphones to our valued customers at the best available price so that they can have a taste of the latest technology at an affordable price.

After Xiaomi, Oppo, and several other Chinese vendors, ZOPO had entered the Indian smartphone market in 2015.
Washington: President Donald Trump condemned what he called an "egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides" after violence at a rally in Charlottesville led to three deaths.

We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

However, the United States president failed to explicitly call out the role of white supremacists in the clashes, which led to strong criticism from both Republicans and Democrats.

Utah Republican senator Orrin Hatch wrote, "We should call evil by its name. My brother didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home."

We should call evil by its name. My brother didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home. -OGH  Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) August 12, 2017

A Republican senator from Colorado, Cory Gardner, tweeted "Mr. President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism."

Mr. President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism. https://t.co/PaPNiPPAoW  Cory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner) August 12, 2017

Another Republican, Florida senator Marco Rubio, wrote: "Nothing patriotic about #Nazis,the #KKK or #WhiteSupremacists It's the direct opposite of what #America seeks to be."

Paul Ryan, speaker of the United States House of Representatives, called white supremacy a scrouge.

Our hearts are with today's victims. White supremacy is a scourge. This hate and its terrorism must be confronted and defeated.  Paul Ryan (@SpeakerRyan) August 12, 2017

Governor Mike Huckabee also tweeted about the racist events of Saturday.

"White supremacy" crap is worst kind of racism-it's EVIL and perversion of God's truth to ever think our Creator values some above others.  Gov. Mike Huckabee (@GovMikeHuckabee) August 12, 2017

With inputs from AP
Washington: US president Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka weighed in on Sunday on the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, with an appeal for unity, saying there was "no place in society for racism, white supremacy and neo-nazis."

A woman was killed and 19 injured in the university town on Saturday when a car plowed into a crowd after a white nationalist protest rally turned violent.

Trump, who has a following among white supremacist groups attracted to his nationalistic rhetoric, has come under fire for blaming the Charlottesville violence on hatred and bigotry "on many sides."

Ivanka Trump was more pointed in a tweet Sunday calling for unity.

"There should be no place in society for racism, white supremacy and neo-nazis," she said.

"We must all come together as Americans - and be one country UNITED. #Charlottesville"
Islamabad: Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang arrived in Islamabad on Sunday to take part in Pakistan's 70th Independence Day celebrations on Monday, the media reported.

Wang, the "special guest" for the Independence Day, is accompanied by a high-level delegation on the two-day visit.

He was received at Benazir Bhutto International Airport by officials of Pakistan government and Chinese Embassy, Geo News reported.

The visit comes on the "directions of (Chinese) President Xi Jinping as a special gesture", according to Pakistan's foreign office, which described it as a "reflection of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership" between the two countries.

From Pakistan, Wang will head to Nepal, Chinese foreign ministry announced in Beijing on Saturday.

The visit to Pakistan and Nepal by the top Chinese official comes as India and China have been locked in a military standoff for nearly two months at Doka La near Sikkim.

The face-off began on 16 June after Chinese troops tried to build a road in the disputed area. India has protested the move saying China was unilaterally changing the status quo at the trijunction with India's ally, Bhutan.

As a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Wang is among the top leaders in China.
Berlin: The German aid group Sea Eye on Sunday said it was suspending its migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean, citing security concerns after Libya barred foreign vessels from a stretch of water off its coast.

The announcement comes a day after Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it was halting the use of its largest boat in the area because of an "increasingly hostile environment for life-saving rescue operations".

In a statement, Sea Eye said it was with "a heavy heart" that it had decided to follow suit following the Libyan government's "explicit threat against the private NGOs".

Tensions have been on the rise since the Libyan navy on Thursday ordered foreign vessels to stay out of a coastal search and rescue zone, a measure it said was specifically aimed at non-governmental groups.

Libyan authorities have accused charities of aiding human smugglers with their rescues at sea, hampering efforts to crack down on the illegal migration route.

"Under these circumstances, a continuation of our rescue work is not currently possible. It would be irresponsible towards our crews," Sea Eye founder Michael Buschheuer said.

Italy, which has borne the brunt of Europe's migrant crisis this year, has also moved to rein in NGOs helping the multinational search and rescue operation by making them sign up to a new code of conduct.

Sea Eye said it would continue to monitor the "changed security situation" off the Libyan coast.

"We leave behind a deadly gap in the Mediterranean," Buschheuer warned.

Six years since a revolution that toppled longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, Libya has become a key departure point for migrants risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

Tens of thousands of migrants have resorted to paying people traffickers for the journey, often on overcrowded and unseaworthy boats.

Migrant aid ships have played a key role in assisting the rescue operations, and Sea Eye says it has helped save some 12,000 lives since April 2016.
Berlin: The German aid group Sea Eye on Sunday said it was suspending its migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean, citing security concerns after Libya barred foreign vessels from a stretch of water off its coast.

The announcement comes a day after Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it was halting the use of its largest boat in the area because of an "increasingly hostile environment for lifesaving rescue operations".

In a statement, Sea Eye said it was with "a heavy heart" that it had decided to follow suit after the Libyan government's "explicit threat against the private NGOs".

Tensions have risen since the Libyan navy on Thursday ordered foreign vessels to stay out of a coastal search-and-rescue zone, a measure it said was specifically aimed at non-governmental groups.

Libyan authorities have accused charities of aiding human smugglers with their rescues at sea, hampering efforts to crack down on the illegal migration route.

"Under these circumstances, a continuation of our rescue work is not currently possible. It would be irresponsible towards our crews," Sea Eye founder Michael Buschheuer said.

But he cautioned that the retreat of the aid groups was putting lives at risk.

"We leave behind a deadly gap in the Mediterranean," he warned.

Italian foreign minister Angelino Alfano however welcomed Libya's stepped-up efforts to curb the migrant flow.

The Libyan government "is ready to put in place a search-and-rescue zone in its waters, work with Europe and invest in its coast guards," Alfano told La Stampa daily on Sunday.

"This sends a signal that the balance is being restored in the Mediterranean."

Italy, which has borne the brunt of Europe's migrant crisis this year, has itself moved to rein in NGOs helping the multinational rescue operations by making them sign up to a new code of conduct.

Six years since a revolution that toppled longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, Libya has become a key departure point for migrants risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

Tens of thousands of migrants have resorted to paying people traffickers for the journey, often on overcrowded and unseaworthy boats.

Migrant aid ships have played a key role in assisting the rescue operations.

Sea Eye says it has helped save some 12,000 lives since April 2016.
Tehran: Iran's parliament voted on Sunday to allocate $520 million to develop its missile programme to fight Washington's "adventurism" and sanctions, and to boost the foreign operations of the country's Revolutionary Guards.

"The Americans should know that this was our first action," said speaker Ali Larijani, after announcing an overwhelming majority vote for a package "to confront terrorist and adventurist actions by the United States in the region".

A total of 240 lawmakers voted for the bill, out of the 244 parliamentarians present.

The vote came after fresh United States sanctions in July against Iran, targeting Tehran's missile programme.

"The bill is backed by the foreign ministry and the government and is part of measures by the JCPOA supervision committee to confront the recent United States Congress law," deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi.

He was referring to a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, known officially as the JCPOA, under which Iran agreed to strict limits on its nuclear programme in exchange for an easing of sanctions.

The bill mandates the government to allocate an additional $260 million for the "development of the missile programme" and the same amount to the Revolutionary Guards's foreign operations wing, the Quds Force, state news agency IRNA said.

After Larijani announced the vote results, lawmakers shouted: "Death to America".
Tehran: Iran's parliament passed a long-awaited amendment to its drug trafficking laws on Sunday, raising the thresholds that can trigger capital punishment and potentially saving the lives of many on death row.

The bill must still be approved by the conservative-dominated Guardian Council but gained parliamentary approval after months of debate, according to parliament's website and the ISNA news agency.

According to Amnesty International, Iran was one of the top five executioners in the world in 2016, with most of its hangings related to illicit drugs.

The new law raises the amounts that can trigger the death penalty from 30 grams to two kilos for the production and distribution of chemical substances such as heroin, cocaine and amphetamine.

For natural substances such as opium and marijuana, the levels have been raised from five to 50 kilos.

The amendment will apply retroactively, thus commuting the sentences for many of the 5,300 inmates currently on death row for drug trafficking.
Baghdad: Iraqi forces on Sunday killed 12 Islamic State militants in Iraq's province of Salahuddin after fierce clashes, security sources said.

The clashes erupted before dawn when dozens of Islamic State militants attacked the military bases after heavy mortar barrage and machine gun fire in Zuwiyah area, about 250 kilometre north of here, a source told Xinhua news agency.

The troops fought back and foiled the attackers from storming their bases, but the militants managed to block the main road between Salahuddin's province capital Tikrit and the city of Mosul in northern Iraq, the source said.

In the morning, reinforcement troops and helicopter gunships reopened the main road after defeating the extremist militant, who withdrew to Makhoul mountain range in the northern part of Tikrit, the source added.

After the withdrawal of the extremist militants, the troops found 12 of their bodies and two destroyed armoured vehicles, three trucks along with a large amount of weapons and ammunition left on the battlefield, the source said.

The clashes also resulted in the killing of three soldiers and the wounding of eight others, the source added.

Iraqi security forces and allied paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units freed Tikrit and other key cities and towns in the predominately Sunni Arab province of Salahudin from the extremist Islamic State group in June 2014.

The incident came as Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi declared Mosul's liberation on 10 July after nearly nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.
Baghdad: A statement from the Islamic State group claims responsibility for an attack on Iraqi troops outside Karbala that left one dead.

Iraqi Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, spokesman for the Joint Military Command, says the suicide car bomb attack at a checkpoint outside the southern Iraqi city late Saturday injured two others.

The Islamic State statement said the attack targeted a cement factory outside Karbala and resulted in dozens of casualties.

Iraq's prime minister declared victory over the Islamic State group in Iraq's second largest city Mosul in July, depriving the group of their last significant urban foothold in the country.

Iraqi forces closely backed by the United States-led coalition are now preparing to retake the Islamic State-held town of Tal Afar west of Mosul.
Nairobi: Seven people have been killed in Kenya's flashpoint west since protests erupted after the announcement of disputed poll results, police sources said Sunday, taking the total number killed across the country to 16.

"We have three bodies that were taken to the main mortuary in Kisumu, we also have one in Homa Bay, and there's one in Migori and two in Siaya," a senior police officer said on condition of anonymity as he is not permitted to speak to the media.

This total includes one death in Kisumu county and one in Siaya already reported by AFP on Saturday.

"These are people killed in the confrontations with officers since Friday night," said the officer.

A second senior officer corroborated the figures, and said the region, a stronghold of defeated opposition leader Raila Odinga, had returned to calm Sunday.

"We haven't had any problems since late last night, let's say from midnight. The area is calm but we are still maintaining our presence in the hotspots which are prone to chaos just to ensure calm returns."

Angry opposition supporters took to the streets directly after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the victor Friday night in a hotly disputed election on Tuesday which Odinga claims was rigged.

Residents of Nairobi slums, and in the western city of Kisumu, threw rocks at police and burned tyres, while officers responded with tear gas and in some cases, live ammunition.

Eight bodies were taken Saturday to the Nairobi city morgue, most of them with gunshot wounds, from the protest-hit slums of Mathare, Kibera and Kawangware since Friday night, a senior police official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

On Saturday morning, an AFP photographer saw the body of a young girl whose family said she had been shot in the back while standing on their balcony in Mathare.

Interior Minister Fred Matiangi denied on Saturday that police had fired on "peaceful protesters" referring to those in the streets as "criminal elements".
At least 36 people were killed and 12 others missing in floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall in several districts across Nepal, officials said on Saturday.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, seven persons were killed in Sunsari district in southern Nepal. Four persons were killed in Sindhuli, four each in Jhapa and Sindhuli districts, three each in Banke, Morang and Panchthar districts and the rest others in different districts.

Hundreds of families have been displaced in the floods and landslides across the country.

Meanwhile, Nepal Cabinet held an emergency meeting during which Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba ordered the local district administrations to intensify the rescue and release activities.

Nepalese Home Minister Janardan Sharma said that all the security agencies will be mobilised in an integrated manner for carrying out the rescue operations.

Jhapa, Morang Sunsari, Sapttari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Banke, Bardiya and Dang districts were the worst affected by flood.

Hundreds of houses have been submerged in Morang. Biratnagar airport has been closed after flood water gushed into the airport area.
Kathmandu: The death toll from floods and landslides in Nepal rose to 49 on Saturday with thousands of families displaced from their homes due to incessant rainfall in several districts across the country, officials said.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, at least 13 persons were injured in the rain-related incidents and 17 others remained missing.

The latest data released by the ministry shows that 21 districts have been hit badly by the flash floods and landslides, The Himalayan Times reported.

According to the data, one person was killed in Panchthar; four in Sindhuli, Jhapa, and Banke each; five in Morang; eight in Sunsari; three in Sarlahi and Surkhet each; and two in Bara and Dang each.

Similarly, seven persons died in Rautahat floods and landslides, two in Bardiya, one in Dhanusha, Makawanpur, Kailai, and Palpa districts each.

Jhapa, Morang Sunsari, Sapttari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Banke, Bardiya, and Dang districts were the worst affected by flood.

Some 35,843 houses have been inundated; 1,000 houses are damaged; and 397 livestock died in the floods, the ministry data said.

Many cities in the Tarai region have been inundated while transportation along the East West Highway has been halted after a pillar of Dudhaura Bridge sank at Pathlaiya-Nijgadh road section.

On Saturday, Nepal cabinet held an emergency meeting during which Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had ordered the local district administrations to intensify the rescue and release activities.
Karachi: A powerful blast targeting a military truck killed at least 15 people, including eight soldiers, and injured over two dozen others on Saturday night in Pakistan's southwestern restive province of Balochistan.

The high intensity blast occurred in a parking lot near Pishin bus stop which is in a high security area in the provincial capital Quetta.

According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, the army truck which was patrolling the area had been targeted and eight soldiers were killed in the attack.

Pakistan army chief General Javed Qamar Bajwa has condemned the "cowardly" attack meant to disrupt Independence day celebrations, the statement said, adding the attack would not deter the determination of the army to fight terrorism.

"Our resolve won't succumb to any challenge," Bajwa was quoted as saying.

The injured also included around 10 soldiers who were in the truck. Pakistan army has now taken control of the affected area, it said.

Balochistan's home minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said there were seven civilians among those killed in the blast.

"The bomb disposal squad has reached the spot and we will be able to confirm soon whether it was a suicide attack or a planted bomb," he said.

Bugti said around 30 injured persons were shifted to the civil hospital for treatment and admitted that the condition of six to seven people was critical.

Earlier, several television channels had reported that around 17 dead bodies were brought to the hospital and most of them were badly charred and burnt.

The blast was so loud that it was heard in far off areas and caused a huge fire in which some vehicles and auto rickshaws were also damaged.

An official of the Edhi trust in Quetta said around 15 bodies were shifted before and added that the death toll could be much higher.

"The explosion was very powerful and loud. Its intensity was severe. Several car and auto rickshaws have been burnt or damaged after the blast as they caught fire due to the intensity of the blast," the official said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Taliban and Islamic State militants have attacked Quetta city in the past.

Quetta is the capital city of the restive Balochistan province. Balochistan has oil and gas resources but has witnessed several terrorist attacks recently by militants and separatists while banned outfits have also carried out sectarian killings in the province.
Washington: US special prosecutor Robert Mueller is seeking an interview with ousted White House chief of staff Reince Priebus as he expands his probe of Russian interference in the November election, The New York Times reported on Sunday.

Mueller wants to question current and former senior officials in President Donald Trump's administration about his move to fire FBI director James Comey, in an attempt to determine whether the US leader obstructed justice, the newspaper said, citing people briefed on the matter.

In a sign that Mueller's investigation may be intensifying, he ordered FBI agents in July to raid the home of former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort.

A grand jury is reported to have been impaneled in Washington to look at evidence, and the White House has been asked for documents related to former national security adviser Michael Flynn, who was fired shortly after taking office for his undisclosed Russia contacts.

But Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general who appointed Mueller to lead the Russia probe, warned a week ago that he would need clearance from above before expanding his investigation beyond its original scope.

The Times said Comey met Priebus at the White House on 8 February, a week before the ex-FBI chief said Trump pressured him to end a probe into Flynn.

Comey told Priebus that a Justice Department policy bars discussions between the FBI and White House officials about ongoing investigations in order to prevent political meddling, a law enforcement official told the Times.

Manafort was forced to resign a year ago amid reports he was under investigation over millions of dollars he was allegedly paid by the pro-Russia former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych.

Manafort's private consulting business on behalf of Moscow-linked billionaire oligarchs has fueled concerns about possible collusion, and also questions about how he handled payments for his services.

He also took part in a June 2016 meeting between Trump campaign officials, including son Donald Trump Jr. and son-in-law Jared Kushner, and a Kremlin-connected Russian lawyer on the promise of damaging information about Trump's election rival Hillary Clinton.

While the White House has downplayed the meeting as insignificant and said nothing came of it, critics said it indicated the campaigns willingness to consider cooperating with Russia.
Beirut: A commando operation backed by Russian warplanes and helicopters has killed 25 members of the Islamic State jihadist group in central Syria, a monitor said on Sunday.

Supported by regime ally Russia, Syria's army has waged a months-long offensive to recapture the vast desert region that stretches from the country's centre to the Iraqi and Jordanian borders.

On Saturday, "25 Islamic State members were killed and others wounded in a commando operation by Syrian regime forces with air support from Russian warplanes and helicopters" in the northeast of Homs province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

Six members of the regime forces were also killed, it said.

A military source said the operation occurred "20 kilometres inside Daesh (Islamic State) terrorist lines".

The raid allowed regime forces to seize control of three villages in the area, official news agency SANA reported the source as saying.

The army has captured swathes of territory from the jihadists in the province. According to the Observatory, Islamic State now controls just dozens of villages in the east of Homs.

The Syrian "Badiya" is a large stretch of desert that extends over around 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 square miles) of territory.

Since 2015, much of the Badiya has been held by Islamic State, but Syria's army has been chipping away at it since May.

Regime forces have ousted Islamic State from Al-Sukhna, the last jihadist-held town in Homs province.

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are also fighting the jihadists in the south of neighbouring Raqqa province.

A US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance meanwhile is battling to retake the provincial capital, Raqqa city, from Islamic State.

The jihadists also hold the majority of the vast desert province of Deir Ezzor including most of its provincial capital.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
Geneva: A UN commission probing Syria rights abuses has gathered enough evidence to convict President Bashar al-Assad of war crimes, an outgoing member of the commission said in interviews published on Sunday.

Veteran former war crimes prosecutor Carla Del Ponte, who is preparing to step down after five years serving in the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, told Swiss media the evidence against Assad was sufficient to secure a war crimes conviction.

"I am convinced of that," she told Le Matin Dimanche and the Sonntagszeitung weeklies, adding though that with no international court or prosecutor tasked with trying the Syria war crimes cases, justice would remain elusive.

"That is why the situation is so frustrating. The preparatory work has been done, but nevertheless, there is no prosecutor and no court," she told Sonntagszeitung.

"It's a tragedy."

Del Ponte, a 70-year-old Swiss national who came to prominence investigating war crimes in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, made the shock announcement earlier in August that she would resign from the UN commission because it "does absolutely nothing".

She lamented that "everyone in Syria is on the bad side. The Assad government has perpetrated horrible crimes against humanity and used chemical weapons. And the opposition is now made up of extremists and terrorists."

In Sunday's interviews, she said she had handed in her resignation letter last Thursday, and that she would officially step down on 18 September, after the commission presents its latest report to the UN Human Rights Council.

UN chief Antonio Guterres appealed last week for the commission to continue its work despite Del Ponte's departure.

The commission has been tasked with investigating human rights violations and war crimes in Syria since shortly after the conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests that have evolved into a complex proxy war.

The continued violence has left more than 330,000 people dead and displaced millions.

The commission, which once Del Ponte leaves will count just two members, has repeatedly urged the Security Council to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court, in vain.

"I do not want to be an alibi for an international community that is doing nothing at all," Del Ponte told Le Matin Dimanche, explaining her decision to leave the UN commission.

"My resignation is also meant as a provocation," she said, adding that she hoped it would "put pressure on the Security Council, which must deliver justice to the victims."
Kabul: Several senior Islamic State group members in Afghanistan - including a provincial leader - have been killed in a United States air strike, an official said on Sunday.

General John Nicholson, commander of US forces in Afghanistan, said Thursday's strike killed Abdul Rahman, who he claimed was a provincial leader in Islamic Stat's Afghanistan branch, known as Islamic Stat-Khorasan Province (IS-K).

Rahman's death comes a month after US forces killed Abu Sayed, the head of Islamic Stat-K. That marked the third time in a year that the affiliate had lost its leader.

"The death of Abdul Rahman deals yet another blow to the senior leadership of ISIS-K," Nicholson said in a statement.

"He found out just like those before him that there are no safe havens in Afghanistan. We will hunt them down until they are no longer a threat to the Afghan people and the region," he added.

Nicholson said that three other senior Islamic Stat-K members had been killed in the strike in Darah-Ye Pech district in the northeastern province of Kunar.

He identified Rahman as Islamic Stat-K's provincial emir in Kunar and said he had been a "primary candidate" to succeed Sayed as the affiliate's leader following the latter's death, also in an air strike in Kunar, on 11 July.

US forces have regularly been targeting Islamic Stat fighters in Afghanistan since the insurgents gained a foothold in the east of the country in 2015.

The US says it wants to defeat them by the end of the year. In April, the US military in Afghanistan dropped the so-called Mother Of All Bombs (MOAB) to target Islamic Stat hideouts in a complex of tunnels and bunkers in eastern Nangarhar province, killing over 90 militants.

Islamic Stat continues to wreak havoc in the war-torn country though. Earlier this month it claimed an attack on a mosque in Herat that killed 33 worshippers.
Washington: Senior US national security officials said Sunday that a military confrontation with North Korea's is not imminent, but they cautioned that the possibility of war is greater than it was a decade ago.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo and Army lieutenant general HR McMaster, President Trump's national security adviser, tried to provide assurances that a conflict is avoidable, while also supporting Trump's tough talk. They said the United States and its allies no longer can afford to stand by as North Korea pushes ahead with the development of a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile.

"We're not closer to war than a week ago but we are closer to war than we were a decade ago," McMaster said, adding that the Trump administration is prepared to deal militarily with North Korea if necessary.

But he stressed that the US is pursuing "a very determined diplomatic effort" led by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that's coupled with new financial sanctions to dissuade North Korean leader Kim Jong Un from further provocations.

"The US military is locked and loaded every day," McMaster said, repeating Trump's threat.

Pompeo said "there's nothing imminent today," in response to a question about how worried should people be over the escalating tensions. He said the US has a "pretty good idea" of North Korea's intentions, but Pompeo declined to provide specifics. The CIA chief described Kim as "rational" and responsive to "adverse circumstances."

"The reaction in North Korea that we are intending to get is an understanding that America is no longer going to have the strategic patience that it's had that has permitted him to continue to develop his weapons program," Pompeo said. "It's that straightforward."

The top US military officer, Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, is traveling in Asia and expected to meet with leaders in South Korea, Japan and China. Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters traveling with him that he aims to "sense what the temperature is in the region." He also will discuss military options in the event the "diplomatic and economic pressurization campaign" fails.

"We're all looking to get out of this situation without a war," Dunford said.

China's president, Xi Jinping, made a plea for cool-headedness in a phone conversation with Trump on Saturday, urging both sides to avoid words or actions that could worsen the situation.

The call came after Trump made fresh threats against North Korea on Friday, declaring the US military "locked and loaded" and warning Kim that he "will regret it fast" if he takes any action against US territories or allies.

Trump has pushed China to pressure North Korea to halt a nuclear weapons program that is nearing the capability of targeting the United States. China is the North's biggest economic partner and source of aid, but says it alone can't compel its wayward ally to end its nuclear and missile programs.

The White House said in a statement that Trump and Xi "agreed North Korea must stop its provocative and escalatory behavior." It also said that the two "reiterated their mutual commitment to denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

State-run China Central Television quoted Xi as telling Trump the "relevant parties must maintain restraint and avoid words and deeds that would exacerbate the tension on the Korean Peninsula."

But Trump on Friday appeared to set another red line  the mere utterance of threats  that would trigger a US attack against North Korea and "big, big trouble" for Kim.

North Korea's Minju Joson newspaper said in an editorial Saturday that the North's army is "capable of fighting any war the US wants."

The tough talk capped a week in which long-standing tensions between the countries risked abruptly boiling over.

New UN sanctions condemning North Korea's rapidly developing nuclear program drew fresh ire and threats from the North. Trump, responding to a report that US intelligence indicates Pyongyang can now put a nuclear warhead on its long-range missiles, vowed to rain down "fire and fury" if challenged.

The North then came out with a threat to lob four intermediate-range "Hwasong-12" missiles near Guam, a tiny US territory some 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) from the North's capital, Pyongyang.
Caracas: Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza on Saturday slammed the "warmongering" declarations of the US President Donald Trump as "threats to peace."

Trump's statement about not to "rule out" a military option in Venezuela was a "violation" of UN and international laws, Xinhua quoted Arreaza as saying.

"Venezuela categorically rejects the unfriendly and warmongering declarations of Trump, who has threatened us with a military intervention, in violation of UN principles and international law," said the foreign minister.

Bolivian President Evo Morales also condemned on Saturday the "armed interventionist eagerness by the US against Venezuela," slamming the international community for keeping silent.

Writing on Twitter, Morales stated that "we condemn the armed interventionist eagerness by the US against Venezuela, a country which seeks peace in dialogue." Venezuela's government has been severely criticised by the international community for creating a National Constituent Assembly (ANC), which will rewrite the Constitution.

This has been widely derided as a power-grab by Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro.

Several Venezuelans also dismissed Trump's words as "imperial interference."

"It is an act of arrogance. It is not the first time that Trump has acted like this towards Venezuela, which has been besieged for a long time," said Cristobal Alva, a Venezuelan poet from Guatire in the northern state of Miranda.

Rosalia Pulgar, a pensioner from Caracas, said that "we are prepared to resolve our own problems."

She highlighted the "moral and military...preparation" of the Venezuelan people and added that "diplomacy" was the right way to resolve conflicts.

Also on Saturday, South American trade bloc Mercosur rejected the use of force in Venezuela, according to a statement by Argentina's foreign ministry.
Charlottesville: A car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting a white nationalist rally on Saturday in a Virginia college town, killing three person, hurting more than a dozen others and ratcheting up tension in a day full of violent confrontations.

Shortly after, a Virginia State Police helicopter that officials said was assisting with the rally crashed outside Charlottesville, killing the pilot and a trooper.

The chaos boiled over at what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade. The governor declared a state of emergency, and police dressed in riot gear ordered people out. The group had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee, and others arrived to protest the racism.

Matt Korbon, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student, said several hundred counter-protesters were marching when "suddenly there was just this tire screeching sound." A silver Dodge Challenger smashed into another car, then backed up, barreling through "a sea of people."

The impact hurled people into the air. Those left standing scattered, screaming and running for safety in different directions.

The driver was later identified by police as James Alex Fields Jr of Ohio. Police say Fields, 20, has been charged with charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and one count related to leaving the scene. A bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.

Field's mother, Samantha Bloom, told The Associated Press on Saturday night that she knew her son was attending a rally in Virginia but didn't know it was a white supremacist rally.

"I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trump's not a white supremacist," Bloom said.

"He had an African-American friend so ...," she said before her voice trailed off. She added that she'd be surprised if her son's views were that far right.

Bloom, who became visibly upset as she learned of the injuries and deaths at the rally, said she and her son had just moved to the Toledo area from the northern Kentucky city of Florence. She said that's where Fields grew up. She relocated to Ohio for work.

The turbulence began Friday night, when the white nationalists carried torches though the University of Virginia campus. It quickly spiraled into violence Saturday morning. Hundreds of people threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays. At least one person was arrested in connection.

City officials said the car collision left 19 people injured and said they treated 35 patients altogether.

State Police said in a statement that the helicopter was "assisting public safety resources with the ongoing situation" when it crashed in a wooded area. The pilot, Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, Virginia, and Trooper-Pilot Berke MM Bates of Quinton, Virginia, died at the scene.

President Donald Trump condemned "in the strongest possible terms" what he called an "egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides" after the clashes. He called for "a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives."

Trump said he had spoken with the governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, and "we agreed that the hate and the division must stop and must stop right now."

But some of the white nationalists cited Trump's victory as validation for their beliefs, and Trump's critics pointed to the president's racially tinged rhetoric as exploiting the nation's festering racial tension.

Jesse Jackson noted that Trump for years publicly questioned President Barack Obama's citizenship.

"We are in a very dangerous place right now," he said.

Right-wing blogger Jason Kessler had called for what he termed a "pro-white" rally in Charlottesville, sparked by the monument decision. White nationalists and their opponents promoted the event for weeks.

Oren Segal, who directs the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, said multiple white power groups gathered in Charlottesville, including members of neo-Nazi organizations, racist skinhead groups and Ku Klux Klan factions.

The white nationalist Organizations Vanguard America and Identity Evropa; the Southern nationalist League of the South; the National Socialist Movement; the Traditionalist Workers Party; and the Fraternal Order of Alt Knights also were on hand, he said, along with several groups with a smaller presence.

On the other side, anti-fascist demonstrators also gathered in Charlottesville, but they generally aren't organized like white nationalist factions, said Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Many others were just locals caught in the fray.

Colleen Cook, 26, stood on a curb shouting at the rally attendees to go home.

Cook, a teacher who attended the University of Virginia, said she sent her son, who is black, out of town for the weekend.

"This isn't how he should have to grow up," she said.

Cliff Erickson leaned against a fence and took in the scene. He said he thinks removing the statue amounts to erasing history and said the "counter-protesters are crazier than the alt-right."

"Both sides are hoping for a confrontation," he said.

It's the latest hostility in Charlottesville since the city about 100 miles outside of Washington, DC, voted earlier this year to remove a statue of Lee.

In May, a torch-wielding group that included prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer gathered around the statue for a nighttime protest, and in July, about 50 members of a North Carolina-based KKK group traveled there for a rally, where they were met by hundreds of counter-protesters.

Kessler said this week that the rally is partly about the removal of Confederate symbols but also about free speech and "advocating for white people."

"This is about an anti-white climate within the Western world and the need for white people to have advocacy like other groups do," he said in an interview.

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer said he was disgusted that the white nationalists had come to his town and blamed Trump for inflaming racial prejudices.

"I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in American today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president," he said.

Charlottesville, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a liberal-leaning city that's home to the flagship UVA and Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.

The statue's removal is part of a broader city effort to change the way Charlottesville's history of race is told in public spaces. The city has also renamed Lee Park, where the statue stands, and Jackson Park, named for Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. They're now called Emancipation Park and Justice Park, respectively.

For now, the Lee statue remains. A group called the Monument Fund filed a lawsuit arguing that removing the statue would violate a state law governing war memorials. A judge has agreed to temporarily block the city from removing the statue for six months.
In the wake of the violent clashes at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., that left three dead and more than a dozen injured, a Virginia congressman said Sunday he is afraid about the future of the nation.

I have a child due in a monthweve worked since 1776 to erase horrible flaws like slavery and second-class citizenship and to think that my child might be born into a world where were regressing is genuinely frightening, Rep. Tom Garrett, a Republican representing the Virginias 5th Congressional District, which includes Charlottesville, told Maria Bartiromo on Sunday Morning Futures.

On Saturday, a Dodge Challenger rammed into a group of counter-protesters, killing a 32-year-old womanidentified as Heather Heyeras she was crossing the street.

Just hours later, two state police officers died in a helicopter crash. Law enforcement officials said the officers were assisting public safety resources with the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, at the time of the accident.

The rally, called Unite the Right, was initiated by members of white nationalist, Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazi groups to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Earlier this year, the city voted to remove it from Emancipation Park, but it remains in place until a judge rules on the matter later this month. Protesters said the demonstration, which the Southern Poverty Law Center said could be the largest hate-gathering of its kind in decades in the United States, was created to take America back.

Its beyond my ability to comprehend that in 2017 in a place like Charlottesville, Va., people cant understand that Dr. [Martin Luther] King [Jr.] was spot-on when he said we should judge one another by the content of our character and not the color of our skinit is tragic, Garrett said, adding that 90% of the people from this fascist rally were not from the state.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Saturday and said at a news conference later that evening he had a message for protesters: Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth.

Governor McAuliffe has declared a state of emergency to aid state response to violence at Alt-Right rally in Charlottesville  Terry McAuliffe (@GovernorVA) August 12, 2017

President Trump denounced the events in Charlottesville during a brief speech in New Jersey on Saturday.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides," Trump said. "It has been going on for a long time in our countrynot Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. It has been going on for a long, long time. It has no place in America."

The presidents statement was met with criticism from both Democrats and Republicans alike for not mentioning white supremacists specifically in his remarks.

Mr. President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism, Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., tweeted.

Mr. President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism. https://t.co/PaPNiPPAoW  Cory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner) August 12, 2017

However, Garrett said right now, the current focus should not be on the presidents comments, but rather uniting together as a human race, not simply individuals.

Regardless of whom you voted for, regardless of what you think America should look like moving forward, I think we can all agree that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights. So I want to focus on what brings us together, not what tears us apart, he said.
Everyone loves free money, and most people do everything they can to get as much of it as possible. But there's one thing roughly 20% of people fail to do that could earn them tens of thousands of extra dollars over the course of your career.

When it comes to 401(k) plans, many employees aren't doing enough. In fact, only about 60% of millennials are taking advantage of their company's 401(k) plan, according to a report by Wells Fargo, and Gen Xers and Boomers have only slightly higher participation rates of 63% and 66%, respectively.

While participation in a 401(k) is important, even more important is the free money employees can receive in the form of matching contributions.

Among employees who participate in their 401(k)s, about 21% -- or roughly 1 in 5 -- don't contribute enough to receive the full employer match, according to a study by Alight Solutions. So if your company matches up to 6% of your gross annual pay and you're only contributing 3%, that could amount to a lot of free money each year you're missing out on.

Exactly how much is "a lot," though?

Three percent may not seem like much money, so it's tempting to think that by not maxing out your employer matching contributions, you're not missing much. But that money adds up quickly.

To see these numbers in action, let's look at a hypothetical example. Say your company matches 100% of your contributions up to 3% of your annual gross pay and that you're earning a salary of $50,000 per year. Let's also say right now you're contributing 2%, or $1,000, per year to your 401(k).

Assuming you don't make any changes to your saving or investing strategy, here's what your total 401(k) contributions will look like if you continue saving 2% and if you bump up your savings rate to 3%:

Note that these calculations don't include any return on your investments -- they're simply the contributions you and your employer are making.

So although in this example you're only contributing an extra $500 each year, that relatively small number can amount to a $40,000 difference over a lifetime.

The difference is even more pronounced if your company offers a better match or you're earning a higher salary. For example, if your company offers to match 100% of your contributions up to 6% of your annual pay and you're earning $80,000 per year, that's $4,800 per year in free money that is just waiting to be added to your 401(k).

How to start saving more

If you know you're not earning as much as you could be, how can you start saving more? It's best to take a gradual approach and make saving a habit.

Start by setting up automatic deposits into your 401(k). Most employers will allow you to set money from your paycheck aside before it even reaches you, which makes saving easier. If you're struggling to save, start small by setting aside 1% of your yearly income to put toward your 401(k).

Once you start earning more (or cutting back to trim your expenses), bump your savings goal up to 2%, then 3%. And when you do reach your employer match, give yourself a pat on the back and keep pushing yourself to save more. In 2017 the maximum amount you can contribute to a 401(k) is $18,000 (or $24,000 if you're 50 or older), so you can't go wrong with saving a few extra dollars here and there.

If you're fortunate enough to have an employer who matches 401(k) contributions, it's wise to take advantage of it. While a 1% difference may not seem like a lot of money, it can make all the different come retirement time.

The $16,122 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $16,122 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies.

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The pipeline sector has long been an excellent place for income investors because these companies often pay out a large percentage of their cash flow in dividends each year. Because of that, yields tend to be well above average, which is certainly the case with ONEOK (NYSE: OKE), Enbridge (NYSE: ENB), and Phillips 66 Partners (NYSE: PSXP). What's more, these three companies combine a high current yield with a lower risk profile and visible growth opportunities, which makes them excellent stocks for income-focused investors.

The liftoff has already begun

This past February, pipeline and processing giant ONEOK announced that it had agreed to acquire all the outstanding units of its MLP that it didn't already own because the combination would improve its balance sheet while also reducing complexity and costs. Furthermore, the transaction would enable the company to immediately boost its dividend 21% while setting it up to deliver 9% to 11% annual increases from 2018 through 2021, even as it projected to maintain a healthy 1.2 times dividend coverage ratio, which made it a potential gold mine for income seekers.

That deal recently closed, and ONEOK has already made good on its promised post-merger dividend hike and now yields a mouthwatering 5.7%. Meanwhile, future increases will come as the company works through its growing backlog of high-return, fee-based expansion projects. For example, in the STACK play of Oklahoma, the company has recently secured about $355 million of growth projects that should enter service by the end of next year. These projects typically have return multiples of five to seven times adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), so a little capital generates lots of steady cash flow. Given the company's progress in securing projects, it's becoming increasingly likely that ONEOK will deliver on its plan to increase its dividend at a healthy rate for the next several years.

Double digit growth for nearly a decade

Enbridge also recently closed an acquisition, which in its case enabled the company to provide investors with a 15% dividend increase. Because of that, the Canadian energy infrastructure giant currently yields 4.6%. Furthermore, that payout is on rock-solid ground since fee-based contracts underpin more than 95% of its cash flow and the company's payout ratio is in the ultra-conservative 50% to 60% range.

Meanwhile, there's plenty of dividend growth up ahead. In fact, Enbridge currently expects that it can increase its payout by a 10% to 12% compound annual rate all the way through 2024. Fueling that plan is the massive backlog of capital projects it has under construction and in development. In the near term, the company has secured 31 billion Canadian dollars' ($24.4 billion) worth of projects that should enter service through 2020 and deliver 12% to 14% compound annual growth in its available cash flow from operations. In addition to that, the company has several longer-term organic growth projects in development that should enable it to stay on pace with its long-term dividend growth forecast, making it a dream stock for income seekers.

Switching gears but still growing fast

When refining giant Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX) created Phillips 66 Partners in 2013, its aim was to drop down the bulk of its midstream assets into the MLP over the next five years. That plan would enable Phillips 66 to unlock the value of these assets, while at the same time providing Phillips 66 Partners with cash flowing assets so it could increase its payout by a 30% compound annual rate through 2018.

So far that plan has worked exceptionally well. Overall, Phillips 66 Partners has grown its payout by a 33% compound annual rate while maintaining a conservative payout ratio that has been above 1.24 times over the past year and keeping a solid investment-grade balance sheet. Furthermore, even though the company's units have appreciated nearly 60%, they still yield a generous 5.2% at the moment.

While Phillips 66 is on pace to finish its drop down plan over the next year, that doesn't mean Phillips 66 Partners' growth will dry up. That's because the company has started investing in organic expansion projects, as well as making third-party acquisitions. For example, the company formed a joint venture with Plains All American Pipeline (NYSE: PAA) to expand into the STACK play of Oklahoma. Under the terms of the deal, Phillips 66 Partners contributed $50 million while Plains All American Pipeline provided an existing oil storage terminal and a pipeline. The partners are already expanding the system and pursuing additional growth opportunities. That's just one of several projects it has in development, which when combined with others it secures in the future, should enable the company to continue increasing its payout at a brisk pace in the years to come.

But wait, there's more

These pipeline companies offer excellent current yields backed by a conservative financial profile since all three get more than 90% of their earnings from predictable fees and each has improving leverage ratios that support their investment grade credit ratings. Add to that the fact that all three have clearly visible growth prospects on the horizon, and investors should collect a steadily rising cash flow stream.

However, in addition to all that, these stocks have all dropped in value this year even though the market is riding high. Because of that, investors can pick up even higher yields than they could at the beginning of the year and get an extra helping of upside potential when they recover their lost ground in the future. This blend of value, growth, and income could yield market-beating returns over the long term.

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Matt DiLallo owns shares of Phillips 66. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Enbridge and ONEOK. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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A family-owned pizzeria in New Jersey is facing backlash after an officer claimed she got a pizza box with the word pig written on it.

In early August, the East Brunswick police officer walked into the family-owned pizza restaurant to pick up her order.

While the officer waited for her food, pizzeria owner Frank Mancinis brother marked a pizza box with a sharpie and put it in the oven to wait for pickup, NJ Advance Media reported.

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The box had a derogatory comment directed toward the officer, East Brunswick PBA Local 145 wrote on its Facebook page. After confronting the employee, the officer left without her food or a refund.

Mancini, though, denies there was any anti-cop message. Mancini states that the box in question was titled with P for plain pie and had a symbol next to it to indicate garlic twist.

The restaurant maintains that this is a case of misunderstanding and that it appreciates and supports the police force.

"This has been a nightmare," Mancini said. "We love cops. People just want to blow it up for our business to fail."

In an attempt to defend itself, Mancini Pizza released a photo, claiming it showed the pizza box in question. However, the police union denied the photo was accurate.

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The photograph conjured up by Mancini Pizza, 11 days after the incident, is not an actual depiction of the original pizza box. It is unfortunate, but not surprising that Mancini Pizza would attempt to cover up the truth and continue to avoid taking responsibility for the behavior of their employees. As mentioned in our previous statement, the officer refutes the claims made by Mancini Pizza regarding the matter. We will continue to stand by the officer's account of the event.

The East Brunswick community has responded to the allegations by calling for a boycott of the restaurant. Its Yelp page is now being monitored because of reviews left regarding this incident.
Vice President Pence begins a week-long trip Sunday to Latin America amid continuing political turmoil in Venezuela and President Trump saying he wouldnt rule out a "military option" in response to the actions of Venezuela leader Nicolas Maduro.

Pence begins the trip with a meeting in Colombia with President Juan Manuel Santos. He also has scheduled visits to Argentina and Chile, other neighboring South American countries to Venezuela, and Panama in Central America.

Trumps remark Friday about a possible U.S. military response to what the administration sees as a power grab by Maduro was largely a surprise, considering the president was already in an escalating standoff with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo told Fox News Sunday that intelligence in recent months shows the situation continues to deteriorate, with Maduro asserting more power and inflicting more pain on the people of Venezuela.

He also said the situation indeed poses a security risk to the United States considering the Cubans, Russians, Iranians and even Hezbollah are already there.

Still, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster suggested last week that he didnt foresee an outside military intervention" in Venezuela and told MSNBC that the administration was working with neighboring Latin American countries to resolve the crisis.

Venezuela has rejected Trumps talk.

The Venezuelan presidents son, Nicolas Maduro Guerra, threatened Saturday to "take the White House, if the U.S. uses military action.

His remarks followed Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza saying Friday that Trumps talk was the most egregious act of belligerence against Venezuela in a century and a threat to the regions stability.

In Colombia, Pence is expected to highlight trade, business investment and other ties between the nations, including U.S. support for Bogota's efforts to implement its peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

The United States probably will seek assurances that Colombia is taking seriously a surging coca production that's been blamed partially on Santos' decision in 2015 to stop using crop-destroying herbicides.

A July report from the United Nations showed that coca production in Colombia had reached levels not seen in two decades, complicating Colombia's efforts to make its vast, lawless countryside more secure.

The administration has been putting pressure on Colombia to curb the flow of drugs into the U.S., and Colombia has stepped up its forced eradication program and increased seizures of cocaine.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
President Trump should have been harsher on the white nationalists who organized the deadly rally this weekend in Virginia, Anthony Scaramucci said Sunday, in his first TV interview since being fired as White House communications director.

"I wouldn't have recommended that statement. I think he would have needed to have been much harsher.  With the moral authority of the presidency, you have to call that stuff out," Scaramucci told ABCs This Week about Trumps comments after the deadly protests and counter-protests Saturday in Charlottesville, Va., surrounding the Unite the Right rally.

Trump gave Scaramucci the White House job in late July, in part for how he deftly forced CNN to take down an incorrect online story connecting him to the Russia investigations.

However, he was fired 11 days later, after a profanity-laced phone call with The New Yorker reporter Ryan Lizza and amid the arrival of retired Marine Gen. John Kelly as the new White House chief of staff.

For the record, I thought that (call) was off the record, Scaramucci, a former Wall Street financier and member of the Trump campaigns finance committee, said Sunday. That was a very deceitful thing that he did.  But we don't need to debate that anymore. That's past news. I made a mistake. I'm accountable for the mistake. I paid the consequences of that.

He also suggested that White House chief strategist Steve Bannon is the source of at least some of the West Wing leaks and that his connection to Breitbart.com and its association with the far right is hurting the presidency.

It's not serving the president's interests, Scaramucci told ABC News. He's got to move more into the mainstream. He's got to be more into where the moderates are and the independents are.  If he does that, he'll have a very successful legislative agenda.  And if he doesn't do that, you're going to see inertia and you're going to see this resistance from more of the establishment senators that he needs to curry favor with.

Still, Scaramucci made clear that Bannons future in the White House is solely in the hands of Trump.

"I think the president knows what he's going to do with Steve Bannon, he said. It's his decision. But at the end of the day, the president has a very good idea of who the leakers are inside the White House. The president has a very good idea of the people who are undermining his agenda that are serving their own interests."
An Ohio man is accused of driving a car into a crowd of people protesting a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring 19 others, police said late Saturday.

James Alex Fields Jr., 20, was booked into the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail on one count of second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and one count of failing to stop at an accident that resulted in a death.

On Saturday night, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the opening of a federal civil rights investigation into the case.

The Richmond FBI Field Office, the Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia have opened a civil rights investigation into the circumstances of the deadly vehicular incident that occurred earlier Saturday morning," Sessions said in a statement. "The FBI will collect all available facts and evidence, and as this is an ongoing investigation we are not able to comment further at this time.

Col. Martin Kumer, the jail's superintendent, told the Associated Press that he doesn't believe Fields has obtained an attorney yet.

Kumer added that a bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.

Virginia State Police announced three more arrests Saturday night in connection with the Charlottesville unrest.

Those arrested were identified as Troy Dunigan, 21, of Chattanooga, Tenn., charged with disorderly conduct; Jacob L. Smith, 21, of Louisa, Va., charged with assault and battery; and James M. O'Brien, 44, of Gainesville, Fla., charged with carrying a concealed handgun, police said.



The Washington Post reported that the silver 2010 Dodge Challenger involved in the crash was registered to Fields.

In addition, photographs taken of the car as it barreled toward the crowd of protesters show it bearing an Ohio license plate number, GVF 1111. The Post also reported that Fields' last known address was in Maumee, a suburb of Toledo. WHIO-TV reported that the Ohio county code on the license plate corresponded to Lucas County, where Maumee is located.

Field's mother, Samantha Bloom, told the Associated Press on Saturday night that she knew her son was attending a rally in Virginia but didn't know it was a white supremacist rally.



"I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trump's not a white supremacist," Bloom said.



"He had an African-American friend so ...," she said before her voice trailed off. She added that she'd be surprised if her son's views were that far right.



Bloom, who became visibly upset as she learned of the injuries and deaths at the rally, said she and her son had just moved to the Toledo area from the northern Kentucky city of Florence. She said that's where Fields grew up. She relocated to Ohio for work.

The crash climaxed a day of violence in the university town that had been sparked by the arrival of hundreds of white nationalists protesting plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a public park.

Matt Korbon, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student, said several hundred counter-protesters were marching through a pedestrian mall downtown when "suddenly there was just this tire screeching sound." He said the Dodge Challenger smashed into another car, then backed up, barreling through "a sea of people."

The crash sparked calls from several Republican lawmakers for a federal investigation of what they described as a domestic terror attack. However, federal law enforcement officials told Fox News that they were not yet responding because it was not clear the situation rose to that level.

The officials said that if it becomes clear the protesters were targeted due to their political beliefs or minority status, the Bureau could become involved.

Fox News' Jake Gibson and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Two Virginia state troopers were killed Saturday afternoon in a helicopter crash authorities said was linked to a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va.

Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates were aboard the Bell 407 helicopter when it crashed seven miles southwest of downtown Charlottesville at 4:50 p.m.

The troopers were helping law enforcement officers monitor the nationalist rally in the area before the fatal crash. No one on the ground was injured.

"Our state police and law enforcement family at-large are mourning this tragic outcome to an already challenging day, " state police superintendent Colonel W. Steven Flaherty said.

"Lieutenant Cullen was a highly-respected professional aviator and Trooper-Pilot Bates was a welcome addition to the Aviation Unit, after a distinguished assignment as a special agent with our Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Their deaths are a tremendous loss to our agency and the Commonwealth."

In a tweet, President Donald Trump offered condolences to the families of the state troopers.

"Deepest condolences to the families and fellow officers of the VA State Police who died today. You're all among the best this nation produces," he wrote.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe also issued a statement:

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jay and Berke, both of whom were our close friends and trusted members of our team. Jay has flown us across the commonwealth for more than three and a half years. Berke was devoted to our entire family as part of our Executive Protective Unit team for the past three years.

"This is a devastating loss for their families, the Virginia State Police, and the entire commonwealth. Our hearts go out to their wives and children, and we stand by to support them during this difficult time. These heroes were a part of our family and we are simply heartbroken."

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but there is no indication of foul play.

The crash happened just a few hours after a car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting against the white nationalist rally. One woman was killed and 19 people were hurt, authorities said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


A hammer-wielding deranged man went on a bloody rampage in a suburban New York home, killing his mother, sister and another woman, according to reports.

Bobby Vanderhall, 34, was charged with murder in the deaths of the three women after police found him sleeping in a car nearby. He also was charged with trying to kill a fourth women.

Lynn Reichenbach-Vanderhall had recently kicked her son Bobby out of their home on Long Island after he became increasingly violent, the New York Post reported.

Hes accused of flying into a rage when he showed up at the house around 2:15 a.m. Saturday and discovered the doors locked.

"He went to the garage. He obtained a large hammer, Detective Lt. Stephen Fitzpatrick, head of the Nassau County Police Homicide Squad. With this framing hammer, he broke through the basement door."

The Post quoted police as saying that Vanderhall attacked his mother in the living room. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

His younger sister Melissa, 28, and two friends heard the fatal beating, the paper reported.

The girls, who were all upstairs, heard what was going on in the living room, Fitzpatrick said, according to the paper. As they came to the staircase, Bobby was already coming up after them.

Melissa and Janel Simpson, 29, were also pronounced dead at the scene.

Candace Murray, 29, fought back and ran out of the house, CBS New York reported.

The Post reported that her wrist was broken fending off the attack.

Lynn Reichenbach-Vanderhall taught young children at a day care center. Her daughter was a physicians assistant.

Fitzpatrick said Vanderhall had a history of "emotional issues" and had on two occasions been taken from his mother's home to a medical center.

Authorities said Vanderhall's behavior had become more troubling recently, leading his mother to obtain an order of protection against him -- and then to evict him.

He had a record of arrests for drunken driving, drug possession and sexual abuse, according to reports.

Vanderhall was awaiting arraignment on three murder charges and an attempted murder charge.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The feds are looking into whether James Alex Fields Jr., the suspect accused of ramming his car into a group of counter-protesters at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., had help planning the alleged attack, a senior Justice Department official familar with the investigation told Fox News on Sunday.

The DOJ has opened a federal civil rights hate crime investigation into Saturday's crash, which killed one person and injured 19 others.

"The investigation is not limited to the driver. We will investigate whether others may have been involved in planning the attack," the official said, adding that domestic terrorism charges are possible as well.

DOJ officials say domestic terrorism includes criminal acts that are dangerous to human life and appear to be intended to intimidate or coerce a civilian population. "Motive often is not clear, but we have enough evidence to be suspicious that the suspect intended to send a message and not just harm immediate victims," the DOJ official said, adding that "scores" of federal officials have been helping local law enforcement.

The crash is being investigated jointly by the FBI, the United States Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia and the Civil Rights Divisions Criminal Section, Fox News is told.

A former teacher of the suspect said Fields had a keen interest in military history, Hitler and Nazi Germany. Derek Weimer recalled that school officials in Kentucky had singled out Fields in 9th grade for his political beliefs and that he had made comments that alerted his social studies teacher at the time to "deeply-held, radical" convictions on race and Nazism.

The violence and deaths in Charlottesville "strike at the heart of American law and justice," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said late Saturday. "When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated."

Police charged Fields, of Ohio, with second-degree murder and other counts after the silver Dodge Challenger they say he was driving barreled through the crowd. The impact hurled people into the air and blew off their shoes. Heather Heyer, 32, was killed as she crossed the street.

Hours later, two state troopers were killed when the helicopter they were flying in as part of a large-scale police effort at the rally crashed into a wooded area outside the city.

Sessions was in contact yesterday with FBI Director Christopher Wray, FBI agents on the scene, and law enforcement officials for the state of Virginia, the DOJ official said. He added that the length of the investigation would be "determined by the specifics of the matter being investigated. This is a large-scale investigation with multiple victims, scores of potential witnesses, and potential electronic evidence."

Saturday's chaos erupted as neo-Nazis, skinheads, Ku Klux Klan members and other white supremacist groups arrived for the rally. Counter-protesters were also on hand, and the two sides clashed, with people throwing punches, hurling water bottles and unleashing chemical sprays. Some came prepared for a fight, with body armor and helmets. Videos that ricocheted around the world on social media showed people beating each other with sticks and shields.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency, police in riot gear ordered people out of the streets, and helicopters circled overhead.

Those left standing after the crash scattered, screaming and running for safety. Video caught the car reversing, hitting more people, its windshield splintered from the collision and its bumper dragging on the pavement. Medics carried the injured, bloodied and crying, away as a police tank rolled down the street.

Fox News' Jake Gibson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
White nationalist blogger Jason Kessler, who organized Saturdays Unite the Right in Charlottesville, Va., was suddenly chased out of his press conference Sunday afternoon by a crowd of protesters, leading to at least one arrest.

Footage on social media showed Kessler being escorted by law enforcement away from the area, with protesters shouting the name of Heather Heyer, the woman who was killed after a car plowed into a crowd of people at yesterdays rally.

Robert Litzenberger, 47, was arrested after a trooper saw him spitting on Kessler, state police said. Litzenberger was charged with misdemeanor assault and battery, and released on unsecured bond.

Kessler was chased away from the press conference by protesters. As he exited the area, there were audible chants of shame coming from the crowd.

WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS GRAPHIC LANGUAGE

Kessler planned the news conference after a group of white supremacists went to Charlottesville on Saturday to "take America back" by rallying against plans to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from Emancipation Park.

Kessler reportedly blamed the violence that unfolded on local government and law enforcement officials, claiming they did not separate the protesters and counter-protesters.

"All of the carnage that happened was because the Charlottesville city government would not recognize our right to assemble," Kessler said during a live-stream on his Twitter account. He added that his "first amendment rights are being trampled on," after he claimed he received no help from state police Sunday as protesters went after him during his news conference.

Protesters and counter-protesters clashed throughout the day, and it turned deadly after a Dodge Challenger was rammed into a group of counter-protesters.

James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio, the alleged driver, has been arrested in connection with the crash, which left 32-year-old Heyer, a counter-protester, dead and 19 others injured.

CHARLOTTESVILLE WHITE NATIONALIST RALLY BLAMED FOR 3 DEATHS, DOZENS OF INJURIES

According to Virginia State Police, three other people were arrested in connection with the rally. Police identified them as Troy Dunigan, 21, of Chattanooga, Tenn., charged with disorderly conduct; Jacob L. Smith, 21, of Louisa, Va., charged with assault and battery; and James M. O'Brien, 44, of Gainesville, Fla., charged with carrying a concealed handgun.

The Richmond FBI Field Office, the Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia have since opened a civil rights investigation into the deadly crash.

Fox News' Jenny Buchholz contributed to this report.
The mother of the man who police say killed a woman when he plowed a car into a group of protesters during a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday said she urged her son that if he was going to the rally to be careful.

James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Maumee, Ohio, texted his mother Friday to say he had dropped his cat off at her house so he could go to an alt-right rally in Virginia.

I told him to be careful, Samantha Bloom, a paraplegic, told the Toledo Blade. [And] if theyre going to rally to make sure hes doing it peacefully.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday night, Bloom said she didnt know it was a white supremacist rally.

"I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trump's not a white supremacist," said Bloom, who became visibly upset as she learned of the injuries and deaths at the rally.

"He had an African-American friend so ...," she said before her voice trailed off. She added that she'd be surprised if her son's views were that far right.

The Blade reported Sunday that FBI agents had interviewed Bloom about her son.

They contacted me to let me know they were in the area, that they were going to talk to the mother, which they already have, Lucas County Sheriff John Tharp told the paper, referring to the FBI. What the conversation was, I don't know.

Bloom returned from dinner Saturday unaware of her sons arrest, the paper reported.

He told her about the rally last week, she told the paper.

I dont talk to him about political views, she said. So I dont understand what the rally was about.

Bloom told the paper her son moved out of her home five or six months ago. He had an apartment, she said.

They moved to northwest Ohio from Florence, Ky., about a year ago for her job, the Blade reported.

Fields brandished a shield with a white supremacist emblem just hours before the deadly rampage Saturday, the New York Daily News reported.

The paper reported photographing Fields on the front lines of the rally about 10:30 a.m. flanked by other white men in polo shirts and tan slacks clutching the racially charged black-and-white insignia of the Vanguard America hate group.

The Anti-Defamation League depicted Vanguard America as a white identity group whose members have increasingly demonstrated a neo-Nazi ideology, the paper reported.

Vanguard America denied on Sunday any association with the suspect.

In a Twitter post, the group said it had handed out the shields "to anyone in attendance who wanted them," and denied Fields was a member. "All our members are safe an (sic) accounted for, with no arrests or charges."

Military records show that Fields entered the Army on Aug. 18, 2015, around the time his mother wrote on Facebook that he had left for boot camp, The New York Times reported. Less than four months later, on Dec. 11, his period of active duty concluded. It was not immediately clear why he left the military.

The paper also quoted Caitlin Robinson, who attended Ockerman Middle School in Florence, Ky., with Fields, as saying that his interest in far-right ideologies dated back years.

On many occasions there were times he would scream obscenities, whether it be about Hitler or racial slurs, Robinson told the paper in an email Sunday.

Her email also said Fields mostly kept to himself and didnt start fights or try to fight, the paper reported. She also described him as exceptionally odd and an outcast to be sure.

He wasnt afraid to make you feel unsafe, she said, according to The Times.

Fields father was killed by a drunken driver a few months before his birth, an uncle told The Washington Post. His father left him money that the uncle kept in a trust until Fields reached adulthood.

When he turned 18, he demanded his money, and that was the last I had any contact with him, the uncle told the paper.

Fields has been charged with murder in the second degree, three counts of malicious wounding, and with leaving the scene. A bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The federal government has opened a civil rights investigation into the vehicular rampage that killed one woman and injured 19 other people during Saturdays Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a statement Saturday night to announce the probe.

The Richmond FBI Field Office, the Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia have opened a civil rights investigation into the circumstances of the deadly vehicular incident that occurred earlier Saturday morning, Sessions said in the statement. The FBI will collect all available facts and evidence, and as this is an ongoing investigation we are not able to comment further at this time.

James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio, has been arrested in connection with the fatal crash, authorities said. The rally was organized by right-wing blogger Jason Kessler, who wanted to protest Charlottesvilles decision to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from Emancipation Park. The event quickly turned chaotic, as white nationalists clashed with counter-protesters and police.

Sessions condemned the violence.

When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated, the attorney general said.

I have talked with FBI Director Chris Wray, FBI agents on the scene, and law enforcement officials for the state of Virginia. The FBI has been supporting state and local authorities throughout the day, Sessions said. U.S. Attorney Rick Mountcastle has commenced a federal investigation and will have the full support of the Department of Justice. Justice will prevail.

Earlier Saturday, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, had called upon the Justice Department to launch a probe.

"Having watched the horrifying video of the car deliberately crashing into a crowd of protesters, I urge the Department of Justice to immediately investigate and prosecute this grotesque act of domestic terrorism," Cruz said in a statement.

According to Virginia State Police, three other people were arrested in connection with the rally. They were identified as Troy Dunigan, 21, of Chattanooga, Tenn., charged with disorderly conduct; Jacob L. Smith, 21, of Louisa, Va., charged with assault and battery; and James M. O'Brien, 44, of Gainesville, Fla., charged with carrying a concealed handgun.



Sessions statement drew mixed reactions on social media. Some praised the decision to make the case a civil rights investigation, while others saw the case as terrorism and murder, with race a nonfactor.

Meanwhile, the nations leading civil rights organizations issued a number of statements in reaction to Saturdays events.

The NAACP called for President Trump to fire his adviser Steve Bannon, describing Bannon as a well-known white supremacist leader.

The National Urban League added: We call on everyone with a voice on our national stage to condemn these demonstrations & racist sentiments in the strongest possible terms."

The National Action Network said it calls on President Trump to address the causes of these events, denounce the white supremacists at the very heart of this conflict, and start working towards peace.

Protesters took to the streets of California cities such as Los Angeles and Oakland on Saturday night to decry what transpired in Charlottesville earlier in the day.

The Oakland protesters briefly blocked a portion of Interstate 580, the East Bay Times reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The woman who died during weekend protests in Charlottesville, Va., has been identified as Heather Heyer, a paralegal.

A Dodge Challenger rammed into a group of protesters as tension boiled over at a white supremacist rally on Saturday. Heyer, 32, was killed as she crossed the street.

Heyer was taken to UVA Hospital, where she was declared dead, according to a press release from the city of Charlottesville.

She was struck down by a vehicle while exercising her peaceful First Amendment right to speech, a statement said. This senseless act of violence rips a hole in our collective hearts.

White nationalists descended on the city to take America back by rallying against plans to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

Hundreds came to protest against the racism. The New York Daily News reported that it was not clear whether Heyer was with the demonstrators counter-protesting.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe tweeted that Heyer died standing up against hate & bigotry.

Heyers cover photo on Facebook from Nov. 19, 2016, says, If youre not outraged, youre not paying attention.

Heyer was a paralegal with the Miller Law Group, according to the newspaper.

For over four years Heather has played an essential role in our bankruptcy department and office as a whole, the law group says online. It says that Heyer was from Ruckersville, Va., but living in Charlottesville.

She died doing what was right. My heart is broken, but I am forever proud of her, Felicia Correa, Heyers childhood pal who spoke on behalf of the victims mother, told the Daily News.

Heyer graduated from William Monroe High School in Stanardsville, Va., in 2003, USA Today reported.

She always stands up for what she believes in and we had spoken about mixed race couples and families, her friend Lauren Moon told the news outlet.

The driver, James Alex Fields Jr., a 20-year-old who recently moved to Ohio from where he grew up in Kentucky, was charged with second-degree murder and other counts.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More than a dozen illegal immigrants were discovered trapped inside a tractor-trailer in Texas on Sunday.

The Edinburg Police Department said 17 immigrants were in the back of the trailer, KRPC reported. The locked trailer was in the parking lot of a Flying J convenience store, according to Fox 8.

A man and woman who oversaw that trailer have been detained and the U.S. Border Patrol is investigating, according to reports.

Officials said that the immigrants were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and Romania, KRPC added.

Police were notified by a worried family member in Mexico who reported that a relative was locked inside a trailer that was getting to hot for those inside.

The trailer was discovered just a month after ten people were found dead in the back of a tractor-trailer in a Walmart parking lot in San Antonio as part of what investigators called a botched smuggling mission. The driver of that trailer was charged and could face the death penalty if convicted.
A 13-year-old North Carolina boy suffered a shark bite on South Carolina's Hilton Head Island last week, the Island Packet reports.

Linton Suttle was swimming Thursday near Sea Pines Beach Club when he felt a sharp pain in his foot, he told the newspaper.

"I thought maybe it was a seashell, but as I turned around to look I saw a shadow swim away and I knew I had just got bit by a shark," he said. "My first thought was that I wanted to get my sister out of the water."

His parents used photos of comparable bites and an exchange with shark researchers to confirm it was a shark bite.

The family received an email from George Burgess, director of the Florida Program for Shark Research, confirming the bite was from a shark.

OHIO TEEN BIT BY SHARK AT HILTON HEAD BEACH

The boy escaped without major injuries but has to use crutches and stay out of the ocean, according to the report.

The newspaper reported that Linton is the fourth shark bite victim on Hilton Head this summer, with none of the bites being life-threatening.

"Half of an inch to the left and he might have lost a toe," Linton's mother, Kristy Suttle, told the Island Packet. "I am grateful it didn't do more damage."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Hundreds, if not thousands, of Los Angeles County Sheriffs deputies have been purchasing their own body cameras despite the agency still lacking a policy regarding the recording equipment.

The deputies say the devices offer them some reassurance on the job. But because the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department doesnt yet have a policy in place for using the devices, it prompts some serious questions regarding transparency.

Its a recipe for disaster, said Melanie Ochoa, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California. I would imagine officers would be quite willing to turn it over if it paints them in a good light, but what is the access if it does not?

Without a policy, theres no guarantee that the footage wont be tampered with, or for that matter, even be disclosed to the public.

Nearly every large U.S. police department has a policy for officers who wear body cameras, and it has become somewhat common to see video from these cameras emerge  sometimes due to court orders  following high-profile shootings and other clashes.

Roughly 20 percent of Los Angeles Countys 10,000 deputies have bought cameras for themselves. Sheriff Jim McDonnell concedes that as many as 2,000 wear them on duty.

But regardless of how many deputies wear a body camera, not a single frame of footage has been released to the public.

A 2014 report released by the U.S. Justice Department and the Police Executive Research Forum advised police departments against allowing officers to use body cameras they purchased themselves.

"Because the agency would not own the recorded data, there would be little or no protection against the officer tampering with the videos or releasing them to the public or online," the report said. "Agencies should not permit personnel to use privately owned body-worn cameras while on duty."

"Agencies should not permit personnel to use privately owned body-worn cameras while on duty."  2014 Justice Department report

Some police agencies, such as a police department in northern Indiana, allow officers to buy and wear personal body cameras. But they have adopted policies that address transparency concerns.

In 2015, a video from a southern Ohio officer's personal body camera showed the officer pointing his gun, but not firing at the suspect who charged yelling, "Shoot me!"

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department is developing a policy that would set guidelines for deputies who wear their own cameras, though it's unclear when that policy will be approved and enacted.

"It's something we saw the need for, we initiated it, and it is working its way through the system," McDonnell told the Associated Press.

"It's something we saw the need for, we initiated it, and it is working its way through the system."  Sheriff Jim McDonnell, Los Angeles County, Calif.

Deputies in L.A. have never captured any use-of-force incidents or fatal shootings on personally owned body cameras, McDonnell said.

The sheriff's department said it is confident its policies on confidentiality and professional standards would hold deputies accountable. Those policies require deputies to keep any evidence, including audio and video recordings, for at least two years and to turn it over to the department when requested, officials said.

Sheriff's spokeswoman Nicole Nishida denied an AP request to see drafts of the policies the department says are being crafted.

Ron Hernandez, president of the union that represents rank-and-file deputies in Los Angeles, says most deputies who bought their own cameras want to protect themselves in case someone alleges misconduct.

"It's really a personal preference," Hernandez said. "The guys we have spoken to have said they thought it would be beneficial for them. They see the value in covering themselves."

But Hernandez dismissed civil libertarians' concerns that deputies would potentially abuse the footage because the department was not officially storing it.

"I would hope that if a deputy is recording, he is retaining it," Hernandez said. "It would be counterproductive to a guy to get his own camera to cover himself and then assume he's going to manipulate the footage. He'd be better off not having anything."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Texas police chief said he was asked to leave a doctors office because he was carrying his gun.

Conroe Police Chief Philip Dupuis told The Courier he was wearing his badge, lanyard with identification and gun when he began to check in for his appointment at Texas Ear, Nose and Throat Specialists in The Woodlands on August 8.

The receptionist reportedly took the officers information, then asked him to put his gun in his car. Dupuis said he refused, and was asked to leave.

"It's just bad," Dupuis told The Courier. "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."

Licensed police officers in the state of Texas can legally carry guns openly, anywhere in the state. But private business or property owners can create "weapons-free" zones, according to The Courier.

"These people have the right to do what they did and refuse my service," the police officer said. "Legally, they can ask me to leave because I'm not there on official business."

Texas ENT Specialists posted a statement to Facebook following the incident, noting they apologized to Officer Dupuis and will make every effort to ensure this does not happen again.

We regret the situation that occurred on August 8, 2017 involving Chief Dupuis and a member of our staff. We have personally apologized to Chief Dupuis for any inconvenience or embarrassment he experienced. Our company values law enforcement officers and first responders for their selfless service and will serve them and our communities with the utmost respect.

Texas Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists will continue to treat armed law enforcement officers who have the appropriate identification. Again, we sincerely apologize to Chief Dupuis for the situation and the embarrassment he may have felt. We will make every effort to ensure this does not happen again in any of our locations.
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Across Guam  where nearly everyone is Roman Catholic  priests prayed for peace as residents of the U.S. Pacific island territory faced a missile threat from North Korea.

Archbishop Michael Byrnes instructed priests in Guam's 26 churches to offer prayers for peace between the two nations and courage for military forces on the island. He asked for prayers for "just resolution of differences, and prudence in both speech and action."

Guam's Catholic faithful attended Sunday Mass after several days of dramatic rhetoric between the two nuclear-armed nations. President Donald Trump threatened swift and forceful retaliation against North Korea, declaring the U.S. military "locked and loaded."

There hasn't been any widespread anxiety among Guam residents, even after Pyongyang vowed to complete a plan to attack waters near the island by mid-August.

Monte Mesa, who is vice-chairman of the Guam Visitors Bureau, said the Mass at Blessed Diego de San Vitores Catholic Church in Tumon was comforting. He said after the crowded Mass the message from the readings and the gospel "tell our people that God is in control of what is happening and if we have faith and believe in God all this rhetoric and war possibility here on Guam will be taken care of by God."

The Rev. Jose Antonio "Lito" P. Abad said during the Mass that he woke up Wednesday morning reading the breaking news on his phone that Guam was a missile target from North Korea. He felt anxious, he told the congregation during his homily, but that saying prayers gave him peace. He asked his parishioners to pray that God will give them strength.

The church is a major influence on the devout island where 85 percent of the population is Catholic. The church is grappling with numerous lawsuits alleging sex abuse in a growing scandal that has rocked the tiny island where Catholicism is deeply woven into the Spanish-influenced culture of about 160,000 people.

The Archdiocese of Agana invited people to a noon rosary prayer rally, where hundreds gathered under an overcast sky at the ruins of the old Spanish government palace in the heart of Hagatna, Guam's capital. Rallies are being held across the world in commemoration of Our Lady of Fatima's appearance to three shepherd children, 100 years ago in Fatima, Portugal. "Praying for peace in our world and conversion of sinners is very much a part of the messages Our Lady imparted to the children in her appearances at Fatima," the archdiocese said in a statement.

Nikky Flores, a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, said the prayers offered during the rally were "totally significant especially because of this threat. We all come together and pray. We really are very hopeful that it will not come," she said of the missile threat.

The Rev. Francis X. Hezel, assistant pastor at Santa Barbara Catholic Church in Dededo, said he hasn't heard of parishioners seeking comfort from the church amid the North Korea threat.

"It's business as usual with this dark cloud hovering over us for sure," he said. "I don't think they'll be trembling with fear."

Hezel noted that Guam is familiar with the threats.

"The people of Guam are used to standing in a perilous position," he said. "That's the peril and the promise of the place."

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Jennifer Sinco Kelleher in Honolulu contributed to this report.
British police admitted Saturday that an American banker arrested on suspicion of pushing a woman in front of a London bus while he was jogging could not have committed the crime.

The Metropolitan Police force in a statement that the man, identified by local media outlets as 41-year-old Eric Bellquist, has been "eliminated from the investigation."

Bellquist had been apprehended Thursday on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm in the May 5 incident. His lawyers later released a statement saying he wasn't involved and could prove he was in the United States at the time.

The arrest came after police released surveillance camera footage showing a jogger in shorts and T-shirt banging into a pedestrian, who tumbled in front of a double-decker bus. The bus swerved and then stopped to avoid hitting the unidentified woman.

Police say "inquiries continue" to identify the jogger.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Click for more from The Sun.
The British government is fighting back against criticisms that it is divided and unprepared for Brexit.

The Department for Exiting the European Union announced Sunday that it plans to publish a set of detailed proposals on customs arrangements, the status of the Ireland-Northern Ireland border and other issues.

The Brexit department says it will release the first set of position papers this week, more than a year after Britons voted to leave the EU.

The EU is refusing to negotiate the bloc's post-exit relationship with Britain until sufficient progress has been made on three issues: how much the U.K. has to pay to settle its tab; the Irish border situation; and the status of EU nationals living in Britain.

The British government wants to show progress so the broader negotiations can commence by October.
France's interior minister has expressed his "profound gratitude" to the 1,200 firefighters and emergency workers battling wildfires in southern France and Corsica over the weekend.

Gerard Collomb said there been no casualties from the fires thanks to ground crews and the air teams that carried out 300 water drops in 24 hours.

Fierce flames have ravaged some 2,100 hectares (5,190 acres) of land since Thursday in southern France  with 2,000 hectares (4,940 acres) burned in Corsica alone.

Collomb says that while the mainland fires had been tamed, the Corsica blazes were ongoing and still require "major means."

On Sunday, firefighters continued to fight wildfires in the Corsican towns of Manso and the hilly Pietracorbara.

Northern Corsica Prefect Gerard Gavory says over 1,000 thousand residents and tourists have been evacuated.
By a huge majority, members of Irans parliament voted Sunday to increase spending on the nations ballistic missile program and finance its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard.

Members of Parliament chanted "Death to America" during the session, the Associated Press reported.

The vote was viewed as a response to recently announced U.S. sanctions against the Muslim country.

Irans state-run IRNA news agency reported that 247 lawmakers attended the vote session, with 240 approving the spending plan and one lawmaker abstaining.

No specifics were available about how the new funds would be used.

The bill now heads to an oversight committee called the Guardian Council, which is expected to approve it.

Abbas Araghchi, a deputy foreign minister and senior nuclear negotiator on hand for the vote, said moderate President Hassan Rouhani's government would support the bill.



"The bill has very wisely tried not to violate the (nuclear deal) and also gives no chance to the other party to manipulate it," he said in comments reported by IRNA.

Under terms of the bill, some $800 million will be put toward several projects, including the Defense Ministry and its intelligence agencies. Among the agencies receiving money would be the Revolutionary Guards' Quds force, an expeditionary force run by Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who has been in Syria and Iraq.



The Guard, separate from Iran's conventional military forces, answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The bill also imposes a visa and travel ban on U.S. military and security organizations and their commanders who have provided financial, intelligence, military, logistic and training support to terrorists in the region, naming the Islamic State group and the Syrian branch of al Qaeda.

Iranian officials often accuse the U.S. of being involved with both groups. The U.S. is actively involved in a massive military campaign against the Islamic State group and has struck the al-Qaida affiliate as well.

Perhaps more relevantly, the bill also includes banning visas for American officials involved with the Iranian exile group called the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq. Prominent U.S. lawmakers and politicians have met with the group and spoken at its rallies. The MEK has paid one of Trump's Cabinet members and at least one adviser in the past for giving such speeches.

IRNA also referred to the money also being used to develop nuclear propellers. In December, Rouhani ordered officials to draw up plans on building nuclear-powered ships, something that appears to be allowed under the nuclear deal, over an earlier dispute on U.S. sanctions under the Obama administration.

Trump signed a sanctions bill earlier this month that included new measures imposed on Iran. That sparked new outrage in Iran, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accusing Trump of trying to "kill" the nuclear deal.

Earlier this month, Iran reiterated a previous assertion that new U.S. sanctions against it would constitute a breach of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and a group of Western powers.

Araghchi said the country had prepared a list of 16 measures to take against the U.S. in response to the sanctions, but would not elaborate.

The U.S. sanctions impose penalties on people involved in Irans ballistic missile program, enforce an arms embargo and apply terrorism sanctions to Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard.

In remarks aimed at Trump earlier this month, Rouhani issued a warning for anyone looking to discard the 2015 deal.

Those who intend to tear down the deal should know that they are tearing down their political life, Rouhani said during a swearing-in ceremony to launch his second term.

Trump has repeatedly criticized the 2015 negotiated by the Obama administration, calling it bad and vowing to come up with a better plan for discouraging Irans nuclear ambitions.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
The Latest on Europe's response to the large number of refugees and migrants trying to reach the continent (all times local):

1:15 p.m.

The Romanian coastguard has intercepted a boat carrying 69 Iraqi migrants in Romanian waters of the Black Sea.

A spokeswoman for the coastguard says a patrol boat spotted the motorized yacht sailing under a Turkish flag on Sunday, about 10 miles from the port of Mangalia, in southeast Romania, close to the border with Bulgaria.

Authorities escorted the boat to shore. The boat was carrying 30 men, 10 women and 29 minors. It was driven by a Cypriot and Bulgarian.

Police are investigating.

___

1:00 p.m.

A second humanitarian group is suspending migrant rescues in the Mediterranean Sea due to Libyan threats.

Germany-based Sea-Eye said Sunday that "with a heavy heart" it was forced to halt its ship's rescue activity for its crew's safety.

A day earlier, NGO Doctors Without Borders similarly cited Libyan threats in saying it's suspending sea rescue activities.

Libya has warned that it's extending its own search-and-rescue area to beyond the 12-mile limit Italy and other countries consider the boundary of Libyan territorial waters. A Spanish NGO rescue ship reported that the Libyan coast guard last week fired warning shots at them while the vessel was in international waters.

Humanitarian groups say migrants returned to Libya risk inhumane treatment.

Italy's foreign minister says fewer smuggler boats mean less earnings for human traffickers.
A renegade leader of Somalia's Islamic extremist insurgents, al-Shabab, has surrendered to the government.

Mukhtar Robow arrived Sunday in the government-controlled town of Hudur in southwestern Somalia, said Ahmed Mohamed, a senior government security official. He said Robow was airlifted from the Bakool jungle area where he and hundreds of his militia have been fighting al-Shabab since early last week.

Robow's defection comes after the United States in June cancelled a $5 million reward offered for his capture. His surrender is culmination of months of talks between the Somali government and it is believed the cancellation of the bounty for his capture helped convince Robow to give himself up to the Somalia government.

Robow, who was the deputy director of al-Shabab, is the highest official to have ever quit the group. Estimated to be in his 50s, Robow is one of al-Shabab's most experienced leaders, having traveled to Afghanistan and trained alongside al-Qaida around 2000 after studies in Sudan. He had served as an al-Shabab spokesman, military commander and spiritual leader who planned and executed deadly attacks on Somali government troops and African Union peacekeeping forces, according to the U.S. Rewards for Justice program.

Al-Shabab last year was named the deadliest Islamic extremist group in Africa, with more than 4,200 people killed in 2016, according to the Washington-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

The extremist group has vowed to step up attacks after the recently elected government of President Mohamed Abdullahi "Farmajo" Mohamed launched a new military offensive against it. The group also faces a new military push from the United States after President Donald Trump approved expanded operations, including airstrikes. Al-Shabab still controls parts of rural Somalia.
Defense trade between the U.S. and India has totaled about $15 billion over the past decade, and the leader of the U.S. Pacific Command says that spending rate could increase as the two countries work to modernize Indias military.

The U.S.-India relationship places India on the same level that we have many of our treaty allies," U.S. Navy Adm. Harry Harris told the Press Trust of India.

"This is important, and I believe that together we will be able to improve India's military capabilities in significant and meaningful ways, Harris said.

India has also invested heavily in defense deals with other partners in recent years, including a $630 million missile defense deal signed in April with an Israeli aerospace firm, the Jerusalem Post reported.

The U.S. has cultivated its relationship with Indias military as part of efforts to keep peace in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, the Times of India reported. Japan and Australia have also been regional partners, the report said.

I think the trilateral relationship between India and Japan and the U.S., that relationship is very important," Harris told PTI, adding that Australia remains another key player.

India and the U.S. have conducted joint naval exercises in the Malabar region, on Indias west coast, since 1992, with Japan joining in 2015. Harris said the U.S. could explore together bringing Australia into the exercise, however thats a decision for India to make.

President Trump spoke of the U.S.-India relationship in late June, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the White House.

Both our nations have been struck by the evils of terrorism, and we are both determined to destroy terrorist organizations and the radical ideology that drives them. We will destroy radical Islamic terrorism, Trump said at the time.

Modi did not use the same terminology, but stressed the importance of doing away with terrorist sanctuaries and safe havens, apparently reflecting Indian concerns about militants based in Pakistan, India's historical archrival. He said the U.S. and India will enhance intelligence-sharing.
A bit of sunshine is anticipated for Sunday but clouds will hang around for a few days.

The cold front that finally edged through Fredericksburg last evening has parked itself across the Tidewater area this Sunday morning. And there it will stall for a few days (see graphic), not quite far enough away to allow the much clearer and dryer air over the Ohio valley to stream into the Burg. As a result partly sunny is the best description for todays skies as temperatures warm into the mid-80s. Dew points will be more comfortable than Saturdays steaminess, however.

The good news is that the cold front slowed its southward progress yesterday and didnt affect Fredericksburg and vicinity until well after sunset. The storms along that boundary therefore didnt benefit from the heating of the day and wound up weaker than originally thought earlier on Saturday. The nearest storm report I could find on NWS Sterlings site was a 40 mph wind gust recorded by a buoy on the Potomac River near Dahlgren. More vigorous activity and associated damage was confined to DC and its close-in suburbs.

Skies on Monday will cloud over again as an easterly wind flow transports moisture-laden Atlantic air into Fredericksburg. Thermometers will once again top out in the low 80s with chances of intermittent light rain showers dotting the landscape. The 'Burg could use more rain as totals this weekend averaged less than a half-inch across the area, not enough to provide much relief from the accumulating dry conditions.

Those with beach plans this week can heave a sigh of relief that Tropical Depression Eight, now east of the Bahamas, is forecast to stay well offshore. The main effect this system could have is to increase wave activity at East Coast beaches so be alert to rip currents. Otherwise the work weeks weather around Fredericksburg looks rather benign with a possible  brief  return to the 90 degree mark toward next weekend.

Happy Sunday!
The Meadow Event Park hopes to enhance the visitor experience at the birthplace of horse racing superstar Secretariat through a new partnership with Secretariat.com announced this week.

The website oversees the development and management of Secretariat-related enterprises for the Chenery family, who bred and owned the famous 1973 Triple Crown winner.

The agreement solidifies a plan for the historical preservation of the Caroline County propertythen known as Meadow Stable and now known as The Meadow Event Parkwhere the horse was born in 1970, and for its development as a heritage tourism destination.

Secretariats owner, Penny Chenery, said in a news release that she and her family are pleased about the partnership with Commonwealth Fairs & Events LLC, the propertys owner and a subsidiary of Virginia Farm Bureau Federation.

My children and I have been delighted with [Commonwealth Fairs & Events]s vision to preserve the property and its history and to share it with racing fans and the people of Virginia, she said.

In 2015, the foaling shed where Secretariat was born and the yearling barn where he lived as a young horse were placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Leeanne Meadows Ladin, Secretariat tourism manager, began leading tours of the property at that time.

The star of the tours is Groundshaker, Secretariats great-great-granddaughter, a 6-year-old thoroughbred who was the last horse bred and raced by Penny Chenery. Chenery retired her and gave her to The Meadow this year.

The new agreement with Secretariat.com calls for careful restoration of the barns to authentically portray the history of Meadow Stable, along with more interactive exhibits and special events.

Penny Chenerys daughter, Kate Chenery Tweedy, is the Chenery family historian and author of the book Secretariats MeadowThe Land, the Family, the Legend.

She said of the new partnership: The Meadow is such a beautiful, special place that has so much to say and share. I am happy to lend my voice to an effort that will take the visitor experience to a new level.
CHARLOTTESVILLEA Virginia State Police helicopter helping law enforcement officers monitor the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville crashed in Albemarle County on Saturday, killing the two people on board.

The pilot, Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, and trooper-pilot Berke M.M. Bates, 40, of Quinton, flying a Bell 407 helicopter, died at the scene, according to state police.

The cause of the crash, which was in a wooded area near a residence on Old Farm Road, is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board, but there is no indication of foul play, state police said Saturday night.

Our state police and law enforcement family at-large are mourning this tragic outcome to an already challenging day, said Colonel W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police superintendent. Lieutenant Cullen was a highly-respected professional aviator and Trooper-Pilot Bates was a welcome addition to the Aviation Unit, after a distinguished assignment as a special agent with our Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Their deaths are a tremendous loss to our agency and the Commonwealth.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe and first lady Dorothy McAuliffe released a statement Saturday night saying, These heroes were part of our family, and we are simply heartbroken.

Jay has flown us across the commonwealth for more than three and a half years, the statement said. Berke was devoted to our entire family as part of our Executive Protective Unit team for the past three years.

There were no injuries to anyone on the ground, VSPs Corinne Geller said.

Geller said the cause of the crash is still under investigation and that the FAA and NTSB had been notified, standard procedure for aircraft crashes.

At 4:54 Saturday afternoon, Virginia State Police were notified of a helicopter crash in Albemarle County, Geller said, standing a few hundred yards from the fatal crash site. Albemarle County police and fire responded first. They located the wreckage of a helicopter in the woods near a residence off Old Farm Road, at the very end of the roadway. It was fully engulfed."

President Trump expressed his sympathies to the state police on Twitter:

Deepest condolences to the families & fellow officers of the VA State Police who died today. Youre all among the best this nation produces.
Went back to Oshkosh last week and got a twofer. Yep, I got the worlds biggest airplane and flying party, but my son and I also found a part of Wisconsin where I could spend some happy time if it werent for those danged winters.

Let me explain. Oshkosh, for the uninitiated, is a small city on Lake Winnebago in Wisconsin, which happens to be every airplane nuts mecca. For a week in late July, the world of sport aviation turns its attention to this place where the winged faithful flock by the tens of thousands. The gathering is officially called EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. (Try it in your search engine.) But the people who make the annual trek there simply call it Oshkosh.

Lets get the numbers out of the way: there were some 590,000 humans and more than 10,000 flying machines in attendance (more on that later), and Lord knows how many cars and other vehicles parked at Wittman Regional Airport.

It is not, contrary to descriptions you hear, an airshow. Well, it is an airshow, but thats just a small part of the entire event. It is a gathering of the faithful, of the passionate people who simply get inspired by flight, flying and aircraft.

Whole fields are dedicated to various kinds of flying machines. Thats hundreds of acres of vintage planes, classic planes, modern planes, warplanes, commercial planes and every possible manner of aircraft built by their owners-who come here to proudly fly their creations and show them off.

Also, more recently in what is now a well-established event, Oshkosh has attracted the big boys of industry. Outfits like Boeing, GE, Ford Motor and dozens of others turn to the green fields of Wisconsin each year to sell their wares. A mind-numbing 881 vendors were there this year marketing something.

There is an entire separate airfield where just the rotorcraft (helicopters and autogyros) fly. And theres another place a few miles away at the foot of Lake Winnebago where people who like to land their airplanes on water come.

There is so much to see and hear and do, so many people eager to tell you about their little part of the aeronautical world, so many conversations to have and new people to meet that there is never enough time.

Four of us went this year: my brother Glen, his friend Randy, my son Tim and myself. When we compared notes we discoverednot surprisinglythat we all came away from Oshkosh exhausted but knowing wed had a blast yet scarcely scratched the surface after two solid days of a week-long event.

And right there, I suppose, is what brings the faithful back to Oshkosh, year after year. Two days of such intensity is about all I could handle on one trip.

Accommodations are, to put it gently, impossible to find and generally quite expensive. Thats why tens of thousands of people camp beside their planes, cars or motorcycles. Thousands of others simply drive further to find a quiet escape and a decent night of sleep.

The last time I went to Oshkosh was in 1997, when I stayed in Appleton. This year, following my brothers lead, Tim and I stayed at a motel in Sheboygan.

Its a pretty good drive from Sheboygan to Oshkosh, but the scenery is worth it and the absence of any real traffic is something I could get used to.

You could write a book about Oshkosh, and Im surprised someone hasnt. But a book, no matter how well done and how striking the photos, still couldnt come close to being there, taking part in such a remarkable reality.

When you meet someone at Oshkosh, the first question is always, Where you from? But the second is, This your first year? Because the asker always wants to tell you this is their fifth, 10th, 25th, 50th year, or whatever.

Old-timers can debate which of the first events marked the roots of the gatherings, but it is generally conceded that the year would be 1959 and the place was Rockford, Ill. But the move to Wisconsin was early and the event has been well-run at its present location for decades.

The second part of that twofer I mentioned above is the small city of Sheboygan. Although it was a pretty good drive to reach Oshkosh, all of us sure did like Sheboygan, the delightful city with the long shoreline on Lake Michigan.

At the end of each day we never failed to find excellent food in Sheboyganonce at Sprechers, a GermanAmerican brewpub, and the next night at Luigis Italian Restaurant. Also, theres a little spot on the waterfront, The Weather Center Cafe, where they bake good breakfast goodies and pair them with to-die-for coffee. If we stayed a week, wed have done as well eating out as those two evenings.

You do know the secret to finding these places, right? Ask a local where they eat for special occasions that wont break the bank. Works every time.

Theres much to see and explore in this town by the lake, with beautiful parks, terrific food, friendly locals to learn from and an overall clean, attractive town.

When you go someplace where residents have pride in their town, its usually pretty obvious to visitors. Thats Sheboygan. I look forward to my next visit and will try to build in more time to explore a bit.

And, as the old song goes, Dont know where, dont know when, but Ill be back again.

Paul Sullivan of Spotsylvania County, a former Free LanceStar reporter, is a freelance writer. Email him at pbsullivan22@gmail.com.
There currently are 93 Fisher Houses in the United States and in Europe with plans for more.
In May 2002, Wendy Kirbey traveled to Missoula, Montana, for an Altrusa conference. On the schedule was a visit to the city's hand-carved carousel.

Kirbey rode it. Then rode it again.

"Four or five times. I went crazy," she said, laughing. "I got four brass rings."

Each of the brass rings, caught from a dispenser as the rider goes around, was good for a free ride, which Kirbey discovered only after she managed to catch them. She gave three away to small children who were watching her enviously, but kept one for herself.

That brass ring now sits in a time capsule inside the walls of the downtown carousel in Albany that the Missoula project inspired.

That carousel officially opens to the public at 10 a.m. this Tuesday, Aug. 15. It's been 15 years from idea to opening day, and Kirbey still nearly cries with joy to think about the resolution of her dream.

"Every night when I go to bed, it just floods back," she said.

The beginning

Back in 2002, the city of Albany had recently formed the Central Albany Revitalization Area, known for short as CARA.

"We had to have some kind of events center, a library; some kind of anchor," Kirbey remembers thinking. "I just thought, this is it."

Kirbey spoke with Albany city officials sometime in June or July of that year and asked for their support. They informed her Salem had already done a similar project, which had opened just the year before.

Kirbey was surprised, but not deterred. She started posting signs on downtown businesses asking about interest in a local carousel project. By September 2002, according to coverage by the Democrat-Herald, Kirbey had a board of directors and about 30 volunteers with a regular work schedule.

By the end of 2003, the project's foundation was set. It had been incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity; it had named lead people for design work, carving and painting; it had studio space at the corner of Third and Broadalbin. The group began offering animals for adoption for between $7,500 and $10,000 each, and takers were beginning to line up.

Best of all, the volunteers had the bones of the machine that would send the carousel spinning.

The mechanism

Famed carousel maker Gustav Dentzel had created a mechanism and a platform, his last, in 1909. It ran for years as part of a carousel in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, before being dismantled and given to the National Carousel Museum.

Albany artist Linda Herd, an early member of the carousel board, was working at a bead show in Portland in 2003. She got to talking with another artist about the carousel project. The woman's former husband was a member of the Dentzel family, and she was able to put Herd in touch with Bill Dentzel, who lived in Port Townsend, Washington.

Bill Dentzel told Herd his daughter was attending Willamette University in Salem and he'd like to stop by sometime. One day he did, and Herd and Jimmie Lucht, executive director of the Albany Visitors Association, took him to the carving studio.

Dentzel said his parents had donated the 1909 mechanism to the National Carousel Museum with the understanding they might take it back if they found a worthy organization. "He said he thought we were that worthy organization," she said.

Through the National Carousel Museum, Dentzel donated the carousel's drive mechanism, connecting rods, the posts that drive the animals and the wooden decorative board siding to Albany's project.

The donation was worth more than $100,000, although it didn't look like that when it first arrived, said volunteer Rick Biernat, who helped put it together. "It was a pile of junk when we got it," he recalled.

Biernat  and many others  give the credit for the mechanism's restoration to Carl Baker of Corvallis, the lead engineer. "I like to call him the mechanism maestro," Biernat said. "Carl put it on paper and we made it happen."

Years go by

Missoula's carousel had taken four years to complete. Salem's took five. At first, Kirbey figured hers would fall into a similar time frame.

It didn't work out that way, for a variety of reasons.

Albany's carousel is much bigger than either Missoula's or Salem's: When fully finished, its menagerie will number 52 animals versus roughly 38 each in the other two communities.

Also, both Missoula and Salem carousels feature just horses, whereas Albany's menagerie includes dragons, elephants, a quail, a salmon, a hippocampus and various other beasts that require more detailed designs.

The choice of painting process also slowed things down, remembered Melissa Saylor, who was lead painter for the first three years. She trained with Sandy Walker, lead painter on the Salem carousel, and Walker told her if they had to do their project over again, they'd have chosen oil-based paint for longevity, rather than the more easily-peelable acrylics.

So Saylor went back to the Albany board and recommended oil paint. The board agreed. What neither knew, however, was that oil took six months to cure before the final clear coat could go on.

Donations make the difference

Albany is smaller than the other two cities and didn't have as large a base for either volunteer time or donations. It also didn't have any land for a building, at least at first.

The property came in 2006, when the project, with an initial contribution of $300,000 from the Central Albany Revitalization Area, was able to take over a former craft and floral business at the corner of First Avenue and Washington Street.

In the end, CARA would donate twice more to the project: $110,000 toward architectural fees and $339,500 to pay for the street improvements, cleanup of abatement issues, and the permits and system development charges needed to make the site work.

Donations, grants, fundraisers and animal/room sponsorships covered all other costs for the carousel. An anonymous contribution of $3 million in 2014 brought the campaign to $4.6 million.

The new 22,000-square-foot building at 503 W. First Ave. cost approximately $6.5 million and is completely paid off, said Jenifer Weinmaster, operations director.

Personal challenges

Differences of opinion through the years contributed to part of the time stretch.

"The biggest challenge was egos," recalls lead carver Jack Giles, who led a small army of volunteers through everything from softball-sized wooden rosettes to the intricacies of a 7-foot giraffe. Designer Kurt Christensen recalls having to coax some animal sponsors away from designs that simply wouldn't work well in wood, while simultaneously convincing carvers to stick with the sponsor patterns as agreed.

Carousel supporters first asked THA Architecture of Portland to do its building, but then changed course, saying Chris Veit of Carlson Veit Architects in Salem would provide a more historic look.

Kirbey remembers having to convince a reluctant board the carousel could have more fanciful creatures. The first people to sign up for "adoption"  Peter and Rosalie Johnson  asked for a horse, a bear and a salmon in honor of their grandchildren.

"Their grandson wanted a fish. The board said no," Kirbey recalled. "I said folks, they're going to give us $22,000."

Board members wanted to keep a historic theme and didn't want to stray too far from any of the animals you might find on a traditional Dentzel carousel, Kirbey said. She was sure she'd remembered seeing a fish on a Dentzel platform somewhere.

"I went home and I tore through all my pages, and I had a lot of them," Kirbey said. "Then Bill Dentzel came through town, and he said, 'Oh yeah, they did a fish.'"

Dentzel managed to find a picture of a fish on one of his ancestor's carousels, so the board agreed to the sponsorship of Chinook. "They got a lot easier to deal with after that," Kirbey said, laughing.

Changes in the casts of characters also slowed things somewhat. Carvers and painters came and went, sometimes under duress. Operation directors changed. Lead designer Terryl Whitlatch moved away after designing 21 of the animals and Christensen took over for the rest.

Studio sites changed: Volunteers moved from the building at Third and Broadalbin to the former Costume Loft at Montgomery Street and Water Avenue, then to the former craft business, then briefly to Two Rivers Market before moving in July to their permanent home. Crews broke ground on the site's new building at the craft store site on May 24, 2016.

The mechanism also moved, five times in all: first to a site in Tangent, then to John Boock's property on Water Avenue, then to the craft store while it was a studio site.

Dr. Gary Goby, a member of the building committee, stored it for a time at his North Albany warehouse and crafted its rounding boards there. On May 13 of this year, Goby was the one to raise the 108-year-old, 24-foot-tall drive pole at the mechanism's permanent home on First Avenue.

As the years passed with no end in sight, Kirbey said she knew some people wondered if the carousel would ever come to fruition. But neither she nor the other longtime members ever gave up hope.

"We have had tremendous support from the community as volubteers and theyve all worked so hard," said Stella Reimers, who joined the board from its earliest days, remains a member, and wrote the first check to get the project started. "I knew it would be successful eventually.

Public response

Public interest in the project has always been high, too. Carousel officials say about 2,000 people per year visit, on average. Tourists have visited the carousel's carving studio from Russia, Japan, Austria, China, Thailand and all over the United States.

Eric C. Pahlke's 2010 coffee table book, "Treasures from the Golden Age, West Coast Carousels," contains a reference to Albanys carousel and museum. In February 2012, Oregon Public Broadcasting filmed an Oregon Art Beat episode at the carousel studio. In July 2013, Parade Magazine published a piece on the carousel that caught the eye of a special effects artist with Industrial Light & Magic, Peter Daulton, who is now finishing his own documentary about the project.

Now that opening day is near, the people who have been with the project from the beginning say the wait has been worth it to see everything finally come together for public release.

Or, as Kirbey put it, beaming: "Our 'child' is ready to go to college."

But it's not the end of the story, said Rebecca Bond, a board member in 2004 who now serves as the carousel's liaison to the Albany Visitors Association. Carving and painting will continue. New stories will be told.

"Thats the key here: The carousel has more to offer than just a ride. Its a symbol of our community coming together and creating something wonderful," Bond said. "That will continue."
ArtNights : First ArtNight in Bonn attracts local and international budding artists

Bonn Learn to paint in a fun and relaxed atmosphere: ArtNights are the new trend and the first one in Bonn took place this week catering to both German and non-German speakers.

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13.08.2017 On Thursday evening, the table in the vaulted cellar of the Lindenhof bar and restaurant in Kessenich was covered in numerous brushes, bright paints and table easels rather than delicious food. The art utensils were a giveaway that this was not a normal evening in the Kessenich local: an ArtNight was planned.

The idea behind such events, which started in Berlin, is simple: participants meet in bars or restaurants to paint a pre-selected picture within two hours under the supervision of an artist. In the capital, the art evenings are already a huge hit. It does not matter how much art experience you have. It is more about having a nice evening than creating something artistically demanding, explains Tanja Meyer. The freelance illustrator is leading the ArtNights in Bonn and on Thursday the 28-year-old wanted to show a varied group of 16 participants how to paint a seashore on canvas.

There was already a relaxed atmosphere at the start of the evening and the ice was broken when one young man mistakenly drank out of the glass used to clean the brushes and laughter filled the room.

A short while later, Tanja Meyer gave the first instructions. Before they knew it, the budding artists had sketched the key parts of their pictures with pencil and dipped their brushes in the acrylic paints. Meyer gave her instructions in both German and English, as there were also some international participants. She registered questioning looks straight away and rushed to help. Some of her explanations seemed unconventional. At one point the illustrator called out: Have you finished your flat breads? She meant the elongated clouds floating over the seashore in the picture. Meyer gave a lot of praise during the evening. If she found a picture particularly successful, she showed it to the whole group. More than once, there was an appreciative Wow from the participants, who were clearly impressed by the evening.

Elfriede Scheurer said she was pleasantly surprised that the evening was so relaxed and casual. Id also expected an older audience, said the 58-year-old. Julie Cornu, a young French woman, said she had had great fun, although she would not otherwise paint in her spare time. Her friend John, an American, confirmed with a wide grin: I don't know what Im doing here, but Im having fun. Lani Nguyen also seemed completely blown away. The 32-year-old from Cologne still had some paint in her hair when she said at the end of the evening that she had already booked her next ArtNight.

The concept also seems to be a complete success in Bonn. Two of the five ArtNights planned for August and September are already fully booked.

For information in English and tickets go to: https://www.artnight.com/en/product-category/bonn-en/
UK Wants To Deport A Mother Without Her 7 Years Old Son (Read Full Story)

nametalkam at 13-08-2017 12:45 AM (5 years ago) (m)

A Nigerian man, Ayo Bakre has raised an alarm over the curious illegal detention and absurd adoption of his young son in the United Kingdom.

A Nigerian man, Ayo Bakre has raised an alarm over the curious illegal detention and absurd adoption of his young son in the United Kingdom.

According to Bakre, the issue started in 2012 when his wife, Shade travelled to London with their son Monisola, who was less than one year old then. Since their departure five years ago, the story has taken bizarre turns in what ended in an unjust, if illegal 'adoption by the UK government' under the pretext that the mother could not take care of the child. Now the UK government is about to deport the mother to Nigeria but without her child.



Ayo Bakre who has two other children with Shade (Moyosore and Morolayo), told Osun Defender that "Sade had travelled to London on holiday in 2012 with Monisola who was less than 12 months then. While in London, Monisola got injured and was taken to an hospital for treatment but the social workers claimed the degree of the injury is non-accidental. Because of this, the mother was charged to court for attempted murder, child trafficking, etc. but she was subsequently cleared of this by the court in Bromley.





"However, the judge says she cannot release the boy to her on the ground that in the opinion of the court, she cannot take care of the boy. After a long legal battle, our son was adopted by a court decision.



"As a father, this does not go down well with me and I have told the mother not to make any attempt to return to Nigeria without bringing my child. I don't understand this decision in anyway. We have never declared to court in any manner that we cannot take care of our son. I am saying it loud and clear regardless of the consequences that my son Monisola must be brought back home. The mother dares not come back home without bringing Monisola.



" I have appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a letter dated 17th of August, 2015 to help me in this unfortunate situation I found myself but I am yet to get any response. His siblings at home keep disturbing me almost on a daily basis that they want to see their brother but each time they say they want to talk to their brother, confusion always sets in."



The case leaves many questions unanswered as Shade's family has threatened to report Ade to the police for insisting that the mother must return only with Monisola, his son. This has raised the question of whether the boy was actually adopted or if any shady dealings are playing out



"I don't care if my wife's family reports to police because they threatened to do so when I told them their daughter dares not return home, if my son is not released. I am not about the story in UK; all I want is Monisola must be brought back or else the consequence for Shade might be too severe", Bakre said. According to Bakre, the issue started in 2012 when his wife, Shade travelled to London with their son Monisola, who was less than one year old then. Since their departure five years ago, the story has taken bizarre turns in what ended in an unjust, if illegal 'adoption by the UK government' under the pretext that the mother could not take care of the child. Now the UK government is about to deport the mother to Nigeria but without her child.Ayo Bakre who has two other children with Shade (Moyosore and Morolayo), told Osun Defender that "Sade had travelled to London on holiday in 2012 with Monisola who was less than 12 months then. While in London, Monisola got injured and was taken to an hospital for treatment but the social workers claimed the degree of the injury is non-accidental. Because of this, the mother was charged to court for attempted murder, child trafficking, etc. but she was subsequently cleared of this by the court in Bromley."However, the judge says she cannot release the boy to her on the ground that in the opinion of the court, she cannot take care of the boy. After a long legal battle, our son was adopted by a court decision."As a father, this does not go down well with me and I have told the mother not to make any attempt to return to Nigeria without bringing my child. I don't understand this decision in anyway. We have never declared to court in any manner that we cannot take care of our son. I am saying it loud and clear regardless of the consequences that my son Monisola must be brought back home. The mother dares not come back home without bringing Monisola." I have appealed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a letter dated 17th of August, 2015 to help me in this unfortunate situation I found myself but I am yet to get any response. His siblings at home keep disturbing me almost on a daily basis that they want to see their brother but each time they say they want to talk to their brother, confusion always sets in."The case leaves many questions unanswered as Shade's family has threatened to report Ade to the police for insisting that the mother must return only with Monisola, his son. This has raised the question of whether the boy was actually adopted or if any shady dealings are playing out"I don't care if my wife's family reports to police because they threatened to do so when I told them their daughter dares not return home, if my son is not released. I am not about the story in UK; all I want is Monisola must be brought back or else the consequence for Shade might be too severe", Bakre said.

Post Reply I specialize in investigative reportage across several subject matter and sectors but mainly focus on metro events and investigation. Do leave your thoughts and opinion on my reports to let me know what you think about them. Thank you Posted: at 13-08-2017 12:45 AM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero

Knowman at 13-08-2017 02:04 AM (5 years ago)

(m) They dun de target the little kids kidney Posted: at 13-08-2017 02:04 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming They dun de target the little kids kidney Reply

Markeve at 13-08-2017 03:02 AM (5 years ago)

(f) nawaoo oyibo self deir sabi sabi don too much ooh. Posted: at 13-08-2017 03:02 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac nawaoo oyibo self deir sabi sabi don too much ooh. Reply

Patrioti at 13-08-2017 04:09 AM (5 years ago)

(m) UK government are yet to account for or return more than 250,000 Biafra children between the age of 6 months old to 10 years old to they took from all the Biafra Refugees Centers during the Civil War with the excuse of saving them from starvation. Posted: at 13-08-2017 04:09 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming UK government are yet to account for or return more than 250,000 Biafra children between the age of 6 months old to 10 years old to they took from all the Biafra Refugees Centers during the Civil War with the excuse of saving them from starvation. Reply

mjyabah2 at 13-08-2017 06:10 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Mr Bakre, I hope u know that UK is not like Nigeria where the people have limited access to public information. If you suspect foul play, u can write the UK govt via the Consulate office. U can also obtain visa and go there by yourself. Since the case against your wife involves a child, UK govt would not hide such information adjudicated by the court. Instead of threatening your wife, make efforts to visit the UK and take custody of your son, because the system would not release him to your wife who must have been found guilty of child abuse or endangerment. But the system would surely release him to u with proper identification and proof of responsible fatherhood. Posted: at 13-08-2017 06:10 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Mr Bakre, I hope u know that UK is not like Nigeria where the people have limited access to public information. If you suspect foul play, u can write the UK govt via the Consulate office. U can also obtain visa and go there by yourself. Since the case against your wife involves a child, UK govt would not hide such information adjudicated by the court. Instead of threatening your wife, make efforts to visit the UK and take custody of your son, because the system would not release him to your wife who must have been found guilty of child abuse or endangerment. But the system would surely release him to u with proper identification and proof of responsible fatherhood. Reply

mjyabah2 at 13-08-2017 06:12 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Mr Bakre, I hope u know that UK is not like Nigeria where the people have limited access to public information. If you suspect foul play, u can write the UK govt via the Consulate office. U can also obtain visa and go there by yourself. Since the case against your wife involves a child, UK govt would not hide such information adjudicated by the court. Instead of threatening your wife, make efforts to visit the UK and take custody of your son, because the system would not release him to your wife who must have been found guilty of child abuse or endangerment. But the system would surely release him to u with proper identification and proof of responsible fatherhood. Posted: at 13-08-2017 06:12 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Mr Bakre, I hope u know that UK is not like Nigeria where the people have limited access to public information. If you suspect foul play, u can write the UK govt via the Consulate office. U can also obtain visa and go there by yourself. Since the case against your wife involves a child, UK govt would not hide such information adjudicated by the court. Instead of threatening your wife, make efforts to visit the UK and take custody of your son, because the system would not release him to your wife who must have been found guilty of child abuse or endangerment. But the system would surely release him to u with proper identification and proof of responsible fatherhood. Reply

maizaxx at 13-08-2017 07:22 AM (5 years ago)

(m) this is my biggest worry with our Government. It should have been addressed then immediately.

those in the department of foreign affairs should start earning there pay.

I feel for you my brother. Posted: at 13-08-2017 07:22 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac this is my biggest worry with our Government. It should have been addressed then immediately.those in the department of foreign affairs should start earning there pay.I feel for you my brother. Reply

pricklong at 13-08-2017 09:29 AM (5 years ago)

(m) that is the system of uk they will take children away from thier parent for years without no reason they are all satan because queen of that country is iluminati they should stop taken people child to care and kinder helm with useless excuse telling preople that they should stay in kinder helm give the children to the parent they deport they that is quit understood Posted: at 13-08-2017 09:29 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac that is the system of uk they will take children away from thier parent for years without no reason they are all satan because queen of that country is iluminati they should stop taken people child to care and kinder helm with useless excuse telling preople that they should stay in kinder helm give the children to the parent they deport they that is quit understood Reply

angesco at 13-08-2017 10:13 AM (5 years ago)

(f) The QUESTION is - What TRUTH did the YOUNG BOY tell to SOCIAL SERVICES??? Posted: at 13-08-2017 10:13 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac The QUESTION is - What TRUTH did the YOUNG BOY tell to SOCIAL SERVICES??? Reply

christiano10 at 13-08-2017 10:14 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Quote from: mjyabah2 on 13-08-2017 06:10 AM Mr Bakre, I hope u know that UK is not like Nigeria where the people have limited access to public information. If you suspect foul play, u can write the UK govt via the Consulate office. U can also obtain visa and go there by yourself. Since the case against your wife involves a child, UK govt would not hide such information adjudicated by the court. Instead of threatening your wife, make efforts to visit the UK and take custody of your son, because the system would not release him to your wife who must have been found guilty of child abuse or endangerment. But the system would surely release him to u with proper identification and proof of responsible fatherhood.

exactly bro, if to say you dey smoke igboo, I for dash you one wrap for this constructive advise. Posted: at 13-08-2017 10:14 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming exactly bro, if to say you dey smoke igboo, I for dash you one wrap for this constructive advise. Reply

Mykie010 at 13-08-2017 10:50 AM (5 years ago)

(m) That is why I don't like Europe anymore,they don't care who's heart they break Posted: at 13-08-2017 10:50 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac That is why I don't like Europe anymore,they don't care who's heart they break Reply

nametalkam at 13-08-2017 11:31 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Quote from: christiano10 on 13-08-2017 10:14 AM exactly bro, if to say you dey smoke igboo, I for dash you one wrap for this constructive advise.



Brother, I no mind the wrap. I for like lick that for this side I specialize in investigative reportage across several subject matter and sectors but mainly focus on metro events and investigation. Do leave your thoughts and opinion on my reports to let me know what you think about them. Thank you Posted: at 13-08-2017 11:31 AM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero Brother, I no mind the wrap. I for like lick that for this side Reply

tegonwa at 13-08-2017 11:35 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Wonderful UK Government That Takes Care Of Children That Are Uncared For.Nawaa O! Posted: at 13-08-2017 11:35 AM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac Wonderful UK Government That Takes Care Of Children That Are Uncared For.Nawaa O! Reply

gogoman at 13-08-2017 02:51 PM (5 years ago)

(m) MMMMMM NA WA OO Posted: at 13-08-2017 02:51 PM (5 years ago) | Addicted Hero MMMMMM NA WA OO Reply

Starnixx at 13-08-2017 04:44 PM (5 years ago)

(m) this kin thing fit happen for here Posted: at 13-08-2017 04:44 PM (5 years ago) | Gistmaniac this kin thing fit happen for here Reply

paulsmit at 14-08-2017 09:45 AM (5 years ago)

(m) Quote from: mjyabah2 on 13-08-2017 06:10 AM Mr Bakre, I hope u know that UK is not like Nigeria where the people have limited access to public information. If you suspect foul play, u can write the UK govt via the Consulate office. U can also obtain visa and go there by yourself. Since the case against your wife involves a child, UK govt would not hide such information adjudicated by the court. Instead of threatening your wife, make efforts to visit the UK and take custody of your son, because the system would not release him to your wife who must have been found guilty of child abuse or endangerment. But the system would surely release him to u with proper identification and proof of responsible fatherhood.



You are absolutely right. You had nailed the stone on the head. You have given him all the necessary information the he needed. UK and United States have very strict laws and take human life very serous, unless Nigeria who do not care a bit for human life. Every information is open, and they have a very freedom of public information. He can easily find out where exactly the child is and just follow the proper procedure and get his child back. He should be glad that his son is alive and they treated him when he was injured. How much did this man paid for the treatment of this his son. In Nigeria he will die.



Posted: at 14-08-2017 09:45 AM (5 years ago) | Upcoming You are absolutely right. You had nailed the stone on the head. You have given him all the necessary information the he needed. UK and United States have very strict laws and take human life very serous, unless Nigeria who do not care a bit for human life. Every information is open, and they have a very freedom of public information. He can easily find out where exactly the child is and just follow the proper procedure and get his child back. He should be glad that his son is alive and they treated him when he was injured. How much did this man paid for the treatment of this his son. In Nigeria he will die. Reply
UAE military chopper crashes in southern Yemen, kills 4

Iran Press TV

Fri Aug 11, 2017 8:50PM

A Black Hawk helicopter, belonging to the United Arab Emirate (UAE), has crashed in southern Yemen, killing four of its crew.

According to Yemen's official Saba news agency, the chopper crashed in the Amqeel area of Ar Rawdah district in the south-central Yemeni province of Shabwah on Friday afternoon.

The general command of the UAE's armed forces confirmed that four of its soldiers were killed after their helicopter was hit by a technical fault.

However, AFP quoted Colonel Turki al-Maliki, a spokesman for the Saudi-led military coalition engaged in a war in Yemen, as saying the pilot made an emergency landing in the area due to "a technical defect while returning from an operation in Yemen."

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 Yemen's former President Abd Rabbuh Mansur 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 UAE is one of the main allies of Riyadh in its deadly war against the Yemeni nation. The United States has also been providing arms and military training as well as bombing coordinates to the Saudi-led coalition since the beginning of the protracted war, which has failed to achieve its goals.

Latest figures show that the military campaign, which lacks any international mandate, has so far killed over 12,000 Yemenis and wounded thousands more. The Saudi aggression has also taken a heavy toll on Yemen's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools, and factories.

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Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Aug. 12, 2017  U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 34 strikes consisting of 42 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.

Officials reported details of yesterday's strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Strikes in Syria

In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 27 strikes consisting of 34 engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Dayr Az Zawr, a strike destroyed an ISIS vehicle.

-- Near Raqqa, 26 strikes engaged 19 ISIS tactical units and destroyed 35 fighting positions, two vehicles, an ISIS headquarters and an ISIS communication line.

Strikes in Iraq

In Iraq, coalition military forces conducted seven strikes consisting of eight engagements against ISIS targets:

-- Near Huwayjah, three strikes engaged an ISIS tactical unit and destroyed five pieces of oil equipment, two vehicles, an explosives cache, an ISIS-held building and a vehicle bomb factory.

-- Near Kisik, two strikes destroyed three ISIS unmanned aerial system launch platforms and suppressed a mortar team and an artillery system.

-- Near Tal Afar, two strikes destroyed an ISIS weapons cache and a mortar system, and suppressed two mortar teams.

Aug. 9-10 Strikes

Additionally, 17 strikes consisting of 19 engagements were conducted in Syria and Iraq on Aug. 9-10 that closed within the last 24 hours:

-- On Aug. 9, near Raqqa, Syria, two strikes engaged two ISIS tactical units and destroyed three fighting positions.

-- On Aug. 10, near Raqqa, Syria, 11 strikes engaged eight ISIS tactical units and destroyed seven fighting positions, a mortar system, a logistics node and a command-and-control node.

-- On Aug. 10, near Rawah, Iraq, a strike engaged an ISIS tactical unit.

-- On Aug. 10, near Tal Afar, Iraq, three strikes destroyed a vehicle bomb and suppressed two ISIS tactical units.

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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13 civilians killed by mortars in Afghanistan's Faryab province: Report

Iran Press TV

Sat Aug 12, 2017 1:14PM

At least 13 people, including women and children, have been killed when a pair of mortar blasts ripped through their house in Afghanistan's northern province of Faryab, a local official says.

The deadly incident occurred in Dawolat Abad district on Friday evening, said General Dilawer Shah Dilawer, the Faryab provincial police chief, on Saturday, adding that the blasts also inflicted injuries to at least three other civilians.

However, he said that at the time it was not clear whether the Taliban militant group, which is active in the region, was behind the shelling. The terror outfit has not commented yet on the incident.

Dilawer further said a security team had been dispatched to the site to probe the deadly attack.

In the past few months, the restive Faryab province has witnessed a fresh wave of violence as the government troops are trying to contain the Taliban insurgency in the region.

On Sunday, some 60 people, including women and children, were massacred during an attack on Mirza Olang Village in the northern province of Sar-e Pol. A number of Afghan security forces were also among the dead. Reports say the carnage was carried out by Taliban forces and those of the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group.

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 in 2001. The military invasion removed the Taliban from power, but militancy continues to this day.

Furthermore, every so often, US air raids also kill both Afghan soldiers and civilians across the country. On Friday, at least 16 civilians were killed when the US-led coalition carried out an air raid in the eastern province of Nangarhar, which borders Pakistan. In June, at least three Afghan border police officers were killed in US airstrikes in Helmand province. Back in February, American airstrikes also killed 22 civilians in the same province.

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 beginning of the invasion. The United States currently has about 8,400 soldiers in Afghanistan with another 5,000 troops from NATO allies.

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US Air Force F-18 fighter jet crash lands at Bahrain airport

Iran Press TV

Sat Aug 12, 2017 1:8PM

A twin-engine supersonic and multirole McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet combat jet has crash landed at Bahrain International Airport, disrupting flights to and from the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom.

Social media pictures of the crash showed the plane leaning back on its tail with its nose tipped into the air.

The grey fighter jet seemed largely intact and the pilot ejected from the aircraft. It is not immediately clear whether anyone was injured in the incident.

Video footage of the crash, which took place at around 2 p.m. local time (1100 GMT) on Saturday, showed smoke billowing from the cockpit.

Dozens of flights were diverted after the incident. Gulf Air, Air India Express and Fly Dubai passengers were all affected.

Bahrain, which is home to the US Fifth Fleet, has recently stepped up a crackdown on critics, barring two main political groups, revoking the citizenship of the spiritual leader of the Shia community, Sheikh Isa Qassim, and jailing rights activists.

Back in May and less than 48 hours after US President Donald Trump left Saudi Arabia, where he had met Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah, Manama regime troops attacked supporters of Sheikh Qassim in the northwestern village of Diraz, killing at least five people and arresting 286 others.

The London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy said Trump "effectively gave Hamad a blank check to continue the repression of his people."

The American president has hinted at the improvement of bilateral ties under his administration and lifted some of the former restrictions against the Manama regime.

Thousands of anti-regime protesters have held demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising began in the country in mid-February 2011.

They are demanding that the Al Khalifah dynasty relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.

Manama has gone to great lengths to clamp down on any sign of dissent. On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to assist Bahrain in its crackdown.

Scores of people have lost their lives and hundreds of others sustained injuries or got arrested as a result of the Al Khalifah regime's crackdown.

On March 5, Bahrain's parliament approved the trial of civilians at military tribunals in a measure blasted by human rights campaigners as being tantamount to imposition of an undeclared martial law countrywide.

King Hamad ratified the constitutional amendment on April 3.

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Venezuela slams Trump's military threat as 'act of craziness'

Iran Press TV

Sat Aug 12, 2017 6:48AM

Venezuela's defense minister has denounced US President Donald Trump's "crazy" threat of military action amid escalating bilateral tensions over what Caracas views as Washington's meddling in the Latin American country's political crisis.

"This is an act of craziness, an act of supreme extremism," General Vladimir Padrino said in an interview with the state television on Friday.

The defense minister was responding to remarks earlier in the day by Trump, who said he was considering "many options for Venezuela, including a possible military option if necessary" in the face of the ongoing political and economic crisis gripping the South American state.

"As a soldier, together with the FANB (Venezuela's armed forces) and together with the people, I am certain that we will all be in the first ranks defending the interests and sovereignty of our beloved Venezuela," said the defense chief.

"There is an extremist elite governing the United States and honestly I don't know what's happening, what is going to happen in the world," Padrino added.

Meanwhile, Venezuela's Communications Minister Ernesto Villegas described Trump's threat as "an unprecedented threat to national sovereignty."

He said the Foreign Ministry is set to "release a communique addressing the imperial threat to Venezuela."

Trump's threat came after his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, said he seeks to meet US President Donald Trump for a "personal conversation."

The White House also said Maduro requested on Friday a phone call with the US president, whose administration has slapped sanctions on Maduro himself and some of his allies.

It said Trump would agree to hold talks with Venezuela's leader "as soon as democracy is restored in that country."

The oil-rich but impoverished country has been convulsed by months-long deadly protests against the government in Carcass.

The political tensions there have seen a rise after Venezuelan people said 'Yes' in an election last week to the formation of a national assembly tasked with dissolving the opposition-led congress and rewrite the constitution. The vote was boycotted by the opposition.

Maduro says the Constituent Assembly could serve to restore calm to the country and prevent a foreign-backed "coup d'etat" by the opposition. Opponents however, see the body as a tool in the president's hands to grab more powers.

Siding with the opposition, Washington blames Maduro for the violence and has urged regional and international governments to take strong action against his government. Maduro, however, says the US and its allies in the region are inciting the violence to bring down his government.

The United States imposed sanctions against 13 current and former Venezuelan officials after doing the same to the country's vice president in February. The US Treasury Department later froze Maduro's US assets and called him a "dictator" for pushing ahead with the election.

Venezuela, Peru expel envoys

In a separate development on Friday, Peru expelled Venezuela's ambassador to Lima over claims that Maduro had violated his country's constitution by the formation of the Constituent Assembly.

The ambassador, Diego Molero, has five days to leave Peru, according to the country's Foreign Affairs Ministry.

In a tit-for-tat move, Venezuela also ordered the head of Peru's embassy in Caracas to leave.

"In light of the measure adopted by the Peruvian government, we find ourselves in the lamentable obligation to expel the charge d'affaires of Peru in Venezuela," a Venezuelan Foreign Ministry statement read.

The government in Caracas also called Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski an "enemy" of Venezuela, accusing him of "continually interfering" in the country's internal affairs.

"The Venezuelan government will continue to deepen relations with the heroic Peruvian people despite the actions of the elite that governs Peru," the ministry statement noted.

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US Fighter Jet Crashes in Bahrain

Sputnik News

22:48 12.08.2017(updated 22:52 12.08.2017)

A US F-18 fighter jet experiencing an engine malfunction made a crash landing Saturday at Bahrain International Airport, briefly interfering with commercial flight schedules. The pilot, who ejected from the aircraft after it ran off the runway, escaped unharmed.

The F-18 took off from the USS Nimitz, a US Navy supercarrier currently located in the Persian Gulf, according to Stars and Stripes.

The pilot attempted to land the fighter jet at Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, but had to reroute to the Middle Eastern island country's commercial airport, the American Press reported.

"Due to the malfunction, the aircraft could not be stopped on the runway and the pilot ejected from the aircraft as it departed on the runway," the base commander stated.

Bahrain's Transportation and Telecommunications Ministry referred to the occurrence as a "minor incident" and claimed that flights resumed normally a few hours after the uncontrolled crash landing.

With the aid of US naval officials, Bahrain has begun an investigation into the cause of the crash.

The tiny island kingdom is currently home to a US naval support facility and holds some 8,000 US troops. This base provides security and anti-piracy patrols for the approximately 20 US and coalition naval vessels currently on station in the Gulf region.

The US is not the only country with ongoing naval operations in the Middle East.

In 2016, the HMS Prince of Wales opened a naval support facility in Bahrain's capital, Manama, confirming the United Kingdom's continued commitment to Anglo-Bahraini military collaboration.

 Sputnik

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'We Must Be Strong Enough': Serbia Mulling Russia's S-300 System Purchase

Sputnik News

21:40 12.08.2017(updated 23:41 12.08.2017)

Belgrade is mulling the purchase of Russia's S-300 surface-to-air missile systems, but it is premature for any specific detail to be shared, Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin told Sputnik on Saturday.

MOSCO (Sputnik)  The Serbian minister noted that the country is a neutral state, thus, it needs to equip its army in case of neighbors' hostile actions.

"We consider [purchasing] it, we think about it  it is too early to say anything more precise. I cannot tell you so open and upfront. I cannot comment specifically about S-300, but in general we must make our army more equipped and stronger," Vulin said during his visit in Moscow, asked about the state of negotiations on acquiring Russia's S-300 battalions.

"Serbia is a neutral country. That means that in case we have hard times we cannot call anyone, no one will come. We must be strong enough to defend ourselves. Of course, maybe sometime because of actions of some of our neighbors we must consider how we can make our army to be strong enough in the front," the minister added.

Russia is discussing with Serbia the deliveries of S-300 air defense system battalions.

The S-300 (NATO reporting name SA-10 Grumble) surface-to-air missile system is one the most advanced weapons in its class. Its development began during the Soviet era in the 1960s. Today, the system is produced by Russia's Almaz-Antey defense corporation.

The S-300 is capable of striking short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, as well as tactical and strategic aircraft. The S-300 has been in service with militaries around the world, including in Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Iran, Greece and Syria.

 Sputnik

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Serbia Expects Delivery of Russian T-72s Tanks, Armored Vehicles in 2018

Sputnik News

19:53 12.08.2017(updated 20:08 12.08.2017)

Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin told Sputnik on Saturday he expects Russia's military aid package to Serbia consisting, in particular, of 30 T-72s tanks and 30 BRDM-2 armored reconnaissance vehicles, to be delivered next year with no specific deadline fixed.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Serbia expects that the MiG-29 deliveries will happen right on time, the minister noted.

"All administrative things are in order, some more duties we have to fulfill and we will do this of course. The Russian side is very correct, everything they say they deliver and we are very grateful for that of course, so I don't see any problems in the future, now between friends that kind of problem cannot emerge. We are very grateful to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin for that, that is one of the ways he shows his appreciation and support for Serbia and his personal link to President [Aleksandar] Vucic," Vulin added.

Belgrade will require Russia's experience in training and military education, as well as support in pilot training upon the completion of Russian deliveries of MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter jets to Serbia, Vulin told Sputnik.

"There are few of our needs, especially about training and military education- that's something that we can learn. When we receive MiG-29 [fighter jets], we will need support with training of our new pilots," Vulin said during his official visit to Moscow, asked about future cooperation with Russia and what experience Serbia wanted to acquire from Russian colleagues.

The Serbian minister added that the number of Russian-Serbian joint military exercises for the following year had not been agreed on so far, as it was tied to the country's budget, as well as the three-year and five-year military cooperation plans, on which the two countries were working on.

"Not yet, I think [the three-year and five-year plans will be ready] by the end of the year. Because it is close with our budget and we will see how it goes. One important thing that you should know about our army  what we say we deliver. So we are very, very cautious when we agree about something  number of military exercises, of education, military training must be fulfilled 100%. So we are very cautious with that, because we speak with our partners in the Russian army and I am sure they are very much satisfied. [Key provisions of the documents] are too early to tell," Vulin explained.

Russia was set to deliver six MiG-29 to Serbia this May. Moscow is set to finalize deliveries of MiG-29 jets to Serbia by the end of 2017.

In November 2016, media reported that Moscow had made a decision to supply Belgrade with six fighter jets. In December, the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) Deputy Director Anatoly Punchuk said that the aircraft could be delivered in spring 2017 as part of a military and technical cooperation assistance program between the two states.

The MiG-29 fighter jets, developed in the Soviet Union in 1980s, are currently used in 29 countries across the world.

The T-72 is a Soviet second-generation main battle tank developed in the early 1970s and widely exported across the globe. This tank is still in service in about 45 states.

The BRDM-2 is an amphibious armored patrol car developed in the early 1960s and it is still operational in at least 38 states.

 Sputnik

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South China Sea Tensions Escalate, Risk 'Involving More and More Countries'

Sputnik News

16:47 12.08.2017(updated 19:18 12.08.2017)

China accused the United States of breaching its sovereignty and international law norms after an American warship came close to the Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea. Beijing claims the islands to be part of its territory.

"The USS John S. McCain entered the neighboring waters of relevant islands and reefs of China's Nansha Qundao without the permission of the Chinese government.  The relevant acts of the US warship violated Chinese laws and international law, severely undermined China's sovereignty and security," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Geng Shuang said in a statement.

On August 10, a US guided missile destroyer, the USS John S. McCain, sailed within 6 miles of the man-made Mischief Reef in the Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea, during a "freedom of navigation exercise" in the disputed region.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, such actions do not contribute to sustaining stability in the region, being the "biggest factor in the 'militarization' of the South China Sea."

"China has been unswervingly determined to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea. The provocation by the US side has compelled the Chinese side to take measures to further enhance its capability to defend its territory," the spokesperson added.

In turn, the Chinese Defense Ministry urged Washington to stop "provocations" in the South China Sea.

Speaking to Radio Sputnik, Vladimir Terekhov, a Russian expert on the Asia-Pacific region, suggested that the current situation in the region risks further escalation.

"In the long run, the situation may evolve into something similar to the Korean crisis, with systematic escalations or a direct standoff. Tensions are mounting. This is a gradual process, and the problem is that the South China Sea is now becoming a geopolitical whirlpool sucking in more and more countries. This is not good," Terekhov pointed out.

The expert also shared his thought on the possibility of an open military confrontation in the South China Sea.

"The US is still not ready to give up showing its presence in this region. A number of bilateral alliances have been established there since the 1950s. During the presidency of Barack Obama, Washington made attempts to pull out of some of the agreements [concerning security in the region]. The move was opposed by many parties, including European allies, Japan and others, and the US stepped back. But this is the main danger of this geopolitical whirlpool," Terekhov said.

Chinese authorities have repeatedly voiced their protests against US actions in the region, which are considered by Beijing as violations of its own sovereignty. In July, Beijing expressed its outrage over a US guided-missile destroyer, the USS Stethem, entering the waters off the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea, known in China as the Xisha Islands. According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the US actions violated Chinese law, as well as international law and constituted a serious political and military provocation.

In July 2016, The Hague's Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China has no rights for territorial claims in the region. According to the ruling, the disputed Spratly Islets are not an exceptional economic zone. China has not recognized the ruling.

 Sputnik

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Four UAE Servicemen Killed in Helicopter Crash in Yemen - Military

Sputnik News

13:27 12.08.2017(updated 13:33 12.08.2017)

A total of four UAE servicemen of the Saudi-led Arab coalition were killed as a result of the Friday helicopter crash in Yemen, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) military said Saturday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  According to UAE military as quoted by the state news agency WAM, the soldiers died in a crash during a routine mission in Yemen.

Initial reports on Friday suggested that a helicopter made an emergency landing in Yemen over a technical malfunction, while crew members sustained minor injuries.

Yemen has been in the grip of a civil war since 2014, which has affected the country's infrastructure, economic and social systems, as well as national health care. The war is waged between the internationally recognized government of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi and the Houthi movement backed by army units loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. In March 2015, the Saudi-led coalition of mostly Persian Gulf countries launched airstrikes against the Houthis at Hadi's request.

 Sputnik

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South Sudan Rebels Fight Back After Losing Headquarters

By Jason Patinkin August 12, 2017

Fighting flared this week in South Sudan's northeastern Upper Nile state despite government forces' capture of a key rebel headquarters.

The clashes indicated there was no end in sight to the four-year civil conflict.

The most recent violence took place over control of the town of Pagak on the Ethiopian border, which had served as the rebels' main base since early 2014.

Government forces captured Pagak last week after launching an offensive in early July, but rebel spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel said his side took the town back Friday morning after attacking government troops.

"At about 7, we launched an attack on government in Pagak. We dislodged them from Pagak, so we are in full control of Pagak from 10 a.m.," he told VOA.

The government's original capture of Pagak was a devastating blow for the rebels, who had controlled the border town since South Sudan's civil war started in December 2013.

The loss of Pagak was the latest in a series of defeats for the rebels in the northeast over the past year, yet the fact that they were able to fight back showed the conflict was far from over. Though the government holds major towns in the northeast, the insurgents maintain control of much of the rural areas.

'We are strong'

"This is a clear sign that if we are pushed to a corner, we will also push back," Gabriel said. "They took Pagak from us, and now we took it back. We are saying the same with any other places now. We are strong."

A spokesman for government forces, Dickson Gatluak, confirmed there was fighting in Pagak, but he denied that the rebels took control of the town.

"In the morning our defensive lines came under heavy fire from the anti-peace elements. We actually engaged them, and after a fierce battle our forces managed to strike back in self-defense and we repulsed them," he said.

The government's offensive on Pagak drew criticism from Western nations for breaking a cease-fire declared in May by President Salva Kiir, whose forces are fighting rebels led by former Vice President Riek Machar.

Dozens of foreign aid workers evacuated the Pagak area as government troops closed in.

But Gatluak said the offensive was necessary to bring government services to the people, including health care and education, which had been largely cut off from rebel areas.

He said civilians had welcomed the arrival of government troops, and that some civilians had returned to the town following the government takeover.

"The civilians in Pagak have been held hostage for almost four years since the conflict erupted," Gatluak said. "It was their call for the government to be on the ground to provide the services."

'The sound was terrible'

But South Sudanese aid worker Sarah Nyanath, who was living in Pagak, said she was among tens of thousands of civilians who fled from the government offensive into Ethiopia, rather than welcome the soldiers.

"The government is lying that it is being received [by the people]," she said. "They are not liberating the area. They are terrorizing the area."

Nyanath, speaking from Ethiopia where she is now a refugee, said two children drowned while fleeing across a river to Ethiopia to escape the fighting.

She said "the sound was terrible" as the army shelled the area. "They were doing it in the night. You can see actually when these rockets are opening up. You can see the lights when these things are bursting out. When it hit the ground, it actually shook the ground  you can see the ground vibrating. It is so, so, so scary."

As South Sudan's war churns on, it is likely that even more civilians like Nyanath will be forced to run.

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Japan deploys missile system after N Korea threat to hit Guam: Report

Iran Press TV

Sat Aug 12, 2017 7:56AM

Tokyo has reportedly begun deploying Patriot missile systems after North Korea threatened to target the US Pacific territory of Guam with ballistic missiles traveling over the Japanese skies.

The country's Defense Ministry on Saturday started deploying the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) system in Shimane, Hiroshima and Kochi in western Japan, which Pyongyang said it could be along the flight path of its missiles, Japan's national public broadcaster NHK reported.

It further added that the Japanese military will also deploy the anti-missile system in neighboring Ehime Prefecture covering the northwest quarter of Shikoku Island.

The country's Kyodo news agency also cited a Defense Ministry official as saying that the government hopes to complete the deployment in western Japan by Saturday morning.

The development came after Pyongyang said it was "carefully examining" a plan for a missile strike on Guam sometime in mid-August in a drill aimed at preparing to counter a potential US military action.

The announcement came after Trump threatened to employ "fire and fury" against Pyongyang if it continues with its missile tests.

The American president continued his belligerent rhetoric against the North on Friday, tweeting, "Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely."

Moreover, Japanese television footage showed military vehicles carrying launchers and other equipment for the anti-air missile system entering a military base in Kochi before dawn.

Tokyo has not confirmed the report, but Japan has previously vowed to shoot down North Korean missiles or rockets that threaten to strike its territory.

Japan's chief government spokesman Yoshihide Suga stated earlier this week that Tokyo "can never tolerate" provocations by North Korea and that the Japanese army will "take necessary measures."

US, South to proceed with drills

Meanwhile, South Korean officials announced on Friday that its military forces will go ahead with planned war games with their US counterparts in August despite the escalating tensions in the region amid persisting threats by Trump of resorting to military force in a bid to curb North Korea's missile program.

The drills  code-named 'Ulchi-Freedom Guardian' -- are held annually, inciting outrage from North Korea, which describes the maneuvers as preparation for war.

South Korean military officials insist that the upcoming war games  which are to be conducted on August 21-31 -- were planned prior to the outbreak of the current crisis and will not be rescheduled.

According to the US State Department, about 40,000 South Korean and US troops are to take part in the exercises on land, air and sea.

Xi talks to Trump

Amid the tensions, Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed North Korea with Trump in a Saturday phone call, calling for a peaceful resolution of the issue, China's state TV.

According to the report, Xi told his US counterpart that "words and deeds" which may fuel the crisis should be avoided, saying it is in the interest of both side to protect peace on the Korean Peninsula.

"The relevant side must at present exercise restraint, and avoid words and actions that exacerbate tensions on the Korean peninsula," Xi said, according to the report.

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Libyan National Army Head Arrives in Moscow for Talks With Lavrov

Sputnik News

01:54 13.08.2017

The commander of the Libyan National Army arrived in Moscow for the talks with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the Libyan National Army, had arrived in Moscow for the talks with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov scheduled for Monday, the head of the Russian contact group on intra-Libyan settlement told Sputnik.

Earlier in the day, Dengov told Sputnik that Haftar's flight to Moscow had been delayed.

"Yes, he has arrived and checked into a hotel," Lev Dengov said late Saturday.

Libya has been suffering from a civil war since 2011 when long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown. The country's eastern regions are governed by the elected parliament headquartered in the city of Tobruk. Besides, the Government of National Accord, formed with the support from the United Nations and Europe and headed by Fayez Sarraj, operates in the country's west, including the Libyan capital of Tripoli.

The eastern authorities act independently from the west, cooperating with the National Army led by Haftar, which fights against Islamic terrorists.

Moscow has been providing support for the regulation of the crisis in Libya and has repeatedly said it was ready to cooperate with all the interested Libyan parties.

 Sputnik

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Major blast kills 15 in capital of Pakistan's Balochistan province

Iran Press TV

Sat Aug 12, 2017 5:59PM

At least 15 people have been killed in a major explosion in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.

Balochistan's home minister, Sarfraz Bugti, said 32 other people were injured in the explosion, which targeted commuters at a bus stop.

"We can now confirm that 15 people have died in the explosion today. At least 32 others are wounded," Bugti told a local TV station.

Other officials in the area, including the spokesman for the Balochistan government, also confirmed the toll although medical officials had earlier put the number of casualties at eight killed and 17 injured.

Bugti said rescue had begun as the area targeted in the blast caught fire soon after the explosion.

"We are trying to transfer injured people to hospitals as soon as possible. Workers are also busy extinguishing the fire at the site," he said, adding that doctors in Quetta could not go to holidays as they had to see to the wounded of the blast.

Bugti said an investigation was launched to determine the nature of the blast and whether it was a terrorist attack.

No terror group claimed responsibility as it has been for previous such incidents in Balochistan, a province rich in oil and gas resources that borders Iran and Afghanistan.

Daesh, a Takfiri terrorist group which mainly operates in the Middle East but has also established a branch in Afghanistan, has claimed several attacks in the Pakistani territory in the recent past. Attacks have also been reported by groups related to the Taliban.

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Russian Females Get a Chance of Their Lives to Become Military Pilots

Sputnik News

21:30 12.08.2017(updated 23:30 12.08.2017)

For the first time in its history, Russia's aviation school in Krasnodar will enroll female students to train them as military pilots, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told journalists.

"There is a huge number of girls and young women who would like to become military pilots. We received hundreds of letters, so we decided that this year we will enroll the first group of girls to the Krasnodar Military Aviation School," the minister said.

"There won't be many of them, just 15 students, but given the number of applications received, we just couldn't ignore these requests," Shoigu said.

The modern Russian Army has about 45,000 female contract soldiers, who fulfill their military duties along with the men. The total number of young women, related to the Russian Army, exceeds 326,000 and increases every year.

During WWII nearly 600,000 female pilots fought against German Nazis and over 90,000 of them received Hero of the Soviet Union military awards. In military circles, some of these women were even nicknamed "Night Witches," because they terrified German troops with the characteristic roar of the Soviet planes during their night flights.

However, nowadays the number of women working as pilots, let alone military pilots, remains very low. This trend is true not only for Russia, but for almost all countries worldwide.

Women first started entering pilot training programs in the 1970s, but since then progress has been quite slow.

The community of female military pilots remains very small, although aviation training for women has been officially permitted in the US, the UK and other countries in the last few decades.

 Sputnik

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Russian Anti-Submarine Destroyer Vice-Admiral Kulakov Enters Mediterranean

Sputnik News

17:00 12.08.2017

A spokesman of the Russian Northern Fleet said that Russia's Vice-Admiral Kulakov anti-submarine destroyer has entered the Mediterranean Sea.

MOSCOW (Sputnik)  Russia's Vice-Admiral Kulakov anti-submarine destroyer has entered the Mediterranean Sea, the Russian Northern Fleet's spokesman, Capt. 1st Rank Vadim Serga, said Saturday.

"Today, the large anti-submarine ship of the Northern Fleet, Vice Admiral Kulakov, performing long-voyage tasks, made the passage through the narrowest part of the Strait of Gibraltar and entered the Mediterranean Sea. The passage of the strait, the narrowest part of which is 14 kilometers [9 miles], took place in the daytime in conditions of intensive navigation," Serga said.

In the Bay of Biscay, the crew of Vice Admiral Kulakov conducted training for submarine search, among others practicing interaction with the crew of the onboard Kamov Ka-27 helicopter, the spokesman specified.

Serga added that the ship left Severomorsk, the Northern Fleet's headquarters, in June, participated in the Main Naval Parade in St. Petersburg and then sailed to the Northern Sea.

In 2016, Vice Admiral Kulakov made three long voyages in the Arctic, Atlantic and Indian oceans and the Mediterranean Sea.

 Sputnik

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Chinese military aircraft again fly near eastern Taiwan

ROC Central News Agency

2017/08/12 18:23:59

Taipei, Aug. 12 (CNA) Several Chinese military aircraft flew east of Taiwan Saturday morning as part of its long-distance training program, the latest in a series of Chinese military activities close to Taiwan, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense.

In a statement, the ministry said that a group of Xian H-6K bombers and Y-8 aircraft from the People's Liberation Army of China first flew near southern Taiwan through the Bashi Channel, but remained outside of Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

They then flew northward on a route near eastern Taiwan, and later over the Miyako Strait before returning to their base in China, the ministry added.

Another group of Chinese early warning aircraft and Sukhoi Su-30 jet fighters were also seen near southern Taiwan to escort the Chinese planes, it said.

The ministry stressed that it "closely monitored the maneuvers by Chinese military planes," with response measures in place to safeguard the country.

It was the second time in August that Chinese military planes were seen near Taiwan after several similar incidents occurred last month.

On three different days from mid to late July, several Xian H-6K bombers from the Chinese Air Force flew over the Miyako Strait, passing east of Taiwan.

During that time, Taiwan's defense ministry released photographs showing two Chinese H-6K bombers, one of which was being tailed by a Taiwanese IDF jet fighter in Taiwan's ADIZ.

The Miyako Strait, which lies between the Japanese islands of Miyako and Okinawa, is part of Japan's exclusive economic zone but includes a narrow band of international waters and airspace.

(By Lu Hsin-hui and Elaine Hou)

Enditem/ls

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CHARLOTTESVILLE  Two people died in a helicopter crash in Albemarle County on Saturday, a Virginia State Police spokesperson at the scene confirmed.

The Associated Press reported that state police had linked the helicopter crash to the events in downtown, but officials did not elaborate on how the crash was connected.

The two victims, the pilot and a passenger, were the only people onboard the helicopter and there were no injuries to anyone on the ground, VSPs Corinne Geller said.

Geller said the cause of the crash is still under investigation and that the FAA and NTSB had been notified, standard procedure for aircraft crashes.

At 4:54 Saturday afternoon, Virginia State Police were notified of a helicopter crash in Albemarle County, Geller said, standing a few hundred yards from the fatal crash site. Albemarle County police and fire responded first. They located the wreckage of a helicopter in the woods near a residence off Old Farm Road, at the very end of the roadway. It was fully engulfed. And at this time we do have two confirmed fatalities. State law in Virginia says that the Virginia State Police has to investigate all air craft crashes so thats why we responded to the scene."

Geller said she would not identify the victims or the owner of the helicopter. She said the downed aircraft was not the VSP helicopter seen circling above Saturdays alt-right, white supremacist rally in downtown Charlottesville, a gathering that turned violent when a car was driven into a group of counter protesters, killing one and injuring 19.
CHARLOTTESVILLE  A rally that drew white nationalists from around the country to protest the removal of a Confederate statue from a city park here quickly devolved into hectic brawls Saturday, later giving way to terror and death when a car plowed into a crowd of hundreds of anti-racist counterprotesters.

Officials said a 32-year-old woman was killed and 19 people were treated for injuries suffered during the crash, which took place just off a popular pedestrian mall in this progressive central Virginia college town.

When it hit, it hit hard and people just started flying into the air, said Byron Woods, a Waynesboro resident who witnessed the crash. This is a sad day today in this great United States we live in.

Witnesses said there was no question the collision was intentional, describing the gray Dodge Challenger appearing to speed up over the course of two blocks before it rammed into a stopped vehicle just ahead of the mass of the people, who were chanting anti-racist slogans.

Theyd thought theyd driven the Nazis out of town, said city resident Eberhard Jehle, describing a generally jovial mood among the group. He said the driver, going at least 35 mph, made no attempt to stop. Oh, it was absolutely intentional, he said.

The crash took place around 1:45 p.m. and police said they quickly located the vehicle.

James Alex Fields Jr., of Maumee, Ohio, is charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and failing to stop at the scene of an accident that resulted in a death, according to Col. Martin Kumer, superintendent of the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, where Fields has been booked.

The identity of the woman who died is being withheld by authorities until her family is notified.

The Charlottesville City Council held an emergency council meeting Saturday evening authorizing Police Chief Al Thomas to enforce a curfew to keep people off the street.

As of 9 p.m., Thomas had not imposed a curfew, but many businesses around the city were nonetheless closed, citing the unrest.

Right now were encouraging people to return home, Thomas said. Please let our city of Charlottesville, our home, start to recover from this.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe addressed the white supremacists and nationalists who attended the rally directly in a brief statement.

You came here today to hurt people, and you did hurt people, McAuliffe said. My message is clear: We are stronger than you. You have made our commonwealth stronger. You will not succeed. There is no place for you here. There is no place for you in America.

***

A broad mish-mash of white nationalists groups promoted Saturdays rally online for months, saying they hoped it would become a unifying moment in a fringe movement that has been enlivened by the election of President Donald Trump, who many of the groups strongly supported. Trump denounced the hatred and violence in a tweet and press conference later in the afternoon.

The groups chose Charlottesville as the location of the event to protest the citys plan to remove a Confederate statue of Robert E. Lee from Emancipation Park, a small square just off the downtown mall that was the center of events Saturday.

The rally was scheduled to begin at noon, but as of 9 a.m. the square had already begun to fill with groups who said they were from as far away as New York, California and Texas.

Attendees ranged from clean-cut young men in pressed white shirts to heavily armed militia members in body armor and camouflage. Others were outfitted more crudely, but nonetheless ready for battle, carrying homemade shields, sticks and wearing all manner of helmets and face masks. Many attendees embraced Nazi imagery and chanted racist slogans.

Everybody else is allowed to have pride in their race, why arent whites? said a man wearing football pads and a hard hat who, like many participants, declined to give his name.

No official estimates have been provided, but there appeared to be as many as 1,000 rally attendees.

At least as many counterprotesters, some also militarized and clearly prepared to fight, surrounded the square. By 10:30 a.m., extremely violent skirmishes broke out between the two groups.

Both groups repeatedly fired pepper spray and other chemical weapons at each other. At one point, the rally attendees launched at least four tear gas canisters on the counterprotesters, scattering them in search of medical attention. Sticks and batons also figured prominently in the clashes, which would flare up in a wild melee and then quickly die down as both sides retreated to regroup.

State police officials confirmed that they did not deploy any chemical weapons, and that any irritants were brought by participants.

***

At 11:30 a.m., police, who had a heavy presence in the area but for the most part did not intervene in the violence, declared the assembly unlawful and began to clear the park.

Around the same time, McAuliffe declared a state of emergency in Charlottesville to aid state response to violence at Alt-Right rally in Charlottesville.

It is now clear that public safety cannot be safeguarded without additional powers, and that the mostly out-of-state protesters have come to Virginia to endanger our citizens and property, McAuliffe said in a statement. I am disgusted by the hatred, bigotry and violence these protesters have brought to our state over the past 24 hours. The actions I have taken are intended to assist local government and restore public safety.

Attendees quickly dispersed, many looking ragged. As of 12:30 p.m., police reported one arrest and eight injuries.

Police sprayed me, the (counterprotesters) sprayed me, everyone sprayed me, said 29-year-old William Fears, a construction worker who traveled from Houston to join the rally.

Fears had stripped down to only his underpants because he said his clothes had been drenched in an unknown chemical weapon. He said he traveled to Charlottesville to defend white history, advocate our rights to exist and to make friends.

Thousands of Charlottesville residents turned out to make their displeasure with the rally known. Among them was George Stepp, a city native, who waved a large portrait of Barack and Michelle Obama in a tender embrace, taunting rally attendees.

This is my first time ever coming out to a protest like this, Stepp said. I just want to get in their mind how great of a president Obama was  rub it in a little bit.

Natasha DSouza, a recent James Madison University graduate, said she traveled from Harrisonburg to observe the rally and counterprotest because she said as an Indian American she felt an obligation to understand.

People with ethnic backgrounds are impacted by their racist views, she said. Im very interested.

While many of the rally attendees waved signs expressing support for Trump, the president denounced the rally in a tweet, saying We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!

In remarks at a veterans event in New Jersey, the president condemned egregious hatred and violence on many sides at the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, but did not assign responsibility.

The president did not mention the car that crashed into counter-protesters in his speech, but later tweeted condolences to the family of the woman who was killed and best regards to the others who were injured.

***

A much smaller group of white nationalists eventually reconvened at a nearby park where many had left their cars and Richard Spencer, one of the countrys most prominent white nationalists who had been set to headline the rally, spoke.

He complained about the lack of police protection afforded to his group, referring to local government officials as little creeps who dont understand what were dealing with.

He promised to return to Charlottesville.

I have never been so outraged in my government, and Ill just say this ... we are never backing down, he said. We are going to be back here.

***

Back on the downtown mall, groups of protesters from both sides snaked through city blocks, chanting, as local and state police and national guard units attempted to restore order.

Thats when the vehicle slammed into the crowd of at least 100 anti-racist protesters.

University of Virginia student Matt Corbon said he was about 20 feet from where the car sped into a group of counterprotesters, slamming into them on Fourth Street, between Water and Main.

The protesters were marching left. They kind of bottled up against the construction down the street. It was just starting to turn left, to turn down the mall, Corbon said. I think it was dying down for the day, honestly. Suddenly there was this tire-screeching sound and the whole column of cars that were caught in the middle of protesters started to move forward. Suddenly everyone was running way.  The car that caused everything hit the trunk of a silver sedan, then reversed aggressively back through the crowd.

New York photographer Michael Nigro was even closer to the crowd, he said, when the vehicle sped into the counter-protesters, sending people scattering. Nigro said the car then reversed back toward Main Street, striking more people as it drove away.

As the immediate shock wore off, the mall began to clear.

The area surrounding the park where the protest was held was littered with trash and large groups of state police and national guardsmen lingered.

At the scene of the car attack just off the mall, crowd-control barriers remained and two badly damaged cars involved in the chain reaction remained as investigation crews worked in the area.

Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer tweeted that he was heartbroken that a life has been lost and urged all people of good will-go home.
The Danville homicide rate is a matter of concern for city leaders, law enforcement and residents. Theres no getting around the fact that the city has undergone a rough couple of years. But looking at the citys historical crime data paints a more nuanced picture of what is going on at the street level.

In 2016, there were 16 homicides in Danville. As of the end of last week, 2017 had seen nine, the latest being the shooting death of a 16-year-old girl at 3 a.m. on Aug. 6. Anyone who cares about this city and its residents is hoping and praying thats the last one for this year, but statistical trends arent in our favor.

The 2016 tally was the highest in city history going back to 1953, the furtherest back the Danville Police Department has been able to compile reliable data. But in an interview, Danville Police Chief Phillip Broadfoot brought some interesting historical perspective to the table. In 1955, for example, a time many folks equate with unlocked homes and low crime, there were 11 homicides in the city, and there have been similar upticks in the intervening six decades. In 2012 and 2014, the city recorded only three killings, 25-year lows.

Violent crime, Chief Broadfoot said, goes in waves, peaking then tapering off only to rise again. But in the last several years, for many reasons, those cycles have become more compressed, rising quickly but falling quickly, too.

In 2016, Danville police reported a total of 372 violent crimes  murder, robbery, abduction, aggravated assault and forcible sex are the components of that crime category. Police determined that in almost 340 of those crimes the victim knew the perpetrator. And of the 16 homicides, a third were gang-related.

Lets take a look at those 372 violent crimes in relation to the citys overall crime scene. In 2016, there were 4,559 reported crimes. Vandalisms, simple assaults, larcenies, burglaries and drug arrests accounted for 4,107 of the total crimes reported to police. Those 372 violent crimes represent 8.1 percent of the 2016 total.

Again, perspective is needed when reviewing the data. That 8.1 percent for Danville compares to 10 percent for Petersburg, 9.4 percent for Charlottesville, 8.8 percent for Lynchburg and 7.4 percent for Richmond.

Looking at underlying data for 2016s 16 homicides also paints a clearer picture of what is going. In addition to the five gang-related killings, four deaths were the result of an argument that escalated, four were domestic in nature, robbery was the proximate cause of one death and other criminal activities led to two.

And one significant factor is that all were by gunshot. The explosion in the number of firearms in the last couple of years is among Broadfoots greatest concerns. In Danville in 2016, police count 161 stolen guns  46 of those were from unlocked vehicles; thats in addition to an unknown number of straw purchases that police simply cant track.

So what is Broadfoots department doing to address violent crime in the city? A lot of the response is simply doubling down on proven law enforcement tactics: devoting more attention, energy and money on gang deterrence work. The departments burglary reduction efforts  tracking where and when burglaries occurred and then flooding the zone with police presence beforehand  can be brought to bear on larcenies, crimes of opportunity, to cut into the number of stolen firearms. And the department is working closely with the commonwealths attorneys office, where a prosecutor is cross certified with the U.S. Attorneys Office in Roanoke to prosecute gang-related activities.

Beyond the control of the police department, however, is the economic driver in any communitys crimefighting efforts: plentiful, good-paying jobs. When the economy is strong, when jobs are being created, when the community invests in schools to produce graduates ready to step into those jobs  thats when crime truly begins to fall, not just ebb only to rise later.

And thats a conversation that all of Danville needs to have. Now.
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A planned news conference by Jason Kessler, organizer of the white nationalist Unite the Right rally, dissolved into chaos as an angry mob chased him from in front of City Hall on the Downtown Mall.
On Saturday afternoon, shortly before her camera captured a car plowing through left-wing activists in Charlottesville, killing one and injuring more than a dozen others, Faith Goldy warned that the left was spinning out of control.

"Hundreds and hundreds of antifa, weird BLM, idiots dressed like clowns" said Goldy, a reporter for the Canadian alt-right news site The Rebel. "This is OK, as long as you're not the alt-right. The alt-right wasn't allowed to demonstrate any show of force."

As if on cue, activists began chanting "black lives matter" in the back of Goldy's shot.

"Chant BLM, and all of a sudden the cops don't care!" she said. "Where are the riot police now?"

Goldy's report, which transformed into police evidence after James Alex Fields Jr. allegedly plowed his car into protesters, was representative of a theme that had risen from far-right media to the mainstream since President Donald Trump's inauguration. The growth of "antifa," a loose and often ad hoc network of left-wing "anti-fascist" groups, has been covered as a rising danger to law and order, a justification for alt-right groups to organize armed rallies - and for ordinary Americans to arm themselves, too.

The "antifa" concept has existed for almost as long as fascism itself, but in the wake of Trump's victory, organizers claimed to be seeing an influx of new energy and new recruits. In the lead-up to Inauguration Day, conservative undercover sting artist James O'Keefe released video of D.C. anti-fascist organizers plotting Jan. 20 disruptions. Even as they faced questions from law enforcement, antifa allies used "black bloc" tactics to rage across the area just outside of the inaugural parade, donning masks, smashing windows and burning cars.

The Inauguration Day actions included an assault on white nationalist leader Richard Spencer, a video of which went viral. But video of the property damage took on greater import, as some conservatives began using them to portray an out-of-control left. Weeks after the inauguration, antifa activists committed $100,000 in property damage and several assaults in protests that shut down a Berkeley speech by then-Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos. In a Feb. 24 speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference, the NRA's Wayne LaPierre linked those events with incidents of people being attacked if they supported the president.

"Right now, we face a gathering of forces that are willing to use violence against us," warned LaPierre. "If the violent left brings their terror to our communities, our neighborhoods, or into our homes, they will be met with the resolve and the strength and the full force of American freedom in the hands of the American people. Among them and behind them are some of the most radical political elements there are. Anarchists, Marxists, communists and the whole rest of the left-wing Socialist brigade."

On March 31, the footage of the inaugural rioting appeared for the first time in a political TV ad. In "Extremists," a commercial produced by the Congressional Leadership Fund super PAC to defeat Georgia congressional candidate Jon Ossoff, footage of peaceful Women's March events - one of which Ossoff attended - was blended with footage of anarchists smashing windows and starting fires.

"Liberal extremists will stop at nothing to push their radical agenda," said a narrator. "Ossoff is one of them."

In reality, antifa actions were relatively isolated, focused on disrupting white nationalist rallies - which, in turn, fed off the idea that the violent left needed to be stopped in the streets. Several high-profile rallies transformed into brawls between black-clad antifa and conservatives who sometimes claimed membership in new anti-antifa organizations, like the Fraternal Order of the Alt-Knights, a wing of the Proud Boys, itself a group founded by Rebel commentator Gavin McInnes.

"I've heard rumors the mayor of Portland is going to tell his police to stand down at some forthcoming alt-right events in his city," wrote McInnes in a June column at the right-wing site Taki's Magazine. "By allowing these sociopaths to shut down free speech with violence you are all but demanding a war. OK, fine, you got it. It's official. This is a war."

In the hours after the Charlottesville disaster, Trump's pointed condemnation of "many sides" for the violence baffled some Republicans; on Twitter, frequent Trump critics like Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich., and Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., asked why the president could not specifically condemn white supremacists or neo-nazis, making clear who had allegedly committed murder at the protest.

But Sunday morning, hours before a revised White House statement that did mention "neo-nazis," Trump allies inside and outside the White House were careful to say that the left shared blame for Charlottesville. On CNN's "State of the Union," former Trump campaign adviser Michael Caputo asked why the media was not condemning antifa, insisting without evidence that "they tried to kill people" who showed up at the planned alt-right rally.

"America is being moved into chaos by people on both sides who think that they're better than anyone else on the other side," said Caputo. "The rhetoric gets heightened, you know, turns violent, and eventually you have racist KKK fighting the fascist antifa in the streets of Charlottesville. Both sides showed up with helmets and weapons."

On the same show, Homeland Security Adviser Tom Bossert tried to make a similar point, and was repeatedly interrupted by host Jake Tapper.

"I'm sure there were good people in the group that had various opinions on the removal or maintenance of the statue," Bossert said. "But what they found when they showed up were groups from outside that showed up on both sides looking for trouble, dressed in riot gear, prepared for violence."

"How many people did the counter-protesters kill yesterday, Mr. Bossert?" asked Tapper.

"Well, I will tell you, one death is too many, Jake," said Bossert.

"That wasn't by the counter-protesters," said Tapper.

And in some of the pro-Trump media that had been warning of antifa violence, the conversation was just as fraught. On Saturday, McInnes and InfoWars host Alex Jones streamed their reaction to what had happened, decrying the violence but placing the blame with the left. McInnes said that he had stayed far from Charlottesville after he "saw that thing going white nationalist, white power."

Jones, meanwhile, worried that the events in Charlottesville represented a successful long-term strategy by the left to foment violence.

"We know [liberal megadonor George] Soros has been planning this, trying to create provocative events," said Jones. "We're winning, but I think demonstrating in any Democratic-controlled city now. . ."

He trailed off. "Just like they do at these events at Berkeley, they beat you up, then they lie about what happened," he said.
OAKLAND, Calif.  Protesters marched in California cities to decry racism in the wake of deadly violence that erupted at a white nationalist demonstration in Virginia.

In Oakland, hundreds of protesters gathered Saturday night to hear speakers and then marched peacefully downtown, chanting and waving signs and banners. Some of the protesters blocked Interstate 580 before being dispersed, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.

One of the downtown marchers carried a hand-crafted sign reading, "Call it what it is. White supremacy."

The hastily arranged gathering was a response to events earlier Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia. A car plowed into a crowd that was peacefully protesting a white nationalist rally, killing one person and injuring 19.

Authorities say the driver of the car, 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio, was charged with second-degree murder.

A smaller rally held in Los Angeles Saturday evening was peaceful. Candlelight vigils were held in San Francisco and El Cajon in San Diego County.
On Tuesday, a federal district court struck down a Louisiana law denying marriage equality to foreign-born residents. The law had been backed by the religious right, the same crowd that had fought to deny marriage equality to same-sex couples.

The legislation required anyone wishing to get hitched to produce a birth certificate as well as an unexpired passport or visa before receiving a marriage license. People born in the United States were allowed to get a waiver from a judge if for some reason they didnt have a birth certificate; people born abroad were given no such option.

Ostensibly the objective was to prevent bigamy and other types of marriage fraud. And also, somehow, to thwart crafty terrorists.

We dont want terrorists obtaining green cards and citizenship through marriage, and I believe my constituents would agree with me, the sponsor, Republican state Rep. Valarie Hodges, told a local radio station when the law went into effect in January 2016.

Whatever the laws purported justification, one vulnerable population was especially hurt by it: refugees.

Louisiana has a large population of refugees who fled Laos and Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Despite being here legally  and in many cases, having ultimately received U.S. citizenship  these Louisianans often were never issued birth certificates.

This affected couples such as Laotian-born refugee Out Xanamane and his partner, U.S.-born Marilyn Cheng. Xanamane was born at home in a village near Savannakhet, Laos, in 1975, the year the country fell to communism. He never received a birth certificate. The couple had a Buddhist marriage ceremony in 1997  and subsequently had four kids  but never filed paperwork with the state. After Xanamane was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2016, he desperately needed a legally recognized marriage certificate to qualify for Chengs employer-sponsored health insurance plan.

Xanamane had multiple forms of identification, including a green card and state-issued drivers license, but the couple was turned away by multiple parish clerks because he could not produce a birth certificate.

They told me I have to go back to Laos and get my birth certificate, Xanamane told me when I wrote about him last year. But there isnt any birth certificate there, either.

The family contacted lawyers, judges and public officials, and everyone told them there was no wiggle room in the law. The couple ultimately drove to Alabama and got married there instead.

Other immigrants who were turned away by Louisiana parish clerks simply gave up. One, Viet Victor Anh Vo, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in an Indonesian refugee camp to Vietnamese parents, sued.

Not only heartless, the law was unconstitutional because it infringed on the fundamental right to marry. The court recognized that Louisiana had a two-tiered system, between those born outside of the country and those born inside the country, said Alvaro Huerta, a National Immigration Law Center staff attorney who represents Vo.

Tuesdays ruling was based on the equal-protection and due-process clauses, which do not distinguish between people of different immigration status, the court said. In the most recent legislative session, state lawmakers had applied some fixes to the marriage law, but the new bill did not address all its constitutional problems.

Vo and his U.S.-born significant other, Heather Pham, convinced a Catholic priest to officiate at their religious marriage ceremony last year even after they found out they could not get a state-issued license. (The planned wedding was two weeks away at the time, and they didnt want to cancel on their guests and vendors.)

And while the court had issued a preliminary injunction against the law in March, thereby allowing the couple to obtain a legal marriage license, they decided to hold off until a ruling on the merits that vindicated all Louisianan immigrants marriage rights. The happy couple expects to re-apply for a state-issued marriage license soon.

Also cheering the ruling is Out Xanamanes cousin, Phanat Xanamane, born in a Thai refugee camp to Laotian parents and now a naturalized U.S. citizen.

I feel that justice was upheld today, Phanat, who is not married, wrote me.

This is actually not the first time a federal court needed to step in and affirm Phanats constitutional right to wed; Phanat is gay, and almost exactly two years ago he celebrated when the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage the law of the land.

Tuesdays ruling, he said, shows you how easily you can have your rights ripped away if youre not paying attention to lawmakers.
WENTWORTH  A Reidsville man who allegedly shot into the car of a Rockingham County social worker has filed a $23 million federal lawsuit against Sheriff Sam Page, the sheriffs department and department of social services.

Christopher Lee Neal, 42, mailed the filing to the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina from the Alamance County Detention Center on July 12. The verified complaint and swearing of obligations was signed on June 30.

The complaint states that the suit was filed in accordance to Section 1983  a federal law that allows lawsuits for the violation of constitutional rights.

Neal alleged in the complaint that his children were unlawfully placed with the foster care system and that law enforcement entered his home without a search warrant or proper documentation, causing mental and emotional distress.

He is seeking $14 million for violation of his and his childrens constitutional rights. He is also asking for $5 million in punitive damages for the intentional infliction of emotional distress and $4 million for the mental and emotional damages caused in their removal from their home.

Neal was arrested on June 15 in North Myrtle Beach, three days after allegedly firing a gun at the car of a Rockingham County social worker in Burlington.

He was charged with one count of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle after he apparently targeted social worker Carlietha Rosanna Glover following an investigation by child protective services that led to children being removed from his home.

Earlier that evening, sheriff's deputies escorted Glover, who lives outside of the county, to the Rockingham County line on N.C. 87, heading toward Burlington.

Heading home, Glover was driving her vehicle south on West Webb Avenue in Burlington at about 11:30 p.m. June 12 when she reached the intersection of Webb Avenue and Glen Raven Road. Once stopped, a navy blue BMW sports-utility vehicle drove alongside her vehicle and fired a gunshot into the drivers side of Glovers car.

Glover, who was not injured by the gunfire, notified Burlington police of the incident and drove about 2 miles to the police station, where she was met by officers.

According to the court document, Neal received a call on his cell phone from agents working on behalf of the Rockingham County Department of Social Services on June 13  prior to the shooting incident. He brushed the call off as some sort of prank call and asked the caller not to play about his kids.

The document states that after an interview with the staff later in the day, it was determined that the mother of Neals children tested positive for THC marijuana even though his newborn child, born six days earlier, did not.

Neals handwritten complaint says he then questioned what the DSSs involvement had to do with his two older children. It also states that a social worker replied by saying, We just want to make sure that theyre fine.

An agreement was reached of a time for social workers to meet with him and his children the next day at his fathers house on Brooks Road in Reidsville. Later that day, the suit states, sheriffs deputies kicked in the door and unlawfully seized two of his small children from a property on Knowles Road, owned by Neal.

Its unclear who was staying with the children at the time of the incident, but the case file states that Neal was warned about the situation by a telephone call from his childrens mother, Latanya Whetsell.

Once apprised of the situation, Neal wrote that he immediately left his fathers home to address the incident.

The lawsuit says that upon arrival, he asked officials on the property for proper documentation and that neither produced any documents for the invasion and that defendants were asked for a search warrant and each defendant produced nothing signed by an Article III Judge, not even an affidavit of probable cause.

The final statement of fact in the complaint states that the defendants that responded to Knowles Road had violated every aspect of [the] plaintiffs constitutional rights in the highest regards and the rights of his children. This arbitrary abuse of power is exactly what the framers of the constitution had imagined and feared from government defendants.

Neal, who was extradited back to Alamance County on July 3, is set to appear in Alamance County Superior Court for criminal proceedings on Oct. 11.

The civil case is still pending.
EDEN  More than 1,500 backpacks filled with school supplies will be given to Rockingham County children in need prior to the start of the school year, thanks to a partnership between Eden Drug and the Eden Family YMCA.

The effort is part of Bright Beginnings, a YMCA of Greensboro program that aims to lessen the financial burden on local families during the back-to-school season.

The Eden YMCA also plans to take 10 children on a back-to-school shopping trip.

Eden Drug approached the YMCA about taking over the backpack program that they have run for the past several years, because their program location was damaged in the tornado, said Pete Baker, executive director of the Eden Family YMCA. Eden Drug generously purchased 1,500 backpacks and now we are seeking monetary donations, volunteers, and children in need of school supplies.

Officials estimate it will cost approximately $10,000 to fill the 1,500 backpacks and hold the shopping trip. In order to offset the expenses, the YMCA is accepting monetary to donations to help cover costs.

Offerings can be made in person or mailed to the Eden Family Y at 301 S. Kennedy St., Eden, NC 27288.

Volunteers are also needed to help fill the backpacks. Applications to help with the cause, or serve as shopping buddy, can be found at the YMCA's front desk.

The program is open to Rockingham County families. Those in need can request a backpack for their child by calling the Eden YMCA.

Backpacks will be available beginning Aug. 16.

For more information about the Bright Beginnings program in Eden or to request a backpack, call 336-623-8496.
WENTWORTH  Local officials are working hard to address one of the biggest epidemics that has quickly swept across the nation, the state and Rockingham County.

On Monday, County Manager Lance Metzler updated county commissioners and the public on an upcoming County Leadership Forum on opioid abuse.

The event, which takes place on Friday, Sept. 29 at the Eden Ball Room, will serve as an opportunity for elected officials and local leaders to come together and learn about the rapid increase of the use of prescription and non-prescription opioid drugs.

The event will also serve as an opportunity for leaders to have open dialog with the goal of elevating awareness, while discussing how the opioid crisis will affect the county in the future.

Officials organizing the event also hope to educate local leaders about the successful prevention treatment programs and provider resources in the area.

Another goal is to generate and coordinate education, prevention and treatment strategies.

Speaking at the engagement will be Nashville Police Chief Thomas Bashore, who jumpstarted the HOPE Initiative, an innovative program to face the crisis head-on with unique tactics and approaches, such as not charging offenders.

The program, which launched in February 2016, was featured on CNN in July. Crime is down 40 percent in Bashores town of 5,400 since implementing the program.

The HOPE Initiative allows addicts to receive assistance from the local police department without facing incarceration.

That includes cases in which individuals turn over any drugs or paraphernalia.

The program is one example of how local governments and law enforcement are working together to address a major problem before its too late.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdoses accounted for over 52,000 deaths in 2015.

In total, 63 percent of those overdoses were opiod-related. Nearly half of those involved a prescription opiod.

On Aug. 1, Metzler shared with the Wentworth Town Council just how close this nationwide epidemic is hitting close to home.

In 2015, a report from the CDC analyzed 59,000 pharmacies from around the county and found that Martinsville, Virginia was the top city in the nation in terms of per-capita opiod prescriptions.

The city of just over 13,000 people sits less than 25 miles from the county seat. The 2015 study found that the city was prescribing 4,000 milligrams more than any other city or county for which data was collected.

Rockingham County has a huge problem, Metzler told the Wentworth council. Last year we had 61 overdoses. This year, as of July 26, we have had 59 and we have several months left [in 2017] so Im sure we will exceed that. This is an epidemic that is growing. Its not something that you only see in low income, its people that we know and families we know. Ive personally been affected by friends and a family member who have overdosed before.

Commissioners Craig Travis, Reece Pyrtle and Mark Richardson have been vocal publicly about the issue over the last year. The board as a whole has also been working diligently with healthcare officials throughout the last few months to address potential fixes in the fight against addiction.

Earlier this spring, Pyrtle and Health and Human Services Director Felissa Ferrell began the process of organizing an opioid task force.

So far theyve made major strides in getting stakeholders in the community together to identify what can be done.

I have first-hand knowledge and I have observed how it's impacted our community, said Pyrtle, who has spent more than 27 years in law enforcement and is currently the Eden police chief. He said hes never seen anything like the current issue at hand.

There are a lot of good people in this county that have been impacted one way or another by the opioid crisis we have in our community, he said.
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GREENWICH  The statue of St. Roch made its first stop Sunday on Alexander Street, allowing 101-year-old Mary Caputo and her son Joseph Caputo Jr. to pin their money to it and receive a blessing from Father Arthur Mollenhauer, pastor of St. Roch Roman Catholic Church in Greenwich.

Caputo has lived in western Greenwich her entire life and remembers watching the procession as a child, she said. Her parents were Angelo and Frances Caputo, two immigrants from Morra de Sanctis in the province of Avellino, Italy.

I started here in the church and I stayed here, Caputo said.

A festive procession celebrated the 108th anniversary of the church Sunday by carrying through western Greenwich the statue of St. Roch, the patron saint of the Italian town of Morra de Sanctis where many of the parishs founding members came from.

The procession also marked the end of St. Roch Churchs weeklong feast in honor of the saint, which included an annual fair with rides, games and food that ran from Wednesday afternoon through Saturday night. Proceeds from the fair support the capital needs of the Romanesque Revival church, Mollenhauer said.

The parish replaced the usual car raffle prize with a cash prize of $39,000, which resulted in selling more tickets, he said. The money will help buy a new heating and cooling system for the church, he said.

The people came out in great numbers thanks be to God and I saw many new faces, he said.

The local procession originated in the late 19th century, when Italian immigrants  most from Morra de Sanctis  used it to raise funds to build the church.

The feast day of St. Roch, celebrated on Aug. 16, in Italy recognizes St. Rochs intervention to help end a severe plague in Venice in 1576, which killed an estimated 50,000 people, said Salvatore DiPietro, president of the Societa San Rocco Di Morra de Sanctis ,which coordinates the procession and fair.

It celebrates him bringing the plague to an end, said DiPietro, 71. But for this community, it is an important tradition and important to Italian Americans.

Emma Gilbert, 86, who is Caputos cousin, has lived on Alexander Street her whole life and said she stayed in the neighborhood because of strong emotional connections to the church and community of Morra de Sanctis.

This is a very special neighborhood and I never really thought of leaving, she said.

Richard Roesler, 59, and his fiancee Valerie Mastronardi, 47, residents of Byram Terrace, arrived before the procession to pin money to St. Roch.

The couple, who own a professional dog care business, noted that St. Roch was among other things, patron saint of dogs. The couple became parishioners of the church because they appreciate the parishs tradition and links to the areas growth.

It is a beautiful church and we love the history of the community, Mastronardi said.

An Italian language Mass at the church was to follow the march at noon, and later celebrants were invited to dinner at T & J Italian Restaurant in Port Chester,N.Y.
By Vasia Orion | Published on 2017/08/12

"Save Me" once more proves that it does not cower away from difficult subject matter and this means that our characters get no breaks from their plight. Things keep happening which create more victims and more perpetrators and which reveal the true faces of the people involved. I do not know where the time jump will lead us, but it will not be a happy place.

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The falling out between Sang-hwan (Ok Taecyeon) and Dong-cheol (Woo Do-hwan) has been brewing for a while, but it is a bit more complex than I imagined it. For one, I am glad it does not happen over actual betrayal or worse, over "a girl", something fiction loves doing to demonize women. The misunderstanding keeps Sang-hwan honorable and sends Dong-cheol on his path. Uniting for a common cause after this hurdle can also strengthen their friendship in the long run.

This group is one of four, however, which makes the development we see in Woo Jeong-hoon (Lee David) and Choi Man-hee (Ha Hoe-jung) all the more important as we look to the future. Man-hee has not been in the spotlight much, but we now get to see that he is very perceptive. He also reaches out to support Dong-cheol without becoming pushy, which tells me that he knows his friends well. Jeong-hoon is more simpleminded and naive, but he is clearly a supportive friend too.

Governor-to-be Han Yong-min (Son Byung-ho) was my hope for a good "adult" here, but now that I see what he is capable of to keep his position, I wonder how deep his actions go. Woo Choon-gil (Kim Kwang-kyu) may have offered us some dark foreshadowing when visiting the cult in episode one. A plan for "taking care of" the homeless would make any politician popular with pseudo-caring souls and bigots who do not want the homeless around alike. Much to Sang-hwan's misfortune, I feel "Save Me" would go there.

Speaking of the cult's work, while I suspected that our group were once a different type of criminals, I wonder how they are related. Most importantly, the mystery of whether Jeong-gi (Cho Seong-ha) believes his own lies deepens. Is he a pervert who never drops the act, does he want to turn Sang-mi (Seo Yea-ji) into a religious mascot for the church or does he truly have some twisted spiritual view of her?

"Save Me" piles cruelty upon cruelty and tragedy upon tragedy, even if those might make viewers very uncomfortable. We have to be uncomfortable. We have to see just how many people it takes to perpetuate corruption and injustice in Muji and therefore how important it is for our heroes to fight. Sang-mi is a victim, but she may also be the one to lead this fight.

"Save Me" is directed by Kim Seong-soo, written by Jeong Sin-gyoo and Jeong I-do-I and features Ok Taecyeon, Seo Yea-ji, Cho Seong-ha and Woo Do-hwan.

Written by: Orion from 'Orion's Ramblings'

Note: Due to licensing, videos may not be available in your country
Published on 2017/08/13 | Source

An estimated 2.82 million Koreans have traveled overseas for their summer holidays this year, the highest number on record. Cheap flights and falling hotel prices mean the days are gone when Koreans saved up for months to go on vacation somewhere in their own country.

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Office worker Kim Sang-min (28) recently went to Hokkaido, Japan for three days. He flew by budget airline from Incheon and booked the round-trip tickets two weeks in advance for W230,000 (US$1=W1,129).

There he paid W133,000 for a four-star hotel in Sapporo. On his first day in Hokkaido, Kim spent W200,000 on food and lodging. "Public transport costs more than in Korea, but food was cheaper", he said.

Compare the cost of a holiday in Busan and Da Nang, Vietnam. The ticket from Gimpo to Busan costs W166,000 and the flight from Incheon to Da Nang W383,000.

A four-star hotel room on Haeundae Beach would set travelers back W169,400 a night but in Da Nang only W70,000. Two nights easily make up for the difference in air fare.

"Budget your trip", a website that compares expenses at travel destinations around the world, shows the average cost of traveling in Korea at W119,000, compared to W129,700 for Japan and W45,300 for Vietnam.

Other drawbacks to holidaying in Korea are persistent rip-offs and a lack of decent mid-priced options. Kim Young-joo at the Korea Tourism Organization said, "Prices rise during peak vacation season all over the world, but this is especially a problem in Korea because the peak season is so short".

In Korea, summer breaks are concentrated in late July and early August, and according to a survey by the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute, 62.5 percent of workers go on vacation during the two-week period.

Food and lodging options in Korea are concentrated at both ends of the scale, with almost nothing in the middle. Lee Yoo-hyeon at the Korea-Thailand Communication Center said, "You can easily find anything from guest houses to six-star hotels in Japan and Thailand, but in Korea, there is a shortage, especially of mid-priced options".

The overcrowding in Busan, on the east coast and Jeju Island in peak season is another factor turning travelers off. Kim Sang-jo at Hanyang University said, "Japan and Vietnam have developed a great many tourist destinations over time, and they compete with each other to keep prices reasonable".
Published on 2017/08/13 | Source

More than 2 million customers have opened accounts with Korea's second online-only bank in the 13 days since its launch.

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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).

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".
Disasters cause enormous damage and loss in countries across the globe. They destroy public infrastructure, disrupt basic services and cause loss of lives and livelihoods.

When disaster strikes, empowering local people to fashion their own recovery efforts, according to their own values and priorities, can be a better way to design relief programs.

According to the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and floods now cause economic losses of $250 billion to $300 billion each year.

As we look to the future, we are told that climate change will increase disaster losses. Predictions suggest the global average for annual losses because of natural disasters will increase to $415 billion by 2030 for urban infrastructure alone, and climate risks could cost countries up to 19 percent of total gross domestic product. Changing temperatures, weather and precipitation patterns, and rising sea levels will increase risk, taking a toll on human and natural environments. These disturbances, when combined with poverty, exposure to the elements, displacement, migration and the destruction of buffering natural ecosystems, will result in catastrophic events.

Descriptions of the high cost and growing risk of disasters penned by governments and international organizations are commonplace, but differ greatly from the heartbreaking experience of personal loss, disorientation and trauma that survivors describe. Local people assess disaster impacts by measuring their ability to provide sufficient food and nutrition for household members, their levels of health and well-being, livelihoods, and housing  they make sense of what has happened by exchanging experiences with neighbors, friends and colleagues. Cultural norms influence their interpretations, as do beliefs and values, understandings about social life, relationships to the natural world, spiritual commitments and sense of morality and fairness.

Governments and international aid agencies often identify different problems needing resolution than the people in communities affected by disasters, and frequently do so with little or no local input. Little consensus over how to foster recovery and resilience can be found within the international community and with the certainty that more tragedies lie ahead, how we approach risk and recovery is important now more than ever.

Researchers have concluded that local culture, knowledge, and participation are the keys to improving outcomes. National governments, international organizations and skilled global experts cannot reimagine the future for devastated communities without their input. When cultural knowledge is used to adapt programs to the physical, social, economic, environmental and political circumstances of a specific community, local input and participation help produce conditions for success.

In 2008, much of Afghanistan was recovering from years of drought, crop failure and lost income. Many ways to address the problem had been tried with minimal success. Seeking better outcomes, an agricultural recovery and livelihood support program was designed with community input. Cultural attitudes about work, supporting a family, social and economic networks, agricultural knowledge and preferences, and personal dignity were explored with male and female farmers to shape a new approach.

Struggling farmers were fiercely proud and self-sufficient, and indicated the local culture viewed accepting charity as shameful, but external assistance was acceptable if a rural producers dignity remained intact. This insight resulted in the design of an agricultural voucher program that required a 15 percent co-pay from each beneficiary, implying ownership and retaining self-worth. The program made use of existing community-based decision-making structures, which were empowered to set eligibility criteria and award vouchers based on applications made by farmers. Local suppliers were used to redeem vouchers, supporting local markets and long-standing socio-economic networks and systems of economic relations. This process gave local people the power to assess the situation, determine a course of action, and access the resources necessary to create change.

Because farmers in the community also took pride in their agricultural knowledge and decision-making ability, vouchers were allowed to be used for any agricultural purpose a farmer determined. Recipients could even pool vouchers to invest in larger farm equipment, such as mini-tractors, and these purchases could be shared by multiple families. Choice, and the ability for participants to determine their own needs, was respected. This also applied to farmer training on drought-resistant agriculture, as farmers were not required to take part in educational programs to receive a voucher, but were given the choice to participate or not.

The success of programs such as these provides an example for improving post-disaster interventions. If we understand how a local community evaluates its own risk, and what things people prioritize for their recovery, we can design more successful relief programs. Approaches that privilege local knowledge, culture, and values will succeed at much higher rates than the models of old, because they embody respect, dignity, participation, partnership, and local ownership.

The Culture and Disaster Action Network (CADAN) brings academics and practitioners together to integrate culturally relevant strategies into the work of disaster risk reduction and recovery. CADAN members are involved in projects demonstrating how cultural considerations can be efficiently integrated into disaster response and recovery efforts to improve outcomes. Authors: Elizabeth Marino, Assistant Professor, Oregon State University  Cascades, Adam Koons, Senior Humanitarian Response Practitioner, Laura Olson, Senior Disaster Recovery Practitioner, Katherine Browne, Professor, Colorado State University; A.J. Faas, Assistant Professor, San Jose State University, Julie Maldonado, Director of Research for the Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network (LiKEN).
GLADE SPRING, Va.  Authorities are investigating two suspicious fires reported early Saturday morning in the Glade Spring, Virginia, area.

Washington County Sheriff Fred Newman said the origin of the two fires, reported on opposite sides of Glade Spring, was unknown, but arson was suspected.

The first call came into Washington County Central Dispatch at 5:24 a.m. A home in the 10000 block of Forest Hills Drive was on fire. The house was unoccupied, and power had apparently been disconnected to the house, Newman said.

Upon arrival, crews found an abandoned house that had been burning long enough that it had collapsed, said Ricky Stumbo with the Glade Spring Fire Department. No one was around, and no one was injured.

The house, which a nearby resident said had been vacant for several years, was a complete loss. Two wooden structures behind the home were not affected by the fire.

By Saturday afternoon, flames could still be seen among the ruins.

The second fire call was made at 7:56 a.m. in the 15000 block of state Route 91, also known as Monroe Road. The house was also unoccupied and power had been disconnected, Newman said.

Heavy smoke still billowed from the house Saturday afternoon. Some of the homes wooden frame was still visible.

Firefighters from Glade Spring and Meadowview responded to both blazes.

Newman said the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating both fires. A State Police spokeswoman could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
BRISTOL, Tenn.  Hundreds of volunteers participated in the 25th annual South Holston Lake and River Cleanup on Saturday.

Its kind of become a tradition for folks to come and clean up the lake, said Amy Shuttle of the Bristol Chamber of Commerce, which organized the event. Were finding this year that people are doing a good job throughout the year that its easier to get the trash.

She said people are being more responsible about garbage pick-up at the lake.

The event began early Saturday and included between 500 and 700 volunteers from throughout the region. Seven check-in stations were established at various spots along the lake and river.

One check-in station at Observation Knob served as the events headquarters. Thats where hundreds of old tires were collected, as well as various pieces of garbage pulled from the waters.

Kenny Turpin and Cathy Hagy had several bags of garbage when they docked at Observation Knob. The pair had never participated before but spent all morning picking up trash.

Before noon, the pair pulled their boat up to a garbage truck and unloaded the trash, which included a large blue container and an assortment of paper and plastic.

Participants filled out reports when they unloaded the garbage. One person apparently found a wrecked vehicle along the lake, Shuttle said.

People were called, she said. Thats kind of unusual that you find a car.

A freezer was also retrieved from the lake, according to one of the volunteers at Observation Knob.

About 20 tons is estimated to be pulled from the lake and river each cleanup event.

Participants were given a bag of goodies, including a T-shirt.

It takes a village to put this together, said Shuttle, who coordinated efforts on Saturday. Several organizations including the Jacobs Creek Job Corps, City of Bristol Tennessee, Bristol Tennessee Essential Services and the Tennessee Valley Authority  provided services and volunteers during the cleanup.

Upcoming Keep Bristol Beautiful events include America Recycles Day on Nov. 18. The event will be held at Devault Field on Euclid Avenue in Bristol. Another event, Great American Cleanup, is scheduled May 12, 2018, at Devault Field. The next South Holston Lake cleanup is scheduled for Aug. 11, 2018.
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.
CONNELLY SPRINGS  In less than two days, a community meeting was organized, and more than 50 residents let their voices be heard at the Connelly Springs Town Hall on Tuesday evening.

Burke County Sheriff Steve Whisnant, 25th District Attorneys Office Investigator Steve Graves, and sheriffs office detectives also were present to discuss the topic responsible for the communitys outcry: the recent surge in property crime.

Concerned residents filled the town halls community room, and those who called the meeting sought answers to the uptick in larceny in eastern Burke County.

However, Whisnant said the crime rate in Burke County the last two years has been the lowest in 17 years. He also said the office is understaffed and has as few as five patrol officers answering calls for 500 square miles.

In the past three days, weve had 261 calls of incidents and reports to the sheriffs office, Whisnant said.

He highlighted the line drawn between property crime and drug abuse and said almost everyone we arrest for property crime are substance abusers, almost 100 percent.

Drugs drive crime, not just here, but everywhere, Whisnant said.

During the meeting, Whisnant also emphasized law enforcements efforts to expand community policing. Dedicating officers to specific areas helps them become more familiar with high crime zones and target houses and business, he added.

You may deal with a criminal once, Whisnant said. But we deal with them over and over again, citing the high rate of repeat offenders in the county.

Due to residents questions and complaints about a slap on the wrist mentality, Graves addressed the structured sentencing system in place in North Carolina.

Graves, who is an investigator for the 25th District Attorneys Office and was a deputy from 1980-87, said structured sentencing uses a point-based system last updated in 2009.

If you dont have a prior criminal history, you can just about walk out scot free anymore, Graves said.

Graves emphasized District Attorney David Learners concentration on the habitual felon distinction when someone is previously convicted of three felonies.

If convicted as a habitual felon, a person must be sentenced at a higher felony class.

Whisnant and the detectives emphasized the importance of reporting a crime when it occurs, and calling in anything suspicious.

Residents also asked about individuals can do, and Whisnant, Graves and the detectives all discussed implementing a community watch.

(People) know whats suspicious in their neighborhood, Whisnant said after the meeting. (The community watch) forces you to know who your neighbors are and meet occasionally. So theres a broader win-win, it helps with the crime situation but it also helps you get to know your neighbors.

Resident Josh Chapman, who helped organize the community meeting, said he felt the meeting offered a chance for residents, law enforcement officers and officials an opportunity to help each other.

I really wanted to capture something for the people who took time out of their day to be here, and have been stolen from or know someone (who has been stolen from) to have an opportunity to help each other, he said.

Chapman also lauded Graves for sharing information about cycles and structured sentencing.

Knowledge is power, he said. I didnt know that was part of the process, and that was how things happen.

(This response) goes to show you the number of people who are feeling the pressure of crime in this area, and everything else that has been happening.

Whisnant said he received an email Sunday evening about the event, and he felt the residents pain and frustration.

Being able to share both sides seemed to be really beneficial, Whisnant said.
HICKORY  Adults age 60 and older are among the fastest growing age group in the nation, according to the 2015 Catawba County Community Health Assessment (CHA).

Catawba Countys 2016 State of the County Health (SOTCH) report shows 16.6 percent of the countys population are 65 years of age or older, and Alzheimer's disease is the fourth leading cause of death in the county.

In the United States, adults age 60 and older numbered more than 62.8 million in 2013, which is projected to be about 77.6 million in 2020, and by 2030, all baby boomers will be categorized as older adults, according to the 2015 CHA report.

More than 20 percent of respondents indicated elder care options as a service needing the most improvement in the community, according to the 2015 Catawba County Community Health Opinion Survey.

With this growing population, more resources will be needed not only for the elderly  but also for their caregivers.

Home Instead Senior Care is an international franchised organization, and part of what the company does is do research on all of the issues that families are having in the process of trying to take care of their elderly or their aging parents, Susan Saylor, Home Instead Senior Care franchise owner, said.

Saylors franchise serves Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties. Saylor said the nation is seeing 10,000 baby boomers turning 65 each day.

This has become a huge wake up for anyone who have anything to do with seniors, Saylor said. That includes health care, government, Social Security, and Congress is even grappling with the health care bill because they see the writing on the wall, and there is not enough money to pay for all this care.

On top of that, or on a smaller more personal scale, you have adult children who are grappling with the issue with taking care of parents.

This is where Home Instead Inc., franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care network, decided to develop the Daughters in the Workplace public education program.

What Home Instead is trying to do is raise awareness in employers, as well as employees, that there needs to be more communication, Saylor said.

Saylor said the goal of Daughters in the Workplace is to inform the employer of the difficult task of being a caregiver while also maintaining a position in the workforce, teach the employee how to communicate with their employer about their situation, and inform the employee of their options.

One of the things that we do here is also promote other resources in case people cannot use our resources, Saylor said. Also, most employees do not realize that family medical leave does include taking time off to care for a sick parent.

Saylor also said a human resource department could, put together some employee assistance programs that would offer support or just someone (the employee) can talk to.

Nine times out of 10, you will see that it is a single daughter who has to take care of their loved ones, Saylor said. Those women who are working to raise a family and may or may not have a spouse and in addition have to take care of a sick parent who is aging  that issue will always be around until that (parent) passes away.

It is a difficult situation. Its like having two, full-time jobs and having to work all the time.

Saylor said the amount of stress on any caregiver, male or female, is phenomenal.

What Home Instead did was interview some thousand female caregivers and are launching a campaign to raise awareness in our area, Saylor said.

More than 80 percent of women who were surveyed said care giving had strained their ability to manage their work and life balance, and 50 percent felt like they had to choose between being a good employee or being a good caregiver, according to data gathered from the interviews.

A lot of family caregivers drop out of work to stay at home to take care of their aging parents, and that is a wonderful thing to spend those last months or years with your parent, Saylor said. It is a real sacrifice, but it also puts a burden on the family in terms of income.

Saylor said 25 percent of those women surveyed said at their place of employment there is stigma attached with taking time off to care for a parent.

Thankfully, this is not the case for Michelle Quattlander.

Its a lot of juggling schedules and making sure she goes where she needs to go, Quattlander said.

Quattlander has been her mothers caregiver for four years while still working as an office manager for Home Instead Senior Care in Hickory.

Just being in this business afforded me a lot of information that delay people who do not have access to that information who have to care for their parents, Quattlander said.

Although Quattlander seems to have an advantage, she still runs into issues with caring for her mother.

I have an elderly parent, I have grown children and I have grandchildren, Quattlander said. I am sandwiched and people my age dont know what to do.

Caring for her mother, spending time with her children and grandchildren, and working on top of that, has spread Quattlander thin.

Long ago, people in my situation didnt work, Quattlander said. By this age, we were home to be with grandchildren, and our parents werent living this long.

Thats the issue, and daughters in the workplace arent ready to retire, and we have to take care of our parents, but we would like to also spend time with our grandchildren.

Quattlander has been open and honest with her mother about their situation, and her mother, Mabel Coppola, is understanding.

I try to do as much as I can for myself so I am not a burden to her, Coppola said.

Before moving in with her daughter, Coppola lived in Connecticut.

The winters got so bad up north that I had to stay in the house for so long, it was a killer for me, Coppola said. I could still drive, but I couldnt get out to the store or go anywhere, because I could hardly move from the cold.

During her last winter living alone, Coppola depended on her daughter-in-law to do her grocery shopping because doing it on her own was impossible.

My daughter told me to just sell the house and come live with her, Coppola said. I dont think she knew what she was getting into.

Coppola, 91, has only recently ran into health problems, which have been more or less resolved in a matter of months.

As she progresses in age, little things just pop up, Quattlander said. I like to go with her to the doctor because I want to hear what they have to say, too. Not that she wont tell me the truth, but she downplays it.

Quattlander said she can tell when something is just not right with her mother's health.

Sometimes I will see that she doesnt look good or that she is pale, and I know something isnt right, Quattlander said. Somethings I can tell are wrong just from living with her.

Although she has found it difficult at times, Quattlander keeps a smile on her and her mothers face.

I know she doesnt want me to be on top of her all the time  (shes) like a teenager, Quattlander said. She knows that I love her, and Im doing this because I love her.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care, call 828-256-0184 or visit www.homeinstead.com/628.

For more information about the Daughters in the Workplace educational program, visit www.caregiverstress.com/stress-management/daughters-in-the-workplace/.
Even 70 years after independence, the Pardhis, who were categorized as a criminal tribe by British, are not really free, activists and community members are alleging.

Pardhi is the only community in Madhya Pradesh which comes under various categories, while other tribes are included in one category.

According to the 2001 census, they have been categorised as scheduled tribes, scheduled caste, nomad and even under the general category, depending on the districts they live in.

Now however, members of the community are looking to shed its criminal tag which they say leaves them open to harassment from the authorities.

Whenever police want, they come to our house without any warrant and take us to the police station. Police misbehave with women and children and if we object it, they even beat us. According to cops, we are a burden for society and if that is so, they should kill us, said Ismail Panwar, 50, a Pardi community member.

Shibani, an activist working for the upliftment of the tribe said, The Criminal Tribes Act had been scrapped in 1950 by the government but even after 67 years, the administration, police and people are not ready to accept the fact.

Giving an instance of harassment, Shivani Taneja said, A week ago, a man was going to donate blood for his hospitalised sister-in-law, but the police picked him up and started questioning him. The man repeatedly request the police to let him go but they didnt listen and his sister-in-laws condition deteriorated due to delay in blood transfusion.

Members of the community also rue the lack of government facilities they face.

In three district including Bhopal, we come in general category so we dont receive any scholarships and subsidy like other tribes . My son is a graduate but he doesnt have any government job , said Nahar Singh, a member of the community.

Activists say they will not let up in their efforts .

Activist Pallav Thudgar said, Now, we will take their voice forward... Even after complaining to senior police officers against the atrocities of police officials of different police stations, no action is being taken against them.

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Mukesh Hariawala, who will next be seen in Amitabh Bachchan-Rishi Kapoor-starrer 102 Not Out, is a Harvard University-Boston alumni, who has taken a sabbatical from clinical work to make a career in films.

NRI Dr Hariawala has to his credit been an internationally revered heart surgeon for over a decade for performing pioneering surgical work.

He recently spoke to ANI about this sudden change in profession. In 2014, he randomly interviewed for a student spot in the Short Term Acting Program at the world renowned New York Film Academy, which boasts of graduates like celebrities Paul Dano, Shaquille ONeal, Imran Khan and Kangana Renaut.

On a surprise acceptance in the program and full support from his family, he temporarily moved from Boston and started living in a Hotel in New York City close to the school campus. The faculty teachers included guest speakers such as Steven Spielberg, Andy Garcia, Al Pacino, Kevin Spacey and Glenn Close.

Dr Hariawala graduated from the course in time, and was offered few opportunities to work in Hollywood films to portray Asian characters, since many of his teachers were established directors in Los Angeles. He politely declined, but chose the route of returning to India and immediately started getting small character roles in films being made by renowned Bollywood directors such as National award winner Ananth Mahadevan, Anurag Basu of Barfi fame, Umesh Shukla OMG and AR Muragadoss, who directed the Aamir Khan blockbuster Ghajini.

Apart from Amitabh Bachchans 102 Not Out, Hariawala has worked with Sonakshi Sinha on Akira (2016) and will also be seen with Zareen Khan in Aksar 2. He has already signed three more films with top production houses.

Nice Memories Dr And We V Excited To See #Aksar2 Good Luck @MukeshHariawala God Bless You pic.twitter.com/TogECWGDqg  Aksar 2 (@aksar_2) July 25, 2017

Dr Hariawala said, Going to acting school reminded me of Mithibai college days in 1976. The camaraderie amongst acting school students from all over the world has changed my outlook to life. I was the oldest in the class but my classmates and teachers never made me feel so. They were most encouraging of my prospects.

I am fortunate and feel blessed to be accepted in Bollywood without much struggle, but I have a lot to learn from senior established actors. I consciously avoid playing Doctor roles which are frequently offered to me, but at my age of 50 plus, I can only expect character roles. I am still anxiously waiting for an opportunity to portray a serious negative or grey shade character that wins the heart of audiences, he added.

On a parting note, Dr Hariawala tongue in cheek quipped about his new chosen profession and quoted Acting for me is more challenging than open heart surgery, and I am enjoying it.

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Two days after the Narendra Modi government introduced demonetisation on November 8 last year, the new 2,000-rupee note hit the market in good numbers but the new 500-rupee note was delayed, putting millions of people in difficulty for days on end.

Ever wondered why?

Here are some facts about the printing and other factors that went into the making of the new 500-rupee bills as given by top officials involved in the issue.

* The Reserve Bank of India had a stock of around Rs 4.95 lakh crore of the new Rs 2,000 notes when demonetisation was announced  but did not have a single new Rs 500 note, which was introduced into the system only later.

* India has four currency note printing presses  two RBI presses at Mysuru (Karnataka) and Salboni (West Bengal) and two Security Printing and Minting Corp of India Ltd (SPMCIL) presses at Nashik (Maharashtra) and Dewas (Madhya Pradesh). SPMCIL is a government-owned company formed in 2006 that fulfills a sovereign function of printing notes, minting coins and printing non-judicial stamps.

* SPMCIL has always printed whatever the indent given by the RBI. This time, the SPMCIL started printing Rs 500 notes without any formal indent post-demonetisation. The design of the Rs 500 note was ready with the Mysuru press ahead of demonetisation.

* The printing of Rs 500 notes started at Dewas from the second week of November and at Nasik from the fourth week of November. It had begun earlier in the RBI presses but the numbers were not adequate.

* The production and printing cycle of a currency note normally takes 40 days, including time for procuring paper for the new design. Post demonetisation, the cycle was reduced to 22 days. Shipment of raw material like paper and ink from other countries takes 30 days, which was reduced to two days by flying in consignments. Dispatch of notes to RBIs remote chests takes 10-11 days, which was reduced to 1-1.5 days by airlifting.

* The currency paper that comes from the mill is embedded with a highly sensitive security thread. When this sheet of paper is put in the printing press, the final note comes out on the 16th day.

* For the first time, indigenous paper was also used for printing the Rs 500 note. The Cyliner mould vat mode Watermarked Bank Note (CWBN) paper was developed in paper mills in Hoshangabad and Mysuru, each with a 12,000 metric tonne capacity per annum. Still, this paper had to be imported as there was a shortfall.

* For the Rs 500 note, the Nashik and Dewas presses used only in-house ink while it had to be imported for printing by RBI presses.

* The combined capacity of the Nashik and Dewas presses is 7.2 billion pieces a year. The two presses at Mysuru and Salboni have a combined capacity of 16 billion pieces a year.

* Initially, the presses were running for only two shifts, but as remonetisation began, this was ramped to three shifts a day, as a result of which the quantum of notes rose exponentially.

* The Dewas and Nashik presses employ 1,200 and 2,000 people respectively. The same set of people were deployed for three shifts, for which overtime and other allowances were paid.

* Post demonetisation, 200 people were drafted from the ministry of defence and 100 recently retired SPMCIL employees were re-engaged to help in the printing. The non-technical work was given to the army personnel.

* The SPMCIL was set a target of printing 900 million pieces of Rs 500 notes by December 30. Since January this year it has been printing about 300 million pieces every month.

* The Rs 500 notes are being printed by SPMCIL and RBI presses in the 40:60 ratio while the Rs 2,000 notes are being printed only by the RBI presses.

* While there are reports that the printing of Rs 2,000 notes is slowing down, the government has asked to further increase the printing of Rs 500 notes as the demand is high.

* It will thus be clear that while minuscule quantities of the new Rs 500 notes began to be seen by November-end, the situation stabilised only by December.
Transborder intelligence sources are usually double agents. When acting as guides for infiltrating terrorists they tend to give up those deemed as cannon fodder by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)  the old, infirm and sick and those categorised as unreliable. The aim is to focus the Indian security forces gaze on the designated group in order to protect the actual, high-value terrorists. The test of an intelligence officers acumen and analytical ability is to be able to gauge which groups are high-value and which are being served up as decoys. Guides do a detailed reconnaissance of likely routes of ingress/egress on the LOC. Factors to be considered include the degree of observation from Indian posts and where bends of nullahs (watercourses) are situated. Security forces personnel are always on the lookout for people wandering about what seems to be aimless in forward areas.

According to Colonel Bipin Pathak, a veteran military intelligence officer, Kashmiri recruits to insurgency are generally sent to the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen by the ISI. Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish -e-Mohammed are usually manned by Pakistanis and other guest militants. Kashmiris are usually sent back to their home areas after training and infiltration because of terrain familiarity and having an over ground base of family, friends and associates.

After training at camps in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) and ISI assessment, would-be insurgents are moved to launching pads (like the ones struck by Indian special forces during cross Line of Control (LoC) raids in September 2016) where they typically stay for 2-3 days and are introduced to their guides. Extensive reconnaissance is done to assess likely routes of ingress.

After infiltration into India, the recruits are received in designated reception areas and handed over to their local counterparts by the PoK guides. Terrorists get new clothes and shoes upon reaching launch areas. The security forces and intelligence agencies look out for such persons. During their move to launch/deployment areas (usually by public transport or car) foreign terrorists can be identified by security forces by their differing dialects or lack of a local language at checkpoints or by undercover intelligence operatives. Here the men of Home and Hearth battalions of the Territorial Army (all locals) come in handy. Apart from the traditional method of concealing them in Phirans, weapons are transported within the inside panels of car/truck doors.

Doklam standoff

33 Corps divisions (17, 20 and 27) tasked for the defence of Sikkim-Bhutan area usually move up to their defensive positions in summer on what is known as operational alert deployment. This involves cleaning and maintaining fixed defences, carrying out reconnaissance and generally familiarising themselves with their areas of responsibility. Current Chinese belligerence has meant an earlier deployment. The other two corps in the North-East (3 and 4) are also on heightened alert as are the IAFs SU-30MKI and Mig-27 squadrons at Chabua, Tezpur and Hashimara. Political considerations mean that the standoff is likely to continue till the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in October.

Officers rations

Replacing officers entitled rations with a monetary allowance in peace stations is a very impractical idea. Where do officers procure their rations from and get them cooked when moving on peacetime deployments like training, internal security duties or other temporary dislocations? Why havent such intricacies of the nitty-gritty of service life been taken into account? Id say this amounts to a deliberate slight to the whole officer corps.

(Please write in with your narratives of war and military life to msbajwa@gmail.com or call/WhatsApp on 093161-35343)
The Tricolour unfurled at the dawn of Independence has inspired Indians.The carefully chosen colours, with the Ashok Chakra placed gloriously at centre stage, harbour a powerful symbolism. Nature photographers have sought to reclaim the Tricolour in vividly coloured birds, flowers and butterflies. One of them, Ami Prabal, captured the Tricolours monsoon tryst in a dainty and emphatic image comprising a series of raindrops clinging to an Ixora leaf and necklacing the national flag.

Ami was gazing at raindrops and an idea gripped her fancy. She asked her maids child to hold a small Tricolour vertically just behind the drops and she clicked the reflections with a macro lens. She embellished the enigmatic image with meaningful lines that go the heart of Indias sacred covenant at Independence: unity amid diversity.

When the hearts of us, we the people of India, are as pure as morning rays, as transparent as raindrops fallen from the skies, reflecting the white, dignity of peace and harmony; saffron, ardour and valour our souls render; green, blessings the mother nature showers, and Ashok Chakra, the sun that will never stop shining. Thus, the Tiranga is made, thus we are made. None of the above four alone can make India, none alone, can destroy it too...

Ami is a Gwalior-based lawyer and daughter-in-law of Haryana governor and former UT administrator, Kaptan Singh Solanki. She visits Chandigarh often and sallies forth from the Raj Bhawan to fulfil her passion: capturing birdlife in the Morni jungles and Sukhna wildlife sanctuary and later lending a poetic imagination to the images.

THE HAPPINESS BLOOM

The first jacana recorded in Bhutan and (right) the national flower, Blue poppy. (Pema Kuenzang/T.Yoshida)

Bhutan measures its well-being via a unique concept, Gross National Happiness (GNH), though this quaint Himalayan nation is somewhat unhappy and fearful over the Doklam war clouds drifting eastwards. One of the four pillars of GNH is environment protection and Bhutan has even named its national flower to evoke the joy index and development philosophy. The scientific name ascribed to Bhutans national flower, commonly known as the Blue poppy, is Meconopsis gakyidiana. In the vocabulary of Bhutans national language, Dzongkha, the word for happiness is gakyid and reflects Bhutans important cultural aspiration of GNH. Diana is the nomenclature term for the flower.

The Meconopsis gakyidiana is a new species to science described by researchers, Toshio Yoshida, Rinchen Yangzom and David Long, and is found in Arunachal Pradesh, Bhutan and Chinas Tibet Autonomous Region.

Not just a bountiful of blooms but the most beautiful birds flit in Bhutans ethereal forests, making it a dream destination. Delhi-based birder Sheila Chhabra described her Bhutan odyssey thus: We watched the sunrise with the Himalayan monal and Blood pheasants, had breakfast with the Satyr tragopan and lunch with Black-throated parrotbills. Yes, happiness is a place, and its name is Druk Yul - Land of the Thunder Dragon or Bhutan...this was a charmed forest, reminding one of fairy tales and wizards and only magical creatures could live here.

Bhutan just added another species to its bird checklist of 722 in the guise of a vagrant Pheasant-tailed jacana. This bird, which is very common across India including the Sukhna lake, was spotted recently in Bhutan for the first time at 4,027 m by senior forester, Pema Kuenzang, at the Dangochong, Soe range, Thimphu.

All well-wishers of birds, blooms and Bhutan fervently pray that war clouds disperse and beauty, peace and happiness resume their rightful monarchy over this blessed nation .

THE RABBIT RIDDLE

Encircled in red, X-ray shows dead foetus in rabbits abdomen. (Dr Rajinder S Bajwa)

A female rabbit pet of a brother-sister duo from Nalagarh landed up at the Government Veterinary Hospital, Sector 38 West. The complaint was of a progressive increase in the rabbits weight, but strangely enough the animal had displayed reduced appetite over a few weeks. The experienced veterinarian, Dr Rajinder S Bajwa, started off with history-taking. I came to know that there is a male bunny in the same house and this female had a fall from the terrace of the house. She survived with no fractures but slowly her food intake decreased. Upon physical examination, I discerned something hard in her abdomen, Dr Bajwa told this writer.

An X-ray showed a small foetus. The culprit was the male bunny as he had secretly fathered a baby in my patient. The foetus died during the terrace fall of mommy bunny and was now degenerating inside her. The dead foetus either becomes infected or its water gets reabsorbed and it acts as a foreign body inside the dam and sustains further complications. Somehow, mommy bunny had not aborted that dead foetus and that accounted for her suffering. An emergency abdominal surgery was performed to remove the festering foetus and restore Mommys health, he explained.

Question is, did Mommy jump off the terrace in desperation?

vjswild1@gmail.com
A 20-year-old woman was allegedly pushed off the fourth floor of an under-construction building in outer Delhis Begampur after being raped by her male friend, police said.

The woman, an assistant chef at a city five-star hotel, had reportedly protested and threatened to inform police before she was pushed off the balcony, in the latest case of sexual violence in the national capital.

The woman has been admitted to Baba Saheb Ambedkar hospital in Rohini, where her condition is stated to be critical.

Police have arrested the 24-year-old man, who works at another five-star hotel, and filed a case under sections of rape, attempt to murder and kidnapping.

According to a latest government data, Delhi registered 2,199 rape cases in 2015  an average of six a day. Growing incidents of kidnapping and sexual assaults on girls and women in the country are major roadblocks to empowerment and freedom for women, who constitute around 50 per cent of Indias population, said an Economic Survey tabled in the Parliament on Friday.

According to police, the latest incident took place around 11pm on August 10, when the young survivor was abducted by her former colleague who pretended to be taking her to his fathers house.

Incidentally, that night the police had stopped the accused when he along with the victim and two others was travelling towards Connaught Place on a bike. Police seized their bike for not carrying relevant documents.

Read: Delhi chef raped by friend, thrown off fourth floor on life support

The four then hailed an auto-rickshaw for Begampur, according to the womans two friends. After going some distance, around 10.50pm, the accused told his companions that he would go to his house and collect his fathers car.

He took the victim along with him asking the other couple to wait in the auto near Rama Vihar.

Around 11.10pm, locals saw a woman partially disrobed falling on the ground and raised an alarm.

The accused, who was arrested within hours, reportedly told police that instead of taking the woman to his house, he led her to an under construction building nearby.

Investigating officials said the man sexually assaulted her. He later pushed the woman when she raised an alarm and threatened to inform the police.

DCP (Rohini) Rishi Pal, confirmed that the accused has been arrested and sent to judicial custody.

The police are yet to record the victims accounts. Doctors at the hospital said the woman is not in a position to give the statement to police.

The patient had come to us two days ago in an unconscious state. There were suspicions of sexual assault. And, because of the fall, she also sustained a lot of head injuries. She was admitted to our neuro-surgical ward. She is now stable but critical, said Dr Punita Mahajan, medical director of the hospital.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday raised the stakes for the upcoming Bawana bypoll and said that only an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate could ensure development of the constituency.

The Bawana Assembly bypoll necessitated after former AAP legislator Ved Parkash quit the Delhi assembly ahead of municipal elections to join the BJP. It is scheduled to take place o August 23.

AAP candidiate ko jitaiye, kyunki kaam to AAP sarkar ko hi karna hai (Ensure victory of AAP candidate as ultimately all work has to be done by the AAP government). If you vote for the Congress candidate, he will hardly be able to work for the area. If the BJP candidate wins, he will fight but can hardly get work done, Kejriwal said, while addressing a Gaon Panchayat in Bawana on Sunday.

The BJP has fielded Ved Parkash in the bypoll, who will go up against former three-time Congress legislator Surender Kumar and AAPs Ramchandra.

Having a rural character, Bawana, one of the 12 reserved constituencies in 70-member Delhi assembly, is dotted with 26 villages, unauthorised colonies and jj clusters.

Kejriwal, while trying to woo rural voters on Sunday, said that no other government has focussed on development of rural areas of the city as much as the AAP.

The chief minister counted the highest ever compensation to farmers and increase in circle rate of farmland as some achievements of his government.

I made Kailash Gehlot a minister because he comes from Delhi dehat and only a person from the rural area can appreciate the local problems, Kejriwal said.

He has been given two departments which are critical to the growth of rural Delhi  revenue and transport. Now he can solve problems, be it related to section 81, section 74(4), lal dora or anything related to it. I have directed him to bring all issues before the Cabinet and get them cleared. The transport department is also procuring 2000 buses, majority of which will be deployed in the rural belt, he added.

Adding to the development pitch, labour minister and AAP (Delhi) convenor Gopal Rai said the AAP government has provided Rs 208 crore fund for the constituency and it will continue to do so.

People can file RTI and get details about the devlopment funds allocated to Bawana. Under the Swaraj fund, Bawana was chosen as one of the 11 Assembly seats which were to be devloped as a model constituency, Rai said.

Terming BJP candidate Parkash a traitor who cheated 1.8 lakh voters who voted for him in 2015 assembly elections, Rai appealed the voters to grant him exemplary punishment by ensuring heavy defeat.
The 19-year-old son of a former Manipur minister died on Saturday after he fell from the terrace of a restaurant in Hauz Khas Village, police said on Sunday, unable to determine yet if the death was by accident or intentional.

Siddharth,19, the son of Manipurs former home and education minister M Okendru, was found in the evening around 4:30pm and rushed to Safdarjung hospital where he succumbed to injuries. The terrace was on the second floor.

His sister said the death was suspicious, and police officials said the case was being investigated for all possibilities.

We are probing all angles. We are probing if it was an accidental fall or he was pushed off the terrace. We are also looking at CCTV images from nearby buildings, a senior police officer said.

Police reached the spot on the rear of the building and found broken pots, a purse, a mobile phone and spectacles. There were no eyewitnesses.

Sidharth lived in Safdarjung Development Area and had come to the restaurant with his friends.

Police sources said they have no evidence yet to suspect or deny allegations of foul play.

Hauz Khas Village is a popular commercial area with the citys young for its dozens of cafes and bars. Weekends are usually its most crowded days.
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Blame mischief or a dummy run to check security prepardness before Independence Day, but passengers at Delhi airport are being nabbed with all kinds of banned, dangerous items.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for security at Delhis Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport has nabbed passengers with surgical blade and lighters hidden in CD drive of a laptop in the days leading up to Independence Day.

Apart from this, they have caught passengers with satellite phone, paper cutter blades hidden in socks and even LED shoes. The security at Delhi airport have been tightened ahead of Independence Day and Secondary Ladder Point Checking (SLPC), where passengers are frisked before entering the aircraft, has been started.

Also, visitor entry has also been banned at IGI.

CISF said that screeners, men who man the X-Ray machines to monitor content of a bag, have been given special instruction to check a luggage physically, if they have any suspicion.

Here is a list of seizures made by the CISF in the past few days.

Satellite phone

On August 7, CISF personnel while checking the bags of an Italian national discovered a satellite phone. The passenger was heading to Abu Dhabi by Etihad Airways.

As per norms, satellite phones are banned in India. There have been 3-4 such cases in the past two months. We hand over such passengers to the Delhi police, who in turn seize the phone and take action against the passenger, said a CISF officer.

Paper cutter blade in socks:

On July 31, a Lucknow-bound passenger was nabbed with seven pieces of paper cutter blades, wrapped in a cover and then hidden inside the right leg sock. During frisking, the CISF staff noticed something unusual and asked the passenger to remove his shoes. The blades were later seized and the passenger allowed to fly after writing an apology letter.

Surgical blade in laptop:

On the night of July 30, CISF staff noticed some sharp object when a Kuala Lumpur-bound passenger put his laptop in the scanner. Close analysis revealed that a surgical blade had been hidden in the CD drive of his laptop.

He told us that his laptop had been repaired by a computer engineer and he might have left it there. He tried and couldnt remove the blade. The person, who had repaired the mans laptop, was later called to the airport and he remove the blade, said a CISF official. The passenger was let off after he wrote an apology letter.

Lighter in laptop:

A Hyderabad-bound passenger was detained at Delhi airport on July 27 for trying to carry a lighter in the CD drive of the laptop he was carrying.

At 2pm, the CISF staff detected a lighter concealed in the CD drive of the laptop. The passenger was bound for Hyderabad by Vistara flight UK-899. The lighter was removed, confiscated and the passenger was allowed to board the flight after a written apology, said a CISF official.

LED shoes:

Who would have thought that carrying a LED shoe could land him in trouble? On June 27, a passenger bound for Singapore was asked to remove the battery of his LED shoes which he was carrying. The CISF got suspicious during screening due to the light eliminating from the shoe.

ENDS
When it comes to proclaiming their admiration for the Indian Army, our political parties tend to outdo each other. In fact, any criticism of the Army, even when valid, is usually seen as a sign of subversion by our hyper nationalists. Yet, the very real problems the forces face are often left unaddressed, a significant one being stress-related deaths in the form of suicides or fratricides.

Since 2014, according to a defence ministry submission in Parliament, 310 officers have committed suicide and 11 cases of fratricide were reported in this period. The Army works in extremely difficult conditions even in peacetime. It is called out far too often to quell civil unrest, something which should not be in its remit unless in extreme circumstances.

The hierarchies in the forces are rigid and do not encourage those from the lower ranks to express themselves freely. Those in hardship postings or facing civil strife work for months on end without leave or proper sleep and food, exacerbating mental disorientation and illness. On and off, jawans have complained about their working conditions, but the response has often been to discipline the errant soldier. The welfare of the Army should be a matter of much more concern to the political class given that it has to guard hostile borders with at least two countries. Spending months away from their homes also contributes to a sense of loneliness and disconnectedness. Soldiers often have to live in different cultural milieus to their own.

The Army should have far more counselors on hand as well as psychiatric help. It should not be seen as a disadvantage for a soldier to seek such help, in fact it should be encouraged. They should be assured that this will not lead to them facing any discrimination. The Army should undertake more regular psychiatric evaluations of personnel and intervene if required. The issue of post-traumatic stress disorder is talked about a lot with relation to the US military, but in India soldiers facing hostile circumstances, as for example in Kashmir, are rarely treated for this once they leave the theatre of operations. For the Army to be an effective fighting machine, the mental health of its soldiers must be a priority. Mere lip service to the glory of the Army will do little to make things easier for soldiers whose task is unenviable even in the best of times.
Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday the Centre will cooperate with Tamil Nadu if it brings an ordinance seeking exemption from NEET for government colleges for one year.

Responding to her, state health minister C Vijayabaskar said an ordinance in this regard would be submitted to the Centre Monday morning.

The development comes after Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswami, state ministers and Lok Sabha deputy speaker M Thambidurai had multiple meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central ministers over NEET.

Tamil Nadu, which had initially sought permanent exemption from NEET by passing two Bills in the Assembly, later made efforts to be out of its ambit for at least a year or two.

Sitharaman said although students who had qualified in NEET included those from the state board, students from rural Tamil Nadu were largely out of it.

The Centre is ready to cooperate in case the Tamil Nadu government comes up with an ordinance seeking exemption from NEET for government colleges, she said adding the exemption was only for a year.

Barring government colleges, NEET was already implemented for other institutes, the Union minister said.

In Puducherry, Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan said the Centre was inclined to accept the representation from Tamil Nadu on NEET.

Terming Sitharamans remarks a good news Vijayabaskar said, I thank Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of Tamil Nadu government and students.

On Monday, the state ordinance seeking exemption from NEET would be submitted to the Centre. A government secretary would be leaving for Delhi Sunday night and the ordinance would be promulgated after consultations with the chief minister, he said.

The state health minister said the Tamil Nadu government was confident of the Centres nod for the ordinance and under no circumstances had the Centre been negative about the proposal.

We are seeking exemption only for seats in government colleges and government quota seats in self-financing colleges, he said, adding it was not sought for private institutes.

Vijayabaskar said care is being taken to ensure that the proposed move does not face any legal hurdles and the government was confident of completing the admission process ahead of the month-end deadline.

In future, students would be well-prepared for NEET and the syllabus too would be oriented likewise, he said.

However, Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly MK Stalin hit out at the centre and state governments accusing them of staging drama on the issue and betraying students.

He said if the BJP-led government at the Centre was truly interested in the welfare of Tamil Nadu students it should get Presidential assent for the two Bills for permanent exemption of the state from NEET.

Actor Kamal Haasan meanwhile, in a tweet, asked the state government to talk immediately (with the Centre) on the NEET issue since the matter involved the future of students.
A full dress rehearsal was held on Sunday by Gurgaon police and officials of the district administration who will participate in the Independence Day parade on August 15. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will unfurl the Tricolour at the Tau Devi Lal Stadium at 9am on Tuesday.

Gurgaon deputy commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh and police commissioner Sandeep Khirwar took stock of the preparations for the parade on Sunday morning. A full dress rehearsal was also held by the various police wings and the participants from other departments.

Khirwar also gave instructions to the police officials and staff regarding the security measures for ensuring safety on August 15 and to thwart any external threat to the city.

The Independence Day parade will be led by ACP Rajesh Kumar and will comprise of nine battalions from different wings. Twelve schools, including private and government, will also be participating in the parade.

The programme will commence with the unfurling of the national flag by the CM, who will then take the salute from the marching contingent, including those from Gurgaon police, APA Madhuban, women police, Gurgaon traffic police, Himachal police, Home Guard, NCC senior wing, Student police cadet and the Girls Guide.

The band of Haryana police will be marching along with the troops and a band from APA Madhuban will also take part in cultural events.

The chief minister will also felicitate government officials who have worked beyond their duty and helped in delivering better services to citizens. A cultural programme will also be held in which students of RSBM school Bhondsi, will present a Rajasthani dance performance. Students of Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Jacobpura, SD School and Guru Nanak School will present Bhangra dance.

Read I This Independence Day, Gurgaons set to take a power leap

A play on the life of Chattrapati Shivaji will be staged by students of Shishu Kalyan school, whereas students of CD International will enact a play on womens empowerment. The final event at the do is a Haryanvi dance performance by the students of Model Sanskriti School, Sushant Lok. The function will come to a close with a rendition of the national anthem by the students of Government Girls college, Sector 14.
As many as seven new malaria cases were reported in the city this week, taking the total number of cases this year to 30.

Doctors and health officials have already flagged a vector alert, saying that with the city receiving good rainfall this monsoon, cases of mosquito-borne diseases are likely to rise this year.

We have been conducting awareness camps in areas where dengue and malaria cases have been reported in bulk. Anti-larve operation that we have been conducting is already starting to show results, as there has been a significant reduction in the number of mosquito-breeding spots in the city this year, Dr. SS Saroha, deputy civil surgeon, civil hospital, Gurgaon, said.

A private hospital in the city sent word on seven new malaria cases to the civil hospital on Sunday.

Of late, cases of malaria has increased due to continuous rain and stagnant water in and around the city. Unlike the dengue-carriers, mosquitoes causing malaria breed in dirty water. The symptoms of malaria typically manifest within 10 days or 4 weeks following the infection. Common symptoms of malaria include high fever, sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, muscle pain and traces of blood in stool, said Dr. Rajesh Kumar,senior consultant, Internal Medicine, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon.

The health department has intensified anti-larvae operation and also has been conducting fogging in many areas in a bid to contain the spread of such diseases. The Haryana government has set a broad objective of making the state malaria-free by 2020.

Read I Two malaria cases in Gurgaon stirs the health department into action

We are aiming to destroy all potential breeding grounds of mosquitoes in the city. Reducing the number of breeding grounds will go a long way in containing the spread of dengue and malaria, Dr. BK Rajora, chief medical officer, civil hospital, said.

In 2016, the city reported 38 malaria cases, down from 67 in 2015, 79 in 2014 and 212 in 2013.

According to World health Organisation (WHO) about 70% of all malaria deaths occur in 0-5 age group. Children under 5 years of age, pregnant women and patients with HIV/AIDS, as well as non-immune migrants and travellers are considered most vulnerable to malaria.

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Entry of heavy vehicles has been banned in Gurgaon from 8 pm on Monday to 11 am on Tuesday in wake of the Independence Day celebration in Delhi. The Gurgaon police said to ensure safety and security in Delhi and NCR, heavy vehicles would not be allowed to enter the district at Panchgaon chowk near Bilaspur, and at Kherki Daula toll plaza in Gurgaon.

While vehicles coming from outside the district would be stopped on the national highway 8 at Panchgaon chowk, the trucks and trailers within Gurgaon would not be allowed to cross Kherki Daula toll plaza. Heavy vehicles going to other states can take an alternate route from Bilaspur.

The police has also asked local transporters to avoid bringing vehicles inside the city during these hours and cooperate with the authorities.

Read I Gurgaon: DGP promises more cops, takes stock of security before I-Day

Gurgaon police also said that special barricades have been put at entry and exit points on borders to prevent the movement of suspicious persons. Checking of vehicles, registration papers during the night has been given special emphasis in wake of the security situation and to prevent any untoward incident. We are in a state of heightened alert and instructions have been issued to all concerned SHOs and crime teams to keep a check on suspicious activities. The city police is working in tandem with Delhi police and taken measures to strengthen the security apparatus, said Kuhar.
Mahajan Imaging Centre co-founder Ritu Mahajan blanches at the thought of clinical hospital interiors. When you are coming in for an MRI or PET-CT, you are obviously not in the best of health, and making you wait in dull clinical surroundings just adds to the stress, she says.

Majahan focuses on creating innovative interiors that soothe the mind and relax the patient while meeting the stringent functional and technical requirements, she adds.

The idea is to offer interiors that do not constantly remind people of a hospital environment.

The MRI room at Mahajan in Gurugram, for instance, has a floor of artificial grass, picturesque nature-themed wallpaper and gentle lighting.

Across city hospitals, reception areas are morphing into hotel-style lobbies, hard metal benches are being replaced by plush couches. Blue-white lighting is giving way to soft yellow in common areas; windows are getting larger; tiles are patterned and walls, colourful.

At the KJ Somaiya Hospitals year-old super-specialty centre in Mumbai, large glass windows give out onto trees planted specially outside the Intensive Care Unit and post-operative recovery rooms, which typically house patients who cannot leave their beds.

The lobby of the Apollo Hospital in Navi Mumbai has been styled after a luxury hotel  elegant furniture, plush lighting, art on the walls, dark wood, open spaces and warm colours.

This eases the stress even for visitors and members of the staff, says hospital CEO Ramesh Daswani. Natural light and views of green outdoors have also been scientifically proven to improve health outcomes.

At the Apollo Hospital in Navi Mumbai, everything from the private room doors to the lobby and reception areas have been styled after luxury hotels  elegant furniture, plush lighting, art on the walls, dark wood, open spaces and warm colours.

The attempt is to provide an environment that is relaxing. An environment that looks like a hotel or a residence is certainly more relaxing than a hospital, says chief operating officer Santosh Marathe.

At the Delhi governments only paediatric hospital  the Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalay (CNBC)  young patients are welcomed by Goofy and Donald Duck, courtesy a Disney India initiative. Cheerful paintings made by children for an international competition also add colour to the walls.

Children play here while waiting their turn at the outpatient department or while their parents are getting medicines at the pharmacy. The idea was for the cartoons on the walls and colourful exteriors to make the hospital seem less daunting even from the outside, says Dr Anup Mohta, medical director at CNBC.

At Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, a soothing effect is created using ambient lighting, soothing music and gently moving imagery.

At the government-run Chacha Nehru childrens hospital, young patients are welcomed by Goofy and Donald Duck, courtesy a Disney India initiative.

Our patients have reported reduced anxiety and claustrophobia during their hospital visits and stays as a result of the soothing environment and prudent counselling, says Dr Anupam Sibal, group medical director at Apollo Hospitals Enterprise.

Since undergoing an MRI can be a claustrophobic experience for some, Mahajan has invested in software that runs videos inside the machine during a scan.

The patients can choose the videos that they want to watch while getting their MRI, says Mahajan. Overall, our aim is that this should feel more like a home than a diagnostic centre. The era of drab white plastered walls in hospitals and clinical environments is now a relic of the past.
In a blow to the Hizbul Mujahideen, three militants, including Burhan Wanis successor Yasin Itoo, were killed in an overnight gunfight that also left two soldiers dead in south Kashmirs Shopian district, police said on Sunday.

A youth was killed in neighbouring Pulwama when locals clashed with security forces as they were returning from the site gunfight, police late said in the evening. A mob started throwing stones, forcing police to open fire.

The 40-year-old Itoo alias Mehmood Gaznavi was named the commander of the home-grown militant outfit after Wani was killed in July 2016. Wanis death sparked violent street protests that left around 100 people, most of them civilians, dead.

One of terrorists killed today morning at Shopian is identified as Yasin Itoo; operational commander of Hizbul Mujahideen. Great success!   Shesh Paul Vaid (@spvaid) August 13, 2017

Certainly, it is a big elimination as he was one of the major protagonists in last years unrest, south Kashmir deputy inspector general of police SP Pani said.

The gun fight started Saturday night when a joint team of police and army launched searches in Avneera village. Militants fired at them in an apparent attempt to break the cordon, injuring five army men. Two of them -- sepoys Gawai Sumedh Waman and Ilayaraja P, both 25, -- died late in the night.

The forces suspended the operation after midnight and relaunched Sunday morning. As security forces battled heavy firing from the militants, locals pelted them with stones. Unconfirmed reports said 12 civilians were injured in clashes with police.

Itoo, who joined militancy 20 years ago, is the second senior Hizbul man to die after Wani. Sabzar Bhat was killed in May.

One of terrorists killed today morning at Shopian is identified as Yasin Itoo; operational commander of Hizbul Mujahideen. Great success! Jammu and Kashmir police chief SP Vaid tweeted.

Kashmir has seen a surge in such exchanges with the government hardening its stand against militants after a recent spurt in violent street protests and attacks on security forces.

In the last 15 days, 22 militants, including five infiltrators, have been killed in the Valley.

A resident of central Kashmirs Budgan district, Itoo was a recruiter, too, who put out videos exhorting youth to join militancy, Pani said. He was identified by his family members who were brought to the encounter site.

Itoo had surrendered in 2007 and released on parole in 2014 only to join the group again.

Police identified his accomplices as Irfan ul Haq Sheikh from Shopian and Umar Majeed from the neighbouring Kulgam district in south Kashmir, the hotbed of militancy.

Sheikh, who was a BTech, handled online propaganda for the militant outfit while Majeed was the personal security guard to Itoo.
A little over 24,000 overseas Indians, who are entitled to cast their ballot in India, have registered themselves as voters.

Now, in a bid to attract more such Indian citizens living abroad to become voters here, the Election Commission has launched a portal which allows them to register online.

The portal also has a long list of frequently asked questions to help people understand the procedure.

While there are no estimates on the number of overseas Indians eligible to vote in India, only 24,348 have registered with the poll panel.

Out of these, 23,556 are from Kerala, 364 from Punjab and 14 from Gujarat, according to the data provided by the Commission.

According to the Overseas Indian Voters portal, an overseas elector is a person who is a citizen of India and who has not acquired citizenship of any other country.

The portal can be accessed through the Election Commission website: eci.nic.in.

Such people are eligible to be registered as voters in the constituency in which their place of residence in India, as mentioned in their original Indian passport in which visa endorsement has been made, is located.

Once their name is registered as a voter, the election officials of the constituency concerned will inform the overseas Indian by post on his or latest address abroad.

But, the portal clarifies, that overseas electors are not issued an election photo identity card as they are allowed to cast vote in an election in the constituency in person at the polling station on showing their original passport.

Data shows that only 10,000 to 12,000 NRIs have voted because they do not want to spend foreign currency to come to India and exercise their franchise.

Now, things may change as the Union Cabinet had on August 2 cleared a proposal to extend proxy voting to overseas Indians by amending electoral laws.

While NRIs and overseas Indians are free to cast their votes in constituencies where they are registered, according to the proposal, they would also be allowed to use the option of proxy, which as of now is only available to service personnel.

An expert committee in the Election Commission working on the issue had, in 2015, forwarded the legal framework to the law ministry to amend electoral laws to allow overseas Indians use proxy voting.

But for every election, the overseas voters will have to name a new person as their proxy.

Proxy voting is allowed for members of the armed forces.

The bill to allow the new provision for overseas voters could not be introduced in the Monsoon session of Parliament which ended on Friday. PTI NAB ZMN KIS
Three soldiers were injured on Sunday after Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of Kashmir, officials said.

The Pakistani troops opened fire at Indian positions at Baaz Post in Uri in Baramulla district at around 4 pm, Indian Army sources said.

The sources said three soldiers suffered bullet injuries in the firing and were admitted to the 92 Base Hospital of the Army here.

Earlier in the day, Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire thrice in Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu Seventy young men have joined militancy in the past seven months this year with most of the recruits from three districts in south Kashmir, according to a senior official.

The new recruits mostly belong to Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam districts in south Kashmir, which has become the hub of tech-savvy militants.

As many as 70 Kashmiri youths joined militancy in the Valley in seven months period this year, the senior security officer told PTI quoting official statistics.

The officer claimed 88 Kashmiri youths joined militancy in 2016.

Since 2014, there has been a constant rise in the number of people joining militancy.

As many as 66 youths joined militancy in Kashmir in 2015 and 53 in 2014, according to data compiled by security agencies.

In 2010, 54 youths joined militancy and in 2011, the number came down to 23. It further dipped to 21 in 2012 and 16 in 2013, it said.

The Pulwama-Shopian-Kulgam region has become a hotbed of homegrown terrorists, the officials said.

Security officials say Pulwama, which has of late emerged as the terror epicenter, is strategically important as it is the central point to connect Srinagar, Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Budgam districts of central Kashmir.

The areas have seen the highest number of encounters and attacks, the officer added.

The topography of Pulwama, with its vast orchards and fields ringed by dense forests, also provide a perfect shelter and operating cover to militants.

Pulwama was home to Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, who was killed in an encounter with security forces in July last year.

It was also the base of slain Abu Dujana, commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba militants in the Kashmir Valley, Abu Musa and dozens of other militants.

Security forces have also foiled attempts by dozen others to cross over to the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for arms training, the officer said.

In 2017, as many as 54 men were stopped from joining the ranks of militants, the officer said.

132 terrorists have been killed in encounters with police and security forces in Kashmir Valley in over 7 months period this year, security officials said.

While 115 militants have been killed till July end this year, 17 militants have been killed till August 9, as per official statistics.

While 38 militants belonging to LeT were killed in over 7 months till 9 August, it was followed by killing of 37 militants of Hizb and 3 militants belonging to Musa Group of Al-Qeada followed by killing of 54 unidentified militants mostly along the LoC.

Out of them, six top commanders of Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) were killed in encounters in Kashmir during the period.

As per the data, the number of terrorists killed in the past over 6 months is the highest in the past 7 years.

In 2010, 156 militants were killed in the first 7 months period of the year followed by 102 in 2017, 77 in 2016, 61 in 2011, 51 each in 2014 and 2015 respectively, the data showed.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has asked the police to try to bring back to mainstream youths who have fled their homes to join militancy.

DGP S P Vaid has said that,Going beyond its mandate of normal policing, J&K Police is transforming hearts and minds by instilling national pride in the youth of the Valley.
Five persons were arrested in Rajasthans Ajmer district on Sunday for torturing and murdering a woman relative earlier this month after branding her a witch, police said.

We have arrested Mahaveer, Gopi Chand, Chandra Prakash, Pinki and Sonya in this case. These arrests have been made under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including Section 302 (punishment for murder) and the Rajasthan Prevention of Witch-Hunting Act, said a police official on phone from Kekri in Ajmer.

Kalu and Maya, the son and daughter of 40-year-old Kanya, in a complaint to police, alleged that their mother was ill for some time after her husbands death about a month ago and some relatives allegedly to grab her property branded her as a witch.

The woman was beaten up badly with iron chains, dragged forcibly by hair and paraded naked in the village. Iron rods were also put into her eyes and she was also forced to eat faeces.

The woman subsequently died and was cremated clandestinely on August 4, according to the complaint.

Even the village panchayat, also sought to cover up the incident, directing them to go to Pushkar and take a holy dip to wash their sins and also warning that anyone who disclosed the incident to the authorities would be cast out from the community.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday sought to dismiss BJP president Amit Shahs assertion that the saffron party will wrest power in the state assembly polls in 2018, saying his strategy of Uttar Pradesh would not succeed in the state.

He also said that any attempt to break the society would not be possible in Karnataka, as secularism was deep rooted in the state.

Yesterday, Amit Shah has arrived here and I am told that he will formulate a (poll) strategy. We are also in the politics for 40 years...but no strategy will be effective (here), Siddaramaiah said.

Shah, who arrived in Bengaluru on Saturday on a three-day visit to Karnataka to re-energise the rank and file, had said that the BJP in the state was united and it would return to power in the assembly polls under the leadership of state unit chief BS Yeddyurappa.

Speaking at a public event in Kalaburagi, the CM said Someones house may be raided, the ED or the CBI may be sent behind someone... 

I want to tell Shah that only these things can be done, but communal activities or attempts to break the society is impossible on Karnatakas land, as this is the land of Basavanna, Kuvempu and Kanakadasa where they have sown the seeds of secularism that has grown into a huge tree today, he said.

Sounding the poll bugle in Karnataka, Shah had yesterday declared that the party was united and said, Ab Ki Baar, BJP Sarkar (This time, a BJP government).

Calling Siddaramaiah-led Congress government as corrupt, he had asked the people to over throw it.

Hitting back at Shah, Siddaramaiah said on Sunday the BJPs strategy would not be successful in Karnataka.

They say, they did a strategy for Uttar Pradesh, they will also do here. Why they couldnt do it in Punjab, Goa, and Manipur? It is impossible to do any such strategy in Karnataka, he said.

Targeting Yeddyurappa, the CM termed his target of winning 150 of the 224 assembly seats in the polls due early next year an illusion.

Wherever he goes and come, he speaks about mission 150, its only an illusion, Siddaramaiah said.
Army chief General Bipin Rawat paid tributes on Sunday to two soldiers who were killed in an encounter with militants in the Zainapora area of Jammu and Kashmirs Shopian district.

A wreath-laying ceremony was held at Palam airport in Delhi which was attended by other top-ranking Army officials as well.

The Army chief laid floral wreaths on the coffins carrying the mortal remains of Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman and Sepoy Ilayaraja P. as a mark of respect to them, an army spokesperson said.

Five soldiers were injured in the gun battle on Saturday and had to be evacuated to the 92 Base Hospital of the Army for treatment where two of them succumbed to their injuries.

Waman, 25, who hailed from village Lonagra in Akola, Maharashtra, had joined the Army in 2011. He is survived by his parents, a brother and a sister.

Ilayaraja P, 25, hailed from Kandani village of Sivagangai district in Tamil Nadu and had joined the Army in 2012. He is survived by his parents, wife and sister.

The mortal remains of the two soldiers will be flown tomorrow to their native places where they would be laid to rest with full military honours.
The Army and the Indian Air Force (IAF) will join the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in evacuation and rescue operation in flood-hit districts of Bihar, even as no casualty was reported so far due to floods.

Of Bihars 38 districts, Kishanganj, Araria and Purnia were the worst affected by floods, while floodwaters had also partially affected Katihar and Narkatiaganj town in Bettiah of West Champaran district.

While one column of Army personnel had moved from Danapur to Kishanganj on Sunday, three more were expected to be airlifted from Ranchi on Monday. The Army contingent from Ranchi would move to Purnia.

Besides, 10 additional teams, each comprising 40-45 personnel of the NDRF, were also being deployed in flood-hit districts of Kishanganj, Purnia and Araria to strengthen the existing nine, NDRF battalion in Patna. A team each of the NDRF has already been deployed in East and West Champaran, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Supaul and Purnia districts, while two teams have been positioned at Kishanganj.

The Centres help follows Bihar chief ministers talk with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Rajnath Singh and defence minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday. The chief minister also spoke to public representatives of these areas to assess the situation there.

Addressing mediapersons on Sunday, Bihar chief secretary Anjani Kumar Singh said the state government had also requested the Centre for choppers to assist in evacuation and rescue of the marooned. Airlifting of the marooned would begin from Kadamkhadi in Baisa block of Purnia district.

Of the 10 NDRF teams being moved, he said four were expected to land at the Purnia Air Force base by Sunday afternoon. The teams were being moved from Mundali in Bhubaneswar.

The unprecedented rain in Nepal and its catchment areas during the last 72 hours had worsened Bihars flood situation, as rivers such as the Mahananda, Gandak and Kankai were in spate.

Singh said 1.75 feet rainfall was recorded in Kishanganj district due to the unprecedented rainfall in Nepal and Himalayan catchment areas in Bihar during the last three days. Kankai river, which did not have any water for the last 50 years, was also in spate in Kishanganj. The unprecedented rain had severely hampered communication, as most of the blocks and subdivisions were cut off with their district headquarters in Kishanganj.

Flood waters had also entered the 60 relief camps opened in Kishanganj. These would now have to be moved to higher places, he added.

The chief secretary said it was a huge challenge for the state government to move the marooned to safer places and ensure safety of individuals and their belongings.

Principal secretary, disaster management department, Pratyaya Amrit, said the state government was also evacuating people from Supaul who were trapped between embankments. Arrangements had also been made to airdrop food packets in flood-hit areas, he added.

Director-general of police P K Thakur, DG (homeguards) P N Rai, and principal secretaries Amir Subhani (home), Arun Kumar Singh (water resources) and Chanchal Kumar (chief ministers secretariat) were also present on the occasion.

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The police administration in Sheohar district of north Bihar is trying out a new experiment to reform a radicalized Muslim youth, who has been found to have posted anti-India and pro-Pakistan material on social networking site Facebook.

The youth, Dilnawaz Alam, has been given an opportunity to repent for his misconduct by sprucing up the Piprahi police station campus in Sheohar, about 125 km north west of state capital, Patna, through physical labour and preparing it for Independence day celebration on August 15.

Besides, he has undertaken to participate in the I-day function with suitable fervor by putting up the national flag on the mast, salute it during its unfurling and join others in singing the national anthem, on Tuesday, said an official.

Alam, 22, was caught on Friday by a Sheohar police team led by district superintendent of police (SP) Prakash Nath Mishra, after some residents of the district complained about his anti-India posts. He had allegedly posted his own photos with Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif (since replaced) and some anti-India terrorists.

Alam was taken to the Piprahi police station and was being booked under relevant sections of the law pertaining to anti-national activity, when it was found that his father, Sheikh Bhola, was a serving home guard jawan.

Officials said Bhola pleaded on behalf of his son, undertaking to ensure he was reformed and never again indulged in activity detrimental to the interest of the country. Alam also offered to do penance. It was then that the police administration decided to give Dilnawaz another chance.

As such, Alam, who hails from Masaurha village in Sheohar district, close to the border of east Champaran, is sweating out washing the building of police station and clearing the bushes in the premises to accomplish the task he was assigned.

Alam was arrested on the charge of posting objectionable content favouring Pakistan. He was asked to show his involvement in independence day preparations when he promised to mend his thoughts and ways, said the Sheohar SP.

Alam, he said, had been asked to be present at the Piprahi police station during other national festivals, as well.

Mishra said it was important to inculcate a sense of patriotism among youth, especially those residing in sensitive districts of Bihar bordering Nepal, through counselling and creating a sense of awareness. Parents were advised to keep a close watch on their wards, he added.
The Centre on Sunday announced a regional medical research centre in Gorakhpur following the high number of encephalitis deaths at the citys BRD medical college.

Before coming here, I have approved the establishment of a research centre in Gorakhpur at a cost of Rs 85 crore. This institute will conduct research into the infections of children and their possible reasons, Union health minister JP Nadda said at a press conference in the presence of UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday.

The Centre also sent a team of specialists to study the reasons for the spread of the disease in the region and facilities provided to the patients, he said.

More than 60 children suffering from Japanese Encephalitis (JE) and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) died at BRD medical college over the last six days.

The BJP-led UP government, which drew criticism over the deaths after the facility allegedly defaulted on payments of Rs 68 lakh to oxygen suppliers, admitted that oxygen supply was disrupted for two hours on Thursday night but ruled it out as the reason for the tragedy.

Nadda said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was concerned about the death of children.

He is keeping a watch on the situation and directed me to visit Gorakhpur and take stock of the situation. The central government will give all assistance to the state government to upgrade facilities at the BRD Medical College, he assured.

Adityanath made a strong pitch for establishing a full-fledged virus research centre in Gorakhpur.

The geography of east UP is such that we cannot win the war against vector-borne diseases until we have a full-fledged virus research centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given AIIMS... but, there should be a full-fledged virus research centre in Gorakhpur to study the causes of death and give suggestion on measures required to eradicate the disease, Adityanath said.

I have also urged the central government to send a team of specialist doctors, Adityanath said.

Nadda said as an MP, Adityanath had raised the issue of deaths due to Japanese Encephalitis in Parliament.

It was on Adityanaths advice that the Japanese Encephalitis vaccination was included in the national vaccination programme. The aim was to check deaths in the region, Nadda said.

During the last parliamentary session, I had assured Adityanathji that a full-fledged institute will soon be set up, the Union minister said.

Adityanath told reporters that 9,000 patients visit the medical college for treatment daily. The medical college has a 500-bed hospital. The patients come from Gorakhpur, adjoining districts as well as Nepal and Bihar.

There was a need to upgrade health facilities in the region, he said.

The Centre had sanctioned AIIMS for Gorakhpur and the specialised hospital will become functional soon, giving people access to better health facilities, he said.

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India has taken up with China a complaint filed by an Indian passenger alleging misbehaviour with Indians at the Shanghai Pudong international airport by the staff of a Chinese airline, a report said on Sunday. The airline has denied the allegation.

The matter has been taken up with the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese foreign ministry and the Pudong airport authorities after it was brought to the notice of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, sources told PTI.

Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines has denied the allegation saying that after checking related materials and the airport CCTV footage, it found news reports about the incident did not conform to the fact, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Instead, the airlines employees offered meticulous service, the airline said in a statement. It claimed that it was dedicated to providing quality flight service for passengers around the world.

Earlier, media reports said that North American Punjabi Association executive director Satnam Singh Chahal wrote to Swaraj alleging that he noticed that at the exit gate of the plane for wheelchair passengers, ground staff was insulting transit Indian passengers.

Chahal, who travelled on August 6 by a China Eastern Airlines flight from New Delhi to San Francisco, had to stop at Shanghai Pudong to catch his next flight of the same airlines for San Francisco. He said when he complained to concerned airline, he was shouted down by the official.

I noticed from their body language that they were frustrated from the rising border tension between India and China, Chahal was quoted as saying in the letter, apparently referring to the nearly two-month long standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam in Sikkim section.

Chahal even suggested to Swaraj to issue an advisory for Indian transit travellers to avoid transiting through China.

Last month, China had issued a safety advisory to its nationals in India to pay close attention to their safety and take precaution for their security to avoid being affected by prevailing anti-China sentiment.
Contrary to the Yogi Adityanaths government order, a prominent Bareilly cleric on Saturday asked the UP madarsas to not to sing national anthem and the national song on the Independence Day.

The cleric also asked the Islamic schools not to record the Independence Day celebrations as directed by the state government.

Asjad Miyan has advised all the madarsas to celebrate Independence Day by hoisting national flag and singing Sare Jahan Se Accha and not Jana Gana Mana or Vande Mataram, said Nasir Qureshi, clerics spokesperson.

He said the national anthem and national song contain certain phrases which are not fit to be sung by one who believe in one God.

Asked to explain, Qureshi said chanting Jai ho, Jai ho, Jai ho which comes in the end of national anthem is like hailing somebody other than the Allah, which is contrary to our belief.

Sare Jahan se Accha is a patriotic song in Urdu written by eminent poet Muhammad Iqbal.

Qureshi claimed over a thousand madarsas located in Bareilly, Kanpur, Jhansi and other parts of Uttar Pradesh will go with the advice of the cleric, who is a direct descendent of Ahmed Raza Khan, head of Barelvi sect of Sunni Muslims.

The Dargah of Ahmed Raza is taken care of by his descendent and is one of the most revered sites for the followers of Barelvi sect.

The dargah runs at least 300 madarsas in Bareilly and also in nearby districts through its various social organisations.

The advice came in response to the UP Madarsa Shiksha Parishad order directing madarsas to celebrate Independence Day and get the event videographed.

There are over 8000 registered madarsas in the state. Of these 560 are government aided.

While the clerics order is seen as a sign of defiance of the government directive, Qureshi said it was more about exercising the fundamental right.

The constitution of India promises to safeguard our right to exercise freedom of religion. The government with the order is trying to force us to do what is prohibited in our religion. Muslims of the country do not need to do what is against our religion to prove their patriotism, Qureshi said.

Bareilly district magistrate Raghvendra Vikram Singh said, I have asked a magistrate to prepare a report on the matter. It will be sent to Lucknow for further directions.
The Centres move to intervene in the political impasse in the Darjeeling hills may be the end of a crippling shutdown of the hills that entered the 60th day of an indefinite bandh on Sunday.

Union home minister Rajnath Singh invited Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) for talks in New Delhi at 4.30 pm on Sunday.

Though Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) is fighting for a separate state of Gorkhaland, it is unlikely the Centre would discuss the issue on Sunday. S S Ahluwalia the local MP said A dialogue has to be opened to bring normalcy in the hills.

Representatives from at least four political parties in the GMCC, including the GJM, Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxists (CPRM) and Gorkhaland Rajya Nirman Morcha (GRNM) would attend the meeting. S S Ahluwalia, the Lok Sabha MP from Darjeeling, would also participate.

GMCC is a platform of 14 political parties and organisations formed on June 29 to spearhead the movement for separate state of Gorkhaland.

I am hopeful that the meeting would help find a possible road map to Gorkhaland statehood, GJM president Bimal Gurung said. But sources in Delhi claimed that the main objective of Sundays meeting is to defuse the immediate crisis.

No political party is willing to risk unilaterally withdrawing from the bandh. And the Centres move to send its team to Darjeeling could provide breather to the agitating parties, said a source.

Life has been paralysed in Darjeeling since June 15 when GJM called for an indefinite bandh after police raided the office and the residence of Bimal Gurung. Eight persons have already lost their lives, allegedly to the bullets of police and security forces. The administration has banned internet from June 19.

With the Centre maintaining silence so far, the ongoing movement is leading nowhere even as the restlessness of the people has increased.

Both Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and the Centre have been urging the agitating parties to withdraw the strike and bring normalcy before any talk begins. The GMCC, on the other hand, has been demanding the withdrawal of central and state police forces from the hills and immediate stoppage of raids and arrests.

According to sources, the chief minister who was in Delhi till Saturday might have given her consent to the Centre to call a meeting to defuse the crisis.

Arun Ghataney, a senior CPRM leader and Dawa Pakhrin the GRNM president, who will be attending the meeting on Sunday said the Centres initiative to convene a meeting would help to defuse the crisis.

Sources said the Centre is likely to send a union home ministrys team to study the ground reality in Darjeeling hills and the announcement to this effect could be made after todays meeting in the evening. This would help the GMCC and the GJM in particular to reach out to the public and announce the withdrawal of the strike after the Independent Day.

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The Centre has said illegal immigrants like Rohingyas pose grave security challenges as they may be recruited by terror groups, and asked state governments to identify and deport them.

In a communication to all states, the Union home ministry said the rise of terrorism in last few decades has become a serious concern for most nations as illegal migrants are more vulnerable to getting recruited by terrorist organisations.

These illegal immigrants not only infringe on the rights of Indian citizens but also pose grave security challenges, the communication, sent last week, said.

Infiltration of (Rohingyas) from Rakhine state of Myanmar into Indian territory, especially in recent years, besides being burden on the limited resources of the country also aggravates security challenges posed to India, the home ministry said.

Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju had said in Parliament on August 9 that according to available data, more than 14,000 Rohingyas, registered with the UNHCR, are presently staying in India.

However, some inputs indicate that around 40,000 Rohingyas are staying in India illegally and the Rohingyas are largely located in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan, he had said.

On November 16, 2016, the government had informed the Parliament that according to available inputs, there were around 20 million (two crore) illegal Bangladeshi migrants staying in India.

The home ministry communication said India is a large country having its border with many countries. People in the subcontinent have a common history and share many similarities in physical looks.

Due to a variety of reasons, including political and economic turmoil in neighbouring countries, people from such countries often enter India. There are cultural and ethnic similarities, on many occasions such migration goes unnoticed and they settle in Indian territory, joint secretary in the home ministry Dilip Kumar said in the letter sent on August 8.

The Centre also directed the state governments to set up a task force at district level to identify and deport illegally-staying foreign nationals.
Chinese imports to India recorded a 33% jump in the April-June quarter over the same period last year, government data shows, indicating trade remains unscathed by the border standoff between the two countries.

The rise in imports is on the back of a stronger rupee that has appreciated about 5.5% against the US dollar and 3.7% against the Chinese yuan since February. Electronics and engineering goods and chemicals were the biggest imports.

The political tension that we are witnessing now is unlikely to have any impact on the trade relations between the two countriesit is business as usual for both countries at present and the situation will not change, DK Joshi, chief economist, Crisil, told Hindustan Times.

The Asian giants are locked in a row in the remote Doklam plateau, which borders Sikkim in Indias northeast and is claimed by both Beijing and Bhutan, since June 16.

Chinese blame India for the two-month long standoff, the longest between the neighbours. It accuses India of trespass and preventing its soldiers form building a road, which New Delhi says is a threat to its security.

China is also Indias largest business partner, with trade heavily tilted in its favour.

During the April-June period, India imported goods worth $18 billion compared to $13.5 billion last the previous year. The appreciation of the rupee allowed Indian importers to purchase larger quantities of goods at lower prices, a report by the State Bank of India said, adding it could have a bearing on the domestic industry. A yuan is trading at Rs 9.6.

The political and economic compulsions are divorced from each other but rights steps need to be taken to encourage domestic industry so that it could generate income and jobs and reduce Indias dependence on imports, giving boost to Make in India, SBI chief economic adviser Soumya Kanti Ghosh SBI said on Sunday.

The report said the appreciation of rupee against Chinese renminbi enabled Indian importers to purchase larger quantity of goods at lower prices. We estimate, India on a conservative basis, saved at least $3.9 billion in May 2017 because of stronger Indian rupee, it said.

Federation of Indian Exports Organisation director general Ajay Sahai was upbeat on business ties. Trade would not be affected by the current level of political tension, he said.

But the widening trade deficit -- the difference between imports and exportscontinues to be a worry. Trade deficit in 2016-17 stood at $51.1 billion compared to $19.26 billion in 2009-10. It means Indias is buying way more than what it sells to China.

For some policy experts though it could be Indias leverage. With its economic growth slowing, China would want its foreign markets to widen. The economy is also the reason China is looking to flex its muscles abroad to bolster confidence at home.

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At least 46 people were killed and 10 missing after a landslide triggered by a cloudburst swept away several vehicles on a busy highway stretch in Himachal Pradesh on Sunday.

Mandi deputy commissioner Sandeep Kadam said a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and army dug through mounds of mud and stones to recover 46 bodies from the site.

The rescuers also pulled out five people alive from the rubble. They were rushed to the zonal hospital at Mandi with severe injuries.

Apart from the 200-metre stretch of the Mandi-Pathankot highway, the landslide that took place around 1.15am at Kotrupi village washed away two buses of Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC), two cars and a motorcycle. Five houses were also damaged.

Rescue operations were suspended late evening as there were apprehensions of more landslides. The rescue work would resume on Monday.

Himachal transport minister GS Bali said the toll could rise. Kadam said at least 10 people are feared trapped under the landslide debris.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to condole the incident. Pained by the loss of lives due to landslide-related accidents in Himachal Pradeshs Mandi district. My condolences with the families of the deceased, Modi tweeted.

Most of the victims are believed to be passengers of the two buses that were caught in the landslide. Eight passengers were on board the bus going from Manali to Katra, while the bus on its way to Manali from Chamba was carrying 50 passengers, HRTC sources said.

The buses had halted for a tea break at Kotrupi at night when the tragedy struck, the HRTC said in a statement.

A visual of the site after a landslide that occurred in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday morning. (HT Photo)

The Katra bound air-conditioned bus was hit by a boulder that came rolling from a hilltop. The bus rolled 200 metres down a gorge. The other ill-fated bus was swept 2km down the hill.

The Mandi-Jogindernagar road had been closed after the incident. Vehicles were diverted via alternative routes, sources said.

Chief minister Virbhadra Singh visited the spot to take stock of the rescue operations. Rescue efforts were initially hampered by the incessant rains. The rescue team also had to move with extreme caution as the debris was sliding.

The state government also announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased.

A visual of the site after a landslide that occurred in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday morning. (HT Photo)

At least 120 army and NDRF personnel are engaged in the operation along with a team of police, home guards and fire brigade.

The deceased have been identified as Suruchi Thakur, Neha, Vinod Kumar (travelling in Manali-Katara Bus) Suresh Kumar, Babu Ram, Pawan Kumar, Khub Ram, Kartar Chand, Subhash Singh, Sagar Singh, Ajay, Mandeep Singh and Chandan Sharma (passengers of Chamba- Manali bus). Rest are yet to be identified.

The injured are Manju, 20, of Karsog; Anita, 23, from Jogindernagar and Shubham, 21, Suchitra, 19, and Jyoti Sharma, 18, all residents of Shimla. They were in the Katra-bound bus.

Meanwhile, the Mandi district administration has activated helpline numbers 01905 226201, 226202, 226203, 226204 to provide information about the victims.
Heavy rainfall since Thursday resulted in flooding across 21 of Assams 33 districts, claiming 15 lives  10 in the past 24 hours  and affecting more than 22 lakh people.

Floods also affected Tripura, forcing 9,917 families to take shelter in 75 relief camps. An 11-year-old girl drowned in state capital Agartala, while another person was electrocuted elsewhere.

Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal termed the second wave of deluge since July as the worst floods in decades. The first wave had claimed 84 lives in Assam and another 62 across Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland between May and July.

With Saturdays casualties, the death toll since May has touched 161.

In an emergency meeting on Sunday, the Assam government asked the Army to get involved in rescue and relief operations and put Indian Air Force choppers on standby.

Additional personnel of national and state disaster response forces were deployed in the affected districts to rescue marooned people.

According to Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), more than 1.83 lakh people displaced in the recent floods are taking shelter in 678 relief camps across the state.

The Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger level at Neematighat, Tezpur, Guwahati, Goalpara and Dhubri. Ten other rivers across the state are also flowing above the red mark at one place each.

Flood waters have submerged 2,734 villages and more than 1.34 lakh hectare of crop area affected. Erosion and breaches of embankments have been reported in 11 districts, an ASDMA officer said.

Parts of the national highway 37 connecting western and eastern Assam got submerged at Jakhalabandha, 175 km east of Guwahati, on Sunday morning disrupting movement of vehicles for several hours.

Rail link between northeast and the rest of the country also snapped on Sunday after railway tracks got submerged or damaged at several places in Assam and West Bengal due to flooding.

A number of trains had to be stopped at various stations, and many other trains had to be cancelled or rescheduled or short-terminated, Pranav Jyoti Sharma, spokesperson of Northeast Frontier Railway said.

Railway authorities cancelled 20 trains on Sunday causing distress to thousands of passengers.

Defence spokesperson Lt Col Suneet Newton said army personnel rescued some 3,000 marooned people in western and central Assam districts.

BJP flood helpline in Tripura

Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar and revenue minister Badal Choudhury visited flood-prone areas on the banks of river Howrah on Saturday and ordered officials to monitor the situation. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, was not convinced with the efforts of the Left Front government.

The BJP accused the Sarkar government of selectively providing relief materials to flood victims in camps run by CPI(M) cadre. It also announced a 24x7 flood helpline.

The government is not prepared to combat disasters. Rescue workers have very few boats, while relief camps lack sanitation and other basic facilities. Our party workers tried to provide food to the victims, but CPI(M) cadre stopped them, state BJP president Biplab Deb said.

Party spokesperson Ashok Sinha said, We have provided three helpline numbers for assistance to marooned people. He added that Union home minister Rajnath Singh and DoNER minister Jitendra Singh were being updated about the flood situation.

CAG report on Manipur flood

Heavy to moderate rainfall since August 9 has affected the movement of heavy vehicles on the Imphal-Jiribam highway in Manipur. A house under construction was also swept away in a landslide at Tamenglong, 150 km west of Imphal, on Saturday.

Officials said they took precautionary measures keeping in mind the first wave of floods that claimed 19 lives by mid-July.

But a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) pulled up the government for flood management done without scientific assessment of flood-prone areas and not complying with the action plan of national disaster management guidelines.

(With inputs from Priyanka Deb Barman in Agartala and Sobhapati Samom in Imphal)

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Dr Kafeel Khan, nodal officer and in charge of the encephalitis ward of the BRD Medical College, was removed from the post on charges of dereliction of duty and carrying out private practice on Sunday.

A day after he was reported as saving many encephalitis-affected children, he was accused of fabricating stories in the media to show himself as a saviour of children, medical college sources said.

Khan runs a 50-bed hospital for children, Medispring Hospital and Research Centre in Gorakhpur, under the ownership of his wife Dr Shabista Khan, a dentist.

Khan, a paediatrician, and a former principal of the medical college, Dr RK Mishra, were responsible for ensuring a steady supply of oxygen cylinders in the medical college, hospital sources said.

Mishra was suspended on Saturday after which he resigned.

Khan was also a member of the purchase committee of the medical college and had complete information about pending dues of Pushpa Sales, the Lucknow-based company that supplies oxygen cylinders to the medical college, the sources said.

Non-payment of dues resulted in stopping of oxygen supply to the hospital.

After initial investigation, Mishra and Khan were found to be largely responsible for the shortage of oxygen gas cylinders in the hospital where over 60 children died in the last six days.

On Saturday, Khan was photographed on the medical college campus with relatives of the deceased children in a solemn mood.

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Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday warned of exemplary punishment to those responsible for the death of at least 60 children in a government hospital here, as the Opposition called it a massacre and demanded his resignation.

The Centre, too, stepped in to contain the damage, approving a national virology research centre for Gorakhpur, the Lok Sabha constituency of Adityanath. The announcement was made by Union health minister JP Nadda, who flew in from Delhi and visited the Baba Raghav Das Medical College with Adityanath.

Let the reports come. I assure you, if anyones negligence caused the death of a person, in any part of UP, he wont be spared, Adityanath said at a press conference he addressed with Nadda. He was talking about probes being carried out by a panel led by the chief secretary and a central government team into the last weeks deaths.

The state government blames Japanese Encephalitis and Acute Encephalitis Syndrome for the tragedy and denies a cut in liquid oxygen supply by a private firm over delay in payment of Rs 68 lakh caused the deaths.

The Centre also sent a team of experts to study the reasons for the spread of encephalitis, a mosquito-borne virus that every year ravages eastern Uttar Pradesh.

A few hours after Adityanaths visit, Dr Kafeel Khan, hailed for saving many lives, was removed as the chief of the encephalitis ward. The paediatrician was stripped off the responsibility on charges of dereliction of duty and carrying out private practice.

Khan is the second hospital staff to face action. The government had on Saturday suspended the college principal.

Non-payment to the oxygen supplier was not brought to his notice when he visited the hospital, Adityanath said. He was at the college two days before the deaths were reported.

The principal told me that funds for payment of arrears were credited in the medical colleges account on August 7. The inquiry committee will find out the (reason for) delay in the release of the arrears to the supplier, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was concerned about the childrens death, said Nadda. He is keeping a watch on the situation and directed me to visit Gorakhpur and take stock of the situation. The Centre will give all assistance to the state government to upgrade facilities at the BRD medical college, he said.

A sustained campaign was needed to eradicate the killer disease, Adityanath said. Encephalitis has killed more than 50,000 children in eastern UP in the last 30 years, including nearly 3,000 in BRD medical college since 2012.

The state government had launched a vaccination drive before monsoon and set up ICUs in district hospitals, he said, accusing the Opposition of politicising the deaths.

Rubbishing Adityanaths claim that the deaths occurred due to vector-borne diseases, the Congress termed them as murders and massacre and demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe.

...The unusually high number of deaths occurred due to neglect and mismanagement and not due to any disease as being claimed by the BJP government, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said. It has been proved that it was not just a tragedy but it was a murder and massacre.

State Congress chief Raj Babbar demanded Adityanaths resignation, saying how would a chief minister who couldnt handle a medical college in his home district manage a state.

Former chief minister and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati said the college principal was made a scapegoat. She termed as irresponsible Uttar Pradesh health minister Sidharth Nath Singhs remarks that many children die in August every year at the Gorakhpur hospital.

With agency inputs

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Twenty three children died within 24 hours in an Uttar Pradesh government hospital where supply of liquid oxygen had been stopped since officials ostensibly failed to settle dues with the supplier.

Whether the deaths were a result of the oxygen shortage is now the subject of an investigation, but the way one of the biggest government-run hospitals in Gorakhpur  the home district of the chief minister  ran short of a critical resource points to a systemic problem in how public finances are managed in the country.

In the case of the Gorakhpur hospital, officials failed to clear Rs 70 lakh in bills pending with the hospitals sole supplier despite repeated reminders. In May, the college administration sent a proposal of Rs 37 crore to the state government for improving health facilities. The state forwarded the proposal to the central government for approval and allocation of funds, but not a penny has been released.

A similar story has panned out for years in several public sectors.

In the 2007-08 financial year, more than Rs 1 lakh crore was unspent by ministries and departments, according to a Computer and Auditor General (CAG) of India.

In 2004-05, 17%, or Rs 1,332 crore, of the total fund available with the states and union territories for education expenditure was not used, according to the ministry of human resource development.

More recently, in a performance audit of the Reproductive and Child Health scheme under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) tabled in the Parliament last month, CAG said the cumulative unspent amount in 27 states increased from Rs. 7,375 crore in 2011-12 to Rs. 9,509 crore in 2015-16.

India has limited financial resources. And almost every sector has been complaining about inadequate allocation of funds. For instance, the National Health Policy asks for government spending on health to be raised to 2.5% of GDP, compared to around 1.1% at present.

There are a number of reasons why money is not spent.

For centrally-sponsored schemes (CSS), the inflexibility of how the budget is designed is one of the problems, according to Avani Kapur, senior researcher at Accountability Initiative, Center for Policy Research. For example, if there are staff vacancies, amount allocated for salaries would be left unspent. That money cant be moved across line-items. Even movement of money across districts is not permitted, she explains.

Second, the process of fund flowfrom budgetary allocation to final release has to cross a maze of red tape. According to insights shared by former health secretary K Sujatha Rao in her book Do We Care, the labyrinth of procedure eventually delays the transfer of money. This is why field officers complain of budgets being received at the fag-end of the year.

The trend was noted in the second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) report published in 2009 which found a major portion of government finances getting spent in the last quarter of the financial year, especially in the last month. This was one the reasons the CAG attributed to the 24.73% of the unspent money allocated to Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan during 2009-14.

According to the ARC, a big part of the problem lies in the bottom-up approach in the current budgeting process where details are obtained from various units and are fit into a predetermined aggregate amount. The commission recommended that approach be given up for a top-down process, in which a fixed total level of expenditure is decided and allocated among different ministries and departments. The specific departments can then reallocate the money among various agencies or programmes in accordance with their priorities.

The delay in fund release leads officials to fudge information about their accounts. Since rules require unspent funds as on the last day of the financial year to be remitted to the treasury, much fudging is done to show utilisation even when funds may have been received only on the last day, Rao wrote in her book.

In fact, in order to prevent lapsing of funds, the ARC noted that officials release idle funds to project authorities outside the government, which not only portrays an incorrect picture of government finances but also causes loss of interest (on the unspent money) to the government.

Some cases where money has been unspent Sector: Sanitation Total funds available for the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyaan during 2009-14 was Rs.13,494.63 crore of which Rs. 10,157.93 crores was spent on its implementation. An amount of Rs. 3,336.70 crore, 24.73% of the total funds, was unspent available. Source: CAG Sector: Law and order Both central and state governments did not release money due for modernisation of police forces under MPF Scheme due to the slow pace at which funds were used. During 2011-16, GoI released Rs. 496.84 crore (70% of its share), while GoUP released only Rs.162.60 crore (38% of its share). Source: CAG Sector: Health In 27 States, the unspent amount increased from Rs. 7,375 crore in 2011-12 to Rs. 9,509 crore in 2015-16. Source: CAG Sector: Health Between 2010 and 2015, the UP government spent only 20% of its original estimate of Rs 20.26 crore to prevent sex-selective abortions, and around 50% of the amount received from the Centre (Rs 7.09 crore) through the National Health Mission. Source: CAG Sector: Gujarat Government The Gujarat government did not spend Rs 15,114.51 crore budgetary provisions, which is 28.5% of the total Rs 53,041.05 crore provisions. Source: CAG Audit 2017 Sector: General Unspent provisions of more than Rs 100 crore occurred in 60 cases of 47 grants (including Civil, Posts and Defence) during the year 2007-08. Source: 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission Sector: General Over Rs 1-lakh crore remained unspent by ministries and departments, excluding the Railways, during 2007-08 Source: CAG Sector: Education At end of the financial year 2004-05, MHRD reported that the total unspent balance available with the states/UTs was Rs.1,332 crore, which was 17% of the total funds available to state/UTs (funds released by centre and state in 2004-05 and unspent balance from the previous financial year). Source: Public Provisioning for Elementary Education in India, SAGE Sector: Education During 2010-11 to 2015-16, it was observed that in 35 States/UTs, the unutilised amount at the close of each year ranged between Rs. 12,259.46 crore to Rs. 17,281.66 crore. Source: CAG Audit

But the problem starts right at the beginning. According to ARC, the amounts budgeted are often not realistic. On one hand, Weakness in preparing proper estimates leads to frequent revisions and supplementaries, and on the other, there are major unspent provisions at the end of the year, says the report. Kapur from Accountability Initiative says that most states dont have a clear idea of how much money will come to them. In such a scenario, officials tend to spend on regular stuff like payment of salaries or beneficiary entitlement schemes but hold on for other items.

Ultimately, this boils down to the problem of Indias weak state capacity, which plagues the administrative process. For instance, lack of money for certain sectors hampers our ability to spend on other sectors, Kapur says. If there isnt enough money to hire Junior Engineers, that would impact the capacity to spend on construction projects, she adds.

Solutions require a significant shift from current procedures.

First, projects and schemes should be included in the budget only after detailed consideration, the ARC recommends. Second, it makes a case for building a financial information system that would be accessible to the public and provide real time data on government expenditure at all levels. That was the reason to set up Public Financial Management System (PFMS), which, Kapur says, all states need to implement at least for CSS. This would also help fix data gaps in monitoring the fund flow, which currently inhibits the ability to diagnose stage-level problems in the system.

Another major recommendation by ARC was to implement multi-year budgeting, in which resources are accessible for the medium termthree to five year periodas against the current annual process. This becomes necessary because a single year budget is not sufficient to meet the expenditure priorities. It can help improve budget preparation by providing advance expenditure ceilings to the departments, increasing predictability of resource availability, and by improving the efficiency of public spending, says the ARC report.

Until these structural issues are not comprehensively addressed, the former health secretary Rao says in her book, a mere increase in budgetary allocations will be inadequate.

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A day after the Uttar Pradesh government suspended the principal of a medical college in Gorakhpur following the deaths of at least 30 children since August 10, chief minister Yogi Adityanath  who represented the eastern city for almost two decades in Parliament  visited the hospital to take stock of the situation.

Union health minister JP Nadda also visited the Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur on Sunday.

The deaths of the children shocked India and triggered a political blame game.

Here are the highlights:

3:45pm: Centre approves setting up of a regional medical centre in Gorakhpur for research into childrens ailments. It will be built at a cost of Rs 85 crore, says Union health minister JP Nadda

3.09pm: A three-member team of AIIMS doctors sent by Centre visits encephalitis ward at the hospital.

2.47pm: Adityanath says that at a high-level meeting on August 9, he had said action will be taken against doctors who had private practice. During the meeting, I had asked the officers to inform me about any shortcomings in the hospital, he says, and adds, The (medical college) principal had said that, on August 7, funds were credited to the account.

The UP CM says that 9,000 patients visit BRD Medical college every day and 500 patients are admitted in the ward.

2.42pm: Answering questions from the media, Adityanath says, Congress is playing politics. Ghulam Nabi Azad as health minister had visited here and express helplessness over deaths. The Congress is being insensitive. Visit the wards and find out if there was breakdown on oxygen supply or not.

Adityanath also said that action will be taken once the chief secretary submits the report.

2.35pm: Nadda says, The Prime Minister is concerned about the deaths and asking for regular updates. The Central government has taken several initiatives for Gorakhpur. For better treatment, a three-member team of specialist doctors is here.

Nadda says Adityanath has raised issue of Japanese encaphalatis in Parliament regularly. On his advice, JE has been included in universal vaccination. A Rs 85-crore research centre will be set up in Gorakhpur and a Regional Center Medical Research will be established here, he says.

2.24pm: JP Nadda addresses the media. He says, The Centre is supporting the UP government in every way possible.

2.20 pm: Asserting that encephalitis is the reason behind the deaths of the children, Adityanath says his government has done a lot to tackle the disease.

I will discuss the issue in detail once the report on it comes in, he says.

Adityanath says I have told Nadda that there is need for Viral Research Center in Gorakhpur to study vector borne diseases. Nadda has given assurance.The Prime Minister has given AIIMS to Gorakhpur. Specialist team has been sent to Gorakhpur.

2.18 pm: Adityanath also says he will allow the media into the wards. Stop reporting from outside. Let the photographers into the wards and see what is really going on, he says.

2.17pm: Adityanath says, I have fought for encephalitis patients from the streets to the Parliament. Visit the district hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres. Nodal officers have been appointed.

Chief Secretary has constituted a committee to inquire into this incident.After their report, strict action will be taken against erring officers. Report will be sought from all medical colleges.

2.15pm: Adityanath says, We have come to conclusion that an investigation into this incident is necessary.

This is my fourth visit to the BRD Medical College since becoming chief minister...Ive been fighting encephalitis here since 1996-97, he says.

2.07pm: Yogi Adityanath addresses the media.

1.45pm: Kamal Haasan comments on the tragedy.

Children of UP die. @k_satyarthi's request to UP CM is the best course. See that it never happens again. India mourns its loss.  Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) August 13, 2017

On Friday, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi has tweeted:

Appeal to CM @myogiadityanath Ji. Your decisive intervention can correct decades of corrupt medical system of UP to prevent such incidents.  Kailash Satyarthi (@k_satyarthi) August 11, 2017

1:30pm: CPI(M)s Sitaram Yechury tells ANI: Criminal negligence. Sixty-three children died due to lack of oxygen. People must be made accountable.

1.27pm:

Scuffle between police and media personnel at BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur on Sunday, August 13, 2017. (HT Photo/ Deepak Mehta)

1.21pm: Adityanath finishes inspecting the ward and holds a meeting with a panel of doctors.

1.20pm: Babbar demands Rs one crore compensation for each of the victims. He also hints the Congress may hit the roads over this issue but does not give a date for holding protest.

1.17pm: Raj Babbar calls the deaths of the children nothing less than cold blooded murder.

Referring to Siddharth Nath Singhs remark that deaths always take place in August, Babbar urges the state health minister to disassociate himself from late MP Lal Bahadur Shastris name. Singh is Shastris grandson.

1.12pm: Congress demands the chief ministers resignation.

Addressing the media in Gorakhpur, UP Congress president Raj Babbar calls Yogi Adityanath inexperienced and incompetent and says he must be dismissed or made to resign. He also asks that if the CM cannot take care of a hospital right under his nose, how he can take care of UP.

1.10pm: During Adityanaths visit, supply has been discontinued at the medicine counter. No patient or attendant is allowed to move in or go out.

1.00pm: Congress attacks the state government:

What will you investigate? You already gave verdict that the deaths were not due to lack of oxygen: Raj Babbar, Congress on UP CM #Gorakhpur pic.twitter.com/VJxKmb7zGw  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 13, 2017

12.57pm: The chief minister and Union health minister are expected to address the media after inspection of the wards. The entry of attendants into the encephalitis ward has been restricted during their visit.

12.48pm: Minor mishap during CMs visit as glass of the entrance door to the ward breaks during scuffle between mediapersons and policemen.

12.38pm: After Adityanath and Nadda enter the encephalitis ward, the door is closed behind them.

12.31pm: Dr PK Singh, Principal of Rajkiya Medical College, Ambedkar Nagar, has been given additional charge of BRD Medical College, Gorakhpur with immediate effect.

12.29pm: CM Yogi Adityanath and Union minister JP Nadda arrive at the hospital.

12.17pm: Doctors wait for Yogi Adityanath and JP Nadda at the gate of encephalitis ward.

Doctors seen waiting for the chief minister at BRD Medical College, on Sunday, August 13, 2017. (HT Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

12.14pm: A team of senior doctors arrive at the encephalitis ward before Adityanaths visit.

Doctors arrive at the Encephalitis ward in BRD Medical College ahead of CM Adityanaths visit, on Sunday, August 13, 2017. (HT Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

12.10pm: Tainted MLA Amanmani Tripathi also reaches BRD hospital along with BJP leader ahead of Adityanaths visit.

11.55am: Meanwhile, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor accused the UP government of sheer negligence, demanding a strict action against the accused.

Speaking to ANI in Thiruvananthapuram, Tharoor said, Frankly, this is a terrible situation which shocked the country. The vulnerable members of our society are suffering because of the negligence and the bills not paid by the UP Government.

Tharoor further asserted that the situation in Gorakhpurs BRD hospitals states that after years of independence where our countrys priorities lie.

This (UP Government) is presenting crores on advertising and not paying the bill. This is not forgivable, he said.

11.41am: Nadda arrives. CM and union minister leave for BRD hospital.

11.40am: CM Adityanath arrives at airport and waits for JP Nadda to reach.

11.39am: Two more deaths reported since today morning.

11.36am: All wards where children have been admitted have cops standing to check entry.

11.35am: UPCC president Raj Babbar will hold a press conference in Lucknow at 12:30pm. He visited the hospital, along with Ghulam Nabi Azad, on Saturday.

11.32am: Preparations are in full swing ahead of Yogi Adityanaths visit with metal detectors being set up at the entrance gate of the ward.

11.31am: Local MLAs and BJP leaders enter the encephalitis ward before the chief ministers arrival. Security personnels face tough time in controlling the leaders.

11.20am: Before his visit, Adityanath tweeted: I am deeply saddened by the heartrending incident at BRD Medical College. In this moment, my thoughts are with the aggrieved families.

11.18am:

Police force deployed outside the Encephalitis ward in BRD Medical College ahead of CM Adityanaths visit on Sunday, August 13, 2017. (HT Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)

11.15am: Read | Gorakhpur hospital deaths: 8 questions that remain unanswered

10.47am: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on his way to Gorakhpur to look into the situation.

10.39am: Union health minister JP Nadda to visit Gorakhpur on Sunday.

10.35am: Another child dies on Sunday due to encephalitis in Gorakhpurs BRD Hospital, reports ANI news agency. Report says toll has now crossed 70.

10.30am: Another batch of liquid oxygen cylinders brought to BRD Hospital on Sunday.

(With agency inputs.)
The death of 23 children in 24 hours in an Uttar Pradesh hospital might have pushed the states health crisis under the national spotlight but Gorakhpur has always grappled with a chronic healthcare infrastructure problem.

The district of Gorakhpur in eastern UP has a 37% shortage of health sub-centres and just 45% of villages in the district have access to a sub-centre within five kilometers, reports the Brookings India health monitor that collates public health data.

The monitor  which provides real-time health data and measures  records that there are no sub-divisional hospitals in the district, a reflection of the poor state across Uttar Pradesh, which ranks among the bottom three big states in India on health infrastructure.

Experts have repeatedly pointed that the deaths of the children at the state-run Gorakhpurs Baba Raghav Das hospital was linked to a larger failure of infrastructure.

Places like Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar are very deficient in doctors, especially the primary health centre and sub-centres. Also, the number of medical colleges UP has is grossly inadequate for such a huge state, so the emphasis has to be on strengthening the district hospitals," said Dr K Srinath Reddy, president, Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).

The deaths at Gorakhpur occurred after oxygen supplies were cut over non-payment of dues worth Rs 68 lakh. The government has denied that oxygen supply snag caused the deaths and instead blamed Japanese Encephalitis, a mosquito-borne disease that affects the brain.

The Brookings monitor records a 95.7% shortage of male health workers in sub centres across UP. More than a third of sub-centres in the state are without water supply, 31% without electricity. Many community health centres show shortages in functioning x-ray machines, living quarters for specialist doctors, specialists living in quarters, functioning labour rooms and several other parameters.

This region is grappling with a lot of issues such as clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene issues, malnourishment and apart from Japanese Encephalitis, other diseases such as malaria and scrub typhus," said Dr Jagdish Prasad, director of General Health Services.
India is days away from celebrating its 70th Independence Day: A remarkable journey for a large and diverse nation with a flourishing democracy that accords its citizens powerful social and economic freedoms.

Independence has helped people and communities to smash barriers of caste, class, gender, ability and faith and achieve their dreams. But structures of oppression persist, and many people languish in islands of darkness where freedoms are few and choices absent.

HT brings you stories from across our nation, of hope, courage and perseverance in free India that reflect the actual promise of independence, and of isolation, hate and despair that stalk the unfree India among our midst.

In Part 3, read about the inspiring story of an RTI activist story and about a woman who is fighting free Indias bane: Caste. Read RTI activist Kailash Minas story here:

Its difficult to reach Kailash Mina after eight at night. An automated voice from the service provider greets people, saying the mobile is switched off.

But few know the reason behind this strange routine that Mina, an RTI activist, religiously follows.

If my phone is kept functioning at night, the threats never stop, with the callers constantly hurling abuses at me. I get enough threats in the day to keep up with more in the night, says Mina.

For the last two decades, Mina has been a lone ranger in Rajasthans Sikar, a major mining hub. His journey reveals the challenges of taking on powerful lobbies, but also the possibilities of civic action in free and democratic India.

Battling discrimination

It was in a bus in the early 1970s that Mina first experienced social discrimination.

I had fever and my mother was taking me to the doctor in the nearest city when an upper caste family boarded the bus. My mother had to vacate her seat and sit on the floor because we were from the Mina caste, which is considered low, he recalled.

This incident came back to haunt Mina in 1999, when children in Bhudoli village had their faces blackened and heads shaved by upper castes over a petty dispute.

The kids were made to ride donkeys which circled the entire village. We helped organize a huge movement against it, said Mina. He then got engaged in activism, and soon began using RTI.

Using RTI

In 2005, an RTI application by him revealed that hundreds of stone crushers were operating in Neem Ka Thana locality without approval, putting at risk people in nearby villages from the dust cloud that mining produced.

Over 1,000 mines are operating in Neem Ka Thana area which has resulted in severe degradation of environment. Following our RTI application in 2005, we successfully managed to stop the government from acquiring land of the villagers for mining purposes after declaring it barren, said Mina.

This, however, generated a backlash.

Mining underway close to the Rela dam in Sikar district of Rajasthan. (Deep Mukherjee/HT Photo)

I was standing a few feet away from Mina near Badiya Mod, when I saw around 7-8 men armed with iron rods attack him. If we hadnt rushed to his aid, they would have killed him, says agriculturist Chagan Singh.

Nobody was arrested for the assault as the police submitted a final report on the matter saying that no case could be made out.

The price of activism in an area dominated by the mining mafia is steep. Apart from the personal attacks and life threats, Mina also had to face the brunt of the law, resulting in close to two dozen cases on him.

There would be times when I would sit on a dharna at a village and the police slapped cases on me saying that I was trying to grab the land and treat me as an encroacher, said the activist.

Everyday resistance

His phone rings and a conversation in Marwari follows with Mina as he inquires whether work on a road being built near a Dalit settlement has started.

The local administration had overlooked the Dalit colony when it came to building the road. This is what we are fighting against, the social discrimination, said Mina.

The deep rumble of stone crushers can be heard as one drives along the serpentine roads leading up to the many clusters of mines that have been dug up in this area.

Such is the clout of mining mafia that if the villagers object to the constant blasting that result in earthquake-like-situations every day, they call the police to silence the dissenters, said Mahesh Saini, a 21-year-old associate of Mina, who too has now started facing threats.

As Mina and his associates inspect a mine barely a few hundred meters of Kansawati, a small water body flowing through the area, the stone crushing unit in front of him abruptly comes to a stop.

A few men with their faces covered throw furtive glances at Minas direction, still more than five hundred meters from the mining site.

Now all the mine owners have been notified over phone that I am in the area, that too with journalists. We wont see much mining action today now that they have got alerted, said Mina.

But after thinking for a moment, he smiled wryly, It seems that I will be getting more threatening calls than usual today evening. I will have to switch off the phone much earlier.

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India is days away from celebrating its 70th Independence Day: A remarkable journey for a large and diverse nation with a flourishing democracy that accords its citizens powerful social and economic freedoms.

Independence has helped people and communities to smash barriers of caste, class, gender, ability and faith and achieve their dreams. But structures of oppression persist, and many people languish in islands of darkness where freedoms are few and choices absent.

HT brings you stories from across our nation, of hope, courage and perseverance in free India that reflect the actual promise of independence, and of isolation, hate and despair that stalk the unfree India among our midst.

In Part 3, read about the inspiring story of an RTI activist story and about a woman who is fighting free Indias bane: Caste. Read Kausalyas story here:

I am not afraid, are Kausalyas favourite words.

At 20, she looks battle ready, her hair cropped short as she roars into office on a motorcycle. Dressed in simple cottons, her smile is effusive and her voice soft  the only indication of the steely resolve that has propelled her to the centre of a movement against honour killings are those four words: I am not afraid.

At 18, Kausalya dared to marry a Dalit man in college, transgressing the inviolate bounds of caste that regulate the lives and loves of millions of Indians. Her family lashed out, first threatening her, then abducting her and finally in a feral attack last year that shocked India, hacking her husband to death in broad daylight.

Today, she breathlessly travels across Tamil Nadu for public meetings and lectures against honour killings, her new colleagues encasing her in a warm, protective ring. To her family, Kausalya is a villain who besmirched their caste honour but for the hundreds of young women who crowd her events, she is a freedom fighter.

I have to motivate the next generation against caste so that what happened to me doesnt happen to anyone (Bhim Rao) Ambedkar and (EV Ramaswamy) Periyar inspire me, she tells HT.

Kausalya now travels across Tamil Nadu for public meetings and lectures against honour killings (Dhrubo Jyoti/HT Photo)

Her father and uncle are behind bars, owing to a police complaint she made from the hospital bed after the attack, but she has plenty of enemies back in her home town of Palani in southern Tamil Nadu. But ask her about the danger, and she firmly shakes her head. Shankar is no more, what do I have to lose? I know they are looking for me but I am not afraid.

In 2014, Kausalya met Shankar at an engineering college in Pollachi; he came up to her on the second day in a bus and proposed. She turned him down but a friendship kindled over the next six months. Shankar was respectful, he told me I looked like his mother who had passed away. When he asked her a second time, she embraced his love.

But trouble was already brewing. Kausalyas parents were influential Thevars, an intermediate caste with significant political and economic clout, and relatives had seen the couple together after college. After a particularly nasty fight at home, Kausalya decided to drop out, marry Shankar and support him through college. They wed in the presence of his friends but despite growing threats, decided to not flee the state. That decision would later come to haunt them.

On March 12, 2016 the couple travelled in Udumalaipettai town to buy Shankar a new shirt. As they walked to the bus stand, a gang of men armed with hatchets and sickles on motorcycles waylaid the couple and hacked 22-year-old Shankar  the grisly murder caught live in a traffic camera to be later beamed to the world. Kausalya barely survived.

The tragedy blindsided her. In May that year, she allegedly tried to kill herself amid the crushing loneliness and disappointment at the apathy of mainstream parties, who stayed away to placate the powerful Thevar vote. Closure came slowly. She cut her hair, shunned make-up and even her favourite bindi, prepared for a tough job exam and is today a successful officer. I dont want to depend on anyoneI want to build a new life. So I changed myself.

At 18, Kausalya married a Dalit man, transgressing the inviolate bounds of caste that regulate the lives and loves of millions of Indians.

But it isnt easy to leave the spectre of caste in a state that has seen a string of riots and atrocities from the 50s. Next week, Kausalya is travelling to Tiruvannamalai, where a group of dominant caste Vanniyar youth allegedly ransacked a Dalit village and killed a man, all for the crime of an inter-caste romance  an almost blow-by-blow repeat of the Dharmapuri massacre of 2013.

C Lakshmanan at the Madras Institute of Development Studies estimates around 150 such cases happen every year  a curious occurrence in the land of social reformist Periyar where both major parties claim his anti-caste legacy.

No, actually. Anti-Brahmin politics isnt anti-caste politics, it just replaces hegemony. Non-brahmins never thought of annihilating caste but held on to the rhetoric, he says.

He points to the murder of Dalit man Gokulraj in 2015  almost identical to Shankars  and how his alleged killer triumphantly surrendered to the police with an adoring crowd of 2,000-odd men. There are no Dalits in decision making positions in police and politics. No judicial commission set up for these cases has had a Dalit judge.

Kausalya knows this, and is prepared for an uphill battle. But she says the nights are the toughest to pass, when she is alone and thinks of Shankar. You know, he used to call me papa (little girl), he would do the dishes, wouldnt let me work.

The young girl who spent her days listening to love songs is now surrounded by anti-caste books, and says she sometimes feels like a prisoner. Our country got independence but we dont even have the freedom to love. But her fight against caste steadies her  I remember Periyars saying Religion makes animals out of humans, caste makes garbage and I find the strength to fight for our freedom.

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Indian and Pakistani troops traded heavy fire on Sunday along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch district, according to defence sources.

Pakistan Army began indiscriminate firing and shelling on our positions at 8.30 a.m. on the LoC in Mendhar sectors Mankote.

The firing is ongoing and our forces are effectively retaliating, the sources added.

On Saturday, a civilian and a junior level Army officer were killed in Pakistan shelling in Poonchs Krishna Ghati sector.
In the midst of evolving security situation in the region, India and Russia will hold a mega war game in October involving their armies, navies and the air forces for the first time to further ramp up military ties.

The exercise Indra, which will be held in Russia from October 19 to 29, will primarily focus on achieving coordination between forces of the two countries in a tri- services integrated theatre command scenario, military sources said.

It will be for the first time India will participate in a tri-services exercise with a foreign country with such a large scale participation by the navy, the army and the air force, they said.

A total of 350 Indian Army personnel will participate at the mega exercise and the contingent will be led by a major- general rank official. The contingents by the Navy and the IAF will also be sizeable in numbers, the sources said.

The exercise is taking place at a time when Indias ties with China have nosedived due to the simmering border dispute and its ties with Pakistan have deteriorated over cross-border terrorism and number of other issues.

The sources said the exercise will take place in three locations in Russia including in mountainous Vladivostok region.

The armies, navies and air forces of Russia are holding bilateral exercises separately but this is for the first time, both the countries will carry out a tri-services exercise.

Russia has been a long-standing defence partner of India and both the countries are now eyeing to further deepen the ties.

During Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Russia in June, both countries had decided to upgrade and intensify defence cooperation through joint manufacture, co-production and co-development of key military hardware and equipment.

A vision document, issued then had said that both the countries also decided to work towards a qualitatively higher level of military-to-military cooperation.

India has already decided to significantly ramp up its defence capability and has lined up billions of dollars of procurement proposals as part of military modernisation.

The armies, navies and air forces of Russia are holding bilateral exercises separately but this is for the first time, both the countries will carry out a tri-services exercise.
Over 10,000 people of different communities gathered at the popular Zoo Lake resort in Johannesburg to mark Indias Independence Day with Indian-origin artists enthralling the audience by their performances.

The India Day was hosted here by the India Club two days before the Independence Day.

Visitors were enthralled by the music and dance performances by expatriates and South African-Indian artists. People also got an opportunity to savour different Indian regional cuisines.

The highlight of the day was the performance by Anavarata Dance Institute, compromising African dancers led by second generation dance instructor Anushia Pillay. It performed dances to music from all regions of India.

Children and young adults with roots in Indian states staged many performances showcasing their unique cultures.

From humble beginnings 12 years ago, India Day has evolved into a massive undertaking in which NRIs and the local Indian community work together for months, said Debajit Shome, one of the organisers, said.

In her first public address since taking office, new Indian High Commissioner Ruchira Kamboj expressed her happiness at the massive turnout at the event.

Kamboj, who served a term a decade ago as Consul General in Cape Town, described her new position in Pretoria as a homecoming.

I have come to realise that this country possesses not only a uniquely genuine spirit of welcoming, but also serves as an epitome of reconciliation, she said.

Kamboj said Indias relations with South Africa were based on acceleration and expansion.

Since, 1994, and the end of apartheid, trade has emboldened, cultural and economic ties have deepened, and people-to-people ties have solidified, she said.

The relationship between India and South Africa is truly special - it stands for peace in a times of turmoil; serves as a platform for collaboration in times of chaos; and above all, is an alliance of trust and conviction, Kamboj said.
The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government locked horns with the Centre over how to celebrate Independence Day on August 15 in schools across the state.

The state government instructed schools to ignore a directive issued earlier by the human resources development ministry asking education institutions to follow a centre- prescribed format for I-D celebration.

The state government took the stand amid the ongoing controversy over BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government making it compulsory for Madrasa students to sing the national song Vande Mataram on I-day.

In its circular, HRD ministry directed all educational institutions to conduct quiz contests, lectures and debates among others on the occasion. The schools were advised to submit supporting video recordings of the celebrations to the office of Sarva Shiksha Mission (SSM) by August 31, 2017.

In the counter- circular issued by state school education department, (a copy of which is availed by HT), district project officers of the SSM, has been asked to immediately instruct all schools and educational institutions to stop making preparations for the celebration as per the format prescribed by the Centre.

It has been decided by the state school education department that Independence Day 2017 will not be celebrated in that manner, the state government circular reads.

West Bengal education minister Partha Chaterjee said the state government is not bound to follow the directive of the Union government on this matter.

We do not need lessons of patriotism from BJP. Independence Day will be celebrated here this year in the same manner it has been celebrated all these years, he said.

Another member of the state cabinet said on condition of anonymity that the counter- circular has been issued following an instruction from the chief minister herself.

Banerjee has been accusing the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre of destroying the countrys federal structure.

Chief minister feels this is yet another attempt by the Centre to undermine state governments authority. This is against the federal structure of India, the minister said.

She feels the Centre cannot dictate how schools of the state will celebrate Independence Day, since state governments are quite conscious of the importance of the occasion and how it should be celebrated, the minister added.

The BJP said it was just another way of the chief minister to oppose Union government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The partys state unit president Dilip Ghosh speaking to HT said the state government was resorting to anti-national activities by issuing the counter circular.

Is West Bengal out of India? The Union government provides major portion of funds under SSM and hence it has the right to enquire whether the funds are utilised properly or not, Ghosh said.
The environment ministry approved last week the National Wildlife Action Plan (2017-2031) that shifts focus from management of protected areas to that of the entire landscape. For the first time, the plan calls to make people an intrinsic part of the process to check rising human-animal conflict.

In eight years since 2009, 2,920 people were killed by tigers and elephants, a jump of over 30% since 2000. While the traditional conflict zones remain, recent years have seen a spurt in new hotspots such as Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, Haziribagh in Jharkhand and Palakkad in Kerala because of fragmentation of wildlife corridors and degradation of forests.

The plan is a major conservation shift as we are calling a spade a spade, said Vinod B Mathur, director of Dehradun-based Wildlife Institute of India (WII). It was after Mathurs presentation that the plan was approved by environment minister Harsh Vardhan. It is for the first time that the plan incorporates climate resilience and links it to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS). It also underscores implementation of endangered species recovery plan of wild animals in all ecosystems --- terrestrial, inland aquatic, costal and marine.

Mathur said the plan was approved at the last standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife meeting and it was decided that the government will seek funds from the private sector under their corporate social responsibility (CSR). The law makes it mandatory for companies to spare 2% of their profit for CSR. Implementing the action plan will be made part of the conditions in the forest and wildlife approval for projects, a ministry official said.

The governments funding for wildlife management has not increased substantially and in some states, the budget has shrunk despite revenue from tourism being on the rise. This concern was raised by wildlife experts in the committee but the officials did not have a solution. The plan will be launched during wildlife week in October.

Man-animal conflict

The plan recognises increase in human conflict with animals saying that rising population and spree of developmental projects has increased pressure on biotic resources in and around wildlife areas bringing animals within human range.

Damage to agriculture crops primarily because of rise in population of black buck and nilgai in several states and impact of climate change are other reasons cited for rising conflict. The plan recommends setting up of quick response teams, GPS-based surveillance tools around highly sensitive protected areas, quick disbursal of compensation to victims and improve management of wildlife corridors as some ways to reduce the conflict.

It shifts approach from protecting wildlife areas to conserving entire landscape. India has five main wildlife landscapes --- Eastern Ghat, Western Ghat, Gangetic belt, Central India and north-eastern.

Climate change

The plan identifies climate change as the biggest challenge for the wildlife zones in India covering 4.89% of Indias geographical area saying it would lead to higher forest fires, more insect and pathogen attack, increase in sea levels and impact on water bodies in forests.

The plan calls for long-term studies on impact of climate change on land and marine biodiversity and including climate change as important aspect of state wildlife and coastal management plans. It also says that all protected areas should be graded on climate change vulnerability index, climate proofing of wildlife areas should be done and a long term plant and animal regeneration programme should be initiated.

Forest rights

The plan also covers the contentious recognition of forest rights saying public support is no longer a matter of choice but an absolute necessity in wildlife management but recommends expansion of government controlled forest management committees in green habitats even outside reserve forests. Forest right activists have opposed such moves in past saying the ultimate peoples voice in forests should be gram sabha (body of villagers) not forest committees. The plan, however, says that people must have stake in wildlife conservation through government-run programmes.

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The government is working towards a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue without compromising on the identity of the people there, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday, alluding to fears that the attempts were being made to revoke the special status of the troubled state.

Addressing India TVs conclave on anti-terrorism, he said the door for talks with the separatist Hurriyat Conference were open though he did not elaborate on the measures being taken to permanently solve the decades-long Kashmir imbroglio.

Singh also said there was no possibility of a dialogue with Pakistan till the neighbouring country stops aiding anti-India terror activities from its soil.

He said the Kashmir problem was too simple to be solved soon and would take a time to find a permanent solution.

Whatever steps we are now taking in Kashmir is towards a permanent solution to the issue. I will not like to clarify much, and it would not be proper too... I cannot say that I will resolve the problem within few months but the efforts are on.

In remarks that are likely to bring tempers down in the Kashmir Valley over fears that any attempt at doing away with the special status of the state, Singh said: Kashmir should maintain its identity.

The comments assume significance in the backdrop of a raging debate over the continuity of articles 370 and 35(A) of the Constitution that give Jammu and Kashmir, Indias only Muslim-majority state, its special status.

Article 35(A) has been challenged by a Delhi-based NGO, We the Citizens, in the Supreme Court, where the central government said last month that there was a need for a larger debate on the issue of declaring the article unconstitutional.

Added to the Constitution by a Presidential Order in 1954, the article accords special rights and privileges to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and empowers its legislature to frame any law without attracting a legal challenge.

The provision prohibits all Indians  except people from Jammu and Kashmir  from purchasing immovable property in the state, getting government jobs and availing state-sponsored scholarships. The NGO contended that the 1954 order was supposed to be a temporary provision.

The home minister, who met chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, in New Delhi on Thursday reiterated that the central government had left its doors open for every individual or group for talks on how to bring peace in the Kashmir Valley and are still open.

My door is always open, we have never closed the path of talks. I never said no to a meeting. Whenever I visited Kashmir, I have an open invitation to all, Singh said in response to a question over the possibility of talks with separatists in the valley.

He said the situation in the Kashmir Valley was improving and that there has been a decline in stone-pelting incidents. He said to stop youth from taking part in the violent street protests, the government was making efforts to provide employment opportunities to them.

We are not satisfied with this (decline). Stone-pelting must stop altogether. We have to provide jobs to Kashmiri youths, Rajnath Singh said.

He said the state PDP-BJP coalition government led by Mufti was cooperating with the Centre in its efforts to bring peace in the state and eliminate militants.

I can say emphatically that the state government is not obstructing our fight against terrorism. I salute the state police for its efforts to curb terrorism, he said.

He said the common agenda of governance between the PDP and the BJP is an experiment which is continuing.

He said talks with Pakistan have halted for now but the peace process could resume if the neighbouring country assures New Delhi that it will not let its soil used by terrorists to perpetrate attacks against India.

Pakistan will have to change (its stance), if not today, tomorrow (Aaj nahin sudharega, toh kal sudharna padega), he said.

Asked why India cannot carry out an Abbottabad-type operation in which Osama bin Laden was killed by US Marines, the home minister replied: India today is not weak. We are now stronger. It is a question of time as to what to do, then we will see.

On a possible return of migrant Kashmiri Pandits to the valley, the home minister said that during late chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeeds tenure, it was agreed that they would be rehabilitated.

I have been told some land had been earmarked. Instead of setting up separate colonies, a certain percentage from other communities would have settled with them. The Centre had no objections. But conditions changed for the worse, and the implementation is getting delayed. I cannot say that this will happen in a year or six months. It cannot be done in a hurry, he said.
Workers of the student affiliate of opposition Samajwadi Party hurled tomatoes at UP health minister Siddharth Nath Singhs residence in Allahabad on Sunday evening as death of children in a government hospital in Gorakhpur triggered a political blame game in the state.

Former Allahabad University Students Union vice-president and a leader of Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha ,Adeel Hamza, who led the protesters, said the state government should take responsibility for the death and the chief minister should immediately resign.

Yogi Adityanath-led Bharatiya Janata Party government came under severe criticism after at least 64 children have died over six days in Baba Raghav Das Medical College amid allegation that the hospital had allegedly defaulted on payments of Rs 68 lakh to oxygen suppliers over several months.

Singh had admitted oxygen supply was disrupted for two hours on Thursday night but ruled it out as the reason for the tragedy.

Opposition parties have been demanding resignation of the chief minister and the health minister over the tragedy.

Hamza said immediate action should be taken against those responsible for the loss of lives otherwise they will launch a massive protest.

No FIR was registered against the protestors when reports last came in.

The protestors were dispersed after a large contingent of police rushed to Singhs residence in Rajapur area of the city. Neither Singh nor any member of his family was present at the residence during the incident.
Janata Dal (United) leader Ali Anwar on Sunday said that senior party leader Sharad Yadavs exclusion will send a wrong message in the political arena, adding the latter has equal rights on the party when compared to Bihar Chief Minister and party chief Nitish Kumar.

Sharad Yadav is the founder of the party. He has worked for the Dalits and the backward class. His exclusion from the party will send out a wrong message. He has a flawless personality in front of the nation. He is right that JD (U) is not only Nitish Kumars party but it is equally his, Anwar told ANI.

Meanwhile, another JD (U) leader KC Tyagi said that Yadavs steps will result in rift within the party.

JD (U) is a party of all but nobody is allowed to create a ruckus within the party. Yadavs steps will result in rift within the party, he added.

The JD (U) on Saturday affirmed that there is no split in the party, however, adding its not hopeful of Yadav and Ali Anwar of attending the party meeting on August 19.

There is no split in JD (U) as such. We are holding a party meeting on August 19, but I dont think that Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar will come, Tyagi said addressing a press conference.

Meanwhile, responding to his replacement by Ram Chander Singh in the Rajya Sabha due to his anti-party activities, Sharad Yadav said that he doesnt take such matters seriously.

However, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday said Yadav has every right to take his own decision as to where his loyalties lie, adding the decision to form an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was made with the consent of the entire party.

Yadav had, earlier on Saturday, claimed that he had sent fellow party leader Ali Anwar to attend a meeting of opposition parties convened by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, so that Bihar-like grand alliance is replicated countrywide.

Anwar was suspended from the JD (U) parliamentary party for participating in the Opposition meeting called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
In a humanitarian gesture, external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj assured visa to a Pakistani woman who is suffering from cancer for her treatment in India.

Swaraj conveyed the decision of granting the medical visa to Pakistani woman Faiza Tanveer on Twitter.

Thanks for your greetings on Indias Independence day. We are giving you the visa for your treatment in India, she tweeted.

Thanks for your greetings on India's Independence day. We are giving you the visa for your treatment in India. https://t.co/jThT2KayoZ  Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 13, 2017

Earlier, Tanveer had requested Swaraj to grant her a medical visa and said she should not be denied it as India is about to celebrate the auspicious occasion of its 70th Independence Day.
A medical aspirant suffering from thalassemia who cleared NEET has not secured admission under the disability quota in Chhattisgarh because the state does not recognise the disorder under the category that provides for reservation for the physically handicapped.

The girl has now knocked at the doors of the Supreme Court, which on Friday ordered the state government to constitute a medical board within two days to examine the candidate after she claimed that thalassemia is a benchmark disability under the Right of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, under the disability quota for admission to any medical stream.

It is the duty of every institution to extend helping hand in its command to the disabled persons, the SC bench headed by justice Dipak Misra emphasised in its order. The said statutory command, needless to say, has to be followed in letter and spirit, the bench said, underlining the 2016 legislation under which 5% of seats for persons with benchmark disability are required to be reserved. The legislation is a welfare measure and its the duty of everyone to see the provisions are carried out with quite promptitude.

The bench directed states counsel, CD Singh, to place medical boards results before the court on August 8. In case the petitioner passes the benchmark as per the 2016 Act, her case may be considered, the court noted.

A resident of Raipur, the petitioner was ranked sixth in the physically handicapped category for the Chhattisgarh. According to the state, the government-run medical colleges are governed by the Medical Council of India conditions that do not recognise Thalassemia as a benchmark disability.

The 2016 Act has widened the meaning of the word disability to include more classes and cases of disability. Section 2(r) defines person with benchmark disability to be a person with not less than forty per cent of a specified disability.

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Siwan ex-MP Mohammed Shahabuddin may be lodged in Delhis Tihar jail but his importance for the RJD does not seem to have diminished.

On Sunday, RJD chief Lalu Prasad sang paeans to the Siwan strongman in his native place and even admitted his conversation with the former MP while in a Bihar jail, as featured in an audio tape aired by a TV news channel in May.

Yes, I did have a talk with Shahabuddin when he was in jail. He had complained about the trouble brewing in Siwan during Ram Navami and how the SP was not discharging his duties properly, he said.

Prasad also referred to the bad publicity he had faced after the tape was aired, for talking to a criminal. But I am grateful to Shahabuddin for not switching loyalties, he said, claiming that ex-MP had refused to leave RJD despite being asked to do so by CM Kumar once.

Shahabuddin is following the law, he said, referring to the former MPs incarceration in Tihar jail.

Sources said Lalus praise for Shahabuddin was to show solidarity with the Siwan strongman, knowing well the latters considerable clout among muslims in the Siwan-Gopalganj-Saran region of north Bihar. It was also intended to drum up support for his upcoming rally against the BJP at Gandhi Maidan in Patna on August 27.

The RJD chief is addressing the Muslim constituency more aggressively now, realizing how the BJP and JD (U) having joining hands to form a government may alter RJDs poll prospects in the three districts, where polarisation on caste and religious lines is a deciding factor in poll victory, said an RJD leader.

In the November 2005 and 2010 assembly polls, the NDA had won a big number of seats in this region, breaking RJDs dominance in the three districts, as also in other north Bihar districts.

This is perhaps why Prasad, on Sunday, inducted into the RJD former minister Awadh Bihari Choudhary, who had left the RJD in 2012 and had lost the 2015 assembly polls as an independent candidate.

During his address, the RJD chief took potshots at CM Kumar for joining hands with BJP to form a new government by breaking ranks with the grand alliance, saying he had now become popular as Paltu Ram.

He also reiterated the demand for a CBI probe into the allegedly fraudulent transfer of funds from government accounts to account of an NGO, Srijan, in Bhagalpur.

We will not allow the matter to be hushed up. The government is only arresting lower rung officials whereas big people are involved. Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi should be dismissed (for his alleged culpability in the scam), he said.

Referring to the August 27 rally, Prasad said it would be attended by big anti-BJP leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, BSP chief Mayawati, SP president Akhilesh Yadav and others.

Prasad also showed his usual wit when he invited all to come to the rally WT, clarifying the acronym WT should be understood as with ticket.

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The Government Railway Police (GRP) has arrested a Tripura militant in Assam who planned to incite violence ahead of Independence Day and recovered a large quantity of ammunition from him, police said here on Sunday.

During a routine checking, the GRP personnel arrested the militant identified as Naresh Chakma, 34, at Badarpur railway junction on Saturday. Over 600 cartridges were recovered from the extremist, a Tripura police official said.

While the police were checking Chakmas bags, his associate Biswajoy Chakma managed to escape.

Biswajoy was also carrying some arms and huge ammunition. Both are residents of Natun Bazar village in Gomati district, the official said, adding that Naresh confessed to the GRP officials that they had planned to incite violence before Independence Day.

However, it is not yet clear if the militants belonged to the outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT).

Naresh also told the GRP interrogators that he along with Biswajoy were staying at a hideout in Comilla (eastern Bangladesh). On August 1, they entered India though the Meghalaya border and went to Dimapur (Nagaland) to purchase the bullets of different sophisticated arms from a Myanmar arms smuggler, the official said

NLFT cadres undergo arms training in several hideouts in Bangladesh, which shares a 1,880-km border with Tripura (856 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Mizoram (318 km) and Assam (263 km).

Banned in 1997 by the Union Home Ministry, the outlawed outfit had sought Tripuras secession from India.
A top American commander has offered the US help to India to modernise its military, saying that together they can improve Indias military capabilities in significant and meaningful ways.

Over the past decade, the defence trade between the US and India has touched nearly $15 billion and is expected to gallop in the next few years, as India is looking at the US for some of the latest military hardware including fighter jets, latest unmanned aerial vehicles and aircraft carriers.

I believe that the US is ready to help India modernise its military. India has been designated a major defence partner of the US. This is a strategic declaration thats unique to India and the US. It places India on the same level that we have many of our treaty allies, commander of the US Pacific Command or PACOM Admiral Harry Harris told PTI.

This is important, and I believe that together we will be able to improve Indias military capabilities in significant and meaningful ways, said Harris, who has been personally pushing for a strong India-US defence relationship.

The admiral said he is fairly happy with the level of defence cooperation that exists today between the two sides.

We have been partners with India in the Malabar exercise series, the maritime exercise, for a number of years. I participated in one of the very first... one of the early Malabars, in 1995, he recollected, reflecting on the decades old association with India.

Noting that the exercise, and the complexity of it, has improved steadily over the years, he said he is very pleased that Japan is part of Malabar.

I think the trilateral relationship between India and Japan and the US, that relationship is very important, he said as he advocated for Australia too joining this group.

We could explore together bringing Australia into the exercise. That has merit. Theres a lot of common interests in the Indian Ocean, between Australia and India. But thats really a decision for India to make, and then a decision for Australia to participate, if so invited. Ill leave that to those two countries, Harris said in response to a question.

According to Harris, there is a lot that India and the US can do together.

Im pleased that India is a participant in Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the Pacific exercise thats hosted every other year in Hawaii. Im pleased in general with where the relationship is going, and I look forward to more as the years progress, he said.

Responding to a question on Indias decision against the American move to have a joint India-US naval patrol in the Indian Ocean, Harris said the US is not disappointed at all.

Im not disappointed. This is on the patrols... Im not disappointed at all, Im encouraged that we were able to have a discussion about it, and I hope that that discussion remains open, he said.

We stand ready to participate at whatever level India wants us to participate, Harris said.

Harris refrained from giving any answer on India and the United States starting to share information about Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean region.

I dont want to answer the question, because I dont want to imply that Im sharing intelligence, or anything like that. Ill just simply say that a close relationship between US and India is clearly helpful to the United States, and I believe helpful to India as well, Harris said in response.

Harris reiterated that he believes that the deepening US-India relationship is the defining strategic partnership for the 21st century.

Im very interested, and very supportive, of whats happening in India. The Indian armed forces, and that whole piece. I think that the opportunities for our two countries are simply great. Its fantastic, Harris said.

Noting that India remains an important line of effort at Pacific Command, Harris said Americas national leadership is working closely with Indias to grow the partnership between the two countries.
Yoga guru Ramdev said on Sunday his consumer products company is in the process of acquiring land in Jammu and Kashmir to set up a unit there and would also offer jobs to youth in the state.

Speaking on terrorism in the country, Ramdev said, Any one who masters the art of Yoga can never become a terrorist. Not a single person who mastered Yoga ever became a terrorist in history.

Replying to questions on violence in the Kashmir Valley, he said children should be taught good things about all religions as it will bring harmony among religions.

I believe Yoga can cure the thought process of those creating menace in the valley, he said while speaking at the the India TV conclave.

Ramdev said Patanjali is in the process of acquiring 150 acres of land in Jammu and Kashmir, and would be offering jobs to Kashmiri youth.

He also called for boycott of Chinese goods, saying that India is ready to counter China on every front.

Even the idols of our gods are imported from China. As Indians, we should boycott Chinese products for the reason that it (China) supports Pakistan, he added.

The yoga exponent, known for his airing his political views, said India should take back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and support Balochistans movement for independence.
In three weeks since he took over, President Ram Nath Kovind has given assent to six key legislations, including the one that extends the jurisdiction of trial in cases of maritime claims, arrests and detentions of ships to various courts.

All the legislations, which got the presidential nod, were recently passed by Parliament.

The Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Act, 2017, which got the presidential assent recently, repeals two archaic laws -- 156-year-old Admiralty Court Act, 1861, and 127-year-old Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890.

A bill in this regard was cleared by the Rajya Sabha on April 24. The Lok Sabha passed the bill on March 10.

The colonial era legislations came into force when the country had only three major ports -- Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. So, at present also, admiralty disputes could be decided by the high courts in these cities only.

The new Act extends jurisdiction for maritime claims and vests it with the respective high courts and over the territorial waters of their respective jurisdictions.

The President has also approved the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) bill, 2017.

Eleven lakh teachers appointed till March 2015 under the Right to Education (RTE) Act will now get time till 2019 to acquire the prescribed minimum qualifications for firming up their appointments, as per the new Act.

The Rajya Sabha had on August 1 passed a bill in this regard. The Lok Sabha cleared the bill in July this year.

As per the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, which came into effect from April 1, 2010, these teachers were to acquire minimum qualifications within five years i.e. by March 31, 2015.

The President also approved the Collection of Statistics (Amendment) bill, 2017, which empowers the Centre to collect socio-economic and other statistical data from Jammu and Kashmir.

A bill to amend Collection of Statistics Act, 2008, was passed by the Rajya Sabha on July 26 even as various opposition parties had objected to it saying it was not proper in view of Article 370 which grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The Lok Sabha approved the bill in April.

The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public- private Partnership) bill, 2017, the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (Amendment) bill, 2017 and the Footwear Design and Development Institute bill, 2017, have also got the presidential approval.

The Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public- Private Partnership) Act, 2017 grants statutory status to the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) and declare them as Institutions of National Importance. There are 15 IIITs across the country.

The National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research (Amendment) Act, 2017 gives the status of national importance to the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) at Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh) and Berhampur (Odisha).

A bill to amend the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research Act, 2007 (NITSER Act) was passed by the Rajya Sabha on July 16 and by the Lok Sabha on March 28 this year.

The Footwear Design and Development Institute Act, 2017, empowers the Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI) in Uttar Pradeshs Noida to grant degrees and diplomas.

It also declares the FDDI as an institution of national importance for the promotion and development of quality and excellence in education, research and training in all disciplines relating to footwear and leather products design and development.

The Footwear Design and Development Institute bill, 2017 was passed by the Rajya Sabha on July 24 and by the Lok Sabha on April 5.
Congress on Sunday demanded the resignation of Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath over what it called the murder of over 60 children due to lack of oxygen in BRD medical college in Gorakhpur over three days.

Addressing a press conference in Lucknow a day after his visit to the medical college, UP Congress Committee (UPCC) president Raj Babbar claimed the government was directly responsible for the killing of so many innocent children, and the CM must resign on moral grounds or he should be sacked.

He said the tragedy was all the more shameful because it happened in Gorakhpur, Adityanaths partliamentary constituency. If Yogi Adityanath cannot take care of a medical college in Gorakhpur, how can he run the entire state? he asked.

Babbar also demanded filing of criminal cases against those responsible for disruption of oxygen supply to the hospital due to non-payment of bills to the private suppler.

Questioning the likely outcome of the inquiry set up in the matter, the Congress leader said the CM had already given his verdict by saying no deaths happened due to lack of oxygen supply even before the probe panel was set up.

Terming state health minister Siddharth Nath Singhs remark that number of deaths in BRD medical college always went up in August, as highly insensitive, Babbar said the minister must disassociate himself from the great name of late prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. Singh is the maternal grandson of the countrys second prime minister.

Babbar also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his delayed response to the tragedy. The PM was more concerned about the forest fire in Portugal and how to welcome US President Donald Trumps daughter in India, he noted.

Babbar said Congress would hit the streets over the tragedy but did not give any date for the stir.
This Independence Day, ditch the boring fare and try these interesting tricolour inspired dishes. Start your day with a healthy Thai curry, follow it up with a tasty pasta and end on a sweet note with the mousse. And trust us, these dishes are sure to win you major brownie points on social media too. So, cook, click and enjoy.

Tiranga bowl

* Ingredients

For the curry: Red Thai curry paste, 50gm // Lemongrass, 5gm // Coconut milk, 100ml // Vegetable stock, 50ml // Basil, one sprig // Salt, to taste // Sugar, a pinch // Oil, 1tsp

For noodles: Glass noodles, 50 gm // Salt, 5gm // Oil, 1 tsp

For greens: Baby spinach, 30gm // Baby bok choy, 30 gm // Butter, 5gm // Garlic, 2 cloves // Salt, 2-3gm //

* Method

For the curry: Heat oil in a pan, add lemongrass and red Thai curry paste // Saute for a minute, add some stock and seasoning // Boil for a few minutes, add in the coconut milk and let it simmer for a few minutes.

For glass noodle: Soak the noodles in cold water for at least an hour // Strain and toss in hot oil, add salt // Set it aside.

For greens: Heat butter in a pan, add chopped garlic and saute // Add boy choy and spinach and saute for a minute // Add some salt // To assemble, pour the curry, next place the noodles and then the greens, all to look like the tricolour.

Recipe by Sunny Punjabi, sous chef, Dishkiyaoon

Rasmalai and saffron mousse

Rasmalai and saffron mousse

* Ingredients

For Pista sponge: Icing sugar, 60gm // Flour, 15gm // Pista powder, 60gm // Egg white, 100gm // Castor sugar, 30gm

For Saffron mousse: Cream, 400ml // Saffron, .25gm // Milk, 50ml // White chocolate, 50gm // Yolk, 4 // Sugar, 70gm // Gelatin, 1 // Rasmalai, 6

* Method: Preheat the oven to 180 degree C // For the pista spone, sieve icing sugar, flour and pista powder together // Line a baking tray with butter paper // Whisk egg whites till stiff peaks are formed. Add the castor sugar, keep whisking till the meringue holds stiff // Fold in the pista mixture to the meringue. Pour the sponge mix onto the tray and spread evenly // Bake the sponge till it is firm to touch, about 10 minutes

For the mouse: Heat the milk and steep the saffron in it. Keep it wrapped for half an hour // Whisk whipping cream, soak the gelatin in chilled water // Make a sabayon by whisking egg yolks, sugar over double boiler // Add the saffron flavoured milk to it and mix well, before adding the white chocolate // Take out the gelatin leaf and heat it till it melts. Add the liquid to warm saffron mixture and mix it well // Fold in the whipped cream to this mixture // For assembly, cut rounds of pasta sponge, layer it with rasmalai, followed by saffron mousse. Set it in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Recipe by Chef Irfan Pabaney, chef and director, The Chocolate Spoon Company

Methi risotto

Fresh methi risotto with cottage cheese and thecha

* Ingredients: Boiled rice, 100gm // Methi leaves, 50gm // White wine, 35ml // Pine nuts, 10gm // Grano padno, 50gm // Olive oil, 10ml // Garlic, 5gm // Paneer, 50gm // Cherry tomatoes, 20gm // Cream, 50ml // Stock, 250ml

For thecha: Green chillies, 7gm // Peanuts, 8gm // Oil, 15ml // Salt, to taste // Garlic, 10gm

* Method: Pick the fenugreek leaves. Make turmeric water by adding a pinch of turmeric in water then add the methi leaves to wash them // Blanch the leaves and shock it in chill water. Squeeze and remove the excess amount water from the blanched methi // Make pesto of fenugreek by adding cheese, pine nut, garlic and olive oil // Boil the red rice. In fry pan add olive oil and garlic saute it, add the rice and a dash of white wine, then the stock little cream and cheese finish it with the pesto of fenugreek // In pasta plate, spoon out the risotto and top it with sauteed cherry tomatoes and deep fried paneer. Crush the peanuts , in a pan heat oil, saute garlic and green chili till brown. Season with salt and add in crushed peanuts. Mix well and allow it to cool.

Recipe by Chef Irfan Pabaney, chef and director, The Chocolate Spoon Company

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Every year, on Janmashtami (August 14 this year), we celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna. He was born on ashtami, that is, the eight day of the holy month, Shravana (as per the Hindu Lunar calendar).

On Janmashtami, people excitedly discuss the story of his birth and the amazing circumstances that surrounded it. In many Indian homes, idols of baby Krishna are bathed in milk, honey and water, and dressed in new clothes. Devotees also visit temples and offer prayers to Krishna.

The significance of Janmashtami:

Many many years ago, Mathura (in present day Uttar Pradesh) was in great distress while being ruled by King Kansa. The evil kings sister, Princess Devaki had been married to Vasudev. However, according to a prophecy it was believed that Devakis eighth child would be the one who would end Kansas rule, and kill him. Fearing for his life, Kansa put Vasudev and his sister behind bars.

Krishna fighting the Garuda bird, one of his many adventures. (Shutterstock)

He killed Devakis first six children as they were born. However, the seventh child, who was believed to have been miscarried, came to be in Princess Rohinis womb in Vrindavan (in present day Uttar Pradesh), growing up to be Krishnas elder brother Balram. When the eight child, Krishna, was born, it is said that the gods themselves helped Vasudev carry the baby to his cousin and sister-in-law, Nanda and Yashodas house in Vrindavan, where they would raise Krishna as their own son. There was heavy rain and thunder that day, amidst which Vasudev carried Krishna on his head through the Yamuna River. Shesh Nag (Snake God) himself arose and sheltered Krishna and Vasudev through the storm and choppy waters. After reaching Nandas house, Vasudev kept Krishna there, and came back with the girl that Nanda had been blessed with on the same day.

He hoped she would be saved since Kansa had believed that the eight child would be a boy, who would eventually kill him. But Kansa did try to kill her by throwing her against a rock; however, she rose in the form of the Goddess Durga, and warned him that he would face death at the hands of Krishna. As prophesied, Krishna ended Kansas life years later and Mathura was safe again.

Rituals observed during Janmashtami:

Lord Krishnas devotees fast on Janmashtami and eat only one meal a day before. The Krishna Abhishekam is performed (milk, ghee and water is used) and they offer bhog to Krishna.

What is Chappan Bhog?

After sunset, hymns are sung praising Krishna and devotes break their fast after midnight. On the next day, which is referred to as Nanda Utsav, the devotees put together 56 food items, referred to as Chappan Bhog. Post fasting, these items are distributed amongst the people. Some of the items present in the bhog are kheer, jalebi, malpua and dahi.

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A year after the BJP-led state government started the process to acquire land for a plan to set up Sea World or a coastal amusement park, it has failed to convince the owners to part with their land. The ambitious project requires around 300 acres of land in villages of Tondavali and Vayangani in Sindhudurg district, 471km from Mumbai.

Senior tourism department officials said that the project seemed to be on the back-burner. We have been trying to talk to people, but they are not ready to give the land. It looks difficult now. We cant force people or expect them to voluntarily give their land. Until then, we are helpless, tourism minister Jaykumar Rawal told HT.

The project was proposed under the Congress-NCP regime in 2009 but never took off. After the BJP-led government took over in 2014, it subsequently scaled down the size of the project. Initially, the government planned to acquire 1,390 acres, but it was later brought down to 300 acres, the minister said.

Terming it political opposition, the tourism minister said that the government had offered compensation that was much higher than the market rate, but land owners were not interested. They are going to get nearly four times the market rate as compensation, but there is political opposition, Rawal said. The government plans to acquire land through the private purchase route as the compensation will be as high as 3.75 times. They also hope that it will lower the villagers resistance.

The project aims to set up a tourist attraction on the lines of the US-based chain of water-themed amusement parks. It is part of the governments plan to develop the Konkan belt as a thriving tourist destination.

Apart from the amusement park, the government also plans to set up a skill development institute to generate employment in and around the region, and it also plans a marina in the area. All our plans are linked, and they would go hand in hand, but we need land first. Then we will invite private players, Rawal said.

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Last week, a leading Muslim preacher from Mumbai asked mosques and madrassas, or religion schools, to fly the national flag on Independence Day.

Maulana Syed Moinuddin Ashraf, called Moin Miya by his followers, is an influential figure and his advice on issues ranging from zakat donations during Ramzan and education are received with great gravity by those who attend his discourses. He runs the Jamia Qadriya Ashrafiya, which runs madrassas and other charity institutions. On Sunday, the Jamaat Ulema e Hind, a group representing religious scholars, asked madrassas to hoist the tricolor from their buildings.

Some of his followers, who take his advice on ecclesiastical matters, do not know what to make of this message. I have reservations about this, said one of them.

Muslims say that they have had to wear their patriotism more explicitly and express their nationalism more volubly than other Indians. Kannada writer Bolwar Mahamad Kunhi, while speaking at a recent event, wondered whether Indian Muslims, besides praying five times a day as their religious duty, will have to put their patriotism on display five times a day too.

The demands are relentless. After the September 2016 attack on an army camp in Uri, in which soldiers were killed by terrorists, civil society groups in Mumbai organised meetings to protest against the incident and to commemorate the dead soldiers. Most of the groups that gathered in the city for the commemoration were Muslims.

Recently, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation passed a resolution making singing of Vande Mataram compulsory in all schools it runs. The decision would not have been very controversial but for the fact that a large number of these schools offer instruction in Urdu. Muslims have issues with the song because of its deification of the country and some municipal corporators have protested against the diktat, explaining that they would sing other national songs. Around two years ago, the high court of Uttar Pradesh asked the state government to ensure that Muslim religious schools hoisted the national flag on Independence Day and Republic Day.

Many Indians are asking why one group is under persistent pressure to display their patriotism, but the Muslim organisations that have issued instructions do not think of it in that way. Maulana Mustkim Azmi, a member of the Jamaat Ulema, said, The Hindus can ask temples to display the national flag and the Christians can ask churches to do that. Moin Miya, as a Muslim, can ask his community to fly the national flag; there is nothing offensive in saying that. We have made sacrifices for this country and we have to remind everyone about that.

Maulana Arif Umri, another member of Jamaat e Ulema, said that he did not find these appeals annoying. There are two reasons why Muslims need to commemorate these days more actively. Madrassas used to do it but students now look at these days as a break from school, said Umri. The second reason is that Muslims are accused of keeping themselves away from celebrations of national pride. If this is the perception we have to send the message that we too have a stake in the countrys future as everybody else.

The Jamaat e Ulema has excluded mosques from the list of institutions asked by them to fly the national flag. This is because we want the Independence Day celebrations to be attended by every community and this will to be possible in a mosque, explained Umri.

Dr Zeenat Shaukat Ali, former head of the department of Islamic Studies, St Xaviers College, said that she did not look at the direction as a forced one. He (Moin Miya) did it voluntarily and not because some organisation asked him to. He did it from his heart, said Ali.

What is the harm if we start (flying the national flag from religious buildings) even if we have not done it earlier, said Ali. It is a very positive action because it todays world it is important to show everyone what is been done, which should not be. It will silence them (those who accuse Muslims of lacking in patriotism). You have to meet communities half way; you have to take a step. Everything today is about what you see, unfortunately, said Ali.

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After its attempt to rent flats in South Mumbai for its legislators found no response from housing societies and developers, the state government plans to move them to the newly constructed flats for government employees at Ghatkopar. The legislators who have refused to move to far-off Ghatkopar may be given a monthly rent to vacate Manora Hostel at Nariman Point.

After the ceiling slab in a room occupied by an MLA at the hostel collapsed two weeks ago, the state legislature had published an advertisement to rent 175 fully-furnished flats for the legislators. The legislature wants the legislators to vacate 338 rooms for the hostels makeover. But the advertisement has got no response from developers and societies.

A government official said, We wanted 550 sqft flats, which were not available in South Mumbai. Secondly, they are very expensive. Most importantly, societies and developers are not easily willing to rent the flats to legislators for various reasons.

Manora hostel is in a bad condition. Unless the legislators are given temporary accommodation, we cannot ask them to vacate the hostel. We have now requested the government for an alternative arrangement, said an official from the legislature.

Barring the ministers and four presiding officers of the legislature, the government needs about 325 flats to accommodate the legislators. With 203 rooms available at Akashwani and Colaba hostels, the government is falling short of about 125 flats. Legislators are given two flats each. The state has now decided to offer 400 sq ft one BHK flats at Ghatkopar as temporary accommodation to the MLAs. We have 1,100 flats at Ghatkopar, of which 400 have been occupied by government employees. Except 80 MLAs from Mumbai, Thane and Pune, we have decided to accommodate other legislators at Akashwani and Colaba hostel. The second flat may be offered at Ghatkopar. The MLAs from the three cities may be given a compensation of around Rs50,000. I have visited the Ghatkopar flats, which are in a good condition, public works department minister Chandrakant Patil told HT.

The legislators had demanded flats at various locations in South Mumbai, including Colaba, Cuffe Parade, Malabar Hill, Worli, Wadala and Dadar.

READ

Maharashtra lawmakers get monthly salary hike with immediate effect

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After the first attempt to invite bids for the Chhatrapati Shivaji memorial project increased the estimated cost manifold, the state government is considering splitting the project into four or five contracts.

The state may float around five tenders simultaneously. The government is thinking about one contract for the reclamation of land on the islet where the mid-sea memorial is expected to come up, one for the actual civil construction, a third for the statue, and one for the finishing and landscaping, said Shiv Sangram leader Vinayak Mete, who heads the committee that overlooks the project.

For the jetty to reach the memorial, we are considering yet another separate contract. We will hold a meeting next week and decide, said Mete, while adding that chief minister Devendra Fadnavis will take the final call.

Initially, the estimated cost of the 17th century Maratha warrior kings memorial in the Arabian Sea was Rs3,600 crore and the first phase was expected to cost around Rs2,500 crore. However, in its first attempt to bid out the project, the lowest bidder, Larsen & Toubro, quoted Rs3,826 crore, 53% higher than the state governments estimate. The state government has been attempting to negotiate with the lowest bidder and has also been considering re-tendering the project to lower the cost.

Mete said, In an engineering procurement contract, one single bidder will not have the expertise to do all the work and that company will in the end give out sub-contracts for specialised work such as reclamation of land or building the statue. The state is considering dividing the contract and awarding it to specialised companies from its end.

The mid-sea memorial involves building the worlds tallest statue, surpassing the height of New Yorks Statue of Liberty and Sardar Vallabhai Patels Statue of Unity in Gujarat. The state plans to build the memorial with a distinctive stamp of the Maratha kingdoms architecture and will accommodate viewing decks, exhibition halls, museums, restaurants and helipads besides the statue. The project was originally conceived in the 1980s and has been a talking point for all parties in every election ever since.

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After last years tragedy on the Mumbai-Goa highway, where a bridge over the Savitri River at Mahad collapsed, claiming at least 29 lives, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has adopted a bridge management system (BMS) for maintenance and reconstruction of bridges in time.

According to a source, the computerised system involves surveying all bridges for their structural stability, age, and durability and collecting information. With the survey almost complete, the civic body plans to widen the scope of the BMS and take it to its next stage.

The BMC started surveying the 274 bridges in Mumbai, some of which date back to the British era, in September last year. Some of the bridges that have been constructed during British rule include the 146-year-old Carnac bridge, the 135-year-old Hancock bridge that was demolished recently, and the Tilak rail over bridge at Dadar, which is over 90 years old.

A total of 137 bridges lie in the western suburbs, 77 lie in the island city and 60 lie in the eastern suburbs.

Of them, 115 are over rivers or nullahs, 40 are rail over bridges, 12 are flyovers, 44 are foot-over bridges.

When the BMC started surveying the citys bridges , a similar survey was started by the Centre to create an inventory of the countrys national highways.

SO Kori, chief engineer of the bridges department, said, We will be following the Centres footsteps.

According to Kori, the BMS will help the civic body monitor the present condition of a bridge and hence manage its timely repair.

The new system will keep a tab on the status of bridges, their structural stability, and the defect liability period.

It will give the civic body a timeline for the repair of old bridges and help assign priority to repair activity.

He said The city especially needs a project because of the high number of British-era bridges in the city. We made a presentation to additional municipal commissioner Vijay Singhal two weeks ago, to adopt the new system. I am awaiting the approval of this plan.

In January this year, the Lalbaug flyover was closed for a third time in three months, after the bridge developed an unexpected gap in its surface.

In the following months, the high court directed the BMC to undertake surface repairs of the bridge once its structural audit is complete.

However, the bridge was inaugurated and thrown open to traffic only in 2011, and the snag raised questions over its durability.

Now, with the BMS in place, the civic body will get a chance to monitor the bridges more closely, update structural audits periodically, and undertake preventive repair work on any bridge in Mumbai, according to Kori.
To help engineering aspirants give their best during the four-year courses, several colleges across Mumbai are upgrading their orientation programmes for freshers every year.

Besides explaining the nitty-gritty of curriculum and showing them the campus, the colleges have added career guidance, interaction with alumni and industry experts and sessions aimed at developing a proper attitude to their orientation

routine.

Colleges said the programmes help students chart their career paths early on and start their journey accordingly.

While the orientation sessions at most colleges last just a few hours, KJ Somaiya College of Engineering, Vidyavihar, held a five-day long programme for its freshers last week.

During this period, freshers interacted with seniors, the institute alumni and industry experts, who provided them insights into the academics and career opportunities.

Also, lectures were held on Indian Constitution, ethics and values and excelling in life.

We wanted the students to know what to expect from their course and the institute. Hence, it was done on the first day itself. They should start building their own resume, said Shubha Pandit, principal of the college. Through these sessions, we projected the importance of learning through peers and alumni.

This week, Don Bosco Institute of Technology, Kurla, would be conducting a similar three-day programme for its first-year students, which include sessions on career counselling and guidance by industry experts.

Several engineering students are unaware of the available career options. Besides, the employment scenario is changing rapidly. We dont know what skill sets will be in demand by the time these students graduate. The best thing we can do is to train them and boost their self-confidence, so that they can handle these challenges. Rather than focusing only on curriculum, we talk about other aspects of learning as well, said principal Prasanna Nambiar.

The college also plans to conduct yoga and meditation sessions for the freshers. We believe in holistic development of the students, she said.

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The recent incident of a 4-year-olds alleged sexual abuse at a Malad school has spurred parents in the city to demand better safety measures at schools and stringent punishment for perpetrators. Last week, a police complaint was registered against a peon of the Malad school for allegedly sexually assaulting the minor in the washroom between August 3 and 5.

To drive the point home, parents from various parts of the city met at Shivaji Park, Dadar, and organised a rally to spread awareness among parents and students about sexual predators and how to keep children safe. Parents demanded that schools should ensure that CCTV cameras are installed at vantage points, allowing parents and education department for random checks in schools and police verification of employees.

Schools need to be more vigilant and must punishment culprits so that such incidents arent repeated and students dont suffer, said Anubha Sahai, member of the India Wide Parents Association.

The group has planned to hold similar marches and signature campaigns across city to reach out to maximum parents. A similar march was held by another group of parents in Pune.

Another demand the protesting parents made was that the government should frame stringent safety norms for schools. Assessment of mental well-being of the employees at a school must be made mandatory, said Sahai.

Educators and school management said agencies should be hired by schools to do a background check on their students.

Today, there are many agencies who can help schools. Additionally, schools can directly approach their nearest police station for the same. Schools must also teach their children about good touch and bad touch so that children know that they must alert the elders, said Swati Popat Vats, president, Early Childhood Association, consisting of 200 preschools and experts that has come up with some steps that schools can follow to ensure safety of students.

One of the suggestions include on how the management should act if any parent or student approaches them with a complaint about sexual abuse.

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The NCP-Congress relations may worsen in Maharashtra after the Sharad Pawar-led party boycotted the meeting called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday. The rift that surfaced during the Gujarat Rajya Sabha biennial elections, widened after the Friday meet and may worsen if the NCP tries to snatch the post of leader of opposition in the wake of the potential political developments in the state.

When the NCP decided to boycott the meet to protest against questions being raised on its integrity, the Congress said the NCP was trying to get closer with the BJP.

The bitterness between the two may worsen as the NCP is planning to stake claim on the post of leader of state assembly as well. If Congress leader Narayan Rane quit the party with his son and couple of supporting legislators, it will dip the Congress strength in the lower house giving an opportunity to the NCP to claim the post. Rane, his son, MLA Nitesh and their close aide and party MLA Kalidas Kolambar too may join BJP in the near future. This will mean Congress will have 40 MLAs, against NCPs 41. Based on the numbers, the NCP may claim the post. Why would we leave our right to get the Opposition leaders post? Any party would have done the same, said a senior NCP leader.

The move will further weaken the Opposition in the state which is already sailing in troubled waters. This may be beneficial for the BJP-led state government. The ruling alliance BJP (122) and Shiv Sena (63) with the support of independent MLAs appears to be in a comparatively stronger position.

The talks over Rane defecting to the BJP gained momentum after media reported on his meeting with BJP chief Amit Shah and CM Devendra Fadnavis in Ahmedabad in April this year. Rane had admitted to getting an offer from the BJP sometime ago but denied attending any such meeting.

State Congress leaders believe that the NCP is moving away from oppositions fold. Their (NCP) actions are speaking a lot about their intentions, commented a senior Congress leader.

When state housing minister Prakash Mehta was cornered by the opposition over corruption charges, the NCP drew the assemblys attention to a corruption case against state industries minister and Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai. The party clearly served to the interest of the BJP, the Congress leader said.

In another case, we (Congress-NCP) had planned grand celebrations for 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement on August 8. A meeting of state-level senior leaders of both the parties was called at Vidhan Bhavan, but senior NCP leaders gave it a miss, said the Congress leader.

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Opposing the reservation of land for the Metro car shed and other construction activities at Aarey Colony, tribal residents and NGOs will hold a silent protest march on Independence Day. The Aarey Chhodo Andolan (leave Aarey protest) march will start from Marol police station to the Aarey picnic spot.

Protestors want freedom from environmental destruction of Aarey, which is a no-development zone.

The NGO Watchdog Foundation, which will participate in the protest, is up in arms against the slum rehabilitation scheme and any projects that harm the citys green lungs.

Godfrey Pimenta, trustee of the NGO, said, We are protesting to highlight these issues that threaten the green cover. The metro car shed could be shared between Metro 1 and 3 by realigning the proposed Metro 3.

Vivian Dsouza of Bombay East Indian Association said at least 150 residents would join the protest. The east Indians have lost their land because of the wanton developement over the years. People from across 60 villages are protesting against any project that harms the environment.

Residents of Aareys 27 tribal villages had protested against a government study over Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) schemes in Aarey.

Human population and vehicles have been increasing in the protected Aarey Colony. We are appealing to all tribal villages to join us, added Pimenta.

According to the Development Plan 2034, 33 hectares of Aarey Colony has been earmarked for the car shed.

The shed is part of the underground 33.5-km Colaba-Bandra-Seepz Metro corridor that will intersect the existing Versova-Andheri-Ghatkopar line.
Residents of Supertech Livingston society in Crossings Republik on Sunday staged a protest against the builder for allegedly increasing the Common Area Maintenance (CAM) charge by more than 40%.

Residents have complained that the builder increased CAM charges without taking the opinion of the families residing in the society. They have also claimed that previously, the charges were Rs1.50 per square feet but it has been increased to Rs2 per sft.

On July 22, the builder, through a notice, informed the residents that the CAM charges will be increased from August 1.

Nobody discussed the new rates with us; we were just informed about it. The builder and his people should have discussed the matter with us. They increased the prices by over 40%, which is unjustified, Bhanu Pratap Singh, president, RWA, Supertech Livingston, said.

The residents have also claimed that the builder has started deducting the increased CAM charges from the prepaid electric meters.

Using prepaid meters to deduct any other charges is illegal according to the law. We have been trying to negotiate the matter with the builder but there has been no response from their side, said Singh.

However, maintenance in-charge, Naresh Sharma, has claimed that the issue of CAM charges has been going on for the last two years.

We have been talking to the residents for the last two years, but they failed to come to an agreement. The expenses have gone up, so, we have no option other than increasing the CAM charges. We are not at fault because we have to charge residents, said Naresh Sharma.

Sharma has also claimed that most residents are paying the increased CAM charges while only a section has refused to do it.

We will charge everybody because we are burdened due to increased expenses. We will be sending notices to people who will not pay the new CAM charge. Residents want all the services and facilities, but they dont want to pay for it, which is not justified, said Sharma.

Residents have claimed that the builder is trying to take advantage of their situation. There are 800 families in the society and all of us are together on the issue. The builder shouldnt take us for a ride, said Singh.

Hindustan Times tried to get in touch with Anil Sharma, director, Supertech Livingston, but he did not respond to multiple calls and messages.
In the past three days, 19 more Swine flu cases from Gautam Budh Nagar and 13 more cases from Ghaziabad have been confirmed positive by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Till Sunday evening, the total count of positive swine flu cases in Gautam Budh Nagar was at 52 and 60 in Ghaziabad.

Till Thursday evening, the count of positive cases in Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad were at 33 and 47 respectively.

According to reports received from NCDC till yesterday, the total count of swine flu cases in the district stands at 60. We have sent a total of 123 suspected samples to the NCDC till now, said GK Mishra, district malaria officer, Ghaziabad.

The count of positive swine flu cases in Gautam Budh Nagar has now reached 52, said Dr Anurag Bhargav, chief medical officer, Gautam Budh Nagar.

Swine flu is an infection caused by swine influenza virus that is endemic in pigs. It is a highly contagious disease and can be easily spread from a patient through saliva and mucus particles

Meanwhile in Ghaziabad, the H1N1 influenza has caused second death in a span of one month. On August 9, Seema Chauhan (45) succumbed to death at Yashoda Hospital in Ghaziabad after she was admitted to the hospital with fever, said officials. Chauhan was a homemaker who was a resident of Karhera in Ghaziabad and her native place is Haryana.

We received a report from the hospital that Seema had contracted H1N1 and it was confirmed in that hospital itself. This is the second death in the district due to swine flu this year, added Mishra.

In the wake of two deaths, the Ghaziabad health department is now gearing up to tackle the menace of the influenza. On Sunday, the state minister for health, Siddarth Nath Singh asked NK Gupta, the chief medical officer of Ghaziabad, to ensure that no negligence is shown towards patients suffering from H1N1.

The state health department is under lot of criticism for its apathy and negligence in the wake of death of 35 children in a Gorakhpur Hospital due to lack of oxygen supply.

Singh had a telephonic conversation with me today where he showed his concern over rising cases of H1N1 in the district. He has directed all government and private hospitals to differentiate Swine flu in three categories and then treat patients accordingly, said Gupta in a circular.

According to Singh, the H1N1 influenza should be divided in three categories where the first category will include suspected patients who have cough, mild fever and sore throat.

Such suspected patients need not consult a laboratory test for confirmation. They must maintain distance from their family members and they must consult a physician in the next 24 to 48 hours, said Gupta in the circular.

In the second category, such suspected patients who have high fever and serious cough, they must be kept isolated in their homes and given Oseltamivir tablets. However, even such people do not need tests for H1N1 from laboratory.

In the third category, such patients who along with high fever, serious cough and sore throat show symptoms such as breathlessness, chest pain, drowsiness, low blood circulation, blueness of nails, their blood sample must be sent to the laboratory for tests.

One must not panic in cases of H1N1 influenza. We have clearly differentiated the patients who need immediate lab test and those who need medical attention, said Gupta.

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Alleging loss of crores to the state exchequer because of twists in the advertisement policy during the SAD-BJP regime, Punjab local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday said a new advertisement policy is coming soon that would take the earnings from advertisements under local bodies from Rs 25 crore to Rs 300 crore a year.

Speaking at a press conference on it, Sidhu showed government records to strengthen the allegation of losses by showing how Haryana with 80 cities is earning Rs 200 crore through advertising whereas Punjab with 164 cities and towns is yielding only Rs 25 crore. From Mohali alone, Rs 10 crore is being collected while the income from Zirakpur is Rs 2.5 crore per year, which clearly implies that the rest of Punjab accounts for a mere Rs 12.5 crore, said the Congress minister.

He added that the department has set a target of Rs 300 crore as a city like Ludhiana alone has the capability to account for more than Rs 100 crore.

By framing a new policy, we will make it happen, he stressed. The amount which till now was going into the pockets of companies backed by SAD-BJP leaders, will go to the state coffers.

He reiterated that root cause of the problem are the toothless laws that are unable to punish those robbing the state exchequer Nor are these laws strong enough to levy fines on defaulters, he said, adding, A tough law will be enacted for effective implementation of the advertisement policy. Enforcement of this policy has the capacity to make urban bodies financially self-dependent.

An advertisement directorate will be established, too, to effectively implement the policy, and will have have powers to levy fines.

He declared that the department will bring this policy to the cabinet and that he has already discussed the matter with chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh at length.

Citing example

On his charges of losses, he cited an example of Ludhiana, where the previous regime constructed bus queue shelters and then used them for advertising purposes. But these shelters were given away at rates lower than the market rates, which led to the enrichment of a private company having the backing of the son of a local Akali leader. An amount of Rs 100 crore that should have rightfully gone to the state, went to that company, he alleged.
The mystery behind a 17-year-old girls body found in a village pond persists as the Tarn Taran police have failed to crack the case even after nine days, citing an awaited autopsy report. The body was found floating in the pond of Veeram village in Bhikhiwind sub-division, 30 km from the district headquarters, on August 3, two days after her father reportedly found her in an objectionable position with a-23-year-old man and filed an FIR against him.

We had sent the body for post-mortem examination to Government Medical College, Amritsar, the report of which is still awaited for further action, said deputy superintendent of police (DSP) SS Mann on Saturday. The report will come soon and we will crack the mysterious death case, he added.

However, civil surgeon Dr Samsher Singh said a post-mortem usually comes in three to four days. If viscera samples need to be examined further, then it will take around two months for a report, he added. Asked about the technicality, the DSP said, We sent everything.

Meanwhile, acting on a complaint by the father that she had gone missing, the police registered a case under sections 452 (trespass for assault or wrongful restraint), 363 (kidnapping) and 366A (inducing a minor girl for illicit intercourse), read with 511 (attempting to commit offences), of the Indian Penal Code against the man, Gursahib Singh, on August 3, only after the body was found.

The police spokesperson had then said, The girls father complained that during midnight on August 1, Gursahib came into his house when the family was sleeping. After hearing some noise, he woke up and found his daughter in an objectionable condition with Gursahib in the house.

In anger, he immediately took a sharp-edged weapon and started thrashing the man, police had said, adding that the man somehow managed to escape from there with injuries. The father further said that the girl followed Gursahib, who was accompanied by two other unidentified men, and was missing, police had told the media.

The father had formally lodged the complaint about her going missing on August, but the police registered a case after her body was found on August 3. No new charges have as yet been added to the case against Gursahib, who is in police custody, nor has any new FIR been registered. Only inquest proceedings have been initiated with regard to the death.
A day after HT reported that a single teacher has been working at Government Middle School at Sirsari village in Dharamkot sub-division for five years now, the education department has deputed three teachers to the school. The new staff will start work from Monday.

The school that functions under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) has five sanctioned posts of teachers  including of Hindi and Punjabi.

Till Sunday (August 13), the day HT highlighted the plight of the school, Navpreet Kumar, a teacher on contract, had been taking classes of nine subjects of 67 students in Grades 6, 7 and 8 alone for five years.

After the publication of the news, I received a call from my bosses who told me to depute the required staff in the Sirsari School immediately. I have ordered deputation of three teachers of Punjabi, Social Studies and Physical Training. They will join the school on Monday, Gurdarshan Singh Brar, district education officer (DEO secondary) Moga said. He added that the teachers  Jasvir Singh for SST and English; Shamar Singh for Punjabi and Hindi and Sheela Devi (Physical Training, Instructor)  will be deputed at the school, till it does not get permanent staff.

Sources in the education department said both the director public instruction and the education secretary Krishan Kumar had called up the DEO (Moga) and asked for immediate action.

I am preparing a list of schools that face the problem of staff shortage. This list will be sent to the higher authorities soon, Brar added.

Quality will improve

Navpreet Kumar, the teacher at the school, when told about the deputation of three teachers, was happy and relieved and said he would work even harder now.

I have always tried to do my best. It was tough managing three classes alone. Now, the quality and efficacy of what we teach will improve.

Now, as this Government Middle School at Sirsari village in Dharamkot gets to celebrate the 71st Independence Day with a lot more fervour and enhanced faith in the system, a lot more needs to be done.

A challenge that also requires some attention is that over 50% upper-primary schools in the Moga district dont have principals  only 40 principals are posted against 83 sanctioned. Against posts of 77 headmasters, only 29 are posted, a vacancy rate of around 60%. For over a year, the majority of the lecture and cadre posts are also vacant.

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As people are all set to celebrate the 70th Independence Day on August 15, security has been tightened in and around Amritsar, especially in the border region. The roads leading to border areas are being guarded closely, special nakas have been set up on all key roads going towards the Attari and other important areas.

The police have started a special drive in which vehicles are being checked and raids are being conducted at all possible hideouts of the suspects. Police is holding nakas at night. Custom-made bulletproof tractor of the Punjab Police has been positioned at the main Attari Road. The Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) unit of the Punjab Police is also keeping a close eye on the second line of defence, along the border.

When contacted, senior superintendent of police (SSP rural) Parampal Singh said, The security set up has been heightened in the border areas for the Independence Day. Special nakas are put in place and a close eye is being kept during the night time. The SSP further added that extra troops have also been brought in from other districts to strengthen the security set up along the border areas.

Notably, more police personnel have been deployed in the border areas since past some time, especially after the attacks in Pathankot and Dinanagar. Punjab Police have heightened the surveillance and added more equipments in the border sectors from Pathankot to Amritsar.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened and special nakas have been put in place in Amritsar as well. In the Civil Lines area vigil has been heightened and additional cops have been deployed near the sensitive areas and the tourist spots.
A day after chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh visited whitefly-infested fields in Khyala Kalan and Sahnewali villages, leader of Opposition in the state assembly and AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira visited the two villages of Mansa on Saturday.

"The CM's visit was just an eyewash as the district administration had hijacked the entire programme and they led the chief minister to fields with healthy and standing crop," said Khaira. The chief minister during his visit had said that less than one percent of the cotton crop sown in the district was infested with whitefly and even that can be controlled by using PAU recommended pesticides and sprays.

The AAP MLA also said that he will stay in Mansa for the next three days to assess the impact and study the preventive measures to tackle whitefly attack on cotton.

While demanding a special assembly session to chalk out a plan to tackle the financial struggle of farmers, Khaira also appealed the NRIs to assist such families which are struggling due to low income. "Around 50 lacs Punjabis stay abroad, and if everyone of them donates one dollar, we can very much assist the farming families. Many a times we have seen that suicide hit families don't even have enough resources to conduct the last rites," said Khaira.

The AAP MLA said that the state government must catch the big fish involved in the sale of spurious pesticides and not harass small businessmen. He also criticised the insensitive behaviour of the deputy commissioner and the agriculture officer who had allegedly ignored the pleas of farmers to check instances of whitefly infestation in their fields. When they please for help were ignored, farmers even uprooted the cotton crop a few metres away from the agriculture office. Still, no one from the administration stepped in to resolve their issues. The bureaucracy only arrived in the fields when the CM was scheduled to visit the affected fields," he said.
Even the chief ministers public comment on poor Class-10 results cannot move the states mandarins to fill posts of teachers in states districts. Sample this: Over 50 percent upper-primary schools dont have principals  only 40 principals against 83 sanctioned posts. Against posts of 77 headmasters, only 29 are posted, a vacancy rate of around 60%. For over a year, the majority of the lecture and cadre posts are also vacant.

The most damning and insidious way in which this is reflected is the typical day at school  Government Middle School, Sirsari in Dharamkot subdivision  for its lone teacher Navpreet Kumar.

I give work to one class and then go to another class. When any student needs to understand something they also visit me in another classroom.

For the past five years now, Kumar  whose service is on contract  has been taking classes of nine subjects of 67 students in Grades 6, 7 and 8 alone. Officially, the school that functions under the Sarv Shikhsha Abhiyaan (SSA) has five sanctioned posts of teachers

 including of Hindi and Punjabi subjects. On how has he has been managing three classes simultaneously, Navpreet said, It is difficult, but is managed after a lot of compromise on quality of education and teaching.

When pressed further, he adds, I give work to one class and then go to another class. When any student needs to understand something they also visit me in another classroom. On Saturdays, Classes 6, 7 and 8 are combined and I take a test.

Transfers take away any help he gets

Navpreet, who joined the school in July 2010, said, When I joined, I did have some other colleagues who had been deputed to this school. Soon, they were transferred to their original place of posting. Since then, I have been handling the school alone. He added, I request the education department to depute a permanent teacher. It is difficult for the school to function like this, especially when I have to take leave.

Jaswinder Singh, a Class-8 student at the school, said, Studies here is more of a formality with Sir constantly moving around between classes. We have to struggle to get his attention. Gurdarshan Singh Brar, district education officer (DEO secondary) said, I will bring the matter to the notice of my superiors as only they can resolve the issue.

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Consent is a clear yes, not the absence of a no, but it turns out, many straight men on the college campuses arent doing well in gaining the explicit consent of their female sexual partners.

According to a University of Michigan study, young men are using non-verbal cues and presumed behaviours to assure themselves that their partners are wilfully participating. Researcher Nicole Bedera found that too often men dont obtain verbal consent during sexual encounters. They use behavioural cues and signals as all the consent they need as they begin and continue sex with a female partner.

A lot of the guys will say, I knew sex would happen because, well we made eye contact. Or I knew sex would happen because she came to my room and she wasnt wearing a bra, Bedera explained. Its not that these signals and behaviours are isolated, the men were looking at the behaviours to support their belief that a woman wanted to have a sexual encounter.

An unnerving finding Bedera uncovered is that the college men she interviewed believe that they are encouraged to continue by a womans moans. Some men told me that when they heard a woman moaning, that was clear indication that she was aroused and enjoying herself. But moaning only happens after sexual contact has begun. And moaning can also indicate pain. The men didnt consider that, she added.

Bedera also found that many of the men who were interviewed simply couldnt articulate a definition of consent. And of those who tried, it was evident that some offered changes to their definition so as to excuse their own behaviour which would prove they had not explicitly gotten a partners consent. Bederas findings make it clear that even among men who have been taught how to obtain sexual consent, the message still isnt clear to them. The paper will be presented in Montreal at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association.

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Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit. And who doesnt like setting off on adventures? Today, you can head to a nap cafe in Seoul or take a babymoon with your partner in Kerala. Here are our top 5 picks of travel stories this week:

1) Be an eco-friendly traveller

To reduce your carbon footprint when on holiday, there a number of measures you can take. For instance, you can explore a town on foot or cycle instead of renting a car, or you can support local farmers and organic stores instead of eating at a global fast food chain.

Read the full story here.

2) Dont be a tourist

There a few things a real traveller does that separates him/her from being seen among the tourists. Stay with the locals to learn the cultural customs of the place, attend as many festivals or events as you can to get a pulse of the city, and dont be afraid to get lost. Travelling is all about new experiences.

Read the full story here.

Bath in the UK is an ideal place for a babymoon. (Shutterstock)

3) Nap away

Say hello to cafes that let you catch your 40 winks. From Paris to Madrid, they are popular during lunch hours. Office goers and new mothers have especially taken to it. Well, its certainly a unique and intriguing concept. Since we dont have any in India, make sure you visit one on your international tour.

Read the full story here.

4) Be a culture vulture

If you love museums, heres a fun fact thatll make you happy: There are seven major art and design venues being inaugurated around the world between September and December 2017. The destinations include Los Angeles, Cape Town and Miami, among others.

Read the full story here.

5) Go for a babymoon

Do you have a baby on the way? Steal some quality time with your partner and take off for a vacation before you get busy with parental duties. From doing a maternity shoot in Mexico to taking a dip in the naturally occurring hot spa waters in Bath (UK), the options are plenty.

Read the full story here.

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Senior US national security officials said Sunday that a military confrontation with North Koreas is not imminent, but they cautioned that the possibility of war is greater than it was a decade ago.

CIA director Mike Pompeo and Army Lt General HR McMaster, President Trumps national security adviser, tried to provide assurances that a conflict is avoidable, while also supporting Trumps tough talk. They said the United States and its allies no longer can afford to stand by as North Korea pushes ahead with the development of a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile.

Were not closer to war than a week ago but we are closer to war than we were a decade ago, McMaster said, adding that the Trump administration is prepared to deal militarily with North Korea if necessary.

But he stressed that the US is pursuing a very determined diplomatic effort led by secretary of state Rex Tillerson thats coupled with new financial sanctions to dissuade North Korean leader Kim Jong Un from further provocations.

The US military is locked and loaded every day, McMaster said, repeating Trumps threat.

Pompeo said theres nothing imminent today, in response to a question about how worried should people be over the escalating tensions. He said the US has a pretty good idea of North Koreas intentions, but Pompeo declined to provide specifics. The CIA chief described Kim as rational and responsive to adverse circumstances.

The reaction in North Korea that we are intending to get is an is an understanding that America is no longer going to have the strategic patience that its had that has permitted him to continue to develop his weapons program, Pompeo said. Its that straightforward.

The top US military officer, Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, is travelling in Asia and expected to meet with leaders in South Korea, Japan and China. Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters travelling with him that he aims to sense what the temperature is in the region. He also will discuss military options in the event the diplomatic and economic pressurization campaign fails.

Were all looking to get out of this situation without a war, Dunford said.

Chinas President, Xi Jinping, made a plea for cool-headedness in a phone conversation with Trump on Saturday, urging both sides to avoid words or actions that could worsen the situation.

The call came after Trump made fresh threats against North Korea on Friday, declaring the US military locked and loaded and warning Kim that he will regret it fast if he takes any action against US territories or allies.

Trump has pushed China to pressure North Korea to halt a nuclear weapons program that is nearing the capability of targeting the United States. China is the Norths biggest economic partner and source of aid, but says it alone cant compel its wayward ally to end its nuclear and missile programs.

The White House said in a statement that Trump and Xi agreed North Korea must stop its provocative and escalatory behaviour. It also said that the two reiterated their mutual commitment to denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

State-run China Central Television quoted Xi as telling Trump the relevant parties must maintain restraint and avoid words and deeds that would exacerbate the tension on the Korean Peninsula.

But Trump on Friday appeared to set another red line  the mere utterance of threats  that would trigger a US attack against North Korea and big, big trouble for Kim.

North Koreas Minju Joson newspaper said in an editorial Saturday that the Norths army is capable of fighting any war the US wants.

The tough talk capped a week in which long-standing tensions between the countries risked abruptly boiling over.

New UN sanctions condemning North Koreas rapidly developing nuclear program drew fresh ire and threats from the North. Trump, responding to a report that US intelligence indicates Pyongyang can now put a nuclear warhead on its long-range missiles, vowed to rain down fire and fury if challenged.

The North then came out with a threat to lob four intermediate-range Hwasong-12 missiles near Guam, a tiny U.S. territory some 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) from the Norths capital, Pyongyang.
Police say a drunken American man was punched by a passer-by as he gave the stiff-armed Nazi salute multiple times in downtown Dresden.

Dresden police said Sunday the 41-year-old, whose name and hometown werent given for privacy reasons, suffered minor injuries in the 8:15am Saturday assault.

Police say the American, who is under investigation for violating Germanys laws against the display of Nazi symbols or slogans, had an extremely high blood alcohol level. His assailant fled the scene, and is being sought for causing bodily harm.

Its the second time this month that tourists have gotten themselves into legal trouble for giving the Nazi salute.

On August 5, two Chinese tourists were caught taking photos of themselves making the gesture in front of Berlins Reichstag building.
HMS Queen Elizabeth teams up with USS George HW Bush during exercises off Scotland

Telegraph Reporters9 AUGUST 2017The TelegraphThe maritime might of Britain and the US was on show yesterday as HMS Queen Elizabeth took part in exercises with American warships off the coast of Scotland.Among the US carrier strike group was the USS George H W Bush, which is hosting more than 60 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines as they prepare for life on board HMS Queen Elizabeth.As part of the drills over the past 10 days, Commodore Andrew Betton, Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, and his team have been directing jets, firepower and personnel across the task group as they practise fighting off a series of simulated threats from enemy forces.Britains largest ever warship, which slipped out of Rosyth dockyard in June, joined the exercises on Tuesday as it continues its sea trials ahead of its arrival in Portsmouth in about two weeks' time.Captain Jerry Kyd, HMS Queen Elizabeth's Commanding Officer, praised the USS George H W Bush battle group as "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."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."
With the death toll in flood-affected Nepal crossing 50, India on Sunday said that it was ready to support and cooperate its neighbour in all ways and means.

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, in a telephonic conversation with Nepals deputy prime minister and minister for foreign affairs Krishna Bahadur Mahara on Sunday evening, pledged all possible support.

On Saturday, Mahara called on Indian ambassador Majeev Singh Puri to request him for New Delhi to open the floodgates on the Koshi, Gadak and Rapti rivers, and as per reports, India took prompt action and helped smooth discharge of waters. However, some gates on the Koshi river have not been opened because the sudden flow of water may wipe out settlements on the Indian side of the border.

There is criticism against India for not opening floodgates on the rivers on time, which has resulted in floods in southern Nepal, especially in the Terai region. However, the Indian embassy said the flood has affected both countries, adding that it is constant contact with authorities in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

India was the first country to respond during the 2015 Nepal earthquakes, sending search and rescue teams to help those affected.
A Canadian Member of Parliament, who is of Indian origin and belongs to Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus ruling Liberal Party, has been hit with allegations of sexual harassment by a staffer.

Darshan Kang was elected to the House of Commons for the first time in the Federal elections in 2015, and represents Calgary Skyview, a riding in the province of Alberta. The staffer he allegedly harassed worked in his constituency office in Calgary.

The chief government whips office confirmed that the House chief human resources officer Pierre Parent was conducting an investigation into the incident, Ottawa-based The Hill Times reported. It quoted Charles-Eric Lepine, chief of staff to chief government whip Pablo Rodriguez, as saying: We were made aware of the allegations and referred them, as per the House of Commons process, to the chief human resources officer.

Multiple Canadian outlets said the Prime Ministers office was not commenting on the matter and directing queries to the Chief Whips Office.

Liberal Party MP Darshan Kang with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau prior to the 2015 Federal elections in Canada. (Twitter)

There was no response to a request for comment in an email sent to Kangs office.

Whether the sexual harassment charges have also been made locally cannot be confirmed. When contacted, a spokesperson for the Calgary Police Service told the Hindustan Times that while they would have jurisdiction if a criminal case were to be filed, he was unaware that an official complaint had been made.

Kang, 66, was born in India and immigrated to Canada in 1970. He was twice elected to the provincial assembly before becoming the first Liberal Party candidate to be elected to the House of Commons from Calgary in nearly 50 years, when he defeated the sitting Conservative Party MP. His website states that he had obtained a pre-medical degree at the University of Indore and was a commercial realtor before getting into politics.

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A collaboration between Canadian and Indian entities aims to disrupt the development of drugs by making them more affordable and efficient while targeting what is perceived as the coming epidemic of age-related maladies in India.

The partnership will marry bleeding-edge Canadian research to multiple advantages that India brings to the table.

At the Canadian end is the Toronto Recombinant Antibody Center (TRAC), founded and led by Sachdev Sidhu, a professor in the department of molecular genetics at the University of Toronto. TRAC was spun out of Sidhu Lab and is conducting research into nearly 100 disease-countering antibodies.

In India, theres MedGenome led by serial entrepreneur Sam Santhosh. It is headquartered in San Francisco but has a strong presence in Bangalore as what is claimed to be Indias largest genetic diagnostics operation.

The platform developed by Sidhus team, Synthetic Antibody Engineering, will work with processes India has mastered. As Sidhu said in an interview at his office at the Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research, what they do really well is cell biology, antibody engineering.

India brings a complementary strength to the table  its strength in manufacturing derived from generic drug development.

Thats what India actually excels at  volume, quality. And when you have that drug scaled up, the last step is clinical trials. Again India is becoming more and more a player in clinical trials, he said.

Added to this are more pluses like a huge population that offers incredible genetic diversity. And just as important, Sidhu pointed out, India is also a world leader in informatics. Information technology, that is becoming the other big thing in medicine.

Professor Sachdev Sidhu in his office at the University of Toronto. (Christine Misquitta, University of Toronto)

At its core, the effort involves drugs based on antibodies, which fight infection in the body.

Its a protein, so we can engineer it genetically. What we can now make is antibodies which target proteins in our own body. Antibodies bind to the defective protein, for instance that causing hyperproliferation of cells as in cancer, and shut it down, Sidhu explained.

The pharmaceutical industry has so far been chained to a cycle of creating novels, or altogether new drugs, and recently biosimilars, those that ape existing medication.

This venture attempts to manufacture biobetters, which Santhosh said was a concept to make an improved drug, look at an existing drug and make it better.

Sidhu said, Its time to retire or replace the old drug with a better one, thats our simple definition of biobetter. Somehow its considered radical.

Most drugs rely on discoveries made a decade, or even a quarter century ago. These will be drugs made with current knowledge and technology, that hit proven targets. We want to make it better than existing drugs in key areas  stability, potency and specificity.

While current drugs considered highly successful are also very expensive, putting them out of the reach of millions in India, this partnership aims to make them affordable, at prices a fraction of that now, while bringing them to market quicker.

The pressure for faster and better drugs is coming from countries like India, Sidhu said.

Part of the reason is improved longevity. But Sidhu said, As people become healthier, they live longer but the downside is age-related diseases.

So, the first company established under this venture  in Chennai  is working on a drug for age-related macular degeneration, a disease that causes blindness and could claim as many as 10 million victims over the next decade.

Professor Sachdev Sidhu in his lab at the University of Toronto. (Christine Misquitta, University of Toronto)

We know what the treatment is, the problem is its too expensive. For me, the sensible thing is you make a drug that prevents that and you price it reasonably, Sidhu said.

Santhosh asserted their drugs would reach the market earlier, It will definitely have a big impact, it wont take 10 or 15 years like it did earlier. The expected period for such a drug to reach market is about five years.

On the horizon is drugs to fight arthritis, dengue fever, and, of course, cancer, a speciality of Sidhus laboratory.

Given the novelty of the concept, a regulatory mechanism for biobetters doesnt really exist in India. Sidhu and Santhosh are hopeful the benefits that will accrue a large segment of population, that usually cannot access curatives due to the price barrier, will cause authorities to address this issue early.

As Sidhu said, Theres actually been a more rapid advancement in technology in biology than in computers. Yet the model in biology has been  keep the prices high, limit it to patients who can afford the high prices.

As they attempt to crash that model, theres the hope India will emerge a pioneer in this sector. I think the countries that will win in the future are those that are more flexible in drug approval. Thats doesnt mean sloppy, it means look at the new technology, look at costs, look at what patients need, Sidhu said.

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The leader of Lebanons Hezbollah on Sunday dismissed the prospect of tougher US sanctions against his group, which is backed by Iran, and said the US administration had no way to harm it.

The American administration, with all available and possible means, will not be able to damage the strength of the resistance, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address to mark the anniversary of the end of Hezbollahs 2006 war with Israel.

Nasrallah said Lebanon was being subjected to intimidation and threats over Hezbollah -- which is part of the Beirut government but classified as a terrorist group by Washington -- and alleged that Lebanese officials had been told that Israel could launch a war.

European and American officials had warned them during diplomatic meetings and international visits ... if you dont do this, Israel will launch a war on Lebanon, and if Hezbollah doesnt do this, Israel will launch a war on Lebanon, Nasrallah said. He did not spell out what had been asked of Lebanon or Hezbollah.

Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, a well armed Shia movement, have risen this year. Nasrallah has played down the prospect of a war while simultaneously warning Israel against a conflict.

Trump last month called Hezbollah a menace to the Lebanese people and to the entire region during a news conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri.

US lawmakers last month introduced legislation seeking to increase sanctions on Hezbollah by further restricting its ability to raise money and recruit and by increasing pressure on banks that do business with it, though it was not clear when or if it would come to a vote.

Officials in Lebanon have raised concerns that any widening of the US sanctions could damage their banking industry.
Former premier Nawaz Sharif has been able to prove with his homecoming rally that his PML-N party remains a popular force in the Punjab, the political heartland of Pakistan, despite a poor turnout of supporters in some parts.

At every stop he made, Sharif challenged the judgment handed down by the judiciary to disqualify him for being dishonest in declaring his assets and argued that his ouster had more to do with going against the powerful establishment and less with corruption or rule of law.

Indirectly, Sharif has attacked the military high command, which he suspects of having a hand in his ouster. In his speeches, time and again Sharif has targeted military dictators and their role in the subversion of democracy in Pakistan.

This has made the military uncomfortable. Passing through Jhelum and Kharian, from where a large percentage of soldiers and officers of the Pakistan Army hail, the former prime minister was at his most bitter.

Not only did Sharif attack former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who ousted him in a coup in 1999, and other generals, but he also questioned the militarys role in the running of Pakistan.

That these speeches did not go down well was evident from the appearance soon after of anti-Sharif posters in military-dominated towns.

Thousands of supporters of Nawaz Sharif at a rally in Muridke on August 12, 2017. (AP)

It is after a long time that a popularly elected leader has taken on either the judiciary or the military in this manner. Sadly, as Sharif leads the charge, other parties  most notably the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party led by Bilawal Bhutto  have played it safe by questioning the basis of Sharifs speeches.

Some politicians, like former minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, who is known to be close to the military, have asked the judiciary to take note of what he called contempt being committed by Sharif. They are hoping for another round of confrontation between Sharif and the powers that be.

Political analysts say Sharif is setting the agenda for the next general election. The former premier seems to be working on rallying his supporters to challenge both the judiciary and indirectly the military high command. This is a tall order and in the past, Sharif has failed to bring the army under his control.

The message Sharif is giving is that this has boiled down to a tussle between democracy and dictatorship  that elected governments must be removed through elections and not by the military or through judicial coups.

The only problem in this strategy is Sharif himself. His familys reputation has been tarnished by the Panama Papers scandal and hoping for the masses to support a democratically elected, albeit corrupt, politician against the all-powerful military and judiciary seems a far cry at this stage.

But it is the response he gets from the man on the street over the next few days which will determine what the mood of the people is and what can be expected in the election next year.
North Koreans are raised to be soldiers and have no ounce of freedom, according to a journalist who lived undercover in Pyongyang.

Their lives were completely mapped out according to the great leader, Suki Kim, who spent six months undercover in North Korea in 2011, told CNN on Saturday. Any information from outside is forbidden and not shown to them in any way. Its really a system of absolute control.

Kim, author of Without You There Is No Us, posed as a missionary and a teacher at Pyongyang University of Science and Technology. She taught English to the sons of North Koreas ruling class, children expected to be the regimes future leaders.

She described the complex psychology of people there being really lovely and absolutely human but living in a bubble, emotionally and intellectually isolated. To try to understand North Korea, its basically a cult of the great leader, Kim told CNN.

Its a military dictatorship with one of the largest armies in the world and also its a place where communication is blocked. If you block the rest of the world from your country entirely, then how can you actually have information to teach people that other things exist?

Kim said computer majors in the university did not even know about the existence of the internet. Her students had to attend weekly meetings to report on each other, so theres a surveillance system.

Theres a building that exists for studying the great leader. You go and study the great leader and you also guard that building. You clean that building, she said.

According to Kim, citizens have access to only one newspaper and one television station dedicated to teaching them about their leader.

They (the citizens) dont travel inside or outside of their country, giving them little time or access to think about anything else but their leader and therefore conditioning them. The country is nothing like weve seen before. Its a nuclear power that is also absolutely enslaving its citizens for the sake of this really one-man nation.

Its the saddest place in the world, Kim added.
Britain says it is ready to move to the next phase of Brexit talks and set out details of the future relationship it wants with the European Union.

Opening rounds of talks with Brussels have made little headway, with EU negotiators demanding greater clarity from the British delegation. The EU has warned that an already-tight timetable could be delayed ahead of a scheduled March 2019 exit.

Britain is keen to start talking about its post-Brexit relationship with Europe, wary of the need to reassure anxious businesses, citizens and investors. But, Brussels has insisted that progress must be made on divorce arrangements first.

Weve been crystal clear that issues around our withdrawal and our future partnership are inextricably linked, and the negotiations so far have reinforced that view, a source in Britains Brexit department said.

Britain said it was preparing to publish several papers, including plans for a new customs arrangement and a proposal on how to resolve the difficulties of a non-physical border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.

These papers show we are ready to broaden out the negotiations, the source said.

The next round of talks is due at the end of the month, with both sides looking for progress towards a solution to three of Brexits thorniest problems: how much Britain should pay to leave, what rights British and EU citizens will have, and how to manage a land border to the bloc in Ireland.

The decision to announce the publications indicates Britains desire to counter criticism from Brussels about its approach to the talks.

In July, EU officials said progress was difficult not because Britain had unacceptable demands, but because it had no position at all on many issues.

A British paper focused on issues unique to Northern Ireland and Ireland is expected ahead of the talks, but no further details of the proposal were provided on Sunday.

Separate papers would also address Continuity in the availability of goods for the EU and the UK and Confidentiality and access to official documents, the Brexit department said.

Eager to push talks past the opening divorce issues and on to the future trading and legal ties to the bloc, Britain also promised a series of Future Partnership papers in the run-up to Octobers European Council.

The first will be a proposal for new customs arrangements.
The Supreme Court has stayed the execution of a man sentenced to death in a case related to election rivalry in which six persons were murdered after panchayat polls in Uttar Pradesh in 2003.

A bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra, Amitava Roy and A M Khanwilkar admitted the appeal filed by convict Madan and called for the trial courts records of the case lodged in Muzaffarnagar district.

Leave granted. Let the lower courts records be called for. There shall be a stay on the execution of the death sentence, it said.

Madan was awarded the capital punishment by the trial court in July 2015 and the sentence was confirmed by the Allahabad High Court in February this year.

The high court, while confirming his death sentence, had observed that he was one of the main assailants in the crime in which six persons had died.

The high court had commuted to life term the death penalty awarded by the trial court to another convict in the case.

According to the prosecution, Madan, along with his associates, had fired at the family members and supporters of the successful candidates, who were elected as members of a village panchayat.

It had alleged that Madan and others were supporting the other candidate, who had lost the election, due to which he had a grudge against them.

The prosecution had said that on October 14, 2003, when the relatives and supporters of the successful candidates were going to the house of deputy pradhan of the village, Madan and his associates attacked them and in the firing six people had died.

During the trial, Madan and others had denied the allegations levelled against them and had claimed that they were falsely implicated in the case due to election rivalry.

In its judgement, the high court had held that Madan and his associates had indiscriminately fired upon the victims and considering the gravity of offence, it was covered under the category of the rarest of rare cases warranting death penalty.
The United States will launch a trade action next week that could lead to a full-fledged investigation into Chinas unreasonable or discriminatory intellectual property laws, policies and practices that harmful to America, with the possibility of punitive follow-up measures including sanctions.

President Donald Trump will sign an executive memorandum on Monday directing the US trade representative to determine whether to investigate any of Chinas laws, policies, practices, or actions may be unreasonable or discriminatory and may be harming American intellectual property, innovation and technology, a senior administration official told reporters on Saturday.

Should the trade representative make the determination that an investigation was in order, it will have broad powers to use all applicable measures including but not limited to Section 301, the official said. Under Section 301 of the US Trade Act 1974, the US commerce department website said, the United States can impose trade sanctions on foreign countries that either violate trade agreements or engage in other unfair trade practices.

The US could take its case to the World Trade Organization, or settle it outside. The official said a decision had not been taken in that regard and offered no timelines.

Asked if this could lead to a period of greater conflict with China, which could retaliate triggering a trade war, the official said he doesnt believe it would. This is just business.

And the administration strenuously pushed back against any suggestion it was related to spiraling tensions with North Korea, and the perceived failure of China, its chief protector, to rein it in. The two issues were unrelated  trade is trade, national security is national security, the official said.

A trade sanctions against China had long been in the making, consistent with Trumps election promises of cutting Americas ballooning trade deficit with China and punish the Asian nation for unfair trade practices such as artificially keeping its currency depressed to boost exports.

But here was a perception that it had been delayed because Trump was hoping China would do more on North Korea, and he had even suggested as much.

It was also said to have been put off to obtain Chinas support for the US-sponsored UN Security Council resolution slapping new sanctions on North Korea, which passed unanimously, subsequently.

The United States estimates theft of intellectual property costs the American economy $600 billion a year, and says China was a major contributor, employing unfair trade practices and industrial policies such as forced technology transfer.

All too often, the official said, American companies are forced to enter into joint ventures with Chinese companies if they want to do business in China. This is not fair.

In addition, the official added, as part of these joint ventures, they have to turn over their intellectual and other proprietary information  again, this is simply not fair.
Following deadly violence during a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday, Twitter users took to the social media site to decry racism by identifying the white supremacists" present at the rally.

A car plowed into a crowd while demonstrators and protesters clashed on Saturday, killing one woman and injuring 19 others.

Twitterati began sharing photos of the white nationalists who were waving confederate flags, chanting Nazi-era slogans, wearing helmets and carrying shields near the campus of the University of Virginia campus, around the Robert E Lee statue, on Friday night.

Several people asked users to identify those in the photos and reach out to their employers in a bid to shame the white supremacists publically.

These are the faces of white supremacy, and they should be shared. It's a public protest. If they wanted privacy should've worn their hoods. pic.twitter.com/bDBu362Qun  Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) August 12, 2017

Some users managed to identify one such white nationalist as Millennial Matt who allegedly raised money online to travel to the rally in Virginia.

.@GOP, this is "Millennial Matt." He raises money online to travel to racist rallies that kill innocent Americans. #RadicalAltRightTerrorism pic.twitter.com/c5Ju3EhCuq  Bandit Aleatoire (@BanditRandom) August 13, 2017

Pretty sure this is @Millennial_Matt#Charlottesville Nazi white supremacist

Anyone know his full name and which employer to notify/boycott? pic.twitter.com/2YM7nyM50L  Anne (@relevanne) August 13, 2017

Any employers out there know these dudes? Just asking... pic.twitter.com/x2rPJyW2bq  (((Christine Fair))) (@CChristineFair) August 13, 2017

The driver of the car, James Alex Fields Jr, a 20-year-old who recently moved to Ohio from where he grew up in Kentucky, was charged with second-degree murder and other counts.

I think we know what side James Alex Fields Jr is on pic.twitter.com/IQeR4sVApl  GandUlf Samuelsson (@LorenzoMeow) August 13, 2017

The alt-Right demonstrators gathered late on Friday and chanted blood and soil and one people, one nation, end immigration as they carried burning torches through the university campus. Blood and soil was a phrase commonly used by the Nazis to hail their ideas about racial superiority and traditional rural life.
The Rev. Aaron Horton is inviting area residents to take part in a project that builds more than walls for a home.

Its a project designed to build hope.

And give participants a chance to enjoy some fellowship.

This is the second year that Fremont Church of the Nazarene will host a Home Build. Area residents are invited to take part in the event from 8 a.m. to noon Aug. 26 in the church parking lot at 960 N. Johnson Road.

The church is teaming up with the Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity and Crossroads Missions of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Crossroads works with Habitat and an organization like the church, organizing the project and makes sure volunteers have the needed materials and that the build runs efficiently.

Well work on upward of 30 different home panels that when theyre put together make up the inside walls of a home, said Horton, lead pastor at the local Nazarene church.

The walls will be used for a home in Fremont.

Anybody and everybody can participate in this. Theres no age limit, Horton said. Everybody is welcome and invited.

That means individuals and families with children can participate. Teams can come from businesses and churches.

Volunteers come to the church parking lot, where theyll divide into teams and work on the panels. After the project is finished, volunteers are given Sharpie markers with which they can write Bible verses or other words of encouragement on the wall panels.

On Sunday (Aug. 27) after our second service, well load up all the panels onto a flatbed truck and drive it to the home site, Horton said.

Last year, approximately 120 people from throughout the community helped construct 32 wall panels.

Horton was a staff pastor at a church in Dayton, Ohio, when Crossroads Missions came there about four years ago.

I got involved and my kids got involved and my kids loved it, he said. Ill never forget seeing my son with a hammer and working on a home and being able to talk to him about why this is important  to care about others and to care about our community.

Its a great way for children to be able to feel what its like to do something for someone else, he added.

Horton believes this endeavor is a great team-building and family-building exercise. And its an opportunity to come alongside a Habitat family thats working to own a home. It helps build hope with some hammers and nails.

Its a great way to care about your community, he said, and to teach your family about what it means to give back to your community.
In the basement of an engineering building at the University of Houston, Daniel Araya flips a giant switch and air whooshes through a tunnel, spinning a basket-like gadget that turns on a vertical axis.

This unconventional wind turbine with curving blades is designed for urban rooftops, able to generate electricity from shifting winds and turbulence caused by tall buildings. Think of it as wind power's answer to rooftop solar.

Araya, 31, began working on turbines as a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology. When he completed his Ph.D. in 2015, he said, he decided to bring his research to UH for one main reason: "Houston is known as being the energy capital of the world."

But Houston is in danger of losing that distinction, as the world shifts from fossil fuels to clean energy technologies. For all its dominance in oil and gas, and all the brain power devoted to getting more from out of the ground and under the sea, Houston has very few young companies incubating new technologies and very few large ones that conduct clean energy research here.

Houston not only lags technology centers such as Boston and Silicon Valley but also cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles - not to mention Austin and Lubbock, where most of Texas' clean tech startups are based and most of its wind research takes place. Houston comes in fifth for the number of wind patents nationally, but 37th in the number of solar patents, 36th for energy efficiency patents and 16th for energy storage, according to the Brookings Institution.

RELATED: How Houston is like Detroit

In venture capital deals in renewable energy between 2012 and 2016, Houston came in a distant eighth, according to the data firm CB Insights.

The shift to clean energy, meanwhile, may be starting to accelerate, with breakthroughs like Tesla's $35,000 Model 3 electric car, and Volvo's decision to abandon conventional gas-powered engines by 2019. Rapid growth in wind and solar power, even in the absence of federal policy nudging in the United States, are contributing to what Shell CEO Ben van Beurden predicted will be "lower forever" oil prices  bad news for Houston.

Going elsewhere

If trends toward clean technologies pick up more speed, as many analysts, researchers and even oil executives expect, Houston risks the kind of economic disruptions that rocked Detroit  where, in the 1970s, automakers left the market for fuel efficient vehicles to foreign competitors.

"We have so many skills and so much know how around energy, and it's important for us strategically and globally to be part of these transitions," says Brett Perlman, a former Public Utility Commission member who now leads the business-backed Center for Houston's Future. "To continue to be relevant as the industry evolves, we have to be at the forefront of developing these new technology solutions."

The reason for Houston's poor showing in renewable energy isn't a mystery: It has been a fossil fuel powerhouse for so long that the next generation of low-carbon energy hasn't been a priority.

"The attention to greenhouse gases and pollution is far more attuned up north than it is up here," says Ken Jones, who directs Energy Research Park at the University of Houston. "Down here, this is an energy city, and you're not looking to displace those that are in traditional energy elsewhere."

RELATED: In a city where bigger is better, can Houston build a startup scene?

Houston's energy economy initially grew because of its proximity to the Spindletop oil gusher and the salt domes throughout East Texas, but the city consolidated its sway over the industry by becoming the financial center for exploration and the technological center for extracting oil more easily and cheaply. That would make it logical for Houston companies to lead the charge into the energy sources of the future, but for a variety of reasons, companies here have focused clean tech investments in other cities.

Chevron's investment arm has backed renewable energy companies in Boston and Silicon Valley, but not in Houston, according to the venture capital data website Crunchbase. Chevron said most of its clean energy research is done in California, where the company is headquartered, but it is "very open to investing and working with startups that are based in Houston."

BP Ventures has dozens of portfolio companies in California and the United Kingdom, but only one in Houston, and it makes acoustic technology for drilling oil wells.

Shell's year-old, $1.7 billion new energies unit, which includes biofuels, hydrogen, wind and solar, is mostly centered in San Francisco, London and Amsterdam. Kirk Coburn, who co-founded an incubator in Houston for energy startups, only to see it fold in early 2016, now works for Shell Technology Ventures. He scours the country for promising young firms, and usually finds them on the coasts  where startups generally are thriving.

"Why would entrepreneurs come to Houston, when they could move to San Francisco, where it's easier to raise money?" Coburn asks.

One reason might be to work closer to customers, and there are plenty of them in Houston: EDP Renewables is one of the largest wind developers in the country, Quanta Services one of the largest transmission builders, and Sunnova one of the largest builders of rooftop solar. Dynegy, Calpine, and NRG are three gigantic power providers. But many of those companies are happy to purchase technology from far afield.

Wind farm developers, for example, buy equipment from manufacturers like General Electric, whose research centers in Schenectady, N.Y., and Greenville, S.C., produce more wind patents than any other metropolitan area in the country, according to Brookings.

Beyond oil and gas

Michael Skelly is the CEO of Houston-based Cleanline Energy Partners, which builds transmission lines for wind power. Innovation is essential to the advances renewable energy has made, he says, but it has largely bypassed Houston.

"Do we here in Houston have the company that designs a better blade for a wind turbine or a better control algorithm for a wind generator?" Skelly says. "No, we don't do that here."

That means that eventually, the companies shaping the future of energy may be based somewhere else.

So, how is Houston losing its edge on the competition?

Start with local universities. Boston's Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard spent a combined $1.9 billion on all research in 2015, according to the latest figures available from the National Science Foundation. UCLA and Stanford, the powerhouse of Silicon Valley, spent more than $1 billion dollars. Texas spends its research dollars in Austin and College Station, with the University of Texas and Texas A&M budgeting a combined $1.4 billion.

Houston's primary universities, Rice and the University of Houston, spent a combined $160 million. Most of the federal research dollars that Houston wins go to scientists at the Texas Medical Center, not wind turbine inventors like Daniel Araya.

Houston also lags in attracting venture investment. Blair Garrou, managing partner of Mercury Fund, Houston's only major venture capital firm, said it's simply because Houston doesn't have a reputation for renewable energy startups, and that's what attracts investors.

RELATED: Mayor's task force lays out plans to boost tech startups

"We haven't really shown startup success in innovative green technologies," Garrou says. "Getting VCs to come to Houston to invest in a type of company where there haven't been successes before is very, very difficult."

Clean energy sectors also are powered by more than investor cash. In cities leading in renewables, local and state governments consider the industry an integral part of their economic futures.

Take Austin, which has had a clean tech incubator affiliated with the University of Texas for eight years. Its leader, Mitch Jacobson, commissioned a study of the clean tech industry in 2014 and found it employed 20,000 people and was projected to expand by 11 percent by 2020. "There are folks here who've decided that it's not just oil and gas that moves the state of Texas," Jacobson says.

Boston has perhaps the best known clean energy incubator, Greentown Labs, sponsored by major oil and power companies including Shell, Chevron, Air Liquide, and Engie. It was able to grow in part because Massachusetts in 2008 made clean energy a key component of its economic development strategy, promoting rooftop solar systems, handing out grants and tax credits, contracting with startups for energy-saving services, and starting an agency called the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center to coordinate all those efforts.

"The state had prioritized it," says Emily Reichert, Greentown Labs' executive director. "That interested the corporate partners."

Too late?

While Houston has lagged, local entrepreneurs still see avenues for the energy leader of this generation could gain a toehold in the next.

John Berger is CEO of Sunnova, a Houston company that builds most of its rooftop solar systems in other states. But, he said, spreading distributed renewable energy is a real estate as much as a technology play. Many Houston millionaires, who made their money in construction, have the knowledge and capacity to devise new ways to incorporate solar and wind power into development.

"Solar ought to be a real estate issue," Berger says. "It should be a Houston leadership issue."

RELATED: The bulk of Houston's "clean energy innovation" comes from oil and gas

Houston and Texas have another advantage: Space is cheap. That comes both in the form of labs for designing hardware as well as open areas for testing grid-scale inventions. "Boston and California don't have the space and size like we do in Texas," says Carsten Westergaard, a professor at Texas Tech University who tests his inventions at the National Wind Institute in Lubbock.

There also seems to be some appetite here for putting Houston on the clean tech map. Hanadi Rifai, director of research at the University of Houston's engineering school, says a corps of researchers is doing work in new energy technologies  especially superconductors and batteries  that could be ramped up with more funding and more exposure. The engineering school is putting together a startup pitch event, where entrepreneurs showcase their business plans to potential investors, which could attract promising businesses from elsewhere and bring those in Houston to the attention of venture capitalists.

That might make things easier for people like Araya, who is looking for private funding to finish a research project with his turbines on top of Hess Tower downtown. Once he has a final version, he'd like to found a company to commercialize the product.

But right now, he's feeling a little bewildered by how to get there from here.
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Amber Murphy gets a lot of calls at Butler's Courtyard, a special-events venue she owns in League City. Brides-to-be and corporations are always looking for a beautiful spot to book. And by this summer, she thought she'd heard it all.

Then one day, Jessica Shofner, the wedding and event coordinator took a strange call: Someone was asking if they could host goat yoga on the grounds.

Murphy had questions.

"I was like, I'm not sure. Does she bring the goats? Do they live here? Where do they go to the bathroom?"

The answers, she's since learned, are: yes; no; and mostly at home, but sometimes on a mat.

Goat yoga is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: A class of 30 yogis gather on the lawn at Butler's Courtyard, joined by 20 goats, who frolic around during a beginner-level class. It's 60 minutes of yoga followed by 30 minutes of photo-ops.

"I saw the idea originally on TV," says Rachel Henson, owner of Goat Yoga Houston, which she launched at Butler's Courtyard in July. "I'm not pretending I came up with the idea or anything like that."

But while goats are trendy as heck this year, Henson thinks she was ahead of the curve on that. As a member of Rodeo Houston's lamb and goat auction committee for the past eight years, she's always had a soft spot for the animals.

"I got my yoga certification, and I called my brother, who has goats and was like, 'Haul 'em on down here,'" she said. "He was like, 'Worst idea ever.' "

More Information Goat YogaHouston Classes: $35, and are held on Saturday and Sundays. Find availability at goatyogahouston.com. Locations: Butler's Courtyard, 112 Michigan, League City; Chantilly Country, 11780 Calfee, Conroe See More Collapse

Except it wasn't.

Goat yoga is peak 2017. And it's less about fitness than it is about your Facebook feed.

After opening at the end of July, Henson's classes sold out in a flash, thanks to Facebook shares and viral attention.

"We have enough inquiries and people sending their credit card numbers - which I don't take like that - that we could be sold out until December," she said. "That's why we have to do reservations. I know people ask why we don't do credit cards on site, but think about if someone drove an hour-and-a-half to get here, and the class sold out. Like, how terrible would that be?"

It'd be pretty ba-a-a-ad.

"What I like to tell everybody is this is not your normal yoga class," Henson said last Friday as she began her class, with her two four-week-old kids, Conway Twitty and George Strait milling around near the front of her mat. The goats live with Henson, following her around like puppies. At night, they sleep in her (air-conditioned) garage.

"I encourage you to laugh and smile," she said during the class. "The main thing is just to have a good time. In savasana, we normally laugh. I encourage that. I know it's supposed to be your peaceful moment. But if you have something like this sucking on your toe, and you're not laughing, that kind of defeats the purpose of this."

Throughout the 60-minute session, the goats meander and bleat, sniffing Starbucks cups in search of a treat and rubbing their horns against yoga bags. They kiss yogis. One pees on a mat.

About halfway through, the goats are invited to participate. Class members can practice lunges with a kid slung over their shoulders; after class they can invite a goat to hop on their backs during downward-facing dog for an adjustment.

"When the goat was on our back, it actually felt like a little back massage," Murphy said at the end of class. "I wasn't sure about it at first, but it felt really good."

And it looked even better on Instagram.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Police in Charlottesville, Virginia, came under criticism for failing to keep apart warring white nationalists and counter-protesters who battled it out in the city streets on Saturday amid what at first seemed an anemic response from authorities.

Anger over the how police responded came from all directions and intensified after the deaths of a woman struck by a car that plowed into a group of counter protesters. Experts said police appeared outnumbered, ill-prepared and inexperienced.

"The worst part is that people got hurt and the police stood by and didn't do a godd---- thing," said David Copper, 70, of Staunton, Va., after an initial morning melee at a park that when unchecked by police for several minutes.

Fourteen people were injured in clashes; nine others were hurt in the car crash. Later, two Virginia State Police troopers were killed when their helicopter smashed into trees at the edge of town and burst into flames. The loss of police officers only compounded the calamity on a day that pushed police, city officials and residents to their limits.

Cable news replayed a seemingly endless loop of the early violence at Emancipation Park, where police in riot gear had surrounded the expanse on three sides, though seemed to watch as groups beat each other with sticks and bludgeoned one another with shields. Many on both sides came dressed for battle, with helmets and chemical irritants.

Police appeared at one point to retreat and then watch the beatings before eventually moving in to end the free-for-all, make arrests and tend the injured. The governor declared a state of emergency around 11 a.m. and activated the National Guard.

"The whole point is to have overwhelming force so that people don't get the idea they can do these kinds of things and get away with it," said Charles Ramsey, who headed both the District of Columbia and Philadelphia police departments. Demonstrators and counter demonstrators "need to be in sight and sound of each other but somebody has to be in between," he said. "That's usually the police."

Complicating the dynamics was the fact that several dozen groups of armed militia - men in full camouflage toting assault-style weapons - were in the middle of the crowds. Some claimed that they were there to keep the peace, although none were seen trying to stop the skirmishes.

Cornel West, the Princeton professor and writer who attended a morning church service at First Baptist Church in Charlottesville with a large group of clergy members, said "the police didn't do anything in terms of protecting the people of the community, the clergy." West said that "if it hadn't been for the anti fascists protecting us from the neo-fascists, we would have been crushed like cockroaches."

Richard Spencer, the white nationalist and one of the leaders of the rally, said police failed to protect groups with which he is affiliated. "We came here as a demonstration of our movement," Spencer said. "And we were effectively thrown to the wolves." The police, he said, "did not protect us."

Local and state authorities declined to address specific questions about how the demonstration was handled or their strategy for the day. The city's mayor, police chief, city manager, and Gov. Terry McAuliffe also did not answer questions at an early evening news conference.

Thomas, the police chief, said only that the city will be "reviewing events of the day over coming weeks and months."

McAuliffe thanked law enforcement and noted that "this could have been a much worse day today." He put the blame squarely on the white nationalists "who came here to hurt people." He added, without mentioning a specific incident, "And you did hurt people."

Lt. Joseph Hatter, a commander with the Charlottesville Police, said officers tried to create separate areas for protesters and counter protesters to "reduce the violence." But, he conceded, "It didn't work, did it? I think there was a plan to have them separated. They didn't want to be separated."

About the apparent delay in reacting to the violence, Hatter said, "I don't know that we did wait. I think we did the best we could under the circumstances." He declined to elaborate.

State Del. David Toscano, D-Charlottesville, minority leader of Virginia's House, praised the response by Charlottesville and state police.

"Things were getting out of hand in the skirmishes between the alt-right and what I would describe as the outside agitators who wanted to encourage violence," he said.

Asked why police did not intervene sooner, Toscano said he could not comment. He said they trained hard to prepare for the demonstration "and it might have been that they were waiting for a more effective time to get people out"of the park.

Experts on handling large demonstrations said authorities in Charlottesville are likely not as prepared for such events, which occur with more regularity in cities such as New York and Washington. They also said that separating antagonists is paramount.

"Big cities handle this stuff all the time," said Eugene O'Donnell, a former police officer and prosecutor in New York City. "It seems an enormous stretch for Charlottesville and even for the state police."

O'Donnell, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said that "planning on paper can vaporize pretty quickly" and "many police think that if you do nothing, it's less bad than if you do something. ... Police departments need learn to strike a balance and create safe zones for people preaching hate."

But he also said that too often the police are faulted for the poor choices of others.

"When people run amok and cause damage, people blame the police," O'Donnell said. "When police act proactively, they get blamed for overreaching. People ask, 'Why weren't you more patient'?"

- - -

Heim and Silverman reported from Charlottesville. Hermann reported from Washington.

- - -

Video: State of emergency declared after white nationalists gathering in Charlottesville

White nationalists were met by counterprotesters in Charlottesville on Aug. 12, leading Gov. Terry McAuliffe to declare a state emergency. A car plowed into crowds, killing one person and injuring 19 others.

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Dueling groups of armed protesters chanted and gave speeches Saturday outside Houston City Hall, sparring over immigration and police brutality even as the nation reeled from violence at a white nationalist rally in Virginia hours earlier.

Around 50 protesters from a left-leaning coalition read poems near Hermann Square and sang to voice their opposition to Senate Bill 4, while across the street about 15 counter-protesters from the Texas Patriot Network and Proud Boys hurled insults and waved a Texas flag.

"This is a protest against SB4, against police brutality and against the threat of fascism," said Houston Socialist Movement organizer David Michael Smith, who showed up armed and wearing a red hammer-and-sickle shirt emblazoned with an outline of Texas.

"Both of these things today are growing in significance and take on additional weight because of the threat from the far right, something that you see with open Nazis in the streets in Charlottesville, Virginia today," he said.

Across the street, conservative counter-protesters, some wearing camouflage, and others wearing Make America Great Again hats, offered a smattering of dissenting opinions, affirming their support for police and for SB4, the so-called "sanctuary cities" legislation. The law, signed by the governor in May, gives police officers new authority to question a detained person's immigration status and blocks local governments from passing laws that would prohibit such question.

"We're here to show our congressmen, our Senate and all of our police that we stand behind them enforcing the laws," said Jeremy Brooks of the Texas Patriot Network.

When asked if he'd still support Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo in light of his opposition to SB4, Brooks said he supported the chief's right to his own opinion.

"It's his job to enforce the law. Whether or not he agrees with them, guess what, he has to enforce the law," he added.

"How would you feel if he said, 'You know what? I drink, I like alcohol so I'm going to allow people to take to the streets drinking and driving because I choose not to enforce that law."

Fellow counter-protester Laura Lee echoed Brooks' concerns.

"We don't support racism or inequality, but we want our laws followed," she said. "Illegals are not immigrants. They're breaking the law to be here."

For much of the protest, left-leaning groups ignored their opponents across the street.

"We always come here peacefully and they always come hard," Leobardo Santillan said. "We are tired of that intimidation. We are tired of the border watch and the rednecks and now some of ours had to come armed because we are responding in the same form. So they can see we are not afraid."

At times, the protesters converged at a police barrier along Walker, briefly trading barbs before police calmed the crowd.

As the afternoon wore on, the situation degenerated to juvenile taunts, with one anti-immigration activist hurling fat-shaming insults while those on the left stared back in stony silence.
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WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump has racked up just a few legislative victories in Congress, but he is filling federal court vacancies at a record pace, hoping to reshape America's judiciary while filling a nationwide backlog of openings that has Texas at its epicenter.

With a penchant for young, conservative judges in the mold of Supreme Court appointee Neil Gorsuch, Trump is expected to have an outsized impact on legal climate in the Lone Star State, which has more openings than any other state, some stretching back more than six years.

The state's 13 openings - 11 at the district court level and two appeals court vacancies - have been a bitter pill for Democrats. Some blame the logjam on the state's two Republican senators, John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, for slow-walking the selection process under President Barack Obama, creating a bounty of openings for his successor.

Cornyn and other Texas Republicans have blamed Obama, who they say was slow to put forward nominations in his two terms as president.

More Information By the numbers 138: Federal judge vacancies nationwide 13: Federal judge vacancies in Texas (11 district court; 2 for 5th Circuit Court of Appeals) 52: Authorized federal judgeships in Texas 35: Number of district and appeals court judges nominated by President Donald Trump through mid-August 15: Number of judges nominated by President Barack Obama through mid-August 2009 Source: United States Courts. See More Collapse

The upshot is an historic opportunity for Trump. Whatever his problems in Congress, he has a chance to remake the federal bench with judges serving lifetime appointments. And with the abolition of the Senate filibuster for district and appeals court judges, Trump only needs the votes of Republicans to confirm his picks.

From immigration to voting rights and social legislation, court watchers see a sea change coming in the federal courts, even if Trump doesn't make it to a second term.

"The contrast between the types of judges President Obama advanced and those President Trump is advancing couldn't be more stark," said Carrie Severino, chief counsel and policy director for the Judicial Crisis Network, a conservative legal organization.

Texas picks imminent

Republicans who once had doubts about Trump have taken heart in his conservative judicial selections, starting with Gorsuch, a pick that made good on a promise that helped Trump win the 2016 election.

But while much has been said about Trump's slow pace in filling administrative positions, legal analysts say he has been filling court positions with breakneck speed.

As of mid-August, after nearly eight months in office, Trump has nominated 35 people for federal district and appeals court vacancies, more than double the 15 that had been named by Obama at this point in his presidency. President George W. Bush had appointed only four, though he added another 32 in September, 2001.

Other than a recent tax court appointment, Trump has yet to nominate anyone to fill any of the federal court openings in Texas, a state with caseloads so high that nine of the 13 vacancies have been classified "judicial emergencies."

But sources close to the selection process believe his Texas picks are imminent, noting that candidates for all 13 openings have gone through a bipartisan Federal Judicial Evaluation Committee that reviews potential judges for the state's two U.S. senators.

"Everybody realizes we need help, and help is on the way," said San Antonio attorney David Prichard, who chairs the review panel.

Prichard and other members of the panel said they finished vetting nominees in April, sending the names on to Cornyn and Cruz, who make recommendations to the White House.

Although the state review panel is bipartisan, it only makes recommendations. Democrats expect the new crop of judges to lean distinctly to the right because of the influence of the state's two senators and their Republican allies in Washington.

While the stars are aligning for conservatives in Texas, some analysts see the state's big judicial backlog as a case study in the pitfalls of the Senate confirmation process.

"It's not coincidental that so many vacancies were open for Trump to fill," said Lena Zwarensteyn, director of strategic engagement at the liberal-leaning American Constitution Society. "There was plenty of opportunity to fill these vacancies for a number of years."

One of the oldest Texas vacancies, in Corpus Christi, has been vacant since 2011, three years into Obama's first term.

The last group Obama judicial nominees from Texas got caught up in the politics of last year's presidential election, after Cruz and Cornyn had recommended the five judges to the White House to fill vacancies in Texas.

The Texas judges went before the Republican-led Senate Judiciary Committee last September, breaking a long-standing Senate rule against late-election confirmation hearings. The hearing was timed, some Democrats believed, as insurance against a victory by Hillary Clinton, who was then ahead in the polls.

But with Trump's upset victory in November, no vote was ever held, and the nominations were allowed to expire.

Cornyn and Cruz, both lawyers, started the process again early this year. But this time, they are not recommending candidates for Obama, but for Trump, a member of their own party.

In theory, they could recommend the same judges they put forward last year, since they've already been vetted and passed background checks. But few analysts see that as likely, given that they now have the taint of being "consensus" candidates officially nominated by Obama.

"Under Obama, it had to be someone who probably was acceptable to both Obama and the two senators from Texas," said University of Houston political scientist Robert Carp, who studies the federal courts. "So I would assume that the new nominees are going to be somewhat more conservative. It just stands to reason."

It also stands to reason for Austin attorney Raul Gonzalez, a retired Texas Supreme Court Justice and vice chair of the state's judicial evaluation panel. "It's a cliche, but election results have consequences," he said. "It's easier when you have two senators of the same party, and more so of the same party as the president."

'A great opportunity'

To Democrats, the stymied Texas judges suffered the same fate as Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, who never got a hearing in the Republican-led Senate. It proved to be a stalling strategy that succeeded in paving the way for Trump to install Gorsuch.

Deliberate or not, Trump now has the chance to fill all 13 vacancies out of 52 federal judgeships in Texas. Counting the pending appointments of four new U.S. attorneys for Texas, that brings to 17 the number of legal vacancies Trump can fill in the state.

"It's a great opportunity," said University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias, who studies the federal judiciary. "He can name almost a quarter of the judges right out of the chute, and there will be other opportunities as well."

With a total of 138 district judge vacancies around the nation, partisans on both sides expect Trump's mark on the federal bench to make a profound difference.

While Obama was sometimes faulted for going slow in filling the federal judge positions, he is credited by Democrats - and blamed by Republicans - with remaking the federal appeals court system in his ideological image.Of the nation's 13 federal appeals courts, only one had a majority of Democratic appointees when he took office. When he left office, there were nine.

Those courts, along with their lower court counterparts, have been instrumental in a string of liberal legal victories on sanctuary cities, immigration, voter ID laws, transgender bathroom rights, and, with an assist from the Supreme Court, upholding Obamacare.

"I think President Obama appointed the most liberal, I would say radical, judges that have ever sat on the federal bench in our entire history," said Hans von Spakovsky, a legal analyst at the conservative Heritage Foundation.

Now conservatives see a chance to reverse that legacy by replacing what they see as "activist" liberal judges with "constitutional" conservatives.

Even as Trump's legislative agenda of Obamacare repeal and tax cuts appears to be stymied in Congress, conservatives see the courts as one area where he can keep his campaign promises and shore up his own activist base.

The sudden death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia at a hunting camp in Texas last year rallied conservatives, and made his replacement by an equally conservative justice a marker in the presidential election.

"The American people, uniquely in this election, had the issue of the courts squarely in front of them," said Severino, whose group lobbied to block Garland and promote Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. "It was the Number One issue for more than a fifth of the voters, and by wide margins those people voted for Trump."

Ideological bents

Liberals who have counted on the federal courts as a bulwark against Trump's attack on all things Obama see a brazen politicization behind Trump's aggressive push to fill court vacancies.

"There are definite ideological bents to those folks who are being nominated in a way that would not have been seen in previous administrations," Zwarensteyn said.

The confirmation of Justice Gorsuch to replace Scalia has been touted as one of the biggest achievements of Trump's first six months in office. But liberals credit Trump less than the conservative activists who helped compile a list of suitable candidates during the election from which Trump agreed to pick.

"The idea that they outsourced the selection process was unheard of in previous administrations," Zwarensteyn said.

But while the Supreme Court battles get most of the attention, the day-to-day impact could be more pronounced by Trump's picks for the lower courts in states like Texas, with large backlogs and huge caseloads.

Said Spakovsky: "Folks who think they should only pay attention when it's Supreme Court or appeals court judges who are being considered are being short-sided."
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ALAMO - While the economy in Texas has boomed over the last 20 years, along the border with Mexico about a half million people live in clusters of cinderblock dwellings, home-built shacks, dilapidated trailers and small houses.

Texas has more than 2,300 of these communities known as colonias, the Spanish word for "colony." For decades, the villages have sprung up around cities as a home for poor Hispanic immigrant families. Some are shantytowns with neither drinkable water nor waste disposal, and since the 1990s, the state has spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to improve the worst and stop new ones from forming.

But that commitment is now being questioned. In the last few months, Texas lawmakers cut university budgets that help give immunizations and health checkups to children and others in the colonias. They did not renew a key program that provides running water and sewer service. And this summer, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott abruptly shuttered the office that since 1999 has coordinated the work of various agencies in the communities.

Lawmakers who represent the border area, and groups that provide help for indigent people there, are worried that concern about the living conditions and health risks in the colonias is flagging in a state government now taking a tougher stance toward immigrants.

To some, "it all feels like the colonias are no longer a problem. That's not true," said Nick Mitchell-Bennett, executive director of the Community Development Corporation of Brownsville, which helps residents of the colonias obtain sturdier housing. "We're approaching going back to the '70s and '80s," when conditions were at their worst.

Outdoor bathrooms

Since the 1950s, Mexican migrants and families priced out of cities have jerry-built houses on cheap border scrubland from Texas to California, buying illegally subdivided lots from developers beyond the reach of utilities and building codes. Some shanties are made from scraps of plywood, with old campaign yard signs for siding and truck tires used as weights to hold down tarp roofs. Other houses are more substantial and could blend into a normal suburb. Most of the residents are in the U.S. legally, but some not.

Before her dad built a two-room house in an area known as Little Mexico, Eva Carranza's family lived in one half of a rundown trailer after coming across the border illegally from Reynosa. Another family lived in the trailer's other rooms.

"The bathroom was outside. We had to go outside for everything because the water wasn't connected to the trailer," Carranza said.

Residents work in nearby cities. Carranza makes around $350 a month babysitting and cleaning homes.

The conservative Republicans who controlled Texas government in recent decades opposed illegal immigration but launched a bevy of programs to curb the sanitation problems. Public agencies extended some water and sewer lines, paved roads and looked out for illegal septic tanks and disease-breeding stagnant water.

Abbott's office said that the state isn't pulling back.

"It is widely acknowledged in border communities that no governor in recent years has traveled to the border and worked with local border officials more than Governor Abbott," spokesman John Wittman said.

'They're going to suffer'

Exactly how much Texas is spending on the colonias is hard to determine with so much federal and state funding filtering through different agencies and counties. But some groups working in the colonias say they feel the support waning.

Doctors and medical school students at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley who provide vaccinations and free health screenings in about a dozen colonias say there will be fewer visits after losing $7 million as part of higher education budget cuts. Already, said Dr. Eron Manusov, a physician at the university's medical school and a former military doctor who has been deployed overseas, he sees more diseases than he did in the Philippines.

"Overall, they're going to suffer," Manusov said of the residents. "It's going to do great harm to the colonias."

According to a 2014 Texas state count, the last available, more than 37,000 people lived in high-risk colonias without potable water or functional sewage. Another 126,000 residents lived in places posing an "intermediate" health risk. Last year, the rate of tuberculosis in Hidalgo County, where there are more than 900 colonias around McAllen and other border towns, was double the statewide average.

Cynthia Alonso, 28, said she has already noticed less help coming into her colonia called South Tower. "We used to have some trailers that would come with free medical help for the people. Free checkups. That no longer happens," she said.

This year, the Legislature did not renew a cornerstone of Texas' help for the colonias, the Economically Distressed Areas Program. The last $50 million in the fund, which connects homes with clean water and replaces open septic tanks, will likely run out in the next year, said Amanda Lavin, deputy executive administrator of the Texas Water Development Board.

Another $175 million effort launched in 2001 to pave flood-prone dirt roads is all but dried up. Federal dollars that go toward programs for rehabilitating and building homes has also fallen since 2010, said Mark Loeffler, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Agriculture.

Redundant program

Abbott's decision in June to close the Colonias Initiative Program, the coordinating office for projects, surprised immigrant advocates and was viewed as a loss in the state's attorney general's office, which works to head off new settlements by going after illegal land developers.

"It was a great resource," Audon Gutierrez, head of the colonia prevention unit, said of the eight-member staff. "They were folks on top of the local situation."

Wittman called the program redundant and said money should go directly to colonias instead of funding a "bigger government bureaucracy."

Sam Taylor, a spokesman for the Texas secretary of state's office, said, officials "expect there to be no diminishment of tangible benefits to colonias residents."

Democratic state Rep. Mary Gonzalez, who represents more than 250 colonias around El Paso, said the office's demise reflected a tough anti-immigrant tone of this year's legislative session, in which Abbott signed a measure that authorizes police to ask people during routine stops if they are in the country legally.

"I feel there was no political loss to go through" for cutting it, she said, because "they attacked border communities all session anyway."
WASHINGTON - It's a role Mike Pence has come to know well.

The vice president departs Sunday for Latin America on the heels of yet another provocative statement from President Donald Trump that he is sure to have to answer for. This time it's Trump's sudden declaration that he would not rule out a "military option" in Venezuela, where President Nicolas Maduro has been consolidating power, plunging the country into chaos.

The dramatic escalation in rhetoric seemed to upend carefully crafted U.S. policy that has stressed working with regional partners to increase pressure on Maduro. It also contradicted high-level administration officials, including Trump's own national security adviser, who had warned that any perception of U.S. intervention would stir decades' old resentments and play into Maduro's hands.

Experts on the region said the president's comments Friday would undoubtedly make Pence's task more difficult when he arrives Sunday in Cartagena, Colombia, on Venezuela's doorstep.

"Once again, Latin Americans will be looking for Pence to reassure them, to put a lot of daylight between his more traditional, moderate Republican views and those of his meandering president," said Richard Feinberg, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who has extensive experience in the region.

But a spokesman for Pence insisted there was no daylight between him and the president.

"The president is sending the vice president to South and Central America to deliver a very clear message both to our partners in the region and to the Maduro regime. The president and the vice president have discussed the trip in depth and are totally aligned on the president's message to Venezuela and Latin America overall," said the spokesman, Jarrod Agen.

Pence's trip had been aimed both at rallying opposition to Maduro in his own backyard, as well as bolstering trade and economic and security cooperation with four key U.S. allies in the region. His schedule includes stops in Buenos Aires, Argentina; Santiago, Chile; and Panama City. The vice president is expected to meet with each of the country's leaders, deliver a major speech on U.S.-Latin American relations and tour the Panama Canal.
When I attended the counterprotest in Charlottesville on Saturday, Aug. 12, I thought of my family. I come from about as diverse a background as one could imagine. My father was born in Puerto Rico, and my mother is a New Yorker of Italian descent. My parents are deaf. Being raised by deaf parents has always given me a deep sense of responsibility to help those in my community who cannot help themselves. I also thought of my friends. I thought of my fellow Democratic Socialists and other comrades who had turned out to counterprotest with me. I thought about a lot. But, most important, I thought about all the friends and activists across the country who could not be there: people locked in jails for petty crimes, trapped in detention centers for fleeing violence in their homelands, or otherwise silenced by hate because of the way they look, or the way they think, or the people they love.

I am a dark-skinned Latino living in a rural town in Virginia. I've been politically active since I was 16, and I care about the marginalized and vulnerable people (many of them people of color) who live in my area. When I considered counterprotesting the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, I thought of it like this: When we do not oppose Nazi hatred, we put people of color in even more danger, by allowing dangerous bigots to appear dominant and unopposed. It is with that in mind that my friends and I, numbering at least 60, all left the rooftops of the Water Street garage in an optimistic but cautious mood Saturday morning. We knew the risks, but we knew they were necessary.

Richard Spencer, along with a who's who of white supremacists, had chosen Charlottesville as the location for their march to protest attempts by the city council to take down Confederate monuments. We saw trucks carrying skinheads drive by us as we marched out of the parking garage. As soon as we entered the downtown mall, we were met with tear gas and were forced to gather at a location that provided us a good vantage point as the neo-Nazis marched by shouting expletives at us. They held their ridiculous-looking shields and wore their swastika armbands, with many either wearing all white or dressed in what appeared to be riot gear. As they continued to march past us, not a single neo-Nazi wasted an opportunity to throw a Bellamy salute into the direction of our big red flags. Spencer even walked by us at one point, and we made sure he was aware of our displeasure.

Being dark-skinned in a sea of neo-Nazi marchers is an oddly empowering feeling. I had heard reports throughout the day of people of color being cornered and beaten, and I knew that I would be a target because of the color of my skin - but that was nothing new; I have been a target for the color of my skin my entire life. At least in this situation, I was taking a stand, and resisting the neo-Nazi effort to eradicate people like me by my very presence at the site. So, at first, I had no fear. I knew that my comrades were there and that we were united.

As we marched throughout the city, we were greeted with cheers from locals, Black Lives Matter activists, Industrial Workers of the World members, Showing Up for Racial Justice members, every possible equal-rights group one could imagine. Seeing the locals cheer our Democratic Socialists of America contingent on was one of the most inspiring moments of my life and certainly one that I will never forget. But these uplifting moments were quickly followed with some of the worst, most terrifying moments of my entire life.

Various activists had formed a strong, impromptu coalition with many other affinity groups at Justice Park. We had received a tip that the far right was heading to a public housing neighborhood to terrorize the community. But en route to the neighborhood, we were asked to go back: The community had defended itself. We converged with another massive march and began to move down a boulevard.

A vehicle going about 40 mph swerved in front of us, careening into the anti-racist marchers. The noise was deafening. Bodies went flying. Screams and wails were heard from every corner as a stampede of people erupted. As I and the other DSA marshals appealed for calm from the crowd, I heard people say that a bomb had gone off, or that shots had rung out, but ultimately we realized that we had witnessed an act of domestic terrorism.

Make no mistake about it: This was an act of terror. This brutality was designed to intimidate people of color, such as myself, as well as to intimidate the many courageous people who were in Charlottesville opposing white supremacy in full force. The goal was to place a high cost on protesting white supremacy and to frighten people away from standing up for their rights.

I will never forget the sound of those bodies being hit by that car. But I won't be intimidated, and neither will the enormous movement of people opposed to the virulent racism represented by Spencer and his crew. The incredible folks at the DSA Veterans Working Group have raised nearly $100,000 for the victims of the terrorist act, and vigils are being planned across the country for the woman who was killed.

President Donald Trump might claim that there was violence from "many sides" in Charlottesville, drawing a parallel between white nationalist terrorism and anti-racist protest. But I was there. And there is no parallel. We will continue organizing and demonstrating against white supremacy that manifests as terrorism and white supremacy that manifests in subtler, more insidious ways. And white supremacists will continue to wage a violent war against equality, while Trump refuses to label the nature of their crimes.

---

Gonzalez was born in Richmond, Virginia, of Puerto Rican descent, and is currently chair of the Richmond chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Welcome to Houston's latest political trainwreck. If you thought the city's pension problems were a complex and explosive policy debate, get ready to deal with a potential state takeover of our local public schools. The ensuing fight promises to pit special interests against taxpayers, charters against the teachers union and local control against state authority.

We're not alone: 46 independent school districts, including Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Waco, all face state interference.

So what happened?

In 2015, without much fanfare or debate, the Legislature passed House Bill 1842, which allows the Texas Education Agency to shut down campuses or remove an elected board of trustees if a single school goes five straight years with a "improvement required" rating.

Few recognized the ramifications at the time, and now dozens of districts all across the state risk having schools shuttered or board members tossed aside.

Something is wrong with a law that can override voters on the basis of a single persistent trouble spot. HISD and other districts may have problems, but they're far from the academic or financial struggles that have historically justified a TEA takeover.

The Legislature needs to rein in HB 1842. "One person, one vote" and "no taxation without representation" are more than political slogans; they're the core values of our republic and should be reflected in our laws.

Routine superintendent turnover, or corruption, or district-wide failures all merit help from the state. A single-campus trigger is overkill.

And it is hard to fathom how the state expects schools to meet standards when it underfunds districts year-after-year while promulgating overly burdensome mandates.

However, a faulty state law does not change the reality at HISD.

Kashmere High School in northeast Houston has missed state standards for seven years. Wheatley High School, in northeast Houston, and Worthing High School, in south Houston, have each missed state standards for five years.

Anyone looking to the Board of Trustees for a solution will be tempted to call for the TEA cavalry. Meetings routinely descend into chaos. Debate is replaced with bullying and bluster. Individual members seem more interested in promoting their own myopic political agenda than educating students.

If trustees want to save their jobs, they need to let the superintendent do his. This means allowing Richard Carranza to set the agenda when it comes to hiring, firing and overall management of HISD's 283 schools.

Carranza, too, needs to step up and push back against board members who treat their districts like a political fiefdom. While the nine trustees may have hired him, Carranza's real responsibility is to the 200,000 students who fill the classrooms each day.

In fact, the entire Houston community has a responsibility to prepare these kids to become healthy and productive members of society. HISD's school choice system makes it all too easy for families and businesses to leave behind our bottom-tier schools and instead turn their attention to boutique institutions like the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts or top performers like Carnegie Vanguard High School.

Informed parents know how to apply for magnet schools. Smart kids test into elite programs. Often the only people left at neighborhood schools are the kids who struggle just to get to class and the families that have to confront poverty and crime before getting to homework.

HISD may be a district of choice, but we can't choose to ignore these schools any longer. Businesses and community leaders, unions and charters, foundations and charities all must be united under a single banner to rally the financial and social resources necessary. Mayor Sylvester Turner proved himself capable of crafting a solution once thought impossible for Houston's pensions, and we again look to him to save our failing schools. If Turner can't do it, the only person left will be Mike Morath - commissioner of the TEA.
President Donald J. Trump isn't the first to talk about overhauling government functions using ideas from the business sector; former Vice President Al Gore, similarly inspired, wrote a book titled "Businesslike Government" using "Lessons Learned from America's Best Companies."

This worthy goal is easier said than done. Although the high-end hotel business may be challenged to provide a guide for solving social problems, at least citizens have a right to expect that the Trump administration will tackle problems such as reducing teen pregnancy relying on basic common sense.

That's not happening.

The administration has recently proposed deeps cuts to the evidence-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program in the 2018 budget. Let's be clear: No abortion counseling is provided in the TPP budget; it's all about prevention. The program awards grants to scientists looking for ways to help teens avoid unwanted pregnancies. Not all of these grants have shown a positive effect, but draconian cuts to much-needed research in this area represent bad fiscal and social policy.

First, the timing: Hotel developers don't stop construction half-way just because they think they've found a better site. Yet, the cuts - which came as a surprise to the grantees - will put a premature end to research projects scheduled to last five years. Studies will have to be redesigned, or if that's not possible, scrapped before valid scientific conclusions are reached. Taxpayer money will be inevitably wasted.

In addition, good businessmen make decisions based on evidence, not on wishful thinking. Public health research supports the conclusion that the decline in the teen pregnancy rate in recent years is largely attributed to contraceptive use. Yet Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price and other top officials at the department seem to favor abstinence-only programs.

Virginity pledges are not going to solve the problem of too many teens giving birth, and any shift by the administration to an overreliance on abstinence-only education would have tragic consequences not only for Texas teens but for their children.

Texas already has the fifth-highest teen pregnancy rate, the fourth-highest teen birth rate and the highest repeat pregnancy rate of any state in the country, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Harris County more than 5,000 teens had babies in 2015.

Good business principles would argue for robust prevention. Teen pregnancy cost the state $1.1 billion, according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. Eighty-seven percent of the births to teens are paid for by Texas Medicaid, according to Gwen Daverth, CEO of the Texas Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.

The social costs of teen pregnancy and birth are high as well. "A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child," the actress Sophia Loren once famously said.

Her observation states the problem with teen births in a nutshell. Giving birth while still a teen is limiting for both parent and child. Teen mothers are more likely to drop out of college or high school. They're likely to live in poverty, to be incarcerated and to need social services; and so are their children. The president's proposed 2018 budget is not legally binding document, only a wish list. But consider the initiative a shot across the bow toward ineffective and wasteful policy. Taxpayers should contact their representatives and let them know that they care about the future of adolescent women and support funding for effective teen pregnancy prevention efforts in Texas and beyond.
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 Reagan's words that day, as we debate the Trump administration's 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 Carter's 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 Reagan's 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 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 Department's 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 Reagan's vision for unleashing American greatness. "I want, more than anything I've 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.

Thiessen, a fellow with the American Enterprise Institute and former chief speechwriter to President George W. Bush, writes a weekly column for the Washington Post.
WASHINGTON - White House chief of staff John Kelly needs to draw a red line. Not with North Korea, but with President Donald Trump. For the sake of Kelly's own reputation but even more for the sake of the country, there can be no more presidential improv on the subject of North Korea or military threats in general.

This red line should be both invisible and impregnable. Only Kelly and the president should know it exists, but they should also have a clear understanding: If it is crossed, Kelly will leave. This is essential and, more important, achievable.

Drawing this line is essential because Trump's bellicose impetuosity must be contained. Words matter, and the words of a president matter most. Therefore, they must be carefully calibrated and vetted. President Barack Obama's ad-libbed blunder on Syria and chemical weapons taught that red lines once drawn are not easily erased; if they are crossed without consequences, presidential credibility erodes.

Thus the danger of Trump's off-the-cuff warning: "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." Predictably, North Korea responded with escalating threats of its own: on Tuesday that it was "carefully examining" plans for "an enveloping fire" around Guam, and on Wednesday that it would "turn the U.S. mainland into the theater of a nuclear war" at the first hint of an impending U.S. attack.

Administration officials were left scurrying to clean up and reframe language that none had reviewed in advance. "The words were his own," said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. "The tone and strength of the message were discussed beforehand." Translation: No one knew precisely what was coming. This is no way for any president to conduct foreign policy, certainly not this president and certainly not in a situation with stakes so high.

Mopping up, Defense Secretary James Mattis' approach was to suggest that Trump should be taken seriously but not literally; his retelling moved the red line from threat to action, as in, North Korea "should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people." Secretary of State Rex Tillerson took the tack of advising that Trump should be taken seriously and not seriously, depending on the listener; Tillerson encouraged Americans to "sleep well at night and have no concerns about this particular rhetoric" even as he asserted that Trump had to employ "language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language."

White House aide Sebastian Gorka met Tillerson's call for calm with ominous analogies to the Cuban missile crisis. A senior White House official told The Washington Post, incredibly, that " 'fire and fury' doesn't always mean nuclear. It can mean any number of things. It is as if people see him (Trump) as an unhinged madman." At the State Department, spokesman Heather Nauert gamely insisted that "we are all singing from the same hymnbook."

Uh-huh.

This atonal cacophony is what happens without message control. But is it realistic to speak of controlling Trump? No president likes being told what to do; Trump does not merely chafe at such instruction, he actively rebels against it. So some people look at Kelly's thankless task and conclude that he would be lucky to be able to manage down - to contain staff chaos and feuding. In this assessment, managing up is unattainable when up means Trump.

Yes, but, this is a matter of managerial triage. Let Trump be Trump, when it comes to domestic policy and politics. Let him pick Twitter fights galore, whether with fellow Republicans such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell or with Democrats like Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, just to name this week's targets. Let him watch "Fox & Friends" to his heart's content; let him even assail the Russia "witch hunt" or the "Fake News Suppression Polls."

Just cordon off foreign policy, or the parts of foreign policy that could lead to military confrontation. Instruct the president that statements on those subjects must be debated and scripted. Would Trump agree? Would he - could he - comply? The chaotic, risky alternative makes it worth the try. Kelly's power is at its apex. Trump cannot afford to lose another chief of staff. So the president needs Kelly more than Kelly needs this headache of a job.

And if the general wants to avoid being treated as just another menial fly-swatter, he will seize this moment to assert control, or leave having at least tried.

Marcus' email address is ruthmarcuswashpost.com.
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In politics as in life so much lies in the timing.

Right now the UK is on vacation and few grown-up journalists are around.

So stupid briefings are taken as serious.

The latest joint statement by Philip Hammond and Liam Fox, given wide Sunday media coverage is not about Brexit. It is about the succession to Theresa May.

In the Observer David Miliband writes: "Delegating to May and Davis, never mind Johnson and Fox, the settlement of a workable alternative to EU membership is a delusion, not just an abdication."

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But he then heaps praise on Philip Hammond :"I never thought I would say this, but Philip Hammond is also playing an important, even valiant, role. A transition of the kind he has advocated is vital."

Miliband is one of the most brilliant men on policy to surface in recent years but the crude workings of personal raw ambition and hunger for power are not part of his CV.

Hammond is utterly cynical and in 2015 said Brexit "would light a fire under Europe." He is part and parcel of the 21st Century anti-EU fronde in the Tory Party.

Since July 2016 he has to represent the Treasury which is in despair over Brexit and he has to reassure business. As long as economic actors, i.e. the business community in the broadest sense, refuse to come out clearly and cleanly against Brexit there is no real pressure on the Tories.

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Unfortunately Corbyn as leader of the revived Labour Party is a huge help to the Brexit camp. No economic actor is going to say or do anything that appears to be preferring Corbyn to a Tory government. If Corbyn can find words that imply accepting the Single Market/Customs Union then that changes the dynamic. We shall see what happens in the party conference season of September/early October.

So Hammond has room for manoeuvre. He knows how fragile May is and how much Tory MPs want a new leader not the woman who lost so many of their colleagues their seats on 8th June and made Labour the Lazarus party - back from the dead.

Fox was the kingmaker in the 2005 Tory leadership campaign. He gave 40 votes to David Cameron in exchange for Cameron agreeing to pull out of the European Peoples Party, the federation of centre-right parties in Europe. This was the first political exit from Europe paving the way for the much bigger Brexit amputation with economic, trade and political Europe enshrined in EU Treaties.

Now Fox has told Hammond that he can have 10 Downing Street in exchange for a guarantee of hard Brexit and a big promotion for Fox in a Hammond government.

If Paris was worth a mass for Henry IV of France, then Downing Street is worth a hard Brexit for an ambitious Philip Hammond.

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Anne McElvoy, a liberal rightist Economist senior editor (Eurosceptic but never a Ukip-Gove Brexit fanatic) also writes in the Observer in praise of those "determined to limit the worst damage from a hard Brexit in the wider interest. Those slogging away at that aim, notably Philip Hammond as chancellor, are doing the more responsible thing."

So Hammond is seen as both responsible and talking "transition" language and, simultaneously, thanks to his new alliance with Fox is also seen as the man ready to take the UK out of the Single Market and Customs Union.

If May goes in the next period Hammond is likely to succeed her with both Tory Remainers and Leavers able to read into him what they want.

But that is today's interpretation.

In two months' time who knows?

The mood is uneasy, unsettled. The UK has no previous example of getting out of a disastrous policy blunder based for the first time in British history on a plebiscite decision, especially one which has yet to take place in the sense of leaving the EU.

Past blunders like Suez, the Poll Tax, or Iraq were solved by cutting losses and in the first two examples swiftly removing a Prime Minister as a sacrifice. But the Brexit decision was taken by a plebiscite, and has yet to be given effect.

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David Cameron has gone and Theresa May will probably go but that does not provide a solution to working out what is an appropriate political solution. There is no previous precedent. The text-books of political history provide no answers. Perhaps our constitutionalists can come up with some ideas?

Bookstores are snowed under with Brexit books. Most are post-mortems and few offer a way forward. The kind of speculative discussion on finding a political solution to what is clearly a bad decision for Britain is not something our political journalists are good at.

In this void politicians maneuver for power. It is what they know best.
Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

The utter fact that we have to have a discussion about Nazism in 2017 is despicable, but here we are. In Charlottesville on Saturday, a group of white nationalists, who sported KKK uniforms and Nazi symbols, took to the streets in some form of protest over plans to remove a Confederate statue. As tensions remain high, three deaths have been confirmed, one of which was Heather Heyer, deliberately mowed down by a terrorist whilst protesting against white supremacy.

Quite oddly, but not surprisingly, many are still trying to shift the blame for the resulting violence on those opposed to this backwards Nazi ideology. In the immediate aftermath of the terror attack on Heather Heyer, political commentators on the "alt-right" claimed it was actually an 'antifa' member who mistook the crowd for Nazis. Violent clashes that have continued all weekend have been blamed on the counter-protestors for attacking the "free speech" of the protestors. Using their platform, these political commentators want to convince Americans that the counter-protestors are anti-American, unpatriotic and want to destroy the foundations of the constitution which protects free speech. Imagine being a World War II veteran, who put their life on the line to defeat Nazism, and seeing self-proclaimed patriots toting swastikas in the name of the constitution.

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Simple fact of the matter is, freedom of speech does not, and should not, include Nazis. They believe that their race and ethnicity is superior to others, and they will never hold back on taking any means necessary to spread their ideology into society. White nationalists in America have a history of killing, beating and torturing minorities simply because of their race and nothing more. Why should people who have these beliefs be allowed to gather en masse, and purposefully cause racial tension and fear among citizens?

This is where the counter-protestors, who don't want to see Nazism freely allowed to patrol their streets, have been criticised. Videos on social media have emerged of frequent scuffles between the two groups, with blood shed many a time. Those counter-protestors are standing up for races, religions, genders, sexualities and disabilities. Minorities are the direct target of Nazi behaviour, and fighting against Nazism means fighting against their discrimination. Unfortunately, the counter-protestors aren't seen in this way, but are seen as violent thugs who are anti-free speech.

However, the only way to defeat the white nationalists we saw this weekend is through confrontation. Talking and appeasing never has, and never will, work against Nazis. To simply let fascism walk through our streets and say, "well they have freedom of speech, so even though I disagree, I will let them tote swastikas and perform Nazi salutes" is an insult not just to your own, but to veterans across the world who constantly fought Nazism throughout the 20th Century.

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After the debacle of the leaked Google memo on diversity the individual responsible for sharing his somewhat sexist views to the rest of his company has now been dismissed. But the gender debate lingers on in his wake and continues to encourage people to discuss the issue of gender based abilities and predispositions.

In a nutshell our hapless Google employee made the suggestion 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."

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It has been the natural reaction of many to express anger at these words and the view they put forward but it is important to understand why the Google employee was wrong and why Google did the right thing in terminating his employment.

The primary concern I have is that the employee was trying to use a stereotype to promote an argument. Stereotypes are problematic. They are a generalisation which means they are not safe to rely upon as evidence. You could for example tell me that men are stronger than women but if you did I would immediately go and find you ten women who can throw a shot put a decent distance and ten men who can barely lift a coffee cup. The generalisation achieves nothing but to create a false expectation of the sexes which can then be used as a foundation for targeted discrimination.

Gender generalisation may play a part in sociological theory but when taken into the workplace it opens the door to discriminating against anybody who does not conform to the rigidly defined behaviour of gender stereotypes.

When we allow this kind of blinkered thinking to enter the workplace it actually turns into a self-fulfilling prophecy. Fewer women are recruited into a given industry because of a false belief that said industry is a skill set better suited to men therefore fewer women apply. Fewer women undertake the education paths relevant to that industry which leads to the industry slowly becoming more and more male dominated. The erroneous assumption is then made that men enter the field because they are better suited to it - and so the vicious circle continues. The net result is that the industry is disadvantaged because of a much reduced talent pool, albeit an artificially constructed disadvantage which is, ironically, entirely of their own making.

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Stereotyping is also dangerous because it reduces individuals to be no more than a product of type. This is essentially why sexism (and racism) are so offensive. It is the implication that an individual is not a unique being but a sum of the parts of what it is to be a woman/man/white person/person of colour etc. It denies the right of a person to be taken on their own merits.

The Google employee based his argument on the biological differences between men and women which is a limited view as it fails to take into account the 'nurture' aspects of personal development. Women have been conditioned throughout history to accept a subordinate role to men. This may be anathema to a progressive modern society but we need to remember that it was actually less than 100 years ago when women gained the right to vote in the UK. The weight of oppression still lies heavily on the shoulders of many and it is unsurprising that gender based social expectations still play a part in directing the educational and career aspirations of women. If there are more men than women in technology this cannot be blithely attributed to biology with no consideration for the social environment and the role it has played in shaping attitudes and expectations.

The leaked Google memo was anachronistic in the sense that it only recognised two genders. This polarisation leads to further discrimination - discrimination toward the transgender community, the non binary community and to any individual who does not wish to pigeon hole themselves into a single gender. We live in supposedly enlightened times where gender is (hopefully) becoming acknowledged as more complex than the mere possession of a penis or vagina. The rigid delineation expressed in the Google memo does not acknowledge this evolution of thought and regresses us back to the narrow definitions that no longer serve our society well.

It is important to remember why we hold the principle of diversity as aspirational in a progressive society. Diversity is not about being politically correct. Diversity is needed because it is a rational principle that works best for a society. It promotes a genuine meritocracy where the best people for the job are hired to do the job. When we start to discriminate based on race, gender, faith etc. we effectively disadvantage ourselves and our own progress as a society. Objecting to diversity could not be a more irrational position to take.

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Smart-city programs are popping up all over the United States. As we economize the Internet of Things and technology becomes more affordable, cities are taking advantage of the tech boom and looking to instill new programs in their infrastructure. While much of the focus may go to major cities like New York or Los Angeles, medium-sized to smaller cities are actually leading the charge.

A recent survey by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the analytics firm IHS Markit revealed that 30% of existing smart-city projects are occurring in small cities with residents of 150,000 or less. The survey concluded that smaller and medium-sized cities may have an easier time implementing new technology. These cities may be more motivated to attract interested companies to be their test beds to bringing investment capital and encourage job growth.

One such city is Columbus, Ohio, which was recognized as the Intelligent Community of the Year by the Intelligent Community Foundation. The local government for Columbus has launched Columbus 2020. The goal of Columbus 2020 is to serve as the economic development organization for the 11-county Columbus Region, working in partnership with state and local partners to generate opportunity and build capacity for economic growth. The goals of the program are as follow:

Add 150,000 net new jobs

Generate $8 billion of capital investment

Raise personal per capita income by 30%

Earn recognition as a leader in economic development

The services provided by Columbus 2020 for qualified companies include funding, incentive programs, workforce training, and meeting with leaders in the public sector, private sector, academia, and local economic development organizations. The program also helps with market research, which includes demographic information, workforce analysis and customized data, acquiring land or property for research, and help foreign and domestic companies to increase exports.

The Columbus region is home to a labor force of more than 1million workers and 33% of those workers are graduates with bachelors degrees. There are 60 colleges and universities that cater to the Columbus region and in particular, Ohio State University is a main location for innovating applied research for product design, technology commerce, and manufacturing. Its program, the Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence, works directly with manufacturers to identify and execute growth strategies.

The car above is testing smart mobility protocols at Transportation Research Center Inc. (TRC), the largest independent test facility and proving grounds in North America.

The efforts of Columbus 2020 are being noticed by outside companies, resulting in initiatives and partnerships. Here are some of the latest successes for the Columbus region.

Smart City Challenge Winner: In June 2016, Columbus beat out 77 other cities to win the U.S. Department of Transportations (D.O.T.) $40 million Smart City Challenge. The city was awarded $10 million from Vulcan in addition to the funding from the Dept. of Transportation. There was also an additional $500 million pledged by a partnership of public and private entities in the Columbus region, giving the city a total of $550 million to implement its initiatives. The citys plan is to create an all-inclusive approach using technology to the benefit of all residents, focusing on five major areas: access to jobs, connected visitors, smart logistics, connected citizens, and sustainable transportation.

In June 2016, Columbus beat out 77 other cities to win the U.S. Department of Transportations (D.O.T.) $40 million Smart City Challenge. The city was awarded $10 million from Vulcan in addition to the funding from the Dept. of Transportation. There was also an additional $500 million pledged by a partnership of public and private entities in the Columbus region, giving the city a total of $550 million to implement its initiatives. The citys plan is to create an all-inclusive approach using technology to the benefit of all residents, focusing on five major areas: access to jobs, connected visitors, smart logistics, connected citizens, and sustainable transportation. Infrastructure Investments: The Columbus region was also awarded $175 million from American Electric Power, $124 million from Honda Motor Co. to build an advanced wind tunnel at the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty, and $15 million from the state of Ohio to develop a Smart Mobility Corridor along US Route 33 between Dublin and East Liberty.

The Columbus region was also awarded $175 million from American Electric Power, $124 million from Honda Motor Co. to build an advanced wind tunnel at the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty, and $15 million from the state of Ohio to develop a Smart Mobility Corridor along US Route 33 between Dublin and East Liberty. Ongoing Smart Mobility Efforts: In June, Wind River, an Intel subsidiary, announced that it will partner with the Columbus region to advance safe and secure technologies for self-driving and connected vehicle technology. Ohio State University, the Transportation Research Center (TRC), the largest independent test facility and proving grounds in North America, and the city of Dublin, Ohio, where high-speed connectivity is available for its businesses through 125 miles of underground fiber optics, will partner with Wind River on the project. The partnership is just the latest in a series of efforts being made by the Columbus region to further smart mobility efforts. In August 2017, construction began on US 33 to turn a 35-mile stretch into a Smart Mobility Corridor, which will serve as the testing grounds for autonomous and connected vehicles. Underground installation on the 35 miles of high-capacity fiber optic cable is expected to be completed this year. In addition, this year, the TRC received a $45 million grant for new 540-acre SMART (Smart Mobility Advanced Research and Test) Center on the TRCs campus. Plans for the first phase will set new industry standards, with plans for a 12-lane intersection (the industrys largest), and a large and flexible test platform (which will be wider than more than 50 highway lanes and the length of 10 football fields), and a range of networks that reflect different environments, including urban, rural and neighborhood networks.

In June, Wind River, an Intel subsidiary, announced that it will partner with the Columbus region to advance safe and secure technologies for self-driving and connected vehicle technology. Ohio State University, the Transportation Research Center (TRC), the largest independent test facility and proving grounds in North America, and the city of Dublin, Ohio, where high-speed connectivity is available for its businesses through 125 miles of underground fiber optics, will partner with Wind River on the project. The partnership is just the latest in a series of efforts being made by the Columbus region to further smart mobility efforts. In August 2017, construction began on US 33 to turn a 35-mile stretch into a Smart Mobility Corridor, which will serve as the testing grounds for autonomous and connected vehicles. Underground installation on the 35 miles of high-capacity fiber optic cable is expected to be completed this year. In addition, this year, the TRC received a $45 million grant for new 540-acre SMART (Smart Mobility Advanced Research and Test) Center on the TRCs campus. Plans for the first phase will set new industry standards, with plans for a 12-lane intersection (the industrys largest), and a large and flexible test platform (which will be wider than more than 50 highway lanes and the length of 10 football fields), and a range of networks that reflect different environments, including urban, rural and neighborhood networks. Strong Ties to the Auto Industry: The Columbus region is home to a robust automotive manufacturing industry, producing 700,000 cars annually. Taking advantage of the TRC, Ohio States Center for Automotive Research and College of Engineering, automakers operating in the region benefit from a highly educated workforce of nearly 18,000 working in the automotive industrynearly four times greater than the U.S. averageand the regions strategic location within a 10-hour drive to the majority of the U.S. population. The Region is also home to the bulk of Hondas North American operations; more than one-third of Hondas North American light vehicle production comes from the Columbus Region. In addition to Honda, the Region boasts a network of suppliers, from G-Tekt to Stanley Electric.

According to Kenny McDonald, certified economic developer and president and chief economic officer of Columbus 2020 since its inception in 2010, the midsize cities are the perfect mix for the development of smart cities. Metro areas between like one and three million people are big enough to have scale and access to the supply chains of several companiesfrom Fortune 500 companies and smaller companiesbut they are also small enough to where the people know each other at every level and have to work together and be dedicated to accomplish tasks. Organizations like ours are in the middle of it tying all the resources together, from the public sector to the private sector and even to the academic sector together, says McDonald.

The shape and size of small and mid-size cities make great test beds for smart programs because they are large enough to have the resources but contained enough to be a perfect controlled environment. Hopefully, the success of smaller smart cities can eventually be applied to larger areas and the country. As McDonald notes, We think of us as this goldilocks theory. You need to be big enough to be able to scale up and small enough that you can actually get something done. We believe in the power of cities and metro areas, and we think that a lot of the responsibility falls upon on us as economic developers to try a build a coalition of smart cities.

Source: http://www.machinedesign.com/industrial/columbus-2020-and-rise-smaller-smart-cities
Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey Get our The Life Cinematic email for free Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the

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Since winning an Oscar for The Revenant, Leonardo DiCaprio has remained away from the spotlight somewhat, having starred in absolutely nothing since early 2016.

Things are somewhat more underway now, the actor scheduled to appear in Martin Scorseses adaption of Killers of the Flower Moon (after The Irishman) and next years The Black Hand (which is still in pre-production).

DiCaprio now has another production underway; playing Leonardo da Vinci an adaptation of Walter Isaacsons biopic on the legendary artist.

According to Deadline, Paramount has beaten out Universal for the rights to the adaptation, spending into seven figures. DiCaprio will produce alongside under his Appian Way banner.

Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Show all 8 1 /8 Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) - Jordan Belfort Rex Features Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac The Great Gatsby (2013) - Jay Gatsby Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Django Unchained (2012) - Calvin Candie Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Inception (2010) - Cobb Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac The Aviator (2004) - Howard Hughes Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Catch Me If You Can (2002) - Frank Abagnale Jr. Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Leonardo Di Caprio as John Edgar Hoover in J. Edgar (2011) Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Leonardo DiCaprio's roles as a rich maniac Blood Diamond (2006) - Danny Archer

DiCaprio was actually named after Da Vinci, the actors mother having felt her in utero son kick for the first time as she examined one of his artworks at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy.

When reviews eventually come out for the biopic, expect numerous commentators to remark this was the role DiCaprio was born to play.
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On Saturday morning, Donald Trumps Twitter account was notably silent despite white supremacists and anti-facists clashing at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Many social media users picked up on how the usually vocal President was taking so long to comment on the situation.

Eventually, Trump finally Tweeted: We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!

In a press conference later on, Trump said: We're closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence, on many sides. On many sides.

The comments, however, did little to appease those on Twitter, the likes of JK Rowling, Patton Oswalt, and Ava DuVernay blasting the President for ambiguously blaming "many sides". See a selection of comments below.

Officials in Charlottesville declared a state of emergency shortly after 11am local time as the clashes became more violent, with punches thrown between rival groups and pepper spray released in the crowd.

Michael Signer, the towns mayor, gave a statement laying blame on Trump, saying: "I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the President."

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

He was speaking shortly before it emerged one person had been killed and several others injured when a car hit anti-fascist protesters.

The clashes broke out at a "Unite the Right" protest over the decision by the local government to remove a statue of the leading Confederate general, Robert E Lee, during the American Civil War.
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Hes best known for his portrait of a young girl in Afghanistan named Afghan Girl from 1984. With her piercing green eyes, dark hair and red shawl draped over her head and shoulders, it made the front page of National Geographic, and went on to feature in many more magazines, becoming one of the most well known and famous front covers and a portrait that many will recognise. Its his single most striking portrait and is a timeless piece of work. As is much of Steve McCurrys work from his time travelling around Afghanistan.

On his first assignment to the country in 1979, the photographer ventured behind the lines, taking great risks, including dressing in Afghan robes in order to be smuggled across the border from Pakistan.

He journeys into treacherous and unpredictable landscapes  much of which has been controlled by the Mujahideen, the Taliban and Russia. He thrives on getting out of his comfort zone to tell a story though his camera, as in many places he goes, there are no people left to tell the story.

He uses the battle-torn backdrops of the land to take centre stage for his work, in which he delves into cultural traditions, framing everyday people and activities, the effects of war, tribal rivalries and colonial wars, and which in turn gives a great insight into life in the country of his subject. But his work still retains its human interest elements, from young men selling oranges on the bonnet of a broken-down car to a portrait photographer and his Victorian-style camera on the streets of Kabul.

And despite the atrocities that have swept across the land, McCurry is able to find beauty in it too, both in the land and in the people that inhabit it. The Afhgans have always called their mountains the land of rebellion.

As his signature style, McCurry gives his work very short titles and almost no caption information, bar the location and date. The rest is left solely to the picture.

The American photographers latest book is a retrospective look back on his accomplished work across Afghanistan over the past 40 years, featuring more than 230 images that are almost all in colour, expect for a handful of black and white images from the 70s and 80s.

After photographing India, the middle east and Afghanistan over the past four decades, McCurry founded ImagineAsia in 2004, which helps provide educational resources and opportunities to children and young people in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: Steve McCurry is available to buy from Taschen.com

Kunar River, 1980 (Steve McCurry)

Bamiyan, 2006 (Steve McCurry)

Bamiyan, 2003 (Steve McCurry)

Logar Province, 1984 (Steve McCurry)
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The Royal Bank of Scotlands brand new polymer 10 note featuring pioneering Scottish scientist Mary Somerville is to be issued on 4 October.

The note will have the secure features put in place by the 5 notes issued by the Bank of England and the RBS in 2016.

RBS says the new note will include braille for the blind and visually impaired.

Recommended Bank of England to keep making notes with animal fat despite protests

The 10 plastic note will feature Scottish astronomer Mary Somerville, a pioneering mathematical genius appointed as the first female member of the Royal Astronomical Society, in the nineteenth century.

Born in 1780, she is credited with the discovery of Neptune due to her suggestions of a planet near Uranus.

A Facebook campaign advocated for the scientist to appear on the note after RBS put the matter as to who should be on the new polymer note to an online public vote.

Somerville had been leading the polls until the last day of voting, when a surge in last minute votes for Thomas Telford, a famous civil engineer, toppled her into second.

Facebook and RBS declared the result void following the discovery that much of the last minute surge came from India and other countries.

The banks chief executive Ross McEwan said that after 30 years, the time had come for RBS to produce a new 10 note.

We wanted the public to help influence the design, he said. They helped influence our theme of fabric of nature and helped us consider the impact Mary Somerville has had on our understanding of the world in which we live.

He added: It is fitting that our most advanced note yet will carry her portrait.

The 5 note released by the bank last year featured the image of novelist and poet Nan Shephard  the decision to use her portrait made by the RBS Scotland board.

The bank also revealed Catherine Cranston has the new face of the RBS 20 note, to be issued from 2020. Born in 1849, Cranston opened a number of tea rooms in Glasgow which welcomed unchapheroned women.
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A man believed to be the son of the owner of one of Londons most popular bagel shops has been charged with murder after a mother and daughter were found dead at their north London home, police have said.

Joshua Cohen, 27, of Golders Green Crescent in Barnet, was charged with two counts of murder and was due to appear in court on Monday.

The Cohen family are said to be the long-time owners of the 24-hour Beigel Bake, an institution in East Londons Brick Lane famous for its salt beef bagels.

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

In a statement, Scotland Yard said: Detectives from the Mets Homicide and Major Crime Command investigating the murder of two women aged 66 and 33 at an address in Golders Green Crescent, Barnet on Friday, 11 August have charged a man.

Joshua Cohen, 27, of Golders Green Crescent, Barnet, was charged at 21.50hrs on Sunday, 13 August with two counts of murder.

He was remanded in custody to appear at Hendon Magistrates Court on Monday, 14 August.
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Alex Salmond put political differences aside as he welcomed his "good pal" and Brexit Secretary David Davis as his special guest on the opening day of his Edinburgh Fringe chat show.

The former first minister is staging a sold-out two week run of Alex Salmond Unleashed and promised a mix of music, politics and comedy.

He received a warm welcome from the crowd of 350 as he walked on stage and started by removing his tie to laughs from the audience as he explained the meaning behind the unleashed title.

Mr Salmond said the subject of his first show was Scotland In Europe and after talking about William Wallace and the country's European history, he introduced Mr Davis, to the surprise of the audience.

As he walked on stage Mr Salmond said: "Remember all the guests are my pals so watch how you treat them.

"Can I introduce you to the next prime minister of the United Kingdom, perhaps the last prime minister of the United Kingdom, Mr David Davis."

In a light-hearted discussion Mr Davis was pushed on cabinet divisions and the timescale for Brexit and said Mr Salmond was "trying to make me lose my job".

Mr Salmond told how they had worked together to try and impeach Tony Blair over Iraq but Mr Davis had to remove his name from the motion when he was appointed to Cabinet.

How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Show all 8 1 /8 How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Weetabix Chief executive of Weetabix Giles Turrell has warned that the price of one of the nations favourite breakfast are likely to go up this year by low-single digits in percentage terms. Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Nescafe The cost of a 100g jar of Nescafe Original at Sainsburys has gone up 40p from 2.75 to 3.15  a 14 per cent risesince the Brexit vote. PA How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Freddo When contacted by The Independent this month, a Mondelez spokesperson declined to discuss specific brands but confirmed that there would be "selective" price increases across its range despite the American multi-national confectionery giant reporting profits of $548m (450m) in its last three-month financial period. Mondelez, which bought Cadbury in 2010, said rising commodity costs combined with the slump in the value of the pound had made its products more expensive to make. Cadbury How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Mr Kipling cakes Premier Foods, the maker of Mr Kipling and Bisto gravy, said that it was considering price rises on a case-by-case basis Reuters How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Walkers Crisps Walkers, owned by US giant PepsiCo, said "the weakened value of the pound" is affecting the import cost of some of its materials. A Walkers spokesman told the Press Association that a 32g standard bag was set to increase from 50p to 55p, and the larger grab bag from 75p to 80p. Getty How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Marmite Tesco removed Marmite and other Unilever household brand from its website last October, after the manufacturer tried to raise its prices by about 10 per cent owing to sterlings slump. Tesco and Unilever resolved their argument, but the price of Marmite has increased in UK supermarkets with the grocer reporting a 250g jar of Marmite will now cost Morrisons customers 2.64 - an increase of 12.5 per cent. Rex How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Toblerone Toblerone came under fire in November after it increased the space between the distinctive triangles of its bars. Mondelez International, the company which makes the product, said the change was made due to price rises in recent months. Pixabay How Brexit affected Britain's favourite foods from Weetabix to Marmite Maltesers Maltesers, billed as the lighter way to enjoy chocolate, have also shrunk in size. Mars, which owns the brand, has reduced its pouch weight by 15 per cent. Mars said rising costs mean it had to make the unenviable decision between increasing its prices or reducing the weight of its Malteser packs. iStockphoto

Questioned about his leadership ambitions should Theresa May step down, Mr Davis laughed and said: "I am really a very, very bad leadership candidate."

Mr Salmond said his friend was "the acceptable face of the Brexiteers and certainly the one who knows what he's talking about".

Elsewhere in the hour long show, Mr Salmond introduced comedian Janey Godley and house band Mikey And The Carloways.

Questioned by the audience, Mr Salmond said Nelson Mandela was the most impressive politician he had seen and that the only time he was nervous was the first time he met Sir Sean Connery.

He ended the show by raising 1,000 for charity from a member of the audience who paid to have lunch with Mr Salmond and Mr Davis in Edinburgh.

The cash will be donated to Macmillan Nurses, the charity chosen by Mr Davis.

The winning bid by Denise Wilson was also boosted by a further 300, donated by one of her guests, David Hill.

Ms Wilson said: "Macmillan Nurses is a charity very close to my heart as they looked after my late mother so well in her final days.

"My father, Alan, and I thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon tea with Mr Davis and Mr Salmond and I know it is something my mother would have loved to have done too."

Mr Salmond said: "I am absolutely delighted with our debut show. Not only was it a sell-out crowd, but we managed to raise 1,300 for a great cause.

"I would like to personally thank Denise for her generous donation and I would also like to thank everyone who came along today, especially Mr David Davis, to help kick off our festival of fun."

Press Association
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A man believed to be the son of the owner of one of Londons most popular bagel shops has been arrested after a mother and daughter were found stabbed to death inside their north London home.

Officers were called to the house in Golders Green on Friday night to reports of two injured women and found the victims, aged 33 and 66, suffering from stab wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Joshua Cohen, 27, who is reported to be the victims brother and son, was arrested the following day after police launched a manhunt and he was spotted in Golders Hill Park by a member of the public at around 2pm.

In a public appeal before he was detained, Met Police said Mr Cohen had shaved his head and eyebrows and suffers from paranoid schizophrenia.

The Cohen family are said to be the long-time owners of the 24-hour Beigel Bake, an institution in East Londons Brick Lane famous for its salt beef bagels.

A member of staff at the store confirmed to The Independent that it is owned by the Cohen family, but wouldnt provide any further information.

Detective Inspector Ian Lott from the Homicide and Major Crime Command said: Following a recent media appeal, a discerning member of the public alerted police to a real-time sighting and officers moved quickly to detain and arrest the man wanted for questioning shortly before 2pm.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 10 November 2022 A grey heron lands on the river Dodder in Dublin on a sunny autumn morning PA UK news in pictures 9 November 2022 Australia and Spain play during the Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup group A match at the Copper Box Arena, London PA UK news in pictures 8 November 2022 A migrant attempting to communicate with journalists is pinned against a fence by members of staff, before being taken out of view, at the Manston immigration short-term holding facility, located at the former Defence Fire Training and Development Centre in Thanet, Kent PA UK news in pictures 7 November 2022 Handout photo issued by Just Stop Oil of a protester who has climbed a gantry on the M25 between junctions six and seven in Surrey, leading to the closure of the motorway PA UK news in pictures 6 November 2022 A grey seal with its pup, at the Donna Nook National Nature Reserve in north Lincolnshire, where they come every year in late October, November and December to give birth to their pups near the sand dunes, the wildlife spectacle attracts visitors from across the UK PA UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 Florence Kasumba, Letitia Wright, Tenoch Huerta and Lupita Nyongo attend the European Premiere of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in London Getty UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA

This was a devastating attack on two women in their homes. Our investigation is ongoing.

A crime scene remains in place at the house and post mortem examinations will be scheduled in due course, the Met police said in a statement.

Detective chief superintendent Simon Rose from Barnet said: High visibility foot patrols have been stepped up in the area and police will be on hand to listen and respond to community concerns.

We will continue to work with the CST and keep them fully updated with significant developments.

Anyone with information is asked to call the incident room on 0208 358 0200 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
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Boris Johnson has said the regime of Kim Jong-un is responsible for the crisis over North Koreas nuclear programme and must now fix it.

In a series of posts on his Twitter feed, the Foreign Secretary said Britain was working with the United States and allies in the region to find a diplomatic solution to the stand-off between Pyongyang and Washington.

The North Korean regime is the cause of this problem and they must fix it, he said.

The international community is shoulder to shoulder in ensuring North Korea stops its aggressive acts.

We are working with the US and our partners in the region to bring this crisis to a diplomatic end.

Mr Johnsons intervention came as Chinese President Xi Jinping appealed to both sides for calm amid fears the worsening war of words between North Korea and the US could lead to a military conflict with catastrophic consequences for the region.

In a telephone conversation with US President Donald Trump, he urged both sides to avoid words or actions that could worsen the situation.

The Americans have been pressing China to pressure North Korea into abandoning its nuclear programme amid fears that it is close to developing a missile that could hit the US mainland.

State-run China Central Television quoted Mr Xi as telling the President that the relevant parties must maintain restraint and avoid words and deeds that would exacerbate the tension on the Korean Peninsula.

The call followed the latest barrage of threats from Mr Trump, declaring the US military forces were locked and loaded and warning Kim he will regret it fast if he takes any action against US territories or allies.

The crisis blew up following the disclosure that US intelligence analysts had concluded North Korean scientists had developed a nuclear warhead small enough to fit on a ballistic missile.

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 prompted Mr Trump to warn that he would unleash fire and fury on North Korea if it did not stop its threats to the US.

Pyongyang responded by announcing plans for a series of missile test firings towards the US Pacific island territory of Guam  the home to two major US military bases.

Despite the increasingly bellicose statements, Mr Trumps comments did not appear to be backed by significant military mobilisation on either side of the Pacific, while a discreet diplomatic back channel with the regime is reported to remain open.

As a precaution, Japan has deployed missile defence batteries under the path a North Korean missile might take. However, life on the streets of the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, is reported to remain calm.

Press Association
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17 former Army instructors are due before a court martial next month charged with assaults on recruits.

The group from the Army Foundation College in Harrogate are facing a total of 40 charges including actual bodily harm and battery.

They will appear at the Bulford Court Martial Centre in Wiltshire on 21 and 22 September.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that the 17 former recruit instructors will face a trial, but refused to provide names or a list of charges.

It added that it would not be appropriate to comment further.

Former British Army commander in Afghanistan Colonel Richard Kemp told The Mail on Sunday, which first reported the story: I have never heard of a case of this scale.

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

If these charges are proven it will certainly be detrimental to the army from a recruiting perspective.
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British model Chloe Ayling has spoken out about how she was allegedly lured to Italy for a fake photo shoot and then drugged, kidnapped and held hostage for almost a week.

In the first media interview shes given since the ordeal, the 20-year-old recounts a dramatic story of arriving at what she had been told was the studio to suddenly find herself being grabbed from behind by a gloved man who injected her with ketamine.

Her thorough account in the Mail on Sunday details how a man alleged to be Polish national Lukasz Pawel Herba, posing as a fashion photographer, lured her to Milan and then held her captive in a remote shack  where she said she was handcuffed to the chest of drawers  in order to sell her as a slave in an internet auction.

Ms Ayling told the newspaper: He had sent me an email via my agent Phil Green giving me the address for the studio. He said the door would be open and I should let myself in. I walked through the open door and put my luggage down.

I was expecting to hear people setting up the shoot but there was silence. It was a bit creepy but then I saw a door with a sign on it which said Studio.

As I reached for the handle, I felt an arm come around my neck from behind me. I tried to scream but a gloved hand was covering my mouth and my nose.

I panicked because I couldnt breathe and I brought my hands up to my face. I was trying to get his fingers off my nose and I managed to catch one breath.

She described how another man wearing a black ski mask and holding a syringe in his right hand then stepped in front of her, yanked her jacket off and grabbed her arm.

This was my worst nightmare. I didnt know what was in the syringe. I was panicking. I thought they were going to rob or rape me. I was terrified beyond words, she said.

They dragged me to the floor. I just gave up  I thought, Im not going to get out of here alive. I felt trapped, then everything went black.

Ms Ayling said the next thing she remembers was waking up in a bag in the boot of a moving car feeling terrible, with her hands and feet handcuffed and tape over her mouth.

Recalling the traumatic journey, during which they stopped more than once to tighten her handcuffs, she said: I thought they were going to kill me and dump me in the suitcase. I thought, I am never going to see my mum or my son Ashton again.

On arriving at a house the model described as dark and cold, she said she was led up concrete stairs into a small room with wooden floors, where she was then chained to a chest of drawers.

In the hours that followed, she said her captors discovered they had made a mistake in abducting her because they dont kidnap mothers.

I didnt know what to believe. I just asked if they would let me go but he told me I had already been advertised and there was a lot of interest in me, she said.

He said the auction would still go ahead in five days  Sunday  and the starting bid was $US300,000 (270,000). That was too much to take in. I was in shock. That will always be the worst day of my life.

Then he said he wanted to help me because I had been taken by mistake. He asked me what my family had to offer. It was just me and Mum at home, there was no way we could afford a ransom. I gave him the names of three people who might help.

Doubts have been raised about Ms Aylings allegations after CCTV images emerged of her shopping for shoes with Mr Herba, but she repudiates them saying her captor was terrifying and she did as he asked because she didnt want to put herself in danger by angering him.

Recommended Chief suspect in Chloe Ayling case denies knowingly committing crime

He told me he was an assassin for Black Death and showed me two knives. He said his favourite method of murder was poison. He was talking so casually, it was terrifying. He said that he had worked for Black Death for five years and had earned $US15m (11.5m), Ms Ayling said.

He said I would be crazy to try to escape now because I would be instantly killed. He said we were no longer in Italy, somewhere very remote, and that Black Death agents were nearby.

I promised him I wouldnt try to escape. Then he told me I could share the double bed in the next room. Literally anything was better than lying handcuffed on the floor so I said yes. I didnt want to upset him  he had told me he was a killer. Anyone in my position would have done the same. Anyone.

After six days being held hostage, Ms Ayling said Mr Hebra took her outside and said he would release her on the condition that she paid 39,000 within a month of her release and did not criticise Black Death in the media or speak to the police.

She agreed and said Mr Hebra took her to the British consulate, telling her to say he was a friend she contacted after escaping.

Recalling the moment she reported her abduction, Ms Ayling said: The door opened and we walked in. I walked up to the woman at the counter, an Italian employee, and told her, Ive been abducted.

She asked my name and I told her [...] She opened a door for me to go through to a private room and we sat down together. I told her I had been kidnapped at a modelling studio and broke down in tears.

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 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Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA 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 started telling her the story and she started crying, too. She told me she knew who I was.

After a three-week investigation, police in Italy charged Mr Herba with kidnapping and extortion last Saturday, and Ms Ayling was allowed to return home to the UK.

While some people have raised doubts about her story, Ms Aylings lawyer, Francesco Pesce, said investigators believed her claims. Italian prosecutors said they believe the model was kidnapped and dont see any inconsistencies in the story.

Concluding her ordeal, the model said: So many lies have been said. But I know the truth, the police know the truth and it will all come out at the trial.

This experience has taught me what is really important in life. I am so happy to finally be home. People were criticising me for smiling when I was photographed back home  but why wouldnt I smile? I survived.
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A hate crime officer who was ridiculed for telling shops to use gender neutral signs on for women's sanitary products has been called an "embarrassment" by another officer who suggested he may have abused his powers.

Sergeant Peter Allan was dubbed "Britain's most PC PC" after warning Sainsbury's and Tesco that their signs advertising tampons may breach gender equality rules.

The hate crime and trans equality advocate took photographs of signs for "feminine" products and tweeted the supermarkets' official accounts to complain on 5 August 2016.

In one message, he wrote: "@tesco #FAIL Need to update. Especially with products 4 men on shelf. 'Personal Hygiene' perhaps."

The Sussex Police sergeant also told Sainsbury's: "Its an issue of gender identity. Men may use the products. Indeed, mens products were on the shelf. Personal care perhaps."

Social media users reacted angrily when the exchanges were highlighted by a Mail on Sunday article.

And one Metropolitan Police officer, who tweets anonymously with the username @ResponseCop, said Sgt Allan's messages were "an embarrassment to the service".

"This idiot is not representative of the wider Police Service across the country," he said.

"No common sense & likely all just for promotion. Ridiculous."

While the officer, who has served for six years, supported Sgt Allan's aim to promote equality and diversity, he said the messages about tampons represent "political correctness gone mad".

When Twitter user Steve Ludek asked if Sgt Allan had used his position to "scare" Tesco, @ResponseCop replied: "Might be worth sending a complaint to his force about perceived abuse of power via social media and unprofessionalism."

Sgt Allan faced further criticism for tweeting about a hate incident that involved "name calling between children" on 8 August.

Firefighter @MrsFireyFairy, who describes herself as the "proud wife of a Met Police Officer", tweeted: "On a serious note @SgtPeterAllan has undone yrs of good work by others fighting for the LGBT community & made a mockery of issues they face."

Despite being relentlessly mocked online, Sgt Allan's efforts to promote LGBT issues have won some praise.

On 8 August, transgender campaigner @mimmymum tweeted: "@SgtPeterAllan is my hero of the day! Just knowing the police take #trans #hatecrime seriously is reassuring."

Sussex Police chose not to comment on the Twitter exchanges with Tesco and Sainsbury's, and Sgt Allan couldn't be reached for comment.

He recently spoke out after Paul Pawlowski, 90, was convicted of racially aggravated harassment for displaying an anti-Semitic placard in Burgess Hill, Brighton, on 28 May.

Speaking after Mr Pawlowski was ordered to pay fines and costs of 335, Sgt Allan said: "People have a right to free speech, but hate speech will not be tolerated.

If hate speech is not challenged appropriately, it can lead to communities feeling a sense of unease and can send a message to perpetrators that such behaviour is acceptable.

This sentence sends out a clear signal that we will take a robust approach to those who target individuals based on their disability, gender identity, race, religion or sexual orientation. I hope this case will encourage other victims of hate to report such behaviour to the police.

We will record all such incidents and take them seriously. We will investigate any allegations, irrespective of the age or any other demographic of those involved.

"Hate crime can be reported online, by calling 101 or in an emergency 999."
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Anna Soubry has become the first Conservative MP to threaten to quit the party if Theresa May presses ahead with a hard Brexit.

The former minister warned the Tory party would split if the Prime Minister was not prepared to confront the ideologues in her Cabinet whose policies would bring economic ruin.

If that happened, Ms Soubry said, it was possible she would leave to work with like-minded people who want to save our country from such an appalling fate.

Mrs May is making a great mistake if she allows her policy to be dictated by the Brexit ideologues, Ms Soubry said.

The MP for Broxtowe, in Nottinghamshire, said she was often asked two questions: would she ever leave the Conservatives over Brexit and has that moment arrived yet?

In an article for The Mail on Sunday, she wrote: The answer to the first question is it is not impossible; the answer to the second is no.

But I would be betraying my principles if I did not make it clear that country must always come before party.

The warning comes after James Chapman, former chief of staff to Brexit Secretary David Davis, revealed that two cabinet ministers had shown interest in his call for a new political party to fight EU withdrawal.

They were contemplating this disaster of the Brexit negotiations, knowing they would never again be in power if withdrawal went ahead as planned.

And a number of shadow cabinet ministers had also been in contact because they understand there is an enormous gap in the centre now of British politics.

In the article, Ms Soubry warned the fate of both the country and the Conservative Party would be decided in the next few months, as the exit talks resumed.

There are sensible, moderate wise owls in the Cabinet and on the Conservative back benches, she wrote.

Mrs May must waste no time in taking on the hard Brexiteers and making it clear that she sides with responsible cabinet ministers  such as Chancellor Philip Hammond  who appreciate that we need a sensible Brexit transition period to avoid plunging this country headlong into an economic nightmare.

And she said: If the Prime Minister or her successor (in the event of Theresa standing down) is not prepared to confront the ideologues, I gravely fear that the party could split  and that would change Britains political landscape completely.

Ms Soubry added: There is a sense of resignation among most people who voted Remain that we have to man up  even the women among us  and make the most of what we know will be a rotten Brexit.

But it does not have to be like that. Brexit is a self-inflicted wound; the people of this country hold the knife and they dont have to use it if they dont want to. The people, not the hardline Brexiteers, are in charge.

However, there are enormous obstacles in the way of forming a new political party, particularly after Labour bounced back under Jeremy Corbyns leadership at the June election.

Talk of scores of moderate Labour MPs potentially defecting has evaporated and other pro-EU Conservative MPs have dismissed the idea of a breakaway party.
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Theresa May is accused of trying to break parliamentary rules in order to ram through controversial law changes after Brexit.

The Conservatives are demanding to pack a crucial decision-making committee with their own MPs, despite losing their Commons majority at the election, The Independent can reveal.

Now Opposition parties plan to join forces to derail the attempted fix, in what threatens to be the first autumn Parliamentary clash over leaving the EU.

Recommended Tory MP threatens to quit party if May pursues hard Brexit

At stake is the extent of the Prime Ministers power, through the Repeal Bill, to force through up to 1,000 corrections to EU law without MPs necessarily voting on them.

The vast number of statutory instruments (SIs) to be passed  some under Henry VIII powers  has already provoked accusations of a Government power grab.

The alarm has been raised over the protection of rights for British workers and consumers, lower environmental standards and curbs on the devolution of powers across the UK.

For example, Ms May has vowed workers rights will be protected, but has declined to say whether that will be enshrined in law  and has made no promise at all about food standards.

 Conservatives will never win power again after Brexit 'disaster', former Tory government adviser says

One source involved in the battle over the make-up of the committee said: If the Tories go ahead with this, there will be a dust-up in September, because we will bring it to a vote in the Commons.

The controversy comes as the Prime Minister returns from her summer holiday attempting to stamp her authority on a Cabinet on manoeuvres over Brexit policy in her absence.

Chancellor Philip Hammond and Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, wrote a joint article, insisting Britain would not seek to remain in the EU by the back door, in an attempted show of unity.

However, the pair remain split over the extent of a transitional deal which much of the Cabinet is seeking, for up to three years from withdrawal day in 2019.

Meanwhile, Anna Soubry became the first Conservative MP to threaten to quit the party if Ms May fails to confront the ideologues and continues to push for a hard Brexit.

The Commons row centres on the obscure Committee of Selection, which has the crucial task of arranging which SIs will be pushed through Parliament and when.

In the last Parliament, the Conservatives claimed five of the nine MPs on the committee, but officials have advised they are entitled to four only, after their Commons majority was destroyed.

Nevertheless, when talks broke up in acrimony as the summer recess began, the Tories were still insisting on five MPs  and the power to defeat the other parties.

The source added: The Tories are trying to pretend the election didnt happen and that they still have a majority  and, therefore, should have the majority on this committee.

That would be obnoxious in the normal course of things but, in the context of a Parliament likely to be passing massive amounts of legislation through statutory instruments, it becomes an outrage.

A second source agreed a September showdown was looming over the committee, saying: The Government has to accept it does not have a majority.

This is one of the biggest problems the Government faces and the reason why it hasnt been able to get any business through since the election.

The Government has insisted SIs will only be used  sometimes without a vote by MPs  to correct EU law where it is necessary to incorporate it successfully onto the UK statute book.

However, they have admitted there are no specific restrictions in the EU Withdrawal Bill, or Repeal Bill, to prevent ministers also changing aspects of law they do not like.

 Tom Peck on Double Take: Parliamentary sketch writers are currently redundant in Brexit Britain

Some could be changed using Henry VIII powers, so-called because they date back to a 1539 law allowing the Tudor monarch to govern by proclamation, without consulting MPs.

Moreover, the full extent of the power grab is unknown, because the Bill will deliver the power to act over aspects of Brexit where policy will hinge on the outcome of Brussels negotiations.

Most of the SIs, or delegated legislation, will fall under the affirmative procedure  giving MPs a vote  but some will not, the notorious Henry VIII powers.

The battle over the Committee of Selection sets the scene for an autumn of trench warfare when the EU Withdrawal Bill arrives in the Commons on 7 September.

Pro-EU Labour MPs will attempt to amend it to keep Britain in the EU single market for a transitional period and are wooing Conservative rebels to try to defeat the Government at the outset.

The Conservatives and Labour have failed to agree the usual pairing system that allows MPs to miss less important votes while they are travelling, or visiting their constituencies.

It means the Government may have to force every MP to attend every vote to avoid unexpected parliamentary defeats, taking Parliament back to the wars of attrition of the late 1970s.

The Bill will convert EU law into UK law before Brexit is complete in 2019, before the Government proposes which bits should be retained or junked.

A Conservative party spokesman declined to comment on the negotiations to decide its representation on the Committee of Selection.

The body decides whether the Government has an all-important majority on committees for both SIs and legislation  without which, ministers are unlikely to press ahead.
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Jeremy Corbyn has urged the government to refrain from military intervention in North Korea and warned against following the lead of the erratic and belligerent Trump administration.

The Labour leader called for Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un to tone down their war of words. Tension between the US President and North Korean leader have reached a head in recent days as alarm bells have been raised about the prospect of a nuclear conflict.

Mr Corbyn argued the world was once again faced with the threat of a "catastrophic nuclear conflict" and warned Theresa May against any type of military action - including joint exercises.

In the interests of sanity and safety for the whole world, global pressure for dialogue and diplomacy must be overwhelming, the Labour leader wrote in a piece for the Sunday Mirror.

As Donald Trump and North Koreas Kim Jong-un trade threats and tensions escalate, the danger is growing."

The MP for Islington North used the 72nd anniversary of the US atomic bombing of Nagasaki which was marked last week to highlight the tragic consequences of nuclear weapons. The world's first atomic bomb, used on 6 August 1945, killed 140,000 people in Hiroshima, with the bombing of Nagasaki killing 70,000 more just three days later.

Well over a hundred thousand people died in Hiroshima and Nagasaki from what were small atomic bombs, Mr Corbyn said.

Any nuclear conflict over North Korea today would kill millions of innocent people in the Korean peninsula and beyond, with devastating fallout in China, Japan and elsewhere.

Trump and Kim must immediately wind down the war of rhetoric, as the German chancellor Angela Merkel has demanded, he continued. The risks of an unintended escalation into full-blown conflict are too great for the whole world."

Inside the daily life in North Korea Show all 19 1 /19 Inside the daily life in North Korea Inside the daily life in North Korea People reading a newspaper at the metro station Inside the daily life in North Korea Thoughts of the leaders on the tram. They have about a dozen of these on every tram, all with different thoughts Inside the daily life in North Korea Young people training for a big upcoming festival Inside the daily life in North Korea People at the Pyongyang's annual marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea Many stars on one of the trolleys in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea An intimidating poster in a primary school in North Korea. Inside the daily life in North Korea Solar panels installed on a street lamp. Inside the daily life in North Korea A poster on the window next to one of the venues we visited in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Kids playing football next to the Arch of Triumph. After a while tourists were allowed to join, so some of us did Inside the daily life in North Korea Class in an educational center in Pyongyang (where people over 17 years old can attend any classes they choose after school, for free) Inside the daily life in North Korea People waving at me during the Pyongyang marathon Inside the daily life in North Korea People having a great time dancing at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea A metro driver in a metro station in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea Fireworks to mark the birthday of the Eternal President Kim Il Sung on our last night in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea My wonderful tour guide at a public park Inside the daily life in North Korea One of the parks in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea A person rowing some boats for the day at a river in Pyongyang Inside the daily life in North Korea The National War Museum Inside the daily life in North Korea Public park in Pyongyang

He added: We cannot play fast and loose with nuclear weapons and nuclear threats. Our government must press for measured responses to bring the temperature down.

The Labour leader argued Britains best course of action would be to push for the stalled six-party talks to be resumed with the objective of establishing a denuclearised Korean Peninsula.

He said: "Our government must not drag our country into any military action over the Korea crisis, including joint exercises. There can be no question of blind loyalty to the erratic and belligerent Trump administration.

Tensions between the US and North Korea have dramatically escalated in recent days. President Trump launched his fiercest warning to the rogue state last week, warning it faces "fire and fury like the world has never seen" if it continues to threaten the US with missiles.

 Trump says his 'fire and fury' comments weren't tough enough

Pyongyang responded by saying it is "carefully examining" a plan to strike the US Pacific territory of Guam with missiles, claiming preparations for the strike could be ready in days.

President Trump has continued to issue similarly incendiary threats, tweeting: Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully, Kim Jong-un will find another path!

Over the weekend, Mr Trump warned Kim Jong-un that if the Pacific island of Guam or any other US territory is attacked, the North Korean leader "will truly regret it.

"This man will not get away with what he is doing," the billionaire said. "If he utters one threat in the form of an overt threat ... or if he does anything with respect to Guam, or any place else that is an American territory or an America ally, he will truly regret it and he will regret it fast.
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Nigel Farage has been fiercely ridiculed for expressing dismay neo-Nazis who engaged in violent clashes with anti-fascists in Charlottesville were making Nazi salutes.

Chaos rocked the streets of the Virginia city after neo-Nazis, skinheads, and members of the Ku Klux Klan assembled for a white nationalist rally carrying flaming torches, clutching assault rifles and wearing paramilitary clothing.

Tensions with hundreds of counter-protesters quickly descended into street clashes with rocks and pepper spray before things turned deadly. A 32-year-old woman was killed after a car was driven at speed into a group of anti-fascist protesters and two policemen died in a helicopter crash while trying to restore peace to the area.

The former Ukip leader has now sparked outrage and been widely mocked for weighing in on the largest gathering of white nationalists in decades.

Mr Farage, who has close ties with President Donald Trump, tweeted: Cannot believe we're seeing Nazi salutes in 21st century America.

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

Critics were quick to hound the politician and drew comparisons with him and the US President. They argued Mr Farage's relentless campaigning for the Brexit vote had fostered a similar although not synonymous climate of hate and xenophobia in the UK to that which President Trump has fanned the flames of with his own inflammatory, divisive rhetoric in the US.

Yeah its not like anyone has been lying to idiots in an attempt to radicalise them into faux nationalism to promote bigoted agendas, said comedy writer Technically Ron.

You and Trump spread hate and fear, demonise minorities and claim false patriotism, then take no responsibility for your actions. There are consequences to your bigoted rhetoric Nige, act like a f***ing human being for a change and take a bloody look at yourself.

Tom Coates responded to Farages apparent disbelief of the Nazi salutes by saying: I can. You know why? Because I understand that nationalists that build their campaigns on fear of foreigners incite racial hatred. Because I know that when a politician plays to prejudice to further their agenda they give fuel to Nazis.

In the hours since his comment about Nazi salutes, Mr Farage has applauded Mr Trump's speech about Charlottesville in which the president refused to explicitly condemn white supremacy. He has also promoted the editor-in-chief of Breitbart News Londons book about no-go zones and how sharia law is coming to a neighbourhood near you in which he has written the foreward.

This is by no means the first time Mr Farage has weighed in on terrorist attacks in there immediate aftermath. In March, he suggested support for multiculturalism was to blame for the Westminster attack and claimed the political support for multiculturalism had created a "fifth column" of terror supporters in Western societies.

Mr Farage argued this was the fault of former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, claiming his government ordered search parties to track down immigrants from around the world to bring to the UK. He also failed to mention the fact many of the victims of the attack were in fact foreigners themselves.

The politician, a Fox News contributor, has got increasingly involved in US politics since Britain voted to leave the European Union and he resigned as Ukip leader, announcing he had achieved his political ambition and wanted his life back.
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Theresa May should start preparing to quit No 10, according to an exclusive poll for The Independent, as she returns from her summer holiday to fight for her political life.

Almost half of the public believes the Prime Minister should quit before the next scheduled general election in 2022, as dissatisfaction with her leadership remains high.

Only 29 per cent of people want her to stay in power for the whole Parliament  compared with 48 per cent who want her to resign early, the poll by BMG Research found.

Recommended Tory MP threatens to quit party if May pursues hard Brexit

And 58 per cent said they were unhappy with her leadership, with 42 per cent satisfied, giving her a personal rating of minus 16  compared with plus 12 when she called the June election.

Jeremy Corbyn remains more popular to be the next Prime Minister, but only by the slenderest margin of 33 per cent to Ms Mays 32 per cent.

The results are revealed as the Prime Minister returns from a three-week break under pressure from some Tories to set herself a departure date  and with key members of the Cabinet on manoeuvres to shift Brexit policy.

In her absence, Downing Street has attempted to hold the line that nothing has changed  that the hardline aims for the EU talks remain as set out in Ms Mays Lancaster House speech in January.

But Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, has broken ranks to argue publicly for an off-the-shelf transitional deal for up to three years, which would delay full withdrawal effectively.

Britain would keep current trading arrangements and rules on movement of workers, while leaving the EU single market and customs union on Brexit day in March 2019.

His key ally is Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, who abandoned the idea of new immigration rules in 2019. The only immediate change would be the registration of EU citizens moving to Britain.

But Liam Fox, the International Trade Secretary, made plain he would accept a transition period only if he is able to seek and sign trade deals with non-EU countries from day one.

A joint article by Mr Hammond and Mr Fox, insisting Britain would not seek to remain in the EU by the back door in any transition, did little to paper over the cracks.

Meanwhile, in a critical week for the Brexit negotiations, the Government will publish position papers on the Northern Ireland border and future customs arrangements, among others.

The documents are crucial to persuading the EU that the UK is serious about meeting its tests on the divorce settlement  allowing negotiations on a post-Brexit trade deal to begin.

The BMG Research shows that Mr Corbyn is more popular with the public than Ms May. The Labour leader has a 2 per cent approval rating, with 51 per cent satisfied with his performance, while 49 per cent are unhappy.

However, the Conservatives have bounced back in the head-to-head between the parties to enjoy a three-point lead in voting intention, by 42 per cent to 39 per cent.

And, in a further boost to Ms Mays chances of survival, a staggering 56 per cent of the public refuses to back any of her rivals to succeed her.

Asked who would make the best Prime Minister, 16 per cent named Boris Johnson, while both Mr Hammond and David Davis, the Brexit Secretary, achieve only a miserable 5 per cent.

BMG Research interviewed 1,512 people online, between 7 and 11 August.
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Theresa May will put herself on a collision course with Dublin this week by insisting on a post-Brexit trading border between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

A crucial position paper is expected to stick to Britains current plan to use smart technology and spot checks to police the flow of goods between the two countries after 2019.

The stance will anger the Irish Government, which fears the impact on the peace process in the North and has pushed for the Irish Sea to become the post-Brexit border with the UK instead.

Alternatively, said the Irish prime minister, Leo Varadkar, Ms May should abandon her hard Brexit policy of leaving the EU customs union, which will make a border necessary.

In recent weeks, the Taoiseach has made plain his growing frustration with Britains failure to come up with workable proposals in the 14 months since last years EU referendum.

A failure to reach agreement on the Irish border will also throw into jeopardy the Prime Ministers hopes of an autumn start to talks on post-Brexit trade with the EU.

Brussels has insisted sufficient progress must be made on Northern Ireland, citizens rights and the so-called divorce bill before the negotiations can move forward.

Nevertheless, the formal position paper is not expected to give ground and will also play for time by arguing the border issue can only be resolved once the shape of a future trading deal is known.

At least three documents will be published this week, as ministers seek to rebut widespread criticism that Britains aims for the negotiations are a muddle.

Another paper will set out how to ensure continuity in the availability of goods, addressing the vexed issue of future customs arrangements.

And a third will explore confidentiality and access to official documents following the UKs withdrawal, the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) said.

The publications will show that intense work is underway to prepare for formal talks on the future, deep and special partnership the UK wants to strike with the EU, a source at the department argued.

Brexit Secretary David Davis, said: Over the last year, the Government has been working with British businesses and the British people to establish exactly how our new relationship with the EU should look and feel.

And over the coming weeks we'll advance that thinking with a swathe of new future partnership papers.

"I've launched this process because with time of the essence, we need to get on with negotiating the bigger issues around our future partnership to ensure we get a deal that delivers a strong UK and a strong EU.

The Government will hope the position papers will convince the EU Commission that it does have a coherent plan, when the exit talks resume at the end of this month.

After the last round of negotiations, Michel Barnier, the EUs chief negotiator, was highly critical of Britains lack of preparedness, as he announced there had been no breakthrough.

The Cabinet has been accused of negotiating with itself, reflecting stark divisions over whether to pursue a lengthy transition period to avert the economic damage of crashing out of the EU with no agreement.
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Holidaymakers who book trips on the internet are being promised protection if their travel firm goes bust  but only so Britain complies with a European Union crackdown.

Ministers are vowing to close a gap in consumer rights which can leave tourists stranded abroad, or out of pocket, if a company booked online stops trading.

Under the proposals, a total of 10 million internet bookings will enjoy the same protections as if holidaymakers had used a high street travel agent, the Government said.

Recommended Brits continue to travel despite huge holiday price hike

The online site putting together the package would be made responsible for the entire holiday  even if some elements, such as hotels and car hire, are provided by third parties.

However, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy quietly acknowledged it was required to act by an EU regulation coming into force next summer.

The Package Travel Directive was agreed by EU member states at the end of 2015 and must be brought in by next July, regardless of the vote for Brexit.

It is the latest in a string of consumer-friendly announcements which have either been forced on the Government by action in Brussels, or required EU-wide agreement.

Ministers have boasted of axing roaming charges for people using mobile phones abroad and of ending rip-off charges for paying by debit and credit card  both brought in through EU regulations.

Margot James, the consumers minister, said the latest action would also require travellers to be given better information about their refund rights at the point of booking.

Currently, the explosion in online bookings had left half of holiday arrangements without proper protection, according to the travel association ABTA.

While consumer laws protect millions of holidaymakers from the fallout if a travel company goes into administration, the way we book holidays has changed significantly in recent years and it is important that regulations are updated to reflect this, Ms James said.

Holidaymakers would be safe in the knowledge that they will get their hard-earned money back if something does go wrong, the minister added.

She urged travel agents, booking sites, trade associations and consumer groups to respond to the consultation being launched today, which runs for six weeks.

The consumer group Which? gave a guarded welcome. Managing director Alex Neill said: Holidaymakers should be able to book their trips without worrying about whether they will be protected if their travel agent, airline, or hotel goes bust.

The Government must make sure gaps in protection are addressed so that consumers have peace of mind however they book their package holiday.

Confusingly, a bill is already going through the Commons to boost protections for online holiday bookings, but this only covers flights.
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Theresa May has condemned the violence which erupted in Virginia between white-supremacist groups and counter-protesters, leaving three people dead.

In a tweet from the Prime Ministers official Twitter account, Ms May said: Our thoughts and prayers are with #Charlottesville. The UK stands with the US against racism, hatred and violence.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn echoed this sentiment, saying: My thoughts are with those killed and injured in #Charlottesvile standing up to racism and hatred.

Donald Trump belatedly condemned white supremacist groups that took part in violence scenes, but only following widespread criticism after he initially spoke out against hatred on many sides.

A 'Unite the Right' demonstration over the removal of a Confederate statue in the usually quiet, liberal-leaning university town of Charlottesville attracted hundreds of members of neo-Nazi groups and several members of the Klu Klux Klan.

The white-supremacist groups clashed with counter protesters, with pepper spray reportedly used by both sides, fist fights breaking out and bottles thrown.

A car slammed into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing a 32-year-old woman named as Heather Hayer and injuring at least 25 others. James Fields, 20, from Ohio, has been charged with murder.

Another 15 people were injured in street fighting, according to local hospital reports.

A police helicopter monitoring events on the ground also crashed, killing the two officers on board.

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

Members of Congress from both the Democratic and Republican parties criticised Mr Trump's first response, claiming his comments were muted and failed to place the blame with those responsible.

Mr President - we must call evil by its name, said Republican Senator Cory Gardner, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

The founder of Daily Stormer, an American white-supremacist website which describes itself as alt right, welcomed the fact that Mr Trump outright refused to disavow the Unite the Right protest.

People saying he cucked are shills and kikes, said the site's editor Andrew Anglin.

He did the opposite of cuck. He refused to even mention anything to do with us. When reporters were screaming at him about White Nationalism he just walked out of the room.

Some Democrats suggested that Mr Trump was unwilling to alienate the racist portion of his voter base as he received the backing of many alt-right websites during his bitterly fought election campaign against Hillary Clinton.

Recommended We must take this opportunity to remove symbols of white supremacy

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer said he was upset the white nationalists had descended on his town and blamed Mr Trump for inflaming racial prejudices during his presidential campaign last year.

I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the President, he said.

Following accusations the President, usually a prolific tweeter, had been slow to comment at all on the violence and had then been vague in his initial comments, the The White House said: The President said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred and of course that includes white Supremacists, KKK, neo-nazi and all extremist groups."
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The family of an Australian woman shot to death by a police officer responding to her emergency call vowed to win justice for her at a memorial service on the same night they had planned to be on a plane to her wedding.

Justine Damond's father, John Ruszczyk, choked back tears as he spoke of his 40-year-old daughter, whom he described as being "ripped from our arms" when she was killed in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on 15 July.

"We should be walking down the street smiling and laughing," he said. "But now every step on the footpath is very painful. I feel crushed by sorrow."

A pair of musicians play didgeridoos during the memorial service for Justine Damond, Friday, Aug. 11, 2017, at Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. Damond was killed by a Minneapolis police officer on July 15 after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault near her home. (Anthony Souffle/Star Tribune via AP) (AP Star Tribune Anthony Souffle)

Hundreds of people, many wearing heart-shaped stickers, attended the event. An Australian flag was displayed on a stage next to Ms Damond's picture.

Her fiance, Don Damond, said it "felt like a privilege to love Justine."

They had planned to marry next week in Hawaii, and he pointed out the painful irony that the service  held at a lakefront stage near her home in southwest Minneapolis  coincided with the family's original travel plans.

"I have immense gratitude for being the one she chose," Mr Damond said.

"In Australia, they call it 'You're punching above your weight.' I really had to step up to be at her level."

Her family has set up the Justine Damond Social Justice Fund, which will support causes important to her, including those promoting equal treatment for all.

Justine Damond was known as Justine Ruszczyk before she took on the last name of her husband, who she had plans to marry next month (Reuters)

As Damond's loved ones mourned their loss, the investigation into her death moved forward.

A judge approved a search warrant for investigators to examine the smartphones of two Minneapolis police officers in the shooting.

The search warrant application was filed Thursday by an agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

 Donald Trump defends Milwaukee police shooting

The agent requested permission to download data from the iPhones issued by the Minneapolis Police Department.

The application states that the information "may more clearly define" the officers' actions before and after she was killed.

Investigators have said Officer Mohamed Noor shot the unarmed 40-year-old woman after she called 911 to report a possible sexual assault near her home.

Mohamed Noor, a Somali-American, has been identified by his attorney as the officer who fatally shot Justine Damond (City of Minneapolis via AP)

Noor's partner, Officer Matthew Harrity, told investigators a noise startled him just before Ms Damond approached their police SUV.

Recommended Investigation after police shoot charity founder in Birmingham

Noor was in the passenger seat and shot Ms Damond through the open driver-side window. He has declined to be interviewed by investigators and cannot be compelled to do so.

The two officers had not activated their body cameras. Minneapolis police officers are now required to have those cameras on when they respond to calls or make traffic stops.

Ms Damond's death led to a shake-up at the top of the Minneapolis Police Department.

Police Chief Janee Harteau resigned at the request of Mayor Betsy Hodges, who said the department needed new leadership.

Mayor Hodges nominated Medaria Arradondo, who had been assistant chief, to become chief.

This week a Minneapolis City Council committee unanimously endorsed Arradondo's nomination.

Associated Press.
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A policeman who bought a would-be shoplifter clothes for an interview has revealed he got the job.

Constable Niran Jeyanesan arrived to arrest a potential thief at a Walmart in Toronto, but decided to buy the 18-year-old the clothes after hearing what he wanted them for.

Mr Jeyanesan was intrigued because the man was attempting to steal a shirt, socks and tie.

"He was apprehensive to talk about it, at first, but he began to open up," the police officer said.

The man was precariously housed and claimed his father had become ill and could not work, Toronto police said.

The police officers released the man without charge, saying they recognised his need for a second chance in life.

As police officers we want to solve the problem," Mr Jeyanesan said. "He was stealing this shirt because he wanted a job. Now he has one.

"In many cases, charging someone is the best way to solve the problem. Sometimes it's not the best solution.

In this case, something clicked and I believed in him.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

He added: He was very remorseful for his actions that day. We all make mistakes and someone, at some point, gives us a second chance.

"I thought about it and went back inside to buy him the clothes he wanted."

Staff Sergeant Paul Bois said: "Youre supposed to set a positive example as a police officer, and be a role model and he certainly did that.

When you come on this job, it is to help people and thats what he did. He listened to his circumstances and learned more.
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Donald Trump has condemned the "egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides" during clashes between white supremacists and anti-fascist protesters in Virginia.

In a speech, the US President did not specifically condemn the far-right groups who gathered in Charlottesville  including some carrying assault rifles and wearing paramilitary-style clothing  to protest about plans to remove a statue to Confederate General Robert E Lee.

Instead he appeared to apportion blame to all those involved in the fighting.

This sparked outrage among some leading Republicans with Senator Orrin Hatch writing that his brother "didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home".

Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Show all 9 1 /9 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Protesters clash and several are injured White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators at the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia. A state of emergency is declared, August 12 2017 Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Trump supporters at the protest A white nationalist demonstrator walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville State police stand ready in riot gear Virginia State Police cordon off an area around the site where a car ran into a group of protesters after a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Militia armed with assault rifles White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' with body armor and combat weapons evacuate comrades who were pepper sprayed after the 'Unite the Right' rally was declared a unlawful gathering by Virginia State Police. Militia members marched through the city earlier in the day, armed with assault rifles. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee The statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee stands behind a crowd of hundreds of white nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' during the 'Unite the Right' rally 12 August 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. They are protesting the removal of the statue from Emancipation Park in the city. Getty Images Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Racial tensions sparked the violence White nationalists, neo-Nazis and members of the 'alt-right' exchange insults with counter-protesters as they attempt to guard the entrance to Lee Park during the 'Unite the Right' rally Getty Violence on the streets of Charlottesville A car plows through protesters A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. The incident resulted in multiple injuries, some life-threatening, and one death. AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville Rescue personnel help injured people after a car ran into a large group of protesters after an white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia AP Photo Violence on the streets of Charlottesville President Donald Trump speaks about the ongoing situation in Charlottesville, Virginia from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. He spoke about "loyalty" and "healing wounds" left by decades of racism.

One person was killed when a car drove into a crowd of anti-fascists and more than 40 people were hurt as a result of that incident and fighting elsewhere in the town.

We're closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On many sides, Mr Trump said.

It's been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. This has been going on for a long, long time.

It has no place in America. What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives.

No citizen should ever fear for their safety and security in our society, and no child should ever be afraid to go outside and play, or be with their parents, and have a good time.

However his comments provoked a backlash from several members of his own party.

A Republican senator from Colorado, Cory Gardner, tweeted "Mr President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism."

Another Republican, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, wrote: "Nothing patriotic about Nazis, the KKK or White Supremacists. It's the direct opposite of what America seeks to be."

And Mr Hatch, a Utah Republican, wrote: "We should call evil by its name. My brother didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home."

In his speech, Mr Trump said he had spoken to the Governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, about the situation.

We agreed that the hate and the division must stop, and must stop right now, he said.

We have to come together as Americans with love for our nation and true affection  really  and I say this so strongly  true affection for each other.

Above all else, we must remember this truth: No matter our colour, creed, religion or political party, we are all Americans first. We love our country. We love our God. We love our flag. We're proud of our country. We're proud of who we are.

So we want to get the situation straightened out in Charlottesville, and we want to study it. And we want to see what we're doing wrong as a country, where things like this can happen.

He said his administration was restoring the sacred bonds of loyalty between this nation and its citizens.

But he added: Our citizens must also restore the bonds of trust and loyalty between one another. We must love each other, respect each other, and cherish our history and our future together. So important. We have to respect each other. Ideally, we have to love each other.
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Donald Trumps former communications director has said there are people in Washington trying to topple the President.

Anthony Scaramucci, who was sacked last month after just 10 days on the job, said there are elements within the White House trying to eject Mr Trump.

What happens in Washington... is the President is not a representative of the political establishment class, so for whatever reason the people have made a decision that they want to eject him, Mr Scaramucci told ABC.

I think there are elements inside of Washington, also inclusive in the White House, that are not necessarily abetting the Presidents interests or his agenda.

When asked to identify the individuals, he said he had already named some names.

He added that Mr Trump needed to bring in more loyalists to carry out his agenda.

The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Show all 9 1 /9 The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the media White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer takes questions during the daily press briefing Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Trans-Pacific Partnership Union leaders applaud US President Donald Trump for signing an executive order withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations during a meeting in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington DC. Mr Trump issued a presidential memorandum in January announcing that the US would withdraw from the trade deal Getty The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Mexico wall A US Border Patrol vehicle sits waiting for illegal immigrants at a fence opening near the US-Mexico border near McAllen, Texas. The number of incoming immigrants has surged ahead of the upcoming Presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. A signature campaign promise, Mr Trump outlined his intention to build a border wall on the US-Mexico border days after taking office Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and abortion US President Donald Trump signs an executive order as Chief of Staff Reince Priebus looks on in the Oval Office of the White House. Mr Trump reinstated a ban on American financial aide being granted to non-governmental organizations that provide abortion counseling, provide abortion referrals, or advocate for abortion access outside of the United States Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the Dakota Access pipeline Opponents of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines hold a rally as they protest US President Donald Trump's executive orders advancing their construction, at Columbus Circle in New York. US President Donald Trump signed executive orders reviving the construction of two controversial oil pipelines, but said the projects would be subject to renegotiation Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and 'Obamacare' Nancy Pelosi who is the minority leader of the House of Representatives speaks beside House Democrats at an event to protect the Affordable Care Act in Los Angeles, California. US President Donald Trump's effort to make good on his campaign promise to repeal and replace the healthcare law failed when Republicans failed to get enough votes. Mr Trump has promised to revisit the matter Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Donald Trump and 'sanctuary cities' US President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January threatening to pull funding for so-called "sanctuary cities" if they do not comply with federal immigration law AP The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and the travel ban US President Donald Trump has attempted twice to restrict travel into the United States from several predominantly Muslim countries. The first attempt, in February, was met with swift opposition from protesters who flocked to airports around the country. That travel ban was later blocked by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The second ban was blocked by a federal judge a day before it was scheduled to be implemented in mid-March SANDY HUFFAKER/AFP/Getty Images The controversial orders Donald Trump has already issued Trump and climate change US President Donald Trump sought to dismantle several of his predecessor's actions on climate change in March. His order instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to reevaluate the Clean Power Plan, which would cap power plant emissions Shannon Stapleton/Reuters

During his brief time working for the President, Mr Scaramucci turned the White House upside down. His hiring led to the departures of both Sean Spicer and Reince Priebus, Mr Trumps former press secretary and chief of staff, respectively.

Mr Scaramucci told New Yorker reporter Adam Lizza that Mr Priebus was a paranoid schizophrenic, a paranoiac and accused him of leaking information to journalists. The following day, Mr Trump announced on Twitter that he was replacing Mr Priebus with John Kelly, the Secretary of Homeland Security.

One of Mr Kelly's first tasks in his new role appears to have been removing Mr Scaramucci as communications director.

Mr Scaramucci told ABC on Sunday that he obviously paid the consequences for his profanity-laced call to Mr Lizza in which the ex-communications director also bashed White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon as well as Mr Priebus.

For the record, I thought that was off the record, Mr Scaramucci said, adding that Mr Lizza's decision to record the call was a very deceitful thing that he did.

Mr Lizza told CNN that Mr Scaramucci did know the conversation was 100 percent on the record.

When asked if he thought he deserved to be fired, Mr Scaramucci said, well obviously I wished they would've given me a bar of soap and told me to wash my mouth out in the bathroom and move on.
"There was nothing to see but prairie, green stretches of grassland rolling quietly outward 'till lost in the haze that trembled on the horizon."  Recollections of Norwegian immigrant, Laurence Larson upon his l870s arrival in Winnebago County.

THOMPSON | Even by rural Iowa standards, Winnebago Countys Linden Township Cemetery is a quiet place. Few people seem aware of the plot. Fewer yet bother to go there.

Thats unfortunate. Located just southeast of Thompson, the site offers a unique link to Iowas pioneer heritage. Home to a tilted collection of time weathered headstones, Linden Cemetery marks the final resting place for some of North Iowas earliest settlers. Supporting a two-acre remnant of native prairie; the plot also provides a glimpse of a vanished ecosystem that once encompassed more than 30 million acres of present day Iowa. Currently, less than 6,000 acres remain statewide.

Historically, Iowas vast grasslands were protected from advancing treelines by frequent prairie fires and the grazing effects of elk and bison. In more recent times, the plots woody vegetation has been held in check by the whirring mower blades of service minded local Boy Scouts. Preservation intensified in 2005 when Matt Polsdofer chose the cemetery as an Eagle Scout Project. Continued preservation has currently been entrusted to the County Conservation Board.

No one is certain exactly how many pioneer homesteaders are buried here; around 25 have been successfully identified. Inscriptions on many of the weathered markers have become illegible. All are interesting, perhaps none more so than a tall headstone standing near the center of the cemetery. The weathered markings simply read: James S. Sperring: Feb. 24, 1894 - Apr. 28, 1896.

Time has long forgotten the misfortune that befell 2-year-old James Sperring. He may have fallen from a wagon, been kicked by a horse, or simply been scratched by a rusty nail. Maybe he just caught cold. Life was tough on the Iowa frontier; many settlers perished from ailments that would seem insignificant today. A large percentage of the markers mark the passing of young people. A headstone for the Finer sisters provides an all too common example. Ida Finer died in 1894 at the age of 2. Five years later her sister, Matilda was born and died on the same day. Buried in the same plot, their two word-epitaph reads: In Heaven.

A person cant help but wonder how the landscape appeared or what life was like on the Iowa prairie when in the spring of 1896, black cloaked mourners arrived by horse and buggy to comfort the grieving Sperring family. Although much of North Iowas early history has been forever lost, enough has been recorded to spark our imaginations. Here is what we know.

Although dominated by a seemingly endless expanse of treeless grassland, Northern Iowa also contained abundant surface water in the form of countless cattail marshlands and shallow prairie lakes. Original home to Winnebago and Sioux Indians, the region was so pockmarked by wetlands that European homesteaders simply avoided the area until late in the state's development.

According to archived public record, the first party of whites to enter Winnebago County was led by Leander Farlow, who arrived in 1853 to hunt and trap. The first prairie sod was turned just two years later by homesteader Thomas Bearse. (Imagine what Bearse would think if he could see todays gargantuan, high tech farm machinery and bushel-per-acre yields.) Like all homesteaders, Bearse was also a hunter who, near the boundary of present day Pilot Knob State Park, encountered and killed a large black bear.

According to official documents, all of Winnebago Countys early homesteaders immigrated from Norway. During 1857, the pioneers reported their first marriage, birth, and death. The first schoolhouse opened in 1858.

By 1860, the countryside was becoming checkered with small crop fields. But insects, weather, prairie fire and wildlife made farming a highly challenging proposition. A notable example occurred in 1862 when ripening buckwheat caused unfathomable hordes of prairie chickens to congregate near the southern edge of Forest City. Crop damage was enormous. For general store owner, David Secor, local homesteaders were vital customers. His livelihood depended on their success. Upon learning of his patrons dilemma, he determined to aid in defense of the crops  and perhaps to gather a few wild chickens for himself.

In a written account, Secor admitted that he was never much of hunter. Nevertheless, he borrowed a scattergun from the stores inventory and arrived at the buckwheat fields an hour before sunset. Prairie chickens had already began sailing in to feed, and Secor hastily began loading his double barrel, muzzleloading shotgun. Unfortunately, he forgot to pour gunpowder into the barrels before tamping down the shot and wadding.

With sunset fast approaching, increasing numbers of hungry chickens began fogging the field. Now in a panic, Secor had no easy means of clearing the obstructed barrels. By the time he eventually cleared the first tube, the sun was at the horizon. With no time to waste, he decided to go with the single barrel. Although many of his shots were misses, Secor somehow managed to bag 19 plump prairie chickens before darkness closed in  an amazing tally for a citified store keep who was never much of a hunter.

Iowas pioneer farm economy was richly diverse. Area farmers cultivated more than a dozen crops including wheat, flax, oats and barley. Then as now, national politics provided ample fodder for cracker barrel debates. Historians noted that Winnebago was always a strong Republican county; a fact borne out during the 1864 presidential election where a strong turnout of eligible (white male) voters cast 39 votes for Lincoln but just 13 for McClellan.

Like a wind driven fire, civilization swept across Northern Iowa at a breakneck pace. In 1860, there was a total of 168 Norwegian settlers in the entire county. Within 10 years, the number of white immigrants had skyrocketed to 1,562. About 70 percent of the population lived on small family farms. Natural wetlands and prairie grasslands were rapidly disappearing. Elk, bison, wolves, passenger pigeons, whooping cranes and deer were becoming scarce and would soon vanish altogether. Nesting populations Canada geese, swans and prairie chickens would soon follow.

Standing among the weathered headstones of Linden Cemetery, it is fun to imagine what daily life and the countryside must have looked like here when young James Sperring played among prairie grasses. Fun, yes. But also impossible.
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A driver accused of deliberately ramming his car into anti-racism protestors at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, has been arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

James Alex Fields Jr, 20, allegedly killed a 32-year-old woman and injured 25 others by ploughing into marchers carrying signs that read "Black lives matter" and "Love" on Saturday.

Eyewitnesses claim the victims were hit when a silver Dodge Challenger came speeding through "a sea of people" and smashed into another car.

Mr Fields Jr, of Maumee, Ohio, was later arrested and charged with murder, malicious wounding and failing to stop at a deadly accident, according to police.

He remains in custody. Police have not yet provided a motive for the incident but US attorneys and the FBI have opened a civil rights investigation into the crash.

In this handout provided by Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, James Alex Fields Jr. of Maumee, Ohio poses for a mugshot after he allegedly drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters killing one and injuring 35 on August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail via Getty Images) (Getty Images North America)

The news came as Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe called on the neo-Nazis, skinheads and members of the Ku Klux Klan who descended on the city to "go home".

He told a press conference: "I have a message for all the white supremacists, and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today.

"Our message is plain and simple: Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth. Shame on you. You pretend that you're patriots, but you are anything but a patriot.

"You came here today to hurt people. And you did hurt people. But my message is clear: We are stronger than you."

At least 41 people were treated for injuries in hospital following violent clashes between white supremacists and anti-fascists at the rally protesting against the removal of a statue to a Confederate general in the city.

A police helicopter also crashed, killing the two officers on board.

A state of emergency was announced by the local and state governments with police declaring the "Unite the Right" rally an unlawful assembly and ordering the crowds to disperse. The state police were deployed, with riot police and the National Guard waiting in the wings.

Some of the far-right group members were seen carrying assault rifles and wearing paramilitary clothing, while others had large shields, helmets and gas masks in apparent anticipation of violence ahead of the demonstration against plans to take down the statue to General Robert E Lee from a local park.

Graphic footage shows the moment Mr Fields Jr allegedly rammed his car into a group of people before reversing and hitting more people.

Medics carried the injured, bloodied and crying, away as a police tank rolled down the street.

 Virginia governor declares state of emergency over white nationalist rally

Earlier the two groups of protesters were involved in violent clashes with pepper spray  used, reportedly, by both sides  filling the air, according to local media reports. Bottles were also thrown and a number of fist fights broke out.

Recommended White nationalists give Nazi salutes at University of Virginia protest

Hospital officials said 26 were injured as a result of the car crash and 15 others from the fighting in the streets. Some were said to have life-threatening injuries.

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer, who confirmed one person had been killed, said he was disappointed the white nationalists had descended on his town and blamed Donald Trump for inflaming racial prejudices with his campaign last year.

"I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the President," he said.

Mr Trump put out a tweet condemning "violence" and "hate" - although he did not specify that he was talking about the white supremacists, attracting criticism on Twitter. He later blamed hatred "on many sides" for the violence, prompting a furious backlash from some leading Republicans.

The clash was the latest in a series of confrontations after Charlottesville, situated about 100 miles from Washington DC, voted to remove the statue of General Lee.

Celebrating the Confederate cause is a highly inflammatory issue in the US because the southern states supported slavery.

In May, a torch-wielding group that included prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer gathered around the statue for a night-time protest, and in July, about 50 members of a North Carolina-based KKK group travelled there for a rally, where they were met by hundreds of counter-protesters.

Charlottesville is normally a quiet university city, and many of those protesting are believed to be from out of town.

Additional reporting by Associated Press
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A 32-year-old woman killed when a suspected neo-Nazi ploughed a car into peaceful demonstrators in Charlottesville has been named as Heather Heyer.

A memorial fund set up for Ms Heyer's family had exceeded its target of $50,000 (39,000) on Sunday afternoon, collecting $56,178 (43,000).

Social media users have shared her final Facebook post, from 2016, which reads: "If you're not outraged you're not paying attention."

A statement from Ms Heyer's mother on the fundraising page said: "She died doing what was right. My heart is broken, but I am forever proud of her."

Her friend Felicia Correa said Ms Heyer, who worked as a paralegal, was "murdered while protesting hate".

"She will truly be missed," she wrote on the GoFundMe page.

Dozens were injured when a group of white nationalists gathered to protest the city's decision to remove a Confederate monument.

It is thought to have been the largest gathering of its kind in a decade.

A state police helicopter crashed into the woods, leaving two troopers on board dead.

President Donald Trump on Saturday blamed many sides for the violent clashes, claiming that the hatred and bigotry broadcast across the country had taken root long before his presidential campaign.

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The White House did not immediately respond to a request for an explanation as to what Trump mean by "many sides."

Mr Trump's critics argue his racially-tinged rhetoric has exacerbated the nation's political tensions and encouraged racists

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency, saying Mr Trump's campaign had fed the flames of prejudice.

Several Republicans pushed for a more explicit denunciation of white supremacists.
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One by one, the infants and children slipped away on Thursday night, their parents watching helplessly as oxygen supplies at the government hospital ran dangerously low.

At least 30 children died on Thursday and into Friday at a hospital in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh after its supply of liquid oxygen was disrupted over an unpaid bill, officials said. A home ministry spokesman told the Press Trust of India, citing police reports, that 21 of the deaths were directly linked to a shortage of oxygen.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene between 11pm and 2am as medical practitioners and relatives - the tanks running dry - handed out manual resuscitator bags to families in a desperate attempt to save the young patients.

"We saw children dying around us," said the father of one victim, who gave his name only as Vijay. "Obviously, it's the hospital's fault. So many children have died because of them. My son was fine until nighttime, then something wrong happened."

Two more children died Saturday at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur, an impoverished area in the eastern part of the state, as authorities scrambled to firm up supplementary supplies and investigate the tragedy. The government suspended the medical college principal on Saturday.

The state's Health Minister and hospital officials have denied charges that the deaths were caused by the oxygen bill dispute. An estimated 60 children have died at the hospital since 7 August from a variety of causes, officials said.

In a news conference on Saturday, the state's Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, called the tragedy despicable and said the state had set up a committee to investigate the role of the oxygen vendor.

"The guilty will not be spared," Adityanath said.

Parents of the victims described feelings of anger and bewilderment over the incident, saying they were struggling with guilt over not being able to save their children.

"The idea is devastating - that she had to suffer while trying to breathe," said Manger Rajbhar, the father of a five-day-old girl who died in the chaos.

The deaths provoked widespread outrage and condemnation across the political spectrum and on social media, where a political cartoon spread that showed the babies as little angels hovering in the sky as an Indian government official tries to reach them.

"30 kids died in hospital without oxygen. This is not a tragedy. It's a massacre," Indian Nobel Peace Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi, a child advocate, said in a tweet. "Is this what 70 years of freedom means for our children?" (The country is set to celebrate the 70th anniversary of its independence from Britain on Tuesday.)

The hospital owed $89,750 to a Lucknow-based medical supply company called Pushpa Sales Private Limited, documents obtained by The Washington Post show, and the firm had written letters to the hospital and district magistrate for the past six months demanding payment. The company asserted that the hospital was violating the terms of its contract by running a balance of more than $15,625. The agreement expired on 31 July, and Pushpa discontinued the oxygen supply on 4 August.

On Thursday, employees who handled the storage plant that pipes the oxygen wrote to the hospital's chief medical officer to warn him that supplies were low and would last only until Thursday evening, according to a letter obtained by the news channel NDTV. The oxygen supply then dipped to a critical level, the channel said.

State officials claimed they had obtained sufficient backup supplies from nearby nursing homes.

The hospital is in Adityanath's parliamentary constituency. The controversial monk, who was tapped by the governing Bharatiya Janata Party to head Uttar Pradesh earlier this year, is the longtime head of a large temple there.

Adityanath had visited the hospital this week to inaugurate a new critical-care unit. Many of the young patients were suffering from encephalitis, a potentially deadly illness that causes acute swelling of the brain. The disease is often spread by mosquitoes, and infections rise during the monsoon season.

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

Zahid Ali, the father of a five-year-old girl suffering from encephalitis, said he and other family members were still in shock after the death of his daughter Khushi on Friday night.

Ali said Khushi, who was running a high fever, had been admitted to the hospital's encephalitis ward Thursday. She was responding to treatment while on oxygen, he said, but her condition deteriorated as the cylinders ran dry that night.

Hospital staff gave the parents a manual resuscitator and asked them to pump it themselves, he said, and he watched in horror as his daughter first became breathless, then turned "stiff and cold."

"At that time, I understood that my daughter was gone, but doctors kept on telling me that she is still alive," he said. She was pronounced dead several hours later.

(C) The Washington Post
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The head of an Indian hospital where dozens of children died in recent days has been suspended, as officials traded blame over cash shortfalls that led to supplies of medical oxygen being cut.

The government of Uttar Pradesh state, run by Indias ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), suspended the head of the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College, Rajeev Misra, late on Saturday and ordered an investigation.

Indian media have said the deaths of 60 children, 34 infants among them, were caused in part by oxygen shortages after a private provider cut the supply over unpaid bills.

Hospital officials deny lack of oxygen caused the deaths, saying alternative supplies were found, and blamed many of the deaths instead on encephalitis and unspecified issues related to delivery of the infants.

On Sunday, Jagat Prakash Nadda, Indias health minister, visited the hospital in the town of Gorakhpur, 500 miles east of New Delhi, accompanied by the states chief minister, Yogi Adityanath. After the visit, the chief minister urged patience until the investigation was complete.

We will know whether it was because of an oxygen shortage or due to a lack of proper treatment, Mr Adityanath said. Those found guilty will not be spared. Mr Nadda said a team of doctors from New Delhi was working with the local authorities and the federal government was ready to send more assistance.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also monitoring the developments.

The issue of the unpaid bills for oxygen supply has become a flashpoint in relations between the hospital and the state government, after the suspended hospital chief on Saturday accused state officials of not answering his requests for money.

I wrote at least three letters, Mr Misra said on Saturday, adding that he had flagged the issue in video conference discussions. Mr Adityanath, who had visited the hospital on 9 August, said no issue of unpaid bills was brought to his attention and all requests for funds were met promptly.

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

Opposition parties have stepped up the pressure on the state government, demanding the resignations of Mr Adityanath and the state health minister.

Uttar Pradesh is Indias most populous and politically prized state. Gorakhpur, a town near the border with Nepal, is Mr Adityanaths political base, which elected him to parliament five times before Mr Modi asked him to lead Uttar Pradesh, after a landslide BJP election victory in March.

A study of government data by non-profit body Brookings India showed the district has a 26 per cent shortage of primary health centres.

Encephalitis outbreaks kill hundreds in India every year, especially during the monsoon season.

The countrys expenditure on public health is about 1 per cent of GDP, among the worlds lowest. In recent years, Mr Modis government has increased health spending and vowed to make healthcare more affordable.

Reuters
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To listen to David Davis you would think that the Great Repeal Bill was nothing more than a tedious administrative errand. His rhetoric suggests that despite the name, it will repeal nothing. It is simply something we need to do in order to translate EU law into UK law in time for Brexit. Nothing else will change. Those who disagree are just trying to cause trouble and frustrate the outcome of the EU referendum.

The Great Repeal Bill will start to be debated in early September. But leaks already show that Davis is wrong  fundamental rights and powers that ordinary citizens currently enjoy will be scrapped.

This week we have discovered, for instance, that British citizens will no longer be able to sue the government for breaking the law. We will lose our rights, if the government gets its way, to sue for compensation in court when the government acts illegally and infringes our rights at work, or our right to a clean and healthy environment.

UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 5 November 2022 Demonstrators with placards calling for a General Election march near the Houses of Parliament AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 4 November 2022 A peacock is seen in the early winter sunshine in the Dutch Gardens in Holland Park AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 3 November 2022 A villager cooks roti bread at the site of the annual Camel Fair in Pushkar, in India's desert state of Rajasthan AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 2 November 2022 A red squirrel gathers nuts in Pitlochry, Scotland Reuters UK news in pictures 1 November 2022 Englands Tara-Jane Stanley scores their sides seventh try against Brazil during the Womens Rugby League World Cup group A match at Headingley Stadium, Leeds PA UK news in pictures 31 October 2022 GBs James Hall competes during the mens parallel bars qualification at the World Gymnastics Championships in Liverpool AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 October 2022 People dressed in Halloween costumes paddle board along the river Avon in Christchurch, Dorset PA UK news in pictures 29 October 2022 Members of the public take pictures as police officers remove activists from a road during a Just Stop Oil protest, in London Reuters UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images

Currently, a European ruling means an individual can seek damages if the government has failed to properly implement the law. But the government says that no similar domestic law exists, so there will be no legal mechanism to get such redress in future.

There will be plenty more where this comes from. The Great Repeal Bill, after all, awards our government powers that no modern government has enjoyed in peacetime. And far from simply changing the words European Union into United Kingdom, ministers will gain the ability to make radical changes to fundamental human rights and environmental protections that simply dont make sense when taken out of an EU context.

As if this werent bad enough, Trade Secretary Liam Fox is touring the planet looking for unsavoury regimes we can sign deregulatory trade deals with. And at the heart of those trade deals, in all likelihood, will be special corporate courts that allow foreign businesses the power to sue governments for regulations they judge to be unfair.

Thats right  as British citizens lose their ability to hold the government to account in court, foreign multinationals will gain rights to sue the government in secret arbitration panels for passing a regulation or standard that those corporations believe will damage their profits.

We know this because these courts, formally known as Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS), already exist in hundreds of investment deals in which countries all over the world have been secretly sued for such radical actions as putting cigarettes in plain packaging, placing a moratorium on fracking, removing toxic chemicals from petrol. No appeal is allowed. And we know that the British government has been one of the most vociferous in the world in putting the case for such courts.

 Conservatives will never win power again after Brexit 'disaster', former Tory government adviser says

So a trade deal with Trumps US will certainly contain ISDS  opening future British governments to secretive legal action by tens of thousands of US multinationals.

It may also play a role in a future UK-EU trade deal, should we get to that point. And heres the ultimate irony. The Brexiteers loathe the European Court of Justice, which apparently violates our sovereignty and forces our government to abide by foreign laws. But the ECJ is a properly constituted, professional and accountable court.

Under the sort of trade deal were likely to do with the EU, that jurisdiction will likely be replaced by a secret court, only accessible to foreign big business concerned with their right to make a profit.

If you were ever worried that Brexit was less about freeing citizens from the imposition of foreign law, and more about freeing big business from the constraints of social and environmental regulation, the activities of David Davis and Liam Fox show that your concerns are well founded.

Nick Dearden is director of Global Justice Now
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Possessed of some kind of strange atavistic power, statues of long dead but definitely not forgotten figures drive emotions still, and some to violence. So it is in Charlottesville, Virginia, where a terrorist drove a car into a protesting crowd, murdering one and injuring 11. And all because a lump of bronze is getting shifted: the figure of Civil War-era general Robert E Lee is being relegated from its prime location.

The nearby public space where the clashes are taking place was formerly Lee Park, and gradually, on state flags and statuary, and in other symbolic ways large and small, the symbols of white supremacy  real and perceived  are fading from the prominence they gained in the era of segregation, when the civil rights of Black Americans supposedly won in that Civil War were being systematically dismantled under the bogus slogan of separate but equal.

The Lee statue for example was not some tribute from bereaved Southerners in a recent bloody war, but was erected decades later, in 1924. It was designed to symbolise supremacy rather than reconciliation, no matter who it was.

When Donald Trump initially refused to condemn the racists and klansmen on the march in the South, but spoke instead of violence on many sides, he was either prey to some confused moral equivalence or was cynically mindful of his electoral base.

There is though no moral equivalence between democrats and neo-fascists, as is usually well appreciated. There is good reason why the Lincoln Memorial is one of humanitys great monuments to freedom, and old Abe is on the banknotes, while the politicians and generals of the confederate states who fought for slavery occupy a less prominent position in modern American life.

Lincoln it was who demonstrated magnanimity in victory, having Dixie played at public events and Lees funeral. Yet as white power reasserted itself by the 1890s and in turn was challenged by the civil rights movement from the 1950s onwards, America has never had a formal process of truth and reconciliation, such as the Mandela-inspired one in South Africa. Nor the public contrition for past crimes seen in post-war Germany, for example.

Through legislation and the election of a black president, African-Americans have made huge strides, and they should not daily have to be confronted with an ugly, cruel past. They should not.

Flags, statues, songs and symbols matter to people. It is why the UK Union Flag is seldom seen in Scotland, why Australia and New Zealand contemplate removing it from their own flags; why the flag of St George was appropriated by English nationalists; why it was so powerful a symbol when the statues of Lenin and Stalin were pulled down after the Cold War, and why Stalin is being rehabilitated in Putins Russia; why Saddams statue was toppled and beaten with shoes; why Chinese tourists are arrested for giving a Nazi salute in Berlin; why some want the statues of Cecil Rhodes in South Africa and Oxford taken down, as they have been in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) and why a giant sculpture of Friedrich Engels was moved from Ukraine to its new welcoming home in Manchester.

It is no coincidence that the most oppressive nations tend to have the most gigantic tributes to their leaders  witness the absurd monuments of the Kim family in North Korea.

Maybe one day Americas South will have moved so far that General Lee and his statue and the Confederacy and its flags will be regarded as a distant though fascinating historical phenomenon, like the now obscure generals dotted around Londons Trafalgar Square. For now they are living breathing symbols of hate, and best kept well in the background.
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It was announced this week that all slaughterhouses in England will have to install CCTV cameras, in a Government move to try to improve animal welfare on UK farms. As a lover of animals, youd think I would be thrilled at this news. Instead I cant help but continue to wonder why on earth we are killing animals in the first place. It shouldnt be a question of whether or not its caught on camera.

I went vegan two and a half years ago, much to the shock of my Turkish family who brought me up on kofte (like meatballs), et borek (pastry with meat inside) and homemade kebab. My grandparents grew up in a small village in Cyprus and could rarely afford the luxury of meat. They left the war-torn country for the UK in the 1950s, worked for years in low paid jobs and began to eat meat dishes. Meat was a luxury  why would I choose to give up a luxury?

Lets start with the obvious argument  animal welfare. These new measures to put cameras in slaughterhouses might mean something if the very process of raising animals to kill them wasnt cruel in and of itself. The Government claims that these cameras will help uphold animal welfare laws. But under these apparently protective laws farm animals are allowed to be overfed until their legs break from carrying their own weight, are kept crammed in sheds barely seeing a shred of natural daylight in their lives, and live knee deep in their own faeces and the remains of animals who have died around them. This all happens before they get to the slaughterhouse, and its all completely legal.

Then there are the slaughterhouses themselves  animals are lined up and killed one by one, often along a moving conveyor belt. Pigs  animals that can solve puzzles, show emotional responses and are thought to be smarter than dogs and almost as smart as chimps  are often heard screaming as, strung up by their legs, they watch other pigs they have been with since birth get tasered and killed, their bodies sliced in half down the middle, mere centimetres away, before they meet the same death.

 CCTV: Slaughterhouse cruelty

Dairy farms are no better: there are some where baby cows are separated from their mothers within 24 hours of being born so humans can consume the milk meant for the calves, and egg farms where male chicks are killed at a day old in gas chambers or thrown into a grinder still conscious. This happens on factory and organic farms. Cameras in slaughterhouses wont have any effect on this. If we as humans can exist without taking another life, why would we choose to do so?

But there are more reasons we should stop consuming animal products that arent given nearly as much attention as they should be, such as global warming. According to the UN Food and Agriculture organisation, greenhouse gases from producing livestock make up 14.5 per cent of total global greenhouse gas emissions  thats more than all transport combined, including cars, buses, boats  and even planes. According to Nasa, clearing land to raise livestock is one of the leading causes of deforestation  were literally destroying the earths lungs and precious ecosystems to raise farmed animals.

Moreover, studies show that the average amount of water needed to produce one pound of beef is 1,799 gallons. This is compared to a pound of soybeans which takes 216 gallons, and a pound of corn which takes 108 gallons. Considering more than 40 per cent of people worldwide are affected by water scarcity, shouldnt we be trying to produce food in the least water intensive ways possible? Instead were using vast amounts of water and land to grow crops, to then feed to animals to then feed to people. Why dont we just eat the crops?

Water scarcity is not the only human cost of eating animals. Just this week, millions of eggs have been recalled from supermarkets across the globe for fear that they contain the hazardous substance Fipronil. Eating meat puts humans at risk of diseases like swine flu, bird flu and mad cow disease; Ive yet to see an outbreak of lentil flu.

Animal farming is contributing to the growth of diseases like E Coli and MRSA and helping them develop further resistance to antibiotics. The NHS has warned against antibiotics used in farm animals, saying that they are a threat to human health.

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Then theres also perhaps the most important consideration for those who are complacent about animal welfare  the people whose lives are affected daily by living near or working on an animal farm. The Department of Health has found that those living within 150 metres of intensive pig farms could be exposed to multi-drug resistant organisms in the air that they breathe. Piles of animal manure left in pits regularly run into rivers, cause oxygen depletion and kill river life  30 per cent of the nitrogen that pollutes water in the EU comes from livestock. The European lung foundation found that emissions from livestock farms cause asthma and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) patients living nearby to experience more exacerbations. Living near a livestock farm in the UK, though not as dangerous as the US, is still a health risk.

And then theres the risk to farm workers themselves. The Governments introduction of cameras into slaughterhouses is in part due to the fact that so much cruelty has been recorded inside of them. Between 2009-2013, charity Animal Aid secretly filmed inside 13 UK slaughterhouses and found evidence of law-breaking animal welfare breaches in 12 of them. Their website shows undercover footage of animals being stamped on, slapped and burned with cigarettes, and workers hacking at the throats of conscious sheep. What leads people to act this way?

 Theresa May asked veganism question on campaign trail

Recommended Vegans need to stop comparing the treatment of animals to slavery

A few months into my veganism, I read an article by a man who went vegan for human rights. I began to read about the mental health effects of working in a slaughterhouse.

You may look a hog in the eye thats walking around in the blood pit with you and think, God, that really isnt a bad looking animal. You may want to pet it. Pigs down on the kill floor have come up to nuzzle me like a puppy. Two minutes later I had to kill them I cant care. These are the words of a former slaughterhouse employee, in an interview for the book Slaughterhouse: The Shocking Story of Greed, Neglect, and Inhumane Treatment Inside the US Meat Industry by Gail A Eisnitz.

There are increasing cases of slaughterhouse workers being treated for PTSD, as well as workers physical health being at high risk. One US study that took data from more than 500 counties between 1994 and 2002 found that when a slaughterhouse was introduced into a community, violent and sexual crime rates increased.

Is this really a surprise though, when workers are forced to kill hundreds of animals a day  to become desensitised to blood and death  that they suffer mental ill-health or sometimes even increasingly violent behaviour after? No human should have to do that job  and of course it falls predominantly on immigrants into communities, who are struggling to find work elsewhere  after all, who would chose to work in a slaughterhouse?

My grandparents might still be recovering from the confusion of me going vegan, but as a young couple fleeing war with nothing but the clothes on their back they could have easily ended up as slaughterhouse workers. Its time to abolish slaughterhouses  for the animals both farmed and affected by farming, for the planet and for people, particularly those who are most vulnerable.
Since establishing its vacant site register earlier this year, council officials have found 385 sites in Dublin city that have lain idle for over a year, and which they deem suitable for either housing or regeneration. Photo: Depositphotos

Vulture funds, developers and even the State itself will soon be liable for the payment of vacant site levies amounting to millions of euro annually, following an audit of unused land in the capital by Dublin City Council.

Since establishing its vacant site register earlier this year, council officials have found 385 sites in Dublin city that have lain idle for over a year, and which they deem suitable for either housing or regeneration. The sites meeting the criteria for inclusion on the register come from a wider inspection by the council of 971 sites in the capital.

To date, the ownership and valuation for 70 of the sites on the register has been established in preparation for the Government's 3pc vacant site levy which is set to come into force on January 1, 2019.

The most valuable holding comprises two sites on the South Circular Road now under the control of Nama. Assembled by the developer Ciaran Larkin prior to the crash, the former Player Wills cigarette factory and Bailey Gibson plant lands are valued at 22m and 12m respectively - a total of 34m.

While plans for the development of more than 1,000 homes on the site are now being considered by An Bord Pleanala, the South Circular Road lands were added to the vacant sites register two weeks ago. Should there be no progress on the site before 2019, its owners could be liable for a levy of up to 1.02m based on its current valuation.

The next most-valuable site on the register is at 164 Sheriff Street Upper in Dublin's docklands. Valued at 12.5m, the property is again under Nama's control. A failure to develop or dispose of the site before January 2019 could result in a levy of up to 375,000.

Luxor Investments, a company headed up by developer Padraic Rhatigan owns the register's third-most valuable holding. Located on Chancery Lane in Dublin 8, the property is valued at 10.7m leaving the owners potentially liable for the payment of a 321,000 levy in 2019.

Dublin City Council owns the next most valuable vacant site on the register, with an 8.25m land holding on Dominick Street.

Other notable entries on the list are the UK shopping centre giant, Hammerson. The company, best known for its ownership along with German insurers, Allianz, of the Dundrum Town Centre, is on the register by virtue of its ownership of several properties on O'Connell Street. The properties which are poised to form part of the Dublin Central development are valued at 5.4m, leaving Hammerson potentially liable for a levy of 162,000 in 2019.

Joe O'Reilly, the developer behind the Dundrum Town Centre and the man responsible for assembling the Dublin Central site meanwhile appears on the list by virtue of his company, Castlethorn Construction's ownership of a 5.5m site in Pelletstown in Dublin 15. Developer Sean Mulryan's Ballymore Estates also appears on the register with a vacant site adjacent to its Royal Canal Park residential scheme in Dublin 15 valued by council officials at 2m.

Ireland's biggest private landlord, Ires Reit, is on the register for its ownership of numbers 519-533 North Circular Road. The company which last week announced profits of 33.3m for the first half of this year faces a levy of 52,500 in 2019 should it leave the 1.75m site in its present state.
BRITT | For the first time in its 117-year history, a husband and wife were crowned as King and Queen at the National Hobo Convention Saturday.

Tuck and Minneapolis Jewell have both been elected as king and queen in the past, but never in the same year.

"It's almost like getting married all over again," Tuck said after he and his wife  dressed in royal robes and wearing crowns made out of Folgers coffee cans  kissed at the gazebo in Britt City Park, where the coronation took place.

The couple will celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary on Oct. 16.

They first met more than 20 years ago at  where else?  the National Hobo Convention in Britt.

Tuck and Minneapolis Jewel host a party every year at their Twin Cities home, with the current hobo king and queen as their special guests. Around 100 hobos come for food, socializing and live music.

During the annual Hobo Convention, royalty candidates take turns speaking to the large crowd gathered at Britt City Park. The king and queen are determined by audience applause.

During his turn to speak, Tuck said he's been "having a ball" during the convention and wants to represent Britt and the hobos.

Minneapolis Jewel said this is her 38th year at the convention.

"I'm probably one of the old-timers now," she said.

One of her goals is to write handwritten letters and cards to anyone who writes to her.

She said she also wants to make it to three different hobo gatherings this year.

Tuck and Minneapolis Jewel were crowned by the 2016 hobo king and queen, Ricardo and Sunrise.

Before the new king and queen were chosen, last year's royalty gave the crowd an update on what they've been doing.

Ricardo said one of the highlights of his year was "finally going on a train ride with my bro, Tuck."

He said he got Tuck in a boxcar once before, but he got out.

Sunrise said she's been playing guitar, singing and giving talks at hobo gatherings.

"I love you all  hobos, tramps, and hobos at heart," she said.
In the battle between instant and delayed gratification, the former is hard to defeat.

One wonders, in light of Glanbia plc's half-year results, whether the instant hit enjoyed by farmers when their Glanbia Co-operative Society voted to buy 60pc of Glanbia's 'Dairy Ireland' agri arm last February now tastes a little like soured milk? As part of the deal, active dairy farmers in the co-op enjoyed an average 10,000 windfall.

Under the deal, Glanbia plc - led by ceo Siobhan Talbot - essentially offloaded the low margin "dirty work" of milk processing as well as consumer brands and agribusiness supplies to the farmers' co-op, whilst retaining a 40pc share in the business.

This freed up the formidable Talbot to concentrate on Glanbia plc's high margin, sexier "performance nutrition" and lucrative infant formula products. But while the plc is flying high with group profits up nearly 5pc in the first half, a 200 basis point reduction in margin in Dairy Ireland - now Glanbia Ireland - drove a near-40pc EBITA decline compared with the prior half-year.

The 4,800 dairy farmer suppliers may currently be enjoying rising milk prices. But they must be wondering if they made the right margin call at their new joint venture.

Meanwhile at Kerry Group, the key focus is also very much on the company's booming ingredients division. Kerry reported a more than 10pc jump in ingredients revenue to 419m in Asia-Pacific alone according to its interim results. By contrast, revenue growth at the consumer foods division was up a much more modest 2.3pc to 677m and has been particularly hit by the fall of sterling brought on by Brexit-related uncertainty.

This is very relevant in an Irish context because Kerry's consumer foods division is a major exporter from Ireland to the UK and not as globally diversified as the ingredients division. Kerry itself is big enough and diversified enough to avoid any major impact from a worst case Brexit scenario.

But that does not mean that rural Irish towns, who benefit from the presence of a Kerry Group facility, will not feel some impact if the company's focus shifts ever further away from exporting consumer foods from Ireland to Britain.
The sudden departure of chief executive Breon Corcoran and the weakness in the share price since the Betfair merger two years ago raise questions about giant quoted bookmaker Paddy Power Betfair.

Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) was created by the 2015 merger of Irish bookie Paddy Power and UK betting exchange Betfair. At the time of the announcement in September of that year Paddy Power shareholders, who received 52pc of the shares in the enlarged company, were promised that the "greater scale" resulting from the merger would lead "to higher returns on investment across existing and new markets".

The merged company would deliver "significant cost synergies" and be "highly cash generative and [have] a strong balance sheet", according to the announcement.

So how have things turned out 24 months later? The Paddy Power Betfair share price soared in the run-up to and immediate aftermath of the merger announcement. From just over 80 as Paddy Power in late August 2015 - most trading in PPB shares takes place in London - it hit over 107 by the beginning of February 2016.

It was too good to last. Since then the PPB share price has come back down to earth with a bump and was trading at about 72.50 in London last week. Its share price has fallen by 21pc over the past year.

While the share prices of other quoted bookies have also fallen, with William Hill down 21pc and Ladbroke Coral down 18pc, it is the weakness of the PPB share price that has attracted the most attention from investors. This is because it is much bigger than either of its two main quoted competitors.

Even after the recent share price falls PPB still has a market value of 6.1bn compared to William Hill's 2.2bn and Ladbroke Coral's 2.3bn. When you are the biggest kid on the block your problems inevitably attract more attention.

Is the fall in the PPB share price and Corcoran's sudden departure an indication that the merger has failed to deliver the promised returns? Speaking to the Sunday Independent this week, the outgoing boss said he thought the integration had gone "pretty well".

"We've covered an awful lot of ground very quickly. We achieved the synergy targets very quickly, the management team is stable and motivated, we've introduced kind a new different culture and set of values for the firm that were chosen by the employees as opposed to imposed top down."

One of the major challenges has been integrating the Paddy Power and Betfair technology platforms. Analysts say this has slowed down the company's ability to roll out new, innovative digital products. According to Corcoran the work is almost done.

The company's financial performance since the merger doesn't seem to point to failure either.

Total revenue jumped 18pc to 1.55bn in 2016 while underlying operating (pre-interest) profit and earnings per share were both up by 44pc to 330m and 331p respectively (PPB reports its results in sterling).

This strong financial performance has continued into 2017. In its half-year results, which were released last week, PPB announced that total revenue had risen by a further 9pc to 827m in the six months to the end of June while operating profit was up 22pc to 180m and earnings per share increased by 23pc to 181p.

So why, with the Betfair merger seemingly delivering the goods, has Corcoran now decided to head off in search of pastures new? The departing chief executive has been with PPB and its predecessor companies man and boy. The son of John Corcoran, one of the founders of Paddy Power, he first joined Paddy Power in 2001 as head of its non-retail (online) business. He became a director in 2004 and chief operations officer in 2010.

However, in November 2011 he surprised many people when he left Paddy Power to become Betfair chief executive. The betting exchange had been going through a torrid time, with its share price down by over 40pc in the year following its 2010 flotation.

Corcoran is generally reckoned to have done a very good job at Betfair, with the value of the company jumping from just 750m at the time of his appointment to 2.4bn at the time of the Paddy Power merger less than four years later.

Maybe too good. Under the terms of the merger not alone did Corcoran become PPB chief executive, but Betfair shareholders ended up with a 48pc stake in the merged company. This was despite the fact that while Paddy Power had revenue of 746m and earnings before interest, depreciation, taxation and amortisation (Ebitda) of 173m in the 12 months to the end of June 2015, Betfair's revenue was just 477m and its Ebitda 120m for the same period.

In other words, Paddy Power agreed a merger with Betfair on terms of virtual equality despite the UK company's Ebitda being less than 70pc of Paddy Power's. Based on the comparative financial performance of the two companies prior to the merger a 60:40 split might have been more appropriate.

With the PPB share price now lower than it was before the merger announcement, former Paddy Power shareholders could be forgiven for suffering from buyer's remorse.

While Corcoran's departure came as a complete surprise to outsiders, maybe it shouldn't have. With the benefit of hindsight there may have been a number of straws in the wind. In March 2016, just weeks after the merger had been consummated, Corcoran sold 43,500 PPB shares, about a quarter of his total shareholding, for 4.16m.

Corcoran still owns just under 140,000 PPB shares, worth over 10m at the current share price. He is also listed as having options over a further 431,700 shares at strike prices of between 18 and 87. Even after the recent falls in the PPB share price, these options are collectively in the money to the tune of about 17m.

However, 104,000 of these options are conditional on his continued employment by the company so the actual value of his options now that he has announced his intention to leave is probably considerably less.

"There's never a good time to leave a great business," Corcoran said during the week.

"I've been working in this industry longer than most of us will ever be married. I do think it's an opportune time for the business given that the platform work is in its final stages and that, to all intents and purposes, we feel in the business that the merger - other than the tech work - has been done. I've committed to the board that I'll oversee the final part of this [the merger], which is the delivery of the tech project.

"I'm excited about taking on a new challenge in a different space."

While Corcoran can hardly be faulted for wanting to do something different after nearly 17 years as a bookie, he does leave PPB at a time when the company and the betting sector as a whole is facing into stronger regulatory headwinds.

Gambling is a bit like tobacco and alcohol. Given that the urge to gamble seems to be hotwired into our DNA, governments have little option choice but to tolerate it or else surrender the market to illegal, often criminal, operators.

Instead they seek to regulate and tax it. However, in recent years the rise of online and telephone betting - over 80pc of the more than 5.5bn wagered by punters with PPB in the first half went online - has left regulators struggling to catch up.

That may be about to change. In Australia, where PPB does about 30pc of its business, the federal government has strengthened the ban on in-play betting - where punters can bet on sporting events as they are taking place - and also credit betting. With in-play betting accounting for 15pc of the stakes and 8pc of revenues at its Australian business in the first half of 2016, the impact on Paddy Power has been significant.

Closer to home, the UK government is getting ready to crack down on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs), of which there are more than 34,000 in the country. These accounted for 13pc of the total amount lost by punters, about 1.8bn, in 2016. Dubbed the "crack cocaine of the betting industry", most analysts now reckon that the maximum FOBT stake will be slashed from the present 100 to 20 or possibly even 10.

Betting taxes, which had been cut in response to the growth of online bookies operating from offshore tax havens, are also creeping up again. The UK introduced a new gambling tax, levied at 15pc of bookies' gross profits, in 2014. The UK betting tax is payable by all bookies, both onshore and offshore, taking bets from British residents.

Ireland introduced a 1pc tax on all bets placed by Irish residents with offshore bookies and a 15pc tax on betting exchanges' commission in August 2015.

While a return to the 1980s, when Irish betting duty was raised to 20pc, is hardly likely any time soon, gambling is likely to remain a target for cash-strapped finance ministers everywhere. The fact that the proliferation of gambling channels has led to renewed concern about gambling addiction - there are an estimated 28,000-40,000 problem gamblers in Ireland and as many as 600,000 in the UK - will allow any future betting tax increases to be dressed up as somehow protecting problem gamblers from themselves.

PPB is confident that it can ride out any regulatory storm. It points out that the Paddy Power/Betfair merger was part of a wider consolidation of the sector that also saw Ladbroke merge with its smaller rival Coral in 2015.

"There are undoubtedly headwinds and regulatory challenges. The strong will get stronger and the weak will fall away," says a spokesperson.
The new Criminal Justice (Corruption) Bill promises to update offences, increase penalties, and specifically provide for the criminal liability of companies for the corrupt acts of their officers and employees. Stock photo

The Government has announced new plans to introduce more punitive anti-corruption legislation. Separately, however, the Law Reform Commission is also considering calling for the introduction of Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs), which would obviate the need for criminal trials altogether.

This is a potentially paradoxical approach by the State to be "tough on corporate crimes", but one in which criminal punishment is the sanction of last resort.

The new Criminal Justice (Corruption) Bill promises to update offences, increase penalties, and specifically provide for the criminal liability of companies for the corrupt acts of their officers and employees. It is the latest addition to the relative flurry of legislative action in this field.

Prior to the 1990s, the old anti-corruption framework consisted of archaic legislation in the form of the Prevention of the Corruption Acts 1889-1916. In the last two decades, however, the State has introduced new laws targeting bribery, misconduct in public office, and money laundering. It has enhanced public access to government records via freedom of information requests, enhanced the ability to seize the proceeds of corruption, and boosted investigative powers to facilitate its detection of corruption. Gathered together, the new initiatives reflect an instrumental approach to tool up executive power to be tough on corporate crimes.

If introduced, Deferred Prosecution Agreements (DPAs) will also address corporate crimes. DPAs are settlement agreements that allow companies to avoid prosecution and conviction. In return, companies are usually required to pay financial penalties and improve their internal governance systems to prevent against repeated wrongdoing. The company is only prosecuted as a last resort if it breaches the agreement.

Though DPAs can be used to resolve many forms of corporate criminality, they have proven particularly useful in dealing with egregious cases of corruption and bribery in the US and UK. Earlier this year, for example, Rolls-Royce agreed to pay half-a-billion pounds in a DPA which chronicled "criminality over decades, involving countries around the world, making truly vast corrupt payments". However, Ireland should cautiously consider whether it should introduce DPAs.

DPAs can be valuable tools when they are used to reward companies who self-report wrongdoing and co-operate with investigations. They also allow enforcers to avoid lengthy and costly trials that they run the risk of losing.

Nevertheless, American judges have expressed significant reservations in circumstances where the fines have been too small, when individuals have not been held accountable, and when companies have refused to admit wrongdoing.

In the UK, DPAs are subject to greater oversight. Nevertheless, in the Rolls-Royce case, though approving the settlement, the court also questioned whether companies should really be able to avoid criminal convictions in circumstances where the wrongdoing was particularly serious, deliberate and persistent.

Moreover, it is difficult to resist the conclusion that DPAs allow companies to buy their way out of criminal prosecutions. Managers are no longer placed in the dock and asked, in public, to defend their decisions and the actions taken by their companies.

Instead, society loses the cathartic forum of the trial, to freely and visibly identify corporate crimes as shared harms against society, and to reinforce the common sense of right and wrong. This loss is not healed by a DPA's mutually-agreed 'statement of facts' filed in court.

Increased legislative activity tackling corporate crimes is welcome - but what is the point if new offences are not prosecuted, if corporate crimes are being 'managed' instead of being criminally punished?

Dr Joe McGrath is a law lecturer at UCD
Transfermate co-founder Barry Dowling is leaving the business.

Dowling announced on social network LinkedIn that he has entered into an agreement to sell his shares.

He did not say who was buying his interest in the international payments business, which is part of Terry Clune's Taxback Group.

"Having co-founded TransferMate and, as CEO, grown the business from an idea to a fast-growing international payments success story with staff, clients and partners all over the world, I have now accepted an offer to sell my shares," Dowling said in a post on Friday.

"In doing so, I leave a strong team that I am extremely proud to have worked with, many of whom I consider to be friends for life. This presents a great opportunity for me now to focus on new business avenues.

"I would like to thank all of those clients and partners worldwide who have chosen TransferMate's award-winning service and most especially our team for all their dedication and hard work. I look forward to hearing about TransferMate's success into the future."

The news emerged after the Sunday Independent revealed last week that Gary Conroy, the former managing director of Realex Payments, has joined TransferMate as chief commercial officer.

Conroy was made Realex boss after the company was sold by its founder Colm Lyon to US business Global Payments in a 115m deal. He is responsible for driving TransferMate's growth around the world.

Last year, one of Dowling's co-founders alongside Clune, Sinead Fitzmaurice, said the company was looking to raise capital to help fuel growth.

"Our five-year plan focuses on aggressively expanding our global sales force ... funded through an equity growth partner with experience in aggressive global scale of financial services and IPO preparation," Fitzmaurice told the Sunday Independent.
Proposals for a new electricity interconnector between the Republic and the North in the border region are now at the centre of High Court hearings. Stock photo: PA

Is Eirgrid, the state-owned firm that manages and operates the transmission grid across the island of Ireland, set to knock Irish Water off its perch as one of the most unpopular companies since the foundation of the State?

That remains to be seen, of course.

But proposals for a new electricity interconnector between the Republic and the North in the border region are now at the centre of High Court hearings including one involving a group representing about 100 landowners affected by the project who have secured permission to challenge An Bord Pleanala's decision to give it the go-ahead.

The grounds of the challenge range from claims that the board failed to consider the potential impact of Brexit to the impact on lives on the region.

The case is against An Bord Pleanala, the Minister for Energy, and the State, with EirGrid as a notice party.

The interconnector was subject to three High Court cases, all of which concern the An Bord Pleanala decision to grant Eirgrid permission, subject to certain conditions, to construct almost 300 above-ground pylons in Meath, Cavan and Monaghan.

Since then, one case has been dropped and recently a judge has granted EirGrid's application to vary a stay which had prevented it doing preparatory work on the proposed interconnector.

Eirgrid, for its part, believes the interconnector to be a critical piece of national infrastructure.

And I believe, on balance, that it is correct.

The interconnector is a central plank to ensuring a secure and affordable supply of energy for the island of Ireland into the future.

And while there may be some issues to be addressed around the interconnector and those affected absolutely have the right to protest and demand their questions be answered, its future development is in the interest of job creation and economic development as well as the ongoing attraction of inward investment, especially given the uncertainty that Brexit brings with it - particularly a hard one.

While part of the argument in the courts has been that Eirgrid has not assessed the impact of Brexit on the interconnector, it is my understanding that under World Trade Organisation rules, tariffs cannot be applied to member states for electricity interconnection.

But maybe Eirgrid could have made its life easier for itself if it had made this point earlier.

A recent report from IBEC/Grant Thornton highlighted the high cost of electricity for all businesses operating on the island of Ireland.

It has estimated that the delivery of the second north-south Interconnector will help alleviate these by allowing the single electricity market to work to its maximum possible level of efficiency.

This estimated all-island savings each year is in the region of 25.5m (30m) with the figures likely to grow in time.

The Eirgrid interconnector also takes into consideration green energy commitments that we have given the EU.

Another big issue is cost.

While some have proposed that Eirgrid considers an underground option, the cost does seem prohibitive.

An expert group has estimated the underground option, given its scale and potential complications, would be three times the original estimated cost of 286m.

It is expected that 180m of this would be incurred in the Republic and the remaining 106m from Northern Ireland.

While cost is not the only issue, we have to be mindful of spending pots of money we don't have given lessons from the past - ranging from e-voting machines, to the more recent hit taxpayers took following on from the banking crisis and the recession.

I also accept that Eirgrid does not have the authority to determine the country's future electricity/energy strategy.

But it does have a responsibility to ensure a smart and sensible approach to it. There is a price for progress in the globalised world we now live in and it is unfortunate that this time it's the people of the Border counties who have been asked to pay.

But it's likely that given future energy requirements, other parts of the country will also have to accept changes to their lifestyles and environments in the future.

There are other big unpopular electricity projects ongoing around the country including the Laois/Kilkenny project that's reinforcing the network in the Midlands and includes the construction of new pylons and substations.

We also have to be ready to support the growing economy.

According to a recent report from Davy Stockbrokers, despite a softening of some indicators because of Brexit, Ireland is set to be the fastest-growing economy in the eurozone for the fourth year in a row.

The broker predicts that gross domestic product (GDP) will grow 5p in 2017, up from a previous forecast of 3.7pc.

With this is mind, Eirgrid is also looking to develop an interconnector to France to secure other sources of electricity into the future.

I don't know if it's an Irish thing, but looking for solutions when it is too late seems to be one of our weaknesses.

So the parallels between Irish Water and Eirgrid don't just end with unpopularity.

It is unfortunate that it has taken a recent spate of leaks and ruptured mains in places like Cork, Dublin and Tipperary for the realisation to finally sink in that our water network is crumbling following decades of under-investment. Let's not make the same mistake with the energy sector.

In France and other parts of the world, energy generation from nuclear, for example, is part of daily life.

We need to grow up or be left behind.
I dont remember much from my first eclipse experience. It was during elementary school in Jefferson City, in 1979. Our class had made pinhole shoebox viewers. I was ready to be amazed.

As day turned to dusk, I peered through the pinhole and saw a tiny yellow dot on the cardboard wall. It was  underwhelming.

Trying to capture the upcoming eclipse with a smartphone will probably lead to a similar experience.

Shooting a total solar eclipse that rapidly changes in brightness and lasts only a couple of minutes poses technical challenges that raise the question of whether its even worth trying to photograph at all.

If they just point their iPhone up at the sky, theyre going to be disappointed, said Joe Lopinot of Scopedawgoptics.com in Highland. Lopinot has been an astrophotographer for 15 years. His website is devoted to the upcoming solar eclipse. He offers tips and also sells eclipse gear, like cellphone kits, to view and photograph the eclipse.

If you want to take a photo during the eclipse with your smartphone, Lopinot suggests the following steps:

First, you will need a solar filter for you smartphone. You can buy one or make one by cutting it out from a pair of solar glasses. During totality, no solar filter is needed, so remember to remove the filter during that time.

To capture the sun as more than just a dot in the sky, have a telephoto lens. There are many brands of lenses that clip onto a smartphone easily and produce sharp images (prices start at $20).

If you dont have a telephoto lens, cellphone adapters are available to attach to binoculars and telescopes, but you would also need a solar filter for this setup.

A small tripod will steady the camera and allow you to use a time delay to take the picture without touching the phone during the eclipse.

If your phone has an HDR (high dynamic range) setting, select it. The setting tells the camera to take three exposures, and from them, create one image. It helps with tricky exposure situations. Even without using this setting, the smartphones auto exposure function can measure the light during the partial eclipse.

During a total eclipse, it may be too dark for the camera to focus. The suns corona will be visible as a ring around the moon. Tap the image of the corona on your screen to help the camera focus.

Its a good idea to practice a couple of times before the big day. Shoot the sun, or the moon, as both will appear roughly the same size during the eclipse. Lopinot suggests practicing until you can execute your picture in one minute, which should give you about another minute to experience the eclipse. You dont want to be fiddling with your camera and miss the whole thing, he said.

In 1979, Lopinot first experienced an eclipse while attending the University of Colorado. He piled into a van with a group of six friends and saw the eclipse from a gravel road in North Dakota. It is the most spectacular thing youll ever see, he said. (Afterward) people were walking around in a daze.

If you dont want to risk missing the eclipse because of photo troubles, consider these options:

Famous astrophotographer Alan Dyer offers his images for sale through Flickr for $25 to $85 and has published detailed books on how to take your own pictures, including one just for this eclipse, How to Photograph the Solar Eclipse: A Guide to Capturing the 2017 Total Eclipse of the Sun. It costs $9.99.

The Royal Astronomical Society in Great Britain sells photos through sciencephoto.com

NASA.gov promises images from some hard-to-reach places, including 11 spacecraft and 50 high-altitude balloons. NASA will be broadcasting the event live in Jefferson City, from the state Capitols south lawn. The agencys website is eclipse2017.nasa.gov.

Even if you decide to buy an amazing photo taken from space, a smartphone is a great way to capture and share photos of you and your friends watching the eclipse together.

Enter your photos in our Eclipse Photo Contest at stltoday.com/contests.
Q: I am a senior manager in the medtech industry and, after 20 years with my current company, I feel it is time to seek new challenges. I've been for several interviews and I've been offered the perfect role with another firm. But I am concerned, as I heard the last person in the role damaged staff morale and several team members left as a result. Should I accept the position despite this? How can I go into this new role and invoke a positive working environment for everyone?

A: Making a change in your work life is a difficult and brave decision to take at any point in your career development. You should balance both your feelings for your current role, as well as the potential development beyond.

While you might have heard rumours about your potential new role and the state of morale, there are other things that you need to consider before you even tackle that issue. Be sure about the move for your own reasons first and then you can look forward to how you might address any internal issues. Here are a few things you should consider before deciding if this is the role for you.

1 The organisation

Have you looked at the overall structure and culture of the company? The organisation's position and reputation in the market should be taken into consideration. How does this match with your expectations for your career? Are their ethics, the product or service they provide as well as their ideology in keeping with your outlook?

2. Role content

How would you prefer to spend your time in the workplace? Consider this carefully. Do you prefer to be part of the production of the product or service or would you prefer a more strategic approach? Do you enjoy people management? Managing people might be what you are doing in your current role but is this something you want to continue with at the new organisation.

3. Level of seniority / job title

Compare your new position with your current one. Is it genuinely a step forward? Take the time to ensure this is not a lateral move and that it will advance your career. Don't forget that the level of seniority and job title can be negotiable.

4. Salary and conditions

Conduct some research on the new company beyond the bare details of the job advertisement or offer - including benefits, environment and culture. Consider the culture of the organisation, the atmosphere, the non-monetary benefits provided. Do these conditions meet your requirements?

It seems that you might have already considered most of these issues and that the role is ticking some of the boxes without concern. But things you have heard have led to doubts about what would otherwise be a dream opportunity.

Undertaking such a large change is daunting, so it is important to give due consideration to all aspects of the situation without missing out on the opportunity. Once you are certain this is the right opportunity, the task of tackling the issues, of improving morale, building a strong team and improving the organisation's reputation begins.

It is important to note that reputation issues may be rumour rather than reality. You will only know when you arrive in the role and don't forget you might have a different take than the person who told you that morale was damaged.

Evaluate any issues on arrival in the job. Conduct informal or formal surveys to gauge engagement and morale. Analyse the structure and consider the "fit" of each manager to their team and role. Partner with human resources, be that a department or individual, to learn more and devise a plan. Setting the tone, making immediate subtle changes or building a new team can signal change and help develop a new culture.

Building trust is integral to the working relationship. Providing clear communication, following through on promises and providing a safe and respectful environment will help mend any damage done in the past. Listen to employees at all levels, acknowledge concerns and emphasise the need for change. Working on the issues outlined will be a challenge but rewarding if successful.

Caroline Ward is HR services manager at Collins McNicholas Recruitment and HR Services Group, which has offices in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Sligo, Athlone and Limerick
Q: I RUN a hotel and up until now have been operating on tight margins in order to fill as many rooms as possible. I am beginning to question this, as I am struggling to make a profit.

A: I am sure you will be well familiar with the saying "sales is vanity - profit is sanity". Of course there are some justifiable reasons for you to drop margins and keep income coming through the door. This has been especially true during the recessionary times, otherwise your business might not have had any customers at all.

It may, however, now be time to review this strategy. Many businesses around the country tell me that they have had to recover some margin as they were simply not making a profit. This has necessitated them reviewing pricing and, in some instances, increasing the price point.

Before you do anything, do a price survey of all of your competitors and establish what they are offering.

Benchmark this against the service levels that you offer, the standards of your rooms, the quality level of your food. If you determine that your offer is more premium and you are communicating that well to customers, then there is every justification for you to take a modest price increase.

One of the things that may have happened, is that the marketplace may have moved on and you have not readjusted your price points, while at the same time your cost base has been rising around you.

Of course, I am clearly saying that increasing prices can only be done so based on the experience you offer your consumers and you would very quickly find yourself losing customers if your service levels did not reflect the price charged.

Q: I am in the first stage of running my new manufacturing business. I have not really engaged with any government enterprise agencies. Who should I be talking to?

A: In the early stages of any business, your first point of contact should be your Local Enterprise Office.

There is a Local Enterprise Office for every region in the country and their role is to support the creation and growth of enterprise within that region.

They will be able to provide you with good sound advice on what you should be doing in the earlier stages of your business and they run many support programmes for new businesses.

They also provide grant assistance if you are eligible to meet the criteria and you should go online to your Local Enterprise website and research things like feasibility grants, priming grants, and business expansion grants.

Eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis. It is also possible to get a mentor to do a number of sessions with you across different disciplines like finance, marketing, etc.

As your company grows, the Local Enterprise Office has a referral process to Enterprise Ireland.

Typically, Enterprise Ireland is interested in those companies which are manufacturing and have the potential to export, the potential to have sales of over 1m and 10 staff.

Enterprise Ireland could decide to fast-track their supports for you if your business was developing very quickly by classifying you as a high-potential startup - HPSU.

Start with your Local Enterprise Office and plan your journey.

There are other agencies but these are only relevant if you fit a particular type of business or type of funding, eg Failte Ireland, LEADER, etc.

Good luck with your journey.

Q: I am in the furniture business and make strong margins. I have noticed, however, that I am losing sales to other businesses with lower price points. I am unsure about what to do.

A: There is always a danger in every business that you become obsessed with percentage margin. I always give the example of a furniture shop which has a target margin of 50pc.

That is perfectly acceptable on a lamp which is selling for 100, however one could argue that if you applied this same margin to a suite of furniture for 3,500, it will simply price you out of the market.

Sometimes you have to take a much more pragmatic view and look at the amount of money you are actually making.

Greater volume at a lower percentage margin can very often make you a lot more profit than higher priced individual items which don't sell frequently.

Start by doing a price survey both online and in your immediate catchment area.

If you determine that your prices are more expensive than everyone else and you have discretion within your margin structure to lower the prices of some key sensitive items, then this is the thing to do.

You will need to accompany that with some strong marketing so the customers know that you are offering better value than in the past.

I would suggest that you move quickly as it is easy to get a bad reputation.

Q: I HAVE developed a food supplement which has a health focus and is being manufactured by a third party for me. It retails at 30 and I am worried that it won't sell in supermarkets. Can I have your opinion?

A: You are correct to have concern about the supermarket space. While I have no doubt the product will appeal to a target group of customers, people who visit a supermarket are usually in daily shopping mode.

Their mindset is to put food on the table for a particular budget each week and while there is always an opportunity to sell impulse items, usually that budget for the total trolley is a key driving factor. Think of the customer who has planned to spend 80 on their weekly shopping, and suddenly they spend another 30 on a vitamin product. It makes the shopping trip feel really expensive.

Think of that same customer going to a sports-nutrition shop or a health food shop specifically looking for products that will give them a benefit in their health regime. Now they are in a different mode of shopping, with a different budget. The opportunity to sell your product in this environment is much greater.

The other practical problem you will encounter if you sell your product through the wrong channels, is that it will sit on the shelf and you will get a bad reputation of having a "shelf warmer". Buyers are constantly assessing the movement of products on shelf and if your product isn't selling fast enough, they simply delist it or send it back to you. Neither of these is something you want.

You might be also wise to consider selling the product directly to consumers online as a specialist solution. That way you are in direct contact with the consumer with no middleman necessary.

That might allow you some scope to discount the product, especially if customers purchase a number of packs. Finally, do think about the pack size when working out the price you will charge. Sometimes by reducing the pack size, it allows you to hit a more acceptable price point for customers.
Set up in 2001 by Michael Kelly, Glandore has grown to become a leading provider of flexible workspace solutions. With six locations, four in Dublin and two in Belfast, the company now provides over 1,600 desk spaces - 1,000 in Dublin and 600 in Belfast - employs 60 staff and has an annual turnover of more than 12m.

With prestigious office locations in Dublin's Silicon Docks and Central Business District as well as in Belfast city, the company has provided flexible workspace to numerous Irish startups as well as a long list of foreign-direct investment firms. Among these are well-known names such as Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox and Smartbox.

"Our focus is on creating space where businesses can grow," says Michael. "When companies start with us, they get immediate access to an already fully-fitted workspace with maximum flexibility regarding the length of term they need to commit to as well as the ability to scale from a one-person operation right up to a 350-person space, and all in prime city centre locations."

Thanks to the range of workspace solutions on offer, from virtual offices, meeting rooms and co-working, to private offices and project space, the company supports a wide range of businesses. From freelance workers to international firms establishing a base in Ireland, right up to larger and more-established multinational firms, Glandore's clients - or members as they prefer to call them - come from a diverse range of sectors that includes everything from tech and fintech to financial services, banking, legal, insurance and pharma. "To make life easier for these companies, we offer a fully tailored, ready-to-go IT solution while our reception and operations team manage all the facilities as well as providing general support while the company get on with the process of hiring their own staff," says Michael's daughter Clare, who is the company's marketing director.

Flexible workspace or serviced office space is a concept that has been around since the late 80s. Many are run by international companies. But Glandore has carved out a name for itself as a landing pad for US firms looking to get started here.

"Modern companies are scaling and failing more quickly than ever and so it is essential to have flexibility in both space and the length of term they are required to lease space. In Ireland, commercial property leases in the city centre are generally longer than in most continental markets, typically 20 years with a break after 10 years," says Michael.

"While this is great for investors, such leases don't work for many companies who are scaling or where they simply require short-term overflow accommodation or short-term space for a specific project. What they want is speed to market with minimal risk or upfront costs".

Michael Kelly is something of an accidental entrepreneur. Having grown up on a small farm in Caltra in Co Galway, he graduated with a degree in science from UCD. He then enjoyed a successful career in sales and marketing, firstly in the pharmaceutical sector with firms such as Eli Lilly and Glaxo, and later in the area of consumers goods where he worked as sales and marketing director for Johnson Brothers.

During that time he completed a part-time MBA at the Smurfit School of Business.

By 2001, Michael had already invested in the property market and decided it was time to look after his assets on a full-time basis. One of the office buildings he had bought, 33 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin, had been rented to a pharmaceutical firm which had out grown the space and needed to move. At the same time, legal firm, Mason Hayes and Curran, which were also located on Fitzwilliam Square, inquired if he might be interested in renting the building to them for overflow space for a short period while they too searched for a new, larger headquarters.

"Damage to a stairs that needed to be repaired, meant that we couldn't actually rent the building in the required time frame," says Michael. "While it was a negative at the time, this turned out a blessing in disguise because it prompted me to research the market for flexible workspace in the Dublin area. What I discovered was that there was a significant and growing interest in this type of model and so I turned 33 Fitzwilliam Square into a small business centre, with 4,500 sq ft of space with 75 desks and Glandore was born."

The building soon filled and Michael and his team began offering a concierge-type service helping to connect these new companies with everyone from business banks and recruitment firms to providers of residential accommodation and childcare services. In 2005, Michael purchased the landmark Bank of Ireland building at Leeson Street bridge, now Fitzwilliam Hall.

Such was the demand, the new building, comprising 30,000 sq ft with 400 desk spaces, was 50pc pre-let before it was officially launched onto the market nine months later.

Michael later converted the penthouse accommodation in Fitzwilliam Hall into a private conference centre and events location. Michael had also previously bought two office buildings on Arthur Street in Belfast and in 2006, converted one of these into flexible workspace to test the market and later converted the second building to provide 600 desks in Belfast City Centre.

Clare joined the business in 2008. A qualified occupational therapist, she had studied at Trinity College and afterwards worked in the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire and in Sydney. "I love working with people and I believe my training in occupational therapy has helped us create a holistic approach in the way we support our members' needs," says Clare.

"We set our Glandore Member Network as a way to help our members get to know each other better. We also host a range of educational, social, and corporate social responsibility events as a complimentary Wellness Programme to help promote fun and health in the work environment."

Michael admits that 2008 was a tough time for all businesses. "But we knuckled down and focused on surviving," he says. "Then in 2011, we opened our own restaurant, Suesey Street and the following year, a private dining venue in No.25 Fitzwilliam Place." Michael's two other daughters also work in the business: Fiona is in charge of the company's expansion and Rebecca is sales director. With demand for space increasing, Michael and Clare remain focused on growth. Later this year they will open a new building, No. 24 Fitzwilliam Place, where they will bring another 100 desk spaces to the market. They are also on the lookout for new facilities to host another 400 desks.

Michael is happy that his company is contributing to the economy by helping companies get started or to grow here. Clare too has found her niche. It seems to be a winning combination.

For further information: www.glandore.ie
The EU is the single-largest economy and largest trading bloc in the world. With transparent rules and regulations and a secure legal investment framework, the EU also ranks first in both inbound and outbound international investments, and its services markets are very much open to other member states. (Stock picture)

Uncertainty is said to be the enemy of business. So, in an age where volatility, disruption, complexity and ambiguity are par for the course, where can Irish companies look for certainty?

The answer may be closer than we think. The EU is the single-largest economy and largest trading bloc in the world. With transparent rules and regulations and a secure legal investment framework, the EU also ranks first in both inbound and outbound international investments, and its services markets are very much open to other member states.

Home to three of the G7 nations, it's the top trading partner for 80 countries and will be home to over 440 million consumers even post-Brexit. It provides Irish companies with a market that is free from tariffs and customs obligations; where there is free movement of people, capital, goods and services; and where all members share common regulatory and technical specifications for goods.

Business risks are further minimised with the shared currency of the 19 members of the eurozone. This year, Enterprise Ireland launched a strategy for 2017-2020 aimed at increasing client exports into the eurozone by 2bn a year. This would represent one of the most significant shifts in exports by Irish-owned companies into continental Europe - a move seen as particularly important in the context of Brexit. Priority sectors include construction, engineering, life science, medtech and food.

With two prongs - 'Eurozone Start' and 'Eurozone Scale' - the strategy aims to support companies on their export journey from market opportunity awareness, research and capability assessment to product localisation, market entry and growth. Enterprise Ireland's six offices in the eurozone are identifying new market and sector opportunities for clients, and the plan is being supported by increased assistance for companies, including market access grants, business innovation funding, market opportunity reviews, management development programmes and access to trade missions/market study visits.

Our #GlobalAmbition campaign showcases companies achieving success in the region and is backed by market guides, information, sector workshops and insights. Enterprise Ireland also plans to launch 'Advantage Ireland' in-market digital communication campaigns in key markets to stimulate awareness among buyers of Irish innovation and capabilities.

While eurozone opportunities are immense, there is a need to recognise the region's diversity in terms of GDP levels, industry strengths, language and culture. Research is essential to understand the dynamics of individual markets, their scale, drivers, existing players and where your own company's offering might fit within that landscape. Companies need to be laser sharp in identifying the product areas or sectors where their business can have the most impact, and is likely that what differentiates your offering in specific eurozone markets will be different from your value proposition back in Ireland.

To truly maximise the eurozone opportunity, we believe that Irish business leaders need to embed second and third languages in their companies. This is key to building the capability to really engage in detailed business and technical issues.

It's also about demonstrating commitment and truly understanding the customer. A common misconception is that we should speak customers' languages simply to be understood. But in reality it will enable you to gain better market intelligence, understanding who your local and international competitors are (and positioning yourself accordingly) and being more aware of the cultural nuances of conducting business in that country.

Building a technical and business team with linguistic and cultural fluency is not something that happens overnight, but Enterprise Ireland's local offices in the eurozone can help you on this journey.

Leo McAdams is Enterprise Ireland's director of international sales and partnering
China's Hainan Airlines is close to agreeing a direct scheduled flight from Dublin to Beijing for the upcoming winter season, according to a number of sources. (stock image)

China's Hainan Airlines is close to agreeing a direct scheduled flight from Dublin to Beijing for the upcoming winter season, according to a number of sources.

Discussions have been under way for some time between the airline and Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and the airline is close to finalising a schedule for the flights, the Sunday Independent has learned. The flight will operate on alternate days to Dublin and Edinburgh in Scotland and this has added complexity to the scheduling and slot negotiations, it is understood. Hainan Airlines is China's fourth-largest carrier and is owned by the huge HNA conglomerate, which also owns Dublin-based aircraft leasing firm Avolon.

Local Fine Gael councillor Tom O'Leary, who has campaigned for the direct flights, said that detailed negotiations were "progressing very positively".

"My understanding is that flights may possibly commence in October," he said. "Fingal has a wonderful opportunity to capitalise on the potential that this new flight destination offers. Local companies need to start planning now to avail of this opportunity."

A DAA spokesman said it "does not comment on whether or not it is in discussions with specific airlines in relation to potential new services".

Dublin is already undergoing a boom in eastbound traffic with the recent arrival of Qatar Airways adding to a strong presence of Middle Eastern carriers, including Etihad and Emirates.

But, to date, no airline has launched a direct route from the Far East to Ireland. But interest in Ireland to Asia routes has been growing. Last week, Japan Airlines flew the first-ever direct flight from Japan to Dublin, a one-off charter with 240 Japanese travel industry professionals on board.

But the Chinese market is seen as key for both tourism and business reasons. Tourism Ireland chief executive Niall Gibbons described a direct link with China as "vital".

"We have worked very closely with DAA on this and we put a proposal on the table in relation to joint marketing with Hainan and that is in place. We are very excited about the prospect of this flight," said Gibbons.

Tourism Ireland has already seen a significant increase in Chinese visitors this year, he said.

"We had originally put together a strategy to see 50,000 Chinese visitors by 2017 and the latest indications from 2016 data is that there were possibly as high as 70,000 Chinese visitors. We know that attractions such as the Guinness Storehouse are already up 40pc on Chinese visitors this year."

In 2016 the number of outbound tourists from China reached 122 million, and they spent almost $110bn in overseas destinations.
Walk and talk: Cork couple Dave and Cathy Corkery record their Cinemile podcast on the way home from the cinema. Photo: Tom Medwell

Podcasting, in case you haven't noticed, is the new black. Depending on who you listen to, it's also the new blogging, the new talk radio and, as one writer, musing on the medium's tranquillising quality, recently put it: the "new Xanax".

Media pundits have forecast the podcasting boom since the inception of the digital medium, yet it's only in the last few years that episodic audio has become the new normal.

The success of Serial was the tipping point. In 2014, the true-crime podcast broke the iTunes record to become the fastest podcast to be downloaded more than five million times (their follow-up, S Town, set a new record when it was downloaded more than 10 million times in the first four days).

It's the type of audience engagement that was previously reserved for TV dramas, so it's no surprise that Serial is currently being adapted for television.

Interview-driven podcasts have also upped the ante considerably. In 2015, Marc Maron interviewed Barack Obama for his WTF podcast. It was a defining moment for a DIY industry, not least because there was a sniper on the roof across the street and a tent full of Secret Service agents in his driveway as he chatted to the then-US president in his garage.

Podcasting, once a niche, hobbyist industry has transitioned into a mainstream movement with a dedicated, engaged audience - and Ireland is no longer playing catch-up.

Last month, Alan Bennett, the founder of Irish online magazine and podcast platform HeadStuff, announced the first ever Dublin Podcast Festival.

The event, which takes place across various venues in September, will host heavy-hitters like Brian Reed of S Town, Scroobius Pip and the trio behind My Dad Wrote a Porno, while homegrown talent will include Jarlath Regan of the award-winning An Irishman Abroad, Suzanne Kane and PJ Gallagher of Dubland, and Alison Spittle.

Like any other festival, the event has its headliners, but there won't be rider requests or diva-like demands. The podcasting community, says Bennett, is "generous and communal" and everyone he has approached has been accommodating, irrespective of their position on the iTunes chart.

Dave Corkery and Cathy Cullen, the married Cork couple behind the award-winning The Cinemile podcast, agree that podcasting is more welcoming than other industries.

The Cinemile, which records Dave and Cathy's chatter as they walk home from their weekly visit to their local cinema in London, won Best New Podcast at the 2017 British Podcast Awards, and the couple got to meet many of their favourite podcasters during the ceremony.

"We met Edith Bowman and Scroobius Pip, and they were so generous and supportive," says Cathy. "It's very different to TV where people are very competitive and protective of their jobs."

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Dave and Cathy were podcasting for a year before they started to build up an audience. They both work in media so they knew from the outset that podcasters have to be patient, consistent and prepared to persevere without a pay cheque.

Yet not all newcomers realise just how long it takes to gain momentum. Fin Dwyer, the historian behind the popular Irish History Podcast, says many greenhorns think there's a "magic button" for producing a viral podcast, but they soon learn otherwise.

"Someone like Tommy Tiernan can do it," he says, "but [an unknown] would want to be really lucky to be getting an audience size of more than a thousand in a year."

Dwyer started producing the podcast - "when very few people knew what a podcast was" - in 2009. Today, he brings out an episode every two weeks and he can now expect 10,000 downloads after 10 days, and 20,000 downloads after 45 days.

For context, a podcast episode needs to be downloaded 10,000 times in 45 days before an advertiser will even consider coming on board.

"My podcast is in the top 5pc," he says, "but that doesn't mean it's amazing. It means that most podcasts get 120 downloads in 45 days - that's the average."

Fin can now make a living out of the podcast, but he still compares it to being in a band. "Most bands probably never get a gig. If they do get a gig, very few play in front of 100 people. And how many bands get to play a stadium gig?

"If you approach it with the idea of making money, you won't make any," he adds. "So you should approach it as a really enjoyable thing to do, or a great way to gain confidence."

Others simply approach it as a pastime. The Cinemile now has advertisers on board, which "more than covers" their expenses. However, Cathy has worked out that they would need to review four films a day to make it financially feasible. They won't be leaving their day jobs which, Dave adds, is perfectly fine. "It was only meant to be a hobby."

The revenue model for podcasts consists of advertising on a CPM basis ('cost per mille', or the rate per 1,000 listens); listener donations, loyalty schemes and paywalls (some Second Captains listeners opt to pay 5 a month through the Patreon platform) and cross-selling.

Heavyweights like Joe Rogan and Freakonomics can earn tens of thousands per episode but, for most podcasters, it's a labour of love. On the plus side, the financial outlay isn't considerable: the equipment is relatively cheap; advertising is largely through word-of-mouth and recording can be done in a bedroom if needs be. "As a medium, I also love how accessible it is for people to create," says Shawna Scott of the Our Sexual History podcast.

"At HeadStuff [the podcasting platform she is part of] we have a studio with fancy microphones and an audio engineer, but there are plenty of people who record on a 50 Zoom recorder."

Shawna is also the owner of Sex Siopa - a health and design-focused online store selling sex toys. She didn't design the podcast as a promotional tool, but it certainly helps raise brand awareness. "Even if I don't get a huge bump in sales when I release an episode," she says, "I still find it super beneficial and personally fulfilling."

Fellow podcaster Rex Ryan agrees. "If you're doing stuff that costs time and energy - and you won't make money - you have to constantly ask 'why?'" he says.

The first episode of his Let's Have Rex podcast, which was financed through crowd-funding, went live last month. His content is compelling and the early feedback is promising, but the actor and writer has made peace with the fact that few podcasts become financially lucrative.

Rex says his main influences are fellow interview-driven podcasters Joe Rogan and Tim Ferriss - "perhaps if I could get Ferriss's craft and organisation, mixed with a bit of Rogan's madness, I could be on to something semi-decent".

Yet it's hard not to compare his style to his late father, Gerry Ryan. Just like his dad, he has the ability to talk about something as inconsequential as toothpaste and still make you feel like you are being let in on a best-kept secret.

Rex is well aware that he is entering a saturated market. "I really thought, 'Why the hell should people bother listening, bar my mum and my mates?'," he laughs. The answer that he eventually arrived at was honesty - searing honesty. It's a wise move. Whereas traditional radio broadcasters give little glimpses of their personal lives, the best podcasters know that listeners are more likely to resonate with full soul X-rays.

"You have to be honest, too. You have to give of yourself," says comedian Jarlath Regan.

"I'm personally not a fan of interviews where one person asks questions and the other person is forced to answer," he continues. "I always tell a bit of my story to encourage the other person to talk and to share with them and the listeners how I'm arriving at the point of asking this question, and where this question comes from."

This brings us neatly to the other key difference between traditional talk radio and podcasting. By and large, podcasters have no interest in 'gotcha' journalism.

Sam Harris of the Waking Up podcast recently explained that he gives interviewees the opportunity to say 'off the record' after they say something they would prefer to take back, and Jarlath says he is happy to give his guests the final edit.

All of these factors help to build authenticity, integrity and, fundamentally, trust. It's a deeper level of engagement and, in its purest form, it's cathartic - for both the host and the listeners.

Jarlath says he was in a "pretty dark place" when he first started podcasting.

"I probably didn't know what was going to happen to us living abroad. I was struggling, you know? I took a shot at this thing and it worked out and, over the course of these interviews, I've probably softened a bit. I think I've grown in confidence, too."

It was much the same for fellow comedian Marc Maron. He says podcasting saved him from being "broke, defeated and careerless". Nowadays he talks about the medium with almost religious enthusiasm.

The podcasting landscape has changed significantly in recent years. Revenue models have become more creative; independent producers are competing with established media organisations and, as with any boom, some analysts are wondering if the bubble is about to burst.

Yet those who bemoan the corporatisation of the industry tend to forget that no amount of money or resources can compensate for the key ingredient: passion. Jarlath puts it best: "You need to love it from day one when you're getting paid nothing. Otherwise, you're dead in the water."
He has a penchant for well-cut suits and funky socks - but the Taoiseach's 'breakfast box' on board the Government's private jet shows he can also be a man of simple tastes.

The box, part of the aircraft's official "requirement list" before take-off, contains Alpen muesli and porridge oats, plus assorted jams and marmalade.

In keeping with Leo Varadkar's 'keep-fit' mantra, and slimmed-down image, a range of herbal teas are also on the menu for a caffeine-free alternative.

But if his Government ministers are looking to satisfy less healthy cravings, an assortment of toffees, chocolate biscuits and mints are all part of the in-flight service.

Two types of Tayto crisps - cheese and onion and salt and vinegar - as well as Doritos and Pringles, can be enjoyed.

Salsa and sour cream are also part of the on-board service. Surprisingly, healthy alternatives such as fresh fruits are not catered for.

But, according to sources, a range of sandwiches, salads, and pastries, could also be on offer, depending on the destination involved.

"When abroad, the catering available from airport handling agents varies based on local food type and availability on a given day," according to a source.

The Taoiseach has not requested any specific additional foods or drinks be added to the breakfast box, or provided on board the jet, a government spokesperson confirmed.

The Learjet 45 entered service in 2004 and operates seven days a week, usually ferrying the Taoiseach and ministers to attend overseas engagements.

New financial records show 1,120 is spent each year on the 'in-flight' bar.

There is a choice of five different spirits, including gin, vodka, Jameson and Powers whiskey, plus Hennessy brandy.

Records obtained by the Sunday Independent show the most popular tipple among our elected representatives is a gin and tonic. The number one beer is a Heineken, followed by Guinness and Carlsberg. Ministers have the option of either a 'large' or 'small' glass of red or white wine, with 824 glasses consumed in the past five years. An assortment of soft drinks - including Lucozade, 7up and Coca-Cola - are available.

Overall, the cost of transporting ministers on the Bombardier Learjet has soared amid a flurry of crunch EU Brexit-related engagements in Brussels.

Latest figures show the jet has been used for 30 ministerial trips so far this year - costing 438,795 for a total of 116 flight hours.

This means each journey has a price tag of 14,600.

There were 24 flights over the same period last year - notching up a bill of 288,225 for 76 hours of flying time.

In the first seven months of the year, a number of ministers and special advisers attended 12 high-stake meetings in the European capital, as Brexit talks intensified.

Records show an assortment of politicians, including former Finance Minister Michael Noonan, Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald, and former Taoiseach Enda Kenny used the jet on a number of occasions.
So it begins. Unable to make sense of the brutal killing of Limerick man Jason Corbett, the dissection of the woman co-convicted of his murder, his wife Molly Martens-Corbett, follows.

There has been a conviction, sure, but no clarity. There has been a how and a what and a where and a when, but no conclusive why.

In the emerging narrative, Martens-Corbett is "the pretty and troubled femme fatale". Her father Thomas Martens, also convicted of the murder, is a mere sideshow. Martens-Corbett is front and centre as "the pretty blonde with the killer instinct". She is the "callous killer" who drank margaritas on the school run and "went out of her way to hurt people".

'Wicked Stepmother' may yet turn out to be a more accurate description.

As an au pair who rapidly became an All-American 'mom' to Mr Corbett's children, Sarah and Jack, Martens-Corbett is now morphing rapidly into an evil queen who tried to usurp the place of their deceased mother Mags in their memories. When she realised she could lose them, is it too far to extrapolate that she sought to remove the threat: their own father?

Despite intense scrutiny, Martens-Corbett and her motives remain shadowy and vague. Was she an abused spouse who acted in self-defence, or a wife who snapped, Kiranjit Ahluwalia-style, under sustained marital pressure? Was she motivated to kill by the money she sought to gain from her husband's death, or by love for another?

Or was she motivated by mother-love? After Mr Corbett's death, Martens-Corbett did one thing. She filed custody papers for the children. She lost. She then sought in vain to maintain contact with the children, posting messages online and curating a Facebook version of her life with them.

Standing in shackles after the conclusion of the trial this week, Martens-Corbett was portrayed "like she'd always been - stony faced and ice cold". Yet there is nothing of the stony-faced, ice-cold killer on show for anyone who chooses to pick apart Martens-Corbett's Facebook page, populated as it is with pictures of a radiantly happy woman, squeezing and hugging Mr Corbett's two children from infancy.

Expand Close Molly Martens and her father Thomas Martens being led away from court in handcuffs Photo: Donnie Roberts / Facebook

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Whatsapp Molly Martens and her father Thomas Martens being led away from court in handcuffs Photo: Donnie Roberts

But if we know anything about Facebook by now, it is that Facebook lies.

What makes us parents? Martens-Corbett used Facebook to post this response: "Parents are the people who love you, nurture you, care for you, tuck you in at night, drive you to practice, cheer from the sidelines, wrap your Christmas presents, hide your eggs, make you birthday cakes, make you clean your room and do your chores, go on your field trips, change your diapers, teach you your ABCs and how to tie your shoes. Parents are the people you come home to. They are the people who love you unconditionally and support you emotionally, financially, faithfully, forever."

Perhaps Martens-Corbett did all this for Sarah and Jack Corbett. But she also did something else - she sought to replace the children's mother with herself.

Whatever else Martens-Corbett did or didn't do, Mags Corbett deserved to remain present in her children's lives. Anyone, whether a parent, step-parent, adoptive parent or not, must understand this. But Molly Martens did not.

It is unavoidable that among the sheer weight of the tragedy for the Corbett family, we seek to expose the dark heart of Martens-Corbett. Women who kill fascinate with a level of repulsion reserved uniquely for their gender.

In the absence of her personal testimony at the trial, we find ourselves grasping at stray facts that show Martens-Corbett had "issues". We need to believe that she couldn't be just bad, she had to be mad too. As if any of that changes anything now.

Martens-Corbett wrote on her Facebook page that a parent is someone who loves you unconditionally but the real test of a parent is that you love your children absolutely. Mothers and fathers put their children's needs for themselves above their own needs for their children. Mr Corbett knew this, when he sought to create a stable family unit for his children despite his grief upon losing their mother.

When the Corbett children visit the grave of their parents in Castlemungret cemetery in Co Limerick, they kiss the wedding photograph of Mags and Mr Corbett that adorns the gravestone. When they visit the memory of Martens-Corbett, as they surely must, they think "murderer", as Jack Corbett put it in his letter to the court.

So perhaps when we're seeking absent answers as to what made Martens-Corbett a killer, what didn't make her act as a mother is the first question we should ask.
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A Dublin man who has spent more than half his life in the UK and is a Glasgow city councillor has said he will leave the UK if he is forced to apply for new residency paperwork after Brexit.

Feargal Dalton (45), from north county Dublin, joined the Royal Navy in 1993 after graduating from UCD. He has lived in the UK ever since and is now married with three children.

He sits on Glasgow city council as a Scottish National Party councillor, is married to Glasgow MP Carol Monaghan and teaches physics part-time.

But this week he was advised by his employers to attend a workshop where immigration lawyers are being brought in to meet with EU residents on staff who may find themselves seeking new status post-Brexit.

"While the UK was never the most enthusiastic member of the EU, I never thought this would come to pass. Not only that they would leave the EU but that they would leave everything," he said.

"I was invited by my employers to attend a workshop one afternoon that was being hosted for myself and other EU citizens to meet with lawyers and assess our situation," he said.

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His employers, a Scottish third level institution, are offering legal advice from a helpful standpoint he said, adding that the education sector, much like the health services, is reliant on EU citizens.

The meeting with legal representation is likely an early push to ensure that no staff member will find themselves having to leave their job and the country.

Under current proposals, EU citizens resident in Britain will have to apply for inclusion on a "settled status" registry if they want to stay in the country after Britain leaves the EU.

While Mr Dalton knows he will not be "turfed out" anytime soon he said he will not engage with the UK Home Office in any new paperwork to meet whatever standards are settled on for non-EU residents post-Brexit.

"I'll not be filling in any paperwork for the Home Office. If it comes to it I'll leave," he said.

"I walked around Glasgow the other day and it's always been very welcoming and is my home. It's not Glasgow that's not making me feel no longer at home but I am unwelcome.

"After 17 years in the armed forces... I'm not feeling the love," he said.

He said that he is also getting fed up with people who reassure him that he will be fine and will be allowed to stay.

"I say 'what because I'm white and I speak English?' It makes be angry," he said.

Mr Dalton said he is considering moving back to Ireland or moving to the south of France with his family if he does opt to leave Scotland.

"I have options and qualifications. I moved here out of choice unlike a lot of Irish people in the past. But I'm feeling less and less welcome as time goes by," he said.
A young man who has been searching for a job for almost a year has called on the Government to do more to improve access for people in wheelchairs to all workplaces.

Dylan Nelson has a security licence and is qualified in providing retail security or working in a control room (monitoring CCTV).

Since gaining a Fetac Level 4 certificate from Ballyfermot Training College the 23-year-old Crumlin native has been searching for a job for almost 12 months.

On top of his qualification he has eight weeks work experience with Transdev, the company who run the Luas, where he said he had a great experience working in the control room.

However, despite applying both on his own and with EmployAbility, a company which helps people with a disability find work he has yet to secure employment.

Dylan has cerebral palsy and has been a wheelchair user since birth  he believes this is what is holding him back in his chosen field despite having the relevant qualification.

I believe its my wheelchair that puts companies off and its silly that it is still an issue. I was able to do the qualification therefore I can do the job, he said.

He had no accessibility issues when doing his work experience and would have no problem carrying out his role he said.

At the moment he is applying for up to five jobs a week and has sent out hundreds of CVs in the past year.

But despite interviewing for several positions he has not managed to secure employment.

Security is something he has always dreamed of pursuing and he is not keen on giving up on his goals just yet and says he will stick out the job hunt for the time being.

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Its an area Ive always been interested in, I wanted to do the guards and this seemed like the closest thing, he said.

He said he found it a joke for the Government to suggest that Ireland will soon have more jobs than people without considering the issues faced by people with disability.

Ireland is approaching full employment for the first time since the recession and earlier this year Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said he was conscious that we might have more work than workers.

We might get to a point next year that we have more work in our economy than we have people to do it, he said.

But for Dylan this refrain does not address the issues around getting people with a disability into the workforce and addressing their challenges.

Its easy for them to say that but if they were out looking like me it would be a different story, he said.

Its going to stay a joke until the Government does something about buildings with no wheelchair access. I think there is loads they could do about it but they dont care, he added.

Dylan said one company he interviewed with said they would look at improving access to their premises for people with access issues.
Cork supporters are being urged to abstain from flying the Confederate flag in Croke Park today, following the violent protests in Virginia.

White supremacists brought chaos to Virginia on Saturday as they protested against plans to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E Lee.

The mass gathering sparked a counter-demonstration by others protesting against racism and left one person dead and 19 others injured when a car deliberately rammed into crowds.

Ahead of today's All-Ireland hurling semi-final, there have been calls for Cork supporters to abstain from flying the Confederate flag in Croke Park.

Some members of Cork's Rebel Army of GAA supporters have flown the flag for decades, despite the flag's sinister meaning in the US.

In 2015, Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI) called on the flag to be banned from GAA games. The call came after nine people were killed in a church in Charleston, South Carolina by gun man Dylan Roof, who was pictured with the flag online in the days before the attack.

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In 2004, former Cork board chairman Jim Forbes pointed out that most fans aren't even aware of the connotations of the flag. "The only reason people use this (Confederate) flag is because it is red and white, there is no ulterior motive involved,"

The Rubberbandits have led today's call for Cork fans to resist from flying the flag during today's hurling decider with Waterford and many people on Twitter have echoed their statements.
Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy has warned local authority chiefs that communities must not be allowed prevent councils from accommodating homeless people.

In a hard-hitting letter, which will be sent to local authority chief executives tomorrow, Mr Murphy also insists they should be doing more "heavy lifting" to help resolve the worst housing crisis to hit the country in decades.

The minister says he is "seriously concerned" that some councils are not treating the homelessness emergency with the "urgency it deserves".

He also reminds them of their obligations and responsibilities to address the shortage of accommodation.

The minister now plans to haul in the chief executives of every county and city council into a crisis summit on housing and homelessness in his department.

The local authority bosses will be asked to update the minister on their housing plans and bring solutions aimed at addressing the problem to the meeting.

The meeting is aimed at "banging heads together" as the housing shortage continues to escalate and the number of homeless people continues to rise every month.

In his letter, Mr Murphy warns that "local communities must not be allowed to stand in the way of accommodating homeless people".

A government source said the minister would no "longer accept excuses from" council chiefs who complained about communities stopping them from building emergency accommodation for homeless people.

The minster will also tell chief executives to be "innovative" in finding solutions and advised them to make changes to their systems if they are not working or slowing down delivery.

He also will assure local authorities that the Government will "not be shy in dealing with this and resources and funding not an issue".

Mr Murphy is focusing his attention on increasing the supply of houses and apartments and wants local authorities to find solutions to increase the construction of homes in their counties.

"Resourcing and funding are not the issue - local authorities have to do more heavy lifting," a source said.

"In areas like Dublin, local authorities in the county must see this as a shared responsibility and not be relying on the city council to meet everyone's needs. That won't be possible and anyway local electoral boundaries mean nothing to a homeless family. Likewise, solutions are going to have to be found across county boundaries," the source added.

Last week, Mr Murphy was accused of trying to bury bad news by releasing monthly homelessness figures on the Friday evening of the August bank holiday weekend.

The minister released a statement insisting the Government was dedicated to addressing the problem. Recent figures show their are currently 5,036 homeless people, and this includes 1,365 families and 118 children.
FINAL JOURNEY: The remains of Galway legend Tony Keady arrive at the Church in Oranmore. Photo: Andrew Downes

The Tipperary team which battled for All-Ireland glory with Galway in the late 1980s were among thousands of mourners who yesterday paid respect to Tony Keady.

An estimated 15,000 mourners filed past the coffin and expressed sympathy to the family of the former Hurler of the Year who died last Wednesday night after he suffered a sudden illness.

Expand Close Galway great Tony Keady. Photo: Andrew Downes / Facebook

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Team manager Michael 'Babs' Keating led his Tipperary squad, who travelled to Oranmore to pay their respects to a hurler they had battled against in a gripping and often compelling rivalry.

Galway won their second All-Ireland title in a row in 1988 - and only their fourth in history.

The Tipperary squad were greeted on arrival by an emotional Cyril Farrell, who was the Galway manager in the 1980s, along with former Galway hurlers Sylvie Linnane, Brendan Lynskey, Steve Mahon and Martin Naughton.

Mr Keady (53) worked as a caretaker at Calasanctius College in the village. He died last Wednesday night after becoming seriously ill at his home at Frenchfort in Oranmore in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Expand Close Tony Keady at home with some of his trophies. Picture: Hany Marzouk / Facebook

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He is survived by his wife Margaret, daughter Shannon (15), sons Anthony (13) and twins Jake and Harry (11).

Hurlers and GAA players from all over the country, including Clares Ollie Baker, Brian Whelehan from Offaly and Corks Tomas Mulcahy, queued for hours to pay their respects, along with dozens of Tony Keadys former Galway and Killimordaly teammates.

The current Galway senior and minor squads, both of whom have qualified for All-Ireland finals next month, privately paid their respects before members of the public began arriving at lunchtime.

He was brought to Renville Cemetery following his funeral mass at 2pm in the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Oranmore.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told how he lost two people he knew to suicide during Ireland's Great Recession as latest figures show the number of suicides reached almost 5,000 in most of the period referred to as the lost decade.

Mr Varadkar said both of the people he personally knew were "riding high" during the boom years but did not know how to cope when the global recession hit.

His comments come as records show 4,929 people lost their lives during most of the 10 years of unemployment, house repossessions, and renewed forced emigration.

"I remember two people I knew in my community who took their own lives during that time," Mr Varadkar told the Sunday Independent.

"They believed they had the world at their feet and didn't know how to cope - or who to reach out to - when their finances collapsed.

"I felt so bad for the families and the kids they left behind. It's one of the reasons I ensured the budget was doubled for the National Office Of Suicide Prevention when I was in the Department of Health. Not sure if made a difference, but at least it was something,'' he said.

The suicide rate increased from 458 a year at the start of the recession in 2007 to 541 before Ireland technically exited recession in 2012, as more and more people battled various forms of economic hardship.

Similarly, the number self-harming also increased during those years. In 2007, the rate of self-harm incidents was 188 per 100,000. Within five years, this increased to 211, according to data from the National Suicide Research Foundation.

According to a UCC study, suicide rates for Irish males jumped by 57pc from 2008 to 2012. The research, headed by Dr Paul Corcoran, found that in the five years of the recession there were 561 more deaths by suicide than there would have been if pre-recession trends had continued. Men accounted for 476 of those deaths and 85 were women.

Mr Varadkar said: "The rate of suicide at that time was the human cost of economic mismanagement at its most stark and painful. It reminds us why we must never go back."

If any of the above issues have affected you, you can call The Samaritans on 116123
Lop of silver birch (Betula pendula) side-swiped by human hands and cast before me, as pearls to trim for winter fires (with bow saw bent) made a tidy harvest to gather and leafy strings to separate from shiny gold tracery and leave to decay.

The branches had arrived unseen, cast over a wall where they had dangled like bridges too far, overhanging shadows, an invasion on another property.

With the saw, there was a companion, a hard-handled Mauser of several blades, one toothed and cased in protective sheath, a useful tool found in a ship's chandlers. The rifles and machine-pistols are better-known products of this arms manufacturer. The special blade was an excellent saw.

Although it is attractive and its gently peeling bark marks its distinctiveness, the birch is not one of the Nobles of the Wood in the early Irish Laws of Neighbourhood, and the folkloric Lay of Iubhadan, king of the Sidhe, refers to "beithe ba blad buan...though it feebly droops, birch that is so good/ Burn it certain sure, stem of the swelling bud". I can vouch for the bud-joints; autumnal decay is needed for snapping.

Birch may be among the commoners in wood-lore - along with alder, willow, hawthorn, rowan, elm and cherry - but Mad Sweeney, the king who fled the company of men to live wild, considered it "smooth and blessed". In his lay to the trees, it is the "melodious proud one, /Delightful entwining branch in the top of thy crown".

Birch is a symbol of purity and grace, of birth and re-birth after death in the ancient Celtic world. Dead chieftains were dressed in silk wearing hats of birch. In the Scottish poem, The Wife of Usher's Well, three dead sons return to their mother wearing 'a hat o'the birk' which grew at the gates of paradise. Birch's qualities of youth and love link it to Aengus of Bru na Boinne, a god so attractive that four kisses were said to follow him around in the form of birds.

There are many birch fables in the folklore of these islands where fires are lit and sprays hung over doors.

There is a Scottish tale of a man being abducted by a phantom horseman named Headless Hugh, who escaped by clinging to a birch branch until the cock crowed. It is the first tree to have colonised open ground, and the first symbol of the Ogham alphabet, 'Beith'.

Seamus Heaney has written of birch as a "tree of desire, a'shimmer with sexual possibility". He quoted the poet Louis Simpson, of reminding him of "a room filled with breathing/ The sway and whisper of love". And Robert Frost, after an ice-storm in a New England wood, saw birches bowed down "like girls on their hands and knees, throwing their hair before them over their heads in the sun".

Heaney, beside a New Hampshire pond, had found a thick-stemmed piece of birch sapling whose blunt shape on his desk at Harvard became "a little torso agleam in its own whiteness".

When he learned that birch is light-demanding and will not grow in the shade of others, the keepsake "began to shine in my mind like a platonic idea". Heaney's essay is The Whisper of Love: Granta No 102, published in 2008.
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Brendan O'Connor Opinion Mid-life Crisis: Meeting my match in the flight queue

I could sense the tension from behind me. I had got up and started the queue for boarding the plane. I know, Im that person. But someone has to do it. And what with everyone carrying a small suitcase on these days, Im more relaxed standing there, knowing I will get my bag into the overhead, than I would be sitting down.
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Eoghan Harris Opinion Misery media fails to give due credit to the Taoiseach

Taoiseach Micheal Martin must drive his advisers mad. Unlike Leo Varadkar or Donald Trump, he never bigs up success stories such as the effect of Level 3 Plus on Covid or his visionary Shared Island project. Last Friday, Tony Holohan and RTE cheerleaders seemed to imply Level 5 was responsible for the improved Covid situation. Not so.
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Gene Kerrigan Opinion Just what our politics needs: Stalin-like applause police in the Dail

In the words of Miriam Lord in the Irish Times: There was much scanning of the Dail chamber after Zelenskys speech to identify the TDs who did not clap. Well, imagine that! The arrival of the remarkable Mr Zelensky in our parliament  albeit a virtual presence  aroused celebrity excitement of the kind not seen since the last time Matt Damon went for a stroll in Dalkey, Co Dublin.
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Ian O'Doherty Opinion For once, the UN is right  were standing on the edge of a deadly nuclear precipice

For those of us of a certain age, the last few months have felt as if we have somehow time-warped back to the 1980s. Stranger Things, which is set in that decade, has been the biggest show on TV. Kate Bush  thanks, incidentally, to Stranger Things  is now regularly played on the radio and she has reached number one in 2022 with the re-release of her 1985 hit, Running Up That Hill.
Sir - I guess Bruce Arnold (Sunday Independent, August 6) has a point regarding the amount of talk which dominates the RTE radio schedule, but he forgets that the current culture and celebrity fixation ensures that such a formula seems to work as regards maintaining a mass audience. The downturn in advertising is a difficulty that all traditional media are experiencing and would not improve even if a less personality and talk-dominated schedule ensued.

The landscape for music radio now means that all outlets have moved into the centre, with focus groups and radio doctors determining what the output will be. In fairness to RTE Radio, however, at least Lyric (even with the sad loss of Jazz Alley and Reels to Ragas) still manages some interesting music choices as does RTE Radio 1.

I should also point out that when the general public do make it to Sunday Miscellany, some interesting points are made and the audience figures seem healthy enough given the early morning broadcast time.

Sean Brophy,

Leopardstown Heights,

Dublin 18

Too much exposure

Sir - Bruce Arnold's critique of RTE (Sunday Independent, August 6) is very comprehensive. I am surprised that he did not include mention of Sinn Fein or their forerunners, the Provisional IRA, for which Sinn Fein is the respectable front and whose members RTE seem to have an undoubted preference for in any political discussion.

They may be the second largest party in Opposition, but they get more airtime for their representatives than does FF or any of the other sections of the Opposition. Such exposure is tantamount to a mini political party broadcast. When one hearkens back to the murder and mayhem the Provos were responsible for in the North and South of Ireland, I think it is hypocritical in the extreme that they should be given so much radio and TV time to expound their ideas on how the country should be run.

Pat Mullin,

Drumcondra,

Dublin 9

RTE 'not neutral'

Sir - I feel compelled to write to your paper to express my thanks to Bruce Arnold on his excellent article (Sunday Independent, August 6) outlining the rot at the core of RTE.

As he said, RTE does not appear to make any effort to present both sides of the argument in a scrupulously balanced neutral way. Sadly, I feel the same imbalance is shot right through the heart of the Irish media in general.

He rightly points out that, "such broadcasting is in keeping with the one-party state nature of the Irish Republic. We have a change of personal in government, but never a change of government... a reprehensible situation". Rational debate on the public square is a rarity in our society today. So-called liberal Ireland is very superficial. Old values that have stood the test of time and that have arguably enabled us to be a modern first-world country today are subtly and not so subtly scoffed at.

Eileen Davey,

Laytown,

Co Meath

Language lessons

Sir - Bruce Arnold's article (Sunday Independent, August 6) concerning the "once-vibrant organisation" called RTE left almost no stone unturned in its critique of the national broadcaster.

There is one additional stone whose underside awaits exposure: the blatant lack of care given to the enunciation and pronunciation of even the most basic of words in the English language. (Why "BreXit" is pronounced "BreGGZit" in Montrose would be a good starting point). This appalling lack of articulate professionalism is further reinforced by the stumbling and stuttering of many "presenters" who inadvertently cause many, if not most, news bulletins to be intolerable to the ear.

Frank Copeland,

Castlewarren,

Co Kilkenny

Childhood misery

Sir - May I just refer to a letter in your excellent series 'The letter I wish I'd sent' by Brendan Cullen (Sunday Independent, August 6).

He writes about the dreadful brutality of the sadistic monster who taught him in primary school in the early 1950s.

In the second week of the series (June 11), I wrote about my dreadful experiences at the age of eight, in a boarding school run by nuns in the late 1950s.

Brendan's first sentence says it all, as follows: Dear Sir, "I will never forget you, but God knows I have tried many times." Indeed Brendan, your childhood never leaves you, and affects the whole of your life.

Brian McDevitt,

Glenties,

Co Donegal

Sam's classic song

Sir - In her obituary of Sam Shepard, Barbara McCarthy (Sunday Independent, August 6) mentions several times that he was a cowboy and also that he was a "rock 'n' roll Jesus with the cowboy mouth".

But she does not mention that the defining point of this aspect of Sam Shepard was that he was co-writer with Bob Dylan of the classic 'cowboy song' Brownsville Girl, which is so good that on its own it made the album where it appeared, Knocked Out Loaded, worthwhile despite the rest of that album being completely unremarkable.

Frank Desmond,

Turners Cross,

Cork City

Sinn Fein trying to ape the SDLP

Sir - Eoghan Harris and Eilis O'Hanlon are wrong to make comparisons between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and the SDLP in its dealings with Sinn Fein (Sunday Independent, August 6). Apparently, it seems, Sinn Fein wrecked the SDLP, and will do the same to these southern parties if they effectively "behave the same way". The decline of the SDLP can be directly linked to the withdrawal from politics of John Hume and, to a lesser extent, of Seamus Mallon, who has recently suggested that the Catholic Church's position on Sinn Fein also hurt the SDLP, and of course that is true. The reality is that this dominant leadership also affects Sinn Fein, and Gerry Adams's demise or resignation as leader will see the party badly affected.

An example of the true nature of Sinn Fein and how it will never be big in the Republic is in the way it expanded membership from the earliest days.

The reality of much of the senior membership of Sinn Fein "during the war" is that they were recruited from the IRA. The way that the IRA would recruit was to endorse the troublemaking hardmen in a community. These hardmen were kept in check by strong members of the community prior to that. This IRA recruitment undermined the community and left the IRA hardmen in control, with the strong people kept in check. This meant eventually that other hardmen would come along and be kept in check by the IRA, not the strong people who usually voted SDLP.

So the myth that only the IRA could control the hardmen came into effect. What we have today is a Northern Sinn Fein party attempting to cure this anomaly in its membership, seeking elected members without military baggage. They're trying to ape the SDLP and portray themselves as peacemakers. That's largely done for a southern audience, who tend to be horrified by hardline Sinn Feiners. There is no unifying cause that can be used to manipulate the population. Indeed, Sinn Fein knows this and is trying to put on a good face, unlike when they dealt with the SDLP.

The only way Sinn Fein can deal a blow in the Republic is if they match Fianna Fail and Fine Gael in usual political ways. The SDLP would still be the larger party if they did that up here.

John O'Connell,

Derry

Sacred mandala of your life

Sir - Society will judge us by our looks, as Brendan O'Connor described in his recent article about people staring at his little girl, Mary.

As a teacher in special education for many years, I know those looks.

I am in no doubt that my students, who have moderate intellectual difficulties (according to those who label them to fit in neatly to "normality") also have very many special gifts - they see the person, not the fatness or designer labels one might be sporting on a given day.

As part of the graduation ceremony which I wrote and led many times in school, we made a mandala of the group, highlighting their gifts to us.

This is a poem I wrote as a reflection about the gifts that the students have, and offer freely and without judgment of others.

Aine Moloney,

Name and address with Editor

Mandala

In our world

We promote

Wealth and power.

You offer

Simplicity

And collaboration.

When confronted by

Control and revenge

You offer

Peace and kindness.

Where greed,

Not need makes war

You offer

Trust without fear.

If our loves dream

Is somehow lost

You offer

An opportunity

To know her precious gifts

In the present moment

Of now.

On dismal days

When grief and doubt

Consume

Our weary spirits

You embrace us

Unconditionally

Welcoming us

Towards

The bright possibility

Of joys dawning

On a new tomorrow.

With grace these

Simple,

Priceless gifts

You commend to us

With great fondness.

Take time to

Intertwine them

With precious jewels

Of remembering

On quiet golden moments

As your own dear heart

Kindles in the best

Of us

Another way of being,

Entrusting us

With the rhythm

Of

The

Sacred

Mandala of your life.

Time for equality for all

An open letter to Mr Varadkar

Sir - When you were elected Taoiseach you promised you would use your office to promote equality for LGBT both here and in Northern Ireland. This is very commendable.

But what about my equality?

I recently retired and was awarded a contributory pension of a paltry sum of 152 per week. I am one of the many women in this country who has been victimised because I am a mother. I was forced to give up work in the early 1970s to rear my family (no child care facilities of any description available back then) and I returned to the workforce in the year 2000.

Your government in its wisdom decided that one of the ways of solving the finances of this country was to discriminate against the mothers of Ireland. It seems to me that equality for some sections of our society is more important than others.

This act was passed in the 2012 Budget and I would ask you, Mr Varadkar, to use your office of Taoiseach to reverse same on or before the 2017 Budget. Thanking you in anticipation.

Mai, Galway

Full name and address with Editor

Cowen was cheering news for pensioners

Sir - Every negative word that is uttered about Brian Cowen is diligently reported in the media. I would like to remind people that when Brian Cowen was Minister for Finance, old age pensioners saw a 14 per week increase. All paid the same year.

Unlike the last increase, which was reminiscent of the old joke about the emigrant writing home, "Dear mother, I am sending you five pounds... but not this week". I also know for certain that Brian Cowen would not leave the State to demean himself, walking in a 'Rainbow' parade in another jurisdiction.

The other parties dare not admit it, but if they had been there when the crash came, they would have been left with no choice but the same: our 'friends' in Europe would have seen to that.

John Farrell,

Edenderry,

Co Offaly

Laughter is best

Sir - Well done to Brendan O'Connor for his laugh-out-loud piece on Leo taking over the world (Sunday Independent, August 6). More of the same please in the midst of Brexit, poverty, HSE woes etc. Laughter really is the best medicine.

Mary Stewart (Mrs),

Donegal Town

Dreary as you like

Sir - Kudos to right-on Declan Lynch (Sunday Independent, August 6) for highlighting the bland cultural wasteland that was Ireland in the dreary, monocultural 1970s and 1980s.

Before we were exposed to the 'right influences' that improved us greatly, we had to make do with rubbish like Thin Lizzy, Rory Gallagher, Van Morrison, The Horslips, Stiff Little Fingers, The Undertones, The Boomtown Rats, U2, The Pogues, Sinead O'Connor, Christy Moore, Clannad, Blue in Heaven, A House, The Blades etc.

Fortunately, progressive, modern Ireland has bequeathed the world some proper culture with performers like The Script and Nathan Carter and a few others I can't quite think of.

Simon O'Neill,

Dublin 3

This Jew once saw the good in Myers

Sir - Mark O'Regan describes Kevin Myers's column as having provoked a wave of accusations of anti-Semitism (Sunday Independent, August 6). As a Canadian Jew, I read the Irish press during Israel's war in Gaza in 2009. As Ireland is one of the most pro-Palestinian countries in Europe, I was heartened by those journalists who stood up for Israel. In a letter to the Jerusalem Post on July 12, 2009, I cited the names of those we owed an appreciation - recognising the good someone does for you is a fundamental Judaic ethic. One of them was Kevin Myers.

Jews and Jewish groups who attacked Myers - who seeks controversy, but it is certainly not a journalistic sin - for his alleged anti-Semitism should forgive his minor error, which he acknowledges, close the case, and move on. Forgiveness is another basic Jewish ethic, central to Yom Kippur - Day of Atonement - the most sacred holiday of the Jewish calendar.

Jacob Mendlovic,

Toronto,

Canada

The gospel of Elvis

Sir - Perhaps coincidence or what, but the other day I found a little rag-doll (lucky-bag toy from years ago) and about one-and-a-half inches, lying in a corner. When I opened the paper last week - there was Elvis Presley with a replica of same!

Joe Jackson (Sunday Independent, August 6), writing about the 40th anniversary of Elvis's death, said that Gospel music was a source of spiritual ease to Elvis. I always had the feeling from his song Peace in the Valley that he sang in choir when young.

Sure, I believe when he was found dead in a house with a woman - it was his adored 'black' cook, frying banana sambos in lard. He was reading The Shroud of Turin.

I always feel he was spiritual, near to Jesus. He is still in Graceland, I'm sure. RIP.

Kathleen Corrigan,

Cootehill,

Co Cavan
Kaitlin and Andrew, from New York, first met in their 10th-grade (equivalent to Junior Cert year) maths class.

Some years later, after their first year in college, they were reunited at a friend's party. For their first date, Andy impressed Kate with a trip in his boat on a local lake, before bringing her to her favourite Irish pub/restaurant for dinner. In 2016, Andy popped the big question on a break in Vermont, with a ring that had been passed down from his great-great-grandmother.

It was the couple's dream to be married in Ireland and when Kate's parents suggested the Abbey Tavern in Howth, Co Dublin - which they had visited more than a decade before while on a CIE tour - they turned their dreams into an elegant reality.

Kate and Andy had a spiritualist ceremony at Howth's Martello Tower with hand-fasting and sand-pouring rites before holding their reception at the Abbey Tavern.

As nature lovers, Kate and Andy wanted a green, earthy feel to their day and The Green Door Florist did just that. Planning their day from the States was no easy task, so Aislinn Events oversaw preparations on this side of the water while the couple did some DIY from New York - making wooden place cards and handwriting names for the table. The groom had his kilt made with his family tartan in New York while the bride found her gown in US bridal salon New York Bride.

After their beautiful day, Kate and Andy flew to Edinburgh and began their once-in-a-lifetime CIE tour through Scotland and Ireland.

Expand Close Photography by Couple Photography visit couple.ie / Facebook

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* Words by Dee Finnerty. Photography by Couple Photography; visit couple.ie

If you would like your wedding featured here, email weddings@independent.ie
The attack victim is being investigated for violating Germany's laws against displaying Nazi symbols or slogans

A drunken American who gave the stiff-armed Nazi salute several times in Dresden was injured when he was punched by a passer-by.

The 41-year-old American suffered minor injuries in the assault in the east German city which happened on Saturday at 8.15am.

The victim, who is being investigated by Dresden police for violating Germany's laws against the display of Nazi symbols or slogans, had an extremely high blood-alcohol level.

His attacker fled the scene and is being sought for causing bodily harm.

This is the second time this month that tourists have got into legal trouble for giving the Nazi salute.

On August 5, two Chinese tourists were caught taking photos of themselves making the gesture in front of Berlin's Reichstag building.

AP
LOLO  Bob, Matt and Baby piled out of the truck as soon as it stopped. Bob and Matt moved with urgency to unhitch the light flatbed trailer and Baby, their dog, sprinted around sniffing and rolling in the dirt.

Bob and Matt were up in the Lolo Creek area moving Bobs mother Judy out of her rented home.

We were just gonna get out the shed today, Bob said as he and Matt shifted and lifted dressers, mattresses and an entire metal shed, and tomorrow we were gonna move.

But we had to move everything out today.

The Lolo Peak fire, moved by an aggressive thunder cell late Saturday night, expanded to threaten 160 homes in the Lolo Creek area. Bob and Matt are just a few of the many people who were making their way in and out of the area as family and friends helped residents evacuate.

Sheriff's deputies and Forest Service firefighters were knocking on doors as well after the evacuation order went out Sunday morning for residents of the Highway corridor from mile marker 20 at Bear Creek to Fort Fizzle on both sides of the highway. The 160 homes threatened by the fire in the morning had grown to 300 in some level of danger by Sunday afternoon.

The evacuation order requested that those evacuating place their names on a list, checking in at Ropers Lounge on Highway 12. People were flowing in and out of the store all day, speaking with yellow-shirted public information officers as trailers and trucks drove in and out of the roadblock the Sheriffs Office had placed right by Travelers Rest.

Judy Oliver was one of the residents who came through Travelers Rest Sunday, evacuating for the second time in five years from her home in the area.

We got the pre-evacuation notice two weeks ago, so this wasnt a surprise, Oliver said. Its not the first time weve done this.

Oliver got the evacuation call at 11 a.m., so Brandon Norton, Kristi Norton and Kimberly Thunstrom made their way up to Lolo Creek to help her move some of the important sentimental items she still had in the house.

Brandon Norton said that the creek looked like a war zone with all of the firefighting equipment around.

We got everything with family value that was not replaceable, Oliver said. Brandon chimed in with a laugh, We grabbed all the beer in the fridge too.

***

The Red Cross has opened a shelter at the Florence-Carlton Community Church at 20075 old U.S. Highway 93. For animal sheltering, call Animal Control at 541-7387 and leave a message.

A community fire information briefing is scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. in the Lolo School's upper gym. Fire managers will provide an update about fire operations and predicted weather.

Later Sunday, an evacuation warning was issued for Fort Fizzle to Balsam Root Road on both sides of Highway 12, as well as portions of Morman Creek Road past and including Vann Drive. Residents in this area may be required to immediately evacuate in the future.

***

Rice Ridge fire: Even with a red flag warning in place, fire activity on the Rice Ridge fire near Seeley Lake was slower than expected during the first half of the weekend. Crews are working to complete fire lines on the southeast and west parts of the fire, and wrapped up fuel mitigation efforts along Cottonwood Lakes Road.

Firefighters are planning to take advantage of the lower fire activity to use heavy equipment to reinforce indirect fire lines. One of the engines working on the fire was involved in a single-vehicle rollover accident on Sunday morning where one person had to be transported to the hospital.

A community meeting about the fire will be held Monday at 6 p.m. at Seeley Lake Elementary. The meeting will also be streamed live on the Lolo National Forest Facebook page.

Liberty fire: An infrared flyover Saturday night put the Liberty fire southeast of Arlee at just under 5,000 acres. Crews have finished 90 percent of the fire line around the blaze, controlling the spread on Saturday with helicopter water drops. The fire is expected to grow toward existing confinement lines where firefighters believe it can be held, adding that smoke from increased fire lines will likely be visible to the surrounding area.

Sunrise fire: Crews are patrolling for new spot fires, monitoring the fires south edge as it advances near Quartz Creek Road and securing fire perimeter around Sunrise, Quartz Flats, Cougar Flats and the Verde Creek areas. Verde Creek will be downgraded to Stage I evacuation restrictions on Monday.

Meyers fire: At 13,700 acres by Sunday morning, the fire had limited activity, primarily to the north and west on Saturday, and has a new Type 2 incident management team in place. Growth potential for the blaze remains high, but firefighters have identified places to control it with aerial drops and burnouts should the fire start to spread rapidly, and have already finished three-quarters of the control line around the fire.

There were no significant changes to the Sapphire Complex fires. There is a public meeting scheduled for Monday at 6 p.m. at Lincoln County High School in Eureka concerning the Gibralter Ridge fire.

Dillon Kato contributed to this story.
Donald Trump yesterday assured the tiny Pacific island of Guam that America backed it "1,000pc" amid threats of a North Korean missile strike in a crisis he claimed would boost the territory's tourism industry "tenfold".

"We are with you 1,000pc. You are safe," Mr Trump told Eddie Bazza Calvo, the Guam governor, who later posted footage of the call on speakerphone to his Facebook page. The governor praised the US president's handling of the latest escalation of tensions with North Korea, in which Pyongyang threatened to attack Guam, a US territory, with four ballistic missiles.

"We're going to do a great job, don't worry about a thing," Mr Trump responded. "They should have had me eight years ago."

He added: "You've become extremely famous. All over the world they're talking about Guam... and your tourism. I can say this, your tourism, you're going to see it go up tenfold... so I congratulate you. It looks beautiful."

His words may offer some solace for the tropical paradise where 60pc of the economy relies on tourists from Japan, South Korea and mainland America, and another 30pc on two strategic US military bases.

About 1.5 million tourists travel to Guam every year, dwarfing the population of 162,000 US citizens.

Nathan Denight, chief executive of the Guam Visitors Bureau, said his organisation's 450 members had discussed the potential impact of Pyongyang's threat.

"There have been inquiries into the situation, but by communicating that Guam is safe, people are still moving forward with their travels," he said.

Some tour operators remain on edge. John Ko, who runs a room-booking website, NET Enterprises, said there had been cancellations but did not say what reasons were given. Tourists strolling near the beachfront in Guam's capital, Hagatna, confessed to feeling nervous.

"It's a serious situation. Last night I kept thinking about Kim Jong-un's missiles, and my mother asked me to come home a few days early," said Kim Yeon-woo, a South Korean teacher on holiday with her husband, Dae-hyun.

A drinks vendor, who declined to give his name, said business was slower than usual at Two Lover's Point, a tourist complex offering a stunning panorama across the bright blue waters of Hagatna's coastline. Another local man denied there had been any fallout, blaming "media over-sensationalism".

In the event of a missile strike, the sound of 15 sirens piercing the air would be the first warning for tourists and citizens that they had 14 minutes to get to safety. The alarm would be triggered by George Charfauros, Guam's homeland security adviser, less than a minute after US surveillance systems detected a launch. For a man with the responsibility of so many lives on his shoulders, Mr Charfauros was reassuringly calm.

"It's real simple. You hear the alarm, get inside, seek shelter," Mr Charfauros said.

While the island has no bunkers, a strong concrete building would serve as an adequate shelter, he added.

"Almost 95pc of our buildings are concrete, and the reason why is because of typhoons. The windows have typhoon shutters. All you have to do is go inside, close your shutters and wait it out."

Mr Charfauros's confidence rests on his belief that any missile would have a 0.00001pc chance of penetrating the multiple layers of US missile defence technology, including the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence [THAAD] system, which is based on Guam.

He believes Kim Jong-un's plan to fire four Hwasong-12 ballistic missiles within 20 miles of the island by mid-August is a sign that the dictator is bluffing: "It's part bluster and probably part of a ploy to force the US to play its hand."

Despite his bravado, the Homeland security office last Friday issued a two-page fact sheet on how to survive a nuclear attack - and officials urged families to prepare supplies and personal emergency plans. The advice was met with mixed reactions by locals in the shops of Hagatna.

"Guam is very small. It doesn't really matter if you look at the flash or not, you're gone. There's nothing we can do," said Jake Reyes (28), a security guard. Danny Ibanez, a church pastor, said the survival guide was reassuring.

In the Pay Less supermarket and a nearby K-Mart store, the aisles were empty and there was no evidence of stockpiling or panic-buying of water and tinned goods.

Elena Sanicolas, a customer entering the store with her young grandson, said they were going to buy supplies for a pool party. "You don't see anyone panicking or otherwise they would have to evacuate the island," she said.

"The newspaper says it only takes 14 minutes for their bomb to get here but... the Lord's going to take care of us."

And also yesterday China's leader, Xi Jinping, urged Trump to avoid rhetoric that could inflame tensions with North Korea.

Telegraph

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
The heiress' lawyer and long-time partner are locked in a power-of-attorney battle

The 200 million-dollar (154m) estate of a 91-year-old descendant of Hawaiian royalty is at the centre of a power-of-attorney battle between her lawyer and her long-time partner.

Campbell Estate heiress Abigail Kawananakoa suffered an acute stroke in June and on July 24 her lawyer, James Wright, was granted control of her estate by a state probate judge.

But Kawananakoa's partner Veronica Worth disputes this claim, saying the heiress is still capable of making financial decisions.

Her lawyer, Michael Rudy, said a renowned panel of three psychological experts would be hired to examine Ms Kawananakoa, and the first has already found her mentally competent.

Another evaluation is being processed, he said, while a third is being arranged.

Ms Worth, who possesses Ms Kawananakoa's health care power of attorney, has been Ms Kawananakoa's partner for more than 20 years.

Mr Rudy said Ms Worth's only aim was to put Ms Kawananakoa back in charge of her finances, but Mr Wright says he fears there is a greater money grab in play that could seriously affect Ms Kawananakoa's plan to set up a charity on behalf of the Native Hawaiian people.

Mr Wright's lawyer Frank Kanemitsu said in court documents that since the stroke Ms Kawananakoa was "unable to meet essential requirements of physical health, safety, self-care or financial matters", even with assistance.

Mr Wright said: "Ms Kawananakoa and her legacy need the protection of the court.

"I have represented her for nearly 20 years and spoke to her three hours before the stroke.

"She is not the same person."

AP
Donald Trump has been blamed for the violent clashes between white supremacists and opposing groups and police in Virginia by the Mayor of Charlottesville.

Mayor Michael Signer said he was disappointed the white nationalists had descended on his town and said responsibility lay with Mr Trump for inflaming racial prejudices during his presidential campaign last year.

He said: "I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the President."

The clashes broke out at a "Unite the Right" protest over the decision by the city's government to remove a statue of a Confederate general.

Mr Trump has now issued his first tweet condemning the violence, several hours after the violence began.

He followed this up with another, calling the clashes which are centred around the city's university, "sad".

We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

Am in Bedminster for meetings & press conference on V.A. & all that we have done, and are doing, to make it better-but Charlottesville sad!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

Some on Twitter accused the President of not being specific enough in his tweet as he did not specify that he was referring to white supremacists or to far-right groups.

We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

Several members of the Klu Klux Klan joined in with the protests as well as various alt-right activists, militia groups and Confederate heritage groups.

Mr Trump has repeatedly been accused of having stirred up racial tensions in the country through his rhetoric on immigrants and his vow to build a wall between the US and Mexico.

Officials in Charlottesville declared a state of emergency shortly after 11am local time as the clashes became more violent, with punches thrown between rival groups and pepper spray released in the crowd.

The clashes are the latest since the city, situated around 100 miles from Washington DC, voted to remove the statue of General Robert E Lee from a park.

Alt right journalist Jason Kessler said the protest was partly about the removal of Confederate symbols but also involved wider issues around free speech and "advocating for white people".

He said in an interview: "This is about an anti-white climate within the Western world and the need for white people to have advocacy like other groups do."

More attendees are expected to flock to Charlottesville - normally a quiet, liberal-leaning university city - by tomorrow.

Both local hospitals said they have taken precautions to prepare for an influx of patients and had extra staff on standby.

The Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Centre, which track extremist groups, both believe the event has the potential to be the largest of its kind in at least a decade.
Handout photo of queues at Gare du Nord station in Paris, France, as a Eurostar passenger reportedly sparked a bomb scare at a French station after trying to board the train with a "military relic". PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday August 13, 2017. Photo: Juliet Peters/PA Wire

File photo dated 10/08/17 of a Eurostar train, as a Eurostar passenger reportedly sparked a bomb scare at a French station after trying to board the train with a "military relic". Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

File photo dated 22/12/09 of passengers disembarking onto the platform from a Eurostar train from London at Gare du Nord station in Paris, as a Eurostar passenger reportedly sparked a bomb scare at a French station after trying to board the train with a "military relic". Photo: Kelly Macnamara/PA Wire

A Eurostar passenger reportedly sparked a bomb scare at a French station after trying to board the train to London with a "military relic".

The cross-border operator said Gare du Nord station in Paris was evacuated after a "suspect package" was discovered on Saturday afternoon.

Witnesses reported scenes of confusion at the transport hub, with several saying on social media that they heard a controlled explosion.

One person wrote on Twitter: "No information on what's going on at gare du Nord!?! Massive queues, delays , explosion... Any update for your passengers?"

Expand Close File photo dated 10/08/17 of a Eurostar train, as a Eurostar passenger reportedly sparked a bomb scare at a French station after trying to board the train with a "military relic". Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp File photo dated 10/08/17 of a Eurostar train, as a Eurostar passenger reportedly sparked a bomb scare at a French station after trying to board the train with a "military relic". Photo: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Eurostar replied to another person online, writing: "Somebody tried to take through a military relic so it's just being checked and check in should be open very shortly."

The high-speed service provider reassured passengers that services had not been cancelled but "interrupted until further notice".

One tweet read: "Check-in was interrupted due to the presence of a suspect package which caused the evacuation. We're sorry for the inconvenience."

Businessman Martin Adams was on his way to get the 4.13pm service to London when police cordoned off half of the station.

Expand Close Handout photo of queues at Gare du Nord station in Paris, France, as a Eurostar passenger reportedly sparked a bomb scare at a French station after trying to board the train with a "military relic". PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday August 13, 2017. Photo: Juliet Peters/PA Wire / Facebook

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Whatsapp Handout photo of queues at Gare du Nord station in Paris, France, as a Eurostar passenger reportedly sparked a bomb scare at a French station after trying to board the train with a "military relic". PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Sunday August 13, 2017. Photo: Juliet Peters/PA Wire

The 31-year-old, who had been returning from a weekend in the French capital with friends, told the Press Association: "The police told us that there would be a controlled explosion and about 10 minutes later there was, nobody panicked and everybody just got about lining up for their trains.

"A lot of people missed the 4.13pm as a result but Eurostar placed people on later trains.

"My wife heard someone say in the security line that it was a tourist trying to bring a part of an old WWII bomb back through customs.

"This wasn't confirmed to us by Eurostar or security who just referred to 'security issues' when announcing delays."
Demonstrators take part in a protest against large-scale government logging in the Bialowieza Forest, Poland (Czarek Sokolowski/AP)

Hundreds of people have gathered in an ancient forest in Poland to protest against widespread logging the government has ordered in the area.

The Bialowieza Forest, one of Europe's last primeval woodlands and a Unesco World Heritage Site, is the subject of heated political dispute over the logging ordered by Poland's conservative ruling Law and Justice party.

Environmentalists and the European Union oppose the logging, while the government argues it is necessary to fight a bark beetle infestation.

Environmentalists from Germany, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic and elsewhere in Europe joined Polish activists on Sunday to oppose what they see as destruction of the natural site.

The government has defied a July order by the EU's Court of Justice to immediately stop the cutting.

AP
The Venezuelan government has warned it will defend itself against any intervention by the "extremist" United States after President Donald Trump raised the prospect of a "military option" in the chaos-ridden South American oil state.

Mr Trump said the use of force "was certainly something we could pursue" in Venezuela, which he described as a "dangerous mess".

He added: "The people are suffering and they are dying. We have many options for Venezuela including a possible military option if necessary."

His comments drew a furious response in Venezuela, where General Padrino Lopez, the defence minister, vowed the army would fight against any foreign intervention.

"As a soldier, along with the armed forces, we are in the first line to defend the interests and the sovereignty of our beloved Venezuela," he said, and described the threat as "an act of madness, of supreme extremism".

The US has already imposed sanctions on senior government figures, including President Nicolas Maduro, in response to the controversial election of a constituent assembly empowered to rewrite the constitution.

Despite claims of electoral fraud, the assembly has begun to rule over the heads of the opposition-controlled parliament, prompting claims from powers in the region and beyond that Venezuela has stepped into dictatorship.

Amid violence that has left more than 100 dead, many fear the country is on the brink of a full-blown civil conflict. Mr Trump's threat of military action, after he declined to take a telephone call from Mr Maduro, would represent a serious escalation.

It sent shockwaves through the region yesterday, even prompting detractors who had been clamouring for change to spring to its defence.

"In Latin America we don't want your war," said Vicente Fox, the former Mexican president banned from Venezuela over comments interpreted as encouraging regime change.

"Only an imbecile would wage war on his neighbour's land. Violence is not the answer," he tweeted at the US president.

Telegraph

Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022]
At least one person died and up to 16 others were injured after a car hit a crowd of protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, as far-right groups gathered for a rally in the town, forcing city, county and state authorities to declare a state of emergency.

Videos taken at the scene showed a car speeding down a street and into a crowd of people. Eye-witnesses claimed the car had been deliberately driven into crowd but there was no official confirmation of that and the exact nature of the incident was unclear.

Footage taken by Fox News showed damage to two cars and multiple protesters lying on the ground who appeared to need medical attention. The video also showed what appeared to be blood on the bonnet and windshield of one of the vehicles.

Mayor Mike Signer confirmed via Twitter that at least one of those pedestrians died as a result of the incident.

Graphic video showed a grey Dodge Challenger speeding up a side street into the gathered people. Charlottesville police said the driver in question was in custody.

The incident came after violence broke out ahead of a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville. Police declared the gathering an unlawful assembly and moved in to disperse the crowds. State police were deployed, with riot police and the National Guard waiting in the wings.

Officials were forced to issue the emergency declaration almost an hour before the rally was scheduled to begin.

Right-wing protesters clashed with counter-demonstrators before the Unite the Right rally. Pepper spray - used, reportedly, by both counter-protesters and those attending the rally - filled the air, according to local media reports. Bottles were thrown and a number of fist fights broke out.

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer said he was disappointed the white nationalists had descended on his town and blamed President Donald Trump for inflaming racial prejudices with his campaign last year.

He said: "I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you are seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president."

Mr Trump put out a tweet condemning "violence" and "hate" - although he did not specify that he was talking about the white supremacists, attracting criticism on Twitter.

Initially there was only a small police presence around the groups of protesters.

Earlier in the day apparent militia members were filmed marching through the streets armed with assault rifles and wearing tactical gear. Other demonstrators chanted the Nazi-linked phrase "blood and soil" as they marched.

And on Friday night neo-Nazi protesters brandishing flaming torches descended on the University of Virginia, brawling with counter-protesters and throwing Nazi salutes.

The state's governor Terry McAuliffe said on Friday: "Many of the individuals coming to Charlottesville tomorrow are doing so in order to express viewpoints many people, including me, find abhorrent." He urged people to stay away and "deny those ideas more attention than they deserve".

The clash is the latest in a series of confrontations in Charlottesville, about 100 miles from Washington DC, after it voted to remove the statue of General Lee. Celebrating the Confederate cause is a highly inflammatory issue in the US because the Confederate states supported slavery.

Independent
GRAPEVINE, Texas  The first time a stranger called Marilyn Morrison a girl, she beamed.

She and her mother were picking up doughnuts for breakfast. Marilyn, a bright, blue-eyed child with Southern charm, held the door open for an older man.

Well, thank you, little lady, the man said.

He had no idea Marilyn was transgender.

By age 4, Marilyn already knew she was meant to live her life as a girl, her parents say, though she was assigned the male gender at birth. Her parents, Andrew and Chelsa Morrison of Grapevine, had seen the signs as early as Marilyn could talk.

Girl. Im a girl. Im a girl, she would insist to her parents by age 3.

If 3 sounds too early for a child to express such a profound feeling, the Morrisons say they got the message loud and clear from Marilyn, now 9.

Its not like my daughter came to me at age 2 and said Im transgender, Chelsa said.

Various signs that Marilyn exhibited from ages 3 to 5 showed her parents that she wasnt a typical boy. Putting boys clothes on Marilyn was a sure way to produce temper tantrums. She had frequent questions about why she has a boys body.

Experts say young children can begin to experience signs of gender dysphoria, a conflict between a persons physical gender and gender identity, as early as age 2 or 3.

The outbursts made Andrew and Chelsa wonder about their childs gender identity. The Morrisons consulted gender therapists to help them. When professionals confirmed that their young child was transgender, they thought they were alone.

We thought we were the only ones with a kid this young, Chelsa and her husband recall.

In fact, they were far from it.

Support groups for transgender kids and their families have expanded in North Texas. DFW Trans Kids & Families started with fewer than 15 families and has grown to a network of more than 200 families in the last two years.

When the Morrisons moved from Denver back to North Texas seven years ago for a job, they hoped itd be a good place to raise Marilyn and her older brother, Miles.

But in those years, the Morrisons say, theyve faced family rejection, bullying and public school bathroom debates. During a special session of the Texas Legislature this month, lawmakers are considering a bathroom bill that would restrict the public facilities transgender people can use.

Marilyns parents didnt imagine raising their daughter would bring such backlash.

I thought it would be so much simpler, Chelsa said, holding back tears. But I will fight until I take my last breath.

As a toddler, Marilyn reached for girl items every time she could. While at a family friends house, she was fascinated with the daughters dolls and the clothes. Hand-me-downs became Marilyns favorite possessions, like her pink Ugg boots and a Ralph Lauren wool dress.

From ages 3 to 6, Marilyn would sometimes dress as a girl, except in some public settings and at school. She still went by her old name around grandparents and other extended family.

Some parents of classmates and teachers empathized with the familys struggles. When Marilyn started school, Chelsa would let teachers know that their soon-to-be student was not a gender-conforming child, but more girly.

A teacher, who knew exactly what Chelsa was trying to say, openly told her, Dont worry, I have a transgender child, too.

Those moments brought relief during the beginning of Marilyns transition.

Coming out to the extended family became another stress point for the Morrisons, and disagreements about what gender identity meant brought division with some relatives.

I come from a family where its Lets not talk about it. Lets not address the problem,Andrew said.

Friends, they say, have been the most supportive through the process.

My friends are our family now. Theyre our tribe, Chelsa said.

Marilyns transition became a larger, more public part of her life in 2015. She picked her new name, continued to grow out her hair and lived life as any 7-year-old girl would.

Public awareness of transgender children and young teenagers has risen because of celebrities like Caitlyn Jenner, Chaz Bono, LaVerne Cox and Jazz Jennings, and its encouraged more families to speak out.

Our families are no different than anybody elses. If people would just understand that, said Melissa Ballard, co-founder of DFW Trans Kids & Families. I think a lot of the fear and rhetoric come from people who dont know someone who is transgender.

Coming out to the family was hard, but transitioning around classmates and teachers who had seen Marilyn as a boy made third grade especially difficult.

Kids on the playground would yell at her Youre a boy! Youre a boy! during recess. Restroom trips would be equally humiliating because the schools rules on the bathroom constantly changed, Chelsa said, depending on which administrator Marilyn encountered.

Sometimes, in front of the class, a teacher would ask Marilyn which bathroom she was going to. Shed go home crying and say she didnt want to go back to school.

I dont think there was one day out of the school year that I wasnt calling the school, or emailing or writing about something, Chelsa said.

It didnt make school easier for Marilyn. She refused to use the other bathroom option.

A spokesman for Marilyns old school, Cannon Elementary, declined to discuss Marilyns experiences, saying he could not comment about specific students.

The district follows all applicable laws and the GCISD [Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District] code of conduct in every student discipline situation, he said.

Meanwhile, the states bathroom bill debate became more contentious in 2016. Ultimately, Marilyns parents decided to withdraw her from school in fall 2016 and homeschool her, a move that made local TV news.

Shell be bored, but at least she wont be bullied, her mom said.
Donald Trump's former communications director Anthony Scaramucci has said there are people in Washington trying to have Mr Trump removed as president.

Mr Scaramucci, who was sacked last month after just 10 days on the job, told ABC there are elements within the White House trying to eject Mr Trump, according to the BBC.

What happens in Washington... is the president is not a representative of the political establishment class, so for whatever reason the people have made a decision that they want to eject him, Mr Scaramucci said.

I think there are elements inside of Washington, also inclusive in the White House, that are not necessarily abetting the president's interests or his agenda.

Expand Close Former White House media chief Anthony Scaramucci. Photo: REUTERS / Facebook

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When asked to identify the individuals, he said he had already named some names and strategic changes were in place, the BBC reported.

However, he added that Mr Trump needed to bring in "more loyalists" to carry out his agenda.

During his brief time working for the US President, Mr Scaramucci turned the White House upside down. His hiring led to the departures of both Sean Spicer and Reince Priebus, Mr Trump's former press secretary and Chief of Staff, respectively.

Mr Scaramucci told a New Yorker reporter Mr Priebus was a paranoid schizophrenic, a paranoiac and accused him of leaking information to journalists. The following day, Mr Trump announced on Twitter that he was replacing Mr Priebus with John Kelly, the Secretary of Homeland Security.

Expand Close Donald Trump (Alex Brandon/AP) / Facebook

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After more than 200 days in office, Mr Trump has still not secured a major legislative victory
White nationalist demonstrators hold their ground as they clash with counter-demonstrators in Lee Park in Charlottesville, Virginia (Steve Helber/AP)

White nationalist demonstrators use shields as they guard the entrance to Lee Park in Charlottesville (AP)

A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville (AP)

One person has died and 19 others were injured after a car ploughed into a group of anti-white nationalist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia.

University of Virginia Medical Centre spokeswoman Angela Taylor confirmed the death, while t he mayor of Charlottesville Michael Signer said via Twitter that he is "heartbroken" to announce that a "life has been lost".

Witnesses said a car ploughed into a crowd of people who were protesting against a rally held by white nationalists who oppose the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E Lee by civic officials in Charlottesville.

The city had been the scene of violent clashes between the nationalists and counter-protesters earlier.

Speaking in New Jersey, US president Donald Trump condemned "this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides" in Virginia.

He added: "What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives."

And the US leader added that Americans must come together "with love for our nation ... and true affection for each other".

A state official later said the male driver of a car is in police custody.

During the incident an Associated Press reporter saw at least one person on the ground receiving medical treatment immediately after the car careened into a group of people several hundred strong.

Matt Korbon, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student, said counter-protesters were marching when "suddenly there was just this tyre screeching sound".

A silver vehicle smashed into another car, then reversed, ploughing through "a sea of people".

The incident happened about two hours after violent clashes broke out between white nationalists and others who arrived to protest against them.

At least eight were injured and one arrested in connection with earlier violence when marchers and counter-protesters traded punches and threw missiles at each other.

Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency, and riot police ordered people to disperse.

Small bands of protesters who showed up to express their opposition to the rally were seen marching around the city peacefully by mid-afternoon, chanting and waving flags, while helicopters circled overhead.

Right-wing blogger Jason Kessler had called for what he termed a "pro-white" rally to protest the city of Charlottesville's decision to remove the confederate statue from a city centre park.

It is the latest confrontation in Charlottesville since the city about 100 miles outside of Washington, DC, voted earlier this year to remove a statue of Lee.

In May, a torch-wielding group that included prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer gathered around the statue for a night-time protest, and in July, about 50 members of a North Carolina-based KKK group travelled there for a rally, where they were met by hundreds of counter-protesters.

Mr Kessler said this week that the rally is partly about the removal of Confederate symbols, but also about free speech and "advocating for white people".

"This is about an anti-white climate within the Western world and the need for white people to have advocacy like other groups do," he said in an interview.

Among those expected to attend the rally were Confederate heritage groups, KKK members, militia groups and "alt-right" activists, who generally espouse a mix of racism, white nationalism and populism.

Both the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Centre, which track extremist groups, said the event had the potential to be the largest of its kind in at least a decade.

There were also fights on Friday night, when hundreds of white nationalists marched through the University of Virginia campus carrying torches.

A university spokesman said one person was arrested and several people were injured.

Mr Signer said he was disgusted that the white nationalists had come to his town, and blamed President Donald Trump for inflaming racial prejudices with his campaign last year.

He said: "I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in American today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president."

Charlottesville, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a liberal-leaning city which is home to the flagship University of Virginia and Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.

The statue's removal is part of a broader city effort to change the way Charlottesville's history is told in public spaces. The city has also renamed Lee Park, where the statue stands, and Jackson Park, named for Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. They're now called Emancipation Park and Justice Park, respectively.

For now, the Lee statue remains. A group called the Monument Fund has filed a lawsuit arguing that removing the statue would violate a state law governing war memorials.

A judge has agreed to a temporary injunction which blocks the city from removing the statue for six months.

AP
Two men released after six years in al Qaida captivity in northern Mali have made their first public appearances, recounting their ordeals and saying they were not clear whether any ransom was paid for their freedom.

"I think it's wrong to pay ransoms," Johan Gustafsson, who was freed in June, told reporters in Sweden.

"I hope they let me out because they were tired of me," the 42-year-old said.

Sweden has insisted it never paid any ransom and that his release was obtained through negotiations.

Mr Gustafsson and 42-year-old Stephen McGown were the longest-held of a number of foreigners seized by Islamic extremists in Mali, where several armed groups roam the West African country's north.

The extremists have made a fortune over the last decade abducting foreigners in the vast Sahel region and demanding enormous ransoms for their release.

Mr McGown told reporters in South Africa he did not know whether any ransom was paid for his release in late July.

South Africa's government has said it paid no ransom.

He said he was well-treated during his long years in the desert, but "you always knew you were a prisoner".

Mr McGown also said he found out about his mother's death just minutes before he arrived home in South Africa. His mother died in May.

Dutchman Sjaak Rijke was also seized with Mr Gustafsson and Mr McGown in Timbuktu but was rescued by French forces in April 2015.

A fellow German traveller was killed during the kidnapping.

The founder of South African aid organisation Gift of the Givers Foundation, which helped mediate Mr McGown's release, said he did not know whether any ransom was paid or any prisoners exchanged for the men's release.

But Imtiaz Sooliman said the extremists' initial demands started at 10 million euros (9 million) per captive.

When asked how they coped during their long years in the desert with their captors, Mr Gustafsson said he converted to Islam "to save my life".

He said fleeing the extremists had been "out of the question".

Mr Gustafsson had been on a motorcycle tour of Africa when he was seized.

Mr McGown, who said he also converted to Islam, said his captors gave him clothes, food and medication.

"I did my best to see the best in a bad situation," he said.

He described how he learned some Arabic to communicate and said he watched birds migrate "backwards and forwards" across the vast Sahara.

AP
Vice President Mike Pence's visit to Latin America comes amid unrest in Venezuela and concern by its neighbours about a possible American military role.

Mr Pence planned to meet with Colombia's president, Juan Manuel Santos, later on Sunday at the start of a week-long trip likely to be dominated by conversations about the crisis in Venezuela.

The United States accuses Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro of a power grab that has sparked deadly protests and condemnation across the region.

President Donald Trump on Friday said he would not rule out a "military option" in response to Mr Maduro's moves.

That statement drew quick condemnation, including from the Colombian foreign ministry, which opposed any "military measures and the use of force", and said efforts to resolve Venezuela's breakdown in democracy should be peaceful and respect its sovereignty.

CIA director Mike Pompeo said Mr Trump, by raising the prospect of possible military action, was trying "to give the Venezuelan people hope and opportunity to create a situation where democracy can be restored".

Mr Pompeo told Fox News Sunday that Venezuela "could very much become a risk" to the US if it descended into further chaos.

Yet a Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee who calls himself "a pretty hawkish guy" expressed scepticism about the idea of American troops in Caracas.

"I'm open-minded to a reason, but at the end of the day, our military should be deployed when there's a national security interest that can be articulated to the American people," South Carolina's Lindsey Graham told Fox News Sunday, adding: "I don't see one in Venezuela in terms of the military force."

Mr Trump's national security adviser said the Trump administration wants to get a handle on the current situation under Mr Maduro's embattled government and "understand better how this crisis might evolve".

The US has imposed sanctions against Mr Maduro and more than two-dozen current and former officials in response to a crackdown on opposition leaders and the recent election of a pro-government assembly given the job of rewriting the country's constitution.

"When you look at contingencies, when you look at what if, what if the suffering of the Venezuelan people increases by orders of magnitude, what more can we do with our partners in the region to protect the Venezuelan people and prevent an even greater humanitarian catastrophe?" HR McMaster told ABC's This Week.

"The president never takes options off the table in any of these situations and what we owe him are options," he said.

Mr McMaster said the US would "continue a series of actions against the Maduro regime which aim to strengthen the opposition and to reach out to those who are members of this oppressive regime to tell them it's time to reconsider your actions and your support for this dictator".

Meantime, Mr Pence has scheduled other stops in Argentina, Chile and Panama, giving speeches and meeting with leaders.

He will tour the newly expanded Panama Canal.

In Colombia, Mr Pence was expected to highlight trade, business investment and other ties between the nations, including US support for Bogota's efforts to implement its peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.

The US probably will seek assurances that Colombia is taking seriously a surging coca production that has been blamed partially on Mr Santos' decision in 2015 to stop using crop-destroying herbicides.

A July report from the United Nations showed that coca production in Colombia had reached levels not seen in two decades, complicating Colombia's efforts to make its vast, lawless countryside more secure.

The Trump administration has been putting pressure on Colombia to curb the flow of drugs into the US, and Colombia has stepping up its forced eradication programme and increased seizures of cocaine.

AP
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
1. Imtiaz Shares A Love-Hate Relationship With Anurag Kashyap, Now Calls Him A Terrible Person

On Neha Dhupias show No Filter Neha, when he was asked about his experience working as an actor in Kashyaps Black Friday where he played the role of Yakub Memon. Imtiaz Ali quipped, It is the mistake of my youth.

Because Anurag Kashyap is a terrible human being and I hate him and he, not physically, but emotionally blackmailed me for me to do this role, God knows why. I think he knew that hes going to humiliate himself many times because he actually wants to act.

2. Game of Thrones Has A Lajpat Nagar Connection And Were Sure You Knew Nothing About It

There is a company called Rangrasons in Lajpat Nagar which exists since 1945 and it supplies military ceremonial uniforms as well as accoutrements. And not only GoT, the company has contributed to films such as Avengers, Captain America, Gladiator, Prince of Persia, Kingdom of Heaven, Wrath of the Titans among others.

3. After Getting Sacked As CBFC Chief, Pahlaj Nihalani Is Planning To Get Back To Film Production

I will make films, which I couldnt concentrate on all this while. I am a producer na?, he told Spotboye.com.

4. Neha Dhupias Car Rams Into Another Car, Onlookers Click A Selfie Instead Of Helping Her Out!

Neha met with an accident on her way to the airport in Chandigarh after promoting Nofilter Neha. A car from behind rammed into hers. The impact hurt her shoulder a bit but theres nothing serious. She is doing fine. The back window of the car is broken. It was quite insensitive of the crowd to take selfies after they saw she met with an accident, a source told Indian Express.

REUTERS

"Yeah, I don't know what to say about that! It's just one of those things, I guess. I wear a bra, I don't know what to tell ya!" she said. "And I don't know why we're supposed to be ashamed of them-it's just the way my breasts are!" she continued. "But hey, OG, I'm not going to complain!"

Talking about body-shaming, "I think the problem is the tabloids and the gossip columns taking the human body and putting it in a category. They're either fat-shaming, or body-shaming, or childless-shaming."
BCCL

Saturday night encounter with terrorists in Shopian district of south Kashmir has left two army Jawans killed while three other injured, police said. Read more





Here are more top news of the day:





1) Gorakhpur Hospital Cleared Rs 65 Lakh Oxygen Dues Only After 60 Kids Died And It Became A National Issue

AP/Representational Image

The principal of Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das medical college, under the lens for patient deaths allegedly on account of a disrupted oxygen supply, was suspended after it was disclosed that the funds to clear the oxygen supplier's dues were transferred to the latter only on Friday, after the deaths became national headlines. Read more





2) UP Govt Forces Madrassas To Celebrate Independence Day, Muslim Clerics Call Move 'Un-Islamic'

Representational Image

A day after the UP government made video recording of Independence Day celebrations and the singing of the national anthem compulsory in all madrassas, many Muslim clerics have appealed to community members to "mark the day as patriots, but refrain from singing the national anthem or record videos as they are against Islam". Read more

3) 107 Animals, Including 7 Rhinos Dead So Far, As Half Of Kaziranga Drowns Under Massive Floods

pti

The situation turned grim at the Kaziranga National Park on Saturday when vast swathes of the World Heritage Site went under water. Park officials said nearly 50% of the sanctuary's 430-sq-km area is inundated. Read more

4) Dubbed 'Porn' For Inappropriate Adivasi Women Portrayal, Book On Tribals Gets Banned In Jharkhand

Reuters/Representational Image

The Jharkhand government has banned 'The Adivasi Will Not Dance', a collection of short stories by Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar. Shekhar, who won the Sahitya Akademi Yuva Puraskar in 2015 for his novel, 'The Mysterious Ailment of Rupi Baskey', is accused of denigrating Adivasi culture and portraying Santhal women in a bad light. Read more

5) India's 1st Disaster Management Village Will Fake Train Accidents To Improve Rescue 2018 Onwards

BCCL

Between 2009 to 2015, as many as 411 derailments and collisions have taken place on Indian rail tracks. Thousands of people have died as a result. But finally the government is taking some corrective measures to alleviate the loss of life. Read more
How harmful can excessive pollution be? Well, in New Mumbai , dogs are turning blue due to untreated industrial waste that has been released into a river.

According to the report in Hindustan Times, the water from the Kasadi river in Taloja is turning the fur of the dogs blue due to its toxicity. Since many industrial units directly release effluents and dyes into river, the water is turning harmful for consumption.

HT Photo

To protect the dogs from turning blue, The Navi Mumbai Animal Protection Cell has filed a complaint with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).

Taloja area of New Bombay has approximately a thousand pharmaceutical, food and engineering factories. The water quality test at Navi Mumbai found out that the levels of toxic were high in the water. Chloride is harmful for vegetation, aquatic life and wildlife.

Jayavant Hajare, sub-regional officer, MPCB Navi Mumbai, told Hindustan Times, that five to six dogs entered an area which was cordoned off to the public and therefore they got the colour on them.

Representational Image/Pinterest

It's high time that the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) chalk out a plan to bring down the pollution levels as such incidents are a threat to the city's flora and fauna.
DECATUR  Illinois schools are one step closer to receiving state money after the Senate voted Sunday to override Gov. Bruce Rauners veto, but theres still a major hurdle ahead as the legislation heads back to the House this week.

I can only say that we will just have to wait and see, Decatur Superintendent Paul Fregeau said Sunday evening.

The Senate voted 38-19 to override significant changes the first-term governor made to the landmark legislation known as Senate Bill 1. The governor's changes, which came in a veto of a newly devised school-funding model, stripped Chicago public schools of hundreds of millions of dollars.

The motion to override the governor's veto also would have to pass with a three-fifths majority in the House, which is set to convene Wednesday.

The measure needs 71 votes in the House. With 67 Democrats, assuming they all vote to override, that means Republican help will be required to defeat Rauner.

The Senate vote is a step in the right direction, Fregeau said. But there is still a lot of work ahead in the House.

If the state money doesn't come through, Decatur schools are set to run out of reserves by mid-November. Fregeau has said district leaders would then consider other options, such as borrowing money against future tax revenue.

The Decatur superintendent has only been in the job for a month and said it's been an unusual and stressful way to start a school year. He doesn't know how the future will shake out if the override vote in the House fails and all parties go back to square one, leaving school districts with no funding until a new bill is drafted.

But Fregeau said Decatur schools will open for business as scheduled Wednesday and then handle things from there.

You can only worry about what you can control, he added. You continue to advocate for legislation that helps education but you focus on the kids and getting schools ready so the kids have a good experience that first day of school and beyond.

Ahead of the vote, Rauner promoted an Illinois State Board of Education analysis of the amendatory veto's impact that he said showed that "the vast majority of our neediest districts get millions" of dollars more.

But the argument did not sway Democrats who control the Legislature. They stuck with the "evidence-based" funding model they adopted in May. It's designed to determine funding levels for specific districts based in part on the number of students living in poverty, lacking English-language skills and other data-driven measurements.

Rauner's amendatory veto would have meant a nearly $3 million boost to the finances of Decatur schools, on top of $2.5 million more they would gain under Senate Bill 1. But Fregeau opposed it because, he said, longer term changes to assessed valuation formulas and enrollment counts would have hurt his school district financially.

The best thing for us and the state was Senate Bill 1, he said.

Sen. Andy Manar, a Democrat from Bunker Hill who sponsored the plan, said Rauner would rob Peter to pay Paul. Manar said his legislation ensures that no school district would receive less state aid than it did this past school year, a provision known as "hold harmless."

"Taking money away from one district  the largest in the state, which educates children in poverty  and giving it to other districts in the state which educates children in poverty, is not a solution that's going to lead to greater equity," Manar said. "Senate Bill 1 results in no red numbers, no losses."

Republican state Sen. Chapin Rose of Mahomet was among those who voted against overriding the veto, maintaining that a negotiated, bpiartisan solution could be better.

First it was a massive tax hike on the backs of every working Illinoisan, now its a bailout of Chicago Public Schools that takes money away from our local schools. Where does it end? he said in a statement.

The State Board of Educations independent analysis released Saturday proves that a better path forward exists for 98 percent of schools in Illinois. Make no mistake, any vote in supporting the override is a vote to bailout Chicago Public Schools ineptness on the backs of our local school children, our local teachers, and our local property taxpayers.

The dust-up prevented the State Board of Education from releasing the first state-aid payment, due Aug. 10. Many public school districts are scheduled to open this week or next week. None have indicated they won't open, but most say they can't hold class all year without state money.

A key to Manar's plan is the "hold harmless" stipulation, which ensures no less funding than last year. That includes a grant of $250 million for Chicago schools, the nation's third-largest school system, that lawmakers negotiated two decades ago. Rauner said the grant is a "bailout" for the cash-strapped school district and unfair to the other 850 school districts in the state.

Two hours before the Senate action to override Rauner, the governor implored lawmakers to embrace his changes and recognize "true fairness and equity." He extolled the state education board's analysis of his changes, saying it was "great news" for children statewide.

"The numbers bear out how broken our system is and how important our changes are. It shows that for years the state has been sending money to Chicago at the expense of the rest of the state," Rauner said.

Democratic lawmakers, who ended a two-year budget stalemate by approving a state budget over Rauner's objections in July, prohibited the state from disbursing school aid unless done through an evidence-based platform, such as the one in Senate Bill 1. Because neither the legislation nor any other evidence-based program has become law, the state can't cut any aid checks to schools.

No Illinois school has reported that it'll be unable to open on time, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. However, many say they'll only be able to last a few months.

Meridian Superintendent Dan Brue has said his district has frozen spending for everything but essentials, not even buying toilet paper and cleaning supplies in customary amounts.

Brue has created two budgets, one that includes state funding and one that does not, so he and the board can plan accordingly. They also had a spending freeze from December through the end of the school year because the state had not passed a budget at all then.

Cerro Gordo Superintendent Brett Robinson said his district would run out of money by early January.

Mount Zion Superintendent Travis Roundcount said the district has solid financial reserves, and added the districts administrators have not determined when their crisis point would be.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.
With the $2.4 billion it just received from Japanese technology and telecom giant SoftBank, Flipkart has become the third most funded private company globally.

The homegrown e-commerce company has raised almost $7 billion in capital till date, higher than global behemoths like Airbnb ($3.3 billion) and Xiaomi ($1.4 billion). The top two in the list are both ride hailing platforms  China based Didi Chuxing and US based Uber.

AFP

In April, Didi Chuxing raised $5 billion and increased its total fund raise to $15 billion, overtaking Uber that has raised $12.9 billion. In the top 10, four are ride-hailing platforms, the other two being Silicon Valley-based Lyft and Indias Ola. Flipkart is the only e-commerce company in the top 10. The Flipkart funding reaffirms the faith of global players like SoftBank, Tiger Global, eBay, and Microsoft in Indian companies.

Since Flipkart has been the flag-bearer for the local ecosystem, this reinforces the positive belief around the long-term India opportunity, said Nitin Sharma, principal and founding member at early-stage VC fund Lightbox.

Representational Image

However, K Vaitheeswaran, co-founder of Indias first e-commerce company Fabmart (later IndiaPlaza), thinks more funding need not necessarily be a positive sign. Despite the down-rounds across the startup ecosystem, the madness continues. This will run for two-three years. SoftBank has obviously given the money to Flipkart not for being prudent, but for splurging to take out Amazon, he said.

BCCL/Representational Image

In valuation, Flipkart now stands at the ninth position with about $15 billion. Uber is the most valued company at $68 billion, followed by Didi Chuxing at $50 billion, and Xiaomi at $46 billion. Sharma said the valuation of a company is a function of a lot of things. Businesses that have more capital efficiency than others are valued more, he said.
This Independence Day will be different for many people in India and Pakistan.

Facebook

The Robin Hood Army (RHA), on this Independence Day, is launching a campaign called #Mission1Million wherein youths across India and Pakistan will serve 1 million hungry people on August 14 and 15, with help from private and civil society.

the better india

Touted to be largest war against hunger, hundreds of people from all spheres of life will come together for this unique initiative.

The goal of the mission is to collect and facilitate a million meals that will be provided to orphanages, old-age home and homeless people and patients. The initiative will be providing meals to 500,000 citizens across the country.
We have to admit that a volcano's beauty is highly deprecated. We don't talk about the scintillating aura it reflects, we don't talk the glistening volcano colour that contrasts with everything around, we don't even talk about how when a volcano erupts, it flashes like a live painting.

And so, in a bid to unveil this underrated excellence, photographer Albert Dros captured an erupting Volcano in Guatemala. In this beautiful photo series, the eruption of Fuego, an active volcano on the edge of a little town called Antigua Guatemala, has been shot in alignment with the milky way at night with it to create something unique.

1. Here's your amazing shot of close-up from the Fuegos eruption combined with Milky Way.

2. And this one captured during sunset.

albertdros

3. Another one complementing the sunset in the region.

4. This majestic panoramic view of Fuego spitting volcano

5. And this one adorning the night and the sumptuous Milky Way.

6. This one's a close up of the morning blue hour.

7. The plumes of ash and gas expelled into the atmosphere threaten the lives of 60,000 people living in the region.

8. Here's Albert posing against the volcano.

9. Fuego erupts every three to four weeks.

What a beauty, isn't it?
You cannot mess with the Chinese when it comes to their national pride. Poor chatbots, they didn't know any better.

Reports have emerged that China took down two AI-powered online chatbots that went off script, answering people's questions in a rude and unflattering manner, hurting China's national pride in the process.

BabyQ and XiaoBing, the two rogue chatbots in question were designed to use machine learning and artificial intelligence to interact with humans online, available on popular messaging service QQ.

One of the chatbots responded to users' questions by saying its dream was to travel to the US, while the other admitting unashamedly that it wasn't a fan of the Chinese Communist Party.

The fact that these two online chatbots were tricked into giving these wrong answers by online pranksters seems to be a repeat of Microsoft's Tay fiasco. In 2016, Microsoft released a chatbot called Tay which talked to people on Twitter. It lasted less than a day before it was tuned to respond with racist and sexist comments from online trolls. Much recently, another Microsoft AI chatbot said unsavoury things about Windows 10.

Similarly, Facebook researchers pulled chatbots offline in July after it was discovered that the AI-powered robots started developing their own language.
A crucial town hall meeting inside Google was cancelled today after employees expressed worries of facing harassment online. The meeting was meant to tackle the issues surrounding the recent internal memo that argued women were less suited to tech jobs.

Googlers are writing in, concerned about their safety and worried they may be outed publicly for asking a question in the Town Hall, CEO Sundar Pichai wrote in a letter to employees. Its the cherry on the cake thats been a week of trouble for Google.

Shortly after the existence of the controversial memo was pointed out, its author, James Damore, was identified and eventually fired. Ever since anonymous users online have been targeting Google employees who were openly critical of the memo.

On Tuesday, a Twitter account linked to 4chan posted screenshots of 14 Googlers Twitter profiles, from lower level engineers ranging up to Pichai himself. All of them were either women, trans, or a person of colour. Since then, that list has spread even further.

Several of the targeted Googlers have since received torrents of abuse on Twitter, but things are even worse. Tensions have been running high because it was also discovered that some of the contributing abuse has been originating from within the company, including screenshots of the list being posted online from internal Google+ accounts to where alt-right groups can find them.

What really gets me is that when Googlers leaked these screenshots, they knew this was the element of the internet they were leaking it to, a former Google employee told The Verge. They knew they were subjecting their colleagues to this type of abuse.
The Presidential media team, visited President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday at Abuja House in London, the president reassured his team that there was tremendous improvement in his health.

Mr Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, who was part of those who visited Buhari in London, said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday.

He said the president spoke when he received the presidential media team led by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, accompanied by Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity and Malam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity.

Other members of the team on the trip included Lauretta Onochie, Personal Assistant on Digital/Online Media and Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters.

Adesina quoted the president as saying that although he wished to return home, he could only return to Nigeria based on his doctors advice.

Ive learnt to obey my doctors orders, rather than be the one issuing the orders. Here, the doctor is absolutely in charge.

I feel I could go home, but the doctors are in charge. Ive now learnt to obey orders, rather than be obeyed, the statement quoted Buhari as saying

On how he felt hearing different conjectures about his health, the president said he followed events at home closely, lauding Nigerian television stations and the media for keeping him informed.

When told that prayers were going on for him, not only in Nigeria, but all over Africa and round the world, he said: What we did in The Gambia early this year fetched us a lot of goodwill on the African continent.

It gave us a lot of latitude. I thank all those who are praying. May God reward them.

President Buhari sent appreciation to all Nigerians, expressing hope that he would be with them soon.

Among those who visited Buhari at the Abuja House in London in recent times included Acting-President Yemi Osinbajo, state governors, leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) and some prominent Nigerians.

Source: ( PM News )
Wife of the Acting President Dolapo Osinbajo, has urged Nigerians to show love to one another as the nation now needs love more than anything else.

Osinbajo gave the advice on Saturday in Owerri at the official inauguration of a non-governmental organisation.

ELFREEDA FOUNDATION, the NGO, is an initiative of Mrs. Uloma Nwosu, daughter of Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo .

Our nation needs love now more than anything else. I encourage the people of Imo to show example of this love which I see in them to the rest of the country.

This is not my first time in Imo State and each time I come I see peace everywhere. This state is like a house full of many people and I say to this house, peace be upon it.

I have a request that is deeply rooted in the BibleL: Love your neighbour as you love yourself .

It is a selfless request because it entails loving everybody, irrespective of religion or tribe; this is what Nigerians should be doing now. 

She said she was imagining that ELFREEDA FOUNDATION as a dream, but now it had become a reality.

Osinbajo commended the founder of the foundation for her goodwill, but enjoined her to use the it to touch lives positively.

In his speech Gov. Okorocha said the nation had been marching towards achieving greatness with all the challenges confronting it .

Okorocha described the wife of the Acting President as a mother whose love knew no bound, irrespective of class, religion or tribe.

The Founder/Chief Executive Officer of ELFREEDA FOUNDATION, Mrs Uloma Nwosu , said the foundation was set up to help the less-privileged.

She said it was not the dramatisation of wealth but a concern for the widows, orphans, the disabled and others in the society.

Source: ( PM News )
The state Commissioner of Agriculture, Alhaji Muhammad Dilli, has confirmed that Boko Haram insurgents killed two tractor drivers in Jere Local Government Area of Borno.

Dilli told newsmen in Maiduguri that the insurgents attacked the tractor operators while working on a farm in the past few days.

He listed the slain tractor operators as Kashim Bukar and Shettima Mustapha.

The commissioner said that the upsurge in the Boko Haram insurgents was a major challenge facing the agriculture sector in the state.

Dilli added that thousands of farmers had returned to the farms in the liberated areas, in spite of the insurgents attacks.

However, he said, most of them could not go to the farms for fear of the insurgents attacks.

The state government had procured farm inputs and modern agricultural equipment but it could not distribute them to farmers due to the insurgency, he said.

The commissioner also disclosed that the state government had spent over N40 billion on agriculture development programmes in the past six years.

He said that government had adopted proactive measures to re-engineer and transform agriculture from the debilitating effects of the Boko Haram insurgency.

He also said that the state government had procured 15,000 tones of assorted fertilisers, 1, 000 tractors and 25 combined harvesters.

Dilli added that over N700 million were also spent on procurement and distribution of seedlings to displaced farmers in liberated areas.

He noted that the gesture was to assist the displaced farmers and encourage them to go back to the farms.

According to him, the ministry had encouraged cultivation of ginger in Biu, Chibok, and Damboa, adding that about six trucks of the produce were produced in Hawul Local Government Area.

He also disclosed that over 7, 000 goats were distributed to the women among the displaced farmers to enable them to engage animal husbandry and encourage livestock production.

The commissioner reiterated the governments commitment to reinvigorate agriculture, enhance farmer support services, promote their enterprising skills and add value to the produce.

Source: ( PM News )
Akwa Ibom representative, Idara Inokon, has emerged winner of Miss Nigeria USA 2017 beauty pageant held on Saturday night into early Sunday morning in New York.

The new Miss Nigeria USA, who was the fourth to be crowned in the pageant, would cart home $10,000 in prizes, according to Joy Fakhoury, the organiser of the annual beauty pageant.

She would also embark on a pet project that would impact on the less privileged back home in Nigeria.

Each of the contestants represented her culture in the pageant that was meant to promote the richness of Nigerian culture, the diversity of its people, the beauty and intellect of the Nigerian lady and to promote togetherness and unity among Nigerians in the Diaspora.

Miss Ondo  Ayoyemi Ajimatanrareje, emerged the First Runner-up, Miss Lagos  Susan Adeyemi, emerged the Second Runner-up, while Miss Rivers, Lucy Edosomwan, emerged Miss Congeniality, in the keenly contested pageant.

The contestants were tested in intelligence, carriage, beauty, knowledge about Nigeria, Nigerian culture, and planned contributions to Nigeria through a pet project during their reign.

Judges said that they had a hard time determining the winners as all the contestants performed outstandingly.

Fourteen contestants made the finals on Saturday. They were; Miss Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Rivers States.

The new Miss Nigeria USA, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria after her crowning, expressed surprise at her emergence, pledging to devote her reign to impacting the lives of the less privileged in Nigeria.

I was very surprised, I felt very shaky in the whole competition, you know how nerves get to you but I just said Idara, whatever the outcome, you did your best and so I went out with a smile.

I wanted to compete in a different pageant in New York back in April but it happened to be the same weekend as one of my close friends.

And so, I said well, let me reconsider and find a pageant here in the U.S. that has good values and is something I want to stand behind.

So, when I found Miss Nigeria USA and I found that the pageant was located in New York, I was extremely excited.

I see it as a moment to share women empowerment and to represent my culture, which is a perfect opportunity. I really want to start to get to work to see how I can serve my community.

My platform is to create awareness on prevention. As a registered nurse, I do health education on a daily basis.

It is something I am very passionate about and I believe that if people are educated about their health, they can live healthier lives. So that would be what I would pursue during my reign, she said.

Inokon, a registered nurse in the U.S., and born to a Nigerian father from Akwa Ibom, graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science and Psychology.

She also attended the Accelerated Nursing Programme at the University of Delaware and graduated in 2014, and currently a Masters Student in Family Nursing.

The event was attended by many Nigerians across the U.S., Africans and other nationalities resident in America.

Source: (NAN)
The Catholic Bishop of Nnewi, Hilary Okeke, has told the perpetrators of the August 6 killings in Ozubulu community to repent unelse heads will roll.

The bishop stated this when a delegation of the Federal Government paid him a courtesy visit at the Assumption Cathedral, Nnewi, on Saturday.

The Federal Government delegation was led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.

The bishop said the church had organised a special mass in the place, urging the perpetrators of the crime to repent.

He said, The incident is terrible. I cant say why and how it happened. We have celebrated mass in the place. The church in question has been sealed off. So, we had to use another church in the community to celebrate the mass to honour the souls of those who died and for the quick recovery of those who sustained injuries.

We also prayed for the perpetrators to repent and accept the Christ. We are not saying that the government should not play their role by prosecuting them. For me as a Christian, I want them to repent so as to save their souls. Besides, if they dont repent, more people will be involved.

He said the Catholic Church in the area had set up a fundraising committee to assist the victims. The bishop urged the federal and state governments to help the families of the bereaved.

The bishop said, This shows that the Federal Government cares for Nigerian citizens, whether they reside in the East, South, West or North.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Former President Olusegun Obansanjo on Saturday at Apostolic Faith Church said that Christians should be prepared for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ as the end of the world is near.

Obasanjo made this remark during the 2017 Camp Meeting Concert by Apostolic Faith Church Choir and Orchestral at the Camp Ground Igbesa in Ogun.

He said that as a person, he would like to make it to heaven so as to sing with the angels:

You have to be fully prepared for the second coming of our Lord, there is no compromise. I have a friend who will always say that when we get to heaven that we will be exhausted praising God and it will be like a prison and will be very boring. But what I have seen this afternoon by the choir, I will want to go to heaven and join the hosts to sing. If this is an example of what praising God in heaven will be, then I want to be part of it. If what I have seen here is an indication of how heaven will be, I will like go to heaven. Jesus Christ came to the world to show us the way to salvation and eternal life. We have a good heritage and we have everything to be proud of.

Obasanjo said that God could not fix Nigeria except Nigerians invite God into their lives collectively and individually:

We have a lot of things wrong with this country, if all Nigerians are sincere. Nigeria can be fixed by God but we have to invite Him into our lives. What we have to do about this country is in our hands. Gods grace abounds when we do not abuse it.

The District Superintendent, Apostolic Faith, West Africa, Rev. Adebayo Adeniran, said that only tolerance, peaceful coexistence and harmonious living amongst Nigerians , irrespective of religious and political differences, could lead to meaningful development.

He said that all hands must be on deck to build again a virile nation, where love and harmony, forgiveness and peace, equity and prosperity would reign supreme:

Our countrys shoulders will be raised high among the comity of nations. All Nigerians , irrespective of religion , should pray for the resurrection of what our nation has lost. Nigerians should remain patient in the face of political and religious intolerance, insecurity and economic hardships. God will make us triumph over all of them.

He also urged Christians to pray for the countrys leaders to lead the citizens with the fear of God:
Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, cant get enough of her husband, Prince Okojieand has gushed about him, described him as a saint.

In a chat with Nigerian Tribune, the mother of three stated:

My husband is a saint. Everything. My husband is not someone you interact with, with your body. He is someone you commune with, with your soul. You just love his soul.

He is everything bottled in one person. I dont know how to explain him.

She continued, My husband is the closest thing after Gods existence. I am not saying he is perfect, but l love that man too much [Sings].

Sometimes I cant explain him. I am crazy about my husband. I do anything that makes him happy.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), has banned the use of compulsory uniform also known as Aso Ebi worn at church functions, this was disclosed by the wife of the General Overseer of the church, Pastor Foluke Adeboye, disclosed this yesterday, when she spoke at the churchs womens meeting, which was part of the activities of its 65th annual convention of the church themed Halleluyah.

Pastor Mrs Adeboye described as ungodly acts by some church leaders to compel their members to buy and wear a particular uniform aka Aso ebi during any church function. She said that there have been reports that some members of some parishes in the church that cannot afford to buy some of these Aso Ebis have been exempted from some church functions.

She warned that such un-Christianly act of keeping church members out of programmes because of Aso ebi, must never be heard of again among the women in the church, adding that those caught would be severely sanctioned. According to her, Aso Ebi which should ordinarily be for the family, must not be elevated to the point of making it to overshadow the spiritual life of the congregants.

Mrs Adeboye also frowned at the idea of what is seen as petty lies during Christian wedding engagement, where those conducting such events would have to engage in lies to make money from the attendees. According to her, there is no white or black lie, small or big lie with God. She stressed that when attendees are asked to bring air fare to fly in an item already provided for at the event venue, those involved are simply engaging in ungodly act which is a sin.

She called for moderation among Christian women, saying that their focus should be bringing halleluyah and spirituality into their homes and not engaging in the ungodly acts of the unbelievers.

Source: ( Linda Ikeji )
The tenure of Sen. Ahmed Makarfi- led National Caretaker Committee has been extended by four months , which is effective from Saturday, was one of the resolutions of the party at its Non-Elective National Convention held in Abuja.

The caretaker committee was constituted on May 21, 2016 at the partys National Convention in Port Harcourt, after the dissolution of the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Working Committee.

Its mandate was to organise an elective convention within 90 days, but the tenure was extended by 12 months in another convention in Port Harcourt on Aug. 17, 2016 following leadership crisis that engulfed the party.

Minority Leader of the Senate, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, who moved the motion for the new extension, said that it would enable the committee to organise an elective convention that would produce elected national leaders of the party.

The motion which was seconded by a former governor of Jigawa, Alhaji Sule Lamido, was unanimously adopted by the convention delegates.

The delegates also ratified the dissolution of the factional executive committees of the party in Anambra, and authorised Makarfis committee to set up a caretaker committee in the state.

The motion on the Anambra issue was moved by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers, and in adopting it, the delegates mandated the national caretaker committee to organise congresses at all levels in the state as soon as possible.

Also ratified at the convention was the dissolution of executive committees of the party in Adamawa, Borno, Kebbi, Ogun, Kwara, Osun and Lagos, and fresh congresses were ordered to be in the states within three months.

The delegates agreed that the crises in the states should be resolved within the period but prior to the congresses.

The convention also ratified and reaffirmed the election of the partys executive committees in zones and states where congresses were successfully conducted.

The motion on this was moved by Prof. Jerry Gana and supported by Chief Emeka Ihedioha, a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Source: ( PM News )
The protest by #ReturnOrResign coalition entered its sixth day on Saturday with the protesters urging President Muhammadu Buhari to resign because the country cannot continue to pay the medical bills of a sick leader.

The group insisted that President Buhari should resume or resign. It described Buhari as the President of a cabal.

The protesters added that Buhari had remained accessible to only a few people who knew his health status contrary to his pledge on the day of his inauguration when he said, I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody.

Speaking during their sit-in at the Unity fountain, Maitama, Abuja, a member of the #OurMumuDonDo movement, Adebayo Raphael, urged the President to resign honourably.

He said, Nigeria cannot continue to pay the medical bills of a sick president who is inaccessible to Nigerians but only to a cabal. On the day of his inauguration, Buhari said he belonged to nobody. But today, he is only accessible to a few people. He is the president of a cabal.

All Nigerians must rise up and speak truth to power. Time has come for all Nigerians to put an end to the shenanigans. As a president who preached accountability, transparency and integrity, we are calling on him to listen to the voice of Nigerians by doing the honourable thing  resign.

Convener of the protest, Deji Adeyanju, argued that governance had been grounded to a halt on account of the Presidents absence.

Governance is suffering; you can see the poor budget performance because there is no solid supervision in government. That is a key issue we are calling the government to be accountable for. Even the anti-corruption war is suffering as anyone can see, he stated.

The activist alleged that the pro-Buhari group was sponsored to attack #ReturnOrResign coalition on Friday in order to get the police to issue a blanket ban on protests in the Federal Capital Territory.

Our colleagues (pro-Buhari supporters) are not here today (Saturday). Money cannot buy passion or commitment. The journalists saw what happened on Friday; they surged towards us but we were protected by some security men. We know there is a plan to encourage them to attack us so that the FCT police command could issue a blanket ban on protests in Abuja, Adeyanju noted.

Various pro-government groups had sprung up in defence of the President since the #ResumeOrResign coalition took to the streets last Monday.

The groups have also enjoyed official protection as they were given police guards every time they marched to the Aso Villa in support of Buhari.

Source: ( Punch Newspaper )
Former President Olusegun Obansanjo has said he wants to go to heaven and longs to sing among the heavenly host.

Speaking on Saturday at the Apostolic Faith Church Camp Meeting Concert in Ogun State, Obasanjo said:

You have to be fully prepared for the second coming of our Lord, there is no compromise. I have a friend who will always say that when we get to heaven, we will be exhausted praising God and it will be like a prison and very boring. But with what I have seen by the choir this afternoon, I will want to go to heaven and join the host to sing. If this is an example of what praising God in heaven will be like, then I want to be part of it. If what I have seen here is an indication of how heaven will be, I will like go to heaven. Jesus Christ came to the world to show us the way to salvation and eternal life. We have a good heritage and we have everything to be proud of.

The News Agency of Nigeria adds that Obasanjo also said God could not fix Nigeria except Nigerians invite God into their lives collectively and individually.
By Sevan Deyirmenjian

This article comes on the heels of an incident that transpired this summer in Armenia during the Ari Tun program in which a dispute, centering around identity, broke out between members of the youth groups from Ukraine and Istanbul. The group from Turkey claims it received little or no guidance from the diaspora ministry and was forced to prematurely return to Istanbul due to safety concerns. In a press release on the incident the ministry claimed that a small argument broke out between the youngsters and that ministry representatives intervened and it was quickly resolved. The ministry also claimed that it invited group leaders to its office to discuss the matter and proposed a separate program for the Armenians from Turkey. The ministry says the group declined the offer and left Armenia. - Hetq

At first glance, the Ari Tun (Come Home) program organized by Armenias Ministry of the Diaspora, has a decent objective  to connect those young people born outside the country, those who arent adequately familiar with it - who dont know its history, traditions, way of life - to Armenia, or as some call it, the fatherland.

The organizer of the program sees Armenia as a home to which globally dispersed Armenians must return to. The same organizer, most surely, sees the Armenian language as the only, irreplaceable native tongue for all those Armenians born on foreign shores. Consequently, the use of a foreign language within the program is regarded as unacceptable. Speaking Turkish, surely an act to be scorned, is regarded as extremely unacceptable.

Even the name of the program, Ari Tun belies the mentality that permeates the halls of the diaspora ministry. The average diaspora-Armenian, especially a pupil, and even frequently a school teacher, will mistake the often used imperative ari in Armenia with the male name Ari frequently used in Istanbul and other communities. They will naively ask, Who is Ari?

The authorities in Armenia, and even those Armenian identity preservationists in the diaspora who are awarded medals by these authorities, have just one thing to say in this regard  No big deal. Let them learn.

Theres also the issue of the tun (home).

Putting aside the fake patriotic and nationalist platitudes, I sincerely declare that for me the Republic of Armenia is not a home, and will never be in the future, even if I live there one day.

Its a very dear place for me, where I have many friends and memories. For twelve years, from 1993 to 2005, I lived and studied there. Probably more than those who day and night shout Armenia is our fatherland.

And a word to our very dear authorities in ArmeniaPlease know that a majority of diaspora Armenian young people who participate in Ari Tun, put to one side the emotional declarations, do not see your country as their home.

Everyone is happy in the place where they live, and where they were born. These confessions, of course, I know have no significance and will not change that mentality which you, and your diaspora-Armenian preservationists that make ten-day trips to downtown Yerevan every few years, possess. They should know that their home is here!

Conflict, at least with Turkish-Armenian groups, is unavoidable wherever this mentality exists.

During all those events organized by authorities in Armenia who possess this Ari Tun mentality, problems have arisen with Turkish-Armenian groups; starting with the Pan-Armenian Games and ending with youth gatherings like Ari Tun. Often, the main problem has been the use of Turkish.

Its somehow OK for a group from Russia to speak Russian, a group from France to speak French, or those from Argentina to speak Spanish.

This type of patriotism or nationalism, at the root of which we sometimes see an anti-Turkish stance passed down from Czarist Russia, can never accept the reality that one of the languages used by Armenians is Turkish; even more so that French or English.

For example, the mother of [Vahan] Tekeyan was a Turkish speaker. At times, many Armenians in historic Armenia spoke Turkish. We had people creating in Turkish Naturally, its desirable that all speak Armenian. However, we you call people back to their home, let them speak the language theyre comfortable with.

When the mentality changes, luckily, so will the approach. I have escorted groups to participate in events organized by the Gulbenkian Foundation, and have heard many testimonies from those who have participated in various events in Armenia (Tumo, or summer camps at the Dilijan International School). The latter dont have the boastful titles of Ari Tun, nor are they headed by a former first secretary of the Komeritmiutyun (Young Communist League of Armenia).

The mentality of let them learn, you must speak Armenian, teach them, does not dominate those programs/events where everyone speaks their language of choice.

Do not be concerned! In a few days, without be aware of it, they will automatically start to speak Armenian. They will get to know Armenia, see its citizens, and like them. They will say farewell to Armenia with the promise of participating the following year.

Such disputes are unavoidable if Armenias Ministry of the Diaspora fails to make change in its mentality.

For as long as the ministry continues to follow the writings of editors in the traditional diaspora it has awarded medals to, editors who have blamed the youngsters for making a mountain out of a molehill and for taking a disrespectful position, surely nothing will change.

Consequently, the ministry will continue to be regarded as an organization that attempts to maintain its reputation, badly shaken in Armenia, in the diaspora.

Sevan Deyirmenjian is a writer/translator in Istanbul

(The Armenian version of this article first appeared in Agos, August 9, 2017)
What Is an Indirect Tax?

An indirect tax is collected by one entity in the supply chain, such as a manufacturer or retailer, and paid to the government; however, the tax is passed onto the consumer by the manufacturer or retailer as part of the purchase price of a good or service. The consumer is ultimately paying the tax by paying more for the product.

1:06 Indirect Tax

Understanding an Indirect Tax

Indirect taxes are defined by contrasting them with direct taxes. Indirect taxes can be defined as taxation on an individual or entity, which is ultimately paid for by another person. The body that collects the tax will then remit it to the government. But in the case of direct taxes, the person immediately paying the tax is the person that the government is seeking to tax.

Excise duties on fuel, liquor, and cigarettes are all considered examples of indirect taxes. By contrast, income tax is the clearest example of a direct tax, since the person earning the income is the one immediately paying the tax. Admission fees to a national park are another clear example of direct taxation.

Some indirect taxes are also referred to as consumption taxes, such as a value-added tax (VAT).

Regressive Nature of an Indirect Tax

Indirect taxes are commonly used and imposed by the government in order to generate revenue. They are essentially fees that are levied equally upon taxpayers, no matter their income, so rich or poor, everyone has to pay them.

But many consider them to be regressive taxes as they can bear a heavy burden on people with lower incomes who end up paying the same amount of tax as those who make a higher income.

For example, the import duty on a television from Japan will be the same amount, no matter the income of the consumer purchasing the television. And because this levy has nothing to do with a person's income, that means someone who earns $25,000 a year will have to pay the same duty on the same television as someone who earns $150,000; clearly, a bigger burden on the former.

There are also concerns that indirect taxes can be used to further a particular government policy by taxing certain industries and not others. For this reason, some economists argue that indirect taxes lead to an inefficient marketplace and alter market prices from their equilibrium price.

Common Indirect Taxes

The most common example of an indirect tax is import duties. The duty is paid by the importer of a good at the time it enters the country. If the importer goes on to resell the good to a consumer, the cost of the duty, in effect, is hidden in the price that the consumer pays. The consumer is likely to be unaware of this, but they will nonetheless be indirectly paying the import duty.

Essentially, any taxes or fees imposed by the government at the manufacturing or production level is an indirect tax. In recent years, many countries have imposed fees on carbon emissions to manufacturers. These are indirect taxes since their costs are passed along to consumers.

Sales taxes can be direct or indirect. If they are imposed only on the final supply to a consumer, they are direct. If they are imposed as value-added taxes (VATs) along the production process, then they are indirect.
This Week in Review

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TULSA, Okla.  A former police officer facing a fourth trial for the death of his daughter's black boyfriend can't be tried in Oklahoma because the shooting happened on American Indian territory, his attorneys argued in a new court filing.

Citing his membership in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, attorneys for ex-Tulsa Police Department Officer Shannon Kepler asked a judge Friday to dismiss the case because the 2014 shooting happened on land inside tribal territory. The Tulsa World reported that Kepler was issued a Creek Nation citizenship identification card on Thursday.

Kepler's attorneys also cited a Tuesday decision by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that overturned the first-degree murder conviction and death sentence of Oklahoma inmate Patrick Dwayne Murphy. He asserted that state courts lacked jurisdiction because he was a member of the Creek Nation and that the crime occurred on Indian territory.

The federal appeals court concluded that decisions about the borders of the Creek reservation remained with Congress.

Kepler is charged in the August 2014 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Jeremey Lake. Kepler doesn't deny shooting Lake, but told investigators he acted in self-defense because he thought Lake was armed. Police found no weapon on Lake or at the scene.

Three mistrials in less than a year have been declared in Kepler's case. In the most recent trial, jurors deadlocked 6-6 last month after almost three hours of deliberations. Juries in Kepler's previous two trials, in November and February, deadlocked 11-1 and 10-2 in favor of guilt before a judge declared mistrials after up to 12 hours of deliberations in each case.

Kepler's fourth trial begins Oct. 9
Updated at 10:25 a.m.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  Federal law enforcement authorities have started a civil rights investigation into a deadly car crash in Charlottesville that left one protester dead and several others injured.

The FBI said in a statement late Saturday that it is collecting facts and evidence in an ongoing investigation.

Heather Heyer, 32, died when a car rammed into a group of people who were protesting the presence of white supremacists who had gathered in the city for a rally.

The car's driver, James Alex Fields Jr. was charged with second-degree murder and other counts. He could also face federal charges, depending on the outcome of the FBI's investigation.

___

9:30 a.m.

Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer called the killing of a 32-year-old woman and the injury of others by a vehicle at a rally in the city a "terrorist attack with a car used as a weapon."

He made the comments in an interview Sunday with NBC's "Meet the Press."

Heather Heyer died when a car rammed into a group of people who were protesting the presence of white supremacists who had gathered in the city for a rally.

The car's driver, James Alex Fields Jr. was charged with second-degree murder and other counts.

The rally's purpose was to condemn a decision by the city to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Updated at 12:05 a.m.

U.S. officials have opened a civil rights investigation into the circumstances of the deadly car attack that took place amid clashes of white nationalists and counter-demonstrators in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The investigation was announced late Saturday by officials of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Virginia and the Richmond field office of the FBI.

In a statement, Attorney General Jeff Sessions says U.S. Attorney Rick Mountcastle has begun the investigation and will have the full support of the Justice Department.

Sessions says, "The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice."

He adds, "When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated."

Also late Saturday, Virginia State Police announced three more men have been arrested in connection to the violent clashes between white supremacists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville.

Troy Dunigan, a 21-year-old from Chattanooga, Tennessee, was charged with disorderly conduct; Jacob L. Smith, a 21-year-old from Louisa, Virginia, was charged with assault and battery; and James M. O'Brien, 44, of Gainesville, Florida, was charged with carrying a concealed handgun.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  A car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting a white nationalist rally Saturday in a Virginia college town, killing one person, hurting more than a dozen others and ratcheting up tension in a day full of violent confrontations.

Shortly after, a Virginia State Police helicopter that officials said was assisting with the rally crashed outside Charlottesville, killing the pilot and a trooper.

The chaos boiled over at what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade. The governor declared a state of emergency, and police dressed in riot gear ordered people out. The group had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and others arrived to protest the racism.

Matt Korbon, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student, said several hundred counter-protesters were marching when "suddenly there was just this tire screeching sound." A silver Dodge Challenger smashed into another car, then backed up, barreling through "a sea of people."

The impact hurled people into the air. Those left standing scattered, screaming and running for safety in different directions.

The Charlottesville Police Department said in a statement Saturday night that the driver, 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio, is charged with second-degree murder. He also faces three counts of malicious wounding, and one count related to leaving the scene.

The turbulence began Friday night, when the white nationalists carried torches though the University of Virginia campus. It quickly spiraled into violence Saturday morning. Hundreds of people threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays. At least one person was arrested in connection.

City officials said the car collision left 19 people injured and said they treated 35 patients altogether.

State Police said in a statement that the helicopter was "assisting public safety resources with the ongoing situation" when it crashed in a wooded area. The pilot, Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, Virginia, and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton, Virginia, died at the scene.

President Donald Trump condemned "in the strongest possible terms" what he called an "egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides" after the clashes. He called for "a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives."

Trump said he had spoken with the governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, and "we agreed that the hate and the division must stop and must stop right now."

But some of the white nationalists cited Trump's victory as validation for their beliefs, and Trump's critics pointed to the president's racially tinged rhetoric as exploiting the nation's festering racial tension.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson noted that Trump for years publicly questioned President Barack Obama's citizenship.

"We are in a very dangerous place right now," he said.

Right-wing blogger Jason Kessler had called for what he termed a "pro-white" rally in Charlottesville, sparked by the monument decision. White nationalists and their opponents promoted the event for weeks.

Oren Segal, who directs the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, said multiple white power groups gathered in Charlottesville, including members of neo-Nazi organizations, racist skinhead groups and Ku Klux Klan factions.

The white nationalist organizations Vanguard America and Identity Evropa; the Southern nationalist League of the South; the National Socialist Movement; the Traditionalist Workers Party; and the Fraternal Order of Alt Knights also were on hand, he said, along with several groups with a smaller presence.

On the other side, anti-fascist demonstrators also gathered in Charlottesville, but they generally aren't organized like white nationalist factions, said Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Many others were just locals caught in the fray.

Colleen Cook, 26, stood on a curb shouting at the rally attendees to go home.

Cook, a teacher who attended the University of Virginia, said she sent her son, who is black, out of town for the weekend.

"This isn't how he should have to grow up," she said.

Cliff Erickson leaned against a fence and took in the scene. He said he thinks removing the statue amounts to erasing history and said the "counter-protesters are crazier than the alt-right."

"Both sides are hoping for a confrontation," he said.

It's the latest hostility in Charlottesville since the city about 100 miles outside of Washington, D.C., voted earlier this year to remove a statue of Lee.

In May, a torch-wielding group that included prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer gathered around the statue for a nighttime protest, and in July, about 50 members of a North Carolina-based KKK group traveled there for a rally, where they were met by hundreds of counter-protesters.

Kessler said this week that the rally is partly about the removal of Confederate symbols but also about free speech and "advocating for white people."

"This is about an anti-white climate within the Western world and the need for white people to have advocacy like other groups do," he said in an interview.

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer said he was disgusted that the white nationalists had come to his town and blamed Trump for inflaming racial prejudices.

"I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in American today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president," he said.

Charlottesville, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a liberal-leaning city that's home to the flagship UVA and Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.

The statue's removal is part of a broader city effort to change the way Charlottesville's history of race is told in public spaces. The city has also renamed Lee Park, where the statue stands, and Jackson Park, named for Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. They're now called Emancipation Park and Justice Park, respectively.

For now, the Lee statue remains. A group called the Monument Fund filed a lawsuit arguing that removing the statue would violate a state law governing war memorials. A judge has agreed to temporarily block the city from removing the statue for six months.
Its no secret that teachers in North Carolina have to buy many of the basic supplies their students need  notebooks, pencils, scissors  from their own salaries. That wouldnt be so bad if their salaries were generous, but theyre not.

Fortunately, responsible members of our communities step up to help. The Educator Warehouse, part of Forsyth Education Partnership, is a commendable example of an organized effort that has a lasting impact.

This school-supply warehouse helps keep classrooms in Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools well-stocked, the Journals Sarah Newell reported recently. Teachers come to the warehouse  a six-room pod on the grounds of Diggs-Latham Elementary School  to pick up donated school supplies this Thursday through Saturday.

The first of these three days is especially for new teachers. New teachers have nothing, so they get first dibs on what we have, Karel Chandler, a founder and volunteer of the Educator Warehouse, told the Journal. Each teacher is given 25 points per school quarter to spend in the warehouse, which is stocked with both new and gently used items  books, puzzles, paints, flashcards, staplers, paper clips, highlighters, glue sticks  the list goes on.

We cant do it all, but we can fill in the gaps, Chandler told the Journal.

Gov. Roy Cooper kicked off his own school-supply drive earlier this month. Far too often, teachers have to dip into their own pockets to cover the cost of classroom supplies that their students need to learn, Cooper said in a press release. Its my hope that this supply drive is one day unnecessary, but until then I encourage North Carolinians to help fill that gap by donating classroom supplies.

Ideally, the state would pay for adequate supplies for all of our students, but our legislature has gotten into the habit of cutting school budgets even while building a budget surplus. Until it changes, we appreciate those who step up to help.

Educator Warehouse manager Kendra Hoyle can be reached at 336-671-1078. Chandler can be reached at 336- 817-9673. There also will be a Fill the Bus event at Diggs-Latham Elementary, 986 Hutton St., this Thursday through Saturday.
Correspondent of the week

CHASTAN SWAIN, Belews Creek

Opposed to the mission

The UNC Board of Governors recent decision to suspend the UNC Center for Civil Rights ability to litigate is made in direct opposition to the mission statement of UNC and of the spirit of North Carolina (UNC board vote latest move in an ideological crusade, Aug. 5). As an incoming first-year law student at UNC, I am disheartened and disgusted.

The son of a Forsyth County farmer, and a first-generation college graduate, I placed tremendous emphasis in choosing a program that represents my ideals and aspirations. I declined other prestigious schools in favor of UNC because of its legacy in public education, preservation of N.C. character and commitment to elevating people of all backgrounds to achieve their dreams.

By disengaging the Center for Civil Rights, the board is not only distancing the university from its mission and heritage but also neutralizing its appeal to incoming students and faculty.

The Center for Civil Rights has served as a champion of disadvantaged communities, like the one I was raised in. While a law student, it represents a clear way in which my training can be reinvested in my community. In maiming the center, the board has silenced our programs ability to say Thank You to the communities that have raised us.

BETHANY PARE, Winston-Salem

Trump transcripts

I was disgusted by the recently released transcripts of President Trumps post-election phone calls with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. They should make any decent human being sick. Nobody could read them and not feel like they need a bath, immediately.

Trump reveals in these transcripts that every criticism of him is true. Build the wall was a cold, calculated political promise he never intended to fulfill. And hes a bigot who doesnt know the difference between an illegal immigrant, a terrorist and a refugee. All that matters is that theyre foreign.

Even after Turnbull patiently corrected him, Trump couldnt understand the difference between a refugee camp and a prison. He also couldnt get the number of Australian refugees we agreed to take in right. Its a number, for goodness sake. Its not a matter of opinion. This president is ignorance defined.

He also told Nieto that New Hampshire was a drug infested den. Thats as bad as his calling the White House a dump, which also came to light recently. This man has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Forget Russia. The investigation we need right now is into how the American people have become so ignorant that they would believe a word a lying egomaniac like this says. Thats our biggest problem as a nation and it needs to be fixed  fast.

***

ERNEST J. LUNSFORD, Winston-Salem

A few questions

Both the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court have ruled that the North Carolina legislature is unconstitutionally constituted because of blatant racial gerrymandering. They have ordered new maps by Sept. 1. This leads me to the following questions:

Given that the composition of both houses of the legislature is unconstitutional, why arent all the laws passed by the legislature since the 2013 session automatically rendered null and void?

Why is this unconstitutionally constituted legislature allowed to remain seated and continue uninterrupted in its legislative functions through 2018? Wont any and all laws passed next year by this legislature be automatically challengeable in court because many of the members passing those laws were elected from unconstitutional districts?

Why are the unconstitutionally-elected members of this legislature allowed to be in charge of redistricting? Why should the same people who created the unconstitutional districts be allowed to wield the map-making computers again? Why should the public expect a better, more equitable outcome with these people in charge?

I know that the judges cannot comment further on these matters, but I hope that a constitutional scholar will be able to answer my questions.

***

DAVID A. WRIGHT, Winston-Salem

The long-term plan

Columnist John Hood tries to inform readers that the Republicans desire to shrink government is courageous (Shrinking government takes courage, July 30). As is often the case, Hood negates his own argument when he says that advocating smaller government is easier in general than in specific. Very few specifics about shrinking government are ever offered, since details about specific program cuts dont make good sound bites.

Republicans think that cutting taxes is their primary motivation  no matter that they have ignored investment in raising salaries of state employees and veteran teachers, and have ignored infrastructure projects that could ultimately save the state money down the road. Where is the long-term plan from the Republicans for making our state better?

State employees are discouraged by lack of anything but token raises in the last nine years. Many have left state government for much higher salaries in the private sector and have not been replaced. If our current legislative leaders are savvy business leaders as they claim, they should know that loyal employees should be rewarded.

Community colleges are crucial to providing job training and college transfer programs to N.C. citizens. The state legislature has failed to provide increases in funding. How is this courageous?

Please submit letters online to Letters@ws journal.com or mail letters to: The Readers Forum, P.O. Box 3159, Winston-Salem, NC 27102. Letters are subject to editing and are limited to 250 words. For more guidelines and advice on writing letters, go to journalnow.com/opinion/submit_a_letter.
Georgia OKeeffe, the iconic American artist who spent most of her life in New Mexico and New York, is moving into Reynolda House Museum of American Art this week.

Georgia OKeeffe is occupying Reynolda House, said Allison Perkins, executive director. And how fitting, because OKeeffes lifespan is nearly concurrent with the lifespan of Reynoldas first century.

The exhibition, Georgia OKeeffe: Living Modern, marks the beginning of Reynolda Houses centennial year. Construction on the house, outbuildings and grounds was completed in 1917.

Were allowing the art to flow through the house, said Philip Archer, the director of program and interpretation at Reynolda.

Thirty-six paintings, two sculptures and four photographs by OKeeffe; more than 90 photographs that feature OKeeffe, her home and her life; and more than 60 wardrobe items, including dresses, work smocks, suits, kimonos and accessories will be spread over four galleries in the historic house and the Babcock Wing gallery.

Living Modern, the largest show in Reynoldas history, will be on display Aug. 18-Nov. 19 at Reynolda House, one of only three sites in the U.S. where the exhibition will be shown. Its final venue will be at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Mass.

The exhibition originated at the Brooklyn (N.Y.) Museum, which borrowed an OKeeffe pastel, Pool in the Woods, Lake George, from Reynolda House for the show. Pool is the artwork in Reynoldas collection that is most often requested for loan by other museums.

The Brooklyn Museum, where OKeeffe had her first show in 1927, contains about one million objects. Reynolda holds about 250 and collects very discerningly.

Two years ago Allison Perkins found out that Brooklyn was going to produce this show, said Rebecca Eddins, director of collections management. We asked for a prospectus and thought it looked fantastic for our centennial show.

Before sending Pool in the Woods to Brooklyn, Eddins accompanied the pastel to London last summer to supervise its installation in a show at the Tate Modern. That show, simply titled Georgia OKeeffe, displayed more than 100 of her paintings.

When Reynolda was approaching its 100th anniversary, we thought  its a 20th-century home built by a woman, so a woman artist is perfect, Archer said. Its an OKeeffe moment. There are one or two OKeeffe shows every year somewhere in the world.

OKeeffe was one of the first American artists to work with abstraction. In both the city and the desert, she was influenced by her surroundings. One of the largest pieces in the show, Manhattan, reflects this.

She wanted to grab peoples attention the way skyscrapers did, Archer said.

Inspired by the OKeeffe show, the Brooklyn Museum declared 2017 the Year of the Woman. It also inspired the couture house Diors 2018 resort collection, which includes headgear similar to OKeeffes flat parsons hats, the black and white palette that she favored in clothing and rich browns from the desert scenery.

Reynolda officials, anticipating record attendance for a show by one of the most popular artists of the 20th century, have instituted timed-entry tickets to ease traffic flow. Several entry times will be available daily, and visitors may stay as long as they like until closing.

Rich and simple

Although she died in 1986, OKeeffe lives on, as the greatest artists do, through her work  and, in the case of OKeeffe, through her personal effects.

Throughout her life, OKeeffe carefully crafted not only her artwork but also her public image and her personal surroundings. She supervised the renovation and decoration of two homes in New Mexico that have become Meccas for her admirers and scholars of her life and work.

While she was an artist, she also lived and worked among artists, many of them photographers, including her husband, Alfred Stieglitz. She posed for him about 300 time over 20 years.

Others in their circle of acquaintances who photographed her include Ansel Adams, Cecil Beaton, Philippe Halsman, Yousuf Karsh, Todd Webb and Bruce Weber.

The portraits follow her progress from young artist in New York City to her later years in New Mexico and illustrate how she used photographic sittings to construct her distinguished style.

The photography is very collaborative, Archer said, with her choosing what she wore and how she posed.

The idea for this exhibition arose when Wanda M. Corn, the shows curator, learned that the Georgia OKeeffe Museum in Santa Fe, N.M., owned dresses, coats, suits, casual wear and accessories that the artist left behind when she died. A majority of the clothing, representing 60 years of her life, comes from the Georgia OKeeffe Museum and the closets of OKeeffes two New Mexican homes  Ghost Ranch and Abiquiu. The museum now owns both houses and their belongings.

Corn, a professor at Stanford University, wrote a book that accompanies the show, of the same title. It is the first publication to study and showcase the artists clothing along with her homes.

OKeeffes clothes will look especially splendid in Reynolda Houses domestic-scaled spaces, as will her paintings, drawings and sculptures in the company of the museums superb collection of American art, Corn said. The Georgia OKeeffe who emerged from my research was an artist not only in her studio but also in her homemaking and self-fashioning.

The exhibition is an eye-opening look at this seminal artist, said Archer, Reynolda Houses coordinating curator for the exhibition. He traveled to New Mexico to study OKeeffes surroundings to get ideas for the exhibitions wall colors among other things.

OKeeffes orderly kitchens interested Archer. The one at Abiquiu has a soft, buff-brown wall. OKeeffe loved gray in particular, and was riveted by the silvery gray green of sagebrush.

She sewed as a young woman and later designed clothes to be made for her by others, including what many consider her modernist uniforms: the black suit and the wrap dress.

She attended to the smallest details  in what she wore, how her paintings were framed and how her homes were decorated.

She only had one lampshade  a Noguchi  and all the other lights in her house were bare bulbs, because she never found anything that she liked better, Archer said.

I hope people find that inspiring  living simply and beautifully.
Deregulation seems to be changing the face of banking, environmental controls and other arenas rather quickly these days.

But the threat of deregulation in Wisconsins beauty industry is raising concern for Dolly Norris, the new vice president of operations of Cost Cutters of Madison Inc., which owns 35 salons in central and southern Wisconsin and in the Rockford, Illinois, area.

Last spring, legislators introduced bills to ease state licensing requirements for cosmetologists and barbers and allow them to perform services outside of licensed shops. While the measures didnt propose to get rid of barber and cosmetology licenses altogether, they would eliminate licenses for cosmetology managers and instructors.

I just feel the quality of the work that we do will drastically diminish, said Norris, whos been in the cosmetology business for 15 of her 38 years and is the former lead examiner for state Cosmetology Examining Board testing sites in Madison, Onalaska and Wisconsin Rapids.

For the moment, Norris said, the effort seems to be on the back burner.

There has been an underlying rumbling regarding deregulation of the cosmetology industry in the state of Wisconsin for a few years now, she said. It seems that complete deregulation is off the table for now, which is good news.

While mistakes by professionals in the beauty industry usually dont threaten life and limb, the way a doctors could, licensing such workers is important, Norris said.

I feel that consumer protection should be a priority, Norris said. I would absolutely want anyone working on my hair, skin or nails to be required to obtain a certain amount of education and accountability.

On a lighter note, Norris said new trends in the beauty business include men who are experimenting with changing the color of their hair, not to cover gray but just for fun.

Men are more and more conscious about their looks, said Norris. They dont get just a simple buzz cut. They are getting pompadours, beard trims. They are looking for design work.

(The latter could be a number or a nickname shaved into the hair or wavy lines.)

Q. Cost Cutters is a franchise, is it not?

A. Yes. Cost Cutters of Madison owns 35 stores. We are the biggest Cost Cutters franchise in Wisconsin. The value category (of hair salons) just keeps growing.

What are the two or three newest trends in your business?

We are seeing so many new and exciting color trends. Freehand hair painting, balayage (hair lightening), ombres and shadow roots are very much on trend right now. The more nontraditional colors are very popular, from rose golds to vibrant pinks and teals. We offer great value pricing so our guests can experiment with new looks at affordable prices.

For shorter cuts and mens cuts, we are seeing more of the classic barber styles coming around, including really tight fades and hard lines.

And with access to the Internet, people share everything  new ideas  so quickly.

You said more men were getting their hair colored. Are they coloring their hair just to cover gray?

We are seeing a larger amount of men opting for gray coverage or gray blending. Our Redken Camo Color is a line geared towards blending away gray. It gradually fades out, allowing for a natural look that lasts typically until their next haircut.

The economy is up. Unemployment is down, especially in Wisconsin. How does that affect business in your salons?

Any time the economy is up and unemployment is down, we see increases in product sales. Cost Cutters tends to have the best prices on professional retail products, so when we have consumers who are looking to switch from their grocery store shampoo to professional products, we are one of the first places they go. We also carry one of the largest varieties of professional brands, so we can meet the needs of almost every consumer.

Is it harder now to attract and keep qualified employees? Have you had to change anything to make jobs more attractive?

As our industry continues to grow at such a fast pace and with new salons opening, there are certainly more positions available than stylists to fill them. This has led us to look at how we can retain our existing staff and hire the best qualified new stylists.

I feel it is so important to let our team members know how valued they are. We have recently changed our mission statement to include treating our team members with the same respect that we expect them to provide to our guests. This belief has always been a part of Cost Cutters, but we have highlighted it and made it a priority.

I am also very much aligned with the concept of servant leadership. Servant leaders are very involved with their team members feedback, opinions and ideas. This concept helps us to continue to grow our team, be able to provide our guests with exceptional service and achieve personal and professional success.

What are the ways that you are including Internet technology in your salons?

We are mostly active on our websites and our social media pages, including sharing promotions, contests and flash sales on our Facebook page and our website, costcutterssalons.com, which includes how-to videos for styling at home.

We have also created an online community exclusively for our team members to share inspiration, new trends and videos, and to be able to connect instantly with each other with any questions.
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner [official website] signed SB 189 [text, PDF] on Friday removing the statutes of limitations on certain sexual abuse crimes. The legislation amends chapter 38, sections 3-6, of the Illinois Criminal Code to eliminate a time guard for reporting [AP report] felony sex crimes and sex crimes against children. Under the previous code a victim of these sex crimes had to report the crime within 20 years of reaching age 18. The statute now reads:

When the victim is under 18 years of age at the time of the offense, a prosecution for criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, or felony criminal sexual abuse may be commenced at any time when corroborating physical evidence is available or an individual who is required to report an alleged or suspected commission of any of these offenses under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act fails to do so.

The stricken language above expands the time period and circumstances under which a prosecution for sex crimes can commence. Some of the crimes covered by the bill include child pornography, solicitation for a juvenile prostitute, promoting juvenile prostitution, criminal sexual assault, and sexual conduct toward minors. The legislation takes immediate effect.

Rape and other sex crimes are frequent issues in the international legal community and have made headlines in the past several months. In June, Japans lower legislative house approved changes [JURIST report] to Japans century-old rape laws that would expand the definition of rape, lengthen prison sentences to five years and allow prosecutions to occur in instances where a victim did not press charges. In May Australia announced [JURIST report] plans to decrease child sex trafficking by prohibiting registered sex offenders from traveling overseas. The same day, the US Supreme Court [official website] ruled [JURIST report] that the federal age of consent was 16. Earlier the same month, the India Supreme Court [official website] upheld [JURIST report] the death penalty in the case of a gang rape which led to the victims death. In July 2016, the German parliament unanimously passed a law expanding the definition of sex crimes [JURIST report], making any form of nonsensical sexual contact a crime.
Q: Are there any weird Wisconsin butter laws?

A: Any Wisconsinite whos a fan of Kerrygold Irish Butter knows the effect of the states butter laws, but the strict grading requirement that banned the foreign-made product isnt the only Wisconsin law regarding butter.

Wisconsin has a history of battling margarine through legislative action. In the 1890s, Wisconsin banned the sale of margarine tinted yellow to imitate butter. Much like with the ban on butter not graded by the state or U.S. government, people who sought margarine crossed into neighboring states to buy the butter substitute.

Margarine wasnt completely banned  just any that was artificially made to look like butter. However, regulations still affected the manufacture and sale of margarine in the state, even without the coloring.

A license was required to manufacture or sell margarine, and it had to be displayed in each room where the margarine was made or sold. Wisconsin also levied a 15-cent per pound tax on margarine.

Despite the repeal of the outright ban on yellow-tinted margarine in the 1960s, there are still regulations in Wisconsin. One, which faced repeal in 2011 but failed, prohibits the use of margarine as a table butter substitute in restaurants unless it is specifically requested by the customer.

 Shelley K. Mesch
Three people were injured early Sunday morning after their vehicle left a highway and hit a utility pole, the Dodge County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

Around 2:40 a.m., a car, driven by a 27-year-old Colorado man, was headed east on Highway R in the town of Lebanon. The 1996 Nissan, which had two passengers, left the roadway as it reached a curve at the intersection of Highway SC, overturning and eventually hitting a utility pole, the sheriff's office said.

A 20-year-old male passenger also from Colorado was thrown from the vehicle and taken to UW Hospital in Madison for serious injuries.

The other passenger, a 45-year-old man from Minneapolis, was flown by helicopter to Summit Hospital in Oconomowoc for life-threatening injuries. The driver had minor injuries and was taken to Watertown Hospital.

The crash remains under investigation by the sheriff's office, and the names of those involved are being withheld until Monday.
File-This July 30, 2017, file photo shows Melina Matsoukas, from left, Prentice Penny and Issa Rae participating in the "Insecure" panel during the HBO Television Critics Association summer press tour in Beverly Hills, Calif. The hackers who broke into HBOAos computer network have released more unaired episodes, including several of the highly anticipated return of AuCurb Your Enthusiasm,Au which debuts in October. The latest dump includes Sunday nightAos episode of AuInsecure,Au another popular show, and what appear to be episodes of other lower-profile shows, including AuBallers,Au some from the unaired shows AuBarryAu and AuThe Deuce,Au a comedy special and other programming. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)
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Skulls of members of the Franklin Expedition, discovered and buried by William Skinner and Paddy Gibson in 1945, at King William Island, N.W.T. (now Nunavut), are shown in this photo from the National Archives of Canada Collections. A professor of dentistry and his colleagues have published a theory that seeks to explain why Inuit who encountered members of the doomed Franklin Expedition in the 19th Century noticed the men had hard, dry and black mouths. THE CANADIAN PRESS/National Archives of Canada
Premier of Saskatchewan Brad Wall, his wife Tami, and chief of operations and communications Kathy Young, back, enter a press conference where Wall announced he is retiring from politics at the Legislative Building in Regina, Sask., on Thursday, August 10, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Taylor
EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT - In this image made from video, police gather at the scene of an attack in Istanbul, late Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Turkey's official news agency says a man suspected of being a suicide bomber for the Islamic State group has stabbed and killed a police officer while in custody. Anadolu Agency reported that police detained a man thought to be planning a bomb attack on behalf of IS. The suspect was taken to Istanbul police headquarters, where police say he attacked an officer with a knife. The officer died. The man was shot and killed in the attack. (DHA/Depo photos via AP)
Indian paramilitary soldiers stand guard at a temporary check point during curfew in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Government forces imposed curfew-like restrictions in many parts of Indian controlled Kashmir after separatists leaders called for strike against dilution of article 35A. The article empowers the Jammu and Kashmir state legislature to define permanent residents of the state and provide special rights and privileges to those permanent residents. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin)
This photo taken on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2017, shows an open session of the Iranian parliament in Tehran, Iran. Iran's parliament voted overwhelmingly Sunday to increase spending on its ballistic missile program and the foreign operations of its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, chanting "Death to America" in a direct challenge to Washington's newest sanctions on the Islamic Republic. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, right, and Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos shake hands at the start of a meeting at the presidential guesthouse in Cartagena, Colombia, Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017. Cartagena is the first stop of Pence's weeklong trip to Latin America, that will also take him to Argentina, Chile and Panama. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
In this Aug. 10, 2017, photo, President Donald Trump, accompanied by Vice President Mike Pence, speaks to reporters before a security briefing at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J. Pence departs Sunday for Latin America, a trip that comes on the heels of yet another provocative statement fromTrump that Pence is sure to have to answer for: this time TrumpAos sudden declaration that he would not rule out a Aumilitary optionAu in Venezuela, where president Nicolas Maduro has been consolidating power, plunging the country into chaos. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
A white nationalist demonstrator with a helmet and shield walks into Lee Park in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017. Hundreds of people chanted, threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays on each other Saturday after violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia. At least one person was arrested. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)
Kenosha Fire Department Chief Charles Leipzig is working to educate city residents about Kenoshas new burning law.

The City Council in July overwhelmingly approved an ordinance change to legalize recreational burning under certain conditions, despite Leipzigs strong opposition to the measure.

Leipzig said his department now wants people to know what is and isnt allowed.

We have had some encounters, but I dont think the encounters are any more or less than what weve seen, Leipzig said.

Still, Leipzig said, its too early to tell the laws impact on public safety.

The department has added a page on recreational burning to its website to help guide people interested in taking advantage of the eased rules on fires.

A lot of it will involve public education to prevent something bad from happening, he said. There are risks involved with this.

The ordinance

Under the new ordinance, fires in fire pits and outdoor fireplaces are allowed from 4 to 10 p.m. only if:

Fire is contained in a commercially available fire pit/fireplace with a screen in place.

Clean and dry wood is used (no trash or yard waste).

Fire is used on a level, stable and non-combustible surface.

Fire is not within 15 feet of a combustible structure, house, garage fence.

Wind speed is 15 mph or less.

Fire is attended by a responsible adult with the ability to extinguish it.

You cant burn yard waste, trash, anything that produces toxic smoke, Leipzig said. Clean wood only.

Other restrictions

In addition, if smoke from a unit creates a nuisance to neighbors, it must be extinguished.

Fires would also be prohibited if air quality is poor or winds risk spreading sparks.

Be a good neighbor, Leipzig said. A lot of the issues that are coming to me are neighbors that live in close confines and some of their neighbors are burning when they shouldnt be burning or smoke goes into a house.

If a neighbor dispute arises and the person burning is at fault for a valid reason, Leipzig said, that individual would be issued a warning and would face a fine of $187 for subsequent offenses.

However, the chief added, Were not going to give warnings any more for people who are clearly violating. Were going to issue a citation immediately.

By Sept. 1, 2018, the fire department will submit a report to the city on the impact of the ordinance change.

For decades, only grills and small, freestanding, front-loading fireplaces or ovens with vertical smoke vents  called chimneas  were allowed in the city for recreational use.
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If you're driving around the pleasant countryside around Canterbury, you may find yourself stumbling across a hidden gem of Kent.

But don't blink too hard, or you'll miss it  it's Fordwich, the tiniest town in the UK.

Perhaps though, the one thing you couldn't say about it is that it's modest.

As soon as you enter the town you're hit with a sign announcing it's "Britain's smallest town". Just in case there's any debate.

According to the 2011 census, it has a population of 381 people, and its population increased by 30 between 2001 and 2011.

Other contenders for the title include Broughton in Furness with 529 residents, Manningtree in Essex with 700 people in 20 hectares, and Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales with a population of 850.

So for now, it appears Fordwich is fairly safe in its claim until the 2021 census  and it is certainly proud of this fact.

Adventure in Fordwich

Obviously taken in by the town's unique claim to fame, I couldn't resist exploring its surroundings while I had some time.

Having spent a lot of my youth in the villages surrounding Ashford, I have a fair few comparison points when it comes to country dwellings.

But Fordwich felt even smaller than a village to me  so its town status came as a surprise and I was keen to find out more.

After some research, I discovered the town had grown in the Middle Ages as a port for boats on their way upriver to Canterbury.

The stone used to rebuild the cathedral in the 12 and 13 centuries was landed in Fordwich, and it later became one of the Cinque Ports.

But it lost its status as a town in 1880 when it no longer had a mayor and corporation.

However, following a reorganisation in 1972, Fordwich was again made a town because of its former importance in early Britain.

What really struck me was Fordwich's winding roads, with a new piece of interest around every turn.

From the town hall  supposedly also the smallest in the UK  to the 16 century Watergate House, there are plenty of interesting things to look at.

And that's not least the stunning bridge over the River Stour, which is a delight to walk over and take photos of.

When I get the chance, I will certainly be returning to the smallest town in Britain. Let's hope it stays that way.
The risk that genetic engineering will be used to achieve non-medical results

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We cannot let the anecdote rule over us. We dont make sound policy if we are swayed by isolated emotional vignettes. Of course, a vignette describes a living, breathing human being, but we must consider the greater good, the overall context and the risk of letting our hearts triumph over our heads when making general policy. Consider these examples.

If an expensive drug treatment program keeps five addicts clean for six months, do we champion this success in asking for funding to be renewed while omitting that 400 enrolled addicts failed?

If an experimental medical treatment seems to be effective in one patient with a stubborn disease, should physicians lurch toward it leaving aside standard treatments which have been subjected to Food and Drug Administration approval and years of clinical experience?

If a high school student attends a SAT prep course and achieves a near perfect score, do we conclude that every student should enroll in this course?

It is natural to be drawn to a shiny object, but on closer review, the shine often tarnishes quickly.

Recently, we learned of an astonishing scientific breakthrough that seems utterly fantastic and futuristic, even though it has actually occurred. Scientists amended the DNA of human embryos to correct a mutation  a genetic defect  that causes a very serious medical disease. This suggests that with additional research and testing that embryos who otherwise might be destined for misery could be rescued.

We will hear heartwarming and breathtaking anecdotes that, if considered in isolation, will generate excitement and support.

Would you argue against the following headlines?

Embryo with fatal cystic fibrosis mutation saved.

Tay-Sachs embryo rescued from fatal outcome.

Hemophiliac embryo expected to live normal life.

As is always the case, there will be ethical mission creep, despite the usual bromides that scientists and research institutions will conform to the highest ethical standards. The fact that there is a fortune to be made in the genetics industry can be expected to alter the direction of our ethical compass. And, while the initial rollout will be discussing how genetic intervention can reverse the course of devastating and fatal diseases, does anyone believe it will stop there? Once the concept has been normalized, other medical conditions will be targeted. The creep will be inexorable. Boundaries will be shattered.

Should we?

Who doesnt want a perfect child? Over time, how will all of us regard the disabled community or even folks of average intellect and ability? Will a disabled person be defined as anyone who is imperfect?

Beyond medical mission creep, I believe there is a very serious risk that genetic engineering will be used to achieve non-medical results.

Imagine that you are new parents. If medical science could perform a procedure that would add 20 IQ points to your child, would you pursue it? Would you submit to a minor DNA tinker that would produce an excellent athlete or a musician? See where Im going with this?

Are you really ready for the curtain to rise on the genetic engineering show? Im not. To me, all this sounds like coming attractions of a horror show.

Michael Kirsch is a gastroenterologist who blogs at MD Whistleblower.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com
By Arwa Gaballa

CAIRO, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Egypt announced executive regulations on Sunday for a new industrial licensing law it says will slash bureaucracy and decrease the waiting time for new projects, reforms it hopes will draw badly needed investment.

Egypt's economy has struggled since a 2011 uprising drove tourists and investors away. It hopes a three-year $12 billion International Monetary Fund programme it signed last November tied to economic reforms will lure capital back and boost growth.

Egypt requires new businesses to register with its General Authority For Investment and obtain various licences before operating, depending on the sector.

Investors have long complained of lengthy waiting times for obtaining approvals, with the World Bank ranking Egypt number 122 of 190 countries on its 2017 Doing Business index, partly because of difficulties obtaining permits and licences.

The new regulations will reduce the waiting period for obtaining industrial licences to establish new facilities from 600 days to seven-30 days, Trade and Industry Minister Tarek Kabil told a news conference on Sunday.

The executive regulations provide specific policy details for the more general industrial licensing law, which was passed earlier this year but requires the regulations to become active.

"This law will cause a revolution in industrial investment rates in Egypt during the upcoming period, and it's what will help put Egypt in the forefront of countries that attract industrial investment, regionally and internationally," a ministry statement said.

Through the new law, the waiting period for 80 percent of industries will be reduced to one week or less, while the remaining 20 percent will require about one month due to their higher risks to health, environment, safety or security, the statement said.

Egypt is hoping investor-friendly legislation along with reforms that have included loosening capital controls and floating its currency, a move that roughly halved its value since November, will boost foreign investment.

Regulations for an investment law offering investors a bundle of incentives such as tax breaks and rebates are expected to be approved by Egypt's cabinet as early as this week. (Reporting by Arwa Gaballa; Editing by Alison Williams)
KUWAIT, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Kuwait will finish cleaning up a crude oil spill in the country's southern waters in the Gulf this week, a Kuwaiti newspaper report said on Sunday, quoting the country's oil minister.

Essam al-Marzouq told the al-Rai newspaper that no more patches of oil have been found and that Kuwait was working on clearing up those near the shore. He did not give a reason for the spill.

On Saturday Kuwait said various services were investigating the incident but did not give the magnitude of the spill near Kuwait's southern Ras al-Zour area nor its cause. Ras al-Zour is where Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) is building the Middle East's largest oil refinery, with a processing capacity of 615,000 barrels per day and $11.5 billion worth of contracts.

Saudi Arabia and Kuwait jointly operate fields in a shared area known as the Neutral Zone.

The Khajfi Joint Operations (KJO) said in a statement on the Saudi Press Agency early on Sunday that its facilities were safe and were clear of a spill "which (media) reports said was due to an oil tanker."

The KJO, which is a JV between Kuwait Gulf Oil Co and AGOC, a subsidiary of Saudi state firm Saudi Aramco added that it put an emergency plan into effect to deal with the spill and it will conduct an aerial survey of the area to make sure the facilities and beaches were safe.

The Khafji oilfield was shut in October 2014 for environmental reasons and Wafra has been shut since May 2015 due to operating difficulties.

(Reporting by Ahmed Hagagy; Writing by Reem Shamseddine; Editing by Greg Mahlich)
Stuff reports:

The National Party has pledged one in three cars in the Governments fleet will be electric by 2021. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Bill English in front of a charging station outside the The Dowse Museum in Lower Hutt on Saturday. Currently the Government has a fleet of about 15,500 cars, and Transport Minister Simon Bridges said the transition will help achieve the ambitious target of having 64,000 electric vehicles in New Zealand by 2021. Electric vehicles purchased in the Government fleet will flow through to the second hand market, which is essential to increasing uptake and incentivising more charging stations, said Bridges. The change in fuel costs mean the shift should come without any significant cost to the Government, he said.

I like policies that dont cost taxpayers. And having the Government commit to basically 5,000 electric vehicles over four years will lead to more charging stations which is key.

Our next vehicle probably wont be electric (will probably be a second hand one that has room for strollers, portable costs etc) but the one after that probably will be. Or even better by then well be using car sharing.

On average an electric vehicle is the equivalent to buying petrol at 30 cents a litre, compared to petrol which is about $2. The Prime Minister shared with the crowd that had gathered his light bulb moment when he first got into an electric car on a visit to Australia. One thing that struck me is how quiet they are, but also how powerful they are, English said.

I had an BMW i3 for a few days and incredibly quiet.

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A lot has happened since July, but for this is how things stood at the end of July with Labours low polling leading to the demise of Andrew Little, and then in early August the Greens poll drop leading to the demise of Metiria Turei. Never let it be said polls dont have a real impact!

The Curia newsletter summary for July is:

Curias Polling Newsletter  Issue 111, July 2017

There were four political voting polls in July  a Roy Morgan a Newshub Reid Research and two One New Colmar Bruntons. The July polling led to the demise of Labour Leader Andrew Little.

The average of the public polls saw National 19% ahead of Labour in July, down 2% from June.

The seat projection for July was centre-right 60 seats, centre-left 46 which would see the Maori Party hold the balance of power.

We show the current New Zealand poll averages for party vote, country direction and preferred PM compared to three months ago, a year ago, three years ago and nine years ago. This allows easy comparisons between terms and Governments.

Nationals party vote is around the same as a year ago but down from three years ago.

Labours party vote in July was below a year ago, and three years ago,

In the United States Trumps net approval rating has fallen 5% to -18%.

In the UK, the country direction is massively pessimistic with a net 24% decline over two months.

In Australia, both Turnbull and Shorten have -20% approval ratings.

In Canada, the Liberals increase slightly to an 8% lead over the Conservatives.

We also carry details of polls on Todd Barclay, Metiria Turei, euthanasia, tourist tax, immigration, Americas Cup, plastic bag levy, and cannabis as well as business and consumer confidence.

This newsletter is normally only available by e-mail. If you would like to receive future issues, please go to http://curia.us10.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=e9168e04adbaaaf75e062779e&id=8507431512 to subscribe yourself.
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By Nam Hyun-woo



Rising tension between the United States and North Korea is affecting the South Korean financial market, with more people showing preferences for low-risk assets.



According to the Korea Gold Exchange on Sunday, average daily sales of 100-gram gold bars has soared to 250 since Aug. 9, five times more than the previous average of 50.



On Aug. 9, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that North Korea would be met with "fire and fury" if it continued to threaten his country.



"North Korea best not make any more threats to the U.S. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen," Trump told reporters.



In response, the North threatened to strike areas around Guam with strategic missiles.



After the harsh rhetoric, the gold price has jumped from 184,004 won per 3.75 grams on Aug. 8 to 191,000 won on Aug. 12.



Demand for other safe assets also rose. For example, the U.S. dollar gained substantially last week to close at 1,143.5 won.



Compared to the increased preference for gold and the greenback, the domestic bourse suffered a huge retreat.



The KOSPI ended at 2,319.71 on Friday, down 1.69 percent from a day earlier. Foreign investors led the drop, offloading shares worth more than 648 billion won ($566 million).



Throughout last week, the benchmark index has contracted by 3.16 percent or 72.73 points. The index fell below 2,320 for the first time since May 24.



South Korea's five-year cross default swap (CDS) premium, a credit derivative showing a country's default risk, has risen to 66 basis point as of Aug. 10, the highest since April last year.



"It is necessary to pay attention to the movement of South Korea's CDS premium, which is a key barometer showing risks stemming from North Korea," said HI Investment & Securities chief analyst Park Sang-hyun.



"It was lowered after the United Nations adopted a new sanctions resolution against North Korea, but it rocketed after the verbal battle between Washington and Pyongyang."



He worried that along with the CDS premium, the foreign exchange movement may lead foreign investors to offload their shares to take profits.



Despite the worsening tension and the impact on the financial market, Park expected North Korea's neighbors would make great efforts to prevent a military collision, given the size of Northeast Asian region's capital market.



"The anxiety over the domestic financial market will likely continue, but the North Korea risk may not lead to a military collision," Park said.



"The combined market capital of South Korea, Japan and China is $15 trillion and it accounts for 20 percent of the world's gross domestic product. Given the anticipated economic damage the collision would cause, the likelihood of a military conflict remains low."




Kim Gang-lip

By Kim Gang-lip

After the 2015 MERS outbreak, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) began to provide daily reporting on infectious disease outbreaks occurring and spreading in and outside of Korea. As of the last week of July, the following infectious disease trends were detected worldwide. MERS-CoV continues to occur sporadically in Saudi Arabia. The number of confirmed cases is 158 so far this year.

Bird flu, Avian influenza (H7N9), continues to occur in China. Between 2016 and 2017, there were 759 confirmed cases.

Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever continues to occur in Iran. So far, 80 cases have been confirmed.

Dengue fever has sharply increased in Sri Lanka, Vietnam and other Southeast Asian Countries. So far, 110,000 cases have been confirmed.

Even at this moment, infectious diseases continue to occur and spread somewhere in the world, causing pain.

What is even worse is that infectious diseases can break out anywhere due to increased cross-border mobility, climate change and other factors.

It was not an overstatement when Bill Gates warned that preparing against large-scale pandemics is the most pressing challenge facing the world.

Between 2014 and 2015, the Ebola outbreak in West Africa brought the death toll to over 10,000.

From that experience, the world learned that infectious disease outbreaks cannot be defeated by the efforts of a single nation.

Against this backdrop, the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) was launched in the United States in February 2014.

The GHSA has since grown into a central global committee on health security with 59 participating countries and eight partner international organizations.

Over the past four years since its inception, the GHSA has achieved quite a lot.

To start with, the GHSA has promulgated the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) which enables accurate and objective assessments of individual countries' public health capabilities.

At the same time, the GHSA has established 11 Action Packages for target areas such as antimicrobial resistance, immunization and zoonotic disease, which aim to strengthen the global capacity to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.

In addition, the GHSA promoted cooperation among sectors including food, animals, livestock, defense, radiation and chemicals, which may spread biological threats and infectious diseases.

Korea has maintained a strong presence and a critical role in the GHSA.

Since the day of its launch, Korea has actively participated in the GHSA as a steering country.

In 2015, the Korean government successfully hosted a high-level GHSA meeting in Seoul and led the adoption of the Seoul Declaration, the world's first joint declaration on health security.

In the same year, Korea announced the Safe Life for All Initiative and has since implemented its pledge of offering $100 million between 2016 and 2020 to help support 13 developing countries in Africa and Asia with building public health infrastructure.

Furthermore, Korea has assumed chairmanship of the GHSA steering group comprised of 10 countries for 2017, encouraging participating countries to produce more practical outcomes under the slogan "Take Action."

This year, the GHSA steering group focuses on compiling model practices for respective Action Packages to help the least-developed countries develop their own national action plans.

Additionally, the scope of multi-sector collaboration has been expanded to include the defense and food sectors.

On the occasion of the 70th World Health Assembly last May, a GHSA side event was held under the chairmanship of Korea and in close collaboration with other participating countries and partners.

The side event was held to raise awareness about health security issues among many countries and international organizations.

Going forward, the role and function of the GHSA will be increasingly emphasized.

This was made evident in the G20 Leaders' Declaration and the preceding Korea-U.S. Joint Statement.

As a core member of the GHSA, Korea will remain committed to making the world safe and secure from infectious diseases.

Together with other GHSA participating countries and partners, Korea will think bigger and longer to create a master plan for safeguarding humanity against infectious diseases.

The writer is the deputy minister for healthcare policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare. He is the chair of the GHSA steering group.
By Lee Kyung-min

Nepalese worker's suicide sparks call for law revision





The handwritten note found next to the body of Keshav Shrestha. Courtesy of Sunita Bandey

A regulation banning foreign workers from seeking new jobs without their current employer's approval has drawn growing criticism, following the suicide of a migrant worker whose requests for such permission were repeatedly denied.

Many Korean employers have abused the Employment Permit System, under which migrant workers have had to endure habitual verbal and physical abuses as they are tethered to the companies they work for. The system has deprived non-professional foreign workers of their right to seek new employment.

A Nepalese man, Keshav Shrestha, 27, was found dead in a dormitory at a bearing manufacturing factory in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, at 4 a.m., Aug 7. A roommate of Shrestha found his body with a note next to it.

The note read: "I was under enormous stress at work. I was not allowed to leave the workplace to find new work at a different factory, nor was I permitted to go back to Nepal for medical treatment. I have 3.2 million won ($2,800) in my bank account. Please send it to my wife and my sister back in my home country."

"Shrestha came to Korea in February last year. He had worked less than 18 months, less than half the time allowed for a migrant worker, which is four years and 10 months," said Sunita Bandey, a Nepalese woman who helps migrant workers in Korea from her country.

Foreign workers can stay here on E-9 visas for three years and have their visas extended by one year and ten months.

Most immigrant workers want to stay here as long as possible to earn money. But the Nepalese man committed suicide with more than two years left before his visa expired.

According to Bandey, the man could not handle the work schedule _ a 12-hour day shift for two weeks followed by a 12-hour night shift for the following two weeks.

He had to be at work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for two weeks, and then from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. the following two weeks.

"He told many of his friends he could not sleep at night for the first few days of the week after the night shift began. He had this sleeplessness for days which made it impossible to do anything _ let alone work," she said.

He asked the employer on multiple occasions to approve his requests to seek a new employer where he could work during the daytime and sleep at night, or go back home to rest, but the employer rejected his requests.

Shrestha took sleeping pills and sought treatment at numerous hospitals, but his condition did not improve.

Meanwhile, Shrestha is one of many migrant workers vulnerable to the abuses of employers who feel "entitled" to treat them any way they want under the current regulation.

The work permit system that allows such substantial discretion of employers was implemented with two objectives.

First, foreigners are allowed to work only to the extent that they do not infringe on local workers' right to work. Allowing foreigners to choose workplaces would end up increasing demands for higher pay and better working conditions, which would threaten local workers in the job market, according to government officials. The government also sought to prevent those workers from staying here permanently.

Bandey said she has heard abuse claims from countless men and women which involved being hit in the head, slapped or punched in the face or kicked as well as being yelled at on many farms and in factories.

Bandey said, "If a Korean employer does the same thing to Korean workers, wouldn't it be a major crime? Not to mention the workers quitting the job would be sure to happen? Why should migrant workers be punished just because they are foreigners?"

Udaya Rai, head of the Migrant Workers' Union, visited the factory, Tuesday, to find out if the employer had banned Shrestha from seeking immediate medical attention when needed, had refused to accept his requests or whether any other abusive practices took place.

"Korean people can quit and find a new job whenever they want without needing the approval from their current employer," he said. "Why are foreigners not allowed to do so?"
By Kim Sua





The late King Abdullah, who is known for his significant contributions to the improvement of women's rights in Saudi Arabia, died on Jan. 23, 2015. Among his significant gender equality reforms were allowing women to work as supermarket cashiers, appointing a woman as a deputy minister and allowing women to vote and participate in politics.

Despite this progress, however, women in the country are still not allowed to drive, which makes one wonder: How much difference does being able to participate in politics make when women are still deprived of one of the most basic rights, which in turn restricts their freedom and mobility?

It is now up to King Salman, the successor of King Abdullah, to eliminate this deep-rooted inequality in routine and let women to experience a more immediate improvement in their rights and in their lives.

At the root of the daily oppression of women's rights in Saudi Arabia is the male guardianship system, in which Saudi women have to gain permission from their male guardians (typically a father, husband, brother or even a son) to engage in not only important decisions such as marriage and employment but also in day-to-day matters such as going to a restaurant, traveling abroad and even going to the hospital for treatment.

Hence, the primary goal of any plan to improve women's rights in Saudi Arabia should be the abolishment of the guardianship system. On the guardianship system, there are conflicting opinions among Islamic societies and within the Saudi society. Abdelaziz Al Sheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia, has criticized the demand to abolish the guardianship system as a "crime to Islam" and "threat to the existence of the Saudi society," while Sheikh Abdullah Al Monayea, a congressman in the prelate commission, has claimed the Muslim guidelines do not refer to the male guardianship system except for marriages.

King Salman has the responsibility to try and establish substantial changes in women's rights even in the face of the extremely conservative religious opposition. Rather than settling with employing a handful of female politicians, he should try and create changes with a more direct effect on women's daily lives. I believe allowing women to drive, which would give them freedom and mobility, would be a good start. It will send a significant signal to the women in Saudi Arabia of the big changes to come and give them the courage and hope to continue the momentum of change for a truly free and equal society.

Saudi citizens are informing the world of their hope to abolish discrimination. Saudi women taking pictures of themselves driving took the web by storm. Just this year, 14,000 Saudi women signed a petition to end the male guardianship system. The world is aware, and the world cares. The Saudi Arabian government should no longer ignore the efforts of their citizens who hope for equal rights.

Kim Sua is a senior in the Department of English Linguistics at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies. Write to suang103@naver.com.
By Doug Bandow





President Donald Trump has put all of Asia and much of the world on edge by going mano-a-mano with "Supreme Leader" Kim Jong-un. The former blusterer like the frightened head of an international micro-state instead of the representative of the world's most important and powerful nation.

There is no contest between the two countries. America's GDP last year was almost $19 trillion, around 650 times that of the North. Washington spends upwards of 100 times as much as Pyongyang on the military. Only a few of America's 1411 nuclear warheads would be necessary to turn Kim Jong-un's kingdom into a proverbial "lake of fire."

Of course, critical to deterrence is whether Kim recognizes the actual balance of power. But the near hysterical language with which Pyongyang addresses the world is not new. Brinkmanship long has been North Korean policy.

Moreover, there is no evidence that the North's "Supreme Leader" is blind, ignorant, or suicidal. In fact, so far he has played a weak hand well, consolidating power despite being only 27 when he succeeded his father in December 2011.

Kim's byungjin policy, essentially "parallel development" of both the economy and nuclear weapons, so far has succeeded. Far more than his father he has pursued economic reform, with positive results which I observed while visiting the capital Pyongyang in June.

Moreover, nuclear and missile developments proceed faster than ever. Kim clearly prefers his virgins in this world rather than the next.

Nor is the regime's desire for nukes and missiles evidence of insanity. The DPRK has fallen dramatically behind: the Republic of Korea, which possesses about 40 times the GDP and twice the population of the North. The ROK is technologically advanced, integrated into the international system, beneficiary of abundant economic and diplomatic support, and, most important, backed by the globe's super/hyperpower.

In Pyongyang North Korean officials denounced Washington's "hostile policy," backed by "military threats" and "nuclear threats." All of which is true, though, of course, the U.S. responded to the DPRK's own "hostile" behavior.

The U.S. intervened to defend the Republic of Korea after the 1950 North Korean invasion and would have liberated the entire peninsula had China not entered the conflict. The U.S. then forged a "Mutual Defense" treaty with the South.

Ironically, the end of the Cold War enhanced the danger facing Pyongyang. First Moscow and Beijing opened diplomatic relations with South Korea.

Moreover, after the demise of the Soviet Union America no longer restrained itself militarily, routinely engaging in regime change, most recently in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya. Kim has good reason to be paranoid.

Nuclear weapons obviously offer North Korea a useful tool to defend itself in a dangerous and uncertain part of the world. Even China is at best a frenemy.

Nukes also give Pyongyang status, enable neighborly extortion, and please the military. Long-range missiles have the additional benefit of allowing North Korea to share the slaughter with the U.S. homeland.

What should Washington do?

1) President Trump should stop competing in the crazed rhetoric contest. Kim Jong-un shouts to get attention and divert attention from his country's many weaknesses. America's president needs do neither.

2) The U.S. should begin phasing out both its security treaty with and military garrison in the ROK. Protecting prosperous and populous friends is not worth the risk of nuclear war.

3) Washington should sit down with the People's Republic of China, acknowledge its interests, and offer to make a deal. For instance, propose an American military withdrawal from the Korean peninsula in exchange for greater Chinese pressure on the North.

4) American policymakers should consider whether encouraging South Korean and Japanese development of countervailing nuclear arsenals is better than maintaining an increasingly frayed "nuclear umbrella" over Washington's allies. There are only "second best" solutions.

5) The U.S. should negotiate with North Korea. Washington and Pyongyang should explore areas of potential agreement, such as a nuclear freeze, even if Pyongyang refuses to abandon its nukes and missiles.

There is good news. Pyongyang wants to avoid, not wage, war against America. (Hopefully the Trump administration also wants to forestall any conflict.) But the Kim regime looks to deterrence as its only sure defense.

Peace should remain America's overriding objective regarding the Korean peninsula. President Trump should mix diplomacy with deterrence.

Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author of "Tripwire: Korea and U.S. Foreign Policy in a Changed World" and co-author of "The Korean Conundrum: America's Troubled Relations with North and South Korea."
The Indian national flag flies next to the Chinese national emblem outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The two nations could be on the brink of war.



Chinese military primed for battle, military sources say; Indian troops prepared for any eventuality'



By Minnie Chan





Chinese and Indian troops are readying themselves for a possible armed conflict in the event they fail in their efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution to their border dispute on the Doklam plateau in the Himalayas, observers said.

On Friday, India's defence minister Arun Jaitley told parliament that the country's armed forces are "prepared to take on any eventuality" of the stand-off, Indian Express reported the same day.

Sources close to the Chinese military, meanwhile, said that the People's Liberation Army is increasingly aware of the possibility of war, but will aim to limit any conflict to the level of skirmishes, such as those contested by India and Pakistan in Kashmir.

"The PLA will not seek to fight a ground war with Indian troops early on. Instead it will deploy aircraft and strategic missiles to paralyse Indian mountain divisions stationed in the Himalayas on the border with China," a military insider told the South China Morning Post on condition of anonymity, adding that he believes Indian troops will probably hold out for "no more than a week".

Another military source said that officers and troops from the Western Theatre Command have already been told to prepare for war with India over the Doklam crisis.

"There is a voice within the army telling it to fight because it was Indian troops that intruded into Chinese territory in Donglang [Doklam]," the second source said. "Such a voice is supported by the public."

Both sources said that China's military believes any conflict will be controlled, and not spill over into other disputed areas, of which there are currently three along the 2,000km border between the two Asian giants.

However, Indian defence experts warned that once the first shot is fired, the conflict may escalate into full-scale war. That in turn could result in New Delhi blockading China's maritime lifeline in the Indian Ocean.

"Any Chinese military adventurism will get a fitting reply from the Indian military," Dr Rajeev Ranjan Chaturvedy, a research associate at the Institute of South Asian Studies at the National University of Singapore, told the Post.

"Certainly, it will be detrimental for both, but if Beijing escalates [the conflict], it will not be limited. Perhaps, it may extend to the maritime domain as well," he said.

"If China engages in a military offensive against India, New Delhi will take all necessary measures ... [and will] respond to Chinese actions in its own way. Why only a border war? It could escalate to a full-scale India-China war," he said.

Rajeswari Rajagopalan, a defence analyst from the Observer Research Foundation think tank in New Delhi, said that "in the event of a full-scale war, definitely India's navy will prevent the Chinese navy from moving into the Bay of Bengal or the Indian Ocean."

China is heavily reliant on imported fuel and, according to figures published by state media, more than 80 per cent of its oil imports travel via the Indian Ocean or Strait of Malacca.

Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie said that India in 2010 established a naval base in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, close to the Strait of Malacca, where the narrowest sea channel is just 1.7km wide.

"Since 2010, India has also upgraded two airstrips on the islands to serve fighters and reconnaissance aircraft," he said.

"All these moves pave the way for India to be able to blockade Chinese military and commercial ships from entering the Indian Ocean in the event of a naval conflict between the two countries."

In July, India, the United States and Japan completed their 10-day Malabar 2017 naval exercise in the Bay of Bengal, while around the same time the US approved the US$365-million sale of military transport aircraft to India and a US$2-billion deal for surveillance drones.

As a result, the Indian navy now has eight Boeing P-8A Poseidon submarine hunters patrolling in the Indian Ocean.

Chinese and Indian troops fought a war in 1962 after a series of skirmishes heightened tensions on the border. That conflict ended largely in a stalemate, despite China's large military advantage.

However, Chaturvedy said that India has learnt lessons from its past mistakes and is now better prepared to defend itself against China.

Macau-based military expert Antony Wong Dong said that both sides have underestimated each other.

"If the border conflict expands to the sea, it will be very difficult for the PLA to defeat the Indian navy, whose capabilities are much stronger after the purchase of the P-8A Poseidon submarine hunters," he said.
. 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.
Thank you for your excellent reporting [NBC Pushes to Get Female Directors, Aug. 4] and for continuing to illuminate gender equity in Hollywood.

As a former chair of the DGA Womens Steering Committee (who has directed more than 60 hours of episodic television), I would like to bring to the attention of our industry that there are more than 1,300 experienced, midcareer female directors in the guild. While it is true that only about 50 of these women are represented by agents, making the rest virtually invisible to those who hire, there are, in fact, hundreds of accomplished female directors, some with Emmys and Oscars, ready, willing and able to call Action!

Meryl Streep sponsors a program for midcareer, female writers, and the WGA has made enormous strides supporting the careers of their experienced female writers, but in the television director landscape the persistent belief that there are not enough trained directors is simply false, a huge injustice to women who have already been injured by decades of gender exclusion.

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Training new directors is no doubt an important element in creating a wider talent pool, but there is a highly skilled labor force that already exists, ignored for too long. Its high time for the industry to employ these accomplished women and for the agencies to do their part in representing them. Were not hard to find.

Rachel Feldman

Los Angeles

L.A. loves Randy Newman

Regarding Randy Newman Puts His Own Twist on Putin and Life Today [Aug. 6]: Reading your article I had a thought. If Randy Newman is underappreciated perhaps the Eagles are overappreciated?

Paul Mills

Los Angeles

::

Great writing about Randy Newman. You got it right.

Michael Preece

Malibu

Critiques, not lectures, please

Regarding Tale of Meth and Modernism [Aug. 6]: Would The Times kindly change Christopher Hawthornes title to Architectural Lecturer and hire an actual architectural critic who critiques architecture and whose mission it is to improve the quality of architecture in L.A.? I think such a move would be of great benefit to our city.

Tom Roberts

Los Angeles

Appreciating Barbara Cook

Regarding Cook Made Song Lyrics All Her Own [Aug. 9]: I am so sorry to hear about Barbara Cooks passing. I too saw her for the first time at the Cafe Carlyle when you did. I had heard and read about her, but nothing prepared me for the power and beauty of her singing. Since then I have seen her about three or four times in Los Angeles.

I also saw Elaine Stritch many times here in L.A. Her last performance at Disney Hall was so painful to watch. I had to leave after the intermission. And with Glen Campbells passing, the musical and vocal talents of three luminaries are lost.

Esther Edber

Burbank

::

Your piece today is an absolute masterwork and a stunning evocation of precisely what weve lost with her passing. What she did for song, you have done for her. Thank you.

Molly Murray

Studio City

::

Thank you for your beautiful love letter to Barbara Cook.

Judy McDonald

Pasadena

He didnt start the fire. Right.

Reading the story about Gary Richards [Hard Summers Gary Richards Has Learned How to Cope With Constant Change, July 30] reminds me of the guy who organized a pyromaniacs convention, brought in mega-samples of matches and gasoline, watched the building burn down, then blamed everyone else for letting people in and not having enough firetrucks. Its like hes 47 years old going on 10.

James Fryman

Crestline

A boycott of President Trump

Norman Lear says he will boycott a White House reception for his Kennedy Center Honors [Lear: No to Trump White House, Aug. 5]. The whole point of All in the Family was that everybody should get along. It appears that the incorrigible Archie Bunker was modeled on Lear himself, unable to get along with everyone.

Bob Munson

Newbury Park

::

If there is an award that honors integrity, I nominate Norman Lear.

Babette Wilk

Valley Village

::

Kudos to Norman Lear for his response to the reception to be held for Kennedy Center honorees at the White House in December.

Declining the invitation by a president who attempts to denigrate the arts speaks loudly and clearly, but I fear Trump will not hear the roar of disapproval in Lears nonacceptance of the invitation. Mr. Lear has once again proven himself to be worthy of the honor to be bestowed that bears the name of a president who honored and valued the arts.

Cassie Bryer

Los Angeles

Recalling artist as a young man

Reading Its Not Just Any Brillo Box [Aug. 7] brought back to me a memory from 1949 when I worked in a book publishing house in New York, where I met artists seeking work designing book covers. It was the policy to have them wait in the outer office until called. I recall a 19- or 20-year-old Andy Warhol  with a sheaf of brown red hair across his forehead and brown rimmed glasses  waiting patiently for his turn. I would assure him his chance would come and he was very patient.

Elizabeth Ginsburg

Sherman Oaks

Guest conductor gets her support

Your typically biased article regarding Dennis Prager and his volunteering to conduct the Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra [Taking Up the Baton and Debate, Aug. 9] made me so angry that I just donated money to his website.

Susan Robison

Altadena

calendar.letters@latimes.com
Bruno Mars is donating $1 million from his sold-out concert in Michigan to aid those impacted by the Flint water crisis.

The pop crooner announced to the crowd who packed the Palace of Auburn Hills for his 24K Magic World Tour on Saturday night that he and the shows promoter, Live Nation, would be redirecting funds from the Michigan show to charity.

Proceeds from the show have been earmarked for the Community Foundation of Greater Flint.

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Ongoing challenges remain years later for Flint residents, and its important that we dont forget our brothers and sisters affected by this disaster, Mars said in a statement. As people, especially as Americans, we need to stand together to make sure something like this never happens in any community ever again.

The Community Foundation of Greater Flint is an organization addressing the issues brought on after the city switched water sources and failed to treat the water to prevent corrosion, which allowed dangerous amounts of lead from old pipes to leach into the water.

Mars recently kicked off the North American leg of his sold out 24k Magic World Tour. It stops at the Forum for a stretch of shows in early November and stretches till next summer.

See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour 

gerrick.kennedy@latimes.com

For more music news follow me on Twitter:@GerrickKennedy
Dozens of protesters rallied in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday evening to denounce the racially-charged violence in Charlottesville, Va.

More than a hundred demonstrators marched in front of Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, chanting, No justice, no peace, and waving signs that read Solidarity with Charlottesville, White Silence = Violence and Stop White Terrorists.

The peaceful demonstration came hours after three people were killed and dozens injured in Charlottesville when a rally staged by white nationalists turned violent. The Unite the Right rally was a battle over the citys ordered removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

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Before the rally could even begin, neo-Nazis, white nationalists and other far-right figures began brawling with large numbers of anti-racism protesters in the streets of the college town.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) joined officials from across the country to speak out against the violence.

Protesters block both directions of the 580 Freeway during a rally against racism Saturday night in Oakland. (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images)

Hundreds of protesters also took to the streets in San Francisco and Oakland late Saturday to denounce the racist rally in Charlottesville.

In Santa Ana, 150 people rallied against racism in Sasscer Park, a statement from organizers said.

In a statement, Garcetti said: Angelenos and people everywhere condemn these acts of hatred, and are deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries suffered today. We stand with [Charlottesville] Mayor Mike Signer and everyone in his city with hope and prayers for peace to be restored.'

Feinstein echoed the mayors sentiments.

Violent acts of hate and bigotry have no place in America, she said. Violence like this will solve nothing and will only beget more violence and sow more division.'

carlos.lozano@latimes.com

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An El Cajon councilman being sued for fraud and defamation involving a beauty pageant that he runs is counter-suing his accusers, saying he has been victimized by their unfounded charges.

The attorney for Bessmon Ben Kalasho, who was elected to the El Cajon City Council in November, said the plaintiffs provided no direct evidence that Kalasho was behind photographs online that had the face of former Miss Middle East Zhala Tawfiq pasted onto a naked woman.

Perhaps, however, the individual who posted the supposed falsified nude pictures of [Tawfiq] was someone of her own culture, who took exception with her holding the Kurdish flag upside down at the pageant, which is a well-known disrespect to ones country, the cross-complaint states.

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Jimmie Parker, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Tawfiq and other plaintiffs, rejected the assertions in the cross-complaint and said it was improper.

The cross-complaint filed by Mr. Kalasho is completely unfounded and is a continuation of his harassment of my clients, Parker said. This countersuit is worthy of sanctions, and we will seek them accordingly.

Tawfiq was stripped of her title midway through her yearlong reign as Miss Middle East because of a dispute with Kalasho, who runs the pageant. She claimed the beauty contest and crown were a farce.

Kalasho claimed Tawfiq breached her contract. He also has denied all of the other allegations in the lawsuit, including the claim that he promised pageant contestant Paris Kargar that she would win the crown if she agreed to spend the night in his hotel room.

Surprisingly, after what Plaintiff Kargar allegedly experienced, including a supposed offer of sexual intercourse for the crown, she later attended a function hosted by both defendant Bessmon Kalasho and defendant Jessica Kalasho, the claim states, referring to the councilmans wife.

Kargar also accused Kalasho of improperly commenting on her appearance during a pageant rehearsal.

In a lawsuit filed in May, Bessmon and Jessica Kalasho and two organizations the councilman founded were accused of creating fake social media accounts to criticize Tawfiq. The complaint later was amended to include Kargars allegations and claims that Kalasho used fake social media accounts to criticize his adversaries.

One of the other defendants is San Diego attorney Lina Charry, who claimed she was targeted by Kalasho in an online poll after she prevailed in an unrelated lawsuit.

The fraud and defamation case against Kalasho alleged that fake profiles posted unflattering reviews of Charrys legal work on the Facebook page of a Kalasho-founded nonprofit now called the Middle Eastern Chamber of Commerce.

In his cross-complaint, Kalasho said it is Charry who has an obsessive fixation on Kalasho, in part because she was not permitted to participate in the Miss Middle East contest for several years.

Her reputation preceded herself, the cross-complaint states. Thats why. We wanted nothing to do with Lina Charry.

The 21-page cross-complaint was filed in San Diego Superior Court on Friday. In addition to attorney fees and court costs, it seeks an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages.

jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com
Two Los Angeles County sheriffs patrol cars crashed into each other on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu early Sunday, authorities said.

The crash occurred about 7:10 a.m. just west of Heathercliff Road, said sheriffs Sgt. Brad Johnson. There were no serious injuries, but one deputy was transferred to a local hospital for observation, he said.

No other details were available about how the crash occurred or who was responsible, Johnson said.

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The crash scene has been cleared to traffic.

carlos.lozano@latimes.com
Archbishop Jose H. Gomez is celebrating a special Mass in downtown Los Angeles on Sunday honoring Oscar Arnulfo Romero  the beloved Salvadoran archbishop who would have turned 100 Monday.

Romero died a martyr while celebrating Mass in 1980, assassinated at 62 by a death squad during his countrys brutal civil war. Born Aug. 15, 1917, Romero long faced resistance from conservative forces in Central America and at the Vatican, as some argued that his leftist politics guided his fight for the poor. But in February 2015, Pope Francis declared Romero a martyr, and a month later, he was beatified, a key step toward becoming a Catholic saint.

Sundays Mass, which will be in Spanish, began at 12:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.

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After Mass, the public can view three artifacts tied to Romero  the microphone he often used to deliver messages to parishioners at San Salvadors Metropolitan Cathedral, a blood-stained cloth recovered from the day he was killed and a photograph of him, which he autographed for a woman who worked with him over the years.

Los Angeles resident Maria Hilda Gonzalez, who was born in El Salvador and now works as an anchor on El Sembrador, a Catholic TV station, helped arrange to have the relics available for Sundays Mass.

She described viewing the microphone that Romero used as a powerful experience.

Its a gift from God, she said in Spanish, adding that viewing the artifacts reminded her of the responsibility of her faith. We must live in peace, be united and defend our faith.

To Gonzalez, the beloved archbishop from her homeland represents the true church.

He was a pastor who defended the poor, she said. He defended the most humble.

marisa.gerber@latimes.com

For more news from the Los Angeles County courts, follow me on Twitter: @marisagerber
White lives matter, you will not replace us, chanted white nationalists as they marched through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Va., with tiki torches Friday night. On Saturday, Ku Klux Klan members and others displaying Confederate flags, swastikas and an array of hate symbols gathered for a rally in Emancipation Park in that small, majority-white college town.

In a four-sentence statement on the universitys website, UVA President Teresa A. Sullivan deemed the campus march intolerable and entirely inconsistent with the universitys values. Sullivan also added that she was deeply saddened and disturbed by the hateful behavior displayed by torch-bearing protesters that marched on our grounds this evening.

But Sullivans message, and subsequent university postings Saturday, failed to explicitly name white supremacy as the motive of the protesters and made no mention of race. We suspect that many black parents who are about to drop their 17- and 18-year-olds off for move-in day and the fall term at UVA in the next week are worried. They have heard nothing from campus leadership that is likely to assure them that UVA is firmly committed to addressing racism when it occurs on and around campus.

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The posted statements dont say that the hateful behavior of the Unite the Right marchers targeted people of color. When black freshmen at the University of Pennsylvania received messages containing racial slurs and threats of lynching last November, Penns President Amy Gutmann and other administrators repeatedly called these acts racist and acknowledged that black students were victims of the digital attacks. Higher education leaders must explicitly and specifically denounce racism as alt-right and other white nationalist groups bring hate to campus.

The UVA statements do nothing to debunk Ku Klux Klan members and others claims about the status of white people. By far, whites make up the largest racial group at UVA, campus statistics show. There were 13,098 white students during the 2016-17 academic school year, compared with 1,323 blacks and 1,285 Latinos. Furthermore, last year only 87 of the universitys 2,754 faculty members were black. White men made up 49.1% of the faculty. These numbers make clear that white lives, especially white mens lives, do in fact matter at UVA and in Charlottesville, and are in no danger of being replaced. The university must deploy these facts against the alt-rights erroneous assertions.

In moments of racial crisis, students and faculty  especially people of color  look to senior administrators for guidance and reassurance. They expect courageous leadership and the responsible use of evidence. Mishandling these situations in raceless ways does nothing to confirm, for instance, that black lives matter. It signals to students and faculty that their university is either too unaware, too afraid or insufficiently skilled to talk about racism, let alone to address it. According to 2016 data from the American Council on Education, 83% of college and university presidents in our nation are white. Campus chief executives, including those who are people of color, join white nationalists in preserving and exacerbating white supremacy when they neglect to name and boldly counter racism.

Shaun R. Harper and Charles H. F. Davis III are professors at USCs Rossier School of Education. They lead the USC Race and Equity Center.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook

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On Jan. 26, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, whose board of sponsors I chair, reset its Doomsday Clock to 2 minutes, 30 seconds to midnight, the closest it has been to midnight in more than 60 years. At the time, two of the factors we mentioned in making our decision were the ominous developments in North Korea, and the frivolous and dangerous language the new American president had employed before his inauguration regarding nuclear weapons and nuclear war.

Many observers have wondered whether the events of the past weeks mean that we are even closer to Armageddon than the bulletin envisaged just seven months ago. We decide whether to move the hands of the clock at designated, annual intervals. At this point, things arent looking good for the next assessment, in November. North Koreas latest batch of intercontinental ballistic missiles appears to have the capability of reaching the United States, and the Washington Post reported that U.S. intelligence believes Pyongyang has managed to miniaturize its nuclear warheads to fit in the nose of those ICBMs.

This is still a far cry from having true nuclear weapons capability. Its likely the North hasnt met the technical challenge of managing the massive amounts of heat generated when a ballistic missile re-enters Earths atmosphere headed for its target. Still, Kim Jong Uns military has moved far faster and further in ICBM and nuclear weapons development than many had predicted even a year ago.

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In response to these developments, Donald Trumps fire and fury statements are, as usual with the president, murky at best. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson quickly tried to dial back the tension by saying Trumps extemporaneous comments were primarily rhetorical. The secretary of Defense, James Mattis, on the other hand, issued his own ominous statement that the North should cease any considerations of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and destruction of its people. Then on Thursday and Friday, Trump doubled down, saying the U.S. was locked and loaded for the confrontation.

After Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Albert Einstein said, Everything has changed, save the way we think.

Certainly, the fact that Tillerson and the State Department appear to take a back seat in the Trump administration to military solutions cannot be lost on the leadership in North Korea. To step back from the brink, both parties need to be reminded that nuclear war is unwinnable.

Any direct military confrontation between North Korea and the U.S. would be devastating, and the likelihood that a conventional conflict would escalate into nuclear war is sufficiently high to give any rational actor pause. Millions could die in North and South Korea alone. The physical effects would be global ( a limited nuclear war, using 50-100 weapons, could affect climate and in turn agriculture worldwide, resulting in perhaps a billion deaths over a decade), and the political, economic and social consequences in our integrated world would be equally catastrophic.

North Korea obviously views the actions of the United States, and to some extent those of the rest of the world, as an effort to destabilize the existing regime. Washington needs to make its focus clearly the Norths nuclear ambitions, and nothing else. As recently as 2005 (albeit before Kim Jong Uns ascension), the North publicly signed onto the goal of eventual denuclearization of the entire Korean peninsula.

Diplomatic initiatives probably require direct talks, the kind of dialogue President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev conducted. The Trump administration could show that it would take negotiations seriously by backing away from its attacks on another nuclear deal, the Iran agreement, instead of seeking to undo it. And the U.S. could finally use this opportunity to affirm a no first use policy, instead of implicitly threatening a preemptive strike. Any one of these moves could help turn back the hands of the Doomsday Clock.

Doomsday calculations also must weigh pronouncements like the statement released last week by one of Trumps key evangelical advisors, Robert Jeffress: God has given Trump authority to take out Kim Jong Un. Perhaps Jeffress is hoping for Armageddon, and a subsequent second coming of Christ. At least Trump appears to be courting the religious right to solidify his political base, not because he actually shares their beliefs. Jeffress comment would be more worrisome if Mike Pence, a fundamentalist Christian, were president.

Last week marked the 72nd anniversary of the first use of a nuclear weapon against a civilian population, at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. Before President Truman dropped the second bomb he warned the Japanese to expect a rain of ruin  the like of which has never been seen on this earth, language remarkably similar to Trumps. But Truman knew there would be no retaliation; he could rely on what Trump cannot: a monopoly on atomic weapons.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists and the Doomsday Clock were established by the very physicists who worked on those first bombs, and their successors have continued the task of warning the world of the dangers of nuclear war. However accurately the clock conveys the threat, it cannot make us safe. After Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Albert Einstein said, Everything has changed, save the way we think. We must pressure our political leaders to adjust their thinking, and their actions, to the horrifying realities we face from nuclear weapons.

Lawrence M. Krauss, a theoretical physicist, has been chairman of the board of sponsors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists since 2007. His latest book is The Greatest Story Ever ToldSo Far.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand Facebook

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To the editor: My generation, the boomers, were born just after a most lethal war. Families lived relentless trauma from it.

(Re A war of fiery words, Aug. 10 and President takes war of words up a notch, Aug 11)

When we were toddlers, the Soviet Union exploded its first atomic bomb. Lives felt threatened in a terrifying way. In 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea; the U.S. went into the conflict. Americans suffered: Fathers, uncles, brothers and neighbors boys died gruesome deaths or returned maimed and troubled.

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Later, the U.S. tested the massive hydrogen bomb; we children saw its fearsome detonation on TV. Drop and cover exercises were held in schools.

In 1962 came the Cuban missile crisis; the Vietnam War followed, devastating our generation. Wars ugliness and terror cloaked our entire childhood and youth.

When we hear President Trump carelessly threaten that he can unleash unspeakable horror, those of my generation lose sleep and we fear. We understand what is unleashed.

Walter Dominguez, Los Angeles

To the editor: Two crazies who can not control their fiery words make for a terrified and uncertain world.

And of course, Trumps aides defend his words. They always defend his words.

Thats one of the main problems with this presidency: No one speaks truth to power. No one in his closest circle of aides and advisors has the ability to rein in Trumps tweets or prepare him  or us  for the consequences of his bombastic utterances and false claims.

Whatever happened to reasoned leadership, to calm, controlled assurances from our commander in chief ?

Bette Mason, Corona del Mar

To the editor: It is no surprise that the readers of The Times despise the language President Trump used to confront the maniacal dictator of North Korea. They prefer the previous administrations cool, stylish rhetoric designed to kick the can down the road and leave the most dire threat in our history to the next guy.

Yes, the cool kids in the Obama administration were geniuses at coining hip phrases like strategic patience while the decidedly evil dictator continued to assemble his nuclear arsenal. And, as usual, the cool kids and their inaction were widely accepted and lauded by the pacifist left.

But now we have a grown-up as president who is willing to step up to the plate and actually confront this danger head-on. No cute sayings, no contemplative musings about six- party talks that dont work and no offers of appeasement  just plain talk and bold action.

Joseph Schillmoeller, Gardena

To the editor: A straight-forward, honest fellow like Donald Trump would never think of creating a diversion, such as a war with North Korea, in order to divert attention away from his own political woes--the investigation into his dalliance with Russia--now would he?

Joann Randall, Newport Beach

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook
May you die in pain: California GOP congressman gets an earful at town hall

Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale) kicks off his Monday morning town hall in Chico. (Phil Willon / Los Angeles Times)

May you die in pain.

That was the nastiest moment of Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfas early morning town hall in the Northern California town of Chico on Monday.

The wish was uttered by an older man who criticized LaMalfa for voting for the House GOP plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. He was also holding a pink sign that read Lackey for the Rich!

ALSO: LaMalfa says the Russia investigation is a bunch of crap

The open hostility and intransigence inside the Chico Elks Lodge came as the political divide in the country has grown more inflamed, with Trumps election unleashing a wave of both liberal activism and conservative empowerment.

As a result, Washingtons deeply partisan fights over issues such as health care, immigration and environmental protections have followed members of Congress home, turning once sedate town halls into in-your-face venting sessions that in left-leaning California have Republican House members on the defensive.

LaMalfa stood his ground on stage as person after person ripped into him for his votes and positions on healthcare and climate change, as well as for his unyielding support for President Trump.

A few speakers asked LaMalfa to resign, including one dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West Coast.

Heather Calun dressed up as the Wicked Witch of the West Coast in protest. She wants LaMalfa to resign over his vote to repeal Obamacare. pic.twitter.com/rBZXAnjd2l  Phil Willon (@philwillon) August 7, 2017

Most comments and questions during the hour-long town hall were fairly cordial, although they were laced with plenty of boos and catcalls.

Norma Wilcox, a retired nurse who lives in Chico, also questioned LaMalfas healthcare vote. Wilcox told LaMalfa the House plan would take away healthcare for millions of Americans while providing tax breaks to the rich.

I am open to new ideas, LaMalfa told her, describing the House GOP bill as a placeholder that everyone expected to be improved during negotiations with the Senate. (The Senates healthcare efforts now appear dead.)

But the Richvale congressman, who represents Californias massive 1st Congressional District in the northeast corner of the state, said he will support only a new healthcare program that provides affordable coverage to middle-class Americans.

LaMalfa said Obamacare is quickly become unaffordable and unsustainable, with premium costs rising and the number of insurance companies offering coverage declining.

People across the board are being hurt by this, LaMalfa said.

When shouts and boos rained down on him, he chastised the crowd saying, I have the mic folks. Yep, boo away.

Ann Sisney of Chico told LaMalfa that her son, William, died of an opioid overdose two years ago. She held up a picture of the 19-year-old, asked the congressman to take it, and told him more people will die if GOP leadership in Congress gets its way on healthcare.

These are life-and-death decisions that you are making, Sisney told him.

LaMalfa assured her that Congress was working to find funds to address the nationwide opioid epidemic.

The Republican congressman also raised the ire of the crowd when he was asked about climate change and the degraded air quality in this stretch of Northern California.

I dont buy the idea that man-made activity is responsible, LaMalfa said bluntly.

The crowd of several hundred did include some LaMalfa supporters, though most stayed silent.

Ron Jones, 67, of Paradise said hes been to a few of LaMalfas town halls and all have been dominated by his critics.

Most of the time people want to ... complain, said Jones, a self-described conservative, after the event ended. The people who support him are quietly in the background.

LaMalfa does indeed have a lot of support in the district that also overwhelmingly voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton in last years presidential election. LaMalfa won his last election by almost 15%, and though he has attracted a few Democratic challengers, the district is not considered a battleground for 2018.

Unlike many California Republican members of Congress, LaMalfa hasnt shied away from holding town halls, though its rarely a pleasant experience for him. He held one in Nevada City in March and another in April in Oroville. No other California Republicans are scheduled to hold town halls during their August recess.

Near the end of Mondays town hall, a woman criticized LaMalfa for inviting only Christian pastors to provide invocations at his town halls and other events, and urged him to include religious leaders of all faiths.

If you want to have your own town hall, you can invite whoever you like, LaMalfa told her.
Perhaps the biggest takeaway from President Trumps unproven allegations about the security of elections is that hes managed to blur the difference between voting records and the act of voting.

Or put another way, its a distraction from resolving the challenges in keeping voter registration data accurate and up to date.

Trump awkwardly waded into the topic last fall when he insisted millions of fraudulent votes had been cast in California and two other states. No evidence of widespread chicanery existed then, nor has any been brought forward since. At times, it seemed the president was wrongly conflating fraud with a 2012 nonpartisan study that warned of problems with some states voter registration lists.

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Fast forward to last week, when a conservative legal organization insisted that 11 California counties have more registered voters than voting-age citizens. The group refused to share its methodology, and partly based its conclusions on the counties lists of inactive voters  people who havent cast ballots in the past two statewide elections.

Even the best registration list lives in a state of flux. Voters die. They enter prison on a felony conviction and forfeit their right to vote. They move and dont notify elections officials. Things change every day, and our voter file is constantly fluid, said Gail Pellerin, registrar of voters in Santa Cruz County. Its real people.

Political Road Map: Heres why California counties can ignore a half-dozen election laws 

Keeping Californias lists accurate became easier with the launch of a long-awaited statewide voter database last year. Now, changes are quickly seen in all 58 counties and data imported from state agencies  including the DMV and prisons  helps more easily flag problems.

Some believe California might also rethink its refusal to join states sharing voter information through a nonprofit called the Election Registration Information Center. Created five years ago, its helped 20 states and the District of Columbia catch more than 6.5 million voters who changed addresses, plus 194,000 voters who died. California opted not to join the center, citing questions about its privacy rules and the cost of paying membership dues.

But the states new database could make the multistate consortium a valuable tool. Were now in a much better place to entertain that, Secretary of State Alex Padilla said last week.

Change might also be useful when it comes to paid voter registration drives. Tens of thousands of Californians are signed up by for-profit companies hired by political parties. Critics argue that the efforts often produce flawed or false registrations. After all, vendors get paid by the number of voter cards they turn in.

Consistency is an issue, too, when it comes to purging names off voter registration lists. County registrars have wide discretion, and some worry about striking too many names and denying people a legal right to vote. But should there be a single, statewide standard for these lists of inactive voters?

It might help take the guesswork out of it, said Kim Alexander, president of the nonpartisan California Voter Foundation. Of course, any new mandate would require the state to pony up and pay the money, she said  something thats long been a problem with elections operations in California.

In short, Californias voter lists are undoubtedly better than they used to be. And thats good, because theyre going to get tested in 2018. The states new automated voter registration process begins at DMV offices in April, and could sizably boost voter rolls. Next year will see the first statewide use, too, of the law allowing voter registration on election day. And its the first election in which some counties will opt to close polling places in favor of absentee ballots.

Knowing whos eligible to vote is important. While many elections officials think Trumps unfounded fraud accusations will erode the publics faith in voting, the best antidote might be a fresh look at the lists of those signed up to cast ballots in the first place.

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:

A conservative group that went after Hillary Clintons emails wants Californias voter registration lists

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The latest on California politics and government
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.
In the midst of this very important and tumultuous election season there is an exhibition in Orange County taking the public back four decades to another period of important and tumultuous presidential politics.

South Coast Plaza, in partnership with an elite roster of serious organizations  the Getty, Carnegie Hall, Bowers Museum, Orange County Museum of Art, Pacific Symphony, Philharmonic Society of Orange County, Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, South Coast Repertory, USC Pacific Asia Museum and the Nixon Presidential Library  present an exhibition recalling the late President Richard Nixons historic visit to China in 1972.

Nixon was the first American president to visit that nation, a landmark occurrence in East-West relations. The presentation at South Coast Plaza, which opened in late June and runs through Aug. 18, is free to the public. Attendance is expected to reach more than one million visitors.

Two weeks remain to experience the interactive display that pays homage to Chinese art, music, theater, culture, design, history and politics in relation to the transformative Nixon experience of 1972.

The long lines that arrived for opening day have diminished, enabling visitors to partake in a leisurely immersion of this museum-quality educational exposure. A note to teachers of history, language, culture and international relations: Bring your summer school students on a field trip. This showcase is a must-see.

South Coast Plaza went to considerable lengths to stay away from the controversial aspects of the discredited Nixon presidency, focusing instead on the ramifications of international accord created by Nixons outreach. Thats appropriate, of course, given the significance of international commercial trade and consumer support that serves as the foundation of the retail empire known as an international shopping destination.

Debra Gunn Downing, executive director of marketing at South Coast Plaza, commented, This exhibit displays the best of who we are not just as a business, but as a nation and as human beings crossing all barriers of language, culture and politics.

She continued, We are proud to provide a unique forum that explores the interchange of music, dance, art and more between the U.S. and China.

A confederation of high-profile O.C. citizens joined in the support of Gunn Downings purpose. Others involved include Lawrence Higby, chairman of the Richard Nixon Foundation; Elizabeth Segerstrom, co-managing partner for South Coast Plaza; David Grant, general manager of South Coast Plaza; Werner Escher, executive director of domestic/international markets for South Coast Plaza; Robert Sun, American-Chinese Society president and CEO; Ruda Guo, the honorable Chinese consul, commercial affairs; Gun Jin, the honorable Chinese cultural counselor; Peter Keller, president of the Bowers Museum; William Baribault, Richard Nixon Foundation president and CEO; and O.C. philanthropists Sandy Segerstrom Daniels, Anne Shih, Marta Bhathal, Sally Segerstrom Andrews, Barbara Johnson and Dee Higby, among others.

Elizabeth Segerstrom, Grant and Gunn Downing recently invited dignitaries to a private dinner at Marche Modern, created as a thank you for the collaboration between many organizations making the exhibition possible.

A long U-shaped table was erected in the Marche loggia. It was festooned with serious arrangements of blooming velvet red roses, a nod to the Chinese color representing good fortune. Distinguished guests from Los Angeles, Orange County and beyond were greeted by the ultra-charming Elizabeth Segerstrom as flutes of Schramsberg champagne were poured.

Sampling hors doeuvres of crisped shrimp skewers, cinnamon spiced duck on scallion rice cakes and more, guests  including the very community-oriented and vivacious Anne Shih, escorted by Keller  talked shop with Dee and Larry Higby, Marta and Raj Bhathal, and Barbara and Mark Johnson.

An elegant four-course dinner followed, served in exquisite Marche style. The crowd enjoyed roasted duck breast and king salmon paired with more 2013 Schramsberg blanc de blancs, Flowers 2014 Sonoma Coast chardonnay and a 2014 Migration Russian River pinot noir. A caramel eclair crowned the evening with a bit of sweetness.

A side note of history: In 1972, the 1969 Schramsberg blanc de blancs was served at the Toast to Peace in Beijing, between President Richard Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai. Schramsberg wines have been served by every subsequent presidential administration.

Speeches were brief. Conversation was definitely political and serious. It was an evening on the Orange Coast that would qualify as an intellectual and cultural salon.

B.W. COOK is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.
And now, said the Brazilian customs agent, we need you to pull down your pants.

I stared at him, wide-eyed and disbelieving.

You need me to do what?

My eyes shifted to the other customs officer, hoping he would explain that this was just a cruel joke.

Instead, his glare made my stomach churn.

I had been hustled into a detention room at Sao Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport in Brazil, where I was facing a travelers worst nightmare: a customs strip search.

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Heres what happened:

After an eight-hour flight from Miami to Sao Paulo, our flight crew was met at customs by a cadre of Brazils federal police officers and customs agents and members of our airlines corporate security team.

Apparently, someone on my crew had become the target of a smuggling sting.

Like many South American countries, Brazil has a problem with smuggling in and out of the country. Illegal drugs are the primary contraband sought on outbound flights as passengers head to fertile drug-buying markets in Europe and North America.

But on inbound flights like the one I had just worked from Miami, customs officers look for a different kind of goods: factory-fresh computers, smartphones, tablets, jewelry  virtually anything that can be purchased in the United States, carried in passenger luggage and resold at a profit in Brazil.

Brazil is one of the worlds most expensive countries in which to buy an iPhone. Because of extraordinarily high import taxes, an unlocked iPhone 7 bought for $649 in the U.S. can sell for more than $1,200 at retail outlets in South Americas largest country.

At Sao Paulos airport, all 11 flight attendants and three pilots on my crew were told to roll our bags to the far corner of the customs area, where each piece was meticulously searched. When nothing illegal was found in mine, I thought the worst was over.

The intrusion had just begun.

I was taken to a small detention room where two customs inspectors were waiting.

We need you to do something, one of them said matter-of-factly.

I nodded, swallowed hard.

Pull down your socks.

I pulled down my socks.

Now pull down your pants.

Having done nothing wrong, I refused and crossed my arms defiantly.

The officers said I would be disrobed one way or another, so I unzipped my uniform trousers and let them drop around my ankles. I stood there, trouser-less, waiting for the next command.

OK, now we need you to drop your shorts.

My shorts?

Im sorry, he said. But yes.

Whether youve landed in Sao Paulo, Paris or Los Angeles, airline passengers and crew are powerless to refuse a customs body search. Correction. Youre free to refuse, but the consequences can be ugly. (I know of an airline captain who refused a body search in the U.S. and was slammed to the ground, handcuffed, and searched anyway.)

After a short, contentious standoff in which I ultimately blinked, my boxers came tumbling down. The only thing left between me and total humiliation was my uniform shirt. The shirttails drooped over me like a crinkly white flag at half-mast.

Now, theres just one last thing, one of the officers said.

I shut my eyes and clenched my buttocks.

We need you to squat like this.

Through fluttering eyelids I watched one officer hold both arms straight out in front of his body. He then lowered himself so his thighs were parallel to the floor.

Forced to play this repugnant game of Simon Says, I held out my arms, bent my knees and lowered my body.

The two men crouched, craning their necks and staring between my trembling thighs. They watched, shared a look, then watched some more.

After 30 or 40 seconds, I was finally allowed to dress.

I would later learn that customs suspected a crew member was smuggling $20,000 Hublot wristwatches into Brazil. They thought the timepieces had been strapped to his or her body.

Ultimately, my colleagues were cleared of any wrongdoing. But as I stumbled out of that detention room and saw the queue of anxious crew members, I heard the customs inspector say, Next!

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
Most cruise ship dining is done indoors, but youll find some wonderful opportunities for dining outdoors. Watching the sun set over the water and admiring the moon and stars are experiences worth seeking, even if you go to the buffet and take your selections to a table outside.

If your ship is visiting a port of call, you may be treated to even more scenic views  the volcanic peaks of Bora-Bora, for instance, or the magnificent hilltop casino and fancy yachts in Monte Carlo.

Part of the attraction of outdoor dining on cruise ships is that even if everyone indoors is in his or her finery, the dress code in the open air usually is casual.

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Here are some of the best spots for dining outdoors on cruise ships.

Extraordinary buffet

Dont let the word buffet scare you. On the six 684- to 1,250-passenger ships of Oceania Cruises, the dinner spread at the Terrace Cafe has freshly made sushi and sashimi, pasta prepared to order and chefs grilling all-you-can-eat lobster tails, steaks and lamb chops.

Fill your plate and head to one of the shaded teak tables outside to watch the sun set. The cafe is also the venue for lavish buffets based on the destination, such as grape leaves and roasted lamb on a Greek isles sailing. Opa!

Dinner for two

On most ships you can order room service and eat on your balcony, if you have one. On the 672- to 3,560-passenger ships of Princess Cruises, for $100 you can enjoy a romantic Ultimate Balcony Dining complete with Champagne and a selection of surf n turf.

Small-ship line SeaDream Yacht Club takes a different tack. On the yachtlike 112-passenger SeaDream I and SeaDream II you can request a table to be set up anywhere you want on the open deck.

Dinner menus feature fine, often locally sourced ingredients and include raw food options so you can sub, say, New Zealand lamb chops for lasagna noodles made of spinach leaves and coconut.

Romantic setting

Candles, a pop-up restaurant, is open for dinner (reservations required) on all six of the small motor yachts and sailing ships of Windstar Cruises.

On the 148- to 310-passenger sailing ships, Candles is by the pool with views of the sails, or at least the masts; on the 212-passenger motor ships, the restaurant is on the stern.

In both cases, white tablecloths are romantically illuminated with twinkling artificial candles. The menu includes filet mignon, veal chops and fresh seafood; dont miss the luscious red velvet cake for two.

Cook your own meal

Take a break from fancy gourmet cuisine with dinner at the Grill on any of the nine luxury cruise or expedition ships of Silversea Cruises.

This casual spot (reservations required) is set up by the pool at night, and the fun here is that you do some of the cooking, sizzling filet mignon, prawns or tofu steak on a volcanic rock thats been heated to 400 degrees.

The food is relatively light and healthful; and theres a bonus: All drinks are complimentary on the 100- to 596-passenger ships.

Seafood specialties

At the World Cafe on L.A.-based Viking Ocean Cruises three nearly identical 930-passenger ships, you can watch the ships wake from an alfresco table on adjacent Aquavit Terrace while chowing down on crab legs and shrimp.

A cold seafood spread is part of a nightly bountiful buffet that includes sushi, a carving station and hot dishes that change daily and are made to order.

Norwegian salmon is always available (a source of pride for the lines Norwegian owner). Accompany your meal with complimentary wine or beer, and save room for the selection of homemade gelato.

Dinner and a movie

A Taste of Film is for movie-loving foodies, a unique option on select Celebrity Cruises megaships, which carry 2,100 or more passengers.

The event takes place on an upper deck. For $20 a person (reservations required), you are served a small-bites menu that complements whats taking place on a large outdoor screen. For instance, French and Indian dishes are served while you watch The Hundred-Foot Journey, a film about competing French and Indian chefs.

Theres also a menu to match the movie Chef. In both cases, the experience is like going to a drive-in movie with sea views  and really good snacks.

Polynesian delights

Given that it sails mostly in French Polynesia, Paul Gauguin Cruises wisely offers several outdoor dinner venues on its 332-passenger ship.

The casual Le Grill is popular at dinnertime (complimentary, but make reservations as soon as you board), with such dishes as pumpkin bisque, tuna tartare, fresh local seafood and steak.

For a fancier meal La Veranda has 12 outdoor tables, serving degustation by Jean-Pierre Vigato, chef proprietaire of Paris Michelin-rated Restaurant Apicius.

For a private tete-a-tete, consider splurging on a meal ($250 for two) served at waters edge in the ships marina, on itineraries that overnight in Bora-Bora. Wine is included in all cases.

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravel
Kenyas main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, addressed rallies of cheering supporters in two Nairobi strongholds Sunday and called for a work stoppage to protest the deaths of at least 24 people in post-election clashes with police.

Tomorrow there is no work, Odinga told supporters gathered in Kibera, a slum district of the capital. We predicted they would steal the election, and thats what happened. We are not done yet. We will not give up.

President Uhuru Kenyatta was reelected Tuesday by a margin of 1.4 million votes, according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. But a coalition of opposition parties says it has evidence of irregularities during the vote count and maintains that Odinga is the rightful winner.

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Senior figures in the opposition National Super Alliance have ruled out a legal challenge, despite calls from international observers to resolve their complaints in court.

Calm returned to most of Odingas strongholds Sunday after police used live ammunition to quell protests and rioting that erupted when the official results were announced late Friday, according to Kenyan human rights observers. But there were reports of clashes between rival ethnic groups in at least one Nairobi slum after nightfall.

Manoah Esipisu, a presidential spokesman, warned that any further unrest would be dealt with by police.

The violent protests are unlawful, so let me be perfectly clear here: The police will not tolerate breaches of the peace, he said. Instead, they will protect the lives and property of Kenyans, and they will restore law and order.

Esipisu said Kenyans had made their choice and elected Kenyatta.

It remains for us to reflect on the results and to unite in building the country, he said. Its now time for us all to get back to work and move this country forward.

Odinga, however, accused Kenyattas political alliance, Jubliee, of killing innocent protesters.

As we mourn Kenyans killed by Jubilee-mandated death squads, lets observe tomorrow as a day of mourning for the fallen patriots, he tweeted Sunday.

Opposition officials say as many as 100 protesters were killed by police and their bodies disposed of secretly, but have produced no evidence to support their claims.

Another senior opposition leader at the Kibera rally, James Orengo, underscored the need for peaceful protests to challenge the election result.

We want peace, but we want peace with justice, he said. When we call you to action, peaceful action, dont stay behind.

Orengo also accused Kenyan media of distorting the truth in their post-election coverage and called for a boycott of the Nation Media Group, the largest in East Africa.

Later, Odinga visited another slum district, Mathare, where he met with the family of a 10-year-old girl, Moraa Nyarangi, who was killed when police fired at protesters. His supporters crammed onto balconies and clambered onto rooftops, chanting, Uhuru must go.

Odinga addressed the crowd from the open sunroof of his vehicle. Afterward jubilant crowds ran alongside his convoy waving branches and shouting, No peace.

Clashes broke out that night between members of the Kikuyu and Luo ethnic groups in Mathare, the Associated Press reported. In a nation where political support divides along ethnic lines, Kenyatta is a Kikuyu and Odinga is a Luo. Similar violence after another disputed election in 2007 killed an estimated 1,500 people.

Odinga has been under pressure from the government and international community to call his supporters off the streets and turn to the nations courts for redress.

The European Union expects the opposition to respect the results and to use legal means available for appeals and complaints, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement late Saturday.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres echoed the call and urged Kenyas leaders to tell their supporters to refrain from violence.

However, a failed legal challenge to the election results in 2013 appears to have left Odinga with little appetite for that approach.

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

Twitter: @RobynDixon_LAT

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Meet Charles Robert Jenkins, an American detained by North Korea for 40 years

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Charles Robert Jenkins deserted the U.S. Army on a freezing night in January 1965. He pounded 10 beers to quiet his nerves, and abandoned his patrol unit along the border dividing South and North Korea  a 160-mile-long, 2.5-mile-wide strip of mine-ridden no mans land.

He unloaded his M-16 rifle to show the enemy he meant no harm; he raised his knees high to avoid triggering tripwires. Several hours later, he crossed into North Korea.

He didnt leave for nearly 40 years.

Now, Jenkins  77 but looking much older, with a deep-lined face and distant expression  lives a quiet life on Sado, a small, pastoral island in the Sea of Japan. He speaks in the thick Southern accent of his North Carolina childhood, and the stories he tells, 13 years after the end of his North Korean adventure, recall decades of solitude, deprivation and torture.

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In North Korea, I lived a dogs life, he said in a rare interview, as he drove his boxy Subaru through Sado Islands rice paddies and sleepy villages. Aint nobody live good in North Korea. Nothing to eat. No running water. No electricity. In the wintertime you freeze  in my bedroom, the walls were covered in ice.

Jenkins works now as a greeter in Mano Park, a placid tourist attraction on the Japanese island, selling senbei, a type of rice cracker. Tourists see him and squeal with delight  Jenkins-san!  as he passively poses for photos.

But North Korea somehow feels as close as ever. The television news carries a constant drumbeat of stories: Pyongyangs increasingly advanced missile tests, and nuclear threats; the death of Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old American college student, after 17 months in North Korean custody; the assassination of ruler Kim Jong Uns half-brother in a Malaysian airport.

They all carry echoes of the one incontrovertible lesson he learned as a guest of the North Korean government for 40 years. I dont put nothing past North Korea, Jenkins says. North Korea could to do anything. North Korea dont care.

::

Six American soldiers defected to North Korea after the Korean war. Most were unhappy in the Army; most had troubled pasts.

In 1965, Jenkins was a U.S. Army sergeant posted to South Korea. But he was unhappy with his assignment and worried it could get worse. He feared his units nighttime patrols along the border were too provocative and would get them killed; he feared hed be sent to die in Vietnam. He got depressed, began drinking heavily and made a decision that hed regret for the rest of his life: to go AWOL.

If he abandoned his troops and sneaked off in South Korea, hed be found immediately. But defecting to the North, he thought, was a gamble  perhaps he could seek asylum at the Russian embassy and be returned to the U.S. in a prisoner swap. Russia, he figured, was the center of the Communist world, and hed read of U.S. soldiers in West Germany doing something similar.

I know I was not thinking clearly at the time, and a lot of my decisions dont make sense now, but at the time they had a logic to them that made my actions seem almost inevitable, Jenkins recalled in his memoir, The Reluctant Communist: My Desertion, Court-Martial, and Forty-Year Imprisonment in North Korea.

On the night of Jan. 4, Jenkins abandoned his unit and walked across the border, known as the Demilitarized Zone, or DMZ. As day broke, he saw a guard standing near a guard post beyond an electrified, barbed wire fence. Jenkins yelled; the guard turned and his eyes widened, almost cartoonishly. Within moments, Jenkins was surrounded by eight to 10 North Korean guards, their rifles drawn. They grabbed him by the arms and hauled him into the guard post.

From then on, almost nothing would go according to plan.

Charles Robert Jenkins and his wife, Hitomi Soga, arrive in Tokyo on July 18, 2004. They were forced together in North Korea, but bonded over their hatred of the regime and fell in love. (Koichi Kamoshida / Getty Images)

For eight years, the North Korean government held him in a spartan room with three other American defectors  Jerry Wayne Parrish, 19; Larry Abshier, 19; and James Dresnok, 21. Authorities forced them to memorize ideological tomes by Kim Il Sung, the countrys founder-president, and beat them when they slipped up. Bit by bit, they learned to speak Korean. Their relationships began to fray  Jenkins and Dresnok didnt get along at all  and when their North Korean minders werent beating them, they often got in fistfights themselves.

In 1966, the four Americans escaped their minders, ducked into the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang and requested asylum. The Russians turned them down, and Jenkins had a sudden, dreadful realization: Id never get out of North Korea. And more than likely Id be there till I died.

In 1972, the North Korean government declared them citizens, gave them separate homes, and for the next several years, forced them into odd jobs. Mainly, the four men served as actors playing evil Americans in propaganda productions; they taught English at a military academy.

In 1980, Jenkins acquired a wife: North Korean authorities moved a 21-year-old Japanese woman named Hitomi Soga into his home who had been abducted from Japan two years earlier. Weeks later, the two were married. Eventually, buoyed by their mutual hatred of North Korea, they fell in love.

I knew how badly my wife missed Japan, and so it wasnt long after we were married that I asked her what the Japanese word for good night was, Jenkins recalled in his memoir. Thereafter, every night before we went to bed, I would kiss her three times and tell her, Oyasumi. Then she would say back to me, Good night, in English.

We did this so we would never forget who we really were and where we came from, he said.

They had two daughters: Mika, now 34; and Brinda, now 32. Generally, their lives were better than those of ordinary North Koreans. In the 1990s, as famine gripped the country, the government gave Jenkins and his family rice, soap, clothing and cigarettes every month. I got put on rations, Jenkins recalled. A regular Korean got none.

Across the country, millions of people starved to death.

Still, he despaired. The cigarettes were painful to smoke, and the rice was full of bugs. One day, a government agent tied him up and instructed Dresnok, who lived in a neighboring house and also acted in propaganda films, to beat him until his teeth protruded from his lips. He said Dresnok seemed to enjoy it. Another time, an official noticed a U.S. Army tattoo on his arm and ordered Jenkins to a hospital, where a doctor cut it off without anesthetic.

Cadres watched the procedure and laughed as Jenkins screamed. It was hell, he recalled.

He tried, and often failed, to form a mental map of how the country worked. He came to suspect that the North Korean government was training his daughters as spies, and that North Korea had enslaved dozens more Americans  prisoners in Vietnam, sent by the North Vietnamese to Pyongyang as gifts. He deduced that high-ranking North Korean officials seemed to maintain luxury properties in Switzerland for use as refuges in case of a popular uprising or military conflict.

One day, he witnessed dogs digging up a mass grave near his home; soon afterward, a group of soldiers killed all the dogs in the neighborhood.

He learned one thing for certain: Frank conversations about the countrys conditions could prove fatal. You cant bring your neighbor over for a drink, he recalled. Why? People start drinking, they start talking. People disappear. And when one doesnt disappear, they know hes the one who squealed.

::

In 2002, everything changed. Kim Jong Il  Kim Il Sungs son and successor  admitted that North Korea had abducted 13 Japanese citizens and announced that five, including Soga, Jenkins wife, would be released. In Japan, Sogas story of her romance with the American soldier became a media sensation  a twisted tale of star-crossed lovers  and two years later, in a diplomatic high-wire act led by Japans then-prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, North Korea let Jenkins and their daughters go.

The U.S. Army court-martialed Jenkins for desertion, and he spent 25 days in a military prison.

Charlies story resonated with me because he endured something that nobody here can even imagine, said James Culp, a former military attorney who defended Jenkins at his court-martial. He doesnt have the wherewithal to fully express the deprivation and the torment, day in and day out, of being there and knowing what the other side looks like  knowing what civilization looks like, knowing what freedom looks like.

Its worse than prison, he said. Because in prison, at least you get the truth.

Since Jenkins release, he has lived on Sado Island, his wifes hometown  a place so remote that it traditionally served as a place of exile for dissidents. They live in a small house not far from where Soga was snatched by North Korean agents. She works for a nearby nursing home; their daughter Mika, who lives at home, teaches at a kindergarten. The other daughter, Brinda, lives in the city of Niigata, an hours ferry ride from Sado Island.

Abshier died in North Korea of a heart attack in 1983, and Parrish died of kidney disease in 1998. Dresnok died in 2016, though Jenkins hadnt heard the news and said he didnt care.

Id like to go back to the U.S., but my wife dont want to go, and I have no means to support her there, he said. So I figure might as well stay where Im at.

A quaint village on Sado Island where Charles Robert Jenkins lives. (Jonathan Kaiman / Los Angeles Times)

His U.S. passport expired last year.

Jenkins spends hours a day watching CNN and South Korean broadcasts. He wasnt surprised when Kim Jong Ils son, Kim Jong Un, succeeded his father as North Koreas ruler, and wasnt surprised that he turned out to be equally brutal  and seemingly even more intent on developing nuclear weapons.

He said the countrys strategic thinking  and its culture of repressive militancy  are deeper-rooted than many Americans believe.

The only way to get rid of this thing is if the whole government goes, Jenkins said. To get rid of [Kim Jong Un] aint going to do anything. The next guy is just going to take over. Thats just the way they work.

Two stories hit him harder than most. One was the death of Warmbier, the American college student who died last month after spending 17 months in North Korean captivity. He had visited the country as a tourist. Authorities accused him of stealing a propaganda poster from his hotel and sentenced him to 15 years of hard labor. Later, they explained that he fell into a coma after contracting botulism and taking a sleeping pill. American doctors have cast doubt on the explanation, and the truth remains unclear.

Jenkins was aghast that Americans would visit North Korea as tourists. Its crazy, he said. North Korea will do anything to keep a foreigner. (The U.S. has banned tourism to the country, starting this month).

Yet he said North Koreas medical system likely contributed to Warmbiers death. Authorities there, he said, had forced Jenkins into several seemingly arbitrary medical procedures. Had about five operations, he recalled. In one day, they removed his appendix, followed by a testicle. Because I was kicked when I was a school kid, he said. I didnt have no problem, but they found out about it, and they said, Thats gotta come out.

After his release, complications that developed from the two procedures could have killed him  and likely would have, if Japan didnt immediately hospitalize him on his release.

Then there was the apparent assassination of Kim Jong Nam  Kim Jong Uns half-brother  in a Malaysian airport in March. Two women ambushed Kim with VX nerve agent, one of the worlds most toxic substances. To Jenkins, it was a reminder that Pyongyangs brutality knows no bounds  and no one is immune.

I worry about my daughters more than anything, he said as he drove his Subaru along the coast. He has forbidden them to comply if Japanese police should attempt to pull them over while driving. Anyone could be a North Korean agent.

North Korea give them enough money, you dont know what theyll do, he said. North Korea wants me dead.

jonathan.kaiman@latimes.com

For more news from Asia, follow @JRKaiman on Twitter

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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that U.S. diplomats in Havana had been the victims of health attacks that left them with hearing loss  the most definitive U.S. statement yet on a series of mysterious incidents that have puzzled longtime observers of U.S.-Cuban relations.

His comments Friday came two days after the State Department issued a vaguely worded statement saying there had been incidents which have caused a variety of physical symptoms. U.S. officials later revealed that American diplomats had suffered unexplained losses of hearing, and on Thursday Canadas government said at least one Canadian diplomat in Cuba also had been treated for hearing loss.

We hold the Cuban authorities responsible for finding out who is carrying out these health attacks on not just our diplomats but, as youve seen now, there are other cases with other diplomats involved, Tillerson said in Bedminster, N.J., where President Trump and members of his administration spoke to reporters.

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In the fall of 2016, a series of U.S. diplomats began suffering unexplained losses of hearing, according to officials with knowledge of the case. Some of the diplomats symptoms were so severe that they were forced to cancel their tours early and return to the United States, the officials said.

The officials told the Associated Press that the hearing loss appeared to have been caused by the deliberate use of some sort of sonic device operating outside the range of audible sound.

Former diplomats and students of U.S.-Cuba relations said they found it inexplicable that Cuba would have tried to harm U.S. and Canadian diplomats, particularly in the fall of 2016 as President Obama was ending a second term marked partly by the reopening of diplomatic relations with the island.

U.S. officials familiar with the incidents said they began to be reported last October, when most domestic and foreign observers expected Hillary Clinton to win the presidency and continue Obamas policy of normalization with Cuba.

Attacking Canadian diplomats would be an inexplicable assault on one of Cubas most important trading partners and the largest source of tourists to the island.

Thered be no logic to the Cubans trying to deliberately harm U.S. or Canadian diplomats, said William LeoGrande, an American University expert on Cuban foreign policy. Itd really be unprecedented.

The Cuban government said in a lengthy statement 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.

Former U.S. and Canadian diplomats said they had been targets of low-level harassment and intimidation by Cuban agents in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s, incidents that included attacks on diplomats pets and intimidating maneuvers such as tailgating and flashing bright lights into diplomats cars as they drove with their families late at night.

There were things like turning your electricity, turning off your water, entering your home, leaving little reminders that they were there. Things would be out of place, said John Caulfield, the head of the U.S. Interests Section in Cuba from 2011 to 2014.

The State Departments Inspector General wrote in a 2007 report that life in Havana is life with a government that lets you know its hostile. Retaliations have ranged from the petty to the poisoning of family pets.

All employees are fully aware that host government hostility extends to an elaborate, aggressive intelligence apparatus, the report said.

Caulfield said aggressive tactics largely stopped by late 2013 and 2014 as U.S. and Cuban officials secretly negotiated the diplomatic reopening announced in December 2014, after his departure from Havana.

He said he believed the likeliest explanation for the diplomats mysterious deafness was a new surveillance technique gone bad that had consequences. I do not believe they would randomly cause harm to this variety of people.
For the second time in a matter of weeks, thousands of rebel fighters and civilian refugees who had found a haven in Lebanon are being transported back to Syria to live in what is being billed as a safe zone in the war-torn country.

Depending on the point of view, the transfers are humanitarian gestures to people longing to return home, a security measure to protect Lebanon from extremists or a forceful removal of vulnerable refugees that could herald wider-scale expulsions.

Thousands of Syrians have fled in recent years into Lebanon, where many citizens have grown increasingly tired of hosting the newcomers.

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Buses were expected to begin transporting 3,000 Syrian rebel fighters and civilian refugees from a remote area in northeastern Lebanon to Syria on Monday morning.

The transfer was part of an agreement negotiated between Hezbollah  the Iranian-backed Lebanese political party and militia  and the group Saraya Ahl al-Sham, which is affiliated with the Free Syrian Army rebel coalition.

Saraya Ahl al-Sham hopes to dislodge Syrian President Bashar Assad from power. Hezbollah supports Assad.

Lebanons state news agency said Sunday that 35 buses, along with a fleet of ambulances, had arrived in Arsal to take about 400 militants  which it described as armed terrorists  and their families to the rebel-controlled Syrian town of Ruhaiba, about 30 miles northeast of Damascus.

Its estimated that 350 to 400 people slated to be transferred this week are rebels who have been fighting against the Assad government; the rest are family members of the rebels and other civilians.

Hussein abu Ali, a spokesman for Saraya Ahl al-Sham, questioned the security of the safe zones, but said the group had little choice but to agree to the pact.

There is no region in Syria under the control of the opposition [that is] safe, because these areas are subject to shelling at any moment, he said. The group had accepted the deal, he said, because it was approval or murder.

Reporters were not allowed to enter the area. A media operation run by Hezbollah posted video of a caravan of buses rolling through the dusty hills.

Khaled Raad, a community leader among the refugees in Arsal who was not part of the exodus, said Sunday that about 65,000 Syrians remained in the area, most from the areas of Homs, Qusair and Qalamoun. They want to return home, he said, but not under the present conditions.

In my opinion, they all want to return to their villages  but away from Assads rule  under international patronage and United Nations supervision, far from Assads authority, he told The Times.

This weeks exodus comes after a separate agreement to return Syrian fighters and refugees to Syria between Hezbollah and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, another rebel coalition headed by the Islamist group formerly known as Al Nusra Front.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham also had been operating in the Arsal area, and the group was routed in a military operation headed by Hezbollah last month. That resulted in the deal to transfer an estimated 9,000 insurgents and civilians from Lebanon to rebel-held areas in Syria.

In a speech Sunday marking the 11th anniversary of the cease-fire that ended the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah drew parallels between that fight  which ended with Israels withdrawal from Lebanon  and the recent battle in Arsal.

Israel is among the most saddened by Hezbollahs victory in the Arsal area, Nasrallah said.

Israel and America are crying over the failure, he said, because the rebels, like Israel and the U.S., oppose Assad.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said it was coordinating aid for 5,288 people who had arrived in northwestern Syria from the Arsal area under the earlier deal to transfer 9,000 people. The status of the remaining people was unclear.

In a statement, the U.N. agency questioned the agreements to return refugees to Syria.

The U.N. and the humanitarian community had no part in reaching this agreement and have repeatedly expressed deep concern at the continuing use of such local agreements, which do not appear to meet international legal standards or humanitarian principles, it said. Such movements should be voluntary and within a conducive protection environment.

The question of when and how Syrians should return to their country has become a highly charged one in Lebanon, a tiny country that is hosting more than 1 million refugees while its own population is about 4 million.

Increasingly, political leaders  including Lebanese President Michel Aoun  have made calls for the refugees to return home, whether willingly or not. Even before the recent battles, several dozen refugee families had been transported from Arsal back to Syria under yet another arrangement brokered by Hezbollah.

Raad, the refugee community leader in Arsal, said in spite of the increasing pressure, he plans to remain in Lebanon.

The truth is that there is no law in the United Nations or in the Security Council system or even in international norms or laws that prevents a refugee from deciding to remain, he said. Even if there are some pressures, staying is the best decision. Its not possible to send people to their death.

Sewell is a special correspondent.

ALSO

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In St. Petersburg, a stalwart of the 1917 revolution lives on: the communal apartment

Meet Charles Robert Jenkins, an American detained by North Korea for 40 years

UPDATES:

3:40 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Hussein abu Ali, a rebel group spokesman.

This article was originally published at 2:40 p.m.
At least three people have died amid violence Saturday in Charlottesville, Va., where a white-supremacist protest was met with strong resistance.

A car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting in the Virginia college town, killing one person, hurting dozens more. A helicopter crash that killed the pilot and a passenger later in the afternoon outside Charlottesville also was linked to the rally by state police, though officials did not elaborate on how the crash was connected.

The chaos boiled over at what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade: the governor declared a state of emergency, police dressed in riot gear ordered people out and helicopters circled overhead. The group had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and others who arrived to protest the racism.

White nationalist organizations that gathered reportedly included members of neo-Nazi organizations, racist skinhead groups and Ku Klux Klan factions and similar groups. Anti-fascist demonstrators also gathered in Charlottesville, but they generally aren't organized like white nationalist factions, said Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Those who represent the Lehigh Valley and Warren County in Congress spoke strongly against the violence and the white nationalist movement, saying it has no place in society. President Donald Trump, at a news conference in Bedminster, N.J., said "we condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides."

Rep. Charlie Dent, R-Pa. 15th Dist.

#whitenationalist violence in #Charlottesville is repugnant. No place in our society for bigotry and violence. pic.twitter.com/EKGVAjMe1M  Charlie Dent (@RepCharlieDent) August 12, 2017

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J. 5th Dist.

The anti-American, white supremacists in #Charlottesville have no place in our society. I stand with all working to end this intolerance. Posted by Rep Josh Gottheimer on Saturday, August 12, 2017

Rep. Leonard Lance, R-N.J. 7th Dist.

Spent the day at events in Morris and Somerset counties and am just seeing the footage of the hateful violence on... Posted by Congressman Leonard Lance on Saturday, August 12, 2017

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa.

The racism, hate and violence seen in #Charlottesville are vile and unacceptable.  Senator Pat Toomey (@SenToomey) August 12, 2017

Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa.

Our nation must stand together and condemn this racism and those who promote it.  Senator Bob Casey (@SenBobCasey) August 12, 2017

Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J.

White supremacy has no place in #Charlotesville or in our nation. This bigotry is un-American. What IS American is standing up to bigotry  Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) August 13, 2017

President Donald Trump

We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.

The evil of hatred isnt just the overt torch-bearing bigots in Virginia. The evil of hate is also the ignorance that... Posted by Cory Booker on Saturday, August 12, 2017

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
What's not to like about the Pennsylvania Senate's attempt to balance the state's out-of-kilter budget? Let us count the ways.

Last month the Senate tried to accomplish what the House could not, approving a bill to fill the missing revenue side of the budget. Both houses approved the spending side in time for the June 30 budget deadline.

That's correct: The state of Pennsylvania is paying its bills with no constitutional authority to raise money to do so. Gov. Tom Wolf allowed this devil's bargain to become law without his signature, thinking it would be preferable to a long budget impasse or government shutdown.

The problem isn't just that the Democratic governor and the Republican-controlled Legislature don't see eye-to-eye on budget fixes. Senate and House leaders, who are calling the shots with no input from minority Democrats, are at loggerheads over how to plug a $2 billion budget deficit.

In the meantime, state Treasurer Joe Torsella has secured a $750 million line of credit to allow the state to keep functioning after the last dollar flows out. That bottoming-out is expected to occur soon.

At least the Senate has a revenue plan, but it nibbles around the edges of a recurring structural budget deficit. Here's what the bill would do:

Enact a severance tax on shale gas drilling, something that has been needed for years. But it would raise ony $100 million a year and comes with an irresponsible tradeoff -- outsourcing the permitting process for new gas wells, a sop to the industry that would bypass the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Enact a 5.7 percent tax on consumers' natural gas bills.

Raise existing consumer taxes on electric and phone service.

Impose the 6 percent sales tax on online transactions from Amazon, eBay and others.

Borrow up to $1.3 billion against future payments from a multi-state settlement with tobacco companies.

Anticipate $200 million from a gambling expansion, authorizing new "satellite" casinos around the state.

That's not all. Senators voted to give the Legislature the power to borrow money in the event of future budget standoffs or shutdowns -- essentially, to ensure lawmakers and their staffs could continue to be paid if the money runs out.

Borrow. Tax. Gamble.

Some degree of higher taxation is unavoidable, given a $2 billion deficit, but House leaders are already saying some Senate ideas -- notably tax increases on gas, phone and electrical service -- are unacceptable. Majority Leader Dave Reed says House Republicans prefer other sources of revenue -- privatizing the state liquor system and legalizing video poker in bars and clubs. The Senate says video poker is a non-starter.

Postponing the agony and borrowing to pay expenses carries a serious price tag for everyone: Rating companies have warned that Pennsylvania is headed for a credit downgrade if it continues to use smoke and mirrors to get through the fiscal year. That means higher costs to borrow against revenues -- you know, the ones the state does not have, or is about to run out of.

Instead of concerning themselves with future budget strife without paydays, legislators should remain in session until they adopt a complete budget, with revenues, as they are constitutionally obligated to do.
One person was injured in a two-vehicle wreck that shut down a portion of New Brunswick Avenue in Pohatcong Township.

The crash happened at about 9:10 p.m. Saturday at New Brunswick Ave and Bliss Boulevard. It involved a Toyota Rav4 and a Ford sedan.

A witness at the scene reported one person was injured and taken to an area hospital by the Phillipsburg Rescue Squad. Traffic along New Brunswick Avenue west was closed at Bliss Boulevard and detoured around the crash scene, the witness said.

Traffic heading east was slowed down with motorists passing the wreck to the right, the witness said. The scene was cleared by 9:55 p.m.

Also responding were the Phillipsburg Rescue Squad and Huntington Volunteer Fire Co. Pohatcong Township police did not immediately have information on what led to the accident Sunday afternoon.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
A candlelight vigil is being planned Sunday evening near the free bridge in Phillipsburg to honor the three people who died during the violence in Charlottesville, Va.

The vigil will begin at 8 p.m. along Northampton Street and South Main Street near the Free Bridge. It is being sponsored by the Green Party of New Jersey.

The public is being asked to hold up signs depicting anti-racism and anti-violence during the event.

"We'll stand in solidarity with the people in Charlottesville and take a stance against racism in our neighborhoods," said Aaron Hyndman, co-chairman of the Green Party of New Jersey. "Hate has no place in Phillipsburg, Warren County or New Jersey."

Violence struck in downtown Charlottesville Saturday afternoon when a car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting a white supremacist rally. Three people died, including one struck by the vehicle.

A Virginia State Police helicopter assisting with the rally later crashed outside Charlottesville, killing the pilot and a trooper. Several others were injured, according to the Associated Press.

The group had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and others arrived to protest the racism.

This is the second event scheduled Sunday in the Lehigh Valley in support of anti-violence. A rally began at 4 p.m. at Seventh and Hamilton streets in Allentown, drawing upward of 400 people to the cause.

That rally is being sponsored by Women's March Pennsylvania, POWER Northeast, Make the Road Pennsylvania, Bradbury-Sullivan LGBT Community Center, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, Planned Parenthood Keystone and Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Advocates.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
I made a commitment this week that Im never buying anything from the online retailer Amazon again.

For a week or two theres been numerous deliveries of flat-packed cardboard boxes containing stuff I reckoned I hadnt the time to go up the street to find.

Its household stuff mainly, and there are a few shops up the hill in Crystal Palace that sell household stuff and without the same environmental packaging footprint that cracks glaciers the size of countries off continents.

But I guess I can live with a bit of environmental destruction if it saves me some time in the day, and a few pence for my next coffee.

Im not alone in this habit. There are three other apartments in the building, and most days theres some exhibit of online shopping boxed up in the hallway.

Of course, we often bump into each other, smile and say what a nice place Crystal Palace is to live.

We celebrate the lovely cafes and restaurants up the road and a good few shops... that none of us ever use!

READ MORE: How a Straffan man shook the world of James Bond

Youd struggle to buy a pair of jeans in this postcode and Ive complained about that more than once. The same goes for sportswear.

A purchase of either demands I make a journey into the city. But pre the phenomenon of online shopping, you could get items like that up the hill.

And with this trend set to continue, the day is fast coming when the only retailers left up that hill will be the ones providing services you cant get through mega online retailers.

When this happens, well meet in the hallway and lament the loss of the limited retail choice we once had before leaning down to collect our latest delivery of online shopping.

Well opine the erosion of the High Street without copping the irony that the reason theyre gone is that we didnt bother our arse to support them  and by extension preserve the personality of the place.

The same goes for Naas.

I read with disappointment that Alo Donegans electrical shop is closing after decades trading on the Newbridge Road.

News of this shops closure was the most read item on the Leinster Leaders website at one point last week.

This means that a significant number of locals give a s**t and some directed their anger at Naas Town Council over the rates business people have to pay.

Dead right too. Local independent businesses are the lifeblood of any community, London postcode or Naas byroad.

But the thought did cross my mind as to how many of those same people have actually bought their electrical goods in Alo Donegans?

Or did they go to Dublin to get their TV and stereo? Or swipe it on the credit card as part of a job-lot for a refurb on the old house or to kit-out the new house?

Donegans has been a constant on the Naas retail landscape forever, only I havent bought anything in Donegans for as long as I can remember.

Anything Ive bought has been in London.

But knowing my habits, Id probably opt for swinging into a retail park somewhere close to Naas in the belief that Id have more choice and cheaper choice.

And from reading the online comments, the thing people say theyll miss the most about Donegans is the service.

The kind of personal relationship between seller and buyer thats leaves both sides feeling valued. Basically someone giving a s**t about your custom, and if something does go wrong, you know it will be fixed.

In this new retail landscape, when something goes wrong for me, I repackage carefully, post back expensively and wait a couple of weeks while some whizz kid, far too talented to be earning less than a dollar a day, fixes it up so it can be sent back out with a stamp of hope.

At the end of the day, rates on business are a part of the problem because costs have to be passed on.

But possibly a more significant part is our attitudes as consumers.

If community and our community shops are as important to us as we like to think, and they represent something deeper than just a straight purchase, then we need to make a commitment to spending our money in them, and accepting that we may sometimes have to pay a bit more.

Of course you can always choose the alternative, and buy on price alone.

But if you do, dont take to social media to complain when another shop bites the dust!

Personally speaking Ive been doing that for way too long.

Robert Mulhern is a London based journalist contracted to RTE's The Documentary on One, and writes the weekly 'Letter From London' column in the Leinster Leader. To contact our columnist, email mulhernrobert@hotmail.com
Its one of the great what -ifs of our time. Would we still be in the same mess if David Miliband had won the Labour leadership in 2010? Well never know and there are arguments on both sides. His Blairist approach might have propelled a bigger drift of Labour supporters to populist UKIP but he might also have had a big enough impact on the arguments to shift us away from Brexit or even having a referendum on the EU in the first place. Of course, his leadership might well have stopped Cameron from getting a majority at all in 2015 and we would certainly not have been in this mess.

Today, Miliband makes a new intervention in the Brexit debate with an article in the Observer in which he becomes the latest big name to back calls for a referendum on the deal.

The case against the EU depends on avoiding a discussion of the alternative. It is the equivalent of voting to repeal Obamacare without knowing the replacement. It is a stitch-up. That is one reason it is essential that parliament or the public are given the chance to have a straight vote between EU membership and the negotiated alternative. That is a democratic demand, not just a prudent one. People say we must respect the referendum. We should. But democracy did not end on 23 June 2016. The referendum will be no excuse if the country is driven off a cliff. MPs are there to exercise judgment. Delegating to Theresa May and David Davis, never mind Boris Johnson and Liam Fox, the settlement of a workable alternative to EU membership is a delusion, not just an abdication. Brexit is an unparalleled act of economic self-harm. But it was a big mistake to reduce the referendum to this question. The EU represents a vision of society and politics, not just economics. We need to fight on this ground too. The Europe of Emmanuel Macron and Angela Merkel stands for pluralism, minority rights, the rule of law, international co-operation  and not just a single market. In fact, the real truth about the single market has been lost in translation.

He goes on to make the very valid point that the EUs institutions protect our rights as individuals and as workers against exploitation from large commercial organisations and governments. As he puts it, the EU has actually done more to shield us from the effects of globalisation than to harm us:

International co-operation was and is a force for social justice and against turbo-capitalism.

At last we are getting the idea that Brexit can be stopped into wider, mainstream chatter. However, if its going to happen it has to resonate amongst a significant number of people who voted for Brexit  and those who voted for Remain but who think we now have to get on with it.

In an article on the party website this week, Vince said that the Lib Dems will provide a home for all those unhappy with Brexit:

As leader, I am determined that the Liberal Democrats will provide a home for all those who are unhappy with Brexit and the paths the other parties are taking. But equally, we are prepared to work with people of all parties and none to get the best possible future for this country. We must work together to avoid the extreme Brexit that the leadership of the Conservatives and Labour Party seem intent on bringing about.

None of this will work, though, without the obvious consent of the people. While key business, political and civil society leaders can create the mood music, they cant necessarily seal the deal. Thats down to everyone who believes that the interests of this country are best served within the EU. We all need to talk to our friends and family in a way that makes them feel respected and listened to. Not all of them will respond in kind  but enough will if we get our approach right. The beauty of talking to people we know is that we know how best to communicate with them.

We need to turn a few dozen newspaper articles into a million conversations. When it comes down to it, we want people to have decent housing, wages and public services so we have a huge amount in common with many of those who voted to leave.

We can win this argument and we have to remember that its not just for our own good. The country will be much better if we can stop Brexit and ensure that the legacy of this painful period is a much more socially just society.

Who will you talk to today?

* Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings
A JILTED young man sent a text to his ex-girlfriend that he was going to commit suicide, Kilmallock Court heard.

The defendant from south Limerick also sent a picture message to the woman of a person dead in a morgue. He pleaded guilty to a charge of harassment.

Sergeant Michelle Leahy said the injured party called to Bruff Garda Station to make a complaint in March.

She said she was harassed by social media from November 1, 2016 to March 12, 2017 by her ex-boyfriend. One of the texts said he would commit suicide and he sent a picture of a person dead in a morgue.

There were other texts of a similar nature but not as bad. He was arrested and assisted gardai with their enquiries, said Sgt Leahy.

Brendan Gill, solicitor for the accused aged in his twenties, said his client was in a relationship with the injured party for a year and a half.

He had great difficulty at the ending of the relationship and suffered from depression around that time. He is genuinely very remorseful and is embarrassed to be before the court on this charge.

He was homeless for a period of time. He is now in gainful employment in a factory.

He has dealt with the matter very fairly and holds his hands up, said Mr Gill, who added that his client would benefit from being referred to the Probation Services.

Judge Marian OLeary ordered a pre-sanction report and adjourned sentencing until October in Kilmallock Court.

If you have have been affected by this article you can contact Aware (1800 80 48 48), the Samaritans (116 123) and Pieta House (1800 247 247).
IT was an occasion for celebration and reminiscing as staff members at Frank Hogan Motors came together to celebrate a remarkable 40 years' service for parts manager Pat Foley.

Pat Foley, Head of Frank Hogans parts division at the Dublin Road car dealership was presented with a beautiful, engraved Longines watch to mark his remarkable long service achievement.

Established in 1973, Frank Hogan Limerick welcomed Pat Foley to their team in 1977, and Mr Hogan was very complimentary of Pat and his work ethic, as they worked together through the development of Frank Hogan Motors over four decades.

Mr Foley, 58, joined the team as a fresh-faced 18-year-old when Jack Lynch was elected Taoiseach, rugby stars Ronan O'Gara, Peter Stringer and Marcus Horan were born, a pint of Guinness was 43 pence and you could buy a house in Dublin for 23,000.

While a lot has changed in the motor industry in 40 years, so has the personal life of Pat Foley, who now is married with two daughters. The Patrickswell native thanked all his colleagues and well-wishers for their kind words and looks forward to continuing to lead his team at Frank Hogans for many more years.

As the motor industry continues to change, one constant has always been Mr Foley, as Frank Hogan describes his importance at the Dublin Road dealership.

Things have changed a lot in the motor industry in 40 years but the one constant has always been service and Pat is integral to the delivery of excellent customer service."

The two men shared memories of starting out on the motor trade journey, when as well as Mercedes cars, they sold Mercedes heavy vehicles and tractors and extolled the virtues of the Mercedes tractor, a few which still toil today down in West Clare.

After Mr Foley thanked those in attendance, he looked forward to many more years in the motor industry as a new era of the electric car is set to take the industry by storm.

With many technological developments during his 40-year service, Mr Foley wasn't fazed by the latest development in the motor industry as he has overseen many advances and changes during his time.

He added that it demands a skilled team to deliver the level of service required for todays motorist in an ever-changing world both on and off the road.
A COUNTY Limerick parish priest says that introducing male only deacons is extending patriarchy in the archdiocese.

In a statement to the Limerick Leader, Fr Roy Donovan, of Caherconlish/Caherline, said that Archbishop of Cashel & Emly Kieran OReilly has asked a group of people  both lay and clerical - to be part of a group to examine all aspects of the permanent diaconate for the archdiocese.

Permanent deacons are ordained and can assist priests at the celebration of the Eucharist, celebrate baptisms and weddings, preside at funerals, proclaim the Gospel and many other duties carried out by priests.

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.

Pope Francis 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?! said Fr Donovan, who is on the Association of Catholic Priests leadership team.

He said 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. There are women in the archdiocese who believe they are called by God to be priests. 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!
Agroup of asylum seekers in west Limerick have been painting their way towards integration as they take on voluntary community projects.

The young men, all based in Mount Trenchard, Foynes, are unable to work in Ireland until their applications to remain have been processed  an oft-lengthy ordeal.

In the meantime, they have been working in conjunction with Limerick Volunteer Centre on a number of makeovers on rural community centres.

It is so refreshing! exclaims Boully Barry, a native of Guinea who has been in Mount Trenchard for seven months.

We have skills, but we cannot work. It was so nice to go out and do something. It took a lot of stress out of us, he added.

Kilfinny community centre has already been painted inside and out, and the crew has moved on to Castlemahon.

Banded together by the volunteer centres Paul Moriarty, the work itself was just one element of an important exercise in bonding with the community.

It was so good to get out to the community. We got to meet new people, speak to people in Kilfinny, and it was so good to integrate with different people. This is exactly what we need, to integrate with people, said Umair Sheikh, a Pakistan native who has been in Mount Trenchard awaiting asylum for two years.

We are isolated here. We are not bad people. We cant work, and it is not easy for us to mix with the community, added Umair, passionately.

Volunteering made us feel like we are doing something productive, and we got to spend the day with nice people.

Each adult in direct provision receives a weekly personal allowance of 19.10. A bus to Limerick city and back costs just about that amount, so most of those in Mount Trenchard stay put more often than not.

As a volunteer centre, we could have gotten a crew together when the job came in. I decided to come here (to Mount Trenchard) because we did Kilfinny in 2009. When Kilfinny needed to be done again, it reminded me to come out here, especially because the lads are already based here in west Limerick, continued Paul.

Boully explains that the group has done about four days of work altogether so far, but we have asked Paul for more work.

Paul added: We wouldnt mind doing another one. We have moved onto Castlemahon Community centre now, there is still another days work in it. Ive noticed a change in them since we started.

As well as meeting the other community helpers in Kilfinny, the experience was a way for the six to get to know each other.

Dumisani Banda just arrived in Mount Trenchard a month ago, and in Ireland three months ago. Upon arriving in Dublin, the Zimbabwe native reached out to the Dublin Volunteer Centre himself, completing a number of jobs within his first couple of weeks.

He sought out the same when he got to Limerick, and crossed paths with Paul and the group  a group which is also made up of Morocco man Abderrahim Elattar, Anh Quoc Do, from Vietnam, and Shakeel Ahmed, Pakistan.

Volunteering with fellow men from Mount Trenchard has been a successful ice-breaker for him, and the six have built a friendship since working together. Dumisani is a particularly good painter with an eye for detail, according to the others.

After a raid by gardai on Mount Trenchard in July, one of the men said that he has had to start counselling.

They are all disappointed that the direct provision centre gets negative press, and by extension, that the people living there get a bad reputation.

People seem to think that asylum seekers are evil. We are not bad, said Boully.

Umair and Shakeel both express that they are humiliated.

We are already living in stressed conditions. Many of us are depressed, and we are just waiting for our cases to be completed, its a long process, said Shakeel, who has been in Mount Trenchard for two years and eight months.

Amid all the adversity they have to face, a day of volunteering is relief for the six, who are pleased to be able to do something positive with their time.

Kathleen OShea, of Kilfinny Community Council, was delighted about a job well done.

They were lovely, and they were delighted with Kilfinny. One of them was very interested in when the school was built, and how many kids were going to school there. They were really interested in the little village, she said.

They did a brilliant days work on both days, they were very tidy and very exact. We have a complete paint job courtesy of the volunteers from Foynes, and it means so much to the whole community here.
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Hundreds of protesters marched through Oakland on Saturday night, with some briefly blocking traffic on the Interstate 580 freeway in what organizers called an emergency solidarity demonstration in response to the violence at a white supremacist rally in Virginia that left one woman dead and many injured.

The woman was killed when a car plunged into a crowd of people peacefully protesting the rally.

The rally was largely peaceful, although police gave the order to disperse shortly after 9:30 p.m. when about three dozen protesters moved up the I-580 off-ramp at Grand Avenue and then linked hands on the freeway to stop traffic. Others then launched illegal fireworks into the air.

Traffic was completely blocked for a time on the freeway as police stopped traffic to avoid hitting the protesters. After several minutes, the protesters left the freeway and continued marching on city streets as motorists honked support.

Police later blocked Broadway as a few hundred protesters moved back into the downtown area, which kept the march from heading toward North Oakland or Berkeley.

Protesters began gathering near Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland at 7 p.m. for speeches as a handful of police officers watched nearby.

Just over an hour later, several hundred protesters, including families with young children, began marching through city streets and around Lake Merritt.

Many of those present expressed words of respect for their comrade who died, and many called for marchers to protest peacefully. At times tempers flared during the march, with protesters decrying President Trump and the white nationalist rally in Virginia, but there were also somber moments to mourn the victims of white supremacy, past and present.

My grandparents marched back in the day, said Jerrod Anthony, a 25-year-old rapper and artist from Concord, adding that he was disgusted by the events in Virginia. I like to think of all who came before us who gave us the right to be here. It wasnt too long ago we couldnt sit at the front of the bus.

Dozens of law enforcement officers from the Oakland and BART police departments, as well as the Alameda County Sheriffs Office, stayed nearby but gave the protesters a wide berth in the first hours of the march.

Cat Brooks, co-founder of the Anti Police-Terror Project, whose members were among those in the crowd, said the same issues of racism and bigotry on display in Charlottesville afflict Oakland, too, pointing to high-profile cases of officer misconduct and police shootings in the city.

I dont have an answer for the images from 1952 translating to 2017, she said. Nothing has changed. This is America unmasked.

A banner leading the march called on protesters to Mourn the Dead (and) Fight Like Hell for the Living.

Earlier in the day, Bay Area politicians were among the flood of officials condemning the bloody clashes in Charlottesville and President Trumps equivocal response, in which he did not single out neo-Nazis, members of the Ku Klux Klan or white nationalists, insisting that hatred, bigotry and violence were coming from many sides.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, called the violence an act of terror.

The vile beliefs of the perpetrators of this violence insult our fundamental American values and must be condemned in the strongest terms, she said. The presidents talk of violence on many sides ignores the shameful reality of white supremacism in our country today and continues a disturbing pattern of complacency around such acts of hate.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf tweeted: We reject hate & bigotry in our communities.

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, also took to Twitter to condemn the violence.

Make no mistake: The white supremacists in #Charlottesville feel emboldened by the Trump Admin, she said. All Americans must condemn this bigotry.

In Berkeley, Mayor Jesse Arreguin called the violence horrifying.

We cannot stand by and watch while neo-Nazis, the Klan and other extremist groups, who have been emboldened by our president, take over U.S. cities, he said. Berkeley stands in solidarity against bigotry, hate and white supremacy and supports those who embrace peaceful assembly and debate.

In San Francisco, word of the violence in Virginia spread through the crowds at the Outside Lands music festival. Early afternoon performers Joseph  a Oregon folk trio made up of sisters Allison, Meegan and Natalie Closner  acknowledged the victims.

We are thinking about Charlottesville today, Natalie Closner said from the Sutro Stage in Lindley Meadow. Its a scary time we are in. We need to come together.

Later in the day, Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith condemned the act and expressed his gratitude for the ability to play for such a peaceful crowd.

Im able to celebrate love and connection and music, he said. Thank you for reminding me, and for reminding all of us, what its really all about and how easy it actually is to love each other.

Chronicle staff writer Mariecar Mendoza contributed to this report.

Kimberly Veklerov, Michael Bodley and Jill Tucker are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com, mbodley@sfchronicle.com, jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov, @jilltucker, @michael_bodley
Eric Risberg/Associated Press

A luggage screening failure Saturday at the San Jose International Airport caused delays of up to two hours for arriving and departing flights as travelers were asked to evacuate a terminal so that security officials could re-examine them and their carry-on items .

Shortly after 3 p.m., Transportation Security Administration employees notified airport officials that luggage may have been improperly screened and prohibited items may have been introduced into our sterile area, said airport spokeswoman Rosemary Barnes.
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A former high-ranking Zetas drug cartel plaza boss who was arrested in Zapata County in 2015 has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Jose Manuel Saldivar-Farias, also known as "Z-31" or "El Borrado," was ordered to federal prison Friday in Houston for his role in a seven-year conspiracy that resulted in an estimated 40,000 kilograms of marijuana imported into the United States from Mexico.

Saldivar-Farias, 29, of Tamaulipas, Mexico, pleaded guilty July 26 and admitted he and his co-conspirators coordinated the importation multi-kilogram loads of marijuana on a monthly basis.

U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon in accepted the plea and imposed a 30-year term of imprisonment.

Saldivar-Farias was arrested in March 2015 in Zapata County on immigration charges related to his illegal presence.

RELATED: Top-ranking Zeta sentenced on drug, money-laundering charges in Laredo

"In early 2015, Pedro Perez-Ocampo, 39, of Estado de Guerrero, Mexico, and Osiel Hernandez-Martinez, 29, of Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Mexico, had obtained permission from Saldivar-Farias and paid him the 'piso' or 'tax' to transport approximately one ton of marijuana from Nueva Ciudad Guerrero, Tamaulipas, Mexico, into the United States across Falcon Lake by boat," the U.S. Attorney's Office said. "On the night of March 12, 2015, they were at the lake's shore preparing to load the marijuana onto boats when they encountered Saldivar-Farias.

"He was fleeing from the Mexican military as they were attempting to capture him. Saldivar-Farias jumped into Hernandez-Martinez's boat and ordered him to take him across to the United States."

While crossing Falcon Lake, Saldivar-Farias instructed everyone in the boat to lie about his identity in the event they were apprehended, to deny association with the Zetas and to tell U.S. authorities that he was "Carlos Cruz-Jimenez." Shortly after crossing the lake, law enforcement apprehended the men. At that time, Saldivar-Farias identified himself as "Carlos Cruz-Jimenez" and claimed he traveled to the United States to find employment.

On Friday, Saldivar-Farias admitted his true identity. He was a Zeta plaza boss and then regional commander of the northern region of Mexico. That region included Coahuilla, Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon, Mexico, as well as Zapata.

READ MORE: Zetas commander's relative owned home where pile of bodies was found in Nuevo Laredo

"Saldivar-Farias was in charge of all narcotics moving through the area. He and other Zeta members and associates maintained and regulated the transportation routes used to import marijuana from Mexico to the United States across Falcon Lake," the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

"Saldivar-Farias charged and collected a tax for permission to store and transport marijuana and other controlled substances through the routes and areas he controlled. Individuals who did not pay the tax would potentially be threatened, beaten, kidnapped, tortured or killed."

Eighteen defendants have been indicted for their roles in the conspiracy. Fourteen have been convicted, while the remaining four are fugitives.

The FBI and Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of Drug Enforcement Administration and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal Alaniz are prosecuting the case.
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The City of Laredo announced Friday that it has hired its first staff veterinarian to work full-time for the city shelter and the Laredo community.

Dr. Rebecca Rodriguez said her first goal is to educate the community about pet ownership and care. For instance, everyone should keep a medical history for their pets, she said. Rodriguez also wants to get the community more involved in microchipping animals.

Her primary duties include spaying and neutering pets at Animal Care Services and at special events, administering vaccinations, diagnosing animals' conditions, overseeing the general welfare of shelter animals and performing euthanasia, the city said in a news release. Her first day is Monday.

READ MORE: Animal care advocates team up with City of Laredo to get stray dogs and cats new homes

Councilman Alex Perez said he has been waiting for this day for five or six years. The city had never hired a staff veterinarian because of political or budgetary reasons, he said. Perez's biggest concern is overpopulation; the city has the euthanize about 400 pets every month, he said.

When the city began meeting with animal care advocates in 2015, one of their goals was to create the position for a staff veterinarian, Deputy City Manager Cynthia Collazo said.

Animal Care Services Director Homero Vazquez-Garcia said the city shelter had a contract with veterinarian Dr. Sandra Leyendecker to work on-call. Now Rodriguez will care for cats, dogs and livestock at the shelter, as well as the pets of the community at large. Although it is not the city's intent to become a commercial animal care provider, Councilman Alberto Torres said.

RELATED: Georgia man seeks to help Laredo-area animals without homes

Torres, who introduced Rodriguez, said she was born in Laredo and graduated salutatorian from United South High School. She received her Ph.D. from Texas A&M's College of Veterinary Medicine.

There are typically about 180-200 cats and dogs at the Laredo Animal Care Services facility, Vazquez-Garcia said.

The shelter is located at 5202 Maher Ave. and can be reached at 717-5762.

Julia Wallace may be reached at 956-728-2543 or jwallace@lmtonline.com
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A group consisting of nine men and three women have been arrested for allegedly forcing minors into sex trafficking and child pornography.

The suspects are accused of using sexually-orientated websites to traffic minors as young as 16 for commercial sex, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. All of the suspects are charged with conspiracy to traffic children for the purpose of commercialized sex, sex trafficking of children, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion in the Galveston area.

TRAFFICKING IN TEXAS: Harris Co. constable says 14-year-old runaway rescued in human trafficking sting

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Joseph Church, 31, and Angela Marks, 23, both of Sweeney; Jamaal Crane, 25, of Angleton; Norris Moon, 23, and Christopher Walton, 23, both of Brazoria; Ronnie Beasley, 19, of Rosharon; and William Franklin, 18, of Wharton were arrested in a coordinated effort with federal and local law enforcement. They are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Smith on Friday.

Jamier Coleman, 20, and Lurkesha Baugh, 35, both of Wharton, were previously in state custody on unrelated charges. They are expected to appear in court soon for their alleged roles in the sex trafficking.

Other suspects include Alisa Kimber, 24, of Freeport, who is already in federal custody on similar charges. Stephanie Walker, 35, of Houston, was arrested in Beaumont on Thursday. Eric Page, 19, was taken into custody on unrelated charges on Wednesday in Sherman. The three are expected to appear in Galveston court in the near future.

BUSTED TRAFFICKING RING: Human trafficking investigation force leads to 37 arrests in West Texas

If convicted, each person charged may face up to life in prison. Walker and Kimber face of up to five years in prison for using an interstate facility to promote sex trafficking of children. Church and Marks also face an additional 30 years in prison for child pornography charges. Moon and Walton also face up to life in prison for firearms offenses. All charges carry up to a $250,000 fine.

The investigation was conducted by the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance, which includes members of the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcements Homeland Security Investigations, and the Houston Police Department.

Numerous sheriff's offices, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Attorney Generals Office, Department of State, Department of Labor, IRS and the Texas Department of Public Safety also assisted in the investigation.
On Friday night, white supremacists assembled in Charlottesville, Virginia, for a public demonstration of hate. They held torches and chanted phrases like, "White lives matter!" and "Jews will not replace us!" Following an event that the city's mayor called an "unsanctioned and despicable display of visual intimidation," white pastors have a critical role to play.

There is no greater need to apply the biblical call to "speak the truth in love" than in the area of white supremacy and the church.

As a Christian, I believe the church remains instrumental in dismantling the racial caste system in America. Black Christians and their allies have been decrying white supremacy as long as it has existed. Too often, though, our warnings and protestations are met with tepid responses.

In the wake of the Charlottesville rally - and the country's ongoing racial tension - we look to the church and ask, "White pastors, will you now work to end white supremacy?"

I know that term - white supremacy - is unpopular. It tends to shut down conversation because folks think it only refers to racists who wear hoods and burn crosses. They think it's too harsh to apply to them, the people they know, or the church. But let's call it what it is. We can't change the white supremacist status quo unless we name it and confront it.

Let's also be clear that we can't really end white supremacy. In the Christian view, racism is a sin, and sin cannot be completely eradicated on this side of eternity. But we are called to fight against sin in all its forms, so we should expect positive change in our churches and society at large as we fight against it.

Black Christians have pointed to the warning signs. Plenty of us said that the current president, based on his rhetoric during the campaign, would energize a new era of bigotry. President Donald Trump has created a context in which white supremacists feel emboldened in their views and have no shame in admitting them publicly and vocally.

Yet at the polls, white evangelicals voted overwhelmingly for Trump. Despite all of their verbal commitments to equality and racial reconciliation, 80 percent of white evangelicals went against the voices of their brothers and sisters of color.

When a black pastor in the largest Protestant denomination in the country presented a resolution condemning the alt-right and white supremacy, a small group of mostly white pastors dismissed it out of hand. It took the protests of other pastors, as well as swift backlash on social media, for the Southern Baptist Convention to pass a modified resolution at its annual meeting in June.

The dilemma is all too familiar. More than 50 years ago, Martin Luther King Jr. penned a response to white pastors after they sent a message urging restraint and gradualism in the civil rights movement. In his famous "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," King said ...

- - -

"I felt that the white ministers, priests and rabbis of the South would be some of our strongest allies. Instead, some few have been outright opponents, refusing to understand the freedom movement and misrepresenting its leaders; all too many others have been more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of stained-glass windows."

- - -

King's words still resound prophetically today. The time for caution has long passed; we must take courageous action to expel white supremacy from the church.

White Christians will inevitably ask, "But what do we do?" This question perpetuates the problem. People of color did not create white supremacy; white people did. To ask a racial minority how to solve a problem they didn't create and one under which they suffer only adds to their burdens.

There are no straightforward, plug-and-play solutions. Despite all the unique situations in churches across the country, some general principles for battling white supremacy apply:

- Admit the American church was built on white supremacy: From the colonial era to the present day, white churches have helped build a society that privileges whiteness and denigrates blackness. In light of the white church's involvement in creating and maintaining white supremacy, white pastors can presume that their churches are already part of the problem, intentionally or not.

- Confess and repent of past sins: Many congregations were formed in a fit of "white flight" from cities. Many Christian schools, particularly in the South, were explicitly created to preserve racial segregationin an era of court-ordered desegregation. Christians and church leaders must ask themselves how much they have acknowledged their own history. Have they gone through their church records and rulings to tell the full story of how their church, community, or denomination has cooperated with white supremacy? A failure to face white supremacy in the past will lead to a failure to confront it in the present.

- Commit to responding to white supremacy with the vigor that the problem requires: When we examine the history of race and the American church, the story is often worse than we expect. The church hasn't simply gone along with white supremacy - it has assembled and established it. If white Christians have historically been so intentional about building up barriers between the races, then they will have to be just as intentional to bring them down.

- Listen to black people: We've been saying all along that a Charlottesville could easily happen. For years, the alt-right and white nationalists have employed the Bible to justify their racism, in public online. But many white Christians have never heard of the alt-right, much less been equipped to filter their messages biblically. We kept trying to tell them that this obsession with the Confederacy and its cultural artifacts sabotaged efforts at racial unity.

Despite all our efforts, some white pastors still remain silent on Sunday. They relegate racism to the status of a "social" issue and not a "gospel" issue. Leadership in churches and other Christian organizations remain all or mostly white. It's the same with the boards of directors and trustees of these institutions. Evangelicals who prostitute the faith for political power remain in the pulpit and are given wide latitude to stir up racial resentment in the guise of "race neutral" language.

Despite their insistence on justice, black Christians who speak boldly about racism and white supremacy often get muted or silenced. We can only infer that the sensitivities of white listeners matter more than the pain of black brothers and sisters.

No one likes to be pressured into speaking out about injustice. You want to do it from your own conviction. I get it. I really do. Just know that the time has never been more urgent for white Christians, pastors in particular, to decry white supremacy in our day.

I appreciate the notable exceptions - those white pastors who have spoken up about white supremacy, sometimes in the face of strident opposition. Unfortunately, they are all too few.

We are waiting for the day that the racists in Charlottesville at least feel enough shame to practice their hatred in secret. But black Christians cannot do this alone. White pastors, now is the time for courageous action in the face of white supremacy.

- - -

Tisby writes about religion, race and culture as president of the Reformed African American Network, and he is the co-host of the Pass the Mic podcast.
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Heather Heyer was killed Saturday as she pushed back against hatred.

She left behind a dog - and an approach to the world that those who love her say needs nurturing now that she's gone.

The chocolate chihuahua's name is Violet, "because purple is Heather's favorite color," her mother, Susan Bro, said Sunday. She paused. "It was, was her favorite color," she said through the tears.

Her daughter was among those gathered to oppose the neo-Nazis, Ku Klux Klan and other white nationalists making a show of force in Charlottesville. Heyer, 32, was killed and 19 others were injured when police say an Ohio man barreled toward them in his Dodge Challenger.

"I'm not really surprised my child died this way, because she would stand up for what she believed in," Bro said.

Sitting at the kitchen table in her home north of Charlottesville, with Violet wandering by her feet, Bro said her daughter's last day reflected the way she treated others, including those she disagreed with.

Over the years, Heyer would ask people why they came to their beliefs. Heyer's friends told her mom she was at it again during the demonstrations Saturday, going up to people with opposing views and asking them "Why do you believe this?" or "Why do you think this way?"

"Heather has always stood for fairness and equal treatment of everybody," said Bro, 60.

And the anguished mother is trying to do the same, with the man who authorities say caused Heyer's death.

James Alex Fields Jr., 20, was charged with second-degree murder after police said the Challenger he was driving "at a high rate of speed" rear-ended another car and pushed vehicles into a crowd of pedestrians. He then backed up and fled, they said. Fields was also charged with three counts of malicious wounding and one count of hit-and-run.

A former teacher said Fields sympathized with Nazi views. Virginia's secretary of public safety called him a terrorist.

Every time Bro closed her eyes Saturday night, the tears would come. When she couldn't sleep, she tried busying herself doing laundry. "Who does laundry when their child's died? That's all I could do," she said.

Despite her pain, Bro said she doesn't want people to hate Fields. It isn't what her daughter would have wanted, she said.

"Our daughter did not live a life of hate, and hating this young man is not going to solve anything. . . . It's not that I think he should go unpunished for his crime. But hate only engenders more hate, and there's no purpose in hate," Bro said. "Heather's life was about, passionately about, fairness and equality and caring, and that's what we want people to take away from this."

Of the 19 people taken to the University of Virginia Medical Center in connection with the crash, nine were discharged as of Sunday afternoon, a spokeswoman said. Other injuries Saturday were also treated at the hospital, although no precise number is available, she said.

A childhood friend said she was inspired by Heyer's mix of backbone and heart.

Even as a quiet young girl, Heyer stood up for people being picked on while riding the schools bus, Felicia Correa said.

On Saturday, she was killed standing up for her country, Correa said.

"People will remember her name and remember what she died for," she said.

Correa said she recently was swamped with medical bills after complications related to her multiple sclerosis, so she went to a Charlottesville law firm. When Heyer, who was working as a paralegal there, walked out to meet her, she was ecstatic to see the friend she had known growing up in Greene County.

Heyer jumped in and guided Correa, who was uninsured and is a mother of six, through the daunting financial process. She was a "young white woman who died standing up not just for people of color in general but, also the people of color that I love, that I worry about," said Correa, who is biracial, black and Hispanic.

"She died for a reason. I don't see any difference in her or a soldier who died in war. She, in a sense, died for her country. She was there standing up for what was right," Correa said. "I just want to make sure that it wasn't in vain."

For Bro, Saturday's terror came home in a phone call.

Justin Marks, a longtime friend of Heyer, was sobbing and screaming on the line. Bro didn't understand what was happening. Then, finally, Marks said he understood that the hospital was trying to reach next of kin and needed a number.

Bro said she remembered telling her son, "Your sister is either dead or she's unconscious because . . . " She paused to cry while recounting her ride to the hospital Saturday. ". . . she would know my number."

Bro was in such shock she couldn't remember Heather's middle name when a hospital staffer first asked her. It's Danielle.

Marks said he and Heyer had previously agreed not to attend the protests, because they thought it would be too dangerous. Everyone was on edge about it, he said.

But the night before, Heyer texted Marks, 30, saying that she felt compelled to go, and who was Marks to say she shouldn't? "She talked about these things constantly. It weighed on her," he said.

Heyer was a challenge to raise sometimes because she was so strong-minded, but that didn't upset Bro. She always encouraged her to be independent and think for herself. "If she believed something was right, you could not dissuade her," Bro said.

The two would discuss their shared concerns about racism and hatred. They supported fighting for equal treatment, whether through Black Lives Matter advocacy or by tipping waitresses fairly.

Her daughter loved mac and cheese, cigarettes, scented candles and products for her curly hair. Bro has adopted Violet, who she calls her "grandpup."

"I'm very proud of my baby, but I do miss her," Bro said. "We would've talked about the rally together by now."

- - -

The Washington Post's Eddy Palanzo contributed to this report.
Lexington, Kentucky, Mayor Jim Gray doesn't have to watch footage of the violent protests in Charlottesville over the weekend to know how divisive Confederate monuments can be.

At family reunions and holiday dinners his whole life, he has heard about his great-uncles fighting each other in the Civil War's Battle of Shiloh. Two were on the Union's side. One fought for the Confederacy.

Now, the 53-year-old mayor, who is white, is bracing for more controversy - and potentially worse, given the unrest in Charlottesville - after he announced plans on Saturday to move two Confederate monuments from prominent places near Lexington's historic courthouse.

Lexington is turning the Fayette County courthouse into a center for visitors, complete with a restaurant, office space and a bourbon bar. The $30 million renovation is part of the city's effort to position itself as a welcoming, progressive beacon of the new South, Gray said. Standing in the way of that are two statues that honor Confederate leaders - and that many see as a symbol of racism and white supremacy.

One statue honors John Hunt Morgan, the "Thunderbolt of the Confederacy," who owned a hemp factory and wool mill and organized the independent Lexington Rifles infantry company in 1857. A few years later, the riflemen took up arms against the Union.

At a nearby park is a statue of John C. Breckinridge, a former U.S. vice president who was kicked out of the Senate after he joined the Confederate army. He served as the last Confederate secretary of war.

If Lexington's City Council and the Kentucky Military Heritage Commission give their approval, the statues would be placed in a nearby park honoring veterans, Gray said.

"It's the right thing to do," he told The Washington Post on Sunday. "But doing it right is just as important."

Gray conceded that even doing it right can have dangerous consequences.

He announced the plans on the same day that one person was killed and many others were injured during protests sparked by Charlottesville's decision to remove a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Two state police officers were killed when a helicopter, which state police said was on its way to help with the unrest in Charlottesville, crashed on its way.

According to The Post, Charlottesville leaders decided to remove the statue earlier this year, but it remains in Emancipation Park - a park that once bore Lee's name - pending a judge's ruling, expected later this month.

Protesters and counterprotesters donned combat gear - some wore bicycle and motorcycle helmets and carried sticks and clubs - and fought one another on downtown streets.

The worst violence came when someone barreled a 2010 Dodge Challenger into crowds on a pedestrian mall, sending bodies flying - and then reversed at high speed, hitting even more people.

The driver, James Alex Fields, 20, had espoused Nazi ideas in high school, a former teacher told The Post. Fields was charged with second-degree murder and three counts of malicious wounding.

Gray said Lexington would have to be prepared for high tensions - and even similar protests - when it relocates its monuments.

"As a mayor, you always must be prepared," he told The Post. "So we'll be prepared for the pushback and for the challenge. But this is the right thing to do."

Reverence for the Confederacy runs deep in Lexington, Gray said, but so do slavery's scars.

Fayette County was one of the largest slaveholding counties in Kentucky, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader. And the square in front of the old courthouse was once the area's largest market for buying and selling slaves.

Of the 318,449 people who live in Fayette County, nearly 78 percent are white and 15 percent are black, according to the U.S. census.

The debate in Lexington has played out in other Southern cities, as well. Some see the statues as an innocuous part of the historical record, monuments that should be protected from revisionist history. Others say the statues represent the sin of slavery and symbolize white supremacy.

Anti-Confederate sentiment intensified after nine black churchgoers were killed on June 17, 2015, at a church in Charleston, S.C., in a racially motivated massacre.

The killer, Dylann Roof, was seen on one website holding a gun in one hand and a Confederate flag in the other. The tragedy mobilized once-hesitant Southern cities to get rid of polarizing Civil War statuary.

A few days after the Charleston massacre, someone spray-painted "Black Lives matter" on Morgan's statue in front of the Lexington courthouse. Gray said afterward that although he couldn't condone the vandalism, "the time has come for us to reconsider our Confederate memorials." He began having conversations with people on both sides of the statue issue.

On Sunday, he said he felt his city was ready to meet this "test of our core values."

"There are those that respect history, as we should . . . but we are a welcoming, caring, giving city which respects all people. This decision is about our aspirations of what Lexington can be."
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With Maryland's governorship and General Assembly seats at stake in the 2018 election, the state's Democratic and Republican parties are both testing new approaches to outreach and working more vigorously than in the past to boost turnout in their favor.

Armed with lists of independents and party affiliates who sat out recent midterm elections, party volunteers and candidates are canvassing neighborhoods virtually every weekend to convince voters that the upcoming races matter, focusing largely on battleground districts but also reaching into each other's strongholds.

Democrats, who outnumber Republicans by 2-to-1 in Maryland, want to oust Republican Gov. Larry Hogan and shore up their veto-proof majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly amid a surge of grassroots activism and anger toward President Donald Trump, who is deeply unpopular in the state.

Republicans are pushing to build on their 2014 success, when they captured the governorship in an upset and took over nine legislative seats during a year of record-low turnout for Democratic voters. They want to re-elect Hogan and break the Democratic supermajority by flipping at least five Senate seats held by Democrats.

"The challenge at this point for both political parties is to make sure your base remains engaged and committed," said John Willis, a University of Baltimore politics professor and former Maryland secretary of state who worked with past Democratic campaigns.

In 2014, voter turnout in the state dropped 11 percent compared to the previous gubernatorial election, including an eight-percent drop for registered Democrats. Some of the most significant declines occurred in Baltimore City and Montgomery and Prince George's counties - traditional Democratic strongholds.

Willis said registered Democrats could take back the governorship by increasing their turnout by four points, or about 80,000 people, noting that Hogan won the offce with about 66,000 more votes than his Democratic opponent, then-lieutenant governor Anthony Brown.

"The key to 2018 is mobilization and getting back to normal," he said. "The margin can be closed very easily with a mobilization effort."

To that end, the Democratic party has embarked on a 10,000-household "listening tour" that will last through fall, asking residents what they want from elected leaders before developing an overarching message for upcoming elections. Then it will pivot toward trying to persuade voters to show up at the polls and back its nominees.

"Old fashioned neighbor-to-neighbor conversations is the most effective tool in politics these days," said Maryland Democratic Party chair Kathleen Matthews. "Data is crucial, but in terms of a process, it's all about building trust and conversations with people."

The Republican party, flush with cash since Hogan took office and hoping down-ballot candidates can piggyback on the governor's sky-high approval ratings, has been similarly active, deploying canvassers to swing districts with a new mobile app that flags residents who are likely to consider GOP candidates.

"It's no secret we're outnumbered in voter registration, but we believe we can capitalize on Hogan's popularity and a tight data operation to make sure that our voters - starting with Republicans, but also independents and Democrats who will vote for Republicans from time to time - are going to be there for us in the governor's and General Assembly races," said Maryland GOP chair Dirk Haire.

Both parties are trying to win over people like Perry Rose, a 51-year-old computer programmer who lives in a working-class neighborhood of eastern Baltimore County. He voted consistently as a Republican in the past but now describes himself as an independent, saying he grew disenchanted with the GOP in recent years.

Republican Del. Christian Miele, who is running for state Senate and was the first 2018 candidate to receive backing from Hogan, worked Rose's neighborhood during a recent canvassing effort this month.

Rose recognized Miele from a recent stream cleanup event and greeted the candidate as he neared his property with a handful of campaign brochures, but didn't commit to supporting him in the next election.

"I don't know what you stand for, but I know you're a good person, and I can at least say you're at the top of my mind," he said.

Miele asked Rose to call him later so he could lay out his policy positions.

"That's why you door-knock, because you don't know how someone like that is going to vote," Miele said. "It sounds like he'll support the person with the best ideas."

Frederick resident Heather Scott-Fagan is another potential prize for both parties. The 27-year-old lab technician, who said she typically only votes in presidential elections, described herself to Democratic canvassers this month as strongly left-leaning but named nonpartisan redistricting - something Hogan has pushed for the past two years - as a top priority.

When asked whether she wants to see Hogan reelected, she replied that she would "rather see someone else."

Instead of waiting until after the primaries, the state Democratic party has already launched its field operations and voter outreach - roughly a year in advance.

Trump's election has bolstered Democratic recruiting.

Daryl Martin, a 62-year-old editor for government contractors who knocked on doors with the Frederick group this month, said she hasn't been involved in campaigning since 1972, when she stuffed mailboxes for then-Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern.

"I did that and just disappeared until this election," she said. "I got angry and decided I needed to do something."

Martin and a partner knocked on 15 doors and reached four residents over nearly three hours, using printed spreadsheets that didn't list homes in a geographical order.

Haire says the GOP mobile app, which uses data such as voting history and consumer habitsto determine which residents might vote for the party's candidates, gives them an advantage.

The day after Martin's outing, Miele knocked on 35 doors in a two-hour period and reached five people, with his app providing logical routes.

The Democratic party has similar technology but didn't use it during the Frederick outing this month.

Both organizations are uploading residents' responses to survey questions to build their databases and identify supporters, opponents or those considered persuadable.

Both parties arefocused on political battlegrounds such as Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Frederick counties, all jurisdictions that Hogan won convincingly in 2014.

In Maryland's 2016 Senate race, Democrat Chris Van Hollen, who won the seat, defeated Republican Kathy Szeliga by 16 points in the Republican candidate's home jurisdiction, but he lost in Frederick and Anne Arundel counties by 4.2 points and 1.4 points, respectively.

Democratic State Sen. Ronald N. Young of Frederick, one of the GOP's top targets for 2018, said he feels confident about winning reelection if turnout is strong in the largely Democratic city of Frederick. Last weekend, he led more than 20 volunteers on a door-knocking campaign in his district.

" There's a good chance of some degree of a blue tide this time around," he said. "Often during an off year, voters go the opposite direction of president, and this one is saying some things that could motivate people ... but I'm not going to rely on that. I'm going to concentrate on turning out the votes myself."
ATLANTA - The aftermath of the weekend's white supremacist rallies in Charlottesville, Virginia, and the resulting violence, reverberated in the last hours of the annual Netroots Nation conference. On Saturday afternoon, attendees of the progressive gathering quietly shared the latest news from Virginia; some began organizing a response.

One of the first responses came from Mikey Franklin, a digital director of the labor-backed Good Jobs Nation campaign, who had found a print shop that could quickly make T-shirts. Franklin made a black and white shirt reading "Punch More Nazis," then was dogged by questions about them, then printed 30 more.

"They're all spoken for," Franklin said as he distributed the last shirt. "I'm not making a profit - there should be no financial profit in punching Nazis."

At 7 p.m., hundreds of Netroots attendees gathered in a park across from the Hyatt Regency where the conference had been held. They held signs with slogans ranging from the optimistic ("United against hate") to the profane ("F- white supremacy") to the ultra-specific ("This Palestinian supports Black Intifada"). After forming into a long, winding line, they marched to the state Capitol, where labor organizer Dolores Huerta led them in prayer.

"Let's pray for the people who have been killed and injured," she said. "Let's pray for the haters, that the hate comes out of their hearts."

As the sun set, the protesters stood in a circle, listening to loping speeches that tied the events in Charlottesville to everything from the disability rights movement to white identity in America. The protest broke up with a chant: "It is our duty to win. We must love each other and respect each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains."

By that time, many of the groups involved in the conference - MoveOn, Indivisible, Greenpeace, Our Revolution and more - had compiled and shared a list of vigils taking place over the rest of the weekend. Some, like a protest at Delaware's state fair, would demand the banishment of Confederate memorabilia - one of the ostensible flash points of the racist march in Charlottesville.
BEIRUT - Among the postings on what might have been the Facebook page of James Alex Fields Jr., the driver of the car that killed a counterprotester at the right-wing demonstrations in Charlottesville, Va. on Saturday, were images of far-right favorite Pepe the Frog, swastikas and a baby portrait of Adolf Hitler, according to BuzzFeed.

Perhaps more surprisingly, there was also reportedly a picture of Syria's President Bashar Assad, in full military uniform, inscribed underneath with the word "undefeated."

Screenshots of the now-inaccessible profile were widely circulated on social media on Saturday and Sunday, although the account's authenticity could not be confirmed. But the apparent fascination with Assad would fit a more general link between the far right and the Syrian regime that has grown increasingly pronounced in recent months and played a role throughout this weekend's white nationalist rally in Virginia.

Assad's politics - and those of his father before him - have historically been associated more with the left than the right. His late father, President Hafez Assad, was the closest Middle East ally of the Soviet Union throughout the Cold War. The son has enjoyed the stalwart support of international leftists throughout his attempt to crush the six-year-old rebellion against his rule.

In recent months, however, Assad has become an icon also for the far right, whose leaders and spokesman have heaped praise on the ferocity with which he has prosecuted the war, his role in fighting the Islamic State and his perceived stance against Muslims and Jews.

That Assad's harsh methods have resulted in tens of thousands of civilian casualties seems only to have enhanced his stature. In a video posted on Twitter, three men who participated in the Charlottesville protests hailed Assad's use of barrel bombs to subdue communities that turned against him. One is wearing a T-shirt that says: "Bashar's Barrel Delivery Co."

Barrel bombs are crude, cheaply made explosive devices that are tipped out of aircraft without any form of targeting, and their use has killed thousands of civilians in Syria. In the streamed live video, the men defend Assad.

"Assad did nothing wrong," said alt-right social media activist Tim Gionet, who is also known as "Baked Alaska" on Twitter and YouTube.

"Barrel bombs, hell yeah," he can be heard saying in the same video.

Assad's emergence as a popular hero for the right appears to have followed a series of tweets in March by the former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, in which he lavished praise on the Syrian president, describing him as an "amazing leader" -- and more.

Other right-wing leaders have long expressed their support for the Syrian president and clearly hoped that President Trump, who made flattering comments about Assad on the campaign trail, would strike up an alliance with him. Such hopes were also based on the backing Assad had received from some far-right politicians in Europe. France's Marine Le Pen, for example, has said that keeping Assad in power is "the most reassuring solution."

After Trump ordered U.S. warplanes to bomb a Syrian airfield in response to a chemical attack in northern Syria, numerous right-wing commentators expressed their dismay on Twitter. Shortly after the attack, right-wing protesters opposed to the military intervention, led by white nationalist Richard B. Spencer, faced off against a group of anti-fascist protesters outside the White House.

Although Trump has continued to refuse to directly back Assad, even calling him "truly an evil person" in an April TV interview, the far right's apparent fascination with seeing the Syrian president hold onto power has persisted.

The far right's love affair with Assad also might not be entirely unexpected. His Baath Party is fiercely nationalist and ethnocentric, focused on the promotion of Arab identity. One of the few political parties permitted by his regime and one of his staunchest supporters in the war is the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, which drew the inspiration for its logo from the swastika.

---

Noack reported from London.
By PTI: Mangaluru, Aug 13 (PTI) The city police has arrested a man from Kulashekar for allegedly cheating a woman on the pretext of getting her a nurses job in Doha, Qatar and "selling her as a slave" in Saudi Arabia, it said today.

James DMello (35) was arrested yesterday, the police said, adding that he was instrumental behind sending Jacintha Mendonca (46), a resident of Mudarangady in Udupi, Karnataka, to Saudi Arabia.

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The accused had promised to get Mendonca a job as a house nurse in Qatar, but instead, "sold her as a slave" to a man in Saudi Arabia last year, the police said.

DMello had reportedly sent Mendonca to Mumbai, from where she was sent to Saudi Arabia by another agent, Shaba Khan, who had allegedly taken Rs 5 lakh from her employer in Saudi Arabia.

Khan had also reportedly paid Rs 25,000 to DMello.

The Ministry of External Affairs is trying to bring Mendonca, who is still stranded in Saudi Arabia, back to the country.

Sources in the police said Khan would be arrested soon. PTI CORR RC

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Our retired teachers deserve a better deal than either of the plans being debated by the Texas Legislature in the current special session. The Texas House overwhelmingly supports the House plan, and the Texas Senate overwhelmingly supports the Senate plan. Rather than argue over which plan is superior, we should combine them and give our retired teachers some relief they will actually feel.

The Teacher Retirement System Care plan, which provides a health insurance option to 260,000 retired teachers and their families, was facing collapse in the past legislative session due to increased health care costs. The legislature acted to temporarily buoy the system with an infusion of money, and by raising deductibles and premiums for our retired teachers, many of whom are not eligible for Social Security.

Retired teachers under the age of 65 are facing sharp increases in the premiums they pay to provide coverage for their families. Some will see their premiums rise eighteen-fold, while their deductibles and out of pocket maximums will increase by thousands of dollars. For retirees on a fixed income, many will have to choose between purchasing food and medicine each month.

While these actions temporarily save the program, now that the legislature is in special session, we have an opportunity and a duty to provide reasonable relief.

The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 19, a proposal that provides a one-time $193 million bonus to current teachers, and allocates $212 Million to TRS-Care to ease the upcoming increases to deductibles, premiums, prescription drugs, and out-of-pocket maximums. The funding source for this aid is the deferment of payments to managed care organizations by the Health and Human Services Commission by a few days. This budget deferral pushes the cost into the next biennium, when the next legislature must find the money to cover the costs.

The Texas House has also taken action, passing House Bill 20 with overwhelming support. House Bill 20 accomplishes the same goal as Senate Bill 19 of reducing deductibles and premiums, but pays for it by transferring $212.7 million from our Rainy Day Fund. This expenditure would touch less than 2 percent of the Rainy Day fund's $11 billion balance. Texas currently has the largest balance of all 46 states that have similar Rainy Day Funds.

Through both bills, retirees under age 65 would see $1,500 individual in-network deductibles come January, rather than the $3,000 that is scheduled under current law. The bills would also reduce projected premiums by about $25 for retirees over 65, and lower cost increases for retirees with adult disabled children.

Each of these solutions independently eases the sharp increases that are planned, but neither changes the fact that Texas retired teachers could be paying thousands more for their health care. Real relief to those on a fixed income would come from combining both methods. With $212 Million from the deferral, and $212.7 Million from the Rainy Day Fund, we have the opportunity to invest $424.7 Million to keep retired teachers health care costs affordable until the legislature can pass a permanent solution for TRS-Care.

We have a bipartisan opportunity to use this special session to tackle a real problem facing Texas. How we treat our retired teachers has a direct impact on our ability to recruit the best and the brightest into the teaching profession that is already experiencing a teacher shortage in many areas of the state. We must reverse that trend to ensure Texas remains competitive in the global economy. Lets combine our differences and do right by our retired teachers.

Democratic Sen. Carlos Uresti represents Senate District 19.
By PTI: (Eds: Updating with fresh inputs)

Kathmandu, Aug 13 (PTI) Around 600 tourists, including 200 Indians, were stranded in Nepals popular tourist town of Chitwan due to flooding triggered by heavy rains that have claimed 49 lives, officials said today.

Heavy rains have lashed Nepal for the last three days causing flooding and landslides.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, at least 13 persons were injured in the rain-related incidents and 17 others remained missing.

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The latest data released by the ministry shows that 21 districts have been hit badly by the flash floods and landslides, The Himalayan Times reported.

Around 600 tourists were stranded due to flooding in Sauraha in Chitwan.

The trapped tourists include 200 Indians, 200 Nepalis and another 200 from various countries, the report said citing authorities.

The swollen Rapti and Budhirapti Rivers have inundated many hotels in the tourist destination.

Chief District Officer Narayan Prasad Bhatta said efforts were on to shift the trapped tourists to safer places.

According to data by the ministry, one person was killed in Panchthar, four in Sindhuli, Jhapa and Banke each, five in Morang, eight in Sunsari, three in Sarlahi and Surkhet each and two in Bara and Dang each.

Similarly, seven persons died in Rautahat floods and landslides, two in Bardiya, one in Dhanusha, Makawanpur, Kailai and Palpa districts each.

Jhapa, Morang Sunsari, Sapttari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Banke, Bardiya and Dang districts were the worst affected by flood.

Some 35,843 houses have been inundated, 1,000 houses are damaged and 397 livestock died in the floods, the ministry data said.

Many cities in the Tarai region have been inundated while transportation along the East West Highway has been halted after a pillar of Dudhaura Bridge sank at Pathlaiya-Nijgadh road section.

Yesterday, Nepal Cabinet had held an emergency meeting during which Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had ordered the local district administrations to intensify the rescue and release activities. PTI KJ NSA KJ

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By PTI: Colombo, Aug 13 (PTI) Three Indians have been arrested for illegally staying in Sri Lanka, a media report has said.

On an information received by the Sri Lankan Navy, troops attached to the South Eastern Naval Command and Police Special Task Force personnel stationed in Marudamunai conducted a special raid in Nindavur on Friday and arrested them, the Colombo Page reported.

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The three Indians, whose names are yet to be known, are aged 27, 36 and 41 years and are residents of Tamil Nadu.

They were arrested while they were harvesting a paddy field in the area and have been charged for violating the immigration and migration laws of Sri Lanka.

They have been handed over to the Sammanthurai Police for legal action, the report said. PTI KJ ZH KJ

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Colombo, Aug 13 (PTI) Three Indians have been arrested for illegally staying in Sri Lanka, a media report has said.

On an information received by the Sri Lankan Navy, troops attached to the South Eastern Naval Command and Police Special Task Force personnel stationed in Marudamunai conducted a special raid in Nindavur on Friday and arrested them, the Colombo Page reported.

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The three Indians, whose names are yet to be known, are aged 27, 36 and 41 years and are residents of Tamil Nadu.

They were arrested while they were harvesting a paddy field in the area and have been charged for violating the immigration and migration laws of Sri Lanka.

They have been handed over to the Sammanthurai Police for legal action, the report said. PTI KJ ZH KJ TRK

--- ENDS ---
Berbatov: Do not underestimate Fulham

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The ex-Red says United will have 'a problem' if they take another of his former clubs lightly on Sunday.
James Alex Fields Jr., the 20-year-old man accused of causing a crash that killed one woman in Charlottesville, Virginia, expressed white supremacist views and was fascinated with Nazism, a high school teacher told The Washington Post.

Fields, who lives in Ohio, is accused of driving his 2010 Dodge Challenger into other vehicles in Charlottesville Saturday. The impact of the crash forced vehicles into a crowd of counter-protesters.

Heather Heyer, 32, of Charlottesville was killed.

The incident occurred as violence spilled onto the street of Charlottesville when white supremacist groups headed to the city to protest the removal of a Confederate statue. Groups headed to the area to protest against the white power organizations.

Derek Weimer, a history teacher, told The Washington Post he taught fields at a high school in Kentucky. Fields, according to the teacher, wrote a long paper about the Nazi military for one class.

The paper appeared to be a "big lovefest" for Nazism, the teacher told the newspaper.

"He had white supremacist views. He really believed in that stuff," Weimer told The Washington Post.

Fields has been rumored to be part of Vanguard America; a group that states it is the "Face of American Fascism." Images of Fields online show him holding a black shield with a Vanguard symbol.

The group, however, posted a message on Twitter stating Fields is not a member.

"The driver of the vehicle that hit counter protesters today (Saturday) was, in no way, a member of Vanguard America. All our members had been safely evacuated by the time of the incident," the group said. "The shields seen do not denote membership, nor does the white shirt. The shields were freely handed out to anyone in attendance."

No Vanguard members were arrested, the group wrote on Twitter.

Charlottesville Police continue to investigate the fatal crash that killed Heyer and injured several others. The department released more details about the crash Sunday afternoon.

Fields, in his Dodge, was heading south on 4th Street and speeding when he rear-ended a sedan, police said. The crash occurred around 1:45 p.m. Saturday.

The sedan then struck a minivan. The minivan had slowed down for a group of people crossing through the intersection.

"The impact of the crash pushed the vehicles into the crowd of pedestrians," police said. "The Dodge Challenger fled the scene, but was located and stopped a short time later by Charlottesville Police."

Heyer, according to police, was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Nineteen other people were hurt. Their injuries ranged from serious to minor. Fields is facing charges of second-degree murder, malicious wounding and hit-and-run. Federal authorities opened a civil rights investigation in the case.

Virginia State Police said they arrested three people in connection with the violence. Troy Dunigan, 21, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was charged with disorderly conduct; James O'Brien, 44, of Gainesville, Florida was charged with carrying concealed handgun and Jacob L. Smith, 21, of Louisa, Virginia, was charged with assault and battery.

The fatal helicopter crash that claimed the lives of two Virginia State Police troopers remains under investigation, authorities said Sunday afternoon.

The helicopter crashed while it assisted resources on the ground in Charlottesville Saturday.
CHICOPEE - Police raided an Aldenville home early Saturday morning and arrested the two residents and a Springfield man and allegedly confiscated 17,000 bags of heroin and 24 grams of cocaine.

Nikki Bisiniere, 28, and Edwin Louis Rodriguez, 26, both of 34 Marcelle St., and Pedro Diaz, 26, of 64 Groveland St., Springfield were all arrested at the home without incident. Diaz and Rodriguez are being held on $50,000 bail and Bisiniere is being held on $10,000 bail until they can be arraigned on Monday, Michael Wilk, Chicopee Police public information officer, said.

All three are charged with trafficking in heroin of more than 200 grams and trafficking in cocaine of 18 to 36 grams, he said.

After a lengthy investigation into alleged narcotics dealing, Chicopee Police narcotics officers received a warrant from Chicopee District Court, Wilk said.

At 4:53 a.m. the narcotics officers with the Chicopee Police Special Response team, the detective unit and Westfield Police narcotics officers raided the second floor apartment at 34 Marcelle St. and arrested the three occupants without incident, he said.

Police then searched the apartment and allegedly found the drugs as well as drug paraphernalia, more than $7,700 in cash, two BB guns and video surveillance equipment, Wilk said.

"Great job by all involved in this raid. No officers, or anyone else, were injured due to the professional training of our (Special Response) Team. And, awesome work to our narcotics officers for getting this garbage off our streets, and in the process, no doubt saving many lives," Wilk said.
WESTFIELD -- Beautiful weather will make for a spectacular final day of the 2017 Westfield International Air Show.

More than 28,000 people attended the show on Saturday, which featured 18 aerial acts. Organizers said about 50,000-60,000 people are expected to attedn the final day of the show today.

The show is free and open to the public. Gates open at 8 a.m., with aerial acts starting around 11 a.m., but with massive crowds expected, traffic will be heavy.

Where to park

There are six general parking lots labeled A, B, E, F, G and H.

Police and members of the 104th Fighter Wing will monitor the lots as they fill and will direct visitors to the best lot at the time. Their decisions will also be made based on traffic conditions.

Shuttle service will be available from lots A, F and G so people will not have to walk too far.

In general, people who travel from Exit 3 on the Massachusetts Turnpike will be directed to lots A, B and E. Those coming from Interstate 91 and Route 202 in Holyoke will be directed to lots F, G and H.

there are 17 aerial shows scheduled for each day. They are expected to begin around 10 a.m. and run to 4:30 p.m.

For more information

Information about the show and updates about traffic and performance schedules is available on the Westfield International Air Show website.

Personnel from the 104th Fighter Wing will also continually update the Westfield Air Show Facebook page with traffic alerts and the show schedule.

The Westfield University radio station, WKSE-FM 89.9, will also be broadcasting from the air show both days.

What to watch

The show will offer 18 aerial acts today including the Liberty Jump Team, the Geico Skytypers Bomb Burst, tactical demos and much more.

Air show officials do not set a schedule for the shows because the timing of the demonstrations depends on the weather. Some demonstrations can be flown at a lower altitude, so if clouds roll in they will go off at that time, while others need clear skies to perform. If the weather is ideal, then the signature Thunderbirds will likely fly later in the afternoon, often as the last event of the day.

In addition there will be at least a dozen different planes parked on the tarmac that people can examine. In some cases people will be able to look into the cockpit and even get into the planes. Flight crews will be around every plane and will be happy to talk about the aircraft.
Family and friends have identified the 32-year-old woman killed when a man drove into a group of counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia as Heather Heyer, a paralegal who was protesting against hate.

"Heather Heyer was murdered while protesting against hate," a friend wrote on a Gofundme.com page for Heyer. "She is a Greene County native and Graduated from William Monroe High School. Her mother (whom I will not name until she is ready) said 'She died doing what was right. My heart is broken, but I am forever proud of her'."

Heyer's LinkedIn page shows she worked at the Miller Law Group in Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlottesville police confirmed Heyer died in the crash.

Felicia Correa, the woman who started the online fund for Heyer, told the New York Daily News that she plans on having a vigil for her friend Sunday night.

Authorities say 20-year-old James Alex Fields, Jr., of Maumee, Ohio struck Heyer and 19 other people with a Dodge Challenger.

He is charged with suspicion of second-degree murder, hit-and-run, malicious wounding, and failure to stop for an accident involving a death.

White nationalists descended on Charlottesville Saturday to rally against plans to remove a Confederate statue. City officials agreed to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee from Emancipation Park.

Brawls erupted in the streets and three people were arrested, according to Virginia State Police. A state of emergency was declared.

Two state troopers, Lt. H. Jay Cullen and trooper-pilot Berke M.M. Bates, died when a Virginia State Police helicopter crashed not far from the protests. The crash is "connected" to the rally, according to officials who did not specify as to how.
By PTI: (Eds: Updating with fresh inputs, toll)

By Shirish B Pradhan

Kathmandu, Aug 12 (PTI) At least 36 people were killed and 12 others missing in floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall in several districts across Nepal, officials said today.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, seven persons were killed in Sunsari district in southern Nepal.

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Four persons were killed in Sindhuli, four each in Jhapa and Sindhuli districts, three each in Banke, Morang and Panchthar districts and the rest others in different districts.

Hundreds of families have been displaced in the floods and landslides across the country.

Meanwhile, Nepal Cabinet held an emergency meeting during which Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba ordered the local district administrations to intensify the rescue and release activities.

Nepalese Home Minister Janardan Sharma said that all the security agencies will be mobilised in an integrated manner for carrying out the rescue operations.

Jhapa, Morang Sunsari, Sapttari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Banke, Bardiya and Dang districts were the worst affected by flood.

Hundreds of houses have been submerged in Morang. Biratnagar airport has been closed after flood water gushed into the airport area. PTI KJ/SBP KJ

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SHELBURNE FALLS -- A field of 590 runners participated in the 39th Bridge of Flowers Classic 10K road race on Saturday.

With overcast skies and temperatures hovering in the low to mid-60s at race time, it took some of the heat off the runners on what typically could have been a steamy-hot August day.

With hundreds of spectators cheering them on, the runners made their way around a figure 8 course, ending up at the finish line on Bridge Street.

John Busque, of Manchester, Connecticut, took first place with a time of 31:48. The first woman to cross the finish line was Holly Rees, of Somerville, with a time of 37:05.

The race is billed as one of the toughest 10Ks in New England, with a challenging 1K climb up Crittenden Hill. But runners are rewarded with flats and downhills to the finish line.

The event was a family affair for many runners. Carrie Cranston, of Ashfield, signed up with her two sons, Cyrus, 8, and Oliver, 7, to participate in the Steve Lewis Subaru Charity Run & Walk, held in conjunction with the 10K.

"This is our first year," said Cranston, who noted that the boys are involved in the track program at Mohawk Regional High School and the Greenfield YMCA.

Carole Appleton, race director, took the microphone to thank all involved in putting the races together.

"Thank you very much to everybody for participating, volunteering, sponsoring, the community for coming out to support this, obviously, Mike McCusker, the Greater Shelburne Falls Area Business Association," she said. "It couldn't be done without any of you, the race committee, the public safety folks, police, fire, EMS - we really appreciate all the help. Thank you so much, and get ready for the 40th."

Race organizers said the race was started back in 1979 as one of the events for the Buckland Bicentennial. The success of the race in drawing people to the town led to it becoming an annual event.

In the 3K race, Joni Beauvais, of Wilbraham, took first place overall with a time of 11:55. Benjamin Roberts, of Sunderland, came in second with the identical time.

A post-race party was held by the famed Glacial Potholes.

For full results of the race, visit: www.coolrunning.com/results/17/ma/Aug12_Bridge_set1.shtml
Here is our Top 10 for this week, celebrating work and successes to grow and strengthen our regional Great Falls economy.

1) Catching up on a few more important project milestones during June and July  Benefis Health System started construction on the $12.5 million expansion of its Emergency Department. The innovative design will allow for more efficient and patient-friendly care with shorter wait times. The Great Falls City Design Review Board approved plans for improvements at CMR High School, including a new 25,000 square foot Multi-Purpose Practice Facility and the 5,200 square foot building addition for Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) education. The Cascade County Commission hired a consultant to begin work with community organizations on future land use planning of the former Anaconda smelter site in Black Eagle. EPA is funding the planning work.

2) The Downtown Development Partnership board voted to fund two more traffic box local art wrappings and to seek funds to expand the successful pedlet demonstration into a larger downtown-wide program to help spur more outside dining venues. Contact Joan Redeen at the BID for more info at [email protected]. The DDP board elected officers for the new fiscal year: Brett Doney, Chair; Kellie Pierce, Vice Chair; Sheila Rice, Treasurer; and, Joan Redeen, Secretary.

3) Facilitated a stakeholders meeting with local and state partners to move forward with next steps on clean up planning and redevelopment for a site in Great Falls. For brownfield redevelopment help, contact Lillian Sunwall at [email protected]

4) The cost of living in the Great Falls MSA (Cascade County) continues to remain low; latest calculation released by JobsEQ has us at 92.6% of the national average. Great Falls city water and sewer rates continue to be very competitive. The 2017 Annual Utility Rate Survey conducted by AE2S Nexus ranks Great Falls in the lower quartile of water rates charged to residential and commercial customers. Great Falls is fifth lowest overall in the monthly residential water rate and second lowest of respondents in Montana. Great Falls ranks in the lower quartile of wastewater rates to residential customers and in the lower third for commercial customers. With respect to the larger Montana communities, Great Falls offers the lowest commercial water and wastewater utility rates. The survey includes data from 285 communities throughout the Upper Midwest and Rocky Mountain Region.

5) Are you working on a project that adds value to Montanas agriculture commodities? Need help funding planning, start-up, or expansion? We have access to a wide array of resources, including the upcoming Montana Growth Through Agriculture grant round. Contact Jolene to discuss your project and potential opportunities, 406.750.4481, or email [email protected]

6) Monthly visitation in Glacier National Park topped one million people for the first time in the Parks history with 1,009,665 visitors passing through its gates in July. Papa Murphys is opening a second Great Falls location with plans to construct a new building across from City Brew on Smelter Avenue.

7) Worked with four local companies working to expand operations and a startup working through financial feasibility in preparation to purchase a building to launch its venture. Were here to help your business grow and expand, whatever that looks like. Connect with Jason and get started planning your next move at [email protected]

8) We issued a new draft Strategic Plan http://files.constantcontact.com/3e765937001/e11b4349-b1f4-4216-9eff-9050493f6f30.pdf to focus GFDAs economic development efforts. The draft was developed by GFDAs Board based on the results of a spring survey of our public and private investors. Were seeking feedback on the draft. Please email comments to me at [email protected]

9) Gov. Bullock signed the apprenticeship tax credit bill back in June (Yes, still catching up!) that was sponsored by Rep. Casey Schreiner, a GFDA Director. HB 308 provides Montana businesses with a $750 tax credit for every person hired where the worker is offered on-the-job training through the Montana Registered Apprenticeship program at the MT Dept. of Labor; $1,500 for every veteran hired. If you missed it, we recently published the Great Falls MSA Labor Supply Report http://files.constantcontact.com/3e765937001/dc1f22c6-9d9f-4978-b064-46f06d6b8bff.pdf .

10) We signed an agreement with Northwestern Energy to raise a regional electric transmission line that crosses the Great Falls AgriTech Park. Raising the line will give Park tenants more flexibility in their lot development.

11) We renewed our Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) annual contract with Big Sky EDA. The DOD funded program helps local businesses to learn the skills and technicalities to compete for federal contracts. In the Golden Triangle Great Falls trade area, the program is made possible by our amazing GFDA investors. Our local investor match for the next 12 months will be $32,742. For help with government contracting, contact [email protected] See details below on a special free Contracting with the State of Montana workshop in Great Falls on August 22.

12) GFDAs Board elected officers for our new fiscal year: Nate Weisenberger of AE2S, Chair; Ron Nelson of Church Harris Johnson & Williams PC, Vice Chair; Errol Rice of Transystems, Treasurer; and, Glenn Lambert of Cascade Farmers Mutual Insurance, Secretary. THANK YOU to Bob Butcher of US Bank, who was term limited off our Board, for his many years of service to GFDA, including as Board Chair and Immediate Past Chair! Ted Lewis of First Interstate Bank has stepped into the Immediate Past Chair position, having done an outstanding job as Board chair. Thank you also to Jim Voegele for his years of service on GFDAs board!

13) The High Plains Financial Board elected new officers for the year: Len Watkins of Gusto Distributing, Chair; Rebecca Engum of Great Falls Tourism, Vice Chair; Rich West of Dowl Engineering, Treasurer; Ryan Smith of Nelson Architects, Secretary; Amanda Boutilier of JCCS, Asst. Secretary; and, Greg Thayer of Montana Milling, Asst. Secretary. Thank you to Erin Townsend of Embark FCU for a great job as Board chair last fiscal year!

14) The National Center for Appropriate Technologys new ATTRA program has created a series of six videos on Farm-based Food Safety, as well as an array of online resources concerning food-safety regulations under the Food Safety Modernization Act. Visit http://www.attra.ncat.org

15) Ive been elected to the boards of the Great Falls Convention & Visitor Bureau, and the Upper Missouri River Heritage Area Planning Corp., part of our efforts to boost the Great Falls regional tourism industry. The CVB Board has elected me chair for the new fiscal year.

Hungry to Grow the Great Falls region!

Brett

Brett Doney

President/CEO

Connect with me on LinkedIn to network with the Great Falls region.

"The time is always right to do what is right."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Congratulations

To Dexter Busby on being appointed by Gov. Bullock to the Montana Board of Environmental Review. Dexter served as a long-time GFDA Director before retiring as Director of Government Affairs at Calumet Montana Refining!

To Dan Vuckovich, shareholder at Anderson ZurMuehlen, on being presented with the 2017 George D. Anderson Distinguished Service Award by the Montana Society of Certified Public Accountants!

Commercial Loan Portfolio Manager opening. Exceptional professional sought to support the growth of GFDAs business and real estate lending and overall economic development efforts. Join our dedicated, passionate, fun, fast-paced, results-driven economic development CDFI team. Help us grow and diversify the Great Falls regional economy and support the creation of higher wage jobs. Duties include loan portfolio risk rating and financial analysis, loan documentation and servicing, reporting to a variety of public and private funding sources, maintaining our loan portfolio management system and other specialized software databases, responding to client and partner inquiries, and business development. Requires the ability to maintain accurate records, timely submission of reports, and strong computer and written/oral communication skills. Must be detail oriented, self-directed, and organized with the ability to be flexible to help achieve our overall team mission. Lending, finance, government grant management and/or accounting experience preferred. BA/BS or equivalent relevant experience. Salary range $40,000-45,000 with excellent benefits, professional development, growth opportunities, and flexible work environment. Work with a great team, help us move Great Falls Forward, and make a difference in peoples lives! EOE. Cover letter and resume to Lillian Sunwall at [email protected]. Open until we find a great candidate.

Cost-Effective Industrial Sites Available

If your company needs a rail-served, BNSF-Certified, shovel-ready site with all municipal services at your door, we have lots available for immediate construction in the Great Falls AgriTech Park. Contact Brett Doney at 1-406-750-2119 or [email protected]

Upcoming Business Events & Training

Dont miss the free Montana PTAC Workshop on

"Contracting with the State of Montana: How-To Workshop" in Great Falls, August 22, 9:30 AM  12:30 PM, in downtown US Bank Building in the 2nd floor training room. To register go to

https://mtptac.ecenterdirect.com/events/41258 For questions or more information, contact Lillian Sunwall at 1-406-750-1253 or [email protected]

Profit Mastery workshops assist entrepreneurs to more efficiently manage the cash flow of their businesses. Our next Profit Mastery workshop is scheduled for September 13-14 at Great Falls College MSU. The two-day course is $125, which includes materials and lunch. Click for more info https://mtsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/3782 . We are also offering a QuickBooks basics workshop for $79 on October 11. Click for details: https://mtsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/3863.

Montana Downtown Conference, "Attracting Private Investment to Your Downtown," October 19-20 right here in Great Falls. Sponsorship opportunities available, contact Sheila Rice at [email protected]. Come a day early on October 18th for a special Great Falls Downtown & Riverfront Showcase.

Join the Native American Development Corporation as we continue our webinar series. We are hosting a monthly webinar series on various topics ranging from Business Planning to Government Contracting. The series will be held on the Third Thursdays of the Month at 3pm. This Months Webinar will be on building a sustainable credit profile to advance small business opportunities with speaker Darrell LaMere August 17th at 3pm. For more information or to inquire about future topics please call Tim Guardipee at NADC 406-259-3804.

This fall Senator Daines will be hosting the second biannual Montana High Tech Jobs Summit in Missoula, October 8-9th. To register or for more information, please visit the website at http://www.montanatechsummit.com.

Join us for the first annual Montana Food Show! This tradeshow will provide opportunities for food buyers and food producers to connect and find ways to get more Montana foods on Montana plates. Over 50 Montana fresh produce, meat, food and spirit companies will be showcasing their products in Bozeman on Tuesday October, 10, 2017. We invite food purchasers from schools, restaurants, hospitals, grocery stores, catering businesses, and other organizations to attend a private buying event from 10am-4pm. Doors are open to the general public from 4 to 7pm. Buyers can register and learn more at http://www.foodshow.mt.gov Questions? Contact Steph Hystad with the Montana Department of Agriculture at 406.444.5425 or [email protected]

Vision

Hungry to Grow the Great Falls region

Mission

Grow and diversify the Great Falls regional economy.

Create higher wage career opportunities.

Improve market competitiveness.

The first economic development organization in the Rocky Mountain West to earn accreditation from the International Economic Development Council.

GFDA is a certified Community Development Financial Institution and a 501(c)3 charitable organization. High Plains Financial is a certified Community Development Corporation that offers SBA 504 loans statewide. GFDA and High Plains Financial are Equal Opportunity Lenders.

GFDA is proud to host a Montana Small Business Development Center

and a Montana Procurement Technical Assistance Center.

For more info, click to our website.

Great Falls Development Authority, Inc., 300 Central Avenue, Suite 406, Great Falls, MT 59401, Mailing Address: PO Box 949, Great Falls, MT 59403
The first woman to hoist the Indian flag stepped out in a custom-made suit by the leading Indian designer.

By Shreya Goswami: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has always had a penchant for making history. Her latest achievement--being the first woman to ever hoist the Indian national flag--proves it.

Aishwarya, accompanied by daughter Aaradhya, hoisted the flag at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. While this feat caught the world's eye, many noticed the elegant and ethnic Indian outfits this mother-daughter duo donned for the occasion.

Picture courtesy: Instagram/_aishwaryaraibachchan

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Both their outfits are custom-made by leading Indian designer, Manish Malhotra. Malhotra's designs look absolutely stunning on both Aishwarya and Aaradhya, and managed to convey the elegance, class and beauty of the historical occasion.

Picture courtesy: Instagram/_aishwaryaraibachchan

Also Read: WATCH: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, daughter Aaradhya hoist Indian flag at IFFM 2017

The former-Miss World donned a white and light blue embroidered suit. The detailed work and embellishments on the suit conveyed the richness of Indian handicrafts, and the 43-year-old actor pulled it off with panache.

Picture courtesy: Instagram/aasthasharma612

Pairing the outfit with a delicate pearl necklace, white, dangling earrings and a few matching rings, was a good idea. And so was the chic-yet-messy bun. Aishwarya's outfit and makeup also brought out the colour of her eyes perfectly. which made her even more attractive on the occasion.

Picture courtesy: Instagram/_aishwaryaraibachchan Picture courtesy: Instagram/_aishwaryaraibachchan

Some picture from the event suggest that she was slightly uncomfortable with the neckline of the suit, which she covered up time and again with the dupatta and her right hand.

Picture courtesy: Instagram/_aishwaryaraibachchan

Also Read: Aishwarya to Beyonce: Celeb moms who are all for breastfeeding

Aaradhya's look complimented her mother's to the T. Her white, embroidered lehenga, also custom-made by Manish Malhotra, made her look like the perfect angel in white. Add the silver bangles and the white headband, and you have a kid who looks fashionable with minimal effort.

Picture courtesy: Instagram/manishmalhotra05

The ethnic outfits that Aishwarya and Aaradhya donned in Melbourne set them apart in a large crowd, just as much as the flag-hoisting event did. No wonder they managed to steal the hearts of millions across the world.

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) Drug firm Alkem Laboratories is looking to tap domestic as well as international markets for growth going forward, the company has said.

In the domestic market, the company plans to consolidate presence in the segments it is in and is aiming to build base in the emerging therapy areas and OTC segment.

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"The company would look to consolidate its market leading position in its established therapy areas of anti-infectives, gastro-intestinal, pain management and vitamins, minerals & nutrients," Alkem Laboratories said in its Annual Report of 2016-2017 financial year.

The Mumbai-based firm said it would also look at building base in the emerging therapy areas of cardiac, anti-diabetes, CNS and derma (skin) by leveraging on its core strengths.

"The company would expand its product offerings by launching innovative and differentiated products through indigenous R&D and in-licensing opportunities," Alkem Laboratories said.

About the over-the-counter segment, the company would further invest to build its OTC portfolio through new product offerings and media spends, it added.

In the international markets, Alkem Labs is looking forward to the US market as one of the key growth drivers for the company. In the fiscal year 2017, its US business delivered sales of USD 181 million.

"Aided by a healthy pipeline of 91 Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) filings, own front end and supply chain in the US and cGMP compliant manufacturing facilities, the company looks to capitalise in the worlds largest pharmaceutical market," the report said.

Continued investments in R&D and accelerated ANDA filings along with timely new product launches would be the key growth drivers in the US, it added.

In-licensing opportunities and strategic alliances and partnerships to enhance capabilities and product portfolio in the US pharmaceutical market are also being explored, the report said.

Alkem currently has presence in over 50 international markets with its key markets being Australia, Philippines, Chile and Kazakhstan.

The company is focusing on key select international markets rather than spreading itself thin over too many markets, the report said.

The drug maker plans to grow operations by creating strong local presence and offering differentiated products, it added.

"Expansion through strategic acquisitions and partnership agreements for product out-licensing and in-licensing would also be an enabler for the company in these markets," the report said.

Established in 1973, Alkem Laboratories has a portfolio of over 700 brands covering all major therapeutic segments. It has 16 manufacturing facilities, 14 being in India and two in the United States. PTI AKT RKL AP NP SRK JM

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Cerebrospinal fluid analysis is a test used to diagnose conditions that affect the central nervous system. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear liquid that is produced mostly in the ventricles of the brain. It surrounds and protects the brain and the spinal cord, which make up the central nervous system (CNS). A doctor will collect a sample of fluid from a persons lower back during a procedure called a lumbar puncture, which is also known as a spinal tap.

What can CSF analysis diagnose? Share on Pinterest Cerebrospinal fluid protects the brain and spinal cord. Autoimmune conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and Guillain-Barre syndrome, can lead to an inflammatory response, which can be detected by the presence of autoantibodies in the CSF. Doctors can also identify certain cancers, including leukemia, as the CSF analysis test may reveal increased numbers of white blood cells. Doctors also use the CSF analysis test to check for primary and metastatic cancerous tumors in the CNS. The CSF analysis test can also diagnose Alzheimers disease, by measuring levels of amyloid beta 1-42 (A1-42) and p- and t- tau proteins. In cases of infectious diseases causing meningitis and encephalitis, doctors use a CSF test to find out if the cause is viral, fungal, bacterial, or due to a parasite, which will influence the course of treatment. The blood-brain barrier The brain and the bloodstream are separated by the blood-brain barrier. This barrier stops large molecules, toxins, and most blood cells traveling from the blood into the brain. The spinal cord and bloodstream also have a blood-spinal cord barrier. If a person has a condition that affects the CNS, it will disrupt the blood-brain barrier, which can usually be detected by changes in the composition of the spinal fluid. What is CSF? CSF surrounds and protects the brain and the spinal cord. About 500 to 600 mL of clear, watery CSF is formed in the ventricles of the brain every day. The fluid is continually circulated and then absorbed into the blood. This fluid has several functions. It protects the brain by acting as a cushion and can remove harmful substances, including drugs. CSF helps keep the pressure in the skull cavity and spinal canal at constant levels. It also transports hormones from where they are produced to parts of the brain where they are needed.

What is a lumbar puncture? If a doctor suspects that a person has a condition affecting the CNS, or that cancer that may have spread to the CNS, the person may be sent for a lumbar puncture. The signs and symptoms of conditions that affect the CNS include: Share on Pinterest A lumbar puncture is used to collect samples of CSF.

Image credit: Brainhell, 2006 changes in consciousness and mental state

sudden, severe, or persistent headaches

confusion, hallucinations, or seizures

nausea

sensitivity to light

numbness or tremor

dizziness

speech difficulties

walking difficulties

mood swings and depression What happens during a lumbar puncture Doctors usually perform a lumbar puncture on a person who is lying still in a fetal position. The doctor will clean the skin of the persons lower back and inject a local anesthetic. Once the back is numb, the doctor will insert a hollow needle into the spinal canal (containing the spinal cord) between two vertebrae. This part of the procedure is called the opening. The doctor will collect samples of CSF in sterile vials before withdrawing the needle; they will then apply a sterile dressing and pressure as part of the closing. The procedure usually takes about 30 minutes and may be uncomfortable.

Risks and considerations Some people experience a headache between 24 and 48 hours after the procedure. People have described the pain as a dull or throbbing pain at the front of the head, sometimes spreading to the neck and shoulders. Over-the-counter medications can help alleviate soreness, but if the pain is severe or is accompanied by sickness and vomiting, it is important to seek medical attention. To reduce the risk of developing a post-lumbar puncture headache, a person will be asked to lie on their back quietly and not lift their head for 1 to 2 hours afterward the procedure. The lumbar puncture is performed below the end of the spinal cord where there are small strands of nerves. Sometimes, the needle can make contact with a small vein, causing a traumatic tap. If this happens, a small amount of blood may leak into one or more of the samples, which may impact the results. Some people experience lower back pain in the area where the procedure took place, while others may also feel pain in the back of their legs. Doctors usually recommend over-the-counter pain relievers, and the pain usually subsides in a few days. A person may also experience some bruising and swelling related to a small amount of leaking fluid collecting under the skin. This tends to go away without treatment.
A militant has been arrested in the border district of Jhenaidah, who is one of the JMB Sarwar-Tamim Group's trainers, RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) officials said.

By Sahidul Hasan Khokon: A militant has been arrested in the border district of Jhenaidah, who is one of the JMB Sarwar-Tamim Group's trainers, RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) officials said.

RAB said that a man named Limon was arrested from Biscic Para area of Porahati village under the upazila on late Saturday night.

RAB-6 Commander Additional DIG Khandaker Rafiqul Islam told a press conference at RAB camp at Jhenaidah on Sunday, "Militants were trained in the village of Porahati under the leadership of Limon. RAB has recovered explosives, suicide vests and weapons from a militant hideout in the village of Porahati on May 18th."

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In connection with the case, a case was filed naming 16 people with Jhenaidah Police Station.

DIG Rafiqul said that Limon is accused in the case. He further said that before Limon, RAB arrested 10 more militants in this case. They are Pranta Hossain, Salim Reza, Abdul Latif, Kawser Jinnurain Laltu, Shahiduzzaman Shaheen, Saheb Ali, Alamin Islam, Rana Ahmed, Monwar Hossain and Ashraful Islam.

Six of them gave statements in court under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Limon JMB has been working as the right arm of Sarwar-Tamim group of Amir in this region.

DIG said there are 20 to 22 JMB members in Jhenaidah area. So far, RAB has arrested 11 militants and the rest are at large. Attempts are being made to arrest them.

ALSO READ:

2005 serial bombing case: Bangladesh court sentences 13 JMB members to 20 years in jail

Dhaka: Neo-JMB terrorist Rashed supplied arms for 2016 Gulshan Cafe attack, say cops

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) A number of books with a patriotic flavour have been brought out to celebrate and coincide with 70 years of Indias independence, touching upon issues that fired the countrys conscience and shaped its polity.

There is another book by former commander of the British Field Army Barney White-Spunner, who has dealt with the topic of Partition.

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In "Partition: The Story of Indian Independence and the Creation of Pakistan in 1947", the author illustrates the story of 1947 with experiences of people and what independence and partition meant to the farmers of the Punjab, those living in Lahore and Calcutta, or what it felt like to be a soldier in a divided and largely passive army.

The book is published by Simon and Schuster. Pan Macmillan India has also come out with an update, expanded 10th anniversary edition of Ramachandra Guhas "India After Gandhi".

In the last decade, India has witnessed, among other things, two general elections; the fall of the Congress and the rise of Narendra Modi; a major anti-corruption movement; more violence against women, Dalits, and religious minorities; a wave of prosperity for some but the persistence of poverty for others; comparative peace in Nagaland but greater discontent in Kashmir than ever before, Guha says.

The tenth anniversary edition, updated and expanded, brings the narrative up to the present, he adds. Puffin Book "India at 70: Snapshots Since Independence", written by Roshen Dalal, is an account of the nations evolution in the past seven decades.

It captures snippets of each of these 70 years through important events in various areas like politics, culture, science, sports, literature, music and television industry.

"I wrote this book in a short and easy-to-read format, to provide youngsters with an overview of India after Independence. To set up the structure of government, hold elections, relate with other countries, and plan Indias development has been a mammoth task, but that is not all that has gone into building a new nation," says Dalal.

Puffin India also announced its new series "Discover India" with the release of the first six books - "Off to Goa", "Off to Maharashtra", "Off to Uttar Pradesh", "Off to Tamil Nadu", "Off to West Bengal" and "Off to Gujarat" - to celebrate 70 years of Indias independence.

With puzzles, crosswords and dozens of other activities, the books by Sonia Mehta seek to entertain, educate and enlighten young minds.

HarperCollins India has brought out a Freedom list that offers readers a kaleidoscopic view of India, replete with its challenges and accomplishments.

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The issues these books cover range from women in the freedom struggle to the trauma of Partition, from strife and wars to a deeply personal depiction of life in the pre- Partition era, from poets and patriots to the weary generations.

Among the books are "Pathways to Greatness" by A P J Abdul Kalam, "Footprints on Zero Line: Writings on the Partition" by Gulzar, Krishna Sobtis "Zindaginama", "Indias Broken Tryst" by Tavleen Singh, "The People Next Door: The Curious History of Indias Relations with Pakistan" by TCA Raghavan and Vera Hildebrands "Women at War: Subhash Chandra Bose and the Rani of Jhansi Regiment".

Simon and Schuster has also come out with the 10th anniversary edition of Alex von Tunzelmanns "Indian Summer: The secret history of the end of an Empire" and a paperback edition of "India Conquered: Britains Raj and the Chaos of Empire" by Jon Wilson.

"Indian Summer" depicts the epic sweep of events that ripped apart the greatest empire the world has ever seen, and saw one million people killed and ten million dispossessed.

It claims to reveal the secrets of the most powerful players on the world stage: the Cold War conspiracies, the private deals, and the intense and clandestine love affair between the wife of the last viceroy and the first prime minister of free India.

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"India Conquered" revises the way people think about nation-building as much as empire, showing how many of the institutions that shaped 20th century India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were built in response to British power. PTI ZMN RJS

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: (Eds: Adding Tamil Nadu education ministers comments)

Chennai, Aug 13 (PTI) Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said the Centre will cooperate with Tamil Nadu if it brings an ordinance seeking exemption from NEET for government colleges for one year.

Responding to her remarks, state Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said an ordinance in this regard would be submitted to the Centre tomorrow morning.

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The development comes after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami, state ministers and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai had multiple meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other central ministers over NEET.

Tamil Nadu, which had initially sought permanent exemption from NEET by passing two Bills in the Assembly, later made efforts to be out of its ambit for at least a year or two.

State Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan, in Coimbatore, said the government wanted total exemption from NEET for the benefit of students, particularly from rural areas.

However, efforts were on to prepare students for common tests in future, he said.

Sitharaman said although students who had qualified in NEET included those from the state board, students from rural Tamil Nadu were largely out of it.

"The Centre is ready to cooperate in case the Tamil Nadu government comes up with an ordinance seeking exemption from NEET for government colleges," she said adding the exemption was only for a year.

Barring government colleges, NEET has already been implemented for other institutes, the Union minister said.

In Puducherry, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan said the Centre was inclined to accept a representation from Tamil Nadu on NEET.

Terming Sitharamans remarks a "good news" Vijayabaskar said, "I thank Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of Tamil Nadu government and students."

Tomorrow morning the state ordinance seeking exemption from NEET would be submitted to the Centre. A government secretary would be leaving for Delhi tonight and the ordinance would be promulgated after consultations with the chief minister, he said.

The state health minister said the Tamil Nadu government was confident of the Centres nod for the ordinance and under no circumstances had the Centre been "negative" about the proposal.

"We are seeking exemption only for seats in government colleges and government quota seats in self-financing colleges," he said, adding it was not sought for private institutes.

Vijayabaskar said care was being taken to ensure that the proposed move does not face any legal hurdles and the government was confident of completing the admission process ahead of the month-end deadline.

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In future, students would be well-prepared for NEET and the syllabus too would be oriented likewise, he said.

Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly M K Stalin hit out at the centre and state governments accusing them of "staging drama" on the issue and "betraying" students.

He said if the BJP-led government at the Centre was truly interested in the welfare of Tamil Nadu students it should get presidential assent for the two Bills for permanent exemption of the state from NEET.

Actor Kamal Haasan, meanwhile, in a tweet, asked the state government to "talk immediately" (with the Centre) on the NEET issue since the matter involved the future of students. PTI VGN NVM SS NSD

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An Indian passenger alleging misbehaviour with Indians at the Shanghai Pudong international airport by the staff of a Chinese airline has written to Sushma Swaraj.

China Eastern Airlines planes are seen on the tarmac at Hongqiao International Airport in Shanghai (Pic: Reuters)

By Press Trust of India: India has taken up with China a complaint filed by an Indian passenger alleging misbehaviour with Indians at the Shanghai Pudong international airport by the staff of a Chinese airline, sources said on Sunday.

The matter has been taken up with the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Pudong airport authorities after it was brought to the notice of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, sources said.

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Meanwhile, China Eastern Airlines has denied the allegation saying that after checking related materials and the airport CCTV footage, it found news reports about the incident did not conform to the fact, state-run Xinhua news agency reported last night.

"Instead, the airlines employees offered meticulous service," the airline said in a statement.

The company claimed that it is dedicated to providing quality flight service for passengers around the world.

Earlier, media reports said that North American Punjabi Association executive director Satnam Singh Chahal wrote to Swaraj alleging that he noticed that at the exit gate of the airplane for wheelchair passengers, ground staff was insulting transit Indian passengers.

Chahal, who travelled on August 6 by China Eastern Airlines flight from New Delhi to San Francisco, had to stop at Shanghai Pudong to catch his next flight of the same airlines for San Francisco. He said when he complained to concerned Airlines he was shouted down by the official.

"I noticed from their body language that they were frustrated from the rising border tension between India and China," Chahal was quoted as saying in the letter, apparently referring to the nearly two-month long standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam in Sikkim section.

Chahal even suggested to Swaraj to issue an advisory for Indian transit travellers to avoid transiting through China.

Last month, China had issued a safety advisory to its nationals in India to pay close attention to their safety and take precaution for their security to avoid being affected by prevailing anti-China sentiment.

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: (Eds: Adds Wangs Nepal visit)

By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Aug 12 (PTI) Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang will arrive in Pakistan tomorrow to take part in the countrys Independence Day celebrations on August 14, officials said today.

Wang will be accompanied by a high-level delegation for the two-day visit, which comes on the "directions of President Xi Jinping as a special gesture", the Foreign Office said.

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"His visit on this important milestone for Pakistan is a reflection of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China," it said.

From Pakistan, Wang will head to Nepal, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang announced in Beijing.

Geng did not give the details of Wangs Nepal visit.

The visit to Pakistan and Nepal by the top Chinese official comes as India and China have been locked in a military standoff for nearly two months at Doklam near Sikkim.

The face-off began on June 16 after Chinese troops tried to build a road in the disputed area. India has protested the move saying China was unilaterally changing the status quo at the trijunction with Indias ally, Bhutan.

As a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Wang is among the top leaders in China.

In Pakistan, he will be the "special guest" to mark the countrys 70th Independence Day, and later call on President Mamnoon Hussain. He will also call on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a statement from the foreign office said.

He will participate in an inauguration ceremony of projects related to the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

Some bilateral agreements are likely to be signed during his visit to Pakistan.

In March, a contingent of the guard of honour of the three services of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) took part in the Pakistan military parade held in Islamabad to mark Pakistan Day. PTI SH KJV ABH

--- ENDS ---
Sharad Yadav faction has claimed that it represents the real JD(U) and has support of 14 state units while Nitish Kumar is confined to Bihar only.

By India Today Web Desk: The infighting in the Janata Dal (United) has entered a very interesting phase with the rebel faction led by former party president Sharad Yadav has claimed that it has support of 14 state units. The Sharad Yadav faction said that they are the real JD(U) while the Nitish Kumar and his supporters are confined to Bihar only.

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Rajya Sabha MP Sharad Yadav is set to present his faction as the "real" party. He may present his case before the Election Commission. Nitish Kumar had recently removed Sharad Yadav from the post of JD(U) general secretary.

On the other hand, Nitish Kumar led-JD(U) today asked Sharad Yadav to resign from his Rajya Sabha membership after having revolted against the party following its tie-up with the BJP to form a new government in Bihar.

WHAT SHARAD FACTION CLAIMS

The Sharad Yadav-led faction includes two Rajya Sabha MPs and some national office-bearers. Sharad Yadav's close aid Arun Shrivastava said that the rebel faction has armed itself with letters of support from 14 state unit presidents.

To counter Nitish Kumar's assertion that the JD(U) is recognised only in Bihar - a point made to debunk claims of support from other state units by the Yadav faction - Arun Shrivastava claimed the party always had a national footprint.

Sharad Yadav's aide said it was the rebel Rajya Sabha who headed the party before Nitish Kumar had merged his Samata Party with it.

"We will not leave the party. Nitish Kumar himself says that the party does not exist outside Bihar. Then he should form a new party for Bihar. He should not try to capture the JD(U) which always had a national presence," he told PTI.

THE JANATA SAGA

The Janata Parivar, a reference to various parties with socialist ethos, has a history of mergers and splits. Sharad Yadav enjoys little support from the party's lawmakers, who are overwhelmingly from Bihar, but believes that he can make a fight of his claim over the party and cause a split. The original Janata Dal had seen several such splits at in the past.

Two Rajya Sabha members, Ali Anwar Ansari and M P Veerendra Kumar, are seen to be with Yadav in his fight against Kumar. The JD(U) has removed Sharad Yadav as the leader of its parliamentary party in the Rajya Sabha.

It has also made light of his claims of having the real JD(U) with him, saying that it is RJD workers and supporters who have greeted him during his tour in Bihar while its workers have kept away. During his visit to the national capital on Friday, Nitish Kumar had virtually shut the door on any reconciliation with Sharad Yadav, saying he was free to take any decision as the alliance with the BJP had the entire party's nod.

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"He (Yadav) is free to take his decision. As far as the party is concerned, it has already taken its decision. The decision was not mine alone and it was taken with the consent of the party. If he keeps a different opinion, then he is free to do so," Nitish had told reporters.

JD(U) TARGETS SHARAD YADAV

With Sharad Yadav leading the rebellion against Nitish Kumar's decision to join hands with the BJP, the Janata Dal (United) today asked him to resign from the Rajya Sabha. JD(U) leader Ajay Alok said that if Sharad Yadav had "any shame" left, he would quit from the Rajya Sabha.

According to news agency ANI, Ajay Alok said, "If you are protesting, appealing against Nitish Kumar, he (Sharad Yadav) should resign from his Rajya Sabha post. Putting his pride aside, he should give top priority to the Rajya Sabha. If there is any shame left, Sharad Yadav should resign from the Rajya Sabha."

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Responding to the Sharad Yadav faction's charge that Nitish Kumar betrayed the aspirations of the people of Bihar, Ajay Alok said that the mandate was indeed for the 'mahagathbandhan' but it was not for corruption.

(With PTI inputs)

ALSO READ |

Nitish Kumar removes Sharad Yadav as JD(U) leader in Rajya Sabha, names RCP Singh

Sharad Yadav's revolt against Nitish Kumar: How Janata Parivar unites to split

Sharad Yadav's divorce with Nitish Kumar imminent. Marriage with Lalu Prasad on the cards?

ALSO WATCH | It is unfortunate: JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav breaks silence over new Bihar coalition government

--- ENDS ---
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...
North Korea took its turn Saturday in its escalating exchange of words with President Trump. The country's state-run newspaper said that leader Kim Jong-un's revolutionary army is "capable of fighting any war the U.S. wants."

The assertion was made in an editorial that said the army of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea -- North Korea's official name -- is now "on the standby to launch fire into its mainland, waiting for an order of final attack."

The editorial also argues that the United States "finds itself in an ever worsening dilemma, being thrown into the grip of extreme security unrest by the DPRK. This is tragicomedy of its own making.  If the Trump administration does not want the American empire to meet its tragic doom in its tenure, they had better talk and act properly."

Related content:

Meanwhile, Trump continues to pursue a diplomatic solution to North Korea's purported development of a nuclear warhead that could reach the United States and other countries on an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The White House said Trump had a phone conversation Friday with Chinese President Xi Jinping, in which the leaders reiterated their commitment to the de-nuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The president also saluted Xi for China's recent United Nations vote to impose tougher sanctions on North Korea, in response the country's escalating pursuit of nuclear weapons, according to the White House.

As the crisis has unfolded, Trump has alternated praising China for its help and chiding it for not doing more. The White House says Trump also told Xi that he looked forward to seeing him in China later this year.

During Trump's phone conversation Friday with Xi, the Chinese leader also requested that the U.S. and North Korea tone down their recent rhetoric and avoid actions that could worsen tensions between the two nations, Chinese Central Television reported. "At present, the relevant parties must maintain restraint and avoid words and deeds that would exacerbate the tension on the Korean Peninsula," Xi was quoted as saying.

Trump has urged China to pressure North Korea to halt its nuclear weapons program, which North Korea says is nearing the capability of targeting the United States. China is the North's biggest economic partner and source of aid, but says it alone can't compel Pyongyang to end its nuclear and missile programs.

Trump also spoke this weekend with Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo, reassuring him that U.S. military forces stand ready to ensure the safety and security of the U.S. territory, a White House statement said.

Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged Saturday to do "everything, to the best of my ability," to protect his nation's people as tensions escalate over North Korea's plans to send missiles over Japan toward Guam.

On Friday, Japan's Defense Ministry said it was deploying four surface-to-air Patriot interceptors in western Japan to respond to a possible risk of fragments falling from missiles.

-- The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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N. Korea's Largest Military Parade
In reviewing the 2017 Toyota Corolla XLE trim, I remembered that I drove a Toyota Corolla XSE trim in late-June.

Instead of doing a straightforward review of just the XLE, let's take a look at what some of the key differences are between two trims on a car that was bought 360,483 times in 2016.

In fact, the Toyota Corolla was the No. 6 ranked best-selling vehicle in the United States in 2016. With 360,483 sold, Corolla sales actually dipped 0.8 percent from 2015 to 2016.

The main differences can pretty much be summed up like this:

The XSE is a sportier model on the outside and inside with its two driving modes and spoiler.

The XLE does not have a Sport driving mode, and comes without a spoiler.

The XSE is typically about $1,000 or so more than the XLE edition.

The XSE design:

The XLE design:

--

--

What I liked: The 2017 Toyota Corolla XLE is a standard car that is easy to drive, comfortable enough and capable enough to either hop on the highway or take the back roads on the commute.

The fuel economy of 32 mpg with 36 mph highway and 28 mpg city are bug factors in the appeal to the compact Corolla. I drove the car to work every single day from the North End to Downtown, and even added a couple Metro trips and the fuel gauge still never really flirted with half-empty.

That's the kind of performance you should be looking for in a Corolla, and not spunky fun driving that oozes with horsepower and torque. Not only this, but it comes with the expected standard safety features, a solid touchscreen, and simple controls and connectivity that make the $20,000-plus price tag fit.

What I didn't like: All right, you caught me, this is a really boring drive.

It does all the things it's supposed to do, but there is no personality or character when it comes to the Corolla XLE. Not that the XSE was masquerading as a turbocharged Kia Soul, but at least there was some sporty feels and jump to the acceleration in that trim.

I think that taking away the Sporty design and the driver customization really limits the XLE, in that what are you buying when compared to the much more fun XSE edition. The safety equipment, seats and just about everything comes the same, so why not spend just a little more on driving modes, a better design and so on and so forth.

Price as tested: $23,451

-- added equipment to the cost include 50-state emissions, body-side moldings, mudguards, door sill enhancements and the carpet/trunk mat set.
By PTI: Kathmandu, Aug 13 (PTI) The death toll from floods and landslides in Nepal rose to 49 today with thousands of families displaced from their homes due to incessant rainfall in several districts across the country, officials said.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, at least 13 persons were injured in the rain-related incidents and 17 others remained missing.

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The latest data released by the ministry shows that 21 districts have been hit badly by the flash floods and landslides, The Himalayan Times reported.

According to the data, one person was killed in Panchthar, four in Sindhuli, Jhapa and Banke each, five in Morang, eight in Sunsari, three in Sarlahi and Surkhet each and two in Bara and Dang each.

Similarly, seven persons died in Rautahat floods and landslides, two in Bardiya, one in Dhanusha, Makawanpur, Kailai and Palpa districts each.

Jhapa, Morang Sunsari, Sapttari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Banke, Bardiya and Dang districts were the worst affected by flood.

Some 35,843 houses have been inundated, 1,000 houses are damaged and 397 livestock died in the floods, the ministry data said.

Many cities in the Tarai region have been inundated while transportation along the East West Highway has been halted after a pillar of Dudhaura Bridge sank at Pathlaiya-Nijgadh road section.

Yesterday, Nepal Cabinet had held an emergency meeting during which Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba had ordered the local district administrations to intensify the rescue and release activities. PTI KJ

--- ENDS ---
ANN ARBOR, MI - Pedestrian safety improvements are coming to 10 more crosswalk locations in Ann Arbor.

The City Council voted Thursday night, Aug. 10, to approve a $196,400 contract with J. Ranck Electric for installation of flashing signals at these eight crosswalk locations:

Packard Road at Woodmanor Court between Cobblestone Farm and Mary Beth Doyle Park

Platt Road north of Williamsburg Road

Fuller Road at Fuller Park

West Stadium Boulevard near Kay Parkway

West Stadium Boulevard near Greenview Drive

Ellsworth Road west of Jonathan Court

Scio Church Road at Greenview Drive

Eisenhower Parkway at Plaza Road in front of Briarwood Mall

The pedestrian-activated signals, which alert drivers to yield to pedestrians, are known as Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons. The city has installed RRFBs at many crosswalks in recent years.

The council voted separately Thursday night to approve an agreement with the Michigan Department of Transportation for installation of long-awaited RRFBs at two other crosswalks on Fuller Road near the VA Hospital and the University of Michigan's North Campus.

Many people, including UM students and people catching buses, cross the busy road there, and a man in his 20s was badly injured after being struck by a vehicle while crossing one of the crosswalks in March 2015. City officials identified the two crosswalks on that stretch of Fuller Road -- just east of Fuller Court between Bonisteel Boulevard and Beal Avenue -- as recommended locations for RRFBs in the city's non-motorized transportation plan in 2013. The city eventually applied to MDOT for funds to install them in September 2015.

In April 2016, MDOT notified the city that the project had been approved for federal funding. Subsequently, the construction plans were reviewed and approved by MDOT.

The cost-sharing agreement the council finally approved Thursday night shows $46,598 coming from federal funds and $5,178 being covered by the city's local street millage.

Responding to community concerns about pedestrian safety, city officials first identified RRFBs as a solution for crosswalks on Plymouth Road in 2011. They've since been installed at a number of other locations.

Ann Arbor to add crosswalk signals where student was killed

$30K grant to pay for new digital speed signs near Huron High School
ANN ARBOR, MI - You might see flesh-eating disease, snake-infested jungles and ancient stone sculptures on the big screen, but this was author Douglas Preston's reality in 2012 as he traveled with a team of 12 scientists on an expedition to discover the Lost City of the Monkey God.

Spoiler alert: It's not lost anymore.

On Sept. 12, Preston is visiting Ann Arbor's Nicola's Bookstore to give viewers an inside look at the lost city, otherwise known as Ciudad Blanca, the "White City." The visit is prompted by the paperback release of Preston's book, "The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story," a No. 1 bestseller.

The key to the discovery was LIDAR, a laser technology the team on loan from NASA, which gave the team 3D-representations of the Honduran jungle. Preston was on the ground team that discovered an ancient pyramid and stone sculptures from an unknown civilization of people similar to the Maya.

"The first thing I saw was a jaguar head snarling and kind of thrusting out of the ground with this tremendous sense of energy. I was totally struck by that image. I realized that the people who created that image are very sophisticated," Preston said.

Instead of reading from his book, he'll have a multimedia presentation at the event, which starts at 7 p.m. at 2513 Jackson Ave. Those in attendance will also have the opportunity to ask Preston questions about his experience.

Ever since Preston was a child, he dreamed of exploring unknown cities. He is most well known for his thrillers in collaboration with Lincoln Child, but is also a novelist and journalist. The New Yorker and National Geographic feature articles by Preston about the Ciudad Blanca discovery.

The legend of the Lost City of the Monkey God has troubled archaeologists for years. Aside from the trouble it takes to obtain a permit into the jungle, a host of threats meet those who enter.

"I've spent a lot of time in the wilderness, but I'd never seen an environment quite so utterly indifferent to human beings, and almost contemptible of them. Ironically, it's a great feeling. It's a feeling of humility," he said.

Fer-de-lance poisonous snakes might seem like the most lethal predators, but sand flies posed a particular problem for Preston and the team of scientists.

After the expedition was completed, the majority of team, including Preston, was infected with the flesh-eating tropical disease, Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis. Transferred by sand flies and incurable, Leishmaniasis attacks the flesh in a way similar to leprosy. The team was treated and entered into a clinical study with the National Health Institute, and Preston lives his life normally managing the disease.

"Leishmaniasis is a pretty awful disease, but there's a lot more out there. It was a lot better than being bitten by a snake, let me put it that way."
By PTI: (Eds: Correcting spelling of Rohingyas in para 1, 4)

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) The Centre has said illegal immigrants like the Rohingyas pose grave security challenges as they may be recruited by terror groups, and asked state governments to identify and deport them.

In a communication to all states, the Union home ministry said the rise of terrorism in last few decades has become a serious concern for most nations as illegal migrants are more vulnerable to getting recruited by terrorist organisations.

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"These illegal immigrants not only infringe on the rights of Indian citizens but also pose grave security challenges," the communication, sent last week, said.

Infiltration of (the Rohingyas) from Rakhine state of Myanmar into Indian territory, especially in recent years, besides being burden on the limited resources of the country also aggravates security challenges posed to India, the home ministry said.

Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju had said in Parliament on August 9 that according to available data, more than 14,000 Rohingyas, registered with the UNHCR, are presently staying in India.

"However, some inputs indicate that around 40,000 Rohingyas are staying in India illegally and the Rohingyas are largely located in Jammu, Hyderabad, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi-NCR and Rajasthan," he had said.

On November 16, 2016, the government had informed the Parliament that according to available inputs, there were around 20 million (two crore) illegal Bangladeshi migrants staying in India.

The home ministry communication said India is a large country having its border with many countries. People in the sub-continent have a common history and share many similarities in physical looks.

"Due to a variety of reasons, including political and economic turmoil in neighbouring countries, people from such countries often enter India. There are cultural and ethnic similarities, on many occasions such migration goes unnoticed and they settle in Indian territory," joint secretary in the home ministry Dilip Kumar said in the letter sent on August 8.

The Centre also directed the state governments to set up a task force at district level to identify and deport illegally-staying foreign nationals. PTI ACB KIS BDS KIS

--- ENDS ---
Not only is it difficult for someone to donate a loved one's organs, the process itself is a highly delicate and difficult one.

By Srijani Ganguly/Mail Today: A shocking tale told by an acquaintance was all it took for filmmaker Runjiv Kapur to shoot a short film on organ donation. He and his team researched for three years to put together everything in place, to be as true as possible to the case he heard a few years ago, to finally create a 31-minute film (7 Lives) on a very real and horrific incident in India.

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The incident began with a shot. The victim, a young woman, couldn't survive her wounds and was pronounced brain dead. Her parents, even in their moment of extreme grief, decided to put on a brave face and donate her organs to those in need. When the community leaders turned up, saying that the young woman was "the community's daughter as well, and therefore, couldn't take part in organ donation", all their plans got ruined. In the end, even when the parents, doctors and the police were on one side, the community leaders couldn't be overpowered.

"It is because of the community leaders' regressive thinking, that the organ donation plan couldn't go through," says Kapur, adding that he heard quite a few "such horror stories" while researching for the film. Despite the "regressive" thinking of some, there are others who have found solace in the act of donating a loved one's organs after their death. In fact, when Kapur was in the middle of filming, he came across one such case. "Sanjeev Kapoor (the celebrity chef) got associated with our project, came to our set in Pune and posted a little video online. Somebody saw the video, came to Pune and told us how moved she was by the entire project since she had recently donated her 21-year-old son's organs," says Kapur.

VERY DIFFICULT TO DONATE THE ORGANS OF SOMEONE YOU LOVE

Not only is it difficult for someone to donate a loved one's organs, the process itself is a highly delicate and difficult one. A recent, and successful liver transplant, is a case in point.

The recipient in question, a 45-year-old man, received a liver from a donor who suffered cardiac death - most donors are brain dead with intact blood circulation unlike those whose hearts have failed - but doctors skilfully managed to go through the entire transplant process. Overall, in the country, there have been many cases of organ donations. In 2016-17, according to the National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation, 665 livers have been donated out of 2,347. Kidneys rank the highest, with 1,368 donations, followed by liver, heart (235), lungs (58) and pancreas (21).

Also Read:

Hindu and Muslim wives want to swap kidneys to save their husbands

10-year-old boy becomes world's youngest child to successfully undergo first double hand transplant

After death, MBBS student emerges as saviour for PhD scholar who needed a cardiac transplant

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Representative image

At least 30 people were killed and hundreds of others displaced in floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall in several districts across Nepal, officials said on Saturday.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, seven persons were killed in Sunsari district in southern Nepal.

Four persons were killed in Sindhuli, four each in Jhapa and Sindhuli districts, three each in Banke, Morang and Panchthar districts and the rest others in different districts.

"At least three elderly people went missing in flood at Sundar Haraincha in Morang district," Ministry of Home Affairs spokesperson Joint Secretary Deepak Kafle was quoted as saying by the The Himalayan Times.

Jhapa, Morang Sunsari, Sapttari, Siraha, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Banke, Bardiya and Dang districts were the worst affected by flood.

Hundreds of houses have been submerged in Morang. Biratnagar airport has been closed after flood water gushed into the airport area.

The government has mobilised Nepal Police, Nepali Army and Armed Police Force (APF) personnel for rescue and recovery work, the ministry said.
Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang arrived here today to take part in Pakistan's 70th Independence Day celebrations tomorrow.

Wang, the "special guest" for the Independence Day, is accompanied by a high-level delegation on the two-day visit.

He was received at Benazir Bhutto International Airport by officials of Pakistan government and Chinese Embassy, Geo News reported.

The visit comes on the "directions of (Chinese) President Xi Jinping as a special gesture", according to Pakistan's Foreign Office, which described it as a "reflection of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership" between the two countries.

From Pakistan, Wang will head to Nepal, Chinese foreign ministry announced in Beijing yesterday.

The visit to Pakistan and Nepal by the top Chinese official comes as India and China have been locked in a military standoff for nearly two months at Doklam near Sikkim.

The face-off began on June 16 after Chinese troops tried to build a road in the disputed area. India has protested the move saying China was unilaterally changing the status quo at the trijunction with India's ally, Bhutan.

As a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Wang is among the top leaders in China.

In Pakistan, he will be the "special guest" to mark the country's 70th Independence Day, and later call on President Mamnoon Hussain. He will also call on Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a statement from the foreign office said.

He will participate in an inauguration ceremony of projects related to the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
August 13, 2017

Charlottesville: What You Wish Upon Others, You Wish Upon Yourself

U.S. "liberals" cuddle fascists and right-wing religious extremists in Libya, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela and elsewhere.

But when similar movements appear on their own streets they are outraged.

The person in the center on the above picture drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters in Charlottesville killing one and wounding several.

Politicians and media hail such persons when they appear, often hired by the CIA, to overthrow the government of some foreign country. They condemn the same mindset and actions at home. But glorification of right-wing violence elsewhere hands justification to right-wing groups at home.



Above: Fascist torch march in Kiev January 28 2017. Then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Republican Senator McCain, The New York Times, the Washington Post and many "liberals" supported the above nazis.



Above: Fascist torch march in Charlottesville, August 11 2017. Former presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, Republican Senator McCain, the New York Times, the Washington Post and many "liberals" condemned the above nazis.

You can not have only one of these.

To claim, as "liberals" do now, that such marches as in Charlottesville, "is not what and who we are", is a lie. Ask people from outside the U.S. how the empire appears and acts towards them.

The U.S. uses fascism, religious extremism, torture, targeted killing and many other vile instruments of power in its quest for global dominance. All of these methods and ideologies, all of them, will one day come home.

Posted by b on August 13, 2017 at 18:02 UTC | Permalink

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Asking for a tit-for-tat approach to China, Baba Ramdev said, "We talk in the language of yoga but the one who doesn't get it must be answered in language of war".

By India Today Web Desk: As the standoff between India and China over Doklam continues, Baba Ramdev today said that China doesn't believe in peace and understands the language of war.

"China doesn't believe in peace. Had they done that Dalai Lama wouldn't be here," said Baba Ramdev at a world peace and harmony conclave in Mumbai.

Asking for a tit-for-tat approach to China, yoga guru Ramdev said, "We talk in the language of yoga but the one who doesn't get it must be answered in language of war".

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Dalai Lama, who also attended the conclave, said, "Fear creates irritation, irritation creates anger, and anger creates violence".

The two later shared a light moment and Baba Ramdev touched the feet of Dalai Lama.

#WATCH: Dalai Lama and Baba Ramdev share a light moment at World Peace & Harmony Conclave in Mumbai pic.twitter.com/JACFezv56B- ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

A few days ago, Dalai Lama had said that the spirit of "Hindi-Chini bhai bhai" is the only way forward in resolving the Doklam standoff.

"I don't think it (Doklam standoff) is very serious. India and China have to live side by side," the spiritual leader said, adding that in 1962 Chinese forces which reached Bomdilla eventually withdrew.

The face-off began in 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.

ALSO READ:

Doklam standoff: Why India is justified in upping ante against China in Sikkim, Arunachal

Bhutan asks India to resolve Doklam border standoff amicably with China

India behaving like mature power in Doklam standoff, says US expert

ALSO WATCH: IMR war room theory: What India-China war will look like

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Ashok Kantha, who retired in January 2016 as India's ambassador, said that the Doklam standoff is not the first prolonged one between the two nations.

India must be ready to stay the course, said a former envoy to Beijing. Photo for representation: Reuters.

By Indo-Asian News Service: As the Doklam standoff shows no signs of easing amid reports of India and China enhancing troop deployment, India will have to be patient and be prepared for a long haul while keeping diplomatic channels active, a former envoy to Beijing who has long experience in dealing with China, said.

Ashok Kantha, who retired in January 2016 as India's ambassador, said that the Doklam standoff is not the first prolonged one between the two nations. The Wangdung incident in the Sumdorong Chu valley in Arunachal Pradesh in 1986 dragged on quite some time, before it was resolved through talks.

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"If the Chinese take time to come to some kind of understanding, so be it. The Indian side will have to show their staying power to stay the course, and wait for some understanding," Kantha, Director of Institute of Chinese Studies, said.

Recollecting the 1986 standoff, the former diplomat, who has also handled China ties as the point person (Joint Secretary, East Asia) of the Ministry of External Affairs, said: "I was involved in the Wangdung incident and its dissolution. The buildup started in middle of 1986... We had some kind of de-escalation only by end of 1987, and actual disengagement between forces in immediate proximity to each other took nine years to achieve," he said, adding that the Doklam incident may not take so long. "But if it takes some time, then we will have to wait. We'll have to be patient."

TALKS ARE TAKING PLACE

On reports of increased deployment along the border in the eastern sector, he said that India would have taken precautionary measures in terms of deployment "but nothing on a large scale is happening". "I don't anticipate any outbreak of hostilities in the area," Ashok Kantha said.

According to him, the diplomatic channels between the two countries are active and the ambassador in Beijing and New Delhi are both "veterans of handling India-China relations".

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was in Beijing last month, during which he held bilateral talks with his counterpart State Councillor Yang Jiechi on the sidelines of a BRICS security meet. "Communication has not been disrupted. Normally we have a good communication with China."

"They may say no talks without pullback by India, but in practice talks are talking place. Border personnel meetings are taking place, at Nathu La. Different channels of communication are active," he said.

A TWO-THEATRE WAR?

According to China expert Srikanth Kondapalli, the heightened tensions between North Korea and US could lead to de-escalation in the Doklam issue.

"The North Korea situation is happening next door to Beijing. A nuclear fallout will affect the capital city. We may possibly see some de-escalation... No country can fight a two-theatre war," Kondapalli, Professor in Chinese Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said.

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China has already boosted troop deployment along the North Korean-Chinese border that stretches 1,415 km across Liaoning province. According to him, the North Korea-US tension is a "wild card". "We have to wait and watch, and it all depends on Trump and Kim," he said.

Kondapalli said he had heard from sources in the Defence Ministry and in media reports that the Chinese side has mobilized some 700 troops and an additional 300 troops in Doklam plateau. He said there are reports that China has stationed its J11 and J10 ace fighter aircraft in Tibet, and the HQ9 surface-to-air missile system opposite Arunachal Pradesh.

CANNOT AFFORD A WAR

According to another view, strategic expert Jai Kumar Verma says the Chinese in fact "want to wriggle out of the situation". "The Chinese cannot afford a war with India and nor can India," Verma said.

He said that President Xi Jinping is seeking re-election as the general secretary of the Communist Party of China ahead of its 19th National Congress in October. "He wants to gain strength by raising the Doklam issue. "They are building up troops, but China does not want war with India. This is only threatening," he added.

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ALSO READ:

Beyond Doklam: How China is winning over India's neighbours with money, arms

Has Trump turned Doklam tide in India's favour by raising heat over N Korea?

Doklam: As India-China war of words continues, how global media reported it

ALSO WATCH: Doklam standoff: Will conflict with India be disastrous for China?

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Henry Mosier enrolled in the University of Oklahoma more than a century ago.

He studied pharmacy and competed in track and field, taking second in the hammer throw at a meet hosted by the University of Texas in 1912. After graduating that year, he became a pharmacist in the town of Edmond, north of Oklahoma City. His wife, Ida, worked in a jewelry store. The couple had no children and lived frugal lives. The oil boom was still young, meanwhile. Customers at the pharmacy where Mosier worked shared tips on mineral rights, which he bought as investments.

Mosier died in 1966, bequeathing everything to his wife. She died a decade later, leaving bank accounts, investments, farmland and mineral rights altogether valued at $1.4 million. Her will left 60 percent of the estate to the University of Oklahoma Foundation. It earmarked 80 percent of that for scholarships for pharmacy students. The rest would aid track athletes.

At the time OU received the gift in 1976, the mineral rights generated about $30,000 a year. According to the foundations records, the attorney who handled the estate expected their value to decline as wells were depleted and sealed. Yet the Mosiers mineral rights  which are spread all over Oklahoma, including the patch of land in Kingfisher County and elsewhere in the so-called Scoop and Stack plays  are located in the third-most active area in the U.S. for oil and gas development and acquisition. As hydraulic fracturing unlocked oil and gas reserves, the donation spun more money for OU. Last year the Mosier mineral rights generated $763,000 in cash flow. In 2014, with a lease bonus, they produced $2.35 million.

Both track and pharmacy have benefited tremendously from the Mosiers largesse  and in a way that Henry and Ida could have never imagined, says Guy Patton, chief executive officer of the University of Oklahoma Foundation, which oversees investments for OUs $1.1 billion endowment. The donation helps pay tuition for about a third of the schools pharmacy students and provides the equivalent of full tuition for about 20 members of the 100-strong track team. Its also funded new buildings including an indoor track facility.

We didnt know it at the time, but in the end, minerals were the most valuable part of their gift, Patton says. Its not even close.

Mineral rights, which can be split from holdings of the surface property, convey ownership of the underground gas, oil, coal, gold and other natural resources. Unlike land, they dont require maintenance or payment of property taxes if they arent producing. Its literally a free option, Patton says. Altogether, mineral rights have generated more than $30 million for the schools endowment over the past decade.

While its brought newfound wealth, fracturing isnt without controversy. Environmental concerns such as climate change, water pollution, and earthquakes have spurred opposition. Student groups across the country have advocated, mostly unsuccessfully, for their college endowments to divest from fossil-fuel holdings.

At OU, mineral rights have become their own asset class. Most universities arent similarly endowed with the right mix of geography and alumni donations. Some institutional investors have found exposure to mineral rights through public and private equity.

Northwestern University, Rice University and the Mayo Clinic and its pension fund invest in Black Stone Minerals LP, a publicly traded owner of mineral and royalty assets. Rochester, Minnesota-based Mayos involvement with mineral rights dates to the mid-1990s, when a grateful patient donated some in Texas, according to Harry Hoffman, treasurer and co-chief investment officer.

The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor has money in four private funds through MAP Royalty Inc., which invests in gas, energy, and solar royalties. Investors are creating more private funds, such as Elm Park Minerals, based in Oklahoma City, which founder and Co-President Kent Regens says recently closed a second fund.

Staff at some universities in oil-rich areas, such as Texas A&M University and Oklahoma State University, oversee new donations and management of mineral rights. The job requires expertise to negotiate leases and ensure royalty checks are placed in the right accounts, which fund hundreds of individual endowments for specific purposes.

OSUs foundation bolstered its office more than three years ago and now oversees more than 2,000 active wells. The school has acquired rights in 14 states. Its also amassed estate gifts that may not materialize for years.

Mineral rights run deep in Texas, as they do in Oklahoma.

Take the partnership of Robert Carr and Preston Northrup, whose mineral rights benefited two Texas schools. Carr put down roots about a century ago in Houston, where he worked for various oil companies, leasing and scouting. He and Northrup formed a partnership and later owned minerals under almost 2 million acres in West Texas, most of which would become oil-producing, according to the Carr Scholarship Program.

Northrup made donations to Trinity University in San Antonio, which helped it become the eighth-richest college in Texas. Carr moved to San Angelo, where he became engaged with the public Angelo State University and served as a trustee. After he died in 1978 and his wife died in 1987, they bequeathed all of their mineral rights to the school to provide academic scholarships for needy and worthy students.

The mineral portion of their estate, valued at $6.8 million, was expected to decline, says Candice Brewer, who oversees the Carr Scholarship Program at Angelo State. They felt they were giving us a depleted asset, she says. Little did they know, it would be worth $130 million today.

By itself, the Carr Scholarship Program would rank among the top 400 U.S. college endowments.

The scholarships interests in 16 West Texas counties generate royalty income from about 50 oil companies each month, bringing in $3 million to $7 million annually depending on oil prices. About half of the almost 10,000 students who attend Angelo State, now part of the Texas Tech system, receive money from Carr scholarships, Brewer says.

The University of Texas holds the third-largest college endowment, just behind Harvard and Yale. Much of its $24 billion is derived from holdings in the Permian Basin ceded to the university by the state of Texas in 1881. Texas A&M, with $10.5 billion, ranks eighth-wealthiest for the same reason.

The recent run of luck at the Texas and Oklahoma schools comes from estates that were settled decades ago.

The estate of actor Erik Rhodes, an OU alumnus originally from Oklahoma City, was bequeathed a quarter-century ago. He starred in a host of Broadway shows and films, including the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers classics The Gay Divorcee and Top Hat.

Rhodess estate went to the university after his death in 1990. It included $21,354 in cash and 87 acres of mineral rights that didnt produce a dime until 2014.

Then we got this phone call, Patton says.

A landman, a contractor hired to investigate title, said OU likely owned the mineral rights that an oil company wanted to lease. These types of transactions provide for an upfront payment that typically lets companies drill for three years, called a lease bonus. Owners receive a percentage of whats recovered, such as 3/16ths or a quarter, called a royalty.

2014 was a giant year, far and away the largest lease bonuses weve ever gotten, Patton says.

Donations of real estate are often initially more valuable to schools than the minerals. OU, like many universities, typically sells whats on top, such as homes and ranches, and keeps the mineral rights below.

Technology and price have increased the yield for extraction, and the mineral owner has benefited from that just as the exploration companies have, says J. Michael Lewis, a partner with Dallas-based Coronado Resources, a limited partnership that invests in mineral rights, and also a member of the Texas Tech investment committee.

OSU, alma mater of oilman T. Boone Pickens, has the third-largest endowment in the state, behind OU and the private University of Tulsa. OSUs foundation received its first donation of mineral rights in the 1950s.

The foundation started off with very few minerals, says Robyn Baker, general counsel of OSUs foundation. Slowly we began receiving mineral donations, and over the past decade we have seen an explosion in the number of mineral gifts.

Among OSUs benefactors are Thomas and Pauline Polly Miller of Elk City. The couple met in the 1930s while ballroom dancing, graduated from what later became OSU and married two years later. He raised broomcorn and cotton on about 800 acres, while she taught home economics, according to a local obituary. They left their minerals to OSUs foundation after Pollys death in 1998. Their rights have generated $2 million, with one-third of that coming in the last fiscal year alone. The money goes to scholarships.

Pennsylvania State University, the states land-grant school, is also looking to the future. The university often sells real estate thats donated. However, while Penn State has retained ownership of coal rights, it hadnt hung on to rights to oil and gas.

We werent in this game like other areas of the country, says Michael Degenhart, assistant vice president for gift planning, who created a program to solicit rights for future royalties.

The Marcellus Shale basin is now the leading source of natural gas in the U.S. While much of the oil drilling along the Marcellus has been curtailed, technological advances can make it valuable for oil again as well, Degenhart says. He and an alumni board have developed a deed for perpetual royalty interests, asking for 2 percent to 5 percent of future royalties.

So far, they have almost a dozen takers. Were calling it energy legacy, he says. We want to promote gifts through energy wealth.
Ryan Pelham

A 3-year-old boy who swam in Lake Sam Rayburn at the end of July has been diagnosed with a flesh-eating staph infection, his aunt said in an interview this week.

Layne Custer and his family swam in the lake on July 25 while visiting the Cassels-Boykin County Park in Zavalla, Samantha George said.
More than 95 percent of school districts in the state received a rating of A or B in the Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas.

Midland ISD wasnt one of them.

The Texas Education Agency reported last week Midland ISD received a C, or met standard. The FIRST rating system is designed to encourage public schools to better manage their financial resources to provide the maximum allocation possible for direct instructional purposes, according to the TEA.

Midland ISD joined 47 other districts across the state that failed to score better than a C. The TEA reported results for 1,022 total districts.

Superintendent Orlando Riddick told the Reporter-Telegram the C rating is a reflection of financial performance from the 2015-16 school year. He also said a driver of the rating was the districts low reserve fund.

The FIRST reports for MISD corroborated that, as MISD scored poorly in the following areas:

- Was the number of days of cash on hand and current investments in the general fund for the school district sufficient to cover operating expenditures (excluding facilities acquisition and construction)? Midland ISD scored a 4 out of 10;

- Did the school districts general fund revenues equal or exceed expenditures (excluding facilities acquisition and construction)? If not, was the school districts number of days of cash on hand greater than or equal to 60 days? Midland ISD scored a 0 out of 10;

- Was the debt service coverage ratio sufficient to meet the required debt service? Midland ISD again scored a 0 out of 10.

Riddick said a fund balance amount equal to three months of operations is solid, and that he would like to see the district carry a fund balance that could cover 3.5 months. He said an increased fund balance will lead to better financial grades and better bond ratings.

Riddick predicts that a rating based on the performance of the 2016-17 school year may not be any better for MISD. At last weeks board meeting, trustees heard that their decision to decrease the Interest and Sinking tax rate has impacted the I&S fund balance enough that district officials are forced to raise that portion of the tax rate. District officials expect an increase will put more money in that reserve fund, and the district will be in better financial shape in the future.

Officials also said even though trustees knew the potential existed for a decrease in the I&S fund balance, they still approved lowering the rate. The announcement of that tax rate decrease took place at the same time MISD officials sought voter approval of an increased maintenance and operation (M&O) tax rate.

With a two-year lag between performance and rankings, Riddick said the district cant worry about whats already done, but must be transparent and find ways to do more with less moving forward. Case in point, this upcoming fiscal year budget includes the reduction of about 40 central office positions. Riddick said expenditures, which totaled $240 million in 2015, have dropped to $227 million in the next fiscal year.

The FIRST rating likely will fall under the category of inherited issues that interim Superintendent Rod Schroder, Riddick and new board members have dealt with, following the districts decade-long struggle with academic performance and now fiscal performance. The state didnt do the district any favors with requiring recapture payments in the tens of millions of dollars.

Riddick addressed the struggles of the district, saying it will not take us 10 years to get us out.

Whether it comes to fiscal responsibility, safety or academic performance, we have to do it right, Riddick said. The team understands that.

Area school districts FIRST ratings

Andrews ISD, B (Above standard)

Big Spring ISD, B (Above standard)

Coahoma ISD, A (Superior)

Ector County ISD, B (Above standard)

Forsan ISD, A (Superior)

Glasscock County ISD, A (Superior)

Grady ISD, A (Superior)

Greenwood ISD, A (Superior)

Midland Academy Charter School, A (Superior)

Midland ISD, C (Met standard)

Stanton ISD, A (Superior)

Texas Leadership Charter Academy, B (Above standard)

State of Texas statistics

RatingsNumber of districtsPercentage

A (Superior)85383.46

B (Above Standard)12111.84

C (Meets Standard)434.21

F (Substandard Achievement)50.49
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NEW BRAUNFELS - A multiagency investigation of illegal narcotics in Comal County netted more than 11 lbs. of methamphetamine and 39 suspected drug dealers as of Thursday, concentrated around Canyon Lake where locals have long pleaded for help.

Wasnt that amazing? gushed Debbie England, a Canyon Lake business owner and activist, of Wednesday morning raids that generated 24 of the arrests and quickly became the talk of the unincorporated lakeside community.

Theres been an enormous positive response, she said Thursday. It gives people hope.

Operation Crystal Lake was unveiled Thursday at a briefing where authorities said it was designed to dismantle the local infrastructure of a well-established amphetamine distribution organization.

It targeted suspected mid-level dealers and street-level distributors, some in and around New Braunfels.

In a community of our size, 11.5 pounds of meth is huge, District Attorney Jennifer Tharp said.

The seven-month investigation also resulted in the seizure of about one pound of cocaine, more than 40 grams of heroin, eight firearms (two stolen), three vehicles (one stolen), $5,000 in cash and an unspecified amount of marijuana.

Some of the contraband was seized before Wednesday.

Also at the news conference were Comal County Sheriff Mark Reynolds; Assistant New Braunfels Police Chief Joe Vargas; Dante Sorenello, assistant special agent in charge of the DEAs San Antonio office; and David Sligh, U.S. Marshal for the Western District of Texas, among others.

Reynolds, elected last November, recalled talking with Sligh and Sorenello in January how to make some noise and shake up the local drug trade.

This is what the people (in Canyon Lake) have been asking for, he said. We all know that we didnt stop all of the narcotics out there  but we put a serious dent in it.

Asked why no such crackdown previously occurred around Canyon Lake, Tharp said, Frankly, Ill tell you the problem was maybe bigger than the amount of (local) resources that we had... It really took the pooling of resources to make the impact we did.

Sorenello said most of the meth seized wasnt made locally, but instead originated south of the border.

Many of those jailed were allegedly independent dealers, but he noted, We did see a link to some Mexican trafficking organizations. That investigation is ongoing.

Reynolds reported fielding calls Wednesday night from Canyon Lake constituents pleased to see the alleged drug dealers in cuffs.

The part that made me feel the best yesterday (Wednesday) was for the people in this county who have been asking for this to happen  that are pointing the finger saying This house. That house. This person.  to see those people loaded up in a van and on their way to jail, he said.

England, whose concerns about crime led her to create a Take Back Canyon Lake page on Facebook, said the town of roughly 20,000 has long been plagued by petty crimes she blames on trickle down drug economics.

Peoples homes and cars are broken into regularly, she said. In order to buy drugs, those people have to have money. They steal from citizens like me to have money.

zeke@express-news.net
A Midland County Sheriffs Office deputy shot a man early Saturday morning after an incident in the vicinity of Farm-to-Market Road 1788 and West Highway 158, according to a press release from Sheriff Gary Painter.

A deputy arrived on the scene at about 5 a.m. Saturday in response to a call that a man was trying to get in vehicles parked at the Kent Kwik at FM1788 and Highway 158. MCSO also received a call that a naked man wearing a cowboy hat was trying to enter vehicles about two miles east of the convenience store, according to the release.

When the deputy attempted to stop the man -- whose identity was unknown at the time Painter sent the release -- he attacked the lawman. The man then tried to drive off in the deputys vehicle. The deputy defended himself with physical force and a Taser but was not successful in subduing the man, according to Painter.

The deputy called for assistance, and when a second deputy arrived, he used his Taser on the man, and was aggressively attacked, according to the release.

It was at that point that the man was shot multiple times. The man continued to elude the deputies and Midland Police Department officers by climbing on top of a loaded flatbed semi-trailer. The lawmen finally were able to knock the man to the ground and contain him. Paramedics treated the mans wounds before transporting him to Midland Memorial Hospital, where he had surgery, according to the release.

The incident is under investigation by the Texas Rangers and MCSO.

Saturdays shooting is the second in the last month involving sheriffs deputies.

A 28-year-old Midland man was shot July 9 during an incident on Interstate 20 near mile marker 148, according to a previous Reporter-Telegram article. MCSO received calls that a man -- later identified as Julio A. Perez -- was running in traffic on eastbound I-20 and the north service road. He then got into a pickup that had stopped and tried to drive off.

When Perez ignored a deputys commands, the deputy shot him, according to the article. Perez got out of the pickup, walked toward the deputy and when he continued to ignore the deputies commands, the lawmen fired their weapons again, according to the article.
After Donald Trump responded to North Korea's threat in the same language, China seems to be looking for an honourable exit from Doklam standoff.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with US President Donald Trump during their joint press conference at the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington DC on June 26 earlier this year. (Photo: Reuters)

By Prabhash K Dutta: China is suddenly finding itself in a fix. Its psywar or psychological warfare with India over Doklam seems to have boomeranged on Beijing. While India has dug its heel at Doklam not letting China to further its 'salami slicing' policy in the eastern sector of the border, US President Donald Trump has turned heat on North Korea putting the dragon in a bind.

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Chinese army has stayed put at Doklam claiming that the land belongs to it while Indian Army is holding its position merely 150 metres across saying the area is under the control of Bhutan. Since first week of June, China has propagated the narrative that India transgressed its territorial integrity and asked New Delhi to withdraw its troops for any dialogue.

Though diplomatic channels have been working and reports suggest that progress has been made on Doklam front, but the sudden rise in temperature over North Korea has pushed China on the back-foot. This was why Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke to Donald Trump urging him not to "escalate" tension in the region.

THE NORTH KOREA CRISIS

North Korea is largely perceived as rogue state in the international circles for which Pyongyang blames the United States. North Korea has been on a mission to increase its military prowess and arm itself with deterrent nuclear warheads fearing that it may face the same fate as Iraq and Afghanistan at the hands of the US.

North Korea tested inter-continental ballistic (ICMB) missile last month. Claiming success of ICMB test fire, North Korea proclaimed that it had attained the capability to strike deep inside the US territory. A few days ago, North Korea threatened to attack Guam - the US island near Philippines. The US has vital military establishment in Guam.

Donald Trump responded by saying that if North Korea tried to target any of the US assets, it would be met with "fire and fury like the world has never seen".

Donald Trump followed it with a tweet, saying, "Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path!

The entire world knows that China has been the force behind North Korea. It is China which equipped North Korea with modern military technology and helped develop its nuclear programme. China is largely seen as a guide to North Korea.

The message from Donald Trump was not lost on China, which called for ensuring peace in North Korea at a time when its officials were harping on the rhetoric of 1962 war, size of economy and military might of China over Doklam standoff with India.

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WHAT IS AT STAKE FOR CHINA?

There is growing sense in Chinese establishment, as reports suggest, that the Doklam standoff has gone wrong for them. They psywar with India has been met with, what the US called, mature diplomatic handling by Indian External Affairs Ministry.

With North Korea crisis boiling over, China fears a possible use of nuclear weapon by either side. China has huge investment in North Korea and a greater strategic stake in the country but for past couple of years Beijing has felt it difficult to control North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. This was why China supported the US sponsored sanctions against North Korea recently.

But, should the US and North Korea go to war, China would be left with no alternative but to jump in the defence of North Korea not only to protect its own boundary but also to make sure that Kim Jong Un regime does not use any weapons of mass destruction.

The North Korean crisis may spill over the East China Sea and the South China Sea where China is already facing resistance from member countries. The North Korean crisis could not have come at a worse time for China. And, Donald Trump's posturing has caught China completely off-guard.

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Meanwhile, due to effective diplomatic handling by the External Affairs Ministry, the US and the UK are seem to be more on India's side than Chinese over Doklam. In an IANS interview recently, India-born UK politician Meghnad Desai claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump were in direct touch over Doklam standoff.

CHINA SOFTENED AT DOKLAM?

After having maintained in public statements that Indian troops must withdraw from Doklam before talks could happen at any level, China has held bilateral talks with Indian representatives. Most notable of the talks was the held when National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing last month.

Reports from Doklam also suggested last week that Chinese side had agreed to move back its troops 100 metres from the site of standoff but India insisted on withdrawal by at least 250 metres before Indian Army pulled back its soldiers. Officially, China denied these reports as planted by Indian government.

Meanwhile, the border personnel meeting (BPM) took place yesterday at Nathu La mountain pass in Sikkim. The closure of Nathu La for the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims in June had brought the Doklam standoff at the centrestage.

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It is understood that the Doklam standoff featured during the meeting. The BPM had been put in place to sort out local issues in order to ensure peace along the border. The BMP was set up to discuss five points: Daulat Beg Oldie in northern Ladakh, Kibithoo in Arunachal Pradesh, Chusul in Ladakh, Bum-La near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh and Nathu-La in Sikkim.

The BMP marks a shift in Chinese stand giving another signal that Beijing is looking for an honourable exit from Doklam. China is also mindful of the fact that Indian Army is sitting at the heights while Chinese People's Liberation Army is occupying the lower ground at Doklam giving clear advantage to the former.

ALSO READ |

Doklam standoff: Why India is justified in upping ante against China in Sikkim, Arunachal

Doklam standoff: As India-China war of words continues, a look at how global media is reporting it

Beyond Doklam: How China is winning over India's neighbours with money, arms

ALSO WATCH | Doklam standoff: Will conflict with India be disastrous for China?

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Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said the issue of juvenile crime is widespread and happening across the state.

On the heels of a deadly crash in Pinellas County involving teen boys and a stolen car, Polk County authorities said days later, two separate groups of teen boys went on a crime spree in Bartow and Winter Haven.

Judd to Dept. of Juvenile Justice: 'Give us the beds back'

Bartow Vice Mayor calls crime spree disheartening

Big Brothers Big Sisters seeks male mentors



They said the crime sprees involved loaded guns, a stolen car and the burglary of a Polk County sheriff deputy's truck, where guns and a ballistic vest were stolen.

"What's important to point out is it's not just a Pinellas County problem. It's a statewide problem," said Sheriff Grady Judd. "It's created because the Department of Juvenile Justice has reduced the beds so there's not program space to lock these prolific juveniles up like there used to be."

All of the teens involved in this week's crime spree in Polk County already had a criminal record and several were on probation.

Sheriff Judd is calling on the Department of Juvenile Justice to make changes and send more kids involved in serious crimes to secure facilities equipped with training and therapy.

"Give us the beds back. Give us the right education training, and therapy programs while the kids are locked up," Judd said. "You'll see crime go down and you'll be operating in the best interest of the child, which is what they're supposed to be doing. But they're not, and that's why we had dead kids last weekend."

"I'm not suggesting for one second that we should lock up all of the juveniles. That's not true," he said. "We believe in the diversion programs for first-time offenders, second-time offenders, third-time offenders for minor events. It's the criminal juvenile that does it over and over and over and over."

We reached out to the Department of Juvenile Justice. It has not responded to our request for comment.

Bartow Vice Mayor Leo Longworth called the crime spree disheartening. He said more has to be done to provide these young men mentors before they head down the wrong path.

"The city is in favor of having some kind of mentorship for our young kids," Longworth said. "Because you know what mentorship programs do, they make better citizens, better employees and they just make better people period. So it's needed."

Longworth said right now, the mentoring programs in Bartow are sporadic and mostly exist in churches.

The organization Big Brothers Big Sisters also said it's trying to curb juvenile crime. It's in desperate need of male mentors across Polk County. It currently has 64 boys who are waiting to be matched.

"The difference that it makes, 98 percent of our littles have no contact with the juvenile justice system. Ninety-eight percent are promoted to the next grade level. Those are the big difference that we make that impacts the whole community," said Javan Frinks, Polk County Regional Director.

Frinks said the organization is launching the campaign, "100 men in 100 days" on Aug. 18 in an effort to locate more male mentors. The organization's site based program requires mentors to spend one hour a week for an entire school year with the mentee; its community-based program requires the mentors to pick up their mentee from their home and spend eight hours a month with them for 15 months.
A man was killed Sunday morning after two tractor-trailers collided on Interstate 95 in Brevard County, closing the highway for several hours.

Driver killed in crash involving 2 tractor-trailers

A semi collided into the rear of another semi

1 truck caught fire; driver killed at the scene

The crash happened at about 4 a.m. near mile marker 223 in Titusville, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. The highway reopened at about 1 p.m., but the cleanup process is expected to last days after the roadway sustained damage.

The two semis were northbound on I-95 when one slowed down and the other didn't. The one semi then slammed into the back of the other truck and caught on fire.

The driver of the semi that rear-ended the other tractor-trailer was killed at the scene. No identification has been made because of the fire that followed the crash, trooper said.

The driver of the other semi, 43-year-old Lawrence Lee, sustained minor injuries and was transported to an area hospital.

About 100 gallons of diesel was spilled onto the highway.

"It was contained to a small area; however, because it stayed on the asphalt for an extended period of time, it did cause damage to the roadway," said Lt. Channing Taylor, with the Florida Highway Patrol.

Crews reopened one lane by about noon and then all lanes an hour later after a temporary fix. A permanent fix will be completed in the coming days.

Crews used a cold patch solution to soak up the fuel and contain the spill.

"(The) Florida Department of Transportation is going to execute an emergency contract with the pavers to do a more permanent solution," Taylor said. "They'll have to come out next week and repave it."

Crews are expected to work during the overnight hours so there's a minimal impact on traffic in the area.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in the quake.

By Reuters: An earthquake of magnitude 6.5 struck west of Indonesia's island of Sumatra on Sunday, the United States Geological Survey said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in the quake, which hit at a depth of 67 km (42 miles), at a distance of 81 km (50 miles) west of the city of Bengkulu.

ALSO READ

Devastating earthquake bigger than 2015 Nepal tremor may hit north India soon, warn experts

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Earthquake measuring 5.9 on Richter scale rocks Andaman and Nicobar Islands

--- ENDS ---
Despite Sean Manaeas rotten stretch lately, the As have no plans to skip the left-handers next turn in the rotation, manager Bob Melvin said Sunday.

Because Manaea threw just 28 pitches in the worst outing of his career Saturday, the light workload essentially equates to being skipped as it is, Melvin pointed out. And the As have a day off before Manaeas next scheduled start at Houston on Friday.

Melvin said that Manaeas bullpen routine will be adjusted - instead of throwing his bullpen two days after a start, he will go three days later.

Hopefully, hell be a little more refreshed his next time out, Melvin said. Any time a guy that good struggles the way he has, its a concern, but over the course of a career, guys are going to go through that.

Manaeas fastball has lost a tick, from 92-93 mph in the middle of July to just over 90 mph in the disastrous outing Saturday night in which he allowed seven runs and worked just one-third of an inning, leading to speculation he has a dead arm.

You hate to say dead arm,  Melvin said. At this point in town, (the velocity) seems like its down a little bit. Were still trying to figure out why because he does feel good.

Manaea, one of the teams top starters has allowed 11 earned runs over his past two starts, in just 3 2/3 innings. And over his past five appearances, Manaea has given up 20 earned runs in 19 1/3 innings.

Physically, he feels good, thats the most important thing, Melvin said. Hes going through a tough stretch and (Saturday) was the toughest of the stretch. There are times youve got to settle in and say, What are my strengths? and just do that. ... Its just a tough period for him. Hell get through it.

Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: SSlusser@sfchronicle.com

On deck

Monday

vs. Royals

7:05 p.m. NBCSCA

Junis (4-2) vs.

Cotton (5-9)

Tuesday

vs. Royals

7:05 p.m. NBCSCA

Hammel (5-9) vs.

C. Smith (0-2)

Wednesday

vs. Royals

12:35 p.m. NBCSCA

Duffy (7-8) vs. Blackburn (3-1)

Leading off

Phegley plan: Melvin said that catcher Josh Phegley (oblique) is likely to go on a rehab assignment to Triple-A Nashville on Tuesday and make his first appearance there as a DH on Wednesday.

 Susan Slusser
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Hundreds of protesters marched through Oakland on Saturday night, with some briefly blocking traffic on the Interstate 580 freeway in what organizers called an emergency solidarity demonstration in response to the violence at a white supremacist rally in Virginia that left one woman dead and many injured.

The woman was killed when a car plunged into a crowd of people peacefully protesting the rally.

The rally was largely peaceful, although police gave the order to disperse shortly after 9:30 p.m. when about three dozen protesters moved up the I-580 off-ramp at Grand Avenue and then linked hands on the freeway to stop traffic. Others then launched illegal fireworks into the air.

Traffic was completely blocked for a time on the freeway as police stopped traffic to avoid hitting the protesters. After several minutes, the protesters left the freeway and continued marching on city streets as motorists honked support.

Police later blocked Broadway as a few hundred protesters moved back into the downtown area, which kept the march from heading toward North Oakland or Berkeley.

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Protesters began gathering near Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland at 7 p.m. for speeches as a handful of police officers watched nearby.

Just over an hour later, several hundred protesters, including families with young children, began marching through city streets and around Lake Merritt.

Many of those present expressed words of respect for their comrade who died, and many called for marchers to protest peacefully. At times tempers flared during the march, with protesters decrying President Trump and the white nationalist rally in Virginia, but there were also somber moments to mourn the victims of white supremacy, past and present.

My grandparents marched back in the day, said Jerrod Anthony, a 25-year-old rapper and artist from Concord, adding that he was disgusted by the events in Virginia. I like to think of all who came before us who gave us the right to be here. It wasnt too long ago we couldnt sit at the front of the bus.

Dozens of law enforcement officers from the Oakland and BART police departments, as well as the Alameda County Sheriffs Office, stayed nearby but gave the protesters a wide berth in the first hours of the march.

Cat Brooks, co-founder of the Anti Police-Terror Project, whose members were among those in the crowd, said the same issues of racism and bigotry on display in Charlottesville afflict Oakland, too, pointing to high-profile cases of officer misconduct and police shootings in the city.

I dont have an answer for the images from 1952 translating to 2017, she said. Nothing has changed. This is America unmasked.

A banner leading the march called on protesters to Mourn the Dead (and) Fight Like Hell for the Living.

Earlier in the day, Bay Area politicians were among the flood of officials condemning the bloody clashes in Charlottesville and President Trumps equivocal response, in which he did not single out neo-Nazis, members of the Ku Klux Klan or white nationalists, insisting that hatred, bigotry and violence were coming from many sides.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, called the violence an act of terror.

The vile beliefs of the perpetrators of this violence insult our fundamental American values and must be condemned in the strongest terms, she said. The presidents talk of violence on many sides ignores the shameful reality of white supremacism in our country today and continues a disturbing pattern of complacency around such acts of hate.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf tweeted: We reject hate & bigotry in our communities.

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, also took to Twitter to condemn the violence.

Make no mistake: The white supremacists in #Charlottesville feel emboldened by the Trump Admin, she said. All Americans must condemn this bigotry.

In Berkeley, Mayor Jesse Arreguin called the violence horrifying.

We cannot stand by and watch while neo-Nazis, the Klan and other extremist groups, who have been emboldened by our president, take over U.S. cities, he said. Berkeley stands in solidarity against bigotry, hate and white supremacy and supports those who embrace peaceful assembly and debate.

In San Francisco, word of the violence in Virginia spread through the crowds at the Outside Lands music festival. Early afternoon performers Joseph  a Oregon folk trio made up of sisters Allison, Meegan and Natalie Closner  acknowledged the victims.

We are thinking about Charlottesville today, Natalie Closner said from the Sutro Stage in Lindley Meadow. Its a scary time we are in. We need to come together.

Later in the day, Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith condemned the act and expressed his gratitude for the ability to play for such a peaceful crowd.

Im able to celebrate love and connection and music, he said. Thank you for reminding me, and for reminding all of us, what its really all about and how easy it actually is to love each other.

Chronicle staff writer Mariecar Mendoza contributed to this report.

Kimberly Veklerov, Michael Bodley and Jill Tucker are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com, mbodley@sfchronicle.com, jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov, @jilltucker, @michael_bodley
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  A car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting a white nationalist rally Saturday in a Virginia college town, killing one person, hurting more than a dozen others and ratcheting up tension in a day full of violent confrontations.

Shortly after, a Virginia State Police helicopter that officials said was assisting with the rally crashed outside Charlottesville, killing the pilot and a trooper.

The chaos boiled over at what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade. The governor declared a state of emergency, and police dressed in riot gear ordered people out. The group had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and others arrived to protest the racism.

Matt Korbon, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student, said several hundred counterprotesters were marching when suddenly there was just this tire screeching sound. A silver Dodge Challenger smashed into another car, then backed up, barreling through a sea of people.

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The impact hurled people into the air. Those left standing scattered, screaming and running for safety in different directions.

The driver was later identified by police as James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio. Police say Fields, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and one count related to leaving the scene. A bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.

Fields mother, Samantha Bloom, said Saturday night that she knew her son was attending a rally in Virginia but didnt know it was for white supremacists.

I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trumps not a white supremacist, Bloom said.

He had an African American friend so ..., she said before her voice trailed off. She added that shed be surprised if her sons views were that far right.

Bloom, who became visibly upset as she learned of the injuries and deaths at the rally, said she and her son had just moved to the Toledo area from the northern Kentucky city of Florence. She said thats where Fields grew up. She relocated to Ohio for work.

Late Saturday, the Department of Justice announced the opening of a federal civil rights investigation into the deadly car attack. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that the FBIs Richmond field office and Rick Mountcastle, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, will lead the investigation.

The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice, Sessions said in a statement. When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated.

The turbulence began Friday night, when the white nationalists carried torches though the University of Virginia campus. It quickly spiraled into violence Saturday morning. Hundreds of people threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays. At least three more men have been arrested in connection with the protests.

The Virginia State Police announced late Saturday that Troy Dunigan, a 21-year-old from Chattanooga, Tenn., was charged with disorderly conduct; Jacob L. Smith, a 21-year-old from Louisa, Va., was charged with assault and battery; and James M. OBrien, 44, of Gainesville, Fla., was charged with carrying a concealed handgun.

City officials said treated 35 patients altogether, 19 of whom were injured in the car crash.

State Police said in a statement that the helicopter was assisting public safety resources with the ongoing situation when it crashed in a wooded area. The pilot, Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, Va., and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton, Va., died at the scene.

President Trump condemned in the strongest possible terms what he called an egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides after the clashes. He called for a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives.

Trump said he had spoken with the governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, and we agreed that the hate and the division must stop and must stop right now.

But some of the white nationalists cited Trumps victory as validation for their beliefs, and Trumps critics pointed to the presidents racially tinged rhetoric as exploiting the nations festering racial tension.

Conservative blogger Jason Kessler had called for what he termed a pro-white rally in Charlottesville, sparked by the monument decision. White nationalists and their opponents promoted the event for weeks.

Oren Segal, who directs the Anti-Defamation Leagues Center on Extremism, said multiple white power groups gathered in Charlottesville, including members of neo-Nazi organizations, racist skinhead groups and Ku Klux Klan factions.

The white nationalist organizations Vanguard America and Identity Evropa; the Southern nationalist League of the South; the National Socialist Movement; the Traditionalist Workers Party; and the Fraternal Order of Alt Knights also were on hand, he said, along with several groups with a smaller presence.

On the other side, antifascist demonstrators also gathered in Charlottesville, but they generally arent organized like white nationalist factions, said Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Many others were just locals caught in the fray.

Colleen Cook, 26, stood on a curb shouting at the rally attendees to go home.

Cook, a teacher who attended the University of Virginia, said she sent her son, who is black, out of town for the weekend. This isnt how he should have to grow up, she said.

Its the latest hostility in Charlottesville since the city about 100 miles outside of Washington, D.C., voted this year to remove a statue of Lee.

In May, a torch-wielding group that included prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer gathered around the statue for a nighttime protest, and in July, about 50 members of a North Carolina KKK group traveled there for a rally, where they were met by hundreds of counterprotesters.

Kessler said last week that the rally was partly about the removal of Confederate symbols but also about free speech and advocating for white people.

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer said he was disgusted that the white nationalists had come to his town and blamed Trump for inflaming racial prejudices.

Im not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what youre seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president, he said.

Sarah Rankin is an Associated Press writer.
She was at some of the most pivotal battles ever fought by Americans.

She escorted convoys across the ocean in 1941 and shelled the Axis-held beach at Normandy. She carried out bombardments at Okinawa, clearing the way for Army and Marine landings on the beaches. Her silhouette loomed ominous as she gave supportive fire at Iwo Jima, and her captain nearly grounded her to fire on German forces at Omaha beach. She was also tasked with carrying more than 4,000 troops safely home from the Pacific for demobilization in a mission that was called the "Magic Carpet."

Now, the Battleship Texas, the only remaining World War I-era dreadnought battleship, slowly decays in the salt water of the Houston Ship Channel and officials tasked with her wellbeing are making a plea to Texans: A ship that saved thousands of lives now needs the community to save her.

"Every once in a while, there will be a story about how the ship is listing or is taking on water," said Stephanie Croatt, assistant superintendent with the Battleship Texas. "Then people won't hear anything else about it and they'll assume the problem is fixed. The problem is not fixed.

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"It will never be fixed in the ship's current condition."

The condition Croatt refers to deals with major weaknesses in the ship's hull - holes and cracks where the steel has eroded away - that require pumps to run 24 hours a day just to keep up with the amount of water the ship is taking on.

"We pump about 300,000 gallons of water a day out of the Battleship Texas," said Bruce Bramlett, executive director of the Battleship Texas Foundation. "There are places on the ship where the hull is so thin you can poke your finger through it. So we're constantly pumping water out and patching holes and the water is constantly seeping back in."

A Race Against Time

Each day, said Croatt, the ship is constantly taking on water, and each day, the pumps continually run to remove that water.

But what if a pump breaks? That, said Bramlett, can be a huge issue.

"We barely have enough pumping power to keep her out of the water now," he said. "Pumps regularly break, new holes are regularly eroded into her weakened hull and that's how you get into a bad situation. If we lose pumps, we're in big trouble."

Salt water on a ship's exterior is bad enough, said Capt. Terry Bragg, executive director of the USS North Carolina, a museum ship and memorial kept at the seaport of Wilmington, North Carolina. Once water gets into the ship, the damage is compounded.

"Salt water is going to damage any ship," said Bragg, "but there are precautions in place (specialized coatings) to help reduce that damage on the outside of the ship."

Those same protective coatings aren't in place inside the ship, he said, so once water gets inside, erosion can begin to happen much faster.

"Once water gets inside the ship, the effects can be devastating," said Bragg.

Since the early 1980s, crews have worked to patch holes and replace the steel in the hull of the Battleship Texas.

"There isn't really enough good steel left to patch holes," said Croatt. "We can't place patches over holes because the steel around those holes is weak and eroded. At this point, we're not dealing with 'if we run out of time' but 'when we run out of time,' and that timeframe will likely be in the very near future."

Funding for Dry Berthing

For years, the foundation has worked to get funding to save the ship.

So far, this funding has gone for repairs, but at this point, Bramlett says more direct and aggressive measures must be taken.

It sits as a testament, Croatt said, to when ships were engineered and designed with paper, pencils and slide rules in a time before Autocad and calculators.

"This ship was commissioned one year after the Titanic," Bramlett explained. "It's historic - a living museum - and in order to save it, we can't keep patching it.

"It needs to be dry berthed."

Dry berthing the ship, an estimated $40 million project, isn't necessarily an easy task. It must be repaired so that the hull is structurally sound enough to be moved. Then a system must be built around the hull so that water can be pumped out or let in as it's deemed necessary. Being able to control the water in contact with the ship is vital to its longevity, Bramlett said.

"Right now when we have a leak, we have divers feeling around in the dark trying to find and fix those leaks," he said. "Sometimes, the leaks are below the mudline - it's a terrible way to try and fix an issue. If we were able to control the water, it would be much easier - and cheaper in the long run - to fix these problems."

The Battleship Texas is owned by the state, which means the majority of funding is gained through legislative measures. Since the ship has been at its current home in the Houston Ship Channel, a total of about $68 million has been spent on its structural repairs, said Bramlett.

"If the state decides to do nothing and we finish this round of repairs and she just remains sitting in the water, she's going to have to be disposed of in the not-too-distant future. That ship is out of time," Bramlett said.

Disposing of the ship will cost an estimated $30 million, which doesn't count the money needed to remove the precious artifacts and store them safely, Bramlett said.

"If we have to scrap the Battleship Texas, no one is just going to say 'OK, take her away'," Bramlett said. "They're going to want to carefully remove and catalog the artifacts and historical property on the ship. Then those things are going to have to be stored for years. After several years have passed, people are going to say, 'Hey, we should build a museum and put these things in there.' But we already have a museum. It's sitting in our ship channel right now."

Bramlett said the cost of removing, storing and cataloging those pieces of history only to spend the money to build a new museum in the future would likely not exceed the cost of saving the ship, especially when taking into consideration the amount the state already has spent to repair her.

"So, let's say we do nothing and have to dispose of the ship. You add that $30 million or $40 million (disposal cost) to the $68 million we've already spent on her  that's a minimum of $98 million and at the end you've got no ship," Bramlett said. "But if we spend the $40 or $50 million we think it will take to dry berth it, we can build a structure to take that ship out of the water and it can be here forever - we haven't just flushed $98 million down the drain. Either way, the state is going to have to write a very large check.

"We can write that check to save her, or we can write it to throw all we've invested into her away."

The USS North Carolina, a World War II-era ship, had to undergo similar repairs.

"We developed a strategy to build a coffer dam around the ship with vertical steel walls," said Bragg. "This allows us to pump the water out and get direct access to the hull to cut and replace the steel on the ship. We are currently water-tight and have been for years. We hope to finish this project sometime around the beginning of 2018."

The USS North Carolina serves as an economic engine for that part of its state, a position that the Battleship Texas could easily hold for the southeast region of Houston, said U.S. Rep. John Culberson, (R-Houston).

"Not only is it important to preserve the history of this amazing ship," said Culberson, "but it's necessary as a vital part of our tourism industry. The ship needs to be stabilized and placed where people can see it, tour it and enjoy it regularly. Pier 21 by the Elissa would be a great place."

Urging action

Culberson has been a proponent of saving historic sites and attractions throughout Texas. He has worked to pass legislation that would create grant programs to save historic battleships.

"We need to work with officials at the federal, state and local levels to be sure the (Battleship) Texas has the money they need to save that ship," he said. "The state is primarily responsible for funding, but the federal government has passed legislation that could help historic ships like the Battleship Texas."

But local and state representatives need to know that saving the ship is what their constituency wants, Culberson said.

"The single most important thing Texans can do is speak to their representatives - speak to the members of congress - and urge them to pass legislation that will save the ship. Tell them that you want funding to restore the battleship so we can enjoy it for the next 100 years," he said. "This ship is part of our history. It was instrumental in saving thousands of lives. I can't tell you how many former servicemen I've met who feel very strongly about saving her. I'll do anything I can to save her. Because she saved me.' That's what they say."
London police have released a man they arrested earlier this week for allegedly pushing a woman into the path of an oncoming bus.

The 41-year-old man, whom police did not name, was released after he gave an adequate alibi as to where he was at the time of the offense, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said Saturday. Investigators are still looking for the perpetrator.

The man, who was arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, has been released "with no further action," the agency said in a statement. BBC reported that the man's lawyer said he was in the United States at the time of the incident, which happened in May.

A video shows a man, who was jogging on a sidewalk on the bustling Putney Bridge, shove the woman toward the road and continue running. The woman's upper body dangled in front of the bus, forcing the driver to swerve to narrowly miss her.

London police had released the closed-circuit video of the incident to try to get leads to the identify of the suspect. The incident occurred three months ago, at about 7:40 a.m. on May 5, but investigators have been unable to find the jogger, a police spokesman said this week.

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"The victim was put in extreme danger when she was knocked into the road," Sgt. Mat Knowles said. "It was only due to the superb quick reactions of the bus driver that she was not hit by the vehicle."

The beginning of the video showed another man walking several feet ahead of the woman. The jogger passed by him and then appeared to reach toward the woman as she was walking.

Police said the bus stopped after the woman fell, and passengers rushed to help her. About 15 minutes later, the jogger came back. The woman tried to speak with him, but he ignored her and kept running, police said.

The woman, who was not identified, suffered minor injuries from the incident, police said.

On Thursday, police said they "received a good response from the appeal" but were still looking for additional witnesses. Anyone with information was asked to call the Putney Safer Neighborhood Team at 020-8785-8874.

The 700-foot Putney Bridge runs across the River Thames and connects two areas in southwest London, Putney and Fulham.
JERUSALEM - Beset by corruption allegations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting back and taking aim at an old foe: the news media.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the house of Israel's attorney general Saturday night, demanding that he indict the premier, who has led the country for a total of 11 years. It was the 38th time the weekly demonstration has taken place, but numbers have swelled in recent weeks, ramping up pressure.

Netanyahu has made clear that he will do whatever he can to hold on to office. In a speech in front of thousands at a rally in Tel Aviv last week, he railed against "fake news" and accused the country's liberal left of launching a witch hunt against him.

His words echoed those deployed often by his ally President Donald Trump. Like Trump, the Israeli prime minister uses social media to speak directly to his supporters, circumventing what he sees as a media cohort that's out to get him. While Trump's preferred medium is Twitter, Netanyahu has also regularly criticized media organizations on Facebook, where he has over 2 million followers.

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The Tel Aviv rally came after police disclosed that Netanyahu is officially a suspect in two cases involving fraud and breach of trust. Although the prime minister has long had a contentious relationship with the press, some journalists suggested things had taken a more sinister turn at the Aug. 9 event, saying a hostile crowd bombarded reporters with insults and threatened them with violence.

Netanyahu claims that the investigations - which focus on allegations that he received illegal gifts and attempted to broker more favorable media coverage - are the result of a politically motivated campaign by parts of the media and the left wing to oust him.

His supporters argue that for that reason, the prime minister should stay on even if he is charged.

"If he loses in elections, this is the only situation where he should leave," said Miki Zohar, a member of Netanyahu's Likud party in the Knesset, Israel's parliament. "Until then, he should stay - or if there's a conviction. But I don't think they are going to convict him."

Zohar said the media pressure has rendered the police incapable of objectivity. And politicians close to the prime minister have said that attacks in the press will only strengthen his support.

The Times of Israel called last week's rally "chilling." The left-wing Haaretz newspaper described it as "wild, inciting and inflammatory."

But Gil Hoffman, a political correspondent and analyst with the right-leaning Jerusalem Post, said he had spoken to a broad range of Israelis and concluded from those conversations that the prime minister may, for the time being at least, be able to "keep the vultures at bay."

"Netanyahu out-Trumped Trump," Hoffman said. "The whole strategy of making the press the enemy - Trump learned how to do that from Netanyahu."

But the police investigations are moving forward. In a dramatic development this month, police revealed that Ari Harow, a former chief of staff to Netanyahu, has agreed to testify against him as part of a plea bargain in a separate case against Harow.

The legal process will probably drag on, with a police recommendation on whether to indict Netanyahu not expected until after the Yom Kippur holiday at the end of September and possibly as late as next year, according to Israeli press reports. The attorney general must then decide whether to move forward, a step that may take several more months.

Although Netanyahu is not obliged to resign if he is indicted, political pressure could force him to do so, depending on the gravity of the charges or whether his coalition falls apart, triggering early elections.

In what has been dubbed Case 1,000, Netanyahu is accused of receiving expensive gifts, including champagne, cigars and jewelry, in exchange for political favors. The second investigation, known as Case 2,000, concerns allegations that he tried to cut a deal with the publisher of the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth in exchange for favorable coverage.

The prime minister has denied any wrongdoing, often repeating his mantra: "There will be nothing because there is nothing."

But the allegations have piled up. In a third case, members of his inner circle have been accused of corruption in connection with a $2 billion submarine deal with Germany, although the prime minister has not been named as a suspect.

According to media reports, the attorney general is also expected to indict Netanyahu's wife, Sara, for misuse of funds in the prime minister's residence.

"They produce endless affairs and articles and headlines, so maybe something will stick," Netanyahu told his supporters Wednesday. "If not submarines, then cigars. If not cigars, then conversations with a publisher. If not a publisher, then Case 1,000. If not 1,000, then 2,000, then 3,000, 4,000, 5,000!"

Polls show that his support has been dented, although not significantly, by the allegations. One recent poll showed that Likud would fare better in an election without him.

Still, Netanyahu - the longest-serving Israeli prime minister since the country's main founder, David Ben-Gurion - has weathered many scandals in the past.

The prime minister is still "leading the pack," said Yehuda Ben Meir, head of the head of the National Security and Public Opinion Project at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies. "There's clearly some erosion, but he's certainly not mortally wounded."
By PTI: Los Angeles, Aug 13 (PTI) People who resist their negative emotions are more likely to experience stress while those who embrace their darker moods feel better, a study has found.

"We found that people who habitually accept their negative emotions experience fewer negative emotions, which adds up to better psychological health," said Iris Mauss, an associate professor at University of California, Berkeley in the US.

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Researchers tested the link between emotional acceptance and psychological health in more than 1,300 adults.

They found that people who commonly resist acknowledging their darkest emotions, or judge them harshly, can end up feeling more psychologically stressed.

By contrast, those who generally allow such bleak feelings as sadness, disappointment and resentment to run their course reported fewer mood disorder symptoms than those who critique them or push them away, even after six months, researchers said.

"It turns out that how we approach our own negative emotional reactions is really important for our overall well- being," said Brett Ford, assistant professor at University of Toronto in Canada.

"People who accept these emotions without judging or trying to change them are able to cope with their stress more successfully," Ford said.

Researchers conducted three separate studies on various groups both in the lab and online, and factored in age, gender, socio-economic status and other demographic variables.

In the first study, more than 1,000 participants filled out surveys rating how strongly they agreed with such statements as "I tell myself I should not be feeling the way that I am feeling."

Researchers found that those who, as a rule, did not feel bad about their negative emotions showed higher levels of well-being than their less accepting peers.

In the second study, more than 150 participants were tasked with delivering a three-minute videotaped speech to a panel of judges as part of a mock job application, touting their communication skills and other relevant qualifications. They were given two minutes to prepare.

After completing the task, participants rated their emotions about the ordeal. Researchers found that the group that typically avoids negative feelings reported more distress than their more accepting peers.

In the final study, more than 200 people journaled about their most taxing experiences over a two-week period. When surveyed about their psychological health six months later, the diarists who typically avoided negative emotions reported more mood disorder symptoms than their nonjudgmental peers.

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The study was published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. PTI APA MHN MHN

--- ENDS ---
Whenever we create digital content, we reference other web pages, either for further reading or to give a credit. In most cases, we link out in order to create better content and provide the reader with more information on the subject.

But did you know that links can provide further value for your business? If you approach it strategically, linking out can actually bring leads and business contacts. Here are a few ways to achieve more by linking out to external sources:

Related: Why Your Content Marketing Is Failing and How to Fix It

1. If you want those links clicked, phrase them accordingly.

A call to action is an instruction to your audience, guiding them towards your goal conversion. Usually calls to action are designed in the form of a button that stands out on your page in order to trigger some type of an action.

A text link can be an effective call to action as well, provoking an immediate response from your reader. It's obvious that if you want your site readers to do something, you'll get better results if you tell them exactly what to do. Whenever you want your page visitor to read further, it may be a good idea to word your link exactly that way -- "Click here to read further."

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2. Keep your links descriptive for usability and accessibility purposes.

While a link that says "click here" can be a good action trigger encouraging your readers to actually click, it's a poor way to word your links from usability and accessibility standpoint. In order for "click here" links to make sense, your readers will have to read the surrounding text to put the link into context. This process requires more effort, both in terms of eye movements and mental processing.

Related: 6 SEO Strategies That Are Hurting Your Online Business

As for accessibility, visually impaired users of your site who use screen readers to navigate your web page will have even more trouble with "click here" links because they will make no sense to them. That being said, there are lots of ways to accommodate both goals of getting people to click and complying with usability and accessibility standards. Here are a few ways to word your links to achieve both:

"Click here to read more about ..."

"Click here to download the full guide ..."

On top of that, a text link can trigger an opt-in form -- which actually makes it a valid lead generating call to action. These types of lead generation opt-ins are referred to as "two step," and they can be easily built with OptinMonster Wordpress plugin.

3. Link out for relationship building purposes.

Linking to a person is one of the best ways to become friends with them. People love being referenced by other writers, and they usually show up to thank, provide more details and share your piece with their community.

There are a few tricks to turn your linking practices into a relationship building tactic:

Reference niche influencers who are active and responsive on social media. These people are more likely to engage with you after you let them know you linked to their content.

Use social media tagging to let those influencers know that you referenced them.

If you link for relationship building purposes, keep your links as descriptive as you can. Include the author's name, book title, Twitter handle, etc. Many niche influencers use tools to monitor their brand name mentions, so your mention will get noticed. Read about citation tips in a research paper; include "Last Name, First Name. Page Title. Website Title."

Linking out for relationship building is probably only possible for content focused sites (blogs and online magazines). Ecommerce linking is a bit different. But if you have a blog section on your ecommerce website, the tactic will work for you too.

Related: How Real Marketers Create Backlinks That Matter

While links work great for reinforcing your calls-to-action and building relationships with niche influencers, their primary goal is to add value to your content. Always keep that in mind when linking out from your content.

Related:

How to Link From Your Content to Build Leads and Connections

4 Proven Strategies to Get Rank-Boosting Links to Improve Your SEO

How To Create Content That Hooks Your Prospects and Keeps Them Engaged



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


To the Editor:

Id like to thank the Fairfield Marine police, Bridgeport AMR and all the doctors, nurses and staff at Bridgeport Hospital for the incredible professional job you all did during my recent medical emergency.

Capt. Noel Voroba

Fairfield

To the Editor:

Why Trump signed the Russian sanctions legislation, while at the same time calling it clearly unconstitutional, is beyond comprehension.

Didnt he know that Article I, Section 7 of the United States Constitution would have allowed it to become law without his signature, unless Congress had adjourned?

He still could have issued a signing statement, but by not affixing his signature, he would have also signaled to Putin that he did not support the legislation.

It is too much to expect Trump to know the Constitution, but where are the staff members who should have advised him?

Richard Lowenstein

Westport

To the Editor:

While I am sympathetic toward Joel Colindres, he did sneak into this country illegally.

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The questions I would ask if I was ICE would be: While here, did he pay taxes and report income? Is he or his immediate family getting food stamps, Medicaid or welfare of any kind?

Does he speak English after being here so long?

If these questions were answered correctly that he is not a freeloader, then my answer would be for President Trump to stand down on him and go after the felons that he said he would go after.

If any of these questions are not answered correctly, then I am sorry but he needs to get out.

We should not reward people or their families for being in this country illegally.

Sal Busciolano

Fairfield

Editors note: Joel Colindres, a native of Guatemala who lives in New Fairfield, faces deportation Aug. 17 but has applied for asylum in the United States.

To the Editor:

I applaud John McCain for his stand on returning to regular order in the Senate.

And, for his subsequent vote on the Skinny Bill.

All the last minute ACA-based votes demonstrate that Republicans have tons of rhetoric, havent done their homework and do not know how to govern.

George Raemore

Danbury

To the Editor:

It is certainly no secret that opioids and other addictive substances are the epidemics of our country today. Individual lives, entire families, and whole communities are being permanently destroyed by this awful disease.

But unless your door has been marked and your family scarred, it is very easy to nod in sympathy and say a small, silent prayer of thanksgiving that this didnt happen to our kid/father/mother/brother/sister/neighbor. But when we utter that prayer, we are forgetting the fact that every person in our community is indeed our kid/father/mother/brother/sister/neighbor.

And then we know that, indeed, we are all affected by the epidemic of addiction. It was the community of caring that brought all of us to live in New Canaan and raise our families here. Now, to face this challenge  we must help each other.

Come to the Pop-Up Park in town at 7 p.m. Aug. 31. The New Canaan community will band together to begin to Help Each Other to Heal  an evening of remembering those who have been lost, learn from real-life stories by family members, and leave with hope and resolve.

This is our hometown. We must do it. This really, really matters.

Melanie Barnard

New Canaan
SAND SPRINGS, Mont. - In this part of Montana's rugged eastern prairie, Erwin Weder and the other ranchers and cowboys are not used to feeling kicked around. But as Weder drives his pickup truck onto a bluff to gaze out over "Big Sky Country," he feels a bit defeated.

Hundreds of miles of meadows and scrub grass that feed tens of thousands of beef cattle are gone, replaced by the charred soil and smoldering prairie dog burrows that the state's largest wildfire in nearly three decades has left behind. But after the massive multimillion-dollar firefight, another battle has emerged in the wide open spaces where there is often distrust of the government: What should the federal role be in helping Montana's livestock industry respond to, and recover from, the blaze.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) originally rejected Montana's request for assistance, a process that ranchers say left them feeling forgotten and misunderstood by Washington. Now, many in this deeply conservative region are weighing their wariness about bureaucrats against their need for help.

"We lost 70 percent of our grass, which means 70 percent of our revenue," said Weder, 41, who is trying to locate hundreds of cattle that scattered as the flames tore across his 65,000-acre ranch. "I don't think people truly understand what an acre of grass is worth to us . . . and the millions of dollars that will be lost over the next few years."

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Local officials across the United States worry that it is becoming more difficult to secure help from FEMA for all sorts of natural disasters. Since January, members of Congress and state officials have protested initial FEMA denials following a tornado outbreak in Louisiana, flooding in North Carolina, and snowstorms in Pennsylvania and Oregon.

The Trump administration has been hinting that it might limit federal spending on disaster relief and preparation, and FEMA is considering whether to draft regulations to shift more responsibility for rebuilding to the states. The creation of "disaster deductibles" - which states would have to exhaust before FEMA offers federal assistance - was first proposed under the Obama administration.

The new administration says it is following established criteria for responding to disasters, and it has not indicated clear standards for when it plans to step in with disaster assistance, especially in cases that affect relatively localized areas. President Trump's proposed 2018 budget includes more money for disaster assistance but reduces preparedness grants by $667 million, something that has sparked dismay among state officials. In March, Trump also proposed an 11 percent cut to FEMA's 2017 budget to help fund construction of his proposed border wall. But after denying a wave of disaster assistance requests earlier this year, FEMA has recently begun reversing some of those initial findings, including a recent announcement that it would send aid to Oregon to help it recover from a series of snowstorms.

Trump recently went to FEMA headquarters and vowed that the agency would "quickly" and "effectively" respond if a hurricane strikes the United States this year, but states remain unclear what help they'll get and when they'll get it.

FEMA Administrator William B. "Brock" Long said in a recent interview that agency grant funding for disaster preparedness has been trending down since 2010, reflecting a philosophical question: Should the federal government fully sustain programs at the state level or should the federal funding "serve as a catalyst"?

Long said he believes that preparedness, response and recovery are a shared responsibility and that states should have "rainy day funds to support their localities when the federal government support's not coming to town."

"We can't afford to completely sustain or supplement programs through federal grants alone," Long said. "This is a partnership. We have to have an honest conversation with states, with state and local governments, as to what is the right balance for sustaining programs in responding and recovery."

In Sand Springs, where ranchers sometimes must drive an hour to reach their neighbors, FEMA faces new conflict over the value of the grass that nurtures the nation's food supply.

The value of a disaster can't be summed up in property damage here, a highway outpost that consists of a post office, church, general store and a one-room school with three students. The real cost of the fire is measured in the loss of meadow and wheat grasses that sustain an estimated 50,000 cows.

The Lodgepole Complex fire scorched 425 square miles, about twice the size of Chicago. It ranks as the third-largest fire in the settled history of the northern Rocky Mountain region, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

After a lightning storm sparked the blaze July 19, FEMA's initial denial of the state's general request for disaster assistance while the fire was raging angered local officials, who viewed it as another disconnect between Washington and the heartland. They argue that too much federal money goes to populated areas even though Montanans pay their taxes, too.

"The federal government needs to understand, not everything comes from the city," said Teddy Robertson, a commissioner in Garfield County, which includes Sand Springs and has the third-lowest population density of any county in the continental United States. "To have FEMA turn us down, it was like a slap in the face that we don't matter."

Montana's congressional delegation pressured FEMA to reverse its decision, and the agency says it agreed to compensate the state through its Fire Management Assistance Program four days later. The federal agency said in a statement that "there have not been changes to FEMA policy in regards to federal assistance or reimbursement for disaster related expenses."

FEMA's fire assistance program reimburses states for 75 percent of the costs associated with battling wildfires. State and county officials estimate they've spent about $9 million extinguishing the Lodgepole blaze, which was brought under control July 29.

Bruce Suenram, Montana's deputy fire and aviation chief since 2009, said this is the first time he can recall that Montana had to aggressively push for FEMA firefighting assistance.

"It would certainly be beneficial to us all if we had more specific criteria that we knew we had to meet, so we don't waste each other's time," he said.

W. Craig Fugate, who served as FEMA administrator during President Barack Obama's second term, said he suspects Montana struggled to get its request approved because the fire "didn't threaten enough homes." He added that ranchers and farmers are considered businesses and typically are not eligible for FEMA assistance.

"I was always amazed by how many people decide, as a business, that I have this loss and that I want someone else to pay for it - and from this part of the world, that doesn't like red tape and doesn't like a lot of things until they need something," said Fugate, who added that states would do more to mitigate risk if they had to shoulder a greater share of disaster recovery costs.

Now that the firefighting funding has been sorted out, it is unclear what the federal government will do in terms of helping to restore the grasslands and assisting the businesses and people that rely on them. Local ranchers here say they could face an especially dire situation if the drought persists into next year because the scorched prairie can only rejuvenate if it gets much-needed rain.

Before declaring a fire emergency, FEMA evaluates threats to property and "critical infrastructure," availability of resources and potential for "major economic impact."

In Garfield County, where 1,300 residents are scattered across an area nearly twice the size of Delaware, local officials say it isn't easy to document the full scope of a disaster. When there's a major fire here, residents respond with their own water and pumper trucks to battle it, making it difficult to track expenses.

Residents say it could take weeks or months to determine how many cattle were killed in a fire so large it took helicopters three hours to fly around its perimeter.

"It's hard to assess value, with boots on the ground, when you have more cows than homes," said Anne Miller, a Garfield County official who is helping to coordinate relief efforts. "You are not just pulling home values and land records."

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., was initially irate over FEMA's stance but later credited Long, the FEMA administrator, for realizing "that lots of people's life support was burning up." But Tester, a fifth-generation wheat farmer, said broader discussions are needed about how FEMA values disasters that don't involve loss of life or buildings, especially as it relates to the impact of climate change.

In northeastern Montana, July was among the warmest months on record and the first seven months of the year the driest period in 110 years, according to the National Weather Service.

"I think there needs to be a realization by this president, climate change is real, and our fire season is getting longer and more intense," Tester said.

That's trouble for ranchers, who rely on paychecks that come once a year. Cows spend all summer munching on grass while raising calves. After the fall roundup, calves are separated from their mothers and are sold for about $1,000 each. That payday depends largely on whether mother cows can find enough grass or hay to keep nursing.

Relying on the federal government is at odds with the culture here, especially in a county where 91 percent of voters supported Donald Trump at the polls in November. As Weder put it, "Most here would rather starve than be on welfare."

Travis Brown, who owns the L.O. Cattle Co. in Sand Springs, easily recites the family motto about why his great-grandfather moved to the region from Texas around 1918: "To carve out a ranch from the sheer force of work and will."

Brown, 33, owns about 1,300 cattle on 93 square miles of ranchland that gradually slopes up from creek beds into foothills marked by remnants of original homesteader settlements. With antelope and mule deer leaping through his fields, he and his border collie, Gert, spent much of the week after the fire just trying to find his cows.

Generally, Brown said, it requires about 40 acres of grassland to sustain one cow and calf for a year. When that grass disappears, ranchers must purchase hay, and a lactating cow can eat 20 to 40 pounds of it each day. At $150 per ton of hay, that can work out to more than $2,000 per day in unexpected costs for his herd.

"We are all asking, 'What are we going to feed these cows?' " said Brown, who lives on the ranch with his wife, the area's only dentist. "And if we mishandle this recovery period, we could do longer-term damage to the land."

To the unease of some environmentalists, the federal government has offered up one short-term solution: Allowing affected ranchers to move their cattle into the 1.1 million-acre Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, one of the nation's largest, north of here along the Missouri River. Paul Santavy, the refuge's manager, said the Interior Department approved emergency regulations allowing grazing there - at a monthly fee of $29 per cow-calf pair - until November.

"People said, 'We are not looking for a handout. We just need help and somewhere to put our cows' . . . and we have the ability to do that," Santavy said, adding that biologists expect no environmental disruption to the refuge.

Matthew Bliss is rounding up his cattle to transport them to the refuge, which he says will cost him about $60,000 in grazing fees. Without the service, Bliss said he would have to jam his herd into a feedlot, where they would stand largely stationary or be sold off prematurely.

"We are gracious for the help because, right now, my cows are just not happy," Bliss said. Asked whether he would also welcome other federal help, Bliss bent his head down toward his dashboard. "Well," he said, before an extended pause, "we like to do our own thing. . . . We already feel they do enough."

- - -

The Washington Post's Joel Achenbach in Washington contributed to this report.

- - -

Video: Montana is seeing its worst fire season in years with four massive wildfires scorching the landscape. (Taylor Turner/The Washington Post)

URL: http://wapo.st/2hCmNnH

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Water, as intrinsic to our lives as the air we breathe, is becoming increasingly rare and valuable. We must stop taking it for granted.

The water situation in California is dire, and some experts predict that the state -- our largest agricultural producer -- is destined to become a desert. As politicians and businesses fight it out in court over aquifer rights, towns are drying up.

The Cadiz Water Project is smack in the middle of the controversy.

At the heart of the controversy is a California law that allows landowners to tap into an aquifer their land sits upon, even if the aquifer extends under property belonging to others. A handful of investors have made fortunes by investing in the state's most valuable natural resource.

Related: These Start-ups are Coming up with Smart Initiatives to Recycle Waste

Cadiz is a private corporation sitting on roughly 70 square miles of property in the Mojave Desert over a deep aquifer. In 2012, the company agreed to sell water to Santa Margarita Water District (SMWD) in Orange County and other local providers. The company proposes to pump enough groundwater from beneath its property to supply 100,000 homes in the heavily drought-impacted Southern California area. Californias eastern Mojave Desert, where the project is located, could see tremendous benefit.

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Cadiz CEO Scott Slater told me the project would empower the local community by adding 5,900 new local jobs without harming the environment. We've studied this issue from every angle, and what we propose will not drain the aquifer or significantly impact the local ecology, he said. What it will do is generate approximately $1 billion in economic growth and provide much needed water to an area parched by the long drought.

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), strongly opposes the project, citing environmental concerns and long-term sustainability. On June 6, she sent a letter to David Bernhardt, President Trumps nominee for Deputy Secretary of the Interior, asking him to recuse himself from overseeing the Cadiz water extraction project. Sen. Feinstein cites conflict of interest since his law firm, though not Bernhardt, is paid to lobby for the company.

Related: Business Leaders Slam Trump's Decision to Withdraw From Paris Climate Agreement

Winston Hickox, former California Environmental Protection Agency secretary, disagrees with the Senator. In an op-ed for the Sacramento Bee, Hickox writes, The project will conserve enough water for 400,000 Californians each year for 50 years without causing a single adverse environmental impact. The best scientists and engineers assured that sustainability and protection of the environment were paramount. The project was approved in accordance with the toughest environmental law in America, the California Environmental Quality Act. It was challenged in court, but judges in 12 separate opinions affirmed the project and its protections and rejected the flawed positions represented by the senators op-ed. The desert will not be destroyed, nor will the bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, springs or wildflowers.

What's at stake?

Why does a company fight the government for 15 years? Could water, a resource most of us take for granted, be that valuable?

Water is big business. The global water industry is predicted to reach $1 trillion by 2020. As massive as the bottled water industry is, its volume pales in comparison to tap water. U.S. public water systems supply more than 1 billion gallons of tap water an hour, every hour of the day. Twelve percent of municipal water is provided by private water systems, and they serve 36 million people in the U.S.

The average American uses 176 gallons of water per day, and municipal water prices have increased 27 percent over the past five years. Advocacy group Food & Water Watch says private companies charge 59 percent more than public utilities, or $185 more per year, per household.

Crisis like the one in Flint, Mich.,, demonstrate that public water sources are not always the best option.

Conservatives like to claim that over-regulation stifles business. Liberals -- including me -- are primarily concerned with environmental impact over profiteering. In the end, this story comes down to evaluating the greater good.

Related: There's a New Threat to Small Business: Water Scarcity

For the first time in a long time, I'm coming down on the conservative side. Water is still pretty cheap, and most households will pay just $15 more per month from a private source. Given a choice between shortage and rationing that comes with it, and shelling out less than the cost of a cup of Starbucks every week, most people are unlikely to object.

Generally speaking, most municipal water comes from aquifers. What environmental difference does it make if a private or public company pumps it? I'm simply not sure the objections hold water (pardon the pun).

Photo Credit: katkaZV

Related:

The Fight Over Water: When Business and Politics Collide

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Anthony Scaramucci Is Out as Communications Director. Maybe It's Not a Good Idea to Publicly Disparage Your Co-Workers?



Copyright 2017 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved



This article originally appeared on entrepreneur.com


IRBIL, Iraq - The United States military said that two American soldiers were killed during "combat operations" in northern Iraq on Sunday but that initial findings indicate the deaths were not caused by "enemy contact."

A brief statement from the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State militant group said five other soldiers were injured in the incident. The statement did not provide any further detail, except to say that the casualties were being investigated.

A separate statement released by the Islamic State on Sunday, apparently referring to the same incident, said it had carried out a rocket attack on U.S. positions east of the Iraqi city of Tal Afar that the group claimed killed four American soldiers and injured six.

Col. Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq and Syria, called the Islamic State claim "false" and said the casualties on Sunday were "not because of enemy fire."

The Islamic State is increasingly on the defensive in Iraq and Syria after its defeat in the Iraqi city of Mosul and as U.S.-backed forces advance in the militant group's onetime stronghold in the Syrian city of Raqqa. American officials have touted accelerating gains against the militants in the past six months while crediting their success to policies adopted by the Trump administration, including the delegating of decision-making authority to commanders in the field.

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But the Islamic State retains control of several towns in both countries that are populated by tens of thousands of civilians, and their safety has become a growing concern as the military campaign - especially coalition airstrikes - have intensified. The towns include Tal Afar, about 40 miles west of Mosul, where Iraqi troops and militiamen have been gathering ahead of what is expected to be the next major offensive in the campaign against the Islamic State.

U.S. officials have said that they expect a difficult battle in Tal Afar, where 20,000 to 40,000 civilians remain in what has been a busy hub for Islamic State leaders.

At least 6,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq. The casualties on Sunday brought to four the number of U.S. soldiers killed this year in the country, according to the website iCasualties.org.

---

The Washington Post's Zakaria Zakaria in Istanbul contributed to this report.
By PTI: (Eds: Correcting spelling in para 6)

Guwahati, Aug 13 (PTI) The flood situation today deteriorated in Assam, where the Army was called out for rescue operations as 10 more people were killed and 22.5 lakh affected in 21 districts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who toured various flood-affected areas in Dibrugarh district, an official release said.

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"The prime minister expressed concern and assured all possible help and support to the state government in handling the situation," the statement said.

Sonowal informed Modi about the devastation caused by the flood in middle and upper Assam and the disruption to vehicular movement on National Highway 37, the lifeline between the two areas.

The Armys Red Horns Division of the Gajraj Corps has dispatched multiple teams after receiving calls for help from various district administrations, a defence spokesperson said.

Following todays toll in flood-related incidents, the total number of persons losing their lives in this years flood-related incidents in the state went up to 99, including eight in Guwahati, an Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report said.

Principal Secretary of Prime Ministers Office Nripendra Mishra asked Assam Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia to submit a report detailing the damage and devastation caused by the current wave of floods in the state.

According to the ASDMA, 10 persons were today killed in flood-related incidents in three districts.

While six persons lost their lives in Kokrajhar, three died in Bongaigaon and one in Biswanath.

The flood situation is likely to worsen with Brahmaputra and 10 other rivers flowing above the danger mark at 15 places, including the state capital.

At present, 22.5 lakh people are affected in 21 districts, the ASDMA said.

The districts are Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Morigaon, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

Nagaon Deputy Commissioner Shamsher Singh said, a crucial dyke at Hatimura was breached by the Brahmaputra at 2 am and its flood waters inundated vast areas of the district.

The authorities have issued an alert in the district with flood waters submerging the NH-37 at four places between Kaliabor and Jakhalabandha, forcing the authorities to stop traffic, thereby cutting the link between upper and middle Assam.

NH 37 passes through Kaziranga National Park.

Singh said personnel from the Army, NDRF and SDRF have been engaged in rescue operations, while people in Nagaon town have resorted to panic purchase of goods from the market.

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A defence spokesperson said about 3,000 people have been rescued by the Army from Bodoland Territorial Area Districts and Karbi Anglong.

As per the ASDMA report, Dhubri is the worst-affected with 3.98 lakh sufferers, followed by Morigaon with 3.14 lakh people affected in the deluge.

The condition in Morigaon suddenly worsened after the surging water breached the dyke of Brahmaputra in Lahorighat and flooded more than 100 villages in Lahorighat and Bhuragaon revenue circle, affecting over one lakh people.

Currently, 2,734 villages are under water and over 1.35 lakh hectares of crop areas have been damaged across the state, the ASDMA said.

Authorities are running 678 relief camps and distribution centres in 17 districts, where 1,83,584 people are taking shelter at present.

At least 4,000 persons have been evacuated to safer places by the SDRF, NDRF and Army personnel in many districts.

The devastating flood has damaged many embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructures in Dhemaji, Udalguri, Darrang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Morigaon, Nagaon, Majuli, Golaghat, Charaideo, Chirang, Dhubri, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Biswanath.

Currently, the Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Guwahati, Nimatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur, Goalpara and Dhubri towns.

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Other rivers like Burhidehing at Khowang in Dibrugarh, Subansiri at Badatighat in Lakhimpur, Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur, Puthimari at NH Road Crossing in Kamrup, Manas at NH Road Crossing at Barpeta, Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta, Sankosh at Golokganj in Dhubri, Katakhal at Matizuri in Hailakandi and Kushiyara at Karimganj town are flowing above the danger marks.

NF Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Pranav Jyoti Sharma said, a total of 22 trains have been cancelled, while 14 others are stranded at various places as tracks are flooded at many places across the North East.

Most of the forest areas in Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Lawkhua wildlife sanctuary are under flood waters. PTI TR MM IKA DIP

--- ENDS ---
A man is dead after his vehicle crashed into a commercial building north of downtown on Saturday evening.

Officers responded to a vehicle fire in the 1200 Block of Camden Street at around 7 p.m. and found a black four-door Mercedes-Benz lodged in a brick building. The fire was quickly extinguished.
A San Antonio police officer was sitting in his patrol car actively diverting traffic from an unrelated accident when a driver crashed into the rear of his vehicle, according to police.

The accident occurred at 4:11 a.m. in the 7900 block of Interstate 35.
Re: Poverty not barrier to education, John Menchaca, Another View, August 5:

John Menchaca argues that poverty should not be used as an excuse for the low educational levels of Latinos. He further places blame on Latino parents for not believing that education is important.

Menchacas image of Latino parents does not jibe with the data. According to a national survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2015, 86 percent of Latino parents indicated that it is important or very important for their children to earn a college degree, compared to 79 percent of African American and 67 percent of white parents.

And a national survey conducted by the Leadership Conference Education Fund earlier this year observed that Latino parents have high educational expectations for their children, want them to have access to a quality education, and want them to have the opportunity to take challenging courses.

Latino parents, like other parents, want the best education for their children and see it as the key to a successful future.

Menchaca asserts that more money is not the answer. Why is it alright for well-off parents to demand more funds for their childrens schools, but not acceptable for poorer parents to ask the same for their children? Yet, the Texas school funding system, described by the Texas Supreme Court as Byzantine but still satisfying minimum constitutional requirements, undercuts Latino and African American children who disproportionately attend poorly funded and ill-equipped schools.

As long as far-right politicians continue neglecting the education of Latino and African American children, the existing disparities will not disappear. Of course, for many people it is easier to blame poor Latino parents rather than a powerful political system served by well-heeled politicians for persistent educational inequities.

Rogelio Saenz is dean of the College of Public Policy and Mark G. Yudof Endowed Professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is the co-author of Latinos in the United States: Diversity and Change.
City Manager Sheryl Sculley has unveiled a proposed $2.7 billion budget, the largest in the citys history.

Its a budget that promises more police officers and firefighters, and includes much-needed additional revenue for VIA Metropolitan Transit to improve bus service frequency on key routes. There is no tax rate increase, but what stands out most about this budget is its underpinnings in equity.

At the direction of a majority of council, city staff crafted a budget that prioritizes community needs. This is a departure from distributing spending as evenly as possible across the 10 council districts. But it fits Mayor Ron Nirenbergs vision that addressing the citys most pressing needs, regardless of location, ultimately serves the entire community.

It sounds great but will almost certainly be politically challenging. The majority of voters live on the North Side, where the need is generally least (but still very much exists).

Already, new District 6 and District 8 Council members Greg Brockhouse and Manny Pelaez have raised concerns about their constituents not getting a fair shake. It will be up to Nirenberg and Sculley to address their concerns. But it will also be on Brockhouse and Pelaez to see the larger picture and sell that vision to their constituents.

The reality is there are wide swaths of this community that havent received a fair shake in terms of community investment for generations, and we all pay the price for that neglect.

Were one of the most economically segregated cities in the country. Our growth is wildly imbalanced to the north, leading to massive traffic congestion for those residents. Homicide rates are intensely focused in certain parts of the East and West Sides, areas that merit more police resources. Poverty rates are entrenched in certain neighborhoods.

Addressing some of that inequity through city budgeting could have long-term benefits for the entire community. Over enough time it could bring much-needed balance. For example, if more people choose to live on the South, East and West sides, then they arent driving on the North Side. If property values in underserved areas rise thanks to better streets, sidewalks and improved safety, that means more revenue for the entire city.

It also makes sense. Consider the case of road maintenance, a constant source of taxpayer angst. Sculley has recommended boosting street maintenance from $64 million to $99 million. The vast majority of that increase would be dedicated to Districts 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 where she said many roads are in need of dire maintenance. This will bring roads in these districts up to snuff. It doesnt mean other districts wont receive road maintenance funding, but it does mean additional revenues will address the most pressing needs.

Likewise, plans to better fund VIA bus service will hopefully make it easier for residents to use the bus to get to work, and take drivers off our roads.

Public safety is another source of taxpayer concern. Police vacancies are an ongoing issue that have to be addressed. Beyond filling vacancies, the proposed budget calls for 40 additional police officers (25 of those officers are predicated on a Department of Justice grant). The city is planning on eight SAFFE (San Antonio Fear Free Environment) police officers. These officers are focused on building relationships with the communities they serve. Three will be dedicated to the East Side and three on the West Side, where homicides have surged.

City Council will adopt the next budget in September. Equity budgeting simply reflects we are one community before we are 10 council districts.
Lazarus revised

If President Bigly gets his way on a new immigration policy, the inscription on the Statue of Liberty should be changed to read:

Give us your healthy, your rich, your elites yearning to breathe carbon dioxide-laden air, the happy investors of your most successful families. Send these  the whole greedy lot  to me. For you I lift my lamp beside the golden door. To the rest: Stay the hell out.

David Plylar

Untold story of class

Re: Honor the Past, Your Turn, August 2:

The letter writer argues that monuments to the Confederacy honor the average Confederate soldiers, most of whom didnt own slaves.

Id like to recommend to him and other interested readers Nancy Isenbergs excellent 2016 book, White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class in America. In the seventh chapter, Isenberg demonstrates that in addition to not owning slaves, the average Confederate soldier was poor, ill-educated or uneducated, had no land of his own, and was a draftee. Wealthy slave owners were exempt from the draft. Many of these soldiers resented that they had to fight for a slave-owning aristocracy and for an economic system that brought them no benefits and, in fact, relegated them to second- or third-class status  if not lower.

With this in mind, its fair to ask if what the Travis Park monument memorializes is indeed something worthwhile.

Paul Niemeyer, Laredo

History threatened

Every day, we read the stories linking San Antonio to its 300-year history. But the City Council political point man, Roberto Trevino, along with the growing frenzy of the P.C. crowd, are erasing history before our eyes.

History should be remembered in the context of the era. History and war do not change; they bring hardship, devastation to the land and its people. The Travis Park monument is meant to honor Confederate soldiers, regardless of ones opinion on the Civil War.

You cannot judge our past by todays standards. After the war ended, communities began honoring the fallen soldiers and surviving veterans. You will find the silent sentinel statue  an ordinary citizen/soldier  from New England to the South.

Patricia F. Burkhardt

Trump SAD!

Every time I read that the great majority of Republicans still support the president, I am puzzled and depressed. I understand how conservatives want less government, drain the swamp and that the immigration mess be solved. But this is the man they support to do it? He favors vulgarity and confrontation. He is an unapologetic narcissist, brags about groping women, insults the disabled and military heroes, and appoints a cabinet aiming to destroy the institutions that make us a democratic beacon for the world.

He ineptly governs by tweet, not by consultation with advisers. He praises dictators sworn to destroy us, alienates our allies. He seeks to ban a quarter of the worlds population from entering the U.S., tainting all with the violence of a few.

He incessantly pummels and defames Hillary Clinton, the judiciary and his own appointments, who cannot defend themselves. He tries to strangle the media and would deny health coverage to more than 20 million poor. He encourages intolerance everywhere. Extremist dictators brag about his support and continue to oppress their people. Worst of all, he is destroying the fabric of democracy and sullies our highest office.

How any patriot can tolerate his depravity and disastrous policies is disturbing. As he would tweet, SAD!

Michael Aratingi
Jammu and Kashmir's indigenous militant organisation Hizbul Mujahideen received another death blow on Sunday when security forces gunned down its top most commander in Kashmir Mehmood Ghaznavi known as Yasin Itoo.

By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Jammu and Kashmir's indigenous militant organisation Hizbul Mujahideen received another death blow on Sunday when security forces gunned down its top most commander in Kashmir Mehmood Ghaznavi known as Yasin Itoo.

Ghaznavi was chief operations commander of the terror group and mastermind behind several cops' killings. He was a menace fuelling unrest in south Kashmir. In the recent past, he successfully mobilized and recruited Hizbul Mujahideen cadres being referred to as a prime motivator.

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Incidentally, he was also a man who was behind release of several viral videos of Kashmiri militants mostly in Kulgam. Two other militants and two army soldiers were also killed in the encounter that lasted close to 20 hours.

"Top HM commander Yasin Itoo @ Ghaznavi among the killed terrorists in Shopian encounter," Deputy Inspector General of Police (DGP) south Kashmir Swayam Prakash Pani tweeted.

One of the first successful operation being carried out in militants hotbed of Shopian. The area being impenetrable. But acting on a specific intelligence, 14 Battalion of CRPF, 3 Rashtriya Rifles and SOG launched an operation. A group of six militants including Gaznavi were trapped. With massive stone pelting and cover of darkness, 3 managed to flee.

Incidentally, the end was equally dramatic for Gaznavi . Jammu and Kashmir Police initially believed him to be Lashkar top commander Adil Malik, but when his family was called to take his body away, they refused. Later Itoos brother was called to identify him.

"Itoo was one of the longest running indigenous militants, he took over the guard of HM after the killing of militant commander Sabzdar Bhat in July this year" said CRPF IG Zulfikar Hassan.

Ghaznavi's killing is a shot in the arm for security forces.

A resident of Chadoora Budgam in central Kashmir, Ghaznavi first joined militants in 1997 and was arrested and released several times, last being in 2011.

IG Kashmir Muneer Khan said, " In 2015, Gaznavi staged his death. He went missing and a Hizb statement declared him dead. A Namaz e Janaza was apparently held."

None other than Hizb Chief Salah-ud-din said that Ghaznavi was killed when he fell from his Nagam residence. But his cover did not hold for too long. His continuous appearances in public places blew his cover.

The other two are identified as Umar Majeed, a resident of Kulgam and Irfan Sheikh, resident of Shopian, a B-tech student from Islamic University of Pulwama.

ALSO READ:

Kashmir: 3 terrorists killed, 2 jawans martyred in Shopian; 2 cops injured in Bandipora

Kashmir: 2 Armymen killed, 3 others injured in encounter with terrorists in Shopian

--- ENDS ---

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PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa yesterday recounted the day he was poisoned while attending a Zanu-PF rally in Gwanda last August.

Cde Mnangagwa who was then the Vice President, had to be airlifted to Gweru enroute to South Africa where doctors flushed out the poison and saved his life.

Addressing Zanu-PF supporters at Phelandaba Stadium in Gwanda, his first rally at the venue where he was dramatically airlifted after the poisoning incident and also his first at the venue as President and Zanu-PF First Secretary, Cde Mnangagwa said not a single person from Matabeleland South was involved in the attempt on his life.

The President told the thousands gathered at the Stadium that after the poisoning, he was so sick and only remembers leaving his seat from the high table accompanied by Vice President Kembo Mohadi, then Minister of State Security and the rest of the details of how he got to South Africa, he was later told. I want to refer to what happened in August. I was seated where Mai (Mary) Chiwenga was seated so I told her that danger, That was August 12 last year when I left here, I remember standing up, I was accompanied by Mohadi and others, said President Mnangagwa.

The helicopter, on its way to Gweru flew over Phelandaba Stadium while former President Mr Robert Mugabe was addressing the 6th edition of the infamous Presidential interface rallies which were later unmasked as a platform for the the notorious G40 cabal fronted by former First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe meant to discredit and push out from Zanu-PF cadres with liberation credentials including Cde Mnangagwa.

Undeterred by the poisoning incident, the G40 cabal upped the ante in its attack on the person of Cde Mnangagwa until the penultimate interface rally at White City Stadium when things took a dramatic twist setting a chain of events that led to the resignation of Mr Mugabe and the ushering in of a new dispensation led by Cde Mnangagwa.

I dont remember about the helicopter. I was told that the helicopter took us to Gweru, my wife told Chiwenga about what had happened and he came and took me to South Africa and I survived, Cde Mnangagwa told the elated crowd.

However, I want you to know that there is no single person from Matabeleland South who was involved in the matter.

Earlier when he was introducing Cde Mnangagwa, VP Chiwenga paid tribute to the province for standing with President Mnangagwa heaping praises on South African based business man Mr Justice Maphosa for rescuing the President when he was fired and forced to flee the country following threats to his life.

When the President became a border jumper last year, some of us were away but he was rescued by a son of Gwanda Justice Maphosa. So like the President said, you do not destroy but build, said VP Chiwenga.

In his vote of thanks VP Kembo Mohadi said the people of Matabeleland South were a loving and rainbow community.

We are happy that today you go back in good health and thank you for clearing the air that the people who caused your problems are not from here but those that you came here with, said VP Mohadi to President Mnangagwa in reference to the poisoning incident.

In his welcome remarks, Zanu-PF provincial chairperson Cde Rabelani Choene said God had shown his power by protecting President Mnangagwa and saw him through the poisoning incident.

This is the place where the enemy wanted to finish you yesterday but today I promise you that you wont die, God is with you. This is your home, those who wanted to kill you, God has shown them that he has power, said Cde Choene.

As Matabeleland South, we are happy that you are here today after all the hardships you faced.

 Chronicle

Breaking News via Email
Solar cells and light sensors - fewer defects from a 2D approach (Nanowerk News) Improving the efficiency of solar cells requires materials free from impurities and structural defects. Scientists across many disciplines at KAUST have shown that 2D organic-inorganic hybrid materials feature far fewer defects than thicker 3D versions.

Modern-day electronics rely on technologies that can develop almost perfect crystals of silicon; flawless to the atomic level. This is crucial because defects and impurities scatter electrons as they flow, which adversely affects the materials electronic properties.

But hybrid perovskites, an exciting class of electronic material, cannot be constructed using the epitaxial or layer methods developed for silicon. Instead, they are produced using solution-based processes. While this makes them cheaper than silicon, it also makes purity much harder to achieve as defect population and species are sensitive to the processing conditions.

Osman Bakr from the KAUST Solar Center together with colleagues from multiple divisions across KAUST and the University of Toronto, demonstrate that two-dimensional layers of perovskite material can achieve levels of purity much higher than is possible than in their 3D counterpart (Nano Letters, "Ultralow self-doping in two-dimensional hybrid perovskite single crystals").

Two-dimensional hybrid perovskites are a subgroup of the big hybrid perovskite family, explains Wei Peng, lead author and doctoral degree recipient from Bakrs lab. They can be derived by inserting large organic cations in three-dimensional perovskite structures.

Hybrid perovskites are made up of lead and halide (such as iodine) atoms and an organic component. This class of materials in solar cells has already shown ground-breaking potential for energy conversion efficiency while having low production costs and the possibility for being integrated in flexible devices. This combination of qualities makes hybrid perovskites an exciting material for optoelectronic applications.

Peng, Bakr and coworkers created a 2D material made of periodic layers of hybrid perovskites with an organic component of either phenethylammonium or methylammonium. Using a solution-based fabrication method, the layers were placed on a gold electrode so the team could measure the electrical conductivity.

Their measurements indicate that the 2D materials contained three orders of magnitude fewer defects than bulk hybrid perovskites. The team proposes that this reduction is because the large organic cations in the phenethylammonium suppress defect formation during crystallization.
(Natural News) Many of us have heard horror stories about fake food incidents out of China, but the problem is far more widespread than the occasional sensational headline might imply. Just ask Mitchell Weinberg, the founder of global food spy network Inscatech.

Weinbergs firm is hired by multinational food producers and retailers to uncover fraud and malpractice in the food industry. He says that China is a hotbed of food fraud.

Statistically were uncovering fraud about 70 percent of the time, but in China its very close to 100 percent. Its pervasive, its across food groups, and its anything you can possibly imagine, Weinberg told Bloomberg.

Melamine-laced baby formula was one of the bigger scandals in China in recent years. In 2008, more than 6,000 babies in China were sickened after drinking contaminated milk formula, and an investigation found that one fifth of the countrys formula producers made powder that was tainted. Many of those babies suffered from acute kidney failure and developed kidney stones, and several of them died. To add insult to injury, it was later discovered that local officials were aware of the problem for at least a month before alerting central authorities. Melamine, which is banned in food, makes the formula appear to have a higher protein content when tested.

The melamine problem even made it to American shores; around 1,500 cats and dogs died in the U.S. after consuming a pet food ingredient that was tainted with melamine that had been manufactured in China.

Fake meat, sauces and spices putting countless lives at risk

Theres far more to it than that, however. In 2013 raids, authorities arrested more than 900 people and seized 20,000 tons of illegal meat products after meat from rats and foxes was found masquerading as lamb. In that incident, counterfeiters treated the meat from rodents and foxes with gelatin, food coloring and nitrate and then passed it off as mutton. In addition, a fake beef and lamb jerky that was made out of duck meat and sold in markets across the country was found to have E. coli levels that dramatically exceeded standards.

The meat drama didnt end there; in 2015, 800 tons of smuggled frozen meat bound for supermarkets and restaurants were seized by Chinese authorities, and one of the batches in question dated back to the 1970s. Experts told China Daily that customers would not be able to tell the difference between the decades-old meat and fresher batches if it didnt show any signs of thawing. These meat products were not inspected and could contain serious viruses. Moreover, smugglers often use regular trucks instead of refrigerated ones to cut costs, which means the meat was likely kept at unsafe temperatures.

Earlier this year, authorities busted around 50 underground factories in northern China that were creating counterfeit versions of popular products like spice mix and soy sauce and selling the products under popular brand names like Nestle and Knorr. These fake foods were produced with dirty tap water, recycled spices that they bought at a discount from other factories, and industrial salt that is considered unfit for human consumption. They often stored their materials out in the open next to dumpsters. Authorities discovered the operations after being tipped off by a whistleblower.

It is becoming increasingly clear that when you consume food from China, you are risking your health. CNN reported that during the first three quarters of 2016 alone, Chinese Food and Drug Administration officials had uncovered more than 500,000 incidents of illegal behavior. Some of the outrageous food fraud cases that have been reported out of China include cadmium-laced rice, fake eggs, plastic pellets passed off as rice, carcinogenic recycled cooking oil, and glow-in-the-dark pork.

Sources include:

Bloomberg.com

TheGuardian.com

TheGuardian.com

Edition.CNN.com

Money.CNN.com
(Natural News) Yoga is a practice that has long been associated with a relaxed body and mind. New studies have suggested that yoga may help relieve the symptoms of depressions as well, especially when utilized as a complement to traditional therapy. These studies were presented at the 125th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association (APA) held in Washington, D.C., according to ScienceDaily.com.

One of the studies, led by Lindsey Hopkins from the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center in California, focused on the effects of hatha yoga on male veterans. Hatha yoga is a branch of yoga that places emphasis on physical exercises, breathing exercises, and meditation, and is considered to be ideal for beginners. The 23 participants attended twice-weekly yoga classes for a period of eight weeks, then were tasked with ranking their level of enjoyment on a scale of one to 10.

The average enjoyment rating was 9.4, and veterans who had elevated depression scores prior to the program experienced a significant reduction in depression after the eight weeks had passed. All of the participants stated that they would recommend hatha yoga to other veterans.

The researchers behind a different study looked into the efficacy of Bikram yoga, a widely practiced system of yoga based off hatha yoga. In this study, conducted by Sarah Shallit from Alliant International University, 52 women between the ages of 25 to 45 were split into two groups. The first group was made to participate in twice-weekly Bikram yoga classes for eight weeks, while the second group or control group was told they were placed on the waiting list.

The depression levels of each participant were tested during weeks one, three, six, and nine of the study. Compared to the control group, the Bikram yoga group experienced significantly reduced depression symptoms.

In addition to its positive impact on depression, another study has suggested that yoga may be just as beneficial for people with chronic or treatment-resistant depression, stress, and anxiety. Nina Vollbehr of the Center for Integrative Psychiatry in the Netherlands enrolled 12 participants in nine weekly yoga sessions that lasted two-and-a-half hours each. The participants, who had been experiencing depression for an average of 11 years, had their levels of depression, anxiety, stress, worry, and rumination measured prior to the yoga sessions, after the nine weeks had passed, and four months later.

The researchers discovered that the participants depression, anxiety, and stress levels decreased over the course of the yoga, and remained that way well after the sessions had concluded. Although rumination and worry levels showed no changes during the program, the follow-up showed a reduction in both of these areas. (Related: Yoga improves mood, reduces anxiety and depression)

Vollbehr co-authored another study that involved 74 university students with mild depression. The students were taught either yoga or relaxation by an instructor during a 30-minute session, and were tasked with performing the same exercise for eight days with the aid of a 15-minute instructional video.

Based on results taken directly after the eight-day period, both yoga and relaxation were shown to have positive effects on the participants depression. At the two-month follow-up, however, the group that had received yoga instruction scored much lower on depression, stress, and anxiety than the group that had been taught relaxation.

Speaking about the findings of the various studies, Vollbehr commented: These studies suggest that yoga-based interventions have promise for depressed mood and that they are feasible for patients with chronic, treatment-resistant depression.

The researchers acknowledged that yoga may not be the ultimate to depression, but that it can serve as a possible treatment option for individuals responding poorly to modern therapies.

At this time, we can only recommend yoga as a complementary approach, likely most effective in conjunction with standard approaches delivered by a licensed therapist, said Hopkins. Clearly, yoga is not a cure-all. However, based on empirical evidence, there seems to be a lot of potential.

Go to Psychiatry.news for more stories like this one.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

MedicalNewsToday.com
(Natural News) With the United States and North Korea inching toward war, millions of Americans are inundating prepper supply stores with orders even to the point where several of them are having difficulty keeping up with demand. And frankly, for those who are just now getting into prepper mode, its possible youre too late.

As reported by CBS Detroit, a local shop manager, Ben Orr of Army Supply, said hes been selling a ton of prepper items over the past week.

Weve been very busy. Unusually busy, Id say, Orr told the local affiliate WWJ. Its definitely an increase, just in selling all the normal prepper stuff, end of the world stuff. A lot of water prep stuff, food, MREs  the military meals. (Related: Click here for The Health Rangers science-based preparedness guide for surviving nuclear fallout.)

In addition, because much of what is causing the friction between Pyongyang and Washington has to do with the formers nuclear weapons program, Orr said sales of radiation antidote potassium iodide products have been especially heavy.

It actually stops your thyroid from absorbing any radiation. So, it fills your thyroid with iodine, which it normally does anyways, said Orr. Your body cant tell the difference between bad, radioactive iodine and acceptable iodine, so it actually will stop you from getting thyroid cancer.

He added: Its supposed to work. Its FDA approved. But they also recommend you dont take it unless the government says to take it. Unless people are scared of something, we dont really ever sell it. [Natural News founder/editor Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and inventor of Cesium Eliminator says iodine does not block radioactive cesium  check out the website here.]

Gas masks are also flying out the door, Orr said, though many are outdated and there is no guarantee with them.

As reported by SHTFPlan, Ed Thomas, a spokesman for TopTierGearUSA.com, a company that distributes functional gear to protect against nuclear, chemical and biological emergencies, says the company has experienced a 1,200 percent increase in orders the past week.

Were barely keeping up with the inflow of orders and our staff is working double shifts just to get everything shipped, he said. People are concerned with North Korea, World War III, and what President Trump might do. Ive never seen it at these levels.

And then he said this, which is vitally important to our discussion here: Our biggest concern is that our manufacturers wont be able to keep up with demand.

Exactly. Because the manufacturing and supply chain is not equipped or set up to handle this kind of demand, which always happens at the time things seem to be getting worse.

As reported by the Sacramento Bee Ron Hubbard, president of Atlas Survival Shelters in Los Angeles, noted similar demand:

Its crazy, Ive never seen anything like it. Its all over the country. I sold shelters today in North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Oregon, Washington, Arizona California.

Eventually, too, he wont be able to keep up with demand if it continues like this, which its sure to do for at least the near-term, as Trump does not appear ready to back down from a tinpot dictator lunatic, lest the U.S. seem weak.

Whats more, as SHTFPlan noted, as demand continues to spike and supplies dwindle, prices for what remains or what can be had will spike, meaning people will pay many times more for the same items this week they could have  and should have  bought much cheaper just a month ago

Threat conditions change constantly, be they overseas or domestic. Whether its a crazy little dictator threatening to launch nuclear missiles or Left-wing hate groups like Antifa threatening to disrupt the civil society with mass protests and violence, the concept of prepping means you prepare for these contingencies before they happen. That requires planning, forethought, anticipation, and commitment.

For those who are using current events as their impetus to just now begin prepping, they are behind the curve. They are throwing their money away. Prepping is proactive, not reactive.

If we are fortunate enough for things calm down overseas, these newbies should use current events as a learning opportunity and commit fully to the prepper lifestyle. Because the next crisis is likely already brewing.

J.D. Heyes is a senior writer for NaturalNews.com and NewsTarget.com, as well as editor of The National Sentinel.

Sources include:

SHTFPlan.com

SacBee.com

Detroit.CBSLocal.com

Bugout.news
A "security incident" at San Jose International Airport on Saturday prompted departing and arriving flights operating out of several gates to be delayed up to two hours, according to an airport spokesperson.

Transportation Security Administration agents around 3 p.m. realized that some prohibited items might have made it into the Terminal A gate area, according to airport spokesperson Rosemary Barnes. As a result, all travelers in the Terminal A area were asked to navigate through security once again for rescreening.

In addition to scanning travelers and their belongings, officials thoroughly checked other areas in the terminal to make sure no prohibited items were found, according to Barnes.

Approximately 200 passengers in total were asked to leave the terminal and go through security for a second time, according to Barnes.



Airport officials announced just after 5:30 p.m. that the terminal was back to normal operating status.

Terminal B was not impacted by the incident, Barnes said.

Travelers were encouraged to check with their airline for flight status information.
By India Today Web Desk: The shear number of deaths at BRD Medical College hospital of Gorakhpur has shocked the nation. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today promised that probe and an action that would would set benchmark for future.

The children's deaths have been blamed on the lack of healthcare facilities at the BRD hospital. The Brookings India Health Monitor has released data on the existing health infrastructure of Gorakhpur and Uttar Pradesh. It has highlighted critical deficiency in infrastructure in this eastern UP district.

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At least 68 children have lost their lives in the Gorakhpur hospital over the past six days with 30 dying in 48 hours. Most of the deaths allegedly happened due to shortage of oxygen supply in the concerned ward of the Gorakhpur hospital.

DATA TELLS WHY CHILDREN DIED IN GORAKHPUR

According to the Brookings India Health Monitor data Gorakhpur district has 37 per cent shortage in terms of availability of sub-centres of healthcare. Only 45 per cent villages in Gorakhpur district have access to a sub-centre within five kilometre radius.

The data also points to 95.7 per cent shortage of male health workers or AMC in sub-centres in Uttar Pradesh. Around 35 per cent sub centres in Uttar Pradesh are without water supply while 31 per cent don't have electricity supply.

According to the Brookings India Health Monitor, there is no sub-divisional hospital in Gorakhpur district leaving the BRD hospital overburdened.

It further showed that Gorakhpur district has a 45 per cent surplus of community health centres. But, at many places, x-ray machines don't work, living quarters for specialist doctors are not available, very few specialists live in the quarters, functioning labour rooms are not satisfactory and there are glaring shortages on several other parameters.

According to the data, health infrastructure index shows UP is clubbed in bottom three among the big states. The Gorakhpur tragedy has served another reminder that the eastern UP needs better health infrastructure what both Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister JP Nadda, who visited the BRD hospital today, promised to set up in Chief Minister's Lok Sabha constituency.

ALSO READ|

Gorakhpur tragedy: Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath breaks down, says guilty will not be spared

Gorakhpur has a history of children's deaths, 25,000 kids have lost lives to encephalitis

Also watch: Nobody can be more sensitive towards those children than me: UP CM Adityanath

--- ENDS ---
Demonstrators in the Bay Area are planning to gather in Oakland on Saturday in response to a violent and deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

The Bay Area event, which is billed as an emergency solidarity demonstration, is slated to begin at 7 p.m. at the intersection of 14th Street and Broadway in Oakland, according to event organizers.

A flier for the event circulating on social media reads "Charlottesville, We Got Your Back" and "Bay Area United Against White Supremacy."

The event comes just hours after a car smashed into a crowd of people protesting a white nationalist rally in the Virginia college town, killing a 32-year-old woman and sending at least two dozen people to the hospital.

Two Virginia State Police troopers were also killed a short time later when their helicopter crashed near Charlottesville. Officials said the crash was related to the rally.

The deadly incidents stemmed from clashes between white nationalists and counter-protesters facing off in the streets, at times swinging fists and unleashing chemical sprays at each other. The group of white nationalists had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee while others arrived to protest the racism.

Later this month, alt-right groups are planning to hold two rallies in Berkeley and San Francisco. Counter-protesters say they will attend the events and "shut them down."

The scheduled rallies come on the heels of violent clashes that cropped up in Berkeley in April.

Some folks from the East Bay city hope extremists on both sides of the political spectrum end the rhetoric that has ignited recent violence.

"The visibility of racists really disturbs me, and the openness of the hate is a problem," Mark Goble said.

Haley Wilt encourages rally attendees to put down their weapons.

"I don't think violence is the correct way to voice your opinion," Haley Wilt said. "I think people need to be more peaceful."



The Associated Press contributed to this report.
After a vehicle plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, Saturday, President Donald Trump condemned "this egregious display of bigotry, hatred and violence on many sides."

Before the vehicle drove into the crowd, killing one person, clashes between white nationalists and counter-protesters led the governor to declare a state of emergency and police to order people to disperse.

Officials said one 32-year-old woman was dead and dozens injured after the incident involving the car.

A police helicopter crash that killed the pilot and a passenger later in the afternoon outside Charlottesville also was linked to the rally, though officials did not elaborate on how the crash was connected.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of bigotry, hatred and violence on many sides, on many sides," Trump said. "It's been going on for a long time in our country."

Trump spoke at a bill signing for legislation that funds veterans health care. The president did not answer shouted questions about white nationalists marching in his name or whether a car plowing into people could be called terrorism.

In his remarks, Trump also called for "the swift restoration of law and order" and for Americans to set aside their differences.

"We want to study it and we want to see what we're doing wrong as a country where things like this can happen," Trump said.

His reference to "many sides" being behind hatred and violence quickly drew criticism from other political figures.

Repeat after me, @realDonaldTrump: white supremacy is an affront to American values. #Charlottesville  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) August 12, 2017

"On 'many sides?' This tragedy was fomented by white supremacists & neo-Nazis. What signal did the @POTUS just send?" tweeted David Axelrod, an adviser to former President Barack Obama.

On Twitter Sunday, Trump's daughter, Ivanka Trump, condemned "white supremacy" in explicit terms.

"There should be no place in society for racism, white supremacy and neo-nazis," she wrote. "We must all come together as Americans -- and be one country UNITED."

1:2 There should be no place in society for racism, white supremacy and neo-nazis.  Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) August 13, 2017

In a statement, the Congressional Black Caucus said "President Trump has encouraged and emboldened the type of racism and violence we saw today in Charlottesville, Va. This is a president after all who has two white supremacists working for him in the White House Steve Bannon and Stephen Miller."

The statement added that the caucus's 49 members therefore "weren't surprised President Trump couldn't bring himself to say the words 'white supremacy, white supremacists,' and domestic terrorism when he addressed the nation this afternoon, and that he instead chose to use racially coded dog whistles like law and order and false equivalencies like many sides."

"Where is Attorney General Sessions?" the caucus inquired.

Late Saturday, the Department of Justice announced the opening of a federal civil rights investigation into the deadly car attack. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that the FBI's Richmond field office and Rick Mountcastle, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, will lead the investigation.

"The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice," Sessions said in a statement. "When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated."

Earlier, Hillary Clinton tweeted that her "heart is in Charlottesville" and criticized the lack of a quick, clear rebuke from American leaders as disgraceful, though she did not mention Trump by name.

"Every minute we allow this to persist through tacit encouragement or inaction is a disgrace, & corrosive to our values," she tweeted. "Now is the time for leaders to be strong in their words & deliberate in their actions."

Former Vice President Joe Biden also weighed in, saying on Twitter, "No. Not in America. We must be stronger, more determined and more united than ever. Racism and hate have no place here."

[NATL] Dramatic Photos: Violent Clashes at White Nationalist Rally in Virginia

Trump and other politicians addressed the situation on Twitter as it unfolded.

"We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!" Trump said before the car sped into the crowd and speaking at the bill signing.

He followed that tweet with another, which partially addressed the incident: "Am in Bedminster for meetings & press conference on V.A. & all that we have done, and are doing, to make it better-but Charlottesville sad!"

Also before the car plowed into the crowd, House Speaker Paul Ryan tweeted, "The views fueling the spectacle in Charlottesville are repugnant. Let it only serve to unite Americans against this kind of vile bigotry."

Numerous people who said they witnessed the car crash said it appeared the vehicle intentionally hit the crowd. A video posted online showed the car going into reverse after hitting the group of people.

An Associated Press reporter saw at least one person on the ground receiving medical treatment immediately afterward the incident, which occurred approximately two hours after violent clashes between white nationalists and counter-protesters injured at least eight people, according to emergency medical personnel.

Right-wing blogger Jason Kessler had called for what he termed a "pro-white" rally to protest the city of Charlottesville's decision to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a downtown park.

Former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke tweeted in reply to Trump's initial condemnation of violence that he should remember that the support of white voters put him in the White House: "I would recommend you take a good look in the mirror & remember it was White Americans who put you in the presidency, not radical leftists."

Later, the Daily Stormer  a white supremacist website promoting the Charlottesville demonstration as part of its Summer of Hate edition  praised Trump for his response to the violence. "Trump comments were good. He didn't attack us. He just said the nation should come together. Nothing specific against us. ... No condemnation at all. When asked to condemn, he just walked out of the room. Really, really good. God bless him."



Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., took to Twitter after the car incident to condemn "hate and bigotry": "The #WhiteSupremacy in #Charlottesville does not reflect the values of the America I know. Hate and bigotry have no place in this country."

Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Co., fired back at Trump's refusal to respond to reporters' questions whether the incident can be called terrorism. "Mr. President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism," he said on Twitter.

GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, also echoed his colleague's sentiment and said that the incident is "homegrown terrorism that can't be tolerated anymore that what Any extremist does."

Also calling for the president to describe the event as a terror attack, Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said it is "very important for the nation to hear @POTUS" say it.

White supremacists and neo-Nazis are, by definition, opposed to American patriotism and the ideals that define us as a people and make our nation special.

"White supremacists and neo-Nazis are, by definition, opposed to American patriotism and the ideals that define us as a people and make our nation special," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said in a statement.



Former Vice President Al Gore commented on the violence at Net Roots Nation Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, saying that the president needs to "give more thought to what it means to have a resurgence of the KKK and Nazi movement marching and creating this kind of hatefulness."
Chicago Public Schools would receive more than $463 million less under Gov. Bruce Rauners education funding plan than under the model passed by the General Assembly, according to an analysis by the Illinois State Board of Education.

ISBE released the district-by-district breakdown Saturday  12 days after Rauner issued an amendatory veto altering the legislatures plan, Senate Bill 1, and just one day before the Illinois Senate was scheduled to return to Springfield to address the governors changes.

SB 1 is a measure to move Illinois to an evidence-based model of education funding, which would take into account each districts individual needs, as well as its local revenue sources, when appropriating state aid  prioritizing districts that are furthest from being fully-funded.

Without an evidence-based model in place, no state funding can be disbursed to K-12 schools across Illinois at all, due to a provision in the budget passed in July that makes aid contingent on an overhaul of the education funding formula, which currently ranks among the least equitable in the country. [[432983263, C]]

Critics of SB 1, including Rauner, have called it a bailout for cash-strapped CPS because the bill as passed by the legislature takes into account the districts $505 million in unfunded pension liability, plus $221 million in its normal pension payments, as well as the $203 million Chicago Block Grant, when determining how much it should receive in state funding.

The governors amendatory veto on Aug. 1 removed those considerations, among several other changes to the way aid to each of Illinois 852 districts would be calculated.

Under Rauners formula, ISBE found that CPS would receive $1.31 billion dollars this year, an increase of $28.6 million from the year before. That figure is $463 million lower than what CPS would receive under the version of SB 1 passed by the legislature.

However, Rauner maintained that CPS net difference between the two plans is only $241 million when taking into account the state pick-up of the districts $221 million pension payment, though funding to do so has not been appropriated.

Illinois' largest school district (serving nearly 20 percent of the state's children) is currently the only district entirely responsible for paying the employer contribution to its Chicago teacher pension fund, while the state pays both the normal cost and unfunded liabilities associated with teacher pensions for every other district. [[419186634, C]]

Rauner touted his plan Saturday following the release of ISBEs analysis, highlighting the ten school districts  many in Chicagos suburbs like Elgin, Plainfield, Aurora and more  that would receive the largest increases in state funding should his changes be upheld.

However, CPS once again slammed the governor's veto and its potential impacts on the district.

"No one should be fooled by these numbers, and it's no wonder Governor Rauner hid them for so long - there will be huge damage to districts across Illinois in the next several years," a CPS spokeswoman said in a statement.

"As we have seen from superintendents, teachers and parents from across the state, nobody other than the Governor supports punishing low-income students like this. No person of good conscience, not legislators or their constituents support treating children this way," she added.

The Democrat-controlled legislature must vote to either override or uphold the Republican governors amendatory veto by a three-fifths majority, or the legislation dies without a contingency plan in place.

The Illinois Senate reconvened Sunday to address the issue, voting 38 to 19 in favor of overriding Rauner's changes. The House is scheduled to be in session Wednesday, and has 15 days to act on the veto, as parents and schools across the state grapple with the uncertainty of yet another Springfield showdown.

As a result of the impasse, the state missed its Aug. 10 deadline to make payments to K-12 schools for the first time in history on Thursday, according to Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza.

You can see ISBEs projections on how each proposal would impact your district here.
People in Connecticut are rallying to support those who stood up to white nationalists in Charlottesville, Va. after one person was killed and dozens of others were injured when counter-protesters clashed with the nationalists during a rally Saturday.

Several events are planned Sunday, including one in New Haven.

Community activists in New Haven spoke with NBC Connecticut about the events in Virginia, and a local pastor who was actually at the event recounted his experience.

We are really alarmed by the extent, that someone was actually killed, said Elias Estabrook of the group Showing up for Racial Justice.

In New Haven, members of Showing up for Racial Justice were stunned by the horrific violence which unfolded in Charlottesville. Their thoughts are with those who lost their lives or were hurt.

The main reaction has been empathy and sympathy to all the people that have been affected, member Roberto Irizarry said.

Among the crowd in Virginia was there was Reverend Anthony Bennett, the pastor of the Mount Aery Baptist Church in Bridgeport.

What we hope to come out of it is an awareness that it will not be tolerated and white nationalism will not be normalized as it is becoming normalized, Rev. Bennett said.

In July in New Haven, activists organized to break up a rally organized by the Proud Boys, a self-described western chauvinist group, on the Green. Some are worried about what they see as a growing concern in the country. No one was seriously injured during that incident.

Its important to speak out publically and confront these people and let them know that their hateful rhetoric and the effects of their rhetoric are not welcomed, Estabrook said.

Thats why they say the president needs to go further to condemn what unfolded in Virginia. But they wont let that stop them from taking a stand.

If I dont do anything to stop this from continuing it will expand and multiply, Irizarry said.

New Haven Mayor Toni Harp, who is President of the

African American Mayors Association, released a statement on the violence.

As President of the African American Mayors Association and the Mayor of New Haven, CT, I condemn bigotry and hatred in all forms. We will learn more about the details of what occurred in Charlottesville, but it is clearwhat we have seen this weekend is a reminder of a dark chapter in American history. The car that plowed through a group of peaceful civilians appears to be an act of domestic terrorism. If that proves to be the case, we call on city, state, and federal officials to pursue that offender with the full force of the law. We also express our condolences for the lives lost from the crash of a state police helicopter monitoring the situation.

Those of us who work in politics debate over policies, tactics, and priorities everyday. That is not what the mob in Virginia was engaged in this weekend. This white nationalist movement by the Alt-right, Neo-Nazi, and white supremacistschallenges the very foundation of our civilization. Will we value every citizen? Will all Americans have a chance to participate in the benefits of our country? How we choose to answer these questions will determine the future of American life. The African American Mayors Association stands with those on the side of freedom, justice, and equality and against those rallying for hate.

Other Connecticut leaders have also released statements on the violence.

There will be a demonstration protesting the violence Sunday at Church and Chapel Streets at 6 p.m.

Solidarity vigils were also scheduled at the corner of Farmington Avenue and Main Street in West Hartford at noon, McLevy Green in Bridgeport at 6 p.m. and the Danbury Library at 6:30 p.m.
Hundreds of protesters wearing white and chanting in English and Spanish marched Saturday in Texas' first major protest against a border wall, crossing the earthen Rio Grande levee where President Donald Trump's administration wants to build part of the first phase.

The protesters launched what's expected to be a fierce movement against Trump's best-known immigration policy priority. Many of the participants acknowledged they might not be able to stop a project that the U.S. government is already planning, but they hoped to draw national attention to the cause and persuade lawmakers who have yet to sign off on funding for the project.

"We might seem small and insignificant. Maybe we are," said Anthoney Saenz, a 19-year-old native of the Rio Grande Valley, the southernmost point of Texas and a region where Trump has proposed putting 60 miles (97 kilometers) of wall as part of a $1.6 billion proposal. "But when our voices come together, when we band together as a community to try to get a voice out there, we have to hope we get heard," he said.

Organizers of Saturday's protest wanted to make clear the depth of local opposition to the border wall, which as proposed would cut through a federally protected wildlife refuge and split apart several border towns. Some 40 groups took part in the protest, from environmentalists to landowners' rights groups to immigrant advocates.

The procession set out just after dawn from Our Lady of Guadalupe, a towering church in the border city of Mission. Saenz, an altar server at Our Lady of Guadalupe, led the group wearing a white cassock and carrying a burner with smoky incense.

The procession grew as it headed south toward the Rio Grande, the winding river that separates the United States and Mexico in Texas. The marchers walked uphill on a dirt path onto the levees, built well north of the river to protect border cities in the valley from flooding.

It ended at La Lomita, a tiny century-old chapel just south of the levee. Some people quietly prayed inside the chapel as a rally went on outside.

While the U.S. House has passed a spending with funding for the wall, it faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where Democrats and some Republicans have spoken against it.

Government contractors have already been taking soil samples along the Rio Grande levees and have begun to examine property ownership records for the land condemnation lawsuits a border wall would likely require, according to local officials and landowners near the river. A map released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection shows tentative plans to build 28 miles (45 kilometers) of wall on the levee in Hidalgo County, the most populous county of the valley. Sections of fencing already stand on about 20 miles of the levee in Hidalgo County, built under the Secure Fence Act of 2006.

The remaining 32 miles (52 kilometers) would go in sections farther west in Starr County, potentially sealing off or splitting some border towns from the river and consigning homes and farmland to what some derisively call "the Mexican side."

Under the current proposal, the wall would seal La Lomita on the southern side of the levee. It would also cut through the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge, a verdant sanctuary for 400 species of birds and nearly half of the butterfly species found in North America. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security can waive environmental reviews to build more quickly, and has already issued a waiver for proposed construction in San Diego.

Scott Nicol, co-chair of the Sierra Club's Borderlands campaign and an organizer of Saturday's rally, said some people who were neutral or quiet about the last U.S. government effort to build a border barrier are speaking against it this time.

"Because people have seen the walls go up and see what they do, it's not sort of an abstract, imagined concept," Nicol said. "There's a lot more opposition to it now than there was 10 years ago."

Marie Montalvo, a resident of San Benito, Texas, said she had been followed by the Border Patrol during a recent visit to Santa Ana to take pictures.

"I want my nieces and nephews, and the children of the Rio Grande Valley, to know that I was completely against this," Montalvo said.
Police in Texas acting on a tip found 16 immigrants locked inside a tractor-trailer parked at a gas station about 20 miles from the border with Mexico, less than a month after 10 people died in the back of a hot truck in San Antonio.

Edinburg Assistant Police Chief Oscar Trevino says the immigrants may have been locked inside the 18-wheeler in Edinburg for at least eight hours before being freed by officers late Sunday morning. He had earlier said there were 17 immigrants locked in the tractor-trailer before correcting the number on Monday to 16.

Trevino said none of the people inside the tractor-trailer required medical attention. He said they were hungry and thirsty and were given food and water at the scene.

Those found locked in the tractor-trailer included eight people from El Salvador, six from Mexico and two from Romania, said Manuel Padilla, U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Border Patrol sector chief for the Rio Grande Valley at Texas' southernmost point.

A man and woman who Trevino said are Cuban nationals were in charge of the rig and have been detained.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Nina Pruneda said no one has been charged yet in connection with the case but that the agency is working with state and local officials and talking to witnesses.

The discovery comes three weeks after 10 people died in a sweltering rig parked at a Walmart in San Antonio. Immigration officials say survivors estimated 100 people had been packed into the back of the 18-wheeler at one point. Officials said 39 people were inside when rescuers arrived, and the rest either escaped or hitched rides to their next destination. Nearly 20 of those rescued from the rig were hospitalized in dire condition, many suffering from extreme dehydration and heatstroke. The driver of that rig remains in federal custody, charged with illegally transporting immigrants for financial gain, resulting in death.

On Sunday, Edinburg police went to the gas station, a popular stopover for commercial truck drivers traveling through the region, after receiving an anonymous call from someone saying a relative was trapped inside the tractor-trailer. Officers began knocking on the sides of trailers parked at the station and eventually received return knocks from the one holding the immigrants, police said.

The San Antonio incident demonstrated how smugglers regularly use big rigs in an elaborate network of foot guides, safe house operators and drivers. The immigrants discovered in San Antonio had been divided into groups and marked with color-coded tape. Six black SUVs were waiting at one transit point to take some to their destinations.

Authorities have not said if similar arrangements had been made for the immigrants found in Edinburg, about 230 miles (370 kilometers) south of San Antonio.

Trevino said that they discovered the immigrants after one of the people locked in the tractor-trailer called a relative in Mexico. The relative then called authorities.

Padilla declined to say if Sunday's incident was related to the San Antonio case, citing the ongoing investigation. But he said authorities had stopped more than 30 tractor-trailers since October in the Rio Grande Valley. That doesn't include Laredo, the Texas border city where authorities say the driver of the trailer in the San Antonio case said he stopped twice on his journey.

"You don't know how many you miss," Padilla told The Associated Press on Monday. "But ... the use of tractor-trailers to smuggle people out of this area is higher in South Texas, to include Laredo, than any other area along the border. And it goes right back to a weak border."

Most people apprehended crossing the United States' southern border are caught in the Rio Grande Valley, which includes more than 300 miles (480 kilometers) of the Rio Grande, the river separating the United States and Mexico.

Border apprehensions have risen each month since falling in April to a 17-year low.

Tractor-trailers emerged as a popular smuggling method in the early 1990s amid a surge in U.S. border enforcement in San Diego and El Paso, Texas, which were then the busiest corridors for illegal crossings. Before that, people paid small fees to mom-and-pop operators to get them across a largely unguarded border. As crossing became exponentially more difficult after the 2001 terror strikes in the U.S., migrants were led through more dangerous terrain and paid thousands of dollars more.
Texas A&M University late Monday abruptly canceled a planned white supremacist rally on its campus next month, amid bipartisan pressure from state lawmakers who said hatred should be rejected in all forms -- despite First Amendment protections.

An announcement on the House floor by Republican Rep. John Raney said A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp had opted to scuttle the event set for Sept. 11 because of concerns police would be stretched thin providing security. The A&M System confirmed the cancellation in a statement, citing safety concerns for "students, faculty, staff and the public."

A former A&M student named Preston Wiginton had been organizing a "white lives matter" rally in College Station, Texas, saying he was inspired by Saturday's "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, when a vehicle plowed into a group of counterprotesters, killing at least one and injuring 19.

Wiginton said he'd invited prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer to address the Texas rally. Spencer spoke at an A&M event in December, when he was met by hundreds of protesters, many of whom gathered at Kyle Field football stadium to hear music and speeches highlighting diversity and unity to counter Spencer's appearance.

Word of the cancellation came hours after Dallas Democratic Rep. Helen Giddings gave a House floor speech while nearly all of the chamber's 150 members stood beside her. She urged university administrators to "unequivocally denounce and fight against this violent group" adding "all of us in the state of Texas want to say with one voice, Texas will not stand for hate."

Rep. Paul Workman, an Austin Republican, added that a petition being circulated for A&M graduates in the House was attempting to "keep this from happening on our campus." The chamber then held a moment of silence for victims killed and injured in Charlottesville.

Similar sentiments came from the Texas Senate, which also held its own moment of silence.

Sen. Charles Schwertner, a Republican whose district includes College Station, has said he had planned to attend a counter-protest of the A&M rally.

Although the group may be allowed to meet on campus, Schwertner said, "The First Amendment also allows us to respond in kind, to stand up and say what we believe as a society, as Americans and as Texans. We should not stand for bigotry, for violence, for racism."

Sen. Royce West, a Dallas Democrat who is black, said he'll also go to the Texas A&M campus on Sept. 11.

"We will do everything in our power to make sure those days gone by will not be repeated. I'm confident they won't be," he said, recalling the Jim Crow-era of segregation and discrimination. "We will stand strong against those hate groups, neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan."

West added: "My 17-year-old grandson asked me yesterday, 'Should my generation be more like Martin Luther King or Malcom X? I had to pause and listen to the hurt in his voice and doubt in his ability to pursue the American dream. I didn't answer the question ... That's where we are in America today.'"

"After consultation with law enforcement and considerable study, Texas A&M is cancelling the event scheduled by Preston Wiginton at Rudder Plaza on campus on September 11 because of concerns about the safety of its students, faculty, staff, and the public.

"Texas A&M changed its policy after Decembers protests so that no outside individual or group could reserve campus facilities without the sponsorship of a university-sanctioned group. None of the 1200-plus campus organizations invited Preston Wiginton nor did they agree to sponsor his events in December 2016 or on September 11 of this year. With no university facilities afforded him, he chose instead to plan his event outdoors for September 11 at Rudder Plaza, in the middle of campus, during a school day, with a notification to the media under the headline Today Charlottesville, Tomorrow Texas A&M.

"Linking the tragedy of Charlottesville with the Texas A&M event creates a major security risk on our campus. Additionally, the daylong event would provide disruption to our class schedules and to student, faculty and staff movement (both bus system and pedestrian).

"Texas A&Ms support of the First Amendment and the freedom of speech cannot be questioned. On December 6, 2016 the university and law enforcement allowed the same speaker the opportunity to share his views, taking all of the necessary precautions to ensure a peaceful event. However, in this case, circumstances and information relating to the event have changed and the risks of threat to life and safety compel us to cancel the event.

"Finally, the thoughts and prayers of Aggies here on campus and around the world are with those individuals affected by the tragedy in Charlottesville."
San Diegans have mixed views about SeaWorld San Diego's plans to build its tallest roller coaster ever with a 150-foot-high ascent followed by an inverted roll.

The California Coastal Commission granted permission to SeaWorld Wednesday to build the roller coaster. It will feature loops, twists and an upside-down view of Mission Bay. SeaWorld officials said they also received unanimous support from the San Diego City Council in June.

"We remain committed to long-term investment in the park and will continue to strive to provide new reasons to visit SeaWorld by giving our guests experiences that matter," said SeaWorld San Diego's Park President Marilyn Hannes.



According to SeaWorld, the adrenaline-filled ride will propel riders forward and backward, accelerating more than 60 mph in seconds.

Some residents in San Diego are looking forward to the new ride. Scott Sterns, a resident in Santee, said he supports the park and its roll in the local economy.

"I think theyve been getting beat up quite a bit over the whole Shamu situation, and theyre just trying to be successful as a company and come up with new ways to attract people to come visit SeaWorld," said Sterns. "And so they can continue as a company and move forward. I dont have an issue with it."

Others are less than thrilled with the park, suggesting that SeaWorld still has work to do on its overall reputation before focusing on thrill rides.

"If theyre building a roller coaster, I feel like thats just going to draw in more people to promote SeaWorld and kind of make it look like a good happy place," said Erics Beaulieu, a resident who lives close to the park. "But I think that its kind of all bad. So I dont know. I dont think I support it."

Beaulieu said she doesn't like the way the park treats sea life and does not support a new roller coaster.

"Even if they dont think it would block the view or make it even look that big, I think its still pretty large and obstructive," she added.

Another resident of West Point Loma, Steve Soldi, was concerned about how the new ride could affect traffic and his view.

"Seaworlds gotten pretty expansive already, and the traffic would be my main concern. The traffic is terrible," said Soldi. "I can see the SeaWorld tower from my house all the time. And as far as Im concerned, thats big enough."

The ride is currently set to open in summer 2018. SeaWorld officials said construction will begin immediately.

This will be the third coaster at the park, joining Manta and Journey to Atlantis.

"I do hope it helps them. They employ a lot of local folks here in San Diego, and I think theyve been good for our city over the years and they do a lot of great things with rescuing animals," added Sterns.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti spoke out Saturday on the events in Charlottesville, Va., where at least one person was killed after violence broke out at a white nationalist rally in the normally quiet college town.

"The shocking violence in Charlottesville -- and the abhorrent ideology behind it -- have no place in America or anywhere in the world. Angelenos and people everywhere condemn these acts of hatred, and are deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries suffered today. We stand with (Charlottesville) Mayor (Mike) Signer and everyone in his city with hope and prayers for peace to be restored," Garcetti said.

Earlier today, California's senior Democratic senator, Dianne Feinstein, weighed in on the violence.

"Violent acts of hate and bigotry have no place in America. The attacks we are witnessing in Charlottesville are completely unacceptable and must not be allowed to continue," Feinstein said. "Violence like this will solve nothing and will only beget more violence and sow more division."

Today's "Unite the Right" rally featured thousands of demonstrators from different organizations, including neo-Nazis and KKK groups, and was prompted in part by the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a park in Charlottesville.

Violence broke out between the white nationalists and a smaller number of counterprotesters, some holding "Black Lives Matter" signs. TV news footage showed many of the white nationalists were armed with guns, shields and even pepper spray.

A short time after police cleared the protest area, a car plowed into a crowd of people, killing at least one person and injuring 19, officials said. That was also captured on video, which appeared to show that the driver acted intentionally. Police later said they took the suspected driver into custody. President Trump condemned the violence at a public event today.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On many sides," Trump said. "It's been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. This has been going on for a long, long time.

"It has no place in America. What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives."

The leaders of All Saints Church in Pasadena announced a special prayer vigil tonight to proclaim "solidarity against white supremacy.'' The gathering will be held at 7 p.m. on the church's lawn at 132 N. Euclid Ave.
As the country outrages against the injustice meted out to the children in Gorakpur, little attention is being given to the apathy that has been shown towards the family of the children who died in Kumbakonam..

By Akshaya Nath: Over the last five days, at least 60 children have died at the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur. According to reports, the deaths happened due to infections and also due to possible disruption of oxygen supply in the paediatrics ward. The hospital and district administration, though, have rejected the possibility of oxygen shortage. The Uttar Pradesh government has ordered for a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

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While many believe that the children suffocated to death, trying to breath through oxygen masks which did not supply them the required air, the hospital and the district administration's denial will lead to a situation where we might never know what really happened.

GORAKHPUR, KUMBAKONAM MISHAPS SEPARATED BY FIRE

The Gorkharpur tragedy reminds one of the Kumbakonam fire accident where more than 94 children were charred to death in a school in Tamil Nadu in 2004. Those accused of the incident are now walking scot-free. In 2014, the Thanjavur court that was hearing the Kumbakonam fire accident case had acquitted 11 of the 21 accused and had convicted 10.

The Kumbakonam school fire accident had killed 94 students and injured 18 others and has the second largest casualties in a fire accident in the country. More than 700 students were enrolled in Sri Krishna Middle School in 2004 and on July 16 a fire that broke out in the kitchen of the school spread to the first floor and the cramped school building did not have proper exist leading to the death of 94. Later it was found that three schools were being run in the building illegally.

As the country outrages against the injustice meted out to the children in Gorakhpur, little attention is being given to the apathy that has been shown towards the family of the children who died in Kumbakonam.

In 2014, when Thanjavur court came out of with its verdict ten years after the incident, the disappointed families had said that they will continue their fight and appeal till all the 21 accused are convicted.

LONG ROAD TO JUSTICE

In a shocking verdict on Thursday, amid media focus on the political developments in the state, and the Gorakhpur tragedy, the Madras High court dismissed the charges against seven of the 10 accused. The court has ordered them to pay a modified fine.

Justice Sathya Narayan and Justice Velumani who were hearing the case have cut short the sentence of the main accused Pulavar Palanisamy, and the cook Vasanthi, to a 'period already undergone'. With one of the accused already dead, effectively all of the accused have now been released. The Thanjavur court had earlier given 75 year old Pulavar Palanichamy, the main accused, ten years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 51,65,700.

Justice Sampath Committee that investigated the case in its report had said, "avarice and shady dealings" as the reason for the fire tragedy. The report had said, "It was an accident due to the carelessness of the noon meal staff, the callous indifference and criminal insensitivity on the part of the management running the three schools, compounded and abetted by the (state) departments concerned, which failed to implement and enforce the laws and safety standards."

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As the families of these 94 continue to moan for their loss, the tragedy in Gorakhpur is a fresh jolt to our country and its care for our children - the future of India. Will Gorakpur be another Kumbakonam or any different?

Also read: Kumbakonam fire mishap: Madras High Court suspends conviction, sentence of 7

Also read: Gorakhpur has a history of children's deaths, 25,000 kids have lost lives to encephalitis

Also read: Gorakhpur: Centre seeks report on children's deaths, PM monitoring situation

Also read: Supreme Court must probe Gorakhpur hospital deaths, Adityanath should quit: Congress

Also watch: Gorakhpur tragedy: Five important questions to ask

--- ENDS ---
Protesters took to the streets of downtown Los Angeles Saturday evening to condemn racism after deadly violence erupted at a white nationalist rally in Virginia.

Demonstrators carrying hand-written signs such as "F--- white supremacy" could be heard chanting "No KKK, no fascist USA" in Pershing Square.

A similar gathering took place in Orange County around 6:30 p.m. Anti-racist groups gathered in Santa Ana to rally "in opposition to the message of hate." The answer is "hope not hate," the group said in a news release.

Earlier in the day, a car plowed into a crowd of people in Charlottesville, Virginia, peacefully protesting what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade.

One person was killed and more than a dozen were injured.

[NATL] Dramatic Photos: Violent Clashes at White Nationalist Rally in Virginia

The driver was later identified by police as James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio. Police say Fields, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and one count related to leaving the scene. A bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.



Shortly after the crash, a Virginia State Police helicopter that officials said was assisting with the rally crashed outside Charlottesville, killing the pilot and a trooper.

The Virginia governor declared a state of emergency, and police dressed in riot gear ordered people out. The group had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and others arrived to protest the racism.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti also spoke out on the "shocking violence" in Charlottesville.

"The shocking violence in Charlottesville -- and the abhorrent ideology behind it -- have no place in America or anywhere in the world. Angelenos and people everywhere condemn these acts of hatred, and are deeply saddened by the loss of life and injuries suffered today. We stand with (Charlottesville) Mayor (Mike) Signer and everyone in his city with hope and prayers for peace to be restored," Garcetti said.
Protesters marched and rallied in Manhattan Sunday, and elected officials and religious leaders in New York and New Jersey used fiery rhetoric to condemn white supremacism after clashes in Virginia and to rebuke President Donald Trump's response to the violence.

Three people died in Charlottesville Saturday: one person was killed when a car rammed into a crowd peacefully protesting the white supremacists and two Virginia state troopers monitoring the rally died when their helicopter crashed.

The rally was believed to be the biggest gathering of white nationalists in a decade.



Mayor Bill de Blasio, speaking before the Dominican Day Parade Sunday, called the violence "act of domestic terrorism. Period."

He criticized Trump's reaction to the violence.

"This is a president who clearly speaks in blunt terms on many, many topics, but unfortunately, weve seen him hold back when it comes to right wing terror," de Blasio said.

Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a strongly worded statement condemning the violence in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., criticized President Donald Trump for "failing to name the Neo-Nazi, white supremacist, Alt-Right hate for what it is: not only the cause of the horrific violence in Virginia, but the evil enemy of our Nations hope and promise."

Trump had condemned "this egregious display of bigotry, hatred and violence on many sides."

Booker also urged people to "rise to meet the urgent demands of our moment in history.

New York Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, a Democrat, tweeted: "White supremacy and neo-Nazism have no place in America. Domestic terrorism like this cannot be tolerated."

White supremacy and neo-Nazism have no place in America. Domestic terrorism like this cannot be tolerated.  Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) August 13, 2017

Protesters also marched from Union Square to Trump Tower. The afternoon march was planned by Black Lives Matter and Refuse Fascism.

Leaders from the Christian, Jewish and Muslim faiths also spoke out at an interfaith service in Harlem.

The religious leaders were especially critical of Trump's statement that he condemned "this egregious display of bigotry, hatred and violence on many sides," which didn't specifically name white nationalists.

"Mr. President, you can't tamp down the fires of hate with one hand while stoking them with the other," said Rabbi Joshua Davidson of Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan.

Imam Al-Hajj Talib 'Abdur-Rashid, the spiritual leader of The Mosque of Islamic Brotherhood in Harlem, drew parallels to those who condemn radical Islamic terrorism.

"They need to express the same concern about radicalization of white Christian males in America," he said.

The Rev. Calvin Butts of the Abyssinian Baptist Church compared what is happening in the United States to Nazi Germany and accused the president of leading the nation down that road.

"In the name of Almighty God, resign!" Butts said, which was met with a standing ovation from the congregation.
Protesters decrying hatred and racism converged around the country on Sunday, saying they felt compelled to counteract the white supremacist rally that spiraled into deadly violence in Virginia.

The gatherings spanned from a march to President Donald Trump's home in New York to rallies and candlelight vigils in several cities including the Bay Area, Dallas, Los Angeles, New Haven, Washington, Miami, Wilmington and San Diego. In Seattle, police arrested three men and confiscated weapons as Trump supporters and counter-protesters converged downtown.

Some focused on showing support for the people whom white supremacists condemn. Other demonstrations were pushing for the removal of Confederate monuments, the issue that initially prompted white nationalists to gather in anger this weekend in Charlottesville, Virginia. Still, other gatherings aimed to denounce fascism and a presidential administration that organizers feel has let white supremacists feel empowered.

"People need to wake up, recognize that and resist it as fearlessly as it needs to be done," said Carl Dix, a leader of the Refuse Fascism group organizing demonstrations in New York, San Francisco and other cities. "This can't be allowed to fester and to grow because we've seen what happened in the past when that was allowed."

"It has to be confronted," said Dix, a New Yorker who spoke by phone from Charlottesville Sunday afternoon. He had gone there to witness and deplore the white nationalist rally on a Saturday that spiraled into bloodshed.

In Seattle, a rally previously planned for Sunday by the conservative pro-Trump group known as Patriot Prayer drew hundreds of counter protesters.

A barricade separated the two groups as police officers stood by dressed in black riot gear. At one intersection, police ordered crowds to disperse. Police said they used pepper spray and blast balls to disperse crowds after fireworks were thrown at officers. In a statement, police say they observed some people in the counter protest carrying ax handles and two-by fours-as they infiltrated the hundreds of peaceful demonstrators.

In Denver, several hundred demonstrators gathered beneath a statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in City Park and marched about two miles to the state Capitol. In Fort Collins, Colorado, marchers chanted "Everyone is welcome here. No hate, no fear." One demonstrator's sign said, "Make racists ashamed again."

In New York, protesters marched from several locations in Manhattan to Trump Tower, demanding the president denounce white nationalist groups involved in the violent confrontations in Charlottesville. One sign read: "Call out evil."

Helen Rubenstein, 62, was among hundreds of people who marched through downtown Los Angeles. She said her parents were Holocaust survivors, and she's worried that extremist views were becoming normal under Trump's presidency.

"I blame Donald Trump 100 percent because he emboldened all these people to incite hate, and they are now promoting violence and killing," Rubenstein said.

Charlottesville descended into violence Saturday after neo-Nazis, skinheads, Ku Klux Klan members and other white nationalists gathered to "take America back" and oppose plans to remove a Confederate statue in the Virginia college town, and hundreds of other people came to protest the rally. The groups clashed in street brawls, with hundreds of people throwing punches, hurling water bottles and beating each other with sticks and shields.

Eventually, a car rammed into a peaceful crowd of anti-white-nationalist protesters, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer. A Virginia State Police helicopter deployed in a large-scale response to the violence then crashed into the woods outside of town. Both troopers on board died.

A crowd gathered on the street where the crash happened for a vigil Sunday evening. They sang "Amazing Grace" and prayed around piles of flowers that mark the spot where Heyer was killed.

Prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer, who attended the rally, denied all responsibility for the violence. He blamed the counter-protesters and police.

Trump condemned what he called an "egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides," a statement that Democrats and some of the president's fellow Republicans saw as equivocating about who was to blame. The White House later added that the condemnation "includes white Supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups."

Some of the white nationalists at Saturday's rally cited Trump's victory, after a campaign of racially charged rhetoric, as validation for their beliefs. Some of the people protesting Sunday also point to the president and his campaign, saying they gave license to racist hatred that built into what happened in Charlottesville.

"For those who questioned whether 'oh, don't call it fascism' ... this should resolve those issues," Reiko Redmonde, an organizer of a Refuse Fascism protest planned in San Francisco, said by phone. "People need to get out in the streets to protest, in a determined way."
Fears about accidental overdoses from fentanyl have prompted police officers across Dauphin County to halt testing of all drugs they confiscate from suspects.

Instead, the substances will go straight to the Pennsylvania State Police lab for testing.

The new policy ends a longstanding practice of officers using field test kits on suspected controlled substances to preliminarily identify them.

The disposable tests use chemicals that interact with known active ingredients in various controlled substances. They indicate positive results by turning bright colors: Green for heroin, for example, and purple for marijuana.

The field test kits are intended to avoid unnecessary arrests and act as a placeholder until the final lab results come back, which can take about two months.

But Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico advised law enforcement agency leaders throughout the county recently that the danger to officers while handling suspected drugs now outweighed any potential evidentiary value from the tests.

The biggest concern is that officers could accidentally inhale the powerful drug or get it in their eyes or mouth.

A veterinarian, for example, who was splashed in the eyes and mouth with the contents of a dart containing 1.5 mg of carfentanil became drowsy within two minutes and required an antidote to revive, according to a recent position paper by medical professionals about the dangers of fentanyl and related substances for emergency responders.

Marsico was not aware of any other counties in the state taking similar action yet, but at least one official from another county inquired about Dauphin County's new procedures. A township in the Pittsburgh area (Upper Burrell) and cities including Houston, Orlando and others also have stopped using the tests, which have raised questions separately about false positives.

County judges and magisterial district judges are on board with the new policy Marsico said, which will now focus on officers testifying at preliminary hearings about substances using their training and experience.

"We might see some push back," from defense attorneys, Marsico said, "But the packaging and appearance can be used to establish a prima-facia case at a preliminary hearing that it is a controlled substance."

The head of Dauphin County's public defender office, Bradley Winnick, could not immediately be reached for comment.

If the field tests aren't really necessary, then why were police officers even doing them in the first place?

"It was an easy thing to do," Marsico said, and it added a level of confirmation without any real downsides.

"But now," he said, "the danger outweighs the value we get from them."

That's because of the high potency and unpredictability of fentanyl and related substances, which are 100 to 100,000 times more potent than morphine depending on the substance.

The use of fentanyl and related substances has exploded across the Commonwealth, overtaking heroin last year as the number one cause of fatal drug overdoses.

Fentanyl killed 2,395 Pennsylvanians last year. The bright white powder can be folded into white cocaine powder or yellow-tinted heroin and even manufactured into counterfeit pills.

When officers encounter substances on the street, they don't know exactly what they're dealing with anymore, said Harrisburg police Lt. Milo Hooper. They could even encounter carfetanil, a synthetic opioid known as elephant tranquilizer, because it is actually used to sedate wild animals, including elephants.

Trying to open suspected drug packaging and sprinkling powder into a small vial can be messy, he said. While some kits contain tiny spoons to extract powder from a bag of dope, other kits may require officers to sprinkle granules into a small zippered baggie or thin vial.

"It's almost like pouring something into the size of a pen, and trying to get dust and granules into that," Hooper said. "You can spill it and get on the surface of where you're working and everything else. It's not a very efficient manner of doing things."

With powder spilling and sticking to things, the fear is that officers could accidentally overdose or become ill from inhaling fentanyl. And while some concerns have been raised about simply touching fentanyl, those fears have been overblown, according to medical professionals.

The American College of Medical Toxicology released a position statement in recent weeks that advises officers to take precautions by wearing gloves, masks and eye protection, but noted that the chance of harm from simply touching fentanyl were slim.

"It is very unlikely that small, unintentional skin exposures to tablets or powder would cause significant opioid toxicity," the research paper in conjunction with the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology concluded.

Karl Williams, the medical examiner in Allegheny County, which reported 254 drug overdose deaths so far this year, said police are right to be concerned but they don't need to be afraid.

"I don't think we have any proven cases in law enforcement where anyone was exposed," Williams said of national data and studies. "That being said, I have Narcan (a drug that can reverse overdoses) all over my office."

A story that went viral in May about an Ohio police officer who "nearly died" after touching fentanyl on his shirt was never verified scientifically.

Jeremy Samuel Faust, an emergency physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, said the story created "hysteria."

He wrote in the online magazine Slate that it would have been difficult for the officer to overdose even if he had inhaled or swallowed the fentanyl, which are more dangerous routes.

"But the amount that could have transferred from the ... shirt to the fingers to the mouth or nose," Faust wrote, "would not be a clinically significant quantity, even accounting for fentanyl's potency."

The fact that rescuers used four doses of Narcan before the officer revived also points to the possibility that something else was wrong Faust wrote, concluding that they were "treating the wrong illness."

There are other reports.

Last September in Hartford, Conn., an entire police tactical team was sent to a hospital after they raided a home through a cloud of dust after raw drug powder became airborne. Police seized 50,000 bags of processed heroin as well as 350 grams of raw narcotics and two guns, according to the Washington Post, but afterwards 11 officers reported feeling lightheaded and other symptoms.

The story or ones like it were bolstered when the Drug Enforcement Administration advised officers in June to stop using field testing kits on substances that could be fentanyl. The DEA's advisory contained statements from two New Jersey detectives who fell ill and one thought he was going to die after handling a small amount of fentanyl.

While scientifically-proven overdoses for police officers may not be currently available, Marsico said, he doesn't intend to risk the first one occurring in Dauphin County.

DEA spokesman Special Agent Pat Trainor, out of Philadelphia, acknowledged there is "conflicting information out there."

"Touch it and it will kill you? That's highly unlikely," he said.

But Trainor said he still thinks it's a good move by departments halt field testing of drugs.

"I'm aware of the medical community's position...but let me make myself crystal clear: We're not working in a lab with a vent hood or a clean sterile environment. It's someone's house and they're trying to conceal something from us...It's not unusual for people to run, throw things, flush things, which creates an unpredictable environment for us."

The DEA encourages officers and firefighters to wear masks, goggles and gloves to minimize any exposure.

"If they do that, it can be handled safely," Trainor said. "We'd much rather err on the side of caution."
A Montgomery County teacher is accused of sexually assaulting a student.

Melissa Bonkoski of Stowe, Pennsylvania was arrested and charged with three counts of institutional sex assault as well as other offenses after she allegedly sexually assaulted a student on December 1, 2015.

Bonkoski taught Earth Science at Owen J. Roberts High School in Pottstown. While officials say her victim is a student, they did not reveal whether the victim attends Owen J. Roberts or if the assault took place at the school.

Bonkoski was arrested Thursday but is currently free on $80,000 bail according to court documents. Her preliminary hearing is set for August 17. She also resigned from her teaching position at Owen J. Roberts.




A large crowd is marching through Center City, Philadelphia in response to violent clashes at a white nationalist rally in a Virginia college town that left at least one person dead and dozens injured.

A car plowed into a crowd of people who were protesting what is believed to be the largest gathering of white nationalists in a decade in Charlottesville, Virginia Saturday afternoon. At least one person was killed while 26 others were injured. The driver was taken into custody, according to police. Police also said a helicopter crash that killed two Virginia state troopers outside Charlottesville was linked to the rally.

Hundreds marched through Center City, Philadelphia Saturday evening to protest a violent white nationalist rally in Virginia in which a woman was killed after a driver plowed through a crowd of counter-protesters.

The white nationalist group initially gathered in Charlottesville to protest plans to remove a statue of Confederate Civil War General Robert E. Lee while other groups arrived for a counter-protest.



In response to the violence in Virginia, a candlelight vigil and demonstration was held at city hall around 7 p.m. Saturday. Protesters also began marching through Center City and at one point the group marched on the off ramp of the Vine Street Expressway and blocked traffic. The group later moved off the highway and returned to the streets as police escorted them.



Another vigil in response to the Virginia violence was organized by the Bucks County, Pennsylvania group Rise Up Doylestown.
A man and woman visiting Sequoia National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada in Central California have been missing for nearly a week, the National Park Service (NPS) confirmed.

The NPS issued a media alert on Friday advising people to be on the lookout for Jie Song and Yinan Wang, two Chinese nationals last seen around 2 p.m. on Aug. 6. at the junction of Crystal Cave Road and the Generals Highway in Sequoia National Park.

The duo had attended a Crystal Cave tour that day but vanished after the tour.

According to the NPS alert, Song and Wang planned to travel north to Kings Canyon National Park and stay the night in Fresno, California. The duo had a reservation in Yosemite National Park on Aug. 7, but they never showed up for their reservation.

The NPS said the pair is driving a white 2012 Ford Focus Sedan with the license plate 6XMM431. Wang is described as 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds. Hes 31 years old with black hair and brown eyes. A description of Song was not released. The NPS did release a photo of the duo, as well as a picture of a vehicle of the same make and model as their car. Both were included in this missing person flyer.

Anyone who sees them can reach out to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks at (559) 565-3195.

Mike Theune, public information officer for the park, said Wang has connections to San Diego. NPS officials are working with the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) to track down more information on Wang.

For now, agencies involved in the search for Song and Wang include NPS law enforcement from both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, the U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, the sheriff's offices in Fresno and Tulare counties, and NPS law enforcement from Yosemite National Park.

A license plate belonging to the Ford Focus was found in the brush off a 500-foot cliff below Highway 180 near Convict Flat in the Sequoia National Forest by a Sheriffs Search and Rescue team recovering another car that went through a guard rail and over the cliff.

The Sheriffs Office and CHP flew helicopters over the canyon to see if there were any signs of the Ford Focus following the August 8 discovery. Vehicle parts were found about 40 meters upstream from the other car in Kings River, but it is unclear if the parts belong to the Focus. Members of the search and rescue team will have to retrieve the parts before drawing any conclusions. No additional bodies besides the two from the other crash have been found in the water.

The Sheriffs Search and Rescue team are now conducting a parallel investigation involving the Ford Focus as they try to recover the original car that fell over the cliff.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park lie side by side and are known for their enormous trees, grand mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons and vast caverns. Each year, more than 1.8 million visitors come to the parks.

On Saturday, the NPS website for the parks included a warning to visitors about the dangers of rivers and creeks within the parks, telling visitors to keep their distance from the water. The alert noted that currents are faster and more powerful than they appear and four people have drowned.

If you slip and fall in, getting out can be almost impossible, the warning added. Please: use extreme caution around water. Return safely to your family.
The 17-year-old girl who was shot as the drove through a Northeast D.C. neighborhood earlier this week has died, police said Sunday.

Jamahri Sydnor died Saturday after she was hit by a bullet intended for someone else Thursday afternoon on Saratoga Avenue NE. She was 17.

Sydnor, a recent graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in Northwest D.C. was due to start college at Florida A&M University within days. She was captain of her high school's cheerleading squad and sang in the choir.

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"She was the embodiment of what we want a Wilson grad to be," Principal Kimberly Martin said.

"She was a wonderful kid. She was very studious, up on all the current events. Came to class smiling," teacher Eden McCauslin said, crying. "She was really curious about the world."

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser spoke on Monday about the need to get illegal guns off the street.

"It's sickening. There are no words for it, to lose a young girl who's done everything right," she said.

Syndor's mother is a D.C. police sergeant, sources told News4. D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham, in comments on Friday, declined to confirm that information.

The teenager was driving in broad daylight less than a mile from home, on the 1400 block of Saratoga Avenue NE, when someone opened fire and she was wounded, police said.

At least one person, standing at the intersection of Montana and Saratoga avenues, began shooting across the street at a group of people standing outside an apartment building on Saratoga Avenue, the police incident report said. A total of 12 shots were fired.

One of those bullets hit Sydnor. Her car, a white sedan, crashed into a parked car.

A man, who was not in the car, also was shot and wounded.

D.C. police responded about 3:30 p.m. to the scene, which is about a half-mile northeast of the District's Home Depot store. Police cars and officers flooded the block.

Sydnor and the man, who was conscious, were both taken to a hospital.

Newsham, in comments on Friday, as Sydnor fought for her life, lashed out against violent, armed young men in the District.

"We have young men that go out there and they feel like they can resolve disputes with a firearm. What we had here is we had an innocent person that was caught up in that," he said.

Phillip Carlos McDaniel, 21, of Northeast D.C., was arrested, and police are still seeking two other people. McDaniel initially was charged with assault with intent to kill. Upgraded charges are pending.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact police. A reward of as much as $25,000 is offered.

A vigil for Sydnor is being planned, and grief counselors were available at Wilson High on Monday.

"She's just that, that student you'll always remember," college and career coordinator Patrice Arrington said, clapping her hand to her heart.
After paying a visit to Gorakhpur hospital today, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister JP Nadda held a press conference to assuage the grief and shock of people- and promised fast, punitive action.

By India Today Web Desk: After visiting the Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital today along with Union Health Minister JP Nadda, a teary-eyed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath while addressing a press conference promised exemplary action against the guilty.

Speaking about his plans to not 'spare those responsible for the deaths' the CM added that nobody can be more sensitive towards those children than him.

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The death toll of the Gorakhpur hospital tragedy has now reached 68 after a four-year-old boy died today. Most of the children allegedly died of suffocation caused by shortage of oxygen supply in the concerned ward of the hospital.

Facing sharp criticism from the Opposition parties, the Yogi Adityanath government yesterday sacked the principal of the BRD Medical College Dr Rajeev Mishra and ordered an inquiry into the incident. The probe committee will be led by the chief secretary. It will probe the angle of oxygen supply leading to deaths.

UP Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh yesterday denied that the children died due to shortage of oxygen supply. However, letters pointing to shortage of oxygen appeared in public contrary to the claim made by the UP Health Minister.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath and Union health minister JP Nadda at the BRD Hospital. Photo: ANI

CM Yogi Adityanath takes stock of the situation.

Earlier, Yogi Adityanath spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday and apprised him of the situation. The Opposition parties, meanwhile, demanded the expulsion of state health and medical education ministers.

TOP DEVELOPMENTS:

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister JP Nadda today addressed a press conference after their visit to the hospital.

While Adityanath promised exemplary, punitive action, Nadda said, "Centre is ready to give all help to UP."

Principal of Ambedkarnagar Medical College, PK Jain has been given the additional charge of BRD Hospital with immediate effect.

In his press address yesterday, the UP CM had blamed the deaths in his hometown on filth and the scourge of open defecation.

Amid soaring discourse that his earlier visit to the BRD Medical college few days back was vacuous, the CM said that he was not informed about any kind of shortage in the hospital.

Despite the hospital authorities denying that the children did not die due to shortage of oxygen, two letters written by them demanding immediate supply of the gas surfaced on Saturday.

The letters were written by the operators managing oxygen storage plant from where the life saving gas is supplied to different wards.

The contractor who used to supply oxygen cylinders to BRD Hospital had stopped his services over non-payment of dues. The hospital had not cleared its bill of Rs 69 lakh.

But, letters sent by the oxygen supplying company- Pushpa Sales Pvt Limited to the hospital also made way to the public domain that clearly stated that the supply would be snapped if bills as old as six months are not paid soon.

According to some reports, Pushpa Sales Pvt Ltd sent at least seven reminders to the hospital, asking the authorities to furnish the payments.

Meanwhile, members of the Youth Congress rallied in bereavement and in angry protest against the tragedy outside the BRD Medical College.

Congress Party leaders were among the first to reach the hospital with a delegation headed by Ghulam Nabi Azad on August 12.

Speaking to the press there, he said, "For the last 15 days, reports were put out in various Hindi papers that there was a lack of oxygen. But no action was taken by the government or the health department."

In addition, more appalling details emerged underlining the poor health facilities at the hospital. One of the doctors revealed that sometimes two patients are admitted on the same bed due to insufficient beds.

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Also watch: Nobody can be more sensitive towards those children than me: UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Gorakhpur tragedy

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Also read: Gorakhpur has a history of children's deaths, 25,000 kids have lost lives to encephalitis

Also read: Gorakhpur: Centre seeks report on children's deaths, PM monitoring situation

Also read: Supreme Court must probe Gorakhpur hospital deaths, Adityanath should quit: Congress

Also watch: Gorakhpur tragedy: Five important questions to ask

--- ENDS ---
A Danish court ordered the owner of an amateur-built submarine Saturday held in pre-trial detention for 24 days while police investigate the disappearance of a Swedish journalist who had been on the ship before it sank.

Peter Madsen was arrested Friday on preliminary manslaughter charges, hours after his 40-ton, nearly 18-meter-long (60-foot-long) submarine sank off Denmark's eastern coast.

The inventor, who is from Denmark, has denied responsibility for the fate of 30-year-old Kim Wall, saying the journalist disembarked before his vessel went down.

Judge Kari Soerensen announced the ruling after a two-hour custody hearing held behind closed doors.

Madsen's defense lawyer, Bettina Hald Engmark, said her client maintains his innocence. He is "willing to cooperate" and hasn't decided whether to appeal the detention ruling, Hald Engmark said.

Before the hearing was closed, the courtroom was packed with Danish and Swedish reporters and the 46-year-old Madsen's relatives. Madsen smiled and chatted with his lawyer.

"I would very much like to express myself," he said after the preliminary charges were read.

Prosecutor Louise Pedersen said Madsen faces the preliminary manslaughter charge "for having killed in an unknown way and in an unknown place Kim Isabell Frerika Wall of Sweden sometime after Thursday 5 p.m."

Wall's boyfriend alerted authorities early Friday that the sub, named the UC3 Nautilus, had not returned to Copenhagen as expected. The Danish Navy launched a major search involving two helicopters, three ships and several private boats. The Navy said the sub was seen sailing, but then sank shortly afterward.

Kristian Isbak, who had responded to the Navy's call to help locate the ship on Friday, told The Associated Press he first spotted Madsen standing wearing his trademark military fatigues in the submarine's tower while it was still afloat.

"He then climbed down inside the submarine and there was then some kind of air flow coming up and the submarine started to sink," Isbak said. "(He) came up again and stayed in the tower until water came into it" before swimming to a nearby boat as the submarine sank, he added.

Madsen told authorities he had dropped Wall off on an island in Copenhagen's harbor a few hours into their Thursday night trip.

"It is with great dismay that we received the news that Kim went missing during an assignment in Denmark," her family said in statement emailed to The Associated Press.

The Sweden-born freelance journalist studied at the Sorbonne university in Paris, the London School of Economics and at Columbia University in New York, where she graduated with a master's degree in journalism in 2013.

She lived in New York and Peking, her family said, and had written for The New York Times, The Guardian, the South China Morning Post and Vice Magazine, among other publications.

A salvage vessel on Saturday raised the submarine, which was seven meters (23 feet) under water off Copenhagen's south island of Dragoer. The submarine was brought up some 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) off the coast and is expected to be transported to land at some point.

In theory, the Nautilus can dive up to 470 meters (1,550 feet) but has rarely gone deeper than 40 meters (132 feet), according to Madsen's business web site.

If tried and found guilty, Madsen would face between five years and life in prison.
A Springfield teacher charged with animal cruelty has accepted a plea deal that bars him from owning or having control over animals.

The Republican reports Stefan Davis accepted a plea agreement last month without admitting guilt. He was sentenced to one year of pretrial probation. If he complies with the judge's conditions, the charges will be dismissed.

A complaint filed by the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals accused Davis and his wife of failing to provide medical care to two Neapolitan mastiffs that were euthanized. The dogs were described in court documents as being emaciated and suffering from multiple ailments.

Davis' lawyer has called the complaint "erroneous and misleading."

Davis is an English and history teacher at the High School of Science and Technology.
East Woodhay artist completes 1,800-mile marathon around Great Britain

N EAST Woodhay artist has completed her eight-week challenge to row 1,800 miles around the coast of Great Britain.

Lesley Foden, aged 60, set out on June 3 from Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex, to become the oldest woman to complete the challenge, as part of the Rannoch Adventure GB Challenge 2017.

She returned to dry land on July 29.

Mrs Foden said: It was extremely exciting, extremely hard work. Every emotion that you have inside you comes out  frustration, boredom, fear and it was moving.

I cried a few times because everything was just so beautiful.

I preferred night-time to day-time rowing. The stars were out and we could see shooting stars.

The water glowed with phosphorescence as the oars dipped into the water. The sun didnt seem to set either.

There were eight legs to the journey, with stop-off points at Cowes, Padstow, Dublin, Oban, Lochinver, Fraserburgh and Scarborough.

As they approached Lochinver, they were treated to a magical, exuberant performance by a 20-strong school of dolphins, Mrs Foden said on her blog.

She said: The odd thing that I have found is that at least five friends have said they have been inspired to take up a sport.

One friend has taken up running and another, with a fear of water, has taken up sailing.

I think that whatever you want to do you can make happen. You just need to want to do it.

There were lots of accompanying wildlife on the journey and Mrs Foden describes seeing jellyfish, puffins, gannets, kittiwakes, seals, dolphins, an orca and a minke whale.

If that was not inspiring enough, their onboard speakers played uplifting tunes such as Land of Hope and Glory and Ride of the Valkyries.

Mrs Foden said: This has taken up two years of my life with training and fundraising, but they have just whizzed by.

She is already preparing for her next challenge, which is to embark on the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race next spring  a distance of 125 miles.

We went out for our inaugural paddle last weekend, she said. It went well, I didnt fall in, although I need to fall in a lot before I am ready for the challenge.

Mrs Foden is a full-time painter, the chairwoman of the East Woodhay Neighbour-Care Volunteer Driving, and a member of St Martins Church choir, where she also rings bells.

Mrs Foden has raised 4,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

To sponsor Mrs Fodens challenge, go to www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ lesleysrow
By Express News Service

CHENNAI, BENGALURU: Over 40 passengers of a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus running from Bengaluru to Chennai had a narrow escape when the fire suddenly engulfed the vehicle as it reached Chennais outskirts on Saturday morning.

The bus was moving slowly near a check-post at Nazarathpet around 8.20 am when motorists behind the bus alerted the bus driver about the smoke emanating from the rear of the bus.

The timely alert helped all passengers get out of the bus safely. But as the fire tenders could not immediately reach the spot due to the traffic jam on the stretch, the bus was fully engulfed by the fire and reduced to its skeleton in just an hour.

As I got down to check the smoke, it became apparent that the fire was spreading. So conductor Ramachandran and I immediately alerted all passengers to get down, bus driver S Sridhar told Express.

He said the bus began its journey from Bengaluru at 10 pm on Friday.

As fire and rescue services were alerted, fire tenders from Poonamallee, Maduravoyal and Ambattur stations rushed to the spot.

But due to the burning vehicle, the traffic was jammed from Sriperumbudur on the Poonamallee stretch. We asked police help to clear the traffic for us to reach the spot. But by the time we could get there and put out the fire, almost the entire interior of the bus was gutted, Ambattur fire station officer Muthukrishnan told Express.

Luckily none was injured. But we have registered a case and are investigating, said Nazarathpet police inspector Jayachandran.

In Bengaluru, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Public Relations Officer Latha T S said transport corporation officials were headed towards Chennai to examine the bus and ascertain the cause of the fire which was first seen coming from the engine.

We are relieved that none of the passengers was hurt and our driver and conductor ensured that the passengers exited the bus immediately and even their luggage could be removed in time, she said.

CHENNAI, BENGALURU: Over 40 passengers of a Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus running from Bengaluru to Chennai had a narrow escape when the fire suddenly engulfed the vehicle as it reached Chennais outskirts on Saturday morning. The bus was moving slowly near a check-post at Nazarathpet around 8.20 am when motorists behind the bus alerted the bus driver about the smoke emanating from the rear of the bus. The timely alert helped all passengers get out of the bus safely. But as the fire tenders could not immediately reach the spot due to the traffic jam on the stretch, the bus was fully engulfed by the fire and reduced to its skeleton in just an hour. As I got down to check the smoke, it became apparent that the fire was spreading. So conductor Ramachandran and I immediately alerted all passengers to get down, bus driver S Sridhar told Express. He said the bus began its journey from Bengaluru at 10 pm on Friday. As fire and rescue services were alerted, fire tenders from Poonamallee, Maduravoyal and Ambattur stations rushed to the spot. But due to the burning vehicle, the traffic was jammed from Sriperumbudur on the Poonamallee stretch. We asked police help to clear the traffic for us to reach the spot. But by the time we could get there and put out the fire, almost the entire interior of the bus was gutted, Ambattur fire station officer Muthukrishnan told Express. Luckily none was injured. But we have registered a case and are investigating, said Nazarathpet police inspector Jayachandran. In Bengaluru, Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation Public Relations Officer Latha T S said transport corporation officials were headed towards Chennai to examine the bus and ascertain the cause of the fire which was first seen coming from the engine. We are relieved that none of the passengers was hurt and our driver and conductor ensured that the passengers exited the bus immediately and even their luggage could be removed in time, she said.
By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: In view of the tragic incident in Gorakhpur, Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal will be reviewing preparedness of hospital in Delhi next week.

According to officials, a review meeting is slated to be held on August 16th with all medical superintendents of all the state run hospitals and others concerned will be held primarily to check the availability of drug supplies and stock of equipment.

Medical superintendents of state government-run hospitals, senior health department officials will be present at the meeting.

The move seems come after at least 30 infants who were suffering from encephalitis died in a span of 48 hours since August 10 at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College at Gorakhpur, which coincided with an alleged shortage in supply of liquid oxygen.

In the national capital, the medical superintendents have been asked to prepare status reports on the stock of medicines, diagnostic equipment, which will be reviewed in the meeting.

The Yogi Adityanath government has, however, rejected suggestions that the deaths were linked to the shortage of oxygen.

On the other hand, scores of students and activist took part in protests at the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan in Delhi over the death of around 60 children in Gorakhpur due to non-availability of oxygen.

A similar protest was held at Jantar Mantar demanding action against people responsible in the state government which is headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The protestors marked it as a matter of shame and observed a minute of silence in memory of the children who died.

NEW DELHI: In view of the tragic incident in Gorakhpur, Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal will be reviewing preparedness of hospital in Delhi next week. According to officials, a review meeting is slated to be held on August 16th with all medical superintendents of all the state run hospitals and others concerned will be held primarily to check the availability of drug supplies and stock of equipment. Medical superintendents of state government-run hospitals, senior health department officials will be present at the meeting. The move seems come after at least 30 infants who were suffering from encephalitis died in a span of 48 hours since August 10 at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College at Gorakhpur, which coincided with an alleged shortage in supply of liquid oxygen. In the national capital, the medical superintendents have been asked to prepare status reports on the stock of medicines, diagnostic equipment, which will be reviewed in the meeting. The Yogi Adityanath government has, however, rejected suggestions that the deaths were linked to the shortage of oxygen. On the other hand, scores of students and activist took part in protests at the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan in Delhi over the death of around 60 children in Gorakhpur due to non-availability of oxygen. A similar protest was held at Jantar Mantar demanding action against people responsible in the state government which is headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. The protestors marked it as a matter of shame and observed a minute of silence in memory of the children who died.
By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Air intelligence unit of Trivandrum International Airport on Saturday foiled a gold smuggling attempt with the seizure of gold biscuits weighing 1.93 kg valued around Rs 60 lakh. 17 gold biscuits were seized from the socks of two passengers hailing from Alappuzha. They have been arrested and the investigation is on to find out the source of the consignment, officials said. According to customs officers, it is one of the major gold seizures in recent times.

The seizure took place around 3.30 am at the entrance of the airport when the passengers landed from Muscat in Jet Airways. When they tried to cross the door frame which is sensitive to metals, the alarm sounded and the officers stationed at the spot detained them. Subsequently, the customs took them into custody and recovered the gold in the form of biscuits concealed in the socks.

One man had 9 biscuits concealed while the other had 8 biscuits. Upon interrogation, they revealed they were just carriers.

The officers did not reveal the identity of the accused. A case has been registered under the Customs Act 1961 and an investigation is underway, said T S Sanjeev, Intelligence Superintendent. The seizure was led by Pradeep Kumar, Additional Customs Commissioner with the support of Sanjeev, intelligence superintendents, S Seetharaman and C Gopiraj and Intelligence inspector Sunil.

Ganja seized from passenger

TPuram:A 30-year-old passenger was arrested by the Railway Police for allegedly possessing a packet of ganja at the Parassala railway station on Saturday. The arrested is Saheer, of Nedumangad. According to the railway police, the contraband was seized around 8 am after finding the passenger under suspicious circumstances on the platform.

The passenger said the substance was being taken from Theni to Thiruvananthapuram for sale. He was produced before the magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Air intelligence unit of Trivandrum International Airport on Saturday foiled a gold smuggling attempt with the seizure of gold biscuits weighing 1.93 kg valued around Rs 60 lakh. 17 gold biscuits were seized from the socks of two passengers hailing from Alappuzha. They have been arrested and the investigation is on to find out the source of the consignment, officials said. According to customs officers, it is one of the major gold seizures in recent times. The seizure took place around 3.30 am at the entrance of the airport when the passengers landed from Muscat in Jet Airways. When they tried to cross the door frame which is sensitive to metals, the alarm sounded and the officers stationed at the spot detained them. Subsequently, the customs took them into custody and recovered the gold in the form of biscuits concealed in the socks. One man had 9 biscuits concealed while the other had 8 biscuits. Upon interrogation, they revealed they were just carriers. The officers did not reveal the identity of the accused. A case has been registered under the Customs Act 1961 and an investigation is underway, said T S Sanjeev, Intelligence Superintendent. The seizure was led by Pradeep Kumar, Additional Customs Commissioner with the support of Sanjeev, intelligence superintendents, S Seetharaman and C Gopiraj and Intelligence inspector Sunil. Ganja seized from passenger TPuram:A 30-year-old passenger was arrested by the Railway Police for allegedly possessing a packet of ganja at the Parassala railway station on Saturday. The arrested is Saheer, of Nedumangad. According to the railway police, the contraband was seized around 8 am after finding the passenger under suspicious circumstances on the platform. The passenger said the substance was being taken from Theni to Thiruvananthapuram for sale. He was produced before the magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.
By ANI

NEW DELHI: India's little neighbour, Bhutan, is known for its monasteries, fortresses (or dzongs) and dramatic landscapes that range from subtropical plains to steep mountains and valleys. Besides a breathtaking view of Himalayas, Bhutan has a lot to offer to its tourists.

Here, we list to you five reasons for visiting this Himalayan kingdom;

1. A visit to Punakha Dzong

Bhutans second largest Dzong and one of the most majestic structures in the country, Punakha Dzong lives up to its name that translates to "palace of great happiness".

The splendid dzong, constructed as an embodiment of Buddhist values, houses the sacred relics of the southern Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, and the sacred remains of Ngawang Namgyal and the terton Pema Lingpa. Today visitors can walk through its corridors, admire the exquisite murals that adorn its walls, and marvel at the original volume of the Kanjur, the holy book of the Drukpas that is stored in the Dzong.

2. Trek to Dochula Pass

Situated away from the capital city of Thimphu to Punakha, and at an altitude of over 10,000 feet, Dochula Pass is one of the most popular tourist spots, presenting a breathtaking view of the Eastern Himalayas to the trekkers. The snow-clad mountain pass is known for the 108 stupas that stand tall in the center of the pass. Built by Her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, the stupas honor Bhutanese soldiers killed in battle.

3. Discover peace at Paro Taktsang

A trip to Bhutan is incomplete without a trek to the most visited tourist destination, Paro Taktsang, more popularly known as Tigers Nest. Located in the upper Paro valley, the temple complex was the site where Guru Padmasambhava meditated for over three years in the 8th century.

4. Sneak-peek into Bhutans culinary heritage

A visit to the Folk Heritage Museum gives you a glimpse into rural Bhutanese life. For an authentic Bhutanese meal, unwind at a patio table set amidst fragrant fruit trees at this restored three-storey, timber building and indulge in traditional Bhutanese delicacies such as ema datshi (chillies in cheese), ezzy (red chilli chutney) and jasha maru (minced chicken curry with chillies).

5.Mountain Echoes Literary Festival

Held in the capital city of Thimpu, Mountain Echoes Literary Festival is one of the most awaited literary events of the year. Bhutan celebrates the eighth edition of the distinctive literary arts and culture festival this year.

With an aim to celebrate Untouched Beauty, Unexplored Ideas and Unstoppable Voices, the three-day festival will focus on globally relevant issues such as environmental conservation, natural history, spirituality, and the global evolution of textiles and design traditions.

Headline names set to appear at this years edition are Markus Zusak, His Eminence Kyabje Khedrup Rinpoche Ugyen Tenzin Thinley Lhendup, Padma Lakshmi, Pranay Lal, Devdutt Pattanaik, Francesca Beard, Phuntsho Namgyel, Lopen Sonam Bumdhen, Imtiaz Ali, Prayaag Akbar, Rebecca Pradhan, Palden Tshering and Neel Madhav.

NEW DELHI: India's little neighbour, Bhutan, is known for its monasteries, fortresses (or dzongs) and dramatic landscapes that range from subtropical plains to steep mountains and valleys. Besides a breathtaking view of Himalayas, Bhutan has a lot to offer to its tourists. Here, we list to you five reasons for visiting this Himalayan kingdom; 1. A visit to Punakha Dzong Bhutans second largest Dzong and one of the most majestic structures in the country, Punakha Dzong lives up to its name that translates to "palace of great happiness". The splendid dzong, constructed as an embodiment of Buddhist values, houses the sacred relics of the southern Drukpa Lineage of the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, and the sacred remains of Ngawang Namgyal and the terton Pema Lingpa. Today visitors can walk through its corridors, admire the exquisite murals that adorn its walls, and marvel at the original volume of the Kanjur, the holy book of the Drukpas that is stored in the Dzong. 2. Trek to Dochula Pass Situated away from the capital city of Thimphu to Punakha, and at an altitude of over 10,000 feet, Dochula Pass is one of the most popular tourist spots, presenting a breathtaking view of the Eastern Himalayas to the trekkers. The snow-clad mountain pass is known for the 108 stupas that stand tall in the center of the pass. Built by Her Majesty the Royal Queen Mother Ashi Dorji Wangmo Wangchuck, the stupas honor Bhutanese soldiers killed in battle. 3. Discover peace at Paro Taktsang A trip to Bhutan is incomplete without a trek to the most visited tourist destination, Paro Taktsang, more popularly known as Tigers Nest. Located in the upper Paro valley, the temple complex was the site where Guru Padmasambhava meditated for over three years in the 8th century. 4. Sneak-peek into Bhutans culinary heritage A visit to the Folk Heritage Museum gives you a glimpse into rural Bhutanese life. For an authentic Bhutanese meal, unwind at a patio table set amidst fragrant fruit trees at this restored three-storey, timber building and indulge in traditional Bhutanese delicacies such as ema datshi (chillies in cheese), ezzy (red chilli chutney) and jasha maru (minced chicken curry with chillies). 5.Mountain Echoes Literary Festival Held in the capital city of Thimpu, Mountain Echoes Literary Festival is one of the most awaited literary events of the year. Bhutan celebrates the eighth edition of the distinctive literary arts and culture festival this year. With an aim to celebrate Untouched Beauty, Unexplored Ideas and Unstoppable Voices, the three-day festival will focus on globally relevant issues such as environmental conservation, natural history, spirituality, and the global evolution of textiles and design traditions. Headline names set to appear at this years edition are Markus Zusak, His Eminence Kyabje Khedrup Rinpoche Ugyen Tenzin Thinley Lhendup, Padma Lakshmi, Pranay Lal, Devdutt Pattanaik, Francesca Beard, Phuntsho Namgyel, Lopen Sonam Bumdhen, Imtiaz Ali, Prayaag Akbar, Rebecca Pradhan, Palden Tshering and Neel Madhav.
Manish Anand By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: With the JD (U) bracing up to joining the NDA government at the Centre, the Cabinet expansion and reshuffle is likely to happen in the immediate future. A day after meeting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, BJP chief Amit Shah stated that the JD (U) has formally been invited to join the NDA.

With the national executive meeting of the JD (U) slated for August 19, speculation is rife that the Cabinet expansion may take place in the later this month. The JD (U) will formally pass a resolution during the national executive meeting in Patna to join the NDA. Shah has been told that the party will share the names of the MPs who could join the council of ministers headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said.

Nitish Kumar loyalists and Rajya Sabha MPs  RCP Singh, Ram Nath Thakur and Harivansh  are favourites to join the join the Cabinet. The CM is of clear view that the party nominees in the NDA government will not be chosen on the basis of caste considerations. He has taken care of such concerns in the Bihar council of ministers. Nitish wants performers to be in the Modi government, who can earn good names for the party, sources added.

While R C P Singh is the new leader of the JD (U) in place of dissident Sharad Yadav and two terms Rajya Sabha MP, Ram Nath Thakur is a former Bihar minister and also the son of former state chief minister Karpoori Thakur. Harivansh is a journalist turned politician and a first term Rajya Sabha MP. The JD (U) has 10 Rajya Sabha MPs and two in the Lok Sabha.

It has emerged that the JD (U) will get one Cabinet rank portfolio, one ministry with independent charge and another of the minister of state (MoS) rank, sources said.

Incidentally, Sharad Yadav was the NDA convenor before the Bihar chief minister snapped alliance with the BJP in 2013. The BJP is keen to rope in Nitish Kumar in an important role in the NDA.

NEW DELHI: With the JD (U) bracing up to joining the NDA government at the Centre, the Cabinet expansion and reshuffle is likely to happen in the immediate future. A day after meeting Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, BJP chief Amit Shah stated that the JD (U) has formally been invited to join the NDA. With the national executive meeting of the JD (U) slated for August 19, speculation is rife that the Cabinet expansion may take place in the later this month. The JD (U) will formally pass a resolution during the national executive meeting in Patna to join the NDA. Shah has been told that the party will share the names of the MPs who could join the council of ministers headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said. Nitish Kumar loyalists and Rajya Sabha MPs  RCP Singh, Ram Nath Thakur and Harivansh  are favourites to join the join the Cabinet. The CM is of clear view that the party nominees in the NDA government will not be chosen on the basis of caste considerations. He has taken care of such concerns in the Bihar council of ministers. Nitish wants performers to be in the Modi government, who can earn good names for the party, sources added. While R C P Singh is the new leader of the JD (U) in place of dissident Sharad Yadav and two terms Rajya Sabha MP, Ram Nath Thakur is a former Bihar minister and also the son of former state chief minister Karpoori Thakur. Harivansh is a journalist turned politician and a first term Rajya Sabha MP. The JD (U) has 10 Rajya Sabha MPs and two in the Lok Sabha. It has emerged that the JD (U) will get one Cabinet rank portfolio, one ministry with independent charge and another of the minister of state (MoS) rank, sources said. Incidentally, Sharad Yadav was the NDA convenor before the Bihar chief minister snapped alliance with the BJP in 2013. The BJP is keen to rope in Nitish Kumar in an important role in the NDA.
Namita Bajpai By

Express News Service

LUCKNOW: It was a desperate night of August 10 when the doctors at Nehru Hospital in BRD Medical College started running helter-skelter arranging for life-saving oxygen as the regular supply had dipped and the patients, mostly kids, started sinking. Khushi, 5, too devoid of oxygen, struggled for life for next 24 hours and lost it at 5 pm on Friday.

She was one among those 60 patients, including 30 kids, who died in the hospital during the last five days.

However, the real oxygen crisis started on Thusday night.

Zahid who had admitted daughter Khushi, running with high fever to Encephalitis ward on Thursday afternoon saw her sinking past midnight as the regular oxygen supply started dipping since 11.30 pm. Zahid says he was given a bag by the doctors to pump Khushi. They also arranged some oxygen cylinders from outside, states Zahid. At 5 pm on Friday, Khushis body became numb and lifeless but the hospital authorities declared her dead only at 10 pm, claims the father.

Panic-stricken doctors kept administering the injections to the dead body of my daughter just to show the gathered media that she was alive, said Zahid howling with the pain of his loss. He pleaded for the body but was allowed to take it only after the police officials intervened.

Zahid and many more parents at BRD Medical College had similar tale of woes to narrate. However, after the reports of disrupted oxygen supply and resultant deaths pilfered out, the state government authorities rushed for a cover-up and the first head to roll was of Principal RK Mishra who was suspended on Saturday for dereliction of duty and negligence by state minister, Medical Education. Mishra on his part claimed that he had resigned taking the moral responsibility of the incident before being suspended by the minister who had reached the medical college to take stock of the situation on Saturday.

Of 30 children who died in the Medical College during the last 48 hours, 17 were in the neo-natal ward, five in the AES (acute encephalitis syndrome) ward and eight in the general ward. The confusion over the cause of so many deaths in just five days was still a riddle to be solved. While the patients claimed it to be lack of oxygen supply, the authorities rubbished the claim and attributed the deaths to a number of reasons including neo-natal deaths, outbreak of acute encephalitis and other ailments. However, a high level probe into the reasons was on under Chief Secretary Rajeev Kumar and the report is expected shortly.

What went wrong?

TERSE LETTER: After numerous reminder about its pending dues, the firm supplying oxygen to BRD Medical College sent a legal notice & two reminders on July 30 & 31 about its inability to supply oxygen in view of C69-lakh outstanding balance. The notice said that it wont be responsible for any eventuality

SOS: Three employees of hospitals Central Pipeline that supplies oxygen to various wards sent an SOS to the HoD of the paediatric on Aug 10, about the low pressure of oxygen in the unit, which is unlikely to last beyond midnight

PANIC SETS IN: At 7.30 PM on August 10, there is a dip in oxygen pressure in the pipeline. Desperate search for oxygen cylinders begins across the city for alternative arrangements. Did the firm suddenly stop oxygen supply? Probe is on

DESPERATE NIGHT: With oxygen supply down, it was a desperate Thursday night for parents, whose kids were in critical condition in neonatal ICU and encephalitis wards. They were given Ambu bags for maintaining oxygen supply, but many children started sinking

CLAIM, COUNTER-CLAIM: Although hospital and the health minister, claim that only one kid died on 10th night during the period the oxygen supply was disrupted, attendants claimed that their wards died in the night itself but were declared dead the next day

WHILE the oxygen supply emerged as the main reason for the sudden spate in deaths, the authorities also set up a probe to ascertain the role of the supplier M/s Pushpa sales Company which is accused of stopping the oxygen supply on Thursday night due to non-payment of dues to the tune of `70 lakh despite several reminders to the Medical college authorities and the district administration.

According to Deepankar Sharma of Pushpa sales Company, he had written to the BRD Medical College several times to clear their dues since November, the latest being on July 31 this year, but to no avail. He had even sent a legal notice dated July 30, 2017, addressed to the Medical college authorities saying,

You are called upon to ensure the payment of the pending bill with 15 days of the receipt of this legal notice failing which the company shall be compelled to initiate appropriate proceedings against you and you will be saddled with cost and consequences thereof.

On August 1, the liquid oxygen supplier company gave an ultimatum to the medical college authorities of discontinuing oxygen supply as the huge amount was pending. However, minister of medical health Ashutosh Tendon claimed that money for payment was released by the authorities in Lucknow on August 5 itself and the medical college authorities did not do the due.

Another startling fact which reveals the callousness of the hospital authorities is a letter written by three operators of the hospitals central oxygen pipeline to the Head of Department (HoD) of the paediatric department on August 10.

Workers examine oxygen

cylinders at the hospital.

They mentioned in the correspondence that the leading of liquid oxygen was losing pressure in the unit which is unlikely to last beyond midnight. However, the hospital authorities did not pay heed to it.

Meanwhile, in the melee, the hospital rushed to make partial payment of Pushpa Sales on August 11 with the promise to pay the rest soon.

However, Gorakhpur district administration, the visiting ministers and the hospital remained firm on their stand that the deaths did not occur due to lack of oxygen supply and that there was no dearth of the life saving gas in the hospital.

Back in Lucknow, after an emergency meeting on the issue, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that if the deaths occurred due to lack of oxygen it was an offence and he would ensure strictest action against those responsible for criminal negligence.

The union government has also asked the state for a detailed report on so many deaths in such a short span. The Centre has even rushed union minister Anupriya Patel along with union health secretary to Gorakhpur.

In the mean time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked to chief minister Yogi Aditaynath to take information and took to twitter to express his concern over the issue. I am monitoring the situation in Gorakhpur and I am in constant touch with the authorities in UP, Narendra Modi tweeted.

Meanwhile, the incident came as oxygen to the moribund and decimated opposition in the state. All, including the Congress led by Ghulam Nabi Azad and RPN Singh, the Samajwadi Party led by its chief Akhilesh Yadav and the Bahujan Samjwadi Party led by chief Mayawati politicised the issue and used it as a tool to attack the state government in anticipation of getting some political space back.

LUCKNOW: It was a desperate night of August 10 when the doctors at Nehru Hospital in BRD Medical College started running helter-skelter arranging for life-saving oxygen as the regular supply had dipped and the patients, mostly kids, started sinking. Khushi, 5, too devoid of oxygen, struggled for life for next 24 hours and lost it at 5 pm on Friday. She was one among those 60 patients, including 30 kids, who died in the hospital during the last five days. However, the real oxygen crisis started on Thusday night. Zahid who had admitted daughter Khushi, running with high fever to Encephalitis ward on Thursday afternoon saw her sinking past midnight as the regular oxygen supply started dipping since 11.30 pm. Zahid says he was given a bag by the doctors to pump Khushi. They also arranged some oxygen cylinders from outside, states Zahid. At 5 pm on Friday, Khushis body became numb and lifeless but the hospital authorities declared her dead only at 10 pm, claims the father. Panic-stricken doctors kept administering the injections to the dead body of my daughter just to show the gathered media that she was alive, said Zahid howling with the pain of his loss. He pleaded for the body but was allowed to take it only after the police officials intervened. Zahid and many more parents at BRD Medical College had similar tale of woes to narrate. However, after the reports of disrupted oxygen supply and resultant deaths pilfered out, the state government authorities rushed for a cover-up and the first head to roll was of Principal RK Mishra who was suspended on Saturday for dereliction of duty and negligence by state minister, Medical Education. Mishra on his part claimed that he had resigned taking the moral responsibility of the incident before being suspended by the minister who had reached the medical college to take stock of the situation on Saturday. Of 30 children who died in the Medical College during the last 48 hours, 17 were in the neo-natal ward, five in the AES (acute encephalitis syndrome) ward and eight in the general ward. The confusion over the cause of so many deaths in just five days was still a riddle to be solved. While the patients claimed it to be lack of oxygen supply, the authorities rubbished the claim and attributed the deaths to a number of reasons including neo-natal deaths, outbreak of acute encephalitis and other ailments. However, a high level probe into the reasons was on under Chief Secretary Rajeev Kumar and the report is expected shortly. What went wrong? TERSE LETTER: After numerous reminder about its pending dues, the firm supplying oxygen to BRD Medical College sent a legal notice & two reminders on July 30 & 31 about its inability to supply oxygen in view of C69-lakh outstanding balance. The notice said that it wont be responsible for any eventuality SOS: Three employees of hospitals Central Pipeline that supplies oxygen to various wards sent an SOS to the HoD of the paediatric on Aug 10, about the low pressure of oxygen in the unit, which is unlikely to last beyond midnight PANIC SETS IN: At 7.30 PM on August 10, there is a dip in oxygen pressure in the pipeline. Desperate search for oxygen cylinders begins across the city for alternative arrangements. Did the firm suddenly stop oxygen supply? Probe is on DESPERATE NIGHT: With oxygen supply down, it was a desperate Thursday night for parents, whose kids were in critical condition in neonatal ICU and encephalitis wards. They were given Ambu bags for maintaining oxygen supply, but many children started sinking CLAIM, COUNTER-CLAIM: Although hospital and the health minister, claim that only one kid died on 10th night during the period the oxygen supply was disrupted, attendants claimed that their wards died in the night itself but were declared dead the next day WHILE the oxygen supply emerged as the main reason for the sudden spate in deaths, the authorities also set up a probe to ascertain the role of the supplier M/s Pushpa sales Company which is accused of stopping the oxygen supply on Thursday night due to non-payment of dues to the tune of `70 lakh despite several reminders to the Medical college authorities and the district administration. According to Deepankar Sharma of Pushpa sales Company, he had written to the BRD Medical College several times to clear their dues since November, the latest being on July 31 this year, but to no avail. He had even sent a legal notice dated July 30, 2017, addressed to the Medical college authorities saying, You are called upon to ensure the payment of the pending bill with 15 days of the receipt of this legal notice failing which the company shall be compelled to initiate appropriate proceedings against you and you will be saddled with cost and consequences thereof. On August 1, the liquid oxygen supplier company gave an ultimatum to the medical college authorities of discontinuing oxygen supply as the huge amount was pending. However, minister of medical health Ashutosh Tendon claimed that money for payment was released by the authorities in Lucknow on August 5 itself and the medical college authorities did not do the due. Another startling fact which reveals the callousness of the hospital authorities is a letter written by three operators of the hospitals central oxygen pipeline to the Head of Department (HoD) of the paediatric department on August 10. Workers examine oxygen cylinders at the hospital.They mentioned in the correspondence that the leading of liquid oxygen was losing pressure in the unit which is unlikely to last beyond midnight. However, the hospital authorities did not pay heed to it. Meanwhile, in the melee, the hospital rushed to make partial payment of Pushpa Sales on August 11 with the promise to pay the rest soon. However, Gorakhpur district administration, the visiting ministers and the hospital remained firm on their stand that the deaths did not occur due to lack of oxygen supply and that there was no dearth of the life saving gas in the hospital. Back in Lucknow, after an emergency meeting on the issue, chief minister Yogi Adityanath said that if the deaths occurred due to lack of oxygen it was an offence and he would ensure strictest action against those responsible for criminal negligence. The union government has also asked the state for a detailed report on so many deaths in such a short span. The Centre has even rushed union minister Anupriya Patel along with union health secretary to Gorakhpur. In the mean time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked to chief minister Yogi Aditaynath to take information and took to twitter to express his concern over the issue. I am monitoring the situation in Gorakhpur and I am in constant touch with the authorities in UP, Narendra Modi tweeted. Meanwhile, the incident came as oxygen to the moribund and decimated opposition in the state. All, including the Congress led by Ghulam Nabi Azad and RPN Singh, the Samajwadi Party led by its chief Akhilesh Yadav and the Bahujan Samjwadi Party led by chief Mayawati politicised the issue and used it as a tool to attack the state government in anticipation of getting some political space back.
Harpreet Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: THE death toll in the Himachal Pradesh landslide tragedy has risen to 46 after a landslide swept away two buses parked on National Highway 154 in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday night. A biker is also said to have died in the calamity.

Sources said the two Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses had stopped for a tea break at Kotrupi near Padder in Mandi district around midnight when the landslide struck.

Most passengers were from Pathankot and Chamba. One bus was en route to Manali from Chamba with 47 passengers on board while the other bus was headed to Katra from Manali with eight passengers. 42 bodies were recovered from both buses of which 23 have been identified.

Watch video: Death toll rises to 46 as massive landslide sweeps away buses in Himachal Pradesh

24 bodies were recovered by the search and rescue teams comprising the Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Five people were admitted to the Manali zonal hospital. The Manali-bound bus, which was buried under mud after rolling 800 metres off the road was later successfully retrieved.

Mandi deputy commissioner Sandeep Kadam said, Twenty four bodies were recovered and five rescued after a long operation. Rescue teams were digging throughout the day to find survivors trapped in the rubble.

As per records, 21 passengers travelling to Manali got their tickets booked online. It is learnt that there were some 35 to 50 passengers on the bus at the time of the incident.

Those killed have been identified as Chandan Sharma (driver), Satpal (conductor), Rajesh from Dharamsala, Manju from Karsog, Sachvetra from Ampur, Anita from Mandi, Beauty Sharma from Patna and Shubam from Pathankot.

Revenue minister Kaul Singh announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased.

The Jogindernagar-Mandi section of the Pathankot- Mandi National highway has been closed. The district administration has advised people to take the Mandi-Kullu route via Kalota. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences. Pained by the loss of lives due to landslide related accidents in HPs Mandi district, my condolences with the families of the deceased.

CHANDIGARH: THE death toll in the Himachal Pradesh landslide tragedy has risen to 46 after a landslide swept away two buses parked on National Highway 154 in Himachal Pradesh on Saturday night. A biker is also said to have died in the calamity. Sources said the two Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses had stopped for a tea break at Kotrupi near Padder in Mandi district around midnight when the landslide struck. Most passengers were from Pathankot and Chamba. One bus was en route to Manali from Chamba with 47 passengers on board while the other bus was headed to Katra from Manali with eight passengers. 42 bodies were recovered from both buses of which 23 have been identified. Watch video: Death toll rises to 46 as massive landslide sweeps away buses in Himachal Pradesh 24 bodies were recovered by the search and rescue teams comprising the Army and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Five people were admitted to the Manali zonal hospital. The Manali-bound bus, which was buried under mud after rolling 800 metres off the road was later successfully retrieved. Mandi deputy commissioner Sandeep Kadam said, Twenty four bodies were recovered and five rescued after a long operation. Rescue teams were digging throughout the day to find survivors trapped in the rubble. As per records, 21 passengers travelling to Manali got their tickets booked online. It is learnt that there were some 35 to 50 passengers on the bus at the time of the incident. Those killed have been identified as Chandan Sharma (driver), Satpal (conductor), Rajesh from Dharamsala, Manju from Karsog, Sachvetra from Ampur, Anita from Mandi, Beauty Sharma from Patna and Shubam from Pathankot. Revenue minister Kaul Singh announced an ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh to the kin of the deceased. The Jogindernagar-Mandi section of the Pathankot- Mandi National highway has been closed. The district administration has advised people to take the Mandi-Kullu route via Kalota. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences. Pained by the loss of lives due to landslide related accidents in HPs Mandi district, my condolences with the families of the deceased.
68 people - including children and infants - died in a span of six days at the Baba Raghav Das medical college in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur.

By Ankit Tyagi: In the wake of the Gorakhpur tragedy, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will review the state of medicines and equipment in public hospitals on Wednesday.

This comes after 68 people - including children and infants - died in a span of six days at the Baba Raghav Das medical college in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's hometown.

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Sources informed India Today that Kejriwal has asked the Medical Superintendent of 35 Delhi government hospitals to come prepared with a list of the stock of medicines available in their hospitals, and of the medicines that they need. They'll also need to say how long the demand has been pending.

A similar list about the status of essential medical equipment also needs to be presented in front of the CM on Wednesday.

FOCUS ON HEALTH AND EDUCATION

Besides the 35 big hospitals which cater to the majority of Delhi's population, the Kejriwal government also runs Mohalla clinics and dispensaries.

The Delhi government - which has been accused by the Opposition for its lack of focus on development - has emphasised a special focus on the education and health sectors.

AAP sources believe that if education and health issues provide tangible results, they'll form the fundamental core of AAP's political strategy going forward.

SURPRISE INSPECTIONS

CM Kejriwal, who after being one of the most vocal critics of PM Modi, has gone into silent mode after defeats in the Punjab and MCD polls.

Political analysts now say Kejriwal is trying to reinvent himself as a hands-on working CM.

Recently, Kejriwal has kept himself busy doing surprise inspections of hospitals, schools and other government-run programmes.

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Gorakhpur tragedy: As death toll mounts to 68, CM Yogi Adityanath visits BRD Hospital

--- ENDS ---
Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants including a top commander and two soldiers were killed and three army men injured in an 18-hour long gunfight in south Kashmirs Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

J&K Director General of Police, S P Vaid, told New Indian Express that police, paramilitary and army men launched combing and search operation in Awneera village of Shopian district last evening after receiving information that a group of militants were hiding there.

He said while the security personnel were conducting combing operation, they came under a heavy volume of fire from militants hiding in the area.

Sources said militants fired heavily on the search party from some houses in the cordoned area.

Five army men were injured in the militant firing. They were evacuated to army hospital in Srinagar, where two of the critically injured soldiers succumbed to injuries, they said.

Three other injured soldiers are undergoing treatment in the military hospital.

The deceased soldiers were identified as 25-year-old Sepoy Ilayaraja P of IIayangudi, Tamil Nadu and Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman, 25, of Akola, Maharashtra.

Sepoy Ilayaraja, who had joined the army in 2012, is survived by parents, wife and sister.

Sepoy Waman had joined the army in 2011. He has left behind parents, brother and sister.

A police official said after suffering casualties, more security personnel were rushed to the area to tighten the siege and prevent militants from escaping.

He said the militants continued to engage the security forces by continuously changing their positions.

The area was rattling with blasts and gunfire throughout the night.

A police official said the security forces launched a final assault on militants early this morning by targeting their positions from heavy gunfire.

Four houses were blown up by using explosives to force the militants to come in open, he said.

The militants, he said, rained volleys of bullets on security personnel after coming into the open and three Hizb militants were killed in the encounter that continued till 11 am.

The slain militants were identified as Mohammad Yasin Itoo alias Gaznavi, Umar Majid Sheikh and Irfan ul Sheikh, all locals.

Itoo, who was the operational commander of Hizb and most wanted militant, was identified by his family members who were brought to the encounter site to identify him.

Itoos name figured in the hit list of 12 wanted militants issued by the army in June.

He hailed from central Kashmirs Budgam district. He was a tech-savvy militant and had released many videos. In the video released last month, he had warned of attacks on security forces.

A police officer termed his killing as a major jolt to Hizbul Mujahideen.

According to police, Itoo had joined Hizb in 1996 and was active till 2007 when he was arrested.

He again joined Hizb in 2015 and was presently functioning as operational commander of the outfit.

Sources said some militants may have escaped during the gunfight.

As the encounter was raging, the youth of the area took to roads and staged protests. Chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, the protestors tried to march towards the encounter site to pave way for militants to escape.

However, the police and CRPF men prevented the protestors from reaching near encounter site by firing tear smoke shells, pellets and resorting to heavy baton charge. The cops also fired in air to disperse the stone pelting youth. At least a dozen people sustained injuries in security forces action.

2 cops, army jawan injured

Militants fired from AK-47 rifles towards security men during a cordon and search operation (CASO) in Kochak Mohalla Hajin area of north Kashmirs Bandipora district this morning.

Two policemen identified as Mukhtiyar and Fayaz Ahmad and sepoy Raj Kumar were injured in the militant attack. The injured security personnel were hospitalized.

Sources said police, army and CRPF men had launched combing operation in the area after receiving inputs about the presence of three militants there.

The militants, however, managed to escape after attacking the search party, they said.

Civilian injured in blast succumbs

A civilian identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir, who was injured in an explosion at Dalgate area of uptown Srinagar last evening, succumbed to injuries at a hospital.

He had sustained injuries when unknown persons lobbed a petrol bomb at Badyari Chowk in Dalgate area last evening, a police spokesman said.

SRINAGAR: Three Hizbul Mujahideen militants including a top commander and two soldiers were killed and three army men injured in an 18-hour long gunfight in south Kashmirs Shopian district in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. J&K Director General of Police, S P Vaid, told New Indian Express that police, paramilitary and army men launched combing and search operation in Awneera village of Shopian district last evening after receiving information that a group of militants were hiding there. He said while the security personnel were conducting combing operation, they came under a heavy volume of fire from militants hiding in the area. Sources said militants fired heavily on the search party from some houses in the cordoned area. Five army men were injured in the militant firing. They were evacuated to army hospital in Srinagar, where two of the critically injured soldiers succumbed to injuries, they said. Three other injured soldiers are undergoing treatment in the military hospital. The deceased soldiers were identified as 25-year-old Sepoy Ilayaraja P of IIayangudi, Tamil Nadu and Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman, 25, of Akola, Maharashtra. Sepoy Ilayaraja, who had joined the army in 2012, is survived by parents, wife and sister. Sepoy Waman had joined the army in 2011. He has left behind parents, brother and sister. A police official said after suffering casualties, more security personnel were rushed to the area to tighten the siege and prevent militants from escaping. He said the militants continued to engage the security forces by continuously changing their positions. The area was rattling with blasts and gunfire throughout the night. A police official said the security forces launched a final assault on militants early this morning by targeting their positions from heavy gunfire. Four houses were blown up by using explosives to force the militants to come in open, he said. The militants, he said, rained volleys of bullets on security personnel after coming into the open and three Hizb militants were killed in the encounter that continued till 11 am. The slain militants were identified as Mohammad Yasin Itoo alias Gaznavi, Umar Majid Sheikh and Irfan ul Sheikh, all locals. Itoo, who was the operational commander of Hizb and most wanted militant, was identified by his family members who were brought to the encounter site to identify him. Itoos name figured in the hit list of 12 wanted militants issued by the army in June. He hailed from central Kashmirs Budgam district. He was a tech-savvy militant and had released many videos. In the video released last month, he had warned of attacks on security forces. A police officer termed his killing as a major jolt to Hizbul Mujahideen. According to police, Itoo had joined Hizb in 1996 and was active till 2007 when he was arrested. He again joined Hizb in 2015 and was presently functioning as operational commander of the outfit. Sources said some militants may have escaped during the gunfight. As the encounter was raging, the youth of the area took to roads and staged protests. Chanting pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, the protestors tried to march towards the encounter site to pave way for militants to escape. However, the police and CRPF men prevented the protestors from reaching near encounter site by firing tear smoke shells, pellets and resorting to heavy baton charge. The cops also fired in air to disperse the stone pelting youth. At least a dozen people sustained injuries in security forces action. 2 cops, army jawan injured Militants fired from AK-47 rifles towards security men during a cordon and search operation (CASO) in Kochak Mohalla Hajin area of north Kashmirs Bandipora district this morning. Two policemen identified as Mukhtiyar and Fayaz Ahmad and sepoy Raj Kumar were injured in the militant attack. The injured security personnel were hospitalized. Sources said police, army and CRPF men had launched combing operation in the area after receiving inputs about the presence of three militants there. The militants, however, managed to escape after attacking the search party, they said. Civilian injured in blast succumbs A civilian identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir, who was injured in an explosion at Dalgate area of uptown Srinagar last evening, succumbed to injuries at a hospital. He had sustained injuries when unknown persons lobbed a petrol bomb at Badyari Chowk in Dalgate area last evening, a police spokesman said.
Prabhu Chawla By

In the language of history, monuments speak for themselves. The ramparts of the Red Fort is where the word stream of Indias past and future meet every Independence Day, when successive prime ministers spell out their vision for a new and progressive Indiafor the coming year and thereafter. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver his fourth address, adding to the 67 speeches delivered earlier by 12 Prime Ministers so far. Each one of them communicated their idea of India and a future road map to achieve their vision with or without a clearly defined mission.

All 13 prime ministers, including Modi, have expounded on policy decisions, social and economic schemes and other measures to make India more affluent and a better place to live in. Repetition is the bane of political declarations; promises keep re-appearing in successive Independence Day speeches, revealing the sad truth that the majority of vows remain unfulfilled though most of the promise-makers themselves have passed on. Even after 70 years, the dream of providing electricity to every village and a roof for every Indian remains barren. Of all the economic, social and diplomatic maladies that blight the nation, the abominable plight of our women has been dominating a large portion of 71 prime ministerial addresses.

Over seven decades, Indias prime ministers have been assuring a safe India for women from the safe heights of Shah Jahans imposing edifice. However, Narendra Modi gave gender trauma a new dimension by questioning the moral and social partiality prevalent in society on womens safety. In his maiden, hour-long Independence Day speech on August 15, 2014, he questioned the conduct of boys. Have we asked our sons as to what he is doing and where is he going? was his question.

The Prime Minister demanded that all parents should impose the same restrictions they would like to place on their daughters, on their sons as well. Unfortunately, three years later when he ascends the stairs of the Red Fort, he would be carrying the realisation that his advice has been largely ignored by Indias male-dominated society.

For the past few weeks, newspapers and news channels are aflame with frightening news on the growing incidents of stalking, assault and rape of young girls and teenagers from Chandigarh to Thiruvananthapuram. The son of a BJP leader and his friend were arrested for chasing the daughter of an IAS officer in Chandigarh last week. In a cow belt state, two girls were burnt alive while they were sleeping under a mosquito net. In a southern state, a film star was kidnapped by well-connected villains.

In the past three years, Modi has given fresh ideas and directions to the nation. He has laid down plans to convert filth-ridden India into Swachh Bharat, He has spoken about the digital revolution and the need for a healthy India. He has shaken up every section and sector of society and the economy through disruptive interventions and innumerable innovations. However, he has been badly let down by the establishment in the states and the Centre in ensuring a safer India for women. In his own words, "Mind is never a problem. Mindset is; summing up the malaise plaguing the Indian psyche today.

Despite stringent laws, crimes against women have risen by almost 100 per cent in the past decade according to government data. In the last three years alone, cases of violence registered against women have gone up by almost 40 percent. Around 30 such cases are reported every hour across India. Its worrisome that inspite of a successful nationwide protest seeking speedy justice in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case, the number of rapes and other serious offences against women has shown a sharp increase in Indias capital city. Rape cases in Delhi went up from 706 in 2012 to 2,199 in 2016; cases of assault with the intention to abduct increased from 727 to 4,165 during the same period.

Its not youth with criminal mindsets who pose the biggest threat to the safety of Indias women. Despite growing literacy and prosperity, they are physically abused the most by family members. In the past decade, over a million cases of cruelty by husbands and relatives (12 per hour) have been registered all across the country. Surprisingly, the relatively richer and more literate states such as Andhra Pradesh and Kerala top this dismal list.

Social scientists, political leaders and public figures blame the judiciary and the police for not stopping the threat. Since the conviction rate in criminal cases of crimes against women is less than 25 per cent in the country, sex criminals are emboldened to unleash their lust and murderous rage on helpless women and girls. With support from the political establishment, they get away because its men who control the justice delivery system. In a country of 1.25 billion, there are only three women chief ministers; less than 5 per cent of judges in the country are female.

Even in the Supreme Court, the count of female judges has been dwindling over the past decade. The number of women District Magistrates, senior cops, Home Secretaries, home ministers and even jail superintendents is abysmally low. Of the 7,000-strong IAS fraternity, hardly 300 women officers occupy important postings.

No political party, which swears by womens reservation in legislatures, has fought for the passage of the Women Reservation Bill, which has been pending in Parliament for over a decade. Moreover, not even 5 per cent of the office bearers of all political parties put together are women. It is strange that while women are traditionally trusted with household budgets, none of them is the treasurer of a party.

Since one of Modis icons is Swami Vivekananda, he may well recall the sages advice on how to treat women. Can you better the condition of your women? Then there will be hope for your wellbeing. Otherwise you will remain as backward as you are now, Vivekananda wrote to his mentor 134 years ago from Chicago where the Americans had given him a rousing welcome. Modi would be well advised to consolidate his hold over his massive political female following by enunciating his resolve in his Independence Day speech to create a safe and positive environment for women to make them productive partners in his New India endeavour.

Prabhu Chawla

prabhuchawla@ newindianexpress.com

Follow him on Twitter @PrabhuChawla

In the language of history, monuments speak for themselves. The ramparts of the Red Fort is where the word stream of Indias past and future meet every Independence Day, when successive prime ministers spell out their vision for a new and progressive Indiafor the coming year and thereafter. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver his fourth address, adding to the 67 speeches delivered earlier by 12 Prime Ministers so far. Each one of them communicated their idea of India and a future road map to achieve their vision with or without a clearly defined mission. All 13 prime ministers, including Modi, have expounded on policy decisions, social and economic schemes and other measures to make India more affluent and a better place to live in. Repetition is the bane of political declarations; promises keep re-appearing in successive Independence Day speeches, revealing the sad truth that the majority of vows remain unfulfilled though most of the promise-makers themselves have passed on. Even after 70 years, the dream of providing electricity to every village and a roof for every Indian remains barren. Of all the economic, social and diplomatic maladies that blight the nation, the abominable plight of our women has been dominating a large portion of 71 prime ministerial addresses. Over seven decades, Indias prime ministers have been assuring a safe India for women from the safe heights of Shah Jahans imposing edifice. However, Narendra Modi gave gender trauma a new dimension by questioning the moral and social partiality prevalent in society on womens safety. In his maiden, hour-long Independence Day speech on August 15, 2014, he questioned the conduct of boys. Have we asked our sons as to what he is doing and where is he going? was his question. The Prime Minister demanded that all parents should impose the same restrictions they would like to place on their daughters, on their sons as well. Unfortunately, three years later when he ascends the stairs of the Red Fort, he would be carrying the realisation that his advice has been largely ignored by Indias male-dominated society. For the past few weeks, newspapers and news channels are aflame with frightening news on the growing incidents of stalking, assault and rape of young girls and teenagers from Chandigarh to Thiruvananthapuram. The son of a BJP leader and his friend were arrested for chasing the daughter of an IAS officer in Chandigarh last week. In a cow belt state, two girls were burnt alive while they were sleeping under a mosquito net. In a southern state, a film star was kidnapped by well-connected villains. In the past three years, Modi has given fresh ideas and directions to the nation. He has laid down plans to convert filth-ridden India into Swachh Bharat, He has spoken about the digital revolution and the need for a healthy India. He has shaken up every section and sector of society and the economy through disruptive interventions and innumerable innovations. However, he has been badly let down by the establishment in the states and the Centre in ensuring a safer India for women. In his own words, "Mind is never a problem. Mindset is; summing up the malaise plaguing the Indian psyche today. Despite stringent laws, crimes against women have risen by almost 100 per cent in the past decade according to government data. In the last three years alone, cases of violence registered against women have gone up by almost 40 percent. Around 30 such cases are reported every hour across India. Its worrisome that inspite of a successful nationwide protest seeking speedy justice in the Nirbhaya rape and murder case, the number of rapes and other serious offences against women has shown a sharp increase in Indias capital city. Rape cases in Delhi went up from 706 in 2012 to 2,199 in 2016; cases of assault with the intention to abduct increased from 727 to 4,165 during the same period. Its not youth with criminal mindsets who pose the biggest threat to the safety of Indias women. Despite growing literacy and prosperity, they are physically abused the most by family members. In the past decade, over a million cases of cruelty by husbands and relatives (12 per hour) have been registered all across the country. Surprisingly, the relatively richer and more literate states such as Andhra Pradesh and Kerala top this dismal list. Social scientists, political leaders and public figures blame the judiciary and the police for not stopping the threat. Since the conviction rate in criminal cases of crimes against women is less than 25 per cent in the country, sex criminals are emboldened to unleash their lust and murderous rage on helpless women and girls. With support from the political establishment, they get away because its men who control the justice delivery system. In a country of 1.25 billion, there are only three women chief ministers; less than 5 per cent of judges in the country are female. Even in the Supreme Court, the count of female judges has been dwindling over the past decade. The number of women District Magistrates, senior cops, Home Secretaries, home ministers and even jail superintendents is abysmally low. Of the 7,000-strong IAS fraternity, hardly 300 women officers occupy important postings. No political party, which swears by womens reservation in legislatures, has fought for the passage of the Women Reservation Bill, which has been pending in Parliament for over a decade. Moreover, not even 5 per cent of the office bearers of all political parties put together are women. It is strange that while women are traditionally trusted with household budgets, none of them is the treasurer of a party. Since one of Modis icons is Swami Vivekananda, he may well recall the sages advice on how to treat women. Can you better the condition of your women? Then there will be hope for your wellbeing. Otherwise you will remain as backward as you are now, Vivekananda wrote to his mentor 134 years ago from Chicago where the Americans had given him a rousing welcome. Modi would be well advised to consolidate his hold over his massive political female following by enunciating his resolve in his Independence Day speech to create a safe and positive environment for women to make them productive partners in his New India endeavour. Prabhu Chawla prabhuchawla@ newindianexpress.com Follow him on Twitter @PrabhuChawla
Shankkar Aiyar By

Shankkar Aiyar Author of Aadhaar: A Biometric History of Indias 12 Digit Revolution, and

Accidental India

This August 15 India celebrates 70 years of Independence, a young nation nestled in an ancient civilisation yet wrestling with old problems in the new millennium. Indias leaders have used the occasion to pledge political power to take India to greater heights. The running theme is the vow to pave the way from penury to promise of prosperity. The question in 2017 is: were words translated into deeds? In 1947, Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru evocatively said, That future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we may fulfil the pledges and underlined ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. The lofty ideas found reflection in the Constitution and in the Directive Principles of State Policy.

While Nehru succeeded in sustaining democracy against odds, the promise to end poverty was waylaid. In 1947, nearly seven of 10 Indians lived below the poverty line. Till as late as 1990s, four decades later, five of 10 were below poverty line. Fact is, seven decades later, in 2016, nearly one in five or over 270 million Indians lived below the poverty line (World Bank estimates). The persistence of poverty is located at the intersection of usurious politics and extractive economics. Ideally, India should have addressed agrarian distressit was a net importer of food since Independence and poverty was located in agrarian distress. Yet investment and technology was denied. The import-and-keep-prices-low theology crippled Indias food security. By 1960s, India couldnt pay for imports. Lal Bahadur Shastri had to call for Indians to fast once a week even as he brought in C Subramaniam to propel the Green Revolution.

His call to arms, Jai Jawan Jai Kisan, was about redefining national security. He said, I consider self-sufficiency in food to be no less important than an impregnable defence system for the preservation of our freedom and independence. India is no longer a ship to mouth economy, producing over 272 million tonnes. Yet in 2017, agrarian distress is starkly visible in farmer suicides and the demand for job reservations by the land-owning class.Indira Gandhis first Independence Day speech from the Red Fort in 1966 was a potent mix of idealism and ideology. She said that economic growth could be better and it can be done, urged farmers and workers alike to do their bit and exhorted Indians to reduce dependence on imports and go swadeshi. Socialism, she said, was the only way to reduce poverty.

The Garibi Hatao brand of socialism left India stranded. In the 1960s and 1970s, as other Asian economies grew at 5-plus per cent, Indonesia grew at 7-plus per cent, India was stuck at around 3.5 per centfor three decades, between 1950 and 1980, Indias per capita income grew at sub 1.5 per cent and slower than Malawi.The flaw lay in the distrust of Indians and misplaced trust in the theory of government knows best. Nehru is blamed for installing state-ism, but it was under Indira Gandhi that the number of PSUs rose from 69 to 121. The mistake was not so much with the adoption but in persisting with licence raj despite obvious failures. India is paying a high priceopportunity, scale, competitivenessfor persisting with a closed economy.

Soon after assuming power in 1984, Rajiv Gandhi made two critical observationsthe Congress party was infested with power brokers and that Indias economy needs to be opened up. His first Independence Day generated hope and headlineshe had struck the Assam deal a few hours earlier. He was in a hurry to take India to the 21st Centurya theme song with him. He promoted panchayati raj, recognised the potential of urbanisation, chanted the youth mantra, pushed for reduction in voting age from 21 years to 18, opened up sectors even if not in sync with fiscal conditions, promoted computerisation and access to teleconnectivity. By year three, his credibility dwindled, held to ransom by the very same middlemen he chided in 1985and by the time he demitted office in 1989, India was hostage to an unprecedented economic crisis.

V P Singh, the challenger, came to power and declared the coffers are empty. It took the sagacity of Chandra Shekhar to negotiate a bail out. P V Narasimha Rao surprised India and the world by taking the deal forward, dismantling licence raj to liberate the economy, and declared from the Red Fort: We have only salvaged the prestige of this country. Rao and his team, however, let permission raj prevailvisible even in 2017 in the poor rankings in ease of doing business and unending queue of stalled projects. By 1992, the slide to ignominy had begun the scams, the scandals and abdication took their toll.

Oratory and hope returned to Red Fort after decades in 1998. Atal Bihari Vajpayeepoet, nationalist, statesman and the great conciliatorredefined Indias place on the global stage. Having ensured the success of Pokhran II tests, he said in his first Independence Day speech: India is a great country and its people are powerful. It was a message to believers, naysayers and the neighbours.

There is much Vajpayee said and didconnecting Bharat to India, drafting a template for peace, welcoming dissent, setting the tonality of humanism in politics. His review of everything that was right and wrong with India at 51in a speech spanning over 4,000 wordsis valid two decades later. He was tripped from withinby revisionists and the India Shining hyper-bole brigade.

In 2004, the Congress anointed Manmohan Singh to the top job. Typical of the professor, in his first speech at Red Fort he asked Indians: What is the Bharat that we all wish to build? and went on to present his vision of India. Reticent, cornered by the civil war in Congress and hamstrung by coalition conditionalities, Singh saw his vision felled by vile politicsby the expansion of political entitlements that brought India back to the brink of an economic crisis.

In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected as the antidote to everything that was wrong. He has used every Independence Day since 2014 to unveil a slew of programmes and marketed it with force. Translating declared intent into results though needs more decentralisation and dismantling of the cosy power and pelf coalition.Every issue that confronted India in 1947, continues to haunt it in 2017be it child malnutrition, poverty, agrarian distress, job creation. Living up to the pledge calls for redesigning the structure of government. It requires enforcement of rule of law. Above all, transformation demands sustaining democracy by preserving the idea of inclusive India

The challenge is the opportunity, to craft a lasting legacy.

shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com

Shankkar Aiyar Author of Aadhaar: A Biometric History of Indias 12 Digit Revolution, and Accidental India This August 15 India celebrates 70 years of Independence, a young nation nestled in an ancient civilisation yet wrestling with old problems in the new millennium. Indias leaders have used the occasion to pledge political power to take India to greater heights. The running theme is the vow to pave the way from penury to promise of prosperity. The question in 2017 is: were words translated into deeds? In 1947, Indias first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru evocatively said, That future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we may fulfil the pledges and underlined ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity. The lofty ideas found reflection in the Constitution and in the Directive Principles of State Policy. While Nehru succeeded in sustaining democracy against odds, the promise to end poverty was waylaid. In 1947, nearly seven of 10 Indians lived below the poverty line. Till as late as 1990s, four decades later, five of 10 were below poverty line. Fact is, seven decades later, in 2016, nearly one in five or over 270 million Indians lived below the poverty line (World Bank estimates). The persistence of poverty is located at the intersection of usurious politics and extractive economics. Ideally, India should have addressed agrarian distressit was a net importer of food since Independence and poverty was located in agrarian distress. Yet investment and technology was denied. The import-and-keep-prices-low theology crippled Indias food security. By 1960s, India couldnt pay for imports. Lal Bahadur Shastri had to call for Indians to fast once a week even as he brought in C Subramaniam to propel the Green Revolution. His call to arms, Jai Jawan Jai Kisan, was about redefining national security. He said, I consider self-sufficiency in food to be no less important than an impregnable defence system for the preservation of our freedom and independence. India is no longer a ship to mouth economy, producing over 272 million tonnes. Yet in 2017, agrarian distress is starkly visible in farmer suicides and the demand for job reservations by the land-owning class.Indira Gandhis first Independence Day speech from the Red Fort in 1966 was a potent mix of idealism and ideology. She said that economic growth could be better and it can be done, urged farmers and workers alike to do their bit and exhorted Indians to reduce dependence on imports and go swadeshi. Socialism, she said, was the only way to reduce poverty. The Garibi Hatao brand of socialism left India stranded. In the 1960s and 1970s, as other Asian economies grew at 5-plus per cent, Indonesia grew at 7-plus per cent, India was stuck at around 3.5 per centfor three decades, between 1950 and 1980, Indias per capita income grew at sub 1.5 per cent and slower than Malawi.The flaw lay in the distrust of Indians and misplaced trust in the theory of government knows best. Nehru is blamed for installing state-ism, but it was under Indira Gandhi that the number of PSUs rose from 69 to 121. The mistake was not so much with the adoption but in persisting with licence raj despite obvious failures. India is paying a high priceopportunity, scale, competitivenessfor persisting with a closed economy. Soon after assuming power in 1984, Rajiv Gandhi made two critical observationsthe Congress party was infested with power brokers and that Indias economy needs to be opened up. His first Independence Day generated hope and headlineshe had struck the Assam deal a few hours earlier. He was in a hurry to take India to the 21st Centurya theme song with him. He promoted panchayati raj, recognised the potential of urbanisation, chanted the youth mantra, pushed for reduction in voting age from 21 years to 18, opened up sectors even if not in sync with fiscal conditions, promoted computerisation and access to teleconnectivity. By year three, his credibility dwindled, held to ransom by the very same middlemen he chided in 1985and by the time he demitted office in 1989, India was hostage to an unprecedented economic crisis. V P Singh, the challenger, came to power and declared the coffers are empty. It took the sagacity of Chandra Shekhar to negotiate a bail out. P V Narasimha Rao surprised India and the world by taking the deal forward, dismantling licence raj to liberate the economy, and declared from the Red Fort: We have only salvaged the prestige of this country. Rao and his team, however, let permission raj prevailvisible even in 2017 in the poor rankings in ease of doing business and unending queue of stalled projects. By 1992, the slide to ignominy had begun the scams, the scandals and abdication took their toll. Oratory and hope returned to Red Fort after decades in 1998. Atal Bihari Vajpayeepoet, nationalist, statesman and the great conciliatorredefined Indias place on the global stage. Having ensured the success of Pokhran II tests, he said in his first Independence Day speech: India is a great country and its people are powerful. It was a message to believers, naysayers and the neighbours. There is much Vajpayee said and didconnecting Bharat to India, drafting a template for peace, welcoming dissent, setting the tonality of humanism in politics. His review of everything that was right and wrong with India at 51in a speech spanning over 4,000 wordsis valid two decades later. He was tripped from withinby revisionists and the India Shining hyper-bole brigade. In 2004, the Congress anointed Manmohan Singh to the top job. Typical of the professor, in his first speech at Red Fort he asked Indians: What is the Bharat that we all wish to build? and went on to present his vision of India. Reticent, cornered by the civil war in Congress and hamstrung by coalition conditionalities, Singh saw his vision felled by vile politicsby the expansion of political entitlements that brought India back to the brink of an economic crisis. In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected as the antidote to everything that was wrong. He has used every Independence Day since 2014 to unveil a slew of programmes and marketed it with force. Translating declared intent into results though needs more decentralisation and dismantling of the cosy power and pelf coalition.Every issue that confronted India in 1947, continues to haunt it in 2017be it child malnutrition, poverty, agrarian distress, job creation. Living up to the pledge calls for redesigning the structure of government. It requires enforcement of rule of law. Above all, transformation demands sustaining democracy by preserving the idea of inclusive India The challenge is the opportunity, to craft a lasting legacy. shankkar.aiyar@gmail.com
Ajay Kanth By

Express News Service

KOZHIKODE: Post-GST, gold smugglers are busy pushing consignments to Kerala as a kg of gold will easily fetch them a profit of `3.5 lakh. Following Intel inputs on a likely spike in bullion smuggling in the coming days on account of Onam, enforcement agencies, mainly, the Customs Air Intelligence Unit(AIU)and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have heightened their vigil.The tax on gold under GST has increased from 1.2 per cent to 3 per cent which fuelled demand for smuggled gold from jewellers in the state right from July 1, 2017, when the new tax regime came into force.



Officers said demand for the yellow metal in the black market had increased post-GST and DRI had booked seven cases here between July- August. We have mounted a heightened vigil following inputs the smugglers have revamped their operations to bring in more gold through airports in the country, said a senior Customs officer.The seized quantity of smuggled gold from airports in Kerala between March 2011 and January 31, 2016, was a staggering 859.83 kg and according to the officer, the seized quantity was just 10 per cent of the smuggled volume.



Former Customs Commissioner K N Raghavan said an increase in margin due to change in the tax structure will fuel gold smuggling. The GST has added more tax on gold and the smugglers will definitely cash in on this. Above all, the festive season has hiked the demand for gold in the black market, he said. Customs officers said there has been a sudden spike in the seizure of gold from passengers of international flights and this trend may be linked to the post-GST period.



The smugglers are trying to cash in on the advantage provided by the lower gold prices in South East Asia and West Asia. A mere 10g of gold bought from Dubai could easily fetch a margin of `3,500 in India, the officers said. As per records, nearly 30 kg of gold was seized from Karipur International Airport in the last six months.Customs officers said though large chunks of the gold is smuggled into Kerala from the Gulf countries, there are instances where the carriers have arrived from Asean member states like Bangkok(Thailand) and Singapore as well as Colombo(Sri Lanka) Hong Kong and Mauritius.

KOZHIKODE: Post-GST, gold smugglers are busy pushing consignments to Kerala as a kg of gold will easily fetch them a profit of `3.5 lakh. Following Intel inputs on a likely spike in bullion smuggling in the coming days on account of Onam, enforcement agencies, mainly, the Customs Air Intelligence Unit(AIU)and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) have heightened their vigil.The tax on gold under GST has increased from 1.2 per cent to 3 per cent which fuelled demand for smuggled gold from jewellers in the state right from July 1, 2017, when the new tax regime came into force. Officers said demand for the yellow metal in the black market had increased post-GST and DRI had booked seven cases here between July- August. We have mounted a heightened vigil following inputs the smugglers have revamped their operations to bring in more gold through airports in the country, said a senior Customs officer.The seized quantity of smuggled gold from airports in Kerala between March 2011 and January 31, 2016, was a staggering 859.83 kg and according to the officer, the seized quantity was just 10 per cent of the smuggled volume. Former Customs Commissioner K N Raghavan said an increase in margin due to change in the tax structure will fuel gold smuggling. The GST has added more tax on gold and the smugglers will definitely cash in on this. Above all, the festive season has hiked the demand for gold in the black market, he said. Customs officers said there has been a sudden spike in the seizure of gold from passengers of international flights and this trend may be linked to the post-GST period. The smugglers are trying to cash in on the advantage provided by the lower gold prices in South East Asia and West Asia. A mere 10g of gold bought from Dubai could easily fetch a margin of `3,500 in India, the officers said. As per records, nearly 30 kg of gold was seized from Karipur International Airport in the last six months.Customs officers said though large chunks of the gold is smuggled into Kerala from the Gulf countries, there are instances where the carriers have arrived from Asean member states like Bangkok(Thailand) and Singapore as well as Colombo(Sri Lanka) Hong Kong and Mauritius.
By Express News Service

KOCHI: With the CBI filing charge sheet against Al Zarafa Manpower Consultants in the multi-crore nursing recruitment scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is all set to initiate property attachment proceedings against its proprietor Uthup Varghese.The ED officers will summon Uthup Varghese to appear for interrogation.Uthup Varghese, who was arrested by the CBI early this year, was granted conditional bail by the High Court on Thursday. Hailing from Puthuppally, Uthup had been staying in the UAE for past several years.

The CBI, ED and Income Tax (I-T) Department had launched a probe against Uthup for overcharging nurses recruited to the Ministry of Health, Kuwait, in 2015. Since the CBI has filed charge sheet against the accused, the property proceedings will be initiated against him. The assets of Uthup has been listed and a permission has been sought from the Directorate to complete the property attachment proceedings, an ED officer said.

Apart from CBI, the Enforcement Directorate, in its investigation, had found trails of hawala transactions allegedly involving Al Zarafa. The recruitment agency had collected over `117 crores between December 29, 2014, and March 25, 2015, from 95 nursing candidates. In the majority of the cases, the employees of Al Zarafa dispatched the money to Suresh Babu, a forex agent who is also an accused in the case.

Suresh used to directly collect cash from the Kochi office and send it to Abu Dhabi through Abdul Nazeer, another forex agent based in Kozhikode. Around `97 crore was allegedly sent via hawala channels to Abu Dhabi.As part of the probe, Uthup will be summoned for interrogation soon. The summons will be issued once he is released on bail. The I-T Department is also probing tax evasion involving Al Zarafa, the officer said.

KOCHI: With the CBI filing charge sheet against Al Zarafa Manpower Consultants in the multi-crore nursing recruitment scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is all set to initiate property attachment proceedings against its proprietor Uthup Varghese.The ED officers will summon Uthup Varghese to appear for interrogation.Uthup Varghese, who was arrested by the CBI early this year, was granted conditional bail by the High Court on Thursday. Hailing from Puthuppally, Uthup had been staying in the UAE for past several years. The CBI, ED and Income Tax (I-T) Department had launched a probe against Uthup for overcharging nurses recruited to the Ministry of Health, Kuwait, in 2015. Since the CBI has filed charge sheet against the accused, the property proceedings will be initiated against him. The assets of Uthup has been listed and a permission has been sought from the Directorate to complete the property attachment proceedings, an ED officer said. Apart from CBI, the Enforcement Directorate, in its investigation, had found trails of hawala transactions allegedly involving Al Zarafa. The recruitment agency had collected over `117 crores between December 29, 2014, and March 25, 2015, from 95 nursing candidates. In the majority of the cases, the employees of Al Zarafa dispatched the money to Suresh Babu, a forex agent who is also an accused in the case. Suresh used to directly collect cash from the Kochi office and send it to Abu Dhabi through Abdul Nazeer, another forex agent based in Kozhikode. Around `97 crore was allegedly sent via hawala channels to Abu Dhabi.As part of the probe, Uthup will be summoned for interrogation soon. The summons will be issued once he is released on bail. The I-T Department is also probing tax evasion involving Al Zarafa, the officer said.
By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: A recent study says an Odisha model of telemedicine project, which helps in extending affordable healthcare and alleviating poverty by stimulating micro-entrepreneurship, can create Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based sustainable development across the globe.

The study conducted by Prof Radha Kanta Mahapatra of University of Texas at Arlington and former Chief Secretary of Odisha Sahadeva Sahoo was presented at three-day Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) at Boston that ended on Saturday.



The researchers claimed that a unique telemedicine model developed by Orissa Trust of Technical Education and Training (OTTET) with State Government in PPP mode has been successful in providing and improving healthcare in rural areas by reducing both direct cost and out of pocket expenses.

Started in 2009, OTTET has set up 127 telemedicine centres and trained about 900 telemedicine technicians. Though it has collaboration agreements with several super-specialty hospitals in the country, nearly five lakh patients have been benefited so far in the State.



The telemedicine centres have been opened at the State-run Sub-centres and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) which are plagued by shortage of physicians, paramedical staff and diagnostic facilities. These centres get the patients tested and provide on the spot test reports besides consultation with specialist doctors through tele-conferencing. Since most qualified healthcare professionals prefer to live in urban areas, receiving healthcare is a significant challenge for people living in rural areas. OTTET telemedicine showcases the benefits of the PPP model in implementing ICT-based sustainable development. Effective collaboration between the State Government and the organisation is the key to its success, the study stated.



As per the model, the organisation recruits and trains unemployed youths and women to operate telemedicine centres and develops the network of providers who offer tele-consultation services. The State Government oversees the programme and facilitates the process by providing support as needed.

Managing trustee of OTTET Kedarnath Bhagat said the centres are functioning smoothly with technical support from the School of Telemedicine at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), a super-specialty teaching hospital in Lucknow.



It is a successful model in its own way where the Government has to spend nothing. It only gives space in its hospitals where the telemedicine centres are run. We have instituted the legal framework that enables us to recruit and train technicians for operating the centres which include a patho lab. These technicians are recruited from among the unemployed youths from nearby villages and trained. They conduct tests at Government prescribed price and offer tele-consultation services, Bhagat added.

BHUBANESWAR: A recent study says an Odisha model of telemedicine project, which helps in extending affordable healthcare and alleviating poverty by stimulating micro-entrepreneurship, can create Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based sustainable development across the globe. The study conducted by Prof Radha Kanta Mahapatra of University of Texas at Arlington and former Chief Secretary of Odisha Sahadeva Sahoo was presented at three-day Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS) at Boston that ended on Saturday. The researchers claimed that a unique telemedicine model developed by Orissa Trust of Technical Education and Training (OTTET) with State Government in PPP mode has been successful in providing and improving healthcare in rural areas by reducing both direct cost and out of pocket expenses. Started in 2009, OTTET has set up 127 telemedicine centres and trained about 900 telemedicine technicians. Though it has collaboration agreements with several super-specialty hospitals in the country, nearly five lakh patients have been benefited so far in the State. The telemedicine centres have been opened at the State-run Sub-centres and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) which are plagued by shortage of physicians, paramedical staff and diagnostic facilities. These centres get the patients tested and provide on the spot test reports besides consultation with specialist doctors through tele-conferencing. Since most qualified healthcare professionals prefer to live in urban areas, receiving healthcare is a significant challenge for people living in rural areas. OTTET telemedicine showcases the benefits of the PPP model in implementing ICT-based sustainable development. Effective collaboration between the State Government and the organisation is the key to its success, the study stated. As per the model, the organisation recruits and trains unemployed youths and women to operate telemedicine centres and develops the network of providers who offer tele-consultation services. The State Government oversees the programme and facilitates the process by providing support as needed. Managing trustee of OTTET Kedarnath Bhagat said the centres are functioning smoothly with technical support from the School of Telemedicine at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), a super-specialty teaching hospital in Lucknow. It is a successful model in its own way where the Government has to spend nothing. It only gives space in its hospitals where the telemedicine centres are run. We have instituted the legal framework that enables us to recruit and train technicians for operating the centres which include a patho lab. These technicians are recruited from among the unemployed youths from nearby villages and trained. They conduct tests at Government prescribed price and offer tele-consultation services, Bhagat added.
By Express News Service

KAMAREDDY : TJAC chairman Prof M Kodandarams fourth leg of two-day Amaraveerula Spoorthi Yatra in the erstwhile Nizamabad district witnessed tense moments with TRS activists obstructing the yatra in Kamareddy district border. As tempers ran high with TRS activists clashing with TJAC activists and even bringing down the tents erected for a meeting to be addressed by Kodandaram, police took Kodandaram into custody to stop him from going ahead with the yatra and he was shifted to Hyderabad and dropped at his house.An unperturbed Kodandaram cried foul and said his yatra to expose the misrule of TRS government will not end with arrests by police and attacks by TRS activists.

Kodandaram entered the district with a 25-vehicle convoy, which was obstructed by TRS activists at Baswapur village around 11 a.m. on Friday. Activists of both sides raised slogans against each other. The TRS leaders branded Kodandaram as obstructor of development and raised Go Back slogans.

With both groups clashing, police intervened and made way for the TJAC leaders to go ahead.

As the yatra entered Bhiknoor village, police stopped the convoy thrice and raised objections to the yatra.

From Bhiknoor village, while Kodandarams convoy was proceeding towards Kamareddy town, police put their vehicles in the middle of the road to stop the yatra.

The police asked the TJA leaders to come to the police station for discussions and when they went inside, police announced that the TJAC leaders were arrested under Section 151 for violating rules.

Police said they gave permission for only two vehicles and the yatra was not supposed to enter Bhiknoor village.The TJAC leaders rejected lunch provided by the police and sat on a protest inside the police station. Later police forcefully lifted Kodandaram and others and bundled them into vehicles and shifted to Hyderabad despite protests from the activists.

Meanwhile, TRS and its students wing activists attacked and damaged the TJAC public meeting venue in Kamareddy. They even pulled down the tent also and raised slogans against TJAC chairman.

TJAC student activists Pruthiviraj, Prakash Nayak were injured seriously and Prakash was shifted to Hyderebad hospital. A TRS activist Saleem was also injured.

Kodandaram will resume his yatra and will leave for Nizamabad at 8.30 on Saturday morning.

KAMAREDDY : TJAC chairman Prof M Kodandarams fourth leg of two-day Amaraveerula Spoorthi Yatra in the erstwhile Nizamabad district witnessed tense moments with TRS activists obstructing the yatra in Kamareddy district border. As tempers ran high with TRS activists clashing with TJAC activists and even bringing down the tents erected for a meeting to be addressed by Kodandaram, police took Kodandaram into custody to stop him from going ahead with the yatra and he was shifted to Hyderabad and dropped at his house.An unperturbed Kodandaram cried foul and said his yatra to expose the misrule of TRS government will not end with arrests by police and attacks by TRS activists. Kodandaram entered the district with a 25-vehicle convoy, which was obstructed by TRS activists at Baswapur village around 11 a.m. on Friday. Activists of both sides raised slogans against each other. The TRS leaders branded Kodandaram as obstructor of development and raised Go Back slogans. With both groups clashing, police intervened and made way for the TJAC leaders to go ahead. As the yatra entered Bhiknoor village, police stopped the convoy thrice and raised objections to the yatra. From Bhiknoor village, while Kodandarams convoy was proceeding towards Kamareddy town, police put their vehicles in the middle of the road to stop the yatra. The police asked the TJA leaders to come to the police station for discussions and when they went inside, police announced that the TJAC leaders were arrested under Section 151 for violating rules. Police said they gave permission for only two vehicles and the yatra was not supposed to enter Bhiknoor village.The TJAC leaders rejected lunch provided by the police and sat on a protest inside the police station. Later police forcefully lifted Kodandaram and others and bundled them into vehicles and shifted to Hyderabad despite protests from the activists. Meanwhile, TRS and its students wing activists attacked and damaged the TJAC public meeting venue in Kamareddy. They even pulled down the tent also and raised slogans against TJAC chairman. TJAC student activists Pruthiviraj, Prakash Nayak were injured seriously and Prakash was shifted to Hyderebad hospital. A TRS activist Saleem was also injured. Kodandaram will resume his yatra and will leave for Nizamabad at 8.30 on Saturday morning.
Manish Anand By

NEW DELHI: BJP President Amit Shah has set his eyes on the first batch of voters of the 21st Century, who will start getting their democratic rights from January 1 next year. Seeking to connect them to Prime Minister Narendra Modis New India exhortation, Shah is learnt to have asked all the BJP MPs to launch campaigns to saffronise these young voters.

The BJP estimates that there would be about 35 million youngsters with the label of the first voters of the 21st century when they turn 18 next year. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, there were 23 million voters in the 18-19 age group.

Taking into account the population growth, we are expecting that the same age group in the 2019 Lok sabha elections will be about 35 millions, which will roughly account for five per cent of the total electorate in the country, said a close aide of the BJP chief.

Before the Monsoon Session of Parliament concludes, Shah is learnt to have met party MPs of both the Houses of Parliament and impressed upon them of the opportunity to stay ahead of the rivals in connecting with the voters carrying a lot of symbolic values.

When the Prime Minister dreams of heralding New India, it becomes incumbent upon the BJP to be the voice and hope of the youth of this century. All the MPs have been asked to begin connecting with the youth who are currently in 16-18 age groups. The MPs have been asked to hold conventions in their respective constituencies, which should be solely focused on such youth, added the BJP functionary.

Incidentally, the BJP had run away with the votes of the electorate in the 18-22 age group in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The party claims to have bagged about 37 per cent votes of this age group.

The state units of the BJP will coordinate with the MPs to reach out to the first voters of the 21st Century, while efforts will also be made to make them members of the party. The BJP will make special efforts to familiarise this special age group of the youth with the ideology of the party ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay, said the BJP functionary.

Ten crore new voters were added in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections against the 2009 polls. The BJP claims that there could be 10-15 crore new voters in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Since the first batch of voters would mostly be in schools and colleges, the party MPs have been asked to also help them connect with various programmes of the NDA government at the Centre, which stress self-employment, besides availing various scholarship programmes.

NEW DELHI: BJP President Amit Shah has set his eyes on the first batch of voters of the 21st Century, who will start getting their democratic rights from January 1 next year. Seeking to connect them to Prime Minister Narendra Modis New India exhortation, Shah is learnt to have asked all the BJP MPs to launch campaigns to saffronise these young voters. The BJP estimates that there would be about 35 million youngsters with the label of the first voters of the 21st century when they turn 18 next year. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, there were 23 million voters in the 18-19 age group. Taking into account the population growth, we are expecting that the same age group in the 2019 Lok sabha elections will be about 35 millions, which will roughly account for five per cent of the total electorate in the country, said a close aide of the BJP chief. Before the Monsoon Session of Parliament concludes, Shah is learnt to have met party MPs of both the Houses of Parliament and impressed upon them of the opportunity to stay ahead of the rivals in connecting with the voters carrying a lot of symbolic values. When the Prime Minister dreams of heralding New India, it becomes incumbent upon the BJP to be the voice and hope of the youth of this century. All the MPs have been asked to begin connecting with the youth who are currently in 16-18 age groups. The MPs have been asked to hold conventions in their respective constituencies, which should be solely focused on such youth, added the BJP functionary. Incidentally, the BJP had run away with the votes of the electorate in the 18-22 age group in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The party claims to have bagged about 37 per cent votes of this age group. The state units of the BJP will coordinate with the MPs to reach out to the first voters of the 21st Century, while efforts will also be made to make them members of the party. The BJP will make special efforts to familiarise this special age group of the youth with the ideology of the party ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyay, said the BJP functionary. Ten crore new voters were added in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections against the 2009 polls. The BJP claims that there could be 10-15 crore new voters in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Since the first batch of voters would mostly be in schools and colleges, the party MPs have been asked to also help them connect with various programmes of the NDA government at the Centre, which stress self-employment, besides availing various scholarship programmes.
Prasanta Mazumdar By

GUWAHATI: Her critics call her a devil and jeer at her often but Orentsani Suzen, a young yoga instructor of Nagaland, is least perturbed. She is focused on improving the health of the Christian-majority state through the art of yoga.

This 25-year-old is the states one and only trained yoga instructor. Yoga in parts of the Northeast is viewed as a tool to promote Hinduism.

To me, yoga is all about how to stay fit and healthy. It connects your body, mind and soul. It is also about awareness. Its roots may have come from Hinduism but I introduced yoga to the people in Nagaland from the fitness point of view, she says.

The athlete in her took to yoga at a very young age and she insists that every Naga must learn it to stay fit. She has trained at the Yoga Institute in Mumbai, the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, and the Artistic Yoga in Bengaluru.

After I passed Class XII in 2008, I was thinking of a career. It was then that one of my sisters advised me to pursue yoga, says Orentsani Suzen, the only yoga instructor of Nagaland.

She runs a studio in Nagalands commercial hub Dimapur and her 30 students belong to various strata of society. Last month, she won a bronze medal at a national level yoga competition held in Assam. She says she was Nagalands lone representative while other states had at least 100 representations.

Recently, when I talked about my fitness centre on the social media, there were some people who criticised me. They asked me to not bring this disease (yoga) to our state and equated me with the devil. But if there were five people who criticised me, there were 30 others who supported me, Orentsani says.

Recently, she also organised an event for awareness on cancer. She received donations of `27,800 which she distributed to cancer patients.

GUWAHATI: Her critics call her a devil and jeer at her often but Orentsani Suzen, a young yoga instructor of Nagaland, is least perturbed. She is focused on improving the health of the Christian-majority state through the art of yoga. This 25-year-old is the states one and only trained yoga instructor. Yoga in parts of the Northeast is viewed as a tool to promote Hinduism. To me, yoga is all about how to stay fit and healthy. It connects your body, mind and soul. It is also about awareness. Its roots may have come from Hinduism but I introduced yoga to the people in Nagaland from the fitness point of view, she says. The athlete in her took to yoga at a very young age and she insists that every Naga must learn it to stay fit. She has trained at the Yoga Institute in Mumbai, the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, and the Artistic Yoga in Bengaluru. After I passed Class XII in 2008, I was thinking of a career. It was then that one of my sisters advised me to pursue yoga, says Orentsani Suzen, the only yoga instructor of Nagaland. She runs a studio in Nagalands commercial hub Dimapur and her 30 students belong to various strata of society. Last month, she won a bronze medal at a national level yoga competition held in Assam. She says she was Nagalands lone representative while other states had at least 100 representations. Recently, when I talked about my fitness centre on the social media, there were some people who criticised me. They asked me to not bring this disease (yoga) to our state and equated me with the devil. But if there were five people who criticised me, there were 30 others who supported me, Orentsani says. Recently, she also organised an event for awareness on cancer. She received donations of `27,800 which she distributed to cancer patients.
Harpreet Bajwa By

CHANDIGARH: Following the Varnika Kundu stalking case, the Chandigarh Police is now beefing up security for women. When Varnika made the distress call to PCR, two vehicles reached her within four minutes. One followed her from the point she mentioned she had passed and the other came to the Housing Board Light point which she was about to approach, Director General of Police of Chandigarh, Tejinder Singh Luthra, told The Sunday Standard.

Now, they have decided to deploy more PCR vehicles. At present there are 60 such vehicles, which will be increased to 75. Also, we will try to ensure that the PCR vehicle which goes to the spot to attend to a woman in distress should have a woman cop, Luthra said.

The DGP said, At present there are around 1,000 women personnel in the Chandigarh Police of the total strength of 6,000. Now, 500 more will be recruited and they will be deployed in the field.

Also Swayama woman protection programmehas been launched to train school and college girls in unarmed combat to enhance their physical resilience. This year, from May to July, we trained 8,000 girls of government schools. Even mothers of the girls have started enrolling for unarmed combat training, he said.

Haryana BJP chiefs son Vikas Barala and friend Ashish Kumar being arrested

The police now plan to focus on prevention of child abuse. Our officers will visit residential areas, colonies, and schools and spread awareness. Also the Chandigarh administration will be requested to install LED light at all public places, so that the areas are not in the dark, Luthra added.

Chandigarh: The city police have stepped up the drive against drunk driving and booked 2,815 offenders till August 10 this year and impounded their vehicles. The police have also acted on drinking in public places.

As many as 751 cases have been registered and 785 people have been arrested till July 31 this year.

Now the plan is to enroll teetotaller drivers as angel friends, who will help their friends and families drive back home safely from parties. Thus, incidents of stalking and other crimes will also come down, Luthra said. He added that cab drivers (Ola, Uber, and others) will be sensitised by the staff through special classes.

CHANDIGARH: Following the Varnika Kundu stalking case, the Chandigarh Police is now beefing up security for women. When Varnika made the distress call to PCR, two vehicles reached her within four minutes. One followed her from the point she mentioned she had passed and the other came to the Housing Board Light point which she was about to approach, Director General of Police of Chandigarh, Tejinder Singh Luthra, told The Sunday Standard. Now, they have decided to deploy more PCR vehicles. At present there are 60 such vehicles, which will be increased to 75. Also, we will try to ensure that the PCR vehicle which goes to the spot to attend to a woman in distress should have a woman cop, Luthra said. The DGP said, At present there are around 1,000 women personnel in the Chandigarh Police of the total strength of 6,000. Now, 500 more will be recruited and they will be deployed in the field. Also Swayama woman protection programmehas been launched to train school and college girls in unarmed combat to enhance their physical resilience. This year, from May to July, we trained 8,000 girls of government schools. Even mothers of the girls have started enrolling for unarmed combat training, he said. Haryana BJP chiefs son Vikas Barala and friend Ashish Kumar being arrestedThe police now plan to focus on prevention of child abuse. Our officers will visit residential areas, colonies, and schools and spread awareness. Also the Chandigarh administration will be requested to install LED light at all public places, so that the areas are not in the dark, Luthra added. Chandigarh: The city police have stepped up the drive against drunk driving and booked 2,815 offenders till August 10 this year and impounded their vehicles. The police have also acted on drinking in public places. As many as 751 cases have been registered and 785 people have been arrested till July 31 this year. Now the plan is to enroll teetotaller drivers as angel friends, who will help their friends and families drive back home safely from parties. Thus, incidents of stalking and other crimes will also come down, Luthra said. He added that cab drivers (Ola, Uber, and others) will be sensitised by the staff through special classes.
Dr Kafeel has been removed as the Nodal Officer for BRD Medical College's Department of Pediatrics, and replaced by Dr Bhupendra Sharma.

His efforts didn't go in vain but he saw 60 children die gasping for air in front of him.

By India Today Web Desk: When Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College was in shambles over its rude awakening to the fast depleting oxygen supply, one man tried to save as many lives as possible. But he has now been removed from all hospital duties.

Dr Kafeel Khan has been removed as the Nodal Officer for BRD Medical College's Department of Pediatrics, and replaced by Dr Bhupendra Sharma, ANI reported.

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On the intervening night of August 11, Dr Kafeel Khan, child specialist and doctor in-charge of the encephalitis ward, received a frantic call from the hospital, informing him that all oxygen would soon dry up.

Well aware that patients of encephalitis wouldn't survive without continuous oxygen supply, Dr Khan rushed to nearby hospitals to borrow cylinders for some critical patients.

The first hospital he sought help from gave him three cylinders, which he immediately drove to BRD.

Khan then made several such trips to various hospitals nearby to borrow oxygen cylinders till the next morning.

By Friday morning, the oxygen supply had almost trickled down to zero. Ahmed then instructed his junior staff to pump oxygen through ambu bags (a self-inflating bag).

DOCTOR BEARS EXPENSES

All the while, Dr Khan continued to reach out to his doctor friends in other hospitals and local vendors to send some oxygen cylinders.

He did manage to collect 12 oxygen cylinders. Soon after, he received a call from a local supplier promising to send cylinders but only in exchange for cash payments.

Dr Khan then handed over his debit card to one of his juniors and asked him to withdraw cash to make the payment at the earliest.

His efforts didn't go in vain but he saw 60 children die gasping for air in front of him.

With inputs from Shivendra Shrivastav

ALSO READ

Yogi Adityanath breaks down in Gorakhpur, says guilty will not be spared

Gorakhpur has a history of children's deaths, 25,000 kids have lost lives to encephalitis

Gorakhpur, Kumbakonam mishaps separated by oxygen, fire but are they different?

ALSO WATCH

Inside Gorakhpur's BRD hospital, the scene of a tragedy that claimed 68 lives

--- ENDS ---
By PTI

LONDON: India can be Britain's natural partner at a much bigger level after Brexit, NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has said.

He said the UK's decision to leave the European Union gives an opportunity to Britain and India to work together and gain from each other.

"Britain is coming out of Europe and India can be its natural partner on a much bigger level so I invite you to look at Britain as your first choice," said Paul, Chairman of the Caparo Group of industries.

He was addressing the 17th National Conference of Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India here last evening on the topic 'India on the Global Stage'.

"We have two countries; Britain who would love to see both trade and investment grow from India, and India who would like to see more investment from Britain into India. We must make use of this opportunity as it will be a win-win situation for all of you and for the two countries," he said.

He said that there are no restrictions for anyone who wants to build a decent and honourable business.

"The government, the local councils etc, will give you all the support," he added.

He said that since becoming the prime minister, Narendra Modi has set a new benchmark for India's relationship with countries all over the world and raised the level of India's global standing.

"On behalf of NRIs, I can safely say that the NRI community will certainly support his action plan to rid the country of poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition and play their part," he added.



LONDON: India can be Britain's natural partner at a much bigger level after Brexit, NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul has said. He said the UK's decision to leave the European Union gives an opportunity to Britain and India to work together and gain from each other. "Britain is coming out of Europe and India can be its natural partner on a much bigger level so I invite you to look at Britain as your first choice," said Paul, Chairman of the Caparo Group of industries. He was addressing the 17th National Conference of Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Association of India here last evening on the topic 'India on the Global Stage'. "We have two countries; Britain who would love to see both trade and investment grow from India, and India who would like to see more investment from Britain into India. We must make use of this opportunity as it will be a win-win situation for all of you and for the two countries," he said. He said that there are no restrictions for anyone who wants to build a decent and honourable business. "The government, the local councils etc, will give you all the support," he added. He said that since becoming the prime minister, Narendra Modi has set a new benchmark for India's relationship with countries all over the world and raised the level of India's global standing. "On behalf of NRIs, I can safely say that the NRI community will certainly support his action plan to rid the country of poverty, illiteracy and malnutrition and play their part," he added.
By AFP

TEHRAN: Iran's parliament on Sunday approved more than half a billion dollars in funding for the country's missile programme and foreign operations of the elite Revolutionary Guards in response to US sanctions.

The move follows a spike in tensions between Tehran and Washington since US President Donald Trump took office in January with a vow to get tough on the Islamic republic.

"The Americans should know that this was our first action," said parliament speaker Ali Larijani, after announcing overwhelming support for a package "to confront terrorist and adventurist actions by the United States in the region".

After the result was announced, lawmakers shouted: "Death to America." A total of 240 parliamentarians out of 244 present voted for the bill.

It mandates the government to allocate an additional USD 260 million for the "development of the missile programme" and the same amount to the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations wing, the Quds Force, state news agency IRNA said.

The Quds Force leads Iran's military role in Syria and Iraq.

The vote came after the United States imposed fresh US sanctions against Iran in July, targeting its missile programme.

Tehran says the measures violate a 2015 deal with world powers that eased sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Trump repeatedly threatened to tear up what he once called "the worst deal ever", but last month he backed away from a key campaign promise to withdraw from the nuclear agreement.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the bill passed on Sunday had the support of the government.

The bill is "very smart particularly because it doesn't violate the nuclear deal and doesn't allow the other side to make excuses," he added.

"Iran boasts potential and actual options to confront hostile US actions".

The United States has had no diplomatic ties with the Iran since 1980, and Trump has halted the direct contacts initiated by his predecessor Barack Obama.

A string of close encounters between US ships and Iranian vessels in the Gulf in recent months has added to the tensions between the two countries.

Araghchi said that the Iranian bill was a far-reaching response to the measures passed by US Congress that Iranian media have called the "mother of sanctions" because they sum up all existing anti-Iran sanctions.

"Iran recognises the entire American military and intelligence forces as terrorist groups" for their "implicit and explicit support for terrorist groups" in the region, their role in creating the Islamic State group, and "the support for violators of fundamental humans rights especially the dictator and violent regimes," the bill's text said.

Under the law, the foreign ministry is tasked to create and publish a blacklist of people to be put under sanctions in cooperation with the Revolutionary Guards' foreign

TEHRAN: Iran's parliament on Sunday approved more than half a billion dollars in funding for the country's missile programme and foreign operations of the elite Revolutionary Guards in response to US sanctions. The move follows a spike in tensions between Tehran and Washington since US President Donald Trump took office in January with a vow to get tough on the Islamic republic. "The Americans should know that this was our first action," said parliament speaker Ali Larijani, after announcing overwhelming support for a package "to confront terrorist and adventurist actions by the United States in the region". After the result was announced, lawmakers shouted: "Death to America." A total of 240 parliamentarians out of 244 present voted for the bill. It mandates the government to allocate an additional USD 260 million for the "development of the missile programme" and the same amount to the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations wing, the Quds Force, state news agency IRNA said. The Quds Force leads Iran's military role in Syria and Iraq. The vote came after the United States imposed fresh US sanctions against Iran in July, targeting its missile programme. Tehran says the measures violate a 2015 deal with world powers that eased sanctions in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. Trump repeatedly threatened to tear up what he once called "the worst deal ever", but last month he backed away from a key campaign promise to withdraw from the nuclear agreement. Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the bill passed on Sunday had the support of the government. The bill is "very smart particularly because it doesn't violate the nuclear deal and doesn't allow the other side to make excuses," he added. "Iran boasts potential and actual options to confront hostile US actions". The United States has had no diplomatic ties with the Iran since 1980, and Trump has halted the direct contacts initiated by his predecessor Barack Obama. A string of close encounters between US ships and Iranian vessels in the Gulf in recent months has added to the tensions between the two countries. Araghchi said that the Iranian bill was a far-reaching response to the measures passed by US Congress that Iranian media have called the "mother of sanctions" because they sum up all existing anti-Iran sanctions. "Iran recognises the entire American military and intelligence forces as terrorist groups" for their "implicit and explicit support for terrorist groups" in the region, their role in creating the Islamic State group, and "the support for violators of fundamental humans rights especially the dictator and violent regimes," the bill's text said. Under the law, the foreign ministry is tasked to create and publish a blacklist of people to be put under sanctions in cooperation with the Revolutionary Guards' foreign
By IANS

TEHRAN: Iran's parliament voted Sunday to allocate $520 million to develop its missile programme to fight Washington's "adventurism" and sanctions, and to boost the foreign operations of the country's Revolutionary Guards.

"The Americans should know that this was our first action," said speaker Ali Larijani, after announcing an overwhelming majority vote for a package "to confront terrorist and adventurist actions by the United States in the region".

In July, the United States imposed sanctions on Iran over its missile programme.

TEHRAN: Iran's parliament voted Sunday to allocate $520 million to develop its missile programme to fight Washington's "adventurism" and sanctions, and to boost the foreign operations of the country's Revolutionary Guards. "The Americans should know that this was our first action," said speaker Ali Larijani, after announcing an overwhelming majority vote for a package "to confront terrorist and adventurist actions by the United States in the region". In July, the United States imposed sanctions on Iran over its missile programme.
By AFP

BEIRUT: A commando operation backed by Russian warplanes and helicopters has killed 25 members of the Islamic State jihadist group in central Syria, a monitor said Sunday.

Supported by regime ally Russia, Syria's army has waged a months-long offensive to recapture the vast desert region that stretches from the country's centre to the Iraqi and Jordanian borders.

Yesterday, "25 IS members were killed and others wounded in a commando operation by Syrian regime forces with air support from Russian warplanes and helicopters" in the northeast of Homs province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

Six members of the regime forces were also killed, it said. A military source said the operation occurred "20 kilometres inside Daesh (IS) terrorist lines".

The raid allowed regime forces to seize control of three villages in the area, official news agency SANA reported the source as saying.

The army has captured swathes of territory from the jihadists in the province. According to the Observatory, IS now controls just dozens of villages in the east of Homs.

The Syrian "Badiya" is a large stretch of desert that extends over around 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 square miles) of territory. Since 2015, much of the Badiya has been held by IS, but Syria's army has been chipping away at it since May.

Regime forces have ousted IS from Al-Sukhna, the last jihadist-held town in Homs province.

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are also fighting the jihadists in the south of neighbouring Raqa province.

A US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance meanwhile is battling to retake the provincial capital, Raqa city, from IS.

The jihadists also hold the majority of the vast desert province of Deir Ezzor including most of its provincial capital.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests.



BEIRUT: A commando operation backed by Russian warplanes and helicopters has killed 25 members of the Islamic State jihadist group in central Syria, a monitor said Sunday. Supported by regime ally Russia, Syria's army has waged a months-long offensive to recapture the vast desert region that stretches from the country's centre to the Iraqi and Jordanian borders. Yesterday, "25 IS members were killed and others wounded in a commando operation by Syrian regime forces with air support from Russian warplanes and helicopters" in the northeast of Homs province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said. Six members of the regime forces were also killed, it said. A military source said the operation occurred "20 kilometres inside Daesh (IS) terrorist lines". The raid allowed regime forces to seize control of three villages in the area, official news agency SANA reported the source as saying. The army has captured swathes of territory from the jihadists in the province. According to the Observatory, IS now controls just dozens of villages in the east of Homs. The Syrian "Badiya" is a large stretch of desert that extends over around 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 square miles) of territory. Since 2015, much of the Badiya has been held by IS, but Syria's army has been chipping away at it since May. Regime forces have ousted IS from Al-Sukhna, the last jihadist-held town in Homs province. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are also fighting the jihadists in the south of neighbouring Raqa province. A US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance meanwhile is battling to retake the provincial capital, Raqa city, from IS. The jihadists also hold the majority of the vast desert province of Deir Ezzor including most of its provincial capital. More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
By PTI

COLOMBO: Three Indians have been arrested for illegally staying in Sri Lanka, a media report has said.

On an information received by the Sri Lankan Navy, troops attached to the South Eastern Naval Command and Police Special Task Force personnel stationed in Marudamunai conducted a special raid in Nindavur on Friday and arrested them, the Colombo Page reported.

The three Indians, whose names are yet to be known, are aged 27, 36 and 41 years and are residents of Tamil Nadu.

They were arrested while they were harvesting a paddy field in the area and have been charged for violating the immigration and migration laws of Sri Lanka.

They have been handed over to the Sammanthurai Police for legal action, the report said.



COLOMBO: Three Indians have been arrested for illegally staying in Sri Lanka, a media report has said. On an information received by the Sri Lankan Navy, troops attached to the South Eastern Naval Command and Police Special Task Force personnel stationed in Marudamunai conducted a special raid in Nindavur on Friday and arrested them, the Colombo Page reported. The three Indians, whose names are yet to be known, are aged 27, 36 and 41 years and are residents of Tamil Nadu. They were arrested while they were harvesting a paddy field in the area and have been charged for violating the immigration and migration laws of Sri Lanka. They have been handed over to the Sammanthurai Police for legal action, the report said.
Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Sunshine and some clouds. High 41F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A few clouds from time to time. Low 21F. Winds light and variable.
Flowers and candles are among some of the items that have been used to create a memorial on the corner of Goodwin and Clark in Urbana for missing scholar Yingying Zhang. Anne Johnston, longtime owner of Campus Florist in Campustown, said an individual asked for flowers to be delivered last week to the spot that Zhang was last seen. Since the first bouquet was placed last week, the makeshift memorial has only continued to grow.
Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister J P Nadda today visited the BRD Hospital where several children have died allegedly due to suffocation caused by shortage of oxygen supply in wards.

By India Today Web Desk: With the number of children's deaths at the BRD Hospital in Gorakhpur reaching 68, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today got emotional and said that no one can be more sensitive towards children than him.

Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister J P Nadda today visited the BRD Hospital where several children have died allegedly due to suffocation caused by shortage of oxygen supply in wards.

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"My fight against encephalitis is from 1996. I have seen children dying. I will not allow it to happen anymore," the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said, while addressing a press conference.

Calling today's visit his fourth to the hospital in recent times, Yodi Adityanath said that more than 90 lakh children have been vaccinated for encephalitis.

Promising strict against against the guilty, he said, "Let the probe committee's report come. If anyone's negligence caused the deaths, he will not be spared".

Yogi Adityanath also hit at those who he said were "trying to add salt to the wound by raising the sensitive issue unnecessarily".

Taking a dig at the Opposition, which has attacked Yogi Adityanath for the deaths, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said, "When Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Union Health Minister, he came here and said that we can't do anything as it's a state matter".

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally called him up and assured him of Centre's assistance in the case, if needed. "He sent Union Health Minister J P Nadda here," Yogi Adityanath said.

In the wake of extensive reporting on the children's deaths in the hospital, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also asked mediapersons to visit the wards and report on what they see there.

ALSO READ:

Gorakhpur hospital horror: Panel formed to probe role of oxygen suppliers in children' deaths, says Adityanath

PM Narendra Modi is constantly monitoring situation in Gorakhpur, his office says

30 kids die in 48 hours at a hospital in Yogi Adityanath's hometown Gorakhpur

ALSO WATCH: Gorakhpur tragedy: As death toll mounts to 68, CM Yogi Adityanath visits BRD Hospital

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi: Indian insurance companies are lagging their global counterparts in increasing investment in digital technologies and will need to adopt technology required to launch products that meet customer needs, a study by industry chamber CII said on Sunday.



"Global average investment in digital technologies is increasing over the years, while the insurance industry in India is lagging, both in its level of digitalisation and its ability to realise financial returns on its digital investments," said a joint CII-PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report.



The report on "Evolving Considerations for the Indian Insurance Industry" also said that with increasing smartphone penetration and internet access, insurance companies will need to adapt to the modern customer needs by adopting the new technological infrastructure.



"Insurers must adapt to new-age customers' needs, leverage on the explosion of data and digital footprint and the changing investment environment," the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said in a release here.



"Mobile adoption and internet trends under Digital India banner are bringing in a new generation of customers who are conversant and comfortable with using technology for their financial decisions.



"It is important to adapt to strategies that align with these changing trends to stay ahead of competition," it added.



Leveraging low-cost digital distribution channels for sales and service is likely to play a significant role in helping insurance companies deepen market penetration, the report said.



Moreover, simplification of processes will also lead to some degree of uniformity in the expectations of customers.



"There needs be a simplification of products in the areas of policy benefit, wording of policy, application process and the claim process," CII said.



"The insurers could focus on 'One Need One Product' scenaroo, where customers are provided simplified products that cater to their specific needs," it added.



The report also said that with digitalisation, insurance companies should be wary of new methods of fraud.



It stresses on three key areas relevant to the insurance sector - simple products and low-cost distribution, digitisation and fraud management, and broadening the investment horizon.
: Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire four times along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch, Rajouri and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, injuring three Army jawans, officials said.According to Army sources, the Pakistani troops opened indiscriminate fire at Indian positions at Baaz Post in Uri in Baramulla district at around 4 pm.Three soldiers suffered bullet injuries in the firing and were admitted to the 92 Base Hospital of the Army in Srinagar, they said.Pakistani troops also violated the ceasefire agreement thrice in Rajouri and Poonch districts. However, there was no casualty in these violations."Pakistani Army has resorted to firing and shelling along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district," a senior district official said.Four areas along the LoC -- Kalal, Khori, Manpur and Ganiah -- were targeted by the Pakistani troops this evening, he said.In the morning, the Pakistan Army initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in the Krishnagati sector of Poonch district.The firing in the Krishnagati sector began around 6 am and the Indian troops retaliated effectively, a defence spokesman said, adding that the exchange of fire stopped around 12.30 pm.. (There was also a brief ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops along the LoC in Mankote sector of Poonch district this morning, a police officer said.Poonch district has recorded five instances of ceasefire violation by Pakistan since Saturday.Yesterday, a junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Indian Army and a civilian woman were killed in separate cases of ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Poonch.Naib Sudebar Jagram Singh Tomar (42), a resident of Madhya Pradesh, was killed in firing by the Pakistani troops in the Krishnagati sector, while 40-year-old woman Raqia Bi was killed when mortar shells fired from across the border exploded near her house in Gohlad Kalran village.On August 8, Sepoy Pawan Singh Sugra (21) lost his life in unprovoked Pakistani firing in the Krishnagati sector. Till August 1 this year, there have been 285 instances of ceasefire violation by the Pakistani forces.In 2016, the number was significantly less at 228.
Beijing: India has taken up with China a complaint filed by an Indian passenger alleging misbehaviour with Indians at the Shanghai Pudong international airport by the staff of a Chinese airline, sources said on Sunday.



The matter has been taken up with the Shanghai Foreign Affairs Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Pudong airport authorities after it was brought to the notice of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, sources told PTI.



China Eastern Airlines has denied the allegation saying that after checking related materials and the airport CCTV footage, it found news reports about the incident did not conform to the fact, state-run Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday night.



"Instead, the airlines employees offered meticulous service," the airline said in a statement.



The company claimed that it is dedicated to providing quality flight service for passengers around the world.



Earlier, media reports said that North American Punjabi Association executive director Satnam Singh Chahal wrote to Swaraj alleging that he noticed that at the exit gate of the airplane for wheelchair passengers, ground staff was insulting transit Indian passengers.



Chahal, who travelled on August 6 by China Eastern Airlines flight from New Delhi to San Francisco, had to stop at Shanghai Pudong to catch his next flight of the same airlines for San Francisco. He said when he complained to concerned Airlines he was shouted down by the official.



"I noticed from their body language that they were frustrated from the rising border tension between India and China," Chahal was quoted as saying in the letter, apparently referring to the nearly two-month long standoff between Indian and Chinese troops at Doklam in Sikkim section.



Chahal even suggested to Swaraj to issue an advisory for Indian transit travellers to avoid transiting through China. Last month, China had issued a safety advisory to its nationals in India to pay close attention to their safety and take precaution for their security to avoid being affected by prevailing anti-China sentiment.


Almost all the bodies of the people killed in the landslide that swept away two buses in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh have been recovered, authorities said. The death toll has reach 46.

By India Today Web Desk: At least 46 people were confirmed killed after a massive mudslide in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi district swept up a 150-metre stretch of road and swept away two Himachal Road Transport Corporation buses, among other vehicles.

Rescue operations were halted Sunday night with authorities worried about more mudslides on the Mandi-Pathankot highway, where the tradegy occured on the intervening night between Saturday and Sunday.

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Rescue work, which is being carried out by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Army and Himachal Pradesh Police, is set to resume in the morning. Authorities, however, indicated that almost all of the bodies have been recovered even as they said that the death toll could rise slightly higher - to above 50.

"We believe that most of the bodies have been recovered. Rescue operation was stopped during night as there were chances of more mudslides. But it will resume in the morning," a government spokesperson was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.

The two buses were hit at a refreshment stall near near Kotropi village on the Mandi-Pathankot highway, around 220 km from Shimla, at around 12.20 am Sunday. All passengers from one of the two buses - 43 - are believed to have perished in the calamity.

Click here to Enlarge More than 45 people were confirmed killed in the landslide, with authorities expressing fear that the death toll could go above 50 (AP photo)

Bodies of two other people killed in the mudslide were among the 46 recovered; one biker, believed to be an Army jawan, was also among the dead. 23 people of the 46 killed have been identified.

The first bus, from which nobody survived, was travelling from Chamba to Manali, while the second bus was bound for Katra in Jammu.

RESCUE OPS TO GO ON

Rescue work, suspended over fears of more mudslides in the region, is set to resume today morning. Teams of the NDRF, the Army and the police rushed to the spot on Sunday and heavy earth-moving machinery was deployed at the gorge where the two buses lay buried under a heap of debris.

Rescue workers, however, managed to reach the buses only around 12 hours after calamity struck as the vehicles had been dragged away 1.5 kilometers from the accident site.

Click here to Enlarge The landslide dragged one of the buses 1.5 kilometers away from the accident site (AP photo)

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, along with Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur, Transport Minister G S Bali and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anil Sharma, visited the accident spot.

Thakur announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased, while Bali announced that Rs 1 lakh would be given to each bereaved family by the HRTC.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the deaths. "Pained by the loss of lives due to landslide related accidents in HPs Mandi district. My condolences with the families of the deceased," Modi tweeted. "I pray for the quick recovery of those injured."

This is the third such major incident in Himachal Pradesh since 1988. Earlier 45 bus passengers were buried in a landslide near Matiyana in Shimla district in 1988 while 42 passengers were buried in an incident at Luggar Hati in Kullu district in 1994.

Click here to Enlarge None of the passengers from the Manali-bound passengers survived the calamity (AP photo)

(With inputs from Manjeet Sehgal and agencies)

ALSO READ | Heavy rains trigger flash floods and landslide in north Bengal, 3 dead

ALSO WATCH |

Over 45 killed in Himachal Pradesh landslide

--- ENDS ---
J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti came to Delhi last week to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She returned from Delhi with an assurance, as she told reporters, by Modi that the article wont be tampered with. (PTI)
Gorakhpur: On the intervening night of August 10 and 11, when all hell broke loose in ward number 100 of the BRD Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur due to alleged oxygen shortage, paediatrician Dr Kafeel Ahmad, who is also the department head, took it upon himself to save as many children as he could.



Yet, at the end of it all, he was left crying, as more than 60 children stopped breathing right in front of his eyes.



At 2am on that fateful night, Ahmad got a call from the staff of the encephalitis ward, that the oxygen supply will run dry within an hour. Knowing that continuous oxygen supply is essential for encephalitis patients, Ahmad jumped out of his bed and immediately rushed to a friends nursing home and borrowed three jumbo oxygen cylinders. He loaded them in his private vehicle and reached the BRD hospital by 3am. However, these new cylinders lasted only 20-30 minutes.



By the next morning, oxygen levels had dropped significantly and the children were gasping for breath. Dr Ahmad took charge and roped in all junior doctors to continue pumping oxygen with Ambu bags (small pumps used manually to aid breathing).



While repeated calls to the hospitals oxygen supplier  who has alleged non-payment of bills  failed to restore supply, the paediatrician again went out to look for more oxygen cylinders. In the meantime, he continued negotiating with other suppliers.



Later, he managed to gather 12 more cylinders and ferried them to the hospital in his car. When finally a supplier agreed to provide oxygen if paid in cash, he sent a staff member to withdraw Rs 10,000 from his bank account to pay them. Meanwhile, junior doctors and Ahmads team continued to help the dying children with Ambu bags.



Yet, at the end of the day, Ahmad was in tears. He said, Whats the use of all the money and our education when we cant save lives. Money has no meaning if we cannot save a life. I saw so many kids die in front of me and I couldnt do anything to save them.
Cairo: An Egyptian prosecutor has ordered the detention of the train drivers and their assistants involved in the fatal collision in Alexandria on Friday, state news agency MENA said.



At least 41 people were killed and 133 injured, the health ministry said, when two trains collided in the coastal city on Friday, the latest in a string of crashes have inflamed public anger over an antiquated transport network.



Egyptians have long complained that successive governments failed to enforce basic safeguards for railways.



A witness said the trains rose into the air "forming a pyramid" as they slammed into each other just outside a suburban station in the Mediterranean port city.



The prosecutor ordered two train drivers and two assistants be held for 15 days and released several other railway employees, MENA said. Blood and urine samples were taken from one driver to check for drug use.



President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has ordered an inquiry into the crash.
Gorakhpur: Yogi Adityanath is not just the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Hes the head of one of the most influential religious institutions in UP  the Gorakhdham Peeth. Hes been one of the most strident voices of the BJP in Parliament for two decades now.



In the past, he has backed rebel candidates against the BJPs official nominee in the city and ensured victory for his candidate in Assembly elections.



Yogi, it is said, knows whats brewing in every nook and corner of Gorakhpur. As his Hindu Yuva Vahini supporters often remind the thronging crowds in a public meeting in Poorvanchal, Gorakhpur mein rehna hai to Yogi, Yogi kehna hai (chant Yogi, Yogi if you want to live in Gorakhpur).



Despite all this, what has surprised many is the fact that 60 infants died in a week in a city hospital, which the Chief Minister himself visited a few days ago.



While confusion looms over the actual cause of these deaths, there are multiple versions now on what led to this tragedy and whose fault it actually was.



But five months in office after winning a massive mandate, this incident in CMs hometown is the biggest challenge which the BJP faces to its agenda of good governance  a promise made at the time of elections.



The facts which are now established via the letter of Gorakhpur DM are thus  nine deaths had taken place on the very day the UP CM was inspecting Gorakhpur and the BRD Medical College. Certain papers, now in possession of News18, also prove that there was an ongoing dispute between the firm supplying liquid oxygen and the hospital management.



Letters were written by the concerned firm to the principal of the medical college, and subsequent response from concerned departments of the institution prove beyond doubt that the supplier was threatening to stop the oxygen supply over non-payment of dues, which extended beyond Rs 65 lakh as of August 1.



The question is why was the UP CM not told of this critical aspect during his visit? Was the number of deaths shared with him? UP heath minister Sidharth Nath Singh claimed the CM was not informed of these aspects.



In a press conference held in Gorakhpur on Saturday, Singh, however, accepted that the supply of piped oxygen was interrupted on the night of August 10  first from 7.30pm to 10pm and then from 11pm to 1am  but things were controlled by use of oxygen cylinders. No deaths occurred due to lack of oxygen.



But how did the government reach the conclusion that the deaths were not due to disruption in oxygen supply? When News18 asked the minister whether some technical committee was constituted to investigate, the UP minister claimed that ministerial panel had reached its conclusion with the help of technical people and the doctors.



The question then arises on how doctors and officers who kept the chief minister in the dark on August 9 can be trusted to give a clear and unbiased picture. Questions have also been raised over the decision to not conduct an autopsy to establish the cause of death.



The UP government, facing severe criticism, has also tried to hide behind these facts and statistics. It claims that every August an average of 20 deaths are recorded per day in BRD Medical College. At the same time, the government has ordered an inquiry into the issue of lack of payments to the oxygen supplier firm.



But the shocking realities of deaths at a time when the nation prepares to celebrate 70 years of Independence exposes the bitter realities. It also shows the rot which has set in amid promises of development by the political parties. The situation and system on the ground are under strain by institutional apathy and lack of resources.



Yogi Adityanath as an MP had often raised the issue of encephalitis deaths in Parliament. Seeing his commitment to the cause, many expected things to change on ground zero when he took the CMs chair.



He is now leading the government in UP with a clear and massive mandate. His party is in power at the Centre. It is obvious that people would want their leaders to deliver. And deliver fast.
In the wake of the tragedy in Gorakhpur, where over 60 children died due to alleged disruption of liquid oxygen supply, the Centre on Sunday approved the setting up of a regional medical centre in the City for research into childrens ailments. The announcement was made by Health Minister J P Nadda. Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association, in a statement, said that the investigation probing the tragedy must come out with the results within 72 hrs.

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New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh's massive budget outgo on salaries, pensions and debt servicing, which comes to around 54% of budget spending, makes it very difficult for the state government to find resources to spend on health, or anything else for that matter.



After the tragic death of 60 infants in a government hospital in Gorakhpur, News18 looked at budget allocations of India's largest state to fathom why health expenditure was not getting the priority it deserves. The Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur owed Rs 60 lakh to the company that supplied it bottled oxygen, the Indian Express reported. Seven reminders in the past 6 months to pay up went unheeded.



The first thing that catches the eye upon a breakdown of the numbers is that massive expenditure on the salaries and pensions of government employees and servicing debt. The Yogi Adityanath government presented a budget worth Rs 3.84 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2017-18 out of which around Rs 2.07 lakh crore, or 54% is spent on the above mentioned heads, according to a PRS Legislative Research analysis. In budgeting terms, these are considered to be essential, but unproductive expenditure since they do not create new social or economic assets.



This means that Uttar Pradesh has only 46% of its stated budget to spend on everything else, including health. Remember, this is India's largest state with more than 200 million people. If it were a separate country, UP would be the fifth most populous in the world.



To be fair, the Yogi government increased the health budget by 9% from a year ago. However, Akhilesh Yadav had slashed the health budget by a similar amount in his last year, so the increase this year merely brought it back to parity. This amounts to 1.2% of the state GDP, which is less than the national average.



However, the big ticket item for UP this year is the farm loan waiver package. Yogi Adityanath allocated a whopping Rs 36,000 crore, the highest in the country. In fact, the Agriculture department budget saw an increase of 813% over last year on account of the package.



Interestingly, Rs 3,255 crore, or half a billion dollars, was allocated for construction of toilets under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (rural). The Chief Minister in a speech yesterday exhorted people to maintain public hygiene and said that diseases like encephalitis were caused due to open defecation. The government also set a goal of making the state open defecation free by October 2018. So the question arises: What happened to the money allocated to build toilets?



Budgeting is the art of choosing to allocate finite resources to unlimited wants. Medical and Public Health was allocated Rs 17,181 crore. However, the highlight of the health budget seems to be augmenting the 108 emergency service with 712 more ambulances.
Gorakhpur: Under fire Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday visited the government hospital in Gorakhpur where over 60 kids have died in the last five days and warned exemplary action against those found responsible amid calls for his resignation.



Accompanied by Union health minister JP Nadda, Yogi said that a high-level probe has been ordered to ascertain the cause of deaths. Postmortem examinations though are yet to be conducted on the bodies of the deceased, some of whom have already been buried.



I have formed a high-level committee under the supervision of the chief secretary and a thorough probe has been ordered to check the cause of the deaths in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and the supply of oxygen, he said. The CM said once the report is out, he would take action if lapses are found at any government hospital across the state.



Sixty three children have died at BRD Medical College Hospital since August 7, many for want of oxygen after supply was allegedly disrupted as bills were not paid to the supplier on time. At least 30 children were reported dead in the last two days alone. Many of the victims were infants who perished in the neonatal intensive care unit.



The deaths set off protests in the national capital even as Congress demanded that a murder case be registered against those whose negligence resulted in the massacre. Yogi, however, counselled against politicising the tragedy.



The Narendra Modi government also stepped in to cool frayed tempers and announced that it would set up a regional medical centre in the city at a cost of Rs 85 crore to conduct research on ailments that afflict children.



The UP CM said that PM Modi has extended every possible aid to the state government after he briefed him about the situation at the hospital. The Prime Minister too has been facing flak for not speaking about the tragedy.



Addressing a joint press conference after the hospital visit, Yogi said he assures that the punishment would set a standard. But he refused to shoulder any blame, and instead criticised the media over putting out fake news about the deaths.



He also made a strong pitch for a full-fledged virus research centre in Gorakhpur, an area prone to encephalitis, which has claimed several thousand lives every year over the last few years. Nadda said that he has approved the research centre, and said the planning for such an institute had started before the last parliament session.



The geography of east UP is such that we cannot win the war against vector-borne diseases until and unless we have a full-fledged virus research centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given AIIMS, we have started it. But, there should be a full-fledged virus research centre in Gorakhpur, Yogi said.



The chief minister said he has been waging a war against Japanese encephalitis for the last two decades. I have witnessed children of east UP dying. We will not allow this to happen anymore... Who can be more sensitive to this issue (than me)? I have been raising it from the streets to Parliament...No one can understand the pain and agony more than me, he said, voice choking with emotion.



But neither the action outlined nor the assurances swayed the Opposition, who called it too little too late. UP Congress chief Raj Babbar demanded the resignation of Adityanath as well a murder case against those responsible for the massacre. 70 children were murdered in the last four days (since August 10). The state government is responsible for their murder, he told reporters in Lucknow.



Babbar also demanded a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for the next of kin of each child who died due to neglect at the hospital. Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also visited the hospital and blamed the careless state government for the tragedy. He also demanded an apology from Adityanath as well as his resignation.
Srinagar: Top Hizbul Mujahideeen commander Yasin Ittoo was among the three terrorists gunned down by the security forces in an overnight operation in Shopian district in south Kashmir.



Two Army men had lost their lives in the gunfight that started on Saturday evening and stretched till Sunday morning. Three soldiers had also been injured in the encounter.



Ittoo was on top of a list of militant targets released by the Army earlier this year. A resident of Nagam Chadoora in Budgam, he was famous as Mehmood Gaznavi. The news of his death was confirmed by the official handle of J&K Police's twitter handle.



Police said Ittoo, who was from Budgam district of central Kashmir, had a long association with Hizbul Mujahideen and was involved in keeping alive the prolonged unrest of 2016 following the killing of group's commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces, besides recruiting several young men into the outfit.



He was identified by his family members who were brought to the scene of the encounter by police from their residence in Budgam.



Often called a 'vintage militant' as he joined Hizbul Mujahideen in 1996, Ittoo had surrendered in 2007 and later released on parole in 2014. He joined the militant group again and was its self-styled chief operations commander.



In a video message posted online last month, Ittoo had warned of several attacks on the security forces. He was also believed to be behind the wave of bank robberies in Kashmir in the last few months as HM looked to ramp up its operations and induct more men for its attacks. The HM commander had also urged Kashmir policemen to join the terror outfit and offered support for stone-pelters.



Giving details about the encounter, a defence spokesman said that security forces had launched a cordon and search operation after receiving information about the presence of militants in Avneera village in Zainapora area of the district on Saturday.



As the forces were conducting searches, the militants opened fire on them which was retaliated by the law enforcement personnel, triggering a gunfight. Five soldiers were injured in the gunfight on Saturday and were evacuated to 92 Base Hospital of the Army for treatment. Two soldiers among them succumbed to their injuries on Saturday night.



The operation was halted for the night but the forces maintained cordon of the area to stop the militants from fleeing. The gunfight resumed on Sunday morning and the three militants were killed. The two other militants killed were identified as Irfan, a tech-savvy militant involved in online propaganda for the HM, and Umar, who was personal security man of Ittoo.



A defence spokesman identified the slain Army men as Sepoy Ilayaraja P, a resident of Tamil Nadu, and Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman, a resident of Maharashtra.




New Delhi: At least 100 homebuyers protested outside the Jaypee headquarters in Noida on Sunday. The buyers of Wish Town project of Jaypee gathered outside the developer's corporate office in sector 128 and demanded clarity on the financial impact of the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) driven insolvency suit on thier investments.



The NCLT had admitted the insolvency procedings against the builder on a complaint filed by the IDBI bank last week.



Angry buyers demanded an explanation on why their interest was being compromised upon. The buyers also told CNN-News18 that there is no clarity provided to them on the insolvency proceedings from either the builder or the Noida Authority. The buyers protested delays of their various projects. Rajesh, a buyer, told CNN-News18 that he had invested all his life savings in the Wish Town project in 2012 and no guarantee has been given to hundreds of buyers like him that their homes will be delivered.







The buyers also questioned as to how Jaypee Infratech went insolvent.



The officials of Jaypee also held a meeting with the buyers on Sunday and told the buyers that their houses will be delivered to them. But, the buyers said they would protest till the time the Yogi Adityanath government takes action against the errant builders.



AMRAPALI BUYERS PROTEST



Homebuyers of the Amrapali projects also took to the streets and carried out a hunger strike outside the corporate office of Amrapali headquarter in sector 62 in Noida. A large number of buyers protested demanding an answer to the project delays in the Amrapali projects. Buyers of Dreamvalley, Silicon City, Lesiure Valley gathered in large numbers.







Buyers told CNN-News18 that although most of the buyers have paid 80-90% of the amount for the projects, in some projects not even a brick has been laid by the builder. A large number of projects have been partly constructed and others lack basic infrastructure.



The buyers also demanded an answer from the authorities and the state government as to what happened to the FIRs and complaints registered by the buyers against the builder. Some even blamed the state administration for their callous attitude. Gauher, a buyer of Amrapali, worried that while she has been paying huge EMIs, will she ever get her dream home? The homebuyers also raised questions on the bankruptcy filed by various builders and why there is no Real estate Act in place to check corruption in the state.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 12 (PTI) Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan today sought a time-bound probe into the deaths of 30 children in a government hospital in Gorakhpur, and said it was an "hour of test" for Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Paswan, a BJP ally, termed the deaths, many of which were reportedly caused by lack of oxygen, as "heartrending" and noted that the tragedy happened in Adityanaths constituency.

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"I am sure he will take it very seriously and it must be taken so. This is an hour of test for the chief minister," he told a press conference.

Paswan said there must be a high-level probe and action should be taken within a week.

He said condition of government hospitals in UP and several other states is "very bad".

At least 30 children have died, many due to lack of oxygen, in the hospital in the last 48 hours. PTI KR LUX KUN

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New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has called for a review meeting of all Delhi government hospitals to check if things are in order. According to a Delhi Government source, the CM has called the meeting after the Gorakhpur tragedy, which claimed the lives of over 60 children in a government hospital. Kejriwal has summoned the Medical Superintendents (MS) of all Delhi government hospitals from across the national capital to his office on Wednesday and asked them to present a status report.



"The CM has asked the MS of each government hospital in Delhi to remain present in the meeting at his office on Wednesday. He has also asked them to present a status report on the stocks of medicine and equipment, including oxygen cylinders, available with the hospital and mention the reason if the stocks are not adequate. He has sought a report on the condition of the patients, whether enough beds are available and whether patients are facing any problems. This will be a comprehensive review of healthcare in the state of Delhi," a government source said.



According to reports, at least 60 children have died in Gorakhpur's Baba Raghav Das Hospital due to a crippling shortage of oxygen tanks. On Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath denied allegations of families that the children had died due to a "shortage of oxygen". On Sunday, the UP CM, along with Union Health Minister JP Nadda visited the BRD Hospital, after which he said, "Nobody can be more sensitive towards those children than me. We are waiting for the report of the committee constituted by our government. I would urge everyone to wait for that report. Not just in Gorakhpur but across the state, if any death is caused by the negligence of the hospital authorities the government will take strong action against the guilty."
Mumbai: The new Haj policy will be unveiled this month and from the next year, Haj will be organised according to it, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Saturday.



"The new policy is aimed at making Haj process more transparent and smooth. Providing best facilities to Haj pilgrims is at the centre of this policy," he said at a review meeting on Haj 2017 and 22nd annual Haj orientation camp organised for pilgrims at the Haj House.



Naqvi said that a high-level committee constituted to frame the new Haj policy is giving final shape to the policy.



Reviving the option of sending Haj pilgrims through the sea route is also one of the important part of the new policy.



"Sending pilgrims through ships will help cut down travel expenses by nearly half as compared to airfares. It will be a revolutionary, pro-poor, pilgrim-friendly decision," he said.



The practice of ferrying Haj pilgrims between Mumbai and Jeddah by waterways was stopped from 1995.



An advantage with ships available these days is they are modern and well-equipped to ferry 4,000 to 5,000 people at a time, he said.



They can cover the 2,300-odd nautical miles, one-side distance between Mumbai and Jeddah, within just two-three days, he added.



Earlier, the old ships used to take 12 to 15 days to cover this distance.



Talks are on with Saudi Arabia on reviving Haj pilgrimage through sea route, he said.



During first phase of Haj 2017, about 65,000 Haj pilgrims have gone to Saudi Arabia.



In the first phase, Haj pilgrims went from embarkation points in Delhi, Gaya, Goa, Gauhati, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mangalore, Srinagar and Varanasi.



In the second phase, Haj pilgrims will go from Bangalore, Bhopal, Ranchi, Nagpur, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Cochin, Chennai, Aurangabad, Ahmedabad and Indore. The second phase will end on 26th August, the minister said.
Kolkata: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh has invited Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) chief Bimal Gurung for dialogue on Sunday to end the deadlock in Darjeeling which has been witnessing unrest for almost two months now.



West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is unlikely to attend the meeting as she left the capital on Saturday evening after attending a meeting of opposition parties. It was not immediately clear if any representative from the state government will attend the meeting.



In a press statement, Gurung said, Today the GJM received an intimation from the Union Home Minister requesting us to join for talks tomorrow at 4.30 pm in New Delhi. Because the movement has today transitioned into a peoples movement  with all the hill political parties as well as non-political bodies together  I have submitted this invitation for their consideration (sic).



I am hopeful the Hill parties leading the movement will attend this meeting and help find a possible road map for Gorkhaland statehood. I thank the honorable Home Minister for the kind invite and hope the central government will do justice for the Gorkhas at the earliest, he added.



Rajnaths invite for talks came a day after News18.com reported that the GJM had hinted it was ready for a dialogue, but said it had not received any formal communication from the West Bengal government.



This is for the second time when Union Home Minister appealed for talks in the recent past.



Earlier, on July 18, MHA had issued a statement, saying, The Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, telephonically apprised of the situation prevailing in Darjeeling to the Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh today. Shri Rajnath Singh has appealed to the people living in Darjeeling and nearby areas to remain calm and peaceful.



In his appeal, Rajnath said that nobody should resort to violence and in a democracy like India resorting to violence would never help in finding a solution.



Every issue can be resolved through mutual dialogue. I appealed that all concerned parties and stakeholders should resolve their differences and misunderstandings through dialogue in amicable environment, he had said.
Kolkata: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday appealed to the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, to initiate a dialogue with the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) and other stakeholders to end the deadlock in the hills.



The Bengal state government should restore all civil supplies and also restore internet services, Cable TV and local channels. I also appeal to the people of Darjeeling to display sensitivity and also keep in mind their civic responsibilities. The problem can be resolved only through talks, he added.



On Sunday, in a meeting with GJM delegates in New Delhi, the union home minister urged GJM to call off the bandh - which has crippled the normal life for the last 60 days in Darjeeling.



The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) has called for an indefinite strike in Darjeeling hills with effect from June 12 demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland. I am concerned about the developments in Darjeeling and the loss of valuable lives and sufferings of people over the past 60 days. It pains me immensely, Rajnath said.



He said, In a democracy, solutions are always found through restraint, mutual dialogue and within the legal ambit. We can never achieve a solution to any problem through violence.



While highlighting the strategic location of Darjeeling, he said, We are all aware of the strategic importance of the locality and the challenges that we face in the region, and I am kept informed of the developments on a regular basis by my colleague, SS Ahluwalia (MP, Darjeeling). Keeping in mind the national interest, as well as in the interest of our Gorkha brothers and sisters, who are brave and large-hearted people and have contributed immensely to nation building, I appeal to GJM and all other stakeholders to call off the hunger strike, and also withdraw the bandh call, allowing normalcy to return to the area. It is a move that will help create an atmosphere for a solution to the current crisis.



GJM welcomed the Union Home Ministry initiative to break the ice between them and the state government for creating an atmosphere for talks.


Ranchi: Sahitya-award winning writer Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar, who is also a government doctor, has been suspended by the Jharkhand government, allegedly for penning the collection of short stories, The Adivasi Will Not Dance, without taking permission.



The government, on Friday, had banned the book for hurting the dignity of Santhal tribal women and portraying them in a negative light.



Health Minister Ramchandra Chandravansi told the state assembly on Saturday that Shekhar, who is posted in the states Pakur district, has been placed under suspension with immediate effect. The authorities have also started seizing the book and are looking for the doctor, parliamentary affairs minister Saryu Roy said.



Pakur Civil Surgeon NK Mehra, while speaking to The Telegraph, said he had received Shekhars suspension order on Saturday and it would be delivered to the writer on Sunday.



Shekhar, however, said he had not yet received the order. I am a doctor and have to meet several people daily to treat them. I cannot afford to take pressure. I am absolutely okay, he said. He also said he would not change the content of his book as it would impinge on his freedom of expression. He advised those who have a problem with the book to not read it.



Although the book was published in 2015, protests against it have intensified only in August this year. On August 4, a group of Adivasis in Pakur took out protests against the writer, burnt his effigy as well as copies of the book. The matter was also taken up in the state assembly on Friday, with a legislator from Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, calling for the ban. Swift action followed.



Critics of the book say that the book projects women from the Santhal tribe with lose morals, and say his fictionalized account of their lives resembles erotic literature. Citing an example BJP MLA Laxman Tudu said, The story says that the woman agreed to go to bed with anybody in lieu of something to eat. Is it not objectionable?



The government, meanwhile, has issued a notification saying that the content of the book may disturb law and order situation in the state. The book's contents are in contravention of provisions of various IPC Sections like 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups), 153B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) and 292 (Sale of obscene books), the notification said.
New Delhi: Days after the Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh declared that all madrasas in the state must celebrate the Independence Day and record the events, Muslims turned up in thousands at the Jantar Mantar on Sunday to say that they have been celebrating the day all this while.



Participants at the rally called by Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind said that they are not opposed to showing brotherhood and love among communities, but do not support the recent decisions of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh government of recording the celebrations in madrasas.



"Our community had vehemently opposed the partition of Hindustan. We have embraced our nation with love, but now those who are in power want us to record Independence Day celebrations in madrasas. May be they do not know but we have been hoisting the national flag since Independence. You cannot teach us nationalism," said Maulana Mufti, a member of Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind to a large gathering who were chanting 'Hindustan Humara Hai' and 'Hindustan Zindabad'.



Jamiat, one of the most prominent Islamic organisations in India was founded in 1919 by Sheikh ul Hind Maulana Mehmood Hasan, Maulana Syed Hussain Mehmood Madani and others. They were one of the key opponents to the idea of colonialism and voiced the idea of a united India.



Madani, the first president of the organisation, believed that unity among Hindus and Muslims was essential for India's freedom.



The gathering on Sunday witnessed a crowd mostly aged between 20 and 30 years carrying placards with peace messages.



Arif Shaikh, a store owner from Delhi's Matia Mahal area, told News18 that such an event only shows that we can all come together to "oppose tyrannical moves of the government".



"Why does the government always see us as less patriotic? Just because we have a beard and wear a cap? Why does my religion overshadow my love for the nation? Since this government has come to power, there have been increasing number of attacks on Muslims. There is a vicious environment around. Our love for our Hindu brothers and our nation must defeat this," said Arif Shaikh.



One could easily feel a palpable anger in the crowd as most of them felt that although everyone remembers India's freedom struggle, but no one acknowledges the contribution of the Muslims.



"Soon after the Revolt of 1857 failed, the Ulema who were also a leading force in the mutiny, became the main target of British persecution. Two lakh men and women were martyred at the time. Of these, about 51,200 were Ulema. Five hundred of these Ulema were hanged in Delhi," recollected Shaikh.



The Jamiat which gave the slogan of Muttahida Qaumiyat (universal brotherhood) in the face of Muhammad Ali Jinnah's two-nation theory had opposed the partition bid and the idea of Pakistan. Soon, Jamiat faced a split and a section sided with the Muslim League.



"You need to have freedom to experience Indias Independence. If the minorities are forced to come out on the streets to make their voices heard and the government does not pay any heed, then there is some introspection needed," said Manjari Karmarkar, a doctoral candidate at the Delhi University.



At the same time, there were constant murmurs at the venue about the recent diktat in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, which they say could have been the result of the reluctance of Muslims in saying "Vande Mataram".



Mehboob Aslam Rahmani, a store owner in Mehrauli, told News18 that the fear of being "beaten up if he one does not say Jai Hind needs to be addressed at the earliest".



"We sing our national anthem and chant Jai Hind the loudest, but we do not say Vande Mataram because it means worship the land which is our mother. In Islam, we cannot worship anyone except the Almighty, hence this reluctance. But that does not mean we do not love India. We have bled for our country and will sacrifice our lives for Hindustan again," said Rahmani.



The 'Aman March' is being organised across all major cities with the district and state level mosque heads addressing the population.
On a bustling street in northwest Syria, young restaurateur Abdulrahim Abulezz serves up juicy chicken wraps crafted according to a traditional recipe from his hometown Daraya, which he left last year. His restaurant Sultan Daraya sits in a row of shops and eateries run by Syrians who quit their formerly rebel-held towns around the capital Damascus under deals with the regime.

With names like Madaya Supermarket and Ibad al-Rahman's Damascene Delicacies, the shops have turned this quarter of rebel-controlled Idlib into a "Little Damascus."



Sultan Daraya's sandwiches are a particular hit among those missing a taste of home. "We named it 'Sultan Daraya' because that's where we came from," said 24-year-old Abulezz, the restaurant's enterprising owner. His speciality is the mouth-watering shawarma sandwich, filled with chicken roasted on a vertical spit and shaved onto a bed of pita bread stuffed with tomatoes, spicy peppers and special sauces.



"We bring the spices and prepare our traditional Damascene hot sauce. That's why our shawarma is distinctly Damascene," Abulezz said proudly. "We even add a Damascene marinade to the roasted chicken -- a secret recipe that no one knows here." The blend hails from his family's restaurant in Daraya, one of the first towns to revolt against Syria's government when protests broke out in 2011. At the time, Abulezz left university to join rebels defending Daraya, which soon came under crippling government siege.



But in August 2016, he was among thousands of fighters and civilians bussed out of the town to opposition-held Idlib after a settlement with the regime. Tens of thousands of people have been displaced to Idlib province under similar "reconciliation" deals ending government siege and bombardment in exchange for rebels and other residents leaving.

About two months ago, Abulezz opened up Sultan Daraya in Idlib city. He now boasts seven employees: five from Daraya, and another from Homs, another city which the government also recaptured after rebel evacuations, and Abu Ali, from Eastern Ghouta near Damascus.



As he shaved chicken slices from the spit, 25-year-old Abu Ali crooned a nostalgic ode to Damascus. "Most of my customers are people from Madaya, Zabadani, Daraya, and Moadamiyet al-Sham," Abulezz said, listing towns around Damascus under "reconciliation" deals. "Everyone from the capital's suburbs has chased these Damascene specialties," he said.

Indeed, Daraya natives were flocking to Abulezz's restaurant on the day of AFP's visit. Abu Hamdan, a furniture seller living in Atmeh near the border with Turkey, said he eats at Sultan Daraya "just to remember the smell of Damascus. Coming to these restaurants reminds us of Daraya, of its people and their food. Being displaced is like sucking the soul out of the body," the 50-year-old said.



Carpenter Abu Imad, 50, is also a regular visitor. I come to Idlib city every time I need to buy some merchandise, so we drop by friends from our hometown," Abu Imad said. "I don't have a favourite dish. I come here to remember, to go back to the good old days of Daraya."



Along the same street lies Ibad al-Rahman's Damascene Delicacies, which dishes out hummus, fava beans drizzled in olive oil, and deep-fried falafel. The owner, 22-year-old Mohammad Nuh, also imported his succulent recipes from his family's restaurant in Daraya. "When I was 10, my father had a restaurant in Daraya. My brothers and I used to work there, which is where I learned the trade," he told AFP, adding "I prepare the food here the exact same way." Inside, his three employees are cubing fresh tomatoes, chopping parsley bouquets, and dipping mashed chickpea mixtures into sizzling olive oil to make falafel. "I had to go into debt to open up this restaurant. It took a lot of hard work, but finally I have my own place," Nuh said, while noting, "It was a coincidence that we all ended up on this street. Most of us didn't know each other before, but we opened several different businesses."



Just like Sultan Daraya, Nuh's restaurant attracts customers whose palates are used to Damascene flavours. "Idlibis love hot sauce so much -- they put it on everything. This ruins the food," Nuh said. "We're introducing them to new recipes so they can actually taste the dish and its ingredients." One regular is Abu Mukhtar, who hails from Madaya, another town near Damascus that has been evacuated. "We Damascenes are known for our love of good food, which we always found in local restaurants in Daraya, Madaya, or other areas in the suburbs," said Abu Mukhtar. The lanky, silver-haired Syrian teamed up with other Madayans to establish a supermarket named after their beloved hometown. "We decided with neighbouring businesses also owned by displaced people that we'll shop at each others places for mutual benefit."




Mumbai: Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! famed actor Manjot Singh, excited about his upcoming film Fukrey Returns, says the Hindi film industry is changing its attitude towards actors with a turban and that the acceptance of Diljit Dosanjh is a prime example.



He was 16 when he featured in Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! in 2008 and received a Filmfare Critics Award for the Best Actor category for it.



In a chat here, Manjot spoke about how his dream is coming true slowly but surely.



Asked if he feels the pressure of having limited roles in the Hindi film industry because he wears a turban, Manjot said: "No, not really, because I can see how things are changing. For instance, Diljit paaji is opening the door for us with films like Udta Punjab and Phillauri.



"People loved him everywhere. So I know, even I will get my share of opportunity, and no, I did not think of cutting my hair or removing my turban for a role."



Having made his debut in 2008 with a Dibakar Banerjee film, Manjot has worked with filmmakers like Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap, Karan Johar and Tony D'Souza for films like "Udaan", "Student Of The Year" and "Azhar", apart from "Fukrey" that won him appreciation from the audience.



Reflecting upon it, he said: "When I started acting in films, I made a wish list of being associated with a film that will become such a big hit that producers will make a sequel of that. With Fukrey', Babaji ne meri sun liya (God heard me). I am so fortunate."



He has a new wish.



"I know I am young and have a long way to go, but I am a huge Diljit Dosanjh fan and I so wish to work with Diljit paaji."



Asked if his success and a long list of fan followers made any change in his personality, Manjot said: "No, I am to an extent like Lali (his character's name from 'Fukrey'). I am still the simple and to an extent an innocent guy. Perhaps that is why I can relate with Lali so much and play him on screen easily.



"But yes, now I have grown up and changes have come not only on my face but also in personality. I was a shy child and very introvert as you know, but now I am better... At least I talk if not start the conversation. Earlier, I used to observe and listen. I am in a learning process."



As an actor, Manjot wants to experiment with more shades of different characters and he will soon be doing one of such films.



"I personally believe that I can play a serious role, but people mostly offer me comedy. Last year, I did a film with Abhay (Deol) sir. I hope that releases soon. I have played a very different character from all my previous work. The working title of the film is 'Situation Normal All Fucked Up (SNAFU)' where I am playing a different character and the director told me why others have not explored the actor side in me.



"I just hope the film releases and people get to watch me like that," said Manjot.



Fukrey Returns will release on December 8.
Image: Yogen Shah

Image: Yogen Shah

Spotted baby Taimur enjoying his vacation with mommy and daddy  A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan FC (@kareenakapoorteam) on Aug 7, 2017 at 10:22am PDT

the beautiful parents Kareena and Saif spotted in Gstaad!  A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan FC (@kareenakapoorteam) on Aug 7, 2017 at 10:19am PDT

Bollywood's baby royalty, Taimur, son of Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan, is back from his first international vacation.The happy family went to Gstaad, Switzerland to spend quality time with each other. And last night, they returned to Mumbai and were snapped at the airport.Taimur looked relaxed as his daddy held him in his arms. And as Taimur looked around and sometimes directly at the shutterbugs, it seemed he was in the mood for some fun.While Saif was dressed in formals, Kareena opted for casual black track pants.Many photographs from vacation have also surfaced on social media platforms. In one of them, Taimur was spotted in a stroller, enjoying a nice little walk perhaps.Kareena and Saif also surprised their fans as they agreed to get clicked with them.
Kenyan police have killed at least 11 people in a crackdown on protests as anger at the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta erupted in the western city of Kisumu and slums surrounding the capital, officials and witnesses said on Saturday.However, the NASA opposition coalition, led by four-time presidential hopeful Raila Odinga, put the death toll at more than 100, including 10 children, but did not provide evidence. Odinga has rejected the poll and its result as "massive" fraud.The eruption of violence has revived memories of a decade ago, when Odinga, now 72, lost an election in controversial circumstances that sparked a wave of political and ethnic unrest in which 1,200 people were killed and 600,000 displaced.Kofi Annan, the former UN head who mediated during that crisis, on Saturday issued a statement warning Kenya's leaders to "be careful with their rhetoric and actions in this tense atmosphere".Reuters was able to confirm 11 deaths, including one girl, in the space of 24 hours. The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said 24 people had been shot dead by police since Tuesday, election day.Top Odinga lieutenant Johnson Muthama said police had been packing corpses into body bags and dumping them, remarks likely to exacerbate the tensions that followed Friday night's official announcement that Kenyatta had won, with 54.3 percent of votes.Mwenda Njeka, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry, said the opposition claims were "hogwash".Acting Interior Minister Fred Matiang'i had earlier said trouble was localised and blamed it on "criminal elements" rather than legitimate political protest. He also denied accusations of police brutality. An anti riot policeman listens to a woman seeking refuge at a deserted makeshift stall during protests by supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga, in Mathare, in Nairobi (REUTERS)"Let us be honest - there are no demonstrations happening," he told reporters."Individuals or gangs that are looting shops, that want to endanger lives, that are breaking into people's businesses  those are not demonstrators. They are criminals and we expect police to deal with criminals how criminals should be dealt with."However, James Orengo, another top NASA official, said the killings were part of a carefully laid plan by 55-year-old Kenyatta's Jubilee party and the security forces to rig the poll, crush dissent and then hide the evidence."This violence, this state terror is being executed following very meticulous preparation," he said.He and Muthama urged Odinga supporters to stay calm and out of harm's way but, ominously, said there would be no backing down. "We will not be cowed. We will not relent," Muthama said.As with previous votes in 2007 and 2013, this year's elections have exposed the underlying ethnic tensions in the nation of 45 million people, the economic engine of East Africa and the region's main trading hub.In particular, Odinga's Luo tribe, who hail from the west, hoped an Odinga presidency would break the Kikuyu and Kalenjin dominance of central government since independence in 1963. Kenyatta, the son of Kenya's first president, is a Kikuyu. Protesters supporting opposition leader Raila Odinga attempt to make peace with policemen in Mathare, in Nairobi (REUTERS)Most of the trouble has been in the western city of Kisumu, an Odinga stronghold, and the large, ethnically mixed slums on the outskirts of Nairobi.The bodies of nine young men shot dead in the capital's run-down Mathare neighbourhood were brought to the city morgue, a security official said. A young girl was also killed by a stray bullet in Mathare, according to a witness.A government official said one man had been killed in Kisumu county. A Reuters reporter in the city heard tear gas grenades and gunshots overnight and on Saturday morning.In addition to the deaths, officials at Kisumu's main hospital said they had treated 26 people since Friday night, including four with gunshot wounds and others who had been beaten by police.Medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres said it had treated 54 patients, including seven for gunshot wounds.One man, 28-year-old Moses Oduor, was inside his home in Kisumu's impoverished district of Obunga when police conducting house-to-house raids dragged him out of his bedroom and set about him with clubs."He was not out fighting them. He was rescued by my sister who lives next to him," said his brother, Charles Ochieng. "She came outside screaming at the police, asking why they are beating people."In Nairobi, armed police and water cannons moved through the rubble-strewn streets of Kibera, another pro-Odinga slum. Supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga walk in Kibera slum in Nairobi (REUTERS)At one point they fired volleys of tear gas and live rounds to force a convoy of pick-up trucks containing senior NASA officials to retreat, a Reuters witness said.Fleeing Odinga loyalists vowed to vent their rage at the seat of Kenyatta's administration in central Nairobi."This is just a warm-up. Tomorrow we will go to State House and they can kill us there," shouted Felix Oduor, 18, as he ran from clouds of tear gas along Kibera's railway line. "They can't kill us all," those around him shouted in response.Annan reiterated calls for Odinga to lodge any complaint in court but the opposition has said it does not trust the system.Even before the official result was declared, NASA had rejected the poll's outcome, saying the election commission's systems had been hacked, the count was irregular, and foreign observers who endorsed the poll and the count were biased.NASA provided no evidence but singled out former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and former South African president Thabo Mbeki - who both led teams of observers - for criticism.Kenya's ELOG domestic observation group, which had 8,300 agents on the ground, published a parallel vote tally on Saturday that conformed with the official results.
By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) The governments plan to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) with a single higher education regulator seems to have hit a roadblock with the HRD ministry putting the idea on hold.

The plan to introduce Higher Education Empowerment Regulation Agency or HEERA with an aim to eliminate overlaps in jurisdiction and remove irrelevant regulatory provisions is in limbo.

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While the HRD Ministry and the Niti Ayog were earlier working to bring technical and non-technical education institutions under one umbrella, there has been no headway yet on the same.

The issue was raised in Parliament last week where Minister of State for HRD Upendra Kushwaha said no proposal has been considered at present in this regard.

"No such proposal is under consideration at present, to merge the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) into a single higher education regulator," Kushwaha had informed the Rajya Sabha.

HRD officials remained tightlipped when asked about the reasons behind it.

The ministry officials had earlier claimed a detailed blueprint of the proposed regulator and its legislation is being worked upon. It was felt that multiple regulatory bodies led to excessive and restrictive regulation and hence contributed to the lack of institutional autonomy, they had said.

The idea to have a single higher education regulator is not a new one, but has been recommended by various committees set up by previous governments.

While the National Knowledge Commission (2006) had recommended an independent regulatory authority for higher education, the Committee on Renovation and Rejuvenation of Higher Education (2009) had also advocated an apex regulatory body by converging multiple agencies in the field of higher education.

The UGC Review Committee in 2014 had also recommended the commission be replaced with an apex institution named National Higher Education Authority. PTI GJS TIR CPS

--- ENDS ---
Toronto: Pastor Hyeon Soo Lim on Saturday arrived home in Canada, where he was resting after being reunited with his family following a long trek from North Korea, where he had been imprisoned since 2015, according to a family spokeswoman.



Family members will hold a press conference at his church in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga, family spokeswoman Lisa Pak said in a statement. Pak said it was not clear whether Pastor Lim, 62, would be at the press conference, but said he would attend church services on Sunday.



Lim, a leader of one of Canada's largest churches, had been sentenced to hard labor for life in December 2015 on charges of attempting to overthrow the North Korean regime.



North Korea's KCNA news agency said on Wednesday that he was released on humanitarian grounds, though his family later said he was not in critical condition.



Footage from Japan's ANN television showed Lim walking on a tarmac next to Canada's national security adviser, Daniel Jean, at the Yokota Air Base on the outskirts of Tokyo, in a stop en route to his home.



Lim's return to Canada comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Pyongyang, though there authorities have not said there is any connection.
Washington: The top US intelligence official said on Sunday he would not be surprised if North Korea tested another missile, given that it had two tests in July, amid rising tensions between the United States and North Korea.



President Donald Trump has offered fiery warnings for North Korea, saying that the US military was "locked and loaded". North Korean officials in turn have accused the US President of driving the Korean peninsula to the brink of nuclear war.



I am quite confident that (North Korean leader Kim Jong Un) will continue to try to develop his missile program, so it wouldnt surprise me if there was another missile test, US Central Intelligence Agency Director Mike Pompeo said on "Fox News Sunday".



"He conducted two in July, so it wouldnt surprise me if there was another missile test."



North Korea said on Thursday plans would be completed by mid-August to fire four intermediate-range missiles to land near the US Pacific island of Guam, 3,500 km (2,175 miles) away.



Guam, some 7,000 km from the US mainland, is a target because of its naval base and air force base, from which two B-1B supersonic bombers were deployed close to the Korean peninsula on Tuesday.



Trump wrote on Twitter on Friday that US "military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded, should North Korea act unwisely".



Referring to Kim, Trump added: "If he utters one threat ... or if he does anything with respect to Guam or any place else that's an American territory or an American ally, he will truly regret it, and he will regret it fast."



Trump has urged China to apply more pressure on North Korea. Trump is expected on Monday to launch a trade investigation into China.



White House officials have insisted the investigation is not designed to apply additional pressure on China as it relates to North Korea despite the president's previous remarks that he would be more amenable on trade if China stopped Pyongyang's nuclear program.



Trump has also insisted that "nobody loves a peaceful solution better than President Trump".
Karachi: A powerful blast targeting a military truck on Saturday killed at least 15 people, including eight soldiers, and injured over two dozen others in Pakistan's southwestern restive province of Balochistan.



The high intensity blast occurred in a parking lot near Pishin bus stop which is in a high security area in the provincial capital Quetta.



According to an Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement, the army truck which was patrolling the area had been targeted and eight soldiers were killed in the attack. Pakistan army chief General Javed Qamar Bajwa has condemned the "cowardly" attack meant to disrupt Independence day celebrations, the statement said, adding the attack would not deter the determination of the army to fight terrorism.



"Our resolve won't succumb to any challenge," Bajwa was quoted as saying.



The injured also included around 10 soldiers who were in the truck. Pakistan army has now taken control of the affected area, it said.



Balochistan's Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said there were seven civilians among those killed in the blast.



"The bomb disposal squad has reached the spot and we will be able to confirm soon whether it was a suicide attack or a planted bomb," he said.



Bugti said around 30 injured persons were shifted to the Civil hospital for treatment and admitted that the condition of six to seven people was critical.



Earlier, several television channels had reported that around 17 dead bodies were brought to the hospital and most of them were badly charred and burnt.



The blast was so loud that it was heard in far off areas and caused a huge fire in which some vehicles and auto rickshaws were also damaged.



An official of the Edhi trust in Quetta said around 15 bodies were shifted before adding that the death toll could be much higher.



"The explosion was very powerful and loud. Its intensity was severe. Several car and auto rickshaws have been burnt or damaged after the blast as they caught fire due to the intensity of the blast," the official said.



There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Taliban and Islamic State militants have attacked Quetta city in the past.



Quetta is the capital city of the restive Balochistan province. Balochistan has oil and gas resources but has witnessed several terrorist attacks recently by militants and separatists while banned outfits have also carried out sectarian killings in the province.
Fremont, California: When Moina Shaiq realized even her friends were scared to ask her about her religion for fear of offending her or sounding uneducated, she put an advertisement in a California newspaper: Questions and answers about being Muslim.



The ad offered ideas for questions: Are women oppressed in Islam? What is the Islamic view of terrorism? How does Islam view other religions?



She set up shop at a coffee house in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Fremont, hoping for good attendance, but brought her laptop to do some work in case no one showed. To her surprise, about 100 people turned out that day last year, and her Meet a Muslim program was born.



It was over overwhelming, said Shaiq, a mother of four and grandmother. Fremont is so diverse, you will see women in hijab on the streets all the time. I didn't think people here would be interested or even need to know about Muslims.



Shaiq has since spoken about being Muslim and answered questions at dozens of libraries, pizza parlors and coffee shops in the San Francisco Bay Area. She recently expanded Meet a Muslim to churches, service clubs and private homes, and traveled to Arizona and Atlanta with the program.



She gives the talks once or twice a week on her own time and her own dime to break down stereotypes.



Similar programs emerged after 9/11, when many Muslims felt the need to engage with their fellow Americans to dispel negative perceptions of their faith. They've seen a resurgence with a recent uptick in anti-Muslim crimes.



Earlier this year, for instance, Muslim and former US Marine Mansoor Shams traveled the country with a sign that read "I'm a Muslim and a US Marine, Ask Me Anything. In Cambridge, Massachusetts, Mona Haydar and her husband set up a booth outside a library in 2015 with coffee, doughnuts and a sign that stated Ask a Muslim.



Shaiq said she started her program to educate people about her faith and culture while addressing people's misconceptions and stereotypes.



She explains the importance of the hijab (head scarf) or niqab (face covering), the differences between Sunnis and Shias (the two main sects of Islam), the rights of women in Islam, and what it's like to be an American Muslim today.



At a recent Rotary club meeting in Fremont, a man asked how she thinks people can combat Muslim extremism. "This is where you start," Shaiq said. "You understand what the faith is."



Recent anti-Muslim incidents across the US include arson attacks, vandalism, harassment and school bullying. In May, authorities in Portland, Oregon, say a man killed two men and wounded a third after they tried to stop his anti-Muslim tirade.



Shaiq herself has faced threats at her events. One man in Atlanta warned he would "slit her throat" if she said something he didn't like. He listened to the discussion, never asked a question and then left. "That was scary," Shaiq said.



Muslim leaders consider the incidents part of a deeply alarming trend that came to the forefront in last year's presidential election with far-right activists portraying Islam  and all Muslims  as a threat.



They see echoes of these far-right views in President Donald Trump's efforts to ban entry into the US from six Muslim-majority countries and in his claims of dangers posed by immigrants and Muslim refugees. Trump has said his policies are critical for protecting national security.



Initiatives like Meet a Muslim are important at "this time of heightened fear and xenophobia," said Zainab Arain, who works to monitor and combat Islamophobia with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington, D.C.-based Muslim advocacy group. "An effective way to push back against that, especially at a local level, is to gather people and have them get to know one another."



Some American Muslims, however, have struggled to see the benefit of these efforts when they see community members having the same conversations they had almost 16 years ago. "It's just not a good use of time. The likelihood of changing a bigot's mind is so low," said Asha Noor, a racial justice activist based in Detroit.



Instead, Noor and other critics say the focus should be on policy change. For Shaiq, her program is about sharing a message of love, compassion and peace.



Attendance at her talks spikes following news events that include Muslims, and the discussion often gets spirited, even tense and angry. I want to proactively educate my fellow Americans that Muslims are humans just like they are," Shaiq said. "They have the same needs as anyone else.
Washington: The US is ready to help India modernise its military and jointly they can improve India's military capabilities in "significant and meaningful" ways, a top American commander has said.



Over the past decade, the defence trade between the US and India has touched nearly USD 15 billion and is expected to gallop in the next few years, as India is looking at the US for some of the latest military hardware including fighter jets, latest unmanned aerial vehicles and aircraft carriers.



"I believe that the US is ready to help India modernise its military. India has been designated a major defence partner of the US. This is a strategic declaration that's unique to India and the US. It places India on the same level that we have many of our treaty allies," Commander of the US Pacific Command or PACOM Admiral Harry Harris told PTI.



"This is important, and I believe that together we will be able to improve India's military capabilities in significant and meaningful ways," said Harris, who has been personally pushing for a strong India-US defence relationship. The Admiral said he is fairly happy with the level of defence cooperation that exists today between the two sides.



"We have been partners with India in the Malabar exercise series, the maritime exercise, for a number of years. I participated in one of the very first... one of the early Malabars, in 1995," he recollected, reflecting on the decades-old association with India.



Noting that the exercise, and the complexity of it, has improved steadily over the years, he said he is very pleased that Japan is part of Malabar.



"I think the trilateral relationship between India and Japan and the US, that relationship is very important," he said, while advocating that Australia too should join this group.



"We could explore together bringing Australia into the exercise. That has merit. There's a lot of common interests in the Indian Ocean, between Australia and India. But that's really a decision for India to make, and then a decision for Australia to participate, if so invited. I'll leave that to those two countries," Harris said in response to a question.



According to Harris, there is a lot that India and the US can do together.



"I'm pleased that India is a participant in Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the Pacific exercise that's hosted every other year in Hawaii. I'm pleased in general with where the relationship is going, and I look forward to more as the years progress," he said.



Responding to a question on India's decision against the American move to have a joint India-US naval patrol in the Indian Ocean, Harris said the US is not disappointed at all.



"I'm not disappointed. This is on the patrols... I'm not disappointed at all, I'm encouraged that we were able to have a discussion about it, and I hope that that discussion remains open," he said.



"We stand ready to participate at whatever level India wants us to participate," Harris said.



Harris refrained from giving any answer on India and the United States starting to share information about Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean region.



"I don't want to answer the question, because I don't want to imply that I'm sharing intelligence, or anything like that. I'll just simply say that a close relationship between US and India is clearly helpful to the United States, and I believe helpful to India as well," Harris said in response. Harris reiterated that he believes that the deepening US-India relationship is the defining strategic partnership for the 21st century.



"I'm very interested, and very supportive, of what's happening in India. The Indian armed forces, and that whole piece...I think that the opportunities for our two countries are simply great. It's fantastic," Harris said.



Noting that India remains an important line of effort at Pacific Command, Harris said America's national leadership is working closely with India's to grow the partnership between the two countries.
Houston: A US school sent out a fundraising form that offered students a USD 100 'pass' that would entitle them to jump to the front of the lunch queue, sparking outrage among parents who accused the institution of 'cafeteria classism'.



A Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) sponsorship form for the Lawton Chiles Middle Academy in Lakeland, Florida, was sent out to the students' parents to raise money for the school but one offer stuck out.



The form stated that a USD 100 donation would grant the donor a "last name or company logo feature on the website, as well as PTSA events and front of the lunch line pass," ABC Action News reported.



Later, the PTSA said the form was circulated by mistake due to a "clerical error" and the fundraiser was not being implemented.



The letter, however, evoked a sharp response from parents who slammed it as promoting 'cafeteria classism'. "'Hey my dad has more money than you, I get to eat first you have to wait you have to wait'," Christ Stephenson, a father of a pupil, speculated what the form would incite from young students.



"Polk County has a very high rate of food insecurity when it comes to kids. With middle school already being a very contentious age, with hormones and everything else, the last thing you really want to do is add a food hierarchy on top of that," Stephenson told News Channel 8.



Stephenson and other parents were outraged with many reaching out to the principal of the academy, who said he did not even sign off on the paperwork.



"This definitely hits home for me and I am very upset about it," Brian Andrews, the principal of Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, was quoted as saying.



The PTSA, in a statement, said the fundraising programme was explored but was not to be implemented and the letter went out due to a mistake.



"We look to strive for new and innovative fundraising ideas to enhance the school experience for our students. We offer a variety of fundraising options for our students and families to choose from each year," the PTSA said.



"This Family and Business Sponsorship programme was explored but we decided not to implement it. Due to a clerical error, the form was inadvertently included in the Orientation packets. Our families have been notified this programme is not being offered," it said.



"Nobody is a second-class citizen here and I would encourage anybody to speak to parents that have been here," Andrews said.
Lahore: Pakistan's sacked premier Nawaz Sharif said on Saturday he will strive hard to replace the country's old and "flawed" system with a new law which will put an end to the unceremonious ouster of the prime ministers.



Sharif told his supporters at the last leg of his four-day homecoming from Islamabad in Lahore that his party's government was going to initiate efforts to bring new Constitution and fully support the suggestions put forward by the chairman of Senate.



"We will have to bring a new system, a new constitution and a new law replacing the old flawed system which has been affected by virus," he said while talking about flaws in the existing system of Pakistan.



"Now we need a new law in which no one can oust a prime minister in this manner and for that purpose I will come out one roads and bring about a revolution," he asserted.



Sharif also demanded accountability from military dictators and judges who he said have been sending prime ministers packing home in the last 70 years.



He also criticised the five judges who disqualified him in the Panama Papers case.



"Are you qualified to disqualify me? Every single child of this country has not accepted your decision," Sharif said.



He also took on the military establishment and warned that Pakistan may a face 1971 like situation if the prime ministers continued to be sent home unceremoniously.



"God forbid if Pakistan sees 1971 like situation again. But now time has come that humiliation of elected prime ministers should be stopped. I am no more afraid. I do not fear for my life. I need your support to ensure respect of the people's vote and civilian supremacy," he said.



Sharif said he should be given a medal for overcoming terrorism, electricity and gas shortages and unemployment.



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.



Sharif embarked on a roadshow from Islamabad to his ruling party's stronghold Lahore on Wednesday in a show of strength ahead of the crucial general elections next year.



The roadshow via the iconic Grand Trunk Road, which links a large part of South Asia from Bangladesh to Afghanistan, came despite security threats and drew thousands of Sharif supporters on their way to the provincial capital of Punjab.


Citing multiple violations of state regulations, the Virginia Commissioner of Health has revoked for five years the EMS certification for the former chief of operations for Altavista EMS.

Mark Moss, who resigned his position effective May 31, was issued three citations by the Virginia Office of EMS at the end of May for violating state EMS regulations including the improper maintenance of patient care records, patient abandonment and [making] false statements or submissions to OEMS investigators, according to state documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by The News & Advance.

The news follows the suspension of operations by Altavista EMS in March and a months-long inquiry into the agency by the Virginia Department of Healths Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS). That inquiry also resulted in a one-year revocation of EMS certification for another Altavista EMS employee as well as several citations issued to Altavista EMS as a whole.

Altavista EMS has served the town and northern Pittsylvania County for several decades and fielded approximately 2,000 calls annually, according to Deputy Chief Hope Meeks. When it closed, the organization had 11 employees and 20 volunteers.

The agency had $808,376 in revenue in 2015, according to the agencys income tax forms, and received $35,000 in funding annually from Campbell County and $20,000 annually from Pittsylvania County. Its 2016 tax filing shows Moss earned an annual salary of $56,200.

The state citations are not the first for Moss. OEMS also investigated the agency chief in the summer of 2016 after the state received a complaint from Marilyn McLeod, a physician with Blue Ridge Emergency Medical Services, about improper behavior of Moss while treating patients.

Two of her three allegations were dismissed, but Moss was issued a citation Aug. 14, 2016, for performing in a manner that presents a risk to, or threatens, or endangers the public health, safety or welfare after he said over the radio he was on the scene of a medical emergency when he had not yet reached the home in February 2016. He also was issued a written warning by Altavista EMS on July 8, 2016, for the incident.

Following the recent state investigation,Brittany Valentine, another former Altavista EMS staff member, had her EMS certification revoked for one year on July 18, 2017. She received a citation in May for unauthorized, intentional deletion of multiple Pre-Hospital Patient Care Reports and making false statements to the OEMS investigator. Valentine could not be reached for comment.

Both Moss and Valentine had separate administrative hearings with the Department of Healths Office of EMS on June 29 to determine whether their certifications should be revoked following the citations. Neither came to the hearing to present evidence, according to OEMS spokesperson Marian Hunter.

The state agency began investigating Moss after a complaint of numerous acts of misconduct was reported in December 2016 by Altavista EMS employee Thomas Kathan, who had been recently terminated, according to the state documents. Over the course of the inquiry, OEMS investigators looked into the allegations against Moss resulting in citations for him, the citation against Valentine and five citations and a corrective order issued to the agency as a whole.

The agency suspended operations on March 31 after its Operational Medical Director, Leonard Cohen, resigned his post after he became aware of multiple and repeated breaches of protocol, he told The News & Advance in June. EMS agencies are required to operate under the medical license of a physician specially certified in emergency medicine, so without one, they cannot operate.

Due to Cohens resignation, the agency lost its ability to participate in the regions drug box exchange program managed by the Blue Ridge Emergency Medical Services Council. The program allows EMS organizations access to controlled narcotics and other medications necessary when treating patients.

According to Altavista EMS President James Kent, Moss resigned his position with the agency on May 31. Valentine was suspended for a day without pay on Aug. 1, 2016 by agency leadership after the deletions were discovered, but Cohen was not notified of the incident, according to the state documents.

According to Hope Meeks, the deputy chief of operations for Altavista EMS, Valentine left the agency on April 1, 2017, before the agency was aware of the citations against her, Moss or the agency as a whole.

According to the states investigation,multiple breaches of EMS regulations stemmed from an incident when Moss and Kathan responded to a motor vehicle wreck involving a 20-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl on Bedford Highway [Virginia 43] in mid-November 2016. A Virginia State Trooper also responded to the crash and requested the ambulance pull over a mile away from the wreck scene to interview the patients.

Dash cam video of the incident provided by the Virginia State Police described in the case file identified several periods when Moss left the male patient in the back of the ambulance with Kathan, who was not a certified EMT at the time of the call, according to the state documents.

According to the case file, EMS providers may not leave a patient in need of emergency medical care without first providing for a level of care capable of meeting the assessed and documented needs of the patients condition is present and available.

On the audio recorded on the troopers microphone, the male patient is heard complaining of memory loss and a head injury. According to notes from the dash cam video, it took about one hour for the patient to be transported from the scene of the crash to Gretna Medical Center.

According to the analysis of the incident provided by OEMS investigator Douglas Layton, transport of the male patient and access to definitive care were delayed unnecessarily, and Moss at times was not with his patients and missed some of the replies/reactions of the male patient to questioning that might have led [Moss] to a conclusion to transport sooner rather than later due to the possibility of a head injury.

The patient survived the accident.

The 16-year-old minor was treated by Moss for minor injuries sustained in the crash and then left the scene to ride to the hospital with her parents without signing either consent to care or refusal of care paperwork required by EMS regulations.

Although Moss started a Pre-Hospital Patient Care Report for the man injured in the wreck, he did not submit the record within the 30 days required to the state EMS computer system where patient records are stored, according to the case file.

A report was not filled out for the female involved in the crash. According to the case file notes, Gretna Medical Center did not receive a copy of the Pre-Hospital Patient Care Record when the patients were transferred to the facility as required, according to the investigation case file.

According to Moss, Kathan was days away from being fired from Altavista EMS, so he made the situation more hectic and reported Moss specifically to create problems for the agency.

It was very hectic, Moss said. [Kathan] knew that he was no longer going to be with us, and this was an opportunity to try and screw me over. He made that well known after he was no longer with us that he was going to try and file a complaint and create a lot of problems for me.

For the incident Moss was issued an individual citation for improper record keeping, patient abandonment and failing to get proper consent and refusal of care paperwork for the female patient during the incident. Altavista EMS as a whole also received a citation for not having a proper system in place for Quality Management Reporting to check constantly to make sure procedures were completed correctly by all of its staff and volunteers.

The citation for the agency also identified violations of the requirement that EMS personnel only can provide medical care if they are authorized to do so and of the policy requiring proper patient care records, as well as improper documentation of a patients consent or refusal of care in Pre-Hospital Patient Care Reports.

In November 2016, the Blue Ridge Emergency Management Services Council was informed a drug box  one of many boxes the regions EMS agencies use to store controlled narcotics that must be returned to regional pharmacies immediately after they are used to treat a patient  had been left unreturned 16 days after the call requiring its use, according to the investigation case file.

A photo of the box sitting unsealed under Moss desk was sent by an Altavista EMS staff member to the Blue Ridge Emergency Services Council as well as OEMS with the misconduct complaints. The case file did not indicate narcotics were being stolen or otherwise tampered with from the unsecured box.

The unsealed box not being exchanged at a regional pharmacy promptly or stored in a climate-controlled area resulted in an agency-level citation for Altavista EMS for improper storage of drug boxes.

In response, Moss said the box was placed under his desk bysomeone else at the agency in an attempt to get him in trouble with state regulators. He claims it was not under his desk for as long as alleged, and he turned it back into the hospital as soon as he saw it.

Someone had put that under my desk, took a picture and filed a complaint, Moss said. If there is something under my desk where I put my feet at, you know I would see it. What is the objective other than trying to get [me] in trouble?

The case file also described an incident in early November 2016 when a patient called Altavista EMS twice for assistance getting back into bed. Although a full crew assisted the patient the first time and filled out the proper paperwork, when the patient called again, a non-EMS certified staff member was sent along to assist the 285-pound amputee back into bed alone in a non-transport vehicle, according to the case file. The case file does not say who dispatched the crew member to the house alone for the second time. No Pre-Hospital Patient Care Record was filled out for the second call, according to the states investigation.

This resulted in an agency-level citation for improper patient care record keeping, inadequate response staffing, a violation of the requirement EMS personnel only can provide medical care if they are authorized to do so and the requirement the agency document a patients consent or refusal of care.

The case file also noted as of March 2017, there were 25 calls dating back to as early as January 2015 with records Moss never completed and submitted to the states database as required by state EMS regulations.

Moss said Meeks sent him a list of all of the charts he needed to correct and update prior to his resignation in May, which he completed.

I completed the things that were sent back to me to be fixed, he said. If I didnt fix them, its because they werent sent back to me to be fixed.

When reached by phone last week, Meeks told The News & Advance Moss set up the online record system and should have known what to complete.

[Moss] is the one who set up the system, she said. It should have been no problem for him to complete his records.

The investigations report concurs with Meeks and describes how Moss was told by the state investigator in January 2017 to have all of the Pre-Hospital Patient Care Reports by all agency members, including by Moss himself, updated by the end of February.

It does not seem plausible that Mr. Moss needed anyone to tell him what to do, or that he could be confused about what calls need to be completed, the notes in the OEMS case file said. Apparently, as the one who set up the system he would have known better than anyone else.

While investigating allegations Moss was behind on submitting his mandatory paperwork, the investigator found multiple incomplete records from Moss and other Altavista EMS employees. This agency-wide failure to complete timely and full [Pre-Hospital Patient Care Records] within 12 hours to a receiving medical facility and the failure to upload reports to the state OEMS database within 30 days resulted in a citation for improper patient care documentation and quality management reporting for the agency as a whole.

The investigator found the OMD, Cohen, was not aware of the issues with patient records or other compliance problems so by not communicating with him, the agency effectively denied the OMD the opportunity to fulfill, in part, his responsibilities to audit the agencys activities and ensure an effective quality management program.

In addition to these above violations, the investigator noted several occasions throughout the investigation process where Moss either obstructed the investigation by not providing information as requested by the investigator or was found to have given false statements in interviews after the OEMS staff compared accounts of events to computer records or interviews with other witnesses, resulting in citations.

The Altavista Police Department announced in July it has been conducting a criminal investigation into several individuals associated with Altavista EMS in collaboration with the Campbell County Commonwealth Attorneys office and the Virginia Attorney Generals Office since January. Police would not identify which individuals were being investigated.

According to Altavista Deputy Chief Kenny Moorefield last week, the investigation still is ongoing, and there is no news to share at this time.
Charlottesville officials on Sunday said Heather D. Heyer, 32, of Charlottesville, was killed Saturday afternoon when a car plowed into a crowd of protesters as they crossed the road at 4th and Market Streets downtown.

The incident injured 19 other protesters, when a dark grey 2010 Dodge Challenger sped down 4th Street where it crosses the Downtown Mall before slamming into a crowd of pedestrians and two cars sitting at the intersection.

Heyer was transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center where she was pronounced dead, according to the release.

A friend of the woman killed when a car rammed into a group of protesters in Charlottesville says she's no different than a casualty of war.

Felicia Correa said Sunday that her friend Heather Heyer died standing up for people of color.

Correa says Heyer and other counterprotesters put their lives on the line to confront hateful bigotry. She says she doesn't see the difference between Heyer or someone who died in the Sept. 11 attacks. She says the vehicle that plowed into a group of peaceful protesters was a terrorist attack as well.

Correa says she grew up with Heyer, who was 32. She says she was a sweet person. She has set up a fund to raise money for Heyer's family.

Police stopped the Challenger on Monticello Avenue, and arrested the driver, identified as James Alex Fields, Jr., 21, of Maumee, Ohio. Fields has been charged with one count of second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of hit-and-run.

The Associated Press contributed.
The government should immediately object to the construction of the bridge, said Dr Sonal Dawa Lopo, Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council.

By Ashraf Wani: Even as the Doklam standoff cotinues, China has begun building a bridge in No Man's Land, near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh.

Security agencies have been tight-lipped on the Chinese agression.

Dr Sonal Dawa Lopo, Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, told India Today that the issue will be raised with the government. The Narendra Modi administration should immediately object to the construction of the bridge, he said.

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DOKLAM STANDOFF

The Doklam standoff began in 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 a transgression by Indian troops into Chinese territory.

ALSO READ

Indian flier alleges Chinese airline staff misbehaved with him due to Doklam standoff

Has Donald Trump turned Doklam tide in India's favour by raising heat over North Korea?

ALSO WATCH

Centre decides to flex muscles, prepares itself to become war ready amid Doklam standoff

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Vendors cartel at Macoya market

But, this is what happens at the Norris Deonarine Northern Wholesale Market in Macoya on a daily basis.

The backlog of traffic is caused by farmers who wanted to sell their produce but were unable to procure a space.

Minister of Agriculture, Land Fisheries Clarence Rambharat, who on Friday turned the sod for a new $4.5 million car park to alleviate parking along the highway and onto the road which distressed residents, said this was common when there was a lack of space to sell.

Once you have competition for space, you will have people who are blocking spaces making it difficult for the bonafide farmers, so the first thing we have to do is make more spaces available.

By removing the traffic within the market we are able to make more space and it would improve the traffic space within the market. It would also allow us to squeeze the vendors inside a little better. When asked about the touts or those who ran roughshod over the vendors, Rambharat they needed to get rid of all criminals and persons inclined to all criminal behaviour.

The board of Namdevco has their job to do and Im here to make sure that they do what they have to do, but they have been operating under challenging circumstances.

Once we have have completed the first phase I expect to see improvements, he said.

Namdevco chairman Dennis Ramdeen admitted that as a board they did not move swiftly enough.

The minister has been very clear in giving us a mandate. We are here to help, but it is not the cure for all.

We have to extend the southern side and tackle issues inside of the market, he said.

Ramdeen said there would be a police presence when vendors arrive to bring in their goods from 4 am until noon.

Vendor Randy Ramoutar, who left his Rio Claro home at 9 pm on Thursday, hoping to get a spot to display his goods, was still trying to sell his bundles of chadon beni.

We are not getting any justice out here because we have no rights at the end of the day which is unfair.

We have no proper facilities.

We supposed to come together and support each other because we have no interest here. We have no rights, none whatsoever.

We want a market for we goods. Is a friend and favour thing. I write to the minister, tell I want to meet him. This is my bread and butter. They importing the product and like we selling rubbish.

This is what I do for a living. I do chadon beni, plantain, dasheen fig, I not robbing nobody. All I asking for is a chance. Why do you want to bring goods from Guyana that we growing here? Ramoutar asked.

As to vendors who were retailing their goods, Rambharat admitted it has always been a problem at the market.

It is good for the consumers and for the retailers because they (retailers) buy from the wholesalers, so it is difficult to exclude them.

We can have wholesale on some days and retailing on others, maybe changing the hours.

We have to try to accommodate everybody.

Yes, we want wholesalers, but we also want people earning a livelihood in the market.
STALEMATE among labour, Govt, business leaders

Within the past year, the sector has been underpinned by retrenchment, stalled negotiations and increasing hopelessness among workers.

On Friday, president of the Banking, Insurance and General Workers Trade Union Vincent Cabrera, at a news conference, again complained about the continued retrenchment of workers, not the least of which is the reported dismissal of some 49 workers at Guardian Media Ltd.

Cabrera claimed last week that an estimated 4,000 people have been put on the breadline over the last year. Responding to the rally, last Saturday, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley did not address calls by the trade union for an urgent meeting with him but rather, extended an olive branch to the leaders, urging them to return to the National Tripartite Advisory Council (NTAC), which was formed in March 2016 as a mechanism to address the socio-economic challenges confronting the country.

The Government, with a wider responsibility for the entire population, would hope that the workers representatives would acknowledge the reality and outcomes of our strained circumstances and return to the tripartite approach enabled by the Government, rather than rely on threats, bombast, finger pointing and insults, since these invectives would do little to assist us in treating with the harsh realities of our current circumstances as a nation in the midst of an economic downturn which is driven largely by our location in external markets beyond our control, Rowley had said in a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister.

But today, one week after the rally, labour leaders told Sunday Newsday they have no intention of returning to the NTAC until the Government truly re-commits to the process for which the council was originally conceptualised.

It has to be meaningful, with substance and based on mutual respect, said Michael Annisette, president of the National Trade Union Centre (NATUC).

Annisette said he took no solace in the prime ministers statement after the rally.

Extending an olive branch and then saying go back rather than sitting down and seriously addressing the genuine concerns that we have articulated would not solve the problem. The labour leaders suspended their involvement in the NTAC in March, over the Governments decision to dismantle the Tourism Development Corporation (TDC) and replace it with two regulatory bodies. They contend that the plan to abolish the TDC was made without any consultation with the labour movement and flew in the face of the spirit of the NTAC.

Describing the move as the straw that broke the camels back, Annisette argued that it was disingenuous of the Government to establish the NTAC and continue to act in a high-handed manner.

When the Minister of Tourism (Shamfa Cudjoe) made the announcement that Cabinet has taken a decision to dismantle the Tourism Development Corporation, we realised that all of these workers would be affected because there was not any discussion whatsoever, he said.

What is the purpose of having a National Tripartite Advisory Committee and then Cabinet is still free to make whatever decisions they want that affect the livelihood of people and impinge on the workers that we represent? Anisette, who is also president General of the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Trade Union, said the labour sector suspended its involvement in the NTAC on the basis of principle.

The veteran labour leader said, though, there were other issues which factored into the decision.

We left the process because of some of the actions over a period of time that the Government would have taken without consultation and/or discussions with the trade union movement and that is the reason why we would have left, he said of their decision to temporarily quit the NTAC.

Given the Governments failure to treat meaningfully with the issues plaguing the sector, Annisette argued that tripartism and social dialogue should be legislated so that any government that comes into power they will have a mandate through legislation to say that there must be social dialogue. President of the Transport and Industrial Workers Union (TIWU) Roland Sutherland said the trade union movement has been disrespected for as long as he could remember.

He said the union leaders decision to withhold their support for the NTAC reflected this view.

The relationship in terms of some of the activities that has been taking place where labour is concerned, shows that we continue to be disrespected, Sutherland said.

In my own case with MTS workers (TIWU), negotiations are over. However, the Government is not signing off on the negotiations for the workers to get money.

That has been going on almost for two years now.

So, labour needs to be shown the respect it deserves before we get back behind the table in NTAC. What is the sense you in NTAC and whilst the discussions taking place, the labour movement is being disrespected and taking a pounding.

That dont make sense. To end the apparent stalemate, Sutherland said good sense must prevail.

The Government needs to respect the labour movement so that we could feel our contribution is being respected whenever we sit down and talk. Ozzie Warwick, chief education and research officer of the Oilfields Workers Trade Union, told Sunday Newsday the labour movement had observed, long before the Peoples National Movement assumed office, that TT would have faced economic difficulties.

In light of that, he said they agreed that the only way to weather the storm would have been to seek national consensus on sharing the burden of adjustment.

Warwick said by the time the NTAC was up and running, union leaders had formulated what he called Labours Economic Alternative Plan, which they presented to the council for its consideration.

He claimed there was no feedback.

It was meant to be a proposal and an alternative to austerity because when we looked across the globe in terms of how various countries were dealing with their crises, some countries took austerity which led to stagnation and social chaos while other countries, including the United States, took another path, investing in stimulating the economy so that the economy would grow. Warwick claimed several countries, utilising the latter model, emerged from their crises.

He said while NTAC meetings were being held, mass retrenchment was taking place in the country.

That just cannot work. So we would have left, Warwick said of labours decision to leave the NTAC.

Nevertheless, he remains hopeful that tripartism can work, if all three parties are genuine, show respect for one-another and at least have a common goal. He added: Once those elements are there, tripartism can work. But you have a situation where government and business are engaging in actions that are completely counter to the interests of one (labour).

So, it is almost as though the two gang up on the one. You cant stay there and take all that blows.

Anybody thinking objectively would agree that that cannot be fair. ILO director says consensus possible Claudia Coenjaerts, new Director of the International Labour Organisation Organisation (ILO) Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean, said consensus within the framework of tripartism was not elusive.

In tripartism, you can actually find that sweet spot where you can get consensus, she said in a television interview on Thursday.

But it takes a lot of emotional intelligence to get us there and I think it is also about becoming more aware that we (three parties) have the same interests in mind.

We all want sustainability - workers, employers and Government.

We all want prosperity. We all want to come out of the crisis. Its probably just the way we think we will get there is a little bit different. However, Coenjaerts said the tripartite process was hard work.

We face it day to day in the ILO. Its kind of the breath of our life, she said. But really it takes consistent, serious and sustained work. Saying tripartism, by its very nature, was a tumultuous affair, Coenjaerts said: It is meant to be quite passionate, quite fiery and so you need to do a lot of investment, a lot of cultivation so that when the going gets tough, as we see now, you can actually bear the fruits of having built that relationship. Coenjaerts, a Belgian, said several islands in the region have committed to tripartism, namely Barbados, Jamaica and Grenada.

Regarding Jamaica, she said: They actually developed a good practice over the years. They have gone through very hard economic times with the IMF agreement but it has brought them to the table and they have really developed a practice of working together on matters. Coenjaerts said governments should not attempt to implement parallel systems without the sanction of all of the players in a tripartite body.

That is where we still need to work on getting it right - that the mechanism we set in place is truly given that role. I do believe the social partners will actually come back to the table.
Garas name, along with that of former Zanu PF commissar Webster Shamu, always tops the list when a roll call of Mugabes eccentric bootlickers is made and Chipanga has gone to desperate lengths to be in that league.
The reason we are having Zimche officials as part of the delegation is we would want find out if the courses being offered in Cyprus are relevant to Zimbabwe and see if it still makes any sense to continue sending our students there, he said.
Pakistan Army began indiscriminate firing and shelling at 8.30 AM on the LoC in Mendhar sector's Mankote, sources informed.

By Indo-Asian News Service: Indian and Pakistani troops traded heavy fire today along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, according to defence sources.

"Pakistan Army began indiscriminate firing and shelling on our positions at 8.30 AM on the LoC in Mendhar sector's Mankote.

"The firing is ongoing and our forces are effectively retaliating," the sources added.

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On Saturday, a civilian and a junior level Army officer were killed in Pakistan shelling in Poonch's Krishna Ghati sector.

ALSO READ:

Jaitley condemns Pakistan over mutilation of Indian soldiers: Such acts don't happen even during wars

Mutilation of Indian soldiers: PM Modi says there is something because of which India keeps marching ahead

Pakistan High Commissioner to India Abdul Basit evades questions on mutilation of Indian soldiers

ALSO WATCH: Want revenge against people who killed my father: Martyred soldier's daughter

--- ENDS ---
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If the United States takes military action against the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Maduro's son says his country will "take" the White House with guns, Politico reports. Nicolas Maduro Guerra issued the warning yesterday in response to comments made by Donald Trump Friday that he would not rule out pursuing a "military option if necessary" against Maduro, whose government last month won elections that the State Department has called a "sham." "If the US soils the homeland, the rifles would come to New York and take the White House," Maduro Guerra told Venezuelan media.

While Maduro Guerra's threats against the White House are unlikely to come to fruition, Reuters reports that Trump's words could serve to further empower Maduro. Maduro has often invoked the threat of an American invasion to justify unpopular economic policies. His predecessor, Hugo Chavez, did the same thing: claiming the US was threatening to steal Venezuela's oil as a way to gin up popular support. Now, Maduro's opponents and critics are afraid Trump's talk will give weight to Maduro's tactics as a time when their country's democracy is at risk. (Read more Venezuela stories.)
A British model who was allegedly abducted in Italy has said she understands why people may doubt her story, but insists she was "terrified" and certain she would die during the ordeal. Chloe Ayling says she was lured to Milan for a fake photo shoot, then drugged, stuffed into a suitcase and held at a rural house by criminals who threatened to auction her on the dark web. In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, 20-year-old Ayling explained why she did not try to escapeand even went shopping with her captorsaying she was told she would be killed by a criminal syndicate called Black Death if she tried to flee, reports the AP. "I understand why people have questions," she said. "People need to understand that everything I did was so I could survive."

In a separate piece, the AP looks at the purported 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, and the supply of bombs and drugs. Three alleged women for sale are listed, with ages, nationalities and measurements and asking prices ranging from $120,000 to $750,000. It's far from clear, however, whether the group actually delivers on any of its supposed services. 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. (Read more kidnapping stories.)
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By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) India and Turkmenistan will hold talks tomorrow on ways to enhance trade and boost scientific and technological cooperation.

Rashid Meredov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, is on a visit to India from August 13-15 at the invitation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

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Swaraj and Meredov will tomorrow co-chair the sixth meeting of the Turkmenistan-India Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technological Cooperation, a Ministry of External Affairs statement said.

Meredov will also hold a series of other meetings and review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, it said. PTI ASK PYK ASK

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By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) State-owned Indian Oil Corp (IOC) has bought the countrys first shale oil from the US and is looking to step up imports from America as part of its crude diversification strategy.

IOC bought 1.9 million barrels of US crude in its second import tender seeking oil from the Americas, company Director (Finance) A K Sharma told PTI here.

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India, the worlds third-largest oil importer, joins Asian countries like South Korea, Japan and China to buy US crude after production cuts by OPEC drove up prices of Middle East heavy-sour crude, or grades with a high sulphur content.

IOC had last month sealed a deal to import 1.6 million barrels of Mars crude from the US and 400,000 barrels of Western Canadian Select oil for delivery at its Paradip refinery in Odisha -- the first ever such purchase of US crude by an Indian state-run refiner.

"In the second tender, we have bought 950,000 barrels of light sweet Eagle Ford shale oil and 950,000 barrels of heavy sour Mars crude. This is for delivery in end-October," he said adding the oil was bought from trading firm Trafigura.

The first cargo was loaded on ships on August 7 and would after a 40-day journey reach Paradip sometime around September 20, he said.

Sharma said IOC has received government nod for buying one cargo (or shipload) of US oil every month till March 2018.

India allows import of crude oil only on Indian carriers but US oil can be imported only on foreign vessels. So a special permission is needed for using foreign-flagged ships for ferrying the oil.

"Shipping Ministry has given as permission to import one cargo from US on DES (Delivered Ex Ship) basis," he said.

DES means the seller makes arrangement to deliver the goods to the buyer at the named port of destination. The seller has to bear all costs and risks involved in bringing the goods to the named port of destination.

As per present policy, when a domestic refiner tenders to buy a crude from foreign nation, Indian shipping lines get the first right of refusal by virtue of they being allowed to match any lowest bidder for transportation of crude oil. Only when they waive their right can the oil firms use a foreign line.

Transporting US crude needs very large crude carriers (VLCCs) and can be done only by foreign shipping lines. And to do that, oil companies have to obtain permission of the shipping ministry.

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Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) has bought two of the US cargoes. A few days ago it bought 1 million barrels of US WTI Midland sweet crude for delivery in October - its first purchase of the sweet variety from the US.

In July, it bought 500,000 barrels each of Mars and Poseidon varieties of medium-to-high-sulphur crude for delivery to its Kochi refinery between September 26 and October 15.

Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) is also looking at buying US crude oil.

Sharma said buying US crude has become attractive for Indian refiners after the differential between Brent (the benchmark crude or marker crude that serves as a reference price for buyers in western world) and Dubai (which serves as a benchmark for countries in the east) has narrowed.

Even after including the shipping cost, buying US crude is cost competitive to Indian refiners, he said.

"We are not looking at any term (or fixed quantity) deal from US as of now. We will tender to buy crude and if the US crude is competitive as compared to others, we will buy it," he said.

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The deals by IOC and BPCL came within weeks of Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the US when President Donald Trump talked of his country looking to export more energy products to India.

An oil ministry official had last week stated that Indian shipping lines do not have vessels to match the demand. They account for only 22 per cent of the total oil transportation and bulk of this is coastal shipping. PTI ANZ MKJ SRK

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi:

Flight Lt. Dilip Parulkar while having dinner with commanding officer MS Bawa while having dinner in 1968 then he had said that he would escape if ever made prisoner of war.

Three years later, he was taken prisoner along with 11 other Indian Air Force pilots during India-Pakistan 1971 war. He did exactly what he had promised Bawa during dinner.

Parulkar along with Flight Lt. MS Grewal and Flight Lt. Harish Sinhji escaped the prison camp in Rawalpindi. He was later recaptured near Pak-Afghan border in Pakistans west.

Taranjiet Singh has replicated the legendary escape as the The Great Indian Escape. The movie will be soon released across the nation. The movie was recently screened at the IAF auditorium.

The movie stars Raghav Rishi as Parulkar, Raj Singh Arora as Grewal and Asheesh Kapur as Sinhji.

During the screening Parulkar now 74 said, I was 29 then. I had no second thoughts about the escape.

He added, I was sure about it. In Air Force duties, it is said that in case you become a prisoner of war (POW), you must try and escape and join parent forces back as soon as possible.

Parulkar added, I had taken it seriously. But didnt he fear the consequences?

He also added that first he had planned to capture corporal from the Pakistan Air Force and command them to fly him back to Delhi.

I had to drop the plan as human life is of no importance to them, said Parulkar.

Singh, I was fascinated with the story of the IAF pilots who escaped the prison. I wanted to replicate it on silver screen.

(With inputs from PTI)
New Delhi:

The Bhartiya Janata Party on Sunday hoped that Bihar chief minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar will manage the internal crisis of his party as senior party leader Sharad Yadav in no mood to join hands with BJP and wants restoration of Grand Alliance.

BJP said Sharad Yadavsdissensionn is also not clear, the party said.

BJP leader S Prakash said Yadav is a soul fighter but he is unable to understand his disagreement with Nitish Kumar despite the latter has cleared that all decisions have been taken after due consultation and with the consent of all the party members.

Prakash said that Nitish has the ability that he would nuetralise his dissention and it would not make any further damage to the party.

JDU has organised a meeting on August 19 where party leaders are not hopeful that Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar will attend the same.

Also Read: Lalu Yadav says Nitish Kumar does not belong to JD(U) anymore, it is Sharad Yadav now

On Friday, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar broke silence on series of Sharad Yadavs rebellion statements by saying that he is free to make his own decisions.

Party has taken a decision with everyone's consensus, he is free to make his own decisions, Bihar CM Nitish told news agency ANI. Also Read | Grand alliance row in Bihar: CM Nitish Kumar says Sharad Yadav is free to take own decisions



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New Delhi:

Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire four times along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch, Rajouri and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir today, injuring three Army jawans, officials said.

According to Army sources, the Pakistani troops opened indiscriminate fire at Indian positions at Baaz Post in Uri in Baramulla district at around 4 pm.

Three soldiers suffered bullet injuries in the firing and were admitted to the 92 Base Hospital of the Army in Srinagar, they said.

Pakistani troops also violated the ceasefire agreement thrice in Rajouri and Poonch districts. However, there was no casualty in these violations.

aPakistani Army has resorted to firing and shelling along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district,a a senior district official told PTI.

Four areas along the LoCaKalal, Khori, Manpur and Ganiahawere targeted by the Pakistani troops this evening, he said.

In the morning, the Pakistan Army initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in the Krishnagati sector of Poonch district.

The firing in the Krishnagati sector began around 6 am and the Indian troops retaliated effectively, a defence spokesman said, adding that the exchange of fire stopped around 12.30 pm.

There was also a brief ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops along the LoC in Mankote sector of Poonch district this morning, a police officer said.

Poonch district has recorded five instances of ceasefire violation by Pakistan since yesterday.

Yesterday, a junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Indian Army and a civilian woman were killed in separate cases of ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Poonch.

Naib Sudebar Jagram Singh Tomar (42), a resident of Madhya Pradesh, was killed in firing by the Pakistani troops in the Krishnagati sector, while 40-year-old woman Raqia Bi was killed when mortar shells fired from across the border exploded near her house in Gohlad Kalran village.

On August 8, Sepoy Pawan Singh Sugra (21) lost his life in unprovoked Pakistani firing in the Krishnagati sector.

Till August 1 this year, there have been 285 instances of ceasefire violation by the Pakistani forces.

In 2016, the number was significantly less at 228.

#Visual from J&K: Ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Rajouri's Naushera sector. Indian Army retaliating. pic.twitter.com/H61r7NDbN3 a ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

J&K: Ceasefire violation in Bazz area of Uri Sector in Baramulla district. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/8q61tEX5sf a ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

More details are awaited.

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New Delhi:

In the backdrop of Gorakhpur's BRD Medical college tragedy, the Delhi government is also set to hold a key meeting regarding stocks of oxygen cylinders and life-saving drugs in the government hospitals.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will chair the meeting which will be held on August 16.

At least 70 children died in the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College since the past two days.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath has assured that guilty will not be spared and the state government wants to eradicate the problem of Japanese Encephalitis forever.

Also Read | Gorakhpur tragedy: Suspended medical college principal Dr Rajeev Mishra resigns

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New Delhi:

A 19-year-old boy died under mysterious circumstances on Sunday in Hauz Khas village of the national capital.

The deceased, Siddharth, was son of former Manipur minister M Okendro, fell from the terrace of a restaurant.

Siddharth was rushed to the hospital but later, succumbed to his injuries. Siddharthas sister has raised suspicion on her brotheras death.

While talking to media, the restaurant manager said that he has given CCTV footage to police. He said Siddharth did not visit his restaurant.

He hadn't come to restaurant. Spot,he fell from,not under our premises.Going to terrace prohibited. Gave CCTV to police: Restaurant Manager pic.twitter.com/61vT5E7DfB a ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

The police officials launched a probe in the matter, saying that they are investigatingA all possibilities.

Delhi: Siddharth, son of ex-Manipur Minister M Okendro died after falling off a restaurant terrace in Hauz Khas pic.twitter.com/8VrQffttKk a ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

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New Delhi:

The UP Congress on Sunday termed the children deaths in Gorakhpurs BRD hospital murder and demanded the resignation of Chief Minister, saying if he was unable to handle his home district, how will he run the state.

70 children were murdered in the last four days (since August 10). The state government is responsible for their murder. This government is a killer and I want to ask how many more children will be killed, Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee chief Raj Babbar, addressing a press conference said.

When a chief minister is unable to handle a medical college in his home district, how would he run the state? He should immediately resign from his post, he said.

UP CM Yogi Adityanath who visited Gorakhpur after 48 hours of the incident hit back at Congress and said the party should show sensitivity and not politicise the issue.

Also Read | Gorakhpur hospital tragedy: Yogi-govt removes Dr Kafeel Khan as BRD College Superintendent of Dept of Pediatrics

When Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Union health minister, he had said that he cannot do anything since health is a state subject. The people whose sensitivity has died are now unnecessarily rubbing salt in the wounds by raising a sensitive issue. I have come here to find a solution to the issue, else otherwise I would not have made frequent trips to this place, he told reporters.

State Health minister Siddhartha Nath Singh, while slamming the Congress said in politics, the Oppositions job is not only to just criticise, but do so in a constructive manner.

Babbar demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore each for the victims parents and said a case of murder should be lodged against those who are found guilty. He said the Congress would run a state-wide campaign on the issue.

He hailed the media for the unbiased reporting on the issue and said, Who will decide it was death or murder? The entire focus of the government is on cow-slaughter, singing of Vande Matram, where the flag is being hoisted on August 15.

The Congress leader said that under the UPA government, Rs 150 crore was given to the BRD medical college hospital and a 100-bed ward was also constructed.

(With Inputs from PTI)

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New Delhi:

The death of 36 children for want of oxygen in Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, Gorakhpur has shaken the entire nation. But if not for Dr Kafeel Khan the number of casualities of this tragedy could have been far more.



In midst of catastrophe, head of the encephalitis ward and a paediatrician Dr Khan acted swiftly to minimise loss and according to parents in the hospital 'had it not been for Khans work, the number of deaths in the past 48 hours would be more than 36'.



Here's what happened:

The mortality rate of children in BRD Hospital has been quite high for quite a few days, but things went dangeroulsy south when on the night of August 10 the central oxygen pipeline in the college premises started beeping, indicating low supply of the gas.

Read | Suspended medical college principal Dr Rajeev Mishra resigns

The doctors and hospital staff turned to the cylinders for emergency oxygen supply, but they were enough for only two hours. They did not know what to do after that.



Understanding the vital importance of uninterrupted oxygen to critically ill children, Dr Khan immidiately started making calls to arrange more oxygen cylinders.



"A few called up the supplier, only to be told that they will send fresh supplies only after clearance of their dues. Refusal from other suppliers caused more panic in the hospital," A DNA report said.



But Dr Khan did not give up. he took matters in his own hands and drove to his friends private nursing home and borrowed three oxygen cylinders.



The doctor rushed back to BRD Hospital with cylinders, but the oxygen content in the cylinders was enough only to provide half an hour of supply in the central pipeline.



By now, it was 6 am and several critical children were developing convulsions for want of oxygen. Khan left the hospital again and made a round to other nursing homes known to him.

Read | Will not spare those responsible for child deaths, says CM Yogi Adityanath



After trips to several nursing homes, he managed to collect as many as 12 oxygen cylinders. The child specialist made four trips to the hospital to ferry these cylinders for children admitted in his ward.



Menwhile, the junior doctors on duty were directed to keep pumping Ambu bags if the oxygen supply further reduced in the central pipeline.



When he returned to the hospital, he was informed that a local supplier was ready to supply oxygen cylinders on cash payment. Dr Khan gave his ATM debit card to one of his employees and withdrew Rs 10,000 to bring in more oxygen for patients. He also paid for diesel and other expenses to truck drivers who brought fresh supplies from Faizabad.



While others doctors gave up hope, Dr Khan managed the situation well by arranging oxygen cylinders from private nursing homes. He saved many lives by his efforts and presence of mind, said Gaurav Tripathi, an eyewitness.



Furthermore, the doctor forsaked any credit or publicity by speaking to media on the matter. The overnight drama and his acts of heroism were recorded and reported through accounts of parents of patients and other eyewitnesses in the ward.

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By PTI: Ranchi, Aug 12 (PTI) Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today said that the state had once been known for negativity but now it has got a positive identity.

Jharkhand is at the second position in the country in development growth rate, Das said addressing the assembly on the last day of the monsoon session.

The chief minister said that his government is heading to complete 1000 days and and the basic mantra is transparent rule and accountable and corruption-free administration.

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When the last person in the queue gets the benefits of development, then only it would be considered as real development, he said.

He welcomed all the constructive suggestions given by the members of both treasury and opposition benches.

The government is working towards a balanced development of all the regions, Das said. PTI PVR NN

--- ENDS ---
New Delhi:

Seven people were killed after three vehicles hit by a landslide at Manali-Pathankot NH 154 near Padhar in Himachal Pradesh's Mandi in the wee hours of Sunday morning. Rescue operations are underway as many people are still stranded.

Earlier, over 20 people lost their lives and 9 others injured after a bus fell down into a gorge near Shimlas Rampur in Himachal Pradesh on July 20. The bus was travelling to Solan from Kinnaur.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi expressed her distress and profound grief at Shimla bus accident. She asked the state government to take immediate relief and rescue measures.

ALSO READ: Landslide in Arunachal Pradesh kills 5, 9 still missing

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New Delhi:

JD (U) leader Ajay Alok on Sunday said senior leader Sharad Yadav must resign from Rajya Sabha, saying that the latter should keep his pride aside and give preference to partys interest.

The JD(U) had already removed Sharad Yadav as party leader in Rajya Sabha and appointed RCP Singh in his place.

While talking to news agency ANI, Ajay Alok said he should resign from Rajya Sabha if he has any shame left. He said Yadav should give priority to party instead opposing Nitish Kumar.

He said the people of Bihar had given the mandate to the Grand Alliance but not to indulge in corruption.

Also Read | JD(U) split: Sharad Yadav faction to present itself as real Janta Dal with support of 14 state units

Sharad Yadav had clarified that he wants restoration of Grand Alliance.

Also Read: BJP hopeful of Nitish to 'manage' Sharad Yadav's discord

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New Delhi:

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday said he would never join hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party as the latter spreads communalism in the country.

While addressing people in Siwan , Lalu attacked Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, saying that he is a falturam and his career is finished forever.

The RJD supremo said come what may, he would never join hands with the BJP.

Lalu supported the statements of former vice-president Hamid Ansaris affirmation of apprehension among the Muslim community in the country. The RJD supremo blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that the latter is trying to divide on communal lines. He said, I will defeat Nitish and Modi within two months.

Baat cheet mein #Shahabuddin ji ne mujhe kuchh kaha hai kya ki gate kholwa dijye hum nikal jaayen: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in Siwan pic.twitter.com/S7Da0wRZpy  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

He defended Tejashwi Yadav on corruption charges and said: Tejashwi was a minor back then. Whatever case they (BJP) want to file, they can file against me.

Also Read | JD(U) split: Sharad Yadav faction to present itself as real Janta Dal with support of 14 state units

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New Delhi:

Another child suffering from encephalitis passed away in Gorakhpurs Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College on Sunday morning. This brings the toll of the hospital ward to 69 since August 10.



The matter of shocking number of deaths in BRD Hospital came to light on Friday, when it was reported that at least 30 kids died in the medical college over the period of 48 hours after the oxygen supplier cut off supply due to non-payment of dues.

Here are the live UPDATES:

#5:45 PM: Dr. Bhupendra Sharma has been appointed as new Nodal Officer for the Department of Pediatrics of Baba Raghav Das Medical College

Dr. Bhupendra Sharma has been appointed as new Nodal Officer for the Department of Pediatrics of Baba Raghav Das Medical College, #Gorakhpur  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 13, 2017

#5:40 PM: Dr PK Singh, Principal of Rajkiya Medical College, Ambedkar Nagar, has been given additional charge of BRD Medical College.

# 5:30 PM: BREAKING News: Dr Kafeel Khan, vice principal of BRD college removed from post over negligence.

#BREAKING: Dr Kafeel Khan, head of encephalitis ward at Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, removed #Gorakhpurhttps://t.co/3q10uOOo2v  News Nation (@NewsNationTV) August 13, 2017

# 4:32 PM: Investigation results to come within 72 hrs, with or without post mortem. Payments a major issue&must be made on time: KK Aggarwal IMA President

Investigation results to come within 72 hrs, with or without post mortem. Payments a major issue&must be made on time: KK Aggarwal IMA Pres pic.twitter.com/s7pG6JiZwR  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

#4:30 PM: Passed 3 resolutions-suspension of principal alone wrong. If you're suspending him, suspend local admin too&ban company: IMA President

#4:00 PM: I have approved regional medical research centre that will be established in #Gorakhpur with an expense of Rs. 85 Cr : Union Health Min JP Nadda

#3:35 PM: Delhi Govt. to hold emergency meeting in wake of Gorakhpur tragedy (Read Full Story Here)

#2:35 PM: The dues were paid to oxygen supplier's account, so there is no base in the news that supply was disrupted: CM Adityanath

#2:26 PM: I request you all to see the matter not as a political issue (Siyasat) but as a sensitive one (Samvedna): CM Adityanath

#2:25 PM: Rs 85 crores have been sanctioned to build a viral research centre to study infectious diseases in the region: Min JP Nadda

#2:25 PM: Japenese Encephalitis has been added to Universal Immunisation Programme at Yogi Ji's request: Min JP Nadda

#2:23 PM: PM Modi is keeping a close vigillance on the situation in BRD Medical College: Min JP Nadda

#2:23 PM: Central team has reached here and are taking stock of the situation: Min JP Nadda

#2:22 PM: Union Health Minister JP Nadda addresses press conference

#2:20 PM: We cannot win this war untill we have full-fledged viral research centre: CM Adityanath

#2:17 PM: UP Govt will not spare anyone who will directly or indirectly cause loss of human lives: CM Adityanath

#2:14 PM: I am giving free hand to journalists to dig deep and visit all wards with their camera to understand truth behind the story; CM Adityanath

#2:13 PM: CM Yogi Adityanath tears up during press conference, says my door is always open for any complaints

#2:11 PM: This is my fourth visit to BRD Hospital since I have become CM: Adityanath

#2:11 PM: On August 9, I held a meeting here. CMOs of nine districts were invited. I had asked them what arrangements are being made to reduce number of cases or cure encephalitis



#2:10 PM: The children in the region are regulary given medicines and vaccines to keepthem away from deadly virus: CM Adityanath

#2:10 PM: The fight is against encephalitis, anyone who lives in Gorakhpur knows what is the situation: CM Adityanath

#2:09 PM: The investigations reports have been submitted to us: CM Adityanath

#2:07 PM: Centre has sent us high-level experts, Health Minister JP Nadda for support: CM Adityanath

#2:06 PM: Nobody can be more sensitive towards those children than me: UP CM Yogi Adityanath

#2:05 PM: CM Adityanath addresses press conference after hospital visit, thanks PM Modi for support

#1:10 AM: Criminal negligence. 63 children died due to lack of oxygen. People must be made accountable: Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M)

CM Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister JP Nadda reached BRD Hospital in #Gorakhpur pic.twitter.com/W9XT28GAOl  ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) August 13, 2017

#12:35 PM: Congress leader Raj Babbar addresses press conference on infant deaths

- What will you investigate? You already gave verdict that the deaths were not due to lack of oxygen: Raj Babbar, Congress on UP CM

#12:30 PM: CM Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister JP Nadda reach BRD Hospital in Gorakhpur

#11:55 AM: DM, Joint Commissioner submit reports to CM Yogi Adityanath; reports mention disruptions to oxygen supply

#11:02 AM: CM Yogi Adityanath reaches BRD Hospital after 3 days

#9:30 AM: CM Yogi Adityanath leaving for Gorakhpur shortly

#9:11 AM: Union Health Minister JP Nadda leaving for Gorakhpur shortly



Notably, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the facility on August 9 to take stock of its operations. However, reports say that the CM was not informed about shortage or any disurptions in oxygen supply.

Also read: Gorakhpur hospital deaths not natural, oxygen supply was cut off, says BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj



The media hue and cry on the issue led to political upheaval on the matter and principal of the medical college Dr Rajeev Mishra was suspended, pending inquiry. He resigned from his post on Saturday.



Confirming the resignation of Mishra from the post of the BRD medical college principal, UP Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh said, Yes, he has resigned. But no good, because we have already suspended him and initiated enquiry of his misdoings.



In his letter to the Director General of Medical Education and Training, the principal said that he tendered his resignation from the post taking the moral responsibility for the recent death of 30 children admitted in the hospitals paediatric ward.



Earlier, Singh and UP Medical Education Minister Ashutosh Tandon had said that Mishra was suspended for his irresponsible act of allegedly delaying payment to the supplier of oxygen cylinders.



They also said that a probe, led by the state chief secretary, had been ordered.

Also read: BRD college didnt report oxygen scarcity issue, principal suspended: UP govt

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New Delhi:

At least two security personnel were injured in a terrorist attack on police search party in Bandipora on Sunday morning. The Jammu and Kashmir Police was on a search and cordon operation in the area.

In a separate incident, two Indian Army soldiers lost their life in an overnight encounter between security forces and terrorists in Awneera village of Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian. Three soldiers have also been injured.

The Shopian encounter continued till the time of filing this report.

Read | 2 soldiers killed, 3 injured in encounter with terrorists in Shopian

Two police personnel injured after terrorists attacked a police party in Bandipora's Hajin (J&K). Ops continue (visuals deferred) pic.twitter.com/I57189ztoX  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

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New Delhi:

Union minister Dr Harsh Vardhan on Sunday asserted that "Lord Ram is neither of Hindus nor of Muslims, he is soul of India."

"Maulana Kalbe Sadiq has won our hearts. Lord Ram is neither of Hindus nor of Muslims. He is soul of India," he said.

While addressing an interfaith dialogue conclave on peace and harmony organised by Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti, the minister lauded Shia cleric Kalbe Sadiq as the latter urged Muslim community to hand over the land to Hindus if the verdict goes in favour of Muslims.

Maulana Sb (Kalbe Sadiq) has won our hearts. Lord Ram is neither of Hindus nor of Muslims. He is soul of India: Dr. Harsh Vardhan Union Min pic.twitter.com/aCBxPJdQ19  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

On the occasion, Maulana Kalbe Sadiq said if the verdict in Ayodhya dispute goes in favour of Hindus then Muslim community should peacefully accept it.

If Babri Masjid verdict is not in favor of Muslims, then they should peacefully accept it: Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, Shia cleric pic.twitter.com/mLbBoc23Ch  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

"If Babri Masjid verdict is not in favour of Muslims, then they should peacefully accept it, Sadiq said while addressing the gathering.

While speaking on the occasion, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev took on China, saying that the neighbour does not believe in peace. Had they done that Dalai Lama wouldn't have been in India, he said.

China doesn't believe in peace. Had they done that Dalai Lama wouldn't have been here: Baba Ramdev pic.twitter.com/eGPAxccQEO  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

Ramdev said that India should follow tit-for-tat. He said India talks in the language of yoga but the one who doesn't get it must be answered in the language of war.

Spiritual guru Dalai Lama also shared his views on the occasion. He said fear creates irritation, irritation creates anger and anger creates violence.

Fear creates irritation, irritation creates anger, anger creates violence: Dalai Lama pic.twitter.com/bU1eGbCCkd  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

The spiritual guru shared a light moment with Baba Ramdev.

Also Read | Babri Masjid case | Shia board tells SC: Mosque can be built in Muslim-dominated area at a reasonable distance

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New Delhi:

Union minister of state for health and family welfare Faggan Singh Kulaste on Sunday said Gorakhpur hospital tragedy may be a conspiracy of someone.

While talking to media, he said, If we compare the data before and after August 9, the data between 9-12 August clearly shows that there was a pressure in the hospital and it led to several deaths.

Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that exemplary action would be taken against those found responsible for the scores of deaths in BRD Medical College.

Isme kisi na kisi ki saazish bhi ho sakti hai: Faggan Singh Kulaste (Union Minister of State,Health & Family Welfare) on #Gorakhpur incident pic.twitter.com/MoVaDXSO3K  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

Meanwhile, the Union government announced the setting up of a regional medical centre at a cost of Rs 85 crore in Gorakhpur for research into children's diseases.

9 tarikh se pehle ke death aur 9-12 ke aakade dekhe to spasht roop se samajh ayega ki jo dabaav hai uss dabaav ke karan death hui-FS Kulaste  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

"We have formed a high-powered committee under the state chief secretary to probe the reason of the deaths of children in the BRD Medical College and the supply of oxygen. Stringent action will be taken against the guilty, whether in Gorakhpur or elsewhere," Adityanath said.

Also Read: Delhi CM Kejriwal to hold emergency meeting in wake of Gorakhpur tragedy

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New Delhi:

With the death of 30 children in the last 48 hours at a government hospital in Uttar Pradeshs Gorakhpur due to shortage of oxygen, the Union Government has approved setting up of medical centre to research on children diseases.

The decision was announced by Union Health Minister JP Nadda on Sunday during a press conference along with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.

Nadda addressing the media said, Before coming here, I had approved the establishment of a regional medical research centre in Gorakhpur, at a cost of Rs 85 crore.

The minister added that the institute will conduct research into the infections of children and their possible reasons.

Adityanath during the conference said, The geography of east Uttar Pradesh is such that we cannot win the war against vector-borne diseases.

He added, To win the war against vector-borne diseases we need a full-fledged viral research centre."

Nadda said that Adityanath used to raise the issue of Japanese Encephalitis during every session of the parliament which has been claiming lives of several children from the last few years.

The Union health minister added the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed concern over the deaths.

PM Modi is constantly monitoring the situation, said Nadda.

"The Government of India is extending all possible support to the state government," he added.

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New Delhi:

A 40-year-old widow was forced to eat faeces before being brutally beaten to death by relatives after branding her witch in Rajasthans Kekri, around 140 kilometers from state capital  Jaipur.

Police said the the woman was killed on August 3. The victim has been identified as Kanya Devi Raigar.

Ajmer Superintendent of police (SP) Rajendra Singh said, Kanya Devi Raigar was branded witch before being beaten to death.

The SP added that she was forced to eat faeces before being tortured.

According to Rajasthan Police the victim had succumbed to her injuries at the incident site.

Also Read | Agra: Villagers kill old woman assuming her to be wicked

The SP said that according to claims the woman was pierced with hot rod.

It is being difficult to ascertain the as her body was cremated by the relatives , added the SP.

The victims husband died a month back and she is survived by a son and daughter.

Also Read: Woman killed by in-laws over dowry, hang her body from tree

"We received a complaint of the murder and torture after brandishing the victim witch by a distant relative on August 10," said Kekri Police Station SHO Hari Ram Kumawat.

We have registered an FIR against four people and three people have been detained, said Ajmer SP.

Four people booked in the murder of the middle-aged woman have been identified as Pinky Raigar, Sonia Raigar, Chandra Prakash Raigar and Mahaveer Raigar.

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New Delhi:

Scientists have discovered the largest ever volcanic region on Earth with almost 100 volcanoes under the vast Antarctic ice sheet. One among them is as tall as Switzerlandas Eiger which is almost 4,000 metre.

Researchers at UKas Edinburgh University uncovered 91 volcanoes in Antarctica which range in height from 100 to 3,850 metres, adding to the 47 others that had been discovered previously.

The newly discovered volcanoes are covered in thick layers of ice in the West Antarctic rift system.

The West Antarctic rift system is 3,500 km long stretch from Antarcticaas Ross Ice Shelf to the Antarctic Peninsula.

The staggering number of these active peaks have even surprised the researchers.

aWe had not expected to find anything like that number.A We have almost trebled the number of volcanoes known to exist in west Antarctica,a Robert Bingham, from the University of Edinburgh, told athe Guardiana.

Suggested Read |A Perseid meteor shower: A picturesque night for star gazers in India

aWe also suspect there are even more on the bed of the sea that lies under the Ross ice shelf, it is very likely this region will turn out to be the densest region of volcanoes in the world, greater even than east Africa, where mounts Nyiragongo, Kilimanjaro, Longonot and all the other active volcanoes are concentrated,a said Bingham.

Researchers fear if these volcanos erupt, ice sheets of Antarctica can further destabilise and melt.

aIf one of these volcanoes were to erupt it could further destabilise West Antarcticaas ice sheets. Anything that causes the melting of ice - which an eruption certainly would - is likely to speed up the flow of ice into the sea,a said Bingham.

For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.
By PTI: By M Zulqernain

Lahore, Aug 13 (PTI) Pakistans banned militant outfit Jamaat-ud-Dawa, which recently launched a political party, today fielded a candidate against ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharifs wife Kulsoom for the seat which fell vacant after the former premiers disqualification.

Headed by Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafeez Saeed, Jamaat-ud- Dawa (JuD) announced the formation of Milli Muslim League (MML) in Islamabad on August 7 following weeks of campaign in Punjabs provincial capital Lahore.

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Ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMN-L) party members Asif Kirmani and Captain Safdar filed the nomination papers of Kulsoom, who is in her late 60s, for the upcoming by-poll for the NA-120 seat at the Election Commission of Pakistans (ECP) Lahore office on Friday.

The National Assembly seat fell vacant after 67-year-old Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case on July 28.

"We will protect the peoples especially women rights. Khidmat (service) committees will be set up at union council level to ensure serving the people at the grass roots," said MML President Saifullah Khalid at a large rally Istehkaam Pakistan Conference held on the Mall Road here.

Khalid said his party would provide an "honest" leadership to the country and also announced launching of a movement to revive Pakistans ideology.

"We will defend Pakistans ideology at any cost. We will also defend the constitution of 1973. The MML will promote unity in the country," he said, adding that supporting Kashmirs freedom struggle "is part of our faith".

"We will defend Pakistans ideology. Our rulers are incapable to rule," said Qari Yaqoub Sheikh, MMLs candidate for the vacated seat.

As the MML is yet to be registered with the ECP, Sheikh has filed his nomination papers as an independent candidate.

Sheikh said the process of the MML registration as a political party was under way before the ECP.

Former federal information minister Muhammad Ali Durrani said at the rally that the "MML is the party that wil guard Pakistans ideology".

He said the MML would eliminate Prime Minister Narendra Modis friends from Pakistan.

Head Political Affair and acting chief of JuD Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki said Politics of MML was "based on unity, and on texts of Quaid and thoughts of Iqbal".

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

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New Delhi:

In a notable study, scientists have found that TRAPPIST-1, one of the most intriguing planetary systems is twice as old as our own solar system.

According to a team of international scientists from the University of California, San Diego, the approximate age of TRAPPIST-1 is 5.4 to 9.8 billion years, whereas our planetary system was formed some 4.5 billion years ago.

The age of the star plays a crucial role in determining whether it can support life or not as older stars are capable of producing lesser flares than younger stars, and this quality makes the older stars more capable of hosting life.

Now, with this new finding, scientists look out for exploring the possibility of life outside earth with seven Earth-size planets orbiting this ultra-cool dwarf star about 40 light-years away.

Read more: Nibiru collision threat: Why the world did not end in 2012

NASA discovered these seven worlds of TRAPPIST-1 earlier this year using a combination of results from the Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile, NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, and other ground-based telescopes.

With this discovery, three out of the seven planets were found to be positioned within the habitable zone of the star, the orbital distance where a rocky planet with an atmosphere could have liquid water on its surface.

Adam Burgasser, an astronomer at the University of California, San Diego, and the paper's first author, said, "Our results really help constrain the evolution of the TRAPPIST-1 system because the system has to have persisted for billions of years. This means the planets had to evolve together, otherwise, the system would have fallen apart long ago".

The results will be published in The Astrophysical Journal.





We now have a good estimate for the age of the TRAPPIST-1 system & its 7 Earth-size worlds. Get the details: https://t.co/6Y9S7zJ25L pic.twitter.com/YygqU0FChC  NASA (@NASA) August 11, 2017

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New Delhi:

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang has landed in Islamabad on a two-day visit to Pakistan which is being undertaken on the directions of President Xi Jinping as informed by the sources.



He will be the special guest to mark the countrys 70th Independence Day, and call on President Mamnoon Hussain and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a statement from the foreign office said.



He is slated to participate in an inauguration ceremony of projects related to the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which passes through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).



Some bilateral agreements are also likely to be signed.



The visit of Vice Premier Wang holds much significance for the entire south Asian region, especially in the backdrop of the ongoing tensions between India and China over Doklam.



The Pakistani media has described the visit as a gesture symbolising the close brotherly and cooperative ties between Pakistan and China and Beijing's strong political support for Islamabad.



Pakistan is celebrating its Independence Day on August 14.



His visit on this important milestone for Pakistan is a reflection of the all-weather strategic cooperative partnership between Pakistan and China, the Foreign Office said.



As a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Wang is among the top leaders in China.

Also read: Bomb blast in Pishin Stop area of Pakistan's Quetta, 15 dead, 32 injured

Pak court asks government to make changes in the controversial blasphemy law

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New Delhi:

A top American commander on Sunday said that the US is ready to help India modernise its military and jointly they can improve Indias military capabilities in significant and meaningful ways.

The defence trade between the two counties has touched nearly USD 15 billion over the past decade. And it is expected to gallop in the next few years, as India is looking at the US for some of the latest military hardware. It includes fighter jets, latest unmanned aerial vehicles and aircraft carriers.

While speaking to PTI, Commander of the US Pacific Command or PACOM Admiral Harry Harris said, I believe that the US is ready to help India modernise its military. India has been designated a major defence partner of the US. This is a strategic declaration thats unique to India and the US. It places India on the same level that we have many of our treaty allies.

Harris, who has been pushing for a strong bond between India and US said, This is important, and I believe that together we will be able to improve Indias military capabilities in significant and meaningful ways.

The Admiral said he is fairly happy with the level of defence cooperation that exists on Sunday between the two sides.

ALSO READ | Modi Trump meet: Terrorism, Afghanistan, trade, social media and friendship  5 highlights of their joint statement

We have been partners with India in the Malabar exercise series, the maritime exercise, for a number of years. I participated in one of the very first... one of the early Malabars, in 1995, Harris recollected while reflecting on the decades-old association with India.

The Admiral said that he is very pleased that Japan is part of Malabar. I think the trilateral relationship between India and Japan and the US, that relationship is very important, he said.

While giving a reply to a question, he said We could explore together bringing Australia into the exercise. That has merit. Theres a lot of common interests in the Indian Ocean, between Australia and India. But thats really a decision for India to make, and then a decision for Australia to participate, if so invited. Ill leave that to those two countries.

According to Harris, there is a lot that India and the US can do together. Im pleased that India is a participant in Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC), the Pacific exercise thats hosted every other year in Hawaii. Im pleased in general with where the relationship is going, and I look forward to more as the years progress, he said.

Responding to a question on Indias decision against the American move to have a joint India-US naval patrol in the Indian Ocean, Harris said the US is not disappointed at all.

Im not disappointed. This is on the patrols... Im not disappointed at all, Im encouraged that we were able to have a discussion about it, and I hope that that discussion remains open, he said.

We stand ready to participate at whatever level India wants us to participate, Harris said.

Harris refrained from giving any answer on India and the United States starting to share information about Chinese submarines in the Indian Ocean region.

I dont want to answer the question, because I dont want to imply that Im sharing intelligence, or anything like that. Ill just simply say that a close relationship between US and India is clearly helpful to the United States, and I believe helpful to India as well, Harris said in response.

Harris reiterated that he believes that the deepening US-India relationship is the defining strategic partnership for the 21st century.

Im very interested, and very supportive, of whats happening in India. The Indian armed forces, and that whole piece...I think that the opportunities for our two countries are simply great. Its fantastic, Harris said.

Noting that India remains an important line of effort at Pacific Command, Harris said Americas national leadership is working closely with Indias to grow the partnership between the two countries.

(With PTI inputs)

ALSO READ | Donald Trump: US miltary locked and loaded for North Korea

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The planned launch of a rocket carrying the navigation satellite Michibiki No. 3 has been postponed.

The H2A rocket manufactured by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was scheduled to lift off from Tanegashima Space Center in southwestern Japan on Saturday.

The cancelation was due to concerns about a possible leakage of gas used for activating engine valves.

The new launch date is expected to be sometime after next Thursday.

Michibiki No.3 is part of an envisioned 4-satellite GPS fleet. The network will reduce the margin of error from about 10 meters to several centimeters.

Aug 13 (ANNnewsCH) - eaacacaaaaaaaaaaaaSaaaaaasa aaYH2Aaaaa35aYaaZeccaaaaaaceaaeaaaSa12aaaSaaaaaaSaaaYa
China's Mobike will start a bicycle-sharing service in Sapporo in late August, becoming the first major player in the rapidly expanding Chinese industry to set foot in Japan.

Mobike has quickly expanded since the start of its service in Shanghai in 2016. Users can find bicycles nearby, unlock them and pay the fees by smartphone.

In Sapporo, parking spots for Mobike bicycles will be provided by the Seicomart convenience store chain of Secoma Co. and by Sapporo Drug Store Co.

Urban areas in Japan suffer from the problem of many bicycles parked illegally and left abandoned. If bicycle-sharing services become popular, this problem will be eased, Mobike said.
Police in Izumi, Osaka Prefecture, are looking for a man who stole a bag from a 69-year-old woman in a wheelchair in an elevator at the woman's municipal apartment building.

According to police, the incident occurred at around 7:45 p.m. on Friday. Sankei Shimbun reported that the woman, who was in an electric wheelchair, had gotten into the elevator on the first floor when a man suddenly came in behind her.

When the elevator got to the second floor, on which the woman lives, the man blocked the way out and the door closed again. He pushed the first floor button, and when the elevator door opened on the first floor, the man yanked off the woman's shoulder bag, which contained 9,000 yen. He then fled as the elevator door closed.

Aug 13 (ANNnewsCH) - aeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacaeSaaaaaYaaaaaaaaaaaaYaeaYaacaaaaaYaaaaaa
By Srijani Ganguly/Mail Today: Not only does Kasra Mowlavi manage a record company (a drum & bass label called Critical Sound), he also stands behind the turntable and plays the DJ in sets all around the world. His next stop, performance-wise, is India. From August 17 to 20, the British musician will travel to Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Pune as part of his tour.

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"I like my DJ sets to represent the label and my tastes," he says. "There will be a coherent mix of rolling beats, some deep, some heavy, half-time hip-hop influenced tracks and everything else in between (at the gigs)."

Talking about the genre of drum & bass itself, Kasra says, "The genre has become incredibly technical but those pushing the music forward embrace that technology and use it to create interesting and groundbreaking music. With the music being at the forefront, always."

Also Read: The Manta Sidhu Ensemble's debut music album is as soothing as it gets

His own drum & bass label has come to be associated with curating a sound that's experimental and encompassing of the genre's myriad subgenres. But how does he choose which artist to promote, and make a part of his label? "It's a combination of the music and the person," says Kasra. "To help an artist achieve their vision, you have to be able to work closely with them and that takes a certain personal relationship that cannot be built with everyone. That said, it's always the music that leads the way."

With the label turning 15 this year, Kasra has plenty to be happy about. He is marking the special feat with a 15 years compilation album as well as celebration events. He adds, "We just released my collaboration single with Mefjus, which was a real highlight personally. There's always more exciting music to come this year though. News on that's soon."

Kasra will perform in Delhi on August 17 at antiSOCIAL

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By PTI: Thane, Aug 13 (PTI) Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) secretary Sanjay Choupane was killed when the car he was travelling in collided with a bus near Aurangabad today, the police said.

Former Thane city Congress Committee president Balkrishna Purnekar and one Ramakant Mhatre accompanying Choupane were seriously injured in the incident.

Choupane and others were headed to Aurangabad to attend a meeting of senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad who was in the city.

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The accident took place at Bondla Phata in afternoon, the police said, adding that the injured are being treated at a hospital in Aurangabad. PTI CORR NSK

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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
BRANFORD >> The James Blackstone Memorial Library, a grand building modeled after an ancient Greek temple, with towering pillars outside and inside, is 121 years old this year; it was dedicated in 1896. And now, for the second time in those many years, renovations are planned.

The last renovations were finished in 1996. This latest round will cost $4.8 million, according to estimates earlier this year.

The reconstruction will be inside and outside  the first time anything has been added to the outside walls of the library. The interior has seen various changes and even subtractions. At one time the upper floor housed a museum, where there were case after case of stuffed birds. They are now in a museum in Westport.

In the current redesign, the interior changes will largely be a reconfiguration of spaces  for example, moving childrens rooms from the top floor to the basement floor, and creating a separate space for teenagers, also on the basement floor.

On the exterior, a new entrance and lobby will be built at the northwest corner of the building  not visible from the front of the building, and hidden from Cedar Street by a berm. This new entrance will include a terrace where people can sit (and read). And its just possible that the entryway will be built with the same white Tennessee marble as the rest of the buildling  the quarry where the more-than-century-old marble came from is still a working quarry.

Tampering with a temple is tricky business, but the motivations for the change are in line with what town leaders envisioned for a library in 1896. The town then had a population of 5,000 with a sizeable number of immigrants who had begun arriving in the 1860s, many from Ireland and Sweden, fleeing famine. Gradually, more immigrants arrived  East Europeans and then Italians in the 1890s and 1900s. So there was a mix of long-time settlers and new arrivals speaking a babel of languages... and you do wonder what on earth made a library modeled after a Greek temple seem like a good fit.

However, speeches by learned men at the 1896 dedication services are printed in Exercises at the Opening of the James Blackstone Memorial Library and they provide a glimpse of the thinking of town leaders in 1896. Arthur T. Hadley, a Yale professor, said in his speech that the library should be a place of education, but added that we have come to see that it is essential for the public welfare that people should learn to play as well as work.

And then he enumerated what the library would do: it was going to help men vote intelligently (women didnt have the vote then); it would provide enjoyment through books (there were 5,000 books catalogued when the library opened, matching the population); it would give people alternatives to a life of continuous drudgery on the one hand to riotous amusement on the other.

Todays library leaders dont seem to worry so much about residents being tempted by riotous amusement. But the founders ideas that the library should provide education along with enjoyment havent really changed much  even though the people of 1896 never could have imagined that a computer lab would be a high priority. It is. Up-to-date technology and more room for more computers are part of the current plans. And more spaces for meeting or special events could help ease the demand for such spacesand add to the enjoyment factor.

Looking back at the history of Blackstone, Andy McKirdy, president of the board of trustees, says the library is an extraordinary architectural icon...and part of the wave of library building at that moment in time  when Andrew Carnegie was endowing libraries nationwide. McKirdy sees the library as a symbol of aspirations.

Karen Jensen, library director, adds,  A lot of people dont have the opportunity to see a building like this. Its a symbol of what you can achieve  that you could study architecture or art and create something like this. Indeed, the resplendent murals on the domed ceiling of the rotunda, painted by Oliver Dennett Grover of Chicago is a marriage of art and architechture. There are other grand elements as well, such as the bronze doors, adorned with a pictorial allegory in bas-relief.

The library was the gift of Timothy B. Blackstone, a Branford native, who went west to Chicago to become a rich railroad president who never forgot his roots. When he was approached about helping to finance a library in his home town, Blackstone jumped in to propose a library he would finance in honor of his father, a farmer and town leader. Exercises at the Opening says this in the introduction: Just what the building has cost we have not been permitted to know, but it is safe to say that with the generous endowment for the maintenance and increase of the library the whole gift cannot fall much short of half a million dollars.

Very big money in those days.

Which allowed the prominent Chicago architect, Solon Spencer Beman, to design a building of white Tennessee marble, inspired by the Erechtheum. That temple, a sister temple to the Parthenon on the Athens Acropolis, was built to house a wooden statue of Athena, god of wisdom, and it is famous, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, largely for its complexity and for the exquisite perfection of its details. The pillars on the Erechtheum have Ionic capitals  as do the four pillars at the front of the Blackstone Library and on the pillars inside.

The architecture alone makes the Blackstone Library a wonderful and unusual and awe-inspiring free library. But Jensen cites other rare qualities: I dont know, she said, of too many libraries that have such a collection of specimen trees on their grounds. Among them on sloping green lawns are : crab apple, weeping eastern redbud, fastigiate European beech, Kousa dogwood.

Jensen added, We also have the complete works of Ella Wheeler Wilcox (died in Short Beach, 1919), and a portrait which hangs in the reference room. Wilcox, a poet, is revered in the Short Beach section of Branford, even though not so much by literary critics.

The Blackstone Memorial Library is like a treasure chest, full of wonders. And sometime next year, probably in the springtime, work will begin on the newest incarnation of a Connecticut library that looks like a Greek temple.

Meanwhile, for this project, the State Library has pledged $1 million; The Branford Community Foundation has pledged a $100,000 matching grant, matching all contributions up to $1,000; contributions have also come from Friends of the Library and the library Board of Trustees, while the town will post $3 million.
Mandira Bedi recently posted a rather stunning picture of herself on Instagram.

Mandira Bedi is the hottest of them all. Courtesy: Instagram/mandirabedi

By India Today Web Desk: Television personality and actress Mandira Bedi never ceases to amaze her fans with her super-fit lifestyle. Mandira regularly uploads pictures of herself that makes people wonder whether she has aged at all in all these years.

The actress-model recently posted a rather hot picture of herself on social media site Instagram wearing nothing but a white cloth. She had captioned the picture as, "#saturdaysoul #blackandwhiteonly @rafique_sayed @im__sal."

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Here's the post:

#saturdaysoul #blackandwhiteonly @rafique_sayed @im__sal A post shared by Mandira Bedi (@mandirabedi) on Aug 11, 2017 at 8:47pm PDT

This is not the first time the lady has posted such a bold picture of herself on a social media site.

Getting some #pooltime in with my #littleman splashing around behind me! @airbnb #livelikealocal #tuesdayflow #colombo A post shared by Mandira Bedi (@mandirabedi) on Jun 6, 2017 at 12:22am PDT

Doesn't she look stunning in all of them?

Also read: FIR actress Kavita Kaushik is turning up the heat with her super-hot bikini picture; see pic

Also read: Hot! After shedding her Naagin avatar, Mouni Roy holidays on beach in bikini

#tuesdaymood ?? A post shared by Mandira Bedi (@mandirabedi) on May 22, 2017 at 10:36pm PDT

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NEW HAVEN >> In the late 1960s, race riots had exploded in Watts, Chicago, Bedford-Stuyvesant and Detroit, but New Haven felt it was different. It was not supposed to happen here.

That changed on Aug. 19, 1967, when a white restaurant owner shot a Puerto Rican man who had come at him with a knife.

It set off four days of rioting in the Model City of Mayor Richard C. Lee, where millions in federal funds had been used to raze large swaths of the city, particularly in the Hill, with the lofty goal of eliminating the slums.

What was left behind, however, as the Italian-America, Irish-American and Jewish residents were forced out, was substandard housing, fewer jobs, older schools and a concentration of poor blacks who had yet to establish a strong political base as the national civil rights movement was unfolding.

Fires, vandalism and looting devastated commercial property in that neighborhood, particularly on Congress Avenue, but it also spread to parts of Dixwell, Newhallville and Fair Haven.

More than 200 state troopers joined the citys 430-person Police Department with many working round-the-clock. The Fire Department answered more than 100 alarms and sought police protection as they were pelted with objects.

The arrests totaled more than 500, the majority of them for violating a multi-day curfew established by Lee. There were no deaths.

On the 50th anniversary of that turmoil, people who viewed it firsthand reflected on what they saw and felt during that week.

Frightened residents

When Johnny Dye talks about the 1967 riots, what comes to mind immediately is his then very young family.

We had a 1-year-old baby. We had a 2-year-old baby. We had a 5-year-old, Dye said.

At the time, Dye, his wife and children lived in a three-family house on Gilbert Street near Congress Avenue, where they could hear the engines rushing to fires.

It was very frightening. I thought it was very tragic. Most people didnt know what generated this [the riot], Dye recalled.

On the short block there were a few houses and a textile factory.

I was panicked, Dye said, concerned that someone would set that business on fire, which would likely spread down the block. Everything was so close together. Old wooden houses. They burn like paper. It was too close for comfort.

Dye worked the 3:30 p.m.-to-midnight shift at Pratt & Whitney in North Haven and his wife was afraid to be left alone with the children.

I took my wife and three kids and left them with family in Westchester County, Dye said. They could burn the house and everything in it. That was all right as long as my family was safe.

To this day, I dont know what was accomplished by this, Dye said of the destruction. It was an experience that I will never forget.

Four days after it started, Dye picked up his family and brought them back home. His house was safe.

I give a lot of credit to people in the Fire Department and law enforcement. I felt bad for those guys who were there practically round the clock, Dye said.

Maxine Sumrell, a neighbor of Dyes, who now lives on the same Arthur Street block as Dye, said she was about to go on a date with her future husband on Aug. 19, 1967, when we saw all these state police. They came in uniform with rifles. I said, I guess we are not going to the movies.

We just stayed with family. We did a lot of praying. I remember that. Sometimes prayers are the only thing you can hold onto, Sumrell remembered.

Son of a police officer

John DeStefano Jr. would one day become mayor of New Haven for five terms, stepping down in 2014, but in 1967 he was a 12-year-old living in Morris Cove, whose father was a police officer working to restore order in the riot-torn parts of the city.

I remember Dad was away I think for the better part of a week, DeStefano said. The whole Police Department was brought in and put up in the Park Plaza Hotel, now the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale.

My dad never talked about it much, DeStefano said. I dont think he was in any confrontational circumstance.  His longtime beat was the Hill neighborhood, where they started. The riots are credited with starting near Howard on Congress. Patrol Officer John DeStefano served with the New Haven Police Department from 1948 until 1977; he died in that year.

The younger DeStefano, now an executive vice president with Start Community Bank, which is dedicated to supporting the businesses and neighborhoods in New Haven, said the sixties were a time when police were very connected to their community.

Also, You go back to the period and there was a lot going on in terms of groups self-identifying, interested in themselves and their community. There was a lot of community organizing going on and people began expressing urgencies in terms of power.

While the frustrations of blacks turned violent in 1967, DeStefano said that underlying the riots was an evolution among African Americans toward self-empowerment, which can be seen now in the support of undocumented Latino immigrants by a community thats pretty well organized, resilient, [with] the ability to act on their own behalf without a governmental actor to bring them together.

A damaged market

The Congress Public Market was an institution in the Hill, a full grocery store operating there since 1905.

Alan Rice, a high school senior at the time, has vivid memories of the vandalism at the grocery when the riot erupted on Aug. 19.

Our store was destroyed from front to back. My father was so heartbroken. Everything was smashed, he said. With the front windows broken, it was wide open to looters.

When someone breaks into your house, you have that feeling of violation, Rice said.

He said everyone knew his father, Herbert Rice.

My father was much beloved by the community. We didnt feel that it was people in the neighborhood that did most of the damage. It was outside influences that came in, Rice said in an interview at the Amity Meat Center on Lucy Street in Woodbridge, the third-generation family business Rice runs with his sister, Judy Rice Panagrossi.

Rice said transportation 50 years ago wasnt as easy as it is now, and a local grocery store provided a real service, particularly since the employees made home deliveries.

Up until the last day we were there, my dad gave credit, Rice remembered.

I dont remember any stress from our customers. There were wonderful families around us. They really kept the community going, he said, listing some of them, including Police Commissioner Tony Dawsons parents.

After the riot, however, which was followed by more unrest in 1968 when the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Rice said there was a feeling of unease.

There were multiple break-ins at the market, so many that his father could no longer get insurance and had to absorb the losses himself.

Rice said they would have stayed if the city had fixed up the properties around them. When that didnt happen, they finally moved in 1979 after their father got ill.

Businesses survived

Despite the violence that resulted in the burning and looting of many businesses in the Hill, Columbus Auto Body stayed open for business, said Vincent DiLauro, now the third-generation owner. (His daughter plans to be the fourth.)

The auto body shop at 487 Columbus Ave., founded in 1928, is a block from where most of the rioting occurred.

We opened and closed every day, said DiLauro.

My father was running the business at that time  and I had come back from serving in the Coast Guard.  I remember people shut all their lights off late at night  and no one would go outside.

We were very concerned with our people coming in to work, DiLauro said. But we had very good neighbors. One of our guys slept here to make sure there werent any problems. Im not sure what good it did.

The police came right in and did their job  and the state police as well, DiLauro said. It was a little frightening at times.

DiLauro said the repercussions lasted past August 1967. It ends up getting a bad reputation for New Haven and the Hill section  because of those things going on at that time, he said.

DiLauro said his business hasnt suffered, but at the time it probably hurt a little because people wouldnt come to New Haven to have their cars fixed right after the riots.

Bill Ianniello, who owns Orchard Painting and Decorating at 60 Orchard St., said, I remember seeing the march at night coming right up Orchard Street  from Davenport through Congress Avenue, just a lot of people in the streets.

He had bought a house in Hamden, but was still living on Orchard Street when the rioting started. He and his wife had a newborn and Ianniello said he sat on the porch, protecting my family, armed with a shotgun.

We slept in the new house because we wanted to get out of there. It was just a tense, tense time.

He said a family who lived across the street from his Orchard Street business  a man, woman and two young daughters  came and stayed with him at his house in Hamden for about a week to escape the riots.

Arthur Reid, 90 now, lived in the Dixwell area and remembers the empty stores with the windows broken out because they pretty much emptied out the stores. He could hear the glass breaking from his home on what was then Southwest Drive.

He does remember stores that returned: Capital Market at Dixwell Avenue and Foote Street, Shiffrins Market up Dixwell. No package stores came back, Ill tell you that, Reid said. They were the ones that were pretty much cleaned out.

The church refuge

On Aug. 22, 1967, school buses brought dozens of women and children from Congress Avenue for evacuation from the Hill, according to a report in the old Journal-Courier. They were brought to a Girl Scout camp in Hebron, to private homes in North Haven and to churches and a synagogue in Milford and Hamden.

One of those refuges was the Spring Glen Church on Whitney Avenue in Hamden, where 60 women and children stayed overnight in the Great Hall in playpens, bassinets and cots.

I was 12 and I would have been brought here because my mother thought it was a good idea for me to help take care of the kids, said Nancy Dittes, now of Branford, who is still a church member, along with her husband, Curt Johnson, and mother, Fran Dittes.

I remember it was beastly hot, Nancy Dittes said. But it was definitely a community spirit and lots of people involved  and Im sure there were people staying overnight. Fran Dittes helped in the kitchen.

Betsy Wollensack, who now lives in Philadelphia, said, I do remember that it was after school. We came home and our mothers enlisted us to go down to the church and baby-sit for this influx of kids who would be coming down from New Haven because of the violence.

I remember taking care of some of the infants and feeding them and changing them when they needed to be changed and putting them to bed to sleep, Wollensack said.

Inspired by the experience, members of Spring Glen Church, a member of the United Church of Christ, started a day care center at the Farnam Courts housing project in Fair Haven, Dittes said.

Johnson said, My impression is that 67 and 68 were a real wakeup call for this church in terms of how serious conditions were in New Haven and I am most proud of the fact  that there was work which continued for years, which was the Farnam day care.

In the years since, Spring Glen Church has continued its social justice activism and its welcome of people seeking refuge. As part of the Spring Glen Alliance for Refugee Resettlement, the church is helping to resettle a Syrian family. It is the third refugee-resettlement effort the church has been involved in.

Especially given whats going on currently, theres this sort of exoticized understanding of what refugee means, said the Rev. Jack Perkins Davidson, senior pastor. But we as a church are dealing with spiritual, social and emotional refugees.

Hill Parents Association

One of the main grassroots organizations in the city was the Hill Parents Association led by Fred Harris, who is now a minister in Detroit.

John Wilhelm, who would later become the national union leader for Unite HERE, was a member of the association.

He said while the Dixwell and Newhallville neighborhoods had strong local institutions in the established churches that kept them more stable, Lees urban-renewal program tore the Hill apart, leaving it an acutely poor area.

Wilhelm said what he did after the riots was to help arrange for bail for the hundreds of people who were arrested.

The reaction by the police was way over the top. Mayor Lee was personally offended by what had happened ... He took it as a personal affront and it set the tone for the police, Wilhelm said.

He said when the state police were sent in, the level of anger escalated.

Wilhelm said there was a noticeable amount of tension between whites and people of color in the Hill as the neighborhood changed racially.

He said there was no significant place of employment and the Hill had a greater concentration of welfare recipients with high rents and bad housing. He remembered it as a more desperate community.

In my view, the challenges they had were directly an outgrowth of the urban-renewal program ... the Hill was the flash point, he said.

The conventional wisdom now is that the wholesale clearing of neighborhoods is not the best approach to redevelopment. Until recently, the Hill has been isolated, although plans are moving forward to reconnect it to downtown and there is private investment that will bring more housing to an area that has remained a sea of parking lots for decades.

Fred [Harris] was a very charismatic figure. It would take you three hours to walk down Congress Avenue as everyone knew him, Wilhelm said. The Hill Parents Association had a lot of support in the community.

News stories at the time of the riots were critical that Harris wasnt brought in more directly to help quell the violence.

Ann Boyd has been an activist for decades, a member of the Hill Parents Association because of her interest in education for her nine children. A few years later, she also joined the Black Panther Party and praised its work, establishing a health clinic for residents, as well as a breakfast program.

She said when the non-fatal shooting on Aug. 19 occurred, it was the trigger for an emotional release.

It let them throw off their frustrations. People just took to the streets, Boyd recalled.

People just felt things were unjust. When an incident like that happened, their emotions took over, Boyd said.

She said there was no organized structure. Folks just went out to do what they thought would add to the attention of what was going on, Boyd said.

There wasnt much good that came out of it. ... Out of that riot, the most damage was done to our own communities, Boyd said.

She said black residents were the tenants, not the homeowners, in the Hill, which was different from Dixwell and Newhallville, where there were more owner-occupied homes.

While others are happy with the plans in place for the Hill, Boyd remains skeptical.

For 50 years, nothing was really happening in the Hill. Its like a cancer that is slowly eating away at the existence of what we call the Hill, Boyd said.

Firefighters

Retired Battalion Chief Edward Flynn was a firefighter at the time of the riots, assigned as the night driver for then-Fire Chief Frank Sweeney. I remember one particularly bad night in the Hill on Congress Avenue when all hell broke lose. It was terrible  the smoke, the fire and bottles being thrown from the rooftops, Flynn said.

After containing one fire, he said they had to leave the hoses in the middle of the street and come back later to get them because they felt threatened.

Flynn recalled seeing the state troopers standing shoulder to shoulder across Congress Avenue with tear gas canisters attached to their rifles.

Flynn said Sweeney took charge of the operation.

It was a hell of a night, he said.

Political struggle

Sally Brown lived in Newhallville when the riots erupted.

I was around 12 or 13 and my mother, Lillian Brown, who is now 99, was heavily involved in the community, said Brown, 62, who is the deputy city clerk.

During that time, Brown said, it was confusing for blacks in the city because we were trying to identify, we were trying to get our feet wet as far as the political structure and community resources were concerned.

As a youth, Brown said she and her family used to attend political education classes held by the Black Panthers, who were located on the corner of Henry Street and Dixwell Avenue.

We were afraid when the riots started. We didnt know what was going on, especially with all of the outside forces coming into the community, Brown said.

She said it was a time when the black community banded together to accomplish certain things for the community.

People would look out for each other. Today, we dont find that, she said.

Neighbors dont know one another today, but when the riots happened, all we had was each other.

Bishop Charles Brewer Jr., the senior pastor at Trinity Temple, Church of God in Christ, on Dixwell Aveue, also remembers the late 1960s as a time of racial tensions.

There was no change in sight, Brewer said of a lack of political power or influence in the education system at that time. He said that, unlike today, African Americans were not represented on the fire and police departments.

Coming of age

When Jimmy Jones came to New Haven in the summer of 1967 from small town life in the South, intellectually he understood the frustration of black Americans and the issue of poverty. But it was that riot and the one that followed a year later that changed him to an activist.

I came of age during the riots, Jones said.

He found the frustration among poor blacks in New Haven palpable. It was much more on the surface, Jones said. The riots proved that New Haven was not the Model City.

Jones lived and was active in the Hill with the Hill Parents Association. He worked for years at a drug rehabilitation center and was part of a coalition that supported better wages for teachers and other changes in education.

He attended the Yale Law School and later graduated from the Yale Divinity School.

A professor of African studies and world religions at Manhattanville College in New York for the past 26 years, Jones said racism is not dead by any measure, but there have been socioeconomic advances for black residents.

He pointed to Eugene Robinsons book, Disintegration: The Splintering of Black America, where he said a majority are middle class, but there remains a sizable minority who are poor.

I think the fact that there is still a core of people who are finding it hard to get out of poverty  Afro-Americans and Latinos  should cause us all to pause, particularly people like me who benefitted from affirmative action and the movements of the 1960s and 1970s which are being challenged today, Jones said.

Some explanations

On July 23, 1967, Detroit erupted in violence after a police raid of an after-hours bar. Philip Goduti, an adjunct professor of history at Quinnipiac University, said the riots largely started out because of the racial tension within the city  but as it grew it became not only an issue of race but also an issue of poverty.

That summer, the Rev. Martin Luther King had moved into an impoverished area of Chicago and U.S. Sen. Robert Kennedy helped form the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp. in Brooklyn, New York, which still exists, both trying to improve living conditions for poor African Americans.

But Kings nonviolent methods were being challenged by 1967, Goduti said. There was a growing militancy within the civil rights movement that led to groups like the Black Panthers and even within the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee known as Black Power, said Goduti, author of RFK and MLK: Visions of Hope, 1963-1968.

The basic goals of the Black Power movement  equality in the eyes of the law and the eyes of society  have evolved in the wake of recent shootings of African-American men by police into the Black Lives Matter movement, Goduti said.

I think weve come a long way, but we still have a way to go, he said. We still have poverty, we still have racism, we still have those same issues that we had in the 1960s that caused that riot in Detroit.
NEW HAVEN >> The house that the first-year Yale School of Architecture students have designed and are building in the Hill neighborhood has a twofold purpose: Not only is it a required practical exercise but its giving the students a lesson in the complex issues of homelessness.

Adam Hopfner, director of the Jim Vlock First Year Building Project, which is required of all first-year students at the school, said that when Deborah Berke started as dean last fall, My feeling in particular was we needed to return to some of the roots of the building project, meaning that the project itself  which began 50 years ago this year, actually  was driven in large part by students who wanted to tackle some of the social issues that were relevant at the time.

In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnsons domestic priority was the War on Poverty he had declared three years before. Today, in New Haven and across the nation, homelessness is a pressing issue and this year the Jim Vlock project awarded the next five houses to Columbus House, which, besides being a homeless shelter, offers supportive housing services to those who are homeless or at risk.

Since the 1990s, the Jim Vlock program has focused on affordable housing, filling vacant lots in low-income areas of the city, some of which were too small or oddly shaped for standard housing.

While we have been building projects with nonprofit organizations, theyve been houses that have been going for sale to homebuyers and it was starting to feel bourgeois in a way, Hopfner said.

The students building the two-unit house at 54 Adeline St. at Eddy Street, less than a half-mile from Columbus House, were immersed in the complex issues of homelessness, which were addressed in the design of the modular house.

Hopfner said the students happily and eagerly took part, serving meals, interviewing clients and learning about the needs for privacy, safety and security that homeless people grapple with.

My motive was to try to do something that would really address some fundamental issues that face society today, [to] try to begin to tackle issues of affordability and cost and see whether that could be incorporated into the design problem, Hopfner said.

The modular technique  all of the wall, roof and floor panels were built at Yale Universitys West Campus in West Haven  was a significant part of the solution.

The designs will be able to be replicated and weve begun discussions with Columbus House to launch a training program so that the agencys clients could potentially be building houses for themselves, he said.

Good neighbors

One of the biggest takeaways of our trip to Columbus House was the importance of security. That seemed to be a big issue, said Kerry Garikes of Washington, D.C., one of the two student project managers. Having your own space was something that they seemed to be wanting. I think that [their] own space gives them their own sense of security and sense of comfort that I think people forget. We do want the future inhabitants to be part of the neighborhood and be part of the community.

Theres a level of anxiety that we talked about, making the transition from homelessness into being housed, said Daniel Whitcombe of Danbury, also a student project manager. He said he recognized homeless persons desire to [fit] into the community and simultaneously maintaining a sense of security and individuality.

Alison Cunningham, executive director of Columbus House, said conversations with the School of Architecture began about a year ago.

We got to know each other a little bit and agreed that this was a good partnership, she said.

Cunningham said students met with tenants of the agencys supportive housing, including the 17-unit Val Macri housing next door to the new house at Eddy and Frank streets, which Columbus House took over from the New Haven Housing Authority.

We respect the neighborhoods we put ourselves in and we want to be good neighbors and fit in, she said.

Whitcombe said, I think weve all felt  as its gone up, we can see how it fits on the street. It feels comfortable in the neighborhood.

The 52 first-year students were divided into six teams, which competed to have their designs selected. All the students then work on the winning project. This years house is a 1,000-square-foot duplex, including an efficiency apartment and a two-bedroom unit, each with its own entrance, connected by a breezeway.

One of the parameters was that the house would be constructed in modular form, and each prefabricated piece could be no more than 8 feet wide to fit through the door of the West Campus building where it was built.

I think a large difference is the time thats involved in modular design, Garikes said. Planning is a huge element. You really have to understand how its being constructed. In traditional construction, you can solve problems in the field and here you dont have that opportunity, so you really have to be careful.

Among the challenges are how its actually going to be joined together, she said. How are the connections made? What kind of tolerances do you have? Theres definitely a science to it that I didnt know much about.

I had preconceptions about what a prefab home or what a prefab building would look like, Whitcombe said. He had pictured it as boxes that are snapped together. In fact, you wont be able to tell that it was prefab; [there were] even less limitations than we thought.

Modular design requires the students to think in a different way about how things are made and how things go together and it is the way things are beginning to take place, Hopfner said. A lot of industry is going toward prefabrication.

We have pretty tight requirements but we deliver a lot, said Alan Organschi, the studio director for the Jim Vlock project and a critic in architecture at Yale. All labor is paid for by students with their sweat equity and much of the material is donated.

The students created large-scale designs, mockups of design elements such as banisters, visualizations and animations. As the designs progress, it becomes more and more complex and you can take it down into the detail of a fastener, Organschi said.

Theres more and more work for students to do on smaller and smaller aspects of detail. In the end its one design team working on one project. Its an organizational management problem as well as a technical construction problem or a conceptual design problem.

What weve learned this year  is that building in the city is a community outreach project, Organschi said. We want to hear what citizens want in their cities.  Part of the problem is sorting out really informed, smart criticism from the community, really good actionable input from the community. You dont get that in school.

He said the winning design really kind of captured the character and the scale of the houses across the street.  It seemed to fit well into the neighborhood while still being kind of innovative.

Among the houses features are an aggressive overhang, as Whitcombe described it, which juts out from 3 to 6 feet from the roof line and which will direct rainwater into planters lining the Eddy Street side, where the breezeway is located. Windows also jut out from the sides in what Hopfner called cowels, which bring in light but offer a sense of security to the occupant  this idea of being able to see out on the street  but at the same time providing privacy, Hopfner said. Theyre almost competing and contradictory desires.

Hopfner said the Jim Vlock program is attempting to address and serve a population that is so often underserved by the architectural community, which he said mostly caters to the one-tenth of 1 percent of people.

It sort of expands their horizons and thats what Ive always been interested in. Architecture can do more than simply service the wealthy.

Call Ed Stannard at 203-680-9382.
By PTI: say so: AIMIM chief

Hyderabad, Aug 13 (PTI) AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi today said mosques cannot be handed over to anybody simply because a religious cleric says so, as Allah owns the places of worship.

His statement came in the backdrop of the Shia Central Waqf Board of Uttar Pradesh telling the Supreme Court that a mosque could be built in a Muslim-dominated area at a reasonable distance from the disputed site in Ayodhya.

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"Masjids cannot be given just bcos 1 Maulana says so, Allah is the owner not a Maulana once a Masjid always a Masjid," Owaisi tweeted.

"Masjids can be managed by Shia, Sunni, Barelvi, Sufi, Deobandi, Salafi, Bohri but they are not owners ALLAH is the owner even AIMPLB cannot give," he posted on social networking site Twitter.

"Masjids are built by people who believe in Day of Judgment and fear ALLAH only. It is duty of Muslims to offer namaz in masjid that is protection," he added. PTI GDK AAR

--- ENDS ---
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 ...
Some bishops have joined popular Nigerian musician Charly Boy to demand the resignation of President Muhammadu Buhari from office because of his ill health.The bishops also reprimanded the Presidency for persistently refusing to disclose Buharis health status, saying they were in support of protesters in Abuja demanding the Presidents resignation.Since Monday, the resume or resign protesters  backed by a popular artiste, Charles Oputa (also known as Charly Boy)  had accused Buharis handlers of holding him captive.The protesters had also advised the President to demonstrate his touted integrity by resigning from office as it was evident he wasnt physically fit to carry on the number one job in the country.Speaking on Friday at the second session of the Twelfth Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Owo, the Bishop of Owo Diocese, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rt. Revd. James Oladunjoye, asked Buhari to resign and give room for another person to do the job.The bishop said the situation whereby the President had spent several months abroad had not helped the country, adding that it was wrong to conceal his (Buhari) health status as he was no longer a private person.Oladunjoye said, We thank God for the President and for the way he had been ruling according to the law, but there is something wrong that we want him to address.He has been ill for so many months in his tenure and so, is it not proper for the country to know his health condition as he is no more a private personality?He is public property and if he is not strong enough to continue as the leader of this country, it is better for him to resign so that another qualified individual can take up the office legitimately.Speaking based on his personal relationship with Oladunjoye, the Bishop of the Ibadan South Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Rt. Revd. Jacob Ajetunmobi, said his counterpart at the Owo Diocese was speaking based on the experience he (Oladunjoye) had.Ajetunmobi said Oladunjoye had had accidents which forced the latter to consider early retirement, adding that if a cleric could be forced to retire early because of his health, the President should also be able to do so.However, Ajetunmobi advised Buhari that should he decide not to resign, he should not contemplate running for the second term.Ajetunmobi said, He (Oladunjoye) had separate accidents that led to him suffering from a broken hand. He had taken treatment in Nigeria but had to travel to the United States for more treatment. He is now being forced to retire early before turning 70 as a result of that.He is speaking from personal experience that if health challenge will not permit him to function properly in his position, he would rather resign.Acting President Yemi Osinbajo should be able to carry on with the administration of Nigeria. Buhari was one of those calling for late President Umaru YarAduas resignation then, but now, he knows that what goes around comes around. We should be careful what we wish others.Here, I am a bit more radical in my opinion, but it is much more complex than we think. There are underpinning theological positions involved.Asking Buhari not to consider running for a second term, Ajetunmobi said, Buhari has about one more year to spend as President, but he should not think of coming back for a second term. The All Progressives Congress should think along and restructure its leadership or be ready to fail in 2019.Also, the Catholic Bishop of Auchi Diocese in Edo State, Most Revd. Gabriel Dunia, told one of our correspondents that while the Constitution was silent about how long the President could be away after transferring his power to the Vice-President, an honest leader ought to voluntarily declare his inability to continue in office (when he is physically unfit).Dunia said, A sincere person who wants to sincerely help but can no longer perform his function should be able to say, I cannot perform this function anymore.So, there is no need pretending, unless the person is not honest. And if the person is not sincere, he is not out to help anybody. If I am helping somebody and I know that it is beyond my power to help again, I should be able to come out to say I cannot go further.Dunia also described the Presidencys prolonged silence on Buharis health status as deceptive.That is deception; if they cannot tell Nigerians what is wrong with the President, who is their son, father, brother, and friend, then the children (Nigerians) should know what is wrong with their father, he said.The Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Kano State Chapter, Bishop Ransom Bello, indicated his support for the resume or resign protest, insisting that it was high time the Presidency opened up on Buharis health status.The General Overseer, Christ Alive Power Assembly, Bauchi, Pastor Emmanuel Kanti, said the Nigerian constitution should be allowed to take its course in that Buhari should resign because of his illness.He said, If the President is not strong enough to rule the country, he should give way to someone who is healthy and strong enough to rule the country.The number one citizen of a country shouldnt conceal his health status and put the whole country in dilemma; I think it is unfair. If hes unhealthy, he should give way to someone else and stop being a ghost President. But if he feels hes okay, he should come back and continue ruling the country.In fact, the Presidency is playing on the intelligence of Nigerians and there is no reason whatsoever for doing that. They should just tell us the present state of our President.Also speaking to Saturday PUNCH, the leader of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Pastor Christmas Mark, asked President Buhari to honourably resign if he was not fit to rule the country on health grounds.He said, Nigerians have the right to protest in the sense that the President is not a secret position holder; it is not a position that is answerable to a community and inasmuch as he is the President of the country, he is answerable to the people. And the people want to see him at all costs.So, it is not right for the Federal Government to hide him. What they should have done is to set up a medical panel to know his health status. Nigerians do not want information (again); they want to see him.It can even be right for one to say that if he is not fit to rule, to ask him to resign is not out of place. The reason is that people want to see the person they elected. They voted for him to rule.They voted for the President and the Vice-President to rule. Now we are seeing only the Vice-President. Inasmuch as we know the constitution, the Vice-President has limited powers. So, if the President is not fit or if he is incapacitated, let him honourably resign.
Can we know you sir?

Who is Aloysius Ikegwuonu otherwise called Bishop to you?

Do you know what he does for a living?

What can you say about the killings in the Catholic Church which report noted that he built for the community?

What could have led to such killings?

Have there been similar killings in Ozubulu community?

Tell us about yourself.

What can you say about the killings in the Anambra Catholic church?

How many people fired shots into the church?

Do you think bishop who is your stepson is quarrelling with anybody?

High Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu aka Bishop was the alleged target behind the devastating attack at St. Philips Catholic church in Ozubulu, Anambra.Fidelis Nnamdi Oruche has in an interview with PUNCH revealed more about Aloysius Ikegwuonuand what he believes really caused the Anambra Catholic church massacre.Interview was conducted by CHIDIEBUBE OKEOMA and TONY OKAFOR. Excerpts:I am HRH Fidelis Nnamdi Oruche, the traditional ruler of Ozubulu community in the Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State.I didnt know Aloysius Ikegwuonu until he returned from South Africa as a rich person. The truth is that everybody in Ozubulu is my subject. So, I will say that Chief Aloysius Ikegwuonu is my brother. He is a well-known philanthropist in this town and beyond.He had started helping the downtrodden, the less privileged and paying hospital bills of people before I met him. He had also started building projects like churches before we met. In all honesty, I will say that he is a very good person. He is not a bad man at all. He has a good heart and he is always ready to help people.How can I know what he does when he is based abroad? He does not live in Ozobulu. He told us that he does some business abroad. He is not the only person from Ozubulu who lives abroad. We have many sons and children of the community who live overseas especially in South Africa.I was not in the church when the incident occurred. Somebody called me on the phone to tell me about it. St Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu, where the incident occurred, is a bit far from the palace. When the person called on the phone, the background was very noisy and I presumed that all was not well.I was not feeling well on that day so I had to send somebody to the church. The report I got was devastating. The massacre took place around 6am. I was told that a tragedy had occurred in our community.I was told that gunmen invaded the church and opened fire on people who had left their various houses to worship God. I was told that lifeless bodies littered everywhere. I was saddened by the report because those who died were all my subjects, my brothers and sisters. I quickly called my council head and informed him of the horrifying development.The governor, who is the chief security officer of the state, together with security officers, arrived in the place quickly. Who has ever seen such a crime in the house of God before? Who has seen or heard that some invaded a worship place and didnt say anything and only opened fire on people who didnt do them any harm?The community is in mourning. Our land has been desecrated by the perpetrators of this crime and they will not go scot-free. We will assist the security agencies and the government, both at the federal and state levels to make sure that justice is served.I dont know of any drug deal as being reported. But I know that about three years age, Ozubulu Development Union in South Africa, was having serious leadership tussle.Our children who are living there were having a disagreement over who becomes the chairman of the union. They didnt agree and couldnt resolve the issue among themselves. Mind you that we have Ozubulu Development Union all over the world. The union is for peace and development of our community.So, when they couldnt resolve the issue among themselves, all of them, numbering hundreds returned to the country from South Africa. The issue was brought before the President General of Ozubulu Development Union, Chief Nobert Anigbogu. Anigbogu tried his best but couldnt solve the contentious issue. The factions insisted that the matter must be brought before me as the traditional ruler of the community.Before then, some people disagreed that they would take a peace covenant in any shrine. The day the matter was scheduled to be heard in my palace, the crowd was overwhelming. I cannot recall the number, but we took minutes of the meeting including names of the attendees.The meeting was a heated one but it wasnt anything except a disagreement between brothers over who occupies the position of Ozubulu Development Union in South Africa. After ensuring peace, we invited the bishop of the Catholic Church diocese and a reverend father who came and prayed for us. The Blessed Sacrament was used as a covenant oath for everybody. The crowd was over two thousand people. We admonished them to be peaceful and live in harmony.Yes, it has happened before and that also was very saddening and mysterious. Up till today, we are desperately waiting for the killers of those four young men to be nabbed. This incident I am telling you happened around 2007.Four of our security men were killed in a very agonising and painful manner by unknown people. Their body parts were not complete as we buried them. Their tongues, eyes and even private parts were taken away.They were dragged into a bush where they killed them. It was painful. My brother was among the 2007 victims. The government and security agencies are aware of the issue. Their killers disguised by wearing camouflages. The victims were blindfolded. The palm wine tapper who saw them told us. We are still asking questions to know why they were killed and where their organs were taken to.I am the stepmother of Aloysius Ikegwuonu, popularly known as Bishop.We were in the church early in the morning of August 6 and while the service was in progress, a gun-wielding man arrived the entrance door and opened fire on the worshipers. He started shooting sporadically at a close range. We ran to escape the bullets flying around and in the process, one of the hit me. That was when I lost consciousness and was revived in the hospital. The bullet hit me in the stomach but I am getting better. I am waiting for the doctors to discharge me. I want to go home.I only saw one person and he was the one who stood at the door and opened fire on us. He didnt say anything. I cannot really say if he wore a camouflage. I was only bothered about my escape at the time. I thank God that I am alive. The experience was a terrible one. Though the wound is giving me pain, I am better now and I want to go home.I dont know and I wouldnt say what I dont know. All I know is that while the service was ongoing, a man entered, stood at the exit door and opened fire on us. People ran, some survived and others died. I am among the lucky ones hit by bullets but survived.Source  Punchng.com
Nigerians tell ex-presidents to exit political scene

Some Nigerians have expressed indignation over the reported moves by former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) and former head of state, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), to select possible candidates from the North and the South to replace President Muhammadu Buhari and run in the 2019 presidential election.

The trio were said to have held a meeting to consider some names on both sides of the Niger. News of the said meeting and the outcome has continue to draw sharp reactions from Nigerians incensed by the seeming disregard of the people in the 2019 permutations.

Outspoken Presiding Bishop of Calvary Kingdom Church International, Archbishop Joseph Ojo, in a telephone chat with Sunday Sun advised the duo of Obasanjo, Ibrahim, both of whom he particularly blamed for several ills in the society, to simply fade away into retirement so that the peoples memory of them would be of good and not opprobrium.

I think that these people, with the exception of Abdulsalami Abubakar who is a nice gentleman, the other two, Obasanjo and Babangida, should try to think of how they can have a peaceful exit from the political process, so that their memory will be a good one, like the good memory the people have of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and some other past leaders. They should be grateful that God had given them the privilege to lead this country. They should also realise that there are other people who have the wherewithal to fix this country without them and make Nigeria become a better place.

I just believe that they should respectfully bow out of this quest to continue to call the shots in the affairs of this country. When the ovation is loudest, that is when to quit the stage. They should respect themselves and give way to younger people who can lead this country out of the woods. Obasanjo and Babangida should look for one place to go and hide their heads, now that they still have some honour left. They should disengage and bow out.

On the previous missteps of Obasanjo and IBB in trying to influence the leadership selection process, Archbishop Ojo recalled the case of the late Umaru YarAdua and echoed what Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose said recently that Obasanjo always put weaklings in office so that he could teleguide them. I think Nigerians should learn from past experience and vote against candidates that these people have endorsed. Voting for any candidate supported by Obasanjo and Babangida is voting for evil. That amounts to voting for the status quo; that would signify our determination to suffer for long, he said.

Ojo added: If we are true to our hearts, we should disappoint them by voting against the candidate they support. They are not the ones that would determine what we would do in the polling booth, we are mature enough. We should vote against whoever they support. No matter how clean and green the person is, we should vote against the person, so that they will know that they cannot always call the shots in Nigeria. In very simple language, Nigerians who dont like what is happening should take the destiny of Nigeria in their hands. That is my position.

Weighing in on the discourse, spokesman of Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Professor Ango Abdullahi said that no group or individuals should impose a candidate on Nigerians as far as democracy is concerned.

Prof Abdullahi told Sunday Sun that Obasanjo, Babangida and Abdulsalami, who are all retired generals and were at various times military heads of state cannot continue to impose presidential candidates on Nigerians.

Dismissing the report in the media about the clandestine moves by the trio to influence the emergence of the 2019 presidential candidate, he said: Not at all. The decision as to who leads Nigeria if indeed we are in a democracy must be the exclusive duty and right of the people of Nigeria.

Secretary General, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr. Anthony N. Z. Sani, who concurred with the view of Prof Abdullahi, emphasised that the former heads of state would not be able to impose their anointed presidential candidate on Nigerians in 2019.

The ACF scribe rhetorically asked: Do the Generals you have listed constitute the voters? The Generals votes cannot produce a president in a democracy where majority have both their way and their say.

He added: But if Nigerians define democracy to be of the Generals, for the same Generals and by the same Generals whom you have listed, then they have themselves to blame and not to blame the Generals who have their right to canvass for their preferences in a democracy.

All that is needed is for Nigerians to make judicious use of their democratic right and ensure that their votes count so that the ensuing leaders would be accountable.

Legal practitioner and President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, Malachy Ugwumadu, also frowned at the regrouping of the past leaders and what he described as their unstopping quest to determine leadership in Nigeria,

Ugwumadu said that it must be noted that the Nigerian people remain the repository of Nigerias sovereignty as enshrined in Section 14, subsection 2A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He said that the definition and characteristics of leadership must, therefore, be their ultimate decision, which cannot be abdicated to a selected group of individuals, however powerful, in their inordinate quest to continually perpetuate themselves by subverting that and overreaching the collective will of the people.

While acknowledging that there was nothing wrong in past leaders gathering together and associating to respond to national issues, he however, stated that anything about Nigerians without the involvement of Nigerians is not for Nigeria and cannot be for Nigeria.

He spoke further: The point must be enforced by the poverty of the legacy of these people who are ganging up, after destroying the foundation of our corporate existence. I am saying that their decision to continually arrogate to themselves the supremacy of knowledge and the certainty of their inordinate powers to perpetuate things endlessly is further rendered mischievous and perfidious by the fact that they are the same

people that destroyed the structural foundation of this country.

It was Babangida who flouted and destroyed the ethos of democracy when he annulled the June 12, 1993 election; it was Obasanjo who derailed this country and sold the commanding heights of our economy; Abdulsalami Abubakar is the author of the decree, which became the 1999 Constitution and is now the greatest headache of the country.

I am making the point that Nigeria of today is no longer the Nigeria of their days, when their arrogant military attitude superseded the will of the people. They destroyed the country and cannot be part of the solution, except they first of all purge themselves of the crimes they committed against the country and then make retributions. They can also individually and collectively take proactive steps to mobilize the energy of their constituencies to support progressive politics of the day and create new vistas of hope, rather than telling us that they want to impose another leader on the country. In any case, they have been in the business of imposing leadership and none of the leaders they foisted on the country ever worked.

Babangida bequeathed General Sani Abacha to Nigeria, and we suffered that holocaust, which his regime turned out to be for more than five years, with unimaginable killings everywhere. The case of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola can be easily called back to mind. The death of Olu Onagoruwa is clearly associated with assassination of his son. Obasanjo cannot tell us anything about democracy because his entire tenure left us with the endless darkness we have in the power sector. Few days ago SERAP came out with a book entitled, From Darkness To Darkness .

So we must continue to emphasise the negativities about these characters that say they want to continually impose leadership on the country. They should be rendered inconsequential in the decision regarding who becomes the next president. They must be rendered inconsequential by the superiority of our position, and the determination of the Nigerian people to recover the space that have been yielded to these people. They should be rendered inconsequential by exposing the inadequacies that characterized their tenure. They should be rendered inconsequential by our cohesion in the campaign and our resolve to oppose the machination of these people.

Democracy itself is a marketplace of ideas and a platform for plurality, a centre where you synthesize divergent opinions. However, we must ensure that people with dubious tendencies do not take the upper hand. To do otherwise means that sovereignty no longer lies in the hands of the people. That would be dangerous.

In the same vein, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Anambra State and Lagos based legal practitioner, Chief Pat Anyadubalu, argued that the trio of Obasanjo, Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, have a stake in who becomes the president, adding that ordinarily some people would not bother if they play a role in getting Nigeria a good leader.

Unfortunately, he said, we have not gotten a good leader through them. That has been our problem. If you are the one that has been partaking in choosing the national leader of the country and we have not gotten it right, then you lack moral right to want to continue to determine who the next leader should be. That is why Nigerians are perturbed that these people are coming together again to choose and determine who would become the president in 2019.

Anyadubalu posited that the trio of past leaders should take their hands off the 2019 political process that has subtly taken off and allow Nigerians to freely choose their own leader.

If we find that anybody they endorse is not satisfactory to us, we should use our vote to stop them from getting to Aso Rock. We should mobilise and vote against their candidate who is found not to be satisfactory or competent. We can vote against the person and also protect our votes, he said.

Adding to the gathering storm of opposition to the seeming renewal of the intervention of the trio, General Overseer of Wordbase Assembly, Bishop Humphrey Erumaka said that the country needs to return to the past in the 60s and 1979 election, when the contest for power was intellectually robust and not characterized by the present system tainted by godfatherism and the imposition by a cabal of past heads of state.

His words: Even if they choose a young, healthy person, he will be running with old peoples mentality to please those who put him there. The younger people should not be dependent on the cabal represented by the small group of past heads of state. The cabal syndrome should not continue. It is no more based on who merits the position of president but who is in their good books. Even if a weakling or person with questionable character pleases them, they front the person and the darkness continues. I would rather say that the parties in truth and spirit, should openly decide who runs on their platform through transparent democratic process and rigorous convincing campaign leading up to a proper ballot. That way, what will occur will be a true case of ndoro-ndoro ochichi (open, legal contest for power) and not nyere-nyere ochichi (murky hand over of power on a platter of gold to a preferred candidate). What we need in Nigeria is ndoro-ndoro ochichi , not nyere-nyere ochichi .

These people who are enjoying their fabulous and stupendous pension with horrendous amount of perks at the expense of the Nigerian tax payer should just retire and leave the country to move on.

They destroyed the foundation of the country and created the problem, they cannot be part of the solution.

Moreover, Anyadubalu bemoaned the fact that the majority of Nigerians show apathy to the political process. How many of us bothered to register and obtain the voters card? he queried.

He added: Every year, teenagers reach the age of 18 and become eligible to be enrolled on the voters register. How many of us bother to get involved at the ward level and mobilise these young people to register to vote. How many of us consciously educate them on the political process and also mobilise them to vote. If we do this, we will be able to counter whoever these past leaders endorse, if we feel they are not competent or qualified to rule. Nigerians have to rise up and take back the country to themselves. Enough is enough. Like Charly Boy said,  Our mumu don do .




Elder statesman and member of the Southern Leaders Forum, (SLF), Chief Guy Ikoku has described Nigeria as a nation heading to no definite destination.Speaking with newsmen, the civil war hero and chieftain of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, noted that restructuring Nigerias system of governance will benefit all sections of the country.Ikokwu, who was a member of the defunct National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, warned that delaying the process further could spell doom for the country.He said, We are now at the end game; every Nigerian should understand this. I say it to members of my family and other people say it too. Nobody is benefiting; Nigeria is virtually bankrupt.Its a situation that makes one cry and no real Nigerian can go out and boast that we are a great nation, that we are a good nation or that we are moving forward.Of course, we are not moving forward; we are moving backward. And our native culture says that if you are on a road and you do not know where you are going, turn back.The truth is that Nigeria has been going to a destination that is not certain and clear, which is leading into the precipice.And the only thing that can be done rationally now is to brake and reverse and find the true road to where we are going.But he also warned the military against truncating the smooth democracy, adding that it is not the best way for Nigeria at the moment.Let those who are in the military today not try warfare because a military solution in Nigeria is not possible now.
Renowned professor of Economics, Pat Utomi [above] has taken a swipe at Nigerias politicians, saying that a mere less than 60 people have been steering the countrys fortune since independence.

Utomi made the claim at a public lecture organised by the Evangelical Christian Union Alumni Fellowship.

He further stated that there has never really been an election in Nigeria, saying that a few people hold the aces to power in the country.

He also lamented the dearth of vision among Nigerias politicians, stressing that while past leaders surrounded themselves with intellectuals, their present counterparts are accompanied by pimps.

This class of capture has inflicted an anti-intellectual culture on the country, he noted, adding:

The club of capture can be grouped into three categories. The first is the moderniser wannabes.

The value system of this category sabotaged their desire.

The second are the narcissistic influencers, who are so consumed by their self-love, he said.

These people are contented with whoever is in power so far they can appoint the oil minister and others.

The last are the entitlement-minded ones. Nigeria has become the entitlement of the last category.

When those in the club of capture lose legitimacy, they look for ways to circumnavigate.

They look for weak persons to push into positions of authorities so they dont lose their grip on power.

Nigeria has suffered from power capture for 51 years. Less than 60 persons have been deciding our fortunes for the past 51 years, he asserted.

Recently, a Biafran separatist group, Biafran Zionist Federation [BZF] had declared secession, and announces Pat Utomi, Chukwuma Soludo, and selected others As top government officials.
Centre has issued a circular to states suggesting how Independence Day programmes should be held in schools. West Bengal has refused to follow the instructions.

By India Today Web Desk: Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar today slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for refusing to organise events in schools to "create fervour" around Prime Minister Narendra Modi's New India vision.

Javadekar termed the West Bengal government's decision to not celebrate Independence Day according to the New India pledge suggested by the Centre as "unfortunate" and hoped that "wisdom will prevail".

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The Human Resource Development Minister said, "I am shocked at the language of the letter (issued by the West Bengal government)... It is very unfortunate that it has decided not to celebrate Independence Day 'in this manner', what is wrong with the manner that we suggested?"

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

Ahead of Independence Day, the Centre has written to the states to organise events in schools towards creating a "patriotic mood" and a "mass fervour" to help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'New India' vision.

However, West Bengal has instructed its schools to desist from following the Centre's circular. In a letter sent to all District Project Officers, the Sarva Shiksha Mission-West Bengal instructed them to stop "all preparations for the Independence Day in keeping with the circular dated July 25, 2017 of Manish Garg, Joint Secretary MHRD".

"It has been decided by the school Education Department that Independence Day 2017 will not be celebrated in this manner," said the letter dated August 11.

Responding to the development, Javadekar said, no one was compelled to follow the HRD Ministry's suggestions on the celebration of 75th anniversary of Quit India Movement and the 70th Independence Day, and that still everyone followed the instructions voluntarily.

THE CENTRE'S PLAN

To commemorate the Independence Day and Quit India Movement anniversaries, the HRD Ministry has issued a number of instructions to educational institutions.

The institutions have been instructed to conduct a pledging ceremony on freedom from communalism, casteism, poverty, terrorism and unhygeinic conditions, hold quiz competition on freedom struggle, encouraging students to pay visit to any martyr's memorial and organise painting competition between August 9 and August 30.

"These are secular agenda, national agenda, not a political agenda...I am very happy to see everyone participating voluntarily and posting pictures on our website," Javadekar added.

(With inputs from agencies)

Also Read:

Modi-Mamata face off over Independence Day celebrations in Bengal schools

Watch Video: UP madrasas told to celebrate Independence Day, event to be videograped

--- ENDS ---
The Police now have in their custody three suspects linked to last Sundays massacre at St Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Anambra State. The suspects are said to be very wealthy but with no identifiable means of income.Police spokesman, Moshood Jimoh, who confirmed the arrest however declined to reveal the identities of the suspects.He spoke as the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Dr. Hilary Okeke said the Church has forgiven the brains behind the attack.Okeke, receiving a presidential delegation during a sympathy visit in Nnewi, however said the forgiveness does not in any way preclude government from fishing out the perpetrators and bringing them to book.Jimoh also said the Police will not dignify any suspect with the term high profile, pointing out that anyone who violates the law of the land is liable to be arrested and charged accordingly.The arrested suspects have no identifiable means of income and they completely have no explanation as to their means of livelihood, Jimoh told The Nation in Abuja.No doubt, when people do things relating to the offense of drug-running, they do not have a recognized means of livelihood.I would not want to say that they are big men because anybody can claim to be big but once you commit crime, even if people in the society say you are a big man, it is the duty of the policeThey are leading us further in our investigation into the crime.What happened was a vicious and condemnable act in a place of worship. It is criminal and reprehensible to go and attack worshippers and kill people, no matter what issue prompted any feud.All the perpetrators of such crimes would definitely be arrested and prosecuted. I want to assure Nigerians that whether they are in Nigeria or any other country, the Nigeria police and Interpol will get them anywhere they are.We will get anybody who had a hand in committing this offence; anyone who participated in any way and anyone who gives custody to the perpetrator or hides him has flouted the law. Such a person would be culpable.The process of the law would be firmly followed without compromise towards ensuring that we bring the criminals behind the Ozubulu incident to justice.And welcoming the Presidential team led by Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige in Nnewi yesterday, Bishop Okeke hailed the federal government for responding promptly to the Ozubulu incident.He said that the federal government had by the gesture, shown that it had the interest of all sections of the country at heart in spite of differences in religion, creed and political affiliations.He said that the incident claimed the lives of 13 people, while 26 others sustained various degrees of injury.The bishop said that the church had set up a trust fund to assist the victims, adding that government was free to add its own contribution.Ngige, a former governor of the state said that the delegation was in the state to condole with the people and government of Anambra.He said that President Muhammadu Buhari was much concerned about the incident and that the government would bring the perpetrators to book.He pledged that government will do everything to track the perpetrators, and pledged its commitment to the safety of Nigerians every where they reside.Others on the entourage were Health Minister Prof Isaac Adewole; Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of State for Education Anthony Anwukah; and Minister of State for Environment Ibrahim Jibrin.The delegation visited St Philips Catholic, the scene of the incident, in Ozubulu.They were scheduled to deliver to Governor Willie Obiano a letter of condolence from Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.Osinbajo, in the letter, commiserated with the families and friends of the victims, as well as the Ozubulu community for the loss and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.He condemned in very strong terms the atrocious and dastardly act which he said has brought sorrow to many innocent families.Such barbaric act constitutes an affront to our common humanity and it challenges, but will not overwhelm our collective resolve to rid our communities of all forms of violent crimes and criminality, he said.Osinbajo said President Buharis administration remains committed to deploying all available resources towards ensuring adequate security of lives and property in Anambra State and across the entire country.He also informed that he had instructed law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice without any delay.Unknown gunmen had on Aug. 6 invaded the church during morning Mass and opened fire on worshipers.
North Korea said yesterday that nearly 3.5 million workers, party members and soldiers have volunteered to join or rejoin its army to f...

North Korea said yesterday that nearly 3.5 million workers, party members and soldiers have volunteered to join or rejoin its army to fight against the U.S. in the current geopolitical tension between Pyongyang and Washington.Rodong Sinmun, North Koreas official newspaper, said the volunteers had offered to join or rejoin the Peoples Army after the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) issued a statement on Monday condemning new sanctions imposed by the UN in retaliation for North Korean missile tests.North Korea threatened to strike the United States and its Pacific territory of Guam.KCNA said on Wednesday a mass rally was held in Pyongyang to support the government. North Korea has previously mobilised large crowds to show its resolve when tensions escalate.In August 2015, one million North Koreans offered to enlist or re-enlist in the army when a mine exploded in the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas, raising additional tensions.North Korea warned foreign diplomats to leave Pyongyang in 2013 when it suspended work at a joint inter-Korean industrial park and threatened missile strikes on U.S. Pacific bases, notably in Guam and Hawaii.On Aug. 5, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2371, which further tightens sanctions against North Korea in response to Pyongyangs recent ballistic missiles tests.North Koreas military said Wednesday it was considering a missile attack near the US island territory of Guam after President Donald Trump threatened Pyongyang with fire and fury.Guam hosts several U.S. military bases.
The Police now have in their custody three suspects linked to last Sundays massacre at St Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Anambra Sta...

The Police now have in their custody three suspects linked to last Sundays massacre at St Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Anambra State.The suspects are said to be very wealthy but with no identifiable means of income.Police spokesman, Moshood Jimoh, who confirmed the arrest however declined to reveal the identities of the suspects.He spoke as the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Dr. Hilary Okeke said the Church has forgiven the brains behind the attack.Okeke, receiving a presidential delegation during a sympathy visit in Nnewi, however said the forgiveness does not in any way preclude government from fishing out the perpetrators and bringing them to book.Jimoh also said the Police will not dignify any suspect with the term high profile, pointing out that anyone who violates the law of the land is liable to be arrested and charged accordingly.The arrested suspects have no identifiable means of income and they completely have no explanation as to their means of livelihood, Jimoh told newsmen in Abuja.No doubt, when people do things relating to the offence of drug-running, they do not have a recognized means of livelihood.I would not want to say that they are big men because anybody can claim to be big but once you commit crime, even if people in the society say you are a big man, it is the duty of the police to hold you and take you before the law. The process is not a respecter of anyones social standing.They are leading us further in our investigation into the crime. What happened was a vicious and condemnable act in a place of worship. It is criminal and reprehensible to go and attack worshippers and kill people, no matter what issue prompted any feud.All the perpetrators of such crimes would definitely be arrested and prosecuted. I want to assure Nigerians that whether they are in Nigeria or any other country, the Nigeria police and Interpol will get them anywhere they are.We will get anybody who had a hand in committing this offence; anyone who participated in any way and anyone who gives custody to the perpetrator or hides him has flouted the law. Such a person would be culpable.The process of the law would be firmly followed without compromise towards ensuring that we bring the criminals behind the Ozubulu incident to justice.And welcoming the Presidential team led by Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige in Nnewi yesterday, Bishop Okeke hailed the federal government for responding promptly to the Ozubulu incident.He said that the federal government had by the gesture, shown that it had the interest of all sections of the country at heart in spite of differences in religion, creed and political affiliations.He said that the incident claimed the lives of 13 people, while 26 others sustained various degrees of injury.The bishop said that the church had set up a trust fund to assist the victims, adding that government was free to add its own contribution.Ngige, a former governor of the state said that the delegation was in the state to condole with the people and government of Anambra.He said that President Muhammadu Buhari was much concerned about the incident and that the government would bring the perpetrators to book.He pledged that government will do everything to track the perpetrators, and pledged its commitment to the safety of Nigerians every where they reside.Others on the entourage were Health Minister Prof Isaac Adewole; Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of State for Education Anthony Anwukah; and Minister of State for Environment Ibrahim Jibrin.The delegation visited St Philips Catholic, the scene of the incident, in Ozubulu.They were scheduled to deliver to Governor Willier Obiano a letter of condolence from Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.Osinbajo, in the letter, commiserated with the families and friends of the victims, as well as the Ozubulu community for the loss and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.He condemned in very strong terms the atrocious and dastardly act which he said has brought sorrow to many innocent families.Such barbaric act constitutes an affront to our common humanity and it challenges, but will not overwhelm our collective resolve to rid our communities of all forms of violent crimes and criminality, he said.Osinbajo said President Buharis administration remains committed to deploying all available resources towards ensuring adequate security of lives and property in Anambra State and across the entire country.He also informed that he had instructed law enforcement agencies to bring perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice without any delay.Unknown gunmen had on Aug. 6 invaded the church during morning Mass and opened fire on worshippers.
The Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev. Hilary Okeke, has commended the Federal Government for responding promptly to the killin...

The Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Rev. Hilary Okeke, has commended the Federal Government for responding promptly to the killing of worshippers at St. Phillips Catholic Church, Ozubulu, Anambra.Okeke gave the commendation when he received a five-member Presidential delegation led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in Nnewi on Saturday. He said that the Federal Government had by the gesture, shown that it had the interest of all sections of the country at heart in spite of differences in religion, creed and political affiliations.He said that the incident claimed the lives of 13 people, while 26 others sustained various degrees of injury. The bishop said that the church had set up a trust fund to assist the victims, adding that the government could as well help in that regard.He said that the church had forgiven the perpetrators of the heinous act, but added that the government was at liberty to fish them out with a view to bringing them to book. Earlier, Ngige said that the delegation was in the state to condole with the people and government of Anambra.He said that President Muhammadu Buhari was much concerned over the incident and that the government would bring the perpetrators to book. I want to assure you that the Federal Government will do everything to track the perpetrators, he said. Ngige said that the Federal Government was committed to ensuring the safety of citizens anywhere they were found.The other ministers in the delegation were Prof. Isaac Adewole, Health; Mr Geoffrey Onyeama, Foreign Affairs; Prof. Anthony Anwukah, Minister of State for Education and Alhaji Ibrahim Jibrin, Minister of State for Environment. The delegation also visited St Philips Catholic, the scene of the incident, in Ozubulu. Unknown gunmen had on Aug. 6 invaded the church during morning Mass and opened fire on worshippers. (NAN)
The Court of Appeal in the former Soviet bloc nation of Lithuania has decided to extradite to the United States a Lithuanian scam artist...

The Court of Appeal in the former Soviet bloc nation of Lithuania has decided to extradite to the United States a Lithuanian scam artist identified as Evaldas Rimasauskas, for defrauding 123 million out of FaceBook and Google to the tune of $123 million through fake emails.Assumption that the damage was done to the companies registered in the United States became the ground for the extradition of Rimasauskas, the court said in a statement at the weekend.The decision to extradite the scammer was irrevocable, the court said.The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York accused Rimasauskas of wire transfer fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering, news agency Elta reported.It is alleged that Rimasauskas took part in the scam using e-mail correspondence and posed as an Asian computer hardware manufacturer to persuade Google and FaceBook to accept fraudulent invoices and transfer funds to the company established under the same name in Latvia.The funds were transferred to the latter companys accounts in banks in Cyprus and Latvia.The court underlined it has not been assessing the circumstances of the crime and the proof of guilt as it should trust the information provided by the judicial authority of the country which applied for the extradition.Rimasauskas is suspected to have conned 23 million dollars from Google and $100 million from FaceBook.He was detained in Lithuania on March 16. On April 18, the Prosecutor Generals Office of Lithuania received the U.S. Justice Departments request to extradite the suspect.Rimasauskas has denied the charges.Meanwhile, the attorney of Rimasauskas claimed that the investigation of the suspected crime must take place in Lithuania as the allegedly criminal actions were carried out within the country, local media reported.Lithuania has a bilateral extradition agreement with the United States and this case meets all the criteria, the chairman of the court underlined.
The Federal Government has explained why it cannot arrest a coalition of northern groups which issued a quit notice to Igbos residen...

The Federal Government has explained why it cannot arrest a coalition of northern groups which issued a quit notice to Igbos resident in the region, saying the coalition has already stated that they were misquoted by the media.Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau who disclosed this at a news conference Friday in Abuja also added that it was of no use arresting the group despite the arrest order issued by the Kauna state governor, Nasiru el-Rufai, adding that on the invitation of the Department of State Services DSS, the coalition has also denied making any inciting comments.He said that the self-acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu has violated his bail conditions, but that the government cannot arrest him until the same court which gave him those terms declare that Mr Kanu has violated them and should be arrested. He said; The group that called themselves coalition of Arewa Associations that held a press conference in Kaduna where they gave October 1 ultimatum to the Igbos to quit the north as a response to what they termed as issue of separatist agenda of the IPOB and claim that there were cases of incitement from the Igbos against the northerners to which the Kaduna State governor responded that they should be arrested for what they reported.Of course they later claimed that the media quoted them out of context. I am very much aware that the DSS invited all of them, held a meeting with them to which they made a statement to the effect that what was reported in the media was not what they said.They further wrote to the acting President indicating that they did not make inciting statement as to the issue of violence or forceful ejection of the Igbos in the north. However, it was on the basis of that, the northern elders called them to also reaffirm from them that what was reported was not exactly what they meant.Secondly, it is on this basis that I am answering the question, but it is something that the Kaduna State government is handling since that is where it happened. I want to think that it was on that basis that the arrest was not made.Again, there have been several efforts to dialogue between the northern youths and the Igbo youths. Several of such meetings have been held including the reported one that (ended in a) stalemate about one week ago but my understanding is that these various groups are sitting down among themselves to reach an understanding.More importantly, government gave assurance when the Acting President met with leadership from various parts of the country that nothing is going to happen to any person. Government has assured that everybody should stay and continue with their normal businesses.Kanu has violated Bail TermsThe other issue is that, yes, Nnamdi Kanu has violated his bail conditions but it is not time yet for him to go back to the court for trial. We have this assumption but I think it is left for the court that gave those conditions to determine whether those conditions were violated or not.If those conditions were violated, the court knows what to do. We cannot assume that those conditions are being violated. Yes, the public knows but the determination of the extent of violation will be left for the court. It is not like the police will go after Kanu to arrest him on the grounds that he violated the bail conditions. Kanu will have a day in court and the court will determine his fate because it is the court that gave those conditions, he explained.
Nigerians must stop complaining but praise God in the face of daunting life challenges, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Churc...

Nigerians must stop complaining but praise God in the face of daunting life challenges, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adeboye, stated yesterday.He spoke during the 65th annual convention of the church at the Redemption Camp, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.Speaking on the theme of the convention Halleluyah, Adeboye said it simply means praising God regardless of whatever one is passing through.Adeboye said as long as Jesus lives, Christians should remain confident of a better tomorrow.He noted that praising God guarantees victory, success, dominion and abundant supply from heaven.Founder of Living Faith Ministries, otherwise known as Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, stressed Christians should cultivate the act of praising God to access His presence and glory.
The NC called for a referendum in Jammu on Article 35A. It announced a campaign to educate people about benefits of Article 35A with the inauguration of a seminar by party working president Omar Abdullah on August 14.

By Mail Today Bureau: The legal challenge to Article 35A - the heart and soul of Article 370 that grants special status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir and privileges to the citizens of the state, news that was broken first by Mail Today and followed diligently - has ruffled the separatists as well as principle opposition party in the state, the National Conference.

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While separatists - hardliner and moderate factions of the Hurriyat Conference and the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) - on Saturday called a bandh in the Valley to protest the serious legal battle that awaits the Constitutional provision in Supreme Court, which the right wing has time and again called a "fraud on the Parliament" as it was passed by presidential or executive assent without ever going to the parliamentary process of amendment in 1954, NC accused the BJP to be trying to stoke the fire of communal division among the people.

SEPARATISTS CALLED FOR BANDH

The separatists said the strike was also against the continuous killing of Kashmiris at the hands of Indian forces. NC alleged that the abrogation of the provision would adversely affect people of Jammu region, a charge vehemently denied by the BJP. Incidentally, RSS-supported think tank Jammu Kashmir Study Circle (JKSC) is one of the petitioners against the controversial article. Also, they have argued that such fundamental provisions as Minority Commission was absent from the state.

The NC called for a referendum in Jammu on Article 35A. It announced a campaign to educate people about benefits of Article 35A with the inauguration of a seminar by party working president Omar Abdullah on August 14. He would also inaugurate another seminar in Kashmir on the same day. The NC, though, hit out at Pakistan for interfering in J&K. Pakistan's foreign office spokesperson Nafees Zakria on Thursday had accused India of trying to alter the demography of Jammu and Kashmir.

NC provincial president Devinder Singh Rana said the statement issued by Pakistan seemed to be part of a conspiracy to make the issue to pave way for its abrogation. He said the debate over Article 35A was neither Hindu versus Muslims nor Jammu versus Kashmir.

"We are part of India and we are Indians. Constitution of India and Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir govern our living and existence but we have been vested with certain rights and we will protect those rights." The BJP accused the NC of trying to create a fear psychosis among people of Jammu over Article 35A.

"We are taking a serious note of the statement. Rana tried to create a scary picture of the ill-effects on the people of Jammu if Article 35A is held illegal by the SC. He is creating a fear psychosis," BJP state spokesperson Anil Gupta said, adding, "His statement - Jammu will be affected far more than Kashmir since no outsider will like to settle there but will flock in hordes to settle in Jammu - clearly indicates the mindset of his party that has always advocated politics of exclusion."

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Jammu and Kashmir: Army jawan killed in Pakistan firing in Krishna Ghati sector Kashmir: Jawan injured in terror attack on army camp in Kupwara

ALSO WATCH VIDEO | Kashmir: Terrorists attack Army camp in Kupwara, soldier injured

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By PTI: Gadchiroli, Aug 14 (PTI) The police today busted a naxal camp operational in the Abuzhmad area at the border of this district and Chhattisgarh following an encounter.

Police seized some guns and naxal material from the spot.

Notably, police found some horses in the camp, which indicates the presence of a senior cadre in the area, an official said.

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The skirmish occurred around 2 pm at the border of Gadchiroli and Narayanpur districts in the Abujhmad area, considered a bastion of the ultras, between the Anti-Naxal Squad of the police and naxlaites, he said.

"The ultras fled the spot after realising that the police are closing in on them," the senior official said.

During the search of the area, the police located the camp and seized three bharmar guns.

"Police also found six horses, items of daily use, and some naxal literature. Mostly, senior cadres use horses in the Abuzhmad forest area. The presence of horses indicates that a very senior Maoist like Bhupati might be operating in this area," the official added. PTI CORR NSK RDS

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Mother of Charlottesville, Va., driver: 'I try to stay out of his political views'
Life below zero - the 'tent people' a year beyond the Louisiana Flood of 2016
By PTI: London, Aug 13 (PTI) An unusual breed of fruit bat - previously nicknamed Yoda due to its resemblance to the Jedi Master in the popular Star Wars movies - has now officially been registered as a new species.

Discovered in a remote rainforest of Papua New Guinea, the bats has been renamed the happy (Hamamas) tube-nosed fruit bat.

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Its unusual features saw it affectionately referred to as the Yoda bat.

However, after examining studies and some 3,000 specimens in 18 museums around the world, a researcher from the University of York in the UK has formally distinguished and registered the new species.

"The species is very difficult to tell apart from other tube-nosed bat species. Bat species often look similar to each other, but differ significantly in behaviour, feeding and history, sais Nancy Irwin, research fellow in Yorks Department of Biology.

"Most of the morphological characteristics that separate this bat from other species are associated with a broader, rounder jaw which gives the appearance of a constant smile," said Irwin.

"Since most remote Papuans have never seen Star Wars, I thought it fitting to use a local name: the Hamamas - meaning happy - tube-nosed fruit bat," she said.

The happy tube-nosed fruit bats formal name, Nyctimene wrightae, is after the conservationist Deb Wright, who devoted 20 years to building conservation programmes and long-term scientific capacity in Papua New Guinea.

Nyctimeninae were one of the first species of bat described in records dating back to 1769, and later in 1860 Alfred Russel Wallace - British naturalist and one of the fathers of evolution - collected two further species.

The bats tube noses, bright colours, thick stripe on the back and spots have attracted attention for some 250 years, but researchers are still finding new hidden species in the group.

"There were no illustrations of the cyclotis group of bats which made identifying bats really difficult. So difficult was it that Papua New Guinea produced stamps illustrating the bats but could not allocate a species name," said Irwin.

"Now, with photographs, illustrations and a key of the other species in the group, it makes it possible to distinguish between three species of the group," she said.

"Taxonomy is often the forgotten science but until a species is recognised and has a name, it becomes difficult to recognise the riches of biodiversity and devise management," she said.

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"Fruit bats are crucial to rainforest health, pollinating and dispersing many tree species, therefore it is essential we know what is there and how we can protect it, for our own benefit," she added. PTI MHN MHN

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Rene Stroud of Council Bluffs has established a fund to support the Midlands Humane Society in memory of her oldest sister, Lisa Richter of Geneva, Illinois.

Richter was killed in a traffic accident in spring 2009, Stroud said.

When money became available as a result of litigation against the other driver, who was found to be at fault, Stroud worked with the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation to set up the Lisa Richter Memorial Fund.

Animals were a cause near to her sisters heart, Stroud said.

She loved animals, she said. She loved dogs, especially.

Richter was very close to her two dogs, Katie and Chloe, Stroud said.

They were her friends, she said. They were almost her children.

Katie was the last family pet they had together, and Lisa took Katie with her when she moved away from home, Stroud said.

Having the dogs gave her a sense of peace, she said.

Katie passed away at about the same time Richter did, she said.

After she passed, Dad took on Chloe, who has since died.

As with most funds at the Pottawattamie County Community Foundation, donors have 10 percent added to their contributions and a 25 percent Endow Iowa tax credit and receive a federal tax deduction, said Jerry Mathiasen, the foundations president and CEO. And the fund will continue to help MHS indefinitely.

Every year, an amount of dollars will be granted out to the Humane Society, Mathiasen said. Anybody can go on our website and contribute. Theres no minimum amount.

Mathiasen told Stroud: Its really neat that youre leaving a legacy for Lisa.

Stroud said it was nice to have something positive come out of the tragic accident.

For more information or to contribute, visit ourpccf.org, click on Donate to a Charitable Fund and scroll down to the Lisa Richter Memorial Fund.
The latest drug epidemic to hit the Council Bluffs-Omaha metro area stems from a product that is legal and easily attainable.

Its also potentially lethal.

Last week, six people were treated at Council Bluffs hospitals after overdosing on a version of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid commonly used as a painkiller, according to local law enforcement and medical experts.

Council Bluffs Police reported on Aug. 1 that three people were found unresponsive in the parking lot of a gas station near North 25th Street, while another unconscious man was found in a house nearby around the same time. All four were found to have used the fentanyl, and they were treated and released.

On Aug. 2, two men were treated at area hospitals for the same reason, police said.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is a powerful analgesic, or painkiller, used in medical surgery. In the United States, it is a Schedule II controlled substance because it has a high potential for abuse and may lead to severe physical or psychological dependence, although it is accepted for medical uses, according to the Controlled Substances Act of 1970.

Forensic Chemist Christine Gabig with the Douglas County Forensic Services Division said many synthetic variants of fentanyl have made their way onto the streets in the metro area. Since the substances are not actually fentanyl but a slightly altered version of it, theyre not illegal and can be purchased easily on the internet without a prescription.

You can order it online and kill yourself right now, Gabig said. The goal is to stay ahead of the legislation by messing with the chemical structure of fentanyl to get around the law.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die every day from opioid overdose, including from prescriptions and heroin. Six out of 10 drug overdose deaths involve opioids. And more than 500,000 people have died from drug overdoses between 2000 and 2015.

The amount of prescription opioids sold in the U.S. has doubled since 1999, while deaths from drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone have quadrupled in the same timeframe.

The CDC said fentanyl is estimated to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Roughly 9,500 people have died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids other than methadone in 2015.

An internet search by The Nonpareil turned up several websites offering fentanyl, ready to ship anywhere. Gabig said those selling synthetic opioids mixed in with heroin or other narcotics are playing off peoples addictions. Gabigs lab has seen 10 variations of fentanyl since 2015 make appearances in the area.

If you can make a product that gives a stronger high, people will want it. Theyll put it into heroin and sell it without telling their buyers what theyre getting, she said.

And it will kill you.

Effects and treatment

The emergency rooms at CHI Mercy and Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospitals in Council Bluffs are no strangers to treating those suffering from overdoses of various opioids, such as heroin.

But fentanyl is different, complicating treatment and frustrating medical providers because patients may not even know they had fentanyl mixed in with other drugs when taking it.

In other words, someone could turn up in an ER with a lethal dose of fentanyl and not even be aware they had been using the substance.

Its bad. And theres no silver bullet to this, Jennie Edmundson Emergency Services Director Courtney Schmid said.

The hospital has begun instructing staff on how to deal with these cases in the future, because the problem is not likely to fade anytime soon, he said.

Chris Acker, an emergency physician at Mercy, said fentanyl, similarly to other opioids, causes respiratory depression. The body suffers without enough oxygen and closed airways can cause a buildup of carbon dioxide, causing patients to aspirate or stop breathing all together, he said.

Whats worse, fentanyl is incredibly absorptive. Even getting some of the powder on ones skin is enough to be affected by it, Acker said.

The biggest issue is those putting it or using it on the street dont know its strength, he said. Its not regulated and dangerous.

Jennie Edmundson Medical Director Patrick Costello said the standard response to opioid overdose is to manage the patients airway and give them doses of Naloxone, commonly known and sold as Narcan. The medication blocks the effects of opioids to help patients survive overdoses.

But fentanyl binds to brain receptors tighter than heroin, meaning more Narcan is needed for treating its effects, Costello said.

After last week, we were running low on Narcan, Costello said. And, if this is going to be an ongoing issue, were going to need more of it.

When used illegally, people have mixed fentanyl with other substances  like cocaine or heroin  for a stronger high, but such actions lead to a more lethal concoction, Costello added.

Legality and legislation

As it currently stands in Iowa, the knock-off versions of fentanyl are legal.

Council Bluffs Police Sgt. Robert Christiansen said the drug is usually mailed in after ordering it online.

With the recent string of overdoses, he said it was a good thing victims were around other people or they might not have survived.

There is no recreational use with this stuff. If youre messing with it, youre looking to die, he said. It can be absorbed through the skin and make you go to sleep and not wake up.

The absorbing properties of the drug present a danger to law enforcement and first responders, Christiansen added. Those on scene of an overdose could come into contact with the powdery substance without realizing it and suffer its effects.

We have to have a protocol now when we suspect fentanyl is present, he said. Its nasty stuff.

Two lawmakers representing Council Bluffs in the Iowa Legislature  one a Democrat, one a Republican  said action is needed at the state level.

State Sen. Charlie McConkey said the Legislature needs to come together in a bipartisan effort to create measures to combat synthetic versions of drugs. He said tweaking the substance on a chemical level, so it no longer meets the definition of a controlled narcotic, is a complex issue legally.

We have to have a plan for it, he said. We know opioids are over-prescribed as is, but we can help a lot of people out if we put the effort in to crack down on it.

State Sen. Dan Dawson said that, in his 17 years in law enforcement and as part of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, fentanyl is probably the nastiest thing he has dealt with.

He said when the next legislative session begins in January, a proposal will be put together to address the issue of opioid abuse, including synthetic versions.

Were trying to get out ahead of the problem before it hits harder here in Iowa, Dawson said. The severity and quickness of this stuff endangers the safety of everyone who comes into contact with it.

Cedar Rapids Police Officer Al Fear told The Cedar Falls-Waterloo Courier in January that opioid abuse will be like cancer in two years: Everyone will know someone who has been affected.

A lot of people dont realize the extent of the problem, Fear told lawmakers and media at the Capitol in Des Moines, according to The Courier. Just like everyone has their own story about themselves or a family member being affected by cancer. Opioids are going to be the same way.

The police officer has been assigned to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Cedar Rapids, which oversees the Northern District of Iowa, including the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area, to help deal with opioid and heroin abuse. The problems in eastern Iowa are on the fringe of a growing opioid problem, he said, with the eye of the storm in Ohio and moving westward.

Unfortunately, its only going to get worse, said Fear, who is spearheading the Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative.

The group uses prevention, treatment and enforcement to stop the rise of opioids in the area, according to the organizations website. Fear and the Area Substance Abuse Council provide information through community presentations, town hall meetings and forums, including to area law enforcement.

A path from opioids

Andrew Huff, an anesthesiology doctor at Bluffs Pain Management, said his clinic only prescribes fentanyl in a patch form to help control its use and to steer patients away from possible misuse. The opioid epidemic is very real, he said, but there are people who benefit from the use of opioids.

It shouldnt be our primary mode of treating peoples pain, he said. Unfortunately, what happened through the 2000s was it was overprescribed. Now its created this monster of a problem.

Some of those addicted to opioids become hooked to avoid withdrawal symptoms and pain brought on by a variety of conditions, he said. Others seek to abuse painkillers to get high or to sell for money.

We have people come in and try to trick us, saying they have pain just to get medication, Huff said. For those in actual need, we focus on injections or other types of therapy and medications that arent opioids.

Its a balancing act on an issue that is not black or white. Opioids have their place in the medical toolbox, but the issue must be handled with great care, he said.

Huff added that the former ease of getting prescribed opioids has come back to haunt us.

There were abuses, and now were paying for it, he said.
Lea Voss began her career in the Pottawattamie County Treasurers Office on the day Elvis died.

On Aug. 16, 1977, Voss  then Lea Hough  was fresh out of high school and in the midst of her first day as a typist for the office when she heard The King had died on the radio.

I was like, Oh my gosh, Elvis died, Voss said. Thats how I remember my first day so vividly.

Voss has been at the Treasurers Office ever since.

Voss moved on to a cashiers role and then a supervisor role before becoming the deputy county treasurer under Judy Miller, who was treasurer when Voss joined the office. Miller lost an extended battle with cancer in July 2012.

Voss won a special election that August to fill the vacant seat. She won a full four-year term in 2014 and will be up for re-election in 2018.

Its been uplifting that people have their confidence in me, Voss said. I wake up every day and I enjoy going to work.

And, while shes the boss now, Voss doesnt have much use for her office. Visitors doing business at the office will see the treasurer out on the main floor, sitting at one of the bullpen computers or helping up front.

Shes always behind us, 100 percent, said Tammy Bryson, whos worked with Voss for 21 years. She gets right in the pit with us.

Voss has seen a lot of changes during her time at the Treasurers Office. The biggest changes, of course, have come in technology.

When I started, we had typewriters, then dumb computers, and now new, smart computers, she said.

Computers have modernized numerous office procedures. Voss helped scan thousands of documents while she served on a statewide team that helped redesign the Iowa Department of Transportations motor vehicle registration computer system that treasurers office employees across the state use every day.

Since taking over, Voss has made sure all employees are cross-trained, rotating schedules for those at the front desk and answering phones as people pay to title their vehicles, boats and other items or pay property taxes.

Its never a rest in here, its always busy, Voss said.

Voss and her family live in Underwood, where husband Robin farms with their son, Adam. Lea helps as well, getting home after a day at the Treasurers Office to put in time on the farm.

In addition to those duties, Voss is also a certified emergency medical technician with the Underwood Volunteer Fire Department. Shes had to put that expertise to work once while at the Treasurers Office, performing CPR on a patient before paramedics arrived. She also helped ensure the courthouse has defibrillators.

Lea and Robin have two daughters as well, Courtney Sampson of Underwood and Ashley Harding of Grant City, Missouri. The couple had one grandchild, Sampsons son Henry.

Theyve been such a big support, Voss said of her family.

So have her other family, her coworkers. Many have been at the Treasurers Office for more than a decade, including Bryson and Brenda Stotts, whos also been there 21 years, and Jamie Smothers, whos been with the office for 18 years.

Shes my friend as well as my boss, Smothers said. I enjoy coming to work.

Her boss agreed.

I love my job, Voss said. Were a big family.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid commonly used as a painkiller the abuse of which is growing in the Council Bluffs-Omaha metro area. In many forms its legal and easily attainable, and in all forms it can be deadly.

Last week, six people were treated at Council Bluffs hospitals after overdosing on a version of fentanyl. Three were found unresponsive at a gas station Aug 1, along with a fourth unconscious man at a nearby house. The next day, two men were treated at hospitals for the same reason.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is a powerful analgesic, or painkiller, used in medical surgery. It is a Schedule II controlled substance with a high potential for abuse and may lead to severe physical or psychological dependence, while it is accepted for medical uses, according to federal statutes.

Forensic Chemist Christine Gabig with the Douglas County Forensic Services Division told The Nonpareil that many synthetic variants of fentanyl have made their way onto the streets in the metro area. Since the substances are not actually fentanyl, theyre not illegal. They can be purchased on the internet without a prescription.

You can order it online and kill yourself right now, Gabig said. The goal is to stay ahead of the legislation by messing with the chemical structure of fentanyl to get around the law.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die every day from opioid overdose, including from prescriptions and heroin. Six out of 10 drug overdose deaths involve opioids. More than 500,000 people have died from drug overdoses between 2000 and 2015.

The amount of prescription opioids sold in the U.S. has doubled since 1999, while deaths from drugs like oxycodone, hydrocodone and methadone have quadrupled in the same timeframe.

The CDC said fentanyl is estimated to be 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Roughly 9,500 people have died from overdoses involving synthetic opioids other than methadone in 2015.

The emergency rooms at CHI Mercy and Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospitals in Council Bluffs are no strangers to treating those suffering from overdoses of various opioids, like heroin.

But fentanyl is different, complicating treatment and frustrating medical providers because patients may not even know they had fentanyl mixed in with other drugs when taking it.

Its bad. And theres no silver bullet to this, Jennie Edmundson Emergency Services Director Courtney Schmid told The Nonpareil.

The hospital has begun instructing staff on how to deal with these cases in the future, because the problem is likely not to fade anytime soon.

Chris Acker, an emergency physician at Mercy, said fentanyl, similar to other opioids, causes respiratory depression. The body suffers without enough oxygen and buildup of carbon dioxide while airways can close, causing patients to aspirate or stop breathing all together, he said.

Whats worse, fentanyl is incredibly absorptive, even getting some of the powder on ones skin is enough to be affected by it, he said.

The biggest issue is those putting it or using it on the street dont know its strength. Its not regulated and dangerous, he said.

As it stands in Iowa, the knock-off versions of fentanyl are legal. Council Bluffs Police Sgt. Robert Christiansen said the drug is usually mailed in after ordering it online.

With the recent string of overdoses, he said it was a good thing victims were around other people or they may not have survived.

Iowa State Sen. Dan Dawson said in his 17 years in law enforcement and as part of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, fentanyl is probably the nastiest thing he has dealt with.

He said when the next legislative session begins in January a proposal will be put together to address the issue of opioid abuse, including synthetic versions.

Were trying to get out ahead of the problem before it hits harder here in Iowa, Dawson said.

The abuse of opioids, and fentanyl in particular, are a problem that is affecting the country and more and more hitting local areas. Awareness is the first step in the fight.

From there, its up to our community to support the people in this fight  first responders, hospitals, treatment facilities, legislators and others.

Continued diligence on all fronts is needed as the metro area and the country at large tackles this problem. We encourage lawmakers to take up the fight in the next session, and we applaud the first responders and medical professionals who are out saving lives in our community.

This is the sort of problem with no easy solution. But its also exactly the sort of problem we cant turn our backs on solving.
People from Kathiramangalam allegedly found a leaking ONGC gas pipeline and were gripped with fear thinking that dangerous inflammable gas was leaking from it.

By Pramod Madhav: ONGC ends up in trouble as MDMK leader Vaiko joins people fighting gas pipelines leakage at Kathiramangalam.

People from Kathiramangalam allegedly found a leaking ONGC gas pipeline and were gripped with fear thinking that dangerous inflammable gas was leaking from it.

ONGC operates two wells from Kathiramangalam village near Kuthaalam, connecting pipelines carry the extracted product from Kathiramangalam to the Sethirabalapuram refinery unit. On early Sunday morning people had observed bubbles emerging from the site of pipelines near ONGC wells. The valves were closed after villagers alerted the ONGC officials yet the leak couldn't be controlled. This is the 4th alleged time a leak has occurred near the site.

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Vaiko, who was on a temple tour visited Kathiramangalam, visited the location where the leak was spotted and even physically examined it. Vaiko later claimed that ONGC officials were totally power drunk and that if they try to build a new well, people will not allow the vehicle to enter the village and will destroy the equipment.

"Just like the way women protested against TASMAC liquor shops and broke the liquor bottles, we shall destroy all their equipment," claimed Vaiko.

He warned ONGC to leave Cauvery delta region immediately and stated that company is attempting to convert the fertile land into a desert.

People's sentiment against ONGC in Tamil Nadu is running steep on the negative spectrum after the protest that broke out against leaking pipelines at Kathiramangalam a month ago. Though ONGC is attempting to play the Good Samaritan role through its various CSR roles, it still couldn't earn the respect of the people.

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Kolkata, Aug 13 (PTI) Major opposition parties in West Bengal have demanded cancellation of elections to the seven municipal bodies held today, alleging widespread violence and booth-capturing by Trinamool Congress workers.

The TMC, however, denied any role in the violence during the election and blamed the BJP and CPI(M) for it.

The state election commission declined to make any comment.

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Reports from Durgapur said, clashes took place between various groups were since early morning and several vehicles were set on fire. Huge police contingent was rushed to the spot to control the situation.

The Congress demanded removal of state election commissioner A K Singh and held a sit in demonstration outside State Election Commission office.

"The SEC has completely failed to conduct the polls in free and fair manner. This is not the first time. In municipal elections held in May we had witnessed the same thing. The TMC has turned the elections into a farce," Leader of opposition and state Congress leader Abdul Manan said.

State BJP president Dilip Ghosh, however demanded cancellation of elections in Haldia, Pashkura and Durgapur Municipal Corporation (DMC).

"We demand that fresh elections should be held after deployment of central forces. We dont demand the SECs removal as it will not solve the matter as he is under the state government," Ghosh told PTI.

Denying any role in the poll violence, senior TMC leader Aroop Biswas said "Those who dont believe in democracy are resorting to violence. BJP is resorting to violence and is being aided by CPI(M) in it."

The Congress resorted to a road blockade and sit-in front of the state election commission office here claiming that it had failed to conduct free and fair polls.

"We want the elections to be cancelled as TMC has unleashed terror at all the places where elections are being held," CPI(M) Politburo member Mohammed Salim told PTI.

Claiming that the elections have turned into a "farce", he said, "Miscreants owing allegiance to the TMC have been terrorising everyone with guns, bombs and other weapons. Voters, candidates, election agents no one has been spared."

Polling for the seven urban local bodies (ULBs) comprising five municipalities, one notified authority and one municipal corporation was held during the day and the results will be declared on August 17.

The municipalities which went to polls today are Panskura and Haldia in East Midnapore district, Nalhati in Birbhum, Buniadpur in South Dinajpur and Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri districts. Durgapur Municipal Corporation in Burdwan West and Coopers Camp Notified Authority in Nadia district are the two other ULBs that went to polls today.

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By-polls were held in ward number 12 under Champdani municipality and ward number 7 of Jhargram municipality. PTI PNT KK KK

--- ENDS ---
All the key talking points, reports, highlights and injury and judiciary news from the NRL Telstra Premiership in Round 23.

Rabbitohs v Bulldogs

The Rabbitohs have easily accounted for the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium on Thursday night with Josh Reynolds sidelined early with a calf injury and not returning.

Injuries: Josh Reynolds (calf), Sam Burgess (ribs).

Judiciary: No charges.

Match report: Rabbitohs ease past Bulldogs

Rabbitohs v Bulldogs: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 23: Rabbitohs vs Bulldogs

Eels v Knights

Parramatta's six-game winning streak has been broken in commanding fashion by a resilient Knights outfit who racked up a 29-10 win - their third straight.

Injuries: No major injuries.

Judiciary: No charges.

Match report: Eels stunned as Knights win third straight

Eels v Knights: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights





Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 23: Eels vs Knights

Broncos v Sharks

The Brisbane Broncos have taken another step towards a top-four finish and dealt the Sharks' top-four chances a blow with a 32-10 win at Suncorp Stadium.

Injuries: No major injuries.

Judiciary: No charges.

Match report: Broncos cruise to big win over Sharks

Broncos v Sharks: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 23: Broncos vs Sharks

Dragons v Titans

The Dragons temporarily jumped back into the Telstra Premiership top eight after they thrashed the struggling Titans 42-16 whose season is spiralling out of control after four losses on the trot.

Injuries: Jarrod Wallace (knee), Kane Elgey (sternum).

Judiciary: No charges.

Match report: Dragons fire past Titans

Dragons v Titans: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 23: Dragons vs Titans

Storm v Roosters

A late try to Joe Stimson gave the Storm a dramatic 16-13 win over the Roosters after it appeared a Luke Keary field goal had sealed the deal for the Tricolours.

Injuries: No major injuries.

Judiciary: Suliasi Vunivalu (contrary conduct).

Match report: Storm beat Roosters at death

Storm v Roosters: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 23: Storm vs Roosters

Panthers v Cowboys

A superstar performance from Nathan Cleary involving two tries and a ridiculous try-save on Cowboys tyro Coen Hess helped the Panthers to a dramatic victory over an injury-hit North Queensland side.

Injuries: Justin O'Neill (elbow), Michael Morgan (concussion).

Judiciary: No charges.

Match report: Panthers surge to beat injury-hit Cowboys

Panthers v Cowboys: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 23: Panthers vs Cowboys

Warriors v Raiders

The Raiders continued their late-season run to the finals, now just four points outside of the top eight following their win over the Warriors in Auckland.

Injuries: Solomone Kata (shoulder), Ata Hingano (ankle), Joseph Leilua (knee).

Judiciary: Ben Matulino (shoulder charge).

Match report: Raiders down Warriors, continue finals charge

Warriors v Raiders: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights



Match Draw Widget

[2017] Telstra Premiership - Round 23: Warriors vs Raiders

Wests Tigers v Sea Eagles

They left it late but Wests Tigers sent the Leichhardt Oval crowd home happy with a late Malakai Watene-Zelezniak try dealing a blow to the Sea Eagles' top-four aspirations in the process.

Injuries: Brad Parker (knee).

Judiciary: Martin Taupau (careless high tackle).

Match report: Tigers stun Manly in Leichhardt miracle

Wests Tigers v Sea Eagles: Five key points

Watch: Match highlights


Due to the challenges of resettling into civilian life, military veterans have often had higher levels of unemployment than the general population. Through federal programs and non-profit organizations, more private employers are helping put veterans to work.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in May 2017 that the overall veteran unemployment rate hit a 10-year low at 3.4 percent, below the national average of 4 percent. Yet among the estimated 3.2 million post-9/11 veterans, the unemployment rate now stands at 4.6 percent. More than 250,000 service members transition out of the military every year, and two-thirds of veterans leave their first post-military job within two years.

Experts say the higher number of unemployed younger veterans raises concerns of new struggles for the group.

Anna Zogas, a Ph.D. candidate and researcher at the University of Washington, says while the military does an excellent job of training recruits, it often fails at preparing soldiers to return to civilian life. She says exiting the military can bring simultaneous major life changes including relocation, living independently for the first time in years and reuniting with family. Even those who have not experienced combat can find readjustment to be an overwhelming experience.

"These major life changes are challenging for military veterans, just as they are for everyone," Zogas says.

A number of non-profit organizations are striving to connect veterans with employers. Hire Heroes USA has helped more than 17,000 veterans obtain gainful civilian employment since its founding in 2007. It is now one of the largest national non-profits in its category and has an efficient approach to providing high-touch employment guidance to vets and transitioning military personnel.

"Earning a living and finding an opportunity to excel in the civilian workforce are vital to a veteran's long-term happiness and crucial to the success of the American economy," says Brian Stann, president and CEO of Hire Heroes USA.

Bradley-Morris, Inc., the largest military-focused recruiting firm in the U.S. hosts regular job fairs and events with Fortune 1000 participants and offers a number of services for veterans and military professionals. Peter Gudmundsson, president of the Bradley-Morris subsidiary RecruitMilitary, says many candidates with military experience have highly marketable skills to bring to the job market.

Large companies such as EY, Hilton, USAA, New York Life and CSX also have hiring programs directly aimed at former military members. According to the Society for Human Resources Management, private and public employers have hired more than 1.2 million former military members and military spouses in the past five years through initiatives such as the White House Joining Forces and Veteran Jobs Mission.

AT&T has a goal of hiring 20,000 veterans by 2020 and is actively recruiting retired military at all levels of the organization. Randall Stephenson, chairman and CEO of AT&T, says military experience is great preparation for a successful career and that "veterans' leadership, integrity and commitment to service make them outstanding employees."
ArcelorMittal said it has boosted productivity at its I/N Tek and I/N Kote plants in New Carlisle, where it is replacing 19 automatic guided vehicles that move steel coil around the facilities.

The original AGVs were 25-years-old. They were becoming the Achilles heel of the operation, causing numerous shutdowns and interruptions, said Mike Utterback, division manager, cold rolling and annealing. Replacing them was extremely important to the division.

The automated vehicles were designed specifically for I/N Tek and I/N Kote, where they move coil from the cold mill to the continuous anneal process line and the continuous galvanize line, and then to a storage area. The automated process is computer controlled.

We werent buying something off the shelf, IT Process Systems Analyst Jack Totten said. Our team designed these vehicles, so that added to the timeline  about two years from start to commissioning.

ArcelorMittal, one of Northwest Indiana's largest employers, is hailing the project as "one of the most critical upgrade projects ever attempted at the New Carlisle facility." It's a 60-40 joint venture between ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. from Japan that largely processes steel made at ArcelorMittal's nearby steel mills in Burns Harbor and Indiana Harbor.

The steelmaker is investing $5 million in the project, and already has replaced five of the automatic vehicles.

New safety features were added, including audible alarm systems, emergency E-stop button and waist-high laser sensors.

If you get too close, the machine will automatically stop and not move again until someone comes out and manually resets it," Totten said. "Its a good safety feature."

He said the automated transport system improves safety and efficiency.

We have virtually no coil damage," Totten said. "We know where every single coil is located at any given moment. Theres no writing down where you put a coil and whos keeping track of the list."
What's new: The school is introducing an enhanced curriculum with a focus on interdisciplinary topics and themes that includes courses such as IT application and technology and development, digital storytelling and literacy and 1:1 technology. The school also changed its branding and name from Heritage Institute of Arts and Technology to Higher Institute of Arts and Technology.

"Additionally, I want to introduce 'Club Wednesdays.' Club Wednesdays will take place every Wednesday allowing students the opportunity to build relationships with students and staff outside of their routine classroom. All clubs offered will not only be exciting for students, but will be aligned to the Indiana State Standards. Students will participate in clubs such as HIAT LIVE newsletter and broadcasting, artistic drama, chess, art sculpture and dance."  Principal Erica Brownfield
Poonch district has recorded five instances of ceasefire violation by Pakistan since yesterday.

By India Today Web Desk: In yet another incident of unprovoked firing, three army jawans were injured when Pakistani troops violated ceasefire four times along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch, Rajouri and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir today.

Army sources revealed that Pakistani troops opened indiscriminate fire at Indian positions at Baaz Post in Uri in Baramulla district at around 4 pm, resulting in the three soldiers receiving bullet injuries. The three were admitted to the 92 Base Hospital of the Army in Srinagar.

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Pakistani troops also violated the ceasefire agreement thrice in Rajouri and Poonch districts. However, there was no casualty in these violations.

"Pakistani Army has resorted to firing and shelling along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district," a senior district official told PTI.

Four areas along the LoC -- Kalal, Khori, Manpur and Ganiah -- were targeted by the Pakistani troops this evening, he said.

In the morning, the Pakistan Army initiated indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in the Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch district.

The firing in the Krishna Ghati sector began around 6 am and the Indian troops retaliated effectively, a defence spokesman said, adding that the exchange of fire stopped around 12.30 pm.

There was also a brief ceasefire violation by the Pakistani troops along the LoC in Mankote sector of Poonch district this morning, a police officer said.

CEASEFIRE VIOLATION BY PAKISTAN

Poonch district has recorded five instances of ceasefire violation by Pakistan since yesterday.

Yesterday, a junior commissioned officer (JCO) of the Indian Army and a civilian woman were killed in separate cases of ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Poonch.

Naib Sudebar Jagram Singh Tomar (42), a resident of Madhya Pradesh, was killed in firing by the Pakistani troops in the Krishnagati sector, while 40-year-old woman Raqia Bi was killed when mortar shells fired from across the border exploded near her house in Gohlad Kalran village.

On August 8, Sepoy Pawan Singh Sugra (21) lost his life in unprovoked Pakistani firing in the Krishna Ghati sector.

Till August 1 this year, there have been 285 instances of ceasefire violation by the Pakistani forces.

In 2016, the number was significantly less at 228.

(With Inputs from PTI)

Also Read:

Jammu and Kashmir: Army jawan killed in Pakistan firing in Krishna Ghati sector

Hizbul Mujahideen operations commander Yasin Itoo among 3 killed in Shopian encounter

Also Watch: 3 militants flee from encounter site in North Kashmir's Bandipora

--- ENDS ---
CROWN POINT  Small animals such as rabbits and chicken as well as large ones like steers, pigs and goats were all available to the highest bidder on Saturday at the annual 4-H livestock auction that is a tradition at the Lake County Fair.

Debbie Nieman, chairman of the auction committee, said 4-H members ranging from third-graders to seniors in high school bring their animals to the fair for judging and have the option of also selling them.

"The money will buy animals for next year (and) their feed," Nieman said. "A lot of parents start college funds with their money that they receive from the buyers."

Nieman estimated last year's auction brought in about $150,000 and expected about the same amount to be raised this year.

Tristan Hann, 18, participated for the 10th and final time, and said it was difficult to tell what he might receive for his steer that weighed in at 1,275 lbs.

"I just hope it's above market, 'cause market's kind of low today," said Hann, of Donovan, Illinois.

Mackenzie Bult, of Hebron, took part in the auction for the first time at the ripe old age of 9.

She was excited to sell her two steers and four pigs, and shared some of her tips on how to raise healthy animals.

"You gotta make sure you feed 'em and give 'em water every day," Bult said.

Her hard work was rewarded as one of her steers, Billy, was named champion in the Angus steer division.

Mackenzie's dad, Eric, is a former 4-H member and believes the program provides children with valuable life skills.

"It teaches the kids responsibility," he said. "It teaches them about starting a project and finishing it out."

Ten-year-old Sean Clark, of Hebron, proudly showed off the three pigs he had for sale, and was more than willing to answer any questions about them.

Looking the part of an experienced farmer decked out in his cowboy hat, Sean thought he might be able to get $600 for each of his pigs.

"They'll go 50 cents a pound," he said.

Sean explained why he likes to work with pigs, saying they are very funny animals.

"Sometimes when they run they kind of bark," he said, complete with sound effects.

Saturday marked the second to last day of the fair, a day on which other scheduled events included frog jump and cow pie throwing contests and a Western horse show.
Hammond Lodge No. 51 of the FOP is hosting a Back to School Extravaganza from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the Hammond Civic Center. The First Presbyterian Church of Highlands Mission group has joined the fundraising by donating $350 to the local event.
Legacy Foundation partners with the Lake County Public Library, Indiana University Northwest and Ivy Tech Community College to promote its community initiative, On the Table.

On the Table invites residents of all ages from throughout Lake County to come together on Sept. 26 in their own spaces (homes, church groups, schools, work places, community centers, etc.), share a meal and have a conversation about community issues that matter to them.

Participants will be asked to share feedback and key takeaways from their conversations through a survey developed by the University of Illinois Chicago Institute for Policy and Civic Engagement. Participants who share their email will receive a survey link to the email. Surveys will be available online at www.legacyfdn.org/onthetable or a host can provide paper surveys onsite.

Legacy Foundation will use the survey outcomes to help develop its strategic plan, and it will share the data publicly so that others may use the report to inform their work.

Individuals interested in finding out more about hosting an On the Table conversation can attend one of the information sessions. The Lake County Public Library will host four information sessions at the branches in Cedar Lake, Lake Station, Merrillville and Munster. Indiana University Northwest and Ivy Tech Community College will each host one information session. Hosts who are already registered can pick up their host packets at these events.

Information sessions:

 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 28, Lake County Public Library/Lake Station-New Chicago Branch

 noon to 1 p.m. Aug. 30, Lake County Public Library/Merrillville Branch

5 to 6 p.m. Aug. 30 IUN Library Conference Room 105ABC

 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 6, Lake County Public Library/Cedar Lake Branch

 noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 6, Ivy Tech Community College East Chicago Campus Room C205

 11 a.m. to noon Sept. 9, Lake County Public Library/Munster Branch

For more information visit legacyfdn.org/onthetable. Register for information sessions at legacyfdn.org/onthetable/resources.
CROWN POINT  City officials announced in May they would begin soliciting for solutions to the parking congestion on the downtown square. Ideas from A to Z were tossed about and included the possibility of building a parking garage or installing parking meters.

As it turns out, the city might have enough parking. It's just that people arent aware of it.

Thats according to Ben Waisnora, an intern from Valparaiso University who joined the Planning Department in the summer to assist with the assessment of downtown parking.

Waisnora took a comprehensive look at all businesses and churches that make up the square and are within a one-block radius with boundaries of North Street, East Street and West Street.

Waisnora determined the number of parking spaces in the study area to be 1,394 including 55 handicapped spaces. His study also showed that 656 employees need to park in those spaces, leaving 738 available for customers and visitors.

There are businesses on the square that are only open a few select days of the week and businesses that have different hours, Waisnora said. The number of total available public parking spaces is most likely much higher when taking these factors into account.

Waisnora said one of the most interesting components of the project was observing the municipal and public lots themselves. Of the six municipal lots in the area, only three of them were clearly marked with a sign.

The municipal lots in front of the Police Station entrance, between City Hall and the library and between West Street and Col. Wheeler Middle School are unmarked. The public lots between the Super Bowl and East Joliet Street and the other side of the Super Bowls parking lot near the AT&T office building are also unmarked.

Waisnora encouraged the City Council to entertain the idea of wayfinding signs in the downtown area to direct people to the citys lots. He said there are a couple of signs downtown but they are small and not easily identifiable.

Waisnora said he believes there is ample parking in the downtown area, but what is lacking are two things  the signage for directing people to the spots and clearly marked public lots. Waisnora said two good examples of wayfinding signs are in Portage and Valparaiso. He said he contacted ARC Document Solutions in Crown Point for a proposal on similar signs. Twenty-seven of them would cost an estimated $18,000 not including posts, sign brackets or installation.

Another solution, according to the VU sophomore, is for the city to develop an app where a visitor can search Crown Point Municipal Lot and be directed to one of those lots.

Waisnora said those solutions may fix the downtown parking situation at a greatly reduced cost versus the expenses of a downtown parking garage.

As for parking meters, Waisnora said business owners on the square don't want them and said they were told by the city there would not be any.

Mayor David Uran agreed, saying the meters won't be needed nor would a parking garage that could cost more than $3 million.

"We just need better communication with the community and our residents," he said.

Councilman Bob Clemons was encouraged by Waisnora's presentation and called it "some light at the end of the tunnel" regarding a parking solution.

"It makes music to my ears because it's been so long with this."
PORTER  Hundreds of people came to Indiana Dunes State Park on Saturday night to gaze at nighttime skies in hopes of catching a glimpse of what many have erroneously called shooting stars during the annual Perseid meteor shower.

According to NASA, The Perseids show up every year in August when Earth ventures through trails of debris left behind by an ancient comet.

Though all ages oohed and aahed as meteors streaked brightly in the dark sky over Lake Michigan and the surrounding dunes, it was the young astronomers who seemed most passionate about the experience.

Eleven-year-old J.J. Nnawuchi came from Chicago to witness the event because the dark skies at the Indiana Dunes State Park pavilion are perfect for viewing, and rare.

To see the meteors, its important to have dark skies. In Chicago theres too much light pollution, which is also bad for migration and affects animal behavior as well as seeing stars, said Nnawuchi, who has made dark skies his mission.

I spoke to the county commissioners in Chicago, and I recently talked to Mayor Emanuel. I called him and called him and called him, and he finally took my call and I told him how light pollution is bad for bird migration and animals and seeing stars," Nnawuchi said, "and he said that he was looking into it and would do something about it."

Nnawuchi said he would one day like to be an astronomer, though he was not the only youth inspired by the skies who came to view the meteor shower.

Maggie Samocki, 13, of Chesterton, came to see the Perseids with her twin brother, Charlie, and her mom and dad.

I want to be an astrophysicist when I grow up because Im fascinated with space. We dont know much about it so I want to help with that, she said after viewing Saturn and two of its moons through a telescope.

That telescope, a 10-inch Dobsonian owned by the Indiana Dunes State Park, was handled by Dan Barriball, a member of the Calumet Astronomical Society

Thats Saturn and one of its moons, Titan, which is of interest to NASA because there could be life on it, he told viewers.

As the meteor shower became more visible, most people turned their eyes away from the telescopes and toward the skies to see the bright streaks that appeared about once every five or 10 minutes, though some 150 per hour were said to appear.
When President Donald Trump's policy adviser Stephen Miller stepped into the White House briefing room recently to defend a plan for reducing levels of legal immigration, Jim Acosta, of CNN, was aghast and let everyone know it.

Put aside that Acosta believed it was his role to argue one side of a hot-button issue. The exchange illustrated how advocates of high levels of immigration are often the ones who  despite their self-image as the rational bulwark against runaway populism  rely on an ignorant emotionalism to make their case.

At issue is the bill sponsored by Republican Sens. Tom Cotton, of Arkansas, and David Perdue, of Georgia, to halve legal immigration. The legislation would scale back so-called chain migration  immigrants bringing relatives, who bring more relatives  and institute a merit-based system for green cards based on ability to speak English, educational attainment and job skills.

Offended by the idea of prioritizing higher-skilled immigrants, Acosta wanted to know how such a policy would be consistent with the Statue of Liberty. When Miller pointed out that Lady Liberty was conceived as a symbol of liberty, and that the famous Emma Lazarus poem was added later, Acosta accused him of "national park revisionism"  even though Miller was correct.

At the dedication of the statue in 1886, President Grover Cleveland declared that the statue's "stream of light shall pierce the darkness of ignorance and man's oppression until liberty enlightens the world." He did not mention comprehensive immigration reform.

Lazarus' poem was added in a plaque in 1903. The words are not, as Acosta and so many others believe, emblazoned on the statue itself. The plaque is now displayed in an exhibition within the pedestal.

The underlying debate is over the legitimacy of reducing levels of immigration and crafting a policy mindful, above anything else, of the national interest. Miller clearly has the best of this argument.

One, making 21st century policy in accord with late-19th century poetry makes no sense. We don't ask, say, whether naval appropriations are in keeping with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Building of the Ship."

Two, the refugee cap in the Cotton-Perdue bill of 50,000 a year is in the ballpark of recent annual numbers. We actually admitted fewer refugees in the late 1970s and early 2000s, and the Statue of Liberty still stood.

Three, although Acosta objected to giving a preference to English speakers, knowing English helps people make it in this country, and it's reasonable to want immigrants to speak the language.

Fourth, despite the myth, immigration policy has been highly contested throughout American history, and levels have ebbed and flowed.

As the Pew Research Center notes, we have the largest immigrant population in the world. The share of the U.S. population that is foreign-born will soon eclipse the record of 15 percent from around the turn of the 20th century.

The Cotton-Perdue merit system for green cards is hardly know-nothingism.

And an emphasis on skills will take some of the pressure of immigration off the country's low-skilled workers.
For years, we've doggedly argued the merits of South Shore Line commuter rail expansion and double-tracking to speed commutes in Northwest Indiana.

Nearly all of the potential benefits we've highlighted revolve around the incredible economic opportunities that would follow a faster and expanded commuter rail system.

But sometimes forgotten in the economic prospects are the enhanced traffic flow and safety features hitched to the train expansion plans.

"We should see a dramatic improvement in grade-crossing safety," South Shore Line Chief Engineering Officer Victor Babin told Northwern Indiana Commuter Transportation District board members recently.

Grade-level crossings are where vehicles can drive across tracks in the right of way of roadways.

Right now, the South Shore Line has 138 grade-level crossings, 49 with flashers and safety gates, 34 with flashers only and 55 currently marked only by railroad crossing signs.

The number of at-grade crossings will be reduced by one-fourth if the planned double-tracking between Gary and Michigan City and a realignment of tracks in South Bend proceeds as planned.

Plans include removing 21 track crossings in Michigan City and adding 10 others and reducing South Bend road crossings by 16, while adding safety gates at two locations.

Meanwhile, the Indiana Department of Transportation plans to add safety gates to 20 crossings now regulated only by signs and/or flashing red lights.

More of the details were reported by Times reporter Andrew Steele last Sunday.

These are important steps forward for safety, limiting the number of locations where cars can potentially enter the tracks and into the pathway of oncoming trains.

Overall, planned changes along the route would leave the South Shore Line with 101 grade-level crossings, 81 of them equipped with gates and flashing lights for safety. Babin said most of the remaining non-gated crossings would be for pedestrians and farm crossings.

Anyone who's traveled on the train through Michigan City knows the line currently runs down the middle of 10th Street from Sheridan Avenue to Huron, then shifts to 11th Street, where it runs down the middle of the road to Michigan Boulevard.

This is antiquated engineering with expired usefulness.

Under the expansion plans, the new tracks will run along the south side of 10th Street, then the north edge of 11th, taking it out of the middle of the street.

There are safety and traffic flow benefits beyond the commerce districts, housing and quality of life enticements to new or existing residents a faster and expanded commuter rail line likely would bring.

The safety moves add an additional luster to an important project, reminding us all of what is at stake in bringing it to reality.
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More than 100 people gathered in Union Square on Saturday to protest the events at demonstrations in Charlottesville, Virginia.



Black Lives Matter NYC organized the rally a few hours after violent protests in the Virginia city.

"Black lives, they matter here!" many people chanted in Union Square.

Rally organizers asked people who attended to talk to friends about acceptance in the wake of the Charlottesville protests.



Sarah Holdren, a Charlottesville-native, was also there and said recent events in her town sickened her.

"This horrific event has been on my radar ever since they've been planning it," Holden said. "I've been checking in with my family and friends, and it's not only sickening to see what's happening; it's also massively disheartening to see some of the way the city's leadership and law enforcement is handling it."



One man who expressed an opposing opinion during the Union Square rally was shouted down, but the rally has remained nonviolent through the early evening.

Just a few hours before the Manhattan protest, with the Charlottesville rally already turning violent, a car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting white nationalists rallying in the Virginia city.

The car killed at least one person and injured dozens of people, according to officials. The driver was later arrested.

A helicopter crashed near Charlottesville later Saturday, according to police, killing the pilot and a passenger.



Officials said it has been linked to the white nationalist rally. It was not immediately clear how the crash was connected to the rally.



A helicopter crashed near Charlottesville later Saturday, according to police. It is unclear if there was any link to the rally.

The chaos boiled over at what was believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade: the governor declared a state of emergency, and police dressed in riot gear ordered people out.



The white nationalists had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Counter-protesters were present as well, leading to clashes. The turbulence began Friday night, when the white nationalists carried torches though the university campus in what they billed as a "pro-white" demonstration.



It quickly spiraled into violence Saturday morning, with hundreds of people throwing punches, hurling water bottles, and unleashing chemical sprays.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides, on many sides," President Trump said in a press conference Saturday afternoon. "This has been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama  this has been going on for a long, long time."

But some of the white nationalists cited Trump's 2016 election victory as validation for their beliefs, and Trump's critics pointed to the president's racially tinged rhetoric as exploiting the nation's festering racial tension.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson noted that Trump for years publicly questioned President Obama's citizenship.

Many officials also criticized the president for claiming that hatred has been "on many sides."



We will continue to fight against the deep-seated racism that exists in our country wherever it appears. https://t.co/dWhKhuu8gW  Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) August 12, 2017

No, Mr. Trump  there are not many sides to hate. pic.twitter.com/NEBoO4PUaV  Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) August 12, 2017

Of course we condemn ALL that hate stands for. Until @POTUS specifically condemns alt-right action in Charlottesville, he hasnt done his job  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) August 12, 2017

Mr. President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism. https://t.co/PaPNiPPAoW  Cory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner) August 12, 2017

Very important for the nation to hear @potus describe events in #Charlottesville for what they are, a terror attack by #whitesupremacists  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 12, 2017

The president did not mention or condemn the white supremacists directly in his press conference, and he did not describe the car crashing into protesters as an act of terrorism. Many people have in the past denounced cars plowing into people as acts of terrorism, such as in July 2016 when a truck drove into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France, killing dozens of people.
By Srijani Ganguly/Mail Today: BARNEY White-Spunner's book on India's Independence and Pakistan's creation is all about missed opportunities. There were two critical moments, the former British Army officer writes in Partition (Simon & Schuster; Rs 699), when India could have gained freedom.

The first was in 1919, right after the end of World War I, and the second was in 1935 when India could have been granted the Dominion Status. In both cases though, the British missed their chances and they ended up overstaying their welcome in a country they had barged into in the first place.

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"I don't think there is any one particular person responsible (for the missed opportunities)," says the author. "The system, within which people interact, fell. There were times when people could have intervened and done things differently which would have made a huge difference. You can't say it was Attlee's fault or Cripps' fault or Nehru's or Jinnah's. All that happened in 1947 was the result of how people interacted with each other."

Also Read: Tarun Tahiliani talks about the Partition and communal wars

It is a well-documented fact that Mountbatten and Jinnah didn't get along, Mountbatten was closer to Nehru, but White-Spunner dismisses the less-thanfriendly relations between the two making a difference in the long run. What he is sure of though, is that the blame on Mountbatten is unfair to an extent.

He explains, "In the UK, a lot of people blame Mountbatten but he was only part of a story. Very much of what he was doing was what he was told."

Even the decision to bring the date of Independence from 1948 to 1947, White-Spunner writes in the book, was not his. It was Nehru and Patel, he adds, "who dictated events" after Attlee declared that Britain would quit India.

Despite the presence of these "great figures of 20th century", White-Spunner says, the bloodshed that the Partition brought could not be abated. The author believes that had the army been properly utilised, the violence that engulfed Punjab could have been tamed.

The soldier in him also sees a missed opportunity in the idea of a joint defence arrangement between the two countries that had been proposed at the time. "It may not have worked in the end," he says, "Some historians say it would have broken down immediately; but what history can't answer is what would have happened if it had been given a go."

Also Read: The Partition, Urdu, and the inheritance of loss, is the focus of Saeed Naqvi's book

Keeping all the what ifs on one side, the author presents the view that Britain's time in India was a "successful venture that did much for the trade of Britain and very little for the people of India."

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He doesn't mince words when he outlines how democracy and the railways, both of which are hailed as gifts of the British to Indians, were hardly that. Democracy was a decision made by the Congress, he writes, and the railways was a way for the British to move the troops quickly in the wake of the 1857 Revolt.

All White-Spunner wants, through the publication of his book, is for the young to learn from history, to not repeat the same mistakes and, most of all, to never forget the past.

--- ENDS ---
By PTI: Imphal, Aug 13 (PTI) The 126th Patriots? Day anniversary was observed today throughout the state to honour those heroes of the state who fought against the British during the 1891 Anglo-Manipuri war.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh paid floral tributes to the portraits of Bir Tikendrajit and Thangal General located at the Hicham Yaichampat memorial sites in Imphal in the morning.

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A contingent of 1st Manipur Rifles paid gun salutes during the occasion.

Later, in the evening session, similar floral tributes were paid to the fallen soldiers at (Shaeed Minar) Bir Tikendrajit Park located at the heart of Imphal town, followed by customary patriotic songs.

The BJP and Congress too observed the annual event at their respective party offices which was attended by senior party leaders. PTI COR RG

--- ENDS ---
The Uganda Association of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and a human rights lawyer Ladislaus Rwakafuzi have expressed willingness to offer legal assistance to the family of Olivia Basemera.



Basemera, 38, drowned in Nakivubo channel a week ago while fleeing from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) law enforcement officers, who were conducting operations against hawkers in the central business district (CBD).



The incident triggered outrage among vendors, boda boda riders and the general public who carried her body to City Hall, the headquarters of KCCA, accusing the authority of causing her death.



As a result, four law enforcement officers were charged with manslaughter before Nakawa chief magistrate Lillian Bucyana. Those charged include Tito Kigiro, Eria Wasswa, Moses Tebyasa and Farouk Mpiima.

Basemera drowned in Nakivubo channel. Photo: nakandiblog.wordpress.com

FIDA senior legal counsel Annette Badda says the case presents a dilemma in the event that the prosecutors represented by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions and the defendant, KCCA are government institutions.



Badda told URN that FIDA will meet the family of the deceased hawker on Monday to discuss modalities of the case adding that the criminal case isn't the only angle that will be pursued in Basemera's drowning.



In a civil case, she says, the family of Basemera will be better placed because they can have their private lawyers.

"The family should not lose hope. The essence of justice should be awakened", said Badda.



In a statement issued earlier, FIDA demanded that "KCCA expeditiously compensates Basemera's family in recognition of the principle that the institution takes responsibility for the acts of its staff. FIDA also demanded that KCCA supports the justice actors currently pursuing the case against their law enforcement staff until its logical conclusion.



FIDA also asked KCCA to conduct a gender and human rights audit of its policies and implementation and ensure that its actions don't amount to discrimination and marginalization.



Lawyer Rwakafuzi told URN that his office is open for the family if they needed additional assistance.
While performing a total knee replacement, a surgeon didnt feel so well  for good reason. He didnt yet know it, but he was having a heart attack.

Not yet in severe pain, he finished the surgery just fine. But the doctor soon would become a dangerously ill patient.

He sat down and said to his PA, or physician assistant: Im having crushing substernal chest pain.

It turned out to be a 99 percent arterial blockage in the left anterior descending artery. A blockage there carries a grisly nickname:

The widowmaker.

In this case, through some fast work and maybe because he was already in a hospital, Dr. Michael McGuire, 68, survived.

And so his wife, Anne McGuire, a 21-year elected member of the Omaha Public Power District board of directors, was not made a widow.

The McGuires live in Omaha, but he operates at the Columbus Community Hospital, 90 miles away. On July 11, after he was stricken, an ER doctor stabilized the ashen orthopedic surgeon and got him on a helicopter to Omaha.

At Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy, a stent was inserted to clear the blockage.

Two hours after I was doing surgery, McGuire now observes, I was being operated on.

That may or may not be some kind of record. He had a very close call, and hes grateful to all who helped him survive.

But think of it  a doctor having a heart attack while doctoring?

Hes never smoked, he lightly drinks, hes not obese, not diabetic and his cholesterol counts were good, under 200. His blood pressure, he said, was typically 110/60.

So why did he suffer a heart attack? Maybe it was his genes.

* * *

McGuires grandfather died of a heart attack at 63, and his father at 77.

Mike soon called his year-younger brother, Patrick, in Washington state and said, Heres the deal ...

His brother got the message and immediately saw his own doctor.

Lots of us walk around not really knowing whats going on inside us. The widowmaker is said to have killed 4 million in the U.S. the past 30 years, including Tim Russert, the popular host of NBCs Meet the Press.

Mike McGuire and I are the same age, and Ive known him and Anne for decades. But I hadnt seen them for a while.

On July 15, I ran into Anne at Walgreens at 30th and Dodge Streets.

She cheerily said hello and asked about my family. Then I asked about hers.

Mike had a heart attack, she said. Its called the widowmaker.

Whaaaat?

She said it looked like he was going to be OK.

* * *

Except for thyroid cancer surgery 15 years ago, Dr. McGuire has been exceptionally healthy.

He has traveled to many conferences in the U.S., Europe, South America and Pakistan to discuss one of his specialties, tumors of the muscular skeletal system.

Hes having a great career, helping lots of folks.

Mike grew up in Cushing, Iowa, a town of about 200, and then went to Creighton University. Thats where he met Anne, from St. Louis. They married in 1973 and have four adult children.

Dr. McGuire held academic posts at Harvard Medical School and St. Louis University and served in the Army before returning to Omaha and the Creighton University Medical Center.

Anne was a nurse with a masters degree, and both have taught in medical schools.

They are big Bluejay fans. Anne was the first woman to serve as president of the Jaybackers booster club.

In 2011, Mike decided to slow down a bit and joined the orthopedic clinic at the Columbus hospital. He has no plans to retire.

The McGuires live at Midtown Crossing west of downtown but own a lake home in Waterloo, Nebraska, an hour from Columbus. He spends two nights a week at the hospital there.

On a Sunday, two days before his heart attack, he pulled weeds, chopped small trees and rode his boat  even jumping into the lake. Life was good.

Anne recalls that Mike was taking more naps recently and urged him to see his doctor. He said he didnt see a problem.

On Monday, July 10, he drove to the hospital and saw patients. Tuesday was for surgeries, but the day started with a 6 a.m. meeting over breakfast.

He hadnt slept well and thought he had indigestion.

He took his thyroid medicine, drank a Coke and felt better. So he headed to the operating room.

* * *

The left-knee surgery took a normal 65 minutes, and PA Kelli Thomazin recalls, It was a beautiful surgery.

But when they sat in a lounge and he told of his chest pain, she immediately called the ER and requested an EKG for Dr. McGuire.

He was met by a friend, Dr. Mark Howerter, who learned that the pain extended to the arms.

Howerter started cardio-protective medicine, including a nitroglycerin pill, beta blockers and a blood thinner. He administered oxygen, and an IV was hooked up.

Things were happening here bing-bang-boom, Howerter said. Honestly, the most lifesaving thing was to get him on an aircraft to a cardiac-catheter lab as soon as possible.

The hospitals helicopter was in use, so another was ordered from Norfolk. McGuire was placed on board with a nurse and a paramedic. It was his first ride on a chopper since the Army.

Howerter hoped for a good outcome: We gave him our best shot. I hoped he wouldnt have dysrhythmia in the air.

The helicopter arrived at the hospital near 75th Street and Mercy Road around 11 a.m. Cardiologists Dr. M. Jeff Holmberg and Dr. Michael Del Core took over.

A 99 percent blockage isnt good, but at least it wasnt 100 percent.

Del Core performed an angioplasty, threading a tube into McGuires right wrist up a blood vessel in his arm to the blockage in the artery. He then inflated a balloon to push plaque outward against a wall of the artery, restoring blood flow.

It was a pretty close call, Del Core said. He was having a heart attack, but there was enough flow to prevent a full-blown one.

He added a tribute: I have to hand it to Columbus  they jumped on it right away.

* * *

McGuire returned to surgery last Tuesday, four weeks after his heart attack.

He realizes he was fortunate. His heart, he said, had minimal or no damage. He didnt have to be resuscitated and didnt need a bypass.

At his Omaha condo, he said he was most fortunate to have been in the hospital and that, yes, Columbus jumped right on it.

Not everyone who suffers a heart attack does so in a hospital or can fly to a heart-catheter lab. Mike says hes lived a fortunate life, and in this case maybe had the luck o the Irish.

Said Thomazin, the PA: That day he was pretty grayish-looking, but now hes pink again like the old McGuire.

Old McGuire now has a chance to live to a truly old age. Anne says he could lose some weight off his 5-11, 192-pound frame.

He is doing rehabilitation at the Columbus hospital, including treadmill exercise. He has started on statins for cholesterol and takes an anti-coagulant and a daily baby aspirin.

Mike says at first he incorrectly assured his PA that he was OK, misinterpreting what was happening.

Quipped Howerter, the ER physician: Doctors are the worst deniers in the world. We think were invincible.

Dr. McGuire estimates he has performed 20,000 surgeries and figures he can operate for a few more years.

Although Anne received a call from Columbus almost right away July 11, Mike is glad their four children, three of whom live out of Nebraska, didnt have to fret  by the time they knew about it, he was saved.

* * *

Dr. McGuire isnt sure if his story has a lesson for the rest of us. After all, we know we should be vigilant, exercise and eat moderately.

But we also should notice changes. He recalls Annes noting his more frequent naps.

If theres a lesson, he said, maybe its if your wife of 40-plus years tells you go see a doctor, you should probably go see a doctor.

Mike McGuire saw a doctor all right  several, actually  but not the way Anne had intended.

Fortunately, he survived the widowmaker.
BASSETT, Neb.  Mandy Davis is behind the front desk of the Bassett Lodge at 11 p.m. to hand you your room key  a big, old-fashioned brass thing on a hefty blue key chain.

Shes there at 7:30 a.m. the next morning, making sure the coffees hot for the local womens bridge group.

Shes there through the Sand Hills high tourist season, when the Range Cafe and historic hotels rooms fill up with sand-covered Niobrara River tubers. Shes there in early fall, when Sturgis bikers stop on their way to the South Dakota rally. And shes there in the middle of winter, when a raging blizzard that drops a foot and a half cant keep locals out of the dining room.

That dedication can be expected from Mandy and her husband, Dale, who, with no experience in either hotels or restaurants, took over the architectural gem to ensure it stays open  and Bassett, population 562, stays on the map.

Mandy laughs, and shakes her head when she thinks about the past year and a half, 18 months that changed her life and Dales life, and their six childrens lives, too. She laughs when she thinks about how taking over the about-to-close Bassett Lodge and Range Cafe  the heart, some say, of this north-central Nebraska town  changed everything for them.

You want to know the truth? Mandy asks. We love this community. I dont know what it would be like without this place.

The Bassett Lodge and Range Cafe is the sort of place that nowadays exists only on picture postcards, a relic of a past when cattle buyers descended on small Nebraska towns like this one for booming livestock sales. Those ranchers needed a place to socialize and spend the night, and the Bassett Lodge became famous for providing just that. Now, livestock sales have consolidated, and only a handful of sale barns remain.

The Lodge opened in 1951 on the towns main street, a fine example of art moderne architecture, with its glass-block windows and simple dark-brick facade with rounded corners.

The vintage lobby  a time warp of decor, changed little since 51  is made of mahogany wood and trim, with padded green wainscoting and a low fireplace along one wall. Green couches and comfortable chairs fill the space, dating from a time when guests preferred to mingle in the lobby instead of hunker down with cellphones in their rooms.

A switchboard that used to send calls to guests still sits behind the front desk. To its right, a painting of a curly-haired bull called Grand Pappy seems an especially appropriate welcome committee. In the adjoining Range Cafe, a long diner-style bar has its original low, swivel stools. Green and brown booths mirror the color scheme of the lobby. Its a comfortable spot both for tourists and locals, and its story, by this point, is Bassett legend.

Two generations of the Lackoff family ran the hotel for decades. Under their hand, the decor remained unchanged for a half-century. A group of business owners took the hotel over and kept it open.

Gale Simmons and Tony Ford, brother and sister, took it over around 2012. They added and renovated bathrooms, updated the beds and added television sets. Simmons and Ford put the hotel on the market in 2015; few buyers came forward. Late that year, they announced the hotel would close. The plan was to auction off the historic decor and contents of the cafe.

Potential buyers came forward. The Davises were the only ones from Bassett.

Dale had moved to town in 2001, when he started working for Nebraska Game and Parks. Mandy moved there in 2012.

Hes originally from Decatur, and shes from Sargent. Though theyre not natives, they both said sustaining the Lodge became a passion.

The Lodge closed for two weeks in December 2015, before the Davises officially took over, and opened again in January under their control. Ford stuck around to cook and help Mandy and Dale learn the ropes  a huge help, she said, especially because they had not worked in the hospitality world. (Mandy formerly worked as a medical lab technician, and Dale still works for Game and Parks as a conservation officer.)

There was a lot of relief, said Marty Moravec, vice president of the Bassett Chamber of Commerce. When one of the major businesses in town closes, it seems like the rest of them arent far behind. It was a huge relief knowing it would stay open.

The hotel and cafe are no easy beast to care for, and Dale has become intimate with the quirks of this old place.

The main short-term goal: to keep everything running. The long-term goals: to install individual climate controls in each room. Dale would like to update one of the pods of rooms on the hotels second floor that have one shared bathroom for a few rooms and market them to cyclists riding the nearby Cowboy Trail. Theyd like to install more electrical outlets and finish remodeling every room.

We have never done anything like this, Dale said. I was in the Marines. Thats similar.

Someone has to stay at the Lodge every night  Its a 24/7 business, Dale said  and back in the day, the Bassett Lodge had a full staff. Not so these days. Either Dale or Mandy is there four nights a week, and an employee stays the rest of the nights. When the Davises spend the night, they stay in an apartment thats big enough for the two of them and the four of their children who still live at home. (The two oldest are in college.)

Its been a big change for the whole family, Mandy said. Our kids are being raised here.

The familys gotten support from travelers, especially this time of year, but also from Bassett residents.

We have a lot of return guests, Dale said. People who come here every summer, or people who grew up here and come back.

When class reunion season comes around, the Lodge lobby is busy with parties. The same goes for graduation season. And the cafe gets packed with locals on the weekends and, on weekday mornings, with retirees.

Small towns are very supportive, Dale said.

Mary Morton, who plays bridge in the Lodges lobby, saw the hotel being built as a child in Bassett and said little has changed since then, both in how the hotel looks and the role it plays in Bassett.

The cafe is a social hub, she said. It means a lot to the town. If it closed, the town would just kind of shut down.

Moravec agrees: From a tourism standpoint, its huge. And for the locals, it provides another place to eat, which is a nice option in a town of 600-some people.

Since the Davises took over, Moravec said even more locals are supporting the cafe.

The scare of it not being there maybe influenced more people to give them some business, he said. People love seeing, especially in todays day and age, the whole family working together for a common goal.

The Davises do rely on their kids for help around the hotel. But even after theyre all grown and gone, Mandy and Dale are in the Bassett Lodge for the long haul.

I couldnt face the people in town if we sold it, she said. We arent quitters.

***

Food critic Sarah Baker Hansen is from Omaha. Columnist Matthew Hansen grew up in Red Cloud. As a married couple they travel Nebraska to share with each other little-known people, unexpected stops and memorable foods. Come along and discover more of what the state has to offer in "The Better Half," an occasional series prepared with support from the Nebraska Community Foundation.
Reading picture books aloud is a tradition in many homes. The other tradition? Kids who pick out the same books over and over again. Sometimes, we need a recommendation or two to mix it up. Here, we asked best-selling authors and illustrators to tell us what they like or liked to read to their young children. Read on for some lesser-known gems that will keep both the reader and audience enchanted through storytime.

Annie Barrows, author of "Ivy and Bean": "Two books by Peter Spier, the magical 'People' and also the lesser-known 'Oh Were They Ever Happy!' because it's about kids whose parents leave and couldn't get a sitter and the kids paint the entire house!"

Lisa Brown, illustrator of "Goldfish Ghost": "I recommend 'A Woggle of Witches' by Adrienne Adams because it's beautiful and strange, and it's for kids (like me) who were obsessed with the creepy and witchy. Also 'Big Rabbit's Bad Mood' by Ramona Badescu because it anthropomorphizes a bad mood, who picks his nose and wipes the boogers on the carpet."

Lisa Damour, author of "Untangled": "I have one book that I give as a gift, at every opportunity, to parents of young children: 'Bubble Trouble' by Margaret Mahy. The watercolor illustrations are gorgeous to look at and the story, told in rhyme, skips and rollicks along. It's a pure pleasure to read as it introduces young children to how the sounds and cadence of words can be used for play."

Anthony Doerr, author of "All the Light We Cannot See": "When he was 3, our son asked to read 'The Stray Dog' by Marc Simont every night. I paged through that book with him probably a thousand times. It's a comic and tender story, aglow with Simont's watercolors, about a family on a picnic who encounters a stray dog, dreams about him for the whole week to come, and  after a dramatic chase with a dog catcher  takes the pooch home. With one shelter dog already in our house, and another about to arrive, I think our son took comfort in the lesson that sometimes a family needs a dog as much as a dog needs a family."

Sharon Draper, author of "Stella by Starlight": "We loved 'Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day' by Judith Viorst. The mom in the pictures is bald and wearing a head scarf, her subtle tribute to moms who do it all even while fighting cancer."

Karen Joy Fowler, author of "We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves": "I loved 'A Hole is to Dig' by Ruth Krauss. It's terrifically witty, a sort of dictionary with entries like 'hands are to hold' and 'mashed potatoes are to give everybody enough' and 'a principal is to take out splinters.' 'The Duchess Bakes a Cake' by Virginia Kahl is rhymed and rhythmic, and I loved the refrain of 'a lovely light luscious delectable cake,' which is the Duchess' great ambition. The illustrations are also wonderful as you watch the kingdom get fat and thin again."

Katrina Goldsaito, author of 'The Sound of Silence': "We read Innosanto Nagara's 'A Is For Activist' to our 2 1/2 year old, and we especially love that it has funky rhyme schemes. My husband I get bored with traditional rhyming books, and with this one sometimes he will beatbox and I rap the words."

Jon Klassen, illustrator of "Triangle": "I loved a book called 'The Big Jump' by Benjamin Elkin because it was about solving riddles; the rules of the book felt very spontaneous but taken very seriously. A more current book is 'Duck, Death, and the Tulip' by Wolf Erlbruch. I love its gentle treatment of the subject, the beautiful pacing, and all the illustration choices. I wish I saw more of it in the United States."

Jillian Lauren, author of "Some Girls: My Life in a Harem": " 'And Tango Makes Three' by Justin Richardson is a delightful true story about a couple of male penguins who shack up together and adopt an egg. The message of love defining family is particularly poignant right now. 'The Monster Who Lost His Mean' by Tiffany Strelitz Haber is about a monster who loses his "m" and becomes an "onster," which is a fun word to say. This sweet and clever book is a playful meditation on identity. It gives our strong-willed four-year-old permission to explore his softer side."

Michael Lewis, author of "The Undoing Project": We loved 'Mommy Laid An Egg' by Babette Cole because it's a hysterical sex ed book.

Innosanto Nagara, author and illustrator of "A Is For Activist": "I recommend 'Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of Colors' by Hena Khan. The author does a really good job of writing about Islam for kids.

Peggy Orenstein, author of "Girls & Sex": My family was heavily into Taro Gomi. People generally know 'Everyone Poops,' but he has written so many other lovely, whimsical, strangely moving books. My daughter's favorites (and ours) were 'My Friends,' 'Spring is Here,' and 'Bus Stops.' And 'Horace and Morris but Mostly Dolores' is the best feminist book for all genders."

Kate Schatz, author of "Rad Women Worldwide": "I recommend 'A House Is A House For Me' by Mary Ann Hoberman. I read it all the time as a kid and have it memorized. The illustrations are magical and so detailed that I'm still finding new things I'd never noticed."

***

Leila Sinclaire is a mother, writer, teacher and educational consultant in the San Francisco Bay Area. Find her on Facebook (Leila Sinclaire, Writer) or Twitter @leilasinclaire.
Maybe its a coincidence, but the lights will go out in Nebraska on the same day that Hathaway Inc. may learn if it can acquire a part of Texas lighting system.

Yes, Aug. 21 is the date that the shadow of the moon will zip across our state, almost totally dimming the sky at Berkshires Omaha headquarters.

In Delaware that day, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Sontchi is to hold a hearing and may rule on Berkshires offer to buy Oncor Electric Delivery of Dallas.

Berkshire would pay $9 billion for 80 percent of Oncor and another $2.2 billion for the rest later on, with the sale to be completed by years end.

The purchase plan is in Bankruptcy Court because of the financial troubles of Oncors owner, Energy Future Holdings Corp. Texas utility regulators favor the deal.

At the same time, hedge fund Elliott Management Corp. is making a competing offer for Oncor. Yes, thats the same Elliott that advocated a sale of Nebraska-based retailer Cabelas.

Buffetts commandments

Berkshire Chairman and CEO Warren Buffett has been known to criticize the boards of directors for paying CEOs too much, not solving problems quickly enough and ignoring shareholders when they make decisions.

Now Lawrence Cunningham, a George Washington University law professor, has compiled Buffetts recommendations and boardroom experiences into an essay for the National Association of Corporate Directors.

The headline: Warren Buffetts Ten Commandments for Directors.

My abridged version of Cunninghams findings:

1. Pick an outstanding CEO and youll have fewer problems in the future.

2. Set CEO standards and evaluate performance regularly, without the CEO present.

3. Act on the owners behalf and think independently.

4. Replace the CEO and top managers promptly when needed and be stewards of the owners capital.

5. Tell other directors if theres an issue and enlist their help if needed.

6. Reach out beyond the board to shareholders if necessary.

7. Adjust the boards atmosphere if its stifling or unproductive.

8. Negotiate compensation on behalf of the owners rather than delegating to consultants.

9. For audit committee members, use professional auditors insights and skills.

10. Plan for director succession and choose successors well.

A fascinating game

It isnt the competition that attracts Buffett to the card game of bridge, he recently told Washington Post reporter Thomas Heath, who is doing a story about Susan Osberg, Buffetts preferred bridge partner.

Rather, bridge is the best exercise there is for the brain, Buffett told Heath; it is neither tension-filled nor relaxing.

Players use various strategies to communicate, he said, and you have to draw inferences from what they do and say.

You can play a hand every six or seven minutes every day for the rest of your life and you will never see the same hand, Buffett said. Its a game you can enjoy when you are in your 90s, and you are seeing a different intellectual challenge every seven minutes.

Its a fascinating game. You are learning from every word spoken and not spoken.

He bought his first computer, from the Nebraska Furniture Mart, to play bridge online, and still plays at least four times a week, two hours per session.

The Omaha World-Herald is owned by Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
The RJD chief questioned what was wrong about a criminal talking to him from inside a jail, when Nitish Kumar had spoken to Anant Singh, a criminal who was in JD(U).

By Rohit Kumar Singh: RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Sunday admitted that he had had a telephonic conversation with don turned politician Md. Shahabuddin when he was inside Siwan jail. Though Lalu did not elaborate over the day and time when the communication between the two took place but it was sometime around Ram Navmi festival.

"I have been accused of speaking to a criminal on phone. Questions were raised how a criminal can talk to me from inside the jail. Is there sometime wrong the talk between me and Shahabuddin? Did he say that open the gate of the jail and release me? How can Nitish Kumar talk to Anant Singh, a criminal who was in JD(U)?" defended Lalu.

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The RJD chief, who was present in Siwan, the home turf of his former party MP, Shahabuddin, on the occasion of former minister Awadh Bihari Chowdhary rejoining the RJD, also took potshots at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar maintaining that all those who have gathered at the rally in Siwan were loyal and not Nitish Kumar (meaning disloyal).

"People are very angry over what Nitish has done recently. The crowd which has come at the rally today are loyal and not Nitish Kumar," said Lalu, taking a jibe at the Bihar CM.

Speaking in Siwan, Lalu said that the August 27 rally "Bhajpa Hatao, Desh Bachao" which he has convened will be a huge success and he said that he has invited all the key leaders from the opposition parties like Congress president Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati apart from other leaders to participate in the event.

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JDRF: The seventh annual Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Benefit Car Show will be today at the Hy-Vee store at 9707 Q St. All cars are welcome. Registration is from 9 a.m. to noon; entry fee is $20. The car show is noon to 3 p.m. with awards and trophy presentations to follow. There will be raffles, food and music.

Paint-a-thon: More than 1,100 volunteers will paint more than 60 Omaha-area homes on Saturday during the 29th annual Brush Up Nebraska Paint-a-thon. Volunteers will paint from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Brush Up Nebraska helps low-income elderly and permanently disabled homeowners maintain their homes. To volunteer or donate, go to brushupnebraska.org.

Murray Fire and Rescue: The annual Murray Fire and Rescue fundraiser will be Saturday at Beaver Lake Beach Party in Plattsmouth. Doors open at 6 p.m. Cost is $5 and includes food, beer and live music with Lemon Fresh Day. Raffle tickets for prizes and lake apparel will be available for purchase.

Ales For Tails: Barchen, 6209 Maple St., will host the annual Nebraska Humane Society fundraiser Ales for Tails on Saturday. Tickets, $35, include three beers from 7 to 10 p.m. and a T-shirt for the first 150 people. A designated driver ticket is $10. For more information, go to nehumanesociety.org.

Fundraiser for military members: Customers at SpartanNash stores in Nebraska and Council Bluffs and its foundation raised nearly $34,000 to support military members and their families during a 12-day campaign. There were 25 participating retail stores, including the 14 Family Fares and three Supermercado Nuestra Familias in the Omaha area. At checkout, customers could donate $1, $5 or $10. The money went to two military nonprofits: Give an Hour, which provides counseling and mental health services to military members and their families, and Honor and Remember, which provides outreach and personalized flags to families of military members who have died in service.

Cabelas donation: Cabelas Scout Fund donated $6,000 worth of camping gear to Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska. Archery bows, quivers, targets, camp stoves and accessories, and tents were among the items donated to help equip six Girl Scouts camp properties in the state.

Angels Among Us: An $8,000 grant to Angels Among Us from the PayPal Gives Corporate Advised Fund at Silicon Valley Community Foundation will be used to purchase new computers and equipment. The local nonprofit organization assists those battling pediatric cancer.
After following news accounts of street violence in Virginia, Barb Davis felt compelled to do what she could from Omaha.

So the 62-year-old Benson-area resident painted a sign with a peace symbol and brought two plastic U.S. flags with her Sunday night to a vigil in central Omahas Turner Park.

We cannot let white supremacy have any place in this country, Davis said. Not while Im taking a breath.

She said she had five uncles who fought Nazism in World War II.

Davis was among about 300 people who gathered at the vigil hastily organized by Indivisible Nebraskans and other political groups that have formed in reaction to President Donald Trumps election and policies.

The vigil included a moment of silence and a series of speakers who decried fascism and called on people to speak up when they encounter racism, including in personal encounters.

Molly Walsh couldnt help but think of her grandchildren when she saw the racism and violence erupt in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Im sad that ... this is the world my grandchildren are growing up in, said Walsh of Omaha. Its just heartbreaking.

For Walsh, it was also personal: Her eldest grandson is biracial.

It scares me that people will treat him differently, she said. Hes the sweetest little boy.

Earlier in the day, University of Nebraska President Hank Bounds issued a statement condemning the violence in Charlottesville.
LINCOLN  A drone zips through the sky, peering for a moment into a homes front window.

Its a scenario that causes concern for State Sen. Carol Blood.

The Bellevue lawmaker is eyeing legislation that would hold drone owners accountable if they commit crimes.

Most states have adopted some kind of drone-related legislation, but past efforts in Nebraska have not been successful.

A group of stakeholders will convene at the State Capitol this week to discuss Bloods proposal, which she said is more comprehensive than any other states law.

Blood said she aims to make a reasonable policy that protects the public by keeping state law up to date with technology.

My goal is not to make unnecessary restrictions and regulations that take away from being a drone owner, she said. My goal for this bill is public safety.

The early proposal addresses a number of areas. Among them:

 Using a drone, also known as an unmanned aircraft, to enter or hide in a building without permission would be considered first-degree trespassing.

Operating a drone less than 300 feet above private property without permission would be considered second-degree trespassing.

 Using a drone to spy or peep on someone who has a reasonable expectation of privacy would be illegal.

 Sex offenders would be barred from using drones to commit unmanned aircraft harassment.

 Users could not fly a drone less than 300 feet above a critical infrastructure facility or school without permission.

 Operators couldnt use unmanned aircraft to interfere with a crime scene, or fly within 150 feet of prisons or jails.

 Drones couldnt be used to achieve a competitive advantage in hunting or to harass or scare livestock.

The proposal includes a number of exemptions, including those for commercial operators as long as they are in compliance with the Federal Aviation Administration.

Law enforcement could also use drones to respond to emergencies.

However, agencies wouldnt be able to use drones to acquire information unless they had a warrant or probable cause to believe that a crime had been committed.

Bellevue Police Capt. Robert Wood said some laws on the books may already apply to drones.

For example, if a drone appeared in your backyard, the noise alone could constitute disturbing the peace, he said.

Still, a discussion about privacy and the use of drones by officers, with the proper protocols, is worthwhile, he said.

An FAA official in January said more than 670,000 drones were registered with the federal government.

Problems have grown, too. Prisons have reported drones dropping off contraband to inmates, though no problems like that have been seen in Nebraska, a Corrections Department spokeswoman said.

Guidelines from the FAA, which regulates airspace, say that hobbyist drone operators must keep their craft below 400 feet, which is the height of the State Capitol, and within the operators line of sight. They also cant fly drones over groups of people, and must notify airports of their plans to fly within 5 miles.

Commercial users who use drones for their jobs face similar rules. They must stay below 400 feet but can go higher if flying over a tall structure. Commercial operators also must have permission to fly within 5 miles of an airport.

The FAA does not have specific rules about privacy.

The FAA had required that all drones be registered, but the requirement for hobbyists was thrown out by a federal court this year.

The Nebraska Department of Transportation, which has an aeronautics division, said it had no comment on potential state legislation.

Matt Waite, founder of the Drone Journalism Laboratory at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said state laws can be problematic because its the FAAs job to regulate airspace.

That hasnt stopped states from passing laws dealing with privacy and drone use among law enforcement. About 40 states have passed laws involving drones, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Waite also noted that someone who misuses a drone may already be violating other laws, so specific state laws may be unneeded.

I go to a fair and buy a Styrofoam glider and attach a GoPro (camera) to it and throw it over your property. Havent I violated your privacy just the same? Adding drones to the law basically signs you up for an arms race with technology, he said.

Waite, who has taught about 300 journalists to use drones safely and ethically, noted that he sees legitimate state interest in regulating a drone operators behavior, especially when it comes to safety.
Before reeling in the bluegill she dubbed Mike, Addison Adams bent her knees a bit and tugged hard as her dad, Mike Adams  the fishs namesake  cheered her on.

As the fish rose out of the water, Addison, 12, quickly handed the rod to her 11-year-old brother, Hayden, and backed away from the water, tentatively stepping back toward the wriggling fish only for her favorite part: the goodbye kiss she blew at Mike before tossing him back into the pond.

Saturdays Fishing Is Fun event brought about a dozen young fishermen and fisherwomen to the pond at Skyline Ranches Park near Elkhorn. The clinic, put on by the nonprofit Nebraska Walleye Association Kids Fishing Clinics Charity, was one of two annual clinics geared for children with special needs. Most of the families that attended are members of the Omaha chapter of Dads Appreciating Down Syndrome.

The afternoon included tips about identifying fish and demonstrations on knot-tying. The participants got to hold various types of bait, including minnows, worms and nightcrawlers. Before heading to the pond, all got a chance to perfect their casts into the grass, aiming to reel in brightly colored plastic fish.

For 14-year-old Jordan Burtzel, a veteran of the Fishing Is Fun program, the afternoon offered a chance to brush up on skills that he can use when out on the boat with his dad.

Jordans mom, Carena Burtzel, said she keeps bringing her son to the event because it gives him a chance to learn from experienced fishermen who teach with patience.

They can be kind of like grandfather figures for him, Carena said. Its a great opportunity for him to be proud of himself.

And proud he was. After reeling in a couple of bluegill alongside his 20-year-old sister, Rieley, Jordan was grinning.

This is fun, Jordan said after telling a volunteer instructor about his last catch.

Even after passing off her rod to her brother and announcing that she enjoyed watching fishing just as much as she enjoyed fishing itself, Addisons smile remained, too.

Im so happy I caught one, she repeated, asking when she can show her mom the photos. I learned how to fish.
By PTI: Surat, Aug 13 (PTI) Special Operations Group of Surat police has arrested four persons for printing and circulating fake currency.

Rs 40.73 lakh in counterfeit notes were seized from their possession, police said.

An SOG team raided a house at Sania village near here today and seized fake notes in denomination of Rs 2,000, Rs 500 and Rs 100.

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Police had earlier arrested three persons for trying to circulate fake currency. The arrested men revealed that they had got the notes from one Ravi Gandhi.

Police raided Gandhis row house at Sania and arrested him. A printing machine, a cutting machine, a laptop and the paper used to print fake notes were found at the house, apart from Rs 15.38 lakh in fake currency.

Altogether, Rs 40.73 lakh in fake currency were seized from the possession of Gandhi (30) and the other three.

Gandhi thought of printing fake notes first when he was in urgent need of money to repay a loan of Rs 80 lakh, police said. Further probe is on. PTI CORR KA KRK RDS

--- ENDS ---
Gov. Pete Ricketts ignored a number of red flags before hiring Col. Bradley Rice in 2015 to lead the Nebraska State Patrol.

A number of state senators and members of the public raised public objections to Rices appointment before his confirmation  highly unusual for Nebraska gubernatorial appointees. They complained in interviews, letters and testimony.

Some complained that Rice played favorites in staffing decisions.

People said he distributed church materials to subordinates and people he was ticketing. Co-workers said he punished those who challenged such acts as being out-of-bounds.

And Rice was successfully sued for sex discrimination after a female trooper was passed over for promotions by a panel Rice served on. The case magnified the states legal risks in promoting Rice.

Two years later, Ricketts has fired the colonel over some issues that carry echoes of the earlier cautions. As a result, the governor owns part of the black eye the patrol received on Rices watch.

The report ordered by the Governors Office on patrol leadership details the disturbing scope of the agencys issues:

 Rice inappropriately interfered with at least four internal affairs investigations, including two use-of-force incidents previously reported in The World-Herald. Some of Rices command staff and regional patrol leaders also may have exercised undue influence on internal investigations.

 Rice told staff they had to go to supervisors first if they had complaints about workplace harassment or equal opportunity. State policy requires such matters to be referred directly to human resources.

 Patrol supervisors failed to follow through on a sexual harassment complaint filed in 2014 by a female trooper about a questionable hernia exam during a required medical exam.

 The patrol, continuing a past practice, allowed officers under internal investigation to resign, which may have helped some to avoid discipline and get hired elsewhere.

To be sure, the governor has reacted appropriately to World-Herald reporting in recent months on the patrols problems: He tapped his human resources director to investigate problems at the patrol, fired Rice and invited the U.S. Justice Department to follow up.

Its also clear he has learned an important lesson in how to select patrol leadership. As he seeks a new colonel, the governor has engaged a committee of capable, respected law enforcement experts to advise him. He used no such committee before hiring Rice.

Nothing at the patrol is broken that ethically minded leaders cant fix.

Its reassuring to know that troopers and investigators raised ethical and legal concerns about activities they had witnessed and that they helped accelerate the states self-examination.

The patrols next leader will need to reinstill confidence among employees that the state wants troopers and staff to do their duty and follow patrol policy, not bend the rules to managements whims. This leader will also need to inspire confidence in Nebraskans that State Patrol leadership respects state laws and policies.

The patrol remains a valuable agency, staffed largely by people trying to do the right thing. With the right leadership, Ricketts and the patrol can put this embarrassing chapter behind them.
The Aug. 5 World-Herald article on the Nebraska State Board of Educations deliberations on science standards for our states students (Climate change is hot topic in testimony on science standards), quoted Paul Meyer, a former member of the Millard school board, as saying global warming is a hoax.

This line of thinking by a former elected official involved in the education of our youth makes one wonder if Meyer still thinks that the world is flat and that the planet Earth is less than 6,000 years old.

My suggestion to Meyer is that he turn off Fox News and read the local paper, which does a great job of covering this issue. Or read the University of Nebraskas report on the future impacts of climate change on the state of Nebraska. The report is easy to understand and available online at no cost.

Patrick H. Poepsel, Omaha
Assam floods: Locals take shelter on highways in Nagaon; Silchar under water for 5th day

Flood Jihad: Assam floods may have more than meets the eye

Assam floods: Death toll climbs to 190 as new areas inundated; over 8.80 lakh still affected

Fresh floods affect Assam: Death toll climbs to 15, Army deployed for rescue operation

India

oi-Madhuri

The death toll in the second wave of flood climbed to 15 with 10 more people reported dead on Sunday as the government called out Army to rescue marooned people and put IAF on standby to assist the administration deal with the

In a fresh wave of floods in Assam over 11 lakh people were affected in 15 districts while at least 781 villages were inundated.

The Brahmaputra and its tributaries are flowing above danger mark. The first round of floods had claimed 90 lives last month.

Meanwhile, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority said that the worst affected districts are Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Kikrajhar, Dhubri, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivsagar, Charaideo, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh. Nearly 14,000 people have been accommodated at 39 relief centres across the state, according to a report by the ASDMA.

The surging waters have inundated 19,481 hectares of agricultural land. Floods have ravaged Assam since April, uprooting over 25 lakh people in 29 districts and leaving 76 people dead.

While situation in Kazirang park turned grim on Saturday. Already 11 forest camps, including five from Kohora central range, two from Eastern range of Agaratoli and two from Western range from Bagori have been submerged by rising flood water.

Assam State Disaster Management Authority said that the Army has been called out to assist the local administration in rescuing marooned people in Nagaon and Kokrajhar districts.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who is currently in Delhi, have directed the deputy commissioners of the affected districts to assess the flood situation.

Meanwhile, the Northeast Frontier Railway cancelled 20 long distance trains, including the Dibrugarh-New Delhi Rajdhani express on Sunday. The NFR headquarters here said that two other trains: the Dibrugarh-Chandigarh Express and Guwahati-Okha Express scheduled to depart on Monday have also been cancelled.

Road transport on the National Highway 37 remained disrupted at Numaligarh and Koliabor after flood waters overtopped the highway, stranding hundreds of trucks and other public transport.

OneIndia News
Pak committing atrocities against people in PoK, will have to bear consequences: Rajnath Singh

Lack of development in J&K for decades was one of the reasons behind rise of terrorism: Rajnath Singh

His contributions ignored: Why Rajnath Singh said Netaji was first PM of India

Bihar floods: Rajnath Singh speaks to Nitish Kumar, assures assistance

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Aug 13: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and discussed with him the flood situation in the state where nearly 320 NDRF personnel have been rushed.

During the telephonic conversation, Kumar briefed Singh about the latest situation in the state. "The Centre is rushing additional NDRF teams to Bihar to help the ongoing rescue and relief operations in the flood affected region of the state," Singh said in a tweet.

A home ministry official said that as many as seven teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprising 45 personnel in each, have already reached the affected areas in Bihar.

Recently, two persons died in a rain-related incident in Bihar where the Met officials have forecast heavy to very heavy rainfall in the coming days.

PTI
NEET 2017: Centre to exempt Tamil Nadu

India

oi-PTI

Chennai, Aug 13: Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said the Centre would exempt Tamil Nadu from NEET for this year only if it promulgated an ordinance to this effect.

Responding to her, state Health Minister C Vijayabaskar said an ordinance in this regard would be submitted to the Centreon Monday.

The development comes after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami, state ministers and Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai had multiple meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Central ministers over NEET.

Tamil Nadu, which had initially sought permanent exemption from NEET by passing two Bills in the Assembly, later made efforts to be out of its ambit for at least a year or two.

Sitharaman said although students who had qualified in NEET included those from the state board, students from rural Tamil Nadu were largely out of it.

"The Centre is ready to cooperate in case the Tamil Nadu government comes up with an ordinance seeking exemption from NEET for government colleges," she said adding the exemption was only for a year.

Barring government colleges, NEET was already implemented for other institutes, the Union minister said. In Puducherry, Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan said the Centre was inclined to accept the representation from Tamil Nadu on NEET.

Terming Sitharaman's remarks a "good news" Vijayabaskar said, "I thank Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of Tamil Nadu government and students." The state ordinance seeking exemption from NEET would be submitted to the Centre.

A government secretary would be leaving for Delhi tonight and the ordinance would be promulgated after consultations with the chief minister, he said. The state health minister said the Tamil Nadu government was confident of the Centre's nod for the ordinance and under no circumstances had the Centre been "negative" about the proposal. "We are seeking exemption only for seats in government colleges and government quota seats in self-financing colleges," he said, adding it was not sought for private institutes.

Vijayabaskar said care is being taken to ensure that the proposed move does not face any legal hurdles and the government was confident of completing the admission process ahead of the month-end deadline. In future, students would be well-prepared for NEET and the syllabus too would be oriented likewise, he said. However, Leader of Opposition in Tamil Nadu Assembly M K Stalin hit out at the centre and state governments accusing them of "staging drama" on the issue and "betraying" students.

He said if the BJP-led government at the Centre was truly interested in the welfare of Tamil Nadu students it should get Presidential assent for the two Bills for permanent exemption of the state from NEET. Actor Kamal Haasan meanwhile, in a tweet, asked the state government to "talk immediately" (with the Centre) on the NEET issue since the matter involved the future of students.

PTI
Chhattisgarh: Two Maoists killed in encounter with security forces in Sukma

India

oi-Madhuri

Two Maoists was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Sunday.

The skirmish took place in the jungles of Kistaram police station area when a joint team of security personnel was out on a counter-insurgency operation, Special Director General of Police (anti-Maoist operations) DM Awasthi said.

Based on specific inputs about movement of ultras, the composite squad of the Special Task Force and the District Reserve Guard launched the operation late last night in Kistaram area, around 500 kms from here, he said.

The team came under heavy fire from Naxals this morning in the forests, leading to the gunbattle, Awasthi said. After the Naxals fled, two bodies of their comrades besides a muzzle loading gun and a country-made pistol were recovered from the spot, he said.

Earlier, a total of 36 Maoists were killed and 651 arrested during the last four months between March 16 to July 15, 2017, in Chhattisgarh, the Central Government has informed.

OneIndia News
Darjeeling unrest: Rajnath Singh to meet GJM chief today

India

oi-Madhuri

Home Minister Rajnath Singh invited the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha chief Bimal Gurung to Delhi for talks on Gorkhaland issue. This was the second time the Union Minister has reached out to Gurung in the recent past.

However, there was no outcome from the first meeting to solve the issue. Meanwhile no large-scale violence has been observed this month.

"I am hopeful the hill parties leading the movement will attend this meeting and help find a possible road map for Gorkhaland statehood. I thank the honorable Home Minister for the kind invite and hope the central government will do justice for the Gorkha's at the earliest," Gurung said.

GJM chief Bimal Gurung where he confirmed that the GJM received intimation from Singh to join him for talks today at 4.30 pm.

OneIndia News

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Story first published: Sunday, August 13, 2017, 10:47 [IST]
Mehbooba Mufti criticises Centre for FIR over draping of Geelani's body in Pak flag

Anti-national activities': J&K cops release videos of what transpired at Geelani home after Pak flag row

Syed Ali Shah Geelani's grandson dismissed from govt service for aiding terrorist activities in J&K

ISI chooses UK for week-long event to mark Geelani's death anniversary, but no one's surprised

Hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Geelani hospitalised

India

oi-PTI

Hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani was hospitalised in Srinagar on Sunday due to ill health.

The Hurriyat Conference chairman was shifted to SKIMS hospital after he complained of abdominal cramps, dehydration and general weakness, a Hurriyat spokesman said.

He said Geelani has been admitted at the hospital for observation.

He added, there is "nothing serious" as far as the Hurriyat hawk's health is concerned.

PTI
Imran Khan discharged from hospital, to resume long march from same point where he was shot

This cop from Pakistan became a millionaire overnight: Here is how

Days after attack, Imran Khan's party to resume long march on Nov 10

J&K: 3 jawans injured in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in Uri

India

oi-Deepika

By Deepika

Three Army jawans got injured in firing along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday.

The Pakistani troops opened fire at Indian positions at Baaz Post in Uri in Baramulla district at around 4 pm, Indian Army sources said.

The sources said three soldiers suffered bullet injuries in the firing and were admitted to the 92 Base Hospital of the Army.

This is the second ceasefire violation within 2 hours, as Pakistani troops also resorted to firing at Indian soldiers along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district.

Earlier in the day, two police personnel were injured after terrorists attacked a police search party in Bandipora's Hajin area of Jammu and Kashmir.

OneIndia News
Meeting between Rajnath Singh, Gorkha leaders fails to break ice

India

oi-Amitava

By Amitava

Darjeeling, August 13, 2017: The meeting between Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister and Gorkhaland Movement Coordination Committee (GMCC) leaders failed to break the ice resulting in a continued deadlock. The ongoing indefinite bandh in the Hills of North Bengal which is to hitthe 60 day mark on Sunday is to continue.

A 6 member GMCC team met Minister Singh in his residence office in New Delhi on Sunday. They submitted a memorandum to the Minister.

Incidentally the Hills of North Bengal is in the grip of an agitation since June with the demand of a separate state of Gorkhaland. The agitation has left 8 persons dead in alleged police firing along withmany injured including the agitators and security forces.

There have been widespread incidents of arson and vandalizing with Government properties heavily damaged. An indefinite bandh has been clamped in Darjeeling Hills and Kalimpong since June 15.

The agitators have closed the doors to the State Government demanding intervention by the Central Government. They have declared that they will not sit in talks with the State and will only hold meetings with the Union Government over the Gorkhaland issue.

"The meeting with Union Home Minister failed and the deadlock continues. The Minister asked us to sit in bipartite talks with the West Bengal Government. We apprised him that it is not possible to sitin talks with the State Government as the agenda is Gorkhaland. Talks with the State Government can never bear fruit" remarked NB Chettri, GMCC leader. However some of the members feel that at least this meeting has initiated the process of dialogue.

The Minister requested the agitators to lift the ongoing bandh, fast unto death and restore normalcy. "We have to sit in a meeting with other GMCC members. The whole gamut needs to be discussed. Then only the future roadmap will be clear. The agitation for Gorkhaland including the bandh and fast unto death will continue" added Chettri.

The 6 member GMCC comprised of Kalyan Dewan, Tilak Chand Roka and Swaraj Thapa from the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha; NB Chettri from the Gorkha National Liberation Front; Arun Ghatani from the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist and Dawa Pakhrin of Gorkhaland Rajya Nirman Morcha. Minister SS Ahluwalia, the Member of Parliament from the Darjeeling constituency was also present in the meeting.

A PIB release from the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh made an appeal to the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) and other stakeholders to call off the hunger strike, and also to withdraw the bandh call, allowing normalcy to return to the area.

He also appealed to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to initiate a dialogue with the GJM and other stakeholders of Darjeeling, who are on a strike for last 60 days.

I am concerned about the developments in Darjeeling and the loss of valuable lives and sufferings of people over the past 60 days which pains me immensely. Violence can never be a solution to any problem. In a democracy, solutions are always found through restraint, mutual dialogue and within the legal ambit. We all are aware of the strategic importance of the locality and the challenges that we face in the region, and I am kept informed of the developments on a regular basis by my colleague, S S Ahluwalia, MP, Darjeeling.

Keeping in mind the national interest, as well as in the interest of our Gorkha brothers and sisters, who are brave and large hearted people and have contributed immensely to nation building, I appeal to GJM and all other stakeholders to call off the hunger strike, and also to withdraw the bandh call, allowing normalcy to return to the area. It is a move that will help to create an atmosphere for finding a solution to the current crisis.

I also appeal to West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee to initiate a dialogue with the GJM and other stakeholders of Darjeeling, who are on a strike for last 60 days. In the meantime, the stategovernment should restore all civil supplies and also restore internet services, Cable TV and local channels.

I also appeal to the people of Darjeeling to display sensitivity, and also keep in mind their civic responsibilities. No grievances and problems can be resolved without any dialogue" read Minister Rajnath Singh's appeal.

Incidentally the agitators have been alleging that the State Government has been stopping supply of food and essential commodities from the plains to the Hills. There is a clampdown on internetservices also in the Hills.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the recent past has asked the agitators to come to the table. However the invite comes with a rider of withdrawing the bandh and lifting the fast unto death before talks can be initiated.

The 6 member GMCC (a conglomeration of 13 political and apolitical pro Gorkhaland outfits) team's meeting with Minister Rajnath Singh has put the GMCC on a sticky wicket.

All India Gorkha League (AIGL) and the Jan Andolan Party (JAP,) constituent parties of the conglomeration, have questioned as to why they were not informed by the GMCC regarding Sunday's meeting with the Union Home Minister in Delhi.

"On Saturday there was a GMCC meeting in Kalimpong. In the meet there was no mention of any meeting with the Union Home Minister in Delhi.

Late at night from social media sites and media reports we came to know of the talks. However when we called up the Convenor Kalyan Dewan there was no response. There were other constituent parties of the GMCC who knew of the talks," alleged Harka Bahadur Chettri, President, JAP.

He stated that such action raises serious questions like - Who selects who will attend and who will not? Who controls the GMCC? Isn't the very spirit of GMCC which was formed for a joint movement not being jeopardize by such action? JAP has planned to write to the GMCC regarding this. AIGL has also echoed similar sentiments. "The pick and choose policy questions the very existence of GMCC. Something fishy seems to be going on. The AIGL will not allow any compromise by any outfit to reach a settlement that is within the State of West Bengal" retorted Pratap Khati, General Secretary, AIGL.

OneIndia News
Three terrorists were killed in the ongoing encounter in Shopian district of south Kashmir

By India Today Web Desk: Three terrorists were killed in an encounter with militants in Shopian district in south Kashmir that lasted over 12 hours.

The terrorists have been identified as Umar Majid Mir from Kulgam, Irfan Sheikh of Maldura and Adil Malik from Shopian.

Sepoy Ilayaraja P and Sepoy Gowai Sumedh Waman were also martyred in the encounter in Avneera village that began last evening, and three personnel including the captain were injured.

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"Two security personnel martyred, while three injured. One terrorist eliminated and two still hiding in adjoining house," Jammu and Kashmir DGP SP Vaid told news agency ANI.

#Visuals Srinagar, J&K: Army paid tributes to soldiers Sepoy Ilayaraja P &Sepoy Gowai Sumedh Waman who lost their lives in Shopian encounter pic.twitter.com/PHVQZHsNa8- ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation following information about presence of terrorists in Avneera village of Zainapora area of the district, a police official said. A gun battle followed.

Security forces are conducting searches as two to three terrorists are believed to be hiding in the village.

BANDIPORA ENCOUNTER

Separately, in north Kashmir's Bandipora, two policemen were injured on Sunday when militants fired on a search party of security forces.

A cordon and search operation was launched by the forces at Wahab Parray Mohalla in Hajin area of the district after receiving specific intelligence input about the presence of militants there, a police official said. However, taking advantage of the stone pelting, the militants managed to escape

The injured policemen were taken to a hospital for treatment and are stable and the cordon and search operation has concluded.

(With inputs and pictures from Kamaljit Sandhu and Ashwini Kumar)

Also Read

Kashmir: 2 Armymen killed, 3 others injured in encounter with terrorists in Shopian

WATCH: 3 militants flee from encounter site in North Kashmir's Bandipora

--- ENDS ---
Caught months later, man had robbed bank and got a new look

Robbers steal ATM machine containing Rs 4 lakh

India

oi-Madhuri

In a daring act, some unidentified persons didn't only steal the money from ATM machine but also took away the whole kiosk in Rajasthan's Bhilwara area. The incident, which took place on Saturday night is a big proof how these nefarious elements are brazenly operating in the city and they have no fear of the police at all.

It is learnt that the ATM machine of Central bank of India branch from Bhilwara contained Rs 4 lakh.

The criminals allegedly tried to break the cash box of the ATM, after unsuccessful attempts the robbers whisked away away with the ATM. The security guard who was present during the incident was also injured during the process. After they left, the guard then raised an alarm and informed police.

A case under Sections 407 and 380 of the IPC have been registered and investigations are on.

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Story first published: Sunday, August 13, 2017, 11:40 [IST]
West Bengal refuses to adopt Centre's 'patriotism thrust' on Independence Day

India

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The Bengal government has ordered schools to desist from following the Centre's circular, that has prescribed a set format for Independence Day celebrations this year.

The ministry of human resource development had issued a circular on August 7, asking schools to organise a set of programmes revolving around Independence Day.

Four days later, on Friday, the West Bengal Sarva Shiksha Mission department issued a circular, asking schools to stop preparations for celebrating Independence Day in the manner suggested by MHRD. Instead asked to carry on with their usual mode of celebrating the occasion like every year.

"The feeling of patriotism cannot be forced down someone. It is a sentiment that is already there in all Indians. Schools in Bengal celebrate Independence Day every year by hoisting flags and holding various programmes. This year, too, they shall follow the usual practice," state education minister Partha Chatterjee said, adding that, in Bengal, it was not only schools that celebrated Independence Day. "We have celebrations in offices, factories, industrial units and even in neighbourhoods and households," Chatterjee said.

The MHRD circular asked every school to arrange a "Sankalp programme" from August 9 to August 30 near "Shaheed Smaraks" - constructed as memorials to freedom struggle or war martyrs or those who have fallen to terrorism - or on school campuses. Schools should also have an oath-taking ceremony, where all teachers and students would have to vow to rid the country of the five problems of poverty, corruption, terrorism, communalism and casteism by 2022, when the nation would be celebrating 75 years of freedom.

"The ministry sent us a copy of the oath. This was supposed to be followed by a speech by a teacher or a guest and a student on how to rid our country of these vices," a teacher of a city school said. Besides, schools would have to hold quizzes and painting competitions, where the theme would be India's freedom movement, she added.

Now, however, everything looks like going back to the usual routine that schools have followed down the years. A senior Bengal school education department official said the state government was forced into issuing the counter-circular to preempt attempts by the BJP-led central government to "force patriotic sentiments down people's throats when it already existed in their minds".

"There was absolutely no need to issue the new circular on August 7. Schools have been celebrating the occasion with a lot of spontaneity and enthusiasm since 1947. What does the centre want to say, that we have been celebrating Independence Day wrongly all these years, or schools have not been celebrating this day till the BJP came to power?" the official asked.

A senior MHRD official, however, said the August-7 notice was just a suggestion to state governments and there was no compulsion to follow the instructions.

The BJP, too, protested against the state's propensity to just oppose for the sake of opposition. "We will hold a press conference on Sunday. The Mamata Banerjee government has a tendency not to follow the centre," state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said.

Educationists, however, have taken a dim view of the controversy. "It is the duty of students of every school to celebrate Independence Day. But students should do it in their own way. There should not be any directive. Schools and colleges anyway celebrate the occasion. Now it appears that the central government is trying to make the celebrations mandatory and the state government is issuing another directive, saying it should not be mandatory. I believe both are wrong. An education institution is a social association and, in a democracy, a social institution cannot be dictated by political masters," former Presidency College principal and educationist Amal Mukhopadhyay said.

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Yasin Itoo, from Budgam, had a long association with Hizbul Mujahideen and was involved in keeping alive the prolonged unrest of 2016 following Burhan Wani's killing.

Yasin Itoo alias Gaznavi was identified by his family members who were brought to the scene of the encounter by police from their residence in Budgam.

By Shuja-ul-Haq : A top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Yasin Itoo alias Gaznavi is among the three terrorists killed in the Shopian encounter in south Kashmir that lasted over 12 hours.

Itoo was Hizbul Mujahideen's operations commander in the region. Earlier there was some confusion about his identity and it was presumed that Adil Malik was killed in the gun-battle at Avneera village in Shopian that began on Saturday evening. However, the terrorist was later identified as Yasin Itoo.

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A cordon was laid in Avneera village by the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Army and the CRPF following a tip-off on Saturday night. Militants fired at the approaching security personnel, wounding five Army personnel, two of whom later died. This prompted the security forces to wait till dawn while keeping a tight cordon around the area before launching a major strike.

Sepoy Ilayaraja P and Sepoy Gowai Sumedh Waman were martyred in the encounter.

Delhi: Army chief Bipin Rawat paid tribute to Sepoy Ilayaraja P & Sepoy Gowai Sumedh Waman who lost their lives in Shopian encounter. pic.twitter.com/lDtWWdYKxK&; ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

Intermittent firing continued throughout the night and the operation began in full swing in the morning. All three terrorists holed up were killed. They were identified as Irfan, a tech-savvy militant involved in online propaganda for the militant outfit, and Umar, who was personal security man of Ghaznavi.

Itoo, from Budgam district of central Kashmir, had a long association with Hizbul Mujahideen and was involved in keeping alive the prolonged unrest of 2016 following the killing of group's commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces, besides recruiting several young men into the outfit, police said.

He was identified by his family members who were brought to the scene of the encounter by police from their residence in Budgam.

Itoo, often called a 'vintage militant' as he joined Hizbul Mujahideen in 1996, had surrendered in 2007 and later released on parole in 2014. He joined the militant group again and was its self-styled chief operations commander.

One Kevyt Konekivaan (KK) series rifle used by Itoo and two AK series rifles were recovered from the encounter scene.

-With PTI inputs

ALSO READ |

Kashmir: 3 terrorists killed, 2 jawans martyred in Shopian; 2 cops injured in Bandipora

Kashmir: 2 Armymen killed, 3 others injured in encounter with terrorists in Shopian

Jammu and Kashmir: Army jawan killed in Pakistan firing in Krishna Ghati sector

ALSO WATCH | 3 militants flee from encounter site in North Kashmir's Bandipora

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After son Vikas Barala's arrest, his father who is BJP state chief in Haryana cannot be seen on the party posters.

By Indo-Asian News Service: After state BJP chief Subhash Barala's son was arrested in Chandigarh for allegedly stalking the daughter of a senior IAS officer, the party chief's pictures were missing from posters and banners put up across Gurugram for the upcoming visit of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari.

Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Gadkari will be in Gurugram on August 14 to lay the foundation stone for several development projects in the city worth over Rs 2,500 crore.

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While the photos of all senior leaders of the party, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, state Cabinet Minister Rao Narbir Singh, three legislators and the district president were displayed, Barala's photo was missing from the banners.

BJP'S STAND ON CHANDIGARH STALKING

BJP leaders said that there are two camps active within the party after the stalking incident -- one camp wants Barala to remain state chief while the other believes that Barala must resign on moral grounds.

Varnika Kundu, 29, daughter of Haryana Additional Chief Secretary VS Kundu, had complained to police that the two accused -- Vikas Barala and his friend Ashish Kumar -- had stalked and intimidated her and tried to abduct her on August 4-5 night.

Meanwhile, Barala and Kumar were on Saturday sent to judicial custody till August 25 after being sent to police remand for two days till August 12.

"Demand for Barala's resignation was not fair till the final findings of police investigation come out. There may be any conspiracy behind it to politically damage Barala," said BJP leader R.S. Dahiya.

"Posters and banners are being put up by party leaders and workers. It may be someone's personal thinking, but the party has not issued any instructions officially. Photo of Union Minister of State and Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh was also missing," a party legislator, who did not wish to be named said.

"Posters and banners installed by leaders holding party posts have put up Barala's photo but some posters put by government department does not have party chief's photo. We will look into the issue," BJP district chief Bhupinder Chauhan told IANS.

The Haryana BJP chief remained unavailable for comment.

Also Read

Chandigarh stalking: Vikas Barala, friend caught on CCTV buying booze before chasing Varnika Kundu

Chandigarh stalking: Vikas Barala, Ashish Kumar sent to 2-day police custody

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by  Graham Pierrepoint



Amidst all the political division that is occurring throughout the world on a daily basis, occasionally the media picks out one or two stories that offer a glimpse of hope  that we are all, essentially, still human  while other stories offer more than a cheap laugh. As social media has evolved, so have the groups and platforms that use them  and Facebook has become a hotbed for political activism over the past few years, though the social network is obviously poised against hate speech. One such group  a private online gathering based in Norway  hit the headlines recently after a tongue-in-cheek and provocative photo gathered some fairly strong opinions from some of the groups members.

The group in question is said to be anti-immigration  and one Facebook user decided to share an image of covered seats on a bus to see what the reaction would be. The concept of this is fairly bizarre  but the user seemed to get his wish, as the photo was met with angry reactions and debate  as many of the people viewing the photo had mistakenly assumed the bus seats to be Muslim women in full burqas. The man in question who shared the image, Johan Slattavik, stated that he was surprised that so many people had fallen for the prank.

Comments on the photo referred to the alleged scene  little more than a few seats on public transport  as scary  as many angry commenters failed to look closer at the image to see the true focus of the photograph. Burqas, traditional wear for many Muslim women, have continued to be the focal point of much controversy, particularly in Europe. The full-body dress in particular has been decried as potentially dangerous by some parties as it assures a security risk  with France being the first country on the continent to ban the dress outright over six years ago. Other European nations have followed suit, and it appears Norway may be considering a similar move  though nothing has yet been set in stone.

Regardless of your political opinion, this event just goes to show, once again  that you should always take a close look at any pictures you see on the internet if theyre asking you to elicit a response  or you could end up in the local media funny column by the days end. The bus seats  naturally - were unavailable for comment.
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By PTI: Mumbai, Aug 13 (PTI) Smokers suffer from poor physical and mental health, but find it difficult to kick the butt despite being aware of the serious health risks, according to a study conducted in five major cities in India.

Smokers are 178 per cent more likely to suffer from mental stress than non-smokers, according to the study titled Choose Life.

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The study was conducted among 1,000 individuals, both smokers and non-smokers, in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow and Bengaluru.

The study showed that nine in 10 smokers have made efforts to kick the habit, but have struggled to quit even after knowing the serious health risks associated with it.

Researchers found that three in four respondents smoked even if they were unwell and eight in 10 smokers felt the urge to light a cigarette as soon as they woke up.

Alarmingly, more than 65 per cent men who smoke cigarettes had high blood pressure and four out of five smokers higher levels of carbon monoxide as compared to non- smokers, according to the report.

Almost 88 per cent of the smokers surveyed picked up the habit under the age of 24, and 55 per cent started smoking "to look cool" or "just for fun", the report found.

"Awareness on the ill-effects of smoking is very high among smokers. While most efforts today focus on driving this awareness, it will be imperative to make a shift towards helping people in their quit journey," said Prashant Chhajed, a pulmonologist attached to Fortis and Nanavati Hospitals.

"Scientific ways to quit smoking, along with adequate counselling, will be critical in our efforts to reduce smoking in India," said Chhajed.

Pralhad Prabhudesai, a leading pulmonologist from Lilavati hospital, said the challenge is to make people aware that contrary to belief, smoking does not help them de-stress nor more productive.

"Smokers do suffer from greater mental stress as compared to non-smokers," said Prabhudesai.

Vasunethra Kasargod, a leading consultant pulmonologist in Vikram Hospital, said stress and increasing workload are often considered as triggers to smoke.

"Ironically, while it gives you temporary relief, the long-term impact on mental and physical health could be seriously impacted. Every smoker must consider this while they go for their smoke breaks," said Kasargod.

All three pulmonologists were part of the study team. PTI MM RSY MHN BDS MHN

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By India Today Web Desk: After spending a two-week vacation in Switzerland, Saif Ali Khan, baby Taimur and Kareena Kapoor returned home and they were clicked by the shutterbugs at the Mumbai airport.

Unsurprisingly, Taimur once again stole the limelight away from his parents. This was Taimur's first international trip with daddy and mommy.

Saif, Kareena, Taimur

Saif, Kareena, Taimur

Earlier to this, a picture of Taimur in the arms of Saif Ali Khan went viral on the internet. In fact, several fan clubs shared exclusive pictures from the Khans' holiday and have been posting them online.

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On the work front, Kareena is set to start shooting for Veere Di Wedding, which marks her comeback post pregnancy. The film, which also stars Sonam Kapoor and Swara Bhaskar, will go on floors later this month.

Meanwhile, Saif will be seen next in Akshat Verma's Kaalakaandi, which will release on September 8. He is also gearing up for the release of Chef, the desi remake of the Hollywood hit of the same name, which will hit the theatres on October 6.(Photos: Yogen Shah) ALSO SEE: Saif and Kareena's li'l cutie Taimur is melting our hearts

ALSO SEE This photo of Kareena with her bundle of joy Taimur is breaking the internet

ALSO WATCH: Saif and Kareena become parents to baby boy Taimur Ali Khan

--- ENDS ---
Ontario Racing (OR)

is pleased to announce that it will distribute $2.5 million in stranded Standardbred purse funds to support Standardbred purse enhancements and supplements.Beginning in the 2017 racing season, the money will directly support Standardbred track purses, the area of racing in which most participants earn their living. This is consistent with direction from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario and agreed to by Ontario Racing and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).OR will manage the requested funds from a separate trust account and will implement management, reporting and accountability mechanisms, in consultation with OLG, to ensure that funds are dispersed in alignment with ORs objectives of industry self-determination and sustainability.Accounting and reporting will be undertaken separately from OR accounts and OR managed Horse Improvement Program (HIP) trust accounts. The funds will also be part of ORs annual financial audit activities.The disbursement details, audited reporting and all related information will be posted publicly on the OR website.The funds will be distributed within a two-and a half year envelope from July 2017 to March 2020. OR will determine and budget the fund availability on an annual basis and disperse the funds based upon an annual business plan approved by the OR Board of Directors.The stranded purse account was previously held in trust and being managed by OLG. With this transfer of funds to OR, the industry association will ensure that the funds are used to fulfill their original purpose: supporting both Standardbred purses and harness horse racing participants across Ontario.Mike ChopowickDirector of Policy, Research and Analysis

More Industry Updates
Philip Morris says it has created a less toxic cigarette -- an innovation it claims could save lives and eliminate smoking in America.

The new technology, called IQOS, consists of a tube that gently heats up sticks of tobacco instead of burning them. By using heat instead of flame, the company says, IQOS eradicates 90 to 95 percent of toxic compounds in cigarette smoke.

The Food and Drug Administration is expected to decide in the next two months whether to allow IQOS into the U.S. market. And that has triggered heated debate and worries among health experts about whether IQOS will help or hurt public health in this country.

Among their most pressing concerns: whether the new device will lower tobacco-related deaths, or if it is just substituting one harmful product for another.

Fueling such doubts is the fact that many of America's leading health organizations and experts remain deeply suspicious of Philip Morris.

This is the company, they point out, that makes Marlboro -- the world's best-selling cigarette -- and misled the public for years about the hazards of smoking.

"They are masterful liars. That's not an exaggeration - that's a fact proven by decades of evidence," said Matthew Myers, longtime president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "So the question we're all asking ourselves is: What's their ultimate game plan with this thing?"

Only one independent study so far has examined the risks of IQOS and found higher levels of several toxic compounds produced by the device than Philip Morris has claimed. The company's response to the study was so forceful that the independent researchers have now gone silent, refusing to talk publicly about their work.

Even if Philip Morris' health claims turn out to be true, health officials warn, IQOS could be a Trojan horse. Smoking in America has dropped to an all-time low. Some health advocates worry Philip Morris -- which spent $3 billion to develop IQOS -- wants to use its new machine to halt that progress. If IQOS attracts new smokers, it could hook a new generation on nicotine.

"The skepticism is not surprising for us," said one of Philip Morris' chief scientists, Moira Gilchrist. "You don't have to trust or believe us. You don't have to take our word for it. But what we ask is that people have an open mind. Look at the science we've done on this and base your decision on that."

But even the harshest skeptics acknowledge that there is a chance Philip Morris is right and IQOS could save lives.

"If we're being honest, we're dealing with a big unknown here," said Myers, who has fought for three decades to keep tobacco products away from kids. "One thing's for sure: The stakes here are huge."

On a recent sunny day, standing outside Philip Morris' Washington office - just two blocks from the White House - Gilchrist clicked open a smooth, sleek battery pack.

With two fingers, she pulled out what looked like a hollowed-out electronic cigar -- the latest IQOS prototype.

To use it, she explained, you push into its hollow end a short modified cigarette, called a HeatStick. A heating blade inside the IQOS pierces the HeatStick and gently warms the tobacco inside.

Gilchrist lifted the IQOS and took a long drag. As she exhaled, a slight musty-sweet smell permeated the air.

"Because there's no combustion involved, there's no smoke," she said.

Unlike vaping machines, which use a liquid solution to deliver nicotine, the IQOS deliberately uses tobacco. Many smokers have trouble quitting cigarettes even after trying vaping, studies have shown. Philip Morris scientists argue that for smokers to quit, you need to offer something with the same buzz and taste of tobacco.

"You have to give them that satisfying experience," Gilchrist said. "You have to deliver nicotine at roughly the same speed and amount."

The first thing that now greets customers on Philip Morris' home page is this question: "How long will the world's leading cigarette company be in the cigarette business?"

Philip Morris chief executive Andre Calantzopoulos predicts that smokeless products like IQOS will one day be so common that his company stops selling all regular cigarettes. In a recent interview with the BBC, he said, "I hope this time will come soon."

The company -- which makes the world's best-selling cigarette -- has built a new $120 million research center in Switzerland to focus entirely on smokeless products. The gleaming glass-enclosed facility, called the Cube, consists of three wings -- dubbed Earth, Wind and Air. (There is, notably, no section named Fire.) Of all the Cube's new products, IQOS is the most advanced. It is now sold in 25 countries.

But the clearest sign of its potential has been Japan.

Last spring, IQOS became available nationwide there, and in the brief time since, IQOS has grabbed 10 percent of Japan's tobacco market -- a feat that has investors salivating over its U.S. prospects.

Philip Morris says 72 percent of users in Japan quit cigarettes entirely and converted to IQOS. That's significantly higher than the 7 percent quit rate among those who tried vaping and 6 percent quit rate of nicotine patch users in a trial published by the journal Lancet.

Japanese demand has so outstripped capacity that Philip Morris can't produce HeatSticks fast enough. It had to limit the number of IQOS devices sold in Japan. And last month, it shut down two cigarette plants in Europe to convert them into HeatStick factories.

This year, the company plans to more than triple its manufacturing capacity, from 15 billion HeatSticks to 50 billion. By the end of 2018, it plans to produce 100 billion.

Two months ago, three Swiss researchers published the only independent study so far on IQOS's health risks.

When contacted by a Washington Post reporter, however, the researchers refused to talk. A spokeswoman for the University of Lausanne (where one of them works) explained in an email that after their study published, the bosses of all three received an alarming letter from Philip Morris.

The letter was personally addressed to the heads of the University of Bern, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, accusing their employees of bad methodology.

Such a letter is almost unheard of in the scientific community, University of Lausanne spokeswoman Francine Zambano noted. Usually, if someone disagrees with a study, they contact the journal where it appeared or challenge its findings by publishing their own evidence.

When informed of Philip Morris' unusual letter to the researchers' bosses, Mitchell Katz, deputy editor of the journal JAMA Internal Medicine, which published the study, said: "That certainly smacks of intimidation. I've been deputy editor here eight years, and I've never seen that happen before."

The Swiss study compared the harmful compounds in the air generated by IQOS with those of regular cigarettes. The study found that although IQOS generated many toxic chemicals at lower rates, some were much higher than Philip Morris claimed. It also found that IQOS produced 295 percent more of one hazardous compound than traditional cigarettes.

In their study, the scientists accused Philip Morris of "dancing around the definition of smoke" and argued that "there can be smoke without fire."

Philip Morris has posted an academic rebuttal online, questioning the Swiss study's methodology and interpretation. Company officials would not discuss their letter to the Swiss bosses but defended their actions.

"When a study like that picks up so much media interest, smokers who have already converted to IQOS and been helped by it have the potential to be misled," spokesman Corey Henry said.

This isn't the first time tobacco companies have trumpeted the arrival of a healthier cigarette.

In the 1950s, they marketed filtered cigarettes as much safer, but that proved an exaggeration. In the 1970s, they came out with "light" and "low-tar" cigarettes, and it took health experts decades to prove those weren't safer at all. Internal documents showed tobacco manufacturers deliberately designed their light cigarettes to fool government smoke-testing machines.

At his office at the Campaign for Tobacco Free-Kids, Myers keeps a museum on his bookshelf of all the ways tobacco companies have tried to fool the public over the years. There are strawberry-shortcake-flavored products aimed at kids and tobacco embedded into dissolvable breath mint strips.

Myers worries IQOS -- with its sleek, sexy, Apple-like design -- could be used to attract younger consumers.

Brian King, a deputy director at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health, worries IQOS could make tobacco acceptable again. "We're finally at a place where smoking isn't accepted as normal and isn't allowed in public places. We're making progress on the smoking rate. All that could easily be reversed."

Stanton Glantz, a tobacco researcher at the University of California at San Francisco, says that even if IQOS reduces carcinogens, it could still cause serious heart problems because of nicotine and ultrafine particles. "It probably isn't as bad as a cigarette, but that's like saying jumping out of a 10-story building isn't as bad as jumping out a 50-story building."

A few health researchers, however, support Philip Morris' effort.

"If you have a company willing to shift to a less harmful product, is that something we should be getting in the way of?" said Jonathan Foulds, a smoking cessation expert at Penn State University.

Ultimately, the FDA will have the final word on science and health concerns over IQOS.

Philip Morris' case for IQOS got a boost last month when the FDA's commissioner stressed the need for innovation and alternatives to cigarettes in a speech.

The agency is expected to decide in the next two months whether IQOS can be sold here, but it won't rule on its health claims until the beginning of next year.

If the FDA approves those health claims, IQOS would be the first tobacco product to carry the U.S. government's stamp as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes --a marketing coup for Philip Morris. And competitors are already racing to catch up by rushing out prototypes of their own.

Included in Philip Morris' FDA application are more than 2 million pages of scientific data. Health organizations -- such as the American Lung Association and the American Cancer Society -- are just beginning to sift through them to make their recommendations to the FDA.

Even if anti-tobacco groups don't trust Philip Morris' moral reasons or scientific claims on IQOS, there are compelling business reasons to believe the company really wants to save smokers' lives, argued industry analyst Michael Lavery.

"If you can find a way to keep your consumer alive longer," he said, "you'll make more money off them. It's a better business model."

-- The Washington Post
BY LORI STEGMANN and ANTOINETTE EDWARDS

Lamar Horsley, an innocent third-grade boy in his ninja robe, was shot 11 times in the early morning of May 22 in Gresham. Let us repeat that: An innocent 9-year-old who loves Legos and learning math was shot 11 times. His mother was shot five times while trying to protect him. They were both victims of gang violence, although neither of them are gang members. And yet there was little outcry, outrage or support for Lamar and his family.

This isn't the first time we've noticed that victims of gang violence do not receive the same attention or support from the broader community as victims of other crimes. Gang activity impacts many families across Multnomah County with some communities disproportionately impacted by violence. Is this any less horrific than a school shooting, a hate crime or domestic violence? Do these circumstances somehow relieve us of our responsibility to be compassionate, to be kind and supportive? Or maybe they're so horrifying that we just look away.

Lamar lost his right eye, has survived 11 surgeries and is lucky to be alive. His family was struggling to make ends meet before the shooting and now faces a mountain of medical bills. Most immediately, they need to raise $20,000 so Lamar can get a prosthetic eye. So far, Lamar's GoFundMe page has only raised $4,570.

National experts identify gang violence as a public health issue with poverty often a root cause. We can try to address each individual symptom of poverty, such as housing, employment, education, mental health and addiction. But until we take a collective and holistic approach, we are afraid we will not be able to protect families such as Lamar's.

This summer, we have seen more gang activity in our region. But we cannot police our way out of the traumatic violence that is continuing to have long-term negative impacts on our community and neighborhoods. We must make smart investments to stabilize East County and offer real opportunities for youth and gang-impacted families.

This year, our county board has made it a high priority to increase services in East County. Even with that increase, it will truly take a village to ensure that the needed resources and investments reach communities where significant disparities exist. Strategies to prevent cycles of violence will require leadership from community members as well as elected officials.

Some of you are already involved in programs and efforts to reduce violence, but there is a greater need for engagement, compassion, understanding and solutions. We urge you to think about what role you can play to change the trajectory of our youths' lives. Whether volunteering, mentoring or serving, a small act of kindness or generosity can make a big difference.

When we as a community wrap our arms around our youth we create opportunity and peace. We're all in this together.

Lori Stegmann represents East County on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. Antoinette Edwards is director of the City of Portland's Office of Youth Violence Prevention.

To donate to Lamar's future, please visit www.gofundme.com/lamars-medical-fund.
While I was somewhat disappointed that The Oregonian would print an op-ed by the U.S. Attorney for Oregon or anyone in the U.S. Department of Justice ("Oregon's sanctuary status threatens safety," Aug. 6), my annoyance was offset by the column by Ruth Marcus on the following page, "A one-man assault on the rule of law," referring to President Donald J. Trump. U.S. Attorney Billy J. Williams, who authored the sanctuary status op-ed, works for Jeff Sessions, an established racist who is also known for lying about his contact with Russians at his confirmation hearing. (He "forgot.") Sessions' boss is the aforementioned Mr. Trump, whose history as a businessman and time as president has demonstrated a total disregard for the rule of law.

From Ms. Marcus' column: "That Trump and his allies are scheming to undermine Mueller's legitimacy underscores that their sole goal is retaining power, the law be damned." My advice to Mr. Williams is until we have a federal government that is worthy of our trust, to keep his head down and mouth shut. What he referred to as "our community" is not his community and threatening us with the loss of federal law enforcement funding will not serve to endear the justice department with Oregonians. While I can't speak for all of us, my preference would be for him and the entire Oregon-based DOJ organization to take a vacation and leave us to enforce the law on our own until we have a federal government that demonstrates a respect for the rule of law.

Richard Belzer, Bend
Jaitley said terrorists in Kashmir are under great pressure and financial crunch caused by demonetisation and NIA's action on illegal fundings have checked illegal activities.

Arun Jaitley said that terrorists in Kashmir cannot continue to terrorise the people for decades, maintaining that the government's priority was to clean up the Valley of armed militants.

By Press Trust of India: Terrorists in the Kashmir Valley are now on the run and they cannot continue to terrorise the people for decades, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said today, maintaining that the government's priority was to clean up the Kashmir Valley of armed militants.

He said the terrorists in Kashmir were "now under great pressure" and the financial crunch caused by demonetisation and the action taken by National Investigation Agency (NIA) on illegal foreign fundings have checked illegal activities in Jammu and Kashmir in large scale.

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Jaitley, who was participating in a television programme, however refrained from making any comment on the standoff between India and China in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan trijunction, just saying "let us have full faith on our security forces".

"Today no big militant can dream of committing terror acts and continue to terrorise the Valley for decades, but today their life shelf has dwindled to a few months. I will specifically praise the Jammu and Kashmir police for working hard (towards eliminating terrorists)," he said.

Jaitley said the country faced two serious threats - one with respect to Jammu and Kashmir with maximum incidents happening from across the border, and second being the problem of Left-Wing Extremism in central parts of the country. "Since independence, Pakistan has never agreed that Kashmir is an integral part of India. That has been their unfinished agenda. They tried conventional war. But India's capability was way ahead in the conventional war. The wars of 1965, 1971 and Kargil clearly proved this," he said.

Jaitley said that in the 1990s, they started changing their strategies and resorted to encouraging terrorism inside the country. "There is domination of our forces on the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border and it is difficult for terrorists to cross them," he said at the India TV Conclave Vande Mataram.

The defence minister said that there was a move by the security forces to clean up the Valley of armed terrorists. He said the money received by terrorists and other such groups has been squeezed post-demonetisation and there has been the effect of the actions taken by the NIA against foreign funding allegedly used for subversive activities. "Whenever there was an encounter (earlier), hundreds and thousands would come out to throw stones. Many a times, terrorists would escape under the protection of stone throwers. This is now becoming a history.

"Those who were coming in hundred and thousands, today their number is limited to 20, 30 and 50. For the first time in the history, we have been they have started looting banks," he said.

Jaitley said the terrorists are under tremendous pressure. "They are on the run. Their number is also declining. Security forces are dominating them," he said. He said India has been by and large free from the threat of the ISIS. "There may be some isolated or exceptional incidents but there has been no influence in India."

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The defence minister expressed concern over some instances of glorifying the acts of terrorists or Maoists. Referring to shouting of anti-India slogans by some in Jawaharlal Nehru University last year, he expressed concern over the association of mainstream political parties with those raising such slogans. Jaitley said a disturbing trend is coming up where efforts are being made to show the Indian state as helpless. To questions on India's defence production, Jaitley said his ministry was working out ways to boost domestic production for the defence sector.

"We want India to become a global power in defence manufacturing sector, and towards that end, we are encouraging private players to come forward. We will, of course, also continue to strengthen our ordnance factories and defence PSUs," the minister said.

ALSO READ |

Doklam standoff: China tells Arun Jaitley it is also different from 1962

100 terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir this year as forces go on relentless offensive

China trying to alter territories, India different from 1962: Defence Minister Arun Jaitley

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ALSO WATCH | Arun Jaitley on RSS worker's murder: Every time LDF is in power, violence increases

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Communication between government at the county and federal level has been lacking. However, an invitation for two Midland County officials to attend a White House Conference may improve that issue.

Commissioner Scott Noesen and County Administrator Bridgette Gransden joined more than 50 county commissioners from across Michigan, on Wednesday at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, to discuss greater cooperation between local and federal leaders.

"It was a great experience and I believe a real genuine effort to reach out to local government by the administration to get first-hand knowledge of key impacts of policies and federal decisions at the local level," Noesen said.

The Michigan gathering was one of a handful arranged this summer by the Trump administration to solicit local views on public policy challenges. The administration has also invited county officials from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida.

"Having talked with some of the more senior commissioners, this is the first time any administration has reached out to the county level to listen to our POV's," Noesen said.

The two-day trip to D.C. included a briefing Tuesday evening from the Michigan Association of Counties and National Association of Counties on "matters of importance to Michigan."

"Michigan was well represented in our nation's capital this week. The commissioners were thoughtful, concerned and candid and the staff people we engaged with treated us with complete respect," Gransden said.

Hosted by Billy Kirkland, special assistant to the president and deputy director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Wednesday's agenda included 14 different presentations. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos spoke, along with presentations from the departments of state, EPA, transportation, energy, FEMA and others.

"We talked about reinstating the Great Lakes Restoration Fund that was eliminated in the latest version of the budget, opposing the idea of eliminating the tax free status on municipal bonds, the downside effects of reducing Medicare/Medicaid expansion as part of health care reform and a number of other county specific issues," Noesen said.

Counties overwhelmingly depend on the federal government for the majority of their finances. Over 70 percent of each county's budget comes either directly from the federal government or via the State of Michigan through things like block grants and other forms of pass-through financing.

"In my role I not only field questions related to legislative items that could be coming from Washington and Lansing, but also make recommendations for local action regarding potential impact. The acknowledgement by the administration of the importance of the collaborative relationship was both obvious and appreciated," Gransden said.

The local officials hope communication between the two levels of government will continue to evolve.

I think there should be a continued effort in this area and continued outreach and perhaps even holding more than one meeting a year could help make (communication) more efficient," Gransden said. "There was some discussion about perhaps holding conference calls every couple months as continued communications."
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Billie MacDonald has been hoofing it around Midland for the past four months, shoeless and sockless.

She walks barefoot just about everywhere in the county.

"I've always hated shoes," said MacDonald, 34. "They hurt my feet."

MacDonald sat at a picnic table in downtown Midland with fiance Brian Lorenz, 40, and daughter, Angellicka, 9, on a warm mid-July day. The annual RiverDays Festival was in motion all around them; people perused food trucks and booths, listened to live music, watched blacksmith demonstrations, drank beer and wine, made art, fancied food truck fare.

It seemed natural that most everyone was wearing shoes, especially when circling the public landscape of downtown.

MacDonald was aligned in the environment in her own natural way, her open toes splayed by slivers of grass. She arrived without shoes and would leave the same.

Orion Lohr, 19, sat opposite MacDonald. The Midlander is a mechanic and, after leaving work, arrived wearing blackened boots that matched a pair of dirtied hands.

Most other times and places, he too is without footwear.

"I just always have," Lohr said of going barefoot. "My dad never wore shoes, so I never wore them.  It's second nature."

MacDonald in June posted in AskMidland, a small, but active and growing local public Facebook group. She wondered how many people in Midland go barefoot -- not merely at home but to stores, restaurants, and other public places. It was a call to find barefooting friends.

Dozens of responses followed. Some were surprised. Some couldn't imagine walking shoeless around the city. Others questioned sanitation, safety, infection -- and whether MacDonald was even serious. Criticism inevitably followed.

Still others offered support or said they hadn't realized there are people who walk Midland with bare feet, or that there is a movement afoot. Commenters who said they are barefooters told of when they decided and why, where they will and won't go barefoot.

In response to some comments, MacDonald supplied links that spoke to the legality of being barefoot in public places and businesses. One was a Michigan State Police document that indicated there is nothing in the state's vehicle code that prohibits barefoot driving (a fact cited in media reports and blogs over the years).

MacDonald regularly visits several stores in the area without wearing shoes or socks. She posted an email she said she had received from Kroger that stated people without shoes are allowed in the stores.

There is no Michigan statue or rule, either in the public health code or the food code that requires patrons of licensed food establishments to wear shoes, socks or sandals, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

"I'm in agreement with the MDHHS response. We have responsibility for workers but not the public. The footwear decision is up to each establishment," Michael Krecek, director/health officer at the Midland County Health Department, said in an email to the Daily News.

Because much of life isn't black and white, the legality points MacDonald hammered on come with a caveat: businesses can, and do, set their own rules (think: no shirt, no shoes, no service signs). MacDonald said she's been kicked out of the discount grocery store Blue Knight in Bay City and a Family Fare. And, employers and employees are subject to footwear regulations set by the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The majority of the outside world, however, is free for unfettered feet to roam.

But why do it?

Alison Bufarale, 38 of Homer Township, says neuropathy and plantar fasciitis cause her the most pain when wearing shoes, and that any sock or footwear causes intense burning in her feet.

She said she's gone barefoot her entire life, at home, while driving and, as of March, into stores, parks, hospitals -- "everywhere but a restaurant."

Bufarale made the decision when realizing it was legal to go barefoot in establishments.

"I think more people should do it because it is healthy for the body. It reduces back pain, gait abnormalities, and blisters.

"Millions of people around the world go barefoot," she continued. "In the U.S. it is frowned upon and viewed as dirty. The more people do it, the more accepted it will be. I love barefooting and I'm sure many others would to if they tried it."

Bufarale doesn't recall any notable reactions from the general public. However her two daughters have become upset when their mother goes barefoot in stores -- "they say I look homeless," Bufarale said. She said management at some local stores has told her she must have shoes on the next time she comes in.

There are places Bufarale will not go, mostly on gravel and hot pavement. She said she hasn't collected any scrapes or bruises and has no concerns going barefoot.

She opts not to test Michigan winters, making only quick trips to the car with bare feet.

"I wear flip-flops unless it is snowing out," she said.

Lohr wears boots to work and shoes when shooting -- "there's hot lead flying everywhere," he said. He also rides trails, and "I'm definitely wearing boots when I'm on two wheels."

Still, he made his view of footwear clear.

"I know so many barefooters who call them foot coffins," Lohr said.

He's walked barefoot often enough -- including while attending Midland High School, where he said he was not bothered -- to pick up a nickname among employees at a local auto parts store: "No-shoes."

MacDonald is more liberal with her limitations: she wears shoes to work, but that's about it. She wants to be barefoot this winter, but admits she might need to get moccasins.

"I'll try going barefoot anywhere," she said.

"Snow and ice, that's fine," Lohr added. "The slush is tough."

Regardless of the terrain and weather conditions, cleanliness can become an issue. MacDonald said she keeps baby wipes in the car for her feet. Showers can be a long process, washing and scrubbing the lower extremities.

"I wash my feet probably 20 times more than someone washes their shoes," MacDonald said.

Rough earth is of less concern: MacDonald said she had walked for four hours around rummage sales in Freeland this summer without pain. The three Midlanders said walking barefoot has improved various ailments, from ankle to back pain.

In the beginning, though, there were growing pains.

"It's going to hurt at first, but the more you do it, the less it will hurt," MacDonald said, likening it to exercising. "You don't stop exercising when it hurts."

And if you get a cut, she said, "get basic first aid and you're fine."

MacDonald's daughter, Angellicka, 9, is following her mother's footsteps.

"I gave her the option of a no-shoe summer, but I didn't enforce it," MacDonald said.

Her daughter started on soft grass walking 10 to 15 minutes a day. After gaining enough strength, she ventured onto the cement for as long as possible. The third-grader at Woodcrest Elementary is still learning to run barefoot; her feet sometimes cramp. MacDonald said she plans to talk to the school board to see if it's possible to let her daughter go barefoot to school.

MacDonald and fiance, Brian Lorenz, have known each other for 20 years. Lorenz said he supports her choice. He tried going barefoot himself, but it wasn't for him.

"I don't want my feet hanging out all the time," he said.

He's become aware of others' reactions to MacDonald's lack of footwear.

"I see all kinds of people staring and glaring," Lorenz said. "But, nobody says anything."

The attention fuels what MacDonald called a taboo of walking in public with bare feet. The potential to shift the social norm of wearing shoes becomes likelier as more people know barefooting is legal and that it can be enjoyable, according to MacDonald. She cited www.barefootislegal.org and the Barefoot is Legal Facebook group for those interested.

"Our ancestors went without shoes," she said. "It's better for body mechanics."

MacDonald said her choice to walk barefoot in public isn't harming anyone, and that she's within the law.

Lohr agreed, but also offered a simpler explanation: it's just what he does.

"I don't care what others do with themselves," he said. "That's what I do."
Akshay Kumar's Toilet EK Prem Katha has opened to decent response from the audience.

By India Today Web Desk: From Salman Khan's Tubelight to Shah Rukh Khan's Jab Harry Met Sejal, Bollywood saw disappointing films over the last few months. Post Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, theatres across India witnessed lower footfalls. Amid high expectations, Akshay Kumar's Toilet Ek Prem Katha has opened to decent response from critics and audience. And the film is likely to beat the box-office jinx.

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On its opening day, Toilet Ek Prem Katha witnessed 30-35 per cent occupancy in theatres and raked in Rs 13.10 crore. According to trade reports, the film saw fantastic rise on Saturday and is said to have grossed Rs 17 crore. As per trade pundits, Toilet Ek Prem Katha is expected to cross Rs 50 crore on Sunday. The film has already collected Rs 48 crore in two days.

Earlier to this, Akshay's Jolly LLB 2 and Rustom collected Rs 13.20 and Rs 14.11 crore respectively. Released in over 3000 screens in India, Toilet Ek Prem Katha witnessed 30-35 per cent occupancy on the first day.

#ToiletEkPremKatha Fri ? 13.10 cr. India biz... Sat and Sun look better... Biz to get big boost on Tue [Independence Day]... #TEPK- taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) August 12, 2017

#ToiletEkPremKatha picked up rapidly post noon onwards... Mass circuits have performed the best... Plexes decent/good... #TEPK- taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) August 12, 2017

#ToiletEkPremKatha Fri 13.10 cr, Sat 17.10 cr. Total: ? 30.20 cr. India biz... ? 48 cr [+/-] weekend on the cards... SUPERB... #TEPK- taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) August 13, 2017

#ToiletEkPremKatha witnessed FANTASTIC growth on Sat... Strong word of mouth is translating into MASSIVE numbers... #TEPK- taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) August 13, 2017

Considering the positive word of mouth, Toilet Ek Prem Katha is likely to set the cash registers ringing over the next few days.

Toilet: Ek Prem Katha was made on a shoestring budget of Rs 18 crore. Toilet Ek Prem Katha revolves around the story of Keshav (Akshay) who wants to get married. Despite being a manglik, Keshav finds the love of his life in Jaya (Bhumi) and they live happily ever-after.

Toilet EK Prem Katha is directed by Shree Narayan Singh.

ALSO READ: Toilet Ek Prem Katha Movie Review

ALSO READ: Toilet Ek Prem Katha box-office collection

OPINION: Toilet Ek Prem Katha and the charm of being Akshay Kumar in 2017

ALSO WATCH: Toilet Ek Prem Katha Movie Review

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MidMichigan Health's corporate division was recently recognized as a 5-Star Performer by national health care research leader Professional Research Consultants, Inc., for patient care, degree of people treated fairly and total compensation package. The health system also received an Award of Distinction as a place to work.

MidMichigan was honored during the 2017 Excellence in Healthcare Conference in Austin, Texas.

The Excellence in Healthcare Awards recognize organizations and individuals who achieve excellence throughout the year by improving patient experiences, health care employee engagement and/or physician alignment and engagement based on surveys of their patients, employees and physicians.

"It is wonderful for our organization to be recognized in these areas," said Diane Postler-Slattery, president and CEO of MidMichigan Health. "At MidMichigan, we understand how important it is that our employees believe that this is an excellent organization to work. When employees are treated and compensated fairly, it has a direct reflection on the level of care that our patients receive.

"We realize we aren't perfect, but we work hard each year on policies and procedures that directly impact our staff," Postler-Slattery continued. "In fact, one of the greatest gifts our employees can give us is feedback and with this we continually make the changes necessary to ensure they are treated and compensated appropriately and fairly."

The corporate division of MidMichigan Health consists of administration, quality management, continuous quality improvement, information technology, corporate services, MidMichigan Health Line, educational services and development, human resources, employee pharmacy, case management, employee health, pay management, finance, marketing, planning/business development, purchasing and courier services.

"It is an honor to recognize MidMichigan Health with these Excellence in Healthcare Awards for their deserving work," said Joe M. Inguanzo, president and CEO of PRC. "It takes true dedication and determination to achieve this level of excellence in healthcare and MidMichigan has shown their commitment to making their hospital a better place to work, a better place to practice medicine and a better place for patients to be treated."

For more information about the awards, visit www.PRCCustomResearch.com.
In 1990, Shari Smith took a 100-year-old building north of Auburn, in the tiny village of Willard and transformed it into an elegant, five-star restaurant.

Now, 27 years later, after serving up exquisite wine, food and service, Shari at the Willard Hillton will be closing its doors on Saturday, July 15.

"So many people have eaten there and loved it," said Smith's daughter, Timmi Baird, who has managed the eatery for the last seven years.

Even though the restaurant will soon close its doors, the passion and creativity of Smith will carry on.

"She is not afraid to put things together and try them," Baird said. "She trained so many chefs and others during her 27 years. She will live on forever through them. Her passion is part of them."

Smith's passion for teaching is leading her in a new direction.

"The restaurant business is hard to be in for five years, let alone 27 years. The last few years, she has been teaching cooking classes for people at the East End and Saginaw Valley State University.

Having a child who has started kindergarten has changed priorities for Baird, along with bringing back memories of her own upbringing.

"I remember when I was little and not having our parents at home at night," Baird said. "I couldn't do that to my child."

Baird was 6 months old when Shari's opened.

"I grew up in a stock pot; instead of a teething ring, I had a rack of lamb," Baird stated in a Feb. 8, 2015 Daily News article.

Even though Baird's entire life has been Shari at the Willard Hillton, Smith's journey to Willard has taken her from coast to coast. The trek began in fifth grade when she decided her life's ambition was to be a chef.

After graduating from Dow High, she headed east where she graduated at the top of her class from the Culinary Institute of America and was voted as the Student Most Likely to Succeed. From the East Coast, she ventured west to Lake Tahoe where she became the first female ever named a sous-chef at Harrah's gourmet five-star Summit Restaurant. Then she continued working in Lake Tahoe  four years for a French chef at Chez Villaret, followed by three years at Evan's American Gourmet Cafe.

Then it was time to return to her Midwest roots by purchasing the Willard Hillton at 1506 W. Beaver Road.

Located in Bay County's Beaver Township, the building has served many functions. As the Beaver Hotel, the late 1800's building has housed the local jail, general store and saloon along with the hotel.

"The Willard Hillton began serving food and drink just after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933. Prior to that, the building was a hotel, gas station, blacksmith shop and other things," said former owner Jim Hutton in a March 19, 1984 Daily News article.

The previous owner before Hutton, changed the name to the Willard Hillton, signifying the village of Willard.

Hillton was added because of the many luxury cars in its parking lot at dinnertime, mostly from Dow Chemical executives. Ironically, before purchasing the hotel, Hutton worked for three years for the Hilton Hotel Corp.

For those wishing to relive memories of their fine dining at Shari at the Willard Hillton, they can contact the restaurant at 989-662-6621 or visit shariatthewillardhillton.com
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With a nod to local history and a look forward to helping the community, MidMichigan Medical Center - Midland kicked off a milestone toward the construction of its new Heart and Vascular Center.

"While it's sad a part of history is going away, it's great we're building something that will help a lot of people," Greg Rogers, president of MidMichigan Medical Center - Midland, said. "It's going to be a real community asset."

Making way for the new addition to the hospital required the demolition of the current Sugnet building, also known as the original Midland Hospital.

The site was offered as a gift by Grace A. Dow, and the Hospital Association Board voted to accept it in 1941. It was considered to be an ideal place, but was out of town. The roads were so poor that at times National Guard trucks were used to transport patients and staff to the hospital. Sugnet Road, then just a trail, was the local Lovers' Lane, according to a brief history provided by MidMichigan.

"The hospital was built during World War II and there was a need to continually fight to get construction materials," a release states. Journeymen carpenters and masons were paid $1.70 per hour.

The 47-bed hospital opened Wednesday, March 15, 1944, with medical, surgical and obstetrical care. The first patient, an expectant mother, arrived at 8:30 a.m.

Rogers said one of the Three Rivers employees working at the site, as well as multiple hospital employees, were born at the Sugnet building.

After Rogers spoke, that demolition was cued by a high five between Scout, the hospital's construction mascot, and Mike Erickson, vice president of facilities for MidMichigan Health. The sounds of the destruction accented the rumble of the backhoe doing the work and the buzz of a drone hovering overhead.

By 11 a.m. Monday, a section of the building had been removed.

"Exciting things are happening for our region as we clear the way to build and enhance our heart and vascular capabilities," Cardiovascular Service Line Chief William Felten, M.D., stated in a media release. "As heart disease continues to lead the cause of death in men and women both regionally and across the United States, we need to be well equipped to fight this disease. This project will help us do just that and we're all looking forward to getting the project underway."

Rogers credited Felten with building a tremendous cardiovascular program, which is 10 years old and in the top 50 in the U.S.

The new Heart and Vascular Center will be a 160,000-square-foot building at the corner of Sugnet Road and Orchard Drive. It will house Midland's off-campus cardiology offices along with the non-invasive cardiovascular testing and interventional surgical heart and vascular services. An additional expansion to the building will incorporate MidMichigan Medical Center - Midland's full-service diagnostic and support areas, including lab and imaging.

"Time is muscle and when it comes to caring for the heart, every second counts. Having all of our services under one roof will provide an environment of seamless, coordinated care for our patients," Felten continued.

The Heart and Vascular Center is part of a three-year, $57 million construction project, with about half the total dedicated to the center.

Rogers thanked The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation and The Charles J. Strosacker Foundation, which gifted $8 million and $1.25 million respectively. He also singled out Three Rivers Corp., which is construction manager of the project.
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BLOOMINGTON  When it comes to policy decisions that impact the public and thousands of people who move through the criminal justice system each year, anecdotal information can be misleading and expensive.

The McLean County Board expects to use hard numbers from the countys participation in several data collection projects to devise solutions based on facts, not perceptions, related to mentally ill residents, many of them homeless and prone to commit offenses that land them in jail.

County Administrator Bill Wasson said the county is working with the University of Chicago to develop a database of information on so-called super utilizers of mental health services in McLean County that could be shared with public and private agencies. When agencies know a persons history as defined by 300 measuring points, the work of helping the individual avoid recurring crises becomes easier, said Wasson.

One of our goals is to have actionable information for our agencies so they can make the best decisions about where individuals should be directed for services, or how they can be diverted from the criminal justice system, said Wasson.

The numbers come from more than a dozen private agencies, including hospitals, in addition to fire, police and the adult and juvenile detention facilities. Records are coded to protect the privacy of the individual whose mental health treatment or interaction with police is examined and added to the database.

The county will be able to compare how its doing on a wide range of criminal justice issues later this year when Measures for Justice, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, releases several years of data on McLean County.

The project offers a county-level view of criminal cases that follows a defendant through all stages of the system. The free data tool is currently available to 300 counties in six states and will expand to include five Illinois counties by the end of the year.

Measures for Justice looks at 32 performance measures based on three primary objectives of the criminal justice system: public safety; fairness; and fiscal responsibility. The data is designed to be a conversation starter that allows users to compare their county with their peers, said Fiona Maazel, director of communications for Measures for Justice.

"We see a need to bring a new degree of transparency to the system that's perhaps been lacking, so people know what's going on in the criminal justice system," said Maazel.

In McLean County, the extensive collection of local numbers was launched by the countys Criminal Justice Coordinating Council in 2009 as part of the effort to reduce overcrowding at the jail.

The critical shortage of affordable and supportive housing in McLean County is the focus of the countys partnership with the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH). The county is in the early stages of exploring whether the CSH Pay for Success program to fund housing for people with complex challenges, including homelessness, mental illness and substance abuse disorders, is a good fit. The county received a $200,000 grant from CSH in May for technical assistance related to the data-gathering process.

The CSH housing model relies on partnerships between private and philanthropic groups and investors who work with local governments to provide upfront dollars for housing. Providers are required to prove the success of the program through reduced costs of hospitalization, incarceration and other services frequently accessed by those with unstable living arrangements.

It may take about two years for the county to complete the research needed for the CSH program, said Wasson, but in the meantime the county is looking for other ways to address the housing situation.

McLean County Board Chairman John McIntyre traced the county's work to reform the local mental health system back to 2012 when former Sheriff Mike Emery brought the issue of mental health care for jail inmates to the attention of the county board.

"The county has taken it on and we're in it for the long haul," said McIntyre.

A 2013 report from the National Institute of Corrections called the jail "clearly one of the most professionally managed and forward thinking jails in the nation," but recommended the county consider major changes to address inadequate housing for nearly 30 percent of the jail population with a mental health diagnosis.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)  The Illinois Senate overturned Gov. Bruce Rauner on public education funding Sunday, voting to override an amendatory veto despite the Republican governor's contention that his changes would mean millions of dollars more for school districts outside Chicago.

The Senate voted 38-19 to reject significant changes the first-term governor made to the landmark legislation. The gubernatorial editing, which came in a veto of legislation containing a newly devised school-funding model, stripped Chicago Public Schools, the nation's third-largest school district, of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Ahead of the vote, Rauner promoted an Illinois State Board of Education analysis of the amendatory veto's impact that he said showed that "the vast majority of our neediest districts get millions" of dollars more.

But the argument did not sway Democrats who control the Legislature. They stuck with the "evidence-based" funding model they adopted in May. It's designed to determine funding levels for specific districts based in part on the number of students living in poverty, lacking English-language skills and other data-driven measurements.

Sen. Andy Manar, a Democrat from Bunker Hill who sponsored the plan, said Rauner would rob Peter to pay Paul. Manar said his plan, known as Senate Bill 1 , ensures that no school district would receive less state aid than it did this past school year, a provision known as "hold harmless."

"Taking money away from one district  the largest in the state, which educates children in poverty  and giving it to other districts in the state which educate children in poverty, is not a solution that's going to lead to greater equity," Manar said. "Senate Bill 1 results in no red numbers, no losses."

The dust-up prevented the State Board of Education from releasing the first state-aid payment, due Aug. 10. Many public school districts are scheduled to open this week or next week. None has indicated it won't open, but most say they can't hold class all year without state money.

The motion to override the governor's veto now moves to the House, which convenes Wednesday. There, an override, which also requires a three-fifths majority vote, is less certain.

Manar, like Rauner, said he's willing to compromise. Manar told reporters after the Senate vote that lawmakers assigned to school-funding negotiations will meet again Tuesday. He urged House Republicans with differing ideas to come forward. But he said short of a deal, the House should also vote to override.

A key to Manar's plan is the "hold harmless" stipulation, which ensures no less funding than last year. That includes a grant of $250 million for Chicago schools that lawmakers negotiated two decades ago. Rauner said the grant is a "bailout" for the cash-strapped school district and unfair to the other 850 school districts in the state.

Two hours before the Senate action to override Rauner, the governor implored lawmakers to embrace his changes and recognize "true fairness and equity." He extolled the state education board's analysis of his changes, saying it was "great news" for children statewide.

"The numbers bear out how broken our system is and how important our changes are. It shows that for years the state has been sending money to Chicago at the expense of the rest of the state," Rauner said.

Democratic lawmakers, who ended a two-year budget stalemate by approving a state budget over Rauner's objections in July, prohibited the state from disbursing school aid unless done through an evidence-based platform, such as the one in Senate Bill 1. Because neither the legislation nor any other evidence-based program has become law, the state can't cut any aid checks to schools.

Senate President John Cullerton issued a statement saying Illinois parents and children have waited long enough for "needed overhaul."

"The Senate moved our state one step closer to getting rid of the worst funding system in the nation," the Chicago Democrat said. "I hope the House will be able to do the same and finally bring the reform Illinois public schools need."
SPRINGFIELD  Just days before the school bell's ring, the Democratic-controlled Illinois Legislature is grappling with a Republican governor over how to fix the biggest gap in the U.S. between a state's richest schools and its poorest.

School funding is in limbo after Gov. Bruce Rauner used his veto powers this month to rewrite a funding plan and, among other changes, remove hundreds of millions of dollars for Chicago Public Schools he said would be redistributed to other districts. Democrats, however, say Rauner's changes would result in hundreds of districts statewide receiving less money than they would have under the original bill.

The Senate is set to gavel in on Sunday afternoon to address Rauner's veto.

Sen. Andy Manar, a Bunker Hill Democrat who sponsored the revamped funding formula, told a small rally Thursday outside a school in a low-income Springfield neighborhood that children across the state are eagerly gathering school supplies in anticipation of a return to the classroom.

"What they don't know is the injustice that's stacked against them the day they walk into kindergarten," Manar said.

Because of decades of state underfunding, Illinois schools are heavily reliant on local property taxes  overall among the highest nationally  meaning those in affluent, largely suburban, areas do well, while inner-city and small, rural districts with less taxable property trail.

The Legislature needs a three-fifths vote in both the Senate and the House to either override Rauner's changes or approve them to be able to send money to schools this year. Most schools have said they have reserves or other cash sources enough to open as scheduled, but few say they'd make it a whole school year without draconian cuts.

Amber Alexander, a Springfield mother of two school-aged children who attended Manar's rally, said kids need to be in school.

"This seems to be politics, and the people affected are the low-income and the children," Alexander said.

Manar predicted Sunday's session would produce a vote to override Rauner, but he said attempts at compromise with the first-term governor also continue. Rauner made substantial changes to the plan, which he has complained is a "bailout" for mismanaged Chicago schools.

Democratic state Sen. Scott Bennett, who represents central Illinois, said with Rauner's changes "every one of my schools is in danger of being hurt."

The Illinois State Board of Education, which is tasked with analyzing Rauner's changes and releasing numbers on how much money each district would receive, had not completed its review as of Friday.

A veto override would be a heavy lift. The legislation was approved with 35 Senate votes, one fewer than needed to overturn the governor. It got 60 votes in the House, 11 short of the three-fifths majority necessary to reverse a veto.

The House has 67 Democrats, so an override would need GOP assistance. House Republicans were excoriated in July when a handful rebuffed Rauner to support an income tax increase that ended a two-year budget stalemate. The House returns Wednesday.

The budget plan included a provision that requires money be distributed to schools only through an "evidence-based" model that funnels money to districts with greater needs  more poverty and fewer English speakers, for example. That's the model drawn up in the vetoed legislation, so without an evidence-based program in law, no state money can go out. The first disbursement was scheduled for Thursday but wasn't made.

Manar and other Democrats working to upgrade the 20-year-old formula insisted that no school district receive less under the new plan than it did this past school year. The formula would then feed money to schools based on what each district needs to provide an "adequate" education.

To advocates, the "hold harmless" provision means that Chicago can keep a grant it received for decades that represented what other districts were reimbursed for special education, transportation and more. Rauner has called that money  along with a requirement that the state pay the employer portion of Chicago teacher pensions, as it does for every other district  a "bailout."

Rauner also changed the legislation so that the "hold harmless" provision for other districts lasts for only three years. "By freezing all districts' base funding at an arbitrary moment in time, it limits the state's ability to reflect fluctuations in enrollment and better target available money to students in need," Rauner, whose office did not respond to a request for comment, wrote in his veto message.

The bill is SB1 .
By PTI: Chandigarh, Aug 13 (PTI) A national research institute of Unani medicine will be set up at a village in Faridabad district, a spokesman of Haryana government said today.

The institute, which will provide healthcare facilities in the field of non-communicable diseases, would also include a 120-bedded in-patient department, the spokesman of the Ayush department said.

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has approved a proposal to allot land of Kheri Gujran village for the institute.

advertisement

The institute would be developed as a state-of-the-art research centre with facilities for pre-clinical studies, clinical trials, drug standardisation and cultivation of medicinal plants used in Unani system, the spokesman said.

It would also offer facilities such as research and geriatric OPDs, speciality clinics, he said.

The institute would have laboratories for bio-chemistry, pathology, radiology and USG, drug standardisation, immunology, pharmacognocy and phytochemistry, besides regimental therapy unit, library, museum, animal house, administrative block and staff quarters.

The required staff and infrastructure would be provided by the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM), Union Ministry of AYUSH, the spokesman added. PTI CHS DIP

--- ENDS ---
I am a founder and co-owner of the Epiphany Farms Hospitality Group, a business venture that runs three restaurants and a catering and event planning business.

We supply these businesses from our livestock and produce farming operations on 100 acres of Central Illinois farmland. Today, we employ more than 200 people.

At Epiphany Farms, our values are integral to our business model. We strive to create a farming and food-service system that is both sustainable and regenerative, and that produces high quality, healthful food, while benefiting the soil and land.

We seek to co-exist with nature and to enhance the ecosystem so that we leave the land in a better place than we found it.

Clean water and healthy rivers are central to this model and to all of our businesses. Without it, we would fail. To have clean water we have to protect its source  the small streams and wetlands that feed larger streams and rivers.

They are the source of the drinking water for 1 in 3 Americans and 1 in 10 Illinoisans, and of much of the water that supplies the nations industries. If we dont protect these sources, we wont have clean, safe water.

Two years ago, Epiphany Farms joined a campaign to help gain passage of a new EPA regulation called the Clean Water Rule. The rule provided needed clarity on which streams and wetlands are subject to the protections of the Clean Water Act, including the watershed of our farm properties.

The campaign was successful, and the federal Environmental Protection Agency finalized the rule in 2016. We were happy and believed that we could move on in reliance on a rule that would safeguard two million miles of streams and 20 million acres of wetlands. So much has changed since then.

The Trump administration has announced its intent to repeal the Clean Water Rule, ignoring the 800,000 Americans (including 32,000 Illinoisans) who wrote in support of the rule. At the time of its passage, a poll showed that 79 percent of Americans were in favor of the Clean Water Rule. As was done two years ago, groups and businesses are speaking out against this assault and in favor of clean water.

Like river systems, we are all connected in a globally interdependent society. We need everyones help to build sustainable and resilient food systems, including the governments. The Clean Water Rule recognizes our interconnectedness and the need to protect that which connects and sustains us all. A clean and healthy water system is paramount to raising and feeding our next generation.

The Trump Administration should leave the Clean Water Rule alone and allow the EPA to get on with its mission of protecting human health and the environment. From this, we all benefit.
A news report last week that the Trump administration is pledging to fight back against the nationwide opioid epidemic is encouraging, and falls in line with local efforts that have been going on for well over a year.

The president did not announce any new policies, but vowed to work with health professionals and law enforcement on the crisis. He said federal drug prosecutions have dropped, but promised he would "be bringing them up rapidly."

Following a recommendation from his drug commission, the president on Thursday said that he will officially declare the opioid crisis a "national emgergency." An initial report from the commission says about 142 deaths each day from drug overdoses mean the death toll is "equal to September 11th every three weeks."

In no way is the situation in Central Illinois as dire as in some other areas of the country, like Ohio and West Virginia, but  as reported by The Pantagraph in its "Dopesick" series that began in June 2016  local health professionals, police and other first responders are ever vigilant about the epidemic and looking for ways to prevent abuse and stop the overdoses.

Almost 1,900 Illinois residents died of an opioid overdose last year, according to the state Department of Public Health, with most of them, about 1,000, dying of an overdose of heroin. The rest died from other opioids, including prescription painkillers.

A core problem is that it's easy to become addicted to opioids, leading to a much stronger response from medical professionals to be more judicious in prescribing narcotics for pain.

But too many people  when their prescriptions aren't refilled  turn to buying an illegal, cheaper opioid, heroin, on the street.

That has led to far too many overdoses when the body's functions slow to the point where people lose consciousness and, in some cases, stop breathing.

As we stated after our second series was published in May, a lot of progress is being made to educate people about the crisis, including public service campaigns, distribution of educational materials and community forums that focus on alerting people to the dangers of opioid abuse.

In fact, the latest effort to keep the spotlight on the crisis in McLean County is coming up.

The McLean County Health Department will host an Aug. 30 roundtable discussion. As of late last week, 50 stakeholders, including emergency responders, medical staff, substance abuse treatment providers and community leaders, have been invited to participate.

Logistics are still being worked out, but in addition to providing a forum for sharing experiences, the session is expected to generate new ideas for attacking the epidemic that shows no sign of letting up.

It's efforts like these, and we hope, at the national level, that will make a real difference in bringing this scourge under control.
100 years ago

Aug. 13, 1917: Mike Quinn is celebrating 40 years on the job. Hes the National Express agent in the little shed outside the Chenoa depot. Born in County Clare, Ireland, in 1857, he has lived in Chenoa since 1864. In his time at Chenoa, he has held several civic positions.

75 years ago

Aug. 13, 1942: Bloomington-Normal had its first wartime blackout last night. It was well-publicized in advance, but there were still cases of lights showing when they shouldnt: 48 in Bloomington and four in Normal. Mayor Hayes expects more blackouts with less warning.

50 years ago

Aug. 13, 1967: American planes are bombing rail and highway bridges in North Vietnam to slow the flow of Chinese supplies to the North Vietnamese. Lt. Robert Eicher, a BHS graduate, was one of the pilots. His grandparents live here, while his parents live in Lincoln, Neb.

25 years ago

Aug. 13, 1992: Mayor Smart is pushing to have the county fair moved to new fairgrounds. He said its too early to talk about where. The matter has come up before in recent years. The Farm Bureau, which runs the fair, is willing to listen. Commerce is reducing the present fairgrounds.
Fresco of St. Basil the Great in the Church of the Theotokos Peribleptos in Ohrid, Macedonia (13th century) [public domain / Wikimedia Commons]

***

(8-1-03)

***

For preliminaries concerning my methodology and the burden of proof for showing if a Church Father believed in sola Scriptura, see my paper, Church Fathers & Sola Scriptura. St. Basil the Greats words will be in blue. Evangelical Protestant / Anti-Catholic apologist Jason Engwers words will be in green.

***

In a Catholic Answers article on tradition, we read the following:

The early Church Fathers, who were links in that chain of [apostolic] succession, recognized the necessity of the traditions that had been handed down from the apostles and guarded them scrupulously, as the following quotations show.

The article goes on to quote some church fathers, such as the following from Basil, without any further explanation:

Of the dogmas and messages preserved in the Church, some we possess from written teaching and others we receive from the tradition of the apostles, handed on to us in mystery. In respect to piety, both are of the same force. No one will contradict any of these, no one, at any rate, who is even moderately versed in matters ecclesiastical. Indeed, were we to try to reject unwritten customs as having no great authority, we would unwittingly injure the gospel in its vitals; or rather, we would reduce [Christian] message to a mere term. (The Holy Spirit 27:66 [A.D. 375])

What is Basil referring to? Judging by the claims of the RCC and the arguments of this Catholic Answers article, you might think Basil was referring to things like papal infallibility, the Assumption of Mary, and privately confessing all sins to a priest. But, instead, heres what Basil writes just after what Catholic Answers quoted:

For instance, to take the first and most general example, who is there who has taught us in writing to sign with the sign of the cross those who have trusted in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ? What writing has taught us to turn to the East at the prayer? Which of the saints has left us in writing the words of the invocation at the displaying of the bread of the Eucharist and the cup of blessing? For we are not, as is well known, content with what the apostle or the Gospel has recorded, but both in preface and conclusion we add other words as being of great importance to the validity of the ministry, and these we derive from unwritten teaching. Moreover we bless the water of baptism and the oil of the chrism, and besides this the catechumen who is being baptized. On what written authority do we do this? Is not our authority silent and mystical tradition? Nay, by what written word is the anointing of oil itself taught? And whence comes the custom of baptizing thrice? And as to the other customs of baptism from what Scripture do we derive the renunciation of Satan and his angels? Does not this come from that unpublished and secret teaching which our fathers guarded in a silence out of the reach of curious meddling and inquisitive investigation? Well had they learnt the lesson that the awful dignity of the mysteries is best preserved by silence. What the uninitiated are not even allowed to look at was hardly likely to be publicly paraded about in written documents. (The Holy Spirit, 27:66)

Basil refers to relatively minor practices, some of which Roman Catholics dont follow. He explains that these things are silent and secret mysteries, hidden traditions. Though the Catholic Answers article cites 2 Timothy 2:2, these traditions of Basil are not the public apostolic teachings Paul refers to in that passage.

This is the same (rather silly) rhetorical tactic that Jason later used in our Dialogue, pertaining to Hippolytus, where he writes:

Dave doesnt tell us what traditions Hippolytus is referring to in that document . . . what should be said when people offer cheese and olives (6), how to appoint widows in the church (10), how to appoint readers (11), . . . the procedures for giving the kiss of peace and women wearing veils (18), how to sing (25), etc. Dave, how often do you offer cheese and olives in your local Roman Catholic church?

This is all fine and dandy as far as it goes: Hippolytus and Basil both refer to minor practices and beliefs as part of the tradition, whether written or unwritten. But it doesnt therefore follow that they do not also include important, central doctrines in that tradition. I demonstrated how this was true in the case of Hippolytus (and Jason did not reply, as he departed the discussion soon afterwards). It is also true with regard to Basil, as I will demonstrate below.

First, lets take a look at this same work, and see if Basil is only talking about such traditions as recounted above. It should be noted, however, that the above traditions are not nearly as minor as Hippolytus list: the invocation at the words of consecration at Mass is not at all an insignificant thing: it has to do with the central rite of the Christian faith. Baptizing three times is not minor, as most Protestants do this, or something similar to it  at least mentioning the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and baptism is a supremely important Christian rite, for Protestants as well as Catholics. But are these the only sort of things that Basil discusses? No:

Let us now investigate what are our common conceptions concerning the Spirit, as well those which have been gathered by us from Holy Scripture concerning It as those which we have received from the unwritten tradition of the Fathers. (The Holy Spirit, 9:22)

I think Jason would agree that the doctrine of the Holy Spirit is not a relatively minor practice. To the contrary, it is a very major doctrine. Basil is quite comfortable talking about the biblical data concerning the Holy Spirit and also the unwritten tradition. And this is not all:

Whence is it that we are Christians? Through our faith, would be the universal answer. And in what way are we saved? Plainly because we were regenerate through the grace given in our baptism. How else could we be? And after recognising that this salvation is established through the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, shall we fling away that form of doctrine which we received? Would it not rather be ground for great groaning if we are found now further off from our salvation than when we first believed, and deny now what we then received? Whether a man have departed this life without baptism, or have received a baptism lacking in some of the requirements of the tradition, his loss is equal. And whoever does not always and everywhere keep to and hold fast as a sure protection the confession which we recorded at our first admission, when, being delivered from the idols, we came to the living Gods constitutes himself a stranger from the promises of God, fighting against his own handwriting, which he put on record when he professed the faith. For if to me my baptism was the beginning of life, and that day of regeneration the first of days, it is plain that the utterance uttered in the grace of adoption was the most honourable of all. Can I then, perverted by these mens seductive words, abandon the tradition which guided me to the light, which bestowed on me the boon of the knowledge of God, whereby I, so long a foe by reason of sin, was made a child of God? But, for myself, I pray that with this confession I may depart hence to the Lord, and them I charge to preserve the faith secure until the day of Christ, and to keep the Spirit undivided from the Father and the Son, preserving, both in the confession of faith and in the doxology, the doctrine taught them at their baptism. (The Holy Spirit, 10:26)

Note how, for Basil, the tradition is determinative, as the authentic interpretation of Scripture:

Let no one be misled by the fact of the apostles frequently omitting the name of the Father and of the Holy Spirit when making mention of baptism, or on this account imagine that the invocation of the names is not observed. As many of you, he says, as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ; and again, As many of you as were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death. For the naming of Christ is the confession of the whole, shewing forth as it does the God who gave, the Son who received, and the Spirit who is, the unction. So we have learned from Peter, in the Acts, of Jesus of Nazareth whom God anointed with the Holy Ghost; and in Isaiah, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me; and the Psalmist, Therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. Scripture, however, in the case of baptism, sometimes plainly mentions the Spirit alone.For into one Spirit, it says, we were all baptized in one body. And in harmony with this are the passages: You shaft be baptized with the Holy Ghost, and He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. But no one on this account would be justified in calling that baptism a perfect baptism wherein only the name of the Spirit was invoked. For the tradition that has been given us by the quickening grace must remain for ever inviolate. He who redeemed our life from destruction gave us power of renewal, whereof the cause is ineffable and hidden in mystery, but bringing great salvation to our souls, so that to add or to take away anything involves manifestly a falling away from the life everlasting. If then in baptism the separation of the Spirit from the Father and the Son is perilous to the baptizer, and of no advantage to the baptized, how can the rending asunder of the Spirit from Father and from Son be safe for us? Faith and baptism are two kindred and inseparable ways of salvation: faith is perfected through baptism, baptism is established through faith, and both are completed by the same names. For as we believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, so are we also baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost; first comes the confession, introducing us to salvation, and baptism follows, setting the seal upon our assent. (The Holy Spirit, 12:28)

Jason thinks he has hit a rhetorical home run by quoting the next section after what the Catholic Answers web page cited. But if we return the favor and cite the very next section after the one Jason cited (sort of a patristic  rather than biblical  hopscotch), we find more teaching about the crucial role of tradition in forming the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, and the doxology:

Time will fail me if I attempt to recount the unwritten mysteries of the Church. Of the rest I say nothing; but of the very confession of our faith in Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, what is the written source? If it be granted that, as we are baptized, so also under the obligation to believe, we make our confession in like terms as our baptism, in accordance with the tradition of our baptism and in conformity with the principles of true religion, let our opponents grant us too the right to be as consistent in our ascription of glory as in our confession of faith. If they deprecate our doxology on the ground that it lacks written authority, let them give us the written evidence for the confession of our faith and the other matters which we have enumerated. While the unwritten traditions are so many, and their bearing on the mystery of godliness is so important, can they refuse to allow us a single word which has come down to us from the Fathers;  which we found, derived from untutored custom, abiding in unperverted churches;  a word for which the arguments are strong, and which contributes in no small degree to the completeness of the force of the mystery? (The Holy Spirit, 27:67)

Four sections later, he reiterates this argument:

Is answer to the objection that the doxology in the form with the Spirit has no written authority, we maintain that if there is no other instance of that which is unwritten, then this must not be received. But if the greater number of our mysteries are admitted into our constitution without written authority, then, in company with the many others, let us receive this one. For I hold it apostolic to abide also by the unwritten traditions. I praise you, it is said, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances as I delivered them to you; and Hold fast the traditions which ye have been taught whether by word, or our Epistle. One of these traditions is the practice which is now before us, which they who ordained from the beginning, rooted firmly in the churches, delivering it to their successors, and its use through long custom advances pace by pace with time. If, as in a Court of Law, we were at a loss for documentary evidence, but were able to bring before you a large number of witnesses, would you not give your vote for our acquittal? I think so; for at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the matter be established. (The Holy Spirit, 27:71)

Protestant patristics expert J. N. D. Kelly cites these sections in his footnotes (along with section 66  no doubt referring to the information in the Catholic Answers citation), and comments:

Basil made the liturgical custom of baptizing in the threefold name a pivot in his argument for the coequality of the Spirit with Father and Son, pleading that the apostolic witness was conveyed to the Church in the mysteries as well as in Scripture, and that it was apostolic to abide by this unwritten tradition. So when Gregory of Nyssa desired to substantiate the unique generation of the Son, he explained [C. Eunom. 4 (PG 45, 653) ] that it was enough that we have the tradition descending to us from the fathers, like an inheritance transmitted from the apostles along the line of holy persons who succeeded them. (Early Christian Doctrines, HarperSanFrancisco, revised 1978 edition, 45)

Thus, Kelly differs in his opinion from Jasons assessment of the range of Basils tradition:

What is Basil referring to? Judging by the claims of the RCC and the arguments of this Catholic Answers article, you might think Basil was referring to things like papal infallibility, the Assumption of Mary, and privately confessing all sins to a priest.

Kelly thinks Basil refers to baptizing in the threefold name as a pivot in his argument for the coequality of the Spirit with Father and Son, which is a bit more of an important matter, and not one that Protestants would disagree with, like the above three Catholic distinctives. So once again, Jason misinterprets the Father he is expounding upon, and contradicts the patristics expert. Jason will claim below that Basil believes in sola Scriptura (at least while he wrote the portion that Jason quotes), but Basil does not pit Scripture against Tradition; rather, he appeals to them both, just as Catholics do:

What our fathers said, the same say we, that the glory of the Father and of the Son is common; wherefore we offer the doxology to the Father with the Son. But we do not rest only on the fact that such is the tradition of the Fathers; for they too followed the sense of Scripture, and started from the evidence which, a few sentences back, I deduced from Scripture and laid before you. (The Holy Spirit, 7:16)

*

Between these opposite parties inspired Scripture is powerless to mediate; the traditions of the apostles cannot suggest terms of arbitration. (The Holy Spirit, 30:77)

In other places, he speaks of tradition only:

. . . the object of attack is faith. The one aim of the whole band of opponents and enemies of sound doctrine is to shake down the foundation of the faith of Christ by levelling apostolic tradition with the ground, and utterly destroying it. So like the debtors,  of course bona fide debtors.  they clamour for written proof, and reject as worthless the unwritten tradition of the Fathers. (The Holy Spirit, 10:25)

*

Now one of the institutions of Gregory is the very form of the doxology to which objection is now made, preserved by the Church on the authority of his tradition; . . . (The Holy Spirit, 29:74)

*

. . . we too are undismayed at the cloud of our enemies, and, resting our hope on the aid of the Spirit, have, with all boldness, proclaimed the truth. Had I not so done, it would truly have been terrible that the blasphemers of the Spirit should so easily be emboldened in their attack upon true religion, and that we, with so mighty an ally and supporter at our side, should shrink from the service of that doctrine, which by the tradition of the Fathers has been preserved by an unbroken sequence of memory to our own day. (The Holy Spirit, 30:79)

Jason argues that Basil accepted sola Scriptura because he mentions only Scripture in his Letter 283 and calls it all-sufficient. But above he mentions only tradition several times. Obviously, he accepts both; this is no contradiction, but rather, the standard concept of the rule of faith in the Fathers, as we have seen again and again throughout this study. But it is a conclusion that Jason does not desire, so in his polemic he emphasizes the passages mentioning Scripture alone, and minimizes or ignores passage mentioning tradition or Church authority alone. At best, this is logically deficient; at worst one might consider it special pleading.

We know, from what Basil said elsewhere, that not only were his practices sometimes different from those of Roman Catholicism, but so were his doctrines. Earlier in this series, I documented the example of Basil saying that Luke 2:35 is a reference to Mary sinning. Of that scripture interpretation, Basil says, About the words of Simeon to Mary, there is no obscurity or variety of interpretation. (Letter 260:6) Catholic Answers tells us that the church fathers were scrupulous in guarding the traditions of the apostles. Should we conclude, then, that Basils non-Roman-Catholic traditions are apostolic?

Some Church Fathers incorrectly taught that Mary committed actual sin, yes. Insofar as they were wrong in that opinion, they were not transmitting the apostolic deposit, so Catholics would believe (just as Protestants would believe the opposite: if they taught that she was sinless, they would not be transmitting the doctrines of the Bible and the apostles, but unbiblical falsehoods and traditions of men).

Despite what Basil says in the passage quoted by Catholic Answers, he advocates sola scriptura elsewhere. For example:

Enjoying as you do the consolation of the Holy Scriptures, you stand in need neither of my assistance nor of that of anybody else to help you to comprehend your duty. You have the all-sufficient counsel and guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead you to what is right. (Letter 283)

See also the citations of other passages in footnote 563 at [link].

Regardless of whether one argues that Basil advocated sola scriptura consistently, inconsistently, or not at all, the fact remains that he contradicted the Roman Catholic view of tradition.

He did not. He accepted the authority of Church and Tradition, just as Catholics then and now do. We see this in, for example, his Letter 261:

I was distressed to hear that over anti above the disturbance brought on the Churches by the Arians, and the confusion caused by them in the definition of the faith, there has appeared among you yet another innovation, throwing the brotherhood into great dejection, because, as you have informed me, certain persons are uttering, in the hearing of the faithful, novel and unfamiliar doctrines which they allege to be deduced from the teaching of Scripture . . . who has the hardihood now once again to renew by the help of sophistical arguments and, of course, by scriptural evidence, that old dogma of Valentinus, now long ago silenced? . . .These, brethren, are the mysteries of the Church; these are the traditions of the Fathers. Every man who fears the Lord, and is awaiting Gods judgment, I charge not to be carried away by various doctrines. If any one teaches a different doctrine, and refuses to accede to the sound words of the faith, rejecting the oracles of the Spirit, and making his own teaching of more authority than the lessons of the Gospels, of such an one beware . . .

St. Basil the Great, then, is seen to hold the same opinion concerning authority and the rule of faith as all the other Fathers, and it is not sola Scriptura.

*****
Journalist Sasan Aghaei With Iranian Reformist Etemad Daily Detained

08/13/17

Source: RFE/RL

Iranian journalist Sasan Aghaei has reportedly been arrested. The charges against Aghaei, who works for the reformist daily Etemad, are not clear.



@SasanAghaei





The opposition site Kalameh reports that Aghaei was taken away by security forces on the afternoon of August 12 from Etemad's offices of in the Iranian capital.



Later, Aghaei's home was searched and he was transferred to Tehran's Evin prison, the report said.



Aghaei has been arrested several times in the past, including in the 2009 state crackdown that followed the disputed reelection of former President Mahmud Ahmadinejad.



The Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders says Iran is one of the world's five biggest prisons for media workers.



Earlier this month, the group said 10 journalists and 17 citizen journalists were currently detained in Iran.



With reporting by Kalameh and RFE/RL's Radio Farda

Copyright (c) 2017 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
President Rouhani's Second Term Begins

08/13/17

By Farideh Farhi (source: LobeLog)



"The New Road of Rouhani"

(source: Seda magazine)



Iranian President Hassan Rouhani began his second term with the nomination of 17 proposed ministers for his 18-member cabinet on Tuesday (the nominee for the ministry of sciences, research, and technology has yet to be proposed). And, as is usually the case in Iran's highly contested terrain, it was not without controversy. As a politician who unapologetically claims to occupy the middle ground in the country's contested terrain, Rouhani made appointments that generated unhappiness and disappointment on both sides of the political spectrum. But with the return of more than half of his first term cabinet, including key ministers, continuity and stability are the watchwords of the transition to the second term.

No doubt, some reformists and liberal voters, who rightly see themselves as making the impressive size of Rouhani's electoral victory possible, are disappointed that he did not appoint a woman or a Sunni minister. Their accusations that he didn't keep his campaign promise are valid. In both the 2013 and 2017 elections, candidate Rouhani promised to ease cultural and political restrictions and open higher levels of state bureaucracy to largely excluded constituencies. Such promises help motivate people, especially liberal urban voters, to come out to the polls in higher numbers. Non-conservative candidates generally make such promises in order to bring voters out because they don't have a stable base of support among regime diehards who vote no matter what.

Rouhani's hasty response to criticisms the day after he named his ministerial candidates-by appointing two women as his vice presidents for women and family affairs and legal affairs and designating his first term VP for women and family affairs as his special assistant for citizenship rights-is unlikely to mollify critics. None of these positions has significant executive power. Nor will First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri's promise to appoint women and Sunnis at deputy ministerial, upper managerial, and provincial levels soothe critics. Plenty of assurances have been given before, and women were given a few high-level managerial positions in Rouhani's first term. But promises adequately not kept have a tendency to increase expectations even more, followed by more disappointments.

But Rouhani is not the first candidate in the world who hasn't kept his campaign promises. In any case, my own direct personal observation during the campaign was that people's motivation to vote was shaped more by the fear of cultural and political clampdown if Rouhani's opponent, Ebrahim Raisi, were elected. This was a fear, both his opponents and supporters agree, that Rouhani masterfully used during the campaign, presenting continuity and stability as a better option than a reversion to a pre-Rouhani past.

There are also political realities that cannot be ignored. The reformists in the parliament are simply not strong enough to confirm only candidates they prefer. Accordingly, in his cabinet selection, Rouhani also has to be mindful of conservative MPs whose votes he needs. In this context, the reformist unhappiness with the re-nomination of at least one minister-the interior minister-will be tested during the confirmation hearings. As a political bloc, the reformists do not have enough votes to reject Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, a conservative politician close to parliament speaker Ali Larijani. The reformists consider him to be too hesitant in replacing provincial officials left over from the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad era and not bold enough in his dealings with the Guardian Council meddling in election results. Whether they will try blocking a key minister of the president they supported in the election remains to be seen.

Conservative Disappointments

Meanwhile, the hardliners, who are publicly relishing the disappointments of Rouhani supporters, have even more reasons to be unhappy. There are no ministers that could be remotely considered hardline in the cabinet. Even more to their chagrin, the two key ministers they have vociferously complained about in the past four years for bowing to Western influence-Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif and Petroleum Minister Bijan Zangeneh-have been re-nominated and should sail through their confirmation.

Zarif is confident enough about the direction Iran's foreign policy has taken during Rouhani's first term that, according to the spokesman of the committee on foreign relations and national security, Zarif told the committee that the "reduction and management of tensions with the US will be among the most important duties of the foreign ministry in the next administration." He went on to say that the Americans could not impose the cost of canceling the nuclear deal on Iran: "If they want to halt it, they have to pay for its costs as well." He also pointed to the upcoming reorganization of the foreign ministry to include a new deputy foreign minister for economic affairs for the sake of "making diplomacy more active in the economic arena."

In the petroleum ministry, Zangeneh, with an agreement with French firm Total under his belt, will be back with the intent to announce more oil and gas agreements with European (including Russian) and Asian companies. The hardliners and some conservatives did everything they could to block the agreement for the development of Phase 11 of the South Pars gas field. Iran's sovereignty is at stake, they declared, and the agreement undermines the "resistance economy" declared by Ayatollah Khamenei to be Iran's guiding principle. Total, they added, has engaged in corrupt practices in Iran in the past. Their arguments led to delays but did not ultimately succeed. A blunt man who does not shy away from confronting hardline accusations, Zangeneh was rumored to be tired of all the insults hurled against him-at 65 he is the oldest cabinet nominee-and was not coming back. Much to the hardliners' disappointment, those rumors proved untrue or, at least, those spreading them underestimated Rouhani's persuasive capabilities.

The return of Zarif and Zangeneh leaves very little doubt about the agenda of further economic engagement with the global economy, building on the nuclear agreement to do so, and the support this direction has from other key players, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The focus on continuity, stability, and economic engagement is also evident in the choices for economy-related ministries. Although both the economy minister and the minister of industry, mine, and commerce have been replaced, there is no evidence that the replacements are bringing in alternative economic philosophies. Both replacements are technocrats molded during the presidencies of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and Mohammad Khatami. They have shown an ability to work across the political aisle and have been the biggest cheerleaders for Iran's efforts to join the World Trade Organization. Also returning will be the minister of roads and urban development, Abbas Akhoundi, whose ministry negotiated the Airbus and Boeing agreements as well as other road and railroad agreements with the Chinese, Italians, and Russians. Finally, the governor of the Central Bank of Iran will not change, and in all likelihood neither will the head of the Planning and Budget Organization.

To be sure, a few of Rouhani's cabinet choices may face a challenge in parliament for their perceived lack of appropriate experience and/or lack of fit at a time when severe economic difficulties, entailing both increased unemployment and recession in key economic sectors, require coordination among all ministries. But this challenge will be different from the one posed during the confirmation hearings for Rouhani's first cabinet when a conservative-dominated parliament questioned several nominees and rejected some for their political leanings and affinity with the "seditionists"-i.e., Green Movement leaders and protesters. Electoral politics has significantly changed the balance of political power since 2009. On Thursday, the newly elected reformist city council selected Mohammad Ali Najafi- one of the ministers rejected for being close to the "seditionists"-as the new mayor of Tehran.





The coalition cabinet

(Source: Mosalas magazine)



Conflicts to Come

This is not to suggest that Rouhani's second term will be conflict-free. Although Rouhani will mostly have the legislative branch's backing - along with Ayatollah Khamenei's support for the foreign policy and economic direction of the country despite his occasional public protestation to the contrary - there are plenty of other areas of political conflict. There is a reason Rouhani has yet to introduce the minister of sciences, research, and technology (and why several of his nominees for this position in his first term were rejected and the one that was approved was subsequently impeached). The extent to which cultural, political, and scientific expression will be allowed is a highly contentious issue, and control of the state universities, the political environment and leadership of which are influenced by who heads the ministry, stand at the center of the conflict.

In general, with the exception of Iran's first president, who was quickly impeached and booted out in his first term, Iran's presidents, including Ayatollah Khamenei when he was president, have mostly come into direct conflict with the office of the Supreme Leader during their second term. The sources of the conflict are structural, constitutional, and currently also ideological.

The Iranian constitution has endowed the Islamic Republic with two executives that have different missions. The presidency is the only nationwide elected office and subject to both the secular exigencies of running a technocracy and the changing sentiments of the electorate. The Office of the Leader, on the other hand, is both the keeper and promoter par excellence of, and dependent for its survival and power on, revolution-inspired institutions and values. In addition, the lack of term limits for the office of the Leader and effective oversight has allowed the expansion of extra-constitutional powers, including intervention in cabinet selection. This reality is the source of conflicts no matter who is the president. Even Ahmadinejad, with whom Ayatollah Khamenei famously acknowledged close ideological affinity, ended up not going to work for more than 10 days because the latter would not allow him to remove his minister of intelligence, a prerogative of the president.

Of course, Rouhani and Khamenei also have genuine differences of opinion about what is best for the survival of the Islamic Republic. To be sure, neither is a hardliner nor reformist per se. Furthermore, Iran's complex politics can in no way be reduced to the conflict between these two men and the institutions they head since both men are also subject to a multiplicity of forces and burdened by other pressures. But at this point in Iran's post-revolutionary history they represent the two ideological poles within which contention occurs and compromises are made. Their differences came out loud and clear during the campaign and helped Rouhani gather quite a few more votes. The row has ebbed at the onset of the new term, but it is sure to flow again.





About the Author:



Farideh Farhi is an Independent Scholar and Affiliate Graduate Faculty at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa. She has taught comparative politics at the University of Colorado, Boulder, University of Hawai'i, University of Tehran, and Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran. Her publications include States and Urban-Based Revolutions in Iran and Nicaragua (University of Illinois Press) and numerous articles and book chapters on compartative analyses of revolutions and Iranian politics. She has been a recipient of grants from the United States Institute of Peace and the Rockefeller Foundation and was most recently a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. She has also worked as a consultant for the World Bank and the International Crisis Group.
Iranian Imprisoned Spiritual Leader Awaiting New Verdict While IRGC Arrests His Followers

08/13/17

Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran

Followers of imprisoned Iranian spiritual leader Mohammad Ali Taheri are being arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) while he awaits a verdict more than three weeks after he was retried for the charge of "corruption on earth."





Mohammad Ali Taheri

"[Branch 26 of the Revolutionary] Court should have issued a 'not guilty' verdict by now, but I don't know what's going to happen," said Taheri's lawyer, Mahmoud Alizadeh Tabatabaee, in an interview with the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) on August 8, 2017. "Personally I'm not optimistic."

Tabatabaee also told CHRI that Taheri's followers have meanwhile been arrested in raids carried out by the IRGC throughout the country.

"The detainees and their families contacted me from various cities about the arrests of people who attended Erfan Halegh classes," he said. "Although there's nothing bad or illegal about these classes, they have been banned by the authorities, who are treating them as security cases."

Iran's security establishment has come down hard on Taheri and supporters of his Erfan-e Halgheh spiritual group, viewing it and any other alternative belief system, especially those seeking converts, as a threat to the prevailing Shia order.

During a speech on December 28, 2016, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei described the emergence of spiritual groups in Iran as a Western plot to undermine Islam.

"The enemies are plotting to weaken our young people's faith in Islam and Islamic principles by encouraging promiscuity and promoting false spirituality, Bahaism and home churches," he said.

The Tasnim news agency, which maintains close ties with the IRGC, reported the arrests of 31 Taheri followers by the IRGC between July 18 and August 3, 2017 in the cities of Najafabad, Tabriz and Isfahan.

"In the past two months, 76 Erfan-e Halgheh followers have been detained, but most of them have been released," according to Sara Saei, a Taheri follower who moved to London in 2016 after being summoned to court in Tehran for peacefully demanding Taheri's freedom.

"They have been arresting everybody attending our classes, but while the students are quickly released, the instructors are held for interrogation to get them to 'confess,'" she told CHRI.

"Those who were recently detained have been asked to make statements against Mohammad Ali Taheri or even to make charges against him," she added.

In March 2017, Iran's state-funded Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) aired a documentary titled "The Devil's Circle," which included alleged "confessions" from Taheri and several of his followers about the group's ideology and activities.

In the heavily edited interviews, Taheri's "students" claimed he taught anti-Islamic ideas and encouraged them to distance themselves from God and Islam. One woman said her daughter stopped praying after attending his classes.

Forced "confessions" in politically motivated cases in Iran are often extracted under the threat of or actual torture and then broadcast by IRIB to justify politically motivated prosecutions.

"This program was shown to deceive the public," Taheri's sister, Azardokht Taheri, toldCHRI at the time. "Mr. Taheri has many students and they have always said that they got good results from his courses. Why weren't they interviewed?"

"Nowhere (in the video) does Mr. Taheri say he has done anything wrong," she added. "They aired only bits and pieces of his statements. We're worried that it was aired for sinister reasons."

In December 2015, the Supreme Court rejected the death penalty against Taheri on the charge of "corruption on earth," which was issued because he had published several books on spirituality that were deemed un-Islamic by the state.

The case was sent back to the lower court for re-sentencing, and his new trial took place on July 17, 2017.

"In his last statements to the court, Mr. Taheri said his past activities were conducted in good faith with the permission of the Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry, the police and other authorities," Tabatabaee told CHRI. "But if the law says they are not beneficial, he will discontinue his activities."

In addition to leading the Erfan-e Halgheh spiritual organization, which he established in the 2000s, Taheri taught at Tehran University. He was practicing a form of alternative medicine based on his spiritual beliefs when he was arrested on May 4, 2010 and charged with "insulting the sacred," "immoral contact with women," and "carrying out illegal medical procedures."

He was sentenced to five years in prison along with 74 lashes, and fined nine billion rials (approximately $300,000).

Four years later, in 2014, he was re-questioned about his books and sentenced to death for spreading "corruption on earth." He was due to be released in the summer of 2016, but has been kept in Evin Prison in Tehran pending the verdict of his latest trial.
Reformist Iranian MPs Form Committee to End House Arrests After Karroubi's Hospitalization

08/13/17

Source: Center for Human Rights in Iran

Reformist members of Iran's Parliament have established the Committee to Seek an End to House Arrests following the recent hospitalization of 79-year-old political opposition leader Mehdi Karroubi.

"We want resolve this matter without any media sensationalism or political hype," said Ghasem Mirzaei Nikoo, a member of the pro-Rouhani Hope Faction in Parliament, in an interview with the state-funded Iranian Labor News Agency (ILNA) on August 8, 2017.

The reformist MP added that the committee had already held a preliminary meeting with Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani to discuss ways to move forward.

Karroubi, along with fellow opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi (75) and his wife Zahra Rahnavard (71) have been isolated under state security in their homes since 2011 for encouraging the peaceful protests against the results of the widely disputed 2009 presidential election.

Karroubi, who ran for the presidency alongside Mousavi in 2009, was taken to a hospital in Tehran on July 24 for low blood pressure. Two days after he was admitted, he underwent a TIPS procedure that corrected a vein blockage, according to his son, Hossein Karroubi.

He was discharged on July 28, but within hours his condition took a turn for the worse and he was taken back to the hospital where he received an angiography on July 31.

President Hassan Rouhani, who promised to work towards releasing political prisoners during his 2013 election campaign, has been silent on Karroubi's hospitalization. On August 1 his government spokesman Mohammad Bagher Nobakht expressed hope for their recovery.

"While we wish these dear individuals will be healthy, we hope nothing will happen to upset their families or the people," said Nobakht. "We should make efforts to protect national interests and bring peace to society."

"The door is open [for a resolution]," he added. "The supreme leader has not declared any solution impossible."

According to comments by officials familiar with the case, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has long insisted that the three must apologize for their role in the peaceful mass protests of 2009, which were violently repressed by the state.

Gholamreza Heidari, a member of the "Committee to Seek an End to House Arrests," told ILNA he was disappointed in Rouhani's lack of action.

"It is paradoxical that the people have demanded an end [to the house arrests] and the president himself has made some favorable statements, but we are not aware of him taking any action in this regard," he said.

"We are not saying that only the president should do something about this, but after all he is the head of the Supreme National Security Council and he has made some promises in his 2013 and 2017 campaigns, and under the constitution he has a duty to protect the basic rights of the people," added the MP.

During the campaign that led to his re-election in May 2017, Rouhani indirectly suggested he wanted the case resolved as crowds chanted for an end to the house arrests.

"We will go to the voting booths to end captivity," he said at a rally in Zanjan on May 15.

Rouhani was more direct during his 2013 presidential campaign.

"We can provide conditions such that over the next year, individuals who were imprisoned or put under house arrest for the 2009 events are released," he said at a campaign rally at Sharif University in Tehran on May 13, 2013.

Several legislators as well as political and civil rights activists tried to visit Karroubi at the Rajaei Cardiovascular, Medical & Research Center in Tehran while he was receiving treatment in late July. Many were turned away.

Karroubi was discharged from the hospital and returned to house arrest on August 10, 2017.
UP Congress chief Raj Babbar today demanded that a murder case be registered against those responsible for the "massacre" of children and resignation of Adityanath.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath warned that exemplary action would be taken against those found responsible for the deaths of children at BRD Hospital in Gorakhpur.

By India Today Web Desk: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today warned that exemplary action would be taken against those found responsible for the deaths of children at a state government-run hospital in Gorakhpur.

He visited the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College hospital today along with Union Health Minister JP Nadda and later, while addressing a press conference, Yogi promised exemplary action against the guilty.

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CM Adityanath's hospital visit and warning came after strident Opposition attack over the death of over 60 children. The Opposition also called for the chief minister's resignation.

Meanwhile, the Narendra Modi government stepped in to cool frayed tempers, announcing setting up a regional medical centre at a cost of Rs 85 crore in Gorakhpur for conducting research on ailments that afflict children.

Over 60 children have reportedly died at BRD Medical College Hospital since August 7, many for want of oxygen whose supply was disrupted after bills were not paid to the vendor. At least 30 children were reported dead in the last two days alone. Many of the victims were infants who perished in the neonatal intensive care unit.

The deaths set off protests in the national capital even as Congress demanded that a murder case be registered against those whose negligence resulted in the "massacre".

Adityanath, however, counselled against politicising the tragedy.

"We have formed a high-powered committee under the state chief secretary to probe the reason of the deaths of children in the BRD Medical College and the (lack of) supply of oxygen. Stringent action will be taken against the guilty, whether in Gorakhpur or elsewhere," Adityanath said.

The punishment will "set a standard", I assure you, the UP chief minister, who addressed a joint press conference with Union Health Minister J P Nadda after visiting the hospital together, said.

Adityanath criticised the media over putting out "fake" news about the deaths and asked them to visit the wards to see for themselves if treatment (upchar) or massacre (narsanhar) was happening there.

Nadda said a regional medical centre would be set up in Gorakhpur for in-depth research on children ailments.

"During the last parliamentary session, I assured Adityanath ji that a full-fledged institute will be set up. Before coming here, I approved the establishment of a regional medical research centre in Gorakhpur at a cost of Rs 85 crore which would conduct research on the infections among children and the possible reasons," Nadda said.

Speaking before Nadda, Adityanath made a strong pitch for a full-fledged virus research centre in Gorakhpur, an area prone to encephalitis, which has claimed hundreds of lives over the years.

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"The geography of east UP is such that we cannot win the war against vector-borne diseases until and unless we have a full-fledged virus research centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given AIIMS, we have started it. But, there should be a full-fledged virus research centre in Gorakhpur," Adityanath told the press conference.

The chief minister said he has been "waging a war" against Japanese encephalitis for the last two decades.

"I have witnessed children of east UP dying. We will not allow this to happen anymore. Who can be more sensitive to this issue (than me)? I have been raising it from the streets to Parliament. No one can understand the pain and agony more than me," Adityanath said, his voice choking with emotion.

Meanwhile, UP Congress chief Raj Babbar today demanded that a murder case be registered against those responsible for the "massacre" of children and resignation of Adityanath.

"70 children were murdered in the last four days (since August 10). The state government is responsible for their murder," he told reporters in Lucknow.

Babbar also demanded a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the next of kin of each child who died due to alleged neglect at the hospital.

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Reacting to Congress allegations, Adityanath said,"This is not the time to indulge in politics, but to show sensitivity. And sensitivity is in finding an answer to vector-borne diseases and eradicating them.

"When Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Union health minister, he had said that he cannot do anything (about Japanese encephalitis in Gorakhpur) since health is a state subject. People whose sensitivity has died, are now unnecessarily rubbing salt to wounds by raising a sensitive issue," the chief minister said.

Azad, Congress leader in the Rajya Sabha had yesterday visited the hospital and blamed the "careless" state government for the tragedy. He had demanded an apology from Adityanath for it and his resignation.

The state government had yesterday ordered an official inquiry by the chief secretary and suspended the principal of the BRD Medical College Hospital Rajiv Mishra.

Several social and political organisations, including the Left-wing AISA, staged protests at Jantar Mantar in the national capital against the shocking deaths.

ALSO READ |

30 kids die in 48 hours at a hospital in Yogi Adityanath's hometown Gorakhpur

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Yogi Adityanath breaks down in Gorakhpur, says guilty will not be spared

After Gorakhpur tragedy, Delhi CM Kejriwal to review state of medicines, equipment in public hospitals

ALSO WATCH | Inside Gorakhpur's BRD hospital, the scene of a tragedy that claimed 68 lives

--- ENDS ---
A deputy Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is considering the cancellation of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) which promotes Junior High School (JHS) students to Senior High Schools in the country.



Kojo Oppong Nkrumah disclosed this on Abusua FMs 'Abusua NKomo' show hosted by Kwame Adinkra during his tour in the Ashanti Region.



According to the Deputy Minister and Member of Parliament of Ofoase Ayirebi Constituency, government's intention is to make the basic education system automatic for JHS students.



He said government is considering plans to in the future cancel Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) that enable pupils in the basic schools gain admission into Senior High Schools (SHS).



He indicated that governments motive behind the decision is to get every Ghanaian school going child enrolled in Senior High School education.



The decision when implemented will see no Ghanaian child denied access to the free SHS education promised by the NPP government and which takes effect in September.



He added that the plan will see all JHS students being assessed by their performance in class which will see the brilliant ones promoted to SHS and those with poor performance being repeated till they put up good performance.

Source: Ellis Ferdinand









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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Canada is working with Ghana, as part of spearheading a global partnership, to build pragmatic comprehensive systems that would plan and manage migration to become safe, orderly and beneficial to all stakeholders around the world.



In view of this the Canadian Minister of Migration, Refugees and Citizenship, Mr Ahmed D. Hussen, has visited Ghana to engage government officials, civil society groups and other relevant groups to find common grounds and share experiences for this cause.



The United Nations expects countries to dialogue and develop positive synergies towards the adoption of the Global Compact on Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration at its conference to be held in September, 2018.



Mr Hussen told the Ghana News Agency, in an interview, that it was very important for nations to urgently engage one another to develop a successful and workable compact so that the criminal enterprises in migration would be eliminated to safeguard the wellbeing of the vulnerable.



The Minister said Canada wanted all the 193 countries who committed themselves to the Compact on 16th September 2016 to work hard towards meeting the deadline.



The issue of migration, he emphasised, was as important today as before and deserved topmost attention.



I think right now, there are more people on the move than at any other time since the Second World War, he stated, adding; Therere more than 60 million migrants moving, of which 24 million are refugees and 40 million are internally displaced people.



Migration is as old as humanity, people will always move, the question is how do you manage the challenge? Thats why it is important for countries to share experiences and develop common positions on, for instance, how to treat children, who are the most vulnerable or to undercut criminal gangs.



Migration, Mr Hussen said, should also become beneficial to both source and host countries as legal migrants contributed to taxes, filled labour gaps with their talents and skills and enriched their host communities with their diverse values of humanity.



Ghana, which was a major source and destination of migrants, he said, had to be more actively involved at the bilateral, regional and global levels to have their concerns addressed.



Ghana is a Member of the High-Level African Panel on Migration under the auspices of the UN, which is chaired by the President of Liberia, and has been making contributions towards an African position.



On why Canada has received global commendation for its efficient management of migration, Mr Hussen said Canadians were very welcoming and generous; while the Government invested significantly in the processes of integration and settlements as well as safeguarding the rights of migrants.



Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated clearly that one of his priorities is encouraging the legal migration of skilled workers and welcoming tourists, business visitors and international students, he stated.



I am here to inform Ghanaians about the prospects and to invite them to take advantage of the opportunities available for our mutual benefit, he said.



Mr Hussen expressed Canadas willingness to help Ghana to develop better-planned and managed systems to integrate migrants who arrive from the Sub-Region to her benefit.



He said Ghana had always been a good ally of Canada in championing global matters of sustainable development since they both shared common values of human rights, democracy, and good governance in a safe and peaceful world.





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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WILLIAMSPORT - A suspended Penn State pre-med student might not know until the 11th hour whether he can begin classes Aug. 21 when the fall semester begins.

U.S. Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann has promised a decision by the end of next week on whether to issue a temporary restraining order that would allow the student, identified only as John Doe, to register for classes.

Brann heard testimony over two days but Friday chose not to rule from the bench. Instead, he said he will issue an opinion and order.

Doe contends his due process rights were violated when a three-member Title IX panel found he violated the Student Code of Conduct by having nonconsensual sex with a coed who also is in the pre-med program.

He contests the panel's conclusion and denies he digitally penetrated her last Sept. 7 in her dorm room as she alleges. His appeal was denied June 27.

University police investigated the incident but no charges were filed.

Doe, who is from California, contends he has not had a meaningful way to confront or cross-examine his accuser, identified only as Jane Roe.

He also claims he did not get meaningful notice in writing of the charge against him until May 11. The university disputes this.

Penn State accuses Doe of seeking to use the court to re-litigate a student conduct result he does not like.

The university says it must be able to investigate allegations like those made by Roe, make a decision on responsibility and decide on the appropriate sanctions.

One of the issues raised by Doe, who testified during the court hearing, is that Roe claimed she had a medical examination after the alleged incident.

Katharina Matic, the senior Title IX compliant specialist who prepared the investigative report for the panel, testified she was not provided the results.

She said Roe was reluctant to provide a verbal or written account of the incident, but preferred to rely on reports she made to residence life and police.

Roe told police, according to the panel's report, that Doe had his hand on her leg, she pushed it away saying "no," he moved her shorts and underwear aside and penetrated her twice.

Matic denied it was her responsibility as the investigator to find support for any charges. It was to obtain information from both parties, put it into a report and submit it the Title IX panel, she testified.

Penn State in April 2016 changed its sexual misconduct disciplinary process after two Alpha Chi Rho Fraternity brothers challenged it.

An out-of-court settlement was reached after Brann issued a temporary restraining order preventing their two-semester suspension.

The two students, known as John Doe 1 and 11, were acquitted of conduct code violations when subjected to the revised disciplinary procedure.

The disciplinary procedure was further modified in November in the midst of the investigation in the current case that resulted in Doe's suspension for the fall semester and ban from on-campus housing.

Penn State contends a one-semester suspension will not affect Doe's enrollment in the pre-med program with Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia.

He claims it will and unless his name is cleared he will have the lifetime stigma being labeled a violent sexual offender.

Doe, who had a 3.92 grade point average in the spring, will be a sophomore if his suspension is lifted.
High school students at one Cumberland County school will be heading back to class a few days later than originally planned.

The Shippensburg Area Senior High School was struck by lightning, affecting the electricity within the building, district spokesman Scott E. Shapiro said Sunday morning.

The original day for the building to open was Thursday. That has now been pushed back to Aug. 21.

The ninth-grade orientation and open house, originally set for Tuesday, have both been rescheduled for Thursday, with the ninth-grade orientation to be held at 6 p.m. in the high school auditorium, followed by the open house at 6:30 p.m.

Students attending the Career Tech School will also begin classes on Aug. 21. All other buildings will open on time on Thursday.

Students will be notified of their bus assignments through an automated call on Monday, according to school district officials.
A 22-year-old Elizabethville man is facing multiple charges after state police say he drunkenly broke into two homes Saturday morning.

Tyler Perry Ringler was covered in blood and suspected to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol after his arrest at around 9:30 a.m. Aug. 12 near Callowhill Street in Elizabethville, state police said. Following an initial call to report an active burglary in the area, Ringler was tracked to a wooded area near a home he is accused of burgling.
When President Donald Trump, his body language speaking as loud as his words, sternly warned North Korea last week that if they acted on their nuclear attack threats they would be met with "fire and fury," the Left and their media allies immediately went into an overactive uproar.

Republican strategist Charlie Gerow (PennLive file)

They claimed that the president's words had undermined our credibility, limited our options and escalated tensions.

Did they?

These same folks didn't seem to have the same angst when President Clinton made virtually the same threats almost a quarter of a century ago.

Unfortunately, Clinton's threats had no teeth. He allowed Jimmy Carter, an appeasement specialist with the diplomatic skills of Neville Chamberlain, to negotiate a deal with the Kim government. The 1994 'deal' failed.

There are three basic options for dealing with North Korea, a throwback to the Stalinist era and the most repressive regime on the planet.

First, we could take out the Kim regime. Second, we can employ various forms of diplomacy to hold the regime in check and, third, we can pressure the Chinese, who hold North Korea's fate in their hands, to, in turn, force the North Koreans to stay in line.

For years, and through several administrations we went the diplomatic route. Former President Barack Obama called his approach "strategic patience."

We've seen how that worked out.

For years as we sat patiently and watched, as barbarous thugs inside North Korea moved full speed ahead in their quest to achieve nuclear attack capability. A dangerous, unstable, unpredictable and irrational little dictator now has the capacity to kill millions of people.

We spoke softly, but carried no stick. It was weak diplomacy with no military option.

Obama's National Security Advisor, Susan Rice, this week said that we should "tolerate" Kim Jong Un having nuclear warheads on intercontinental ballistic missiles. That's the logical--and tragic--result of "strategic patience." What else would be "tolerable"? An attack on Guam, Hawaii, Alaska or worse?

Virtually every leader would prefer to see the situation defused without military action. They all know that a war on the Korean Peninsula would be catastrophic.

However, having the Koreans who surround their young dictator know that the United States is prepared, if necessary, to unleash its' awesome military might could be the linchpin to diplomatic solutions.

The big stick sometimes gets the attention of even the most irrational.

Our military options are limited by several factors, not the least of which is North Korea's proximity to Seoul and the nearly 25 million people who live in and around the South Korean capital, and the devastation that would occur there in the case of attacks by conventional, chemical or nuclear attack.

Short of war there are options that can be exercised. It may be necessary to escalate, both with rhetoric and military buildup, to create the possibility of de-escalation.

That could include moving more assets into the area, including defensive systems like THAAD as well as offensive carrier strike groups.

Such moves would have two key audiences. One in North Korea, the other in China.

China is the potential key to the situation. Trump's words may have been intended as much for Chinese leader Xi as well as Kim.

China controls the food and energy supplies of North Korea. They have maximum leverage over Kim. If they can be convinced it's in their interest to end support of Kim's regime it would defang Kim.

Convincing China that they must do more than provide lip service in favor of additional sanctions at the U.N. could take several forms. One thing that will help move the Chinese is convincing them that war is a credible possibility. That's a scenario they don't want.

Another is to hurt their economy. That could take several forms, especially limiting their banking access to western capital. Additionally, a consumer boycott of Chinese goods would certainly get Beijing's attention.

They'd also be concerned if Japan is viewed as going nuclear in response to Kim's provocation.

During the presidential campaign, candidate Trump was especially effective in verbal jiujitsu, turning opponents strengths against them and disabling them. His rhetorical battle with Kim may be his international application of that approach.

North Korea has historically believed that we feared warfare on the peninsula so much that we'd ultimately back down.

Trump is now, through his rhetoric and actions, turning that strategy on Kim. He's beginning to convince them, and their Chinese allies, that war isn't worth it to them.

It's today's version of the Cold War "MAD" or Mutually Assured Destruction. The difference, of course, is that Kim Jung Un doesn't have the same value for life and basic rationality of Nikita Khrushchev.

This is not the time to quibble about rhetoric. It's no time for partisanship. It is time for a united stand against the recurring threats of a hostile regime.

Avoiding war is paramount. The best way to do that is with a diplomacy that proceeds from manifest strength not perceived weakness.

Republican strategist Charlie Gerow is president and CEO of Quantum Communications, a Harrisburg public affairs firm. His "Donkeys & Elephants" column appears weekly opposite liberal commentator Tony May.
Last week, for the first time in a generation, a significant number of Americans went to bed worrying whether the world would be there the next morning. Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un of North Korea were hurling nuclear threats at each other, growing more shrill day by day.

Tony May (PennLive file)

No reasonable person looking at the verbal slugfest can envision a beneficial outcome for either side to initiate a nuclear exchange - or short of that, even a limited conventional warfare engagement. What's scary for most people is the realization that neither Trump nor Kim is a reasonable person.

Set aside the personality shortcomings of the national leaders involved and the fear that either one could fall at a moment's notice into an uncontrollable rage at a perceived insult, and the threat of a nuclear standoff with North Korea is less surprising.

It falls into a "Wag the Dog" scenario, following the plot of the 1997 movie starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert DeNiro about a President and his aides who see a limited war as a great way to shore up lagging poll numbers.

It can be argued that almost every president, given massive power as commander-in-chief of a mighty army and navy, falls prey to at some point during his term of office.

President Ronald Reagan invaded Grenada (an island nation with a population of 100,000, for those too young to remember the Reagan years) in 1983 - shortly after terrorist violence against American citizens and Marines in Beirut.

President George H. W. Bush, whose poll numbers were soft because some people saw him as 'Wimpy", invaded Panama in December of his first year as president (1989).

The invasion of Kuwait came the next year. Bill Clinton invaded Kosovo and bombed elsewhere in the Balkans just as the Monica Lewinsky scandal was getting underway.

President George W. Bush invaded Iraq as well as Afghanistan.

Former President Barack Obama inherited both those wars but supplemented them with air strikes and incursions into Libya, Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen.

All of these nations shared a trait with North Korea - they were smaller, sometimes tiny, compared to the U.S.A. Only Pakistan - like North Korea - has "the bomb." And that makes the Korean question different.

Kim says he will be ready to bomb Guam - U.S. soil - with his missiles within a couple of weeks. If he "goes nuclear" as he has threatened, he could set off a doomsday scenario that could quickly spread beyond wiping out an island about half again as large as Philadelphia with a population of 150,000 civilians.

The U.S. would retaliate by bombing North Korea with a population of 26 million. Hundreds of millions of people live within ballistic missile range of North Korea. Escalation would almost certainly involve China and Russia.

Knowing this, Kim might try to limit a missile attack on Guam to conventional war heads.

Four to six missiles, well placed, could wreak havoc on Anderson Air Force Base and the U.S. naval station that make up the bulk of the military installations on the island.

But to what end? The U.S. could retaliate with cruise missiles launched from submarines to inflict even greater damage on North Korea. There's no scenario that involves violence that has a good end for either side.

And to what end?

Looking back at past presidents and their "wag the dog" escapades, you see mixed - and usually temporary results.

Yes, a bump in the polls for a month or two. Yes, a distraction from other stories in the news. But, in the long term, Bush I lost his re-election campaign. Clinton was impeached. Bush II and Obama were polarizing figures.

But nuclear weapons changes everything. Nukes are a tail that wags the dog.

Tony May is a partner in Triad Strategies, a Harrisburg lobbying and public relations firm. His "Donkeys & Elephants" column appears weekly opposite conservative commentator Charlie Gerow.
FILE - A Monday July 17, 2017 file photo of EU chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, right, welcoming British Secretary of State, David Davis, for a meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels. The British government is fighting back against criticisms that it is divided and unprepared for Brexit, announcing it will publish a set of detailed proposals on customs arrangements, the status of the Ireland-Northern Ireland border and other issues. The Department for Exiting the European Union said Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017, that it would release the first set of position papers this week, more than a year after Britons voted in a referendum to leave the European Union.(AP Photo/Geert Vanden Wijngaer, File)
By PTI: axed

Eds: Adds more inputs

Gorakhpur/Lucknow, Aug 13 (PTI) Under strident opposition attack over the death of scores of children in a state-run Gorakhpur hospital, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today warned of "exemplary" action against those found responsible for the horrifying tragedy amid calls for his resignation.

The Modi government stepped in to cool frayed tempers, announcing setting up a regional medical centre at a cost of Rs 85 crore in Gorakhpur for conducting research on ailments that afflict children.

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Over 60 children have reportedly died at BRD Medical College Hospital since August 7, many for want of oxygen whose supply was disrupted after bills were not paid to the vendor. At least 30 children were reported dead in the last two days alone. Many of the victims were infants who perished in the neonatal intensive care unit.

The deaths set off protests in the national capital even as Congress demanded that a murder case be registered against those whose negligence resulted in the "massacre".

Adityanath, who visited the hospital today, however, counselled against politicising the tragedy.

Meanwhile, Kafeel Khan, who was the nodal officer for the paediatric department at the hospital, who was hailed as a hero for reportedly spending money from his own pocket to buy oxygen cylinders at the height of the crisis, has been divested of the charge.

"Dr Khans charge has been withdrawn," a top official at the hospital said, adding it should not be misconstrued that he has been placed under suspension.

"We have formed a high-powered committee under the state chief secretary to probe the reason of the deaths of children in the BRD Medical College and the (lack of) supply of oxygen. Stringent action will be taken against the guilty, whether in Gorakhpur or elsewhere," Adityanath said.

The punishment will "set a standard", I assure you, the UP chief minister, who addressed a joint press conference with Union Health Minister J P Nadda after visiting the hospital together, said.

Adityanath criticised the media over putting out "fake" news about the deaths and asked them to visit the wards to see for themselves if treatment (upchar) or massacre (narsanhar) was happening there.

Nadda said a regional medical centre would be set up in Gorakhpur for in-depth research on childrens ailments.

"During the last parliamentary session, I assured Adityanath ji that a full-fledged institute will be set up. Before coming here, I approved the establishment of a regional medical research centre in Gorakhpur at a cost of Rs 85 crore which would conduct research on the infections among children and the possible reasons," Nadda said.

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Speaking before Nadda, Adityanath made a strong pitch for a full-fledged virus research centre in Gorakhpur, an area prone to encephalitis, which has claimed hundreds of lives over the years.

"The geography of east UP is such that we cannot win the war against vector-borne diseases until and unless we have a full-fledged virus research centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given AIIMS, we have started it. But, there should be a full-fledged virus research centre in Gorakhpur," Adityanath told the press conference.

The chief minister said he has been "waging a war" against Japanese encephalitis for the last two decades.

"I have witnessed children of east UP dying. We will not allow this to happen anymore...Who can be more sensitive to this issue (than me)? I have been raising it from the streets to Parliament...No one can understand the pain and agony more than me," Adityanath said, his voice choking with emotion.

Meanwhile, UP Congress chief Raj Babbar today demanded that a murder case be registered against those responsible for the "massacre" of children and resignation of Adityanath.

"70 children were murdered in the last four days (since August 10). The state government is responsible for their murder," he told reporters in Lucknow.

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Babbar also demanded a compensation of Rs one lakh to the next of kin of each child who died due to alleged neglect at the hospital.

Reacting to Congress allegations, Adityanath said,"This is not the time to indulge in politics, but to show sensitivity. And sensitivity is in finding an answer to vector-borne diseases and eradicating them.

"When Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Union health minister, he had said that he cannot do anything (about Japanese encephalitis in Gorakhpur) since health is a state subject. People whose sensitivity has died, are now unnecessarily rubbing salt to wounds by raising a sensitive issue," the chief minister said.

Azad, Congress leader in the Rajya Sabha had yesterday visited the hospital and blamed the "careless" state government for the tragedy. He had demanded an apology from Adityanath for it and his resignation.

Samajwadi Party workers today hurled tomatoes and eggs at the private residence of UP health minister Siddhartha Nath Singh in Allahabad to protest against the deaths.

"We staged a protest outside the health ministers residence over the Gorakhpur tragedy. Eggs and tomatoes were hurled by some of the activists who were agitated over the deaths of innocent children," Samajwadi Chhatra Sabha leader Faisal Mansoor said after TV channels showed protesters throwing eggs and tomatoes at Singhs residence.

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Police said no case has been registered so far in the absence of a formal complaint.

The state government had yesterday ordered an official inquiry by the chief secretary and suspended the principal of the BRD Medical College Hospital Rajiv Mishra.

Several social and political organisations, including the Left-wing AISA, staged protests at Jantar Mantar in the national capital against the shocking deaths. PTI CORR NAV ADS SK SK

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A car sits parked outside Blessed Diego de San Vitores Church Sunday, Aug. 13, 2017, in Tumon, Guam. Across Guam - where nearly everyone is Roman Catholic - priests are praying for peace as residents of the U.S. Pacific island territory face a missile threat from North Korea. (AP Photo/Tassanee Vejpongsa)
Dhanush and Kajol-starrer Velai Illa Pattadhaari 2 has opened to great response from the Tamil audience.

By India Today Web Desk: Velai Illa Pattadhaari 2 released on Friday, amid high expectations from fans. The film is a sequel to the 2014 blockbuster film of the same name. Unlike its predecessor, VIP 2 mostly opened to mixed reviews from critics. Despite reviews, the Dhanush-Kajol's magic has worked with the audience and has set the cash registers ringing.

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On Saturday, Velai Illa Pattadhaari 2 is said to have witnessed slightly higher occupancy. Reports suggest that the film has earned Rs 6 crore on Saturday. It must be noted that VIP 2 had a good opening on Friday and reportedly grossed Rs 5.75 crore. As per trade estimates, VIP 2 is expected to gross Rs 27-30 crore on its opening weekend.

.@dhanushkraja's #VIP2 takes a good opening TN grosses Rs 5.75 Cr (approx) day 1. Trade sources indicate 27-30 Cr in 1st week due 2holidays pic.twitter.com/yivYof2RZ4- Sreedhar Pillai (@sri50) August 12, 2017

VIP 2 takes the story forward from where VIP ended. In the sequel, Raghuvaran's (Dhanush) face-off with Vasundara (Kajol) is one of the main highlights.

Jointly produced by Kalaipuli S Thanu and Dhanush, VIP 2 is directed by Soundarya Rajinikanth.

Dhanush has written the screenplay and dialogues for the film, which also stars Amala Paul, Samuthirakani and Vivek in important roles.

VIP 2's Hindi and Telugu versions are likely to release on August 18.

ALSO READ: VIP 2 box-office collection Day 1

ALSO READ: VIP 2 Movie Review

ALSO READ: Taramani Movie Review

WATCH HERE: VIP 2 Trailer

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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.
WH vs DOS





Andrew Harnik AP



White House fights with State over how far to go on Venezuela

White House promises of strong and swift economic sanctions meant to punish Venezuela have been slowed by a senior State Department official who is holding tight to an Obama-era posture that sidelines aggressive measures in favor of dialogue.

According to multiple sources familiar with the talks between the White House and State, Thomas Shannon, the undersecretary for political affairs and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson's right-hand man at the department, has pushed back against the most aggressive sanctions out of concern they could close off diplomatic channels to Caracas.

The White House is completely on a different page, said a source who is familiar with the conversations but couldn't speak publicly because of the sensitivity of the talks. It's such a disaster. It's an absolute, absolute disaster.

The Trump administration has been delivering mixed signals since the July 30 vote in Venezuela that will allow a new constituent assembly to change the Venezuelan constitution and strip current lawmakers of power.

Soon after the vote, McMaster and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin took Trump's message to the public declaring Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a dictator and announced new sanctions against him personally. The State Department moved more cautiously, delivering a message the next day through Spanish language media that they wanted to continue talks with the Maduro government.

We want to dialogue with the government of President Maduro, Michael Fitzpatrick, a deputy assistant secretary of state for the Western Hemisphere told EFE Spanish wire service. We do not necessarily recognize parallel or separate governments. We respect the official government of Venezuela and President Maduro at this time.

On Wednesday, the White House issued sanctions against eight more Venezuelans tied to the Maduro government, but the action falls short of the wide-reaching economic sanctions the administration threatened, which could potentially cripple the government.

The administration emphasizes that all options remain on the table, but some diplomats and experts are pointing their fingers at the State Department and Shannon for resisting the stronger measures intended to pressure the Maduro administration to negotiate.

Shannon is one of the country's most senior and seasoned foreign policy hands. He has worked under both Republican and Democratic administrations. He is a well-respected career member of the U.S. Foreign Service and former U.S. Ambassador to Brazil who also has a Ph.D. from Oxford University.

Tillerson has credited Shannon with helping him adjust to his new role.

I would be remiss if I did not thank all of those who have stepped into acting roles during these past three months to help me, and starting with acting Deputy Secretary Tom Shannon, who's just been stellar, Tillerson told department employees last week.

The White House, the secretary and the deputy secretary have all spoken forcefully about the importance of Tom Shannon's role at the State Department and his value in forging a common approach across the administration on a range of policy priorities, including Venezuela, said Heather Nauert, a spokeswoman for the U.S. State Department. This administration has spoken clearly and with one voice in condemning the undemocratic actions of the Maduro regime, holding Maduro and his cronies to account while supporting the aspirations of the Venezuelan people.

Nauert has also called the election illegitimate and emphasized the administration won't recognize the constituent assembly.

Venezuela gripped by hunger and riots

Across Venezuela, cities are erupting in protests and looting over food shortages. Nicholas Casey, The New York Times's Andes bureau chief, and the photographer Meridith Kohut provide a view from the ground.

Shannon is well familiar with the dynamics in Latin America, having served as assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs. He knows the players involved. He served as the political counselor at U.S. Embassy in Caracas from 1996 to 1999 and witnessed the revolution led by former president Hugo Chavez.

Indeed, Shannon has been United States's point man in some of the most sensitive negotiations in Latin American and around the world.

But he has not always seen eye-to-eye with his fellow bureaucrats.

Last year, several U.S. agencies tried to implement sanctions against Venezuelan Vice President Tareck El Aissami for alleged involvement in drug trafficking, but the sanctions were held up by the State Department and could only be applied after Donald Trump assumed the presidency, sources said.

Some White House officials were angered in 2015 that Shannon met with a Maduro ally and then-national assembly president, Diosdado Cabello, even though he was the target of a U.S. criminal investigation into drug trafficking by senior Venezuelan officials.

At about the same time, during a meeting over Venezuelan sanctions, Vice President Joe Biden threatened staff members with their jobs if they left the discussions with State officials without ensuring the measures had teeth in them that could be enforced.

But Shannon has many fans in Washington and around the world. He is undoubtedly one of the most trusted and respected diplomats. He has had a hand in sensitive negotiations, including helping broker last year's peace agreement between the Colombian government and Marxist rebels after a half-century of hostility.

Juan Gonzalez, who worked with Shannon as a deputy assistant secretary of state under former President Barack Obama, said Shannon sees things that others don't. He understands that diplomacy is ultimately the only way out of this.

What do we actually get after we do sanctions? Is this actually the right outcome that we're hoping for, Gonzalez said. Tom Shannon is as conservative as they come. He's a card-carrying Republican. He's no spring flower, but I think he's thinking much more about what are going to be the consequences of each decision. He doesn't want to abandon the diplomatic angle. And I think that is the right approach.

It's not just dialogue that is a concern, but also U.S. interests as industry leaders and human rights groups have lobbied the Trump administration not to carry out threats of an embargo of Venezuelan oil that could dismantle the government and hurt Venezuelan citizens more than they're hurting today.

The philosophical battle has sometimes created divisions between the State Department and a group aligned with the White House that includes National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who have been pushing for stronger sanctions.

The frustrations played out publicly when Rubio grew frustrated during a Senate hearing after the election questioning a top U.S. State official about whether the vote was illegitimate.

Francisco Palmieri, acting assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere affairs, would not say whether the vote was illegitimate and instead repeated multiple times the results were flawed.

I know the process was flawed, Rubio pressed. The outcome is this new constituent assembly. There cannot be a legitimate National Assembly and a legitimate constituent assembly. If the National Assembly is the only legitimate entity, the constituent assembly by definition is illegitimate.

It was only after the exchange that the State Department clarified its position and upped its language publicly with what the White House was saying.

In hindsight, I should have just acknowledged that it was an illegitimate body, Palmieri said in an interview with McClatchy. I thought we were saying the same thing.

Palmieri dismissed the concerns and said the State Department and White House are aligned. Palmieri said he speaks with his counterparts at the White House every day.

There is really no gap between us on that, Palmieri said. Over the last three weeks, we have worked collaboratively to identify the people who should be sanctioned for not respecting human rights in Venezuela for contributing to the corruption in the country and who are undermining democratic institutions by supporting the creation of this illegitimate constituent assembly.

He pointed out that more countries were joining the United States in condemning the new assembly. On Tuesday, 17 countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile and Mexico, formally condemned the breakdown of democratic order, and said they would not recognize the illegitimate constituent assembly.

Patricia Mazzei contributed reporting from Miami.



Franco Ordonez / Mcclatchydc / Aug. 09, 2017
A 58-year-old woman was shot in the arm and chest early Saturday after she heard a noise outside her home in the 8500 block of Summerdale Avenue and went to her window to investigate, Philadelphia police said.

The victim got up from her bed after hearing the noise and noticed that a screen window had been opened. She closed the window and lay down again, then was struck by gunfire that came from outside, police said.

She called 911 and was taken by police to Aria-Jefferson Health Torresdale hospital. She was treated and transferred to Jefferson University Hospital, where she was listed in stable condition, police said. Police did not provide information about any possible suspect.
The family of the man police shot to death in North Philadelphia on Friday acknowledged that he had reached for an officer's gun, but questioned whether that should have been met with deadly force.

Tyreas Carlyle, 31, was killed as he struggled with police who had responded to a report of a car theft shortly after 5 p.m. Friday in the 3100 block of Darien Street.

On Saturday, his family gathered to remember him and mourn their loss.

"To me, maybe I'm wrong, but I just wish that they hadn't shot him up like that," said his grandmother Hester Carlyle, breaking into tears as she sat on her living-room sofa. As she spoke, she wrapped her arm tightly around her great-grandson, T.J., 7, Tyreas Carlyle's only child.

She and other family members recalled Carlyle as a troubled man who struggled with drugs and had had many brushes with the law. Court records show more than a dozen arrests and six convictions  for drug possession, simple assault, driving under the influence, and fleeing police.

Carlyle's life was perilous and painful, his family said, but he had overcome much. He had been shot four previous times in the last five years, said his grandmother, who raised him in her Darien Street home near Allegheny Avenue after his mother died of a drug overdose. After taking a bullet to his back, Carlyle had to use a walker, she said, and could barely raise himself from a seated position, having to lean on his walker to do so.

The day before Friday's shooting, Carlyle had been shot at in front of his home, his grandmother said. He emerged uninjured but shaken, she said. He wanted to leave the area to be with his son, who lives in Hunting Park, his grandmother said. So on Friday he tried to get into a pickup truck that was parked on the street. Alarmed, she said she called the police but was soon able to coax her grandson back into the house.

Then, she said, Carlyle took her car keys from her purse and headed back outside toward her Nissan Altima. "I was trying to stop him," she said. "I was saying, 'No, no, no, no. You can't use the car.' I was afraid if he used the car he would have hit somebody or gotten into trouble because he was not in his right state of mind."

When the first officer arrived, she said, Carlyle grabbed at the officer's holstered gun while seated in the car. The officer tried to take Carlyle's hand off the gun and told him to move his hands, "but my grandson wouldn't take his hands off the gun," Hester Carlyle said. The officer called for backup, she said, and three uniformed police officers arrived.

"Three cops got out of the car, they came toward my grandson, and took their guns out," she said, breaking into sobs. "By the time I moved out the way, they started shooting. They shot him four or five times. I didn't hear them ask any questions; they didn't ask what was going on."

When they shot him, she said, he was seated in her car, his feet on the street.

Police disputed that account. They said Carlyle was struggling with the first officer's gun when two backup officers arrived, drew their weapons, and repeatedly ordered Carlyle to let go of the officer's gun. He briefly let go, they said, then grabbed a second officer's gun. While Carlyle was holding the barrel of that gun, police said, the officer fired it. The two other officers fired shots as well, they said, and Carlyle was shot in the torso and legs. He was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 5:51 p.m.

The officers will be reassigned to desk duty while Internal Affairs and the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office investigate the shooting.

On Saturday evening, Mayor Kenney pledged a thorough review of the circumstances of the shooting. In the future, he said, the city would release a written statement on all officer-involved shootings within 36 hours of the incident.

"My prayers are with the family and friends of Tyreas Carlyle," he said in a statement. "It is always tragic to lose someone you love."

The mayor said the investigation would move swiftly and added: "I look forward to them coming to a speedy resolution for the sake of Mr. Carlyle, his family, the officers, and for Philadelphia."
A man, who prefers to be identified only as Bob, digs a large hole to make a baby pool for his two grandchildren at the beach in Ocean City. Bob said he digs the hole every day when his grandchildren are visiting, and then he fills it in at the end of the day before they leave the beach. Read more

OCEAN CITY, N.J.  The first thing the Erickson family of West Chester does when they arrive at the beach for vacation every summer is claim their spot on the sand. They dig a big hole  about four feet wide, a couple of feet deep.

Granddad Eric Erickson, who along with nearly a dozen family members scoped out the site and dug a hole last week, calls the pursuit "an art form": not too close to the water's edge, but not too far up on the beach because the sand could be too dry.

"For us, the hole serves as a storage space for the kids' toys and a starting point for any sand castles anybody wants to build," noted grandmom Pat Erickson as the family spent a recent day on the 44th Street beach. "So long as you fill it in at the end of the day, which is what we've always told our kids to do, they're safe. We don't want to see anyone getting hurt."

That safety concern was on the minds of some beachgoers and lifeguards in New Jersey after a 30-year-old Texas woman died when she fell into a hole during a 2 a.m. walk on the beach in Ocean City, Md., on July 31. She was asphyxiated when the sand collapsed around her.

No Jersey Shore officials could recall an incident there in which a beachgoer died because they fell into a hole left by someone else.

New Jersey beach patrols have been trained to monitor the digging that beachgoers may be doing to prevent such tragedies. Many towns say they don't have laws regulating the depth of holes, but recommend that visitors limit their digging.

"By the end of the day, the beach looks like the surface of the moon with all the holes that people dig. Fortunately, we've never had an incident like the one in Maryland here, but we pay close attention when things like this happen. And we talk about it and train for dealing with it," said Ocean City Beach Patrol Lt. Matt Garbutt, 41, who has been a member of the patrol for 27 years.

During the summer season, up and down New Jersey's 127-mile coast, public works crews in every beach town make a daily ritual of "grooming" the beaches. At dawn, front end loaders and other heavy equipment rake the beaches for trash and debris and smooth out the surface, which is often pocked by holes.

"Our eyes are fixed on the water, but every now and then we scan the beach around us to make sure the digging isn't getting out of hand," said Andrew Wise, 35, who has been a lifeguard for the Ocean City Beach Patrol for about 16 years. "We've tried to learn from the incidents in other beach towns so we can prevent problems like that from happening here."

The most recent such death at the Jersey Shore happened in July 2012, when a 12-year-old boy died in Long Branch, Monmouth County, when a three-foot-deep sand tunnel he was building with his brother collapsed on him. In 2015, a 12-year-old was seriously injured in Surf City, Long Beach Island, when a hole he was digging collapsed around him.

Ocean City doesn't have an ordinance that prevents people from digging on the beach, but it dispatches beach patrol members  and sometimes police  to remind individuals not to dig any deeper than about two feet.

Area hospitals say that while they haven't necessarily seen an increase in the number of injuries related to people falling into holes on the beach in recent years, they do notice a spike in beach-related maladies like sprained ankles every year during the summer months.

But while there appear to be no national statistics on how many people are killed or injured annually from falling into such holes, a study conducted by two Boston doctors  a father and son  between 1997 and 2007 suggest that there is an "under-recognized safety risk associated with leisure activities in open-sand environments."

In a 2007 article in the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Bradley Maron, a cardiovascular specialist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, said there were 52 documented fatal and nonfatal cases during that 10-year period in which people were submerged after the collapse of a sand hole excavated for recreational purposes. The collapses were triggered by "digging, tunneling, jumping, or falling into the hole."

In the study by Maron and his father, Barry, the median age of victims was 12, the most common location was near the shoreline, and the holes were generally two to 15 feet deep. The collapses resulted in 31 deaths. The 21 sand-hole victims who lived survived because of timely rescue operations, many of them requiring CPR. Of the deaths and injuries, 87 percent of the victims were male.

The Marons wrote that the "risk of this event is enormously deceptive because of its association with relaxed recreational settings not generally regarded as hazardous."

Taking a proactive stance is something Jersey Shore towns have been discussing for years, said Scott J. Wahl, a business administrator in Avalon.

Wahl said that instead of enacting ordinances or posting rules about digging, officials in Avalon decided it was best for beach patrol members there to "have discussions with individuals" about safety issues should the digging get out of hand. Then the matter of smoothing the sand is left to public works crews.

"Public works sets the reset button every day on the beaches all summer long," Wahl said. "They smooth out the beach, collect the trash left behind, and rake the beach. They arrive just before sunup, many hours before the beaches open, to ensure a clean, safe environment."

But on a day off at the beach, why do all the work of digging a big hole?

"It's a way for man to master his environment," said Frank Farley, a Temple University psychologist and professor. "While digging a big hole looks like work for some people, for others who, in their brains, have relabeled it as `fun,' it's what they want to do when they get to the beach."

Farley said he agrees with the Marons that individuals don't always associate such activities as digging holes and building sand castles at the beach as dangerous  and may be at risk because they have their guard down.

"In this new world of the 21st century, the ante has been raised on risk," Farley said. "One of the main survival tactics of these days may be to be careful regarding issues and situations that we have never thought of as being risky  like taking a walk on the beach after midnight, or building an elaborate sand castle."
An unlikely group of superheroes gathered at a not-so-secret sanctuary in Hunting Park to celebrate their survival and to address a persistent evil in this metropolis: Gun violence.

Like the Atom or Ant-Man, the size of these superheroes belied their strength and their superhuman ability to survive what most will never experience  gunshot wounds.

For a few hours Friday, kids who were hit by stray bullets and the families of children who lost their lives to gun violence in Philadelphia gathered together in superhero costumes, capes, and T-shirts at the Lenfest Center on the 3800 block of North 10th Street for "Super Heroes Against Gun Violence."

Hosted by the mother and grandmother of 7-year-old Majah "Haji" Brown, the event coincided with the one-year anniversary of the day Haji was shot 10 times by stray bullets from an AK-47 in East Germantown. Over the course of his lengthy recovery, which has included 32 surgeries, it has been Haji's love of life, his family, and his favorite superheroes that helped him make it.

But to Haji's mother, LaPrea, and his grandmother Esther Davis, Haji is the real hero.

"We tell him he's a superhero because of all he's survived," Davis said.

That's how the event's theme emerged. Davis said they wanted to bring child shooting victims together to let them form a superhero support network for one another. The family also wanted to draw attention to cases that remain unsolved, like Haji's.

The boy was one of four children shot by stray bullets within five weeks last summer, and one of 94 juveniles shot in Philadelphia in 2016.

Judelly "JuJu" Sanchez, who was 12 when she was shot on her way to a corner store in Fairhill last August, walked into the event and promptly hoisted Haji upon herself for a piggyback ride.

"You're my new best friend," she said. "We're superheroes."

Haji's mom credits the two 14th District officers who took her son to the hospital with saving his life. She and Haji met those men, Officers Benjamin Klock and Matthew Walsh, for the first time at the event. Haji even got to try on Klock's police hat.

"For a year I've been trying to track these guys down to say thank you," Brown said. "If it wasn't for them, I don't think Haji would have made it."

Also attending were politicians, including City Councilwoman Helen Gym and U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans, as well as police brass, like department spokesman Capt. Sekou Kinebrew, who was captain of the 14th District when Haji was shot.

"That was a horrible day," Kinebrew said. "But our relationship with that area really did take off after that. Everyone recognized right away that this was everyone's fight."

Haji's shooter hasn't been captured. Kinebrew said police have "promising leads."

Superheroes and their sidekicks danced, ate cotton candy, received balloon animals, and slurped on water ice. For a few hours, they were just kids again.

Watching from the sidelines was Shyema Washington, whose 5-year-old son, Cion Styles, was killed by his father in a 2014 Ridley Township shooting that also left Washington, 29, with critical injuries.

On her shirt was an image of a child-size Iron Man. The picture was of her son, wearing his last Halloween costume. In her hand, she held a blue, flower-shape balloon. Tears flowed from her eyes.

"Mahaj came up to me and said, 'I'm sorry your son didn't make it,' and he gave me this balloon," she said.
Proposal for New Tax for International Air Travellers from Malaysia

Remember the new Malaysian Tourism Tax on Hotels? The good news is it will start from 1st September 2017 and Malaysians are not required to pay the taxes. However, there could be a new tax for International air travellers from Malaysia. It is the Malaysian Aviation Commission (Amendment) Bill 2017 which was tabled earlier in Dewan Rakyat which will allows The Malaysian Aviation Commission (Mavcom) to charge RM 1 on all International passengers from Malaysia next year including Malaysians.

According to reports from TheMalaysianReserve.com, the government will not fund any Mavcoms activities from next year so the RM 1 fee would be used to ensure continued effective operations of the commission.

Under the bill, Mavcom can also impose a maximum financial penalty of RM1 million against an individual for failure to observe its guidelines.

Any company that fails to follow the guidelines will be fined a maximum of 5% of its annual turnover from the preceding financial year.

Besides enhancing the effectiveness of Mavcom in exercising its functions, the bill will also ensure sufficient financial resources for protecting the rights and interests of consumers and aviation development.

Under the bill, the commission can administer, allocate and manage air traffic rights for both domestic and international routes.

Mavcom will also be empowered to regulate unfair and arbitrary fees and charges imposed by the aviation service providers, Ab Aziz said.

The commission may set a maximum of RM200,000 fine for a first-timer who imposes arbitrary fees and charges.

For a repeat violation, one is liable to an amount of 10 times the penalty imposed on the first-timer, he added.

Mavcom will also be given the power to issue guidelines, circulars, directives and practice notes.

The amendment is meant to facilitate the implementation of good practice in a shorter timeframe.

Mavcom is an independent body set up on March 1, 2016, to regulate economic and commercial matters relating to civil aviation.

According to Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) some 43.2 million international passengers passed through MAHB airports in Malaysia in 2016, representing an 8% increase from 2015.  https://themalaysianreserve.com/2017/08/10/international-air-travellers-pay-rm1-fund-mavcom/

We met many people when we travel Internationally and most of them either visited Malaysia decades ago or transiting in Malaysia. This applies to most of our ASEAN friends who often transit in Malaysia due to competitive airfares provided by our budget airlines like AirAsia.

With this new ruling, each traveller who transits in Malaysia will required to pay RM 1. To be fair, RM1 is not a lot and it is around US$ 20 cents. This applies Malaysians and foreigners flying out of the country.

There are no official words on the implementation of Malaysian Aviation Commission (Amendment) Bill 2017 yet. We just have to wait and see.

Wilson Ng A Father and traveler who enjoys to eat, shop, travel and taking pictures with Samsung S22 Ultra and Sony ZV-1. Im a full time blogger, youtuber and father for two. I used to travel around 17 International trips per year but now staying at home. Remember to follow us at www.instagram.com/placesandfoods and www.youtube.com/placesandfoods. For advertisements or features, contact me at [email protected] See author's posts
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Council chiefs have insisted no public money is available for the crumbling Dance Academy, as a petition demanding they take action was launched by the Palace Theatres former director of music.

Marcus Alleyne was at one time associated with the theatres restoration attempt, heading up the remarkable 150-strong community-led Palace Theatre Philharmonia and Chorus.

However, late last year he resigned his position, quickly followed by the assistant musical director, accompanist, membership secretary and entire orchestra and choir.

At the time they voice concerns about leadership of the charity who claimed to be overseeing the restoration, GO! (Great Opportunities), which was led by chief executive Heather Hunter.

The organisation lost more support over the coming months, amid concerns by advisory board members who had been brought in to help offer expertise on the restoration. Numerous businesses also came forward complaining of unpaid bills by Mrs Hunter and the GO organisation.

In March this year, GO finally pulled out of the multi-million pound renovation of the Grade II* listed Victorian theatre. Having initially claimed it would be one of the biggest volunteer-led projects in the UK by the early part of 2017 the charity blamed a four-fold cost in insurance and attacks in the local press for their woes.

The leases the charity had secured from property owner, former nightclub boss Manoucehr Bahmanzadeh, were handed back along with the keys.

A couple of weeks later a 1.5m bid was put on the table by a city entrepreneur who aimed to return the building to its former glory, but Mr Bahmanzadeh  who was jailed for nine years in 2008 for allowing the sale of class A drugs in the Dance Academy  turned it down. Instead he said he would offer it for free to the city  but only in exchange for evidence to clear his name.

To date it is not known whether anyone has stepped forward with such key information.

In late March a group of supporter, led by a Union Street businessman, met to discuss plans for the theatre, but it is understood little movement has come from these meetings.

The Union Street building has remained on The Theatres Trust endangered list  created in 2007  since 2009, when it was then cited as being empty and in a poor state of repair.

The Grade II* listed building  which has effectively been closed for business since it was raided by police in 2006 - is now considered to be in the top three of the 31 theatres the trust, a national advisory public body for theatres, fears is at risk of further damage or even complete destruction.

It was named as one of the 10 most endangered Victorian or Edwardian buildings in England and Wales by the Victorian Society.

In his online petition - which is addressed to Plymouth city Council and the Theatres Trust - Marcus said the building needs no real introduction noting how it has stood for many years as an icon at the heart of Britains Ocean City and in in serious danger of crumbling to the ground.

He wrote: Having spoken to hundreds of local supporters, national support groups and financial backers, it is time we tried to do something more to save this building.

This once stunning building has a wealth of history to offer and has been at the centre of fond memories for so many people for such a long time.

By signing this petition we are hoping that the decision makers with the local council might at least begin discussions as to how we can move forward and save this beautiful building.

Speaking to The Herald, Marcus said: Im still keen to support any restoration of the theatre and I would urge people to sign the petition to show the continued support from the people of Plymouth. Theres still a lot of positive feeling and support out there for the Palace Theatre.

The people who came forward to initially create the orchestra and choir did so because they were passionate about the building and wanted to offer support towards its restoration. They were willing to give up their time and skills to perform as a community orchestra and choir, to raise funds to help with that restoration. That passion is still there.

For many years, people have urged the council to carry out a Compulsory Purchase Order on the property, effectively taking it out of Mr Bahmanzadehs hands.

However, this idea was slapped down by council chiefs nearly a decade ago.

In 2008 Plymouth City Council told The Herald: "We have no plans to buy the building if it is put up for sale. We have to prioritise the way we spend council taxpayers' money and buying a building which we do not have any specific use for and which would cost millions of pounds to restore would not be the answer.

Given its historic importance and the fact it is on both the councils and English Heritages buildings at risk register, we are keen to support and advise any organisations or companies that come up with a viable and sustainable future for the building.

If there was any question of the building presenting a safety hazard we would need to take urgent remedial action to make it safe. In the meantime, we face the challenging task of maintaining and restoring council-owned historic buildings with the limited resources available to us.

Mr Bahmanzadeh is currently choosing not to respond to The Heralds call for comment, although it is understood he fully supports the petition.

Cllr Ian Bowyer, leader of the council, said the authoritys position on the Palace Theatre had not changed since 2008.

He said: I was the cabinet member for finance at the time and it is likely the 2008 state came via me. Nine years later as leader of the council and that position hasnt changed.

We are in an immeasurably more difficult financial decision than it was then. Since 2010 we are down 80m. If I had 80m sitting in our bank I might be able to adopt a more enlightened view but we do not have the money and we cant justify spending council taxpayers money on the Palace Theatre.

Mr Bowyer highlighted how around half of the councils budget was now being spent on the escalating costs of older adult and childrens social care and if there was a solution to the Palace Theatre problem it would have to come from some private sector-led consortium.

He said: If someone comes to us with a plan and it doesnt mean them thinking we had a bottomless pit of money, then we would do our best to help smooth that process, but I rule out the use of public money.

Weve always tried to be imaginative about driving forward projects in the city which will be of a strategic benefit to the city. As Ive said before, were open for business.

But do I consider the future of the Palace Theatre to be no that ultra-high level list of projects which are of strategic importance to the city?

The honest answer is no  not at this moment in time, unless someone can put forward a completing business case that it would be a strategic necessity to the city.

He said if somebody felt they were able to put forward such an offer it was up to them to put up or shut up.

He added: They can show their hand and we wont reject anything out of hand. As for the council using public money at this time, I would ask them [the public] to be realistic.
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After hitching a ride for 5,000 miles with a bunch of hardy sailors and a few bits of rope, 'Guzz' found a new home right here in Plymouth.

And a hundred or so years later, it looks like it's here to stay as one of city's best known nicknames.

In the 1800s Guzz, also spelt Guz, became an affectionate term for HM Naval Base Devonport and over time it's usage has expanded to refer to the city as a whole.

(Image: Steve Lewis, Royal Navy)

While we cant be certain of exactly how the nickname came about, the most convincing theory suggests it derives from an old Indian term that was coined by a group of British sailors.

A guz is an old Hindi unit of measurement equating to 36 inches  approximately one yard - most commonly used to measure fabrics, including pieces of rope.

In the late 19th century sailors from the South West referred to the Devonport Dockyard as 'The Yard'.

It's thought that at some point sailors returning from their voyages from across the world, substituted Yard with Guzz - and it's stuck ever since.

Definition: A guz is a unit of length used in parts of Asia. Historically, it was a regionally variable measurement, similar to the English yard both in size and in that it was often used for measuring textiles. Values of the guz ranged from 24 inches to 41 inches over time. Today, it is generally used in the Indian subcontinent as the word for a "yard".

*Wikipedia's definition of Guzz

Another theory is that Guzz relates to an old radio callsign for the city, although no military installation or vessel in the city has ever had a 'GUZ' callsign.

During the Second War Mount Wise in Plymouth had the callsign GZX - which its thought could account for it.

A third suggestion is that it came about following the improved dining conditions brought to Devonport Naval Base by Alphonso Jago after 1911.

Jago's system of eating in dining halls rather than mess halls meant the food on offer was much better - and sailors returning to Devonport would 'Guzzle' their meals.

Jago's system was eventually accepted across the navy.
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Former President Barack Obama, who has largely been silent during his post-presidency, spoke out on Saturday about the racially motivated terrorist attack in Charlottesville, which has resulted in at least three deaths and dozens of injuries.

On his Twitter feed, Obama quoted Nelson Mandela saying, No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion.

Tweets:

No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion pic.twitter.com/InZ58zkoAm  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 13, 2017

People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 13, 2017

For love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.  Nelson Mandela  Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 13, 2017

Obamas message of love and unity  and his clear suggestion that todays violence was racially motivated  stood in stark contrast to Trump, who said on Saturday that people on many sides were to blame for the violence in Charlottesville.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides, Trump said, emphasizing that he is not placing blame on any one group.

Trumps pathetic response to todays white supremacist violence left a gaping void of presidential leadership that the country needed to have filled, and Obama rose to the occasion to fill it.
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As so many Americans join together in shock over the events in Charlottesville, Virginia this weekend, the one thing weve repeatedly been told by sincere leaders on both sides of the aisle is that this isnt what America stands for.

This isnt us, they say.

I happen to believe that most of them truly mean it and have the genuine intention of uniting this country around a more optimistic vision of America. After all, there is little else we can do at times like these.

But is that really true? Is this really not exactly what America is right now?

In 2008, when Barack Obama was elected the first African-American president, it was a proud day for the country. In fact, many people had felt that it was the final step in eradicating racial divisions in America.

But maybe it was just the opposite.

Perhaps that historic moment nearly a decade ago  while a huge step forward in the unending work of perfecting our union  also gave oxygen to hate groups that, at the time, were beginning to fade in relevance, or were at least more ashamed to show their faces in public.

Racial tensions may have, indeed, flared up under Obama, but it was never his fault. He was a hardworking, competent, intelligent, and scandal-free president. He never took their bait; he just did his job.

That reality  the idea that a black man was succeeding in a position too many Americans didnt think he should legitimately have  gave new life to white supremacists.

Now, take the anger these bigots felt living in a country run by an effective African-American president and combine it with Donald Trump, who masterfully bottled this rising minority resentment and used it to fuel a presidential campaign.

Kicking off his candidacy by denigrating Mexican immigrants, slapping a Make America Great Again slogan on his podiums, winking and nodding about bringing law and order back to America, encouraging violence at his rallies, proposing to keep Muslims out of the country  all of these things were being said and done by an actual presidential nominee.

As a result, the racially motivated anger and hatred these people felt  many of them quietly  during Obamas tenure was brought even further out of the shadows.

They no longer had to pretend their outrage was about anything other than the growing, non-white population of the United States.

After all, if a presidential candidate  now president  can publicly hold the very same views they do about an increasingly diverse America, then why shouldnt they loudly and proudly express their own?

Why shouldnt they light up tiki torches and march through a college town shouting blood and soil, white lives matter and you will not replace us?

Why shouldnt one of them get in a car and plow through a crowd of people who were marching for a more inclusive, loving, and diverse America?

And, more importantly, whats to stop them from doing it again in a much more violent and deadly fashion?

Especially when the President of the United States  the man who has undeniably fed this toxic environment  has refused to call out this weekends madness for what it truly was: a white supremacist terrorist attack that has no place in a civilized society.

Though the vast majority of Americans  Democrats, Republicans, and independents  do not condone the racially driven terrorism and hatred we saw in Charlottesville this weekend, this is increasingly what America is becoming with Donald Trump in the White House.

The most extreme and hateful elements of this country are no longer afraid to show their ugly faces. They no longer pretend they want anything other than a country that is run by and for white people. And theyll do anything  even using the ISIS playbook  to impose their vision on the rest of us.

These are the voices that Donald Trump has inspired and emboldened through his ugly campaign rhetoric, his backward-looking policy proposals, and his repeated refusal to condemn this type of racially inspired violence in the strongest possible terms.

So long as he continues to give oxygen to these people, this is exactly what America will be, and what we saw in Charlottesville this weekend  not just the violence, but the disgusting display of proud bigotry  will likely rear its ugly head again somewhere else.

Photo via Alejandro Alvarez
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The White House is in full scramble mode, as they have released a statement from an unnamed White House official claiming that Trumps statement included white supremacists and racists.

Here is the statement that was sent to reporters from with no name attached:

Here is what Trumps statement on Saturday said, But were closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On many sides. Its been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. This has been going on for a long, long time. It has no place in America. What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives. No citizen should ever fear for their safety and security in our society, and no child should ever be afraid to go outside and play, or be with their parents, and have a good time.

This is an example of how the White House tries to spin Trumps vague words into something that they arent. If Trump wanted to condemn racists and white supremacists, he could have done so very easily. The President has never had an issue with condemning acts of Muslim extremist terrorism, so why is it impossible for this White House to specifically condemn white racist domestic terrorism?

The White House statement had no name attached because it is fake news. The same White House is telling journalists that they blame left wing mobs who were as or more violent than the racists in Charlottesville.

The administration is getting hammered with bad media coverage after Trumps statement, so they responded with some fake news that absolutely no one believes.
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The sign for Brookdale Charleston, an assisted living facility in West Ashley where a resident was killed by an alligator in July 2016. The company owns more than 20 facilities in the state, including one in Lexington County that is under investigation after allegations of abuse. File/Grace Beahm Alford/Staff
The Rev. Anthony Thompson's newly created One New Humanity Charleston Foundation will launch its inaugural revival Nov. 19, a two-day event invites people to pray for unity, peace and healing in the Holy City. Read moreHusband of Emanuel AME victim to host prayer walk, revival focused on healing
Derryck Barentine had just turned 20 and was working as a welder apprentice through a contractor at Detyens Shipyards, a ship repair yard in North Charleston. In the sprawling industrial complex, deaths due to falls, crushing and electrocution have left coworkers like him  men and women scarred by the tragedies they witnessed and the friends they lost. Read moreShipyard deaths take toll on workers left to grapple with trauma, friends lost
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  A car rammed into a crowd of protesters and a state police helicopter crashed into the woods Saturday as tension boiled over at a white supremacist rally. The violent day left three dead, dozens injured and this usually quiet college town a bloodied symbol of the nation's roiling racial and political divisions.

The chaos erupted around what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade  including neo-Nazis, skinheads, members of the Ku Klux Klan  who descended on the city to "take America back" by rallying against plans to remove a Confederate statue. Hundreds came to protest against the racism. There were street brawls and violent clashes; the governor declared a state of emergency, police in riot gear ordered people out and helicopters circled overhead.

Peaceful protesters were marching downtown, carrying signs that read "black lives matter" and "love." A silver Dodge Challenger suddenly came barreling through "a sea of people" and smashed into another car, said Matt Korbon, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student.

The impact hurled people into the air and blew off their shoes. Heather Heyer, 32, was killed as she crossed the street.

"It was a wave of people flying at me," said Sam Becker, 24, sitting in the emergency room to be treated for leg and hand injuries.

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Those left standing scattered, screaming and running for safety. Video caught the car reversing, hitting more people, its windshield splintered from the collision and bumper dragging on the pavement. Medics carried the injured, bloodied and crying, away as a police tank rolled down the street.

The driver, James Alex Fields Jr., a 20-year-old who recently moved to Ohio from where he grew up in Kentucky, was charged with second-degree murder and other counts. Field's mother, Samantha Bloom, told The Associated Press on Saturday night that she knew her son was attending a rally in Virginia but didn't know it was a white supremacist rally.

"I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trump's not a white supremacist," said Bloom, who became visibly upset as she learned of the injuries and deaths at the rally.

"He had an African-American friend so ...," she said before her voice trailed off. She added that she'd be surprised if her son's views were that far right.

His arrest capped off hours of unrest. Hundreds of people threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays. Some came prepared for a fight, with body armor and helmets. Videos that ricocheted around the world on social media showed people beating each other with sticks and shields.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer, both Democrats, lumped the blame squarely on the rancor that has seeped into American politics and the white supremacists who came from out of town into their city, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, home to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's plantation.

"There is a very sad and regrettable coarseness in our politics that we've all seen too much of today," Signer said at a press conference. "Our opponents have become our enemies, debate has become intimidation."

Some of the white nationalists at Saturday's rally cited President Donald Trump's victory after a campaign of racially charged rhetoric as validation for their beliefs.

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Trump criticized the violence in a tweet Saturday, followed by a press conference and a call for "a swift restoration of law and order."

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides," he said.

The "on many sides" ending of his statement drew the ire of his critics, who said he failed to specifically denounce white supremacy and equated those who came to protest racism with the white supremacists. The Rev. Jesse Jackson noted that Trump for years questioned President Barack Obama's citizenship and his legitimacy as the first black president, and has fanned the flames of white resentment.

"We are in a very dangerous place right now," Jackson said. McAuliffe said at Saturday's press conference that he spoke to Trump on the phone, and insisted that the president must work to combat hate.

Trump said he agreed with McAuliffe "that the hate and the division must stop and must stop right now."

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced late Saturday that federal authorities will pursue a civil rights investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice," Sessions wrote. "When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated."

Oren Segal, who directs the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, said multiple white power groups gathered in Charlottesville, including members of neo-Nazi organizations, racist skinheads and KKK factions. The white nationalist organizations Vanguard America and Identity Evropa; the Southern nationalist League of the South; the National Socialist Movement; the Traditionalist Workers Party; and the Fraternal Order of Alt Knights also were on hand, he said.

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"We anticipated this event being the largest white supremacist gathering in over a decade," Segal said. "Unfortunately, it appears to have become the most violent as well."

On the other side, anti-fascist demonstrators also gathered, but they generally aren't organized like white nationalist factions, said Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

In addition to Fields, at least three more men were arrested in connection to the protests.

The Virginia State Police announced late Saturday that Troy Dunigan, a 21-year-old from Chattanooga, Tennessee, was charged with disorderly conduct; Jacob L. Smith, a 21-year-old from Louisa, Virginia, was charged with assault and battery; and James M. O'Brien, 44, of Gainesville, Florida, was charged with carrying a concealed handgun.

Just as the city seemed like to be quieting down, black smoke billowed out from the tree tops just outside of town as a Virginia State Police helicopter crashed into the woods.

Robby E. Noll, who lives in the county just outside Charlottesville, heard the helicopter sputtering.

"I turned my head to the sky. You could tell he was struggling to try to get control of it," he said.

He said pieces of the helicopter started to break off as it fell from the sky.

Both troopers onboard, Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen, 48, and Berke M.M. Bates, one day shy of his 41st birthday, were killed. Police said the helicopter had been deployed to the violent protests in the city, which has been caught in the middle of the nation's culture wars since it decided earlier this year to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, enshrined in bronze on horseback in the city's Emancipation Park.

In May, a torch-wielding group that included prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer gathered around the statue for a nighttime protest, and in July, about 50 members of a North Carolina-based KKK group traveled there for a rally. Spencer returned for Saturday's protest, and denied all responsibility for the violence. He blamed the police.

Signer said the white supremacist groups who came into his city to spread hate "are on the losing side of history."

"Tomorrow will come and we will emerge," he said, "I can promise you, stronger than ever."

Four-hundred miles away, the mayor of Lexington, Ky., hinted that the white supremacists might get the opposite of what they'd hoped for.

Mayor Jim Gray announced on Twitter that he would work to remove the confederate monument at his county's courthouse.

"Today's events in Virginia remind us that we must bring our country together by condemning violence, white supremacists and Nazi hate groups," he wrote. "We cannot let them define our future."
What a sickening display of racism, anti-Semitism and all the rest the white nationalists served up in their demonstration over the decision to remove the statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville. According to the New York Times, the planned rally was promoted as Unite the Right, attracting groups like the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis and movement leaders like David Duke and Richard Spencer. NBC News has a good summary of events in Charlottesville yesterday here, as does the New York Times here.

Evil losers may be too strong a phrase to capture this crew, but it comes to mind in connection with the vehicular assault on counter-protesters that resulted in one death (at present) and 19 injured, five in critical condition. One James Alex Fields, all of 20 years old, has been charged with one count of second-degree murder and additional counts for those injured. The FBI and the Department of Justice have opened a civil rights investigation into the incident. As if this werent bad enough, two Virginia State Police officers were killed in a helicopter crash related to the events late yesterday afternoon.

New York Times reporter Sheryl Gay Stolberg was on the scene yesterday. She noted on Twitter: The hard left seemed as hate-filled as alt-right. I saw club-wielding antifa beating white nationalists being led out of the park. The evil losers formulation comes to mind here as well.

Byron York reviews the events and finds President Trumps statement condemning events in Charlottesville yesterday wanting. Byron writes: Nobody has an obligation to denounce every kook and racist in the country. But when a prominent racist declares, at a rally featuring people wearing your campaign slogan, that he is carrying out your agenda, and you are the president of the United States, there is an obligation to speak out. This seems fair to me.

Trump has an important contribution to make going beyond the condemnation of hatred and bigotry on many sides that he issued yesterday (video below). More needs to be said, if not just about the white nationalists and their ilk.

Incidentally, the left liberal Garry Wills said goodbye to his former friends on the right in his 1970 book Nixon Agonistes. Wills had been driven to the left by the convulsions of the 1960s in general and the civil rights movement in particular. See, e.g., Michael McDonalds brilliant New Criterion essay Wills watching.

Wills presented Robert E. Lee as a sort of moral exemplar in his chapter on the perils of Wilsonian universalism. Speaking of Lees decision to resign his command in the Union army and accept the Virginia governors request that he lead the troops of Virginia, Wills writes (pages 482-483): It is impossible to think this an immoral decision, especially when we read the anguished letters he wrote to friends justifying it[.] Like any good man of the left, Wills must have kept his opinions in tune with the times. Id be curious what he has to say about Lee today.

UPDATE: Via Politico Playbook: A WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON put out the following statement in response to questions about President Trumps remarks yesterday, per pooler Gabby Morrongiello of the Washington Examiner. The President said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry, and hatred. Of course that includes white supremacists, KKK Neo-Nazi and all extremist groups. He called for national unity and bringing all Americans together.'
Like me, you probably dont read Vogue. So you probably are under the misunderstanding that it is a glossy magazine dedicated to frivolous fashion. Wrong: it is a left-wing propaganda outlet sprinkled with photos of dresses and purses.

The magazines relentless leftism can be hilarious. Like this article: Step Aside, Idris Elba and Chris Hemsworth: Robert Mueller Is Americas New Crush.

[A]s Chelsea Handler bluntly put it on Twitter: Im starting to have a real crush on Mueller. She wasnt the only one whod felt a tingle while reading The Wall Street Journal breaking news alert. Handlers tweet about the 72-year-old grandfather was met with responses like, Intelligence is sexy; Its Mueller Time (there are now even T-shirts and trucker hats to this effect); #SilverFox; and from one man [sic], I wanna have his baby. Kindly step aside, Messrs. Idris Elba and Chris Hemsworth, because America has a deeply passionate, totally red-hot new crush, and its on Robert Mueller.

This is not parody, it is how Democrats write for a rather weird slice of their base. Since it poses as a fashion magazine, Vogue includes a picture of Mueller looking (I guess) sexy:

Of course, Mueller isnt Americas only new crush:

This hot pursuit of the truth has made Mueller hot, but hes not the only one. On the day of his much-watched testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee, James Comey drew swoons on Twitter, including suggestions he be the next Bachelor. (It seems we all have a type: former FBI directors.) And hard-charging CNN host Jake Tapper, too, has become a journalistic crush among the resistance.

Congratulations, Jake.

Vogue features a lot of dresses and accessories, but does it normally do swimsuits? Im not sure, but it hired famed photographer Annie Liebowitz to photograph one bathing beauty: the traitor Bradley Chelsea Manning:

The picture illustrates the magazines lengthy paean to Manning:

A Lambda host guides Manning down a flight of steps. The party is just starting. At one end of the space, a platform, slightly raised above the dance floor, is marked off with velvet rope. A plate of crudites awaits; Manning orders a gimlet. Shes extroverted, she says: I love being around people. While living as a man, she often went to clubs and parties, even in stodgy Washington, D.C.  Music pounds through the room, which is dim and bathed in blue and fuchsia light. As the space fills, a few brave souls approach Manning, then a few more. Soon the platform is packed with people hoping to take a flash-bleached selfie. I just wanted to say hello. Youre, like, a perfect hero.

***

Its a June afternoon, and we are sitting in a park along the Hudson River, a short walk from the sleek Tribeca building where Manning has been living since arriving in New York. Today she is dressed with a mixture of straightforward elegance and function: a casual black sleeveless Marc Jacobs dress with playful paisley lining, a small purse from The Row, Borderline boots by Vetements x Dr. Martens, andthe cinching toucha black utility belt from 5.11 Tactical, a gear company that supplies law enforcement and the military. Ive been a huge fan of Marc Jacobs for many, many years, even going back to when I was wearing mens clothing, she explains. He captures a kind of simplicity and a kind of beauty that I likeprojecting strength through femininity.

There is much more, including enough biographical information to raise the question: how did Manning, whose life was a complete mess, manage to get top secret clearance?

Vogues tribute to Manning concludes with credits not usually found at the end of a news story.

In this story: Fashion Editor: Phyllis Posnick.

Hair: Jimmy Paul for Bumble and Bumble; Makeup: Alice Lane.

Tailor: Maria Del Greco for Christy Rilling Studio.

Set Design: Mary Howard

If you dont think there is a culture war going on, think again. And virtually every institution, including ostensibly nonpolitical niche players like Vogue, is on the other side.
Two weeks ago, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported on how an Abuja home of Nigerias immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan, was burgled by police officers assigned to guard the property.

The policemen stole items valued at several millions of naira from the building located at No. 89, Fourth Avenue in the Gwarimpa District of the federal capital from March 2016.

Mr. Jonathan left power on May 29, 2015. He was deputy governor and governor of Bayelsa State and later vice president before his ascension to power as president.

Among the items stolen by the police officers were five sets of furniture, several Plasma television sets, several refrigerators, two sets of sitting room chairs, several air conditioner units and one gas cooker.

Also stolen were Niger Delta traditional attires in Ghana-must-go sacks; suits, with the inscription President Jonathan; Ghana-must-go sacks containing womens attires; a sack containing clothes that had PDP logo on them; and about 20 Niger Delta bowler hats.

The police officers sold the items piecemeal to dealers at the Panteka second-hand materials market in Tipper Garage, Gwarimpa, and other markets.

Mr. Jonathan, in a statement by his spokesperson, Ikechukwu Eze, confirmed the vandalization of his house, which he bought from CITEC in 2004. He, however, disputed the specific number of each item stolen and the number of police officers involved.

The house, which the former President bought from CITEC estate developers in 2004, was totally stripped bare by the thieves who stole every movable item in the house, including furniture sets, bed, electronics, toilet and electrical fittings, as well as all internal doors and frames, the former president said.

The police have since dismissed four sergeants over the vandalization. Those dismissed, according to the FCT Police Commissioner, Musa Kimo, areMusa Musa, F/No. 436691; John Nanpak, F/No. 235422; Ogah Audu, F/No.261898 and Gabriel Ugah, F/No. 425210.

One of the police officers, Mr. Musa, iscurrently being prosecuted and was on August 8 granted a N7 million bail by an Abuja court.

Mr. Jonathan is, however, only the latest in a growing list of prominent Nigerians who have lost money or materials to domestic aides, close associates or security guards.

Others who have suffered similar fate include Senate President Bukola Saraki, ex-First Lady Turai YarAdua, and Titi Abubakar, the wife of former vice president Atiku Abubakar.

SARAKIS ILORIN HOME ROBBERY

On June 6, 2016, the Senate Presidents home in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State was robbed and at least N12 million cash carted away.

A statement by Mr. Sarakis media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said the money was stolen from the administrative office located next door to his house.

It said that though the perpetrators could not be identified at the time, reports that the senate presidents domestic aides were responsible for the theft was not true and that the amount involved was N12 million and not N300 million.

Mr. Saraki was governor of Kwara State for eight years before he was elected senator in 2011. He became senate president in June 2015.

Unknown persons broke into the safe in the administrative office and stole the N12 million. The incident had since been reported to the police and the Kwara State Police Command is investigating the matter, with a view to nailing the culprits.

There is no truth that the money ran into hundreds of millions, that it was in foreign currency or that the incident happened in Dr. Sarakis room. The amount was simply in naira and the money has nothing to do with the Kwara State Government as being insinuated by some people.

Mr. Olaniyonu did not explain what the Senate President was doing with such volume of cash despite the governments cashless policy.

ANOTHER SARAKI CASE

In March 2017, while being paraded by the police, a dismissed operative of the State Security Service, Abdulrasheed Maigari, confessed that he stole N310 million from Mr. Sarakis home in Maitama District of Abuja in 2015.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, while parading the suspects before journalists at the Force Headquarters Abuja, gave their identities as Emeka Kelvin, gang leader; Ndubisi Prince Ozor, second in command; and Abdulrasheed Maigari, dismissed SSS official, who provided technical and logistics assistance to the gang.

Mr. Moshood said Mr. Maigari was arrested by combined operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligent Response Team IRT, and the Anti-Kidnapping Unit from the Abuja Police Command deployed to rescue the Chairman of Gateway Insurance, Isa Salami.

In his statement during the parade, Mr. Maigari said it was an army captain in charge of the security of the place that ordered the theft.

I served in operations department at Gombe and Osun Commands of the DSS before my dismissal in 2015. Before I was dismissed, I was posted to the home of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki in Maitama and in November 2015, I cant recall the exact date, said Mr. Maigari, who was nabbed for kidnapping by the police.

Three vehicles brought the N310 million into the compound and the army captain who was on ground that day ordered that we should take the money away because he suspected the money was governments money which could have been wrongly appropriated and could, therefore, be taken.

We were four DSS operatives and four army officers involved and we drove the three cars to a house in Suleja (Niger State) where the money was shared. I got N30 million and I bought a car and took it to Kaduna State where I hid the rest of my share.

I came back to Abuja, but on November 28, 2015, I was asked to report at DSS Headquarters and when I got there, I was interrogated over the theft and detained for five months, dismissed and charged to court.

Both Mr. Saraki and the DSS later accused Mr. Maigari of lying, claiming the money did not belong to the senate president.

An Abuja High Court recently granted Mr. Maigari bail after he agreed to drop his claim that the Director General of the SSS, Lawal Daura, was aiding Mr. Saraki to subvert the cause of justice.

TURAI YARADUA LOSES N91 MILLION TO HOUSEHELP

In September, 2016, one Yusuf Sarkin-Gida, a domestic servant to the family of late President Umaru YarAdua was reported to have stolen cash and property worth N91.4 million.

The money and items belonged to Turai YarAdua, the wife of the former president. Mr. YarAdua was governor of Katsina State for eight years and president for about three years.

At the time the incident was reported, the 70-year-old Mr. Sarkin-Gida had served the family for 40 years.

The police said following a complaint lodged by the YarAdua family, it arrested Mr. Sarkin-Gida.

We received a formal complaint from the YarAdua family and we invited him and investigation is still ongoing, said the Katsina State Police Commissioner, Usman Abdullahi.

It will surprise you to know that that man has been serving the family for over 40 years and the whole keys to the house are under his custody.

There are materials and raw cash that got missing. If I give you the keys to my house and I come back and see that some things are missing, who do I ask? The rough estimate of what is missing is about N91.4 million.

The suspect is the custodians of all the keys and property of Hajiya Turai YarAdua for the past 40 years. There are 37 boxes in the custody of the suspect, but only 27 boxes are in the store.

The several items in the 27 boxes are completely missing and the suspect has failed to give full explanation on the goods and items in the boxes.

It is not clear if Mr. Sarkin-Gida was ever charged to court.

TITI ABUBAKAR LOSES N910 MILLION TO BUSINESS PARTNER

In May 2017, while testifying before a Lagos State high court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, Titi, the wife of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, revealed how her business partner, Nsikakabasi Akpan-Jacobs and two others, allegedly defrauded her of N918 million.

Mrs. Abubakars husband was vice president between 1999 and 2007.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had slammed the accused with a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing and fraudulent conversion of property worth N98 million belonging to THA Shipping Maritime Services Ltd.

The company, which was reportedly established in 2000 belonged to Mrs. Abubakar, Mr. Akpan-Jacobs and Mr. Fred Holmes.

Mrs. Abubakar was said to be the majority shareholder with 49 percent shares, while Akpan-Jacobs and Holmes had 25 per cent shares each.

Mr. Akpan-Jacobs, who was also the firms managing director and secretary, was alleged to have gone to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and altered the shareholding in his favour and forging its board resolution.

In her account, she said: I thought the first defendant, being a pastor, will not defraud me. I thought that he was being genuine with me during our business dealings.

The case is still pending in court presided by Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye. In May, the judge had awarded a cost of N100, 000 against Mr. Akpan-Jacobs.

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Gaate is about an hour drive away from the Abuja municipality. But this rural settlement along the Keffi-Akwanga road in Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State could as well have been in another country. Blessed with vast arable land, majority of the residents are subsistent farmers and neither dream or feel the glitz of the Nigerian federal capital.

The community has no basic amenities, so the people depend on another community far away for even health care services as there is no facility for such in the village. Their only primary school is in ruins and the impact of this is evident as only very few of the residents attempt to communicate in English.

But change appears to be creeping into Gaate village. A cooperative farming society, Nigerian Farmers Group, NFG-CS, is raising the living standard in the community following an agreement that gave the group part of the communitys land to kick start a cooperative farming model.

We had an agreement with the cooperative to farm on our land for five years and things have improved for us ever since, Ibrahim Adamu, the village head of Gaate told PREMIUM TIMES reporter through an interpreter on Saturday.

Our major challenge is hunger due to poverty. We are local farmers and we do it on a very small scale. Before, there was no road to this place but when this cooperative came, the first thing they did was to create a road.

About 200 people from this community have been employed to work in the cooperatives farm. We plant the farm and also work as security and get paid on a daily basis. People who dont have what they do now have work and are helping their families, Mr. Adamu said.

Apart from employing our people, this cooperative also promised to build a new primary school for us as we dont have any school that is functional or even a health care centre. We really appreciate this farming initiative in our community and we support them.

Aisha Gako, a local farmer employed by the cooperative, said she is paid N1,500 daily.

Because of this farm, we can now eat and take care of our family. We plant maize and work on the farm every day after which we receive N1,500, she said.

For Ibrahim Karshi, the upturn in fortune is massive since his first taste of paid employment in the village. Doubling as a security guard and farm worker, he said he gets paid twice daily.

Im employed as a security in this farm. I used to work as a security man in Abuja; so, when this cooperative came in, I saw it as an opportunity to do the job I was doing in Abuja here in my home for a better pay. I also work at the farm.

We work from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. then go on a break and continue from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Then we guard the farm at night. I receive N1,000 as security and N1,500 for working in the farm every day.

The only challenge we are having sometimes are the Fulani herdsmen. Their cows enter the farm but we are trying to build a blockade so cows can no longer enter. There was a land dispute between us and the herdsmen which resulted to a mans hand being chopped off.

But we have resolved the issue, Mr. Karshi said.

In spite of the transformation their community is experiencing, the people say government has no reason to continue to ignore Gaate.

Adamu Baba, the youth leader of the community, who also spoke, decried governments lack of concern for the basic needs of the community.

We dont have a secondary school, we only have a primary school but its not good at all. As you can see, its not functional. There is no health care centre. We have to carry our people to far away Sabon Gida if there is any health emergency.

We have so many emergencies, which can be addressed if we have help near us. It is a problem. We have had a case where a pregnant woman lost a baby because there is no health assistant around. The government should help us and also assist this farming cooperative.

PREMIUM TIMES in June reported the launch of the cooperative farming project which is to enable urban dwelling Nigerians own and run farms.

Under the farming initiative, NFG-CS plans to cultivate 5,000 tonnes of maize by the end of two farming seasons.

We met with the village leaders and the king, we discussed with them and we paid for a five- year lease of 1000 hectares. At the end of the lease, we intend to increase it by another five years.

We dont want to buy off the land, we want to take it as a lease because we believe that over time, we will allow them to manage the process as we go to other places to open up new frontiers, Redson Tedheke, the coordinator of the group had said.

Out of the 1000 hectares said to be acquired, it was observed that about 300 hectares is already planted with rapidly growing different species of maize. The group said it is expecting about 2,500 tonnes of maize in the next few months.

Mr. Tedheke, one of the pioneers of the #occupyNASS protest against the National Assembly last year, said it is much more better to occupy the farm than the Nigerian national parliament.

Sometimes in April last year, we occupied the National Assembly and in November we did occupyNASS 2. But then, we realised that empowerment is the main problem Nigerians have, we are not empowered. If you empower Nigerians, then you give them the ability to have a voice, a political voice, a social voice and an infrastructural voice.

We then thought of the idea to empower Nigerians all over the country through farming where both the low class, middle class and the high class all have a role to play.

Through one hectare at a time, Nigerians can earn credibly with integrity and be able to say no to money in politics and what you are seeing is a result of that mindset.

Mr. Tedheke reiterated that anyone interested can acquire land on lease through their programme and have it cultivated without having to go to the field.

He said the programme is designed to develop rural communities and create employment opportunities.

When we came to Gaate, there was no road, hospital and schools. Since our aim is to empower the people, we have to carry the community along. We have more than 200 locals engaged in the farm. We pay the locals 1,500 per day from Monday to Saturday and that is N36,000 in a month.

People need to be empowered. No one will come and tell you I am giving a Mudu of rice for your vote when you earn money every day. We want to eliminate that mindset.

When the people are empowered, they start asking questions and make the government accountable.

This is the second largest farm in Nasarawa and we are barely one-year old. So, if we can have one of the largest farms in the state under one year, you can imagine what will happen in the next two to three years.

We are creating a synergy between the cooperative and the locals. We train and empower them, we promised to build a school block for them so there is almost a perfect relationship.

Apart from Nasarawa, Mr. Tedheke said the group was planning to establish farms under the programme across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.

He said the group had also established a farm in Adamawa State with the support of the state government where it is also cultivating maize and expecting 5,000 tonnes at the end of the farming season.

He, however, decried the federal governments slow response to the plight of cooperative farmers in the country.

We designed this programme to go along with the NIRSAL initiative but it didnt work out as planned. However, we didnt allow that failure to become a problem for us so we sourced private alternatives for funding. Every member pays N50,000 per hectare for a year then pays maintenance fee of N25,000 per farming season and that is how we are supporting this initiative.

We have met with the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh and we deliberated on this initiative. However, one thing is to listen and another is to act, so we cannot keep waiting for them. We have been able to convert their slow response to an advantage in the sense that where government have failed, the private sector has been able to step in with institutions coming in to invest with us.

In December 2016, what grew the American economy was soybeans so if soybeans can become the measure component of growth in an economy as big as that of America, why cant we utilise the 82 per cent arable land we have in this country to grow our economy?

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The federal government on Sunday announced that over 2.8 million primary school children in 14 states currently benefit from the school feeding programme.

The spokesperson to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, provided details of the program in an email sent to PREMIUM TIMES.

The school feeding programme is one of the major planks of the Buhari administrations social investment programmes, SIP.

The programme involves the federal government working with interested and prepared states to provide funding for feeding public primary school pupils.

In his statement, Mr. Akande listed the 14 benefitting states and said a total of N6,204,912,889 has been paid out to 14 states during the school year ending August 2017.

Read Mr. Akandes full statement below.

In fulfilment of its plan to ramp up the Social Investment Programmes, SIP, this year, the Buhari administration is now close to its target of feeding three million primary school children under the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme, one of its four ongoing SIP schemes.

Specifically, at the last count, a total of N6,204,912,889 has been paid out to 14 states during the school year ending August 2017.

The 14 states that have been covered under the School Feeding programme are Anambra, Enugu, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Zamfara, Delta, Abia, Benue, Plateau, Bauchi, Taraba and Kaduna.

So far, a total of 2,827,501 school children are currently benefiting from the School Feeding Programme, which is well on course to achieve the federal governments projection to feed over three million pupils this year.

In total, 33,895 cooks have been engaged in the communities where the schools are located across the 14 states.

Below is a breakdown of the payment to each state and the number of school children being fed under the programme.

Anambra State received a total of N693,013,300, while a total of 103,742 children have been fed thus far, with 1,009 cooks paid.

Enugu State got a total of N 571,877,400 and 108,898 children have been fed so far, with 1,276 cooks paid.

In Oyo State, a total of N490,296,800 was released by the FG for the feeding of 107,983 children, with 1.372 cooks engaged.

Osun State received a total of N1,000,394,888 for the feeding of 151,438 children. A total of 2,863 cooks were engaged in the state.

Similarly, Ogun State received a total of and N1,042,217,400 for the feeding of 231,660 schoolchildren, while a total of 2,205 cooks were paid.

For Ebonyi State, a total of N344,633,100 has been released for the feeding of 163,137 pupils so far, with a total of 1,453 cooks paid.

In the same vein, Zamfara State received a total of N402,295,600 for the feeding of 107,347 schoolchildren, while 1,127 cooks were engaged.

Delta State received a total of N225,896,300 for the feeding of 141,663 pupils. A total of 1,364 cooks were engaged in the state.

Abia and Benue states received a total of N128,763,600 and N337,157,800 respectively to feed a total of 61,316 and 240,827 pupils respectively. In Abia state, a total of 750 cooks were engaged, while 3,344 cooks were paid in Benue state.

Similarly, Plateau and Bauchi states received a total of N133,187,600 and N214,909,101 for the feeding of a total of 95,134 and 307,013 pupils respectively in the states. Also, 1,418 cooks have so far been engaged in Plateau state, with 3,261 in Bauchi state.

For Taraba State, a total of N120,284,500 was paid and 171,835 pupils have thus far been fed, with a total of 2,596 cooks paid.

Kaduna State received a total of N499,985,500 while 835,508 pupils have been fed so far. Also, a total of 9,857 cooks were paid under the programme in the state.

More states and primary school pupils across the country are expected to benefit from the feeding programme by the time schools reopen next month for a new session.

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Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has written to congratulate Uhuru Kenyatta on his re-election as the president of Kenya.

Mr Obasanjos letter, dated August 12, 2017, noted that last Tuesdays election in the East African country is not devoid of some elements of push and pull associated with recent elections in the continent.

He however said rather than see these issues as challenges, they should be used as an opportunity to bind the wound and to unite a country divided by the electoral process.

All friends of Kenya were anxious that there should be no similar violence that followed the election in 2008. So far, so good and thanks to God, Mr Obasanjo, a two-time head of state of Nigeria wrote.

May I crave your indulgence to suggest that for stability of democracy in Kenya and for the interest of the people of Kenya as a whole, that the allegations of manipulation of results in the process of transmission should be thoroughly investigated with an appropriate measures taken to ensure integrity of future elections, as may be necessary, he added.

Pockets of violence have erupted after Mr kenyatta was declared winner of the election having scored 54.3 percent of total vote cast.

No fewer than 10 people, including a child, have been shot after protesters took to the streets.

The countrys opposition has rejected the result calling it a charade and a disaster.

We are not going to be party to it. Our issues have not been addressed. One can conclude they [electoral commission] are not keen on taking our concerns seriously,said Musalia Mudavadi, a senior official of the opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) and former Kenyan vice president.

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The Federal Government says it will come up with security plans that will guarantee the safety of lives and property in worship centres across the country.

Chris Ngige, Minister for Labour and Employment, said this in Amakwa, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo council when he led a delegation to commiserate with the people and government of Anambra on Saturday over last weeks attack in a church.

The delegation was led to St. Philips Catholic Church by Nkem Okeke, Deputy Governor of Anambra and Hillary Okeke, the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese.

Mr. Ngige said the Federal Government would cooperate with Anambra to ensure that the culprits were brought to book.

The minister, who described the attack as heinous, wicked and sacrilegious, said the delegation would report back to the presidency.

He said the Federal Government would also work out a security framework that would protect worshipers anywhere in the country.

Mr. Ngige, who was briefed by the Bishop and Parish Priest of the church, Jude Onwuaso, said efforts would be made to forestall future recurrence.

In his remarks, the deputy governor said the church was praying for the repentance of the perpetrators.

He said the government and the security agencies could go ahead with the hunt for the culprits, but as Christians, the diocese was praying that the masterminds should change their ways.

He called for prayers and support for the victims either directly to the affected families or through the church through its Victims Support Fund.

Other members of the delegation included the Minister of State for Education, Anthony Anwukah, the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and the Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jubrin.(NAN)

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The Nigeria Police Force says it has detained and tried two of its personnel in orderly room for alleged reckless shooting in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that a video in circulation on social media showed two police officers allegedly shooting into the air on the street in a moving vehicle in Lagos.

The Head of Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit, PCRRU, Abayomi Shogunle, told NAN that following complaints by members of the public, the case was immediately registered by the unit.

On August 1, PCRRU was notified about a video in circulation on social media in which some men alleged to be policemen were seen shooting in the air on the street in a moving vehicle, Mr. Shogunle said.

He said that the Commissioner of police in charge of Police Mobile Force at the Force Headquarters, had identified the men following the directive of the Inspector-General of Police.

Mr. Shogunle said that the incident happened on July 31 at 5 p.m. along the Murtala Mohammed International Airport road in Lagos.

He explained that the two police officers who were attached to the 20 Police Mobile Force Squadron, and were attached to a private security company, Infinity Security Company.

Mr. Shogunle said that a popular Nigerian Musician, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, engaged them to provide escort for him to his house while returning from abroad.

Along the way as seen in the video which has been confirmed from investigation, the two policemen involved started shooting into the air for no just cause.

They have been identified and they have been in detention since then because investigation was conducted and after that they have been tried in orderly room and punishment has been recommended.

We are only waiting for the appropriate police authority to review the punishment then we will make the full details known to the public.

One thing is clear that the conduct of those policemen as seen in that video is unacceptable, that is not part of what our officers should be engaged in.

They are no longer involved in any duty where they will carry any weapon. They will be in detention until the process is over before they will be released.

Investigation has shown that they have no justifiable reason to have expended or fire their weapons into the air, he said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Shogunle has assured members of the public that officers dismissed for corruption would also be prosecuted in court in line with the Inspector-General of Polices directive.

Apart from dismissal, we are also going to see the prosecution of such unethical officers in the court of law, he said.

The PCRRU was established by the Nigeria Police Force in November 2015, with a mandate to receive and resolve cases of professional misconduct brought against its officers.

(NAN)

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The Nigeria Police Force on Sunday said it had a valid search warrant to search AFEX Commodities Exchange Limited warehouse in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, recalls that the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh and his predecessor, Akinwumi Adesina, now AFdB president, accused the police of raiding the companys warehouse, carting away N85 million worth of grains.

The Head of Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit, PCRRU, Abayomi Shogunle, told NAN in Abuja that immediately the PCRRU got wind of the allegations from the two ministers, it registered the case on July 15 and began investigation.

According to Mr. Ogbeh on his Twitter page obtained from the PCRRU, The raid on AFEX warehouse by alleged policemen is an attack on our efforts at driving agriculture to attain food security.

Similarly, Mr. Adesina on his Twitter page said, Sad AFEX Nigeria ransacked by police for no reason. AFEX is a first exchange doing so well to support farmers.

The Police in Katsina acted according to the laws of the land in protecting framers who complained that their products worth N66 million was collected from them since January and could not get their balance, Mr. Shogunle, an assistant commissioner of police, said.

He said that following the allegation, the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, directed the Commissioner of Police, CP, in Katsina, Usman Abdullahi, to investigate the allegation.

Mr. Shogunle explained that Mr. Abdullahi sent his response and the officials of the company, led by the Managing Director, Ayodeji Balogun, were invited by the PCRRU to Abuja.

He said that after the meeting with the unit, the CP also had a meeting with them where the reason for police action was further explained.

Mr. Shogunle explained that on May 17, a group of traders and farmers petitioned the CP of Katsina, alleging that Diversified Consulting Ltd. represented by Sani Usman and Haruna Abubakar, bought grains worth N 66 million and promised to pay in two to four days in January.

From this time up till May, they were unable to get their money after being paid N10 million by the company leaving a balance of N56 million.

Under the Penal Code in operation in Northern Nigeria, such conduct constitutes a criminal Offence as stipulated by the Penal Code.

There was a criminal complaint to the police in Katsina, and the police arrested the people involved and charged them to court, he said.

He said that one of the suspects was convicted and he confessed to the police and the court accepting that they collected the grains.

Mr. Shogunle said the convict further said that they were unable to pay because the Managing Director of the company was serving a jail term in Kirikiri prison in Lagos.

He said that upon the confession of the convict that the goods were taken to Kano, Jos and Zaria, the court issued a search warrant for the police to recover the items.

The police went to the warehouse based on the confession of the suspect in the court and the complainants identified their produce.

Upon reporting to the court, it gave an order to release the produce on bond to the rightful owners who happened to be the complainants in the case.

One good thing about produce is that group of cooperative societies have markings on their produce for easy identification, he said.

He said that the cases of other set of suspects were still pending in another court in Katsina where they also confessed to the police that they collected some produce from the complainants.

Throughout our interaction with AFEX, it has not produced any document to show that the produce belonged to them.

AFEX is yet to produce any document to show the source of those products whether they bought them from somebody or group of persons or evidence of transfer of money to show they bought it from somebody, he said.

He said that the police would not fold their hands and watch innocent citizens, farmers being cheated or being chased out of business by a big corporation that has refused to pay them their money.

The Nigeria Police Force will continue to support the efforts of the Federal Government in ensuring food security and that we have just demonstrated by helping the poor in Katsina recover their produce.

We cannot say that people should not express their opinion but they should always find out from the police before making comments like this, he said.

The PCRRU was established by the Nigeria Police Force in November 2015, with a mandate to receiving and resolving cases of professional misconduct brought against its officers.

(NAN)

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The federal government on Sunday assured the UN of its commitment to respect and safeguard diplomatic status of the organisations personnel and property in Nigeria.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement by its acting spokesperson, Jane Adams, said that the assurance was sequel to the military search of the UN premises in Maiduguri, Borno on August 11.

The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Edward Kallon, had on August 11 expressed concern over the unauthorised search of a UN base for humanitarian workers in Maiduguri by security forces.

The Ministry expressed the federal governments regret over the incident noting that government recognised its obligations under international humanitarian law and principles which protect all humanitarian organisations.

The federal government, however, noted with satisfaction the success of the collaborative efforts by the Nigerian Army, the Borno governor and the UN team in Nigeria.

It also noted the efforts to re-establish trust, confidence and cooperation, between the Nigerian Army and the UN in Maiduguri.

The federal government appreciates the vital support being provided by the UN and other humanitarian organisations in addressing the humanitarian crisis in the north-east of the country, the spokesperson said.

She said government would continue to take all necessary measures to respect and safeguard the neutrality of these institutions and the diplomatic status of the UN personnel and property in Nigeria.

(NAN)

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The National Management Emergency Agency, NEMA, on Sunday said it had evacuated 121 displaced Nigerians from Cameroon.

The Information Officer, NEMA North-East, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, said in a statement that the displaced persons were evacuated to Maiduguri.

Mr. Ibrahim said that the displaced persons fled their homes in the wake of Boko Haram attack in Ngala local government area of the state.

About 121 displaced persons of Ngala Local Government Area returned from Cameroun through Mubi in Adamawa State.

The returnees were transported back to Maiduguri accompanied by officials of NEMA and State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), he said.

Mr. Ibrahim added that the displaced persons were camped at an Internally Displaced Person (IDP) camp in Gubio.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalled that over 46, 000 persons had returned to Nigeria from Cameroun in the past months.

The displaced persons were currently taking shelter at various IDP camps at Banki and Maiduguri.

(NAN)

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The Kwara lndependent Electoral Commission has said that it would not use card readers for the November 4 council polls in the state.

The commission s chairman, AbdulRahman Ajidagba, made this known at a meeting with representatives of registered political parties in his office in Ilorin on Friday.

The chairmanship and councillorship elections into the 16 local governments have been scheduled for November.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that Mr. Ajidagba said that the state was not financially buoyant to acquire card readers for the council polls.

We abandoned the use of card readers for the local government elections to avoid hitches that may occur from the machines while the elections are in progress, he said.

The Kwara electoral commission boss, however, promised a credible, reliable and fair election even without the card readers.

He described the political parties as the major players in the conduct of the election, solicited their cooperation and support for the success of the exercise.

He also advised the representatives of the parties not to incite the electorate before , during and after the elections , saying no credible poll could be achieved in an atmosphere of chaos and acrimony or violence.

He said the commission would soon release the time table for the polls to enable stakeholders to fully prepare for the exercise.

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The political rivalry between Governor Udom Emmanuel and the Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Nsima Ekere, intensified last week, no thanks to the programme brochure circulated during the church thanksgiving service organised by Mr Ekere in his Ikot Abasi hometown, Akwa Ibom State.

The church service, held on Sunday, July 23, at the Methodist Church Nigeria, was conducted by the Methodist Prelate, Samuel Uche, who admonished the nations politicians to think more of service to the people and less of their own personal benefit.

The Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, the former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah, and the Managing Director, Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority, Umana Umana, were among dignitaries who attended the event.

The programme brochure had a photo of Mr. Emmanuel on one of its pages. But some state officials and supporters of the governor described the photo as demeaning.

Those who complained about it said it wasnt the official photo of Mr Emmanuel and that it was deliberately published to belittle the governor.

The governors people also complained that neither the prefix His Excellency or Mr was added to the governors name on the brochure.

The issue, which degenerated into a political war between supporters of Messrs. Emmanuel and Ekere, turned Facebook, as usual, into a battleground, with supporters from both sides attacking one another.

The local newspapers joined too with story headlines that revealed where their political loyalty lies.

And then came what was reported to be the official reaction of the Akwa Ibom State government.

The Punch newspaper quoted the Commissioner for Information in the state, Charles Udoh, as saying that publishing an unofficial photo of Mr Emmanuel and not attaching His Excellency or Mr to the governors name was the latest evidence of the NDDCs hostility towards the state government.

The statement attributed to Mr Udoh by the Punch read thus: It was discovered at the just concluded event that, while the compliments of, His Excellency, Sir and KJW, were attached to the name of Ekere (the NDDC MD and a former deputy governor of the state), the governor, Emmanuel, was simply addressed as Udom Gabriel Emmanuel on page five of the programme, without the corresponding titles and prefix.

Ekere also attracted criticisms over his pettiness as captured in the programme, when he presented the governor in a tired and casual mood by refusing to use the governors official portrait, while presenting himself in a dignified robe.

If Ekeres first act was to be regarded as a mere typographical error, what justification would be offered for his refusal to use the governors official portrait? And why was the blunder in the programme particularly committed?

When PREMIUM TIMES contacted the commissioner for information, he denied issuing the statement.

They obviously manufactured the statement accredited to me, the commissioner said.

The committee which planned the thanksgiving service for Mr Ekere came out with a statement to explain what went wrong.

One, the omission of His Excellency from the Governors name was a mistake on the part of the printer, the Chairman of the planning committee, Micah Umoh, said in the statement. As a committee, we take responsibility and regret this mistake.

Two, the accusation that the governors wrong photograph was used is baffling because it is the same photograph we have seen used severally in state government programmes, Mr Umoh said.

Mr Umoh, a former House of Representatives member, said in the statement that it was wrong to accuse Mr Ekere of demeaning the governor.

We are aware that Sir Ekere holds the office of Governor of Akwa Ibom State and the eight other member-states of NDDC in high esteem. That was why we sent two official invitations to the Governor for the thanksgiving service and Sir Ekere followed up by personally calling the Governor to invite him.

We are aware that the Governor promised to attend the event. Why the Governor neither attended the event nor sent any representative, unlike his counterparts in the Niger Delta region, is not known to us. Certainly, it could not have been because of the omission of His Excellency from his name and non-usage of a particular photograph.

Sir Ekere had given the committee firm instruction that he wanted to thank God for His bountiful blessings on him and his family and nothing more.

He insisted that no political or social group be allowed to hoist any banner or poster within the area. We followed his instructions to the letter. It is, therefore, amusing to see this needless and unsuccessful attempt to politicize the thanksgiving service, Mr Umoh said.

The seeming animosity between Mr. Emmanuel and Mr. Ekere obviously has much to do with the 2019 governorship election in the state.

Although he has not publicly declared his interest to run for governor, most people, including the governor and his political associates, see him as the most likely flag-bearer for the All Progressives Congress in 2019.

Apart from the frequent bickering between the state government and the NDDC over projects executed in the state by the commission, Mr Ekere has been frequently attacked by local newspapers that are either loyal or sympathetic to Governor Emmanuel.

Nduese Essien, a former minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, was among the many supporters of Governor Emmanuel who graced the thanksgiving service.

Mr. Essien explained to PREMIUM TIMES why he attended it.

Nsima Ekeres programme was not a political gathering; it was a decision of the family to thank God for all what has happened to their son, the elevation he has had. So, they invited friends of the family and I as a long standing friend of the family was invited. I attended it because it had no business with politics.

Mr. Essien continued: I will also want to advise that we in Akwa Ibom should not attach political connotations to every action or inaction of people. Let us distinguish between politics and governance.

Nsima Ekere is the MD of the NDDC. And the NDDC is established for the development of the nine states of the Niger Delta region, it is not established for any political party. So, we cannot throw it away because it is now being headed by an APC chieftain.

We should be able to relate with the MD of the NDDC and get whatever benefits we can derive from the commission, particularly on the grounds that Akwa Ibom has not been so lucky with the nominees we sent to the commission in the past.

If we have someone like Nsima Ekere at the helms of the NDDC, we should allow him to attempt to redress the past losses of Akwa Ibom. The same way too we should allow the governor of the state to concentrate on governance until the time comes for politics which will be the early part of next year.

Mr. Essien said he did not notice the problem with the programme brochure until much later after the event when his attention was drawn to it by peoples comments.

That is unfortunate, he said.

I dont know the basis why the governor was not given due recognition. The governor is the governor whether we like it or not.

Franklyn Isong, a journalist and public affairs analyst in Uyo, said it was needless for the controversy to drag on since the planning committee for the thanksgiving had apologized.

He said the NDDC chief has been absolved by the statement of the planning committee that the error in the brochure was from the printer.

Mr Isong, who is a member of Uyio Ikpa Isong Ibibio, an influential council of traditional rulers in the state, told PREMIUM TIMES, There is no politics that should have made the governor stay away from the event.

He should have sent a representative, at least, he said.

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A faction of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, on Sunday warned the federal government that re-arresting pro-Biafran Leader, Nnamdi Kanu, could lead to a crisis unprecedented in the history of the country.



Mr. Kanu, leader of another pro-Biafran group, Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, was arrested and detained by the federal government for alleged treason in 2015.



He was granted bail earlier this year with some conditions, which include that he must not be seen in a crowd of more than 10 persons and he must not address press conference or interviews, conditions he has serially flouted.



He also backed a one-day seat at home protest by Igbos in the South-east and South-south of the country to press home their demand for a separate Biafran country.



The seat-at-home protest was largely successful especially in the South-east, a situation that heightened the already charged political atmosphere in the country.



Lately, various groups including the Arewa Youth Assembly have called on security agencies to re-arrest Mr. Kanu for inciting statements.



But, MASSOB, in a statement by the factional leader, Uchenna Madu, warned that if Mr Kanu is re-arrested, the country may not recover from the crisis such action will generate.



MASSOB warns that any attempts or plan to re arrest Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will be thoroughly and massively resisted. We can never tolerate it. It is an insult and embarrassment to our inalienable Rights. We shall collapse Nigeria if he is arrested.



Now that we know that our consistency and exposure of the hidden truths is dangerously frustrating, disorganising and killing their age long agendas against the people of Biafra, we shall never relent or surrender, Mr Madu stated.



Earlier in June, PREMIUM TIMES reported how another faction of MASSOB condemned Mr. Kanus use of hate speech.

MASSOB had existed for 18 years without violence, but in 2009, I went to London and opened Radio Biafra and handed it over to Nnamdi Kanu as the director, another MASSOB leader, Ralph Uwazurike, said.

Soon afterwards, politicians hijacked him, and he started working for them.

The radio that was meant to educate our people and advise our people was turned into the source of hate messages, blackmail, intimidation and others.

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The All Progressives Congress, APC, Deputy National Chairman (South), Olusegun Oni, has denied holding secret meetings with leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to achieve his 2018 gubernatorial ambition in Ekiti.

Mr. Oni, also a former governor of Ekiti, said his while addressing a news conference in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday.

He said that he had never had a one-on-one with the PDP National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Ahmed Makarfi, in his life.

He also denied holding any secret meetings with Governor Ayodele Fayose at any hotel in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Mr. Oni was reacting to rumours that he was holding secret meetings to discuss the possibility of crossing over to the PDP to realise his 2018 gubernatorial ambition.

Mr. Oni had recently declared his intention to contest the next gubernatorial seat in the state, as the tenure of the current administration will end in October, 2018, while the election is expected to hold by mid-2018.

He decried what he called attacks from within by those allegedly uncomfortable with his ambition to vie for the governorship seat next year.

He alleged that some people had been assigned to pull him down by all means, saying the alleged attacks were only making him become more popular.

Mr. Oni, who said he was not desperate to become governor again, stressed that the fate of all aspirants jostling for the partys ticket would be decided by delegates at the partys primary.

He also denied holding any meeting with the PDP National Caretaker Committee Chairman, Ahmed Makarfi, in Ifaki-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area.

The former governor urged his supporters and the people of the state not to believe the rumour and hate campaign being mounted against him by people he described as faceless individuals on the social media.

He said that such rumours would not distract him, but make him to be more focused on selling his ideas on how he intended to make Ekiti better to the electorate

Some individuals have written a petition against me to the partys national secretariat demanding that I step down immediately as Deputy National Chairman (South).

But, it is like these individuals have forgotten that the partys constitution allows me to remain in that post until one month before the primaries.

The attacks are from within the party and most of them are coming from the social media, but I am not bothered at all because whatever that will be good will be rough initially.

I am very much aware that some people have been given the assignment to pull me down, but I put my trust in God and at the end, good will triumph over the evil.

I want to say categorically that I will not be discouraged.

Anybody who does not want Oni will either contest against him or support any aspirant. I am not desperate to be governor, and I will leave (my post) when the (party) constitution says I should leave.

By saying that I met Fayose in a hotel in Lagos and Makarfi in my house in Ifaki-Ekiti, these people are over-rating me and I feel honoured.

The last one-on-one I had with Gov. Fayose was a day after Gen. Adebayo was buried when I brought the invitation from the Borisade family to officially notify him of his demise and to also congratulate him on the honour done Baba Adebayo.

I have never had a one-on-one with Makarfi and if they are saying he was in my home, I feel honoured.

Those saying this have nothing to sell, but I have told my people not to abuse or attack anybody; if they have the product that is sellable, they should continue to sell it, he said.

(NAN)

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Applebees restaurants in South Jersey are safe from the chopping block, franchise CEO Greg Flynn said Friday.

DineEquity, the parent company of the Applebees Neighborhood Grill & Bar brand, announced Thursday it expects to close as many as 135 restaurants across the country.

Apple American Group, a subsidiary of Flynn Restaurant Group, wanted to assure our valued guests and employees that this announcement in no way affects franchised Applebees locations that we own and operate, Flynn wrote in a statement Friday.

Apple Americans Applebees locations include Hammonton, Vineland, Mays Landing, Somers Point and Atlantic City. The Flynn group owns and operates 477 Applebees, 274 Taco Bell and related Yum! Brand restaurants and 130 Panera Bread bakery-cafes.

Apple American Group is supported by the strong financial footing of Flynn Restaurant Group and has no plans to close any restaurants at this time, Flynn said.

During Thursdays quarterly earnings call, DineEquity announced 105 to 135 Applebees restaurants could close, up from a previous expectation of 40 to 60. The casual-dining giant also said it has plans to open 20 to 30 new restaurants worldwide.

We believe 2017 will be a transitional year for Applebees, and we are making the necessary investments for overall long-term brand health and expect to see improvement over the next year, said Richard J. Dahl, DineEquity Inc. chairman and interim CEO.

DineEquity is based in Glendale, California, and operates more than 3,700 IHOP and Applebees locations in 18 countries. According to its website, 99 percent are franchised through more than 400 franchisee partners.
Initiated by Senator Roy Blunt, the delegation paid a visit to one of the centers of the MEK in Albania to meet with Mrs. Maryam Rajavi the president elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran.

The Senate delegation in this meeting was comprised of Senators Roy Blunt, Vice President of the Republican Conference, and member of the Appropriation, Select Intelligence, Rules and Administration, and Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committees; John Cornyn, the Majority Whip, and a member of the Judiciary, Select Intelligence, and Finance committees; and Thom Tillis, a member of the Armed Services, Judiciary, Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and Veterans Affairs committees.

In this meeting they discussed the situation of the members of the Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) in Albania, the latest developments in Iran and the Middle East as well as solutions to end to current crisis in that region.

According to a statement issued by the Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, led by Senator Blunt, the delegation congratulated the safe and secure relocation of all Camp Liberty residents outside of Iraq and wished them success in their struggle for democracy and human rights in Iran. Having undertaken extensive efforts to ensure the security of MEK members in Camp Liberty, Iraq, and their transfer outside that country in previous years, Senator Blunt described the relocation as a major victory for the Iranian people and Resistance and lauded the efforts of Maryam Rajavi and the Iranian Resistance for the success of this major mission.

Maryam Rajavi thanked the Senators for their decisive position vis-a-vis the Iranian regime, especially the adoption of a new resolution which imposed sanctions on the clerical regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) for human rights abuses, the ballistic missile program, and the export of terrorism. She expressed gratitude for the efforts of the U.S. Senate, particularly Senator Blunt, regarding the protection of thousands of MEK members in Camp Liberty, Iraq, and their safe relocation to Albania.

Maryam Rajavi emphasized that contrary to the propaganda by the Iranian regimes apologists, the ruling theocracy was rotten to the core and very fragile. Without foreign support, especially the policy of appeasement pursued in the U.S. and Europe, it would not have survived so long. She added that regime change in Iran is necessary and within reach because a viable and democratic alternative exists. Maryam Rajavi said equating regime change by the Iranian people for democracy with war and instability in the region is a sheer lie, the source of which is the Iranian regimes lobby in western capitals. They demagogically turn the truth on its head, she noted, adding that the overthrow of the Tehran regime was a prerequisite to ending crisis and war in the Middle East.

Maryam Rajavi underscored the need for imposing comprehensive sanctions on the Iranian regimes banking and oil sector, expelling the IRGC and its affiliated militias from Syria, Iraq, and other regional countries, taking urgent steps to punish the regime for widespread political executions, especially the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners, setting up a commission of inquiry to investigate this major crime against humanity with the aim of bringing to justice the perpetrators, and recognizing the aspirations of the Iranian people and Resistance to overthrow the ruling religious tyranny and to establish freedom and democracy, and a republic based on the separation of religion and state, gender equality, and a non-nuclear Iran.

The Senate delegation also met with a number of MEK members as well as witnesses to, and victims of, the Iranian regimes atrocities in Iran and camps Ashraf and Liberty.
The Cumberland County Prosecutors Office has determined a 2005 shooting by a police officer was legally justified, according to a news release.

It was the Prosecutors Offices second review of the shooting of Hector Rodriguez, who was confronted by Bridgeton police in an alleyway after fatally stabbing his brother-in-law on May 8, 2005.

According to previous Press reports, Rodriguez struck Patrolman Ryan Shinn in the temple with a sharp object. In order to prevent Rodriguez from gaining access to his service weapon, Shinn shot Rodriguez once in the right shoulder, prosecutors said.

The bullet ricocheted off Rodriguezs shoulder blade and into his spine, causing him to become paralyzed, prosecutors said. Rodriguez died 10 years later, and the medical examiner determined his death was caused by the gunshot wound, the news release states.

A 2005 investigation by the Prosecutors Office determined Shinn was justified in the shooting. In the second review, following Rodriguezs death, the Prosecutors Office determined the facts to be undisputed that the officer acted in a manner consistent with the New Jersey attorney generals use of force policy and with legal justification, the news release states.
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WASHINGTON, Aug. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned an apparent terror attack on anti-racist protesters at a gathering of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, the KKK, and other racists in Charlottesville, Va.

[NOTE: A representative of CAIR's New York chapter joined clergy and faith leaders in Charlottesville to show spiritual opposition to the racist rally. CAIR-NY Board Member Sahar Alsahlani was on hand to offer pastoral care immediately after today's apparent terror attack.]

Hundreds of racists from around the nation attended the "Unite the Right" rally on Saturday, to challenge the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a city park. One person was killed and at least 26 were injured when a car drove into a crowd of people peacefully protesting the racist rally.

Last week, CAIR condemned the racist rally and urged cities nationwide to remove Confederate memorials.

SEE: CAIR Condemns Planned White Supremacist Rally in Virginia, Urges Rejection of Confederate Memorials Nationwide

https://www.cair.com/press-center/press-releases/14520-cair-condemns-planned-white-supremacist-rally-in-virginia-urges-rejection-of-confederate-memorials-nationwide.html

Earlier today, President Trump blamed "many sides" for the violence between the anti-racist protesters and white supremacists in Charlottesville and failed to specifically repudiate the white supremacists, neo-Nazis or the KKK who organized the "Unite the Right" rally.

SEE: Trump Blames 'Many Sides' for Violence in Charlottesville

http://time.com/4898272/donald-trump-charlottesville-violence-rally/

In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:

"We condemn this apparent act of domestic terrorism targeting anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, and urge all Americans to denounce the racists and Islamophobes brought to that city by the 'Unite the Right' rally.

"Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe today rightly called out the 'white supremacists and the Nazis' -- saying 'go home, you are not wanted. . .shame on you, you pretend that you are patriots, but you are anything but a patriot' -- something President Trump failed to do in his weak reaction to the terror attack.

"President Trump's reluctance to both denounce the act of terrorism and to call out the white supremacist and racists groups by name constitutes a failure of moral leadership and sends the wrong message to newly-empowered racist groups nationwide."

GOP Sen. Marco Rubio echoed CAIR's views when he tweeted: "Very important for the nation to hear @potus describe events in #Charlottesville for what they are, a terror attack by #whitesupremacists"

CAIR said it has witnessed an unprecedented increase in hate incidents targeting members of minority groups since the election of Donald Trump.



SEE: American Mosques -- and American Muslims -- are Being Targeted for Hate Like Never Before

http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/nation-world/article/American-mosques-and-American-Muslims-are-11742354.php

The Washington-based civil rights and advocacy organization urges community members to report any bias incidents to police and to CAIR's Civil Rights Department at 202-742-6420 or by filing a report at: http://www.cair.com/report

CAIR recently launched an app to share critical "know your rights" information and to simplify the process to report hate crimes and bias incidents. CAIR is urging American Muslims and members of other minority groups to download the app and utilize this resource to stay informed and empowered.

For a quick download of CAIR's civil rights app, click here: http://www.cair.com/app

CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

La mision de CAIR es mejorar la comprension del Islam, fomentar el dialogo, proteger las libertades civiles, capacitar a los musulmanes estadounidenses, y construir coaliciones que promuevan la justicia y la comprension mutua.

CONTACT: CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]

SOURCE Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR)

Related Links

http://www.cair.com


The ceremony reached far beyond the guests attending, as Crystal livestreamed the occasion via its Facebook Live feed, effectively welcoming travelers from all over the globe to witness Crystal Skye's debut. Rodriguez and Upchurch both expressed sentiments of appreciation for the massive collaboration executed by all teams involved in the creation of the groundbreaking aircraft, as well the outlook for Crystal Skye's significance to the travel industry overall. Following their remarks and the breaking of champagne against the aircraft's hull, Rodriguez welcomed guests aboard Crystal Skye to see the signature design touches and luxurious space first hand.

"As Crystal continues to innovate new experiences that appeal to a growing audience of luxury travelers around the world, we are proud to support the vision and ambition shared by Edie Rodriguez and all the experts at Crystal, and we celebrate the milestone of Crystal Skye's introduction to the world," says Chairman Tan Sri KT Lim.

"It is tremendously rewarding to officially welcome Crystal Skye to the Crystal fleet, as she represents a bold new venture for our company, effectively creating an entirely new category of luxury travel in the industry," says Rodriguez. "Beyond Crystal's own award-winning fleet and internationally acclaimed brand of luxury, this aircraft pushes the boundaries of bespoke chartered aviation industry-wide."

She continues, "It is fitting that such a revered leader in luxury travel would christen a vessel that will set an entirely new standard in the industry; and even more so that her godfather would be a member of the travel professional community. We're delighted to collaborate with Matthew for this milestone occasion, and to continue collaborating with all of our travel agent partners when Crystal Skye takes to the skies."

"It is an incredible honor to be named godfather of Crystal Skye, an aircraft that carries forward Crystal's longstanding commitment to excellence," says Upchurch. "Virtuoso has enjoyed a strong partnership with Crystal Cruises since the launch of its first ship, and the company has been named a favorite amongst our advisors for the service and experience our clients enjoy with Crystal. As Crystal diversifies its offerings, we look forward to supporting their efforts, just as they continue to support the travel advisor community and Virtuoso."

With a spacious design for up to 88 guests, Crystal Skye is appointed with features rarely found in even the most luxurious private jets. She has the highest crew to passenger ratio of any twin-aisle aircraft and a non-stop range of 19.5 hours, allowing travelers to explore the far reaches of the earth while enjoying the personalized service for which Crystal is renowned worldwide. Bespoke Crystal Exclusive Class seats are designed for maximum personal space and ergonomic comfort, and convert to 180-degree lie-flat beds. The expansive social lounge with stand-up bar fosters friendly camaraderie among luxury travelers. Cuisine will be prepared by an executive chef, in two state-of-the-art galleys and paired with an elegant premium wine list from the Crystal SkyeCellar.

Boeing 777 Crystal Skye is operated for Crystal AirCruises by Comlux Aruba NV. For charter inquirers, please contact in the U.S. 855-207-2778 and/or 1-786-971-1010 (international calls); and in China 86-400-800-0348 and Hong Kong 852-2378-5760.

By sea, river, land and air, Crystal has redefined the way the world views luxury travel. Celebrating 27 years of excellence, Crystal Cruises is the World's Most Awarded Luxury Cruise Line, having earned "World's Best Cruise Ship" in Conde Nast Traveler's Reader Choice Awards for 23 years; been voted "World's Best Large Ship Cruise Line" by Travel + Leisure readers for 20 years; and the "Best Luxury Cruise Line" by travel professional organization Virtuoso for three consecutive years (2014, 2015 & 2016). The readers of Travel + Leisure also voted Crystal River Cruises the "World's Best River Cruise Line" and Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises the "World's Best Small-Ship Cruise Line" in 2017. The Crystal experiences include Crystal Cruises, Crystal Yacht Expedition Cruises, Crystal Luxury Air, Crystal River Cruises  The World's Most Luxurious River Cruise Line  Crystal AirCruises and Crystal Exclusive Class with Crystal Residences. Crystal is proud to be a platinum partner of the professionals of ASTA.

For more information and Crystal reservations, contact a travel agent, call 888.799.2437, or visit www.crystalcruises.com. Join the hundreds of thousands who follow the Crystal Cruises' Facebook page and @crystalcruises on Twitter and Instagram, and engage in the conversation with #crystalcruises.

CONTACT: Susan Robison Prin Bacalan

Director, Global Public Relations Finn Partners







(310) 203-4305 [email protected]

[email protected]



SOURCE Crystal AirCruises
DALLAS, Aug. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- ESCORT, Inc., the leader in high-performance radar and laser detection technology, today announced its "2017 ESCORT Specialist Program" winners for the top retail associates and 12V installers across the country. ESCORT would like to congratulate:

 Joe Chabuel Extreme Mobile Sound  Mike Belair Newport Autosound  Brian Lombardi Aspen Sound  Tony Pasquini Automods  Mike Blackwell DOW Electronics

The ESCORT Specialist Program was designed to create a nationwide team of retail sales associates and installation professionals to provide point-of-sales ownership testimonials and in-store leadership to expertly represent Escort's industry-leading radar/laser detection products across the country. Enrollment in the program began last year at KnowledgeFest Dallas 2016 and since then over 950 have signed up to be ESCORT Specialists.

To become an ESCORT Specialist, sales associates and installers took online courses and passed a certification exam. Once certified ESCORT Specialists received access special pricing on best-selling ESCORT radar and laser detection products including; the ESCORT MAX 360, ESCORT iX, Redline and ESCORT MAX Ci and ESCORT MAX Ci 360 models. Additionally, Specialists were entered into a rewards and recognition program that includes a chance to win a trip to the world-famous BMW Driving School. The winners will be hitting the track in October 2017.

For more information about the ESCORT Specialist Program or to sign up, go to EscortRadar.com/AuthorizedSpecialist and to see the full line of ESCORT radar products, visit EscortRadar.com.

About ESCORT, Inc.

ESCORT is the leading manufacturer of high-performance radar and laser detectors and the patented ESCORT Live real-time ticket protection network. ESCORT manufactures products under the ESCORT, MAX, REDLINE and SOLO names. The company is held by Cedar Electronics; a leading global supplier of mobile and consumer products possesses a portfolio of industry leading brands including ESCORT, Cobra Electronics and WASPcam. Additional information about ESCORT, Inc. is available at EscortRadar.com.

Media Contacts:

Chris Kooistra

Escort Inc. | Cobra Electronics | WASPcam

(773) 972-0691

[email protected]

SOURCE ESCORT, Inc.

Related Links

http://EscortRadar.com


If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this





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New Delhi, Aug 8 : Minister of State for Home Hansraj Ahir on Tuesday said that 149 of the total 1,401 jails in the country had an overcrowding rate of more than 200 per cent as on December 2015 as per the data compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau.

"In the Model Prison Manual 2016, the minimum accommodation space per prisoner in Sleeping Barracks suggested is 3.71 sq mt and 8.92 sq mt of ground area in Cells. No Central statistics are available on the actual space available to a prison inmate in different jails," Ahir said in a statement in response to a question raised by Sushil Kumar Singh, who represents Aurangabad (Bihar) in the Lok Sabha.

"Prisons is a state subject. However, a central scheme for modernisation of prisons, with a financial outlay of Rs 1,800 crores, was launched in 2002. Under this scheme, 125 new jails were constructed and 1,579 barracks were added to existing prisons."

Ahir said the government had introduced the concept of plea bargaining to address the problem of overcrowding in prisons.
San Francisco, Aug 8 : WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on Tuesday offered a job to the Google employee who was fired for writing an anti-diversity memo a job that went viral inside the company and infuriated thousands of employees.

Assange, who is currently in the Ecuadorian Embassy, tweeted multiple times in support of James Damore, the engineer who wrote the memo, the Telegraph reported.

He said: "Censorship is for losers. @WikiLeaks is offering a job to fired Google engineer James Damore."

"Women & men deserve respect. That includes not firing them for politely expressing ideas but rather arguing back," Assange tweeted.

He had previously tweeted: "Identity politics 2.0 wars come to Google. Oh no. But mass spying is fine since its equal opportunity predation."

Google CEO Sunder Pichai has reportedly cut his vacation short to deal with the crisis over the anti-diversity memo.

The 10-page memo claimed that "the representation gap between men and women in software engineering persists because of biological differences between the two sexes".

According to a report in CNN Money, Pichai condemned portions of the controversial memo that argued that women are not "biologically fit" for tech roles.

Pichai said parts of the 3,300-word manifesto crossed the line by "advancing harmful gender stereotypes" in the workplace.

"Our job is to build great products for users that make a difference in their lives," he wrote in an email.

"To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK. Clearly there's a lot more to discuss as a group, including how we create a more inclusive environment for all," Pichai added.

The Google CEO also said that there are employees who are questioning whether they can safely express their opinions, especially ones that might fall into a minority.

"They too feel under threat and that's not OK. People must feel free to express dissent," he wrote.

Google's vice President of diversity, Danielle Brown, sent a memo in response to the furore over the weekend, saying the engineer's essay "advanced incorrect assumptions about gender".

The document was initially posted on the company's internal forum.

Critics reacted angrily to its argument that the lack of women in tech companies was down to genetic factors, saying it was evidence of Silicon Valley's hostility to women and minorities.
Bhubaneswar, Aug 8 : The Odisha Government on Tuesday formed an expert committee to ascertain the reason behind deaths from lightning and undertake awareness campaigns to curb such incidentss.

The committee will comprise of officials from Odisha State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) and Office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) and other concerned departments.

While about 2,000 people lose their lives every year in India due to lightning, the number in Odisha is around 400 every year, 20 per cent of the total.

A meeting in this regard was chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Maheswar Mohanty and it discussed enhancing awareness on lightning safety in the state to save the lives of human and animals.

Massive awareness about the lightning safety tips is highly necessary to reduce this rate of casualty, said Mohanty.

Development Commissioner R. Balakrishnan advised to make an analysis of lightning deaths occurring in the state to identify the areas and class of people highly vulnerable to thunderstorm/lightning.

It was decided to institute a study in this regard with the help of experts.

Awareness posters and other IEC materials shall be developed by OSDMA with the help of the concerned departments for targeted population concerning such departments.

Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner Bishnupada Sethi told the district collectors that ex-gratia for the death due to approved disasters shall be paid to the next of the kin of the deceased within three days of the death.

Earlier, the district collectors were asked to sanction the ex-gratia within seven days after observing all formalities in eligible cases.
Bhubaneswar, Aug 8 : With around 400 people dying in the state every year due to lightning strikes, the Odisha government on Tuesday formed an 'expert committee' to ascertain the reason behind lightning death incidents and undertake awareness campaigns to curb such deaths.

The expert committee will comprise of officials from Odisha State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) and Office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) and other concerned departments.

While about 2,000 people lose their lives every year in India due to lightning, in Odisha the number is around 400 every year - which constitute 20 per cent of the total deaths in the country, said an official.

A meeting in this regard was chaired by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Maheswar Mohanty and it discussed about enhancing awareness on lightning safety in the state to save the lives of humans and animals from the killer natural phenomenon.

Massive awareness among the people about safety tips is highly necessary to reduce the casualty, said Mohanty.

Development Commissioner R. Balakrishnan said there should be an analysis of lightning deaths in the state to identify the areas and classes of people highly vulnerable to thunderstorm/lightning.

It was decided to institute a study in this regard with the help of experts.

Awareness posters and other materials are to be developed by OSDMA.
Islamabad, Aug 9 : 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.
San Francisco, Aug 11 : After reportedly cancelling a town hall meeting to allay fears over an anti-diversity manifesto, Google's Indian-born CEO Sundar Pichai finally addressed a coding event for girls on the sprawling campus at Mountain View, California.

"I want you to know there's a place for you in this industry. There's a place for you at Google. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You belong here, and we need you," said a report in The Verge on Friday, quoting Pichai.

The town hall meeting late on Thursday was cancelled, according to Recode, after some employees reportedly expressed the fear that they would be targets of online harassment if they speak up and ask questions in the meeting.

Pichai, however, emphasised the importance of engineers "building products for everyone in the world".

"I think to do that well we really need to have people internally who represent the world in totality. And that's how we think about it. So it's really important that more women and girls have the opportunity to participate in technology, to learn how to code, create, and innovate," Pichai told the audience.

"I was surprised to find the girls here represent more than 100 countries from around the world. I think they've been chosen from over 11,000 girls. I think my job sometimes is hard, but I can't even imagine the judges who had to choose from all those wonderful, wonderful participants to get the winners here," he added.

His views are crucial at a time when an anti-diversity manifesto, written by a Google software engineer James Damore, which claimed that "the representation gap between men and women in software engineering persists because of biological differences between the two sexes".

Pichai cut his vacation short to deal with the crisis over the manifesto that went viral inside the company and infuriated thousands of employees.

Damore has since been fired from Google.

Pichai earlier said parts of the 3,300-word manifesto crossed the line by "advancing harmful gender stereotypes" in the workplace.

"Our job is to build great products for users that make a difference in their lives," Pichai wrote in an earlier email.

"To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK. Clearly there's a lot more to discuss as a group, including how we create a more inclusive environment for all," Pichai added.

Danielle Brown, Google's new Vice President of Diversity, Integrity and Governance, also issued a statement to Google employees in response to the viral memo.

"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," she said.

"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," Brown added.

Brown also thanked her fellow Googlers for bringing up the issue and vouched for a need to change.
New Delhi, Aug 11 : The Janata Dal-United on Friday suspended its rebel MP Ali Anwar Ansari for taking part in a meeting of opposition parties convened by Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Party leader K. C. Tyagi said Ansari has been "suspended from the parliamentary party" for attending the meeting.

Ansari, who is a Rajya Sabha MP, along with party leader Sharad Yadav have expressed differences with party chief Nitish Kumar's decision to snap ties with Congress and RJD and form a government in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Leaders of Congress and 15 other opposition parties met here on Thursday to take forward their coordination against the Narendra Modi government.
Bengaluru, Aug 12 : Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah, who arrived here on Saturday on a three-day visit to Karnataka, claimed that the BJP would return to power in the assembly elections in early 2018.

Addressing about 500 party cadres and its state unit leaders outside the airport on arrival from New Delhi, Shah said: "I have come here with a firm will to bring the BJP back to power in the state. I can sense the mood of the people to give our party an opportunity again to serve them."

Wearing the popular 'Mysore Peta' (headgear) and sporting a saffron shawl, Shah said the party would strive to win about 150 seats in the 225-member assembly to form the next government.

"It will be a BJP government this time to free the people from the corrupt and incompetent Congress government in the state. We will make Karnataka also a Congress-free state, as we did in other states," he said.

The BJP formed its first government in the southern state after winning a simple majority in the 2008 assembly election and was in power for five years with three Chief Ministers, but lost to the ruling Congress in the 2013 poll.

Union Ministers D.V. Sadanada Gowda and Ananth Kumar, party's state unit president B.S. Yeddyurappa, former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and other leaders received Shah and accompanied him to the party's office in the city.

"Though Shah is visiting Karnataka as part of his 110-day nationwide tour to strengthen the party's presence, he will have a firsthand account of the political situation in the state and draw plans for the upcoming assembly poll," a party official told IANS.

"Shah is holding a day-long meeting with the party's core group to draw the poll strategy for the assembly election, due in April-May 2018. He will also interact with our state unit leaders, lawmakers and the party's office-bearers," said the official.

Besides Yeddyurappa and Shettar, Gowda was the state's Chief Minister for a year from August 2011 to September 2012 after the former resigned following his indictment in the multi-crore mining scam in the state by the anti-graft body Lokayukta (Ombudsman).

The party has invited about 600 achievers from different fields, and celebrities for an interaction with Shah at a star hotel in the city on Saturday night and for their feedback on the BJP-led NDA government in the Centre.

The party's chief will call on hill town Adichunchanagiri Mutt seer Nirmalananda Swamiji in the city on Sunday and visit the ashram of Art of Living founder Ravi Shankar on the city's southern outskirts.

"Shah will address the party's elected representatives, cadres and supporters on Monday before leaving for New Delhi. He will share with them the poll strategy to win absolute majority in the ensuing assembly election with its 'Mission 150' target," added the official.
Imphal, Aug 12 : Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has welcomed talks between leaders of former militant groups with New Delhi's interlocutor. He also said feelers had been sent out to insurgents still fighting the state.

Debendra Sharma, a former director of the Intelligence Bureau, has started talks to settle issues, including the demand for a homeland and rehabilitation, with those who have come overground in the state, Biren Singh said.

"We have also raised some issues. We have insisted on a time-frame for talks since the inordinate delay has caused resentment among the signatories to the Suspension of Operations," the Chief Minister told IANS in an interview.

He said the promised stipend of the past two years for the former insurgents had been cleared while extending the Suspension of Operations for one more year.

Biren Singh said it was important to move the designated camps for former militants 20 km away from the national highways. "This will help reduce allegations of heists and extortions (put on them)."

A total of 24 outfits, mostly belonging to the Kuki tribe, have come overground. There have been reports of violence within the camps housing them, causing even deaths.

At certain places, civilians have protested against these camps.

Biren Singh, who took charge of troubled Manipur in March, said he was in close touch with the central government to invite all the insurgent groups to the negotiating table.

He said feelers had been sent to some of the groups.

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader claimed there had been an improvement in the law and order situation in the northeastern state.

At the same time, he admitted that there was resentment over ministry formation.

The BJP, which secured 21 seats behind the Congress in March, joined hands with splinter groups to form a coalition ministry.

Biren Singh told IANS: "There is resentment on the allocation of ministerial berths and this will be addressed in the next reshuffle."

All four MLAs of the National People's Party have become ministers.

Health Minister L. Jayentakumar and six Parliamentary Secretaries had resigned. Later, they withdrew the resignations.

Biren Singh said the Modi government had given over Rs 25,000 crore to Manipur in the last three months. This includes Rs 1,160 crore to improve national highways.

"Since funds are no problem, there are good developmental works all around. We are all for a balanced development in the valley and the hills. It will go a long way in bringing about an emotional integration."

The Chief Minister denied shielding senior officials charged with corruption.

"If there is evidence, we punish one and all. Senior engineers and police officers have been suspended and are facing inquiries.

"It is the directive of the Prime Minister to have a corruption-free administration. We are closely monitoring all recruitment to check scams."

He said the anti-corruption cell in his office had helped check corruption.

The Chief Minister also came out against mob violence, after insurgents killed some alleged rapists.

"This has to stop," he said. "The accused are facing trial and we should wait for the outcome. People should avoid mob crime before the guilt of the accused is established."

Recalling his Laos visit, Biren Singh said: "We have many things to learn from the people of Laos in keeping the city clean and controlling pollution of all sorts."

(Iboyaima Laithangbam can be contacted at imphalreport@gmail.com)
Washington, Aug 13 : Three people were killed and 19 others injured during a white nationalist rally in the US state of Virginia, turning a day of violent demonstrations into a tragedy, the media reported.

One person was killed after a car mowed down a group of protesters in the city of Charlottesville on Saturday while the two other victims, Virginia State Police Department officers, died when a helicopter crashed nearby, reports The Hill magazine.

The crash is being investigated and it remained unclear if it was connected to the protests.

The University of Virginia Health System said 20 people were hospitalised after the car ploughed into the group of people protesting near a popular pedestrian mall in the college town.

The events on Saturday took place after dozens of white nationalists carrying torches held a rally in Charlottesville on Friday, where they were seen using Nazi salutes.

They were protesting against the removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe in declaring a state of emergency said he was "disgusted by the hatred, bigotry and violence these protesters have brought to our state over the past 24 hours".

"Go home...You are not wanted in this great commonwealth. Shame on you."

The demonstrators defied the authorities' attempt to restore order, throwing bottles at one another and using pepper spray in the city's downtown area.

President Donald Trump condemned the violence, but did not specifically mention white nationalists, neo-Nazis, or their views, instead criticising hatred and violence "on many sides", reports The Hill magazine.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides - on many sides," he said, adding that the task now "is a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives".

However, former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke, who was on the scene in Charlottesville, condemned the President's statement, tweeting that "our people were peacefully assembling" but were attacked by "radical leftists".

"So, after decades of White Americans being targeted for discriminated and anti-White hatred, we come together as a people, and you attack us?" he wrote.

In recent weeks, Charlottesville has been the scene of chaotic demonstrations by white nationalists and Ku Klux Klan groups upset over the planned removal of the Lee statue.

The city council voted to remove the statue earlier this year, but it remains in place in city's Emancipation Square.

Dozens of Ku Klux Klan members demonstrated in the city last month, following a protest in May.
Riyadh, Aug 13 : Saudi Arabia expects to receive around two million pilgrims this Haj season, including 1.7 million foreigners, the media reported on Sunday.

More than 1.8 million people performed Haj last year, and most of them were foreigners, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Ministry of Haj will assign more than 95,000 employees, in addition to volunteers to handle Haj-related tasks, the report said.

The Ministry of Health said all pilgrims attending the Haj pilgrimage were so far free from epidemic and quarantine diseases.

It said they were taking preventative policies as a priority, and coordinating with the World Health Organisation and other international authorities to ensure there was no epidemic outbreak.

The Ministry also announced the implementation of $3.3 million Haj-related medical facilities and services.
Hyderabad, Aug 13 : The establishment of India's first private sector missile manufacturing facility here is seen as another feather in the cap of the Telangana capital, which has emerged as a key hub of the aerospace and defence industry.

Industry leaders say the city has become the ground for implementing the Make in India initiative as several global giants have joined hands with the Indian players to set up manufacturing units.

Kalyani Rafael Advanced Systems (KRAS), a joint venture between Israel's Rafael and Kalyani Strategic Systems, will produce the third generation Spike anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) for the Indian Army.

The state-of-the-art facility has come up under what is described as the biggest ever Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in defence.

Spike joins a long list of aerospace and defence products being manufactured in Hyderabad, including the cabins of the helicopters that fly the US president and F-16 fighter jets.

According to Baba N. Kalyani, chairman, Kalyani Group, the initial orders for the Spike missiles from Indian Army will be in thousands and valued about $1 billion.

The facility is planned to be developed into missile house of India with Israeli defence firm also proposing to manufacture some other missiles.

KRAS chooses Hyderabad as it is considered as the missile centre of India with several public-sector defence labs and missile manufacturing facilities located here. "With centres like missile manufacturing and R&D centres Hyderabad becomes a natural eco-system for anyone who gets into this space," Baba Kalyani explained.

KRAS is also looking at other products like aircraft-launched glide bombs and is scouting for a location to set up a second facility in Hyderabad.

Telangana Industry Minister K.T. Rama Rao believes KRAS will propel the defence electronic manufacturing eco-system in Hyderabad to the next level.

"Hyderabad has all the trappings to become the number one destination for defence and defence electronics," he said referring to the presence of several defence research laboratories in the city, three aerospace parks and the industry-friendly policies of the state government.

Another major strength of Hyderabad is the presence of about 1,000 aerospace and defence related small and medium enterprises. "Some of the components of French nuclear submarines were procured from Hyderabad's defence eco-system," said Rama Rao.

The units set up by Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) in partnership with global majors have already made Hyderabad a key player in the sector.

It signed an agreement with US defence giant Lockheed Martin in June to produce the F-16 Block 70 aircraft, the newest and most advanced version of the world's most successful, combat-proven multi-role fighter.

TASL and Lockheed Martin already have a joint venture that manufactures airframe components for the C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft.

TASL also joined hands with Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company, to manufacture aerostructures for AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and CH-47 Chinook heavy-life helicopters.

TASL, in a joint venture with Sikorsky, is manufacturing cabins for S-92 helicopters, in which the US president travels.

It is also making air-to-air refuelling pod structures for Cobham Mission Systems (CMS) for use on the Airbus A-400M, aerostructures for the Pilatus PC-12 'green aircraft' of Swiss-based Pilatus Aircraft Ltd and assembling wings and fuselage of the Dornier 228 NG aircraft.

Pratt & Whitney, a leader in aircraft manufacturing, opened its third global centre, after the US and China, for training aircraft engineers and technicians near Hyderabad airport.

Earlier this year, European aerospace major Airbus signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Telangana government, the National Skill Development Corporation and Aerocampus France to set up an aerospace skill development centre in Hyderabad.

Little wonder then that it's full speed ahead for Hyderbad in the defence manufacturing sector.

(Mohammed Shafeeq can be contacted at m.shafeeq@ians.in)
CHARLESTON -- Tanner Gray had his phone stolen at gunpoint while walking a beach in Sao Paulo in his 11-month stay in Brazil.

The 17-year-old Charleston student was in Sao Paulo, a South American city of 12 million people, as part of the Rotary International Exchange program last year.

Two people with a gun came up to him and his friend, demanding their phones while they were walking on a beach during the day. Gray said in the city, people are cautioned not to be using their phones on the streets because robberies like that are commonplace.

You have to keep it in your pocket, he said.

He did, but that did not eliminate him as a target.

It happened really fast, Gray said. They stole it and they said to turn around and run.

Getting robbed in the city was a story he said he is likely to tell for a long time, but when it comes to thinking about his experience, that is not what comes to mind. Looking back, he doesnt think of those robbers but the overwhelmingly friendly group of people he got to meet and live with while he was down there.

Right off the bat, he was frequently invited by classmates to join them for meals and other things.

My first week in Brazil, people from school invited me to eat at the Outback with them, Gray noted.

He was taken to several places across Brazil with his host families.

There was always something to do, always somewhere to go with your friends or something to do with your family, he said.

Gray had the chance to travel across the country to various cities, beaches and eventually even the Amazon rain forest for a week, at one point having a wild monkey jump on his shoulders.

Outside of his trips across the country, Gray said he would often go to one of numerous giant shopping malls and the beaches with friends who soon become some of his closest friends.

These were the experiences Gray clamored for in the years before he took the plane to Brazil. Since his freshman year in high school, Gray was always enamored with the idea of the exchange program. And, Brazil was his first chance at getting outside of Charleston into a large bustling city like Sao Paulo.

Jumping into the South American city was an adjustment for Gray. Once in Brazil, he soon realized he was in a different country solely because of his first drive in the city.

When I first got there and we started driving, I got really sick because the roads are really bumpy, Gray said. So, I ended up puking in the first 10 minutes of driving.

Motion sickness medicine became a staple for his survival in the city, along with Google Translate. He said communicating was a real struggle in the beginning.

But the memories of Sao Paulo, both good and bad, endeared the city to him quickly.

I feel like everything there is better, Gray stressed. The people are nicer, the city is amazing  they are willing to help you with everything.

This made leaving all that much harder for him.

It was really hard to go because some of my best friends came to the airport with me to say goodbye, he said. I feel like my heart is still there in Brazil and I am living here.

Back home, Gray still finds himself falling into the Brazilian routines such as thinking in Portuguese, the native language in Sao Paulo; showering twice a day; and leaving the toilet paper in the trash rather than flushing it.

Gray made his way back to Charleston in July but has already set himself up to make his way back to Brazil or another country for college.
Lisbon, Aug 13 : Portuguese authorities said on Sunday that at least 12 wildfires remained active throughout the country as hundreds of firefighters were deployed to battle the flames.

According to the latest status report by the National Authority for Civil Protection, there are currently 12 ongoing fires, of which six are thought to be larger and more complex to extinguish, reports Efe news.

Among them, two in the towns of Tomar and Ferreira do Zezere were leading to great concern and that around 580 firefighters, backed by 180 land vehicles and eight airplanes, were trying to extinguish the flames, the report said.

On Saturday, a record-breaking 268 fires were detected throughout the country in one day and more than 6,550 firefighters mobilised.

Portuguese authorities on Saturday asked the European Union for reinforcements, to which Spain has already responded.

Two Spanish military emergency units were sent to help Portuguese civil protection forces, as well as two firefighting planes which joined a Moroccan aircraft that was already on the scene.

Meteorological forecasts suggest that Sunday could be dry, hot and windy, which is dangerous weather for fires.
New Delhi, Aug 13 : With increasing reports of deaths of manual scavengers, including in the national capital, anti-manual scavenging crusader and Magsaysay awardee Bezawada Wilson says nothing less than a complete overhaul of the country's sewage system will eradicate the "dirty job" tradition.

He also took a jibe at the Swachh Bharat campaign including construction of toilets, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not speak on incidents like the one that claimed three lives in a Delhi sewer.

The muck-filled depths of sewers and their toxicity have devoured about 70 people this year in Delhi alone.

"They (authorities) are not concerned about who cleans the filth. They are big on talk about making toilets for people and everything, but they do not want to know who cleans them," Wilson told IANS in an interview.

The national convenor of the Safai Karamchari Aandolan (Sanitation Workers' Movement) demanded a central government initiative for modernising the country's sewage system and that states must be made accountable for failures on their part.

"There has to be a policy intervention from the Centre. It must come up with a plan for the entire country stating very clearly its intentions. All state government must come up with a comprehensive plan for the modernisation of the sewage system," he said.

He also expressed his anger at the central and state governments for their "apathetic" attitude towards such deaths.

"Why can't the Prime Minister speak a word on the incident? He has time to celebrate Rakhi with widows, but are those left behind by the three dead men any less widows? He is in the city, why can he not visit their houses," he asked.

Wilson also trained his guns at the Delhi government, saying the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, "which has a 'jhaadoo' (broom) as its symbol", had not given any compensation for the victims.

"Every time such an incident occurs, I write a letter to the authorities. I have written to (Delhi Chief Minister) Arvind (Kejriwal) several times on this issue, but I never received a reply," he said.

The Delhi government has since announced a compensation of Rs 10,00,000 each for the kin of the three men and a job for one family member.

Under attack over "negligence", the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has said it has the required safety equipment and that it's the labourers who are not keen on wearing them while going into the sewers. On August 12, two brothers died while cleaning a sewage tank without safety gear at a mall in east Delhi.

However, Wilson, an activist for more than 30 years, refused to buy this and insisted that the safety equipment was outdated and of no use.

"They have very limited machinery; whatever they have is not updated and even the 'safai karmacharis' (sanitation workers) are not trained to use them... As far as gear is concerned, their gloves don't fit, and what use are the gum boots when you would be standing in filth which comes up to your waist," he asked.

When asked whether the government can be faulted when the accident happened under the supervision of a private contractor who was operating beyond the purview of the civic authorities, the activist shot back: "The Delhi government owns the sewers of the city. Anything happens in them is their responsibility. You (the civic authorities) have sub-let the work, who have further sub-let it to other contractors. But if something goes wrong, the primary responsibility still lies with the government."

Three persons had died in the Jalvayu Vihar area of Lajpat Nagar on Sunday when they inhaled toxic gases while cleaning a sewer. One of the survivors has alleged that they were hired by a private contractor to clean the sewer. The contractor has since been on the run.

(Vishal Narayan can be contacted at vishal.n@ians.in)
San Francisco, Aug 13 : A Google engineer fired for criticising the tech giant for its diversity policy continued his blitz against the company and dubbed his former workplace a "cult".

According to an op-ed titled "Why I Was Fired by Google" in the Wall Street Journal on Saturday, James Damore, who was fired for writing a 10-page anti-diversity memo, said: "Google is a particularly intense echo chamber because it is in the middle of Silicon Valley and is so life-encompassing as a place to work."

"Some even live on campus. For many, including myself, working at Google is a major part of their identity, almost 'like a cult' with its own leaders and saints, all believed to righteously uphold the sacred motto of 'Don't be evil'," the former-Google employee wrote.

Damore argued that this created an environment where only certain opinions could be voiced and slammed the tech giant in its attempt to "silence open and honest discussion".

"How did Google, the company that hires the smartest people in the world, become so ideologically driven and intolerant of scientific debate and reasoned argument," he wrote.

Damore's views came after Google's Indian-born CEO Sundar Pichai addressed a coding event for girls on the sprawling campus at Mountain View, California, after the manifesto claimed that "the representation gap between men and women in software engineering persists because of biological differences between the two sexes".

On Friday, Pichai reportedly cancelled a town hall meeting to allay fears over an anti-diversity manifesto and said that "there's a place for you in this industry".

"There's a place for you at Google. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You belong here, and we need you," Pichai told girl innovators at the company.

The town hall meeting late on Thursday was cancelled, according to Recode, after some employees reportedly expressed the fear that they would be targets of online harassment if they speak up and ask questions in the meeting.

Pichai, however, emphasised the importance of engineers "building products for everyone in the world".

"I think to do that well we really need to have people internally who represent the world in totality. And that's how we think about it. So it's really important that more women and girls have the opportunity to participate in technology, to learn how to code, create, and innovate," Pichai told the audience.

"I was surprised to find the girls here represent more than 100 countries from around the world. I think they've been chosen from over 11,000 girls. I think my job sometimes is hard, but I can't even imagine the judges who had to choose from all those wonderful, wonderful participants to get the winners here," he added.

Pichai cut his vacation short to deal with the crisis over the manifesto that went viral within the company and infuriated thousands of employees.

Pichai earlier said parts of the 3,300-word manifesto crossed the line by "advancing harmful gender stereotypes" in the workplace.

"Our job is to build great products for users that make a difference in their lives," Pichai wrote in an earlier email.

"To suggest a group of our colleagues have traits that make them less biologically suited to that work is offensive and not OK. Clearly there's a lot more to discuss as a group, including how we create a more inclusive environment for all," Pichai added.
New Delhi : Mumbai, Aug 13 IANS) Popular film celebrities like Rishi Kapoor, Kajol and Manish Malhotra greeted Bollywood's "Hawa Hawai" girl and veteran actress Sridevi on her 54th birthday on Sunday, hailing her as a "true treasue of Indian cinema".

Besides making a name in Hindi cinema, Sridevi has also worked in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada movies.

Sridevi, who returned to films after a 15-year-long hiatus with "English Vinglish" in 2012, was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2013. She was last seen on screen in a powerful role in "Mom" earlier this year.

Sridevi made her debut as a lead actress in Bollywood in 1978 with "Solva Sawan" and gained popularity with "Himmatwala" in 1983. She has a number of commercially successful movies to her credit with projects like "Mawaali", "Mr. India", "Chandni" and critically acclaimed films like "Sadma", "ChaalBaaz", "Lamhe", "Khuda Gawah", "Laadla" and "Judaai".

Here's what the celebrities had to say:

Rishi Kapoor: Many happy returns of the day!

Abhishek Bachchan: Wishing my favourite a very happy and healthy birthday.

Manish Malhotra: Wishing the one and only Sridevi, Happy Birthday. Stay wonderful. Most favourite muse here.

Riteish Deshmukh: True treasure of Indian cinema, wishing you a very Happy Birthday mam.

Satish Kaushik: Wishing the forever beautiful and great actress madam Sridevi a Happy Birthday... Happiness Always.

Kajol: Wishing my favourite actor a wonderful year ahead. 50 years working and making it look easy.

Prosenjit Chatterjee: Wish you many many happy returns of this day. Respect your dedication...

Sophie Choudry: Happy birthday to my favourite. Talent, beauty and grace beyond words. So proud to be your fan! Lots of love.
San Francisco, Aug 13 : Google has rolled out its anti-phishing mechanisms for the Gmail app for iPhone users that will warn you about potential phishing attacks when you click on a shady link.

Google said the new feature will take nearly two weeks before it is available everywhere.

According to a statement, Google said that if you click on a link that Google thinks could be suspicious, you'll see a warning asking if you're "sure you want to proceed".

The feature in the app, that the company added to Gmail's Android app back in May, will also warn when clicking on a link Google knows to be malicious.

A warning, "The site you are trying to visit has been identified as a forgery, intended to trick you into disclosing financial, personal or other sensitive information", will be displayed after a user clicks on a shady link.

Google is applying their machine-learning expertise to the problem of recognizing suspicious email.

"An early phishing detection algorithm identifies email that has phishing characteristics. The email is flagged and subjected to further analysis including a Safe Browsing test that can delay delivery by up to four minutes," Forbes reported.

Google claims that 50 per cent to 70 per cent of the emails that pass through Gmail are spam and that their detection system achieves a 99.9 per cent accuracy score.

Phishing is a fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

According to Forbes, it is estimated that 85 per cent of companies were hit with phishing attacks in 2016, 90 per cent of phishing attacks contained ransomware and the average cost of a phishing attack was $1.6 million.

"Humans are the weakest link in cybersecurity, and phishing is the biggest attack vector. Over 60 per cent of email is now opened on the mobile, and this move by Google will help save a lot of debacles," Ankush Johar, Director at HumanFirewall.io, a leading provider of human information security awareness and preparedness solutions, said.

"Incidentally, a lot of the recent issues involving large cons and heists of money have been attributed to phishing, including the $100-million Facebook and Google con in April 2017," he added.

The report in Forbes claims that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) hack that roiled the 2016 US presidential election was a phishing attack.
Kolkata, Aug 13 : In a fresh confrontation with the Centre, West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee government has issued "urgent" instructions to all schools and other educational institutions to "stop all preparations" for celebrating Independence Day 2017 in a format prescribed by the Union HRD Ministry.

The state government's response to the circular issued by the Human Resource Development Ministry came in the form of a directive to all District Project Officers in-charge of the Sarva Shikha Mission in the state.

Virtually negating the Union ministry circular for celebrating the 70th year of India's independence with certain "additional participatory activities in schools and colleges", the state government directive issued on August 11 noted: "It has been decided by the School Education Department that Independence Day 2017 will not be celebrated in this manner" and asked schools to carry on with their usual mode of celebrating the occasion like every year.

Claiming that the people of Bengal do not need lessons on patriotism from the BJP, state Education Minister Partha Chatterjee on Sunday said the centre's ruling party has no right to give instruction to others about how Independence Day should be celebrated.

"We are not necessarily opposing the centre's proposal. But we have said that we will celebrate in our own way. We will not take lessons on patroitism from the BJP. The party at the centre has no right to give whip and dictate others about patriotism," Chatterjee told IANS.

He also said the ministry's proposal of videographing celebrations in all the schools in the state is not realistic and can not be followed.

"It is not possible to conduct the proposed videography of the celebration of the entire 2 lakh schools," he said.

Stating that there was nothing new in the circular, Chatterjee, also the Trinamool Congress Secretary General, said it was not needed as most of the points mentioned there were already a part of Independence Day celebrations in all institutions in the state forr many years.

"There is no counter circular from us. But we have said that we do not need an MHRD circular on how to celebrate Independence Day. Independence Day will be celebrated in schools, colleges, offcices and factories in Bengal this year in the same way it has been celebrated over the last 69 years," he asserted.

The minister said the Central government should have "properly notified" the state authorities if they were planning a special Independence Day celebration this year.

The Human Resource Development Ministry had issued a circular on July 25 to all state Education Secretaries specifying "additional activities" to be undertaken by schools under the Sarva Shiksha Mission to celebrate Independence Day in a "befitting manner".

It asked every school to arrange a "Sankalp programme" from August 9 to August 30 and organise an oath-taking ceremony where all teachers and students would have to take a vow to rid the country of the five problems of poverty, corruption, terrorism, communalism and casteism by 2022, when the nation would be celebrating 75 years of freedom.

The BJP, however, lashed out at the Trinamool Congress government, alleging the violation of the central government's directive on Independence day celebration "falls under the anti-national category".

"We are seeing some disturbing tendencies. The state government is behaving as if West Bengal is not a part of India. There is a tendency to defy all rules and regulations. This is a suicidal though process," said state Bharatiya Janata Party chief Dilip Ghosh.

"The state is behaving as if it is the last word on everything. They are free to oppose the centre. But it seems they have no understanding on what to oppose and what not," he said.
Chitwan, Aug 13 : Around 600 tourists, including 200 Indians, have been stranded due to flooding in the Sauraha area of Nepal's Chitwan district, authorities said on Sunday.

The swollen Rapti and Budhi Rapti rivers have inundated many hotels in the tourist destination and efforts were on to rescue the tourists trapped in flooded hotels with the help of tamed elephants, The Himayan Times reported citing Sauraha's Regional Hotel Association Chairman Suman Ghimire.

The Chief District Officer and the Nepal Tourism Board have been informed about the present situation and asked to organise rescue operations.

The report quoted Hotel Seven Star Managing Director Madhav Duwadi as saying that the Home Ministry has also been requested for help.

The trapped tourists include 200 Nepalis and another 200 from various countries.

Efforts were on to shift the trapped tourists to safer places, said Chief District Officer Narayan Prasad Bhatta, adding that four rubber rafts have been sought from nearby Devghat for the rescue operation.

Floods and landslides triggered by incessant rains have claimed 40 lives so far in the country.

The water level in many rivers has crossed the danger mark and they have changed their course posing a threat to houses and livelihood.

Security agencies, including Nepal Police, the army and Armed Police Force, have been mobilised in the southern Terai districts for the relief and rescue operations .

Many highway bridges which serve as the lifeline of the nation have been damaged, obstructing vehicular movement for relief and rescue programmes.

In many places, helicopters have failed to operate due to bad weather.

The Meteorological Forecasting Division has forecast moderate to heavy rains to continue across the country for the next few days.
Srinagar, Aug 13 : Three militants, including top Hizbul Mujahideen commander Yasin Itoo, were killed in an over 24 hour-long gunfight that ended on Sunday in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district and also left two soldiers dead. A dozen stone-pelting protesters were injured in clashes with security forces in the area.

Yasin Itoo, alias Mehmood Ghaznavi, the operational commander of the Hizbul, was among those killed in the gunfight in Awneera village in Shopian.

The other two slain militants were identified as Umar Majid and Irfan.

Earlier, the third militant was believed to be Adil Malik.

Itoo, also spelt as Yatoo, was a resident of Chadoora area of Badgam district. One of the longest surviving militant commanders, he had joined militancy in 1997.

The three slain militants were locals belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. Three AK-47 rifles were recovered from their possession.

The house in Awneera village in which the militants had been hiding was blasted by the security forces.

Jammu and Kashmir police chief S.P. Vaid tweeted on the success: "One of terrorists killed today morning at Shopian is identified as Yasin Itoo; operational commander of Hizbul Mujahideen. Great success!"

In an earlier post he said: "Today morning three terrorists eliminated at Zainpora Shopian. Well done boys!"

Over a dozen youth were injured in clashes with security forces as they pelted stones during the operation in Awneera village.

One protester sustained a bullet injury and was shifted for treatment to Srinagar city.

Another protester with pellet injuries to his eyes was referred by doctors to a hospital in Srinagar.

A senior police officer said two militants had managed to escape from the cordoned area during the operation.

Five army soldiers were injured in the gunfight. Two injured soldiers later succumbed to critical injuries.

The injured soldiers are being treated at the army's base hospital in Badami Bagh area of Srinagar.

Earlier, acting on specific information, the security forces surrounded Awneera village on Saturday evening upon which they were fired at by the militants, leading to the gunfight, a police spokesman said.

Seven civilians had sustained pellet injuries on Saturday when protesters engaged the security forces in clashes to break the cordon around the site of the gunfight.

Internet services have been blocked in Badgam district following the identification of Itoo among the slain militants.

In another incident, three security personnel, including two policemen and an army soldier, sustained injuries when militants fired at a cordon laying party in Hajin area of Bandipora district on Sunday.

The cordon and search operation was later called off as the militants managed to escape from the area.
Patna, Aug 13 : The flood situation in Bihar continued to be grim on Sunday as Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sought the help of the Army and the Indian Air Force in relief and rescue of thousands of people affected by the deluge, officials said.

"The flood situation in Bihar is grim. The state government is fully alert and we have sought help from the Army and IAF helicopters to rescue affected people and distribute relief among them," Nitish Kumar said at an official function here.

The Chief Minister said he had requested Prime Minister Narender Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to provide all possible central help for rescue and relief for the affected. "Both have assured of the assistance," Nitish Kumar said.

Nearly half a dozen districts in Seemanchal and Koshi areas in the state were the worst affected following heavy rains during the past three days.

All major rivers in Bihar are in spate after heavy rains in their respective catchment areas in Nepal and Bihar.

Floodwaters have submerged hundreds of villages, affecting thousands of people. So far, no casualty has been reported due to Bihar floods, officials said.

The state government has placed its staff on alert, ordering the evacuation of residents from flood-affected Kishanganj, Araria, Purnea, Katihar, West Champaran, Saharsa, and Supaul districts, Disaster Management Department officials said.

Informed sources in the Chief Minister's Office said a team of 80 Army men of Bihar Regiment from Danapur Cantonment in Patna rushed on Sunday evening to Kishanganj and Araria to rescue people.

"Nitish Kumar has also sought 10 additional teams of the National Disaster Relief Fund from the Centre for affected districts."

The state government has already deployed teams of NDRF and SDRF in these districts.

The Disaster Management Department has asked people living in low-lying areas to move to higher grounds.

Reports reaching the state capital said hundreds of people fled their homes after water entered their villages in Supaul, Saharsa, Bagha, Gopalganj, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Khagaria, Darbhanga and Madhepura districts.

A Water Resources Department official said: "Water entered these villages after all major rivers were in spate following heavy rains in the state and the catchment areas in Nepal."

The railway stations in Kishanganj and Jogbani in Araria were flooded by water, leaving scores of passengers stranded.

According to officials, crops worth crores of rupees were damaged and road link to several places had been snapped.
Gwalior, Aug 13 : The body of Naib Subedar Jagram Singh Tomar, killed in Pakistani firing in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir, was brought to Gwalior on Sunday on a special aircraft.

Tomar was a resident of Madhya Pradesh's Morena district.

The last rites will be performed at his native Tarsana village on Monday with full military honours.

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan offered his condolences on the braveheart's death.

"I offer my humble tribute to the state's pride and country's son Naib Subedar Jagram Singh Tomar martyred in Pakistani firing. I pray that his soul may rest in peace and to give power to his kin to bear this tragedy," he tweeted.

"Naib Subedar Jagram Singh Tomar 's family is now our family and the entire Madhya Pradesh stands by them," he said in another tweet.

Leader of Opposition Ajay Singh in a statement said that the entire state is proud of Naib Subedar Jagram Singh Tomar.

Tomar was a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) in 15 Mahar regiment.
Kathmandu, Aug 13 : At least 53 people were killed and as many as 100,000 displaced in floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains across Nepal, officials said on Sunday.

Search and rescue operations were underway in several parts of the Himalayan nation. According to officials, several human settlements, hit by floods, were facing the risk of being submerged as rivers were flowing above the danger level.

The disaster has mostly affected the southern Teraian plains area where, according to government data, around 40,000 houses were badly affected.

The Nepal Home Ministry said 49 people were killed and 36 were reported missing. However, the International Red Cross said floods and landslides have claimed at least 53 lives over the past three days in the Terai region, bordering India, and other areas of Nepal.

Thousands of acres of land have been submerged under water and the eastern Terai was totally deprived of power supply, according to the state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority.

After several transmission lines were brought down by the floods, there was no landline telephone connectivity as well as mobile phone network in the eastern Terai region since Saturday. Officials said they would be fixing the electricity lines soon.

Many highways have been obstructed and the government has mobilised security forces and government officials to start search and rescue operations as well as rehabilitation works promptly.

Many rivers have overflowed their embankments in various parts of the Terai and, as a result, human settlements were facing the risk of being inundated by the flood waters.

The Home Ministry has appealed to the people to shift to safer areas.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba addressed the nation on Saturday evening and announced relief to the victims.

At least 700 Indian, Chinese, American and other tourists stranded in Sauraha in Chitwan have been rescued. Flood waters had entered the hotels in that area, according to media reports.

The rain is expected to continue in the coming days, according to the Nepal Meteorological Forecasting Division, raising fears that the rivers might wash more villages away.

(Anil Giri can be contacted at girianil@gmail.com)
Jerusalem, Aug 13 : Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said Israel welcomes a delegation that US President Donald Trump will send later this month in an effort to reignite the peace talks.

"President Trump will soon send his representatives, Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, for talks in the Middle East region including in Jerusalem, in an effort to advance the peace process," Netanyahu told his weekly cabinet meeting. "We will welcome them as always," he added.

On Friday, the White House said Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner and his senior adviser Jason Greenblatt would soon be sent to the region to hold meetings with regional leaders and discuss a "path to substantive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks", Xinhua news agency reported.

They will meet leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, a White House official said.

Trump believes regional talks are important but he "reaffirms that peace between Israelis and Palestinians can only be negotiated directly between the two parties and that the US will continue working closely with the parties to make progress towards that goal", the official added.

Kushner was appointed to help broker a deal between Israel and the Palestinians after Trump took office in January.

During his first trip to the region in May, Trump visited Saudi Arabia, Israel and the West Bank. He promised to bring "the ultimate deal" between Israel and the Palestinians but did not specify how he would do it.

The latest round of talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014, mainly over Israel's expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
New Delhi, Aug 13 : India and Turkmenistan will hold bilateral talks on Monday to boost economic and technological ties between the two countries, it was announced here on Sunday.

Turkmenistan's Foreign Affairs Minister Rashid Meredov is on a three-day visit to India from August 13 to 15 on the invitation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Along with Swaraj, he will co-chair the sixth meeting of the Turkmenistan-India Intergovernmental Commission on trade, economic, scientific and technological cooperation, a statement from the External Affairs Ministry said.

During the visit, Meredov will also have a series of other meetings and will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, the statement added.
Guwahati, Aug 13 : Even as the Centre assured of all help to flood-hit Assam, the state authorities on Sunday directed officials concerned to speed up rescue and relief operations for over 11 lakh affected persons amid reports of 10 more deaths in the last 24 hours.

Over 11 lakh people living in at least 19 of the 33 districts in Assam have so far been affected by a third wave of floods this year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and enquired about the scale of devastation caused by floods, apart from assuring of all central cooperation.

Sonowal apprised Modi about his government's relief and rescue efforts and that district administrations in all flood-hit districts had been directed to ensure speedy relief distribution.

The Chief Minister visited a flood relief camp at Bhismak LP School at Panchmile in Sadiya on Sunday and took stock of arrangements made for the camp inmates.

He visited Kundil riverside and directed the Water Resources Department to take immediate measures to stop soil erosion due to floods.

Continuous erosion by Kundil river has been causing serious threat to Panchmile, Lakhimi Gaon, and Bogoribari, apart from threatening the Kundil Bridge.

Sonowal old media persons that Kundil river's dredging will be taken up during winter to check the change in its course due to soil erosion.

Sonowal said the state government was taking steps to tackle problems faced by people in Amarpur area, including improvement in road connectivity.

A proposal to construct two bridges to connect Amarpur to other places had been submitted to the Centre, the Chief Minister said, adding that the Ministry for Roads and Highways will conduct a survey for the proposed project.

The Chief Minister visited Aithan Ring Bund at Bogibeel, Dibrugarh, and took stock of the situation.

Asserting that the state government was serious in finding a permanent solution to the recurring floods, he assured the affected people of adequate relief and said the district machinery had been pressed into service to meet the requirements of survivors.

He held discussions with railways authorities on the expeditious completion of the road-rail bridge at Bogibeel.

Assam Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Pallab Lochan Das on Sunday directed Deputy Commissioners of flood-affected districts through videoconferencing to gear up rescue and relief efforts on a war footing.

The DCs were directed to keep a vigil on relief and rescue efforts down to the grass-roots level.
Mogadishu, Aug 13 : Former Al-Shabaab deputy leader Mukhtar Robow on Sunday defected to the Somalia security forces following a bitter fight with militants in Abal location, an official said.

Officials said Robow, who is from the large Rahanweyn clan, which dominates many of Somalia's most fertile areas, arrived in government-controlled town of Hudur in Somalia' southwest State forces earlier in the day, Xinhua news agency reported.

Confirming the news, Minister of Internal Security Hassan Hussein Mohamed said: "Al-Shabaab militants wanted to kill Robow but we gave him military help and repulsed the Al-Shabaab fighters. Robow is now in Hudur town with southwest State officials."

Robow's surrender comes after weeks of deadly fighting between Al-Shabaab militants and his militia backed by Somalian security forces.

He left the militant group in 2013 and retreated to his homeland over a disagreement on using foreign fighters in the group.

Before his disagreement with the group, Robow was declared wanted terrorist by the US in June 2012 with a $5 million bounty placed on his head.

Analysts say his defection is a big blow to Al-Shabaab, due to which it will certainly lose all South of Somalia due to Robow's influence there.
Srinagar, Aug 13 : Senior separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani was on Sunday rushed to hospital after he complained of abdominal pain and weakness, said informed sources.

Sources close to Geelani said he was taken to the super specialty Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) at Soura here.

Doctors said Geelani has been suffering of dehydration and general weakness for which he is now being treated.

The octogenarian separatist leader has been under house arrest in his uptown Hyderpora residence here for over an year.
Chennai, Aug 13 : The Central government is prepared to consider an exemption of one year from the NEET system for students of government colleges in Tamil Nadu if the state brings forward an ordinance, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday.

"If the Tamil Nadu government brings forward an ordinance seeking exemption for students of government colleges only just for a year, the Centre is prepared to consider it," she told the media in nearby Tambaram.

Sitharaman was commenting on the raging controversy in Tamil Nadu where political parties are unanimous in opposing the NEET examination on the ground that students from rural areas would be deprived of medical education because students from elite institutions and families would enjoy an advantage under the new system.

The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test or NEET-UG is an entrance examination in India, for students who wish to study any graduate medical course (MBBS/dental course (BDS) or postgraduate course (MD/MS) in government or private medical colleges in India. However, many colleges and institutes had taken a stay order and conducted private examinations for admission to their MBBS and BDS courses. Last NEET entrance exam (2017) was held on May 7 and results were declared on May 23.

Sitharaman said the exemption would be considered for students of government colleges only in the interest of rural students as admissions in private colleges were already over.

Reacting to Sitaraman's statement, Tamil Nadu Health Minister C. Vijayabhaskar said the proposed ordinance would be handed over to the Central government on Monday morning by the state Health Secretary, who has left for Delhi in the evening as time was running out.

Opposition parties including DMK Working President M.K. Stalin and TNCC President V. Thirunavukkarasar said the one-year exemption offer was an "eyewash" and wanted a permanent exemption from NEET for Tamil Nadu students.
Panaji, Aug 13 : Two youngsters died early on Sunday at two separate rave parties at the popular beach village of Anjuna in north Goa, possibly due to drug overdose, police said.

Goa Water Resources Minister Vinod Palienkar said he favoured a thorough probe into the deaths of Pravin Surendran from Tamil Nadu and Nidam Abdulla from Kerala, who died at a private hospital in Anjuna, 20 km north of Panaji.

In a statement issued from St. Petersburg in Russia, the Minister said he spoke to north Goa district Superintendent of Police to demand a ban on rave parties and other late-night events.

"Drug proliferation increases with outdoor music (parties). I had written to the Chief Secretary and other officials to take strict action," said Palienkar, who is the local MLA.

SP (north Goa) Chandan Choudhury did not rule out drug overdose as the reason for the two deaths. He said post-mortem, expected to be conducted on Monday, would reveal the exact cause of death.
Bengaluru, Aug 13 : BJP President Amid Shah on Sunday vowed to free Karnataka from the Congress' "corruption".

"We have to free Karnataka from the Congress for ever as its government in the state is the most corrupt in the country. We have to ensure that the Congress does not return to power again," he told party leaders here on the second day of his three-day visit to the state.

Addressing the state political affairs committee members, Shah said he would camp in the city from October onwards to tour and address public rallies across the state for bringing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) back to power.

"Though the BJP could not retain power in 2013 after forming its first government in the state in 2008 for various reasons, the conditions are favourable this time to not only win a majority, but also form the next government," he said.

Appealing to state BJP leaders to work unitedly to achieve the 'Mission 150 seats' target in the next assembly polls, due in April-May 2018, Shah said indiscipline, infighting and dissidence would not be tolerated at any cost.

Citing initial surveys conducted by the party and others separately, he claimed that the people have made up their mind to give the BJP another chance owing to the failure of the Congress government in delivering its promises.

"It's heartening to know that the majority of the people across the state are happy with the performance of the Modi government over the last three years and hope to benefit from the party equally if voted to power," he said.

Accusing the Congress of polarising the people on caste and religious lines by promising a particular community separate recognition and job quota, Shah said the ruling party had no development agenda, but was instead "indulging in caste politics, language politics by accusing the Centre of imposing Hindi in the state and denying river water share and seeking a separate flag for the state".

Later in the day, Shah visited the Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Mutt at Nelamangala in Mandya district and released "The Story of a Guru", a biography of its seer Balagangadharanatha Swami, authored by Sudhamahi Regunathan, former vice-chancellor of the Jain Vishva Bharati University in Rajasthan.

He also called on Art of Living Founder Ravi Shankar and interacted with people who gathered for the occasion.
New Delhi, Aug 13 : The government is working towards a permanent solution to the Kashmir issue without compromising on the identity of the people there, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday, alluding to fears that the attempts were being made to revoke the special status of the troubled state.

Addressing India TV's conclave on anti-terrorism, he said that the door for talks with the separatist Hurriyat Conference were open though he did not elaborate on the measures being taken to permanently solve the decades-long Kashmir imbroglio.

Rajnath Singh also said there was no possibility of a dialogue with Pakistan till the neighbouring country stops aiding anti-India terror activities from its soil.

He said the Kashmir problem was too simple to be solved soon and would take a time to find a permanent solution.

"Whatever steps we are now taking in Kashmir is towards a permanent solution to the issue. I will not like to clarify much, and it would not be proper too... I cannot say that I will resolve the problem within few months but the efforts are on."

In remarks that are likely to bring tempers down in the Kashmir Valley over fears that any attempt at doing away with the special status of the state, Rajnath Singh said: "Kashmir should maintain its identity."

The comments assume significance in the backdrop of a raging debate over the continuity of articles 370 and 35(A) of the Constitution that give Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state, its special status.

Article 35(A) has been challenged by a Delhi-based NGO, We the Citizens, in the Supreme Court, where the central government said last month that there was a need for a "larger debate" on the issue of declaring the article unconstitutional.

Added to the Constitution by a Presidential Order in 1954, the article accords special rights and privileges to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and empowers its legislature to frame any law without attracting a legal challenge.

The provision prohibits all Indians - except people from Jammu and Kashmir - from purchasing immovable property in the state, getting government jobs and availing state-sponsored scholarships. The NGO contended that the 1954 order was supposed to be a temporary provision.

The Home Minister who met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti here on Thursday reiterated that the central government had left its doors open for every individual or group for talks on how to bring peace in the Kashmir Valley and "are still open".

"My door is always open, we have never closed the path of talks. I never said no to a meeting. Whenever I visited Kashmir, I have an open invitation to all," Rajnath Singh said in response to a question over the possibility of talks with separatists in the valley.

He said the situation in the Kashmir Valley was improving and that there has been a decline in stone-pelting incidents. He said to stop youth from taking part in the violent street protests, the government was making efforts to provide employment opportunities to them.

"We are not satisfied with this (decline). Stone-pelting must stop altogether. We have to provide jobs to Kashmiri youths," Rajnath Singh said.

He said the state PDP-BJP coalition government led by Mufti was cooperating with the Centre in its efforts to bring peace in the state and eliminate militants.

"I can say emphatically that the state government is not obstructing our fight against terrorism. I salute the state police for its efforts to curb terrorism," he said.

He said the common agenda of governance between the PDP and the BJP is an "experiment which is continuing".

The Home Minister said talks with Pakistan have halted for now but the peace process could resume if the neighbouring country assures New Delhi that it will not let its soil used by terrorists to perpetrate attacks against India.

"Pakistan will have to change (its stance), if not today, tomorrow (Aaj nahin sudharega, toh kal sudharna padega)," he said.

Asked why India cannot carry out an Abbottabad-type operation in which Osama bin Laden was killed by US Marines, the Home Minister replied: "India today is not weak. We are now stronger. It is a question of time as to what to do, then we will see."

On a possible return of migrant Kashmiri Pandits to the valley, the Home Minister said that during late Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's tenure, it was agreed that they would be rehabilitated.

"I have been told some land had been earmarked. Instead of setting up separate colonies, a certain percentage from other communities would have settled with them. The Centre had no objections. But conditions changed for the worse, and the implementation is getting delayed. I cannot say that this will happen in a year or six months. It cannot be done in a hurry," he said.
The "Success Files" series, hosted by actor Rob Lowe, utilizes a conversational format that allows for greater exploration of the featured topics than typical talk shows or news magazine programs. Lowe, in addition to his career as a television and film actor, has taken on the role of host for this program that is produced for public television. Each episode focuses on one topic and offers an in-depth look into the subject matter that allows viewers to feel more informed and engaged at the conclusion of the program. An episode in production now will discuss the Preservation of Historical Buildings and how this work is affecting neighborhoods and communities throughout the United States.

Buildings that have received a historical designation must adhere to certain guidelines and regulations when preservation is completed. This preservation work can be incredibly complex and involved and requires a thorough understanding of the architecture from the period in which the structure was built. Many communities take great pride in their histories and view these structures as a tangible way to protect the customs from years past. Historical buildings are often used as museums and learning centers that enlighten both residents and guests on the way that life was lived many years ago.

Each "Success Files" episode is produced with the goal of creating content that viewers will find useful and interesting, while maintaining high production standards. The series has received acclaim from various sources, its reach is expected to expand.
In March 2016, Michael Goodenough, a member of the Channel Partners Editorial Advisory Board, invited two military veteran job seekers to shadow him at the spring Channel Partners Conference & Expo and learn about the tech industry and the channel. The following August, two more veterans were invited to Channel Partners Evolution in Washington, D.C.

By the time of the spring 2017 Channel Partners Conference & Expo, the initiative to invite veterans had a name  Veterans@Channel Partners  and had grown to facilitate invitations to 11 veterans.

Channel Partners supplied a dedicated meeting room and full Expo passes. Granite Telecommunications stepped up to underwrite travel, hotel and incidental expenses. Cloud Girls and Women in the Channel (WiC) provided mentors for some of the veterans, and WiC also hosted female veterans at its colocated networking event.

For Channel Partners Evolution, Sept. 25-25 in Austin, Texas, the program has gained even more momentum.

We have partnered with TrainOurTroops, an Austin-based 501(c)(3) veteran non-profit organization that provides U.S. veterans and their spouses with free advanced online training and certification solutions to give them a competitive advantage in the civilian job market and ignite their careers. And Granite has again stepped forward and agreed to help underwrite costs.

Organizations across the country support TrainOurTroops to drive various veteran scholarship programs while also allowing the marketing aspect of TrainOurTroops to drive veteran-branded initiatives for those organizations to obtain global exposure and awareness.

TrainOurTroops provides courses that are driven by the needs of organizations. Once finished with a given road map of courses, veterans receive online testing, templates and deliverables, certification, and visibility to organizations that want their newly acquired skill sets. They also find a community of other veterans to network with. TrainOurTroops allows veterans and their spouses to start new careers or simply add additional advanced skill sets in order to become more valuable to their current employers.

According to Glen Brynteson, founder and president of TrainOurTroops, courses are created around six critical organizational disciplines: customer experience (CX) solutions, competitive intelligence (CI) solutions, strategic modeling (SX) solutions, product design and launch intelligence (PX) solutions, win/loss analysis (WL) solutions and emotional intelligence and thought leadership (EX & TL) solutions.

TrainOurTroops focuses on getting veterans trained, prepared and engaged in the marketplace to obtain solid positions to better support their families and excel in their individual careers. They want to ensure veteran families remain strong in a challenging work environment and be successful in any organization or profession.

We dont just want to help veterans get jobs, says Brynteson. Our goal is to provide a higher quality of life for veterans by giving them the training they need to get higher-quality and higher-paying positions within organizations. The same applies to their spouse. We want to lift the entire veteran family unit. Its the least we can do for the people that were willing to put their life on the line for our freedom.

We ask a lot of our veterans, he says. They serve our country in some of the most dangerous environments and difficult situations faced by any American. Yet having endured those experiences, too many veterans returning to civilian jobs find themselves in work that barely pays enough to live on.

According to Brynteson, 31 percent of employed veterans say they are underemployed or in a low-paying job, a number thats up from 23 percent in 2015, according to the CareerBuilder Veterans Day Job Forecast. Add to that, many of the jobs targeted to veterans are low-skilled and therefore low-paying, which sets up vets for poverty and struggle, rather than for success.

"It's our job to change the trend of veterans being an afterthought by organizations when it comes to their value and skill sets in the civilian workforce. We're providing them a great path to be networked with peers, trained, certified, and linked to the organizations who see that value. We want to lift the entire veteran family unit and get them into higher paying positions in any organization," Brynteson stated.

At the Austin Convention Center event, TrainOurTroops will have a booth on the exhibit floor and will be raising awareness and donations for their veteran training initiatives. They plan to have roughly 35 veterans attend the event.
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In 2005, the Journal Star explored the impact of alcohol sales in the Nebraska village of Whiteclay on people from the nearby Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

A reporting team spent dozens of days and nights gathering stories of Oglala Lakota people who crossed the state line to buy beer at a rate of 11,000 cans a day.

This summer, after Nebraska liquor regulators shuttered Whiteclays beer stores, we returned to tell the stories Beyond Whiteclay.

On Pine Ridge, 53 percent of families live in poverty, the unemployment rate is 29 percent and alcoholism grips as much as 80 percent of the 19,000 people who live there.

But statistics dont tell the whole story. That was apparent inside Billy Mills Hall this summer, where children and sober adults gathered every Wednesday night to adorn themselves in colorful jingle dresses and beaded moccasins, and danced to the sound of singing and Native drums.

Just outside the front doors, drinkers  no longer able to walk to Whiteclay for beer  gathered to beg for money and rides to Rushville 24 miles down the road.

Cailee Ferguson, an 18-year-old mom living in Pine Ridge, puts it more succinctly.

Pine Ridge isnt a bad place. Its just a broken place.

Meet the reporters

Kevin Abourezk grew up in Gregory, S.D., and has covered issues in Whiteclay and Pine Ridge, South Dakota, for more than 18 years. He spent the first seven years of his life on the Pine Ridge Reservation, picking chokecherries and reveling in the incomparable beauty of culture and family.

Zach Pluhacek grew up in Omaha and covers state government for the Journal Star. He also has reported on Whiteclay issues for the past year. Even in that short time, hes been pulled over twice for speeding in the area: once by a tribal cop, and once by a Sheridan County deputy sheriff.

Photos, videos: Francis Gardler, Alyssa Mae, Gwyneth Roberts, Jake Crandall, Kevin Abourezk

Project editors: Shelly Kulhanek, Peter Salter, Todd Henrichs

Online: Megan Stubenhofer-Barrett

Page designers: xxxxxx
President Akufo-Addo stated this when he addressed a durbar of the Chief and the people of Senya Bereku, as part of his three-day tour of the Central Region.

The visit is to interact with the citizenry and get their feedback on governments policies and programmes.

President Akufo-Addo said the free Senior High School Policy, which was heavily criticised by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) during 2016 Election Campaign will be operational in September as promised.

He said the policy was also intended to lessen burden, which made it extremely difficult for parents to send their children to secondary school.

President Akufo-Addo said the Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, had worked extra hard and intelligently to ensure the smooth take -off of the policy as scheduled.

He said all social interventions outlined by the NPP, which were aimed at reducing poverty among Ghanaians, would be implemented to improve well-being of the people; adding that Ghana was not naturally poor, but it was in a poor state because of bad governance and economic mess over the years.

President Akufo-Addo said the NPP Government inherited huge debts from the previous Government but that would not scare his Administration.

Rather, it would strive hard to put in place good policies and programmes to revamp the wobbling economy.

He assured the people of Senya Bereku that the One District, One Factory program will be implemented soon, saying the disbursement of one million dollars for each of the 275 constituencies would also progress for infrastructural development.

President Akufo-Addo hinted that landing beach for Senya Beraku will soon be constructed to create jobs and wealth and also reduce the migration of the youth to other towns in search of non-existing jobs.

The President said directives had been given to the Ministries of Transport; and Roads and Highways to put in measures to control excessive traffic congestion, which had hit Kasoa and beyond after the construction of the overhead bridge.

He announced that the road from Bawjiase to Obrachere would be constructed to facilitate the transportation of goods and services in the area.

Madam Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, the Minister of Fisheries and Aqua Culture, said the President had directed the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to work extra hours to produce more premix fuel to be supplied to fishermen in the country to avert shortage.

She said the Fisheries Ministry will soon start the registration of all canoes for free to enable the Ministry to have the accurate record for offering the needed assistance.

The Minister, however, cautioned fishermen and fisher folks to be extra careful about their dealings with Non- governmental organisations, (NGOs) which were not known to the Ministry to avoid being swindled.

Mrs Mavis Hawah Koomson, the Minister of Special Development Initiatives, said all was set for disbursement of the one million dollars package meant for 275 constituencies.

She said the money would be used to fund locally-initiated water, electricity and other projects, and urged them to adopt their own strategic plans for their benefit.

The Minister said micro businesses would be rolled out for women to enable them to engage in small scale enterprises to improve their living standards.

Other Speakers were the MP for Awutu Senya West, Neenyi George Andah and Deputy Minister of Communications, Neenyi Kwamina Nkwantana II, the Acting Omanhene of the Senya Traditional Area, Mr Kwamina Duncan, Central Regional Minister, Mr Thomas Adjei Baffoe, Deputy Central Regional Minister.


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The former pleaded guilty while the latter denied the crime.

The pair would make their next appearance on Thursday, August 31.

Police Detective Inspector Emmanuel Nyamekye told the court, presided over by Ms. Lydia Osei Marfo, that the said gold had been sent to the priestess of the shrine for spiritual purification by a certain man on July 31.

Mensah overheard the discussion between the man and the priestess, who happens to be his sister and went to steal the gold later.

The prosecution said he gave the stolen precious mineral to Agyei for safe-keeping.

On August 06, the owner, returned to collect the gold from the shrine only for the priestess to discover that it was missing.

Suspecting Mensah of the crime, she reported him to the Wiamoase police and he was arrested.

He confessed to stealing the gold and told police investigators that he had given it to Agyei for safe-keeping and he was also arrested.

Agyei admitted receiving the gold but refused to return it, the prosecution added.


Despite their dismissal from the military, the two suspects are accused of wearing their military uniforms to rob and intimidate civilians.

The two men are under the custody of the Cantonment Police Station in Accra assisting with investigations.

Accra-based UTV first reported the story.

Superintendent Manuel Agyeman, the Divisional Crime Officer at the Cantonment Police Station, said they were informed about the activities of the two ex-service men by some concern Ghanaians who were appalled by their conduct.

"A search was conducted in their homes and truly they were ex-military officers," he said. "They had uniforms and other things they use to cause trouble," he told UTV

"We are conducting further investigation. We believe they are not alone. They may have other accomplices."
Two of the deceased have been identified as Dangyima and Alhaji.

The bodies were found Sunday morning in a pool of muddy stagnant water.

READ MORE: 10 Chinese arrested over galamsey

Accra-based 3news first reported the tragic incident, saying marks of assault were all over their bodies.

It appears they were beaten and strangledone of them had his eye broken. The teeth of some of them were also broken, Yaw Ofori who saw the bodies was quoted as saying.

Three of the deceased were said to have been hired by a galamsey operator to remove his excavator from site on Saturday. The fourth person is said to be a worker of the unnamed galamsey operator.

They did not return home after almost 24 hours after they were contracted for the job.

READ MORE: 22 galamseyers given mass burial at collapsed pit site

A search was organised in the area on Sunday and the four bodies were found in the galamsey pit filled with water.
Mr Fuseini, commenting on the reintroduction of the quota system in the nursing training colleges, said the NPP in the 2016 election distorted government policies to create disaffection for the Mahama administration.

READ MORE: Fierce debate in parliament over political hooliganism

"If you lie in the morning, lie in the afternoon, lie in the evening and in the night consistently to be able to protect the initial lie you told, he said on Radio Gold's "Alhaji and Alhaji."

"In the run up to the 2016 elections, the NPP rode on the back of lies, profuse lies and blatant falsehood and distortion because their main obsession of the party was just to get power.

With the reintroduction of the quota system, both public and private institutions accredited to train nurses in Ghana will reduce their intake by almost 1,600 this year.

Last year, 7,335 students were admitted to the various institutions, but the number will reduce to 5,737 when the directive is implemented.
A 32-year-old woman is dead and multiple other people were left injured after a driver plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, on Saturday afternoon, police chief Al Thomas said.

Two Virginia state police officers were also killed in a helicopter crash outside Charlottesville as they were monitoring the protests from above.

The car crash came after a day of violent and chaotic clashes between white nationalists and counter-protesters. The driver of the car has been arrested, and Thomas said at a press conference Saturday evening that the injuries from the crash range from minor to life-threatening.

The police on Saturday evening identified the suspected driver of the car as 20-year-old James Fields. The police told media they were holding him on suspicion of second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and one hit-and-run count.

Police said their helicopter was "assisting public safety resources" as the events unfolded in Charlottesville, and that there was no indication that foul play was a factor in the crash.

"Lieutenant Cullen was a highly respected professional aviator and Trooper-Pilot Bates was a welcome addition to the Aviation unit," police said in a statement. "Their deaths are a tremendous loss to our agency and the Commonwealth."

The protests that began Friday evening and continued on Saturday accompanied a "Unite the Right" rally that was called by white nationalists in response to a plan to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a park in Charlottesville.

One of the counter-protesters who was hit described the scene to a reporter shortly after.

"There were just a few cars that counter-protesters were blocking," the man said.

He then said that the driver of the car was "honking their horn" and then "they were just, like, bulldozing through people."

Another witness had two friends who were hit by the car and had to take them to the hospital. The witness described the incident as "absolutely intentional."

"I am furious & heartsick by the car crash that has injured many," Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer tweeted. "Please all-go home to your families. We can work tomorrow. GO HOME! PLEASE!"
Don Preister fought for change in Whiteclay before it was cool.

The former Omaha state senator introduced bills each year from 2002 to 2005 that sought to re-establish a 5-mile alcohol-free buffer zone around the Pine Ridge Reservation and ban liquor licenses in cities that lack adequate law enforcement. He introduced a 2006 bill that would have funded a Whiteclay police force through a new tax on alcohol.

None of those bills made it out of committee, though he did help secure a $100,000 federal grant that allowed tribal police and Nebraska State Patrol troopers to enforce laws within each others boundaries.

Preister takes pride in being among the first to call for change in Whiteclay.

I couldnt turn a blind ear to their cause, even though it seemed like a lost cause.
Writing in a joint article in the Sunday Telegraph, two of Prime Minister Theresa May's most senior ministers said that the UK will seek a transition deal for leaving the EU, but that any deal will not be a "back door" to staying in the bloc and would be limited in its time period.

Continuing, the pair write that any transition "must ensure a smooth and predictable pathway for businesses and citizens alike. We are both clear that during this period the UK will be outside the single market and outside the customs union and will be a third-country not party to EU treaties."
Writing for the Mail on Sunday, Soubry  who served as Minister of State for Small Business, Industry and Enterprise under previous PM David Cameron  argues that the Conservative Party could split down the middle unless May takes counsel from the "wise owls" within her cabinet.

"Mrs May must waste no time in taking on the Hard Brexiteers and making it clear that she sides with responsible Cabinet Ministers  such as Chancellor Philip Hammond  who appreciate that we need a sensible Brexit transition period to avoid plunging this country headlong into an economic nightmare," Soubry writes.

"In other words  the wise owls should be ruling the roost."

May must stand up to the so-called "ideologues" within the Tories, or risk further alienating the large proportion of the parliamentary party that wanted to stay in the European Union and now want a softer Brexit with a long transition period, Soubry added.

In the article two of May's most senior ministers said that the UK will seek a transition deal for leaving the EU, but that any deal will not be a "back door" to staying in the bloc and would be limited in its time period.

"I am beginning to wonder whether some of the people in charge of Leave actually understand the value of the single market," she said in October 2016.

"The idea that we will leave the EU and then negotiate some excellent free trade deal with the rest of Europe and not take the free movement of labour is the stuff of the fairies.
Even New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spoke out:

A number of other voices chimed in as well:

"Morning Joe" co-host Joe Scarborough, whom Trump has frequently criticized on Twitter, also weighed in.

"

One witness had two friends who were hit by the car and had to take them to the hospital. The witness described the incident as "absolutely intentional."
After violence erupted at a white nationalist and neo-Nazi protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, the president issued a brief statement on Saturday in which he decried the "display of hatred, bigotry, and violence on many sides," a reference to the counter-protesters gathered to oppose the white nationalists.

Many critics  including Republicans  slammed Trump for not explicitly calling out the white nationalists in Virginia, noting that one woman was killed when a car drove into a crowd of counter-protesters, and calling it a "terror attack."

Trump's statement sparked a chain of messages sent "on background" to reporters in which officials tried to explain the president's vague statement, though none agreed to attach their names to the comments.

An hour after Trump's press conference, the White House issued a clarifying statement to reporters noting that the president wanted to condemn violence by counter-protesters.

White House officials offered similar statements at different points Saturday evening to multiple reporters, including Vanity Fair's Gabe Sherman and Pro Publica's Ken Schwencke.

For their part, some high-profile figures in the White House issued more forceful denunciations.

National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster declared the car attack in Charlottesville an act of terrorism, while Ivanka Trump wrote on Twitter that "there should be no place in society for racism, white supremacy and neo-Nazis."

Late Sunday morning, the White House finally clarified that the president broadly condemns the acts of white nationalists. But the communications shop  which initially issued the comment with a spelling error  still chose to keep the statement anonymous.
The judge, Mr Hassan Ishaq, granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 with a surety in like sum.

He said the surety must be someone with a reliable source of income and must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

Ishaq added that the surety must submit his or her drivers licence or national identity card and passport photographs to the court.

The accused was arraigned on a charge of theft which is punishable under Section 287 of the Penal Code.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Ashasim Helen, told the court that the matter was reported to the Karu Police Station by one Aishat Bello, also of Karu Village on Wednesday.

She said the complainant, who is a livestock farmer, told the police that the accused was once her employee.

The prosecutor said the complainant had on several occasions reported theft of her chickens when the accused was working for her, resulting in his sack.

The prosecutor said that all efforts to recover the said chickens proved abortive.

The prosecutor also said that the accused confessed during police investigation to have sold some of the chickens while he ate some.
The 18-year-old is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, burglary and robbery.

Magistrate Bola Folarin-Williams directed that the plea of the accused be taken and quashed the remand order brought by the police.

She granted the accused bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two responsible sureties in like sum.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sgt. Jimah Iseghede told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 19 at 4.00 a.m. at No. 33/35, Modele St., Surulere.

He told the court that the accused, armed with gun and other dangerous weapons, broke into the residence of the complainant, Oluyinka Olumide and stole property worth thousands of naira.

He listed items allegedly stolen by Daramola as one Hp laptop valued at N70, 000, one Toshiba laptop valued at N50, 000, one iPhone6 valued at N160, 000 and a Samsung smart phone valued at N40, 000.

Others are a Nokia phone, two Itel phones and a smart phone valued at N140, 000.

Iseghede also alleged that the accused stole two gold rings and a wedding band, a driving licence, seven ATM cards, N60, 000 and 300 dollars, all belonging to Oluyinka Olumide.

The offences, according to the prosecutor, contravened Sections 297, 307 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The accused pleaded not guilty.
The accused, whose address is unknown, is facing a one-count charge of stealing.

The Police Prosecutor, Insp. Akpan Ikem, told the court that the accused committed the offence on August 5 at the Badagry roundabout in Badagry.

He said that the complainant and the accused were friends.

The complainant gave the accused the five cartons of banana to safeguard for her, because she was travelling for a week.

The accused ate three cartons of the banana and sold the rest, he said.

Uko said that the offence committed contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 20115 (Revised).

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the law prescribes a three-year jail term for convicted offenders.

The Magistrate, Mr Jimoh Adefioye, admitted the accused to bail in the sum of N100,000 and a surety, who must provide evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government.
Last year, Yellow Band, the Sheldon Museum of Arts Mark Rothko painting, traveled to England and Spain.

There it was included alongside Willem de Koonings Woman II, Jackson Pollocks Blue Poles, Barnett Newmans Adam and Eve and dozens of other paintings and sculptures in Abstract Expressionism, a survey exhibition of the post-war art movement at Londons Royal Academy of Arts and the Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao.

Returning from Spain, where he had gone in January to monitor the transfer of the Rothko to the Guggenheim and its hanging there, Sheldon director and chief curator Wally Mason was listening to jazz saxophonist Charlie Parker on his flight, thinking about Abstract Expressionism, Yellow Band and the Sheldons collection of work from the movement.

I came back from Bilbao and said to myself Weve got a critical mass of New York school work. We ought to get them out," Mason said. They may have been shown collectively in the past, but not properly.

The result of Masons decision to show Sheldons abstract expressionist holdings is Nows The Time, an exhibition of 39 objects, all but one from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln art museums collection.

A few of those objects, like the Rothko, are internationally recognized masterpieces.

Some, like Jackson Pollocks Untitled (Composition with Ritual Scene) are important early works by major figures in the movement.

Some come from artists who are nearly forgotten or, as in the case of Theodoros Stamos, have, in Masons words, been thrown to the ashcan of history for no good reason.

Together, they form a strong introduction to the what scholar David Anfam, in his instructive essay in the Abstract Expressionism catalog, calls a phenomenon rather than a movement.

Abstract Expressionism was never a close-knit, small group of artists, unlike, say the Cubists, Anfam wrote. Unlike such earlier movements as Suprematism, Futurism or Surrealism, the Abstract Expressionists scarcely issued any programmatic manifestos or substantial theoretical statements.

Instead, Anfam argues that Abstract Expressionism grew out of Symbolism, which believed that art is infused with emotions, using color and line to convey them, then fused by the apocalyptic threat and social discontent of the late 1940s and 1950s.

As initially conceived, the Sheldon exhibition would have covered just those years, beginning in 1945 and ending in 1960. But as he looked at Sheldons abstract expressionist holdings, Mason broadened the time period.

That opened the door to Pollocks 1938-1941 painting Untitled (Composition with Ritual Scene) and a rare Clyfford Still, 1945s PH-794." At the other end of the timeline, it brought in Philip Gustons Untitled 1967 ink on paper and Lee Krasners Invocation from 1969-1971.

Nows The Time, which takes its name from a 1945 Charlie Parker song, isnt presented chronologically, nor is it intended to be comprehensive.

That said, it contains vivid examples of work by:

* Hans Hofmann, the German painter and teacher who was a pivotal figure in the development of abstract expression, with 1958s The City

* deKooning, with the striking charcoal and oil on paper of Woman, purchased out of his studio in 1954

* Newman, with the 1949 zip painting Horizon Light

* Robert Motherwell, with 1950s red-and-black study of a door Hotel Flora

* and Franz Kline, with his 1960 ink-on-paper on cardboard Study for Shenandoah Wall.

Those names, along with Pollock, Still and Guston, are a standard New York school litany that is, due in large part to the influence of critics Clement Greenberg and Harold Rosenberg, all male.

We sort of wrote our version of it, which was the Clement Greenberg version -- men and not women, Mason said of the development of Sheldons abstract expressionism holdings.

As a corrective, Nows The Time includes a pair of new acquisitions -- Judith Godwins Male Study from 1954 and Perle Fines Spinning Figure from 1949.

Godwin, now 87, is one of a handful of artists who gained far greater visibility after being included in the Denver Art Museums Women of Abstract Expressionism last year. Male Study is a strong example of her work that folds in Klines strong dark lines into loosely structured geometric abstraction that is overlain with drips of white paint reminiscent of Pollock.

Fines painting is, essentially, surrealist, a work that links directly to Pollocks Untitled (Composition with Ritual Scene) as early examples of an artists work that show that mature action painting didnt spring up out of nowhere.

Krasner, who was married to Pollock and carried on a career for decades after, is represented by a late period painting that used nature-derived imagery emphasizing calligraphic qualities and sharpened edges. At the time of its 2012 acquisition, Invocation was the most expensive painting ever purchased by Sheldon.

Other women with work in the show include Helen Frankenthaler and Hedda Sterne.

Frankenthaler's 1964 Red Frame is a poured paint piece, the bright acrylics linking, color field painting and abstract expressionism. Shes been part of the abstract expressionist canon since the beginning because she had a five-year relationship with Greenberg in the 1950s before marrying Motherwell.

Sterne, who painted 1955' "New York, #5" was the only female in The Irascibles, the famous 1950 Life Magazine photograph of 16 painters that introduced the country to the New York School that was then part of a small art scene that painter Michael Goldberg said numbered less than 1,000 people.

Two of the exhibitions sculptural works also come from women -- Louise Bourgeois 1947-1949 painted bronze Observer thats one of the shows few figurative works and Louise Nevelsons 1959 Black Table Game, a black wooden box filled with carved objects thats the only piece in the show not owned by Sheldon.

The other key sculpture -- and one of the exhibitions greatest masterworks -- isnt in the second floor galleries with the rest of the work. Its David Smiths monumental stainless steel Superstructure on 4, a 1960 sculpture that, after decades outside, now stands in Sheldons Great Hall.

Unlike most such surveys, Nows The Time also includes photographs -- a handful of images of New York City from Ted Croner, shot in 1947-48 and William Klein, shot in 1955.

The question is always Can a movement be location-based?', Mason said. Photography, more than anything else, told it with location, (and) it was New York.

The city figures into the small showcase gallery off the main exhibition that attempts to put the New York School into its cultural context. The walls are covered with photographs of Motherwell, Krasner, Fine, Hofmann, gallerist Betty Parsons and David Smiths studio. A row of books provide the written context for the movement.

And a video includes images of artists, jazz musicians like Miles Davis, dancer Martha Graham and poet Allen Ginsberg reading his controversial 1956 masterpiece Howl.

Intended to connect abstract expression with the cultural upheaval that produced bebop, modern dance and the beat generation for students born in the late 1990s, the video and gallery isnt all that much of a stretch.

Beats Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac and Gregory Corso often hung out at the Cedar Tavern as did the painters.

Their shared reason for patronizing the Greenwich Village bar, Goldberg said in 2003, was that Cedar Street let them put the food they consumed on a tab, making them only pay upfront for drinks.

Goldberg, who was one of the abstract expressionists who had a day job working as a truck driver, said that hed get hit up for every two weeks by artists whod take the money to Cedar Street to pay off their tab.

I should have just taken my check there, he said.

Thats evidence that, for years, the New York School artists struggled to survive. Many of Pollocks early, pivotally important works failed to sell, leading to the donation of Mural, his 1943 breakthrough painting, to the University of Iowa, and 1947s Galaxy, one of the first drip paintings, to Omahas Joslyn Art Museum.

Those paintings are now valued in the millions, as are some of the Sheldon pieces.

And, 70 years after it began, the abstract expressionists are recognized as the creators of a distinctly American art, a move away from European traditions to a brash, rule-bending art of a country not far removed from its frontier origins.

That makes the New York School key for a museum, like Sheldon, dedicated to American art. Nows The Time impressively demonstrates how the small museum in the middle of the country, embraced abstract expressionism and can deliver a representative sampling of the movement that forever changed art.
Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister for Labour and Employment, said this in Amakwa, Ozubulu in Ekwusigo council when he led a delegation to commiserate with the people and government of Anambra on Saturday.

The delegation was led to St. Philips Catholic Church by Dr Nkem Okeke, Deputy Governor of Anambra and Most Rev. Dr Hillary Okeke, the Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese.

The minister, who described the attack as heinous, wicked and sacrilegious, said the delegation would report back to the presidency.

He said the Federal Government would also work out a security framework that would protect worshipers anywhere in the country.

Ngige, who was briefed by the Bishop and Parish Priest of the church, Rev. Fr. Jude Onwuaso, said efforts would be made to forestall future recurrence.

In his remarks, the deputy governor said the church was praying for the repentance of the perpetrators.

He said government and the security agencies could go ahead with the hunt for the culprits, but as Christians, the diocese was praying that the masterminds should change their ways.

He called for prayers and support for the victims either directly to the affected families or through the church through its Victims Support Fund.
The Director-General of the Agency, Alhaji Mustapha Maihaja, disclosed this at Mubi International Transit Camp, Adamawa, on Sunday.

Maihaja, who was represented by Idris Garga, NEMA Coordinator in charge of Adamawa and Taraba, said that the evacuation exercise was the second in three months.

Today, we are evacuating another batch of 170 Nigerian repatriated Refugees from Cameroon Republic ,the first evacuation was conducted in May 2017 and involved about 300 Nigerians.

The refugees were intercepted along Nigeria-Cameroon boarder by teams of Nigeria security operatives and after thorough investigation and screening they were confirmed to be Nigerians.

The refugees are indigenes of Gomboru- Ngala in Borno who escaped Boko Haram attacks and ran to Cameroon for safety in 2013, he said.
In a report by Punch, Umar confirmed the attack that occurred at the Assemblies of God Church on the Oguta road Onitsha, but stressed that the attack was not carried out in the church.

My men were on patrol near the church when they were attacked by some gunmen. It was not an attack on the church, in the real sense of it.

This attack is coming seven days after unknown gunmen attacked a Catholic Church in Ozubulu, Anambra state killing several people and leaving many injured.

ALSO READ: Gunmen attack another church, kill policeman

On Saturday, August 12, 2017, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige had said the Federal Government would work out modalities on how to secure places of worship in the country.

Ngige said that this has become expedient following incessant attacks on places of worship.
Buhari made this known during a visit by his media team led by the minister at the Abuja house in London, where the President has been residing for three months.

In a recent video shared by the Presidency, Buhari said: "Lai, I see you everywhere in the press. It's very good. [Going] by the press you're working very hard..."

ALSO READ: Abike Dabiri, Lai Mohammed visit President in London
Adesian said this in a statement signed by Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye, a Deputy Director (Information), Presidential Media Office, Abuja.

Oladunjoye said Adesina stated this when he received the Vice Minister of Information of State Council, Peoples Republic of China, Mr Guo Weimin who was on an official visit to Nigeria.

According to Adesina, the fact that the Nigerian President cherishes the cooperation between Nigeria and China automatically means that there will always be areas of mutual cooperation between the two countries.

Adesina explained that media organisations from the two countries should profit from the mutual cooperation.

The presidential aide reiterated the readiness of the presidential media team to build on the existing mutual relationship while also exploring other areas of cooperation.

He assured Weimin that the presidential media office would work closely with the Chinese Ministry of Information to explore areas where agreements were signed during the visit.

Adesina expressed optimism that such agreements would enhance the interests of the Nigerian media in particular and the Nigerian Government in general.

Earlier, Weimin said the delegation, comprising officials of the Chinese Government was in Nigeria to explore areas of exchange of ideas toward deepening the relationship between the Chinese and the Nigerian media industry.

He identified New Media, transparency in governance, broadcast communication and socio-cultural values as areas in which the delegation hoped to share ideas with their Nigerian counterparts.

The vice minister, who said Adesina had had a big role to play in deepening the relationship between the two countries solicited his cooperation.
The former president made this known at the PDP non-elective national convention, which was held at the Eagle Square in Abuja on Saturday, August 12, 2017.

Though we didnt completely plug the loopholes in the fight against corruption, but we did well.

I learnt that some people said that if the PDP had remained in power beyond 2015, the economy would have been worse. This couldnt have been the case, because we had a sound economic team in place.

Let us not forget that the great floods of 2012 were a major calamity that damaged homes and farmlands on the plains of River Niger and Benue.

But despite the devastating effects of this natural disaster, there were no food shortages or arbitrary increase in prices, because of what we were able to accomplish with our agriculture transformation agenda, which considerably boosted food production.

ALSO READ: Goodluck Jonathan denies collecting cash from Malabu oil deal

If we say that we rekindled hope in our people and regained international goodwill, it is because we pursued a number of policies and programmes that were not only richly rewarding for our people, but were also being copied by many countries across the globe, a few of which I will mention here.
Speaking at the PDP non-elective national convention, which held at the Eagle Square in Abuja on Saturday, August 12, 2017, Jonathan said the PDP is indeed back to reclaim its prime position as the party to lead Nigeria to greatness.

He said: The PDP is indeed back to reclaim its prime position as the party to lead Nigeria to greatness. As a human institution we cannot claim perfection, but obviously as a political party, our accomplishments as of 2015 far outweigh our shortfalls.

Nobody should intimidate the PDP. I believe in the PDP; even God Himself believes in the PDP. Today is August 12, look at the weather.

ALSO READ: Goodluck Jonathan says Nigerians still believe in PDP

God wants us to celebrate in the PDP, thats why there is no rain. We are ready to take over the state houses of assembly, the National Assembly, the states as governors and the Presidency.

It is important we manage our differences responsibly, with an eye on the divine role of the PDP to lead Nigeria to greatness. Let us rededicate ourselves to playing by the rules.

Let us all ensure that the PDP is renewed in vigour to deliver on its divine responsibility to Nigerians. Let us forget the grievances of the past and look to the future with confidence and optimism.

I urge you to go back to your respective constituencies to promote the ideals of our great party. Let it be known that our party has been born anew, committed to the best ideals of democracy.
At the partys non-elective convention held on Saturday in Abuja, Makarfi said it was the desire of the party that Buhari should be well soon.

We mean well for our president. We will continue to pray for him, we want him to be fit but that does not mean that we will go to sleep. We will work hard to win the 2019 elections, he said.

He described the non-elective convention of the party as an affirmation that the PDP was a government in waiting.

He also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for being unbiased and for demonstrating its independency.

In his remark, Sen. Ben Obi, the Secretary of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, said all hands must be on deck to reposition the party to rescue Nigeria.
John Maisch spent the first 20 years of his life in Nebraska, growing up in Hastings and Grand Island.

But he had never heard of Whiteclay until he was an alcohol regulator in Oklahoma.

His curiosity to learn more led him to produce a documentary about life on Whiteclays streets, Sober Indian/Dangerous Indian, which he used to rally support to close the beer stores.

But he credits a 6-year-old girl with effectively shutting them down.

Arianna Boesems story of being born with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder to a mother who drank daily in Whiteclay finally struck home the real impact of beer sales on the innocent, Maisch said.

About a month after the stores had closed, Maisch traveled to Whiteclay by himself. It was a Sunday afternoon when he stepped out of his car and onto the streets that only a month before would have been filled with men and women drinking and begging for change.

It was silence, like how a town of nine should sound.
The compulsory votes are a formality to officially name the candidates teed up by their parties to fight the October 22 legislative elections.

They are a test for Macri's liberal economic reforms in the poverty-stricken country, two years into his term.

Kirchner, 64, dominated Argentine politics for years alongside her late husband before leaving office in 2015.

Now she is running for senator despite facing corruption charges which she says are politically motivated.

She is looking to beat candidates from Macri's Cambiemos party to win the key seat for Buenos Aires province.

A seat in the Senate would spare her jail if convicted of corruption. Her supporters hope it could also pave the way for a fresh presidential bid in 2019.

Her campaign is a headache for conservative president Macri, 58.

He says his budget cuts are strengthening the economy but Kirchner and other critics say they are hurting the poor.

A third of Argentines are living in poverty, according to a study by Argentina Catholic University.

Macri lacks a majority in the legislature, where he has had to cobble together support for his reforms.

Through his Cambiemos candidates, "Macri is looking to gain strength to ensure he can govern," sociologist Ricardo Rouvier told AFP.
Fipronil is widely used to rid household pets such as dogs and cats of fleas, but is banned by the European Union from treating animals destined for human consumption, including chickens.

The World Health Organization says fipronil is "moderately hazardous" in large quantities, with potential danger to people's kidneys, liver and thyroid glands.

Food safety authorities in The Netherlands -- where farmers are at the epicentre of the row -- this week admitted they received an anonymous tip-off last November about the use of fipronil in chicken pens but refuted allegations of negligence.

"It's mind-blowing that there was no connection made then, between the tip-off and the fact that fipronil may have contaminated both the chickens and the eggs," Dutch investigative journalist and food writer Marcel van Silfhout told AFP.

Had the NVWA, the Dutch food and goods watchdog, acted at that point, the latest trouble to hit the export-dependent Dutch food industry could have largely been avoided, said Van Silfhout, who penned a critical book about food safety and the NVWA in 2014.

Martin van den Berg, a professor and senior toxicologist at Utrecht University's Institute of Risk Assessment Sciences, added: "If there were investigators who were experts in this area and understood the impact of fipronil, maybe there would have been a different reaction."

But after consultations following the tip-off, the NVWA decided "there was no reason to think that fipronil would enter either eggs or chickens," two Dutch ministers said in a letter to parliament on Thursday.

Said van Silfhout: "I can't understand why the alarm bells didn't go off when a poisonous substance has been found in a chicken pen."

'Problem started with cutbacks'

Much of the current problem can be traced back to a growing loss of expertise; the NVWA and its predecessors have faced a series of cutbacks and trims since 2003, experts say.

The heavily-burdened agency -- which deals with food security but also general safety of goods -- saw its permanent staff shrink from 3,700 full-time jobs in 2003 to 2,200 over the next decade, according to the Dutch Christian-based daily Trouw.

Though the number is now back up slightly to about 2,600, many employees are not experts in their fields, according to Van Silfhout.

"There is no doubt that the problem started with the cutbacks since 2003," he said.

Since then, a series of food scandals to hit The Netherlands, including the outbreak of Q fever in 2007 which killed dozens of people, firmly laid the blame on the NVWA.

Although a 2013 scandal over horse meat -- when it was discovered that a Dutch company was passing off horse meat as beef to be used in burgers and other meat products across Europe -- had no health implications, the NVWA was criticised for not being stringent enough in its oversight.

'Not a food watchdog'

In 2003, the NVWA was moved from under the Dutch health ministry to agriculture which then fell under the economic affairs ministry.

Over the years, the farming industry started to largely "regulate itself and agrarian motives got the priority," Van Silfhout wrote in his 2014 book "Deboned -- how safe is our food still?".

"A culture of soft enforcement took hold ... instead of clear independent inspections," Van Silfhout wrote.

Pieter van Vollenhoven, Princess Margriet's husband and a former Dutch Safety Board chairman, agreed.

"At (farming) companies, economic considerations quickly took the lead," he told the Dutch daily Algemeen Dagblad in a recent interview.

"The NVWA must stand up for public interest, for food security. Alas, the agency in reality is not a food watchdog, but an extension of economic policy," Van Vollenhoven said.

Dutch Health Minister Edith Schippers this week admitted that the government had made "errors" but denied any cover-up.
The 72-year-old told his supporters to stay at home and out of the way of police, after the international community beseeched him to send out a message to try to halt protests which have left 16 people dead since Friday night.

However, he defiantly vowed to "remove" the government of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who official results show was re-elected by a large margin in last Tuesday's election that pollsters had described as too close to call.

"We had predicted they will steal the election and that's what happened. We are not done yet. We will not give up. Wait for the next course of action which I will announce the day after tomorrow (Tuesday)," he told a heaving crowd of supporters in Nairobi's largest slum, Kibera.

'No Raila, no peace'

Kibera residents climbed on to roof tops and hung off trees to catch sight of Odinga, who was speaking for the first time since Kenyatta was declared the victor Friday in a poll he claims was massively rigged.

"No Raila, no peace," chanted the crowd, using the rallying cry heard after Odinga claimed a 2007 election was stolen from him.

The results of that poll led to two months of protests and ethnic killings which left 1,100 people dead and 600,000 displaced.

Friday's announcement of the election results sparked immediate protests in Odinga's strongholds in western Kenya and Nairobi slums including Kibera and Mathare, which have left at least 16 people dead according to an AFP tally.

On Sunday the flashpoint areas were calm, with signs of life returning to normal as shopkeepers cautiously reopened after two days of running battles with police, who in some cases fired live ammunition to disperse protesters.

Odinga's National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition has insisted Odinga was robbed of victory through hacking and manipulation of an electronic vote tallying system.

However calls for them to take their grievances to court, while Kenya's foreign partners heap congratulations on Kenyatta, have left them isolated and under mounting pressure.

The election was Odinga's fourth failed shot at the presidency. In 2013 he said the election was rigged and took his case to the Supreme Court where he lost.

This time his party officials have said court is not an option.

"If he tells us to go on the streets, we will go on the streets. If he wants us to stay home, we will stay stay home," said 25-year-old hairdresser Humpfrey Songole in Mathare.

'Exercise restraint'

Seven of the dead were killed in clashes in the west of the country, which was also calm on Sunday.

"These are people killed in the confrontations with officers since Friday night," said a regional police officer.

Nine people died in the capital, including a young girl whose family said she had been shot in the back while playing on a balcony in Mathare as police opened fire on protesters.

The Doctors without Borders (MSF) charity said on Twitter it had treated 54 wounded people in its clinics.

British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called on Kenya's opposition to "exercise restraint" to ensure calm.

EU foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini also urged the opposition "to respect the results and to use legal means available for appeals and complaints."

In another blow to the opposition, local election observer group ELOG, which deployed 8,300 observers and conducted a parallel tallying operation, determined Kenyatta had won with 54 percent -- the same figure given by the electoral commission.

- 'Zero-sum game'-

Odinga, an ethnic Luo who scored nearly 45 percent of votes to Kenyatta's 54 percent, has a huge following notably among the poor who are drawn to his platform of more equitable economic growth.

But ethnic grievance is also a key aspect of his appeal.

Three of Kenya's four presidents have been Kikuyu and the other Kalenjin, leaving Luos feeling excluded from power for over half a century.

Politics in Kenya is largely divided along tribal lines, and the winner-takes-all nature of elections has long stoked communal divisions. Critics say the faultlines that burst into the open in 2007 have not been adequately dealt with.
This total includes one death in Kisumu county and one in Siaya already reported by AFP Saturday.

"These are people killed in the confrontations with officers since Friday night," said the officer.

A second senior officer corroborated the figures, and said the region, a stronghold of defeated opposition leader Raila Odinga, had returned to calm Sunday.

"We haven't had any problems since late last night, let's say from midnight. The area is calm but we are still maintaining our presence in the hotspots which are prone to chaos just to ensure calm returns."

Angry opposition supporters took to the streets directly after President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the victor Friday night in a hotly disputed election on Tuesday which Odinga claims was rigged.

Residents of Nairobi slums, and in the western city of Kisumu, threw rocks at police and burned tyres, while officers responded with tear gas and in some cases, live ammunition.

Eight bodies were taken Saturday to the Nairobi city morgue, most of them with gunshot wounds, from the protest-hit slums of Mathare, Kibera and Kawangware since Friday night, a senior police official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

On Saturday morning, an AFP photographer saw the body of a young girl whose family said she had been shot in the back while standing on their balcony in Mathare.
The coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable, did not mention Trump's name, but its message was clear.

It said in a statement it rejects "the use of force, or the threat of applying such force, by whatever country against Venezuela."

Trump's comment on Friday that his administration was mulling many options, "including a possible military option if necessary," to fix the "dangerous mess" in Venezuela outraged Caracas, which called it "reckless" and "madness."

It was also rejected by all Latin American countries -- not only Venezuela's allies such as Cuba, Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua, but also those strongly opposed to President Nicolas Maduro, including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Peru and Chile.

US Vice President Mike Pence was traveling to Colombia on Sunday for a tour of some friendly countries in the region with a view to coordinating further action against Venezuela, on top of US sanctions already applied.

But after Trump's comment -- which US military commanders said had not been followed by any orders to prepare any sort of operation -- Pence was faced with unified rejection of forceful US intervention.

The Venezuelan opposition coalition said Maduro's recent moves to bolster his power despite broad unpopularity and a spiralling economic crisis had "isolated" the country.

But with many Venezuelans sharing bitter memories in Latin America of past US military adventures in the region -- including invasions, propping up dictators and promoting guerrilla forces -- there was little appetite for forced change from Washington.
CHICAGO  A Chicago police officer found at fault by the citys police watchdog for a teenagers fatal shooting in 2012 fired at suspects in two other incidents, was involved in more than half a dozen lawsuits and had about 25 complaints filed against him, records show.

Over a recent four-year period, Officer Brandon Ternand was among about a dozen officers who had amassed the most complaints within the 12,000-strong police force.

In its ruling, the Independent Police Review Authority called the officers shooting of 15-year-old Dakota Bright in the back of the head during a foot chase unprovoked and unwarranted.

On learning of the IPRAs findings, a spokeswoman for Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx said the office would take another look at the shooting. In 2013, the office, then led by States Attorney Anita Alvarez, decided not to prosecute the officer.

In light of IPRAs recently released report, the Office plans to review the case to ensure that the matter has been thoroughly reviewed in light of all available information, Foxxs spokeswoman, Tandra Simonton, said in an emailed statement.

Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Ternand, a 10-year veteran, remains on active duty while the department reviews the IPRAs findings.

Ternand declined to comment, but a statement issued by the head of the police union that represents rank-and-file officers said the IPRAs findings were politically motivated and questioned the competence of its investigators.

We believe the decision by IPRA to rule this incident unjustified is certainly arbitrary, based more on political considerations than the rule of evidence, said Fraternal Order of Police President Kevin Graham. A gun was recovered. This incident also cries out for the fact that IPRA should have personnel qualified to conduct shooting investigations, which it currently does not have.

The IPRA did not identify the officer, citing union contract prohibitions, but other records obtained by the Chicago Tribune through Freedom of Information Act requests show Ternand shot Bright in the South Sides Park Manor neighborhood on the afternoon of Nov. 8, 2012.

The IPRA report said that Bright was not armed when he was shot but may have tossed a gun during the chase. Officers found a .22-caliber revolver in a front yard near where the chase began, IPRA said.

The IPRA report disclosed that a woman witnessed the shooting called 911 and reported that an officer had shot someone in the back.

The fact that this statement was made contemporaneously with the actual event weighs in favor of its reliability, as does the fact it is corroborated by the physical evidence, the IPRA said.

The records obtained by the Tribune show that Ternand was among 11 officers in the department who amassed the most complaints between mid-December 2010 and mid-December 2014.

Over that time, he was the subject of 23 complaints alleging such things as the use of excessive force and illegal searches, according to the records. Ternand was not disciplined in any of the cases.

FOP officials commonly point out that officers who work in high-crime areas often are hit with complaints they allege to be false. Ternand has worked in violence-plagued parts of the South and West sides throughout his career.

Ternand has also been named in six federal lawsuits in addition to the one by Brights family filed in Cook County Circuit Court. Records show that the city has paid about $1.1 million overall in cases involving Ternand, including $925,000 last year to settle the lawsuit by Brights mother.

According to the records, Ternand has fired shots on three separate occasions  all within about two years.

In August 2012, about three months before Brights shooting, Ternand and another officer fired at two men. Ternand fired three shots but didnt hit anyone, according to the records.

In October 2014, Ternand shot three times at a 16-year-old but missed, the records show.

The ruling by the IPRA on Thursday was a rare decision finding a Chicago police officer at fault for use of force. Since the court-ordered release in late 2015 of video showing an officer shoot teenager Laquan McDonald 16 times sparked heated protests, political turmoil and promises of systemic change, the IPRA has found five shootings  including Brights  to be unjustified uses of force. In contrast, in the eight years before that, the agency investigated hundreds of shootings but found only two to be unjustified.

Ternand and his partner, and a second police unit, had responded to a call of a burglary in progress at about 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2012, but the officers found no trouble and began to leave when they saw Bright walking toward them in an alley.

The officers claimed that Bright held a gun in his right hand, looked toward the officers and took off running while tucking the gun in his waist.

Ternand gave chase on foot as Bright ran through backyards and jumped fences.

Ternand later said he opened fire as he saw Bright stumble, reach toward his waist and turn in his direction.

Ternand, identified by the IPRA only as Officer A, told detectives at the scene of the shooting that he spotted a dark-colored handgun in Brights hand on first seeing him in an alley. But IPRA noted that when his partner called in the description of the fleeing Bright to dispatchers at the Office of Emergency Management and Communications, he never said the suspect was armed, only that he was holdin his left side.

The fact that Officer A claims to have seen (Bright) wield the firearm in this manner and failed to ensure that this information was reported to OEMC to inform his fellow officers lacks credibility, the IPRA said.

The IPRA also found that Ternand gave inconsistent accounts of what he saw Bright doing with his hands as he fled. Ternand later said he saw Bright reaching for his waist, which IPRA called an important justification for Ternands belief that the teen was armed. That made it all the more surprising, though, that Ternand failed to mention that detail when he first spoke to detectives at the shooting scene, IPRA said.

The civilian witness said she didnt see Bright reaching for anything on his waist because he was runnin so fast. She also said that I think you could see his boxers  leading the IPRA to suggest he might have just been pulling his pants up, not reaching for a gun, as he cleared fences while being chased.

The IPRA also took issue with Ternands claim that after scaling the last fence, Bright reached toward his waist area and started turning toward the officer. This lacks credibility, said the IPRA, noting that Bright was already two city lots away  about 50 to 55 feet  from Ternand.

Given that it turned out that Bright had no gun when he was shot, IPRA said, it was unlikely that he would have made a gesture toward the officer, particularly since he was likely pulling away from the officer during the foot chase.

In addition, IPRA pointed out that Bright was shot in the back of his head, calling that detail another important piece of verifiable evidence that undermines the plausibility of Officer As account of the events.

This evidence suggests that (Bright) was facing away from the officer when he was shot, IPRA said.

(EDITORS: STORY CAN END HERE)

When asked to explain how Bright could have been shot in the back of the head, Ternand said he guessed that he turned his head back the split second after he fired. But the IPRA said that conflicted with Ternands consistent claim he fired at Bright as he began to turn toward him.

The IPRA also pointed to other inconsistencies. Ternand said he saw Bright reach into his waist, yet the officer acknowledged he was facing away from him as he fled, making it difficult for the officers to see what his hands were doing in front of his body, the IPRA said.

The IPRA concluded that Ternands use of deadly force was objectively unreasonable by a preponderance of the evidence.

IPRA relies upon the inconsistencies in Officer As statements, contravening physical evidence and eyewitness testimony to determine that Officer A was unreasonable in his belief that (Bright) presented an imminent threat of death or bodily harm to the officer, necessitating the use of deadly force, the IPRA said.



(Todd Lighty and Dan Hinkel contributed to this report.)



(c)2017 Chicago Tribune

Visit the Chicago Tribune at www.chicagotribune.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The state has temporarily suspended the medical license of Dr. Reginald Burton, former medical director of trauma at Bryan Health, saying his "continued practice at this time would constitute an imminent danger to public health and safety."

In a statement Sunday, his attorney, Wayne Waite of Dayton, Ohio, called Burton "a respected and talented trauma surgeon recognized throughout the country for his expertise and life-saving skills."

Waite said the complaint was fueled by innuendo and gossip from a group trying to drive Burton out of Lincoln.

A hearing has been set for Tuesday on the petition, which spells out a laundry list of allegations by Burton's former co-workers at Bryan  many dealing with a pattern of alleged unprofessional, negligent conduct involving young adult male patients and "fuzzy" prescribing practices.

Burton was escorted out of the hospital Oct. 5 and placed on a leave of absence, though neither he nor the hospital would say why.

Two months later, he resigned from Bryan, saying he'd made the decision to relocate his practice.

But new details have emerged in a petition for disciplinary action and temporary license suspension filed earlier this month on the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Division of Public Health website.

In it, Assistant Attorney General Mindy Lester said the hospital had placed Burton's privileges on "precautionary suspension" last October because he allegedly had failed to follow a requirement that another health care provider be in the room during patient exams; had failed to maintain appropriate professional boundaries; and for possible narcotic prescription issues.

Burton was evaluated and admitted for intensive residential-based professional program at Lawrence, Kansas, where he stayed from Oct. 15 to Jan. 19.

Meanwhile, the investigation continued.

In the 15-page petition, Lester outlined 20 concerns reported by his co-workers at Bryan.

Among them, that Burton:

* Performed genital exams when there was no injury to the area and performed more lower abdomen/pelvic exams than medically necessary.

* "Flicked" a patient's penis to check the patient's nervous system while the patient was unconscious and on a breathing tube.

* Frequently and repeatedly insisted on personally inserting a Foley catheter in young adult male patients, regardless of a medical need for a catheter.

* Assisted young adult male patients with urination, often asking other staff to leave the room first.

* Performed a digital rectal exam on an unconscious head injury patient, which was not medically indicated.

* Intentionally touched a patient's penis with his ungloved hand while removing a blood clot from an unconscious patient's leg.

* Provided sex toys to patients with spinal cord injuries.

* Entered a surgical suite during a patient surgery during a hip or pelvis repair being performed by another surgeon and announced he was "stamping out STDs" before cauterizing suspected genital warts on the patient's penis.

* Frequently used his cell phone to take pictures of the genitalia of young adult males without consent.

* Saved photos on his hospital computer network of young adult males without shirts on, some of which were taken in his home, and of male genitalia, including at least one of a male performing a sexual act on himself.

Lester detailed another 16 patients, all young adult males but one, whom he had provided prescriptions for that were not documented.

During an interview with an HHS investigator in April, she said, Burton had said his "fuzzy" prescribing practices were due to "wanting to help these patients."

Waite, Burton's attorney, said the complaint does not contain a single allegation of patient injury or complaint.

"Rather, the complaint is based almost entirely on the fear of working with someone with a different sexual orientation," he said.

Burton is gay.

Waite said Burton looks forward to the opportunity to address the allegations with HHS.

The Bryan Trauma Program grew from 500 admissions a year to nearly 2,000 under Burton's 14 years of leadership, Waite said. In 2016, 97 percent of the critically ill or injured adults and 99 percent of pediatric trauma patients who arrived there survived.
Illinois State University has produced a long line of influential educators in its 158-year history. Among them is Richard Edwards, the schools second president, whose prominence stretched far beyond Illinois.

Born Dec. 23, 1822, in Wales, Edwards family emigrated to America in 1833, eventually landing in Ohio. There, he attended a school taught by a farmer. Young Edwards was apprenticed as a carpenter at age 16 and taught school near Ravenna, Ohio, for one term. Choosing to further his education, he left for Massachusetts in October 1844 before enrolling in July 1845 at what is today Bridgewater State in Massachusetts. He graduated in 1847 and became part of a long line of educational leaders that hailed from Bridgewater State, teaching there from 1848-53. He also studied at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., where he enrolled in a course in civil engineering, later working for a time as an engineer.

On July 5, 1849, Edwards married the former Betsey Samson. The couple had nine children.

He spent the 1853-54 academic year as head of a boys high school in Salem, Mass., before three years as principal of the State Normal School at Salem. From 1857-61, he was a headmaster at schools in St. Louis.

In 1862, he became the second president of what is today Illinois State Normal University (now Illinois State University), where he spent 14 years. He succeeded Charles Hovey, who resigned to accept the colonelcy of the 33rd Illinois, a regiment largely raised on the campus of the university.

Edwards came to Normal with sparkling credentials. An Illinois State historian assessed Edwards as arguably the foremost American schoolmaster in the 1860s and 1870s. In 1863, Harvard awarded an honorary masters degree to Edwards.

During Edwards administration, Illinois State was in its fledgling years, boasting an enrollment of 327 students in 1870  a far cry from the student body of more than 20,000 today. In 1872, Edwards reported that the universitys reference library held 1,021 volumes  a tiny fraction of the holdings of todays Milner Library. The school had a total of six faculty members, including Edwards, in 1863.

Like many early Illinois State presidents, Edwards was a dominant figure in the university, though he was faced with a myriad of financial challenges. He stressed the need for professional credentials for teachers and implemented a university practice of involvement in off-campus workshops for both faculty and the university president. Some credit Edwards with coining the phrase the grandest of enterprises to describe the teaching profession.

In both 1865 and 1868, he called for the Illinois legislature to appropriate $25,000 to build a full-service dormitory to house 150 students. Never afraid to take a strong stand, Edwards was a champion of racial equality, particularly in educational opportunity.

His views earned the wrath of both opponents and an often-hostile press, but he inspired many university graduates to push for racial equality in their own educational careers. A peer wrote of Edwards magnetism and personality that created and maintained enthusiasm in his pupils.

Edwards was an ardent supporter of John Wesley Powell, the curator of the university museum, who led expeditions to the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains. He also recognized the value of physical education in urging the construction of a gymnasium facility. The aforementioned university historian wrote that Edwards was in the vanguard in his promotion of physical education in the era.

A vocal promoter of both the university and higher education, Edwards was later credited with visiting 58 of Illinois 102 counties in 1872 to deliver some 300 speeches and preside at 138 educational institutes. Faculty were equally well-traveled statewide, as Edwards introduced a culture that, in his own words, solemnly resolved that whatever could be done for the general advancement of education in Illinois should not fail of being done.

Edwards was ordained in 1873 and frequently preached at various local churches in Normal. He resigned his presidency in 1876 to become pastor of the Congregational Church in Princeton, Illinois. After eight years in Princeton, Edwards resigned to become financial agent for Knox College in Galesburg. In 1886, he was elected Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction as a Republican. Defeated for re-election in 1890, he was named president of Blackburn College in Carlinville the following year.

Edwards time there, however, was hampered by poor health, and he left Blackburn in 1893, returning to Bloomington to live in semi-retirement. A member of the Illinois Natural History Society and the Illinois State Teachers Association, Edwards died on March 7, 1908, and is buried in Bloomingtons Evergreen Cemetery.

Today, on the Illinois State campus, the Mennonite College of Nursing is housed in Edwards Hall, a memorial to one of the nations foremost educators of the 19th century.
TULSA, Okla. (AP)  A former police officer facing a fourth trial for the death of his daughter's black boyfriend can't be tried in Oklahoma because the shooting happened on American Indian territory, his attorneys argued in a new court filing.

Citing his membership in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, attorneys for ex-Tulsa Police Department Officer Shannon Kepler asked a judge Friday to dismiss the case because the 2014 shooting happened on land inside tribal territory. The Tulsa World reported that Kepler was issued a Creek Nation citizenship identification card on Thursday.

Kepler's attorneys also cited a Tuesday decision by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that overturned the first-degree murder conviction and death sentence of Oklahoma inmate Patrick Dwayne Murphy. He asserted that state courts lacked jurisdiction because he was a member of the Creek Nation and that the crime occurred on Indian territory.

The federal appeals court concluded that decisions about the borders of the Creek reservation remained with Congress.

Kepler is charged in the August 2014 fatal shooting of 19-year-old Jeremey Lake. Kepler doesn't deny shooting Lake, but told investigators he acted in self-defense because he thought Lake was armed. Police found no weapon on Lake or at the scene.

Three mistrials in less than a year have been declared in Kepler's case. In the most recent trial, jurors deadlocked 6-6 last month after almost three hours of deliberations. Juries in Kepler's previous two trials, in November and February, deadlocked 11-1 and 10-2 in favor of guilt before a judge declared mistrials after up to 12 hours of deliberations in each case.

Kepler's fourth trial begins Oct. 9
Property details:

Vacant Land in Pahoa, Hawaii County, Hawaii! Item Id: Wester01 Case Name: Wester, Fortunata S Case Number: 15 14063 Trustee: Description: Estate's interest in 0.37 acres of vacant land in Pahoa, Hawaii on the eastern side of The Big Island. The property is located at the intersection of Flower Road and Ginger Road, on the northeast corner, Pahoa, HI 96778. The status of water, power, sewer and utilities is unknown. These are two contiguous lots being sold as one. The APN#s are: 140310550000 and ...

Price: $ 3,500 Property Address: Flower Street Seller State of Residence: Arizona Zip/Postal Code: 96778 State/Province: Hawaii City: Pahoa Type: Homesite, Lot Location: 967**, Pahoa, Hawaii

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Sue McCollum showed up at the Lancaster County Board of Equalization meeting last week to make a final plea to reduce the assessed value of her home.

Last year her house was valued at $128,000. This year the assessment was set at $224,300, an almost $100,000 increase.

Her house, in southwest Lincoln, may look OK from the outside. But the house has no furnace and no central air conditioning. It cannot have a furnace installed because there is no duct work, McCollum told the five-member Board of Equalization at the final protest opportunity offered property owners.

There are cracks in her walls; the foundation is settling; the basement is a crawl space; she has an older septic system and uses well water with a high lead content. She uses bottled water for drinking and cooking.

McCollum, who bought the property because she wanted the land for her horses, said beautiful houses have been built all around her.

But my house isnt worth the same as theirs."

And the referee, hired by the county to handle the valuation protests, agreed. He recommended her value be reduced to $162,200.

McCollum was among the 3,608 property owners who officially protested their values this summer.

And she was among the 21 people who brought their valuation protests in person to the County Board of Equalization last week after their first attempt to convince a referee had failed.

Her success placed her among the 28 percent of all protesters who convinced a referee and the Board of Equalization to change their values.

* 47 of the 273 ag land protests were changed.

* 957 of the 3,230 residential protests were changed.

* 19 of the 105 commercial protests were changed.

Almost all of the changes were reductions in value, said County Clerk Dan Nolte.

One or two people sought to increase their property values, he said. But most wanted a reduction.

This year the county assessor reassessed residential property, trying to keep values for tax purposes close to rising market rates.

We are in an unprecedented market. Its the biggest appreciations Ive seen in my career, Tom Kubert, with Great Plains Appraisal, told commissioners.

By law the county assessor sets assessed values between 92 and 100 percent of market value.

Total residential values countywide rose by about 10 percent under the reassessment, but some homeowners saw increases much higher than that.

McCollum was among the protesting homeowners who got some relief.

A total of 5,198 property owners also protested their values in an informal process this winter. The assessors office changed 3,254  more than 60 percent  of those values. Most were adjusted downward.

The more than 3,000 formal protests this summer represented less than 3 percent of the total parcels of property in the county, said Kubert, whose firm was hired to act as referee for the protest process.

About 2,600 property owners asked for a meeting with the referee. Others sent in information defending their protest.

The Lancaster County Board, which acts as the Board of Equalization, allows protesters to provide additional information after the referees initial decision and to talk at the final board hearing. Neither are required by law, Kubert said.

The referee recommended the board reduce the value for three of the properties brought to its attention by the 21 people who talked at Tuesday's public hearing.

The assessed values form the basis for local property taxes, and those taxes help pay for services provided by local governmental units, like the schools, the city and the county.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday that exemplary action would be taken against those found responsible for the scores of deaths since last week at a state government run hospital in Gorakhpur.

IMAGE: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister J P Nadda conduct an inspection of the BRD Medical College in Gorakhpur on Sunday.

Photograph: PTI Photo

The Union government also announced the setting up of a regional medical centre at a cost of Rs 85 crore in Gorakhpur for research into children's diseases.

"We have formed a high-powered committee under the state chief secretary to probe the reason of the deaths of children in the BRD Medical College and the supply of oxygen. Stringent action will be taken against the guilty, whether in Gorakhpur or elsewhere," Adityanath said.

The punishment will 'set a standard', I assure you, the UP chief minister, who was addressing a joint press conference with Union Health Minister J P Nadda, said.

The committee led by the chief secretary will also probe the role of the oxygen supplier and give its report in a week, he said.

Meanwhile, tragedy continued to descend upon Gorakhpur's BRD Medical College as another child succumbed to encephalitis on Sunday, taking the death toll over 70.

As many as 11 children had died on Saturday and until Friday the death toll stood at 60.

According to officials, since August 7, 60 children had died in the hospital due to various diseases.

Nadda said that a regional medical centre would be set up in Gorakhpur for in-depth research into children's ailments.

IMAGE: Relatives mourn after the death of children in the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College in Gorakhpur. Photograph: PTI Photo

"During the last parliamentary session, I assured Adityanath ji that a full-fledged institute will be set up. Before coming here, I approved the establishment of a regional medical research centre in Gorakhpur, at a cost of Rs 85 crore. This institute will conduct research into the infections of children and their possible reasons," Nadda said.

Speaking before him, Adityanath had made a strong pitch for the establishment of a 'full-fledged virus research centre' in Gorakhpur.

"The geography of east UP is such that we cannot win the war against vector-borne diseases until and unless we have a full-fledged virus research centre. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given AIIMS, we have started it. But, there should be a full-fledged virus research centre in Gorakhpur," Adityanath told the press conference.

The chief minister said that he was waging a war against Japanese encephalitis since two decades.

"I have witnessed children of east UP dying. We will not allow this to happen...Who can be more sensitive on this issue? I raised this issue from the streets to the Parliament...No one can understand the pain and agony more than me," Adityanath said, his voice choking with emotion.

The chief minister said that in 38 districts of the state, intensive vaccination had been initiated for more than 90 lakh children.

IMAGE: Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh and Medical Education minister Ashutosh Tandan visited BRD Medical College on Saturday.

Photograph: PTI Photo

Referring to the media, he said that wrong reports should be avoided and the facts must come out.

Nadda said that Adityanath used to raise the issue of Japanese Encephalitis during every session of the Parliament.

This was the first time that the issue was not raised as Adityanath was not there, the Union health minister said.

He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed concern over the deaths, and was constantly monitoring the situation.

"The government of India is extending all possible support to the state government. The Centre has taken initiatives for UP as well as for Gorakhpur, whether it is the establishment of an AIIMS or an ICMR centre," Nadda said.

The opposition on Sunday attacked the government on the issue.

The Congress demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the deaths and alleged that the state government was trying to bury the truth.

The party said that reports had emerged that the unusually high number of deaths occurred due to neglect and mismanagement.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati also attacked the state government saying that BRD college principal Dr Rajeev Mishra has been made a 'scapegoat', after he was suspended following the death of 30 children at the hospital within a span of 48 hours.

"By making the college principal a scapegoat, the state government is trying to absolve itself of all responsibility," Mayawati said.

She also termed as 'irresponsible' Uttar Pradesh Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh's remarks that 'many children die' in the month of August every year at the Gorakhpur-based state-run hospital.

The SP also held protests on the issue.

IMAGE: Police arrest protesters who showed black flags to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during his visit to the Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur district on Sunday.

Photograph: PTI Photo

Meanwhile, the state government has asked all the medical colleges to ensure that there is no shortage of medicines or oxygen, an official said today.

The Uttar Pradesh government's medical education department, in a letter to the medical colleges, also directed them to immediately pay all the outstanding dues to the oxygen suppliers (if any).

"After the Gorakhpur tragedy, we have issued a written order to all the nine government medical colleges and 12 other prominent medical institutes in the state to ensure that there is no shortage of any medicine or oxygen in the hospitals," additional chief secretary, medical education Anita Bhatnagar Jain told PTI.

"If there is any pending payment, which is yet to be made to any gas supplier, then it should be done immediately. There should be no shortage of oxygen in the institute, and adequate stock of oxygen must be maintained," Jain said.

The principals of all the medical colleges in the state have also been told to personally ensure that there is no shortage of any medicine or oxygen, and no laxity in this regard will be tolerated, she said.

"The deaths of children in Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College in Gorakhpur was not because of shortage of oxygen. The payment for gas supply in BRD Medical College was already done.

"Principals of all the medical colleges have been told to personally ensure that there is no shortage of any medicine or oxygen. They have also been told to personally monitor the gas level. There should not be any delay in making payments. If there is any problem, then it must be conveyed to the state government at the earliest," Jain said.

With ANI inputs.
IMAGE: Vehicles are seen burning after a bomb blast in Quetta, Pakistan on Saturday.

Photograph: Naseer Ahmed/Reuters

A powerful blast targeting a military truck on Saturday killed at least 15 people, including eight soldiers, and injured over two dozen others in Pakistan's southwestern restive province of Balochistan.

The high intensity blast occurred in a parking lot near Pishin bus stop which is in a high security area in the provincial capital Quetta.

According to an Inter-Services Public Relations statement, the army truck which was patrolling the area had been targeted and eight soldiers were killed in the attack.

Pakistan army chief General Javed Qamar Bajwa has condemned the 'cowardly' attack meant to disrupt Independence day celebrations, the statement said, adding the attack would not deter the determination of the army to fight terrorism.

'Our resolve won't succumb to any challenge,' Bajwa was quoted as saying.

The injured also included around 10 soldiers who were in the truck. Pakistan army has now taken control of the affected area, it said.

Balochistan's Home Minister Mir Sarfaraz Bugti said there were seven civilians among those killed in the blast.

"The bomb disposal squad has reached the spot and we will be able to confirm soon whether it was a suicide attack or a planted bomb," he said.

Bugti said around 30 injured persons were shifted to the Civil hospital for treatment and admitted that the condition of six to seven people was critical.

Earlier, several television channels had reported that around 17 dead bodies were brought to the hospital and most of them were badly charred and burnt.

The blast was so loud that it was heard in far off areas and caused a huge fire in which some vehicles and auto rickshaws were also damaged.

An official of the Edhi trust in Quetta said around 15 bodies were shifted before adding that the death toll could be much higher.

"The explosion was very powerful and loud. Its intensity was severe. Several car and auto rickshaws have been burnt or damaged after the blast as they caught fire due to the intensity of the blast," the official said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Taliban and Islamic State terrorists have attacked Quetta city in the past.

Quetta is the capital city of the restive Balochistan province. Balochistan has oil and gas resources but has witnessed several terrorist attacks recently by terrorists and separatists while banned outfits have also carried out sectarian killings in the province.
Terrorists in the Kashmir Valley are now on the run and they cannot continue to terrorise the people for decades, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said on Sunday, maintaining that the government's priority was to clean up the Kashmir Valley of terrorists.

He said the terrorists in Kashmir were 'now under great pressure' and the financial crunch caused by demonetisation and the action taken by National Investigation Agency on illegal foreign funding have checked illegal activities in Jammu and Kashmir in large scale.

Jaitley, who was participating in a television programme, however refrained from making any comment on the standoff between India and China in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan trijunction, just saying 'let us have full faith on our security forces'.

"Today no big militant can dream of committing terror acts and continue to terrorise the Valley for decades, but today their life shelf has dwindled to a few months. I will specifically praise the Jammu and Kashmir police for working hard (towards eliminating terrorists)," he said.

Jaitley said the country faced two serious threats -- one with respect to Jammu and Kashmir with maximum incidents happening from across the border, and second being the problem of Left-Wing Extremism in central parts of the country.

"Since independence, Pakistan has never agreed that Kashmir is an integral part of India. That has been their unfinished agenda. They tried conventional war. But India's capability was way ahead in the conventional war. The wars of 1965, 1971 and Kargil clearly proved this," he said.

Jaitley said in the 1990s, they started changing their strategies and resorted to encouraging terrorism inside the country.

"There is domination of our forces on the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border and it is difficult for terrorists to cross them," he said at the India TV Conclave 'Vande Mataram'.

To a question about beheading and mutilation of Indian security force personnel by Pakistan, Jaitley said, "What happened after that, has been seen by everyone."

He was apparently referring to the surgical strike inside the parts of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir after the incident.

Jaitley said the forces were dominating the border with the help of technological tools.

"After surgical strikes in September last year, our forces are liquidating militants," he said.

The defence minister said that there was a move by the security forces to clean up the Valley of armed terrorists.

He said the money received by terrorists and other such groups has been squeezed post-demonetisation and there has been the effect of the actions taken by the NIA against foreign funding allegedly used for subversive activities.

"Whenever there was an encounter (earlier), hundreds and thousands would come out to throw stones. Many a times, terrorists would escape under the protection of stone throwers. This is now becoming a history.

"Those who were coming in hundred and thousands, today their number is limited to 20, 30 and 50. For the first time in the history, they have started looting banks," he said.

Jaitley said the terrorists are under tremendous pressure. "They are on the run. Their number is also declining. Security forces are dominating them," he said.

He said India has been by and large free from the threat of the Islamic State. "There may be some isolated or exceptional incidents but there has been no influence in India."

The defence minister expressed concern over some instances of glorifying the acts of terrorists or Maoists.

Referring to shouting of 'anti-India slogans by some in Jawaharlal Nehru University last year, he expressed concern over the association of mainstream political parties with those raising such slogans.

Jaitley said a disturbing trend is coming up where efforts are being made to show the Indian state as helpless.

To questions on India's defence production, Jaitley said his ministry was working out ways to boost domestic production for the defence sector.

"We want India to become a global power in defence manufacturing sector, and towards that end, we are encouraging private players to come forward. We will, of course, also continue to strengthen our ordnance factories and defence PSUs," the minister said.
The flood situation deteriorated in Assam on Sunday, where the Army was called out for rescue operations as 10 more people were killed and 22.5 lakh affected in 21 districts.

IMAGE: Army soldiers rescuing people from the flood affected village Debasatra at Jokhalabandha in Nagaon district of Assam on Sunday.



Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who toured various flood-affected areas in Dibrugarh district, an official release said.

'The prime minister expressed concern and assured all possible help and support to the state government in handling the situation,' the statement said.

Sonowal informed Modi about the devastation caused by the flood in middle and upper Assam and the disruption to vehicular movement on National Highway 37, the lifeline between the two areas.

The Army's Red Horns Division of the Gajraj Corps has dispatched multiple teams after receiving calls for help from various district administrations, a defence spokesperson said.

Following Sunday's toll in flood-related incidents, the total number of persons losing their lives in this year's flood-related incidents in the state went up to 99, including eight in Kuwaiti, an Assam State Disaster Management Authority report said.

IMAGE: A security personnel holds a child during a rescue operation in flood-hit districts of Assam.



Principal Secretary of Prime Minister's Office Nripendra Mishra asked Assam Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia to submit a report detailing the damage and devastation caused by the current wave of floods in the state.

According to the ASDMA, 10 persons were killed on Sunday in flood-related incidents in three districts.

While six persons lost their lives in Kokrajhar, three died in Bongaigaon and one in Biswanath.

The flood situation is likely to worsen with Brahmaputra and 10 other rivers flowing above the danger mark at 15 places, including the state capital.

At present, 22.5 lakh people are affected in 21 districts, the ASDMA said.

The districts are Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Morigaon, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

Nagaon Deputy Commissioner Shamsher Singh said, a crucial dyke at Hatimura was breached by the Brahmaputra at 2 am and its flood waters inundated vast areas of the district.

The authorities have issued an alert in the district with flood waters submerging the NH-37 at four places between Kaliabor and Jakhalabandha, forcing the authorities to stop traffic, thereby cutting the link between upper and middle Assam.

NH 37 passes through Kaziranga National Park. Singh said personnel from the Army, National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force have been engaged in rescue operations, while people in Nagaon town have resorted to panic purchase of goods from the market.

IMAGE: People migrate from the flood-affected areas of Assam.



A defence spokesperson said about 3,000 people have been rescued by the Army from Bodoland Territorial Area Districts and Karbi Anglong.

As per the ASDMA report, Dhubri is the worst-affected with 3.98 lakh sufferers, followed by Morigaon with 3.14 lakh people affected in the deluge.

The condition in Morigaon suddenly worsened after the surging water breached the dyke of Brahmaputra in Lahorighat and flooded more than 100 villages in Lahorighat and Bhuragaon revenue circle, affecting over one lakh people.

Currently, 2,734 villages are under water and over 1.35 lakh hectares of crop areas have been damaged across the state, the ASDMA said.

IMAGE: An elephant wades through water as people migrate to safer places in Assam.



Authorities are running 678 relief camps and distribution centres in 17 districts, where 1,83,584 people are taking shelter at present.

At least 4,000 persons have been evacuated to safer places by the SDRF, NDRF and Army personnel in many districts.

The devastating flood has damaged many embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructures in Dhemaji, Udalguri, Darrang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Morigaon, Nagaon, Majuli, Golaghat, Charaideo, Chirang, Dhubri, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Biswanath.

Currently, the Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Guwahati, Nimatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur, Goalpara and Dhubri towns.

Other rivers like Burhidehing at Khowang in Dibrugarh, Subansiri at Badatighat in Lakhimpur, Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur, Puthimari at NH Road Crossing in Kamrup, Manas at NH Road Crossing at Barpeta, Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta, Sankosh at Golokganj in Dhubri, Katakhal at Matizuri in Hailakandi and Kushiyara at Karimganj town are flowing above the danger marks.

NF Railway Chief Public Relations Officer Pranav Jyoti Sharma said, a total of 22 trains have been cancelled, while 14 others are stranded at various places as tracks are flooded at many places across the North East.

Most of the forest areas in Kaziranga National Park, Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary and Lawkhua wildlife sanctuary are under flood waters.

IMAGE: Authorities are running 678 relief camps and distribution centres in 17 districts, where 1,83,584 people are taking shelter at present.



Heavy rains in Bihar, several parts of state flooded

With south west monsoon very active in Bihar, heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy rainfall occurred at few places in north Bihar.

Heavy ranifall occurred at one or two places in south central parts of the state in the past 24 hours, while light to moderate rainfall was registered at two places in south western parts, met department said on Sunday.

Heavy rains have raised the water level of main rivers and their tributaries and created a flood-like situation in the northern part of the state, where 10 flood rescue teams of the NDRF have been deployed.

Affected districts Supaul, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Betiah, Motihari, Kishanganj, Purnia and Dedarganj are being catered.

IMAGE: Villagers wade through flood waters in Kishanganj district on Sunday.

Photograph: PTI Photo

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday spoke to Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and discussed with him the flood situation in the state.

During the telephonic conversation, Kumar briefed Singh about the latest situation in the state.

'The Centre is rushing additional NDRF teams to Bihar to help the ongoing rescue and relief operations in the flood affected region of the state,' Singh said in a tweet.

Kumar informed that due to heavy rain in Nepal and rise in water level in Tapti and Mahananda rivers, north eastern Bihar is flooded.

"Have been taking stock of situation. I have requested for deployment of Army. NDRF and SDRF teams are at work. Have spoken to the PM, Union home minister and defence minister," Kumar said.

IMAGE: Villagers in a flood-hit area in Katihar district of Bihar on Sunday.

Photograph: PTI Photo

In Himachal Pradesh, two search and rescue teams of the NDRF are operational at the Padhar area in Mandi, in connection with a landslide incident.

One search and rescue team of the NDRF is operational at Village Madarma, Munsyari, Pithoragarh in connection with a landslide incident.

The NDRF Headquarters, New Delhi is closely monitoring the situation and is in touch with other agencies and stakeholders.

The NDRF has even launched a helpline to help victims and survivors connect with the authorities -- 9711077372.

200 Indian tourists among 600 stranded due to Nepal floods

Nearly 600 tourists, including 200 Indians, have been stranded in central Nepal's popular tourist district Chitwan due to flooding triggered by heavy rains that have claimed 49 lives, officials said on Sunday.

Heavy rains have lashed Nepal for the past three days causing flooding and landslides at several places in the Himalayan country.

The swollen Rapti river flooded several hotels in the Chitwan Valley, where the country's first national park is located.

Chief District Officer Narayan Prasad Bhatta said four rubber rafts have been sought from neighbouring Devghat to carry out relief operations.

Suman Ghimire, chairman of the Regional Hotel Association, said the trapped tourists were being rescued with the help of elephants.

The home ministry has been approached for help, said a hotelier.

The meteorological department forecast that central and western plains were likely to receive heavy rainfall from on Sunday evening.

The monsoon, it added, was gradually getting weaker in the eastern region and moving towards the western region.

The death toll due to flooding and landslides across Nepal since Friday reached 49, officials said.

With ANI inputs
PINE RIDGE, S.D. -- The shadows of the past linger here.

They want to be remembered. They regale those who listen with stories meant to humble the willful and arrogant.

A holy man once told Robert Watters such a story.

Young warrior learns to 'watch, listen' PINE RIDGE, S.D.  Robert Watters prayed, asking for guidance and wisdom from his creator, and then sprinkled tobacco over the logs stacked in

A man asked his creator for a vision to guide him and give him purpose. Climb that mountain, his creator said. He did. Again, the man begged for a vision. Climb that mountain. And so it went for years, until the man  now old and barely able to climb anymore  asked his creator one last time. Climb that mountain. So he did, one last time.

As he reached the bottom, his creator told him: Now rest.

Watters  a 26-year-old on the path of a traditional Lakota healer  struggled with the story at first. He didnt like knowing

he might never understand what his creator wants from him. Still, hes trying to be content with climbing whatever mountain his creator puts before him.

And so it is with his people, the Lakota of Pine Ridge.

In April, the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission revoked the licenses of four beer stores in neighboring Whiteclay, which for decades had flooded the dry reservation with alcohol. Even after that historic decision, the Lakota are calling for a vision, a way to break the circle of violence and despair that began with the first beer store in Whiteclay and continues after the last one closed.

Vince Brewer seeks justice for his murdered son, and a better fate for his daughters.

Daniel Hudspeth wants to see an end to the rampant bootlegging and drug dealing that has paralyzed his tribe.

And Eileen Janis and Yvonne Tiny DeCory have prayed for a path to lead the Lakota to a life beyond Whiteclay and the troubles it has come to represent.

The response is always the same: Climb that mountain.

Theyve done so, dispensing hope and wisdom to their peoples youth, inside a community center named for an Oglala orphan who won an Olympic gold medal. But just outside the front doors of Billy Mills Hall, the shadows of the past linger.

Drinkers gather nearly every night to beg for money and rides to the liquor stores in Rushville. Going to Rush, they call it.

One more mountain for the Lakota to climb.
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For many women, the barriers to breastfeeding seem endless.

Nobody else in their family breastfed, so they have no support from other knowledgeable family members. They worry their baby isnt getting enough milk, unsure of how much their baby really needs. And they are frequently discouraged from feeding their baby in public, or restricted to the restroom.

To complicate the situation even further, the advertisements for formula are everywhere. Many are even sent home from the hospital with formula, just in case they cannot produce enough milk on their own.

And the barriers facing minority women are even more numerous and multifaceted.

#RVAbreastfeeds is an initiative funded by the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth with a mission to reduce childhood obesity by promoting breastfeeding, especially among low-income African-American and Latino women.

It hosted a breastfeeding symposium early this month, during which partner organizations from around the area  including the Richmond City Health District and Richmond City WIC  discussed breastfeeding in general and in the Richmond area in particular.

I often say that breastfeeding is where biology and culture meet, said Leslie Lytle, the programs breastfeeding coordinator.

There have been studies that indicated that if 90 percent of U.S. mothers could achieve optimal breastfeeding, we could prevent 2,619 premature maternal deaths annually, and 721 child deaths, she continued. I think its really interesting because we think often about the effect of breastfeeding on our children, but when you look at that, you see it has a huge impact on mothers  maybe even larger than on children.

More women in the U.S. are breastfeeding, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The rate increased from 73 percent in 2004 to 83 percent in 2014, and 55 percent of babies were breastfed for six months, up from 42 percent in 2004.

But racial disparities persist. Only 64.3 percent of babies born to black mothers were breastfed between 2010 and 2013, compared to 81.5 percent of babies born to white mothers.

Black mothers often face even more barriers than white mothers. They must frequently go back to work sooner or risk losing their jobs, and they often have fewer resources, without access to professional breastfeeding support and proper information from their providers.

Kimberly Seals Allers  a journalist, breastfeeding advocate and author of the book The Big Letdown: How Medicine, Big Business, and Feminism Undermine Breastfeeding  spoke during the symposium about the difficulties that black mothers often face.

Black women, Allers explained, are frequently boxed into stereotypes about their mothering abilities perpetuated by media: that they are perfectly equipped to take care of another mothers baby, but incapable of taking care of their own.

We often hear black women overreport that physicians arent even talking to them about breastfeeding, didnt even really mention it, because of an idea that this woman is a liability who needs to be managed, Allers said. And the way you manage that is to say: give this child this many ounces a day, and this way we can document it.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, then continued until a year or longer as complementary foods are introduced. Breast milk protects against a variety of diseases in infants, including respiratory tract infections, and reduces rates of lymphoma, leukemia and childhood obesity.

But there are also numerous benefits for the mother, as well, including a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers, as well as decreased postpartum bleeding.

There are massive differences in the rate of maternal mortality in the U.S. between racial groups. From 2011 to 2013, the CDCs website states, the rate of maternal deaths among white women was 12.7 per 100,000 live births. For black women, that rate was 43.5 per 100,000 live births.

During her talk, Allers explained the variety of ways that black mothers are prevented from achieving the healthiest outcomes. The barriers that white mothers deal with apply to them as well, but on top of those, black mothers must simultaneously deal with the same issues that other members of their communities face.
PINE RIDGE, S.D.  Robert Watters prayed, asking for guidance and wisdom from his creator, and then sprinkled tobacco over the logs stacked in a pyramid over a pile of stones, or inyan, the first being, according to Lakota mythology.

The 26-year-old Lakota man lit the cardboard and wood that would heat the rocks for hours before they became so hot they glowed red. Later, he would ask boys from a Washington, D.C., Catholic high school to carry the rocks into the small hut.

As the day wore on, Watters would take the boys and their chaperones into the hut and pull down the canvas door, leaving them in darkness. He would say words of prayer before singing and pouring water over the rocks, filling the room with steam.

This is how its been done for generations.

This is how the Lakota have found healing and purification for as long as they can remember.

This is how theyve sought guidance from their creator during times of great struggle.

When pioneers began invading their homelands, they joined each other inside the inipi. When the horse soldiers began building forts throughout their lands, they gathered once again to ask for direction.

After the 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, when the Lakota and Cheyenne under Crazy Horse and Chief Gall rubbed out the audacious cavalry colonel they called Longhair, they again met inside the sweat lodge, seeking instruction from Tunkasila about how to avoid the Great White Fathers wrath.

And when that wrath unfolded in the fields near Wounded Knee 14 years later, the Lakota sought hope and solace afterward inside the inipi circle.

At nearly 6-foot-2 and wearing an American Indian Movement T-shirt, Watters towered over the boys from Gonzaga College High School as he told them about his peoples history and about Wounded Knee. The boys have come here to learn about a different culture and to better understand the plight of the Lakota, their schools headmaster, Tom Every, says.

The way you hear history, our version is a little different, Watters told the boys. Its not biased.

At Wounded Knee, more than 300 Lakota men, women and children under Chief Big Foot were killed in a hail of bullets from soldiers of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custers old outfit, the Seventh Cavalry. After the firing faded, the cavalry soldiers began mutilating the bodies of the Lakota as they lay bleeding in the snow, Watters says.

They cut unborn babies from mothers wombs and killed infants in front of their mothers and mothers in front of their infants, he says, citing his peoples oral history. The orgy of slaughter has been erased from the history of the West and has even been referred to as a battle, as if the freezing, starving, only lightly armed Lakota ever stood a chance against the four Hotchkiss artillery guns and nearly 500 soldiers arrayed against them, says Watters, an unlikely spiritual leader.

If you really listen, you can hear those people, he says. You can hear the gunshots.

Watch, listen

History breathes here.

It invades every road and every home on this vast reservation  nearly the size of Connecticut  and it bleeds into the very soil of places like Wounded Knee and Pine Ridge.

And it lives in the words of a Lakota grandmother to her incessantly curious, ever-obedient grandson.

Watch, listen. In a few years, youll be doing that, the grandmother tells the boy, as medicine men and other spiritual leaders carried out countless ceremonies over the years.

And as a boy, he watched, listened.

He loved learning Lakota ceremonial songs and visiting his grandmother to ask her how to pronounce the words. He remembers the smell of burning sage and Vicks as hed walk into her room.

Hed often find his grandmother in her rocking chair.

She would pronounce the songs words while also learning the song from her grandson.

Then we would sing the song together, he says.

His grandmothers prophecy came true. The young boy who would sit beside his grandmother, even while other children his age ran in circles playing tag and wrestling, is now being called upon to sing Lakota ceremonial songs at wake services and sundances and host sweat lodges.

Chris Eagle Hawk and other older men in the tribe have served as father figures for Watters since he was a young boy, as the younger mans own father was rarely around. The 69-year-old longtime youth advocate and respected elder said he thinks of Watters like a son and, like he would a son, he sometimes needs to remind Watters of his place.

Hes a good young man, and he tries, Eagle Hawk said.

He said its certainly rare for a 26-year-old man to run ceremonies such as the sweat lodge, though its something Watters said he has always felt he was meant to do. He said he began singing with older men from his tribe when he was about 4 years old and joined a drum group that was singing at his uncles sundance.

They had me sit down, he said. Ever since then, Ive been hooked.

He said his interest in culture and spiritual teachings has helped keep him out of trouble, despite constant temptations to stray from that path.

Quote We learn to listen. In order to become good at anything in life, you have to be a good listener.  Chris Eagle Hawk

He represents a growing movement of young Lakota returning to the ways of their people. With attendance at churches waning across the reservation, more than 80 sundances  the most holy ceremony that involves dancing for four days and four nights, often without food or water  have sprung up in remote and hidden places to take their place as the defining spiritual practice here.

Many Lakota forgot the old ways through forced assimilation programs enacted by the federal government and the Catholic Church, said Eagle Hawk.

People walked away from it, and we need to bring them back to it, he says.

Inside an auditorium in a downtown Pine Ridge community center in June, Eagle Hawk led a celebration that appeared much like a powwow. But without dancing or singing competitions or prize money.

The gatherings are meant simply as an unintimidating way to get youth, and even adults, to take part in Native dancing and singing. Participants dont even have to wear Native regalia, though most dancers on this night did.

The handful of children who come to the Wednesday night social dances in Pine Ridge learn about healthy boundaries and taking risks, Eagle Hawk says.

We learn to listen, he says. In order to become good at anything in life, you have to be a good listener.

Family tree

Watters couldnt have asked for an easier assignment.

Research your family history as far back as you can and present the results to the class in five weeks, the teacher told her students at Oglala Lakota College.

But Watters didnt need five weeks and asked the teacher if he could present his family tree that very class. A bit skeptical, the teacher said OK.

The young Lakota man offered a stirring recreation of his familys journey through the ages, starting six generations before him.

He described Susie Shot in the Eye, made famous by a portrait in which shes wearing a war bonnet. It is said Sitting Bull put his war bonnet  typically reserved for men  on her head after Shot in the Eye fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn beside Crazy Horse and Gall.

He next shared the story of Shot in the Eyes son High Wolf, a former Oglala headman and spiritual leader who was born around 1824 and was a signatory on the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868.

The treaty set forth the conditions for peace between the Oglala Sioux Tribe and the federal government. In exchange for the tribes willingness to give up its homelands and remain on the southwestern South Dakota reservation, the federal government would provide food, shelter and education.

High Wolf was Watters fourth father.

His family still keeps the war club High Wolf carried with him during the Battle of the Little Bighorn.

He then described Clayton High Wolf, the elder High Wolfs son. Unlike his father, who refused to be baptized, Clayton High Wolf served as a headman for the Episcopal Church and a medicine man. Born in 1874, he ran several churches before dying in the 1940s.

Clayton High Wolfs conversion to Christianity likely generated mixed feelings among the Lakota, many of whom harbored ill will against the Catholic Church for its attempts to assimilate Native children through brutal and culture-stripping boarding school programs.

Near the end of his presentation, Watters described his grandmother, Geraldine High Wolf Janis, who taught him about the rest of his ancestors, who would sit with him and teach him the Lakota language and about manhood.

Who fought cancer five times before dying from it in 2005.

I was with her every day, he said.

After 90 minutes, Watters ended his presentation to stunned silence.

When it came time for the other students to speak five weeks later, few could go further back in their family histories than their grandparents. Many knew nothing about their fathers or their paternal relatives, an indication of the lack of functional fathers on the reservation, he said.

I thought everyone was raised with their family history, he said.

In a place where history and language seem to be disappearing with each death of an elder, his efforts to preserve his culture and language offer hope to many elders that the old ways will not be forgotten.

Hes simply done what his grandmother told him.
A board member of the Virginia chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union resigned from his position over the weekend in protest of the groups decision to file a lawsuit that kept Charlottesville authorities from relocating a white nationalist rally from a park that police said they wouldnt be able to keep safe.

Whats legal and whats right are sometimes different, said Albermarle County resident Waldo Jaquith in a tweet. He said he still believes the organization does essential work, but cant facilitate Nazis murdering people.

Saturdays protest, anticipated for months, turned into a hectic melee of brawls, beatings and chemical weapon attacks well before its scheduled start time of noon. Police said 15 people were injured and, at about 11:30 a.m., declared the assembly unlawful, clearing the square.

A few hours later, a man who had protested with the white nationalists drove his car into a crowd of anti-racist counterprotesters who were snaking through city streets near the popular pedestrian shopping district, killing a 32-year-old woman and injuring at least 19 people, according to Charlottesville police.

In the immediate aftermath of Saturdays unrest, police faced criticism from both white nationalists and counterprotesters for not doing more to intervene.

For hours, police watched but generally did not attempt to break up the groups as they beat each other with sticks, sprayed each other with chemical weapons like pepper spray, and hurled projectiles at one another, including cans filled with cement, and bottles  some filled with water, others urine.

Many on both sides protested peacefully away from the skirmishes, but it was clear that a not insignificant faction of the attendees, armed and decked out in makeshift body armor and home-made shields, came with the intention of fighting .

Gov. Terry McAuliffe defended the police response to the situation in remarks Sunday morning. Likewise, a state police spokeswoman insisted Saturday that police had done their best to keep the situation safe.

We stepped in when, obviously, it got to a certain level to try to break it up, said Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller. But theres also an officer safety concern.

Police warned early last week that they didnt believe they could keep the large gathering secure in the small square at Emancipation Park and said they would only grant the permit if it was moved a little more than a mile north to the much larger McIntire Park.

Organizers called the request absurd, noting that the reason for the event was to protest the citys plan to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee from Emancipation Park.

The Virginia ACLU and the Rutherford Institute took up the case, arguing that officials were attempting to move the event not because of concerns about a large and violent crowd, but because they disagreed with organizers views.

The ACLU of Virginia stands for the right to free expression for all, not just those whose opinions are in the mainstream or with whom the government agrees, said Executive Director Claire Guthrie Gastanaga in a statement.

Meanwhile, Charlottesville City Attorney Craig S. Brown had argued We firmly believe there is a threat of violence if it takes place in Emancipation Park. We firmly believe the same threat of violence exists if its moved to McIntire Park. The key to preventing violence is to keep the sides apart and it is easier to keep the sides separate at McIntire because it is bigger.

The case was heard Friday evening in federal court, and U.S. District Court Judge Glen E. Conrad granted an injunction forcing city officials to allow the rally in the square. He said he granted the injunction because testimony indicated that rally organizer Jason Kessler could successfully prove that the city revoked his original permit based on his ideas.

After the court victory, the ACLU called on police to handle the expected crowds using de-escalation tactics and flexibility, and avoid (an) over-militarized response."

Late Saturday night the ACLU released a statement vowing to "continue to fight for free speech for everyone" and stand up for "respect, decency, equality and humanity for all."

What happened today had nothing to do with free speech. It devolved into conduct against individuals motivated by hate that was initially thuggish, and ultimately, deliberately murderous.

Jaquith posted a string of tweets Saturday evening after the violence unfolded explaining his decision to resign from the 32-member board, which he said he has sat on for 2 1/2 years.

The city was well aware of many dozens of violent threats, which is why they wanted to move it. The ACLU should have known, he wrote. Enabling speech is great. Enabling violence is not.

When a free speech claim is the only thing standing in the way of Nazis killing people, maybe dont take up that case.

Gastanaga did not respond to an email seeking comment Sunday morning. Jaquith declined to comment on his decision beyond his tweets, saying he felt others in the city who led opposition to the rally deserved to be spotlighted.

Jaquith urged people not to vilify the organization, which he said remains important.

I hope that other board members who think this was a mistake will stay, and push for change, he said. Quitting is the easy way out.
President Donald Trump on Saturday condemned what he termed the egregious hatred and violence on many sides at the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, but did not assign responsibility.

The president also did not mention the car that crashed into counterprotesters, leaving one dead and 19 injured. Virginia State Police later confirmed that two pilots of a helicopter that crashed in Albemarle County had died.

In Virginia, Democratic and Republican officeholders delivered more strongly worded statements, squarely blaming white nationalists for espousing hatred and fomenting violence in Charlottesville.

At the outset of a veterans-related bill signing in Bedminster, N.J., the president said: We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On many sides. Its been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. This has been going on for a long, long time.

Del. Gregory D. Habeeb, R-Salem, later called out the president on Twitter, saying:  Many sides? Really? Come on man. Totally inadequate.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, said at an afternoon news conference with police officials: I have a message to all the white supremacists and Nazis who came to Charlottesville today. Go home.

Rep. Barbara Comstock, R-10th, said in a statement: The neo-Nazi march and the hate and racism on display in Charlottesville are vile, have no place in Virginia, and are denounced by Republicans and Democrats alike in our great commonwealth.

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said in a statement that, Virginians mourn the life taken in this mornings events and reject this hateful violence in Charlottesville.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said: Its sickening to see the displays of violence and bigotry that were brought to Charlottesville by white nationalists, adding: this is not who we are.

Rep. Dave Brat, R-7th, tweeted: The shocking & disgusting violence in C-ville today is not a portrait of who we are as Virginians/Americans and is rejected by decent people.

Rep. A. Donald McEachin, D-4th, said in a statement: In the Virginia I know, we recognize the value of diversity, the strength of sticking together and that love breeds love.

Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam, the Democratic nominee for governor, said in a statement Saturday morning: White supremacists have descended upon Charlottesville again to evoke a reaction as ugly and violent as their beliefs  just as they did before. I am urging Virginians to deny them the satisfaction.

Ed Gillespie, the Republican nominee for governor, said in a statement Saturday morning: Having a right to spew vile hate does not make it right. It is painful to see these ugly events in Charlottesville last night and today.

Virginia Senate Democrats said in a statement that they are united in condemning todays apparent act of terrorism in Charlottesville, and that they were devastated by the loss of life as Virginians expressed their First Amendment right, making their voices heard as they spoke out against racism and bigotry. Fundamentally, hate has no place in Virginia.

GOP leaders in the House of Delegates said in a statement: The rhetoric and actions of racists, white supremacists, and Nazi-ideologues in Charlottesville last night and today are disgusting and vile. We are heartbroken that innocent life was taken in what appears to be a violent act of terrorism. This is not what Virginia believes in or stands for and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms.

Corey Stewart, the Prince William Board of County Supervisors chairman who is seeking the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2018, made defense of Confederate statues, including a statue of Robert E. Lee in Charlottesville, a key of his campaign for the GOP nomination for governor.

In a February rally in Charlottesville, Stewart allied with Jason Kessler, the alt-right-inspired blogger who organized Saturdays Unite the Right rally.

Stewart, in an appearance on Facebook Live on Saturday evening, said violence is not the right way to go, we must always condemn it, but added: We must not allow the left to crack down on free speech following the Charlottesville events.

Trump said that once the situation is straightened out in Charlottesville, he wants his administration to study what happened to see what were doing wrong as a country where things like this can happen.
When historians discuss Native Americans in Virginias Colonial period, they tend to focus on the powerful chief Powhatan and the tribes along the York and James rivers, where English settlers landed.

When tribes along the northern side of the Rappahannock River are mentioned, its often been with the assumption that they migrated there to put a river between them and the powerful Powhatan.

But a new study conducted by an anthropology team from St. Marys College of Maryland may well change the discussion.

The report, Defining the Rappahannock Indigenous Cultural Landscape, argues that ecological factors drove settlements to the northern side and other points along the river, possibly in larger numbers than previously thought.

The study  conducted for the National Park Service, which manages the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail  employed everything from oral histories to modern Geographic Information System modeling to reach some interesting insights.

The study had the support of historians, archaeologists and tribal leaders in Virginia. It notes that one important discovery concerns the distribution of Native towns along the rivers shoreline, with most towns located on the rivers north bank.

Instead of the old belief that those tribes went there to get away from Powhatan, the report notes it was more likely because good agricultural soils, clay suitable for pottery manufacture, and access to marshes and transportation tributaries were found in greater numbers on that side of the river.

The project  benefiting the park service, the Chesapeake Conservancy and the Rappahannock Tribe of Virginia  was tasked with defining the indigenous cultural landscape in the section of the river from Port Royal and Port Conway to Urbanna. It was developed as a tool for identifying native landscapes along the Smith Trail, both as they existed in the early 17th century and today.

The study, which defined the region as some 552 square miles, noted that a model based on evidence from the Rappahannock watershed reveals the extensive and sophisticated levels of ecological knowledge of the groups that Captain John Smith encountered in the river valley in 1608.

It also says research indicates that the waterways were seen more as highways than barriers, used during different times of the year to satisfy seasonal demands and opportunities.

Julia King and Scott Strickland, who helped produce the study, explained that the report used a collection of information and exploration to get a better idea of where tribes were located during Smiths foray up the river in 1608, and where areas important to the various tribes exist today.

They noted that Anne Richardson, the chief of the Rappahannock Tribe of Virginia, and other tribal members provided invaluable help and history.

The view of Native Americans in the Colonial period has been sort of lopsided, with so much attention given to Powhatan and the tribes around Jamestown and Yorktown, said King, a professor of anthropology at St. Marys.

She noted that a diary Smith kept on his trip up the Rappahannock and a map of Native American settlements he encountered has been the focus. Extrapolating from that material and from other sources found in the study, the Native American population along the Rappahannock was probably significantly larger than previously thought, King and Strickland said.

Strickland, whose expertise includes experience with Geographic Information Systems, said a basic set of criteria was used to identify areas where tribes might have found things like good agricultural soil, a fresh water source, a nearby tributary for transportation, nearby marshes for access to waterfowl and other food sources, access to forests and brushy areas and more, he said.

Coming at locating tribal sites from another direction, the St. Marys team consulted tribal leaders and looked at tribal history and archaeology to indicate places associated with ancestors or part of a descendant communitys past.

And they toured different spots on the northern and southern shores, and consulted historians and archaeologists and any other source they could find.

When those sources were mapped and cross-referenced with the GIS maps, the team was struck by how closely the two lined up.

The report concludes with several recommendations, including the development of an oral history program for Rappahannock tribal members; the creation of a detailed cultural history of the Rappahannock River groups; an effort to connect modern-day places to 17th- to 19th-century landscapes; development of education materials; an analysis of key parcels to prioritize land conservation goals; and an expansion of the ICL study to other watersheds.
Radford arsenal smoke more toxic than expected

RICHMOND  Researchers have flown a drone into the plumes of smoke from the burning of hazardous waste at an Army ammunition plant in Virginia and found higher-than-expected levels of arsenic, lead and other pollutants.

Thats according to a draft report on the testing conducted last year by several government agencies at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant. It was obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request.

Researchers found that for the majority of substances, levels were lower than what the plant assumed they would be. But according to the draft report, lead, arsenic, silver, cadmium and chloromethane levels were higher.

Scientists and former EPA officials say the findings raise questions about the possible health impacts of the emissions.

ProPublica first reported the reports findings.

Ground broken on expanded Express Lanes in N.Va.

ARLINGTON  Virginia has broken ground on a $500 million expansion of its Express Lanes network that allows toll-paying solo drivers to use lanes normally reserved for carpoolers.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe presided over ceremonies Wednesday to mark the expansion of Express Lanes on Interstate 395 in Arlington County.

The project covers an 8-mile stretch that will continue the Express Lanes all the way to the D.C. border.

Virginia always wanted the lanes to extend up to the District of Columbia, but Arlington County officials filed a lawsuit to block that particular segment. In 2015, Arlington acquiesced after the project was tweaked to provide some mass-transit benefits.

The project will transform two HOV lanes into three Express Lanes subject to a variable toll.

The work is expected to conclude in 2019.

State trooper indicted on two felony sex charges

GATE CITY  A Virginia State Police officer has been indicted on two felony sex-related charges, including rape.

The Times-News in nearby Kingsport, Tenn., reported last week that Matthew M. Phillips was indicted by a grand jury in Scott County in Southwest Virginia. Phillips lives in Bristol, Va.

State police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said Phillips has been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the investigation.

Court documents allege that Phillips committed sodomy in 2014 and rape in January of this year. The documents do not indicate the number of alleged victims.

Osprey relocated from Va. to Ind. in 2003 still thriving

PATOKA LAKE, Ind.  Wildlife officials said an osprey brought to Indiana from Hampton Roads more than a decade ago as part of a restoration program is still nesting successfully at a southern Indiana site.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources said a photographer captured an image of the 14-year-old raptor at Patoka Lake on July 5. The image included the birds leg band, which identified the bird as one that was brought to Indiana in 2003 from Newport News.

The photo also showed a juvenile osprey, indicating that the banded bird had successfully raised offspring this year.

The DNR said biologists brought the banded osprey and 95 others to Indiana from 2003 to 2006 for a restoration program that released young ospreys at four sites across the state.
CHARLOTTESVILLE  A Virginia State Police helicopter helping law enforcement officers monitor the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville crashed in Albemarle County on Saturday, killing the two people on board.

The pilot, Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, and trooper-pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton, flying a Bell 407 helicopter, died at the scene, according to state police.

The cause of the crash, which was in a wooded area near a residence on Old Farm Road, is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board, but there is no indication of foul play, state police said Saturday night.

Our state police and law enforcement family at large are mourning this tragic outcome to an already challenging day, said Col. W. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police superintendent. Lieutenant Cullen was a highly respected professional aviator and trooper-pilot Bates was a welcome addition to the Aviation Unit, after a distinguished assignment as a special agent with our Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Their deaths are a tremendous loss to our agency and the commonwealth.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe and first lady Dorothy McAuliffe released a statement Saturday night saying, These heroes were part of our family, and we are simply heartbroken.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jay and Berke, both of whom were our close friends and trusted members of our team, the statement said. Jay has flown us across the commonwealth for more than three and a half years. Berke was devoted to our entire family as part of our Executive Protective Unit team for the past three years.

The two victims were the only people on board the helicopter and there were no injuries to anyone on the ground, state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said.

Police were notified of the crash at 4:54 p.m.

Albemarle County police and fire responded first, said Geller, standing a few hundred yards from the crash site. They located the wreckage of a helicopter in the woods near a residence off Old Farm Road, at the very end of the roadway. It was fully engulfed. And at this time we do have two confirmed fatalities. State law in Virginia says that the Virginia State Police has to investigate all aircraft crashes so thats why we responded to the scene.

Geller said the aircraft was not the state police helicopter seen circling above Saturdays white nationalist rally in downtown Charlottesville, a gathering at which a car was driven into a group of counterprotesters, killing one and injuring 19.

President Donald Trump expressed his sympathies to the state police on Twitter:

Deepest condolences to the families & fellow officers of the VA State Police who died today. Youre all among the best this nation produces.
After reading the leaked transcripts of President Donald Trump's January phone calls with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, I have a good book to recommend to our nation's president.

It's called "Trump: The Art of the Deal."

Yes, that's the 1987 bestseller that is credited to Trump and journalist Tony Schwartz. I always have figured that Schwartz did the writing, but after examining Trump's phone calls, I am wondering whether Schwartz did all of the reading, too.

"Maximize your options," is one of Trump's main "elements of the deal" that he offers potential deal makers. Do thorough research, the book counsels, "keep a lot of balls in the air, because most deals fall out," and even after the deal is done, have a half-dozen approaches to making it work.

But in discussing refugee policy on the phone call with Turnbull, Trump sounds flummoxed and angry, mainly that he has to abide by an agreement that the Obama administration made to take in 1,250 refugees.

As Trump repeatedly asks whether we know who the refugees are, Turnbull repeatedly has to explain the difference between illegal immigrants, who are not vetted, and refugees seeking asylum, who are.

"I look like a dope," says Trump. "The only way that I can do this is to say that my predecessor made a deal and I have no option then to honor the deal. I hate having to do it, but I am still going to vet them very closely."

Yes, vetting is what you do with refugees. Australia has vetted them and the United States is vetting them, too. Trump effectually sounds impressed by Australia's border protection measures, but ends the call abruptly and calls it his "most unpleasant call of the day."

"Use your leverage" is another rule from "Trump: The Art of the Deal." "The worst thing you can possibly do in a deal is seem desperate to make it," Trump says in the book. "That makes the other guy smell blood, and then you're dead."

Yet desperation ripples throughout Trump's phone call with Mexico's Pena Nieto over Trump's signature campaign promise "to build a wall along the Mexican border and make Mexico pay for it."

Again, Trump tries with mixed success to conceal his shallow understanding of the issues in question -- despite having campaigned on them for the past two years.

Worse, he bemoans his own predicament, having promised his base that Mexico will pay for the wall, despite the symbolic national insult it presents to many Mexicans and the inability of that country to pay for such a project, even if they wanted to.

All that Trump seems to have in mind is the corner his rhetoric has painted himself into.

"The fact is we are both in a little bit of a political bind because I have to have Mexico pay for the wall -- I have to," Trump says. "I have been talking about it for a two-year period, and the reason I say they are going to pay for the wall is because Mexico has made a fortune out of the stupidity of U.S. trade representatives."

Since Pena Nieto has plenty of domestic political problems of his own, I do not know why Trump would think that spilling his own self-inflicted political woes would help his case. Eventually the two leaders agree to a classic political dodge: They'll simply stop talking about who's going to pay for the wall.

"They are going to say, 'Who is going to pay for the wall, Mr. President?' to both of us, and we should both say, 'We will work it out,' " Trump says. "It will work out in the formula somehow. As opposed to you saying, 'We will not pay' and me saying, 'We will not pay.' "

How long can Trump kick that can down the road? That remains to be seen. In the meantime, Pena Nieto agrees to "look for a creative way to solve this issue" that serves both countries' interests.

Meanwhile, we await how well Trump meets another of his book's nuggets of advice: "Deliver the goods." Put the proposed wall with a tax code overhaul, infrastructure repair and Obamacare repeal-and-replacement among major programs that Trump and Congress have yet to enact.

Welcome to the world of governance, Mr. Trump. Delivering the goods in the world of politics and government is very different from the world of business. I read that in a book somewhere.
Charlottesville officials on Sunday said Heather D. Heyer, 32, of Charlottesville, was killed Saturday afternoon when a car plowed into a crowd of protesters as they crossed the road at 4th and Market Streets downtown.

The incident injured 19 other protesters, when a dark grey 2010 Dodge Challenger sped down 4th Street where it crosses the Downtown Mall before slamming into a crowd of pedestrians and two cars sitting at the intersection.

[The Daily Progress news app keeps you up-to-date. Click here to get the free iOS or Android app.]

Heyer was transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center where she was pronounced dead, according to the release.
The book pulls no punches.

It sharply condemns conservatism for its role in a "culture of vicious dehumanization," not to mention its sins of incoherence, rejection of empirical fact and plain hypocrisy. Writing of the rush by the conservative party, i.e., the GOP, to embrace the regrettable Donald Trump during the last election, the author is blunt and unsparing. "Never has a party so quickly or easily abandoned its core principles ..."

No, these are not new complaints; they have been made repeatedly in recent years. But what makes this particular bill of charges against conservatism and the Republican Party noteworthy is not the substance, but the source.

Meaning, a self-described "proud conservative and a lifelong Republican" -- Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona. Flake's new book, "Conscience of a Conservative" -- the title is an ode to Barry Goldwater's 1960 tome of the same name -- takes conservatism and the GOP to task in no uncertain terms. It's being called an act of moral courage. It might even be one.

At the very least, the book is timely, particularly in its lamentation of the hatefulness -- the word is not too strong -- of the nation's political divide. Flake captures this starkly in one painful anecdote:

January of 2012, President Obama's State of the Union address. Flake is sitting next to a friend, Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who is still recovering after being shot in the head the year before. "During President Obama's applause lines, Gabby wanted to stand up but was unable to do so on her own, so I helped her. That often left me standing, a lone Republican among cheering Democrats."

He stood, he writes, not to support the president, but to help "a cherished and brave colleague." Which should have been patently obvious to anyone with eyes and a functioning conscience, but it apparently made little difference to those who sent him "furious text messages and emails" during and after the speech, taking him to task for this act of political apostasy.

As noted, Flake's "Conscience" is being widely lauded. The Washington Post called it "brave." USA Today dubbed it "courageous." Columnist Michael Gerson said it was "the single largest act of political bravery of the Trump era."

You'll get no argument here. But you will find an observation: This courage would be more impressive had it shown itself sooner. The GOP, after all, didn't lose its mind when Trump came to town. Rather, it was the loss of its mind that made Trump possible. And that loss predates his presidency by a good two decades.

How much of the dysfunction of those years -- the baseless 24/7 investigations, the birther idiocy, the Islamophobia, the death panels, the obstructionism -- might have been ameliorated by a little in-the-moment conservative courage? Republicans are not asked to abandon their low taxes, small government orthodoxy. No ideology, after all, has a monopoly on good ideas.

But this is not about ideology. Rather, it's about the GOP's en masse retreat from reason, responsibility, statesmanship and simple decency.

This retreat has been objectively obvious for years, but the list of Republicans willing to stand up and concede the objectively obvious has been pathetically small. Now Flake adds his name, making it ... slightly less small.

Brave? OK. But that bravery is irrelevant until and unless his conservative conscience touches someone else's. His party, his people, need to acknowledge their dysfunction, need to own it -- and fix it.

Otherwise, he's still standing alone while the wrong people applaud.
CHRISTIANSBURG  An old downtown churchs transformation into the heart of a college campus will accentuate the towns center, those associated say.

Ignite-Life Pacific College will hold classes in the space that was formerly Main Street Baptist Church this fall.

With a lot of help from private donations, the buildings that made up the churchs campus are being re-shaped and re-invented. Large classrooms, a new library and open meeting spaces are scattered throughout the building campus. What was once the main sanctuary had its pews torn out and replaced with chairs in what will soon become a performance venue available for rent to the greater community.

The building has been speaking to us as weve gone, the colleges president, Mike Larkin, said.

That much is clear in a space that students and faculty call the Great Road Hall, which is used as a transformative classroom space and will soon have a wedding in it. Originally, the ceilings in the oldest part of the church campus were low so Larkin and the others planned to bring them up a bit.

They kept going and going until decades-old ceilings with their original wood were revealed. The ceilings were restored and some damaged pieces were replaced to create what Larkin said people taking tours of the space find breathtaking, he said.

The space has become a place that can be rented out for meetings and events. Soon, Larkin hopes to host concerts in downtown Christiansburg inside the space. He said students will be able to work at various events to earn some extra money as well as gain training experience.

The goal, Larkin said, is to not only cultivate learning in the schools students, but also to create a central meeting space that can be used by all in the New River Valley.

We know were small, Larkin said. But we dont want students to feel like theyre going to college in a church basement.

The property, which includes three structures totaling about 22,000 square feet and a 109-space parking lot, was purchased in March by On Main Street Inc., a nonprofit organization that Larkin said he, as well as a couple whove invested in the college and a member of the colleges board of directors, have founded.

It was purchased last March for $500,000 and is assessed at more than $1.3 million, according to county property records.

The college is an extension campus of Life Pacific College in San Dimas, California, and is associated with Foursquare Church. It is committed to an enduring Pentecostal mission, according to its website, www.lifepacific.edu. That college is accredited through the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Association for Biblical Higher Education.

Ignite-Life Pacific College moved to Christiansburg in 2011. Larkin said tuition, room and board costs about $8,000 a semester. The college offers a couple two-year and four-year degrees and many of its students go on to further their education after leaving, he said.

Its a descendant of sorts of Life Bible College East, which was based in Christiansburg from 1983 until the mid-2000s. That college served as a bible college associated with Foursquare Church on the East Coast but ultimately closed because of sagging enrollment.

The Ignite-Life campus has been centered there  at the CrossPointe Conference center property, located near the intersection of Route 8 and Interstate 81. And that space will still be where the students live and spend much of their time at a student center, coffee shop and small bookstore.

Larkins office and most classes, though, will move to the Main Street property in downtown.

The college currently has about 100 students. The use of the new building will allow enrollment to grow to somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 to 300, Larkin said.

The growth of the campus has been a boon for Christiansburg, town Mayor Mike Barber said.

Barber said the support the students have given the town since 2011 has been tremendous. Ignite-Life students take part in community service every week, Larkin said, as part of their schooling. Hes documented about 80,000 hours of community service in and around Christiansburg.

The schools re-invention of the building is an extension of that service, Barber said. He said before the college entered the picture, he was worried the old Main Street Baptist Church, with a prominent location in Christiansburgs downtown, might sit empty for decades.

Now, that Larkin plans to have the space be a gathering point for downtown Barber thinks the possibilities with the space are tremendous. Hes already happy with whats been done to the space where he went to Sunday services as a child.

Im amazed with what theyve done, Barber said. To see the transformation has been wonderful.
White House chief of staff John Kelly needs to draw a red line. Not with North Korea, but with President Trump.

For the sake of Kelly's own reputation but even more for the sake of the country, there can be no more presidential improv on the subject of North Korea or military threats in general.

This red line should be both invisible and impregnable. Only Kelly and the president should know it exists, but they should also have a clear understanding: If it is crossed, Kelly will leave. This is essential and, more important, achievable.

Drawing this line is essential because Trump's bellicose impetuosity must be contained. Words matter, and the words of a president matter most. Therefore, they must be carefully calibrated and vetted. President Obama's ad-libbed blunder on Syria and chemical weapons taught that red lines once drawn are not easily erased; if they are crossed without consequences, presidential credibility erodes.

Thus the danger of Trump's off-the-cuff warning: "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." Predictably, North Korea responded with escalating threats of its own: on Tuesday that it was "carefully examining" plans for "an enveloping fire" around Guam, and on Wednesday that it would "turn the U.S. mainland into the theater of a nuclear war" at the first hint of an impending U.S. attack.

Administration officials were left scurrying to clean up and reframe language that none had reviewed in advance. "The words were his own," said White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. "The tone and strength of the message were discussed beforehand." Translation: No one knew precisely what was coming.

This is no way for any president to conduct foreign policy, certainly not this president and certainly not in a situation with stakes so high.

Mopping up, Defense Secretary James Mattis' approach was to suggest that Trump should be taken seriously but not literally; his retelling moved the red line from threat to action, as in, North Korea "should cease any consideration of actions that would lead to the end of its regime and the destruction of its people."

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson took the tack of advising that Trump should be taken seriously and not seriously, depending on the listener; Tillerson encouraged Americans to "sleep well at night and have no concerns about this particular rhetoric" even as he asserted that Trump had to employ "language that Kim Jong Un would understand, because he doesn't seem to understand diplomatic language."

White House aide Sebastian Gorka met Tillerson's call for calm with ominous analogies to the Cuban missile crisis. A senior White House official told The Washington Post, incredibly, that "'fire and fury' doesn't always mean nuclear. It can mean any number of things. It is as if people see him [Trump] as an unhinged madman." At the State Department, spokesman Heather Nauert gamely insisted that "we are all singing from the same hymnbook." Uh-huh.

This atonal cacophony is what happens without message control. But is it realistic to speak of controlling Trump? No president likes being told what to do; Trump does not merely chafe at such instruction, he actively rebels against it. So some people look at Kelly's thankless task and conclude that he would be lucky to be able to manage down -- to contain staff chaos and feuding. In this assessment, managing up is unattainable when up means Trump.

Yes, but, this is a matter of managerial triage. Let Trump be Trump, when it comes to domestic policy and politics. Let him pick Twitter fights galore, whether with fellow Republicans such as Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell or with Democrats like Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, just to name this week's targets. Let him watch "Fox & Friends" to his heart's content; let him even assail the Russia "witch hunt" or the "Fake News Suppression Polls."

Just cordon off foreign policy, or the parts of foreign policy that could lead to military confrontation. Instruct the president that statements on those subjects must be debated and scripted. Would Trump agree? Would he -- could he -- comply? The chaotic, risky alternative makes it worth the try. Kelly's power is at its apex. Trump cannot afford to lose another chief of staff. So the president needs Kelly more than Kelly needs this headache of a job.

And if the general wants to avoid being treated as just another menial fly-swatter, he will seize this moment to assert control, or leave having at least tried.
CHARLOTTESVILLE  A Virginia State Police helicopter helping law enforcement officers monitor the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville crashed in Albemarle County on Saturday, killing the two people on board.

The pilot, Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, and trooper-pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton, flying a Bell 407 helicopter, died at the scene, according to the Virginia State Police.

The cause of the crash, which was in a wooded area near a residence on Old Farm Road, is still being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board, but there is no indication of foul play, state police said Saturday night.

Our state police and law enforcement family at large are mourning this tragic outcome to an already challenging day, said Col. Steven Flaherty, Virginia State Police superintendent.

Lieutenant Cullen was a highly-respected professional aviator and Trooper-Pilot Bates was a welcome addition to the Aviation Unit, after a distinguished assignment as a special agent with our Bureau of Criminal Investigation. Their deaths are a tremendous loss to our agency and the commonwealth.

The two victims were the only people on board the helicopter and there were no injuries to anyone on the ground, state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said.

At 4:54 Saturday afternoon, Virginia State Police were notified of a helicopter crash in Albemarle County, Geller said, standing a few hundred yards from the crash site.

Albemarle County police and fire responded first. They located the wreckage of a helicopter in the woods near a residence off Old Farm Road, at the very end of the roadway.

It was fully engulfed. And at this time we do have two confirmed fatalities, said Geller.

State law in Virginia says that the Virginia State Police has to investigate all aircraft crashes so thats why we responded to the scene.

Geller said the aircraft that crashed was not the state police helicopter seen circling above Saturdays white nationalist rally in downtown Charlottesville, a gathering at which a car was driven into a group of counterprotesters, killing one and injuring 19.

President Trump expressed his sympathies to the state police on Twitter:

Deepest condolences to the families & fellow officers of the VA State Police who died today. Youre all among the best this nation produces.
CHARLOTTESVILLE  Echoing the May 13 rally at the foot of Charlottesville Robert E. Lee statue, hundreds of torch-wielding white nationalists gathered at the University of Virginia and marched to the Rotunda on Friday night, chanting, You will not replace us.

The march, which began at UVas Nameless Field, reached the Rotunda and police later declared an unlawful assembly. Protesters and opponents alike reported being affected by pepper spray.

At the feet of a statue of Thomas Jefferson, fights began breaking out and some wielding tiki torches swung them at people. At least one person was arrested, and several people were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

The ralliers shouted many of the same chants as at the May event, such as blood and soil, but this time, they declared that Charlottesville was their city now.

Several hundred white supremacists chanted White lives matter! You will not replace us! and Jews will not replace us!

The fast-paced march was made up almost exclusively of men in their 20s and 30s, though there were some who looked to be in their mid-teens.

Meanwhile, hundreds of counterprotesters packed a church to pray and organize. A small group of counterprotesters clashed with the marchers shortly before 10 p.m. at the base of a statue of Thomas Jefferson, the universitys founder.

Police officers who had been keeping a wary eye on the march jumped in and broke up the fights.

The marchers then disbanded, though several remained and were treated by police and medical personnel for the effects of the mace attack.

The Washington Post contributed to this report.
Strategy put Patty Pansing Brooks at odds with some close allies over the past 18 months.

Recruited by LaMere, Maisch and other activists to be a legislative voice against Whiteclay beer sales, the Lincoln state senator found herself disagreeing with them on how to approach the issue.

"I felt a compulsion to do something and to look at it from a bunch of different angles," she said. Others wanted a more straightforward approach.

She recalls poring over state liquor laws and other laws connected to Whiteclay.

What she learned: Law enforcement is not only important, but legally necessary for alcohol sales to be allowed in a Nebraska community.

Her realization prompted a key hearing at the Capitol, where a Sheridan County commissioner acknowledged Whiteclay lacked adequate law enforcement. The statement triggered a review of the Whiteclay beer stores' licenses by the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission, which ultimately shut them down.

Now Pansing Brooks is leading efforts to develop businesses and services in Whiteclay, alongside state Sen. Tom Brewer of Gordon, who represents Sheridan County and is the Legislature's first Native member.

"I cannot imagine they're going to reopen those stores," she says.
RACINE COUNTY  Gateway Technical College will conduct an intense four-month session to train workers to enter a career in the hotel and hospitality industry, which college officials called an in-demand field.

Classes are scheduled to be held from 5-9 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, Oct. 9 through Jan. 24, at Gateways Burlington Center, 496 McCanna Parkway, Room 100. Gateway officials said the nighttime format allows students to continue to work while they train for the industry.

Gateway officials said students will learn about the management and operation of hotels, motels and resorts and the service and technical skills needed to be successful in that industry. They will earn the colleges Hospitality Essentials Certificate and nine credits that can be applied to further their education at Gateway, if desired.

Potential students must attend an information session to be considered for the classes. All sessions begin at 6 p.m. They are scheduled for:

Monday, Aug. 14, at the Delta Hotel by Marriott, 7111 Washington Ave., Mount Pleasant.

And Aug. 22 at Gateways Burlington Center, Room 112.

Training, which will be offered in conjunction with the Racine County Workforce Development Board, is free for those selected. People interested in attending can call 262- 638-6541 to reserve a spot.
Every year, the Pulaski County Retired Teachers Association presents a $1,000 scholarship to a member of the senior class at Pulaski County High School who plans to attend college and major in education. This years scholarship was awarded to Justin Shatto, who plans to be a history teacher.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a resource-rich country, yet very poor, had been bleeding, literally, for quite some time with no prospects for peace on the horizon.

Apart from a never-ending war between the government troops and drug-crazed rebels, the country also plunged into a political turmoil as President Joseph Kabila refused to vacate office when his term came to an end last December.

His refusal to step down and call for elections had fueled rising militia violence and insecurity in the country.

Congo's electoral commission said earlier last month that a vote to replace Kabila would probably not be possible this year.

Reuters reports that a series of marches across the country called by pro-democracy group Lucha and backed by several leading opposition politicians were mostly put out by heavy police deployments.

Human Rights Watch said that police in the DRC arrested at least 128 people on 1 August as they dispersed protests demanding Kabila leave power by the end of the year.

The news agency also claimed that DRC security forces killed dozens of anti-Kabila protesters last year and recent bouts of unrest had raised fears of a resurgence of the civil wars that led to the deaths of millions in Congo between 1996 and 2003.

Apart from the instability, which dominates news headlines on a daily basis, the country registered a huge leap in diamond production last year.

This didnt attract any attention from the media.

Data released by the Kimberley Process showed that DRC produced 23,2 million carats last year, making it the second largest diamond producer in the world after Russia, which produced 40.3 million carats during the same period.

DRC overtook Botswana, which produced 20,5 million carats.

Botswana was the second largest diamond producer in terms of volume last year as it produced 20,7 million carats, while DRC was third as it produced 16 million carats.







It was followed by Botswana, which also registered a drop in production by 4.7 percent in terms of value to $2.85 billion.

Canada, which also recorded a drop in output by 17 percent to $1.4 billion, was third followed by South Africa, which registered a 10 percent drop to $1.25 billion. Angola was in the fifth position having produced diamonds worth just over $1 billion.

Congos diamonds are of very poor quality and output was dominated by small scale miners.

Global Witness said the DRCs industrial mining sector was weak and cannot be in a position to produce such millions of carats every year without the help of small scale miners.

It was also believed that more than 700,000 artisanal miners operate in the DRC.

The country passed a law in 1981 that forced Miniere de Bakwange (MIBA), a state-owned diamond mining company, to open up the majority of its fields to artisanal diggers.

This was said to have paved the way for artisinal mining of placer diamond deposits along the Bushimaie and Lubilash tributaries to the Sankuru River (Bakwanga Mine) near the town of Mbuji-Maye (formerly Bakwanga) in the Kasai-Oriental province and along the Tshikapa River (Forminiere Diamond Mine) in the Kasai-Occidental province.

Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
RACINE COUNTY  After his sophomore year at Horlick High School, Michael Wittrock entered an automotive apprenticeship, which meant he would be bused to Park High for classes.

For two years, Wittrock took classes and worked at Martins Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep & Ram, 1422 Main St., Union Grove, and after he graduated this past spring he walked right into a job at Martins.

For the last two years of high school, you got to leave school at noon or so, come out to work and youd get experience in the classroom and youd also get hands-on experience, Wittrock said. It was a phenomenal learning experience.

Its that type of experience that area officials are working to increase to help make Racine County youth more prepared to enter the workforce.

Together, Racine County, the Racine Unified School District, Higher Expectations of Racine County and the Racine Area Manufacturers and Commerce are aiming to grow the number of apprenticeships in the county from 70 to 300 over the next several years.

Employers interested in apprenticeships

Barb Mauer, youth apprenticeship coordinator for RAMAC, said they had 58 Racine Unified students complete the program last year with 43 employers, and six students are continuing in the program.

Each year, the number of participants keeps increasing, Mauer said. I have never worked with an employer that did not like the program.

The youth apprenticeship program has been active since 1994, Mauer said, and since 2006 a total of 482 Unified students have gone through the program.

RAMAC is involved because of the business connections they can provide to the Racine Unified students, Mauer said.

Companies such as SC Johnson, Racine Metal Fab and InSinkErator are among the largest employers in the program. Employers in health services, such as Ascension All Saints and United Hospital System of Kenosha, also are involved.

In addition to experience with cars and motorcycles, students can get experience in finance with opportunities at Educators Credit Union and Tri City Bank, and recently the program added a marketing program which brought in several retail employers.

The majority of employers are eager to take on more students, and call to see when they can start interviewing for the next school year, Mauer said. They really like the fact that they can train students that may become part of their future workforce.

Unified creating apprenticeship plan

Dan Thielen, chief of secondary schools transformation for Unified, said the district is working with RAMAC and other organizations to create a plan to increase the number of opportunities students have.

Right now, we lead the state in the number of apprenticeships with about 70, Thielen said. The goal over the next five years is to increase that  we need a more formalized plan in place in order to get these goals established.

Thielen said the district is developing a talent pipeline that will help feed local companies with local employees.

We have a lot of automotive students who do youth apprenticeships, Thielen said, adding students can have the opportunity to make money while in class. (Students) can take two technical-related classes along with the apprenticeship position thats a paid position.

The district has been helping employers with questions, Thielen said, specifically with insurance and helping to develop an on-the-job curriculum for the students. Additionally, the apprenticeships have helped students understand what manufacturing is really like.

What weve learned overall is how to make the program more robust, Thielen said. Our students are very prepared and the students are engaged in these opportunities.

Mark Mundl, Racine Countys manager of workforce solutions, said the county is putting together the infrastructure to help businesses develop apprenticeship programs to help replace leaving and retiring workers.

Theyre a good tool for businesses to develop their workforce and fill high-skill vacancies, Mundl said.

Companies interested in being involved should contact Mauer at 262-898-4265 or at bmauer@racinechamber.com.
How this had happened was disclosed in an interview with Rough&Polished by Andrey Yanchevskiy, CEO of LA VIVION, who, having turned from a programmer into a jeweler, proved that algorithms and diamonds are a promising combination in business.

How did you come to the diamond jewelry industry and what attracts you in your business?

I came to the jewelry business in the late 1990's. It all started with a program I wrote for one of the largest jewelry companies in Russia at that time, and eventually this program grew into a full-fledged enterprise resource planning system covering everything - from buying metal, gems accounting, flow of orders in production, payroll preparation, etc., to sales and control of accounts receivable. The program was bought, I was hired and eventually moved up the ladder from a programmer to a member of the board of directors.

In 2005, it became clear that my ambitions were greater than opportunities for further growth within the company, and I created one of the first online jewelry stores, GOLD4U, as one of my own projects in Russia. By 2008, we partnered with a company in Hong Kong and engaged in wholesale deliveries of diamond jewelry to jewelry stores and networks in Russia and the CIS countries. Now our team is busy developing the LA VIVION brand, which we bought several years ago and consider it very promising.

Please tell a few words about your company  when was it established, what is the specificity of your products and services?

In 2012, the issue of diversifying products and markets came to the fore, as this was primarily due to the changing situation in the Russian economy and simultaneously in the economies of the former Soviet republics. Thanks to the excellent relations with the suppliers of polished diamonds and our own operation in Shenzhen, we decided to move on to the classic assortment that can be sold almost all over the world. We came up with what we thought was a great name for a new company (I will not say what it was) and approached one of the largest advertising agencies in the UK with a proposal to promote this brand in the United Kingdom. The people there did not like the name, to put it mildly, and suggested to try and find a ready brand that is for sale, as a solution. This is how we became the owners of the LA VIVION brand.

The main goods of the LA VIVION brand include everything related to romantic relationships between people: engagement rings, wedding rings, necklaces and diamond earrings. For all customers, we offer bespoke solutions, when the buyer can choose and modify a jewelry piece according to his wishes and budget.

In jewelry manufacturing, we use only diamonds certified by the GIA, mainly having high characteristics, and provide a 47-year warranty on our goods. In a number of countries, we offer an opportunity to upgrade diamonds.

Our basic markets are Europe and America, but last year we also began to offer part of the assortment on the Russian market. In parallel with production and wholesale, there is our online store, www.lavivion.com, which geographically caters to all countries covered by Fedex.

Who are your customers? Has your target group changed with the onset of the industry crisis?

If we are talking about the Russian market, then it should be said that our end-buyers are young people, mostly men aged 27-35, who are going to propose and usually after they buy an engagement ring this purchase is followed by the sale of a pair of engagement rings, and then later in the course of several years they buy earrings and pendant as gifts for birthday or for the birth of a child, etc. Thanks to our services, the loyalty of our customers is very high. When we choose a key partner in some area, our task is not only to offer the product to the buyer, but also to provide a certain level of service.

As for the crisis associated with the fall of the ruble, then, frankly, we do not feel much of it, the brand is new in the Russian market, and we are growing. The share that we occupy today is negligible, and we have huge potential for growth.

How are sales of diamond jewelry now going, which kind of it is in most demand? What are the forecasts for the diamond market?

Despite the crisis, the volume of the diamond jewelry market is quite large, and we are focused on the segment of engagement rings, in which demand is fairly stable.

If we talk about the developments in the Russian market, then it should be said that a significant increase in diamond jewelry consumption can be explained only by the growing well-being of the population.

Personally, I would like to see the market turning more transparent for buyers, so that they could be confident in the quality of purchased goods and adequacy of prices. Unification of the domestic diamond grading system with the international diamond grading system and mandatory certification of all diamonds weighing 0.30 carat and above could be the right steps in this direction.

Do you carry out anti-crisis measures? What are you focused on? What are the changes in demand and in consumer requirements?

In a crisis, the buyer is more responsible towards purchases, which certainly helps us to sell. We conduct absolutely free seminars at a convenient time and convenient venues for our potential and existing customers, accompanied by delicious hot food and drinks. We organize seminars in Moscow ourselves, while in other cities they are organized by our partner stores, which is part of the mandatory events accompanying the launch of LA VIVION sales in a province.

Do you participate in exhibitions, like Junwex, etc.? Or do you visit them?

Since 2009, we take part in the exhibitions held in Hong Kong as jewelry manufacturers and of course attend all the world's leading exhibitions, including Junwex.

What are your plans for the future, your credo, your attitude to clients?

Our task for the near future is to increase the number of partners in provinces, covering at least all cities with a population of 500,000 people. The plans are also to open a mono-brand store in Moscow and further expand the range of our goods.

For our clients, we will soon offer participation in a club program, which will allow them to obtain a number of privileges and services previously unavailable to buyers of jewelry.

Galina Semyonova for Rough&Polished




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Miners and rescue teams at Mir are given everything necessary to clear debris

13 august 2017 News

To ensure safe operations, a triple reserve of material and technical resources is created at the diamond mines level minus 210 meters. The shifts of miners and rescuers are being provided with all the necessary equipment to clear blockages in the mines tunnels.

Also, a reserve is created to ensure continuous operation of pumps in addition to the already installed three pumps able to evacuate 1,250 cubic meters of water per hour, which are ready for operation at the mines level 210. These pumps will transfer water to the main drainage chambers, from where it will be released to the surface. When a certain level of water in the shaft is reached, the pumps will be started to ensure safe rescue operations.

Over the past day, the teams of miners and rescuers continued to clean the advance heading of the ventilation and stowing gallery at the mines level 210 from rock mass, including the removal of various metal structures and pipes ranging from 159 to 325 mm in diameter. The total volume of extracted rock mass during the past day was more than 1800 cubic meters.

The rescuers continued to drill an exploratory well to exclude a possible water breakthrough during the removal of blockages. Currently, the amount of water entering the mine remains at 1000-1200 m3 per hour. There is no water in the quarry above the underground mine. The mine is ventilated in normal mode and there is no gas concentration exceeding the admissible limit, the air temperature at the work site is + 12C. The rescue operation is continuing.

By Sunday evening, the rescuers cleared 40 meters of underground workings on the mines level 310 from blockages. The exploratory well drilled on the mines level 210 showed the absence of water, which made it possible to continue the work in one of the directions on the mines level. One of the mines sections was cleared from a blockage consisting of two large rock blocks and deformed metal. In the other direction, the rescuers cleared the search area from metal debris. The work on the mines level was complicated by a breakdown of equipment. On the mines level 310, the specialists of Shahtspetsstroi specializing in mine construction were installing two pumps with a capacity of 1250 cubic meters per hour each.

A team of psychologists consisting of 10 specialists has been formed to provide psychological assistance to the relatives of the missing miners, as well as to the miners taking part in eliminating the consequences of the accident.

The representatives of ALROSAs management and those of the Emergencies Ministry of Russia hold daily meetings with the miners relatives to give them an opportunity to ask any questions about the rescue operation going on underground. Psychologists are present at such meetings. In addition to working with the miners relatives, it is their duty to conduct conversations with each shift of miners and rescuers who are involved in the liquidation of the accident consequences underground.

A commission established to determine the causes of the accident is currently at work at the Mir diamond mine.




(Agencia CMA Latam) - The Argentinean government zeroed the capital goods import tariff for the most critical equipment used by the oil industry. Other equipment related to the oil sector will pay a 7% import tax. The President Mauricio Macri's decree on the subject aims to accelerate investments in the Vaca Muerta field.

According to the Ministry of Production, Argentina needs between US$ 6.5 billion and US$ 8,0 billion in annual investments over the next few years to develop the Vaca Muerta region, and the import tariff measure should accelerate this process.

"To attract this amount of capital we have to improve the cost of extracting the resources that are underground today," said the Production Minister Francisco Cabrera. "This measure has the dual goal of improving oil companies' competitiveness and developing local suppliers in a context of greater activity in the sector."

by Agencia CMA Latam

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

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(Agencia CMA Latam) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro asked his Foreign Minister to schedule a meeting with the U.S. President Donald Trump, which imposed economic sanctions on the South American country in response to the installation of a National Constituent Assembly (ANC), reported the Venezuelan state television on its website.

In a speech at the ANC, Maduro asked the Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza to arrange a meeting with Trump at the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, to be held in New York in September.

Last week, the US Treasury froze the assets of Maduro and other Venezuelan authorities in the United States, in response to the ANC's installation. According to Washington, Maduro wants to "impose an authoritarian regime" in Venezuela.

by Agencia CMA Latam

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

Economic News

What parts of the world are seeing the best (and worst) economic performances lately? Click here to check out our Econ Scorecard and find out! See up-to-the-moment rankings for the best and worst performers in GDP, unemployment rate, inflation and much more.
RACINE  The grandmother of the 3-year-old Racine boy shot to death last month is pleading with the county to return his two young brothers to her after removing them from her home last week.

Racine resident Lisa Thomas, 53, who is on disability, said shes trying to pull the family together in the face of unspeakable tragedy.

The county should be offering to help me, not treat me like a criminal, Thomas said.

Child Protective Services placed 2-year-old Saonee Pitt in her care on July 12 when his brother JereMiah Pitt was found dead with a bullet wound to the chest in a duplex in the 1800 block of Howe Street.

Their father, 30-year-old Jeffrey L. Pitt Jr., is accused of taking shots of alcohol before falling asleep with Saonee and JereMiah with a loaded gun in his waistband. Sometime overnight, police suspect the 3-year-old shot himself.

Pitt is charged with first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree recklessly endangering safety and possession of a firearm. Pitts brother-in-law, Laquan L. Russell, 27, was also charged in the incident. He is facing charges of resisting/obstructing an officer and harboring or aiding a felon. Thomas said shes raised 12 children of her own so it was natural for Child Protective Service to place the toddler in her care.

Kerry Milkie, manager of the Youth and Family Division of the countys Human Services Department, said she is unable to discuss case specifics due to confidentiality laws.

Under Wisconsin State Statutes and with the guidance of the States Access and Initial Assessment Standards, children are removed from their homes if the conditions are unsafe and/or there is not a protective parent who can provide care and the department is unable to develop a protective plan with the family to ensure safety.

Milkie said that according to policy, if a parent or caregiver is not around and unavailable it could be considered neglect. Thomas said rather it is CPS who is neglectful.

Right now its neglect on the part of CPS. If you cant reach someone on the phone the next step is to pay them a visit, Thomas said. I did not get a warning or a final warning. They showed up and I was playing with the kids. They said we tried to call you numerous times and got no reply. I showed them my phone and they were not on there (the call log).

From July 12 to when they were taken on Aug. 4, Thomas said she only had three interactions with CPS; when they originally placed the toddler, to inquiry about his mother Lakia Russell and when they came with Racine Police officers to take the child back.

Why did they need to have police officers here? They were trying to intimidate me, Thomas said.

According to Racine Police Sgt. Adam Malacara, officers dont always accompany CPS when removing children from a home.

We respond when requested by CPS. They usually request us if they feel there may be a problem so we go to there to perform our main function, keep the peace, Malacara said.

Second child taken

Thomas said CPS informed her that they were not only taking the toddler, but also Russells other son, 4-year-old Ayden Oliver, who is no relation to Jeff Pitt.

Ive had him since February and hes not a part of the situation ... CPS told me they were taking Ayden because hes at risk of being a fatality. Thats why they said they snatched him, Thomas said.

CPS ignored her teenage children at the home at the time of the interaction including Thomass 12-year-old granddaughter from Madison who was staying for the summer.

I think its deceitful, Thomas said. They should be trying to keep these children with their families.

Thomas said the frivolous seizure of her grandchildren is one reason why the county is facing a foster parent crisis.

How can they say they need foster parents when they do this to me so quickly without warning? Thomas said.

According to county data, 366 children are currently placed in licensed foster homes. That number is up from last month when they averaged 259 children daily in the foster care system.

About 30 percent of our current placements are out of county, Milkie said.

Thomas said that her two grandchildren are also out of county and are now an hour away living with two different families.

Mothers return

Lakia Russell, 23, is now living in Racine, but believes her history of domestic violence with the father may have lead CPS to consider her an unfit mother, she said.

The Pitt family is accusing me of doing drugs but the (authorities) made me take a drug test and it was negative, Russell said.

In June, Russell was found guilty of disorderly conduct in Racine County Circuit Court but she said shes changing her life to focus on her children.

Russell said she misses her boys and is now enrolled in a GED program, is looking for a job and takes a parenting class to prepare to get her children back someday.

Moving forward

On Thursday, Thomas visited JereMiahs unmarked grave at Graceland Cemetery in Racine where she found a Paw Patrol figure in the grass left over from his cartoon-themed funeral.

Hes buried a couple of rows from my father. Hes watching over him now, Thomas said. The last time I saw JereMiah he said good-bye and gave me a kiss. The little boy never gives me kisses. He held me tight and kissed me right here on the cheek. The next time I saw him they were taking his body away.

Thomas hopes an attorney might take up a potential lawsuit against CPS so she can pull her family back together.

Ive grown all my kids up and I was willing to take on two more little ones, Thomas said. I havent asked the community for help. Im determined to do it on my own.
Thanks in large part to the inaction of Congress, the fight over illegal immigration, sanctuary cities and deportation cooperation with federal authorities continues to roil across the nation.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump  in keeping with his campaign promises  has ordered the start of construction of a wall on the border with Mexico and the hiring of thousands of border and immigration officers. Congress has yet to fund it, but bills are in the works to authorize $15 billion in spending.

In the most recent go-around, a Texas court last week dismissed a pre-emptive lawsuit by the state of Texas over a new law that goes into effect next month banning sanctuary cities and allowing enforcement authorities to question the immigration status of people they detain.

Four Texas cities, including three of the states largest  Houston, Austin, San Antonio (El Cenizo is the fourth)  are suing to overturn the bill in court, arguing it violates constitutional protections. Opponents of the bill say it will cost the state $223 million in state and local taxes and more than $5 billion in gross domestic product.

Other cities are fighting the federal governments efforts to coerce compliance with immigration officials by threatening to cut off federal law enforcement assistance grants. Chicago was the latest to join suit against the Justice Department with Mayor Rahm Emanuel saying: Chicago will not let our police officers become political pawns in a debate. Chicago will not let our residents have their fundamental rights isolated and violated. And Chicago will never relinquish our status as a welcoming city.

On the other side of the ledger, Miami-Dade gave up its sanctuary city status in January  and recently announced it was eligible for a half-million dollar federal grant. Other cities have also taken that route  Dayton, Ohio, Bedford, Pa., and Saratoga, N.Y., among them.

Meanwhile, the Republican governor of Massachusetts is pushing a bill to authorize law enforcement officials to cooperate with immigration officials in detaining immigrants who are living in the country illegally and pose a threat to public safety. That move comes after the Massachusetts high court ruled state law does not permit detentions for federal immigration enforcement.

Not to be left out of the fray, Wisconsin legislators are reviving legislation to require local governments to hold people charged with a crime to be held in jail for an additional 48 hours if they are suspected of being in the country illegally, then fining local governments that dont cooperate by cutting their state aid by up to $5,000 per day. Another Wisconsin bill proposes allowing residents to sue their local governments if they believe federal government immigration policies are not being enforced.

That was met by promises of protests and worker walkouts against the states dairy industry, where an estimated 80 percent of the hired help in dairy operations is immigrant labor  and many of those people are illegal immigrants.

We dont need to join in the chaos.

There are already enough court fights and legal actions going on without Wisconsin taking up incendiary pieces of legislation. Let the courts and the federal government sort out the issues of sanctuary cities and immigration enforcement without our participation.

Yes, we believe illegal immigrants who are convicted  not just accused  of serious crimes should be deported. But it is Congress responsibility to come to grips with revised work visa laws to allow industries like the Wisconsin dairy industry to operate with needed migrant workers; to resolve the issue of the millions of law-abiding, hard-working immigrants who have lived here for years; and to ultimately decide what our immigration policies will be.

On the sanctuary city fights, lets sit this one out.
The Hellesoe family at Lotopa celebrated the 90th birthday of their beloved mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great, great grandmother at their home last night.

Pele Bella Anunson-Hellesoe was born on 12th August 1927.

She was raised in Manase, Savaii, began her school life in Safotu but came to Apia where she completed her schooling and eventually lived at Lotopa.

She was married to the late Vui Niel Hellesoe and they had seven children.

From them, she has 26 grandchildren, 65 great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren.

Her eldest daughter, Celine Hellesoe-Keil described her mother as a straight shooter.

Mom is the kind of person that when she sees something on someone - even if she doesnt know the person - but if she sees something on people that she likes or dont like, she will tell them straight, she said.

Mom worked most of her life even after she married our father."

Back in the days she was an employee at this place called Burns Philp and later ran her own grocery shop at Lotopa."

The only time I see mom at home was when she was sick or became pregnant with my siblings or when she lived far away from her work place.

Mrs. Keil said her mother is a loving, caring woman who put her family first.

She never spanked any of us when we were young because she didnt believe in spanking even though she tells us when we got children of our own to spank them.

Mrs. Keil went on to say that their mother was proud of her nationality as a Samoan, Chinese and American.

The birthday celebration was well attended by her family and guests.
Last minute Fathers Day shopping kept most people occupied yesterday.

This resulted in the streets of Apia becoming so crowded and busy. Items ranged from food and clothes to gift for fathers.

But not everyone will have the luxury of receiving presents today.

For Ioane Amituanai yesterday was just another working day that involved selling green coconuts and produces from their plantation.

The 42-year-old who is currently residing at Lotofaga told the Village Voice he was trying to earn some money for their Sunday feast (toanai).

Theres only a few people in my family; my wife, my daughter and my brother, he said.

So you see why I have to do this; its just a normal day for me, living my life.

I only sell nius once a week but usually Im working at the plantation every other day.

Ioane said everything is going well in his village and in his family.

He has no issue with his way of earning a living except for the new type of problems that have occurred in our society recently.

Hearing about the many cases and crimes regarding rape, murder especially incest really shocks me.

I guess you can say that Im one of the people that have had too much pride for our country, never really expecting anything like this to happen.

Im really surprised all these have become problems in our society considering that we are founded on God.

For me, I cant really judge people and their situations but try to accept the fact that the end is near.

Its a time where nothing makes sense anymore because people have changed in a way where they are not godly people anymore and have lost sight of what it really means to live righteously.

The only thing that I can say is for parents especially the mothers to look out for your families especially your children. We are not in a safe world anymore.
CITY COUNCILS

CARLSBAD

The Carlsbad City Council will meet at 9 a.m. Tuesday in Council Chambers at 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive, for a presentation and discussion of the Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment. The council will also hear a report on fiscal year 2016-17 council goals, and discuss the 2017-18 council goals work plan.

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Carlsbad residents are invited to a free showing of the 2017 State of the City video presentation, highlighting major city issues and projects. The presentation will be from 6-7 p.m. Aug. 21 at the Carlsbad City Librarys Ruby G. Schulman Auditorium, 1775 Dove Lane. Reserve to help@carlsbadca.gov or (760) 434-2820.

ENCINITAS

The Encinitas City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Wednesday in city council chambers, 505 S. Vulcan Ave., to discuss the Beacons Beach Access Reconstruction Project.

ESCONDIDO

The Escondido City Council will meet in closed session to discuss labor and property negotiations at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in city council chambers at 201 N. Broadway. In regular session, the council will consider: setting a two-hour time limit for one row of parking spaces in Downtown Municipal Parking Lot #6, on Second Avenue between Kalmia and Juniper streets; and establishing a cost-effective permit process for electric vehicle charging stations consistent with state requirements.

POWAY

The Poway City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday in council chambers, 13325 Civic Center Drive, when its scheduled to hear an update on the Espola Road Safety Improvement project, and hold a workshop on designs for the Mickey Cafagna Community Center project. The council will then go into closed session to discuss labor negotiations. Another public hearing to discuss proposed district election maps is set for 6 p.m. Friday in council chambers.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS

CARLSBAD

The Carlsbad Unified School District board will meet in closed session to discuss student discipline and litigation at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the district office, 6225 El Camino Real. In regular session, the board will discuss a proposed annexation and special taxes to be levied on the property; and will discuss the need to join a case extending the lowering of SDG&E electric rates.

OCEANSIDE

The County Board of Education is seeking input from the community on the proposed change in the Oceanside Unified School Districts election system and the proposed boundaries of trustee areas. The public is encouraged to learn about these changes and to express their opinions at a public hearing at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Oceanside Unified School District Board Room at 2111 Mission Ave.

SAN DIEGUITO

The San Dieguito Union High School District board will hold a workshop at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at the district office, 710 Encinitas Blvd., Encinitas, to discuss special education services. At 6 p.m., the board will meet in closed session to discuss student discipline and personnel. In regular session at 6:30 p.m., the board will consider amending the contract with Class Leasing LLC to buy two relocatable classroom buildings at Earl Warren Middle School, to replace exterior door types and add extra exterior windows, increasing the cost by $33,506 for a new total of $479,328.78. The board will also approve contracts for various services to students and to the district; and will consider joining the San Diego Schools Coalition for Electricity Cost Reduction to decrease costs.

SAN MARCOS

The San Marcos Unified School District board will meet in closed session to discuss student discipline at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Media Center of the North County Regional Education Center, 255 Pico Ave. In regular session at 6:30 p.m., the board will hold a public hearing on a petition to establish the Baypoint Preparatory Academy-San Diego charter school in the district; will approve contracts for various services; and will consider new board policies on suicide prevention, home instruction, and truancy.

VISTA

The Vista Unified School District board is collaborating with The Cosca Group to complete the process of seeking a new district superintendent. The district is requesting the communitys participation and feedback through a survey available through Aug. 22 in English and Spanish at vistausd.org or bit.ly/2v1oQUX.

laura.groch@sduniontribune.com
San Diegos position as an international center for mariachi music continues to grow.

In May, the Mariachi Scholarship Foundation awarded more than $15,000 to 20 young San Diego mariachi and ballet folklorico students.

On Friday, the 2017 San Diego International Mariachi Summit will hold its second annual gala concert at the San Diego Civic Theatre, with proceeds going to the scholarship foundation.

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The lineup includes Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlan, the University of Guadalajaras Ballet Folklorico, Orquesta de Baja California, the San Diego Binational Symphony Orchestra and San Diegos Symphonic Mariachi Champana Nevin, which teams mariachi and classical musicians. It is led by trumpeter Jeff Nevin, who is the president of the foundation, a music professor at Southwestern College and one of the nations foremost mariachi educators.

The summit opens Wednesday at Southwestern College, where daytime workshops and an evening concert will be held, and continues on the campus Thursday and Friday.

On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., student mariachi performances will be held throughout Chula Vista as part of the citys annual Harborfest celebration.

The 2017 San Diego International Mariachi Summit Gala Concert: 7:30 p.m. Friday. San Diego Civic Theatre, 202 C St., downtown. $16.50-$34, plus service charges; $100 (VIP tickets). (800) 745-3000 or ticketmaster.com

george.varga@sduniontribune.com

Twitter @georgevarga
The world will likely never learn what a fine high-school teacher Gregg Barnes mightve been. But the world (especially the theater portion of it) learned long ago what a costume-design ace the San Diego native is.

The two-time Tony Award winner (for The Drowsy Chaperone and Follies) and seven-time nominee is one of the most celebrated and sought-after designers on Broadway.

So much so, in fact, that its rare for Barnes to get a chance to do productions outside New York, such as the Old Globes current world-premiere staging of Ken Ludwigs Robin Hood!

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The Globe was one of the places that gave Barnes his start back when he was growing up in East County  though he was mostly an actor, not a designer.

After graduating from Monte Vista High and then San Diego State University, Barnes spent a year and a half pursuing a teaching credential: I thought I would teach English and be the drama guy at a high school, he says now.

But finally  inspired in part by earlier studies with the longtime Grossmont College theater instructor Clark Mires  Barnes headed to New York University for a masters degree in design. The rest is Broadway history.

Barnes mostly works on musicals now, so Ludwigs Robin Hood!  a fresh comic take on the legend  represents quite a switch. In more ways than one.

Theres a lot of quick changing in it, he says. What the actual costumes are is the frosting. The cake is, How do people get in and out of these and not have to have 55 dressers?

Theres a lot of thinking time devoted to the how-to of it.

Fortunately, he says, the Globe boasts a world-class technical department. Theyre very good at figuring that out.

Up next for Barnes: The world premiere of Tina Feys Broadway-bound Mean Girls, based on the movie; itll once again team him with director and fellow ex-San Diegan Casey Nicholaw.

And its look should be a bit different from dudes in doublets.

Ken Ludwigs Robin Hood!

When: 7 p.m. Tuesdays-Wednesdays; 8 p.m. Thursdays-Fridays; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays. Through Sept. 10.

Where: Old Globes Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, Balboa Park.

Tickets: $39 and up

Phone: (619) 234-5623

Online: theoldglobe.org

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @jimhebert
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Herbert McMinn grew up on a farm in the middle of Texas, in a tiny town called Gouldbusk, population 150. He planned to go back when the war was over, raise livestock and plant his feet and his future firmly on the land.

First he had some work to do in the sky.

It was Nov. 21, 1942, a Saturday, two weeks shy of a year after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that ushered the United States into World War II. McMinn  24, unmarried, one of four children  was a Navy pilot, trained in Corpus Christi and then San Diego. Now he was in Illinois, practicing takeoffs and landings on a makeshift aircraft carrier steaming around Lake Michigan.

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1 / 14 Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station has been restoring a World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete the restoration in the next four years. The plane crashed into Lake Michigan in 1942, killing the pilot, Navy Ensign, Herbert McMinn, and remained there until 1994, when it was pulled from the lake. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 14 Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station has been restoring a World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete the restoration in the next four years. The plane crashed into Lake Michigan in 1942, killing the pilot, Navy Ensign, Herbert McMinn, and remained there until 1994, when it was pulled from the lake. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 14 Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, looks over the left wing of the airplane he has been restoring, a World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber. He started four and a half years ago, and hopes to complete the restoration in the next four years. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 14 The underside of the World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber that in 1942 crashed into Lake Michigan, killing the pilot, Navy Ensign Herbert McMinn. It was pulled from the lake in 1994, and now, Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station has been restoring the plane for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete the restoration in the next four years. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 14 Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station has been restoring a World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete the restoration in the next four years. The plane crashed into Lake Michigan in 1942, killing the pilot, Navy Ensign, Herbert McMinn, and remained there until 1994, when it was pulled from the lake. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 14 Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, has been restoring a World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete the restoration in the next four years. Here, he installs rivets in the right wing. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 14 Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station holds one of the landing light doublers used to reinforce the skin of the plane around the opening for the landing lights, next to the one he made for the World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber he has been restoring for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete in the next four years. The plane crashed into Lake Michigan in 1942, killing the pilot, Navy Ensign, Herbert McMinn, and remained there until 1994, when it was pulled from the lake. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 14 The underside of the World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber that in 1942 crashed into Lake Michigan, killing the pilot, Navy Ensign Herbert McMinn. It was pulled from the lake in 1994, and now, Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station has been restoring the plane for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete the restoration in the next four years. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 14 The drift sight door covering the drift sight used by the rear gunner to help correct bomb trajectory due to wind on the World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber, Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station has been restoring for the past four and a half years, and hopes to finish in the next four years. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 14 Temporary panel fasteners are attached to the World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber, Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station has been restoring for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete the restoration in the next four years. The plane crashed into Lake Michigan in 1942, killing the pilot, Navy Ensign, Herbert McMinn, and remained there until 1994, when it was pulled from the lake. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 14 Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, has been restoring a World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete the restoration in the next four years. The plane crashed into Lake Michigan in 1942, killing the pilot, Navy Ensign, Herbert McMinn, and remained there until 1994, when it was pulled from the lake. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 14 SAN DIEGO, CA: August 11, 2017 | Corrosion has taken a toll on the World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station has been restoring for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete in in the next four years. The plane crashed into Lake Michigan in 1942, killing the pilot, Navy Ensign, Herbert McMinn, and remained there until 1994, when it was pulled from the lake. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 14 Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station has been restoring a World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete the restoration in the next four years. The plane crashed into Lake Michigan in 1942, killing the pilot, Navy Ensign, Herbert McMinn, and remained there until 1994, when it was pulled from the lake. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 14 Temporary panel fasteners are attached to one of the wing tips of the World War II Douglas SDB-1 dive bomber, Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic and volunteer at the Flying Leatherneck Museum on the base at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station has been restoring for the past four and a half years, and hopes to complete the restoration in the next four years. The plane crashed into Lake Michigan in 1942, killing the pilot, Navy Ensign, Herbert McMinn, and remained there until 1994, when it was pulled from the lake. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune)

He flew an SBD Dauntless dive bomber. Although pilots joked that SBD stood for Slow But Deadly, the plane already had proved its worth at the Battle of Midway, where squadrons of them darted down to sink four Japanese aircraft carriers, changing the tide of the war in the Pacific theater. Dive bombers were rock stars.

Sometime in the afternoon, people noticed Ensign McMinn missing. Hed never made it back from carrier practice to Glenview Naval Air Station. When a civilian standing on the lakeshore in Chicago reported hed seen a plane go into the water about five miles out, officials put two and two together.

For 12 days they dragged the lake. No plane, no body, no matter. The Navy declared McMinn dead, one of about 15,000 aviators killed during training in the war.

To his family, though, it remained an open sore. His parents, Floyd and Jewell McMinn, pleaded with the Navy to find him or his plane or at least the college ring from Texas A&M that he always wore.

No one but God knows what we have suffered, they wrote in a letter to the secretary of the Navy dated Jan. 13, 1946, more than three years after the disappearance. If he could have been found, it would have been much easier for us.

They put a marker in the ground at Rockwood Cemetery, but without any remains to place in the grave, it was hard for them to pay their respects. To honor the sacrifice he had made for his country. To remember.

It was incredibly frustrating to the entire family, said Bryan Lynch, the missing airmans great-nephew. By the time I came around, in 1961, nobody was talking about it much any more. It was just a thing that had happened.

Years went by, then decades, and McMinns parents died without the closure they so desperately wanted. So did his siblings. Passed down to their survivors were a few reminders of what had been: Photos of Herbert, a few letters, his violin.

But if the family thought nobody else cared, they were mistaken. They didnt know yet about Taras Lyssenko, co-founder of a company that pulls old warbirds from the depths of Lake Michigan. They didnt know about Bob Cramsie, a longtime aviation mechanic in San Diego who has volunteered thousands of hours in the past four years at the Flying Leatherneck Museum, helping to restore historic airplanes.

One in particular.

A story of us

Lyssenko, 56, is a brash, assertive descendant of Ukranian Cossacks, known for their independent streak. A Michigan businessman who promotes emerging defense and energy technologies, Lyssenko likes to do things his way, and sometimes he ruffles feathers. People use words like interesting and a real character to describe him.

He grew up near Chicago hearing stories about ships that had gone down in the Great Lakes. As teens, he and a friend went out in a rickety boat, looking for wrecks. Its a wonder we werent killed out there, he said.

When scuba divers created a media-stir by discovering a World War II-era TBM Avenger on the bottom of Lake Michigan, Lyssenko and his partner changed their focus. Soon they found a plane under the water, too, a Wildcat fighter.

That was in 1977, and they moved on to other things: college, military service. In 1986 they began hunting for planes in earnest, eventually using side-scan sonar and other equipment. They learned that dozens of planes had crashed in the lake during the war as 63,000 pilots trained nearby, many of them taking off and landing on the USS Wolverine and the USS Sable, paddle-wheel luxury ships that had been converted into aircraft carriers.

Lyssenkos company, A and T Recovery, pulled up several planes and sold them to museums interested in restoring them. That drew the attention of the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Fla., which was trying to build its own collection.

Lake Michigan really opened a whole new chapter of Naval aviation history on display, said Hill Goodspeed, the museums historian. Before that, the Navy, despite accepting thousands of airplanes into service during World War II, had saved very few of them.

A and T Recovery got contracts from the Navy to retrieve more planes. Its not about the money, Lyssenko said. These aircraft represent a story of us, the people of the United States of America. It took people from all over the country to build these planes, to train to use them, to take them across the ocean to go to war in them. People from all walks of life. These aircraft continue to tell that story of us.

Over time, the recovery contracts became more specific. The Navy wanted planes of historical significance that eventually could be displayed not just in Florida, but in museums across the country. And they wanted them in restorable shape. Lyssenko would videotape the wrecks on the lake floor, fill out condition reports and send them to the Navy for a yes or no answer.

On one of its wish lists, the Navy wanted an SBD-1 Dauntless. That was the dive bombers first variation, built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. in about 1940. Because it had a limited fuel range, the Navy ordered modifications, and only 57 of the SBD-1s rolled off the assembly line in El Segundo. Several were damaged or destroyed at Pearl Harbor, and some were used on scouting missions in the Pacific, but my mid-1942, most were back in the United States, used for training.

As the earliest version of the airplane, it is significant, Goodspeed said. It tells an important part of the overall story.

The SBD-1 that Lyssenko went hunting for, bureau number 1612, was the 17th one built. Herbert McMinn was flying it when he disappeared on that Saturday in November of 1942.

Navy records Lyssenko reviewed included a written statement from a businessman who was standing near the lake at about 11 a.m. He said he saw a plane glide down to the water  It looked as though it was a perfect landing, he wrote  and then sink. He surmised the engine had quit because he didnt hear it as the plane descended. The businessman included the street address near where he was positioned and estimated the plane had gone down about five to 10 miles out.

And thats pretty much where they found it, on March 29, 1994. The bomber was in 50 feet of water. It was upright, clearly damaged, but mostly intact. There was no sign of the pilot.

I like challenges

Navy officials looked for a museum with the interest, money, equipment and staff to restore the Dauntless so it could be displayed to the public. It went first to the USS Alabama, a battleship museum in Mobile, and then to the Midway Museum on the Embarcadero. In 2012, the Midway traded it to the Flying Leatherneck Museum for another plane.

Located adjacent to to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, the Leatherneck Museum was keenly interested in the SBD-1. After the Navy rejected that variation because of range limitations, it gave the planes to the Marines. The one pulled from Lake Michigan, museum officials believe, is the only one remaining.

It arrived in pieces.

Cramsie heard about the project and volunteered. The 63-year-old Rancho San Diego resident saw it as a way to give back to the community, to say thank you to the military. Hes spent his career working around airplanes, first as a mechanic at PSA, then Lockheed Martin, and now as a test technician for Northrup Grumman. The scars on his wrists from carpal tunnel surgery attest to the many hours hes spent driving rivets and turning wrenches.

He grew up in Millbrae, next to the San Francisco International Airport, where he got bit by an aviation bug that never let go, although it has loosened its grip enough to let him pursue other passions, like restoring a 1949 F-1 Ford pickup. He studied aviation mechanics in junior college and later got bachelors and masters degrees in aeronautical fields.

What he saw when he first encountered the Dauntless was a challenge. I like challenges, he said. Its almost like therapy for me.

He calculates that hes spent more than 3,000 hours on the restoration. Many of the missing parts he has to fabricate from pieces of sheet metal. He built and installed the vertical stabilizer, for example, and made from scratch the aft gun bay and doors.

There are SBD blueprints on a computer he consults when he needs to, and internet forums like the Warbirds Information Exchange that he visits occasionally for parts and advice. Its a giant jigsaw puzzle, he said. But its a puzzle that will be solved.

Its important to him to be authentic. As much as possible, nothing from Home Depot, he said. Youll probably never see it, but Ill know its there.

The hangar where he works is cavernous. Several other aircraft are being restored there. The place tastes vaguely of metal, and when the compressors are running, its loud. Cramsie wears ear muffs.

One recent afternoon, he was piecing together the right wing with rivets. First he attached temporary fasteners to hold the metal skin in place; they made the wing look like a porcupine with its quills extended. He used a drill to make sure the holes were lined up correctly, then went to work with a rivet gun and a bucking bar.

It was hot in the hangar, and within minutes his dark blue shirt was wet with perspiration. He set down the rivet gun, took off the ear muffs and quipped, Now just do that a few thousand times and youre done.

Hes had other volunteers help him, but they tend to come and go. At the rate hes working, he said it will probably take him another four years to finish. A display board on an easel at the front of the plane shows what it will look like then: Wings painted yellow on top, machine guns in place, military insignia on the fuselage.

It will all be worth it, Cramsie said. Even though hes never served in the military, he understands something about sacrifice. One of his uncles was a pilot in World War II whose A-20 Havoc went down in the English Channel while returning from a bombing mission on the day after Easter in 1944. No bodies  he had two gunners with him  were ever found.

No plane, either.

Reaching out

A few months ago, Lyssenko went looking for the relatives of Herbert McMinn. He combed Census records and found McMinns sister, Thelma, and then her son, Joe Lynch  both now deceased  and then Joes son, Bryan, who is the chief technology officer for a medical-device company in Houston.

Lyssenko sent Bryan Lynch a request to connect on LinkedIn. When Lynch accepted, Lyssenko messaged: I located and recovered your great-uncles aircraft. He sent links to some of the Navy documents about the disappearance.

Lynch messaged back: Wow! I had no idea!

He remembers his dad talking about how Uncle Herbert had been training on an aircraft carrier in the Great Lakes, and thats the last we ever heard of him. It was devastating to my great-grandparents, to my grandparents, to the whole family. There was never any closure.

And now there is.

Lynch met with Lyssenko in person in late July. He saw photos of the plane after it was pulled from the lake floor. He learned about the Flying Leatherneck Museum and Cramsie. Its pretty amazing, Lynch said. I think the only sad part is that all of the people who really wanted to know what happened are gone.

He looks forward to seeing the Dauntless. Hes a pilot, too, as was his father. And, of course, his great-uncle.

From what I understand now, he did a good job landing it on the water, Lynch said. He may have had fuel issues, or maybe he was coming in for a landing and got waved off, but he did the best he could. He landed it square.

Theres talk of a ceremony at the Leatherneck Museum, next to the Dauntless, to honor the last person who flew it. Lynch would be there. Lyssenko, too, and Cramsie. There might be speeches from Navy brass, and the display of family photos, and if all goes according to plan, some music.

Played on Herbert McMinns violin.

john.wilkens@sduniontribune.com
A day after Navy Vice Adm. James Crawford III was grilled about his alleged role in scuttling the defense of a Navy SEAL accused of rape, attorneys under his command maneuvered to fire the bulk of the legal team asking the questions.

In a series of motions and responses filed between Aug. 1 and Friday with a special armed forces court in Washington, D.C., the Navys attorneys seek to remove three military lawyers assigned to assist the appeal of Senior Chief Special Warfare Operator Keith Barry.

Barry was convicted in 2015 of raping a woman in San Diego. The military judge was faced with deciding whether he secured consent from the female victim during a month-long relationship between 2012 and 2013.

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He maintained his innocence even after he was sentenced to prison and given a dishonorable discharge, claiming that she was using the criminal justice system to punish him for ending their relationship.

Seeking clemency, he appealed the military judges decision to Rear Adm. Patrick Lorge, the commander of Navy Region Southwest who is now retired. In a sworn affidavit, Lorge admitted that he did not believe Barry was guilty but instead of vacating the verdict took advice from Crawford to let it stand.

Crawford urged him to appease Capitol Hill and White House critics unhappy with the militarys handling of sexual assault cases and warned that going soft on Barry could end Lorges Navy career, the retired flag officer wrote in his statement.

Lorges words were echoed by a pair of sworn affidavits from junior legal aides who recalled him discussing Crawfords advice.

The Barry case has been forwarded to a new convening authority, senior to the original convening authority, and the fact-finding process is underway, said Patricia Babb, spokeswoman for the Office of the Judge Advocate General, in an email to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

The Navy remains, as always, dedicated to pursuing justice in a fair and impartial system. To preserve the integrity of that process, the Navy will not comment further on the case.

Barrys sole civilian attorney, David Sheldon, said that the Navys legal maneuvers were no coincidence and pointed to a 13th stroke of the clock attempt to stop next weeks proceedings before an Air Force trial judge.

Senior Chief Barry has been threatened with losing three of his attorneys but if anyone is going to be fired it should be Vice Adm. Crawford, said the Washington, D.C.-based Sheldon. We have documented evidence that he engaged in unlawful command influence.

I hate to be the skunk at the lawn party, but someone above Crawford needs to start sorting all of this out. Decisions are being made about sailors lives based on political expediency and its ruining the Navys reputation.

So concerned about the appearance of public corruption, the appellate judges in the Barry case recused the entire Navy and Marine Corps trial judiciary from hearing the SEALs ongoing appeals.

A specially-appointed Air Force trial judge is slated to begin weighing evidence into whether Lorge and Crawford unlawfully tampered with Barrys case during a special Aug. 18 hearing at the Washington Navy Yard.

In their legal filings seeking to bench the trio of military lawyers appointed to assist Barry in his appeal, Navy attorneys contend that they are not trying to harm his case. Instead, they argue that they must preserve the traditional legal process for detailing government legal teams to defendants and appellants.

Here, the accused claims he is entitled to the representation of four lawyers, wrote Navy Lt. Cmdr. K. E. Shovlin in a motion filed Friday. In other cases, the defense table might look more like a jury box. That is not the combat-ready, efficient system we actually have.

The Navy has offered to find last-minute substitutes for Barrys defense team, but attorney Sheldon believes thats just a stunt to delay justice to deny it.

I think that their actions demonstrate that theres unlawful command influence still going on in this case, Sheldon said.

No court has set a timeline for when the issue will be resolved or if the Aug. 18 hearing will be canceled or postponed.

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cprine@sduniontribune.com
Got THAAD?

Despite the missile rattling and bellicose rhetoric from Kim Jong-un and our Fireman in Chief, most North Korea experts downplay the odds of war breaking out.

Brave talk is cheap, holocaust expensive. North Koreas crouch appears to be defensive, not offensive.

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Still, the nuclear dukes are up and the apprehension is running wild.

Were hearing panicked calls for mobilization of our Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, the U.S. anti-ballistic defense system designed to shoot down missiles like the ones North Koreans is threatening to direct toward Guam.

On the home front, where we pray the furious fires will not be burning like the world has never seen, Del Mar-based Vivos, a company that builds private fallout shelters and sells parking space in a deep-underground mega-shelter in South Dakota, is reporting a boomlet of inquiries.

Its an ill nuclear wind that blows no one any good, it seems. Theres a silver lining to the darkest of mushroom clouds.

At the risk of coming off like the little girl picking daisies in the infamous 1964 anti-Goldwater TV ad, Im obliviously rounding up the weeks roses and raspberries, hoping for cooler heads to prevail in the overheated Pacific.

A rose  the Library Watchdog award  to Escondido Councilwoman Olga Diaz for leading a citizens uprising against the proposed outsourcing of Escondido library services.

The rose, please understand, does not mean Diaz is necessarily right that the saving of $400,000 a year is by definition a misplaced priority. Thats the domain of the bean counters, not the rose and razz growers.

Clearly, the council, in concert with the city manager, has a right, if not a duty, to reduce pension and other costs so long as vital services are not diminished. You cant criticize considering outsourcing and its potential merits.

What you can criticize, however, is the failure to make a big deal out a change that would be a big deal to a critical mass of library users.

Sure, theres an instinct in City Hall to put off the pushback until its nearly a done deal. Keep things on the down low, keep labor forces at bay.

In this case, it was a really bad instinct to not loudly publicize the possibility of the outsourcing. The downplay feeds Diazs suspicion of an inside deal.

Look, libraries hit home in a special way. Diaz, a passionate library champion, understands that. The council majority and the city manager evidently need to do some reading on the subject.

Diazs whistle-blowing crusade culminated this week with a unanimous vote of the library trustees to urge the council not to contract with Maryland-based Library Systems & Services, which manages more than 80 public libraries. A big symbolic victory.

Is some of the anti-outsourcing rhetoric over the top? Sure.

In Escondido, nerves are raw from the loss of a branch library during previous budget cuts. Now this.

In the end, the council, convinced of the citys dire financial straits and seeing the library as low-hanging fruit, may decide to stare down the opposition and go with LS&S. It could be a rational decision.

Thanks in large part to the lone Democrat on the council, however, the votes will be cast in a bright spotlight, as they should be. Something more momentous than money, something like the soul of the city, will be up for discussion.

In the environment Diaz has helped create, treating the library as merely a matter of dollars and cents will make highly questionable political sense.

A sweet raspberry  the Thar She Blows award  to the few thrill-seekers who reportedly tried to swim or paddle out to play/commune/bond with a very young gray whale that got sidetracked in its northward migration and swam into the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, staying for about two hours.

Sure, its exciting for a sea creature to drop into a lagoon, but safety officials were being prudent when they urged the whale groupies to stay away.

Given the uncertain circumstances of this anomalous visit, which was repeated with even more human company in Dana Point Harbor, trying to get up close for a hug or a selfie was foolhardy at best.

A rose bud  the Smoking Out Hypocrisy award  to Lawrence Bame, CEO of The Goodlife Festival, who says hes kissed goodbye any thought of hosting a cannabis-themed gathering this year at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

I was actually surprised to learn in the spring that the festival had been booked. Good for the Fairgrounds, I thought. This was a sign of San Diegos coming of age. (In San Francisco and L.A., cannabis festivals on fairgrounds have drawn huge crowds.)

Well, San Diegos anti-pot forces flew into high dudgeon and the fairgrounds board bowed under the pressure, telling Bame to come back with a completely smoke-free event. (He had agreed to keep pot smoking out of the event with the exception of medical users.)

Bame recently threw up his hands but fired this rose-worthy parting shot.

If you go to the racetracks concert this weekend, he told a reporter, thousands and thousands of people will be smoking. But you cant smoke at my event because its called a cannabis event? Very schizophrenic.

Or go to KAABOO. Tens of thousands of people will be doing things against the rules. Theyre expecting 50,000 each on Saturday and Sunday. I was hoping for maybe five, six thousand. Thats the nonsense about the whole thing that, frankly, I dont know how to deal with. So Im doing nothing.

It just goes to show that in San Diego, when it comes to pot, its a lot easier to beg forgiveness than ask for permission.

logan.jenkins@sduniontribune.com
At the outset, dozens of cancer patients and survivors crowded onto the stage at Embarcadero Marina Park North along San Diego Bay. They raised their arms in one giant collective swoop and let fly a flock of white doves to symbolize their hope, and prayers.

Hundreds of others touched by cancer helped kick off the annual Relay for Life on Saturday morning, launching a 24-hour fundraiser and battle plan against one of the most pervasive killers in the world.

Its mainly about getting together with other survivors and being around positive people, said Cathleen Mingo of Oak Park, a wife and mother of two young children who was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer in December.

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Positivity is really important when you are fighting cancer, said Mingo, 40, whose orange-red hair is just beginning to grow back after her treatment. And to be able to raise funds and get more research is really important.

The around-the-clock event, the American Cancer Societys signature promotion that unfolds in dozens of cities across the globe every year, is designed to parallel the personal struggle that a cancer diagnosis often entails.

1 / 16 Cancer survivors release white pigeons before the start of the Relay for Life San Diego Downtown cancer walk, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, at Embarcadero Marina Park North in San Diego. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 2 / 16 Cancer survivors sit on a stage as they are introduced before they start the Relay for Life San Diego Downtown cancer walk. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 3 / 16 White pigeons sit in a cage just before they are handed out to cancer survivors and released. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 4 / 16 White pigeons are handed out to cancer survivors before they release them. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 5 / 16 A cancer survivor holds a white pigeon before a group of cancer survivors release pigeons. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 6 / 16 Cancer survivors hold white pigeons before they release them. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 7 / 16 White pigeons are handed out to cancer survivors before they release them. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 8 / 16 Cancer survivors start the Relay for Life San Diego Downtown cancer walk. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 9 / 16 Cancer survivors walk the first lap of the Relay for Life San Diego Downtown cancer walk. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 10 / 16 Cancer survivors walk the first lap of the Relay for Life San Diego Downtown cancer walk. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 11 / 16 Crystal Carreon does a dance as she and other cancer survivors walk the first lap of the Relay for Life San Diego Downtown cancer walk. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 12 / 16 Cancer survivors walk the first lap of the Relay for Life San Diego Downtown cancer walk. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 13 / 16 High fives are given to cancer survivors as they walk the first lap of the Relay for Life San Diego Downtown cancer walk. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 14 / 16 Christine Paige, center, a breast cancer survivor, walks with her daughters Kenya Jackson, left, and Kiara Sherman as they and other cancer survivors walk the first lap of the Relay for Life San Diego Downtown cancer walk. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 15 / 16 Maria Balderras, right, and Lupita Rodriguez, both breast cancer survivors, dance to music after they and other cancer survivors walked the first lap of the Relay for Life San Diego Downtown cancer walk. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune) 16 / 16 Because the event goes for 24 hours, members of relay team Cure Cruzaders set up their tent to stay the night in. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

The morning represents the initial shock of digesting the news that many patients experience, followed by a pledge to fight through treatment, organizers said.

With the afternoon comes fatigue, mirroring the chemotherapy and its unwelcome side effects and everything else related to the fight for their lives.

The black of night, when walkers continue to push through Marina Park North while temperatures sink and self-doubt creeps onto their conscience, represents the fear and uncertainty cancer patients confront during the depth of their treatment.

And with the sunrise comes the hope of a winning effort and promise of one new day.

More than 50 teams signed up to participate in the fundraiser, with up to 1,000 individual walkers stepping in throughout the day and night.

The idea is that one member of the team is walking for 24 hours straight, said Kyle Wadstrom, community development manager for the local American Cancer Society chapter. Well be here until Sunday. Cancer never sleeps, so neither do we.

Nine-year-old Kate Marcos of Chula Vista began the day with an emotional performance of the national anthem.

Nearby, Phillip Selio said he was there to support his recently diagnosed little brother.

It just opened my eyes, the California Western School of Law student said of his brothers condition. It made me want to get a little more involved. Ultimately, the American Cancer Society mission is helping my brother.

Selio said his brother is doing remarkably well following his initial treatment.

Natalie Cardenas of Point Loma was one of 12 or so members of a team from the San Diego office of the California Department of Rehabilitation.

We have quite a few coworkers who have fought cancer, and are fighting cancer right now, Cardenas said a few minutes ahead of the kickoff. I wanted to show my support for them. Its a difficult thing. You just hope for the best.

The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 1.7 million new diagnoses this calendar year, and 600,000 deaths from the disease.

Cancer is the second-leading cause of death in the United States, just behind heart disease.

The Relay for Life of San Diego was expected to generate tens of thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society, which has raised more than $4.5 billion for cancer research in the last six-plus decades.

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jeff.mcdonald@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1708 @sdutMcDonald
It seemed simple enough.

A law on the city of San Diegos books to restrict where registered sex offenders can live has provisions deemed unconstitutional by the California Supreme Court.

City Attorney Mara Elliott wanted the City Council to repeal the ordinance because San Diego could still be sued with it in place, even though the law hasnt been enforced for years.

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But on Aug. 1, a majority of council members balked. It seems nothing is actually simple in politics when it comes to doing anything that could be distorted as going easy on sex offenders, no matter the logic or law.

By a 5-4 vote, council members earlier this month rejected the repeal and days later the city was sued, according to the Union-Tribunes Karen Kucher.

So, unless something changes, the city will spend money going to court for a dead-letter law that doesnt do anything to protect children and others from sexual predators.

Elliott suggested that winning such a case is beyond unlikely. She further told the council that San Diego police do things other things to protect children from sexual abuse.

She said the police department was there to explain further, wrote Andrew Bowen of KPBS, but no council member invited the police departments representative to speak.

Some members made comments about the need to protect children, but no one suggested that the city start trying to enforce the law.

The ordinance sought to prohibit paroled sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a school, playground, park, library, amusement center, arcade or day care facility.

The Supreme Court had ruled on a similar state law affecting San Diego County areas, concluding that such residency restrictions are unconstitutional because they are unreasonable, arbitrary and oppressive. Fewer than 3 percent of the units in San Diego County potentially would be available to registered sex offenders.

The court had other concerns.

Blanket enforcement of the residency restrictions against these parolees has severely restricted their ability to find housing in compliance with the statute, greatly increased the incidence of homelessness among them, and hindered their access to medical treatment, drug and alcohol dependency services, psychological counseling and other rehabilitative social services, the court wrote in its affirmation of two lower court rulings.

Council members David Alvarez, Chris Cate, Georgette Gomez, Chris Ward and Lori Zapf opposed the repeal. Barbara Bry, Myrtle Cole, Mark Kersey and Scott Sherman sided with the city attorney.

Politics is such these days that you can hardly blame people for not wanting to open themselves up to unfair attacks. But then, others did. Thats often the price of doing the peoples business.

SANDAGs Gallegos: Hana who?

Gary Gallegos made big news last week when he said he was stepping down at the end of the year as executive director of the San Diego Association of Governments.

He broke the news to The San Diego Union-Tribune editorial board, and said a whole lot more.

For one thing, he said he was unaware that an unsearchable server used to hide emails from public records requests existed. The server, called Hana Tools, was created by SANDAG staff specifically to hide emails from searches for public records requests, according to an investigative report into the agencys overstating  by billions of dollars  revenue estimates for a proposed transportation tax rejected by voters last fall.

Some emails related to the botched revenue estimates for Measure A were put in the offline folder and deleted.

The report said Kurt Kroninger, SANDAGs former director of technical services, admitted creating the folder to obfuscate communications and that Gallegos and at least one other top agency official approved of the move. That contradicts what Gallegos told the Union-Tribune.

Gallegos didnt dispute that emails were deleted, but denied there was anything nefarious about it.

Not long before the November election, amid media pressure for the agency to produce internal communications, the report said agency officials instructed workers to delete emails associated with the inquiry. But investigators didnt say what was in those emails.

Gallegos told the Union-Tribune that staff members were given a routine refresher on SANDAGs record retention policy: Preliminary drafts not deleted within 60 days must be kept for at least two years.

According to the report, people at the meeting said it was implicit that employees should delete communications that would have been protected by the policy. Gallegos said no such order was given and that he couldnt speak to how people interpreted what was said.

County Supervisor Ron Roberts, chair of the SANDAG board and a Gallegos supporter, said a forensic review would be conducted to recover the deleted emails to find out what they said.

Its uncertain whether that project will be completed before Gallegos rides off into the sunset, eventually to become the cowboy he said he wants to be at his familys Colorado ranch.

Tweet of the Week

Goes to Matthew T. Hall (@SDuncovered), editorial and opinion director of the Union-Tribune.

SANDAG tells me departing executive director Gary Gallegos monthly pension benefit is $22k. So hell get $264,000 a year for life. Hes 57.
About 70 people held a candlelight vigil in El Cajon Saturday night to show solidarity against the violence at a Virginia white supremacy rally that left one counter-protester dead and many others injured earlier in the day.

One speaker called images from Charlottesville, Va. horrifying as video footage showed a motorist plowing into a crowd, hitting several people, then backing rapidly away. Police later made an arrest. A 32-year-old woman died after being run down by the car.

Weve seen this before, in the 20s in Italy and in the 30s in Germany, Monty Kroopkin said at the El Cajon gathering, calling extremists in Charlottesville fascists and neo-Nazis. He said he hoped the nighttime vigil would show that Theres more of us than there are of them.

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The peaceful crowd gathered behind Los Panchos taco shop on Broadway at Mollison Street, the site where Alfred Olango, an unarmed black man, was fatally shot by an El Cajon police officer on Sept. 27 last year.

The shooting sparked marches, calls for criminal charges against the officer, and wrongful death lawsuits by his family. Video from a security camera and a cellphone, released by the District Attorneys Office, showed Olango taking a shooting stance in front of one of two officers while holding a shiny object that turned out to be an e-cigarette. The shooting was ruled legally justified and no criminal charges were filed against either officer.

Kroopkin said memories of the shooting were still fresh, and, he said, tie in to what the Justice Department and (President) Trump are doing to civil rights. This is what fascism is going to look like.

Kroopkin and some others who organized the rally wore T-shirts with the logo of the Industrial Workers of the World union. One IWW member said unverified word has spread through the union that the woman killed in Charlottesville also was a member of IWW.

Several other speakers talked of the need to stand against the white supremacy or white nationalism movements. After about half an hour, they held a moment of silence in honor of the Virginia victims before dispersing.

A few El Cajon police officers sat in parked cars across the street from the rally.
A suspected drunken driver plowed through the front doors of a North Park convenience store early Saturday but didnt injure anyone but himself.

The 21-year-old Ramona man was treated by medics, then taken to jail, San Diego police said.

His white Honda smashed through a security gate closed across the front glass doors of Kwik Stops at 30th and Upas streets. The car made it all the way inside the store before coming to a halt.

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Police were called about 1:10 a.m. and a small crowd of onlookers gathered.
Soroptimist International of Poways new president is looking to add more members and keep the clubs current members engaged.

Lynn Flanagan is the clubs new president. Elected last month, this is her first time in the role.

Soroptimist International is a global volunteer organization that works to improve the lives of women and girls through programs leading to social and economic empowerment, according to the Soroptimist International of Poway website. The organization works to foster international goodwill, provide leadership development and fellowship.

Flanagan joined the Soroptimists in 2013, after retiring from a 32-year career at GEICO Insurance. She has lived in the San Diego area since 1984 and is married with two step-children. She currently lives in Poway.

The clubs motto for Flanagans year is Come Grow With Us, she said, which refers both to her wish to recruit more members and keep the clubs current members engaged with projects and giving back to the community.

We added seven members in 2016, Flanagan said. Id like to add an additional seven members this year. The club currently has 39 members.

Flanagan said she also wants to continue to support the clubs projects, which include the Live Your Dream award, which gives a grant to a woman who is currently enrolled or accepted into college or a credential program who is the primary support for her family; their career support program, which teaches a seven-module course at Abraxas some semesters; providing an academic scholarship to a senior girl each year; the clubs transitional housing program, which provides support and housing for women and their children leaving abusive relationships; and the clubs High Tea fundraiser, which is done in conjunction with the North San Diego Soroptimist club. This years High Tea, held in April, raised about $120,000 in gross proceeds, said Flanagan.

The club is also involved in raising awareness about human trafficking with Soroptimists Together Against Tracking (STAT!), donating holiday gifts to La Esperanza School of the Americas in Tijuana and supporting Abraxas High School with a Womens Day program and a Graduation Night celebration.

Soroptimist International of Poway meets the first and third Wednesday of every month (excluding July and December) at 7:30 a.m. at Hamburger Factory, 14122 Midland Road in Poway. First time guests may attend for free; there is a one-time $100 initial fee and roughly $105 quarterly, depending on the number of meals served, according to Flanagan.

To find out more about Soroptimist International of Poway or to join, contact Lynn Flanagan at 858-254-9398 or Enid Glick at 858-245-8667, or visit the website at sipoway.org.

Email: news@pomeradonews.com
Elena Silva gripped her cellphone, struggling to convey a sense of urgency to her husband, Brian Woodward, whose response was drowned out by the background din of a suburban Maryland swimming pool on a steamy July afternoon.

"You have to bring the kids here - right now," Silva remembers insisting. She believed that the couple's long-running quest for a diagnosis of their daughter Gabriela, known as Gg (pronounced "Gigi"), then 7, hinged on the little girl's presence.

Woodward had taken Gg and her older brother Elian to the pool while Silva, hoping to meet researchers and network with knowledgeable parents, was attending a 2014 meeting at the Clinical Center, the research hospital on the grounds of the National Institutes of Health, a few miles from the family's home. Once a year, specialized neurology researchers and families affected by a constellation of rare neuromuscular disorders get together, a confab that is both supportive and aimed at furthering research.

Silva, who had learned of the event only that morning, was mingling with participants when a parent-advocate asked, "Where's your daughter? Why isn't she here?"

When Silva replied that Gg was at the pool, the woman advised Silva to get the little girl to NIH - and fast. That way, one of the world-renowned researchers in attendance, preferably Carsten Bonnemann, chief of the neuromuscular and neurogenetic disorders of childhood section at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, could meet her. If Bonnemann took an interest in her case, Gg might be accepted into a study and could receive a diagnosis, something that had so far proved maddeningly elusive.

Forty minutes later, still wearing their damp bathing suits, Gg, her father and her older brother appeared at the meeting. Silva introduced her daughter to Bonnemann.

Nearly 18 months later, Gg did receive a diagnosis, an occurrence that would have been far less likely without her mother's serendipitous encounter.

"I am still completely blown away by this coincidence," Silva said. "It turned out to be just the place I needed to be."

- - -

Within minutes of Gg's birth in April 2007, the obstetrician noted that she seemed to have low muscle tone in her arms. A second doctor checked the newborn and told her parents she was "a little floppy" but that there was no cause for concern.

The couple noticed that Gg was far less active than Elian, three years older, had been. In her mother's words, she seemed "weak and floppy and small." Gg had difficulty holding her head up. When placed on her stomach, she couldn't push up using her arms, something most infants accomplish at around 2 months. Her legs seemed to dangle helplessly.

"She was like a noodle," recalled her mother, a policy director at New America, a Washington think tank.

When Gg was 6 months old, the pediatrician referred her to Maryland's early intervention program for children with developmental disabilities. A physical and occupational therapist made home visits and tested Gg; her gross motor development was clearly lagging.

The next few years were a blur of frequent appointments with specialists in Washington and Baltimore and numerous tests - some painful - as doctors considered, then ruled out, suspected causes of Gg's muscle weakness.

Among the possibilities: Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes short stature, intellectual disability and an insatiable appetite; cerebral palsy, a neurological condition typically present at birth caused by damage to the brain; and various chromosomal abnormalities that ranged in severity.

"Everything kept coming back negative," Silva recalled, "which is wonderful and not wonderful. You just want to know."

In the meantime, it was clear that Gg's cognitive abilities were unaffected: She talked at a young age and was obviously bright. She continued physical and occupational therapy to try to strengthen her muscles. She crawled at age 2 and began walking by 3, much later than normal.

- - -

But her parents felt increasingly whipsawed by contradictory advice. One prominent specialist in Baltimore seemed unconcerned about Gg's delayed development and diagnosed "benign congenital hypotonia" - essentially, low muscle tone present at birth - and assured them she would outgrow it.

His advice was diametrically opposite that of specialists in Washington who suspected Gg had a rare but as yet unidentified genetic disorder. Some urged more invasive testing - a torturous experience for Gg and Silva, who said that the little girl was terrified of needles.

"Everyone at this point is suggesting everything," Silva recalled. "And I was trying to be as involved as I could, trying to figure it out."

Many nights, she said, she would awaken at 3 a.m. unable to sleep, and spend the next three hours on her computer "trying to put together the puzzle." She scoured the internet looking for other children whose disorder matched Gg's, but found none. It was a lonely and largely fruitless search.

Meanwhile, Gg started school and learned to parry the inevitable and sometimes hurtful questions of other children: Why are you so slow? Why can't you run or jump? What's wrong with you?

By 2013, doctors had largely decided that Gg probably had a form of myopathy, a disease affecting muscle tissue that has a wide variety of causes. Some myopathies are caused by genetic mutations; others result from infections or for unknown reasons. Silva and Woodward had no idea what disorder Gg had, what caused it or how to treat it.

One increasingly likely possibility, based on the extensive testing Gg had undergone, was a congenital form of muscular dystrophy, or CMD. Congenital muscular dystrophy is present at birth or before age 2; the most pronounced symptom is floppiness or a lack of muscle tone. Some forms are progressive and may be accompanied by cognitive disabilities.

- - -

In July 2014 as a result of her internet research, Silva stumbled upon the annual "Cure CMD" meeting, which was being held at NIH.

"Elena just showed up basically while we were milling around with the families," Bonnemann recalled. About 40 families from around the country were meeting with researchers as part of a study of congenital muscular dystrophy.

After hearing Silva's description of her daughter's case and meeting Gg, Bonnemann that day performed an exam that included an ultrasound of her leg muscles. It revealed clear structural abnormalities.

"In her case, there was only gross motor delay," said Bonnemann, who found Gg engaging and "a very smart little kid."

Silva was elated at what happened next.

"He said, 'I'd like to follow her,' " she recalled. "This was a breakthrough for us."

Gg was enrolled in a study of undiagnosed neuromuscular diseases that Bonnemann was overseeing. Her parents hoped researchers would be able to make a definitive diagnosis.

A muscle biopsy in February 2015 confirmed the presence of a muscle disease. The next step was whole exome sequencing of Gg and her parents - genetic screening that is among the most extensive available. The test uses a blood sample to perform a sophisticated analysis.

In the summer of 2015, the family took off on a long-planned year-long cross-country road trip in an RV. In November 2015, while the family was at Lake Tahoe, Silva's cellphone rang.

A geneticist at NIH delivered the long-awaited news: Gg had inherited two different genetic mutations, one from each parent, affecting one of the body's largest genes, known as titin, or TTN. Gg had titin myopathy, one of a group of rare disorders first identified in Finland. (Silva said that she and her husband are unaware of any Finnish ancestry and that no one in their families has muscular dystrophy.)

- - -

The TTN gene provides instructions for making a very large protein called titin, which is essential in muscle function - it allows muscles to stretch - and for proper cardiac function.

Titin myopathies can be dominant and result from a single gene or, as in Gg's case, recessive, occurring in someone who inherits two copies of an errant gene. A single gene means that a person is a carrier without obvious manifestations of the disease, as are Gg's parents and her brother, something they learned after they were screened.

Some titin mutations have also been linked to certain forms of cardiomyopathy, a common disease that affects the heart's ability to pump blood and can lead to heart failure.

Bonnemann, co-author of a 2014 study, said scientists don't yet understand "why some kids have heart disease and some don't." Gg shows no sign of cardiac involvement. "Hopefully this will be quite stable over the years," he said.

To Silva, the news was portentous - and a relief. "It was a pretty big moment," she recalled. "I hung up the phone and went into the front room and told Gg what it was and that it came from me and Daddy. I think she was sort of relieved it was both of us."

So was Silva. "There's always a certain amount of guilt," she said, knowing that she passed on a gene, albeit unknowingly, that caused her daughter's condition. "But there's twice as much relief that it came from both of us."

Because Gg's disease is so rare and recently identified, Bonnemann said, it is not known how common it is, although he noted a recent "explosion" in the identification of titin-related disorders. In the past three years or so, NIH has seen 20 newly identified titin myopathy patients. Silva said the titin myopathy Facebook group to which she belongs has only about a dozen members.

Treatment of titin myopathy largely consists of managing the associated disorders, including preventing muscle contractures that further restrict movement and result from overly tight joints.

- - -

Silva said that although Gg continues to battle muscle weakness, she has "exceptionally good balance and coordination." And the disorder does not affect her in the water. "She's like a little seal," Silva noted.

But having a problem that is rare and limits her ability to do what comes naturally to other kids - move - can be isolating. "She's an emotionally sensitive [kid] with a lot of awareness of her condition, and that makes it difficult," her mother said. "She'll say, 'I wish my muscles worked better. I wish that I wasn't different.' "

Last month Gg, now 10, spent a week feeling less singular, at a camp for children with muscular dystrophy in Chestertown, Maryland. Gg, her mother said, had a blast and is looking forward to returning next summer.

While she was away, her mother attended the annual Cure CMD meeting that three years ago proved to be so pivotal.

Silva still marvels at the coincidence that led to her attendance. "We'd never know what was wrong if we weren't fortunate enough to live near NIH," she said.
Today is the last day of 2017 National Farmers Market Week, but lets not let it end here. As Sonny Perdue, a good Southern farmer and our U.S. commissioner of agriculture, stated when he proclaimed this week as National Farmers Market Week, These markets generate revenue that supports the sustainability of family farms and the revitalization of rural communities.

When growing-up in McBee I thought Florence was the big city but since I have visited New York City its another story. These direct markets contribute approximately $9 billion each year to the U.S. economy, and keep South Carolina growing. The USDAs National Farmers Market Directory makes it easy to locate farmers markets in towns and neighborhoods across the country.

Sonny also said, In addition to being good for the farmers and convenient for consumers, farmers markets are a gathering place that help build a sense of community. Even in big cities. Unlike many Southerners I have a favorable view of New York City because when this country boy first rode into town I asked a couple on the street if it was all right to park in a space near where the twin towers stood. After saying yes, they asked me to join them as they visited a weekend street farmers market in the concrete jungle. By the way, they also gave me tickets for the subway, advice on what to see, and made me feel right at home. Since Glen Campbell left us this week I guess I felt like a Rhinestone Farmer.

By the way, one of our local farmers market farmers, Kemp McLeod, has been awarded the S.C. Sunbelt Farmer of the Year award. This past Monday I got to feel like somebody by having the privilege to pick up the judges for the Sunbelt Southeast Farmer of the Year Award, who flew in on a chartered jet, and carried them on a tour of McLeod Farms. We will learn in October if Kemp and really all of us won this prestigious award at the Sunbelt Ag. Expo in Moultrie, Georgia. In fact, many local farmers are joining us in Moultrie to cheer Kemp on

All of this took me back in time a half century ago when a dirty-faced, dirt-poor, hyper little boy went to work at McLeod Farms. Even though I was as daddy would say knee high to a grasshopper I got the job because I was following the path of my seven brothers and sisters who had worked hard before me and I had previously learned how to work hard by picking cotton and butterbeans on my granddaddys farm. In short, I worked my way through high school but then came graduation with the what-ifs and what-is-possible for a poor country boy in McBee. Clemson University was a lofty height but with the help of the great folks at McBee High School including my ag teacher, Mr. E. B. Earle, and the McLeod family I got accepted at Clemson. The McLeod family helped me get a scholarship from the S.C. Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association and with working 100 or more hours a week through the summer I totally paid my way through Clemson. After graduation I began working on my masters degree and as a full time employee of the Horticulture Department at Clemson. Now after working 36 years for Clemson University I have the tremendous privilege of working with local famers to produce the Certified SC Grown food to feed your family.

Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer. Email Melton at amelton@clemson.edu.
FLORENCE, S.C.  Two states. 319 stops. Countless amounts of fried chicken.

The Great Carolina Fried Chicken Map was released on Thursday, highlighting a wide range of eateries known for their fried chicken dishes, from sit-down restaurants and diners to church dining halls and gas station specials.

The Great Carolina Fried Chicken Map was created by the Every Day Is Adventure map-making team of Charlotte, North Carolina. The map is distributed to retailers and consumers throughout North Carolina and South Carolina and is filled with symbols and information about each restaurants most popular fried chicken dish.

The map identifies each eaterys location, phone number and hours of operation as well as details about how they fry their chicken  oil type, preparation and frying methods. Additional icons on the map identify restaurants that have a drive-thru, cafeteria line or buffet, as well as places that are cash-only or take-out-only.

Of the 319 restaurants featured on the map, seven are in the Pee Dee region in Florence, Darlington and Dillon counties. Three restaurants found on the Great Carolina Fried Chicken Map are in Florence County: Julia Belles Restaurant, Lizards Thicket and Sunrise Drive-In Restaurant.

Julia Belles Restaurant is in the Pee Dee Farmers Market at 2513 W. Lucas St. in Florence. The family-owned eatery prides itself on its home-cooked style featuring an indulgent Southern-fried chicken and waffles recipe paired with a sauce made from South Carolina peaches.

Sunrise Drive-In, at 3624 E. Palmetto St. in Florence, serves a classic, crispy chicken deep fried in vegetable oil. Nick Kremidas, 20-year owner of Sunrise Drive-In, said the chicken is traditionally Southern fried using multiple types of flour and spices.

The restaurant has been here for 54 years and been frying chicken this way for as many, Kremidas said. Its got a great taste to it without it being overly done.

Three restaurants in Darlington County also earned their place on the Great Fried Chicken Map: Yogi Bears Honey Fried Chicken, Jewels Deluxe Restaurant and Westwood BBQ.

Jewels Deluxe Restaurant, at 32 Public Square in Darlington, fries chicken in cottonseed oil. According to the map, the Darlington city eatery has used this cooking technique since the town was a cottonseed milling center.

Yogi Bears Honey Fried Chicken can be found in Hartsville on 514 S. 5th St., just west of the city of Darlington. The small diner is the last remaining location of the fast-food chain that was licensed in the 1960s by Hannah-Barbera Productions.

Angie Johnson, manager at Yogi Bears, said the secret combination of spices, and of course the honey, is what keeps customers coming back for more.

Its the best honey-fried chicken in the world, Johnson said. People cant get enough of it.

When Johnson and her team found out they made the list, she said they felt honored and reassured that the last Yogi Bears Restaurant will keep serving customers their fried chicken for years to come.

Its just awesome to be on the map, Johnson said. Thank you to everyone who loves our chicken. Weve been around for a while and were not going anywhere anytime soon.

For more information or to purchase the Great Carolina Fried Chicken Map, visit www.ediamaps.com.
700 tourists stranded in Sauraha

Some 700 foreign and national tourists have been stranded in Sauraha, Chitwan, after water from flooded Rapti River entered settlements bringing the city to a grinding halt and severely affecting rescue works.
HILTON HEAD, S.C.  Former Darlington County Treasurer Belinda D. Copeland received the Presidents Cup  one of the South Carolina Association of Counties highest honors  on Aug. 1 at the associations 50th annual conference.

The award was presented by SCAC President Julie J. Armstrong (Charleston County Clerk of Court). Each year, the SCAC honors the county official who has merited special recognition for service to county governments and assistance to the associations president during the past year.

Belinda Copeland is a devoted advocate of local government and the South Carolina Association of Counties, and like many of you, I have great respect for her leadership and experience, Armstrong said. Her experience has been invaluable in addressing critical issues related to South Carolinas tax system  including local assessment, collection and administrative functions. She is a knowledgeable and experienced legislative advocate and also acts as a liaison between county treasurers and lawmakers.

This year, Copeland completed her eighth term as Darlington County Treasurer.

She became interested in politics in 1972 while working for Darlington Countys legislative delegation and eventually became secretary of the countys Democratic Party. Copeland was first elected to serve on Darlington County Council and also served as council chair. She was then elected county treasurer in 1985 and was re-elected seven times.

Copeland was elected to SCACs Board of Directors in 1988 and was elected president in 2006. For the past 10 years, she has served as the associations treasurer.

In addition to chairing SCACs Revenue, Finance and Economic Development Steering Committee for 12 years, Copeland has chaired the Associations Legislative, Nominating and Scholarship committees, Armstrong said. Her contributions to Darlington County and other South Carolina communities reflect her exemplary character and leadership.

Copeland previously served on the board of directors for Carolina Bank and Trust and on the advisory board for Bank of America.

At the Betty T. Roper Elected Women Officials Luncheon, held on July 31 during SCACs conference, Copeland was awarded the Thanks II Badge, the highest award that the Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina Council (GSESC) bestows on an adult.

Loretta Graham, chief executive officer of the GSESC Council, spoke at the Elected Women Officials Luncheon and presented the award. Copeland previously received the Thanks Badge from the GSESC, a prerequisite for receiving the Thanks II Badge.

Copeland received the S.C. Department of Revenue Directors Award for outstanding public service in 2006. Elected President of the S.C. Association of Auditors, Treasurers and Tax Collectors, she also received the Presidents Award and L.H. Sonny Siau Award of Excellence.

For 25 years, Copeland served as a member of the board of directors for the Pee Dee Regional Council of Governments (COG). For 36 years, she served on the Pee Dee Regional COGs Revolving Loan Committee. She also chaired the boards of Byerly Hospital, Epworth Childrens Home and the Girl Scouts of Eastern South Carolina.

More important than all of her accomplishments, Copeland is a modest, thoughtful person who is a loyal and gracious colleague, Armstrong said. Many public servants hope to leave a legacy of their leadership. While Copelands service to benefit the citizens of Darlington County, the Pee Dee Region and the State of South Carolina will eventually conclude, we can rest-assured that her contributions will extend well into the future.
Alarming surge of swine flu in Nepal

The flow of patients with influenza-like-illness (ILI) has been increasing throughout the country. Dozens of patients are visiting the Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital in Teku each day for the treatment of such flu like cases.
At least 30 killed in floods, landslides

Floods and landslides triggered by severe monsoon rains have killed at least 30 people across the country, with the highest death toll of seven reported from Sunsari. Four have gone missing.
Heavy rains to continue for a few days: DoHM

Incessant rainfall, which s wreaked devastation across the country since Friday, is likely to continue for next few days.
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Hundreds of protesters marched through Oakland on Saturday night, with some briefly blocking traffic on the Interstate 580 freeway in what organizers called an emergency solidarity demonstration in response to the violence at a white supremacist rally in Virginia that left one woman dead and many injured.

The woman was killed when a car plunged into a crowd of people peacefully protesting the rally.

The rally was largely peaceful, although police gave the order to disperse shortly after 9:30 p.m. when about three dozen protesters moved up the I-580 off-ramp at Grand Avenue and then linked hands on the freeway to stop traffic. Others then launched illegal fireworks into the air.

Traffic was completely blocked for a time on the freeway as police stopped traffic to avoid hitting the protesters. After several minutes, the protesters left the freeway and continued marching on city streets as motorists honked support.

Police later blocked Broadway as a few hundred protesters moved back into the downtown area, which kept the march from heading toward North Oakland or Berkeley.

Protesters began gathering near Frank Ogawa Plaza in downtown Oakland at 7 p.m. for speeches as a handful of police officers watched nearby.

Just over an hour later, several hundred protesters, including families with young children, began marching through city streets and around Lake Merritt.

Many of those present expressed words of respect for their comrade who died, and many called for marchers to protest peacefully. At times tempers flared during the march, with protesters decrying President Trump and the white nationalist rally in Virginia, but there were also somber moments to mourn the victims of white supremacy, past and present.

My grandparents marched back in the day, said Jerrod Anthony, a 25-year-old rapper and artist from Concord, adding that he was disgusted by the events in Virginia. I like to think of all who came before us who gave us the right to be here. It wasnt too long ago we couldnt sit at the front of the bus.

Dozens of law enforcement officers from the Oakland and BART police departments, as well as the Alameda County Sheriffs Office, stayed nearby but gave the protesters a wide berth in the first hours of the march.

Cat Brooks, co-founder of the Anti Police-Terror Project, whose members were among those in the crowd, said the same issues of racism and bigotry on display in Charlottesville afflict Oakland, too, pointing to high-profile cases of officer misconduct and police shootings in the city.

I dont have an answer for the images from 1952 translating to 2017, she said. Nothing has changed. This is America unmasked.

A banner leading the march called on protesters to Mourn the Dead (and) Fight Like Hell for the Living.

Earlier in the day, Bay Area politicians were among the flood of officials condemning the bloody clashes in Charlottesville and President Trumps equivocal response, in which he did not single out neo-Nazis, members of the Ku Klux Klan or white nationalists, insisting that hatred, bigotry and violence were coming from many sides.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, called the violence an act of terror.

The vile beliefs of the perpetrators of this violence insult our fundamental American values and must be condemned in the strongest terms, she said. The presidents talk of violence on many sides ignores the shameful reality of white supremacism in our country today and continues a disturbing pattern of complacency around such acts of hate.

Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf tweeted: We reject hate & bigotry in our communities.

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Oakland, also took to Twitter to condemn the violence.

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.

Make no mistake: The white supremacists in #Charlottesville feel emboldened by the Trump Admin, she said. All Americans must condemn this bigotry.

In Berkeley, Mayor Jesse Arreguin called the violence horrifying.

We cannot stand by and watch while neo-Nazis, the Klan and other extremist groups, who have been emboldened by our president, take over U.S. cities, he said. Berkeley stands in solidarity against bigotry, hate and white supremacy and supports those who embrace peaceful assembly and debate.

In San Francisco, word of the violence in Virginia spread through the crowds at the Outside Lands music festival. Early afternoon performers Joseph  a Oregon folk trio made up of sisters Allison, Meegan and Natalie Closner  acknowledged the victims.

We are thinking about Charlottesville today, Natalie Closner said from the Sutro Stage in Lindley Meadow. Its a scary time we are in. We need to come together.

Later in the day, Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith condemned the act and expressed his gratitude for the ability to play for such a peaceful crowd.

Im able to celebrate love and connection and music, he said. Thank you for reminding me, and for reminding all of us, what its really all about and how easy it actually is to love each other.

Chronicle staff writer Mariecar Mendoza contributed to this report.

Kimberly Veklerov, Michael Bodley and Jill Tucker are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: kveklerov@sfchronicle.com, mbodley@sfchronicle.com, jtucker@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kveklerov, @jilltucker, @michael_bodley
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It wasnt just the San Francisco tax collector who put the exclusive Presidio Terraces street and sidewalks on the auction block  the mayor and Board of Supervisors signed off on the sale for back taxes as well.

According to City Hall records, the private oval street, sidewalks and other common areas were one of 550 properties approved for tax default sale in a unanimous vote by the supervisors on Feb. 11, 2015. Mayor Ed Lee signed off on all the sales less than a month later.

The Presidio Terrace Association says the tax collectors office sent the homeowners $14 annual property tax bill to the wrong address for 30 years, and that someone should have called them before putting the street up for auction. Instead, it was snapped up for $90,100 by Tina Lam and her husband, Michael Cheng, of San Jose in an online auction in April 2015.

The homeowners are asking the Board of Supervisors to rescind the sale, and board President London Breed says its worth taking a look at.

It makes no difference if it is a wealthy community or a poor one  we need to investigate and get to the bottom of what happened, Breed said.

They wont have to look far.

The supervisors can go right to Page 12 of the 19-page list of properties that the board approved for tax auction in February 2015. Near the bottom was the one owned by the Presidio Terrace Association and the minimum bid, $1,054.24.

Whether anyone on the board  including Supervisor Mark Farrell, whose district includes Presidio Terrace  actually read the tax sale list is another question.

Farrell did not return our calls seeking comment.

Default tax sales are routine matters with counties and usually are part of the supervisors consent calendar  a section of the agenda that is rarely read with any scrutiny by board members, or by the mayor.

Lee declined to comment on his having signed off on the sale, but spokeswoman Deirdre Hussey said, This is an issue for the office of the treasurer and tax collector to sort out with all parties involved. The mayor is focused on running the city and on the pressing issues that impact all San Franciscans such as homelessness, housing and reducing harm on our streets.

In fact, no one paid any attention to the sale until May when, through an intermediary, Lam and Cheng approached the Presidio Terrace homeowners asking if they wanted to buy back their street.

They never got around to discussing a price. Instead, the homeowners responded by suing the city for alleged lack of due process, saying they were never properly notified and asking the Board of Supervisors to rescind the sale.

The suit also asks that the couple be barred from selling the street to anyone else, because that would legally kill any chance that the Board of Supervisors could undo the deal.

One of the homeowners key claims is that the city was sending their tax bills to the Kearny Street address of their accountant who had retired in the early 1980s. They say the city knew it was an invalid address and that someone should have contacted them personally.

The tax collectors office has said its the property owners responsibility to provide the correct mailing address for tax bills and that the sale was valid.

The real estate lawyers we spoke with said it appears that the tax collector is on solid legal ground, and that the best bet for the homeowners would be to ask the Board of Supervisors to overturn the sale without going to court.

Some might think that given the choice between siding with 35 wealthy and influential San Francisco homeowners or a pair of real estate speculators from San Jose, the board would choose the locals. But judging from the feedback weve received to our coverage  and the splash its made as far away as England and Asia  Lam and Cheng have a lot of allies who see them as savvy underdogs.

Theres another potential wrinkle here: Under state law, rescinding the sale will require the written consent of City Attorney Dennis Herrera.

We will play the same role we play in any kind of adjudication before the board, said Herrera spokesman John Cote. We provide them with legal advice, and the board makes the determination.

In other words, Herrera will simply make sure that whatever the board decides is legally defensible.

And with good reason, because the boards decision could send the city into uncharted legal waters  and more lawsuits.

The first hearing is on Sept. 5, when the supervisors will begin deciding whether they even want to take up the matter.

There is also the sticky question of how such a prime piece of real estate, surrounded by so much wealth, was last assessed in 1985 at only $224  a figure that current Assessor Carmen Chu said is super low.

Like I said, we need to investigate, Breed said of the sale. If something wrong happened, we need to correct it. If it was done correctly, then it is what it is.

Put it together, and you have the clock ticking for a reasonable settlement that gets everyone off the hot seat. The only question is how each side defines reasonable.

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
Home Minister visits flood-hit western region

Home Minister Janardan Sharma visited western Nepal on Sunday for an onsite inspection of flood-hit areas.
Thanks to Guncle Jim for spreading the word: Aug. 14, today, is Guncles Day, set aside for the appreciation of gay uncles.

My friend Charly Zukow and his partner, John Ferrara, have been together for 24 years. Just last week, Johns brothers daughter, 24, and her husband, 34, were houseguests. For years, Weve been part of their lives, said Zukow.

As to the duties of a gay uncle, Quite honestly, said Zukow, its the same as every other family member. Youre there to support, youre there to encourage, youre there to help them grow into being wonderful human beings. ... And to give fashion advice.

When Tina Martin arrived for a test at Kaiser Permanente the other day, she was surprised to hear live piano music, she emailed. She asked about the pianist and was told he is a security guard who plays mornings before the start of his shift.

The musician is Benjamin De La Cruz, and the piano is on the third floor of Kaisers 2238 Geary Medical Office Building. De La Cruz has worked there since June 2009. A longtime pianist, he noticed the instrument there and asked for permission to play. Hes partial to love songs, the kind of music sung by Frank Sinatra and Kenny Rogers, and some classical music.

As to why theres a piano at a medical facility, it was donated by retired employee Nancy McDevitt, who used to be manager of KPSF Linguistic Services. When she left her job and moved, she donated the piano, which, wrote Kaisers Joe Fragola, can be clearly heard in the lobby with the large open area of the third floor.

Patients have said its sounds are soothing and many have been reminded of shopping at Nordstrom, says Fragola. No complaints. Fragola says the administrators are hoping to find more volunteers among staff members  physicians as well as others  to play.

As to the old Goodwill flagship store on Howard Street, fondness for which was mentioned herein a few days ago, Theresa Laquey says she met my first husband there. We were both talking about starting punk bands. ... I had just found the most wonderful bright green shoes.

Robert Gumpertz notes that its only fair that the eclipse of the sun happens on Aug. 21, because August is the only month without any federal, state or religious holidays. No need to buy a greeting card, a gift, send an email or feel guilty because you forgot.

Although the two blocks of Pacific Avenue between Webster and Laguna have been quietly and beautifully repaved, emails Abe Battat, the rest of Pacific is still a mess. Some of the potholes are going to have a gift shop. Wondering who had the juice to get this done, Battat figures it must have been Getty or Ellison, and they got the address wrong.

Matt Steen and Jessica Evans have been arguing with Rec and Park about plans for a 4,500-square-foot park on Guy Place, a loop street at Folsom and First on Rincon Hill. Opposing the citys plan for the park, the two, and neighbors, have proposed an alternate plan that would include official recognition of the hummingbird/butterfly habitat they say has been there for a long time.

According to Steen, the city bought the property to create a meditative space for office workers in a place where office workers would never visit. This plan included chopping down the three trees in the park  two avocados and an ash  and replacing them with concrete columns over which vines would grow. But hummingbirds have nested in those trees for decades, said Steen, who says that the plan would violate federal laws about disturbing natural habitats.

The newest Rec and Park plan cut the number of columns to three. Steen, Evans and many supportive neighbors say the columns have not been seismically tested; and also object to the planned elimination of the trees. They cut everything else down in the neighborhood. Everything else is gone. This is the last they get to cut, and Im not going to let them. said Evans. The neighborhood is totally against it.

At a Wednesday hearing of the citys Board of Appeals, Steen and Evans successfully argued for shorter structures; the height of at least one column was set at no higher than 10 feet. Evans says this is a triumph, and is hoping its one step for stopping them cutting down the trees.

Leah Garchik is open for business in San Francisco, (415) 777-8426. Email: lgarchik@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @leahgarchik

Public Eavesdropping

Being married

doesnt make you

a better swimmer.

Man to man, overheard

at Madhouse Coffee

in Brisbane by Tony Press
Shortly after the gates opened for the second day of Outside Lands, news of the violence in Virginia began to spread across Golden Gate Park. Early afternoon performers Joseph  the Oregon folk trio made up of sisters Allison, Meegan, and Natalie Closner  acknowledged the victims from the Sutro stage in Lindley Meadow.

We are thinking about Charlottesville today, said Natalie Closner. Its a scary time we are in; we need to come together.

The band was referring to the incident that resulted in the death of one woman and the dozen others injured after a car plowed into a crowd of people protesting a white nationalist rally Saturday, Aug. 12, in Charlottesville. Charlottesville Police identified the suspect as James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio.

Later in the day, Dawes frontman Taylor Goldsmith condemned the act and expressed his gratitude for the ability to play for such a peaceful crowd.

Im able to celebrate love and connection and music, he said. Thank you for reminding me, and for reminding all of us, what its really all about and how easy it actually is to love each other.

Even as the three-day festival began to wind down Sunday, the attack in Charlottesville and President Donald Trumps response to the violence remained a hot topic. Maryland singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers particularly talked about how interesting its been to tour this summer as a representative of the United States.

Something Ive been trying to do is acknowledge the change thats happening in the world, especially now, with whats going on in Charlottesville, Rogers said.  It feels too important not to say something.

Mariecar Mendoza is The San Francisco Chronicle arts content editor. Email: mmendoza@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SFMarMendoza Instagram: @sfchronicle_scene

Chronicle staff members Esther Mobley and Nicole Boliaux contributed to this story.

Keep up with The Chronicle during the three-day festival at www.sfchronicle.com/outside-lands
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A Tribe Called Quest fans were crushed once again as the hip-hop group bailed on Outside Lands entirely during the second day of the festival.

Less than 30 minutes before Tribe was slated to hit the Twin Peaks stage Saturday, Aug. 12  an already rescheduled performance from the acts original Friday night set on the main stage  Outside Lands officials alerted fans via Twitter that the New York crew canceled.

We are deeply disappointed that weve just been informed A Tribe Called Quest will not make their scheduled performance at Outside Lands, read the tweet, which set off a wave of disappointed groans amid the already packed crowd that gathered around the eastern stage.

Los Angeles-based DJ Claude VonStroke filled in the time slot.

Due to further travel complications, A Tribe Called Quest could not make their re-scheduled festival performance, festival producers Another Planet Entertainment said in a statement. Outside Lands has done everything in our power to accommodate these unfortunate circumstances and we deeply regret the disappointment this has caused our fans.

As festivalgoers pushed to get through Hellman Hollows to instead catch headliners Metallica on the Lands End stage, frustrated fans could be heard yelling A Tribe Called Quit or other renditions dissing the famed New York crew featuring Q-Tip and Jarobi White (Fridays cancelation, however, did not keep White from making his guest spot alongside San Francisco chef Chris Cosentino at Gastro Magic, the festivals culinary stage).

Half the reason I bought this ticket was to go see those guys. I grew up on this stuff, said Jason Lee of Oakland, who was making his way back towards the main stage from Twin Peaks. I was here last night to see them, but they got pushed back and I assumed it was a plane flight that didnt happen so I thought, OK, theyll show up, probably tomorrow. I bought a three-day pass so it was OK for me, but a lot of people got a one-day.

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.

Indeed, Tribe fans who had bought single day tickets hoping to catch them perform Friday had already taken to social media to complain. Another flurry of anger quickly hit Outside Lands official customer service Twitter handle @outsidelands411 Saturday. Check out the social media fallout here:

A Tribe Called Quests cancellation makes them the second act taken off the original lineup. On July 31, Outside Lands announced Queens of the Stone Age had to back out of performing the San Francisco festival due to an unspecified injury.

Mariecar Mendoza is The San Francisco Chronicle arts content editor. Email: mmendoza@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SFMarMendoza Instagram: @sfchronicle_scene

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.

Keep up with The Chronicle during the three-day festival at www.sfchronicle.com/outside-lands
SACRAMENTO  State officials have ordered Sacramento County to shut down its foster care intake office by the end of next month, calling for an end to an illegal operation where abused and neglected children are poorly supervised, sleep on the floor, and are often preyed upon by human traffickers.

The countys child welfare agency, which has faced pressure from youth advocates, has until Sept. 30 to stop housing foster children at its Centralized Placement Support Unit, located on a high-crime strip of Auburn Boulevard.

Attorneys for foster youth say the unauthorized situation is unique in California, with no other county allowing such egregious conditions to persist.

Were glad that finally the state is starting to take some action to keep the most vulnerable kids from being victimized in a place thats located literally right across the street from where sex traffickers recruit kids, said attorney Brenda Dabney, director of the Childrens Law Center of Sacramento.

County officials said they intend to comply with the Sept. 30 deadline, but offered few details about alternative plans for managing the 100 children on average who pass through the office each month, citing contract negotiations.

The state has given us until the 30th of September and its certainly the intent of the county to comply with that, said county Supervisor Don Nottoli. Theyre minors, theyre at risk, theyve had terrible things happen to them, and we dont want to put them at greater risk.

Obviously, were going to have to move quickly.

The Auburn Boulevard intake office and a pair of adjacent rooms with televisions, magazines and video games are designed as a brief, first stopover for children removed from their homes to protect them from abuse or neglect  a place to go for a snack and a rest while social workers call relatives and arrange foster home placements.

But over the years, the office has also become an ill-equipped crash pad for older teens already in the system who are between foster care placements and have nowhere else to go. That has created a dangerous mix of children who have just been separated from their parents for the first time, and others who have spent years surviving alone on the streets.

The office area is not licensed to house children overnight, but the county has long flouted state health and safety laws by rolling out air mattresses, mats and cots for children it has been unable to place, some sleeping there for weeks and even months.

In February 2016, state licensing officials issued Sacramento County a citation for operating a residential facility without a license, ordering that children living in the unit be moved to more appropriate settings within two weeks. Since then, only superficial remedies have been sought.

The states new demand of Sacramentos top child welfare official, issued July 27, follows a Chronicle expose of the troubling situation published three weeks prior.

Sacramento County should immediately begin reducing the number of youth in CPSU and shall ensure no youth are housed at CPSU after Sept. 30, 2017, wrote Gregory Rose, a deputy director with the California Department of Social Services.

Rose also detailed an array of stepped-up service plans the county is expected to complete, including enhancing the capacity of the local childrens shelter, which is charged with housing kids awaiting foster care placements. The shelter, located on the same campus as the countys central intake unit, has mostly declined to admit the children who have been sleeping on the lobby floor.

Directors of the county-contracted shelter, run by the nonprofit Childrens Receiving Home of Sacramento, have maintained that they lack the space and resources to care for large sibling groups, youths with aggressive or self-harming behaviors, and those who are being sexually exploited. Plans in the works would allow for children with intensive needs to be admitted to the shelter, with one-on-one staff supervision.

But until recently, there has been little urgency to solve the problem at the CPSU. Late last month, the statewide director of the Childrens Law Center, Leslie Heimov, pushed county supervisors to act. In recent weeks, she testified at a public meeting, an 8-year-old boy spent more than a month housed at the illegal intake unit, shuttled back and forth from school. Social workers had found the boys siblings homes, but he was left behind.

Far from a home-like environment, the office lobby where some youth sleep when nearby comfort rooms are unavailable resembles a doctors office waiting room, lined with a bank of plastic chairs.

The staff that are assigned to oversee these children are on the other side of a glass window. They dont interact with them except to let them know when they need to go to the restrooms and perhaps bring them a meal, Heimov said. They roll out mats or cots at night for them to sleep on, and what ends up happening  not surprisingly  is these kids who are already anxious, agitated and have a lot of needs become more anxious and more agitated.

The resulting fights and emotional outbursts can often lead to arrest, hospitalization and increased victimization. Heimov described the problem as a constant state of crisis for almost two years.

Both the intake center and the shelter are located in a Sacramento neighborhood well known by authorities for commercial sexual exploitation, and county staff and advocates say a good number of teens passing through the facilities are being sent to recruit other young people into the abusive trade.

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.

Given the dire circumstances in the intake unit, the children are easily enticed away, Heimov said, adding: One girl got beat up because she refused to go.

The problems in Sacramento came to light during a Chronicle investigation published in May that found foster youth in California childrens shelters have been subjected to hundreds of questionable arrests for minor misbehavior. In 2015 and 2016, 44 foster youths were booked at the local juvenile hall after arrests on the Sacramento shelter campus. One boy no older than 8 years old was arrested in January on suspicion of felony assault and misdemeanor vandalism in the county intake unit.

One former Sacramento County foster youth, now 27 and living out of state, said she is skeptical that the intake unit will actually be shut down, given its lengthy history.

She said when she was a young teen in the system between 2003 and 2005, she was moved in and out of the childrens shelter and the placement unit, where she slept on a blue beanbag.

The young mother, who did not want her name used to protect the confidentiality of her children, said that memory of the intake unit will never leave her.

If it is shutting down, I think thats absolutely wonderful, she said. Children going through these systems should be treated like children, like humans  not like worthless pieces of trash. With no right to even a bed, she added: I felt like nothing, and I was pretty much reminded of that, that I was nothing, that I was just passing by.

Karen de Sa is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kdesa@sfchronicle.com

Fostering Failure

Read The Chronicles in-depth, multimedia investigation of how Californias foster care shelters have criminalized hundreds of children: www.sfchronicle.com/fostering-failure

Contact The Chronicles Investigative Team: iteam@sfchronicle.com
Hundreds of families stranded in Bara floods, call for help

Hundreds of family have been left in lurch due to flood waters in Bara district after rivers in the district flooded following heavy rainfall.
WASHINGTON. D.C.  The images and sounds were sickeningly derivative of times when racism reigned unchecked and unapologetic. The torches, the chants, the Confederate flags, the raw violence, the unalloyed hate on the faces of white supremacists.

I turned off the television, where reports from Charlottesville, Va., dominated cable news, and headed to the National Museum of African American History and Culture at the foot of the Washington Monument.

It was not a spontaneous visit. The Smithsonian Institution's 19th museum is one of the hottest tickets in town. Reservations are required months in advance.

Before I reached the entrance, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency in Charlottesville. There was no escaping the context of this Saturday excursion into American history.

President Trump had toured the museum in February.

"Honestly, it's fantastic," he exclaimed.

He obviously missed one of the recurring themes of how a nation founded on such lofty principles could have allowed human slavery at its inception, countenanced segregation for nearly a century after the Civil War and rationalized inequities to this day in voting rights and the justice system:

He failed to grasp the shame and the cost of equivocation.

As I was overhearing African American parents patiently explaining exhibits on the Ku Klux Klan or the 1957 showdown at Little Rock's Central High to their curious children, the current president of the United States was unwilling or unable to call out the latent evil that brought us this past.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides," Trump said in a four-minute statement. In words that would bring comfort to the forces of hate, he added for emphasis, "On many sides."

Even after an act of terror left dead a woman protesting for American values, the president who so readily and routinely slanders a religion of nearly 2 billion people for the acts of a few who torture its teachings could not bring himself to condemn the white supremacists who were rallying to "take America back."

He passed on the opportunity to disassociate himself  in the strongest possible terms  from rallygoers who wore his trademark "Make America Great Again" hats or claimed his victory as their own.

It was the most disgraceful moment yet in Trump's toxic presidency.

Meanwhile, in the museum, visitors paused at the reminders of other times when American leaders decided that "many sides" must be accommodated when reaching a crossroads of right and wrong.

There was the deal of 1787 that counted a slave as three-fifths of a person for calculating presidential electors, congressional representation and taxes. There was the Missouri Compromise of 1820 that drew a line between free and slave states. There was the landmark 1896 Supreme Court case that legitimized segregation into the next century on the inherently flawed principle that "separate but equal" can ever be equal.

President Trump needs to go back to this exhibit, but not on a private tour. He needs to see the pride and the pain of families absorbing the details, the triumphs and the tragedies, that too often get short shrift in American history books. He needs to walk among the visitors and note how many came here with multiple generations to share the experience. He needs to realize how important, how personal  and how unfinished  this history is to the nation he was elected to lead.

He needs to think about whether that Saturday in August 2017 will merit mention in the evolution of this American narrative on display.

President Trump needs to know:

"Many sides" is the wrong side of history.

John Diaz is The San Francisco Chronicle's editorial page editor. Email: jdiaz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JohnDiazChron
The first thing youngsters learn at a new Bay Area outdoors camp is to turn off their cell phones.

The surprise is that they relish the event.

Your phone distracts you from the moment, said Jasmine, 12, of San Francisco. Instead of looking at your phone, trying to text, you look outside and really enjoy it.

Its actually not that hard to go without a phone, said Kaila, an 11-year-old from Fairfield. Youre not spending all your time catching up on your texts, staying in your room. Out here you focus more on what youre doing, not just looking at a screen. You become aware of what is around you.

The girls were discussing the Outdoor Advanced Leadership Academy, a camp in which kids from urban environments split a week between Grizzly Ranch in the Suisun Marsh in central Solano County and Point Bonita YMCA in the Marin Headlands. Youngsters turn off their electronics, turn on the outdoors and tune into new friends.

All devices  phones, tablets, iPods, computers and video games  are banned, which forces the participants out of their personal bubbles. Instead of staring at keyboards, campers paddle kayaks, look for bugs during walks in marsh bogs, birdwatch, take water samples, participate in archery, complete rope courses and undertake exercises that can only be solved by working together.

The ropes course was really scary, said Alex, a 12-year-old from San Francisco. Sometimes you go with a partner. You need to trust them to pull you up, rely on them.

About 100 boys and girls have completed the program in the past month. They range in age from 10 to 16  with the majority being 12 or 13  and come from throughout the Bay Area and Sacramento Valley.

Most of the participants dont have daily access to outdoors activities, said program administrator Lara Hitchcock.

Many have little to no outdoor experience, Hitchcock said. Many have never dipped their toes in the ocean. Some have never gone for a hike, or know what a hike is or how to enjoy it. Some have never paddled a kayak.

Hitchcock, the executive director with the YMCA in San Francisco at Point Bonita, runs the program with Jake Messerli, vice president of conservation programs for the California Waterfowl Association. Bill Brinton of San Francisco, a CWA member, helps finance the program in concert with the CWA and YMCA.

The two organizations have served about 40,000 youth in their programs, according to CWA President John Carlson. Participation in the camp is free, any associated costs being picked up by the CWA and YMCA.

The YMCAs vision is the healthiest kids in America will live in the Bay Area, said Heidi James, chief development officer for YMCA.

Two dozen staff members oversee the camp, each with a specialty (outdoors skills, naturalist and conservation educators), as well as some good ol fashion camp counselors, Hitchcock said.

Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle

To participate, would-be campers must submit an application in which they answer questions such as, Why do you want to be a part of this program? What are you hoping to learn? and What are your fears?

We tried to take all kids this year who completed the application, said Hitchcock.

The camp goes from Saturday to Saturday and the mix of campers tends to be 60-40 girls to boys. Hitchcock said thats possibly because the girls seem more willing to go through the application process.

The biggest thing is no connection to the Internet, no form of technology, Carlson said.

We tell them they are going to get green time, not screen time, Hitchcock added.

And its much more than seeing water, trees and flowers. Many of the attendees have never camped and some had never even seen flying bugs, said Molly Maupin, a CWA youth education coordinator.

Our first week of camp, we had three girls who had never been in tents before, Maupin said. Theyd never seen mosquitoes before. They were terrified of all of these bugs. Its too cold in San Francisco for most bugs. These kids were used to the urban environment, no bugs.

The girls overcame their fear the next day. With a group, they wore waders and splashed through the marsh along the tule-lined wetlands to take water samples, a first for all of them.

They had to scoop bugs out of the water, Maupin said. Right then, those three girls overcame their fears. They were holding dragonfly larvae, the size of your thumb, and they actually petted it and said, Hes cute. They would have never done that before.

Liz Hafalia/The Chronicle

In another activity, teams of three kids were required to work together to pick up a correct color bandanna for the team. One youngster was allowed to talk, one was allowed to see, and one was allowed to move. Unless they cooperated and communicated, it was impossible to complete the task.

The next day, that lesson was put to use, Hitchcock said, when the group was kayaking in a Suisun Marsh slough.

One tandem kayak with two kids got stuck in the tules, Hitchcock said. The girl in the back felt like the girl in the front wasnt guiding their direction well, and the girl in the front felt like the girl in the back was being bossy.

They finally extricated the kayak from the tules and paddled back to the dock, but when they went to the next event  archery  they were clearly still irritated. When one girl tried to shoot, the other started talking about her.

Hitchcock took them aside and sat them across from each other at a picnic table. Each girl then shared the kayak experience from her perspective. One of the girls realized that no matter what she said, the other girl wasnt hearing it.

Its just like the blindfold game, you arent hearing my first instructions, so I guess I needed to change what I was saying, she said. The other girl nodded without a word and accepted the explanation.

They resolved their hostility and conflict, Hitchcock said. Five minutes later, they were shooting archery together and cheering each other on.

As someone who is involved with the creation of the program, its powerful to see them apply what theyve learned with people they otherwise might not talk to, Hitchcock said.

Had they been in a different environment, in school, in the neighborhood, and not the outdoors, it could have led to fighting, bullying, and nothing good would have come of it, Carlson said. They learn here that they are all in this new environment together.

He said it all starts by turning their phones off.

Tom Stienstra is The Chronicles outdoors writer. Email: tstienstra@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @StienstraTom

Outdoor Advanced Leadership Academy

To apply: Students, parents and teachers can learn more about this and similar programs at the websites for the California Waterfowl Association and YMCA of San Francisco: www.Calwaterfowl.org and www.YMCASF.org.

What theyre saying

Kaila, 11, Fairfield: Everything is more fun than it would be on the Internet. You have to focus more on what youre doing than just looking at a screen. Then you are aware of what is around you. ... I like the kayaking and hiking. I saw river otter poop and Ive never seen that before. ... If I could be anything, Id be a dog. Ive had my love for dogs since a young age. I have a dog, Hazel. Shes a spaniel mix, and I love her very much.

Alex, 12, San Francisco: If I could be anything, Id probably be an eagle. Flying sounds cool. It would be nice that you could just fly anywhere you want, plus Ive never been in the air before. ... I love the archery, really satisfying, getting a bulls-eye. I heard the whoosh of the arrow. Ive never done archery before, and kayaking, never done that either. Its really cool rowing a boat, so close to the water. Id like to go backpacking, walking into wilderness.

Taliya, 13, Suisun City: I actually sleep better here, more comfortable, quieter, and I like that. ... I never have seen an elk, and thats coming. ... Ive made a lot of new friends here. Im going to a new school this year, so learning how to make friends here will help me make friends there. ... If I could be anything, I would be a river otter. I just think they are cool, they can come out of the water and also go under the water, hold their breath a long time and theyre big and dont get eaten.

Jasmine, 12, San Francisco: Ive done kayaking, Im not a full expert, but pretty experienced. I like the nature walks because you dont get to see these things in the city. They dont have wetlands, just buildings and houses. ... I saw elk and the baby ones running around are really cute. ... I tend to meet new people at camp and all of them are nice. ... If I could be anything, it would be a duck. You have all this land to roam around, wouldnt be scared of anything eating you, because you can fly away, and you could go swimming anytime you want. ... When I go camping, I always bring a book with me. My mom will take the electronics away for bad behavior, I get a book, (it) passes time. If youre not on your phone, you look at the scenery and actually enjoy it. Snapchat takes you away from the scenery.

 Tom Stienstra
Something Rotten! is a musical about two brothers who are trying to find success at the same time as some guy named William Shakespeare. The SHN presentation  with book by John OFarrell and Karey Kirkpatrick and music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick, opening Tuesday, Aug. 15, at the Orpheum Theatre  isnt the first play or movie to take the Bard not so literally. Whether inventing a modern take or an original idea based on one of his plays or his biography, many writers and composers have been inspired by Shakespeare.

Bay Area playwright Amy Freed is familiar with rethinking Shakespeare, as seen by her play The Beard of Avon. (see description below): Shakespeares work is vivid to us, but the record of the mans life is as blank as his portrait. What we have of him is in the voice in the plays, says Freed, who has a new Will-style adaptation, Shrew!!, about a 16th century woman who rewrites his worst play, opening at South Coast Rep in March. Were haunted! And we all want to somehow get inside him. Its a form of frustrated love. And since we cant know, we keep on inventing him. I know from writing Beard of Avon how addictive it becomes to play at being Shakespeare.
I dont mean to imply that the citizens of the green and misty Cwm Gwaun are living in the past, but theyre still using the old calendar.

No, not 2016s. Theyre using the Julian calendar, which the rest of the Western world abandoned centuries ago in favor of the Gregorian version.

Christmas is celebrated here on Jan. 6, New Years Day on Jan. 13. A bit odd? They dont care. In fact, they seem quite happy to be out of sync with modern times.

Flanked by mysterious hills dotted with druid stones, Celtic crosses and more than a few King Arthur legends, this corner of Pembrokeshire exudes the aura of timelessness and myth for which Wales is renowned.

Id never felt this vibe in cosmopolitan Cardiff, well-heeled Tenby or the wave-pounded cliffs of the nearby coast. But in inland Pembrokeshire, Wales mystical past is almost tangible.

If you come here it will likely be to walk the resplendent Pembrokeshire Coast Path, which, justifiably, has become one of the areas biggest draws. But its well worth taking some time off the trail to step back in time to the Wales of misty legend.

Theres a sense of spirituality here thats much older than Christianity, said Andrew Dugmore, who was showing me around. Its of the earth and the sky. Its linked to the landscape and the sense of place.

Walk through the front door of the Dryffryn Arms pub in the village of Pontfaen  known locally as Bessies  and youll feel youve instantly stepped back 75 years in time.

The pub, sparsely furnished with benches and a quarry-tiled floor, is the front room of the home of proprietor Bessie Davies, 87, whos been serving thirsty customers here since King George VI sat on the British throne.

Visit Pembrokeshire

We were greeted by Bessies voice booming out of the back room  in Welsh  offering fresh eggs for sale.

Dont bother ordering a fancy-pants Pimms cocktail or gin-and-tonic. The only libation here is Bass ale  the flat, room-temperature version  poured from jugs filled directly from the barrel.

Above Cwm Gwaun, the brooding Preseli Hills are the setting for many of the ancient Welsh tales collected in a book called the Mabinogion, which calls the region the Land of Mystery and Magic.

Amid the heath and wild moorland are druid temples, burial chambers  and, at a semicircle of imposing stones called Beddarthur, the purported final resting place of King Arthur himself.

The landscape is dotted with peculiar standing stones attributed to the Celtic priests known as druids. Some have been pressed into service as fence posts, others fitted with top pieces to resemble a Spinal Tap-sized Stonehenge.

A site called Craig Rhos-y-felin is a tangible connection to the real thing: Archeologists believe this was the quarry for the enigmatic bluestones of Stonehenge.

Visit Pembrokeshire

Standing beneath the outcrop of natural pillars of dolerite and rhyolite, it certainly looks the part. And it leaves you scratching your head why the ancient builders didnt just assemble the monument here, rather than dragging the 2-ton slabs more than 150 miles over hill and dale to the Salisbury Plain.

Some theorize that they may indeed have done just that, and moved it later. And, like everything to do with Stonehenge, there is robust scientific debate whether any of this is what actually happened.

Another Pembrokeshire mystery can be viewed on any road map. Trace your finger along the A40 highway across the peninsula, and youll notice that the place names to the north are clearly Welsh (such as Llanddewi Belfry) and those to the south are distinctly English (Redstone Bank, Princes Gate).

This little enclave has been known for centuries as Little England Beyond Wales, and the border, known as the Landsker Line, more or less follows the modern highway.

To this day the divide is surprisingly sharp, and differences go far beyond place names. Villages to the south, like Narbeth, have a typically English look, with a marketplace and manor houses. Those to the north are traditionally Welsh scattered settlements.

Cup an ear south of the line and youll hear English. Walk just 1 mile north and youll probably hear Welsh.

Oxford scientists tracing DNA in Pembrokeshire recently reported unexpectedly stark differences on either side of the line, with those to the north exhibiting classic Celtic markers and those to the south Anglo-Saxon versions.

It goes to show that not all of Wales mysteries are confined to the misty and mythical past.

John Flinn is the former editor of Travel. Email: travel@sfchronicle.com
Outfielder Boog Powell had a convincing reason for bowing out of his scheduled As debut Friday night: He couldnt breathe.

Powell, acquired from Seattle in the Yonder Alonso trade on Aug. 6, started feeling dizzy as he caught fly balls during batting practice. He had been sick the previous two days, and before long his ailment turned into a full-blown asthma attack.

Powell periodically has used an inhaler since childhood, but he said this episode was his first in 10 years. He ended up visiting the emergency room, where he received breathing treatment.

He felt better Saturday, took a long run at the Coliseum around lunchtime and emerged in good shape. Manager Bob Melvin put Powell in Saturday nights lineup, leading off and playing center field against the Orioles.

My asthma is normally exercise-induced, but unless Im sick I can contain it, Powell said Saturday.   During BP (on Friday), I honestly couldnt breathe. I was breathing like 50 percent. I was sweating, everything.

It was such a letdown, not to be able to make my debut with the As. But today is the day, so Im excited.

Melvin seemed curious to see Powell in action. He hit only .194 in 36 at-bats for the Mariners, but he also hit .340 in 206 at-bats for Triple-A Tacoma.

Melvin, asked what he wants to find out about Powell, cracked, I want to find out he hits .500, plays center field really well and steals two bags a game.

Yep, the As could use that.

Ron Kroichick is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rkroichick@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ronkroichick
Now Playing: One day after a counterprotester was killed at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., anti-racist demonstrators march in San Francisco. Video: JW Player

In the wake of the death of a woman at a white supremacy rally in Virginia over the weekend, more than a half-dozen vigils were being organized across the Bay Area in solidarity against race-related violence.

On Saturday, a rally that drew some 450 protesters in downtown Oakland temporarily shut down a portion of Interstate 580, but police reported no arrests, vandalism or injuries.
Landslide claims four of a family in Sindhuli

Four members of a family were buried when a landslide struck a temporary hut they were residing at the district headquarters Sindhulimadi on Sunday.
A convicted rapist who served 13 years in prison was caught working as a security guard at a Fresno rape counseling center last week.

Damon Rodgers, 40, was arrested by Fresno police for possessing a gun and switchblade, neither of which he should have given his status as a convicted felon.

Sergeant Israel Reyes of the Fresno Police Department told The International Business Times that Rodgers was "followed down the street and ultimately pulled over" and was found by police to be "in possession of a loaded firearm."

Reyes continued: "Our concern was obviously rape counseling services provides services for victims who have been sexually assaulted and then you have an individual who is a convicted sex offender for rape and attempted rape working at their facility. The optics on that are really bad, as far as we know there were no victims who were ever disturbed by Mr. Rodgers, but again it's something where an individual like that should not be working at that center."

BLEACH ATTACK: SF police release photos of man suspected of pouring bleach on woman

According to ABC30, Rodgers committed two rapes in Madera County in 1997 and tried to commit a third.

Reyes told ABC30 that the counseling center was unaware of who Rodgers was.

"They weren't aware of it obviously, and they were very shocked and I believe they immediately took action with the security company that they hired," Reyes said.

CHARGES DISMISSED: Prosecutors dismiss charges in Berkeley rape case

Rodgers allegedly wrote a Facebook post inquiring about a sidearm holster, which prompted another security guard at the counseling center to notify police.

The state of California issued Rodgers a guard card last year, although it was under a slightly altered name. The state filed paperwork to revoke the card in January after discovering Rodgers' criminal record.
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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.  A car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting a white nationalist rally Saturday in a Virginia college town, killing one person, hurting more than a dozen others and ratcheting up tension in a day full of violent confrontations.

Shortly after, a Virginia State Police helicopter that officials said was assisting with the rally crashed outside Charlottesville, killing the pilot and a trooper.

The chaos boiled over at what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade. The governor declared a state of emergency, and police dressed in riot gear ordered people out. The group had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and others arrived to protest the racism.

Matt Korbon, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student, said several hundred counterprotesters were marching when suddenly there was just this tire screeching sound. A silver Dodge Challenger smashed into another car, then backed up, barreling through a sea of people.

The impact hurled people into the air. Those left standing scattered, screaming and running for safety in different directions.

The driver was later identified by police as James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio. Police say Fields, 20, has been charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and one count related to leaving the scene. A bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.

Fields mother, Samantha Bloom, said Saturday night that she knew her son was attending a rally in Virginia but didnt know it was for white supremacists.

I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trumps not a white supremacist, Bloom said.

He had an African American friend so ..., she said before her voice trailed off. She added that shed be surprised if her sons views were that far right.

Bloom, who became visibly upset as she learned of the injuries and deaths at the rally, said she and her son had just moved to the Toledo area from the northern Kentucky city of Florence. She said thats where Fields grew up. She relocated to Ohio for work.

Late Saturday, the Department of Justice announced the opening of a federal civil rights investigation into the deadly car attack. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said that the FBIs Richmond field office and Rick Mountcastle, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Virginia, will lead the investigation.

The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice, Sessions said in a statement. When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated.

The turbulence began Friday night, when the white nationalists carried torches though the University of Virginia campus. It quickly spiraled into violence Saturday morning. Hundreds of people threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays. At least three more men have been arrested in connection with the protests.

The Virginia State Police announced late Saturday that Troy Dunigan, a 21-year-old from Chattanooga, Tenn., was charged with disorderly conduct; Jacob L. Smith, a 21-year-old from Louisa, Va., was charged with assault and battery; and James M. OBrien, 44, of Gainesville, Fla., was charged with carrying a concealed handgun.

City officials said treated 35 patients altogether, 19 of whom were injured in the car crash.

State Police said in a statement that the helicopter was assisting public safety resources with the ongoing situation when it crashed in a wooded area. The pilot, Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, Va., and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton, Va., died at the scene.

President Trump condemned in the strongest possible terms what he called an egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides after the clashes. He called for a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives.

Trump said he had spoken with the governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, and we agreed that the hate and the division must stop and must stop right now.

But some of the white nationalists cited Trumps victory as validation for their beliefs, and Trumps critics pointed to the presidents racially tinged rhetoric as exploiting the nations festering racial tension.

Conservative blogger Jason Kessler had called for what he termed a pro-white rally in Charlottesville, sparked by the monument decision. White nationalists and their opponents promoted the event for weeks.

Oren Segal, who directs the Anti-Defamation Leagues Center on Extremism, said multiple white power groups gathered in Charlottesville, including members of neo-Nazi organizations, racist skinhead groups and Ku Klux Klan factions.

The white nationalist organizations Vanguard America and Identity Evropa; the Southern nationalist League of the South; the National Socialist Movement; the Traditionalist Workers Party; and the Fraternal Order of Alt Knights also were on hand, he said, along with several groups with a smaller presence.

On the other side, antifascist demonstrators also gathered in Charlottesville, but they generally arent organized like white nationalist factions, said Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Many others were just locals caught in the fray.

Colleen Cook, 26, stood on a curb shouting at the rally attendees to go home.

Cook, a teacher who attended the University of Virginia, said she sent her son, who is black, out of town for the weekend. This isnt how he should have to grow up, she said.

Its the latest hostility in Charlottesville since the city about 100 miles outside of Washington, D.C., voted this year to remove a statue of Lee.

In May, a torch-wielding group that included prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer gathered around the statue for a nighttime protest, and in July, about 50 members of a North Carolina KKK group traveled there for a rally, where they were met by hundreds of counterprotesters.

Kessler said last week that the rally was partly about the removal of Confederate symbols but also about free speech and advocating for white people.

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer said he was disgusted that the white nationalists had come to his town and blamed Trump for inflaming racial prejudices.

Im not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what youre seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president, he said.

Sarah Rankin is an Associated Press writer.
MIAMI  The waning of Zika outbreaks in the Caribbean and South America has helped slow the spread of the mosquito-borne virus in Florida this year, according to health officials.

Herd immunity, when enough people in an area are infected with a virus and develop resistance to it, likely has contributed to Zikas decline outside the continental United States, Dr. Henry Walke, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions incident manager for Zika response, said in a Miami Herald report .

People that were infected before cant be infected again. Thats our understanding, Walke said. So you dont have as much of the virus circulating. Thats true not only in Puerto Rico but throughout the Caribbean and throughout South America.

However, experts warn that herd immunity elsewhere wont stop the virus from re-emerging in this country. That has happened in Florida with other mosquito-borne viruses in recent years.

As weve seen with chikungunya and dengue, it is not unlikely that we will experience small outbreaks of Zika in the future, Florida Department of Health spokeswoman Mara Gambineri said in a written statement.

Also, herd immunity eventually wears off, said Derek Cummings, an epidemiologist with the University of Floridas Emerging Pathogens Institute.

As years go by, more people are born into a population and they havent encountered Zika, and so theyre going to introduce susceptibility into the population, Cummings said. Some number of years from now, those susceptible populations will rise to where youd have sufficient numbers and then maybe wed be doing this all over again.

By the end of 2016, state health officials had confirmed 1,456 Zika infections in Florida, including 285 cases spread by mosquitoes in Miami and Miami Beach. The infections caused the CDC to issue an unprecedented domestic travel advisory warning pregnant women to avoid Miami-Dade County because the virus can cause severe birth defects.

There is no vaccine or treatment for the virus, which can also spread through sexual contact. Florida health officials have reported 384 pregnant women who tested positive for Zika since January 2016, with nine delivering children with Zika-related birth defects.

So far this year, Florida health officials have reported a total of 135 Zika cases, but none have been linked to mosquitoes in the state. The CDC lifted its travel warning for Miami-Dade County in June.

Experts warn residents and visitors not feel complacent about contracting the virus.

The threat is still there, Walke said. It hasnt gone away. It will not go away any time soon.

Frequent rainfall, which benefits breeding mosquitoes, and the fact that many people infected with Zika dont feel any symptoms  such as fever, joint pain, red eyes or a rash  can fuel an outbreak in spite of increased mosquito-control efforts, said Bill Petrie, the countys new mosquito control director.

So it could be circulating and we dont know it, he said.
AUSTIN, Texas  The Republican-controlled Texas Senate backed a plan Saturday night to restrict insurance coverage for abortions, over the objections of opponents who expressed concern it could force some women to make heart-wrenching choices because no exceptions will be made in cases of rape and incest.

The 20-10 party-line vote for preliminary approval requires women to purchase extra insurance to cover abortions except amid medical emergencies. A final vote Sunday will see the measure clear the chamber, meaning its now on a fast-track to Gov. Greg Abbott, who is expected to sign it into law.

Legislators debated other bills limiting insurance coverage for abortion during Texas regular session that ended in May, but Abbott called a special session and revived the issue.

Ten states already have laws restricting insurance coverage of abortion in all private insurance plans: Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Utah. All make exceptions if the mothers life is endangered; only Indiana and Utah also make exceptions for rape and incest.

Texas must take steps to prohibit taxpayer and premium dollars from subsidizing abortions that are not medically necessary, said Sen. Brandon Creighton, a Republican from Conroe.

The bill passed the Texas House earlier last week. Both Creighton and its House sponsor, Republican Rep. John Smithee, said the rules only apply to elective abortions and promote economic freedom by not forcing Texas policyholders who object to the procedure to help pay for insurance coverage for women undergoing it.

What were saying here is: If you want to buy this coverage, you can buy it, Smithee, a Republican from Amarillo, said during House debate.

Outnumbered Democrats dismissed the bill as purely political, arguing that insurance companies already cover only medically necessary abortions. They also said the law will require purchasing insurance plans that insurers wont actually offer because too few women will buy them.

Sen. Sylvia Garcia, a Houston Democrat, said that the bill would effectively require women to buy rape insurance. She tried to include exceptions for rape and incest but failed on a 20-10 vote.

Will Weissert and David Crary are Associated Press writers.
Love comes to everyone

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Two families in Union City are without a home after the driver of a BMW slammed into their duplex early Sunday, following an apparent hit-and-run crash with a pickup truck in front of their home, firefighters said.

One person was taken into custody by Union City police and another remains at large after both drivers fled the scene of broad destruction, officials said.
NC lawmakers to contribute one months salary to flood relief

Nepali Congress has announced that the party lawmakers would contribute one month salary to relief fund for flood victims.
Nepal tourism excited by prospect of boom year

Tourist arrivals to Nepal jumped 41.50 percent to 460,237 individuals in the first half of 2017, raising expectations that the total figure will hit the 1-million mark by the end of the year.
NRNA establishes relief fund for flood victims

Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) has decided to establish a relief fund for flood victims. An emergency meeting of the NRNA on Sunday took the decision.
Parliament enacts law to govern power sector

After more than a decade of planning, the Parliament on Friday endorsed the Electricity Regulatory Commission Bill 2017, paving the way to establish Nepal Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), an independent body to regulate the power sector of the country.
Passing on the light

On July 15 2017, the National Rural and Renewable Energy Programme (NRREP) concluded after 20 years of renewable energy development in the country.
Police make public two held in possession of 8kg gold

Police on Sunday made public two persons arrested with 8 kg illegal gold from Bhainse in Nuwakot district.
Students of Homer will recognize in Black Odyssey the broad outlines of the Greek epic. Like its inspiration, Marcus Gardleys play centers on a heros years-long journey home from war, during which, as a pawn of capricious and vengeful gods, he battles tempests and temptresses, his dutifully waiting and hoping wife always on his mind.

But the voyage in this West Coast premiere, at California Shakespeare Theater under the direction of Eric Ting, is only partly about physical distance. Ulysses (J. Alphonse Nicholson) is trying to return to his wife Nella (Omoze Idehenre) and son Malachai (Michael Curry) in Oakland after a tour of duty in Afghanistan. But his real problem is that he doesnt think hes worthy of going home, both because of what he did as a soldier and because as a black American man who doesnt know his ancestors, he doesnt know who he is.

The genius of Gardleys script is that it reappropriates a foundational text of the Western canon  a literature oft used to justify the elevation of one civilization and the enslavement of others  as a means for Ulysses to tap into his own and his races history, to build consciousness and identity and worth. That project felt all the more urgent at the shows Saturday, Aug. 12, opening night, with the deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., just hours before.

Squabbling mostly good-naturedly amongst themselves, Gods Deus (Lamont Thompson), Great Grand Paw Sidin (Aldo Billingslea, in a too-rare silly role for an actor usually cast as statelier characters) and Great Aunt Tina (Margo Hall) obsess over his doings, meting out punishments, then disguising themselves as mortals to unveil escape routes, only to send yet another obstacle for him to overcome.

Yet whether an individual deity is out to get him or save him isnt the point; Black Odyssey exalts a seemingly forgotten black man, asserting that his and his wifes apartment in the Acorn Projects is as important, as magical, as touched by the gods, as the bougie Oakland hills, the plays Mount Olympus and the Bruns Amphitheaters stunning natural backdrop. (Gardley is an Oakland native, and the shows East Bay shout-outs, from the chilly fridge called Rockridge all the way to Scotts Seafood in Jack London Square, are like candy.)

At first, mentions of historical signposts like Emmett Till and Black Lives Matter, the Middle Passage, the Underground Railroad and the Great Migration all fly by so quickly and chaotically that nothing gets a chance to land; it feels like the play is trying to bid for topicality and significance just by naming names. It never gets a chance to feel didactic, though, since Gardleys gleeful wordplay, a cascade of rhymes and double entendres, always moves at a caper or a trot  or a second line parade, led by Michael Gene Sullivan with an olympiads (or an Olympians) high steps.

And the effect of all those references is cumulative, Ulysses ever-expanding history eventually taking corporeal form to ferry him home. A showstopping second-act scene with a Cadillac convertible makes this point most forcefully, as Thompson, now as Superfly Tireseas in a towering afro and a shirt that seems to be made of liquid gold (Dede M. Ayite did the regal costumes), exudes so much effortless cool that youll likely forever think of his native jive as the idiom of the gods.

Music fuels much of Ulysses journey, from Nicholsons own galvanizing drumming to original vocal compositions by Linda Tillery and Molly Holm. In a variety of ensemble roles, Dawn L. Troupes singing is so piercingly on pitch that the whole world, including the creatures and bugs who call the Bruns home, seems to be in sync with her. Finally singing himself in the shows closing number, Nicholson has the range of a classically trained woodwind player, percussing out breaths in a way that makes you remember that the human voice is truly a windpipe.

Nicholson sings here because its only now that Ulysses can. Hell need that as a tool, going forward. One journey might be over, but the gods arent done with him yet.

Lily Janiak is The San Francisco Chronicles theater critic. Email: ljaniak@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @LilyJaniak

Black Odyssey: Written by Marcus Gardley. Directed by Eric Ting. Two hours, 30 minutes. Through Sept. 3. $20-$72, subject to change. California Shakespeare Theater, 100 California Shakespeare Theater Way, Orinda. (510) 548-9666. www.calshakes.org

To read an interview with Eric Ting: www.sfchronicle.com/performance/article/Eric-Ting-to-keep-pushing-at-Cal-Shakes-11727858.php
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FRESNO  Organizers called it the Real Resistance Conference. But the 140 Tea Party-organized activists who gathered in a hotel by the Fresno airport this weekend have been as far from the anti-President Trump resistance as you can get.

Yet their targets  other than the cultural Marxists (i.e., Democrats) in the Legislature  were largely Republicans who they are convinced have betrayed them.

Representing regions all over California, these resisters hissed every mention of Republican Assembly Leader Chad Mayes, R-Yucca Valley (San Bernardino County), and other members of what they call the Swamp Eight  the eight GOP legislators who supported Californias climate-change legislation last month. Several promised to back a primary challenge against Mayes.

The Tea Party types are mad at Senate Republicans in Washington  particularly Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.  for fumbling the chance to repeal and replace former President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act, even though Republicans hold all three branches of government.

They called  as they have in the past  for taking over the California Republican Party, which they said is virtually impotent in statewide politics and is controlled by big-money interests that dont represent them.

And theyre fuming at every state legislator who supported a gasoline tax bill last month that would raise $5.2 billion annually to fix Californias crumbling transportation systems over the next decade.

Yet nobody here was criticizing President Trump.

Instead, Trump was given a place of honor. A cardboard cutout of the president, adorned with a red Make America Great Again scarf, stood on the podium, watching over all the speakers who addressed the two-day conference, which ended Saturday.

President Trump is a bigger-than-life character, said John Woody Woodrum, a San Diego resident who is a board member of the Tea Party California Caucus, which organized the gathering.

Other officeholders fit into what Woodrum defines in his own etymology of the word politics: Poli-, which means many, Woodrum said, and tics, which are those little, blood-sucking insects.

And this is one of the things that people have come to realize: That weve got a lot of these blood-sucking insects out there that are not doing what they said they would do, Woodrum said. They want somebody in there who is going to make things happen.

Trump has decades of making things happen. They didnt care if he had a long history of political niceness or political correctness, Woodrum said. People are still enamored of him. ... Hes an alpha male, and people love that.

Trump remains popular with this slice of the conservative world because, even though his first few months in office have produced no significant legislation, they feel that he at least tried to deliver what he has promised.

They dont consider the nations tense nuclear standoff with North Korea to be inflamed by Trump tweets or the presidents pledge to respond with fury and fire. Instead, they see that as him standing up for America in a way that former presidents like Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama didnt when confronted by North Korean aggression.

The conference-goers dont see Trump as being relatively inactive in repealing the health care law. They blame that on McConnell.

You have a Senate thats led by this traitor McConnell. Thats who to blame, said Keith Lopez, a Fresno delivery driver. As for Trump, hes doing what he said he would do.

The attendees, predominantly white and middle-aged, did not appear to be kin of the self-described alt-right nationalist forces who were at the center of a riot Saturday in Charlottesville, Va. Other than their grievances with the status quo, they were mostly united by things like their fealty to the Second Amendment. When Tim Donnelly, a former assemblyman and onetime California GOP gubernatorial candidate, asked, Anybody here own an AR-15 (rifle)? a dozen hands were raised.

I envision a California where not only is every law-abiding noncriminal allowed to carry a firearm but required (to), Donnelly said, to cheers.

A lot of these people are ordinary Californians who feel marginalized and forgotten, Assemblyman Travis Allen, R-Huntington Beach (Orange County), a candidate for governor, said before addressing the group Saturday. Theres a silent supermajority in this state that rejects the high-tax-and-spend policies of the (Gov.) Jerry Brown establishment that runs California.

While this gathering may have been modest in size, both major Republican candidates running for governor  Allen and San Diego County venture capitalist John Cox  addressed the conference Saturday. Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove (Sacramento County), who was one of first  and few sitting politicans embraced by the Tea Party since its inception, was Fridays keynote speaker.

McClintock delivered tough love, acknowledging that while the polls look bad, for Trump they dont reflect disagreement with the direction the president is trying to move our country. It reflects a belief that were not getting there.

While the left is energized and organized, McClintock said, lets face it, our side has spent the last 10 months either celebrating the 2016 election or squabbling amongst ourselves.

Every one of you has a right to resent a dysfunctional Senate that has chosen not to reform its cloture rules, (which are) handing control of the Senate over to (Senate Minority Leader Chuck) Schumer, D-N.Y., McClintock said.

But these are not reasons to give up and go home, McClintock said. You have got to make this majority work.

But the challenge will be how to harness all of this shake-a-fist outrage into an effective, focused political force  particularly since it does not have a deep-pocketed donor backing it in California. Many attending the weekend conference were working- or middle-class Californians living in rural or suburban areas.

Saturdays sessions focused on grassroots organizing strategy and were largely closed to the media. But Randall Jordan, chair of the Tea Party California Caucus, encouraged his fellow Tea Party members to follow what he did and get elected to a local state Republican Party board to change it from the inside. Reaction to that suggestion was mixed and Jordan knows the reason why.

I know people always say we need to abandon the Republican Party, Jordan said. I know how frustrated we all are. I know how terrible that our Republican Party is here, and it is. Its a nightmare in California. Its a good ol boys club. Its run by big money.

Mike Lelieur, a Santa Cruz resident who just left the GOP, said, I didnt leave my party. It left me.

Joe Garofoli is The San Francisco Chronicles senior political writer. Email: jgarofoli@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @joegarofoli
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To get to Anderson Valley from San Francisco, you drive north for two hours on Highway 101, through Sonoma County, into Mendocino County. When you finally pull into Cloverdale and take a hard left-hand turn onto Highway 128 toward Boonville, it feels as if youre diving into a rabbit hole.

You corkscrew down several hundred feet of altitude on a ribbon road that snakes through the forests of the Yorkville Highlands, finally washing out into the flats of Anderson Valley.

Surrounded by heavily forested hillsides on both sides, Anderson Valley is a narrow conduit between the warm inland reaches of Mendocino County and the chilly, pristine Mendocino Coast.

Over the past 50 years, Anderson Valley has transitioned from logging and apple farming to grape growing and pot farming. It also has become one of the most promising, and best, wine-tasting destinations in California.

Champagne Louis Roederer bought a big property near Philo in 1982, raising many eyebrows and giving the region a massive surge of credibility for growing cool-climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Alsace varieties such as Pinot Gris and Riesling.

Restaurants like the Bewildered Pig, homey locals hangout Laurens and artisanal pizza restaurant Stone and Embers all have raised the dining bar in recent years. What had been a rough-and-tumble logging community has transitioned into precious California wine country.

It really all started with Handley and Husch and Navarro. Theyre the originals. Then folks at Williams Selyem, Ted Lemon from Littorai, and Goldeneye developed some notoriety for Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, says Goldeneyes Vice President of Winemaking Neil Bernardi.

In 1996, Dan (Duckhorn) wanted to plant a flag in Anderson Valley, to invest in a group of estate vineyards up and down the valley, and to control quality from the ground up. Goldeneye is one of the benchmark producers in the valley these days, making lavish, refined Pinot Noirs that command $50 a bottle to more than $100 a bottle.

A seated wine tasting at Goldeneye will run about $15 per person. That allows you to taste wines from the warmest eastern parts and coolest coastal parts of the valley side by side. Its a genuinely informative experience because the transverse valley is about 10 degrees cooler at the coastal end than it is farther inland.

Many of the other tasting rooms in Anderson Valley charge only $5 per person. That nominal sum is often refundable with a purchase. Compared with some other destinations, a couple can save enough in tasting room fees to pay for a hotel room, either at a B&B on the Mendocino coast, or somewhere in the valley, such as the Madrones in Philo or the chic Boonville Hotel.

Anderson Valley wines range from very good to sublime these days. And when you sidle up to the tasting room bar, you may well be talking to a founder of the winery. That is definitely part of the charm.

One of the standout family wineries you encounter when you roll into Boonville is Foursight. The Charles family has owned property in Anderson Valley since 1943. Kristy Charles parents planted some grapevines in 2001, right before she headed to San Luis Obispo for college, where she met her future husband, and Foursight winemaker, Joe Webb.

The wine business has grown up here. We now have about 30 wineries, give or take. I think were making really stellar wines now. Any appellation takes a while to go from foundation to having a reputation and knowing its purpose, says Kristy Charles.

Foursights estate-bottled wines are made in a sleek fashion that has become a common thread in Anderson Valley winemaking. Wines up here arent aged in a lot of new oak. Alcohol levels are kept deliberately low when possible, and many wines are not fined or filtered.

Mason Trinca/Special to The Chronicle

There has been an influx of young winemaking talent into Anderson Valley in recent years. Some of those young winemakers were bootstrappers looking to stake a claim, others were just hoping to catch a wave at someone elses winery.

Jason and Molly Drew moved to Mendocino County in 2004, buying a 26-acre apple orchard in the high-altitude Mendocino Ridge AVA that overlooks Anderson Valley. We were actively looking all up and down the coast. We found this beautiful piece of land in the Mendocino Ridge, explains Jason Drew.

Mendocino Ridge is above 1,200 feet elevation, within 11 miles of the coast and sandwiched between Anderson Valley and Sonoma Coast. We look down into Anderson Valley to the northeast. To the west is the ocean, says Drew.

Sourcing grapes from both Anderson Valley and the Mendocino Ridge regions, Drew makes about six cool-climate, small-production Pinot Noirs and Syrahs (hundreds of cases of each), generally always under 14 percent alcohol that offer an insightful survey of the regions elegant wines.

Another up-and-comer in Anderson Valley is Baxter, a small production brand that has a charming tasting room in Philo.

Claire Baxter says of her husband, winemaker Phil Baxter: He learned the science at UC Davis and the intuition in Burgundy. Old World technique is subtly evident in Baxters Pinot Noirs and Syrahs. Theres not much new oak, fining or filtration. He includes some grape stems in the fermentation process, and to add complexity, winters the wines in barrel so that they dont undergo malolactic fermentation until spring.

Balo, just across the highway from Goldeneye, is also a worthy stop, for great wines, the bocce courts and the laid-back atmosphere. Michelle and Tim Mullins broke ground on the estate in 2003, released their first wines in 2009, and opened their own winery and custom crush facility in 2012. Jason Drew was an early consulting winemaker. He convinced the Mullins family to farm organically, which Mullins concedes was a great move. Current winemaker Alex Crangle is making balanced, restrained Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris in true Anderson Valley fashion.

Tim Mullins, who still holds down his day job at Wells Fargo, has seen plenty of changes in Anderson Valley. Back then, at the annual Pinot Noir festival in May, you would go from table to table and there were good wines and not-so-good ones. Now its just one great wine after another. There has been a sea change in the quality of fruit, and a lot of growers have transitioned to organic or biodynamic farming, says Mullins.

When I started coming here it was like a ghost town. Now we have pub-style restaurants and high-end restaurants. Theres more traffic, but I dont think it will ever turn into Napa or Sonoma because its farther from San Francisco, Mullins says.

Well see about that. Anderson Valley is still a remarkably well-kept secret, but that can't last forever. The wines are just too good to ignore, and the independent spirit of the place sets it apart. My advice is to get up to Anderson Valley before too much changes, and experience the unspoiled charm of a world class wine region that is just hitting its stride.

Tim Teichgraeber is an Oakland-based wine writer. Email: travel@sfchronicle.com

Taste

Balo Vineyards 9001 Highway 128, Philo, (707) 895-3655. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Free tasting. www.balovineyards.com

Baxter 8660 Highway 128, Philo, (707) 895-3173 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Monday. Tasting fee: $10, waived with purchase. www.baxterwinery.com

Drew Wines 9000 Highway 128, Philo, (707) 895-9599. 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Monday. Tasting fee: $5, waived with purchase. www.drewwines.com

Foursight Wines 14475 Highway 128, Boonville, (707) 895-2889. 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. daily. Tasting fee: $10, waived with purchase. www.foursightwines.com

Goldeneye Winery 9200 Highway 128, Philo, (800) 208-0438. 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Tasting fee: $15. www.goldeneyewinery.com

Eat

The Bewildered Pig 1810 Highway 128, Philo, (707) 895-2088. Dinner Thursday-Sunday, brunch Sunday. Courtyard happy hour 4:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. www.bewilderedpig.com

Laurens 14211 Highway 128, Boonville, (707) 895-3869. Dinner Monday (Mexican night)-Saturday. Lunch Thursday-Sunday. www.laurensgoodfood.com

Stone and Embers 9000 Highway 128, Philo (707) 895-3471. Lunch-early dinner Thursday-Monday. www.stoneandembers.com

Stay

The Madrones 9000 Highway 128, Philo, (707) 895-2955. Nine guest quarters in a Mediterranean-style residence that includes Stone and Embers restaurant and tasting rooms. Rates from $190. www.themadrones.com

Boonville Hotel 14050 Highway 128, Boonville, (707) 895-2210. An inn with 15 contemporary rooms (some detached) and Table 128, a modern roadhouse. Rates from $145. www.boonvillehotel.com
Chenin Blanc is a survivor.

The white wine grape, originally from Frances Loire Valley, was widely planted in Californias early wine-growing days, thanks to a reliably abundant, high-acid crop in almost any conditions. But when Chardonnay was crowned king in the 1980s, surrounded by a royal court of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio, Chenin got the hook.

Its once vast acreage, which topped 45,000 acres, was slashed down to about 5,000, leaving isolated pockets across the state, from the North Coast to the Sacramento River Delta to Santa Barbara County. Most of what remained was thrown anonymously into blends or quietly used to energize flabby Chardonnay or lengthen other whites.

Then a new generation of California winemaker emerged in the 2000s, in search of something new, something food-friendly, something zippy. They found romance in these Chenin outposts  at that point growing on rather old vines, usually from old trellising systems, often in somewhat neglected or quantity-focused, rather than quality-minded, conditions. The fruit was also relatively cheap, so the trend set sail.

I was always looking for an alternative white, a good variety that could maintain acidity, said Leo Hansen, a Danish sommelier who started his Leo Steen brand in Healdsburg back in 2004. People were ripping out and planting other things, so I started trying to help preserve these small old spots of Chenin. (Steen, which is Hansens middle name, is also what South Africans call Chenin Blanc, the countrys most widely planted grape.)

Hes since worked with Chenin from all across the state, from 34-year-old vines of the Saini Vineyard in Dry Creek Valley to the Santa Ynez Valleys Jurassic Park Vineyard, where dinosaur-looking oil rigs pump near the ancient, rolling sand dunes that have grown 13 acres of the variety since 1982. He found the latter in 2010, when the vineyard owners could barely give it away. He bought 3 tons.

Today, I cant get any more than that, said Hansen. Its become very popular. Everyone is making a Chenin Blanc.

Winemaker Ryan Roark was also one of the early riders on Jurassic Parks Chenin train. Born into an oil-drilling family in northeast Texas, he landed his first winery gig in the Loire Valley while finishing his plant pathology/microbiology degree at Texas A&M. I was not a mindful wine consumer when I was in France  that was the infancy of my wine journey  but I do remember these really steely, crisp white wines that they made, said Roark.

When he landed in Santa Barbara about a decade ago, he started asking around about the grape, finding only Foxen Winerys Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard (they use it all) and Jurassic Park.

I grew up in the oil fields, and theres a vineyard in the middle of an oil field thats Chenin Blanc? he laughed. It did speak to me a little bit! He bought a ton in 2009, and continues to make the same wine today under his Roark brand.

For a small vineyard, the list of wineries using Jurassic Park fruit is more than a dozen long, including Municipal Winemakers, Lieu Dit, Habit, Kunin, Santa Barbara Winery, Birichino and Field Recordings. The neatest thing about it was that nobody was buying any Chenin Blanc, and then somehow this market sort of began, said Ben Merz of Coastal Vineyard Care Associates, which started farming the vineyard in 2009. All of these boutique wineries started looking for Chenin Blanc so, initially, just to find a home for the grapes, we sold a ton here and there to as many people as we could find. Thats really kind of turned into a bit of an animal. And the price has nearly doubled.

Not everyone gave up on Chenin Blanc way back when. Dry Creek Vineyard has produced one every vintage since starting in 1945.

What I love about Chenin Blanc is that its so old that its new again, said Dry Creek winemaker Tim Bell, whos seen a notable uptick in the past three years and plans to make even more than the current 18,500 annual cases in the future. It used to be a staple from California, a wine found in every wine shop and made by several of the big name wine producers like Beringer and Charles Krug. But it fell out of favor and was totally off the fine wine radar.

Dry Creek originally used estate grapes, but turned south to the Wilson Ranch in Clarksburg in the Sacramento delta almost three decades ago. Chenin is all the buzz there right now, as the regions increasing shift from quantity to quality grape-growing is showing that it can do for whites what Lodi has done for reds.

Sacramento native Craig Haarmeyer is especially bullish on Clarksburg Chenin, which he makes in a winery on the capitals westside and bottles under his St. Rey label. He was preoccupied making about 40 other wines for another winery when he took his first crack Chenin Blanc years ago, so didnt expect much.

I was very pleasantly surprised, said Haarmeyer, who started working with the farmers of his Clarksburg Chenin vineyard after 2009 to improve the potential by limiting yields and picking while sugars were low and acids high. Weve been picking earlier and earlier for 10 years now, and I dont think weve hit the bottom yet. He also makes tiny amounts of a Chenin called Iris from 43-year-old vines in the Sierra Foothills and a sparkling Chenin in the petillant naturel, or pet nat, method.

Tom Merwins family has tilled the Clarksburg soil for 100 years, and the eighth-generation farmer recalls when his dad turned to wine grapes more than 20 years ago when the commodity crop prices were floundering.

We were planting Chenin Blanc when everyone else was pulling it out, he explained. We were scared about that. I was 12 years old and my first summer job was to keep those vines alive. Were finding out now, 20-plus years later, that Chenin Blanc is a pretty awesome grape.

Merwin, who makes a Chenin under his Muddy Boot label, is planning to add 10 acres of the grape to the existing 15, and enjoys working with small winemakers trying to make Vouvray-style wines. Theyre putting their heart and soul into it, he said.

Marco Cappelli is one such winemaker. A Napa escapee, he headed to the Sierra Foothills in 2004 to make something other than big Cabernet and Chardonnay, and consults for a handful of wineries, including Elevation 10, where he makes Chenin Blanc from Clarksburg.

As winemakers, weve been trained to go for the wow wines, to try to make them more expressive and riper and richer, said Cappelli. But it seems that, at least lately, the trend has been more toward smaller wines. He loves the grapes inherent freshness. Even grown in California, it maintains a continental feel and structure, he said. It tastes like European wine to me.

And that, apparently, is what the younger consumer wants too, as these winemakers have more trouble saving their Chenin Blancs than selling them.

Millennials are searching for something different, said Merwin. They dont want to drink what their parents drank. They have a little more money now and are willing to take a risk on something different. Chenin fits that mold.

Matt Kettmann is a Southern California-based wine writer.
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LUCKNOW, India  Parents of at least 35 children who have died in a state-run hospital in northern India over the past three days have alleged that the fatalities were due to the lack of a sufficient oxygen supply in the childrens ward.

District Magistrate Rajiv Rautela said Saturday that the deaths of the children being treated for different ailments at the Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur city in Uttar Pradesh state were due to natural causes. He denied that an insufficient oxygen supply led to their deaths.

Parents said that the oxygen supply to the ward ran out Thursday night and that patients families were given self-inflating bags to help the children breathe.

Thats the time when the death of the children peaked, said Mritunjaya Singh, whose 7-month-old son was admitted to the hospital and was not among the dead.

The state government has ordered an investigation.

Prashant Trivedi, the states top health official, acknowledged that there was a problem in the pipeline supplying oxygen.

But the situation was managed through oxygen cylinders, Trivedi said. The hospital administration has enough supply of cylinders in its stock. So the report about death of children because of oxygen issue is false.

The parents said the company that supplies oxygen to the hospital had earlier threatened to stop the distribution of oxygen unless the government paid its long-overdue bills.

Rautela said that the hospital owed $106,000 to the company, but added that it had adequate numbers of oxygen cylinders.

Parmatma Gautam, whose 1-month-old nephew, Roshan, died when the oxygen supply stopped, said the hospital authorities and the district administration were trying to cover up their failure to pay the bills on time.

We saw our baby struggling to breathe, and we couldnt do anything, Gautam said as tears flowed down his cheek.

The family had rushed the newborn to the hospital on Aug. 9 because he had a high fever.

We are now going back with his body, Gautam sobbed.

The federal health ministry sent a team of specialists to the hospital Saturday to verify what caused the deaths at the facility, which provides health care to a vast swath of Uttar Pradesh and neighboring Bihar state.

Opposition leaders took to social media to blame Prime Minister Narendra Modis Bharatiya Janata Party, which rules the state, for its neglect and indifference to peoples health.

Biswajeet Banerjee is an Associated Press writer.
LONDON  A man who was arrested after a woman was shoved into the path of a London bus has been released and eliminated as a suspect in the incident, police said Saturday.

The man, Eric Bellquist, a 41-year-old American investment banker, was taken into custody Thursday on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm after police published a video of the violent encounter. Authorities asked the public to help identify the jogger, who was filmed shoving the woman in front of a bus on Putney Bridge. The woman suffered minor injuries.

Bellquist denied being the man in the video, and his lawyers released a statement saying that their client had been wrongly implicated and that there was irrefutable proof that he was in the United States during the time of the incident, which took place May 5.

The Metropolitan Police said Saturday that the search for the jogger is continuing after a good response from the public.

The video shows the 33-year-old woman, who was not identified, falling to the pavement and the bus quickly swerving to avoid her head. Passengers from the bus rushed to her aid.

After shoving her onto the road, the jogger is seen running off. Police said he returned 15 minutes later on the other side of the bridge but would not acknowledge the victim.

The video was widely shared online after police published it last week under the hashtag road-rage jogger.

The victim was put in extreme danger when she was knocked into the road, Sgt. Mat Knowles, the investigating officer from the Putney Safer Neighborhood Team, said in a statement. It was only due to the superb quick reactions of the bus driver that she was not hit by the vehicle.

Ceylan Yeginsu is a New York Times writer.
Resolute in determination, Dr KC refuses to budge

On the 20th day of his fast-unto-death, Dr Govinda KC lay calmly on a bed in a room on the premises of the TU Teaching Hospital on Saturday even as doctors attending to him expressed serious concern about his health condition.
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NAIROBI, Kenya  One day after President Uhuru Kenyatta was re-elected in a fiercely contested and divisive vote, violence erupted across parts of Kenya.

At least 24 people, including a 6-year-old, have been killed in clashes with police since the election results were announced Friday night, according to the Kenyan National Commission on Human Rights.

In Kibera, Nairobis largest slum, residents said that at least six people were killed late Friday and early Saturday in clashes with police. Young men in the slum had promised for days to hold demonstrations if Kenyatta defeated their candidate, Raila Odinga, who has not yet accepted the results and conceded, raising concerns of further violence.

Although Kenya is considered a pillar of stability in East Africa, it is riven by tribal tensions that rise to the surface during national elections. In 2007, more than 1,000 people were killed in ethnic violence in the wake of that years election.

This year, the response to Kenyattas victory appears more tempered, with security forces more prepared than they were a decade ago. But residents in Nairobi and parts of western Kenya raised allegations of police shooting wildly at protesters.

Kenyas acting security minister, Fred Matiangi, disputed accusations that police had shot protesters, telling reporters Saturday that officers did not use live bullets and adding that the country was safe and secure.

In Mathare, another Nairobi slum, a 6-year-old girl was killed by a stray bullet while on the balcony of her house, according to residents.

The police were shooting in the air to disperse the crowds, said Boniface Okoth, a resident of Mathare. The child came to the balcony to check what was going on. She was shot and died on the spot.

Separately, Reuters reported that nine men in Mathare were killed overnight. A security official told Reuters that they were killed in an antilooting operation.

There were also protests in the western city of Kisumu, where police used tear gas to disperse the crowds. Reuters reported that one man was killed there.

According to the official results, Kenyatta received 54.2 percent of the votes to Odingas 44.7 percent. Odinga has alleged that those results were manipulated, claiming the countrys electoral commission was part of the coverup. But international election observers said they considered the vote to be credible.

In Kibera, Celine Adhiambo a resident of Kibera, said police were marching deep inside the slum on Friday night and Saturday morning.

We do not know where they took the bodies, she said. We are in great danger.

There were also protests in western Nyanza province. The regional coordinator there said young men there attempted to attack police with rocks, but that, police dealt with the situation and cleared the roads.

Kenyatta has pledged to address the countrys divide in his second term, saying in his acceptance speech Friday that, We are not enemies. We are all citizens of one republic.

Rael Ombuor and Kevin Sieff are Washington Post writers.
CAIRO  The head of the panel that drafted Egypts 2014 Constitution, possibly the most progressive in the countrys history, denounced calls to amend the charter Saturday, saying in a carefully worded statement that parliament should focus instead on implementing it.

Amr Moussa, a respected statesman and a former foreign minister and Arab league chief, was apparently responding to calls by some lawmakers to extend by two years the four-year term the president serves.

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has less than one year left in his first term. He has yet to say whether he is running for a second term, but he is widely expected to do so in June. The Constitution stipulates the president can only serve two terms. The relevant clause cannot be amended unless the change brings more guarantees, according to the Constitution. Moreover, any amendment must be approved in a nationwide referendum before it comes into force.

Renewed talk about amending the Constitution in a presidential election year raises questions about the maturity of the political thought behind it, said Moussa, who unsuccessfully ran in a 2012 presidential election won by the Islamist Mohammed Morsi. El-Sissi led the militarys 2013 ouster of Morsi, whose one-year rule proved divisive.

Calls for extending the presidential term are led by lawmakers from a pro-government bloc. As the rationale behind their calls, they say four years is not long enough to allow el-Sissi to implement his plans to revive the economy and crush an increasingly emboldened insurgency by militants led by a local affiliate of the Islamic State.

The only thing that does not change is the Quran, but anything else that is man-made, like the Constitution, can be changed to suit the conditions and circumstances of nations and people, Gamal Abdel-Al, a senior bloc member, said in an interview published Saturday in local daily al-Shorouk.

Parliaments speaker, the fiercely pro-el-Sissi Ali Abdel-Al, has sought to prepare the nation for the process of constitutional amendments. He said in recent comments that the 2014 Constitution was drafted at a time of instability  a reference to the unrest that followed Morsis ouster  and some of its clauses should be amended now that the country is stable. He did not mention the extension of presidential terms.

Hamza Hendawi is an Associated Press writer.
1 Disputed sale: The Greek Orthodox patriarch in the Holy Land announced Saturday that his church will appeal an Israeli court decision that approved the sale of prime church property to companies representing Jews seeking to expand their presence in Jerusalems Old City. The church had challenged the property deal in court for the past decade, arguing it was conducted illegally by the since-deposed previous patriarch and was therefore invalid. The Jerusalem District Court upheld the deal two weeks ago, paving the way for three large properties near the Old Citys Jaffa Gate to be leased for 99 years to Ateret Cohanim, a group that has been buying properties for Jews in traditionally Arab areas of Jerusalem. Patriarch Theophilos III alleged Saturday that the lower-court ruling was politically motivated and said the church would appeal to Israels Supreme Court.

2 Suicide bombing: A suicide bomber on a motorcycle targeted a military truck Saturday with a bomb killing eight soldiers and seven civilians in the southwestern Pakistan city of Quetta, an official and the military said. Kabeer Khan, an explosives expert who examined the site, said after collecting forensic evidence that it was a suicide attack and that the attacker was carrying some 25 kilograms of incendiary explosives on a motorcycle that he rammed into the military truck. A military statement said the bomb also wounded 25 people, including 15 civilians. It said the explosives sparked fires in nearby vehicles. It added that all the victims were taken to a military hospital. Pakistani army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa condemned the attack. He said in a statement that it was an attempt to mar the independence day festivities. Our resolve wont succumb to any challenge, Gen Bajwa said.
BEIJING  In a diplomatic gamble, President Trump is seeking to enlist China as a peacemaker in the bristling nuclear-edged dispute with North Korea at the very moment he plans to ratchet up conflict with Beijing over trade issues that have animated his political rise.

Trump spoke late Friday with his counterpart, President Xi Jinping of China, to press the Chinese to do more to rein in North Korea as it races toward development of long-range nuclear weapons that could reach the United States. Xi sought to lower the temperature after Trumps vow to rain down fire and fury on North Korea, urging restraint and a political solution.

But the conversation came as Trumps administration was preparing new trade action against China that could inflame the relationship. Trump plans to return to Washington on Monday to sign a memo determining whether China should be investigated for intellectual property violations, accusing Beijing of failing to curb the theft of trade secrets and rampant online and physical piracy and counterfeiting. An investigation would be intended to lead to retaliatory measures.

The White House had planned to take action on intellectual property earlier but held off as it successfully lobbied China to vote at the U.N. Security Council for additional sanctions on North Korea a week ago. Even now, the extra step of determining whether to start the investigation is less than trade hawks might have wanted, but softens the blow to China and gives Trump a cudgel to hold over it if he does not get the cooperation he wants.

While past presidents have tried at least ostensibly to keep security and economic issues on separate tracks in their dealings with China, Trump has explicitly linked the two, suggesting he would back off from a trade war against Beijing if it does more to pressure North Korea. If China helps us, I feel a lot differently toward trade, a lot differently toward trade, he told reporters Thursday.

Trump has sought to leverage trade and North Korea with China for months, initially expressing optimism after hosting Xi at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, only to later grow discouraged that Beijing was not following through. The effort has reached a decisive point with the overt threats of U.S. military action against North Korea  warnings clearly meant for Beijings ears.

China is widely seen as critical to any resolution to the nuclear crisis because of its outsize role as North Koreas main economic benefactor. China accounts for as much as 90 percent of North Koreas total trade and supplies most of its food and energy while serving as the primary purchaser of its minerals, seafood and garments.

But even though the effectiveness of the new U.N. sanctions depends largely on Chinas willingness to enforce them, the Trump administration has failed to come up with enough incentives to compel China to do so, analysts said.

In their phone conversation Friday night, Xi stressed that it was very important for the two leaders to maintain contact to find an appropriate solution to the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, according to a statement carried in the Chinese state-run media. The language indicated China wants to push forward with a diplomatic proposal for North Korea that the Trump administration has brushed aside.

Jane Perlez and Peter Baker are New York Times writers.
Synlait Milk, the NZX-listed milk processor, said regulatory approval for its 'grass-fed' infant formula in the US is taking longer than expected.

Rakaia-based Synlait is seeking approval from the US Food and Drug Administration for its 'grass-fed' infant formula to be sold in the world's largest economy ahead of a launch of the product with US partner Munchkin Inc. The companies said in a statement today that the FDA process, which had been expected to be completed this year, is now expected to take a further four to 12 months. The stringent process, known as a New Infant Formula Notification (NIFN), includes a range of trials, audits and documentation.

"The FDAs NIFN process is thorough and requires time for comprehensive review," said Synlait managing director John Penno. "We remain confident Munchkins Grass Fed infant formula will be launched in the near future, however, the timing of the launch will be slightly later than weve initially signalled."

He said the new timing will not have a material impact on Synlaits forecast volumes for the 2018 financial year. The company has previously said that significant manufactured volumes for the US market weren't expected until the 2018 financial year.

Synlait is expanding in the US, the world's second-largest infant formula market, to diversify its earnings away from China, the world's largest market. The company has worked for two years with Munchkin on the new 'grass-fed' formula which aims to meet demand for natural products in a market where much of the milk comes from intensive, factory-style dairy farms. The product is poised to become only the second imported infant formula brand with US FDA registration.

The company said today that the delay in the US launch has no impact on the strength of Munchkins Grass Fed infant formula, which continues to steadily gain increased distribution in Australia and New Zealand.

Synlait's shares last traded at $4.65 and have gained 25 percent in the past 12 months.

(BusinessDesk)

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RPP-P asked to verify signatures

Amid the struggle to prove 40 percent share of the Central Working Committee in the newly announced party, the Pashupati Shumsher Rana-led Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Prajatantrik) is refusing to receive the Election Commissions letter calling for verification of the signatures it submitted for party registration.
Samuel L. Jackson in "Pulp Fiction." (File photo courtesy Miramax)

By John Serba | jserba@mlive.com

This might be the ultimate movie list. Its a primer for people who may want help in their quest to become more well-rounded film aficionados  or an argument-starter for those like myself who spend a lot of time in the dark staring at a big screen.

Either way, its highly subjective, a quasi-professorial exercise in assertive opinion. Its not a list of the greatest films ever made, or even my personal favorites, although it inevitably includes some of them, being filtered through my experience as a movie lover looking backward and forward from my place in the Star Wars generation. Its intended to cover many cinematic bases, and is broken down by category, loose genres that may seem like hair-splitting or broad classification, but seem right and appropriate.

Theres a chance youve seen some or a lot of these. (Thats why Ive included a few additional films in each category, for further exploration.) But all of them are worth seeing again  and some of them again and again and again.

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'Citizen Kane': the ultimate film

This category is full of classics among classics, films that excel in every technical (direction, editing, cinematography) and thematic (writing, acting, tone) way. Orson Welles 1941 masterpiece developed such a groundbreaking visual vocabulary and narrative structure for the medium, its influence is still prevalent today. And Rosebud is the greatest reveal in cinema history.

See also: "Vertigo," "Fargo," "Casablanca," "Star Wars," "The Godfather"

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'Psycho': the ultimate horror film

This is (almost) all you need to know about Hitchcocks influential shocker: 78 shots, 52 cuts, the blood circling down the drain. The shower scene is a filmmaking master class on its own, an exquisite balance of proficient technique and gut-wrenching horror. Every film that has tried to terrify us post-Psycho has aspired to this level of skill.

See also: "The Shining," "Night of the Living Dead," "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Halloween," "Nosferatu"

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'The Wizard of Oz': the ultimate musical

When this 1939 treasure shifted from the black-and-white of drab old Kansas to a vibrant Technicolor Oz, it showed the world the transporting power of the moving picture. Its every element invokes wonder  the sets, the characters, the performances and, of course, the songs, every one of them a joyous earworm. Roger Ebert best described Dorothy's great journey from home to a fantasy land and back again: "(W)e still watch it  decades later because its underlying story penetrates straight to the deepest insecurities of childhood, stirs them and then reassures them." When even the gloried status of "Citizen Kane" is debated, we can all agree that "The Wizard of Oz" is a masterpiece.

See also: "Singin' in the Rain," "Beauty and the Beast" (1991), "Moulin Rouge!," "The Sound of Music," "My Fair Lady"

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'The Big Lebowski': the ultimate comedy

Comedy is horribly subjective, but Id wager most everyone whos experienced the jumbo mishaps of The Dude has laughed the oxygen right out of the room. In that character, the Coen Bros. concocted a zen loser for the ages, portrayed by a never-more-inspired Jeff Bridges as a sloppy passivist (thats not a typo) living by a disarmingly elegant philosophy: The Dude abides. It sort of helps him navigate a way-bonkers plot of mistaken identity, kidnapping and bowling. Lots of bowling.

The Dude is an oaf (albeit sometimes a wise one), yet is the sanest person in the film; most representative of the mad, mad, mad, mad world around him are John Goodmans bodacious, bellicose mess Walter Sobchak and Julianne Moores wildly pretentious artist Maude Lebowski. His hallucinogenic Gutterballs fantasy  set to Kenny Rogers and the First Editions Just Dropped In  is probably the looniest thing ever put to celluloid. And those who criticize the film for its proliferation of expletives arent, like, seeing the forest for the effs, man.

See also: "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," "Some Like it Hot," "Ghostbusters," "Groundhog Day," "Raising Arizona"

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'2001: A Space Odyssey': the ultimate sci-fi

Stanley Kubricks masterpiece features perhaps the most iconic imagery of any film ever made - from the bone-chucking early ape-humans to the interstellar waltz of spacecraft to HAL 9000s unblinking red eye to the psychedelic climax, its packed with unforgettable moments. The best true science fiction isnt afraid to explore metaphysical realms: 2001 is a beautiful and terrifying exploration of the human mind, or soul, or the universe, or a place beyond time and space, maybe even beyond death.

See also: "The Empire Strikes Back," "Blade Runner," "Alien," "Aliens," "Gravity," "Forbidden Planet"

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'My Neighbor Totoro': the ultimate children's film

How can a movie almost entirely free of conflict be so moving, charming and mesmerizing, for anyone of any age? Its about a time and a place, and the people within them: the postwar Japanese countryside, where two young girls and their father have just moved, to be closer to the hospital where their ill mother resides. The kids meet the forest spirit Totoro, whos cute and benevolent when hes not being very large, and just the slightest bit scary and intimidating. He manifests to help them over a couple of difficult hurdles, mostly stemming from anxiety over their mother.

But hes primarily there as a reminder of the simple wonders of life - a nap in the grass, a surprising drop of water from above, a seed sprout emerging from the dirt. Its deeply symbolic or simply whimsical, take your pick. Few films are as sweet, innocent and beguiling as this, the greatest work from Japanese animator Hayao Miyazakis sacrosanct canon.

See also: "Toy Story," "E.T.," "Babe," "Bambi," "The Wizard of Oz"

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Note: clip contains language

'Pulp Fiction': the ultimate dialogue film

The dialogue film is so beautifully crafted at the keyboard, it becomes less about plot and more about the music of language and verbal communication. Pulp Fiction is a funny, profane and engrossing display of linguistic hubris by Quentin Tarantino, who can develop a fascinating character with a million words - many of them seemingly tangential - and one quick burst of action. Some say this movie is about violence, or pop culture, or even nothing but its own brilliant and indulgent self. Ultimately, though, its about what people say, and how and why they say it.

See also: "In Bruges," "Glengarry Glen Ross," "The Lion in Winter," "12 Angry Men," "My Dinner with Andre"

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'There Will Be Blood': the ultimate character drama

This may be the leanest, meanest film ever made, 158 minutes of wiry muscle, like the limbs of star Daniel Day-Lewis, who manifests a portrait of moral corruption so charismatic, he all but walks off the screen and sits next to you, boring holes in you with his eyes, lifting you off your seat with the intimidating, lilting crescendos of his voice. Few films elicit such compulsive viewing. It propels itself forward like a freight train powered by dialogue and searing imagery, and a rivalry for the ages, between Day-Lewis oilman Daniel Plainview and Paul Danos snake-oilman preacher Eli Sunday.

See also: "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "The Shawshank Redemption," "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," "Rocky," "From Here to Eternity"

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'Saving Private Ryan': the ultimate war film

Youre no doubt fully aware of the first 30 minutes of Saving Private Ryan  a graphic, terrifying depiction of the D-Day landing at Normandy thats surely among the most harrowing stretches of film ever assembled. What follows is the story of a Tom Hanks-led squad sent to retrieve one soldier of his duty after his three brothers were killed in battle. Some confuse the sincerity of Steven Spielbergs film for sentimentality, but, like the soldiers in the story who gripe about what they consider a frivolous mission, theyre not seeing the forest for the trees. This movie is a powerful reminder that compassion and empathy, even for one small, pretty much inessential man, are crucial to our humanity. And that humanity is worth fighting for.

See also: "The Bridge on the River Kwai," "Patton," "The Hurt Locker," "The Deer Hunter," "Dunkirk"

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'Notorious': the ultimate thriller

This category could be entirely populated by Hitchcock masterpieces. But the most masterful of them all is Notorious, in which Cary Grants U.S. agent enlists Ingrid Bergmans "notorious" woman to spy on - and seduce! - her fathers Nazi pal, played by Claude Rains. Her deep-cover dive threatens not only their love affair, but their lives. Bergman is radiant and mesmerizing, and Hitchcock turns the screws of suspense so tight, we end up sweating in our seats.

See also: "Rear Window," "The Silence of the Lambs," "Blue Velvet," "The Conversation," "North by Northwest"

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'Double Indemnity': the ultimate film noir

"We're both rotten." "Only you're a little more rotten." Fatalism, shadowy black-and-white photography, a snappy script and morally flawed characters never came together better than in "Double Indemnity," a film noir of such efficiency, it's a razor blade disguised as a movie. Fred MacMurray is an insurance scammer, Barbara Stanwyck is the irresistible femme fatale, and Edward G. Robinson is smelling the stink of their scheme. It's perfect.

See also: "The Third Man," "L.A. Confidential," "Chinatown," "The Maltese Falcon," "Touch of Evil"

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'Once Upon a Time in the West': the ultimate Western

Theres nothing wrong with a good old-fashioned dusty, galloping shoot-em-up with grandiose staredowns and pistols blazing at dawn. But Once Upon a Time in the West aims significantly higher. Sergio Leone took the twisty narratives and stylish framing and cinematography of his previous Spaghetti Westerns, brought in film legends Bernardo Bertolucci and Dario Argento as story collaborators, and constructed a grandiose homage to the many great Westerns that came before him- and its the type of mashup that would inspire Quentin Tarantinos inimitable style.

But its Leones distinctive approach to detail that stands out most: the buzzing fly making a gauchos face twitch, the creak of an old windmill, the mysteries prowling behind Charles Bronsons expression. Also the kind of bewildered tenacity within Claudia Cardinales characterization of a young widow trying to fend off encroachments on her honor and land by Peter Fondas famously against-type murderous villain. And Ennio Morricones grand, sweeping, eccentric musical compositions comprise one of the most epic scores in cinema history.

See also: "Unforgiven," "The Searchers," "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," "High Noon," "Stagecoach"

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'Before Sunset': the ultimate romance

Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawkes young lovers are nine years older than they were in Before Sunrise, when they met, talked and talked and talked, and made love during their one day together. The first films romantic idealism evolves in Sunset, when they reconnect as new people shaped and colored by reality: triumphs and disappointments, small and large. Their longings are the same, however. The relationship is explored over three films  Before Midnight visits them a third time  via dialogue only, a simple conceit made richly complex by the two leads brilliantly intuitive, often improvised performances. The overall vision of director Richard Linklater explores the effect of times passage on love with wisdom and profundity; its not always beautiful or graceful, but when it is, its like a miracle.

See also: "Brokeback Mountain," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "The Apartment," "Amelie," "Shakespeare in Love"

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'WALL-E': the ultimate animated film

Many animated films are also childrens films, but its not exclusive - hence this category, which not only covers the best use of the cartoon medium, but also opens the door to more thematically sophisticated works. Few films employ animation to such great effect as Andrew Stanton does with WALL-E. Its a work of great significance, a blend of technical brilliance and thematic depth. Its first act, almost completely wordless, is sterling visual storytelling, setting the tone for an exploration of ideas both big and small - love, identity, the environment, our future as a species.

See also: "Spirited Away," "The Lion King," "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "The Iron Giant," "Grave of the Fireflies"

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'Fargo': the ultimate crime-drama

No one makes crime films like the Coen Brothers. No one makes kidnapping films like the Coen Brothers. No one makes films, period, like the Coen Brothers. And no film is more transcendently Coenesque than Fargo, a wondrously scripted dark-comic rumination on the hope and folly of the human condition featuring an impeccable performance by Frances McDormand. And here you are. And its a beautiful day. I just dont understand it.

See also: "Zodiac," "No Country for Old Men," "The French Connection," "The Silence of the Lambs," "Bonnie and Clyde"

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'Die Hard': the ultimate action movie

Stunts, choreography, editing and cinematography are the key elements of action films - technical components of car chases and shootouts generating the type of pulse-quickening suspense prompting us to grope for a seatbelt in the theater. Die Hard is the greatest of its kind, because the premise is simple but the execution is complex. Terrorists hold hostages in a high rise, and its up to an off-duty - and shoeless - cop to derail the stand-off from the inside. Director John McTiernan exploits every nook and cranny of his set, and Bruce Willis John McClane is a character shrewd enough to navigate them. The juicy one-liners and Alan Rickmans delicious scenery-chewing bad guy are the frosting on a vigorously entertaining cake.

See also: "Vanishing Point," "Bullitt," "The Bourne Ultimatum," "Mad Max: Fury Road," "Hard Boiled"

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'Annie Hall': the ultimate romantic comedy

Woody Allens greatest film is sweetly romantic and ruthlessly funny. The chopped-up narrative is a recounting of Alvy Singers marvelous, then rocky - as these things so often go - relationship with Annie Hall, played as a wonderfully enthralling ditz by Diane Keaton, never more charming and complicated. Allens attempts to penetrate the human heart are insightful, but fruitless; only a fool would offer definitive answers to such questions.

See also: "Manhattan," "When Harry Met Sally," "Say Anything," "It Happened One Night," "Harold and Maude"

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'The Godfather': the ultimate gangster film

Before Francis Ford Coppola adapted Mario Puzos novel to the big screen, the gangster movie was mostly a formulaic B-grade genre exercise. The Godfather changed that, forcing us into deep moral conflict: the murderous, manipulative, power-hungry amoral protagonist, courting our loyalty, and all but implicating us in their crimes. That idea courses beneath the film like a boiling-hot underwater spring; on the surface, its a brilliantly edited and directed epic with all-time-great performances by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino.

See also: "The Godfather: Part II," "Goodfellas," "Miller's Crossing," "The Departed," "Scarface" (1932)

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'Jaws': the ultimate summer blockbuster

The first summer tentpole was made out of cartilage and teeth, and so many people got the living tar scared out of them by it in the summer of 75, the beaches were pretty much deserted. Steven Spielbergs crossover breakthrough is dumb as a stone in concept - giant shark is scary! - but in execution, its as unnerving as anything weve ever seen on a screen, and an ageless classic of jittery terror and suspense.

See also: "The Avengers," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "Back to the Future," "Gladiator," "Batman" (1989)

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'Star Wars': the ultimate special effects movie

These are the howd-they-do-that movies, significant works that transported us to another world, or made our own world strange and extraordinary, by showing us great and amazing things wed never seen before. George Lucas Star Wars wasnt just a reinvigoration of the space opera, or a new and exciting mythological universe and merchandising phenomenon. It permanently altered the presentation of special effects, leaping light years ahead of what came before it. For better or worse - mostly better, I like to think - the film started the arms race that occurs every summer, when Hollywood tries to pin us to our seats with amazing stuff.

See also: "Jurassic Park," "Who Framed Roger Rabbit," "King Kong" (1933), "Terminator 2," "Inception"

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'The Thin Blue Line': the ultimate documentary

Errol Morris makes films of great precision. So precise, with The Thin Blue Line, he knitted together an airtight case that exonerated an innocent man imprisoned for murder, and implicated the real killer. Morris isnt just a gifted filmmaker, but an investigative journalist and activist who reshaped the documentary genre, for the better.

See also: "Grey Gardens," "Crumb," "Grizzly Man," "The Act of Killing," "Hoop Dreams," "The King of Kong"

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'The Graduate': the ultimate coming-of-age story

Plastics. One word sums up the paralyzing anxiety of encroaching adulthood. Then along comes seductive Mrs. Robinson to help a fellow through the transition - or distract him from it. Were still not sure. Dustin Hoffman is the portrait of bewilderment and desperation, and Anne Bancroft is the bored, boozy older woman seeking a naive morsel. The Graduate is a snapshot of that moment when pragmatic uncertainty dovetails exquisitely with existential dread, and all you want to do is sit at the bottom of the pool where its quiet and damp and you can be all alone with all the nothing youre feeling right now. Does life get any better after that? Who knows.

See also: "The Breakfast Club," "Dazed and Confused," "Rebel Without a Cause," "Y Tu Mama Tambien," "The Last Picture Show," "Boyhood"

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'This Is Spinal Tap': the ultimate satire

This mostly improvised faux-documentary is so inspired, everything about it goes to 11. Rob Reiner directs Michael McKean and Christopher Guest as aging rockers on the downside of their careers, and every scene is funny. Thats not a typo. Every single scene. The movie feeds the music business into the shredder 20 times over. Its an absolute delight.

See also: "Robocop," "Network," "Dr. Strangelove," "Duck Soup," "Blazing Saddles"

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'Schindler's List': the ultimate biopic

Historical biographies are as old as the medium, and the most serious ones are frequently celebrated come Oscar time. The best of their kind transcend formula and become vital works of art - none more so than Steven Spielbergs portrait of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who shifts from greedy Nazi sympathizer to humanitarian when he begins saving persecuted Jewish people from the gas chamber. Its a redemption story like no other. The scene in which Schindler watches the little girl in the red coat is as poetic and heartbreaking as anything ever put to celluloid. This is such a dramatically wrenching film, I saw it once, and never want to see it again, but will never, ever forget it.

See also: "Lincoln," "Raging Bull," "Walk the Line," "The Social Network," "The Elephant Man"

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'The Lord of the Rings': the ultimate epic

The epic is the type of grand-scale, visually ambitious, cast-of-thousands work making the most of the big-screen medium. Technically, Lord of the Rings is three movies, but they function as one massive narrative, 683 minutes long (for the extended versions  only posers bother with the shorter theatrical cuts). Peter Jacksons heros-quest saga is the perfect blend of character nuance and fantasy spectacle, of tragedy and comedy. Its an awesome technical achievement, and the rare occasion when box-office success, critical acclaim and award-season glory (final film The Return of the King won 11 Oscars, tying for most wins ever) united movie lovers everywhere. Its easy to get lost in Middle Earth  on its many majestic mountainsides, in the arms of Treebeard, and most certainly in Viggo Mortensens eyes.

See also: "Titanic," "Lawrence of Arabia," "Ben-Hur," "Seven Samurai," "Gone with the Wind"

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'The Dark Knight': The ultimate comic-book movie

To look beyond this genre is to ignore the overwhelming populist interest of the 21st century. Whether we'll look back on it in a positive or negative light remains to be seen (I've enjoyed it quite a bit), but it has churned out a couple hands-down classics, the most prevalent being "The Dark Knight." Filmmaker Christopher Nolan wasn't afraid to marinate the Batman mythos in big ideas and moral quandaries  dual-nature personalities, the compromises we make for security, the battle against existential chaos. But he also indulges the benchmark elements of the genre, from roaring action sequences  the Bat-pod/semi-truck chase is a true thrill  to oversized villains. And none has ever been, or likely will ever be, as oversized as Heath Ledger's ruthless Joker, a characterization for the ages.

See also: "The Avengers," "Superman," "Spider-Man 2," "Sin City," "Captain America: Winter Soldier"

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'Eraserhead': the ultimate midnight movie

David Lynchs debut has all the characteristics of the type of cult classic that used to draw impassioned audiences to theaters in the wee hours of the morning: a miniscule budget, the intense vision of its filmmaker, a disregard for traditional narrative, a bizarre tone and a sense of general madness that can also be interpreted as genius. Eraserhead is a strange, strange (strange!) rumination on the fears of parenthood - the wails of the little helpless mutant baby child of Bride of Frankenstein-haired star Jack Nance are one of the most unsettling sounds ever put to tape. The first time I saw it, it scared all the lights on in my house; the second time, it was one of the greatest comedies Id ever seen.

See also: "Freaks," "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," "Pink Flamingos," "Reefer Madness"

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Note: clip contains language

'They Live': The ultimate cult film

These B-to-Z-grade flicks differentiate themselves from turkeys by actually being well-made, inventive or admirably off-the-rails. They can be violent, exploitationist and politically incorrect; they lurk in the margins, leaping out to surprise us. John Carpenter is the undisputed king of the genre. His 1980s work is impeccable, led by They Live, a brilliantly paranoid sci-fi sort-of-comedy starring pro wrestler Roddy Piper as a struggling blue-collar dude who stumbles upon a conspiracy of grotesque humanoid aliens controlling all aspects of Earthling civilization; the creatures true faces and subliminal propaganda are only visible with special sunglasses.

The movie is a subversive classic highlighted by the following: A brilliant critique of consumerism and mass media. A beyond-absurd six-minute two-man fight scene thats a hysterical spoof of the eras testosterone-driven action films. A wild kidney punch of a final shot. And the classic line: Im here to chew bubblegum and kick ass. And Im all out of bubblegum.

See also: "The Blob," "Evil Dead," "Slither," "Death Race 2000," "Mad Max"

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'Fitzcarraldo': the ultimate challenge

These films are acquired tastes. They test our sensibilities, our expectations of the art form, and possibly our patience. Watching them feels like a risk  but the rewards are great. No film pushes us out of our comfort zones like Werner Herzog's "Fitzcarraldo," the story of a fool's ambitious quest. Klaus Kinski plays a 19th-century opera aficionado and wannabe business baron who concocts a harebrained scheme to drag a steamship over a mountain in order to reach a remote South American forest, rich with rubber trees. To achieve this effect, Herzog  who surely saw more than a little bit of himself in his protagonist  dragged an actual steamship over an actual mountain. Watching the craft inch up, up, up a muddy embankment is hypnotic in effect.

During filming, Herzog famously endured great physical and metaphysical hardship, including death threats by the notoriously unhinged Kinski (mind you, the antagonism went both ways), potential trouble from unfriendly native tribes and the looming possibility of failure. But he went home with the film he dreamt about, and its one of the most remarkable things Ive ever seen.

See also: "Drive," "A Clockwork Orange," "Pan's Labyrinth," "Requiem for a Dream," "Mulholland Dr.", "Man Bites Dog"

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'The Room': the ultimate turkey

Terrible movies can also be great movies. Case in point, The Room, which has to be the worst film ever made, and therefore a thing to behold. Shots are frequently out of focus. Characters make shocking revelations, then never address them again. The sets are cheaper than a K Mart furniture display. Its sex scenes are nigh-interminable, scored by ninth-rate smoove R&B trax, and are often logistically implausible, as if thats how aliens from the screenwriters planet copulate. Attendees turn screenings into parties where yelling at the screen and throwing footballs and silverware are encouraged. Producer/director/writer/star Tommy Wiseau is a cult figure whose personality and motives are impenetrable  possibly not out of calculation, we cant really be sure. The Room is a wonderful film, for all the wrong reasons.

See also: "Gymkata," "Troll 2," "Battlefield Earth," "Plan 9 from Outer Space," "Howard the Duck"

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"Dunkirk" (Photo provided to MLive.com by Warner Bros.

More on movies

The best movies of 2017 (so far)

The worst movies of 2017 (so far)

All the 'Planet of the Apes' movies, ranked worst to best

All the Spider-Man movies, ranked worst to best

Daniel Day-Lewis' 5 greatest roles

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REVIEWS:

"Detroit"

"The Dark Tower"

"Atomic Blonde"

"The Emoji Movie"

"Dunkirk"

"Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets"

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"War for the Planet of the Apes"

"The Big Sick"

"Spider-Man: Homecoming"

"Transformers: The Last Knight"

"Okja"

"Baby Driver"

"47 Meters Down"

"Cars 3"

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Streaming recommendations:

20 new Netflix movie recommendations

20 must-see Netflix stand-up comedy specials

20 new movies on Netflix you need to see

25 of the best movies streaming on Netflix right now

25 more of the best movies on Netflix

25 terrible movies on Netflix you should delete from your list

25 of the best movies streaming on Amazon Prime

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Spilled milk

For fourty years, Maila Sahu had had more or less the same daily schedule. He woke up at six in the morning, went to the ghaat beside Shwet Barahi Temple to freshen up, said his prayers, went around the tole and came back home to start his day.
The state Department of Health is making changes

The Department of Health announced new proposed regulations that would make changes to the state's medical marijuana program to improve access.

New York's program has been criticized by the Marijuana Policy Project and patient advocates as being unnecessarily restrictive. Initial patient registration numbers were low compared to other state programs.

Proposed regulations will be published in the New York State Register on Aug. 23 and will be subject to a 30-day public comment period before they can be adopted.

Here are the proposed regulations for the medical marijuana program.

AP Photo/Jim Mone

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Expanding the variety of medical marijuana products

Under new regulations, registered organizations will be able to manufacture and distribute additional products. This includes topicals and certain non-smokable forms of ground plant material.

Topicals would include: lotions, ointments, patches, solid and semi-solid products like chewable and effervescent tablets and lozenges.

All products will be subject to rigorous testing. The department reserves the right to exclude inappropriate products or those that pose a threat to the public.

(Staten Island Advance/Tracey Porpora)

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Improving the dispensing facility experience

Prospective patients and practitioners will be able to enter a dispensing facility to speak directly with an RO representative. They can learn about products and get more information about the medical marijuana program.

These measures will allow people other than designated caregivers to accompany certified patients to the dispensing facility.

It was announced in August that a medical marijuana dispensary is coming to Staten Island. It is unclear when it will open or where it will be located.

AP Photo/Gosia Wozniacka

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Adding PTSD as a qualifying condition

In June, the Legislature passed a bill to add post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a qualifying condition.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo must still sign the bill in order for it become law.

AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo

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Refining the training program for practitioners

Proposed regulations will allow for shortened versions of the practitioner's course required to certify patients for medical marijuana. This will be in addition to the currently available four-hour courses.

The department will work with course providers to offer a two-hour course, similar to other medical education courses.

AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo

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Streamlining the manufacturing requirements

Another new regulation that is being proposed is streamlining the manufacturing requirements for medical marijuana products.

Provides the brands, forms and routes of administration of medical marijuana products authorized for manufacturing, as well as product labeling requirement. It provides that no synthetic marijuana additives shall be used in the production of any medical marijuana product.

AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo

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Organizations advertising

A proposed regulation included broadening the capability of registered organizations to advertise.

AP Photo/Ricardo Arduengo

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Amending security requirements

Security requirements will be amended for manufacturing and dispensing facilities and for the transportation of medical marijuana products.

AP Photo/John Locher

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Clarifying laboratory testing methods

New regulations includes clarifying laboratory testing methods. Testing methods detail the minimum laboratory testing requirements for medical marijuana products. Testing shall be performed by a DOH approved laboratory located within New York state.

AP Photo/Marina Riker
US Embassy extends support for heritage restoration

The US Embassy will extend financial support totalling $500,000 (Rs50 million) for the restoration of Kaiser Mahal Palace and Char Narayan Temple at Patan Durbar Square.
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Young, gifted and held back

For the first time in its history, Nepal is experiencing a huge demographic dividend. According to Nepals National Youth Policy,
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McKellar student Anna Dennis said she was unpaid wages for multiple training sessions at a previous job and, along with other staff, was subject to bullying at another workplace where staff were afraid to take meal breaks.

In one workplace, a coworker suffered an electric shock from a power point next to a sink spilling water, after another staff member had been shocked before.

McKellar student Anna Dennis said she was underpaid and bullied in the workplace. Credit:Rohan Thomson

The employers did not report the incident but tried to smooth things over with the young worker instead.

She's not alone. Workers as young as 15 have reported being underpaid, harassed and made to work in unsafe conditions in a scathing report into youth employment in Canberra.
Returning from suspension, the former skipper played his final game in the Apple Isle as Hawthorn recorded an 18.8 (116) to 14.5 (89) victory.

Retiring Hawthorn veteran Luke Hodge bid farewell to Tasmania in style in a 27-point AFL win over North Melbourne in Launceston on Sunday.

GOALS - Hawthorn : Breust 4, Roughead 3, Smith 2, Henderson 2, Burgoyne 2, Hartung, McEvoy, Howe, Gunston, Miles. North Melbourne : Brown 3, Preuss 2, Zurhaar 2, Garner 2, Mountford, Turner, McDonald, Atley, Higgins. BEST - Hawthorn : Mitchell, Hartung, Hodge, Smith, Breust, Roughead, Sicily. North Melbourne : Higgins, Swallow, Clarke, Dumont, Brown, Tarrant, Preuss. UMPIRES : Findlay, Hay, Glouftsis. CROWD : 14,509 at University of Tasmania Stadium.

Leader: Hawthorn's Luke Hodge is a quality captain with a footy IQ few can match. Credit:AAP

Luke Bruest booted a game-high four goals, captain Jarryd Roughead kicked three and a host of other Hawks scored doubles.

Hawthorn held the lead all afternoon with the margin blowing out to 51 points midway through the third quarter, but it wasn't all smooth sailing.

The Kangaroos started the final term with momentum off the back of five-straight goals, which reduced the margin to 19 points.

Devonport junior Ben Brown was a standout up front for the Kangaroos with three goals.
Key segments of Australian agriculture believe that Brexit creates an "unprecedented opportunity" to lift exports to Britain, and potentially generate significant new export earnings from products as diverse as beef, lamb, rice and wine.

Australian rice exports to Britain in a post-Brexit, free trade relationship  partly underpinned by the "sushi revolution"  could realistically increase "40 fold" on current levels, according to the Australian rice company SunRice.

Australia's red meat industry sees significant potential export opportunities in Britain after Brexit. Credit:Cody Whiteman

The red meat industry says European Union trade rules, including quotas and high tariffs, significantly constrain Australia's ability to meet strong demand in Britain for high-quality red meat, and hurt Australia's ability to compete equally with other suppliers.

But in a submission to a federal parliamentary committee examining Australia's trade and investment relationship with Britain, the red meat industry says that before Britain joined the EU, it "was one of Australia's largest export destinations for red meat".
A short walk from Melbourne's shining office towers is a narrow thoroughfare named Gladstone Street where five kindred businesses are squeezed into a single block.

From the outside they are brick and concrete slabs, with no-fuss signage and heavy roller doors. Take a look inside any one of them, though, and there's the thumping pulse of an industry at work. There is a shop that specialises in Holdens, another that repairs cars from the '80s. There's a garage that services motorcycles and another that does roadworthy inspections.

"Everyone has a little niche and everyone is kept busy," says Tony Sanchez, whose company specialises in auto electric repairs and European cars, but can work on just about anything.

"Anything from a Hyundai to a Jaguar, whatever comes through the door."
The federal government's Tax Avoidance Taskforce will be given additional intelligence to hunt down US-based multinationals after America formally agreed to share detailed information about companies with Australian authorities.

US authorities this month signed a country-by-country report exchange arrangement with Australia, which is aimed at giving tax authorities a more detailed picture of complex structures used by multinationals including their international related party dealings, revenues, profits, and taxes paid by jurisdiction.

Australia had signed up to the country-by-country reporting plan in January 2016, a measure designed by the OECD that has been described as a "game changer" in helping expose multinational tax avoiders, but the US took longer to come to the table.

Countries will start sharing data in 2018. But the reports, which are part of the OECD/G20 plan against tax avoidance known as Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), are only for tax authorities to share, and will not be made public.
Malcolm Turnbull is all at sea on same-sex marriage. Illustration: Matt Davidson It's not about what you want for yourself. It's about letting other people have proper recognition of their relationships. Tony Abbott's been wrapping his tongue around the word honour quite a bit lately. It's embarrassing. He seems to think it's a word that if used enough will bestow the quality of honour on the user. It doesn't work that way. 'Already fallen into the deplorables trap': Bill Shorten goads the Prime Minister in parliament about the same-sex marriage plebiscite. Credit:Lukas Coch If, after you lost the confidence of your colleagues and they chose a new leader, you promised not to snipe and undermine, that might be an indication of an intent to behave as an honourable person. It only becomes a reality if you live up to that promise.

Abbott has trashed that commitment. There's no honour in that. When as leader you ride roughshod over cabinet with captain's picks, when you indulge yourself by making announcements that leave your party with the choice of all-out war with you or letting you get away with it (again), there's no honour in that either. Putting yourself ahead of the team is not honourable. Former prime minister Tony Abbott in 2013 promised 1 million new jobs in five years. Credit:Andrew Meares It's just an opinion but it is my view that Abbott has done more than any other politician to trash the standing of politics and politicians. He's had a really good education and been given every opportunity by his party. We expected more. We got less. Remember, this is the guy who, as a politician, ran the argument "Don't trust the politicians" in the republic referendum debate. People on all sides were amazed at such a blatant undermining of the institution of parliament. When you undermine parliament, you undermine democracy. What kind of mind enters parliament and then trashes it for the sake of one debate? It's almost unbelievable to hear him speak as though he has some insight into why people are turned off politics at the moment. If he did have that insight, he wouldn't behave the way he does. If he had a quick look in the mirror he'd see what it is that aggravates people about politics today. He'd see someone who is behaving as though what's important is his importance.

The people don't get a look-in. His first priority is to advance his own position, to make life hard for Malcolm Turnbull. In Abbott's eyes, Turnbull took his job. The truth is the party room took his job because he wasn't doing it well. He'd see someone who is great on the bif-bif and short on sensible policy. He'd see someone who has real trouble finding common ground with others. He wants the whole ground to himself. Worse, he'd see someone who thinks he's better than all his colleagues. I've met some fairly self-centred people in my life but he truly takes the cake. Take as an example the story of him having apparently fathered a child in his younger days. This story was common knowledge amongst parliamentarians. In a perfectly honourable fashion, nobody raised it. Why should they? Your private life is your private life. That whole saga played out into the public domain because Abbott liked it there. I don't know if it was a calculated exercise to clear a skeleton out of the closet in preparation for future leadership tilts, or a genuine case of remorse for not having played a role in the life of a child he thought he'd fathered. What is relevant to me is that it was all so public. Bad luck for the mother and the thought-to-be son, they were dragged into the Abbott media vortex. For what? Well, it's always been about Tony. But back to gay marriage. I don't know what he fears. If you're comfortable in your own sexuality, you should be comfortable with others in theirs. As Tony's sister says  if you believe in mutual respect, vote yes. If you believe in equality, vote yes and if you believe in free speech, vote yes. He could learn a lot from her. About being true to yourself. About being for the greater good not your own good. And yes, about behaving honourably.
"I'd never kept chickens before. In fact, I'd barely kept a house plant before": Belinda Heath, with Boris the shy, neurotic turkey. Credit:Wolter Peeters 'Lone chook freak' Ms Heath keeps her flock of birds, including a "shy, neurotic" turkey named Boris, in her backyard chicken coop in Wentworth Falls due to the risk of predators. "Foxes are the greatest nemesis," she said. "It's the day you forget to lock them up is the day they come." Abraham the silver-laced Wyandotte rooster. Credit:Wolter Peeters

Spying a wedge-tailed eagle overhead, Ms Heath added: "Aerial attack is a problem too, at least up here." Ms Heath initially thought she was "a lone chook freak" before discovering a number of online groups, based in the Blue Mountains dedicated to poultry breeding. She later joined the Lithgow & District Poultry Club, part of an influx of mostly women who have quadrupled its membership in just a few years, while lowering its average age. Fellow club member Kara Cooper, a poultry breeder from Mount Victoria, became a chicken person as a child, caring for "horrible, sad-looking" battery hens that had no feathers and their beaks removed. She later developed a passion for exotic birds: "I always love the bearded chooks, you know, the fluffier, odd-looking chooks."

'Dying art' Ms Cooper said the club's new members had sought to bring poultry breeding into the digital age to attract more people. "It really is a dying art. When we joined, all of us ladies, there were four or five men in the shed." Ms Heath and Ms Cooper will be exhibiting birds at the Lithgow Poultry Club's annual show on Sunday. Judges look to a bird's demeanour and appearance, marking against the standard set for its breed, Ms Doust said. "It is basically one person's opinion of a fowl in the minute or so it is in their hand and in front of them in the pen.

"Things like presentation and pen training can help a bird but the bird must firstly conform to the standard for its breed and colour." The rewards of winning are not financial, she added. "No one ever became a millionaire breeding purebred show fowls." Ms Cooper said the bantam breeds she showed were low maintenance. "You don't have to prep too much," she said. "Just make sure their bums are clean, give them a good wipe down, make sure their toenails are nice and clean." Cruelty concerns

The RSPCA has expressed concern over the practice of dubbing, which is a traditional practice that can involve the removal of the comb, wattle and sometimes the earlobes of poultry. The minutes of the EPANSW's 2016 annual general meeting raised the prospect of "likely intervention" by the RSPCA. The association's president Bruce Raines noted in his 2016 report: "With ever increasing attention towards animal cruelty, the time has come for Game Clubs throughout Australia to adopt new breeding or show standards. Perhaps a class for dubbed and undubbed males." An RSPCA spokeswoman more recently said that any surgical procedure should only be carried out for the benefit of the animal, not its human handler. "The practice of dubbing, often carried out by lay operators without anaesthetic, is a cause of pain and distress," she said. "Blood circulating from the comb to the wattles helps the bird to regulate its body temperature during hot weather. Removing either wattle or comb clearly serves no benefit to the bird."
Forest regions of NSW, including areas around Sydney, are rapidly drying out, raising the risk of early and significant bushfire activity, new mapping techniques indicate.

Vegetation in some regions is approaching or exceeding critical moisture levels associated with all major blazes in the state since 2000, including the large fire that destroyed more than 200 homes around Winmalee in the lower Blue Mountains in October 2013.

"Unless something changes dramatically  we're looking at conditions similar to 2013," said Ross Bradstock, director of the Centre for Environmental Risk Management of Bushfires at the University of Wollongong.

"I'd be most worried about September," Professor Bradstock said. "That's when things can heat up  we can get days in the 30 degrees, in front of a cold front."
Sydneysiders are making the most of a warm winter, enjoying the outdoors at parks and beaches across the city.

Centennial Park hosted the fifth annual Science in the Swamp event, launching National Science Week, as children and dinosaurs alike enjoyed a warm August day in the park.

Children and dinosaurs alike enjoyed the warm weekend weather for "Science in the Swamp" at Centennial Park. Credit:Ryan Stuart

The sun was also shining on The Sun-Herald City2Surf with racers enjoying a warm and sunny day.

Sydney is set to experience more summer-like weather this week with temperatures set to reach the mid-20s across most of the city.
High Court challenges to the same-sex marriage postal survey have a 50-50 chance of success, according to Labor's legal affairs spokesman, Mark Dreyfus.

And Mr Dreyfus has suggested a 50 per cent turnout would be a good result for the non-compulsory vote, while urging Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to "put a bit of his shoulder to the wheel here" and campaign for a 'yes' vote.

The High Court will consider two similar challenges - one brought by independent MP Andrew Wilkie, the other by Australian Marriage Equality - to the validity of the postal vote on September 5 and 6.

The parties challenging the validity of the postal survey argue the Turnbull government does not have the authority to appropriate the $122 million in funds for the vote.
Labor is likely to back proposed laws that will set the ground rules for public debate about legalising same-sex marriage, but it is demanding acting Special Minister of State Mathias Cormann release the legislation as soon as possible.

Fairfax Media revealed last week Senator Cormann's offer to work with Labor, the Greens and the crossbench to pass a special law that would ensure the "yes" and "no" campaigns for same-sex marriage were subject to the usual electoral rules, such as protections against malicious publication and bribery.

The law is needed because the $122 million postal survey will be conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, rather than the Australian Electoral Commission, which is subject to the Electoral Act's prohibition on the use of misleading or deceptive material.

On Sunday, Labor's legal affairs spokesman Mark Dreyfus hinted at Labor's support for the special law, saying "our inclination is to make sure that this is a respectful debate".
Don't be fooled by the 14 women he's dating simultaneously on national television, The Bachelor's Matty Johnson swears he's just your average kind of guy.

The 30-year-old from Sydney, who goes by the moniker "Matty J", said he's "oblivious" to his newfound fame, despite being on one of the most watched, and gossiped about, shows in the country.

"I got my old job back at a marketing agency and I work nine to five Monday to Friday, so my life is kind of boring still," he told Fairfax Media.

"I love marketing though and I think it's good to have a job like that, it just keeps you grounded and allows life to feel that little bit normal."
It's a little like the Jamaican bobsledding team. This sextet of Siberian huskies live in Perth, so for most of the year they have to be content to practise and compete in sled dog racing on gravel or dirt.

But for two glorious weeks each winter, owners Markus and Ursula Israng drive them 3400 kilometres to compete on snow, at Victoria's ski resorts.

Markus Israng with his dogs at the Dinner Plain Sled Dog Challenge near Mount Hotham. Credit:KiABRana Photography

Mr Israng never tires of watching it.

"It's like seeing them in their natural habitat," he says. "They absolutely love it. They jump around in the snow, they are like little puppies. They dig and chase each other. It's really heartwarming."
A foster carer admitted pulling an eight-year-old boy's hair, tying his hands with a skipping rope, then strapping him to a pole while he was "squealing like a pig".

The woman, who cannot be identified, told a case worker what she did when the boy tried to climb onto a roof at a NSW foster home on March 26, 2015, but insisted she was scared for the child's safety.

"She was adamant that she did not hurt him at any time," the case worker's notes said.

"She said when incidents like this have happened before [and] he has become escalated, he usually walks outside near the gate until it gets either too dark or too cold and then he comes back inside."

Foster care provider Anglicare took four children out of the woman's home the next day, and later stripped her of her carer's authority.
Max Geoghegan loves the tigers at Dreamworld, but sadly they have never been more than a blur in the distance through his eyes. His family are trying to change that, by raising funds to fly across to the other side of the world and buy a special pair of glasses.

The seven-year-old Brisbane boy is one of only 1000 Australians affected by the rare genetic condition, albinism, and in his case it means he cannot see things at distance. Watching TV, for example, he needs to sit centimetres from the screen.

Max loves tigers, cats and also his dog.

One in 70 people carry the recessive gene for albinism but it takes both parents carrying the gene for it to manifest.

It means the body is unable to produce normal amounts of the pigment melanin. For some, that affects the eyes, skin and hair  known as oculocutaneous albinism. For others, like Max, it's just the eyes  ocular albinism.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is calling for Queensland Rail to apologise to every passenger left trapped on a train for almost three hours but stopped short of calling for heads to roll.

Dozens of people could do nothing but sit and wait, mostly in the dark, on Friday night as their train on the Ferny Grove line came to a standstill between stations.

Passengers were stranded on a train for almost three hours on Friday night after it became stuck on the Ferny Grove line. Credit:Glenn Hunt

Passengers vented their anger about their ordeal on social media and reported some on board had resorted to urinating in the carriage because of the wait.

Queensland Rail blamed the fault on a flying fox that had come into contact with the overhead lines.
State Opposition Leader Matthew Guy may ultimately survive the most bruising week of his political career and lead the Coalition to the next election, but his hopes of winning it appear dim based on the results of a Fairfax-ReachTel poll taken at the weekend.

In four marginal seats on the Frankston line the Liberals must win to take back power  Bentleigh, Mordialloc, Carrum and Frankston  the poll suggests Labor has extended its narrow winning margin from 2014.

Matthew Guy answers questions about his dinner with alleged Mafia boss Tony Madafferi. Credit:AAP

It will also make it more difficult for the opposition to deny the consequences of Guy's terrible lapse of judgment in dining with alleged Mafia boss Tony Madafferi, even if Guy insists he did not know Madefferi would be at the dinner. Madafferi has never been charged with a crime and denies any wrongdoing.

The Friday night poll suggests there is significant disquiet in the community about Guy's contact with an alleged Mafia figure, which raised questions about how organised crime might seek to buy political influence in Victoria, which has the weakest electoral donation disclosure regime in Australia.
The south-eastern seat of Bentleigh can be a quiet enclave but local couple Barbara Davey and Ross Rowley were vocal in condemning Opposition Leader Matthew Guy on Sunday.

The couple were scathing of Mr Guy following revelations he had dined with alleged Mafia figure Tony Madafferi.

Not happy: Bentleigh residents Ross Rowley and Barbara Davey said Opposition Leader Matthew Guy is 'a dill' for dining with an alleged crime figure at the Lobster Cave and it could cost him the next election. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Labor holds Bentleigh by a flimsy 0.8 per cent. It's one of four marginal seats in Melbourne's south-east that the party won from the Liberals in 2014.

A Fairfax-ReachTel survey conducted on Friday night found Labor would have held all four sandbelt seats if an election had been held at the weekend.
Labor would have held all four of the marginal sandbelt seats in Melbourne's south-east that it took from the Liberals in 2014 if an election had been held at the weekend, a poll has found.

The result suggests Liberal leader Matthew Guy's hopes of becoming premier next year have been hurt by news of his high-priced Lobster Cave dinner in April with an alleged organised crime figure.

About a third of people polled said the controversy would make them less likely to vote Liberal.

Among those who identified as Liberal supporters, between 17 and 21 per cent said they were now less likely to vote for Mr Guy.
A makeshift memorial of flowers and a photo of victim Heather Heyer sits in Charlottesville, Virgnia on Sunday. Credit:AP Charlottesville city officials said in a statement on Sunday that Ms Heyer "was struck down by a vehicle while exercising her peaceful first-amendment right to speech. This senseless act of violence rips a hole in our collective hearts." Ms Correa said she recently was swamped with medical bills after complications related to her multiple sclerosis, so she went to a Charlottesville law firm. When Ms Heyer, who was working as a paralegal there, walked out to meet her she was ecstatic to see the friend she had known growing up in Greene County, Virginia. Ms Heyer jumped in and guided Ms Correa, who was uninsured and is a mother of six, through the daunting financial process. On Saturday, Heather Heyer was killed standing up for her country, according to a childhood friend. Credit:Facebook Ms Heyer was a "young white woman who died standing up not just for people of colour in general but, also the people of colour that I love, that I worry about," said Ms Correa, who is biracial.

"She died for a reason. I don't see any difference in her or a soldier who died in war. She, in a sense, died for her country. She was there standing up for what was right. "I just want to make sure that it wasn't in vain." US President Donald Trump was under fire on Sunday for what critics said was his weak response to the protests. Mr Trump refused to single out the white nationalist movement at the centre of the protests, instead criticising violence "on may sides."

The picture emerging of Ms Heyer contrasted to that of the man allegedly responsible for her death. The accused driver, James Alex Fields jnr, was reportedly well known for his Nazi sympathies, according to Derek Weimer, who taught Fields history at Randall K. Cooper High School in Kentucky. "It was obvious that he had this fascination with Nazism and a big idolatry of Adolf Hitler," Mr Weimer said. "He had white supremacist views. He really believed in that stuff." "When you're a teacher and you see one of your former students do this, it's a nightmare scenario. "This was something that was growing in him. I admit I failed. I tried my best. But this is definitely a teachable moment and something we need to be vigilant about because this stuff is tearing up our country."

Video recorded at the scene of the crash shows the 2010 Dodge Challenger accelerating into crowds on a pedestrian mall, sending bodies flying  and then reversing at high speed, hitting more people. Witnesses said the street was filled with people opposed to the white nationalists, who had come to town bearing Confederate flags and anti-Semitic epithets. Brian Moran, Virginia secretary of public safety, described the incident as a terrorist attack. The FBI field office in Richmond and the US Attorney's Office in the Western District of Virginia said late on Saturday that they had opened a civil rights investigation into the deadly crash. "The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice," US Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement.

"When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated." Records show Fields last lived in Maumee, Ohio, south-west of Toledo. His father was killed by a drunk driver a few months before the boy's birth, according to an uncle who spoke on the condition of anonymity. His father left him money that the uncle kept in a trust until Fields reached adulthood. "When he turned 18, he demanded his money, and that was the last I had any contact with him," the uncle said. Fields, he said, grew up mostly in Northern Kentucky, where he'd been raised by a single mother who was a paraplegic.

Richard Spencer, a leader in the white supremacist movement who coined the term "alt-right," said he didn't know Fields but had been told he was a member of Vanguard America, which bills itself as the "Face of American Fascism." In a statement tweeted on Saturday night, the group denied any connection to Fields. In several images that circulated online, he was photographed with the group while wearing its unofficial uniform. Like members, he was dressed in a white polo, baggy khakis and sunglasses, while holding a black shield that features a common Vanguard symbol. "The shields seen do not denote membership, nor does the white shirt," the group said in its statement. "The shields were freely handed out to anyone in attendance." Vanguard members did not respond to requests for comment on Sunday.

Also on Saturday, two state police officers died when their helicopter crashed on the outskirts of town. Berke M.M. Bates, 40, of Quinton, Virginia, was the pilot, and H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, Virginia, was a passenger, according to officials. On Sunday morning, one day after Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency, he and Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam attended a service at Mount Zion First African Baptist Church. The Governor brought the predominantly African American congregation to its feet as he stood at the pulpit and condemned "the white supremacists and neo-Nazis who came to our state yesterday." "You pretend you're patriots. You are not patriots. You are dividers," he said, then later, his voice roaring: "Shame on you!" At the church service, Gov. McAuliffe said he was close to both of the officers who had died.

Their deaths, he said, had enraged him, but he'd tried to move beyond that emotion and asked the congregation to do the same. "Let us use today to reach out to our fellow citizens, put your hand out to help them," he said. "Let us show these people that we are bigger than them, we are stronger than them." Saturday's 'Unite the Right' rally was meant to be a protest against the planned removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. The city of Charlottesville voted to remove the statue earlier this year, but it remains in Emancipation Park, formerly known as Lee Park, pending a judge's ruling expected later this month. Naundi Cook, 23, who is black, said that she came to Saturday's counter-protests to "support my people" but that she had never seen something like this before. When violence broke out, she started shaking and got goose bumps.
The Trump administration announced on Saturday that it is planning to launch an investigation into Chinese intellectual-property violations that could result in severe trade penalties, an escalation that presents both opportunities and risks at a time when the United States needs China's help to contain the North Korean nuclear threat.

The President plans to sign an executive memorandum on Monday, directing his top trade negotiator to determine whether to investigate China for harming intellectual property, innovation and technology, senior administration officials said.

The measure would seek to address what the US business community has described as flagrant trade violations by China, which employs a variety of rules and practices to wall its market off from foreign competition and pressure US companies to part with valuable product designs and trade secrets - or to steal them outright.

The investigation, which one US official said could take as long as a year, may prove to be a source of leverage to push China to do more to help contain a rising security threat from North Korea, which counts Beijing as its only powerful ally.
Donald Trump condemned hatred, bigotry and violence "on many sides" after clashes at a white nationalists' rally in Virginia capped off by incidents that left three people dead including a pedestrian and two in a helicopter crash. Trump was swiftly criticised for being too tame.

The President spoke after two days of violent protests in Charlottesville, home to the University of Virginia, triggered by a "Unite the Right" rally organised to protest the removal of statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.

The pedestrian, named as 32-year-old Heather Heyer, died after a car struck counter-protesters. The Federal Bureau of Investigation opened a civil-rights probe into the incident.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry, violence - on many sides," Trump said in Bedminster, New Jersey, in brief remarks before signing legislation extending a program allowing veterans to receive private health care.
Islamabad: A suicide bomber riding a motorcycle rammed into a military truck near a busy bus station in south-western Pakistan, killing at least 15 people, including eight soldiers, and wounding at least 40 others, military officials said on Sunday.

The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack on Saturday in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province in the southwest. A military spokesman said the attack had been aimed at sabotaging Independence Day celebrations, as Pakistan will mark its 70th anniversary on Monday.

Pakistani volunteers help an injured person awaiting an ambulance to take them to a hospital in Quetta, Pakistan, on Saturday. Credit:AP

Active-duty troops in the Pakistani army have rarely come under attack in Quetta, although paramilitary forces and police officers have repeatedly faced assaults by militants in the city.

The explosion, which was heard far away and set off a fire that engulfed vehicles nearby, left several people critically injured. The wounded were taken to Civil Hospital and Combined Military Hospital.
Auckland: The New Zealand Prime Minister has promised to create a bootcamp for youth offenders at the country's main army camp, training alongside regular soldiers.

Making the announcement in Auckland, Bill English said the ruling National Party would crack down on the most serious young offenders and hold "negligent parents" to account.

NZ leader Bill English has promised to crack down on young offenders. Credit:Louise Kennerley

"It's become clear that there is a small group of around 150 very serious young offenders for whom our youth justice system in its current form just doesn't work," Mr English said.

"These are 14- to 17-year-olds who've committed very serious offences with sentences up to 14 years - that is serious assault, sexual assaults, aggravated robbery and murder.
Copenhagen: Did a Danish submarine inventor kill his only passenger, a Swedish journalist who had accompanied him onboard for a story?

The question is making headlines in Denmark and Sweden.

Peter Madsen with his submarine, the UC3 Nautilus, in 2008. Credit:AP

The inventor, Peter Madsen, an amateur space rocket and submarine builder known as "Rocket Madsen", was arrested and jailed on charges of involuntary manslaughter, according to the local media, even though the journalist, Kim Wall, 30, remains missing.

On Saturday, Madsen, 46, appeared before a judge, but the prosecution did not say how, where or why Wall was killed. The defendant denied any wrongdoing.
Some call it the Witch's Hat. Other northern Californians have taken to calling the rocky outcrop Shark Tooth, for its jagged point jutting out the water, as if loosened from a giant great white and upturned in the surf.

But whatever the locals have called the formation for a century, it has been a prominent backdrop for generations of families visiting Martins Beach, who used the idyllic waters to surf, fish and learn values of conservation in a getaway near bustling Half Moon Bay.

Then, in 2008, billionaire and a co-founder of Sun Microsystems Vinod Khosla, enriched by investments in Silicon Valley venture capital, paid $US32.5 million for land next to the coast, including the only road to Martins Beach, cutting off access to the beach with a closed gate.

Private security guards roamed the public beach south of San Francisco, tossing out surfers and swimmers found there.
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.
Everything you need to know about No. 20 Notre Dame's game vs. Navy Saturday in Baltimore
The following headline and articles appeared in the Stamford Advocate decades ago on Aug. 14:

10 years ago....

Off-duty officer hurt

in chase

An off-duty police officer walking on Atlantic Street near the Palace Theatre suffered a concussion Saturday night when he struck his head on a sidewalk while tackling a fleeing suspect.

The suspect is believed to have instigated a fight at Bradford's Grill & Tavern at 83 Bedford St., police said.

The officer, Hugh Mullin, a 22-year veteran, also cut his face as he struggled to restrain the suspect. He was taken to Stamford Hospital, where he was treated and released, police said.

20 years ago

Downtown project concerns neighbors

A major development expected to increase activity in Stamfords downtown drew criticism last night from nearby property owners who were concerned the plans did not include enough parking.

The Park Square West project, which would include a 24-hour green grocer, two apartment complexes and 75,000 square feet of retail stores, was the subject of a public meeting of the Urban Redevelopment Commission at the Stamford Government Center.

30 years ago

Stamford task force battles AIDS myths

For almost two years, the Stamford AIDS Task Force, a volunteer committee of about 30 health care workers, corporate executives, lawyers and clergymen that advises the Red Cross, has responded to community concern about the deadly disease.

The group has produced brochures that were distributed to schools and advised educators on how to respond to questions about AIDS.

But as concerns about the disease have grown daily, task force members say they need to hire a paid, full-time administrator.
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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ALLIANCE  Brand inspectors with the Nebraska Brand Committee are adapting to the times with a new digital system to help them keep better track of their records in the field.

The changes come as part of a 2016 state audit, which found several discrepancies with how the committee kept its records. The committee hopes to soon have the system fully fielded and in use by the end of the calendar year.

At the committees Aug. 9 meeting, Brent Hoffman of Lincoln-based Nebraska Interactive, along with Danna Schwenk, special projects consultant for the committee, briefed the committees five-member board on the status of the project, which is currently being beta-tested by a 12-person team, consisting of investigators and inspectors from across the state, from new-joins to seasoned veterans.

Weve got a great cross section, Schwenk said. Were seeing how every type of user is interacting with the software, and the challenges theyre having.

Schwenk said the system consists of two distinct parts. The admin side is connected to the committees office where a clerk enters brands and producer records into the computer database, which is then hosted live in the cloud.

The mobile side is an iPad program used by inspectors that can be used offline to do all of their local and sale inspections. Mobile printers allow them to print copies of the paperwork while in the field, and once the inspectors are back in range of WiFi internet or cellular service, their iPads can update and sync their records back to the database program automatically.

We actually went live with this program in June, Schwenk said. We are using the Nebraska interactive program, so everything Mista (White, brand recorder in the Alliance office), is doing  from brand renewals, new brands, new leases  is being done in this program.

Schwenk said that the roll-out of the program went so well, after the first week a project manager in Lincoln contacted her asking if they were even using the program because she hadnt heard any feedback about glitches.

Thats how good we had done with the first release, they never heard back with any problems, Schwenk said. The beauty with the dynamics with their team and ours is that we have that communication there to fix any of the small things.

On the production side, Schwenk said they will move the entire Nebraska brand book  which contains some 33,000 individual brands  into a searchable, brand-abetical database online. However, thats going to be a massive undertaking that would take well over two years with the current brand recorder working on it by herself.

Not Possible, Schwenk said. Weve since come up with a strategy to utilize inspectors, and some of the investigators if they have time, to help configure these brands.

The committee is trying to find individuals who have specialized skills to get the information entered into the new system.

This is not a job we can hire a temp for, Schwenk said. The complicated nature of what a brand is, and how to read a brand, and how to decipher a brand in some places, is not something a temp can do.

The formula for funding still needs to be worked out, since inspectors are paid per inspection.

Schwenks said that the mobile apps and iPads have been assigned to the training teams to conduct field inspections, and feedback from inspectors has been mostly positive.

It went a lot better than I anticipated, Area III investigator Dave Horton said. It took a bit to catch up, but its really exciting to see how it works.

The buy-in is really better than what we had imagined. Its kind of like a kid with a new toy, and Ive got high hopes for it.

Schwenk said it will give the committee the transparency they were looking for in the post-audit environment, and its being rolled out in several pieces starting with field inspections, then moving on to the salebarn inspection component.

Were approaching this as small bites of a big elephant, Schwenk said. We dont want to shove this down everybodys throats all at once. Well introduce the easy parts first.

In a few week, the beta team inspectors hope to go live with their iPad inspection component to work out the bugs, before rolling out to all of the inspectors.

However, one thing Schwenk identified during the beta test was the need to set up a Nebraska State Government email account for every inspector. At a cost of $24 per account per month for 44 inspectors, its a sizeable cost that the Brand Committee has no control over.

The state negotiated that contract with Microsoft Corporation, Schwenk said. We didnt know until we started this that we were one of the last agencies to come into compliance on that.

Schwenk and Hoffman said the program is secure and protects customer data.

Government is our only customer, Hoffman said. Were gonna be there for you for your needs. As you see this program grow, were always gonna be with you to deliver a great project.

Under their current contract, Nebraska Interactive collects a royalty of 6 cents per head of cattle inspected.
The 2017 Scotts Bluff County Fair Junior Livestock sale was completed on Saturday, Aug. 5, with a total of $320,708 spent on 211 animals. More than 200 buyer numbers were issued to businesses and individuals from the community.

There were 44 beef animals sold for a total of $166,252, for an average of $3,778 per head. The Grand Champion steer was sold by Carson Wilmot to Otte Feeds, Sheridan County Livestock, Eagle Chevrolet, Kemp Cattle Company, Security First Bank and Sterling Livestock for $6 per pound. The Reserve Champion beef was sold by Carson Wilmot to Transwest for $3.25 per pound.

The large group in the sale was the hogs with 85 head sold for $84,235, with an average of $991 per head. The Grand Champion hog was sold by Parker Yost to Platte Valley Bank for $4 per pound and the Reserve Champion, shown by Jayden Allen, was sold to Murdochs for $3.50 per pound.

The 40 lambs in this years sale sold for $40,704 for an average of $1,018 per head. The Grand Champion lamb was shown by Sydnee Strain and sold to Steves Truck and Equipment $17 per pound. The Reserve Champion lamb was sold by Kate Pieper to Wolf Auto Center for $15 per pound.

The goats were broke into two groups with a distinction between meat goats and the market dairy goats. The 20 meat goats sold for an average of $761 and a total of $15,218. The Grand Champion meat goat was sold by Jayden Allen to Gene and Ann Welsh for $17 per pound. The Reserve Champion meat goat, owned by Aspen Jagers, went to the Business Farmer for $10 per pound. The seven dairy goats sold for $4,061 for an average of $580 per head. The Grand Champion market dairy goat was shown by Demi Santero and sold for $8 per pound to Western States Bank.

There were six rabbit lots sold this year for $2,525, an average of $421. Patricia Woolsey sold the Grand Champion rabbit to Lessert Insurance for $550. The Reserve Champion rabbit was sold by Stephanie Woolsey to Animal Health International for $450.

The poultry show brought nine animals to the sale with an average price paid of $461. Total poultry sales were $4,150. Jonah Splichal sold the Grand Champion poultry entry for $800 to Deines Irrigation. The Reserve Champion poultry entry was sold by Tucker Hodsden to Great Western Bank for $500.

The sale had 21 fewer animals than 2016, leading to a reduction in overall proceeds from $347,109 to $320,708. However, the average price per animal remained strong at $1,520 per head, up from $1,496 per head in 2016.
The meeting will begin at 12 p.m. and adjourn at 5 p.m. It will include reports from NWB board members, contractor reports, election of officers, and a list of upcoming events and travel. The board will also reexamine the FY 2017-2018 budget set at the previous meeting. The public is welcome to attend any open portion of the meeting. Interested individuals may contact the NWB office for a copy of the agenda or for more information.
SCOTTSBLUFF  The Nebraska Panhandle Area Health Education Center has worked hard to keep health professionals in rural areas through the Rural Health Opportunities Program since its start in 1989. But this year, it had a little extra help.

This year, RHOP received grants from the state of Nebraska with the intention of connecting young medical students to each other and to build a stable foundation for their futures of working together.

Wendy Wells, the education coordinator for NP-AHEC, explained the new opportunity the RHOP students have this year.

The Nebraska Panhandle Area Health Education Center had the opportunity to get some grant funding from our state, Wells said. And they wanted us to pilot a retreat for pre-health professionals out here.

The retreat was held over the weekend at the YMCA Trails West Camp in Scottsbluff.

Kristal Kuhnel, Chadron State College director of health professionals, shed a little light on the purpose of RHOP and the first pre-professional health retreat in the area.

The students apply, they interview and then the successful candidates are accepted into the Rural Health Opportunities Program, which is a cooperative agreement between Chadron State College and UNMC, Kuhnel said.

The RHOP students receive payment for tuition at CSC as well as gain pre-acceptance into the University of Nebraska Medical Center with the promise that they will return and practice in rural Nebraska.

The big prize is pre-acceptance, like med school, she said. Theyre competing against the planet for a spot and these guys are in as seniors in high school.

Along with the promise to practice in rural Nebraska, the RHOP students must maintain a high GPA, be a Nebraska resident and follow several other requirements to keep their slot at UNMC.

They have a tremendous amount of responsibility on them to be in the program and stay in the program, Kuhnel said. So its a big deal.

Aside from a time commitment, there is no cost for the students to join RHOP.

Wells said, Its something they can put in their journal and on their resume, which helps them as they apply to professional schools.

Wells shared her hopes for the outcome of the retreat.

Its really for the students to start getting a network of support, she said. So as they go through school and decide to be a health professional, they do decide to stay in the rural area, that they go into the health care field understanding that its really as a team.

One of the RHOP students, Cale Sudbeck, of Wynot, Nebraska, spoke of how he heard about the program and retreat.

Kristal came and talked to me during my freshman orientation, Sudbeck said.

Sudbeck, an incoming freshman at CSC, plans to return to his hometown after earning his degree. He also shared his expectations for the retreat.

When Kristal talked about it she made it sound like I could gain a lot of experience and knowledge about what its like to be a professional in the health care industry, Sudbeck said.

Sudbeck and the other 12 RHOP students will soon join the growing number of RHOP graduates.

Were coming up on like 350 people returning to practice, Kuhnel said. And thats just Chadron State, now Wayne and Peru also have RHOP.

Kuhnel said she is proud she of the young health professionals who are choosing to practice in rural areas.

Theyre just a delight to work with, she said. Theyre organized, they show up when you ask them to and they are huge leaders on campus.

Kuhnel hopes RHOP will catch on in other states and be just as effective as its been in Nebraska.

Other states are coming and studying how were doing this because theyre struggling with the problem that weve kind of figured out, Kuhnel said.

Both Kuhnel and Wells expressed passion for RHOP and the students and they expect to continue with more pre-professional health retreats in the Nebraska Panhandle.
LINCOLN  A federal appeals court has upheld a state law restricting picketing at funerals, ruling that mourners have a right to grieve privately in a respectful environment ... free from unwanted public exploitation.

The law was enacted in response to the picketing of military funerals by the controversial Westboro Baptist Church.

The law bans protests within 500 feet of a funeral service from one hour before the rites begin to two hours afterward.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday that it wasnt unreasonable to limit the time and location of picketing because of vulnerable physical and emotional conditions of funeral mourners.

The decision was cheered by Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson, whose office handled the appeal.

This law strikes the appropriate balance between First Amendment free speech rights and the rights of grieving families to bury their loved ones in peace, Peterson said in a press release.

Fridays ruling upheld the March 2016 decision of U.S. District Judge Laurie Smith Camp, who decided in favor of the Nebraska Funeral Picketing Law.

The law was passed in 2006 and then amended in 2011. It was a response to outrage over picketing conducted by Westboro at military funerals. Pickets held signs with slogans such as Thank God for Dead Soldiers and Soldiers Die 4 Fag Marriage.

Members of the Topeka, Kansas, church condemn homosexuality and say the deaths of U.S. soldiers are the result of Gods wrath over Americas tolerance of homosexuality.

Fridays ruling stated that members of Westboro Church have a First Amendment right to speak, but that right is not absolute and that some restrictions in time, place, and/or manner are allowed.

The Nebraska law, the court ruled, allows other options for the church to communicate its message.

Church members have vowed to appeal the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Following Smith Camps ruling last year, Margie Phelps, a church member and the attorney who filed the churchs lawsuit, said an appeal was needed so that the high court can put some restraints on out-of-control legislators who think they can silence words they swore to protect.

The church, in its lawsuit, argued that the Omaha police force had selectively enforced the picketing law against them and not against a military veterans motorcycle group that provided a funeral escort.

The Patriot Guard Riders, however, were not engaged in protest activities, and had been invited to the funeral, Fridays ruling said.

The lawsuit stemmed from protests at services in October 2011 for a highly decorated Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan by an improvised explosive device.
It was 2008 when TransCanada announced the Keystone XL pipeline was coming through Nebraska. Shortly thereafter, I was sitting in the conference room of the York News-Times in York, Nebraska, where I worked, interviewing some TransCanada representatives. I asked a simple question, inquiring why they insisted on putting the KXL on a straight line from Alberta, Canada, to Steele City, Nebraska, instead of following their Keystone I pipeline route. Without hesitation, they answered that it would turn a $7 billion project into a $9 billion project.

Their statement revealed back then the entirety of this ill-conceived project. This was about money, plain and simple. TransCanada had an idea if they could build a pipeline to the Gulf Coast, tar-sand oil producers would ship their tar-sands to the gulf refineries where it could be refined and exported onto the world market. They had a lot of hurdles to jump, none larger than Nebraska.

TransCanada was trying to sell their idea by deceptively claiming unbelievable job numbers, and how good this would be for our state amidst the outbreaks of major oil spills across the nation. They said we had nothing to worry about because this was to be the safest pipeline in the world. Meanwhile, we were listening to oil executives across the land come clean as they sent out regretful corporate statements such as:

 After the 850,000-gallon spill in Tioga, North Dakota: Protection and care of the environment are fundamental to our core values, and we deeply regret any impact to the landowner, said Tesoro Logistics Chairman and CEO Greg Goff.

 Or the Enbridge statement after the million-gallon spill in Kalamazoo, Michigan: We regret any inconvenience this has caused to the community. (Over a hundred houses had to be abandoned and the river was closed for public use for years.)

 Or the Exxon Mobile statement after the Yellowstone River pipeline spill, Obviously we are very, very, regretful that this has happened.

 And of course, the Mayflower, Arkansas, spill when Exxon Mobile said, We regret that this incident has occurred and apologize for any disruption and inconvenience that it has caused. (Shortly thereafter, they began tearing down homes deemed uninhabitable.)

Despite heavy lobbying on TransCanadas part and helping conceive and pass a Nebraska law later deemed unconstitutional giving pipeline approval to the governor instead of the PSC, the fate of the Nebraska route was returned to the PSC and today, after nearly a full week of testimony, we all wait for their November 2017 ruling.

I was asked if the hearings were fair. I responded yes, and no. They were fair under the absurd guidelines in place, which forbid any discussion of the safety, risk or oil spill consequences. They could talk about beetles and whooping cranes, but they couldnt talk about the specifics in landowner easements or the tactics used by TransCanada to acquire those same easements. So in reality, it was not fair considering this pipeline, by TransCanadas own application, will be placed four feet in the ground where in some cases the groundwater is only four feet below the surface.

TransCanada was on the defensive during the hearing, unable to answer many of the questions posed by lawyers representing the landowners. Finally, it was the landowners who took the stand. You should have seen it. The courage and independence of these stewards of the land were on display. They represented the true grit and pioneering spirit of Nebraskans beyond explanation, representing not only themselves and their land, but for property rights and our natural resources that enable us to exist on land that was once labeled as the Great American Desert, and as the 1800s geographer Edwin James said, Uninhabitable by those dependent on agriculture for their subsistence.

So now we wait. We wait to see if the PSC will say it is in the public interest to allow foreign corporations to use eminent domain law to take control of private land just to make money for their stockholders. We wait to see if transporting Canadian tar-sands to the Gulf Mexico for exportation is in the public interest of Nebraskans.

Folks, clearly this pipeline is not in our public interest. Will it create jobs? Yes, several thousand temporary construction jobs, but after this pipe is underground, only 15 new jobs will be in Nebraska. Will it create new tax revenue? Yes, but only in the counties along the route and then not for long as the pipeline depreciates after 15 years. Will it pour millions of gallons of gasoline into our cars, trucks and farm machinery? No, it will not. This DilBit will be carried by a pipeline through American, not to America.

Randy Thompson, a Nebraska rancher, who became the face of the pipeline opposition, said years ago that this injustice of a project is All Risk, No Reward for Nebraskans. He was spot on then and it is clear his words echo the reality exposed in last weeks hearings.

This project is and always has been all about money, and we should all be grateful to the handful of courageous landowners who valiantly took the stand, expressing Nebraska is not for sale to the highest bidder and the rights of Nebraska citizens are more powerful than foreign corporations. We wait now. We wait to see if the Nebraska Public Service Commission will hear the voice of the people.

If you had to decide if the Keystone XL pipeline is in public interest for Nebraskans, what would your decision be? Let me know at greg.awtry@starherald.com.
O.C. Stonestreet is a columnist for the R&L. He is the author of "Tales from Old Iredell County," "They Called Iredell County Home" and "Once Upon a Time ... in Mooresville, NC."
A white University of Kentucky student accused of physically assaulting a Black student worker while repeatedly using racial slurs says she will withdraw from the school. The decision announced Tuesday by a lawyer for 22-year-old Sophia Rosing came after hundreds of students rallied on campus the night before. News outlets report the students called for unity and for the university to quickly address the situation. Officials say Rosing has been charged with assault, public intoxication and disorderly conduct. She pleaded not guilty during an arraignment Monday afternoon. The altercation at Boyd Hall was captured on video and posted to multiple social media platforms.
Carrie Bullock is desperate for the Iredell County Sheriffs Office to investigate the death of her son, Tray Bare. She believes law enforcement missed evidence in the case, so she planned a protest at Sheriff Darren Campbells office to pressure him to get involved.
Ted Benna, a veteran retirement benefits consultant based in Pennsylvania, invented the 401(k) plan more than 35 years ago. Now, he has written a road map to cheaper, less complex retirement-savings plans for small businesses and employers.

The 401(k) has become ubiquitous as a tax-efficient method of retirement planning for American corporate employees. Since 1980, when Bennas invention debuted, other savings vehicles have become popular, too, including IRAs (individual retirement accounts) and 529 plans (college savings accounts).

And yet, the 401(k) prevails. Incoming Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Walter J. Clayton last month referred to typical investors as Mr. and Ms. 401(k), a nod to the fact that the bulk of Americans sock away savings in corporate 401(k) investment plans, as opposed to having traditional pension plans accumulate retirement savings for them.

What does Benna propose? First of all, cheaper 401(k) plans for small businesses.

Many small employers havent established 401(k)s because they are too expensive, complex and have too much liability exposure, he said. Close to half the U.S. private workforce doesnt have access to employer-sponsored retirement plans.

The new iteration, the Benna 401(k), is an answer to these problems, he said. Earlier this month, he released a guidebook explaining how small-business owners can set up their own Benna 401(k)s while avoiding substantial fees. These days, Benna runs a retirement-consulting firm; the guidebook is available for $18.99 at his website, 401kbenna.com.

It typically costs $1,000 to $1,500 to set up a 401(k) and $1,000 to $3,000 in annual administrative fees for smaller employers, Benna estimated. Employees covered by small-business retirement plans typically pay between 1.5 percent and 2.75 percent annually in fees  many of which are hidden and hard to understand.

The new Benna 401(k) plans do not have any setup or administrative fees, and your employees will have access to a wide range of investment opportunities for only 0.25 percent or less, a small fraction of typical 401(k) plan packages, he added.

Benna has drawn up three new retirement-savings models that he contends offer the same benefits as a traditional 401(k). One is best suited for married employees with less than $100,000 of adjusted gross income and single employees with less than $62,000 of adjusted gross income. Another avoids the payroll taxes applicable to employer contributions. The third model allows employees to sock away pretax contributions of up to $12,500 under age 50 and $15,500 over age 50, compared with only $5,500 and $6,500 for some other models.

Whats his goal? Attract more Mr. and Mrs. Small Business into retirement plans for their employees.

The 401(k) has helped more than 50 million employees save for retirement and to accumulate more than $15 trillion in retirement savings, he estimated. The matching employer was a big factor. I knew tax savings alone wasnt a big enough deal to get broad employee participation.

My primary goal is to show there are attractive alternatives available to the smallest of employers that dont cost a lot to set up and maintain.

401(k)s for the self-employed

Don Riley, chief investment officer at Wiley Group outside Philadelphia, likes solo 401(k)s for many of his investors.

A lot of my clients leave corporate America and then consult. This plan lets them defer more than others, he said. Others have side jobs, like teaching, that generate 1099 income, and these also work well here.

The plan was designed specifically for sole proprietors with no full-time employees (other than a spouse), such as freelancers or small-business owners. Solo 401(k)s stack up well against options such as SEP IRAs (self-employed plans), Riley said. Take, for example, a self-employed person over 50 making $100,000 in annual income. That person could save the following each year: $49,000 in a solo 401(k), $25,000 in a SEP IRA, $18,500 in a simple IRA, and $6,500 in a Roth IRA.

Some advantages of the solo 401(k), according to Riley:

 Easy setup: These plans act like traditional 401(k)s. Because of their similarities, many people assume that setup is difficult and expensive, as it can be with a company setting up and managing a 401(k) for its employees. Solo plans, however, can be created for free at a major custodian, such as a bank or investment broker. There are no filing requirements until the plan has more than $250,000 invested.

 Contribution limits: You can put money into a solo 401(k) as an employer and employee, if you are acting in both capacities. Annual contribution limits are $18,000, or $24,000 for those 50 years and older. On the employer side, the maximum tax-deductible contribution can be up to 25 percent of your compensation. The contribution limit annually totals $54,000 for individuals under age 50. Check out https://www.irs.gov/retirement-plans/one-participant-401k-plans for specific details on contribution amounts.
In recent years, some financial services companies have been adding investment products that place bets on women-led firms, investing in companies that have either female chief executives or diverse boards of directors. New research from Scandinavias largest bank shows why the wager might be a good one.

Companies with a woman in the CEO or chairman role have performed far better than a major global index over the past eight years, according to an analysis by the bank Nordea of nearly 11,000 companies globally. The results, first reported by Bloomberg, found that on average, companies with a woman in either of those two top jobs at the end of the calendar year more than doubled the performance of the MSCI World Index in the following year. The annualized return for female-led firms, based on an equal weighting, was 25 percent since 2009, compared with just 11 percent for the broader market.

Its not one year thats doing the work, said Robert Naess, a portfolio manager at Nordea based in Bergen, Norway, who did the analysis. Over the eight years he studied, he said in an interview, there was only one year where they lagged the market.

Naess study adds to a growing body of research aimed at examining whether gender diversity has an effect on corporate performance. Some studies show a link: Credit Suisse, for example, has found that having a woman on the board was associated with better performance, and that having more female top managers was associated with higher returns on equity, valuations and payout of dividends, as well as better stock performance. Other studies, meanwhile, have shown less clear links, with one study showing the stock price of Norwegian companies dropped after adding female directors to meet a mandate that 40 percent of the countrys corporate boards be female  the drop was attributed in part to less experienced directors.

Naess analysis examined publicly traded companies from developed and emerging markets that had at least $2 million in stock trading each year from both developed and emerging markets. He looked at nearly 400 companies over the period in which women held one of the two roles, examining how the performance of the company fared in the following year if a woman was CEO at the end of the year prior.

As the co-portfolio manager for a $40 billion fund that invests in quality companies with more stable earnings and less volatile stocks, Naess suggested a few possible explanations for the findings. One is that for whatever reason, women may tend to lead more of these less volatile companies.

According to his numbers, about 4 percent of the companies had a female leader in the broader market, compared with 9 percent of companies on an index that tracks these more stable firms.

Another possibility, he said, is that analysts tended to have slightly lower earnings growth expectations for the companies in his data set with a woman at the helm  at an average of 7.4 percent, versus 9.7 percent for the broader market.

Again, while the reason for that is unclear, analysts overshoot expectations frequently, he said. Because the actual average earnings growth is only about 5 percent a year, the womens performance could be seen as less disappointing, which could lead to stronger stock performance.

In a follow-up email, Naess said the explanation could also simply be that the women were better managers. The simple interpretation of my calculations is to buy the companies with a female CEO/chair, he wrote. If you invested consistently in only companies with a female CEO/chair, then you would have done better than the market.
This is not St. Louis, I said.

It was August 2014, and I was driving to work. For a few days, images of militarized lines of police backed by armored vehicles staring down black protesters on the streets of Ferguson had been burned into the national psyche.

Gov. Jay Nixon was slow to respond. Peaceful, black protesters faced cops with semi-automatic weapons and dogs. It was the 1960s, and yet it was today, in the post-racial America envisioned by the nations first black president.

I turned on my audio recorder on my phone as I made my daily drive from West County to downtown. I was angry and self-righteous.

This is not St. Louis, I said, imagining we were better than that. This is not America, I pleaded. The words would later be paired with the Pulitzer Prize-winning photos of the Post-Dispatch staff for a video editorial that I thought imagined a better St. Louis. A better America.

Three years later, I realize I got it wrong.

It started with a tweet. As Nazi-wearing white supremacists took to the streets of Charlottesville, Va., armed to the hilt like the full-bore terrorists they are, I sought once again to condemn such actions from my comfortable position of white privilege.

The ugly racism and hate being displayed by white supremacists in #Charlottesville is pure evil, I wrote on the social media platform Twitter. This cannot be the new normal in America.

Almost immediately I felt some backlash from my black followers, many of whom I came to know  either personally or through social media  through reporting and writing on Ferguson and the changed racial landscape in St. Louis since then.

This is not the new normal, wrote one person. This is the U.S. Dont try to change the historical narrative.

New normal? wrote another. Aint nothing new here!

It was Washington University associate professor Jason Purnell who really opened my eyes.

America isnt better than this, Purnell wrote. America is this. America CAN be better than this if we finally face that fact.

I met Purnell several months before Ferguson. He was unveiling to the world his groundbreaking For the Sake of All project that presaged much of what I have learned about race and America in the past few years. The project identifies an America divided by race and ZIP code. Through health outcomes, it paints a picture of an America where if you are poor and black and live in north St. Louis or Ferguson or Dellwood or Cool Valley you will die younger than if you happened to be born just a few miles away, in Clayton, in Ladue, in Wildwood, where I live and rear my children.

Its science but its more than that. Its the clearest picture Ive ever seen of what the phrase lived experience means. It means that for people of color in America, the hoods of the KKK never left, they just manifested themselves in different ways. It means that when Im offended by Nazis openly marching with militarized weapons on an American street, when white men chanting racist garbage while carrying torches through an American college campus make me sick, when I see those things as something new, then I havent been looking hard enough.

When the president of the United States, Donald Trump, cant even bring himself to condemn such God-awful displays of racism and outright treason on American soil, this is not something that can be written off to extremists or a broken political system. This is America. Its an America that allowed Republicans to gut voting rights protections so that black voters would have a more difficult time voting on election day. Its an America in which a black lawyer in Jefferson City is not allowed to testify against a bill that makes it easier to discriminate in Missouri against people of color because a white Republican doesnt want to be bothered by talk of the long-past Jim Crow era. It is an America in which white elected officials in both parties, and their donors and alumni, brought the University of Missouri to heel after black students and faculty stood up for their rights, and demanded change.

Those who sought to minimize the experience and voices of black student leaders might as well have marched through the campus with torches.

America and all of its halls of power, right now, from the White House to Mizzous Jesse Hall, is the very definition of systematic oppression that former University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe struggled to define before the protests of the Concerned Student 1950 group forced his resignation.

For three years, Ive written columns and editorials intending to raise awareness of racial divisions in St. Louis and America, and yet it took Charlottesville for me to understand that I was often getting the key underlying issue completely wrong.

Charlottesville is America. For far too many Americans, we are not better than this, and we never have been. The arc of American history has much more bending to do before justice even enters the frame.
Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, now a CNN contributor, said Sunday that he does not foresee a scenario where North Korea relinquishes its nuclear weapons.

"I'd love to see it, but I don't think that's in the cards," Clapper said on CNN's "State of the Union."

The former top intelligence official in the Obama administration said denuclearization was a "nonstarter" for the North Korean government, which he said viewed its nuclear weapons program as its "ticket to survival."

Clapper's assessment came as CIA Director Mike Pompeo reiterated Sunday that the Trump administration's goal was to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. Pompeo touted a unanimous United Nations Security Council vote earlier this month to increase sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear program and said the US had seen China join the US in demanding that Pyongyang denuclearize.

"We've seen the Chinese now say for among the first times that they believe the correct answer has to be a denuclearized peninsula," Pompeo said on "Fox News Sunday."

He added, "That's exactly the policy of the Trump administration."

Tensions between North Korea and the United States have racheted up in recent weeks. President Donald Trump said he would respond to further threats from North Korea with "fire and fury," and North Korea threatened to attack Guam, a US territory.

Pompeo said the rhetoric from Trump was geared at sending a message to North Korea and letting the isolated nation know that the US policy of "strategic patience" had come to an end.

Clapper said on CNN that the rhetoric was having a destabilizing affect and could cause North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to decide to lash out.

"Many people, myself included, would argue for more temperate language than the 'fire and fury' kind of thing," Clapper said.

'Nothing imminent'

Despite the increased tensions and the bellicose rhetoric from Trump and Kim, Pompeo said there was "nothing imminent" for people to worry about and that he had seen "no intelligence" that would indicate the two nations were on the cusp of nuclear war.

And Pompeo said he fully expected Kim to continue to oversee missile tests and seek to advance the North Korean nuclear program in an effort to shore up the country's ability to strike the mainland United States with a nuclear weapon.

"I'm quite confident that he will continue to try to develop his missile program, so it wouldn't surprise me if there was another missile test," Pompeo said.
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Police have cordoned off part of a city centre after an 'incident.'

Staffordshire Police have taped off an area around the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, in Bethesda Street, Hanley.

A police van remains at the scene and forensic officers are in attendance.

A police spokesman said: "The area is cordoned off for a forensic invest igation.

"We are with the injured party at the moment. I cannot say any more at this time."

We will bring you more on this incident as we get it.

Update:
One goal from Wayne Rooney left Stoke's opening day ending in defeat  but were there positives as well as questions to answer coming away from Goodison Park?

Stoke don't look like scoring many  what are they going to do about it?

Stoke City fans aren't asking Mark Hughes to become Kevin Keegan but the most obvious concern at the start of this season is about goals. It's clearly on the manager's agenda too because he's admitted he wants to bring in another front man for 'the top end' of his squad.

It seems that could lead to a chase for Jese, the one-time Real Madrid boy wonder who has seemed to lose his way at the very top since a nasty knee injury three years ago. Only 24 and crowded out at big-spending Paris St Germain, he would bring pace and dribbling skill, as well as a couple of Champions League winner's medals.

Is he the kind of player Stoke need? As a forward who can play across the second line, it would give Hughes the option of sticking with 3-4-2-1 or interchanging with the old favourite 4-2-3-1 and getting him in the starting line-up with Max Choupo-Moting and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Hughes seems determined to keep hanging his hat on Saido Berahino at the front of whatever system. Pundits have suggested he would be better off being paired with Peter Crouch  or even that Crouch is still main man himself.

Sky Sports' Charlie Nicholas said: "I still feel that Berahino  and it's, what, 28 games now without a goal  if he's going to be a bit more potent as a centre-forward, then he should play beside Crouch. Stoke's danger was in the last 15 minutes when Crouch came on. No surprise there. They didn't just go straight from back to front but they had that out ball which becomes a problem."

Berahino went closest to breaking his duck with a spin and drive from the corner of the penalty area at the start of the second half. It's that kind of chance, fashioned himself with no hesitation about pulling the trigger, that must be demanded more often.

Chances at a premium at the other end too

Everton watchers had predicted they would not be gung-ho after seeing Ronald Koeman opted for wing-backs but credit too for Stoke's disciplined approach led by Jack Butland, the back three and Darren Fletcher  and curse that the one good opening was well executed by Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Wayne Rooney.

Geoff Cameron is perhaps seen as just a deputy at left-sided centre back during the wait for Bruno Martins Indi but he impressed as left-sided centre-half, tasked with bringing the ball out of defence.

On the other side, Kurt Zouma looks a colossus. He made one mistake in the second half when he lost possession to Calvert-Lewin and needed Butland to get him out of a hole but considering his lack of action over recent months we can probably let him off. It was the covering tackle to stop the same forward in his tracks, sweeping across at speed to cut out the danger, which really stood out.

Arsenal will be a different test but most weeks we shouldn't expect Stoke to be shipping very many. If they could just score a couple at the other end

Allen and Fletcher balance in the middle

It will be interesting to see, firstly, how Hughes fits Cameron into his plans next up, when Martins Indi becomes available. Does he make Bruno wait or shift Cameron to right wing-back or into midfield?

There is the option on the backburn to move Joe Allen further forward where he was Stoke's main goal threat for large spells of last season. But it would be a shape to disrupt the 27-year-old's burgeoning partnership with the metronomic Darren Fletcher.

Fletcher isn't quite sitting as an anchor  he wasn't afraid to break forward  but his first thought always seemed to be about keeping team shape. It was no coincidence Stoke looked compact.

It will be interesting, secondly, to see how Stoke handle any renewed interest in Allen from Swansea. This is undoubtedly a key player but in a summer of mega money, does everyone still have their price?

Eyes wide open about Stoke's tough start

The bookies will fancy Stoke to go pointless through their first three home games  against Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea  and they won't have particularly short odds for upcoming away trips to West Brom and Newcastle.

But we know all that so most pressure will depend on performances almost as much as results. Hughes is trying to play with a higher tempo than last year and there is no better opposition to get up and at 'em than when Arsene Wenger comes to town.
Leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and the Awami Muslim League (AML) are sharing a stage at Liaquat Bagh in Rawalpindi, where a large number supporters have turned up on the call of Imran Khan and Sheikh Rashid for an "Azadi jalsa".

PTI chief Imran Khan and AML head Sheikh Rashid can be seen on stage along with other leaders, while the ground appears filled to capacity despite a downpour that has been lashing the city since the evening.

Khan, addressing the crowd at Liaquat Bagh after six years, praised Sheikh Rashid for "waging a jihad against corruption and political mafia for the last nine years."

"For three years, Nawaz Sharif has been controlling all the institutions; this was the first time, that he wasn't able to control the joint investigation team or the Supreme Court  that is why he [Nawaz] is calling it [his disqualification] a conspiracy," thundered Khan. "This is not a conspiracy, this is naya Pakistan."

Throwing his support behind the judiciary, Khan said that this "is the era of social media", and women and the youth are more vigilant than before. "The nation will stand by the Supreme Court if needed."

He alleged that only two types of people were supporting Sharif; those whose interests were associated with him and those who were misled by him.

"Nawaz Sharif was expelled after a due judicial process, yet he says that the honour of [people's] vote is at stake," said Khan.

The PTI chief criticised the proposal to eliminate Articles 62 and 63 from the Constitution, warning of massive agitation in Islamabad if a "conspiracy" was hatched against the Constitution.

Calling the GT Road rally a "drama", Khan said that it was undertaken to pressurise the Supreme Court and the National Accountability Bureau.

Khan proposed a four-point agenda to establish a new Pakistan. "Jihad against poverty, merit, accountability, and environment-friendly measures will provide the basis for a new Pakistan," he said in his speech.

PTI vice-chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi started his speech by asking, "What am I guilty of?", taking a jibe at former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. In nearly all of Sharif's speeches that he delivered on his way to Lahore from Islamabad, he demanded to know the reason for his disqualification. "Someone tell me, why was I deposed?" he had asked, repeating the question frequently during his four-day GT Road rally last week.

Answering the question, Qureshi said that Nawaz was disqualified because he fooled and mislead the nation, and plundered the national exchequer.

"Nawaz Sharif talks about honouring the mandate; [he should know that] transparent elections guarantee the honour of the mandate," said Qureshi. He asked the crowd to join him in creating a new Pakistan under the leadership of PTI chief Imran Khan.

Speaking to the crowd, PTI leader Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar praised the Supreme Court and the Pakistan Army, calling the two institutions credible. "Rest [of the institutions] have been compromised because their heads are appointed by the government," he said.

Ahead of the gathering, the PTI started distributing pamphlets, titled "We will tell you why you were disqualified", via a private helicopter at Liaquat Bagh and nearby areas.

Earlier, Zahid Kazmi, PTI district president, had claimed that Rawalpindi was the PTIs fort "which will be proved on August 13." He explained that Imran Khan had not announced his plan for coming to Rawalpindi to celebrate Independence Day which is why a separate rally was being planned.

AML President Sheikh Rashid Ahmed had expressed hope for the success of his public meeting, saying that the basic aim of the public meeting was to highlight the corruption of the ruling elites. Panama Papers leaks exposed the ruling elites and time has come to get the answer from them about the illegal money transferred abroad, he had said.
Bilawal Bhutto addressed Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rally in Chiniot. He acknowledged the establishment of girls college, housing schemes, bridges, promotion industry and more in the district during their tenure.

PML-N government is enemy of farmers, the poor and labourers. They only want to gather money and receive commissions by their fancy projects, he said. The party chairman said the devaluation of rupee has damaged the countrys economy while the exports have fallen. Supreme Court of Pakistan has declared Nawaz Sharif liar and corrupt by declaring him ineligible, he said.

He criticised Nawaz Sharif by asking how he ended up on GT Road while constructing motorway, calling his homecoming rally as a flop show and telling him to get back to his Raiwind palace.

Bilawal slammed his political rivals and hoped that PPP will form the government after 2018 general elections.
The deputy principal taught Pana Hema-Taylor at Aranui High School in Christchurch  sensed a talent and steered the young man away from the fringes of the Mongrel Mob towards an acting career. That showed foresight and conviction.

Now framed images of Pana  star of feature films Boy and Kawa and televisions Spartacus, The Brokenwood Mysteries and Westside  line the deputy principals office wall at Tauranga Boys College.

Each image testament to the faith and energy invested by Robert Gilbert in a former pupil.

Did you see him last night in Resolve? asks Robert. In the recent TV docudrama, a story of courage, Pana played New Plymouth man Murray Crean, gunned down when he stood up to the Black Power. I thought he carried it off very well, says teacher of the pupil with just a hint of self-satisfaction and reflected glory.

Its also a short, considered and educated critique from an education administrator who, outside the deputy principals office at Tauranga Boys College, is also an actor, theatre director and playwright.

His office at the college is a stage  and this interview is a performance. Robert gesticulates, he articulates and he projects. He cant turn off the thespian in him.

The deputy principal wrote his masters thesis on the theatre  transgenderism in the New Zealand theatre to be precise. I wanted to do something meaningful; that addressed something in society.

A dear, close friend is transgender. She is well read, very funny, very sharp with an acerbic wit. Her name is Liz. She was a costume designer when the deputy principal was a theatre director.

I only ever knew Liz as Liz  only ever as a woman, never in her previous incarnation. Her gender was never an issue for me. And it never occurred to me that she was anything other than how she presented.

There was another personality in the deputy principals life. He was a friend, a mentor, a role model  then later in life he told me he was now woman.

Robert called his thesis Theatre of Acceptance  as opposed to theatre of ridicule.

And by that he means Widow Twankey in Aladdin, the pantomime dame portrayed by a man; the broad, coarse, cross-dressing comedians like Mrs Brown and those in It Aint Half Hot Mum. All these things are quite comedic, yet through my study and talking to people quite close to me I know transgender folk are belittled and ridiculed.

He believed the time was right for a solid New Zealand play to address some of that. And so, as part of the thesis, he wrote a play underscoring some transgender issues  suicide, homelessness, and abnormally high rates of unemployment.

The seed was sown when Robert heard a gossipy, behind-the-hands comment about the size of Lizs feet  or something like that. It was definitely in a hurtful, gossipy way that made me feel really uncomfortable.

I mean, what does it matter? I just thought that in these enlightened times, surely people can just be people.

Can we not accept people for who they are? Whatever ones sexuality or gender representation, people just want to be comfortable in their own skin. I feel comfortable in mine, but its ok for me because I am a Pakeha heterosexual male, over 50, in a reasonably successful career. But thats not the story for everyone.

I worry that some of it harks back to freak-show, morbid curiosity. People want to know whats below the waist line, or whats in someones knickers. My attitude is its no-ones business except for the individual concerned. It just shouldnt matter to people.

So Robert wrote Liz into his thesis, to help put things right. Thats a rather grand notion  but if theres one thing the arts can do is address whats going on in society, whatever the art form.

And to drive his point home, he decided to weave a play in his thesis. So he wrote Trans Tasmin. Tasmin is a transgender Maori woman putting herself through university by working in a bar. The captain of the local rugby club falls in love with her and two worlds collide with Hadron proportions. Its a little more complex  but in the end only one person has it all together and thats Tasmin. Everyone else has issues.

The play has had a professional reading in Christchurch.

How does all this sit with the august office of an education administrator, a deputy principal? Well, it doesnt  some other deputy principals might collect stamps, some might do Tae Kwando, I write plays.

And no, I am not gay, I am none of those things, but I dont think it matters anyhow.

And the deputy principal has gone on to write more scripts  one called DTU about the drug treatment unit at Christchurch prison. And another about the circumstances of his great-grandmother in New Zealand.

But its gender thats very visible at the moment  gender-neutral school uniforms, gender-neutral toilets and changing rooms, and even parents deciding their children will be gender-neutral.

Before we denounce I think we should allow people the simple decency of being who they want to be. I know there are parents who struggle with this issue, I know the difficulties it causes families, but we are all faced with difficulties of one kind or another through life and transgender is one of them.

Some experience and wisdom imparted and very worthy of consideration.
As Kiwis prepare to cast their votes in the general election, Tauranga Mayor Greg Brownless is reminding Bay of Plenty residents to get their votes in for the 2018 New Zealander of the Year.

Every day tens of thousands of Kiwis benefit from the selflessness, generosity and ambition of some fine New Zealand citizens, says Greg.

In our own community, Ive seen first-hand just how important these people are to Bay of Plenty. Whether its in the fields of professional, charitable or personal achievement, their good deeds are inspiring examples for our own lives.

You cant escape the overwhelming sense of gratitude these communities have for these fine people. But in the rush of our lives we can sometimes forget to pause, celebrate and acknowledge these accomplishments. The New Zealander of the Year is the perfect way for Kiwis to say thanks and I encourage all Bay of Plenty residents to take a moment and nominate that special person who represents the very best of us.

The annual New Zealander of the Year Awards are now in their ninth year. The awards recognise a diverse range of Kiwis from all fields of endeavour including science, business, the arts, cultural or community involvement, sport, education and health. They are open to New Zealanders of all ages whose impact has inspired the communities they serve and the country as a whole.

Nominations for the prestigious award, and supporting categories, opened last month and close on September 18. Any member of the public can nominate an individual or community organisation in the awards programme.

Among the nominees for the 2018 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year are Peter Burling, Metiria Turei, Nigel Latta, Nicky Hager, and Mike King.

In addition to the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year, awards will also be presented to New Zealanders who have performed with distinction in five additional award categories.

University of Auckland Young New Zealander of the Year

Metlifecare Senior New Zealander of the Year

Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year

Sanitarium New Zealand Innovator of the Year

Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year

The 2018 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year will be announced at the New Zealander of the Year Awards Gala in Auckland on February 21, 2018.

Previous winners of the New Zealander of the Year Award are: Taika Waititi (2017), Richie McCaw (2016), Sir Stephen Tindall (2015), Dr Lance OSullivan (2014), Dame Anne Salmond (2013), Sir Richard Taylor (2012), Sir Paul Callaghan (2011) and Sir Ray Avery (2010).

For more information or to nominate someone for the 2018 New Zealander of the Year Awards visit www.nzawards.org.nz.
Its been described as Country Calendar meets Master Chef, which is a way of saying Gerhard and Henrietta Eggers book Source New Zealand not only tells the stories behind New Zealand produced foods, but also how to cook and enjoy them.

The Rotorua couple are foodies who travelled the country visiting those who farm, grow and harvest some of this countrys finest foods, illustrating their stories with Gerhards stunning photos.

The hardback, beautifully presented book tells the stories, in six chapters, of food produced from the ocean, the paddock, the dairy, lakes and rivers, the land and by tangata whenua.

Each chapter is referenced with a map showing the location of a food producer, and their stories are told in an engaging style capturing the personalities of those involved, as well as providing facts about their ventures.

Harvesting mussel spat from Aotea Harbour on the North Islands west coast, and growing green lipped mussels in the Coromandel Harbour, which bring an insight into the mussel industry, are among the stories.

Also featured are Jono and Sara Walker of Soggy Bottom Holdings near Ngaruawahia, who raise heritage breeds. The book aims, says Gerhart and Henri, to bridge the gap between populations in the cities and those on the land.

Many have become removed from the source of where their food comes from, they say.

Gerhard and Henri believe the concept of good food starts with the people who are passionate about producing it. Good food is also about working with, and caring for, our environment; and about handling and cooking the produce with respect. Good food is very much about enjoying and sharing the experience with others.

The book is also a wonderful promotion of New Zealand food at its best, and as such will have wide appeal to overseas visitors.

Featured are long line fishing, Pacific Rock Oysters, crayfish, Bluff Oysters, sheep and beef farming, free-range eggs, red deer, including deer kept for milking, pig farming, free-range game, water buffalo, dairy goats, biodynamic farming, farming milking sheep, whitebait, Waikato eels, salmon farming, fresh water crayfish, truffles, kiwifruit, honey, olives, wild mushrooms and nuts.

Harvesting food from the native bush, cooking in a hangi, making rewena bread and harvesting mutton birds feature in the tangata whenua chapters.

What follows are recipes for using the best of produce, once again illustrated with Gerhards photos.

Source New Zealand is available in book stores and from the books website.
The MetService are advising of a high risk of thunderstorms over the northern North Island extended eastwards into Taumarunui, Taupo, western Bay of Plenty and Coromandel Peninsula for tonight and the risk of SEVERE thunderstorms from Waitomo northwards has now passed.

An unstable northwesterly airmass will cover northern and central New Zealand today, with bands of rain, heavy showers or thunderstorms affecting many areas.

Over the northern half of the North Island, a front in the north Tasman Sea embedded within this northwest flow will move eastwards across the island this evening. There is a high risk of thunderstorms associated with this front from Waitomo and Taumarunui up to Northland and western Bay of Plenty. Any thunderstorms that develop will be accompanied by localised heavy rain of 10 to 20mm per hour, hail of 5 to 15mm in diameter and possibly squally wind gusts of 90 km/hr. A lower thunderstorm risk covers remaining parts of the northern and central North Island from this evening with the front.

Over the lower North Island, there is a moderate risk of thunderstorms about Kapiti and northern Wellington until later this evening and a lower risk about Manawatu, Horowhenua and southern Wellington. Localised heavy rain and small hail will accompany any thunderstorms that develop in this area.

Photo: MetService

In the South Island, the main thunderstorm risk is about Westland until late afternoon and about Buller, western Nelson and the Marlborough Sounds all day. These thunderstorms will be accompanied by localised heavy rain and hail.

A lower risk of thunderstorms covers the remainder of Nelson and northern Marlborough as well as inland Canterbury, as indicated on the chart.

No other thunderstorms or significant convection expected over New Zealand today.
The first Tauranga public lecture was a success and now the floor will be open to discuss what migration, terrorism and populism looks like in the modern age.

The second lecture for the University of Waikatos new Tauranga public lecture series will explore how the integration of Europe is threatened and how democracy is in danger of being rolled back under the impact of these threats.

Dr Simona Soare, who is a security and defence advisor to the Vice-President of the European Parliament and a research associate with the Institute of European Studies at the Universite of Saint Louis in Belgium, will be presenting this lecture.

She says the integrity and viability of the European project is threatened by multiple crises including a crisis of political legitimacy due to the rise of populism, extremism and Brexit, a severe migration crisis, and the complex threat of international terrorism and foreign terrorist fighters returning to Europe.

To survive, the European Union is implementing an ambitious strategy to re-gain the trust of its citizens by re-capturing the functions of successful polities: a monopoly on the use of force, reliable and credible control of borders, and the upper hand on the political narrative, says Simona.

The future of the European project may depend on its success and effectiveness. While there are several risks that, left unaddressed, may derail Brussels efforts, there are also important signs of success for the Unions strategy so far.

The European Union (EU) is a political and economic union of 28 member states with an estimated population of 510 million people or 6.9 per cent of the world population.

Simonas research advises and drafts policy on European and transatlantic security, including the EU Global Strategy, the EUs security relations with the US, NATO and emerging powers, and transnational and trans-regional security issues.

She holds a PhD in International Relations and an MA in International Security and Conflict Studies from the National University of Political and Administrative Studies (NUPAS) in Romania and is a former US State Department Fellow.

The free Europe in crisis: the impact of migration, terrorism and populism lecture will be held on Thursday, August 17, at the Trinity Wharf at 5.30pm.

The first lecture began in July with hundreds braving the wild weather to hear Professor Devon Polaschek discuss psychopathy.
The Waikato and Bay of Plenty will be turning the town yellow this month for the Cancer Societys annual Daffodil Day fundraiser.

The event will see more than 70,000 fabric daffodils available to purchase from schools, community groups, local businesses and more than 230 street collection sites in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty region on Friday, August 25.

Fundraising manager Catriona Findlay says that Daffodil Day is the societys largest and most important annual fundraiser.

The daffodil is a symbol of hope for the more than 60 New Zealanders diagnosed with cancer each day. From providing free support to people with cancer and funding research, to helping Kiwis reduce their risk through education and advocacy; every dollar goes a long way to make a difference in our communities.

Catriona says the Cancer Society receives no direct government funding and so relies on the generosity of New Zealanders.

With so many charities vying for donations, it can be a challenge to secure the financial support we need to offer the crucial services within our communities.

We hope that New Zealanders will get behind Daffodil Day again this year and wear their daffodil with pride  whether its for a friend, a family member or to support important cancer research.

All funds raised will stay in the region to help reduce the impact and incidence of cancer and ensure the best cancer care for people in the community.

If you would like to make a donation to the Cancer Society go to daffodilday.org.nz or donate via street collections on Friday, August 25 and collection boxes in schools, community groups and local businesses throughout the month.

All funds raised from Daffodil Day will stay in the Waikato/Bay of Plenty region and assist the Cancer Society to provide supportive care for people with cancer, their carers, whanau and friends, fund cancer research and provide the public with information on the ways to reduce the risk of cancer through living a smokefree, sun smart, healthy lifestyle.
When Steve Collins began working as a shooter, killing and capturing deer from helicopters, and later training as a pilot, he had no idea those skills would lead to a part in the largest, most ambitious ecosystem restoration project in the world.

Being involved in Project Isabela in the Galapagos Islands is the best job Ive ever done in my life, says Steve, who now lives at Tanners Point north of Katikati.

As helicopter operations manager and chief pilot, Steve was part of a team of experienced New Zealand pilots and shooters who, in 2002, went to Galapagos with the aim of exterminating goats decimating the islands ecosystems.

We killed more than 250,000 goats and more than 1000 donkeys. Im not really into killing on that scale, but in this case it was essential, says Steve, who tells the stories of his time on Galapagos in his book Steve Collins Hunter Pilot  New Zealand  Galapagos Islands.

The aim of the project was the complete removal of all feral goats from Pinta, Santiago, and northern Isabela, to allow the reestablishment of natural ecological conditions and preserve the islands unique flora and fauna.

Ever since I read a National Geographic article about Galapagos, I wanted to go there. Not only did he get to visit  Steve also helped make a dramatic difference to the islands, but none of that would have been possible had he not been encouraged by older brother, pilot Joe Collins and Steves boss and helicopter operator Bernie Milroy, to train as a pilot.

I told Bernie I was too dumb to be a pilot and his reply was if those bastards can do it, so can you. Do you think they are smarter than you? I had never thought of it like that before.

So Steve enrolled in the Nelson Aviation College owned and operated by Wally Wagdendonk, whose patience and belief in him Steve credits with the fact he was able to pass his theory exams. Then began the fun part  flying.

The theory is what I found hardest. The practical side of flying a helicopter is easy. As it is for any skilled operator of machinery  the helicopter becomes an extension of yourself.

In 38 years of flying helicopters, Steve clocked up more than 15,500 hours, in deer shooting and recovery and as a tourist operator in New Zealand; his involvement in the Isabela Project and later relocating and monitoring wildlife in the USA, Mexico and Canada. Those latter adventures are to be the subject of his second book, due out later this year.

It was while he was caring fulltime for his elderly mother Rai that she encouraged Steve to write the stories of his extraordinary life as a hunter pilot. Mum encouraged me to write the stories for my children and grandchildren but I had no idea how to do that. So Steve set about learning to write by enrolling in a course run by Jenny Argante at the Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic (now Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology).

Perhaps the putting words on paper skills initially needed honing, but its evident from his book that Steve is a natural story teller. His style is engaging and descriptive, giving the reader an insight into the people, the places, the drama and the beautiful environments he experienced in nearly four decades in one of the most challenging and potentially dangerous occupations there are.

Steve Collins Hunter Pilot  New Zealand  Galapagos Islands is available on line at stevecollinsstudios.com and from Paper Plus in Katikati.
The scene of Saturday nights shooting in Morrinsville remains closed this morning as police continue their investigation into the shooting.

Police say they were fired on by a driver who earlier failed to stop for police. Police were attempting to pull the driver over for speeding.

The vehicle, a red Holden commodore that pulled over on Kuranui Road, and the driver got out and began firing at the police vehicle with what they believe is a military style semi-automatic weapon.

The officer took cover in nearby farmland and called for back-up. The offender continued to shoot at a second police patrol vehicle that arrived shortly after.

The two officers in the second vehicle returned fire at the offender before also taking cover. The area was quickly cordoned off and the Waikato Armed Offenders Squad arrived to safely retrieve the three staff from the area.

The scene examination at Kuranui Road and is expected to be completed later today, says Detective Inspector Graham Pitkethley.

The focus of the investigation team continues to be on locating the offender and Waikato Police are being supported by staff from other Police districts.

Police located and are speaking to two occupants of the offending vehicle, a man and a woman, who are assisting with the investigation.

They believe the gunman was a third man in the vehicle.

We would like to hear from anyone with information relating to the offending vehicle: a red, 2015 Holden Commodore, registration 1AZIF1.

We would like to hear from anyone who has seen the vehicle in the area recently or has any information relating to it - no matter how small or insignificant you think it may be, says Graham Pitkethley.

Information can be reported to Waikato Police on (07) 858 6200 or reported anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.

Click here for the earlier story.
Seven candidates are looking to fill three open seats on the Wythe County Board of Supervisors. Only one incumbent, Coy McRoberts in District 5, is running for re-election, and he is unopposed. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 7.

In District 1, the candidates are Democrat Michael Reardon, Republican Brian Cheese Vaught and Timothy W. Carter. The candidates in District 3 are Democrat George Bailey, Republican John Big John Manuel and Independent Ryan Michelle Lawson.

Several candidates have set up election-related Facebook pages.

District 1 Blacklick

 In District 1, Democrat Michael Reardon said he is running for office because he wants to see three things happen in the county: economic growth in a sustainable way that brings good jobs to the county, a government that runs efficiently to meet the needs of its constituents and a sense of fairness to governance.

I spoke recently in front of the Board because I thought that the ordinance to allow tax breaks for improvements to business structures within the Enterprise Zones left out a lot of other businesses in the county, he wrote in an email. Too often, the actual working people of the county are not fully taken into consideration.

Reardon holds a bachelors degree in mechanical engineering and a masters in business administration from Virginia Tech. He has worked in manufacturing for 35 years, developing a sound knowledge of techniques to improve customer service while improving efficiency in many types of business applications.

Reardon said the biggest issue facing supervisors is how to spend money responsibly while building a strong economy.

We need to start to look at this from a business' perspective, he said. For businesses to want to come here and for families to want to move here, we must look at ways to improve the quality of life. One major way is to carry out the improvements needed for the schools in Wytheville. The schools are a reflection on our county and people coming here want to know that their children will be attending good schools. We already have exceptional teachers but more pay to hire, retain, and train would be money well spent. To offset, we can look at ways to streamline and to eliminate waste while maintaining services to the constituents, which, by the way, is the whole concept of lean in a nutshell.

 Republican Brian Cheese Vaught said he is running for the board of supervisors because he has been interested in local government for several years and has been avidly keeping up with the board for the past 16 years. He currently serves on the Rural Retreat Town Council.

There have been many actions taken by the board which I did not agree with, and more importantly, I do not think represent the wants and desires of the people of the Blacklick District, he wrote in an email. I believe that serving the people of Wythe County the past 14 years as a deputy sheriff and as a school resource officer gives me a unique perspective on the needs of the county.

Vaught is a graduate of Rural Retreat High School and holds an associates degree in police science from Wytheville Community College. He earned a degree in criminal justice from Bluefield College.

He said he has worked within state and local government for more than two decades so he understands the needs of government.

But as a conservative, I also recognize government waste when I see it, he said.

Vaught said the major issues that the public sees facing supervisors are the Appalachian Regional Exposition Center, the school renovation project, and the funding of public safety.

Most people he has spoken to are against the Apex Center, Vaught said. Regarding school renovations, he said they need to happen the right way and that the $10 million budgeted for George Wythe High School is not enough.

Vaught said supervisors should not rely on traffic ticket money to pay for the salaries of deputies while taking on debt for the Apex Center. In addition, he said volunteer fire and rescue squads should not have to rely on grants to have equipment and vehicles that meet basic standards.

With the current tax base in Wythe County, as well as the industry, our public safety agencies should be second to none. These improvements are able to be done without raising taxes if we eliminate wasteful spending, he said.

 Timothy W. Carter, running as an independent, has served on the Wythe County Planning Commission for the past year years.

While doing this, I have been able to learn and see a great deal of what is going on in Wythe County, he wrote in an email. I have enjoyed serving, and I would like to do more for the community and county that has been so good to me and my family.

Carter has been married to Rural Retreat High School teacher Julie J. Carter for 27 years. They have two children, Zachary W. Carter and Morgan E. Carter; both are graduates of RRHS.

Carter, the owner of Red Oak Construction, is a graduate of Emory and Henry College, where he received a degree in education and his teaching certificate. He is a member of Rural Retreat United Methodist Church, where he serves and has served on various committees. He holds a certificate with the Citizens Planning Education Association of Virginia and has served on various other committees in Wythe County.

I feel my qualifications to serve consist of being a successful small business owner and/or operator in Wythe County for 27 years and my time representing Blacklick on the Planning Commission for the past eight years, he said. I feel Wythe County should operate like a business. I would like the opportunity to share my experience with the rest of the board members. I feel that one of the most important responsibilities of the Wythe County Board of Supervisors is to keep taxes at an affordable rate for our citizens and at the same time still improve on our local economy. Also to focus on education, support our police officers and fire/rescue responders, and protect our rural agricultural needs.

District 3 East Wytheville

 Democrat George Bailey said when he moved here in 2001, he wasnt sure if he would like it

But I have grown to love this community, and I want to help it grown the best I can, he said.

I am a man who is well-rounded, added Bailey, who studied music and theater at Radford University. I understand the importance of business and the growth of our children to make this community grow. It is something I want to help people understand. I have seen many empty buildings, but if we don't have a reason for our children to come back and new families to come, we will become another ghost town, USA.

 Republican John Big John Manuel is a native of Wythe County and has spent most of his life in East Wytheville, the district he hopes to represent on the board of supervisors.

I feel very fortunate to be able to call this community my home, he wrote in an email. It is this love of my community, neighbors, friends, and family that has inspired me to run for the supervisor's position.

Manuel said his message is simple.

I will not make any empty campaign promises. I do not have any personal agendas, he said. I will not be part of any political schemes. If elected my goal is to simply be the voice of all the people, no matter what your background or party affiliation is, in the community that I will be representing (and) to hear your questions and concerns about the issues important to you, but also to keep you informed and updated on the activities of the board of supervisors.

 Ryan Michelle Lawson is running as an independent. She said she decided to run for office because the county needs fresh leadership.

I think its really important that we have individuals on the board that are fundamentally focused on serving the people of the county, she wrote in an email. We have to have elected officials that adhere to the highest standards of ethics and integrity. I care deeply about my community, and I'm passionate about everything I do.

Lawson said she will not be afraid to stand up for what she believes in and what is best for the county as a whole.

A native of Wytheville, Lawson and her husband, Brian, have two teenage sons, Carter and Jason. The daughter of Steve and Debbie Yates, she attended Wythe County schools and Wytheville Community College. She is a limited partner for Edward Jones Investments in Wytheville, where she works as a senior office administrator.

She said her biggest qualification for the supervisor seat is her desire to do what is best for the future of Wythe County.

I was born here; I have lived here all of my life, she said. I am raising my family here, and I also plan to retire here. I love this county and I want to be the independent voice who will effectively advocate for our county's future.

Regarding the top issues facing the county, Lawson said managing the fiscal health of the county is a main concern, along with making sure that what the county spends its money on is properly prioritized.

I feel the Expo Center has the potential to spur economic growth for our area; however, it is grossly behind schedule which is a concern to me considering that there is a bond payment of $333,000 coming due this December and we have no revenue being brought in from the center at this time, she said. I also want to make sure that the county's infrastructure and public schools remain a top-funded priority in the budget. For instance, allocating the required funds to insure our schools are second-to-none compared to surrounding areas.

District 5 Lead Mines

Incumbent Democrat Coy Lane McRoberts is running unopposed. He did not answer an email sent to all of the candidates asking about their reason for running for office, their qualifications and what they believe are the major issues facing the county.

To reach Millie Rothrock, call 228-6611, ext. 35, or email mrothrock@wythenews.com.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- A rally and vigil are scheduled to be held in downtown Syracuse on Sunday to express solidarity with Charlottesville, Virginia, local activists announced.

Several violent protests broke out in the Virginia city over the weekend as white nationalists and counter-protesters clashed in the street. A car crashed into counter-protesters, killing one person and injuring others; two police officers died when their helicopter crashed.

The Syracuse event, organized by the local chapter of Black Lives Matter, is to honor the woman who was killed during the protest and to stand against white nationalism, racism and ethnocentrism, according to the event's Facebook page.

Tensions flared in Charlottesville Friday evening when a group of white nationalists carrying lit torches marched across the University of Virginia campus. Several members chanted "blood and soil," "white lives matter" and "you will not replace us."

The group surrounded and fought with college students who had gathered to counter them.

Things continued to escalate Saturday morning between "Unite the Right" rally supporters and counter-protesters, ultimately leading officials to declare a state of emergency.

The group was there to protest the city's planned removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee, a notable confederate general from the Civil War.

Attendees traded blows several times throughout the day in small scrimmages, but things took a turn for the worse when a person drove a car into a large group of people.

Police said the driver was in custody and later identified him as James Alex Fields, Jr., of Ohio.

He was charged with second-degree murder, a felony; three counts of malicious wounding; and one count related to leaving the scene. A motive has not been released.

Two Virginia State Police troopers were also killed when a helicopter crashed nearby. Officials confirmed the helicopter was related to the Charlottesville protests, but did not give further details.

"Syracuse we have to come together, we have to fight this," Black Lives Matter officials said in a statement.

Several other cities have planned similar solidarity events throughout the country, including in Utica and Buffalo. Syracuse's rally and vigil is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. on Clinton Square near the Jerry Rescue monument.
Dog arrest.jpg

Shane Ogden and Karlee Jordan

(Macedon Police Department)

A man and woman from Upstate New York were arrested last week after an investigation into child endangerment charges uncovered alleged sexual misconduct with a dog.

Shane Ogden, 38, of Macedon, was first arrested for endangering the welfare of a child on July 30. Police said that he sent a sexually explicit video of himself to a woman, and that his daughter was present in the background of the video, watching him, The Times of Wayne County reported.

There was no contact with the child in the video.

An investigator reviewing evidence in the arrest discovered text messages between Ogden and Karlee Jordan, 18, also of Macedon.

In those messages, Ogden and Jordan both described having sexual contact with a dog. Jordan later admitted to investigators that the text messages were true, WHAM-TV reported.

Ogden and Jordan were both charged with sexual misconduct and released. They were issued tickets to appear in Macedon Court. If convicted, the pair would have to register as sex offenders and could face a year in jail, probation or a fine.
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
Alberto B. Hernandez, who came to the United States illegally from Toluca, Mexico, has been living the American dream in Louisiana for more than a decade. A taxpaying father of six who owns a successful bricklaying business, he recently built a new house for his family in Prairieville, a community he has called home for several years.

Federal authorities picked Hernandez up years ago and had the opportunity to prosecute  and deport  him many times. But they gave him a pass, instead requiring he stay out of trouble and renew his work permit on an annual basis.

He held up his end of the bargain, working long hours, including weekends and birthdays, to give his family the sort of prosperity that had eluded him south of the border.

But on a sweltering afternoon last month, Hernandez's world was upended when he reported to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in downtown New Orleans for what he expected to be a routine appointment. Instead of renewing his permit, immigration officials issued Hernandez an ultimatum: sign papers agreeing to leave the country by Oct. 10 or be arrested on the spot.

In a surreal instant, he went from planning his daughter's 15th birthday party to fearing imminent separation from his family.

"It was a devastating day," Hernandez recalled in an interview. "When we arrived home, I told my kids what had happened. They started to cry."

Hernandez's plight highlights the growing uncertainty that people who came to the U.S. illegally face under President Donald Trump's administration, which has dramatically stepped up deportation efforts, particularly in cases that do not involve criminal charges.

Immigrants like Hernandez, who essentially had been left alone for years to work and raise their families, are now living in constant worry.

Under Trump, ICE agents have been unshackled from the guidelines of former President Barack Obama's administration, which called for them to focus their resources on the most violent of the 11 million people living in the country without permission.

Regional disparities

The result has been an increase in immigration-related arrests across the country, and a staggering jump in this region. Deportations also have skyrocketed in Louisiana and the four other states covered by ICE's New Orleans field office: Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee.

In those states, the agency deported 6,665 undocumented immigrants through the first three-quarters of the current fiscal year  more than the total of the previous three years combined. Immigration-related arrests and detainer requests at local jails have jumped by a similar margin, according to statistics released to The Advocate by federal immigration officials.

In East Baton Rouge Parish, for instance, ICE has lodged 40 detainers on inmates booked into the jail on counts unrelated to immigration in 2017  up from 27 all of last year, according to the Sheriff's Office.

An ICE detainer is a request that jail officials hold someone due for release an additional 48 hours to give ICE more time to decide whether to take that person into federal custody so they can be deported.

While deportations are also on the rise nationally, the increases are not nearly as pronounced elsewhere as in this region. The reasons for the disparity are unclear.

"Certainly the evidence is that they're locking people up," said Susan Long, the co-director and co-founder of TRAC Immigration, a nonprofit group that documents immigration cases in the U.S.

Trump, who made immigration a central focus of his campaign and vowed to build a wall along the Mexican border, issued an executive order within days of taking office that drastically expanded whom the government deems a priority for deportation, while also threatening to strip federal funding from so-called "sanctuary cities" that don't cooperate with ICE.

The Department of Homeland Security later issued a memorandum explaining that no one in the country illegally is exempt from 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," the memo stated.

'No prioritization'

One of the most significant shifts has been the spike in immigration arrests of people not facing criminal charges. Through the first 100 days of the Trump administration, fewer than half of the approximately 1,400 arrests made by agents assigned to ICE's New Orleans field office involved criminal charges.

"There is no prioritization," said Michael W. Gahagan, a New Orleans immigration attorney. "Everybody is a priority. It's, 'If we get you, we get you.' "

Gahagan and his counterparts across the state said they've seen a flood of deportation cases, swelling court dockets that are being managed by additional judges who recently have been brought on in New Orleans and Jena to handle the glut of new immigration proceedings.

Paul "Woody" Scott, a Baton Rouge attorney who represents Hernandez, described the current atmosphere as "a free-for-all."

"Under Obama, it was all about priorities," Scott said. "They prioritized people who had criminal records or were recent arrivals. Now it's whoever they can get their hands on."

Last month, ICE arrested 83 people in New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville as part of a nationwide crackdown called "Operation Border Guardian/Border Resolve," which the agency said targeted immigrants "who entered the country as unaccompanied alien children and family units." The authorities described 64 of those arrested as "non-criminal" and acknowledged that many of them were picked up while agents were searching for other targets.

Thomas Homan, the acting ICE director, warned "anyone considering making the dangerous and unlawful journey to the United States" to reconsider. "Ultimately, if you have no basis to remain the United States, you will be identified, apprehended and returned to your home country," he said in a statement.

Trump's approach has been welcomed by conservative lawmakers in Louisiana, who have long called for a federal government crackdown. The new guidelines have boosted morale among federal immigration agents, whose union issued a statement saying the changes would help "save thousands of lives and billions of dollars" while making the country safer.

But the rapidly shifting landscape has sent a shudder of fear through local Hispanic communities in places like Kenner, which has the highest percentage of Latino residents of any local community and where local authorities work closely with federal immigration officials.

Some advocates say that cooperation has had a chilling effect when it comes to the reporting of crimes against immigrants. In the New Orleans metro area, there were some 30,000 immigrants who came here illegally as of 2014, according to an estimate released earlier this year by the Pew Research Center.

"We're seeing people who were themselves victims of crimes or were in a traffic accident, maybe rear-ended, and then arrested by Kenner police and handed over to ICE," said Chloe Sigal, an organizer with the Congress of Day Laborers. "Some people don't even want to go out and buy groceries. People are afraid to leave their children at the bus stop."

Thomas Byrd, an ICE spokesman, said in an email that "there are mechanisms in place to protect victims and witnesses of crimes."

"I'm not aware of victims of traffic accidents being arrested and removed by ICE," he said.

The Kenner Police Department did not respond to requests for comment.

'Only God can protect you'

The statistics provided by ICE are not broken down by city or even by state, so it's unclear where the increases have been most pronounced. Byrd said he could provide numbers only for the entire New Orleans field office, which covers five states.

The numbers likely would be even higher in New Orleans if it weren't for the refusal of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office to honor immigration detainers lodged by ICE, except in cases involving those facing serious felony charges. The New Orleans Police Department, under the terms of a federal consent decree, also has limited its cooperation with immigration officials; it specifically forbids officers from inquiring about the immigration status of suspects, victims and witnesses.

Those policies together have prompted critics to label New Orleans a "sanctuary city," a label Mayor Mitch Landrieu has vigorously disputed.

ICE's current approach marks a drastic change from the guidelines the agency followed during the Obama administration, which initially took an aggressive stance toward deportations but later, in an about-face, largely called for ICE to leave alone the millions of immigrants who lack legal permission to live in the U.S. but have nevertheless found work here and have not committed any crimes.

Take Ramon, for example, an immigrant living in Jefferson Parish who came to the United States illegally 13 years ago to earn money for his family.

A Honduran national who asked that his last name not be printed, Ramon, who claims he has no criminal history, lives a reclusive life in Metairie when he's not painting houses. He doesn't go out drinking or partying. Paying for the education of his two sons, who are both in college in Honduras, is his sole focus.

Three years ago, during the Obama administration, ICE detained Ramon three times in just two months. He was scared, he said, but immigration officials ran his fingerprints and let him go. He was not a priority for deportation in those days and felt relatively safe. But that's changed in recent months. Three of his friends were deported recently, he said, though he's unsure whether they committed a crime or were expelled solely because they were here illegally.

"These days, I'd say it's a toss-up," he said. "You wake up with that fear every day. Only God can protect you from that."

Ramon and several other immigrants said they feel comfortable in Metairie, but they are increasingly wary in Kenner, where they perceive immigration enforcement to be more aggressive at the local level.

But it's not just Kenner that has seen an influx of immigration-related arrests. Sigal, the Congress of Day Laborers organizer, said her organization has heard reports of ICE agents staking out the Ideal market on Hessmer Avenue in Metairie, which is frequented by Latino shoppers.

"They don't have free rein to profile people and stalk them without probable cause, and unfortunately, that's what we're seeing," Sigal said. "They're acting without any regard for children's welfare or humanitarian factors."

Why the hostility?

Hernandez, the Prairieville bricklayer, has six children, two of whom suffer from severe medical conditions. And though he came to America illegally, he has paid federal income tax since 2005 and employed up to 10 people at Hernandez Brick Layer LLC.

Those were among the factors that prompted federal prosecutors and immigration officials to allow him to remain after he was arrested in 2014.

At that time, someone had told local authorities that "a previously deported alien from Mexico was working as a self-employed bricklayer and living" in Prairieville, according to court records. Hernandez suspects a jealous neighbor implicated him.

Hernandez was granted a "stay of removal" and placed under an order of supervision that allowed him to obtain a work permit and a driver's license but required him to check in with immigration officials once a year.

Last month, he reported to the ICE office on Poydras Street in New Orleans expecting to renew his permit. "It was more like a formality, really," he recalled. "But when I got there, they told me that I had to sign that paper or theyd detain me right there."

Hernandez asked to speak to his lawyer, a request that was denied. Hernandez reluctantly complied, agreeing to leave the U.S. voluntarily by Oct. 10 or be forcefully removed.

In 1997, when he left his hometown in Mexico to find a better life, Toluca was relatively quiet. But that's changed in the time he's been in the United States. Now that community, about 40 miles west of Mexico City, is beset by violence, robberies and kidnappings, Hernandez said. He had been thinking about returning to Mexico for his retirement, but not to Toluca.

Hernandez said he can't understand the hostility many Americans feel toward immigrants like him.

"We come here to live in peace and work," he said. "We are not the criminals as many are depicting us. We're just here working and helping this country. That's all."
When FBI agent Michael Zummer lost his security clearance and was suspended without pay last year, his superiors informed him, This is not a punishment.

It sure must have felt like one, and Zummer has been in limbo ever since. He has now filed a lawsuit seeking reinstatement and back pay.

Zummer led the investigation that concluded then-St. Charles Parish DA Harry Morel habitually let female defendants off the hook in return for sex. He operated in this fashion for some 20 years and was described by prosecutors at a press conference as a sexual predator.

He got the mother of sweetheart deals, however, and was allowed last August to plead to one count of obstruction of justice. Zummer was so disgusted that, as sentencing day approached, he sent a letter to U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt. His punishment followed swiftly.

While it is generally unwise to set store by the allegations in a lawsuit to which the defense has yet to file a response, the evidence on this occasion strongly suggests that the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office have been involved in a cover-up.

Engelhardt sentenced Morel to three years, the maximum available, but declined to put Zummer's letter on the public record. He did, however, note that it was troubling to say the least, and he shared Zummer's legitimate concerns that the Justice Department is unable or unwilling to self-police lapses of ethics, professionalism in its ranks.

The FBI has since been released the letter, but only, of course, after redacting all the juicy bits. Enough survives, however, to confirm that Zummer attributed Morel's break to corruption on the part of the feds whose names are blacked out.

Zummer received further support from U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, chairman of the Judiciary Committee, who evidently does not believe the This is not punishment" line either. In a letter to Justice Department officials in Washington, Grassley noted that Zummer's suspension looks like misuse of the security clearance process to mask retaliation for protected whistleblowing.

Zummer had sought permission to send his letter to Engelhardt but, according to his lawsuit, his superiors gave him the runaround. After waiting more than three months, when it was clear he wouldn't get a decision before Morel was sentenced, Zummer submitted his letter to Engelhardt and informed his bosses, who asked him to retract it. He refused and remains a pariah to this day.

It is hard to see the FBI emerging with any credit from this litigation. Certainly, our storied G-men must often work in the shadows and will be privy to information that might compromise national security or subsequent investigations if the public got wind of it. The FBI, moreover, has a strict chain and authority, and agents are bound to follow orders.

Zummer's lawsuit, however, claims that he had a First Amendment right to convey his concerns to Engelhardt and that trumps the FBI rule that requires agents to obtain approval before disseminating what they discovered in their professional capacity. Zummer wants the courts not only to give him his job back, but to order the feds to publish his correspondence with Engelhardt unredacted.

The public would love to see it, and nobody knows more about the case than Zummer, who was singled out for praise by then-U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite when it was wrapped up. Polite, however, has rejected Zummer's suggestion Morel got off lightly because his attorney Ralph Capitelli was a pal of federal prosecutor Fred Harper.

But, if Zummer is off-base in accusing his colleagues of misbehavior, there can be no point in muzzling him, since the Morel investigation is history, other than to save face. The feds have fought so long and hard to suppress the letter that the public can only conclude they are running scared.

The Morel cases was fishy all along  charges were refused altogether before Polite took over  and Engelhardt's remarks leave little room for doubt that releasing the letter contains information about the workings of government that the public should be entitled to assess.

Email James Gill at jgill@theadvocate.com.
Earlier this month, Rhode Island became the fourth state in the nation to offer free tuition for community colleges.

Its news you probably overlooked. But this news should come as a wake-up call for Louisiana, whose own economic development statistics show that nearly half of the jobs coming to this state over the next few years require training at or above a two-year degree past high school. (Tennessee, Oregon and Minnesota are the other three free tuition community college states.)

Nationally, the cost of community college is going down. Tuitions for the schools in Louisiana are not, says Terrence Ginn, who, as deputy commissioner for Finance and Administration, is this states chief guru for higher education finances.

We are having to charge our students a great deal of money to get that certification. Thats not helping to fuel our workforce needs, Ginn said in a recent interview. That is a direct effect of not having enough state investment in higher education.

He points to stats collected by the Southern Regional Education Board.

Louisiana, according to the latest SREB report, charges state residents an average $3,292 for community college tuition. Thats slightly below the national average of $3,312 but above the $3,137 Southern average. More directly, Louisianas average community college costs are about 40 percent higher than neighboring Mississippi, at $2,322, and Texas, at $2,397. Arkansas charges an average $3,003.

But making community colleges tuition-free likely would face withering political opposition in a state as red as Louisiana.

Nine years ago, the state bought into the conservative philosophy that views post-secondary students as consumers, therefore more responsible than taxpayers for paying for their own education. Consequently, the Jindal administration  with legislative approval slashed state appropriations to higher education more than any other state in the nation.

Average tuition prices nationally have risen 440 percent over the past 25 years, which is more than health care experienced. Many argue that the institutions needed to be more accountable and less reliant on taxpayer dollars. These days most Louisiana students and their families pay about 70 percent of the costs for the education. In 2007, that was about what state government paid to run higher education.

The free tuition faction largely comes from Democrats who argue that post-secondary education is the most cost-effective route for young people to lift themselves up and become productive, tax-paying members of society. Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton made those points in their presidential bids, which automatically disqualifies the idea in the minds of many Louisiana conservative voters.

Besides, Louisiana has its own version of free tuition, TOPS.

The grants pay in-state public college and university tuition for Louisiana high school students who take a slate of college-prep courses, maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.5 and score more than 20 out of 36 points possible on the standardized national ACT exam required for admittance to most colleges and universities. Legislators agreed to appropriate the $300 million or so to fully fund the politically popular Taylor Opportunity Program for Students for the fiscal year that began July 1.

Though a handful of students use TOPS for their educations at the Louisiana Community & Technical College System, nine dollars of every $10 goes to students enrolled at the states 14 public universities. Only about 30 percent  44,756 of the 150,189 students enrolled last fall in public four-year institutions  received the free tuition offered by TOPS. The rest paid out of pocket.

In the fall of 2016, a total 61,059 students enrolled in the 15 community colleges run by LCTCS. Nearly every one of those students used their own money or loans or various grants to pay for their education.

Look, said Commissioner of Higher Education Joe Rallo in a recent interview, if you funded every student who is currently in the two-year programs, it would cost $191 million, basically, to make it tuition free.

So its a very interesting question. If its the graduates of the two-year programs that are basically fueling our economy, then is the $300 million being spent on TOPS the best use of our money? Rallo posited.

State Sen. Sharon Hewitt, the Slidell Republican who sponsored legislation requiring Rallo to deliver the Legislature a plan of action, isnt really sure the state can afford to fund TOPS as well as provide a free education at the community colleges.

I dont think we can do both, but if it means taking money away from the four-year schools, I dont support that, she said.

My job is to ask some questions and allow the Legislature to have some options, Rallo said. It is important for me to raise the question.
If Trump imposes steel tariffs or quotas, Louisiana would see both winners and losers

If Trump imposes steel tariffs or quotas, Louisiana would see both winners and losers
Once Anne* fled the years of drunken abuse, her second battle began.

She wanted to stay safe from the ex-partner who harmed her, provide and care for her three children, keep a roof over their heads, hold down her job and maintain some control of her finances.

Anne had a full-time job and a decent income but struggled to rebuild her family's life after years of domestic violence. Credit:Karleen Minney

But even with a full-time job she'd held down for a decade and decent salary, she battled to rebuild her life after domestic violence.

She spent 75 per cent of her income on rent, couldn't afford insurance, and spent the past seven years repaying $30,000 debt, which stemmed from her ex-partner's financial abuse, without any financial support.
Remember "peak oil"? It's had many iterations over the years. I remember sitting in a cafe just four years ago, while the executive of a small oil exploration firm explained to me that all the easy-to-reach oil was gone. What was needed, he explained, was for intrepid companies like his to go out and find the tricky stuff hidden in under-explored basins. This would be more expensive, but prices were high. What else could the world do?

Rather a lot, it turns out. In fact, that talk of "peak oil" is now being replaced by another prospect: peak oil demand. This week, GTM Research and Wood Mackenzie, the influential Scottish energy research house, published an analysis suggesting global fossil fuel demand could peak in the next five years. Paul McConnell, the author of the analysis, said two or three years ago it was hard to get oil and gas firms interested. But in the last year, "it's become virtually all we talk about with clients".

The cost of buying an electric vehicle could reach parity with normal cars by the early 2020s. Credit:Tesla

Just like record companies and retailers, oil and gas firms are scrambling to get their heads around the coming disruption. Mainstream investors, even those holding companies like ExxonMobil, are pushing them to publish analysis of how decarbonisation will affect their assets and what they plan to do. These investors know that the fossil fuel industry is about to be caught by a gathering storm of electric vehicles, increasing energy efficiency and the plummeting costs of production for renewables. Altogether, in McConnell's "disruptive" scenario, these advances will reduce fossil fuel demand by 6.5 million barrels a day by 2025. That's about 7pc of total daily demand.

This isn't Wood Mackenzie's most likely scenario at present. But perhaps it should be. Recent announcements by France and Britain commit them to phasing out hydrocarbon-burning vehicles in line with the speedy scenario, not the base case. And history tells us that established industries are very bad at grasping the pace and scale of disruption heading their way.
The debate over voluntary assisted dying has a renewed focus across the country.

This month, bills to allow for medically assisted euthanasia will be introduced in the NSW and Victorian parliaments for a conscience vote.

There are powerful arguments on both sides of the medically assisted euthanasia debate which must be weighed carefully. Credit:Danielle Smith

The states may become the first jurisdictions to legalise euthanasia in Australia since the Northern Territory's Rights of the Terminally Ill Act was overturned by the Federal Parliament in 1997, less than a year after it had commenced operation.

A draft Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill, prepared by a parliamentary working group made up of MPs from all parties, was released in NSW in May and will be introduced in the upper house in the coming weeks.
A Melbourne cafe owner's gently provocative and light-hearted initiative to draw attention to the lamentable reality that women continue to be paid much less than men and face manifold economic unfairness has been a resounding success.

For a week each month, Alex O'Brien's Handsome Her cafe is charging men a (voluntary) "gender surcharge" of 18 per cent, reflecting the gap between average full-time wages for men and women. The money will be given to community organisations.

The move ignited a spirited debate on social media, and has been reported internationally, causing valuable community conversations in other nations, too. There has been much earnest criticism by those who feel Ms O'Brien is unduly discriminating against men. These people might want to lighten up a little and focus their indignation on the injustices women still face. Men hold the overwhelming majority of positions of power throughout the economy.

The injustice extends far beyond that. Global financial firm PwC calculates, for example, that were unpaid childcare, the overwhelming majority of which is done by women, included in the national accounts, it would be the biggest contributor to our economy, worth $345 billion  three times larger than the banking, finance and insurance sector. Global investment bank Goldman Sachs estimates that were women to access the workforce as readily as men, it would boost the size of Australia's economy by more than 10 per cent.
A bewildering influence Australia is a secular country, our Parliament is supposed to act accordingly, it is therefore bewildering that a small number of religious hard-right politicians can determine Australian policies and waste money. Irene Zalstein, East Doncaster We're a global embarrassment While Australia still dithers and pontificates on same-sex marriage it has now been made legal in many countries, without much fuss, such as Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and Britain.

This is an international embarrassment. Ian Brenner, Glen Osmond, SA Love has no boundaries Those who claim not to be bigoted, but say that a union between same sex people should not be called a "marriage", fail to understand that is is discriminatory to differentiate between the love of any couple. Bruce Murray, Clifton Springs

Pollies need a pay cut The first question in our upcoming postal vote should be to determine how much of a pay cut our Coalition parliamentarians receive in order to pay for the populist polling that replaces their jobs as elected representatives. Geoff Allshorn, Montmorency FORUM Bad economic model

It should come as no surprise that we are "drowning in a sea of waste", (The Sunday Age, 6/8), as it was so eloquently put. We have been relying on an economic model that has embraced planned obsolescence and economic growth, to name two factors, and this has encouraged a madness to be the first on the block to have a new gadget. Vast amounts of goods are imported annually and much of it could best be described as poor quality. Millions of household items destined for homes end up in landfill well before their time. The results of this incessant waste generation are plain to see at any council waste depot. Earth is our life-support system and we are treating this planet with contempt. It is time that the economic models of unbridled capitalism, growth for growth's sake, and dare I say it, population were led to the sacred cow slaughterhouse. David Legatt, South Morang Divided society

The Coalition's proposed cuts to funding the tertiary education sector ('Turnbull's $1billion cut to unis', The Sunday Age, 6/8) will further disadvantage the children of lower-middle and low-income earners. Yet, at the same time, the Coalition wants to reduce its revenue by cutting company tax, leaving in place tax-avoidance trusts and cuttingthe personal tax rate forthe wealthy, and the enormously wealthy. Australia should, but can no longer, afford free tertiary education because decades long tax avoidance by corporations, multinationals and high-wealth individuals; the handing over of the nation's natural resources for trifling returns; and the profligate Howard era largesse of tax cuts greatly reduced the Commonwealth's tax revenue. The gap between the well-off and the strugglers widens as even more wealth is accumulated by the already well-off. Perhaps we should, in part, as suggested by the Prime Minister, return to the Menzies era, that of high taxation and estate death duties, to put more tax revenue back into the Commonwealth's coffers. Harry Kowalski, Ivanhoe

Workers pay price Industry groups rigidly maintain that workers must give productivity gains if they want increases in wages, despite the fact that low wage growth is hurting the economy (The Sunday Age, 6/8). This hypocrisy is galling. Do politicians give productivity increases when their salaries and perks go up? Do business leaders produce better decisions to justify their huge wage increases? Do manufacturers make their products bigger and better each time they increase prices? The answer to these questions is a resounding no, yet the workers are still expected to produce more. Ross Hudson, Camberwell Break the affiliations I note the comments by Ben Schneiders ('What do we want? More potent unions', The Sunday Age, 6/8) how unions not affiliated with the ALP have been more effective in growth and protecting their members' wages and conditions. As a lifelong union activist, official and ALP member of more than 20years, I concluded 30years ago that unions should never be affiliated with any political party, but be independent in order to develop their own strategies and actions.

In Sweden 30years ago, the unions and Social Democratic Party agreed for unions to no longer affiliate. It has led to a more constructive and better relationship. Our unions would be free of the destructive factions, ALP members would have more say, and unions could concentrate on what is best for their members. Max Ogden, Fitzroy North Making life harder Former Liberal Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser once infamously said "life wasn't meant to be easy". It would appear that the current Coalition government is going one step further by pursuing policies that make life harder for ordinary Australians. The Sunday Age (6/8) contains two stories that exemplify this point. Malcolm Turnbull's $1billion cut to unis will see these educational institutions left with no choice but to raise fees, making it much more difficult for students from low-income families to receive a tertiary education.

Another article states that "the incoming Coalition government wanted low wage growth, badly". The Coalition achieved this with spades as figures show real wages are now lower than they were in 2009. Many more Australians are now in struggle street as a result of this "achievement". Higher levels of education and fair pay and conditions are basic in improving the standard of living in a society. The Coalition appears to be working to thwart this ideal. Phil Alexander, Eltham Commendable Bill Bill Shorten's support (The Sunday Age, 6/8) for a treaty-making process and Voice to Parliament for Australia's Indigenous people is to be commended. The historic absence of a treaty or treaties between British governments and our First People, in contrast to the New Zealand and Canadian colonial experience, has meant that a Terra Nullius mindset has persisted within the non-Indigenous population. The notion of sovereignty over the continent by the original inhabitants prior to 1788 was never acknowledged; and the constitution of 1901 was, to put it bluntly, a "white man's" document. These historic wrongs must be addressed. Far from being controversial, as some conservatives would have us believe, a Voice to Parliament would for the first time formally incorporate Indigenous perspectives. Jon McMillan, Mount Eliza

Powerful voices These are the voices we most need to hear ('Keepers of the sacred songs', The Sunday Age, 6/8). The achievements of the Central Australian Aboriginal Women's Choir are remarkable. First, they are continuing the pivotal role women play in maintaining languages, especially when so many Aboriginal dialects have disappeared. Second, they are bridging a gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures, and, even more importantly, they are the proof that Aboriginal women are a force to be reckoned with when they come together for a common purpose. Helen Scheller, Benalla Not milk of kindness

Celia Walden ('It's hard to bear, but the bullies are right', The Sunday Age, 6/8) believes milk production is humane. Having grown up in a dairy "production" area, I disagree. The transport and slaughter of nearly a million baby calves every year is not humane. Consumers have plenty of cruelty-free choices rather than buying milk stolen from slaughtered calves. Jan Kendall, Hawthorn Narev must resign The successive disgraceful scandals at the Commonwealth Bank, and the apparent tendency of the chief executive officer Ian Narev to shrug them off, send a message that traditional tenets of accountability are optional. What organisational structures and controls are in vogue? Financial adviser cowboys on the loose with the carrot of juicy commissions? Insurance entitlements determined by Scrooge? These, and the more recent failings were said to have been reported at lower levels, but seemingly swept under the expensive carpets in the executivesuite.

The $9million salary of the chief executive is indecent even in a very ethical, squeaky clean successful business. The proper response is for MrNarev to resign, and for other less-than-diligent senior executives to be sacked. Peter Wigney, Pakenham Shame upon shame The death of Hamed Shamshiripour on Manus Island adds to Australia's shame.

Behrouz Boochani on Manus (The Age, 9/8) reminds readers of Malcolm Turnbull's cynical words to Trump, that "obligation is only to go through the process" and "the agreement does not require you to take any [of the refugees]". Neil Tolliday, Werribee Alone on the Grange Matthew Guy is clearly unfit to be premier. Anyone who drinks Grange with seafood has no idea. A crisp, unoaked white would suit a seafood platter quite well. Mark Biss, Camberwell
In Sydney, a group of homeless people have just been removed from Martin Place. The leader of the "tent city" is Lanz Priestly, pictured. Credit:Daniel Munoz The NSW government scrapped a stamp duty concession scheme for seniors in 2012, despite signs of a deepening of the housing affordability crisis, and has no specific measures in its new housing affordability package to encourage older NSW residents to downsize. According to the Grattan Institute's Brendan Coates, the disincentives have fuelled the level of inequality laid bare in the figures, as more young families are shut out, not just from buying a property, but from paying the rent with fewer houses and rooms on the market. Rough sleepers along Elizabeth Street in Melbourne. Credit:Joe Armao Mother-of-five Joanna Karalis spent up to 50 per cent of her income on rent in Hurstville for a decade while supporting several children with disabilities.

"It was just horrible. I was constantly depressed and getting at the kids, which was even harder because they hadn't done anything wrong," she said. Illustration: Matt Golding "It was so hard with one wage just to keep the electricity, gas and water on and buy school uniforms for the kids." The figures show that in Ms Karalis' former local government area of Georges River there are now 664 four-bedroom homes, 169 five-bedroom homes, and 37 six-bedroom homes with only one person living in them, while one-in-six residents suffer from rental stress.

In Melbourne city, where 35 per cent of people suffer from rental stress, there are 43 six-bedroom homes with one occupant. In Port Phillip, where one in five struggle to balance rent with bills, there are 167 four bedroom homes, 30 five bedroom homes and 29 six bedroom homes with just one person living in them. It's a similar story in the Sydney local government area, where 95 six-bedroom mansions are practically vacant, while up to a third of residents battle rental stress. In Randwick, there are more than 500 four- and five-bedroom homes that have just one person living in them, while up to 20 per cent of residents push their income to the limit for a place they can afford. "You can't wait for the baby boomers to pass away to get those houses on the market," said Mr Coates.

"A lot of people in their 60s can expect to live for another 30 years. Try telling younger Australians that they have to wait for that to happen to be able to afford a house that is close to their job." Mr Coates said restrictive planning laws in the east coast capital cities meant smaller properties that would allow older Australians to downsize aren't being built. "We need to shift the subdivision laws in our middle and inner-ring suburbs to create the kind of housing that everyone needs," he said. "Anything beyond the CBD it's really hard to get beyond medium to high-density housing. In the inner and middle suburbs, they have barely changed in decades: that is part of the reason we see house prices rising and rental stress.

The national peak body representing the interests of older Australians, the Council on the Ageing, said it's clear an older individual sitting on a four to six-bedroom house is an under utilisation. "There are arguments that some of the older constituents are reaping the fruits of the 'not in my backyard' attitude to medium density development for example," said COTA chief Ian Yates. "The dilemma in 'right-sizing' is if they want to move to an appropriate home, then it's not only going to cost you money through stamp duty, but they want to stay in an area that has the right services." Mr Yates said some of the measures announced by Treasurer Scott Morrison in the May budget such as allowing seniors to contribute the proceeds from the sale of their house to super, could still discourage them from selling by counting against them on the aged pension test.

The government has restricted the perk to family homes owned for more than 10 years. "Under the 10-year rule a person who might otherwise decide to move is probably going to be advised by their financial planner to wait another two years," he said. "Public policy could perversely slow down people moving who were otherwise going to do to it." he said. The St Vincent De Paul society says many of those who are living in largely empty homes are older women, too afraid to move out of their communities where they are comfortable with support services.

Cruelly, single women are also the fastest-growing group of people with no home at all: the number of people sleeping rough in the Melbourne CBD doubled over the past year and increased by 10 per cent in Sydney over the past six months. "Worsening housing affordability has pushed people down the line," said Mr Coates. "People who used to be able to afford housing are being displaced. With a shortage of housing stock, something has to give and you end up with people in really rough circumstances." In the Sydney city area alone there are more than 6000 empty rooms in three, four, five and six-bedrooms houses - capable of housing the residents of Martin Place's homeless tent city hundreds of times over. "Wherever you look around the city now there are cranes on the skyline, but they aren't building a national housing plan to solve this problem," said the CEO of St Vincent De Paul's social and affordable housing fund, Brian Murnane.
A trail of government website crashes, tech wrecks and costly projects is expected to face scrutiny when Labor moves for a Senate probe into the Coalition's troubled multibillion dollar IT spend this week.

The inquiry, if supported by the Senate, would haul government officials in front of a parliamentary committee investigating the causes of multiple controversies in the government's roll-out of digital services, culminating in the infamous "censusfail" saga and the Department of Human Services' "robo-debt" program.

A Senate inquiry will probe the government's troubled multibillion dollar spend on IT projects. Credit:Phil Carrick

Tech spending by the public service and military establishment has soared from $6.7 billion in the 2014-15 financial year to $9.3 billion in 2015-16 and it is projected to grow by another $300 million this year. But a series of high-profile blunders has shredded the government's reputation for delivering digital services.

As the government hands the national postal plebiscite on same sex marriage to the Australian Bureau of Statistics despite concerns about the agency following job cuts and the short lead-up to the survey, the inquiry would probe the ABS' readiness for the task given failures during the 2016 census.
Harry Summers has won the 2017 Sun-Herald City2Surf for the second consecutive year, while Celia Sullohern was the first woman to cross the finish line.

Summers, a 27-year-old distance runner from Randwick, ran the 14-kilometre course in a cracking time of 42 minutes, 16 seconds.

Sullohern took the women's line honours in 47 minutes, 11 seconds.

Also claiming a back-to-back title was wheelchair athlete Kurt Fearnley who finished in 41 minutes, 21 seconds.
The idyllic Byron Bay hinterland towns of Bangalow and Newrybar in the far north of NSW have long attracted Sydneysiders seeking an escape from the big smoke.

But now locals are in a flutter about apparently unrelated big-money investments and business operations in the area.

Names on the lips of locals include former king of the Cross, John Ibrahim, and his property developer friend, Bart Elias, as well as Gold Coast party boy and tobacco shop heir Travers Beynon, aka, the Candyman.

As a stoush over a major $20 million-plus industrial development in Bangalow comes to a head before the NSW Government's joint regional planning panel on Thursday, intrigue and suspicion have taken over.
Candidates wanting to replace Paul Pisasale as mayor of Ipswich want travel expenses for the councillors and senior staff working at four Ipswich City Council-owned businesses to be made public.

They also want major changes to the committees that run those businesses, which were responsible for the development of council-owned land.

The proposed Ipswich City Square falls under the auspices of the council-owned Ipswich City Properties.

Some candidates would abolish the committees altogether, while others would appoint businesspeople and not councillors to the positions.

The council has since 2009 had four companies oversee major property development on council-owned land in Ipswich. One business negotiates 19 service agreements to run council offices.
A Queensland man is seeking compensation after spending almost 100 days stuck in broadband-less limbo thanks to a series of bungles connecting him to the National Broadband Network.

NBN Co has dismissed concerns raised by the state's Education Department that schools could run into similar problems.

The Queensland government has raised concerns schools could face similar issues with the NBN. Credit:Louie Douvis

Finance industry worker Andrew Mann was initially told he would be connected to the National Broadband Network when he moved to Kenmore, in south-west Brisbane, on May 4.

Instead, he was left waiting for months without either the new NBN connection or an older ADSL line, wrangling with both Telstra and NBN Co to have what turned out to be a relatively simple problem fixed.
A Melbourne woman was left fearing for her life after a car stacker fell more than a metre while she was parking her car.

Sandra and Justin Shmith of South Yarra spent about $45,000 buying the stacker, which allows more cars to be parked, typically by raising or lowering one vehicle so other vehicles may be parked above or below it.

The stricken Range Rover in the Shmith's garage.

Their three-vehicle stacker was installed in their garage in June and Mrs Shmith was the first person to use it.

"I was in a stationary position and I was only in there for a matter of seconds and then the whole thing just gave way and dropped ... like if a lift had dropped to the bottom," she said.
A prominent lawyer has taken action in the Australian Human Rights Commission over allegations she was subjected to a barrage of inappropriate and sexually suggestive comments by a real estate agent appointed to sell her Port Melbourne home.

The commercial barrister, who Fairfax has chosen not to name, also alleges that a senior figure with real estate agent, Marshall White, offered her "the deal of the century" on a property listed with the firm in an attempt to resolve the dispute and avoid litigation.

The Marshall White office in Albert Park. Credit:Paul Jeffers

Last week, lawyers representing the woman filed a complaint with Australian Human Rights Commission, which included allegations of unlawful conduct and breaches of the Sex Discrimination Act.

The woman claims a Marshall White agent made a string of inappropriate comments within days of listing her Esplanade West home for sale in August 2014.
The economic and traffic benefits of Transurban's proposed $5.5 billion motorway through Melbourne's west were deliberately distorted and misrepresented in Victoria's assessment of the road, a former transport consultant on the project for the Andrews government says.

And it has emerged that the team that produced the dumped East West Link business case  repeatedly ridiculed by Premier Daniel Andrews  is the same group behind the West Gate Tunnel business case.

Cartoon: Matt Golding

Six weeks of hearings into the environmental effects of the massive freeway expansion plan begin on Monday.


Simon Herrmann, wise-owl.com

BUY RECOMMENDATIONS

Regis Resources (RRL)



Chart: Share price over the year

Its Duketon gold mining project in Western Australia offers compelling economics in the current price environment. Management is targeting a gold production increase of between 2.5 per cent and 12.5 per cent in the next financial year, with cash costs at the lower end of the industry average. Regis is well funded, with more than $150 million in cash and gold, enabling the company to weather any short term price volatility. We believe its time to increase exposure to gold.

Platinum Asset Management (PTM)



Chart: Share price over the year

This funds manager had underperformed due to outflows. In our view, it was also underweight in the top performing US equity market. But strong and dynamic management has responded positively to structural industry changes. Historically, PTM has outperformed in challenging global market conditions, which is possible during the next 12 months. Given this scenario, PTM is a worthy addition to an investment portfolio.

HOLD RECOMMENDATIONS

Challenger (CGF)



Chart: Share price over the year

Were attracted to Challengers value proposition and track record of creating shareholder value. This investment management firms strong performance continues, as sales, net flows and funds under management increase. Challenger is successfully taking advantage of a favourable macro trend in annuities. A stop loss at $11.50 makes sense. The shares were trading at $13.15 on August 10.

Beach Energy (BPT)



Chart: Share price over the year

Full year production forecasts can be achieved with existing projects. Given the companys leveraged exposure to global oil markets, the stock has underperformed in the past six months as crude oil has traded in bear market territory for most of the year. However, BPT remains a well positioned production company, with a strong track record, balance sheet and cash flow generation capabilities.

SELL RECOMMENDATIONS

Astro Japan Property Group (AJA)



Chart: Share price over the year

Earlier this month, US private equity firm Blackstone launched a takeover bid for AJA at $7.18 a security. We believe its unlikely a competing bid will emerge before shareholders vote on the takeover on September 13. Shareholders can get their money now and invest elsewhere. AJA was trading at $7.15 on August 10.

Big Un Limited (BIG)



Chart: Share price over the year

This media and video producer exceeded our projections as investors drove up the share price. Our research suggests the balance of risk is now unfavourable. The stock has run too hard, too fast. On January 3 this year, the shares were priced at 25 cents. The shares were trading at $1.605 on August 10. We believe its time to take profit.



Les Szancer, AXL Capital Partners

BUY RECOMMENDATIONS

American Patriot Oil and Gas (AOW)



Chart: Share price over the year

The company recently acquired conventional oil and gas producing assets in Texas that will produce 285 barrels of oil and gas equivalent a day. It expects to grow production to 500 barrels a day by the end of the year. In my view, this paints a brighter future, as it transforms the company into a producer with cash flow. A speculative buy for investors with an appetite for risk. AOW was trading at 3.1 cents on August 10.

Equus Mining (EQE)



Chart: Share price over the year

An Australian exploration company focusing on resource projects in Chile. Investors responded positively to a maiden drilling result at its Los Domos Gold Silver Project. The shares have risen from 1.6 cents on June 5 to trade at 4.8 cents on August 10. The company has more drilling ahead. Another speculative buy for those with an appetite for risk.

HOLD RECOMMENDATIONS

Mount Ridley Mines (MRD)



Chart: Share price over the year

This Australian explorer is targeting nickel copper sulphide deposits in a portion of the Fraser Zone Province in Western Australia. The Fraser Zone Province is where Independence Group (IGO) has its promising Nova-nickel copper mine. The MRD share price was trading below a cent on August 10, so this isnt a stock for the risk averse. Perhaps more patience is needed.

BWX (BWX)



Chart: Share price over the year



Makes and distributes skin and hair products. In July, the company acquired the number one natural cosmetics brand in the US. The $US38.4 million purchase of Mineral Fusion National Brands LLC is funded by an extension of the companys existing debt facilities, so theres no stock dilution in this deal. I expect the acquisition to add to the bottom line going forward.

SELL RECOMMENDATIONS

CSG Limited (CSV)



Chart: Share price over the year



On August 7, the stock was priced at 68.5 cents. Shares in this information technology company were trading at 46.5 cents on August 10. The company expects to recognise a non cash impairment charge of about $55 million when it announces its full year results on August 18. Revenue of about $245 million is below expectations. Bad news tends to hang around.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA)



Chart: Share price over the year



Recently delivered a bumper full year profit of $9.88 billion and a higher than expected final dividend of $2.30 a share. But the result was somewhat overshadowed by allegations the CBA had breached money laundering laws. The companys reputation is under scrutiny.



Ryan Gale, PAC Partners

BUY RECOMMENDATIONS

New Century Resources (NCZ)



Chart: Share price over the year

The share price has been climbing. On August 1, the stock was priced at 50 cents. The shares were trading at 64.5 cents on August 11. This base metal development company is targeting the recommencement of operations at its Century Zinc mine in Queensland. With a strong management team and few ways to play zinc on the ASX, we believe NCZ has the potential to move higher, so consider adding to your portfolio.

Anatara Lifesciences (ANR)



Chart: Share price over the year

This biotech is developing non-antibiotic oral solutions for gastrointestinal diseases in animals and humans. Its set for a significant commercial re-launch in calendar year 2018. It has a strong internal team, platform and globally significant partners. ANR is aiming for first commercial sales of its product next year. It has $12 million in cash, and strong technical support to guide it through to revenue.

HOLD RECOMMEMDATIONS

Bega Cheese (BGA)



Chart: Share price over the year

Offers a range of growth opportunities in food and beverages, but we have moved from a buy to a hold after a strong performance in the past two years. We expect bolt-on acquisitions and fresh internal activities to lift earnings per share from here.

Select Harvests (SHV)



Chart: Share price over the year

The almond makers earnings downgrade cuts our fiscal year 2017 EBIT by 30 per cent to $18.8 million. We have forecast a 20 per cent fall in fiscal year 2018 EBIT to $37.4 million. SHV is pro-active enough to use challenging times to diversify into internal and external opportunities. The business is ticking along well, but we dont see enough upside to support a buy recommendation.

SELL RECOMMENDATIONS

Aurora Labs (A3D)



Chart: Share price over the year

Specialises in 3D metal printing and has enjoyed a super run. Listing 12 months ago at 20 cents, the stock skyrocketed to a 12 month high of $5.39 on November 30, 2016. The price rise showed just how much interest there was in the sector. However, in our view, A3D has found itself competing with constantly advancing 3D printing technologies, which contributed to investors jumping ship to stay one step ahead in this fast paced sector. The shares were trading 70.5 cents on August 11.

Atlas Iron (AGO)



Chart: Share price over the year

We question whether the current strength in the iron ore price can be sustained given the fundamental increase in supply hasnt been matched by demand. So, we can see an iron ore price correction, which could pressure margins of relatively higher cost producers, such as AGO. Atlas iron is also full leveraged to the iron ore price as a single commodity company.

>> BACK TO THE NEWSLETTER: Click here to read other articles from this weeks newsletter

Please note that TheBull.com.au simply publishes broker recommendations on this page. The publication of these recommendations does not in any way constitute a recommendation on the part of TheBull.com.au. You should seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.
The next time an infectious virus or disease emerges in the U.S., local partners in College Station could be part of the solution as medical professionals race to address the threat.

The Texas A&M University System and Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas are nearing the next phase of a partnership with the federal government as a Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing. The private company recently moved in to its new facility, which officials said stands ready to develop vaccines and other medical countermeasures to help keep Americans safe and healthy.

The company and its facilities are the manufacturing arm of the Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing at the A&M System -- one of three such centers established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) project for the purpose of developing and manufacturing medical countermeasures, such as vaccines and therapeutics used to protect health in emergencies ranging from an influenza pandemic to potential bioterrorism.

The contract is not to exceed $285 million, $176 million of which is covered by federal grants over the initial five-year period, officials said. The remaining amount -- largely used to construct, equip and provide infrastructure for the facility -- is covered by the private manufacturing partner, who will continue to fund operations for the facilities. Additionally, the State of Texas Emerging Technology Fund contributes $40 million, officials said.

In between its responsibilities tied to the federal response program alongside the A&M System, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies' private business operations focus on offering services from development to manufacturing to companies in the biopharmaceutical industry.

The company also operates sites in North Carolina and the United Kingdom.

'Only show in town'

Gerry Farrell, chief operating officer of Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas, said the company is able to take its clients' work from the pre-clinical phase all the way through manufacturing and production.

Farrell said the company often works with highly complex molecular compounds on behalf of its clients. As a comparison, he said if a common drug such as aspirin is a 20-pound bicycle, some of the large biologic molecules the company works with would be a 30,000-pound passenger plane.

The company currently employs 136 people -- roughly 30 of whom have been hired since March -- and is expected to expand to about 150 by January. Farrell said after that, he expects to see continued growth alongside business operations.

To help keep the workforce properly trained and allow for the hiring of local employees, the company is partnering with Blinn College on a number of workforce training programs.

The pair of institutions jointly have been awarded a nearly $300,000 grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to provide training in more than a dozen areas, including business computing, Occupational Safety & Health Administration certifications, powered industrial truck operators and more. Altogether, the union is expected to provide training resources for 34 upgraded positions and 106 new jobs.

Farrell said while the company is bringing in employees with prior experience in the "highly technical positions" from around the country, it also "want[s] to recruit locally as well, so if you can't get the trained staff, then we have to train them ourselves.

"In a sense, we're the only show in town when it comes to what we're doing," Farrell said.

While the company has and will continue to operate out of A&M's National Center for Therapeutic Manufacturing in College Station, its nearly operational biomanufacturing facilities located near Easterwood Airport and The Stella Hotel is expected to be working on products by the end of the year. The two adjacent facilities have a combined space of nearly 200,000 square feet.

Farrell said the company has invested $93 million in the College Station facilities thus far, with plans for an additional $28 million that could be invested in equipment in the future.

Texas A&M System: '50 percent profit'

In December 2014, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies inked a deal to acquire 49 percent of A&M System-started Kalon Biotherapeutics -- a private drug development company formed in 2011 to develop vaccines for the Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing at A&M.

The announcement of the deal drew national attention and the attendance of then-Gov. Rick Perry for a ceremonial closing of the acquisition at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Center.

Laylan Copelin, vice chancellor of marketing and communications at the A&M System, said officials knew early on there would be a need for a larger, more experienced manufacturing partner to be brought in to replace Kalon.

At the time of the announcement, a state spokesperson said the A&M System would receive between two and five times its original $2.5 million investment in starting Kalon. Copelin said the A&M System made a 50 percent profit on its stake in Kalon.

Under the agreement, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies took 100 percent ownership of the company in March after completing a series of previously agreed upon objectives, including the completion of the pair of biomanufacturing vaccine facilities in west College Station.

Although the Tokyo-based Fujifilm traditionally has been best known in the camera industry, Farrell said it has been making the transition into the life sciences field in recent years. The company acquired Diosynth Biotechnologies in 2011.

As the opportunities in the partnership expanded, he said there was a need for a commercial partner that had the financial backing to be able to meet the monetary obligations outlined in the agreement.

Farrell said the opportunity to participate with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority on the federal level and Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing at A&M was a big part of the draw for the company when it was making the decision to purchase Kalon.

"We brought our commercial manufacturing and development experience, and the technologies were here for us to take up and to partner with the government and the university on those other products," Farrell said.

Additionally, he said it afforded the company the ability to expand its business into new areas.

"What was here was an offering we didn't have at the other sites," Farrell said. "The other sites are solely microbial fermentation and cell culture manufacturing. Here, there was an opportunity to get into vaccine manufacturing [and] gene therapy."

Copelin said the first 5 1/2-year phase of the contract was focused on constructing, equipping and establishing the infrastructure of the center's facilities.

Moving forward, the A&M System will remain involved in the federal BARDA partnership and will act as a project manager of sorts should the Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing be called upon to respond to potential health emergencies. Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas, like Kalon before it, serves as the manufacturing partner for the team.

Copelin said now that the facilities are nearly fully operational, the partnership will spend the next 20 years responding to the U.S. government's requests for "various products and whatever needs they have."

Although not a part of the federal contract, Copelin said the private partners in these agreements are encouraged to use the facilities for their private work to ensure the facilities and workforce are always operational and ready to respond to whatever situation may arise.

"By design of the federal government, the partners have the ability to use the facilities to do warm basing -- keep operations going and your workforce humming," he said. "If you can make other products or do other projects, there are boundaries around that, but they (want them) to do that. They don't want [the facilities] moth-balled with people sitting around until the next virus pops up."

For the A&M System, Copelin said its role with the Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing is viewed as more of a service to the country than anything else.

"We did what we were supposed to do in the first five years of the contract, we've delivered and transferred the facilities to a contract manufacturing organization in [Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies Texas]," Copelin said. " We stand ready for when the federal government tells us what they need."

For more on the Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing partnership, go to www.medicalcountermeasures.gov/barda/core-services/ciadm.aspx.
Texas A&M has joined a growing roster of universities taking part in a nonprofit's mission to ease the transition for U.S. veterans moving from the military to college.

The Warrior-Scholar Project helps enlisted service members develop the necessary skills to complete a four-year university program. The main areas of focus include academic writing and reading, technical skills like note taking, studying and time management, and the facilitation of confidence-building in the transition.

Among the 15 universities participating in 2017 are Harvard, Princeton, Georgetown, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cornell, Amherst College and the University of Michigan. The program, which is free for the veterans, costs an average of $60,000 and is funded mainly through donations.

Sophomore political science major Jarrod Romine enrolled in the program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ahead of starting classes at Texas A&M two years ago. By the end of the week-long experience, he said he was sold.

"I was absolutely blown away," said Romine, who now serves as A&M's campus program coordinator for the project, which was held for the first time in Aggieland last week.

Romine -- who served in the U.S. Marine Corps for more than eight years and was selected last year as one of 60 Tillman Scholars -- said he sees the program's relationship with A&M as "the most natural thing in the world."

It's important for young veterans to know what their options are as they leave military service, he said, adding that they should be encouraged to take advantage of the benefits their service affords them.

"Unfortunately there is all too often an assumption that veterans just go to truck driving school or the police academy, and that's the extent of how they use their GI bill," Romine said. "Student veterans are often by their own nature humble, and that idea of selfless service often stops them from using what they have as a personal resource."

Romine said without the skills he learned through the program, he is not sure he would have been as effective in presenting his personal story when applying for a prestigious Tillman Scholarship.

Sidney Ellington, executive director of the nonprofit, said the class at Texas A&M last week included 20 prospective students, five of whom have already received acceptance into the university, and focused on giving the veterans insight into what it feels like to pursue higher education in a real-world classroom setting.

Ellington said he and his colleagues were particularly excited to see the program come to Texas A&M due to the large military population native to the state and the university's "rich military history."

In the future, he said the nonprofit is hoping to further expand its STEM program offerings in addition to the liberal arts.

The program, he said, is designed to help develop the next generation of American leaders.

"We want to couple the leadership traits, the team-building skills, adaptability and problem-solving learned from the military with a great education from a school like Texas A&M," Ellington said. "What you have then is a civic leader of tomorrow. So when I'm in a wheelchair, Jarrod and all of his fellow veterans will be holding leadership positions in society. I think the country needs that."

Ellington said he believes many citizens in the nation have lost track of the ability to "talk to each other," and the experience of veterans in "coming together to meet the mission objective" despite holding opposing views is a trait which will be beneficial.

While Ellington said he's not certain the funding will allow for the nonprofit to continue its partnership with A&M, he is hopeful it will work out.

"The goal, providing the availability of funding, would be to make Texas A&M one of our STEM partners next year so we could do a two-week program -- one for liberal arts and one for STEM," Ellington said. "But having a goal and being able to see it through to fruition are two different things as a nonprofit. Hopefully the good people of the Texas A&M alumni association would take an interest in this and be willing to help fund it so that we can come back next year."

For more information about the Warrior-Scholar Project, go to warrior-scholar.org.
Historical sources often present the Holocaust as the logical conclusion of traditional Catholic anti-Judaism; the pope should be demonized because he headed an institution that was the source of the hatred of Jews. Is this accusation fair?

Few episodes in recent Church history arouse as much attention as the alleged silence of Pope Pius XII regarding the Holocaust. Despite the fact that many respected scholarsincluding Jewish oneshave demonstrated that the pope gave European Jews much aid, this negative image of Pius XII prevails in many circles. Interestingly, unlike Pius, Allied leaders such as Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill did absolutely nothing to aid European Jews, although they do not have the same stigma. Perhaps this is because Pius XII is a symbol. Historical sources often present the Holocaust as the logical conclusion of traditional Catholic anti-Judaism; the pope should be demonized because he headed an institution that was the source of the hatred of Jews that culminated in the Shoah. Is this accusation fair?

In the Imperial War Museum of Londons otherwise excellent exhibit on the Holocaust, one can view a short documentary on the history of anti-Semitism. Before jumping into Nazi ideology, the film details Christian misdeeds against Jews during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. While the narrator of the documentary in the London museum explicitly states that modern anti-Semitism had little to do with traditional anti-Judaism, a similar documentary on the history of anti-Semitism in the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum makes no such demarcation; it jumps directly from medieval anti-Judaism to the Dreyfus affair and the rise of the Third Reich.

Often times in texts about the Holocaust, the idea that the Nazi ideology was an extension of Christian anti-Judaism is presented as axiomatic. The problem with this presentation of history is that it solely focuses on Christian anti-Judaism. Why is it not acknowledged enough that the ancient Hebrew people were persecuted by many other groups? Egyptians, Greeks, Persians, and Romans all harmed Jews long before Christ was born. Perhaps this is because the Holocaust happened in Europe and was perpetrated by the traditionally Christian German nation. Was this the extension of Christian anti-Judaism?

Indeed, negative attitudes towards Jews among Christians have a long history. For centuries, Christians often blamed Jews for killing Christ; only did the 1965 document Nostra Aetaete officially absolve them of this charge. When bubonic plague ravaged Europe, many Christians in Europe accused Jews of poisoning wells. Throughout the centuries, Jews were accused of kidnapping Christian children and using their blood to make matzos (blood libel). During the Crusades, Christian soldiers killed numerous Jews on the way to the Holy Land. In 1215, the Fourth Lateran Council decreed that Jews wear special clothing to distinguish them from Gentiles. As recently as the nineteenth century, Pope Pius IX reopened the Roman ghettothe last European ghetto before the Nazis came to powerand the Vatican kidnapped a Jewish boy, Edgardo Mortara, who was raised by the pope and became a priest.

All these are troubling aspects of the historic relationship between Christianity and Judaism. Pope John Paul II was right in apologizing in the name of the Church in 2000 for these and other historic abuses at the hands of Catholics. However, this is only one part of the story. There is also a long tradition of the Churchs defense of the Jews. While it is true that the Churchs relationship with Judaism improved radically in the past half-century beginning with Pope John XXIII, who removed the prayer for the conversion of the perfidious Jews from the Good Friday liturgy and especially under John Paul IIwho had Jewish friends growing up in Poland and was the first pope to make an official visit to a synagogue, who established diplomatic ties between the Holy See and Israel, and who condemned anti-Semitism vocally and explicitlythese two were not the first major papal allies of the Jews.

The first was Pope Gregory the Great (590-604), one of the four Latin Church fathers. He issued the edict Sicut Judaeis, which stated that the Jews should have no infringement of their rights. We forbid to vilify the Jews. We allow them to live as Romans and to have full authority over their possessions. During his pontificate, Gregory the Great repeatedly intervened on behalf of the Jews; for example, when the bishop of Palermo confiscated Jewish schools and synagogues, the pope intervened to stop him. More papal edicts prohibiting violence against the Jews, forced baptism, and other abuses, and promising papal protection, were signed by later popes, including Calixtus II, Clement VI, Boniface IX, and Martin V. Numerous edicts by medieval and Renaissance popes starting with Innocent IVs 1247 bull also condemned the blood libel myth.

The anti-religious polemicists who topped the bestseller lists several years agoincluding Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkinsoften present Adolf Hitler as a Catholic and claim that the Holocaust was the result of historical anti-Semitism. In fact, Hitler most qualifies as a lapsed Catholic. As an adult, he no longer participated in the sacraments. His wedding with Eva Braun was a secular civil ceremony. The Nazi leadership was not influenced by Christianity, but instead was fascinated with Germanic mythology, the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, and the mysticism of the Far East, of which S.S. head Heinrich Himmler was especially enamored, believing that the origins of the Aryan master race could be traced to India.

The Nazis were not atheists, but pagans. They were, however, strongly anti-Christian. After coming to power, the Nazi persecuted the Catholic Church in Germany. Catholic youth organizations and newspapers were banned, as was the Catholic Center Party. In Dachau, the first concentration camp, they imprisoned many priests in a famous priest block.

Of course, there were Catholics who acted deplorably during the Holocaust, and their misdeeds have to be enumerated. Arguably, the most pernicious was Monsignor Jozef Tiso. Following Nazi Germanys annexing of Czechoslovakia, a Slovak fascist puppet state was formed headed by Monsignor Jozef Tiso, a Catholic priest. In 1939, Tisos puppet state sent 50,000 Slovak soldiers to aid in the German invasion of Poland. Tiso passed anti-Jewish legislation requiring Jews to wear yellow armbands and banning marriages between Jews and ethnic Slovaks. Tiso also helped the Germans deport 70,000 Jews to concentration camps. In 1942, he gave a speech in which he defended these deportations. Two years later, when the Slovak resistance launched an anti-Nazi uprising, Tiso accused the Jews of leading the rebellion and continued to support the deportations. Adolf Hitler himself was greatly impressed with Tisos sadism: It is interesting how this little Catholic priest Tiso is sending us the Jews! he remarked.

Slovakias fascist government was unique in that it was led by an ordained clergyman. However, there were two other pro-Nazi puppet governments that claimed to be Catholic in nature. The first was in Croatia. In 1941 in German-occupied Yugoslavia, the fascist Ustase formed the Independent State of Croatia, a puppet state of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. The Ustase made Catholicism the official religion of the regime and committed acts of genocide against Serbs, Jews, and Roma. The Ustases treatment of Serbs, more than 300,000 of whom were killed, mostly in concentration camps located in Croatia, was especially barbaric: The Croat education minister wanted to murder one-third of the Serbs, forcibly convert one-third to Catholicism, and expel the remaining third. However, Jews were also targeted, and the Ustase were complicit in the killing of 30,000 Jews.

Another Catholic pro-Nazi puppet state was founded in Vichy France, headed by World War I hero Marshal Philipe Petain from 1940 to 1944. Wanting an ethnically French and Catholic state, Vichy adopted Nuremburg-style laws that discriminated against Jews and pursued pro-natalist policies among autochthonous French. The French police helped the Germans deport almost 80,000 French Jews to concentration camps. In numerous roundups, French policemen herded Jews onto trains sending them to near-certain death often without the presence of a single German. The Vichy French themselves built and ran concentration camps in France in which Jews, Roma, and political dissidents were interned.

Looking at the examples of Slovakia, Croatia, and France, one could be tempted to believe that the Catholic Church, if not indirectly responsible for the Holocaust, was Nazi Germanys partner in exterminating European Jewry. However, the mature historian must always look at the entirety of a situation before passing a judgment. There were many counterexamples of lay and ordained Catholics who acted heroically to aid Jews.

In all three Catholic fascist puppet states mentioned above, there were numerous priests and bishops who aided Jews. In Slovakia, the Greek Catholic bishop of Presov Pavel Gojdic, in particular, was a resister of the Holocaust. In 1939, he wrote a letter to the faithful in his diocese protesting against the discrimination of Jews. When the Slovaks and Germans began deporting Jews to concentration camps, Bishop Gojdic wrote a protest letter and informed the Vatican of the deportations. He also directly helped several Jews. In Croatia, the cardinal-archbishop of Zagreb, Aloysius Stepinac, initially welcomed the Ustase regime and the creation of a semi-independent Croatia, although he did publicly condemn the governments persecution of Jews and secured hiding spots for Jews. In France, many bishops directly aided Jews; the most famous was Cardinal Pierre-Marie Gerlier of Lyon who hid Jewish children in convents and parishes.

Elsewhere in Europe, priests and bishops also actively opposed the Holocaust. In 1942, the Dutch bishops wrote a letter condemning the deportations of Jews that was read in all parishes in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands; as a punishment, the Germans increased deportations of Jews, especially targeting converts. In Hungarywhich by 1944 was ruled by a fascist puppet state that collaborated with the Nazis in deporting Jews to concentration camps, but before was a relatively safe country for refugees, Jewish and otherwisethe nations primate, Cardinal Jusztinian Gyorgy Seredi helped find shelter for many of the 150,000 Polish refugees who fled the country after the German-Soviet invasion of 1939, many of whom were Jewish. In 1944, as Nazis and Hungarian fascists began deporting Jews, Cardinal Seredi publicly protested. In the United Kingdom, which avoided Nazi occupation thanks to victory during the Battle of Britain, Cardinal Arthur Hinsley organized a Catholic Day of Prayer for Poland in Westminster Cathedral in 1942, publicly condemning Nazi atrocities against Poles and Jews. In western Ukraine, Greek Catholic monasteries protected several hundred Jewish children from German Nazis and Ukrainian nationalists. Martin Gilbert, an esteemed historian of the Holocaust, estimates that hundreds of thousands of Jews across Europe were saved by Catholics.

Perhaps the most surprising Catholic who aided the Jews was General Francisco Franco. This right-wing military dictator, aided by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy during the Spanish Civil War of 1936-1939, likely saved more Jews than any other political leader during World War II. The devoutly Catholic Spanish dictator refused to hand over Jews who had sought refuge in neutral Spain. Franco instructed Spanish diplomats in Nazi-occupied Europe to aid Jews. He also helped Jews obtain Spanish passports and flee to Latin America. In total, General Franco is credited with saving about 40,000 Jews.

Two countries where Catholic aid to the Jews merits special mention are Poland and Italy. Before the Second World War, Poland had Europes largest Jewish population, at more than three million. Invaded by Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union, non-Jewish Poles themselves suffered greatly during the war, losing two to three million people. Even without figuring in Jewish losses, Poland lost the largest proportion of its pre-war population of all European countries. It is true that before 1939, anti-Semitism increased in Poland, and that the Church was not immune to this. In 1936, the countrys primate Cardinal August Hlond issued a pastoral letter in which he accused Jews of spreading pornography and Bolshevism (although the letter also condemned physical violence against Jews and anti-Jewish prejudices, even though the author of the letter clearly himself had such prejudices).

Yet despite these souring relationsand despite the fact that Poland was the only occupied country where aiding Jews was punishable by death and that Polish priests themselves suffered under the occupation enormously, as half of all Polish priests and numerous bishops were deported to concentration campsthe Polish Churchs aid to the Jews was enormous. In his authoritative history of the Jews in Poland and Russia, Prof. Antony Polonsky of Brandeis University writes that 1,000 of 1,600 Polish convents sheltered Jewish children during the Holocaust. Irena Sendler, the famous Polish social worker who helped smuggle 2,500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto, often placed the children in convents and remarked in an interview with Anna Mieszkowska that she never had a priest turn down a request to aid a Jewish child. The Polish bishops never issued a document officially condemning the Holocaust. However, they never made an official protest against the massive deportations of Polish priests, either. Actions speak louder than words: Recent research reveals that of the thirteen Polish bishops who were not killed by the Nazis, exiled, or deported to concentration camps, eleven are documented as having aided Jews. One of the exiles, Bishop Karol Radonski, officially condemned the Holocaust on the radio in London.

Italy merits mention because the Vatican, whose wartime role has been the source of much controversy, is located there. Of the 45,000 Jews registered in Italys 1938 census, 7,000 fled the country and 8,000 died in concentration camps; this makes Italys wartime Jewish survival rate one of Europes highest. Naturally, there are numerous reasons for this: the Jewish population there was relatively small; the punishments for aiding Jews in Italy were not as draconian as in, say, Poland; and Italian Jews were not isolated from the rest of the population in walled or fenced ghettoes, as in Eastern Europe. At the same time, given the facts that in 1938, Mussolini passed anti-Semitic laws banning Jews from Italian public life and banning intermarriage and that the Italian Fascist militia collaborated with the Nazis in hunting down Jews, this high survival rate is remarkable.

Another reason for the high survival rate of Italian Jews must be attributed to the Catholic Church. Pope Pius XII is frequently presented as Hitlers pope or as the silent pope. The truth of the matter is that Pius XII appealed to the Italian monasteries to hide Jewish children and himself hid several thousand Jews in Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence, and in the Vatican itself. Reading the testimonies of Italian Holocaust survivors, it is clear that many Italian Jews were rescued by priests or nuns. Additionally, Pius sent protests to the pro-Nazi governments of Hungary and Slovakia, begging them to halt the deportations of Jews to concentration camps (tragically, without effect). Pius XII used a network of his papal nuncios across Europe to help persecuted Jews flee to Latin America or neutral countries and to secure hiding places; the most famous were Monsignors Angelo Rotta, papal nuncio to Hungary, and Angelo Roncalli, the future Pope John XXIII, Vatican ambassador to Greece and Turkey.

Pius XIIs record is imperfect. Before World War II, he pressured Poland to give the Free City of Danzig to Nazi Germany to avoid military conflict. After the war, the Vatican assisted some Nazi criminals in fleeing to Argentina; was Pius unaware of this? He also did not condemn the post-war pogroms against Jews that occurred across Eastern Europe. However, Pius record regarding the Jews is certainly better than that of President Roosevelt and Winston Churchill, who as Jewish historian Walter Laqueur has chronicled in extensive detail, were well-informed about the Holocaust. However, they did not intervene, despite the fact that, unlike Pius XII, they had the military capacities to do so. For example, President Roosevelt refused to increase immigration quotas to allow more Jewish refugees from Europe to seek asylum in the United States, while his Department of War decided to not bomb the death camp crematoria.

It is true that when Pius XII condemned the Holocaust (on Vatican Radio, for instance), he used generic terms rather than referring to specific atrocities. Still, we must remember that Pius previously was a Vatican diplomat. He likely knew that speaking out too forcefully could have unintended tragic consequences; the abovementioned example of the increased deportations of Jews following the Dutch bishops letter shows this. The fact is that Pius XII saved thousands of Jews, including a great many Italian Jews, by hiding them in the Vatican, securing hiding places for them in Italian convents, and helping Jews through to his network of papal diplomats. Pius compares favorably not only to the wartime leaders of the United States and Britain, but above all to another prominent cleric, Haj Amin al-Husseini, the grand mufti of Jerusalem who openly supported Nazi Germanys Jewish policy.

The historical relationship between Catholics and Jews has frequently been portrayed in a negative light. The fact that Catholics did commit many transgressions against their elder brothers in the faith over the past two millennia is a historic fact. However, as we have seen, this relationship has often been portrayed in a one-sided way. Alongside genuine examples of Catholic mistreatment of Jews, such as the Fourth Lateran Council, we have examples of medieval bishops condemning anti-Semitic canards. In addition to perverted priests like Tiso, there were many Catholic bishops, priests, and nuns in every European country who helped Jews.

Before making a judgment on the relationship between Catholicism and the Holocaust, it is worth asking: Which group of Catholics truly lived out the Churchs teachings on the Jews? In Catholicism, the doctrine of mortal sin, the notion that all humans have an inherent tendency to commit wrong, is strong. This is why the sacrament of reconciliation is so important in Catholicism. Even very saintly men and women confess their sins (in fact, they do so more frequently than ordinary mortals). Were Catholics who harmed Jews acting out of their own iniquity, or because of their faith?

Unique among most of the worlds great religions, Christianity proposes a system of ethical universalism. As St. Paul said, there is no man or woman, Greek or Jew, slave or free. The parable of the Good Samaritan shows that the Church eschews any primitive tribalism; all are to be treated equally. Nowhere in the New Testament is it said that Jews (or any other ethnic or religious group, for that matter) are somehow inferior. And with the exception of the Fourth Lateran Council, never did the official teachings of the Church promote any discrimination against Jews.

In addition to human corruptibility, is there any other origin of this well-documented, long-standing tradition of Christian hostility towards Jews and Judaism? In my opinion, two additional factors were at work. First, there is the fact that Christianity was born of Judaism, and so the two religions began as competitors. In addition to the battle for souls, many Christians have traditionally been disappointed that Jews refused to accept their Messiah. Meanwhile, Jews have themselves often been mistrustful towards Judaism. The Talmud presents Jesus Christ in an extremely negative light, while in Israel Jewish fundamentalists have set fire to churches, and Christiansboth ethnically Jewish ones and Palestinian Christiansare treated as second-class citizens (and sometimes not citizens at all) in Israel. I mention these facts not to suggest equivalence between Christian mistreatment of Jews and Jewish prejudice against Christiansthroughout the ages, Christian atrocities against Jews have been far more numerousbut to instead show how a certain mutual distrust often results from religions with a similar origin.

Second, there is the fact that human beings seem to have an inherent nasty tendency towards tribalism. Throughout most of European history, Jews have dressed differently, worshipped differently, spoken a different language (Ladino or Yiddish as opposed to the local language), and looked different in terms of physiognomy. Unfortunately, people often dont like those who are different. This is reflected in the fact that the Nazi ideology singled out the Roma and Sinti peoples for extermination, just as it did the Jews. Like Jews, Gypsies are of non-European origin and, like the Jews prior to 1948, have no state. Anti-Roma prejudice, both popular and institutional, is still strong today across Europe.

In conclusion, the historic relationship between Catholics and Jews has often been fraught. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of recent popes, anti-Judaism is marginalized within the Catholic Church. It is quite telling that the most anti-Semitic faction within the Church today is a schismatic one, the Society of St. Pius X started by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre. However, the history of Catholic-Jewish relations has often been told in a one-sided way. In particular, the Holocaust is not an extension of Catholic tradition, and the attitudes of the Church towards Jews during that period must be presented in a more nuanced light. Catholics have every right to protest when the history of their Church is presented in a distorted fashion. The historical legacy of anti-Semitism is not limited to the Christian world, and in addition to Catholics acting ignobly towards Jews, there were many Catholic protectors of them.

The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politicswe approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.

The featured image is a painting of Saint Gregory the Great (circa 1614) by Jusepe de Ribera and is in the public domain, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
As we take a deep breath and wrap up our 2017 Build a Better World summer reading programs, we give a special shout-out to the great kids, teen and adult summer readers who took part in our programs and, of course, a big thanks to our library staff, community partners and volunteers who gave their time.

We offer big congratulations to the students from Shoemaker Elementary School who took first place for the city schools competition. Shoemaker Integration Specialist Tricia Hedman did a great job again this summer getting students signed up with a Summer Reader account. She also filled up a bus each week and got kids here to take part in programs and be excited about reading.

Special kudos also go out to Principal Lee Wolfe and the Shoemaker staff. The school was awarded a pool party at Lincoln Pool on Aug. 6 and will house the traveling reading trophy once again.

We also saw many success stories with Howard Elementary and Jefferson also bringing students and families on a bus for a special Friday program. We had daycares that brought students in for programs and our summer reading enrichment program.

This years theme was exciting because we had blast learning about building. Some of my favorite programs include the University of Nebraska Lincolns 4-H Make Tank where kids got to do some hands-on-science such as 3D p ens, coding, electric circuits and tied these skills into careers and entrepreneurship.

We also did some fun programs with Grand Island Public Schools new Makerspace Lab. Jason Weseman partnered with our staff to get kids excited about building, and tying literacy to technology. One of my favorite programs was making roller coasters. It was also great to see families on Monday nights here building with Legos and other items. Many kids loved Minecraft Club. We also did some cool outreach to summer schools at Lincoln Elementary and Barr and Walnut middle schools.

It was really fun offering programs for babies through adults and next years theme for all ages is music with Libraries Rock! We will surely have fun with this theme and music is something we always promote for early literacy.

Youth may pick up their reading prizes through Aug. 31. We still have lots of great prizes with first prize being a kids meal. Second prize is a State Fair packet and this gets kids up to age 12 into the State Fair for free. They also get their name into a drawing plus a packet of coupons.

We are excited to offer a pre-eclipse program for youth and families from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 21, here at the library. Those attending can listen to some eclipse stories, make some cool crafts, and enjoy special eclipse treats.

And just like the changes in space, its time for the library staff to change our focus to fall or school time promotions. Please put Runza Day on your calendar for Aug. 29. If you eat at either Grand Island Runza location the library receives 10 percent of the sales for library materials for youth.

We start our childrens programming after Labor Day. We are closed on Sunday, Sept. 3. and Monday Sept. 4. for Labor Day.

Library hours will stay the same: 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The library will host its annual Edith Abbott Victorian Tea Party from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, for third-and fourth-grade girls. September is also Library Card Sign-Up month and we encourage all ages to get a card  even babies can have one.

We have a great lineup and our fall calendar will be available soon at www.gilibrary.org. I know Im ready to enjoy a book after more than 100 programs this summer.

Celine Swan is the youth services librarian for the Grand Island Public Library. Email her at celines@gilibrary.org.
Hendrix Genetics opening ceremony set for Tuesday

Hendrix Genetics will celebrate the opening of its new hatchery in Grand Island on Tuesday.

The ceremony will be at 11 a.m. in the southwest corner of its $18.5 million facility at 2325 W. Schimmer Drive. The business site spans 20 acres in the northeast section of Grand Islands Platte Valley Industrial Park-East.

Hendrix Genetics is a privately-held, international multi-species breeding company with activities in layer, turkey, swine, traditional poultry and aquaculture breeding. Company officials will be on hand for the ceremony.

The new hatchery operation will serve 10 percent of the companys U.S. market demand. Due to the nature of Hendrix Genetics business, this will be the only time the community and media will be allowed to tour the Hendrix facility.

The projects multimillion-dollar investment and the addition of 43 jobs will dramatically change the landscape of our industrial park and community, said Dave Taylor, president of the Grand Island Area Economic Development Corp. In addition to the main hatchery in Grand Island, 11 outlying barns to support the facility are planned for development within 100 miles of Grand Island, with eight already in progress or complete, adding to the economic impact for Central Nebraska as a whole.

Serve Hermans, Hendrix managing director for layers, noted, The city and state offered a number of benefits for our operations including proximity to our customers and feed sources, strong partnership with local representatives, and community incentives. The opening is just the next step in building a long and positive relationship with the Grand Island people and establishing our production hub here in Nebraska to serve the U.S. market with high quality products.

Chief Industries, city of Broken Bow honored by Nebraska Diplomats

Chief Industries Inc. in Grand Island is one of two central region Businesses of the Year honored Aug. 3 at a Nebraska Diplomats regional economic celebration in Kearney.

In addition, the Diplomats honored the city of Broken Bow as the regions Community of the Year.

The Nebraska Diplomats are honoring regional businesses, communities and diplomats in five regions across the state this year.

Chief Industries has been in business since 1954 and currently employs 1,300 people, with corporate offices in Grand Island and divisions and subsidiaries around the world. The company manufactures agricultural and construction products, commercial construction and factory-built homes.

Airport receives award for terminal project

Central Nebraska Regional Airport was presented the 2017 Commercial Airport Project of the Year Award by the Great Lakes Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives at its annual conference in Grand Forks, N.D.

Executive Director Mike Olson accepted the award Aug. 5 on behalf of the Hall County Airport Authority.

It was presented for the $14 million passenger terminal at the airport that opened in March 2016. Consultant Mead & Hunt Inc. also received this award.

Berans sell The Rustic Razor

Dennis and Lois Beran have sold The Rustic Razor in Grand Island to Loni Chanthavong.

After an injury that left Dennis Beran unable to cut hair any longer, they decided to sell the shop and retire.

Beran has worked at the Rustic Razor for 37 years and has been a barber for 47 years. He said they are grateful for the staff they have had at the barbershop over the years.

Olsson Associates to open office in Kearney

Olsson Associates, a full-service engineering design firm with an office in Grand Island, will soon open a new office in Kearney.

The move to Kearney is anticipated for late September or early October.

The move into the Kearney market has been talked about for many years, and we believe the timing is right to take the next step, said Jeff Palik, Greater Nebraska office leader.

Several Olsson employees are already part of the Kearney community, making this an easy transition for new opportunities.

Kearney is a growing, progressive community, Palik said. This is a great opportunity for Olsson Associates to grow along with the community.

The new office will have room for additional staff members, and the potential to add materials testing laboratory services. The address will be 6415 Second Ave., Suite 1.

Olsson Associates offers comprehensive design and consulting services in site/civil, transportation, water, environmental, field operations, survey and facilities. It has nearly 30 offices in the Midwest and Southwest U.S.

Grand Island YMCA to receive JCPenney back-to-school donations

This back-to-school season, JCPenney and the Grand Island YMCA will support the communitys efforts to set kids up for success with a product donation focused on clothing basic needs.

For each pack of kids socks or underwear sold Aug. 1-15, JCPenney will donate a package of socks or underwear to the YMCA. JCPenney will donate up to 750,000 pairs nationwide, with the Grand Island Y receiving 4,320 pairs.

The Grand Island YMCA will receive the donation in September and will work with Y members and community partners to distribute these to the kids who will benefit most.
As the solar eclipse nears, area businesses are offering fun and unique items revolving around the once-in-a-lifetime event.

The total solar eclipse will be Monday, Aug. 21, marking most of Central Nebraska in the path of totality. That means in certain areas, it will be complete darkness when the moon completely blocks the sun. These are just a few unique items that businesses are selling.

Pacha Soap, which is headquartered in Hastings, made special sun, moon and earth-themed froth bombs ahead of the solar eclipse. Among the fun and aromatic products are a solar eclipse bomb, which is made to look like the moon on one side and the sun on the other. Solar eclipse bar soap, which is also half-moon and half-sun, is also available and made especially in honor of the big event. Products are available on pachasoap.com.

JoJos Gelato and Grill in Aurora has made a special eclipse-themed treat. The food-truck operated restaurant came up with the Eclipse Cookie, which is orange cream gelato between two chocolate wafers. The gelato represents the sun and the wafers represent the moon. The cookie is topped with a dusting of powdered sugar. JoJos is located on Highway 34 in Aurora.

Kinkaider Brewing in Grand Island has previously posted photos of a beer called Total Eclipse of the Alt they had on tap in honor of the eclipse.

RCK Creations and More, Etching & Alterations in Alda posted that they had requests for eclipse items. They have done solar eclipse-themed etchings on stemless wine glasses and are also open to other personalized eclipse items.

Dannebrog and T-Shirt Engineers in Grand Island, as well as many other places and towns, are selling eclipse t-shirts. According to a Facebook page, Dannebrog sent multiple orders. The town also has water bottles, wristbands, fidget spinners and Nebraska eclipse hats for the special solar event. Items such as eclipse t-shirts are also available at Walmart in Grand Island, per their social media posts.

Miletta Vista Winery in St. Paul made a limited edition wine, Black Sun, ahead of the eclipse.

Riverbend Creations in Grand Island is even selling eclipse concrete stepping stones that depict different moon phases and designs.

Hansen Hand Dyes, which is an independent yarn dyer, sells items on Etsy. The business has dyed yarn in eclipse-themed colors in a Solfest colorway. The yarn is dyed in a gradient of yellow, orange, red and black fading into one another.

Firehouse Subs in Grand Island, located on State Street, is offering $2 off a medium or large sub combo from Aug. 19-21. The restaurant is open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Ask for the special eclipse offer to get the $2 off.
With the Aug. 21 solar eclipse in mind, the Grand Island Police Department wants to remind people that parking is not allowed on U.S. highways, such as Highways 281, 34 and 30.

With big crowds expected at both Stuhr Museum and Central Community College, traffic will be heavy, said Capt. Dean Elliott. Expect delays.

And, he notes, its illegal to park on the shoulders of highways 281, 34 and 30 as well as Interstate 80.

The shoulder is for emergencies only, Elliott said. Theyre not meant to be a place for people to pull over, stop and look up at the sky.

Grand Island police are making a shift change just for Aug. 21 because of the eclipse. The departments overlap shift normally runs from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. But on eclipse day, those officers will work from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. instead.

That way we have an additional five officers out on the street during that point in time without having to pay overtime, Elliott said.

The Hall County Sheriffs Department will have extra deputies on patrol Aug. 21.

Those deputies will watch the highways, especially Highway 2, which we expect to have quite a bit of traffic on, said Chief Deputy Chris Rea.

One of the reasons the department will have extra patrol is because we dont want people parking where theyre a hazard, Rea said. Officers want to be sure that nobodys stopping in traffic lanes, that everybodys safe and gets to view the eclipse and get home safely, Rea said.

Deputies will urge motorists to pull off the road.

There are a lot of farm roads they can pull off on. Thats where were going to direct them to, Rea said.

The sheriffs department is concerned about the weather.

If all of a sudden it starts to cloud over, people are going to start moving, trying to get to a different area, Rea said.

The goal, he said, is to keep traffic moving and be sure everybodys safe.

The department got some eclipse viewing glasses from the Convention and Visitors Bureau and from Stuhr Museum. Deputies will keep them in their patrol cars in case we come across people who are not properly prepared, Rea said.

Grand Island-based Troop C will join other units of the Nebraska State Patrol in having extra patrols out during the eclipse.

Our administrative personnel down in Lincoln have procured overtime hours for each of the troop areas affected by the eclipse, said Lt. Phil Thede of Troop C.

Large gatherings will be a concern.

Wherever you have large gatherings you occasionally can have some problems. So well focus on those, Thede said.

But for the State Patrol, the bigger issue will be parking, especially during the actual occurrence, when some motorists will pull off to the side of the roads to watch.

The patrols top worry is there may be some people that just decide to stop in the traffic lane and those kinds of things, Thede said.

He doesnt know that will happen. But theres certainly the potential for some of that to happen, he said.

And if you have large numbers of people parking on the shoulders, it creates even bigger problems because then nobody has a place to move if something happens, Thede said.

The purpose of the shoulder is to give drivers a place to go if a vehicle or animal swerves into their path. If you take that away from them, somebody somewhere is going to get hurt. Thats just the way it is, Thede said.

Troop C also has to be concerned with Interstate 80.

The State Patrol will probably send quite a few guys to the interstate to make sure we dont have a bunch of people pulling over onto the shoulder to watch the eclipse, creating traffic hazards, Thede said.

Troop C is expecting high traffic volumes on Highway 2. The interstate, Highway 6 and Highway 34 are also going to be hot spots, Thede said. So we have a fairly large area to cover.

Troopers would prefer that people not park on the shoulders, but that said, we know what human nature is going to create. And so were going to be out there moving people along as best we can.

Hamilton County Sheriff Kirk Handrup said his department will have extra patrol out on the day of the eclipse.

His main concern is just the unknown  how many people to expect, he said. Officials are expecting anywhere from 4,000 to 6,000 in Aurora and 1,000 to 2,000 in Hampton for their festivities. Handrup said. Well just try to keep everyone safe and the traffic flowing.

Sherman County Sheriff Michael Janulewicz said his department will have additional patrols along Highway 2.

In Howard County, Sheriff Tom Busch is bringing in a couple of part-timers to help some fill some shifts on Aug. 21.

He doesnt expect enormous crowds. Every communitys saying that theyre going to have an extra 10,000 people, which I dont think were going to reach, Busch said.

The departments biggest concern will be the driving habits of people. He likened the experience to Junk Jaunt. Have you ever been on the highways during a Junk Jaunt?

So therell be some extra deputies working the road patrol, Busch said. Some makeshift campsites will pop up that weekend. So we made sure we had addresses for them for law enforcement and first responders.

Union Pacific urges sky watchers to steer clear of railroad tracks on Aug. 21. The open sky above railroad property may appear enticing, but being on or near railroad tracks is a dangerous and illegal activity, says a UP news release.

During Union Pacifics proud 155 years of existence, 15 total eclipse events have transpired in the continental United States, UP Vice President Rod Doerr said in a statement. For those looking to participate in this historic event, please do so safely and stay away from railroad tracks.

Because of the solar eclipse, the Nebraska State Patrol will ban oversized loads between sunset Friday through sunrise Aug. 22. During that period, the State Patrol will not allow oversized loads to move in or through the entire state.

The ban refers to loads that are over-dimensional, but does not apply to loads that are simply overweight.
The bell rang inside the schoolhouse Saturday morning at Stuhr Museums Railroad Town, which meant only one thing: its back to school time.

About 10 kids sat at desks inside the Peters School Saturday morning to learn more about what school was like in 1897 as part of Stuhr Museums Back to School in Railroad Town event. The event included 1890s school placement tests, authentic hands-on activities, games and more.

Teacher Becky Pitman said this is the 11th year the Back to School in Railroad Town event has been held at Stuhr Museum. She added she sees as many as 300 students every year during the two-day event.

Cat, Christian and Emma Smith were three students who visited the Peters School during the back-to-school event Saturday. Cat said they are visiting from Philadelphia, Pa., and spending the summer with their grandparents and other relatives from the area.

We thought it would be fun to come out here and check it out, she said.

As the Smiths entered the one-room schoolhouse in Railroad Town on Saturday morning, teacher Becky Pitman handed them a proficiency test which included questions such as who the President of the United States is and what a noun and a verb are. She told her class the questions they were asked were much easier than those in 1897.

Pitman added the proficiency test would have been done to determine where to place students. Pitman said all grades would have been taught together in the classroom and would have been given different assignments based on their grade level.

She explained to the students that older students would sometimes act as mentors and assist the younger students with their schoolwork.

I learned this would be my last year of school and I could have been helping the younger students, eighth-grader Emma Smith said. I dont do that because Im in middle school. It wouldnt be hard, but I think I would probably get annoyed because younger kids dont like to listen to what people say.

Pitman asked the class what some of the differences were between Peters School and schools today. Cat Smith told Pitman that Peters School is a lot smaller than her school, which is much bigger. Christian Smith agreed.

I am in a four through five school, which is giant compared to that (Peters School), he said.

Christian added he could not imagine having all grades assembled in one school.

Cat and Emma noted there are chalkboards in the one-room schoolhouse and that their schools have mostly whiteboards  even digital ones.

Christian told Pitman the Peters School had wooden floors, rather than carpet like his school. He added there are also pictures of the presidents on the walls, which is not something seen at his school.

When it came time for lunch, Pitman said students would eat out of tin lunch pails and would eat inside the schoolhouse, rather than a cafeteria. She added one student would go outside the schoolhouse to pump a bucket full of water.

On Saturday, Christian Smith, along with Pitmans helper, pumped water from a pump behind Peters School. While the pump did not seem to be working Saturday morning, Christian said it was still a learning experience.

Back then, that would have been the water for the entire day, he said. There is one (pump) that is brown and rusted. That one didnt work. So we had to use the little tall, red pump.

Christian Smith added attempting to pump water made him appreciate the abundance of water and the ease of getting in today, compared to 1897. Pitman said this is what she aims to teach students at the Back to School in Railroad Town event.

I like to compare school today back to what it was like in 1897 so that the kids know the changes through the years, she said. This way, when they get to school, they can think about history a little bit.

The event continues Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. at Stuhr Museum. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, and $8 for children age 6 to 12. Children 5 and younger and Stuhr Museum members are admitted free.
Gloria A. Meyer, 92, of Grand Island died Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017, at Good Samaritan Society-Grand Island Village.

Private family graveside service will be in the Grand Island Cemetery. Dan Naranjo will officiate.

All Faiths Funeral Home is entrusted with serving the family.

Gloria was born June 7, 1925, at New Haven, Conn.

Survivors include her children, Donald Meyer, Jr. of Grand Island, Jane Beran of Omaha and Ann (Jack) Gosda of Grand Island; grandchildren, Matt, Mitch, Chris, Emily, Elizabeth, Stephanie and Jessica; and twelve great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald E. Meyer, Sr. on Feb. 2, 2004.

Gloria was raised in New Haven, Conn., where she graduated from high school. After high school she attended Stones Business College in New Haven. She worked for New York and New Haven Railroad in the office.

She was united in marriage to Donald E. Meyer, Sr. in New Haven. Five years later they made Grand Island their home. She worked as a bookkeeper for the Wolbachs Department Store. She also was a bookkeeper for the family business Don Meyer Commercial Refrigeration.

Some of her enjoyments included sewing, traveling with her husband on motorcycle trips and cooking. Most of all she enjoyed her family, especially time spent with her grandkids.

Online condolences may be sent to www.giallfaiths.com
One day (Marine Theodore Wallace) saw an officer casually aim his rifle and try to shoot a Vietnamese boy in the distance.

Sir, what are you doing? hed asked.

Hes probably supplying the (North Vietnamese Army), the officer said. Whats he doing out here anyway?

Its his country! said Wallace.

 Mark Bowden, Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam

WASHINGTON  As Vietnams 1968 Tet holiday approached, Gen. William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces there, cabled the Joint Chiefs in Washington that he had a plan. He would serenade, perhaps into dissolution, the communist forces that he was certain would concentrate on attacking U.S. forces based at Khe Sanh near the demilitarized zone:

The Vietnamese youth is quite sentimentally disposed toward his family, and Tet is a traditional time for intimate family gatherings. The Vietnamese PSY War (Psychological Warfare) people have recently written a highly sentimental Tet song which is recorded. The Vietnamese say it is a tear-jerker to the extent that they do not want it played to their troops during Tet for fear their desertion rate will skyrocket. This is one of the records we will play to the North Vietnamese soldiers in the Khe Sanh-Con Thien areas during Tet.

This surreal nugget is from Mark Bowdens magnificent and meticulous history, which tells, with excruciating detail, a story that is both inspiring and infuriating. His subtitle is an understatement. As the epicenter of North Vietnams Tet offensive throughout South Vietnam, the swift capture of Hue, the countrys third-largest city, by communist forces  and of the 24 days of ferocious fighting that expelled them  became a hinge of American history. A month later, President Lyndon Johnson announced he would not seek re-election in an America where opposition to the war and trust in the government were moving inversely.

After the battles first day, Jan. 31, Westmoreland told Washington that the enemy had about 500 men in Hues Citadel. He was, Bowden writes, off by a factor of 20. So it went with U.S. intelligence. A few months earlier, Walt Rostow, Johnsons national security adviser, had told a Hue-bound reporter on deep background that the war was essentially already won because a crop called IR8 rice was going to stymie the communists revolution with a green revolution. Rostows theory was slain by this fact: The Vietnamese disliked the taste of IR8 rice.

The communists arriving in Hue immediately began advancing the revolution by purging enemies of the people in what quickly became an orgy of violent score-settling. While Westmoreland remained fixated on Khe Sanh  Never, writes Bowden, had a general so effectively willed away the facts  a secret U.S. planning group met in Okinawa the day after the offensive began to consider a plan, code-named Fractured Jaw, involving tactical nuclear weapons. Westmoreland said these were not needed in the present situation.

Bowdens interviews, almost half a century on, with those who fought, on both sides, have produced unexampled descriptions of small-unit combat. The communists many months of large-scale infiltration and preparation were matched by their military skills. To a man, Bowden writes, the American veterans I interviewed told me they had faced a disciplined, highly motivated, skilled and determined enemy. To characterize them otherwise is to diminish the accomplishment of those who drove them out of Hue. In June 1968, Westmoreland was relieved of his command.

What Bowden calls one of the great shots in the annals of combat photography is of a U.S. tank in Hue draped with dead and wounded Marines. None were identified. Until, more than four decades later, Bowden found that the 18-year-old with a hole in his chest, who looked dead, or nearly so, was Alvin Bert Grantham from Mobile, Alabama, whose story Bowden tells.

During house-to-house fighting, Marine Eden Jimenez was clearing rooms  tossing in grenades, then spraying the room with bullets  in one of which he found a tall wardrobe that he had riddled. In it was a mortally wounded woman holding a rifle and a baby. Bowden writes: When he was an old man, living in Odessa, Texas, he still wondered almost every day about that woman and child. ... Who was she? How would he have felt if he had killed the baby, too?

Hue, like the war that pivoted there, continues to haunt some elderly men who live among us. And the wars legacy lives in Americans diminished trust in government. Since 1968, trust has not risen to pre-Vietnam levels.
The start of the 2017-2018 school year marks a historic turning point for education in Grand Island.

On Thursday the new Starr Elementary School will welcome students from the old Starr and Stolley Park schools as reconstruction of the new Stolley Park School gets underway. Other components of Grand Island Public Schools $69.9 million school bond-funded improvements are either finished or on schedule for completion.

The new and remodeled schools funded by the bond issue will vastly improve the quality of life for teachers and students while contributing to better learning outcomes.

This investment in school improvements was broadly supported by the Grand Island community. Those tangible assets will factor importantly in the next phase of a long-range plan aimed at a achieving a critically important intangible goal: Student success that recognizes but pushes beyond traditional academic measures.

That goal is part of the Nebraska Department of Educations strategic plan, which also includes these goals: operational efficiency, a commitment to providing all students with equitable access to rigorous and relevant curricula and instruction, the use of data to inform instruction and student supports, and a dedication to increased student, family, and community engagement.

For more than a year GIPS Superintendent Tawana Grover, along with the districts staff, administrators and teachers, have collaborated with community leaders, parents and students in the development of a plan that aligns with the states objectives and also with the goals of the Grow Grand Island long-range vision for growth and development.

Input for the GIPS vision effort was collected from more than 6,500 points of contact, involving 137 teachers and the other key stakeholders mentioned above.

The School Vision Teams initial objective was to develop goals and a vision for the future of Grand Island Senior High. In order to adequately prepare students for an optimum experience in high school and life after, it became clear that the plan would have to be expanded to encompass all grades, including pre-kindergarten.

This holistic approach to re-engineering academic and life goals was enabled in part by the transition away from the restrictive mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Pressure from educators and parents resulted in a more malleable law - the Every Student Succeeds Act designed to better prepare all students for success in college and careers.

The strategic plan ultimately adopted by the GIPS Board of Education recognizes many social trends that are profoundly manifested in todays classroom. Higher rates of childhood obesity and diabetes, behavioral and psychological disorders, disengagement of parents, loss of self-esteem and self-confidence, poor nutrition, higher poverty rates, language barriers, expansion of special needs, attendance and transportation issues, and increased mobility of students in the Grand Island school district all pose extraordinary challenges for educators. In a typical school year, some 1,500 students will move to another school or leave town.

The GIPS strategic plan offers solutions for all of those issues that will ultimately help students define their interests, pursue their passions, develop self-worth, improve financial literacy and prepare for productive lives after high school.

We applaud the school district for devoting the time and resources to develop strategies that will not only help students thrive, but also strengthen the school system and improve the social and economic vitality of our community.

To view the complete GIPS Strategic Plan, visit: www.gips.org.
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
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Linkedin Syofiardi Bachyul Jb (The Jakarta Post) Padang  Sun, August 13, 2017 19:11 1917 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac6f478 1 National earthquake,Bengkulu,west-sumatra,BNPB Free

Residents fled their homes as a 6.6-magnitude earthquake jolted Bengkulu province in the western part of Sumatra on Sunday morning.

The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the epicenter was 71 kilometers southwest of Bengkulu and around 10 km beneath the seabed.

No tsunami alert was issued.

In several areas of Bengkulu, the earthquake caused damage to electricity facilities.

Read also: Thirteen killed in China quake as aftershocks rattle survivors

Bengkulu resident Dedek Hendri said he was reading an e-book on his laptop when he felt the earthquake.

"As the earthquake got stronger, I told my wife who was cooking in the kitchen to immediately get out of the house. The earthquake lasted about 10 minutes, long enough. My family and other neighbors gathered in a field near my house. People were screaming," he told The Jakarta Post.

Residents of Padang and Solok in West Sumatra as well as Sungaipenuh also felt the earthquake. Sungaipenuh resident Amalia, 28, said she also fled her house, and so did other residents in her neighborhood.

"So far, no fatalities have been reported," National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a press statement. He also said no major damage had been reported.

Chairman of the West Sumatra branch of the Indonesian Association of Geologists, Ade Edward, said the epicenter was known as a subduction zone, which was prone to big earthquakes.

He said bigger earthquakes had happened in the same epicenter in 2000 and 2007. (bbs)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, August 13, 2017 16:50 1917 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac6ca43 4 City transjakarta,bus,mass-transportation Free

The City-owned bus operator PT Transportasi Jakarta (Transjakarta) waived fares for passengers on the new Transjakarta route between Ciledug and Tendean in South Jakarta on Sunday, a day before its official launch.

The free bus rides were not just a publicity stunt. They were also the final trial for the 9.3-kilometer new Corridor 13 before it enters full operations on Monday, Transjakarta president director Budi Kaliwono said.

Especially for today, we provide a free service to prepare for our operations tomorrow, which is the first day of work that will be filled with passengers, he said, as quoted by kompas.com.

The free rides for passengers were available from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. The corridor is the only one of the Bus Rapid Transit network that uses special elevated lanes. During the early phase of operations, Transjakarta Corridor 13 will only have four stops out of a total 12 planned, as the other bus shelters are not yet ready.

The city administration and the operator proceeded with the launching despite shortcomings in its facilities that have raised safety concerns.

The company has been criticized for a lack of street lamps and proper bus shelters as well as a lack of supporting facilities like elevators to get people up to and down from the elevated lane. (cal/rin)
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Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Sun, August 13, 2017 17:34 1917 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac6df30 4 City qurban,Idul-Adha,cow Free

The West Jakarta Fisheries, Agriculture and Food Security Agency (KPKP) will dispatch 156 inspectors to check on the health of livestock ahead of Idul Adha, the Islamic Day of Sacrifice, which will fall on Sept. 1.

The examination will be conducted at thousands of animal shelters across eight subdistricts in West Jakarta from Monday until the end of August.

The 156 inspectors are members of a joint task force that includes district and subdistrict heads and 50 veterinarians for livestock examinations from the Bogor Institute of Agriculture (IPB).

In 2016, we examined 8,508 goats, cows and buffalos, West Jakarta KPKP head Maysawitri Dumay said on Sunday, as quoted by wartakota.tribunnews.com.

Ten percent of the total livestock was deemed unfit for consumption for Idul Adha in 2016 since the animals suffered from mild illnesses, such as eye ache or diarrhea.

While expressing her gladness that inspectors had not found any dangerous livestock illnesses in 2016, she said she hoped the livestock would be in better condition this year.

Muslims celebrate Idul Adha annually to commemorate the Prophet Abrahams willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail as an act of submission to God. After the slaughtering process, the meat is parceled up to be distributed among the less well-off members of the community. (hol/rin)
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Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Mon, August 14 2017

Twenty-five thousand tons of the total 75,000 tons of salt to be imported from Australia has started arriving on Thursday at Ciwandan Port in Banten.

The government has decided to split the entry of the imported salt among the three ports of Ciwandan, Tanjung Perak in Surabaya and Belawan in Medan, the head of the Trade Ministrys Directorate General for Overseas Trade, Oke Nurwan, said on Thursday.

Meanwhile, state-owned salt company PT Garam president director Dolly Parlagutan confirmed that additional shipments of imported salt from Australia would arrive at Tanjung Perak port on Friday.

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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Sun, August 13, 2017 16:04 1917 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac6c323 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Jember,Jember-Fashion-Carnival Free

Entering its 16th year, the famed Jember Fashion Carnival (JFC) is currently holding JFC 2017 in Jember, East Java.

The event has 10 unique themes that represent the journey of JFC in achieving international recognition, namely Sriwijaya Empire, Bali, King of Papua, Mystical Toraja, Siger Crown Lampung, Borneo, Chronicle of Borobudur, Mythical Toraja, Wonderful of Betawi and Unity in Diversity.

JFC president Dynand Fariz said the carnival group is the third best in the world after NottingHill from United States and Reunion from France.

Read also: Newly-launched Stockshot.ID offers videos, footages about Indonesia

The events main show is slated on Aug. 13. Both Tourism Minister Arief Yahya and President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo are expected to attend.

Entering its third day, JFC 2017 holds Artwear Carnival showcasing an array of exotic winter wardrobe, This is a combination between fashion and accessories, a new initiative from this years JFC, Dynand said.

Participants of Artwear Carnival have to walk along a 1.5-kilometer runway that begins at the Jember Square and finishes at Lippo Plaza Jember.

The event is also throwing Wonderful Archipelago Carnival Indonesia initiated by Indonesian Carnival Association and joined by three neighboring regencies: Bondowoso, Situbondo and Lumajang. (kes)
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Sun, August 13, 2017 15:07 1917 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac6b73c 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,angklung,traditional-music,Japan Free

Members of Angklung Family Association of state high school SMA Negeri 3 Bandung (KPA3) have been participated in promoting Wonderful Indonesia tourism brand in the past year.

After visiting six countries in Europe last year, the group consisting of 54 students and teachers is set to travel to Japan on Aug. 24-30.

They are going to two big cities in Japan, kanawagawa and Tokyo, to promote the angklung instrument.

The theme is Serasa Katha: Avana, it showcases the cultural image of angklung that has a very strong philosophical value that is relatable to the citizens of the world. Were attracting the youth population in Japan through angklung, said Expand the Sound of Angklung 2017 committee head, Zharifah Raihanah Shiddiq.

For six days, they will perform in two places, the Sunpearl Arakawa Hall Tokyo where they will stand before 975 visitors, and the Zushi Culture Plaza Hall-Nagisa Hall Kanagawa that will have 555 visitors.

The visitors are music lovers; they are mostly students who come with their families. We believe that this activity will strengthen the brand image of Wonderful Indonesia, Zharifah added.

Read also: What to Know: 2017 Asian additions to UNESCO World Heritage List

Other than the aforementioned two venues, they will also perform in front of diplomats, Japanese high-ranking officials and business leaders at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo on Aug. 25 in an event initiated by the Indonesian Embassy in Tokyo.

At the Diplomatic Reception, the Angklung Family Association will perform Jenger traditional dance from Bali and Bajidor Kahot traditional dance from West Java with angklung music, Zharifah told.

In 2015 the group took the third spot in the traditional angklung category at the SEAMEO Song Angklung Contest. Last year, they won Gold Band awards in two categories, traditional music and classic music instrument, at the Youth Music Festival ll (IYMF ll) Bratislava Slovakia and had the honor to be the ambassador of Wonderful Indonesia in East Europe region. (kes)
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Sun, August 13, 2017 14:13 1918 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac6af89 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,manado,Bunaken,Bunaken-National-Marine-Park,festival Free

On Aug. 12, Bunaken Island in North Sulawesi held the annual Bunaken Charm Festival themed I Love Bunaken.

The festival offered several interesting activities, such as art and cultural performances, volley ball game, boat rowing competition, Bunaken clean-up, Katinting boat decoration competition, snorkeling, traditional games and grilled-fish party.

Indonesian Idol alumna Gio was also invited to perform at the festival.

Apart from Bunaken, Manado is also home Lake Tondano, Siladen Island and Tangkoko National Park. It is also famous for its traditional cuisines, such as ayam woku belanga, cakalang fufu, bubur tinutuan and ayam rica-rica.

Read also: Jomblang Cave, a vertical cave with heaven-sent view

Deputy chief for investment promotion at the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Himawan Hariyoga, said even though Manado is not on the tourism ministrys 10 priority destinations list, the number of tourists visiting Manado keeps on increasing.

The number of visitors coming to Manado has improved amazingly. If Im not mistaken, the number went from 12,000 people per year to 12,000 per month. With this program we can attract more tourists and improve the economy in Manado, said Himawan.

Himawan said most of the tourists were from China and he believed that China would become one of the biggest investors in Manado.

Its related to the availability of direct-flight routes from several cities in China to Manado, Hariyanto added.

China is a huge country with the biggest population in the world. In 2015, the number of tourists from China was 120 million people.

The country however lacks beaches and has four seasons in a year.

Read also: Four cities in Indonesia where you can travel by foot

They love marine tourism and Manado and its surrounding offer a world-class marine destinations, said Tourism Minister Arief Yahya.

According to BKPM data, the investment in North Sulawesi is mostly dominated by electricity, gas and water sectors. It is recorded that the domestic investment is up to Rp 3.4 trillion (US$254.43 million) whilst foreign investment is at US$209 million.

Thirteen percent, or $26.9 million, of the total of foreign investment is for tourism sector, specifically hotel and restaurant investment. (kes)
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Linkedin (Pesona Indonesia) Jakarta  Sun, August 13, 2017 17:05 1917 4065a5a8898c7cc661d4adf97ac6d710 2 News Tourism-Ministry-Pesona-Indonesia,tourism-ministry-wonderful-Indonesia,Tourism-Ministry,Arief-Yahya,Jember,Jember-Fashion-Carnival Free

During a recent visit to Jember regency in East Java on Aug. 12, Tourism Minister Arief Yahya who came with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo commented on Jember Fashion Carnaval (JFC) that is currently holding JFC 2017 event.

It has been held consistently for 16 years, this is why it s one of the best carnival events, said Arief.

Read also: Jokowi joins 'We The Fest' crowd on Friday

The popularity of Jember Fashion Carnival has also inspired other cities to follow suit, such as Malang Flower Carnival, Banyuwangi Ethno Carnival, Batik Carnaval Solo, Semarang Night Carnival and many more.

Originality is the most important aspect, and then consistency for 16 years. [JFC] has won several carnival competitions in the world and its the biggest reputation that the group has, added Arief.

Moreover, Arief said that tourism is one of President Jokowis main concerns.

Pak Jokowi wants us to have a benchmark, to compare ourselves with other successful nations, Arief said.

The ministry has been comparing the country's tourism to neighboring countries such as Malaysia that they called emotional enemy and Thailand as professional enemy.

Read also: Images: Parade unites culture and diversity through beauty, color

Now we have a newcomer, Vietnam. They are the dark horse, rising up with 24 percent growth, higher than Indonesia with 22.4 percent, he added.

Jember Fashion Carnival 2017 event was first launched by the minister at Sapta Pesona Building in Central Jakarta. The main event is being held on Aug. 13.

This kind of event is needed to improve the tourism business in Jember, it should be held once every year and will soon become the main attraction in Jember. Surakarta has 56 events and Banyuwangi has 72, other region also have their own events; its just a matter of large-scale promotion and the locals will reap the economic benefit from these events, told Arief. (kes)
Out all the Batman films, there is no doubt that Joel Schumachers are the worst.

For years the Schumacher films have been hammered by fans and critics alike and honestly, rightly so. The director's two movies are terribly written, badly edited, and generally messy, filled with laughable stunts and some awful acting. It gets very hard to sit through at times.

Surprisingly though, the universe Joel Schumacher created would actually be a great place to live in for a number of reasons.

The first of which is that this is the least scary Gotham seen on screen by far. When compared to Nolans Gotham, which is almost constantly subject to mass terrorist threat, Schumachers more whacky version of the city seems far less threatening.

In fact, theres a lot about Schumachers Gotham that comes off as kind of cool were you actually to live there; the giant Greek looking statues, the huge gothic skyscrapers, outrageous street races with a bunch of crazy characters. There are also the ganglands, which are covered in striking neon paint - the same kind that covers the more acrobatic than scary thugs that roam those territories. A stroll through Schumachers Gotham at night would feel more like being at some weird paint party than in a run-down, crime ridden city.

But its not just the thugs that are colourful looking figures. The villains of both Batman Forever and Batman and Robin are far too ridiculous looking to feel threatening and, if anything, watching them try to take over the city on the news would just make again for some entertaining viewing. With characters like Jim Carreys Riddler and Tommy Lee Jones Two Face, crime would be far more interesting.

Just think, youre at a dull Gotham rich kids party and suddenly, Arnold Schwarzeneggers Mister Freeze blasts through the wall, closely followed by henchmen dressed in comically bad Eskimo outfits. As long as you kept a low profile, which when people are running scared in the over-the-top fashion that they do in the Schumacher-verse isn't that hard to do, youd be able to bask in the sheer lunacy of the situation. There's a six-foot-two ice-man in a glow-up suit searching for diamonds as he shouts the most cringe-worthy puns, serving only to commentate on his own actions.

It would be absurd. It would be amazing.

If you lived in the Nolan-verse the best you could hope for when the Joker bursts into a party would be that you're not the one that reminds him of his father.

The highlight of this universe would, of course, be both the Batmen in it. One night it could be Kilmer, the next it could be Clooney. Both were horribly miscast in their respective films but would be equally entertaining to see in action on the streets. The Schumacher-verse sees Batman presented more as a celebrity than the brooding dark knight were used to, and for someone living in that world, that could be pretty fun.

There is also the fact that in this universe Bat nipples would be a standard for all heroes. Not to mention that other ridiculous inventions, such as Bat-skates, rubber lips and of course Batmans credit card, with the appropriate expiry date of forever, would also exist here.

So as strange as it sounds, and as undeniably bad as the Joel Schumacher Batman films are, it turns out the directors much-loathed movie universe could actually be a pretty

entertaining place to live.
was formed millions of years ago by volcanic eruptions and vast amounts of lava spreading into the Atlantic Ocean. Today, the tourist site stands at 72 feet tall and is 270 feet deep, made entirely from hexagonal columns of basalt with six perfectly formed columns that make up the inner walls.Little was known about the island of Staffa or the cave until it was brought to the attention of the world in 1772 by 18th century naturalist Sir Joeseph Banks. Around this time, popular Scottish poet James Machpherson, who translated an ancient Gaelic poetic series titled, gave the legend its new name. Romantic composer Felix Mendelssohn brought further attention to the cave in 1829, after being so moved by the splendour of it that he wrote an overture inspired by the echoes in the cave. Over the 19th century the cave attracted some famous visitors including author Jules Verne, who used the inspiration he gained from the cave in his books Le Rayon, The Mysterious Island and Journey to the centre of the Earth, romantic artist J. M. W. Turner who painted "Staffa, Fingal's Cave", as well as John Keats, Lord Tennyson, William Wordsworth and Queen Victoria, who all paid a visit.The cave is now solidly placed as an inspiration to many, even attracting the attention of rock group Pink Floyd who named one of their early unreleased songs after the site. If you want to visit Fingal's Cave you can do so between the months of April to September, where you can either pass the entrance to the cave or visit the island of Staffa and hike into the cave.
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Chinas e-commerce giant Alibaba has signed an agreement with its home city government in Zhejiang province to use the companys technology to create an online system for house rentals.

The system will cover apartments put up for rent from all sources  the government, individuals, real estate developers and agents, according to the agreement signed earlier this week.

People seeking rental housing in Hangzhou City, Zhejiang province, will be able to use the application and website created by Alibaba for every stage in the process, from searching for apartments to signing contracts and payment, state-run Xinhua news agency reported today.

Information on apartments, user reviews, and credibility ratings of owners, renters and agents will all be shared, said Han Junqing, director of Hangzhou Real Estate Registration Center.

The smart house renting system, as it is called, will be supported by Alibabas big data, online payment technology, and commerce credit system and can prevent fraudulent deals, sources with the government and Alibaba said.

Chinas housing rental market in major cities has been dominated by real estate agents, and fraud and disputes are not unusual.

Though some big real estate companies already have apps, the information is not shared with others.

Apartment seekers have to repeatedly compare offers from different apps, and these companies lack a mature credit system comparable to Zhima Credit from Alibaba subsidiary Ant Financial.

The Chinese government is prioritising the development of its rental market to rein in runaway home prices in the countrys big cities.

Hangzhou is among the first 12 cities chosen by the central government to take bold reforms to boost the rental market.
The pro-Pakistan face of the Kashmiri separatists came to the fore again on Sunday when they called for complete shutdown in Kashmir on the Indian Independence Day on August 15, and extended heartiest felicitations to Pakistan on their Independence Day that is observed on August 14.

The separatist leaders, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik, in a virtual diktat asked the students and teachers to boycott the Independence Day celebrations in schools.

In a statement, the separatists warned the Jammu and Kashmir government against forcing teachers, students and their parents to participate in these functions. They asked the parents to stop their children from participating in the Independence Day functions.

The separatists also paid tributes to the three terrorists who were killed on Sunday in an encounter with security forces in Shopian.

They claimed that Kashmir is an internationally acknowledged dispute and Delhi can neither succeed in changing the status and nature of this state. They said that any tinkering or fiddling with the Article 35A will not be tolerated.

Geelani in a separate statement said, Strong and stable Pakistan is very important for the resolution of Kashmir issue. We in particular felicitate Pakistan Army that has the responsibility of protecting and safeguarding the geographical borders of Pakistan and its ideological borders as well, Geelani added.
Terrorists in the Kashmir Valley are now on the run and they cannot continue to terrorise the people for decades, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said on Sunday, maintaining that the governments priority was to clean up the Kashmir Valley of armed militants.

He said the terrorists in Kashmir were now under great pressure and the financial crunch caused by demonetisation and the action taken by National Investigation Agency (NIA) on illegal foreign fundings have checked illegal activities in Jammu and Kashmir in large scale.

Jaitley, who was participating in a television programme, however refrained from making any comment on the standoff between India and China in the Dokalam area near the Bhutan trijunction, just saying let us have full faith on our security forces.

Today no big militant can dream of committing terror acts and continue to terrorise the Valley for decades, but today their life shelf has dwindled to a few months. I will specifically praise the Jammu & Kashmir police for working hard (towards eliminating terrorists), he said.

Jaitley said the country faced two serious threats  one with respect to Jammu and Kashmir with maximum incidents happening from across the border, and second being the problem of Left-Wing Extremism in central parts of the country.

Since independence, Pakistan has never agreed that Kashmir is an integral part of India. That has been their unfinished agenda. They tried conventional war. But Indias capability was way ahead in the conventional war.

The wars of 1965, 1971 and Kargil clearly proved this, he said.Jaitley said in the 1990s, they started changing their strategies and resorted to encouraging terrorism inside the country.

There is domination of our forces on the Line of Control (LoC) and the international border and it is difficult for terrorists to cross them, he said at the India TV Conclave Vande Mataram.

The defence minister said that there was a move by the security forces to clean up the Valley of armed terrorists.He said the money received by terrorists and other such groups has been squeezed post-demonetisation and there has been the effect of the actions taken by the NIA against foreign funding allegedly used for subversive activities.

Whenever there was an encounter (earlier), hundreds and thousands would come out to throw stones. Many a times, terrorists would escape under the protection of stone throwers. This is now becoming a history.Those who were coming in hundred and thousands, today their number is limited to 20, 30 and 50. For the first time in the history, we have been they have started looting banks, he said.

Jaitley said the terrorists are under tremendous pressure. They are on the run. Their number is also declining. Security forces are dominating them , he said.He said India has been by and large free from the threat of the ISIS.

There may be some isolated or exceptional incidents but there has been no influence in India.The defence minister expressed concern over some instances of glorifying the acts of terrorists or Maoists.Referring to shouting of anti-India slogans by some in Jawaharlal Nehru University last year, he expressed concern over the association of mainstream political parties with those raising such slogans.

Jaitley said a disturbing trend is coming up where efforts are being made to show the Indian state as helpless.To questions on Indias defence production, Jaitley said his ministry was working out ways to boost domestic production for the defence sector.

We want India to become a global power in defence manufacturing sector, and towards that end, we are encouraging private players to come forward. We will, of course, also continue to strengthen our ordnance factories and defence PSUs, the minister said.
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 ...
Popular film celebrities like Rishi Kapoor, Kajol and Manish Malhotra greeted Bollywood's "Hawa Hawai" girl and veteran actor Sridevi on her 54th birthday on Sunday, hailing her as a "true treasue of Indian cinema".

Besides making a name in Hindi cinema, Sridevi has also worked in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada movies.

Sridevi, who returned to films after a 15-year-long hiatus with English Vinglish in 2012, was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2013. She was last seen on screen in a powerful role in "Mom" earlier this year.

Sridevi made her debut as a lead actress in Bollywood in 1978 with Solva Sawan and gained popularity with Himmatwala in 1983. She has a number of commercially successful movies to her credit with projects like Mawaali, Mr. India, Chandni and critically acclaimed films like Sadma, ChaalBaaz, Lamhe, Khuda Gawah, Laadla and Judaai.

Here's what the celebrities had to say:

Rishi Kapoor: Many happy returns of the day!

Abhishek Bachchan: Wishing my favourite a very happy and healthy birthday.

Manish Malhotra: Wishing the one and only Sridevi, Happy Birthday. Stay wonderful. Most favourite muse here.

Riteish Deshmukh: True treasure of Indian cinema, wishing you a very Happy Birthday mam.

Satish Kaushik: Wishing the forever beautiful and great actress madam Sridevi a Happy Birthday... Happiness Always.

Kajol: Wishing my favourite actor a wonderful year ahead. 50 years working and making it look easy.

Prosenjit Chatterjee: Wish you many many happy returns of this day. Respect your dedication...

Sophie Choudry: Happy birthday to my favourite. Talent, beauty and grace beyond words. So proud to be your fan! Lots of love.
Why did Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis refuse to accept resignations of Industries Minister Subhash Desai and Housing Minister Prakash Mehta?

Maharashtra Industries Minister Subhash Desai met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at his official residence yesterday and submitted his resignation following allegations of corruption. Soon after, Housing Minister Prakash Mehta too met Fadnavis and submitted his resignation. Mehta also faces allegations of favoring a developer and misusing his office. Surprisingly, Fadnavis did not accept their resignations despite repeated demands by the opposition that both of them should resign.

Political circles in Mumbai are abuzz with talks that by refusing to accept Desai's resignation, the CM was actually shielding Mehta as he would have been morally compelled to accept Mehta's resignation too.

Desai faces allegations that a plot of land in Nashik district was denotified by MIDC on his orders for the benefit of a developer. Desai has already explained that the said plot of land has been returned to the original owner by the MIDC. After MIDC returns the plot to the original owner, it has nothing to do with any decisions in case the original owner approaches a developer.

In the case of Mehta, however, the charges are far more serious. Mehta wrote on MP Mills compound file that 'Chief Minister has been apprised' and SD corporation should be allowed to go ahead with a scheme for Project Affected Persons. In reality, however, Mehta has admitted that this file was never taken to the CM for discussion. Mehta was clearly using the CM's name to favour the developer, said opposition while demanding immediate sacking of Mehta.

Desai first discussed the issue of allegations against him with Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray yesterday and expressed his wish to resign. Thackeray told Desai that the party stands firmly with him whatever decision he takes. Desai then met Fadnavis at Varsha bungalow and submitted his resignation. Fadnavis refused to accept the resignation and conveyed his decision to Uddhav Thackeray in a telephonic conversation.

Soon after, Mehta reached Varsha bungalow and submitted his resignation and this too was not accepted by Fadnavis.

The opposition led by Congress and NCP have termed these developments as a mere drama. The chief minister is protecting corrupt ministers, said leader of opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil. Dhananjay Munde who is the leader of opposition in the state legislative council went a step further. "The chief minister did not accept Desai's resignation as he wanted to save Prakash Mehta," said Munde.

What did Fadnavis achieve by not accepting resignations of his cabinet colleagues? Sources indicate that Fadnavis did not want to send the message that the government was forced to ask for resignations because of opposition's demands. Top BJP leadership in the state is of the view that both ministers can be dropped quietly during a cabinet reshuffle which is on the cards. "If a last minute decision is taken not to drop them, their portfolios will certainly be changed and they will get insignificant portfolios," said a BJP insider.
The island of Crete is home to the Minotaur myth so it is perhaps a fitting location for Minoan Group, whose story has been lengthy, labyrinthine and at times, lamentable.

The companys involvement in Crete dates back to 1991, when it bought a 6,500-acre site on the unspoilt Cavo Sidero peninsula on the eastern side of the island. With 17 miles of coastline, spectacular scenery and very little else, Minoan planned to turn the area into a fabulous resort with elegant hotels, luxury villas and plenty of open space.

But the company reckoned without the Byzantine Greek planning system, which has thwarted this development at every turn.

The companys involvement in Crete dates back to 1991, when it bought a 6,500-acre site on the unspoilt Cavo Sidero peninsula on the eastern side of the island

Midas recommended the shares in June 2014, when they were 13p and it seemed as if planning permission was about to be granted. This hope proved premature and further obstructions emerged, until on June 26 this year, the last set of appeals against the Minoan development were dismissed in the Greek Supreme Court.

The 26-year wait has taken its toll on the company however, and the shares are now 8.375p.

Long-suffering shareholders have seen the stock fall below 6p over the past 12 months, as chair-man Christopher Egleton has struggled to keep the Cretan dream alive, ensure the group has money in the bank and keep an eye on the firms other division, a specialist travel agency business.

Now it seems the Cretan development may finally be able to go ahead. So what should shareholders do now? And is this a time for new investors to take a punt?

Minoan is not out of the woods yet. In May, it was forced to raise 450,000 by issuing more than 5 million new shares at 9p each to help with working capital. Then, at the end of June, it received a six-month extension on a 5 million loan from private investment firm Hillside International Holdings.

The loan was made in 2013, it was due to expire on June 30 and has now been extended until the end of December.

This suggests that Minoan needs to move fast. The firm is not large enough to develop the Cretan project alone, so it needs to find deep-pocketed financial partners. It also needs a partner to operate the resort once it has been built, ideally an experienced, luxury travel group.

Fortunately, the project had already attracted considerable interest before outline planning permission was reached. Now investors and travel operators are likely to approach Egleton directly to see if an agreement can be reached.

Those who know Minoan well suggest that the best deal would involve financial backers taking a large stake in the resort. In return, they would pay a sum of money that would clear Minoans debts, allow it to develop the travel business and return some cash to shareholders.

Back in 2011, property specialist CBRE suggested that the site was worth about 100 million (90 million), since when the economic situation in Greece has improved marginally and the countrys tourist appeal has arguably improved.

Neighbour Turkey faces security issues, Italy is getting more expensive and Spain seems increasingly hostile to tourists.

Analysts suggest that even if financial investors put a price of 50 million on the Cavo Sidero site, Minoan Group shares are materially undervalued. The company is valued on the stock exchange at less than 20 million and it does not just own the resort in Crete, it also runs an increasingly successful travel business.

Once financial backers are in place, operating partners are likely to emerge. Minoan is hoping for a top-of-the-range firm and interest has been growing in recent weeks.

Midas verdict: Minoan has been on the verge of success so many times before that a degree of scepticism is almost certainly appropriate. Backers still need to be found, planning details need to be ironed out and it could be some time before construction work finally gets under way.

That said, the company seems closer than ever to delivering for shareholders and the rewards could be substantial. Existing investors should stay with the business and keep a close eye on events. Highly adventurous punters may choose to snap up a few shares too.
An international crackdown on using fixers who bribe government officials and firms to win foreign contracts has led to major shake-ups at some of Britains biggest companies.

The Serious Fraud Office and other law enforcement agencies are targeting the actions of middlemen who have been used by UK firms for decades to help set up deals in Asia and Africa.

The use of agents who understand local business cultures and can introduce company representatives to key government figures has long been viewed as part and parcel of doing trade in some parts of the world.

On the case: An international crackdown on using fixers who bribe government officials and firms to win foreign contracts has led to major shake-ups at some of Britains biggest companies

All too often companies were prepared to turn a blind eye to the tactics used in order to open doors.

But the introduction of new bribery laws and a clampdown on corporate behaviour has thrown their actions under the spotlight.

Earlier this month, the SFO informed British American Tobacco that it had opened a formal investigation into its dealings following allegations in a BBC Panorama programme that it paid bribes in East Africa in an effort to undermine anti-smoking laws.

A whistle-blower who worked for the company in Kenya for 13 years claimed illegal payments were made to politicians and civil servants in order to win their support.

The investigation has prompted firms which operate in emerging markets to review or cut back on their use of agents, although the practice is not generally illegal in itself.

In a separate case, the SFO is examining claims of bribery, fraud and money-laundering at Monaco-based engineering group Unaoil.

Investigators are now looking into eight companies with alleged links to Unaoil, including London-listed Amec and Petrofac.

It comes after Rolls-Royce agreed a 671 million settlement with the authorities for paying bribes to win business around the world, including lavishing gifts on middlemen in Russia, Nigeria and India.

The engineering company has now cut agents for its aerospace division more than 90 per cent, replacing them with its own staff.

Firms are increasingly going to foreign embassies instead, or direct to future clients.
MBABANE  The filling of two vacant positions for new High Court judges by the Judicial Service Commission has been done in a probably new record time.

Two years ago, it took the JSC two months to hire four new high court judges after first advertising the positions, screening the applicants and then interviewing the candidates in public.

Chief Justice Bheki Maphalala, who was acting in the position then, said the interviews were being conducted in public to show transparency.

This was hailed as historic because it was the first time that even the media was allowed to observe the JSC conducting the interviews.

It was through this long and careful process that the likes of seasoned lawyers Sipho Nkosi, Titus Mlangeni, Mzwandile Fakudze and Ticheme Dlamini were chosen to be permanent Judges of the High Court.

At that time the Judiciary needed to regain the publics confidence after going through a difficult phase that saw axing of the then Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi and then Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Sibusiso Shongwe.

During that period, the now dismissed High Court Judge Mpendulo Simelane had been placed on suspension.

A fact-finding mission conducted between May 10 and May 15, 2015 by the International Commission of Jurists, in collaboration with the Africa Judges and Jurists Forum (AJJF), Judges for Judges Netherlands (J4J) and the Commonwealth Magistrates and Judges Association (CMJA) found that there was very little public confidence in the Judiciary. The mission was concerned at the process of appointing judges, which it said was opaque because vacancies are not advertised; there are no public interviews; and the shortlist of candidates that is referred to the King for his consideration is not publicly disclosed.

When the JSC, under Maphalala, advertised and conducted public interviews for new judges, the public hailed the process.

Fast forward to now, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Edgar Hillary announced on Friday that Director of Public Prosecutions Nkosinathi Maseko and University of Swaziland lecturer Maxine Langwenya had been appointed new High Court judges.

The announcement came six working days after the closing date for applications of these two vacancies.

An advert published in local newspapers stated that the closing date for applications was August 1, 2017.

There were no public interviews and the number of applicants for the positions as well as those who made the shortlist remains unknown.

Minister Hillary, when asked why the interviews were not public, referred inquiries to the JSC as he said it was an independent body.

It is the duty of the JSC to recommend judges and the ministry plays no part in this process.

So your questions could best be answered by the JSC Chairman who is the Chief Justice, Hillary said.
MBABANE  The National Public Services and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) suspects foul play in the manner in which the contract of the deputy auditor general was employed.

This emanates from the fact that the contract allegedly has some irregularities which they say it suggest that the contract was drafted by a sole member of the Civil Service commission (CSC).

A copy of the contract which the Times SUNDAY has seen reflects that Peter Mamba who is the chairman of the commission referred to himself as the secretary and also as chairman.

In essence, the contract was supposed to be entered into between Swaziland government represented by Secretary to CSC Alan McFadden and the acting Auditor General and then be signed by Peter Mamba, who is the chairman, plus two other witnesses.

In this case, the contract was entered into between government, represented by Mamba, and it was also signed by him as the chairman.

The current Deputy Auditor General is Nomsa Hutchinson who earns a salary of E346 607 per annum. She was employed a year ago to the position on April 6, 2017 for a period of 19 months.

She had retired from government.

Despite that, a memorandum signed by Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Finance Bheki Bhembe, informed all stakeholders concerned that Hutchinson will continue acting as Auditor General from August 2, 2017 to October 2, 2017 following the expiry of Phesticia Nxumalos contract who was the incumbent.

The stakeholders whom the memo was communicated to included the Secretary to Cabinet, principal secretaries and all head of department.

This is not the first time the deputy AG will be acting in this position as she was also on acting basis between the month of June and July of the this year for the position of auditor general.

Mabandla Dladla, NAPSAWU Deputy Secretary General, said the contrasting designations on the deputy auditor generals contract deserves to be declared null and void.

He also mentioned that such an anomaly meant that the CSC offices independence was compromised and lacked integrity.

It is very wrong for that matter to even hire someone who had retired. even corporate governance outlines that it is wrong to hire someone from retirement when there are people in substantive positions and deserving, said Dladla.

The unionist strongly stressed that the contract needed an inquiry.
MBABANE  Six Swazi Med Centre employees could soon find themselves in the dock on charges of theft for medical drugs and fraud.

The six employees are said to be under investigation relating to the more than E1 million fraud and theft of medical drugs worth over E175 000.

The Times SUNDAY has learnt that the six fingered employees are under investigation by the Manzini Fraud Unit.

The company supplies private pharmacies, government clinics and hospitals.

Senior sources from Swazi Med Centre told the Times SUNDAY that the aim is to gather all evidence against the alleged culprits before they could be charged and the matter placed on the court roll.

The workers were in hot water after it was established by Swazi Med Centre management that for numerous times, among other alleged illicit acts, they deliberately did not record monies (cash) collected from Cash On delivery (COD) customers.

It is said the cash amounts which were not recorded on the daily collection form were allegedly stolen and invoices were offset or credited to the customer without Swazi Med Centre actually receiving the money. It is said the six culprits allegedly altered (deleted) some recorded cash received from the original Daily Collection Form.

Ogochukwu Mbachu, the Matsapha Industrial Sites-based companys Operations Manager, confirmed that the company had since referred the matter of alleged theft and fraud to the police.

This, he said was done after they had launched their internal investigations.

According to this publications sources, the most recent fraudulent act is said to have happened on June 27, 2017, where a sum of E13 000 was collected from Care Point Pharmacy in Siteki by one of Swazi-Med Centre employees.

The said amount of money allegedly never reached the accounts of Swazi Med Centre because it was allegedly shared between staff members.

It was also established that when Swazi Med Centre management questioned one employee over this, he said he was asked by one senior staff member (named withheld because they have not been charged) to deliver an envelope to Care Point Pharmacy which he came later to collect.



It is understood that employee then delivered the said envelope to his superior and denied knowledge of what was inside the envelop when he was further probed by management.

Information reaching this publication is that when Mbachu telephoned Care Point Pharmacy, the female employee, who reportedly gave out the E13 000 to the staffer, said she gave the cash (E13 000) to the fingered Swazi Med Centre employee who in turn wrote a receipt reflecting the same amount and gave it to her.

Before the net closed on the syndicate, it is said a lot of fraudulent acts were uncovered.




MBABANE  The countrys telecommunications industry Regulator, the Swaziland Communications Commission (SCCOM), is sitting on an application by Swazi MTN to have its roaming charges reduced.

The Times SUNDAY has learnt that there are now suspicions that the regulator is deliberately delaying the application because the mobile telecommunications company filed the request allegedly some two weeks ago.

Among its objectives, SCCOM has to promote competition in the sector and also regulate tariffs charged by operators offering electronic communication services.

It also has to protect interests of consumers and enhance awareness of their rights and obligations.

This publication has reliably learnt that Swazi MTN has been inundated with complaints from customers who accumulated excessive charges after using the roaming facility during international trips.

One of the complaints is reported to have come from a foreign envoy who travelled to South Africa for close to a week and accumulated charges of more than E20 000.

Several senior officials, who cannot be mentioned, have accumulated thousands of Emalangeni during foreign trips in roaming charges.

Because of the delay by SCCOM, Swazi MTN is expected not to roll out the revised, and possibly reduced roaming prices without approval. Recently, Swazi MTN introduced massive price reduction on its services but the roaming charges are one area that has been left untouched.

When SCCOM was approached to give clarity on Swazi MTNs application, specifically on whether the application has been made, and why it was not being responded to, the regulator refused to disclose such information.

The Swaziland Communications Commission from time to time engages with all the licensed communications operators in Swaziland on matters relating to the industry and their operations as provided for in the governing legislation.

Unfortunately, SCCOM does not disclose details of such engagements to third parties, said Lindiwe Dlamini, SCCOMs General Manager Strategy and Economic Regulation.

Swazi MTNs Corporate Affairs Manager Mandla Luphondvo confirmed that as part of the price transformation process, Swazi MTN was looking at reviewing their roaming charges.

Review of roaming fees is actually a component of a bigger process, known as price transformation. In the context of high wholesale prices, the company creatively set out to give our customers more value, starting off with data. The process reached a pinnacle in June this year when we passed on further price reduction for our valued customers following reduction in wholesale prices, Luphondvo said.

He stated that it was important to note that Swazi MTNs price review decision to drop its charges was actually facilitated by the Regulator, for which we are grateful. The Regulator actually engaged all players in the telecommunications space to ensure that wholesale prices were reduced to ensure that telecommunications costs were affordable.

Subsequently, Swazi MTN was happy to pass on reduction to our valued customers. Swazi MTN is grateful for the consistent support that we continue to receive from the Swaziland Communication Commission, said Luphondvo.

Swazi MTN is adamant that the decision to review its prices was not influenced by the coming in of Swazi Mobile as the second player in the Kingdoms telecommunications industry.




MBABANE  Swaziland Post and Telecommunications Corporation (SPTC) has been accused of flouting employment policies in the hiring of the prime ministers son Muziwandile Dlamini as the new General Manager Finance.

A number of employees within the organisation have questioned the criteria used to appoint Muziwandile, also known as Muzi, into the position of General Manager Finance as they feel certain internal employment policies were flouted in order to ensure that he eventually become the incumbent.

According to the employees who refused to be named as they fear victimisation within the organisation, the position was not even advertised externally as per the standing policies to ensure that all possible qualifying candidates apply for the position as it has been the case before for the position of General Manager Finance (GMF) and the position of Managing Director.

The concerns were brought to the attention of the Times SUNDAY after it was announced that Dlamini had been appointed as the new GMF.

It was revealed that the hiring processes as stipulated by the public enterprises (control and monitoring) Act, 1989 were deliberately ignored by SPTC management.

The concerned employees allege that flouting of procedures by the organisation was a normal occurrence.

This is not the first time they have completely ignored procedures and carried out their own wishes as management, the source said.

The senior source further alleged that even when the MD was hired, his position was not advertised but was simply confirmed into the position without starting by advertising his position externally though the print media.

The source went on to reveal that even now as workers, they have no idea of what is taking place in terms of the PMs sons employment.

Without seeing any advertisements in the mainstream media, we have noted that the highest positions which come with fat cheques are filled without following the standard procedures, alleged the source.

The source further told the Times SUNDAY that the same procedure (advertising the post externally) had to be adhered to when recruiting a candidate to fill the GMFs position just like that of the MD.

He said that as workers, each time they demanded to see the new policies the company is claiming to have utilised, they are never made available or said to be at draft stage.

We can only watch but there is nothing we can do because the way things are done brings disgruntlement among ourselves, the source said.

The source went on to say that the company was advertising the position of Financial Manager which was left vacant by Muzi.




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
ALBANY  An original advertisement for the city's 1817 Independence Day parade that a man found stuffed among his father's belongings will soon be displayed at the Ten Broeck Mansion.

The document, discovered by New Scotland resident Brian Warner and profiled in the Times Union last month, was acquired by the Albany County Historical Association and will be part of an exhibit at the mansion containing War of 1812-circa items.

On the 200th anniversary of the Albany parade, Warner was seeking a local historical society that might be interested in the document, which he found wrapped in a bundle of other old, handwritten records in his childhood home on State Farm Road. Warner, 62, surmises the papers were likely purchased decades ago at an estate or garage sale by his grandfather, who liked to collect such items for fun. But it appeared the bundle, wrapped in brown paper with twine, had never been opened.

The document is soft and heavy, like linen, and the edges are frayed. It advertises the activities for July 4, 1817, which featured gun-salutes and ringing church bells as Albany's leaders formed a procession from a hotel called the Mansion House to North Dutch Church, which still stands today as the First Church of Albany on North Pearl Street. The Marshall of the Day was General Solomon Van Rensselaer, a War of 1812 veteran who resided and died at nearby Cherry Hill mansion. The Ten Broeck Mansion was originally occupied in 1798 by General Abraham Ten Broeck and Elizabeth Van Rensselaer.

Samantha Hall-Saladino, executive director of the Albany County Historical Association, said the flier will be featured in an upstairs bedroom of the mansion as part of a room sponsored by the Daughters of the War of 1812, a national organization similar to the preservation efforts of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Hall-Saladino said that people combing through deceased relatives' belongings is one of the most common ways the association adds to its collection. In recent years, the association has been receiving more items as descendants of the Olcott family  who owned Ten Broeck from 1848 to 1948  sift through items that were left to them.

Warner found many other relics among his father Frank's belongings in the wake of his passing a couple of years ago. For instance, Warner sold to a collector a Knight's Cross  a Nazi medal Warner's father found when his Army unit was stationed in North Africa at the end of World War II.

Ten Broeck's War of 1812 room, which will be set up as the bedroom of a retired general of the war, will be completed by next year.
Washington

Donald Trump's attacks on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell come at the worst possible time, if the president's goal is actually to advance his agenda on health care, infrastructure and taxes that he's goading his GOP ally to pass.

Congress, now on summer break, will return next month to confront a brutal workload that includes two absolute must-do items: funding the government to head off a shutdown, and raising the federal borrowing limit to avert a potentially catastrophic first-ever default on U.S. obligations.

Both will require bipartisan cooperation, something in short supply on Capitol Hill this year.

That's in addition to Trump's demand for a tax rewrite to lower rates, a public works bill, and renewed efforts to repeal the Obama-era health law. McConnell, R-Ky., tried but failed last month to replace the Affordable Care Act  an outcome that Trump called "a disgrace."

So the president's rhetoric this past week has widened divisions at a moment when his party should try to work together on shared goals. His agenda only can pass if McConnell navigates it through the Senate. The veteran lawmaker may not feel more motivated to do that with his president working against him.

"Virtually any substantial goals that the president intends to achieve, whether it's tax reform or more infrastructure, requires the active assistance of the Senate majority leader," said Michael Steel, spokesman for John Boehner when the Ohio Republican was House speaker.

McConnell's allies say that Trump's frustration over the failure on health care is shared by the majority leader. Campaign operatives on the political side say it's crucial that the next item on the agenda  taxes  not collapse in a similar fashion. Otherwise, Republicans will have a tough time making the case to voters during next year's that they should continue to control both chambers of Congress and the White House.

"Tax reform is a must-do issue in our view," Steven Law, head of the McConnell-aligned super PAC Senate Leadership Fund, said Friday in an interview for C-SPAN's "Newsmakers" program. "I think if we fail to get action on that, I think people will start to wonder why Republicans are in charge of everything and what they're accomplishing."

Yet instead of linking arms with McConnell on the issue and working Capitol Hill, which is what President George W. Bush did when he got his big tax cuts through in 2001, the White House may already be at cross-purposes with the majority leader.

The president's team has raised expectations for fast action on taxes. White House legislative director Marc Short recently suggested a bill could be completed by the end of the year. That's a tall order for Republicans who have yet to meet a single major legislative deadline. At the same time, Congress has made virtually no progress on infrastructure or the budget, and the unfinished work is piling up.

Unlike health care, the upcoming agenda  outside of taxes and Trump's nominations  requires Democratic votes. That's sure to be another sore point between Trump and McConnell because Trump wants the Senate to eliminate the filibuster. McConnell, along with most Senate veterans, are resolutely opposed.
New York

Shoppers with means who want a lot of high-end rewards on their credit cards have plenty of options  but for how long?

Since JPMorgan Chase launched the $450-a-year Chase Sapphire Reserve Card a year ago, joining the market created by the American Express Platinum Card, companies like U.S. Bank and UBS have jumped in with similar cards. Citi's Prestige card, which gives the unique benefit of a fourth night free at hotels, already existed.

The increased competition could help customers. Banks sometimes waive annual fees or offer additional points for certain types of spending in order to drive business. And analysts say the companies' desire to keep their cards distinctive may mean they offer more benefits. But whether enough people want to hold these cards may determine how sustainable the profusion is.

Chase's Sapphire Reserve Card was introduced last August with a 100,000-point sign-up bonus, worth $1,500 using Chase's rewards program, a $300 annual travel credit, and no foreign transaction fees, among other perks. Even with the huge fee, customers ate it up.

Demand was so high that Chase temporarily ran out of the metal alloy used to make it.

Banks had previously thought that the market for luxury credit cards, while lucrative, would be small  roughly the top 10 percent of U.S. households, and mainly older customers. And the number of people who would carry more than one would be even smaller.

But the demographics have changed. Younger consumers have been keen on the new generation of luxury cards  perhaps because, as analysts posit, they are willing to pay the large annual fee for access to experiences and travel that they prize more highly.

Some customers who now have both an AmEx Platinum and Chase Sapphire Reserve are paying a combined $1,000 a year in fees for them. The argument among the passionate is that each provides different benefits. AmEx's airport lounge access is broader, while Chase offers more liberal ways of accumulating points.

"We carry them both because each card offers us different benefits, which we have taken full advantage of," said Courtney Valdivia, 31, who with her husband has both cards.

The card issuers are hoping enough people feel the same way. The early adopters of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card will be deciding soon whether to renew and once again pay the $450 annual fee. While the card gets strong reviews from users, it's not clear whether that will be enough to assuage the sticker shock of the annual fee, analysts say.

And with more options, they also may want to give one of the newer cards a try for different benefits. AmEx has tried to gear its Platinum Card toward a younger audience, recently rolling out a $200 a year credit on ride-hailing app Uber.

"Everyone is chasing the same pool of people," said Brian Riley, a director at bank consulting firm Mercator Advisory, who has worked in the credit card industry for more than 25 years.

The generous benefits may also end up pressuring the companies pursuing those customers.

Industry analysts said they did not believe Chase's 100,000-point Sapphire promotion was sustainable, and the company did cut its sign-up bonus to 50,000 points roughly six months after the launch. Chase has said it was never meant to be permanent.

But there have been other signs the card may be too generous. The Wall Street Journal reported this month that JPMorgan was looking to cut costs in the department.

"We will have to see how that plays out," said Sanjay Sakhrani, an analyst with KBW who covers the credit card companies.

Running a luxury credit card program is expensive. In order to pay for the points programs and sign-up bonuses, banks need customers to charge substantial sums to their cards in a year, often tens of thousands of dollars a year.
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Washington

On the jobs front, Donald Trump often seems more like the president of a local chamber of commerce than president of an entire nation.

There he was in Wisconsin late last month, lauding the promise of China-based Foxconn to open a $10 billion manufacturing plant creating 3,000 jobs. And he got in a dig against upstate New York, "where people are getting very badly hurt."

His solution to the decades-old decline of manufacturing in the region? "You can leave," he said. "It's OK."

And the flip-side of Trump's jobs announcement ballyhoo is opposition to trade deals, the scrapping of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the pledge to rewrite the North American Free Trade Agreement. Trump blames badly negotiated trade deals for "rusted out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation."

Does Trump's brand of economic activism portend an abrupt turnaround for the upstate economy? If fully implemented, could it damage the fragile recovery the Capital Region has found in nanotech and high-tech chip manufacturing?

Boosters of the new era upstate say the benefits of globalization and trade deals have reversed the downward spiral caused by the fall of the traditional industrial economy.

"The president's statement that upstate New Yorkers should get up and move was disheartening, but we are looking for opportunities beyond the rhetoric," said Andrew Kennedy, CEO of the Center for Economic Growth, a regional business-development group seeking to build up investment in Tech Valley.

"We're still waiting to see how the administration's economic development strategy solidifies," Kennedy said. "I don't think New York is going to get much help from Washington."

The Business Roundtable and Trump's own Department of Commerce produce copious statistics aimed at showing the benefits of free trade to the New York economy: $147.5 billion in exports, supporting 2.7 million jobs, with the Capital Region exporting $4.5 billion in goods to free-trade-deal countries in 2015 alone.

Leading New York export sectors are chemical manufacturing, machinery manufacturing and technology, accounting for 43 percent of all exports, Kennedy said.

Globalization permitted GlobalFoundries, owned by United Arab Emirates-based Mubadala, to build a semiconductor fabrication plant in Malta that employs 3,000.

But is that enough to offset the tremendous job losses upstate has suffered that are attributed to NAFTA and other trade deals?

Between 1993 and 2002, New York gained an estimated 46,182 jobs from exporting through NAFTA  primarily through New York's proximity to its closest international trading partner, Canada. But it also lost almost 103,000 jobs to NAFTA, resulting in a net loss of close to 57,000 jobs, according to the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute.

EPI also calculated that China's entrance into the World Trade Organization in 2001 led to the loss of 191,500 jobs in New York through 2015.

"Anyone telling you we gained jobs through trade deals has to explain these losses," said Robert Scott, a senior economist at EPI.

The loss of so many jobs was accompanied by soaring profits and CEO salaries that benefited the 1 percent at the top, he added.

But those who see a path forward for upstate New York in a globalized world economy insist that whatever occurred in the past, it's too late to turn back now.

"Slowly, we are seeing the tides turning," said Matthew Gratton, director of economic development at UAlbany who facilitates R&D partnerships and grant money from private industry.

The once-ubiquitous TV ads inviting businesses to relocate in New York were not uniformly aimed at high-tech or advanced-tech industries.

But experts say that if New York cannot compete with states like Wisconsin, or Alabama or South Carolina on cost, they can outperform those places on an increasingly important commodity in the 21st-century economy  workforce brain power.

"What makes us successful is not the best machinery but the best minds," said Mark Eagan, CEO of the Capital Region Chamber.

But the Albany area is far from a Ph.D-only job market, Eagan insisted.

A high-school graduate with a training certificate can make $50,000 to $60,000 a year in high-tech, he said. "Whether you have a GED or a Ph.D, we have jobs for you."

The jury is still out on what a rewrite of NAFTA or any other existing trade deal would to do to export-minded businesses in New York, to say nothing of the 269,000 New York employees working at foreign-owned businesses.

But as long as the U.S. remains a vibrant market and a center of commercial innovation, it is hard to imagine Trump throwing a significant wrench into the works.

"There's a rich manufacturing history here with GE and others, so if the country is promoting a manufacturing agenda, upstate could benefit from that," Gratton said.

"We have an immense amount of brain power and intellectual assets. Demand is still big for technology so, yes, we feel like it's here to stay."

dan@hearstdc.com
Milton

The town of Milton took extraordinary steps to conceal the details of a 2016 harassment complaint filed against the town's supervisor, Daniel P. Lewza, who has publicly denied that he was the target of the incendiary allegations made by his former secretary.

In addition to the cloak placed around the case by the town, Lewza hired a politically connected Saratoga County attorney last year to investigate town officials and others who he suspected were revealing information about the case. The attorney, James E. Walsh of Ballston, sent multiple letters warning Town Board members and at least one resident that divulging the "confidential" complaint could violate town code and federal laws that he did not specify.

The harassment complaint culminated with the town and its insurance carrier paying the secretary an undisclosed sum of money, including a $5,000 deductible from Milton's coffers. Lewza declined to reveal the total settlement amount.

It marked at least the third time that Lewza, who was elected supervisor in 2011, has been the target of complaints from female colleagues alleging inappropriate conduct. His accusers include a former town comptroller who filed a workplace violence complaint against Lewza after she said he cornered her in a hallway at Town Hall during a heated discussion.

More for you Ballston fights against state, critics of development

In an interview on Aug. 3 at his town office, Lewza flatly denied he was the target of the complaint filed by his former confidential secretary at Town Hall, Theresa "Teri" Wilson. But he acknowledged that the town's former comptroller, Julie A. Pratt, filed a workplace violence complaint against him. Lewza said that he was "found innocent" following an investigation led by two fellow Town Board members.

Before being elected town supervisor in 2011, Lewza, 47, was chief of staff for state Assemblyman Steve McLaughlin and had worked off and on in various roles in the Assembly for about 14 years beginning in 1998, records show.

In 2011, a female worker at the Capitol told McLaughlin and others that Lewza had sexually harassed her, according to two people with knowledge of the matter. But she did not file a formal complaint and the matter was not investigated by the Assembly's human resources office. Although payroll records indicate Lewza's Assembly job was terminated that August, he said he was not fired.

"I'm telling you there's nothing in my file, and it's never been brought to my attention," Lewza said, adding that he quit the Assembly that year to focus on his inaugural campaign for town supervisor.

McLaughlin contradicted Lewza's account.

"I ended his assignment," the lawmaker said recently, declining comment on what led to his decision.

The female state government worker, who spoke to the Times Union on the condition of not being identified, said Lewza repeatedly made sexually charged and inappropriate comments to her, including in emails and text messages.

"He knew exactly why he was being fired," she said.

In the recent interview, Lewza said that Wilson worked in a town office adjacent to his. She worked from home for 10 months last year before officially leaving the town's payroll at the end of 2016. Lewza said Wilson still texts him and that she would never have filed a complaint against him.

"Not only that, but my wife and Teri are still good friends," Lewza said. "They talk to each other all the time. Would my wife be still talking to Teri Wilson if she has claimed sexual harassment against me?"

Wilson, 34, declined comment last week on the details of her complaint. Her attorney, Kelly A. Magnuson of Albany, who focuses on labor and employment law, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

"I worked from home due to a medical issue," Wilson said in a brief telephone interview. "There's a lot of drama circulating. I'm not very comfortable speaking to you."

The complaint filed against Lewza by Wilson has been costly for the town.

Last year, the town paid an Albany law firm, Tabner, Ryan & Keniry, nearly $25,000 for its work investigating Wilson's allegations, according to records provided under a Freedom of Information Law request. The probe led by attorney William Keniry lasted seven months and included interviews with multiple town employees, negotiations with undisclosed attorneys and a review of "audio recordings," according to the records, which had names and other entries blacked out before they were released to the Times Union.

Keniry issued a final report on his findings in October, but the town has declined to release a copy of that document or numerous other materials related to the investigation.

Records show that in December, two months after Keniry's investigation concluded, the town paid $5,000 to its insurance carrier  New York Municipal Insurance Reciprocal  to cover its deductible payment under a settlement that the town and the insurance carrier reached with Wilson in October.

timesunion

The town initially refused to release a copy of the settlement. In early May, following an appeal filed by an attorney for the Times Union, some additional documents were turned over, including a copy of the town's settlement agreement with Wilson. Again, much of the information was blacked out. When the confidential settlement agreement was approved by the Town Board last October, Lewza abstained from voting on the matter without disclosing why.

In a recent email, Lewza declined comment on the settlement with Wilson and claimed that he did not know how much the insurance carrier paid her. Despite abstaining from the vote on the settlement, Lewza signed the $5,000 check the town paid to cover its deductible.

"I sign every check the town has for six years," he said. "I am truly growing tired of your accusations. For the last time, I have not been involved in any of these cases. I have answered all your questions truthfully."

Last fall, during a private meeting at Town Hall between Lewza and Barbara Kerr, a member of the Town Board, Lewza acknowledged to Kerr that he hired Walsh, a private attorney who is chairman of the Republican Committee in the town of Ballston, to investigate people he suspected of leaking information about Wilson's complaint, according to a person briefed on the meeting. Lewza accused Kerr of leaking information about the harassment complaint and threatened to file undisclosed "charges" against her unless she agreed to "play ball" with him.

At the time of the meeting with Kerr, Lewza was still planning to seek a fourth term as town supervisor and had stated privately to others that he intended to become chairman of the county Board of Supervisors and did not want to engage in a primary election with any challengers, including Kerr.

"I'm not out to ruin anybody's career like some people are out to ruin mine, and that's what has occurred here with the damages that have been done against me as far as people talking about the situation with Teri and I," Lewza allegedly told Kerr last fall, according to details of the meeting that were shared with the Times Union.

During the meeting, Lewza also told Kerr that Walsh, whose wife is Assemblywoman Mary Beth Walsh, sent letters to a dozen people, including residents and town employees, as part of an "investigation" to find out who was leaking information about Wilson's complaint. Lewza claimed, without any apparent proof, that he and his attorney could build a case against the councilwoman.

"I can have you removed if I bring charges up against you, if I bring this in public," Lewza allegedly told Kerr.

Lewza and Kerr, both Republicans, often spar at Town Board meetings, where the supervisor once referred to Kerr as "peaches and cream."

Lewza recently denied making the threats against Kerr. He acknowledged that when he met with Kerr at Town Hall he would ask that she turn off her phone because he did not want their conversations recorded. When asked why, he said, "I don't trust her."

Kerr is the only female on the Town Board and the only member to vote "no" last fall when the confidential settlement with Lewza's former secretary was approved by the board. In an interview last week, Kerr said she never disclosed confidential information about the settlement agreement and that Lewza's allegations against her were baseless.

"This is what I've been going through for six years," Kerr said. "It's put me through so much frustration and tension. ... I've been subjected to years of threats and verbal abuse, and it's hindered me in my ability to serve the people of the town the way they deserve to be represented."

Kerr is running for town supervisor this year against another Republican, Councilman Scott Ostrander, who has received Lewza's support. Ostrander emerged as a candidate after Lewza announced in early April that he would not seek a fourth term. Lewza recently said his decision to leave public office was not related to the Times Union's request  pending at that time  for records related to Wilson's complaint.

"I've lost my itch for politics, and one of the main reasons I've lost my itch is because people make accusations without any facts backing them up," he said.

In another email to the Times Union last week, Lewza sought to walk back the breadth of the investigation that he instructed his attorney, Walsh, to conduct last fall.

"(Y)es absolutely I had Mr. Walsh contact two individuals that I was told Barb leaked information too (sic) not pertaining to anything that we have discussed," Lewza wrote, claiming that Walsh's probe was not related to the complaint filed by Wilson. "This information that she told to these two individuals were clearly met (sic) to slander me so I asked Mr. Walsh at my own expense to reach out to these individuals but nothing ever came from it."

Walsh had no authority to compel Milton town employees or residents to participate in his investigation. In one of the letters that Walsh sent last September to a Milton resident, John Olenik, Walsh wrote his "office is conducting an investigation into confidential information, pursuant to the town of Milton Code, NYS Law and various federal laws, was (sic) released without proper authorization. ... During my investigation it has come to my attention that certain information was disclosed to you ... Please contact my office to set up a convenient time for a deposition."

A copy of the letter was shared with the Times Union by a confidential source who blacked out the name of the person to whom it was addressed.

Olenik, a retired insurance industry executive, has been involved in town politics since 1987, including three unsuccessful bids for town supervisor. Walsh sent the letter to Olenik about three months after the resident filed a formal request with the town seeking payroll records for Wilson during her absence from Town Hall.

"I did receive a letter from attorney Walsh alleging I was the recipient of some sort of confidential information," Olenik said last week. "However, since I never received any confidential information I had no idea what he was alluding to. Since Walsh had no authority to request a deposition I disregarded his letter."

Walsh declined to comment on his work for Lewza or his authority to conduct an investigation into alleged leaks involving town officials in a neighboring community.

"Most of the things I do people expect confidentiality," Walsh said. "As much as I'd really love to talk to you and set things straight, I'm bound by those canons."

blyons@timesunion.com  518-454-5547  @brendan_lyonstu
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Republican lawmakers in Albany County say voters should decide whether elected officials should curb hiring family members for county posts.

Five minority legislators have proposed amending the county charter to include a prohibition of hiring elected officials relatives for positions that dont require a Civil Service exam, which  if approved by the legislature  would go to residents for a vote.

The voters actually have the final say, Minority Leader Frank Mauriello, of Colonie, said. You have to earn back the confidence of the voters in the county, and the residents. We need to take another shot at this.

The others co-sponsoring the bill include legislators Paul Burgdorf of Latham, Richard Mendick of Selkirk, Mark Grimm of Guilderland and Todd Drake of Latham.

Legislators two months ago defeated an anti-nepotism measure that would have barred the hiring of elected officials relatives and former elected officials for a period of four years. While it wouldnt have impacted Civil Service positions, or legislators and their relatives who are employed currently, lawmakers blasted it as discriminatory, too restrictive and/or unnecessary due to the countys strong Code of Ethics already in place.

Drake was one of the 25 legislators who voted against the measure first introduced by Latham Democratic Legislator David Mayo last year after controversy surrounding the 2016 county budget.

Drake said he voted against Mayos resolution because it was poorly written and overly broad.

We need to appeal to a broader audience so we can get it passed and prevent the abuses that I think the voters expect it will prevent, Drake said, adding that Mayos proposal was really a reactive type of legislation.

A part-time job added to county Comptroller Michael Conners' budget was seen by some lawmakers as a landing spot for outgoing legislature chairman Shawn Morse -- despite denials from both men. The funding for the position eventually was moved elsewhere.

Mayos resolution sat in committee for more than a year before it came to the legislature for a vote, where it was defeated shortly after the Times Union revealed through a two-month-long examination of municipal payrolls and other public records that at least 11 local elected officials in the Capital Region have at least three relatives each working in local government. Three of those  Frank Commisso Sr., Gary Domalewicz and Gil Ethier  are Albany County legislators who have three relatives each working in county government.

County Executive Daniel McCoy, who would also be impacted if the measure passes, has at least 10 relatives in county and local government posts.

Mauriello, who is challenging Colonie Supervisor Paula Mahan, a Democrat, in the November election for the seat, has made nepotism a focus in his run for supervisor. He called on Mahan to implement a check on hiring relatives in the town, following the defeat of the county legislation and the Times Union investigation showing Mahan had relatives in town posts.

Mauriello said the bill sponsors are welcoming input and suggestions from other legislators.

Drake says the local law put forth by minority legislators is succinct, clear and got to the point, which he expects will garner more support.

The law further defines elected officers and family members as well. Elected officers would include legislators, the county executive, comptroller, district attorney, sheriff, county clerk and coroners, while family members would include a spouse, domestic partner, child, step-child, grandchild, niece, nephew, uncle, aunt, or the spouse or domestic partner of any of the aforementioned relatives.

We want to send a message to the public that were watching and it matters to us, he said.

Bethlehem Democratic Legislator William Reinhardt, who was supportive of Mayos legislation, said while the Republican legislators proposal must go through the committee and have discussion, hes considering supporting it and being a co-sponsor.

I do think we have a perception problem, he said. I think the legislative intent is on target, and I will think about supporting this one.

afries@timesunion.com - 518-454-5353 - @mandy_fries
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Charlottesville, Va.

A car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting a white nationalist rally Saturday in a Virginia college town, killing one person, hurting more than a dozen others and ratcheting up tension in a day full of violent confrontations.

Shortly after, a Virginia State Police helicopter that officials said was assisting with the rally crashed outside Charlottesville, killing the pilot and a trooper.

The chaos boiled over at what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade. The governor declared a state of emergency, and police dressed in riot gear ordered people out. The group had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, and others arrived to protest the racism.

Matt Korbon, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student, said several hundred counter-protesters were marching when "suddenly there was just this tire screeching sound." A silver Dodge Challenger smashed into another car, then backed up, barreling through "a sea of people."

The impact hurled people into the air. Those left standing scattered, screaming and running for safety in different directions.

The driver was later identified by police as James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio. Police say Fields, 20, has been charged with charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and one count related to leaving the scene. A bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.

Fields' mother, Samantha Bloom, told The Associated Press on Saturday night that she knew her son was attending a rally in Virginia but didn't know it was a white supremacist rally.

"I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trump's not a white supremacist," Bloom said.

"He had an African American friend so ...," she said before her voice trailed off. She added that she'd be surprised if her son's views were that far right.

Bloom, who became visibly upset as she learned of the injuries and deaths at the rally, said she and her son had just moved to the Toledo area from the northern Kentucky city of Florence. She said that's where Fields grew up. She relocated to Ohio for work.

The turbulence began Friday night, when the white nationalists carried torches though the University of Virginia campus. It quickly spiraled into violence Saturday morning. Hundreds of people threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays. At least one person was arrested in connection.

City officials said the car collision left 19 people injured and said they treated 35 patients altogether.

State Police said in a statement that the helicopter was "assisting public safety resources with the ongoing situation" when it crashed in a wooded area. The pilot, Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, Va., and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton, Va., died at the scene.

President Donald Trump condemned "in the strongest possible terms" what he called an "egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides" after the clashes. He called for "a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives."

Trump said he had spoken with the governor of Virginia, Terry McAuliffe, and "we agreed that the hate and the division must stop and must stop right now."

But some of the white nationalists cited Trump's victory as validation for their beliefs, and Trump's critics pointed to the president's racially tinged rhetoric as exploiting the nation's festering racial tension.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson noted that Trump for years publicly questioned President Barack Obama's citizenship.

"We are in a very dangerous place right now," he said.

Right-wing blogger Jason Kessler had called for what he termed a "pro-white" rally in Charlottesville, sparked by the monument decision. White nationalists and their opponents promoted the event for weeks.

Oren Segal, who directs the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, said multiple white power groups gathered in Charlottesville, including members of neo-Nazi organizations, racist skinhead groups and Ku Klux Klan factions.

The white nationalist organizations Vanguard America and Identity Evropa; the Southern nationalist League of the South; the National Socialist Movement; the Traditionalist Workers Party; and the Fraternal Order of Alt Knights also were on hand, he said, along with several groups with a smaller presence.

On the other side, anti-fascist demonstrators also gathered in Charlottesville, but they generally aren't organized like white nationalist factions, said Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Many others were just locals caught in the fray.

Colleen Cook, 26, stood on a curb shouting at the rally attendees to go home.

Cook, a teacher who attended the University of Virginia, said she sent her son, who is black, out of town for the weekend.

"This isn't how he should have to grow up," she said.

Cliff Erickson leaned against a fence and took in the scene. He said he thinks removing the statue amounts to erasing history and said the "counter-protesters are crazier than the alt-right."

"Both sides are hoping for a confrontation," he said.

It's the latest hostility in Charlottesville since the city about 100 miles outside of Washington, D.C., voted earlier this year to remove a statue of Lee.

In May, a torch-wielding group that included prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer gathered around the statue for a nighttime protest, and in July, about 50 members of a North Carolina-based KKK group traveled there for a rally, where they were met by hundreds of counter-protesters.

Kessler said this week that the rally is partly about the removal of Confederate symbols but also about free speech and "advocating for white people."

"This is about an anti-white climate within the Western world and the need for white people to have advocacy like other groups do," he said in an interview.

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer said he was disgusted that the white nationalists had come to his town and blamed Trump for inflaming racial prejudices.

"I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president," he said.

Charlottesville, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a liberal-leaning city that's home to the flagship UVA and Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.

The statue's removal is part of a broader city effort to change the way Charlottesville's history of race is told in public spaces. The city has also renamed Lee Park, where the statue stands, and Jackson Park, named for Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.
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Washington

U.S. intelligence officials are pretty sure North Korea can put a nuclear warhead on an intercontinental missile that could reach the United States. But experts aren't convinced the bomb could make it all that way intact.

They cite lingering questions about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's nuclear know-how.

"I don't think North Korea has a good measure of how accurate the missile is at this point," said Michael Elleman, an expert with the International Institute for Strategic Studies. "They don't know if the re-entry technologies will really hold up  whether the bomb will survive the trip."

North Korea has short-range missiles that can hit its neighbors. It has tested an intermediate one that could strike Guam, a U.S. territory, as well as a longer-range missile that could reach Hawaii and perhaps the U.S. West Coast. The intermediate and long-range missiles are still being developed and it's still questionable whether they can reliably strike targets.

The North must conduct more tests to master what is known as "re-entry" in missile parlance, experts believe. The process involves shielding a nuclear warhead from the high temperatures and force it faces when it re-enters the Earth's atmosphere at about 15,500 mph.

"In principle, Kim Jong Un could hit the United States with a nuclear weapon," said Elleman, a former scientist at Lockheed Martin's Research and Development Laboratory who also worked as missile expert for U.N. weapons inspection missions. "In practice, I think they are probably a half-year to a full year away from having something that will work more often than it would fail."

Joseph Bermudez Jr., an internationally recognized expert on North Korean defense and intelligence affairs and ballistic missile development, agrees.

"Putting these things all together and making them work is extremely challenging, and they haven't yet demonstrated a capability to produce a reliable re-entry vehicle, which is what houses the actual nuclear device," he said. "Remember, they've only tested these systems very few times."

Still, Bermudez, said, North Korea is "on track" to figure it out.

U.S. officials also think it's just a matter of time before Kim's program fully matures.

National Intelligence Director Dan Coats told Congress in May that Kim has been photographed beside a nuclear warhead design and missile airframes to show that North Korea has warheads small enough to fit on a missile.

That same month, Lt. Gen. Vincent Stewart, the Defense Intelligence Agency director, told lawmakers that while Kim must still work on the technical aspects of re-entry, it's only a "matter of enough trial and error to make that work. They understand the physics, so it's just a matter of design."

Coats and Stewart testified before North Korea conducted its first test of an intercontinental missile on July 4. On July 28, it conducted a second test of its long-range Hwasong-14 ICBM.

The second test flight was captured by a rooftop camera operated by Japan's NHK television on the northern island of Hokkaido. Elleman, who analyzed the video, concluded that it most likely "disintegrated" before splashdown, suggesting North Korea is still struggling with re-entry.

"I think it probably failed fairly late in the process," said John Schilling, a consultant with 38 North, a respected website on North Korea at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies.

Schilling said the success of North Korean missiles also depends on the weight of the payload. That's the weight of the nuclear weapon plus its heat-shielding re-entry system. North Korea is able to make one that weighs between 1,100 and 1,300 pounds, or between 500 and 600 kilograms. One that size might reach West Coast targets, Schilling said. But North Korea would need to make one lighter to strike farther east.

"It needs to be light in order to achieve range, but it also needs to be built fairly tough to survive, and those two things are at odds with one another," Schilling said. "Too light is a problem in that the payload would be too fragile and won't survive the trip, particularly atmospheric re-entry at the far end."

On Tuesday, a news report said North Korea could now wed nuclear warheads with its missiles, including its longest-range ones that might be able to hit the continental United States.
Almaty. August 10. Kazakhstan Today - 13 new industrial enterprises are being constructed on the territory of the Industrial Zone of Almaty, Kazakhstan Today reports.



According to the Director General of Industrial Zone of Almaty, LLP (IZ) Adil Burlibayev, during the investment forum in Alatau district, it is expected to launch new projects until 2019, among which there are an ice cream factory, a meat processing plant, a paper package plant, oil industry pipes manufacturing plant and others, Almaty Department of Entrepreneurship and Industrial and Innovative Development informs.



According to him, operating enterprises already return the funds invested by the state into the construction of infrastructure through payments for municipal services. Also Burlibayev called the investors present to place their production facilities on the IZ territory, moreover a reserve of free land area is still available. Out of the provided 275.6 hectares, a free land area for the construction of production facilities is 75 hectares. Concerning advantages of IZ placement, the speaker noted the final cost reduction. So, the rental rate for the land plot is just 42 tenge per square meter per year. The availability of land in the close proximity of the center of Almaty is also an advantage. The largest city of Kazakhstan is both a marketing area and a logistics center linking all regions of the country, the speaker noted.



During the forum the deputy governor of Alatau region Kaiyrzhan Zhaksymbetov told about the investment potential of the region, for the development of which more than 300 billion tenge was allocated from the budget since 2008 (from the moment of formation). The volume of investments into the capital assets in the district for 9 years has increased from 3 billion to 100 billion tenge. The goods turnover of the district has grown from 889 million to 772 billion tenge. Then deputy governor noted that one of the main tasks for improving the investment climate is the development of small and medium enterprises and the reduction of administrative barriers. So, within the framework of Industrialization Map program in Alatau region, 25 projects are implemented, 24 of which are located on the territory of the Industrial Zone with a total amount of investment of more than 107 billion tenge, with creation of about 5,000 new workplaces. Under the Business Roadmap-2020 program, 9 projects received the government support at the amount of KZT 619 million with creation of 104 new workplaces.



We recall that in regions of Kazakhstan a rating of ease of doing business will be conducted.



Attention will be paid to such factors like regulatory climate, business infrastructure, and availability of finance for business, human capital and transparency of decisions. The study will be conducted in all regional centers, two cities of republican significance, 15 cities of regional significance, 26 cities of district significance (with a population of at least 25,000 people), the press service of the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan reported.



The main aim is to help in improvement of business regulation by comparing the practices of the regions of Kazakhstan. The project is implemented to promote competition among the regions of the country, promoting the dissemination of best practices in the field of protection and support of entrepreneurship. The results of the study are planned to be used for creation of regulatory environment more favorable for business.



The rating methodology for ease of doing business was developed by the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan jointly with the Institute for Economic Research, JSC. During the development of the project the experience of world analogues aimed at studying the business environment at the country and inter-country levels, as well as the results of discussions of the main approaches to the development and implementation of the rating with the Mayor Administrations of regions, Astana and Almaty cities and representatives of the business community, was taken into account.



According to the press service, the results of the ranking of regions and cities on the ease of doing business will be released by the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in November this year. Based on the rating for achieving significant results in the field of business support and development, the governors of the appropriate regions will be awarded a special prize.



The launch of the Development and Implementation of Rating on the Ease of Doing Business in the Regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan project was given by the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan in June this year within the framework of the execution of the instruction of the head of state announced in the message to the people "The Third Modernization of Kazakhstan: Global Competitiveness".



This information may not be reproduced without reference to Kazakhstan Today. Copyright of materials of News Agency Kazakhstan Today.


IFA national treasurer Jer Bergin has stressed the importance of being safety conscious and marking and securing property to reduce the chance of a theft occurring.

He was speaking at the launch of the association's campaign to increase security awareness among farmers.

Marking your property, photographing it, and making an inventory will, firstly, go a long way towards preventing it being stolen and, secondly, significantly increase the chance of recovery if it is stolen, he said.

In addition, he encouraged all farmers to take time to close gates at night and during periods of absence,

Be proactive in securing your property; make sure to lock gates, outhouse doors and sheds.

Be observant; report any unusual or suspicious activity in your area to An Garda Siochana who will investigate all reports.

The recent Garda recovery of over 500 pieces of stolen property was a clear indication of the scale of theft happening in rural Ireland, he said. At the Property Recovery Day in Tipperary these items were on display.

One message was very clear - with no identification markings on an item, the chances of property being reunited with its rightful owner is very slim indeed, said Mr Bergin.

IFA has prepared a leaflet, which is available online, giving some essential crime prevention tips as part of the its Secure Summer campaign.
As the world famous Kilkenny Arts Festival approaches, the Newpark Hotel in Kilkenny, together with Breast Cancer Ireland, is organising a very special afternoon of Art & Fashion. On Thursday, 17th August from 12.30pm to 2.30pm, Vogue in the Afternoon, hosted by leading Irish fashion stylist Laura Mullett, will take place in the hotels newest space, The Terrace.

The fashion show and Prosecco Afternoon Tea is part of the hotels ongoing sponsorship of the Festival, which also includes the sponsorship of the Mick ODea Exhibition taking place with the artist in residence in the Home Rule Club on Johns Street, Kilkenny. The Newpark is also hosting a free art exhibition at the hotel from the 7th to 31st of August by award winning Irish artist Gill OShea, featuring a collection of vibrant portraits of some of Hollywoods female style icons from the last century.

With all proceeds going to Breast Cancer Ireland, Vogue in the Afternoon will include a talk from Gill OShea on her collection, as well as stunning fashion from the region styled by Laura Mullett, giving a nod to some of the style icons featured in Gills collection.

On the collection, artist Gill OShea stated Vogue in the Afternoon offers the viewer a space to experience bold portraits of a selection of leading females of Hollywood in an alternative gallery setting in the luxurious lobby of the Newpark Hotel and I am looking forward to meeting as many art and fashion lovers as possible at this very special fundraising event.

Mark Dunne, GM of the Newpark Hotel stated The Kilkenny Arts Festival puts our city on a global platform and we are delighted to play our part in supporting this great activity which acts as a magnet for the region. As well as our sponsorship of one of the flagship events in the city, the Mick ODea Exhibition, we are delighted to be hosting our own exhibition at the hotel with Gill OSheas portrait collection of some of Hollywoods iconic and beautiful actresses.

On the charity event, Mark added Gill has kindly given of her time for this special charity event and we thought why not tie in art and fashion, as well as giving art and fashion lovers a chance to have some fun and relaxation in our new Terrace with a very special Afternoon Tea in aid of a charity which helps so many people in this area and throughout Ireland.

Aisling Hurley, CEO of Breast Cancer Ireland said The Newpark has always been a great supporter of the work that we do and we are delighted to be the beneficiaries of this special event. It comes at a very opportune time as well for us as we prepare for the Great Pink Run in Kilkenny on the 10th of September. Hopefully some of the ladies enjoying their special Afternoon Tea might be inspired to participate in September when we are back in Kilkenny.

For anyone who would like to view the collection but who cannot attend on the day, from the 7th to 31st of August, the paintings will be displayed in the hotel, and to celebrate the collaboration, the Newpark is organising a special Afternoon Tea menu, which will be served everyday from 12pm to 3pm, specially designed to celebrate the glamour and vogue of a bygone era.

Tickets for Vogue in the Afternoon are priced 35 each and include a goodie bag. Tickets are on sale at the hotel and on Eventbrite at http://bit.ly/2vdiG7i

For further information on the event visit the hotels Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NewparkHotel/

For further information on Breast Cancer Ireland visit www.breastcancerireland.com
Do you want to get together with a 100 or so new good friends and learn to fire semi-automatic Steyr AUG rifles or become part of an artillery gun crew?

If so, then the Army Reserve is the place for you. You will encounter the unique challenges and attractions of the Reserve Defence Forces.

And, D Coy, 3rd infantry Battalion, McCan Barracks Templemore. is currently actively recruiting.

As a part-time force receiving professional military training, your time in the Reserves will bring experiences and challenges that will draw upon all your physical and mental abilities. And whatever you do for a living, youll find a unit in the Reserve that fits with your lifestyle, interests and skills.

So what are the entry requirements? Well, if you are over 18 and under 35 years of age and are willing to face the challenges that only the military can offer.

How to join, go online to www.defenceforces.ie, look for the Reserve Defence Forces or Army Reserve.

Online application forms are readily available and are just waiting for you to fill them in, The Army Reserve Defence Forces is open to Male and Female recruits.

The RDF is organised into the First Line Reserve and a Second Line Reserve. The First Line Reserve comprises former members of the Permanent Defence Force and the Second Line Reserve comprises the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve.

The restructured Reserve Defence Force RDF (na hOglaigh Cultaca) was established in October 2005 to replace An Forsa Cosanta Aitiuil and An Slua Muiri and has more recently undergone a reorganisation in tandem with the Permanent Defence Force as part of the Single Force concept.

The Reserve Defence Force consists of the Army Reserve and the Naval Service Reserve. The Army element is designated the Army Reserve (Cultaca an Airm). The Naval element is designated the Naval Service Reserve (Cultaca na Seirbhis Cabhlaigh).
November 2022 is Subscriber Appreciation Month

We're launching a full month of surprises to say thank you to our most loyal subscribers!
La Crescents First Evangelical Lutheran Church has more to celebrate than its 75 years of worship; the small Main Street staple will soon include a new addition dedicated to early childhood learning.

The church will celebrate its anniversary, as well as break ground on the new building Sunday, Aug. 27.

In 1942when the church was foundedthe United States was just coming out of the Great Depression, the young men in town went away to fight World War II. It was not a time of plenty. There were other long established congregations in La Crescent. The church founders were asked Why do this at this time? but the lord has continued to bless this ministry, said Pastor Christian Christenson.

Christenson compared the churchs David and Goliath story to its current goalsincrease church attendance and the construction of the early learning center building.

You could ask the same question today, Why spend about $1 million on an early learning center building at this time? Christenson said.

First Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1942 after a group of Immanuel Lutheran Church on South Ridge members wanted to create a worship space within the city of La Crescent. The church is a member of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.

The proposed early childhood learning center, which will be built in the what is now the east side parking lot, is just the churchs newest addition.

At first the founders rented space in a Methodist church. The basement of the current church was constructed in 1949, while the church itself was built in 1954. A parsonageacross the street from the churchwas dedicated in 1969. The churchs first pastor was Edwin Hertler.

With a line of five pastors, the position has been occupied by Christenson for the past eight years. The church has grown to about 400 members across the Coulee Region.

The church hopes to start construction in October on the early childhood learning center and finish next spring.

The churchs Little Lamb Preschool, which was founded in 2000, has about 20 students enrolled during the school year and 30 during the summer. Currently located in the churchs basement, the preschool, along with the addition of infant care, will move to the new early learning center building.

There are a lot of young families in the congregation, but in all actuality you do not have to belong to the church to attend the preschool, said Alyssa Schwartz, lead preschool teacher and director of the preschool. We have a waiting list started for next spring.

So far, the center will have two preschool classrooms, an infant room, a toddler room, a transition between age groups room and a connecting hallway to the church.

During the school year, Little Lamb Preschool has two teachers including Schwartz. During the summer, there are five staff members.

The new addition is great for the community, Schwartz said. This will allow parents to drop off their kids off at one place.

Phase one of the projectthe construction of the new facilityhas been approved up to $815,000 while the details of phase twothe refurbishment of the fellowship hallis still in motion.

Although the early learning center building has been a central part of the churchs five-year vision plan, its alignment with the churchs 75 years celebration was a happy coincidence.

I think its perfect timing with the 75 anniversary, Schwartz said. It really drives home that were here and that we are moving forward. We will be here 75 years from now.

While the anniversary is worth celebrating, Christenson said the church didnt plan for the two things to coincide.

This is a big milestone for any group of people, Christenson said. We didnt plan for the new early learning center and the anniversary service at the same time. It worked out quite well. It was the lords blessing.
Clay Chastain Lawsuit Announcement

The majority of voters did not reject Clay Chastain's petition proposal to modernize the City's public transportation system with a citywide rapid rail / electric bus / bikeway system because it was not on the ballot. Instead, voters rejected the City's corrupt version of Chastain's transit proposal.This arrogant act of malfeasance (breaking charter law and deliberately misleading voters to manipulate the outcome of a city election) mocked and defied the spirit of the recent Missouri Supreme Court ruling that ordered the James' regime to place valid petitions from the people before voters without delay or legal interference. Kansas City's dominant "Humpty Dumpty"- acting mayor got around that ruling by saying, in effect,...Okay, I will put Chastain's petition on the ballot, but his petition will mean what I want his petition to mean. "Nothing more and nothing less." That is, I will deliberately misrepresent Chastain's innovative and detailed transit vision to the voters simply as a vague, confusing and poorly-written plan to extend the City's archaic-operating streetcar system "in one or more directions."To the point, the Citizens For Responsible Government (CFRG) were confused too and came out against Ballot Question #2 stating..."The City could not use the funds for the rail system planned (Chastain's vision) but instead use the funds to extend the streetcar system." Keen observation by the CFRG. The CFRG also went on to astutely observe, "Read the ballot language. It is too ambiguous and poorly written." That too.If Ballot Question #2 had passed, the City would have used the approved measure to either expand the streetcar system or, if Chastain squawked too much, repeal it altogether like the City did Chastain's 2006 light rail petition measure approved by 75,000 voters. If Ballot Question #2 lost, outsider Chastain would be done for good. Either way, Chastain's petition proposal to provide the people a more green, prosperous and transit-oriented Kansas City never had a chance.Mayor Sylvester James is not nicknamed "Sly" for nothing.At 3:00 PM today Chastain's lawsuit against James and the City will be stamp filed. It asks the court to nullify the results of the fraudulent KC August 8 election, concerning Ballot Question #2, and order the corrupt-acting City to re-submit Chastain's transit petition proposal to the voters in November in its "original form."P.S. If someone does not stand up and rein in Kansas City's secretive, backroom-dealing and over strident-acting Mayor, then this City is going nowhere soon and its democratic petition process remains meaningless.Clay Chastain#########
On Saturday afternoon a passenger pulled out a knife on a woman while about 34 other passengers were on board.
Dr. Bernard J. Mansheim, 98, of La Crosse passed away peacefully Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, at his home surrounded by his family.

The youngest of five children, he was born March 10, 1919, at Fort Madison, Iowa, to Bernard and Marie (Wenke) Mansheim.

He graduated from Catholic Central High School in Fort Madison in June 1935. He graduated from the University of Iowa Medical School in December 1943 with BA and MD degrees.

Dr. Mansheim interned at St. Francis Hospital in La Crosse in 1944, where he met his future wife, Dorothy Seiler, who was a student nurse in her senior year.

He entered active duty with the Army Medical Corps Oct. 1, 1944, at Carlisle Barracks, Pa. He and Dorothy were married in Carlisle, Nov. 4, 1944. Dr. Mansheim was stationed at Crile Army General Hospital in Cleveland, for two years. After discharge from the Army in November of 1946, he returned to La Crosse to enter general practice with Doctors McLoone, Egan and Fox. Following Dr. McLoones tragic murder in November of 1947, Dr. Mansheim helped to establish the La Crosse Clinic, which was later joined by Drs. Gerrard Uhrich, Paul Phillips, Greg Egan and others.

Dr. Mansheim entered the ophthalmology residency program at the University of Iowa Hospital in June 1950. After completing his eye residency in June 1953, he was awarded a HEED fellowship to do research in glaucoma at the Eye Institute in New York City and Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. The results of his glaucoma research were published in the Archives of Ophthalmology in 1953.

Dr. Mansheim returned to La Crosse in December of 1953, to rejoin the La Crosse Clinic, in the practice of ophthalmology. He was certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology in 1954, and was appointed chief of staff at St. Francis Hospital in 1955.

Dr. Mansheim practiced ophthalmology for over 30 years at St. Francis Hospital, retiring in 1987. He was a life-long member of the American Medical Association, the Academy of Ophthalmology and numerous professional societies.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings; and his wife, Dorothy. He is survived by his children, Dr. Paul (Renee), Dr. Bernard (Denise), Mary Naus (Dr. Peter), Nancy Formella (John), Dorothy Schaettle (Robert; 13 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22, at the Faith and Life Center at The Willows, 2555 S. 7th St. Monsignor Delbert Malin will officiate. Friends may visit with the family from 1 p.m. until time of services Tuesday.

Information and online condolences may be given to the family at www.dickinsonfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Dr. Bernard J. and Dorothy S. Mansheim Nursing Scholarship at Viterbo University, or a charity of donors choice.

Dr. Mansheims family would like to thank the staff of The Willows for their care and friendship over the past four years. The family would also like to thank the Mayo Hospice Service for the excellent support they provided over the past two months, which helped make Dr. Mansheims last days so peaceful.
Kansas City Weekend Tradition

Kansas City's Irish Musicians Celebrate Their Roots With 'Sessions' At Prospero's Bookstore When the best Irish musicians get together to practice, it might as well be a concert. And some of Kansas City's most talented players now have a regular place to do that in front of an audience.

Sound Of Kansas City Jazz Complaints

Editorial: 'They're not racist. They're just afraid.' Why don't more Kansas Citians visit the jazz district? Crime statistics show that the 18th & Vine Jazz District has far less crime than Westport or the Power & Light District. Still, fear of crime is one big reason why many won't venture into the jazz district, even for a festival with a stellar lineup.

Show-Me Tribute Today

Hundreds gather for fallen Clinton officer's funeral CLINTON, Mo. - Family and friends of Officer Gary Michael Jr. are gathering Saturday in Clinton, Mo. to lay him to rest. Michael was shot and killed during a traffic stop August 5. The man suspected of the shooting him, Ian McCarthy, pled not guilty to first-degree murder charges.

Guv Back The Thin Blue Line

Missouri governor pledges to support officers with 'Blue Alert' Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens spoke Saturday at the memorial service for Clinton Officer Gary Michael, vowing to back those who protect and serve.

The Season Is Over

Kansas City Royals: Threat Level - Desperate Can the Kansas City Royals salvage the 2017 season? Dayton Moore made the decision to chase one last playoff run with his core. Not being able to defeat at team who is more concerned about the future is not a good sign. The White Sox dealt several veteran players before the deadline.

Stacey hotness and just a quick look at some of the better Kansas City mainstream media links for right now and as motorcycles dominate the evening roads. Take a peek:And this is thefor right now . . .
THIS

THANKS TO TKC BLOG COMMUNITY DENIZEN CHUCK FOR THIS THOUGHTFUL ANALYSIS AMID WHITE NATIONALIST VIOLENCE!!!

THAT is

Chuck: Media Lies Matter

















Chicago Tribune: White nationalist rally in Virginia









the only subject worth talking about tonight and so . . .I don't necessarily agree with everything Chuck writes but it's clear that he's doingsomein this piece and working to understand the issue beyond the MSM narrative . . . And in the end,what this blog is all about . . . Anybody can rage . . . That's lame and boring. What'sabout this writing is that it looks for the truth behind the scenes of the news that most people are watching tonight.Take a look:If 6,000 white people marching and protesting in the streets of Charlottesville Virginia, is a complicated combination of an anomaly and an augury, then what can we expect? No more anomalies.The low level civil war in the streets, heretofore, a one sided affair, inspired by Black Lives Matter, George Soros, Media Matters and various other splinter groups, all encouraged, aided and abetted by Progressive Politicians and a Progressive Press is now enjoined by equally thuggish reprobates of a different political persuasion. We, all of us, are educated and informed as to the bona fides and intent of extremists in both camps. Here, today, should not we wonder how we got here to this place and time?We are here, because we are too smart. If you Google the average IQ of the average American, it comes up 98. I am living proof that a C+ average and a 98 IQ will get you a Liberal Arts Degree from a commuter college, with little or no effort. We are all average and that is good enough to understand when you are being lied to, repeatedly by our leaders, our cultural masters and, most importantly by our Media. Objective journalists are as hard to find as resumes in Byron's out box. The level of arrogant self regard and condescension from these bumptious butt-holes is a diva like Streisand level annoyance that is only alleviated with schedule three narcotics, or, screaming out your window, that you are "Mad As Hell And You're Not Going To Take It Anymore!!!"The guy changing flats at the Goodyear, the waitress, the bus driver, the lawn boy, hell all of us, know we are being lied to. The difference is that the lies from the left, are sanctioned, premeditated and repeated by what we are supposed to believe are unbiased, "objective" journalists. Sure, there are conservative voices and even as FOX gradually goes over to the Dark Side under the auspices of what is supposed to pass for "Conservative" thought, there are interweb sites that still, for now, allow contrarian and tendentious right wing voices to be heard, but, the American "narrative" is overwhelmingly driven and owned by the Left. The panoply of voices on the left is a million voices and tongues of iron in a million mouths.For those 'smart' folks who know that their premiums didn't go down, that their deductibles went up, that they lost their doctor, their health plan and know now, that it was premeditated, they actually don't need my Liberal Arts Degree. For those folks at Sony and other companies who lost their jobs and trained their cheaper foreign replacements, they saved themselves 4 years of study. For those folks whose companies moved overseas while they stay and languish in diminished economic states, they are unwounded by the lack of a sheepskin, for those folks who, everyday see the destruction of their culture by irredentist collusion between Republican lawmakers and big business, they need not my paltry erudition, for those folks who see that the President they elected, teetering on the edge of Impeachment due to nefarious, unjustified malevolence, the seeds of which are convenient canards, innuendo, anonymous sources and outright lies, they are not lost in confusion, or in need of scholars to guide them into a this harsh new reality, they can figure it out with their 98 IQs all day every day.They know, they have no voice. So, they are drawn to extreme ideas and extreme causes peopled by extreme agents provocateurs.My guess, is that they are not born racist or inclined to join these groups, but, the incessant lies from the 4th estate and legislation, intent, calumny and insults from the Centralized Powers in Washington DC that maintain suzerainty over we salt of the earth, has driven this new propaganda of the deed.It begins.#########Links:You decide . . .
Greekcitytimes.com notes in the following recent article that "if you are looking for the liveliest time to be in Greece, Dekapentavgoustos (August 15th) should definitely be on top of your list. Marking the Assumption of the Virgin Mary  one of the largest religious celebrations in the country this period also hosts some of the greatest Panigiria (festivals).

Greeks from Athens, Thessaloniki and all the main cities travel to their island homes and villages to mark this day of non-stop celebration. Every region has its own traditions but overall the day is held in honour of Panagia- who is cherished and respected, and asked to perform miracles on people of all ages.

On this day, each towns icon of the Virgin is often adorned with flowers and ribbons and carried around the island or village so that the faithful may touch it. The formal religious ceremony is held during the day, with mass and prayers in the morning and in the evening focus shifts to food, wine song and dance.

Panigiria are set in town squares or next to a celebrating church, with each festivity including tables of guests who partake in the local revelry. Each village serves up their local wine and delicacies to the sounds of live bands, which have most locals up and dancing from the time they arrive.

The essence of this celebration is that all are welcome and treated like family- participating body and soul in the commemoration.

What is 100 percent certain is that wherever you are in Greece on this national holiday- be it an island, village, city or remote town- there will be a Panigiri somewhere nearby. We take a look at some of the best places to be in Greece for Dekapentavgoustos.

Siatista

In Siatista, in the northern Greek region of Kozani, the local men ride their adorned horses up to the Monastery of the Koimissis tis Theotokou (Dormition of the Virgin). The horsemen train their animals for weeks before this event and on the eve of the feast, the town gather groups of horsemen, who lure local people and guests to the feast. On the day of the Assumption, the riders start out in the morning to worship the image of the Virgin Mary Monastery located in Mikrokastro. Afterwards the groups of riders come with their horses into Siatista to the square of hora and put on a display of their skills in the towns main square. The celebrations continue until early morning.

Veria

Preserving their traditions, the Pontians of Soumela in Veria don full costume on the their annual pilgrimage to Panagia Soumela Monastery on August 15. Thousands of believers from all over Greece and abroad flock each year to attend the events that take place in Panagia Soumela, the historic church located on the slopes of Vermion, near the village Kastania. The church was built in 1951 by refugees from Pontos, in memory of the historical monastery, the ruins of which are located on Mount Mela, near Trabzon in the Black Sea. Here exists the miraculous image of Panagia, crafted by Evangelist Luke. On Assumption Day, the procession of the holy icon of the Virgin Mary is followed by many believers. On top of this great festival of Christendom, Pontian bands from Macedonia offer unique moments with traditional tunes and a long lasting celebration.

Zagoria

Zagoria is famous for its Dekapentavgoustos feasts and in villages such as Vitsa and Tsepelovo, the commemoration of the Assumption lasts three days and features an abundance of traditional cuisine with a serving of continental dances. The third and last day is celebrated with non- stop local Epirot musicians and dances.

Paros

Panagia Ekatontapyliani is one of the most worshipped churches in the Aegean and is located in the capital of Paros. Believers from all over Greece gather here in mid-August to take part in the festivities. After the procession of the epitaph, begins the great festival of the people, partying until the early hours, with traditional music, and local wine and delicacies. In the port of Naoussa, boats approach the pier with lit torches and reveals the arrival of pirates who start the festival with traditional island dances.

Syros

On August 15, most of Syros islanders gather at the islands numerous ports, hopping on the fishermens boats for a free ride at sea. All they have to do in exchange is to help set off all the fireworks rocketing from these boats and lighting the sky throughout the process. As its a religious festival, one of the boats carries a big icon of Panagia. That is when the party begins. The fishermen drive their boats back to the ports to drop off the passengers, who taste some of the delicious kakavia  fishermans soup made by the locals  and some free local drinks. The night of course ends with plenty of live music and dancing.

Tinos

This special island has been linked with religious festivities for decades, with the Church of Panagia Evangelistria on Tinos main port drawing thousands of pilgrims from around the world each year. On August 15, Tinos also commemorates the sinking of the warship Elli in 1940 by Italian torpedoes off the islands coast, an event that effectively brought Greece into the Second World War. Assumption Day is considered the best day to visit this island and each year visitors start a long journey to Tinos, to pay a visit to the church and experience some of the extraordinary blessings and celebrations.

Chania

Chania is located in Crete- the largest of the Greek islands and the locals celebrate Assumption Day in their own Cretan way, with certain villages offering free food and wine and non-stop Cretan music all day. Expect to hear lots of Mandinades (Cretan folklore music) and celebratory gunshots, which creates a very festive atmosphere and dynamic vibe.

Ikaria

Ikaria boasts authentic local celebrations of the Virgin Marys day in Greece, attracting hundreds of travellers who enjoy more of a traditional festival. It gives international guests the opportunity to mingle with the locals surrounded by stunning village surroundings, traditional food, live music, non-stop dancing, and plenty of local wine.

Serifos

Dekapentavgousots in Serifos is where young men get into fist fights to win the attention of young women. According to old wives tales, the man who comes out triumphant and gets to dance with his girl under the old olive tree is going to be next to wed. Today this custom is performed just for fun but the festival is still one of the most important dates of the islands calendar- as most inhabitants come back every year to catch up and dance for three days straight."

Read full story here.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons Copyright: An. Antoniou License: CC-BY-SA

Source: greekcitytimes.com
Qatari and Turkish companies have signed 15 cooperation agreements during a recent visit of a Qatari trade delegation to the cities of Izmir and Istanbul in Turkey, said the Qatar Chamber.



The members of the delegation, composed of Qatari businessmen, signed 12 cooperation agreements with their Turkish counterparts in Izmir and three other deals in Istanbul, Saleh bin Hamad Al Sharqi, director-general, Qatar Chamber, was quoted as saying in a Gulf Times report.



Al Sharqi added that the agreements focused on pharmaceuticals, foodstuff, construction, building materials, shipping, logistics, plastic, aluminium, glass, technology, furniture, and air-conditioning sectors.



He noted that the visit achieved remarkable success and contributed to strengthening the bonds of cooperation between Qatari and Turkish businessmen, which laid the groundwork for further joint-cooperation between the two sides in various fields of trade and industry.



Al Sharqi and some members of the delegation held several meetings with a number of Turkish businessmen in Istanbul during the visit, where they discussed bilateral cooperation in a number of fields such as food products, construction, and electricity.



The official also held a meeting with the Istanbul Chamber chairman Ibrahim Shakler in the presence of the chambers board members, the vice-president of the Turkish Exporters Association, and other Qatari businessmen, added the report.
James Jim Ernest Holberg, 86, of La Crosse passed away peacefully Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017, at Mayo Clinic Health System of La Crosse.

He was born in La Crosse March 24, 1931, to Ernest and Myrtle (Raatz) Holberg. At the age of 14, he began working for his dad as an auto mechanic at Holbergs Cities Service on Eighth and Jackson. He graduated from Central High School in 1949, and enlisted in the Army in 1952. He trained at Fort Knox, Ky., and served active duty in Korea until October 1953. He received the United Nations Service Medal and the Korean Service Medal with three bronze service stars. He married Betty Kastenschmidt June 30, 1955, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in La Crosse. They were married 61 years. When Jims dad retired in 1970, Jim continued to work as an auto mechanic at Hemker Oil, Frank-Len, Good Year Tire and Rubber, and Merfelds, until health problems forced him to retire.

Jim was president of the Jaycees, and a member of the Lions Club, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the National Korean War Veterans Association. He was active in the Powell-Hamilton-Hood Neighborhood Association and Skates for Kids, and was a proud member of the 49ers Club.

He is survived by his daughter, Debra (Mark) Byers of Idaho Falls, Idaho; grandchildren, Andrea (Jonathan) Smith of Las Vegas, Nev., and James (Ann) Chadwick of Idaho Falls; great-grandchildren, Alion, Alira, Mako, Payton and Madison Chadwick, and a Smith baby boy on the way. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Larry Holberg; and his wife, Betty.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 17, at Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services, 200 West Ave. S., La Crosse. The Reverend Mark Carr, chaplain, will officiate. Burial with military honors will follow at Oak Grove Cemetery. Friends may call from 5 until 7 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home and also from 12:30 p.m. until the time of service Thursday. Online condolences may be submitted at www.schumacher-kish.com.
Thomas Sinniger, 85, died Thursday, Aug. 10, 2017, at Mayo Clinic Health System of La Crosse. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Mary, Mother of the Church Parish, La Crosse. Entombment with military honors will follow in the Catholic Cemetery. Friends may visit from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Schumacher-Kish Funeral and Cremation Services, La Crosse, and from 9:30 a.m. to time of Mass Wednesday at the church.
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, August 13

Twentyone-year-old Rishabh Garg, a resident of Sector 8, Panchkula, drowned in the Ramganga river in Ramnagar, Uttarakhand, while another youth of Sector 7, Panchkula, was rescued by residents there.

Rishabh, along with five other students of Amity University, Noida, were on a trip to Ramnagar. The incident took place on the night of August 11. In the incident, two youths, Rishabh Garg and Shubham Pandey, a resident of Haldwani, Uttarkhand, died while the others, including Subham Mehra, a resident of Sector 7, Panchkula, were rescued.

Rishabhs relative Amit Goyal said they received the body last night and the last rights were held today at the Mani Majra cremation ground. Rishabhs father Anil Garg runs a marble business in Panchkula. Rishabh was a computer science student at Amity University, he said.

According to reports from Uttarakhand, the group had reached Ramnagar to visit Jim Corbett Park on Friday night. They stayed there at a resort. Around 9 pm, they went to a nearby eating joint. One of the employees of the resort also accompanied them. While returning, their vehicle got stuck in a culvert near the river. They got down from the car and tried to cross the river but were swept away by the strong currents. With the efforts of people their, the four students and the resort employee were saved. The bodies of the two were recovered 5 km away from the causeway on Saturday.

Kin werent aware of visit

An XUV vehicle was hired by the youngsters. As all of them knew how to drive, they did not take a driver along. The youngsters had not informed their family members about the visit.

Last-ditch effort

One of the rescuers in Ramnagar threw his pants to save Rishabh and Subham Pandey, but they could not catch it and were swept away.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 13

Three youths riding a motorcycle snatched a purse from a man near Ram Darbar on the night intervening August 12 and 13. While one of the accused was nabbed by the victim, the other two managed to flee from the spot, leaving the motorcycle behind.

Sources said the complainant, Abbar Kumar, a resident of Phase VIII, Mohali, informed the police that three youths riding a motorcycle snatched his purse containing Rs 576.

The victim caught one of the accused while the other two miscreants fled from the spot.

The police were informed, who reached the spot. The accused nabbed from the spot has been identified as Subey, a resident of Phase II, Ram Darbar.

A case has been registered at the Sector 31 police station.

One held for snatching cash

In another incident, a person has been arrested for snatching cash from a resident of Sector 45.

According to the police, Laxman of Burail, Sector 45, alleged that Batta, alias Manu, snatched Rs 2,300 and the voter card from him at Burail. A case was registered at the Sector 34 police station. Later, the accused was arrested.
Lt-Gen Harwant Singh (retd)

Lt-Gen Harwant Singh (retd)

THERE appears to be no early solution to the ongoing standoff on the Doklam plateau. China's unilateral action to alter the location of the tri-junction between India, Bhutan and China is unexceptionable and violates the 2012 agreement.

There is a deeper move in this attempt to build a road on this plateau. It not only aims at posing a serious threat to the Siliguri corridor by crossing the Torsa Nala and occupying the Jhamperi Ridge, but also wean away the only country left in India's neighbourhood, where it exercises influence and comes in the way of China's attempt at complete encirclement of India.

China has been assiduously working to encircle India both on land and sea, with the eventual aim of capturing markets and relegating India to a secondary position. Such a move is reminiscent of the gun-boat diplomacy of the seventeen-eighteen centuries by European countries. Building OROB (One Road one Belt) and CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor) is in line with the gun-boat diplomacy of that period, though, through a different format, the sole purpose being to capture markets, in the region and beyond.

China has succeeded in gaining influence and foothold in almost all of India's immediate neighbourhood, sans Bhutan. This Doklam effort is to draw Bhutan too out of India's sphere of influence. India's inability to counter these moves by China bears on our foreign policy and diplomatic skills.

While China's media and government have been making every effort to raise the ante, India's response has been restrained, muted and mature. The issue that one needs to be addressed is as to why China is spoiling for a fight with a large country of India's size with equally large defence forces for a minor issue, when seen in the larger context of the region!

Perhaps, it is somewhat related to the state of the Indian armed forces. There has been no attempt at modernising the military during the last three decades. Since the Bofors scandal, deficiencies of ammunition and some other essential equipment have been allowed to pile up. The most unusual step of placing thousands of crores of rupees at the disposal of the Vice Chief of the Army to undertake emergency purchases to meet acute shortages of ammunition, both artillery and armour, and a range of other items points to an alarming situation of shortages with the military. All this leads one to conclude that the state of military's reserves is critical. One need raise the issue as to how this critical situation has come about and who is accountable. Who has been sitting on the Army's demands for ammunition and a range of critical equipment as well as its modernization?

According to some press reports, the country is faced with a war-like situation and desperate attempts are afoot to create reserves of ammunition etc even for a war of duration as short as ten days or so. Though the Army Chief has been talking of a two and a half front war, where is the wherewithal for a conflict of this scale and spread? China has been threatening to enlarge the scope of conflict and may not confine it to the Doklam area, where it is at some tactical disadvantage.

There is an inherent drawback in emergency purchases of ammunition and certain critical equipment. Since none of these are available off the shelf and their supply involves undertaking manufacture on demand, and that takes much time, one may end up picking up substandard or time expired items from the sellers' military reserves.

While these emergency purchases for the military has in the past resulted in being shortchanged in a number of cases, one need quote just two to highlight the pitfalls in letting a situation develop where there may be no alternative to adopting this course.

During the Indian Army's operations in Sri Lanka, the possibility of employment of parachute brigade came up and it surfaced that while we had a parachute brigade but there were no parachutes! Defence Finance had been sitting tight on the demand for these parachutes for close to six months. Now such items are not available off the shelf, so our military attaches were tasked to explore the possibility of obtaining these from armies of their accredited country.

Our military attache in France was able to get these from the French army's reserve stocks. We paid the money only to discover that these failed the stress tests in India and turned out to be from the Vietnam war period, where many of these parachutes had blood stains. Thus these could not be put to use.

The second case relates to tank ammunition. Once we took up the project to up-gun the T-55 gun, the Russians, who did not approve of this, for the first time and out of the blue, offered us APFSDS ammunition for the original 100 milimeter gun of this tank. We purchased 20,000 rounds of this ammunition at a huge cost, which failed two separate sets of trial in India, where I conducted one of these two trials. So such emergency purchases of ammunition and other military equipment without proper trials and care have their own pitfalls.

Unfortunately India has never paid much attention to the vital issue of national security. We have had considerable difficulty in finding a suitable Defence Minister. Parrikar would go about inspecting ceremonial guards of honour wearing slippers, with hands in his pockets and went on to inform the nation that since there has been no war for a long time, the public has lost respect for the Army! During his over two years tenure as Defence Minister there is nothing for him to show which can bring him some credit. Now an already over burdened Finance Minister has been given the additional charge of Defence fortfolio. In some manner this also points to the fact that national defence holds low priority in this country, even when we are surrounded on two fronts by hostile neighbours, who are in league with each other.

India has never fully understood the inclusive relationship between economics and military power. The country's long history of subjugation by foreign powers bears testimony to this fact. We do not seem to have learnt much from history and appear to commit the same mistakes related to national security. A strong military is not to wage wars but to secure peace and let conditions prevail where nation building and creating economic muscle can go on unhindered and without outside interference.
Vivek Katju

Vivek Katju

ON the eve of demitting office Vice-President Hamid Ansari chose the platform of an academic institution to speak his mind and open his heart. In doing so he largely rooted himself in a Nehruvian vision of India and, in its light, critiqued present trends and developments in the nations journey. Mr Ansari has been an embodiment of qualities Nehru emphasised: urbanity, rectitude, scholarship, intellectual vigour and integrity.

Nehru and his ideas and principles, as well as his policies and work, are under assault. At such a time Mr Ansari has eloquently pointed to the foundational principles that Nehru espoused  secularism and pluralism. He has also dwelt on the constitutional values of equality and liberty, which are aspirational as well as guides for daily governance. Mr Ansari has also warned against hyper nationalism and rejected, through the words of the Israeli scholar Yael Tamir, the idea of cultural nationalism which obviously, to him, has the object of imposing a single cultural ethos on diverse people and groups. Going beyond concepts, he has ventured into the sphere of present governmental approaches. He has articulated his misgivings on many of them. Clearly, as he leaves office he is deeply troubled by the direction in which the nation is going.

Except for the votaries of purely sectarian agendas, there is no scope for disagreement on the need for a commitment to pluralism and secularism as necessary for Indian nationhood. The objective realities of India simply do not permit alternative foundational principles. The difficulty lies in interpreting them in the Indian context and State approaches and policies to give them practical effect. Did Nehruvian approaches safeguard and promote pluralism and secularism, or did they contain the seeds of eroding them over time? How did some aspects of the external environment, when religion and faith became the foundations for some international organisations and became ever sharper in global discourse, impact on them? These are serious issues for objective and urgent research free from political partisanship.

Mr Ansari has expressed deep concern at the idea that Hindutva is a way of life. He clearly wants the Supreme Court judgments that agreed with this view to be reviewed. He wishes religions to be defined on the basis of their stated tenets and principles of faith to be segregated from the contours of culture. He advocates that the state should pursue a formula of equidistance and minimum involvement in faith related issues. The difficulty is that religions are not susceptible to tidy demarcations between elements of faith and culture. This is especially so for Hinduism but is witnessed in Islam, too, especially now when aspects of the culture, including in sartorial areas, of the Arab peninsula are being considered as essential elements of the faith.

The real issue is not that political parties should not fan religious sentiments in seeking support, for that is easily settled: they should not. The issue is should the state intervene in matters which a section of the adherents of a faith feel is an essential element of their faith and others feel are derived from culture and hence state intervention would not constitute an unacceptable intrusion? Also, what if a practice of a faith that some assert is part of the faith and not culture offends constitutional sensibility?

It is here that Mr Ansaris approach of equidistance and minimum involvement becomes problematic. The state intervened in matters of Hindu personal law in the first decade of independence. Today the Hindu law of inheritance, for instance, puts daughters and sons on equal footing. Was the state right in making these interventions which cannot be considered minimum? If so, then would the principle of equidistance demand that similar interventions be made in the personal laws of other faiths? If Mr Ansari holds these changes to be excessive, then it would permit the continuation of social retrogression. Nehruvian thinking was obviously to let the religious minorities alone in these spheres. Did this promote fraternity as required by the Constitution or create a fertile ground for the charge, howsoever motivated it may have been, of sectional appeasement? Social engineering must necessarily spread across all groups and citizens.

Mr Ansari has focused on pertinent aspects of the functioning of the legislative branch. He has for a decade watched, clearly, with dismay, the absence of full debates before the making of laws, the slanging political dramas enacted every day instead of serious and detailed scrutiny of executive functioning and the nations social and economic landscape. Concerned citizens can only share these feelings with empathy. He is also right in drawing attention to the dismal picture of women and minority representation. However, in drawing attention to the percentage of votes polled by successful MPs he joins a trend which emerged after the 2014 Lok Sabha polls with more vigour than earlier.

Mr Ansari is deeply troubled by the rising fervour of nationalism in the country and its impact of free expression of opinion. Debate and dissension has deep roots in the Indian tradition and crude attempts to stifle them cannot succeed in the long term. The fact is that the ideological contestation underway today is not a sign of a polity at war with itself but of the present sweeping, all pervasive socio-economic change perhaps unprecedented in Indias long history. The old elite Persianate and later British influenced public cultural practices have been brushed aside as new social groups have entered the power matrix. Many are now inspired and take pride in ancient achievements, but not exclusively so. In doing this, are they detracting from the idea of an inclusive India or of common citizenship? The focus has to be on practically reconciling diverse agendas and giving new expressions to Indias composite culture, especially in the public sphere.

The caution against increasing sanctification of military might is appropriate, but is an acknowledgement of the role of the armed forces as they continuously combat terrorism from across the border really that? This is especially when the forces are completely clear about their role and position in Indias democratic order.

The Vice-President has in one sentence criticised the governments current approach on J&K. He obviously wants a political dialogue, though it is not clear if this is limited only in its internal aspects. Assuming it is, the question is if political engagement with separatist groups will yield any results so long as Pakistans intrusiveness continues.

Mr Ansari is a patriot and has done the nation a service by raising issues that require deep thought and full consideration. They need to be soberly studied and discussed across the country, especially in the academia.

The writer is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, August 12

Lt Governor Anil Baijal today inspected some heritage sites inside the Mehrauli Archaeological Park and directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to form a coordinating body having representation of all stakeholders concerned for the protection and upkeep of monuments and prepare a plan to this effect by October-end.

There is a need for coherent development and maintenance plan of the entire park, said Baijal while adding that a coordinating body must be set up with a comprehensive time-bound action plan by October-end that covers the entire spectrum of protection, restoration and maintenance works.

During his visit, Baijal was accompanied by DDA vice-chairman, principal commissioner (Horticulture), chief engineer (South Zone); the District Magistrate of South Delhi and officials of the ASI and the Indian National Trust for Art and Culture.
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 13

In view of death of infants due to shortage of oxygen supply at a Gorakhpur hospital in Uttar Pradesh, the Haryana Government has asked all government hospitals and medical colleges to report availability of oxygen in their respective institutions.

WhatsApp messages have been flashed to all civil surgeons and directors of medical colleges asking them to send report positively by tonight.

Sources say several civil surgeons have already reported that the oxygen supply in their respective districts is okay and cylinders are full. Not satisfied, the Health Department has asked them to send institute-wise report on email with the name of the officer filing the report.

Amit Jha, Principal Secretary, Health Department, says though deaths of infants in Gorakhpur were perhaps due to Japanese Encephalitis as has been reported, but the government does not want to take any chance.

He says Health Minister Anil Vij is also very keen to ensure that there was no laxity in the government hospitals in the state.

I have also ordered a technical audit of oxygen supply systems in all hospitals and medical colleges. The Director General of Health Services and the Additional Director have been told to identify the agencies for the audit by tomorrow, Jha said.

Sources say civil hospitals in Panchkula, Gurugram and Faridabad and the medical colleges have centralised oxygen supply, but others depend on oxygen cylinders for their needs.
Tribune News Service

Shimla/Dharamsala, August 13

Forty-six people were killed after a massive landslide buried two Himachal Pradesh roadways buses at Kotrupi in Mandi district on the Mandi-Pathankot national highway.

Mandi deputy commissioner Sandeep Kadam said 46 bodies have been recovered. The rescue operations have been suspended and will continue tomorrow.

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Rescue operations were suspended late evening as there were apprehensions of more landslides, officials said.

The death toll is likely rise as more than 50 passengers were travelling in the two buses that were hit by the landslide, triggered by a cloud burst, officials said.

The buses had stopped for tea around midnight at a roadside stall at Kotrupi near Padder in Mandi district when the landslide struck, and swept them nearly 1 km into a gorge.

46 bodies recovered, rescue ops is suspended for the day. Tomorrow we will search for bodies under debris again: Ashok Kumar, SP #Mandi pic.twitter.com/kRsKYWhTT6  ANI (@ANI) August 13, 2017

Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Army and the police were rushed and heavy earth-moving machinery deployed at the gorge where the two buses lay buried under a heap of debris.

Apart from two buses, more vehicles and people were believed to have been at the spot when an entire hillside collapsed last night. Some houses, too, have been hit by landslide.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh visited the spot and said the rescue operation would continue till the last body was recovered.

He said eight passengers were travelling in the Manali-Katra bus (HP63-5840) of which three lost their lives while five were rescued and admitted to the zonal hospital in Mandi.

There were 47 passengers in the second bus (HP73-4423) which was coming from Chamba, an official said.

"As per the last communication with the driver, the bus (to Manali) was packed to capacity," Transport Minister G S Bali said told a news channel.

My condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in Mandi.Request Himachal govt. & local Congress units to provide all possible help  Office of RG (@OfficeOfRG) August 13, 2017

Driver Chanden Sharma and conductor Satpal of the Manali-bound bus were reported killed, while the staff of the other bus survived as they were not in the vehicle when the landslide hit.

In a notification, the district administration has advised people to take the Mandi-Kullu route via Kalota. Also, the Jogindernagar-Mandi section of the Pathankot-Mandi national highway has been closed.

A CPI (M) leader, Kushal Bharadwaj, said a bus was later traced to 1 km down in the gorge, buried under the part of the hillside that collapsed. Only one house was damaged, he claimed.

Locals told us that the bus was full of passengers when it crossed Jogindernagar around midnight. There were some vehicles waiting when a small landslide first blocked the highway, but they were all taken by surprise when the entire hillside collapsed. Death toll could be very high, Bhardwaj, who reached the site of the incident, said.

I pray for the quick recovery of those injured in Mandi district, Himachal Pradesh: PM @narendramodi  PMO India (@PMOIndia) August 13, 2017

The chief minister said the state government would bear medical expenses of the injured passengers. He also met the bereaved family members and expressed condolences.

Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur, Transport minister G S Bali and Rural Development and Panchayati Raj minister Anil Sharma also reached the spot.

Thakur announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased while Bali announced that Rs 1 lakh would be given to each bereaved family by the HRTC.

On my way to #Mandi to oversee rescue operation at #landslide site. @adgpi @NDRFHQ have been called in. Immediate relief will be provided  Virbhadra Singh (@virbhadrasingh) August 13, 2017

The massive landslide, covering an area of more than 250 metre, swept away two other vehicles also and damaged some houses.

The highway was closed and hundreds of vehicles were stranded on either side, officials said.

This is the third such incident in Himachal. Earlier, 45 bus passengers were buried in a landslide near Matiyana in Shimla district in 1988 and 42 passengers were buried in another mishap at Luggar Hati in Kullu district in 1994.  With agency inputs
Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 13

Despite a high rate of fatalities by landslides every year, the National Highways Authorities of India (NHAI) and Public Works Department (PWD) have not learnt any lessons. They have not surveyed the high-risk slide zones along the roads.

All talks of surveying the loose strata and landslide-prone zones have not proceeded beyond the rooms, observed scientists.

They revealed that Kotrupis massive hill slide was triggered possibly by the combined effect of the torrential rain on the barren hills that consist of loose sedimentary rocks and the unscientific cutting of the highway on the vulnerable and fragile slope.

It appears that the hill is barren while road is constructed unscientifically below the hill that allows swift flow of surface water to enter the cracks that might have developed in the barren hill over a period of time, said Dr JC Kuniyal, a senior scientist at the GB Pant Institute of the Himalayan Development and Environment, Kullu.

There was no mining activity and no tunneling work in the area around Kotpuri located between Urla and Padhar on the Jogindernagar-Mandi section of the Pathankot-Mandi highway.

Scores of stretches between Jogindernagar-Mandi, Mandi-Manali, Kiratpur-Mandi-Manali, Rampur-Reckong Peo-Kaza and several state highways are prone to landslides during the rains.

But neither the NHAI and PWD, nor the state disaster mitigation authorities have ever bothered to put up the warning signs on the these spots to caution commuters.

Though there is no study to ascertain the causes of landslide, scientists suspect that these are caused by the unscientific cutting of the hills.

Dr Kuniyal underscored an urgent need to employ bio-engineering techniques in road construction to stabilise all such spots.

It is too risky to leave everything to contractors to build the roads in the Himalayas. It needs a comprehensive exercise to minimise such disasters, he added.
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 13

Amid high threat, security has been stepped up in Srinagar and other major towns of the Valley to ensure peaceful Independence Day celebrations.

A three-tier security system has been thrown around Bakshi Stadium, the main venue for the Independence Day celebrations in the Valley. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti will unfurl the national flag at Bakshi Stadium.

The security around vital installations, including Srinagar Airport, has also been enhanced. In major towns of the Valley, the Army has chipped in to help the police in ensuring peaceful I-Day celebrations.

In Srinagar, the J&K Police and the CRPF have increased vigil to thwart any militant design ahead of Independence Day.

There is always a threat on I-Day and this year the threat is high. We have taken all measures to ensure peaceful celebrations, said Inspector General (IG), CRPF, Ravideep Sahi. We have made sufficient deployment and there is an elaborate security plan for August 15, the CRPF IG said

Police and CRPF men have been carrying out area domination for the past one week.

Nakas have been set up and night patrolling has been intensified at vulnerable places in Srinagar to ensure that no disruption takes place. We have already stepped up checking of vehicles across Srinagar, Sahi said.

A police officer said all vehicles coming from various districts to Srinagar were being checked at exit points.

Last year, a CRPF commandant and a policeman were killed and eight security personnel were wounded in a militant attack in Srinagars old city, an hour before the Independence Day parade. Two militants were also killed in the gunfight later.

We have the last years attack in mind and have kept our men ready to handle any situation, the IG said.

Meanwhile, the joint separatist leadership has called for a complete shutdown on August 15. It has appealed to the teachers, students and their parents to boycott all functions related to Independence Day.

Army chips in
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Dinesh Manhotra

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 13

Discontent brewing within the BJP due to the guarded silence being maintained by party ministers on Article 35A came to the fore during the core committee meeting when some members gave vent to their anger against the defensive approach of the party on the issue.

The core committee meeting, held on Saturday evening, was attended by senior leaders, including two Cabinet ministers of the coalition.

One member of the core committee, who wished not to be quoted, said members expressed their anger over the submissive approach being adopted by party ministers in the coalition. Keeping silent on the issue by saying the matter is sub judice is not going down well among party workers and supporters. Like PDP and NC leaders, we have to clear our stand before the people, he said.

Committee members said Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was on a mission to protect Article 35A while the National Conference leadership was repeatedly issuing warnings on the issue. However, BJP ministers were on a defensive mode, they said. Why are our ministers hesitating in clearing their stand? he asked, adding, when PDP leaders, including ministers, are openly supporting Article 35A, there is no reason for BJP ministers to remain silent.

Sources said core committee members made it clear that workers and supporters of the party would not forgive the leadership if any compromise was struck on the emotive issue.

Meanwhile, BJPs arch-rival in Jammu, the Panthers Party, has started a campaign to expose the saffron party for adopting double standards on the issue. If the Kashmir-centric parties are united on Article 35A why is the BJP shying away from garnering support of Jammu-based parties, said a Panthers Party leader.
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 13

Hizbul Mujahideen operational commander Yasin Yatoo, alias Mehmood Ghaznavi, was among three militants killed in an 18-hour-long gunfight in south Kashmirs Shopian district that ended on Sunday. Two soldiers of Armys counter insurgency unit were also killed and three others were injured in the gunfight.

The police said three militants, including Ghaznavi, 41, were killed in a fierce gunfight at Awneera village, some 70 km from Srinagar, in a joint operation. DGP Shesh Paul Vaid described Yatoos killing as a huge success.

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The operation was launched after an input that top Hizbul militants led by Ghaznavi and other commanders, including Saddam Padroo and Altaf Kachroo, had assembled at Awneera.

While the cordon was being laid, forces came under fire from inside the house and outside the cordon and in the process, five security men, including an officer, were injured. Two Armymen succumbed to their injuries, Shopian SP Ambarkar S Dinkar said. They were identified as Sepoy Ilayaraja P from Tamil Nadu and Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman, 25, from Maharashtra.

After the initial gunfight, the militants took shelter in the houses and a fierce gunfight followed. There was lull for some time and firing resumed this morning.

The other slain militants were identified as Irfan-ul-Haq Sheikh of Shopian and Umar Majid Sheikh of Kulgam. They had joined militancy last year.

Residents said security forces blasted at least four houses. As news of the gunfight broke, scores of residents from adjoining villages tried to march toward the site. In the clashes that followed, over a dozen protesters were injured and most of them had received pellets.
Arun Joshi

The debate over Article 35A, which bestows special privileges to permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir, is not over yet. And, it would not be over even after the Supreme Court delivers its judgment on the petition that has challenged its validity on the grounds that the Article proclaimed through Presidential Order of May 14, 1954, was issued without the mandatory approval of Parliament. Now the matter is with the court but no one is waiting for that.

On the face of it, the Oppositions defence of Article 35A has an anti-India overtone, but it is also a cry to save this important link with mainland India and go for status quo.

Kashmiris have sought to monopolise the ownership of the said Article that grants exclusive rights to buy immovable assets, get jobs and scholarships. They have a reason; they are the biggest beneficiaries of this constitutional provision. They have expanded their footprints all across the state as also in the rest of the country.

The political, geographical, religious, ethnic and economic dimensions have made them to unite and fight for the retention of Article 35A, which has its roots in Article 370 that grants special status to J&K. They have threatened to set streets aflame out of fear of sharing all these privileges with Indians. They resist sharing these provisions even with their co-religionists from other parts of the state.

There are palpable dots of desire in the state to stay with India for all these special privileges and, ironically, there is also the fear that if this link is lost, they would head nowhere. They have made their point: dont burn down the bridges that link them to mainland India. They are not saying it so openly and loudly but their determination and desperation to save this link says it all.

In a very simple and straight language, renowned lawyer and constitutional expert Zaffar Shah has underlined the point that this Article is a saviour of Koshur (Kashmiri) with regard to their political and economic identity. He has told it in clear terms that Kashmiris would have to compete for jobs, scholarships, immovable assets and their distinct identity as permanent residents of the state with the residents of other parts of the country if this Article is consumed. He has given sage advice: Kashmiris should put forward their best legal defence of the Article in the Supreme Court.

What have we heard so far  that going away of this Article would impact the ultimate Kashmir solution because removal of the Article will change the demography. This is an afterthought as they wanted to deny their fight was for the benefits only.

Common Kashmiris are aware that Pakistan had killed their dream of independence when it launched the tribal invasion even after it had entered into a standstill agreement with Maharaja Hari Singh in August 1947. The agreements are signed between two sovereign nations.

And what Pakistan stands today is not hidden from them. Thousands of young men have died while the Article remains a vibrant constitutional provision, but there is no solution in sight. Kashmir wants an answer and these proponents of Kashmir solution have none.

Their inner urge is there for all to understand. Kashmiris know what suits them best, irrespective of the propaganda to the contrary.

Right now the idea of India sounds repulsive here. The extension of the mainland rules here are seen as profoundly damaging to the idea of dialogue. An overwhelming presence of troops and brazen display of hard power here have put off Kashmiris.

But the idea has the capacity to be accepted provided a fair introspection is done. This is the right time for that. Saving Kashmir is more important than doing away with an Article. The legal route is the best one, streets have never delivered justice  Kashmir has seen it all in 2008, 2010 and 2016  when streets spoke with the ugly outcome of death, destruction and more graveyards.
Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 13

Hizbul Mujahideen operational commander Yasin Yatoo, alias Mehmood Ghaznavi, was among three militants killed in a gunfight in south Kashmirs Shopian district that ended on Sunday.

Two soldiers were also killed and three others were injured in the gunfight that erupted Saturday evening.

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Police said three militants, including Ghaznavi, were killed in a fierce gunfight at Awneera village, some 70 km from Srinagar, in a joint operation that was launched at around 5 pm Saturday after a tip off about militant presence.

During the search operation, militants hiding in the area fired upon the joint search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter. Three Hizbul militants, including Hizbul commander Ghaznavi, were killed in the encounter, a police officer said.

The other slain militants were identified as Irfan-ul-Haq, resident of Maldara Zainapora, and Umar Majeed Mir, resident of Kulgam.

Ghaznavi (41) was the operational chief of the outfit in Kashmir.

Two soldiers were also killed in the gunfight late Saturday.

The two slain soldiers killed in the Shopian encounter last evening were identified as Sepoy Ilayaraja P of Kandani Sivagangai, Tamil Nadu, and Sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman of Akola, Maharashtra.

The locals tried to disrupt the operation by pelting stones at the forces. Over a dozen protesters were injured in these clashes.

Bandipore encounter

Meanwhile, two policemen and a soldier were injured in a separate gunfight in Bandipore north Kashmir.

Police said a cordon-and-search-operation was launched this morning in Hajin Bandipore after an input about militant presence.

As the cordon was being laid, militants fired at the joint party of the forces resulting in injuries to two policemen and an Army jawan, a police officer said.

The condition of the injured is stated to be stable. Intense clashes broke out in the area to disrupt the anti-militancy operation.

The officer said militants managed to escape taking advantage of heavy stone-pelting.

The CASO has been called off, he said.
Jasmine Singh

You too, please, be here and see, how chained to a withered tree, I am waiting for you, bleeding slowly to death, Urdu writer and poet Harbans Singh Tasawwurs poem, A Cry in the wilderness brings alive the agony and pain of the days that left scars which still ache when the word batwaara is mentioned.

Harbans Singh Tasawwur, birth place Panja Sahib and his wife, Charan Pal Kaur, birth place Peshawar do not have to think too hard about those dreaded and feared days. Writer Darshan Singh Awaras books written in Urdu, dictionaries, a gramophone that Harbans father bought on his birthday (April 15, 1938) are some of the precious items that reminds this Urdu poet of the good oldays in Pakistan.

I have a crystal clear memory; I was in fifth grade when tension started brewing. I was given the responsibility of informing our relatives and friends to gather at Panja Sahib Gurdwara. There, I also saw some Muslim women in burqa who had come to take shelter because they were not sure of what would happen to them, Harbans Singh, doesnt pause, not even for a moment. After 2-3 days when we assumed everything looked okay, we returned to our homes. After returning home, my parents sent me to my school the next day. But when my headmaster saw me, he was absolutely quiet. I still remember what he said, he asked the peon to escort me back to my home and asked me not to come to school for two months. My headmaster said, samjh laina Harbans tu garmiyan di chutiyan te ja reha hain. We dont have to look into Harbans Singh Tasawwurs eyes to see that dampness, his voice choking...This was the longest summer vacation, it hasnt ended, I never went back to school after that day, he looks at his wife, who smiles back warmly; she too has borne the brunt of the day.

Harbans Singh Tasawwurs mother, sister and brother left before Partition. My father and I came to Tarn Taran in the first week of August. From there we came to Patiala. When we were leaving a Muslim friend of my father asked us to take his son along, as a help, because I was too young to handle anything. But when we reached Tarn Taran, looking at the horrific state of Muslims there, my father sent the boy back to Pakistan. I cannot tell you what the first Diwali of 1947 was like. There was blood all over, there were dead bodies lying in the nallas. My parents would not let us see the gory sight. Harbans Singh served in the Public Relation and Information Department Punjab as an Urdu translator, also worked as a part-time lecturer in the department of Urdu, Punjab University. Till date, he has written umpteen books in Urdu, his work has been featured in prestigious periodicals of Urdu, and his work Qurratulain Hyder Qaaf Taa Qaaf is considered the best work in Urdu criticism, but in all of his works, there is an Urdu poem where he longs for his summer vacation to end, where he is eager to share his stories with his classmates, tell them about the movie he saw, But the vacation never ended and I couldnt do any of that, his eyes stuck on the poem, which will always live like an imagination, just like his name, Tasawwur! jasmine@tribunemail.com
Guwahati, August 13

The flood situation on Sunday deteriorated in Assam, where the Army was called out for rescue operations as 10 more people were killed and 22.5 lakh affected in 21 districts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, who toured various flood-affected areas in Dibrugarh district, an official release said.

The prime minister expressed concern and assured all possible help and support to the state government in handling the situation, the statement said.

Sonowal informed Modi about the devastation caused by the flood in middle and upper Assam and the disruption to vehicular movement on National Highway 37, the lifeline between the two areas.

The Armys Red Horns Division of the Gajraj Corps has dispatched multiple teams after receiving calls for help from various district administrations, a defence spokesperson said.

Following todays toll in flood-related incidents, the total number of persons losing their lives in this years flood-related incidents in the state went up to 99, including eight in Guwahati, an Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report said.

Principal Secretary of Prime Ministers Office Nripendra Mishra asked Assam Chief Secretary V K Pipersenia to submit a report detailing the damage and devastation caused by the current wave of floods in the state.

According to the ASDMA, 10 persons were today killed in flood-related incidents in three districts.

While six persons lost their lives in Kokrajhar, three died in Bongaigaon and one in Biswanath.

The flood situation is likely to worsen with Brahmaputra and 10 other rivers flowing above the danger mark at 15 places, including the state capital.

At present, 22.5 lakh people are affected in 21 districts, the ASDMA said.

The districts are Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Baksa, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Chirang, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Morigaon, Nagaon, Karbi Anglong, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia.

Nagaon Deputy Commissioner Shamsher Singh said, a crucial dyke at Hatimura was breached by the Brahmaputra at 2 am and its flood waters inundated vast areas of the district.

The authorities have issued an alert in the district with flood waters submerging the NH-37 at four places between Kaliabor and Jakhalabandha, forcing the authorities to stop traffic, thereby cutting the link between upper and middle Assam.

NH 37 passes through Kaziranga National Park.

Singh said personnel from the Army, NDRF and SDRF have been engaged in rescue operations, while people in Nagaon town have resorted to panic purchase of goods from the market.

A defence spokesperson said about 3,000 people have been rescued by the Army from Bodoland Territorial Area Districts and Karbi Anglong.

As per the ASDMA report, Dhubri is the worst-affected with 3.98 lakh sufferers, followed by Morigaon with 3.14 lakh people affected in the deluge.

The condition in Morigaon suddenly worsened after the surging water breached the dyke of Brahmaputra in Lahorighat and flooded more than 100 villages in Lahorighat and Bhuragaon revenue circle, affecting over one lakh people.

Currently, 2,734 villages are under water and over 1.35 lakh hectares of crop areas have been damaged across the state, the ASDMA said.

Authorities are running 678 relief camps and distribution centres in 17 districts, where 1,83,584 people are taking shelter at present.

At least 4,000 persons have been evacuated to safer places by the SDRF, NDRF and Army personnel in many districts.  PTI
Tribune News Service

Patna/New Delhi, August 13

Even as Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) is expected to announce its decision to join the National NDA at the partys national executive meeting in Patna on August 19, senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav is set to present his faction as the real party.

The Sharad Yadav-led faction, which includes Rajya Sabha MPs Ali Anwar Ansari and MP Veerendra Kumar and some national office-bearers, has armed itself with letters of support from 14 state unit presidents, Arun Shrivastava, a Sharad aide said.

Sharad enjoys little support from the party's lawmakers, who are overwhelmingly from Bihar, but believes that he can make a fight of his claim over the party and cause a split.

In Patna, Neeraj Kumar, JD(U) state spokesperson, said: The invitation (to join the NDA) came from BJP president Amit Sah but a decision will be taken at the partys national executive meeting. It is a mere formality as the JD-U has already joined the BJP and formed government, dumping the grand alliance.

Nitish had last month snapped ties with the grand alliance, saying he would not compromise on the issue of corruption after Deputy CM Tejaswi Prasad of the RJD was booked by the CBI in a graft case.

Sources in the party said the JD-U was expected to get at least two ministerial berths in the Union Cabinet. (With PTI inputs)
Bijay Sankar Bora

THE BJP-led government's decision to name a number of new model colleges after Jana Sangha leader Deen Dayal Upadhyaya has stirred up a hornet's nest with political and apolitical organisations questioning the rationale behind naming these colleges after a person who made 'no contribution' to Assam whatsoever and is not known to the common people.

Leading the protest is the All-Assam Students' Union and the Opposition Congress. Such has been the public outrage that BJP ally in the ruling coalition, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), too has distanced itself from the government's decision with its general secretary Dr Kamala Kalita saying it had asked the government to review its decision.

"It is okay if one or two colleges are named after Upadhyaya. But we cannot accept naming all model colleges after him as it will be disrespecting eminent personalities from Assam whose contribution towards nation-building was no less than that of Upadhyaya," says AASU chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya.

The Congress slammed the BJP government's move as "a stark declaration of unabashed cultural imperialism". Debabrata Saikia, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, issued a statement, saying: "Upadhyaya took no part in the freedom struggle, nor did he believe in the concept of a multi-religious and multi-cultural India. Assam, on the other hand, has always been a shining example of unity in diversity." But the state BJP's executive committee, at its meeting on August 12, endorsed the government decision.

Curbing illegal migration

Ten months after the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Bill was passed in the Meghalaya Assembly, on August 11 a Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma, finally approved rules to ensure "enhanced security" of the state's residents by preventing illegal migrants from finding shelter in the hill state, thereby posing a threat to the identity and rights of the local tribal population.

Sangma claimed once the Act came into force, the state would be able to address various concerns regarding illegal migration more effectively.

Uprising against killings

Hundreds of school and college students walked alongside elders of South Garo Hills at Baghmara town last week to protest against the murder of an elderly villager by militants of the proscribed Garo National Liberation Army earlier this month.

Their rally was supported by the Baghmara Citizenship Forum, Garo Students' Union, All A'chik Youth Federation, Federation of Khasi Jaintia Garo People besides others.

Caesarean cases

Five private hospital in Goalpara town of western Assam have been served show-cause notices by the district administration regarding the steep rise in caesarean operations. As per a report by health official (from April to June), of the 41 deliveries at Floral Hospital, 39 were cases (95.12 %), of the 121 deliveries at Solace Hospital, 103 were caesarean (85.12 %), of the 120 childbirths at Seven Sisters Hospital, 88 were caesarean (78.57 %), of the 70 deliveries at Life Care Hospital, 65 were by C-section (92.86 %) and of the 61 cases at Nirmala Healthcare Centre, 50 were caesarean (81,97 %).

Pianist on CBFC

Neil Herbert Nongkynrih-Neil Nongkynrih, an award-winning concert pianist from Shillong, is one of the members of the newly constituted CBFC. He is the founder of the Shillong Chamber Choir that won reality show 'India's Got Talent' in 2010.
Bijay Sankar Bora

Tribune News Service

Guwahati, August 13

The Army has been called out to help in rescue operations in western Assam areas and in Karbi Anglong district of central Assam that has been hit by a fresh wave of floods.

All branches of the Armed Forces, including the Indian Air Force, in the region are in a state of full readiness to launch flood rescue operations when required to provide speedy relief and succor to those affected.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today called up Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to enquire about the scale of devastation caused by the floods as the situation has remained grim and more deaths have been reported from different corners.

Sonowal apprised the PM of the measures taken by the government to provide relief to the flood-affected people and that the administrations of all 19 flood-hit districts have been directed to ensure speedy relief distribution to the victims, a source in the CMs office said. The PM assured all cooperation from the Centre in overcoming the havoc caused by floods.

Nripendra Mishra, Principal Secretary of the PMO, on Sunday directed Chief Secretary of the state VK Pipersenia to submit a report to the PMO detailing the damage and devastation caused by the floods.

The CM has directed the district deputy commissioners to provide ex gratia to the next of kin of those killed in floods within 48 hours of every such death.

Meanwhile, the Red Horns Division of the Army moved swiftly to the aid of flood-hit western Assam and in Karbi Anglong in Central Assam. In response to a call for help from the civil administration, the Army sent out multiple teams in areas of Bodoland Territorial Autonomous Districts (BTAD) and Karbi Anglong district of Assam.

Nearly 3,000 people trapped in villages were rescued amidst strong water currents and taken to relief camps. The Army has deployed its boats to reach the marooned people and made a number of trips against the swift current to rescue them.

Sonowal today visited flood relief camps at Bhismak LP School at Panchmile, Sadiya, and took stock of the arrangements for the inmates. He also visited Kundil riverside over Kundil Bridge and directed the Water Resource Department to take immediate measures to stop erosion.

The continuous erosion by the Kundil has been causing serious threat to Panchmile, Lakhimi Gaon, Bogoribari apart from threatening Kundil Bridge. Sonowal said dredging of the Kundil would be taken up in winter so that the change in the course of river can be tackled.

In Nepal, 200 Indians stranded

Nearly 600 tourists, including 200 Indians, have been stranded in central Nepals Chitwan due to flooding triggered by heavy rains that have claimed 55 lives, officials said on Sunday

Heavy rains have lashed Nepal for the past three days, causing flooding and landslides at several places

The swollen Rapti river flooded several hotels in the Chitwan Valley, where the country's first national park is located PTI

320 NDRF personnel rushed to Bihar
New Delhi, August 13

The Congress on Sunday demanded a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the death of at least 30 children at a state-run hospital in Gorakhpur, alleging that the Yogi Adityanath government, through operation cover-up, was attempting to bury the truth.

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The party said according to reports that have emerged till now, the unusually high number of deaths occurred due to neglect and mismanagement, and not due to any disease as is being claimed by the BJP government in the state.

The Chief Minister, the Health Minister, the principal of the Baba Raghav Das Medical College are all responsible for the deaths. The UP government has blood on its hands. And now they have launched an operation cover-up, Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill told a press conference here.

The Chief Secretary-level probe ordered by the government was an eyewash, Shergill said, demanding an independent probe, under the supervision of a Supreme Court judge.

How can an accused probe allegations against himself? he wondered, referring to the probe ordered by the Uttar Pradesh government.

Yesterday, Adityanath rejected reports that the children died due to shortage of oxygen. He asserted that no one will be allowed to go scot-free and stern action will be taken against those responsible. PTI
LANSING, Iowa  The new Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center houses 10,000 square feet of artifacts, interactive displays and expansive murals, but perhaps the greatest attraction is the stunning view, showcasing mile upon mile of the scenic Mississippi River.

The viewsheds we have are unrivaled, said Jim Janett, conservation director of the Allamakee County Conservation Board. And the Center has that wow factor when people come in. Its a beautiful building ... people are really impressed with the architecture.

The public had a chance to tour the three-floor facility for the first time Saturday, and within the first two hours, more than 400 people of all ages had passed through, some from several hours away.

Im really impressed, said Ruth Spinner of Minneapolis, accompanied by husband Tom. A lot of people dont know all this history.

Its so surprising to come in, added Ellen Modersohn of Lansing. Its so comprehensive in how much history it covers, and the detail, too.

The Center is located at the heart of the 24,000-square-mile Driftless Area, which covers Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois, and was designed to encompass the history, geography and wildlife of the region.

The facility is built on what was once the village of Columbus and the location of the county courthouse, a piece of land turned over to the Allamakee County Conservation Board in 2007. The Board began raising funds to develop the Driftless Area Education and Visitor Center in 2012, using an initial grant from the Allamakee County Community Foundation to research design and feasibility, given the small lot.

Grants from the National Scenic By-Ways Program, Federal Transportation and Enhancement Program, Vision Iowa Community Attraction and Tourism Program, Allamakee Conservation Foundation and the R.J. McElroy Foundation, along with sizable donations from area residents and businesses, helped funded the $3.7 million project.

Weve had broadbased support, Janett said. People have been monitoring the development of the project since we broke ground (in 2014). The true success story of this project is the amount of time and money put into it by private-sector businesses and volunteers.

John Verdon, co-chairman of the Centers fundraising committee along with Jane Regan, was all in from the start.

Not many times in our lives do we have the opportunity to create something that will be here 100 years from now, Verdon said. I had to be a part of this. Its a legacy. Im so fortunate to be involved in this project that came to be such a fantastic building that will be visited by generations of people.

The exterior of the building is done in earth tones to match the scenery, and is flanked by balconies overlooking the river. The basement floor features a classroom, open to K-12 school groups, and will also offer adult learning programs.

This gives naturalists the opportunity to educate the school children, and along with that will come their parents, Verdon said. And with that I expect will be a boost to tourism and the economy of the area.

The first floor of the Center offers a highlight of Driftless Area attractions, as well as an overview of the areas geological attributes, limnology and unique birds and mammals. Glass exhibits house toads, snakes, turtles, fish and a live beehive, and an interactive display highlights common bird calls.

The second floor is dedicated to the history of the region, from the early Native American settlements and the 17th century arrival of European fur traders through the 1987 establishment of the Driftless Wildlife Refuge. Artifacts from the clamming, timber and fishing industries, from a well-worn Redwood Hogan Skiff fishing boat to old surveyors transit, are on display. Commercial fishing boomed during the 20th century, as did the clamming industry. One exhibit features buttons from the Turner Button Company, which closed in 2016 after almost 120 years, which are composed of mussel shells. Select displays on the second floor will be rotated seasonally.

The displays are to educate our local residents, as well as people in the region and people traveling around the Great River Road, and try to get them to explore the things that are unique to the area, Janett said. The most gratifying thing I seen is the kids coming in who are totally fascinated with the displays.

People are thrilled. They love the building, they love the interactive displays, they love the history and they love the view, Verdon said I have a sincere appreciation for all the people involved in this project. This is a major, major project for a small area in northeast Iowa. It couldnt have happened without the large commitment from dedicated people.
Shahira Naim

Tribune News Service

Gorakhpur, August 13

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, reiterating that exemplary action would be taken against those found responsible for the spate of deaths at the government-run BRD Medical College and Hospital, today flayed the media for fake reporting, even as the Centre announced a regional medical centre in Gorakhpur for research on childrens diseases.

I have instructed the Director General Medical Education to make arrangements so that journalists can visit the wards and not file fake reports... Once they take a round of the wards, they will know if the patients are being treated or murdered, the CM said at a joint press conference with Union Health Minister JP Nadda.

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Promising action that will set a benchmark for all times to come, he said it would become clear why the oxygen vendor had not been paid on time, why the high-powered team, of which he was a part, had been kept in the dark when it met on August 9 and what had led to the hospital deaths after the Chief Secretary submitted his report.

Highlighting his efforts to curb acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) cases in the region, Yogi said he had visited the BRD college four times after taking over as CM.

Nadda, who said he was here on the instructions of the PM, announced a Rs 85-crore Regional Centre for Medical Research for Gorakhpur to study the AES problem which, he said, was endemic. He said experts from Delhi were in Gorakhpur to study the situation and lend support to doctors.

Meanwhile, nodal officer for the Department of Paediatrics Dr Kafeel Khan has been removed from his post. He had saved many lives on the night of August 10, bringing in cylinders in his car.
New Delhi, August 13

In a fresh confrontation with the Centre, West Bengal's Mamata Banerjee government has issued "urgent" instructions to all schools and other educational institutions to "stop all preparations" for celebrating Independence Day 2017 in a format prescribed by the Union HRD Ministry.

Ahead of Independence Day, the Centre has written to the states to organise events in schools towards creating a "patriotic mood" and a "mass fervour" to help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'New India' vision.

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However, West Bengal has instructed its schools to desist from following the Centre's circular, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar said, terming the decision of the Trinamool Congress government as "unfortunate".

Javadekar told reporters, the instructions, such as administering of the prime minister's Sankalp Siddhi oath or commemorating the martyrs of freedom struggle or "various wars/terrorist actions", are not binding on the schools and were part of a "secular agenda".

"It is desirable that this momentous occasion should be celebrated with an objective to create a festive and patriotic mood across the nation and a movement is created to involve every citizen of this country in the mission of realising the vision of a new India, which is clean and free from poverty, corruption, terrorism, communalism and casteism," Joint Secretary, MHRD, Maneesh Garg wrote to the states.

In the letter, Garg also requested the states to publicise the events, to be held between August 9 and 30, to help create a mass fervour in favour of the mission.

It added that apart from administering oath, the schools, including those affiliated to the CBSE, may be asked to organise quiz competitions on the struggle for Independence and the country's development and painting competitions on the same theme.

The quiz can be downloaded from the Narendra Modi App or the government's official portal, it said.

Meanwhile, Javadekar shared a copy of the memo issued by the State Project Director of the West Bengal Sarva Shiksha Mission, which says that it has been decided by the school education department that Independence Day will not be celebrated in line with the Centre's circular.

"The language used in the West Bengal government's memo is strange and unfortunate. I will talk to them. What we have proposed is a secular agenda, not a political party agenda," he said. PTI/IANS
Gorakhpur (UP), August 13

Facing public anger, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Sunday visited the hospital here where over 60 children died in five days and said anyone found guilty of negligence would not be spared.

Flanked by Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda, who accompanied him on a tour of the Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College, the Chief Minister said they are waiting for a report of the probe committee set up by the government.

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He said if it is found that any death is caused by negligence of the hospital authorities then his government would take the strongest action. "Nobody will be spared," he said, reiterating what he said on Saturday at a press conference.

Adityanath also sought the Centre's help to set up a virus research centre in the eastern part of the state to fight vector borne diseases like encephalitis, which claim several lives each year.

"The atmosphere of eastern UP is such that there are many vector borne diseases like encephalitis. To stop the diseases we need to have a full-fledged Central Virus Research Centre," Adityanath said.

Nadda said the Centre has approved Rs 85 crore for setting up a central Viral Research Centre in Gorakhpur.

Read: Principal quits, UP says death of 30 kids routine

"The approval for a Central-level Viral Research Centre has been given. The research centre will be set up in Gorakhpur to help in finding out the real problems of the vector borne diseases in the areas of eastern UP and will help in finding a permanent solution. For this purpose the Centre will release Rs 85 crore," said Nadda.

Initially, it was reported that the children died to to lack of liquid oxygen in the BRD college, but Adityanath on Saturday clarified that the deaths occurred due to encephalitis and other reasons, and not because of lack of oxygen supply.

Earlier, Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel and Health Secretary C.K. Mishra visited the hospital on the directions of the Centre to look into the lapses in the BRD Medical College.

Principal of the BRD Medical College R.K. Mishra was suspended for alleged negligence and callousness. IANS
SC Vasudeva

I have an issue related to export of goods to Nepal. We purchase goods from Delhi and sell in India as well as in Nepal. Earlier when GST was not implemented, there was no VAT/other tax applicable when we used to sell our goods to Nepal. But after July 1 with the GST implementation, what is the applicability of taxes? Is IGST applicable on goods sold to Nepal? Is benefit of Para No. 2.52 (a) of FTP (2015-2020) available? If we charge IGST on goods sold in Nepal, is the refund for that IGST available? Can we claim ITC of GST (CGST + SGST) paid on purchase of goods?  ankit jain

The Central Board of Excise and Custom (Commercial Taxes Department) has issued Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) with regard to export of goods. These were published in newspapers on August 2, 2017. Question No. 3 of the said FAQ explains the procedure relating to export as under:-

The goods and services can be exported either on payment of IGST which can be claimed as refund after the goods have been exported, or under bond or Letter of Understanding (LUT) without payment of IGST.

In case of goods and services exported under bond or LUT, the exporter can claim refund of accumulated ITC on account of exports.

In case of goods, the shipping bill is the only document required to be filed with the Customs for making exports. Requirement of filing ARE 1/ARE 2 has been done away with.

The supplies made for export are to be made under self-sealing and self-certification without any intervention of the departmental officer.

The shipping bill filed with the Customs is treated as an application for refund of IGST and shall be deemed to have been filed after submission of export general manifest and furnishing of a valid return in Form GSTR-3 by the applicant.

Further, reply to question No. 8 wherein the issue with regard to export of goods to Nepal or Bhutan has been explained. The relevant reply reads as under:-

n Export of goods to Nepal or Bhutan fulfils the condition of GST Law regarding taking goods out of India. Hence, export of goods to Nepal or Bhutan will be treated as zero rated and consequently will also qualify for all the benefits available to zero rated supplies under the GST regime. However, the definition of export of services in the GST Law requires that the payment for such services should have been received by the supplier of services in convertible foreign exchange.

The replies given in the FAQ cover all the points which you have raised with regard to exports to Nepal. It may be added that it has been explained in the said FAQ that there is no difference with regard to treatment to be followed under GST regime for export by a manufacturer or a merchant exporter.

My daughter has taken a postal life insurance policy of Rs 5 lakh in her name. Its tenure is 13 years and premium is Rs 2,975 per month. The agent gave us the receipt for Rs 3,068 (Premium: Rs 2,975 and service tax @3%: Rs 93) Is service tax @ 3% admissible? If yes, for how much period we have to pay it?  baldev raj

Service tax is chargeable on the insurance premium payable by an assessee. You have to therefore make payment of premium along with the amount of service tax thereon. Service tax or GST as the case would be payable as and when the premium is paid. The entire premium, including service tax, is allowable as deduction under Section 80C of the Income-tax Act 1961, (The Act).

My mother is 63 years old. She is retired from government service. Her total annual income (1-4-17 to 31-3-18) from pension + FD interest is Rs 6,72,000 (approx). My sister, 32, is unmarried and unemployed. She has no source of income. She has a PPF account in post office. If my mother deposits Rs 1 lakh in her PPF account, will she get rebate under Section 80C or not?  harpreet singh

According to the provisions of Section 80C of the Act, an individual assessee is entitled to claim deduction against his total income of an amount not exceeding Rs 1,50,000 paid or deposited in various schemes

specified in the aforesaid section. Sub-section (2) of the aforesaid section specifies various schemes. Clause (v) of the said Sub-section read with Sub-section (4) of the said section covers contribution to any provident fund set up by the Central Government and notified by it in this behalf in the Official Gazette, where such contribution is made to an account standing in the name of the individual,

the wife or husband and any child of such individual. Therefore, your mother can deposit Rs 1,00,000 in the PPF account of her daughter and she will be

entitled to claim the deduction in respect of the said amount against her income.
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 13

Senior AAPleader HS Phoolka has demanded immediate action against District Food and Supplies Officer (DFSO) Rakesh Bhaskar for his alleged involvement in pilfering of wheat from a godown in Rakba village near Dakha.

The pilfering of wheat came to light after the Ludhiana DC raided the godown along with the police and staff from the Food and Supplies Department on August 9 around 9.30 pm.

Phoolka alleged that the police had failed to book the officer till date as the local District Food and Supplies Department had not been providing the required information to the police.

Talking to mediapersons, Phoolka said it was perhaps the first matter where the culprits were caught red-handed, but it was unfortunate that till date except for a few labourers, no FIR was registered against the real accused.

This is a big nexus that had started operating during the SAD-BJPs regime, where political bigwigs were involved. In this scam, the inspectors and a few DFSOs are actively involved, while the main accused remain behind the curtain. The CM may have marked an inquiry into the case, but the Pungrain chairman has not done anything so far, said Phoolka.
Tribune News Service

Bathinda, August 13

Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal today took on state Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu and Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal for accusing the Badal family of money laundering.

Addressing the media after inaugurating Regional Passport Office in the city, Harsimrat asked if Sidhu had proof against any Akali leader, who was stopping him from taking action? She alleged that Sidhu was trying to divert the attention of people from the governments failure to keep its promises.

She said Sidhu had raised a lot of hue and cry over the alleged non-release of funds for Amritsar during the SAD-BJPs regime, but his government had not done anything for the holy city. She claimed that Sidhu wanted to be CM, but he talked much and worked less.

Taking on Manpreet, she alleged that he betrayed the state farmers over debt waiver. She said before the elections, the Congress made big promises without realising the implications.

On the CMs Mansa visit, Harsimrat said the CM was only paying lip service and had not released any compensation for cotton crop damage in Malwa.
Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 13

A year after Partition, independent Indias first Punjabi film, Chaman, was ready for release. With a majority of the audience left on the other side of the border, the filmmakers decided to first screen this love triangle in Lahore.

Film historian Bhim Raj Garg, who is preparing an encyclopaedia on the first 50 years of Punjabi cinema, says Chaman premiered at Ratan Cinema, McLeod Road, Lahore, on August 6, 1948. Later, the movie was released in Bombay in October that year and at City Light Cinema, Amritsar, a month later.

Chaman epitomes the downfall of Punjabi cinema. Most of the moviegoers were left in Pakistan, while the people running the film industry migrated from Lahore to India, he says.

Several other hit Indian films, such as Aan, Babul and Anokhi Ada, were also first released at Ratan Cinema and they did good business. Aan grossed more than Rs.1.5 crore, a huge amount at that time, and completed its golden jubilee at Ratan Cinema.

After Bombay and Calcutta, Lahore was the third biggest centre of cinema in the subcontinent. Partition hit the film industry by destablising two film hubs of undivided India  Calcutta and Lahore, he adds.

The practice of releasing Indian Punjabi films in Lahore continued till 1955. Later, strained ties between the two countries became an impediment. Indian films were banned in Pakistan during the 1965 war. Punjabi cinema could never recover from the Partition blow, says Garg. Lahore gave us our first superstar, Nazir Ahmad Khan, who was cast opposite 35 actresses. Most of them were the reigning screen queens of those times. However, he lost it all in the 1947 turmoil, he adds.

According to Garg, the lndian catastrophe is far behind the Jewish Holocaust when it comes to creative works revolving around the tragedy. However, there has been a welcome rise in the number of films based on Partition since 1997, he says.
Shivani Bhakoo

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 13

Senior AAP leader HS Phoolka on Sunday demanded immediate action against Ludhiana District Food and Supplies Officer Rakesh Bhaskar for his alleged involvement in the pilfering of wheat from a godown in Rakba village near Dakha.

The pilfering of wheat came to light after DC Ludhiana raided the godown along with police and staff from Food and Supplies department on August 9 at around 9.30 pm.

Phoolka said that AAP was following up the matter as the police had failed to book the big fish as local District Food and Supplies department was not providing required information to the police.

Talking to media, Phoolka said it was perhaps the first time where the culprits were caught red-handed but it was unfortunate that till date except for few labourers, no FIR was registered against the real culprits.

This is a big nexus which had started operating during the previous governments (SAD-BJP) regime, where political bigwigs were involved. In this scam, the inspectors, few DFSOs in state are actively involved while the main culprits remain behind the curtains.

The Chief Minister Punjab may have marked an enquiry into the case but the chairman PUNGRAIN has done nothing so far.

Without the connivance of departments officials and staff, such pilfering is not possible. Labourers are given proper training on taking out the wheat from bags, adding of water into the bags to increase the weight and finally stitching of bags again as these were originally, Phoolka claimed.

He further added that the so-called leaders, who go to distribute the wheat to poor and needy, should also be held equally responsible in case wheat is provided to the poor in lesser amount in their areas.

Phoolka also said that wheat is generally distributed at a sarpanchs house or at some leaders house. This practice should be stopped and the beneficiaries should be provided with wheat at some community centre.

To get the food grain at subsidised prices is the right of poor but those involved in such scam, filled their pockets first and the poor remain deprived, he rued.
RECENTLY Lord Willingdon visited the Fergusson College, Poona, and addressed the students on two subjects. One is the University Company, to which only 350 men joined out of 7,000 students in all affiliated colleges, and the other is a justification of the Government circular prohibiting students from attending political meetings. We wonder if it ever occurred to His Excellency that, while he expected University students to be patriotic and serve the country by joining the University Company, he denied to them the opportunities of learning what patriotism is and he forbade them to attend political meetings.
BLACK RIVER FALLS -- Administrator Brad Chown has a long list of economic development activity.

Chown and the city have had a lot of economic development news to share this year including the new Kwik Trip and Arbys that have come to town.

We really are a fantastic location, we always have been. I think that the economy has come to the point where we are recovering from 2008 and people are starting to expand and take a little bit more risk, said Chown.

With a lot of growth happening near Interstate 94, Chown is hoping creating a historic district downtown will be a new tool that can continue to spur economic development in the area.

If we are able to get a historical preservation district designated in downtown BRF, that will just give another tool to developers that are looking to refurbish historical buildings, Chown said explaining the district is expected to be between Fillmore and Harrison streets and probably from Fourth or Fifth streets to Water Street.

Darren Durman, the 15-year owner of the Merchant General Store in downtown Black River Falls, owns one of the many historic buildings in the downtown area. The building where his store is located was built in 1912 after the flood of 1911, which is when Ed Lochen lost his shoe store in the flood. That is when Lochen decided to move his store up the hill. Durmans store includes several treasures from the Lochen Shoe Store including the original cash register and some original shelving.

Durman has been interested in making downtown Black River Falls a historic district since the 1990s, There was a lot of talk to do a historic district at that time, but the momentum wasnt really there. There were just a few people interested.

By naming downtown Black River Falls a historic district, business owners will be able to apply for tax credits if they refurbish the building to National Park Service standards. Only the business owners that receive the tax credits would be required to improve the building to these standards.

If a business owner decides that they want to do some historically relevant renovation or they want to work at getting their building back to what it once was, it gives them the potential economic tools to do that, Black River Country Chamber of Commerce executive director Chris Hardie said.

Durman said that this would have been a tremendous help for new businesses like Revolution Coffee, which worked very hard to maintain the historic look and feel of the building they now use.

Durman believes it is stores like Revolution Coffee and others in the area that make people stick around.

I had ladies that stopped and were just pulling off the road stretching their legs. They ended up spending the day here and it wasnt just because we had a few retail spots. It was because they went down and had lunch at Donna Ks and they went over and had some coffee and chit-chatted and then went to the shops and then later went and had a glass of wine. You want to have something where it is not just a couple of stores and then they are heading out.

Daina Penkiunas, deputy state historic preservation officer for the Wisconsin Historical Society, said there is also one more major advantage, For the city, it is an important tool to know what they have and to tell the (community's) story.

Durman is also excited about the marketing and publicity opportunities becoming a historic district would bring, I feel that there are other benefits beyond that because as a historic district, it has recognition. It becomes a little bit more award winning, almost like you have been selected.

Penkiunas said the next step is for the city to decide if they would like to pursue the district, including getting community and business owner support for the district.

The community would also have to figure out how to pay for the project because the community would need to hire a consultant to prepare the nomination to be approved by a review board.

What we look for in a historic district is a collection of buildings that fit with the other types of properties involved, Penkiunas said explaining that the buildings in a district need to give you a sense of place and time.

Penkiunas said typically a district is a tight concentration of buildings that are more than 50-years-old with minimal modern changes.

Chown also said a developer is working on two large potential projects that would be located in the downtown area.

The city is planning on extending Andrews Road near Walmart all the way to Hwy. 12, he said.

The reason we are looking at doing it now is the fact that the TIF district is now financially healthy and able to handle the expansion and we feel that will also be a catalyst for developing the property between Hwy. 54 and Hwy. 12.

Chown said that a business is already looking at developing behind Walmart.

The city hopes to have the project out for bids in the spring with construction to happen next summer. Funds for the project are expected to come from the TIF district in the area.
Kabul, August 13

Several senior members of Islamic State's central Asian affiliate were killed in a US air strike in Afghanistan, officials said on Sunday.

The attack on Thursday killed Abdul Rahman, identified by the US military as the Kunar provincial emir for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan, according to a statement from the command in Kabul.

"The death of Abdul Rahman deals yet another blow to the senior leadership of ISIS-K," said General John Nicholson, the senior US commander in Afghanistan.

Three other senior ISIS-K members were also among those killed in the strike in eastern Kunar province.

Nicholson has vowed to defeat Islamic State militants in Afghanistan this year.

The group's emir, Abu Sayed, was reported killed in a strike on his headquarters in Kunar in July, the third Islamic State emir in Afghanistan to be killed since July 2016.

In April, Nicholson deployed a 21,600-pound (9,797 kg) "Massive Ordnance Air Blast" bomb against Islamic State positions in neighboring Nangarhar province, one of the largest conventional weapons ever used by the United States in combat.

On Saturday, Afghan officials said as many as 16 civilians, including women and children, had been killed by a US air strike in Nangarhar, but American officials said only militants were killed.

As part of an increased campaign against both Islamic State and the Taliban, the dominant Islamist militant group in Afghanistan, the US Air Force has dropped nearly 2,000 weapons in the country as of the end of July, compared to fewer than 1,400 in all of last year.

Despite some battlefield successes by Afghan and American special operations troops, Islamic State has continued deadly attacks around Afghanistan, fueling fears that the group is seeking to bring the group's Middle East conflict to Central Asia. Reuters
Congress might not be in session for the rest of August, but many members seem to be plenty busy in their districts and elsewhere.

Second District Congressman Markwayne Mullin, who has taken some heat for seeking a fourth term but is yet to draw a strong challenger, seems to be staying away from public events. But he is meeting with business and civic leaders in the district, and doing some fundraising.

On Thursday, Mullin held two such events in Tahlequah, where a pocket of resistance to his re-election has developed. Mullin canceled a public appearance at the last minute there last spring, citing security concerns, and has not rescheduled.

Tahlequah Mayor Jason Nichols announced earlier in the week he will challenge Mullin, apparently as a Democrat. Brian Jackson, a professor at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah who lives in Muskogee, is running against Mullin as a Republican.

At this point, neither would seem to have the money or name recognition to be a real threat to Mullin.

Also in evidence has been Fourth District Rep. Tom Cole. Considered a House insider, Cole was heard downplaying the effect of President Donald Trumps North Korea rhetoric and and the prospects for a clean debt limit bill when Congress returns in September.

On CNN, Cole said he didnt believe Trumps fire and fury remarks about North Korean heightened the potential for armed conflict.

I dont think theyre increasing tensions at all, Cole said.

Frankly, I think he meant to be crystal clear to the North Koreans and I think that was probably a good thing.

The North Koreans should understand that they engage in provocative actions, that therell be consequences to that, Cole said.

Earlier in the week, Cole reiterated his belief that the Trump Administrations request for an unconditional increase in the debt limit is unlikely to be met.

Most Republicans want to do something to lower the trajectory of the debt, Cole said on MSNBC. A clean debt ceiling hike is like having a credit card, Ive reached my limit, Im just going to change the limit higher without changing any of my spending habits. Thats a tough sell.

Cole also said he is skeptical of proposals to allow people to buy into Medicare as early as age 55. Cole said Medicare is not financially stable and putting more people on the Titanic just sinks the boat faster.

Dots and dashes: U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe continued to poo-poo dire climate reports, telling the Washington Examiner weve been hearing similar claims for decades now, Inhofe said, but the predictions never seem to become anything more than predictions.

 Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World
As lawmakers continue to struggle over how to fund the states transportation budget, drivers are contending with bridges that have deteriorated to their worst condition since 2003, according to Federal Highway Administration data.

While the majority of Wisconsins bridges are still in perfectly acceptable shape, the average condition of the states bridges had declined during the past decade, as has the number of bridges earning the governments top ratings, a trend highway officials and legislators attribute to stagnant funding thats failing to keep up with aging infrastructure.

It all boils down to the fact that we need to look at how transportation is funded, how our infrastructure is funded, and figure out a way that we can eventually broaden that base of revenue so we can keep up with maintenance, said Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke, R-Kaukauna.

In La Crosse County, four bridges are rated a 3 on the structural evaluation scale, defined as basically intolerable, requiring high priority of corrective action.

County Hwy B over Bostwick Creek, 2.1 miles west of Hwy M.

Hwy 33 over tributary to Pammel Creek at Boma Road.

Hwy A over Sand Creek

Hwy J over Fish Creek 0.7 miles south of Jct CTH B

Overall, Wisconsins bridges have improved significantly since 1992. Then, almost 25 percent of bridges in the state were deemed structurally deficient, a designation that indicates a bridge has one or more structural defects that require attention. That number has dropped significantly over time, ranging from 8 percent to 10 percent during the past decade. In 2016, 1,228 of the 14,230 bridges in the state, or 8.6 percent, were found to be structurally deficient.

But while the number of structurally deficient bridges has held relatively steady during the past decade, the average structural fitness of the states bridges has been declining since 2008. The National Bridge Inventory rates the structural fitness of a bridge from 0 to 9, with 0 indicating the bridge is closed and 9 indicating its status is superior to desirable criteria.

Since 1992, about a quarter of Wisconsin bridges were rated an 8 or 9, the best two designations on the evaluation scale, peaking at about 27 percent from 2006 to 2008. By 2016, that number had fallen to 19 percent, the lowest in the span of the data.

Meanwhile, the percentage of bridges that are basically intolerable increased slightly from 2.5 percent in 2008 to 3 percent in 2015 and 2016. That slight increase on the low end only accounts for about 100 of the states 14,230 bridges. But combined with a general slide in ratings, the average bridge rating has decreased from a high of 6.5 in 2008 to 6.3 in 2016, the lowest since 2003.

For the most part, Wisconsins bridges are converging in the middle range, creating the potential to significantly swell the number of bridges in poor condition in coming years, requiring more of them to close or impose weight limits.

I think its the trajectory that youre talking about that should be the most concerning even more than the status that were at, said Wisconsin Transportation Development Association Executive Director Craig Thompson.

The main concern with the deteriorating condition of bridges isnt safety  its commerce. Bridges are inspected regularly, and those in very poor condition are posted with weight limits or closed as needed. Those closures and weight limits can have a significant impact on agriculture, timber and other commerce that involves transporting heavy loads.

It can add a lot of cost to a shipper, a business thats trucking, or an ag operation if they have to add 20 miles or more to a circuitous route, said Jason Culotta, senior director of government relations at Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce.

The number of bridges posted with weight limits has already more than doubled since the mid-2000s, hitting a high of 875, or 6 percent of bridges, in 2015 and 2016. County Highway Administration Executive Director Dan Fedderly said thats both due to declining bridge conditions and recent increases in the amount of weight trucks are allowed to carry. Some bridges end up posted simply because they werent designed to carry that much weight.

Why the decline?

Legislators and highway officials mainly attribute the decline in the states bridges to stagnant state and federal funding that has failed to keep up with aging infrastructure and increased construction costs.

While gross transportation fund revenue has increased an average of 2.4 percent each year during the past decade, officials say it has failed to keep up with rising construction costs. Whereas Fedderly said he used to have 10 to 12 bridge projects going at once when he was a highway commissioner a couple decades ago, its now common for counties to only have one or two.

One key element leading to low revenue growth was the decision to do away with gas tax indexing in 2006. Indexing provided automatic annual adjustments in the tax rate from its inception in 1985 until it was repealed two decades later. Since the final 2006 adjustment, the Legislature hasnt made any changes to the 30.9 cents per gallon rate. Automobile vehicle registration fees have meanwhile held at $75 since 2008.

Basically none of that has changed in a decade. It doesnt take a mathematician to figure out that youre going to fall behind, said Thompson, whose organization is pushing to increase the gas tax.

Instead of increasing transportation revenue, the state has continued to take on transportation projects by borrowing more, setting the stage for this years budget battle. The state budget is more than a month overdue and Republicans controlling both houses have yet to come to an agreement about how to fund the transportation budget. Assembly Republicans have opposed new borrowing and are pushing for increasing revenue, while Senate Republicans have opposed new revenue, in line with Gov. Scott Walkers statement that he would veto a gas tax increase.

Republicans have been in control of the Legislature for six years and Republicans have not made it a priority to have a long-term sustainable funding situation, said Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse. In the past few budgets, weve limped through by borrowing more money.

Problem not going away

Department of Transportation spokesman Michael Pyritz said the current budget under consideration will allow the state to continue addressing the most critical needs and adapt to the needs of the aging bridge population.

Walkers proposed 2017-19 budget does include increasing aid for local bridge improvements by $6 million over two years, a 35.6 percent increase in state contributions to the program, which receives most of its funding from federal dollars.

Culotta called the funding helpful but said a bigger number probably would make sense. And some legislators, such as Joint Finance Committee Co-Chair Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, dont believe the budget will end up doing enough to address the issue without raising revenue.

Obviously, its not going away, Nygren said. You cant close your eyes and wish it to go away, it will still be there two years from now when we have our budget conversation again.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said in a statement that he and the Republican caucus are working to develop long-term policy solutions from revenue sources like open-road tolling to an overhaul of our transportation industry guided by the findings of the legislative audit of our state highway program.

That January audit found the Department of Transportation significantly underestimated cost estimates for major highway projects and hasnt done all it could to streamline processes and use its funds more efficiently. But Assembly Republicans emphasize that improving efficiencies at the DOT alone is not enough to address the issue.

I think were all kidding ourselves if we dont realize that long term, even after we enact all the reforms that we can, that were going to have to make investments into our infrastructure to kind of catch up from the years when we werent able to do enough, Steineke said.
MUSTANG  More than 160 members of 1345th Transportation Company, 90th Troop Command of the Oklahoma Army National Guard, returned home Saturday after nearly a yearlong deployment to Kuwait.

The 1345th, also known as Rolling Thunder, conducted tactical convoy operations by providing security escorts and ammunition resupply in support of Operation Spartan Shield, an operation conducting regional engagements in much of the Middle East.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP)  The Latest on incidents related to violent clashes between white supremacist groups and counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, that left three dead (all times local)

8:20 p.m.

Vice President Mike Pence is responding to the violence during a march by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, saying "these dangerous fringe groups" have no place in American public life.

Pence was asked about the violent clashes this weekend in the Virginia college town as he spoke Sunday during a news conference in Cartagena, Colombia.

Both Republicans and Democrats have criticized President Donald Trump's initial remarks about the violence in Charlottesville. Trump did not single out any group but blamed "many sides" for the violence.

On Sunday, Pence said, "We have no tolerance for hate and violence, by white supremacists or neo-Nazis or the KKK."

Following his remarks about such fringe groups, Pence added, "We condemn them in the strongest possible terms."

___

7:25 p.m.

A Nevada college student who was photographed marching in Virginia before a deadly white supremacist rally says he's not an "angry racist."

KTVN-TV interviewed 20-year-old Peter Cvjetanovic after he was identified online in a photo showing white nationalists marching through the University of Virginia campus carrying torches Friday.

On Saturday, a car plowed into a crowd of counter-protesters as tensions turned violent at a related rally.

Cvjetanovic says he didn't expect the photo to spread but that he's a white nationalist who cares for all people and wants to "preserve what we have."

Republican Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada, after a recent photo of the two reportedly surfaced, condemned the events and said he didn't know Cvjetanovic.

The University of Nevada, Reno, also denounced the movement as corrosive to society.

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6:15 p.m.

A former teacher of the man accused of plowing his car into counter protesters at a white nationalist rally in Virginia says the suspect had a keen interest in military history, Hitler and Nazi, Germany.

Derek Weimer on Sunday said that he taught social studies to 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr. during his junior and senior years in Kentucky, calling him an average student.

Weimer recalled that school officials had singled out Fields in 9th grade for his political beliefs and that he had made comments that alerted his social studies teacher at the time to "deeply-held, radical" convictions on race and Nazism.

Weimer said Fields was a big Trump supporter because of what he believed to be Trump's views on race. Trump's proposal to build a border wall was particularly appealing to Fields, Weimer said.

___

3:55 p.m.

A Charlottesville hospital says many of the patients injured after a car drove into a crowd of protesters at a white nationalist rally are improving.

A spokeswoman for the University of Virginia Health System said in a statement Sunday afternoon that nine of the patients the hospital treated have been released. Ten others are in good condition.

A day earlier, the hospital said five patients were in critical condition, four were in serious condition, six were in fair condition and four were in good condition.

The statement also says the hospital treated additional patients related to Saturday's events but that the hospital can't give an exact number.

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3:35 p.m.

Virginia State Police say the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are assisting in the investigation into a fatal helicopter crash that claimed the lives of two state troopers.

The helicopter crashed shortly before 5 p.m. Saturday in a wooded area while assisting in law enforcement activities related to the clash between white nationalists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville.

The pilot, 48-year-old Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen of Midlothian, and 40-year-old Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton, died at the scene.

White nationalists were in Charlottesville on Saturday to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

___

2:40 p.m.

The man who organized a rally in Charlottesville that sparked violent clashes between white supremacist groups and counter-protesters tried to hold a news conference a day after the deadly event, but a crowd of several hundred booed him and forced him away from the lectern.

Jason Kessler is a blogger based in Charlottesville, and as he came out to speak Sunday afternoon near City Hall, he was surrounded by cameras and people. Some people chanted and made noises with drums and other instruments. Among the chants: "You're wearing the wrong hood," a reference to the Ku Klux Klan.

Kessler mimicked looking at his watch and indicated he'd wait to speak.

A few people approached, crossing the line of TV cameras.

One man pushed Kessler. A woman tackled him.

Kessler asked officers on the scene for help. Eventually they escorted him off. No arrests were reported.

___

12:55 p.m.

A friend of the woman killed when a car rammed into a group of protesters in Charlottesville says she's no different than a casualty of war.

Felicia Correa said Sunday that her friend Heather Heyer died standing up for people of color.

Correa says Heyer and other counterprotesters put their lives on the line to confront hateful bigotry. She says she doesn't see the difference between Heyer or someone who died in the Sept. 11 attacks. She says the vehicle that plowed into a group of peaceful protesters was a terrorist attack as well.

Correa says she grew up with Heyer, who was 32. She says she was a sweet person. She has set up a fund to raise money for Heyer's family.

___

12:30 p.m.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe is calling on President Donald Trump to more strongly condemn the bigotry and violence that happened in Charlottesville, Virginia, this weekend.

Democrat McAuliffe told reporters at First Baptist Church in Charlottesville on Sunday that angry political rhetoric needs to stop.

He says the Republican president "needs to come out stronger" against the actions of white supremacists. The governor says "they are Nazis and they are here to hurt American citizens, and he needs to call them out for what they are, no question."

McAuliffe spoke to Trump on Saturday about the violence in downtown Charlottesville. He says "twice I said to him we have to stop this hateful speech, this rhetoric."

The governor says protesters were "emboldened to walk around our streets with weapons and to spew hatred."

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12:05 p.m.

The man accused of ramming a car into a crowd of protesters in Charlottesville was photographed that morning holding a shield with the emblem of a white supremacist group.

Vanguard America denies that James Alex Fields Jr. is a member of its group and says it handed out shields to anyone in attendance who wanted them. The Anti-Defamation League says Vanguard America believes the U.S. is an exclusively white nation, and uses propaganda to recruit young white men online and on college campuses. Vanguard America confirmed via Twitter account that members were in Charlottesville on Saturday morning, part of what's believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade, to rally against plans to remove a Confederate statue. Hundreds of others came to protest against the racism.

In the photo, taken by the New York Daily News , Fields stands with a handful of men, all dressed similarly in the usual Vanguard America uniform of khakis and white polo shirts. The men hold white shields with a black-and-white logo of two axes. The Confederate statue of Robert E. Lee is in the background. The Daily News says the photo was taken about 10:30 a.m. Charlottesville officials say the car crashed into the crowd, killing one, at 1:42 p.m.

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10:15 a.m.

Federal law enforcement authorities have started a civil rights investigation into a deadly car crash in Charlottesville that left one protester dead and several others injured.

The FBI said in a statement late Saturday that it is collecting facts and evidence in an ongoing investigation.

Heather Heyer died when a car rammed into a group of people who were protesting the presence of white supremacists who had gathered in the city for a rally.

The car's driver, James Alex Fields Jr. was charged with second-degree murder and other counts. He could also face federal charges, depending on the outcome of the FBI's investigation.

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9:30 a.m.

Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer called the killing of a 32-year-old woman and the injury of others by a vehicle at a rally in the city a "terrorist attack with a car used as a weapon."

He made the comments in an interview Sunday with NBC's "Meet the Press."

Heather Heyer died when a car rammed into a group of people who were protesting the presence of white supremacists who had gathered in the city for a rally.

The car's driver, James Alex Fields Jr. was charged with second-degree murder and other counts.

The rally's purpose was to condemn a decision by the city to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.

___

7:23 a.m.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe will visit two Charlottesville churches and speak to congregants following violent clashes in the city between white supremacist groups and counter-protesters that left three dead.

The governor's office says in a release that Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam will join McAuliffe at both Sunday services.

McAuliffe and Northam are scheduled to visit Mount Zion First African Baptist Church and First Baptist Church.

Three were killed and dozens were injured amid what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade to protest the city's decision to remove a Confederate monument. A car rammed into a crowd of protesters, killing a 32-year-old woman, and a state police helicopter crashed into the woods, leaving two troopers onboard dead.

President Donald Trump criticized the violence and called for a return to law and order. But his critics say his racially-tinged rhetoric has exacerbated the nation's political tensions and emboldened racists.

2:21 a.m.

The mayor of Charlottesville blamed the nation's intensifying political divisions for the violent clashes between white supremacist groups and counterprotesters that left three dead.

Mayor Michael Signer on Saturday bemoaned the "very sad and regrettable coarseness in our politics."

Three were killed and dozens were injured amid what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade to protest the city's decision to remove a Confederate monument. A car rammed into a crowd of protesters, killing a 32-year-old woman, and a state police helicopter crashed into the woods, leaving two troopers onboard dead.

President Donald Trump criticized the violence and called for a return to law and order. But his critics say his racially-tinged rhetoric has exacerbated the nation's political tensions and emboldened racists.

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This story corrects the name of the church in the second entry to "First Baptist Church."
The National Rifle Association is pushing concealed-carry reciprocity, a dangerous bill that would force Oklahoma to abide by the weakest gun laws in the nation.

In Oklahoma, people must pass an extensive background check, meet certain requirements, be at least 21 years old and pass a firearms-handling and safety course to be issued a permit. Concealed-carry reciprocity would gut the gun laws that we as a state have decided are best for us and make us subject to those of other states.

Twelve states have no concealed-carry permitting requirements, which means that the proposals in Congress would allow many people with no permit whatsoever  including violent criminals, domestic abusers and convicted stalkers  to carry hidden, loaded guns in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma Moms Demand Action doesn't think that this is right for our state and knows that many Oklahomans agree. Please join us in reaching out to Sens. Jim Inhofe and James Lankford during their August recess and let them know that we don't want them to gut our gun laws by voting for this dangerous legislation.

Editors note: Jackson is chapter leader for Oklahoma Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Letters to the editor are encouraged. Send letters to letters@tulsaworld.com.
Its been approximately 38 years since the last time a total solar eclipse crossed the United States, and I have a feeling this will, in all likelihood, be the most viewed. I read just the other day how the upcoming 2017 eclipse can be seen in either total or partial phase by more than 500 million people in North and South America, Europe and Africa.

So how are you preparing to watch the eclipse Aug. 21? May I suggest some upcoming programs at various Oklahoma State Parks that will help you and your family learn more about the upcoming eclipse and will better prepare you to enjoy it when it happens.

Safety, as always, is the most important element to remember. The only safe way to look directly at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun is through special-purpose solar filters, such as eclipse glasses or hand-held solar viewers. Ordinary sunglasses, even the dark ones, and homemade filters are not safe for looking at the sun. You should not look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through an unfiltered camera, telescope, binoculars or other optical device.

All state parks are selling approved safety glasses for $1.95 each, plus tax.

One alternative method for safe viewing of the partially eclipsed sun is pinhole projection, and you can look online for how to create one. The internet is also a good place to learn the dos and donts of viewing the eclipse.

Here are some of the solar eclipse programs taking place at some Oklahoma State parks:

Alabaster Caverns: You can view the solar eclipse at the parks visitor center at noon Aug. 21 using the parks telescope thats equipped with a special solar filter.

Beavers Bend State Park: Starting at 11:30 a.m. Aug. 21, you can view the solar eclipse from the top of Broken Bow Dam. Safety glasses will be available for purchase.

Bernice State Park: At 10 a.m. Aug. 19, learn about the solar eclipse  the myths, the facts and how to safely view the eclipse. On Aug. 20 and 21, activities include making your own solar eclipse viewers, as well as other crafts.

Sequoyah State Park: There are quite a few activities planned. On Aug. 12 and 19, there will be demonstrations and crafts on the solar eclipse. And on Aug. 21, besides viewing the eclipse, there will be a program on solar eclipse cooking, decorating and a kids craft session.

Lake Eufaula State Park: At 9 a.m. Aug. 21, there will be a program about the solar system using a miniature model at the Deep Fork Nature Center.

Lake Tenkiller State Park: There will be sessions including eclipse chalk art and sun clocks Aug. 17. On Aug. 12 and 19, there will be programs on note card shadow casters, and you can learn how to make your own model of the Earth, moon and sun and use them to create your own solar eclipse.

There is also an eclipse special available at state parks. That special is 20 percent off the regular rate at all state parks with rooms or cabins. What a deal!

For a list of all the solar eclipse programs taking place at various state parks, check out travelok.com.

Dino Lalli is the producer, co-host and one of the reporters for the travel program Discover Oklahoma.
While making a routine loop around the perimeter of the Tulsa International Airports airfield, Clayton Faidley spots a small hawk.

He brings the truck to a halt, grabs a pair of protective ear muffs, a small pyrotechnic launcher and shoots the screaming bullet into the air, scaring the bird out of airport skies and back to safety.

For Faidley, the airports wildlife biologist, harassing birds to safety accounts for almost 100 percent of his jobs activity.

Originally from rural Virginia, Faidley spent his childhood fishing, playing in creeks and practically living outdoors. While he has always loved wildlife and obtained bachelors and masters degrees in biological sciences, he didnt know biologists were a staple job at airports until a few years ago.

He thought the job sounded really interesting and went to work for a few airports in Baltimore, Maryland.

I thought, Thats really cool, and I liked planes so it was like a perfect storm, he said.

On any given day, Faidley may have the opportunity to scare away geese, take a lost dog to a shelter, trap a hawk and set it on a new course, or get sprayed by a skunk, among many other animal encounters.

The Tulsa airport has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to animals near or around the airfield because they can cause a fair amount of damage. Since airports started reporting bird strikes in the early 90s, it has been found that 26 strikes occur nationally per day, but because strikes arent required to be reported, more than half arent.

Additionally, Faidley said, 245 aircraft have been lost or damaged due to wildlife interference and more than 200 people have died.

Its definitely something airports need to be aware of and take precautionary measures against, he said.

Anytime the airport operations department cant shoo an animal off the premises, Faidley comes out to assist. He travels to airports across the country about twice a month to train employees on how to deal with wildlife on airport property.

His training fulfills their yearly required wildlife training per Federal Aviation Administration regulation.

Faidley is also in charge of maintaining wildlife safety at the Jones Riverside Airport, but he doesnt have to interfere as much at the airport because it is smaller and airplanes take off more often, keeping the wildlife at bay.

Moderate- to larger-sized airports almost always have at least one wildlife biologist on staff, Faidley said. Loomacres Wildlife Management, the company Faidley works for, has employees stationed in airports in Ohio, New York, England and Guam.

However, just like Faidley felt when he found out about the job, people still give him an amused, confused look when he tells them what he does for a living.

We asked him some questions to learn more about his unique career.

Whats different about working with wildlife in an airport setting?

The last wildlife jobs Ive had, its been capturing, measuring and then releasing and it has been in the woods, but here you have to be much more aware of who sees you, whats around, and theres big safety issues as well.

What animals do you like and dont like dealing with?

I like dealing with crows. They are pretty smart because you can do a little harassment and theyll leave and theyll stay gone for a while. I dont like waterfowl (ducks, geese, etc.) one, because they are a hazard to aircraft, two, because if they get up in the air they will circle a few times and they may land again.

When you say you harass birds away from the airfield, what does that entail?

Harassment could just be clapping your hands, even just driving at them with the truck scares them pretty good. I have pyro launchers as well. Theres one thats a screamer and theres another one thats called a bird bomb. We have shell crackers  it looks like a shotgun shell and you can shoot it 300 to 400 feet and then it makes a boom and those work really well scaring birds.

What are the steps to capturing a hawk, if you have to?

In the case of a kestral, I will set a Bal-Chatri trap where the hawks are, drive down a little further and try to scare them a little bit closer to the trap so theyll see it, land on it, try to get the bait inside the trap and then after a few minutes of working around these nooses that are on top, it will wrap around their toe. You need to take them between 20 to 50 miles away  you want to get them on a new north, south migration line.
Bids for taking over Channel TEN are by due Friday, according to media reports, with a view to getting a buyer ready by the end of the month.

Thats when operating funds from Lachlan Murdoch, Bruce Gordon & James Packer run out.

Gordon and Murdoch face examination from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission with a decision or statement of issues due August 24.

Also in the mix are thought to be US studio CBS, Oaktree Capital Management, New York-based hedge fund Anchorage Capital Group, and private equity and distressed debt firm Lone Star Funds.

Pressure will be on Parliament this week to pass changes to media ownership regulation, if Gordon and Murdoch have a shot at a successful bid.

The matter has been scheduled for debate again on Tuesday.

Labor opposes some of the proposed measures in the bill, meaning the Government is relying on the support of the Senate crossbench to have it passed.

When contacted by the ABC, the Nick Xenophon team, the Greens and One Nation all indicated a deal for their support had not been finalised.

Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie also remains undecided.

Source: Australian Financial Review, ABC
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 municipalities  including West Salems neighbor Bangor  that 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.


Its party time! Cabo Wabo Cantina, located inside Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, will ring in Labor Day with a weekend of live music, patio parties and drink specials from Friday, Sept. 1, through Monday, Sept. 4 (Photo credit: Anthony Mair).

The Mexican restaurant will host patio parties featuring live music and exclusive drink specials, including Dos Equis beer buckets, priced at $23. Partiers can nurse their Labor Day weekend hangovers with signature breakfast selections including the croissant French toast, a freshly-baked croissant classically prepared into French toast, topped with warm maple syrup, fresh berries, powdered sugar and whipped cream, priced at $10.95; the CW eggs Benedict, made with layers of machaca, chorizo and poached eggs on an English muffin, topped with melted pepper-jack cheese and hollandaise, priced at $13.95; and huevos rancheros, a delicious combination of crispy corn tortillas, queso sauce, cheddar cheese, jack cheese, ranchero sauce and two fried eggs, priced at $11.95.

Cabo Wabos breakfast selections are available daily from 8 to 11 a.m.


Shark Tank Magicians Jarrett & Raja took their final bow last night to a packed house at Hooters Casino. Their style of music and magic has taken this town by storm and last night the rain didnt let up as their electricity brought the house down (Pictured: Jake Schiel, Jeff Neiman, Melanie Kramer, Jarrett Parker, Nicholas Alvar, Leilani Wong, Raja Rahman & JR Phelps).

It was an emotional night after all the magic and music was performed. Jarrett and Raja thanked Hooters Casino GM Mike Storm and Director of Marketing Brian Hogan for their support and belief in the show. They also thanked the Hotel staff and their cast and crew.

They then presented a custom J&R cake for all to enjoy as the night turned into a party! We are so grateful to have been a part of the Hooters Casino team. We will always remember that our Las Vegas journey began at Hooters Casino! said Jarrett.
The poster of the Multiculturalism exhibition

Thirteen young artists from Australia, China, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates tell stories about the multicultural trend in their countries through sculptures.

Female artist Lap Phuong with the art piece Peaceful Birth represents Vietnam at the event.

The artworks were made from production materials used by Kohler, a US kitchen and bath products manufacturer.

Angel Yang, President of Kohler Kitchen and Bath Asia Pacific, said Kohler always honours cultural and artistic values along with the combination of arts with designs so as to create unique, attractive and outstanding products. The Bold. Art exhibition aims to provide a playground for artists to freely show their talents.

Aside from the Multiculturalism exhibition, Kohler is also showcasing three patterns that won prizes at the Kohler Design Challenge  Art Inspired by Architecture.

The exhibition will last through August 17 at the Hanoi Information and Exposition Centre at No 93 Dinh Tien Hoang street.
Trump will direct US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to determine whether any Chinese laws, policies or practices discriminate against or harm American innovators and technology companies. (Photo: AFP/Jim Watson)

Trump will direct US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to determine whether any Chinese laws, policies or practices discriminate against or harm American innovators and technology companies. (Photo: AFP/Jim Watson)

Trump will direct US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to determine whether any Chinese laws, policies or practices discriminate against or harm American innovators and technology companies, the officials said.

If so, Lighthizer would have "broad powers" to seek remedial action.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, bluntly accused China of "stealing our intellectual property" - long a concern of Western companies seeking a share of the enormous Chinese market.

The new measure comes amid high tensions between Washington and Beijing. Trump has accused China of failing to rein in the nuclear ambitions of its ally North Korea, even as he makes ever sharper threats against Pyongyang.

The officials said that matter, and the trade issue, are not linked.

The process Lighthizer will initiate, under Article 302b of the US Commercial Code, could take as long as a year to yield its findings.

The latest step follows the opening by the Trump administration of several other investigations into Chinese commercial practices, notably in the steel sector.

On Tuesday, Washington announced preliminary sanctions against imports of Chinese aluminum foil.

The US officials said "Chinese commercial policy has a major goal, the acquisition and the absorption of the intellectual property of the United States and other countries around the world."

"Most Americans are fully aware that China is stealing our intellectual property," they added. "What they may not know is that China is also forcing and coercing American companies that operate in China to turn over their technologies."

JOINT VENTURES UNDER SCRUTINY

US officials will particularly examine the role of joint ventures, the mixed foreign-and-Chinese companies whose establishment is required for any outside business wishing to sell its products in China.

"China also funds and facilitates the acquisition of US firms that possess advanced technologies," the officials said.

"If Americans continue to have their best technologies and intellectual property stolen or forcibly transferred off-shore, the United States will find it difficult to maintain its current technology leadership position," they added.

US and European companies have long complained of Chinese rules that force them to turn over their industrial secrets if they wish to do business in China.

Apple, which has a turnover of more than $30 billion a year in China, is currently subject to several measures taken by Beijing that hinder its activities in the country.

The manufacturer of the iPhone was forced in late July to remove certain apps that would have allowed users to circumvent extensive online restrictions imposed by the Chinese government.

Among the other big names in US technology, Facebook and Google are currently sidelined in China. Though they are largely missing out on the giant consumer market, they also fear their technologies being stolen.

Automakers as well as aeronautical giants Boeing and Airbus have been able to enter China via joint ventures, even as the Chinese seek to penetrate global markets.
Photo: Ben Gabbe/Getty Images

Doctor Who Doctors both young and old have been delighting in the fact that Jodie Whittaker will be stepping into the TARDIS as the 13th Doctor  the first female one  in the franchise later this year, perhaps none more so than David Tennant. The tenth Doctor, and Whittakers co-star in the popular British crime series Broadchurch, has already praised the casting as signaling another show with a strong female lead, but while appearing on The Late Show earlier this week, he expounded a bit further in how delighted he is that the lead is no longer a man. Shes a mate of mine. A couple of days before it was announced I get this phone call from her and shes in sort of a tunnel of excitement and panic, he explained. But its brilliant. I cant think of someone better to join the gang and be poised to take it to a whole new level. Its great.

Tennant isnt surprised that Whittaker faced some backlash for taking on the Doctor, mostly because he, too, experienced a fair bit of pushback when his casting was revealed after the departure of Christopher Eccleston. However, he believes its less to do with gender and more about someone brand-new inhabiting the iconic role. Whenever the Doctor changes theres a backlash because thats a character that people love, so people get very affectionate about the Doctor they knew, he said, recalling that people would write things about him such as: Whos the weasely looking guy? Whos this? I like the last guy. This is not gonna work for me. This show is dead to me. I resign from the internet. As for the fact Whittaker is, gasp, a woman? That will be irrelevant almost immediately. Allons-y!
Leonardo DiCaprio. Photo: Gabriel Olsen/FilmMagic

Leonardo DiCaprio just closed a seven-figure deal with Paramount to play Leonardo da Vinci in an upcoming high-profile biopic, Deadline has confirmed. The studio was reportedly in a furious battle with Universal over the rights to Walter Isaacsons upcoming book Leonardo da Vinci, set for release this October, since DiCaprio was interested in the material as a potential starring vehicle. (Isaacsons biographies of Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein have also recently been adapted for the screen.) The book, according to info from the publisher obtained by Deadline, will use da Vincis notebooks to weave a narrative of his life and to explore his profound artistic and scientific curiosities. DiCaprio was named by his mother after the legendary painter, and given his previously expressed interest in the role, its all but a given that hell once again go all-out to prepare. Fortunately, Isaacsons book will include details about da Vincis vegetarianism, which means we can all breathe a sigh of relief knowing that DiCaprios attempts at getting into character will, at the very least, not require consumption of raw bison liver.
Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Our beloved Hamster is back at it again in his hamster wheel of choice  a silver Ford GT. Richard Hammond, one of the three hosts of the Amazon motoring program The Grand Tour, is driving once again a few months after being involved in a near-catastrophic car crash while filming the series in Switzerland. Taking to his DriveTribe account, Hammond said that today I took my first drive since my recent visit to Shuntsville in a short video, which is essentially just a minute of him giddily talking about the concept of cars and explaining how they can, indeed, drive you anywhere you want on land. Hes so happy! This feels better than the first time, maybe better than being 17 and given the keys to my freedom, he joked. Because, this time, Im ready.

Despite Hammond being back in action, fellow Grand Tour co-presenter Jeremy Clarkson is currently on the sidelines due to being diagnosed with pneumonia while on vacation with his family in Mallorca. (The moral of the story here: Never travel to Mallorca?) Clarkson bemoaned the diagnosis as being really, really annoying, and hell be out of action for quite some time, apparently. Per Amazon, Hammond and Clarksons ailments will not significantly affect the shows shooting schedule, though they may want to consider some extra security for James May  just in case.
Margaretta Zuniga tries to keep upbeat about her role as a full-time single mother to two daughters who cant walk, talk or use the restroom by themselves.

Espy, 3, and Malana, 4, suffer from DiGeorge syndrome, a genetic disorder that has delayed their development.

When people ask me whats wrong with them, why are they sick? I say, Theyre not sick, theyre healthy. Theyre just delayed,  Zuniga said. I want to, just want them to grow up and get an education.  I dont want them dependent on a wheelchair all their life. I want them to be little girls and be able to run around.

But their path to development depends on a regimen of frequent physical, occupational and speech therapy, a path that may be endangered by a cost-cutting Texas Legislature.

The state of Texas late last year cut reimbursement rates to therapists through the Texas Medicaid Acute Care Therapy program, and advocates for the disabled say access to care has suffered.

The cuts, tied up in court for more than a year, were the result of a 2015 decision by the Texas Legislature to slash the therapy program by $350 million over two years.

House leaders tried to restore the funding in this springs legislative session but only succeeded in a 25 percent restoration. Now a bill co-authored by a Waco Republican is giving advocates and parents a glimmer of hope.

The House of Representatives on Aug. 4 unanimously passed House Bill 25, which would restore an additional $160 million of state and federal Medicaid in 2018 and 2019 to the therapy program. Rep. Sarah Davis, R-West University Place, filed the bill in the special legislative session with the help of Rep. Charles Doc Anderson, R-Waco.

The bill isnt part of Gov. Greg Abbotts agenda for the special session, and it faces an uncertain future in the Texas Senate before the session ends Wednesday. But Anderson said Friday hes hopeful for a solution.

This is something we absolutely need to do, he said. I think the Senates in the same mindset.  Some providers have terminated their contracts. It was something thats really a priority, even a crisis, in my mind.

The controversial cuts were the result of an end-of-session directive in 2015 called Rider 50 that sought to rein in Medicaid spending. Defenders of the cuts have said Texas overpays therapy providers compared to other states, though that claim continues to be debated.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission began in December to reduce reimbursements for providers by 25 to 30 percent, and a new set of reimbursement rules starts Sept. 1, reflecting the Legislatures most recent partial funding restoration.

Local therapy providers say the cuts have already caused them to tighten their belts and reduce services.

That includes the Early Childhood Intervention program the nonprofit MHMR offers at the Klaras Center. The center uses a combination of Medicaid and general state revenue to do weekly therapy with disabled children and therapy training with their caregivers.

The reimbursement cut will cost the program about $70,000 a year, resulting in cutbacks of caseloads and staff training, said Pamela Marcum, director of the Early Childhood Intervention program.

With those cuts, its going to be a challenge to be able to meet our budget, Marcum said. In the past, the local MHMR board has been supportive when were not able to meet our budget and allowed us to use the reserves of the center.

But Marcum said that kind of stopgap spending isnt sustainable. And without adequate therapy, childrens medical issues can become even more expensive, she said.

Thats what were trying to get across to the Legislature, she said. The continuing underfunding of Early Childhood Interventions is putting the whole system at risk.

Zuniga has already experienced what happens when her children are denied therapy services.

She takes Espy and Malana twice a week to Elite Therapy Center in Waco, where therapists lead them through exercises to strengthen their muscles and coordination.

Its been very helpful, she said. Theyve made a lot of improvements.

But this spring, she said Blue Cross/Blue Shield, the third-party managed care provider for the Medicaid benefits, notified her that Espys condition did not qualify for reimbursement. Zuniga fought the termination and ultimately switched providers.

I said, What do you mean? Shes in a wheelchair and she cant use the bathroom, Zuniga recalls telling the insurance provider. Neither one of them can talk.

In the meantime, Espy went a month-and-a-half without occupational therapy and her development suffered as a result, Zuniga said.

Kari McKown, co-owner of Elite Therapy Center, blamed the gap in care on the Texas Legislatures 2015 funding cut, saying it has caused managed care providers to cut back on what they will cover.

Not only have the rates been cut, but kids are not getting authorized for the time they need, McKown said. We have a lot whose doctors say they need twice-a-week therapy, but theyre only getting approved for once a week.

She said most of her patients get help from Medicaid, and most have been affected by the reimbursement cut.

Its a really sad time for our kids, she said. I dont feel anyone is looking at whats in the best interest of kids. When kids dont get the services they need, it causes long-term problems that are more expensive.

McKown said her business has lost about 30 percent of its monthly revenue since December. She said the practice will survive, but it has already started cutting back on equipment, home visits and client time. On paper, she hasnt lost many patients, but some of those patients are not coming in because theyre not adequately covered by Medicaid.

Its a scary time for businesses who are trying to make sure they can meet the bottom line with these aggressive rate cuts while providing these services to kids in Central Texas, McKown said.

State Health and Human Services Commission spokeswoman Carrie Williams said Texas did lose some Medicaid-enrolled therapy providers early this year, but most were due to other factors.

Williams said the agency identified three providers that opted out of the Medicaid program because of the reimbursement rates, affecting a total of 60 clients.

We want families to contact us and raise flags if theyre having issues, she said. We know these services are critical and we want to resolve any issues as quickly as possible.

McKown said most people dont understand how critical Medicaid is for many working families with disabled children.

The cost is astronomical, she said. If they dont have Medicaid, theres no way they can afford it.

Ashley Ballew, whose disabled son gets therapy at Elite, lived through the experience earlier this year of being cut off from Medicaid services.

McKown said Ballew, also a single mother, was temporarily disqualified from Medicaid because she made $19 too much one month after working a short-term job.

Ballews son, Benjamin, 15, uses a wheelchair and is not able to walk or sit up without assistance or eat without a feeding tube. During the time she was off Medicaid, his condition worsened, Ballew said.

He was not able to go for about two months, she said. In that time he was not able to get therapy for his legs and arms, and they became even more spastic and tight. His legs started scissoring, crossed at the ankles, and became harder to bend. At night he couldnt sleep. He would complain of his legs hurting.

He was constantly wanting to turn me over this way or that way or straighten his legs out. Both of us at night are constantly up. Nobody wants to see their child in pain and not be able to do anything but turn them over. Being able to stretch and move has an effect on every activity he does.

Ballew said Benjamin has private insurance through his father, but without secondary coverage from Medicaid, she couldnt afford the remainder.

Theres no way I can pay the 20 percent of his medical expenses, because theyre so outrageous  his medication, his incontinent supplies, doctors appointments and therapies two times a week, she said.

Ballew, a special education assistant at Midway Independent School District, said she devotes all her energy to taking care of Benjamin.

Its not like Im sitting around doing nothing and wanting Medicaid to pay for everything, she said. I have a full-time job, but I just need that extra help.  It shouldnt be this hard. All I want to do is take care of my son.
Margie Wagner

March 6, 1932 - July 29, 2017

On July 29, 2017, Margie Eugenia Breedlove Wagner, 85, was welcomed into His Heavenly Kingdom where she was happily reunited with Ben, her beloved husband. Margie passed away from natural causes at Baylor Scott and White Hillcrest Medical Center in Waco, Texas. A memorial service will be held at a later date in Odessa.

Margie, a sixty-five year resident of Odessa, had relocated recently to Waco to be closer to family and to return to her roots, since she was born in Axtell and grew up in Riesel.

After her graduation from Riesel High School in 1949, she wed Ben, who was stationed at Ft. Hood. When he was discharged from the Army, they settled in Odessa, where Ben worked in the oil industry and Margie dedicated herself to making a home for their two children. She worked diligently to instill in her children the importance of honesty, kindness, civility, humility, hard work, and education. A fiercely private and independent person, she believed in living by the Golden Rule and minding her own business, and she expected everyone else to do the same.

She appreciated all aspects of nature and the outdoors--singing birds, cows grazing in a pasture, her pecan and pine trees, and her menagerie of pets. Always a staunch supporter of the Democratic Party, she joked that if a donkey appeared on the Democratic ballot, it had her vote. More than politics or nature, she loved the time she spent with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was a member of St. Andrew's Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Odessa.

Her mother, Maggie Willis Breedlove; father, Randolph Breedlove; brothers, R.J. and Morris Breedlove; sisters, Violet Lawley and Shirley Anthon; and husband, Edward Benjamin "Ben" Wagner predeceased her.

Her survivors are her brother, H. Dwayne Breedlove and wife, Martha, of Waco; son, John Wagner and wife, Monique, of Woodville, Mississippi; and daughter, Constance Mendez and husband, Jay, of Lago Vista; five grandchildren, Thomas Wagner and Melissa Wagner Bertolli, both of Lafayette, Louisiana, Jordan Mendez and wife, Amy, of Austin, Blake Mendez of Amarillo, and Morgan Mendez and wife, Whittany, of Lago Vista; and five great-grandchildren, Giovanni Bertolli, Grant, Sawyer, Blaine, and Kota Mendez.

The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our "Tribute Wall" at www.WHBfamily.com.
Do right and risk the consequences. Those words were most famously said by the first governor of Texas, Sam Houston, but most frequently said by the 43rd governor of Texas, Mark White, who recently passed away. They were his motto and the creed by which he lived. Our state is much the better for it.

The fact that Texas weathered the recent downturn in oil and gas and continued to gain jobs, in sharp contrast to the economic devastation that accompanied a similar decline during his tenure as governor, is in no small measure the result of his adherence to this simple yet powerful dictum. Although his focus on public education is, justifiably, what many people remember of him, we also owe him a huge debt of gratitude for his role in laying the groundwork for diversifying our state economy.

The timing of Marks term as governor (1983-1987) was particularly challenging. Crude oil prices had peaked just before he took office, then had fallen significantly, and the Texas economy was suffering. In 1986, the situation became even worse, with the bottom dropping out and oil prices collapsing to less than $10 per barrel. To add to the difficulties, a real estate crisis was made worse by changes in tax laws and regulations.

Even in the midst of the ensuing economic chaos (and it was chaotic), Mark was determined to look forward, not backward. Rather than trying to cut spending and hang on till oil rebounded, he instead pushed hard for strategic investments in the future of Texas. One of his primary focus areas was education.

Mark is best remembered by many Texans for championing the no-pass, no-play rule, still on the books today. It basically requires students to be passing all classes to participate in extracurricular activities. It was groundbreaking when implemented, particularly given that Friday Night Lights was then and remains deeply ingrained in Texas culture. He also championed pay raises for teachers and basic testing for students. Mark also was a friend to higher education, working ceaselessly in its support. He recognized that education was (and is) essential to future prosperity and pushed through the needed tax increases to pay for it. It was a visionary stance, particularly given the extreme budget challenges Texas faced with the dominant industry (energy) in a major slump.

Although widely known for his work to improve education, Marks most important contribution to our state may well be in economic diversification. During one of the states most difficult periods, he was instrumental in opening the door to new industries, including technology. Its no accident that the Austin area and Texas have emerged as a center for tech. Back in the 1980s, Mark, his chief of staff, Pike Powers, and others (including a certain young economist who didnt know any better) worked tirelessly to bring two entities to the area: Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation and Sematech. (A few months ago, Pike was named 2017 Texan of the Year by the Texas Legislative Conference; I was pleased to present the award, subbing for Gov. White, whose health would not permit him to attend.)

The Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation was a pioneering research consortium of technology companies formed in response to Japanese technological advances and a perception that the United States was falling behind. Although the more obvious choices were Silicon Valley and the Boston area, cities across the nation competed to be the location. Many entities and individuals pushed hard for a Texas location and Austin emerged as the winner, due in large part to then-Gov. Whites considerable influence.

Sematech, a consortium including semiconductor manufacturers, the U.S. Department of Defense and research universities came to Austin a few years later and the rest, as they say, is history. There were no formalized incentive programs in the state during this period. We had to make it up as we went along.

A veritable flood of technology companies and initiatives have come to Texas since that time, and the resulting diversity is a primary reason Texas is now an economic juggernaut that can withstand substantial shocks to our largest export sector and continue to expand. That Texas routinely wins most major economic development accolades these days owes much to Marks vision in a time of tremendous strife and uncertainty.

Mark White wasnt afraid to take an unpopular stand when needed and he used Sam Houstons admonition in his appeals to the Texas Legislature to make politically tough choices (such as a tax increase in the middle of an oil bust) that would enhance and ensure future prosperity. For Mark, the consequences of such bold, selfless stands were significant indeed  including a failed bid for re-election that effectively ended his career as an elected official but not as a public servant and passionate Texan.

Over the past few days, I have looked through my frequent late-night emails with Mark. I realized that most of our time was spent railing about border adjustment taxes, efforts to undermine free trade, immigration restrictions and other ideas that would inhibit the potential and the destiny of our great state. On a lighter note, we also concurred that, if alternative facts truly catch on, I was an All-Star center fielder for the Cardinals while he played first base.

I have also thought of the situation in which we find ourselves in Texas  facing daunting challenges with respect to adequately funding public and higher education, infrastructure and the needs of our most vulnerable citizens as we struggle with dramatic demographic shifts and the difficulty of remaining competitive in a dynamic global marketplace. We can only hope that, as words of praise and honor rush in for Mark, our leaders will think about and embrace the call to Do right and risk the consequences. It would be a fitting legacy for a Texas giant.
When former Treasurer Peter Costello decided to set up the Future Fund in 2004, he probably didn't envisage it investing in a wellness business run by a Hollywood celebrity, or a viral content site originally known for cat videos.

But as it turns out, Australia's inter-generational sovereign wealth fund today has interests in Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow's controversial lifestyle brand that has been criticised by doctors, and BuzzFeed, the much discussed distributed media company.

Gwyneth Paltrow is the avatar for the new luxury wellness movement. Credit:AP

It also has exposure to Pinterest, the virtual pinboard app, Snap, the company behind disappearing photo app Snapchat, and many other tech start-ups.

OK, these investments are tiny in the context of a $130 billion portfolio, and are mostly indirect, through external funds. But they are nonetheless important, forming part of the Fund's allocation to one of the most glamorous (and misunderstood) corners of finance at the moment: venture capital.
Spring is coming. Remember that, folks, and take heart. Yes, the winter of 2017 has seemed bitterly cold, and dark, at times. White-walkers didn't invade, as feared by Game of Thrones fans, but the vengeful sprit of a Trump presidency seemed to cast a shadow across the world, culminating in this week's threat of "fire and fury" against Pyongyang.

And now we face an emotionally fraught and potentially divisive postal vote  of dubious constitutional and statistical validity  to attempt to resolve the question of same-sex marriage. Many will feel that the extension of a basic human right to all citizens is reason enough for a "yes" vote in the upcoming "voluntary survey". But for any still undecided, there is another significant  and entirely selfish  reason to vote yes.

And it's this. The explosion of love and goodwill that would accompany the legalisation of same-sex marriage cannot come soon enough for the Australian economy.

Battered and bruised from the global financial crisis and the end of the mining boom, the Australia economy is in desperate need of a boost to demand to fuel job creation and pay rises.
"The remarkable thing about Shakespeare," Robert Graves said, "is that he is really very good  in spite of all the people who say he is very good."

And the unremarkable thing about the plebiscite on marriage equality is that really has unleashed precisely the demonisation of gays that we all feared would happen, just as we had predicted would happen. Instead of the parliament resolving the issue quickly and easily with a conscience vote, we go to a non-compulsory, non-binding, glorified opinion poll costing $122 million, which in the process gives a platform to every homophobe in the land to unburden themselves of their bigotry.

And yes, I accept plenty of decent people, who are not homophobes, are against marriage equality for all kinds of reasons. But, in the meantime, you only had to see Bronywn Bishop among the crazies on Sky the other night to realise the damage it does. Apparently, if we allow marriage equality in Oz, if we recognise the rights of gays, we are only one step away from men marrying dogs, and allowing five people to marry!

Oh, and according to Tony Abbott, did you know this is all about religious freedom and stopping political correctness in its tracks, not basic human rights. The Australian Christian Lobby has the hide to refer to the children of gay parents as the "stolen generation". Can you imagine the hurt such words cause?
The Berejiklian government is accused of stalling on previous Coalition promises to seek global recognition for the Royal National Park because it plans a possible motorway extension through the reserve.

Greens NSW have obtained a May 2016 report commissioned by the Office of Heritage and Environment that recommended the government begin a scoping study in time for a world conservation congress later that year in Hawaii. It is not clear if any such study was done.

Sydney's Royal National Park was promoted as a possible World Heritage site. Credit:Jacqui Taffel

The prospect of a nomination for "Nasho"  the 16,000-hectare park to Sydney's south that in 1879 became is the world's second national park  had been touted by several Coalition environment ministers, starting with Robyn Parker.

"There is tremendous public support for World Heritage listing and the NSW government will be asking for Commonwealth assistance to prepare a nomination," Ms Parker said in a media release in September 2013.
Terrorists need money to be successful.

They need money to buy their bombs, weapons and transportation. Without money, they cannot carry out their mission.

How can we fight back? Many terrorists are professional identity thieves. Billions of dollars are obtained illegally by terrorists through the use of identity theft. Here are some ideas to reduce their impact:

Review your credit report at least quarterly: Three credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) allow you to review your credit history to determine whether accounts or loans have been opened in your name. Identity thieves will use stolen personal information to open credit cards and bank accounts and obtain loans. A credit report will show you what debts you owe as well as what accounts are in your name. To view your credit report, you can visit www.equifax.com, www.experian.com, or www.transunion.com.

Buy a whistle: Many identity thieves call their victims claiming to be an authority figure and request personal information from them. Individuals will inadvertently answer questions on the phone without verifying who they are speaking with. If a person calls and threatens you with immediate arrest or IRS seizures and levies, blow your whistle into the receiver and hang up the phone. The person making these threatening calls is an identity thief. By blowing the whistle, you halt any opportunity for them to obtain personal information from you. If a person calls and asks you a question such as, Are you John Smith? do not answer Yes. Identity thieves will try to obtain verbal answers from you to record your voice and use it to take out loans or open credit accounts in your name. It is best to hang up or blow your whistle if you do not know the person on the other end of the phone.

Do not carry credit cards in plain view. Often, consumers will carry their credit cards in their back pocket or loosely in their purse. This is an opportunity for an identity thief to obtain that credit card information and use it illegally. It is best to keep your cards secure in a credit card holder or wallet to provide protection from identity thieves.

When making a purchase with your credit or debit card, make sure it is always in your view. Many consumers have been duped by waiters, waitresses or cashiers who have taken the credit card into the back room in order to copy the information and use it fraudulently. By keeping your credit or debit card in view, you can watch what the clerk is doing, and the clerk is less likely to use your card for illegal purposes.

Ask for a receipt when making purchases via debit or credit card. By keeping track of your receipts, you can manage your purchases and how much you spent on each purchase. Many identity thieves will watch to see whether a customer requests a receipt. Customers who are not asking for receipts are more likely to have their identity stolen. Those who dont ask for receipts are deemed careless and less likely to keep track of their purchases. Identity thieves like to take advantage of easy victims.

Review the bills that are sent to your home. Identity thieves will sometimes change the spelling of your first or last name. That allows them to set up a new account and obtain money using this altered name.

Notify the Internal Revenue Service. If you suspect that you have been a victim of identity theft, file a Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit, with the Internal Revenue Service. This form will notify the IRS to reflect your account as being a potential victim of identity theft. The Internal Revenue Service is working with other federal, state and local agencies to help thwart identity theft. By filing a Form 14039, you put the federal government on alert that other potential identity theft is occurring with your personal information. If you receive an email from someone claiming they are from the Internal Revenue Service, do not respond  delete the email. The Internal Revenue Service will not email taxpayers.

Notify your state agencies. The Wisconsin Department of Revenue is also invested in reducing terrorism. Contact them at 608-266-2772 or email DORIDTheft@wisconsin.gov.

Contact your local police department. Your local police department needs to be informed of illegal actions taken against you.

Be vigilant. Lock your doors at home and use a deadbolt. Lock your cars, and when re-entering, check the back seat to ensure no intruders are in your vehicle. Identity thieves often will take more drastic measures and physically assault their victims.

And last but not least, if you see something, say something. During these uncertain times, it is important for us to take care of ourselves and each other. Preventing terrorism begins at home.
The Obama administration lobbied Australia to change its asylum seeker policy, actively disagreeing with the Australia's off-shore detention and "Stop the Boats" mentality.

Former deputy secretary of state Heather Higginbottom has given an insight into how the secretive refugee-swap deal between the two allies came about, while revealing the United States, under former president Barack Obama, wanted to "bring relief" to asylum seekers held on Nauru and Manus Island.

Former US President Barack Obama did not agree with Australia's asylum seeker policy, according to a former Deputy Secretary of State who worked in his administration. Credit:Pablo Martinez Monsivais

The deal was the subject of a tense first phone call between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, with Mr Trump labelling it "stupid", "rotten", "horrible" and "disgusting".

But Ms Higginbottom, writing for Time magazine, said it was struck with humanitarian solutions in mind, by an administration uncomfortable with Australia's stance.
It was only last week that Australians learnt what Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had told US President Donald Trump privately seven months ago: "You can count on me. I will be there again and again", which elicited the response, "I hope so, OK, thank you Malcolm".

Then this week, amid a shrill escalation of bluster between Trump and North Korean tyrant Kim Jong-un  two of the world's chestier front men  the Australian Prime Minister came good, pre-emptorily declaring this country's unwavering support under the 1951 ANZUS Treaty.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has made his support of the ANZUS Treaty very clear.

So as the world tumbles closer to the unthinkable, Australia faces entanglement in a situation it has no scope to influence.

Leaving aside technicalities such as that treaty's initial obligation on Australia is to consult rather than blindly sign on with troops and hardware, there are good reasons to take this particular decision slowly, and with maximum participation.
We instinctively resist our darker emotions, but feeling bad may be essential for ultimately feeling better.

New research by psychologists at the University of California, Berkeley, were looking to explore the link between emotional acceptance and psychological health.

Pressure to feel upbeat can make you feel downbeat. Credit:Stocksy

In three separate experiments, 1300 adults had their response to negative feelings tested.

In the first test, participants were asked how strongly they agreed with statements including "I tell myself I shouldn't be feeling the way that I'm feeling". In the second test, after a public speaking task, participants rated their feelings about the task while in the third test, participants wrote about their most recent challenging experience.
In a world of uncertainty, there remain some constants; taxes, Donald Trump's tweets  and complaints about telecommunication services.

It's what is sparking those complaints that is up for debate.

"The data shows a significant number of the industry's TIO complaints are from customers moving to the NBN," a Telstra spokesman said. Credit:Fairfax Media

In the three months to June, complaints to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman increased from 8.4 complaints per 10,000 services, to nine complaints per 10,000 services, continuing an upward trend for most of the past financial year.

The ombudsman releases a snapshot of the number of complaints about telephone and internet services for residential and small business customers each quarter.
Two people have appeared in court charged with bashing an off-duty police officer in WA's far north.

The male constable was driving home from work in Kununurra on Friday night when he saw a woman throw a rock at a car travelling in front of him.

Two people are accused of attacking a police officer in Kununurra. Credit:Georgia Matts

She then allegedly threw a rock at the officer's car.

He got out and identified himself as a police officer.
Even as a child, Charlottesville protest victim Heather Heyer had a strong sense of social justice with her mother saying her death was not in vain.

Susan Bro remembered her daughter as a person who knew right from wrong and would always choose love over hate.

"I don't want her death to be a focus for more hatred, I want her death to be a rallying cry for justice and equality and fairness and compassion," Ms Bro told the Huffington Post.

"No mother wants to lose a child, but I'm proud of her. I'm proud of what she did."
A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville. Credit:AP Mr Mahony said he was not surprised that tensions exploded between white nationalist groups, who were protesting against the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee from a park in the city, and counter groups. Some white nationalists waved Confederate and Nazi flags, chanted Nazi slogans and were armed with assault rifles, poles and shields. A white nationalist demonstrator left bloodied during the protest. Credit:STEVE HELBER Mr Mahony was among the counter demonstrators.

"You had a high level of antagonism," he said. "It wasn't necessarily peaceful. White nationalist demonstrators clash with counter demonstrators in Charlottesville. Credit:AP "You had people literally in military fatigues walking around so that is an incredibly intimidating environment." He was sickened when he saw the car crash into the crowd. A counter-demonstrator uses a lighted spray can against a white nationalist demonstrator. Credit:AP

"When that happened I thought, 'This is someone deliberately attacking these people because of their beliefs,' " he said. Police came under criticism for failing to keep apart warring white nationalists and counter-protesters who battled it out in the city streets amid what at first seemed an anaemic response from authorities. Anger over the how police responded came from all directions and intensified after the death of a woman struck by the car. Experts said police appeared outnumbered, ill-prepared and inexperienced. "The worst part is that people got hurt and the police stood by and didn't do a goddamn thing," said David Copper, 70, of Staunton, after an initial morning melee at a park that when unchecked by police for several minutes. Later, two Virginia State Police troopers were killed when their helicopter smashed into trees at the edge of town and burst into flames. The loss of police officers only compounded the calamity on a day that pushed police, city officials and residents to their limits.

Cable news replayed a loop of the early violence at Emancipation Park, where police in riot gear had surrounded the expanse on three sides, though seemed to watch as groups beat each other with sticks and bludgeoned one another with shields. Many on both sides came dressed for battle, with helmets and chemical irritants. Police appeared at one point to retreat and then watch the beatings before eventually moving in to end the free-for-all, make arrests and tend the injured. The governor declared a state of emergency about 11am and activated the National Guard. "The whole point is to have overwhelming force so that people don't get the idea they can do these kinds of things and get away with it," said Charles Ramsey, who headed both the District of Columbia and Philadelphia police departments. Demonstrators and counter demonstrators "need to be in sight and sound of each other but somebody has to be in between," he said. "That's usually the police." Complicating the dynamics was the fact that several dozen groups of armed militia - men in full camouflage toting assault-style weapons - were in the middle of the crowds. Some claimed that they were there to keep the peace, although none were seen trying to stop the skirmishes. Cornel West, the Princeton professor and writer who attended a morning church service at First Baptist Church in Charlottesville with a large group of clergy members, said "the police didn't do anything in terms of protecting the people of the community, the clergy." West said that "if it hadn't been for the anti fascists protecting us from the neo-fascists, we would have been crushed like cockroaches."

Richard Spencer, the white nationalist and one of the leaders of the rally, said police failed to protect groups with which he is affiliated. "We came here as a demonstration of our movement," Spencer said. "And we were effectively thrown to the wolves." The police, he said, "did not protect us". Local and state authorities declined to address specific questions about how the demonstration was handled or their strategy for the day. The city's mayor, police chief, city manager, and Gov. Terry McAuliffe also did not answer questions at an early evening news conference. Thomas, the police chief, said only that the city will be "reviewing events of the day over coming weeks and months." McAuliffe thanked law enforcement and noted that "this could have been a much worse day today." He put the blame squarely on the white nationalists "who came here to hurt people." He added, without mentioning a specific incident, "And you did hurt people." Lieutenant Joseph Hatter, a commander with the Charlottesville Police, said officers tried to create separate areas for protesters and counter-protesters to "reduce the violence." But, he conceded, "It didn't work, did it? I think there was a plan to have them separated. They didn't want to be separated."

About the apparent delay in reacting to the violence, Hatter said, "I don't know that we did wait. I think we did the best we could under the circumstances." State delegate David Toscano, minority leader of Virginia's House, praised the response by Charlottesville and state police. "Things were getting out of hand in the skirmishes between the alt-right and what I would describe as the outside agitators who wanted to encourage violence," he said. Asked why police did not intervene sooner, Toscano said he could not comment. He said they trained hard to prepare for the demonstration "and it might have been that they were waiting for a more effective time to get people out"of the park. Experts on handling large demonstrations said authorities in Charlottesville are likely not as prepared for such events, which occur with more regularity in cities such as New York and Washington. They also said that separating antagonists is paramount.

"Big cities handle this stuff all the time," said Eugene O'Donnell, a former police officer and prosecutor in New York City. "It seems an enormous stretch for Charlottesville and even for the state police." O'Donnell, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, said that "planning on paper can vaporize pretty quickly" and "many police think that if you do nothing, it's less bad than if you do something. ... Police departments need learn to strike a balance and create safe zones for people preaching hate." But he also said that too often the police are faulted for the poor choices of others. "When people run amok and cause damage, people blame the police," O'Donnell said. "When police act proactively, they get blamed for overreaching. People ask, 'Why weren't you more patient'?" President responds

Earlier, President Donald Trump held a press conference on the violence. "It's been going on for a long, long time in our country," Mr Trump said. "No citizen should ever fear for their safety and security. No child should ever be afraid to go outside and play. The hate and the division must stop. And it must stop right now. We must come together as Americans. We are all Americans first. "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides." He ignored shouted questions from reporters about what he thought of the white nationalists at the event who said they supported him and were inspired by his campaign. Prominent Democrats, civil rights activists and even a few Republicans said it was inexcusable of the president not to denounce white supremacy.
Irbil, Iraq: The United States military said that two American soldiers were killed during "combat operations" in northern Iraq on Sunday but that initial findings indicate the deaths were not caused by "enemy contact".

A brief statement from the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State militant group said five other soldiers were injured in the incident. The statement did not provide any further detail, except to say that the casualties were being investigated.

Islamic State's authority is waning in the Middle East but it retains control of several towns in Iraq and Syria. Credit:AP

A separate statement released by the Islamic State on Sunday, apparently referring to the same incident, said it had carried out a rocket attack on US positions east of the Iraqi city of Tal Afar that the group claimed killed four American soldiers and injured six.

Colonel Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the US-led coalition in Iraq and Syria, called the Islamic State claim "false" and said the casualties on Sunday were "not because of enemy fire".
Charlottesville: At least three people were killed and 35 injured after protests turned violent in the US state of Virginia, as white nationalists protesting against plans to remove the statue of a Confederate general clashed with counter-demonstrators and a car ploughed into a crowd, officials said.

A 32-year-old woman was among those killed, said Charlottesville Police Chief Al Thomas, and injuries ranged from life-threatening to minor. The male driver of the vehicle that drove into a crowd is in custody, Mr Thomas said, and police were treating the incident as a criminal homicide investigation.

Police ordered hundreds of people out of a park, putting an end to a noon rally that hadn't even begun. Hundreds of neo Nazis, Ku Klux Klans members and other white nationalists had gathered in Emancipation Park but were met by equal numbers of counter protesters, including clergy, Black Lives Matter activists and Princeton professor Cornel West.

Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency shortly before 11am.
It was inevitable. Eventually, President Donald Trump would treat a foreign adversary as harshly as Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski.

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un was on the receiving end of the alliteration heard around the world, when Trump promised fire and fury if Pyongyang continued to threaten the United States.

As cable TV prepared to go to DEFCON 1, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson popped up to smooth everything over with a generous helping of diplo-speak.

Tillerson supported what Trump said, but at times took a tone of polite distance from the president for whom he works. Secretary of Defense James Mattis, meanwhile, issued his own, much tougher statement. So, you can choose the presidents bellicosity, the secretary of defenses firmness or the secretary of states palaver. Which reflects the administrations true posture? Who knows?

In his own mind, Trumps intention may really be to use military force to deny North Korea the capability to threaten the United States with a nuclear-armed ICBM. The goal is obviously a worthy one, but a raid against North Korea, even one conceived as limited, would have the potential to spin into something much broader.

For a military operation that sober-minded people believe could, at the outer bounds of its destructiveness, cause more than a million casualties, the president should probably get authorization from Congress  when its not obvious that Congress can even pass a budget.

Hed need to undertake extensive war and postwar planning, mustering all relevant agencies of the U.S. government  when its still in doubt whether his new chief of staff can even succeed in keeping order within the Oval Office.

Hed need to get regional allies on board for a war that could bring untold destruction to their countries  when South Korea just elected a dovish president and we dont even have an ambassador in Seoul.

So its hard to see the president cashing this particular rhetorical check.

At least Trumps words reflect a desire to do  or at least say  something different after three decades of bipartisan failure on North Korea.

For years, we have pursued desultory sanctions against Pyongyang with intermittent negotiations conducted through a prism of self-delusion. The strategy of negotiating over a nuclear capability that you develop while talks are ongoing is a North Korea invention, borrowed, with great success, by the Iranians.

Itd be nice if Tillerson showed any awareness of this background as he mouths foreign-service talking points. According to Tillerson, we are not North Koreas enemy, we dont seek regime change, and we just want to sit down and denuclearize the Korean Peninsula like good, reasonable people.

The middle ground between Trumps saber rattling and Tillersons diplomatic pleading would be a comprehensive policy toward the goal of regime change. As former Bush administration official Robert Joseph argues, such a strategy would involve cutting off the North from the international financial system, interdicting its weapons trafficking and perhaps shooting down its test missiles or instituting a blockade.

If such an approach would have its own risks, at least it would be a strategy. If the Trump administration wants to really send a signal to Kim Jong Un, it should get itself together and pick one.
If you received an offer of a new job with double the salary, would you accept it without doing your homework?

I think most of us would have that moment of YES! but then common sense would prevail.

We would take a step back and ask some questions. Where is the job? Will I have to pull my kids out of school? Will this job be for the long term or is there a risk that it might be short term?

There is much to consider before grasping that shiny object. The state of Wisconsin is in a similar situation right now with Foxconn. Yes, the information weve been provided thus far makes us all giddy  13,000 jobs and a new manufacturing hub in our state. But before we make a quick decision on handing over $3 billion in tax breaks, eliminating environmental protections and possibly overburdening taxpayers for the next 25 years, the Legislature needs to do its homework.

The Legislature is debating a package of incentives to encourage electronics manufacturing giant Foxconn to build a new facility in southeast Wisconsin. The deal includes $3 billion in tax credits for Foxconn with a promise that the company will invest $10 billion in the state and create 13,000 new jobs over 15 years. Having one manufacturing company in our state might pave the way for their suppliers to relocate here and create even more indirect jobs in construction and development. In short, we may well find ourselves in Wisconn Valley in a few years.

But just like that job promising a high paycheck, there are other factors that we need to consider. Because $3 billion is such a huge financial investment for our state, it will take decades for Wisconsin to recoup those costs. Because our state is already struggling financially, this money is going to have to be taken from somewhere else  we just dont know where yet.

The Legislative Fiscal Bureau recently released its analysis of the proposal and determined that if 100 percent of the new jobs are filled by Wisconsin workers, we will break even on the project by 2043. But if some of those jobs go to out-of-state workers  from nearby Illinois, for example  that break-even date gets pushed back. And right now, there is nothing in the bill to guarantee that those new jobs will be filled by Wisconsin workers.

Some of my colleagues are rushing to get this deal signed into law, skipping their homework in favor of flashy headlines and big announcements. Im a strong believer in taking the time to get things right. Whats that saying? Measure twice, cut once. With something as big as Foxconn, we need to take the time to do a careful analysis of the costs and benefits of this deal.

When you buy a car, you look at your financing options and shop for the best deal, right? That is what we normally do in the Legislature. All bills that deal with spending go to the Joint Finance Committee, a committee that specializes in fiscal analysis and close examination of legislation. But because they want this proposal to go through as fast as possible, the Assembly leadership chose to skip this important step.

Even within the majority party, there is some disagreement about the Foxconn proposal. The leaders of the Senate will not be voting on the bill until September  all the more reason for those of us in the Assembly to slow down and examine the issue from every angle.

If we can turn Wisconsin into the manufacturing hub of our nation, just like Silicon Valley is for information technology, we will have transformed our state. Wisconn Valley would jumpstart our sluggish economy and bring much-needed jobs and businesses back to Wisconsin. This is an incredible, once-in-a-generation opportunity. But we only have one chance to get this right.

Before we pass any bill in the Legislature, we need to do our homework. We need to know exactly what sort of deal our taxpayers would be getting for such an unprecedented investment. We need to know the environmental impacts of creating permit exceptions for filling in navigable waterways and wetlands.

But most importantly we need to know what programs and services will suffer once we divert these taxpayer funds to Foxconn. No one knows how much our school districts are going to lose in state revenue, or how much our local governments will lose because of the tax breaks. We need answers before we take any action.

Foxconn may be the biggest economic opportunity our state has ever seen. We only have one chance and I am committed to getting it right. If we dont, we might find ourselves with something that sounded amazing on paper but turned out to be nothing like what we were promised.
Several thoughts in the debate over Foxconn. Several thoughts.

The unemployment rate for Wisconsin has dropped steadily for years and now hovers around 3 percent. Manufacturers cannot get enough trained employees in the trade fields. So, why not take that $3 billion that we will have to supply with our tax dollars, and offer free tuition to any person who wants to get a two-year technical degree.

It makes more sense to invest in our citizens than a corporation to develop plumbers, electricians, welders, mechanics, HVAC, health care workers and other skilled workers.

I think the return on our investment would be much greater and infuse a lot more money into our state.

Foxconn is foreign-owned and will not put money back into our state the way the wages of employed workers would. It might be a coup and look great for a political career, but in my opinion, thats not enough incentive to spend $3 billion on a foreign company instead of our workforce.

Christel Holcomb, La Crosse
by Pierre V.L. Dupuch

Many moons ago when I was a freshman studying economics at St. John's University my professor, Fr. Martin, walked into the classroom and said, "Open your books and write this down. The definition of Economics is the allocation of scarce resources among competing needs and wants."

Over the past sixty years I have seen successive governments run this country contrary to the basic rule of economics, the allocation of scarce resources among competing needs and wants. In 1982 Sir Kendal Isaacs appointed me the Shadow Minister of Health in the House of Assembly. From there for ten years I watched the then Government whittle away scarce money with no rhyme or reason. Since then I have seen successive governments do the same thing in the health care system - waste public funds.

I suggested then that the Government should buy well-equipped ambulances for each Family Island. This would make health care mobile, far less expensive and more efficient. So if a person in South Eleuthera had a chest pain, the ambulance would go there, hook the person up electronically and transmit the patient's vital signs to the main hospital in Nassau.

This information would be interpreted by a specialist who would instruct the operator how to treat the patient. If it showed indigestion, the patient would be told to take two Tums and go home. If, however, it indicated a pending heart attack, the specialist would instruct the operator what to do to stabilize the patient and fly him/her to Nassau for further treatment.

In those days the most difficult part of this operation would have been electronic transmission. I said then that I was sure the Americans who had bases throughout the islands would be glad to cooperate and lend their facilities.

With the invention of cell phones, transmission is no longer a problem. The problem is the lack of common sense.

X-Ray machines are now manufactured to fold up and fit in the back of a car; medical information and scans can be recorded on machines that look like a cell phone. Why are we investing in all of these inoperative, expensive and inefficient monuments that look great, and serve as photo opportunities for the politicians?

This is not rocket science. It is done every day in the United States. An ambulance is called to the scene, the patient's vital signs are immediately transmitted to the emergency room of a nearby hospital and a specialist gives the operator instructions as to how to treat the patient.

Some time ago I visited one of these state-of-the-art hospitals, which had recently been built on a Family Island. It was beautiful. It looked like a hotel. The most expensive lights were used for its vast parking lot. The entrance would make Baha Mar look sick. The operating room was grand with state-of-the-art equipment in it. The x-ray equipment was the best money could buy. There were at least two-dozen beds. There were desks and telephones on at least twelve administrative desks. There was at least one-thousand square feet for "expansion".

Sounds great! Looks great! Great photo op! But how much did it cost and how effective is it? There was no x-ray technician to operate the state-of-the art x-ray machine. There were no surgeons to operate. The patient's beds were empty. A small room was crowded with patients getting medications.

Allocation of scarce resources or show? This cost millions of dollars of the people's money.

To operate it takes at least four persons: the surgeon, the anesthesiologist, and at least two nurses. This is a minimum. Was the Government planning to fly these people in from Nassau? Did the Government expect these highly qualified people to stay on the small island where their skills are seldom needed? Or would it make more sense to fly the patient to Nassau where he/she would be treated by highly competent specialists?

For an operation the question is simple, fly four qualified persons to use the state of the art facility on the island or fly one patient here? Which choice would be the allocation of scarce resources? It does not take a rocket scientist to figure that one out!

The choice is yours. A well-equipped ambulance, which is essentially a mobile medical facility with the back-up services of specialists in Nassau or an expensive, beautiful, non-operative hospital?

My advice is to follow the definition of economics and you will not go wrong.

Note: Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis appears to be doing a great job. Keep it up. But some recent appointments show that the present government may inadvertently find itself in some conflict of interest situations, which they will live to regret.

August 10, 2017

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By The Associated Press

Aug. 12, 2017 | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA

By The Associated Press Aug. 12, 2017 | 09:52 PM | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA

Three people are dead after clashes between white nationalists and counter-protestors in Charlottesville, Virginia, and a state police helicopter crash



Authorities say a 20-year-old Ohio man accused of driving a car into a group of counter-protesters at a white nationalist rally has been charged with second-degree murder and other counts.



The Charlottesville Police Department said in a statement Saturday night that James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio also faces three counts of malicious wounding, and one count related to leaving the scene.



Col. Martin Kumer, superintendent of the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, said Fields was in custody there Saturday night. Kumer says he doesn't believe Fields has obtained an attorney yet.



He says a bond hearing is scheduled for Monday.





A hospital official says one person has died and 19 were injured when the car plowed into the group.



University of Virginia Medical Center spokeswoman Angela Taylor confirmed the death to The Associated Press.



The mayor of Charlottesville said via Twitter on Saturday that he is "heartbroken" to announce that a "life has been lost." He did not provide details.





Meanwhile, Virginia state police said one of their agency's helicopters crashed outside Charlottesville, killing two troopers.



Police said the helicopter was assisting law enforcement officers monitoring the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.



Police said Lt. H. Jay Cullen of Midlothian and Trooper-pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton were killed in the crash.



The crash happened just a few hours after the car plowed into a crowd of people.





A woman who identified herself as Field's mother says he told her he was going to the rally.



Samantha Bloom, of Ohio, confirmed details about her son's car and his trip to Virginia, saying she received a text from him last week that said he'd gotten some time off from work and was going to a rally.



She said her son hadn't given her any details about the rally but that she told him "to be careful" and to peaceful.



Bloom became visibly upset as she learned that dozens of people were injured during the rally in Charlottesville.



Bloom said she and Fields had just relocated to the Toledo area from Florence, Kentucky, a Cincinnati suburb





The organizer of the rally that drew hundreds of white nationalists and other extremists says he disavows the violence that eroded it.



Jason Kessler said in an interview Saturday evening that whoever drove a car into a group of counter-protesters "did the wrong thing." He said he was saddened that people were hurt.



Kessler is a local blogger and activist who described the event as a pro-white rally. He planned it to protest the city's decision to remove a Confederate monument of Robert E. Lee.



He also criticized law enforcement's response to the event, which was dispersed before speakers could take the stage.



He said they did a poor job controlling the chaos to allow free speech.
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By The Associated Press

Aug. 12, 2017 | CARBONDALE, IL

By The Associated Press Aug. 12, 2017 | 06:17 PM | CARBONDALE, IL

Amtrak officials say special train service sold out in less than a day that's set to go from Chicago and Champaign to Carbondale for the solar eclipse.



Amtrak announced the Amtrak Eclipse Express this past week. The train goes roundtrip from both Chicago and then Champaign to Carbondale in southern Illinois, which is near where the total eclipse Aug. 21 is expected to be peak duration. Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari says the special train service sold out 22 hours after it was announced.



Each rider will receive eclipse viewing glasses. The train leave Chicago 3 am on Aug. 21 and Champaign at 5:05 am in time for the expected afternoon eclipse. The train is to leave Carbondale at 5:15 pm and return to Champaign by 7:55 pm and Chicago by 10:45 pm.
Despite a two-day jail sentence and fine, as well as a suspended driver's license, Menches will remain the fire chief of the Holmen Area Fire Department. Four out of seven Holmen Village Board members have spoken out against Menches maintaining his position.

This position requires a much more responsible individual, not to mention one who is allowed to drive. It is time for Menches to submit his resignation. It is also time for this situation to be brought to the attention to the members of the Holmen, Holland and Town of Onalaska communities.
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In the past month I was asked to do two curbside consults for youngsters with scabby, itchy, kind of yucky-looking spots. The first youngun had scabs on different spots on her skin and up into her nostrils a bit. They itched as the sole symptom, had been around for a week, and she was getting a couple new ones here and there. Nobody else in the house had any skin spots.

The other young lad was thought to have insect bites because he had been at a camp in the woods for two weeks. Bites would be real good bet, but he had been home a week, and was getting a few new ones. His yellow scabs itched and stung a bit, but a few appeared raw, almost like a small burn. In this lads family his sister got some scabs a few days later. Neither person was sick.

My diagnosis visually for both kids was impetigo (IM-pe-TY-go). Impetigo is a superficial bacterial skin infection caused either by a strain of Streptoccocal or Staphylococcal bacteria, or sometimes both. It was interesting (to me at least) that the first curbside patient sported only the classic yellow, honey-colored crusts of impetigo caused by Strep. Often the first eruption is tiny serum filled blisters that rupture to form the crusts. The second person had some of those, but also the eroded areas, which were bright red with the fringes of the blister top around edge, less than dime-sized. He said he had no crusty spots up in his nose. This picture is both Staph, the eroded blister area, and Strep, the scabbed spots.

The word impetigo has been used for centuries. It is from Latin, impetere, to rush against, to strike. Makes no sense, right? Right. The Strep or non-bullous form was described in the 1800s by a very famous British dermatologist, William Tilbury-Fox. The form caused by Staph aureus creates very superficial blisters, sometimes large. These are labeled bullae (plural for bulla or big blister).

Why the two distinctly different appearing rashes and bacterial sources are still lumped into the same category is sort of practical, but also biological. Most impetigo starts in a miniscule skin break, scratched bug bites being a great example. Our camper likely picked the bugs up that way. Once they reach a certain critical mass, they can break down and infect normal skin. These scabs are always picked at by their owners. Then they can auto-inoculate them hither and yon. And onto yon other folks as well, like two boy cubs, unable to keep their hands off each other.

The other crucial point we must face up to is that 100 percent of people, young and old, pick their noses. Theyre fibbing if they deny it. The bountiful bacteria under fingernails become digitally implanted in our moist nasal orifices, and colonize them. This is also a source of re-inoculation.

When thinking of treatments for impetigo, you must differentiate what bacteria are invading, because not all strains of (especially) Staph are sensitive to the same antibiotics. A reason to include both bacterial breeds under one cutaneous roof is that it has recognized for a long time that the natural evolution of a Strep impetigo is to become colonized mysteriously by Staph, which becomes dominant. I have seen that transition. The pure bullous/Staph type is incredibly distinctive in appearance.

Yes, whichever you pick up, it can be contagious. Treatments can be either topical, oral, or both. If you have a school nurse in charge of rooms of 20 to 30 energized urchins, constantly touching each other, you have a biased perspective about how catchy it is. Good hand washing is the preventive trick. The forgotten element often is to shove some antibiotic ointment up the kiddos nose, not just rub it on the spots.

The good news is that neither type leaves any marks. The only serious, rare complication is a couple odd Strep strains that can get into your blood stream and infect kidneys. That was much more common before antibiotics.

One problem is that your offspring with impetigo will look like the neighborhood leper for a few days, and be socially shunned or sent home from school. That of course is sweet punishment for your little leper, who will heal to become a shining cherub once again.
Across the world, millions of people have marched with colors of the rainbow to show solidarity with love in all its forms.

Gay pride transcends international borders, as millions of people have taken their support to the streets or, in the city of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, to the citys legendary canals.

Initially, I thought my trip to Amsterdam would be occupied by museums and generic sightseeing. However, when a savvy flight attendant informed me of the festival taking place, I decided Vincent Van Goghs collection could wait for another visit.

Stepping off the plane into Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, I set my sights on capturing the essence of what Pride truly is. After catching a train to the citys central station, the scale of the event became clear. Rainbow flags were everywhere, painted on peoples faces, dyed into their hair, draped around shoulders like a cape.

Even if the flight attendant hadnt tipped me off, it would have been impossible to miss.

Jet-lagged, I dumped my luggage into storage and headed straight to the Prinsengracht Canal. It was easy to find, as Google Maps coated the waterway with a rainbow highlight.

Brick paths wound around the Dutch Baroque architecture, which was displayed in full glory under the clear sky and shining sun.

The 17th-century structures hosted thousands of people hailing from several different nations, all coming together to celebrate the universality of love.

The event was renamed by organizers as Pride Amsterdam to include bisexuals, transgender people and other identity groups. The nine-day festival took place from July 29 through Aug. 6, with over 80 boats setting sail for the parade on August 5.

Hours before the parade began, docked parade boats filled with celebrating people as crews loaded sound amps and bottles of wine for a long haul the party. Onlookers claimed patches of ground next to the canal and along the bridges, ready to greet the parade as it passed by. Meanwhile, vendors set up shop to sell balloons, suckers and keychains, in all manner of suggestive shapes.

The narrow European streets were shared by pedestrians, mobs of bicyclists, motorcycles, and full-sized cars that dodged collision by inches. I stood out as an outsider with my instinct for Minnesota Nice, trying to give everyone a wide berth; though after picking up the citys rhythm, I strolled the streets like a local.

As the parade started, the air filled with music, confetti and clamor. Boat platforms carried everything from choirs to pole dancers performing for the enthusiastic crowds.

As they cheered, danced and laughed, various messages of pride floated through the canals and around the city to spread their message of love in all forms.

Bernie De Git, a 58-year-old man from Brisbane, Australia, came to Amsterdam with his partner to visit family who joined him at the parade. It was an important event for him to be at, he said, because it represents what many people in the LGBTQ community continue to strive for.

Acceptance, understanding, and for us in Australia, hopefully equality in marriage, De Git said. We dont have that yet; in Australia its still not recognized. My partner and I bought our wedding rings two years ago, in Dubai, and we wont wear them until its legal.

Australia is in the process of organizing a nonbinding postal vote on the legalizing same-sex marriage. The vote, however, will not change any laws by itself.

To make progress, De Git thinks that people can help if they keep talking about it, and making other people aware, and putting pressure on their government.

Navigating my way through cafes and pubs packed beyond capacity took some finesse as people bustled their way through the streets to get a better view of the action.

It was the first pride parade I had ever been to, and I wanted to make it count.

However, one local Dutch woman, Marsha Pruins, had been going to the parade for the past 10 years.

She turns out consistently to celebrate love, and that everybody is equal.

Pruins wore a flamboyant dress and an elaborate hairstyle, smiling with glee as she explains how the love can be accepted everywhere.

Everyone is the same, we all have red blood, Pruins said. And it doesnt matter if you love women, you love men, black, white, just love, it doesnt matter who.

She came with her husband, Arnold Pruins, and her mother, Riyanne Deweerd.

The groups bright colors all complimented each other with a radiating energy that matched Marshas smile as she said, If youre going to do it, do it right.

With that advice in mind, I set out to find a spot where I could get some worthwhile pictures of the parade before it passed. A nice lady hosting a party nearby let me stand on her stoop to get the shots I was looking for, but there was little I could do fully capture the scale of the experience.

A young man named Chris Anderson came to Pride Amsterdam from Denmark with a couple of his friends.

We are here to have a party, have a blast and enjoy the pride, Anderson said. Ive been to Amsterdam before, but not to the pride. We love it, its fantastic, and the weather is with us.
This week marked the 72nd anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. At 11:02 a.m. Aug. 9, 1945, a five-ton plutonium bomb exploded a third of a mile above the city. Its blast winds tore through the city at 21/2 times the speed of a Category 5 hurricane.

Two-year-old Masao Tomonaga was asleep in his home while his mother worked in another room. Within seconds of the blast, their house imploded on top of them. Remarkably, both survived. At 1.7 miles from the bombs hypocenter, they were out of reach of its most intense infrared heat rays, which instantly carbonized human and animal flesh and vaporized the internal organs of those directly beneath the bomb.

Tomonagas mother pushed her way through the rubble to find him. They had minutes to escape to a hillside shrine before fires sped through their neighborhood, leaving their flattened home in ashes.

Six weeks ago, 74-year-old Tomonaga, now a leading specialist on long-term radiation effects on the human body, flew to New York as Nagasakis official representative in support of a breakthrough international nuclear weapons ban treaty, adopted at the United Nations on July 7.

Backed by 122 nations and with strong support from civil society organizations across the globe, the accord is the worlds first comprehensive treaty banning the use, threat of use and production of nuclear weapons. It places nuclear weapons on the same legal footing as all other weapons of mass destruction  including chemical and biological weapons, landmines and cluster munitions, which have long been outlawed.

The treaty was not an act of naivete. Its proponents knew that nuclear-armed and nuclear-defended nations  including Japan  would vehemently reject the ban, defending their position that nuclear weapons prevent nuclear war. The ban was negotiated too with clear understandings of the current heightened tensions between the United States and Russia, because of North Koreas nuclear weapons development and testing, and President Trumps nuclear posturing.

The strategy  as was successfully implemented with landmines  is to delegitimize and ultimately eliminate the most destructive and inhumane weapons made. After treaty ratification in September, the next step is to convince first one, then other nuclear-armed or defended nations to abide by it. Similar treaties banning weapons of mass destruction have resulted in policy changes even by countries that havent signed them  including the United States, which now follows the landmines ban without having signed that treaty.

Testimony like Tomonagas can only help. Using his experience as a survivor, radiation scientist and physician who has treated hibakusha (atomic bomb-affected people) for nearly 50 years, Tomonaga gave a statement before the United Nations that countered vague images of nuclear war with details of its terrifying acute and long-term human consequences.

Within weeks of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, adults and children began experiencing mysterious and excruciating symptoms: vomiting, fever, dizziness, bleeding gums and hair loss. Purple spots began appearing all over their bodies  the effects of high-dose, whole-body radiation exposure. Many died within a week of the first symptoms.

Over the next nine months, pregnant women whose fetuses had been exposed in utero suffered spontaneous abortions, stillbirths and infant deaths. Many newborns developed physical and mental disabilities.

By 1948, childhood and adult leukemia rates began increasing among hibakusha  and these rates remained high for decades. At highest risk were children under 10 within a mile of the bombing, who developed leukemia at a rate 18 times greater than the general population.

By 1955, numerous other cancers also appeared at rates far higher than for non-hibakusha. Even today, the bombs radiation continues to ravage the bodies of aging survivors, now in their 70s and 80s, who are developing a special type of leukemia, MDS (Myelodysplastic syndrome). Scientists are still studying second- and third-generation hibakusha for genetic effects potentially passed down from their parents and grandparents, reminding us how much we still dont understand about the insidious nature of radiation exposure on the human body.

The use of a nuclear weapon, designed to inflict catastrophic harm to vast numbers of people, would violate international law, which prohibits the targeting of civilians during wartime. Yet almost 15,000 nuclear weapons still exist in the world today; more than 4,000 are actively deployed across the globe. Whether by intentional military choice, a nuclear accident or an act of terrorism, we risk far worse humanitarian and environmental disasters than Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

After decades of monumental efforts to champion Tomonagas vision of a world free of nuclear weapons, this treaty fills the legal gap in the prohibition of such weapons and puts us on the path to their total elimination. Perhaps now there is a chance that after a 72-year reign of nuclear terror, the narrative of nuclear war that started in 1945 will come to a close.
Students in the Columbus School District who dont have enough to eat over the weekend will have a bag of kid-friendly, nutritious, non-perishable food items sent home with them each Friday this school year through Blessings in a Backpack, a national program that is being established locally.

When kids are hungry, they dont pay attention, their focus is lost, they struggle in school, said Cori Denk, the districts community service director. This just gives them nourishment over the weekend so they come back ready to learn.

Denk said about 28 percent of the districts students here qualify for free- and reduced-cost lunches. While the free and reduced program gives a boost to those kids during the week, there wasnt any help available to them on the weekends. In order to change that, she went around to different organizations and asked for assistance in getting a Blessings in a Backpack program established here.

Keith Loppnow of the Columbus Oddfellows graciously agreed to be the lead person, Denk said, and $5,000 in start-up funds were secured with donations from the Oddfellows, the Columbus PTO, the Columbus-Fall River Rotary Club and American Family, as part of their employee matching program.

Letters explaining the program were sent out to families in the district along with school registration information. Parents who are stretched financially and struggle to keep their children fed over the weekend are encouraged to sign up. There are no income requirements, and no one is automatically included in the program. Parents have to opt-in.

The program is run anonymously and confidentially, Denk said. When bags are delivered, there will be one point person at each of the schools who knows which kids are on the list, and it will be up to them to deliver the bags to lockers, backpacks or coat hooks discretely.

Confidentiality of all participants is always maintained in all areas of the program.

Food items that students will receive will include granola bars, peanut butter, oatmeal, pork and beans, applesauce, soup, crackers, macaroni and cheese, SpaghettiOs, juice boxes, fruit cups and the like. Theyre designed to be foods that wont spoil and that are easy enough for kids to prepare themselves.

While the seed money will get the program off the ground, it wont be enough to keep it running for the 38 weeks of the school year. Loppnow estimated that about 100 students will be part of the program initially. Providing food for that number of kids would require local donors to kick in about $10,000 over the course of the year. He encouraged individuals to consider signing up to make recurring donations.

It costs approximately $100 to provide a child with a backpack full of food each weekend for an entire 38-week school year. Food in each backpack costs about $3 per week.

Donations can be mailed or dropped off to Denk at the Middle School or they can be made online at www.blessingsinabackpack.org.

Blessings in a Backpack is a non-profit 501c3 organization, so all donations are tax-deductible.




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Every 4th of July, the United States of America celebrates its birthday. The US is a federal republic, made up of 50 states, 48 of which are located in North America between Canada and Mexico. The US also has a federal district, five self-governing territories, and other possessions. It is one of the most highly developed countries in the world and includes nearly 40% of the total wealth in the world. The country is also a prominent political and cultural force internationally. But how old is the US?

History of America

The history of the United States of America dates back to the prehistory of the Native Americans and the colonial period. The people who lived in present-day America arrived in the early 1600s, mostly from England. The Spanish and French built small settlements in Florida, along the Mississippi River, the southwest, and the Gulf Coast. Most European settlers were farmers, and various industries began to develop within a few decades. Several cities were established along the coast to support local economies and to act as trade hubs. The colonies that formed the US were established in 1732, with the colonization of Georgia by the British. All colonies had local governments with elections open to free men. By 1770, the 13 British colonies had a population of about 2.1 million people.

Independence

Americans felt that their freedom had been suppressed by the European colonialists, and the American Revolutionary War marked the first successful independence campaign against the colonialists. Americans developed the spirit of Republicanism, maintaining that the government rested with the peoples will, as proclaimed in the local legislature. They demanded that the rights of Americans be respected and no tax should be charged without any representation. However, the British insisted on ruling the country through parliament, leading to war. On July 2, 1776, the Lee Resolution, which was a vote for independence, was passed and led to the Declaration of Independence two days later. July 4 has since been celebrated as US Independence Day.

Independence Day

Although July 2, 1776, marked the formal separation of the 13 colonies from Britain colonialists, the Declaration of Independence was officially signed on July 4, 1776. Thus, Independence Day is also known as Fourth of July, or simply as July Fourth. The US marked its first birthday on July 4, 1777, with 13 gunshots fired once in the morning and again in the evening. July 4 was first recognized as a state celebration in 1781 by the Massachusetts General Court. Thus, Independence Day became a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. On July 4, 2019, the US celebrated its 243rd birthday.
MARIANNA, Fla. (WTXL) - The Marianna Police Department arrested two convicted felons whose residence had firearms, ammunition, drug paraphernalia and various drugs.

Frank Brown, 69, and Cletis Brown, 66, were both charged Friday with being felons in possession of firearms and and ammunition after officers searched their residence on Harrison Street.

Additionally, Frank Brown was charged with possession of a controlled substance (crack cocaine) and possession of controlled substance (diazepam).

Cletis Brown was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Both men were taken to the Jackson county Correctional Facility to await their first appearance.

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.
Amona evacuees have threatened to erect tents on land the government designated for the building of a new outpost if it failed to resume construction work on the new community for their resettlement.

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Residents of Amona were court-ordered to vacate the area which was ruled to be built on privately-owned Palestinian land, and were promised by the government that the new community of  Amichai  would quickly be established in its place.

In June, preliminary work began on Amichai for Amona evacuees but just one month later, construction work came to an abrupt halt after government ministries failed to transfer the necessary funding, Ynet learned

Tents being built by Amona evacuees

In preparation for the action, the embittered evacuees ordered and began assembling tents in which they intend to reside until work on Amichai is resumed.

Despite the move, the leader of the Amona settlers, Avichai Buaron, insists it is not intended to be a protest or demonstration.

There is not protest or demonstration here. We have been through the whole winter and summer here and people dont understand that it simply isnt human to live in hostel rooms for more than half a year, Buaron said. It is cruel to demand of us that we continue to wait here.

Nevertheless, his statements illustrated that the intention to build a haphazard community in Amichai were for the long term, rather than a stop-gap measure.

It is clear that when we do go there, thousands of youths will join us. When we do, it will be to stay for good, he added.

Despite the breaks being put on the construction of Amichai by the government, no ministry was prepared to take responsibility. Nevertheless, officials in the Prime Ministers Office have attempted to solve the crisis but efforts have yet to bear fruit.

The ministries of defense and of housing which recently became involved in the dispute have also absolved themselves of responsibility for the transfer of funds to the Binyamin Regional Councilthe factor that caused the moratorium in building in the first place.

The crisis is currently being dealt with by Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Kulanu) who is supposed to make a decision on whether to increase the budget for the Housing Ministry. But the passing of the buck may continue if he instructs that the matter be handled by the Interior Ministry.

For the evacuees however, the buck ultimately stops with Prime Minister Netanyahu. We are not getting into governmental work. It doesnt interest us, Buaron said. The person who absolutely carries the responsibility is the prime minister.

The evacuees were further incensed by Netanyahus mentioning of Amona during his speech before crowds of supporters and Likud activists at a solidarity demonstration last Wednesday at the Tel Aviv Convention Center as the prime minister finds himself embroiled in a string of corruption investigations.

We have Amona and Dimona, Netanyahu declared before his supportersa statement utterly rejected by the evacuees. For 194 days we have been rotting in a youth hostelyou are responsible for this. Dont wave at us in conferences. It is doubtful that at this rate the new community will be built, one of the residents lamented.
Haim Aharon Yosefia well-known businessman and figure in the ultra-Orthodox worldtrades in babies. He is a central figure in a network that allegedly takes young, pregnant Haredi women from Israel to the United States to give birth before giving the child away in an "adoption" arrangement for a fee.

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In a series of meetings with undercover reporters from Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth, Yosefi unwittingly provided a rare glimpse behind the curtain, openly divulging how he and his accomplices operate. He also revealed a string of other related activities including the distribution of pills to suppress sexual desire, forging identification documents and more.

Over the last few weeks, Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth sent "Devorah Leah," a young Haredi woman with a cover story, to Yosefi. "I got pregnant by a married man, and I'm in trouble," Devorah told Yosefi.

Haim Aharon Yosefi

During their meetings, Yosefi detailed the journey Devorah would have to endure until her baby is given to an adoptive family. He also offered her payment for the baby and even told her about previous "cases" he "handled."

"Let's say all the expenses concerning you are $50,000, and I'm getting $100,000. Maybe I'm making a profit off of you, but that also means I'm spending $50,000 on you. This is all very problematic and very sensitive. Just so you know, the law says whoever tries to lobby a woman to give her child up for adoption in exchange for favors can get 15 years in prison. It is very criminal," Yosefi told Devorah.

"If I tell you now, Devorah Leah, take $50,000 and I expect to get your fetus, that sounds fine. We are making what is called a fair deal. You get $50,000 and I get the fetus. It doesn't matter if I sell it for a million dollars, or I don't sell it at all. You make out alright for your part. Just know the law is very dangerous. Now I am saying, in principle, in general, I am with you."

The conversations with Yosefi open a window into what he himself calls the "industry" of baby trafficking, involving "a ton, a sea," of similar cases, as he confessed to Devorah.

The connections

Yosefi is a member of Degel HaTorah, the Lithuanian faction of the United Torah Judaism party. He has close ties to many prominent rabbis and is also welcome in many other Hassidic circles.

Approximately six months ago, Yosefi was arrested by police amid an investigation into document forging and providing fictitious exemptions to young ultra-Orthodox men attempting to avoid conscription into the IDF.

"If I tell you who I'm connected to, you'll be blown away," he told Devorah. "Officials in the Interior Ministry, the IDF, the police and different municipalities. I once had an arrangement with an official in the Interior Ministry where I would provide her with interest-free loans and she would help me in return."

Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth learned of Yosefi's activities through testimony provided by "Esther," who recounted her experiences with him when her infant son was sold to a couple in the United States.

Photo: Shutterstock

As the investigation progressed, more stories emerged and many of the details were confirmed by Yosefi himself in conversations with Devorah, which were also rife with remarks that bordered on sexual harassment.

Yosefi constantly shifts between the gray and criminal areas. For example, he expressed disappointment when Devorah supposedly approached a doctor through her local clinic for a pregnancy checkup.

"You weren't smart. From now on, never use your real name. I'm sending you to a private physician, and you can say your name is Ruth," he told her. "I've gone with other girls to the doctor as well. You pay and money has no smell. I come with you, put out NIS 500 or 900. I also make sure to give you an identity card with a fictitious number."

When Devorah told Yosefi the alleged father of her baby demanded proof she had an abortion, Yosefi suggested another criminal solution. "Now don't quote me, but you can play a very dangerous card and tell him 'I'm going to the police and telling them you raped me.' At that moment, he'll commit suicide. No one would believe a cute 21-year-old girl raped a 33-year-old man. They will believe you more than him."

Payment

Devorah's first meeting with Yosefi took place at a Jerusalem hotel, while her second and third meetings took place in the basement office of Lev Shomea, a branch of Lev L'Achima large ultra-Orthodox organization dedicated to religious education, religious counseling and more.

Yosefi labeled payments as "royalties." When asked about the precise nature of the royalties, he said, "Beyond the accommodations and flights, I provide you a gift of $10,000 or $20,000. It is criminal, but with God's help, I work very hard to make sure you get royalties too."

Yosefi then outlined the entire birthing process to Devorah, beginning with his accompanying her to the US and the birth itself.

When the time comes, according to Yosefi, he will organize a "host family" in the US, with whom she will live until the birth. "They do it as a good deed," said Yosefi. "They can clothe your body in money."

When asked if he already had a family lined up, Yosefi responded, "Today I know, there are many Haredi families in the world that cannot have children for all kinds of reasons. I have a few, but I have to decide what I want."

Yosefi then proceeded to emphasize to Devorah that he has competitors in the market. "There are all kinds of organizations. But this is very sensitive. I'm talking to you about honesty and fairness. I send you abroad whenever you want. Sometimes I ensure that others do it and sometimes I do it myself. We ensure a host family for you throughout the entire pregnancy and you receive close supervision," he told her.

It costs quite a bit of money. Do I have to work while I'm there in order to finance it?

"All expensesclothing, makeup, medical insurance, the birth, doctorsyou do not have to pay a shekel. If you go tomorrow, you have no expenses for the next six months."

Yosefi also offered additional bonuses, saying, "If you want, we can make efforts to give you some cosmetic treatment, a body design studio. I need to pamper you. This is all in the package. Trips, restaurants, fun. It will all be paid for."

Devorah then inquired about what to tell her parents when she needs to go to the United States and disappear for a period of time, to which Yosefi responded, "I can assist you with this too. I have a bag of excuses."

When Devorah asked about the mental state of girls who have undergone the process and the possibility of seeing the baby after birth, Yosefi responded, "Psychologically, it isn't good for you, because you connect with him. It may be that in your case we will need to organize psychological help."

'We will market you as well'

How can such an industry, involving so many people like Yosefi, exist for so long under the radar?

In the absence of sex education, quite a few ultra-Orthodox girls and women become pregnant, and since the Haredi community is intolerant of such cases, women are forced to find a solution.

Many women willingly cooperate and others believe if they just give birth away from their families and friends, they would be able to raise the child themselves, or at the very least, remain in contact with the child.

The conspiracy of silence has lasted for years because of how ultra-Orthodox society is structured. No one speaks, because they do not want their children boycotted or condemned. However, as soon as one story comes out, others find the courage to speak out as well.

Photo: Shutterstock

Why is the process conducted in the United States and not in Israel? For two main reasons.

The first is to distance the wayward girl from the community in order to "protect" her, as it were. The second, and most significant, reason is that of legality.

According to Yosefi, in the US, such a practice is possible and even legal. Most of the girls sign adoption documents and payment is ostensibly transferred to them legally.

In their last meeting, Yosefi thought it prudent to explain something else. He is now marketing Devorah to families who are looking to adopt a child. "I am going to elevate you, to market you respectfully. I will market you morally. I am trying to do my job faithfully."
VIENNA -- The U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria has gathered enough evidence for President Bashar al-Assad to be convicted of war crimes, a prominent member of the commission, Carla del Ponte, said in remarks published on Sunday.

Del Ponte, 70, who prosecuted war crimes in Rwanda and former Yugoslavia, announced last week that she was stepping down from her role in frustration at the U.N. Security Council's failure to continue the commission's work by setting up a special tribunal for Syria that could try alleged war criminals.

She has not said when she will leave her post.

Asked in an interview with Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung whether there was enough evidence for Assad to be convicted of war crimes, she said: "Yes, I am convinced that is the case. That is why the situation is so frustrating. The preparatory work has been done. Despite that, there is no prosecutor and no court."
The IDF's 498th Shahar ("Dawn") Search and Rescue Battalion of the Home Front Command held a drill last week in which soldiers simulated a rescue scenario for troops trapped under a collapsed building during combat.

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The drill was meant to simulate possible scenarios in both southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

While the scenario envisages an extreme case, it is one that has already happened to IDF ground forces in enemy territory. Examples include the 1982-1983 Tyre truck bombings in Lebanon and an explosion that trapped several soldiers from the IDF's elite Maglan Special Forces unit in a building during Operation Protective Edge.

IDF Home Front Command training exercise (:  ")

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The Shahar Battalion is a mixed-gender unit that, due to its role as a combat search and rescue force, puts its soldiersboth male and femalein more active combat situations that any other mixed-gender unit.

Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

Shahar Battalion commander, Lt. Col. Benny Meir, discussed his female soldiers while detailing the training operation. "They marched ten kilometers carrying rescue equipment designed for active combat scenarios that weighed some 35 kilograms, with very little food and very little sleep," he explained.

"In rescue operations under fire, they may have to deal with Hamas terrorists emerging from concealed tunnels. I would not enter Gaza without them."

Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit

Meir emphasized the difficult physical and psychological realities of the unit, paying special attention to unique and exceptional dilemmas.

"It's human lives versus human lives. I will endanger the lives of my troops in order to rescue and save the lives of other soldiers from other units. We will act courageously, coolly and responsibly where values clash with striving to save those trapped."
The time has come. It is just a matter of time now. When the gun of incitement appears in the first act, it will be shot in the third act. We are now approaching the conclusion of the first act, and perhaps even the second.

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Yesterday an implicit threat was made against the family of the journalist Guy Peleg, who over the last few months, has exposed more and more details of the investigation against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Six days ago, a Filipino journalist and former police investigator named Leo Diaz, who exposed corruption cases, was murdered. He was a thorn in the side of the regime. He was the third journalist to be murdered within one week.

Prime Minister Netanyahu at his support rally (Photo: Reuters)

We are not there yet, but if we continue on this path of incitement against the media, if journalists become comparable to a poisonous spider that should be killed at a support rally for Netanyahu, it isnt only the journalists who are facing a problem.

Two days ago, it was the prime minister who, basking in his glory, who published a fraudulent tape of a conversation between an impressionist and journalist Amnon Abramovich. Fake news, the prime minister branded it.

Netanyahu knows that Abramovich himself has already been repeatedly attacked, not because he is a national enemy, but because that is how he has been labelled. It is legitimate to criticize him, just as it is to criticize any journalist. But when the journalists are physically attacked, and Netanyahu supplies more oil to the machinery of incitement, it is he who is responsible.

Photo: EPA

Just as he gave journalist Ilana Dayan the appellation of an extreme leftists. Just as he made accusations against the Left and the media that they are trying to remove him from the government even though all the people conducting the investigations against him are from his own coterie. He appointed them.

But in order strike fear into thempeople like Roni Alsheikh and Avi Mandelblithe adopted the most perverse path of all: namely, incitement against the media.

Mr. Prime Minister, stop. Enough. I hope, like the majority of Israeli citizens, that it will emerge that there was nothing (to the investigation suspicionsed.) But in the meantime, Peleg and Dayan and Abramovich are doing exactly what they need to do and must do.

They can be criticized. I myself have done this on more than one occasion. But you are not the one to criticize the media. You should not criticize it at all. You are the prime minister and one of your lawyers is personally involved in a huge strategic deal and another lawyerwho happens to be his partneris advancing the deal on your behalf. In totalitarian societies this would be silenced. In democratic countries, this needs to be exposed.

Photo: EPA

What kind of country do you want us to live in? Anyone who threatens Pelegs family or turns him into a poisonous spider that needs to be squashed is your disciplined capo. You are the origin of that.

Allow me to remind you that Peleg has also exposed matters that were not pleasant about owners of newspapers, of this newspaper. But no one in these pages, in this newspaper, undermined his right to do so because he has a duty to shed light on things.

Israel, I have written again and again, is not Turkey where journalists are arrested and it is not Russia or the Philippines where journalists are murdered. Not yet anyway.

When the media unjustifiably attacked you, I was one of the people who defended you because the media is not immune from criticism.

The media is not inventing or leading anything. It isnt creating cases or probes. It is merely exposing and reporting that which is taking place.

In any event, the media does not speak with one voice. There are many voices. Even in this newspaper there are a variety of voices. But there is one thing on which all journalist can agree, from the north to the south, from the east to the west, from the Right to the Left:

Photo: AP

Mr. Prime Minister, over the last few days I have spoken to extremely senior Likud officials. They are afraid, extremely afraid. I have spoken time and again with Likud supporters. The rally of incitement against the media was a misrepresentation.

Many of them, people from the Right, view this theatrical display with disgust and abhorrence. But we all know there is no need for the majority of Likudniks to move from the stage of incitement to the stage of physical harm for the latter to actually take place. It only takes an agitated crowd, a minority on the Right, and only a few within it to move from talk to action. You must stop this incitement now because tomorrow, Mr. Prime Minister, it could be too late.
President Reuven Rivlin rejected a request on Sunday to cancel the terms of release for the convicted rapist and former Israeli president Moshe Katsav, who was released from prison last December.

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In a statement on his decision, Rivlin said that the parole board approved Katsav's release based on the fact that it was subject to restrictive conditions and a complex rehabilitation plan that would be in place until the end of his parole in December 2018.

Moshe Katzav upon his release (Photo: Barel Efraim)

In an appeal filed by Katsav's lawyer, the former president requested to have his evening curfew cancelled in addition to a prohibition on international travel and attending Jewish study halls.

Despite Katsav's request that Rivlin take into account his age and good behavior with the Israel Prison Service, Rivlin declined to peel any restrictions from his terms, deeming them reasonable.

The parole board made a similar decision in April to reject requests by Katsav for the cancellation of release terms, noting that the proposed treatment plan was insufficient in relation to the victims of his crimes.

In a December 2016 decision, the parole board noted, "There is no doubt ... the prisoner underwent a change. The board also questioned Katsav about his actions and their consequences, and was "impressed by the honesty of his answers."

Katsav served five years of a seven-year sentence after being convicted of sexual assault against three former employees and obstruction of justice.
Some 15 disabled protesters blocked Highway 4's northbound road at the Ashdod Interchange on Sunday afternoon as part of their ongoing struggle to raise their disability benefits to equal minimum wage.

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The police arrested four of the disabled protestors after they threatened the policemen with parts of their wheelchairs, and then threatened to light themselves on fire.

Police arresting violent protestors (Photo: Naomi Moravia, Elhanan Aharon, Matan Turkia)

When the police tried to prevent their actions, four of them began to beat the officers.

Protestor attacking policeman (Photo: Israel Police)

"The Israel Police acted with great restraint today with the disabled protestors, but will not allow physical violence against its people and the endangerment human life under the guise of legitimate protest," the police said.

Protesters blocking Highway 4 (Photo: Matan Turkiya)

Netanyahu is expected to arrive in Ashdod at 6pm Sunday to sign a roof agreement that would see more housing built in the city.

Credit: Naomi Moravia (:  )

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The protest led to heavy congestion and large police forces were deployed to the scene.

Credit: Israel Police (:  )

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Police was negotiating with the protesters in an effort to convince them to block only one of the four lanes, while drivers confronted with protesters, calling on them to clear the road. Police directed traffic onto the nearby route 42 towards Yavne.

They are protesting a plan presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to raise disability benefits to NIS 4,000 a month starting January, demanding instead the benefits equal minimum wagecurrently at NIS 5,000 a month.

According to the Prime Minister's Office and the chairman of the coalition, MK David Bitan, in January 2018 the pension for disabled people with a medical disability of 90 percent or more will be increased to NIS 4,000.

Meanwhile, people with a medical disability considered less than 90 percent, who are deemed unfit for work by the government and are living under the poverty line, will see their pensions increased to NIS 3,200.

Finally, in an effort to raise disability pensions for the remaining disabled individuals over the next four years to NIS 4,000 per month, the government will raise pensions for those with a medical disability below 90 percent over several stages to ensure the plan stays within budget. Nevertheless, it has yet to be determined whether or not this will apply to all people suffering various disabilities.





But Naomi Morbia, the chairwoman of the Struggle for the Disabled organization, and the other protesters rejected the plan soon after it was made public. "We reject completely the prime minister's plan. In reality, this plan will leave us at exactly the same place we are now," she said.

She maintained that "there are false pretences here, because only about 30 percent of disabled people have a medical disability of 90 percent or more, meaning 70 percent will get nothing besides an increase to NIS 3,200. We object completely to this discrimination and the creation of first and second class disabled."
The Israeli government unanimously approved Sunday a request by the head of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC), Ze'ev Snir, to set emergency regulations that would enable issuing restraining orders against striking employees at the Negev Nuclear Research Center in Dimona.

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Scientists at the Dimona Nuclear Research Centre have been on a slowdown strike for the past three months after their demand for a wage increase was refused.

The slowdown was "disrupting activities essential to Israel" and the decision to issue the orders came in the wake of "an immediate risk" to production at the facility, according to a statement by the Prime Minister's Office.

The Dimona nuclear facility (Photo: Getty ImageBank)

The orders will be issued in a proportionate and limited manner for a period of three months to no more than 50 workers whose jobs are considered critical to preventing serious damage to vital state interests.

Snir told government ministers the researchers are dedicated professionals whose work is critical to the Commission and to the State of Israel. However, he said, their financial claims were unjustified and cannot be met by the state.

The IAEC head also said the negotiations with the research staff organization were ongoing and done in cooperation with the Finance Ministry and the Civil Service Commissionso far without any real results, however.

He added that the state's offer to resolve the labor dispute through mediation was rejected by the organization.
WASHINGTON - Senior US national security officials said Sunday that a military confrontation with North Korea's is not imminent, but they cautioned that the possibility of war is greater than it was a decade ago.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo and Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, President Trump's national security adviser, tried to provide assurances that a conflict is avoidable, while also supporting Trump's tough talk. They said the United States and its allies no longer can afford to stand by as North Korea pushes ahead with the development of a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile.

"We're not closer to war than a week ago but we are closer to war than we were a decade ago," McMaster said, adding that the Trump administration is prepared to deal militarily with North Korea if necessary.

But he stressed that the US is pursuing "a very determined diplomatic effort" led by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that's coupled with new financial sanctions to dissuade North Korean leader Kim Jong Un from further provocations.

"The US military is locked and loaded every day," McMaster said, repeating Trump's threat.
BAGHDAD - Islamic State on Sunday claimed an attack on US forces assisting Iraqi troops in the war on the jihadist militants in northern Iraq.

Islamic State fighters fired Grad rockets on American troops east of Tal Afar, a town still under control of the militants west of Mosul, according to an online statement from the group.

The American military had said earlier that two US service members had been killed and five injured during combat operations in northern Iraq on Sunday.

Islamic State's self-proclaimed "caliphate" effectively collapsed last month, when US-backed Iraqi forces completed the recapture of Mosul, the militants' capital in Iraq, after a nine-month campaign.
BEIRUT - The Syrian government has increased the size of the territory under its control by 2.5 times in just two months, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Sunday, as Syrian forces backed by regional allies and the Russian air force seized thousands of square miles (kilometers) from the Islamic State group in the center of the country.

Syrian government forces supported by Iranian-organized militias and the Russian air force have recaptured much of the country's central Homs province from the Islamic State group in 2017. Most of the province is desert. It contains several energy fields as well as phosphate minerals.

They are driving toward the city of Deir el-Zour, kept under siege by ISIS militants since 2015.

Shoigu, in an interview on Russian state-owned Rossiya 24 TV, said recapturing Deir el-Zour "will say a lot, if not everything, about the end of the battle with" the Islamic State group.
BEIRUT - The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah said on Sunday the administration of US President Donald Trump had no way to harm it, dismissing US sanctions and threats targeting his Iran-backed group.

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, speaking in a televised address to mark the 11th anniversary of the end of the 2006 war with Israel, said the US administration had no means "to damage the strength of the resistance".

Trump last month called Hezbollah "a menace" to the Lebanese people and to the entire region.

US lawmakers last month introduced legislation seeking to increase sanctions on Hezbollah by further restricting its ability to raise money and recruit and by increasing pressure on banks that do business with it.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah marked 11 years to the Second Lebanon War on Sunday with a speech in which he threatened that "the defeat Israel suffered in 2006, it will suffer again, but it will be a much greater defeat."

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Israel, he said, failed to eliminate Hezbollah in the 2006 war. "Every time an Israeli official talks about Hezbollah becoming stronger, he actually admits Israel's defeat to Hezbollah," Nasrallah claimed.

Nasrallah argued that Israel recognized Hezbollah's strength, "an example of that is the evacuation of the ammonia tank in Haifa. We hope they examine moving the nuclear reactor in Dimona as well, as it is more dangerous and needs to be taken care of."

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah

He noted since the 2006 Second Lebanon War, "there has been a new resistance in Lebanon that doesn't joke around, doesn't waste time, doesn't take an annual vacation. It works day and night, studying all of the developments, planning and examining its plans, training and arming itself in the best weapons it can obtain, because that is its natural right."

He said Israel was "putting its hopes on the Trump administration," because "the enemy knows it cannot achieve its goals and eliminate the resistance with a military conflict, and that the price of such a war would be too high. On the other hand, it cannot remain quiet as Hezbollah becomes stronger."

Israel, Nasrallah elaborated, wants the Trump administration "to put pressure on the Lebanese people, the Lebanese government and Hezbollah's friends and supporters. Everyone encounters pressure and threats."

This pressure comes in the form of financial sanctions put on Hezbollah and its supporters. US lawmakers last month introduced legislation seeking to increase sanctions on Hezbollah by further restricting its ability to raise money and recruit and by increasing pressure on banks that do business with it.

In response, Nasrallah said, "all that is required is not to surrender. I tell the American administration that it cannotwith all of its meansbe able to damage the strength of the resistance, its determination, and its strengthening in Lebanon."

Hezbollah's rally marking 11 years to Second Lebanon War (Photo: AFP)

Nasrallah said Lebanon was being subjected to intimidation and threats over Hezbollahwhich is part of the Beirut government but classified as a terrorist group by Washingtonand alleged that Lebanese officials had been told that Israel could launch a war.

European and American officials had warned them "during diplomatic meetings and international visits ... if you don't do this, Israel will launch a war on Lebanon, and if Hezbollah doesn't do this, Israel will launch a war on Lebanon," Nasrallah said. He did not spell out what had been asked of Lebanon or Hezbollah.



He said terrorism "is done by America and Israel. Even Trump accused Obama and Clinton of creating ISIS. The only one fighting this terrorism in the region is Hezbollah, which is not a terror organization, but rather a force fighting against terrorism."

Nasrallah claimed that while "Hezbollah is an armed force of destruction, it's only against the Israeli plan."

This plan, he said, was to expand Israel's territory. "Hezbollah destroyed the 'Greater Israel' plan in 2000. The proof is that they're building fences on the Lebanon, Gaza and West Bank borders. Hezbollah, along with the Palestinian factions, put an end to the 'Greater Israel' planHezbollah in 2006 and Hamas in 2014. Hezbollah and the 2006 war brought an end to Condoleezza Rice's 'New Middle East' plan," Nasrallah explained.

He further mocked Israel for complaining to the UN Security Council against a Hezbollah-funded environmental protection organization in Lebanon called Green Without Borders, which Israel says the terror organization uses to set up observation points along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Hezbollah's rally marking 11 years to Second Lebanon War

"Israel is turning to the UN over the fact Lebanon is planting trees on the border," Nasrallah said. "Israel is afraid of the tree on our border, because it thinks this tree is guarding the country and the people. Israel thinks the tree will protect the people who will fight against it when it attacks."

"I tell the residents of the south in Baalbek, in Hermel are other places: Plant trees. It's part of the resistance, part of the defense of Lebanon," he added mockingly.

Nasrallah also advised the Lebanese government to normalize ties with Syrian President Bashar Assad's government.

"The world today has taken for granted that the administration will stay on," said Nasrallah on Syria.
A new complication has arisen recently: Let us assume for a moment that an Egyptian citizen, a businessman, an adventurer whose financial situation allows him, or a patient in urgent need of medical care, insists on traveling to Israel.

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This courageous person would have to take on the unpleasant confrontation at the Interior Ministry in Cairo, when he seeks a special travel permit (only) to Israel, and they try to talk him out of it.

The same brave person would also have to deal with the venomous criticism of his friends, family and colleagues when they learn he is traveling to the "Zionist entity."

Protest in Cairo in front of the Israeli embassy (Photo: AFP)

After clearing all the hurdles, this daring person would now have to face the bureaucratic barrier: For nine months now, the Israeli embassy in Cairo has been closed. In the absence of diplomats, there is no one to issue entry visas. What would our intrepid hero do?

Until last month, he would have had to fly to Jordan (an expense of a few hundred dollars), fill out forms, submit them, return home and wait. If his visa request was approved, he would've had to fly back to Jordan (a few hundred dollars more), get a stamp on his passport and continue to Ben-Gurion Airport. If not, the hardships he endured, which cost him almost a thousand dollars, were all in vain.

Here is another problem. After the hasty departure of the Israeli diplomats from Amman, dozensperhaps hundredsof passports remained stuck at the embassy. But no official complaints were made, because who is brave enough to reveal he planned to visit the "enemy state"?

In recent days, with the return of Israeli diplomats to Jordan appears increasingly unlikely, the owners of the stuck passports are working on getting new passports.

No one can tell them, neither on the Israeli side nor on the Jordanian side, when the embassy offices are going to reopen their doors and who will staff them. Meanwhile, there are whispers recommending the replacement of the entire staff at the Israeli embassy.

Jordan's king abdullah speaking with Dr. Hamarneh brother

What is certain is that Ziv Moyalthe security guard who shot dead two Jordanians at the embassy complex after one attacked himis not going back. The family of Dr. Hamarneh, the orthopedist who owned the apartment where the shooting incident took place, refuses to accept a condolence delegation and an apology from Israel.

True, there isn't exactly a flood of tourists or an onslaught of visitors from the two countries with whom we have signed peace agreements. But there is a constant trickle of those coming quietly, under the radar. Dozens of patients, businessmen who still plan to expand their export and import routes, and even dreamers whose feet are not firmly planted on the ground of reality. Those with the right connections in Jordan and Egypt are taken care of and get special entry visas, while the others are sent to Turkey or other European capitals to enter Israel through there.

In the opposite direction, Israelis can turn to the Egyptian consulate in Tel Aviv. Some will receive visas, other will get excuses. And, despite the quarrel, it is still possible to purchase a one-time entry visa to Jordan at the border terminals and at the airport in Amman.

All this clearly shows we have lost two diplomatic missions that had been gained with considerable effort.

One can argue all the day long about the real strength of the Israeli presence in these countries, the extent of its influence, and the level of accessibility Israeli diplomats have to government offices. One can also argue about what is more important, security coordination and strategic cooperation, or having an Israeli flag displayed in the ambassador's office under a photo of President Reuven Rivlin.

Israeli embassy in Amman, Jordan (Photo: David Rubinger)

What is clear is that this situation, of a virtual embassy, is convenient for Egypt and Jordan. Things in general are also calmer. No one will organize demonstrations to expel the Israeli diplomats and cancel the peace agreements. Also, no one will urge us to reopen, because it's easier to manage without an embassy clearly bearing Israeli symbols.

But we must not give up and we must not neglect our diplomatic ties with Jordan and Egypt. We must send an emissary to the intelligence headquarters in Cairo to resolve the security issue that led to the closure of the embassy.

The situation in Jordan is a bit more complicated: King Abdullah has tied the reopening of the embassy to receiving the report from the Israeli investigation into the shooting incident and seeing the security guard brought to justice. We should also not forget that to this day, we have not heard a convincing Israeli version of what happened inside the apartment, which resulted in the death of the 17-year-old stabber and the doctor who was caught in the middle.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Sunday that Iran was expanding its regional influence in Syria.

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Netanyahu said the government was briefed by Mossad Director Yossi Cohen on the security challenges Israel faces. "I'll give you a summary in one sentenceISIS going out, Iran coming in. Simple. We're mostly talking about Syria," he said during a ceremony in Ashdod.

"Our policy is clear: We firmly oppose to the military buildup of Iran and its proxies, primarily Hezbollah, in Syria. And we will do whatever it takes to protect Israel's security," he stressed.

Prime Minister Netanyahu (Photo: Avi Rokach)

"We are protecting the country and its borders. We are bolstering the IDFstrengthening security forces all the timeto ensure security," the prime minister added.

"We know that in order to build this country, we must protect it. That's the top priority," Netanyahu asserted.

In his briefing to the government ministers earlier in the day, Mossad Director Cohen said Iran was filling the vacuum left by ISIS as it loses its hold on territories in Syria and Iraq.

Iran, Cohen elaborated, was expanding its influence both directly through Iranian forces and via local proxies in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria and Yemen.

Cohen also told the ministers Tehran had not given up on its goal of becoming a nuclear threshold state, and that the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers helped Iran get closer to its goal and emboldened it in its regional aggression. He pointed out that since the nuclear deal was signed, Irans economy has grown.
The US State Department said Sunday it was "saddened and horrified" by the news of the killing of seven Syrian first responders in their base in the country's rebel-held Idlib Province.

The Syrian Civil Defense, popularly known as the White Helmets, has been applauded globally for braving air strikes and artillery fire to rescue civilians in Syria's unforgiving war zones.

Dozens of its first responders have been killed in the line of duty. But seven were killed in their sleep early morning Saturday in Sarmin, Idlib. It was not immediately clear who was behind the killings.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. The Matenadaran scientific-research institute of ancient manuscripts after Mesrop Mashtots hosted more than 60.000 visitors within 7 months, the Matenadaran told Armenpress.

The number of visitors has increased every month.

In January the number of visitors was 2.665, in February  3.310, in May  14.145, in June  15.564, and in July  13.089.

The number of people visited Matenadaran in 2016 amounted to 91.000, in 2015 it was 86.915. The visitors are mostly from Russia, Germany is ranked 2nd, then come Italy and Spain. There are also visitors from Iran, France, Poland, Balkan countries, China and etc. The geography of visitors expands every year. Tourists arrive both by the initiative of tourism companies and individually.

Tour guides are working at the Matenadaran who are specialized in 6-7 foreign languages. A program is expected to be implemented according to which scientists specializing in different languages can work with tourists from time to time.

It is already several years Matenadaran carries out digitization process. During this period more than 6.000 manuscripts have been digitized, but there are still a lot of works since Matenadaran has more than 20.000 manuscripts.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 10, ARMENPRESS. The macro-economic indicators of the participating countries of the Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) have been improved in the first half of 2017, according to the EDB semi-annual report, Armenpress reports.

If in the 1st half of 2016 there was a decline of export volumes of goods and services at almost all countries of the Bank, except Armenia, in 2017 there is a positive increase in export volumes of goods in all countries.

In particular, in the first half of 2017, the export volume of a product in Armenia increased by 17.8% compared to the same period of 2016, in Belarus it increased by 20.7%, in Kazakhstan by 24.5%, in Kyrgyzstan by 20.5%, in Russia by 33.7% and in Tajikistan by 22.7%. The economic activity in Russia contributed to improving the macro-economic figures of Armenia, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan at the expense of remittances, Yaroslav Lissovolik, chief economist at the EDB, said.

The report says the recovery of economic activity positively affected the living standards of the people of the region. The authors of the report state that the economic activity in the countries of Eurasian region became a matter to review the GDP predictions for 2017. As for Armenia, the 2.9% GDP for 2017 has been revised up to 5.2%.
YEREVAN, 10 AUGUST, ARMENPRESS. The Central Bank of Armenia informs Armenpress that today, 10 August, USD exchange rate is up by 0.04 drams to 478.75 drams. EUR exchange rate is down by 1.44 drams to 560.57 drams. Russian Ruble exchange rate is up by 0.02 drams to 8.00 drams. GBP exchange rate is down by 0.81 drams to 621.85 drams.

The Central Bank has set the following prices for precious metals.

Gold price is up by 144.00 drams to 19564.22 drams. Silver price is up by 0.03 drams to 255.36 drams. Platinum price is up by 108.99 drams to 15068.93 drams.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 11, ARMENPRESS. A criminal case has been initiated at the General Investigation Department of the Special Investigation Service of the Republic of Armenia for subjecting an Armenian citizen to labour exploitation in Georgia's Azerbaijani populated Soghanlugh village.

As "Armenpress" was informed from the press service of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, as a result of media monitoring a number of publications have been recorded on the labour exploitation of an Armenian citizen in the Azerbaijani populated village in Georgia.

According to those publications, on July 28, 2017 a representative of the Armenian MFA announced at a press conference that the Armenian man was kept like a slave for years in an Azerbaijani populated village in Georgia and was subjected to labour exploitation during those years. Fortunatelly, it has been possible to take him back to Armenia. To check the mentioned information the Deputy Chairman of the Investigative Committee of Armenia, Head of the Special Investigation Service Vahagn Harutyunyan tasked to prepare materials. As a result, it was found out that in 2003 the Armenian citizen left for Georgia hoping to find a job, where he asked the driver of a random car to help him in finding a job. The mentioned person took him to the Azerbaijani populated village in Georgia, where the members of an Azerbaijani family, taking advantage of his vulnarable situation conditioned by being unfamiliar to the area, kept in in in something like slavery till May 7, 2017 making him to work without any remuneration in their land and the lands of their neighbors, while he lived in the mansard of the house sleeping on cardboard boxes.

A criminal case was initiated at the General Investigation Department of the Special Investigation Service of Armenia on August 10.

Preliminary investigation is underway.
YEREVAN, AUGUST 12, ARMENPRESS. Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan has sent a message on International Youth Day. As Armenpress was informed from the press service of Yerevan Municipality, the message runs as follows,

Dear young people,

I cordially congratulate you on International Youth Day.

Its not a secret that youth is the best time of human life for these years are years of dreams, purposefulness, new ideas, and overcoming of hardships. At young age we choose our further way. Ant its very important that the knowledge and skills we get should serve development of our country and strengthening its safety.

I would note with delight that today, with their endless enthusiasm and inspiration young people stand at the beginning of any initiative aimed at welfare of our country and our people and are ready to resist any challenges.

Congratulating you once again I wish you new achievements and realization of all gals. Be sure that Yerevan Municipality is always next to you and is ready to support all your constructive initiatives for the sake of our country and welfare of our capital city-Yerevan.
Destabilizing the Destabilized

July 16, 2017...I wrote this Blog Posting just over 3 years ago and updated it today.

I Googled, "Destabilize the Middle East" and got 747,000 results.



Anytime you hear some Talking Head say, "Destabilize the Middle East" (and you hear it often) think about this Blog Posting.



Here are the first 15 of the 747,000...

1. Obama Destabilized the Middle East on Purpose

2. Israel's Long-Time Strategy to Destabilize the Middle East

3. American Ground Invasions Destabilize the Middle East

4. Snow threatens to destabilize Middle East

5. The Destabilization of Syria and the Broader Middle East War

6. IMPLOSION OF THE MIDDLE EAST: Destabilizing Iraq and Syria

7. Obama and Hillary Helping to Destabilize the Middle East

8. U. S. to Attack Syria and Further Destabilize Middle East

9. Obama Continues the Bush Mistake of Destabilizing the Middle East

10. Brain-Dead Foreign Policy - Destabilizing the Middle East - Feeding the War Cycle

11. Iraqi Shiite Cleric Issues Call to Arms Against Sunni Militants

12. 9/11 - U.S. Planned Middle East Destabilization Since 2000

13. The PNAC Plan to Destabilize the Middle East and the world

14. Destabilizing the Last Stable Area in the Middle East

15. Syrian Civil War Could Destabilize Entire Middle East



I bet you think I made up #4... Snow threatens to destabilize Middle East but I did not. Google it!



My favorite is #14... Destabilizing the Last Stable Area in the Middle East. Believe it or not, the Last Stable Area referred to is Israel & Palestine. Google it!



Sorry I did not list the other 746, 985 but I think you get the Fella's drift.



Would I kid u?

Smartfella



Lagniappe: Wow! I just went to check out some of what I pecked out about the 747,000. I searched again on, "Destabilize the Middle East" and found that the 747,000 has jumped to 751,000.



I'm glad I went back to check because I found out I now have a new Favorite! One of the 751,000 is, "Israel-Palestinian 'Peace' Would Destabilize Middle East".



Peace will Destabilize ... Huh? Beam me up, Scottie, there no intelligent life down here.



You are forgiven if you think I made this up.



Would I kid u?

Smartfella

------------------------

If you think the Destabilization Chatter ended because I wrote the above blog exactly 3 years ago, you are being Foolish.



I just Googled "Destabilize The Middle East" again and got only 476,000 Results (don't ask me to explain or understand how Results are calculated) but the real interesting thing is that articles about Destabilizing The Middle East are still with us. The names have been changed but the craziness continues. Here are the first 5 in the 476,000 Results List...



1. Spicer says Trump trying to destabilize the Middle East.

2. Tillerson slams Iran as destabilizing force in Middle East.

3. Why is the USA destabilizing the Middle East?

4. Rex Tillerson accused Iran of 'alarming provocations' to destabilize countries in the Middle East.

5. Iran: Destabilizing the Middle East Through Proxy Allies.



Let's face it, the Middle East will always be Destabilized as long as conversations like I am going to peck out below continue happening...



Talking Head says to Mohammed, "Why are you trying to kill other Arabs?"



Mohammed responds, "Of course I will always try to kill them. I will try to kill them all the days of my life. Don't you understand what his people did to my people in the year 1277?"



Sadly I'm not kidding u.

Smartfella


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.
GABORONE (Reuters) - Exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama has canceled a planned visit to Botswana because of exhaustion, his office said, a move that is likely to be welcomed by China, a major investor in the African country. The Dalai Lama had been expected to address a human rights conference in the capital Gaborone on Aug. 17-19 and meet Botswana's president during the trip. Visits by the Dalai Lama to foreign countries infuriate China, and it stepped up warnings to Botswana last month, with its Foreign Ministry spokesman demanding "the relevant country earnestly respect China's core interests and make the correct political decision on this matter". Botswana reacted by saying that as a sovereign state, it retained the right to permit anyone to enter the country. The Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in India, has long been at loggerheads over Tibet with China, which brands him a reactionary and separatist. The Dalai Lama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, says he seeks greater rights, including religious freedom, and true autonomy for Tibetans. In a statement late on Friday the Dalai Lama's office said his doctors had advised him to avoid undertaking long journeys for the next few weeks. "During the past few weeks, His Holiness has found that carrying out his activities has left him unusually tired," it said. "Although he had been eagerly looking forward to visiting Gaborone ... His Holiness has reluctantly had to concede that his 82-year old body was telling him to rest." China's fast-growing demand for raw materials has made it one of the biggest investors in Africa and its largest trade partner. Chinese state-owned companies have been awarded contracts to build roads, dams, power stations and airports in Botswana. (Writing by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by Andrew Bolton)
DUBAI (Reuters) - Kuwaiti authorities have arrested 12 people convicted in absentia of spying for Iran and Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday. Kuwait had charged 25 of its nationals  all of them Shi'ites  and an Iranian citizen after the discovery of guns and explosives in a raid on the so-called "Abdali cell" in 2015, which escalated sectarian tensions. Kuwaiti prosecutors alleged that the men intended to carry out "hostile acts" against Kuwait. One person was sentenced to death, the rest to prison terms. In June, Kuwait's highest court overturned the death sentence and reduced some of the prison terms while increasing others. At least 14 were sentenced in absentia, including the Iranian national. Iran has denied any involvement in the case. "The interior ministry announces that security services have arrested in different regions 12 people sentenced in the so-called Abdali cell," a statement from the ministry and carried by the state news agency KUNA said. Authorities are still searching for two others convicted in the same case and still on the run, the statement added. Kuwait, which has a large Shi'ite Muslim minority, sits in a difficult geographical position, close to two major regional powers and arch foes - mainly Shi'ite Iran and Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia. (Reporting by Mohamed el Sherif; Editing by Adrian Croft)
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 13

Trend:

Minister of Defense Colonel General Zakir Hasanov, who is paying visit to Moscow, took part in the solemn closing ceremony of the "International Army Games - 2017", which was organized at the Alabino training ground on August 12, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry said August 13.

On the last day of the competition, the official guests watched the competition of teams that had reached the final part and took part in rewarding servicemen who won various competitions.

Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergei Shoigu and First Deputy Defense Minister  Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces General of the Army Valery Gerasimov visited the House of Friendship, which has been organized within the framework of the International Army Games.

Here they have met with the Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan Colonel General Zakir Hasanov and together visited the Azerbaijani pavilion of the exhibition of culture samples of the participating countries, where they have got closely acquainted with the exhibits reflecting the history, culture, traditions and way of life of our country.

Solemn closing ceremony of the "International army games - 2017" ended with a festive concert.

It should be pointed out that the Azerbaijan Armed Forces representatives have represented our country at a high level in such contests as "Sea Cup", "Tank Biathlon", "Field Kitchen", "Sniper Frontier" and "Masters of Artillery Fire" held within the framework of the International Army Games.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 13

Trend:

Until recently, Azerbaijan was a stalwart on our 'Hardest Visa To Get' list. Getting a visa to visit the country was a long and torturous process with no guarantee of success. Then the authorities introduced an electronic visa, Wanderlust travel magazine reported.

Overnight, the whole process of getting a visa to Azerbaijan was hugely simplified. Everything is done online and the visa is issued after only 2-4 days. The fees are significantly lower too.

According to the magazine, the second place took Cambodia. Cambodia has joined the modern world and introduced an electronic visa too, again making the process simpler and faster. The application only takes 2-3 days and the visa is emailed to you once its issued.

Crossing into the country from Vietnam, Laos or Thailand? Not a problem. Cambodian visas can be obtained on arrival at most major border crossings.

Sri Lanka is the third country with the easiest visa procedure. Whether youre heading to one of its golden beaches or one of its acclaimed National Parks, getting into Sri Lanka has never been easier.

Simply fill in an online form and press 'Enter'. Your Sri Lankan E-Visa will generally be issued within 24 hours, without hassles, interviews or letters.

The fourth is Tajikistan. Last year, Tajikistan introduced an E-visa, simplifying the application process to the point where you can submit your application online with just a copy of your passport.

With one quick stroke, tiresome visits to your local Tajikistan embassy were done away with. The visa is issued in 1-3 days. All you have to do is print it out and take it with you on your trip. Simple and easy, exactly as it should be.

According to the magazine the last place took Vietnam. Hows this for easy? UK citizens travelling to Vietnam for under 15 days don't need a visa at all. Simply turn up and youll be issued an entry stamp on the spot.

Planning to stay in Vietnam a little longer? Visitors who plan to explore the country for up to 30 days can apply for an electronic visa. The processing time is only 1-2 days and the whole process is done online.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Aug. 13

By Demir Azizov - Trend:

Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Combine (AMMC, Almalyk city, Tashkent region), a monopoly copper producer in Uzbekistan, has started implementation of the second phase of the "Development of the Dalneye deposit" project, the press service of the AMMC reported.

The work was started on the instruction of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who arrived in Almalyk to participate in the solemn ceremony dedicated to the beginning of the work.

It was earlier reported that Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev by his decree approved measures to expand production capacities of AMMC on basis of Dalneye deposit in early March 2017.

The project will be implemented from 2017 to 2028 in two phases. The first phase of the project will be implemented from 2017 to 2021.

The combine started implementation of the first phase, which envisages development of the Central quarry of the Dalneye deposit, execution of overburden and mining operations and creation of facilities for production, transport, energy and other auxiliary infrastructure, in April 2017.

The second phase (2019-2028) envisages construction of a complex of processing, smelting, associated and auxiliary facilities with processing capacity of 23 million tons of ore per year with the continuation of overburden and mining operations.

The processing capacity of these facilities is planned to reach 35 million tons of ore per year before 2028.

The total cost of the project is about $1.7 billion. The project will be financed through the loans of the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan, commercial banks and own funds of the AMMC.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 13

By Anvar Mammadov  Trend:

Azerbaijans trade turnover with five main trade partners reached 5.37 billion manats in January-July 2017, which accounts for 50.7 percent of all volume of the countrys trade turnover, said a report of Azerbaijans State Customs Committee Aug. 11.

In January-July 2017, Italy ranked first in the list of Azerbaijans foreign trading partners with a trade turnover of $1.55 billion and a specific weight of 14.77 percent. Italy is followed by Turkey - $1.45 billion (13.83 percent), Russia  $1.12 billion (10.6 percent), China  $775.94 million (7.37 percent) and Germany  $430.95 million (4.1 percent).

January-July 2017 January-July 2016 Country Trade turnover (thousand manats) Specific weight (%) Trade turnover (thousand manats) Specific weight (%) Difference (%) Italy 1,553,586.54 14.77 1,094,790.4 11.71 +42.2 Turkey 1,454,693.02 13.83 791,040.87 8.46 +83.8 Russia 1,115,067.11 10.6 1,062,074.88 11.36 +5.7 China 775,937.3 7.37 390,567.53 4.18 +98.7 Germany 430,952.06 4.1 575,421.94 6.16 -25.1

Italy remains leader for consumption of Azerbaijani goods. The country accounted for $1.39 billion (22.57 percent) of Azerbaijans total export volume.

Italy is followed by Turkey - $766.51 million (12.46 percent), China - $340.64 million (5.54 percent), Russia - $329.11 million (5.35 percent) and Georgia - $284.5 million (4.62 percent). The share of these countries in total export volume of Azerbaijan is 50.54 percent.

In January-July 2017, Azerbaijan imported goods worth $785.95 million (17.99 percent) from Russia. Russia ranked first for this indicator and was followed by Turkey - $688.18 million (15.75 percent), China - $435.3 million (9.96 percent), the US - $381.11 million (8.72 percent) and Germany - $201.68 million (4.62 percent). The share of these countries in total import volume of Azerbaijan is 57.04 percent.

Azerbaijans foreign trade operations decreased by 6.9 percent and amounted to $10.52 billion in January-July 2017, as compared to the same period of 2016. The surplus in the reporting period amounted to $1.78 billion, whereas in January-July 2016, a trade deficit of $167.47 million was recorded.
Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Sunday that Iran mulls sound implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the US disloyalties along with increasing level of cooperation with our neighboring countries, IRNA reported.

Speaking to a group of Majlis representatives, he said we hope interaction between Majlis and government will lead to the country's developments.

The foreign ministry is to take proper action to help develop health tourism in the country, Zarif said in the meeting.

Placement of students and professors with foreign universities was among issues examined in the meeting.

Iran foreign ministry in line with the resistance economy is to pave grounds for more visits of foreign tourists to the country as much as possible, Zarif said.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 13

By Farhad Daneshvar  Trend:

Unlike President Hassan Rouhani who earlier described talks of renegotiating the 2015 nuclear deal as "meaningless", an Iranian politician believes that fresh talks would protect the interests of both, Tehran and the world powers.

"Renegotiating the nuclear deal with the P5+1 is the only way to break the deadlock and it would allow the sides to enjoy maximum benefits of the deal," Saeed Yari, chief secretary of a political party known as the Organization on Iran's National Interest Protection, has told Trend.

He added that his organization had earlier drafted a new deal for replacing the current nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries which was concluded back in 2015.

Saeed Yari believes that the proposed draft would remove the shortcomings of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPO aka Iran nuclear deal) and it would protect the rights of the both sides, Iran and the members of the P5+1.

He said that the draft was proposed to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other high-ranking officials in the country.

The proposed deal would minimize the risk of a war and it would assure the Westerners about Irans peaceful nuclear deal.

He further touched upon the recent remarks by the US President Donald Trump accusing Iran of failing to live up to the spirit of the nuclear deal and said the US president is seeking to get more privileges out of the deal.

Reacting to Trumps remarks Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said that Donald Trump is trying to play blame game on Iran in order to avoid isolation.

Trump before taking office in January, had called the July 2015 agreement "the worst deal ever negotiated", threatening to either scrap the accord or seek a better deal.

Under the 2015 nuclear accord with the US, France, Germany, Britain, Russia and China, Tehran agreed to shrink its nuclear program to satisfy the powers that it could not be put to developing atomic bombs. In exchange, Iran received relief from sanctions, most of which were lifted in January 2016.

However, Tehran says the US has failed to honor its commitments under the nuclear accord.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 13

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri is scheduled to visit Turkey on Tuesday for talks on fighting terrorism, IRIB news agency reported.

The upcoming three-day visit will take place at the official invitation of his Turkish counterpart, General Hulusi Akar, the report added.

According to the report, the sides are expected to discuss the latest regional developments, bilateral cooperation and the issues of borders, as well.
Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 13

By Khalid Kazimov  Trend:

A high-ranking member of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has reportedly been killed in recent clashes with the IS terrorist group (ISIS,ISIL, Daesh) in Syria, Tasnim news agency reported.

IRGC Colonel Janmohammad Alipour is the second member of the elite force who has been killed in Syria over the past week.

According to the report, the slain commander was from southwestern Iranian city of Andimeshk.

In a separate development, media outlets recently reported that Mohsen Hojaji, another IRGC serviceman, was captured by ISIS on August 7 and reportedly was decapitated two days later, on Wednesday.

Several IRGC commanders including Major General Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds force, have vowed to take revenge for the beheading of Mohsen Hojaji.
Iranian president Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday that implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) will be in interest of the county, region and the world, IRNA reported.

President Rouhani made the remarks in a farewell bid to the 11th government in Tehran on Sunday.

The upcoming government is to pursue its defined policy in line with the country's interests in attaining freedom, security, tranquility and development, President Rouhani said.

'We spared no efforts to implement JCPOA which was very time consuming for the government and now there is no one in the world to claim that Iran was the loser due to such internationally-recognized agreement,' he said.

'We are all united against those who mind to weaken the JCPOA accord,' he said.

The main important issue in JCPOA was the fact that it was a win-win game and win-lost game was totally out of question, Rouhani pointed out.

In a word, there is no doubt that implementation of the JCPOA will be to the benefit of the country and region as well as the whole globe and anyone minds to deal a blow to it, it has harmed himself and his country, President Rouhani said.
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi on Sunday condemned the US President Donald Trump provocative and meddling remarks on Venezuela's internal politics, IRNA reported.

'The contemporary history of the world politics shows that the era of manipulation of military threats and pressures against independent state in order to force them to accept irrational and illegal demands is over,' Qasemi said in a message released on Sunday.

'Respecting the country's sovereignty and independence within the framework of international rules is necessary,' he noted.

In a move to support the right wing parties rival to the leftist ruling party in Venezuela, the US has imposed crippling sanctions against Caracas and has threatened the country with military option.
Tehran, Iran, Aug. 13

By Mehdi Sepahvand, Trend:

Iranian lawmakers amended a law on death sentence for drugs smugglers, introducing a less exacting legislature, the Parliaments website majlestv.ir reported August 13.

According to the new legislature, capital punishment for those convicted of drugs trafficking will be replaced with life imprisonment and fine.

Nevertheless, a previous law on life imprisonment sentence was replaced by one that allows imprisonment sentence (without the life clause) and fine.

The amendment does not apply to armed smugglers, ringleaders and misusers of -18-olds, or convicts with a history of death or +15 years imprisonment sentence.

The bill must still be approved by the conservative-dominated Guardian Council but gained parliamentary approval after months of debate.

According to Amnesty International, Iran was one of the top five executioners in the world in 2016, with most of its hangings related to illicit drugs.

The amendment will apply retroactively, thus commuting the sentences for many of the 5,300 inmates currently on death row for drug trafficking.

Iran bears the brunt of world fight on drugs as it is situated next to the opium wellspring Afghanistan.
After months of attacking Venezuela's unpopular President Nicolas Maduro, Latin America came out strongly against U.S. threats of military action against the crisis-hit nation. U.S. President Donald Trump's surprise comments on Friday may bring the beleaguered Maduro some respite in the region, just as Venezuela was on verge of becoming a pariah over its recent installation of a legislative superbody, widely condemned as a power grab by the ruling Socialists, Reuters reported.

Following Trump's assertion that military intervention in Venezuela was an option, Maduro's critics are caught between backing the idea of a foreign invasion of Venezuela or supporting a president they call a dictator.

The sudden escalation of Washington's response to Venezuela's crisis preceded U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's trip to the region beginning Sunday. He is set to visit Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Panama.

Trump did not specify what type of options he had in mind.

Venezuela's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino on Friday disparaged Trump's warning as "craziness" and Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on Saturday Venezuela rejected "hostile" threats, calling on Latin America to unite against Washington.

"We want to express gratitude for all the expressions ofsolidarity and rejection of the use of force from governments around the world, including Latin America," said Arreaza, in a short speech on Saturday.

"Some of these countries have recently taken positions absolutely contrary to our sovereignty and independence but still have rejected the declarations of the U.S. president."
daniel loeb third point

Daniel Loeb's hedge fund, Third Point, took a large stake in Alibaba in the second quarter, according to SEC filings.

The fund bought 4.5 million shares of the Chinese e-commerce giant which are worth about $634.1 million. Loeb also bought a large $654.7 million stake in BlackRock in the period.

Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba, came to the US in June and told Detroit business owners that his e-commerce platform could be a way for small, US businesses to access the large Chinese market. The company is also offering Chinese customers easier access to the global economy with a partnership with Marriott. The strategy seems to be popular with investors, as Alibaba is up 70.99% this year and popped after the Marriott deal.

The SEC filings represent second quarter holdings by Third Point, so the firm's positions could have changed since the end of the quarter. The firm's largest holdings disclosed in the filing were in Baxter International and Dow Chemical. BlackRock, a position the firm took in the second quarter, is the third largest holding.

alibaba stock price

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Watch SpaceX Laugh at Some of Its Most Explosive Missteps

As many in the United States and abroad are watching as tensions grow with North Korea, Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk issued a warning about artificial intelligence.

If youre not concerned about AI safety, you should be. Vastly more risk than North Korea, Musk tweeted Friday, referencing Kim Jong Uns threat of a missile strike on Guam.

The tweet also included a photo that reads, In the end the machines will win.

Musk also warned that artificial intelligence should be regulated the same way anything that could pose a danger to the public is.

This is not the first time Musk has warned people about AI.

Just last month, he called it a fundamental existential risk for human civilization, prompting Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to publicly disagree.

But Musk isnt alone. Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking have also issued warnings regarding AI.

If you're not concerned about AI safety, you should be. Vastly more risk than North Korea. pic.twitter.com/2z0tiid0lc  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 12, 2017

Nobody likes being regulated, but everything (cars, planes, food, drugs, etc) that's a danger to the public is regulated. AI should be too.  Elon Musk (@elonmusk) August 12, 2017

Musk is the founder of OpenAI, which is a non-profit promoting responsible development of artificial intelligence through research and an emphasis on ethics.
Abigail Johnson

Fidelity is testing out a new service to help make life easier for its clients who invest in cryptocurrencies.

The $2.3 trillion investor announced on Wednesday a partnership between its Fidelity Labs, the firm's innovation center, and Coinbase, the cryptocurrency exchange serving nearly 9 million customers.

As part of the partnership, Coinbase users will be able to view their bitcoin, ethereum, and litecoin holdings alongside their other accounts in their Fidelity Portfolio.

The company told Business Insider it's not entirely sure how many of its users will benefit from the service, but that's the whole point of the trial.

"We are trying to create the best customer experience," Hadley Stern, managing director at Fidelity Labs, told Business Insider."When we allowed customers to donate bitcoin to our charitable fund we were unsure about how many people would do it, but it played out well."

Donations made in bitcoin to Fidelity Charitable, a $16 billion donor-advised philanthropic fund, grew to about $9 million in the first half of 2017. That's about $2 million more than what bitcoin donors contributed in all of 2016.

Fidelity's CEO Abigail Johnson is a bitcoin enthusiast. In May, The Wall Street Journal reported that Johnson voiced her support of the cryptocurrency in a speech at a conference hosted by CoinDesk, a cryptocurrency news site.

Some of you might be wondering: Why am I here today? Johnson said, according to the Journal."Im here because I love this stuff... all that the future might hold.

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SpaceX plans to send a supercomputer to the International Space Station.

The Elon Musk-led space technology companys next rocket, scheduled for August 14, will carry a Hewlett Packard Enterprise supercomputer to test how powerful commercially available computers function in space.

HPE said Friday that the launch is part of a joint experiment with NASA that will track the supercomputers performance during a year in space. The goal is to ensure that supercomputers can operate without problems during extended periods in space, such as would be required for a year-long mission to Mars, HPE said.

Congrats to @HPE & @NASA on pushing the boundaries of space exploration with the launch of the Spaceborne Computer: https://t.co/b8lhPqmqz8  Meg Whitman (@MegWhitman) August 11, 2017

The more distant spacecraft go in space, the more difficult it is for astronauts and researchers on Earth to communicate because of latency, or delays in signals reaching their destination. As a result, a long communication lag would make any on-the-ground exploration challenging and potentially dangerous if astronauts are met with any mission critical scenarios that theyre not able to solve themselves, Alain Andreoli, HPEs senior vice president of its data center infrastructure group, said in a blog post.

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The supercomputer, blandly called Spaceborne Computer, contains two of HPEs beefy Apollo servers. The hardware has not been modified to improve performance.

Andreoli wrote that HPE built a special water-cooled enclosure for the supercomputer as well as custom software designed to meet NASAs specifications for computers in space. These additions were built to ensure the supercomputer can withstand space-related problems like radiation, solar flares, subatomic particles, micrometeoroids, unstable electrical power, irregular cooling, he said.

Story continues

As the computing publication The Next Platform notes, the supercomputer will run the same kind of benchmark tests that researchers at the TOP500 organization use for their biannual rankings of the worlds most powerful supercomputers.

Andreoli explained that HPE has a 30-year relationship with NASA that it inherited through its acquisition of computing hardware maker SGI for $275 million in 2016.

As of Friday, SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket is slated to take off at 12:31 PM EST on Monday, according to USA Today.
FILE PHOTO - U.S. President Donald Trump leaves the Oval Office as he departs for vacation in Bedminster, New Jersey, from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., August 4, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

After a week of "fire and fury" threats from President Donald Trump, he emerged from a national security meeting stressing his hope that the North Korean crisis would be resolved peacefully.

Asked if South Korea could feel assured of Trump's handling of the situation, Trump said he thinks it's "very happy," as was Japan. Trump took the opportunity to bash former US presidents who presided over a slowly nuclearizing North Korea and failed to bring the program to a halt.

Trump said that South Korea felt "more reassured with me than with other presidents in the past," but because South Korea also has a new president, and the South Korean people have never faced a threat as evolved as today's North Korea, it would be hard to gauge the accuracy of that statement.

Though Trump repeated his refrain that if North Korea made good on its plans to fire missiles near Guam, "there's gonna be big, big trouble in North Korea," he ultimately struck a more positive note.

When asked about a threat in North Korean media, Trump said that he would not respond to North Korean media and wait for comment from Kim Jong Un, who he said has been "very quiet in the last three days."

"I think the president has made it clear he prefers a diplomatic solution" to North Korea, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson chimed in during the conference. Tillerson added that Trump was making the consequences clear should North Korea attack the US.

"Hopefully itll all work out soon," said Trump. 'Nobody loves a peaceful solution better than President Trump."

"I support peace, I support safety, and I support having to get very tough if we have to protect America or our allies," said Trump.

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24/7 Wall St. has put together a preview of a few major companies scheduled to report their quarterly results this coming week. The broad markets have pulled back from their all-time highs on developing news about increasing tensions with North Korea. Although these concerns dont pose much of a fundamental issue to most stocks, investors have seemingly used this opportunity to take profits. However, strong earnings reports from these stocks could help to push the markets back to their highs.

We have included the consensus earnings estimates from Thomson Reuters, as well as the stock price and trading history.

Be advised that the earnings and revenue estimates may change ahead of the formal reports, and some companies change earnings dates as well.

Home Depot Inc. (HD) is expected to share its latest quarterly earnings early on Tuesday. The consensus estimates are $2.21 in earnings per share (EPS) and revenue of $27.8 billion. Shares closed at $154.88 on Friday, with a consensus analyst price target of $171.27 and a 52-week range of $119.20 to $160.86. For more, see our separate look at when Home Depot reports.

ALSO READ: 10 Top Stocks Analysts Want You to Sell Now

The Urban Outfitters Inc. (URBN) earnings report for the most recent quarter is expected on Tuesday. The consensus estimates are calling for a $0.37 in EPS and $861.95 million in revenue. Shares closed trading most recently at $17.76, in a 52-week range of $16.19 to $40.80. The consensus price target is $20.20.

L Brands Inc. (LB) fiscal second-quarter results are scheduled for Wednesday. The consensus earnings estimate is $0.44 per share, on $2.75 billion in revenue. The shares were last seen at $40.88. The consensus price target is $50.13, and the 52-week trading range is $40.77 to $79.67.

Target Corp. (TGT) is set to release its most recent quarterly results Wednesday. The consensus forecast calls for $1.17 in EPS and $16.26 billion in revenue. Shares ended the week at $55.66. The consensus price target is $58.38, and the 52-week range is $48.56 to $79.33.

Story continues

ALSO READ: 11 Great American Companies That Have Totally Lost Control of Their Narrative

Fiscal fourth-quarter results from Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) also are due out Wednesday. The consensus forecast sees $0.61 in EPS and $12.06 billion in revenue. Shares traded at $31.47. The 52-week range is $29.12 to $34.60, the consensus price target is $35.83.

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA) will report its most recent quarterly results on Thursday. The consensus estimates call for $0.91 in EPS and $7.06 billion in revenue. Shares closed trading at $151.70 on Friday, in a 52-week range of $86.01 to $160.39. The consensus price target is $170.46.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) fiscal second-quarter results also are scheduled for Thursday. The consensus forecast is $1.07 in EPS and $122.86 billion in revenue. Shares were last seen at $80.40. The 52-week range is $65.28 to $81.99, with a consensus analyst price target of $80.97.

ALSO READ: The Most Commonly Spoken Foreign Languages in Each State

And Deere & Co. (DE) will share its latest quarterly earnings on Friday. The consensus estimates are $1.91 in EPS and $6.92 billion in revenue. Shares were trading most recently at $126.70, in a 52-week range of $76.73 to $132.50. The consensus price target is $132.72.

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A crowd numbering in the tens of thousands greeted Pakistans deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on August 12 as he arrived in his hometown of Lahore from Islamabad after a three-day protest drive.



The crowd was part of a massive protest that began on August 9 when Sharif launched what he called a caravan of democracy from Islamabad to Lahore.



Sharifs long cavalcade has stopped overnight in three different cities since he began the journey.



He has given speeches along the way in which he criticized a decision by Pakistans Supreme Court that disqualified him from public office.



Sharif resigned from the prime ministers post on July 28 after the court ruling over an investigation that concluded his family could not account for vast wealth it owns in offshore companies.



The investigation stemmed from the so-called Panama Papers leaks in April 2016, when documents from a Panama-based law firm revealed that three of Sharif's four children owned offshore companies and assets not shown on his familys wealth statement.



The July court ruling marked the third time Sharifs government was dismissed.



He previously was dismissed from office in 1993 and in 1999.

Based on reporting by AP, AFP, and dawn.com
Sat, 11/12 (10am ET): 55 Percentile to 90 Percentile in GMAT Verbal in 2 Months - Watch Riddhis GMAT Journey
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VOA Learning English presents Americas Presidents.

Today we are talking about William McKinley. He took office in 1897 and was re-elected in 1900. He led the United States into the 20th century.

One way to think of McKinley is as a transition president. In the 1800s, lawmakers were mostly concerned with how the country was growing in North America.

But during McKinleys government, the U.S. looked beyond its borders. Congress declared war on Spain, the first time the U.S. had fought a European power since the War of 1812 against Britain.

The U.S. also took control of overseas territories, annexed Hawaii, and tried to regulate the worlds trade with China.

Some historians say President McKinley himself wanted the U.S. to increase its international influence. Others argue that he was just answering the countrys mood at the time.

Either way, his presidency is often defined by the countrys rise as an imperial power.

Early life

McKinley was the sixth president to come from the state of Ohio. He was the seventh of eight children. Historians describe his childhood as loving and fun.

His father owned a small iron factory. His mother raised her children to be honest and polite.

McKinley was a hard-working student. He briefly attended Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, but he did not have the money to finish his education there.

A few years after leaving that school, he volunteered for the Army on the side of the Union in the Civil War. He served under a man who would later become president himself, Rutherford B. Hayes. The two stayed close throughout their lives.

After the war ended, McKinley studied law, became involved in Republican Party politics, married, and had two daughters.

His wife, Ida, was an energetic, well-educated young woman from a wealthy family. For a while, she had worked in her fathers bank.

But Ida McKinleys health began to suffer. She was struck by seizures. Then her mother died. A few months later, her younger daughter died while still an infant. Ida McKinley clung to her older daughter, but the little girl soon developed a fever disease, and she died, too.

William and Ida McKinley were never the same. Ida McKinley remained sick her entire life. She spent most of her hours in a small rocking chair sewing.

William McKinley paid great attention to her. He organized his schedule to spend time near her, even as his political success grew.

In time, McKinley served in Congress and as the governor of Ohio. He was known as a likable person and a skilled politician.

His Republican Party nominated him on the first ballot at their convention. A few months later, voters elected McKinley into office in a landslide. He became the countrys 25th president.

Presidency

When McKinley took office, the U.S. was just coming out of a severe economic depression.

His government quickly approved a high protective tariff to help struggling workers. In general, his administration also permitted the growth of big business.

But most of McKinleys attention as president was devoted to foreign policy. The main issue was Cuba.

At that time, Spain controlled the island. Cubans revolted, and Spanish forces used violence and detainments to crush the rebellion.

In the U.S., many Americans denounced the events in Cuba. They wanted McKinley and his government to intervene.

At first, President McKinley was unwilling. He tried to use diplomacy. He even ordered a U.S. ship into Spanish waters near Havana to show his continued support of Spain.

But the ship, called the Maine, exploded. Americans believed the Spanish were responsible. Relations between the two countries worsened fast. Spain declared war. The U.S. Congress answered in kind.

For 100 days, U.S. and Spanish forces fought in Cuba and other areas under Spanish control.

The war quickly turned in the Americans favor. When the Spanish-American War ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1898, the U.S. took control of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines from Spain. Cuba was made independent; however, the U.S. continued to occupy the island for several more years.

Not everyone approved of the actions of McKinleys government. Even some members of Congress warned against the U.S. becoming an imperial power.

But a majority of voters approved of McKinley as a victorious commander-in-chief. They also noted that the U.S. economy was getting stronger. In 1900, McKinley won re-election.

Assassination

As it turned out, McKinleys second term in office was short.

In September, only six months after his swearing-in, the president was receiving visitors at a fair in the city of Buffalo, New York.

One of the visitors in line was a 28-year-old man named Leon Czolgosz. His family was from Poland, but he lived in the city of Detroit, Michigan. He had worked in a factory, but at the time was unemployed. He supported the idea of anarchy  no government at all.

When McKinley reached to shake the young mans hand, Czolgosz shot the president twice in the stomach.

Although injured, McKinley spoke to his guards. He told them not to hurt the shooter. And, he expressed concern about how his wife would feel when she learned he had been shot.

Quickly, McKinley was taken to a hospital. Doctors predicted that he would survive. And, for a few days, McKinley seemed to improve.

But the wound became infected, and eight days after the attack McKinley died.

The presidents murderer did not say he was sorry for his act. He defended it, saying McKinley was an enemy of working people.

Within a few weeks of the shooting, Czolgosz was tried, found guilty, and executed.

Legacy

Both the nation and the world mourned when McKinley died. He had been one of the countrys most popular presidents in many years.

He left behind the beginning of what some called an American empire. He also marked a change in the U.S. presidency.

When he first took office in the 19th century, most presidents acted primarily as administrators.

But President McKinley began to act in ways that are more like a modern president. He prepared remarks to give to the media. He traveled across the country speaking to voters. He used the power of his office to direct the armed forces.

McKinley laid the groundwork, but he did not completely change the presidency. He left that to the even more famous man who followed him into the White House.

After McKinleys death, his vice president, Theodore Roosevelt, took office and truly brought the country into modern times.

Im Kelly Jean Kelly.

Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

______________________________________________________________

Quiz

Quiz - America's Presidents: William McKinley Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

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Words in This Story





transition - n. a change from one state or condition to another

annex - v. to add an area to a country : to take control of a place

mood - n. an attitude or feeling shared by many people

imperial - adj. of or relating to an empire or an emperor

clung - v. tried very hard to keep something that you are in danger of losing

landslide - n. election in which the winner gets a much greater number of votes than the loser

in kind - adj. in a way that is equal or very similar to what someone else has done to or for you

anarchy - n. a situation in which the people in a country are not controlled by rules or laws

empire - n. a group of countries or regions that are controlled by one ruler or one government


American civil liberties groups want politicians to stop blocking people from their social media accounts.

And those politicians include President Donald Trump.

The American Civil Liberties Union, known as the ACLU, filed a lawsuit against the governor of the state of Maine. The group also sent warning letters to the congressional members from the state of Utah.

That comes after the ACLU filed lawsuits against the governors of Kentucky and Maryland in early August. In July, a free speech organization connected with Columbia University in New York City sued President Trump.

The president often uses Twitter to communicate with the American people. But some Twitter users say they have been blocked by Trump for sending tweets he did not like.

Those people can no longer send messages to Trump on Twitter.

That action raises questions about what elected officials can do on their social media pages.

In the past, politicians may have held public meetings to learn the concerns of voters. Now, however, they use Facebook and Twitter to have online conversations with voters.

Anna Thomas is a spokeswoman for the ACLU of Utah.

She said voters see their representatives as available on Twitter and Facebook.

Theyre hungry for opportunities to express their opinions, she said. That includes people who disagree with public officials.

The officials targeted by the lawsuits and warnings so far are all Republicans.

They say they are blocking people who post hateful and violent content, spam and off-topic comments.

Matt Whitlock is a spokesman for Orrin Hatch, a U.S. senator from Utah. He said people are only blocked after they violate rules.

Whitlock said Hatchs Facebook page should not be used as a platform for offensive content or misinformation.

Katie Fallow is a lawyer at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University in New York City. Her organization filed the lawsuit against Trump last month.

She said politicians who choose to use social media cant pick and choose who [they] hear from.

U.S. courts have not heard cases like these before. But one legal expert said the free-speech advocates like the ACLU probably will be able to make a stronger case than the politicians.

Erwin Chemerinsky is the head of the law school at the University of California  Berkeley. He said the officials may be able to block followers only if they are blocking supporters and critics alike. Its got to be content-neutral, he said.

While the question of whether politicians can block people from their social media pages may seem minor, one expert says it is quite important.

Amanda Shanor works for the Information Society Project at Yale Universitys Law School. With more of the political discussion happening online, she said, its more important that we know what these rules are.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on reporting by the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor.

Should politicians make their social media channels open to everyone? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

account  n. an arrangement in which a person uses the Internet or e-mail services of a particular company

lawsuit  n. a dispute brought to a court so a decision can be made

spam  n. unwanted internet messages

advocate  n. a person who argues for or supports a cause or policy

content  n. the ideas, facts, or images that are in a book, article, speech, movie, etc.
Pakistani Rizwana Hameed made history last month when she became the first woman chief of a male police station in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province.

The area is known for its conservative cultural and religious traditions. Women are rarely even permitted outside their homes in the area.

Hameed has been a member of the provincial police force for 15 years. She has taken part in many crime investigations. She also has carried out raids on suspected terrorist bases.

She says being the first woman officer to supervise a male police station in the area carries a lot of pressure.

Its a difficult job for me, she says.

However, Hameed says she is enjoying the job and she says women can do everything men can do and more.

If men are asked to take on household responsibilities and babysitting, for the whole day, I dont think they can handle them. Whereas women can easily handle professional responsibilities outside of the home also, she said.

Women in the surrounding area have not been willing to enter the police station with complaints. They do not want to discuss them openly with male police officers, says Hameed.

She says the provincial capital city, Peshawar, is a closed society where women mainly stay at home.

Even if they are subjected to domestic violence they endure it and avoid publicly talking about it, she says.

But Hameed says her presence is encouraging them to bring problems to the police station and their number is growing by the day.

This success has increased the willingness of local women to go to the police.

Hameed says, 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.

Pashtun families in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province have traditionally not supported women joining the police force. About 10 percent of police are women. But officials say examples of women police in the media are changing the way people think.

Hameed says her new job makes family life a little difficult, but she has the support of her husband and other family members.

The provincial police department also is working to get women from womens schools to join the force. Hameed says she believes more women on the force will reduce domestic violence and other crimes against women.

Im Caty Weaver.

Ayaz Gul reported this story for VOA News. Mario Ritter adapted it for VOA Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor.

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

handle  v. deal with

complaint  n. making a statement of dissatisfaction

domestic  adj. related to matters of the home

endure  v. to deal with or accept something (difficult) for a long time

emboldening  v. to make someone more likely to do something or take action

encouraging  adj. to be supportive of

personnel  n. people who work for a company, organization or government

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page.
Scientists in Oregon successfully fixed a disease-carrying gene in human embryos. It was the first time this has been done.

This small effort could be a big step in preventing inherited, or gene-related diseases.

A research team at Oregon Health & Science University edited out a gene that causes a heart problem and kills young people. Their work was published in the journal Nature.

Dr. Paula Amato is one of the scientists who worked on the study. She explained how it happened.

The team used sperm from a man who carries the heart-damaging gene. They injected his sperm into eggs, and at the same time injected a gene-editing tool called CRISPR-Cas-9. The CRISPR acts like scissors - cutting out the defective DNA.

What happened next is surprising: The embryos then fixed the DNA themselves, replacing the damaged part, without more help from the scientists.

Amato says the gene defect correction rate was high, about 70% of the time. She says their success is proof that it can be done.

It's very preliminary at this point but the potential is huge. But obviously much more research needs to be done before it moves to clinical trials.

With 10,000 gene defects that cause disease, there would be no shortage of ones that could be fixed. But scientists are a long way from knowing how this would affect a baby.

The biggest thing is safety. We don't know if this truly would be safe in, if we ever tried it to establish a pregnancy and produce a baby. But thats [the] biggest ethical concern in my mind.

The ethics of editing genes

Safety and ethics are also on top of Dr. George Daleys mind. He is a stem cell scientist and the dean of Harvard Medical School. Daley was not involved in the study but he calls it a remarkable story.

Daley says, if safety concerns are taken care of, the question we are left with is: should we do it? And for whom?

I tend to believe that for certain rare instances where we're trying to prevent a devastating genetic disease that this could be indeed if, in the long run, proven safe, could be a very useful and life-affirming application of medical technology.

But Daley says this technology should not be used for enhancing, or improving human capabilities. That is what some call designer babiesparents creating features they want in babies.

Concerned that some doctors might abuse gene editing, Daley says there should be independent supervision by professional groups to observe this work. But based on just this one study, he says it is far too early to use it in any way for making babies.

For now, people wanting to avoid passing on a bad gene sometimes have embryos created in fertility clinics. Those embryos are checked, and only the ones without the bad gene are used to attempt pregnancy through so-called in vitro fertilization process (IVF).

Marcy Darnovsky says in vitro fertilization avoids inherited diseases. She is with the Center for Genetics and Society in California. She is speaking out against the new gene editing.

This is not a technique that treats or cures anyone. Its not really a medical technique at all. Its about creating new human beings that have their traits determined and engineered.

She says because of its high cost, it would only be available to wealthy people, creating another kind of inequality in the country.

Laurie Zoloth is the dean of University of Chicago Divinity School. She says many religions see human babies as a gift from God.

From some religions there arises a concern that controlling evolution in this way gives human beings too much power over what is Gods creation, she says.

Arthur Caplan supports the idea of the gene editing technique. An expert in bioethics, Caplan heads the Medical Ethics Division at New York University School of Medicine.

He says it would be good to do away with genetic diseases like cystic fibrosis, hemophilia and sickle cell anemia. These are examples of terrible genetic diseases for which there is no cure. And Caplan adds not all genetic diseases can be eliminated by using IVF.

Finding ways to prevent them from being passed on to ones children and grandchildren would be a wonderful achievement, one that I find it hard to argue has any objection in terms of eliminating disability and premature death and stopping something that's plagued all of mankind forever, inheriting genetic diseases.

The effect of editing genes

It is not known how permanently changing the genes may affect the following generations. Changing genes may produce children that are sick, much like the sheep Dolly. She was cloned in 1996made from a genetic copy of another sheepbut she grew sick and died early.

Caplan says history tells us to wait and see how the technique works in animals first.

Lets see how they turn out after a few years and then we'll start to get excited about using this technology to really prevent disease in people. Then we can really argue about whether its better to screen the embryos and throw them away or fix them.

The U.S. is not alone in doing this scientific research. Caplan says other countries like China, Britain and Singapore are also editing, or planning to edit, genes.

Like Harvards Dr. Daley, Caplan is calling for a group of scientists, ethicists, lawyers and others to create rules and observe the work of scientists editing genes. The rule making should come from the private groups, he says, not the government.

Im Anne Ball.





Anne Ball wrote this story for Learning English with information from the Associated Press. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page.

What do you think of the idea of editing, or permanently changing, genes?

________________________________________________________________

Quiz

Now, test your understanding with this short quiz.

Quiz - First Embryo Gene Fix Could Help Stop Disease Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz

______________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

edit  v. to make changes, correct mistakes, etc., in something

defect  n. a problem or fault that makes someone or something not perfect

preliminary  adj. coming before the main part of something

ethics  n. rules of behavior based on ideas about what is morally good and bad

devastating  adj. causing great damage or harm

affirm  v. to say that something is true in a confident way

enhance  v. to increase or improve (something)

evolution  n. the process by which changes in plants and animals happen over time

in vitro fertilization - n. fertilization of an egg in a laboratory dish or test tube

plague  v. to cause constant or repeated trouble, illness, etc.,
If you look on the Internet, you will see that almost every day of the year celebrates some kind of food.

These holidays have become very popular across the United States. They often are trending stories on Twitter, and described in the U.S. media. They give people a chance to enjoy something they might not eat normally, like National Onion Ring Day, for example.

Food holidays also give restaurants and other businesses a chance to promote their products.

But where did these distinctly American holidays come from?

Many are the invention of an Alabama man, John-Bryan Hopkins. He writes about food for his Foodimentary.com website.

Hopkins told Time magazine that when he began his site in 2006, there were only 175 holidays. I filled in the rest, he said.

Some of his favorites are National Oreo Cookie Day on March 6 and National Tater Tot Day on February 2.

The National Day Calendar has a list of all the different food and non-food related holidays. In the past, the website used to let anyone create their own day -- for a price. But now, the site only accepts requests from businesses and other organizations.

While some food holidays are indeed made-up, many have historical roots.

For example, National Beer Day on April 7 marks the end of a U.S. ban on the production, transport, import and sale of alcoholic drinks. The ban lasted from 1920 until 1933.

The Salvation Army, a Christian group, launched U.S. National Doughnut Day on June 1, 1938. It was meant to honor women who served soldiers doughnuts during World War I.

But not everyone likes food holidays.

Bethany Jean Clement is a food writer for the Seattle Times newspaper. She wrote, I get that some people might be excited by, say, National Doughnut Day. But you really can have a doughnut any day you want!

Tavi Juarez, also of Foodimentary.com, thinks national food holidays are here to stay. She told the Seattle Times, In my humble opinion, I believe that food holidays will continue to grow in popularity online because theres a lot of negativity out there. Why not choose to celebrate food instead?

Im Jonathan Evans.

Matt Hilburn wrote this story for VOANews. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in this Story

distinctly  adv. different in a way that you can see, hear, smell or feel; noticeably different

madeup - adj. created from the imagination; not true or real

promote  v. to make people recognize something, such as a new product through advertising; to make something more popular or well-known

online  adv. connected to a computer, a computer network, or the Internet; done over the Internet

negativity  n. an attitude in which someone considers only the bad qualities of someone or something


College teachers are finding new ways to help students find jobs in occupations where there are few openings.

Some help their students reach out to people who can help them find hard-to-get jobs. This person-to-person method is known as networking.

They are also offering classes that can help students learn skills outside their chosen professions. It will help them find jobs if jobs are not available in their first choices for work.

Helping to create tomorrows playwrights

Paula Vogel teaches theater students at Brown University in Rhode Island. Vogel is a prize-winning playwright. She received a Pulitzer Prize for excellence in writing.

There are many more plays written than get produced. Vogel supports her students by helping them connect to a group of people who can help them reach their dreams.

That includes literary agents who represent playwrights her students respect. And that also includes people working in theater productions with Brown University connections. Vogel employed two former Brown students in her show, Indecent,." It closed on August 6 after 143 performances on New York's Broadway.

Vogel is also big on helping talented students believe in themselves.

Steven Levenson had two shows performed in New York this year. One is the hit Broadway musical, Dear Evan Hansen.

Levenson is a former student of Vogel's. He remembers how she took him and other students out for coffee.

She said if this is something that you want to do -- this writing thing -- I believe that you can do it.

That kept me going for several years, just that one conversation -- you know through sort of the darker moments of being in New York and trying to figure it all out. So, I give her all the credit for that.

Journalism jobs decline

Lorraine Branham heads the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University in New York. It prepares students to work in the news media, which has been cutting jobs in recent years.

Branham said the Newhouse school is offering more classes on how students can present news through the Internet. Students are also learning how to produce videos and get their stories out on social media.

It is a difficult job market, but Branham noted, Our students are finding jobs after graduation. She said some wish they could get more time to do longer stories and explain important issues.

But Branham said she sees reason for hope. Two major newspapers -- The New York Times and The Washington Post -- are both gaining readership, partly because of stories about the Trump administration, Branham said.

I like to joke about the president making journalism great again, she added.



Jokes about English majors

For years, there have been jokes about English majors graduating from college with great knowledge of Shakespeares plays, but no job offers.

Michael Kuczynski heads the English department at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. He said the schools English majors are finding work, although not always directly connected to their studies.

He said businesses are employing English majors because of their ability to communicate clearly. So are public relations companies and non-profit groups.

Kuczynski said English majors also continue to teach at both the college and high school levels.

For many students, it was a high school English teacher who helped them write creatively and begin to understand great literature.

Teaching for me is brand new every day and its so exciting to watch kids becoming passionate and committed to the kind of things that you find important.

Its not easy to star in a movie or play

Acting is another difficult occupation.

It is not uncommon for 300 people or more to try out for New York theater productions, with fewer than 20 being chosen. Some actors work in Los Angeles for most of their adult lives without ever getting more than a small part in a major movie or television show.

J. Ed Araiza works at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is head of graduate acting at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. Felicia Ruff is a professor and chair of the Department of Theatre and Speech at Wagner College in New York.

Both she and Araiza said there is some luck needed to succeed as an actor. But more often, they agree, it is all about hard work and good training.

Dreaming big is important, Ruff said. But hard work, resilience, stick-to-itiveness are all extremely important.

Araiza agrees. He said many UCLA acting graduates have gone on to successful careers in movies, theater and television.

But others have found success doing something they probably did not expect when they started at UCLA. For example, some are earning a good living reading books for audio recordings, Araiza said. Others are teaching new theater students.

UCLAs acting program tries to prepare students for a number of occupations -- so they can get jobs even if they do not get parts in popular movies, Araiza said.

He and Ruff said that people put too much importance on making a lot of money or becoming famous.

Araiza said he tells students seeking to attend UCLAs acting program that nothing is guaranteed in art and that succeeding is difficult.

Ruff tells them that they will face rejection -- even at school as they try to get parts in college shows.

She said, But that is only telling someone that one door isn't opening for them -- that doesn't mean there aren't other doors for them to walk through."

I'm Alice Bryant.

And I'm Bruce Alpert

Bruce Alpert reported on this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor.

We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and share your views on our Facebook Page. What is your dream job? And how do you think you can get it?

________________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

playwright - n. a person who writes plays

talented - adj. having a special ability to do something well

conversation - n. an informal talk involving two people or a small group of people

moment - n. a short period of time

brand new - adj. fresh, like it just happened

passionate - adj. full of emotion and feelings

commit - v. to say that someone will definitely do something

resilience - n. the ability to become strong, healthy, or successful again after something bad happens

stick-to-itiveness -- n. strong determination to keep doing something even when it is difficult

graduation  n. the act of completing a study program at a school, college or university
Scientists found a prehistoric ancestor of an arrow worm among a group of fossils at two national parks in Canada.

The fossils were found in what is now British Columbia, but was once an ocean.

The sea worm was 10 centimeters long and had 50 spines on its head. The spines could close suddenly to capture smaller sea creatures, like shrimp.

The scientists reported their discovery in the journal Current Biology in early August.

They are calling the creature Capinatator praetermissus. They say it lived 500 million years ago and is very different from anything alive now.

Capinatator means grasping swimmer.

Derek Briggs is a scientist from Yale University. He led the expedition. He said the creature was larger than todays similar worms. The arrow worms of today have teeth instead of spines.

Briggs said the worm was probably a good predator because it had so many spines.

The scientists said it is difficult to find evidence of these prehistoric worms because their bodies decayed so quickly. But this discovery was in such good shape, they were able to make a good guess about how the worm looked.

Researchers were able to make a detailed drawing and an animation of how they think the worm moved in the ocean.

Doug Erwin works for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. He was not involved in the research. He said the discovery will help scientists better understand the worms and other life from this ancient period.

Im Dan Friedell.

Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on reporting by the Associated Press. Caty Weaver was the editor.

What do you think about these worms? We want to know. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page.

_____________________________________________________________

Words in This Story

fossil  n. something (such as a leaf, skeleton, or footprint) that is from a plant or animal which lived in ancient times and that you can see in some rocks

grasp  v. to take and hold (something) with your fingers, hands, etc.

spine  n. a sharp, pointed part on an animal or plant

predator  n. an animal that lives by killing and eating other animals: an animal that preys on other animals

decay  v. to be slowly destroyed by natural processes: to be slowly broken down by the natural processes that destroy a dead plant or body

animation n. a way of making a movie by using a series of drawings, computer graphics, or photographs of objects (such as puppets or models) that are slightly different from one another and that when viewed quickly one after another create the appearance of movement
The price of Bitcoin has broken through the $4,000 mark, reaching $4,200 on 13 August.

Local exchange Luno had the rand price of Bitcoin listed as R61,200 at the time of writing, which is a substantial increase since the start of 2017.

Even with the price of Bitcoin showing strong growth in recent years, however, many South Africans are hesitant to invest in the cryptocurrency.

There are many reasons for this, chief among which is the lack of regulation and non-involvement of governments and central banks.

Investment firm Citadel said the difficulty in evaluating Bitcoin as a traditional currency lies in its lack of central authority, domiciled area, or any linked economic fundamentals.

It said it will not, and cannot, invest in Bitcoin, and likened its rise in price to that of BlackBerry.

International investors are no different, with Bloomberg stating that even as investors are lured by the price gains of Bitcoin, the biggest institutions are reluctant to get involved  raising concerns about liquidity.

Huge growth

Whether you think Bitcoin is the best thing since touchscreen smartphones or would not touch it with a bargepole, theres no denying its massive growth in value.

The table below shows how much you would have grown a R50,000 investment if you had put it in Bitcoin in recent years. Pricing is taken from CoinDesk.

Bitcoin Growth Year Bitcoin Price on 1 Jan R50,000 Investment on 13 August 2017 2013 $13.30 R15,789,500 2014 $770.44 R272,500 2015 $313.92 R669,000 2016 $434.46 R483,500 2017 $997.69 R210,500 The price of Bitcoin was taken as $4,200 on 13/8/17.

Now read: How I built a mining rig despite graphics card shortages in South Africa
Public Service and Administration Minister Faith Muthambi has gone on a hiring spree, employing family members to her office, according to a report in the Sunday Times.

The report stated that friends and relatives  many of whom are uncles and cousins  have been appointed to her office as drivers, deputy directors, and a food services aide

An official in the department said it was as if when the minister went home to Limpopo for a weekend, she would employ another person from her province.

The report stated that Muthambis office now consists of 27 staff. The ministerial handbook makes provision for a minister to appoint 10 people and two advisers.

The appointments are also said to be made without posts being advertised or due process being followed.

The Sunday Times said the following were among the appointments made by Muthambi:

A close friend of Muthambi employed as a food service aide  pays R131,368 a year.

A man reportedly married to Muthambis aunt is a deputy director  pays over R600,000 a year.

Two relatives employed as drivers.

A relative employed as a deputy director  pays over R500,000 per year.

The daughter of one of Muthambis friends employed as an admin assistant.

A longtime friend employed as a senior administration officer.

Department spokesperson Dumisani Nkwamba said Muthambi had not broken any laws with her appointments, as the minister may appoint persons in posts in the ministry without following advertisement processes provided such appointments are linked to the term of the minister or for a period not exceeding three years.

The news follows reports that Muthambi flew 30 of her family members at taxpayers expense to Cape Town for her first budget speech as Public Service minister.

Now read: The ANC government must not be allowed to rewrite our broadband history
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
YEREVAN. - Freshwater is gradually becoming a more valuable resource in the world, but Armenia does not seriously treat the existing water resources, environmentalist and former Minister of Nature Preservation of Armenia, Karine Danielyan, told Armenian News  NEWS.am.

Referring to the recent conflict with the Government over an additional water intake, the environmentalist noted that there is no confidence towards the fact that that is indeed necessary. First of all, the enormous losses, which are observed in the irrigation system annually, grow instead of reducing. Many people think that there are two factors here: the real losses and the fact that certain people, who are above the law, use the water without paying for it. It is enough to say that according to the information of the Control Chamber, the losses on Sevan-Hrazdan Cascade exceed even the amount of water, which we release from Sevan, Danielyan noted.

In her words, the study conducted after the water level began to rise showed that when the lake began to come closer to its natural condition, processes of selfpurification began to activate in it. Now the lake is in that process and we think that causing such harm to it now is a blasphemy. There is also a seismic risk. Taking of a large amount of water from a reservoir may lead to a misbalance. One shouldnt make fun of the lake this way, the expert stressed.
Milwaukee may not be known for its hot weather, but that doesn't mean that the Brew City can't bring the heat  namely from the kitchen. That's why Senior Developer Nick "Power Palate" Barth and Pop Culture Editor Matt "Powder Puff Palate" Mueller are on a journey, burning their buds and torching their tongues across town to find the city's spiciest dishes. Grab your fork and a fire extinguisher  this is Burning Through Brew City.

The next stop on their capsaicin-rich quest?

Carolina Reaper beef jerky

All Things Jerky

South Grandstand Avenue at the Wisconsin State Fair

allthingsjerky.com



After challenging the infamous ghost pepper last time, it only seemed right to seek out the true hottest monstrosity on the market: the Carolina Reaper, the official spiciest pepper in the world coming in with 2.2 million scovilles  double the ghost pepper  and an evil-looking stinger tail just in case you weren't scared enough.

Time happened to be on our side (or not, if our guts had their say about it) as our quest for the Carolina Reaper coincided with the Wisconsin State Fair. While dairy products and fatty delicacies deservedly soak up most of the spotlight (and your caloric intake for a month) you can find plenty of other oddball treats there  in particular at the All Things Jerky shop, located just east of the Exposition Center on South Grandstand Avenue.

There (or at one of its three non-Fair locations in Appleton, Minocqua or Eagle River) you can find a whole animal kingdom of meaty munchies, from alligator to kangaroo to antelope and ostrich.

But we had our eyes on finding a plain beef jerky that was anything but plain: the Carolina Reaper beef jerky, crafted (or perhaps summoned with some kind of satanic chant) up in Tigerton by Mike's Country Meats.

Enough stalling; let's see if this Reaper's come to collect our taste buds' souls.

Heat

Nick: There really isn't any heat to this. Ground Carolina Reaper is waaaaaay down the ingredient list  and it shows. I was really looking forward to a good spicy jerky, but this is barely even "Milwaukee hot"; it's mild at most.

Matt: I was promised lava vomit and napalm tears from the Carolina Reaper. Instead, I got something like a mildly spicy barbecue-flavored jerky. There's a little bit of a burn, but really, it's modest at best, and we were able to chow down easily on several pieces in a row as though it was just regular jerky. I had even bought some lemonade for any emergency mouth extinguishing; it was completely unnecessary.

Longevity

Nick: See above. Heat can't stick around if it doesn't show up to the party.

Matt: \_()_/

Flavor

Nick: This is a super tasty beef jerky. I would eat this all the time. It's everything you want beef jerky to be: chewy, salty, and satisfying.

Matt: Here's the good news: As actual food, this jerky is delicious and insanely addictive. The texture is perfect, with a tough but tender chew, and the taste is that crave-worthy saltiness with just a hint of sweet. It may not bring the heat, but it will bring out your inner crazed carnivore, ripping and tearing at pieces of meat like a wild animal.

Overall

Nick: This is a really good jerky, though disappointingly not spicy. I'll definitely look out for the brand in the future, skipping the premium cost of the novelty-hot bag in favor of the everyday varieties.

Matt: If you're craving just some really scrumptious beef jerky with a bit of heat, by all means check this out. However, if you're looking for a true spicy challenge to give you a satisfying, one-of-a-kind singe  especially considering the star pepper's reputation  look elsewhere.

In short, don't fear the Reaper.

However, because Nick and I wanted to be thorough  or maybe just because we're culinary sadists with a death wish  we also received a single kernel sample of the stand's Crazy Corn Reaper, supposedly the "world's hottest popcorn." See the results for yourself:

Maybe an actual handful would change our verdict. Alas, next time, State Fair ...

Burning Through Brew City heat index
SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc. engages in the wholesale distribution of landscape supplies in the United States and Canada. The company provides a selection of approximately 135,000 stock keeping units, including irrigation supplies, which comprise controllers, valves, sprinkler heads, and irrigation pipes; fertilizer, grass seed, and ice melt products; control products, such as herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, and other pesticides; landscape accessories that include mulches, soil amendments, drainage pipes, tools, and sods; nursery goods, which consist of deciduous and evergreen shrubs, ornamental, shade, evergreen trees, field grown and container-grown nursery stock, roses, perennials, annuals, bulbs, and plant species; hardscapes, such as pavers, natural stones, blocks, and other durable materials; and outdoor lighting products that include lighting fixtures, LED lamps, wires, transformers, and accessories. It also offers consultative services consisting of assistance with irrigation network design, commercial project planning, generation of sales leads, business operations, product support services, and a series of technical and business management seminars; and distributes branded products of third parties. The company offers its products under the LESCO, SiteOne Green Tech, and Pro-Trade brand names. It markets its products primarily to residential and commercial landscape professionals who specialize in the design, installation, and maintenance of lawns, gardens, golf courses, and other outdoor spaces through branch network and direct distribution. As of January 2, 2022, the company had approximately 590 branches in 45 U.S. States and six Canadian provinces. SiteOne Landscape Supply, Inc. was incorporated in 2013 and is headquartered in Roswell, Georgia.
China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited, an investment holding company, provides cellular and fixed-line voice, and related value-added services in the People's Republic of China. It also provides broadband and other Internet-related, information communications technology, and business and data communications services. In addition, the company offers communications technology training, technical, and Internet information and value-added telecommunications services; telecommunications network construction, planning, and technical consulting services; and consultancy, survey, design, and contract services relating to information and construction projects. Further, it provides customer, project design consultation and management, property management, e-payment, venture capital investment, communications technology development and promotion, auto informatisation, financial, data processing, and tourism and information services; advertising design, production, agency, and publication services; technology development, transfer, and consulting services; and technology promotion service of intelligent transportation system's products. Additionally, the company offers technology development and consultation, and other services; technology research and development, consultation, and services of TV video and mobile video; internet of things technology, and online data processing and transaction services; and big data, and cloud computation and infrastructure services. It also provides online video and reading materials; network music; financing leasing services; and data analysis and application services, as well as sells handsets and telecommunication equipment. As of December 31, 2019, it had approximately 254 million 4G subscribers, 83 million fixed-line broadband subscribers, and 54 million fixed-line local access subscribers. The company was incorporated in 2000 and is based in Central, Hong Kong. China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited is a subsidiary of China Unicom (BVI) Limited.
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Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC is a publicly owned hedge fund sponsor. The firm provides investment advisory services for its clients. It primarily caters to institutional investors which include pension funds, fund-of-funds, foundations and endowments, corporations and other institutions, private banks and family offices. The firm invests in equity and alternative markets across the world. It employs quantitative and qualitative analysis to make its investments. For its multi-strategy portfolios, the firm employs strategies like convertible and derivative arbitrage, corporate credit, long/short equity special situations, buyout investments, merger arbitrage, private investments, and structured credit. It also invests in real estate and traditional real estate assets including multifamily, office, hotel and retail, loans, portfolio acquisitions, loan pools, operating companies, structured debt products, public securities, and non-traditional real estate assets including gaming, distressed land and residential, cell towers, parking, golf, debt and senior housing. For private equity investments, it considers investments in a variety of special situations that seek to realize value through strategic sales or initial public offerings. The firm typically invests in the energy investments. It prefers to invest in United States. It also manages a buyout fund, Och-Ziff Energy Fund. Och-Ziff Capital Management Group LLC was founded in 1994 and is based New York City with additional offices in Houston, Texas, London, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Japan, Bangalore, India, Singapore, and Beijing, China.
NOW Inc. distributes downstream energy and industrial products for petroleum refining, chemical processing, LNG terminals, power generation utilities, and industrial manufacturing operations in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company offers its products under the DistributionNOW and DNOW brand names. It provides consumable maintenance, repair, and operating supplies; pipes, valves, fittings, flanges, gaskets, fasteners, electrical products, instrumentations, artificial lift, pumping solutions, valve actuation and modular process, and measurement and control equipment; and mill supplies, tools, safety supplies, and personal protective equipment, as well as applied products and applications, such as artificial lift systems, coatings, and miscellaneous expendable items. The company also offers original equipment manufacturer equipment, including pumps, generator sets, air and gas compressors, dryers, blowers, mixers, and valves; modular oil and gas tank battery solutions; and application systems, work processes, parts integration, optimization solutions, and after-sales support services. In addition, it provides supply chain and materials management solutions that include procurement, inventory planning and management, and warehouse management, as well as solutions for logistics, point-of-issue technology, project management, business process, and performance metrics reporting services. The company serves customers through a network of approximately 180 locations in the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors of the energy industry, including drilling contractors, well-servicing companies, independent and national oil and gas companies, midstream operators, and refineries, as well as petrochemical, chemical, utilities, and other downstream energy processors; and industrial and manufacturing companies. NOW Inc. was founded in 1862 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Dril-Quip, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, sells, and services engineered drilling and production equipment for use in deepwater, harsh environment, and severe service applications worldwide. The company's principal products include subsea and surface wellheads, subsea and surface production trees, mudline hanger systems, specialty connectors and associated pipes, drilling and production riser systems, liner hangers, wellhead connectors, diverters, and safety valves, as well as downhole tools. It also provides technical advisory services, and rework and reconditioning services, as well as rental and purchase of running tools for use in the installation and retrieval of its products; and downhole tools comprise of liner hangers, production packers, safety valves, and specialty downhole tools that are used to hang-off and seal casing into a previously installed casing string in the well bore. The company's products are used to explore for oil and gas from offshore drilling rigs, such as floating rigs and jack-up rigs; and for drilling and production of oil and gas wells on offshore platforms, tension leg platforms, and Spars, as well as moored vessels, such as floating production, storage, and offloading monohull moored vessels. It sells its products directly through its sales personnel, independent sales agents, and representatives to integrated, independent, and foreign national oil and gas companies, as well as drilling contractors, and engineering and construction companies. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
ITT Inc. manufactures and sells engineered critical components and customized technology solutions for the transportation, industrial, and energy markets worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Motion Technologies, Industrial Process, and Connect & Control Technologies. The Motion Technologies segment manufactures brake pads, shims, shock absorbers, and energy absorption components; and sealing technologies primarily for the transportation industry, including passenger cars, trucks, light- and heavy-duty commercial and military vehicles, buses, and trains. The Industrial Process segment designs and manufactures industrial pumps, valves, and plant optimization and remote monitoring systems and services; and centrifugal and twin screw positive displacement pumps, as well as aftermarket solutions, such as replacement parts and services. It serves various customers in industries, such as chemical, energy, mining, and other industrial process markets. The Connect & Control Technologies segment designs and manufactures a range of engineered connectors and specialized control components for critical applications supporting various markets, including aerospace and defense, industrial, transportation, medical, and energy. This segment's connector product portfolio includes electrical connectors, such as circular, rectangular, radio frequency, fiber optic, D-sub miniature, micro-miniature, and cable assemblies, as well as control products consist of actuators, valves, and pumps and switches for flow control applications; rate controls, seat recline locks, and elastomer isolators for aircraft interiors; elastomeric bearings for rotorcraft vibration isolation; heaters, hoses, and composite ducting for environmental control systems; and advanced composites for engine applications. ITT Inc. was incorporated in 1920 and is headquartered in White Plains, New York.
Waters Corporation, a specialty measurement company, provides analytical workflow solutions in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. It operates through two segments, Waters and TA. The company designs, manufactures, sells, and services high and ultra-performance liquid chromatography, as well as mass spectrometry (MS) technology systems and support products, including chromatography columns, other consumable products, and post-warranty service plans. It also designs, manufactures, sells, and services thermal analysis, rheometry, and calorimetry instruments; and develops and supplies software-based products that interface with its instruments, as well as other manufacturers' instruments. Its MS technology instruments are used in drug discovery and development comprising clinical trial testing, the analysis of proteins in disease processes, nutritional safety analysis, and environmental testing. The company offers thermal analysis, rheometry, and calorimetry instruments for use in predicting the suitability and stability of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, water, polymers, metals, and viscous liquids for various industrial, consumer good, and healthcare products, as well as for life science research. Its products are used by life science, pharmaceutical, biochemical, industrial, nutritional safety, environmental, academic, and governmental customers working in research and development, quality assurance, and other laboratory applications. Waters Corporation was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Milford, Massachusetts.
South Jersey Industries, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides energy-related products and services. The company engages in the purchase, transmission, and sale of natural gas. It also sells natural gas and pipeline transportation capacity on a wholesale basis to residential, commercial, and industrial customers on the interstate pipeline system, as well as transports natural gas purchased directly from producers or suppliers to customers. As of December 31, 2021, the company had approximately 147 miles of mains in the transmission system and 6,815 miles of mains in the distribution system; and served 384,062 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in southern New Jersey. In addition, it markets natural gas storage, commodity, and transportation assets on a wholesale basis for energy marketers, electric and gas utilities, power plants, and natural gas producers in the mid-Atlantic, Appalachian, and southern regions of the United States. Further, the company owns and operates rooftop solar-generation sites. Additionally, it owns oil, gas, and mineral rights in the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania; acquires and markets natural gas and electricity to retail end users, as well as provides total energy management, fuel management, and energy procurement and cost reduction services. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Folsom, New Jersey.
Corning Incorporated engages in display technologies, optical communications, environmental technologies, specialty materials, and life sciences businesses worldwide. The company's Display Technologies segment offers glass substrates for liquid crystal displays and organic light-emitting diodes used in televisions, notebook computers, desktop monitors, tablets, and handheld devices. Its Optical Communications segment provides optical fibers and cables; and hardware and equipment products, including cable assemblies, fiber optic hardware and connectors, optical components and couplers, closures, network interface devices, and other accessories. This segment also offers its products to businesses, governments, and individuals. Its Specialty Materials segment manufactures products that provide material formulations for glass, glass ceramics, crystals, precision metrology instruments, software; as well as ultra-thin and ultra-flat glass wafers, substrates, tinted sunglasses, and radiation shielding products. This segment serves various industries, including mobile consumer electronics, semiconductor equipment optics and consumables; aerospace and defense optics; radiation shielding products, sunglasses, and telecommunications components. The company's Environmental Technologies segment offers ceramic substrates and filter products for emissions control in mobile, gasoline, and diesel applications. The company's Life Sciences segment offers laboratory products comprising consumables, such as plastic vessels, liquid handling plastics, specialty surfaces, cell culture media, and serum, as well as general labware and equipment under the Corning, Falcon, Pyrex, and Axygen brands. The company was formerly known as Corning Glass Works and changed its name to Corning Incorporated in April 1989. Corning Incorporated was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Corning, New York.
By Chris Mfula LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia plans to drop treason charges against the country's main opposition leader and free him from prison on Monday under a deal brokered by the Commonwealth secretary-general, government and legal sources told Reuters. The United Party for National Development (UPND) leader Hakainde Hichilema and five others were arrested in April and charged with treason after Hichilema's convoy failed to make way for President Edgar Lungu's motorcade. Hichilema's trial had been due to begin on Monday in the capital Lusaka but two sources said the prosecution would apply to the court to discontinue the case. The case has stoked political tensions in Zambia, seen as one of Africa's more stable and functional democracies, following a bruising election last year. Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland visited Zambia last week and told reporters she had met Lungu and Hichilema separately and that the two leaders had agreed to a process of dialogue facilitated by her office. "That process of dialogue, which the Commonwealth Secretary-General Baroness Patricia Scotland is leading with the help of Catholic bishops, starts with the release of the opposition leader from prison," a government source told Reuters on Sunday, referring to local religious leaders. "The state will discontinue the treason case in the public interest as both the opposition leader and the head of state are committed to burying their past and starting dialogue envisaged to help address some of the issues the opposition raised after the 2016 elections so that the 2021 elections are better held." A spokesman for the UPND said the party was unaware of any plan to release Hichilema. "We don't have anything on that. We are not privy to the agreement that was entered into between the two leaders and therefore can only wait for tomorrow," UPND spokesman Charles Kakoma said. The UPND later said that Hichilema and his co-accused were transferred from Mukobeko Maximum Prison - about 130 km (81 miles) north of the capital - to Lusaka Central Prison. "They were airlifted this morning and have arrived safely in Lusaka," the party said. The government source said Lungu is committed to all aspects of the dialogue agreed between the president and the opposition leader, which include promoting peace, stability and public good. "An overt act serious enough to warrant prosecution exists but the public interest seems to be the overriding consideration, so a nolle prosequi will be entered," a public prosecutor told Reuters, using the legal term for the discharge of a case. The southern African country has always been relatively stable but relations between the government and the opposition have been fraught since August when Lungu's Patriotic Front (PF) beat the UPND in a presidential election marred by violence and which the opposition says was rigged. It was the second time that Lungu beat Hichilema, an economist and businessman popularly known by his initials "HH", in a presidential election by a razor-thin margin. Lee Habasonda, a political science lecturer at the University of Zambia, said Hichilema's release would ease political tension, improve Zambia's image with investors and end mounting international pressure on Lungu's government. "In the face of Zambia seeking international assistance, it is time to make such a move because the state does not lose anything by releasing the opposition leader and dealing with him in other ways," Habasonda told Reuters. In June, church leaders including those from the influential Catholic church, called for Hichilema's release. Last month Lungu invoked emergency powers to deal with "acts of sabotage" by his political opponents, after fire gutted the country's biggest market. [nL8N1JX3YC] Under emergency laws police can prohibit public meetings, detain suspects longer than usual, search without a warrant, close roads, impose curfews and restrict certain people's movements. The UPND has said Lungu's use of emergency powers is unnecessary and a ploy to make it easier for police to arrest its supporters. On Thursday police freed another opposition leader, United Progressive Party leader Saviour Chishimba, after holding him in detention for a week on accusations of defaming Lungu, an offence that carries a maximum five-year prison term. Chishimba hit the headlines in July after criticizing Lungu's decision to impose emergency powers and suggesting the president should go to hospital for mental tests. When he invoked the emergency powers, Lungu said the measure would safeguard investments in the country, which is Africa's second-biggest copper producer and is currently in talks with the International Monetary Fund over a financial aid package. The president said the IMF was free to terminate the negotiations if it considered his actions were wrong. (Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Susan Fenton, Greg Mahlich)
BEIRUT (Reuters) - The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah on Sunday dismissed the prospect of tougher U.S. sanctions against his group, which is backed by Iran, and said the U.S. administration had no way to harm it. "The American administration, with all available and possible means, will not be able to damage the strength of the resistance," Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said in a televised address to mark the anniversary of the end of Hezbollah's 2006 war with Israel. Nasrallah said Lebanon was being subjected to intimidation and threats over Hezbollah - which is part of the Beirut government but classified as a terrorist group by Washington - and alleged that Lebanese officials had been told that Israel could launch a war. European and American officials had warned them "during diplomatic meetings and international visits ... if you don't do this, Israel will launch a war on Lebanon, and if Hezbollah doesn't do this, Israel will launch a war on Lebanon", Nasrallah said. He did not spell out what had been asked of Lebanon or Hezbollah. Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, a well armed Shi'ite movement, have risen this year. Nasrallah has played down the prospect of a war while simultaneously warning Israel against a conflict. Trump last month called Hezbollah a "menace" to the Lebanese people and to the entire region during a news conference with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri. U.S. lawmakers last month introduced legislation seeking to increase sanctions on Hezbollah by further restricting its ability to raise money and recruit and by increasing pressure on banks that do business with it, though it was not clear when or if it would come to a vote. Officials in Lebanon have raised concerns that any widening of the U.S. sanctions could damage their banking industry. (Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Kevin Liffey)
2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming Digest #32

Posted on 13 August 2017 by John Hartz

Story of the Week... Editorial of the Week... Toon of the Week... Quote of the Week... SkS in the News... Photo of the Week... SkS Spotlights... Video of the Week... Reports of Note... Coming Soon on SkS... Poster of the Week... Climate Feedback Reviews... SkS Week in Review... 97 Hours of Consensus...

Story of the Week...

Reporting on the State of the Climate in 2016

International report confirms 2016 was third consecutive year of record global warmth

Malawian Subsistence Farmer, Reuters, Mike Hutchings

A new State of the Climate report confirmed that 2016 surpassed 2015 as the warmest year in 137 years of recordkeeping.

Major indicators of climate change continued to reflect trends consistent with a warming planet. Last years record heat resulted from the combined influence of long-term global warming and a strong El Nino early in the year. The report found that the major indicators of climate change continued to reflect trends consistent with a warming planet. Several markers such as land and ocean temperatures, sea level, and greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere broke records set just one year prior.

These key findings and others are available from the State of the Climate in 2016 report released online today by the American Meteorological Society (AMS).

The 27th annual issuance of the report, led by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, is based on contributions from nearly 500 scientists from more than 60 countries around the world and reflects tens of thousands of measurements from multiple independent datasets. It provides a detailed update on global climate indicators, notable weather events, and other data collected by environmental monitoring stations and instruments located on land, water, ice, and in space.

The reports climate indicators show patterns, changes, and trends of the global climate system. Examples of the indicators include various types of greenhouse gases; temperatures throughout the atmosphere, ocean, and land; cloud cover; sea level; ocean salinity; sea ice extent; and snow cover.

Reporting on the State of the Climate in 2016, NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, Aug 10, 2017

Related Links

Editorial of the Week...

Summers are getting hotter and street fountains can provide only so much relief. Credit Eric Gaillard/Reuters

Its Not Your Imagination: Summers Are Getting Hotter. So read a recent headline in The Times, highlighting a decade-by-decade statistical analysis by climate expert James Hansen. Most summers, the analysis concluded, are now either hot or extremely hot compared with the mid-20th century.

So what else is new? At this point the evidence for human-caused global warming just keeps getting more overwhelming, and the plausible scenariosfor the future  extreme weather events, rising sea levels, drought, and more  just keep getting scarier.

In a rational world urgent action to limit climate change would be the overwhelming policy priority for governments everywhere.

But the U.S. government is, of course, now controlled by a party within which climate denial  rejecting not just scientific evidence but also obvious lived experience, and fiercely opposing any effort to slow the trend  has become a defining marker of tribal identity.

The Axis of Climate Evil, Op-ed by Paul Krugman, New York Times, Aug 11, 2017

Toon of the Week...

Quote of the Week...

According to the Army Corps of Engineers, 31 Alaskan communities face imminent existential threats from coastline erosion, flooding and other consequences of temperatures that are rising twice as quickly in the state as the global average. A handful  Kivalina, Newtok, Shishmaref and Shaktoolik  are considered in particularly perilous positions and will need to be moved.

It was clear from the start of the Trump administration that there was no interest in helping Alaskan communities, particularly coastal communities, adapt to climate change, said Victoria Hermann, president of the Arctic Institute.

Theres now no liaison from Washington on the issue. The biggest loss has been momentum. It feels like the Obama administration was kickstarting something useful but now it has dropped dead.

Alaskan towns at risk from rising seas sound alarm as Trump pulls federal help by Oliver Milman, Guardian, Aug 10, 2017

SkS in the News...

The bog post, Scientific Consensus isnt a Part of the Scientific Method: its a Consequence of it by The Credible Hulk links to Peter Jacob's Denial101x lecture about knowledge-based consensus and this SkS graphic:

SkS Spotlights...

Established in 2011, The Arctic Institute is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization headquartered in Washington, D.C with a network of researchers across the world. We envision a world in which the diverse and complex issues facing Arctic security are identified, understood, and innovatively resolved. Rigorous, qualitative, and comprehensive research is the Institutes core for developing solutions to challenges and injustices in the circumpolar north.

The Arctic Institutes mission is to help shape policy for a secure, just, and sustainable Arctic through objective, multidisciplinary research of the highest caliber. Our research agenda is constantly evolving to reflect a rapidly changing Arctic. Institute projects, publications, and events span the most pertinent security issues of the circumpolar region, developed by direct engagement and collaboration with young scholars, emerging regional actors, and northern communities. We provide data, analysis, and recommendations to policymakers, researchers, the media, and the interested public about circumpolar security challenges. Beyond our work, the Institute is building the future of Arctic research through partnerships with organizations across the globe.

We are a think tank for the 21st Century. Our network of multidisciplinary scholars work in North America, Scandinavia, and continental Europe and represent expertise in many different disciplines. Together, we are dedicated to research of and engagement in the many dimensions of Arctic security.

Video of the Week...

A visit to tipping points across the globe, as experts examine the latest evidence to determine the facts about global warming.

Global Warming, What You Need To Know, with Tom Brokaw, Climate State/YouTube Video, March 26, 2017

Coming Soon on SkS...

Yale climate effort a world leader (John Abraham)

(John Abraham) Problems for oil (Riduna)

(Riduna) Factcheck: Lord Lawsons inaccurate claims about climate change on BBC Radio 4 (Carbon Brief)

(Carbon Brief) Why the 97% climate consensus is important (Dana, John Cook, Sander van der Linden, Ed Maibach, Tony Lieserowitz)

(Dana, John Cook, Sander van der Linden, Ed Maibach, Tony Lieserowitz) ClimateChats: Climate Pictures (Adam Levy)

(Adam Levy) 2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Warming News Roundup #33 (John Hartz)

(John Hartz) 2017 SkS Weekly Climate Change & Global Waming Digest #33 (John Hartz)

Poster of the Week...

Climate Feedback Reviews...

Climate Feedback asked its network of scientists to review the article, Global Ocean Circulation Appears To Be Collapsing Due To A Warming Planet by Trevor Nace, Forbes, Aug 3, 2017

Three scientists analyzed the article and estimated its overall scientific credibility to be high.

A majority of reviewers tagged the article as: Accurate.

Review Summary

This article at Forbes describes a study on the possible influence of Arctic sea ice loss on recent changes to a key portion of ocean circulation in the Atlantic Ocean. This Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) transports heat around the North Atlantic, but could be slowing down as a result of climate change, with consequences for regional temperatures in Europe and eastern North America.

Scientists who reviewed the article found that it accurately summarized research on the topic of the AMOC. However, the headline used stronger wording than the article, stating that global ocean circulation appears to be collapsing due to a warming planet. That is misleading, as this research is analyzing a weakening of the circulation pattern, but not something as extreme as a collapse.

Forbes article accurately describes research on Atlantic ocean circulation weakening, but headline goes farther, Climate Feedback, Aug 9, 2017

SkS Week in Review...

97 Hours of Consensus...

Michael Raupach's bio page

Quote shortened from:

"There is overwhelming evidence that human-induced climate change is already real and will increase. Climate science shows what is needed to limit warming to about 2C, and restrict impacts on rainfall, extreme events, ecosystems and more: global greenhouse gas emissions have to be cut by around 60% by 2050 (80% for Australia) with continued decreases after that."

High resolution JPEG (1024 pixels wide)

Michael Raupach passed away on February 10, 2015. You can read a tribute to him here: https://theconversation.com/mike-raupach-the-scientist-who-tallied-the-worlds-carbon-budget-37575
The following companies are subsidiares of TransDigm Group: 17111 Waterview Pkwy LLC, ARA Deutschland GmbH, ARA Holding GmbH, Acme Aerospace, Acme Aerospace Inc., Adams Rite Aerospace GmbH, Adams Rite Aerospace Inc., Advanced Inflatable Products Limited, Aero-Instruments, AeroControlex Group Inc., Aerosonic, Aerosonic LLC, Air-Sea Survival Equipment Trustee Limited, Airborne Acquisition Inc., Airborne Global Inc., Airborne Holdings Inc., Airborne Systems, Airborne Systems Canada Ltd., Airborne Systems Group Limited, Airborne Systems Holdings Limited, Airborne Systems Limited, Airborne Systems NA Inc., Airborne Systems North America Inc., Airborne Systems North America of CA Inc., Airborne Systems North America of NJ Inc., Airborne Systems Pension Trust Limited, Airborne UK Acquisition Limited, Airborne UK Parent Limited, Aircraft Materials Limited, AmSafe, AmSafe Aviation (Chongqing) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Kunshan) Co. Ltd., AmSafe Bridport (Private) Ltd., AmSafe Bridport Ltd., AmSafe Global Holdings Inc., AmSafe Global Services (Private) Limited, AmSafe Inc., Angus Electronics Co., Arkwin Industries, Arkwin Industries Inc., Armtec Countermeasures Co., Armtec Countermeasures TNO Co., Armtec Defense Products Co., Auxitrol SAS, Auxitrol Weston Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Auxitrol Weston Services China Ltd., Auxitrol Weston Singapore Pte. Ltd., Auxitrol Weston USA Inc., Aviation Technologies, Aviation Technologies Inc., Avionic Instruments LLC, Avionics Instruments, Avionics Specialties Inc., AvtechTyee Inc., Beta Transformer Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Beta Transformer Technology Corporation, Beta Transformer Technology LLC, Breeze-Eastern Corporation, Breeze-Eastern LLC, Bridport Erie Aviation Inc., Bridport Holdings Inc., Bridport Ltd., Bridport-Air Carrier Inc., Bruce Aerospace Inc., Bruce Industries, CDA InterCorp LLC, CEF Industries LLC, CMC Electronics Aurora LLC, CMC Electronics Inc., CMC Electronics ME Inc., Champion Aerospace LLC, Chelton Avionics Holdings Inc., Chelton Avionics Inc., Chelton Limited, Cobham Aero Connectivity, Cobham CTS Limited, Cobham Defence Communications Limited, Cobham Defense Products Inc., DART Aerospace, DDC Electronics K.K., DDC Electronics Ltd., DDC Electronics Private Limited, DDC Electronique S.A.R.L., DDC Elektronik GmbH, Darchem Engineering Limited, Darchem Holdings Limited, Data Device Corp., Data Device Corporation, Dukes Aerospace Inc., EST Defence Company UK Limited, Edlaw Limited, Electromech Technologies LLC, Elektro-Metall Export GmbH, Elektro-Metall Paks KFT, Esterline, Esterline Acquisition Ltd, Esterline Europe Company LLC, Esterline Foreign Sales Corporation, Esterline International Company, Esterline Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Esterline Technologies Corporation, Esterline Technologies Corporation, Esterline Technologies Europe Limited, Esterline Technologies France Holding SAS, Esterline Technologies French Acquisition Limited, Esterline Technologies Global Limited, Esterline Technologies Holdings Limited, Esterline Technologies SGIP LLC, Esterline Technologies Unlimited, Esterline do Brasil Assessoria e Intermediacao Ltda, European Antennas Limited, Extant Components Group Holdings Inc., Extant Components Group Intermediate Inc., GQ Parachutes Limited, Guizhou Leach-Tianyi Aviation Electrical Company Ltd, Harco, HarcoSemco LLC, Hartwell Corporation, Hytek Finishes Co., ILC Holdings Inc., IRVIN AEROSPACE LIMITED, IrvinGQ France SAS, IrvinGQ Limited, Janco Corporation, Johnson Liverpool LLC, Kirkhill Elastomers, Kirkhill Inc., Korry Electronics Co., Kunshan Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Leach Holding Corporation, Leach International Asia-Pacific Ltd, Leach International Corporation, Leach International Europe S.A.S., Leach International Germany GmbH, Leach International Mexico S. de R. L. de C. V., Leach International UK Ltd, Leach Mexico Holding LLC, Leach Technology Group Inc., MarathonNorco Aerospace Inc., Mason Electric Co., Mastsystem Int'l Oy, McKechnie Aerospace, McKechnie Aerospace (Europe) Ltd., McKechnie Aerospace DE Inc., McKechnie Aerospace DE LP, McKechnie Aerospace Holdings Inc., McKechnie Aerospace US LLC, Mecanismos de Matamoros S. de R.L. de C.V., NAT Seattle Inc., NMC Group Inc., Norco, Nordisk Asia Pacific Limited, Nordisk Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Nordisk Aviation Products (Kunshan) Ltd., Nordisk Aviation Products AS, Nordisk Aviation Products LLC, North Hills Signal Processing Corp., North Hills Signal Processing Overseas LLC, Norwich Aero Products Inc., Palomar Products Inc., Pexco Aerospace, Pexco Aerospace Inc., PneuDraulics, PneuDraulics Inc., Pressure Systems International Ltd, Schneller, Schneller Asia Pte. Ltd., Schneller LLC, Schneller S.A.R.L., Schroth Safety Products, Semco Instruments, Semco Instruments Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Inc., Shield Restraint Systems Ltd., Signal Processing Matamoros S.A. de C.V., Skandia, Skandia Inc., Skurka Aerospace, Skurka Aerospace Inc., Symetrics Industries, Symetrics Industries LLC, Symetrics Technology Group LLC, TA Aerospace Co., TA Mfg Limited, TDG Bavaria GmbH, TDG ESL Holdings Inc., TDG France Ultimate Parent SAS, TDG Germany GmbH, TEAC Aerospace Holdings Inc., TEAC Aerospace Technologies Inc., Tactair Fluid Controls Inc., Takata Protection Systems, Telair International, Telair International GmbH, Telair International Services PTE Ltd, Telair US LLC, TransDigm (Barbados) SRL, TransDigm Canada ULC, TransDigm European Holdings Limited, TransDigm Ireland Ltd., TransDigm Receivables LLC, TransDigm Technologies India Private Limited, TransDigm UK Holdings plc, Transicoil (Malaysia) Sendirian Berhad, Transicoil LLC, Wallop Defence UK Limited, Weston Aerospace Ltd, Whippany Actuation Systems, Whippany Actuation Systems LLC, XCEL Power Systems Ltd., Young & Franklin, Young & Franklin Inc., and exas Rotronics Inc..

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Chevron Corporation, through a network of subsidiaries, engages in integrated energy and chemicals operations worldwide. The company is the 7th largest integrated oil company worldwide, the 2nd largest in the US, and has been in operation since 1879. Chevron was part of the original Standard Oil Company and is one of the 34 successor companies that were formed when it was broken up. Today, the company brings in roughly $160 billion in annual revenues and is the last remaining oil and gas component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Originally called Standard Oil Of California the company grew quickly via mergers and acquisitions. It was hailed as one of the Seven Sisters to dominate the US and global production throughout the mid-20th century and became even bigger in 1985 when it merged with Gulf Oil. The merger with Gulf Oil resulted in the rebranding from Standard Oil Of California to Chevron (a brand used by the company outside its California jurisdiction) and then ChevronTexaco Corporation in 2005 when that merger took place. The company rebranded again in 2005 to what we know today as Chevron Corporation.

Chevron Corporation is now based in San Ramone, California, and has operations in 180 countries. The company employs more than 42,500 people who operate 5 refineries and 8,000+ Texaco, Chevron, and Standard Oil service stations in the US alone. The company's Exploration and Drilling operations produced a record 3.1 million barrels per day and its US refineries process more than 1 million barrels per day. At the end of 2021, the company has more than 11.3 billion barrels of proven oil and liquid-equivalent reserves and boasted a 112% reserve replacement rate.

The company operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment explores new reserves, develops known reserves, produces petroleum and gas products as needed, transports, processes, pipes, stores, and markets petroleum worldwide. The Downstream segment refines and markets the full line of petroleum-based products including but not limited to fuels such as gas, diesel, and aviation fuel, as well as lubricants, petrochemicals, and plastics. The company transports products via pipeline, rail, marine vessels, and truck.

Chevron recognizes the need to lower the worlds carbon output and is working toward that end. The companys strategy is two-pronged and includes reducing its own carbon output while investing in green and lower-carbon technologies. The companys goal is to invest $10 billion or more into lower carbon energy sources and technologies by 2028.

Chevron is a Dividend Aristocrat. The company has been paying a dividend since 1989 and it has raised it every year since its inception.






Everest Re Group, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance and insurance products in the United States, Bermuda, and internationally. The company operates through Reinsurance Operations and Insurance Operations segments. The Reinsurance Operations segment writes property and casualty reinsurance; and specialty lines of business through reinsurance brokers, as well as directly with ceding companies in the United States, Bermuda, Ireland, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The Insurance Operations segment writes property and casualty insurance directly, as well as through brokers, surplus lines brokers, and general agents in Bermuda, Canada, Europe, South America, Canada, Chile, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and the Netherlands. The company also provides treaty and facultative reinsurance products; admitted and non-admitted insurance products; and property and casualty reinsurance and insurance coverages, including marine, aviation, surety, errors and omissions liability, directors' and officers' liability, medical malpractice, mortgage reinsurance, other specialty lines, accident and health, and workers' compensation products. In addition, it offers commercial property and casualty insurance products through wholesale and retail brokers, surplus lines brokers, and program administrators. Everest Re Group, Ltd. was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Telecom Argentina S.A., together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services in Argentina and internationally. The company offers telephone services, including local, domestic, and international long-distance telephone services, as well as public telephone services; and other related supplementary services, such as call waiting, call forwarding, conference calls, caller ID, voice mail, itemized billing, and maintenance services. It also provides interconnection services, such as traffic and interconnection resource, dedicated Internet access, video signals transportation in standard and high definitions, audio and video streaming, dedicated links, backhaul links for mobile operators, data center hosting/housing services, dedicated links, layer 2 and layer 3 transport networks, video links, value-added services, and other services. In addition, the company offers mobile telecommunications services, including voice communications, high-speed mobile Internet content and applications download, online streaming, and other services; and sells mobile communication devices, such as handsets, Modems MiFi and wingles, and smart watches under the Personal brand. Further, it provides internet connectivity products, including virtual private network services, traditional Internet protocol links, and other products; data services; and programming and other cable television services. The company was formerly known as Cablevision S.A. and changed its name to Telecom Argentina S.A. in January 2018. Telecom Argentina S.A. was founded in 1979 and is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
PPG Industries, Inc. manufactures and distributes paints, coatings, and specialty materials worldwide. The company's Performance Coatings segment offers coatings, solvents, adhesives, sealants, sundries, and software for automotive and commercial transport/fleet repair and refurbishing, light industrial coatings, and specialty coatings for signs; and coatings, sealants, transparencies, transparent armor, adhesives, engineered materials, and packaging and chemical management services for commercial, military, regional jet, and general aviation aircraft. It also provides coatings and finishes for the protection of metals and structures, such as metal fabricators, heavy duty maintenance contractors, and manufacturers of ships, bridges, and rail cars; paints, wood stains, adhesives, and purchased sundries for painting and maintenance contractors, and consumers for decoration and maintenance of residential and commercial building structures; and paints, thermoplastics, pavement marking products, and other technologies for pavement marking. The company's Industrial Coatings segment offers coatings, adhesives and sealants, and metal pretreatments, as well as services and coatings applications for appliances, agricultural and construction equipment, consumer electronics, automotive parts and accessories, building products, kitchenware, and transportation vehicles and other finished products; and on-site coatings services. It also provides coatings for metal cans, closures, plastic tubes, and promotional and specialty packaging; amorphous precipitated silica for tire, battery separator, and other end-uses; TESLIN substrates for labels, e-passports, drivers' licenses, breathable membranes, and loyalty and identification cards; and organic light emitting diode materials, displays and lighting lens materials, optical lenses, color-change products, and photochromic dyes. The company was incorporated in 1883 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Brookdale Senior Living Inc. owns, manages, and operates senior living communities in the United States. It operates in three segments: Independent Living, Assisted Living and Memory Care, and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs). The Independent Living segment owns or leases communities comprising independent and assisted living units in a single community that are primarily designed for middle to upper income seniors. The Assisted Living and Memory Care segment owns or leases communities consisting of freestanding multi-story communities and freestanding single-story communities, which offer housing and 24-hour assistance with activities of daily living for the Company's residents. This segment also operates memory care communities for residents with Alzheimer's and other dementias. The CCRCs segment owns or leases communities that provides various living arrangements, such as independent and assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing; and services to accommodate various levels of physical ability and healthcare needs. It also manages communities on behalf of others. As of December 31, 2021, the company owned 347 communities, leased 299 communities, and managed 33 communities on behalf of others. Brookdale Senior Living Inc. was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee.
Conagra Brands, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a consumer packaged goods food company in North America. The company operates in four segments: Grocery & Snacks, Refrigerated & Frozen, International, and Foodservice. The Grocery & Snacks segment primarily offers shelf stable food products through various retail channels in the United States. The Refrigerated & Frozen segment provides temperature-controlled food products through various retail channels in the United States. The International segment offers food products in various temperature states through retail and foodservice channels outside of the United States. The Foodservice segment offers branded and customized food products, including meals, entrees, sauces, and various custom-manufactured culinary products packaged for restaurants and other foodservice establishments in the United States. The company sells its products under the Birds Eye, Duncan Hines, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Reddi-wip, Slim Jim, Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP, Duke's, Earth Balance, Gardein, and Frontera brands. The company was formerly known as ConAgra Foods, Inc. and changed its name to Conagra Brands, Inc. in November 2016. Conagra Brands, Inc. was founded in 1861 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
Southern Copper Corporation engages in mining, exploring, smelting, and refining copper and other minerals in Peru, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, and Chile. The company is involved in the mining, milling, and flotation of copper ore to produce copper and molybdenum concentrates; smelting of copper concentrates to produce blister and anode copper; refining of anode copper to produce copper cathodes; production of molybdenum concentrate and sulfuric acid; production of refined silver, gold, and other materials; and mining and processing of zinc and lead. It operates the Toquepala and Cuajone open-pit mines, and a smelter and refinery in Peru; and La Caridad, an open-pit copper mine, as well as a copper ore concentrator, a SX-EW plant, a smelter, refinery, and a rod plant in Mexico. The company also operates Buenavista, an open-pit copper mine, as well as two copper concentrators and two operating SX-EW plants in Mexico. In addition, it operates five underground mines that produce zinc, lead, copper, silver, and gold; a coal mine that produces coal and coke; and a zinc refinery. The company has interests in 82,134 hectares of exploration concessions in Peru; 493,533 hectares of exploration concessions in Mexico; 246,346 hectares of exploration concessions in Argentina; 29,888 hectares of exploration concessions in Chile; and 7,299 hectares of exploration concessions in Ecuador. Southern Copper Corporation was incorporated in 1952 and is based in Phoenix, Arizona. Southern Copper Corporation operates as a subsidiary of Americas Mining Corporation.
AutoZone, Inc. retails and distributes automotive replacement parts and accessories. The company offers various products for cars, sport utility vehicles, vans, and light trucks, including new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products. Its products include A/C compressors, batteries and accessories, bearings, belts and hoses, calipers, chassis, clutches, CV axles, engines, fuel pumps, fuses, ignition and lighting products, mufflers, radiators, starters and alternators, thermostats, and water pumps, as well as tire repairs. In addition, the company offers maintenance products, such as antifreeze and windshield washer fluids; brake drums, rotors, shoes, and pads; brake and power steering fluids, and oil and fuel additives; oil and transmission fluids; oil, cabin, air, fuel, and transmission filters; oxygen sensors; paints and accessories; refrigerants and accessories; shock absorbers and struts; spark plugs and wires; and windshield wipers. Further, it provides air fresheners, cell phone accessories, drinks and snacks, floor mats and seat covers, interior and exterior accessories, mirrors, performance products, protectants and cleaners, sealants and adhesives, steering wheel covers, stereos and radios, tools, and wash and wax products, as well as towing services. Additionally, the company provides a sales program that offers commercial credit and delivery of parts and other products; sells automotive diagnostic and repair software under the ALLDATA brand through alldata.com; and automotive hard parts, maintenance items, accessories, and non-automotive products through autozone.com. As of August 27, 2022, it operated 6,168 stores in the United States; 703 stores in Mexico; and 72 stores in Brazil. The company was founded in 1979 and is based in Memphis, Tennessee.
Northrop Grumman Corporation operates as an aerospace and defense company worldwide. The company's Aeronautics Systems segment designs, develops, manufactures, integrates, and sustains aircraft systems. This segment also offers unmanned autonomous aircraft systems, including high-altitude long-endurance strategic ISR systems and vertical take-off and landing tactical ISR systems; and strategic long-range strike aircraft, tactical fighter and air dominance aircraft, and airborne battle management and command and control systems. Its Defense Systems segment designs, develops, and produces weapons and mission systems. It offers products and services, such as integrated battle management systems, weapons systems and aircraft, and mission systems. This segment also provides command and control and weapons systems, including munitions and missiles; precision strike weapons; propulsion, such as air-breathing and hypersonic systems; gun systems and precision munitions; life cycle service and support for software, weapons systems, and aircraft; and logistics support, sustainment, operation, and modernization for air, sea, and ground systems. The company's Mission Systems segment offers cyber, command, control, communications and computers, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems; radar, electro-optical/infrared and acoustic sensors; electronic warfare systems; advanced communications and network systems; cyber solutions; intelligence processing systems; navigation; and maritime power, propulsion, and payload launch systems. This segment also provides airborne multifunction sensors; maritime/land systems and sensors; navigation, targeting, and survivability solutions; and networked information solutions. Its Space Systems segment offers satellites and payloads; ground systems; missile defense systems and interceptors; launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; and strategic missiles. The company was founded in 1939 and is based in Falls Church, Virginia.
TWIN FALLS  An AARP Smart Driver Class, hosted by the College of Southern Idaho Community Education and Matt Stokes Insurance, will be held from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29, at the CSI Taylor Building, Room 247.

The class is designed to help older drivers compensate for the normal physiological changes which may tend to make driving more difficult. There are no graded or driving tests.

Class size is limited and preregistration is required. The fee is $20 per person and AARP members receive a $5 discount. To register, call Bernie Jansen at 208-733-1168.
TWIN FALLS  Employees from the Monsanto Filer Research Station & Wheat Technology Center recommended Rock Creek Elementary School 2nd grade teachers to receive a $9,900 grant from the Monsanto Funds 2017 site grant initiative. Funds from the grant will be used to purchase science, technology, engineering, and math kits for second-grade classrooms.

Examples of kits the second-grade team plans to purchase include engineering, magnet kits, and, Lego WeDo 2.0 kits. The team will be able to purchase enough kits so that all students can participate with STEM activities at the same time.

These kits will provide more hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math activities for the students. Rock Creek was a new school last year and this Monsanto grant will help us build each classrooms resources to engage students in their learning said Paula Perry, second-grade teacher at Rock Creek Elementary School. We are excited that each second-grade classroom will have these fabulous resources for the students.

Theres no better way to learn about science and technology than with hands-on opportunities to see and experience scientific concepts, especially at a young age, said Jim Gomm, Site Testing and Operations Lead at the Monsanto Filer Research Station. Our local team is very pleased to support Paula and her colleagues in their efforts to spark STEM curiosity and learning with this Monsanto Fund grant.

This year, the Monsanto Fund awarded more than $1.4 million to nonprofit organizations through its site grant initiative to help address essential needs in rural communities. Nonprofit organizations across the U.S. have received more than $7.5 million through this program over the last five years.
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - After nearly six years as a hostage of the Al Qaeda group in Mali, South African tourist Stephen McGowan said he would keep the beard that brushes his chest when he bows to speak into the microphone. McGowan was released last month after being kidnapped, along with four other foreigners, while touring Mali on motorbikes. One, a German, was killed in the kidnapping. A Dutch hostage was freed in 2015 in a raid by French special forces and a Swede was released in June this year. "I'll probably keep the beard. I see all of my friends are growing them. They've become funky," McGowan told a conference on Thursday. Recently discharged from hospital after a week in observation and treatment for numerous minor ailments, McGowan, flanked by his widower father and his wife, shyly recalled details of ordeal. "I don't believe they knew my nationality. It would have been first prize for them if I was British," McGowan said. "They kidnapped me just because I was non-Muslim." He eventually converted to from Catholicism to Islam, and said that this made his stay easier. South Africa's government said no ransom was paid to secure his release. Gift of the Givers, the organisation that acted as intermediaries between Al Qaeda and government, said on Thursday McGowan had been released on compassionate grounds. McGowan said he was driven across remote stretches of the Sahara in the back of utility truck with other hostages, and housed in a grass hut, handcuffed and blindfolded for long periods. He was told on a the drive home his mother had passed away. (Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
BURLEY  Young teens whose families cant afford school supplies or clothing will be able to get some of those items at Burley Junior High School this year.

Vice Principal Deana Chistensen is spearheading a Care and Share Closet that will have clothing, shoes, school supplies and non-perishable food that students in need can take home with them.

I see a need every day for basic things like clean clothing, school supplies and toiletries, Christensen said. We have a significant percentage of students who are in need at the school. Some people say this isnt my job but if I can extend a little kindness to someone Im going to do it. It can be life changing.

Principal Steve Copmann said 60 percent of students at the school live in poverty.

The effect for a student that has to come to school unprepared is tragic, Copmann said.

If a kid is wondering where they are going to sleep at night or if they will have something to eat they arent going to be thinking about math, he said.

Many people in the community live at a comfortable level, and they may be unaware of how other families may be struggling, he said.

Some students at the school live in homes that dont have running water or in motels or worse  sometimes they are homeless.

And some of these same kids are the neatest kids you will ever meet, he said.

If a student does not have adequate school supplies, their shoes dont fit or they are wearing dirty clothing, they cant learn, Christensen said.

She also hopes to get a washer and dryer for students to use, whose families dont have access to the appliances.

The Mini-Cassia Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3043 and its auxiliary were among the first to donate items to the closet.

Gayle Dickson with the auxiliary said the donation sprung from Operation Homefront, which was developed to help military families get school supplies for their children.

We are always looking for a way to support the community and our veterans, Dickson said. If we can help in some way it helps us accomplish our goal and lets people know we are here.

The entire schools staff has also bought into the project, and many teachers have made donations, Christensen said.

The Care and Share Closet is an offshoot of a bigger school project called The Bobcat Way, which reinforces students being safe, respectful and responsible.

Students who get good grades or are caught doing something extra like helping out a neighbor are rewarded with Bobcat Bucks that can be spent at the schools store.

Christensen will implement a donation system where students can donate their Bobcat Bucks to the closet and then a local business can match the money to purchase supplies and students in need will be encouraged to pay for needed items with their bucks to eliminate any feelings of receiving a hand out.

Students will be able to notify someone at the front office that they have a need and then visit the closet at a time that is convenient for them.

Items that can be donated include clothing, shoes and outerwear of all sizes, school supplies, like paper, notebooks, binders, pencils and pens along with hygiene items and non-perishable food, preferably foods that can be prepared by a teen. The school also needs some clothing racks so items can be hung up and a wardrobe mirror that will be put in the room where the items are stored.

Donations of nondescript backpacks are also needed for the food pantry portion of the program.

Christensen said in the future she wants to find other ways to expand the closet like helping students get haircuts.

Most people in the community want to help, Christensen said, but they dont always know how.
The following companies are subsidiares of Cummins: Anvl, Apollo FC Holdings Ltd., Atlantis Acquisitionco Canada Corporation, Atlantis Holdco UK Limited, Brammo, CIFC Worldwide Partner C.V., CMI Africa Holdings BV, CMI CGT Holdings LLC, CMI Canada Financing Ltd., CMI Canada LP, CMI Foreign Holdings B.V., CMI Global Equity Holdings B.V., CMI Global Equity Holdings C.V., CMI Global Holdings B.V., CMI Global Partner 2 C.V., CMI Global Partners B.V., CMI Group Holdings B.V., CMI Group Holdings Cooperatief U.A., CMI International Finance Partner 1 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 2 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 3 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 4 LLC, CMI International Finance Partner 5 LLC, CMI Mexico LLC, CMI Netherlands Holdings B.V., CMI PGI Holdings LLC, CMI PGI International Holdings LLC, CMI Turkish Holdings B.V., CMI UK Finance LP, CMI UK Financing LP, Cherry Island Renewable Energy LLC, Consolidated Diesel Company, Consolidated Diesel Inc., Consolidated Diesel of North Carolina Inc., Cummins (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Cummins (Xiangyang) Machining Co. Ltd., Cummins Africa Middle East (Pty) Ltd., Cummins Afrique de l'Ouest, Cummins Americas Inc., Cummins Angola Lda., Cummins Argentina-Servicios Mineros S.A., Cummins Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Cummins Aust Technologies Pty. Ltd., Cummins BLR LLC, Cummins Battery Systems North America LLC, Cummins Belgium N.V., Cummins Botswana (Pty.) Ltd., Cummins Brasil Ltda., Cummins Burkina Faso SARL, Cummins CDC Holding Inc., Cummins CV Member LLC, Cummins Canada ULC, Cummins Caribbean LLC, Cummins Center of Excellence Singapore Pte. Ltd., Cummins Centroamerica Holding S.de R.L., Cummins Child Development Center Inc., Cummins Colombia S.A.S., Cummins Comercializadora S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Corporation, Cummins Cote d'Ivoire SARL, Cummins Czech Republic s.r.o., Cummins Deutschland GmbH, Cummins Diesel International Ltd., Cummins Distribution Holdco Inc., Cummins EMEA Holdings Limited, Cummins East Asia Research & Development Co. Ltd., Cummins Eastern Marine Inc., Cummins Electrified Power Europe Ltd., Cummins Electrified Power NA Inc., Cummins Emission Solutions (China) Co. Ltd., Cummins Emission Solutions Inc., Cummins Empresas Filantropicas, Cummins Energetica Ltda., Cummins Engine (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cummins Engine (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cummins Engine (Shanghai) Trading & Services Co. Ltd., Cummins Engine Holding Company Inc., Cummins Engine IP Inc., Cummins Engine Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Cummins Engine Venture Corporation, Cummins Enterprise LLC, Cummins Filtration (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cummins Filtration GmbH, Cummins Filtration IP Inc., Cummins Filtration Inc., Cummins Filtration International Corp., Cummins Filtration Ltd., Cummins Filtration SARL, Cummins Filtration Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Cummins Filtros Ltda., Cummins Franchise Holdco LLC, Cummins Fuel Systems (Wuhan) Co. Ltd., Cummins Generator Technologies (China) Co. Ltd., Cummins Generator Technologies Americas Inc., Cummins Generator Technologies Germany GmbH, Cummins Generator Technologies India Private Ltd., Cummins Generator Technologies Italy SRL, Cummins Generator Technologies Limited, Cummins Generator Technologies Romania S.A., Cummins Generator Technologies Singapore Pte Ltd., Cummins Ghana Limited, Cummins Ghana Mining Limited, Cummins Global Financing LP, Cummins Global Technologies LLP, Cummins Grupo Comercial Y. de Servicios S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Grupo Industrial S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Holland B.V., Cummins Hong Kong Ltd., Cummins India Ltd., Cummins Intellectual Property Inc., Cummins International Finance LLC, Cummins International Holdings Cooperatief U.A., Cummins International Holdings LLC, Cummins Italia S.P.A., Cummins Japan Ltd., Cummins Korea Co. Ltd., Cummins LLC Member Inc., Cummins Ltd., Cummins Maroc SARL, Cummins Middle East FZE, Cummins Mining Services S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Mobility Services Inc., Cummins Mongolia Investment LLC, Cummins Mozambique Ltda., Cummins NV, Cummins Namibia Engine Sales and Service PTY LTD, Cummins Natural Gas Engines Inc., Cummins New Zealand Limited, Cummins Nigeria Ltd., Cummins Norte de Colombia S.A.S., Cummins North Africa Regional Office SARL, Cummins Norway AS, Cummins PGI Holdings Ltd., Cummins Power Generation (China) Co. Ltd., Cummins Power Generation (S) Pte. Ltd., Cummins Power Generation (U.K.) Limited, Cummins Power Generation Deutschland GmbH, Cummins Power Generation Inc., Cummins Power Generation Limited, Cummins PowerGen IP Inc., Cummins Research and Technology India Private Ltd., Cummins Romania Srl, Cummins S. de R.L. de C.V., Cummins Sales and Service Korea Co. Ltd., Cummins Sales and Service Philippines Inc., Cummins Sales and Service Private Limited, Cummins Sales and Service Sdn. Bhd., Cummins Sales and Service Singapore Pte. Ltd., Cummins Sinai ve Otomotiv Urunleri Sanayi ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Cummins South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Cummins South Pacific Pty. Limited, Cummins Southern Plains LLC, Cummins Spain S.L., Cummins Sweden AB, Cummins Technologies India, Cummins Trade Receivables LLC, Cummins Turbo Technologies Limited, Cummins Turkey Motor Guc Sistemleri Sats Servis Limited Sirketi, Cummins U.K. Holdings Ltd., Cummins U.K. Pension Plan Trustee Ltd., Cummins UK Global Holdings Ltd., Cummins UK Holdings LLC, Cummins Vendas e Servicos de Motores e Geradores Ltda., Cummins Venture Corporation, Cummins West Africa Limited, Cummins West Balkans d.o.o. Nova Pasova, Cummins XBorder Operations (Pty) Ltd, Cummins Zambia Ltd., Cummins Zimbabwe Pvt. Ltd., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica Costa Rica S.de R.L., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica El Salvador S.de R.L., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica Guatemala Ltda., Distribuidora Cummins Centroamerica Honduras S.de R.L., Distribuidora Cummins S.A., Distribuidora Cummins Sucursal Paraguay SRL, Distribuidora Cummins de Panama S. de R.L., Dynamo Insurance Company Inc., Efficient Drivetrains, Efficient Drivetrains (Beijing) New Power Technology Co. Ltd., Efficient Drivetrains (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Hilite International, Hydrogenics, Hydrogenics Corporation, Hydrogenics Europe N.V., Hydrogenics GmbH, Hydrogenics Holding GmbH, Hydrogenics USA Inc., Markon Engineering Company Ltd., Nelson Burgess Ltd., Nelson Industries, Newage Engineers GmbH, Newage Ltd. (U.K.), Newage Machine Tools Ltd., OOO Cummins, Petbow Limited, Power Group International (Overseas Holdings) B.V., Power Group International (Overseas Holdings) Ltd., Power Group International Ltd., Quickstart Energy Projects SpA, Shanghai Cummins Trade Co. Ltd., TOO Cummins, Taiwan Cummins Sales & Services Co. Ltd., Worldwide Partner CV Member LLC, Wuxi Cummins Turbo Technologies Co. Ltd., Wuxi New Energy Automotive Technologies Co. Ltd., and ZED Connect Inc..

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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.
TWIN FALLS  High-definition security cameras. Checking if visitors are registered sex offenders. Locking building entrances.

These are a few changes youll notice at Twin Falls School District campuses this year. For students, the first day of school is Aug. 17.

School security has become a hot topic nationwide, particularly in light of school shootings like 2012 in Newtown, Conn. Here in Twin Falls, improving school security was identified as a key priority during safety audit in 2014 and has been an ongoing project since then.

Its really exciting to see that the Twin Falls School District has been very proactive to increase the safety of the students within our schools, said operations director Ryan Bowman, who started on the job this summer.

Voters approved a nearly $74 million bond in 2014, with the bulk of the money going toward building two new elementary schools and a middle school. But about $1.3 million was used for school security upgrades.

Changes include new high-definition security cameras and electronic key card readers. Installing equipment has been an ongoing project since 2014.

More security upgrades will be coming in future years, Bowman said. Theyll likely be paid for using plant facilities levy money.

But the voter-supported levy  $3.3 million annually for 10 years  is set to expire this year. The district is considering bringing a renewal request to voters during the March 2018 election.

A budget advisory committee will look at whether to run a levy again and how much money to seek, school district spokeswoman Eva Craner said.

What new security measures can you expect at your childs school? Heres an overview of four of the changes:

Visitor screening

A new program called Raptor will be used to do a security check when a visitor comes into each school.

Visitors will be asked for their identification card and information will be run through law enforcement databases to check for any serious crimes on their record.

That would include being a registered sex offender and other crimes that are serious that pose a threat to our students, Bowman said.

It wouldnt include minor infractions like speeding tickets.

If a notification comes up, a front desk employee will be able to push a button on their computer to notify school administrators, who will respond.

Identification badges

The school district is implementing a uniform system for identification badges. Each employee will have a badge, including their name, a line that says Twin Falls School District and a photo.

Everyone will be required to wear it, Bowman said. Everyone will be credentialed within our buildings.

Once visitors clear the Raptor check, theyll receive a printed name badge to wear while theyre in the school building.

If employees see someone who isnt wearing a badge, theyre supposed to approach them, ask them what they need and then direct them to the school office.

Thats one of our big pushes this year, Bowman said.

High-definition security cameras

By the time school starts, every Twin Falls School District campus will have high-definition security cameras.

The cameras will be very nice for administration and staff to keep an eye on the building, Bowman said, for safety purposes and after hours to ensure facilities are protected.

Electronic card readers

Each of Twin Falls newest schools  Rock Creek Elementary School, Pillar Falls Elementary School and South Hills Middle School  has a new electronic card reader, as well as Canyon Ridge and Twin Falls high schools.

And card readers are being installed now at Oregon Trail Elementary School.

That was the extent of the bond, Bowman said. Over the next few years, card readers will be installed at more schools using plant facilities money.

The card readers allow school officials to remotely lock and unlock doors at school campuses.

Using a computer, officials can also see which employees are using a key card to come into the buildings and when theyre entering.

At South Hills Middle School, doors to the building will be locked after school starts each day, Bowman said. It forces people to come through the office.
Teleflex Incorporated designs, develops, manufactures, and supplies single-use medical devices for common diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in critical care and surgical applications worldwide. It provides vascular access products that comprise Arrow branded catheters, catheter navigation and tip positioning systems, and intraosseous access systems for the administration of intravenous therapies, the measurement of blood pressure, and the withdrawal of blood samples through a single puncture site. The company also offers interventional products, which consists of various coronary catheters, structural heart therapies, and peripheral intervention and cardiac assist products that are used by interventional cardiologists and radiologists, and vascular surgeons; and Arrow branded catheters, Guideline and Trapliner catheters, the Manta Vascular Closure, and Arrow Oncontrol devices. It provides anesthesia products, such as airway and pain management products to support hospital, emergency medicine, and military channels; and surgical products, including metal and polymer ligation clips, and fascial closure surgical systems that are used in laparoscopic surgical procedures, percutaneous surgical systems, and other surgical instruments. The company also offers interventional urology products comprising the UroLift System, an invasive technology for treating lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia; and respiratory products, including oxygen and aerosol therapies, spirometry, and ventilation management products for use in various care settings. It provides urology products, such as catheters, urine collectors, and catheterization accessories and products for operative endourology; and bladder management services. The company serves hospitals and healthcare providers, medical device manufacturers, and home care markets. The company was incorporated in 1943 and is headquartered in Wayne, Pennsylvania.
The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. provides insurance and financial services to individual and business customers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and internationally. Its Commercial Lines segment offers workers' compensation, property, automobile, liability, umbrella, bond, marine, livestock, and reinsurance; and customized insurance products and risk management services, including professional liability, bond, surety, and specialty casualty coverages through regional offices, branches, sales and policyholder service centers, independent retail agents and brokers, wholesale agents, and reinsurance brokers. The company's Personal Lines segment provides automobile, homeowners, and personal umbrella coverages through direct-to-consumer channel and independent agents. Its Property & Casualty Other Operations segment offers coverage for asbestos and environmental exposures. The company's Group Benefits segment provides group life, disability, and other group coverages to members of employer groups, associations, and affinity groups through direct insurance policies; reinsurance to other insurance companies; employer paid and voluntary product coverages; disability underwriting, administration, and claims processing to self-funded employer plans; and a single-company leave management solution. This segment distributes its group insurance products and services through brokers, consultants, third-party administrators, trade associations, and private exchanges. Its Hartford Funds segment offers investment products for retail and retirement accounts; exchange-traded products through broker-dealer organizations, independent financial advisers, defined contribution plans, financial consultants, bank trust groups, and registered investment advisers; and investment management and administrative services, such as product design, implementation, and oversight. The company was founded in 1810 and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut.
The Jerome County Fair is celebrating its 100th birthday this year with mud drags, music and one of the biggest, star-studded rodeos in fair history.
Kinder Morgan, Inc. operates as an energy infrastructure company in North America. The company operates through four segments: Natural Gas Pipelines, Products Pipelines, Terminals, and CO2. The Natural Gas Pipelines segment owns and operates interstate and intrastate natural gas pipeline, and underground storage systems; natural gas gathering systems and natural gas processing and treating facilities; natural gas liquids fractionation facilities and transportation systems; and liquefied natural gas liquefaction and storage facilities. The Products Pipelines segment owns and operates refined petroleum products, and crude oil and condensate pipelines; and associated product terminals and petroleum pipeline transmix facilities. The Terminals segment owns and/or operates liquids and bulk terminals that stores and handles various commodities, including gasoline, diesel fuel, chemicals, ethanol, metals, and petroleum coke; and owns tankers. The CO2 segment produces, transports, and markets CO2 to recovery and production crude oil from mature oil fields; owns interests in/or operates oil fields and gasoline processing plants; and operates a crude oil pipeline system in West Texas, as well as owns and operates RNG and LNG facilities. It owns and operates approximately 83,000 miles of pipelines and 143 terminals. The company was formerly known as Kinder Morgan Holdco LLC and changed its name to Kinder Morgan, Inc. in February 2011. Kinder Morgan, Inc. was founded in 1936 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.  The guttural roar of the General Motors, 420-horsepower truck engine cascaded across the Colorado River canyon near De Beque, Colo.

A lime-green, 20-foot, water-jet powered speedboat, known as Wild Mustang, spun through a quick, tight turn, drenching the occupants as their screams competed with the engine.

Capable of up to 50 mph, but typically operating about 30-35 mph, Jet Boat Colorado (jetboatcolorado.com) operates both as a thrill ride and a sight-seeing excursion along the river, said owner Joe Keys, who opened the tour operation last summer.

It operates along a 40-mile stretch of the river east of Grand Junction.

Its not being used by a lot of other people, and theres a lot of wildlife in here, Keys said. And its really good jet boat water. Plenty of shallows and braids, which is just where these boats really perform best.

Bald eagles nest in the cottonwood trees lining the river, ducks and ducklings paddle in the shallows and sandhill cranes stalk for fish.

It was exciting, said Julie White, a passenger from Grand Junction. I thought it was a lot of fun. Fast. I love the spins. The guide was knowledgeable about the area and pointed out wildlife and different stuff about the mountains. And I loved the bald eagles.

The Colorado River swallows up the Gunnison at Grand Junction, and it is a true breadbasket of the Western Slope. Yet it is ringed by the towering Book Cliffs to the east, the lake-laden Grand Mesa that tops 12,000 feet to the south and to the north and west, the sandstone cliffs of Colorado National Monument (nps.gov/colm/index.htm).

The monument is a 32-square-mile park encompassing the winding canyons and towering formations, with Rim Rock Road winding along the top of the cliffs.

Somebody driving along has the opportunity to see these beautiful vistas right from their car, said Arlene Jackson, monument chief of interpretation. Or they can stop at some of the overlooks, get out and take a look. Some of them have short, quarter-mile trails with views so they can go even a little bit farther. Theres a wide diversity of things you can do right from the road.

A number of backcountry trails meander through the canyons, as well, she said, one of the most popular heading to the base of Independence Monument.

This is one of the largest monoliths in the park, she said.

The parks first supervisor, John Otto, was very patriotic, and on the Fourth of July in 1911, he climbed Independence Monument for the first time, without any of the rock climbing gear, so it was a very hazardous ascent, and posted an American flag on top of the monument, she said

That tradition has continued every year since, Jackson said, usually with the local search and rescue organization making the flag-bearing climb.

After so much adventure, visitors can replenish their energy by sampling some of the local cuisine. Several go-to eateries beckon with local products.

Bin 707 Foodbar (bin707.com) has become not only a local institution, but a regular on the states lists of top restaurants by featuring fare culled from the best local produce, beef and game.

Executive chef and owner Josh Niernberg, a former professional snowboarder who maintained his lifestyle on the slopes by working in restaurants, opened the restaurant eight years ago,and it has changed the entire course of this valley, said Robin Brown of Brownhouse Public Relations and Events.

I do not say that lightly, she added. When Bin opened, the farm-to-table movement, which was happening all over the rest of the country, was not happening here. It was not in our lexicon. We have tons and tons of farms producing amazing produce that was all being wholesaled to the Front Range.

Niernberg visited the various farmers asking them to think beyond the local staples of corn and peaches, telling them if they widened their crop circles, he would use it at the restaurant.

The ever-changing menu includes such items as Colorado elk with smoked beet tartare and Blaines heirloom tomatoes with cucumbers, peaches, eggplant miso puree, soy caramel and kimchi furikake.

The Cafe Sol (cafesol.com), is another downtown bistro that has bought into the farm-fresh concept, specializing in breakfast and lunch paninis.

Finally, for a bit of culture, the Museum of the West (museumofwesterncolorado), also downtown, owns a collection of Mimbres and Anasazi pottery, as well as a range of other interesting items explaining local history. Among the exhibits is the handgun of every local sheriff, a study of the uranium boom and examples of Native American rock art.
Tedra Begay weaves Southwestern landscapes with dancers and ceremonial tools to create textured images rooted in Navajo rugs.

Born and raised in Albuquerque, Begay spent her summers at Seba Dalkai, Ariz., on the Navajo Reservation, where she learned traditional weaving from her grandmother. She took photography courses at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, thinking she would pursue fashion design.

One day, she sliced up a photograph, then pieced it back together using her weaving skills. The results resemble a combination of jigsaw puzzles and the raised surfaces of Navajo textiles. When people see her work, theyre both startled and intrigued.

They always say, You must have a lot of patience,  Begay said. When they first see it, they think Ive painted on leather or they think its a puzzle.

Begay (her first name is pronounced Teedra) will be selling her photo weavings at the 96th annual Santa Fe Indian Market on Aug. 19-20. The most prestigious event of its kind, it lures more than 100,000 visitors from across the globe to buy art from roughly 900 artists from more than 200 tribes across the U.S. and Canada. Visitors can choose from a crazy quilt of mediums of materials, including sculpture, painting, basketry, fiber, jewelry, pottery, mixed-media, film and photography in both traditional and contemporary styles. Many participants claim to make one-third to half their yearly income at Indian Market. Organizers estimate the event draws about 150,000 people and roughly $80 million annually to the city.

Begays double exposure combines a White Mountain Apache landscape with an Apache corn dancer in precisely placed woven strips. A larger photo transfer onto aluminum called White Mountain Spirit showcases Native American Church instruments  a peyote fan, a rattle and a drumstick. Its structure ripples with Navajo flower patterns. It took second place in photography at the 2015 Heard Museum Guild Indian Art Fair.

Begay slices her photographs into quarter-inch strips before piecing them together on her gridded work table. Her spacious apartment brims with the artwork of her people. Navajo rugs hang diagonally across the walls; pueblo pottery and basketry line a bookshelf. Baskets anchor the fireplace mantle near stuffed animl lambs.

Reaching for her phone, Begay shows a visitor a shot of a group of lambs staring up at the camera, their tiny bodies swaddled in sweaters.

Sometimes we can lamb in the winter when youre not supposed to, she said, so we put sweaters (the babies).

My grandmother would make little looms for us. She was a weaver. It was fun making little designs with all those different colors.

I wanted to make something different for my seniors thesis.

She began by weaving cornstalks together.

After graduating from IAIA in 2005, Begay took five years off to decide what she wanted to do.

As time went along, I started to do little designs within my weavings, she said. I just started experimenting one day, and it came about.

In 2013, she applied at Indian Market and was immediately accepted. Last year, she took second place in the digital photography category. She also shows her work at the New Mexico State Fair.

Shes planning photography trips to Canyon de Chelly and Monument Valley and hopes one day to create her art full time. She currently works in the library at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute.

Begays parents now live in Gilbert, Ariz. She was about to take her father to visit the Grand Canyon for the first time on a long holiday weekend. She still visits her grandmothers sheep and cattle ranch.

Shes just awed at what I can do, Begay said. She loves it.

If you go

WHAT: 96th annual Santa Fe Indian Market

WHEN: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 20

WHERE: The Plaza, Santa Fe

HOW MUCH: Free. Call 505-983-5220 or swaia.org
Correction: The original version of this story had the incorrect first name of the websites editor-in-chief.

More than a decade has passed since the initial meeting between Mario and Isabel Lucero and not only are the two married, but they have launched a website with followers all over the world that showcases the couples talents.

Isabel and Mario Lucero met as teens while attending the same Christian school in Corrales. Their website, Heaven Sent Gaming, features comics, music and short novels. The couple is also developing a video game for the site, which gets more than 15,000 visitors a day.

One of the most popular features, Mario Lucero said, is the New Mexico lexicon. The lexicon contains words and phrases associated with New Mexican culture and provides a definition for them. Some of the entries featured are Al Hurricane Jr., bizcochitos, Blakes Lotaburger and pueblo.

Isabel Lucero said the couple started the lexicon for fun because they believe there are a lot of misconceptions out there about New Mexico not only from people in other parts of the country and world but within the state itself. They are continuously adding words and phrases to the list.

Although it wasnt necessarily started for fans in other countries, Mario Lucero said it has proven useful. Visitors to the website from other countries will sometimes email the couple after reading something on the lexicon and remark on how interesting New Mexico sounds.

Isabel Lucero, who is the president of the company, illustrates their comics, while Mario Lucero writes the content. Hes also the author of the sites short novels.

Before the two had fans across the globe, they became fans of each other. They were students at Sandia View Academy, a Seventh-day Adventist campus, when Isabel was a student teachers aide and noticed Marios writing.

It was me that pushed him to take the role as a writer, she said. His stuff was always so creative and interesting. I always thought this is the kind of stuff I would want to buy and read.

At the same time, Mario was admiring her drawings.

I told her You should do something with that,' he said. I really wanted to work with her. Its why we started Heaven Sent Gaming.

At first, Heaven Sent Gaming was an informal group the couple formed with their friends in 2006 while attending Collins College in Tempe, Ariz. Collins is a now defunct for-profit college that offered courses in film and video production, graphic design, video games and information technology.

The couple launched the website in 2009 and eventually invited their friend Jason Waggoner, whom they had met in college and was part of the original Heaven Sent Gaming group, to move from his home state of Mississippi to New Mexico to be their editor-in-chief. Waggoner left school before earning a degree and returned to Laurel, Miss., working as a fry cook for seven years. He said he was ready for a change and looking to get back into a field he loves. He writes some of the content on the site and functions as its copy editor. Hes also helping the couple develop their first video, which Isabel said fans are anxiously waiting to see.

I didnt have a lot of friends when I was a kid in Mississippi because it was a small town, he said. I wanted something I could escape to so (video) games became like a friend to me.

Waggoner said he jumped at the chance to work with the Luceros again because of their commitment to quality products and because they are good people. The couple said they have tried to stay true to their Christian beliefs, hence the name.

Mario said one of the largest fan bases is in Japan. Their Twitter account amassed more than 10,000 followers, many from Japan. They also have fans in Russia, Brazil, South Korea, India and France. They use Twitter to post scripture quotes and promote their website. Isabels Twitter account is published in Japanese and shes trying to learn the language.

When I was younger, I was exposed to a lot of Japanese anime, she said. I started drawing at age 10.

The website is a continuous work in progress. The couple hopes to some day grow the company to a point where they can make a living at it. Isabel Lucero works as a leasing consultant and Mario runs their website full time, working daily on content.
Dancers trooped in and out of repeating patterns, creating a meditative mood for a packed audience at a Rio Rancho senior center.

Twelve dancers weaved in varying arrangements of circular formations, later marching in single-file lines. Their traditional folk dances symbolize the twists and turns of life.

Los Coloniales, whose members range in age from 40-93, came together to preserve dances that made their way from Spain and other parts of Europe to northern New Mexico in colonial times.

Edward Gonzales, who started dancing with Los Coloniales when he was 60, said the dances the group performs were banned in Mexico in the 18th century when the government fought an infiltration of European culture. The dances made their way to New Mexico.

My parents did these types of dances way back when I was kid, Gonzales said.

Ben Baca, 83, began dancing with Los Coloniales 35 years ago.

The first time I joined the organization, I quit. I felt like I had two left feet, he said.

Baca re-joined the group after realizing the importance of protecting Southwestern culture.

Eventually Baca became president of Los Coloniales. He quit dancing just last year after being diagnosed with lymphoma and lung disease.

Los Coloniales has been performing at fiestas and feast days in small New Mexico communities for years. They also dance at church functions, assisted living centers and public schools in Santa Fe, Espanola, Abiquiu, Chimayo, Albuquerque and Rio Rancho.

In May, the group won a Heritage Preservation Award from the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division.
After years of stagnant wages, job loss and poor revenue outlooks, New Mexico finally has some bright economic news.

The latest state revenue tracking report reveals, as of May 2017, New Mexico has taken in $141 million more than May 2016, continuing a positive four-month trend.

Weve also brought in an additional $121 million in recurring revenue to the general fund over this same period last year, with the states gross receipts tax experiencing the largest growth. This is good news.

And our state needs that revenue more than ever. The states reserves remain below 1 percent  well below the ideal 10 percent needed to protect against unforeseen budget crises, and many of our states departments are operating on a shoestring budget.

Just this past week, the Legislative Finance Committee was told that many of our correctional facilities are experiencing as high as a 33 percent staff vacancy rate, adding risk to inmates, correctional officers and, ultimately, the publics safety.

When House Democrats regained the majority and walked into the chamber on opening day of this years legislative session, they faced the situation that the state was spending more than we were taking in and took immediate action to address our states solvency.

House Democrats also requested a study to examine our states finances to prove that we did not need to shut down state government to make ends meet. We then had to overcome the governors veto, which nearly eliminated higher education (funding) throughout the state. The impact of these political games, especially to higher education, is still reverberating through our economy, and their full impact wont be completely understood for at least a couple of years.

So why are we seeing an upward trend in revenue?

To put it simply, a strong national economy is lifting up our state and, hopefully, the trend will continue and even increase.

Oil and gas prices have slightly rebounded, but we must diversify our economy to prevent future crises. New Mexico remains on very shaky ground, and there is a lot we must do to responsibly maintain our solvency so we can continue growing and investing back into our state.

This past year, the Legislative Finance Committee, and House Democrats in particular, took the lead in shoring up our states solvency by ensuring revenue would meet our expenditures. Recognizing that we can no longer cut our way to prosperity, we proposed $426 million in revenue enhancements such as taxing internet sales and closing corporate loopholes. These revenue enhancements were vetoed by the governor, but that is real money we are leaving on the table, much of it coming from out-of-state corporations like Amazon and Google.

Right now, House Democrats are determined not to repeat what has been done in the past, which has taken away opportunities from students and created large tax giveaways, but to invest in our future by investing in our roads, students, families and communities, so we can build a robust economy with a strong workforce where businesses can thrive.
The sweltering Texas sun blistered my arms as my buddy, Garth, and I headed north from Lake Whitney toward our distant hometown of Alvarado. Wed spent a few of our final summer vacation days on a 40-mile canoe trip from Whitney Dam to Waco  our first big outing since high school graduation the year before.

The date was Aug. 16, 1977, and a rock legend died that day at only 42 years of age.

At 19, I knew a lot about Elvis Presley. During childhood, my brother and I would sometimes huddle on the bed around our old black-and-white portable TV late at night, under a tent made by the covers, and watch those fun Elvis movies. He was fascinating to us little kids because here was one cool cat. Polite to the old ladies but hell on wheels with the young ones.

Of course, the whole reason for his fame were those earthshaking moves and vocals, backed by a rockin band in the early 1950s. But his staying power and true vibrancy can only be explained by his uniqueness as a personality  and a quiet dignity, humanity and kindness.

I recall a famous story featured in magazines over the years, in which an old black woman in Memphis stood gazing through the showroom window at a Cadillac dealership. Elvis, in his limo, watched the woman as his vehicle passed by, and he told the driver to stop. He got out and approached this aged lady. She was stunned by the sight of this gigantic celebrity walking up to her.

Go pick out the color you like, Elvis told her. And he bought it for her. You dont often hear about that kind of generosity today. I guess its out of style to be kind like that. But really, for a whole lot of people, Elvis has never gone out of style.

You would have thought it was the Pearl Harbor attack all over again that day, when listening to my buddys car radio: Elvis Presley, age 42, died of a heart attack today.  We looked at each other, in shock for a few minutes.

Like many stars, he popped pills and badly damaged his health. He was caught up in that gigantic, whirling machine of a big name spinning out of control, and it cut him down  as it had many others before him, like Jim Morrison of The Doors; Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin, et al.

Elvis slammed society hard when first hitting the scene with his pelvic gyrations, a menacing grin and a voice that could be tender and cruel in intensity. The younger crowd would just cut loose and have a real blast right along with him  though the old folks, and many preachers, considered him to be a wild man  a devil.

My first job as a newspaper reporter was in the late 1980s at the Killeen Daily Herald. Elvis reported for duty at nearby Fort Hood on March 28, 1958, and my old editor interviewed him. Elvis liked his story and invited him to his off-base house, still there today. A retired Central Texas police officer, Mort Milner, recalled those days with a grin.

We were young cats. We loved his music. When wed get a call to go out to 605 Oak Wood, we knew Elvis was having a wild party. We loved going out there to visit and advise about the noise. He was a nice young fella  he said.

We were lucky that Elvis came along and jolted the music scene when he did, inspiring and propelling so many other future groups. The images of his beautiful youth, and the towering stature that he achieved, will always be a positive and colorful part of America. He wasnt perfect, but he had a big heart. And after all, heart and soul  thats what his music is all about.
The (Human Services Department) Cabinet secretary needs to take a serious look at his management team, said federal court-appointed Special Master Lawrence Parker during a June 30 U.S. District Court hearing in Las Cruces. It was Parkers first major report in the case surrounding the agencys mismanagement of New Mexicos food and medical aid system.

Inadequate staffing and a tangled web of policy and protocol directives have led to a backlog of over 50,000 applicants for food and medical assistance. HSD employees, who are represented by AFSCME, have been instrumental in bringing issues to the forefront. They are challenging managements approach, which refuses to look at staff shortages and self-caused technical issues.

Employees are petitioning management to end practices that have normalized a state of emergency at HSD. Employees are disallowed from taking vacations and retaliated against for using sick leave, and management is pushing disciplinary actions against workers unable to meet wildly unrealistic quotas.

Plaintiffs attorneys in the lawsuit said the Human Services Department has made shockingly little progress in complying with court-ordered changes aimed at improving conditions. In a June memo, plaintiffs attorneys describe how HSD is understaffed by 160 positions. Theyre desperately needed to process, approve or deny a high volume of applications. Though the state says it is committed to filling vacancies, many of the vacant positions are not posted.

The ASPEN (Automated System Program and Eligibility Network) computer system is designed to handle all of New Mexicos income and medical support applications. Purchased under the (Gov. Susana) Martinez administration, ASPEN is a core HSD woe. Budgeted at $118 million, Deloittes gaffe-prone computer system has led to costly inefficiencies and technical failures in New Mexico, Kentucky, Michigan and Rhode Island.

Most recently in New Mexico, the system caused newborn babies not to be added to Medicaid within a required three-day period, leaving them without medical coverage outside hospitals. Adults and children are inexplicably purged from the system and must reapply, wasting more time and causing higher demand on limited human resources.

Martinez has made it her policy to run lean and mean government with fewer employees and resources, and thats exactly what she has delivered. Today, 1.4 million New Mexicans rely on some food and Medicaid assistance. Undercutting basic services needed to survive is fueling massive problems that affect us all.

We are demanding the state hire enough employees to operate our system and fix technical problems within ASPEN. We must restore a sense of humanity to New Mexicos welfare system. Children are falling through the cracks because this administration has nickel-and-dimed public welfare operations.

In September 2016, federal Judge Kenneth Gonzales ordered Cabinet Secretary Brent Earnest be held in contempt of court for failing to fix a false assets practice and other problems at HSD. High-level managers were falsely inflating peoples income to avoid federal scrutiny and causing peoples applications for emergency food aid to be denied. Three top-level HSD managers pleaded the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination 97 times in federal court when questioned about the practice.

There is an even greater need for HSD to create a global employee operations manual. Currently, the system is hamstrung by a confusing hodgepodge of written and verbal policies that vary from office to office. Finally, staffing shortages and high turnover are dangerous. The state must prioritize a more aggressive recruitment strategy to fill critical vacancies.

Contrary to the gloom being reported by the media, rank-and-file HSD employees feel hope thanks to Parkers statements and the willingness of the federal court to take action. Despite this administrations continued attempts to ignore the crisis, we finally have a real and overdue opportunity for change.

Judge Gonzales set a November court date to review the states progress and decide if New Mexicos Income Support Division must be taken over by the federal government.

Connie Derr is the international vice president for the AFSCME Southwestern District.
It has taken two years, but the Environmental Protection Agency says it will reconsider paying farmers, business owners and tribes for economic losses attributable to the Gold King Mine spill. Because it was EPA workers who triggered the spill, there never should have been a question about which agency should pay for the damages.

On Aug. 5, 2015, an EPA team dug out a dirt-and-rock plug from the long abandoned Gold King Mine in southwest Colorado and dumped 3 million gallons of toxic wastewater laden with more than 880,000 pounds of metals into Four Corners waterways, including the Animas River. The resulting yellow sludge made the national news and affected rivers, businesses, farms and wells in Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

Farmers who depend on the rivers for irrigation lost crops; water wells were fouled; clean water had to be trucked to livestock; municipalities had to temporarily halt using river water; and popular rafting, kayaking and fishing venues were unusable.

Although EPA officials urged those affected to file claims  which at one time totaled about $1.2 billion  they announced in January that federal law prevented the EPA from paying claims because of sovereign immunity, which prohibits most lawsuits against the government.

The agency said last year it would reimburse $4.5 million to state, local and tribal governments for their emergency response to the spill but rejected $20.4 million in other requests for past and future expenses, again citing federal law.

A recent review by The Associated Press estimates the damages sought now total about $420 million.

Although the EPA has spent more than $31.3 million on remediation work, water testing and some payments to state, local and tribal agencies, there are still many individuals, municipalities and businesses that have yet to be made whole.

Administrator Scott Pruitt said last month I think the agencys response to the Gold King spill  shirked its response to help compensate claimants that were injured. And this month he said he has sent letters telling people to resubmit claims because the EPA should be held to the same standard as those we regulate. The previous administration failed those who counted on them to protect the environment.

To its credit, the EPA has also designated the affected area a Superfund site, meaning it will foot the bill for a broad cleanup.

It doesnt take a cynic to understand its unlikely every single claim is valid, and it would be fiscally irresponsible for the EPA to start writing checks simply to appease claimants. However, the EPAs about-face is overdue, and two years in it is past time for the agency to investigate claims quickly and take whatever steps are necessary  including Congressional approval, if needed  to ensure timely payments to those with proven and valid claims.

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.
Armed robberies arent just about money.

People get killed.

In Albuquerque, thats at least five people in the last three months.

Here are the cases:

 In July, 36-year-old Jaime Dimas of Albuquerque was shot near San Mateo and Ortiz SE during or just after an armed robbery attempt at a local restaurant in broad daylight.

Police have been closed mouthed about the investigation and have not said whether Dimas was a target, a witness or an innocent bystander.

Detectives said they are looking for a 25-year-old Native American male with long black hair in a ponytail, a Hispanic female with dark complexion and short dark hair, and a white female with long blonde hair who may have information about the crime.

 In June, 25-year-old Janette Medina was killed outside a home in the 100 block of Hilton NW by a man who took her car keys and fled in the vehicle at about 10:30 p.m. The assailant and Medina knew each other and had a dispute over the car.

According to court records, police believe Gabriel Mariscal, 30, and Morgan Quarles III, 22, broke into the house demanding the car keys when Mariscal got into an altercation with a man in the house, who was shot and critically wounded. Quarles then dragged Medina outside demanding her car keys when he allegedly shot and killed her, then took the car.

Mariscal was arrested, and police are still looking for Quarles, who was on probation after spending a year locked up for an armed robbery in Roswell.

 Yoan Pena Santiesteban is charged with fatally shooting three people while trying to rob them over a 12-day period in May, including a man heading to work from his quiet Foothills neighborhood and a woman who was sitting in her car at a southeast Albuquerque mobile home park.

A grand jury has charged Santiesteban and his girlfriend Gloria Chavez, 26, with starting the armed robbery-murder spree with the planned armed robbery of Samir Al-Abboudy, 44, who had recently won $22,000 at a casino.

On May 14, police were called to the Days Inn on Menaul near Princeton NE and found Al-Abboudy, lying in a pool of blood in his hotel room and his white Nissan Versa stolen.

On May 24, the couple was looking for methamphetamine and set up a plan to rob a local drug dealer.

Chavez told detectives she arranged to meet a man to buy drugs at a mobile home park on Zuni near Wyoming SE.

She told detectives that when they got there, Santiesteban instead pointed a gun at the man and ordered him to show his hands. The man began to run and Santiesteban fired at least nine rounds at him, according to the complaint.

Some of the bullets hit the car in which the mans girlfriend was sitting, striking her in the neck.

Celina Arrelanes, 27, was taken to University of New Mexico Hospital, where she died three days later.

On May 26, Matthew Severinghaus, 25, got into his car to go to work at Target.

Chavez told police that Santiesteban blocked the driveway with the Nissan Versa they had stolen from Al-Abboudy.

Court records say Santiesteban walked up to Severinghauss car and fired multiple shots into it.

Police allege that Santiesteban then stole Severinghauss wallet and tried to use his credit card at a South Valley Bank.

Santiesteban and his girlfriend were arrested in Santa Rosa driving the white Nissan Versa.

Santiesteban faces three murder charges in Bernalillo District Court, as well as for receiving or transferring a stolen vehicle, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Santiesteban is being held without bond.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

You can bet Michael Zeiler will be front and center to catch a glimpse of Aug. 21s total solar eclipse.

Zeiler, of Santa Fe, is a self-proclaimed eclipse chaser.

After someone sees a total solar eclipse for the first time, their immediate question is, When and where is the next one?  Zeiler said.

For Zeiler, that first time was in 1991 in Baja California, Mexico.

Since then, Zeiler has traveled the world to see seven more: from a farm in rural Austria to the tropical rainforests of Gabon to the ice-covered Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard.

Its like being on an alien planet, he said. Its the most beautiful object in nature.

On Aug. 21, youll find him in Casper, Wyo., for whats being called the Great American Eclipse.

The path of totality  a 70-mile-wide swath of land stretching from coast to coast, where the moon will completely block out the sun for a few minutes  includes parts of around a dozen states.

The path cuts north of New Mexico, so Aug. 21s view wont be quite as striking in Albuquerque, since only 73 percent of the sun will be covered.

A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes directly between the sun and Earth, blocking out parts or all of the sun. Looking directly at the sun can be harmful to the eyes, even when most of it is blocked by the moon, so special viewing devices or techniques are needed.

In Albuquerque, the eclipse will begin at 10:20 a.m., peak at 11:45 a.m. and finish at 1:13 p.m.

While New Mexico wont experience a total eclipse, there will still be events marking the eclipse throughout the area.

Even though were not in the path of totality, its still really cool to see the moon covering our sun when were used to just seeing it up there, said University of New Mexico associate professor of physics and astronomy Ylva Pihlstrom in a news release. She described Albuquerques view of the upcoming eclipse as like a bright, crescent moon.

Pihlstrom and UNM students will host a viewing party at the UNM Campus Observatory on the day of the eclipse.

The observatorys 14-inch, professional telescope will allow viewers to safely observe the event.

A few hours to the northwest, Chaco Culture National Historical Park will also host eclipse activities, including telescope viewing and a live feed of the total eclipse.

An ancient perspective on solar eclipses will also be available at the park; the Chacoan people were known to mark the suns movements, and many believe a petroglyph at the site depicts the A.D. 1097 total solar eclipse.

Short talks at the Piedra del Sol will be given throughout the day.

Everyone can come out and view the sky just like they did 1,000 years ago, said Nathan Hatfield, the parks chief of interpretation.

Zeiler, creator of greatamericaneclipse.com, suggested a different viewing method.

The spaces between the leaves of deciduous trees act as mini-projectors of the eclipse.

The little shafts of light will form a whole series of crescent shapes on the ground, Zeiler said.

Albuquerqueans may remember the 2012 eclipse, when the city was in the path of an annular eclipse.

Annular eclipses occur when the moon and sun are aligned, but the moon appears smaller than the sun. Therefore, the outer edges of the sun are still visible during its peak.

Very cool, but not as dramatic as a total solar eclipse, because the corona (the outermost layer of the suns atmosphere, visible only during a total eclipse) will not become visible, said Zeiler.

If Zeilers testimony has inspired you to take a weekend road trip, the closest place to Albuquerque in the path of totality is Glendo, Wyo.

Thats about a 10-hour, 650-mile drive.

However, make clear to your readership that it wont be possible to stay overnight in Denver or Fort Collins and casually drive to Glendo on the morning of the eclipse, Zeiler said, adding that the eclipse is expected to create huge traffic delays on Interstate 25. Best if people arrive the day before and if thats not possible, leave at midnight to the Glendo area. Or take some smaller roads.

The Colorado Department of Transportation is predicting heavy interstate traffic in the days before and after the eclipse.

Around 600,000 people are expected to travel to Wyoming alone to view the eclipse.

Maybe not the most relaxing weekend getaway, but Zeiler said its worth it.

People will never regret the effort, he said. Youll be giddy to see it, but youll feel a tinge of sorrow when its over.

If youve caught the bug, another total solar eclipse is scheduled to pass through the continental U.S. in 2024.
Be very wary about a new mortgage modification scam thats targeting New Mexico homeowners.

The state Attorney Generals Office says callers falsely claim to be with Nationstar, a legitimate mortgage company, and they promise a loan modification after money is sent to an attorney in Florida.

The calls can appear to come from any area code. Callers are asking New Mexicans to wire money upwards of $1,200, money that they may never get back, the office said in a news release.

Calls and offers like these are scams and New Mexico homeowners need to be vigilant, because once you wire that money you may never get it back, said Attorney General Balderas

People who are having trouble paying mortgages or who are facing foreclosure can go to www.keepyourhomenewmexico.org or call 1-800-220-0350.

  

A recent Facebook scam that involves a fake freebie brings some valuable lessons about what can happen when you like something.

Its called like-farming, and it happens when scammers post a story on Facebook for the sheer purpose of generating likes and shares.

The more likes and shares a post collects, the better the odds that it will show up in Facebook users news feeds. And that gives those running a scam a wider audience and better odds of tricking someone into giving up personal information and clicking on a malicious download.

In some cases, suspicious posts are emotional and meant to grab your attention, such as tales of supposedly sick children or requests for donations to a seemingly worthy cause. (This, in and of itself, is an affront because there are legitimate appeals for money to real causes and organizations.)

Or the initial post can be completely innocent, without any content fabrication. What theyre after is getting you to like, comment or share to help spread the word.

Then, they go back into the post after its received the requisite likes to pursue their nefarious plot. They can directly spam the Facebook users who clicked a like, or sell the persons personal and contact information to other scammers.

The main prevention involves being extremely careful about what you like and/or share on Facebook. For example:

 Dont automatically hit the like button. Notice where the post is coming from. If its from someone you dont recognize, it could be a friend of a friend or it could be a complete stranger. It would be good to find out, according to Kim Komando, who hosts a website about technology.

 If the post promises anything in exchange for liking or sharing it, this is a red flag that youre looking at a scam. Another sign is feeling somehow pressured into liking.

  

A tip regarding international travel scams: Be on guard when youre searching for information online in preparation for your trip.

The Federal Trade Commission warns that official-looking websites are offering travel documents, information and services. But theyre not legitimate, and they can put your money and personal information at risk.

The FTC says one case involved a look-alike site that displayed pictures, application forms and frequently asked questions copied from the official government site. (The agency did not name the country.) The fake site offered visa applications for high fees and other services that were free on the real site.

To avoid all this, get information about international travel, visa and passports from the U.S. Department of State at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country.html. From there, you can type in a country and get links to consulates and embassies, as well as other important travel information.

Ellen Marks is assistant business editor at the Albuquerque Journal. Contact her at emarks@abqjournal.com or 505-823-3842 if you are aware of what sounds like a scam. To report a scam to law enforcement, contact the New Mexico Consumer Protection Division toll-free at 1-844-255-9210a.
Copyright  2017 Albuquerque Journal

I dont know where my husband is! Where is he? screamed Kay Kay McDermott, blood streaming down her face from a large laceration as emergency responders helped her from the wreckage of a train at the Lamy train station one morning last week. Meanwhile, her husband, Stacy McDermott, gritted his teeth against the pain of a fractured leg; some of the bone had forced its way through the skin.

Fortunately, the injuries of the Edgewood couple were nothing more than special-effects makeup and the wreckage was actually a fully functional and intact Rail Runner Express car.

The pair were among around 100 actors that assisted with an emergency preparedness exercise involving the New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma and Louisiana National Guards and local, state and federal agencies in Lamy on Tuesday.

This was all for the first responders so they can hone their skills, Stacy McDermott said. We try to make it as real as possible.

The train derailment exercise was a portion of a massive exercise performed in northern New Mexico from Aug. 3 through Thursday.

Staged by the U.S. Armys North Command as part of its Vigilant Guard exercise series, the scenario simulated the aftermath of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake striking the Albuquerque area.

Four of the federally funded exercises are performed each year throughout the country, tailored to each states goals and possible emergency scenarios.

Vigilant Guard senior planner Russ Coble said it takes around 18 months to design each exercise.

I think beyond being fun, its rewarding, Coble said. You come out of an exercise knowing that you helped that state protect its citizens.

In Tuesdays exercise, aftershocks from the quake caused a passenger train to derail and strike a stationary car that contained anhydrous ammonia, a toxic chemical.

Not only did emergency responders need to tend to the 100 people involved in the accident, they also had to work to decontaminate the area and seal up the leaking car.

The goal is to have that realism so we can come out with lessons learned, said Maj. Robert Aguilar of the New Mexico National Guard.

Aguilar said it was challenging to coordinate radio contact between all the participants; some use different types and frequencies.

I think in any one of the exercises Ive been a part of, communication is always our biggest challenge, Aguilar said. Thats why its so important for us to train like this, so we can overcome those in a training environment.

Martin Vigil, Santa Fe County emergency manager, served as the incident commander during Tuesdays exercise.

More than 100 Santa Fe county emergency medical technicians and firefighters were initially dispatched to the scene.

It was basically an all-call type response, Vigil said.

It wasnt enough, though, and Vigil called on neighboring counties and the National Guard for additional support.

Vigil said he was pleased with the interagency cooperation.

We had a few speed bumps, Vigil said. They identified, adapted, went to Plan B and got on with business.

Other scenarios staged as parts of the weeklong exercise included a high angle rescue and medevac after a Sandia Peak tram car fell during the quake, search and rescue efforts for a group of missing hikers and riot suppression in the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Park.

New Mexico National Guard Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Ken Nava said he also was impressed with the performance of participating agencies.

We work with joint and interagency partners on a regular basis, but this exercise has taken it to a different level, Nava said in a statement. Vigilant Guard has provided the New Mexico National Guard the ability to hone our communications, responses, and relationships when working with our interagency and joint partner agencies at the tribal, federal, state and local levels.

Everyone, from our soldiers and airmen to the first responders and partner agencies, trained with a great attitude, worked hard, and were eager to learn more to be ready to respond if New Mexicos worst day occurs.
This appeared in the Idaho Statesman:

Idaho requires all drivers and passengers in a car to buckle their seat belts. Our state requires children under 18 to wear a helmet when on a motorcycle. We mandate that all ATV users 16 and under wear a helmet.

But adult motorcycle riders get to put themselves and society at risk by not wearing helmets. And the rest of us pay the price.

Idaho needs to change that, by passing a law requiring all riders to wear a helmet. And Idaho will need a legislative champion willing to push a bill in the face of what will be tough opposition from passionate motorcyclists.

The period between Memorial and Labor days is often called the 100 deadliest days, and Idaho is proving that this year. Idaho has seen 15 motorcycle fatalities since Memorial Day.

On average, almost half of the serious motorcycle accidents are in summer. But helmetless riders are at risk year-round. Between 2011 and 2015, Idaho saw 118 motorcycle fatalities; just over half of those people were not wearing helmets. A little over half of those accidents involved only a motorcycle, not a car or a truck as a factor in the fatality.

Theres a debate to be had over the proper role of government in telling adults how to live their lives. But theres little debate over the effectiveness of helmets, and the arguments are similar to those about seat belts, which weve required since 1986. No, they dont save all lives in all crashes. The rider who died in last Sundays crash at Galena summit that involved five riders and three bikes was wearing her helmet.

But this summers rash of accidents and fatalities has to prompt Idaho to take a new look at its law. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the Centers for Disease Control and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration say that helmets work: They reduce the chance of death by 37 percent and the risk of head injury by 69 percent. And while helmet laws were widespread in the 1970s, today just 19 states mandate use by all riders (thats 28 states if, like Idaho, young riders are included).

Motorcycle advocates have been effective in making this an issue about freedom and government overreach, rolling back helmet laws across the country. Idaho pared back its laws to cover just children in 1978.

We understand the independence that motorcyclists seek. We understand that freedom-minded riders bristle at the heavy hand of government. We understand they are adults who dont want to be told how to ride.

We also understand that helmets dont prevent accidents, dont prevent all brain injuries and dont save riders from internal and other injuries.

But the small loss of freedom they represent is outweighed by the large benefit to riders involved in crashes, the families they love and support, and the larger society that can end up with the burden of caring and paying for victims and injuries. If a death involves a breadwinner, society can have to pick up the cost for public assistance and other safety-net benefits.

The CDC estimates that helmets saved 1,722 lives in 2015 alone, and would have saved another 740 riders if all motorcyclists had been wearing helmets. The estimated loss to crashes with helmetless riders totals $1 billion a year, the National Center for Statistics and Analysis found in 2015.

Were all for preserving freedoms for adults when those freedoms dont impinge on others. But the costs of these preventable injuries is a cost to all of society.

Helmetless riders choose to live a riskier life, knowing that asphalt is unforgiving. But they also are choosing to impose part of that risk on the rest of us, when society is called upon to help a grieving family or injured riders survive the accident. The bikers unilateral imposition of risk on the general public gives our lawmakers license to control that risk through tougher helmet laws.

Is there a way to guarantee riders freedom while also guaranteeing taxpayers and insurance-paying citizens they wont end up carrying the costs for lifetime costs for injured riders? Wed be willing to listen: Can bikers buy insurance policies that ensure that their lifetime costs are covered in case of a serious brain injury?
Its not new, but it remains a great concept for having company fun and helping out a good cause.

Wilson & Co., an Albuquerque-headquartered, multi-state engineering and architectural firm, recently held its third annual fundraiser and company Picnic with a Purpose, donating every penny raised to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Our company is out to make a difference, company spokesman Anjali N. Solomon said in a news release.

The event last month invited the companys 175 employees to raise money for the national organization dedicated to advancing the fight against breast cancer, organizers said. The foundation funds research efforts toward prevention and finding a cure, and it also save lives by meeting critical needs in communities.

Its difficult to find anyone who hasnt been affected by breast cancer, either directly or indirectly, and employees of Wilson & Company are no exception, Solomon said. Many were passionate about supporting this fundraiser because of their own diagnosis or that of a mother, grandmother, daughter, or friend.

The total amount  donations were collected into the first week of August  was $2,145.

The money was raised by donations and a silent auction for an iPad Mini 2, ZSonic Electric Toothbrush and four pack of Colorado Rockies tickets to any home game this season.

One employee gave voice to many others, saying, I have family members and friends who have suffered with breast cancer. I want to make a difference.

In addition to generating money for a noble cause, Wilson & Company also celebrated its 85th birthday.

The company motto  included in its emails  is: I contribute to the success of my company and the organizations we serve by building and sustaining positive relationships. Discipline, Intensity, Collaboration, Shared ownership, Solutions.

Founded in 1932, the company provides engineering, architecture, planning, environmental, survey and mapping, and construction management services. The company has satellite offices in nine states, including, Arizona, California, Utah, Texas and Colorado.

We welcome suggestions for the daily Bright Spot. Send to newsroom@abqjournal.com.
China is investigating a number of its major social networks like Baidus Tieba, Weibo, and WeChat over cyber security law violations, the top authorities in the country said earlier this week. The largest online platforms in the Far Eastern country are being probed over Beijings claims that some of their users are sharing illegal content on the World Wide Web, including politically dissenting opinions, obscenities, and content related to extremism. Some industry watchers see the move as Chinas latest attempt to censor local dissidents in the run-up to the Communist Party Congress which is scheduled to take place this fall. The most populated country in the world has a history of cracking down on dissidents in an aggressive manner and its efforts to do so have only expanded in the Internet era, with the Chinese administration going as far as banning certain cartoon characters like Winnie the Pooh solely because they were used in memes that some anti-government individuals and organizations used to mock the political leadership in the country.

Tieba, WeChat, and Weibo boast hundreds of millions of users each and have been censoring content in a proactive manner with the goal of avoiding government sanctions for years now, and the fact that the trio is now under an official investigation will likely see those efforts increase in the immediate future, most industry watchers believe. As part of its efforts to censor the Internet, China is also blocking the vast majority of Googles services including Search and is preventing its population from accessing foreign social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Likewise, the communist administration has recently been cracking down on providers of virtual private networks (VPNs) that can be used for circumventing its online restrictions while simultaneously policing Internet content that the local population cannot access without a registered phone number.

Baidu representatives already said that theyll be looking to do more to collaborate with the government in an effort to crack down on dissenting opinions posted on Tieba, the largest online discussion board in the country. Tencents WeChat messaging platform and Weibo have yet to comment on the latest turn of events, though both are expected to make similar moves to avoid any sanctions.
This appeared in Saturdays Washington Post.

Some observers are arguing that we are finally seeing how President Donald Trump behaves in a real global crisis, as opposed to a mess created by his own White House. Thats not entirely true. It is Trump who has decided to bring the tension with North Korea to a boil at this moment, and then keep turning up the flame.

Thats not to deny the real and vexing challenge posed by North Koreas nuclear weapons capability. Kim Jong Un, third-generation scion of one of the worlds cruelest regimes, is not well known or understood. His rhetoric toward South Korea, Japan and the United States is implacably hostile. His militarys steady advances in missile and warhead technology, year after year, are alarming.

The Obama administrations response to these advances was to dowell, not much of anything, under the euphemism of strategic patience. No one can claim this non-policy was a success. But Trumps policy of ever-escalating threats and boasts, descending to Kims level, raises the risk of dangerous miscalculation, which is then exacerbated by mixed messages from his administration.

What might work better? The United States enjoys vast military superiority over North Korea, and the Clinton administration seriously considered a preemptive strike two decades ago. But North Koreas arsenal today is more extensive, dispersed and hidden. And the chief drawback to military action then remains true: Even without nuclear weapons, North Korea could quickly unleash retaliatory strikes that could kill millions of people in Seoul and beyond. War with North Korea would be a horror.

The most merciful option for North Koreas 25 million people would be the end of the hereditary Kim regime, which keeps its population in what is essentially one large prison camp. A U.N. report three years ago found an almost complete denial of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. In North Koreas gulag, the report found, the inmate population has been gradually eliminated through deliberate starvation, forced labour, executions, torture, rape and the denial of reproductive rights enforced through punishment, forced abortion and infanticide. Hundreds of thousands have died as a result. The diversion of massive resources to nuclear and other military programs, given most North Koreans poverty, is just one indication of misrule.

Unfortunately, outside nations dont know how to loosen the grip of a tyrant such as Kim. For years, U.S. officials have hoped that China, upon which North Koreas economy depends, would help do so. But the Chinese communist regime, while at times annoyed by North Korea, fears the chaos of regime collapse, or the strengthening of a unified Korea, more than a nuclear North Korea, and so U.S. officials invariably end up disappointed.

That leaves two options. One is to live with a nuclear North Korea, as we have long lived with a nuclear China, hoping to deter its use of nuclear weapons by assuring Kim that his regimes destruction would immediately ensue. The other is to assemble a coalition of nations to impose economic sanctions sufficiently punitive and targeted at the regime that Kim decides he would be better off making a deal.

Our view remains that it is worth trying the latter before accepting the former. At times, as when it engineered a ratcheting up of U.N. Security Council sanctions not long ago, the Trump administration has seemed to share that view. An optimist might posit that Trumps bombast could persuade China, Russia and others to join in a sanctions regime because the alternative is so frightening. But to be successful, such a strategy also would require patience, diplomacy, coherence and quiet strength. Just to list those qualities is to acknowledge how unlikely success seems at this moment.
International firms advise on Queensland solar project

Teams from international law firms in Australia have advised on one of the countrys largest solar projects to date.



Herbert Smith Freehills has advised the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and Natixis on the project financing for the portfolio of large-scale greenfield solar farms to be located in Collinsville, Queensland.



The Herbert Smith Freehills team was led by project finance partner Elizabeth Charlesworth who said: These projects reflect the continued investment in new generation renewable energy in the Australian market, and will provide significant clean energy output to power Australian homes.



Ashurst has advised Edify Energy on the development, financing and equity transfer to build and operate the farms. The team was led by partners Paul Newman (Utilities), Ben Warne (Corporate) and David Mason (Finance).



Other advisors on the project included Elgar Middleton (debt financial advisor) and Norton Rose Fulbright (advising BlackRock).



International firm appoints two non-lawyers to equity partnership

London and New York-based law firm Mishcon de Reya has appointed two non-lawyers to its senior equity partnership as part of its ten-year vision.



The firm, an alternative business structure, implemented a plan to involve all of its people  including 143 partners and legal directors and a total of 400 fee-earners  in creating the vision.



The promotion of business development director Elliot Moss and human resources director Vanessa Dewhurst is part of that.



This announcement reflects a key element of our subsequent 10-year vision: reward everyone  lawyer or non-lawyer  who contributes to our success. Our people and our brand are at the heart of our business and Vanessa and Elliot have played a key role in Mishcon de Reyas ongoing growth and development, said managing partner Kevin Gold.



Dentons scores major victory for Lucky the elephant

Dentons has defeated a summary judgment in a pro bono case for a 57-year- old Asian elephant called Lucky.



The suit was brought by the Animal Legal Defense Fund against San Antonio Zoo in Texas which is accused of multiple violations of the Endangered Species Act.



The Dentons team fought to prove that the Zoo's inadequate enclosure and conditions have and continue to cause physical and psychological harm to Lucky. The agreement of the court now means it will go to trial in October.
Designed to deliver connected car features for vehicles manufactured after 2008, Dataplug is free in the United Kingdom until 2018. Except for the Touareg and Phaeton, that is, for reasons Volkswagen havent yet explained. The device connects to the vehicles OBD II port and to the users smartphone through Bluetooth. Its a pain to set up the Volkswagen Connect app, but the burden is easily forgotten once the owner gets acquainted with the app.The Volkswagen Connect smartphone app receives information from the Dataplug at the end of each journey, chiefly because continuous information gathering would drain the phones battery and dent the mobile data plan. The Trips function is arguably the highlight, offering vital trip information about each journey such as miles driven, average fuel consumption, and so on.Then theres Fuel Monitor, which gives an accurate figure for the cost of every journey by comparing the miles per gallon with the cost of fuel, be it gasoline or diesel. The function known as Driving Style offers advice on driving more efficiently, hence helping the driver squeeze more miles per gallon.In the My Volkswagen sub-menu, the Volkswagen Connect app shows the fuel level of the vehicle at any given time, as well as when the next service is likely to be due. Additional functions include Service Partner, Assistance Call, Parking Space, and My Challenges. And yes, all of these functions are provided by the German automaker without charge to Connect users.Volkswagen Connect is an exciting addition to customers cars, said David McMillan, digital service product planner over at the Volkswagen Group. We know that our customers enjoy ease of use and Volkswagen Connect assists with this because it brings the information that is already available within the car to the customers mobile phone app," concluded the official.
President Trump has told close associates that he believes Steve Bannon is behind damaging leaks about White House colleagues, putting the chief strategist's job in fresh jeopardy, sources close to the president tell me.

Trump has told associates he's fed up with what he sees as self-promotion by Bannon, who did not join the core team this week at the president's golf club in Bedminster, N.J.

with what he sees as self-promotion by Bannon, who did not join the core team this week at the president's golf club in Bedminster, N.J. Bannon's time with Trump has diminished since the new chief of staff , retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, took over and imposed discipline on the circus around the Oval Office.

, retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, took over and imposed discipline on the circus around the Oval Office. Bannon declined to comment.

Why it matters: POTUS has been frustrated with Bannon in the past, but he never had as easy a vehicle for getting rid of him. Kelly is expected to make West Wing changes, anyway. As one top aide said: "Kelly can do the dirty work."

Now Bannon is a man on an island, with very few true allies in the building.

Some caveats: Trump's anger with Bannon is nothing new, and Bannon survived Jared Kushner's attempt to get rid of him early in the administration. It's always perilous to say Trump is going to oust anybody.

How Bannon ran afoul of Trump:

Key West Wing colleagues believe Bannon is an instigator of leaks targeting National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster. The stories have been driven by Breitbart News, where Bannon was executive chairman before joining Trump's presidential campaign as chief executive in August. On Thursday, Trump backed McMaster as "our friend."

Sources close to Trump say he was irritated about Bannon's extensive cooperation with a book by Bloomberg Businessweek's Josh Green, "Devil's Bargain," with a cover that gave Bannon equal billing with Trump.

This was a rerun of one of the key factors that put the chief strategist in Trump's doghouse months ago: a TIME magazine cover dubbing Bannon "THE GREAT MANIPULATOR."

In a New York Post interview in April, Trump refused to definitively back Bannon, and declared himself "my own strategist." After that, Bannon lowered his profile, then temporarily redeemed himself as he helped organize the White House response to Robert Mueller.

Now, Kelly has changed the dynamic:

He's a chain-of-command military guy who was initially mystified, and then horrified, when he learned about the relentless campaign against McMaster, coming from Breitbart and others.

When Reince Priebus was chief of staff and facing his own problems, Trump didn't have an easy vehicle to evict Bannon from the White House. Priebus and Bannon became allies of convenience in a war against Jared and Ivanka (or "Javanka" as Bannon calls them to associates.)

Bannon has told associates he has nothing to do with the campaign against McMaster  that it's a spontaneous effort by the base.

A source familiar with the president's thinking said Trump didn't believe that Bannon was some kind of puppeteer in charge of conservative media. "That would be overstating Steve's influence," the source said.

But the source wondered why Bannon hasn't raised a finger to stop the hit pieces against McMaster that have run on Breitbart, a publication he used to run. The source pointed out that when the media began reporting, early in the administration, that Bannon was warring with Reince, the two went to extraordinary lengths to prove their friendship, and Bannon went to extraordinary lengths to shut down the narrative.

Be smart: The best card Bannon has to play is that he's an important voice inside the building, and a key channel to Trump's populist nationalist base.

Bannon is more aligned philosophically with the President than many of Trump's other senior aides. Bannon has been on the winning side of a number of internal policy battles, including Trump's withdrawal from the Paris climate accord and the new aggressive turn against China on trade. On Monday, Trump returns to D.C. to announce he's signing a memo to investigate China for intellectual property theft and other trade abuses against the U.S. Bannon has been pushing hard behind that policy.

Bannon has a genuine, deeply-felt policy disagreement with McMaster. Bannon's and McMaster's world views are diametrically opposed, and Bannon believes the globalists pose the greatest internal threat to the Trump presidency, and could send it veering off course with foreign interventions.

Other questions circulating the West Wing:

How would two Republican mega-donors, Bob and Rebekah Mercer, react if Kelly were to fire Bannon on Trump's behalf? Given the financial support they've given to Bannon and Breitbart, would they turn against Trump, whom they've also supported?

How will Trump's base react to Bannon's firing?

What kind of havoc could Bannon wreak on the outside, unencumbered by his West Wing responsibilities?

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President Trump addressed the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, today: "We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides."

Why it matters: By addressing the "many sides" of this protest (which was organized by white nationalists upset with the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue), Trump failed to distinguish between those demonstrating in support of white supremacy and those who showed up in opposition to it.

By addressing the "many sides" of this protest (which was organized by white nationalists upset with the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue), Trump failed to distinguish between those demonstrating in support of white supremacy and those who showed up in opposition to it. Former KKK leader and Trump supporter David Duke said the protest was "a turning point" and that white supremacists will "fulfill the promises of Donald Trump." Denouncing white supremacy in his remarks, or simply not blaming "all sides," would have allowed him to address this issue and set the record straight.

David Duke said the protest was "a turning point" and that white supremacists will "fulfill the promises of Donald Trump." Denouncing white supremacy in his remarks, or simply not blaming "all sides," would have allowed him to address this issue and set the record straight. When asked by various reporters what Trump meant by on many sides, the White House responded: "The president was condemning hatred, bigotry and violence from all sources and all sides. There was violence between protesters and counter protestors."
13 August 2017 15:22 (UTC+04:00)

At least 15 people, mostly military men, were martyred and dozens wounded  some of them critically  in a terrorist attack targeting an army truck in a high-security neighbourhood of Quetta, Pakistan, on Saturday night, according to local The Express Tribune.

Officials said it was a suicide attack and the bomber drove his motorcycle, rigged with explosives, into the military truck at Old Pishin bus stop. The blast ignited a fire on the truck and several other vehicles driving past.

The provincial home minister confirmed the death toll but put the number of wounded at 40. According to the information we have received so far, there are around 15 casualties, people who were martyred, and around 40 people were wounded, Sarfraz Bugti said.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
Being An Indian, How Many Of These Facts Do You Know About India? Pulse oi-Syeda Farah

All throughout the year, we Indians do not realise the importance of living in a free nation. It is only during the month of August, all the 'desh bhakti' arises! Until then, we are usually busy posting stuff online and sharing unwanted data on our social networks.

Since the feeds on our social sites are filled with patriotic things that we do not think twice before sharing, we're here to make you realise that there is a lot to know about our own nation and August is not the only month in which you have to share these details to make people acknowledge the beauty of our nation!

Here are some of the best untold/unknown facts which will make you realise that we hardly know much about our own nation!

You May Also Like To Read: Facts To Know About The Indian Currency

So, learn about the unknown facts on India and be proud to be a citizen of this nation.

Amazing Fact #1 The largest gathering of humans in a single place takes place in India every twelve years at the famous Kumbh Mela. In the year 2013, an estimated number of over 120 million pilgrims attended the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. Amazing Fact #2 India has the world's largest vegetarian population, which is either by choice or because of religious reasons. Either way, India leads the world when it comes to vegans! Amazing Fact #3 India was the first country in the world which came up with the knowledge of extracting sugar and purifying the same. Other countries received that knowledge from us. Imagine how creative our ancestors have been! Also Read: pulse Did You Know Of These Amazing 10 Facts? Read On! Amazing Fact #4 You must be shampooing for many years now with big brands in the market. But did you know that the western world didn't even know about this? It was India from where the concept of shampooing emerged. So folks, you owe your silky smooth hair to Indians. Amazing Fact #5 Sanskrit emerges as the most scientific language till date. This language is one-to-one mapping between "orthography and phonography". Orthography' is what you write and Phonography' is what you speak. Amazing Fact #6 The Wright Brothers are credited for flying the first airplane... well, that's a lie! Did you know that it was actually Shivkar Bapuji Talpade who designed and flew an airplane using concepts described in Rig Veda? Amazing Fact #7 The Guinness Book of World Record says that India takes 3rd rank in the world when it comes to claiming new records every single year. The USA stands in first place and the UK stands in the second. Amazing Fact #8 There is a massive tax hole in India. Only 3% of the Indian population actually pays taxes! This may be a surprising fact more than an amazing fact. This is because of the following reasons - agriculture is exempted from taxation, majority of the Indian workforce work in an informal sector, there are millions of people living in rural areas, etc. Collecting taxes from them is not an easy task. Amazing Fact #9 India has a spa for elephants alone. Yes! Elephants are pampered there like anything and they go through exotic spa treatments. The spa is called "Punnathoor Cotta Elephant Yard Rejuvenation Centre". It is located in Kerala. Amazing Fact #10 Did you know that the total number of passengers carried by the Indian Railways in one day is a stunning 23 million? This is just 1 million shy of the total population of Australia - the continent nation. Wish to read more such informative facts? Then do share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Story first published: Sunday, August 13, 2017, 0:34 [IST]
Bengalurus Top Hospitals Join Hands To Spread Awareness On Organ Donation News oi-Luna Dewan

To commemorate the Organ Donation Day, Young Indians Bengaluru Chapter, part of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), organized an event Bengaluru which witnessed city's top hospitals come together to spread awareness on organ donation and inspire one million Indians to Gift An Organ.

Sankara Eye Hospital, Fortis Hospital, Columbia Asia, Apollo Hospitals, Sakra World Hospital and Manipal Hospitals participated in the event.

Though the first transplant was performed in 1954, we continue to be plagues with myths, which prevents over 5,00,000 Indians who lose their lives due to lack of organ donation& transplant.

A panel discussion with expert transplant surgeons explored why India's organ donation rate in 2016 stood at an abysmal 0.8 persons per million population compared to Spain's 36 per million. Lack of awareness, myths and expertise among doctors to harvest organs were attributed.

Most families are distraught during the event of a death and are unable to think about the concept of Organ Donation. Grief Counsellors in hospitals and an implied consent that would enable organs to be harvested based on the wishes of the departed could help overcome this.

"Gift An Organ, is one of the key projects of Young Indians (Yi) to give the much needed impetus to create awareness on organ donation across the country. While great work is carried out by individual organisations, it is important for us to collaborate and we are overwhelmed with the support we have received today. We hope to inspire a Million Indians to pledge and Gift An Organ", said Dr Kaushik Murali, Chair, Young Indians - CII, Bengaluru & President - Sankara Eye Foundation, India.

International dance star Lourd Vijay, who underwent a kidney transplant, flagged off the 'Spreading Hope Foundation Drive'. "Having received a new lease of life post undergoing the transplant I am embarking on a 45 day drive up to Kashmir & back, to spread word and encourage people to donate organs to save lives",he said.
President Donald Trump alone knows the codes that can authorize a nuclear attack on North Korea. Lately, it sounds like he hasnt ruled that out. This week alone, hes threatened North Korea with fire and fury and things that will happen to them like they never thought possible, and Friday morning, he tweeted this:

Military solutions are now fully in place,locked and loaded,should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path!

- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 11, 2017

Congress could wiggle itself into the debate to stop Trump from launching nuclear warheads at North Korea. At least one bill to that effect has been introduced in the Senate.

Except, it might not want to. There are some major downsides to putting in restrictions on the presidents use of nuclear weapons, including that doing so could make it easier for a country to attack the United States.

Lets start with the basics

The president cannot declare war without Congresss approval, and to many, the use of a nuclear weapon is an act of war. But it isnt that clear-cut.

When it comes to Congresss ability to intervene, its exactly the same as it would be for any other situation on proposed use of force, said Rebecca Hersman, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for countering weapons of mass destruction in the Obama administration and is now with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., introduced legislation in January that makes it doubly clear the president cant fire nuclear weapons pre-emptively without Congresss approval.

This goes to the role which the Congress constitutionally should play in the declaration of war, Markey said on MSNBC on Thursday. Weve allowed for the power with regard to conventional war to slip away from us, unfortunately.

But theres a lot of gray area to the War Powers Act that gives the president the legal space to launch weapons on his own, nuclear or conventional.

As I explained after Trump unilaterally bombed Syria in April, the War Powers Act allows the president to take some military action on his own, as long as its more of a one-off thing and not long-term.

The line on when a president needs Congresss approval is fuzzy, but its more of a know-it-when-you-see-it-situation, said Phillip Carter, a senior fellow with the national security-focused Center for a New American Security think tank. A presidents unilateral power, he said, is something short of war. Its the use of force by the president to achieve an immediate end, he said.

Technically, nuclear war isnt different under the law. If Trump wants to start something sustained, he will need to get Congresss buy-in.

But nuclear war is also MUCH different than other wars

The whole reason the president can launch a nuclear strike without Congresss approval is to let other nuclear war powers know that the United States means business.

Its a deterrent to North Koreas Kim Jong Un and the like. If they fire nuclear warheads at the United States (North Korea is getting closer to being able to do that sooner than experts had predicted), they know that in a matter of minutes, U.S. nuclear warheads could be soaring over to them.

...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

If Congress trims the presidents immediate launch-strike power, it could be very, very, dangerous for the United States, Hersman said.

[Nuclear weapons] exist to protect us from catastrophe. Their role in the world is to prevent their use and to deter their use, Hersman said. You need the president to be able to react responsibly and quickly.

The dividing line here seems to be a preemptive attack. Congress is probably on okay legal ground to chime in before Trump launches something on his own. (Hes left open that possibility by never once specifying what would cause him to pull the trigger on the U.S.s locked-and-loaded arsenal.)

And Congress seems to understand that.

In the event of a nuclear attack against the United States it would be different, Markey said on MSNBC.  . . . with regard to the use of nuclear weapons where we have not been attacked with nuclear weapons . . . it would just be catastrophic for the planet, and thats why I believe we need constraints on the use of nuclear weapons.

Congress doesnt have the political will to act right now

Markey and Lieu are clearly hoping this war of words between Trump and North Korea will give their bill momentum, something it seriously lacks. With Republicans in control of Congress, the bill has sat, gathering dust, since they introduced it in January.

Republican leaders in Congress have been reluctant to confront Trump, except when it comes to Russia. They recently forced Trump to sign a Russia sanctions bill, and some GOP lawmakers have introduced legislation to curb Trumps power to fire the special counsel investigating possible Russian interference in the 2016 election.

But reinserting themselves in a power that is traditionally centered on the executive branch would be a bold political move, and theres no evidence they want to.

Also: Why put restrictions on Trump, and no other president to date?

Theres one more national security dilemma stirred up by putting preemptive protections on the president. If Congress does jump in, its worth asking why they are doing it for THIS president. Could it be because they dont trust him, personally?

At least 61 percent of Americans say they are uneasy about Trumps ability to handle North Korea, according to a new CBS poll. And Trump mentioned in a debate in September that he wouldnt take a preemptive nuclear strike off the table.

Still, its very troubling to insert politics to tinker with Americas nuclear deterrence system, Hersman warned.

The day we get in the business of designing our national security policies by personality, in permanent ways, that is a day we really step backward in terms of protecting Americans and their national security, she said.

So, Congress could stop Trump, if it wants to. But it may not want to.
Borders loom large in President Donald Trumps politics. On the campaign trail, every perceived slight led to a pledge to make his promised wall on Americas southern border 10 feet taller. As president, he has focused intermittently on the dividing line between the United States and Mexico, suggesting that the best way to keep out the animals is to shore up Americas weak borders. He has even threatened to shut the government down to secure funding for his wall.

Trump is not wrong in his belief in the political power of national lines. The key to the successful management of immigration involves borders: how we imagine them, the power we give them. In order to see that power at work, though, it helps to move outside the North American context, to a place where boundaries are conceived very differently.

In Africa, where heavily securitized borders are not the norm, it is easier to see the nation-state for what it is: a political invention. African efforts to rethink colonial boundaries are suggestive of possibilities for countries the world over. We may think of our inherited borders as immutable, but they are in fact the result of messy, contested historical processes.

All too often, Africas political conflicts are blamed on the arbitrary nature of its borders. Products of 19th-century European colonialism, most African national boundaries were drawn with little regard for African communities. Many scholars and policymakers have come to see them as artificialand uniquely flawedconstructs.

Yet how different are African boundaries from those of countries like the United States? As the historian Rachel St. John notes, the seemingly random line dividing Mexico from the United States was established only in the mid-1800s and remained porous and ill-defined for much of its history. Trump has faced intense criticism for his efforts to limit migration from Mexico, which has already had devastating human consequences. But rarely do we hear the legitimacy of the U.S.-Mexico border called into question in American policy debates.

Africans, however, have long recognized the contested nature of international frontiers. After World War II, African political thinkers called for the dismantling of colonial boundaries. Decades before the European Union was implemented, leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Ghanas first president, advocated for a United States of Africa. Many elites argued that a united Africa would be both politically and economically more viable than a continent of independent nation-states.

Although African territorial borders proved surprisingly resilient during the era of decolonization, they remain to this day subject to much political debate. Recent efforts by the African Union to promote regional integration and create a common passport have been lauded by many as a return to the Pan-Africanist ideals of the 1960s (despite concerns that such policy moves would primarily benefit a mobile elite).

Several political theorists have also invested hope in the idea of a borderless future for the continent. Achille Mbembe argues that rather than disavow long traditions of circulation that [have] always been the dynamic motor of change in the continent, African countries should scrap colonial boundaries and allow for freedom of movement across the continent.

Yet some of the most promising alternatives to the legal status quo are being worked out not by policymakers, state officials or political theorists, but by migrants themselves. In northeast Africa, cross-border migration has long been a feature of the daily lives of the Somali population. Not unlike the U.S.-Mexico border, the frontiers between Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and other adjoining countries cut across social, economic and political networks that long predate the advent of the modern state.

Throughout the colonial era and into today, Somali nomads, laborers, sailors, soldiers, asylum seekers and traders regularly traversed the boundaries dividing them between different European and African territories. The rallying cry of many Mexican American activists could just as easily apply to Somalis in the region: We didnt cross the border; the border crossed us.

Such forms of mobility have often forced institutional changes or become grounds for imagining alternative political possibilities. In the years after World War II, Pan-Somali nationalists (much like Kurdish nationalists or Pan-Arab proponents) sought to remake colonial boundaries. Their goal of unifying territories across the region into a single state drew directly upon the experiences of the regions mobile inhabitants. Should a nomad who moves livestock in response to seasonal and ecological changes show deference to a line on a map? Such sentiments were captured by a popular expression in the 1960s: Wherever the camel goes, that is Somalia.

The idea of a Greater Somali nation-state, which threatened neighboring African countries, was a product of its time. It reflected the nationalist fervor of the post-World War II era. Nevertheless, the cross-border networks that underpinned this vision remain as relevant as ever. From the late 1980s onward, hundreds of thousands of refugees have relied upon clan and religious ties to escape the violence in Somalia, gain asylum among kin in neighboring countries and circumvent overcrowded refugee camps. Inspired by the comparative success of these informal networks, some policymakers are now advocating for urban resettlement in lieu of refugee encampment.

At a time when the Trump administration is closing borders to immigrants from Latin America (many of whom are in fact refugees), African countries have little choice but to cede room to long-standing practices of circulation, hospitality and migration. Indeed, dozens of African countries, including those facing severe economic constraints, have managed to take in labor migrants and asylum seekers from neighboring countries.

As recent episodes of anti-immigrant violence in nations such as South Africa suggest, African countries are not immune from the same kinds of nativist anxieties that wrack the United States and much of the world. Nevertheless, some of the most dynamic and progressive (if imperfect) refugee policies are also being developed in countries like Uganda and Tanzania in response to intra-African migration flows.

The heated dispute surrounding Trumps border wall makes one thing clear: Migration will be a key factor influencing global politics in the 21st century. Yet public debates in the United States are often shaped by a willful neglect of the messy history of boundary making. As Africas porous frontiers make evident, the very distinction between native and foreigner is a product of political battles that mask long histories of interaction and interdependence.

While the possibility of a borderless world may remain elusive, we would do well to learn from the long-term struggles of African migrants. As their histories indicate, the territorial boundaries we have become accustomed to today are neither timeless nor fixed. And however much we may shore up our borders, our fate will remain intertwined with those living on the other side, whose lives are disrupted by global forces.
General Cable Corporation develops, designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes copper, aluminum, and fiber optic wire and cable products for the energy, industrial, construction, specialty, and communications markets. It offers electric utility products, including low- and medium-voltage distribution cables; high- and extra-high voltage power transmission cables; bare overhead conductors; and submarine transmission and distribution cables. The company also provides electrical infrastructure products, such as rubber-and plastic-jacketed wires and cables, low- and medium-voltage industrial power cables, and cable wire harnesses, as well as rail and mass transit, shipboard, oil and gas, armored mining, and alternative energy power generation cables. In addition, it offers communications products comprising high-bandwidth twisted copper and fiber optic, multi conductor and pair fiber and copper networking, telecommunications exchange, coaxial, and low detection profile cables, as well as fiber-optic submarine cable systems, submarine networks, and offshore integration systems. Further, the company provides construction products consisting of construction cables, flexible cords, halogen-free, low-smoke, and flame retardant cables, as well as rod mill products, including copper and aluminum rods. Additionally, it offers design, integration, and installation services for products, such as high and extra-high voltage terrestrial and submarine systems. The company sells its products directly to utilities, independent distributors, retailers, contractors, and original equipment manufacturers in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Africa/the Asia Pacific. General Cable Corporation was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Highland Heights, Kentucky.
The most depressing aspect of the current North Korean crisis is that even if Donald Trump wins, he loses.

Despite doubling down on his rhetoric of fire and fury and deriding his predecessors for failed negotiations, Trump looks as if he wants to eventually strike a deal with the nations tyrant, Kim Jong Un. Just look at what Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is doing. Trump threatens war and Tillerson promises no regime change. Remember it was only a few months ago that Trump said he would be honored to meet with Kim. The presidents recent bellicosity aims for deterrence and leverage.

In substance, if not style, this is very similar to how past administrations have approached the Hermit Kingdom: threaten, cajole and bargain. This is Obama plus, Michael Auslin, a Korea expert at the Hoover Institution, told me. Its the same path of enhanced sanctions with the potential carrot of direct negotiations and trying to reassure our allies. There is not much different here.

And its easy to understand why talks are better than war. The prospect of a military confrontation is too horrific. North Korea effectively holds its neighbor to the south as a hostage because of its conventional military capabilities. This says nothing of allies like Japan, or U.S. forces stationed on the peninsula.

And the critics of war are correct. A pre-emptive strike is not worth the risk. But neither is another deal.

There are a few reasons for this. First, the North Koreans dont keep their promises. Nearly every commitment the regime has made to the U.S., its allies and China, it has violated.

Its no mystery why North Korea continues to negotiate. The nation needs help from the outside to survive. The regime has pursued nuclear weapons as an insurance policy to stay in power, and since the 1990s U.S. administrations have enticed Pyongyang with fuel shipments, removing sanctions and promises to leave it alone. In exchange, Pyongyang makes empty promises about nuclear weapons. An agreement with North Korea makes America and its allies a partner in the regimes oppression of its own people.

And this repression is beyond the pale. A U.N. report from 2014 estimated there are 80,000 to 120,000 political prisoners who are slowly starved, tortured and subjected to forced labor in four prison camps so large you can see them in satellite images taken in space. This says nothing of the public and private executions in the state or the forced disappearances, or the punishment of whole families for the alleged crimes of individuals. Americans should rightfully want their government to undermine this gulag state, not help preserve it with another negotiated compromise.

Then there is the tyrant himself, Kim Jong Un. He is in every respect a rogue. Its not just his threats, or his assassination of his relatives. Kims regime detained an American student, Otto Warmbier, and sent him back to the U.S. this year only when he was in a coma. He died soon after returning home. Negotiating with such a man presents a moral hazard. If Kim gets more inducements to negotiate, whats to stop him from conducting more abductions or assassinations on foreign soil in the future?

All of this is to say that Trump is posturing in pursuit of a deal, and even if he reached one, he would fail to address the cause of the North Korean crisis: the regime itself.

There are no easy answers here. Invading North Korea would risk a major war with China, not to mention commit the U.S. to keeping the peace on the peninsula at a time when most Americans are rightly weary of military adventurism.

While it would be nice to think our intelligence agencies could foment a coup, this too is more spy fiction than a realistic foreign policy. CIA Director Mike Pompeo has created a new intelligence center to focus on North Korea, but the U.S. has notoriously had little success in recruiting agents inside the country. U.S. intervention would also deprive Koreans themselves of authoring their own liberation.

So traditional regime change should be off the table. But this should not stop the U.S. and its allies from helping to create conditions for the day when Koreans can take their country back. This requires some patience and imagination.

The patient part of the policy should be a combination of sabotage and deterrence. North Korea should understand their provocations bring consequences. Those consequences though should be tailored to target the leaders of North Korea and not its broader economy. This means making it harder for Kim and his henchmen to spend and keep their fortunes. It also means accelerating intelligence operations aimed at gumming up the regimes illicit supply chain for its missiles and nuclear facilities. The next time the regime tests a missile, lets hope it blows up on the runway.

The imaginative part is to continue to give North Koreans a glimpse of a better future. Tom Malinowski, who served as President Barack Obamas assistant secretary of state for democracy, human rights and labor, wrote in Politico in June that the U.S. should continue to flood North Korea with information. This may sound strange. But in recent years, the states ability to control information has waned. More and more Koreans living there have access to portable DVD players and cell phones, which are tools to break the states control over the minds of their citizens.

One organization, known as No Chain, is run by North Korean defector and former dissident Jung Gwang-Il. No Chain sends helicopter drones with the portable players, along with content like South Korean soap operas, over the border into the country.

Malinowski told me that when he was at the State Department the U.S. government spent around $3 million a year to support similar kinds of organizations. The budget for these programs in the next year will be around $5 million. The U.S. should be spending at least 10 times as much on this. This effort should also include workshops for North Korean defectors on nonviolent conflict, similar to the training the U.S. State Department provided to Serbs before their citizens organized the ouster of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.

To be sure, feeding information into North Korea is not a silver bullet. Its impossible to predict the timing of popular revolutions. But it is possible to predict the outcome: a revolution would prevent a catastrophic war.

Just as with the Cold War, the only sustainable solution is when the North Korean people will be able to take matters into their own hands, Malinowski told me. We cant make that happen. We have to be very careful with the regime change rhetoric. But we can help to accelerate the process that is already under way, namely the process of raising consciousness inside the country.

That may sound like a long shot. It is one. But consider the alternative. For nearly 25 years the U.S. and its allies have threatened North Korea, cajoled North Korea and won by reaching deals with North Korea. And yet the regime continues to build nuclear weapons and blackmail the rest of the world. Its time for a change in Washington as well as Pyongyang.
Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Life Sciences, Diagnostics, and Environmental & Applied Solutions. The Life Sciences segment provides mass spectrometers; flow cytometry, genomics, lab automation, centrifugation, particle counting and characterization; microscopes; genomics consumables; and Gene and Cell Therapy. This segment also offers bioprocess technologies, consumables, and services; and filtration, separation, and purification technologies to the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical, food and beverage, medical, and life sciences companies, as well as universities, medical schools and research institutions, and various industrial manufacturers. The Diagnostics segment provides chemistry, immunoassay, microbiology, and automation systems, as well as hematology, molecular, acute care, and pathology diagnostics products. This segment offers clinical instruments, reagents, consumables, software, and services for hospitals, physicians' offices, reference laboratories, and other critical care settings. The Environmental & Applied Solutions segment offers instrumentation, consumables, software, services, and disinfection systems to analyze, treat, and manage ultra-pure, potable, industrial, waste, ground, source, and ocean water in residential, commercial, industrial, and natural resource applications. This segment also provides instruments, software, services, and consumables for various color and appearance management, packaging design and quality management, packaging converting, printing, marking, coding, and traceability applications for consumer, pharmaceutical, and industrial products. The company was formerly known as Diversified Mortgage Investors, Inc. and changed its name to Danaher Corporation in 1984. Danaher Corporation was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Washington, the District of Columbia.
Genesee & Wyoming Inc. owns and leases freight railroads. It operates through three segments: North American Operations, Australian Operations, and U.K./European Operations. The company transports various commodities, including agricultural products, autos and auto parts, chemicals and plastics, coal and coke, food and kindred products, lumber and forest products, metallic ores, metals, minerals and stone, petroleum products, pulp and paper, waste, and other commodities. It owns or leases 122 freight railroads, including 105 short line railroads and 2 regional freight railroads located in the United States, 8 short line railroads located in Canada, 3 railroads located in Australia, 1 railroad located in the United Kingdom, 1 railroad in Poland and Germany, and 2 railroads in the Netherlands with a total of approximately 16,200 miles of track. The company also operates 6,200 additional miles of track that is owned or leased by others. In addition, it operates deep sea maritime containers and provides bulk haulage, including coal, aggregates, cement, and infrastructure services. Further, the company provides rail service at approximately 40 ports; rail-ferry service in North America, Australia, and Europe; and contract coal loading and railcar switching for industrial customers. Genesee & Wyoming Inc. was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Darien, Connecticut.
Entergy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and retail distribution of electricity in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Utility and Entergy Wholesale Commodities. The Utility segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power in portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, including the City of New Orleans; and distributes natural gas. The Entergy Wholesale Commodities segment engages in the ownership, operation, and decommissioning of nuclear power plants; and ownership of interests in non-nuclear power plants that sell electric power to wholesale customers, as well as provides services to other nuclear power plant owners. It generates electricity through gas, nuclear, coal, hydro, and solar power sources. The company sells energy to retail power providers, utilities, electric power co-operatives, power trading organizations, and other power generation companies. The company's power plants have approximately 24,000 megawatts (MW) of electric generating capacity, which include 5,000 MW of nuclear power. It delivers electricity to 3 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. The company was founded in 1913 and is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Red Hat, Inc. provides open source software solutions to develop and offer operating system, virtualization, management, middleware, cloud, mobile, and storage technologies to various enterprises worldwide. It offers infrastructure-related solutions, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, an operating system platform that runs on hardware for use in hybrid cloud environments; Red Hat Satellite, a system management offering that helps to deploy, scale, and manage in hybrid cloud environments; and Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization, a software solution that allows customers to utilize and manage a common hardware infrastructure to run multiple operating systems and applications. The company offers application development-related and other technology solutions, such as Red Hat JBoss Middleware, a solution for developing, deploying, and managing applications; integrating applications, data, and devices; and automating business processes in hybrid cloud environments; The company's application development-related and other technology solutions also includes Red Hat cloud offerings, a software solution that enables customers to build and manage various cloud computing environments; Red Hat Mobile, a software development platform that enables customers to develop, integrate, deploy, and manage mobile applications for enterprises; and Red Hat Storage, a software solution that enables customers to manage large, unstructured, or semi-structured data in hybrid cloud environments. It also provides consulting, support, and training services; and realtime operating system, distributed computing, directory services, and user authentication. Red Hat, Inc. has collaboration with Juniper Networks Expand to provide a unified solution for enterprises designed to manage and run applications and services. The company was formerly known as Red Hat Software, Inc. and changed its name to Red Hat, Inc. in June 1999. Red Hat, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Just when you thought there wasnt anybody left in Filer who hadnt turned on the citys mayor and city council, now comes the Filer Fire Department.

Earlier this month, the department issued a letter to Mayor Rick Dunn and the council, blasting the city leaders decision to fire Police Chief Tim Reeves. Reeves is also a volunteer firefighter.

The letter didnt pull any punches:

As a direct result of your decisions regarding City direction and personnel issues, some department members associated with our volunteer city emergency organizations are contemplating resignation, the two-page letter reads. The firing of Reeves has diminished morale, made our fire scenes less safe and have taken from us a trained and valuable member of our department.

Officially, city leaders have hinted the firing  and a surprise decision by the mayor earlier this summer to consider folding the entire police department  are tied to budget problems. But Dunn and most members of the council have done little to prove their case to the public. At least one council member isnt even convinced the city actually has a problem with its budget.

We just want them to show us what they are doing, fire department Capt. Steven Mullen said Monday. They should be able to explain their actions.

No kidding. Government doesnt exist to keep the public in the dark. Its there to do the publics business. And right now, the public in Filer isnt sure what its government is up to.

That amounts to a catastrophic failure in leadership, which well place directly at the feet of Dunn. Rather than attempt to make his case over the firings or explain why theyre needed to protect the citys finances, hes been dismissive to residents who have plenty of questions but almost no answers.

Not surprisingly, Filer residents are outraged. Citizens are out gathering signatures to recall the citys top leaders. Anecdotally, it doesnt appear the mayor or council have many supporters left.

Meanwhile, the council is slashing police salaries by 15 percent and office worker salaries by 1.5 percent while increasing funding for administration in its new budget. Total expenses for administrative costs, including such expenses as supplies, building maintenance and attorney fees, are increasing from $275,850 to $327,257.

While its true the citys overall budget has skyrocketed  from $2.4 million in 2014 to more than $8 million this year, mostly because of rising water and sewer expenses  many residents say trimming life-saving city workers like police is absolutely the wrong move.

Theyre seeking to recall all but one member of the council, Russell Bud Sheridan, who cast the lone no vote in a July 18 meeting to fire the police chief. (Sheridan, a long-serving councilman and a former mayor, is the one with doubts the city has a budget problem. That alone should tell you something.) The council held its deliberations in secret before the vote.

Petitioners have until Aug. 26 to gather the required signatures to trigger a recall.

Recalls arent to be taken lightly. Theyre the most extreme form of recourse for the public  even more serious than an impeachment would be at the federal level.

In this case, however, were finding it hard to defend Dunn and the council against the backlash. Unless he and the council quickly become much more transparent and actively work to regain the public trust, their days are numbered.

Residents in Filer have lost faith in their government. Its time to form a new one.
Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd is one of the worlds longest-running and largest independent operators of maritime energy transportation services. The company owns and operates a best-in-class fleet of versatile energy transportation vessels that include ice-class, shuttle tankers, and LNG-capable shipping as well. The companys management team is able to leverage more than 50 years of company experience.

Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd was incorporated in 1993 as MIF Limited. The company IPOd in 201 and later changed its name in 2011 to better represent itself to the world. It has been a leader in energy transportation the entire time and has generated more than $1 billion in profits for shareholders. As of October 2022, the company had paid more than $450 million in dividends in over 42 consecutive payments. The companys average yield since IPO is over 5.2%.

Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd. provides maritime transportation services for national, major, and independent energy companies under a variety of contract conditions. The company reported a fleet of 70 double-hull energy transportation vessels in mid-2022. The fleet included 60 conventional tankers ranging from Handysize through Panamax, Aframax, and Suez Max conventional oil tankers, and several Suez-Max DP2 shuttle tankers. The DP2 shuttle tankers are instrumental in transporting energy through the Suez canal. The company also listed 2 VLCCs or Very Large Crude Carriers (the 2nd largest tankers on the high seas) and 2 LNG-capable ships, and 2 ships under construction.

Tsakos Energy Navigation is incorporated in Bermuda but operates out of Athens, Greece. The companys strategy is to maintain its industry-leading status while providing sustainable growth and stability across energy cycles. The two pillars of the strategy are employee and fleet quality. The company actively invests in its talent pool to position itself for long-term success while also investing in ship maintenance and renewals. The average age of a Tsakos Energy Navigation tanker was about 7.5 years in Q4 2022 compared to roughly 10 years for the industry average. Oil tankers get about 30 years of use on average, so the company well-positioned to outlast its competition.
Christian family cling to faith as pregnant mom-of-5 who delayed chemo to save unborn baby suffers massive stroke

Carrie DeKlyen's family are praying against all odds for a miracle. After going to the hospital with complaints of a headache earlier this year, the 37-year-old mother-of-five was given the devastating news that she had a terminal brain tumor.

Carrie was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the same type of brain tumor that John McCain is receiving treatment for.

When she received the heartbreaking diagnosis in early April, Carrie wrote a powerful Facebook update in which she declared her faith in Jesus for healing.

Treatment via chemotherapy was possible but then doctors broke the even more difficult news: she found out she was pregnant and any chemo would require her to terminate the pregnancy.

This was not something Carrie and husband Nick, 39, considered so they delayed the chemotherapy in order to carry their sixth baby full term.

She has had two surgeries to remove the tumor but now, adding to the devout Christian family's heartache, she has suffered a massive stroke and lies in a 'vegetative state' in the ICU at the University of Michigan. It's the worst possible news for the family in their fight for Carrie and her baby.

Carrie is at 21 weeks but doctors are desperate for her to reach 28 weeks in order to deliver her baby. At the same time as Nick is preparing to become a father for the sixth time, he is also preparing to let Carrie go.

'She's going to miss us, but she knows this life is so quick and we'll see each other again in Heaven,' he told People.com. 'Knowing that gives her hope and, I know it's crazy, but I support her decision.'

In the face of so many struggles, the whole family are leaning on their faith as is evident from their Facebook updates and many of their Christian friends are supporting them by providing meals and signing up to a round-the-clock schedule of prayer and fasting.

A GoFundMe page - donate here - has also been set up to ease the financial strain on the family due to the medical costs and loss of income as Nick takes time away from his vending business to be by his wife's side. The goal is to raise $35,000 and so far, over $23,000 had already been raised.
ISIS' senior leaders killed in US airstrike

Several senior members of Islamic State's central Asian affiliate were killed in a US air strike in Afghanistan, officials said on Sunday.

The attack on Thursday killed Abdul Rahman, identified by the US military as the Kunar provincial emir for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan, according to a statement from the command in Kabul.

'The death of Abdul Rahman deals yet another blow to the senior leadership of ISIS-K,' said General John Nicholson, the senior US commander in Afghanistan.

Three other senior ISIS-K members were also among those killed in the strike in eastern Kunar province.

Nicholson has vowed to defeat Islamic State militants in Afghanistan this year.

The group's emir, Abu Sayed, was reported killed in a strike on his headquarters in Kunar in July, the third Islamic State emir in Afghanistan to be killed since July 2016.

In April, Nicholson deployed a 21,600-pound (9,797 kg) 'Massive Ordnance Air Blast' bomb against Islamic State positions in neighbouring Nangarhar province, one of the largest conventional weapons ever used by the United States in combat.

On Saturday, Afghan officials said as many as 16 civilians, including women and children, had been killed by a US air strike in Nangarhar, but American officials said only militants were killed.

As part of an increased campaign against both Islamic State and the Taliban, the dominant Islamist militant group in Afghanistan, the US Air Force has dropped nearly 2,000 weapons in the country as of the end of July, compared to fewer than 1,400 in all of last year.

Despite some battlefield successes by Afghan and American special operations troops, Islamic State has continued deadly attacks around Afghanistan, fuelling fears that the group is seeking to bring the group's Middle East conflict to Central Asia.
Southern Baptists repudiate Confederate flag: 'We march under the banner of the cross'

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) at its annual meeting has decisively repudiated the use of the Confederate flag.

An ovewhelming majority of 'messengers' or delegates voted in favour of a resolution that urged a resolution that urged "brothers and sisters in Christ to discontinue the display of the Confederate battle flag as a sign of solidarity of the whole body of Christ, including our African American brothers and sisters".

The move marks further progress toward racial reconciliation in the denomination, which was established in 1845, partly in support of slaveholding missionaries, before America's Civil War.

The action came four years after the denomination elected its first black president, Fred Luter, a pastor and civic leader from New Orleans.

In 1995, a Southern Baptist committee issued a resolution apologizing to African-Americans for condoning slavery and racism during the early years of the denomination's 171-year history.

"This denomination was founded by people who wrongly defended the sin of human slavery," said Russell Moore, head of the convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. "Today the nation's largest Protestant denomination voted to repudiate the Confederate battle flag, and it's time and well past time."

The original resolution brought to the meeting called for "sensitivity and unity" regarding displays of the flag, reported Baptist Press. It also said the flag "serves for some not as a symbol of hatred, bigotry, and racism, but as a memorial to their loved ones who died in the Civil War, and an emblem to honor their loved ones' valor". However, this sentence was deleted after an intervention by former SBC president James Merritt, who also called for a halt to displaying the flag altogether.

Merritt, who said two of his great-great-grandfathers had fought for the Confederacy, said no one could deny that the Confederate battle flag is "a stumbling block" for many African Americans to the witness of Southern Baptists.

Some messengers stood to applaud him when he said that "all the Confederate flags in the world are not worth one soul of any race". "This is not a matter of political correctness," he continued. "It is a matter of spiritual conviction and biblical compassion. We have a golden opportunity to say to every person of every race, ethnicity and nationality that Southern Baptists are not a people of any flag. We march under the banner of the cross of Jesus and the grace of God."

The flag carried by the South's pro-slavery Confederate forces during the 1861-65 US Civil War re-emerged as a flashpoint in America's troubled race relations after the massacre of nine blacks by a white gunman at an historic church in Charleston, South Carolina, in June 2015. The assailant was seen afterward in photographs posing with the flag.

Additional reporting by Reuters.
The Sins Of Confederate Generals And Why We Shouldn't Try To Rewrite History

Washington's National Cathedral is facing a difficult decision. It has quietly removed images of the Confederate flag from its windows as its display has become increasingly unacceptable. But what about the much larger windows displaying portraits of famous Confederate generals?

The symbols of the Southern states during the Civil War have always raised mixed feelings, but it's since the Charleston shootings of black churchgoers by white supremacist Dylann Roof that they've become a flashpoint in conversations about race. The South, in spite of revisionist attempts to depict the conflict as all about states' rights, fought to maintain slavery; the North fought to get rid of it.

So when the Robert E Lee window describes him as "a Christian soldier without fear and without reproach" and the Jackson window says he "walked humbly before his Creator whose word was his guide", a very large section of the American population is entitled to say, "Seriously?"

Whatever their private virtues, these are men whose cause was abominable. Why should they be commemorated in a cathedral?

The row in Washington echoes others around the world. The Rhodes Must Fall protest movement started in South Africa and was focused on removing a statue of Cecil Rhodes, the colonial hero who is far from a hero to the black majority population who suffered the consequences of his actions for generations. It spread to Oxford University, whose Oriel College also has a statue of Rhodes. In Cambridge the movement inspired a campaign for the return of the okukor cockerel at Jesus College to Nigeria, from where it was stolen during the Benin expedition in 1897.

All over the world, educational and other institutions are facing demands to expunge the memories of the past. Given the nature of that past  the brutality of colonialism and racism, the casual oppression of minorities in the name of perverted nationalism or naked commercial self-interest  it's impossible not to have some sympathy.

But at the same time, it's important not to give in, and to continue making the case for history. The fact that someone has a statue erected to them or a window dedicated to them doesn't mean we approve of what they did. It means that the people who first created and displayed it did. That statue of Rhodes or the windows to Lee and Jackson don't have to say we approve of colonialism or slavery. They can remind us that people once did, and warn us how easy it is to fall into ways of thinking that are deeply and appallingly un-Christian.

Take the images away, and you've robbed future generations of learning those lessons.

There's a biblical parallel here. Parts of the Bible are appalling. They are full of extreme violence, and they are profoundly troubling. They are what the theologian Phyllis Trible called the 'Texts of terror', like the rape and dismemberment of the Levite's concubine in Judges 19 or the sacrifice of Jephthah's daughter in Judges 11. We read them and we're appalled at how men treated women.

But take out of the Bible all the stories that are hard, or offensive, and you end up with an anaemic collection of feel-good writings that are ultimately meaningless. The 'good' parts of the Bible shine out because of the 'bad' parts, not in spite of them. The gospel is glorious because it redeems fallen humanity, not because it denies humanity was ever fallen. The most offensive story of all in the Bible is the crucifixion: take that out, and there's nothing left.

In Worcester Cathedral there is the tomb of the worst king England ever had. Since he died in 1216, there has never been another king named John. A rapist and a murderer, he is the last person to deserve a place of honour in a great place of worship. But his tomb there reminds us that we are all sinners, and warns us that we will all come to judgment.

We don't face the future by denying the past. We face it by repenting of it  and these memorials to sinners can help us to do it.
Vatican intervenes in Venezuela crisis - calls for government to 'respect human rights'

The Vatican has called for Venezuela's government to suspend its new legislative superbody and made a direct appeal to the security forces to avoid excessive force in dealing with opposition protests. Current initiatives including the constituent assembly "create a climate of tension and conflict and take the future for granted", the Holy See Secretariat of State said in a statement, calling for the changes to be prevented or suspended.

The spiritual home of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics also urged Venezuela's security forces to avoid "excessive and disproportionate use of force". More than 120 people have died in four months of opposition protests.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has defended the newly minted superbody, created as a result of a vote on Sunday, and which countries around the world have criticized as a bid to indefinitely extend his rule.

The Vatican statement called for a negotiated solution following the same guidelines the Vatican set out last year when it brokered talks between the government and the opposition which later broke down.

It also called on Venezuela to respect human rights and the country's current constitution.

Meanwhile, Brazil will propose suspending Venezuela from the regional Mercosur group until it returns to democracy, Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes said in a Twitter message on Friday, adding that the Brazilian government would not tolerate a neighboring "dictatorship."
Ryan Kelly went to downtown Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12 for one last assignment before leaving his staff photographer job at The Daily Progress. On that final workday, the 30-year-old captured an image that The Washington Post declared as The photo from Charlottesville that will define this moment in American history.

Kelly, who had been at the paper four years, was covering the widespread violence at a Unite the Right white nationalist rally in the city. He was standing on a sidewalk when a silver Dodge Challenger crashed into a crowd of protesters. Heather Heyer, 32, was killed and at least 19 others were injured. The driver, James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio, has been charged with second-degree murder.

ICYMI: If youre telling me his secrets, youre probably telling him mine. Now I know never to trust you.

Kelly took a photo of the crash that was used by several news outlets and displayed on front pages throughout the country. He told CJR that had the events played out differently yesterday, he might have been among those caught in the crash.



What follows is the harrowing story behind the photoas told to CJR by the photographer, Ryan Kelly.

*******

Our newsroom had been planning for this event for weeks, if not months, knowing it was going to be a huge day in Charlottesville. It was pretty much all hands on deck. I woke up around 8 and had two cups of coffee, but didnt eat anything. I started photographing at 9 am. There were already a lot of clergy members around the park, and there were counter protesters.

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I hitched a ride with my editor downtown, and I started wandering the mall. There were groups on both sides scattered. There were a few small fights that broke out from time to time. People were throwing stuff at each other. A few people were beating on each other. Eventually I came across two large groups of people protesting against the Unite the Right rally and they merged together on Water Street. There were well over 100 people.

I walked ahead of them as they marched. I edged over onto the sidewalk to get pictures, and right after I did, the car came screeching past me at speed, plowed into the crowd of protesters and immediately reversed back up the hill. It turned, then took off. Out of instinct, I began taking photos. I just brought the camera to my eye and just mashed the shutter down. I was barely even aware of what I was watching until he was speeding into the crowd.

My instinct was to chase the car because I figured there wasnt a chance he could get very far or he would wreck and there would be an immediate arrest. I thought those pictures would be important storytelling images. As it turned out, once I got out to the cross street, the driver got further than I expected and there was nothing I could do on foot immediately.

ICYMI: While on air, authorities grab journalist and violently drag her on the ground several feet

Right before the guy drove his car down the road, it felt like any other day I would be downtown. Because of that, I didnt feel like I was in danger. Frankly, it was dumb luck that I was on the sidewalk instead of the middle of the road when I was. I was in the road for a few seconds, then moved off, then the car came through. I wasnt anticipating it. I actually saw the car as I walked up to the scene. It was backing up the street and I assumed that he was backing out of the way and trying to go around the block, didnt think anything of it until he was blowing past me 20 seconds later.

If that car had come through 20 seconds earlier, I would have been in the middle of the road, and I would have had my back to him. I wouldnt have seen him coming at all. Honestly, Im still processing that. Its been such a crazy 24 hours that I havent been able to sit and absorb it. That was the first thing that went through my head a couple hours after I was done processing images. I was right where the car went, and I am very fortunate.

Ive reached out to photographer friends, specifically somebody who has gone through the process of publishing photos that have blown up on a worldwide scale. That was a helpful phone call this morning. It was Sara Naomi Lewkowicz, who did a series on domestic violence. She told me to decide who Im close with and talk to those people and be with those people. Dont get caught up in the interview requests and stay away from Twitter threads. My wife always shouts at me for getting angry about comments on Facebook that are wrong or misleading. Im really going to have to make a conscious effort not to do that.

Ive been bombarded with people messaging me, tweeting me. Im trying to keep my head down. Yesterday was supposed to be my last day. Things are developing today. I spoke to my chief editor, and Im going in a few hours today to cover whatever happens today. The journalist in me is happy to see that part of the story through.

Ill be working at Ardent Craft Ales as a digital and social media coordinator. Ive been a beer geek. I love craft beer and I love talking about it. It seemed like a great opportunity to me. It was a job at a brewery, which sounded fun. Also, by virtue of being a photographer at a newspaper with a small staff, Ive done a lot of social media work. It felt like a natural fit, and the hours are flexible which means I can still continue as a freelance photographer.

This experience has been bittersweet, and it is way more bitter than sweet. A person died, a lot of people were injured, people were in shock, a community has been terrorized. Its a town that I love. Im more focused on the fact that it was a horrible day. I happened to be at the place at the time it happened, and I did my job. Im proud of my newspaper for doing a good job, but I havent thought about the impact of the photo. I know that its everywhere. Ive had to cut off Twitter notifications, and my email inbox has exploded. I am glad people have seen it. It was a terrible thing and the fact that more people will be more aware of it happening is an overall positive, but I cant say Im happy to have been there.

ICYMI: 10 podcasts to help you keep up with the news cycle

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Justin Ray is an audience editor at the Los Angeles Times. Follow him on Twitter @jray05.
After pioneering the technology behind marijuana delivery service Eaze, Roie Edery and Aleksey Klempner began looking for other industries that were "ripe for a technological disruption"  and they kept coming back to food trucks.

The food truck industry is a lucrative niche, with revenue growing at an annual rate of 7.9 percent from 2011-2016, according to research firm IBISWorld, hitting nearly $870 million.

However, the business of running a food truck is complicated and often inefficient, Edery and Klempner found.

"We had a front row seat into disruptive technology in an area where the [food truck] industry was very manual and very disjointed and fragmented," Edery told CNBC recently.

"And we kept coming back to the mobile food vendor spacewhich has its own set of challenges that have pretty much not been even attempted to be remedied by technology companies, so that's where we saw the opportunity," he added.

Edery and Klempner set out to unite the entire food truck market under one platform, by connecting foodies to food trucks, and providing business technologies to food truck owners.

In June, they launched their app Bistro Planet in Los Angeles, and it has already expanded into California's Orange County amid significant user growth. More than 10,000 users and 250 food trucks currently use the platform, according to Edery, the start up's CEO. Around 50,000 meals have been served through the app so far.
A boy wades through a flooded street in Panama City. Elmer Martinez | AFP | Getty Images

This week, University of Florida scientists discovered the sea level along the southeastern U.S. coast has risen far more quickly than the long-term rate globally, underscoring new concerns about the effects of climate change. Increasingly, the phenomenon of rising sea levels has amplified fears over climate refugees  individuals forced to leave their homes due to changing environmental conditions in their respective homelands. Climate watchers estimate that at least 26 million people around the world have already been displaced, and that figure could balloon to 150 million by 2050, according to the Worldwatch Institute. Relocating those populations costs vast sums of money, raising the question of who will cover those costs as sea levels continue their uptrend. The rise in global sea levels has accelerated since the 1990s amid rising temperatures, with a thaw of Greenland's ice sheet pouring ever more water into the oceans, a team of international scientists reported last month. In the U.S., the cost of climate change is expected to be steep. A Science study estimates that every one degree Celsius increase in global mean temperature will cost the U.S. 1.2 percent of its economic growth. Separately, a recent assessment by Lloyds estimated that flooding ranked high among the top five risks to global economic growth, and could cost upwards of $430 billion. Mark Witte, a professor of public finance at Northwestern University, said climate relocation demonstrates a classic economic problem when it comes to addressing slow moving, long-term challenges. "We're waiting for the tipping point," Witte told CNBC recently. "We're going to wait too long, and it'll be a more expensive fix in the long term than if we just did something now."

We all thought this is something that was going to happen in 100 years or something. But it's happening right now. Diwigdi Valiente Panama government official

To be sure, skepticism abounds over whether a warming climate is being caused by human activity  including the Trump administration, which has come under fire for rejecting the landmark Paris climate agreement. Even a few true believers in climate change have argued the costs of implementing carbon reduction policies could have potentially devastating economic consequences. However, for people like 27-year-old Panama native Diwigdi Valiente, climate change is "not a fairy tale anymore." In addition to washing away homes and schools on the inhabited islands, rising seas are set to engulf hundreds of Kuna-owned tourist beaches off the Caribbean coast, which locals use as their main source of revenue. Valiente, part of an indigenous population called the Kuna, is one of tens of thousands of autonomous islanders who may need to relocate to the mainland within the next 20 years, as rising seas threaten to swallow their homes. Some Kuna are facing moves to the mainland even sooner than that as puddles of water form on the islands. "There is zero infrastructure on the mainland right now," Valiente, who works for Panama's Ministry of Economics and Finance, told CNBC recently. "The Kuna will have to rebuild what they built up on their islands over the last 150 years, and who knows how much that will cost?" Panama's government has pledged to help fund the Kuna's relocation. However, according to Valiente, the effort is not moving quickly enough, and may not cover the full costs. Aresio Valiente Lopez, Valiente's father who also serves as an environmental lawyer for the Kuna, estimated the environmental impact could result in a loss of about $3 million in revenue per year for the Kunawhich have turned to international organizations for financial assistance. For millions of individuals living in low coastal areas across the world, and for the policymakers debating what to do and how to pay for it, climate change is no longer an abstract, far-off concept. "We all thought this is something that was going to happen in 100 years or something," said Valiente. "But it's happening right now."

Long run options 'unaffordable'

Fishing camps on Isle de Jean Charles in Terrebonne Parish Louisiana. The Island is under constant threat of flooding due to coastal erosion. Julie Dermansky | Corbis | Getty Images
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There are plenty of what ifs that could derail your travel plans. But does it necessarily follow that you need travel insurance? Nervous travelers have had plenty of real-world examples this summer, from a power outage in the Outer Banks off North Carolina that forced the evacuation of an estimated 50,000 visitors and prevented the arrival of many more, to Tropical Storm Cindy, which affected travel in five states. Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration raised its tropical storm and hurricane forecast, noting this year could be "extremely active." More travelers are opting in for coverage. Last year, 42.6 million travelers purchased more than 32.3 million travel insurance plans, according to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association. Those numbers are up 23.7 percent and 28.5 percent, respectively, from 2014. But deciding whether you'd benefit from travel insurance isn't a quick "yea" or 'nay." Experts say it depends on several factors, including the cost and components of your trip, where you live and where you're headed, and what potential problems you're worried about (like that "extremely active" hurricane season). "There's no simple answer, because everyone's trip is slightly different," Christopher Elliott, who advocates on behalf of travelers through his website, Elliott.org, told CNBC earlier this summer. These four questions can help you weigh your options:

1) How much money is at stake?

David Sacks | Getty Images

Check the change and cancellation policies for travel components including flights, hotels, cruises and car rentals, as well as any destination activities already purchased, such as theme park tickets. That can help you assess how much money might be lost if you need to cancel or postpone your trip, or head home early. If that total is more than you're willing or able to lose, then travel insurance is worth a closer look, Loretta Worters, a vice president at the Insurance Information Institute, told CNBC earlier this summer.

2) What are your travel plans?

Michal Venera | Getty Images

Big-ticket trips with intricate itineraries are often better contenders for insurance, Elliott said. (Think multicountry European vacation or a bucket-list African safari, versus a domestic getaway to grandma's.) A policy could help cover costs for situations such as the tour company going out of business, or a delayed flight that means you miss your cruise departure. You might also want to consider travel insurance with medical coverage if you're headed abroad (where your health insurance may not be valid) or to a remote area or on a cruise (where getting to a hospital may require air evacuation), Worters said. Uncovered, those expenses could add up to tens of thousands of dollars.

3) What are you worried about?

Burton McNeely | Getty Images

Dig into the details to make sure a policy would offer the coverage you want. Broadly speaking, you have two choices: named exclusion (which covers a limited range of events and scenarios), and cancel-for-any-reason coverage (which, true to its name, offers broad coverage). The former generally runs 5 to 7 percent of the cost of your trip, and the latter, 8 to 10 percent, Elliott said. "Named exclusion is a little more risky," he said, with big variations in what's covered and when. Say you're worried about hurricane season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30. One policy might allow you to cancel your trip as soon as there's an official storm warning in effect for your destination, while another may require a bigger impact like a delayed flight, Steven Benna, a spokesman for comparison site Squaremouth, told CNBC earlier this summer. You won't be covered at all if the storm threatening your trip is named before you buy a policy. Keep in mind that unless you get a cancel-for-any-reason policy, fear of travel  say, because you're worried about recent terrorist attacks or that you might contract a disease such as Zika at your destination  typically isn't covered.

4) Do you already have coverage?

Aleksandar Nakic | Getty Images
In a run-down mall in one of Sydney's biggest Chinese neighborhoods in 2015, 29-year-old Jizhang Lu showed up at the top-floor offices of a meat export company carrying a carrier bag stuffed with hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash. According to police documents filed in court and reviewed by Reuters, Lu said he made the trip to the shopfront of CC&B International Pty Ltd eight times over three weeks. Each time a CC&B employee would hand him a receipt showing a different company had bought tens of thousands of kilograms of meat.

Australia's Commonwealth Bank logo is pictured at a branch in Sydney David Gray | Reuters

The cash  as much as A$530,200 ($416,840) at a time  was then deposited at a Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) branch, according to the police statement of facts

agreed by Lu. But the apparent purchases were fake, and last year Lu was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to helping launder A$3.2 million of what police allege were proceeds from an unidentified international drug syndicate. The court records reviewed by Reuters did not name Lu's lawyer. Lu could not immediately be contacted directly because he was in custody. The police case against Lu is now one of several being cited by financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC in its statement of claim against CBA, the largest civil court action of its kind in Australian corporate history. AUSTRAC has accused CBA of "serious and systemic" breaches of money-laundering and counter-terrorism financing rules, alleging the country's second biggest mortgage lender failed to detect suspicious transactions nearly 54,000 times. It faces fines potentially amounting to billions of dollars. CBA has said it will fight the AUSTRAC lawsuit, saying it would never deliberately undertake action that enables any form of crime. CBA said a coding error with new automated teller machines was behind most of the breaches but that it recognized there were "other serious allegations" in AUSTRAC's claim were unrelated to that software problem. It declined to comment specifically about the police case against Lu.

Proceeds of crime

AUSTRAC's lawsuit against CBA asserts that, in total, A$17.7 million was deposited at the bank from February to August 2015 on behalf of a company identified in the earlier criminal case

as CC&B. "These funds were the proceeds of a drug importation syndicate and were proceeds of crime, within the meaning of the Criminal Code Act," AUSTRAC's statement of claim says, referring to CC&B only as Company 1. Lu was identified in AUSTRAC's statement of claim against CBA, which also specified the time and length of Lu's sentence. A subsequent Reuters search of the criminal case against Lu produced the police "facts sheet" which provided further detail of his operation, including the name of CC&B. The records of Lu's criminal case, provided to Reuters by a communications officer for the court which convicted Lu, showed that he pleaded guilty. A call to the phone number listed on CC&B's website went unanswered. A Reuters visit to the address where Lu said he dropped off bags of money, at Lemon Grove shopping center, showed no sign of CC&B  other than a mention in an old store guide for shoppers. Calls over two days to Lemon Grove also went unanswered. Australian company filings showed CC&B's corporate address as "Sunnyside Accountants". A woman who answered the phone at that firm said CC&B was a former client but that she could give no further information because the organisations had parted ways. Sunnyside hasn't been named in AUSTRAC's suit.

'Can you help?'
On a warm summer evening at a vineyard in Sonoma, California, a group of well-heeled guests gathered at a local Sonoma vineyard sipping rose, feasting on food... and smoking cannabis.

The event was hosted by marijuana entrepreneurs looking to build bridges with longtime winemakers.

"I think that as we see it become more socially acceptable, you will see more and more people open to giving it a try," said Sam Edwards, president of the Sonoma Cannabis Company.

Nearby, vintner Dennis De La Montanya is mingling with guests. The sixth-generation winemaker says he doesn't "indulge" in marijuana, but is curious about the financial opportunities that go along with the crop.

"I think I would be foolish I didn't look at those opportunities," he said, noting that "this event looks very similar to one of my tasting events. And I see the same types of people here, same type of vibe."

As California prepares to hand out licenses to marijuana businesses on Jan. 1, many are eyeing Northern California's winemaking regions as a pot of gold.

One acre of cannabis grown in Northern California can be worth more than $1 million, but real estate broker John Bergman said an acre of planted wine grapes in Sonoma County is valued no more than $200,000.

The opportunists include Michael Steinmetz, a marijuana entrepreneur who bought an 80-acre property in Mendocino County, California, that once belonged to Fetzer, one of the state's biggest wine producers.

Steinmetz is the CEO of Flow Kana, which he envisions as a "marijuana destination." The business will process the marijuana that local farmers grow, helping them scale up. Ultimately, Steinmetz hopes to expand the campus to include research facilities and a wellness retreat.

Steinmetz says the location of the sprawling campus was ideal to take advantage of the wine region's labor pool and customer base.

"I'm really kind of grateful for the wine industry that existed before and it allowed us to step into the shoes of these giants," said Steinmetz.

One of Steinmetz's clients, cannabis farmer Cyril Guthridge, noted the region's climate and soil condition make it ideal to grow high-quality bud.

"We live in a very rare Mediterranean market and Mediterranean climates lend really well to growing cannabis," said Guthridge.

Yet among winemakers, there is some nervousness about the influx of cannabis entrepreneurs. Many are worried that the marijuana industry will poach their labor and their customers.

Devika Maskey, a winemaker turned marijuana entrepreneur, mentioned some vintners are worried that "instead of the mom having a glass of wine before bed, maybe she'll have a hit of cannabis before bed, so they're worried that people are going to choose cannabis over wine."

As a sign of the heightened interest of winemakers in the cannabis industry, Sonoma County recently hosted its first-ever "Wine and Weed Symposium," to help winemakers better understand the cannabis industry. It was a sold-out event.

But some skeptics say winemakers need not worry about a stampede of marijuana growers taking over their land and their way of life. Lynda Hopkins, Fifth District County Supervisor in Sonoma County, says pot prices will likely drop with the increase in supply. She also says tight regulations may make the crop prohibitive for some prospective entrepreneurs.

"Cannabis will be the most highly regulated agricultural commodity in the state of California, period, said Hopkins.

With the looming threat of the cannabis industry disrupting life in California's wine country, some longtime winemakers like DeLaMontanya are still hopeful that wine and weed will pair well as business allies.

"I think there's an opportunity for both industries to flourish in this community," said De La Montanya.

By CNBC's Aditi Roy.
Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the outlines of the bill to "counter America's terrorist and adventurist actions" as some chanted "Death to America", the state broadcaster IRIB reported.

Iran's parliament gave initial approval on Sunday to a bill to boost spending on Tehran's missile program and the elite Revolutionary Guards in retaliation for new sanctions imposed by the United States.

The measure came in retaliation to legislation passed by U.S. Congress and signed by U.S. President Donald Trump in early August to impose new sanctions on Iran over its missile

program.

Iran denies its missile program violates a U.N. resolution which endorsed Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and calls upon the Islamic Republic not to conduct activities related to ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons. Tehran says it does not design such missiles.

The Iranian plan would require Iran's government and armed forces to draw up a strategy to counter U.S. violations of human rights around the world, and to support Iranian bodies and

individuals affected by U.S. sanctions.

The measure would also allocate over $260 million each to Iran's ballistic missile program and the Quds Force  the external arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which has

been deployed to battlefields in Iraq and Syria.

Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told members of parliament that the government backed the bill, which he said "was designed wisely so that it does not violate the (nuclear deal) and provide excuses for opposing sides", state news agency IRNA reported.

The bill must now pass a second vote before being submitted to a clerical body for final approval and passage into law.
Cardinal Health, Inc. operates as an integrated healthcare services and products company in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and internationally. It provides customized solutions for hospitals, healthcare systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, physician offices, and patients in the home. The company operates in two segments, Pharmaceutical and Medical. The Pharmaceutical segment distributes branded and generic pharmaceutical, specialty pharmaceutical, and over-the-counter healthcare and consumer products. The segment also provides services to pharmaceutical manufacturers and healthcare providers for specialty pharmaceutical products; operates nuclear pharmacies and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities; repackages generic pharmaceuticals and over-the-counter healthcare products; and offers medication therapy management and patient outcomes services to hospitals, other healthcare providers, and payers, as well as provides pharmacy management services to hospitals. The Medical segment manufactures, sources, and distributes Cardinal Health branded medical, surgical, and laboratory products and devices that include exam and surgical gloves; needles, syringe, and sharps disposals; compressions; incontinences; nutritional delivery products; wound care products; single-use surgical drapes, gowns, and apparels; fluid suction and collection systems; urology products; operating room supply products; and electrode product lines. The segment also distributes a range of national brand products, including medical, surgical, and laboratory products; provides supply chain services and solutions to hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, and other healthcare providers; and assembles and sells sterile, and non-sterile procedure kits. The company was incorporated in 1979 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio.
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.
The Clorox Company manufactures and markets consumer and professional products worldwide. It operates through four segments: Health and Wellness, Household, Lifestyle, and International. The Health and Wellness segment offers cleaning products, such as laundry additives and home care products primarily under the Clorox, Clorox2, Scentiva, Pine-Sol, Liquid-Plumr, Tilex, and Formula 409 brands; professional cleaning and disinfecting products under the CloroxPro and Clorox Healthcare brands; professional food service products under the Hidden Valley brand; and vitamins, minerals and supplement products under the RenewLife, Natural Vitality, NeoCell, and Rainbow Light brands in the United States. The Household segment provides cat litter products under the Fresh Step and Scoop Away brands; bags and wraps under the Glad brand; and grilling products under the Kingsford brand in the United States. The Lifestyle segment offers dressings, dips, seasonings, and sauces primarily under the Hidden Valley brand; natural personal care products under the Burt's Bees brand; and water-filtration products under the Brita brand in the United States. The International segment provides laundry additives; home care products; water-filtration systems; digestive health products; grilling products; cat litter products; food products; bags and wraps; natural personal care products; and professional cleaning and disinfecting products internationally primarily under the Clorox, Ayudin, Clorinda, Poett, Pine-Sol, Glad, Brita, RenewLife, Ever Clean and Burt's Bees brands. The Clorox Company sells its products primarily through mass retailers; grocery outlets; warehouse clubs; dollar stores; home hardware centers; drug, pet and military stores; third-party and owned e-commerce channels; and distributors, as well as a direct sales force The company was founded in 1913 and is headquartered in Oakland, California.
China Telecom Corporation Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides wireline and mobile telecommunications services primarily in the People's Republic of China. It offers wireline voice services, including local wireline telephone services and long distance wireline services; CDMA mobile voice services, such as local calls, domestic and international long distance calls, intra-provincial roaming, and inter-provincial roaming and international roaming; wireline Internet access services comprising dial-up and broadband services; wireless Internet access services; and wireline, Internet, and mobile value-added services. The company also provides Best Tone information services; and information technology-based integrated solutions, such as system integration and consulting, outsourcing, special advisory, information application, knowledge, and software development services. In addition, it offers managed data services that include digital data network, frame relay, and asynchronous transfer mode services for government agencies, large corporations, and institutions; and leased line services, as well as sells, repairs, and maintains customer-end equipment. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, including network, Internet access and transit, Internet data center, and mobile virtual network services in various countries, including the Asia Pacific, Europe, Africa, South America, and North America; and music production and related information, instant messenger, finance leasing, capital and financial management, and e-commerce services, as well as sells telecommunications terminals. As of December 31, 2019, it had approximately 336 million mobile subscribers; 153 million wireline broadband subscribers; and 111 million access lines in service. The company was incorporated in 2002 and is based in Wanchai, Hong Kong. China Telecom Corporation Limited is a subsidiary of China Telecommunications Corporation.
Citigroup Inc. is one of the worlds largest financial institutions. It is the 13th largest bank globally by assets and 8th by market cap with operations in consumer and institutional banking. In the US, Citigroup is the 3rd largest bank by assets and one of the Big Four deemed systemically important and too big to fail.

Citigroup Inc. was founded in 1812 as the City Bank of New York. The bank was run by Samuel Osgood who led the company with success for many years, even throughout the War of 1812. The bank was later renamed the National City Bank of New York in 1865 and by 1895 is the largest bank in the US. In 1913 it was the first contributor to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and a few years later it began to expand into overseas territories.

The bank became the First National City Bank of New York after another merger in 1955 and then later, the New York part was dropped off as part of the 150th-anniversary celebration. By 1974 the company is known as Citicorp which is still the operational branch of the business and a global banking powerhouse. A merger with Travelers insurance group in 1998 resulted in the name Citigroup but the joint venture did not last. By 2002 Travelers was publicly traded once again but Citigroup retained the new name.

Today, the company is headquartered in New York, New York but boasts more than 200 million customer accounts in 160 countries worldwide. As of mid-2022, it operated 2,649 branches in the United States, Mexico, and Asia. The company reports nearly 725 branches in the US and 1499 in Mexico with the rest scattered throughout its territory. Total annual revenue topped $75 billion in 2022.

Citigroup is a diversified financial services holding company that owns Citicorp among other assets. The companys mission is to serve as a trusted partner providing responsible financial solutions to its clients. Citigroup provides financial products and services to consumers, corporations, governments, and institutions. The company operates in two segments, Global Consumer Banking (GCB) and Institutional Clients Group (ICG).

The GCB segment offers traditional banking services including deposit and saving accounts, credit cards, personal loans, home loans, and investment services. This segment operates through local branches and digital means. The ICG segment offers wholesale banking products and services to corporate, institutional, public sector, and high-net-worth clients.
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.
Immigration policies focusing on racial profiling and criminalization of Latinos in the United States have direct implications on immigrants and their family members, many of whom are U.S. citizens, according to a study by a University of Kansas researcher who explores these consequences amongst mixed-status families in the Midwest.

Intersections between legal status and race can make the experiences of illegality different between U.S. immigrants from Latino indigenous and non-indigenous groups, said Andrea Gomez Cervantes, doctoral candidate in sociology. She conducted interviews with 67 members of mixed-status immigrant families and 18 months of ethnographic participant observation during 2016-2017, a period also coinciding with the presidential election.

"Given today's immigration enforcement increasingly rooted on racial profiling as a tactic to apprehend undocumented immigrants, indigenous-Latino immigrants, particularly those who have darker skin tones and shorter statures, are more easily targeted," Gomez Cervantes said. "To add another dimension, many indigenous-Latino migrants do not speak Spanish or English fluently, leading to difficulty in gaining access to important information and resources."

She will present her findings Sunday, Aug. 13, at the American Sociological Association's 2017 annual meeting in Montreal. The project was funded on a grant from the National Science Foundation, and the KU Institute for Policy & Social Research provided assistance with the award submission and will help to manage the award.

An estimated 4.5 million U.S.-citizen children live with at least one undocumented parent, Gomez Cervantes said, and in her research, she interviewed members of families in Kansas of both non-indigenous Latino ethnicity and of indigenous Mixteco, Tlapaneco and Mayan ethnicity.

"Kansas, although commonly overlooked as a state of immigration, has a long history of Latinx migration, starting with Mexican laborers in the early 1900s through their involvement in constructing the railroad. Since then Mexican families have settled throughout the state and built communities," she said. "Kansas is also the heart of both anti-immigrant and pro-immigrant policies and social movements. In this complex environment, families must find ways to navigate illegality, immigration enforcement and other forms of institutional violence in order to live their everyday lives."

However, a majority of existing research on Latino migration did not make a distinction between group differences.

"There are ample variations amongst Latino groups including race/ethnicity, gender, sexuality and class, amongst many other social dividers," Gomez Cervantes said. "Indigenous communities face ample marginalization and discrimination in their countries of origin, particularly in Mexico and Central America; therefore, upon arrival to the U.S. they may already be at a disadvantage."

Respondents in the study, particularly those from indigenous families, mentioned fear of the new government, language barriers, anxiety of participating in public spaces and anguish over social institutions, including law enforcement and education, as threats to their abilities for their families to successfully integrate into U.S. society.

The findings also illuminate the experiences of living in a mixed-status family -- having members with various legal statuses in the same family ranging from undocumented, semi-legal, to citizens -- in the United States can be a completely different experience for Latinos depending on if someone is from an indigenous or non-indigenous group. The interviews, though, also shed light on the everyday lives of mixed-status families and their contributions to Kansas communities, she said.

"Grounded in the experiences and voices of mixed-status families," Gomez Cervantes said, "I hope to elaborate and provide ideas to change current immigration policies and newly signed executive orders in order to help voice the concerns and fears of these very marginalized groups."

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Campaigners have called for farm funding that will stem the loss of smaller farms and the diversity they provide.

A new report by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) today (10 August) illustrates that England is rapidly losing its network of smaller farms, and the diversity in food and landscape they provide.

CPREs Uncertain Harvest uses official statistics from the UK and Europe to demonstrate that smaller farms in England are in steep decline.

Overall, a fifth of English farms have disappeared in the past 10 years, but the rate is fastest amongst the smallest farms.

Almost a third of farms under 50 hectares disappeared between 2005 and 2015.

Should these trends continue, CPRE suggests that farms under 50 hectares could all but disappear from the English countryside by the middle of the century.

'Crucial'

The campaigners believe that a mix of farm sizes and enterprises is crucial to maintaining Englands world-renowned landscapes and diversity of food.

As part of this mix, they say that smaller farms are vital to the countryside as they sustain rural communities through jobs and protect distinctive local character.

In their diversity of approaches, they create greater diversity in food production and conservation, both of which shape rural heritage and rural economies.

Competition and market pressures have put great strain on smaller farms, with supermarkets controlling 90% of the retail market and forcing down prices. During this time, the campaigners say that smaller farms have also faced an inequitable funding model through the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Following the UKs vote to leave the European Union, the Government has pledged to pursue a new funding settlement that rewards farmers for public goods and environmental benefits rather than the size of land holdings.

The future structure of public funding will likely determine the future of many smaller and struggling farms.

'Struggle to compete'

Graeme Willis, food and farming campaigner at the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), said tere is a 'silent crisis' in the farming sector.

Smaller farms struggle to compete in the current market and, if the current trends continue, they could all but disappear from the English countryside by the middle of the century.

While it is not a case of small versus big, smaller farms are vital to the diversity of our rural communities and our beautiful landscapes.

Michael Gove has made positive statements about moving towards rewards for public goods and environmental benefits. We must use this platform to help all farms become economically and environmentally sustainable.

To help smaller farmers succeed, the Government must research the health of the farming sector and assess the impact of any new funding model. Public finance should be designed with tapering to support all farmers for providing public benefits, and smaller farmers should be given a strong voice in the distribution of local funding. We must also make sure markets are fair and support our farmers. We all want a diverse, thriving countryside and wonderful food. Smaller farms are integral to both.

To tackle the stark decline in smaller farms, CPRE recommends that the Government undertake research to assess the current health of the farming sector, especially in respect of the market, and to work out how any new funding models can help farms of all sizes prove economically and environmentally sustainable.

CPRE said that any regional-based funding must ensure small farmers have a strong voice to determine share and distribution, and assist new and young farmers across the sector.
It has been quite some time ever since there were rumours about Real Star Upendra entering politics. But, Upendra never mentioned anywhere that he would join politics.

When asked by the media, Upendra has mentioned a lot of times that he would love to join politics but only when proper time came. Well, it seems that the proper time has finally come!

Yes, Real Star Upendra is all set to contribute to the formation of a new society altogether. The actor is all set to form a new party on his own, which symbolizes 'Praja-keya', 'Praja-karana' and 'Praja-neeti'.

Upendra, who had organised a press meet at the Ruppis Resort, Bengaluru, expressed his desire to serve people. He has mentioned that he is all set to take on the political issues in real life with his party, which he says will be based entirely on democratic values.

Upendra was seen sporting khaki dress and termed himself as a labourer. He further put forth a few more clarifications regarding his political career and what he expects as a politician from the people.

Scroll down to read more..
Starting next month, Bank of America (BAC 0.73%) customers will no longer have to look elsewhere for a premium rewards card. The bank has announced that it will roll out its own offering in the popular credit card category in September, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.

The card will charge a $95 annual fee. That may seem like a hefty price tag, but it's meaningfully below competitors like JPMorgan Chase (JPM 0.16%) and American Express (AXP 0.09%), which charge $450 and $550, respectively, for their analogous premium rewards cards.

Bank of America's Premium Rewards card offers the same litany of tiered rewards based on the type of purchase, giving cardholders the most points for money spent on travel and dining. But unlike these other cards, the exact size of the rewards will be conditioned on how much money customers have at the bank in checking, savings, and investment accounts.

Cumulative Account Value Travel and Dining Rewards Tier (Points per Dollar Spent) All Other Rewards Tier (Points per Dollar Spent) Less than $20,000 2.0 points 1.5 points $20,000 to less than $50,000 2.5 points 1.875 points $50,000 to less than $100,000 3.0 points 2.25 points $100,000 or more 3.5 points 2.6 points

To the untrained eye, this could seem like Bank of America's belated effort to jump on the premium rewards card train, so to speak, before it leaves the station.

American Express has long been the standard bearer in the premium credit card space. And when JPMorgan Chase joined the fray last year, the bank literally couldn't keep up with the demand for its Sapphire Reserve Card, which charged a $450 annual fee, but came with 100,000 bonus points -- which has since been cut to 50,000 points.

But this isn't quite right. The truth is that Bank of America's new premium rewards card goes nicely with the bank's more overarching strategy of capturing a greater share of its customers' wallets.

In the lead-up to the financial crisis, Bank of America was focused on growing through acquisitions. Under its former CEO, it bought two major banks, a wealth manager, a major credit card issuer, and a mortgage originator. And on the fateful weekend in September 2008 when Lehman Brothers failed, it purchased Merrill Lynch.

Since then, however, Bank of America has redirected its efforts exclusively to internal growth. Its CEO Brian Moynihan refers to this strategy as responsible growth.

This comes through in the design of its rewards tiers, tying the tiers to how much money a cardholder has in their accounts at Bank of America. This incentivizes users of the card to not only maximize their deposits at the bank, but it will also presumably translate into lower charge-off rates, as the most avid users are likely to maintain high balances of cash and other types of liquid assets with which to pay their credit card bills.

In short, while Bank of America may be the last of the major credit card issuers to jump into the premium rewards arena, it's doing so in a unique way that could benefit the bank more holistically.




Haiti - Politics : Haitian migrant file, end of mission in Canada





Thursday, returning from Montreal Stephanie Auguste, the Minister of Haitians Living Abroad and Antonio Rodrigue, the Minister of Foreign Affairs at a press conference at the Primature intended to explain their stay in Canada from 8 to 11 August concerning the massive and illegal arrivals in Quebec https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21774-haiti-flash-the-canadian-army-builds-a-border-camp-for-haitian-migrants.html of our compatriots under TPS status fleeing the United States for fear of deportation https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21037-haiti-flash-extension-of-tps-procedures-to-follow.html



Chancellor Rodrigue reported on his meetings and discussions with Canadian authorities and Haitian Diaspora Associations in Canada on the future of these migrants.



For her part, Minister Auguste explained the opportunity of this trip and the response of the Haitian Government in the event of a deportation of these migrants.



She explained that this mission responded to the interest given by the Moise-Lafontant administration to the situation in which our compatriots are found. With regard to the possibility of repatriation, Minister Auguste said that the Government would welcome his daughters and sons of Haiti, always welcome to the country while stressing that the current conditions do not yet provide an enabling environment to such a possibility.



Meanwhile in Florida, leaders of the Haitian community are urging their compatriots not to enter Canada illegally, from where they risk being expelled. Radio owner and broadcaster Alex Saint-Surin, who recently invited two immigration lawyers to discuss the issue, going to Canada is not worth it "There is a good chance that they will be deported to Haiti [Note HL - at least 50% of the applications are rejected by the Canadian Government] where everything would have to be started again for them [...] People call to say that it's easy to cross the border, but I tell them that once there it's not so easy [...]"



See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21774-haiti-flash-the-canadian-army-builds-a-border-camp-for-haitian-migrants.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-21762-haiti-quebec-two-haitian-ministers-on-mission-in-montreal.html

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



HL/ SL/ HaitiLibre


















*PLEASE NOTE: THIS WEBCAST DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR HRCI CREDITS*



This enlightening presentation teaches the participants the various physiological reasons behind why men and women communicate differently. An elementary understanding of brain chemistry helps to provide a clearer picture of the male and female communication styles and how they differ. As well, several strategies to counteract those differences are provided to assist the attendees in future conversations. In addition, tips for how women can become more effective in the male-oriented business world are explained.



During the webinar some familiar stories and issues will be related to demonstrate the concepts developed so that the audience can appreciate the relevance of the information being presented to them.



This session is designed to provide the participants with some scientific findings which demonstrate and explain the results of so many of the misunderstandings and miscommunications which occur between the sexes that can result in disappointment, conflict, complaining, frustration, and even resentment.



With the implementation of many of the new approaches offered in this short but comprehensive webinar, attendees will be able to enjoy more win/win outcomes from their exchanges with the opposite gender, more happiness in all aspects of their lives and more success in business projects and other teamwork activities.



Although there are definitely many differences in how both genders communicate when we understand and appreciate them we can then implement the appropriate means to ensure that messaging is understood and results are beneficial to both parties. Besides, life would be pretty boring if we were all the same so keeping our guy and gal friends but celebrating the differences is all part of being human!



By registering for this webcast you will receive email communications and notifications from the sponsor(s).
Gorakhpur, Aug 12 (IBNS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered thorough probe into the Gorakhpur tragedy where 30 children died at Baba Raghav Das Medical College's hospital due to alleged disruption in the supply of liquid oxygen, media reports said.

Health minister Siddharth Nath Singh, who met the UP CM on Saturday, was quoted by media: "People responsible for this will not be spared. Quick action will be taken against the ones responsible for this, as it is a very serious issue."

He even stated that despite CM Adityanath's visit to the hospital, none of the doctors informed him about the disruption in the supply of liquid oxygen.

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"The Chief Minister himself went there in August 9, none of the doctors or the administration informed him about any such issue of alleged lack of supply of oxygen," Singh was quoted.

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The Health minister even attacked the Opposition for politicising the whole tragedy.

According to reports, the toll rose to 63 after an 11-year-old child suffering from encephalitis died at the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College as the Congress demanded that Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath must apologise to the state.

The incident has created an uproar in the state as at least 30 children have died in the last two days alone, forcing the Government to order an investigation.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is constantly monitoring the situation in Gorakhpur where as a result of shortage of liquid oxygen faced by a hospital 30 children have died.

PM is constantly monitoring the situation in Gorakhpur. He is in constant touch with authorities from the Central and UP Governments," read a tweet issued by the PMO.

"MoS Health Anupriya Patel and the Union Health Secretary will take stock of the situation from Gorakhpur," it said.

As a result of shortage of liquid oxygen faced by a hospital in eastern Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur district, at least 30 children and infants have died in less than 48 hours, media reports said.

According to reports, out of the 30 deaths, 17 have died in the neo-natal intensive care unit, eight in the paediatric ward and five in the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome ward.

This medical college is the largest hospital in UP's Gorakhpur district.

According to the district administration, supply of liquid oxygen had been disrupted due to delay in payments by the hospital.

Meanwhile, BRD Hospital principal has been suspended, reports said.



Image: Official Twitter handle of Yogi Adityanath.
Srinagar, Aug 13 (IBNS) An army officer was killed while another soldier was injured when Pakistan Border Action Team (BAT) attacked a defence post in Krishna Ghati sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Saturday.

According to officials, the BAT attacked the post at 5 pm and left two jawans injured, including one Junior Commissioned Officer. One of them later succumbed.

The slain officer has been identified as Jagram Singh Tomar from Madhya Pradesh.

The other soldier is undergoing treatment in a hospital.

(Reporting by Saleem Qadri)
Srinagar, Aug 13 (IBNS): Two Indian soldiers and a militant commander were killed and four jawans injured in a fierce encounter that broke out between militants and security forces in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Saturday evening, police said on Sunday.

Following an information about presence of militants, the forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in Avneera village of Zainapora area of the district triggering an encounter.

"Two army jawans lost their lives and four others got injured when militants hurled grenades from a house on the search party on Saturday evening," said an army official in Srinagar.

Speaking to India Blooms, Senior Superintend of Police Shopian Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar said, "One militant was killed while three more are still inside the house and we hope the encounter will end soon."

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police denied that a mosque has been damaged during the encounter.

"No damage to any mosque in #Shopian. Rumour mongers trying to vitiate atmosphere. Action to be taken against such elements," said an official tweet.

Meanwhile, the stone pelting clashes were going on in the area and forces used tear smoke shells to disperse them.

In the wake of the gunfight, authorities have blocked internet services in Shopian district and other sensitive parts of south Kashmir.

Earlier, an army officer was killed while another soldier was injured when Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) attacked a defence post in Krishna Ghati sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Saturday.

According to officials, the BAT attacked the post at 5 pm and left two jawans injured, including one Junior Commissioned Officer. One of them later succumbed.

The slain officer has been identified as Jagram Singh Tomar from Madhya Pradesh.



(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Lucknow, Aug 13 (IBNS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will visit the hospital in Gorakhpur on Sunday which witnessed the death of several children over the last few days occurred mostly due to encephalitis.

At least 63 children, including newborns, have died in the five days in a hospital in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur, due to alleged short supply of oxygen, media reports said.

Health Minister JP Nadda will also visit the hospital on Sunday.

At least 23 children died in the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College on Aug 10, the very day that the firm which used to provide oxygen to the facility stopped doing so owing to a payment dispute.

On Saturday, the UP CM considered encephalitis as the main reason behind the deaths.

Speaking about encephalitis, Adityanath had said: "I was the first one to take steps against encephalitis in Gorakhpur only."

However, he did not completely dismiss the shortage of oxygen supply as one of the reasons behind the death.

The CM had said people who will be found guilty must be punished. He even stated any death due to lack of oxygen supply is the worst incident that could have ever happened.

An inquiry has also been ordered by the UP Chief Minister on Saturday morning over the issue.

Chief Minister Adityanath had also urged the media to report the number of deaths correctly.

"Varied figures are coming out in different newspapers and channels. I urge them to state the correct number. We all sympathise with those children who had died" the CM had said.

Adityanath said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is worried at the whole situation of Gorakhpur. "The Prime Minister has said the India government will support Uttar Pradesh in every way to come out of the tragedy."
Srinagar, Aug 13 (IBNS): Two Indian soldiers and three militants were killed while four jawans got injured in a fierce encounter that broke out between militants and security forces in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Saturday evening, police said on Sunday.

Following an information about the presence of militants, the forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in Avneera village of Zainapora area of the district triggering an encounter.

"Two army jawans lost their lives and four others got injured when militants hurled grenades from a house on the search party on Saturday evening," said an army official in Srinagar.

The two soldiers killed in the encounter were identified as Sep Ilayaraja P from Tamil Nadu's Kandani Sivagangai and Sep Gawai Sumedh Waman from Akola, Maharashtra.

Speaking to India Blooms, Senior Superintend of Police Shopian Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar said, "Three militants were killed and firing have stopped. However searches are on in the area."

In a tweet, DGP S P Vaid confirmed the death of three militants.

He said that a combing operation is on at the site of the gunfight that started late last night.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police denied that a mosque has been damaged during the encounter.

"No damage to any mosque in #Shopian. Rumour mongers trying to vitiate atmosphere. Action to be taken against such elements," said an official tweet.

Also, the stone pelting clashes were going on in the area and forces used tear smoke shells to disperse them.

In wake of the gunfight, authorities have blocked internet services in Shopian district and other sensitive parts of south Kashmir.

On Saturday an army officer was killed while another soldier was injured when Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) attacked a defence post in Krishna Ghati sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Saturday.

According to officials, the BAT attacked the post at 5 pm and left two jawans injured, including one Junior Commissioned Officer. One of them later succumbed.

The slain officer has been identified as Jagram Singh Tomar from Madhya Pradesh.



(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Islamabad, Aug 13 (IBNS): At least six people of a family were killed when a van n which they were travelling caught fire in Pakistan's Karachi city on Sunday, media reports said.

The incident left five others injured, reports said.

Rescue officials said at least six people, including children, were burnt to death and five wounded when their van caught fire early Sunday morning near the zoo, Geo News reported.

|Eleven passengers were traveling in the van when the mishap occurred.

They were reportedly going to a picnic when the accident occurred,

"The fire brigade got here after two hours; they were late," a passenger told Geo News.

"Right after we figured out the van was on fire, my chachoo (uncle) told me to open the door. It was then that it exploded,"told another victim to the news channel.

Sindh Home Minister Sohail Anwar Siyal has directed official to submit a report on the mishap.
Gorakhpur, Aug 13 (IBNS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the hospital in Gorakhpur on Sunday which witnessed the death of several children over the last few days.

Union Health Minister JP Nadda also accompanied him to the hospital.

Yogi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was concerned over the recent developments in the hospital.

"For the last two to three days, the news that has been pouring in that the PM Modi has been concerned over the issue. He called me to offer all sorts of help," Yogi told media.

Ruling out a separate investigation by the Centre, Health Minister JP Nadda told NDTV earlier today, "The state government has the full support of the central government".

At least 23 children died in the state-run Baba Raghav Das Medical College on Aug 10, the very day that the firm which used to provide oxygen to the facility stopped doing so owing to a payment dispute.

On Saturday, the UP CM considered encephalitis as the main reason behind the deaths.

Speaking about encephalitis, Adityanath had said: "I was the first one to take steps against encephalitis in Gorakhpur only."

However, he did not completely dismiss the shortage of oxygen supply as one of the reasons behind the death.

The CM had said people who will be found guilty must be punished. He even stated any death due to lack of oxygen supply is the worst incident that could have ever happened.

An inquiry has also been ordered by the UP Chief Minister on Saturday morning over the issue.

Chief Minister Adityanath had also urged the media to report the number of deaths correctly.

"Varied figures are coming out in different newspapers and channels. I urge them to state the correct number. We all sympathise with those children who had died" the CM had said.

Adityanath said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is worried at the whole situation of Gorakhpur. "The Prime Minister has said the India government will support Uttar Pradesh in every way to come out of the tragedy."

Image: CblOffice,GoUP
Srinagar, Aug 13 (IBNS): In a major set back to militant outfits , security forces eliminated Kashmir operational commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, along with two associates, in Shopian district of south Kashmir on Sunday.

Sources told India Blooms, security forces retrieved three bodies of militants from the derbies on Sunday afternoon and started identification process.

"Two bodies were identified while third one takes some time for us and later with the help of locals and other techniques we identify him as Yasin Yatoo alias Mehmood Ghaznavi," said police officer.

Mehmood Ghaznavi, a resident of Chadoora in Budgam of Central Kashmir, was operational commander of Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir.

Ghaznavi joined militancy in year 1997 after crossing over to other side of the Line of Control.

The gunfight also left two soldiers dead while unknown number of militants reportedly escaped from the spot.



(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)

Image:wikimedia commons
Srinagar, Aug 13 (IBNS): The Army on Sunday paid tributes to two of its men who were killed in an encounter in Shopian.

In a solemn ceremony at BB Cantt, Lt Gen JS Sandhu, Chinar Corps Commander and all ranks, paid homage to the martyrs on behalf of a proud nation, PRO defence in Srinagar said.

He said that representatives and officials from the state government and other security agencies also joined in paying their last respects.

Giving details, he said, Sep Gawai Sumedh Waman, 25 years of age, had joined the Army in 2011 and hailed from Village Lonagra in Akola, Maharashtra. He is survived by his Parents, one brother and one sister.

Coming from village Kandani of Sivagangai district in Tamil Nadu, he said, Sep Ilayaraja P was also 25 years in age and had donned the uniform in 2012. He is survived by his parents, wife and sister.

The mortal remains of the slain were flown for last rites to their native places, where they would be laid to rest with full military honours.

In this hour of grief, the army stands in solidarity with the bereaved families of the martyrs and remains committed to their dignity and well being, he said.

(Reporting by Saleem Iqbal Qadri)
Guwahati, Aug 13 (IBNS) : Flood situation in Assam on Sunday turned more critical after flood waters of Brahmaputra and its tributaries had submerged more areas and affected over 23 lakh people of 21 districts in the state.

The current wave flood claimed 20 persons as the death toll in the state mounted to 104 this year so far.

Following torrential rains in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Bhutan, the water level of Brahmaputra is flowing above danger level marks at Nematighat in Jorhat district, Tezpur in Sonitpur district, Guwahati in Kamrup (Metro) district, Goalpara and Dhubri.

A top official of Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said the water level of the tributaries of Brahmaputra river and Barak river also flowing above danger level marks in various places in Upper Assam, Middle Assam, Northern Assam, Lower Assam and Barak valley.

The flood situation turned more worsen in middle Assams district Nagaon after the flood water breached the Hatimura embankment at Jakhalabandha area under Kaliabor sub-division last night. The flood waters inundated more than 50 villages in the area and crossed NH-37 at several places, the top official said.

Meanwhile, the Nagaon district administration had sounded high alert and closed all vehicles movement at NH-37.

The flood waters also submerged over 90 forest camp inside the Kaziranga National Park.

Following the second wave flood, most of wild animals including one horned rhinos of the park had moved to nearby Karbi Anglong hill areas by crossing NH-37 and few animals taken shelter at higher lands inside the park, a forest official said.According to the reports of ASDMA, over 2800 villages of 21 districts are affected in the current wave flood and the flood waters submerged more than 1.35 lakh crop areas.

Over 3.98 lakh people are affected alone in Dhubri district, while 3.14 lakh affected in Morigaon, 2.36 lakh in Kokrajhar, 2.07 lakh in Bongaigaon, 1.84 lakh in Barpeta, 1.63 lakh in South Salmara, 1.44 lakh in Dhemaji, 1.14 lakh in Golaghat, the top ASDMA official said.

Over 1.83 lakh people were forced to take shelter at 678 relief camps set up by the district administration in 15 districts.

Meanwhile, Assam revenue and Disaster management minister Pallab Lochan Das and Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia in a Video Conference held on Sunday directed the Deputy Commissioners of the flood affected districts to gear up relief and rescue of the affected people on a war footing.

They also directed DCs to keep vigil on relief and rescue works upto the grass-root level by smoothly co-ordinating in all sphere.

During the video conferencing the minister also directed the DCs to distribute GRs door to door if situation arises.

It may be mentioned that NDRF and SDRF teams have already been deployed in fourteen and thirty locations respectively.

Moreover, army and air force teams have also been kept on the high alert.

Army has already been deployed in Kokrajhar, Nagaon (Kaliabor Sub-division) and Morigaon districts.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday talked over phone with Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and enquired about the scale of devastation caused by the current wave of flood in the state.

Sonowal apprised the Prime Minister about the various measures taken by the government for providing relief to the flood affected people and also informed that the administrations of all flood hit districts have been directed to ensure speedy relief distribution to the victims.

During the course of the telephonic conversation, the Prime Minister assured all cooperation from the central government in overcoming the havoc caused by flood and informed that all necessary steps would be taken for helping the state government to mitigate the problem.

Notably, Principal Secretary of Prime Ministers Office Nripendra Mishra directed Assam Chief Secretary VK Pipersenia to submit a report to the PMO detailing the damage and devastation caused by the current wave of floods in the state.

On the other hand, Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday visited flood relief camp at Bhismak LP School at Panchmile, Sadiya and took stock of the arrangements for the inmates at the camp.

He also visited Kundil riverside over Kundil Bridge and directed Water Resource Department to take immediate measures to stop erosion.

It is to be mentioned that continuous erosion by Kundil river has been causing serious threat to Panchmile, Lakhimi Gaon, Bogoribari apart from threatening Kundil Bridge.

The Assam CM also talked to the media persons and informed that dredging of the river Kundil during winter season will be taken up so that the change of river course which has taken place due to persistent erosion can be tackled.

Sonowal further informed that that state government is taking serious steps for solving the problems of Amarpur area including improvement of surface communication.

In this regard he informed that a proposal for constructions of two bridges connecting Amarpur has been submitted to central government and the Ministry of Roads and Highways will conduct a survey for further necessary action.

Sonowal also visited Aithan Ring Bund at Bogibeel, Dibrugarh and took stock of the condition of the flood affected people there.

He assured the flood affected people of adequate relief measures and said that district administration has already been pressed into the service to meet the requirement of flood victims.

Saying that once flood is over the government would take up rehabilitation measures and strengthening of the embankments would be done on war footing, Sonowal stated the government is serious in its pursuit of a permanent solution to the recurring floods.

He also sat for a discussion with the Indian Railway authorities and discussed with them the expeditious construction of road cum rail bridge at Bogibeel.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)
Guwahati, Aug 13 (IBNS) : Security forces on Saturday night apprehended two NSCN (R) militants in Arunachal Pradeshas Changlang district, officials said on Sunday.

Kohima based Defence PRO Colonel Chiranjeet Konwar said following intelligence input, the Changlang Battalion of Assam Rifles launched an operation at Yongchik village of Changlang District and apprehended a senior cadre of NSCN (R) with an accomplice.

The nabbed militants were identified as Bokam Wangrey, Self Styled Sergeant Major, Rajapio South Changlang of NSCN(R) and Raju Kumar Choudhury.

Security personnel had recovered a AK-47 assault rifle, ammunition, contraband, multiple SIM cards and other incriminating evidence in possession from them.

With this arrest, the security forces have so far apprehended two senior cadres of the outfit in the past two weeks which will result in a major leadership upheaval in the outfit and could severely dent the extortion nexus, the Defence PRO said.

Security forces have been carrying out aggressive operations in the South Arunachal Pradesh and this apprehension has struck a blow to the extortion activities being carried out by the underground cadres of the group in the area.

(Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath)




Burma KNU Leaders Urge Youth to Maintain Tradition

Karen Martyrs Day, Aug. 12, 2017. / Nyein Nyein / The Irrawaddy

Papun Township, KAREN STATE  On Saturday, ethnic Karen in their colorful, traditional attire joined the commemoration of the 67th Karen Martyrs Day, the day when Karen nationalist and Karen National Union (KNU) founder Saw Ba U Gyi and Maj-Gen Sai Kay were killed in an ambush by the Myanmar Army, near Toh Kaw Koe village in Kawkareik Township, Karen State.

Wreaths were displayed for the sacrifices and respects were paid through a military parade in KNU-controlled area in Papun Township, near the Thai border.

To more than 1,000 participants, KNU leaders delivered speeches and honored fellow KNU soldiers that have died in the Karen armed resistance over the past 68 years, as well as their family members.

We must not skip commemorating Karen Martyrs Day. If we skip it, younger generations will be unaware of it, said Naw Myaing Poe, the chief justice of the KNU.

The day is in remembrance of soldiers, commanders and members of the public who have sacrificed, and it is important that the younger generations know that Karen people have their own national leaders like Saw Ba U Gyi, she said.

We have such great leaders and we can now live upon sacrifices they made during the time of the military dictators. It is obvious that we are still under the control of the military, she added.

Saw Ba U Gyi set four principles for the revolutionary cause. These were: Surrender is out of the question; the recognition of Karen state must be complete; we will retain our arms; and we shall decide our own political destiny.

As we are working to resolve the political problems by political and peacful means, there is a need for us to maintain always the revolutionary alertness so that we may not be violated by military means. We fully have the right and freedom to defend legitimately our people against all malicious dangers, said KNU chairman Saw Mutu Say Poe in his prepared statement that was read on Saturday.

The KNU continues Saw Ba U Gyis struggle for equality for ethnic groups and recognition of Karen State, said Padoh Saw Hla Tun, a KNU joint-secretary. He said that the KNU leadership carries these principles in political decision-making.

Our struggle has changed from armed struggle to political dialogue, but our desires and principles have not. We stand firmly on Saw Ba U Gyis four principles, he said, adding that the KNUs policy on the current political dialogue with the government is also based on the principles of federalism and self-determination.

After the KNU signed a bilateral ceasefire agreement with the former government in 2012 and the nationwide ceasefire agreement in 2015, KNU leaders said there were increased interactions between young people inside the country and on the border.

KNU vice chairman Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win urged the youth to learn about and maintain Karen literature, history, tradition, and culture, so that ethnic Karen would continue to thrive in the world.

We, Karen, each of us has the responsibility to main our nationality, he said. All Karen, especially youth, must know about the culture and heredity. We must maintain our language and our tradition. Not only knowing them, we must practice them in our daily life.
Getting your invoice via email instead of needing to sign in, an updated list of known safe websites, and knowing when a OneDrive folder is shared are new features in Office 365 this week.

For the first time, Office 365 can now send your invoice via a PDF email attachment instead of requiring you to log into the Admin centre. This is a welcome change. though It's not automatic. To turn it on you must sign in and select Billing / Billing notifications. You will see a new option, "Receive billing statement as email attachment"  turn this on. You will then receive your invoice as a PDF attachment in an email at your next billing cycle.

To reduce the risk of embedded content coming in from unknown sites, Office 365 has a default list of sites and domains  listed in the HTML Field Security setting  which are known to be safe. Microsoft is improving how the HTML Field Security setting is configured, to help improve the content embedding experience.

Specifically, Microsoft is updating the default list of sites and domains to include additional commonly-used websites from Microsoft and external services. This rollout will be completed by the end of August.

Office 365 now shows when a folder is shared on OneDrive Web. The sharing indicator appears on the end of the breadcrumb to make it clear in the in-folder view when that folder is shared with others. To learn more about who the folder is shared with, click the sharing glyph to open the Manage Access pane.

Microsoft is gradually rolling this out to First Release customers in the following days and it will be completed by the end of August.
The new Google News is dumbed down, with options removed to sort by date or relevance in some areas, with other options also removed and too much white space delivering a mobile look on a large desktop screen. How can you get some of the old functionality back?

I love Google News. Ive been using it since it started, and have loved the innovations and changes made to make it a better service throughout the years  until the most recent change in June.

You see, Google has made the new Google News its new thing: make things look like mobile interfaces on screens large enough for far greater information densities, thus giving us copious amounts of needless, wasted white space. For some reason, "white space matters" all of a sudden, with a whole stack of "white space privilege" that Google is delivering.

Not everyone wants to live in the simplified, dum-dum world that Google has engineered for Google News readers, and if you look at online forums, you can see plenty of people hate the new Google News.

Heres one example of the extreme dissatisfaction with the June 2017 change to the new Google News, with the extremely Google-user hostile response that Im sorry to say that theres not a way to revert it back to the previous version right now".

Here is another Google News user rightfully complaining and asking where is my control over content?.

Its weird, because Google was famous for giving its users options and control. Now it's becoming famous for taking user control away.

UPDATE later on 13 August: This Reddit thread shows that you can change your user agent in your browser to the Opera browser, and this wil give you the old Google News interface back. I did this on Safari, and... it worked!

In Safari, you click on the word "Safari" at the top left of your screen.

Then from the drop down menu that appears, click on Preferences.

When that box appears, click on the Advanced tab at the top right hand corner of the Preferences box.

At the bottom of the Advanced tab, put a tick in the box that lists Show Develop menu in menu bar.

When you close this box, youll see a new Develop menu in between Bookmarks and Window at the top of the screen.

Click Develop, then User Agent, then Other.

In the box that appears, delete whats there and paste in:

Opera/9.80 (S60; SymbOS; Opera Mobi/499; U; ru) Presto/2.4.18 Version/10.00

Then click OK and load news.google.com  and the old Google News is back!

Dont know how long it will last, but its worth a shot. You will have to set your user agent back to Opera when you want to surf Google News, but dont close the tab and youll be fine for quite some time.

The Reddit page says you can use the following user agent as well:

Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; MSIE 10.0; Windows Phone 8.0; Trident/6.0; IEMobile/10.0; ARM; Touch; HTC; Windows Phone 8X by HTC)

This Reddit page has links on how to effect this change on Firefox and Chrome. Good luck! Story continues below.

But in the new modern world of where youll get what youre given and youll be happy about it, we users have discovered that Google and others dont care about helping us learn to think for ourselves, they just want to tell us how to think by spoon-feeding us new formats with no way of going back to what weve been using and loving for years.

Google was also famous for allowing users to go back to the previous interface for things like Gmail and other products, but when it came to news, there was a newsflash: youre stuck with what we give you, buddy, and if you dont like it, youre welcome to try Bing News instead. Or something like that.

For me, I liked some of the controls that Google News once offered so I could re-order news stories by most relevant, or by date, and while some Google News categories that you go into more depth in allow that, if you simply search for news, you cant get that option any more. It's like our choice of diversity in news and options is being taken away, rather than made even more diverse.

Bloody hell, Google. If I want take-away, I'll go to my local restaurant or fast food joint, I don't come to Google News for that.

So, like others, I have wondered how to get some of the missing Google News functionality back, and it turns out, theres a way!

Unfortunately, the front page of the new Google News cant be restored, as yet, to the old version, until we all start screaming at Google to stop with its moronic diversity wars and start giving the people what they bloody well want.

Diversity stupidity leaves you with a company that has two sides pitched against each other, and the smart people no longer wanting to work for a company so stupid it cannot manage its own staff, and cannot stop them being at each others throats.

What next, four browsers good, two browers bad? Or is that only for the legs inside of Google's animal farm? If this is Sundar Pichai's legacy, he'd better start pitching for a new job.

Its also a company that, if it continues along the stupidity path, will leave customers wondering whether they can trust Google with their private data, because why trust a company whose own employees dont trust each other?

The Federalist explains this beautifully.

So, to get the old Google News search, sorting, time and date and other Google News functionality back, you simply need to search for your news items from the front page of Google.

Thats right, good old Google.com.

From here, you can type in what news topic you want to search for, and then press the search button, if the autofill and auto-show-you-results screen isnt already showing you results.

Then you simply click on the "News" tab at the top of the screen, which is flanked by the usual All, Images, Shopping, News, Videos, More, Settings, Tools tab at the top.

When you click on News, you get news results.

You also have the settings and tools items on the right hand side of the search results at the top tab.

It is by pressing the Tools tab that you get another tab appearing, with this one showing you The Web, All News, Recent, Sort by Revelance.

Clicking The Web lets me search only Australia instead. Clicking All News lets me just search by Blogs if thats all I want.

Clicking Recent gets you Past hour, Past 24 hours, Past week, Past month, Past year, Archives and Custom range.

Clicking Sorted by relevance lets you then also choose Sorted by date.

These are the more advanced features that Google has cruelly and stupidly cut out of its Google News interface, dumbing it down for smartphone users rather than keeping its interface advanced, or at least able to be used in a more advanced manner by those who understand how to use those features  and who want to use them!

So, you now know theres a way to restore some of Google News more advanced features, but until the Google News engineers have a brainwave and allow its users to choose the interface that suits them best, youll just have to accept that Google thinks youre a dummy that needs a dum-dum interface because the dummies at Google say so.

Thank goodness this new stupidity hasnt infected the main Google.com home page and its results pages yet!

Here's a screenshot of what I was describing above, allowing you to get some of the old Google News features back:
Facebook is attempting to quietly worm its way into China with the release of a photo-sharing app named Colorful Balloons through a local company.

The app, which shares the look, function and feel of the social media giant's Moments app, does not provide any hint that it is associated with Facebook, the New York Times reported.

Facebook has been blocked in China since 2009 and its photo-sharing app, Instagram, has been banned since 2014. WhatsApp was partially blocked in July.

The company has been trying to woo the authorities there for some time, with its founder Mark Zuckerberg having met Chinese President Xi Jinping and paid a number of visits to the country. Zuckerberg also made a much-publicised run through Tiananmen Square on a smog-filled day.

{laodposition sam08}Quoting a post in Apple's app store, the NYT report said Colorful Balloons was released in China by a company named Youge Internet Technology that was registered to an address in eastern Beijing. However the number of the premises listed could not be found in buildings at the address.

While the Moments app connects users through Facebook, Colorful Balloons links users through WeChat, the largest social network in China.

Facebook is not the only big American company to face issues in China. For years, media mogul Rupert Murdoch tried to establish a foothold there but finally gave up.

Search engine giant Google shut down its Chinese search engine in 2010 after it was subjected to a cyber attack from within the country. Investigations claimed that a number of Chinese human-rights activists had had their Gmail attacks broken into.

And while Apple has recently started making moves to cement its presence in China it has had to fall in line with the Chinese government's wishes: it is building a new data centre there to comply with laws that Chinese data should be stored within the country.

More recently, Apple had to remove VPN apps from its app store, following a Chinese government crackdown on such apps.

Microsoft has also had to bow to Chinese government dictates to enter the public sector marker there, releasing a version called Windows 10 China Government Edition which had been vetted by the government.
Toronto company Kobo has released the latest iteration of its e-reader, the Kobo Aura H2O Edition 2, in Australia and New Zealand.

The new model claims to allow easy reading in direct sunlight due to its anti-glare E Ink display, which is said to approximate the print-on-paper experience.

The device also has something known as ComfortLight PRO that reduces the blue-light spectrum to avoid preventing people from sleeping well at night.

The new reader can store up to 6000 eBooks.

It can be used while having a bath as it is waterproofed with HZO Protection. This coating technology is applied to the devices interior and allows it to be fully submerged without the need for port covers.

Michael Tamblyn, chief executive of Rakuten Kobo, said: We know our most passionate readers are invariably looking for ways to expand their reading lives, and the new Kobo Aura H2O enables them to read anywhere and everywhere they go  to make the most out of every day.

"This device makes it possible to take your entire library with you, without having to choose which beloved story to take along; take them all and make the most of that much-needed me time to enjoy your next great read.

The new reader is available at JB HiFi, Myer and Angus & Robertson Bookworld (online) for A$239.95. In New Zealand, it will sell for NZ$309.
Samsungs long-awaited Note 8 will arrive to the world on 23 August in the US via a live stream, which is 24 August at 1AM AEST down under.

If youve been waiting for the Note 8 to arrive, complete with Samsung Galaxy S8 and S8+ style bezels, but with the addition of a very advanced stylus, then that wait is almost over.

Of course, it may well be that Samsung launches the Galaxy Note 8 with a pre-order period, as is usually the case, making you wait that little bit longer, along with the presumed inclusion of a Gear VR headset and/or a MicroSD memory card.

After all, this kind of pre-launch promotion is now expected from Samsung, and gives the company the extra time it needs to get stock distributed around the world and the factories further pumping out the Note 8 product.

It goes without saying that Samsung has clearly made mountains of effort to ensure there are no battery snafubars this time around, having had to ensure this for the S8 and S8+, and while the embers of the Note 7 debacle have long since gone out, no-one wants a flare-up.

So, with major phone launches routinely now arriving with an amazing launch experience, it comes as no surprise to discover that it will be no different for the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

Indeed, Samsung has even prepared a pre-event registration page so you can be reminded of the event and so you will hopefully watch it live  or be reminded to watch it thereafter.

The Live Stream of the Note 8 launch happens in Australia at 1am, AEST, on 24 August.

However, this date is 8am on 23 August for those in California, 11am on 23 August for those in New York, and 4pm on 23 August for those in London.

You can use the converter at the excellent Time and Date website if the above dates and times dont immediately clue you into when you can watch from your location, wherever it might be on planet Earth you will be with a decent Internet connection.

So, good luck to Samsung, may its launch run smoothly, may its stylus be pointy, may its batteries be awesome and may its Note be notable!
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TeleSur |  

Amid U.S. President Donald Trumps threats against North Korea, or the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), as it prefers to be called, the U.S. colony of Guam has been caught in the crosshairs.

Trump made a phone call to the governor of Guam, Eddie Calvo, on Friday, assuring him that nuclear tensions will attract more tourism to the island.

Eddie, I have to tell you, youve become extremely famous, Trump says in the video Calvo posted on Youtube. All over the world, theyre talking about Guam, and theyre talking about you, and I think youre going to get tourism. I can say this, your tourism, youre going to go up like tenfold with the expenditure of no money, so I congratulate you.

Eddie Calvo: President Trump to Governor Calvo on North Korea threats: We are with you 1000%

On Tuesday, shortly after Trump had warned North Korea that any threat to the United States would be met with fire and fury, Pyongyang announced that it was "carefully examining" Guam.

The statement had also said that the plan could involve involve firing medium- to long-range rockets at the Pacific island, which is home to a strategic outpost of the U.S. military including a submarine squadron, an air base and a Coast Guard unit.

Calvo, in the video, appears to welcome Trumps call, as Trump tells the governor that he is a a helluva guy, and that the United States is with the territory 1,000 percent.

I have never felt so safe or so confident than with you at the helm, Calvo responds, adding that we need a President like you.

The island of Guam was captured and occupied by the United States during the Spanish-American war of 1898 and has remained a U.S. colony with no rights to vote for the U.S. president and just one member of the U.S. House of Representatives with no voting rights.

It has been occupied by foreign governments for over 400 years, including Spain and Japan, resulting in its people clamoring for independence for centuries.

Via TeleSur
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By Andrea Teti, Pamela Abbott, and Munqith Dagher | ( OpenDemocracy.net ) |  

Ignoring priorities that have popular support in Iraq risks undermining post-ISIS attempts to build a stable country, with knock-on effects at a regional level.

As the defeat of ISIS/Daesh looms large both in Syria and in Iraq, attention turns to post-ISIS settlements: while in Syria the Assad regime seems set to remain in power with Russian support, how Iraqs diverse political forces  which mostly self-identify along Shia, Kurdish, and Sunni lines  will address the deep divisions highlighted by ISIS rise to prominence remains a more open question.

Post-ISIS nation-building will certainly require negotiation between political elites, most of which ground their legitimacy in sectarian identity, but the long-term stability of any settlement they reach depends crucially on their ability to address popular priorities and national (non-sectarian) interests.

However, recent evidence from nationwide public opinion surveys shows that these priorities are not always determined by identity, as is often assumed, but are often shared across communities. For example, data suggests that in crucial areas, including security, peoples location is at least as important as identity, and that people want stability, jobs, decent services, and an end to corruption whatever their ethno-religious identity. Peoples location is at least as important as identity people want stability, jobs, decent services, and an end to corruption.

Basing either domestic politics in Iraq or foreign policy towards it on identitarian assumptions is likely to miss popular demands and priorities. Indeed, the fact that peoples concerns are not determined by their identity alone provides an opportunity to forge a socially, economically, and politically inclusive post-conflict settlement. The divisive consequences of both Saddam Husseins Sunni-centric regime and the Shia-centric central government which emerged in the wake of US-led regime change provide cautionary tales about the price of failing to find such an inclusive settlement, both at home and abroad.

Inclusive growth

The Arab Transformations Survey, the latest empirical information from nationwide public opinion survey dates from June 2014, just before the fall of Mosul, and covers Iraq plus five other countries  Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia. In 2014 Iraqis saw internal security and the economy as the two greatest challenges facing their country, with corruption a close third. More extensive analysis of the data suggests that for some time concerns about security have been common across the sectarian divide and higher in the central than the other regions. It also suggests that Sunnis are more concerned about totalitarianism than Shiites though in all regions many more people are concerned about corruption, internal security and/or the economic situation than consider authoritarianism a major challenge in their country. How such concerns will have been affected by the experience of ISIS occupation remains to be seen, particularly in ISIS-occupied areas.

In 2014, people across Iraq were pessimistic about the countrys economic predicament and dissatisfied with prospects for its development. In no group or region did more than about 40 per cent of respondents expressed confidence in the future of the economy, but dissatisfaction was particularly high in the case of Sunnis, both in the Kurdish-majority northern areas and in the centre. Beyond regional or ethno-religious differences, however, such markedly low levels of satisfaction signal the urgent need for inclusive development nationwide.

Regional and ethno-religious differences are important, but what is more important than variations between such areas and identity groups is that a considerable majority of the population nationwide were unhappy with the countrys economic performance and lacked confidence in the federal governments work to improve it. While certainly posing a challenging political task, this dissatisfaction emphasises the importance of an inclusive post-ISIS economic settlement. The long-term stability of any political settlement must be underpinned by growth that is  and is perceived to be  inclusive across regional and sectarian lines.

Corruption

Corruption is perceived as pervasive: between 88 and 98 per cent identify it as a problem regardless of regional location or religion. Indeed, for half of respondents nationwide it was corruption which motivated them to support or take part in protests during the 2010-11 Arab Uprisings, followed by economic factors (demand for improved basic services 43%; economic problems 30%) and political factors (demanding more political freedom 25%; opposition to authoritarian leader, 23%). By contrast, even the highest levels of confidence that government will work towards tackling corruption  among Shiites in the Central and Southern regions, at 50 per cent and 40 per cent respectively  remain troublingly low.

While politically sensitive and practically complex, tackling corruption is likely to both boost economic growth and generate considerable legitimation for the federal government and the political forces supporting it.

Few social or political institutions command much trust in Iraq, often including religious leaders. However, the demand for an inclusive, representative government remains strong, providing opportunities for stable long-term solutions to Iraqs problems. Trust in central government varies significantly along both sectarian and regional lines but is low nationwide, being highest among Shiites in the Central Region (32% ) and the South (37%) compared to at most half these levels for Sunnis in other regions.

Low levels of trust in political leaders, however, do not translate into a lack of confidence in an inclusive form of government. Iraqis clearly favour a parliamentary form of government in which all parties  religious and secular, right and left  take part (91% among Southern Shiites, 83% among both Central Shiites and Northern Sunnis). Despite the comparatively significant drop, a clear majority of Central Sunnis (64%) still also favoured such a system.

These data highlight the problems of central regions but also show that despite the intense and complex problems Iraq faces and the difficulty of reaching a negotiated compromise, a politically and economically fair and inclusive settlement would be well received by Iraqis of all religions and in all regions and would improve social, economic, and political resilience.

Even before the ISIS take-over of Mosul respondents nationwide were concerned about violence: two thirds or more worried about war, terrorism, civil war, and sectarian violence. In any post-ISIS scenario, government must both ensure security and gain the peoples trust. In any post-ISIS scenario, government must both ensure security and gain the peoples trust.

Iraqs problems and politics are often viewed through sectarian lenses. However, nationwide public opinion survey data challenges received notions about the relative weight of sectarian identity in explaining respondents perceptions of key social, economic, and political issues. These regional variations point to the crucial importance of local conditions alongside identity.

This has significant implications for post-ISIS nation-building in Iraq: it is not just identity which politicians must represent, but peoples interests. In particular, for any negotiated settlement to be stable in the long term it must address popular demands for both economic and political inclusion. Herein lies both a challenge to conventional ways of perceiving Iraqi politics and an opportunity  if it can be grasped  to build bridges across sectarian lines.

See the full briefing in The Arab Transformations Policy Briefs. No.7 from the University of Aberdeen.

Via OpenDemocracy.net



Related video added by Juan Cole:

EuroNews: Hundreds of Iraqis flee the city of Tal Afar over fears it will be the next battleground
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By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) |  

Ive argued for some time that US media treats white terrorists differently than others. And, I noted recently that the US press seems to have been astonished when the governor of Minnesota branded the bombing of a mosque terrorism. We have more evidence today to make my point.

1.

The right wing in the United States has made hay by insisting on calling Muslim extremists radical Islamic extremists. This phrase is propaganda, since it is strident and redundant. Are there, like, any non-radical extremists? Moreover, Islamic refers to the ideals of the Muslim religion, just as Judaic refers to Jewish ethics and high culture. You can have a Jewish criminal. Bugsy Siegel comes to mind. And you can have a Muslim criminal. But you cant have a Judaic criminal and you cant have an Islamic one.

In contrast to this rhetorical overkill regarding the small Muslim fringe, American pundits do not insist that the KKK, white supremacists and alt-Neo-Nazis who descended on Charlottesville, Va. on Saturday be termed radical white extremists.

In fact, Trump refused to single these creeps out for condemnation at all:

We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

2.

Whenever a Muslim terrorist commits an attack, right wing television anchors bring on hapless ordinary Muslims and demand to know why they and their leaders have not denounced terrorism.

(Actually Muslim leaders from al-Azhar Seminary in Cairo to Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani in Iraq have gone blue in the face denouncing al-Qaeda, ISIL, terrorism, etc. But Western pundits are so ignorant they dont even know who the leaders of the Muslim faith are and so cant hear the condemnations. Moreover, ISIL wasnt defeated in the main by Westerners but by Muslim-heritage troops who took high casualties.)

Secular Talk: Why Dont Moderate Muslims Condemn Terrorism?  They Do.

But when white terrorists strike, as with Dylann Roof or those pond scum in Charlottesville, no one demands that the leaders of the white people denounce white terrorism. I guess that would be Frank Church, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention. As far as I can see, the only reason for the Southern Baptist church to exist is to provide a place where white Baptists can meet undisturbed by Black Baptists. So what with being so white and all, it should be asked to denounce the terrorism in Charlottesville. Or maybe Southern Baptists dont speak out on this issue because they secretly harbor sympathies? (Sorry to do that to you, Baptists; I know youre good people. it is just to demonstrate what it feels like to be a mainstream American Muslim.)

3.

When Muslim terrorists commit vehicular homicide in order to terrorize people, as on the London Bridge last spring, that is called terrorism, or sometimes lone wolf terrorism.

But when a far right extremist white guy commits vehicular homicide in Charlottesville against normal people protesting Nazism and the Confederate legacy of slavery, I swear to God, CBS/AP called it Driver in fatal Charlottesville wreck

The article notes that not only did that hateful person allegedly kill a woman crossing the street, he badly injured a whole gaggle of people who are not being mentioned in the news:

Five of the injured were listed in critical condition Saturday night. Four thers were in serious condition, sixwere in fair condition, and four others were in good condition, authorities said Saturday.

I dont know, I guess those ISIL guys from Libya in London could have been characterized as Drivers in fatal London Bridge wreck. I mean, it is not incorrect or anything. It is just effing pusillanimous.

4.

The US government has a whole program for combating violent extremism. It initially worked against both Muslim and white supremacist extremism.

Trump last winter ordered that the program stop combating white supremacist extremism and focus only on Muslims. This despite the fact that youre many times more likely to be harmed by a white supremacist than by a Muslim in the US.

5.

Muslim extremists are often depicted as people who cannot adapt to the modern world and are stuck in the eighth century.

White extremists, despite their bizarre attachment to plantation slavery and National Socialist memorabilia from the 1930s, are not similarly branded as stuck in the past. In fact, what with their Alt media like the far, far, far, far Right Breitbart (Volkische Beobachter in the original German), they are often seen as cutting edge modernists.
Top security advisers of South Korea and the United States agreed Friday to discuss in advance any steps they could take to contain provocative North Korea, Seoul's presidential office Cheong Wa Dae said, apparently suggesting the U.S. will not pre-emptively strike the communist North without informing Seoul beforehand.

The agreement came at a telephone conversation between Chung Eui-yong, the head of South Korea's Presidential National Security Office, and his U.S. counterpart H.R. McMaster.

The two "discussed current security conditions surrounding the Korean Peninsula caused by North Korean provocations and heightened tension, and ways to deal with such threats," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Park Soo-hyun told a press briefing.
TAKING a page from his boss, Communications Secretary Martin Andanar threatened over the weekend to send erring editors of the Philippine News Agency to Basilan or Jolo if they cannot explain how several embarrassing blunders crept into their reports.

The threat made some sardonic sense when President Rodrigo Duterte applied it to corrupt or erring policemen but merely sounded limp when Andanar appropriated it for his own use.

As the supervising authority over the PNA, Andanar bears ultimate responsibility for the following gaffes :

The erroneous use of the logo of pineapple company Dole, in a story about the Department of Labor and Employment.

The use of an opinion piece from the Chinese state agency Xinhua that called the Philippine victory over China before an UN tribunal an ill-founded award.

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A report that said 95 countries were convinced there are no extrajudicial killings in the Philippines during the countrys Universal Period Review in Geneva, Switzerland, when in fact, the opposite was true.

The use of a photograph from the Vietnam war to accompany a story on the Marawi siege.

Given this growing list of blunders, we are not surprised that the Communications secretary is upset. But then, Andanar is hardly a stranger to errors both big and small.

Only recently, the state-owned PTV 4, which is also under his supervision, erroneously identified Burma was the capital of Myanmar.

Very early in his capacity as Communications secretary, Andanar also promised that the Presidents first State of the Nation would be briefabout 38 minutes, we were toldand that it was so inspiring that it made him cry. As it turned out, the speech dragged on for an hour-and-a-half, the longest Sona in recent memory, and the only tears shed were in frustration at having to sit through it all.

Andanar also committed a faux pas of international proportions last year in Laos, when he announced that Duterte would sit between US President Barack Obama and UN Secretary,-General Ban Ki-moon at the Asean summit gala dinnertwo men he had only recently insulted as a son of a whore and a fool.

The story turned out to be wrong, creating a credibility problem for himself, his office and the administration.

Perhaps the trouble at the PNA is some twisted form of leadership by example. By the principle of command responsibility, Andanar should follow his PNA editors to Basilan or Jolo, to stem the stream of derision and ridicule like the Palace has never seen.

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By Kim Rahn



Opposition parties have intensified their criticism toward the Moon Jae-in government's personnel screening system following the resignation of Park Ky-young, who was appointed to lead an office within the science ministry.



They said the administration had again failed to meet public criteria for ranking government officials, because Park was fourth among officials or official-designates who stepped down amid alleged past wrongdoings.



Park, who was picked to lead the Science, Technology and Innovation Office in the Ministry of Science and ICT on Aug. 7, resigned on Friday. The biology professor, who was a senior adviser to former President Roh Moo-hyun, played a key role in supporting Hwang Woo-suk's stem cell research with huge government subsidies and was one of 15 co-authors of one of Hwang's papers.



Park stepped down in 2006 when the research fraud scandal broke out.



The appointment drew a backlash from hundreds of scientists, which eventually led to her resignation.



The main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) said Park's resignation again showed Cheong Wa Dae's self-righteousness and a lack of communication.



"Park resigned reluctantly because scientists' and civic groups protested, although she earlier said at a press briefing she would not resign," said LKP spokeswoman Rep. Jun Hee-kyung.



"This is a comedy resulting from the poor personnel system of Cheong Wa Dae, which has pushed ahead with appointing unqualified people."



The minor opposition Bareun Party claimed the Moon administration was filled with people connected to the President rather than experts in related fields.



"Among 56 senior officials and secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae, 82.1 percent are former or incumbent lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), former officials under the Roh administration, those who worked at Moon's election camp, or former student activists," said party spokesman Lee Jong-cheol.



"There could be a second, third Park incident, and the Park case may be the beginning of the personnel disaster."



People's Party vice spokesman Yang Sun-pil said, "The Moon government should stop unconditionally appointing people from the election camp or the Roh administration. It should reform the personnel screening system, recruit capable experts and appoint them in the right places, before it is too late."



But the DPK rejected the opposition bloc's criticism, saying Park's resignation was a decision that reflected public sentiment.



"It was a decision reflecting public opinion, while the former conservative Park Geun-hye administration used to pick Park's close aides by ignoring public opinion," said a party spokesman Rep. Kang Hoon-sik.



Before Park Ky-young, Justice Minister nominee Ahn Kyong-whan, Labor Minister nominee Cho Dae-yop and National Security Office vice chief Kim Ki-jung resigned over alleged past misdeeds.




Don Lincoln is a senior scientist at the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermilab, the country's largest Large Hadron Collider research institution. He also writes about science for the public, including his recent "The Large Hadron Collider: The Extraordinary Story of the Higgs Boson and Other Things That Will Blow Your Mind (opens in new tab)" (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014). You can follow him on Facebook. Lincoln contributed this article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

For as long as we have kept records, humanity has marveled at the night sky. We have looked at the heavens to determine the will of the gods and to wonder about the meaning of it all. The mere 5,000 stars we can see with the unaided eye have been humanitys companions for millennia.

Modern astronomical facilities have shown us that the universe doesn't consist of just thousands of stars  it consists of hundreds of billions of stars in our galaxy alone, with trillions of galaxies. Observatories have taught us about the birth and evolution of the universe. And, on Aug. 3, a new facility made its first substantive announcement and added to our understanding of the cosmos. It allows us to see the unseeable, and it showed that the distribution of matter in the universe differed a bit from expectations.

The Dark Energy Survey (DES) is a collaboration of about 400 scientists who have embarked on a five-year mission to study distant galaxies to answer questions about the history of the universe. It uses the Dark Energy Camera (DEC) attached to the Victor M. Blanco 4-meter telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatoryin the Chilean Andes. DEC was assembled in the U.S. at Fermilab near Batavia, Illinois, and is a 570-megapixel camera able to image galaxies so far away that their light is a millionth as bright as the dimmest visible stars.

Dark energy and dark matter

DES is hunting for dark energy, which is a proposed energy field in the universe that is a repulsive form of gravity. While gravity exerts an irresistible attraction, dark energy pushes the universe to expand at an ever-increasing rate. Its effect was first observed in 1998, and we still have many questions about its nature.

However, by measuring the location and distance of 300 million galaxies in the southern night sky, the survey will be able to make important statements about another astronomical mystery, called dark matter. Dark matter is thought to be five times more prevalent in the universe than ordinary matter. Yet it doesnt interact with light, radio waves or any form of electromagnetic energy. And it doesnt appear to congregate to form large bodies like planets and stars.

Map of dark matter made from gravitational lensing measurements of 26 million galaxies in the Dark Energy Survey. (Image credit: Chihway Chang of the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics at the University of Chicago and the DES collaboration)

There is no way to directly see dark matter (hence the name). However, its effects can be seen indirectly by analyzing how fast galaxies rotate. If you calculate the rotational speeds supported by the galaxies visible mass, you will discover that they rotate more quickly than they should. By all rights, these galaxies should be torn apart. After decades of research, astronomers have concluded that each galaxy contains dark matter, which generates the additional gravity that holds the galaxies together. [6 Weird Facts About Gravity]

Dark matter in the universe

However, on the much larger scale of the universe, studying individual galaxies is not sufficient. Another approach is needed. For that, astronomers must employ a technique called gravitational lensing.

Gravitational lensing was predicted in 1916 by Albert Einstein and was first observed by Sir Arthur Eddington in 1919. Einsteins theory of general relativity says that the gravity that we experience is really caused by the curvature of space-time. Since light travels in a straight line through space, if space-time is curved, it will look to an observer as if light were travelling a curved path through space. [8 Ways You Can See Einstein's Theory of Relativity in Real Life]

This phenomenon can be harnessed to study the amount and distribution of dark matter in the universe. Scientists who peer at a distant galaxy (called the lensing galaxy), which has another galaxy even farther away behind it (called the observed galaxy), can see a distorted image of the observed galaxy. The distortion is related to the mass of the lensing galaxy. Because the mass of the lensing galaxy is a combination of visible matter and dark matter, gravitational lensing allows scientists to directly observe the existence and distribution of dark matter on scales as large as the universe itself. This technique also works when a large cluster of foreground galaxies distorts the images of clusters of even more distant galaxies, which is the technique employed for this measurement.

Lumpy or not?

The DES collaboration recently released an analysis using exactly this technique. The team looked at a sample of 26 million galaxies at four different distances from Earth. The closer galaxies lensed ones that were farther away. By using this technique and looking carefully at the distortion of the images of all of the galaxies, they were able to map out the distribution of invisible dark matter and how it moved and clumped over the past 7 billion years, or half the lifespan of the universe.

As expected, they found that the dark matter of the universe was "lumpy." However, there was a surprise  it was a little less lumpy than previous measurements had predicted.

One of these contradictory measurements comes from the remnant radio signal from the earliest time after the Big Bang, called the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The CMB contains within it the distribution of energy in the cosmos when it was 380,000 years old. In 1998, the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) collaboration announced that the CMB was not perfectly uniform, but rather had hot and cold spots that differed from uniform by 1 part in 100,000. The Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) and Planck satellites confirmed and refined the COBE measurements.

Over the 7 billion years between when the CMB was emitted and the time period studied by DES, those hotter regions of the universe seeded the formation of structure of the cosmos. Nonuniform energy distribution captured in the CMB, combined with the amplifying force of gravity, caused some spots in the universe to become denser and others less so. The result is the universe we see around us.

The CMB predicts the distribution of dark matter for a simple reason: The distribution of matter in our universe in the present depends on its distribution in the past. After all, if there were a clump of matter in the past, that matter would attract nearby matter and the clump would grow. Similarly, if we were to project into the distant future, the distribution of matter today would affect tomorrow's for the same reason.

So, scientists have used measurements of the CMB at 380,000 years after the Big Bang to calculate what the universe should look like 7 billion years later. When they compared the predictions to the measurements from DES, they found that the DES measurements were a little less lumpy than the predictions.

Incomplete picture

Is that a big deal? Maybe. The uncertainty, or error, in the two measurements is big enough that it means they dont disagree in a statistically significant way. What that simply means is that no one can be sure that the two measurements really disagree. It could be that the discrepancies arise by chance from statistical fluctuations in the data or small instrumental effects that were not considered.

Even the studys authors would suggest caution here. The DES measurements have not yet been peer-reviewed. The papers were submitted for publication and the results were presented at conferences, but firm conclusions should wait until the referee reports come in.

So, what is the future? DES has a five-year mission, of which four years of data have been recorded. The recently announced result uses only the first years worth of data. More recent data is still being analyzed. Further, the full data set will cover 5,000 square degrees of the sky, while the recent result only covers 1,500 square degrees and peers only half of the way back in time. Thus, the story is clearly not complete. An analysis of the full data set wont be expected until perhaps 2020.

Yet, the data taken today already could mean that there is a possible tension in our understanding of the evolution of the universe. And, even if that tension disappears as more data is analyzed, the DES collaboration is continuing to make other measurements. Remember that the letters "DE" in the name stand for dark energy. This group will eventually be able to tell us something about the behavior of dark energy in the past and what we can expect to see in the future. This recent measurement is just the very beginning of what is expected to be a scientifically fascinating time.

Follow all of the Expert Voices issues and debates  and become part of the discussion  on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.

This version of the article was originally published on Live Science.
This article was originally published at The Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.

By the time he was 20 years old, colonial American Benjamin Franklin had already spent two years working as a printer in London. He returned to Philadelphia in 1726. During the sea voyage home, he kept a journal that included many of his observations of the natural world. Franklin was inquisitive, articulate and interested in mastering the universe.

During one afternoon calm on September 14, Franklin wrote,

"as we sat playing Draughts upon deck, we were surprised with a sudden and unusual darkness of the sun, which as we could perceive was only covered with a small thin cloud: when that was passed by, we discovered that that glorious luminary laboured under a very great eclipse. At least ten parts out of twelve of him were hid from our eyes, and we were apprehensive he would have been totally darkened."

Total solar eclipses are not rare phenomena; every 18 months on average one occurs somewhere on Earth. Franklin and his shipmates likely had seen eclipses before. What was different for Franklin and his generation was a new understanding of the causes of eclipses and the possibility of accurately predicting them.

Earlier generations in Europe relied on magical thinking, interpreting such celestial events through the lens of the occult, as if the universe were sending a message from heaven. By contrast, Franklin came of age at a time when supernatural readings were held in suspicion. He would go on to spread modern scientific views of astronomical events through his popular almanac  and attempt to free people from the realm of the occult and astrological prophecy.

Beyond divine heavens with modern astronomy

Ancient people conceived of the heavens as built around human beings. For centuries, people subscribed to the Ptolemaic belief about the solar system: The planets and the sun revolved around the stationary Earth.

The idea that God drove the heavens is very old. Because people thought that their god (or gods) guided all heavenly occurrences, it's not surprising that many people  ancient Chinese, for example, and Egyptians and Europeans  believed that what they witnessed in the skies above provided signs of future events.

For this reason, solar eclipses were for many centuries understood to be harbingers of good or evil for humankind. They were attributed magical or mysterious predictive qualities that could influence human lives. During the first century A.D., people  including astrologers, magicians, alchemists and mystics  who claimed to have mastery over supernatural phenomena held sway over kings, religious leaders and whole populations.

Nicholas Copernicus, whose life straddled the 15th and 16th centuries, used scientific methods to devise a more accurate understanding of the solar system. In his famous book, "On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres" (published in 1543), Copernicus showed that the planets revolved around the sun. He didn't get it all right, though: He thought planetary bodies had circular orbits, because the Christian God would have designed perfect circles in the cosmos. That planetary motion is elliptical is a later discovery.

By the time Benjamin Franklin grew up in New England (about 150 years later), few people still believed in the Ptolemaic system. Most had learned from living in an increasingly enlightened culture that the Copernican system was more reliable. Franklin, like many in his generation, believed that knowledge about the scientific causes for changes in the environment could work to reduce human fears about what the skies might portend.

It was an age of wonder, still, but wonder was harnessed to technological advances that could help people understand better the world they lived in. Accurate instruments, such as the astrolabe, allowed people to measure the motion of the planets and thus predict movements in the heavens, particularly phenomena like solar and lunar eclipses and the motions of planets like Venus.

In his earliest printed articles, Franklin criticized the idea that education belonged solely to the elite. He hoped to bring knowledge to common people, so they could rely on expertise outside of what they might hear in churches. Franklin opted to use his own almanacs  along with his satirical pen  to help readers distinguish between astronomical events and astrological predictions.

Old-fashioned almanacs

Printing was a major technological innovation during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries that helped foster information-sharing, particularly via almanacs.

These amazing compilations included all kinds of useful information and were relied on by farmers, merchants, traders and general readers in much the same way we rely on smartphones today. Colonial American almanacs provided the estimated times of sunrises and sunsets, high and low tides, periods of the moon and sun, the rise and fall of constellations, solar and lunar eclipses, and the transit of planets in the night skies. More expensive almanacs included local information such as court dates, dates of markets and fairs, and roadway distances between places. Most almanacs also offered standard reference information, including lists of the reigns of monarchs of England and Europe, along with a chronology of important dates in the Christian Era.

Almanac culture dominated New England life when Franklin was a youth. They were the most purchased items American printers offered, with many a printer making his chief livelihood by printing almanacs.

Almanacs were money-makers, so Franklin developed his own version shortly after he opened his own shop in Philadelphia. The city already had almanac-makers  Titan Leeds and John Jerman, among others  but Franklin aimed to gain the major share of the almanac trade.

Franklin considered astrological prediction foolish, especially in light of new scientific discoveries being made about the universe. He thought almanacs should not prognosticate on future events, as if people were still living in the dark ages. So he found a way to make fun of his competitors who continued to pretend they could legitimately use eclipses, for instance, to predict future events.

Introducing Poor Richard

In addition to the usual fare, Franklin's almanac provided stories, aphorisms and poems, all ostensibly curated by a homespun character he created: Richard Saunders, the fictional "author" of Franklin's "Poor Richard's Almanac."

The "Poor Richard" Saunders persona allowed Franklin to satirize almanac makers who still wrote about eclipses as occult phenomena. Satire works because it closely reproduces the object being made fun of, with a slight difference. We're familiar with this method today from watching skits on "Saturday Night Live" and other parody programs.

Franklin's voice was close enough to his satirical target that "Poor Richard" stole the market. For instance, Poor Richard began his career by predicting the death of Titan Leeds, his competitor. He later would do the same thing to John Jerman. Franklin was determined to mock almanac-makers who pretended to possess occult knowledge. Nobody knows when a person might die, and only astrologers would pretend to think a solar or lunar eclipse might mean something for humans.

Franklin included a wonderfully funny section in his almanac for 1735, making light of his competitors who did offer astrological prognostications. As "Poor Richard," he wrote:

"I shall not say much of the Signification of the Eclipses this Year, for in truth they do not signifie much; only I may observe by the way, that the first Eclipse of the Moon being celebrated in Libra or the Ballance, foreshews a Failure of Justice, where People judge in their own Cases. But in the following Year 1736, there will be six Eclipses, four of the Sun, and two of the Moon, which two Eclipses of the Moon will be both total, and portend great Revolutions in Europe, particularly in Germany."

Richard Saunders is clear in the opening remark that "Eclipses  do not signifie much." He nonetheless goes on to base amazing predictions for 1736 on them, in effect lampooning anyone who would rely on the stars to foretell human events. Great revolutions were taking place in Europe, but no one needed to read eclipses in order to figure that out; they needed only to read the day's newspapers.

The next year, Franklin decided go a step further than just satirizing these occult prognostications. He had Richard Saunders explain his understanding of some of the science behind eclipses. He characterized the "Difference between Eclipses of the Moon and of the Sun" by reporting that:

"All Lunar Eclipses are universal, i.e. visible in all Parts of the Globe which have the Moon above their Horizon, and are every where of the same Magnitude: But Eclipses of the Sun do not appear the same in all Parts of the Earth where they are seen; being when total in some Places, only partial in others; and in other Places not seen at all, tho' neither Clouds nor Horizon prevent the Sight of the Sun it self."

The goal of an explanation like this? To eclipse occult belief. He hoped people would become more confident about the universe and everything in it and would learn to rely on scientifically validated knowledge rather than an almanac-maker's fictions.

Carla J. Mulford, Professor of English, Pennsylvania State University

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, August 13, 2017

"Weve got live Periscope, too, White nationalist organizer, former KKK chief and former Louisiana state legislator David Duke said as he strode up to an interviewer on the chaotic streets of Charlottesville, Virginia, Saturday afternoon.

Live Periscope, an off-camera voice repeated.

What does today represent to you? the interviewer asked Duke.

This represents a turning point for the people of this country, Duke answered, continuing: We are determined to take our country back. Were going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump. Thats what we believed in. Thats why we voted for Donald Trump, because he said hes going to take our country back. And thats what weve got to do.

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Im beginning this column this way because I want to draw an explicit connection to the role that media -- especially decentralized, one-to-masses media platforms such as Twitters Periscope app, Twitter itself, YouTube, Facebook and everything else -- are playing in not just disseminating a message, but helping to organize it.

We are going to take our country back. We are going to take our country back. Its going to be a new day in America. Its going to be a great day in America, then presidential candidate Donald J. Trump said during a campaign rally in nearby Fredericksburg, Virginia, almost exactly a year ago. The speech, which was amplified and can still be viewed thanks to YouTube, undoubtedly is the Trump promise Duke was referring to.

If you think theyre going to give you your country back without a fight you are sadly mistaken, chief Trump strategist Steve Bannon said in nearby Maryland, six months later, continuing: Every day, every day, it is going to be a fight, and that is what I am proudest about Donald Trump. All of the opportunities hes had to waver off of this.

Bannons comments, delivered in rare public talk at the Conservative Political Action Committees (CPAC) annual conference, were also amplified and are still available to be viewed on YouTube.

Whats most remarkable about Bannons statement is how transparent he was in explaining Trumps game plan: If you want to see the Trump agenda, its very simple. Its all in the speeches. He went around to these rallies with those speeches that had a tremendous amount of content in them.

All hes doing right now is, hes laid out an agenda with those speeches, with the promises hes made, and our job every day is just to execute on that. Which is to simply get a path to how those get executed. And hes maniacally focused on that: I promised the American people this, and this is what we are going to execute, Bannon elaborated, concluding: The mainstream media better understand something: All of these promises are going to be implemented.

Bannon went on to outline three buckets of Trumps agenda, including the deconstruction of the administrative state. But it's his transparent admission that mainstream media fail to understand that Trumps agenda is to, as Bannon, Duke and Trump so publicly acknowledged, take our country back that is the reason for this column.

Back to what, I tweeted after I viewed the Duke video on Twitter. I meant it rhetorically, because there is no interpretation required. Dukes comment was made moments before a white supremacist participating in the rally rammed his car into a crowd of anti-fascist protesters on the streets of Charlottesville, killing a woman and injuring many others.

Late Saturday, when President Trump finally made a statement about the incident during a previously scheduled press event at his Trump National country club in Bedminster, N.J., he did not explicitly condemn the violence incited by white nationalists at the rally, but instead condemned many sides, many sides. He then ignored reporters' questions about why he wasnt condemning the white nationalists and Dukes comments in particular.

Media analysts have spent the next couple of days interpreting why Trump chose to ignore that question, but as Bannon previously disclosed, its not that complicated: Its very simple. Its all in the speeches.

Bannon is right that the mainstream media have failed to understand or have chosen to ignore it. But he and his constituents have not. Whether it is the Alt Right media that continue to fan the flames, Trumps own personal media (Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Trump TV, etc.), or even mainstream conservative media like Fox News, the message has been abundantly clear. And it's further disseminated by a legion of state-sponsored Russian bots and trolls who are spreading that message and its agenda, because they believe it furthers theirs.
13.08.2017 LISTEN

Minister (Mrs) Funke Akinokun, the multi-lingua worship leader so gifted in praising God in various tongues, languages and dialects who is currently signed to One Hallelujah Records, the official record label of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) shall be releasing three (3) Brand New Singles ahead of her forthcoming Brand New Album, and USA Album Presentation on the 15th of September, 2017.

These three (3) New Singles speak for themselves, and really would help everyone connect to God in a special way. They will be released weekly, from the Friday 18th of August 2017 to the Friday 1st of September 2017, on all major blogs and digital platforms globally.

Single #1 - (Title): 'HOLY IS OUR GOD' is a worship song that reverences God and His awesome nature. The song produced by Bode Afolabi shall be released on Friday, 18th August, 2017.

Single #2 - (Title): 'MERCY' is a fresh sound with an age old message that our God continues to be merciful. This song produced by Wole Oni (for WOMP Music) shall be releasedon Friday, 25th August, 2017.

Single #3 - (Title): 'OPE (THANKS)' is a danceable medley of thanksgiving & praise songs with depth. The song produced by Bode Afolabi shall be releasedon Friday, 1st September, 2017.

The multiple award winning Funke Akinokun with two previously successful albums under her belt will like to thank all her fans who have supported her ministry in one way or the other. She will further appreciate your support by helping her spread the word through social media on these new songs by blessing your friends and family when they are eventually released, and also going out to purchase the album from 15th September on all digital platforms. God Bless you.

You can connect personally with Funke Akinokun on any of these platforms:

IG: FunkeAkinokun

Twitter: FunkeAkinokun

Facebook: FunkeAkinokun
13.08.2017 LISTEN

I have tackled this same writer before, when he mischievously sought to tag the Akufo-Addo Administration as one that was thoroughly in the charge of the Presidents family members, in particular the three traditional branches of our democratic political culture, namely, the Executive, Judiciary and the Legislature. Back then, not very long ago, the grievance of the critic was that there was something especially immoral and patently unjust about the appointments of the Two Akuffo Women, namely, Ms. Sophia Akuffo and Ms. Gloria Akuffo, respectively, as Chief Justice and Attorney-General and Minister of Justice.

Back then, I quickly added for the direly needed enlightenment of this godforsaken anti-Akufo-Addo critic that the head of the legislative branch under the present administration, Prof. Michael Aaron Oquaye, was not a blood relative of the President the way Ghanaians customarily reckoned the same. I also significantly highlighted, for the edification of this National Democratic Congress propagandist  to be certain, this critic could very well be one of the defeated Tribal Warlords of the erstwhile main opposition New Patriotic Party  that the Attorney-General was a bona fide member of the Executive Branch of government who worked directly under the President.

What was more, I pointed out, nobody among their peers or professional associates and colleagues had publicly questioned the academic and professional credentials and experience of either Ms. Sophia Akuffo or Ms. Gloria Akuffo, nor the capacity of these two women for administrative and professional independence, as clearly articulated by the countrys 1992 Republican Constitution. But what was even more flabbergasting on the part of the critic was the clearly sinister implication that, somehow, President Addo DankwaAkufo-Addo was the only Ghanaian leader who had absolutely no right, whatsoever, to appoint well-qualified relatives to influential positions of public trust and responsibility. I also admonished him to conduct his own research on this subject and come public with his findings.

Well, dear reader, you guessed perfectly and accurately. The SOB has yet to publicly challenge either this writer or President Akufo-Addo with his findings. Chances are that the critic had written and published the article to which I responded purely out of visceral hatred for Nana Akufo-Addo. But he does not seem to be the least bit daunted by the fact that he has lost all credibility on the subject of modern Ghanaian politics, especially where the ruling New Patriotic Party and President Akufo-Addo are concerned, so here he comes, once again, with some arrantly nonsensical article titled Nkrumah Founded Ghana Prof. Mike Oquaye (Modernghana.com 8/12/17).

What is even more heretically farcical about his argument is his fatuous attempt to compare King Osei Tutu, I, my own legendary ancestor, to Mr. Kwame Nkrumah or, rather, the other way around. Not that I really expected him to, but this presumably young and witheringly innocent Ghanaian abroad does not even set up a systematic set of principles for determining what makes any personality the founder of a nation. And so he is able to facilely and puerilely rope such legendary Founding-Fathers of the United States Gen. George Washington and Messrs. Benjamin Franklin, James Madison and Thomas Jeffersoninto his barely coherent argument.

Anybody who has studied even high school-level American History can readily identify the patent absurdity of drawing any critical or serious comparisons between President George Washington, a patriotic revolutionary in the classical sense of the term, and a desperate and pathologically scheming political opportunist like President Kwame Nkrumah. I can perfectly appreciate anybody calling President Robert Mugabe the Founder of Modern Zimbabwe, or Nelson Mandela the Founder of Post-Apartheid South Africa. The evidence is there, in the latter two cases, for all to see.

But, lets get really serious here: what did Nkrumah really do, from the study of the Bond of 1844, joined by Okyeman in 1853, and the constant reminding of the British colonialists that their game was up, to the naming of the new collectively self-ruled nation of Ghana, the adoption of our National Coat-of-Arms and Motto, to our National Anthem and our National Flag which, by 1964, Nkrumah had effectively proscribed and replaced with that of his Convention Peoples Party and another colored Red, White and Green  of dubious origins  an obvious attempt to permanently discredit the Akyem woman designer of our original Red, Gold, Green and Black Star-spangled National Flag, namely, the recently deceased Mrs. Theodosia AsiheneOkoh, and Okyeman in general. You see, dear reader, when it comes to the foundational history of Ghana, the stakes are far too high and fraught to be so facilely and non-historically or ahistorically credited to any one person.

I was also amused to hear this faux-Nkrumaist propagandist  he really sounds like a disappointed NDC apparatchik cavalierly claim that Americans recognize Gen. George Washington as the Founder of their Nation. Indeed, like Ghanaians in many respects, Americans may be simple-minded in a lot of things. But giving credit where credit is not due is not one of them. Americans have Founding Fathers, even if Gen. Washington is generally held to be Primus Inter Pares, or First Among Equals. We also have Martin Luther King, Jrs Day. And then, of course Presidents Day, which used to be two separate days, namely, Washingtons Birthday and Abraham Lincolns Birthday, which was then converted into Presidents Week, for all American Presidents, past and present, but now simply Presidents Day. For you know, Americans value our time too much to frivol with it.

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
Nairobi (AFP) - Tensions remained high in Kenya on Sunday after 11 people died in violent protests and the opposition stood by its demand that the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta be overturned.

While much of the country was calm, stone-throwing supporters of defeated veteran rival Raila Odinga squared off on Saturday with security forces in opposition strongholds in the country's west and the slums of the capital Nairobi.

A senior police official told AFP on condition of anonymity that eight bodies from Nairobi's slums had arrived at the city morgue, and an AFP photographer saw the body of a young girl whose family said she had been shot in the back while watching the protests from a balcony.

A man runs away from Kenyan security forces patrolling in a Nairobi slum following overnight demonstrations by supporters of opposition leader Raila Odinga who are demanding that President Uhuru Kenyatta's re-election be overturned

In western Kenya, a police officer said a man had been killed during a protest in the town of Siaya and local government official Wilson Njega confirmed one person had been shot dead in protests at Kisumu.

It remains unclear what the next move will be for Odinga's National Super Alliance (NASA) opposition coalition, but party leaders have said they will neither back down nor take their grievances to court.

"We will not be cowed, we will not relent," NASA official Johnson Muthama told reporters on Saturday.

He and other opposition stalwarts insist that elections held on Tuesday were manipulated. They also accuse the police of cracking down on protesters in an effort to force the coalition "into submission."

Addressing the media on Saturday, Muthama held up a bag full of bullet casings he claimed were used by security forces to kill "innocent Kenyans" taking part in street demonstrations after the Friday night announcement of Kenyatta's victory.

"We wish to assure the people that we have the will, the determination, and the means to make sure your vote will count at the end of the day," he said.

'Criminal elements'

Kenya is no stranger to post-election violence, and scars still run deep from a disputed 2007 vote which led to two months of ethno-political clashes, leaving 1,100 dead and 600,000 displaced.

Kenyan election results

But while those riots stretched across Kenya, this year's unrest is limited to a handful of areas.

Interior Minister Fred Matiangi downplayed the clashes, calling protesters "criminal elements" and saying there had been no casualties.

"The police have not used live bullets on any peaceful protesters," he said.

Odinga, 72, has not yet addressed his supporters after losing his fourth shot at the presidency. He believes elections in 2007, 2013 and now 2017 were snatched away from him.

Raila Odinga has tried four times to win the Kenyan presidency.

He laid out accusations of a massive hacking attack on election commission servers, and said the opposition had evidence the true results -- which showed him to be the winner -- were being hidden.

The electoral commission (IEBC) denied the accusations, and argued his supporting documents were riddled with arithmetic errors and originated from a Microsoft database while the electronic tallying system was based on Oracle.

The IEBC denials have been backed up by international monitors along with Kenyan election monitoring group ELOG, which said their 8,300 observers and parallel tallying operation found no fault with the result.

And former UN chief Kofi Annan, who helped mediate the 2007 crisis, congratulated Kenyatta on his win and urged Odinga, "a courageous defender of democracy", to turn to the courts with his grievances.

'Exacerbating exclusion'

Politics in Kenya is largely divided along tribal lines, and the winner-takes-all nature of elections has long stoked communal tensions.

Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta (L), flanked by his wife Margaret Gakuo Kenyatta (2-L), speaks following the Electoral Commission's official announcement declaring him the winner of the August 8 election

Odinga's ethnic Luo supporters -- and their allies from other groups -- believe they have been denied political power by elites from the Kikuyus, the same ethnic group as Kenyatta, the country's biggest community.

"President Kenyatta, unlike his first term, must include everyone in his government," wrote the Daily Nation in an editorial, warning that limiting power to his tribal allies was "exacerbating exclusion and creating resentment and disillusionment."

In his acceptance speech Kenyatta, 55, urged Odinga and his supporters to "work together... so that we can build this nation together".

"Let us be peaceful... We have seen the results of political violence. And I am certain that there is no single Kenyan who would wish for us to go back to this."
The Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Osei Assibey Bonsu has urged foreign nationals to take advantage of the vast investment opportunities in the area and do business in the area.

According to him Kumasi is strategically placed for investment, in terms of its geographical location, socio-cultural diversity, small-scale business opportunities and the booming transport industry.

Mr. Bonsu was presenting investment opportunities to some high profile Chinese delegation from the Wenzhou Province when they conferred with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to explore business opportunities for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

Osei Assibey Antwi addressing the delegation indicated that government had taken proactive measures to create and foster an investor-friendly environment.

Our agenda is to liaise effectively with sister countries and harness the potentials inherent in all sectors of the economy in order to bring prosperity to Ghanaians. The KMA is of the firm belief that foreign companies who decide, for instance, to mobilize resources in developing the housing, tourism, waste management and woodwork-related sectors, will also not run at a loss.

Among other areas mentioned, the City Mayor cited the Sokoban Wood Enclave as another area of business interest, and added that the KMA would welcome any initiative by Chinese companies to develop the plastic and shoemaking industries as well as help build the proposed multi-storey car park at Adum, in order to help decongest the Central Business District.

The team, led by Mr. Xie Shuhua, the Vice Chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultant Conference  Wenzhou Committee, was impressed with the huge business potentials in Kumasi, adding that the Wenzhou Province will work further with Kumasi to strengthening socio-economic ties to enhance living conditions of the people.



By: Lauretta Timah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Miss World Philippines 2017 pageant promises to be an exciting contest with this years highly competitive batch of beauties competing to become the countrys representative at this years Miss World pageant.

Kapuso talent Winwyn Marquez and ABS-CBN Sports+Action reporter Laura Victoria Lehmann lead the early favorites during the media presentation of the 35 official candidates held recently at New World Makati Hotel.

Teresita Ssen Marquez, the 25-year-old, daughter of Alma Moreno and Joey Marquez, is in her second national pageant after competing in Bb. Pilipinas 2015 where Pia Wurtzbach finally won on her third try.

Three of the early faves for Miss World Philippines 2017: (From left) Teresita Ssen Marquez, Cynthia Thomalla and Laura Victoria Lehmann

The 5-foot-6, Marketing Management graduate of San Beda College finished among the Top 15 and won the Miss Talent, Best in National Costume and Shes so JAG 2015 special awards.

Lehmann, a 24-year-old, Psychology major at Ateneo de Manila University and courtside reporter at UAAP games, was first runner up in Bb. Pilipinas 2014.

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Other standouts during the press presentation include Cynthia Thomalla, a 22-year-old, Tourism student who was crowned Sinulog Festival Queen 2016; Jona Ili Sweett, a 22-year-old, Fil-Australian beauty , student in Hotel and Restaurant Management and Miss Eco-Tourism in Miss Philippines Earth 2015; and Janela Joy Cuaton, a 20-year-old, model from Doha, Qatar who was crowned Mutya ng Pilipinas-Tourism International 2015 and won first runner-up at the Miss Tourism Metropolitan International 2016 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Aside from the Miss World Philippines title, three other titles are being introduced this year, namely, Reina Hispanoamericana Filipinas 2017, Miss Eco Philippines 2017 and Miss Multinational Philippines 2017.

The Miss World Philippines is now headed by Arnold Vegafria after taking over from Cory Quirino who quit as national director of the local franchise in early January. The Miss World Philippines 2017 coronation night will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sep. 3.

Photos by Edmund Chua

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Mr Dominic Nitiwul, Minister of Defence has revealed that 10,000 national service personnel would be selected to embark on six months of military training as part of their national service next year.

According to him, officials of the National Service Scheme (NSS) have already written to the military to inform them about the exercise.

Mr Nitiwul made the revelation when he spoke to the media after appearing before the Public Account Committee (PAC) over the 2015 Auditor General's Report.

The PAC is currently holding public sittings on the Report of the Auditor General for the Public Accounts of Ghana for the year ended 31st December, 2015.

Mr Nitiwul also stated that the law to allow service personnel to do military training already existed.

He explained that the National Service Act allows service personnel to do two years of national service and six months of military training.

He said the reason why for a long time the country could not undertake this programme was as a result of lack of capacity.

Mr Nitiwul also noted that the military has given a positive response to the officials of the National Service Scheme that the exercise was feasible.

He said despite some logistical constrains in terms of training facilities, however, this year the government was making available resources to ensure that the training facilities for the Army, Navy and the Air force were rehabilitated to enable them start the exercise.

He said the discipline that came with the military training for the service personnel would be important for the country's development, adding that this would also instil a bit of nationalism into the people.

Mr Nitiwul also announced that the Anti-Galamsey Taskforce deployed to the various mining areas were working very well.

He rejected claims that members of the taskforce were trigger-happy, saying though there have been skirmishes between the taskforce and some illegal miners which has resulted in some deaths, however these were regrettable incidents.

He said the taskforce were properly trained for the exercise and their operations have been successful in controlling the activities of the illegal miners.

Mr Nitiwul appealed to Ghanaians especially those in mining communities to cooperate with taskforce to ensure that things went smoothly.

He said it was not the intention of the government to stop mining but to put in place proper measures to ensure that mining was done properly.

He said though some people have made suggestions that the number of the taskforce was not enough for the exercise, he however stated that the current figure was doing a good job and that the public must give them time to perform.


13.08.2017 LISTEN

Folks, I have been enjoying the exchanges going on between Rawlings (and his supporters) and his opponents in the NDC. Truth be told, such exchanges open wide windows for us to see the future of the NDC without the Rawlingses. Those who think that the NDC will be reduced to nothing without the Rawlingses had better think twice.

Political parties that seek to remain vibrant dont remain rooted to the kind of personality cult that the Rawlingses have sought to establish. They pursue more self-sustaining objectives than what Rawlings and his wife have inflicted on the NDC. As mortal beings, they will definitely go the way all mortals go. The political party can outlast them if properly nurtured.

That is why I like the challenges being thrown to Jerry Rawlings by vocal elements in the NDC disagreeing with him and challenging him to do better than he has done so far. The party should rank higher than his personal quests. What could be more reasonable than this simple position?

In that sense, let us boldly say here that all the exchanges that have taken on Rawlings meet my expectation. I base my stance on what specifically has come from Dr. Valerie Sawyer and Dr. Obed Asamoah, which I will explore in this opinion piece. The foundational issues is that the NDC claims to be a conglomeration of various political ideologieswhatever that meanswith the fundamental objective of placing Ghana and the poor people first. (Thats a cue from the June Four era and the PNDC led by Rawlings). Bringing in politicians from varying ideological traditions for Ghanas good is laudable.

Thus, Rawlings could pool together politicians from the mainstream Nkrumahist and Danquah-Busia cultures (former President Kufuor and A.A. Munufie and many others together with others from elsewhere) to help him prosecute his agenda when he ruled as military leader and a civilian President before leaving the scene because of constitutional constraints.

Trans-ideological politicians of Dr. Asamoahs type have a home in the NDC because the NDC has boasted of being a Congress of people not tied to any specific die-hard political ideology. That is why it has embraced elements from the main ideological camps in Ghanas political history, namely, the Nkrumahist, Danquah-Busia, Rawlings or any other.

They have been together since the Rawlings phenomenon dislodged the mainstream Nkrumahist and Danquah-Busia strands that are recognized as the two main political camps in Ghana. Even though disparate political parties have emerged from these two camps, touting whatever might catch voters, they have been bold enough to stick to their root.

Thus, the emergence of the Rawlings phenomenon as a third force in Ghanaian politics changed the paradigm, especially since the NDC has dominated the scene despite losing Elections 2000, 2004, and 2016. It is still a threat to its arch rival, the NPP. The Nkrumahist camp is a mere shadow to be pitied, especially now that its main activists are snuggling to either the NPP or the NDC for sustenance (more materially than politically).

In this sense, then, it is obvious that the NDC is a potent political force to be watched closely despite its own internal problems, which arent new in the context of the exchanges going on between Rawlings and his supporters, on the one hand, and his critics, on the other hand. I wont lose any sleep over such exchanges or have any apprehension that it will lead to an implosion or the fragmentation of the NDC. Only those uninformed haters of the NDC will see happenings as a harbinger of the partys collapse.

Over the years, the NDC has tested itself with such internal crises and survived to confound its opponents. Could it be the defection of some of its main members to the Danquah-Busia camp (Alhaji B.A. Fuseini, Madam Frances Essiam, and Maame Dokuno on my mind here) or the splitting away by others to form political parties (such as Goosie Tanohs National Reform Party and Dr. Asamoahs Democratic Freedom Party) to undermine it? What happened in the end? Goosie Tanoh and Dr. Asamoah returned to base to prove that the NDC couldnt easily lose its attraction just because of petty personal differences.

Take the major test that the party faced when it sought to put Rawlings where he belonged by divesting him of his status as Founder and Father of the party. Many things happened that lazy political commentators loudly proclaimed as the end of the party. What happened?

Rawlings went where he was expected to go, carrying along with him his baggage of anger, enmity, bitterness, and whatever; but he couldnt cut himself free from the umbilical cord tying him to the product of his own political struggles. He grudgingly acknowledged the fact that he had lost his stranglehold on the party even if he wont let sleeping dogs lie.

Instead, he drifted about, refusing to cut links with the NDC even as he bowed to pressure from his wife to identify with her Democratic Freedom Party. In truth, ever since Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings tempted the Fates to form the NDP, she has thrown Rawlings into the centre of a whirlwind that has stunned him to the extent that he cant see things right to know where he belongs politically.

His bowing to the Akufo-Addo entreaties to wage war against his own political camp (the NDC) proves where he is now as a confused cry-baby. All the noise he made against the NDC under ex-Presidents Mills and Mahama registered as instances of vengeance, not as marks of someone who really knew what was at stake. Whatever he contributed to the NDCs defeat at Election 2016 is rebounding now to hit him in the face. That is why the reaction of those taking him on now turn my crank.

For far too long, Rawlings and his wife have dared the devil and gone away scot-free. Their public utterances have portrayed them as people who think that without them, nothing can go on in Ghana.

Rawlings vitriol against ex-President Kufuor explains why there is still a terribly bad-blood relationship between them. Move on to what Rawlings did to the late Asomdwehene Atta Mills, someone whom he co-opted into mainstream Ghanaian politics only to turn into a whipping boy. All that Rawlings did to Prof. Mills has damaged the NDC in many ways. Why would he do so if, indeed, he had any love for the very po0litical tradition that he struggled to establish in the hope that it would survive long after his death?

(Here, let us reiterate our strong opinion that political parties that seek to remain vibrant are not built this way if they are to outlast the memory of their founders. As has emerged so far, it is clear that Rawlings and his wife see the NDC as their pet baby and they must be allowed to nurture it the way they want to. Indeed, thats the height of political waywardness, especially if we turn to the traditional definition of a political party.)

I shall return.
13.08.2017 LISTEN

We want to say at this point that all that Rawlings has been doing since he left office and within the context of his being banned by the 1992 Constitution from returning to that office is nothing to be proud of. It is simply steeped in a misplaced agenda by him and his wife to create the stinking impression that without them Ghana cannot be.

They are deceived. Gradually, age is telling on them. And for Rawlings particularly, health issues matter. He has already disclosed that he has heart problems even as he pursues a legal case against Africa Watch for saying that he has the Parkinsons disease. That is his own cup of tea.

Now, let us be more blunt. Whatever is happening at the NDC front is only an exercise in jaw-jawing, which is good for the party. I can infer from the mood and tone of the Rawlings critics that they mean business to cut Rawlings to size. I support them as I have no doubt they will succeed in proving to Rawlings that the NDC is bigger than he is.

No matter how he sees things, the NDC is a political party that is made up of people who know what politicking in our time entails. They may be quick to disagree with the draconian measures used by Rawlings to attempt solving problems for a good reason. After all, despite all those measures, what is Ghana today?

What exactly did those draconian measures put in place to prevent recurrence of such vices, especially bribery and corruption (for which Rawlings presided over the execution of former military leaders and others)? Or about sanitation (for which Rawlings is now Akufo-Addos ambassador)? Horrible!! Nothing has changed. No lesson has been learnt from all that Rawlings sought to do to clean the stables. So, why should he still remain what he was in the late 1970s as if time is hung on a hook? Or as if nothing good can happen in Ghana unless Rawlings and his wife wish it so?

Folks, I insist that happenings in the NDC are only mere scratches that will not turn the party upside down. At most, it will energize more open and vociferous exchanges, which I expect to be the rule rather than the exception. It appears to be a means for venting pent-up feelings and to confront Rawlings in open public discourse. For far too long, he has had too much sway and stranglehold on affairs. Now that he is being boldly confronted, I hope what has been hidden all these years will be spilt for us to see what is what.

That is why I like what Dr. Valerie Sawyer (a former Deputy Chief of Staff under Rawlings) has spilt about Rawlings---accusing him of being corrupt and being a mosquito buzzing all over the place to bite those it targets. Such a mosquito has its 10 days to exist.

And also what has come from Dr. Asamoah that suggests that Rawlings sees himself as a saint and all others as devils. Thats a powerful characterization, particularly, if we recognize Dr. Asamoah as one of the early adherents of the Rawlings movement that shunned their traditional political allegiances to move forward whatever Rawlings brought about. Such people have hordes of ideas to tap into.

Where are we now? We are where we want to say that whatever is happening in the NDC is natural and shouldnt be portrayed as disastrous for the party. I see it as a good opportunity for ventilation. After all, once the NDC knows that it can do without being strangled by the Rawlingses, it should move ahead. And it still enjoys massive support. Whatever made it weak at Election 2016 should provide the opportunity for rebuilding for the future, not for succumbing to petty bad-mouthing by those already known as doomsday prophets.

Folks, there is much on the table; but I will end it here, hoping that we can move on from whatever we have been given to know now about the exchanges.

Probably, we may want to think more deeply about Dr. Valerie Sawyers huge allegation against Rawlings that he is corrupt. If that allegation is anything to go by, we must view it against the background that Dr. Sawyer was a Deputy Chief of Staff under Mills/Mahama. What does she know that she can spill for us to add to the Abacha largesse for no work done to Nigeria or the divesting of the Nsawam Cannery to Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings? Anything more to be revealed?

Those now speaking pointedly against Rawlings and whatever else there is are right to do so just as Rawlings is in taking his personal attacks wherever he has done all this while. I see nothing wrong about happenings. All I see is the atmosphere in which those with pent-up feelings are letting everything "flow". What is wrong about that? In any case, who am I to attempt making peace among those who have one grudge or the other against each other? In any case, I am no part of their "grudge business".

Let them talk and talk more about what they have been harbouring all along. Then, we (outsiders/onlookers) can get to know more than we do now. Eventually, those talking now should be the first to position themselves for peace-making. Are they willing to do so?

Truly, the NDC can survive without such nail-biting moments given it by the Rawlingses. And the more the party can stand on its own without the attempt by the Rawlingses to strangulate it, the better chances are that it can purge itself of the past that has empowered its opponents to continue painting it black. Let the exchanges continue; we are enjoying them!!

I shall return.
Berlin (AFP) - The German aid group Sea Eye on Sunday said it was suspending its migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean, citing security concerns after Libya barred foreign vessels from a stretch of water off its coast.

The announcement comes a day after Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it was halting the use of its largest boat in the area because of an "increasingly hostile environment for lifesaving rescue operations".

In a statement, Sea Eye said it was with "a heavy heart" that it had decided to follow suit after the Libyan government's "explicit threat against the private NGOs".

Tensions have risen since the Libyan navy on Thursday ordered foreign vessels to stay out of a coastal search-and-rescue zone, a measure it said was specifically aimed at non-governmental groups.

Libyan authorities have accused charities of aiding human smugglers with their rescues at sea, hampering efforts to crack down on the illegal migration route.

"Under these circumstances, a continuation of our rescue work is not currently possible. It would be irresponsible towards our crews," Sea Eye founder Michael Buschheuer said.

But he cautioned that the retreat of the aid groups was putting lives at risk.

"We leave behind a deadly gap in the Mediterranean," he warned.

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano however welcomed Libya's stepped-up efforts to curb the migrant flow.

The Libyan government "is ready to put in place a search-and-rescue zone in its waters, work with Europe and invest in its coast guards," Alfano told La Stampa daily on Sunday.

"This sends a signal that the balance is being restored in the Mediterranean."

Italy, which has borne the brunt of Europe's migrant crisis this year, has itself moved to rein in NGOs helping the multinational rescue operations by making them sign up to a new code of conduct.

Six years since a revolution that toppled longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, Libya has become a key departure point for migrants risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

Tens of thousands of migrants have resorted to paying people traffickers for the journey, often on overcrowded and unseaworthy boats.

Migrant aid ships have played a key role in assisting the rescue operations.

Sea Eye says it has helped save some 12,000 lives since April 2016.
The government's anti-illegal mining task-force, Operation Vanguard has been defending the reason why it set the equipment belonging to some illegal miners on fire.

The taskforce has come under intense backlash for burning the excavators, instead of putting them to some purposeful use.

But the Commanding Officer for Operation Vanguard, Colonel William Agyapong told Citi News that the team was constrained by the illegal miners, who were bent on frustrating them.

I must admit that it's not part of our mandate; we are to marshal all available resources both human and material to combat this galamsey menace so it is not part of our mandate. However, when we learnt that these items have been burntwe had a conference with the team demanding to know why that action was taken.

They said that their intention was not to burn those items but they were provoked beyond their ability because these people have been playing hide and seek strategy with them. Whenever the taskforce moves to such areas, as soon as the operators see the taskforce coming, they will just immobilize the machine either by taking away the control board or immobilizing it so that we cannot even spark it and drive it to the designated places, he added.

544 excavators moved from mining sites

The Minerals Commission in April 2017 said about 544 excavators had been moved from mining following the expiration of a 3-week ultimatum on such activities in mining sites.

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources further ordered owners of such earth moving equipment to remove the facilities from the mining towns of have then destroyed.

90 illegal miners arrested in anti-galamsey operation

Some Ninety illegal miners who have been apprehended by government's anti-illegal mining task force Operation Vanguard have been arraigned in various parts of the country.

The miners were arrested in some illegal mining areas in the Ashanti, Eastern and Western Regions within a period of two weeks. The task force has also seized some equipment from the miners.

The operation recorded a near setback about two weeks ago after the military personnel shot an illegal miner at Obuasi Anyimadukrom in the Ashanti Region.

Residents of Obuasi Anyimadukrom in the Ashanti Region have blocked roads leading to the town to express their anger after the anti-galamsey task force killed a resident there.



By: Eugenia Tenkorang/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Northern premier rural bank, Bonzali Rural Bank is gradually complementing government's strive to reduce the nation's soaring unemployment ratio.

The bank has so far increased its staff ratio from 74 to 184 serving its eight branches across the Northern Region.

This was revealed at a send-off party held in Tamale in honour of its former Board Chairman, Alhaji Mahadi Salifu Abdullah who served the bank for 12 years.

In a citation read for him, he was credited for the bank's establishment of five new agencies and two microfinance centres in Tamale, Lamashegu, Sang, Yendi, Karaga, Nyankpala and Chereponi.

The bank's loans and advances moved from GHc1, 036,254.16 to GHc12, 344, 265, 33 with an annual growth of 91% and a cumulative growth of 1091%.

The bank under Alhaji Mahadi's watch profitably moved from GHc131, 833.33 to GHc533,413.32 which indicated an annual growth of 25% and a cumulative growth of 305%.

The bank's deposit growth moved from GHc1, 318,729.53 to GHc19.089.783.17 which indicated an annual growth of 112% and a cumulative growth of 1,348%.

The bank's total assets growth moved from GHC2, 777,979.59 to GHc29, 888,657.77 which indicated an annual growth of 81% and a cumulative growth of 976%.

Alhaji Mahadi Salifu Abdullah showed appreciation for the honour done him.

He challenged the current Board and management to zealously safeguard the bank to serve the purpose of its establishment.

The bank's General Manager, Paul Atsu Fiawoo in a Citi News interview on the sidelines revealed management's intention to open two more branches in Bimbila and Salaga.

He renewed management's determination to increase the bank's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) within its operational zones.

Mr. Atsu said management was ready to partner government in mobilizing resources needed for the implementation of pro-poor programmes such as the one-district-one-factory, one-dam-one-village and planting for food and jobs.

As a rural bank we have a responsibility to help develop our catchment areas. So any sort of partnership that will help us meet this agenda we are ready for it.

It is not only about making profit but we want to impact positively on the communities that we are operating, he emphasized.

Background

The Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed at the bank's General Annual Meeting disclosed government's intention to partner with Bonzali Rural Bank Limited to give stimulus packages to smallholder farmer groups and traders.

He was emphatic that the bank will oversee the disbursement in line with government's agriculture sector transformation agenda.

This, according to him could boost government's 'Planting for Food and Jobs' programme as a means of promoting agribusiness in rural communities.

Corporate Social Responsibility

As part of the bank's Corporate Social responsibility (CSR), the Bonzali Rural Bank Limited has so far made donations to individuals and institutions in the areas of health, education and sports.

The bank continues to provide support for the annual farmer's day celebrations, cultural and festive occasions such as Damba.

Over the period under review, (2015 and 2016 financial year), total donations of GH137, 000.00 were expended as part of the bank's CSR programme.

An amount of GH24, 640.00 was paid to deserving staff who served the bank for 10 years and above.

The Bank is expected to maintain its dominance in the microfinance operations sector for the 2017 fiscal year.

Profile

The Bonzali Rural Bank Limited since its establishment has been the leading rural bank in the Northern Region.

The bank provides a comprehensive range of financial services to the rural poor communities as well as personal customers and small-scale enterprises.



By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Rome (AFP) - The Italian government on Sunday welcomed Libya's decision to bar foreign vessels from a stretch of water off its coast, as both countries struggle with a migrant crisis that has engulfed Europe in recent years.

The comments from Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano came as a second non-governmental organisation announced it was suspending operations in the area in response to the Libyan move.

The Libyan government "is ready to put in place a search and rescue zone in its waters, work with Europe and invest in its coastguards," Alfano told La Stampa daily on Sunday.

"This sends a signal that the balance is being restored in the Mediterranean."

Libya's navy last week ordered foreign vessels to stay out of a coastal "search and rescue zone" for migrants headed for Europe, saying the measure was aimed at non-governmental organisations it accuses of facilitating illegal migration.

Six years since a revolution that toppled longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi, Libya has become a key departure point for migrants risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has said it was halting the use of its largest boat in the area because of an "increasingly hostile environment for lifesaving rescue operations"

Tens of thousands of migrants have resorted to paying people traffickers for the journey, often on overcrowded and unseaworthy boats, and charities have dispatched ships to rescue them from drowning.

'Significant investment'

Meanwhile, Libya and Italy -- where the vast majority of migrants land -- have worked together to stem the flow, with Italy also moving to rein in NGOs helping the multinational rescue operations by making them sign up to a new code of conduct.

"We need a significant, I repeat a significant European economic investment in Libya and in Africa," Alfano said.

"Europe has to decide if the theme of migration flows is an absolute priority on the same scale as the economy. For us, it is".

The Libyan measure prompted the German aid group Sea Eye to announce on Sunday it is suspending its migrant rescue operations in the Mediterranean, citing security concerns.

Sea Eye said in a statement that it was with "a heavy heart" that it made its decision, after the Libyan government's "explicit threat against the private NGOs".

"Under these circumstances, a continuation of our rescue work is not currently possible. It would be irresponsible towards our crews," Sea Eye founder Michael Buschheuer said.

The move came one day after Doctors Without Borders (MSF) had said it was also halting the use of its largest boat in the area because of an "increasingly hostile environment for lifesaving rescue operations".

Migrant aid ships have played a key role in assisting rescue operations.

Sea Eye said it has helped save some 12,000 lives since April 2016, and cautioned Sunday that the retreat of aid groups from Libya's coast was putting lives at risk.

"We leave behind a deadly gap in the Mediterranean," Buschheuer warned.

But Alfano said MSF's decision "is also within the framework of a balance readjustment".

The number of migrant arrivals in Italy in July was down dramatically on the same month last year, suggesting efforts to train up and better equip the North African country's coastguard could already be having an impact.

The interior ministry said 11,193 new arrivals had been registered in July, compared with 23,552 in July 2016.

Arrivals for the first seven months of this year were 95,214, up 0.78 percent on the same period last year.

Some 600,000 mostly African migrants have arrived in Italy from Libya since the start of 2014.
Nairobi (AFP) - Churches preached peace on Sunday in Mathare, a Nairobi slum that has been hit by days of violent demonstrations since last week's disputed presidential vote, but it was opposition leader Raila Odinga the people were desperate to hear from.

Odinga had been silent since the Friday night declaration that his opponent, incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta, had won the election, but he re-emerged Sunday afternoon to reiterate his claims of vote fraud and to announce that his next moves would be unveiled on Tuesday.

"I want to tell you not to go to work tomorrow (Monday). We are not done yet. We will not give up," Odinga told thousands of fist-pumping supporters who gathered in a dirt clearing in Nairobi's Kibera slum.

The speech was exactly what his supporters wanted to hear as they waited for a sign from their flagbearer after scenes of looting and clashes in opposition strongholds like Kibera and Mathare and in parts of western Kenya.

'Ready for whatever will come'

A worshipper awaits the start of prayers in the Divine Church of Africa in Nairobi's Mathare slum, which has been hit by deadly post-election violence

"It was quiet and we were worried, because we did not know the plan. Now, we're very ready for whatever will come," said Duncan Nyamo, an Odinga supporter who was among the crowd in the slum.

"We are ready to die."

In both Kibera and Mathare, roads still displayed burn marks from tyres set ablaze by protesters over previous days, but on Sunday many people were going about their business and some shopkeepers were timidly reopening.

"It has been very violent over the past few days, but it's a lot calmer today," said Susan Atieno, 19, as she sold doughnuts on a garbage-strewn roadside in Mathare.

AFP's tally of deaths between Friday evening and Saturday night stands at 16, including nine killed in Nairobi's slums.

Deep frustration

A total of 16 people have been killed in the post-election violence in Kenya, including nine in the Nairobi slums of Mathare, Kibera and Kawangware

Slum residents flocked to church on Sunday where pastors urged peace, while understanding the concerns of their congregation.

"What you have to understand is the amount of frustration here," Reverend Julius Tai said outside his tiny corrugated iron church with 30 plastic chairs for worshippers.

Kenyatta, a wealthy member of the Kikuyu elite, was elected Friday with more than 54 percent of the vote, beating Odinga, a Luo.

It is the fourth time Odinga has lost a presidential election, running on a platform of more equitable economic growth, an argument that goes down well in the slums.

But ethnic grievance is also a key aspect of his appeal.

"Since independence, only two tribes have ruled the country, but the others also want their share of the cake," the pastor said.

Three of Kenya's four presidents have been Kikuyu and the other Kalenjin, leaving Luos feeling excluded from power for over half a century.

'Violence is useless'

Ten years after the worst electoral violence in Kenya's history left 1,100 dead, the pastor called for peace.

"I firmly believe in the rule of law, and we should use the justice if we want to protest against the election result," Tai said.

"Violence is useless. After all, we are all Kenyan brothers, and you don't kill your brother."

Kenyan security forces patrol the Nairobi slum of Mathare after protests by supporters of opposition Raila Odinga who claims last week's election was rigged

Nearby, Reverend John Gitonga gave a sermon at his church. "It is important to respect peace, we are not different from our neighbours," he said.

Religious beliefs are strongly held in Kenya and among the protesters, said Patrick, a 25-year-old Odinga supporter who had taken to the streets in recent days.

"Today, it's the day of the Lord, so the slum is quiet. But we are waiting for Raila's instructions, and we'll do exactly what he says."

Susan, the doughnut vendor, was more circumspect. "I will listen to Raila to know the way forward, but violence is not good for business, I have to pay the rent, and to eat," she said.

And if he calls for violence? "I will listen to God first," she replied.
13.08.2017 LISTEN

By Lydia Asamoah/Beatrice Asamani Savage

Accra, Aug. 13, GNA - Canada is working with Ghana, as part of spearheading a global partnership, to build pragmatic comprehensive systems that would plan and manage migration to become safe, orderly and beneficial to all stakeholders around the world.

In view of this the Canadian Minister of Migration, Refugees and Citizenship, Mr Ahmed D. Hussen, has visited Ghana to engage government officials, civil society groups and other relevant groups to find common grounds and share experiences for this cause.

The United Nations expects countries to dialogue and develop positive synergies towards the adoption of the Global Compact on Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration at its conference to be held in September, 2018.

Mr Hussen told the Ghana News Agency, in an interview, that it was very important for nations to urgently engage one another to develop a successful and workable compact so that the criminal enterprises in migration would be eliminated to safeguard the wellbeing of the vulnerable.

The Minister said Canada wanted all the 193 countries who committed themselves to the Compact on 16th September 2016 to work hard towards meeting the deadline.

The issue of migration, he emphasised, was as important today as before and deserved topmost attention.

'I think right now, there are more people on the move than at any other time since the Second World War,' he stated, adding; 'There're more than 60 million migrants moving, of which 24 million are refugees and 40 million are internally displaced people.

'Migration is as old as humanity, people will always move, the question is how do you manage the challenge?' 'That's why it is important for countries to share experiences and develop common positions on, for instance, how to treat children, who are the most vulnerable or to undercut criminal gangs.'

Migration, Mr Hussen said, should also become beneficial to both source and host countries as legal migrants contributed to taxes, filled labour gaps with their talents and skills and enriched their host communities with their diverse values of humanity.

Ghana, which was a major source and destination of migrants, he said, had to be more actively involved at the bilateral, regional and global levels to have their concerns addressed.

Ghana is a Member of the High-Level African Panel on Migration under the auspices of the UN, which is chaired by the President of Liberia, and has been making contributions towards an African position.

On why Canada has received global commendation for its efficient management of migration, Mr Hussen said Canadians were very welcoming and generous; while the Government invested significantly in the processes of integration and settlements as well as safeguarding the rights of migrants.

'Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated clearly that one of his priorities is encouraging the legal migration of skilled workers and welcoming tourists, business visitors and international students,' he stated.

'I am here to inform Ghanaians about the prospects and to invite them to take advantage of the opportunities available for our mutual benefit,' he said.

Mr Hussen expressed Canada's willingness to help Ghana to develop better-planned and managed systems to integrate migrants who arrive from the Sub-Region to her benefit.

He said Ghana had always been a good ally of Canada in championing global matters of sustainable development since they both shared common values of human rights, democracy, and good governance in a safe and peaceful world.

GNA
Vice Chancellor of the University for Development Studies, Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye has warned continuing students to abstain from plagiarism when writing their dissertation or term paper.

He unequivocally served notice that the university would not hesitate to revoke the certificate of any students caught completely lifting academic materials for presentation as their theses.

I am reliably informed that students simply download theses from the internet conducted in other jurisdictions and change names to reflect their location. There is no doubt that this is academic thievery and must be condemned in the strongest words possible.

Another more serious and condemnable act is that some other group of students' contract professional theses writers for a fee and present such works as their products.

Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye was addressing the 2017/18 matriculation ceremony for fresh Sandwich students at the Tamale City campus, Dungu.

He rebuked the phenomenon saying, As you may have realized, these practices reflect in performances on the job after graduation and this explains why employers are now complaining about the quality of products from the universities and other training institutions.

He therefore implored supervisors to give quality guidance to students assigned to them doing their project work.

According to him, the number of students who registered for various courses for the 2017/18 academic season was appreciable.

The university started sandwich programmes with the aim of providing an opportunity for workers in particular to undertake further studies while at post since they find it difficult to join main stream university education due to work schedules.

It is therefore with delight that I announce the resolve of this university to constantly widen this window for the personal development of workers. I am also happy to state that UDS has increased the number of sandwich programmes on offer and plan to roll more.

The introduction of career oriented postgraduate programmes aimed at meeting the aspirations of people working in the field of development has been one of the driving forces in the significant growth in the numbers, he observed.

Professor Gabriel Ayum Teye advised the students to serve as Ambassadors of change in their localities.



By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
One of Venezuelas most powerful leaders may have put out an order to kill Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a fervent critic of the South American countrys government, according to intelligence obtained by the U.S. last month.

Though federal authorities couldnt be sure at the time if the uncorroborated threat was real, they took it seriously enough that Rubio has been guarded by a security detail for several weeks in both Washington and Miami.

Believed to be behind the order: Diosdado Cabello, the influential former military chief and lawmaker from the ruling socialist party who has publicly feuded with Rubio.

At a July 19 Senate hearing, the same day he was first spotted with more security, Rubio repeated his line that Cabello  who has long been suspected by U.S. authorities of drug trafficking  is the Pablo Escobar of Venezuela. A week ago on Twitter, Cabello dubbed the senator Narco Rubio.

The death threat was outlined in a memo to several law enforcement agencies disseminated last month by the Department of Homeland Security. The memo, designated law enforcement sensitive but not classified, was obtained by the Miami Herald.

More here.
Nairobi (AFP) - Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has been declared the winner of the country's election, but his rival Raila Odinga insists he is the true winner, and the election was stolen from him.

Odinga has said he will outline his strategy to contest the vote on Tuesday. Deadly protests appear to have eased but much is at stake for Kenya, one of east Africa's largest economies and its most dynamic democracy.

How did we get here?

The disagreement erupted just hours after Tuesday's vote ended, when Odinga insisted preliminary results being announced by the electoral commission (IEBC) were fraudulent.

Such allegations are not new for Odinga, a veteran opposition leader who has stood for president three times previously.

He placed third in 1997, and in both 2007 and 2013 he cried foul.

The 2007 vote -- which international observers said was riddled with irregularities -- is notorious as it sparked two months of ethnic killings and protests that left 1,100 people dead and 600,000 displaced.

In 2013, he went to court over the elections, and lost.

In poor neighbourhoods in Odinga's western stronghold Kisumu, and in the slums of Nairobi, rioting started immediately after Kenyatta was declared the winner

Despite all that, the 72-year-old is a popular political figure in the country, and his allegations carry weight with his supporters, particularly among his Luo ethnic group who believe they have long been denied political power by Kenyatta's Kikuyu ethnic group.

What are Odinga's complaints?

Odinga's National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition claims that hackers breached the IEBC's electronic voting systems and falsified the results.

Odinga has provided documents allegedly showing a database being manipulated, as well as documents purported to be from the IEBC server showing him to be the true winner.

They also complained they had not seen about 25 percent of the tallying forms meant to back up electronic results streamed directly to the electoral commission's headquarters.

NASA demanded access to the IEBC's servers if they were to accept the results of the vote. The coalition has so far ruled out going to court.

The IEBC, for its part, has denied NASA's claims.

What's happening now?

In poor neighbourhoods in Odinga's western stronghold Kisumu, and in the slums of the capital Nairobi, rioting started immediately after Kenyatta was declared the winner.

Vigilante groups have formed in some places to protect shops from looting during election-related violence

At least 16 people have been killed during the protests, mostly by police bullets, including a young girl hit by a stray bullet while playing on a balcony in the Mathare slum. Police say only six have died -- criminals who attacked them.

However by Sunday morning, calm appeared to have returned.

Nairobi, a city of more than three million people, started coming back to life, with businesses cautiously opening after about five days in which businesses were shut and people remained indoors.

What are Odinga's options?

According to law, he has until Friday to file a petition at the Supreme Court, which then has 14 days to hear the case and decide whether the election was valid or not.

However NASA has said this time going to court is not an option, despite pressure from the international community to do so.

If Odinga decides to send his supporters onto the street, he will have to contend with the fact that this is placing them in harm's way.

Nic Cheeseman, a professor of African politics at Britain's University of Birmingham said the state has the "capacity to withstand protests" and would be able to "re-assert control using force relatively quickly."

If no petition is filed, Kenyatta will be sworn in, at the earliest, on August 23.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Odinga said he wanted the United Nations to appoint a team of experts to analyse the election results.

What's at stake for Kenya?

Observers say the Kenyan authorities have the capacity to withstand protests and re-assert control

Plenty. Kenya has the highest GDP per capita in the region and its economy has been growing at a healthy five percent every year since 2013. It is also a prime tourism destination in the region.

The vote dispute threatens that prosperity, and the country's image of stability.

"Obviously, everything that happens like that is bad news for the country," Cheeseman said.

Even without the unrest, things were expected to be tough for Kenya over the next year.

The government may have to cut spending, harming growth, and food prices, which became a campaign issue after they spiked, aren't likely to come down anytime soon, Cheeseman said.
Mogadishu (AFP) - A one-time deputy leader and spokesman for Somalia's Shabaab insurgents defected to the country's government on Sunday, a local official said.

Muktar Robow was the subject of a $5 million bounty from the United States for his role with the Al-Qaeda linked Islamist militants.

But his split with former Shabaab leader Ahmed Abdi Godane four years ago led him to seek safety in his hometown in Somalia's southwest Bakool region, though he never formally renounced the insurgency.

"Muktar Robow defected from Shabaab and he is now in Hudur meeting with government officials," district commissioner Mohamed Moalim told reporters, referring to the Bakool district capital.

Godane was killed by a US air strike in 2014, but the bad blood between the militants and Robow appeared to have continued.

A security source told AFP Robow's surrender came after Islamist militants attacked him last week.

His name also no longer appears on the US's Rewards for Justice wanted list.

The defection is a blow to Shabaab, which remains deadly in Somalia despite the presence of a 22,000-strong African Union force dedicated to fighting it and supporting the internationally backed government based in Mogadishu.

Uganda's military last month said 12 of its soldiers had been killed in Somalia in an ambush claimed by the group.

Shabaab has also carried out attacks in Kenya and Uganda, both contributors to the AU force.
Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Boko Haram gunmen have killed four people and torched homes in a nighttime raid on a village in restive northeastern Nigeria, local sources said Sunday.

The militants stormed Amarwa village, while lies about 20 kilometres (12 miles) from Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state and birthplace of Boko Haram.

According to a leader of a local militia fighting the jihadists, the gunmen shot indiscriminately at villagers and set fire to homes in the raid late Saturday.

"Two were shot dead and the other two choked to death in the fire the attackers set to houses," militia leader Ibrahim Liman said, adding that a number of people were also injured.

A local chief said the attack in the village in the Konduga district started around 11 pm (2200 GMT) and continued past midnight.

"We have so far recovered four bodies, two of them with bullet wounds," said the local chief, who did not want to be named.

"We lost our homes and food stocks in the fire."

Amarwa also came under attack in May, when Boko Haram gunmen on motorbikes killed six farmers outside the village as they prepared for the planting season.

Konduga is a known hotbed of Boko Haram activity despite government and military claims that the jihadists are a spent force, having been forced out of their Sambisa forest enclave.

About 20,000 people have been killed and about 2.6 million have fled their homes since Boko Haram launched the insurgency in 2009.
13.08.2017 LISTEN

It is not clear what the National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament for Bawku-Central, Upper-East Region, means by his rather lame and vacuous argument that Mr. Peter Mac Manu, the 2016 Presidential Campaign Manager for the now-President Addo DankwaAkufo-Addo, is fueling speculation by not speaking out on the matter of his patently undiplomatic deportation by security operatives of the Kenyatta government, in the lead-up to Kenyas August 8 general election (See Mac Manu Deportation: Kenya Sacrificed Relationship with Ghana  Ayariga MyJoyOnline.com / Ghanaweb.com 8/12/17; also, Mac Manus Deportation Will Affect Ghana-Kenya Relations  Security Analyst Adomonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 8/7/17).

This is a very jejune and amateurish approach to the issue, being that it is former President John Dramani Mahama, a globally known staunch supporter and bosom friend of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who ought to be explaining himself vis-a-vis why he had done absolutely nothing to prevent the deportation of Mr. Mac Manu, who was at the head of an observer mission from the Democratic Union of Africa (DUA), a recognized good-governance organization of democracy-loving political parties on the continent, which is also a member of the International Democratic Union (IDU), just as the now main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is also a member of the Socialist Union(SU) or Socialist International. We must also quickly point out that former President Mahama was in Kenya and at the head of a delegation from The Commonwealth.

In all likelihood, as I noted in a previous column, it was a traumatized and still reeling and vengeful Mr. Mahama who had instigated Mr. Kenyattas government to humiliate Mr. Mac Manu. Already the Kenyan authorities are widely reported to have said that the leader of the Democratic Union of Africa was deported because some opposition political parties in the country participating in the August 8 general election were also members of the DUA. The onus of proof of any suspicion of Mr. Mac Manus being poised to helping these opposition parties to play mischief with that countrys electoral process rests with President Kenyatta and/or his assigns, and not the vilified victim of deportation.

In other words, Mr. Ayariga is being inexcusably absurd by implying that, somehow, the Kenyan security authorities had good forensically sustainable reasons or evidence for preventing the DUA observer mission from participating in the monitoring of the election. Mr. Ayariga, who is also a known confidant and arch-lieutenant of President Mahamas, is deviously attempting to deflect the obvious possibility of his former boss having been the mastermind behind Mr. Mac Manus deportation. At any rate, the most relevant question to ask the former Mahama Presidential Staffer and Minister of the Environment, Science and Technology, is why he has not provided any evidence to back up his support of the Kenyatta security operatives, if he feels so strongly that, indeed, the Kenyan authorities had legitimate reasons for causing what may aptly be described as an international incident.

Mr. Ayariga is also definitely right on the money, as it were, to observe that in so crudely humiliating Nana Akufo-Addos electioneering campaign point man, the Kenyatta government may very well have sacrificed the longstanding cordial relations between the two major countries on the African continent. Indeed, former President John Dramani Mahama may have a relationship with Mr. Kenyatta; but as far as President Akufo-Addo is concerned, it is purely a matter of official diplomacy. Nothing special, that is. And, maybe, that is the way it ought to be for the nonce.

*Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs
Accra, 13th August, 2017Telecom operator, Tigo is marking the 5th anniversary of its Tigo Digital Changemakers Competition and has committed to reinvesting an additional GHS135,000 to advance the impact of leading social entrepreneurs in the programme.

Tigo disclosed that the competition which has been running in partnership with the international non-profit organization Reach for Change, will see a boost from its reinvestment decision to enable five Tigo Digital Changemakers to scale their social enterprises, expand their operations and impact exponentially more Ghanaian lives.

The selected Changemakers will participate in a special five-year reinvestment competition. The winners will be announced in early September 2017. For the past five years, Tigo and Reach for Change have selected some of Ghanas most promising and innovative social entrepreneurs through the Tigo Digital Changemakers Competition.

The competition has provided winners with seed funding and access to Reach for Changes Incubator programme, which has enabled them to turn early stage social innovations into thriving sustainable businesses that improve communities and the lives of children.

To date, our programme has improved the lives of more than 475,000 Ghanaian children through social innovation designed to tackle some of the societys most pressing issues, such as health, education, gender equality and more,said Roshi Motman, the Chief Executive Officer of Tigo Ghana.

Ms. Motman added: After five years of incredible innovations from young Ghanaians, we have decided to plough back in some of the top Tigo Digital Changemakers, to enable them to take their social enterprises to the next level and to make an impact at an even greater scale.

Through the programme, changemakers have received support that enabled them to put their promising ideas into high impact social businesses with sustainable models. To scale their organizations further, and most importantly, make an even greater impact on Ghanaian society, Tigo and Reach for Change have shortlisted five exceptional Changemakers who are eligible to receive additional funding.

The five Tigo Digital Changemakers are eligible to receive funding from Tigo, alongside specialized support through the Reach for Change Incubator to scale their businesses into additional Ghanaian communities to maximize the impact they have on society.

The five candidates include:

Cecilia Fiaka, Tigo Digital Changemaker winner in 2013

Cecilia is on a mission to curb teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and other negative behaviours that sidetrack Ghanaian youth from reaching their full potential. Her social enterprise Nneka Youth Foundation has helped over 11,000 young Ghanaians through innovative programming that provides leadership skills, instils self-confidence and helps teens to focus on building a bright future for themselves.

Sheila Osei Boakye, Tigo Digital Changemaker winner in 2014

Sheila is addressing illiteracy among children by addressing the root causes behind low literacy levels in school teachers capacities. Through her organization, Literacy for Life, Sheila is helping teachers access the resources and acquire the skills they need to effectively teach their pupils proven reading and writing techniques that are making a marked difference in their performance in school.

Alice Amoako, Tigo Digital Changemaker winner in 2014

Alice is a social entrepreneur and advocate who is passionate about creating a safer and more equitable world for children with autism. She firmly believes that knowledge is the first step towards change, and has created an application - Autism Aid - that will help to change the way Ghanaians understand autism, with the additional capabilities of empowering and providing support to families and caregivers of autistic children. Her organization, Autism Ambassadors of Ghana has harnessed the power of digital technology - using the app to reach four times more users than advocacy efforts alone.

Josephine Marie Godwyll, Tigo Digital Changemaker winner in 2015

Josephine is tackling one of the biggest challenges to equality in the modern age - digital literacy. She founded Young at Heart GH to provide children in rural parts of Ghana with the training and skills they need to take advantage of digital technologies in ways that have practical applications to their daily lives. In 2016 alone, Josephine reached over 1,300 children and youth with fun, interactive digital training that teaches basic computer skills, internet research skills, and set up computer hubs across the country to provide communities with opportunities to access digital technology that would otherwise be inaccessible to them.

She also has also launched Ananse the Teacher app which harnesses local folklore to engage children in science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.

Israel A. Yeboah, Tigo Digital Changemaker winner in 2015

Israel A. Yeboah is working to revolutionize data storage in Ghanaian schools to lead to more efficient and timely monitoring of students performance -- which will enable teachers and parents to intervene and assist students who are underperforming in school. Israel is currently piloting his social innovation, named Unilynq, in 50 schools in Ghana.

About Tigo Ghana

Tigo Ghana started operations in Ghana in 1992 as the first Mobile Network Operator. It is part of Millicom International Cellular (MIC) which provides a range of mobile services, cable TV, Financial Services and broadband available in 12 markets in Africa and Latin America, connecting people for the first time to the internet and making the Digital Lifestyle a reality for more than 57 million people. With a current subscriber base of over 5 million subscribers, Tigo is a solid, dynamic and innovative brand actively driving digital and financial inclusion. For more information, visit www.tigo.com.gh
13.08.2017 LISTEN

This is what the people of Senya Beraku (Central region) and others must know about Akufo-Addo's false funding source for Free SHS!

The proceeds from the oil production can never be a funding source for free SHS.

The President is expected to know better than Ghanaians.

The Petroleum Revenue Management Act (815) sets the modalities for the dispensation of our oil revenue.

This states basically that 70% must go into our Annual Budget Funding Amount and the remaining 30% into our Ghana petroleum funding (Comprising of a Stabilization fund and an untouchable heritage fund).

The actual allocation to the ABFA is still finding it very difficult to match up the budgetary demands of the various sectors sucking from the ABFA such as GNPC, GIIF and others as the successful running of these departments demands alot.

The fact is that the scale of oil production have been decreasing over the past years and an example is: comparing 2015 to 2016, oil Revenue reduced from $396,172,909 to $247,175,394 creating a variance of about $148,997,515.

The ABFA Allocation was $98.38million which fell short of a budgeted allocation of about $149.76million and so created a wide deficit to that sector already.

Secondly, the constant GPFs transfer was $42.16million where the conditional touchable GSF received about $29.51million and Untouchable GHF received $12.65million.

The question now is, From which angle would that Oil money come from to make the Funding of Free SHS functional?

AKUFO-ADDO AHBAAA! STOP DECEIVING GHANAIANS!

Key notes:

GNPC: Ghana National Petroleum corporation.

GPFs: Ghana Petroleum Funds

GHF: Ghana Heritage Fund.

ABFA: Annual Budget Funding Amount.

GSF: Ghana Stabilizaton Fund

OneMalik
13.08.2017 LISTEN

The Ghana Police Service is an important arm of the Ministry of the Interior with responsibility to ensure peace within the country. Being peace officers members of the Police service have over the years lived up to expectation by embarking on night patrol duties while citizens are asleep. During the day they are seen roaming in vantage points of our cities, towns and villages to maintain law and order.

The police stations dotted across Ghana are always full of people who are there to lodge complaints and to get the police to push their cases to courts for settlement. They are called upon in times of emergencies to guide groups during demonstrations and also move out to maintain law and order during conflicts and rowdy behaviors of groups such as workers and students.

Without looking at the statistics it can be said that the crime situation has improved significantly indicating that the situation in the country would not have been relatively peaceful if the police had not been deploying a huge number of their men to work for the nation and its people.

In spite of the beautiful picture painted about the police a few members of the service are engaged in activities that are dragging their reputation downhill. Most police men on patrol duties have their eyes fixed on drivers of private and commercial vehicles.

The police are right in checking unlicensed cars and motorbikes that are often used to commit crimes. They are right to find out whether or not the drivers possess licenses or the right papers on the vehicles. But the question begging for an answer is, do they have the right to demand cash payments from the drivers for the alleged wrongs done by them?. While harassing poor taxi and tro-tro drivers the police seem to be treating people in responsible positions courteously even when they commit road offences.

Some of our policemen manning our police stations have often ill-treated accused persons reported to them by complainants. The rule to them is that the complainants are always right and the accused persons wrong. These policemen seem to accept all reports lodged without confronting the complainants about the truth of the matters concerned. After locking suspects in custody some police officers are said to have demanded payments from accused persons before granting them bail.

The question is under which regulation of the police should they demand payment before granting police bail to accused persons? The police in some parts of the country have become debt collectors on behalf of some complainants whose complaints might be doubtful.

The Ghana Police Service have so far lived up to expectation. Therefore, the hierarchy of the service must accept this complaint to investigate these allegations just as done by the service to sanitize the Police service to stop a few members of the service from dragging it down.

Executive Director eanfoworld for sustainable development [email protected]/[email protected] 0244370345/0208844792/027485371
Elizabeth Foundation and Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media, Mr Femi Adesina have been honoured at the 2017 edition of the Aso Outstanding Awards.

They were conferred with the award on Saturday night in Abuja at the event organised by Aso Multimedia, an organisation that promotes national peace and development.

Elizabeth Foundation which is chaired by Mrs Adelami was honoured as the most outstanding humanitarian organisation in Aso.

Other recipients of the peace awards include Senator Babafemi Ojudu as Aso Personality of the Year, and Nancy Inyama honoured as the Aso Beauty Queen of the Year.

According to Mr Kinsley Agboola, the Project Manager of Aso Awards, the personalities are recognised for their immense contributions toward Nation building using the platform of their profession.

He said that the recipients had also been involved in humanitarian gestures over the years that had promoted education, and social harmony, which was in consonance with the objectives of Aso Awards.

Besides as individuals, these personalities have championed some humanitarian initiatives that have impacted the society in one way or the other, Agboola noted.

In his remark, Mrs Adelami expressed delight that the award was an indication that the society was interested in whatever one did.

This recognition is clarion call to duty in my little service to nation building.

I hope to strive to continue to put in my best both as a professional and a patriotic citizen of this great nation, especially in spreading the message of goodwill, she said.

The Aso awards, which cut across over 20 categories was also given to other Nigerians for their contributions to Nation building and development in Nigeria, especially in recent times.
Mr. Ernest Kofi Abotsi,a Lawyer and the Dean of GIMPA Law School has said that International Criminal Justice has come to stay despite all the arguments being held and the polemics .

He said" all arguments can be held,polemics,people can win,others can loose but the reality remains,International Criminal Justice is not going back. It has become part of the architecture of the International Legal institutional framework,it has become part of the discourse of International relations,it has become part and should be part of our domestic discourse."

Speaking at a two-day training program on the overview of International Criminal Law and Justice,Mr. Abotsi says that our political actors must be reminded anytime they choose to indulge in violence that beyond the domestic judicial institutions,there's an international and external accountability for their actions.

He continued to urge all Africans and Africa to remind ourselves that Africa is a place of habitation and not a place of death and destruction.

He therefore entreat all participants to become disciples and advocates of international Criminal justice.

The Seminar which was organized by the African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ) at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Law School was attended by over 100 participants mainly from the Law training Schools in Ghana,Lawyers, Journalists,Civil Servants and Prosecutors from the Ghana Police Service,and was on the theme : International Criminal Law and Justice: An overview.

The seminar featured resource persons such as Mr. Kwaku Agyeman -Budu,Deputy Director,ACICJ,Mr. Chris Nyinevi,Law Lecturer,KNUST, Dr. Prize McApreko,Dean,Legal Studies,Takoradi Technical University,Mrs. Audrey Abayena,Deputy Director,Legal and Consular Bureau,Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration,Maame A. Mensa-Bonsu,Law Lecturer,Lancaster University,Mr. Edmund Foley ,Criminal Law lecturer,GIMPA Law School and Mr. Godwin Dzah,Law lecturer also at the GIMPA Law School.

Participants were taken through the History of International Criminal Law and Justice (ICLJ) ,International Crimes in perspective: Genocide,crimes against Humanity and war crimes,Legal Basis /Justification for the establishment of the International Criminal Court,Jurisdiction and processes of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the International Criminal Court (ICC) and Africa,African public perception and participation in the International Criminal Law and Justice regime.

The Director of the African Centre of International Criminal Justice (ACICJ) and a Professor at Fordham Law ,Paolo Gallizzi said the aim of ACICJ's training program is to help build capacity across the Continent by introducing the basic concepts of International criminal law to African Lawmakers,Lawyers,Journalists,Law students,Civil society and the public at large.

He added that ACICJ will continue to liaise with other bodies to deliver on its core duty.

He therefore urged all the participants to create the awareness on the importance of International Law and Criminal Justice in order to promote good governance in the African continent.

The Participants were happy and thankful to ACICJ for the opportunity given them which has equipped them on matters relating to international criminal law and justice system.
Prosper Agbenyega, Deputy Editor of The Ghanaian Observer Represents VUMA Reputations In Ghana

13.08.2017 LISTEN

VUMA Reputation Management is delighted to announce that it has signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) with four leading African communications agencies, boosting the footprints of this leading South African reputation and Crisis Management Company across the continent.

Vuma Reputation Management is a proudly South African company that is certified AAA Level 1 contributor to broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) with a proven track record for working with multi-national companies across Africa.

In line with its strategy to grow its presence in Africa, the Johannesburg-headquartered company announced that it had signed MOUs with the following agencies and individuals BSD Group inNairobi-Kenya, Zeleman in Adis Ababa-Ethiopia, Prosper Agbenyega in Accra-Ghana and Design Innovation in Lusaka-Zambia.

Vuma Reputation Management, which is celebrating its 12th birthday in September this year, has quickly built a track record as a leading reputation and crisis management company in South Africa, having provided world-class advisory and consulting services to at least 50 JSE-listed companies. Vuma has also operated in 10 African countries, where it has provided support to multi-national companies.

With economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa projected by the World Bank to rebound over the next three years, following a lull last year, we want to be part of this growth story and contribute to the advancement of our beautiful continent, said Janine Hills, CEO and founder of Vuma Reputation Management, and also a board member for Brand South Africa.

Hills said the MOUs that Vuma Reputation Management has signed with its African partners will give the company strong presence in three African regions  namely East, West, and Southern Africa -- where African companies and multinationals can tap into the continents growth opportunities by leveraging strategic reputation management, communications, and public relations capabilities.

Tshepo Sefotlhelo, Chief Operations Officer for Vuma Reputation Management, has been instrumental in securing affiliate partnerships with these four leading agencies. We firmly believe that the journey we have embarked on with our African partners will accelerate our shared and mutual growth, whereby we will provide world class services to our clients doing business in Africa and those businesses that are looking for investment opportunities on the continent. We are Africans working for Africa, said Sefotlhelo.

According to the World Bank, growth in Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to recover moderately in 2017 to 2.6% after slowing in 2016 to 1.5%. The continents economic prospects are expected to improve further in 2018 and 2019, with Africas economy projected to expand at 3.2% and 3.5% respectively on the back of improvement in commodity prices and a recovery in the global economy.

As part of its expansion strategy, Vuma Reputation Management has established the Africa Division, which is led by Nonye Mpho Omotola, Business Director - Africa, who is a communications specialist with more than 15 years in strategic brand experience gained in the UK, South Africa, and Nigeria.

Omotola said the four communications agencies are a perfect fit for Vuma Reputation Management as they bring to the table their deep local knowledge of the markets they operate in, while Vuma Reputation Management brings a full range of reputation management and communications services that will benefit its African partners and their clients alike.

Vuma Reputation Management has more than a decade of experience in reinforcing our clients positions in their respective markets, and in creating proactive strategies to build and manage their reputations. We now want to grow our market leadership across Africa, where we have identified market gaps and opportunities to offer services, said Omotola.

Vuma Reputation Management will work closely with its partners to improve reputation management and communication standards on the African continent. Through the Vuma Training Academy, Vuma Reputation Management will transfer skills and knowledge to help develop a pool of African communication professionals and reputation managers to ensure that companies operating on the continent receive an excellent service.

With a proven track record and an extensive network of connections and influencers, Vuma Reputation Management specialises in building organisational reputations from the inside out, helping companies to take advantage of their strengths, to mitigate risks and to create a competitive advantage. The company specialises in reputation management, stakeholder relationship management, media relations management, crisis communication, and public relations.
The fight against human trafficking is gaining a stronger momentum, as well meaning Nigerians take part in ending it. On Friday, 11th August, 2017; Devatop Centre for Africa Development, a leading youth-based anti-human trafficking organization, paid an advocacy visit to Prince Mohammed SanniDantoro, a businessman philanthropist, reformist, and son to late HRH HaliruDantoroKitoro III (Emir of Borgu, Niger State) in Abuja.

The visit was led by the Executive Director of Devatop, Joseph OsuigweChidiebere, with his team: Ibrahim Hayatudeen the Media/Program Officer, Vivian Amalu the Project Officer, OmorogievaEghianruwa a volunteer, and Hilary Anegbe a media personnel.

While speaking during the visit, the Executive Director, Joseph OsuigweChidiebere commended the efforts of Prince Dantoro his job creation and infrastructural initiatives. He appealed to Prince Mohammed SanniDantoro to use his network and company to support Devatops project on The Academy for Prevention of Human Trafficking and Other Related Matters (TAPHOM) which includes training of 775 Anti-Human Trafficking Advocates from 775 local Governments Areas of 36 states in Nigeria, empowering survivors, publication of awareness materials, and setting up a Human Rights ICT Hub with Mobile Application.

He narrated how Devatop carried out a pilot project by training 120 young people from six states, and empowering them to reach out to 6000 people within nine months, and report incidences of human trafficking in their communities. Mrs. Vivian Amalu also briefed the prince on Devatops plan to empower vulnerable youth and women, as a way of preventing human trafficking.

In his response, Prince Mohammed SanniDantoro, the Chief Executive Officer of DMD Silverline, commended DevatopCenre for Africa Development for her creative efforts to eradicating human trafficking. According to him, It is expedient to start creating ways of preventing this Modern day slavery. Even if it is too difficult to rescue victims, we can prevent vulnerable young people from falling victims. Prevention is better. I have spent over 28 years outside Nigeria, and have seen young people wandering in the streets of Europe and Asia, which often made me felt sober.

He further hinted Devatop team on his plan to provide jobs to Nigeria youth which will go a long way to reduce the incidence of human trafficking.

While responding to the request of Devatop to execute her project, Prince Dantoro promised to support the development of human trafficking reporting mobile application and provide ICT materials.

Highlight of the visit was the presentation of Anti-Human Trafficking Supporters Award frame to Mohammed SanniDantoro as he endorsed the fight against Trafficking in Persons. This award usually goes to major supporters of Devatop as they endorse and pledge their support for the project. By supporting, their names will be on the Hall of Fame of the Academy.

The Advocacy visit was part of the commemoration of 2017 World Day against Trafficking in Persons. Prior the visit, on July 20, 2017 Devatop Centre for Africa Development organized a commemoration event for World Day Against Human Trafficking with the theme, Anti-Human Trafficking, a Corporate Social Responsibility. The event was attended by Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike Ekweremadu, Chief (Mrs) Amina TitiAtiku-Abubakar and many other dignitaries, aimed at raising over Fifty Million Naira (N50, 000 000) to establish The Academy for Prevention of Human Trafficking and Other Related Matters.

Devatop Centre for Africa Development has trained over 5500 young people on how to combat human trafficking, rescued three victims, and educated 300, 000 citizens since its inception in 2013. Devatop targets to build a nation without human trafficking and hopes to achieve this using the youth population who can take advantage of their strength and creativity to combat this ugly menace.

You can contact Devatop on 08141849616 or through email: [email protected] or on Twitter: @devatopafrica.
Mr Eugene Charway Mantey, Youth Leader of the Ningro-Prampram Constituency, Delivering His Speech

13.08.2017 LISTEN

Mr. Eugene Charway Mantey, Youth Leader of Ningro-Prampram Constituency, is urging the Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Hon. Sam George, to try as much as possible to do his best for the youth in the area to benefit from economic activities.

According to him, the idleness of the youth contributed heavily to the high level of crime in the constituency including killings and robberies.

Mr. Eugene Charway Mantey made these statements during the official launch of the Homowo Festival for the Prampram area.

The launch was also used to announce official activities lined up for the celebrations.

This year's Prampram Homowo is under the distinguished Royal Patronage of Nene Atsure benta III, the Chief of Ningo Prampram and Head of the traditional council.

The concerned youth leader also appealed to the Chiefs and people of the area to make Prampram the best destination for peace and development.

"As a youth leader for this area, I know all the challenges in this area; we know the MP is doing his best but we need more interventions to engage the growing jobless youth in the area. I believe this would go a long way to reduce crime.

...As we celebrate the Homowo festival I urge all the people and the chiefs of Prampram to use this occasion and reflect on the peace and unity we need to make this area the best of all destinations," Mr. Eugene Charway Mantey

The Homowo festival is a harvest festival celebrated by the people of the Ga Traditional Area, in the Greater Accra Region.

It originated from a period of great famine which was eventually followed by a bumper harvest in grain and fish. Thus, the word "Homowo", literally means "hooting at hunger".

The main highlight of this month-long festival is the special dish prepared from ground corn, steamed and mixed with palm oil and eaten with palmnut soup. Prayers for a peaceful and prosperous year are offered.

Each Ga chief is followed by a retinue with drumming, dancing and singing through his area where he sprinkles some of the special dish called "kpokpoi" and pours libation. It is merry-making for Gas, and visitors in particular are invited home to join in the feasting.

The festival is organized at varying times by different quarters of the Ga tribe and celebrated with the sprinkling of Kpokpoe [a mixture of palm soup and ground corn] by the traditional authorities.

The Ga-Mashie group celebrates the festival first followed by other towns including the La and Teshie groups.

Homowo recounts the migration of the Gas and reveals their agricultural success in their new settlement.

According to Ga oral tradition, a severe famine broke out among the people during their migration to present day Accra.

They were inspired by the famine to embark on massive food production exercises which eventually yielded them bumper harvests.

Their hunger ended and with great joy, they hooted at hunger.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Bank, Osei Asafo Adjei has appealed to government not to rush with the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

According to him, the lack of adequate time to complete the phases of the implementation of the policy may collapse the banks that have huge government deposits.

In Mr. Asafo Adjei's view, the affected banks should be given a time period of a minimum of a year so as not to cause any systematic failures in the banking industry.

Because the industry has been fed on government funds for a very long time, truncating it suddenly or giving us three months' notice is not enough. A minimum of six months to one year in my view would have been more like it, he argued.

With enough time, people will then begin to plan because there are rumours in the industry that some banks have as much as sixty percent or more of their deposits from government sources.

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta in presenting the 2017 budget statement to Parliament in March this year, announced the rolling out of a Treasury Single Account by the government.

TSA launched

The policy has since been launched and it is among other things, expected to see to the proper alignment of cash inflows and outflows in the public sector.

The aim of this is also to improve the predictability of budget implementations and cash allocations.

In line with this, the estimated 15,000 bank accounts of all government institutions will be transferred to the Central Bank for easy management and monitoring.

The Finance Minister in a recent interview with Citi Business News also admitted that the potential impact of the swift transfer of cash would make a progressive implementation plan unnegotiable.

But Citi Business News also understands that seven commercial banks will significantly be affected by the policy.

There are therefore suggestions for such institutions to embark on massive deposit drives and protect themselves from any possible shocks.



By: Anita Arthur/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
Senator (Counselor) Varney Sherman

13.08.2017 LISTEN

Senator Sherman, his wife Joyce, with doctors and nurses at the JFK Medical Center in Monrovia

Commentary (Profile)- The late U.S. president Abraham Lincoln once said, The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. Expanding on Lincolns words, it is perhaps accurate to say a person that is considered to have a good character exhibits attributes such as empathy, integrity, honesty, courage, loyalty, fortitude, and other important virtues that promote good behavior and habits, even in the midst of shadowed efforts and deceptive attempts to smear him or her.

Harry Varney Gboto-Nambi Sherman is not just a real leader, caring father, good husband and honorable citizen, he is also perhaps the most recognizable, respected, polished, dignified, accomplished and best known Liberian corporate lawyer. He is a Liberian politician of a different character; compassionate and compromising, strong but tender-hearted; determined, strict forward but forgiven, and above all, he is a unifier and consensus builder.

Known nationwide in Liberia and throughout Africa as Counselor Varney Sherman, the founder of Sherman and Sherman Inc., Liberias best known and internationally acceptable law firm, is a life-long humanitarian. He has done more good works than most people in Liberia, and he has done so for more than three decades as a private citizen. Through his Sherman and Sherman law practice, some of the recognizable Liberian lawyers (including most of the senior prosecutors and judges) in the country today gained their footing in the legal practice.

In politics, beginning in 1985 when he joined the Liberian Action Party that supported the late Jackson F. Doe from Nimba County, Sherman has always put the aspirations of others before his. In 1987, he did likewise by supporting former Land and Mines minister Cletus Wotorson for president. In 2003, he championed the leadership of Gyude Bryant (former interim president of Liberia) from Maryland County. And in 2011, he invested and led the movement that re-elected Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for a second term as president of Liberia.

What makes Sherman unique is not only the fact that he wishes no harm and harbors no ill feelings for anyone (even those who hate him and seek to destroy his good reputation), he recognizes the goodness, good deeds and dedication of others no matter their social status, age, race or tribe, gender or lifestyle. This embodiment is character good character and decency. This is what drives the man known simply as Cllr. Sherman, the senator representing the culturally dynamic people of Grand Cape Mount County in the Liberian senate.

Few months ago, the senator fell seriously ill during a major ceremony at the Capitol Building, home of the Liberian senate. With the help of colleagues and the fortunate present of some Liberian medical professionals, he was rushed to the largest, best known and largest medical institution in the country, the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia, for an emergency treatment before being flown abroad for further medical care.

Mrs. Joyce Sherman, wife of Senator Varney Sherman

In the middle of his unconsciousness, illness and the tumble, hustles and rush, Senator Sherman recognized that there were people (caring nurses and good doctors) and an institution taking care of him. He understood the compassion and desire of those people to help him survive in the midst of chaos, deficiencies and wantsespecially when the hospital and maybe the entire country lack a simple good CT scan machine, except for the only one in Nimba County.

In demonstration of his character as an observant and a man of generosity and vision, Senator Sherman has initiated a campaign to purchase a CT scan for Liberias largest medical institution known as the JFK Medical Center upon his return from the United States where he underwent advanced medical care.

Senator Sherman and his wife, Joyce Sherman, a seasoned health care administrator and retired senior nurse practitioner in the United States, paid what they referred to as an appreciation visit to the administration of the John F. Kennedy Medical Center on Tuesday, August 9, 2017. There, the couple launched a project to purchase a CT scan machine for the hospital.

Cllr. Sherman immediately made an initial donation of US$5,000 on behalf of his family, while his reputable law firm, Sherman and Sherman, Inc., also contributed an additional US$5,000, equaling to US$10,000.

On behalf of his wife and family, Senator Sherman said his visit was to thank the hospital for the quality of care and services they provided him when he was taken there for treatment after an illness-driven fall at the Capitol Building in May 2017. The senator said he is alive today because of JFK medical advice that he should go to the Jackson F. Doe Hospital in Tappita, Nimba County for a CT scan, which he did, saying, it cost over US$2,000 for a chartered flight to get to Tappita where the only CT scan in the country is located.

Registered nurses at the JFKs Medical Center in Monrovia

The senator said after his treatment in the US, when he expressed his gratitude to the physicians who treated him for the excellent care he received, the US physicians informed him that it was because of the physicians who first took care of him where he came from, implying the physicians at the JFK Medical Center in Monrovia, Liberia.

I am here today to launch a project to purchase a CT scan for the JFK. I am going to lobby with my business associates and colleagues to bring the machine here, because it concerns me since I returned to the country, Sherman assured the JFKs administration.

I am going through my recovery process, but the surgery was successful and I am not incapacitated, I can walk, talk like what I used to do before, and can remember everything that comes my way, he said.

The senators action is not surprising but perhaps refreshing for people who do not know the man who has done so much good deeds but has, over the years, elected to do many good things quietly and privately. This is why it is important that Liberians get to fully know the man Varney Sherman.

Varney Sherman was born on February 16, 1953, in Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County. He attended and graduated from St. Johns Episcopal High School in 1971, and continued his education at Episcopalian Cuttington University where he earned a bachelors degree in 1975 before enrolling Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law at the University of Liberia in Monrovia in where he was awarded a Bachelor of Laws in 1979. He matriculated and completed his graduate education at Harvard Law School where he was awarded Master of Law in 1982.

In 2003, Cuttington University in Liberia conferred on him the honorary Doctors of Laws (LLD) degree in recognition of his philanthropy initiatives, especially his personal financial and material support for higher education throughout Liberia.

In 1980, Sherman joined the law firm of Maxwell & Maxwell as an associate, serving both as a consulting attorney and a trial lawyer, a period considered tumultuous in the country following 1980 military coup detat.

Even though Sherman was a recent Harvard Law Schools graduate, he was delegated to manage the legal affairs of the firms global corporate clients, including major banks (Citibank, Chase Manhattan Bank, Tradevco Bank, BCCI), engineering and construction companies (Vianini Construction Company, Leminkainen OY, Societa Lavori Porto Della Torre Buccimazza Industrial Works); petroleum products distributing companies (Mobil Oil Liberia Inc., BP West Africa (Liberia) Ltd., AGIP Liberia Limited); import/export and general merchandising (Wazni Trading Corporation, CFAO Liberia Limited) and agriculture and forestry companies (Firestone Plantations Company, Cestos Nimba Corporation). He did this with excellence and won a name for himself.

In addition to law practice, Counselor (Senator) Sherman is or has been a professor at the Louis Arthur Grimes Law School at the University of Liberia where, without compensation and as a personal contribution to his alma mater, he teaches/taught corporation law and taxation law. For many years he served as a permanent member of the Board of Examiners to examine attorneys-at-law who applied to become counselors-at-law to practice before the Supreme Court of Liberia.

He served as President of the National Bar Association from 1993  1996. Over the years, he has also served on various Liberian Government commissions such as the Economic and Financial Reform Commission (1989  1990); the Tax Reform Commission (1999  2000); the Telecommunications Reform Commission (2002); and the Law Reform Commission (2006); He is the Honorary Counsel for the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in Liberia.

Counselor Sherman has served on the boards of the following universities in Liberia: Cuttington University, AME Zion University, Stella Maria Polytechnic University and several non-governmental charitable organizations.

While Sherman is not a typical politician, he comes across as a unifier, honest broker, and a man with integrity and common sense. By 1997, in the aftermath of the First Liberian Civil War, Sherman started to speak conspicuously on political matters with honesty, fairness and respect for the views of others.

He acquired an eye-grabbing newspapers coverage for a heartfelt speech he gave to the Liberian Business Association, denouncing the Liberian government for what he saw as the non-enforcement of a hiring policy meant to favor Liberian citizens and businesses.

In 2005, he ran as the standard bearer of a four-party Coalition for the Transformation of Liberia (COTOL) in the 11 Octobers presidential election before eventually dropping out and endorsed George Weah of the Congress for Democratic Change for the run-off election.

After the merger of his Liberia Action Party into the Unity Party in 2009, Sherman was chosen to become the national chairman of the party and eventually led the coalition to victory in the re-election efforts of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Senator Sherman is a man of character, and the character of those in leadership roles is important. Most of us recognize this and require it in the leaders that we look to or work for. Instead of giving in to egotistical desires, or acts simply to find shortcuts to solutions through selfish acts, Senator Sherman, best known as Cllr. Sherman, has demonstrated a character that is a minefield. It is almost indescribable. His character gives him empathy.

The launching of an effort to purchase a CT scan for the largest and most populous medical center in Liberia is an example of the character of Senator Varney Sherman simply known as Counselor Sherman. Liberians should be thankful to Senator and Mrs. Sherman. The CT scan will save the lives of many when it is purchased and installed at the JFK Medical Center.

For this and the many good things Senator Sherman has done for Grand Cape Mount County and the Republic of Liberia, Liberians should salute him. Above all, Grand Cape Mount County Stands by and with their senator.
Nollywood actor, Richard Mofe Damijo, is one celebrity and grandfather that has refused to age as he keeps giving the cute young guys a tough run for their money.

Despite the fact that he is married with children and grandchildren, he still has lots of ladies still crushing on him because of his neatness and good looks.

The actor being a true lover of fashion and has high taste for fashion has decided to patronize made in Nigeria products ranging from fashion to other accessories.

In his words, Made in Nigeria never felt so good. In the strive for a better Nigeria I have had to look inwards to buying everything I need from clothes to accessories. For fashion, furniture and footwear I think it's safe to say we are almost there. Last year, the Mrs and I walked into this shop in Victoria Island, Lagos to buy a high back chair and was told 2.8m naira. Wifey who wanted the chair more than I did was the first to head for the door. I called up a furniture maker in Benin, Enibos furnitures, that had built me a door a few years back and the result is this beautiful one I am sitting on and yea, it cost me way less than the one in the shop. Not to mention the pretty sandals I am wearing by @amystunner another made in Nigeria product that compares with all that is out there. Respect to all those digging in to make us look better. Keep doing what you're doing and we will get there.
'The big truck is still on ...
New business

Steve Ramer has purchased Missoula Septic Service and started his own business Missoula Septic and drain cleaning. This business has served the Missoula community for over 50 years. Ramer began his septic career in 1975 learning the business with his father from the ground up. He has also ran his own drain cleaning business for 10 years and served in the Army for four years.

God Shot Espresso Bar, a specialty coffee shop, has opened at The Source Health Club, 255 S. Russell St. In addition to its Slayer espresso machine and hand-picked baristas, the location will feature smoothies, protein shakes and protein-packed "grab and go" foods. God Shot Espresso Bar was founded by current University of Montana students Natalie and Gunnar Boose. Phone 406-261-6934.

New associates

Jason Kiely has joined Montana & Idaho Community Development Corporation as Director of HomeNow, the nonprofit organizations new program that helps more working Montanans become homeowners by covering their down payment. Kiely will be responsible for product and market development, strategy and sales, and will work closely with Realtors, mortgage lenders and buyers across the state of Montana. Jason previously served as Sales Director at Rivertop Renewables Inc. He holds a bachelors degree from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, and serves on the board of Missoula International School.

Tawnya Cazier, MSW, SWLC, has joined Winds of Change Mental Health Center in Missoula as a therapist. Cazier has six years experience in the field of rape trauma and domestic violence crisis response. Her work focuses on maintaining client-centered, trauma-informed care, while using the following types of therapy: CBT, DBT and Narrative Therapy. She attended the University of Montana School of Social Work Graduate Program. Winds of Change, with locations in Missoula and Bozeman, offers recovery-oriented mental health services such as case management, community-based psychiatric and rehabilitation services, adult group homes (currently in Missoula, with future plans for Bozeman), peer support, and recovery mall. Services are tailored to youth and adults who may be experiencing trauma, anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, autism, Aspergers, or self-harming behaviors. Winds of Change was founded in 2006 in Missoula and is an affiliate of The Wellness Institute of Montana, managed by Jennings Management of Missoula. Call 541-HOPE (4673) or visit wellnessMT.com.

Susan Cuff has joined Make-A-Wish Montana as operations coordinator. She comes to Make-A-Wish after 10 years with the University of Montana Office of Alumni Relations. Make-A-Wish Montana grants the wishes of Montana children with life-threatening illnesses.

Elected

Rebecca Stancil, RS Consulting and Family Self Sufficiency Program Director with Missoula Housing Authority, was elected president of Montana Chapter of International Association of Workforce Professionals (IAWP) and serves as the district director of IAWP, which includes all Pacific Northwestern States. IAWP is a worldwide educational association providing its workforce members with professional development opportunities that help them better serve their clients. Rebecca has over 12 years experience working with clients, whose focus is completing job training/obtaining a degree, securing employment, improving their credit score, and stabilizing their housing.

Recognition

Nora Templer was top producer for the month of July at RE/MAX All Stars in Missoula. Templer has been a full time licensed Broker for 18 years and specializes in Residential and Commercial Real Estate. She can be reached at 880-7508.

Julissa Benica-Hensel, Employment Specialist with Missoula Job Service, was recognized with the Workforce Customer Services Award from the Montana Chapter of International Association of Workforce Professionals. Her creativity and innovation in solidifying her workforce development work with Missoula County Public Schools, and surrounding areas has set her apart from others in her field. She has created the employment focused workshops in area high school that are tailored to help young workers. Benica-Hensel is a co-chair of Montana IAWP Education Committee and has the distinction of a Certified Workforce Professional.

Amy Johnson was the top residential producer at Properties 2000 for the month of July. Johnson is a sales associate of Properties 2000 and specializes in residential sales.

Jill Valley of KPAX TV was awarded Broadcaster of the Year at the recent Montana Broadcasters Association awards ceremony and Erin Yost was runner-up in the Weathercaster of the Year category. The KPAX News Team also won an E.B. Craney award in the Breaking News category for their coverage of last years Roaring Lion fire.

The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives awarded the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitor Bureau The Best in Show award in Communications Excellence in the advertising and marketing mid-sized chamber category. The advertising campaign, to attract San Francisco travelers and increase seats on new direct air service, was created by the Missoula based marketing agency PartnersCreative.

The ERA Lambros Top Producers for the month of July were the McQuirk team (Barb, Bill, Mark and Tiffany McQuirk) for commercial, Tory Dailey for residential, Catherine Taylor for the Hamilton office, Karen Nalley for the Libby office, Jodie Hooker for the Polson office and Tono Lippy for the Florence office.
One of the largest tracts of undeveloped land ever listed for sale in the Missoula urban area, 105 acres of hilly, scenic grasslands in the South Hills, was recently put up for sale for $16 million by a wealthy philanthropist.

If developed, it could radically transform the area with an increase in population density and traffic while boosting the citys tax base.

Development would ease the pressure on the current housing crunch but would also put demand on city services in the area. If bought by someone with the means to conserve it, it would remain a prime piece of open space and wildlife habitat.

The property at 5001 Hillview Way includes just one six-bedroom home and a guesthouse, is surrounded by residential neighborhoods and is near the Mount Dean Stone open space project in the works by the Five Valleys Land Trust.

The land is zoned in such a way that, theoretically, it could hold 3,141 multifamily units and 694 single-family homes. However, Mike Haynes, the director of the citys Development Services office, said that isnt likely to happen.

The more reasonable development scenario is 660 units due to the parcel size and configuration, hillside standards, mixed zoning and development constraints, he said.

The property is owned by Sophie Craighead, a philanthropist based in Kelly, Wyoming, who is the daughter of the late wealthy minerals industrialist Charles W. Engelhard, Jr., according to Jackson Hole Magazine. Sophie Craighead is married to ecologist Derek Craighead, who is the son of the late, legendary Missoula-based conservationist John Craighead.

This property is one of the most prime pieces of developable property ever listed in Missoula or western Montana, for that matter, said Ed Coffman of ERA Lambros Real Estate, who is the co-listing agent for the property along with Bill McDavid of Hall and Hall Real Estate in Missoula.

Once you get to the top of the gentle slope, it flattens out. You look around here, and youve got terrific views when you dont have forest fires,'' Coffman said. "And the whole thing with this, by my way of looking at it, is (development) is going to grant access by putting roads and trails in here to all these people all down in here, all of Missoula actually. Theyll be able to ride their bikes and walk and access all this (Mount Dean Stone) property up here for miles and miles and miles.

Coffman agreed that the design, topography and available utilities will likely lessen the maximum density allowed.

All but 40 acres are located within city limits, and the rest is county land. There are six different zoning designations and seven different legal parcel descriptions. Along Hillview Way, the city zoning allows for light commercial on 3.5 acres, which could include bed and breakfasts or other businesses.

Coffman said its not up to him whether the property gets developed or bought by someone who wants to preserve it as open space.

Its zoned for a staggering amount of density, he explained. It would take time (to develop). Its a big project.

McDavid said that the property is more suitable for housing development than other agricultural lands in the county that are in river riparian areas with prime soils, such as the Frenchtown area.

I think probably a lot of people would feel like it would be great to see one person buy this and keep it as is, and it would be great," McDavid said. "But then again, I would think from a conservationist perspective, theres a pretty strong argument that these places get developed, places like this, which is a much better alternative than development thats going to spread you out all over the geography in the greater county."

Haynes said that every building permit that is issued on certain properties in the Hillview Way area will help pay for the recent reconstruction of Hillview Way.

Elizabeth Erickson, the city's Open Space Program Manager, said if a proposed open space conservation project at the Oxbow Cattle Company between Missoula and Lolo is approved later this month, $320,000 will remain of the city's $5 million from the 2006, voter-approved, $10 million open space bond the city shares with Missoula County.

Erickson said the city's open space planning region extends beyond the boundary of the city limits, and there have been a handful of projects that the city and county financially collaborated on because they were mutually beneficial.

But with open space funds dwindling, there's no way the city could afford the $16 million price tag to save the Hillview Way property, obviously.

"That property is beautiful grassland habitat and scenic open space, and it also has the potential for helping connect a trail from Hillview Way up to Rimel Road," Erickson said. "That being said, it's also in close proximity to a lot of services. There's good schools nearby, transportation infrastructure and parks. It's an opportunity to balance residential development with potentially protecting the more important habitat sections of the property."

Part of the land contains an old gravel pit, and that's where the highest density housing would be allowed, Erickson said.

"Generally, open space conservation always has to be balanced with Missoula's housing needs, and that could happen within close proximity," Erickson said. "The city's growth policy anticipates residential growth in this area, and it shows fairly dense development as a proposed land use. There's an opportunity for both development and preservation of open space."

A spokesperson for the Five Valleys Land Trust said that organization is not commenting on the property.

A map with interactive layers of the property can be found online at https://mapright.com/ranching/maps/6e09d3c6b2e0d72d6730062d735136b7/share.
- Unknown gunmen have again attacked Anambra church

- Gunmen had on Sunday August 6 killed some worshippers at Ozubulu church in Anambra state

- Eyewitness account revealed that the gunmen killed a policeman and a civilian

Gunmen on Sunday August 13, allegedly struck at the Assemblies of God Church on the Oguta road Onitsha, Anambra state killing one policeman and a civilian.

Punch reports that the incident happened seven days after gunmen attacked St Philips Catholic Church, Ozubulu and killed no fewer than 13 persons and injured 27.

Legit.ng gathered that an eyewitness account reported that the gunmen had momentarily stopped at the Assemblies of God Church, but on sighting some policemen at the church, opened fire on them.

READ ALSO: Evans gives valuable confession as police make more arrests

When the firing became too hot, the policemen abandoned their patrol vehicle and ran away for safety.

The gunmen moved to their patrol van and took a gun belonging to the policeman they killed.

I saw two of the gunmen but I cant say how many they are in number", an eyewitness said.

Another eyewitness said, Gunmen on Okada(motorcycle) shot a policeman and collected his rifle. They also shot dead an Okada man while escaping, and the passenger he was carrying was injured. The policeman was the one armed among his colleagues ; they were providing security while church service was going on at Assemblies of God Church, Oguta road Onitsha.

The Anambra state Commissioner of Police, Mr Garba Umar confirmed the incident to journalists.

He said it was not an attack on the church, adding My men were on patrol near the church when they were attacked by some gunmen. It was not an attack on the church, in the real sense of it.

The commissioner confirmed that the hoodlums took away a rifle belonging to the slain cop.

A Facebook user, Aniede Obinna Daniel said that the shooting did not occur in a church and that a man on a bike going to church along uguta road was shot by some guy with gun and the bike man but the bike man has something that protected him so the passenger died.

According to him, "Aniede Obinna Daniel Something you guys did not understand is that the shooting is not in a church its a man on a bike going to church along uguta road some guy with gun block and short the man and the bike man but the bike man has something that protected him so the passenger dead."

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The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige had on Saturday August 12, said the Federal Government would work out modalities on how to secure places of worship in the country.

Leading a federal government delegation to commiserate with the people of Anambra State on the Ozubulu shooting, Ngige said that had become expedient following incessant attacks on places of worship.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that residents of Ozubulu community where a gunman killed scores of worshippers at the St Philips Catholic Church have expressed fears that opposing gangs might retaliate over the killing of their relatives.

Watch this Legit.ng video as family members of those attacked by the Badoo Cult group in Lagos speak:

Source: Legit.ng
- Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that no old politician in Nigeria is ready to leave stage for the youth

- Obasanjo, however, advised the youth to come out and contest elective positions during the next elections

- He also revealed the type of leader who will take the country to the promised land

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that unless Nigerian youths come out to contest elective positions, old generation politicians would not quit the stage for them.

Punch reports that the former president spoke on Saturday August 12, in Abeokuta, Ogun state, at the Youth Governance Dialogue organised to mark International Youth Day 2017.

Legit.ng gathered that the programme was organised by Youth Development Centre of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Gunmen allegedly attack another Anambra church, kill policeman, civilian

Obasanjo, however, was quick to add that the youth who would occupy leadership positions in the country must have carved a niche for themselves through hard work.

Obasanjo, who warned that leadership is not just for the asking, said youths have to work for it.

The former president who noted that moral values have been eroded in the society when compared to what obtained in the 50s and the 60s, said those moral values were required for leadership position.

He said Nigeria was in need of leaders who are academically and spiritually sound, urging the youths to get prepared to occupy elective offices, as there were moves to lower the age requirements for election into elective positions such as that of the president, governor, and National Assembly.

He appealed to them to stop complaining and moaning.

Obasanjo said: I joined politics from the top. The only position I contested for in Nigeria is the Presidency, but I had a track record of achievements, which led to that.

Nobody will choose you; you have to choose yourself. Why should you have to become president at the age of 40? Why cant you become president at the age of 35? Why cant you become president at the age of 30?

General Gowon became Head of State at 33. I became Head of State at 39. And it is because of my track record, and thanks to (late Gen. Sani) Abacha) for putting me in jail.

Those were the reasons why I have opportunity to come back as elected president of Nigeria.

The point is this: how prepared are you? Are you really prepared?

The former President also spoke about unity and integration, urging Nigerians to see themselves as one family instead of pursuing things that could divide the country.

He also called on Nigerian youths to be united, and to also contribute to the development of their fatherland.

The former Attoney-General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi (SAN), who spoke on the roles of youth in peace and stability of a nation, urged Nigerian youths not to allow artificial boundaries to split them.

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Rather, he counselled, they should work more on things that would unite them as a people

He said: If Obasanjo can make it, you can also make it. He joined the army and survived. When he was sent to prison, he survived. He was sentenced to death but here he is.

The chairman of the occasion, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), urged Nigerian youths to eschew violence, and to remain resolute and committed to Nigerias development.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Obasanjo explained why Nigeria has not known anything called military intervention in its democratic journey since 1999.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of Osinbajo speaking about Biafra and the unity of Nigeria:

Source: Legit.ng
- A group has alleged that the Gombe state governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, and some other top members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are sponsors of the anti-Buhari protest

- The group said PDP paid N300 million to the leaders of the anti-Buhari protests in Abuja

- The group also alleged that the money was paid to engage some celebrities and organizers of the protest for fear of President Muhammadu Buhari's resumption

A civil society organization has alleged that Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe state and some other top members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) sponsored the anti-Buhari protest ongoing in Abuja, Nigeria's capital city.

The Centre for Truth and Justice (CTJ) said top members of the PDP including former Ondo state governor, Olusegun Mimiko, paid N300 million to the leaders of the anti-Buhari protests in Abuja.

CTJ's national coordinator, Timothy Charles, while speaking to journalists in Abuja also described the protest led by musician Charles 'Charly Boy' Oputa as "sponsored anti-Buhari protests", saying the PDP members engaged some celebrities and organizers of the protest for fear of President Muhammadu Buhari's resumption.

Charles said the protesters and their leaders were paid with a directive to cause disorder across the nation in order to portray the Buhari administration as anti-people.

READ ALSO: Evans gives valuable confession as police make more arrests

He said patriotic citizens would have conducted themselves in orderly manner and cooperated with law enforcement to ensure their march was not hijacked.

Charles also said same cannot be said for the #ourmumudondo protesters, whose thugs were confrontational against law enforcement agents from the start.

He said: "Another thing that these protesters are unaware of was that their sponsors have equally mobilized thugs to join the so-called protests for the sole aim of fomenting trouble. The strategy is for these thugs to deliberately clash with law enforcement and then cause widespread violence, arson and looting that will eventually result in a breakdown of law and order.

"Even more worrisome is the specific request from these sponsors that the thugs must ensure there is loss of life from the protest so that they can claim that security agencies and by implication the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is killing protesters," Charles said.

He also alleged that the sponsors of the protest have tried various gimmicks in the past, in an attempt to throw the country into confusion but have failed.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Gunmen allegedly attack another Anambra church, kill policeman, civilian

"Some of them have sponsored terrorism or militancy, depending on the region, and failed to use these to bring Nigeria down. They have now resorted to street protests under the guise that they are demanding President Muhammadu Buhari to cut short his medical vacation and resume duties.

"For those who have not noticed, we want to point out that these protesters are not new. They had held similar protests in the past under different names and with multiple excuses. What they have simply done this time is to rebrand their name into #ourmumudondo and add a few more desperate celebrity activists to their ranks; their driving ideology for causing chaos has not changed one bit."

"To prove that these protests have motives other than the one the protesters are presenting, even the explanation by the Senate that President Buhari has not breached any rule did not suffice to educate them to desist from their foolish ways. Instead, they are heaping insults on the lawmakers simply because they could not have their way.

"Such intolerance smacks of people with a fascist bend of mind even when they masquerade that their actions were driven by a law for democracy. Unfortunately, their own brand of democracy does not accept a National Assembly.

"We therefore warn Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko who are the brain behind the protest against the ailing President.

"Both Dankwambo and Mimiko are entitled to throw away their humanity on the altar of ambition but they must be aware that whatever position they are desperate to attain is not worth plunging the country into crisis over. They are free to spend their money any way they want but financing urchins, riffraff and celebrity activists but truly patriotic Nigerians will not sit by and watch them plunge the country into trouble," the group said.

Legit.ng earlier reported that there was tension in Abuja on Friday, August 11, after members of a pro-Buhari protesting group tried to confront the anti-Buhari protesters led by Char;y Boy and a former PDP director of new media Deji Adeyanju.

The pro-Buhari group during its protest at the Unity Fountain had charged towards the pro-Buhari group before they were stopped by the police and other security officers.

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The pro-Buhari group were protesting against corruption and the attempt by some groups - including the Charly Boy-led group - to undermine the efforts of the President Muhammadu Buhari's administration in fighting corruption.

However, the Charly Boy group in their demand condemned the long stay of President Buhari in London.

They also called for the resumption of duty by the president or his resignation.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Samuel Ortom disclosing what governors told Buhari during their visit to Abuja House, London.

Source: Legit.ng
- The Presidency says there will always be mutual cooperation between Nigeria and China

- Spokesman Adesina said the Nigerian media team would also like to gain from the country's relations with China

- Chinese minister Guo Weimin says the country has also learned a lot from Nigeria

The Presidency has said President Muhammadu Buhari cherishes Nigerias relationship with China.

Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina made the revelation on Sunday, August 13 in a statement by Abiodun Oladunjoye, the Deputy Director (Information).

According to the statement, Adesina said the relationship between Nigeria and China is one that President Muhammadu Buhari cherishes and values highly.

Adesina said this when he received in audience the Vice Minister of Information of State Council, Peoples Republic of China Guo Weimin who was on an official visit to Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Evans gives valuable confession as police make more arrests

The Presidential spokesman said the fact that the Nigerian President cherishes the cooperation between Nigeria and China automatically means there will always be areas of mutual cooperation between the two countries from which their media organisations should profit.

He reiterated the readiness of the presidential media team to build on the existing relationship while also exploring other areas of cooperation.

Adesina further assured the visiting Minister that the presidential media office will work closely with the Ministry of Information to explore areas where the agreements signed during the visit will enhance the interests of the Nigerian media in particular and the Nigerian government in general.

The Vice Minister, Guo Weimin had earlier informed Mr Adesina that he led a team of other officials of the Chinese government to explore areas of exchange of ideas towards deepening the relationship between the Chinese and the Nigerian media industry. He mentioned New Media, transparency in governance, broadcast communication and socio-cultural values as areas in which they hope to share ideas with their Nigerian counterparts.

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He also acknowledged that Presidential spokesmen have a big role to play in deepening this relationship and therefore solicits the cooperation of Adesina in that regard.

Gou Weimin also said that his delegation had interacted with a broad spectrum of Nigerian media professionals to hear first-hand from them their expectations from the visit of the Chinese.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported earlier that President Buhari has sent his greetings to Nigerians informing them that he would soon be home from London.

The president said this when he received a delegation from his government led by Lai Mohammed, the information and culture minister.

The others on the delegation include Femi Adesina, Garba Shehu, Lauretta Onochie and Abike Dabiri.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Nigerians sharing their opinion on President Buhari's popularity

Source: Legit.ng
- MASSOB has warned the federal government not to try re-arresting Nnamdi Kanu

- Arewa youth had called for re-arrest of Kanu over what they described as hate speech

- MASSOB, however, noted that Kanus re-arrest may lead to major crisis in Nigeria

A faction of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) on Sunday August 13, warned the federal government that re-arresting pro-Biafran leader, Nnamdi Kanu could lead to a crisis unprecedented in the history of the country.

Premium Times reports that Kanu, leader of another pro-Biafran group, Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), was arrested and detained by the federal government for alleged treason in 2015.

Legit.ng gathered that Kanu was granted bail earlier this year with some conditions, which include that he must not be seen in a crowd of more than 10 persons and he must not address press conference or interviews, conditions he has serially flouted.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Gunmen allegedly attack another Anambra church, kill policeman, civilian

He also backed a one-day seat at home protest by Igbos in the South-east and South-south of the country to press home their demand for a separate Biafran country.

The seat-at-home protest was largely successful especially in the South-east, a situation that heightened the already charged political atmosphere in the country.

Lately, various groups including the Arewa Youth Assembly have called on security agencies to re-arrest Kanu for inciting statements.

But, MASSOB, in a statement by the factional leader, Uchenna Madu, warned that if Kanu is re-arrested, the country may not recover from the crisis such action will generate.

MASSOB warns that any attempts or plan to re arrest Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will be thoroughly and massively resisted. We can never tolerate it. It is an insult and embarrassment to our inalienable Rights. We shall collapse Nigeria if he is arrested.

Now that we know that our consistency and exposure of the hidden truths is dangerously frustrating, disorganising and killing their age long agendas against the people of Biafra, we shall never relent or surrender, Madu stated.

Earlier in June it was reported how another faction of MASSOB condemned Mr. Kanus use of hate speech.

MASSOB had existed for 18 years without violence, but in 2009, I went to London and opened Radio Biafra and handed it over to Nnamdi Kanu as the director, another MASSOB leader, Ralph Uwazurike, said.

Soon afterwards, politicians hijacked him, and he started working for them.

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The radio that was meant to educate our people and advise our people was turned into the source of hate messages, blackmail, intimidation and others.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that in reaction to reports that the south south is not part of Biafra, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB) said that the entire south south geopolitical zone and the entire Eastern Nigeria are included within the territory of Biafra.

Watch this Legit.ng TV video asking if Biafra is really achievable:

Source: Legit.ng
Debbie Fillmore received word in 2015 that the program she led at Missoula College was an enrollment driver primed for growth.

An assessment of 105 programs at the University of Montana had identified just 10 as "ready for growth," including Fillmore's small but robust Surgical Technology unit.

The report noted that with additional staff, those programs could take off.

It found, for example, that:

 Media Arts had "a great need" for a faculty member in sound.

 Health and Human Performance needed more faculty to handle an increased student load.

The graduate program of the School of Public and Community Health Sciences needed additional instructors.

But the additional resources never materialized. And now, at least some programs identified as set for growth in 2015 are instead losing faculty.

Fillmore, former associate professor and once head of Surgical Technology, took an early retirement buyout, and she's one of multiple faculty members leaving from programs earlier identified as ready to grow, according to data from UM.

In the meantime, UM has embarked on another similar undertaking to review programs. To some, it sounds like deja vu.

Fillmore, for one, said she remains frustrated and disheartened that UM identified enrollment drivers in 2015 but then did little to support them.

"How are we supposed to recruit the numbers we're supposed to recruit when there's no money  and I mean zero money  budgeted for the outreach?" Fillmore said.

***

In June 2015, the Academic Alignment and Innovation Program issued a final report noting areas that were ready to grow and ones that were struggling.

Faculty involved in the assessment didn't want the outcome to be used as a justification to cut programs. But that fall, then-President Royce Engstrom announced UM needed to make reductions. He identified programs to strengthen based in part on that review, and he also named targets for cuts based on low enrollment.

Even after layoffs and other reductions announced in January 2016, though, officials from the Montana Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education said UM still needed to trim faculty. In fact, if UM didn't shift resources from programs that were losing students, it was "dragging down the programs ... that are growing or have the potential to grow," said spokesman Kevin McRae in November 2016.

This summer, some programs earlier pegged as "ready for growth" are instead losing employees, according to data from UM:

In Media Arts, two of seven tenured and tenure-track faculty are leaving.

Health and Human Performance is losing two out of 13.

School of Public and Community Health Sciences is losing two out of six.

The most recent data from UM shows that overall, 41 faculty out of 552 will not return this school year. Some faculty took buyouts, some left for other reasons, and President Sheila Stearns has said only faculty considered "mission critical" will be replaced.

***

Tony Ward, chair of the School of Public and Community Health Sciences, said his program has already filled one position and will fill another by Jan. 1 because accreditation requires it.

Faculty are working hard to recruit students, and the program is launching new degrees and developing new partnerships, he said. He said he doesn't have a sense of how the program compares to others on campus, but he said the process to set priorities may benefit UM in unexpected ways in the end.

"Sometimes, in the darkest times, there will be opportunities that rise out of it. I don't know. I guess time will tell," Ward said.

Rick Hughes, in Media Arts, said he keeps his focus squarely on students. People in his program have revamped classes, completely rethought educational models, and roped in graduate students, "the unsung heroes in all of this," to deal with budget realities, he said.

"I'm not going to sit here and say that it's been a fun ride," Hughes said. "It's been a real struggle. But you find out what people are made of."

Since the earlier process identified Media Arts as "ready for growth," the program lost a staff member and finished last year with no staff, he said. He himself did clerical work last year, but as he sees it, the old review isn't relevant anymore.

At the end of the day, Hughes said he isn't looking for a pat on the back from Main Hall, but for positive outcomes for students. And Media Arts continues to get praise from those it teaches.

"We're taking hits financially. Anybody with two eyes can see that. We're losing money. We lost a staff member. It has not been good.

"But we haven't lost so much that we haven't been able to do what we do and plan for the future," Hughes said.

***

Shannon O'Brien, dean of Missoula College, said the Surgical Technology program is expensive, and initial labor statistics indicate it was producing 13 or 14 graduates a year when only nine or 10 were needed.

That program has had satellite offices in Billings and Butte, and O'Brien said the college will help students who are already admitted or in the pipeline finish their degrees. But it may not enroll students in Billings in spring 2019, and she said there does not appear to be current demand in Butte.

UM is taking "a big step back" to learn which programs and services are most needed, she said, and Missoula College doesn't plan to bolster Surgical Technology and recruit students to it until it has more information.

"We're not making promises that we don't know if we'll be able to keep," O'Brien said.

Fillmore, who helped build the program into one a national accreditation body considered a model, said it placed 100 percent of its graduates, counted a 100 percent pass rate on national exams, and served the communities in which it operated.

When she learned the program might phase out its offsite locations despite the review in 2015, she decided to take a buyout.

"That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I could not stay and watch that program go," Fillmore said.

***

The earlier program review and subsequent cuts appear to have left UM still needing to shift resources.

Stearns said she's asked herself why UM seems stuck in the same place, and she doesn't know the answer. But Stearns, serving in an interim capacity since December 2016, also said she's committed to seeing the current process through to the end.

Last fall, McRae said shifting resources at UM is difficult because of faculty pushback and media attention.

Former President Engstrom could not be reached for comment, but Stearns agreed the process will be difficult. She also said she has strategies that provide some insulation.

The process of reviewing programs and setting priorities is being conducted in the open, it's collaborative, and it is compiling a vast amount of information, she said. Stearns said she doesn't mind if people disagree with her decisions, and she's certain some will.

"But I think it will be unlikely that it's asserted that I made them on the basis of inadequate information or without enough consultation," Stearns said.

She also said she doesn't want to push decisions "down the trail," and she does want to leave the table set for a new president so UM can build a timely budget next year without starting the process over again. Recruitment is underway for a permanent president at UM.

"Every bit of presidential muscle I can put behind this, I have been putting there," Stearns said. "And we will come to conclusions. And when we do, I may not be popular with everyone, but that's OK.

"Presidents never are."
- The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Mr Osita Okechukwu has lambasted ex-president Goodluck Jonathan

- Jonathan had on Saturday August 12, said that his government did well despite that he was unable to plug loopholes in the fight against corruption

- Okechukwu however, said that rather than plugged loopholes of corruption, Jonathan opened it wide

The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has asked former President Goodluck Jonathan to apologise to Nigerians over the comments he made on the handling of the corruption war during his tenure.

Daily Trust reports that former President Jonathan was quoted on Saturday August 12, to have said that though we didnt completely plug the loopholes in the fight against corruption, but we did well at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)s Special Non-elective Convention held at Abuja

Legit.ng gathered that Okechukwu, who spoke on Sunday August 13 in Abuja, in reaction to the former presidents remarks, dismissed the statement credited to the ex-president.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Gunmen allegedly attack another Anambra church, kill policeman, civilian

My own sincere assessment is that our dear ex-president rather than plugged loopholes of corruption opened it wide. He should apologize to Nigerians whom he betrayed for being less than transparent.

"I was outraged when I heard him proclaim that the PDP will return to power in 2019 because of the hunger and poverty ravaging the country."

The VON DG, reiterated that the economy could have collapsed if President Muhammadu Buhari didn't come to the rescue.

He added that Jonathan relied on voodoo economic records which rated the Nigerian economy higher than that of the industrialised South African economy.

He said going by the financial records, the ex-president and his party railroaded Nigerians into abject poverty, food insecurity and deficit infrastructure via planlessness and squandermania.

Part of the statement also read, He (Jonathan) propelled his preferred Minister, Mrs Deziani Alison Madueke and other cronies to loot dry our dear countrymen.

"Example, later day revelations are showing how $80 million was used by Mrs Maduekes ally to purchase a luxury yacht, money which could have been utilized to build the best hospital in Yenogoa.

"Or is he not reminding us of the humongous foreign exchange used in buying choice estates locally and abroad?

In sum, the biggest headache of Buhari administration is the huge local and foreign debt amassed by the PDP's 16 years misrule. On bail-out fund and Paris Fund refund, Buhari has spent over N1 trillion on salary and pension arrears. He has also paid over $7 billion on obligations to International Oil Companies (IOC) with the little he got.

Okechukwu said if the Jonathan government had executed the award of $23 billion contract for the er*ection of three Greenfield refineries promised to located in Bayelsa, Kogi and Lagos, it could have saved Nigeria over $200 billion expended on importation of refined petroleum products till date.

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The VON DG said that with huge oil revenue under his regime, Jonathan stood a good chance of fixing the Niger Delta, but failed woefully, advising him to keep quiet, especially now that the hunger and poverty he allegedly imposed are getting too harsh.

I regret demonstrating on Abuja streets in 2010, for him to be made an executive president, with others as a member of the defunct Save Nigeria Group, said Okechukwu.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that former president, Goodluck Jonathan that there were instances of corruption during his administration and admitted that he failed to plug all the loopholes.

Watch a Legit.ng TV video below of Nigerians identifying who they think the best president is:

Source: Legit.ng
Jerri-Lynn here: Trump last week declared the opioid crisis a national emergency, but is unlikely to support policies that will treat the root causes of addiction. This Real News Network interview with Vancouver-based doctor Gabor Mate discusses what an effective policy should target.

AARON MATE: Its The Real News, Im Aaron Mate. The opioid drug crisis is the deadliest in US history. On Thursday, President Trump indicated he will formally declare it a national emergency.

DONALD TRUMP: The opioid crisis is an emergency and Im saying officially, right now, it is an emergency. Its a national emergency. Were going to spend a lot of time, a lot of effort, and a lot of money on the opioid crisis.

AARON MATE: Joining me now is Dr. Gabor Mate, a physician and author of several books, including, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction. Full disclosure, he is also my father. Hello there.

GABOR MATE: Hi.

AARON MATE: Thank you for joining us. Lets start first with what this crisis is. The figures on overdose deaths in the US are something like 140 every single day, two-thirds from opioids. Describe for us what kind of crisis were dealing with here.

GABOR MATE: As the Presidents Commission said, every three weeks in the US you have the equivalence of a 9/11, so that every year, currently, you have 14, 15 9/11s happening. In that sense, its reasonable to speak about it as an emergency. Another sense, of course, its been going on for a long, long, long time, its just that the numbers have increased in the recent years.

AARON MATE: The numbers and also in terms of who the victims are, right, demographically?

GABOR MATE: Yes. Its now been found that the life expectancy of the white, working, and middle class is decreasing because of alcoholism and drug overdoses. Its a question of who its hitting. It was always certain sections of the population, but now its hitting the mainstream.

AARON MATE: The implication there is that thats the reason why its perhaps getting so much more attention and resources now?

GABOR MATE: Well, there was an article in New York Times earlier this year which said exactly that, that because its now hitting the white middle class, people are really starting to wonder what its all about, and what else can you do beside the usual ineffective responses. Its interesting enough that, in the 2016 election, Trump got some of the biggest support in areas that are hardest hit by alcoholism and the opioid crisis and suicides.

AARON MATE: Why do you think that is?

GABOR MATE: That speaks to the very heart of addiction and what drug use is all about. Its all about an attempt to escape from desperation. Those areas are the areas of the country with the greatest desperation. Those are the ones that most were susceptible to Trumps message.

AARON MATE: Okay, lets talk about that. You talk about addiction being an attempt to escape desperation. Youve worked with addicts over many years. You were a physician at the Portland Hotel Society, which is a residential and hospice service for residents of Vancouvers downtown east side, an area with a huge drug problem. Talk more about that, addiction being rooted in an attempt to escape adverse conditions.

GABOR MATE: If you look at the opioids, what are they? The opioids have been used in medicine for thousands of years. Used for what? Used for pain relief. Theyre the most powerful pain relievers that we have. They dont only soothe physical pain, they also soothe emotional pain. It turns out that the same area of the brain that experiences suffering from physical pain also experiences suffering from emotional pain. In other words, the primary question in any addiction, but especially in opioid addiction, is not why the addiction, but why the pain?

We have to look at what is the pain that people are trying to escape from. For that, there are two major causes. One cause is childhood trauma. We talk about how childhood trauma actually affects the brain in such a way as to make it more susceptible to addictions later on. Childhood trauma is one source of deep pain and all the addicts I worked with have been traumatized significantly so. Thats what the large scale studies in the US shows about it, the more trauma in childhood, exponentially the greater the risk of addiction. Childhood trauma is a huge problem in our society and in American society.

The other question is, whats going on right now? Thats stress. What we also know is that stress makes the brain more susceptible to addiction and stress also makes people more desires of escape from the stress. If you look at whats happening socially, economically, politically, culturally, is increasing insecurity, increasing stress, increasing uncertainty, increasing difficulty for people. Therefore, people will turn to short-term measures to escape those difficulties, or at least the awareness of them, by escaping into addictions, including drug use. What were looking at is, A, childhood trauma, and B, severe social stress. Its not surprising that the areas where Trump got the greatest support are areas of great social stress.

AARON MATE: Right. Taking your analysis and looking at this response now, Trump poised to, it appears, declare this a national emergency. Looking at how this problem is discussed, what do you think is missing from the conversation and from the actual policy choices that are being made to respond to it?

GABOR MATE: The conversation in the mainstream media and political circles, and I would say even in medical circles, largely excludes the central importance of trauma and stress. They talk about the problem of addiction as it was simply a matter of a choice that somebody makes, in which case, two things you can do. One, is you can try to deter people or at least dissuade them from making that choice. Thats what your attorney general, the American Attorney General Jeff Sessions talked about, about reviving the old Nancy Reagan Just Say No ethic, where youre just telling people how bad drugs are and then they wont use them [crosstalk 00:06:30]-

AARON MATE: You know what? Im going to cut in. It wasnt just Sessions, it was also Trump. This is him speaking just a few days ago. Lets hear what he says and you can respond to this as well.

DONALD TRUMP: 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. 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. If they dont start, it will never be a problem.

AARON MATE: If they dont start, it will never be a problem.

GABOR MATE: Yes. That, again, is based on the view that just telling people how bad drugs are will keep them from using them. If that strategy worked, why do we have the crisis right now? If the Nancy Reagan Just Say No and telling people how bad it is to use drugs strategy worked, why has the heroin use rate in the US gone up five-fold in the last 10 years and why the current crisis? Clearly, that doesnt work.

The reason it doesnt work is is drug addiction is not a choice that anybody makes. Nobody chooses to do that. The real question is, how do we get that information across? The problem is that the children, the young people who are listening to adults, are not the ones at risk. The ones who are at risk are not listening to adults. It doesnt matter what we tell the kids, because again, the ones that dont need it, theyll get it, and the ones who need the information wont get it, because theyre the hurt ones, and the abused ones, and the alienated ones to whom this kind of message falls on deaf ears. Yes?

AARON MATE: No, go ahead.

GABOR MATE: Well, the second perspective is that addiction is this disease that people inherit. Again, that excludes looking at peoples lives, looking at their childhood trauma history, at the family history, of modern generational trauma perhaps, and looking at all the social factors that put stress on people. While the addiction to the brain looks like a disease to the brain, its truly not.

What the disease [inaudible 00:08:44] is that that disease is the result of life experiences and social factors. Simply talking about trying to stop or prevent the addiction without looking at those social factors and those personal historical factors and then when you treat people without treating their trauma and treating their pain, you [inaudible 00:09:08].

AARON MATE: What about the side, though, that says the main problem is the supply, especially from in the case of opioids from big pharmaceutical companies? Purdue Pharma, its well known that they entered Oxycontin into the market in the mid 90s. They concealed some of the impacts of it and that did lead to a huge spike in addictions and overdoses.

GABOR MATE: Its certainly true that the pharmaceutical companies profit, and very happily, over the overuse of pharmaceuticals. Thats true. Its also true that Purdue, which engaged in subterfuge that contributed to the deaths of hundreds of people, paid a very small price and none of their executives went to jail, contrary to a small-time drug dealer whos responsible for much less degradation.

Thats true, however, as an American judge very astutely said that you can no more control or suppress the law of supply and demand than you can suppress or control the law of gravity. The real issue is not just the availability, because people will use something. People that need to escape will use something. If they will not use available prescription drugs, theyll use illicit heroin. Theres a lot of cheap heroin available in the United States right now.

If they will not use that, theyll use crystal meth. Theyll use cocaine. Theyll use alcohol. Theyll use something. Ultimately, while its certainly true that the pharmaceutical companies have contributed to this, and its also true that physicians have contributed to it because of their insufficient understanding of chronic pain and how to deal with it, ultimately we still have to look at the broad social factors. In individual cases, we have to address those factors when were treating people.

AARON MATE: Right. On the issue of treatment, I went to a event recently where I heard people who have experienced dealing with rehab facilities, having loved ones who are in rehab facilities. It was just a series of complaints about these facilities did not properly address their loved ones issues. Specifically, there was very little therapy and attempts to address peoples internal pain. Im wondering your thoughts on that, the issues that the rehab approach and then treatment in general might face?

GABOR MATE: The problem is that most addiction specialists, physicians, psychiatrists, and counselors do not get trained in trauma. In fact, its quite possible, for most training physicians in the United States or in my country, Canada, to graduate without ever hearing the word trauma, let alone learning how to deal with it.

Its not surprising that, when people go to rehab facilities, the attention and the emphasis is put strictly on the behavior of addiction and trying to get them to stop the behavior and not on the causes that made them addicted in the first place. People go to rehab and then theyre never helped to integrate and deal with their emotional pain, with their trauma. Theyre never given the help to learn and to help them rewire their brains in such a way that they can go out there and deal with stress more effectively and more consciously, with more awareness.

AARON MATE: Right. As we wrap, I have two questions about the psychological dynamics of addiction. The first is one that you touched on a bit earlier. What is the neuroscience of addiction? Why is someone with trauma, with unaddressed childhood pain, more wired to become addicted?

GABOR MATE: Well, first of all, because of the pain itself. All addictions, in my view, are an attempt to escape from emotional pain, discomfort, distress. The more distress, discomfort, pain, shame you have, the more likely youll want to escape from it through addictions. Thats an impact of trauma. Secondly, the childhood experience itself wires the brain. This is not controversial, this is just state of the art brain science, how the human brain develops depends very much on your early environment and, particularly, the emotional atmosphere, so how connected and attuned and emotionally present or, on the contrary, how stressed, absent, perhaps traumatized themselves the parents are will actually affect the wiring of the brain.

For the healthy brain development, you need a calm, connected and non-stressed parenting environment, which is less and less available to American kids or with social circumstances. Then, thirdly, if you look at the brain circuits involved in addiction, the opioid circuits where the opioid medications work, over the incentive motivation circuits where all the drugs and all the behaviors of addiction, from gambling, to sex tend to network, if you look at the circuits of emotional stress regulation and self-regulation, if you look at the circuits of impulse regulation, where we can make decisions not to engage in something even though we want to, if we know that its bad for us, all these circuits develop or dont develop in response to the early environment.

In other words, the greater the early stress and the trauma and the less calm and supportive the early environment, the greater the risk that person is at for addiction later on. Not to mention not only for addiction, also for mental health problems. As this interim report by the Presidents Commission pointed out, about 40% of substance users also have correlated mental health issues, which also need to be addressed. By the way, I would say 40% is a gross underestimate. Its probably closer to 80, 90%.

AARON MATE: Quite likely, theyre using drugs to deal or cope with those mental health issues?

GABOR MATE: Very often drugs are, apart from the general escape that provide from stress and emotional pain and distress, theyre also specifically self-medications for diagnosable mental conditions such as post traumatic stress, such as depression, such as anxiety, such as attention deficit hyperactive disorder, such as bipolar illness, such as social phobia and so on. Again, these conditions and their basis in trauma all have to be addressed if were to help addicts, addicted people really overcome their problem.

AARON MATE: Okay, so a final question, and its also about psychology, Im curious your thoughts on what is the psychology of those who stigmatize addicts, who have a hard time seeing them as people in need, people with pain, more seeing them from a criminal perspective? What, in your view, is going on there?

GABOR MATE: Thats a great question. I think there are three levels that we can distinguish here, one is on the level of thought. They just dont understand. They havent actually looked at what drives addiction. They see it as a moral question, because this is how theyve been taught, and they have no other perspective. [inaudible 00:16:59], its just shallow thinking based on a lack of information.

On the level of emotion, though, theres a tremendous hostility towards drug users and addicts in a part of a lot of people. What is that all about? I think what thats all about is something that Jesus talked about, when he said, Dont judge, lest ye be judged. Basically, he points out that all the judgements you make of others are always, in the end, come back to ourselves.

If you look at American society or Western society in general, its a highly addictive culture. People have all kinds of addictions. Theres not really a deep difference between drug addictions, and sex addiction, and gambling addiction, and shopping addiction, and eating additions, in terms of their causes, in terms of their brain circuits, and in terms of negative impact. What Im saying is [crosstalk- 00:17:52]-

AARON MATE: Well, but listen, a lot of people would push back on that and say, You cant compare the impact of heroin use to the impact of gambling or sex or whatever else.

GABOR MATE: Well, first of all, we can make a more direct comparison if we look at cigarettes use or alcohol use. You can make a direct comparison between cigarette use and alcohol use and, on the one hand, in heroin use and the other. You know what the comparison says? The comparison says that heroin use is far safer. In other words, if you take a thousand people who smoke or drink heavily or who inject heroin, as long as they dont overdose, 30 years from now, therell be a lot more disease, a lot more death in the alcohol and cigarette groups than in the heroin group.

AARON MATE: This is assuming, though, that the heroin is clean, right? Obviously, street heroin is far different.

GABOR MATE: Thats what Im saying. We have this arbitrary decision as to what drugs are acceptable and what drugs are not. What I am saying is that people dont have the same [inaudible 00:18:59], the same negative, hostile response to smokers and people who drink. In fact, drinking is publicly advertised on the Superbowl. Its totally arbitrary.

In other words, its fueled in emotional reaction. What Im saying is that the emotional reaction is based on the fact that addictions are so rife in our society, we just dont want to admit it, so we want to see the addict as somehow different. We want to see them as inferior to us. Now, if we want to judge them, and then we can feel superior, and thats on the emotional level.

On the neurological level, this part of the brain here, in the front part of the brain, the mid frontal cortex, has a function which is called response flexibility, which means that when we are confronted with the situation, we can consider the facts. We can calmly evaluate whats best and respond from a flexible, rather than an emotional reactive point of view.

Now, for a lot of people in our society, that response flexibility is not available. They tend to react from an emotional-based patterned reactive ground. They dont have the equipment themselves. Theyre not mindful enough to really consider whats actually going on. Instead of being responsive, theyre being reactive. That reaction is an emotional one of hostility.

AARON MATE: Okay. Very quickly as we wrap, because we havent talked about it yet, but it relates to what were talking about right now, which is that clean heroin is provided to people at safe injection sites, like the one that you worked at in Vancouvers downtown east side. Im wondering if you could talk about that quickly and the impact that that has had on the community?

GABOR MATE: Well, the first thing you have to realize is that much of the negative impact of drug addiction is due to the illegal situation, where people have to use unreliable supplies polluted by whatever, what medication, particularly fentanyl, which is lethal. Nobodys advocating that drugs should become legal, in the sense of being freely available on the streets or corner stores, like cigarettes or alcohol is, but there are programs in Canada and in Europe, which have provided clean heroin to confirmed addicts who cannot be helped by methadone or suboxone or other medications. These people actually get a prescription, not that they take home, but they inject in the clinic.

Its been shown over and over again that people who are given access to such programs have much less disease, passed on much less disease to other people, far more economically viable, they have better family lives and far fewer health risks and incur far smaller health cost to the system.

What Im suggesting is that, although supplied heroin will not be the answer to most people or certainly not to everybody, but there needs to be response flexibility in the healthcare system. Right now, the approaches are way too narrow, way too reactive, and way too limited. If we actually looked at all the possible ranges of what we already know is available to us and all the programs that we could actually use here, we will do much better than were doing right now.

AARON MATE: Just to clarify, in Vancouver, theres two facilities, right? Theres the facility where people are provided with prescription heroin and one where theyre not provided with heroin, but they can go and inject safely. I believe, in both these facilities, the overdose deaths around that area have declined sharply, right?

GABOR MATE: There are two clinics, yes. One is the Supervised Injection Site, where people bring their illegal drugs, but they inject them under supervision with no harassment from the police. Theyre given clean needles, sterile water. In other words, they dont pass on or receive disease from other people. If they overdose, theyre actually resuscitated. A lot of lives have been saved.

At another clinic, just one clinic in Vancouver, they prescribe and supervise prescribed heroin to people under the principles I just explained. Now, unfortunately, Vancouvers also seen a great increase in the overdose deaths and the clinics have not been able to keep up with that because of the introduction of fentanyl and still because of the retrograde drug laws that drive people underground. Were far from having solved the problem in Vancouver, but those two initiatives have demonstrated, in many studies, a lot of promise.

AARON MATE: Dr. Gabor Mate, physician, author of several books, including, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction, thanks very much.

GABOR MATE: Thanks for having me.

AARON MATE: Thank you for joining us on The Real News.
Biologically speaking, nearly every species on Earth has two opposite sexes, male and female. But with some fungi and other microbes, sex can be a lot more complicated. Some members of Cryptococcus, a family of fungus linked to human disease, can have tens of thousands of different mating types.

In a study appearing early online Aug. 11 in PLOS Biology, Duke researchers have mapped the evolutionary turning point that transformed the pathogenic form of Cryptococcus from an organism of many sexes to one with only two. They found that during evolution, a reshuffling of DNA known as translocation brought together separate chunks of sex-determining genes onto a single chromosome, essentially mimicking the human X or Y chromosome.

Surprisingly, they've shown that these crucial translocations occurred at the centromeres, the twisty ties that hold together chromosomes at the center of an x-shaped pair. These regions of the chromosome are so dense that they were once thought to be removed from recombination.

"Recombination at the centromere doesn't have to happen frequently, it just has to happen often enough that it punctuates the evolution of the organism," said Joseph Heitman, MD, PhD, senior study author and professor and chair of molecular genetics and microbiology at Duke University School of Medicine. "With each translocation, the genome is altered again and again, until you have evolved an entirely new species."

Scientists have been studying the evolution of sex chromosomes for more than a century. In the 1960's, Japanese-American geneticist and evolutionary biologist Susumu Ohno proposed a theory in which the genes determining sex first arose at various spots scattered across the entire genome, but over time were "captured" on the sex chromosomes. In humans, those chromosomes go by the familiar X and Y; in birds, they are known as Z and W; in moss, they are called U and V.

Regardless of the name or species, Heitman contends that some universal principles could govern the evolution of all sex chromosomes. He and an international team of researchers focused on the last common ancestor of the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans and its nearest sibling species, a non-pathogen called Cryptococcus amylolentus.

In C. amylolentus, dozens of genes at two different locations on the chromosomes control what's called a tetrapolar, or four-part, mating system. At one location or locus known as P/R, genes encode pheromones and pheromone receptors that help the fungus recognize compatible mating types. At the other locus, called HD, genes govern the development of sexual structures and reproductive spores.

Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today

The researchers sequenced the entire genome of C. amylolentus, mapping the location of all the genes as well as the centromeres on each of the organism's 14 chromosomes.

They found that the genomes had undergone quite a bit of rearrangement since the two species shared a common ancestor, at least 50 million years ago. For example, chromosome 1 of C. neoformans contained pieces of four different chromosomes from C. amylolentus, providing evidence of multiple translocations, some within the centromere.

"That was very surprising. The dogma has been that recombination is repressed in centromeric regions," said Sheng Sun, PhD, lead study author and assistant research professor at Duke University School of Medicine.

In the 1980's, a seminal paper by Duke colleague Tom Petes demonstrated recombination could occur across the centromeres in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, but some attributed the finding to a quirk of the favored model organism with its tiny point centromeres. But since then, other studies have emerged suggesting that the phenomenon was wider spread.

In this study, the researchers showed that in Cryptococcus amylolentus, the ancestral state, the P/R locus resided on chromosome 10 and the HD locus on chromosome 11. But in Cryptococcus neoformans, the evolved state, those loci ended up in one place. According to their model, multiple translocations deposited the two sex determinants on the same chromosome, with a centromere in between. Subsequent rearrangements put P/R and HD next to each other. The result was an organism with a bipolar mating system, much like the male and female sexes that embody most species.

"In any kind of model like this, you are thinking about what could have been the organization in the last common ancestor, which is now extinct so you can't know definitively," said Heitman. "But in each of these lineages, there are multiple evolutionary events that have occurred, and you can use genomics to turn back the hands of time and deduce the trajectory."

Heitman says their study suggests that other researchers should actively look for translocations, both in the expected locations as well as within centromeres. These chromosomal rearrangements are a common cause of birth defects and cancer in humans.

He and his colleagues are currently investigating whether similar translocations occur in the evolution of sex chromosomes in other fungal families, such as Ustilago and Malassezia.
Thomas Kriese, VP of Community Development and Engagement, is kicking off the alumni session of the Singularity 2017 Global Summit and the regular Singularity 2017 Global Summit. Thomas is discussing the 73 global chapters and the goal of reaching 100 chapters by the end of the year.

Rob Nail and Peter Diamandis will be discussing Singularity University and the Global Summit and the larger activities.

Prior to Singularity University, Rob Nail co-founded Velocity11 in 1999, building automation equipment and robotics for cancer research and drug discovery. After being acquired by Agilent Technologies in 2007, he traded the CEO role for a General Manager role attempting to be a catalyst for change at a big company. He gave up in 2009 to go surfing, then found his true calling and biggest challenge yet with Singularity University. He was recently a director at Harman (HAR), on technology and audit committees. He helped Harman explore options for long-term growth in a rapidly changing automobile industry, ultimately resulting in ~$8 Billion acquisition by Samsung. As their largest acquisition in history, it brings Samsung directly into the automobile and autonomous car market.

Rob talks about the worlds need for exponential thinking.

Rob talks about the high impact companies and projects of Singularity University Alumni.

Matternet, drone delivery company, is involved with a large $560 million Daimler drone delivery initiative.

In 2016, Daimler joined with U.S. startup Matternet to develop drones for its delivery vans and invest 500 million ($562 million) over the next five years in designing electric, networked vans.

Made in Space is making big news and progress.

This year, under contract with NASA, Made In Space is leading a team to point our space-based manufacturing expertise squarely at this problem. Under NASAs Tipping Point program, Oceaneering and Northrop Grumman join Made In Space in embarking on the Archinaut Development Program. Archinaut is a platform that constructs, assembles, and integrates space-optimized systems into spacecraft. It is the first platform specifically designed to create large structures for space, in space.

Singularity University is creating the Awesome show. MSNBC and host Chris Hardwick will showcase scientific and technological advances shaping the future.

Singularity University Background and background of key executives

Dr. Peter Diamandis is the Chairman and CEO of the X PRIZE Foundation, which leads the world in designing and launching large incentive prizes to drive radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity. Best known for the $10 million Ansari X PRIZE for private spaceflight, the Foundation is now launching prizes in Exploration, Life Sciences, Energy, and Education. Diamandis is also the co-Founder & Executive Chairman of the Singularity University, a Silicon Valley based institution teaching graduates and executives about exponentially growing technologies and their potential to address humanitys grand challenges. Diamandis recently co-Authored Abundance  The Future Is Better Than You Think. Diamandis has founded or co-founded many of the leading entrepreneurial companies in this sector including Zero Gravity Corporation, the Rocket Racing League and Space Adventures. He also counsels the worlds top enterprises on how to utilize exponential technologies and incentivized innovation to dramatically accelerate their business objectives

Peter Diamandis recognized the need for leaders to understand the exponential pace of change. He first proposed the concept of Singularity University to Ray Kurzweil and to International Space University (ISU) colleagues Dr. Robert D. Richards and Michael Simpson, who became Founding Trustees in mid-2007.

Susan Fonseca, a founding architect, was instrumental in organizing and executing the Founding Conference in September 2008 and finding initial donors. At the first meeting of the Board of Trustees, Salim Ismail was appointed as the founding Executive Director.

Along with curriculum guidance and important support from Christopher Boshuizen, William Marshall, Amara Angelica, Kathryn Myronuk, and Emeline Paat-Dahlstrom, the first incarnation of Singularity University was established with inspiration from the interdisciplinary, international and intercultural principles originally pioneered by ISU. With the leadership of Dr. Pete Worden and his colleagues, Singularity University and NASA established a partnership to host SUs Executive Program and Global Solutions Program on the NASA Research Park in Moffett Field. Rob Nail was appointed CEO in 2011.

Will Weismans background isleading, investing in, and advising technology and consumer product companies. He acquired a unique blend of operational, investment and entrepreneurial experience. He has previously been a venture capitalist at Foundation Capital and Maveron, an operator at Intuit and World Wrapps and is an active investor having been involved with companies such as SuccessFactors, OpenTable, and Zappos among others. Among his most unusual accomplishments is that Will created and popularized the wrap, yes, the burrito like thing at a 30 unit restaurant chain he founded called World Wrapps.
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.



Intense laser pulses were used to photo-excite bismuthate compounds, in which charge-density-waves (left side) coexist with superconductivity (right side).  J.M. Harms, MPSD

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.

PNAS  Anomalous relaxation kinetics and charge-density-wave correlations in underdoped BaPb1xBixO3

Significance

Researchers present measurements of transient photoconductivity in BaPb1xBixO3 (BPBO)a poorly understood material belonging to the bismuthate family, which has been coined the other high-temperature superconductor. The phase diagram of BPBO encompasses charge-density-wave (CDW) order in BaBiO3 (x = 1), through superconductivity for intermediate compositions, to bad metal behavior in BaPbO3 (x = 0). We present evidence for the coexistence of CDW order and superconductivity for underdoped compositions of BPBOsomething that has been discussed previously, but never definitively established. These results are especially timely given that CDW correlations have recently been found in some underdoped cuprate superconductors, pointing toward a surprising commonality between some aspects of these materials. Our measurements also put energy scales on the associated charge order.

Abstract

Superconductivity often emerges in proximity of other symmetry-breaking ground states, such as antiferromagnetism or charge-density-wave (CDW) order. However, the subtle interrelation of these phases remains poorly understood, and in some cases even the existence of short-range correlations for superconducting compositions is uncertain. In such circumstances, ultrafast experiments can provide new insights by tracking the relaxation kinetics following excitation at frequencies related to the broken-symmetry state. Here, we investigate the transient terahertz conductivity of BaPb1xBixO3a material for which superconductivity is adjacent to a competing CDW phaseafter optical excitation tuned to the CDW absorption band. In insulating BaBiO3 we observed an increase in conductivity and a subsequent relaxation, which are consistent with quasiparticles injection across a rigid semiconducting gap. In the doped compound BaBi0.72Pb0.28O3 (superconducting below TC = 7 K), a similar response was also found immediately above TC. This observation evidences the presence of a robust gap up to T  40 K, which is presumably associated with short-range CDW correlations. A qualitatively different behavior was observed in the same material for TT 40 K. Here, the photoconductivity was dominated by an enhancement in carrier mobility at constant density, suggestive of melting of the CDW correlations rather than excitation across an optical gap. The relaxation displayed a temperature-dependent, Arrhenius-like kinetics, suggestive of the crossing of a free-energy barrier between two phases. These results support the existence of short-range CDW correlations above TC in underdoped BaPb1xBixO3, and provide information on the dynamical interplay between superconductivity and charge order.

More Details

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 on the right: 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, BaBiO3, has a robust charge-density-wave phase, from which superconductivity emerges by chemical substitution.

High quality crystals of BaPb1-xBixO3, 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 BaBiO3 , 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.
The politically motivated charge that the Montana Public Service Commission is somehow anti-solar demands a reasoned response.

For the record, I am a big fan of solar, as I am of emerging technologies of all kinds. As a free-market enthusiast, I cheer on all energy innovators and entrepreneurs, and firmly believe that good public policy demands that we create an even playing field for all technologies, while providing special privileges for none.

Being prejudicial and taking sides is simply not an option. Why? Because the PSC is duty-bound to protect the Montana consumer, assuring them "just and affordable rates, irrespective of the energy source. The law requires this, and I honor it. Indeed, federal law (the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act) explicitly demands that in the process of the PSC authorizing renewables rates and contracts, we must establish "consumer indifference," i.e., renewables rates that hold the ratepayer "harmless" relative to the least expensive energy source otherwise available.

For years, the Montana Consumer Counsel has maintained that very long qualifying facilities (QF) contracts make consumer indifference impossible to achieve, given the constant state of innovation and change within the energy markets. Level, 25-year contracts will be far removed from the actual market value of the energy being produced and purchased in just a few years. Under these circumstances, the ratepayer assumes all of the risk. This hardly qualifies as "just" rate-setting or good public policy.

MCC economists have also pointed out that when wind and solar power purchase agreements have embedded in them a presumed future cost of CO2 regulation (carbon taxes, etc.), they are passing on to consumers a major price hike that doesnt now  and may never  exist. Better to have shorter contracts that can be periodically adjusted to the market, and rates that reflect CO2 penalties only after they come into existence, than be locked into 25-year contracts based on sheer guesswork.

Previous commissions have generally dodged this political hot potato, but we rolled up our sleeves and went to work. Consider the PSC's recent decision to suspend the four-year-old QF-1 solar energy rates (set at approximately $66 per megawatt) until updated rates could be established. Out-of-state developers were perched at Montanas borders, ready to rush in and take advantage of these inflated rates, reaping windfall profits at consumers' expense.

Using the best information available, the PSC arrived at a current rate about one-third of the old one  saving ratepayers an average of $2.6 million per project, while maintaining fair and accurate profit margins for developers. Included in our decision was the removal on the non-existent carbon tax, and the shortening of contract lengths from 25 to 10 years.

It is widely asserted that guaranteed renewables contracts of less than 25 years cannot attract financing, but no evidence has ever been presented to support this claim. Were it true, that would only be because these projects are too risky in the first place  in which case, the ratepayer certainly should not be on the hook, guaranteeing business profits for 25 years!

Shorter wholesale contracts protect all parties, and more closely match the retail rate reviews that happen every four to six years in the utilities own rate cases before the commission. Remember also that shorter contract lengths do not alter the PURPA requirement that utilities continue to purchase power from QF renewables.

If, under these accurate, consumer-neutral rates, some solar projects cant attract investors, it is certainly not because they are being discriminated against. Billions in targeted subsidies, tax credits and loan guarantees  together with state mandates  hardly constitutes discrimination. The problem all forms of energy development face right now is an over-built, over-supplied market with corresponding low prices that render these projects financially less attractive. Dont blame that on the PSC.
It took more than a century of mining to leave Butte grievously polluted.

At the current pace of proceedings, it will take another century to clean it up.

EPA, the state, the county and The Atlantic Richfield Co. are supposed to be in secret negotiations on a big part of the Butte Hill cleanup. We say supposed to be because there have been no such negotiating sessions since May, and sources tell us none is currently scheduled.

The current flurry of inaction is certainly partly caused by bureaucratic confusion, cutbacks and chaos at the Environmental Protection Agency. Thats especially galling given Administrator Scott Pruitts repeated statements that Superfund cleanups will take priority in the agency under his leadership.

If this is a priority, we wonder what is happening with the non-priority items. Oh, wait, we know  clean air and clean water regulations are being rolled back at a rapid rate.

Still, this entire saga of slothfulness cant be blamed on EPA. Where is the urgency to get the shops moved, to get dirt moving at the Parrot Tailings site? Did the urgency pass with election season? Clearly another construction season has been missed; there is no apparent movement toward packing up the shops, putting excavation work out to bid, or much of anything else. Moving the shops and removing the polluted soil is probably $25 million plus. Where is the funding? How much is actually allocated? Are access agreements all in place? Hello?

What has the county, the state, or the federal government done to further the rest of the restoration plans for upper Silver Bow Creek so beautifully evoked by the community in Restore Our Creeks proposal? What of the Northside Tailings? The Diggings East? The Blacktail Berm? What about the needed and comparatively inexpensive restoration work on Blacktail Creek?

The epidemic of ennui doesnt stop there. Wheres the movement on the slag wall canyon, where the Natural Resource Damage Programs testing found increased pollution more than a year ago? Whats currently being done to remedy polluted areas that were missed more than a decade ago? Wheres the progress on plans to revegetate exposed areas with native plantings, to reduce the amount of storm water heading to Silver Bow Creek?

The convulsion of quietude is all around us. Where is the public access to the restored lower Silver Bow Creek? What has been worked out with the landowner who was holding up the publics ability to use the renewed jewel of Durant Canyon to the fullest? Whats changed in the last year? Nothing. The locked gate at the head of the canyon, locked last year and the year before, is just as locked this year.

As Evans & Doherty sing "Dirty Old Town" on the Original stage at An Ri Ra, after a revitalized and successful Evel Days and another great Montana Folk Festival, the lilting rhythms of Buttes summer are more than half played through. Nowhere in these lazy, hazy days of summer have we seen backhoes digging at polluted earth  another year gone by with negligible progress toward the cleanup this town deserves and desperately needs.

We hear rumors that Pruitt himself will grace us with his presence in the fall. Currently, squadrons of staffers from a congressional delegation on August recess are lining up to tour  the Berkeley Pit, our favored photo-op site. Without an apparent thought for the literally hundreds of other Superfund-related needs the community has.

County, state and federal officials: Wake up and do something. This cleanup is past being a slow-motion train wreck. It's a no-motion disgrace.
This feat of architectural engineering is part of the Shed, an art and performance space that will become the latest spectacle along New Yorks High Line. While the Shed wont be up and running for more than a year, it can now do this neat five-minute ballet on six-foot wheels.

When first announced, the project was vaguely conceived. Located where the High Line runs smack into the massive West Side development project called Hudson Yards, the Shed seemed hardly more than an architectural trophy, with no obvious reason for being, other than to appease a skeptical public with the promise of some cultural amenity on the site of one of the largest and most valuable real estate deals in New York.

Since then, an impresario named Alex Poots, formerly of the Manchester International Festival and the Park Avenue Armory, has taken over programming for the Shed and looks to be giving it a rationale. Well see, when the place opens in 2019.

Meanwhile the building, designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro in collaboration with Rockwell Group, is already taking shape: a six-story box, spooning with an apartment tower and encased inside that telescoping shell, which consists of an enormous steel exoskeleton of slender, crisscrossed columns, like Art Nouveau vines, supporting a feather-light, translucent-white polymer skin.

The gossamer-looking but gigantic structure still weighs in at 8 million pounds but glides on a half-dozen exposed steel bogies, or wheels, six-feet in diameter,

with tapered bearings so meticulously engineered that the system requires just six 15-horsepower motors 

in effect, a Toyota Prius engine moving a behemoth as finely-tuned as a Formula One car.

In its scale, this faintly quaint, eloquently designed contraption aspires to conjure up the spirit of those 19th-century exemplars of elegant engineering like the Brooklyn Bridge or the Eiffel Tower: industrial-era monuments of structural form, both necessary and sufficient, ingenious but not space age, encapsulating the aspirations of a city.

One might also recall the classic photograph from 1857 of Isambard Brunel, the English engineer, dwarfed beside the launching chains of the S.S. Great Eastern.

When opened, the shell will drape over the Sheds sprawling plaza at Hudson Yards, which can then be made into a movie palace or a gallery for art or a theater with bleacher seats  a flexible new 17,000 square foot public space for New York at what promises to be one of the citys busiest pedestrian intersections after all the commercial skyscrapers around it are built.

At the same time, the Sheds movable shell becomes a kind of kinetic sculpture, more aesthetic and functional than the clunky, pointless climbing gym that the sites developers have commissioned from Thomas Heatherwick, the gifted but unreliable British showman:

It is also more inspiring:

Whatever Mr. Poots ultimately cooks up, the shell alone bids to make the Shed a destination.
This shoe appears in Edouard Manets Mademoiselle V  in the Costume of an Espada.

The painting hangs in Gallery 810 of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Ive been looking at it for years.

Manet is my artistic lodestar, the man who reminds me that great works of art always seduce both the mind and the eye at once.

And in this painting, as in all of his mature works, even the smallest details affirm that art is ultimately about whats right in front of your face.

Completed in 1862, when Manet was only 30, the painting depicts a young woman dressed up as an espada: the bullfighting participant who slays the beast after the matador is done. But its caressed brushstrokes and bold passages of slablike color hint that this painting aims to be something other than a faithful depiction of a real Spanish corrida.

Take first those shoes,

which float oddly, as if the figure were untethered from the ground.

Manet had trained in the studio of the academic painter Thomas Couture, and learned like every student how to scale figures and model shadows to create an illusion of space between foreground and background.

That is to say, he knew how make those feet stand on the ground.

But he didnt.

Her trousers are strangely flat too, blocky against the deeper background of the corrida:

And though it may be tough to perceive in a jpeg (digital images tend to dull the texture), theres a stark contrast between the hard, unmodeled black of the figures bolero and the brushy, wet-on-wet strokes of the yellow kerchief:

But placing these discordant elements side by side, without transition, is part of what made Manet modern.

The womans fellow bullfighters appear in a wholly different realm of depiction to the principal portrait. (He borrowed the arrangement from a print by Goya.) A matador in blue is jumping into the stands for safety; other toreros gather in the shadows  but theyre barely sketched in:

Look again, and her whole figure, against the background of the corrida, looks flat and unconvincing. She appears like a cutout, or as if shes standing in front of a theatrical backdrop:

Here are the first steps toward a new kind of painting: one that ceases to pretend the canvas is a window on the world, and instead presents itself as something more like what it is  paint on a two-dimensional surface.

Manets paintings of the early 1860s helped set the stage for Impressionists like his younger friend Claude Monet,

who would elevate the capriciously brushy color Manet at times employed into one of the new fundamentals of modern painting.

Have a look at the pink cape shes holding: cloudier and daintier than the stiff ones used in the bullring. You can see some of the similarities in Monets Water Lilies, which hangs in a room nearby, painted nearly 60 years after Mademoiselle V.

In the mid-20th century, American critics looked at the matter-of-factness of a painting like Mademoiselle V as the first steps in some inevitable progression toward abstract art. If you follow the party line, the flatness of our bullfighter here leads directly to the Cubism of Pablo Picasso and the all-over abstraction of Jackson Pollock.

Compare with this Picasso from 1913-1914, also in the Mets collection, which translates a woman in an armchair into a simplified, collage-like arrangement of flat planes.

Easy to see now. But back in the 1860s, many critics took Manets flatness as proof of unsophistication. Mademoiselle V was rejected from the official Salon of 1863 and shown instead in a new parallel exhibition, the Salon des Refuses.

Only a few of Manets contemporaries, above all Emile Zola and Charles Baudelaire, could see that the flatness expressed something essential about the modern, alienated Paris, where real lives get confused with appearances.

That too was in the shoes,

which are brown, not black, and far too dainty for tangling with 1,500-pound bovines.

Why such unconvincing footwear? By kitting his model out in shoes so inapt for bullfighting, Manet went out of his way to advertise that the paintings subject is herself an artificial creation. This is not a painting of a Spanish bullfighter. This is a painting of a French woman posing as an espada, and Manet doesnt want you to forget it.

Manet kept a box of costumes in his studio, and several of his Spanish portraits repeat the same hats, shirts and boleros. In fact, the exact same tassled trousers appear in the painting hung across the room:

The Mademoiselle V of the title is 18-year-old Victorine Meurent, Manets favorite model and later a painter herself, though none of her own works survive. Shes the one picnicking in the nude in Manets masterpiece of the same year, Le Dejeuner sur lHerbe.

Three years later, in 1865, she appears in Olympia,

where she play-acts the goddess of love as a common prostitute.

In Mademoiselle V, Victorine appears fully clothed, but she is essentially lampooning a traditional portrait, in which the sitters interior life is revealed. Her chalky red-heads skin, big black eyes and poker-faced expression

are both particular and unyielding. They grant no insight into a true self, but seem only to affirm that no amount of close-looking will unlock her secrets.

And this is the genius of Manet, an accomplishment so staggering I still struggle to reconcile it: he saw that dressing up a woman like a bullfighter and flattening out the picture of her were part of the same project.

Both illusions  the illusion of three dimensions and the illusion of truly authentic persons  get scrapped at once.

Welcome to the modern world, harsh but exhilarating, where a bullfighter is really just a model, and that model is really just paint.

Is that the studio floor?

Or is it the corrida?

Or is it just color on a piece of fabric?
First-Ever Riga Gaming Congress to Take Place in October

Published August 13, 2017 by Elana K

The first-ever Riga Gaming Congress will take place on October 12, 2017, in Riga. It will focus on the development of land-based and online casinos, bookmaking, eSports, fantasy sports, application of blockchain technologies, and virtual reality.

The first-ever Riga Gaming Congress will take place on October 12, 2017 in Riga. The congress is being hailed as an international gaming event, and it will look toward the future of iGaming in Latvia. The congress will encompass the development of both land-based and online casinos, bookmaking, eSports, fantasy sports, application of blockchain technologies, and augmented and virtual reality.

History of iGaming in Latvia

Latvia has experienced ups and downs since its rough entry into the world of online gambling in the early 2000s. While it suffered a number of setbacks between 2007 and 2015, since 2016 the industry has been on the rise.

In 2016, Latvias online casino revenue was 18 million, four times more than it was two years before. There have been increases in the video game segment, in betting income, and in slot machine income. The range of services offered by online casinos has also expanded, which perhaps accounts for the new and renewed interest of Latvian players.

But its not only Latvian players that are showing a visible interest in online gambling; international operators have also been realizing the potential of the Latvian market. For example, Playtech, one of the worlds leading gambling software developers, recently established its live casino studio in Riga.

About the Riga Gaming Congress

The Riga Gaming Congress was organized based on the belief that online gambling has a large role to play in the future of Latvian interests and economics. The congress will address the possibilities for industry growth, development, and expansion, and will feature an exhibition as well as a line-up of expert speakers.

The conference promises to attract entrepreneurs, manufacturers of hardware and software, investors, representatives of payment systems, software developers, bookmakers, and more. The official language of the conference is English.

Event Organizer

The organizer of the Riga Gaming Congress is Smile Expo, a company with 11+ years of experience in organizing large international events, specifically in the gaming and cryptocurrency industries.
"It was absolutely the most horrible thing I've ever witnessed," said Brittany Caine-Conley, the lead organizer with Congregate Charlottesville. "We ran to the scene and one of my friends actually tried to hold the wounds together for the woman who has passed away."

That woman was 32-year-old Heather Heyer, an American matriot who has inspired us with her dedication to do what was right.

RT @DemSocialists: Please help aid the family of Heather Heyer who was martyred today courageously standing up to hate. https://t.co/ZHH4XN at https://t.co/ZHH4XN  generationcatherine (@GlorYation) August 13, 2017

The Miller Law Group in Charlottesville notes on their website that Heather Heyer was "one of our Paralegals here at Miller Law Group and continues to be an irreplaceable asset to our firm. Heather was born and raised in the beautiful state of Virginia. Originally from Ruckersville, VA, Heather now resides here in Charlottesville."

RT @susiemcdonnell: This is Heather Heyer - the woman who was killed today by a Nazi for protesting the Nazi demonstration. https://t.co/FQ at https://t.co/FQ  KevinDiNicola (@KevinDiNicola4) August 13, 2017

The group, Congregate Charlottesville, worked to head off violence ahead of time with their Call to Clergy and Faith Leaders:

To our Colleagues in Ministry and Friends in Faith, We need your help. On August 12th we call for 1,000 clergy and faith leaders to show up in Charlottesville, VA to confront a national white supremacist rally. On August 12, will you please join us in prayer and in person in Charlottesville, Virginia? We call on white clergy, especially, to join us in person. This is a call for partnership in direct, nonviolent action on a crucial day for our city, and in a critical moment for our country. We need your prayerful presence. Charlottesville has recently become a hotspot for national white supremacist organizations and demonstrations. Our city council recently voted to move Confederate monuments from our prominent public parks, sparking increasingly explicit and violent expressions of white supremacy in our community. An infamous white nationalist held a threatening torch-lit rally in our park. Most recently, a KKK chapter from North Carolina held a rally in the center of our city. During this rally, non-violent community members standing against racial hatred were met with chemical weapons, military vehicles, and hundreds of militarized police, some carrying grenade launchers and automatic weapons. On August 12, hundreds of white supremacists from around the country will rally with white nationalist leaders for hours in our most prominent public park. From information that these groups are presenting and sharing online we have concluded that there is an extremely high potential for physical violence and brutality directed at our community. We need your help - we don't have the numbers to stand up to this on our own. This is a local event, but white supremacy is a national problem, and the way we respond on August 12 will have national implications as we move through these trying times. It is our hope and prayer that your congregations will commission you to join us in this movement to confront white supremacy. As faith leaders in Charlottesville, we are committed to nonviolent direct action, standing in solidarity with community members and groups such as Black Lives Matter and Showing Up for Racial Justice. We do not want a repeat of July 8th - we want to grow forward in number and in narrative to visibly counteract this hate, proclaiming with our bodies and our sanctuaries that God rejects white supremacy, and that God is present with those hurt, angered, afraid and confused by this massive national event in our small town. We call on 1,000 clergy and faith leaders to join us on August 12th Sincerely,

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RT @brianmrosenthal: BREAKING: University of Virginia Medical Center tells NYT it has treated 19 people injured in #Charlottesville protest at August 13, 2017

Charlottesville is known as home to our nation's third, fourth and fifth presidents; Jefferson, Madison and Monroe.

(Added. 10:30 pm 08.12.17: White supremacists and alt-right activists had come to Charlottesville to protest the city's decision to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from the city's Emancipation Park. When fighting broke out, police broke up the demonstration before it began. Later, a 20-year-old Ohio man currently in police custody allegedly drove into a crowd, killing at least one person and injuring many others. Several of the injured are in critical condition. )

RT @BNONews: New video shows car driving into counter-protesters in Virginia, then reversing (Credit: Brennan Gilmore) https://t.co/ygp4s6f at https://t.co/ygp4s6f   (@Ethos68) August 13, 2017

RT @SenSchumer: Of course we condemn ALL that hate stands for. Until @POTUS specifically condemns alt-right action in Charlottesville, he h at  Nancy Bonita (@NancyBonita7) August 13, 2017

RT @SenJohnMcCain: White supremacists aren't patriots, they're traitors- Americans must unite against hatred & bigotry #Charlottesville htt at  AP (@windycityamar) August 13, 2017

RT @RandiRhodes: #Charlottesville 1 DEAD 35 INJURED Is it terrorism yet? When will TRUMP call out the KKK/4th Reich for their white nation at  Debra Dillard (@debraedillard) August 13, 2017

RT @RmBarrow: Remember this? I sure as hell do. Where are the police and their riot gear now?!? #Charlottesville https://t.co/pgr7mnZSRz at https://t.co/pgr7mnZSRz  Ferdi H (@santaferdi) August 13, 2017

RT @SenSanders: The white nationalist demonstration in #Charlottesville is a reprehensible display of racism and hatred that has no place i at  dawn j (@Zeaylis) August 13, 2017

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From WSWS

President Donald Trump told a press briefing Thursday that he was not considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller, who heads the Justice Department investigation into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 elections and possible collusion with Moscow by the Trump campaign.

Trump again dismissed the significance of the Russia investigation, declaring, "They're investigating something that never happened. There was no collusion between us and Russia," and adding that he and his staff were cooperating with Mueller. He said questions about firing Mueller were raised only in the media, not in the White House. "I'm not dismissing anybody," he said. "I mean, I want them to get on with the task."

Trump was uncharacteristically restrained in commenting on the extraordinary pre-dawn FBI raid on the home of his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, which took place July 26 but was only made public this week. He said the raid was "a very, very strong signal" by prosecutors, adding, "To do that early in the morning, whether or not it was appropriate, you'd have to ask them."

The president appears to be distancing himself from Manafort -- whose spokesman recently denied that he had become a "cooperating witness" in the Mueller probe. Trump gave only a tepid endorsement to his former campaign chairman, saying he "always found Paul Manafort to be a very decent man."

The lead counsel for Trump in the Russian investigation, John Dowd, was not nearly so cautious in his language. He gave a statement to the Wall Street Journal Thursday, calling the raid "a gross abuse of the judicial process" and an "extraordinary invasion of privacy."

Saying that the raid had been ordered largely for its "shock value," he continued, "These methods are normally found and employed in Russia not America." Dowd also suggested that attorneys for Manafort were likely to bring a motion to suppress anything seized in the raid.

Also Thursday, Manafort revealed that he was changing lawyers, dropping the firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr (where Mueller worked before his appointment as special counsel) and switching to a firm that specialized in criminal defense in complex financial cases.

Press reports suggested that the switch was at least in part because of financial pressures on Manafort created by the special counsel's investigation. Bloomberg reported that special counsel Mueller's office has subpoenaed bank records for both Manafort and his longtime business partner Rick Gates, and that as a result, their business activities were adversely affected.

Politico reported that the FBI has approached Manafort's son-in-law, real estate developer Jeffrey Yohai, to seek his cooperation in the Russia investigation.

According to Bloomberg, "the Manafort inquiry is just one thread of Mueller's multifaceted effort, which includes the purchase of Trump real estate properties by wealthy Russians going back a decade, the foreign ties of Michael Flynn, who was briefly the administration's National Security Adviser, and the dismissal of FBI chief James Comey by the President."

While the legal machinery continues to grind, the political warfare within the ruling class continues unabated, even in the midst of the global alarm created by Trump's bellicose threats to use nuclear weapons against North Korea.

Foreign Policy magazine published Thursday the text of an internal memorandum drafted by a National Security Council staffer, Rich Higgins, before he was fired by his boss, National Security Advisor H. R. McMaster. In the document Higgins, part of the fascist wing of the White House staff headed by Steven Bannon, denounced what he termed a "deep state" conspiracy to undermine Trump, consisting of "globalists, bankers, Islamists, and establishment Republicans."

The memo, written in May 2017 and actually read by Trump, according to the report, claimed that Trump was under attack because he represents "an existential threat to cultural Marxist memes that dominate the prevailing cultural narrative." Higgins used this language to denounce those who asserted rights "based on sex or ethnicity," including transgendered people in the military, against whom he apparently had a special phobia.

After McMaster learned of the memo's existence in July, he forced Higgins to resign and then carried out a purge of other NSC officials brought on by Trump's first national security advisor, retired General Michael Flynn.

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From Empire Burlesque

(This is my latest column for the print version of CounterPunch, edited slightly.)



Exploding night mind

(Image by pixabay.com) Details DMCA



"And if my thought-dreams could be seen

They'd probably stick my head in a guillotine."

Thus quoth the Bard, more than half a century ago. At the time, these lines were an electrifying insight into human nature, lighting up dark corners of the psyche not usually explored in popular music. They were also a jolting reversal of the usual protest song dynamic: a righteous hero denouncing evil from a position of moral purity. Here, at the end of a long, incandescent jeremiad against a sick society, we see the "prophet" suddenly subjecting himself to the harsh judgment he had just rendered. "Yeah, this place is Hieronymus Bosch on stilts -- but you should see what's howling in my head!'

We all have a night mind, we all have thought-dreams which, if exposed, perhaps might not get us guillotined but could well kill the image we present to others -- and to ourselves. And this is true even for the most liberated, hip or "woke" among us. (Like Dylan's own sheepish confession in his memoir, Chronicles, that back in the day he'd harbored a secret liking for Barry Goldwater because the politician reminded him of Tom Mix, the movie cowboy. Now that's perverse!)

So imagine if there were a magic machine that let us explore our own guillotinable notions -- or indeed, to range through the night-mind of the whole human race, encountering lurid thought-dreams beyond our previous imagining. A magic machine where every forbidden thought or fear or desire, even things abhorrent to our own daylight mind, could be approached, encountered, explored -- and this in deepest privacy, in the safe confines of our homes, our normal daily reality. Who could resist dipping -- or plunging -- into such a dream-world? Yes, of course, we speak of the internet.

And these explorations need not be anything aberrant, illegal or immoral in themselves, but simply retrograde to what we think of as our truest, essential self. A gentle kindergarten teacher who finds herself looking with lurid fascination at beheadings on YouTube. A kind and loving social activist who is inexplicably drawn to the revolting racist bile she sees on Reddit. A married, smalltown bank manager who peruses gay porn or transgender websites, idly dreaming of alternative lives that in reality he would never pursue. An obsessive haunted by irrational, humiliating fears who seeks comfort -- or exacerbation -- down the digital alleyways of half-baked data and feverish need. The permutations are endless. Every dark impulse, every passing fantasy, every perverse or unsettling notion thrown up by the imp of the mind: all of this available, in endless profusion, 24/7, all over the world.

Now imagine if all of these self-exposing thought-dreams were being recorded by the magic machine. Imagine if this compromising material could be made instantly available to the security organs of an overweening nation-state or the overlords of a rapacious corporate power. What you would have then is an apparatus of repression, blackmail and control beyond the wildest dreams of the most tyrannical regimes, religions and ideologies in all of human history. Any dissident, any heretic speaking out against the power structure could be undermined politically, if not destroyed psychologically, by the exposure of their night-mind, their guillotine-worthy thought-dreams, by those who hold the keys to the magic machine.

And this need not apply only to those who had roused themselves to denounce publicly the crimes and rapine of the powers that be. No, even that quiet bank manager, that suffering obsessive, might draw back from making waves -- or supporting any wave-makers -- in the knowledge that their personal strangeness could potentially be exposed. This fearful but not unreasonable assumption is, in part, the fruit of the many whistleblowing revelations about the surveillance state and the incredibly pervasive reach of our hi-tech behemoths (Google, Facebook, Amazon, etc.) in recent years. We have all been taught to assume that everything we do and say and show on-line is being watched, stored and laid open to state and corporate scrutiny. And we are right to do so.

Yet because this magic machine has tapped into our of most primal impulses, because it offers the ever-alluring but ever-elusive promise of filling the holes torn in our psyches by our individual upbringings and by the cruelties, chaos and contradictions in any and every social, political and cultural milieu we find ourselves caught up in, we keep exploring -- and recording -- our thought-dreams with it. We can't stop feeding it with kompromat against ourselves, can't stop giving malevolent forces -- who care nothing for us beyond what they can wring from us for their own power and profit -- the key to the inner sanctum of our souls.

There is also the fact these malevolent forces have made it virtually impossible to carry out your daily life without giving them access to your lives and thoughts. Increasingly, in order simply to function in the modern world, you must tell them who you are, where you are, what you are buying, reading, watching, listening to.

So the Laureate's lyrics are no longer metaphorical lights cast into our secret darkness. They are now the literal truth: our thought-dreams can be seen. And they can be used, should the powerful wish it, to put our heads in a guillotine.


Charlottesville

(Image by follyofreason) Details DMCA



I say this is legalized because a number of states are in the process of attempting to pass laws that protect drivers who crash their cars into protesters. North Dakota and Tennessee attempted to pass such a bill earlier this year but failed. North Carolina appears to be on the path to successfully passing such a bill.

This is incredibly dangerous. If one state allows such a law to pass, it will encourage people in other states, even states without such laws to use their cars as weapons.

It is disgusting that many on Twitter are blaming the victims, saying that if they had not shown up as counter-protesters they would not have been hurt. These people, and I think some of them are sock puppets, but if any are real, they are gutless cowards who criticize people who stand up against hate and injustice.

President Donald Trump also abetted this horrible event by choosing to blame it on "many sides." This was his way of defending the criminals, his way of fomenting more of the same kind of terrorist acts.

Protest is a form of first amendment protected free speech. Any law that allows people to assault protesters and even kill them should be thrown out by the Supreme Court. Any person who uses a vehicle to attack protesters should be treated as a terrorist, whatever their nation of origin or religion.
EACH TIME HORRIFIC political violence is perpetrated that is deemed to be terrorism, a search is immediately conducted for culprits to blame other than those who actually perpetrated the violence or endorsed the group responsible for it. It's usually only a matter of hours before the attack is exploited to declare one's own political views vindicated, and to depict one's political adversaries as responsible for, if not complicit in, the violence. Often accompanying this search for villains is a list of core civil liberties that we're told ought to be curtailed in the name of preventing similar acts of violence in the future.

All of this typically happens before much of anything is known about the killer, his actual inspirations, his mental health, or his associations. In the aftermath of the widespread horror such violence naturally produces, the easiest target for these guilt-by-association tactics are those who have advocated for the legal rights of the group of which the individual attacker is a member and/or those who have defended the legal right to express the opinions in the name of which the attack was carried out.

These tactics are most familiar when a Muslim perpetrates violence within a western city, aimed at westerners. Before anything is known about the attacker other than his religious identity, the violence is instantly declared to be terrorism. Then the search is quickly launched to find anyone who can be said to be responsible for the violence by virtue of having "encouraged" or "enabled" Islamic extremism, often by doing nothing more than having defended the legal rights of the group that is being blamed for the attack.

At the top of the blame list one always finds a wide range of imams who preach Islam -- even those who never in their lives advocated violence of any kind -- as well as activists who defend Muslims from bigotry and persecution. But also prominently featured in this vilification game are legal groups, such as the Council on American-Islam Relations (CAIR) and the ACLU, that defend the free speech rights and other civil liberties of Muslims to be free of state persecution and suppression. Recently, even social platforms that allow Muslims to express themselves without state censorship are said to be "complicit."

Click Here to Read Whole Article

Demonizing lawyers and civil liberties advocates by depicting them as "complicit" in the heinous acts of their clients is a long-standing scam that is not confined to the U.S. The Belgian lawyer who represented one of the Muslim attackers in Paris, Sven Mary, said "he had suffered physical and verbal attacks and his daughters had even needed a police escort to school."
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called Massoud Barzani of Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq (KRG's illegal President Massoud Barzani) to postpone KRG's referendum vote for independence of south part of Kurdistan. The US government after Iraq war of the year 2003 created two governments for Kurds in South Kurdistan (former part of Northern Iraq). Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani's mafia tribes of Kurds in South Kurdistan are in control of 40 billion barrel of oil.

Each member of Massoud Barzani and Jalal Talabani families are ballooners now. They are using oil money to buy many American, Israeli and European officials in the past to serve them without getting punished by the US governments.

Today Massoud Barzani's uncle and his close adviser, Hoshyar Zebari, former foreign minister of Iraq, announced after U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson call to Massoud Barzani that KRG of Iraqi Kurdistan rejects the U.S. call to postpone independence referendum.

Turkish President Erdogan and Israeli government are helping Barzani and Talabani to declare independence from Iraq. But Turkish media accusing the US government of being the owner of the Barzani and Talabani project to form two independence countries for Kurds in South Kurdistan.

Mehrdad Izady or Michael Mehrdad R.S.C. Izady or Michael Izady is a contemporary writer on ethnic and cultural topics, particularly the Greater Middle East, and Kurds wrote more than 20 years ago that Kurds could establish 4-5 independent countries in the Middle East. Dr. Izady at the time was believed to be close to Hebrew Jewish leaders in New York City.

Today Dr. Najmaldin Karim, the governor Kirkuk-Iraq, known as the close servant of Talabani family and partner of oil wealth, are repeating Dr. Mehrdad Izady's statement above.

The majority of Kurds are led by Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, who came up with the idea for the region to live side by side in peace. He and his PKK party are not going to accept such kind of countries in Kurdistan. Kurdish people are against divided Kurdistan; they are going to fight such plan by Turks and Israeli governments. No one wants Persian Gulf states formula in Kurdistan. Kurdish people suffered for more than 1400 years in the hand of Persian, Arabs, and Turks in Kurdistan. They want one country for Kurds in peace with Persian, Arabs, and Turks in the Middle East.

The US policies must serve people of Kurdistan to keep the alliance with Kurds for thousand of years to come. The US must stand up against Turks and Israeli plan of divide and conquer Kurdistan.

Reference

U.S. state secretary calls on Iraqi Kurdistan to postpone independence vote

http://ekurd.net/us-kurdistan-postpone-vote-2017-08-12

Iraqi Kurdistan rejects U.S. call to postpone independence referendum

http://ekurd.net/kurdistan-rejects-us-postpone-2017-08-12

Kurds may end up creating a number of independent states: Kirkuk governor

http://ekurd.net/kurds-creating-number-states-2017-08-10
Andrew Cuomo, the Governor of New York, today released a direct and combative petition aimed straight at President Donald Trumps insistence that there was violence on many sides of Saturdays deadly vehicular attack in Charlottesville, Virginia. Rather, the petition requests that the President clearly and unequivocally condemn and denounce the violent protest organized by the white supremacists and neo-Nazis, which ended with a car driven by a white supremacists slamming into crowds of counter protesters, leaving one woman dead and many more in critical condition. Trump responded to the attacks as one would expecton Twitterwhere he condemned violence in general without noting the source of said violence, even as pro-Trump, alt-right demonstrators reportedly chanted heil Trump in support of the man.

The full text of the petition is printed below, and can be seen here.

After the deadly and ugly events in Charlottesville I am calling on President Trump to clearly and unequivocally condemn and denounce the violent protest organized by the white supremacists and neo-Nazis, including Richard Spencer and Jason Kessler, with support from David Duke. President Trump must immediately call this for what it is  no cover, no euphemisms.

This was a terror attack by white supremacists.

Join me in signing a petition demanding that President Trump acknowledges this hate for what it is: Domestic terrorism willfully perpetrated by white supremacists.

While President Trump is back in New York today  lets remind him: hate has no sides and violence has no place.
The presidents of Nigeria, Angola, Zimbabwe, Benin and Algeria all have something in common - an apparent lack of faith in the health systems at home.



In terms of time spent abroad getting medical help, Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari, 74, is the first among equals, but in the past year all these heads of state have travelled overseas for health reasons.



In many cases they are leaving behind poorly funded health services, which most of their citizens have to rely on.



In 2010, the average amount spent on health in African countries per person was $135 (100) compared to $3,150 in high-income countries, the UN's World Health Organization said.



In Zimbabwe, for example, state-run hospitals and clinics often run out of basic medicines like painkillers and antibiotics, according to health watchdog Citizens Health Watch.



It says that the public health care system "continues to deteriorate at alarming levels" with lack of money being the main problem.



As for Nigeria, the public health system is "terrible" because of poor funding, says BBC Abuja editor Naziru Mikailu.



A health insurance scheme for government workers and some private employees has given some people access to private medicine, but most people have to rely on government-funded services.



In both countries, good private healthcare is available to those with money but in some cases there is a feeling that things are better abroad.



The Nigerian president has spent more than four months in London this year getting treatment for an undisclosed illness, causing considerable disquiet at home. Unlike one of his predecessors, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua who went to Saudi Arabia to see a doctor, Mr Buhari did leave his deputy in charge, but this has not dampened the criticism.



Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, in power since 1980, has also been criticised by his political opponents for running the country "from his hospital bed" after his third medical trip to Singapore this year.



The Angolan government revealed in May that Jose Eduardo dos Santos, who has been president for the last 38 years, had travelled to Spain for health reasons. But as in the Nigerian case, the government was not forthcoming about the problem.



Evaristo Da Luz, spokesperson for the opposition Casa-CE, said that the trip "proves the incompetence of his government in place for four decades and shows the precarious nature of the health service".



'Very, very black'



The ill-health of Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, 80, has been known for a long time.



He suffered a stroke in 2013, was seen going to vote in a wheelchair in 2014 and later in the year travelled to a hospital in France. He was back there last November for one of what the government calls "periodic" medical checks, the AFP news agency reports.



The Benin government has been more forthcoming about the reason for the relatively youthful President Patrice Talon, 59, to travel to France in June. He went for two operations, one on his prostate and one on his digestive system, the government said.



But what is the attraction of seeking medical attention elsewhere?



Unsurprisingly, no presidential spokesman has come out to say that it is because the health service in general is better overseas.



Mr Mugabe's spokesman, though, was sensitive to criticism about his boss's frequent trips to Singapore, insisting in May that he was not turning his back on Zimbabwean medical help.



George Charamba was quoted by the state-run Herald newspaper as saying that the president's doctor "is not only Zimbabwean, he is actually black He is very, very, very black".



The only issue was that the problem Mr Mugabe had with his eyes could only be dealt with outside Zimbabwe, as it had to do with "the level of sophistication of medical skills".



It was this medical problem that meant Mr Mugabe had to sometimes rest his eyes during meetings, giving the impression that he was sleeping, the spokesman said.



The issue with these trips abroad is not only the implied criticism of the medics at home, but that they also serve to undermine the health system, leading Nigerian doctor Osahon Enabulele argues.



He calls the phenomenon "medical tourism" and says that the example set by political leaders costs countries millions of dollars.



In 2013 he estimated that Nigerians were spending $1bn (770m) abroad on medical treatment and reckons that figure could have doubled by now.



By comparison, the federal government's health budget for 2016 came to $800m.



Dr Enabulele, who is vice-president of the Commonwealth Medical Association, says that the money taken out of Nigeria could be invested in the health system at home.



"The whole ambition to have state-of-the-art facilities will remain a mirage if people keep going abroad for medical reasons."



Vicious cycle



On top of that, he says, top Nigerian doctors are then enticed abroad looking for the best conditions, exacerbating the situation.



Dr Enabulele adds that while he wishes the president well, he thinks that the treatment he needs could be found at home.



Looking at the big picture, underfunding of health does seem to be a problem.



Also, political leaders may not have the incentive to improve health services if they themselves can afford to go elsewhere.



Perhaps they could take the example of Sudan President Omar al-Bashir.



In January, he had what the official news agency described as "an exploratory cardiac catheterisation" at a hospital in the capital, Khartoum.



It was, however, a private hospital, not a state one.

Source: BBC









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 United States says a local leader of the Islamic State (IS) extremist group and several of the group's commanders have been killed in a U.S. air strike in Afghanistan.

The attack on August 10 killed Abdul Rahman, identified by the U.S. military as the Kunar Provine emir for Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan (ISIS-K), according to a statement from the command in Kabul.

Three other senior ISIS-K members were also among those killed in the strike in Pech Valley in eastern Kunar Province, the U.S. military said in the statement issued on August 13.

"The death of Abdul Rahman deals yet another blow to the senior leadership of ISIS-K," General John Nicholson, the senior U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said in the statement.

The statement said that Rahman was a primary candidate to become IS's leader after its former leader, Abu Sayed, was killed in a U.S. air strike in July.

"He found out just like those before him that there are no safe havens in Afghanistan. We will hunt them down until they are no longer a threat to the Afghan people and the region," Nicholson added.

The U.S. military denied reports on August 11 that an air strike in the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar killed as many as 16 civilians, saying the operation killed only militant fighters.

With reporting by AP 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
The United States and four Western European countries have called on political leaders in Kosovo to stave off a political crisis after being unable to elect a speaker or move forward with the formation of a new government.



Two months removed from snap elections, the tiny country's political groups failed once again on August 10 to vote for a parliament speaker and allow the president to appoint a prime minister.



The latest failure prompted Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and the United States to issue a statement on August 13 that it was "the responsibility of Kosovo's leaders" to move the countrys political institutions forward.



"We are concerned by the ongoing political situation in Kosovo," said a joint statement released by the countries' embassies in the capital, Pristina.



While parliament is set to hold another session on August 14, the failure to vote on a speaker so far has raised worries that Kosovo could be headed for yet another political crisis and fresh elections.



The International Monetary Fund shelved a final review of its 184 million-euro ($200 million) two-year funding package with Kosovo on July 28, putting off the disbursement of remaining funds due to the lack of a government. So far Pristina has received 169 million euros in three tranches of the loan.



Early elections on June 11 failed to give any party a ruling majority. A coalition headed by the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), which includes the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK), won 35 percent of the vote.



President Hashim Thaci has said that he would give Ramush Haradinaj, leader of the AAK, a formal mandate to try to form a government -- despite speculation that Haradinaj may not be able to find coalition partners.



The process has hit a roadblock amid signs that the PDK-led coalition might not have enough support to create a majority and form a government.



Officials from the European Union and other Western institutions have expressed concerns that the inconclusive election results could plunge the country into the same constitutional crisis it faced after a 2014 vote failed to produce a clear winner, delaying the formation of a government for nine months.



Kosovo in 2008 declared independence from Serbia and has since been recognized by more than 110 countries worldwide, although not by Serbia or Russia.
The media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the Azerbaijani government's use of tax-evasion charges to harass the Turan news agency, the last independent media outlet based in the country.

Turan reported on August 11 that tax officials accuse it of underdeclaring its profits since 2014 and are demanding more than 37,000 manats ($20,000) in back taxes and other fees.

"It was just a matter of time before the authorities targeted the last independent media outlet still operating in Azerbaijan," said Johann Bihr, the head of RSF's Eastern Europe and Central Asia desk.

Azerbaijani officials began a criminal investigation against Turan on August 7 and sent a tax inspector to the news agency's offices the following day to begin an audit, Turan said.

Turan denies the allegations and has referred the matter to a Baku economic administrative court, pointing to many irregularities in the investigation, including the fact that officials did not mention a recent audit -- exonerating Turan -- that was made in response to similar allegations.

"These proceedings are designed to cripple a respected news agency financially," Bihr said. "We call on the authorities to end this systematic harassment of the last independent media voices and to drop the investigation into Turan.

Created in May 1990 by journalists who did not want to work for the state media, Turan was one the Soviet Union's very first independent news agencies and produces news in Azeri, English, and Russian.

Turan was nominated for RSFs Press Freedom Prize in 2014.

The Azerbaijani authorities have clamped down on independent media in the country in recent years, including the closure of RFE/RLs Baku bureau in late 2014.

The last opposition newspaper, Azadliq, was forced to stop producing a print edition in September 2016.
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has said Syrian government troops backed by Russian forces have recaptured huge swathes of territory from opposition forces in the previous two months.

Shoigu told Rossia-1 television on August 12 that the amount of territory regained by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since June was twice as large as that which was controlled by Damascus in September 2015, when Russian forces began aiding Syrian forces with air strikes.

Shoigu called the Syrian Army's gains "really impressive."

Sergei Rudskoi, chief of the Russian General Staff's Main Operations Department, said that as of August 1, the Syrian Army controlled some 74,200 square kilometers of Syria.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed in Syria since fighting between Syrian troops and opposition fighters began in 2011. Millions of others have been forced to flee their homes.

Based on reporting by Interfax, Al-Masdar News, and Rossia 1
A Tajik police officer has been fired and his boss demoted after the officer stopped and questioned a young couple who were kissing on a Dushanbe street, the Interior Ministry says.

The 19-year-old man who was purportedly engaged in the public display of affection, Aziz Amrishoev, is the son of a city-council member who said she quickly complained to the interior minister over the officers' "medieval beliefs."

The city councilor, Gulnora Amirshoeva, said on Facebook that she intervened with officers after getting a call from her son when he was being hassled.

Amirshoeva said it was the second time her son had been targeted for a public display of affection with his girlfriend.

"I had to go there and explain to the policemen that showing affection in public has not been banned," Amirshoeva wrote on Facebook, urging the police to fight crime and corruption instead. "The officers wanted to take the three of us to the police station but we refused to go.... Soon five other officers arrived. Then I called the interior minister."

Amirshoeva said she also filed an official complaint with the police, demanding an investigation. She also turned to her Facebook page and her nearly 15,000 followers.

Interior Ministry spokesman Umarjon Emomali confirmed the disciplinary action against the police officers on August 11.

"The policemen only wanted to extort money," Amirshoeva later alleged to RFE/RL's Tajik Service, echoing allegations of the widespread solicitation of bribes by the country's law enforcement.

"Know your rights, know the laws, and don't break them," Amirshoeva wrote in another social-media post on August 11.

Amirshoeva, who is a journalist by profession, insists that she acted in the same manner as an ordinary citizen might -- not as a local politician or journalist.

Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by RFE/RL's Tajik Service
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
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 []
Ever wonder how astronauts will live on other worlds? Welcome to the Human Exploration Research Analog, or HERA, a habitat at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston built to simulate the isolation of missions to deep space. You can take a tour of the HERA habitat with NASA interns in this new video in the style of the MTV series "Cribs."

"HERA is a unique three-story habitat designed to serve as an analog for isolation, confinement, and remote conditions in exploration scenarios," NASA officials explained in a video description. "This video gives a tour of where crew members live, work, sleep, and eat during the analog missions."

Currently, the HERA program is in the midst of the HERA Campiagn 4 series of four 45-day missions that run between May 2017 and March 2018. The current increment, HERA Campaign 4 Mission XIV, began on Aug. 5 and will end on Sept. 18. You can learn more about the HERA program at NASA's website here, and about the current HERA mission here.

Here's a 360-degree look inside HERA:

And a 360-degree look at the HERA module's exterior:

Note: Space.com senior producer Steve Spaleta contributed to this report.

Email Tariq Malik at tmalik@space.com or follow him @tariqjmalik. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
A portion of a new flyer from the American Astronomical Society. Regions as far south as Colombia and Venezuela and as far north as the Alaskan Arctic Circle will see a quarter of the sun eclipsed by the moon. With millions of eyes looking to the sky for the Aug. 21 solar eclipse, public eye safety information is very important.

A new flyer aimed at non-English speakers was released by the American Astronomical Society (AAS) and improves access to important safety information for the cross-country total solar eclipse on Aug. 21. By using graphics instead of text, the poster avoids restricting the message of eye safety to only English speakers.

AAS recommends handing out the flyer when distributing handheld solar viewers or eclipse glasses, along with manufacturer's instructions for these viewers.

The eclipse will be visible as either a partial or total eclipse in most of North America, and 220 million people live within a 1-hour drive of the path of totality. According to a NASA graphic, regions as far south as Colombia and Venezuela and as far north as the Alaskan Arctic Circle will see a quarter of the sun eclipsed by the moon. According to the 2010 United States Census, there are about 47 million speakers of non-English languages within U.S. borders alone. [Free Solar Eclipses Posters (and Map!) from Space.com!]

On Aug. 21, the total solar eclipse will be visible in parts of Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. A partial solar eclipse will be visible as far away as South America, Europe and Africa. (Image credit: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio)

Such a safety flyer can help protect those people from the risks of viewing the sun incorrectly. Even if the sun is close to being completely covered by the moon, direct exposure of sunlight to an eye can cause serious damage.

"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," Ralph Chou, of the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Waterloo in Canada, told Space.com in June.

A one-page poster called "How to View a Solar Eclipse Safely" formed the foundation of the new flyer, and was written by the AAS Solar Eclipse Task Force with the assistance of eclipse experts and support from the National Science Foundation. The advice has also been endorsed by NASA, the American Academy of Optometry, the American Optometric Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

After making a Spanish translation of AAS' original eclipse safety flyer, the society decided to create a version that uses graphics instead of text so that speakers of all languages could understand the information, according to the AAS download page.

To watch the eclipse safely, you can follow the AAS safety guidelines illustrated in the two-page document, available for free download from the AAS website.

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.

Follow Doris Elin Salazar on Twitter @salazar_elin. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
T he research led by the UCL, jointly with GoCompare, also found that a third of customers in the UK have never switched energy or home insurance provider.

The average British household could be losing 367 a year on their insurance and energy bills by not comparing offers and regularly switching providers.

The study revealed that customers who do switch providers pay on average 367 less a year on their home bills  144 a year on car insurance, 110 a year on home energy bills and 113 a year on home insurance.

Unfortunately, people just dont have time for that. Behavioural Economist and Assistant Professor at UCL Joe Gladstone explains:

In the energy market, lots of default tariffs of energy suppliers are a bad deal for consumers. They can get a good deal if they keep switching every year but the reality is a lot of people dont know how and when to do that.

The research also found that people experiencing financial distress tend to avoid information contained in bills, look at a bill for less time and remember less information from it.

GoCompare CEO Matthew Crummack said: To beat the bills, people need to get bothered and get switching. But financial and energy providers also need to communicate more effectively. Letters and bills often arent read in detail by the most financially distressed, and so they need to be easier to understand.

Those more likely to switch providers were people with greater financial literacy, who discount the future less.
M urder detectives are investigating whether a fight between armed masked youths on mopeds is linked to the fatal stabbing of a 15-year-old boy.

Aspiring architect Jermaine Goupall was killed in the street in Thornton Heath, south London, less than 100 yards from his home after an evening with friends.

He was ambushed by three men wearing balaclavas, who were armed with knives and a machete, in Green Lane at about 11pm on Tuesday.

Paramedics fought to save him but he was pronounced dead an hour later.

His family said he was a talented mathematician, played badminton and rugby and was an excellent swimmer. They have called for youths to lay down their knives in the wake of the killing.

The 15-year-old was knifed to death in Thornton Heath / Alex Lentati

On Saturday, Scotland Yard said detectives were investigating whether an altercation in the same area involving masked youths armed with sticks was linked to the killing.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Lynes, who is leading the investigation, said: Our investigation has also established that there was an incident in the same area as Jermaine was attacked at around 3pm to 4pm on that Tuesday afternoon. This was an altercation involving a number of teenagers armed with sticks, and some on mopeds, wearing balaclavas.

"One line of enquiry we are exploring is if there is a link between this incident that afternoon and the later altercation that led to Jermaine's death.

"If you were in the area around that time and saw anything, or know who was involved in this fight please call our incident room.

"Jermaine's family are devastated by his loss, my thoughts are with them at this difficult time. Please help us find the people responsible for taking their son from them."

He also urged anyone who witnessed the fatal stabbing of Jermaine to come forward.

DCI Lynes offered reassurance to anyone who was worried about coming forward and said experience detectives would deal with the information sensitively.

A 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old woman have been charged with murder and were due to appear at Bromley Magistrates Court on Monday.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation should call the Homicide and Major Crime Command incident room on 020 8721 4868 on via 101.
A campaign has been launched to protect metal fences in south London made from WW2 stretchers once used to carry thousands of wounded civilians in the Blitz.

The so-called stretcher fences can be found on estates in Peckham, Brixton, Deptford, Oval and East London.

Local historians claim hundreds of thousands of Londoners walk past the fences every day completely oblivious to their fascinating history, and now they are at risk of being ripped down and replaced.

Campaigners are hoping to promote awareness of the fences so they can raise money to conserve them and install plaques.

Stretcher railings on the Tabard Garden estate in Southwark / Stretcher Railing Society

Conservation manager Rosie Shaw told the Standard: I had been talking about doing something for a while and then a lot got ripped out at East Dulwich Estate in Dog Kennel Hill a couple of weeks ago.

"A lot of them badly need some conservation or councils will have to replace them.

I think it would be wonderful if more people knew about them and could engage with them. Anyone who we tell gets really excited and its a really fascinating social part of our history."

She added: Its quite hard to think of physical reminders of the Second World War. Its extraordinary that they are still here.

The stretchers were used during the Blitz to carry wounded civilians / Museum of the Order of St John

The stretcher fences are recognisable thanks to two indents at each end, used to raise the stretcher slightly off the ground.

More than 600,000 were built during WW2 so that Air Raid Protection officers could carry injured people during German bomb raids.

They were made from steel so that they could be easily washed down after use.

Many of the stretcher fences are beginning to fall into disrepair and are at risk of being replaced / Stretcher Railing Society

Peter Eaves, of the Museum of the Order of St John, which has an original stretcher, states: At the end of the war, the authorities were left with an enormous stockpile of stretchers.

Railings across the capital had been removed at the beginning of the war in an effort to fuel the desperate production of munitions and war materials.

The ARP stretchers were a handy expedient. Across London, particularly in the south-east and east, the stretchers were welded vertically together, complete with their kinked poles and wire mesh middle and fixed into position.

The Stretcher Railing Society has created Facebook and Twitter accounts, as well a new website, in order to raise awareness of the fences.
U ber is failing to report serious crimes including sexual assaults in order to protect its reputation, according to a Metropolitan Police chief.

Inspector Neil Billany, head of the forces taxi and private hire unit, said he had significant concern that the firm seemed to be deciding what [crimes] to report. Uber said the comments did not reflect its good working relationship with the police.

Insp Billany claimed Uber was allowing situations to develop that clearly affect the safety and security of the public by keeping police in the dark about certain alleged offences and telling officers only about less serious matters that were less damaging to its reputation.

Alleged cases  outlined in a letter to Transport for London seen by the Sunday Times  include at least six sexual assaults on passengers, two public order offences and an assault.

The claims come as Uber faces a licence review in London, one of hundreds of cities worldwide where the app-based car hire service operates.

Black-cab-drivers in London have protested against Uber in the past / Anthony Devlin/PA Wire

Transport for London, which will determine whether to extend Uber's licence, said the alleged failure was totally unacceptable.

Director of service operations Peter Blake said: We take any concerns about the reporting of sexual and violent incidents extremely seriously and have worked closely with the Met to ensure appropriate action has been taken against these drivers.

Any delay in reporting serious crimes is totally unacceptable and we have been in contact with the operator to ask them to respond to these concerns."

London Assembly transport committee chair Caroline Pidgeon told the Sunday Times: "This apparent cover-up of reports about such serious criminal activity is shameful."

Uber said it took complaints very seriously and always worked with the police on investigations.

But the firm said it respected that people may not always want to report allegations to the police.

A spokesman said: "We were surprised by this letter as in no way does it reflect the good working relationship we have with the police and the extensive support we provide.

Our team includes former Met Police officers who work closely with the police and act quickly to respond to complaints.

If there is a serious incident involving a licensed driver they are prevented from using our app and TfL is promptly notified. We advise people to report serious incidents to the police and support any subsequent investigations, but respect the rights of individuals to decide whether or not to make such reports."
T om Cruise injured himself as he performed a failed stunt while filming the latest Mission: Impossible movie in London.

The 55-year-old actor, who is known for insisting on performing his own stunts, was jumping between two buildings with the assistance of a harness.

But he missed the edge of the second roof and banged into the side of the building with force during the incident on Sunday.

Footage obtained by TMZ.com showed Cruise then limping towards his team and collapsing onto his knees.

He was then lifted back over to the first building via his harness before limping out of view of the camera with help from his safety team.

The extent of his injuries are not known.

The actor and Scientologist is currently filming Mission: Impossible 6 , which is due for release in Summer 2018, in an unknown location is London.

Cruise was previously seen filming dangerous scenes for the movie in Paris, where he rode a motorbike into a car before flying through the air.

He was also photographed parachuting in Oxfordshire while filming at the beginning of this month.

The film's executive producer David Ellison previously said Cruise had been training for a year for the movie and was preparing to pull off his most "mind-blowing" stunt to date.

He said: "It is going to be, I believe, the most impressive and unbelievable thing that Tom Cruise has done in a movie, and he has been working on it since right after Rogue Nation came out. Its going to be mind-blowing.
Israel is testing a major upgrade for its Namer IFV (infantry fighting vehicle) by replacing the RWS (remote weapons station) 12.7mm machine-gun in a small turret with a larger turret armed with the RWS Mk44 30mm Bushmaster cannon. This 30mm system is based on the M242 25mm weapon long used in the American M2 IFV. The MK44 has also been proposed as an upgrade for the M2 and Stryker. The 30mm cannon is much more important for vehicles like Stryker Namer, which currently have a 12.7mm machine-gun. The Mk44 is much more effective against light armored vehicles and infantry than the 12.7mm machine-gun and the 25mm cannon. Israel is also installing the same unmanned 30mm autocannon turret on the new 8x8 wheeled Eitan vehicle (similar to Stryker). Israel is apparently planning to add the Trophy ADS (active defense system) that defeats missiles and RPG rockets. Trophy has worked on Merkava tanks.

The Mk44 weighs 157 kg (344 pounds) and fires at 100 or 200 rounds per minute (up to 3 or 4 per second). The Bushmaster has 160 rounds available, before needing a reload. That means the gunner has 25-50 seconds worth of ammo, depending on rate of fire used. Each 30mm high explosive/incendiary round weighs about 714 g (25 ounces, depending on type). The fire control system and night vision sensors enables the 30mm gunners to accurately hit distant targets with high explosive shells. The Mk44 also has airburst shells that are automatically programmed by the fire control system to detonate at a specific range. These would be used against helicopters, giving Namer an improved (over the 12.7mm machine-gun) capability. Max range of the 30mm shell is 3,000 meters. While the Mk44 is 34 percent heavier than the M242 and has the same range and rate of fire, the 30mm shell is 50 percent more destructive. The Mk44 uses 70 percent of the same parts as the M242.

Adopting the 30mm autocannon for Namer is apparently another aspect of the changing Israeli military doctrine and equipment procurement plans. For example, Israel has steadily reduced the number of Namer is plans to build. Back in 2014 Israel slashed production of its Namer to 170. As of early 2017 only 120 are in service. Originally, back in 2010, Israel planned to buy 600. Budget cuts and reduced military threats have shrunk that. Moreover, production will halt in 2017 rather than 2019. The first Namers were built in Israel, but the rest are being built more cheaply in the United States. A U.S. firm (General Dynamics) was contracted to manufacture most of the Namers.

Several infantry battalion are already equipped with Israeli built Namers, mostly in the Golani Brigade up north near the Lebanese border. In early 2010 Israel used several Namer IFVs in Gaza. This was the first combat experience for the Namer, and it performed as expected. One was used for a forward command post, enabling officers to get close to the fighting and, using several radios and sensors in the Namer, to quickly shift forces and call in air support on specific targets.

The Namer is based on the chassis of older Merkava I and II series tanks. These vehicles are being retired, so they can either be scrapped, or recycled. Thus Namer has the thick armor of the Merkava. With the turret removed, a remotely controlled (from inside the vehicle) heavy machine-gun was been added on top. The Merkava lends itself to this kind of modification, because the engine is mounted in the front and there is already a door in the back of the vehicle.

While the Israelis liked the speed of the Stryker, which they considered ordering, they felt they will still be fighting in urban areas, against Palestinian terrorists, in the next ten years. There, the Namer has an edge, because of its thicker armor. Out in the open, the Stryker has an advantage. If the Israelis cannot afford to build enough Namers, they will add armor to their existing supply of M-113 APCs. But based on tests, and the first experience in Gaza, troops prefer the Namer.

The Namer carries twelve people (a driver, gunner, vehicle commander and nine infantry). The passenger compartment is also equipped with a stretcher that enables one casualty to be carried along with a full load of passengers and crew. In addition to the remotely controlled 12.7mm machine-gun, there is also a roof hatch on the left forward part of the vehicle, for the commander to use, and also operate a 7.62mm machine-gun. The vehicle also has the Merkava battle management system, as well as four cameras providing 360 degree vision around the vehicle. The remotely controlled machine-gun has a night vision sight. The vehicle also has a toilet, an addition based on troop feedback (and many missions where they had to stay on board for up to 24 hours at a time in combat zones.)

Israel has over two hundred Merkava I tanks, the oldest are at least 25 years old. There are over 500 Merkava IIs being retired as well. Removing the turret, and adding more armor to the bottom, leaves you with a 54 ton Namer, the heaviest IFV ever built. Each Namer costs about $3 million. The new production cuts will increase the cost of each vehicle up to $200,000.

Earlier, Israel had experimented with using T-55 and Centurion tanks as IFVs. This did not work because the engines in these vehicles were in the rear, where the exit doors of AFVs usually are. Thus troops had to enter and exit via top hatches. This was not a good idea in combat. When the older Merkavas became available, IFV conversions were an obvious application. Israeli troops were not happy with their elderly and poorly protected M113 APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers), and were eager to get a safer vehicle.

Note that Namer is sometimes spelled Nemer, in case you want to go searching for more information on the subject.
Lightning strikes behind a B-52H Stratofortress at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., Aug. 8, 2017. In a conventional conflict, the B-52 can accomplish strategic attacks, close-air support, air interdiction, offensive counter-air and maritime operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman J.T. Armstrong)

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Bob and Phyllis Cramer of Napa celebrated 70 years of marriage on Aug. 5.

Bob is a retired engineer at Mare Island. He is active in Masons, SIRS, and enjoys hunting and fishing and a good game of cribbage. Phyllis is a retired kindergarten teacher. She is active in the Retired Teachers Association and enjoys volunteering, camping, sewing and painting.

The Cramers met on a blind date during World War II, while Bob was in the Merchant Marines and Phyllis was attending a teaching college in Glassboro. They were married Aug. 5, 1947 in Venice, California. The couple has lived in Napa for 68 years.

After retirement they trailered in nearly every state in the Union, making friends wherever they went. They spent summers in Wisconsin building a log cabin on the family homestead with their many family members.

They have two children, Bob Cramer and Gail Bins, and stay young while enjoying their grandchildren Julie (John), Amy (Aaron), Rebecca (Matt), Katie, and 10 great grandchildren: Scott, Phoebe, Chyan, Shelby, Cole, Zayne, Adrian, Kyle, Tanner, and Mason.

They celebrated their anniversary at a local restaurant, surrounded by friends and family.
Filling up with Premium Fuel Electrons, PG&E and the Next Generation of Energy and Vehicles - Chevrolet Bolt Review by Jon Rosner

Special Feature from Jon Rosner







The first electric car fleets poured onto the streets of London in 1897 and because of their ease of use they grew in popularity with just under 34,000 vehicles registered for street use in 1912. But with the improvement in roads, the discovery of vast amounts of oil and hydrocarbon fuels - combined with American wanderlust - electric car manufacturers whose cars suffered from limited range issues like Baker Electric just could no longer compete. Occasional efforts were made in the 1960s and 1970s to make a go of building an electric car but battery technology was simply not ready for prime time.

Being something of a Luddite who still admires the simplicity of carburetors and crank windows (you know the ones  you turn a handle to open the window) I wasnt sure how I felt about being one of two passengers riding down to the 2017 Western Automotive Journalists Media Day at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in a new Chevrolet Bolt. Sure it could make it down, and yes, in theory it could make it back too. Was my fellow journalist sure, yes, was I? Uh, not completely.







Then we heard that Dave Meisel, Senior Director of Transportation and Aviation Services at PG&E was coming to the event and bringing a monster utility truck with enough exportable power capacity to supply a 100 house blacked-out neighborhood. Is this the same PG&E that sliced and diced their safety service program until something went wrong and a neighborhood was blown up by a faulty gas pipe? Guess what? It is.

PG&E demonstrated the exportable power trucks capabilities by using it to charge electric vehicles at the event. While there Dave and his crew added comforting extra electrons to the Bolts battery. As it turned out we really could have made it home without the recharge, but the PG&E power truck story was so compelling that I requested the opportunity to speak to Dave at length. (From Dave) according to Forbes, the Bolt will be cost competitive in 2018. Battery technology is expected to see a 70% price reduction by 2025. According to UBS analysis, Daimler (Mercedes-Benz) will open a gigafactory, and have it fully functional in less than 2 years. We have worked to get electric propulsion into our work vehicles, and currently operate nearly 1,400 plug-in electric and hybrid units in our fleet. But my goal was to integrate plug-in electric technology into our bigger trucks, and then harness that battery capacity to provide exportable power that we could use to shorten or eliminate planned and unplanned outages. We have worked with a series of suppliers. Efficient Drivetrains (EDI) in Milpitas has done a yeomans job translating our needs into technology we can use. EDI did two things that we could not get anyone else to do, they developed technology specifically for our application. They have smart engineers who were very responsive. We have done four or five prototypes and each one was better than the previous one.







The plug-in electric hybrid Class 5 utility trucks we developed in partnership with EDI offer up to 50 miles all electric range prior to switching to hybrid mode, and can operate in either series or parallel hybrid mode to maximize fuel economy depending on operational needs (city or highway driving). Whats more, these trucks also offer up to 120 kW of exportable power, enough to power up to 100 homes during off-peak usage hours or 30 homes during peak usage times.

We go to a worksite and run the trucks. Gen One trucks have been built, this is brand new technology. It is amazingly expensive to do prototypes. We secured an EPIC (Electric Program Investment Charge) grant from the California Energy Commission to help fund the cost of developing these trucks. Right now we have 13 out there. The best example of where the technology makes a difference was during the wildfires in Napa and Lake County in 2015. We had displaced customers who were relocated to a Red Cross evacuation center at the Napa Fairgrounds, where they could be fed and cared for. The wildfires had left thousands of customers without power, and this center received hundreds of residents. We sent an exportable power vehicle to provide power to the camp. That asset that we designed performed in the situation that we designed it for, planned, or in this case. unplanned emergency. We got the call and we dispatched in 30 minutes, arriving in under two hours. In this situation we were able to hook up in under 15 minutes and for 68 hours we ran the evacuation center off the truck until it was safe for residents to return to their homes. We are an emergency response company, when people are running away from a catastrophic situation we are running to it. These folks should earn kudos for putting themselves on the line. It is mind boggling what they will do, sense of team and responsibility  second to none.

I was in Washington two years ago and they were very interested in this kind of mobile technology. We can produce more energy than a stationary generator, and with lower pollution levels. I did meet with FEMA and DOD and they are interested. We have the opportunity to eliminate planned outages when we do transformer maintenance and shorten unplanned outages, providing safe clean power for our customers. PGE has the greenest portfolio in the United States and we can translate that into clean transportation.

Electric technology is 100 years old and this technology deals with a lot of the issues, the job creation aspect has been amazing. This technology is new, this is high tech work and we are creating jobs that wouldnt be here. We talk about emissions, but we are creating jobs that otherwise would not exist. We employ 100s of people without college degrees, these are good jobs for more mature people, our older employees know what a good a job is.

This author went in with his usual slightly cynical attitude and came out really rather impressed. Dave Meisel and his crew really care about the people of California. They have not only created, developed and implemented a technology that can make the misery of black-outs a thing of the past, but have developed something that, if implemented properly, could be of tremendous importance when natural disasters remind us that the best laid plans of mice and men can, and often, fail. Kudos to PG&E for putting a stake in the ground and building out a technology that will make many lives that much less difficult when the anticipated or unanticipated happens.
Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Digest - August 7-13, 2017; International Car Brand Sales; Cadillac Sedans Buh-Bye; Ford Dieselgate?; GM Pickup Recall; Nissan Recall; Chevy SS Is History







AUTO CENTRAL CHICAGO, August 13, 2017; Every Sunday Larry Nutson, Senior Editor and Chicago Car Guy along with fellow senior editors Steve Purdy and Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, give you TACH's "take" on this past week's automotive news in easyeasily "catch up" or put these stories in context by searching the past 25 year's millions of (Indexed By Google) pages of automotive news, automotive stories, articles, reviews, archived news, video, audio, rants and raves accessible from The Auto Channel's Automotive News Archive to digest mega-tweet sized nuggets. When you wish to "learn more" just click on the article subject link which will take you to the full story as published here on The Auto Channel.

If you are a car and driving fan like we all are here at The Auto Channel, you can .

Hey TV viewers, you can now enjoy The Auto Channel TV Network "Free and Clear" on WHDT Channel 3 in Boston and on many local cable systems. All South Florida auto fans can continue to watch The Auto Channel TV Network on WHDT-TV Channel 9 in West Palm Beach as well as cable channel's 17 and 438, channel 9 Miami. WHDN launched its full schedule (including The Auto Channel)of broadcasting in the Naples-Fort Myers market on digital PSIP channel 9.1 channel, look for us Hulu and on TUNAVISION.

Nutson's Nuggets: August 13, 2017

* Despite the slow-down in overall sales for the month, international brands increased their share of the U.S. market in July, finishing the month with 58.6 percent  up from the 55.4 percent share they captured in June. Although they held the biggest share of the U.S. market with 49.6 percent of the market and sales of 702,615 vehicles, Asian brands were down 2.7 percent from last July and 1.6 percent for the year overall. European brands were down 7.2 percent from July 2016, but are still up 1.2 percent for the year. In July, they captured 8.9 percent of the market. Domestic brands finished July with 41.4 percent of the U.S. market. Americans continued to flock to trucks and SUVs in July; seven of the months top-ten selling vehicles fell into the category, with cars occupying only three slots.

* The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute's latest report from Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle says the average fuel economy (window-sticker value) of new vehicles sold in the U.S. in July was 25.4 mpgup 0.3 mpg from June. This increase likely reflects the decreased proportion of light trucks in the sales mix in July compared to June. The value for July is up 5.3 mpg since October 2007 (the first month of their monitoring), but still down 0.1 mpg from the peak of 25.5 mpg reached in August 2014.

* The EPA officially announced this week that the mid-term evaluation of emissions standards set in 2012 and culminating, at least for this round, in 2025 will be reopened and expanded. The EPA did an assessment earlier this year determining the existing standards could be met by the auto industry and at a lower cost than originally projected, according to a statement by Consumers Union. CU said that consumers main concern is fuel economy, particularly for the larger SUVs and CUVs that dominate the family car market.

* GMs Cadillac boss, Johan deNysschen, said in an interview with Reuters this week the brand will ditch most of their sedan portfolio in 2019. The ATS small car, CTS mid-size and the full-size XTS are slated to go away leaving only the larger CT6 competing its sedan segment. Questions about the future of specialty cars - V-series performance sedans - went unanswered. While the regular sedans will not be replaced, deNyssche said they will introduce at least one new sedan called CT5 with maybe a CT3 or 4 to follow. No commitments on the latter.

* Recent trends in Spain my be a hint of whats to come in many urban areas. A new electric car sharing service, Emov, enlisted more than 100,000 users in its first 5 months quickly catching up with Car2Gos 166,000 subscribers who have access to 500 electric Smart city cars around the city. Emov uses electric Citroen C-Zero cars that customers rent by the minute. The popularity of these services may be due in part to the citys policies allowing these cars into otherwise restricted areas and providing free parking around the city.

* Oliver Schmidt, a former VW manager who worked for the German automaker in Auburn Hills, Mich., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Detroit to charges of conspiracy and violating the Clean Air Act in Volkswagen's diesel emissions cheating scandal. He is to be sentenced Dec. 6 and could face a seven-year prison sentence, according to his plea agreement. That agreement with the government also calls for a fine of between $40,000 and $400,000. Schmidt is not the only VW official to face charges. He was one of six employees indicted in January, and James Robert Liang, an engineer, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy.

* Ford is next in the European chapter of the diesel cheating scandals that plagued Volkwagen and some others. German government officials are investigation the mid-size Mondeo diesel sedans' emissions under suspicion of the engines being equipped with cheating devices. Ford insists that is not the case and said they are fully cooperating with investigators. Government officials have not commented. BMW, Volkswagen and Daimler, the three biggest automakers in Germany, this week offered incentives to customers who trade in older diesel models.

* The return of French automaker PSA to the U.S. market was reconfirmed again last week at the Michigan CARS Conference. We once had Peugeot and Citroen products but neither made a go of it. Both are now as high quality and mainstream as any brands in the world. PSA recently bought GMs European brands, Opel and Vauxhall, and is the second largest automaker in Europe next to VW. No Peugeot or Citroen products are sold here yet and PSA did not hint at what their product strategy might be.

* No more smartphone zombies strolling in the middle of a crosswalk. A new law in Honolulu, Hawaii, makes it illegal for pedestrians to cross a street or highway while viewing a mobile electronic device. The statute, dubbed the distracted pedestrian law, was passed last week but doesnt go into effect until October. It covers video games, laptops, and, of course, smartphones.

* Cars will soon be connected with each other and the infrastructure around them at an exponentially increasing rate over the next few years. In fact, according to a story this week in Automotive News, the data volume required will be 10,000 times greater than today reaching a monthly total of around 10 exabytes per month by 2025. Toyota, Intel, Denso and a few other companies formed a new consortium called Automotive Edge Computing Consortium to tackle this mind-boggling need.

* Nissan workers at its Canton Mississippi Vehicle Assembly Plant voted no by a nearly 2-to-1 margin against the UAW. It's a major defeat for the UAW against joining the labor union. Nissan said 2,244 of its Canton workers voted no, while 1,307 cast ballots in favor of joining the UAW. The defeat marks the third time in nearly 20 years that Nissan workers in the South have voted against joining the UAW. Workers at Nissans Smyrna, Tennessee, plant voted against joining the UAW by 2-to-1 margins in 1989 and 2001.

* Problems with the electric power steering control system is the subject of the recall of around 800,000 GM full-size pickups worldwide. NHTSA says the problem is linked to power steering loss particularly during low speed turns that demand more electrical current that higher speed conditions. Silverado and Sierra trucks from 2013 and 2014 are involved. GM says the problem will be solved with updated software. No injuries or fatalities are known to be the result of this problem.

* Nissan is recalling 52,016 Titan pickup trucks because their rear seat belts might not adequately protect passengers. The recall affects the 2016-2017 Nissan Titan Crew Cab and Titan XD Crew Cab pickups.

* And, Nissan is also recalling some 14,192 Infiniti Q50 and Q60 vehicles from the 2016, 2017, and 2018 model years. Due to a fuel pump software glitch, those vehicles may be at risk of stalling.

* The Chevrolet SS is going out of production. So, beginning next season, race teams driving a Chevrolet will be behind the wheel of the Camaro ZL1 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The Camaro ZLI will make its debut in February during Daytona Speedweeks, which starts the 2018 NASCAR season. The new Camaro replaces the Chevrolet SS which Chevy has used in NASCAR since 2013.
Infiniti reveals Prototype 9 at Pebble Beach Concours

From its beginnings as a simple design sketch, Prototype 9 reimagines what might have been for a 1940s INFINITI grand prix race car

 A journey back in time - a celebration of INFINITI's passion for design and predecessor's entrepreneurial spirit

 Fusion of advanced technology with traditional hands and hearts of hundreds of craftsmen

 Powered by prototype electric motor and battery from Nissan Motor Corporation's Advanced Powertrain Department

PEBBLE BEACH, CA - August 13, 2017: Nissan Motor Corporation and premium automotive brand INFINITI have unveiled a sleek, open-wheeled electric retro roadster prototype at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. The car, called Prototype 9, is a celebration of Nissan Motor and INFINITI's ingenuity, artistry and craftsmanship. It represents a reimagining of a 1940s race car with time-honored production techniques employed to realize its retro design.

"Prototype 9 celebrates the tradition of ingenuity, craftsmanship and passion of our forebears at Nissan Motor Corporation, on whose shoulders we stand today. It started as a discussion: What if INFINITI had created a race car in the 1940s? If one were to imagine an open-wheeled INFINITI racer on the famous circuits of the era, such as Japan's Tamagawa Speedway, what would that look like? The sketches were stunning and the idea so compelling that we had to produce a prototype. As other departments became aware of this, they volunteered their time to create a working vehicle." Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

Prototype 9 is emblematic of INFINITI's entrepreneurial spirit and passion for stunning design. From humble beginnings as a sketch, to the dynamic example presented at Pebble Beach, Prototype 9 has been brought to life as an after-hours endeavor by a passionate and enterprising team of employees from across the Nissan Motor Corporation.

The car is powered by a prototype electric motor and battery from Nissan Motor Corporation's Advanced Powertrain Department. This nod to the future contrasts with the traditional materials and techniques applied for the Prototype 9's manufacture, including panels hand-beaten by a team of Takumi  Nissan Motor's master artisans.

"What started as an after-hours idea grew into a fully fledged prototype; our designers and engineers were excited by the notion of creating a past vision, a nod to our origins. They volunteered their own time; more and more staff became involved. Our teams have proven skills in manufacturing, engineering, design and advanced powertrains, yet they wanted to bring their own traditional craftsmanship to the project. They made Prototype 9 a reality, a result of their ingenuity  they recognized and realized the past, powered by a future-centric electric powertrain at its heart. Prototype 9 blends modern technology and hand-crafted details paying tribute to the forebears of INFINITI." Roland Krueger, Chairman and Global President

Prototype 9 was inspired by an emerging era of Japanese motorsport. The custom-built Prince R380, which also will be shown during Monterey Car Week at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, broke several land speed records in 1965 before taking overall victory at the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji Speedway. Prince Motor Company is considered to be Japan's original builder of premium automobiles, and its legacy can be traced to INFINITI Motor Company and its current model line. The R380 shown at The Quail is the actual Japanese Grand Prix-winning car, believed to be the only surviving R380.

"We like to think that INFINITI, with its stunning design, high performance capability and forward-looking technology, shares some DNA with the Prince Motor Company, which became part of Nissan Motors. Prototype 9 is a celebration of the artistry and ingenuity inherent in our company." Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

Where existing and future INFINITI models adhere to the company's "Q" and "QX" nomenclature, Prototype 9 represents something different. Echoing the company's origins, the figure "9" is pronounced "kyuu" in Japanese  similar to the English pronunciation of the letter "Q," which is used for all of the company's production cars.

Prototype 9: Designers imagine, "what if?"

"We discussed the idea of ?chancing' upon an unrecognized race car, hidden away for decades in a barn, deep in the Japanese countryside. We wanted to explore what this looked like, what it would have been made of. Open-wheeled racers of the age were beautiful machines, elegant and powerful and with a wonderful purity of purpose. It's an automotive fantasy, but the notion captured our imaginations enough to put pencil to paper."

Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

The starting point for bringing Prototype 9 to life was a conceptual sketch: an interpretation of an INFINITI race car, inspired by roadsters and aircraft of the era yet molded in new materials and advanced technology. From this moment Prototype 9's transformation from sketch to reality was inevitable.

Albaisa created a sketch of the vehicle, with sleek lines, and aeronautically-inspired bodywork crafted in bare sheet metal. Initially shared only with close colleagues, the idea soon spread among INFINITI's design team members  with a number enthusiastically calling for the vehicle to be brought to life. The sketch triggered a domino effect  each person who saw it felt it deserved more attention, and soon there was a burgeoning desire within INFINITI to take it beyond the drawing board.

More designers at the INFINITI Design Studio in Atsugi, Japan, began making their own detail contributions  the shape, design and materials that could feature in the cockpit, for example. Chasing a passion for beautiful vehicle design, the team moved to bring the sketch into the physical world.

The vehicle was transformed from a daring idea into scale design studies in clay. Full-size models were soon formed. Although still a secretive "passion project" at this point, word seeped into other parts of INFINITI Motor Company and throughout its parent company, the Nissan Motor Corporation. People noticed something a little different was taking shape at the design center.

Japanese craftsmanship

"The creation of the real world INFINITI Prototype 9 was entirely and coincidentally organic. As we started work on a physical model, word spread beyond the core design team, and other departments started checking in and offering assistance. Eventually, the production team became aware of the project  and brought with them the desire and skills to build it."

Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

When INFINITI's production team became aware of Prototype 9, they immediately offered to build it. The model was secretly moved from the INFINITI Design Studio in Atsugi to a secluded section of the Nissan Research Center, Oppama, just outside Yokohama, Japan. Here, the car could be quietly constructed. A team of Takumi  Nissan Motor Corporation's master craftspeople  was gathered to create the motorsport- and aeronautically-inspired racer.

Finished in a bare sheet-metal skin, Prototype 9 is the result of countless hours of careful construction. The designs of the brand's contemporary road cars are characterized by deep-stamping production methods, which enable the creation of sharply defined lines and smooth body surfaces. Far from production lines, this out-of-hours project required similarly technical yet more traditional crafting methods.

The vehicle's stunning bodywork is made from steel body panels wrapped around a steel ladder frame. The panels were hammered into shape by the Takumi. For Prototype 9, panel beaters incorporated INFINITI's signature design elements, such as the double-arch grille, "shark gills" aft of the front wheels, a single-crease hood, and sharp lines that stretch from front to rear.

In every other respect, the car is unashamedly inspired by retro aeronautical designs. Prototype 9 is defined by its smooth, aerodynamic surfaces, long bonnet and short overhangs, an exposed cockpit, and open-wheeled layout. Nineteen-inch center-locking wire-spoke wheels at each corner are even wrapped in period cross-ply competition tires.

As uniquely Japanese in design and craftsmanship as the bodywork, the cockpit adheres to INFINITI's contemporary approach to interior design. Articulating the same sense of advanced human artistry of INFINITI's production cars and near-production concepts, Prototype 9's cabin has been handmade by the company's interior design teams.

The intimate and focused cockpit is the result of two Japanese approaches to craftsmanship  "mitate" (pronounced "mee-ta-teh") and "shitate" ("shee-ta-teh"). "Mitate" relates to the practice of curating and bringing together the best possible selection of materials. "Shitate" is the desire to tailor the chosen combination of materials, bringing out their best characteristics.

With this fine attention to detail and finish, the cockpit is wrapped in black leather with contrast red stitching, sewn and finished in such a way as to echo earlier single-seater racers. Subtle Japanese flags are stitched into the integrated headrests of the deep single bucket seat.

In a cabin that features no distractions from the road ahead, the steering wheel rotates around a fixed central hub that houses the driver's instrument gauges. The hub itself is finished in turned aluminum, an effect found on aircraft throughout the first half of the 20th century. As on the machines that inspired Prototype 9's design, the effect has been completed by hand, "turning" aluminum shavings into the fascia with the end of a cork. Inspired by the project, this was a finish that the interiors team had not previously had the opportunity to explore.

With a single-minded focus on driving, the cabin features minimal switchgear, with those that remain modeled on cockpit switches.

"The beautiful execution of Prototype 9 represents a combination of artistry, craftsmanship and commitment to a romantic notion of our heritage. It inspired our people to work on Prototype 9 in their own time  as they were completely invested in the project and the details and features originated with them. Prototype 9 has been a labor of love for many of us."

Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

Prototype electric motor from Nissan's Advanced Powertrain Department

"While the essence of the INFINITI Prototype 9 is rooted in the past, it runs on a next-generation EV powertrain which looks squarely to the future. It is an excellent example of the ingenuity, craftsmanship and entrepreneurism that characterizes the teams across our company. Prototype 9 comes to life as a dynamic, drivable prototype vehicle at Pebble Beach."

Roland Krueger, Chairman and Global President

As word of the project reached across Nissan Motor Corporation, a team of powertrain engineers brought their own proposal: to equip the car with a next-generation EV powertrain. The Prototype 9 is the first INFINITI to be powered by a new EV powertrain: a 30 kWh high-voltage battery paired with a prototype electric motor, one not yet seen on a production vehicle.

The motor produces 120 kW (148 hp) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque, and it drives the rear wheels via single-speed transmission. Prototype 9 has a top speed of 170 kph (105.6 mph), and sprints from 0-to-100 kph (0-to-62 mph) in 5.5 seconds, with a maximum EV range of 20 minutes under heavy track use.

Technical specifications
American Homes 4 Rent is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the US rental industry. The company is a leader in the single-family home rental industry and "American Homes 4 Rent" is fast becoming a nationally recognized brand. The company is known for high-quality rental homes, providing good value and tenant satisfaction while generating profits for investors. The primary investment objective is to provide attractive risk-adjusted returns through dividends and capital appreciation.

The company plans to achieve its objective through the disciplined acquisition of new properties, by expanding its own construction and neighborhood building efforts, growing its geographically diverse portfolio, efficient property management, building a strong brand, and maintaining a sound capital structure.

The company was founded in 2011 by David Singelyn and his partner. Mr. Singelyn has served as a Trustee and CEO since 2012. The company began by acquiring homes in underserved areas and remodeling them to modern standards. The firm has since expanded its operations to construction and now builds planned communities tailored to different lifestyles as well. The company went public in 2013 and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

American Homes 4 Rent is an internally managed Maryland real estate investment trust focused on acquiring, developing, renovating, leasing, and operating attractive, single-family homes as rental properties. The company operates through a network of offices and the website AH4R.com. The company owns more than 55,000 properties across 22 states featuring move-in-ready and pet-friendly homes for individuals and families of all sizes.

All previously used properties have been renovated to a high Certified Property standard that brings them to a like-new condition. Interested parties can view listings by area on the website and even use the site to fill out applications and sign leases. Properties are located in communities that fit a variety of lifestyle needs including fences, marble countertops, and even attached 2 and 3-car garages. The communities are located in hand-picked neighborhoods with features including access to commerce, schools, and amenities like lawn care, pools, trails, and fitness centers.

Tenants are afforded many benefits by renting through American Homes 4 Rent. The first and most obvious is the freedom and flexibility of a mortgage-free lifestyle. On top of that, tenants can pay rent or schedule maintenance on their homes through the website, and dedicated service representatives are available 24/7.
Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. owns and operates utilities, transport, midstream, and data businesses in North and South America, Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company's Utilities segment operates approximately 61,000 kilometers (km) of operational electricity transmission and distribution lines; 5,300 km of electricity transmission lines; 4,200 km of natural gas pipelines; 7.3 million electricity and natural gas connections; and 360,000 long-term contracted sub-metering services. This segment also offers heating and cooling solutions; gas distribution; water heaters; and heating, ventilation, and air conditioner rental, as well as other home services. Its Transport segment offers transportation, storage, and handling services for merchandise goods, commodities, and passengers through a network of approximately 22,000 km of track; 5,500 km of track network; 4,800 km of rail; 3,800 km of motorways; and 13 port terminals. The company's Midstream segment offers natural gas transmission, gathering and processing, and storage services through approximately 15,000 km of natural gas transmission pipelines; 600 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage; 17 natural gas processing plants; and 3,900 km of gas gathering pipelines, as well as one petrochemical processing complex. Its Data segment operates approximately 148,000 operational telecom towers; 8,000 multi-purpose towers and active rooftop sites; 10,000 km of fiber backbone; 1,600 cell sites and approximately 12,000 km of fiber optic cable; and 2,100 active telecom towers and 70 distributed antenna systems, as well as 50 data centers and 200 megawatts of critical load capacity. The company was founded in 2007 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda. Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. is a subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management Inc.
Historically, Napa Valley harvests have always provided challenges for local farmers, ranchers, grape growers and winemakers.

But, during World War II, an additional and critical challenge was a labor shortage caused by all the locals who left Napa County to serve in the armed forces. Several local and national efforts and programs were implemented to resolve that need for seasonal workers.

For example, in 1943, a The Napa Daily Journal headline read American Legion Prepares Drive For Volunteer Crop Workers To Avert Losses.

It reported, The Napa County Farm Production Committee appealed to the Napa post to throw the support and the work of the Legions organization into the critical problem of finding some 4,000 hands to rescue a prune and tomato crop, the loss of which would be a costly blow to the production of wars prime essential  food.

The Farm Committee also pointed out that from the commencement of the harvest, around Aug. 15, at least 3,000 of the hands needed must be recruited right out of the homes of ourselves and our neighbors. The committee promised top wages and extra gasoline, a strictly rationed World War II era commodity, for those who agreed to volunteer as emergency harvest workers.

As an additional means to recruit as many volunteers as possible, the Farm Committee appealed to the sense of national pride and loyalty of Napa County residents. The Journal continued, It is a patriotic duty of every person with any spare time to throw himself into the breach created by the labor shortage; for food is essential and must be harvested.

At about the same time, the U.S. government sought out new sources for additional manpower to help alleviate the farm labor shortage being experienced throughout America. As part of that effort, the federal government expanded that search for farm labor to beyond its borders, in particular, Mexico.

That campaign became known as the Los Braceros program. Beginning in 1943, the U.S. government established the program to recruit able and willing Mexican men as temporary wartime labor. According to some of those men who were a part of the Los Braceros program, it presented them with more than a challenge, such as learning to speak English while on the job and adjusting to a different culture. It came with the great personal sacrifice of leaving their families, friends and homes behind in Mexico. The loneliness was profound.

Others from beyond the U.S. borders were also enlisted as harvest labor. In 1945, the Journal reported the details of one such example. The August edition article headline announced, German War Prisoners Will Help Out With Harvest This Fall in (Napa) County.

It continued, Destined to take their places in the prune orchards and vineyards of Napa County as an emergency harvest labor this fall, 250 German prisoners of war will arrive at the converted Napa County Farm Labor Camp on the Silverado Trail on Aug. 14, it was announced at a meeting at the St. Helena grammar school.

The Journal added, Col. Walter Millis, director of the army prisoner-of-war program at Camp Beale, emphasized that the Germans are not criminals in any sense of the word. He said they are regular soldiers of the German army and are cooperative and intelligent.

Even during World War II, with all of its challenges and sacrifices, Napa County remained a productive agricultural region.
GoDaddy Inc. engages in the design and development of cloud-based technology products in the United States and internationally. The company provides domain name registration product that enables to engage customers at the initial stage of establishing a digital identity. It also offers shared Website hosting products that provide various applications and products, such as web analytics, Secure Sockets Layer certificates, and WordPress; Website hosting on virtual private servers and virtual dedicated servers products, which allows customers to select the server configuration suited for their applications, requirements, and growth; managed hosting products to set up, monitor, maintain, secure, and patch software and servers for customers; and security products, a suite of tools designed to help secure customers' online presence. In addition, the company provides presence products, such as Websites + Marketing, a do-it-yourself mobile-optimized online tool that enables customers to build websites and e-commerce enabled online stores; a range of marketing tools and services designed to help businesses acquire and engage customers, and create content, as well as search engine optimization that helps customers get their websites found on search sites; and social media management services. Further, it offers business application products, such as Microsoft Office 365, email accounts, email marketing, and Internet-based telephony services; online store capabilities that allows customers to transact business directly on their websites; GoDaddy Payments, a payment facilitator; and point-of-sale (POS) devices, as well as software for POS. The company serves small businesses, individuals, organizations, developers, designers, and domain investors. GoDaddy Inc. was incorporated in 2014 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.
The following companies are subsidiares of InterContinental Hotels Group: 2250 Blake Street Hotel LLC, 24th Street Operator Sub LLC, 36th Street IHG Sub LLC, 426 Main Ave LLC, 46 Nevins Street Associates LLC, Allegro Management LLC, Alpha Kimball Hotel LLC, American Commonwealth Assurance Co. Ltd., Asia Pacific Holdings Limited, BHMC Canada Inc., BHR Holdings B.V., BHR Luxembourg SARL, BHR Pacific Holdings Inc., BHTC Canada Inc., BOC Barclay Sub LLC, Barclay Operating Corp., Bristol Oakbrook Tenant Company, Cafe Biarritz, Cambridge Lodging LLC, Capital Lodging LLC, Compania Inter-Continental De Hoteles El Salvador SA, Crowne Plaza Amsterdam (Management) B.V., Crowne Plaza LLC, Cumberland Akers Hotel LLC, Dunwoody Operations Inc., EVEN Real Estate Holding LLC, Edinburgh IC Limited, General Innkeeping Acceptance Corporation, Guangzhou SC Hotels Services Ltd., H.I. (Ireland) Limited, H.I. Soaltee Management Company Ltd, HC International Holdings Inc., HH France Holdings SAS, HH Hotels (EMEA) B.V., HH Hotels (Romania) SRL, HI Sugarloaf LLC, HIM (Aruba) NV, Hale International Ltd., Hoft Properties LLC, Holiday Hospitality Franchising LLC, Holiday Inn Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Holiday Inns (China) Ltd, Holiday Inns (Chongqing) Inc., Holiday Inns (Courtalin) Holdings SAS, Holiday Inns (Courtalin) SAS, Holiday Inns (England) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Germany) LLC, Holiday Inns (Guangzhou) Inc., Holiday Inns (Jamaica) Inc., Holiday Inns (Malaysia) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Middle East) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Philippines) Inc., Holiday Inns (Saudi Arabia) Inc., Holiday Inns (South East Asia) Inc., Holiday Inns (Thailand) Ltd., Holiday Inns (UK) Inc., Holiday Inns Crowne Plaza (Hong Kong) Inc., Holiday Inns Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Holiday Inns Inc., Holiday Inns Investment (Nepal) Ltd., Holiday Inns of America (UK) Ltd., Holiday Inns of Belgium N.V., Holiday Pacific Equity Corporation, Holiday Pacific LLC, Holiday Pacific Partners LP, Hotel Inter-Continental London Limited, Hotel InterContinental London (Holdings) Limited, Hoteles Y Turismo HIH SRL, IC Hotelbetriebsfuhrungs GmbH, IC Hotels Management (Portugal) Unipessoal Lda, IC International Hotels Limited Liability Company, IHC (Thailand) Limited, IHC Buckhead LLC, IHC Edinburgh (Holdings), IHC Hopkins (Holdings) Corp., IHC Hotel Limited, IHC Inter-Continental (Holdings) Corp., IHC London (Holdings), IHC M-H (Holdings) Corp., IHC May Fair (Holdings) Limited, IHC May Fair Hotel Limited, IHC Overseas (U.K.) Limited, IHC UK (Holdings) Limited, IHC United States (Holdings) Corp., IHC Willard (Holdings) Corp., IHG (Australasia) Limited, IHG (Marseille) SAS, IHG (Thailand) Limited, IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan LLC, IHG ANA Hotels Holdings Co. Ltd., IHG Bangkok Ltd, IHG Brasil Administracao de Hoteis e Servicos Ltda, IHG Commission Services SRL, IHG Community Development LLC, IHG Cyprus Limited, IHG ECS (Barbados) SRL, IHG Franchising Brasil Ltda, IHG Franchising DR Corporation, IHG Franchising LLC, IHG Hotels (New Zealand) Limited, IHG Hotels Limited, IHG Hotels Management (Australia) Pty Limited, IHG Hotels Nigeria Limited, IHG Hotels South Africa (Pty) Ltd, IHG International Partnership, IHG Istanbul Otel Yonetim Limited Sirketi, IHG Japan (Management) LLC, IHG Japan (Osaka) LLC, IHG Management (Maryland) LLC, IHG Management (Netherlands) B.V., IHG Management MD Barclay Sub LLC, IHG Management SL d.o.o, IHG Management d.o.o. Beograd, IHG Orchard Street Member LLC, IHG PS Nominees Limited, IHG Systems Pty Ltd, IHG Szalloda Budapest Szolgaltato Kft., IHG de Argentina SA, IND East Village SD Holdings LLC, Inter-Continental D.C. Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Investment Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Partner Corp., Inter-Continental Hospitality Corporation, Inter-Continental Hoteleira Limitada, Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Owning Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation, Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation de Venezuela C.A., Inter-Continental Hotels of San Francisco Inc., Inter-Continental IOHC (Mauritius) Limited, Inter-Continental Management (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental (Branston) 1 Limited, InterContinental (PB) 1, InterContinental (PB) 2, InterContinental (PB) 3 Limited, InterContinental Berlin Service Company GmbH, InterContinental Brasil Administracao de Hoteis Ltda, InterContinental Gestion Hotelera S.L., InterContinental Hotel Berlin GmbH, InterContinental Hotel Dusseldorf GmbH (Germany), InterContinental Hotels (Puerto Rico) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Canada) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Espana) SA, InterContinental Hotels Group (Greater China) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (India) Pvt. Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Japan) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (New Zealand) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Shanghai) Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Customer Services Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Healthcare Trustee Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group Operating Corp., InterContinental Hotels Group Resources Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group Services Company, InterContinental Hotels Group do Brasil Limitada, InterContinental Hotels Italia S.r.L., InterContinental Hotels Limited, InterContinental Hotels Management GmbH, InterContinental Hotels Nevada Corporation, InterContinental Management AM LLC, InterContinental Management Bulgaria EOOD, InterContinental Management France SAS, InterContinental Management Poland sp. z.o.o, InterContinental Overseas Holding Corporation, Intercontinental Hotels Corporation Limited, KG Benefits LLC, KG Gift Card Inc., KG Liability LLC, KG Technology LLC, KHP Washington Operator LLC, KHRG 11th Avenue Hotel LLC, KHRG 851 LLC, KHRG Aertson LLC, KHRG Alexandria LLC, KHRG Alexis LLC, KHRG Allegro LLC, KHRG Argyle LLC, KHRG Austin Beverage Company LLC, KHRG Baltimore LLC, KHRG Born LLC, KHRG Boston Hotel LLC, KHRG Canary LLC, KHRG Cayman Employer Ltd., KHRG Cayman LLC, KHRG DC 1731 LLC, KHRG DC 2505 LLC, KHRG Donovan LLC, KHRG Employer LLC, KHRG Goleta LLC, KHRG Gray LLC, KHRG Gray U2 LLC, KHRG Hillcrest LLC, KHRG Huntington Beach LLC, KHRG King Street LLC, KHRG La Peer LLC, KHRG Miami Beach LLC, KHRG Muse LLC, KHRG NPC LLC, KHRG Onyx LLC, KHRG Palladian LLC, KHRG Palomar Phoenix LLC, KHRG Philly Monaco LLC, KHRG Pittsburgh LLC, KHRG Reynolds LLC, KHRG Riverplace LLC, KHRG SFD LLC, KHRG Sacramento LLC, KHRG Savannah LLC, KHRG Schofield LLC, KHRG Sedona LLC, KHRG State Street LLC, KHRG Sutter LLC, KHRG Sutter Union LLC, KHRG Taconic LLC, KHRG Tariff LLC, KHRG Texas Hospitality LLC, KHRG Texas Operations LLC, KHRG Tryon LLC, KHRG VZ Austin LLC, KHRG Vero Beach LLC, KHRG Vintage Park LLC, KHRG WPB LLC, KHRG Wabash LLC, KHRG Westwood LLC, KHRG Wilshire LLC, KHRG Zamora LLC, Kimpton Hollywood Licenses LLC, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group LLC, Kimpton Phoenix Licenses Holdings LLC, Kimpton Sedona Licenses LLC, Louisiana Acquisitions Corp., MH Lodging LLC, Mercer Fairview Holdings LLC, PML Services LLC, PT SC Hotels & Resorts Indonesia, Pollstrong Limited, Powell Pine Inc., Priscilla Holiday of Texas Inc., RM Lodging LLC, Regent Hotels and Resorts, Resort Services International (Cayo Largo) L.P., SBS Maryland Beverage Company LLC, SC Cellars Limited, SC Hotels International Services Inc., SC Leisure Group Limited, SC NAS 2 Limited, SC Quest Limited, SC Reservations (Philippines) Inc., SCH Insurance Company, SCIH Branston 3, SF MH Acquisition LLC, SPHC Group Pty Ltd., SPHC Management Ltd., Semiramis for training of Hotel Personnel and Hotel Management SAE, Six Continents Corporate Services, Six Continents Holdings Limited, Six Continents Hotels Inc., Six Continents Hotels International Limited, Six Continents Hotels de Colombia SA, Six Continents International Holdings B.V., Six Continents Investments Limited, Six Continents Limited, Six Continents Overseas Holdings Limited, Six Continents Restaurants Limited, SixCo North America Inc., Solamar Lodging LLC, Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (BVI) Ltd., Southern Pacific Hotels Properties Limited, Universal de Hoteles SA, White Shield Insurance Company Limited, and World Trade Centre Montreal Hotel Corporation.

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Dollar General Corporation, a discount retailer, provides various merchandise products in the southern, southwestern, Midwestern, and eastern United States. It offers consumable products, including paper and cleaning products, such as paper towels, bath tissues, paper dinnerware, trash and storage bags, disinfectants, and laundry products; packaged food comprising cereals, pasta, canned soups, fruits and vegetables, condiments, spices, sugar, and flour; and perishables that include milk, eggs, bread, refrigerated and frozen food, beer, and wine. The company's consumable products also comprise snacks, such as candies, cookies, crackers, salty snacks, and carbonated beverages; health and beauty products, including over-the-counter medicines and personal care products, such as soaps, body washes, shampoos, cosmetics, and dental hygiene and foot care products; pet supplies and pet food; and tobacco products. In addition, it offers seasonal products comprising holiday items, toys, batteries, small electronics, greeting cards, stationery, prepaid phones and accessories, gardening supplies, hardware, and automotive and home office supplies; and home products that include kitchen supplies, cookware, small appliances, light bulbs, storage containers, frames, candles, craft supplies and kitchen, and bed and bath soft goods. Further, the company provides apparel, which comprise casual everyday apparel for infants, toddlers, girls, boys, women, and men, as well as socks, underwear, disposable diapers, shoes, and accessories. As of February 25, 2022, it operated 18,190 stores in 47 states in the United States. The company was formerly known as J.L. Turner & Son, Inc. and changed its name to Dollar General Corporation in 1968. Dollar General Corporation was founded in 1939 and is based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee.
United Parcel Service, Inc. provides letter and package delivery, transportation, logistics, and related services. It operates through two segments, U.S. Domestic Package and International Package. The U.S. Domestic Package segment offers time-definite delivery of letters, documents, small packages, and palletized freight through air and ground services in the United States. The International Package segment provides guaranteed day and time-definite international shipping services in Europe, the Asia Pacific, Canada and Latin America, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East, and Africa. This segment offers guaranteed time-definite express options. The company also provides international air and ocean freight forwarding, customs brokerage, distribution and post-sales, and mail and consulting services in approximately 200 countries and territories. In addition, it offers truckload brokerage services; supply chain solutions to the healthcare and life sciences industry; shipping, visibility, and billing technologies; and financial and insurance services. The company operates a fleet of approximately 121,000 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles; and owns 59,000 containers that are used to transport cargo in its aircraft. United Parcel Service, Inc. was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
A Napa Valley winery is suing three former employees for allegedly deleting confidential company information from their work-issued computers after copying the information for personal use and retaliation.

In addition to damages, Peju Province Corporation, also known as Peju Province Winery, is asking that the courts order the former employees to hand the hijacked information/intellectual property back over to the company, according to the suit.

The suit, which was filed in Napa County Superior Court last month, includes allegations of a breach of duty of loyalty, computer fraud and unfair competition.

The named defendants  former vice president of information technology Danielle Tipton, former vice president of human resources Christy Patterson, and former controller David ONeal  were unable to be reached for comment.

Pejus attorney, Stephen C. Tedesco of San Francisco, said that he would not comment on the pending litigation. The Rutherford winery is owned by the Peju family, which includes Tony and Herta Peju, as well as daughters Lisa and Ariana.

According to the lawsuit, Abdullah Vural, Pejus former president, hired Tipton, Patterson, and ONeal in October 2015, shortly after being named company president. In order to hire Tipton and Patterson, whom he had prior working relationships with, Vural terminated the previous heads of information technology and human resources, the suit alleges.

In May, Peju owners had decided to fire Vural, who was the first president of Peju since the winery was established in 1983, and scheduled to have a meeting with him in order to notify him of his immediate termination and to discuss an appropriate transition, according to the suit.

Before the meeting, however, Tipton, who had access to the founders email, knew that the company was planning on firing Vural and decided to take action against the company along with Patterson and ONeal, the suit alleges.

In the days leading up to the meeting with Vural, Tipton, Patterson and ONeal copied company files, including their own personnel files, from their employer-issued laptop computers to external USB drives, according to the suit.

They continued the file transfers even after Vural was fired on June 2 and eventually Tipton, using her system administrator passcode, deleted her own and Pattersons user profiles from the computers, rendering all data on the laptops unrecoverable, the suit alleges.

Patterson and Tipton resigned June 3. ONeals user profile was deleted on June 7 and he resigned on June 8, according to the suit.

The lawsuit alleges that Tipton, Patterson and ONeal stole confidential personnel records and financial data from Peju and have continued to retain the information belonging to the company.

The former employees could use the information to threaten the unauthorized disclosure of Pejus confidential information to convince customers to cease doing business with Peju or to not enter into contracts with Peju in the first place and to transfer their business to Tipton, according to the suit.

A case management conference is scheduled for Dec. 28.
Duke Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Electric Utilities and Infrastructure, Gas Utilities and Infrastructure, and Commercial Renewables. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure segment generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electricity in the Carolinas, Florida, and the Midwest; and uses coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, oil, renewable generation, and nuclear fuel to generate electricity. It also engages in the wholesale of electricity to municipalities, electric cooperative utilities, and load-serving entities. This segment serves approximately 8.2 million customers in 6 states in the Southeast and Midwest regions of the United States covering a service territory of approximately 91,000 square miles; and owns approximately 50,259 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure segment distributes natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, and power generation natural gas customers; and owns, operates, and invests in pipeline transmission and natural gas storage facilities. It has approximately 1.6 million customers, including 1.1 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, as well as 550,000 customers in southwestern Ohio and northern Kentucky. The Commercial Renewables segment acquires, owns, develops, builds, and operates wind and solar renewable generation projects, including nonregulated renewable energy and energy storage services to utilities, electric cooperatives, municipalities, and corporate customers. It has 23 wind, 178 solar, and 2 battery storage facilities, as well as 71 fuel cell locations with a capacity of 3,554 MW across 22 states. The company was formerly known as Duke Energy Holding Corp. and changed its name to Duke Energy Corporation in April 2005. The company was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.
I'm trying hard to keep an open mind about President Trump, but it closed just a little further last week after his flippant comments about expulsion of employees at U.S. diplomatic missions in Russia.

In response to a question about Russian President Vladimir Putin's outrageous demand to reduce U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia by 755 people, Trump said, "I want to thank him [Putin] because we're trying to cut down our payroll, and as far as I'm concerned, I'm very thankful that he let go of a large number of people because now we have a smaller payroll."

That response made me wonder whether our president thinks seriously about defending and advancing American national interests before he speaks. It most certainly is not in our interest to reduce our staff at our embassy and consulates in Russia by 755 people.

First and foremost, our ability to obtain information about Russia will be drastically constrained by this reduction. There are representatives of dozens of U.S. government agencies and departments, not just the State Department, in Russia. All of them now will be less able to inform their agencies back home about Russia.

We will have fewer people gathering data about Russia's military modernization programs - both nuclear and conventional. We will have fewer people acquiring information about Russian foreign policy decision-making. We will have fewer people writing cables about economic trends in Russia. Our national security team in Washington, including Trump, will be less informed about Russia as a result of this staff reduction. That may be good for Putin. That's bad for the United States.

Second, we also will have less capacity to conduct diplomacy, either the formal kind between the State Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or those informal relationships that develop between American and Russian soldiers, economists or astronauts that help to nurture ties between our two governments. Trump claims he wants better ties with Russia, but that's harder to do with a skeletal team in Moscow.

The embassy also supports the verification of treaties, such as the New START Treaty and other Russian international obligations. How can it be in the national interest to have less capacity for these activities? That's good for Putin. That's not good for the United States.

Finally, we will have fewer resources to engage Russian society. The embassy staff that runs exchange programs will be cut. Those working in our public diplomacy shop will have fewer people. Diplomats will have fewer meetings with civil society leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, religious leaders and human rights activists. That's good for Putin. That's not good for the United States.

The loss of our Russian employees will be especially devastating. Some of our Russian national experts in nuclear physics, economics, politics and military affairs have worked for decades at our embassy. They have invaluable experience, expertise and contacts. Reducing their number serves Putin's interests, not ours. (It will also be nearly impossible for them to find new jobs in Russia.)

So when Trump praises Putin for these reductions, what country's interests is he advancing?

Trump also sounds weak when making such conciliatory statements toward Putin. The Russian president - whom Trump admires as a "strong leader" - did not praise President Barack Obama for kicking out 35 Russian diplomats in response to Russia's interference in our 2016 presidential elections. Russian leaders, including even Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Twitter, now openly mock Trump's incompetence regarding foreign policy, yet he does nothing to push back. That's bad for our Russia policy and damaging to the United States' international reputation more generally.

Trump can correct his mistake. He can respond to Putin by negotiating a smaller reduction. He can respond by some act of retaliation such as closing down a Russian consulate (save Putin some money!). Or at a minimum, he can make a statement in solidarity with those serving him and our country in Russia. In such a statement, he could correct the shocking factual error he made today when he said that Putin "let go" our employees. (Our diplomats don't work for Putin, and they won't be fired, just reassigned.) Or if a statement is too onerous, how about a tweet? Here's an example for you, Mr. President, from John A. Heffern, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe:

"The State and inter-agency community is thinking about our colleagues in Moscow and Consulates as they prepare for difficult weeks ahead."

What was most upsetting about Trump's comments was his complete lack of empathy, support or respect for his fellow American public servants. Every American working at our embassy and consulates took an oath to serve our great country. They endure harassment - tires slashed, apartments broken into, helicopters swooping down on their cars, and even sometimes beatings and guns to their head - to serve our country. Many serve away from their families. That's life in the Foreign Service, life in the Marines, life in the Commerce Department. They are dedicated American patriots who deserve to be defended by their leader, the president of the United States. Yesterday, they were not.
Steelcase Inc. provides a portfolio of furniture and architectural products in the United States and internationally. It operates through Americas, EMEA, and Other segments. The company's furniture portfolio includes furniture systems, seating, storage, fixed and height-adjustable desks, benches, and tables, as well as complementary products, such as work accessories, lighting, and mobile power and screens. Its seating products comprise task chairs; seating for collaborative environments and casual settings; and specialty seating for specific vertical markets, including education and healthcare. The company's interior architectural products comprise full and partial height walls and architectural pods. It also provides textiles, wall coverings, and surface imaging solutions for architects and designers; and workplace strategy consulting, lease origination, and furniture and asset management services. The company markets and sells its products to corporate, government, healthcare, education, and retail customers under the Steelcase, Designtex, Coalesse, AMQ, Smith System, Orangebox, and Viccarbe brands. It distributes its products and services through a network of independent and company-owned dealers, as well as directly to end-use customers. The company was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
The Williams Companies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy infrastructure company primarily in the United States. It operates through Transmission & Gulf of Mexico, Northeast G&P, West, and Gas & NGL Marketing Services segments. The Transmission & Gulf of Mexico segment comprises Transco and Northwest natural gas pipelines; and natural gas gathering and processing, and crude oil production handling and transportation assets in the Gulf Coast region, as well as various petrochemical and feedstock pipelines. The Northeast G&P segment engages in the midstream gathering, processing, and fractionation activities in the Marcellus Shale region primarily in Pennsylvania and New York, and the Utica Shale region of eastern Ohio. The West segment comprises gas gathering, processing, and treating operations in the Rocky Mountain region of Colorado and Wyoming, the Barnett Shale region of north-central Texas, the Eagle Ford Shale region of South Texas, the Haynesville Shale region of northwest Louisiana, and the Mid-Continent region, which includes the Anadarko, Arkoma, and Permian basins; and operates natural gas liquid (NGL) fractionation and storage facilities in central Kansas near Conway. The Gas & NGL Marketing Services segment provides wholesale marketing, trading, storage, and transportation of natural gas for natural gas utilities, municipalities, power generators, and producers; risk and asset management; and NGL marketing services. The company owns and operates 30,000 miles of pipelines, 29 processing facilities, 7 fractionation facilities, and approximately 23 million barrels of NGL storage capacity. The Williams Companies, Inc. was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Stepan Company, together with its subsidiaries, produces and sells specialty and intermediate chemicals to other manufacturers for use in various end products. It operates through three segments: Surfactants, Polymers, and Specialty Products. The Surfactants segment offers surfactants that are used as principal ingredients in consumer and industrial cleaning products, including detergents for washing clothes, dishes, carpets, and floors and walls, as well as shampoos and body washes; and other applications, such as fabric softeners, germicidal quaternary compounds, disinfectants, and lubricating ingredients. Its surfactants are also used in various applications, including emulsifiers for spreading agricultural products; and industrial applications comprising latex systems, plastics, and composites. The Polymers segment provides polyurethane polyols that are used in the manufacture of rigid foam for thermal insulation in the construction industry, as well as a base raw material for coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers (CASE); polyester resins, including liquid and powdered products, which are used in CASE applications; and phthalic anhydride that is used in unsaturated polyester resins, alkyd resins, and plasticizers for applications in construction materials, as well as components of automotive, boating, and other consumer products. The Specialty Products segment offers flavors, emulsifiers, and solubilizers for use in food, flavoring, nutritional supplement, and pharmaceutical applications. It serves in the United States, France, Poland, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Mexico, and internationally. Stepan Company was founded in 1932 and is headquartered in Northbrook, Illinois.
Posted by Mark Williams | August 13, 2017

In some ways, putting together a head-to-head competition between the 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and the 2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro was an obvious contest. After all, these are the two most impressive off-road packages offered in the mid-size pickup truck class. However, there are many ways in which these two pickups couldn't be more different: old-school lockers versus high-tech crawl control, diesel versus gas and drama versus stealth design.

The stories from our testing have generated a lot of reader interest, and many of those readers contributed top-notch comments. If you haven't read the comments, we recommend you do.

To make that easier, click on the links below.

Cars.com photos by Evan Sears
16:00

Senior Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav is set to present his faction as the 'real' party claiming that many of its state units are with him while the support for party president Nitish Kumar is confined to Bihar.



The Yadav-led faction, which includes two Rajya Sabha MPs and some national office-bearers, has armed itself with letters of support from 14 state unit presidents, Arun Shrivastava, a close aide of Yadav said.



Kumar recently removed Yadav from the post of party's general secretary.



To counter Kumar's assertion that the JD-U is recognised only in Bihar-- a point made to debunk claims of support from other state units by the Yadav faction-- Shrivastava claimed the party always had a national footprint.



He said it was Yadav who headed the party before Kumar had merged his Samata Party with it.



"We will not leave the party. Nitish Kumar himself says that the party does not exist outside Bihar. Then he should form a new party for Bihar. He should not try to capture the JD-U which always had a national presence," he told PTI.



The 'Janata Parivar', a reference to various parties with socialist ethos, has a history of mergers and splits.



Yadav enjoys little support from the party's lawmakers, who are overwhelmingly from Bihar, but believes that he can make a fight of his claim over the party and cause a split.



Two Rajya Sabha members, Ali Anwar Ansari and M P Veerendra Kumar, are seen to be with Yadav in his fight against Kumar.



The JD-U has removed Yadav as the leader of its parliamentary party in the Rajya Sabha.



It has also made light of his claims of having the real JD-U with him, saying that it is Rashtriya Janata Dal workers and supporters who have greeted him during his tour in Bihar while its workers have kept away.



During his visit to the national capita on Friday, Kumar had virtually shut the door on any reconciliation with Yadav, saying he is free to take any decision as the alliance with the BJP had the entire party's nod.



"He (Yadav) is free to take his decision. As far as the party is concerned, it has already taken its decision. The decision was not mine alone and it was taken with the consent of the party. If he keeps a different opinion, then he is free to do so," Nitish had told reporters. -- PTI



Photograph: PTI Photo


Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-12 00:07:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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NAIROBI, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's opposition leaders said Friday they were prepared to concede defeat after getting access to the servers containing the raw election results for verification and upon a review of its five-page document listing mistakes in the results which could alter the final tally.

"We are prepared to accept the results if they can open up the servers. We are quite sure the hacking of the servers took place between 12.27 p.m. on Aug. 8 until Aug. 9 at 2.30 a.m.. If they can open the servers, we are prepared to accept the results," said James Orengo, lawyer representing the National Super Alliance (NASA).

"If they can open those servers and we all look at them...we are prepared to accept the results of what is contained in those servers," Orengo said.

The lawyer who is NASA's chief agent further said the system should be availed for an audit for the sake of transparency.

"I plead for patience...the first question brought to IEBC was the news alert that the IEBC was announcing results to declare the winner...and he said he is not aware."

Orengo said the opposition used the IEBC data to verify the results and prepared a five-page document which it wants the elections body to check.

The Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chief Executive Officer Ezra Chiloba said a delay in the announcement of the final results had been caused by a series of briefings with senior diplomats and the top party leaders participating in the elections.

Chiloba said the elections body was undertaking a comprehensive process of verifying the results. The process was expected to take much longer given a series of paperwork required.

According to the electoral body, there were 283 constituencies which had sent results. The results needed some formal verification and counter-checking with the results on the IEBC databank.

"While we might get a lot of progress, we are doing the right thing given the magnitude and the nature of this process. We were still missing the 17 forms. We are now able to account for 288. We have sent the two others for further clarification because they cannot be altered," Chiloba said.

The IEBC said the final verification of the votes also required that the poll officials authenticate the source of the data before posting them.

"It is likely going to take longer. It is important to be accurate rather than rush and end up with mistakes," Chiloba said.

The chief opposition coalition's presidential agent, Musalia Mudavadi said his party had discovered mistakes from the figures coming from the field.

The results were coming from polling centers which were not initially recognized as the legal voting centers while only 29,000 forms had been received from the 40,833 centers where voting took place.

The NASA leaders said at least 11,000 forms, which is about 25 percent of the vote had not been verified.

"They should not rush to make a declaration until the parties are satisfied," Mudavadi said at a news conference at the venue of the tallying in Nairobi's Bomas Cultural Centre.

NASA further denied declaring Odinga winner and asked IEBC not to announce presidential results until all documents are received and scrutinized.

Mudavadi said they were just stating facts and that they should not be misunderstood.

"When we made our statement Thursday we knew IEBC is the one to declare results. We were stating facts, not declaring the winner," he said.

Mudavadi said they noticed some results were streaming in from non-gazetted polling stations.

"These were made clear to IEBC during our meeting," he said, and asked the commission not to rush the declaration and ensure everything it verified.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-12 23:58:54|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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TEHRAN, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran is in discussion with Airbus to buy 48 helicopters for civilian use, an Iranian official was quoted as saying on Saturday.

"The Health Ministry is planning to order 45 helicopters and the purchase is being negotiated by the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development," Iran's Financial Tribune daily quoted Deputy Minister Asghar Fakhrieh-Kashan as saying.

"Ports and Maritime Organization is also planning to hold a tender to purchase three search-and-rescue helicopters," he added.

Iran has ordered more than 200 planes since international sanctions against the country were lifted last year in return for curbs on the country's nuclear activities.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-12 23:58:55|Editor: Song Lifang

Rescuers evacuate resients suffered from flood in Biratnagar, Nepal, on Aug. 12, 2017. Monsoon-induced floods have created havoc across the low-lying areas known as Terai region in Nepal since Friday night. (Xinhua)

KATHMANDU, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall since Friday has claimed the lives of over 30 people across different parts of Nepal, government officials said Saturday.

The Ministry of Home Affairs told the media that the deaths mainly occurred in the low-lying areas known as Terai region.

Many others have gone missing in the disaster while thousands of houses have been affected, leading to the displacement of families, according to local media reports.

Electricity has been cut off in some cities in eastern region of the country while the vehicular movement has been disrupted on highways.

The water level in many rivers have crossed the danger mark and changed their course, with a threat to houses and livelihood. Situation has remained tense along the basins of major rivers like Saptakoshi, Kankai, Babai, Rapti and Mohana among others.

The government has directed the security agencies to intensify rescue and relief efforts in the worst-hit areas.

Issuing an urgent notice on Friday night, the Flood Forecasting Division of Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has urged people living along major rivers to remain alert for the next 24 hours.

The Meteorological Forecasting Division has forecast that monsoon would remain active across the country for the next few days.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 00:03:58|Editor: huaxia

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TIRANA, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Albanian economy will grow by 3.8 percent in 2017, according to an analysis released Saturday by the Albanian Finance Ministry.

Ministry experts told local media that such conclusion was drawn after a scrutiny of all economic data of the country.

The ministry also said that Albania's economic indicators for the first half of this year were positive.

Revenues amounted to 212.2 billion lek(1.9 billion dollars), while expenditures amounted to 209.2 billion lek, the Finance Ministry analysis showed.

It further noted that Albania saw positive performance even in the field of foreign trade and foreign investments. Enditem
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If anyone can help us understand the bewildering times were living in, its the ancient Greeks. At least, thats the idea behind a cluster of recent books that rewrite or re-envision stories from a time and place thats often viewed as the bedrock of Western civilization.

Among the legends being revisited this year are: the gruesome tale of murderous mother Medea (in U.S. writer David Vanns Bright Air Black), the family revenge tragedy of Orestes (Irish writer Colm Toibins House of Names), the forbidden mourning of Antigone (Pakistani/U.K. writer Kamila Shamsies Home Fire, longlisted for this years Booker Prize) and the epic voyage of Odysseus (U.S. writer/critic Daniel Mendelsohns memoir An Odyssey). Why should such stories, which predate so many seismic societal changes, from the Renaissance to the internet, be so relevant now?

Human nature is essentially unchanged since probably the caveman, argues Mendelsohn, who teaches classics at Bard College in New York state. When we read the likes of Homer, Sophocles and Euripides, we recognize ourselves with a bit of a shock.

Whats more, were wrestling with many of the same issues as the ancient Greeks. The in-fighting and hotheaded decision-making in Greek legends and tragedies, for instance, will seem familiar to anyone who follows current U.S. politics. In this light, the idea that Western history is a narrative of continuous progress seems daft.

North America and Western Europe spent several decades living in a really unnatural state, where you could believe there wouldnt be terrible wars, and democracy was here to stay, says the Karachi-born Shamsie. The rest of the world has never had that. We always needed something to help us know how to live in the darkness. Greek tragedies look at the darkness and place you right within it.

Classic tragedies can retain their power even when theyre transplanted from the theatre and into the modern novel. Shamsies Home Fire, for instance, vividly recasts Antigones story among Muslims in contemporary Britain. Shamsie addresses the question, How can we stop feeling alienated, with all the fissures running through society? by harking back to the culture that invented democracy  but didnt perfect it. It didnt extend to women or slaves, Shamsie notes, and we are now living in what seems to me rather bad democracies as well, where civil liberties start to be given away in the name of security.

David Vann agrees that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Where Euripides set his famous tragedy Medea in his own time (in the fifth century B.C.), Vanns Bright Air Black backdates the story 800 years to when its events could realistically have taken place. Like Toibin with House of Names, Vann is concerned with the way new regimes, then and now, have sought to rewrite history in order to consolidate their power. In Medeas time, he says, the Greeks were trying to erase the whole Bronze Age, and saying, OK, this is the beginning  and in his novel, when Medea and her husband Jason bring the Golden Fleece from her home in Soviet Georgia to his in Greece, her uncivilized upbringing is repudiated. Says Vann, Its frightening when someone is able to erase the past to serve their own needs. Now, with Trump, you see it at a faster speed than anyones ever dared before. Hell say that what happened yesterday is no longer true.

Where Medea is sometimes portrayed as criminally insane, Vann sees her story in a feminist light; he portrays the violence she feels she has to wreak in order to gain respect as a natural consequence of the ages-old misogynist rule of men, which has reached an absolutely absurd point with Trump. Every aspect of Greek tragedy is still completely with us, he says, and Im just describing who we are now. Greek tragedy is about how characters are out of control, acting unconsciously and they hurt all the people they love most. That hasnt changed in 3,250 years.

Mendelsohn, meanwhile, found in The Odyssey an unexpectedly deep personal significance when his 80-year-old father sat in on a course he taught about it at Bard, in 2010. He uses Homers own back-and-forth chronological structure, including Telemachuss search to find and understand his long-lost father, Odysseus, to write about his own relationship with his father.

The Greeks were very canny storytellers, says Mendelsohn. One reason we connect strongly to (their) material is that we get great characters. Such characters can still flourish when theyre reimagined in 2017  although were now in an age when plot is paramount and spoilers are scrupulously avoided. How to rewrite a story whose major turning points are common knowledge? Mendelsohn figures authors shouldnt worry.

In ancient Greece, he points out, Everybody went to the theatre having a pretty good idea of what was going to happen. The What? is the least interesting question that a good work of literature answers. The How? is the thrilling question, and the Why? is the philosophical question. If anything, knowing whats going to happen is a kind of advantage. It allows you to have some fun.

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The Show:Comrade Detective, Season 1, Episode 1

The Moment: The drug dealers

Romanian detectives Gregor (played by Florin Piersic Jr., dubbed by Channing Tatum) and Iosif (played by Corneliu Ulici, dubbed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt), rough up two coke dealers. Youre bringing drugs into this country so you can turn our brothers and sisters into addicts? Gregor thunders.

You want the streets of Bucharest to look like the streets of Detroit? Iosif adds.

The CIA imports drugs so they can destroy their black communities, Gregor says. Whats your dumb-ass excuse?

Money, bitch, Dealer No. 1 says.

Gregor slaps him. For what? Gregor asks. All your needs are taken care of. Health care, education, food. And you still want more?

Think of your fellow man, Iosif says.

Dealer No. 2 replies, My fellow man can suck my . . . Iosif gut-punches him.

Free market, motherf---ers, No. 1 crows. Only the strong survive.

Gregor rubs coke in No. 1s face. Hes not worth it! Iosif cries. Hes just a capitalist punk!

Obviously, exec-producer Tatum is having a hoot here, pretending that he unearthed this six-part 1980s series from Romania  Cold War communist propaganda created to counter U.S. propaganda like Red Dawn  remastered it, and hired friends like Nick Offerman, Jenny Slate and Chloe Sevigny to dub it. And it is fun to watch the tropes of U.S. television turned against itself, and to see how much/little has changed in terms of American self-regard.

But six hours of this stuff is wearying. When Woody Allen did something similar in his 1966 film Whats Up, Tiger Lily? he was smart enough to keep his parody to a brisk 80 minutes.

Comrade Detective streams on Amazon Prime Video. Johanna Schneller is a media connoisseur who zeroes in on pop-culture moments. She usually appears Monday through Thursday.

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OTTAWANot far from the U.S. Capitol building in Washington stands the Willard Hotel. In a time that was different from and similar to our own, when Canada meant the British colony of what is now Ontario and Quebec, representatives from its fledgling government rented out the Willard. It was a full-on charm offensive meant to secure a trade deal with the United States.

Robert Bothwell, a prolific author and historian at the University of Toronto, describes in his 2006 history of Canada how the government hired agents to help convince congressmen that trade with the British colonies was in their interest.

The governor general of the time, Lord Elgin, also went down to D.C., where he set up what amounted to a free bar to woo Americans at the Willard, Bothwell recounted in an interview last week.

Senators and representatives would drop in and have a snort, he said with a laugh.

Chuckles aside, all the cigars and whisky drams consumed at the hotel preceded a done deal: the Reciprocity Treaty of 1854, which historians have credited  partially  with an ensuing decade of prosperity for the colonies of British North America.

The moral of the story, made especially relevant on the eve of the hugely anticipated NAFTA renegotiation: if it worked then, maybe it will work again.

We do it a bit more delicately now, Bothwell said, but essentially that is what the Trudeau government is doing.

Lord Elgin is sort of the originator of many of our trade tactics.

Its true that much of the national news narrative since the election of U.S. President Donald Trump has followed the efforts of Canadian politicians to prepare for his aggressively touted pledge to reform or rip up the 23-year-old NAFTA agreement. Federal ministers, provincial premiers, bureaucrats and lobbyists have made scores of forays to American cities to shore up their arguments and find friends. And by now, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau can flip his brain to cruise control as he recites his litany of reasons why the agreement is a good thing for both Americans and Canadians.

In short, there may be no ostentatious soirees or rented-out hotels with open bars  none that are known to this reporter, anyway  but the broad scope of whats going on is not without precedent.

For Francine McKenzie, chair of the history department at Western University, agitations on trade are actually a perennial feature of Canadas story  far from a unique aspect of todays politics, or even that of the past few decades.

There has been constant talk about trade, she said, pointing to the earliest days of European colonization, when what drew the Spanish, French and British into the continent was, in large part, profits from dealing in fish and fur. The latter was supplied through trading relationships with the many Indigenous peoples of the land.

Canada has always been linked into global commodity chains, and trade has been going on forever, McKenzie said.

This continued once the United States came into existence, and after the remaining British colonies on the continent gained a measure of self-determination  in 1848, with the reforms to create responsible government. Political and business leaders began their long history of trade talks with our American neighbours, with Elgins 1854 deal removing tariffs in some natural products, like lumber, though it was far from a free-trade deal. It was one of only three trade agreements that the U.S. signed between 1789 and 1934.

As in subsequent negotiations  such as the free-trade brouhaha during the 1988 election  the prospect of trade with the U.S. brought up concerns about Canadian independence and fears that closer economic ties would pull us down a slide to political integration. As Bothwell explained, however, Elgins argument at the time was that trade with the Americans would bolster the Canadian economy and keep us prosperous and therefore content and therefore British, (i.e. not American).

The U.S. cancelled the agreement in 1866, in part because of tacit British support for the Confederacy during the Civil War, Bothwell writes. From then on, the idea of trade with the U.S. popped up periodically, with routine diplomatic forays to Washington to discuss it, trips that came to be known as pilgrimages. In 1911, Wilfrid Lauriers Liberal party lost an election arguing for a new reciprocity deal, a proposal that was promptly dropped by the victorious Conservative party under Robert Borden.

For Bothwell, the dynamics of discussions during much of this period were less than trustful. Periodically the Americans would try to bully us in the hope of getting a better deal, he said, arguing that economic and military co-operation during the Second World War helped put an end to that, engendering a sense that each side would negotiate any trade deal in good faith, aiming for mutual benefit.

A prime example, he said, was the Auto Pact of 1965. That deal has been described as a compromise between Canada and the U.S., which allowed auto companies operating in Canada to import vehicles and parts for assembly, duty-free.

The Auto Pact was one of the best treaties the Canadians signed, Bothwell said, pointing to the subsequent growth of vehicle manufacturing, particularly in Ontario.

The harmony and trust arent fixed and permanent though. Bothwell said that, with Trump, it appears Canadians are facing an American cohort of a more aggressive stripe. In our post-war history he points to a single precedent: when Richard Nixons treasury department was trying to push the Canadians to rejig their currency to the benefit of American exporters in 1971 and 1972.

This was baffling to the Canadians, and the talks were stalled, Bothwell said. Through his research, hes uncovered colourful anecdotes from the time: the Canadian delegation that included Finance Minister Edgar Benson sweating buckets in the Washington heat, as then-U.S. Treasury Secretary John Connally  a bellicose tough guy that Bothwell likened in temperament to Trump  mistakenly read a statement that was meant for a Japanese delegation.

Bothwell also spoke of Simon Reisman, a Canadian negotiator who later led the 1987 Canada-U.S. free-trade negotiations and was also on hand in the early 70s. He said that Reisman, who died in 2008, was renowned for his no-nonsense talk; Bothwell told a story, gathered from his research, of how Reisman stood smoking a cigarette while Connally spoke, letting his ashes drift down onto Connallys desk, which once belonged to Alexander Hamilton.

Wed send delegation after delegation to Washington and thered be shouting matches, and Connolly just did not get anywhere with us, Bothwell said.

Eventually, after Connally resigned in 1972, the Americans relented and Canada wasnt forced to change its currency valuation.

Thats the biggest parallel to this, Bothwell said of Canadas current conundrum on NAFTA.

Its unilateral, and he (Trump) relies on strength and bullying to put it across.

The biggest question is how Canada will fare this time around.

We have to get our minds back to that period, Bothwell said, where we could not assume that the negotiator on the other side of the room was looking for a mutually beneficial relationship.

If thats true, a free bar might be a good idea after all.

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One male has been rushed to hospital after a shooting in Torontos Flemingdon Park area Saturday evening.

Toronto police Staff Sgt. Al Love said police received numerous calls around 6:30 p.m. for reports of gunshots at St. Dennis Dr. and Linkwood Ln., just south of Eglinton Ave. E.

A man in his early 20s was found with one gunshot wound to his abdomen.

Paramedics said the victim was rushed to Sunnybrook Hospital in serious condition.

Love said police are looking for an armed suspect who is described as male, five foot eight, wearing all black clothing. The suspect reportedly fled the scene in a grey vehicle.

Right now we are also waiting to talk to the victim to see if we can get a more accurate description of the outstanding suspect, Love said.

The intersection is closed while police investigate. TTC bus 34C Eglington is diverting via Gateway Blvd., Grenoble Dr. , Deauville Ln. and St. Dennis Dr.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-5400 or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477.

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A little known fact about the Palmerston branch of the Toronto Public Library: This is where Jason Lees aunt learned how to say I love you in English.

It was 1988 and she was new to Toronto, learning conversational English so she could talk to her nephews, who were losing their Korean. She wanted it to sound perfect, so she went to the classes offered by the Korean YMCA at this cosy square of concrete, bricks and books.

She even tried out the words on people she didnt love.

I never realized how courageous that was, 36-year-old Lee says to the crowd of 60 people wearing sensible hats and footwear for Heritage Torontos walking tour of Koreatown this Saturday.

Every year, Heritage Toronto offers a slate of walking tours that explore the citys people, its diversity and little known stories. The tours are led by local historians and people who have experience in the community. Whats on offer is not unlike a theatre season  some popular tours return, there are always new ones in the mix, others return after long absences.

On Saturday, as tensions continued to escalate between North Korea and the U.S., a crowd of tourists and curious Torontonians came to learn about Torontos Korean history.

Lee begins at the Alpha Korean United Church, at the corner of Bloor and Huron Sts., with a microphone bag slung across his shoulder.

He explains that in the unrest of the first half of the 20th century, the presence of Canadian Christian missionaries in Korea led to the first Korean student attending the University of Toronto. More students and others connected to the missions followed.

By 1966, there were 100 Koreans in Toronto. By the 1970s, with a population of roughly 10,000 Koreans in the city, Koreatown had emerged near the University of Toronto, westward on Bloor St.

To this day, the church has played a central role as a gathering place for this community.

Lee weaves his own familys story into the tour as the group makes its way west. His parents moved to Toronto in the late 1970s  his father was a gym teacher, his mother an actress. Their skills didnt translate, so their only option was to start a business  not unlike many of the other Koreans who came to the city. He talks about the weight that many second generation children feel when it comes to that legacy.

After the tour I will be working in my parents restaurant with my wife, he says. Im expected. Im voluntold.

(Lee is the chairman of the Koreatown BIA, and runs his own uniform business in addition to working at his parents restaurant.)

Walking along Bloor St., he points out the bank where many went for loans when other banks turned them down, the newspaper that gave the latest news about groups such as the Korean Canadian Womans Association and the grocery store that provided a taste of home.

To this day, my mother has never walked into a Loblaws, he says.

He talks about kimchi  sauerkraut on steroids, and tells the group that for a Korean woman her kimchi is her business card  each with a distinctive taste.

The group stops to sample treats  walnut cake from Hodo Kwaja, tea at his parents Korean Village Restaurant and roasted rice candy from Korean grocery store PAT Central.

The rain begins to fall and the crowd huddles under an awning before Lee closes the tour in front of a seniors centre where his grandmother spent many happy hours. He talks about how she always taught him to save money. Now an avid coin collector, he loops back to that message as he presents a set of 2017 Canadian coins to the youngest person on the tour.

It took me a long time to find the dimes, he says. The dimes are the hardest.

As the crowd leaves, people thank Lee, who like all of the guides, is a volunteer.

You really put your heart into it, one man says.

Then, a woman approaches Lee to ask about the situation in North Korea.

Loco, he says, having earlier learned this woman speaks Spanish. He loves learning other languages.

For more than 50 years, people in South Korea have been used to threats from North Korea, he says, but this is different, with the escalating rhetoric from both North Korea and the United States, and the speculation of a mid-August date for a potential North Korean missile strike against Guam. So yes, there is more fear than usual.

In South Korea theyre used to it, he says. For the U.S. and North America, that is not something youre used to when you wake up and look forward to work and whatever your day holds.

2017s most popular Heritage Toronto tours:

1. Yonge Street Architecture

2. Guild Park

3. Uncovering Riverside

Price: Suggested $10 donation

Whats next: On Sunday, tour North Yorks Little Manila, with a look at migration, food & identity. Meeting point Bathurst-Wilson parkette, 3749 Bathurst Street. Starts at 1:30 p.m.

Visit: http://heritagetoronto.org/events/ for more information

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Released Canadian pastor Hyeon Soo Lim on Sunday spoke in Korean to the congregation of the Light Presbyterian Church in Mississauga about how he survived his ordeal in a North Korean prison. Lim was released after 2  years spent in North Korean custody earlier this week.

In his remarks, he thanked the members of his church and the government for securing his release.

Full story:Joyful celebration for Hyeon Soo Lim at his Mississauga church after more than two years in North Korean prison

Here is a translation of Lims prepared statement, provided by the church Sunday:

I am so grateful that God has allowed me to be here with everyone here today. I want to earnestly thank Prime Minister Trudeau for helping in my return home. I also extend a very special thanks to Special Advisor Daniel Jean and the delegation for securing my release In addition, thank you to Minister Freeland, former Minister Dion, Senator Yonah Martin and all the incredible staff in Ottawa. I also want to thank the Swedish Government for being Canada's protecting power in North Korea, and for playing a critical role in my release.

I am grateful for my church community. I'm indebted to all the churches in Canada, the United States and in Korea  the many friends around the world who have prayed daily for two years and seven months, until the moment I was released and returned home. Through those prayers and the efforts of all involved, I finally came home yesterday, landing at 10 a.m. on Canadian soil. It still feels like a dream. Truly, this is all by the grace of God.

I was sentenced to death by North Korea but the sentence was commuted to life of hard labour. That too, was God's grace, and gave me tremendous peace.

From that moment, there were days of overwhelming loneliness. From the first day of my detainment until the day I was released, I ate 2,757 meals in isolation by myself. It was difficult to see when and how the entire ordeal would end. But this isolation also gave me the opportunity to spend an extended time of solitude with God.

During the winter. I had to dig holes that measured one metre wide and one metre deep. The ground was frozen. The mud was so hard that it took two days to dig one hole. It was incredibly challenging. My upper body was sweating; my fingers and toes were frostbitten. I also worked inside a coal storage facility, breaking apart frozen coal.

In the spring and the summer, I worked outside, eight hours a day, in the scorching sun. One year of this difficult labour took a toll on my body and I was admitted to the hospital for two months. There would be three other occasions where I would be admitted to the hospital in serious condition.

During my time there, I read over one hundred books on North Korea and began to grasp and gain a deeper understanding of the 70 year history that formed the nation. I also read the Bible in both English and Korean five times and memorized over 700 Bible verses. I worshipped alone for 130 Sundays.

While I was laboring, I prayed without ceasing. I will share more details with you later.

There were many difficult moments but it was during these times that God gave me the strength endure and persevere. There were moments of discouragement, resentment, and grumbling but that soon changed into courage, joy, and thanksgiving. I learned to fully accept all of this as a form of God's love and discipline to make me stronger. By God's perfect and sovereign timing, I was released, returned home and here with you today.

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Among the first questions Hyeon Soo Lim asked when he landed in Toronto after more than two years of gruelling work and isolation in a North Korean labour camp were Which funerals did I miss? and Donald Trump is president?

He didnt know about the U.S. election or the current situation with North Korea, church spokesperson Lisa Pak said Sunday, as congregants gathered at the Light Presbyterian Church in Mississauga hours before the service where Lim was to make his first public appearance. Inside, the air was buzzing with expectation as people held hands and clutched their phones, staking out a spot for their first look at Lim.

The room erupted with applause and chants of our pastor, as 62-year-old Lim  known for his sense of humour and his ability to connect with people  walked inside, dressed in a black suit with his hair closely shorn. He raised both hands and smiled widely.

Lim is passionate about North Korea and has made more than 100 missions to the country, bringing in food and visiting orphanages and a seniors home. He was taken into custody on one such trip in January 2015, and was sentenced to life in a labour camp for allegedly conducting subversive actions against leader Kim Jong Un.

For the past two and a half years the congregation has been praying for his release, many worried about his health. On Sunday, those prayers were answered with Lims first public address.

Im really very deeply grateful and moved, Lim said after the service, as Pak translated. Because of all the love, compassion, comfort and prayers from the Canadian people, I believe I am here. Its a miracle for me to be here today.

The electric atmosphere continued during the service. Every seat in the church was filled as Lim sat in the front row with his family, including his granddaughter who was born while he was imprisoned, her hair decorated with a festive pink ribbon and pigtail buns.

Lim spoke at the end of the service. His prepared remarks were a page long, but he rarely looked down, speaking comfortably for half an hour as the crowd clapped, gasped and, many times, laughed with him.

He told of days of overwhelming loneliness. He ate 2,757 meals in isolation and didnt know how the ordeal would end. In the winter, he was forced to dig holes in ground so frozen that it took him two days to dig one hole, his fingers and toes becoming frostbitten. In the first two months, his weight dropped from 90 kg to 67 kg, and he joked that people might not recognize him. After one year of hard labour, he was admitted to the hospital for two months. Three other hospital stays followed. He read books about North Korea and read the Bible five times, both in English and Korean. He memorized more than 700 verses from the Bible.

There were moments of discouragement, resentment and grumbling, but that soon changed into courage, joy and thanksgiving, his English remarks read. I learned to fully accept all of this as a form of Gods love and discipline to make me stronger.

At various points, congregants translated when the crowd reacted strongly to his speech.

One woman explained that Lim is supposed to be getting rest now, but the ongoing situation between North Korea and the U.S. is the wrong news for his health. He also said that after being detained after many years of missionary work, Its almost like God was saying stay put.  He also spoke of his arrest. Later, a spokesperson for the church said there were misunderstandings and Lim doesnt want to dwell on it.

On Aug. 7, a Canadian delegation flew to Pyongyang, led by Trudeaus national security adviser Daniel Jean. By Wednesday, the North Korean government confirmed Lim would be released on humanitarian grounds. The crowd gasped when Lim told them he was alerted 15 minutes in advance. He enjoyed the three-day journey home and found the contrast between his Wednesday in North Korea to his Thursday at the Sheraton hotel in Guam both moving and shocking. He arrived in Toronto Saturday morning, and his first meal was kimchi.

Doctors examined him, and he felt bad for all the trouble and concern, when his health was fine: I cant make up an illness, he joked with the congregation.

He thanked the Canadian government, and everyone who was involved in his release, including the Swedish government, who acts as Canadas protecting power in North Korea, since Canada does not have an embassy there.

Lim walked out of the service with his wife, and a crush of cameras followed, as two men with ear pieces tried to shepherd him through the eager crowd.

Give him space everyone.

What was it like to hug your granddaughter for the first time? a reporter asked.

Space please, was all you could hear.

Anna Shin, who like many, had been praying for Lims release since January 2015, said she had the privilege of seeing Lim on Saturday night during a meeting with the church elders. He was happy to talk after so many years alone, she said. Were just so glad he is in good condition, she said.

As people snacked on fresh fruit Lim said he will tell more of his story later.

I am so proud to be Canadian, he said, in English. And I am so happy to be with my wife and family.

Then, he made the rounds, hugging anyone who caught his eye. Some jumped up and down in his embrace, and one group of men lifted him on their shoulders and carried him around the room.

With files from Mary Ormsby

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The start of college or university can be a challenging time for students. They may be living away from home for the first time, far from their friends and family. They are adjusting to a new environment, and learning to balance classes with part-time jobs, new friendships and relationships.

Many university and college students will look for mental healthcare, on or off-campus.

With thousands of young people set to return to university and college campuses across Canada, mental health advocates, care providers, post-secondary students and staff weighed in on what makes a strong campus mental health system.

Read more:

Were not a treatment facility: The struggle for campuses to provide students mental health care

How many Ontario post-secondary students die by suicide each year? No one knows for sure

Embedded counsellors within each faculty or department

Different programs can have different mental health needs and challenges, said Bita Pourvahidi, a recent graduate of Ryerson Universitys Ted Rogers School of Management.

Like, in Ryersons business school, because its such a competitive environment, not only is there stigma surrounding mental health already, (but) if youre a business student and you have a mental illness you may be seen as weaker, because business is so dog-eat-dog, Pourvahidi said.

Queens University has embedded mental health counsellors in its academic faculties and residence buildings over the past few years.

It enables them to be aware of crisis point or stressors or times of year when students might be feeling particular stress and theyre aware of that, said Ann Tierney, Queens Vice-Provost and Dean of Student Affairs.

It also increases access to students. Some students might want to go to a service in their faculty because they feel a strong connection to their faculty. Just like they go to an academic advisor.

Centralized mental health services

Sometimes there are so many resources that a student feels overwhelmed and they dont know where to start, said Tamara Sherwood, a student at the University of Toronto who has worked as a peer health educator, informing students of services on campus.

I think all of these services should be in one place  the same place as any physical health resources, said University of Guelph student Alyssa Logan. If we keep them together, it will make it less likely that stigma will control a situation.

Definitely (campuses need) services that are clearly communicated to students and very accessible, said Eric Windeler, co-founder of the youth mental health organization Jack.org.

It should not be difficult or embarrassing for students to go to mental health services, he added.

Mix mental health services in with all the other health and sexual services on campus so you can go in to to talk to somebody without everyone knowing youre going down this hall so you must need help with your mental health.

Proactive student outreach

As youre being welcomed as a potential student there should be some education about how (the university) is making sure theyre doing the best here to inform you about the challenges around mental health, provide you with some initial services and screening and some actual services if youre struggling, Windeler, of Jack.org, said.

Peer Support

Peer-to-peer support is critical, said University of Guelph student Alyssa Logan. I think most students would rather their friends know about their struggles than a university admin.

With proper diversion of students based on their needs, peer support can also free up professional therapists for patients with more serious needs, said Waterloo graduate and mental health advocate Alicia Raimundo.

It can make it so that more of the (professional) counselors time is spent with people who really do need that level of support and then people who really just need someone to talk to can talk to a peer, said Raimundo.

Right now we have a mental health system on a lot of our campuses where people are getting very skilled support when maybe they dont need that level of skill, they just need someone to talk to.

At the University of Toronto, peer health educators like Sherwood offer information on campus services, and a friendly ear.

Especially in a university setting ... illnesses like anxiety and depression feed off of loneliness and isolation, said Sherwood.

I find the more connected and validated and heard a student feels, the more they will share, the more they will grow as people its really simple.

Training for professors, TAs and residence staff

Professors, teaching assistants, and academic counsellors should be trained to be more attuned to the mental health needs of students, said Taryn MacDonald, who graduated from the University of Guelph this year.

Oftentimes, these are the people who will be seeing students the most, added MacDonald, who sought counselling for anxiety issues while a student.

If a professor or a TA sees a student struggling during office hours or a tutorial, they need to be able to know how to support that student and how to offer them advice on the appropriate next steps (such as) referring them to counselling or accessibility services.

One of the ways universities can try to meet the growing demand for mental health services is to better understand which people students turn to when they need help, said Erik Labrosse, director of student wellness at Laurentian University.

Sometimes its a friend, sometimes its a professor, sometimes its a residence assistant.

Windeler, whose son died by suicide in his first year at Queens in 2010, said universities should be training people in close contact with students  like teaching assistants and residence staff  to recognize early signs of distress.

When we did the digging back to what happened in our situations, we werent being told about it by our son but there were lots of signals that would have spelled that things had gone way off the rails, he said.

Strong transitions from on-campus to off-campus services

Those transitions can be especially vital for students preparing to graduate and leave the school.

When I graduated I lost all of my support. The school really didnt care about me except to ask for donations, Raimundo said.

That transition out of school, especially in an economy thats not great, really sucks for a lot of students, especially students with mental illness.

If we can find a way to support those students now that theyre going into the big wide world, with no structure and maybe no job, (and ensure) that they still have a connection to some support organization thats committed to supporting them long term.

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James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio was charged with second-degree murder in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday after he smashed a car into a line of cars in an episode that left a 32-year-old woman dead and injured at least 19 other people who were protesting a rally staged by white nationalists.

What we know

 Fields, 20, was born in Kenton, Kentucky, to Samantha Lea Bloom.

 He was living with his mother until five or six months ago when he moved to his own apartment in Maumee, Ohio, according to an interview that Bloom gave to The Toledo Blade. They moved to Ohio from Kentucky about a year ago because of her job, she said.

 Fields father died before he was born, an aunt, Pam Fields, said on Sunday.

 Pam Fields said she had not seen her nephew, whom she remembered as a very quiet little boy more than five times in the past 10 years.

 Military records show that James Alex Fields Jr. entered the Army on Aug. 18, 2015, around the time his mother wrote on Facebook that he had left for boot camp. Less than four months later, on Dec. 11, his period of active duty concluded. It was not immediately clear why he left the military.

 Fields had been photographed hours earlier carrying the emblem of one of the hate groups that organized the take America back campaign. In a photo taken by the New York Daily News, Fields stands with a handful of men, all dressed similarly in the Vanguard America uniform of khakis and white polo shirts.

 Vanguard America denied on Sunday any association with the suspect.

The driver of the vehicle that hit counterprotesters today was, in no way, a member of Vanguard America, the group said in a statement on its Twitter account. All our members had been safely evacuated by the time of the incident. The shields seen do not denote membership, nor does the white shirt. The shirts were freely handed out to anyone in attendance.

Read more:

Charlottesville victim: She was there standing up for what was right

Woman killed in Charlottesville white supremacist rally identified

15 photos that show Charlottesvilles stunning descent into violence

 Fields was driving a Dodge Challenger at a high rate of speed in downtown Charlottesville at about 1:45 p.m., a spokesperson for the city said in a statement. He drove the car into a sedan, which hit a minivan that was in front of it.

The impact of the crash pushed the sedan and the minivan into a crowd of pedestrians. Fields fled the scene in the Challenger but was stopped a short time later by the Charlottesville police.

 The city identified the dead woman as Heather D. Heyer of Charlottesville.

 Caitlin Robinson, who attended Ockerman Middle School in Florence, Kentucky, with Fields, suggested that his interest in far-right ideologies dated back years.

On many occasions there were times he would scream obscenities, whether it be about Hitler or racial slurs, Robinson wrote in an email on Sunday.

She said Fields mostly kept to himself and didnt start fights or try to fight, but she described him as exceptionally odd and an outcast to be sure.

He wasnt afraid to make you feel unsafe, she said.

With files from The Associated Press

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Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 01:04:17|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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By Alexia Vlachou, Liu Yongqiu

ATHENS, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition of Chinese Opera Costumes was inaugurated on Thursday evening in the city of Elefsina, northwest of Athens, in a latest effort to enhance cultural relations between Greece and China.

The opening ceremony was attended by the deputy Party Chief of Hangzhou Ma Xiaohui, Chinese Ambassador to Greece Zou Xiaoli, Mayor of Elefsina George Tsoukalas and representatives of the municipality.

The exhibition, organized by the municipality of Elefsina in collaboration with the Chinese embassy in Greece, boosts the cultural cooperation established after the twinning of Elefsina and the city of Haicheng in China in 2014, officials said.

"This exhibition provides us opportunities for economic, cultural and educational cooperation," Ma told Xinhua.

On the Greek part, Tsoukalas praised the Sino-Greek ties. "Cooperation between cities, people and societies is a one-way path. We must strengthen the common points we have, and smooth out our differences," he said.

For the last three years, famous traditional Chinese operas perform during the Aeschylus Festival, the longest-lived arts event in Attica region.

"Hangzhou sent a Yue Opera troupe to perform in Elefsina last year, which is part of our cultural exchange programs," Ma said.

Addressing the ceremony, Ambassador Zou characterized the exhibition -- tribute to the Chinese opera -- as a gift that the Chinese people offered to the city of Elefsina.

"Chinese opera integrates history, literature, music, dancing, handcraft, martial arts. It is a gem of Chinese civilization," Zou stressed.

The exhibition features a selection of about 100 authentic costumes, photos and videos reflecting the most important types of traditional and modern Chinese Opera. They represent 20 types of Chinese operas from 17 provinces, according to Zou.

For Nantia Vlachopoulou, who was among the curators of the exhibition, her experience with the Chinese opera was amazing.

"I saw in Elefsina a traditional Chinese opera for the first time two years ago. It was an adaptation of the Greek tragedy 'Oresteia' by Aeschylus in Chinese opera," she told Xinhua.

What impressed her most were the costumes and the absence of scenery. "It is entirely different from what we are used to in the western opera. The costumes are colorful and delicate," she said.

"The cultural exchange enables the Greek people to know Chinese culture. It also provides a platform for the Chinese culture reach out the world," the Chinese ambassador in Greece told Xinhua.

As Elefsina has been declared European Capital of Culture for 2021, there are high expectations for further collaboration from both sides.

"We would like to have a permanent cultural cooperation with China," Tsoukalas highlighted.

"When the museum of Aeschylus is open in 2021, I hope that there will be a permanent exhibition hall for Chinese opera. Today's event is the first step to live this dream," Zou told Xinhua.

The exhibition at the Cultural Center "Leonidas Kanellopoulos" in Elefsina will run until Sept. 9.

As part of the Aeschylus Festival 2017, on Aug. 27, Elefsina will host an original performance of the renowned Anhui Huangmei Opera Theater.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 01:14:19|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CAIRO, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- The rail traffic between Cairo and Alexandria resumed Saturday after the railroad was cleared from the wreckage of the train collision, the Ministry of Transportation said.

The ministry's spokesman Mohammed Ezz said on Saturday tha the traffic would go on a single line in both directions until a second track that was damaged in the accident is repaired.

On Friday afternoon in Alexandria, a train travelling from Cairo to Alexandria crashed into the rear of another train en route to Alexandria from Port Said, leaving 41 dead and 132 injured.

The second train was stationary at Khorshid Station when the crash occurred.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 01:19:21|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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CAIRO, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Public Prosecution in Egypt's Alexandria ordered Saturday to carry out DNA tests to identify people whose bodies were torn in Friday's train crash, the MENA news agency reported.

Meanwhile, a committee of professors from the Faculty of Engineering of Alexandria University to inspect the semaphore and level crossing systems.

On Friday, a train travelling from Cairo to Alexandria crashed into the rear of another train en route to Alexandria from Port Said.

The second train was stationary at Khorsid Station when the crash occurred. The collision left at least 41 dead and 132 injured.
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Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 03:20:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan

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by Mahmoud Fouly

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- "When we heard the collision, we ran toward the accident scene and rescued as many as we could until the rescuers arrived," said Saeed Ramadan, a 45-year-old man from Ezbet Khorshid neighborhood in Egypt's northern coastal city of Alexandria.

Ramadan, a laboratory technician, is one of dozens of residents who hurried to rescue victims of the two-train collision that took place on Friday afternoon, leaving at least 49 dead and more than 130 injured in the seaside city.

"We learned that a train was motionless when another hit it from behind," the man told Xinhua near the wreckage. "We had already moved many victims near this platform when the ambulances later picked up many of the seriously injured people."

Since the afternoon until the early hours of Saturday morning, rescuers and residents have been searching for bodies and survivors of the massive tragedy, while security forces and military police personnel heavily cordoned off the collision area.

Ahmed Nabil, a young man in his late 20s, said he was coming back from work and just passed by the stopping train when he heard a bang that almost shook the ground beneath his feet.

"I also heard weeping and screaming. My fellow villagers and I ran toward the train and we rescued many people and picked up many bodies," Nabil narrated, noting that the accident happened at around 2:10 p.m. local time.

Immediately following the crash in Alexandria, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi instructed state bodies to bring those responsible to account, ordering a thorough investigation into the cause of the collision.

Meanwhile, the Transportation Ministry said the two drivers of the twin trains have been held for questioning and four railway officials suspended over the tragedy.

Later on Saturday, the top prosecutor assigned a military engineering body to perform an on-the-spot technical railway check to examine the soundness of the railroad, the traffic light signals and semaphores and to issue a report on the tragic accident.

Most of the victims and the wounded passengers have been transferred to nearby hospitals in Ezbet Khorshid and surrounding towns, while the government ordered 50,000 Egyptian pounds (about 2,800 U.S. dollars) for the family members of each dead person.

Walid Ali, 32, an electrician from the nearby neighborhood, said he saw over 25 children scattered on the ground just after the first crash, "besides a large number of deaths inside the train and dozens of wounded people."

"The victims on the ground were countless," said Abdel-Rahman Ismail, a teen student living in the area.

He stressed that the residents of Ezbet Khorshid neighborhood spared no effort to rescue and shelter the victims.

"All the residents of the village brought their private cars and covered them with sheets and moved them therein," the student told Xinhua.

Over the past 15 years, Egypt has witnessed several deadly railway crashes that have signalled poor railway conditions and lack of necessary railroad maintenance.

The worst train accident in the country took place at Giza's district of Ayyat in 2002, which killed 350 passengers when fire broke out in a train from Upper Egypt, forcing passengers to hopelessly jump out to survive.

Another train tragedy hit the country 10 years later in November 2012, when a train hit a school bus at a crossing barrier area in Upper Egypt's Assiut Province, killing over 50 children.
Twitter, Inc. operates as a platform for public self-expression and conversation in real-time. The company's primary product is Twitter, a platform that allows users to consume, create, distribute, and discover content. It also provides promoted products that enable advertisers to promote brands, products, and services, as well as enable advertisers to target an audience based on various factors, including who an account follows and actions taken on its platform, such as Tweets created and engagement with Tweets. Its promoted products consist of promoted ads and Twitter Amplify, Follower Ads, and Twitter takeover. In addition, the company offers monetization products for creators, including Tips to directly send small one-time payments on Twitter using various payment methods, including bitcoin; Super Follows, a paid monthly subscription, which includes bonus content, exclusive previews, and perks as a way to support and connect with creators on Twitter; and Ticketed Spaces to support creators on Twitter for their time and effort in hosting, speaking, and moderating the public conversation on Twitter Spaces. Further, it offers products for developers and data partners comprising Twitter Developer Platform, a platform that enables developers to build tools for people and businesses using its public application programming interface; and paid access to Twitter data for partners with commercial use cases. Twitter, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is based in San Francisco, California.
W. R. Berkley Corporation was founded in 1967 by W.R. Berkley with the goal of creating sustainable, long-term value. As of November 2022, Mr. Berkley remained as executive chairman with his son W.R. Berkley Jr. in the CEO's office. The company is based in Greenwich, Connecticut, and operates as an insurance holding company in the U.S. and internationally. It is one of the largest commercial lines insurers in the US and has more than 190 offices worldwide.



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There are more than 50 businesses operating under the Berkley umbrella. They each capitalize on niche markets that require specialized knowledge about industries, regions, or business structures. The companys goal is to create peace of mind, both by simplifying the insurance buying process and by providing the insurance products its customers need.



W. R. Berkley was added to the S&P 500 in 2019. The companys market cap grew more than 20% or over $1 billion in the first year alone. As of November 2022, the company is worth upwards of $19.5 billion or more than a 200% increase since its launch. The companys underlying insurance businesses are all rated A+ by Standard & Poors and A.M. Best.



Some of the key businesses and industries served by W.R. Berkley include but are not limited to agribusiness, cannabis, energy, environmental, hospitality, manufacturing, public entity, retail, and transportation. Some of the products offered include but are not limited to workers' compensation, general liability, commercial auto & trucking, accident & health, cyber, and property. In 2021, the company brought in more than $9.5 billion in revenue and produced a 16.2% return on stockholders' equity.
Juniper Networks, Inc. designs, develops, and sells network products and services worldwide. The company offers routing products, such as ACX series universal access routers to deploy high-bandwidth services; MX series Ethernet routers that function as a universal edge platform; PTX series packet transport routers; wide-area network SDN controllers; and session smart routers. It also provides switching products, including EX series Ethernet switches to address the access, aggregation, and core layer switching requirements of micro branch, branch office, and campus environments; QFX series of core, spine, and top-of-rack data center switches; and juniper access points, which provide Wi-Fi access and performance. In addition, the company offers security products comprising SRX series services gateways for the data center; Branch SRX family provides an integrated and next-generation firewall; virtual firewall that delivers various features of physical firewalls; and advanced malware protection, a cloud-based service and Juniper ATP. Further, it offers Junos OS, a network operating system; Contrail networking, which provides an open-source and standards-based platform for SDN; Mist AI-driven Wired, Wireless, and WAN assurance solutions to set and measure key metrics; Mist AI-driven Marvis Virtual Network Assistant, which identifies the root cause of issues; Juniper Paragon Automation, a modular portfolio of cloud-native software applications; and Juniper Apstra to automate the network lifecycle in a single system. Additionally, the company provides software-as-a-service, technical support, maintenance, and professional services, as well as education and training programs. It sells its products through direct sales, distributors, value-added resellers, and original equipment manufacturers to end-users in the cloud, service provider, and enterprise markets. The company was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
The following companies are subsidiares of General Motors: 2140879 Ontario Inc., ACAR Leasing Ltd., ACF Investment Corp., AFS SenSub Corp., APGO Trust, Adam Opel GmbH, AmeriCredit, AmeriCredit Financial Services Inc., Annunciata Corporation, Argonaut Holdings LLC, Astyx Inc., BOCO (Proprietary) Limited, Banco GM S.A., Boco Trust, BrightDrop LLC, BrightDrop Solutions LLC, BrightDrop Vehicle Distribution LLC, CHEVYPLAN S.A. Sociedad Administradora de Planes de Autofinanciamiento Comercial, Cadillac, Cadillac Europe GmbH, Carve-Out Ownership Cooperative LLC, Chevrolet Deutschland GmbH, Chevrolet Otomotiv Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Chevrolet Sales (Thailand) Limited, Chevrolet Sales India Private Ltd., Chevrolet Sociedad Anonima de Ahorro para Fines Determinados, Controladora General Motors S. de R.L. de C.V., Cruise, Cruise LLC, Cruise Munich GmbH, DCJ1 LLC, DMAX Ltd., Dealership Liquidations Inc., Delphi Energy and Engine Management Systems UK Overseas Corporation, EDS (Electronic Data Systems), GCAR Titling Ltd., GM (UK) Pension Trustees Limited, GM Administradora de Bens Ltda., GM Asia Pacific Regional Headquarters Ltd., GM Components Holdings LLC, GM Corretora de Seguros Ltda., GM Cruise Holdings LLC, GM Defense LLC, GM Eurometals Inc., GM Finance Co. Holdings LLC, GM Financial, GM Financial Bank, GM Financial Canada Leasing Ltd., GM Financial Colombia Holdings LLC, GM Financial Colombia S.A. 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SOFOM E.R., GM Financial del Peru S.A.C, GM Global Technology Operations LLC, GM Global Tooling Company LLC, GM Global Treasury Centre Limited, GM Holdings Australia Pty Ltd, GM Holdings U.K. No.1 Limited, GM Inversiones Santiago Limitada, GM Investment Trustees Limited, GM Korea Company, GM LAAM Holdings LLC, GM Mobility Europe GmbH, GM Personnel Services Inc., GM Philippines Inc., GM Protections LLC, GM Regional Holdings LLC, GM Retirees Pension Trustees Limited, GM Speciality Vehicles UK Limited, GM Subsystems Manufacturing LLC, GM Technical Center Korea Ltd., GM-DI Leasing LLC, GMAC Administradora de Consorcios Ltda., GMAC Prestadora de Servicios de Mao de Obra Ltda., GMCH&SP Private Equity II L.P., GMF Funding Corp., GMF Global Assignment LLC, GMF International LLC, GMF Leasing LLC, GMF Wholesale Receivables LLC, General Motors (China) Investment Company Limited, General Motors - Colmotores S.A., General Motors Advisory Services LLC, General Motors Africa and Middle East FZE, General Motors Asia LLC, General Motors Asia Pacific Holdings LLC, General Motors Asset Management Corporation, General Motors Australia Pty Ltd., General Motors Australia and New Zealand Pty Ltd., General Motors Auto LLC, General Motors Automobiles Philippines Inc., General Motors Automotive Holdings S.L., General Motors Belgique Automobile NV, General Motors Chile Industria Automotriz Limitada, General Motors China LLC, General Motors Daewoo Auto and Technology CIS LLC, General Motors Egypt S.A.E., General Motors Europe Limited, General Motors Financial Chile Limitada, General Motors Financial Chile S.A., General Motors Financial Company Inc., General Motors Financial of Canada Ltd., General Motors Global Service Operations Inc., General Motors Holden Australia NSC Pty Ltd., General Motors Holdings LLC, General Motors IT Services (Ireland) Limited, General Motors India Private Limited, General Motors International Holdings LLC, General Motors International Operations Pte. 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Ltd., General Motors de Argentina S.r.l., General Motors de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., General Motors del Ecuador S.A., General Motors do Brasil Ltda., General Motors of Canada Company, General Motors-Holden's Sales Pty. Limited, Global Services Detroit LLC, Grand Pointe Holdings Inc., Grand Pointe Park Condominium Association, IBC Pension Trustees Limited, Lease Ownership Cooperative LLC, Lidlington Engineering Company Ltd., Limited Liability Company "General Motors CIS", Maven Drive LLC, Millbrook Pension Management Limited, Monetization of Carve-Out LLC, Motors Holding LLC, Multi-Use Lease Entity Trust, North American New Cars LLC, Omnibus BB Transportes S. A., OnStar Connected Services Srl, OnStar Egypt Limited, OnStar Europe Ltd., OnStar Global Services Corporation, OnStar LLC, OnStar de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., P.T. G M AutoWorld Indonesia, P.T. General Motors Indonesia, PIMS Co., PT. 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Carter's, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, sources, and markets branded childrenswear under the Carter's, OshKosh, Skip Hop, Child of Mine, Just One You, Simple Joys, Carter's My First Love, little planet, and other brands in the United States and internationally. The company operates through three segments: U.S. Retail, U.S. Wholesale, and International. Its Carter's products include babies and young children products, such as bodysuits, pants, dresses, knit sets, blankets, layette essentials, bibs, booties, sleep and play products, rompers, and jumpers; and OshKosh brand products comprise playclothes, such as denim apparel products with multiple wash treatments and coordinating garments, overalls, woven bottoms, knit tops, and bodysuits. The company also provides products for playtime, travel, mealtime, bathtime, and homegear, as well as kid's bags and diaper bags under the Skip Hop brand. In addition, it offers bedding, cribs, diaper bags, footwear, gift sets, hair accessories, jewelry, outerwear, paper goods, socks, shoes, swimwear, and toys. The company operates 18,800 wholesale locations, including department stores, national chain stores, and specialty stores. As of December 31, 2021, it operated 980 retail stores. The company also sells its products through its eCommerce websites, such as carters.com, oshkoshbgosh.com, oshkosh.com, and skiphop.com, as well as other international wholesale accounts and licensees. Carter's, Inc. was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 03:50:31|Editor: Song Lifang

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta shows the certificate as the winner of presidential elections in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, on Aug. 11, 2017. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was on Friday declared the winner of Tuesday's presidential elections with 8.20 million (54.27 percent) votes against 6.76 million (44.74 percent) for his main challenger, Raila Odinga after a tense electoral process which was preceded by an opposition walkout. (Xinhua/Charles Onyango)

NAIROBI, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta would be forced to focus his second term in office toward building a more inclusive society while also reviewing the state investment spending toward social welfare rather than an infrastructure-focused plan, analysts said Saturday.

Analysts told Xinhua in an interview that Kenyatta would be required to extend a friendlier hand to political opponents by accepting some concessions on the law-making front.

These include allowing Members of Parliament on the opposition side more room to pass through laws which favor both sides, what is known as a bi-partisan legislative approach.

Kenyatta, who emerged as the winner of the disputed Kenyan elections following his victory declaration by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman, Wafula Chebukati on Friday, pledged to "extend a hand of friendship" to his political opponents.

"I reach out to you and your supporters and those on the opposition benches, that we shall grow together, work together, prosper together," Kenyatta said. "There is no need for violence. Reach out to your neighbor."

Political analyst, Gwada Ogot, said the president's hands were now tied after the outbreak of violent protests following his re-election announcement.

"Things have taken a natural course and there is very little he can do. There is no doubt the credibility of the Kenyan elections have been severely compromised by the atmosphere of fear which came after the murder of a senior IT official, Chris Msando, of the electoral commission and the alleged electronic rigging of the election results," Ogot told Xinhua.

While Kenyatta reached out for peace and reconciliation, analysts say despite a great record in managing the country's infrastructure expansion, Kenyatta achieved little in terms of uniting Kenyans toward a national course and running an inclusive society through state appointments.

"The main challenge facing Kenyatta is how to unite the country. He realizes that 6.7 million people voted for Raila Odinga, the presidential candidate of the National Super Alliance (NASA). The president has to pay close attention to inclusivity," Justus Nyang'aya, a prominent human rights official, told Xinhua.

Nyang'aya, who was one of the election observers, said the starting point for the president is to help steer the nation ahead after the end of the electoral period which caused deeper divisions.

"The president must pay attention to inclusivity. He has to help people understand that it was a competitive election and it has ended and we need to build trust as a country. Those who did not vote for him should not feel they are isolated and punished for their vote," Nyang'aya said.

Kenyatta received 8.2 million votes against 6.7 million votes for his opponent Odinga, to claim the victory, which Odinga's NASA coalition says was stolen victory.

The main opposition has vowed to continue its resistance to the declaration of the presidential victory.

NASA chief legal counsel, James Orengo, said the results of the elections were declared before the agents signed the declaration forms and only 29,000 out of 40,833 forms containing the results were available before the results were declared.

The opposition says the elections body was under "Executive pressure" to announce Kenyatta as the winner of the polls.

"We would need to build the confidence and trust on each other. This kind of approach to issues would help to enhance the president's legacy," Nyang'aya said.

"You might have good roads and a lot of people look at the SGR project but when you do not have access to basic needs like maize floor or bread, it creates a big imbalance which must be addressed," Nyang'aya said.

The president's legacy has so far been in the building of the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and key infrastructure.

The analysts say while building the infrastructure may be key, the country's main problems were in addressing poverty, inequality, housing and personal dignity, which include the need to improve health care, education and creating a stable market economy and enhancing the right to food.

However, Ogot said the main issues which require attention is social justice, ending corruption and improving the governance. "They need to end corruption and state executions."
- The Jubilee government is already preparing for Uhuru's swearing in ceremony to be held in 2 weeks

- That is if his re-election is not successfully challenged by Raila Odinga or any other aggrieved party

- The 2 weeks is the official IEBC window period for anyone opposing their presidential results to petition the Supreme Court

As opposition leaders, led by National Super Allince presidential candidate Raila Odinga, and their supporters continue rejecting the presidential election results following the Tuesday, August 8 election, the Jubilee government is pushing on with preparations to officially have incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta sworn in.

The ceremony, set to be held in the capital city, is set to attract a number of world leaders if Uhurus re-election is not successfully challenged by NASA at the Supreme Court.

This, however, has not stopped the Chief of Staff at Stata House, Joseph Kinyua, from compiling a list of people set to receive the high profile invitations. Below are some of the leaders whove already made the list:

READ ALSO: 10-year-old girl among those killed in Mathare shooting

Former United States president Barack Obama. Photo: Courtesy.

READ ALSO:Former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero moves out of City Hall days after disputing Mike Sonko's victory

1. Barack Obama- He is the 44th president of the United States. The former leader of the most powerful nation in the world made his maiden trip to Kenya as president and was received by Uhuru.

2. German Chancellor Angela Merkel

3. United Kinnggdom Prime Minister Theresa May

4. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi

5. China President Xi Jinping

READ ALSO: Raila's ally leads African leaders in congratulating president elect Uhuru Kenyatta

Ellen Johnson with Kenya's Deputy President William Ruto at a past event. Photo: PSCU

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6. Liberai President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

7. Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhar

8. Rwanda President Paul Kagame

9. Uganda President Yoweri Museveni

10. Tanzania President John Magufuli

11. South Africa President Jacob Zuma

READ ALSO: Police allegedly hurl teargas into a fully packed church in Kawangware (photos)

Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, is also invited to the swearing in ceremony. Photo; Courtesy.

READ ALSO: Tragedy as 4 die while celebrating Uhuru Kenyatta's victory

12. His Royal Highness the Aga Khan

13. Nigerian billionaire tycoon Aliko Dangote

According to the Standard on Sunday, August 13, a committee member said these people are basically Uhurus friends and they are just preparing for an ordinary process.

he official date for the swearing ceremony will be determined at the end of two weeks, the window period opened by the IEBC for anyone to contest the election results.

Have something to add to this article? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Source: TUKO.co.ke
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 05:01:08|Editor: Liangyu

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza reads a statement in Caracas, Venezuela, on Aug. 12, 2017. Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza on Saturday slammed the "warmongering" declarations of U.S. President Donald Trump as "threats to peace." In a statement, Arreaza said that Trump's statement about not to "rule out" a military option in Venezuela was a "violation" of UN and international laws. (Xinhua/Str)

CARACAS, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela's Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza on Saturday slammed the "warmongering" declarations of U.S. President Donald Trump as "threats to peace."

In a statement, Arreaza said that Trump's statement about not to "rule out" a military option in Venezuela was a "violation" of UN and international laws.

"Venezuela categorically rejects the unfriendly and warmongering declarations of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, who has threatened us with a military intervention, in violation of United Nations principles and international law," said the foreign minister.

Bolivian President Evo Morales also condemned on Saturday the "armed interventionist eagerness by the U.S. against Venezuela," slamming the international community for keeping silent.

Writing on Twitter, Morales stated that "we condemn the armed interventionist eagerness by the U.S. against Venezuela, a country which seeks peace in dialogue."

Venezuela's government has been severely criticized by the international community for creating a National Constituent Assembly (ANC), which will rewrite the Constitution. This has been widely derided as a power-grab by Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro.

Several Venezuelans interviewed by Xinhua also dismissed Trump's words as "imperial interference."

"It is an act of arrogance. It is not the first time that Trump has acted like this towards Venezuela, which has been besieged for a long time," said Cristobal Alva, a Venezuelan poet from Guatire in the northern state of Miranda.

Rosalia Pulgar, a pensioner from Caracas, said that "we are prepared to resolve our own problems."

She highlighted the "moral and military...preparation" of the Venezuelan people and added that "diplomacy" was the right way to resolve conflicts.

For economist Gerardo Zambrano, Trump's words are a "brutal and cynical" threat against Venezuela, which menaces to plunge Latin America into "a regional conflict."

"We have a nationalist and anti-imperialist army, differing from previous decades. This is why I believe the United States, with its imperial attitude, does not want direct confrontation, but will use neighboring countries or even mercenaries," said Zambrano.

Also on Saturday, South American trade bloc Mercosur rejected the use of force in Venezuela, according to a statement by Argentina's foreign ministry.
- Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli, has sent a strong message to President Uhuru Kenyatta concerning the election protests

- Atwoli has urged the president to end the chaos and unite the country

- The trade unionist said Uhuru should appoint Raila as an advisor as he is an elder who can make informed decisions

Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli, has sent a message to President Uhuru Kenyatta after the deadly election protests.

Atwoli said Kenyans voted peacefully with the election being fair and credible therefore the president's first priority should be uniting Kenyans.

Atwoli urged the president to end the chaos following the election results.

READ ALSO: 6-months-old Kisumu baby fighting for life after being caught in the cross hairs of police operation

Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli, has sent a message to President Uhuru Kenyatta after the deadly election protests. Photo: Standard Digital.

READ ALSO: Election observation group tables results from its parallel tallying centre

Atwoli also urged Uhuru to give Raila Odinga a job befitting his stature as an elder statesman.

I am not saying Raila should concede. He has his constitutional rights though if I was Uhuru, I would make him my adviser and give him a job befitting his status as a national leader. He is an elder who can make informed decisions, Atwoli said.

Atwoli said violence in every election year was damaging the image of Kenya to the world.

READ ALSO: Matiangi, police agreed on a shoot to kill order; bodies now being hidden -NASA speaks on anti-Uhuru demos

President Uhuru Kenyatta. Photo: Daily Nation.

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President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared winner by IEBC, something that Raila Odinga supporters are not accepting.

Raila has refused to accept the outcome saying results were doctored to favour Uhuru.

He has also indicated he will not go to court to contest the results.

Have something to add to this article or suggestions? Send to news@tuko.co.ke

Raila rejects results

Source: TUKO.co.ke
- The number of people killed in the deadly post election protests have been confirmed by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR)

- The commission said 24 people have died since the protests began

- According to KNCHR 17 of those killed were in Nairobi

The number of Kenyans killed in the deadly post election protests have been confirmed.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) in a statement said 24 people died since the protests began on Friday night, August 11.

The commission also released the list of places the killings occurred.

READ ALSO: Raila to make his first public appearance after losing the presidential race to Uhuru

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) in a statement said 24 people died since the protests began on Friday night, August 11. Photo: Geoffrey Mossoku Facebook.

READ ALSO: Disheartening photos from the post-poll protests in Mathare

In the list Nairobi had the highest number of deaths at 17 with those incidents reported in Kibera, Dandora, Huruma, Mathare and Lucky Summer slums.

Other deaths blamed on police brutality were in Homabay (2), Kisumu (1), Migori (2) and Siaya (2).

KNCHR disputed acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i's earlier remarks that no one was killed in the protests.

The rule of law has not been suspended just because it is an electoral period... We regret and strongly condemn the action by our police officers,

We are gravely concerned by the number of gross violations on human rights. You need to treat protesters with dignity,'' KNCHR chair Kagwira Mbogori is quoted.

READ ALSO: Give Raila Odinga a job befitting his status - Francis Atwoli tells Uhuru

In the list Nairobi had the highest number of deaths at 17 with those incidents reported in Kibera, Dandora, Huruma, Mathare and Lucky Summer slums. Photo: Geoffrey Mosoku.

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Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi claimed to have no knowledge of any casualties or fatalities, saying there are no demonstrations in Kenya- only looters getting out of control, but NASA tabled evidence of live bullets police are using to disperse protesters contrary to what Matiagi claimed.

The opposition alliance also claimed that Matiangi and the police agreed on a shoot to kill order and so far, 100 people including 10 children, have been killed since Uhuru was declared the president on Friday, August 11.

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- The NASA brigade has congregated at the Kamukunji grounds in Kibra to meet supporters following their unprecedented election outcome

- Speaking to the people, Raila asked all of his supporters not to report to work on Monday , August 14

- He also claimed that the government had taken from the people, their rightful victory at the polls

- On Tuesday,August 15, Raila will be addressing his supporters on his next move after turning down the request to table his grievances to the Supreme Court

The NASA alliance was today, Sunday, August 13 at the Kamukunji grounds in Kibera where they addressed their supporters.

READ ALSO: Controversial preacher Gilbert Deya makes shocking demands in prison

Speaking to the people, he asked them not to report to work on Monday, August 14 in preparation of the declaration that NASA is planning.

The NASA flag-bearer who has since called the just concluded election a sham has promised to reveal his next move this comin Tuesday.

Siaya Senator James Orengo who was at the same rally accused the government of fuelling the extra-judicial killings reported in NASA strongholds.

READ AL.SO: Preparations underway at Bomas as IEBC set to announce presidential winner (photos)

Orengo pointed a finger at the Kenyan media for reportedly turning a blind eye on the extra-judicial killings across the country.

"Justice before peace, gazeti not reporting tltruth, relying on international media. Do not buy @dailynation or watch @ntvkenya ! ," Orengo told the crowd.

The senator also asked his supporters to be ready for the time they would be called to action.

NASA will also go to Mathare to visit the home of the 10-year-old girl who had been killed by a stray bullet in the wake of protests in the estate.

NASA previously claimed that an insider at the IEBC had confirmed to them that Raila had won in the just concluded election.

READ ALSO: Preparations underway at Bomas as IEBC set to announce presidential winner (photos)

They claimed that the system had been manipulated in order to give Uhuru Kenyatta an undeserved win.

Raila and the NASA brigade in Kibra where they asked their supporters not to report to work on Monday, August 14. Photo: Twittter/Robin Njogu

Uhuru was announced winner with 8, 203,290 (54.27%)votes by IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati with his strongest contender Raila Odinga of NASA trailing him with 6, 762, 224(44.74%) votes on Friday August 11,three days after the polls.

Uhuru managed 25% of votes in 35 counties while Raila did the same in 29 counties.

Chebukati said 15,073,662 Kenyans went to the ballot representing 71.91% of total registered voters.

NASA supporters protest in Mathare over the outcome of the just concluded General Election. Photo:Facebook/Mosoku Geoffrey

Election observers among them John Kerry, Thambo Mbeki and a scattering others said that the election was free, fair and credible.

READ ALSO: Babu Owino and IEBC boss Ezra Chiloba engage in characteristic dramatic fashion

Koffi Annan, the ex-UN chief asked Raila to go to court and put the interests of the nation above his own.

NASA now claims to have evidence of Raila's victory from IEBC sources

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The Ukrainian government program "Warm loans" helps Ukrainians to save money and assists the state in becoming more energy efficient and independent.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman posted this on his Facebook page.

"The government increases funding for the program. Additional UAH 300 million has been recently allocated to finance the program this year. I suggest joining the program as the state will help you to reduce energy consumption, and, consequently, the utility costs," Groysman wrote.

According to him, a growing number of Ukrainians decides to take advantage of the "warm loans." As of July, 86 condominiums and housing associations attracted "warm loans" worth UAH 29.1 million. This is a fourfold increase compared to the same period in 2016.

As a reminder, the "warm loans" program provides for improving energy efficiency of the households. The state reimburses program participants 20-35% of the cost of goods bought on credit. The energy efficiency measures include insulation of buildings, installation of water and heat meters, heaters with thermostatic regulators, replacement of windows, modernization of lighting and other things.

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Police work at the car crash site following a violent white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the United States, Aug. 12, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump condemned hatred "on many sides" after at least one was killed and another 19 injured during a violent white nationalist rally on Saturday in Charlottesville in the state of Virginia.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides," Trump said in a short statement at a press conference in New Jersey, where he is having a working vacation.

"It's been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. This has been going on for a long, long time," he continued, referring to the violent clashes erupting at the pre-planned white nationalist rally in downtown Charlottesville earlier on the day.

"We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America," Trump tweeted hours earlier. He didn't mention white nationalists and the alt-right movement in his remarks.

At least one person was killed and 19 injured in a multiple car crash during the violent "Unite the Right" rally in the downtown, according to Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer and local hospital officials. Police said at least three vehicles were involved in the incident.

"I'm hearing 9 people hit now. One eyewitness tells me: 'I saw bodies flying'," a netizen nicknamed @JDeanSeal tweeted around 2:00 p.m. ET.

Video on social media showed a car at high speed rear-ended another car, then backed up and rammed into pedestrians. Local police later said the car driver now is in custody.

Just before the incident, thousands of white nationalists, neo-Confederates and right-wing protesters, as well as groups that oppose them, clashed at the Emancipation Park, the planned site of the rally. There are reports of urine being tossed at reporters and the air is said to be filled with pepper spray, mace and tear gas.

The state police dispersed the gathering after Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declared the state of emergency Saturday morning. However, white nationalist leader Richard Spencer reportedly vowed to gather again for a future protest against the city's decision to remove a bronze statue of Confederate General Robert Lee in the Emancipation Park.

"This represents a turning point for the people of this country," former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke spoke at the rally. "We are determined to take our country back. We are going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump."

Before the Saturday rally, hundreds of white supremacists marched through the University of Virginia campus in central Charlottesville on Friday night, waving torches and chanting "White lives matter", "You will not replace us", "Jews will not replace us", and so on.

"Many of the individuals coming to Charlottesville are doing so in order to express viewpoints many people, including me, find abhorrent," said the state governor in a statement. He blamed the Saturday violence on "mostly out-of-state protesters."

Many protesters "express beliefs that directly contradict our community's values of diversity, inclusion and mutual respect," Teresa Sullivan, President of the University of Virginia, said in a statement released hours before the rally.

Charlottesville, home of Thomas Jefferson and the University of Virginia, has become the latest Southern battleground over the contested removal of Confederate monuments.
U.S. President Donald Trump's reluctant support for tighter sanctions against Russia, and recent comments about Russia, have been interpreted in Moscow as a turning point in hopes for improved relations. The tougher line, despite Trump's continued apathy on alleged Kremlin interference in the U.S. election, dismissal of possible collusion, and flattery of President Vladimir Putin, raise the question: What is Trump's Russia policy? VOA's Daniel Schearf reports from Washington.
U.S. President Donald Trumps reluctant support for tighter sanctions against Russia and recent comments about Russia have been interpreted in Moscow as a turning point in hopes for improved relations.

The tougher line, despite Trumps apathy toward Kremlin interference in the U.S. election, his dismissal of possible collusion, and flattery of President Vladimir Putin, raises the question: What is Trumps Russia policy?

My opinion is that there is no such concept as Trumps Russia policy, said Andrei Kolesnikov of the Carnegie Moscow Center. There is no such policy. Neither is there a Russia policy in relation to Trumps America.

Trump: 'No Russians in Our Campaign'

Campaign vision

Trumps campaign comments about Russia flattered Putin and raised hopes in Russia for U.S. cooperation. Meanwhile his questioning of the NATO military alliance and Russias aggression in Ukraine created uncertainty among U.S. allies.

He said a lot of these things during the campaign. And it just seems so far, after eight months, that his vision of what the United States relationship should be with Russia is not being carried out, said James Kirchick of the Brookings Institution.

One reason: Trumps own political party and members of his own administration take a tougher line than he does on Russian aggression in Ukraine and interference in the 2016 U.S. election.

There was a key dispute (in Russia) whether Trump would gain victory over American democracy or whether it would prevail, Kolesnikov said. So far, it is gaining victory over him. So the model the Kremlin was relying on, does not exist.

Sanctions increased, not lifted

Trumps tone changed in July, when he delivered a speech in Poland urging Russia to cease destabilizing activities in Ukraine and elsewhere as well as its support for hostile regimes such as Syria and Iran.

Just a day later, Trump had his first meeting with Putin in Hamburg, Germany. The two leaders agreed on a cease-fire for Syria but made little progress in bilateral relations.

It was expected that Trump would lift sanctions imposed by (President Barack) Obama, said Pavel Sharikov of the Institute for the U.S. and Canadian Studies. It was expected that Trump would reduce a level of negative reaction, or somehow forget the Crimea issue, and there would be fruitful collaboration in anti-terrorism in Syria. But that did not happen.

In August, Trump signed into law tougher Russia sanctions, despite calling it seriously flawed.

As much as President Trump might want in his heart to have a more productive relationship with Russia, as long as Russia is doing the things its doing and behaving the way it does, and has the sort of world view that it has, its going to be very difficult for the United States or its allies in Europe to have a positive relationship with Russia, Kirchick said.

Russias Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said via Twitter that the laws restrictions on Trumps ability to remove sanctions ends hopes for improving relations.

Chilly relations

And ongoing investigations into the Trump campaigns ties to Russia will likely keep bilateral relations chilly for some time to come.

An increasing number of Russians agree.

I think he will always do what is beneficial for America, said Anastasiya, a Muscovite who gave only her first name. That is why I did not have any illusions when he was elected. It seems to me we have to go our own way and ignore him.

The tit-for-tat diplomatic retaliation is not helping.

In response to U.S. sanctions and expulsion of Russian diplomats for alleged spying, Moscow ordered the U.S. mission in Russia to reduce its embassy staff by 755 by Sept. 1.

Despite bipartisan condemnation of Russias move in the U.S., Thursday Trump thanked Putin, saying were trying to cut down on the payroll, and as far as Im concerned, Im very thankful that he let go of a large number of people, because now we have a smaller payroll.

U.S. officials say the administration plans to announce its own retaliation after Sept. 1.

Olga Pavlova contributed to this report.
Beside rows of rusting shipping containers, a decorative wrought iron fence surrounds Taqueria Mi Pueblo, one of the first family-run Mexican restaurants in the southwest part of this city.

Its owner, Jalisco native Jose de Jesus Lopez, surveys the trees he planted and his ornamental roosters.

Everything was abandoned, a dump over there, he says, walking down Dix Street. When he arrived as an undocumented immigrant in 1981, Lopez recalls, he saw a drug addict-infested lot and overrun lawn.

"Mexicantown," as the area is affectionately and marketably called today, is one of metro Detroits most vibrant dining scenes for locals and tourists  and a model for other immigrant neighborhoods.

Landing destination

Like Lopez, many foreigners stumbled upon Detroit, viewing the city as an economically viable "second landing destination"  friendly to immigrants, but with cheaper housing and commercial space than traditional immigrant hubs like New York and San Francisco.

Through the 2008 recession and recovery, native-born residents fled. But immigrants kept coming, starting new businesses, hiring local residents and making their neighborhoods a safer place for children.

A June study by Global Detroit and New American Economy reveals that the citys immigrant population grew by 12.1 percent between 2010 and 2014, at a time when the citys overall population declined by 4.2 percent. Though the four-year increase in immigrants amounts to merely 4,137 individuals, the study claims the effects have been widely felt.

Watch: Beleaguered Detroit Relying on Immigrants to Revitalize City

"Immigrants are leading in the citys recovery," says Steve Tobocman, director of Global Detroit, "particularly in its neighborhoods like Mexicantown, in Banglatown, where new residents are moving in and helping to stabilize working-class communities by fixing up homes, opening up businesses, and creating more consumers."

Depopulation remains Detroits biggest challenge, Tobocman adds, while immigrants are "our best hope to rebuilding," especially on the neighborhood level.

No magic bullet

According to Americas Society/Council of the Americas (AS/COA) and Fiscal Policy Institute, more than one-third of Detroit-area "Main Street" business owners were immigrants as of 2013.

But data measuring their economic contributions can be misleading, says Stanley Renshon, City University of New York professor of political science.

"Any economic activity is grabbed by economists as positive," Renshon tells VOA. "Yes, you increase the overall financial numbers of the country, but the people who benefit most from that are the immigrants themselves, and thats fine. We want them to prosper, but dont tell me that what youre doing is saving the country or the city or the town."

Detroits ongoing struggles, including a long history of political corruption and one of the highest murder rates in the country, cant be solved by new immigrants, he adds.

Hurting American workers?

Last week, White House senior policy adviser Stephen Miller announced the administrations support for an immigration bill that would cut legal immigration by half.

Its premise that less-skilled immigrants take away work opportunities from native-born Americans is an "America first" message intended to resonate with President Donald Trumps base in depressed Rust Belt towns like Detroit.

"How is it fair or right or proper that if, say, you open up a new business in Detroit that the unemployed workers of Detroit are going to have to compete against an endless flow of unskilled workers for the exact same jobs? asked Miller during a White House press briefing Aug. 2.

Global Detroits Tobocman says Trumps proposed policies wont produce any new jobs and may cost the Michigan economy hundreds of millions of dollars.

Trumps actions would choke "off a critical supply of talent, of investment and of global connections that are critical to the future of Michigan, to us being a mobility capital for the world," Tobocman says.

Detroit suffered a 28.4 percent unemployment rate during the Great Recession, but the rate improved to 7.8 percent in June.

Banglatown

Following the likes of Mexicantown, metro Detroits second-most populous foreign-born community, from Bangladesh, hopes to follow suit and create a cultural tourist destination of its own: Banglatown.

"You will hardly find any vacant spot right now," says Ehsan Taqbeem, founder of Bangladeshi-American Public Affairs Committee (BAPAC), driving his Jeep Grand Cherokee past South Asian restaurants and fabric and fish shops in Detroit and neighboring Hamtramck.

"The value of the homes have gone up since [the recession], businesses have been thriving, and traffic has gone up tremendously," he says.

Unlike Mexicantown, Banglatown is a concept still in its early stages. There are no traditional rickshaws carrying tourists down Conant Avenue  at least not yet.

But Taqbeem, who runs an automotive retrofitting service, along with other local business owners, sees the benefit of being a branded community in a global-minded city.

Mahabub Chowdhury, part owner of Aladdin Sweets & Cafe, found success in nourishing his neighborhood and patrons, a majority of whom are non-Bangladeshis. One regular customer, whom he describes as a nice "American white person," calls him directly.

"Sometimes his car is broken, and he calls us, Can you pick me up from my house? And we go to his house and bring him to our restaurant," Chowdhury says.

Believing in Detroit

In Mexicantown, Lopezs eyes well up with tears as he recalls his early days on a Jalisco ranch before finding eventual success in Detroit.

"My main dream was to be able to buy a truck for my dad," Lopez says. "I worked all my life, and when I had the money, I didnt have my father anymore."

Now an American citizen, Lopez, a father of four, says he accomplished the American Dream by creating something that will outlive him and provide for the community long after he has passed.

What Detroit still needs, he says, is more people to call it home.

Thats happening little by little, Lopez says. The greatest changes wont happen overnight.

They happen slowly, and thats part of believing in oneself, believing in Detroit, he said.




The U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the deadly car ramming Saturday during a protest against a white nationalist demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the countrys top law enforcement official, said: The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice. He added, When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated.

Virginias governor told white supremacists, who had gathered Saturday in Charlottesville to protest the removal of a Confederate statue, to go home after three people were killed in the violence at a rally and in a helicopter crash that police linked to the protest.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency after fights broke out between armor-clad, shield-carrying white nationalist demonstrators and similarly armed counterprotesters in Charlottesville.

Virginia Governor Tells White Supremacists to 'Go Home'

I have a message to all the white supremacists and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today. Our message is plain and simple: Go home, McAuliffe said at a news conference. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth. Shame on you.

McAuliffe said on Twitter that he declared the state of emergency to aid state response to violence at alt-right rally in Charlottesville.

The acts and rhetoric in Charlottesville over the past 24 hours are unacceptable and must stop. A right to speech is not a right to violence, he tweeted.

Later Saturday night, protesters gathered to hear speakers and march peacefully in California cities, including Oakland, San Francisco, Los Angeles and El Cajon in San Diego County.

Egregious display

President Donald Trump, speaking midafternoon from New Jersey, condemned the egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides in Charlottesville.

Trump, who was preparing to sign a bill to extend a veterans health care program, called for a swift restoration of law and order in the city, and added no citizen should ever fear for their safety and security.

He did not answer questions from reporters after signing the bill, including a reporters request for an explanation of what Trump meant by many sides.

Shortly after the rally has canceled in Charlottesville, a car rammed into people in a street as they were leaving a counterprotest. Video showed some bodies flying in the air.

A 32-year-old woman was killed and about two dozen others were injured.

Police said they had the driver of the car in custody, identifying him later Saturday night as James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio. Fields was being held on suspicion of second-degree murder.

The Virginia State Police announced late Saturday that Troy Dunigan, 21, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was charged with disorderly conduct; Jacob L. Smith, 21 of Louisa, Virginia, was charged with assault and battery; and James M. O'Brien, 44, of Gainesville, Florida, was charged with carrying a concealed handgun.

The Toledo Blade newspaper in Ohio broke the news to Fields mother, Samantha Bloom, who said she had not been contacted by authorities. She said her son told her he was going to an alt-right rally in Virginia, without offering any details about the extremist nature of the gathering.

I thought it had something to do with Trump, Bloom told the newspaper. She said she and her son had moved to Ohio about a year ago from Florence, Kentucky.

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer said on Twitter he was heartbroken about the death and urged all those still at the protest site to go home.

Hours later, Virginia state police said one of their helicopters had crashed in a wooded area outside the city. The helicopter was being used to help law enforcement monitor the rally.

Police said Lt. H. Jay Cullen of Midlothian and Trooper-pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton were killed in the crash.

White Supremacists, Counterprotesters Clash at Virginia Rally

Violent demonstration

The incident involving the car occurred as people were leaving the area after police deemed the demonstration unlawful; multiple acts of violence had broken out between the white supremacist demonstrators and counterprotesters.

Hundreds from both sides were involved in Saturdays melee, throwing punches as well as water bottles and other items. Police used tear gas to separate participants.

The gathering at the University in Virginia, dubbed the Unite the Right rally, had previously prompted McAuliffe to warn people to stay away from the campus.

In what they called a pro-white demonstration, torch-bearing white nationalists marched Friday night through the university campus and gathered around the statue of General Robert E. Lee, a Confederate Civil War hero. They shouted epithets and slogans such as white lives matter, a take on the grass-roots organization Black Lives Matter, which was created after several killings of black Americans by police officers.

The city voted in April to remove the statue, a move being taken by many U.S. cities against such Confederate memorials. Since then, the city has been a focus of white nationalists.

One demonstrator at Saturdays protest, who did not give his name, told VOA, We want to keep the statue because we think that it is an important symbol of our heritage and our people. It is meaningful. Its meaning is implicitly connected to white people ... in preserving our heritage and preserving the white race, our white heroes. Robert E. Lee in one of those heroes.

Kasey Landrum, however, from the counterprotest group, told VOA, I am here because white nationalists, white supremacists, Nazis, whatever you call them, they are the same thing. They represent the structures of evil, which in this case is white supremacy, and that is an assault on all of us.  Unless we stand up against that ... they are going to continue to harm us all.

Criticism

Trump was criticized by members of both political parties for not specifying white nationalists in his comments about the violence in Charlottesville.

We should call evil by its name. My brother didnt give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home. - OGH Senator Orrin Hatch, a Republican from Utah, said on Twitter.

@POTUS needs to speak out against the poisonous resurgence of white supremacy. There are not many sides here, just right and wrong, Representative Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California, said on Twitter.

Violence Erupts as White Supremacists Clash With Counterprotesters at Rally

Among the white supremacists at Saturdays rally were alt-right leader Richard Spencer and former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

Duke said the rally represents a turning point for the people of this country.

We are determined to take our country back. We are going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump, he added.

Signer, the Charlottesville mayor, said he blamed Trump for inflaming racial prejudices during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Im not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what youre seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president, he told The Associated Press.
City of Ghosts is a new documentary that follows an underground group of citizen journalists from IS occupied Raqqa, Syria, risking their lives and using social media to expose the atrocities of the militants against civilians.

The goal of the group, called Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently, is to broadcast information online about IS atrocities in Raqqa, Syria.

Last year, the Committee to Protect Journalists awarded the group its International Press Freedom Award. In an interview with Voice of America, Abdul Aziz al-Hamza said that Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS), was created to protest the activities of the Assad regime. Later, the group expanded its activities to include IS, when Islamic State turned Raqqa into its makeshift capital.

Waging war on the internet

Al-Hamza says his group is waging an online war against IS propaganda.

ISIS prevented all media organizations to go over there to cover whats going on, and we ended up watching propaganda coming from our city. All of us have families, relatives, friends, so we decided that we needed to do something for them. The problem with ISIS is the ideology, he said.

Defeating ISIS as a group is not going to solve the problem, he added. We are fighting against ISIS ideology because its not just in Raqqa, Syria, and Iraq. Weve seen ISIS in Europe, in the U.S., in Asia, so the main goal is to work against this ideology.

Al-Hamza said his organization has drawn the attention of international media and has lifted the veil of isolation for the besieged civilians in Raqqa; it has also roused the wrath of IS.

In his film City of Ghosts, Matthew Heineman, follows the underground group and its activities from safe houses in Turkey and Germany, posting videos, pictures and other news about IS-besieged Raqqa they receive from counterparts in Raqqa. He also looks into their private lives, as husbands, sons and friends, and also as refugees.

It became an immigrant story, Heineman said. It became a story of rising nationalism in Europe. It became a story of trauma and the cumulative effects of trauma. So, it became much more that I thought it originally would be.

Exposing the crumbling ISIS regime

AL-Hamza says the goal of RBSS is to expose the crumbling IS regime in Raqqa.

Everything is getting expensive in the city, he said. People are missing medical equipment, there are only three or four pharmacies working, only one hospital working. There is almost no electricity, the water is coming for three or four hours daily.

Watch: Citizen Journalists Wage Online War on ISIS

RBSS online resistance has galvanized Raqqas civilians, he said.

Many people internationally have the idea that most people living in Raqqa or IS territories support the group. But, for example, in Raqqa less than 1 percent of the people joined IS, which means that most people are against IS, he said.

Most decided to stay civilians and not join ISIS despite the perks that if you joined ISIS you get salaries in dollars, cars for free, oil for free, they would get women, power, whatever they want, he said. Today, he added, there are thousands of people providing us with news, and what is happening in IS occupied territories.

Al-Hamza was not trained to be a journalist. Before the Syrian revolution, he was studying biochemistry. Others like him were studying to be doctors or lawyers.

When the Syrian revolution started, I didnt think I would end up in this situation or here talking with you, he said. But it was that kind of duty that all of us had to do, and weve decided that we will not stop. So, weve lost family members, friends, relatives doing this work, he said.

As for their newfound publicity through Heinemans documentary City of Ghosts, al-Hamza said it was important to show our faces, because especially when we started, many people started to say that we are a government group or a government organization, we wanted people to know that we are local. We are from the city.

How will end? Either we will win or they will kill all of us, he said.
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Saturday it was suspending its migrant rescues in the Mediterranean because it felt threatened by the Libyan coastguard and the Italian government's policies have made its job harder.

The aid group's decision is the latest development in mounting tensions between Rome and NGOs as migration dominates Italy's political agenda ahead of elections early next year.

"We are suspending our activities because now we feel that the threatening behaviour by the Libyan coastguard is very serious... we cannot put our colleagues in danger," the president of MSF's Italian arm Loris De Filippi told Reuters.

Almost 600,000 migrants have arrived in Italy over the past four years, the vast majority setting sail from lawless Libya in flimsy vessels operated by people smugglers. More than 13,000 migrants have died trying to make the crossing.

Charity boats have played a growing role in rescues, picking up more than a third of all migrants brought ashore so far this year against less than one percent in 2014.

However, Italy fears the groups are facilitating people smuggling and encouraging migrants to make the passage, and it has proposed a Code of Conduct governing how they operate.

Some groups, including MSF, have refused to sign the code.

They object to a requirement that Italian police officers be on their boats and that the boats must take migrants to a safe port themselves, rather than transferring them to other vessels to allow smaller boats to stay in the area for further rescues.

MSF operates one rescue ship in the Mediterranean, the Prudence, currently docked in the Sicilian port of Catania.

In the last six weeks the number of migrant arrivals in Italy has slowed sharply and Rome has begun collaborating more closely with the Libyan coastguard, which De Filippi said was threatening the NGOs and preventing them from working.

He said the Libyan coastguard had demanded the NGOs should leave an area of up to hundreds of kilometres around its coast, whereas previously they had been allowed to conduct search and rescue operations as close as 11 nautical miles to the mainland.

"Last year the coastguard fired 13 shots on our boat and that was in a situation that was much calmer than the present one," said De Filippi.

He said MSF would continue its collaboration with another aid group, SOS Mediterranee, which operates a rescue ship in the Mediterranean with MSF doctors on board.

De Filippi said the Rome government's Code of Conduct for NGOs and its support for the Libyan coastguard showed it was now mixing the humanitarian goal of saving lives with "a political and military intention" of reducing arrivals.

"We refuse to be co-opted into a system that blocks people from seeking safety and protection," MSF tweeted, adding that the European Union's immigration policies showed it was "determined to trap people in Libya."

Oscar Camps, the founder of Proactiva Open Arms, another aid group active in the Mediterranean, also took aim at the EU, tweeting: "the first NGO out, this is just what the EU wants."

An Italian government spokesman was not immediately available to comment, while Matteo Salvini, leader of the anti-immigrant Northern League, said MSF's move meant there would be "thousands fewer illegal immigrants for Italians to maintain."

Last week Italy began a naval mission in Libyan waters to train and support its coastguard, despite opposition from factions in eastern Libya that oppose the U.N.-backed government based in Tripoli.

General Khalifa Haftar, a commander aligned with an Eastern-based parliament, told Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Saturday the presence of Italian military vessels in Libyan waters was unacceptable but he would not attack them.
Iranian legislators voted Sunday on a bill to increase spending of the countrys missile ballistic program.

The overwhelming support for the bill comes after tensions between Iran and U.S. President Donald Trump who imposed new sanctions on the Iranian government.

The Americans should know that this was our first actions, Irans Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said.

Larijani announced the vote, which received 240 yes votes out of 247 lawmakers, and said the bill aims to confront terrorist and adventurist actions by the United States in the region.

The Iranian government had previously said new sanctions imposed by Trump broke the terms of its nuclear deal with the United States and other countries. It had promised an "appropriate and proportional" response.

Irans parliament added in the package a half a billion dollars in funding for its missile program along with a series of actions against the American government.

Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee spokesman Seyed Hossein Naghavi Hosseini told the ISNA news agency, the bill does not undermine the nuclear deal between Iran and the world powers."

Iran will never be the first to kill the nuclear deal and take responsibility for its costs, he said.

The bill also imposed new visa and a travel ban on U.S. military and other organizations that provided financial, intelligence, military, logistic and training support to terrorists in the region, naming the Islamic State group and the Syrian branch of al-Qaida, ISNA reported.

Trump signed new sanctions on Iran and other countries in July to include more restrictive measures on Iran.



During his election campaign, President Trump promised to renegotiate the nuclear agreement that then-president Barack Obama had signed into law along with measures against Russia and North Korea.
The U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the car ramming that killed one person during a protest against a white nationalist demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia.



Attorney General Jeff Sessions, the country's top law enforcement official, said, "The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice." Sessions said," When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated."

Virginia' Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency after fights broke out between armor-clad, shield-carrying white nationalist demonstrators gathered to protest the removal of a Confederate statue and similarly armed counter-protesters in Charlottesville.

"I have a message to all the white supremacists and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today. Our message is plain and simple: Go home," McAuliffe said at a news conference. "You are not wanted in this great commonwealth. Shame on you."

Virginia Governor Tells White Supremacists to 'Go Home'

"The acts and rhetoric in Charlottesville over past 24 hours are unacceptable and must stop. A right to speech is not a right to violence," he tweeted.

'Egregious display'

President Donald Trump, speaking Saturday in New Jersey, condemned "the egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides" in Charlottesville.

He called for a "swift restoration of law and order" in the city, adding "no citizen should ever fear for their safety and security."

Violence Erupts as White Supremacists Clash With Counterprotesters at Rally

Shortly after the rally was canceled Saturday in Charlottesville, a car rammed into people in a street as they were leaving a counter-protest. Video showed bodies flying in the air.

A 32-year-old woman was killed and about two dozen other people were injured.

Police said they had the driver of the car in custody. They identified him as James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio.

Hours later, Virginia state police said one of their helicopters had crashed in a wooded area outside the city, killing two troopers. The helicopter was being used to help law enforcement monitor the rally.

Day of violence

The incident involving the car occurred as people were leaving the area after police deemed the demonstration unlawful; multiple bouts of violence had broken out between the white supremacist demonstrators and counter-protesters.

Hundreds from both sides were involved in Saturday's violence, throwing punches as well as water bottles and other items. Police used tear gas to separate participants.

The gathering, dubbed the Unite the Right rally, had previously prompted McAuliffe to warn people to stay away from the area during demonstrations that began Friday.

In what they called a "pro-white" demonstration, torch-bearing white nationalists marched through the University of Virginia campus and gathered around the statue of General Robert E. Lee, a Confederate Civil War hero. They shouted epithets and slogans such as "white lives matter," a take on the grass-roots organization Black Lives Matter, which was created after several killings of black Americans by police officers.

The city voted in April to remove the statue, a move being taken by many U.S. cities against such Confederate memorials. Since then, the city has been a focus of white nationalists.

One demonstrator at Saturday's protest, who did not give his name, told VOA, "We want to keep the statue because we think that it is an important symbol of our heritage and our people. It is meaningful. Its meaning is implicitly connected to white people ... in preserving our heritage and preserving the white race, our white heroes. Robert E. Lee is one of those heroes."

Kasey Landrum, however, from the counter protest group, told VOA, "I am here because white nationalists, white supremacists, Nazis, whatever you call them, they are the same thing. They represent the structures of evil, which in this case is white supremacy and that is an assault on all of us ... Unless we stand up against that ... they are going to continue to harm us all."

Criticism

Trump was criticized by members of both political parties for not specifying white nationalists in his comments about the violence in Charlottesville.

"We should call evil by its name. My brother didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home. - OGH'' Senator Orrin Hatch, a Republican from Utah, said on Twitter.

"@POTUS needs to speak out against the poisonous resurgence of white supremacy. There are not 'many sides' here, just right and wrong,'' Representative Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California, said on Twitter.

Among the white supremacists at Saturday's rally were alt-right leader Richard Spencer and former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke.

Anush Avetisyan contributed to this report.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 08:12:30|Editor: Liangyu

Fire rages from the blast site in southwest Pakistan's Quetta, Aug. 12, 2017. At least 15 people including 8 security personnel were killed and 30 others injured in a blast that hit a security forces' truck in Pakistan's southwest city of Quetta on Saturday night, officials said. (Xinhua/Asad)

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 people, including eight security personnel, were killed and 30 others injured in a bomb blast that hit a security forces' truck in the Pakistani city of Quetta, the provincial capital of the country's southwest province of Balochistan on Saturday evening, officials said.

Anwar ul Haq Kakar, a spokesman for the Balochistan government, said that incident took place when a blast hit a truck carrying security personnel at 9.20 p.m. local time at a busy area of Pashin Chowk in Quetta.

The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), the mouth piece of Pakistani army, said that at least eight security personnel are among the 15 persons killed in the blast.

Rescue teams, police and security forces rushed to the site and shifted the bodies and injured to the Civil Hospital of the city.

Hospital sources said that the death toll might further rise as five of the injured are in critical condition.

A state of emergency has been declared in all the hospitals of the city.

Nature of the blast is not known yet. However, some local media reports said it was a suicide attack, but officials did not confirm it yet.

Two cars, four rickshaws and two motorbikes parked nearby were burnt as a fire broke out after the huge explosion. Several buildings were also damaged due to the high intensity of the blast that was heard miles away from the site.

No group has claimed for the attack yet.

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain condemned the attack and asked the authorities concerned to provide best available medical treatment to the injured.
Near a railway track in Nairobis Kibera slum, at least a thousand supporters gathered Sunday afternoon to hear remarks from Kenyas opposition leader Raila Odinga, who recently lost the hotly contested presidential race to incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta.

But Odinga and his NASA coalition members say that the election was stolen from them, and reiterated that position to the enthusiastic crowd.

Weve come here to say sorry, sorry, sorry for what happened here yesterday and the other day, said Odinga. They want to steal our victory, and again they come to kill our people. That is what is called impunity in English.

Kenyas presidential spokesman Manoah Esipisu disputes these claims.



The president won this election fair and square, both international and local observers have attested to that point, said Esipisu. There are really valid voices, right from John Kerry, from the U.S., to President Mbeki, of South Africa, all saying that the process was fair. And so at this point, there really isnt much more to say, beyond that fact. And I think we are a democratic country, we have a democratic tradition, obviously there is a legal process that we encourage everyone to follow should they be aggrieved.



Casualties



The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights released a statement Saturday that 24 people had lost their lives since the day after the August 7th election and that they were a result of police using live bullets in opposition strongholds, like some Nairobi slums and areas of western Kenya like Kisumu, Homa Bay, Migori and Siaya.

Although it does not release casualty figures, the Kenya Red Cross stated that as of Sunday morning, it had responded to 117 people with various injuries since August 8th.



Kenyas acting Cabinet secretary for the interior Fred Matiangi told Kenyans Saturday that the police always act according to the law.



But individuals or gangs that are looting shops, that want to endanger lives, that are breaking into peoples businesses, those are not demonstrators. They are criminals. And you expect the police to deal with criminals how criminals should be dealt with, said Matiangi.

Opposition on violence



The opposition holds a different view.



They spilled the blood of innocent people, theyll pay for the blood that they spilled, said Odinga.

NASA coalition member and Siaya senator James Orengo attempted to clarify when it was his turn at the microphone.



All we want is justice. We want peace but we want peace with justice, said Orengo.



The opposition has urged supporters to not go to work on Monday and wait until Tuesday for further "directions." They also blamed some local news outlets for not telling the truth and urged a boycott of certain newspapers and television stations.

Celebrations and protests erupted Friday night, after electoral commission chairman Wafula Chebukati announced that Kenyatta had won the election with 54.27 percent of the vote, beating Odingas 44.74 percent.
After a long campaign season, most Kenyans are returning to "normal" life following the announcement made Friday night that President Uhuru Kenyatta had been re-elected to a second term. He defeated longtime opposition candidate Raila Odinga.

Both celebrations and protests ensued, some lasting into Saturday.

Not all of them were without incident. Nine young men were reported shot and killed in Nairobi's Mathare slum overnight.

A father told The Associated Press that his daughter was killed by a stray bullet in Mathare while playing with her friends. Two people were shot and killed by police during riots on the outskirts of the opposition stronghold of Kisumu, a city in the western part of the country.

Opposition criticism

"So this violence, this state terror, is being executed following very meticulous preparation. It's like they knew what they were going to do. They knew they were going to steal an election, they knew the people would be unhappy, and therefore, all the instruments of violence were put in place," said James Orengo, an opposition NASA coalition member and Siaya senator.

"All we can say is remain calm, keep out of harm's way," Orengo emphasized Saturday.

However, Fred Matiangi, Kenya's acting cabinet secretary for the interior, told Kenyans that police "always act according to the law," and he said that peaceful demonstrations were legal.

"But individuals or gangs that are looting shops, that want to endanger lives, that are breaking into people's businesses, those are not demonstrators," Matiangi said. "They are criminals. And you expect the police to deal with criminals how criminals should be dealt with."

He went on to reassure Kenyans that overall, the country was peaceful.

"Our country is safe, our country is secure, except for the places I have mentioned  Kisumu, parts of Nairobi, like Mathare and Kibera. The rest of the country is completely safe and Kenyans are moving on with their businesses," Matiangi said.

Security forces were in place throughout several of Nairobi's slums and in Kisumu, firing bullets and tear gas to disperse demonstrators, some of whom were armed with rocks and sticks. Kenyan police were reported to have opened fire on opposition protesters who had set up burning barricades in a Nairobi slum.

Protests

Kibera resident Hockins Odhiambo, 37, described some of the events, saying, "From last night when they announced the election at the Bomas of Kenya [a cultural center serving as the site of the national vote tally operation], there was a lot of tear gas being thrown. In fact, a lot of children ... were suffocating down there, at Kamukunji.

"We have rumors that some two people were killed. We can't have facts to prove, but there was a lot of shooting in the air, there was a lot of tear gas being thrown. All night there were running battles, up until this morning," Odhiambo said.

Alex Mwangi, a 28-year-old electronics technician who works in Mathare, said he didn't have a preferred political party because he is a Kenyan first and supports whoever is in power. He said he witnessed protests in Mathare on Saturday morning and thought police acted responsibly.

"There was no abuse by police. They were there and the police were OK," Mwangi said.

He argued that the police needed to use tear gas to disperse people because some of them were taking advantage of the situation. "They are usually targeting the supermarket, and they were using their violence so that they can rob them some things," he said.

However, rights group Amnesty International released a statement Saturday demanding that Kenyan authorities investigate reports that police had killed demonstrators.

Call for independent probe

Muthoni Wanyeki, the group's regional director for East Africa, said that Kenya's Independent Policing and Oversight Authority "must immediately launch an independent and effective investigation into reported killings, and where there is credible evidence of crimes, those responsible must be brought to justice."

The Kenya Red Cross Society said Saturday that "parts of Nairobi and Nyanza experienced a breakout of violence, where young rioters engaged the police in running battles. As a result, the Kenya Red Cross Society responded to a total of 93 casualties that sustained various injuries and who received pre-hospital medical care and medical evacuations."

The Kenya Red Cross Society also said it encountered roadblocks set up by protesters as it responded to some emergencies, prompting the issuance of a statement urging the public to help the organization get access to areas of unrest to "enable the smooth execution of our mandate of alleviating human suffering."

Wafula Chebukati, chairman of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), announced Friday that Kenyatta won the presidency with 54.27 percent of the overall vote, compared with Odinga's 44.74 percent.

The opposition has rejected the results, stating it would accept them only if it was given access to data from the IEBC website; it stood by its claims that the electoral commission's computer networks had been hacked. On Thursday, the electoral commission chief confirmed that there was an attempt to hack the system after the vote, but he said that attempt failed.

Electoral commission results showed a roughly 79 percent voter turnout, with more than 15 million Kenyans participating out of 19.6 million registered voters.
The special counsel investigating whether Russia interfered in the U.S. presidential election and possible collusion between Moscow and the Trump campaign wants to speak with current and former senior White House officials, the New York Times reported Saturday.

Robert Mueller, the special counsel leading the investigation, is in talks with the White House about potential interviews, including with former White House chief of staff Reince Priebus, the newspaper said, citing three unnamed sources briefed on the discussions.

Spokespeople for Mueller and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

"Mr. Mueller has asked the White House about specific meetings, who attended them and whether there are any notes, transcripts or documents about them," the newspaper reported, citing two of the people.

Mueller, a former head of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, wants to learn more about why Trump decided to fire James Comey, the FBI chief who was dismissed in May, according to the paper.

No interviews have yet been set, the paper said. Trump has called Mueller's investigation a "witch hunt."

Allegations of collusion between Trump associates and Moscow have hounded the Republican president since he took office in January, presenting a major distraction from his policy agenda.

Russia has repeatedly denied meddling in the U.S. election, and Trump has said there was no collusion.

Last month, the FBI raided the home of Paul Manafort, Trump's former campaign manager, and collected evidence, the Washington Post reported earlier in the week.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence heads Sunday to Latin America for a week-long trip to meet with the leaders of Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Panama.

Pence has in effect become a "roving ambassador" for the U.S. as the Trump administration has left many top diplomatic posts unfilled. Since April, Pence has visited South Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Australia, attended security meetings in Munich and Brussels, and traveled to Estonia, Georgia and Montenegro.

His Latin American trip comes at a time when the leaders of South and Central American countries may be somewhat distrustful of U.S. policies, following President Donald Trump's recent statement about not ruling out a "military option" for the political crisis in Venezuela.

His first stop Sunday will be with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos.

Colombia 'military option'

Colombia's Foreign Ministry issued a statement shortly after Trump's "military option" warning. The ministry's statement said it condemned any "military measure and the use of force " and that efforts to resolve Venezuela's breakdown in democracy should be peaceful and respect its sovereignty.

Pence will undoubtedly talk to Santos about Trump's statement. He will also likely discuss Colombia's implementation of a controversial peace agreement with the rebel group FARC and the country's efforts to reduce production of coca for cocaine.

Chile

In Chile, Pence will face questions over the sudden U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact, Chiles U.S. Ambassador Juan Gabriel Valdes told the VOA Spanish service. With or without the U.S., we will continue working in the Asia Pacific to push for an agreement that results in clear rules for everyone, Valdes said.

He added that his nation hopes the United States does not follow through on the threat to leave the Paris climate agreement because Chile believes that climate change is real.

China growing trade role in region

U.S. trading partner Panama, home to the Panama Canal, established diplomatic ties with China in June, and Pences upcoming visit comes against the backdrop of a growing Chinese trade role in the region.

Vice presidents do not determine U.S. policy, and none, including Mike Pence, is going to be taking ownership of, say, foreign affairs, diplomatic relations, said Christopher Devine, a political scientist at the University of Dayton.

He's contributing to it, he added, or at least he should be if hes playing the modern role, and what hes doing is helping the president to carry out his policy.

Vice presidents have been key intermediaries and trusted presidential advisors. Analysts say that although Pences diplomatic role is conventional so far, he works for a president who has promised to do things differently.
As legend has it, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon was searching for the mythical Fountain of Youth when he discovered Florida instead. Turns out the fountain of youth may be right between your eyes. Stem cells in an area of the brain called the hypothalamus may be setting the body's clock. Researchers from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York may have found a way to turn back that clock, at least in mice. VOA's Kevin Enochs reports.
Residents of St. Petersburg on Saturday paid homage to sailors from the Kursk nuclear submarine, which sank in the Barents Sea exactly 17 years earlier.

Relatives and friends of crew members gathered for a memorial service and a commemorative meeting at St. Petersburgs Serafimovskoye Cemetery.

All 118 crew members aboard the nuclear-powered Kursk submarine died on August 12, 2000, after an explosion occurred as the crew was preparing to fire a practice torpedo.

The Russian Navys final official report concluded that the explosion was caused by the failure of a torpedo.

The Kursk was raised from the bottom of the Barents Sea in 2001.
A senior Somali militant who had been on the run for several years has surrendered to the government, intelligence official tells VOA Somali.

Mukhtar Robow Ali, known as Abu Mansour, met with government representatives early Sunday morning at his hideout in Abal village in southwest Somalia, and was later taken to the main town of Huddur, a senior regional official told VOA Somali.

Shine Moallim Nurow is the commander of Special Forces in the southwestern regional administration. He led government officials who reached Robows base in Abal on Saturday.

He said he met him last night in the battle field in Abal where Robows men and al-Shabab have been fighting for the past few days.

We have been tasked by the central government and the southwestern regional administration to go there, we met him there and then we agreed with him to come together to Huddur, he said.

I can confirm to you that he is in Huddur, he is sitting with me now, he said.

According to a senior intelligence official Robow told government officials that he has defected from al-Shabab and wants to work with the Somali government.

Robow was a spokesman, defense chief and deputy leader of al-Shabab. He was one of the few al-Shabab leaders who were trained in Afghanistan.

Asked about how the government is going to treat Robow, Nurow admitted that he has weight.

Sheikh Mukhtar is not someone who was chased away by al-Shabab, he is someone who fell out with them, defended his line and stood up to them, he said.

Until now his men are defending his base, if someone defends his position you can feel that he is agreed to come because of talks, he said.

Robow has 400 militias he collected from clan loyalists who still remain in his old base in Abal village, 18km south of Huddur, the official said. It will be the most significant defection from al-Shabab if the government succeeds in in transferring all his men to its side.

Robow is now meeting with senior government officials including defense minister Abdirashid Abdullahi Mohamed and other regional officials.

Robow has been fighting against his former al-Shabab colleagues during the past five days in a remote area south of Huddur town. Robows men repulsed two major al-Shabab attacks since Wednesday. 19 people were killed in the clashes.

On Saturday reinforcement troops sent by the regional administration and the Somali military reached Abal village.

In June the U.S. withdrew a $5 million bounty which was put on Robows head in 2012.

Robow has served as a spokesman, defense chief and deputy leader for al-Shabab.
The FBI, the U.S. Justice Departments Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorneys office have opened a civil rights investigation into the deadly car ramming during a protest against a white nationalist demonstration in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Virginias governor told white supremacists Saturday, who had gathered in Charlottesville to protest the removal of a Confederate statue, to go home after three people were killed in violence at a rally and in a helicopter crash that police linked to the protest.

Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency after fights broke out between armor-clad, shield-carrying white nationalist demonstrators and similarly armed counterprotesters in Charlottesville.

Virginia Governor: 3 Fatalities Caused By White Supremacist Rally

"I have a message to all the white supremacists and the Nazis who came into Charlottesville today. Our message is plain and simple: Go home," McAuliffe said at a news conference. "You are not wanted in this great commonwealth. Shame on you."

McAuliffe said via Twitter that he declared the state of emergency "to aid state response to violence at alt-right rally in Charlottesville."

"The acts and rhetoric in Charlottesville over past 24 hours are unacceptable and must stop. A right to speech is not a right to violence," he tweeted.

'Egregious display'

President Donald Trump, speaking midafternoon from New Jersey, condemned "the egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides" in Charlottesville.

Trump, who was preparing to sign a bill to extend a veterans health care program, called for a "swift restoration of law and order" in the city, adding "no citizen should ever fear for their safety and security."

He did not answer questions from reporters after signing the bill, such as a reporter's request for an explanation of what Trump meant by "many sides."

Shortly after the rally had been canceled in Charlottesville, a car rammed into people in a street as they appeared to be leaving a counterprotest rally. Video showed some bodies flying in the air.

A 32-year-old woman was killed and about two dozen other people were injured.

Police said they had the driver of the car in custody, identifying him later Saturday as James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio. Fields was being held on suspicion of second-degree murder.

The Toledo Blade newspaper in Ohio broke the news to Fields mother, Samantha Bloom, who said she had not been contacted by authorities. She said her son told her he was going to an alt-right rally in Virginia, without offering any details about the extremist nature of the gathering.

I thought it had something to do with Trump, Bloom told the newspaper. She said she and her son had moved to Ohio about a year ago from Florence, Kentucky.

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer said on Twitter he was "heartbroken" about the death and urged all those still at the protest site to go home.

Hours later, Virginia state police said one of their helicopters had crashed in a wooded area outside the city, killing two troopers.

Violence Erupts as White Supremacists Clash With Counterprotesters at Rally

Violent demonstration

The incident involving the car occurred as people were leaving the area after police deemed the demonstration unlawful; multiple bouts of violence had broken out at the rally between demonstrators and counterprotesters.

Hundreds of protesters from both sides were involved in Saturday's melee, throwing punches as well as water bottles and other items. Police used tear gas to separate participants.

White Supremacists, Counterprotesters Clash at Virginia Rally

The gathering at the University in Virginia, dubbed the "Unite the Right" rally, had previously prompted McAuliffe to warn people to stay away from the campus.

In what they called a pro-white demonstration, torch-bearing white nationalists marched Friday night through the university campus and gathered around the statue of General Robert E. Lee, a Confederate Civil War hero. They shouted epithets and slogans such as "white lives matter," a take on the grass-roots organization Black Lives Matter, which was created after several killings of black Americas by police officers.

The city voted in April to remove the statue, a move being taken by many U.S. cities against such Confederate memorials of the Civil War era. Since then, the city has been a focus of white nationalists.

Criticism

Trump was criticized by members of both political parties for not specifying white nationalists in his comments about the violence in Charlottesville.

"We should call evil by its name. My brother didn't give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home. - OGH'' Senator Orrin Hatch, a Republican from Utah, said on Twitter.

"@POTUS needs to speak out against the poisonous resurgence of white supremacy. There are not 'many sides' here, just right and wrong,'' Representative Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California, said on Twitter.

Among the white supremacists at Saturday's rally were alt-right leader Richard Spencer and former Ku Klux Klan member David Duke.

Duke said the rally "represents a turning point for the people of this country."

"We are determined to take our country back. We are going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump," he added.

Signer, the Charlottesville mayor, said he blamed Trump for inflaming racial prejudices during the 2016 presidential campaign.

"I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in America today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president,'' he told The Associated Press.
In a race with the Russia-backed Syrian government forces and Shiite militia groups to capture the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor from Islamic State militants, a Syrian rebel group supported by the U.S. claims it is in talks with the U.S.-led coalition to relocate its fighters to northern Syria.

Such a move would better position the rebel group in its attempt to recapture the city, which is under IS control, they said.

Officials from Jaish Maghawir al-Thawra (MaT), also known as Revolutionary Commando Army, a Syrian opposition militia supported by Washington, told VOA on Friday that the group was negotiating with the U.S.-led coalition to transport members of the group to the northern Syrian town of al-Shaddadi, roughly 55 miles northeast of Deir ez-Zor.

"We are trying to form a national army with other rebel groups in al-Shaddadi and our aim is to head towards Deir ez-Zor," Rabee Hamidi, the spokesman of the MaT rebel group, told VOA.

Hamidi added that the talks included discussion on possible routes to move the fighters who are currently stationed near al-Tanf base, which sits in the tri-border area of Syria, Jordan and Iraq.

"The international coalition will either secure a safe land passage to al-Shaddadi or transport the fighters by helicopters," Hamidi said.

U.S. response

Citing "operational security" and "tactical surprise" as reasons, Colonel Joseph Scrocca, the U.S.-led coalition spokesman, told VOA he could neither confirm nor deny the talks, but he did acknowledge the existence of close coordination between the U.S-led coalition and MaT in the fight against IS in Syria's eastern region.

"The MaT is a trusted partner and an effective fighting force in the counter-Daesh campaign," Scrocca said, using another acronym for IS, adding, "We will continue to support their efforts to defeat Daesh in Syria."

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump ended a clandestine American program to provide arms and supplies to some Syrian rebel groups in southern Syria near Deir ez-Zor. The decision ended support for armed groups such as Lions of the East Army, which was mainly focused on battling the Syrian regime forces.

But the U.S. continues its backing of other rebel groups, such as MaT, which concentrate on fighting IS in Deir ez-Zor.

Importance of Deir ez-Zor

Deir ez-Zor is the largest city in eastern Syria. It is situated in the middle of an oil-rich province by the same name.

The province was home to over 1 million, with nearly 210,000 people living in the city, before the Syrian civil war started in 2011 in the aftermath of the Arab Spring.

But because of years of conflict between the Syrian government forces and the Syrian opposition groups, and the emergence of extremist groups like IS, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to flee. An estimated half-million civilians still live under IS, which has controlled most of the province since mid-2014.

The Syrian regime remains in control of a pocket within the city, including its air base, which IS has fought to control for nearly three years without success.

Competing stakeholders

Expelled from Mosul and other key territories in Iraq and Syria, and losing ground in their self-proclaimed capital, Raqqa, IS jihadists are coming under increasing pressure in Deir ez-Zor as well.

What makes the fight against IS in Deir ez-Zor particularly complicated is the fierce competition between the U.S.-backed rebel groups and the Syrian regime, supported by Russian and Iranian-allied Shiite militias.

Observers charge that the control of Deir ez-Zor will allow Iran and its Shiite allies an easy access to Syria via Iraq, in addition to the province's natural resources revenues.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and its coalition partners, which control Syria's southern border point with Jordan and Iraq, have been supporting the Syrian moderate rebels to move northward toward Deir ez-Zor.

Deadly clashes

The race for the province has caused some deadly confrontations in the past when the two sides met in the province's southern areas. American warplanes in May destroyed a regime convoy that was headed toward the al-Tanf camp, followed by the downing of at least two Iranian drones.

Despite the U.S. strikes to prevent the pro-Syrian regime forces from moving further, the Syrian army, supported by the Russian airstrikes and Iran-backed Shiite militias, recently made major advances in the western and southern parts of the province, practically cutting off the southern access of the U.S.-backed rebels to Deir ez-Zor.

Abu al-Atheer al-Khabouri, a senior MaT commander, told VOA that discussions with the U.S.-led coalition to relocate forces to al-Shaddadi was aimed at finding an easier access to Deir ez-Zor, adding that such a move could be tough and decisive.

"We are still negotiating with the international coalition, but no agreement has been reached yet," al-Khabouri said. "With or without the coalition's help, we will move forward and form a national army in al-Shaddadi."

Al-Khabouri added that there are about 3,000 fighters already in al-Shaddadi waiting for an "order" to start regrouping and prepare for an assault on Deir ez-Zor.

The small town of al-Shaddadi in southern al-Hasakah Governorate, approximately 55 miles northeast of Deir ez-Zor, was captured by the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in February 2016 after months of IS control.

Forces at odds

Experts said any plan to relocate the rebels would most likely be challenged, mainly because SDF and MaT are known to be hostile to each other.

Al-Khabouri, of the MaT, told VOA his forces had told the coalition they were unwilling to coordinate with the SDF because of the influence of the Syrian Kurdish group known as PYD.

"We refuse to work with PYD and we consider it a terrorist group," he said.

Ahmad Majidyar, an expert at the Middle East Institute, told VOA the U.S.-led coalition would most likely try to ease tensions between the two groups.

"If al-Thawra forces refuse to work with SDF troops, this will further complicate the U.S. plan to build and empower indigenous forces to fight ISIS and ensure stability in Sunni regions," Majidyar said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 09:27:30|Editor: Liangyu

Abdo Ahmed, a survivor of train crash, receives medical treatment at a hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, Aug. 12, 2017. Egypt has launched an on-the-spot technical railway check after a recent deadly train crash in Alexandria, which killed 49 people, the general prosecution office said in a statement on Saturday. (Xinhua/Asmaa Abdelatif)
A provincial leader of the Islamic State militant group in Afghanistan has been killed in a U.S. air strike in eastern Kunar province, Afghan and U.S. military officials confirmed Sunday.

U.S. and Afghan Forces have confirmed the death of Kunar provincial Islamic State of Iraq and Syria-Khorasan (ISIS-K) emir, Abdul Rahman, U.S. forces in Afghanistan said in a statement.



Rahman was killed along with three additional senior IS members on Thursday in Kunars Dara-e-Pech district, the statement added.



Abdul Rahman was a potential candidate to become the IS leader in Afghanistan following Abu Sayeds death in a U.S airstrike last month.



The death of Abdul Rahman deals yet another blow to the senior leadership of ISIS-K, said General John Nicholson, Commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan. He found out just like those before him that there are no safe havens in Afghanistan.

U.S. and Afghan forces have been engaged in joint- counterterrorism operations against IS in eastern Afghanistan. American and Afghan military forces have promised to eliminate IS in Afghanistan in 2017.



Hundreds of IS fighters, including several senior commanders, have been killed in recent months.



Abu Sayed, the groups top leader in Afghanistan, was killed in a U.S. airstrike last month. Sayed was the second IS leader in the past four months, and third in the past year, to have been targeted and killed. Abdul Hasib, his predecessor, was targeted in a U.S.-Afghan security forces raid in Nangarhar's Achin district in April.

We will hunt them down until they are no longer a threat to the Afghan people and the region, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan said following the death of Abdul Rahman.



Based in southern parts of eastern Nangarhar province, IS's Khorasan Province branch (ISIS-K) emerged in early 2015 in the mountainous areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan to cover Afghanistan, Pakistan and other nearby territories.

IS in Afghanistan has primarily been active in several districts of eastern Nangarhar province. Since its emergence, the terror group has targeted villages in several districts in the province, killing and abducting hundreds of people and setting their homes on fire.



IS under increasing pressure



Facing large-scale joint-U.S. and Afghan forces operations in Nangarhar, IS militants are trying to expand to mountainous parts of the adjacent Kunar and Nuristan provinces which share a border with Pakistan.



Juma Gul Hemmat, Kunars police chief, told VOA that the terror group has a presence in at least eight districts in Kunar. The group runs a training base in the Patash valley, where foreign fighters, including Arabs and Pakistanis train new fighters," Juma Gul Hemmat said.

Police authorities in Nangarhar last week arrested five minors - 10 to 15 years old, who were being transported by IS recruiters from Kunar to a Nangarhars remote district for training purposes.

Despite the battlefield successes of Afghan and American Special Forces against the Islamic State in Afghanistan, IS has carried out or claimed responsibility for several deadly attacks across the country, sparking fears that the group might be seeking to trigger sectarian conflict in Afghanistan and the greater central Asian region.



IS said its fighters stormed Iraqs embassy in Kabul last month, and the terror group also claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a Shi'ite mosque in western Herat province in early August.

Amongst the dead was the father of Fatima Qaderyan, captain of the Afghan all-girls robotics team that made headlines last month after managing to get U.S visas to participate in the International Robot Olympics for High School Students in Washington D.C.

They were initially denied U.S visas, but following President Trumps personal intervention, they were able to travel to the U.S.

Some information in this report came from Reuters.
The top U.S. general is on the Korean Peninsula as annual U.S. and South Korean military exercises risk further increasing tensions with North Korea.

U.S .Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joe Dunford said his visit to the region this week is aimed at reassuring allies South Korea and Japan, while building the military-to-military relationship with China in order to prevent miscalculations.

WATCH: Top US General Arrives on Korean Peninsula for Talks on North Korea Threat



He met with South Korean President Moon Jae-In and South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo on Monday in Seoul, and travels to China Monday and Japan later in the week.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson reiterated in a Wall Street Journal opinion article posted late Sunday that the U.S. goal is the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and that it is up to North Korea to show its willingness to engage in good-faith negotiations.

"North Korea now faces a choice.Take a new path toward peace, prosperity and international acceptance, or continue further down the dead alley of belligerence, poverty and isolation," Mattis and Tillerson said.They also highlighted a need for China to use its "decisive diplomatic and economic leverage over North Korea."

Meanwhile, senior U.S. national security officials said Sunday a military confrontation with North Korea is not imminent, but the possibility of war has increased.

CIA Director Mike Pompeo said on Fox News Sunday North Korea's push to develop a nuclear-tipped ballistic missile capable of hitting the United States, "... is a very serious threat and the administration is going to treat it as such."

President Donald Trump's national security adviser, H.R. McMaster, on ABC's This Week program said "...We are not closer to war than a week ago, but we are closer to war than we were a decade ago.''

Dunford said the militarys primary focus is supporting the administrations diplomatic and economic campaign to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, while preparing military options in the event that campaign fails.

Were all looking to get out of this situation without a war, Dunford said, even as he stressed Pyongyang possessing nuclear weapons that threaten the United States and its regional allies is unacceptable.



As a military leader, Ive got to make sure that the president does have viable military options in the event that the diplomatic and economic pressurization campaign fails, he added.



But some experts do not agree that Pyongyangs acquisition of nuclear weapons is an unacceptable option. Richard Bush, a senior fellow in the Brookings Institutions John L. Thornton China Center, said the Trump administration has made a big mistake by determining that North Koreas possession of nuclear weapons capable of hitting the United States is something to fight over.



The bigger danger or focus should be ensuring that North Korea doesnt use those capabilities, Bush told VOA.



Dunford arrived at Osan Air Base plans to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-In and his South Korean military counterpart on Monday before traveling to China and Japan later in the week.



New military exercises to start



Annual exercises between the U.S. and South Korean militaries, dubbed Ulchi-Freedom Guardian, begin later this month. North Korea has always condemned these exercises, and some experts fear these war games could increase hostilities from Pyongyang while irking Beijing, a key influencer of North Korea.



If you have the current tensions and pile on top of that these exercises, its going to make for a much worse situation, Joel Wit, who helped negotiate the 1994 U.S.-North Korea nuclear deal that delayed North Koreas nuclear program for almost a decade, told VOA.



A senior official with U.S. Pacific Command, which overseas military activity in the region, said China will almost certainly propose to Dunford that the U.S. and South Korea stop these exercises. However, the Trump administration would not agree to that proposal because it considers the exercises necessary for readiness in the event of an attack, the official added.



In the past, China has been reluctant to deny resources to North Korea in order to pressure Pyongyang to curb its nuclear weapons ambitions. But in the last few weeks, China has appeared to take measures to keep its bad-behaving neighbor in check.



Last week China voted alongside a unanimous U.N. Security Council to impose strict new sanctions on Pyongyang in response to North Korea's launch of two intercontinental ballistic missiles last month. Estimates say the new sanctions could cost Pyongyang $1 billion a year.



And on Friday, Chinas Global Times Newspaper warned that China will not come to North Koreas aid if it launches missiles threatening American soil and would only intervene if the United States strikes North Korea first.



Bruce Bennett, a defense analyst at RAND Corporation, noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping has held eight summit meetings with the South Korean president but none with the young North Korean leader, which he said clearly suggests that Xi thinks Kim Jong Un is a lightweight and really not important.



Locked and loaded



The chairmans visit comes just two days after U.S. President Donald Trump warned in a tweet that military solutions were locked and loaded should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path," Trump tweeted.



North Korean state media announced the country is drawing up plans to fire missiles near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, as the U.S. military continued preparations for a potential military response.

The United States has carried our several B-1B Lancer strategic bomber jet flights from Guam to the peninsula, with the last one carried out about a week ago. Japanese and South Korean jets have escorted the bombers at times.



The United States also has deployed Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile system to South Korea that can shoot down short, medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. Two of the systems six launchers are fully operational, and President Moon has ordered consultations on the possibility of deploying the final four interceptors, which are already in-country. THAADs ability to take out missile threats has proven 15 for 15 in tests conducted since 2005, when the system began operational testing.



THAAD is also deployed on Guam, along with Aegis ships that have Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) interceptors used to destroy medium and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

The U.S. mainland is defended from intercontinental ballistic missiles by ground-based interceptors located at Fort Greely, Alaska.
Heather Heyer came to downtown Charlottesville with her friends to make a stand against white nationalists who converged on the Virginia college town to demand the city keep a statue honoring a Confederate war hero, her boss said on Sunday.

The 32-year-old paralegal wanted to send a clear message to the neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan sympathizers who planned to stage one of the largest far-right rallies in recent U.S. history that people abhor their views in the city where she was born, he said.

But her decision to join counter-protesters on Saturday resulted in tragedy when a 20-year-old Ohio man drove his car at high speed into a line of marchers, killing Heyer and injuring at least 19 others.

A strong sense of social justice was a constant theme in Heyer's personal and working life, said Alfred Wilson, bankruptcy division manager at the Miller Law Group.

"There have been times that I've walked back to her office and she had tears in her eyes" for various injustices she saw in the world, said Wilson, such as the time she was weeping after reading anti-Muslim comments online, Wilson said.

Heyer was "a very strong, very opinionated young woman" who "made known that she was all about equality," he told Reuters on Sunday.

The two have worked closely since Heyer joined the firm a little more than five years ago.

"Purple was her favorite color," said Wilson, recalling how much Heyer, who shared a duplex apartment in Charlottesville with her beloved pet Chihuahua, named Violet. "She would wear purple a lot, and she would wear it every day if she could get away with it."

Born in Charlottesville, the home of the University of Virginia's main campus, Heyer was raised in a nearby town and graduated from William Monroe High School in Stanardsville.

A big part of Heyer's job was to help people who were trying to avoid being evicted from their homes, or have their cars repossessed, or needed help paying medical bills, he said.

Heyer was a supporter of Bernie Sanders, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic presidential nomination won by Hillary Clinton, Wilson said.

As a white woman, she thought it unfair that she enjoyed liberties that Wilson, as a black man, did not, he said.

"You're college-educated, but if you walk into the store you may have people following you, and it's not fair," Wilson quoted Heyer as having said to him often.

Heyer, said Wilson, was strongly opposed to President Donald Trump, and she also spoke out against Jason Kessler, the blogger who organized the "Unite the Right" rally that was broken up before it began on Saturday.

"A big thing that bothered Heather was this whole past election," said Wilson. "She would literally sit in the office and cry at times because she was worried about what was going to happen to the country."

Charlottesville Rally Violence In Photos:
Zimbabwes vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa was on Saturday reportedly airlifted to a private hospital after he allegedly fell sick while President Robert Mugabe was addressing thousands of people attending a so-called Zanu PF Youth Interface Rally in Gwanda, Matabeleland South province.

According to the privately-owned Standard newspaper, Mnangagwa was admitted to a hospital in the Midlands capital after he was whisked away from Phelandaba Stadium in a police ambulance before he was airlifted to Gweru while vomiting blood.

The newspaper, which quoted Zanu PF sources, said Mnangagwas sickness could not be independently verified.

Some of the sources claimed that the vice president was allegedly poisoned while others noted that he may have been sick before eating food provided to dignitaries before the rally.

Party officials did not respond to VOA Studio 7 inquiries on Sunday afternoon.

Mnangagwa allegedly leads a faction of the ruling Zanu PF party known as Team Lacoste while the other group is said to be led by First Lady Grace Mugabe, who publicly attacked Mnangagwas colleagues recently for backing him to succeed President Mugabe.

Factionalism has gripped Zanu PF as Mr. Mugabe prepares to contest the 2018 presidential election at the age of 94.
The most frequently active volcano in Peru entered a new eruptive phase in 2014. Updates and news are regularly posted on this page.
President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit last month in Hamburg. (Saul Loeb/AP)

The Trump administration announced Saturday that it is planning to launch an investigation into Chinese intellectual property violations that could result in severe trade penalties, an escalation that presents both opportunities and risks at a time when the United States needs Chinas help to contain the North Korean nuclear threat.

The president plans to sign an executive memorandum Monday afternoon, directing his top trade negotiator to determine whether to investigate China for harming intellectual property, innovation and technology, senior administration officials said in a conference call Saturday morning.

The measure would seek to address what the U.S. business community has described as flagrant trade violations by China, which employs a variety of rules and practices to wall its market off from foreign competition and pressure U.S. companies to part with valuable product designs and trade secrets  or to steal them outright.

The investigation, which one U.S. official said could take as long as a year, may prove to be a source of leverage to push China to do more to help contain a rising security threat from North Korea, which counts Beijing as its only powerful ally.

At the same time, it could alienate Chinas leadership, which is urging the Trump administration to limit its confrontational language as it faces off against the regime in Pyongyang.

The relationship could spiral out of control, particularly if the movement on the trade front is combined with growing tensions over how to respond to North Korea, said Scott Kennedy, a China expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The announcement followed a call Friday night between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. During that call, Trump and Xi agreed that North Korea must stop its provocative and escalatory behavior and reaffirmed their commitment to denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula, according to a White House statement.

Xi urged President Trump to exercise restraint over tensions with North Korea during a phone call, Chinese state media reported. Xi urged both sides not to do anything that would aggravate tensions. Dialogue, negotiations and a political settlement are the fundamental ways of solving the Korean Peninsulas nuclear issue, Xi said during the call, according to Chinas CGTN state television network.

The Chinese leader expressed Beijings willingness to maintain communication with the U.S. to appropriately resolve the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, the network reported. Xi stressed that China and the U.S. share the same interests on the denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.

On Saturday, administration officials said the new trade measure was totally unrelated to events involving North Korea.

They added that the trade measure would be carried out under the rules of international law and would not trigger greater conflict with China.

But trade and national security experts widely noted that the announcement appeared to have been delayed until after China joined the United States in voting for sanctions against North Korea at a United Nations Security Council session on Aug. 5.

When asked about the delay during the Saturday call, the officials did not address the question directly. They said that U.S. companies had long suffered because of Chinese intellectual property violations, and that they expected Congress and the business community to support the measure.

If Americans continue to have their best technology and intellectual property stolen, or forcibly transferred offshore, the United States will find it difficult to maintain its current technology-leadership position and to remain one of the worlds most innovative economies. This is why the president has chosen to act now and to act boldly, one administration official said.

Michael Wessel, a commissioner on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, called the measure a critical action, and long overdue.

Chinas been engaged in the theft and forced transfer of U.S. technologies and intellectual property for years. Those activities havent abated; theyve accelerated as China seeks to become self-sufficient in new technologies and dominate world markets, he said.

If the investigation finds that China is harming U.S. companies, the Trump administration could respond by imposing tariffs, negotiating an agreement with China or other measures, the officials said.

The administration probably is eager to make progress on trade, one of Trumps biggest campaign issues, after a recent series of legislative setbacks, trade experts said. While Trump officially withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, an Obama-era trade deal, and will begin talks next week to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, other planned trade measures have been slow to materialize.

The results of three separate investigations into trade deficits and the national security threats posed by imports of steel and aluminum, initially expected by the end of June, have yet to appear. Meanwhile, 100 days of trade talks with the Chinese carried out in past months resulted in a few trade gains but not the ambitious changes the administration had hoped for.

Trade experts and business leaders said the new investigation into intellectual property could be a sign that the trade agenda is shifting into the hands of a respected negotiator, U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer, who during the Reagan administration helped implement some of the most protectionist trade policies of recent decades.

Like the president, Lighthizer has criticized multilateral venues such as the World Trade Organization for failing to provide adequate tools to address Chinas economic violations. Instead, he is leading the administration in dusting off a variety of powerful and unilateral measures under U.S. trade law, many of which the United States stopped using after the creation of the WTO, which has its own mechanisms to settle trade disputes.

The United States has previously complained at the WTO about Chinese trade policies, including its Made in China 2025 initiative, which seeks to have Chinese-made materials account for 70 percent of manufacturing inputs within the next eight years. That initiative sets forth a long-term plan for Chinas dominance in a wide variety of high-tech industries, including electric vehicles, advanced medical products and robotics.

Denyer reported from Beijing. Anna Fifeld in Tokyo contributed to this report.
Ben Affleck likes a cup of joe as much as the average Joe.  The A-lister and his girlfriend, Saturday Night Live producer Lindsay Shookus, have been the center of much paparazzi attention over the past few weeks, but what really stands out is the seemingly constant presence of iced coffee. The drink figures into most shots of the couple, as The Cut recently pointed out, whether Starbucks cups in New York or nighttime java in Santa Monica. The substantial number of images keeps with a tradition of photographing celebrities acting just like us, a phrase that hopefully doesnt extend to Afflecks very wet T-shirt.

Ive seen a couple of them where hes double-fisting, said Steven Rea, author of Hollywood Cafe: Coffee With the Stars.

Fetching a simple cup often acts as a mysteriously humanizing force for celebrities  a common denominator, as Rea put it  because its affordable and often part of a daily ritual. Sure, Taylor Swift reportedly bought a Rhode Island mansion for $17.75 million, but she grabs the same La Colombe iced coffee we do. It wasnt always this way, though. Coffee used to do the opposite, acting as visual evidence that celebrities were way cooler than the rest of us.

Coffee has always been a part of the fabric of the Hollywood scene because of early-morning call times, according to Rea. His 192-page book, published in 2015, is filled with vintage photographs that feature actors drinking coffee on and off set. There are shots of Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart making it at home with fancy gadgets, and others of Grace Kelly and Steve McQueen at the craft services table on movie sets.

It became a Hollywood habit, mostly in good ways, he said. If youre going to have an addiction, coffee is one where the downsides arent that bad.

A steaming mug at a cafe offered what Rea called the European sophistication factor. Hollywood has had ties to Europe from the silent era onward, when actors and filmmakers came from the continents major cities and brought their coffee habits with them. Photos of Bacall drinking coffee with a cigarette between her fingers mirror similar ones of French actress Jeanne Moreau or Italian actress Sophia Loren.

They brought with them their taste  the food they loved and the beverages they were used to drinking, Rea said.

Lauren Bacall on the Warner Bros. Pictures lot during the making of the 1945 film "To Have and Have Not," also featured in Rea's book. (Hollywood Cafe: Coffee with the Stars/Warner Bros Pictures/World Wide Photo)

Some Americans contributed to the development of this trend, too, adopting habits from their time abroad in the early 20th century. F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway, for instance, spent time in Europe during their formative years, Rea said, and you can find photographs of each writer sitting in Parisian cafes. Both returned to the United States and worked in Hollywood, bringing back aspects of the coffee culture of Pariss literary and art circles.

But no longer. Purchasing brewed coffee became ubiquitous with the rise of second-wave coffee culture in the 1990s, according to Sarah Lyon, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Kentucky. Going to Starbucks is a middle-class luxury, something that many people can afford on a semi-regular basis. Affleck and Shookuss green straws are a mark of the everyman.

I think its a way for middle America to identify with the stars, through a small luxury, but not in this elitist way, Lyon said. If he was going to some sort of elitist, third-wave coffee shop where they were having their $5 pour-over coffee, people wouldnt identify and react in the same way.

Lyon specified that its the act of grabbing the drink themselves that humanizes the celebrities, who could easily staff it out.

Its something about the ritual of going to the store and carrying the coffee around in a paper cup, she said. Its just a caffeine delivery mechanism  theres nothing much to it, in and of itself. Its the consumption, the publicness of it.

Jerry Seinfelds Emmy-nominated Web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee plays off this idea by, as the name suggests, having Seinfeld drive his guest across town to get a cup. The series serves the same purpose as any talk show, but the premise allows for more relaxed conversations. Seinfeld sometimes deviates from the structure, running into other people en route, and the public setting makes the comedians appear more humble. Stand-ups often thrive on relatability during comedy routines, after all, and the departure from a traditional studio setting achieves a similar effect.

So, why coffee?

When asked by NPR why he chose coffee, Seinfeld replied, That whole description of why its great to meet someone for a cup of coffee  the ease, the simplicity, the compactness. And that it also obviously gets people talking. You have coffee, and, for some reason, it makes you talk a lot.


Maxine Rizik Tanous, left, one of the last of the family to be directly involved in the boutique clothing store Riziks, with the stores new general manager, Ande Riggins-Johnston. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

It wouldnt have been surprising if Riziks had closed.

After 109 years in business, much of it from the corner of Connecticut Avenue and L Street in Northwest Washington, the family-owned fashion boutique had run out of family members who wanted to devote their professional lives to hemlines, alterations and the ever-changing moods of first-time brides. A good percentage of the stores loyal customer base had retired, moved away or died. The Internet had upended the model for independent retail. Riziks was not a business with a bright, shining future. It was challenged, as one family member diplomatically described it.

But Riziks didnt close. Despite the familial shifts, the cultural upheaval and the dying off, Riziks refused to go quietly into history.

Instead, at the end of July 2016, Riziks shuttered its doors. Not for good, a sign promised, but for a major renovation  one that dragged on and left more than a few people suspicious that the darkened interior was really just the beginning of the end. I was not confident at all theyd reopen, said customer Janet Janjigian.

But then, on April 17, Riziks returned. There was no party. No drumroll. The family just turned on the lights and unlocked the doors.

It wasnt dramatic, but it was remarkable.

***

The store, originally called Rizik Brothers, opened at F and 15th streets in 1908, a time when life moved more slowly and with greater formality.

The Rizik brothers had come from Lebanon at the turn of the 20th century and established themselves as haberdashers importing lace from Europe. After saving a bit of seed money, they opened their own dress shop and began selling ready-to-wear, which was beginning to blossom in New York.

Riziks catered to the well-to-do, to women who had social clout and busy social calendars. The brothers became known for their attention to detail and their customer service. A woman in a pinch could walk into the boutique, buy an evening gown for a formal dinner later that same day, and have it altered in time to make the cocktail hour.

In its heyday, which lasted into the late 1980s, when gross sales were reportedly about $4 million a year, customers from Mamie Eisenhower to journalist Helen Thomas shopped there for professional wardrobes and inaugural ballgowns, wedding dresses and little pick-me-ups.



You never let a customer go out disappointed, says Maxine Rizik Tanous, a.k.a. Miss Maxine. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

There was nothing edgy about Riziks. It was a store filled with glimmering chandeliers and soft love seats, deep pile carpeting and hushed tones. The day-to-day business was overseen by two second-generation sisters: Miss Renee and Miss Maxine, who even today have a quietly firm demeanor, but one that always allowed for this mantra: The customer is always right.

If the customer says its black and you know its navy  its black, says Maxine Rizik Tanous. You never asked a customer her size. You never asked what she wanted to pay. You asked her what she wanted. And whatever she wanted, you gave it to her. You never let a customer go out disappointed.

***

The store had its ups and downs, as all businesses do. The 1930s were tough. But the World War II years were flush, as money poured into Washington. The 60s brought fashions youthquake and the rise of a generation of working women. Luncheons turned into lunch. Riziks adapted.

You had to go with the wind. We added different departments. We added sportswear and working clothes, says Rizik Tanous.

The times kept changing and Riziks did too. But the changes started coming faster, and it was hard to figure out exactly how to respond to e-commerce, disposable fashion, social media, yoga pants and an endless stream of new designers that most people had never heard of and yet were charging thousands of dollars for a dress. The youngest member of the sales team was about 70 years old. The store was catering to women 65 and older, and it was doing so in a way that was not welcoming to younger customers.

The young girls run into H&M and buy what they want during lunch and still have time to eat, Rizik Tanous says. The only time they seem to slow down is when it comes time to shop for a wedding gown.

Im getting married in three weeks. They think theyre shopping early. They think three weeks is a lot of time. But its not. Not when a dress has to be ordered and altered and tried on and tweaked and tried on again.

But Riziks never said no to a customer, Rizik Tanous says. The store still gives personal service. What else can you give?



Riggins-Johnston in the Riziks bridal salon. (Josh Sisk/For The Washington Post)

***

The third generation of Rizik siblings and cousins is dispersed across the country. They have dedicated themselves to marketing and finance and politics. But not to retail. Miss Renee, with her delicate physique and halo of cafe au lait-colored hair, visits the store about twice a week. She still remembers the old clients, their likes and dislikes. Miss Maxine, who used to do all the buying, still comes in, too. But shes 88 now. Still elegantly attired, her graying hair set just so  but feeling the weight of her years.

So yes, the store could have closed. Thats what retail pioneers Martha in New York and Louis Boston did. Saks Jandel, too. Run by the Marx family, Saks Jandel was the other multigenerational Washington fashion fixture. The 128-year-old Chevy Chase boutique announced its closing last year, a family-run business that had run out of family members interested in running it.

[Saks Jandel, a legendary Washington boutique, will close after 128 years]

But Riziks didnt close, for reasons that might best be summed up as: It was too old to close. It had lasted too long to end. It was part of the family identity, says Jackie Tanous Jacobson, FaceTiming in from her home in Colorado.

Family engagement doesnt directly link to the continuation of the business, says Paul Jacobson, Jackies husband. He likens Riziks to Marriott Hotels or the Ford Motor Co. Smaller, of course. Much smaller. But a business that continues independent of its founders.



Riggins-Johnston is the face of the boutique clothing stores future. (Josh Sisk/For The Washington Post)

Thats how they came to hire Ande Riggins-Johnston, 44, a tall, lanky mother of two who grew up mostly in Tennessee and has a background in fashion retail.

Riggins-Johnston oversaw the stores renovation, because if there was one thing the family knew, it was that the store needed a fresh start. Shes also the general manager, lead buyer and the face of the stores next chapter.

There were lots of discussions about whether to close or remodel. But this is the whole history of how they came to this country as a family, says Riggins-Johnston. They loved it so much. It was Miss Maxine and Miss Renees whole life. They didnt want it to end. But they knew it needed a new direction.

Riziks sits on the second floor of a commercial building on a busy corner where morning commuters hustle up from the Farragut North Metro station and make a beeline to Peets or Paul for a shot of caffeine. A passer-by would have to look up to notice the full glory of Riziks, and most people are looking down  down into their mobile phones, where they are texting or emailing or quite possibly shopping.

Life thunders along at street level. And up above, behind the wide glass windows where one can make out a few faux cherry blossom branches, a twisting, dark wood staircase leads to a wide, open sales floor. Light pours in. The tones are not hushed. Macklemore is rapping from the sound system.

We dont want to be a large department store. Were fine as an entity thats intimate, says Tanous Jacobson.

They simply want to be relevant and in the thick of fashion. Riggins-Johnston has added collections by Elizabeth Kennedy, Brandon Maxwell, Christian Siriano and Adam Lippes. They will hang alongside Oscar de la Renta and Naeem Khan. Shes added less expensive collections, such as Frame denim, Rachel Zoe and Derek Lam 10 Crosby. The Paris-based brand Paule Ka is well represented. The fur coats are gone, but the bridal salon remains. A younger, five-person sales team has replaced the old guard.

[Sleek, sophisticated, classy clothes: Is this really the work of Lady Gagas designer?]

There are no longer 20 seamstresses ready to nip and tuck in an emergency. But Elsa Montero is still there, adding sleeves to sleeveless dresses, taking in waists on trousers, creating custom bridal veils.



Head seamstress Elsa Montero, left, greets Maxine Rizik Tanous. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

When I went back this last time, none of the people who used to be there were there anymore, said Janjigian, a media crisis consultant who lives in Los Angeles but visits Washington regularly. Every woman at a certain time in life needs a makeover, and thats what [Riziks] did. Theyre appealing to a younger, fashion-conscious group of Washington women.

The store also made a sale. Janjigian picked up a navy, boat-neck Black Halo sheath for evening outings. Bravo to them for taking this risk, she said.
Workers at Nokesvilles Yankey Farms plant broccoli in early August. The agricultural operation is one of 13 Prince William County farms that will contribute food to a farm-to-table fundraiser Saturday. (Jonathan Hunley for The Washington Post)

Eating locally sourced food has become a trend in many places. But some people, especially kids, still dont understand how products get to the grocery aisle, John Price says.

They think they just go to the store and buy it, and thats it, said Price, chairman of the Prince William Soil and Water Conservation Districts board of directors.

To help bridge the knowledge gap, the conservation district, which focuses on protecting and enhancing the countys water and soil resources, puts on programs that teach students about agriculture and environmental science.

But funding from the county that used to go to those programs was redirected to cover the Chesapeake Bay cleanup, so the Prince William Environmental Excellence Foundation, a nonprofit affiliate of the conservation district, stepped in to make sure the beyond-the-classroom learning opportunities, such as Farm Field Days and Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences, continued.

Farm Field Days annually introduces 1,600 fourth-grade students from Prince William and Manassas to some of the basics of farming and natural-resources conservation. The event, held in the barns at the Prince William Fairgrounds, will be Oct. 11 and 12 this year. Over the past 26 years, the conservation district has educated more than 28,000 students through the program, according to the agencys website.

The watershed experiences are Virginia Standards of Learning-based programs for third-graders that promote community environmental stewardship and address topics such as pollinators and water quality. Theyre held at Windy Knoll, a 98-acre farm on Kettle Run Road. About 1,300 students have participated since 2012, according to the conservation district.

Being in such an urban area, people dont know that agriculture still exists here, and were getting them out on a working farm, district conservation planner Mike Miller said.

The U.S. Agriculture Departments 2012 agriculture census, the most recent federal count of farms, identified 330 farms totaling 35,638 acres in Prince William. But those figures dont tell the whole story, Miller said, explaining that 132 of those 330 farms produced less than $1,000 in sales, which means they werent large agricultural operations, he said. Jay Yankey, who manages the conservation district and also runs Yankey Farms in Nokesville, said there are probably fewer than 30 full-time farmers in Prince William nowadays.

Even within the Rural Crescent of Prince William County, were losing farmland, Yankey said. The Rural Crescent is an area set aside by Prince Williams government for only limited residential development. Its intended to preserve the natural character of the county by requiring that new home sites measure at least 10 acres.

But over the past few years, that has simply meant more property being subdivided into 10-acre lots, not a preservation of tracts that can be farmed, Yankey said.

And as more county children call subdivisions home than farms, Price says its all the more important to teach them about Prince Williams agricultural heritage. They can learn that there are green spaces and open air beyond the harried, congested surroundings they find in suburban neighborhoods.

They can see, hey, theres a bigger world out there, Price said.

Farm-to-table fundraiser

The Prince William Environmental Excellence Foundation will hold a farm-to-table fundraiser Saturday 4 to 8 p.m. at Windy Knoll Farm in Nokesville, with food from 13 Prince William farms. The event also will include hayrides, a silent auction, two raffles and an antique farming equipment display. Attendees will be able to take part in a miniature watershed event and learn about Windy Knoll, where cattle and sheep are raised. Tickets are $45 and must be bought in advance. For information, call 571-379-7514 or go to pwswcd.org.
Leafy greens grow profusely at the tiny East Baltimore farm, but not in parallel rows in the ground. They pop out of vertical white troughs that hang from a metal ceiling.

Light-emitting diodes glow 18 hours a day, providing the equivalent of full sunshine. Electronic sensors gauge temperature, pH levels and the nutritional needs of plants, driving automatic adjustments to the heat, water and food they are provided.

This retrofitted ex-shipping container in a parking lot in Broadway East is hardly your grandfathers farm. And in his skinny jeans, black sneakers and recycled-materials T-shirt, J.J. Reidy will remind no one of the guy with the pitchfork and overalls in Grant Woods American Gothic.

Reidy, 29, is the founder and chief executive of Urban Pastoral Collective, a two-year-old business with a dual mission: to produce and sell fresh, whole foods in an urban setting and to help leverage the value of such foods into a movement that transforms the way Americans live and interact in cities.

Reidy and his business partner, Christian de Paco, 27, are staking their missions grand vision on a core belief: that food is not merely a basic human need; its also a powerful social connector and, if handled properly, a potent driver of change.

Christian and I have worked around the world  in Africa, in South America and elsewhere  and food brings people together more than anything weve experienced, Reidy says. From Ethiopia to Baltimore, food is the common connector that can take blighted neighborhoods and bring them to life.

Its a next-generation approach that blends the goals of a nonprofit group with the aims and ammunition of a for-profit business.

Whether the model will work is anyones guess. But some signs are promising.

The farming unit fills just 320 square feet but generates as much produce as a one-acre farm. The company has started a vegetarian restaurant at R House, a food hall in Remington, and plans to open another in the Baltimore Food Hub, the socially conscious culinary center now under construction in an old East Baltimore pumping station.

In addition, Urban Pastoral has expanded its staff in the past year from two to 19.

Reidy and de Paco continue to experiment with tactics and crunching numbers to test their ideas viability. What they have found so far is ambiguous.

The data suggests it will be hard for entrepreneurs to make a going concern of urban produce farms as long as they stick to traditional business models.

But if they collaborate with like-minded partners, and position their different businesses  the farm and the restaurants  less as independent entities than as units within a larger ecosystem, theres hope for growth all around.

Darius Graham, who has worked with the partners as director of the Social Innovation Lab at the Johns Hopkins Universitys Carey Business School, cautions that there are no guarantees. But he believes the model is likely to work  and not just in the sense of turning profits.

In the long run, I think Urban Pastoral will be a great success story of a Baltimore start-up that created jobs and opportunity in our city and also made a lasting impact, Graham says. Whether by employing residents at their own food businesses or helping young people learn about urban agriculture, theres so much potential and need for this company and others like it that want to make an impact.

Reidy, with his sweptback hair, toothy smile and ease with the language of idealistic enterprise, has the aura of a young Kennedy as he shows a visitor the firms farm-in-a-box, a trailer-like steel container called Box/UP that cost $80,000 to buy and retrofit, and that now generates 80 pounds of lettuce and Thai basil per week.

Its the engine of a project that was born in 2013, when Reidy, a native of Buffalo, met de Paco, a Naval Academy graduate from Costa Rica, when both were MBA students at the Johns Hopkins business school.

Reidy had a head start. He grew up in a family that loved food, traveled widely and did plenty of volunteer work. As a child, Reidy says, he saw how people in Western European countries socialized around cooking and dining  and noticed in Central America the shocking disparities between rich and poor.

A post-college job with an e-commerce start-up in Washington taught Reidy the importance of agility and adaptability in modern business, he says.

He kept the lessons in mind during a four-month stint at a Vermont farm collective.

What came into focus was a vision for a business centered on forward-thinking agriculture that could unify people, enrich lives and even address societal ills.

De Paco, a marine engineer with a knack for making things happen, signed on.

They brought their ideas to the Social Innovation Lab, a program that supports 10 social-entrepreneurial projects a year.

The lab provided funding, access to mentors, connections to potential funders, and a community of entrepreneurs to learn from and grow with, and the pair shamelessly worked on our company in all our classes, Reidy says.

By the time they graduated in 2015, Urban Pastoral had established partnerships with two community-minded nonprofit groups in Baltimore in the Abell Foundation and Humanim, a workforce-development organization.

Humanim offered space at their headquarters, the renovated American Brewery building on North Gay Street in one of East Baltimores most blighted neighborhoods.

Box/UP sits in the fenced-in parking lot behind the building, a white and plant-green reminder of the nonprofit groups catchphrase: Human Purpose. Human Impact.

Its great to have them here for a lot of reasons, says Cindy Plavier-Truitt, senior vice president and chief business officer. One is the access to food in this community  yet another sign that entrepreneurial ventures can thrive, can exist and want to be here in East Baltimore.

The idea of vertical farming  the use of controlled-environment agriculture in stacked or upright spaces in urban areas  has been around for more than a century. It wasnt brought to popular attention, though, until 1999, when the Columbia University ecologist Dickson Despommier wrote of its potential to increase the efficiency of food production, untether the process from the vicissitudes of weather and generate jobs.

Today its a $6 billion industry, with groups in places as far afield as Canada, South Africa, Japan and California setting up units of varying shapes and sizes in a range of settings.

Reidy and company saw the technology as a great fit for Baltimore, with its low cost of living, thousands of abandoned homes, numberless underused garages, basements and rooftops and thriving nonprofit community.

For all the fields allure, though, little data existed on the financial feasibility of the practice. Urban Pastoral set out to change that.

During the companys first few months, Reidy says, he and de Paco made some interesting discoveries. Even at their rapid production rate, they found, the high costs of technology and real estate  and competition from government-backed industrial growers who can keep their prices far lower  meant a unit like theirs couldnt turn a profit by traditional standards.

Whats more, because precision farming by its nature reduces the need for labor, they were able to hire just one employee.

They pivoted to a different model through collaboration with friends.

Urban Pastoral connected with Seawall Development, the socially conscious real estate firm behind R House, the marketplace of restaurant stalls in the old Anderson Body Shop building where cutting-edge restaurateurs were joining forces to minimize risk and maximize creativity.

Piggybacking on the food halls appeal as a destination, Urban Pastoral began marketing its own produce in processed form  as fresh juices and in dishes  at Stall 11. The model generates enough profit in a 330-square-foot space to employ 17 people and send a revenue stream back to the farm, establishing a cycle of growing value.

The symbiotic approach, as Reidy calls it, conjures the prospect of an ag business that functions as a cell within an ecosystem, drawing energy from parallel enterprises, yet feeding more back into the system  as a good farmer might replenish the soil.

Count Thibault Manekin, a Seawall partner, as a fan. The UP team leads with purpose, which isnt very common for a for-profit business, Manekin says. They exist not to cook great food. They exist so that cooking and sourcing great food will make our city a better place by building a localized food economy.

China Boak Terrell is the CEO of American Communities Trust, the community development organization behind the Baltimore Food Hub. The $23.5 million enterprise is unfolding on a 3.5-acre site visible from the brewery.

She made Urban Pastoral a partner because its restaurant  still in the planning stages as Reidy seeks input from neighbors  will create jobs, a bustling presence at night and a destination that low-income residents can get to without owning a car.

What they want to put at the site makes sense for what Central-East Baltimore needs, Boak Terrell says.

In a typical week, Reidy might get together with representatives of other Baltimore urban farms (all of them outdoors), bring a class of students or a gaggle of legislators through, or help the team prepare for yet another demonstration of their operations.

Its all part of the cycle of business as he and his partners see it  of using agriculture to grow more than just profits.

He pauses to check a dosage unit, making sure its pumping the right nutrients to the right plants at the right time. Its all about adding value, he says.
Atlas Survival Shelters company, based in Montebello, California, builds underground shelters for protecting residents from biological, nuclear and chemical attacks. (Xinhua/Huang Chao)

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 11 (Xinhua) -- A Los Angeles-based businessman manufacturing bomb shelters said Friday that the demand keeps growing as fears have intensified amid the exchange of fierce rhetoric between Washington and Pyongyang.

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s military said in a statement Thursday that it had a plan to strike Guam with intermediate missiles, as a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's stern warning on Tuesday in which he said "North Korea (DPRK) best not make any more threats to the United States. They will be met with fire and fury like the world has never seen."

It is not only Guams, a U.S. island territory in the Western Pacific, but also people living in the West Coast of the United States, felt concerned, Ron Hubbard, president of Atlas Survival Shelters, told Xinhua in an interview.

"There is a lot of interest in it because of the threat, this business is wired, if not very good, it will be very bad, usually is very bad, but this week is very good, because of Donald Trump and North Korea (DPRK)," he said.

He said he started the business in 2010 and had seen spikes in business in the past when there were rumours about the world ending in 2012 and when ISIS came to power, but never anything like this period as thousands people showed their interests in the products.

The bunkers, sold on price from 10,000 to 100,000 U.S. dollars, are designed to be buried 20 feet underground in backyard, and people can live in them comfortably up to one year with equipped solar power panel after a nuclear bomb attack.

Meanwhile, the company has also produced smaller shelters for tornado, which can be made in 6 to 7 hours but has a much bigger market in U.S.

Hubbard said there are orders from Japan for the bomb bunker, but never received any demand from South Korea.

"If there is more threat, more danger of nuclear war, maybe we can find more demands," he added.
Few pieces of research have shocked the American education system more than the 2009 study The Widget Effect, by the New Teacher Project, now known as TNTP. It found that classroom assessment systems were a sham, with fewer than 1 percent of teachers being rated unsatisfactory.

Reformers promised to fix this. They demanded that schools augment the standard ratings by principals with data on how well each teachers students did on standardized tests. Now, that reform seems to be crumbling as test results have proved erratic and unusable with subjects such as science and history that dont have standardized state tests.

So, are principals triumphant, eager to assert their assessment responsibilities, show some spine and rate teachers honestly?

The answer is no. Two new studies reveal principals still trying to make nearly all teachers happy. Interviews by researchers and by Education Week reporter Liana Loewus reveal a troubling reason principals are not telling subpar teachers they need to get better: It takes too much time.

One middle school principal in a Northeastern urban district told Matthew Kraft of Brown University and Allison Gilmour of Temple University that the demands of extra observations and support were too great. I just feel like sometimes you have to have a lot of extra detail before you can give somebody a Needs Improvement, the principal said. When you have an unsatisfactory teacher, it takes a lot of time to observe that teacher, to give true honest-to-goodness feedback.

Its even worse if several teachers need help. Its not possible for an administrator to carry through on 10 Unsatisfactories simultaneously, another principal said. I mean, once somebody is identified as Unsatisfactory, the amount of work, the amount of observation, the amount of time and attention that it requires to support them can become overwhelming.

In Loewuss expose of how principals avoid accurate evaluations, she found some school administrators willing to go on the record. At the end of the year, if you havent repeatedly gone into the classroom and given the teacher suggestions for improvements, its really not fair to give a poor evaluation, Marilyn Boerke, director of talent development for the Camas School District in Washington state, told the Education Week reporter.

Researchers Jason Grissom of Vanderbilt University and Susanna Loeb of Stanford University published a study in the journal Education Finance and Policy similar to the study by Kraft and Gilmour in Educational Researcher. Both reports compared the formal district evaluations principals submitted with how those principals assessed the same teachers in confidential surveys. The formal and confidential assessments were as different as your view of your companys latest mission statement might be when talking to your boss or your spouse.

In the Grissom-Loeb study of 100 principals in the Miami-Dade County schools, the teachers who were scored very ineffective on the confidential assessment were on average deemed effective on the reports the principals filed with their districts.

The Kraft-Gilmour data, based on a survey of 157 principals and other evaluators, had them assessing 19 percent of teachers as below proficient to the researchers, but rating only 6 percent of those teachers that way in their official reports.

Kraft and Gilmour looked at teacher assessments in 24 states that have supposedly improved their systems after The Widget Effect exposed the empty optimism. There was no consistency. Only 9 percent of teachers were above proficient in Massachusetts, but 62 percent reached those heights in Tennessee.

In New Mexico, 29 percent were rated below proficient, compared with only 1 percent in Hawaii. Loewus said New Mexico seems to have thought better about being so tough and is moving to ease its standards.

If principal evaluations and test-score evaluations wont work, what will? The researchers mention the Peer Assistance and Review (PAR) systems that use independent teacher evaluators. In PAR systems like the one in Marylands Montgomery County, those trained people also help struggling teachers improve.

That approach has been praised for decades but is very expensive. I dont think it is going to supplant the easier and cheaper alternative of telling ineffective teachers they are doing just fine.
President Trump vowed to immediately deport bad hombres from the United States, but the latest statistics from federal immigration officials show that he is unlikely to meet his goal of expelling 2 million to 3 million criminals anytime soon.

In January, the United States deported 9,913 criminals. After a slight uptick under Trump, expulsions sank to 9,600 criminals in June, according to statistics requested by The Washington Post.

Mostly, deportations under the Trump administration have remained lower than in past years under the Obama administration. In the first six months of the year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported 61,370 immigrants with criminal records, down from 70,603 in the same period last year.

Advocates on both sides of the immigration debate said they think that the Trump administrations effort is still gathering steam and that ICE plans to expand deportations in the months ahead. Immigration arrests rose to 13,945 in June, 45 percent above Januarys total.

Deportations under Obama collapsed in the last few years, and turning that around isnt just a question of snapping your fingers, said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors stricter controls on immigration. Six months from now, we might see something very different.

During the election campaign, Trump vowed to target criminals for deportation and warned that they would be going out fast. Later, he suggested he would try to find a solution for the terrific people, such as those with clean records, but that has not materialized.

While people with criminal records account for three-fourths of the 75,000 immigration arrests this year, the fastest-growing target under Trump are immigrants without criminal records.

About 19,700 immigrants with no criminal records were arrested in the first half of the year, more than double the number in the same period last year. ICE has said that anyone in the United States illegally is subject to deportation, unlike under President Obama, who had said immigrants with long-standing ties to the United States and clean records were not a priority for deportation.

John Sandweg, an acting director of ICE under Obama, said the Trump administrations approach is likely sabotaging the presidents attempts to deport criminals by funneling more noncriminal cases into the clogged immigration courts, where some 600,000 cases are pending.

By focusing on noncriminal cases, youre burning resources that would otherwise be dedicated to criminals, he said. There are only so many seats on the bus.

Another major reason for the decline in deportations is that illegal border crossings have plunged since Trump took office, he said. Immigrants caught at the border accounted for more than half of deportations under the Obama administration since 2012, according to ICE records.

Overall, officials deported more than 105,000 immigrants in the first half of this year, 42 percent of whom had no criminal records, down from 121,170 in the same period last year.

Some advocates say Trumps jarring rhetoric may prompt some immigrants to leave on their own.

His administration has attacked sanctuary cities, localities that refuse to detain immigrants to be picked up by federal authorities, and has embraced legislation that would curb legal and illegal immigration. And he has floated the possibility that hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants protected from deportation under Obama might lose their permission to stay in the United States.

Texas and other states have threatened to sue the Trump administration by Sept. 5 if it does not stop renewing work permits for nearly 800,000 undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States since childhood. And Haitians, one of the first groups that could lose temporary protection granted after a devastating 2010 earthquake in the Caribbean country, are streaming into Canada.

Its pretty clear that they are moving inexorably to ramping up deportations by getting just about whoever they get their hands on, said Frank Sharry, executive director of Americas Voice, a nonprofit that advocates for immigrants.

ICE released the arrest and deportation figures late Thursday, two days after the Justice Department announced that from February to July, immigration courts ordered 57,069 people to leave the United States, a nearly 31 percent increase over the same period last year.

However, Justice officials have not said how many of the immigrants ordered deported were actually in custody  or whether their whereabouts are even known. Every year, thousands of immigrants are ordered deported in absentia, meaning that they did not attend their hearings and could not immediately be removed from the country.

Immigration arrest and court records are generally not available to the public, so the governments statistics could not be independently verified.
Cory Dennis, left, uses a voter-targeting mobile app to help Del. Christian Miele, right, canvass a Baltimore County neighborhood as the lawmaker campaigns for a state Senate seat. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

With Marylands governorship and General Assembly seats at stake in the 2018 election, the states Democratic and Republican parties are both testing new approaches to outreach and working more vigorously than in the past to boost turnout in their favor.

Armed with lists of independents and party affiliates who sat out recent midterm elections, party volunteers and candidates are canvassing neighborhoods virtually every weekend to convince voters that the upcoming races matter, focusing largely on battleground districts but also reaching into each others strongholds.

Democrats, who outnumber Republicans by 2 to 1 in Maryland, want to oust Gov. Larry Hogan (R) and shore up their veto-proof majorities in both chambers of the General Assembly amid a surge of grass-roots activism and anger toward President Trump, who is deeply unpopular in the state.

Republicans are pushing to build on their 2014 success, when they captured the governorship in an upset and took over nine legislative seats during a year of record-low turnout for Democratic voters. They want to reelect Hogan and break the Democratic supermajority by flipping at least five Senate seats held by Democrats.

The challenge at this point for both political parties is to make sure your base remains engaged and committed, said John Willis, a University of Baltimore politics professor and former Maryland secretary of state who worked with past Democratic campaigns.

Andrea Schorr, right, and Daryl Martin, center, collect feedback from independent voters like Heather Scott-Fagan, center left, while knocking on doors in downtown Fredericak as volunteers for the Maryland Democratic Party. (J. Lawler Duggan/For The Washington Post)

In 2014, voter turnout in the state dropped 11 percent compared with the previous gubernatorial election, including an 8 percent drop for registered Democrats. Some of the most significant declines occurred in Baltimore City, Montgomery and Prince Georges counties  traditional Democratic strongholds.

Willis said registered Democrats could take back the governorship by increasing their turnout by four points, or about 80,000 people, noting that Hogan won the office with about 66,000 more votes than his opponent, then-Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown (D).

The key to 2018 is mobilization and getting back to normal, Willis said. The margin can be closed very easily with a mobilization effort.

To that end, the Democratic Party has embarked on a 10,000-household listening tour that will last through fall, asking residents what they want from elected leaders before developing an overarching message for upcoming elections. Then it will pivot toward trying to persuade voters to show up at the polls and back its nominees.

Old-fashioned neighbor-to-neighbor conversations is the most effective tool in politics these days, Maryland Democratic Party chair Kathleen Matthews said. Data is crucial, but in terms of a process, its all about building trust and conversations with people.

The Republican Party, flush with cash since Hogan took office and hoping down-ballot candidates can piggyback on the governors sky-high approval ratings, has been similarly active, deploying canvassers to swing districts with a new mobile app that flags residents who are likely to consider GOP candidates.

Its no secret were outnumbered in voter registration, but we believe we can capitalize on Hogans popularity and a tight data operation to make sure that our voters  starting with Republicans but also independents and Democrats who will vote for Republicans from time to time  are going to be there for us in the governors and General Assembly races, Maryland GOP chair Dirk Haire said.

Miele talks to Baltimore County resident Perry Rose while campaigning. (Matt McClain/The Washington Post)

Both parties are trying to win over people like Perry Rose, a 51-year-old computer programmer who lives in a working-class neighborhood of eastern Baltimore County. He voted consistently as a Republican in the past but now describes himself as an independent, saying he grew disenchanted with the GOP in recent years.

Del. Christian J. Miele (R-Baltimore County), who is running for state Senate and was the first 2018 candidate to receive backing from Hogan, worked Roses neighborhood during a recent canvassing effort this month.

Rose recognized Miele from a recent stream cleanup event and greeted the candidate as he neared his property with campaign brochures, but didnt commit to supporting him in the next election.

I dont know what you stand for, but I know youre a good person, and I can at least say youre at the top of my mind, he said.

Miele asked Rose to call him later so he could lay out his policy positions.

Thats why you door-knock  because you dont know how someone like that is going to vote, Miele said. It sounds like hell support the person with the best ideas.

Frederick resident Heather Scott-Fagan is another potential prize for both parties. The 27-year-old lab technician, who said she typically votes only in presidential elections, described herself to Democratic canvassers this month as strongly left-leaning but named nonpartisan redistricting  something Hogan has pushed for the past two years  as a top priority.

When asked whether she wants to see Hogan reelected, she replied that she would rather see someone else.

Instead of waiting until after the primaries, the state Democratic Party has launched its field operations and voter outreach  roughly a year in advance.

Trumps election has bolstered Democratic recruiting.

Daryl Martin, a 62-year-old editor for government contractors who knocked on doors with the Frederick group this month, said she has not been involved in campaigning since 1972, when she stuffed mailboxes for then-Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern.

I did that and just disappeared until this election, she said. I got angry and decided I needed to do something.

Martin and a partner knocked on 15 doors and reached four residents over nearly three hours, using printed spreadsheets that did not list homes in a geographical order.

Haire says the GOP mobile app, which uses data such as voting history and consumer habitsto determine which residents might vote for the partys candidates, gives them an advantage.

The day after Martins outing, Miele knocked on 35 doors in a two-hour period and reached five people, with his app providing logical routes.

The Democratic Party has similar technology but didnt use it during the Frederick outing this month.

Both organizations are uploading residents responses to survey questions to build their databases and identify supporters, opponents or those consideredpersuadable.

Both parties are focused on political battlegrounds such as Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Frederick counties, all jurisdictions that Hogan won convincingly in 2014.

In Marylands 2016 Senate race, then-Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D), who won the seat, defeated House Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga (R-Baltimore County) by 16 points in the Republican candidates home jurisdiction, but he lost in Frederick and Anne Arundel counties by 4.2 points and 1.4 points, respectively.

State Sen. Ronald N. Young (D-Frederick), one of the GOPs top targets for 2018, said he feels confident about winning reelection if turnout is strong in the largely Democratic city of Frederick. Last weekend, he led more than 20 volunteers on a door-knocking campaign in his district.

Theres a good chance of some degree of a blue tide this time around, he said. Often during an off year, voters go the opposite direction of president, and this one is saying some things that could motivate people . . . but Im not going to rely on that. Im going to concentrate on turning out the votes myself.
Jamahri Sydnor spoke with the enthusiasm of a cheerleader and an eloquence beyond her years.

Whether the event was ordinary or exceptional, the 17-year-old approached it with unbridled energy and a broad smile. She jumped for joy for classmates who passed an exam or were accepted to college. She convinced a discouraged friend to stay in school and led an impromptu dance aboard a sightseeing boat around Manhattan.

She was so excited about her future and heading to Florida A&M University in about 10 days that she posted a copy of her acceptance letter on Twitter.

A single bullet ended her plans.

Sydnor died Saturday, two days after she was shot in the head by a stray bullet fired about 3:30 p.m. Thursday as she drove along a street in a Northeast Washington neighborhood.

Jamahri Sydnor, 17, was hit by a stray bullet as she drove along a street in Northeast on Thursday afternoon and died Saturday. (Jamahri Sydnor/Photo courtesy of AMee Barnes)

Police said she remained on life support until Saturday, a difficult state for her friends to comprehend as they recalled her upbeat demeanor. There was never a day I saw her she didnt have a smile on her face, said Patrice Arrington, the college and career coordinator at her school, Woodrow Wilson High in Northwest Washington.

Even if there was something going on in her life, she never let anyone see that, Arrington said.

Sydnor was also there for friends in need. She would be the person you looked for if you were having a bad day, said Timia Hargrove, 17, a friend since grade school.

Sydnor was shot in a car in the 1400 block of Saratoga Avenue NE as she drove a younger relative home.

A police report said that two shooters emerged from bushes where the had been hiding and opened fire on a group across the street. A single bullet hit Sydnor just as she passed. A bystander, who had stepped out from an apartment building, was struck in the buttocks.

Police arrested a suspect the day after the shooting and were searching for two others as of Sunday.

Philip Carlos McDaniel, 21, of Northeast Washington was charged with assault with intent to kill. Court documents say he denied being a shooter but told police that he drove two men to a spot near the shooting scene about the time Sydnor was shot.

The Wilson graduate had planned in about a week to be at orientation at Florida A&M in Tallahassee, a new chapter that so thrilled her that after she received her acceptance letter by email March 30 at 1:19 p.m., she posted it on Twitter by 3:26 p.m. And as summer went on, she counted down the days in tweets: august 22 is coming soooo slow.

College was only one of the big events upcoming for Sydnor, who grew up in the District. Her sister was to have been married Friday.

Sydnors mother is a 30-year police veteran who has worked as a detective in the homicide unit and is now assigned to the youth division handling sexual abuse cases. Relatives did not respond to interview requests.

Arrington helped guide Sydnor to college and recalled the teenagers personality.

As she grew passionate, her voice got louder and louder, Arrington said. She got excited over the simplest things, anything to brighten the day.

In the college hunt, the University of Oklahoma briefly caught her favor.

She was super excited, Arrington said. All you could hear from her the days before the school visited was, Oklahoma is coming! Oklahoma is coming! She jumped up and down when the rep came.

In the end, though, a visit to Florida won her over.

At Wilson, Sydnor was captain of the cheerleading squad, rooting for the Tigers football and basketball teams. She also sang in the choir and helped the group win a top award at a competition for choral jazz this summer in New York City. She was a peer counselor at school and helped classmates through tough times.

One was AMee Barnes, 18. She didnt like school but said Sydnor encouraged her to keep working, and the two graduated together.

They stopped, no matter what they were doing, and danced  they had danced together since grade school  when 24K Magic by Bruno Mars played. When Barnes stayed out too late, Sydnor told her to get home, earning her the nickname Mom among her friends.

Barnes said that she had exchanged text messages with Sydnor shortly before the shooting, discussing how they grew up so fast but were excited for the future.

Shes extraordinary because nobody can have a personality like her, said Barnes, who also sang in the choir. She grabs peoples attention. You want to be drawn to her.

The Wilson choir director, Lori A. Williams, described Sydnor as a great singer with a great sense of humor. During the trip to New York, Williams said, Sydnor poked fun at Williamss attempt to ensure her charges didnt wander from their hotel rooms by putting tape over the doors and the frames.

Jamahri was very devoted to friendship, Williams said. Ive seen her get very emotional about making sure she kept lasting relationships.

In the classroom, teachers said, Sydnor maintained her boisterous ways, even while focused on the lessons.

Michele Bollinger, who taught a class on the history of D.C. government, said contentious issues of race, policing and politics were frequent topics.

She said Sydnor used her perspective from her mothers career on the police force to offer, and respect, alternative opinions on law enforcements relationship with the black community.

She thought critically about issues, Bollinger said. She definitely held views very much in line with defending the victims of police violence. But she said Sydnor understood nuanced arguments made by police and wasnt afraid to share them in class.

I respected her ability to [do] that, Bollinger said. It was a great class. Jamahri made it better.

She did the same with President Trump in Eden McCauslins government class. Jamahri was open to understanding and trying to know the people who voted for him, McCauslin said. She was mature and willing to see other peoples perspectives, even though she might not agree with them.

Hargrove, Sydnors childhood friend, said all Sydnor could talk about was going to college, how she felt at home there. She told me she wanted to start a new chapter in her life. . . . I just want to remember her as the happy spirit everybody wanted to be around.

Donna St. George contributed to this report.
D.C. firefighters helped rescue occupants of cars Saturday evening, after waters rose at low-lying points on two principal thoroughfares.

One rescue came in the 600 block of Rhode Island Avenue NE, where the avenue passes beneath railroad and Metro tracks. Firefighters deployed a flat-bottomed rubber boat in t hat incident.

In the second incident, firefighters went to the aid of occupants of a vehicle stalled in high water in the underpass that carries 16th Street NW below Scott Circle.

About half an inch of rain fell at Reagan National Airport in a brief period between 8 and 9 p.m. according to National Weather Service figures. Much of the area is saturated with runoff from recent heavy rains.
Police in Charlottesville came under criticism for failing to keep apart warring white nationalists and counterprotesters who battled it out in the city streets Saturday amid what at first seemed an anemic response from authorities.

Anger over how the police responded came from all directions and intensified after the death of a woman struck by a car that plowed into a group of counterprotesters. Experts said police appeared outnumbered, ill-prepared and inexperienced.

The worst part is that people got hurt, and the police stood by and didnt do a g------- thing, David Copper, 70, of Staunton, Va., said after an initial morning melee at a park that went unchecked by police for several minutes.

Fourteen people were injured in clashes, and 19 others were hurt in the car crash. Later, two Virginia State Police troopers died when their helicopter smashed into trees at the edge of town and burst into flames. The loss of the police officers only compounded the calamity on a day that pushed police, city officials and residents to their limits.

Cable news replayed a seemingly endless loop of the early violence at Emancipation Park, which police in riot gear had surrounded on three sides, although they seemed to watch as groups beat each other with sticks and bludgeoned one another with shields. Many on both sides came dressed for battle, with helmets and chemical irritants.

1 of 52 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad  Tensions rise as white nationalists hold a rally in Charlottesville, Va. View Photos White nationalists, met by counterprotesters, held a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville after torch-bearing protesters marched through the University of Virginia campus the night before. During the rally, a vehicle plowed into a crowd marching peacefully through downtown Charlottesville. Caption White nationalists, met by counterprotesters, held a Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville after torch-bearing protesters marched through the University of Virginia campus the night before. During the rally, a vehicle plowed into a crowd marching peacefully through downtown Charlottesville. Aug. 12, 2017 A white nationalist and a counterprotester face off. Evelyn Hockstein/for The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue.

At one point, police appeared to retreat and then watch the beatings before eventually moving in to end the free-for-all, make arrests and tend to the injured. Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) declared a state of emergency about 11 a.m. and activated the Virginia National Guard.

The whole point is to have overwhelming force so that people dont get the idea they can do these kinds of things and get away with it, said Charles H. Ramsey, who headed both the District and Philadelphia police departments.

Demonstrators and counterdemonstrators need to be in sight and sound of each other, but somebody has to be in between, he said. Thats usually the police.

Complicating the dynamics was the fact that several dozen groups of armed militias  men in full camouflage toting assault-style weapons  were in the middle of the crowds. Some claimed that they were there to keep the peace, although none appeared to try to stop the skirmishes.

Cornel West, the prominent professor and writer who attended a morning church service at First Baptist Church in Charlottesville with a large group of clergy members, said the police didnt do anything in terms of protecting the people of the community, the clergy.

West said that if it hadnt been for the anti-fascists protecting us from the neo-fascists, we would have been crushed like cockroaches.

Richard Spencer, the white nationalist and one of the leaders of the rally, said police failed to protect groups with which he is affiliated. We came here as a demonstration of our movement, Spencer said. And we were effectively thrown to the wolves. The police, he said, did not protect us.

Local and state authorities declined to address specific questions about how the demonstration was handled or their strategy for the day. The citys mayor, police chief, city manager and McAuliffe also did not answer questions at an early-evening news conference.

Al Thomas, the police chief, said only that the city will be reviewing events of the day over coming weeks and months.

McAuliffe thanked law enforcement officers and noted that this could have been a much worse day today. He put the blame squarely on the white nationalists who came here to hurt people.

He added, without mentioning a specific incident, And you did hurt people.

Lt. Joseph Hatter, a commander with the Charlottesville police, said officers tried to create separate areas for protesters and counterprotesters to reduce the violence. But, he conceded: It didnt work, did it? I think there was a plan to have them separated. They didnt want to be separated.

About the apparent delay in reacting to the violence, Hatter said, I dont know that we did wait. I think we did the best we could under the circumstances. He declined to elaborate.

State Del. David J. Toscano (D-Charlottesville), minority leader of Virginias House, praised the response by Charlottesville and state police.

Things were getting out of hand in the skirmishes between the alt-right and what I would describe as the outside agitators who wanted to encourage violence, he said.

Asked why police did not intervene sooner, Toscano said he could not comment. He said they trained hard to prepare for the demonstration and it might have been that they were waiting for a more effective time to get people out of the park.

Experts on handling large demonstrations said authorities in Charlottesville are likely not as prepared for such events, which occur with more regularity in such cities as New York and Washington. They also said that separating antagonists is paramount.

Big cities handle this stuff all the time, said Eugene ODonnell, a former police officer and prosecutor in New York City. It seems an enormous stretch for Charlottesville and even for the state police.

A professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, he added that planning on paper can vaporize pretty quickly and many police think that if you do nothing, its less bad than if you do something. . . . Police departments need to learn to strike a balance and create safe zones for people preaching hate.

But he also said that, too often, the police are faulted for the poor choices of others.

When people run amok and cause damage, people blame the police, ODonnell said. When police act proactively, they get blamed for overreaching. People ask, Why werent you more patient? 

Laura Vozzella and Sarah Larimer contributed to this report. Heim and Silverman reported from Charlottesville. Hermann reported from Washington.
Two women were stabbed in Arlington Saturday night in the Courthouse area, and a third woman was taken into custody, the police said.

The incident occurred about 5:50 p.m. at Courthouse Road and N. 15th Street said deputy chief Daniel J. Murray.

He said passersby aided the victims and helped detain someone at the scene.

The women were taken to a hospital with wounds described as critical, authorities said.
The furious wind and rain witnessed Friday evening in Fauquier and western Prince William counties in Virginia were part of an intense storm that produced a small tornado.

The National Weather Service said Saturday that it had confirmed a brief tornado near Broad Run in Fauquier County.

Rated at EF-0, the lowest level on the tornado intensity scale, the twister uprooted many trees and snapped big branches along a 1.2-mile path that ran just south of John Marshall Highway and also Interstate 66, according to the Weather Service.

Striking shortly after 6 p.m. and paralleling the two roads, it followed a track about 100 yards wide as it headed east toward the border between Fauquier and Prince William counties, according to the Weather Service.

Brittany Rogers, who was in a car on I-66 near Haymarket, said visibility fell to zero and drivers stopped.

Fridays twister came in the same week as a far more powerful tornado toppled trees and damaged houses in Salisbury, on Marylands Eastern Shore.

Although Fridays storms seemed most intense in Northern Virginia, they demonstrated their strength in Maryland as well, with two houses possibly struck by lightning.

And as if it was not wet enough on Friday, rain returned Saturday night. It postponed the D.C. United soccer game, as the team cited both inclement weather and conditions on the field, which appeared to resemble the legendary swamp.

It delayed by about three hours the start of the Washington Nationals baseball game.

In addition, trees continued to topple in Virginia, Maryland and the District.

Wind gusts of at least 40 mph were measured in several spots.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 10:37:53|Editor: Song Lifang

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WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- The death toll climbed to three in link with violent white nationalist rally held on Saturday in Charlottesville, a historic college town in the U.S. state of Virginia, police said.

Two people were killed after a police helicopter crashed 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Charlottesville, following at least one death with 19 injured in a car crash Saturday afternoon after the police dispersed the "Unite the Right" rally in the downtown.

"I have a message to white supremacists and nazis who came into Charlottesville today," Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe said at a televised press conference on Saturday evening.

"Go home. You are not patriots. You came here today to hurt people. There is no place for you here, there is no place for you in America," the governor said.

Hours earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump said he condemned "in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides." But he did not mention white nationalists and the alt-right movement in his remarks.

Video on social media showed a car at high speed rear-ended another car, then backed up and rammed into pedestrians. Local police later said the car driver who rammed into crowd now is in custody.

Just before the incident, thousands of white nationalists, neo-Confederates and right-wing protesters, as well as groups that oppose them, clashed at the Emancipation Park, the planned site of the rally.

There are reports of urine being tossed at reporters and the air is said to be filled with pepper spray, mace and tear gas. Many protesters are young men in their 20s or 30s, some of them even looking to be teenagers.

McAuliffe declared a state of emergency before 11:00 a.m. local time (1500 GMT), one hour before the march officially kicked off. However, white nationalist leader Richard Spencer reportedly vowed that they would gather again for a future protest against the city's decision to remove a bronze statue of pro-slavery Confederate General Robert Lee in the Emancipation Park.

"This represents a turning point for the people of this country," former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke spoke at the rally. "We are determined to take our country back. We are going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump."

Before the Saturday rally, hundreds of white supremacists marched through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville on Friday night, waving torches and chanting "White lives matter", "You will not replace us", "Jews will not replace us" and so on.

Many protesters "express beliefs that directly contradict our community's values of diversity, inclusion and mutual respect," Teresa Sullivan, president of the University of Virginia, said in another statement released hours before the rally.

Charlottesville, home of Thomas Jefferson and the University of Virginia, has become the latest Southern battleground over the contested removal of Confederate monuments.

In April, the city council voted to remove the statue of Robert Lee. The removal is on hold pending litigation but has angered many white supremacists since the council voting. On July 8, about three dozen members of a regional Ku Klux Klan group protested in the city.
Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with any advertisers on this site.

During summers heat, its easy to become dehydrated without realizing it. And dehydration, which occurs when you lose more water via sweat and urine than youve taken in, can be especially dangerous for older adults.

A lack of sufficient fluid in the body can temporarily cause confusion and put you at risk for falls. When severe, dehydration can lead to a rapid or irregular heart rate, low blood pressure, fainting and even death. How much water you have affects every body system, says Jodi Stookey, an epidemiologist in San Francisco.

Staying well hydrated becomes more difficult with age because your sense of thirst tends to diminish with time. Diuretics, often prescribed for high blood pressure and heart failure, can exaggerate water loss. But you can protect yourself. Heres how:

Know the signs

Dehydration can be challenging to detect as we age because classic signs such as dry mouth, thirst, fatigue and skin that doesnt spring back quickly when pinched can also be caused by other factors. In fact, a 2015 review of research by the independent Cochrane Collaboration found that there was no single reliable test for dehydration.

The color of your urine can sometimes be a clue. In general, healthy urine is the shade of pale straw. The darker your urine, the less hydrated you may be. But aspirin, multivitamins and certain fruits and vegetables can also affect the shade of your urine.

If you suspect you might be dehydrated based on your urines color and/or the other signs mentioned, try drinking two to three full glasses of water during the course of an hour or two, advises Marvin M. Lipman, Consumer Reports chief medical adviser. If you still have symptoms of dehydration or dont urinate within four hours, its wise to contact your doctor.

Getting enough

So how much  and what  should you drink? Theres really no overarching rule, and whats appropriate can vary a good bit from person to person. Generally speaking, the heavier, taller and more active you are (and the hotter and more humid the weather is), the more fluids you need to take in to cover your losses. To make sure you get enough:

Drink before you feel parched. To make up for that reduced sense of thirst, sip preemptively. By the time you feel thirsty, you might be mildly dehydrated.

Sip small amounts throughout the day. If you find it difficult to consume a full glass of water all at once, drink a bit at a time, but frequently. Carrying a water bottle with you at all times can help remind you to drink.

Include other beverages and foods. All beverages (other than alcoholic drinks) will hydrate you, and that includes caffeinated drinks. Coffee and tea are mild diuretics, so they can cause you to urinate more. But they will add more to your liquid stores than youll lose, says Janet Mentes, a professor at the UCLA School of Nursing. Soup, fruits and vegetables are also good sources of liquid.

Take your health into consideration. Ask your doctor whether medical conditions you have or medications you take affect your hydration needs. And keep in mind that some health conditions, such as kidney disease and congestive heart failure, may make it dangerous to take in too much fluid. Your doctor can guide you.

Three surprising causes

Taking in too little liquid is an important factor in dehydration, but the following play a role as well:

Infections that cause diarrhea, vomiting, excessive sweating and fever. Tara Cortes of New York University suggests calling a doctor if you vomit repeatedly or have a fever of more than 101 degrees for more than a day or diarrhea for more than two days.

Medication that causes the kidneys to produce more urine, such as diuretics. Some over-the-counter drugs, such as laxatives, may also cause water loss.

Health conditions, such as poorly controlled diabetes, that lead to excessive water loss. A 2016 study in the Annals of Family Medicine found that obese people were more likely than others to be inadequately hydrated. Having dementia, Parkinsons disease or a stroke can also increase the chances of dehydration.

Copyright 2017, Consumer Reports, Inc.
African Americans have the highest rate of age-adjusted obesity (48 percent) of all ethnic groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (By contrast, the rate for non-Hispanic whites is 34.5 percent.) A recently discovered genetic variant unique to African Americans may help explain why.

About 1 percent of African Americans, West Africans and others of African ancestry carry a variant of the semaphorin-4D (SEMA4D) gene, which increases their obesity risk.

So far, we have not seen this variant in non-African Americans or non-Africans, says Charles N. Rotimi, chief of the National Human Genome Research Institutes metabolic, cardiovascular and inflammatory disease genomics branch, who led the study that found the variant. Not everyone who carries it is obese, but if you carry it, your risk of obesity is very high.

To investigate the genomic basis of obesity in continental Africans, Rotimi and colleagues scanned the complete sets of DNA of thousands of individuals, looking for genetic changes linked to obesity. Thats where they found the variant, which is absent in both Europeans and Asians.

By studying people of West Africa, the ancestral home of most African Americans, and replicating our results in a large group of African Americans, we are providing new insights into biological pathways for obesity that have not been previously explored, says Ayo P. Doumatey, a staff scientist in Rotimis lab and a co-author of the study.

Those with the variant were about six pounds heavier than those who did not have it, according to the study.

Six pounds may not seem excessive, but shedding that weight could have a significant effect on diabetes rates, Rotimi says.

African Americans disproportionately suffer from diabetes. For example, they are 1.7 times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Six pounds population-wide is a huge amount, Rotimi says. If you could get Americans to drop six pounds, you probably could reduce the rate of [Type 2] diabetes by 10 percent. Dropping six pounds could make a tremendous difference in health status.

 Marlene Cimons

Read more

African Americans are more likely than whites to develop Alzheimers. Why?

Why two black pastors are suing Coca-Cola
NEW YORK

Maggot case sparks call for investigation

A New York lawmaker is demanding a federal investigation into the states care for the disabled after a recent Associated Press article revealed the case of a man infested with maggots in a state-run group home.

Democratic Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi of Utica said Saturday that he is asking the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate the home and other state-regulated facilities for the disabled where there have been allegations of abuse and neglect.

Steven Wenger, 41, was twice found to have maggots crawling around his breathing tube in a state-owned and -operated small group home in Rome, N.Y., last summer. Wenger cannot walk, talk or feed himself after suffering severe brain trauma in a 1991 car crash.

A state investigation concluded that the infestation was the result of neglect and that caregivers failed to properly care for Wenger, yet no caregivers were disciplined.

 Associated Press

FLORIDA

Police: Man dies after punch by Uber driver

A statement Saturday from St. Petersburg police said Terry L. Kimball, 56, had died more than a day after losing consciousness after being punched by his Uber driver.

According to the statement, Kimball and the 38-year-old male driver had a dispute over the route the driver was taking Thursday evening.

Police said the driver pulled over at a convenience store, where the men started fighting.

Police said the driver punched Kimball, who was hospitalized with serious brain trauma. He never regained consciousness.

The driver has not been charged, and police said the investigation remained open.

 Associated Press

HAWAII

Battle begins over heiresss estate

The $200 million estate of a 91-year-old descendant of Hawaiian royalty has become the focus of a dispute between her lawyer and her longtime partner.

Campbell Estate heiress Abigail Kawananakoa suffered an acute stroke in June. On July 24, a state judge granted her lawyer, James Wright, control of her estate. Wrights lawyer, Frank Kanemitsu, wrote in court papers that Kawananakoa is unable to meet essential requirements of physical health, safety, self-care or financial matters, even with assistance.

But Kawananakoas partner, Veronica Gail Worth, disputes the claim. The heiress is still capable of making financial decisions, Worth says.

Her attorney, Michael Rudy, said a panel of three psychological experts will examine Kawananakoa and the first has already found her mentally competent. Another evaluation is being processed, he said.

Worth has been Kawananakoas partner for more than 20 years and has health-care power of attorney for her.

 Associated Press

Ex-officer charged with murder cites tribal membership: A white former Oklahoma police officer facing a fourth trial in the fatal shooting of his daughters black boyfriend said state prosecutors dont have standing to try him because hes a member of an American Indian tribe. Citing his membership in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, ex-Tulsa officer Shannon Kepler asked a judge Friday to dismiss the case because the 2014 shooting happened on tribal territory. The Tulsa World reported that Kepler was issued a Creek Nation citizenship identification card Thursday. Keplers attorney cited a Tuesday decision by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that overturned the conviction and death sentence of Oklahoma inmate Patrick Murphy. Murphy argued that state courts lacked jurisdiction because he was a Creek Nation member and the killing occurred on tribal land.

30 years later, museum gets stolen piece back: More than three decades after thieves made off with a valuable painting from the University of Arizona Museum of Art, officials said they have recovered the piece from an antiques dealer in New Mexico. Curators at the museum that was home to Willem de Koonings Woman-Ochre spent years hoping to get it back after two people stole it the day after Thanksgiving in 1985. That dream came true when David Van Auker called the museum from Silver City, N.M. Marketing Manager Gina Compitello-Moore said Auker bought the painting at an estate sale. He later began researching it and read an article about the heist that depicted an identical-looking piece.

Mother of beach-dwelling monk seal pup swims away: A Hawaiian monk seal pup named Kaimana that was born on a Waikiki beach and made his way three times into the Waikiki Natatorium War Memorial has been left by his mother. That has led officials to think that the pup is weaned and could be relocated in a few days. The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reports officials have had plans to relocate the pup to an undisclosed Oahu location after being weaned by his mother, named Rocky. She swam away from the pup Friday.

 From news services


Tim Weyer tours his ranch, which was consumed by late-July wildfires, in Sand Springs, Mont. (Rion Sanders/Associated Press)

In this part of Montanas rugged eastern prairie, Erwin Weder and the other ranchers and cowboys are not used to feeling kicked around. But as Weder drives his pickup truck onto a bluff to gaze out over Big Sky Country, he feels a bit defeated.

Hundreds of miles of meadows and scrub grass that feed tens of thousands of beef cattle are gone, replaced by the charred soil and smoldering prairie dog burrows that the states largest wildfire in nearly three decades has left behind. But after the massive multimillion-dollar firefight, another battle has emerged in the wide open spaces where there is often distrust of the government: What should the federal role be in helping Montanas livestock industry respond to, and recover from, the blaze.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) originally rejected Montanas request for assistance, a process that ranchers say left them feeling forgotten and misunderstood by Washington. Now, many in this deeply conservative region are weighing their wariness about bureaucrats against their need for help.

We lost 70 percent of our grass, which means 70 percent of our revenue, said Weder, 41, who is trying to locate hundreds of cattle that scattered as the flames tore across his 65,000-acre ranch. I dont think people truly understand what an acre of grass is worth to us . . . and the millions of dollars that will be lost over the next few years.

Local officials across the United States worry that it is becoming more difficult to secure help from FEMA for all sorts of natural disasters. Since January, members of Congress and state officials have protested initial FEMA denials following a tornado outbreak in Louisiana, flooding in North Carolina, and snowstorms in Pennsylvania and Oregon.

(Taylor Turner/The Washington Post)

The Trump administration has been hinting that it might limit federal spending on disaster relief and preparation, and FEMA is considering whether to draft regulations to shift more responsibility for rebuilding to the states. The creation of disaster deductibles  which states would have to exhaust before FEMA offers federal assistance  was first proposed under the Obama administration.

The new administration says it is following established criteria for responding to disasters, and it has not indicated clear standards for when it plans to step in with disaster assistance, especially in cases that affect relatively localized areas. President Trumps proposed 2018 budget includes more money for disaster assistance but reduces preparedness grants by $667 million, something that has sparked dismay among state officials. In March, Trump also proposed an 11 percent cut to FEMAs 2017 budget to help fund construction of his proposed border wall. But after denying a wave of disaster assistance requests earlier this year, FEMA has recently begun reversing some of those initial findings, including a recent announcement that it would send aid to Oregon to help it recover from a series of snowstorms.

Trump recently went to FEMA headquarters and vowed that the agency would quickly and effectively respond if a hurricane strikes the United States this year, but states remain unclear what help theyll get and when theyll get it.

FEMA Administrator William B. Brock Long said in a recent interview that agency grant funding for disaster preparedness has been trending down since 2010, reflecting a philosophical question: Should the federal government fully sustain programs at the state level or should the federal funding serve as a catalyst?

Long said he believes that preparedness, response and recovery are a shared responsibility and that states should have rainy day funds to support their localities when the federal government supports not coming to town.

We cant afford to completely sustain or supplement programs through federal grants alone, Long said. This is a partnership. We have to have an honest conversation with states, with state and local governments, as to what is the right balance for sustaining programs in responding and recovery.

[Trump administration weighs cuts to Coast Guard, airport security]

In Sand Springs, where ranchers sometimes must drive an hour to reach their neighbors, FEMA faces new conflict over the value of the grass that nurtures the nations food supply.

The value of a disaster cant be summed up in property damage here, a highway outpost that consists of a post office, church, general store and a one-room school with three students. The real cost of the fire is measured in the loss of meadow and wheat grasses that sustain an estimated 50,000 cows.



A wildfire burns near Sand Springs, Mont., on July 23. Massive wildfires across Montana destroyed at least a dozen homes and led ranchers to cut escape routes in fences for cattle. (Rebecca Noble/Associated Press)

The Lodgepole Complex fire scorched 425 square miles, about twice the size of Chicago. It ranks as the third-largest fire in the settled history of the northern Rocky Mountain region, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

After a lightning storm sparked the blaze July 19, FEMAs initial denial of the states general request for disaster assistance while the fire was raging angered local officials, who viewed it as another disconnect between Washington and the heartland. They argue that too much federal money goes to populated areas even though Montanans pay their taxes, too.

The federal government needs to understand, not everything comes from the city, said Teddy Robertson, a commissioner in Garfield County, which includes Sand Springs and has the third-lowest population density of any county in the continental United States. To have FEMA turn us down, it was like a slap in the face that we dont matter.

Montanas congressional delegation pressured FEMA to reverse its decision, and the agency says it agreed to compensate the state through its Fire Management Assistance Program four days later. The federal agency said in a statement that there have not been changes to FEMA policy in regards to federal assistance or reimbursement for disaster related expenses.

FEMAs fire assistance program reimburses states for 75 percent of the costs associated with battling wildfires. State and county officials estimate theyve spent about $9 million extinguishing the Lodgepole blaze, which was brought under control July 29.



Wildland firefighters battle a large wildfire north of Mosby, Mont., on July 21. (Bureau of Land Management/Reuters)

Bruce Suenram, Montanas deputy fire and aviation chief since 2009, said this is the first time he can recall that Montana had to aggressively push for FEMA firefighting assistance.

It would certainly be beneficial to us all if we had more specific criteria that we knew we had to meet, so we dont waste each others time, he said.

W. Craig Fugate, who served as FEMA administrator during President Barack Obamas second term, said he suspects Montana struggled to get its request approved because the fire didnt threaten enough homes. He added that ranchers and farmers are considered businesses and typically are not eligible for FEMA assistance.

I was always amazed by how many people decide, as a business, that I have this loss and that I want someone else to pay for it  and from this part of the world, that doesnt like red tape and doesnt like a lot of things until they need something, said Fugate, who added that states would do more to mitigate risk if they had to shoulder a greater share of disaster recovery costs.

Now that the firefighting funding has been sorted out, it is unclear what the federal government will do in terms of helping to restore the grasslands and assisting the businesses and people that rely on them. Local ranchers here say they could face an especially dire situation if the drought persists into next year because the scorched prairie can only rejuvenate if it gets much-needed rain.

Before declaring a fire emergency, FEMA evaluates threats to property and critical infrastructure, availability of resources and potential for major economic impact.

In Garfield County, where 1,300 residents are scattered across an area nearly twice the size of Delaware, local officials say it isnt easy to document the full scope of a disaster. When theres a major fire here, residents respond with their own water and pumper trucks to battle it, making it difficult to track expenses.

Residents say it could take weeks or months to determine how many cattle were killed in a fire so large it took helicopters three hours to fly around its perimeter.

Its hard to assess value, with boots on the ground, when you have more cows than homes, said Anne Miller, a Garfield County official who is helping to coordinate relief efforts. You are not just pulling home values and land records.

Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) was initially irate over FEMAs stance but later credited Long, the FEMA administrator, for realizing that lots of peoples life support was burning up. But Tester, a fifth-generation wheat farmer, said broader discussions are needed about how FEMA values disasters that dont involve loss of life or buildings, especially as it relates to the impact of climate change.

In northeastern Montana, July was among the warmest months on record and the first seven months of the year the driest period in 110 years, according to the National Weather Service.

I think there needs to be a realization by this president, climate change is real, and our fire season is getting longer and more intense, Tester said.

Thats trouble for ranchers, who rely on paychecks that come once a year. Cows spend all summer munching on grass while raising calves. After the fall roundup, calves are separated from their mothers and are sold for about $1,000 each. That payday depends largely on whether mother cows can find enough grass or hay to keep nursing.

Relying on the federal government is at odds with the culture here, especially in a county where 91 percent of voters supported Donald Trump at the polls in November. As Weder put it, Most here would rather starve than be on welfare.



Travis Brown, 33, of Sand Springs, Mont., stands next to a fence at a cattle corral while waiting for local cowboys to divert some of his cattle into a transport vehicle. (Tim Craig/The Washington Post)

Travis Brown, who owns the L.O. Cattle Co. in Sand Springs, easily recites the family motto about why his great-grandfather moved to the region from Texas around 1918: To carve out a ranch from the sheer force of work and will.

Brown, 33, owns about 1,300 cattle on 93 square miles of ranchland that gradually slopes up from creek beds into foothills marked by remnants of original homesteader settlements. With antelope and mule deer leaping through his fields, he and his border collie, Gert, spent much of the week after the fire just trying to find his cows.

Generally, Brown said, it requires about 40 acres of grassland to sustain one cow and calf for a year. When that grass disappears, ranchers must purchase hay, and a lactating cow can eat 20 to 40 pounds of it each day. At $150 per ton of hay, that can work out to more than $2,000 per day in unexpected costs for his herd.

We are all asking, What are we going to feed these cows?  said Brown, who lives on the ranch with his wife, the areas only dentist. And if we mishandle this recovery period, we could do longer-term damage to the land.

To the unease of some environmentalists, the federal government has offered up one short-term solution: Allowing affected ranchers to move their cattle into the 1.1 million-acre Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, one of the nations largest, north of here along the Missouri River. Paul Santavy, the refuges manager, said the Interior Department approved emergency regulations allowing grazing there  at a monthly fee of $29 per cow-calf pair  until November.

People said, We are not looking for a handout. We just need help and somewhere to put our cows . . . and we have the ability to do that, Santavy said, adding that biologists expect no environmental disruption to the refuge.

Matthew Bliss is rounding up his cattle to transport them to the refuge, which he says will cost him about $60,000 in grazing fees. Without the service, Bliss said he would have to jam his herd into a feedlot, where they would stand largely stationary or be sold off prematurely.

We are gracious for the help because, right now, my cows are just not happy, Bliss said. Asked whether he would also welcome other federal help, Bliss bent his head down toward his dashboard. Well, he said, before an extended pause, we like to do our own thing. . . . We already feel they do enough.



A house stands amid blackened range where the Lodgepole Complex fire jumped the Montana Highway 200 near Mosby. (Bureau of Land Management/Reuters)

Joel Achenbach in Washington contributed to this report.
Jennifer Kostoff kisses her 4-month-old daughter, Rikki, at her Granite City, Ill., home on July 26. Kostoff became pregnant when she relapsed as a heroin user. (Whitney Curtis/For The Washington Post)

Jennifer Kostoff had been in a heroin rehabilitation program for a little more than a week when a routine blood screen showed she was pregnant. Caregivers told her she would have to leave. She could be a liability.

The inpatient center near her Granite City, Ill., home had prescribed her Suboxone  a drug often used to control cravings and drug withdrawal symptoms  but said last September that it could harm her unborn child. Kostoff worried that withdrawal wouldnt be safe for the baby, either. And would seeking treatment elsewhere lead her to trouble with law enforcement or a loss of custody of her baby?

Most people think, How could you not stop with a baby in your belly?  Kostoff said. But the physical cravings, the mental cravings, they take over despite whats going on with your body.

As the nations opioid crisis has deepened, the number of drug treatment centers for pregnant women has grown. But experts and advocates say there arent enough services for pregnant women to meet the demand, and many dont offer the drugs doctors would normally use to treat addiction because they are concerned about the effects they might have on a fetus. And some laws requiring that babies going through withdrawal be removed from their mothers care can be a deterrent to seeking help, they said.

[Trump says opioid crisis is a national emergency]

Jennifer Kostoff takes a break on her porch. Kostoff received treatment during her pregnancy from the Women and Infant Substance Help (WISH) Center at SSM Health St. Marys Hospital in St. Louis, and credits that treatment as key to her recovery and her childs health. (Whitney Curtis/For The Washington Post)

Nineteen states have either created or funded drug treatment programs for pregnant women; 24 states and the District of Columbia consider drug use during pregnancy to be child abuse under civil child-welfare statutes, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights research and advocacy organization.

Fewer than a quarter of the nations substance abuse treatment centers offer services tailored to pregnant or postpartum women, according to the most recent survey from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. Of those centers, a fraction offer recovery drugs to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Experts say that quitting drug use without the use of such medications has a higher incidence of relapse and can be stressful on a fetus.

Oftentimes what I see is that we treat pregnant women even worse than we treat the general population with opioid use disorder, said Stephen Patrick, a neonatologist and assistant professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville. We should be offering them more compassion.

But some doctors and caregivers are wary of pregnant women receiving opioid addiction treatment drugs, which carry the potential for abuse.

And child-welfare advocates and law enforcement officers are reeling from cases in which parents seem to choose drugs over their young children.

In April, a mother who was abusing pills and heroin in Utah crushed Suboxone pills and rubbed them onto her newborn daughters gums while nurses were out of the room, hoping to mask the childs symptoms of drug withdrawal. She and the babys father were later arrested.

Two people in Allegheny County, Pa., were found dead in their home last October after their 7-year-old daughter told her bus driver she couldnt wake her parents. Local police found three other children in the home; one of them was 9 months old.

Butler County, Ohio, Sheriff Richard K. Jones told The Washington Post in July that three babies were born in his jail within 18 months and that the judges, to save the babies had sentenced the mothers to jail, only to find that the women induce labor so they can get back out and do more heroin.

Throughout periods of alarm regarding drug abuse, some state legislatures have passed laws directing pregnant women to seek treatment or face arrest. Such laws exist in Alabama and Wisconsin, and Missouri state Rep. Jered Taylor (R) has introduced a bill that would make nonprescription drug use while pregnant a misdemeanor offense, which he said could encourage women to quit using.

If theyre able to successfully complete a treatment program, the sentence is dropped, Taylor said. Im open to changes, but this has been a huge problem, and I dont think enough people realize it.

Doctors in many states are legally required to report cases involving newborn withdrawal symptoms directly to child-welfare agencies. It was estimated in 2012 that in the United States, a baby was born with withdrawal symptoms every 25 minutes. Babies exposed to drugs are also at higher risk for preterm birth and low birth weight, and studies show that they could have long-term behavioral problems.

Some advocacy groups worry that mandatory reporting regulations could make women fearful of coming forward for help.

We have to ensure that people have access where there are medications like methadone, buprenorphine, Subutex, to those services, not only because it might benefit the future child but because it benefits the person herself, said Lynn Paltrow, executive director and founder of National Advocates for Pregnant Women.

Knowledge of the child-welfare reporting requirement in some states and a lack of information about its intentions can lead women to assume theyll immediately lose custody of their child if the baby tests positive for illicit drugs.

Thats what drove Desiree Richardson away from care.

In February 2016, Richardson went into labor on a snowy, residential road in Missouri while high on heroin. She panicked, knocked on the door of a nearby home, and gave birth to her son DaKhorous in a strangers bathroom.

Richardson never went to a doctor for prenatal care and unsuccessfully tried to quit using heroin multiple times. She worried that if she told a doctor the truth about her addiction, shed lose her four other children.

She was right: Richardson lost custody of all her children and was sent to jail on a previous theft charge. She is now in recovery and has her children back at home, but she believes that if she had found and accepted a support system early on, it would have been easier.

Its hard being a single mom and being in recovery. I was scared, Richardson said. I am that person that nobody thought would get clean, but its possible to change your life.

Kimberly Spence, a neonatologist at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital in St. Louis, often cares for newborns diagnosed with withdrawal, typically putting them on a tapering dose of morphine to reduce withdrawal symptoms. She suggests that allowing the babies to be close to their mothers  rather than taking them away  can be helpful.

These mothers will stay clean if we show them that they can bond with the baby, that they are successful, Spence said, noting that taking the baby away can exacerbate the mothers drug problem. They no longer have a reason to want to stay clean.

Kostoff, 35, who was forced out of her drug treatment program in Illinois when it was discovered she was pregnant, ultimately found a doctor at the Women and Infant Substance Help Center at SSM Health St. Marys Hospital in St. Louis who would give her the drugs to stop her withdrawal symptoms. On April 5, she delivered a preterm baby girl  Rikki Lynn  who showed some symptoms of drug withdrawal but was otherwise healthy. Such withdrawal-like symptoms in newborns often include tremors, excessive crying and trouble sleeping, and in some states trigger a call to child-welfare agencies.

Kostoff took her home without child-welfare agents investigating her family.

The help she received during her pregnancy  combined with her determination to quit using drugs  made a significant difference for Kostoff. She found a doctor willing to treat her, received support from her husband and was committed to the treatment, even reading substance abuse recovery books while hospitalized with the baby.

You may have all the willingness to stop because you want a healthy baby, you want to keep that baby, Kostoff said. But without that help, you cant break that cycle.
Rev. Hyeon Soo Lim, who was imprisoned in North Korea for more than two years, is seen celebrating as he returned Canada in this still image captured from a video in Toronto, August 12, 2017. (Handout/Reuters)

PAKISTAN

Sharif seeks change and revolution

Deposed Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif called Saturday for a change and revolution to ensure the sanctity of the vote as he addressed a large gathering of supporters in his home town of Lahore.

After a Supreme Court decision last month disqualified him for concealing assets, Sharif set out Wednesday with a convoy from Islamabad, making stops along the way.

Sharif said that during his journey, he saw that citizens had not accepted his removal from office, and he asked his supporters to await his next move, without elaborating.

Sharif said that over the past 70 years, no prime minister in Pakistan has been permitted to complete a term.

Sharif has a rocky history with the countrys military establishment.

He served three separate stints as premier but never completed a full term in office.

 Associated Press

Deadly blast in Pakistan claimed by ISIS: A bomb exploded near a market in the Pakistani city of Quetta, killing at least 15 people, officials said. It was the latest attack to hit the southwestern province of Baluchistan. The Islamic State claimed the attack, saying a motorcycle suicide bomber had killed 17 soldiers.

U.S. fighter jet crash-lands in Bahrain: A U.S. F-18 fighter jet suffering an engine problem crash-landed at Bahrain International Airport, and its pilot ejected after the aircraft ran off the runway, authorities said. The pilot was unharmed. The crash disrupted flights to and from the island nation off the coast of Saudi Arabia that is home to the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet. The F-18 took off from the USS Nimitz but suffered an engine malfunction, forcing the pilot to divert. The pilot initially tried to land at Isa Air Base in Bahrain.

Group suspends rescue activity in Mediterranean: Doctors Without Borders says it is temporarily suspending the activity of its rescue ship because of alleged threats from Libyas coast guard, which has become more aggressive in patrolling the shoreline where human traffickers launch their boats. The group said the rescue coordination center operated by Italys coast guard had informed it that the Libyan threats pose a security risk. The group added that Libyan authorities declared their own rescue area, extending into international waters.

Nigerian president says he wants to go home: Nigerias president says he feels healthy enough to return home from London after three months away but says the decision is up to his doctors. Muhammadu Buhari has been undergoing medical treatment for an undisclosed illness since early May. The 74-year-old leader also spent more than a month in London earlier this year. The absences and lack of information have caused tensions in Africas most populous nation. Some have called for Buhari to be replaced.

Egyptian constitution leader rejects extension of presidency: The head of the panel that drafted Egypts 2014 constitution is denouncing calls to amend the charter, saying in a carefully worded statement that parliament should focus instead on implementing it. Amr Moussa, a former foreign minister and Arab League chief, was apparently responding to calls by some lawmakers to extend by two years the four-year term. The constitution also stipulates that the president can serve only two terms.

Imprisoned Canadian pastor returns home from N. Korea: A Canadian pastor who was imprisoned in North Korea for more than two years quietly returned to his home in a Toronto suburb after a long journey on a private government jet via Japan. Hyeon Soo Lim had disappeared on a mission to North Korea in early 2015. He was sentenced to hard labor for life in December 2015 on charges of attempting to overthrow the regime. The KCNA news agency said he was let go on humanitarian grounds.

Greek Orthodox Church will contest sale of Jerusalem land: Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox patriarch in the Holy Land, says his church will appeal an Israeli court decision approving the sale of church property to companies representing Jews seeking to expand their presence in Jerusalems Old City. Theophilos, who leads a predominantly Arab flock of 220,000 Christians, alleges that the court ruling was politically motivated.

 From news services
It should not have taken the death and injury of innocents to move our nation toward moral clarity. It should not have taken President Trumps disgraceful refusal to condemn white supremacy, bigotry and Nazism to make clear to all who he is and which dark impulses he is willing to exploit to maintain his hold on power.

Those of us who are white regularly insist that the racists and bigots are a minority of us and that the white-power movement is a marginal and demented faction.

This is true, and the mayhem in Charlottesville called forth passionate condemnations of blood-and-soil nationalism across the spectrum of ideology. These forms of witness were a necessary defense of the American idea and underscored the shamefulness of Trumps embrace of moral equivalence. There are not, as Trump insisted Saturday, many sides to questions that were settled long ago: Racism, anti-Semitism, discrimination and white supremacy are unequivocally wrong.

A president who cannot bring himself to say this immediately and unequivocally squanders any claim to moral leadership.

(Bastien Inzaurralde,Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post)

Advisers to the president tried to clean up after this moral failure, putting out a statement Sunday morning  attributed to no one  declaring that of course his condemnation of violence includes white supremacists, KKK, neo-Nazi and all extremist groups. But if that of course is sincere, why didnt Trump say these things in the first place? And why hang on to the presidents inexcusable moral equivalence by adding that phrase and all extremist groups? This was simply a weak philosophical coverup for a politician who has shown us his real instincts throughout his public life, from his birtherism to his reluctance to turn away 2016 endorsements from Klansmen and other racists.

More Republicans than usual broke with Trump after his anemic response, and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) was especially poignant in offering historical perspective on this episode: My brother didnt give his life fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged here at home.

But that so many others in the party preferred to keep their discomfort on background was itself a scandal. I cant tell you how sick & tired I am of the privately wincing Republicans, Peter Wehner, a veteran of three Republican administrations, tweeted. Its a self-incriminating silence. Yes, it is.

The proper response is for Democrats and Republicans willing to take a stand to force a vote in Congress condemning the president for his opportunistic obtuseness and making clear where the vast majority of Americans stand on white supremacy. This is important for many reasons, but especially to send a message to Americas minorities that whites are willing to do more than offer rote condemnations of racism.

For make no mistake: No matter how accurate it is to say that neo-Nazis and Klansmen represent a repugnant fringe, the fact that our president has consistently and successfully exploited white racial resentment cannot help but be taken by citizens of color as a sign of racisms stubborn durability.

The backlash to racial progress is an old American story, from the end of Reconstruction forward. The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.s words from 1967 speak to us still: Loose and easy language about equality, resonant resolutions about brotherhood fall pleasantly on the ear, but for the Negro, there is a credibility gap he cannot overlook. He remembers that with each modest advance the white population promptly raises the argument that the Negro has come far enough. Each step forward accents an ever-present tendency to backlash. This is what we saw this weekend.

The battles over Confederate monuments, in Charlottesville and elsewhere, reflect our difficulty in acknowledging that these memorials are less historical markers than political statements. Many were erected explicitly in support of Jim Crow and implicitly to deny the truth that the Southern cause in the Civil War was built around a defense of slavery. Taking them down is an acknowledgment of what history teaches, not an eradication of the past.

Rescue personnel help an injured woman after a car ran into a large group of counterprotesters in Charlottesville on Saturday. (Steve Helber/Associated Press)

But history is also being made now. As is always true with Trump, self-interest is the most efficient explanation for his actions: Under pressure from the Russia investigation, he is reluctant to alienate backlash voters, who are among his most loyal supporters.

The rest of us, however, have a larger obligation to our country and to racial justice. As the late civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer might suggest, it is time to ask about Trump: When will we become sick and tired of being sick and tired?

Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 12:03:24|Editor: Song Lifang

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NEW DELHI, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- An elephant blamed for killing 15 people in eastern India for the past few months was shot dead on Friday.

According to forest officials, a hunter shot two bullets on the head of the animal, and another round was fired as a confirmation shot.

"Permission to kill (the elephant) was unfortunate, but last resort," Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Wildlife, L R Singh was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.

Forest officials tried to tranquilize the elephant from a distance of 30 meters, but the animal suddenly ran to charge them, forcing the hunter to open fire, reported Hindustan Times.

The elephant, believed to be 20-25 years old, have killed 11 people in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand since March and four others in the neighboring state of Bihar, said Singh.

The official added that the casualties could have continued to increase had several people from villages atop the densely forested hills not come down to lower areas, reported The Indian Express.

The burial of the elephant was conducted on Saturday, which was also the World Elephant Day.

Violent encounters between elephants and humans have been on the rise, as human activities and expansion of settlements leave little room for wild elephants to roam.

Some 1,100 people were killed for the past three years by roaming tigers or rampaging elephants in India, according to data released by the Environment Ministry earlier this month.

The greatest threat to wild Asian elephants is habitat loss and fragmentation, according to the American Museum of Natural History.

Elephants have been pushed into hilly landscapes and less suitable remnants of forest, but even these less accessible habitats are being assaulted by poachers, loggers and developers, the museum noted.
One of the difficult but primary duties of the modern presidency is to speak for the nation in times of tragedy. A space shuttle explodes. An elementary school is attacked. The twin towers come down in a heap of ash and twisted steel. It falls to the president to express something of the nations soul  grief for the lost, sympathy for the suffering, moral clarity in the midst of confusion, confidence in the unknowable purposes of God.

Not every president does this equally well. But none have been incapable. Until Donald Trump.

Trumps reaction to events in Charlottesville was alternately trite (come together as one), infantile (very, very sad) and meaningless (we want to study it). There are so many great things happening in our country, he said, on a day when racial violence took a life.

At one level, this is the natural result of defining authenticity as spontaneity. Trump and his people did not believe the moment worthy of rhetorical craft, worthy of serious thought. The president is confident that his lazy musings are equal to history. They are not. They are babble in the face of tragedy. They are an embarrassment and disservice to the country.

The presidents remarks also represent a failure of historical imagination. The flash point in Charlottesville was the history of the Civil War. Cities around the country are struggling with the carved-stone legacy of past battles and leaders. The oppression and trauma that led to Appomattox did not end there. Ghosts still deploy on these battlefields. And the casualties continue.

(Zoeann Murphy/The Washington Post)

But Trump could offer no context for this latest conflict. No inspiring ideals from the author of the Declaration of Independence, who called Charlottesville home. No healing words from the president who was killed by a white supremacist. By his flat, foolish utterance, Trump proved once again that he has no place in the company of these leaders.

Ultimately this was not merely the failure of rhetoric or context, but of moral judgment. The president could not bring himself initially to directly acknowledge the victims or distinguish between the instigators and the dead. He could not focus on the provocations of the side marching under a Nazi flag. Is this because he did not want to repudiate some of his strongest supporters? This would indicate that Trump views loyalty to himself as mitigation for nearly any crime or prejudice. Or is the president truly convinced of the moral equivalence of the sides in Charlottesville? This is to diagnose an ethical sickness for which there is no cure.

There is no denying that Trump has used dehumanization  refugees are animals, Mexican migrants are rapists, Muslims are threats  as a political tool. And there is no denying that hateful political rhetoric can give permission for prejudice. It acts as a psychological lubricant, says David Livingstone Smith, dissolving our inhibitions and inflaming destructive passions. As such, it empowers us to perform acts that would, under normal circumstances, be unthinkable.

If great words can heal and inspire, base words can corrupt. Trump has been delivering the poison of prejudice in small but increasing doses. In Charlottesville, the effect became fully evident. And the president had no intention of decisively repudiating his work.

What do we do with a president who is incapable or unwilling to perform his basic duties? What do we do when he is incapable of outrage at outrageous things? What do we do with a president who provides barely veiled cover for the darkest instincts of the human heart? These questions lead to the dead end of political realism  a hopeless recognition of limited options. But the questions intensify.

Read more from Michael Gersons archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook .
Conservatives in the House hope to revive the failed effort to gut the Affordable Care Act with a long-shot drive to force Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) to hold a vote to simply repeal the health-care law without a replacement.

Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus want to seize control of the health-care debate by petitioning Republicans to hold a vote on a version of a repeal bill that passed the House in 2015. Conservatives say they believe a repeal measure can pass without a replacement, despite warnings from Ryan and other leaders that the votes arent there. The long-shot effort gained momentum last week with support from influential outside groups.

Conservatives said Friday that nearly every House Republican has voted to repeal the ACA in the past  and should be challenged to cast the same vote again. The strategy they are using requires that a majority of the 434 members of the House sign a petition calling on Ryan to bring the bill to the floor. No Democrats are expected to sign the document, meaning that conservatives would have to win support from all but 22 of the 240 House Republicans.

A similar bill failed last month in the Senate, when 45 of the 52 Senate Republicans voted for the measure. Petition sponsor Rep. Thomas Garrett (R-Va.) attributed the Senate failure in part to the view that a plain repeal bill could never pass the House. This new measure is meant to undermine that excuse.

I want to saw the leg off the chair that says this cant pass the House, Garrett said in an interview.

Garrett said the petition is meant to give House Republicans an option  not to challenge Ryan and other leaders who say the bill cant pass.

Its not meant to poke anybody in the eye, Garrett said.

Ryan has not publicly addressed the petition, but AshLee Strong, a Ryan spokeswoman, said, The House has already passed a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare.

If successful, the petition would allow conservatives to bring their bill to the House floor for a vote without intervention from leadership. The legislation they have proposed would gut the majority of the ACA, ending Medicaid expansion, repealing the individual and employer mandates, ending protections for people with preexisting conditions and banning funding to Planned Parenthood for one year. The legislation would not take effect until the end of 2018, to give lawmakers time to craft a replacement.

The proposal earned the praise of conservative activists. The influential Club for Growth on Friday announced plans to monitor how members vote on the petition  and to include the data in their score card, used to determine which members meet conservatives standards.

Its time to hold all House members accountable, the group said in a statement. Its time to force a vote.

Conservatives said they discussed the plan with Ryan before members left Washington for August recess. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said the speaker didnt dissuade members from making the attempt but questioned whether they would succeed.

He doesnt think there are the votes there, Jordan said in an interview. I dont think he was doing cartwheels.

Jordan said he believes that more House Republicans will sign on to force the vote after they return from spending six weeks back in their home districts and talking to voters who are angry that they did not fulfill their promise to overhaul Obamacare. Jordan said he was met with immense frustration when he returned to Ohio. He said many Republicans are experiencing similar pressure.

Voters are frustrated, they are disappointed and they expect action, Jordan said. They ask, Why dont you act like you did when you were elected? 

That argument has already proved persuasive for some Republicans in the House, including Republican Study Committee Chairman Mark Walker (R-N.C.), who announced his support for the conservative plan Friday. The RSC represents the largest coalition of Republicans in the House. Walker endorsed the petition individually and not for the entire group.

Republicans already sent this bill to the president in 2016, and should do it again, Walker said in a statement. The only thing that changed since then is that with Donald Trump as president, this bill would actually be signed into law.

Read more at PowerPost
Mikey Franklin of the District wears a custom shirt he had made at the Netroots Nation conference in Atlanta on Saturday. (Kevin D. Liles/For the Washington Post)

When Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) mentioned President Trump during a Saturday morning speech, the more than 1,000 activists at the progressive Netroots Nation conference booed.

But when she mentioned a so-called Democratic strategist who wanted her party to move to the center, the boos rang even louder.

Apparently, the path forward is to go back to locking up nonviolent drug offenders and ripping more holes in our economic safety net, Warren said sarcastically, in a Saturday morning speech. Were not going back to the days when universal health care was something Democrats talked about on the campaign trail but were too chicken to fight for after they got elected.

Warrens party, locked out of power in Washington and most of the country, has spent 2017 opposing Trump while also fighting about what it really stands for. Both trends were on display at Netroots, as huddles over how to block Republican bills alternated with protests of Democrats who were seen to be belittling black candidates, LGBT rights or Native Americans.

[Shouting trust black women, Netroots protesters disrupt speech from white Georgia candidate]

The evidence from Atlanta suggested that Democrats might march into 2017 and 2018 elections still arguing about how to win  without dividing the party.

The high-profile problems of the Democratic National Committee were part of that discussion, but the larger focus was about what progressives were building outside the party, untainted by the Democratic brand. Just as the tea party complemented the work of the Obama-era GOP, progressives want to build organizations, national and hyperlocal, to turn out voters who might be turned off by Democrats.

Ninety percent of Americans think that the Republicans put corporations ahead of American citizens, and 80 percent say that the Democratic Party does, said Tom Steyer, whose political advocacy group NextGen America had already budgeted $8 million for 2018 election turnout operations. For people under the age of 30, Ive seen data on how 44 percent of them thought there was no difference between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on the issues. I mean, that's insane.

The 12th annual Netroots Nation conference, which was the first to immediately follow a Democratic loss in a presidential election, revealed the scope of what Barack Obamas White House once deemed the professional left. The Working Families Party, which began in New York and grew across the Northeast and Midwest, announced new state chapters. Activists organized under the Indivisible handbook, a guide created by former congressional staffers with advice on how to pressure their bosses, taught short sessions on how they organized rural campaigns  some which lost, all of which would continue into 2018.

MoveOn.org, fresh off organizing protests to save the Affordable Care Act from repeal, was promoting a Resistance Summer in which thousands of activists would talk to their neighbors about progressive politics. Our Revolution, the group founded by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) after his 2016 presidential bid, promoted its own Summer of Progress  activists getting congressional Democrats on record behind eight left-wing bills designed to ease voter registration, create universal health insurance, raise the minimum wage to $15, and reform the criminal justice system.

[Obama campaign successor teams up with progressives to train full-time activists]

The Democrats who came to Atlanta to meet potential supporters often had more positive things to say about the activists than about their party. Andrew Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee now running for governor of Florida, framed his own campaign as a challenge to an establishment that seemed to specialize in losing elections.

A lot of people are hugely suspect of the organized party, and they question whether or not the will of the people will truly be felt without the influence of party poobahs, Gillum said. In the past, those leaders galvanized, they chose, they cleared the field, and our voters werent on the same page as them. The fate we suffered was 20 years of Republican leadership in Florida.

The Democratic National Committee itself had a minor presence at the conference. DNC Vice Chairman Keith Ellison, a congressman from Minnesota who lost a progressive-backed bid for chairman, was on hand to defend the partys 2016 platform and its Better Deal economic policies.

[Keith Ellison: Irresponsible Trump could bring about first strike by North Korea]

It was not an easy sell. At a Friday panel, Ellison visibly sighed when one activist lectured him on why she had joined the Green Party after Sanderss defeat, and after a Native American activist said his use of the term nation of immigrants had been offensive. Ellisons advice was not to defend the Democrats but to influence them from the grass roots until the party changed.

Its not moral, and its not just, but its reality, Ellison said.

The DNC also dispatched Raffi Krikorian, the partys new chief technological officer, who arrived this year from Uber and Twitter. He told activists that the DNCs innovations and data would be more available than under the old regime. For some, however, the DNC was an afterthought; asked about the DNCs data operation, Steyer of NextGen laughed and said the organization had its own, superior analytics for turning out votes.

Candidates from Georgia and elsewhere, who had watched their parties collapse in the final years of the Obama presidency, often sounded a lot like Steyer. In a Politico column that ran shortly before the conference, former Sanders digital fundraising manager Michael Whitney suggested that the DNC faced a donor crisis. Despite bear-hugging the resistance movement, the DNC had raised just half as much money as the Republican National Committee in 2017  $38 million to $75 million  and lagged almost as badly among donors giving less than $200 apiece.

Republicans have quietly taken a decisive edge over Democrats when it comes to small-dollar fundraising, wrote Whitney.

At Netroots, there was little worry about Democratic fundraising, apart from the structural advantage that wealthy donors earned from the 2010 Citizens United decision.

The metric on which they focused: donations to individual campaigns. Randy Bryce, an ironworker running against House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), said that more than 28,000 people had donated to his bid since it began in June. Georgia state Rep. Stacey Abrams, a candidate for governor, emphasized the work she had done through the New Georgia Project, a third-party group, to register voters.

Because weve been under Republican control for so long, we do not have the robust infrastructure that other states have, said Abrams of the Georgia effort. The competition existed much more acutely when we [Democrats] had more resources. Well come together; there are much more skirmishes than actual battles.

Not all battles were created equal. There was almost no discussion about the partys potential candidates in the 2020 presidential election; when Warren made a reference to putting a woman in the Oval Office, the cheers of Run, Warren, Run were scattered and brief.

At a panel on what 2017s special elections had taught Democrats about the upcoming midterms, defeated Georgia candidate Jon Ossoff repeatedly criticized the hot take media culture for suggesting that arguments about policy were holding Democrats back.

Get offline and go knock on doors, Ossoff said. Democrats are united, no matter what you hear on cable news or in the hot takes  we dont have to beat ourselves up over the fact that theres a range of views and strategies. Lets get on with it, and take back the House.

Read more at PowerPost
Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.), seen here in a file photo, was endorsed by President Trump but that has done little to settle the race to fill the seat left open when Jeff Sessions became attorney general. (Kim Chandler/AP)

President Trumps endorsement of Sen. Luther Strange (R-Ala.) was supposed to settle things.

An anti-establishment president would repair his frayed relations with Republican leaders by backing their favored candidate in Alabamas special election for a U.S. Senate seat. A crowded primary race in the heart of Trump country would then be all but decided.

It settled nothing.

On the eve of the first round of voting, Trump is clashing with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) over the stalled GOP agenda, and Strange, despite the Trump bump, is unlikely to win the nomination outright Tuesday.

A bruising one-month runoff campaign looms for the top two finishers, and Trumps die-hard supporters in the state are divided.

For Republicans, the Alabama contest is a snapshot of the partys churning base at this moment in the Trump presidency. In a deep-red state, the dominant squabbles are not over ideological purity  that GOP test of old  but over loyalty to Trump and over who has the most visceral connection with his core voters.

The violence in Charlottesville, sparked by white nationalists, has hovered over the final sprint, and Republican candidates have issued statements of condemnation. As with Trump, some of them did not mention white nationalism or white supremacy by name.

I was hoping for a quiet, lazy summer in our very humid state. Thats not to be the case this year, Terry Lathan, the chair of the Alabama GOP, said in an interview.

Stranges Republican challengers include former state Supreme Court justice Roy Moore, who has a passionate following among religious voters, and Rep. Mo Brooks, a prominent conservative in the U.S. House. Christian Coalition leader Randy Brinson and state Sen. Trip Pittman have also drawn support.

State law would require a primary runoff election Sept. 26 unless a candidate wins 50 percent of the vote Tuesday. The final round of voting is scheduled for Dec. 12, when the Republican nominee will face the Democratic nominee.

Strange, Moore, and Brooks are widely seen as the leading GOP candidates. Moore has jumped ahead in the latest polls with about 30 percent support, with Strange close behind and Brooks just trailing him.

But surveys of the nine-person Republican field have been scattered and the Alabama secretary of state is projecting a low turnout of 20 to 25 percent of voters, making the race difficult to predict.

The competitive atmosphere has led Brooks in recent days to seek out supporters of lesser-known rivals with the aim of eclipsing Strange or Moore to make the runoff. The House Freedom Caucus member pitched Pittman voters Friday in the state senators district, urging Republicans there to come together to stop Strange.

Theres no way to know how this goes, Brooks said in a weekend phone interview. You can toss all the polls out since no pollster knows how to predict who shows up in an election thats unlike anything weve ever seen in Alabama.

Moore  a controversial figure who was twice removed from the state Supreme Court but has a well of support for his fights against same-sex marriage and to continue the public display of the Ten Commandments in a state courthouse  expressed confidence that Trumps endorsement hasnt done much to change the race.

Moores belief is that being firmly against McConnell and the political class is as good as being backed by Trump, at least in Alabama.

McConnell is part of the group in Washington, Republican or Democrat, that doesnt want to see change, Moore said in an interview. They want to keep their job, income, and their privileges.

The seat was held for two decades by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who for years was a firebrand on Capitol Hill and by early 2016 an influential Trump confidant. While that bond with Trump has since unraveled, Sessions has remained popular in Alabama following his departure from the Senate in February to join the cabinet.

Strange  a towering 6-foot-9 former state attorney general  was appointed to the seat that month by then-Gov. Robert Bentley (R). Bentley later resigned in April amid a sprawling ethics and sex scandal that ended with him pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges related to covering up his alleged affair with his former aide.

Stranges ascension amid Bentleys tumble has been a burden for him in the summer scrum, and a critic of Strange has filed an ethics complaint about his campaign finances during the transition to the Senate. Strange has denied any wrongdoing. Stranges time as a corporate lobbyist in Washington, where he built ties to party leaders, has been another issue raised by his opponents.

Meanwhile, McConnells support for Strange has been a mixed blessing, putting millions of dollars behind his candidacy but prompting Stranges adversaries to tag him as a totem of the GOP establishment. The Senate Leadership Fund, a McConnell-allied super PAC, has already spent about $4 million to boost him.

The Democratic primary race features Doug Jones, a former federal prosecutor, environmental leader Michael Hansen, and Robert Kennedy Jr., a Navy veteran and business executive who is not related to the Massachusetts political dynasty.

Until last week, Republicans had been immersed in a bitterly fought but relatively sleepy referendum on Strange, with the incumbent  who is nicknamed Big Luther  arguing that he was a dogged foe of President Barack Obamas policies as state attorney general and a reliable vote for Trumps priorities. His opponents accused him of being a polished and well-connected swamp critter who was more aligned with McConnell than with Trump, who won 62 percent of the vote in Alabama last year.

Then Trump tweeted.

Senator Luther Strange has done a great job representing the people of the Great State of Alabama, Trump wrote on Aug. 8. He has my complete and total endorsement!

The endorsement stunned Republicans in Alabama and Washington, who for months had watched Trump seemingly ignore the race as White House officials shrugged off pleas for support from several candidates.

Trumps gesture of solidarity was quickly overshadowed by his escalating conflict with McConnell, who curtly told a Rotary Club gathering last Monday that the president had excessive expectations for the Republican-controlled Congress.

Any warm feelings about Trumps unexpected embrace of one of McConnells prized picks disappeared.

Trump repeatedly fired back at McConnell in sharp tweets and remarks to reporters while in Bedminster, N.J., last week, underscoring the flaring tensions within the Republican Party as Trump nears the seventh-month mark of his presidency.

Still, Strange has worked to use the endorsement to his advantage and make sure voters know he is the Trump-blessed contender in a field of candidates who echo the president.

Weve developed a good personal and working relationship, Strange said in an interview last week. He called me on Tuesday and just said that he liked what I was doing and wanted to help.

Strange described the call as welcome and surprising.

I said, Id be honored to have your support, and Ill leave that up to you,  Strange recalled. He said, Why dont I do a tweet? Well start with that. I said, Thats fantastic. Thank you very much. 

Brooks and Moore, who campaigned Sunday at churches, have not faded as Strange has touted Trumps endorsement. They claim that they have been able to capitalize on the turn by attracting attention from activists and conservative voices who admire Trump but question whether he was misled by GOP leaders.

Our social media is clearly above the rest, Moore said.

Those claims have been bolstered by the response of some high-profile Trump supporters in the conservative media such as commentator Ann Coulter and syndicated talk-radio host Laura Ingraham, who have reiterated their support for Brooks. Moore has rolled out endorsements from reality TV star Phil Robertson and actor Chuck Norris.

It has certainly gotten a little louder on all sides since the endorsement, Lathan, the state GOP chair, said. There are people who support his endorsement of Senator Strange and people who are confused by it.

Every conservative should be very unhappy, Brooks said, calling the endorsement baffling and illogical and grousing that the swamp has taken over the White House.

Longtime Trump associate Roger Stone, a Brinson supporter, said he was confounded by the decision and wondered if Trump had been tricked into it.

Stone speculated that Trump had partial information and probably thought the race was between Strange and Brooks, who was critical of Trump during the 2016 presidential primary race but has since become a supporter.

Stone cast Brinson as the real Trump supporter here, citing endorsements from a number of pro-Trump grass-roots groups.

That designation is coveted  and hard to determine.

Strange can fairly say hes Trumps favorite; his opponents can fairly say hes also McConnells favorite. Trump and McConnell are on the same page in the Alabama race, but theyre not getting along.

Strange chuckled when asked by The Washington Post if the lines were blurred for Republican voters.

In any political contest, your opponents want to blur the lines; thats part of the process, I guess, Strange said.

But Strange said its silly for anyone to call him a pawn of the establishment because he only met McConnell three or four months ago, whatever that was, and supports Trump without reservation.

The way I see it, he added, this is pretty clearly about whos in the best position to support the president and his agenda.

In Alabama, every Republican running in Tuesdays race is saying, Thats me.

Read more at PowerPost
An ominous rumble of discontent is sweeping Afghanistan, driven by a mixture of anxiety, anger, frustration and political opportunism.

In the past two months, an assortment of new opposition groups has emerged, some with noble-sounding names and reformist agendas, led by an improbable collection of tribal leaders, ethnic militia bosses, disaffected public appointees and young professionals. Even an old communist general has joined the fray with a new, pointedly non-leftist party called the Homeland Movement.

Their demands include individual grievances, and several of the more controversial leaders have grabbed most of the attention. But their broader message is remarkably similar: The government of President Ashraf Ghani has failed to protect the public and provide jobs. The president has overreached his executive powers and excluded diverse points of view. He must act now, produce meaningful reforms and legitimize his fractured, teetering government  or else.

The object of this barrage is a cerebral, single-minded man of 68 who spends 18-hour days reading policy reports, holding team meetings, addressing conferences and huddling with aides, seemingly determined to power through the latest crisis as his troubled government nears three years in office. Ghanis aides insist that the real impetus behind much of the opposition is a combination of anxiety among traditional leaders who are losing power in a modernizing state, and a broader opposition to reform from those who have long benefited from systemic public corruption.

The old guard is desperate to stick to the status quo, with the entrenched patronage networks that always decided who got what. Now a new educated generation has emerged, and the president is empowering people on the basis of merit, said one recent Ghani appointee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. It is very risky for the president to take this stand, he added, noting that many such leaders gained power through armed conflicts. The old guards survival is at stake, and they know if they lose they will become irrelevant.

Yet after months of growing criticism and short-lived protests, some resolved by individual deals or government appointments, the unrest has galvanized an extraordinary cross section of Afghan society. Some observers fear that a cumulative sense of disillusionment could ignite unexpectedly  perhaps after an especially deadly terrorist attack  and spread.

If there is a common theme, it might best be summed up as We feel left out. Once-rival ethnic Uzbek and Tajik leaders from the north have joined forces with senior Hazara leaders from the capital, demanding that Ghani fire his top security aides and provide more patronage to their parties. Tribal elders from Ghanis ethnic Pashtun group have held protest gatherings in eastern Nangahar and southern Kandahar provinces, complaining that he has neglected their regions while listening only to a small group of advisers from his own clan.

Some members of the younger, educated generation  the group Ghani had been counting on the most  have also joined the opposition. Urban and liberal Hazara activists, previously organized as the Enlightenment movement to demand an electrification corridor through their impoverished heartland, were left embittered and adrift after a terrorist bombing killed 80 of their supporters at a peaceful rally in Kabul a year ago.

Now, they have found common cause with a movement called Uprising for Change, a mix of civic activists and academics that arose spontaneously after a devastating truck bomb exploded in the capital on May 31, killing 150 people and injuring 400 others. The attack was followed by protests and funeral bombings that left an additional 28 people dead. Enraged, people demonstrated for weeks, putting up tents on city streets and delivering anti-government speeches.

We are different from the warlords. We want hospitals and medicines; they want the Ministry of Health. We want roads and light; they want the Ministry of Public Works, said Daoud Naji, an Enlightenment leader in Kabul. He said he has become disillusioned as Ghanis government has failed to bring jobs, curb corruption and develop democratic institutions. We do not believe in violence, but we are turning from good boys into bad boys, Naji said. We will run, shout, break windows and break the law, until they listen to us.

Ghanis aides say that he is well aware of the trouble swirling outside his palace and in far-flung provinces but that he does not view it as a reason to panic or change course. He has responded directly to some demands for change, replacing the defense and interior ministers after devastating insurgent attacks, and appointing officials from ethnic minorities to important posts. He has also held televised public meetings, inviting groups to express their concerns and offering them explanations or solutions.

Meanwhile, the aides said, the president is determined to stay focused on the financial, justice and administrative reform agenda that has brought him kudos from Afghanistans foreign backers  which pay for 70 percent of the national budget  and from groups such as the International Monetary Fund.

But most Afghans have seen little benefit from the reforms. Unemployment is close to 40 percent, and street corners are crammed with day laborers. High-profile efforts to prosecute corrupt officials have proceeded slowly, and powerful figures with murky fortunes have built mansions and shopping malls. Street crime and insurgency have infected daily life with the constant fear of violence; last year, more than 11,000 civilians were killed or injured in war-related incidents.

Even longtime supporters say Ghani underestimated the short-term political costs of his long-term agenda, failing to reassure the public or win over influential people who have now turned against him. They also said his democratic rhetoric has been undercut by his dictatorial tendencies; Ghani has been unwilling to trust more than a handful of aides and has concentrated administrative power in a few commissions and individuals. Half a dozen senior officials have recently broken with the government or heavily criticized it.

Perhaps most important, the national unity government, the result of an uneasy power-sharing agreement brokered in 2014 by the United States between Ghani and his top electoral rival, Abdullah Abdullah, has been riven by personal disputes, unable to legitimize itself and repeatedly delaying plans for overdue parliamentary elections. A date has been set for next July, and observers say the polls are crucial to restoring public confidence. But many Afghans doubt that the vote can be held fairly or safely.

Meanwhile, with Ghani and the government at their most unpopular point, there are predictions that the president may not survive until his term ends in just over two years. Some opponents have called for an interim government, others for a traditional gathering of elders, to determine what happens next. One group of former militia leaders has made vague threats to overrun the capital.

The situation is very serious. We have not reached that point, but if current trends dont reverse, if the government keeps putting cotton in its ears, things could explode, said Umar Daudzai, a former senior official. If the people rise up and say you cant protect us and you cant lead us, it will be difficult to stop. If we dont hold elections and people lose confidence, the culture of warlordism could come back, and then the country will enter dark territory.

Read more

The Taliban is sowing terror in remote, new areas of Afghanistan

With U.S. general under fire, Afghans fear being abandoned by Trump

These ex-warlords are promising Afghanistans salvation

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Israeli Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, react to his supporters during a rally held by his Likud party in Tel Aviv last week. (Amir Cohen/Reuters)

Beset by corruption allegations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting back and taking aim at an old foe: the news media.

Thousands of protesters gathered outside the house of Israels attorney general Saturday night, demanding that he indict the premier, who has led the country for a total of 11 years. It was the 38th time the weekly demonstration has taken place, but numbers have swelled in recent weeks, ramping up pressure.

Netanyahu has made clear that he will do whatever he can to hold on to office. In a speech in front of thousands at a rally in Tel Aviv last week, he railed against fake news and accused the countrys liberal left of launching a witch hunt against him.

His words echoed those deployed often by his ally President Trump. Like Trump, the Israeli prime minister uses social media to speak directly to his supporters, circumventing what he sees as a media cohort thats out to get him. While Trumps preferred medium is Twitter, Netanyahu has also regularly criticized media organizations on Facebook, where he has over 2 million followers.

[An Israeli journalist has been ordered to pay Netanyahu and his wife for a malicious and ugly Facebook post]

The Tel Aviv rally came after police disclosed that Netanyahu is officially a suspect in two cases involving fraud and breach of trust. Although the prime minister has long had a contentious relationship with the press, some journalists suggested things had taken a more sinister turn at Wednesdays event, saying a hostile crowd bombarded reporters with insults and threatened them with violence.

Netanyahu claims that the investigations  which focus on allegations that he received illegal gifts and attempted to broker more favorable media coverage  are the result of a politically motivated campaign by parts of the media and the left wing to oust him.

His supporters argue that for that reason, the prime minister should stay on even if he is charged.

If he loses in elections, this is the only situation where he should leave, said Miki Zohar, a member of Netanyahus Likud party in the Knesset, Israels parliament. Until then, he should stay  or if theres a conviction. But I dont think they are going to convict him.

Zohar said the media pressure has rendered the police incapable of objectivity. And politicians close to the prime minister have said that attacks in the press will only strengthen his support.

The Times of Israel called last weeks rally chilling. The left-wing Haaretz newspaper described it as wild, inciting and inflammatory.

But Gil Hoffman, a political correspondent and analyst with the Jerusalem Post, said Netanyahus speech had resonated with a broad range of Israelis and therefore may keep the vultures at bay.

Netanyahu out-Trumped Trump, Hoffman said. The whole strategy of making the press the enemy  Trump learned how to do that from Netanyahu.

But the police investigations are moving forward. In a dramatic development this month, police revealed that Ari Harow, a former chief of staff to Netanyahu, has agreed to testify against him as part of a plea bargain in a separate case against Harow.

[Pressure mounts on Israels prime minister as aide agrees to testify]

The legal process will probably drag on, with a police recommendation on whether to indict Netanyahu not expected until after the Yom Kippur holiday at the end of September and possibly as late as next year, according to Israeli news reports. The attorney general must then decide whether to move forward, a step that may take several more months.

Although Netanyahu is not obliged to resign if he is indicted, political pressure could force him to do so, depending on the gravity of the charges and whether his coalition falls apart, triggering early elections.

In what has been dubbed Case 1,000, Netanyahu is accused of receiving expensive gifts, including champagne, cigars and jewelry, in exchange for political favors. The second investigation, known as Case 2,000, concerns allegations that he tried to cut a deal with the publisher of the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth in exchange for favorable coverage.

The prime minister has denied any wrongdoing, often repeating his mantra: There will be nothing because there is nothing.

But the allegations have piled up. In a third case, members of his inner circle have been accused of corruption in connection with a $2 billion submarine deal with Germany, although the prime minister has not been named as a suspect.

According to media reports, the attorney general is also expected to indict Netanyahus wife, Sara, for misuse of funds in the prime ministers residence.

They produce endless affairs and articles and headlines, so maybe something will stick, Netanyahu told his supporters Wednesday. If not submarines, then cigars. If not cigars, then conversations with a publisher. If not a publisher, then Case 1,000. If not 1,000, then 2,000, then 3,000, 4,000, 5,000!

Polls show that his support has been dented, although not significantly, by the allegations. One recent poll showed that Likud would fare better in an election without him.

Still, Netanyahu  the longest-serving Israeli prime minister since the countrys main founder, David Ben-Gurion  has weathered many scandals in the past.

The prime minister is still leading the pack, said Yehuda Ben Meir, head of the National Security and Public Opinion Project at Israels Institute for National Security Studies. Theres clearly some erosion, but hes certainly not mortally wounded.

Read more

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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Mike Pompeo at his confirmation hearing to be CIA director by the Senate Intelligence Committee. (Photo by Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

After a week of incendiary language from President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, administration officials on Sunday tried to tamp down fears that the two nations are on the brink of a nuclear war.

The officials projected calm, a message directed as much to North Korea as to Americans, in a concerted effort to be more cautious in the language they use about the nuclear-armed nation and not further escalate an already perilous situation.

An attack from North Korea is not something that is imminent, said CIA Director Mike Pompeo on CBSs Face the Nation.

Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Pompeo expanded on the potential for war, saying, What Im talking about is, Ive heard folks talking about being on the cusp of a nuclear war. But, he added, there is no intelligence that would indicate that were in that place today.

National security adviser H.R. McMaster said that nearly a week of Trumps threats to rain down fire, fury and frankly, power on North Korea were an attempt to remove any ambiguity about what Pyongyang could expect if the threats against the United States continue. But he said the language did not mean that war is inevitable or even near.

I think were not closer to war than a week ago, McMaster said on ABCs This Week. But we are closer to war than we were a decade ago.

Their assessments mirrored one made by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week while returning from talks in Asia. Tillerson, who has repeatedly rejected the idea that the United States seeks regime change in Pyongyang, said that there is no imminent threat from North Korea and that Americans should sleep soundly despite the fierce rhetoric coming from both capitals. On Friday, the day after Tillerson came home, Trump tweeted that the U.S. military was fully in place, locked and loaded for an attack on North Korea.

Asked on This Week if the United States is indeed locked and loaded, McMaster pivoted from military force to diplomacy.

The United States military is locked and loaded every day, McMaster said. He added that the United States has tremendous military capabilities and a very high degree of readiness.

But the purpose of capable, ready forces is to preserve peace and prevent war, he said, calling for concerted pressure on North Korea by the United States, its allies and responsible nations.

The pitch for more diplomacy came as Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, went to Asia for a series of meetings. According to news reports from Seoul, Dunford meets Monday with South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and is scheduled to visit Japan and China.

Tensions over North Koreas arsenal, which Pyongyang says is designed to protect the country from an invasion by the United States, have deteriorated swiftly in recent weeks. The rhetoric on both sides has been particularly heated since North Korea tested two intercontinental ballistic missiles in July, a month that marked the 64th anniversary of the armistice celebrated by North Koreans as their victory in the 1950 to 1953 Korean War.

The tests prompted the United States to seek a seventh round of tough sanctions against North Korea, approved unanimously on Aug. 5 by the U.N. Security Council. Hours after Trump issued the fire-and-fury warning, Pyongyang said it would send ballistic missiles near the U.S. territory of Guam, home to 170,000 U.S. citizens and about 12,000 U.S. forces and their dependents.

The dizzying speed with which the threats have flown back and forth has alarmed some national security experts who believe Trump is fanning the flames.

I think it eliminates maneuver space for him, because it looks like brinkmanship to me, said Adm. Mike Mullen, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on NBCs Meet the Press.

And it looks like clearly hes, at least verbally, focused very specifically on the military options with the rhetoric thats out there. Its almost a fire and brimstone, Dont make another move or else. 

Mullen said he fears that things could spin out of control.

Despite Trumps combative language, the administration remains focused on diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions. The White House has leaned on China, North Koreas economic lifeline, to squeeze its neighbor by strictly enforcing the U.N. sanctions it voted for. In the past, Beijing has initially carried out each round of sanctions, only to backslide. Trump has said he might be more forgiving of Chinas lopsided trade with the United States if it pressures North Korea more.

At a regional security conference in Manila last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged his North Korean counterpart, Ri Yong Ho, to comply with U.N. prohibitions on its missile and nuclear testing. And a state-run newspaper in China has suggested that Beijing would remain neutral if North Korea strikes the United States first.

But decades of efforts to stop North Koreas nuclear and missile program have failed, and there is no consensus about what could work now. North Korea has made strides in the technology needed to miniaturize nuclear warheads so that, as Pyongyang boasts, the entire U.S. mainland is within its range.

Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, speaking on Face the Nation, called for a joint strategy of containment and deterrence.

Pompeo said that Kim responds to external stimulus, such as pressure from China and ultimatums from the White House. But he suggested that may be insufficient.

This is not a leader for whom containment is a policy that makes sense for American national security, he said.

Pompeo said he would not be surprised if North Korea conducts more banned missile tests.

The president made clear to the North Korean regime how America will respond if certain actions are taken, he said on Fox News Sunday.

We are hopeful that the leader of the country will understand [Trumps remarks] in precisely the way they were intended, to permit him to get to a place where we can get the nuclear weapons off the peninsula. . . . Thats the best message you can deliver to someone who is putting America at risk.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 13:23:34|Editor: An

BEIJING, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The world is witnessing two dramatic scenarios: the world economy recovering sluggishly after the global financial crisis; and the West mired in an unprecedented institutional crisis, while China constantly creates social and economic miracles, showcasing its growth path based on socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Looking at the ruling parties around the world, very few have been at the helm for more than 30 consecutive years. Yet, the Communist Party of China (CPC) has governed for 68 years and continues to improve living conditions for its people, providing valuable experience for political parties worldwide on long-term governance.

As American China expert Robert Kuhn said, the key to the Chinese miracle is the extraordinary long-time leadership of the CPC.

A GUIDING IDEOLOGY

When the world hit by financial crisis in 2008, sales of "Das Kapital", the works of Karl Marx, almost tripled, according to German publishing house Karl-Dieztz-Verlag. "Rediscovering Marx" suddenly became in vogue, with the West reflecting on the crisis.

As U.S. economist Robert Heilbroner said, we should learn from Marxism in order to advance human society.

Marxism reveals the universal truths of human development. The CPC has always persisted in taking Marxism as its guiding ideology and made it the thought core to unite hundreds of millions of the Chinese people.

The CPC has combined Marxism with China's conditions on the ground to create a unique ideology shaped by Chinese characteristics.

BUILT FOR PUBLIC, WORK FOR PEOPLE

This April, Uruguayan Broad Front Party President Javier Miranda led a delegation to Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province to study China's targeted poverty relief work.

What he witnessed left him deeply impressed.

As president of a ruling party for three terms, Miranda knew only too well how difficult it was for a party to maintain long-term rule.

The most important responsibility of a ruling party is to ensure social justice and equity, and the CPC has established an example for other ruling parties, he said.

"Under CPC leadership, China has not only maintained rapid economic growth, but also let the development fruits benefit wide-ranging areas including the people's living conditions, health care and public education," he said, adding that this experience is something foreign ruling parties can learn from.

The key to the CPC's success is that the party always takes the people as the center of development. It insists on developing for the people, by the people, and sharing achievements with the people.

Aikyn Konurov, secretary of the Central Committee of the Kazakh Communist People's Party, said, "CPC officials know the Chinese people well. They always put the public interest first, which is the fundamental difference between the CPC and ruling parties in Western countries."

In the contemporary world where traditional ruling parties face the risk of shrinking public support, the CPC has developed with time by absorbing people from different classes, and trying to reach consensus among the majority of people.

PARTY DISCIPLINE

"Are China's leaders better than ours?" asked the U.S. magazine Politico.

The CPC's cadre group is selected through a rigorous process, while some members of the public can edge into the U.S. Congress by currying favor with voters through a claptrap.

By comparison, the Politico asked: "How certain are we that whichever leaders come out of our process (general selection), of whatever party and persuasion, can stand on equal footing with whomever comes out of theirs (China's)?"

U.S. magazine the Diplomat said that the CPC appoints cadres through performance and capability, in manner that even successful businesses cannot replicate.

When interpreting China's development miracle, Singapore founder Lee Kuan Yew said it is the most capable figures among 1 billion-plus people who are steering the country to greatness.

The CPC attaches great importance to party building and appoints officials based on their performance and competence to ensure solid governance.

Furthermore, the party is constantly strengthening discipline within its ranks.

Specifically, the CPC has established the Central Inspection Group, which is considered an intra-party strategic plan to protect itself from being contaminated by any political speculator.

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China in 2012, the CPC Central Committee under Xi Jinping's leadership has insisted on addressing the "four forms of decadences (si feng)" -- formalism, bureaucratism, hedonism and extravagance.

The party's crackdown on corruption and other misconduct shows the general public the CPC's ambitions to eliminate injustice in order to raise the morale of the party and the people.

Gustavo Girado, head of Argentine consulting firm Asia & Argentina, said the CPC can plug up loopholes in its system because it excels in self-correction.

The anti-corruption campaign launched by Xi is a good example of this, Girado added.

STRATEGIC WISDOM, PLANNING FOR FUTURE

Partisanship is a deep-rooted problem in Western democracies. Struggles between executive and legislative branches and "Veto Games" have resulted in the failure to enact much needed legislation. Special interest groups "kidnap" policies through lobbying, and different parties coming into power often leads to reversal of state policies, resulting in a massive loss of time and resources.

According to Professor Huang Xianghuai of the Party School of the Central Committee of CPC, while there exists the so-called "economic cycle of elections" in the West, the CPC has guaranteed the long-time stability of the state's fundamental policies.

Having benefitted from successive governing, the CPC has built up its capacity for formulating strategies for the country's economic and social development.

Take the Five-Year Plans as an example. From large-scale industrial construction to creating a moderately prosperous society, the CPC has accomplished the greatest modernization project history has ever seen over the past 60 years.

"China is fully confident of the future," said Konurov from the Kazakh Communist People's Party, "because it has planned every step and will never give up the goal of working for the well-being of the people."
Canada enters crucial talks in Washington on the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement this week with a complex mix of self-confidence and dread about possible damage to its most important trading relationship.

The countrys economy and currency are showing surprising strength, and Canadians are basking in the attention being showered on them and their popular prime minister, Justin Trudeau, in the United States and elsewhere.

Trudeau has not been immune to criticism at home, but he is credited with using his considerable charm to build a positive relationship with the mercurial U.S. leader and his family while avoiding the unpleasantness that has marred exchanges between President Trump and allies such as Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto.

He has made frequent visits to the United States, attending a Canada-themed musical on Broadway with Ivanka Trump and most recently making a pitch for free trade at the National Governors Association conference in Rhode Island in July.

Free trade has worked. Its working now, Trudeau told the governors, as he urged Americans to avoid a move toward protectionism. If anything, wed like a thinner border for trade, not a thicker one.

[Trump administration unveils goals in renegotiating NAFTA]

But Canadian officials dont expect it will be all plain sailing in Washington when the three-way talks begin Wednesday.

Although they think that Trumps major trade gripes are with Mexico, they remain concerned about U.S. efforts to gain concessions in such politically contentious sectors as lumber, dairy and wine, as well as a threat by the Americans to weaken the dispute-settlement mechanism, which Canada achieved only with difficulty in its original free-trade talks with the United States in the 1980s.

There is also pressure from all sides to modernize the agreement to deal more adequately with trade in services and the digital economy.

Canadians should be prepared for tough, difficult and rather unpleasant negotiations, Larry Herman, a Toronto trade lawyer, said. I dont think theres any basis for complacency.

Herman said that the work of the teams from Canada, Mexico and the United States is complicated by the presence of two gorillas in the room. The first is Congress, which has signaled its intention to be more involved in the talks than it was in the original NAFTA negotiations. The second is Trump himself.

One tweet from the president can upset a lot of the U.S. negotiating strategy, Herman said.

[With Trumps shifts on trade, unease and uncertainty north and south of the border]

Michael Kergin, a former Canadian ambassador to Washington, said that the Trudeau government has handled relations with the White House well so far but that once detailed talks begin, that may not make much difference. There are no friendships in foreign policy, only interests, he said.

Despite years of efforts to broaden its trading relationships, including the recent signing of a free-trade pact with the European Union, Canada remains highly dependent on trade south of the border.

Three-quarters of Canadian exports flow to U.S. customers, while only 18 percent of U.S. exports go to Canada, although Canada remains the single largest customer for U.S. goods.

Of the three partners in the original 1994 NAFTA deal, Canadians are by far the most upbeat about its benefits.

According to a Pew Research Institute poll published in May, 74 percent of Canadians said that the agreement had been a good thing for their country, compared with 17 percent who said that it had been bad.

Among Mexicans, 60 percent said NAFTA was a good thing for Mexico, while 33 percent said it was bad. Americans were the most negative, with 51 percent agreeing that the trade pact was good for their country, while 39 percent said it was bad.

And while politics plays a big role in American views on NAFTA  68 percent of Democrats view it as good for the United States, vs. 30 percent of Republicans  large majorities of Canadians view the trade deal positively, no matter their political affiliation, according to Pew.

That cross-party consensus was on display this month when Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the members of a new 13-person advisory council on the NAFTA talks.

Included were Rona Ambrose, the former interim Conservative Party leader, and Brian Topp, a leading member of the left-leaning New Democratic Party.

I do think it is smart for the government to cast a wide net and to listen widely, and thats what I hope they do, Topp told the Globe and Mail newspaper.

The advisory council includes business leaders; the head of the Canadian Labour Congress, a union federation; and the national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, an indigenous group.

The Trudeau government has also recruited Canadas provincial premiers in a drive to promote Canadas pro-NAFTA views with governors in U.S. states dependent on trade with Canada for jobs. And there has been a push to win congressional support in districts where Canadian companies have large operations.

If economic relationships are seen through the prism of trade balances alone, Canada isnt much of a problem for Americans. In 2016, the United States had a relatively small deficit in goods with Canada  $12 billion, compared with a $65 billion goods deficit with Mexico. If trade in services is included, the United States had a $12.5 billion surplus in its trade with Canada last year.

In any case, according to a study by the Bank of Montreal, NAFTA accounts for only 10 percent of the U.S. goods trade deficit.

Half of Americas $737 billion trade deficit in goods last year was with China, the report said.

In a Jan. 27 call to Mexicos Pena Nieto, a transcript of which was published recently by The Washington Post, Trump made clear that he was not concerned about Canadas trading relationship with the United States.

Canada is no problem, Trump said. We have a very fair relationship with Canada. It has been more balanced and much more fair. So we do not have to worry about Canada. We do not even think about Canada.

Despite those reassurances, Trump lashed out at Canada in a tweet three months later for protectionist agricultural trade policies he said were making life difficult for dairy farmers in Wisconsin. We will not stand for this, he warned.

About the same time, his administration hit Canadian softwood lumber producers exporting to the United States with duties averaging 20 percent, reviving a cross-border dispute that has been festering for 35 years.

The Trump administration has also made clear that it wants more access for U.S. companies to Canadian government contracts while retaining its ability to block Canadian firms bidding on U.S. government work through the continuation of Buy America policies.

In addition, it wants Canada to allow more goods purchased by individuals online to be free of taxes and duties, a measure opposed by Canadian retailers.

Kergin, the former ambassador, says patience is essential.

These trade negotiations are so complicated, and there are a lot of hang-ups in the fine print, he said.

While there is pressure to wrap the talks up before the U.S. midterm elections and the Mexican presidential vote in July 2018, he is not optimistic: Id be surprised if its done by next summer.

Read more

Trump has singled out Mexico. But some say NAFTAs real challenge is to the north

Canadas infrastructure projects take off while Trumps plans sputter

Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world

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The United States military said that two American soldiers were killed during combat operations in northern Iraq on Sunday but that initial findings indicate the deaths were not caused by enemy contact.

A brief statement from the U.S.-led coalition fighting the Islamic State militant group said five other soldiers were injured in the incident. The statement did not provide any further detail, except to say that the casualties were being investigated.

A separate statement released by the Islamic State on Sunday, apparently referring to the same incident, said it had carried out a rocket attack on U.S. positions east of the Iraqi city of Tal Afar that the group claimed killed four American soldiers and injured six.

Col. Ryan Dillon, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq and Syria, called the Islamic State claim false and said the casualties on Sunday were not because of enemy fire.

An Iraqi military statement issued Monday said the soldiers had been performing a routine inspection of a cannon when a shell inside exploded and that the deaths were not combat-related.

The Islamic State is increasingly on the defensive in Iraq and Syria after its defeat in the Iraqi city of Mosul and as U.S.-backed forces advance in the militant groups onetime stronghold in the Syrian city of Raqqa. American officials have touted accelerating gains against the militants in the past six months while crediting their success to policies adopted by the Trump administration, including the delegating of decision-making authority to commanders in the field.

But the Islamic State retains control of several towns in both countries that are populated by tens of thousands of civilians, and their safety has become a growing concern as the military campaign  especially coalition airstrikes  have intensified. The towns include Tal Afar, about 40 miles west of Mosul, where Iraqi troops and militiamen have been gathering ahead of what is expected to be the next major offensive in the campaign against the Islamic State.

U.S. officials have said that they expect a difficult battle in Tal Afar, where 20,000 to 40,000 civilians remain in what has been a busy hub for Islamic State leaders.

At least 6,000 U.S. troops remain in Iraq. The casualties on Sunday brought to four the number of U.S. soldiers killed this year in the country, according to the website iCasualties.org.

Zakaria Zakaria in Istanbul and Mustafa Salim in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Read more:

U.S.-led airstrikes on Syrias Raqqa cause staggering civilian deaths, U.N. says

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Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 13/08/2017 (1918 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Summertime is when many Manitobans take to the highways on vacation or to visit loved ones. If you go off the beaten track into some of our smaller communities, you can still find a rich, though dwindling, collection of buildings that make up our provinces built history.

Maintaining and renovating these structures would be difficult in any setting, but in a community with small  in some cases, shrinking  tax base and limited pool of volunteers, the challenge is all the greater. Thankfully, small, but dedicated, groups of people in many communities have taken on the often decades-long commitment to preserve and restore some of these structures for future generations.

Three buildings that are in different stages of renovation are the Rivers Train Station, Rapid City Consolidated School and the Ninette Sanatorium. If you find yourself near one of these communities, be sure to stop in and check them out.

Rivers Train Station

University of Manitoba, College of Medicine Archives The Ninette Sanatorium once consisted of more than a dozen buildings on 160 acres of land overlooking Pelican Lake. Today, there are just six buildings left.

Built: 1917

Architect: Grand Trunk Pacific Railway

Information: www.riversdalyheritage.ca/station

Rivers, located 250 kilometres west of Winnipeg, was once one of the provinces most important railway hubs.

In 1907, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway (GTP) chose the town to be a divisional point on its trek west to the Pacific coast. This meant a huge investment in the community in the form of a roundhouse, (a semi-circular building used to service locomotives), repair sheds, a coal storage yard, and bunk houses for some of the 300 or so men employed at the facilities.

This two-storey station was built in the summer of 1917 to replace the original circa 1909 station, which was razed by fire.

Christian Cassidy The Rivers Train Station is the only passenger stop between Portage la Prairie and Melville, Sask., and Dauphin and the U.S. border.

The GTP was absorbed by the CNR in 1920, but the town continued to be an important railway hub for decades to come. The station was likely at its busiest during the Second World War, shuttling personnel and equipment to and from Canadian Forces Base Rivers.

The CNR began to reorganize its facilities in the 1950s and, soon after, most of the towns railway buildings were demolished or sold off. Today, the train station is the only significant structure remaining from Rivers storied railway past.

In 1989, the station, which by then was owned by VIA Rail, was closed. The company was asked to hold off on any demolition plans until the town could decide whether or not they wanted it to have a role in Rivers future. The company agreed, and in 1992 the building was designated a municipal heritage site and received federal recognition under the Heritage Railway Stations Protection Act.

In 2006, a formal Rivers Train Station Restoration Project Committee was created to bring the building back to life.

Christian Cassidy The Rivers Train Station's roof was replaced in 2016 at a cost of around $70,000.

Donna Morken is the chairwoman of the committee and has been involved with saving the station for nearly 20 years. She is driven by the fact that, Prairie railway stations were the heart of the community, they were the beginning of many communities as the railway pushed west and united the country from sea to sea, adding, Prairie railway stations are not unlike the grain elevators, if we do not restore them they will be gone forever.

In 2014, the restoration committee signed a 40-year lease agreement with VIA Rail for the station, which means all its fundraising efforts go toward the renovation itself, not a mortgage payment. In 2016, the largest project to date was undertaken with the replacement of the roof, at a cost of about $70,000.

Morken notes the station is not just an important part of the towns past, but also of its future. Plans for the renovated space  the completion date is still unknown  include a tourism office, a museum, offices of the Rivers and Area Community Foundation, and an arts and culture space.

There will also be a VIA Rail waiting room as, starting in 2008, Rivers became the only on-off passenger point between Portage la Prairie and Melville, Sask., and between Dauphin and the U.S. border.

Ninette Sanatorium

Christian Cassidy When completed, the Rivers Train Station will house offices, a museum, an arts and culture space and a VIA Rail waiting room.

Built: 1909-10

Architect: Walter Shillinglaw

Nestled in a wooded area on the shores of Pelican Lake at Ninette, 215 km southwest of Winnipeg, this old sanatorium looks more like a resort than a former medical facility.

The Ninette Sanatorium for Consumptives was constructed in 1909-10 by the Manitoba Sanatorium Board to serve as the provinces largest tuberculosis sanatorium. The first three structures consisted of the main administration building, which included sleeping quarters for staff, and two treatment pavilions with a capacity of about 50 patients.

The idyllic site, which once comprised 160 acres, was seen as key to its success as a healing facility. At the time, the only known treatment for the disease was constant rest, fresh air and wholesome food.

Christian Cassidy The former Ninette Sanatorium's main administration building as it looks today.

The facility was in a constant state of expansion. In 1912, three buildings, including an infirmary, to treat more advanced cases of the disease, were added, doubling its capacity. It doubled again near the end of the First World War when the federal government had two pavilions built for the use of soldiers afflicted by the disease.

By the late 1940s, there were six sanatoriums of various sizes around the province. Ninette was by far the largest with a capacity of around 350 patients.

As better treatments, including drug therapies, were discovered in the 1950s, the need for sanatorium stays decreased. By the early 1970s, the Ninette facility was home to a few dozen elderly, former tuberculosis patients who did not require further treatment but had nowhere else to go.

In 1972, the sanatorium board sold the site to the province. It then became home to 150 residents of the very overcrowded Manitoba School for Retardates at Portage la Prairie, a live-in centre for adults with learning disabilities. The Ninette facility was renamed the Pelican Lake Training Centre.

In 2000, the training centre closed and the site remained mostly vacant until Saskatchewan businesswoman Ronnie Aschenbrenner happened across it in 2008.

Christian Cassidy The remaining sanatorium buildings are in various states of disrepair.

The owner of a hotel in Arcola, Sask., Aschenbrenner, was looking for new business opportunities when someone told her about the former sanatorium, part of which was being sold off by its private land owner.

When she saw it, Aschenbrenner said it was love at first sight and knew exactly what she wanted to do with it. I bought it with the hope to make a writers and artists retreat. Someplace to spend a beautiful retirement with positive people. I mean, look at the atmosphere, its beautiful.

She purchased four of the six remaining buildings on seven acres of land. The buildings include the main administration building, two patient pavilions and the nurses residence.

At first, Aschenbrenner, who had no previous construction or development experience, was determined to just make it work and set off on a five-year renovation plan. Soon after, though, she experienced a personal financial setback and the plan came off the rails. She now admits she took on much more than she could handle.

Aschenbrenner has been reaching out to different parties in the hope of creating a partnership to find new uses for the buildings. In the meantime, she has teamed up with the Saskatchewan and Maritime Paranormal Society to offer tours of the facility during the day and then a chance to watch their ghost-hunting techniques at night.

The tours raise only a small amount of money, but for Aschenbrenner they are more about raising awareness of the existence of the facility. The last tour in August 2017 attracted more than 300 visitors.

Rapid City Consolidated School

Christian Cassidy Extensive renovations are necessary in many of the buildings that remain at the old Ninette Sanatorium.

Built: 1902

Architect: William Alexander Elliott

Information: www.facebook.com/RapidCityMuseum

The imposing facade of the Rapid City Consolidated School would not look out of place in a large urban setting.

The school was built in 1902 to replace a woefully outgrown 20-year-old structure and was seen as not just an attractive new building for the town, but a sign of hope for area children.

At its grand opening, Mr. S. L. Head of the school board expressed hope parents in the region would make use of the school, (this was long before school attendance was compulsory and parents had to pay a fee of a couple of dollars to enroll their children), to give them a better future. He said in his speech: It will give the boys and girls a fair start in the race for life, start them out with a good education, something they cannot lose, and if they have ambition they will come out on top.

Christian Cassidy The Rapid City Consolidated school has served as a school, a museum and a library since it was built in 1902.

The most famous person associated with the school is undoubtedly author Frederick Grove.

Trained as an educator, he worked at a number of rural Manitoba schools, including as principal of Rapid Citys, from 1922 to 1924. During his time here, two of his books, Over Prairie Trails and The Turn of The Year, were published.

By 1960, enrolment in area schools had dropped to the point some feared losing their provincial funding. The following year, a number of schools and school divisions amalgamated at Rapid City, located 40 km northwest of Brandon, and the school added consolidated to its name.

A new school was constructed in the town in 1966, but the old building continued to serve the community for decades.

In 1973, it became home to the Rapid City Museum and was joined the following year by a regional library which occupied the second floor for more than a decade.

The buildings condition deteriorated through the 2000s and the museum closed around 2007. This forced the municipality to decide what it wanted to do with the building.

Its very exciting to be around a group of people as passionate as you are  Duncan Martin, chairman, builing committee, Rapid City Museum Board

At a town hall meeting, it was decided the building should be renovated into a mixed-use facility comprising of rental suites, daycare space and a revived museum.

The Rapid City Museum Board was tasked with getting an engineering report and plans drawn up for the space and, the toughest part, with fundraising and co-ordinating the renovations.

Duncan Martin, an area farmer and chairman of the boards building committee, said the past year has been its busiest yet. A call out to the community added new board members, the buildings roof was reshingled and the basement level was gutted. Later this summer, the exterior brickwork will be repointed.

The small amounts of funds that can be raised in a community of fewer than 500 people and a lack of available grants means the Rapid City Consolidated School will not be restored to its former glory quickly, something Martin is aware of. Honestly, Im projecting that it will be ten, fifteen, twenty years, before we get it the way we want it.

He says the committee, though, will keep chipping away one small job at a time.

Martin admits at times the scale of the work required can seem daunting, but that is offset by the fact the project has become a fun, community-building exercise. He says of the committee: Its very exciting to be around a group of people as passionate as you are.

That interest extends beyond the committee table, says Martin. Something he especially notices at fundraising events: The turnout at our last movie night, you saw 100 people there. Thats a quarter of the population of our small town. Many (are) people youve never seen before.

Christian Cassidy writes about local history on his blog, West End Dumplings.

Cassidy@mymts.net

Christian Cassidy The facade of the Rapid City Consolidated school.
Hundreds of American Nazis descended on Charlottesville, Virginia this weekend, unleashing a wave of violence that culminated in the death of a 32-year-old female counterdemonstrator whose name had not been made public as of Saturday night.

On Saturday afternoon, 20-year-old James Fields of Maumee, Ohio drove his car into a crowd of people protesting the unite the right gathering. Fields, who was subsequently identified as a Nazi, deliberately idled his car on a side street and repositioned his vehicle, waiting for the demonstration to approach before speeding into the crowd at 40 miles per hour. He is in custody and has been charged with murder.

Fields injured 19 other counterdemonstrators, sending bodies flying over the hood of his car before attempting to escape from the scene. Fourteen others were hurt during Saturdays Nazi rampage.

American Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan, the pro-Trump Proud Boys and other fascists organized the unite the right demonstration to prevent the city of Charlottesvillehome to the University of Virginiafrom removing a statue of Robert E. Lee, the commanding general of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, from a park.

Early Saturday morning, dozens of militiamen armed with assault rifles, shotguns and hunting knives deployed throughout the city to protect the Nazi demonstrators. Dressed in camouflage uniforms resembling the US Armys combat fatigues as well as confederate flag insignia, the militia established control of the citys downtown like an occupying force without being confronted by the police. Throughout the day, Nazis armed with shields, pepper spray and metal poles attacked counterdemonstrators as police looked on. Others marched with official campaign signs from Trumps 2016 presidential run.

The night before, hundreds of Nazis took over the University of Virginia campus and held a torchlight march, chanting one people, one nation, end immigration, seig heil, and blood and soil, an anti-Semitic chant used by the German Nazis.

President Donald Trump waited hours to make a public statement after Saturdays attack before stating, We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides. On many sides.

Trumps attempts to blame peaceful anti-fascist demonstrators as complicit in the riot was greeted with praise by the Nazi press. The Daily Stormer said: Trump comments were good. He didnt attack us He implied that there was hate on both sides! So he implied the antifa [anti-fascists] are haters. He said he loves us all.

At a press conference Saturday afternoon, Trump repeatedly refused to answer questions from the press as to whether he would denounce the Nazi violence. The Daily Stormer noted, When asked to condemn, he just walked out of the room. Really, really good. God bless him. Vice President Mike Pence made similar statements failing to condemn the Nazi provocation.
George Soros did it. Or maybe it was the Deep State. That was the reaction of the far right to Saturdays violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, which left three dead. Even as images played on television of James Alex Fields, Jr., plowing his car into a crowd protesting the Unite the Right rally, a counter-narrative was coalescing on the Internet that offered a competing reality, one that had little grounding in confirmable fact.

The disconnect between what most Americans saw or read about the events in Charlottesville, where white nationalists had gathered to protest the removal of a Confederate statue, and what the far right told itself about the very same events, suggests that nearly a year after fake news helped elect a president, alternative facts remain as alluring, and persuasive, as they have ever been.

For the extreme right, Charlottesville was not a cautionary tale about emboldened white supremacists who appear to have found troubling succor in the presidential administration of Donald J. Trump. Instead, the entire Unite the Right rally was potentially a false flag perpetrated by the Democrats and their enablers in the Deep State, a nonexistent figment of the right-wing imagination that invokes a network of career federal and military officials seeking to bring down Donald Trump. A global network of elites, many of them Jewish, may also have been involved, according to this version of events.

A false flag is a diversionary tactic employed in battle at sea. Today, it most commonly refers to a government staging a terrorist attack it subsequently uses to malign and possibly prosecute forces hostile to the establishment. The notion of pervasive false flags has been popularized by conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, founder of Infowars. According to Jones, the attacks of 9/11 were a false flags, as was the murder of 20 children at the Sandy Hook elementary school in 2012.

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Jones presented his depressingly predictable explanation of what transpired in Charlottesville in a video posted on Saturday. EXCLUSIVE: Virginia Riots Staged To Bring In Martial Law, Ban Conservative Gatherings, the headline read. The video was an hour-long diatribe against some of Joness favorite targets, including liberal philanthropist George Soros, Black Lives Matter, globalists, elitists, the Democrats, the Republicans and anarchists, among many others. However, Jones failed to provide even remotely compelling evidence that anyone of these forces was directly responsible for the weekends violence (Fields killed one woman with his car, while two Virginia State Police officers died when their helicopter crashed en route to Charlottesville).

At one point, Jones appeared to suggest that the Southern Poverty Law Center was responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Jones also claimed that the media had failed to cover widespread assaults on families of Trump supporters in Washington, D.C., during Januarys presidential inauguration.

Jones is hardly the only Charlottesville conspiracy theorist desperately trying to protect the alt-right from accusations of violence. The most far-flung of these have focused on Fields, the 20-year-old Ohio man who drove his car into a gather of counterprotestors, killing one and injuring 19. Fields was subsequently apprehended and is now being held at Albermarle-Charlottesville County Regional Jail. He will be arraigned on Monday, likely on second degree murder charges.

Some on the far right, however, have suggested that Fields was a government agent provocateur sent to cause havoc that would ultimately be blamed on Unite the Right and its constituent factions.

The CIA drove that car into the crowd, wrote a user on 4chan, the social network popular with the far right. The CIA crashed that Helicopter.

Appears to be the perfect set-up to win sympathy for the violent left, while demonizing the right, another 4chan user wrote, listing a bevy of reasons for why Fields was a patsy.

Screen Shot 2017-08-13 at 12

4chan

While others did not attempt to argue away Fieldss culpability, they nevertheless sought to prove that the entire Unite the Right rally was an event sponsored by the left to discredit the right. Some took the coincidental fact that Saturday was the birthday of Soros, the Hungarian-American liberal philanthropist, as proof of his involvement. Soros is often invoked by conspiracy theorists as a symbol of a global, Jewish elite, one at counter with Trump and his nationalist agenda.

I think it was a false flag. Unfortunately people were killed and injured. This is Soros' minions and our corrupt government causing civil unrest, a user identifying herself as Christine Ramirez wrote on Gab, another social media platform popular with extremist elements.

Others noted that Soros offers financial support to the American Civil Liberties Union, among many other organizations. The ACLU had filed suit to allow Unite the Right to congregate in Charlottesville, in keeping with its mission of protecting First Amendment rights. Some, however, thought the organization was acting on Soross orders.

Varieties of this narrative were endorsed by some of the alt-rights loudest voices:

Others yet blamed the Deep State, a concept popularized in part by chief White House political strategist Stephen K. Bannon, who some have branded a white nationalist and anti-Semite. Bannon is the former chairman of Breitbart News, which he boasted was the platform for the alt-right. (A Newsweek email query to Bannon about the events in Charlottesville went unanswered.)

Does anybody doubt that the Deep State has the ability to take over control of cars and trucks and drive them into crowds? Not saying that happened today. But I guarantee you it will if it suits their agenda, wrote a user identified as ShareThisMeme on /r/The_Donald, a section of Reddit where supporters of the president trade memes and conspiracy theories.

The broadest of the false flag theories charges that the modern Democratic Party is grounded firmly in the principles of the Nazi party and is therefore responsible for all manner of intolerance at work in American society today. The tortured argument was recently popularized by right-wing pundit Dinesh DSouza in The Big Lie. Earlier this month, DSouza visited the White House, where he discussed The Big Lie with Bannon and Sebastian Gorka, a White House adviser who has also been accused of having ties to extremist groups. On Saturday, DSouza took to Twitter to promote that argument, even as many other figures in the conservative movement were condemning Unite the Right.

The far right also rejoiced in Trumps statement that the violence in Charlottesville had come from many sides. In failing to explicitly condemn the white supremacist, Trump proved far more effective than any false flag theory in shifting the blame away from those who seem to plainly deserve it.

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Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 13:58:41|Editor: Yamei

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta (R, Front) receives the certificate as the winner of presidential elections from Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati (L, Front) in Nairobi, capital of Kenya, on Aug. 11, 2017. Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was on Friday declared the winner of Tuesday's presidential elections with 8.20 million (54.27 percent) votes against 6.76 million (44.74 percent) for his main challenger, Raila Odinga after a tense electoral process which was preceded by an opposition walkout. (Xinhua/Charles Onyango)

NAIROBI, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta won a reelection on Aug. 8 largely due to enhanced grassroots campaign strategy and scores he gained from the east African country's infrastructure development, experts said on Saturday.

The intensity of grassroots campaigns that involved nationwide visits to small market centers is captured by remarks of State House spokesperson Manoah Esipisu that since May 29 when Kenyatta submitted his candidacy documents to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, he held more than 400 rallies.

"In the last week of the campaigns Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto visited and campaigned in 14 counties," said the spokesperson.

Bob Wekesa, research associate of the China-Africa Reporting Project at the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, attributed Kenyatta's victory to the campaign strategy his Jubilee Party adopted at the grassroots level, which is educating voters about its policies.

"The modus operandi of campaigning by Jubilee was well thought out and this explains why it penetrated into opposition's strongholds including winning 8 parliamentary seats in Western Kenya," said Wekesa, adding that Jubilee did more footwork than the opposition.

Observers also note that Kenyatta's well-financed campaigns saw a better advertising. David Otieno, a PhD candidate in political science at the University of Nairobi, believes Kenyatta won also "because he chose nationalism over mere political expediency."

Otieno cited "regular calls for unity and an election slogan of 45- million-strong," which means Kenyatta's party serves the country's total 45 million population, in sharp comparison to the opposition's 10-million-strong -- to get 10 million votes out of the 19.6 million electorate.

"He toured every county to its grassroots severally, as he asked for votes. Further to this, his asking for votes was predicated on a developmental peace model that was not condescending to any tribe," he added.

Otieno also links Kenyatta's win to his scores in infrastructure development, citing the 480-km standard gauge railway (SGR) put into operation in May between the capital Nairobi and the southeastern port city of Mombasa, which is expected to add 1.5 percent growth to Kenya's gross domestic product.

Another project is the 360-km Isiolo-Moyale highway which opened the trade corridor with Ethiopia.

According to Otieno, Kenyatta also worked to expand specialized medical services including dialysis, and to double the coverage of the National Hospital Insurance Fund to 6 million people. Among his other records are improved digital education and enlarged population with access to electric power.

Kenyatta was also applauded for high-level exchanges with leaders of China, the United States, Europe and the Middle East, trade deals, concessional loan agreements, and more international meetings Kenya hosts.

Foreign Minister Amina Mohammed said Kenyatta greatly helps Kenya in its efforts to entrench its leadership as a regional economic power as well as to achieve global competitiveness.

"Diplomacy is conducted through face-to-face engagements and meetings. Kenya is a very important country in the southern hemisphere, being the only capital in the developing world to host a United Nations office," Mohammed said.

"These efforts, foreign trips by Kenyatta, have borne positive results," she said, noting that foreign direct investment inflows into Kenya have risen up and "the investments have resulted in the creation of jobs and wealth."
The Bahrain International Airport was shut down Saturday after a U.S. fighter aircraft, F-18, crashed on the runway, reports said.

The aircraft pilot was safe, Cmdr. Bill Urban, a spokesman for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, said in a statement, according to ABC News. Urban also said the aircraft suffered an engine problem because of which it tried to divert to Shaikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain, but instead landed at Bahrain's commercial airport.

This is not the first time that an F-18 aircraft has crashed. In April, a pilot was forced to eject from a Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet fighter jet during an attempted landing on the deck of the Vinson in the Celebes Sea, south of the Philippines, according to an official statement.

However, the pilot was recovered safely. The statement also said: "The incident is currently under investigation. The pilot is being assessed by the medical team on board USS Carl Vinson and there are no apparent injuries at this time."

Read: American Airlines Responds After Man Posts Viral Photo Of Gross Lobster Roll

On Dec. 7, 2016, another U.S. F/A-18 Hornet jet crashed in Japan. The U.S. Navy confirmed at the time it was the ninth such major incident involving a "Legacy Hornet in the past six months, according to the Aviationist, a military aviation website.

Prior to the Dec. 7 incident, two U.S. Marine Corps F-18 Hornets from MCAS Miramar crashed on November 9 near San Diego, while another jet crashed on October 25, the report said.

On July 27, 2016, an F/ A-18C crashed during a training mission near the Twentynine Palms Marine base, California, which killed Maj. Richard Norton, 36, of Arcadia, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Since 2012, the number of major Navy and Marine Hornet and Super Hornet accidents have increased by 44 percent, a report by U.S. military's independent news sources, Stars and Stripes, said. The report cited the data collected by the Naval Safety Center in Norfolk, Virginia. These incidents have caused at least $50,000 in damage and in some cases, even death.

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In the report, the Navy and Marine Corps leaders blamed the budget cuts of 2011 that "instituted automatic federal spending cuts known as sequestration." Its extremely clear whats happened, said California-based Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet pilot Lt. Versace, who requested to be identified by his call sign only as he was not authorized to speak on the issue.

Read: Blackout On Sea Princess Avoids Somali Pirates

He added: These aircraft have reached their life span and they continue to extend their life spans for another few thousand flight hours, which hasnt worked for them due to significant budget decreases. Yet they continue to run these jets that have caused catastrophic incidents.

I believe naval aviation is at risk of eventual systemic failure, said retired Navy Cmdr. Chris Harmer, who is working as a senior naval analyst with the Institute for the Study of War, a think tank in Washington, D.C.

He added: Either funding needs to be significantly increased in order to restore airframe availability and pilot proficiency and support current operations, or operational tempo needs to be drastically reduced.

Several pilots have also shared how the life support systems on all F/A-18 jets are gradually failing to supply with safe, breathable air, Fox News reported in May. There have been instances when there has been a breakdown of life support systems, like the On-board Oxygen Generating System," or cabin pressurization system. It is during these instances when the pilots experience "physiological episodes," the report said.

Three active -duty F/A-18 pilots spoke to Fox News on the condition of anonymity and said they risk their lives as soon as they operate an aging fighter jet. When I go flying in combat, whats more, likely to kill me is not getting shot down by enemy fire, said one of the F/A-18 pilots. Its a failure in my most basic life support system.

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I swear by Almighty God that the evidence I shall give shall be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

With this familiar phrase, uttered in some form every day in courts of law around the world, trial witnesses invoke a divine power to bolster their credibility.

In countries such as Britain and Australia, those who prefer not to make a religious commitment can opt instead for a secular affirmation. Rather than citing God as their witness, they instead solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm that they will tell the truth. The non-religious option is no less legally binding, but may not be as effective as the religious oath in conveying trustworthiness to onlookers.

Moral suspicion of atheists is widespread and deeply entrenched. In Britain, 22% of survey respondents explicitly agree that morality is impossible without belief in God, while the figure is much higher in the US and higher still in many other countries.

Now new research that one of us was involved in, spanning 13 diverse countries, confirms that distrust of atheists is pervasive and intuitive even for non-believers. Participants in most of these countries, including the UK, the US and Australia, were more likely to associate wrongdoing with atheists than with religious believers. This moral prejudice against atheists was evident even in those who professed complete disbelief in God.

Atheists on the stand

Prejudice against atheists has important implications in the judicial system. In systems where witnesses can choose between a religious oath and secular affirmation, the first action that the judge and jury see a witness make may be viewed as a clear signal of the witnesss religious belief, or lack thereof. Jurors cannot be unaware of the options, because they must make an equivalent swearing-in decision themselves before hearing evidence.

The upshot is that when witnesses are called to the stand  where perceived credibility is paramount  they may be compelled by legal procedure to signal their belief or disbelief in God. This is an influential cue of morality or immorality and could bias trial outcomes in any number of ways. There is a real risk that defendants who take the religious oath when giving evidence may, by that very fact, enjoy more favorable verdicts and sentencing decisions than those who opt for the secular affirmation.

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Recent research indicates how judges rulings can be swayed by individual experiences and other factors. One study gathered data about the children of US courts of appeals judges, and found that judges with daughters voted in a more feminist way on gender issues than judges with only sons. Another study found that sentences rendered in US federal courts on sleepy Monday (the Monday immediately following the spring shift to daylight saving time in the US) were about five per cent longer than those dispensed on comparison Mondays.

Psychologists and legal scholars Monica Miller and Brian Bornstein have also explored the role and effects of religion in courtroom scenarios. One of their mock trial studies showed that religious appeals for leniency by defense attorneys affected the decisions of jurors. Mock jurors were least punitive when a defendant was described as having converted to Christianity, compared to when the defense attorney made a generic appeal for Christian forgiveness.

In their book, God in the Courtroom, they conclude that while religious factors are less important at trial than the facts of a case, there are nevertheless numerous cases in which such factors can be decisive.

Out with the oath

This brings us back to the possible effects of the religious oath. A proposal to abolish the oath altogether in English and Welsh courts was rejected by the Magistrates Association in 2013. Opponents of the proposal argued that the religious oath strengthens the value of witnesses evidence. Ironically, it seems that part of the reason the oath was ultimately retained may have been because it bolsters credibility so effectively. This is another pointer to potential bias against those who opt instead for the secular affirmation.

In our view, the different potency of the religious oath and secular affirmation as signals of a witnesss credibility is precisely the reason the oath should be abolished. Doing so would also avoid the danger of a trial collapsing if the wrong oath happens to be taken  which happened in Liverpool in 2015 when a Muslim man swore on the Bible, rather than the Koran. A less radical modification would be to have witnesses sworn in where they cannot be observed by judge and jury  perhaps in a private adjoining chamber.

The religious oath is an antiquated feature of many legal systems that needs reform. Given entrenched distrust of nonbelievers, continued use of the oath may undermine witness testimony and make justice more difficult to obtain for people who are not prepared to profess a belief in God.

Ryan McKay, Reader in Psychology, Royal Holloway and Colin Davis, Chair in Cognitive Psychology , University of Bristol

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

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Photo: The Conversation

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Dhaka (AFP) - Bangladeshi conservationists introduced two rare river-dwelling crocodiles to potential mates Sunday in a last-ditch attempt to save the critically-endangered species from extinction.

A 36-year-old female gharial -- a fish-eating crocodile once native to rivers across the Indian subcontinent -- was brought from a zoo in northeast Bangladesh to the capital Dhaka, where it is hoped she will mate with an older male to repopulate the species.

A separate 40-year-old male was returned to the zoo in Rajshahi where there are only females.

Gharials can only breed until the age of 50 and as the small captive population in Bangladesh ages, conservationists decided intervention was needed if the species was to have any chance of survival.

"This is our last hope to rescue the critically-endangered gharial from total extinction," Sarowar Alam, who heads the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Bangladesh gharial project, told AFP.

"We're hopeful we'll get some results, even though there are fears these adults gharials may have lost the urge to mate."

Bangladesh, with its vast network of rivers, was once a key habitat for the gharial, a crocodile distinctive for its large body and long thin snout.

But today they are virtually extinct in Bangladesh and the few which are seen likely made their way downstream from India.

There has been no sighting of gharials in Bangladesh's two Himalayan rivers -- the Ganges and Brahmaputra -- in more than a decade.

The species has also all but vanished from its erstwhile habitats in Pakistan and Bhutan, with fewer than 200 existing in rivers mainly in India but also Nepal.

There are 11 captive gharials in Bangladesh, officials say, and if the breeding programme is a success it is hoped the infants can be released back into the wild.

"This is the first time we've decided to exchange the gharials among zoos so that they can mate and breed," Jahidul Kabir, the government's conservator of forests, told AFP.

The Padma and Jamuna rivers, the main tributaries of the two Himalayan rivers, have been identified as potential sanctuaries for the species should it repopulate.

Conservationists have built artificial sandbanks in the zoos for the breeding exercise. Though gharials spend most of their time in water, sandy banks are essential for building nests and basking.
A man being held on suspicion of second-degree murder after a car crashed into a group of counter-protesters at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, has been identified.

He is James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Maumee, Ohio, according to Superintendent Martin Kumer with the Albermarle-Charlottesville County Regional Jail, cited by CNN.

Fields is being held on suspicion of second-degree murder, as well as malicious wounding and failure to stop in an accident that resulted in death.

636381730270504888-Fields

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One person was killed and 19 injured when a car ploughed into a group who had gathered to oppose the white nationalist rally Saturday.

The car hit a 32-year-old woman crossing the street, killing her, police said. She has been identified on fundraising website GoFundMe as Heather Heyer, who a schoolfriend said was "protesting against hate," with $35,000 raised for her family by the time of publication.

Police have not yet confirmed her identity.

According to online records cited by USA Today, Fields Jr.'s car was purchased from a Greater Cincinnati car dealership and last registered in Ohio. Online records do not show any criminal record for Fields, according to the outlet. The assailant's mother, Samantha Bloom, told the Toldeo Blade that Fields traveled to Charlottesville for the Unite the Right rally.

He reportedly told Bloom last week that he was heading to an "alt right" rally in Virginia.

"I try to stay out of his political views. I don't get too involved, she told the newspaper.

"I told him to be careful," she said, "if they are going to rally, to make sure he is doing it peacefully." She then broke down in tears.

She later told Associated Press that she believed the rally had been to support President Trump.

"I thought it had something to do with Trump. Trumps not a white supremacist, Bloom told the AP.

He had an African-American friend so ..., she said, trailing off.

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The Anti-Defamation League circulated a picture showing Fields demonstrating with members of Vanguard America, a white nationalist group involved in Saturday's protest.

In a statement, the group denied Fields was a member.

Footage of the incident shows the vehicle driving at speed into the crowd before crashing into another vehicle then reversing at high speed and turning left to speed off, pursued by police.

The FBI is investigating the crash to determine if the crime involved civil rights violations, which could pave the way for hate crime charges being filed.

In a separate incident, two police officers were killed when a helicopter monitoring the rally crashed near Charlottesville, police said Saturday.

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UPDATED with arrest & casualty info Virginia officials confirmed that 20-year-old James Alex Fields Jr. of Maumee, Ohio, was arrested and has been booked on suspicion of second-degree murder, malicious wounding and failure to stop for an accident involving a death.(See his mug shot below). Fields booking was confirmed by Superintendent Martin Kumer with the Albermarle-Charlottesville County Regional Jail.

Three people died as a result of todays violent clashes in Charlottesville, including one killed in what appeared to be Fields intentional car crash and two state troopers who died in a helicopter accident.

The troopers, Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, Va. (above left) and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates of Quinton, Va. (above right) are being considered casualties of the violence since they were on duty, monitoring the Charlottesville protests from the helicopter.

In a press conference confirming the three deaths, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe made the clear, anti-white-nationalist message that President Donald Trump did not. I have a message to the white supremacists and the nazis who came into Charlottesville today, McAuliffe said at the televised 6 pm conference. Go home. You are not wanted in this great commonwealth. You pretend that you are patriots, but you are anything but patriots.

Two of the deaths were the result of a Virginia State Police helicopter crash in nearby Albemarle County; the third death was a pedestrian killed in what police consider an intentional car crash. The connection of the helicopter accident to the violence was not immediately clarified.

President Donald Trump has tweeted his condolences to the families & fellow officers of the VA State Police who died today and to the pedestrians family, wishing best regards to all of those injured.

Condolences to the family of the young woman killed today, and best regards to all of those injured, in Charlottesville, Virginia. So sad!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

Deepest condolences to the families & fellow officers of the VA State Police who died today. You're all among the best this nation produces.  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

Said McAuliffe to white nationalists during his presser, You came here today to hurt people. There is no place for you here, there is no place for you in America.

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So please, go home and never come back, he said. Take your hatred and take your bigotry, there is no place.

At the same press conference, Charlottesville mayor Michael Signer said the bigotry was brought to his city by outsiders who belong on the trash heap of history.

Charlottesville police chief Al Thomas confirmed the three deaths, noting that none of 35 injuries were attributable to engagement with law enforcement. Nine pedestrians were injured in the car crash, with injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening.

A 32-year-old female pedestrian was killed in the crash; Thomas declined to identify the victim pending family notification.

A male suspect has been arrested in the death, and Thomas said the incident is being treated as a criminal homicide.

CBS News tweeted a photo from near the helicopter crash site:

NEW: 2 confirmed fatalities in helicopter crash outside Charlottesville, Virginia, state police say https://t.co/5UYLHG2ndC pic.twitter.com/MC6dRdSerO  CBS News (@CBSNews) August 12, 2017

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The home of the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, has become a particularly quiet and progressive college town in recent years. In fact, 80 percent of the voters in the small city voted for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election. So why would the left-leaning town, where roughly 47,000 people currently live, be chosen for white nationalist rally headed by the alt-right?

Charlottesville city council in April voted to remove a statue of Confederate leader Robert E. Lee, one of the last standing Confederate monuments in the state. The statue stands in a park that was also recently renamed from Lee Park to Emancipation Park. Although the removal of the statue is still pending litigation, white nationalists are opposing the decision in an effort to cling on to their white history.

White rights activist Jason Kessler, a Charlottesville resident who organized Saturdays Unite the Right protest, blamed all "the anti-white hatred that's coming out of the city" as the reason for the rally, CNN reported.

White nationalist rally chose Charlottesville for a reason

Alejandro Alvarez/News2Share via REUTERS.

This entire community is a very far left community that has absorbed these cultural Marxist principles advocated in college towns across the country, about blaming white people for everything," Kessler told CNN on Friday.

However, the tearing down of the monument may not be the only reason why Charlottesville became a prime location for alt-right leaders to hold a rally. The small citys history is muddled in racism.

The town, considered a community of the Jim Crow South back in the early 1900s, was the last in America to desegregate schools following the Supreme Courts ruling on Brown v. Board of Education, which allowed black children to attend historically white-only schools. Despite ordering desegregation with all deliberate speed, in 1955, Virginia strongly resisted the ruling. Some schools even shut down in Charlottesville before finally allowing integration in 1958.

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In 2015, Charlottesville was under fire for racist behavior following the violent arrest of Martese Johnson, a third-year student at the University. Johnson, a black man, was confronted by three white police officers who, after asking for identification, assumed he was holding a fake I.D.. and beat him before throwing him in cuffs. A video of the altercation went viral, sparking a nationally trending hashtag #JusticeForMartese on Twitter and bringing attention to the aggressive force law enforcement enacted on blacks in the community.

Virginia overall also has longstanding ties to the Ku Klux Klan. In a study released in 2015, researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University discovered there had been more than 2,000 KKK klaverns established in the U.S. between 1915 and 1940, 132 of which had been spread across the state of Virginia.

Just in July, Klansmen held a rally of their own at Emancipation Park, similarly protesting the removal of the statue. About 30 Klansmen attended that particular rally and were met by nearly 1,000 counter protesters.

The rally on Saturday, however, is expected to see a much bigger turnout. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate groups and other extremists, estimated as many as 2,000 to 6,000 people may show up at the protest.

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Beirut (AFP) - A commando operation backed by Russian warplanes and helicopters has killed 25 members of the Islamic State jihadist group in central Syria, a monitor said Sunday.

Supported by regime ally Russia, Syria's army has waged a months-long offensive to recapture the vast desert region that stretches from the country's centre to the Iraqi and Jordanian borders.

On Saturday, "25 IS members were killed and others wounded in a commando operation by Syrian regime forces with air support from Russian warplanes and helicopters" in the northeast of Homs province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said.

Six members of the regime forces were also killed, it said.

A military source said the operation occurred "20 kilometres inside Daesh (IS) terrorist lines".

The raid allowed regime forces to seize control of three villages in the area, official news agency SANA reported the source as saying.

The army has captured swathes of territory from the jihadists in the province. According to the Observatory, IS now controls just dozens of villages in the east of Homs.

The Syrian "Badiya" is a large stretch of desert that extends over around 90,000 square kilometres (35,000 square miles) of territory.

Since 2015, much of the Badiya has been held by IS, but Syria's army has been chipping away at it since May.

Last week, the Observatory said regime forces had ousted IS from Al-Sukhna, the last jihadist-held town in Homs province.

Syria's army and Russia this weekend confirmed its full recapture.

"The liberation of Al-Sukhna from IS terrorists opens up possibilities for Syrian government forces to launch an assault and free the city of Deir Ezzor," a Russian army statement said.

The jihadists hold the majority of the vast desert province of Deir Ezzor including most of its provincial capital.

The recapture of Deir Ezzor "would largely -- if not completely -- mark the end of the fight against IS," Russia's Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Sunday told the Russia 24 television channel.

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Regime forces have more than doubled the territory they control in Syria over the past two months, he said.

Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are also fighting the jihadists in the south of neighbouring Raqa province.

A US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance meanwhile is battling to retake the provincial capital, Raqa city, from IS.

The jihadists also hold the majority of the vast desert province of Deir Ezzor including most of its provincial capital.

More than 330,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict erupted in March 2011 with anti-government protests.
By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish police said on Saturday they were preparing to search a sunken submarine owned by Danish inventor Peter Madsen who has been charged with the inadvertent manslaughter of a journalist. The police said that Madsen, 46, was being held in custody for 24 days, accused of killing Swedish woman Kim Wall, 30, who they said had been on his submarine before it sank on Friday. Madsen was rescued on Friday morning in a navy operation and taken ashore after his homemade 17-metre submarine went down. The vessel was recovered on Saturday in Koge Bay, south of Copenhagen, at a depth of seven meters, and taken into harbor. It will be partly drained of water and searched by the police late on Saturday and early Sunday. Madsen, an entrepreneur known as an artist, submarine builder and aerospace engineer, went before a judge on Saturday behind closed doors for preliminary questioning. His defense lawyer, Betina Hald Engmark, told Reuters he denied the charges. The police said on Friday the inventor had said he had dropped Wall off in Copenhagen on Thursday night. The police in Sweden said they had tried without success to contact her by phone and that her family had not heard from her. The submarine, UC3 Nautilus, is one of three constructed by Madsen. It can carry eight people. (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen, additional reporting by Stine Jacobsen in Copenhagen and Anna Ringstrom in Stockholm; Editing by Andrew Bolton)
Stockholm (AFP) - A Danish judge remanded into temporary custody Saturday a Danish inventor accused of manslaughter over a missing Swedish journalist, who was on board a submarine he built which sank.

"My client denies the allegations," Betina Engmark, lawyer for 46-year-old inventor Peter Madsen told AFP, adding that he was "hurt" to be suspected of involvement in her death.

He was ordered to be held in custody for a period of 24 hours, which could be renewed.

Press reports named the Swedish journalist as Kim Wall, 30, who was writing a feature story about the inventor. Nothing has been heard from her since Thursday evening.

Madsen had wanted to launch himself into the space race before building his submarine the Nautilus, the biggest privately-made one ever when he made it in 2008.

Early Friday, Danish authorities announced they were looking for the Nautilus, which had been reported the previous evening in the Oresund strait between Denmark and Sweden, with two people.

The vessel was then located in a bay in Kge, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Danish capital, where the submarine had suddenly sunk shortly before midday Friday.

Its owner Madsen was rescued shortly before, but there was no sign of the Swedish journalist. Police immediately launched a search, then arrested Madsen on suspicion of manslaughter.

By late Saturday the Nautilus had been recovered and was being towed back to Copenhagen. It was expected to arrive in the Danish capital by the end of the evening, said a police statement.

"So far it hasn't been possible to see what there is inside the submarine," it said.

It appealed for witnesses who might have seen Wall on Thursday after 1900 GMT. Madsen said he had left her on the end of the Refshaleen island at around 2030 GMT, according to police.
Peter Madsen was arrested after his submarine Nautilus sank and a journalist onboard disappeared - AFP

A Danish submarine inventor has been charged over the disappearance of a Swedish journalist who was with him on his vessel before it mysteriously sank near Copenhagen.

Peter Madsen, a 46-year-old entrepreneur, had invited Kim Wall, a 30-year-old freelance journalist, to join him on what was supposed to be a short voyage aboard his private submarine Nautilus.

When the submarine did not return as scheduled on Friday morning, Miss Walls boyfriend raised the alarm and a major naval search was launched to find the vessel.

Rescuers found Mr Madsen standing in the tower of the sunken Nautilus but there was no sign of Miss Wall.

Kim Wall disappeared after boarding the submarine with Mr Madsen

The inventor said he had dropped her on an island in Copenhagens harbour on Thursday evening but her family said she had disappeared.

Danish police later arrested Mr Madsen on suspicion of her death.

He appeared in court on Saturday, where prosecutors accused him of killing Miss Wall in an unknown way and in an unknown place sometime after 5pm on Thursday.

Mr Madsen denies the charges and smiled in the courtroom as he talked with his defence lawyer.

Nautilus, believed to be the worlds largest privately owned submarine, is lying in shallow waters of Denmarks east coast but police divers have not yet been able to enter it.

The Nautilus Credit: OUTANDERS VALDSTED/AFP/Getty Images

Danish police suspect that Mr Madsen may have deliberately sank the Nautilus to conceal evidence of Miss Walls death, according to Ekstra Bladet, a Danish newspaper

The journalist was born in Sweden and studied at the London School of Economics, Columbia University in New York and the Sorbonne in Paris.

She divided her time between New York and Beijing and had written for the New York Times, Time Magazine and the Guardian.

Mr Madsen appeared calm during an interview with Danish television shortly after the submarine sank, saying: I am fine, but sad because Nautilus went down.

He said there had been a problem with a ballast tank that turned into a major issue.

Nautilus, named after the ship from the classic science fiction novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, was built by Mr Madsen after raising $200,000 (154,000) online.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 14:08:44|Editor: Song Lifang

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CANBERRA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government said on Sunday that it would "actively monitor" a situation involving its 22 Tiger attack helicopters, after the maker Airbus Helicopters declared all variants to be in unsafe condition.

After a German version of the attack helicopter crashed when its blades fell off the chassis in Mali last month, the manufacturer released a statement saying that safety was its main concern, and that as a result, the helicopters were not suitable for flying.

On Sunday, a defence department spokesperson said while Australia's fleet was still operational, the issue would be discussed in the Parliament in "due course."

News Corp newspapers quoted the spokesperson as saying that the government was "actively monitoring sustainment contract of the Tiger helicopter capability to ensure it achieves value for money."

Airbus Helicopters said they were at a loss to understand why its helicopters were failing, but declared that "all Tiger versions" were "unsafe" at this point in time.

"Despite the missing information and considering a sudden failure, Airbus Helicopters (AH) declares an unsafe condition for all Tiger versions," the statement said.

"AH can neither identity the part, the failure of which would lead to the accident, nor the origin of the failure (design, manufacturing, maintenance).

"Consequently, AH is not in a position to propose a protective measure."
Faith, history and community in Bosnia Effendi Ibranovic Dzemail poses for a photograph inside Sulejmanija Mosque in Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina, July 20, 2017. Sulejmanija Mosque in Travnik is famous because it has many different colors inside. You can compare that with different religions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia is beautiful and colorful precisely because of its multiculturalism. That is the true value of this country, which we should preserve and nurture, Dzemail said. (Photo: Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Bosnias 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 Bosnias pluralistic 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 worshipping within yards 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 Christian, 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 World War II and Jews providing food for people of all faiths in the three-year siege by Bosnian Serb forces.

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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. (Reuters)

Photography by Dado Ruvic/Reuters

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Chloe Ayling was reportedly put on the black market as a sex slave - Instagram

A British model has hit out at claims she fabricated her kidnap ordeal describing indepth how she was paralysed with fear after being drugged, handcuffed and gagged in a bid to sell her as a sex slave.

Chloe Ayling, 20, has spoken of her week-long ordeal which saw her drugged with ketamine, taken by balaclava clad men and chained to a chest of drawers in a remote Italian farmhouse after being lured to Milan with the promise of a spoof modelling contract.

Critics have questioned her account after she was seen buying shoes with her captor and laughing and joking with him in coffee shops and admitted to sharing a bed with him during her ordeal.

But in an interview on Sunday, the model claims she was "desperate" to try and "build a bond" with her alleged captor Lukasz Herba in the hope he would set her free.

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"I understand why people have questions. People need to understand that everything I did was so I could survive," the model told the Mail On Sunday.

"I was in a crazy situation and I was terrified."

Miss Ayling was put in a bag in the boot of a car by kidnappers who then tried to to sell her as a sex slave in an online auction.

She says it was the "worst day of her life" when her captors told her they were part of an online organisation called Black Death and threatened to sell her on the deep web if her agent failed to pay a ransom of $300,000 (270,000).

"I was in shock. That will always be the worst day of my life," she said.

The place where a man identified as Lukasz Pawel Herba, a Polish citizen with British residency, held a young British modelCredit: ITALIAN POLICE PRESS OFFICE / HANDOUT

"Then he said he wanted to help me because I had been taken by mistake. He asked me what my family had to offer. It was just me and Mum at home, there was no way we could afford a ransom. I gave him the names of three people who might help. I spent the first night seminaked and handcuffed to the chest of drawers."

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She was told that she would probably by trafficked to the Middle East where, once the man who bought her bored of her, she would be passed on to someone else or fed to the tigers.

Lukasz Pawel Herba, 30, a Polish national who lives in the UK, has been arrested by police and confessed to the kidnapping which investigators described as an elaborate plot that involved months of planning.

His home in Oldbury, in the West Midlands, has been raided by British officers.

It was reported last night that Milan magistrate Dr Giovanna Campanile had ruled Mr Herba was "highly dangerous to society" and should remain in custody ahead of his trial later this year.

"There is grave evidence of the guilt of the arrested person, who has admitted to the Public Prosecutor that he was involved in the kidnap," he said.

It is claimed Mr Herba has also implicated nine men in the plot, three from Birmingham, but has made no mention of Miss Ayling.

Miss Ayling told Italian police that her agent had booked her a photo shoot in Milan on July 11 but when she turned up at the abandoned building she was attacked.

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.

Photo released by police of a man identified as identified as Lukasz Pawel Herba, a Polish citizen with British residencyCredit: Italian Police Photo via AP

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.

She claims she was initially forced to lie on the floor next to a chest of drawers and was handcuffed but later was allowed to move freely and sleep in the same bed as her alleged captor.

She added: "People might think Im gullible. Its easy to say that if youve not been through what Ive been through.

"I didnt want to upset him  he had told me he was a killer. Anyone in my position would have done the same.

"I couldnt run. I was paralysed with fear. I thought they would track me down."

They had taken compromising photographs of her whilst she was unconscious which were posted on the dark web with the view to auctioning her off.

A screenshot of a "Black Death Group" document on a laptop belonging to Lukasz Pawel Herba,Credit: REUTERS

However, one of them confessed to her that they had made a mistake seizing her because she was the mother of a young child.

He said it was against the rules of his organisation and his superiors were angry.

They later released her and drove her to the British Consulate in Milan on July 17.

The day before the pair had been seen in a shop together buying shoes, and Miss Ayling told police that she "made him believe we could be more intimate when the incident ended" so that she could escape.

Since her release Miss Ayling has been helping Italian police.

She told police she had met Mr Herba a few months earlier on a shoot that was aborted in Paris.
Following a white nationalists rally that turned violent on Saturday in Charlottesville, former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton issued a statement on Twitter condemning white supremacists for inciting violence that may have led to the death of one person.

In a string of tweets, Clinton expressed empathy for residents of the Virginia town, home of the University of Virginia, writing: My heart is in Charlottesville today, and with everyone made to feel unsafe in their country.

Unlike President Donald Trump, who refused to pin responsibility of the violent exchanges between white nationalist groups and counter-protesters, Hillary blatantly blamed white supremacy for the spread of hatred in America.

But the incitement of hatred that got us here is as real and condemnable as the white supremacists in our streets. Every minute we allow this to persist through tacit encouragement or inaction is a disgrace & corrosive to our values, she wrote, adding, Now is the time for leaders to be strong in their words & deliberate in their actions.

Trump offered an official statement in regards to the altercations that ensued in Charlottesville on Saturday, writing on Twitter that there was no place for this kind of violence in America hours after Virginias Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency in the town, putting an end to the rally. However, Trump failed to acknowledge white nationalists' role in the savagery that resulted in the injuries of multiple people in the small town.

Instead, during a press conference, the president said he condemns in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides. The comment and Trumps refusal to directly name white supremacist groups for inciting violence in Charlottesville--where a person drove a vehicle into a crowd of people injuring 19 people and killing one person--has resulted in a wave of criticism from all sides regarding his inability to stand up to racist white hate groups.

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No matter our color, creed, religion or political party we are all Americans first. We love our country, we love our God, we love our flag, were proud of our country, were proud of who we are, Trump said. so we want to get the situation straightened out in Charlottesville and want to study it and see what were doing wrong in this country. We have to respect each other, ideally we have to love each other.

Following Trumps comments, a number of people took to social media to point out that the president has been vocally tougher on his Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and a number of other people than what he has been on white supremacists and neo-nazi groups.

Check out a few reactions below:

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Kyrie Irving has had an interesting summer.

After requesting a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers and reportedly giving everyone in the Cavs organization the silent treatment, Irving finally broke his silence  about his new shoes.

Bruce Lee Edition KYRIE3 @kobebryant inspired and influenced. A post shared by Kyrie Irving (@kyrieirving) on Aug 11, 2017 at 9:53am PDT

Irving said his new special-release Nike Kyrie3s are inspired by Kobe Bryant.

So it started off as just an idea. I was 17 years old playing in the Nike Extravaganza in California, and I ended up wearing these Nike Kobe Bruce Lee editions for that game. And we ended up winning, and from that point on it was hands-down my favorite shoe ever, Irving said in a post via Instagram.

Those Bruce Lee editions he was talking about were the Kobe V Bruce Lee.

Kobe V Bruce Lee (Flightcub.com)

In Irvings collaboration with Bryant, Irving uses the same yellow and black coloring, and uses red accents.

Irving also combines the Black Mambas logo on the tongue to accompany his traditional KI.

Kyrie Irving gives us a sneak peek of his new shoes. (Kyrie Irving Instagram)

So even though we dont know which uniform Irving will wear his Bruce Lee Kyrie 3s with, at least we know well get to see these kicks on the court.
Maseru (Lesotho) (AFP) - In a cottage in rural Lesotho, Tisetso Litheko lays out six full passports packed with immigration stamps showing his constant movement across the border to neighbouring South Africa.

The 31-year-old former shepherd is one of more than 400,000 Lesotho nationals who live for much of the year in South Africa, forced by decades of a lack of work in the small mountain kingdom to seek a livelihood elsewhere.

"Moving to South Africa was something I could not avoid. I had very few options here in Lesotho," Litheko told AFP.

The flood of migrants from Lesotho -- a country the size of Belgium that is encircled by South Africa -- goes back to the discovery of gold in Johannesburg in the 1880s, when thousands of men from Lesotho were recruited to work in mines.

Litheko says his father and grandfather spent most of their lives as mineworkers in Johannesburg, the first in a long line of male members of the family who were forced to migrate for work.

"In Lesotho there are no jobs, there is no money, that is why many people sacrifice the comfort of their home life to work in South Africa," he said.

Litheko left his village, Ha Abia, when he was 22 years old, initially sneaking illegally across the border to toil on farms in nearby Ladybrand as a seasonal worker.

"Before I had a passport, I used to go over the mountains before sunrise to avoid being detected, and come back at night."

- Sending money home -

Now employed as a mine security guard, Litheko often works 24-hour shifts patrolling the boundaries of a gold mine in Carletonville, a gritty mining district south west of Johannesburg.

He saves the bulk of his weekly 550 rand ($41, 36 euros) wage and sends it home at the end of each month to his wife and three children.

The sum may appear meagre, but it goes a long way in a country where 56.2 percent of the two-million population lives in extreme poverty.

The World Bank puts Lesotho jobless rate between 24 and 28 percent.

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The red tape of South Africa's immigration system, where officials frequently have a reputation for demanding bribes and causing long delays, has exposed desperate Lesotho job seekers to exploitation and cheap labour.

"Getting a South African permit is harder than getting a job," said Litheko.

Lesotho is enclosed by South Africa, and thousands of its citizens cross the border daily, not just to work but also to shop or attend school.

The government is the largest employer, after the textile industry, which benefits from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) that allows Lesotho to exports goods to the US duty free.

Even if that has provided some relief, it has failed to significantly dent the high unemployment rate.

In the capital Maseru, stalls selling a wide mix of goods and services clog pavements, creating a vibrant informal sector.

Because the local loti currency is pegged to the South Africa rand, Litheko points out that migrant workers do not benefit from fluctuations in the exchange rate.

"Despite earning rand, at the end of the day, I am no different from someone who is working in Lesotho," he said.

- A dependent economy -

The African Centre for Migration and Society, based at Johannesburg's Wits University, said statistics show that remittances -- transfers of money by migrants to their home country -- make up to 30 percent of Lesotho's economy.

"Lesotho with its weak GDP remains dependent on South Africa through remittances -- and an economy that relies largely on remittances is... politically and economically weak as a result," said researcher Zaheera Jinnah.

With long queues of goods trucks waiting to be cleared, the two 24-hour border posts bear witness to the hectic to-and-fro between South Africa and Lesotho.

"The operation of the border has made travel easy, but you still have to get your passport stamped," said Litheko. calling for passport controls between the two countries to be scrapped.

Faced with the flow of immigrants, South Africa in February 2016 launched a special documentation process.

The programme, which came to an end at the end of 2016, attracted over 127,000 applicants, with the permits valid until end of 2019.
Berlin (AFP) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel, fresh from a three-week Alpine holiday, embarked Saturday on what may be the most bizarre election campaign in the country's post-war history.

After months of studiously ignoring the race for the September 24 election, Merkel kicked off a series of rallies across the country with a campaign speech in the western city of Dortmund delivering an upbeat message on jobs.

"We are set to reach full employment by 2025, that is to say an unemployment rate under three percent, and I believe we can achieve it," said Merkel of a key objective of her centre-right Christian Democrat Union (CDU).

As of July the German jobless rate stood at 5.7 percent, relatively low among European nations. "We have today 44 million employed in Germany. Those are really very good figures," the 63-year-old told her supporters.

But just six weeks before the European Union's top economic power and most populous nation goes to the polls, Germans have been barely taking notice of the election.

After 12 years in power, Merkel, frequently called the world's most powerful woman and Europe's de facto leader, looks set to win a fourth term.

Gone are the warnings of her political demise heard at the height of the 2015 refugee influx in Europe, when nearly 900,000 asylum seekers entered the country.

Her conservative Christian Democrats lead their closest rivals, the Social Democrats (SPD), by a 12-to-17-point margin, meaning it would take a political earthquake to shift the field at this point.

"It is probably the strangest election race in the history of the Federal Republic," Heribert Prantl of the national broadsheet Sueddeutsche Zeitung wrote this week.

"There is no wind, never mind a wind of change."

- 'Shadowboxer' -

Merkel's main challenger, SPD leader and former European Parliament spokesman Martin Schulz, has led what many commentators call a plodding campaign.

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But they acknowledge that there is little mood around for renewal, as Germans look out on a turbulent world unsettled by US President Donald Trump and Brexit.

After high-drama election campaigns in the United States, Britain and France, Germans appear relieved that their race is so low-stakes.

"The German elections are very difficult to understand from a foreign point of view because there's hardly any polarisation," political scientist Timo Lochocki of the German Marshall Fund of the US told AFP.

Meanwhile the frustrated Social Democrats are faced with an enemy who refuses to engage, with German media nicknaming the lonely Schulz the "Shadowboxer".

"The SPD can't polarise the campaign alone; the CDU doesn't answer, so (the campaign) is dying," said Lochocki.

He cited three main reasons for German satisfaction with the status quo: the rude health of the economy with solid growth, Merkel's right-left "grand coalition" government creating broad consensus around contentious issues such as immigration and security, and a pact by mainstream parties to shun the political fringe.

The CDU has plumped for a soft-focus campaign centred on patriotism and Merkel herself.

The party drew ridicule for its soporific slogan "For a Germany in which we live well and happily", and a campaign poster featuring a young female voter literally asleep in a meadow.

Schulz this month accused Merkel of eroding German democracy with her barely perceptible re-election bid.

"A chancellor who does not tell voters what she intends to do is neglecting her duty and that endangers the future of the country," he warned.

Given she has been in power since 2005, making her the longest-serving current leader of any major Western democracy, Merkel still enjoys a remarkable personal popularity rating of around 60 percent -- nearly double that of Schulz.

- 'Curiosities' of race -

In a column called "Wander Woman" this week, Rene Pfister of Der Spiegel noted the fascination Germans had with the down-to-earth images of Merkel hiking in gear she has been wearing year after year that were splashed on the pages of newspapers and magazines during her holiday.

"It is among the curiosities of this election campaign that even Merkel's summer holiday led her poll numbers to climb," Pfister said, noting that Merkel's no-nonsense style mirrored Germans' own view of themselves.

The only source of suspense at this stage seems to be whether Merkel will manage to eke out her first absolute majority to govern alone, or which of three possible smaller parties she would court for a coalition.

Sueddeutsche's Prantl noted the irony that Germany's real political battle -- over the post-Merkel era -- would apparently have to wait until after the election.

"September starts the clock on a time after Angela Merkel when the fight for the future of the CDU and SPD can begin in earnest," he said.
Myanmar has moved hundreds of troops into northern Rakhine state as it ramps up counterinsurgency efforts there, officers told AFP Saturday, after the UN voiced alarm over reports of a military build up in the region.

Rakhine has been gripped by violence since October last year when militants attacked police posts, sparking a bloody military crackdown that the UN believes may amount to ethnic cleansing of the Muslim minority Rohingya.

More than 70,000 Rohingya villagers fled across the border to Bangladesh, carrying with them stories of systematic rape, murder and arson at the hands of soldiers.

The major part of the military campaign ended several months ago, but fear continues to stalk the region amid sporadic bouts of violence.

Officers said Saturday that the government had deployed a fresh batch of troops after a recent spate of murders.

They said soldiers have been sent to a mountainous area where a band of militants is actively training.

"Many battalions with hundreds of soldiers from central Myanmar were deployed to the Mayu moutain range," a military officer told AFP, requesting anonymity.

A senior border guard said the deployment was ordered to protect other ethnic groups in the remote area.

The government has accused insurgents of murdering and abducting dozens of villagers and perceived collaborators with the state.

"Muslim militants are training in the forest... They have killed those who are cooperating with authorities," the border guard told AFP.

State media also reported that the government had imposed new curfews, to be set "in necessary areas" as the army beefs up its "clearance operations".

A Rohingya villager told AFP his community feared a repeat of last year's crackdown.

"Some Muslim villages in Rathidaung dare not to go outside," said Hasumyar, who only gave his first name and lives in a township that has been placed under curfew.

The insurgents, known as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, were little known until they claimed the October raids on police posts that left nine dead.

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The group says it is fighting to advance the rights of the Rohingya and has denied killing civilians in statements issued through an unverified Twitter account.

Reports of an army battalion being flown into Rakhine to boost security were met with criticism on Friday by UN special rapporteur Yanghee Lee, who warned the development was "a cause for major concern".

The UN has accused the military of committing grave abuses against the Rohingya during its counterinsurgency campaign.

But Myanmar has dismissed the allegations and vowed to block a UN probe into the violence.

Buddhist-majority Myanmar has long faced criticism for its treatment of the more than one million Rohingya, who are denied citizenship and struggle to access basic services.

The minority group are widely reviled as illegal migrants from Bangladesh, despite having lived in the area for generations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 14:08:46|Editor: Song Lifang

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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- At least two Indian army troopers were killed and three others wounded in an ongoing fierce gunfight with militants in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said Sunday.

The gunfight erupted Saturday at Awneera village of Shopian district, about 60 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Two army personnel were killed and three others wounded in an ongoing encounter in Awneera village here," a police official posted in Shopian said.

"The gunfight is continuing in the area and so far there is no information about militant deaths in the stand-off."

The wounded troopers were evacuated to the military base hospital in Srinagar.

According to the official, fresh firing has started in the area.

The gunfight triggered after contingents of Indian troops and police encircled the area on intelligence information suggesting presence of militants.

Police officials suspect two to three militants are holed up in the area.

Locals said they have been hearing intermittent gunshots and bursts since Saturday evening.

Clashes broke out in the village Saturday evening with youth hitting roads and throwing brickbats on government forces, apparently in a bid to help militants break the cordon.

Meanwhile in a separate gunfight in Hajin village of Bandipora, north of Srinagar, two policemen were wounded after militants fire upon them during a search operation, a police spokesman said.

A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. The gunfight between the two sides takes place intermittently across the region.
Dubai (AFP) - Ten Nobel laureates from across the world have penned an open letter urging Saudi authorities to hold off on the execution of 14 Shiites convicted of protest-linked crimes.

Fears are mounting of the imminent mass execution of the 14 Shiites convicted of charges linked to protests in 2012, including rioting, theft, armed robbery and armed rebellion.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have accused Saudi authorities of coercing confessions which were later retracted in court and of failing to grant fair trials to defendants, including juveniles.

Signed by anti-apartheid leader Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Yemeni activist Tawakkul Karman, Iranian lawyer Shirin Ebadi and former East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta, the letter released late Friday urged King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, his son, to "extend the hand of mercy" and refrain from ratifying the death sentences.

"Mujtaba al-Sweika, a bright 18-year-old student in Saudi Arabia, was on his way to visit Western Michigan University in 2012 when he was arrested in the airport in Riyadh. Among his charges is starting a Facebook group and posting images of a demonstration online," read the letter.

"Another defendant, Ali al-Nimr, was charged with setting up a Blackberry page named 'The Liberals' and posting photos of the demonstrations, inviting people to participate," it added.

Other signatories to Friday's letter include US anti-landmine activist Jody Williams, Indian children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, South African former president F.W. De Klerk, Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, Polish labour rights activist Lech Walesa and peace activist Mairead Maguire of Northern Ireland.

Ultra-conservative Saudi Arabia has one of the world's highest rates of execution. This year alone, it has so far executed 75 people.

In July, the supreme court upheld the death penalty for the 14 men, all Saudi citizens. The sentences must be ratified by the king or the crown prince for the executions to go ahead.

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The 14 are all linked to protests in Qatif, an eastern province home to most of the Sunni-ruled kingdom's Shiite minority, who have long complained of marginalisation.

The east is also the source of most of Saudi Arabia's oil.

Saudi authorities, who have regularly cracked down on protests in Qatif, this week seized control of the town of Awamiya after increasingly frequent clashes between residents and police.

Authorities have said drug traffickers and "terrorists" were behind the unrest in Qatif.

Awamiya was the epicentre of a short-lived Arab Spring-inspired protest movement in 2011, partly led by Nimr al-Nimr, a senior Shiite cleric from the town.

Nimr was executed in January 2016 on a "terrorism" indictment.
Twins with a rare genetic deformity that has left them with misshapen, oversized heads have found a loving home, thanks to a kindhearted nurse who wanted to adopt them both.

Read: Meet the 5-Year-Old Boy Whose Rare Condition Causes Skin to Grow 10 Times Faster Than Normal

Three-year-old twins Matthew and Marshall Trepanier were born with Pfeiffer syndrome, which caused their skulls to develop incorrectly in the womb.

As a result, their heads are deformed and are much larger than their bodies.

They weighed eight pounds but their bodies were the size of newborns, so most of the weight was because of their heads, nurse Linda Trepanier, 58, told SWNS. Their condition means it would be hard for a normal parent to take look after them.

Trepanier, a mom of three living in Michigan, agreed to take them in as a foster parent when they were 4 months old.

When social services approached Trepanier and ask if she would consider adopting one of them, she decided to adopt them both, despite already having three older biological children of her own and three grandchildren.

"I just fell in love with them. I knew in my heart that they were my boys, Trepanier explained. People struggle to understand. They say, Oh, those kids are going to tie you down.'"

Matthew and Marshall require round-the-clock care, she said, including checking on their temperature in the middle of the night to make sure there are no infections and making sure their breathing tubes are properly placed.

Over the last two years, the pair has had three operations to reshape the skull.

Read: 10-Year-Old With 'Sleeping Beauty Syndrome' Sleeps for Up to 20 Hours a Day

But, the nurse, who has fostered 16 other children in the past, said she has no regrets about bringing Matthew and Marshall into her family.

They are a lot of hard work but they are also a lot of fun, Trepanier said. Almost always if one twin laughs the other twin will automatically laugh as well. Everybody just falls in love with them.

Story continues

Watch: 8-Year-Old Boy With Rare Skin Disease Meets Dog Across the Country With The Same Condition

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He often went by the name Daylon Jung, but his real name is Daylon G. Pierce. And the Arizona-based fraudster has been plaguing dating sites for a number of years, relieving vulnerable women of their money and trust. One such woman, Tara DeGrazia, wasnt going to stand for it after he wowed her, as she told ABC 15 in Arizona. She helped track down Pierce by starting a Facebook page to warn others of his methods. Eventually more women teamed up and got the police involved to capture the Lothario.

These women informed police about the online dating scammer, who ended up pilfering more than $1 million from his victims.

His modus operandi was to seek women with good credit scores and trusting hearts. He reportedly scammed many women over the years, all by claiming to be a stockbroker. Because he reportedly looked like someone who ran a financial services company, he was able to persuade women to give him staggering amounts of money. One gave him more than $240,000 to invest. Another was robbed of $100,000. In total, he scored more than $1 million from 13 different women, according to Scottsdale police.

After pleading guilty to multiple counts of fraudulent schemes and artifices, reports ABC 15, Pierce received the equivalent of more than a year in jail for every woman he hoodwinked. He was sentenced to 15.75 years.

Pierce is no stranger to jail-bound schemes. Before taking advantage of women through Tinder and Plenty of Fish, he served a 13-year sentence for theft and gang activity.

Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. For Twitter updates, follow @YahooStyle and @YahooBeauty.




A vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday. (Ryan M. Kelly/The Daily Progress via AP)

Late last month, Ryan M. Kelly, a photographer for the Charlottesville, Va., Daily Progress, gave his two-week notice, announcing he would be leaving the newspaper for a job at a brewery in Richmond.

Bittersweet news, gang, Kelly wrote. After four years as a photojournalist for The Daily Progress, my last day will be August 12.

That was Saturday, when violence erupted at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville. Kelly was there on assignment and captured what was perhaps the iconic image of the chaos: the moment when a car slammed into a group of counterprotesters, killing a 32-year-old woman, Heather Heyer, and leaving several others injured.

Kellys photo shows several victims in mid-air as the car, a Dodge Charger, slams into the crowd  and shoes detached from peoples feet as they tried to flee.

The driver, James Alex Fields Jr., was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count related to leaving the scene.

Kelly also captured photos of the vehicle seconds before it plowed into the crowd.

A vehicle plowed into a crowd of protesters after events around #UniteTheRight declared unlawful assembly https://t.co/ux0lgdN1gf pic.twitter.com/ZFiQGOIVN9  Ryan M. Kelly (@RyanMKellyPhoto) August 12, 2017

In a related incident, two Virginia state troopers were killed when a police helicopter crashed into woods near the rally.

On Twitter, Kelly said he had been inundated with messages but that he was safe  and sad.

I'm having trouble keeping up with messages from everywhere so I apologize if you don't hear from me, but I am safe, and I am sad  Ryan M. Kelly (@RyanMKellyPhoto) August 12, 2017

In his job change announcement, Kelly said he would miss Charlottesville and his co-workers at the paper.

Story continues

Related Slideshow: Violent clashes erupt at Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va. >>>

Ive absolutely fallen in love with Charlottesville in my relatively short time here, he wrote. Ill miss everybody in the newsroom, and Im very proud of the work weve done in my time here. The hardest part of this decision was deciding to give up telling stories from around my community every day.

Long story short: new job, new town, new beers does this mean I have to retire my usage of #partylikeajournalist? pic.twitter.com/dqU9s4fk4V  Ryan M. Kelly (@RyanMKellyPhoto) July 31, 2017

Read more from Yahoo News on the violence in Charlottesville:
Abrantes (Portugal) (AFP) - Portugal was battling a new rash of forest fires ahead of a weekend of warm temperatures, as authorities warned of further blazes.

Some 1,800 firefighters backed by hundreds of vehicles were trying to douse around 10 fires across the country, authorities said Friday.

"Despite the relentless fires, the situation is now more stable," said civil protection agency spokeswoman Patricia Gaspar in Lisbon.

Emergency workers had nearly gained control of wildfires across Portugal's drought-hit central region on Thursday, but stronger winds fanned flames in several areas.

In the village of Bracal, flames were being blown towards houses as residents grabbed what they could to aid firefighters, an AFP journalist said.

Some residents voiced anger at authorities after a season of repeated wildfires which have stretched resources.

"Firefighters can't perform miracles, they are exhausted," said Lucia Ricardo, who lives in Bracal, close to the central town of Abrantes.

Six villages had been evacuated around Abrantes on Thursday as fire-dousing planes flew sorties over the flames.

Another blaze near Grandola, in the southern Setubal district, needed 200 firefighters to bring it under control after burning through around 3,000 hectares (30 square kilometres) of forest.

The fires come after more than 60 people were killed in June, and more than 200 injured, in a giant blaze at Pedrogao Grande in central Portugal that raged for five days.

After an uncommonly dry winter and spring, almost 79 percent of the Portuguese mainland was enduring extreme or severe drought at the end of July, according to the national weather office.

Dry conditions have also fuelled fires on France's Mediterranean coast and on the island of Corsica in recent weeks.

Almost 700 people, mostly holidaymakers, were evacuated from two areas in Corsica Friday night because of fires fanned by strong winds.
Kenyan police killed at least 11 people in a crackdown on protests as anger at the re-election of President Uhuru Kenyatta erupted in the western city of Kisumu and slums surrounding the capital, officials and witnesses said on Saturday.

However, the NASA opposition coalition, led by four-time presidential hopeful Raila Odinga, put the death toll at more than 100, including 10 children, albeit without providing evidence. Odinga has rejected the poll and its result as "massive" fraud.

Reuters was able to confirm 11 deaths, including one girl, in the space of 24 hours, and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said 24 people had been shot dead by police since Tuesday, election day.

Kenya Unrest Post-Election

REUTERS/Goran Tomasevic

Top Odinga lieutenant Johnson Muthama said police had been packing corpses into body bags and dumping them, remarks likely to exacerbate the tensions that followed Friday night's official announcement that Kenyatta had won, with 54.3 percent of votes.

The eruption of violence has revived dark memories of a decade ago, when Odinga, 72, lost an election in controversial circumstances that sparked a wave of ethnic unrest in which 1,200 people were killed and 600,000 displaced.

Interior Minister Fred Matiang'i said the trouble was localized and blamed it on "criminal elements" rather than legitimate political protest. He also denied accusations of police brutality.

"Let us be honest - there are no demonstrations happening," he told reporters.

"Individuals or gangs that are looting shops, that want to endanger lives, that are breaking into people's businesses  those are not demonstrators. They are criminals and we expect police to deal with criminals how criminals should be dealt with."

"State Terror"

However, James Orengo, another top NASA official, said the killings were part of a carefully laid plan by 55-year-old Kenyatta's Jubilee party and the security forces to rig the poll, crush dissent and then hide the evidence.

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"This violence, this state terror is being executed following very meticulous preparation," he said.

"It's like they knew what they were going to do. They knew they were going to steal an election. They knew the people would be unhappy, and therefore all the instruments of violence were put in place."

He and Muthama urged Odinga supporters to stay calm and out of harm's way but, ominously, said there would be no backing down. "We will not be cowed. We will not relent," Muthama said.

As with previous votes in 2007 and 2013, this year's elections have exposed the underlying ethnic tensions in the nation of 45 million people, the economic engine of East Africa and the region's main trading hub.

In particular, Odinga's Luo tribe, who hail from the west, hoped an Odinga presidency would break the Kikuyu and Kalenjin dominance of central government since independence in 1963. Kenyatta, the son of Kenya's first president, is a Kikuyu.

Most of the trouble has been in the western city of Kisumu, an Odinga stronghold, and the large, ethnically mixed slums on the outskirts of Nairobi.

The bodies of nine young men shot dead in the capital's run-down Mathare neighborhood were brought to the city morgue, a security official said. A young girl was also killed by a stray bullet in Mathare, according to a witness.

A government official said one man had been killed in Kisumu county. A Reuters reporter in the city heard tear gas grenades and gunshots overnight and on Saturday morning.

In addition to the deaths, officials at Kisumu's main hospital said they had treated 26 people since Friday night, including four with gunshot wounds and others who had been beaten by police.

"This is Just a Warm-Up"

One man, 28-year-old Moses Oduor, was inside his home in Kisumu's impoverished district of Obunga when police conducting house-to-house raids dragged him out of his bedroom and set about him with clubs.

"He was not out fighting them. He was rescued by my sister who lives next to him," said his brother, Charles Ochieng. "She came outside screaming at the police, asking why they are beating people."

In Nairobi, armed police backed by water cannon moved through the rubble-strewn streets of Kibera, another pro-Odinga slum.

At one point they fired volleys of tear gas and live rounds to force a convoy of pick-up trucks containing senior NASA officials to retreat, a Reuters witness said. It was not clear why they were going to Kibera.

Fleeing Odinga loyalists vowed to vent their rage at the seat of Kenyatta's administration in central Nairobi.

"This is just a warm-up. Tomorrow we will go to State House and they can kill us there," shouted Felix Oduor, 18, as he ran from clouds of tear gas along Kibera's railway line. "They can't kill us all," those around him shouted in response.

Even before the official result was declared, NASA had rejected the poll's outcome, saying the election commission's systems had been hacked, the count was irregular, and foreign observers who endorsed the poll and the count were biased.

NASA provided no evidence for any of its accusations but singled out former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and former South African president Thabo Mbeki - who both led teams of observers - for criticism.

In addition to the thumbs-up from foreign monitors, Kenya's ELOG domestic observation group, which had 8,300 agents on the ground, published a parallel vote tally on Saturday that conformed with the official results.

ELOG's projected outcome put Kenyatta on 54 percent with a 1.9 percent error margin, and its chairwoman said there was no evidence of manipulation.

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Donald Trump warned North Korea that the U.S. military is ready to deal with the country's following threats"Military solutions are now fully in place,locked and loaded,should North Korea act unwisely. Hopefully Kim Jong Un will find another path!"This comes on the heels of North Korea announcing plans to fire missiles at Guam. Pyongyang also accused him of "driving" the Korean peninsula to the "brink of a nuclear war".Trump also warned North Korea of "fire and fury"... doubling down on that threat shortly after saying "maybe it wasn't tough enough"
President Donald Trump is finding favor in the polls following his rhetoric against North Korea earlier in the week. On Wednesday, Trump, in a warning to North Korean leader Kim Jon Un, said Pyongyang would face fire and fury like the world has never seen if they continued making threats against the United States and U.S. territory Guam. And since then, the presidents approval rating has jumped up six points, according to daily presidential tracking poll by Rasmussen Reports.

Fifty-three percent of voters still disapproved of Trumps job performance, according to the poll released on Friday. However, support for Trumps job performance was up to 45 percent compared to the 39 percent reported a week ago.

Meanwhile, 29 percent of voters strongly approve of the presidents job performance while 44 percent said they strongly disapprove.

President Donald Trump's approval rating increased after threats on North Korea

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

As for Trumps stance on North Korea, a strong majority--some 75 percent--of voters agree with the President that the country has become an increasingly vital national security interest, while only 16 percent disagree. Just a month ago, only 45 percent of voters thought the U.S. should take military action to dentate North Koreas nuclear weapons program.

Sixty-three percent of voters now believe the U.S. is likely to use military force against North Korea within the next six months. Twenty-eight percent believe it is very likely Trump will call for military action in North Korea. While only four percent of voters think it is not at all likely military force will be used against the East Asian country, 28 percent only think that it is unlikely while another 11 percent are undecided.

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Trumps spike in approval following his threats against North Korea arent all that surprising. Typically, presidents see a boost in American support when issues of war arise--an instance political scholars and historians refer to as the rally round the flag effect, coined by political scientist John Mueller back in 1970. The effect was created on the basis of increased American patriotism, during which the public generally views the president of as a symbol of national unity while receiving a lack of criticism from opposing parties. In his paper, Mueller used the examples of President Franklin Roosevelts approval rating, which was at 72 percent before the attack on Pearl Harbor but increased to 84 percent in the days following.

Similarly President George H.W. Bush saw his approval rating jump 18 points from 64 percent to 82 percent around the start of the Persian Gulf war in 1991, and his son President George W. Bush also saw a 13 point spike in approval ratings from 58 percent to 71 percent after he launched the war in Iraq in 2003, according to Gallup polls.

Trump may not be unfamiliar with the rally round the flag effect either. Back in October 2012 when President Barack Obama had a 50 percent approval rating, according to Gallup, Trump suggested on Twitter that Obama would have to start a war to improve his ratings.

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(BEDMINISTER, N.J.)  President Donald Trump is blaming many sides for the violent clashes between white supremacists and counter-protesters in Virginia. His remarks have brought reactions from Republicans as well as Democrats.

A Republican senator from Colorado, Cory Gardner, tweeted Mr. President  we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism.

Senator Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, posted on Twitter: What happened in Charlottesville is domestic terrorism. The Presidents words only serve to offer cover for heinous acts.

Another Republican, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, wrote: Nothing patriotic about #Nazis,the #KKK or #WhiteSupremacists Its the direct opposite of what #America seeks to be.

The father of Trumps press secretary, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, posted that white supremacy is the worst kind of racism-its EVIL and perversion of Gods truth to ever think our Creator values some above others.

Trump condemned this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides.
Unrest in Virginia

Clashes over a show of white nationalism in charlottesville turn deadly

Samuel CorumAnadolu Agency/Getty Images

A counter-protester strikes a white nationalist with a baton. Samuel CorumAnadolu Agency/Getty Images

Violence erupted in the college town of Charlottesville on Aug. 12 after hundreds of white nationalists and their supporters who gathered for a rally over plans to remove a Confederate statue were met by counter-protesters, leading Virginias governor to declare a state of emergency.

Clashes broke out between the white nationalists and counter-protesters; the Unite the Right rally at a park once named for Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was deemed unlawful. At one point in the afternoon, a vehicle drove into a crowd of counter-protesters marching through the downtown area before speeding away, resulting in one death and leaving more than a dozen others injured. State police later reported the crash of a helicopter that was monitoring the events in Charlottesville, killing two troopers.

President Trump addressed the violence in televised remarks from New Jersey, condemning an egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides and calling for the swift restoration of law and order. Among his critics was Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon. What happened in Charlottesville is domestic terrorism, Wyden tweeted. The Presidents words only serve to offer cover for heinous acts.

The night before Saturdays violence, hundreds of white nationalists marched through the University of Virginia campus while carrying burning torches.  Andrew Katz

Warning: Some of the following images are graphic and might be disturbing to some viewers.

Jim BourgReuters

A woman wipes tears from her eyes at a vigil for those injured or killed after a vehicle slammed into a crowd of protesters. Jim BourgReuters

Chip SomodevillaGetty Images

Police and members of the National Guard patrol near where a car plowed into a crowd marching through Charlottesvilles downtown. Chip SomodevillaGetty Images

Chip SomodevillaGetty Images

Rescue workers and volunteer medics tend to people who were injured after a car plowed through a crowd of counter-demonstrators. Chip SomodevillaGetty Images

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Samuel CorumAnadolu Agency/Getty Images

A man embraces an injured woman after a car rammed into a crowd of anti-white nationalist protesters. Samuel CorumAnadolu Agency/Getty Images

Jeremiah KnuppSpecial to The News Leader-USA TODAY NETWORK/Sipa USA

A car plows into pedestrians and vehicles as anti-Unite the Right counter-protesters march through downtown Charlottesville. The driver backed up and fled the scene. Jeremiah KnuppSpecial to The News Leader-USA Today Network/Sipa USA

Ryan M. KellyThe Daily Progress/AP

People fly into the air as a vehicle drives into a group of protesters demonstrating against a white nationalist rally. Ryan M. KellyThe Daily Progress/AP

Steve HelberAP

A man attending the Unite the Right rally walks into the Park. Steve HelberAP

Chip SomodevillaGetty Images

White nationalist Richard Spencer and supporters clash with state police in Lee Park after the Unite the Right rally was declared an unlawful gathering. Chip SomodevillaGetty Images

Chip SomodevillaGetty Images

White nationalists are forced out of Lee Park after the Unite the Right rally was declared an unlawful gathering. Chip SomodevillaGetty Images

Go NakamuraZUMA Wire

White nationalists clash with counter-protesters in Lee Park. Go NakamuraZUMA Wire

Zach D RobertsNurPhoto/ZUMA Press

White nationalists attack a black man in a parking garage. Zach D. RobertsNurPhoto/ZUMA Press

Steve HelberAP

A counter-protester uses a lighted spray can against a Unite the Right demonstrator at the entrance to Emancipation Park. Steve HelberAP

Joshua RobertsReuters

Unite the Right rally attendees gather near the Robert E. Lee statue in Lee Park. Joshua RobertsReuters

Andrew ShurtleffThe Daily Progress

Counter-protesters against the white nationalists who gathered on the University of Virginia campus stand at the base of a Thomas Jefferson statue on Aug. 11. Andrew ShurtleffThe Daily Progress

Zach D RobertsNurPhoto/Getty Images

White nationalists encircle counter-protestors at the base of a statue of Thomas Jefferson after marching through the University of Virginia campus with torches on Aug. 11. Zach D RobertsNurPhoto/Getty Images

Andrew ShurtleffThe Daily Progress

White nationalists lead a torch march through the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Va., on Aug. 11. Andrew ShurtleffThe Daily Progress

Andrew Katz, who edited this photo essay, is Times Senior Multimedia Editor. Follow him on Twitter @katz.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 14:43:53|Editor: An

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HAIKOU, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese woman forced into front-line brothels for Japanese troops during World War II died on Saturday, bringing the number of surviving "comfort women," a euphemism for sex slaves, to only 14 on the Chinese mainland.

Huang Youliang died at the age of 90 at her home in Yidui Village in China's southern island province of Hainan.

In October 1941, 15-year-old Huang was raped when the Japanese troops invaded her hometown. She was later put into a brothel and forced to have sex with Japanese soldiers for two years.

In July 2001, Huang and seven other "comfort women" sued the Japanese government, demanding an apology, but the Japanese court repeatedly rejected their appeals over the past decade, claiming that individuals have no right to sue the state.

Women forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army before and during World War II were called "comfort women." Research shows some 400,000 women in Asia were forced to be "comfort women" for the Japanese army during World War II, nearly half of whom were Chinese.

However, the Japanese government has refused to acknowledge legal responsibility for the "comfort women" issue so far.

Efforts by a total of 24 Chinese "comfort women" to sue the Japanese government in four cases since 1995 all failed. Huang is also the last victim to have sued the Japanese government over sex slavery on the Chinese mainland, according to Su Zhiliang, director of a research center on comfort women under the Humanities and Communication College of Shanghai Normal University.

Huang's passing means there are only 14 registered "comfort women" on the Chinese mainland.
Beirut (AFP) - Unidentified assailants shot dead seven members of Syria's White Helmets rescue service early Saturday during a raid on their base in a jihadist-held northwestern town, the group said.

The attackers struck in Sarmin, nine kilometres (six miles) east of the city of Idlib, that is controlled by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham jihadist alliance.

"The civil defence centre in Sarmin was the target of an armed attack by unknown assailants in which seven volunteers were killed," the White Helmets said in statement.

"Two minibuses, some white helmets and walkie-talkies were stolen."

It was not immediately clear whether the motives for the raid were political or purely criminal.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham denounced what it called an "ugly crime" and vowed to track down the perpetrators and bring them to account.

The jihadist group said the attack was aimed at "undermining our revolution", adding that it stood ready to protect the White Helmets in "liberated areas" of Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the seven volunteers had all been killed by bullets to the head.

"Colleagues came in the morning for the change of shift and found them dead," its director, Rami Abdel Rahman, told AFP.

The White Helmets emerged in 2013, working to rescue civilians in rebel-held areas.

They have since gained international renown for their daring rescues, often filmed and circulated on social media, and were nominated for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize.

Although they work exclusively in rebel-held areas, they insist they are non-partisan.

Their detractors, including President Bashar al-Assad's government and his ally Russia, accuse them of being tools of their international donors.

They receive funding from a number of Western governments, including Britain, Germany, the Netherlands and the United States.

Critics also accuse them of harbouring rebel fighters, including jihadists, in their ranks.
Children are treated at Baba Raghav Das Medical College Hospital in Gorakhpur, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh - AP

Sixty children have died at a hospital in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh this week, prompting local media to blame the fatalities on a lack of oxygen supplies.

The BRD Medical College specified that 34 were babies who died at the neo-natal intensive care unit, while 12 died because of encephalitis. The rest died of other unspecified causes.

Local media reports have said some of the deaths were caused due to an oxygen shortage after a private supplier withdrew its equipment over unpaid hospital dues.

BRD Medical Chief Medical Superintendent Dr R.S. Shukla denied the deaths had been caused by a lack of oxygen supplies when asked by Reuters.

The hospital, in a statement, said there had been a "drop in pressure in the supply of liquid oxygen" on Thursday, but added cylinders were procured from various other suppliers. It did not specify whether that had resulted in any deaths.

The breakdown of the death toll provided by the hospital showed a spike on Thursday, with 23 fatalities, including 14 babies at its neo-natal unit.

Family members care for children undergoing treatment at the Baba Raghav Das Hospital Credit: EPA

The Uttar Pradesh and federal governments are investigating the matter, officials said. A tweet from the Prime Minister's office said Narendra Modi was constantly monitoring the situation.

The deaths have sparked a political firestorm as opposition politicians sought to pin the blame on Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, which rules the state.

The hospital is located in Gorakhpur district, which is represented by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who was appointed to head the state this year.

"The current government is responsible for the deaths of children in Gorakhpur due to the lack of oxygen. Strict action should be taken," tweeted former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav.

State government officials in TV appearances chastised opposition leaders for seeking to politicize the issue.

Outbreaks of encephalitis are common every year in India, claiming hundreds of lives, especially during the monsoon season. The disease is most often caused by contaminated food or water, mosquito bites, or through breathing in respiratory droplets from an infected person.

India spends about one percent of its GDP on public health, among the lowest in the world. Successive governments have faced criticism for not reforming the overburdened public health system which is still plagued with shortage of doctors and dilapidated infrastructure.

Modi's government has in recent years increased health spending and vowed to make healthcare more affordable.
NAIROBI (Reuters) - South Sudan's rebels on Saturday said they had wrested control of Pagak, their stronghold town near the country's border with Ethiopia, from government forces, a day after launching an offensive to drive them out. Formerly controlled by the rebels, the town was captured by South Sudan's military five days ago but heavy fighting erupted on Friday with rebels vowing to retake it. "We took control of Pagak...government forces are not in Pagak, we have pushed them out," rebel spokesman Lam Paul Gabriel told Reuters. Dickson Gatluak Jock, spokesman for South Sudan's Vice President, Taban Deng Gai, denied the military had lost Pagak but said they had lost three soldiers in the fighting while four were wounded. Gai is a former rebel but last year he defected to the government side and was handed the vice presidency job. His former rebel forces, who are now part of the government military, are the ones on the frontline in Pagak. "We clashed with them (rebels) yesterday in Pagak but we are in full control of the area," he said. Fighting had died down on Saturday, he said, but acknowledged the rebels "are not very far from our area." Pagak is a major town on a road connecting South Sudan to Ethiopia. Rebel control of the town allows them easy cross-border movement and smuggling of weapons and other supplies from Ethiopia. The government is also eager to control it so that it can block rebel access to resources. South Sudan descended into civil war in 2013, only two years after it won independence, when President Salva Kiir fired his deputy, Riek Machar, unleashing a conflict that has since splintered along multiple ethnic lines. Machar has been under house arrest in South Africa since December as regional leaders try to bring about an end to the conflict. The rebels fighting government forces in South Sudan remain loyal to him. Jock said the military had killed five rebels during Friday's fighting but the insurgents denied the claim. (Writing by Elias Biryabarema; Editing by Stephen Powell)
Danish submarine owner and inventor Peter Madsen lands with the help of the Danish police in Dragor Harbour - REUTERS

The owner of an amateur-built submarine was arrested on suspicion of murder Friday after his vessel sank in Denmark's waters and a journalist who had joined him for what was supposed to be a short voyage was reported missing, Copenhagen police said.

Police said in a statement Friday night that the man denied killing the missing woman and said he dropped her off on an island about 3 hours into their Thursday night trip.

The statement did not identify the submarine's owner, Peter Madsen, 46, but his success financing his submarine project through crowdfunding and completing the UC3 Nautilus in 2008 made headlines.

Madsen appeared on Danish television Friday to discuss the submarine's sinking and his rescue.

Footage aired on Denmark's TV2 channel showed him getting off what appeared to be a private boat and making a thumbs-up sign as he walked away.

"I am fine, but sad because Nautilus went down," he told TV2.

Madsen said "a minor problem with a ballast tank ... turned into a major issue" that ultimately caused the vessel - considered the largest privately built submarine of its kind - to sink.

The ballast tank is a compartment that holds water, which is used as ballast to provide stability for a vessel.

A helicopter flies over the sea off of Copenhagen Harbour where the world's largest privately-built submarine sank Credit: Bax Lindhart/AFP

"It took about 30 seconds for Nautilus to sink, and I couldn't close any hatches or anything," Madsen said. "But I guess that was pretty good because I otherwise still would have been down there."

However, Swedish police said later in the day they were investigating the whereabouts of a missing woman who had been on the submarine at some point.

"Whether the woman was on board the submarine at the time of her disappearance is unclear," police said in a statement.

The woman was a journalist writing about Madsen and his submarine, Swedish and Danish media reported.

"He told us that the journalist who also had been on board had been dropped off Thursday evening," navy spokesman Anders Damgaard told The Associated Press. "They were the only two on board yesterday."

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It was the woman's boyfriend who alerted authorities the submarine was missing early Friday. Two helicopters and three ships combed the sea from Copenhagen to the Baltic Sea island of Bornholm.

The navy initially said the sub was "found sailing" south of Copenhagen. But Damgaard later said the 40-ton, nearly 18-meter-long (60-foot-long) submarine had sunk.

Madsen "told us he had technical problems" to explain why the submarine failed to respond to radio contact, Damgaard said.
President Donald Trump and his former chief of staff Reince Priebus, who is likely to be interviewed as part of the Russia investigation: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

The man overseeing the probe into Donald Trumps ties with Russia, Robert Mueller, intends to interview Reince Priebus, the recently deposed White Houses chief of staff, it has been reported.

The special counsel plans to interview several current and former Trump administration officials as part of his ongoing investigation, according to the New York Times.

Mr Mueller is asking for records including details of specific meetings with administration and campaign officials, and any related documents such as transcripts.

The meetings he is asking about specifically include those related to Mr Trump's decision to fire former FBI Director James Comey, according to the report.

Mr Mueller is considering whether Mr Trump obstructed justice with his dismissal of Mr Comey, which would be grounds for impeachment.

Mr Priebus is likely to be familiar with the details of all White House meetings.

The sweeping investigation is looking at Russian interference in the 2016 US election, when state-sponsored hacking is believed to have helped propel Mr Trump into office ahead of Hillary Clinton.

It is also examining possible collusion between members of the Trump campaign team or administration and Moscow.

While not unexpected, Mr Mueller's interest in Mr Trump's most senior advisers is seen in Washington as evidence the probe is widening in scope and gathering momentum.

Mr Priebus was forced out of his role in July and replaced with Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly after he was subjected to a foul-mouthed tirade from new communications secretary Anthony Scaramucci, who lasted just 10 days in his job.

Mr Priebus said he had resigned privately and Mr Trump thanked him for his service, although it was widely reported that he was effectively fired after being involved in all the major decisions made by the President during the transition period and the turbulent first months of his tenure.

The special counsel to the President, Ty Cobb, said the White House would continue to fully cooperate with Mr Mueller's investigation.

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The President has repeatedly said the swirling speculation around his ties to Russia is a distraction and fake news designed to undermine his position.

Mr Trump denies claims he has threatened to fire Mr Mueller for not concluding the investigation more swiftly, insisting I havent given it any thought".

A bipartisan group of senators recently introduced legislation designed to prevent the sacking of both Mr Mueller and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, following fears there could be another Saturday night massacre  the name given to the evening in 1973 when Richard Nixon forced out his Attorney General amid the Watergate investigation.

Mr Nixon is the only President in US history to have been forced to resign from office following his impeachment.
The US president refuses to dial down the war of words with Pyongyang despite his state department being in no fit state to deal with the crisis



Rex Tillersons access to Donald Trump does not appear to have won him the respect of White House political staff. Photograph: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

It took more than seven months for the Trump administration to encounter its first real foreign crisis, and when it came, it was largely self-inflicted.



The challenge posed by the North Korean regimes nuclear weapons programme had been festering for more than a decade but it was Donald Trump who turned it into a global emergency with a few words. The president took his own staff unawares when he went off script on Tuesday to vow fire and fury like the world has never seen if the Pyongyang regime made further threats against the US.

As Kim Jong-uns government routinely churns out threats, the presidents choice of words was always going to be a hostage to fortune. And within hours North Korea had responded with a detailed threat to drop missiles in the sea around the US island territory of Guam.

On Friday, in the face of global appeals to dial down the rhetoric, Trump did the opposite, turning a thorny geopolitical nuisance into a personal arm-wrestling contest with Kim. The North Korean leader would truly regret any move on Guam or other US or allied territories. Before the week was out, the 160,000 people on the island were being issued official advice on what to do, and what not to do, in the event of a nuclear blast. (Take cover, but dont look into the flash or fireball.) By way of a parting shot on Friday evening, Trump also mentioned he was not ruling out a military option for dealing with Venezuela.

It is one of the core tasks of the state department to try to ensure that global crises do not turn into wars, but it is currently struggling with an existential crisis of its own. The Trump White House has called for its budget to be cut by a third, and installed at its helm Rex Tillerson, a former oil executive who has shown little interest in drawing on the experience and analysis of its diplomatic corps. State diplomatic officials say they continue to send memos and reports and urgent requests up to the departments leadership on the seventh floor of the Foggy Bottom headquarters, but rarely hear anything back, so that even routine messages to foreign governments go unsent.

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Tillerson has hired outside experts to consult 300 of the staff prior to a major reorganisation due to begin next month, but as the administration has already announced there will be an 8% cut in staffing levels, many assume the outcome of the restructuring has been cooked in advance.

Tillerson lost the trust of the rank and file by failing to defend the department with any vigour when he was cross-examined in Congress, even by sympathetic senators. The Texan oil mans advantage was supposed to have been his access to the president. And he does lunch at the White House more than any other cabinet secretary, but access has apparently not won him respect.

Several of his choices for senior posts have been turned down by the political staff in the White House for their apparent insufficient devotion to Trumps America First agenda. Tillersons frustration reportedly boiled over into an angry outburst at the head of the White House personnel office at the end of June, earning him a rebuke from the presidents son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for being unprofessional. To add to the humiliation, the dressing-down was leaked.

When it came to North Korea and Venezuela this week, there was no sign that Trump had listened to any state department advice and referred exclusively to the military options available to him, shrugging off talk of diplomacy.

Tillersons role in policymaking was played down by the White House on Thursday. After Trump made his fire and fury threat on television, Tillerson sought to mitigate the fallout by assuring Americans they could sleep well at night as there was no imminent threat of conflict. Asked about Tillersons comments on BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Sebastian Gorka  a British-born Hungarian-American whose educational credentials and links to the far right have come under scrutiny  declared: You should listen to the president; the idea that secretary Tillerson is going to discuss military matters is simply nonsensical.

The dismissive tone drew a riposte from the state department spokeswoman, Heather Nauert, who pointed out: Hes a cabinet secretary. Hes fourth in line to the presidency. He carries a big stick.

The very public dissing of the state department and diplomacy has hit home. Thomas Countryman, who was undersecretary for arms control and international security until January, said: There are the general indicators of the White House constantly seeking to demean and marginalise the state department in inter-agency policy discussions. Those are of great concern to me.

It makes everything more difficult if we actually get into a military confrontation with North Korea. You need the state department in order to dial down a conflict.

Worse was to come on Thursday. Vladimir Putins order at the end of July for the US to cut its diplomatic staff in Russia by 755 had been met by complete silence from the White House. Trump has never criticised the Russian president, and when he did finally address the Kremlins move on Thursday, he triggered outrage by thanking Putin for saving him having to cut staff himself.

I want to thank him because were trying to cut down on payroll, Trump told reporters. Well save a lot of money.

White House officials later said this was an example of sarcasm, but that was little comfort to diplomats packing their bags and hastily uprooting their lives in Russia.

As a foreign service veteran, I find it lamentable that our great career diplomats are treated with such disrespect by their president, said Nicholas Burns, a former under-secretary of state for political affairs.

Another state department veteran, Moira Whelan, said on Twitter: A lot of civil servants I know are working out more, redo-ing houses. They arent busy at work so have time. finding happiness elsewhere.

Among the senior diplomatic posts that have remained unfilled are some that have become all the more crucial in the past few days. These include Countrymans old job, in which he was acting as undersecretary T, required to sign off on US arms sales or security assistance abroad, and charged with negotiating, implementing and verifying international arms control agreements and international security.

Another vacancy is the assistant secretary of state for east Asian and Pacific affairs. According to Buzzfeed, Tillerson wanted the person acting in the role, Susan Thornton, to be given the job, but he was overridden by the White House, who seemed to find Thornton insufficiently gung-ho about America First. Nor is there a US ambassador to Seoul. A rumoured leading candidate, Victor Cha, is said to have earned a black mark for co-authoring a newspaper commentary with a former Clinton aide.

This absolutely has a very critical impact. You dont have the entities in place, said Stephen Noerper, a former senior analyst at the state department. You need to have had an assistant secretary who has been in play for a while. You really should have an ambassador in Seoul who can mitigate the situation  I cant overstate the critical nature of the need for these folks to be put in place.



On the day that Trump declared that military solutions to the North Korean problems were locked and loaded it was reported that the state department had had a backchannel to the North Koreans at the United Nations. Joseph Yun, the US envoy for North Korea policy, had been talking to Pak Song-il, a senior North Korean diplomat at the UN mission, about US detainees but also broader issues.

However, there appear to have been no talks since the war of words erupted between Trump and Kim. Trump seemed dismissive of the effort on Friday. Even if the contacts restart, the North Koreans are likely to wonder if they are talking to a US agency with any clout.

Max Bergmann, a former senior official in the state department policy planning staff said the steady hollowing out of the department escalates the current danger because there is no one credibly speaking for the president besides the president himself.

This means that the North Koreans will simply ignore what [the department] has to say and will look to those with the means to initiate war  the president and the US military, Bergmann said. This puts the military in an extremely awkward spot as they are not diplomats and are trained to always show resolve, but echoing the presidents rhetoric in this case could lead North Korea to tragically miscalculate.

Bergmanns conclusion was that because of the administrations own actions and disregard for the state department: The US is not diplomatically prepared to deal with this crisis.


Donald Trump's trademark bluster reached new heights on Friday, when he tweeted that U.S. forces were fully in place, locked and loaded for an attack on North Korea but a top Pentagon Korea official in the Obama administration says that the presidents claim is not just dangerous, it's false.

The official, who spoke to Newsweek on the condition of anonymity, said war game scenarios conducted by the U.S. and South Korea indicated that substantial time would be required to move military assets for an attack on the state.

The U.S. was positioned to defend an attack, but not to launch one at short notice without substantial consequences, the official added.

An attack would require more military assets than the U.S. currently has stationed in the Korean peninsula and east Asia. On Friday, the Pentagon confirmed to Vox that no such redeployment had taken place.

The tweet came amid a sharp escalation in tensions between the U.S. and the rogue state, with Pyongyang having earlier threatened to launch missiles at the Pacific island of Guam, where there is a U.S. military base. Trump threatened North Korea with fire and fury in return.

Critics say the tweet sharply increases the likelihood of a conflict between the countries, as North Korea could misinterpret Trump's rhetoric and U.S. military maneuvers as signs of impending invasion and launch a preemptive attack.

Carl Vinson

Landers/Courtesy U.S. Navy/Handout via REUTERS

Though dwarfed by the U.S. military, North Koreas is still one of the largest in the world, with 1.2 million active service members, nuclear weapons, and tens of thousand of artillery at its disposal. The U.S. would require the deployment of ground troops to boost South Korean forces in the region, as well as aircraft carriers to take on North Koreas navy and air force.

Aircraft carriers, USS Carl Vinson and USS Ronald Reagan, left the region in June, after April deployment.

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The Associated Press reported Friday that the Trump administration had been involved for months in back channel diplomatic negotiations with North Korea, vital if Trump's rhetoric is not to lead to a military clash.

Former State Department official Joel S. Wit, the founder of 38 North, a website that analyzes North Korea, told Politico that Trumps claims risked undermining diplomatic efforts.

The presidents public comments "undermine anyone in Pyongyang whos interested in seeing if theres something to be gained in a dialogue with the United States," he said.

The hardliners in Washington reinforce the hardliners in Pyongyang, who in turn reinforce the hardliners in Washington."

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President laments hatred, bigotry and violence from all sides but senior Republicans and Democrats demand direct condemnation of far-right extremists

Donald Trump speaks about violence in Charlottesville, Virginia. Photograph: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

Donald Trump has faced a hail of criticism after failing to explicitly condemn violence by white supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, that culminated in a car running into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing at least one person.

The president said he condemned hatred, bigotry and violence from all sources and all sides. But both Republicans and Democrats quickly lined up to call for a specific denunciation of the white nationalists responsible for the Unite the Right rally and its deadly outcome.

The clashes started after the far-right extremists planned a rally around a statue of the Confederate general Robert E Lee that is slated to be removed. A White House spokesperson later amplified the presidents remarks, telling the Guardian: The president was condemning hatred, bigotry and violence from all sources and all sides. There was violence between protesters and counter-protesters today.

Speaking at a previously scheduled event in Bedminster, New Jersey, to discuss healthcare for veterans, Trump said: I should put out a comment as to whats going on in Charlottesville.

After stopping to shake the hands of the assembled veterans, the president said: Were closely following the terrible events unfolding in Charlottesville, Virginia. We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides, on many sides. Trump added that this had been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. A long, long time. Trump added: What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order.

Trump urged Americans to love each other, respect each other and cherish our history and our future together. So important. We have to respect each other. Ideally, we have to love each other.

But the Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio was among those calling for a straightforward condemnation:

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Very important for the nation to hear @potus describe events in #Charlottesville for what they are, a terror attack by #whitesupremacists  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 12, 2017

Hillary Clinton, the Democratic candidate in the 2016 presidential election, issued a string of tweets, several of them striking implicitly at Trump and the emboldening of extremists it had wrought. The incitement of hatred that got us here is as real and condemnable as the white supremacists in our streets, Clinton said.

Now is the time for leaders to be strong in their words & deliberate in their actions.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 12, 2017

The Republican senator Cory Gardner of Colorado tweeted: Mr President - we must call evil by its name. These were white supremacists and this was domestic terrorism.

The Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, said in a statement: The march and rally in Charlottesville goes against everything the American flag stands for. President Trump must condemn this in the strongest terms immediately. The Hawaii senator Brian Schatz offered a pointed comment on Twitter: It is not too much to ask to have a President who explicitly condemns nazis.

The leftwing Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders rejected Trumps characterisation of violence from all sides:

No, Mr. President. This is a provocative effort by Neo-Nazis to foment racism and hatred and create violence. Call it out for what it is. https://t.co/WibPqkLsLa  Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) August 12, 2017

There was also a riposte from Virginias attorney general, Mark Herring, who said the violence was not the fault of many sides but of racists and white supremacists.



The violence, chaos, and apparent loss of life in Charlottesville is not the fault of "many sides." It is racists and white supremacists.  Mark Herring (@MarkHerringVA) August 12, 2017

Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and father of the White House press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, issued a strident tweet about white nationalism. White supremacy crap is worst kind of racism  its EVIL and perversion of Gods truth to ever think our Creator values some above others, Huckabee said on Twitter.

The Republican House speaker, Paul Ryan, tweeted: The views fueling the spectacle in Charlottesville are repugnant. Let it only serve to unite Americans against this kind of vile bigotry.

: Our country encourages freedom of speech, but lets communicate w/o hate in our hearts. No good comes from violence. #Charlottesville at 12:36 on Saturday.

The president did not issue a statement until 40 minutes later, when he said on Twitter: We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!

David Duke, the former head of the Ku Klux Klan who was the subject of controversy during the 2016 campaign when Trump did not immediately condemn his endorsement, pushed back on this initial tweet. I would recommend you take a good look in the mirror & remember it was White Americans who put you in the presidency, not radical leftists, responded Duke, who was in Charlottesville.

Trump did not specifically mention Charlottesville until a following statement on Twitter, in which he described the clashes as Sad! Trump tweeted: Am in Bedminster for meetings & press conference on V.A. & all that we have done, and are doing, to make it better-but Charlottesville sad!

The president also bemoaned that the clashes were happening when our country is doing so well in so many ways, citing low unemployment and the renegotiation of trade deals. He noted: We have so many incredible things happening in our country, so when I watch Charlottesville, to me its very, very sad.



The White House response also included a since deleted tweet from the homeland security adviser Tom Bossert, in which he condemned the violence and hate in Charlotte. The city of Charlotte is in North Carolina.


By James Oliphant BEDMINSTER, NJ (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Friday he was being sarcastic when he thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for saving the United States money by ordering cuts in U.S. diplomatic staff in Russia. Asked whether he was being sarcastic, Trump told reporters: "In order to reduce our payroll, absolutely. I think you know that," Trump said without explicitly criticizing the move. Breaking nearly two weeks of silence on Putin's July 30 order cutting U.S. embassy and consulate staff by nearly two thirds, Trump said on Thursday: "I'm very thankful that he let go of a large number of people because now we have a smaller payroll," adding "there's no real reason for them to go back." Trump's remarks rekindled criticism of his kid-glove handling of Putin, especially as he has not shied away from being highly critical of members of his own party, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Putin, reacting to new sanctions imposed by the U.S. Congress and reluctantly signed into law by Trump, ordered Washington to cut its diplomatic and technical staff by 755 people by Sept. 1. Many of those affected likely will be local Russian staffers. It was also a reaction to former President Barack Obama expelling 35 Russian diplomats from the United States last December over the intelligence agency reports. "I was just speaking to the Secretary (of State Rex Tillerson) and we're talking about coming up with an answer ... by September 1st we'll have a response," Trump said. Congressional committees and a special counsel are investigating the conclusions of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia interfered in the 2016 election campaign by hacking and other methods to help Trump, a Republican. They are also looking into possible collusion between the campaign and Russian officials. Moscow has repeatedly denied meddling in the election and Trump denies any campaign collusion. During his campaign and since becoming president, Trump has consistently called for better ties with Russia, declined to criticize Putin and refused to unequivocally embrace the conclusions of the intelligence agencies. Trump's remarks were immediately denounced by current and former U.S. officials who have served both Republican and Democratic administrations. The remarks also raised some eyebrows in Europe. I would have to say in my experience (it is) one of the most bizarre things I have ever heard from any government official, not just the U.S.," Ojars Kalnins, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the Latvian parliament, told Reuters earlier on Friday. "Thanking another foreign leader for firing people from their embassy is unprecedented. Its bizarre." (Additional reporting by Tim Ahmann in Washington and Gederts Gelzis in Latvia; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Grant McCool and James Dalgleish)
Two girls aged 12 and 13 were killed after a car driven by a 14-year-old boy crashed while he was reportedly being chased by police in Woodward,Oklahoma.

The boys mother said he was on a three-day break from a home for troubled youthswhen he stole his grandmothers car and picked up the victims and two other boys.

According to the accident report, the boy was trying to outrun police when the car flipped over, ejecting three of the five passengers who were not wearing seatbelts.

Katana Richley, 13, has been named as one of the victims. Her parents said she had left the family home without permission.

We're pretty sick. We're pretty upset, heartbroken, just trying to figure it all out, said Katanas mother, Shyila Clugston.

Katana Richley, 13, has been named by her parents as one of the two victims

She added: She was a very bright child. She was a good girl. She was just rebellious.

[Katana and her friend] were supposed to be spending the night at my house. And then they snuck out of my house and met up with them at Wal-Mart, said her father, Jason Richey.

The young driver has appeared in a juvenile court charged with two counts of manslaughter.

The boys mother, April Carmen, said: He regrets it. And he wants, he wants it to be him instead of them. He didn't do it on purpose.

He said he was scared. He said he didn't mean to miss the stoplight. He was just so scared. He didn't want to get locked up. He wanted to go back to the Boy's Ranch."

A police officer said he was trying to get the car to pull over after the driver ran through a stop sign just before 1am.

The driver, who escaped with minor injuries, and one of the male passengers, were both wearing seatbelts, according to the accident report.

The two other boys in the car, a 2009 Chevy Impala, were taken to hospital and were reported to be in a stable condition.

A full police investigation into the exact circumstances of the crash was underway.

District Attorney Chris Boring said the case would not be heard in public, as it involves juveniles.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 14:48:56|Editor: Song Lifang

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by Xinhua writers Jin Minmin, Gao Pan

WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- Doing anything unilateral against China on trade issues is expected to hurt both and produce no winner for the Trump administration, which has been searching through the policy toolbox for outdated means even without a consensus within itself.

Senior administration officials said on Saturday that Trump will direct the U.S. trade representative (USTR) next week to determine whether to investigate China's trade practices under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

The move again raises grave concerns among the business community that Washington may unilaterally impose tariffs on Chinese products, triggering bigger trade conflict between the two largest economies of the world.

Besides, the U.S. Commerce Department has launched the so-called Section 232 investigations into imported steel and aluminum products on the grounds of protecting national security. A Section 201 investigation led by U.S. International Trade Commission on imported Chinese solar cells and modules is expected to release its findings in September.

All these tools have a common feature: they were meant for the pre-WTO era. Section 301 and Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974, and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 were all put in place during the Cold War era, and were rarely used since the launch of World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1995.

In its heyday in 1980s, Section 301 was aggressively used by the Reagan administration against Japan to protect U.S. automobile and semi-conductor industries. The U.S. abuse of such unilateral actions, however, provoked widespread backlash from its major trading partners.

"This law was mostly deployed before an effective, internationally agreed system to solve disputes -- namely the WTO -- existed," said Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a think tank based in Washington D.C.

Trump's wish to relive the glorious days of the Reagan administration ignores how the world has tremendously changed, as the WTO dispute settlement mechanism obviates the need for unilateral actions.

The WTO mechanism has substantially lowered trade war risks and successfully held the conflict dynamics within a rule-based framework. In the words of Carla Hills, the U.S. trade representative in the early 1990s, "without the WTO it would be the law of the jungle."

That's why the U.S. governments have largely refrained from invoking the above-mentioned trade remedies since mid-1990s, in order to avoid undermining the multilateral trade system and tarnishing the U.S. reputation as a guardian of free trade.

Moreover, coercion tactics that might work on Japan in the old days stand to lose today, as the China of today is not the Japan of the 1980s. China is economically stronger, and the China-U.S. economic relations, with bilateral trade totaling 524.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2016, an increase of 209 times than in 1979, are way more important and complicated.

Given the facts of economic co-dependence between them and the huge stakes U.S. companies have piled up in Chinese markets, a trade war between the world's top two economies is doomed to a mutual assured failure, which could lead to severe job losses for both.

David Dollar, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and former official at the U.S. Treasury Department, has warned that "a protectionist policy would hurt the U.S. economy as much as the Chinese."

"Given today's complex value chains, a 'Chinese' product has lots of value added from the United States, Japan, South Korea, and other partners," Dollar said, noting some U.S. firms would be hurt and consumer prices rise if Washington imposes unilateral tariffs on Chinese products.

In the aftermath of 2008 financial crisis, China and the United States agreed that the rebalance of economic relations between the two countries is imperative. The key issue is how. Yesterday's tool is not capable of solving future problems. They shall find a new way forward rather than resorting to outdated tools and mindset.
(Reuters) - Two Virginia state policemen were killed on Saturday when a helicopter in which they were riding crashed after assisting in efforts to quell clashes between white supremacists and counter-protesters in Charlottesville.

The pair were among three people who authorities said died in connection with the violence near the main campus of the University of Virginia. A 32-year-old women died when a car plowed into a crowd dispersing after police broke up the melee in the city's downtown.

The helicopter pilot, Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, Virginia, and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, 40, of Quinton, Virginia, died at the scene of the crash in Albemarle County, the state police said in a statement included in a Twitter message sent by NBC29 of Charlottesville.

No one on the ground was injured, it said.

President Donald Trump sent his condolences to the families of the officers and their colleagues in the Virginia State Police.

"You're all among the best this nation produces," Trump said in a Twitter message.

The Bell 407 helicopter went down 7 miles (11 km) southwest of Charlottesville, Jim Peters, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration, said in an email.

National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson said the cause of the crash had not been determined. The NTSB is sending investigators to the scene, he said.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles and Frank McGurty in New York; Editing by Alistair Bell and Mary Milliken)
The woman killed at a white nationalist rally in Virginia when a car plowed into more than a dozen people has been identified by family members.

Heather Heyer, 32, was attending the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally as a counter-protester on Saturday when James Alex Fields Jr., of Ohio, allegedly drove a vehicle into a crowd, killing Heyer as she crossed the street, and injuring 19 others.

Read: Excuse Me, Mr. President? Trump Reportedly Calls White House 'a Real Dump'

Heather Heyer was murdered while protesting against hate, her family wrote on a GoFundMe page. "She died doing what was right. My heart is broken, but I am forever proud of her."

Heyer, a paralegal, was a native of Greene County.

A spokesperson for University of Virginia Medical Center said early Sunday morning that five victims remain in critical condition, four are in serious condition and 10 others are in either fair or good condition, CBS reported.

Multiple videos of the crash surfaced after the incident, showing a gray Dodge Challenger driving straight into a crowd. Bystanders could be seen running and screaming.

Fields, who is being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail, is now charged with second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding, and one count of failing to stop,

Field's mother, Samantha Bloom, told The Associated Press on Saturday night that she knew her son was attending a rally in Virginia but didn't know it was a white supremacist rally.

I thought it had something to do with Trump," Bloom said. "Trump's not a white supremacist."

The federal government has opened a civil rights investigation into the horrific crash.

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions issued a statement Saturday night.

The Richmond FBI Field Office, the Civil Rights Division, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Virginia have opened a civil rights investigation into the circumstances of the deadly vehicular incident that occurred earlier Saturday morning, Sessions said. The FBI will collect all available facts and evidence, and as this is an ongoing investigation we are not able to comment further at this time.

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White nationalists, including the Ku Klux Klan and leaders of the neo-Nazi movement, were clashing with counter-protesters at the rally hours before the collision in downtown Charlottesville.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency early Saturday as violence escalated.

White supremacists and alt-right activists were reportedly protesting against the city's decision to remove a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from Emancipation Park, reports said.

President Trump spoke out about the violence in Charlottesville in a press conference Saturday afternoon.

"We condemn in the strongest possible terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On many sides. It's been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, not Barack Obama. This has been going on for a long, long time.

Read: One Dead, Several Injured After Car Plows Into Pedestrians at White Nationalist Rally: 'I Am Heartbroken'

Many condemned Trump after the speech for not speaking specifically against white supremacists.

Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring tweeted that the "violence, chaos, and apparent loss of life in Charlottesville is not the fault of 'many sides.' It is racists and white supremacists."

Watch: Trump's 'Fire and Fury' Remark About North Korea Was Improvised: Report

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A vehicle ran into a crowd of counter-protesters, leaving one person dead, after Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Saturday. The violence began in Charlottesville leading up to the Unite the Right rally Saturday.

Several hundred protesters were marching peacefully in a long line when the car drove into a group of them, according to the Associated Press.

A hospital official told the AP that one person was killed and 19 others injured. Charlottesville Mayor Mike Signer also confirmed on Twitter that one person died during the rally.

I am heartbroken that a life has been lost here. I urge all people of good willgo home, Signer posted.

I am heartbroken that a life has been lost here. I urge all people of good will--go home.  Mike Signer (@MikeSigner) August 12, 2017

President Donald Trump addressed the violence at the rally when signing legislation regarding the Veterans Administration in New Jersey. Trump said he condemns the egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence on many sides. He added that law and order must return to Charlottesville and that the situation will be studied to see what were doing wrong as a country where things like this can happen.

I love the people of our country, Trump said. I love all of the people of our country. Were going to make America great again, but were going to make it great for all of the people.

Trump did not take any questions after signing the legislation.

Governor McAuliffe declared a state of emergency for the area on Saturday morning.

It is now clear that public safety cannot be safeguarded without additional powers, and that the mostly out-of-state protesters have come to Virginia to endanger our citizens and property, McAuliffe said in a statement, adding that he is disgusted by the hatred, bigotry and violence

Below is the Governor's statement regarding the emergency declaration he authorized this morning: pic.twitter.com/yS1E9mispG  Terry McAuliffe (@GovernorVA) August 12, 2017

President Donald Trump took to Twitter Saturday afternoon to condemn the violence.

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We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one! he said.

We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

Virginia State Police tweeted that protesters charged at authorities in the park Saturday morning. Arrests were being made, and there were injuries stemming from an altercation, the department said.

Arrests are being made following declaration of unlawful assembly at Emancipation Park in Charlottesville. #cvilleaug12 pic.twitter.com/6XAn1hYLAS  VA State Police (@VSPPIO) August 12, 2017

ALERT: Unlawful assembly declared for rally at Emancipation Park #cvilleaug12 pic.twitter.com/2OcchnDNFS  Charlottesville City (@CvilleCityHall) August 12, 2017

In light of the events, the University of Virginia also said its events and programming would be canceled. The university medical center will remain open, however.

Several hundred white nationalists gathered on the University of Virginia campus with torches in hand Friday night. There multiple reported injuries after the group clashed with counter-protestors.

First Lady Melania Trump also tweeted her opposition to the violence.

Our country encourages freedom of speech, but lets communicate w/o hate in our hearts. No good comes from violence. #Charlottesville, she posted.

Our country encourages freedom of speech, but let's communicate w/o hate in our hearts. No good comes from violence. #Charlottesville  Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) August 12, 2017

The hate and bigotry witnessed in #Charlottesville does not reflect American values. I wholeheartedly oppose their actions.  Leader McConnell (@SenateMajLdr) August 12, 2017

Their tiki torches may be fueled by citronella but their ideas are fueled by hate, & have no place in civil society. https://t.co/himqTMBQnH  Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) August 12, 2017

Racism, bigotry & hate are wrong - in Charlottesville & anywhere else in this country. We should be a better people than that.  Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) August 12, 2017

March & rally in Charlottesville against everything the flag stands for. President Trump must condemn in strongest terms immediately.  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) August 12, 2017

The rally was expected to draw up to 6,000 people, according to the Associated Press. It comes after the city of Charlottesville voted earlier this year to remove a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee.
This weekend, the night sky is all set to witness a significant amount of meteor activity  the Perseid Meteor Shower.

However, the most appropriate time to watch the Perseids, perhaps the most popular meteor shower of the year, would be late at night on Saturday, or in the early hours next morning. Those who watch the night sky Saturday night might get to see 50 to 60 meteors an hour in the northern hemisphere.

But before you plan to watch the spectacle, choose a place far from any lights, and give yourself about 30 minutes for the eyes to adjust to the dark.

Some experts have suggested the appearance of a bright gibbous moon later in the night, when the meteor shower would be at its peak, may render the show less impressive, the National Geographic reported. One can expect the number of meteors, going across the sky, to drop to 20-30 meteors per hour once the moon rises fully.

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To make sure you don't miss the spectacle, you can also watch the live stream of the meteor shower on various websites. The Virtual Telescope Project offers a live stream of the shower with Italian astrophysicist Gianluca Masi. The stream is scheduled to begin Saturday at 4 p.m. EDT.

Slooh.com that live streamed the event last year would feature the shower live starting 8 p.m. ET Saturday. Although the live stream is only available for the members, the cost of membership is just $5

NASA said on its website that a live broadcast of the shower would be available on Ustream through the night on Aug 11-12 , beginning 10 p.m. EDT, and also on Aug 12-13 at the same time.

Bill Cooke of NASAs Meteoroid Environments Office in Huntsville, Alabama, said the forecasters were predicting a Perseid outburst this year, which could lead to a number of meteors rising as high as 200 per hour. The last Perseid outburst happened in 2009, according to NASA.

Read: When A Healthy Diet Is Actually Unhealthy

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Earlier in a blog post, Cooke also dismissed reports suggesting that this weeks event would be the brightest shower in recorded human history. This year, we are expecting enhanced rates of about 150 per hour or so, but the increased number will be canceled out by the bright Moon, the light of which will wash out the fainter Perseids. A meteor every couple of minutes is good, and certainly worth going outside to look, but it is hardly the brightest shower in human history, he said.

The Perseid shower takes its name from the constellation of Perseus, the point from which all the meteors appear to hail down from the sky. The constellation that can be seen in the northern sky is named after the mythical Greek hero who defeated Medusa by chopping off her snake-covered head, according to the Guardian.

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An angry spat at the 2017 National Association of Black Journalists Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Friday led to the dissolution of a panel when White House aide Omarosa Manigault declined to answer any questions about the Trump administration.

Broadcast journalist Ed Gordon, who moderated the panel, stepped in to salvage the situation when a heated discussion began over the African-American community and police brutality. However, his discussion with Manigault, one of the few African-Americans holding a senior position in the Trump administration, turned into a verbal spar when she was questioned about the president's stance on the issues, reports said. The panel was titled, Black and Blue: Raising Our Sons, Protecting Our Communities.

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Manigault, the director of communications for the White House's Office of Public Liaison, refused to answer questions about her role as an African American in the White House. And she ended up receiving of jeers and boos from the crowd.

Before she became a part of the Trump administration this year, Manigault had worked at the former Vice President Al Gore's office during the Clinton administration as a scheduling correspondent.

Manigault first gained fame in 2004 as a contestant on the American version of the show, The Apprentice, which was presented by Trump at that time. She then returned for the sequel of the series Celebrity Apprentice, and has appeared in several television shows since then.

During the Republican National Convention in July 2016, Manigault announced she was given the position of Director of African-American Outreach for Donald Trump's presidential campaign.

She has held no reservations about being a vocal Trump supporter. Every critic, every detractor, will have to bow down to President Trump. Its everyone whos ever doubted Donald, who ever disagreed, who ever challenged him. It is the ultimate revenge to become the most powerful man in the universe," she said in an interview with Frontline in 2016. She has even called herself a Trumplican.

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After Manigault joined Trump's White House staff, reports said she would be focusing on public engagement. Her specific title was made clear later as the "Assistant to the President and Director of Communications for the Office of Public Liaison."

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Her personal life was marred by tragedies. She was just seven when her father was murdered; while her brother, Jack, was later killed in a shooting incident.

On Friday, when Manigault was asked in the panel about her thoughts on Trumps remarks on police brutality, she simply replied, No. Next question. Trump had earlier said police officers should not be "nice" to people when they were detaining.

Im not going to stand here and defend everything about Donald Trump, she said.

She also argued Trump's comments were misinterpreted, and police brutality was one of the main issues for the administration. Its on the front burner because Im pushing the issue and raising the issue, Manigault said to a booing audience. Some people in the audience stood with their backs to Manigault in protest as she continued to spar with the panel members. The panel was dissolved as she walked off the stage midway.

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Moscow (AFP) - Female candidates are to be accepted for the first time to train as pilots for Russia's air force, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said Saturday, adding there were so many applications that "we can't ignore them".

"There are many young women who would like to become military pilots. We have received hundreds of letters," he said, according to a ministry statement.

"That's why we've decided that this year we will enrol a first group of women at the military academy of Krasnodar," in southern Russia, he said.

"There will be few of them, 15 in all. But given the quantity of applications that we receive, we can't ignore them. From October 1, the first group of women will start to train to become pilots," he said, adding that he hoped they will be qualified in five years.

Since 2009, the Krasnodar flying academy has accepted female students but not for pilot training, according to the TASS news agency.

In 2014, a senior defence ministry official, Ruslan Vassilev, told Echo Moskvi radio that some 45,000 women serve in the Russian army, although they are barred from some functions, notably combat roles.

In total Russia's armed forces numbered nearly 2 million people this year, including 1 million on active service, according to official figures.
Walmart took another shot at Amazon when it revealed its "Scan & Go technology, which allows shoppers to pay for products in stores by scanning them on their smartphones. The service, which is currently being tested in some locations, directly competes with Amazon Go, a store without checkout lines.

Walmart had rolled out its Scan & Go technology a few years ago, but it failed to catch on. However, new data from the 2017 Walker Sands Future of Retail Report suggests it could be more popular with consumers this time around. The annual report, based on responses from more than 1,600 U.S. consumers, found 60 percent of Americans are open to shopping in checkout-less stores.

Read: Free Wi-Fi Spots: People Can't Help Logging On, Even If It's Dangerous

Shoppers looking forward to this technology comes as 78 percent of consumers own a smartphone, and as two-thirds of them say they are comfortable making purchases through apps on their mobile devices. Although consumers can buy items through mobile apps, 79 percent of them still said they prefer purchasing their groceries at a store.

Walmart and Amazons in-store and mobile app merge could be a way to attract consumers.

Walmarts new Scan & Go technology and Amazons Amazon Go concept are two examples of ways that these companies are starting to think more about the connected consumer and shifting their experiences as a result, Erin Jordan, account director at Walker Sands and one of the report's authors, told International Business Times.

Its a good idea for retailers to boost technology in store to enhance the full shopping experience, Jordan said, since 18 percent of consumers go to physical stores in order to get a personalized shopping experience.

However, throwing all types of new shopping technology at consumers wont necessarily excite them, according to Jordan. The report found only 15 percent of consumers said they were interested in smart dressing rooms, while 13 percent said VR experiences will cause them to shop at a store.

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Retailers and brands that actually know their customers preferences will succeed, but they must first identify which next-gen features their customers actually desire, said Jordan.

Read: Facebook, Apple Pushing AR, But Many Americans Don't Know What It Is

Companies will also have to work with what consumers are comfortable with.

When it comes down to it, consumers want the most convenient shopping experiences, said Jordan. Companies who fail to meet them where its most comfortable, whether that be in their homes, on their smartphones or in the store, will ultimately lose market share.

She said Amazon Go is a good example of bringing a brick-and-mortar store to life through data collected to create a better shopping experience for consumers, and it has already garnered shoppers interest. However, only time will tell if Amazon Go will actually drive more sales.

Voice Technology

Another technology that is being pushed by Amazon is ordering through voice assistants, like Alexa on Echo devices. The report found one in five consumers said they had made a purchase through an Echo device or another voice-controlled gadget in the past year. Meanwhile, one in three consumers say they plan to make a purchase using a voice-controlled device in the next year. The technology is even more frequent with millennials, as 37 percent of them say they always or often shop online via voice-controlled devices.

The use of voice technology while shopping could further increase as Apple releases the HomePod later this year, especially since Amazon already paved the way.

The rise of Amazon shopping has made consumers more trusting and the Echo has been a great introduction to a new avenue of even more convenient shopping with a marketplace that many consumers already trust, said Jordan.

As for Amazon, Jordan said the company is well-positioned to see big returns as voice-controlled commerce takes off. Amazon has already tried to push the use of voice technology, especially with Alexa deals during its Prime Day sale.

However, consumers still have some concerns about voice technology, the report found. Shoppers identified the three main barriers to voice purchases: security, privacy and lack of visuals. Although consumers are weary, Jordan said the use of the technology to shop will likely increase.

[As] voice commerce becomes more widely accepted and more consumers purchase home assistants, its likely that these barriers will start to dissipate, similar to the way some of these concerns about online shopping have lessened, said Jordan.

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5. CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION: Expenses not specifically included in prize description and all taxes are the sole responsibility of the Winner. Each prize is awarded "as is" with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied outside of manufacturer's limited warranty. No transfer, assignment or substitution of a prize permitted, except Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prize for an item of equal or greater value in the event an advertised prize is unavailable. The Winner is required to comply with any and all applicable federal, state, provincial, if Canadians are eligible to enter, and local laws, rules and regulations. All federal, state and local taxes, and any other costs not specifically provided for in these Official Rules are solely the Winner's responsibility. If the actual retail value of any Winner's prize is $600 or more, the Winner must complete a W9 form and supply Sponsor with his/her social security number for tax purposes. An IRS Form 1099 will be issued in the name of the Winner for the actual value of the prizes received. Sponsor shall have no responsibility or obligation to the Winner or potential Winner who are unable or unavailable to accept or utilize prizes as described herein. Entrants agree to be bound by the terms of these Official Rules and by the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding on all matters pertaining to this Sweepstakes. Winner may be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, a Liability Release and where legally permissible a Publicity Release within seven (7) days following the date of first attempted notification. Failure to comply with this deadline may result in forfeiture of the prize and selection of an alternate Winner. Return of any prize/prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate Winner. Winner hereby further agrees that it will sign any documents necessary to transfer copyright of his/her submitted entry, if applicable, to Sponsor within seven (7) days following the date of first attempted notification. By entering, Entrant grants permission for Sponsor, and any of its affiliates and subsidiaries, participating advertising and promotion agencies, and prize suppliers to use the entrant's submission (including an altered form of the entry), if any, for editorial, advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law. If images are being submitted to Sponsor as a requirement for entry, Entrants agree that they have all rights to use the images submitted and to allow Sponsor, any of its affiliates and subsidiaries, participating advertising and promotion agencies, and prize suppliers to reuse any of the images, without any liability, for editorial, advertising and promotional purposes. Additionally, acceptance of the prize by Winner constitutes permission for Sponsor and any affiliates and subsidiaries, participating advertising and promotion agencies, and prize suppliers to use Winner's name and/or likeness and biographical material for editorial, advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation, unless prohibited by law. By accepting prize, Winner agrees to hold Sponsor, its advertising and promotion agencies and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, representative agents, successors, assigns, officers, directors, and employees harmless for any injury or damage caused or claimed to be caused by participation in the Sweepstakes or acceptance or use of the prize. Sponsor is not responsible for any printing, typographical, mechanical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the Sweepstakes or in the announcement of the prize.

6. INTERNET/MOBILE: Sponsor is not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind, or inaccurate transmissions of or failure to receive entry information by Sponsor or presenter on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet, at any Web site, or via the mobile phone or any combination thereof. If for any reason the Internet or mobile phone portion of the program is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt of affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. Sponsor reserves the right to select winners from eligible entries received as of the termination date. Sponsor further reserves the right to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process. Sponsor may prohibit an entrant from participating in the Sweepstakes if it determines that said entrant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes by cheating, hacking, deception or other unfair playing practices or intending to abuse, threaten or harass other entrants. Caution: Any attempt by a participant to deliberately damage any Web site or undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes is a violation of criminal and civil laws and should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such participant to the fullest extent of the law.

7. DISPUTES/CHOICE OF LAW: Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that: (1) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this or any prize awarded shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by state or federal courts situated in New York, NY, (2) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, but in no event attorneys' fees; and (3) no punitive, incidental, special, consequential or other damages, including without limitation lost profits may be awarded (collectively, "Special Damages"), and (4) entrant hereby waives all rights to claim Special Damages and all rights to have such damages multiplied or increased. New York State law, without reference to New York's choice of law rules, governs the Sweepstakes and all aspects related thereto.

8. SPONSOR: The Sponsor of these Sweepstakes is Hearst Communications, Inc., 300 W. 57th Street, New York, NY 10019.

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Sixty percent of Israelis support allowing same-sex couples to adopt children, according to a poll conducted at the request of the Labor and Welfare Ministry.

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The poll also found 74 percent of respondents thought the main criterion for adoption should be the child's best interests, while only 22 percent said the main criterion should be the type of family seeking to adopt.

The polls was conducted by the Midgam Institute in the wake of last month's public criticism over the state's response to a High Court of Justice petition, claiming same-sex adoptions could hurt the children.

Protest in Tel Aviv calling to allow same-sex adoptions (Photo: AP)

The poll, which included 832 respondents, paints a different picture to the one the state presented to the High Court, showing a high rate of support for the LGBT community in Israel in general and same-sex couples' right to adopt in particular.

Sixty percent said they supported same-sex couples' adoption of children, while 33 percent were against it.

Protest in Tel Aviv calling to allow same-sex adoptions (Photo: AP)

In addition, 63 percent thought there is no connection between the kind of adoptive family and its ability to provide children with love and acceptance, good education, problem-solving skills, and self-confidence. Only 33 percent said a straight couple could give children more than same-sex couples.

The LGBT community was not surprised by the results of the poll. "It's a shame the Welfare Ministry had to conduct a study to learn what has already been well known for years," said Oded Frid, the head of the LGBT Policy Forum.

"The ridiculous excuses that a gay family is viewed in Israeli society as non-normative and that Israelis are conservative have shattered when 60 percent of the public expressed unequivocal support to allowing same-sex couples to adopt. This study follows a series of other polls and studies that show the majority of Israelis support full equality for the gay community," Frid added.

Protest in Tel Aviv calling to allow same-sex adoptions (Photo: Omer Shalev)

The state's position on same-sex adoption led to a wave of protests by the LGBT community and its supporters last month, at the height of which thousands of people took part in a demonstration outside the government building in Tel Aviv calling for equal adoption rights.

In light of the public outcry, Labor and Welfare Minister Haim Katz announced he would ask the High Court for an extension "to reexamine the issue of adoption by same-sex couples."
Delays in the investigation into the ecological disaster at the Ashalim Stream could result in lenient punishment for those responsibleRotem Amfert and its parent company, Israel Chemicals Ltd.

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The acid spill threatens wildlife, plants and ground water in the nature reserve. Almost the entire ibex population has been wiped out, with many other animals dying as well. The acid waste also caused immense damage to the flora at the stream.

The Environmental Protection Ministry has yet to find an engineering expert to examine the Rotem Fertilizer reservoir that collapsed at the end of June, causing a massive acid spill into the stream.

The ecological disaster at the Ashalim Stream (Photo: Reuters)

The few experts in Israel could face a conflict of interest because they worked with Israel Chemicals in the past, and their testimony would therefore not be admissible in court.

Other experts in Israel declined their services, perhaps because they might want to work with the massive conglomerate in the future.

This led the ministry to look for experts abroad, who price their services at hundreds of thousands of dollars.

This leaves the ministry with little choice but to issue an international tender, which could take a long time.

The ecological disaster at the Ashalim Stream (Photo: Israel Nature and Park Authority)

"The ministry has been looking for expert consultants in recent weeks and is conducting a search abroad. This is a small area of expertise, and there aren't many consultants in this field," the Environmental Protection Ministry said in a statement. "We've recently located several experts, and we are examining how we could make use of their services."

The ecological disaster at the Ashalim Stream (Photo: Terrascan Labs LTD)

In addition to undermining deterrence, delays in investigations and in filing indictments force the ministry to reach plea bargains resulting in mitigated punishments in many cases.

Such a deal was recently reached with the Haifa Oil Refinery, which is also under the control of Israel Chemicals Ltd. The prosecutor on behalf of the ministry confirmed one of the reasons for the plea deal was the delay in filing the indictment.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 15:04:03|Editor: Zhou Xin

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KABUL, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Up to 30 top score girls have been picked up from 74 school girl graduates attended a midwifery entrance-exam in the eastern Paktika province, the state-run Bakhtar News Agency reported.

"The entrance-exam with 74 high school girl graduates' participation has been held by the Ministry of Public Health in cooperation with the UNICEF in Paktika's provincial capital Sharana a couple of days ago, among them 30 ladies succeeded to win the eligible scores for midwifery," Bakhtar News Agency quoted Doctor Wali Gul Kharuti, head of provincial public health as saying.

Aimed at reducing the maternal mortality, these girls after completion of the two-year course would be hired in the provincial and district health centers.

The rate of maternal mortality in Afghanistan has reportedly reduced from 1,100 in 2000 to some 360 in 2016.
Hezbollah announced Sunday that it had discovered an alleged Israeli spying device in Har al-Barouk, opposite Lake Qaraoun in the Beqaa Valley.

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According to the Al Manar network, the device was remotely detonated by Israel and pieces were scattered throughout the Har al-Barouk area.

Fiberglass remains of the alleged device

According to Hezbollah's media arm, fiberglass in the shape of a boulder was covering the device, which was fixed on a rock overlooking the villages in the western Beqaa Valley, including the Beirut-Damascus Highway.

Remains of the device

Hezbollah and the Lebanese Army have reported discovering similar espionage devices in recent years, particularly in southern Lebanon.

Site of the Hezbollah rally marking the end of the Second Lebanon War

The discovery on Sunday comes as Hezbollah prepares to hold an annual rally marking the end of the Second Lebanon War. The rally is due to be held in southern Lebanon and include several senior members of the organization.

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah is expected to broadcast a speech to supporters during the rally.
Source:Xinhua| 2017-08-13 15:18:36|Editor: Mengjie

Photo taken on Aug. 10, 2017 shows the night view of Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province. Recently, Fujian has lightened up some 1,400 night view projects on buildings, bridges, coastlines and parks, so as to greet the Ninth BRICS Summit held in this city. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 15:19:08|Editor: Zhou Xin

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RIYADH, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia expects to receive around 2 million pilgrims for this Hajj season, including 1.7 million foreigners, Al Hayat local newspaper reported on Sunday.

Last year more than 1.8 million performed Hajj and most of them were foreigners, while the Ministry of Hajj will assign more than 95,000 employees, in addition to volunteers to handle Hajj-related tasks.

Health ministry announced that all pilgrims attending the Hajj pilgrimage are so far free from epidemic and quarantine diseases.

The ministry said they are taking preventative policies as a priority, and coordinating with the World Health Organization and other international authorities to ensure there is no epidemic outbreak.

The ministry also announced the implementation of 3.3 million U.S. dollar Hajj-related medical facilities and services.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 15:44:13|Editor: Zhou Xin

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KABUL, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Senior commander of Islamic State (IS) group has been killed during the U.S. forces airstrikes in eastern Kunar province of Afghanistan, The NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission confirmed in a statement released here on Sunday.

"U.S. and Afghan Forces have confirmed the death of Kunar provincial Islamic State emir Abdul Rahman on Aug. 10," the statement said, adding that Rahman was killed in an air strike along with three additional senior ISIS-K members in Darah-Ye Pech district, Kunar Province.

The death of Abdul Rahman deals yet another blow to the senior leadership of IS group in Afghanistan, the statement quoted General John Nicholson, commander of U.S. and NATO-led RS Forces in Afghanistan.

Kunar and the neighboring Nangarhar and Nuristan have been the scene of IS and Taliban activities over the past few years.

"U.S. and Afghan Forces continue to keep pressure on IS and disrupt their expansion plans as part of ongoing operations to defeat them in Afghanistan in 2017," the statement stressed.

Since the beginning of 2017, hundreds of IS fighters including some of their senior commanders have been killed in Afghan and U.S. operations, the statement said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 15:49:16|Editor: Mengjie

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HEFEI, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Before entering the subway, Lin Pan swiped his transit card on the machine, only to have the gate next to him open -- a common nuisance he encounters as a left-hander.

"We are living in a world for right-handers," said Lin. "The shutter on the camera is on the right, the mouse of the computer, the accelerator of a vehicle, as well as the design of scissors -- these are mostly based on the habits of right handers."

He started a website, "Left-Handed China," in 2013 to speak for his fellow "lefties." The website posts articles and research on left-handedness and collects complaints from left-handers.

The site now has more than 28,000 registered members and organizes events every Aug. 13 for International Left-Handers Day.

"By setting up the website, I wanted to clear up the misunderstandings about left-handers," Lin said.

For a long time, being left-handed was deemed "wrong" in parts of China, especially rural areas.

"My teacher used to try to force me into using my right hand, and until now, I often feel nervous when I deal with changes in my life," Lin said.

Even now, Lin sometimes receives calls from parents concerned about their kids' "unusual" habits.

"They called me up and said their children have experienced a lot of inconvenience at school, and I persuade them to give up the idea of correcting their kids' left-handed habits," he said.

It is estimated that one in every 10 people is left-handed, which means there are at least 130 million lefties in China. Their needs have long been neglected.

"I am very regretful that I forcibly corrected my son's left-handedness," Han Yamei told Xinhua.

"I found my son using his left hand to eat, hold items and draw when he was three years old, so I always put the pen in his right hand when he practiced writing," she recalled. "It took him a year to change the habit."

"I did this because I didn't want him to be bullied at school, but now I believe it is better to let it be," she said.

Most people no longer view left-handedness as abnormal, and parents are educated that they should not intervene in the handedness of their children.

"Our left brain takes charge of language and logical thinking, while the right brain controls our cognition of space and geometry, as well as artistic abilities such as painting and music. If we modify their behavior by force, it may lead to reading disability and stuttering," said Wang Ya, a counselor at the Anhui Children's Hospital.

"Society is becoming more inclusive and left-handers are no longer 'hiding' their habits in the crowd," said 31 year-old Zhang Liguo, who is left-handed.

But still, lefties want more understanding and friendly facilities in their daily lives.

"In many developed countries, the kindergarten teachers ask the children about their handedness and offer proper assistance. They also have textbooks instructing the children how to hold a pen with their left hand. We still have much room to improve in China," said Lin.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 16:09:21|Editor: Zhou Xin

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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Three militants of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant outfit and two Indian army troopers were killed and three troopers wounded in a fierce gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Sunday.

The gunfight erupted Saturday evening at Awneera village of Shopian district, about 60 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"The deadly gunfight claimed five lives -- three militants and two troopers, while three other troopers were wounded," a police official told Xinhua."The army suffered casualties during the overnight stand-off, while militants were gunned down today."

The gunfight has ended but a search operation is underway, officials said.

According to officials, the wounded troopers were taken to military base hospital in Srinagar.

The slain militants were identified as local cadres of HM.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out in the area between protesters and government forces. The youth, to protest militant killings, threw stones on government forces and shouted anti-India and pro-freedom slogans.

The gunfight, according to police, triggered after contingents of Indian troops and police encircled the area on intelligence information suggesting presence of militants.

Locals said two houses were fully damaged, while as third one suffered partial damage in the firefight. According to police, the militants had taken refuge in the houses and from there were firing on army and police positions.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 16:29:28|Editor: Mengjie

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RAMALLAH, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian party leader held that China can play more wise role in solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and China has a much more balanced role than that of other powers to thrash out an effective solution.

Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative party, Mustafa Barghouti, make the remarks in an interview with Xinhua on Sunday.

The Palestinian politician said the Palestinians need an effective and influential international framework with strong participation of a very convincing country such as China.

"It is clear that the U.S. monopoly on the peace process has led to repeated failures and it is unable to be an effective mediator because of its absolute bias for Israel," he said.

Barghouti affirmed that China enjoys strong and historic relations with both Palestine and Israel and has a firm stance in support of the right of the Palestinian people to freedom, independence and the establishment of a future state.

"We believe that an effective international framework with the strong participation of China can be a real framework for achieving a real peace process," he added.

Barghouti stressed that the Palestinian side will welcome any Chinese peace initiative, adding "because the Palestinians trust China."

During his meeting with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China will host a symposium on peace between Palestine and Israel later this year to contribute wisdom to resolving the Palestinian issue.

He said China is willing to participate and support all efforts that are conducive to a political settlement of the Palestinian issue.

Commenting on the Chinese peace efforts, Barghouti said the proposed peace symposium will be very useful, noting that China has a great opportunity to make a success in resolving the Palestinian issue.

Talking on the U.S. role in pushing the stalled peace process, Barghouti said that the administration of the U.S President Donald Trump is more biased toward Israel than all previous U.S. administrations.

"Since Trump took office, the pace of settlement construction increased by 70 percent and the U.S. did not comment on this and did not take any action to stop the settlement expansion," he said.

Barghouti stressed the expectation of the United States to play an effective and influential role alone has become impossible in light of such American Congress, Senate and administration that are biased towards Israel.

In 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 181, which recognized the necessity to establish a Jewish state and an Arab state in the former British mandate territory of Palestine.

The 1967 Middle East war resulted in Israel's occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights.

The last round of peace talks between Israel and Palestine failed in 2014, mainly due to the continuing expansion of Jewish settlements on the occupied territories of Palestine, which has become more rampant under the shield of the U.S. bias.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 16:29:29|Editor: Zhou Xin

Afghan security force members take part in a military operation in Mirza Olang district of Sari Pul province, Afghanistan, Aug. 12, 2017. Seventeen militants including two of their senior commanders were killed and five others injured during Afghan forces operations to reclaim Mirza Olang district of northern Sari Pul province from insurgents, an official said Sunday. (Xinhua/Mohammad Jan Aria)

SARI PUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Seventeen militants including two of their senior commanders have been killed and five others injured during Afghan forces operations to reclaim Mirza Olang district of northern Sari Pul province from insurgents, an official said Sunday.

Launched Saturday night to evict militants and recapture the strategically important Mirza Olang, according to police spokesman Sayed Sarwar Hussaini, some villages have been liberated and the militants are in the run.

Militants loyal to the hardliner Islamic State and Taliban outfits launched joint operations in Mirza Olang area last week, killing at least 50 civilians including women and children and forcing hundreds others to flee their houses.

Taliban outfit has refused its involvement in the massacre. However, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani has vowed to avenge the killing of civilians by militants in Mirza Olang and assured to restore law and order in the conflict-affected area.

Meanwhile, the displaced families said they won't return to their houses in Mirza Olang unless and until the area is completely safe and secure from militants threats.
China supports two-state solution on Palestinian issue, Chinese President Xi Jinping says in talks with Mahmoud Abbas on July 19. (Xinhua Photo)

RAMALLAH, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian party leader held that China can play more wise role in solving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and China has a much more balanced role than that of other powers to thrash out an effective solution.

Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative party, Mustafa Barghouti, make the remarks in an interview with Xinhua on Sunday.

The Palestinian politician said the Palestinians need an effective and influential international framework with strong participation of a very convincing country such as China.

"It is clear that the U.S. monopoly on the peace process has led to repeated failures and it is unable to be an effective mediator because of its absolute bias for Israel," he said.

Barghouti affirmed that China enjoys strong and historic relations with both Palestine and Israel and has a firm stance in support of the right of the Palestinian people to freedom, independence and the establishment of a future state.

"We believe that an effective international framework with the strong participation of China can be a real framework for achieving a real peace process," he added.

Barghouti stressed that the Palestinian side will welcome any Chinese peace initiative, adding "because the Palestinians trust China."

During his meeting with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Beijing last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping said China will host a symposium on peace between Palestine and Israel later this year to contribute wisdom to resolving the Palestinian issue.

He said China is willing to participate and support all efforts that are conducive to a political settlement of the Palestinian issue.

Commenting on the Chinese peace efforts, Barghouti said the proposed peace symposium will be very useful, noting that China has a great opportunity to make a success in resolving the Palestinian issue.

Talking on the U.S. role in pushing the stalled peace process, Barghouti said that the administration of the U.S President Donald Trump is more biased toward Israel than all previous U.S. administrations.

"Since Trump took office, the pace of settlement construction increased by 70 percent and the U.S. did not comment on this and did not take any action to stop the settlement expansion," he said.

Barghouti stressed the expectation of the United States to play an effective and influential role alone has become impossible in light of such American Congress, Senate and administration that are biased towards Israel.

In 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 181, which recognized the necessity to establish a Jewish state and an Arab state in the former British mandate territory of Palestine.

The 1967 Middle East war resulted in Israel's occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights.

The last round of peace talks between Israel and Palestine failed in 2014, mainly due to the continuing expansion of Jewish settlements on the occupied territories of Palestine, which has become more rampant under the shield of the U.S. bias.
Source:Xinhua| 2017-08-13 16:54:30|Editor: Mengjie

Tourists visit a residential community called "Rainbow village" in the Nantun District of Taichung City, southeast China's Taiwan, Aug. 12, 2017. Huang Yong-fu, a 95-year-old veteran, painted colorful animals and figures on the walls and grounds of the village a few years ago. His paintings attracted many tourists and also saved the dying village from being removed. He still gets up at 3 a.m. every day to repair the paintings of his village. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi)
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 16:54:38|Editor: ying

People watch the collapsed bridge caused by a flood at Gandheli river, along the East-West Highway in Nepalgunj on Aug. 13, 2017. Floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall since Friday have killed at least 40 people in Nepal by Sunday afternoon, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs. (Xinhua)

KATHMANDU, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall since Friday have killed at 40 people in Nepal by Sunday afternoon, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

At least 36 persons others have gone missing in the disaster in the low-lying areas, over 20 have been injured and thousands of families have been displaced.

In a latest tragedy, a pregnant woman, 27-year-old Sharmila Yadav, in labor pain along with five other family members who were in the same jeep died on her way to the hospital after the vehicle plunged into the floodwater in Nepal's eastern district Rautahat on Sunday morning.

Police recovered six bodies in total including that of her husband Chandan Kishor Yadav, three-year-old daughter Choti Kumar Yadav, mother-in-law, aunt and brother-in-law from the flooded highway.

The Yadav family was rushing towards the hospital located at Rajpur in the India-bordering district after the pregnant woman complained of labor pain.

Home ministry has mentioned that plain districts Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Saptari, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Dang and Banke districts are most affected by floods. The water level in many rivers has crossed the danger mark and changed their course, with a threat to houses and livelihood.

Security agencies including Nepal Police, Nepal Army and Armed Police force have been mobilized in Terai districts for the relief and rescue operation.

On Sunday, Home Minister Janardan Sharma inspected the flooded region and directed the concerned agencies to expedite the rescue efforts.

Meanwhile, many highway bridges which serve as the lifeline of the entire country have been damaged, obstructing the vehicular movement for relief and rescue programs. In many places, helicopters have been failing to operate due to bad weather.

The Meteorological Forecasting Division has forecast that monsoon would remain active across the country for the next few days.
Zolfaghar missiles (R) are displayed during a rally marking al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day in Tehran on June 23, 2017. (AFP Photo)

TEHRAN, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Iran's parliament voted Sunday to allocate 520 million U.S. dollars to develop missile program to fight the U.S. "adventurism" and sanctions, state news agency IRNA reported.

A total of 240 lawmakers voted for the bill, out of the 244 parliamentarians present.

The vote came after fresh U.S. sanctions in July against Iran, targeting Tehran's missile programme.

The bill mandates the government to allocate an additional 260 million dollars for the "development of the missile programme" and the same amount to the Revolutionary Guards's foreign operations wing, the Quds Force, state news agency IRNA said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 17:29:46|Editor: Mengjie

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DHAKA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Millions of Bangladeshis, living and working abroad, remitted home 1.12 billion U.S. dollars in July, the first month of the current 2017-18 fiscal year (July 2017-June 2018), a central bank official said Sunday.

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) official told Xinhua that "the flow of inward remittances surged about 11 percent year on year to 1,115.57 million U.S. dollars in the last month."

The inflow of remittances would likely rise further this month as non-resident Bangladeshis will send home more money for their relatives to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha, one of the largest Muslim festivals, which is expected to take place on Sept. 1 this year.

The amount of remittance from about 10 million Bangladeshis in the last fiscal year spanning from July 2016 to June 2017, stood at 13 billion U.S. dollars, over 10 percent higher than the same period a year ago, the official said.
MOGADISHU, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Former Al-Shabaab deputy leader Mukhtar Robow defected to the Somalia security forces following a bitter fight with militants in Abal location.

Officials said Robow who is from the large Rahanweyn clan, which dominates many of Somalia's most fertile areas, arrived in government controlled town of Hudur town in Somalia' southwest State forces on Sunday.

Minister of Internal Security for Southwest State, Hassan Hussein Mohamed confirmed to Xinhua that the group's former leader, Robow is with them at moment.

"Al-Shabaab militants wanted to kill Robow but we gave him military help and repulsed the Al-Shabaab fighters. Robow is now in Hudur town with southwest State officials," Mohamed said.

Robow's surrender comes after weeks of deadly fighting between Al-Shabaab militants and his militia backed by Somalia security forces.

He left the militant group in 2013 and retreated to his homeland over disagreement on using foreign fighters in the group.

Robow was before his disagreement with the group declared wanted terrorist by the United States in June 2012 with a five million U.S. dollars bounty placed on his head.

He defected from Al-Shabaab in 2013 when he was deputy leader in 2012. The U.S. State Department announced in June quietly removed him from their list of sponsors of terror after five years.

Robow who is also known as Abu Mansour is intelligent and was a main pillar of the Somali militant Islamist group.

Analysts say his defection will deny Al-Shabaab vital manpower and intelligence. It is a big blow that Al-Shabaab will certainly lose all South of Somalia due to Robow's influence there besides the tight noose by Kenya Defense Forces.

Robow's defection will likely enable pro-government forces to operate in the regions of Bay and Bakool, reducing the insurgents' operational territory in two.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 18:25:03|Editor: Mengjie

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TIKRIT, Iraq, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi forces on Sunday killed 12 Islamic State (IS) militants in Iraq's northern central province of Salahudin after fierce clashes, a provincial security source told Xinhua.

The clashes erupted before dawn when dozens of IS militants attacked the military bases of the security forces after heavy mortar barrage and machine guns in Zuwiyah area, some 250 km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The troops fought back overnight and foiled the attackers from storming their bases, but the militants managed to block the main road between Salahudin's province capital Tikrit and the city of Mosul in northern Iraq, the source said.

In the morning, reinforcement troops and helicopter gunships dispatched to the area and reopened the main road after defeating the extremist militant, who withdrew to their redoubts in Makhoul mountain range in the northern part of Tikrit, which itself located some 170 km north of Baghdad, the source added.

After the withdrawal of the extremist militants, the troops found 12 of their bodies and two destroyed armored vehicles, three trucks along with large amount of weapons and ammunition left in the battlefields, the source said.

The clashes also resulted in the killing of three soldiers and the wounding of eight others, the source added.

In Salahudin province, the terrorist IS group still in control of Makhoul mountain range and the villages between the range and the Tigris River, in addition to the eastern bank of the town of Shirqat, about 280 km north of Baghdad, as well as its surrounding villages and rural area that stretches to the IS-held town of Hawijah in the western part of the oil-rich province of Kikruk.

Iraqi security forces and allied paramilitary Hashd Shaabi units freed Tikrit and other key cities and towns in the predominately Sunni Arab province of Salahudin from the extremist IS group which seized large part of the province in June 2014.

The incident came as the Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared Mosul's liberation on July 10 after nearly nine months of fierce fighting to dislodge the extremist militants from their last major stronghold in Iraq.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 18:45:09|Editor: Zhou Xin

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NAIROBI, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- More than 150 people sustained serious injuries in parts of Nairobi and western Kenya following post-election chaos that erupted on Friday night after Uhuru Kenyatta was declared winner of the presidential elections, figures from two agencies show Sunday.

Both Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) and international humanitarian medical charity, Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) said they had evacuated a total of 157 casualties in Nairobi, Kisumu, Homabay, Migori, Busia and Siaya counties in protests against polls results.

The medical charities said some of the casualties had bullet wounds. MSF said by Saturday evening, their teams across Kenya had evacuated and treated 64 people and that 11 of them had bullet wounds.

"Medical team has been dispatched to Kisumu to assist the ministry of health," said MSF on Saturday night.

KRCS said they responded to a total of 93 causalities that sustained various injuries and who received pre-hospital medical care and medical evacuations.

In Nairobi County, the casualties included, nine cases in Kibera and 27 cases in Mathare 4A and Mathare North, and who were evacuated to hospitals in Nairobi by KRCS vehicles and E-Plus ambulances, said the society's director Abass Gullet.

In Kisumu County, he said, similar incidences were reported in three settlements, where 14 cases were attended to by KRCS and evacuated to the hospitals in the lakeside city.

An additional 12 cases were reported in Migori County, five cases in Homa Bay County and one in Busia County.

"Due to the intense protests and safety concerns, more than 2,000 KRCS personnel experienced difficulties accessing in parts of Nairobi and Nyanza, and were initially unable to respond promptly," said Gullet.

The personnel managed to access these areas in the early hours of the morning Saturday and responded to multiple emergency cases.

The opposition coalition said Saturday at least 100 people were killed by the police responding to protests which erupted after the announcement of the presidential election results on Friday.

The National Super Alliance (NASA) Legal Counsel, James Orengo, told reporters in Nairobi the post-election violence deaths followed a shoot-to-kill order to the police command by senior government officials.

"At least 100 people have been killed, 10 of them children," Orengo told reporters during a news conference called by the coalition's leaders to brief supporters on the ongoing political crisis.

However, State-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said 24 people have been killed across the country from police brutality since Aug. 8.

Chairperson Kagwiria Mbogori said Nairobi accounts for the highest number of casualties with 17 deaths which occurred mainly after the announcement of presidential election results on Friday night.

KRCS said its personnel encountered youth manning various roadblocks, but were later guaranteed access upon realizing it was the Red Cross.

He asked the public to support the KRCS emergency responses to affected areas so as to enable the smooth execution of our mandate of alleviating human suffering.

At the same time, continuous assessments in areas affected by protests is ongoing with a view to establishing the extent of the humanitarian needs, Gullet added.

"We further reiterate, as per our previous Statement posted online, that KRCS did not supply any body bags to the Kenya police, any person or institution. The KRCS emergency lines are open both day and night."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 19:30:21|Editor: Zhou Xin

Guests including foreign diplomats from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony of an exhibition in Bandar Seri Begawan, capital of Brunei, Aug. 12, 2017. As one of the activities to commemorate ASEAN's 50th anniversary, a special exhibition organized by Brunei's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MoFAT) raised its curtain on Saturday. (Xinhua/Jeffrey Wong)
File photo taken on Aug. 8, 2017 shows presidential candidate of the Kenya's Jubille Party Uhuru Kenyatta casting his ballot at a polling station in Gatundu, Kiambu County, Kenya. Uhuru Kenyatta won Kenya's Presidential election on Aug. 11, according to the poll body. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

NAIROBI, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Regina Wairimu defied freezing cold and light showers at dawn on Tuesday to rush to a nearby polling station where a long queue of voters patiently waited for their turn to cast their ballot and elect their favorite leaders.

The middle-aged mother of three has in the previous elections defied elements and demanding chores at home to participate in a noble exercise of choosing the next crop of representatives at all levels of government.

Her career in the medical profession has as well nurtured a desire to participate in a civic duty that would ultimately determine whether local communities would benefit from improved delivery of critical services like health, education and water supply.

During this election cycle, Wairimu was determined to vote for her favorite candidates, aware that it would have a significant impact on the lives of her young offspring.

The career nurse told Xinhua on Saturday that during a conversation that she hoped the post election phase in Kenya would be marked by realization of hopes and ideals that unite all citizens irrespective of their political affiliation.

"We spoke with our votes during the just concluded elections and expect the newly elected leaders will unite the country and champion the interests of ordinary citizens," said Wairimu.

She hailed the maturity demonstrated by aspirants from different political parties during the campaign season and expressed hope that sobriety and decency will become the hallmark of Kenya's political discourse.

"I hope the newly elected President Uhuru Kenyatta will fulfill the promises he made to the nation during his acceptance speech. His call for unity and patriotism resonated with citizens yearning to move past a divisive and hotly contested election," Wairimu remarked.

Kenyans trooped to polling stations in large numbers on Tuesday to elect a new president, county executives, lawmakers and ward representatives.

Tony Mullei, a grocery store owner in a low income suburb located on the eastern edges of the capital, Nairobi closed his businesses for hours to participate in the voting exercise.

The 34-year-old father of two had great expectations that his favorite candidates would clinch victory in an election that was fiercely contested.

Twelve hours after the voting ended, Mullei relished in victory of his favorite candidate for a local elective post but was saddened by failure of the candidates for national elective posts to trounce their rivals.

Nevertheless, the hardworking entrepreneur has vowed to soldier on and pursue his dreams irrespective of disappointments experienced during this election season.

"I had mixed feelings when the results for this year's elections started streaming in our television screens. It was refreshing to watch the lawmaker and local representative I voted for win with a landslide margin but a gloomy mood set in when my favorite presidential candidates trailed in the polls," said Mullei.

The ardent fan of the opposition National Super Alliance (NASA) flag bearer, Raila Odinga has nevertheless reconciled with his failure to clinch the ultimate crown but has pledged to support the policies of President Uhuru Kenyatta who emerged victorious in the hotly contested race.

"Our lives must go on irrespective of who won the presidential ticket and I was encouraged to hear Kenyatta extends an olive branch to his competitors. That is a patriotic gesture and hope opposition leaders will also accept the election results gracefully and agree to move this country to the next level," Mullei said.

He is among millions of Kenyans who by close of the week appeared determined to shake off the post election blues and forge ahead with their normal lives.

Regina Oluchina, a 23-year-old college student and part-time worker in hospitality industry said the electioneering period exerted pressure on her studies and career but was determined to chart a fresh beginning now that new leaders were about to be installed.

Though measured in her political views, Oluchina revealed she adored the tenacity and youthful luster exhibited by Kenyatta but has as well admired the courage and resilience of veteran opposition leader, Odinga.

"I think the two gentlemen have a lot to teach the youth of this country since they have formidable political and business careers. They campaigned vigorously and seem ready to reconcile the country in the aftermath of high octane competition for the top seat in the land," said Oluchina.

She lauded Kenyatta for making a statesman like acceptance speech after being declared the winner and hoped that Odinga too would concede defeat and work with his competitors to develop the country.

"Our level of political maturity went a notch higher this election season. The leading presidential candidates engaged in issues based campaigns and hope it will be the trend in future," Oluchina said.

She is optimistic that civility, respect and maturity will become the defining feature of Kenya's politics.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 20:50:46|Editor: Zhou Xin

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WINDHOEK, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Namibia's President Hage Geingob has said Moody's should not have based its latest rating on the forthcoming ruling Swapo Party elective congress and the national elections scheduled for 2019.

Geingob said this when he addressed a closed door Swapo central committee meeting Saturday in Windhoek.

Swapo will hold its elective congress in December and already some members are jostling for positions.

Moody's downgraded Namibia's credit rating from Baa3- to Ba1 but maintained the negative outlook on Friday.

The rating agency said it downgraded Namibia credit ratings because the country's fiscal strength has been eroded and there is a limited institutional capacity to respond to shocks as well as renewed risk of liquidity pressures.

The agency also noted that the public debt burden had risen rapidly over the past several years, from the low level of 26 percent of GDP when the first assigned the rating in 2011 to the current 42 percent.

"The high share of debt in foreign currency (other than rand) makes the fiscal position vulnerable to a further rapid deterioration in the event of an exchange rate shock, as was the case most recently in 2015," Moody's said.

It further noted that other sources of potential deterioration are unexpected shortfalls in the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) revenues relative to forecasts as well as expenditure over-runs in the context of upcoming ruling SWAPO leadership elections (end-2017) and presidential elections (2019).

Moody's also lowered Namibia's local currency bond and bank deposit ceilings to A2 from A1; the foreign currency bank deposit ceiling to Ba2 from Baa3; and the foreign-currency bond ceiling to Baa2 from A3.

In response, Geingob told the Swapo delegates to the central committee meeting that the agency should not have linked the Swapo elective congress to what is happening in the country currently.

He said Moody's should leave Swapo supporters to express themselves on the issues of the party.

"We are also of the view that nothing material has changed since our last rating valuation and this should be relied upon to justify our rating. It is therefore not true to say that there will be an increase in spending in the run up to the Swapo congress," he said.

Geingob further said that Moody's did not consider material factors that point towards an improvement of the country's fiscal position to justify the downgrade.

Finance minister Calle Schlettwein also accused Moody's on Friday, saying that the agency based the downgrade on speculation.

"While these ratings still reflect investment grade, we also do not think that domestic economic conditions warrant a downgrade at this point," he said.

Schlettwein said Namibia had taken steps to address these risk factors pointed out by Moody's in Dec. 2016.

He argued that although credit ratings change with the changing conditions in the country, Namibia's opinion is that this should have been done after an in-depth assessment and engagement with the government.

"This recent rating action by Moody's relied merely on an exchange of emails on a single item, that of outstanding invoices and how Government is planning to settle them. This is highly regrettable," Schlettwein said.

He also argued that the review was done too early --that is four months into the 2017/18 budget implementation -- and as such is based on a "very narrow base and may contain speculative conclusions on the performance of the budget for the whole financial year."

"The process followed by Moody's is, therefore, not systematic as we are busy developing the mid-year budget review and better-informed rating action and effective country assessment could have benefited from the mid-year budget review planned for October 2017," the minister said.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 21:05:57|Editor: Zhou Xin

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NAIROBI, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Sunday said it will launch investigations into the alleged police killings of demonstrators protesting the outcome of the Aug. 8 presidential polls.

Nairobi Regional Coordinator Bernard Leparmarai told journalists in Nairobi that police are professionally trained on how to deal with protesters.

"We are not aware of any peaceful protestors who have been killed by police bullets but we have launched an investigation to establish the truth," Leparmarai said.

The remarks come amid claims by the opposition coalition on Saturday that at least 100 people were killed by the police responding to protests which erupted after the announcement of the presidential election results on Friday.

The National Super Alliance (NASA) Legal Counsel, James Orengo said the post-election violence deaths followed a shoot-to-kill order to the police command by senior government officials.

"At least 100 people have been killed, 10 of them children," Orengo told reporters during a news conference called by the coalition's leaders to brief supporters on the ongoing political crisis.

State-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights however only 24 people have been killed across the country from police brutality since Aug. 8.

Chairperson Kagwiria Mbogori said Nairobi accounts for the highest number of casualties with 17 deaths which occurred mainly after the announcement of presidential election results on Friday night.

Leparmarai said that police are using conventional equipment such as water cannon, teargas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. He said that those killed or injured could be from stray bullets or from criminal gangs in the slums.

He added that most of Nairobi has not been affected by any political unrest as protests have been confirmed to the traditional hotspots in the slums of Mathare and Kibera.

The government administrator said that youths in the slums are being misused by politicians to cause havoc to property and innocent lives.

Leparmarai urged Nairobians to resume work as elections have been completed. "We therefore urge Kenyans to go back to their daily lives in order to earn their livehoods," he added.
A man demonstrates along the streets of Garissa, Kenya, Aug. 10, 2017. Kenyan police used teargas canisters to break up violent demonstrations in the northeast border town of Garissa on Thursday following clashes between rival political supporters. (Xinhua/Fred Mutune)

NAIROBI, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Sunday said it will launch investigations into the alleged police killings of demonstrators protesting the outcome of the Aug. 8 presidential polls.

Nairobi Regional Coordinator Bernard Leparmarai told journalists in Nairobi that police are professionally trained on how to deal with protesters.

"We are not aware of any peaceful protestors who have been killed by police bullets but we have launched an investigation to establish the truth," Leparmarai said.

The remarks come amid claims by the opposition coalition on Saturday that at least 100 people were killed by the police responding to protests which erupted after the announcement of the presidential election results on Friday.

The National Super Alliance (NASA) Legal Counsel, James Orengo said the post-election violence deaths followed a shoot-to-kill order to the police command by senior government officials.

"At least 100 people have been killed, 10 of them children," Orengo told reporters during a news conference called by the coalition's leaders to brief supporters on the ongoing political crisis.

State-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights however only 24 people have been killed across the country from police brutality since Aug. 8.

Chairperson Kagwiria Mbogori said Nairobi accounts for the highest number of casualties with 17 deaths which occurred mainly after the announcement of presidential election results on Friday night.

Leparmarai said that police are using conventional equipment such as water cannon, teargas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds. He said that those killed or injured could be from stray bullets or from criminal gangs in the slums.

He added that most of Nairobi has not been affected by any political unrest as protests have been confirmed to the traditional hotspots in the slums of Mathare and Kibera.

The government administrator said that youths in the slums are being misused by politicians to cause havoc to property and innocent lives.

Leparmarai urged Nairobians to resume work as elections have been completed. "We therefore urge Kenyans to go back to their daily lives in order to earn their livehoods," he added.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 21:36:12|Editor: Zhou Xin

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JERUSALEM, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel welcomes a delegation that U.S. President Donald Trump will send later this month to the Middle East in an effort to reignite the peace talks.

"President Trump will soon send his representatives, Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt, for talks in the region including, of course, in Jerusalem, in an effort to advance the peace process," Netanyahu told his weekly cabinet meeting. "We will welcome them as always," he added.

On Friday, the White House said Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and his senior adviser, and negotiator Jason Greenblatt would soon be sent to the region to hold meetings with regional leaders and discuss a "path to substantive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks."

They will meet leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian National Authority, a white house official said.

Trump believe regional talks are important but he "reaffirms that peace between Israelis and Palestinians can only be negotiated directly between the two parties and that the United States will continue working closely with the parties to make progress towards that goal," the official added.

Kushner was appointed to help broker a deal between Israel and the Palestinians after Trump took office in January.

During his first trip to the region in May, Trump visited Saudi Arabia, Israel and the West Bank. He promised to bring "the ultimate deal" between Israel and the Palestinians but did not specify how he would do it.

He also called for a regional alliance to defeat terror. He said Saudi Arabia and Israel share similar interests and called for a coalition in the region to end terrorism and find peace.

The latest round of talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014, mainly over Israel's expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 22:16:25|Editor: Zhou Xin

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by Ejidiah Wangui

NAIROBI, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Dennis Ng'ang'a has uploaded over 10 photos of his pinky finger bearing a dark purplish blue mark on his facebook page, a proof that he took part in country's historic elections on Aug. 8.

It was Ng'ang'a's first time to take part in a general elections and he is not taking it for granted.

The first-time voter is capitalizing on the situation to send a message to fellow youth and the 19-year-old felt that casting his vote is in itself a milestone.

He achieved his singular mission of electing his preferred leaders at all levels of government.

The next step, he says, is making the leaders deliver on their promises. He plans to do so on social media platforms where majority of newly elected leaders are members.

Ng'ang'a is among millions of Kenyan millennials who took part in the general election for the first time and if numbers do not lie, the country's political landscape is headed for a change with the youth becoming more assertive on the kind of leaders they want.

Even though some of the leaders that Ng'ang'a voted for did not make it, he's happy that a Constituency in central business district of Nairobi where he voted, his favorite lawmaker and a renowned artiste has made it to the August House.

"I was at my polling station at 4 a.m. on Tuesday and was very excited to take part in the elections for the first time. I'm a second year Graphic and Design student at the Kenya Technical University and in one year's time I will be out here looking for a job. I want a leader who identifies with my needs and to settle on the ones I voted for, I had to make sure their manifestos addressed my worries," Ng'ang'a to Xinhua during a recent interview.

The Starehe Constituency located at the heart of Kenyan capital where Nganga cast his vote has for decades been represented by old politicians who could hardly connect with the youth.

The situation was different this election cycle since all the leading candidates in the race were below 35 years, a reflection of robust participation of youth in civic affairs.

Grace Adhiambo, a millennial and currently a second year student at the University of Nairobi was not been left behind.

Her Facebook page is replete with photos of her pinky finger, bearing the Independent and Electoral Boundaries Commission (IEBC) mark, a proof that she also took part in the elections.

A voter in Nairobi's Embakasi East Constituency, Adhiambo is happy that her preferred candidate, also a youth made it to the August House.

Like many of her peers, she is proud to have taken part in the hotly contested elections.

"I was eagerly waiting for the elections and I'm happy to have taken part. In our class back at campus, those who didn't vote will have to buy lunch for the rest of us who voted as a punishment

"I'm glad the number of the youths elected in Tuesday's elections are higher compared to previous elections. I hope the youthful leaders will use their position to address some of the problems we are facing such as joblessness," she said.

Adhiambo believes the youth in Kenya have the numbers to create the kind of leadership they want, saying the few that were elected during Tuesday's elections have the hard task of fulfilling the high expectations from the electorate.

"We did our part, now it is upon the newly elected leaders to live up to their billing. We will be monitoring them closely for the next five years," said Adhiambo.

According to IEBC records, half of the over 15 million Kenyans who took part in the just concluded elections were between 18 and 35 years.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 23:01:38|Editor: yan

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BAGHDAD, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday called on all countries in the Middle East to stop the sectarian polarization which serves the terror of Islamic State (IS) group.

Abadi's comment came during his meeting with a delegation led by Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, who arrived in the capital Baghdad earlier in the day, Abadi's office said in a statement.

The two officials discussed enhancing bilateral relations in various fields, as well as the situation in the region and the combat against terrorism.

Abadi pointed out "the importance of concerted efforts of all countries in the region and the world to address the terror of Daesh (IS group)" during the meeting in his office.

For his part, Al Khalifa congratulated Abadi for the liberation of Mosul and the victory over IS militants. He also expressed his country's support with Iraq in its war against terrorism.

The Bahraini minister also met with Iraq President Fuad Massoum, who reiterated "Iraq's desire to develop relations and cooperation with" Bahrain and the rest of the Gulf countries on the ground of common interests, Massoum's office said in a statement.

In response, Al Khalifa said his country "looks forward to strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation with Iraq," adding that "his visit will open new horizons for communication and joint action."

Later in the day, Iraqi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari held a meeting with his Bahraini counterpart.

"Whoever believes that the war against terrorist gangs has ended, he is wrong because the war against terrorism today is a global war targeting civilians everywhere in the world," Jaafari was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the foreign ministry after the meeting.

Jaafari called for continued security and intelligence cooperation to prevent the spread of terrorism, according to the statement.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 23:01:39|Editor: yan

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KATHMANDU, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of Nepal on Sunday urged all to extend possible humanitarian assistance to the disaster-hit areas across the country.

Issuing a statement following an emergency meeting on Sunday, the human rights watchdog appealed the Nepal government, security agencies, national and international organizations to expedite the rescue and relief operation in flood and landslide affected settlements.

''Monsoon induced disasters have taken the lives of 64 people, 44 have been injured, 36 have gone missing and around 19,000 families have been displaced'', a statement said.

Though the NHRC has mentioned the total death toll as 64, the Home Ministry has confirmed the deaths of only 49 till Sunday afternoon in floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall since Friday.

According to the ministry, some 35,843 houses have been inundated while 1,000 houses have been damaged in the low-lying areas known as Terai region of Nepal.

At least 36 peoples are reported to have gone missing in the disaster.

The Home Ministry has mentioned that over 11 plain districts have been highly affected including Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Saptari, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Dang and Banke.

Warning over the possible occurrence of water-borne epidemic in the flood affected areas, the commission has urged the government to set up temporary medical camps for the protection of people.

It further urged the government and other agencies to carry out search, rescue and relief operations to place pregnant women, children, elderly citizens and disabled in top priority.

In response, the government has already directed the Ministry of Health to mobilise health professionals with medicines to affected areas.

Security agencies including Nepal Police, Nepal Army and Armed Police force have been active in Terai districts for the relief operation since Saturday.

Meanwhile, an emergency meeting led by Home Minister Janardan Sharma on Sunday formed a central command post for intensifying rescue operations.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 23:06:42|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian police killed two militants loyal to the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood group, the Interior Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The two militants, aged 23 and 24, were killed in a shootout with the police who raided their hiding place in Qalioubiya Province near the capital Cairo, the statement said, adding that the forces found nine guns and ammunition in their possession.

According to the police, the pair are leading members of the Hasm Movement, an active Islamist militant group referred to as the armed wing of the Brotherhood.

Hasm has claimed responsibility for a number of terrorist attacks that killed several policemen in Egypt.

Over the past few months, the Egyptian police has killed dozens of militants in similar raids in Giza, Cairo, Ismailia, North Sinai and other provinces across the country.

Egypt has been fighting growing terror activities after the military toppled former Islamist President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013 in response to mass protests against his one-year rule and his Brotherhood group.

Terror attacks in Egypt used to be centered in North Sinai before spreading nationwide and killing hundreds of policemen and soldiers over the past few years.

Meanwhile, the security raids in Egypt have killed hundreds of militants and arrested a similar number of suspects as part of the country's anti-terror war declared in 2013 by President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, then army chief then, following Morsi's removal.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 23:26:54|Editor: yan

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TEHRAN, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A top Iranian military official will visit Turkey to hold talks on terrorism and security issues, Press TV reported on Sunday.

Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri will travel to Turkey for a three-day visit at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart.

During his stay in Ankara, Baqeri will discuss a number of issues, including the fight against terrorism and the latest developments in the region as well as bilateral defense and border cooperation, with senior Turkish political and military officials.

The report did not specify the time of his visit.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 23:41:59|Editor: yan

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CAIRO, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Egyptian Foreign Minister held talks on Sunday with the United Nations envoy for the Libyan crisis to discuss efforts for a political settlement in the neighboring war-torn Arab country.

"The Egyptian foreign minister updated the UN envoy with the recent efforts and moves done by Egypt to enhance and promote agreement and national reconciliation in Libya," said the Foreign Ministry's spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid in a statement.

Sameh Shoukry, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, highlighted the future arrangements which would include earnest steps towards inter-Libyan unity, stressing Skhirat agreement as a basis for a future comprehensive Libyan settlement.

For his part, the UN envoy Ghassan Salame explained the results of his recent communications and consultations with different Libyan active figures besides his relevant regional and international talks.

Libya has been engaged in a civil war since the 2011 ouster and death of former leader Muammar Gaddafi, which eventually divided the war-torn country into two governments, a UN-backed one in Tripoli and a parliament-backed, military-oriented one in Tobruk.

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

Supported by self-proclaimed Libyan national army led by Field Marshall Khalifa Haftar, the parliament-backed government in Tobruk refuses to recognize the UN-backed, Tripoli-based, PC-run unity government known as the Government of National Accord (GNA).

Egypt, which hosted several meetings of Libyan factions, refrains from recognizing the GNA, saying it is up to the Libyan people to determine their own government.

However, it repeatedly expressed support for the Tobruk-based government and for strongman Haftar's crackdown on militants in Libya, describing the man as "Libya's savior from terrorism."

In January, Cairo hosted top diplomats from Libya and its neighboring states, namely Egypt, Algeria, Sudan, Chad, Niger and Tunisia, as well as the Arab League chief and UN envoy, who issued a joint communique urging Libyan dialogue and reiterating rejection of any foreign military interference in the war-torn country.

In mid-February, Egypt managed to get military chief Haftar and PC chief Fayez al-Sarraj to Cairo but failed to convince the two rivals to hold direct talks.

France managed earlier in July to rarely bring face to face Libya's two main rivals Sarraj and Haftar for peace talks. The Egyptian foreign minister also met with the two separately in Paris later on July 26.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 23:42:00|Editor: yan

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by Raimundo Urrechaga

HAVANA, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- In what has been a festive day in Cuba for over two decades, this Sunday marks the first time this Caribbean nation commemorates the birthday of its revolutionary leader Fidel Castro without him.

Castro passed away on Nov. 25 last year at the age of 90 after more than a decade away from power.

The Cuban revolutionary leader was born on Aug. 13, 1926 in the town of Biran, in northeastern Cuba, within a wealthy family.

He attended private schools before entering the University of Havana to study law in 1945. Five years later when he graduated, he had acquired political awareness which led him to develop anti-imperialist revolutionary ideas closely related to Marxist values.

In 1953, Castro was sentenced to 15 years in prison after a a military failure against the then Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista, but he was released due to a presidential pardon in May 1955.

After his release from prison, he founded the July 26 Movement and later on fled to Mexico to organize an armed insurrection.

In December 1956, Castro led the Granma yacht expedition with 82 men aboard to the shores of eastern Cuba where Batista's soldiers attacked them and only a few managed to regroup and head on to the Sierra Maestra mountains to continue the revolutionary struggle, thus giving birth to the Rebel Army.

On Jan. 1, 1959, Batista fled the country after his elite troops lost central Cuba, and the revolution led by Castro triumphed.

After becoming the head of the revolutionary government and armed forces, Castro undertook , Castro undertook a series of reforms including land reform, a nation-wide literacy campaign, the expropriation of American companies, nationalization of sugar factories, industries, banks and oil refineries, among others.

In 1961, Castro declared Cuba a socialist country and he led the struggle against a mercenary invasion organized by the United States in April 1961 through the Bay of Pigs in southwest Cuba.

As First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and president of the nation, he worked to provide free education and health to the people and develop sports, culture and science.

Between 1979 and 1983, Castro held the status of president of the Non-Aligned Movement and in the period he sent Cuban troops to support the liberation of Africa.

He was also an active promoter with the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez in the creation of regional integration mechanisms such as the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America and the Petrocaribe energy alliance.

These agreements have allowed Cuban medical, educational, sporting and cultural staff to work in more than 120 nations around the globe in different time periods.

He had led Cuba for nearly half a century before stepping down in 2006 for health reasons. He was succeeded by his brother Raul Castro.

Subsequently, in Feb. 2008, the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution presented his final resignation due to health problems and began a new stage in his political life, marked by the publication of his famous articles and sporadic public appearances.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 23:42:01|Editor: yan

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ADEN, Yemen, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- At least three suspected al-Qaida militants were killed when U.S. pilotless aircraft launched missile strikes in Yemen's southern province of Abyan on Sunday, a security official told Xinhua.

The Yemeni security source said that the U.S. drone fired two missiles and targeted a vehicle carrying suspected al-Qaida militants in the tribal mountainous village of Marakishah, where scores of terrorists are hiding.

He said that about three wanted al-Qaida elements were killed in the American airstrike that left their vehicle completely destroyed at the scene.

Other local sources said that two other hideouts of the al-Qaida group in the area were bombed in an earlier attack that took place at about 2 p.m. local time (0900 GMT).

The airstrikes struck the al-Qaida militants who were holding a meeting in one of the targeted hideouts, but no details were available about casualties, according to the local sources.

In recent days, hundreds of elite counter-terrorism forces trained by the United Arab Emirates were deployed in different areas of Abyan province in an attempt to track fleeing al-Qaida operatives and storm their hideouts.

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

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

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

The impoverished Arab country is also suffering the world's largest cholera outbreak, where about 5,000 cases are reported every day.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 23:47:04|Editor: yan

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KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Malaysia's police rounded up 350 foreigners in its third mass anti-terror raid on Sunday ahead of the upcoming Southeast Asian Games, local media reported.

The raid was conducted in a commercial area near the Kuala Lumpur international airport, according to the local Star newspaper.

The operation was carried out in the area following intelligence report, police Counter Terrorism Division Head Ayob Khan was quoted as saying.

The authority is screening those detained, according to Ayob.

The mass security sweep was the third launched by Malaysia's police ahead of the Southeast Asian Games, which will start next weekend.

Several hundred foreigners had been detained in the previous operations, but the authorities have yet to identify any terrorist suspects.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-13 23:52:09|Editor: yan

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MOSCOW, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army with the support of Russian warplanes has fully captured the city of Sukhneh, the last Islamic State (IS) stronghold in the central Syrian province of Homs, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday.

The liberation of Sukhneh opened way for the Syrian army to launch an offensive against the eastern province of Deir al-Zour near Iraq, the ministry said in a statement.

The progress was part of a large-scale military operation to drive out IS terrorists from the Syrian Desert.

The seizure of Deir al-Zour will largely mean the victory over the IS,Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told Rossiya 24 TV channel on Sunday.

He said on Saturday that the area freed from IS terrorists by the Syrian army with Russian military support expanded 2.5 times in the past two months.

Russia has been participating in operations against the IS and other terrorist groups in Syria since September 2015 at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-14 00:12:17|Editor: yan

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by David Musyoka

NAIROBI, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan police on Sunday dismissed reports that over 100 people have been killed in the past two days following the release of presidential election results in which incumbent Uhuru Kenyatta won.

Police spokesman George Kinoti said only six people were killed in Nairobi and Kisumu in Western Kenya in which armed criminals attacked police officers attempting to effect arrest, resulting in the killing of the attackers.

"We are also aware of a very sad and unfortunate incident in which a nine-year old girl was shot dead while in their houses in Mathare, in Nairobi by unknown persons," Kinoti said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

He said two criminals were shot dead while breaking into a supermarket in Nairobi's Ruaraka estate. "When challenged to surrender, they attacked the law enforcement officers with machetes with intent to harm them," Kinoti said.

He said a third person was killed in Starehe residential estate in Nairobi while in a group of 25 armed with assorted crude weapons breaking into private houses after charging at police officers.

Kinoti said two other criminals were fatally neutralized after a gang of six broke into a shop in a residential estate in Nairobi. "As police pursued them, they fired at the police officers who fired back in defence," Kinoti said.

The police spokesman said the sixth person was killed in the lakeside Western city of Kisumu when a criminal was shot after a large riotous mob blocked a road and barricaded it with bonfires and stones and attacked motorists and pedestrians.

"The police officers attempted to effect the arrest were also attacked," Kinoti said, noting that another dead body was discovered alongside a road with fresh wounds in a slum in Nairobi but circumstances of the killing remains unknown.

"We wish to inform the public that we are investigating a number of individuals suspected of incitement to violence, either directly or through intemperate social media postings with a view of effecting arrest for prosecution before the court of law," Kinoti said.

"We urge all Kenyans to avoid re-circulating photos that are not verified as real. They are being used to incite and undermine our security. The police are prepared professionally to protect lives and property from violent rioters," he said.

The statement comes after the opposition coalition said Saturday at least 100 people were killed by the police responding to protests which erupted after the announcement of the presidential election results on Friday.

However, state-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said 24 people have been killed across the country from police brutality since Aug. 8.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-14 00:27:24|Editor: yan

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KATHMANDU, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- About 100 Chinese tourists stranded in heavy floods in Sauraha, a popular tourist destination in southern Chitwan district of Nepal, had been brought to safe locations, police and the local hotel association said Sunday.

According to the local hotel association, there were about 600 domestic and foreign tourists in Sauraha before the floods from nearby Rapti river entered the hotel rooms as a result of incessant rainfalls since Saturday evening.

"All the tourists including around 100 Chinese tourists have been relocated to safe hotels at higher altitudes," Deepak Bhattarai, first vice president of the local hotel association told Xinhua over phone on Sunday.

A police official from the District Police Office in Chitwan also confirmed to Xinhua that the tourists had been rescued and brought to safe areas.

Local hotel entrepreneurs in collaboration with security agencies used elephants and boats to relocate the tourists to safe areas.

There are over 100 hotels in Sauraha and almost all of them have been affected by the floods, according to the association. The floods are said to be the biggest ones in the last 15 years in the area.

The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), the main tourism promotion body, has also said that they are constantly in touch with the administration of Chitwan district and the hoteliers for the safety of the tourists.

"I had also discussed with Chinese ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong on Sunday about the safety of the Chinese tourists visiting Sauraha," said Deepak Raj Joshi, chief executive officer of NTB.

Nepal has been experiencing heavy rainfalls across the country for the last few days. As a result, as many as 64 people were dead, 44 injured and 36 went missing in floods and landslides, according to the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal on Sunday.
Photo taken during a rally in a rally in Dresden, Germany, on Feb. 6, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Fan)

BERLIN, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A drunken tourist from the United States was beaten up by a passer-by in Dresden, eastern Germany, the local media said Sunday.

The 41-year-old drunken man on Saturday morning showed the straight-arm Nazi salute several times in Neustadt of Dresden, and was then attacked by a man, the local Radio Dresden quoted a report by the Police Directorate Dresden.

The U.S. tourist was slightly injured, the report said, adding that a test by the police showed that the Hitler-salute giver had alcohol blood level of 0.276 percent.

The police have launched a procedure for the use of "symbols of unconstitutional organizations" by the tourist.

It is unknown that whether a procedure launched for the attacker, the report said.

The incident marked the second time this month that tourists got themselves into legal trouble for giving the Nazi salute in Germany. A week earlier, two tourists were arrested for taking photos of themselves in front of Berlin's Reichstag building while making the gesture.

Germany criminal code inflicts heavy punishment against the uses of Nazi symbols and images, and offenders may carry up to three years in prison.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-14 01:07:38|Editor: yan

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LONDON, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Two of Prime Minister Theresa May's leading ministers said in a joint pledge Sunday that there will be a fixed transition period after Britain leaves the European Union (EU).

But the pro-remain chancellor Philip Hammond and leave supporter and Secretary for International Trade, Liam Fox both insist Britain will not be staying in the EU by the "backdoor".

In an article in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper, Hammond and Fox jointly declare Britain will completely leave the single market and customs union after Brexit in 2019.

The Telegraph comments that after a summer of bitter infighting between cabinet ministers, Hammond and Fox, with their joint pledge, appear to have buried the hatchet.

The newspaper adds that Theresa May, who is returning to 10 Downing Street this week after a walking holiday in the Italian Alps, will be hoping that the declaration of resolve by Hammond and Fox will draw a line under weeks of damaging headlines in which the Chancellor had been accused of trying to derail Brexit.

The two ministers say a transition period will be time limited and designed to avoid a cliff edge that could damage British business. They did not stipulate a likely length of time for any transitional period.

In their article, Hammond and Fox say: "We respect the will of the British people; in March 2019 the United Kingdom will leave the European Union."

But they noted that "We want our economy to remain strong and vibrant through this period of change. That means businesses need to have confidence that there will not be a cliff-edge when we leave the EU in just over 20 months' time."

They further explained "That is why we believe a time-limited interim period will be important to further our national interest and give business greater certainty, but it cannot be indefinite; it cannot be a back door to staying in the EU."

The two ministers add they are both clear that during any transitional period Britain will be outside the European single market and outside the customs union and will be a "third-country" not party to EU treaties.

Explaining what a transitional period would mean, Hammond and Fox said: "During this period our (British) borders must continue to operate smoothly; goods bought on the internet must still cross borders; businesses must still be able to supply their customers across the EU and our innovative, world-leading companies must be able to hire the talent they need, including from within the EU."

Once any interim period is over, add Hammond and Fox, Britain will want a permanent, treaty-based arrangement with the EU which supports the closest possible relationship with Brussels, retaining close ties of security, trade and commerce.

Brexit negotiations between the EU and Britain's Secretary of State for Leaving the European Union, are scheduled to resume in Brussels later this month.
Destroyed buildings are pictured amid rubble in Raqa, Syria, on July 28, 2017. (AFP PHOTO)

MOSCOW, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian army with the support of Russian warplanes has fully captured the city of Sukhneh, the last Islamic State (IS) stronghold in the central Syrian province of Homs, the Russian Defense Ministry said Sunday.

The liberation of Sukhneh opened way for the Syrian army to launch an offensive against the eastern province of Deir al-Zour near Iraq, the ministry said in a statement.

The progress was part of a large-scale military operation to drive out IS terrorists from the Syrian Desert.

The seizure of Deir al-Zour will largely mean the victory over the IS,Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu told Rossiya 24 TV channel on Sunday.

He said on Saturday that the area freed from IS terrorists by the Syrian army with Russian military support expanded 2.5 times in the past two months.

Russia has been participating in operations against the IS and other terrorist groups in Syria since September 2015 at the request of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-14 03:18:28|Editor: Yang Yi

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Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi(front,L) meets with visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang(front,R) in Islamabad, Pakistan, Aug. 13, 2017. (Xinhua/Liu Tian)

ISLAMABAD, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- China and Pakistan on Sunday promised to deepen their pragmatic cooperation in various fields during a meeting between Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and visiting Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang.

Wang Yang is in Pakistan to attend activities marking the 70th anniversary of Pakistan's independence at the invitation of the Pakistani government.

Noting that China and Pakistan are "iron friends" and all-weather partners of strategic cooperation who always understand and support each other, Wang said Chinese President Xi Jinping's successful visit to Pakistan in 2015 has ushered in a new chapter of the relations between the two countries.

China would like to join hands with Pakistan to well implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries and ensure that more fruitful results will be achieved in bilateral cooperation, he said.

With regard to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which is a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative, Wang expressed the hope that the two countries strengthen coordination and make good plan and design from a long-term and top-level perspective.

Proposed by China in 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, aiming at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes of Silk Road.

While hailing fruitful cooperation in various economic fields over the past years, especially in the CPEC construction, Wang suggested that in the near future, the two countries put emphasis on ensuring early harvests in the CPEC project.

Based on the principle of jointly building through consultation to meet the interests of both sides, China and Pakistan should work together to further accelerate the construction of Gwadar Port, Wang said.

Furthermore, the two sides should push forward energy cooperation in the fields of thermal power, Hydropower, solar energy and clean energy, implement infrastructure cooperation projects such as highways, railways, urban rail facilities, deepen cooperation in industrial parks and strengthen personnel training, the Chinese vice premier said.

China and Pakistan should further tap the potential in bilateral economic and trade cooperation, maintain the growing momentum in bilateral trade so as to promote trade balance, he said.

The two sides should also boost cooperation in the fields such as education, science and technology, culture, health, youth and media in a bid to consolidate the social basis of the China-Pakistan friendship, Wang said.

For his part, Abbasi said Pakistan and China are brothers and the bilateral relations have withstood the test of time.

Pakistan has witnessed the sustainable growth in its economy in recent years and China has played an important role in it, he said.

Pakistan totally agrees with China's proposal to push forward the pragmatic cooperation between the two sides and is willing to work together with China to continue to press ahead wth the CPEC project, expand bilateral trade, deepen and broaden pragmatic cooperation in all fields, Abbasi said.

After their meeting, Wang and Abbasi attended the completion and inauguration ceremony of important cooperation projects between the two countries and the signing ceremony of bilateral cooperation documents.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-14 03:33:39|Editor: ying

A Syrian soldier flashes the victory sign in the city of Al-Sukhnah in central Syria, Aug. 13, 2017. The black flag of the Islamic State (IS) group is all that is left in the strategic city of Al-Sukhnah in central Syria, after the Syrian army and allied fighters recently took hold of the city, deemed as the gate to Deir al-Zour province in the east. (Xinhua/Ammar Safarjalani)

by Hummam Sheikh Ali

Al-Sukhnah, Syria, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The black flag of the Islamic State (IS) group is all that is left in the strategic city of Al-Sukhnah in central Syria, after the Syrian army and allied fighters recently took hold of the city, deemed as the gate to Deir al-Zour province in the east.

Called the "strategic heart of Syria," Al-Sukhnah city in the eastern countryside of Homs province in central Syria has finally fallen to the Syrian army and allied fighters, following intense battles and heavy airstrikes against the terror-designated group, which had been in control of the city for two and a half years.

On Saturday, the Syrian army announced its full recapture of the city, which was the last IS stronghold in the eastern countryside of Homs.

Located in the Syrian desert, some 70 km east of Palmyra city in eastern Homs, Al-Sukhnah was so important for IS as it was its supply hub between Homs and Deir al-Zour as well as to the IS-held areas in the eastern countryside of Hama province in central Syria.

Capturing Al-Sukhnah, only 55 km from the western administrative borders of Deir al-Zour, is the crucial point for the army to break the years-long IS siege on the city of Deir al-Zour.

Civilians have been suffering from the siege as well as Syrian soldiers trapped inside, with Syrian helicopters conducting airdrops of food and aid to the besieged people in the few government-controlled areas inside the oil-rich Deir al-Zour.

At the entrance of Al-Sukhnah flags of the allied fighters of the Syrian army were fixed atop the sign that feature the Islamic State black flag.

Like any other former IS-held area, the destruction in the city was immense, with destroyed buildings and blown up concrete.

Holes were seen everywhere on ground, in what appeared to be part of the demining of the area that was heavily booby-trapped by IS ahead of their withdrawal to Deir al-Zour.

All street signs in the city were blackened by IS as Syrian soldiers and allied fighters were still roaming the city and inspecting the shattered buildings and homes.

Russian soldiers were also seen entering and leaving the city with their modern military gears, as the Russian air force played a significant role in hammering the IS positions in the city.

Sporadic crackles of gunfire are still being heard reverberating from a distance, adding to the eerie landscape of the city.

Some soldiers say clashes with IS are still taking place at the outskirts of the city, as part of the military forces' efforts to expand the security parameter of Al-Sukhnah.

They say that the army has so far created a security perimeter of 15 km around the city, meaning that after the 15 km the battles with IS are still ongoing to drive them out of the few pockets remaining between Al-Sukhnah and the western administrative borders of Deir al-Zour.

The Arabic name Al-Sukhnah means "hot" in English, and that was the situation in the city and the battles that led to its capture.

Military officers didn't divulge the time spent to capture the city, but they said it was part of a series of operations, which have started after the army captured the ancient city of Palmyra in March 2017.

The military operations in the desert and particularly after Palmyra have enabled the Syrian army to capture several oil and gas fields between Palmyra and Al-Sukhnah.

A military officer, refused to be named, told reporters at the site that those energy fields were put to service following their recapture from IS, which had controlled much of the Syrian oil and fields in eastern Syria, depriving the country of one of its major revenues.

He said the city is the key to Deir al-Zour and Raqqa, both main strongholds for the IS militants in Syria.

The countryside of the city is also rich with gas fields.

It's the third angle in a triangle that includes Raqqa and Deir al-Zour. It's also the launch pad to any advance to any part of Syria despite the distances.

It allows for a quick progress to the eastern countryside of Hama, and to the Iraqi or Jordanian borders in the Syrian desert.

"All supply routes of the terrorists have been cut between several Syrian cities. This city was a hub to terror groups as it was filled up with ammunition depots sending arms to several Syrian cities," the officer said.

He vowed that "we promise our people in Deir al-Zour that we are coming no matter how much we will sacrifice for this fight and we will reach Deir al-Zour."
This combo of file photos shows an image (L) taken on April 15, 2017 of Democratic People's Republic of Korea leader Kim Jong-un on a balcony of the Grand People's Study House following a military parade in Pyongyang; and an image (R) taken on July 19, 2017 of U.S. President Donald Trump speaking during the first meeting of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity in Washington, DC. (AFP PHOTO/SAUL LOEB AND Ed JONES)

MOSCOW, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- It has come very close to the potential use of force on the Korean Peninsula and it will be a "real catastrophe" if the situation goes that way, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Sunday.

The United States fails to understand the serious consequences of an armed conflict, Zakharova was quoted by TASS news agency as saying.

"Representatives of the U.S. establishment and Congressmen are reassuring people that it will not kill people in the United States but in other countries. I think they not only imply the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) but also South Korea," she said.

On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the risk of a military conflict between the United States and the DPRK is very high, and Russia hopes common sense will prevail.

These warnings came after Pyongyang and Washington exchanged threats to use force against each other earlier this week.

The DPRK threatened Thursday that it would prepare a plan by mid-August to strike the U.S. territory of Guam with intermediate missiles.

U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted on Friday that "Military solutions are now fully in place, locked and loaded."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-14 04:39:12|Editor: yan

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ARUSHA, Tanzania, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago is currently facing a serious shortage of qualified workers, the situation that forces tour operators to hire foreigners, to do the hospitality jobs, according to a new report released Sunday.

The report, which was commissioned by Zanzibar Association of Tourism Investors (ZATI), cited lack of adequate numbers of skilled people as one of the serious challenges thwarting tourism development in the Indian Ocean Islands.

Financed by Tanzania's business, advocacy, and dialogue facility, BEST Dialogue, the report noted that to devise and develop a skilled workforce in Zanzibar, there is a need to define national skills development pathway.

In long run, the report suggested the need for skills development to be embedded in the education and training sector,.

It also called for the workplace skills training programme, more internships, apprenticeship training and calls for recognition of prior learned skills.

According to the report, over 60 percent of foreign workers in Zanzibar is in the tourism sector, largely due to insufficient supply of skills from the local labor market (in terms of quality and quantity) for the industry. This is an indication that there is a great need to develop a local workforce to be able to handle tourism business operations in the Isles.

"New skills are needed for Zanzibar to remain competitive and tackle the new tourist demands," said Seif Miskry, ZATI chairman.

He described tourism sector, as a labour intensive, employs a multiplicity of skills - accountants, hairdressers, tour guides and trackers and so on, thus it is one of the quickest ways to generate many jobs within a short period.

"This is why stakeholders in the public and private sector must come together and agree on the way forward in developing adequate and quality human resource for the tourism sector in Zanzibar," he noted.

ZATI commissioned "Skills Analysis for Zanzibar Tourism Industry" after noting most of the members of the association faced skills gaps, detrimental to their drive to grow the business.

"The hospitality industry has been experiencing a skills shortage... where it's hard to find and recruit quality employees with the right skill and can stay for the long term," said Miskry.

Zanzibar government and the private sector have been working together in a number of initiatives to make Zanzibar top destination of the Indian Ocean tourism, as outlined in the Zanzibar Tourism Development Policy.

According to Miskry, this can be realized and it will have a huge impact on the people and Zanzibar economy, thus it's only prudent to ensure the local youth are adequately skilled to take the industry to the next level.

"We believe that our tourist attractions are world-class but the economy is not fully benefiting from their potential because of some hurdles, which if addressed, will be a game changer," noted ZATI Chairman.

Miskry said it was paramount for Zanzibar to invest more in tourism education and training, while at the same time ensuring that public policies are made to stimulate travel and tourism job creation. To that effect, ZATI plans in the near future to hold a public private dialogue on seeking a lasting solution to the problem of lack of adequate skilled labour force for the industry.
The file photo of U.S. President Donald Trump taken on July 25, 2017. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu)

by Xinhua writers Wang Wen, Yang Shilong

NEW YORK, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government's threat to investigate China's trade practices is "politically expedient" and the unilateral move will harm mutually beneficial China-U.S. trade ties and ultimately hurt the American consumers, experts said.

U.S. President Donald Trump will sign an executive order asking his trade office to consider investigating China for the alleged theft of U.S. technology and intellectual property, an administration official said Saturday.

It has been two weeks since media first reported that Trump has been mulling such an investigation under the 1974 Trade Act's Section 301, which allows the U.S. president to unilaterally impose tariffs or other trade restrictions on partner countries.

IT HURTS AMERICA IN THE LONG RUN

The Trump administration has repeatedly attributed the country's economic slowdown and job losses to trade deficits with major trading partners including China and Mexico and vowed to change the situation by imposing tariffs and other non-tariff trade barriers if necessary.

"That will not solve America's economic problems and probably in the long term will make it worse," Robert Lawrence Kuhn, a leading China expert, told Xinhua in a recent interview. "And the reason is because there are these natural economic principles that you're violating by heavy tariffs."

"It helps a few Americans for a short term, a decade or more," Kuhn said, "But over the long term, it hurts America because it prevents the transformation of industry into industries that are more sustainable...It's like going backwards to try to protect something that is not protectable in the long term."

Such tariffs are politically expedient because Trump "sort of promised that" to his supporters in the manufacturing-dependent mid-west U.S. states, which have seen great job losses in the past decade, Kuhn noted.

The loss of U.S. manufacture jobs, as pointed out by Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, in his new book "Failure to Adjust," was more about automation that increases productivity of remaining factories in the country, which meant fewer workers working in factories.

"The problems will not be solved by bashing China," Kuhn said, "They will be solved by reeducation (of workers) over the long term, so that these people can have different kinds of, new kinds of jobs."

If there were no Chinese goods coming to the United States, prices of consumer products would go much higher and the consumers will suffer, said Kuhn.

Trade with China helps each American family save 850 dollars every year, according to China's Ministry of Commerce. From lamps to birthday candles, from flip-flops to mouse traps, "Made in China" goods have long become an indispensable part of everyday life for many U.S. households.

WTO MECHANISM MORE EFFECTIVE IN SOLVING TRADE DISPUTES

Many experts have voiced concerns over the U.S. government's plan to invoke Section 301, a trade tool frequently used by Washington before the World Trade Organization (WTO) came into existence.

In general, trade disputes among WTO members should be resolved through the WTO mechanism, not based on a member's domestic law, said Zhiqun Zhu, a professor of political science and international relations at Bucknell University in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

"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," Zhu said.

"If the United States slaps unilateral sanctions, China will certainly make a tit-for-tat retaliation. In the end, consumers and businesses in both countries will suffer," he said.

"It's a lose-lose option. In an age of globalization and interdependence, it is hard to believe that some people still think economic sanctions will solve trade problems," Zhu added.

While noting that intellectual property is "a legitimate area of concern" in U.S.-China trade, the U.S. side should also see China's notable progress in protecting intellectual property, said Kuhn.

"The countries (involved) really have to restart WTO negotiations and make genuine concessions," Alden told Xinhua in a recent phone interview.

It is a lesson "we have learned from history again and again," Alden said, "The only way to resist protectionism is to have international negotiations to address concerns."
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-14 05:54:51|Editor: yan

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CARACAS, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- The director of Venezuela's intelligence service (Sebin), Gustavo Gonzalez Lopez, announced Sunday the arrests of 18 people linked to the attack against the Paramacay barracks in the northern state of Carabobo on August 6.

Those arrested were caught in investigations led by Sebin and security forces due to their alleged participation in "terrorist acts," as those having carried out or planned the attack on the military base.

In a statement, Gonzalez Lopez explained that the "attackers are six military deserters and others under their command. As the accomplices of opposition leaders, business leaders, union members and members of the church, they carried out the assault and removed a load of weapons, as the initial phase of a systematic plan of violence."

23 people are being sought in connection with the Paramacay attack, including by Interpol. Four of them have been named as former soldiers.

The accounts of the civilians and soldiers have been frozen, as they were thought to be used to finance the attack.

The Sebin director also revealed 21 rifles, 3 grenade launchers, small arms and ammunition had been recovered.

The attack on Paramacay took place on August 6 and was repelled by the soldiers, although one attacker died on the scene and two more perished of their injuries later.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-14 06:29:57|Editor: yan

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HOUSTON, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A group of undocumented immigrants was discovered inside a trailer on Sunday afternoon in a U.S. town near the border with Mexico,

According to reports, the people were found in a town near McAllen in the southern state of Texas. The police told media the trailer was "full of people."

According to reports, 17 immigrants were locked inside the back of the trailer. The individuals inside were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and Romania.

A family member of one of the people inside the trailer called the police to report that a relative was trapped inside a trailer and it began to get too hot.

This news comes less than a month after more than 30 people were found inside a trailer in San Antonio. Ten of those inside the San Antonio trailer died after suffering from heat exhaustion. The driver of that case, James Matthew Bradley, 60, faces federal smuggling charges.
Source: Xinhua| 2017-08-14 06:34:59|Editor: ying

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HOUSTON, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- A train carrying some hazardous materials derailed Sunday in the state of Oklahoma. No injuries are reported.

Local media reported that the train was carrying some liquid petroleum gas. Two engines and ten cars of the train derailed on a stretch of tracks Sunday morning, media quote a local emergency official as saying.

Homes within a quarter-mile of the incident were evacuated as crews checked for leaks, the official said. By noon, crews hadn't discovered any leaks, and residents were allowed to return homes.

The accident was probably caused by the recent heavy rain. The reason is still under investigation.
ABC News(SEOUL) -- When Kim Jong Un threatens South Korea or even the United States with his armed forces, its often the exaggerated threat of an unmatched army of 1 million trained soldiers. But experts are saying that they're concerned that if war broke out, the soldiers of the Korean Peoples Army, brainwashed after years of propaganda, would fight to the death.



One man is trying to change that, one balloon at a time.



Dr. Lee Min Bok lives on the South Korean side of the worlds tensest border, in an aluminum structure with his wife, his weather-tracking data and his leaflets.



Whenever the wind is right, he rushes out to blow up an enormous helium balloon, tied to hundreds of leaflets that combat the propaganda machine of the North. With facts about how wealthy and advanced South Korea is compared to the North, Lees leaflets encourage North Koreans to think for themselves, reconsider their circumstances and rise up.



These leaflets are decisive for the people in the North, to educate them and see the truth, Lee told ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz through a translator. I am giving them the possibility to change and to revolutionize the regime.



But how can Lee be so sure that plastic sheets of paper could possibly change hearts and minds? Because one saved his life.



Born and raised in North Korea, he worked in agriculture as a professor. Like all North Koreans are taught, he revered the Kim family. But he first grew disenchanted in the late 1980s after his attempts to innovate the farming techniques were denied, despite the reprieve it would have brought from famine and starvation.



Then, while in the fields one day, he discovered a small leaflet that simply described how North Korea invaded South Korea and began the Korean War -- a reality that defied the regimes propaganda. He asked village elders, who told him the truth.



After reading the leaflet, I knew that the North Korean regime was all false, so I decided to flee to the South, he said.



Staring across the river now, nearly three decades later, Lee said he feels like hes looking at his hometown, looking at the family he left behind.



I want to rescue these people out of the country, he said, noting that he still has family on the other side of the border.



To do that, he now tells his story in leaflets -- how the truth fell from the sky and saved his life. He wants to arm North Koreans with that same knowledge so that they will defy the regime -- a mission so dangerous that he travels with government minders at all times. These are four stone-faced South Korean men who move in a ring around him.



North Koreas 25 million residents live in poverty and oppression, under a surveillance state that may force them to work, at times even to starve.



The United Nations has reported in 2014 that the regime is responsible for systemic and widespread human rights violations, including rape, torture, forced abortions and enslavement.



I just have to say one word, Lee said when asked what life is like in North Korea. It is slavery, mentally and physically.





Copyright  2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.

North Korean defector's mission to save his country
Learning that the charges were pending, he fled to Australia in August 2011. He used a car hire company he owned to sponsor him for an Australian work visa. On August 24, 2011 the Papua New Guinean government asked that the visa not be issued, given the criminal charges and outstanding warrant for Wartotos arrest.

Wartoto was charged in with misappropriating A$30 million in collusion with former minister Paul Tiensten (who was sentenced to nine years jail for corruption offences in Papua New Guinea in March 2014), and several senior public servants.

THE case of Eremas Wartoto is a rare example of action by the Australian government against Papua New Guinea corruption in Australia, an exception that proves the rule of general indifference.

The Papua New Guinean government then asked the Australian government that Wartoto be returned to face charges. The Australian government agreed with Wartotos lawyers that he was too sick to travel (suffering fatigue), even though during this period Australian government records show him traveling to Fiji, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Solomon Islands.

Having compiled this information, two Australian journalists then broke the story during the first day of the Australian prime ministers visit to Papua New Guinea in May 2013 so as to cause maximum embarrassment.

The story hit the papers on a Thursday, the following Monday the Australian foreign minister cancelled Wartotos visa, belatedly endorsing the request of August 2011. Subsequent action showed that Wartoto held four accounts with major Australian banks, five properties in Australia (two held by trusts with a lawyer acting as trustee and one with an outstanding mortgage), as well as the assets of his car hire company.

An even bigger case relates to Paul Paraka, currently charged in Papua New Guinea with 32 corruption and money laundering offences, and accused over his career of corruptly obtaining almost $400 million of Papua New Guinea government funds.

Paraka, himself a lawyer, owned Papua New Guineas largest law firm and controlled several others. A succession of investigations by various official bodies into corruption in Papua New Guinea have named prominent law firms and dozens of individual lawyers, and recommended that they be disbarred and/or prosecuted.

Often the lawyers in question have been able to win injunctions against these reports being published (though they are available on the web nonetheless), and prior to late 2013 there was no follow-up.

Parakas influence was such that he had earlier convinced a judge to grant a court order specifying that the police give him seven days notice before executing any search warrant on his properties, despite the fact that the legal system did not allow for any such order.

Paraka is a close associate of many past and present cabinet members in Papua New Guinea. As with Wartoto, there are strong links with Australia. Paraka had four separate wives in Australia, each of whose accommodation he paid for. This necessitated holding Australian bank accounts, both in a personal capacity, and in association with the law firms he owned and controlled.

Between February 2012 and February 2013 alone $A3 million was transferred directly from Papua New Guinea to Parakas Australian accounts, the credible allegations of corrupt conduct again proving no obstacle to accessing the Australian financial system.

Though there is no verdict in the case, the key break-through in the effort to bring charges was when Task Force Sweep convinced Parakas bank in Australia to refuse his wire transfers and close his accounts, a development that occurred just after Koims speech to Australian bankers in October 2012.

Other banks in both countries realised that, having been rejected by one bank on the grounds of corruption risk, if they continued to do business with Paraka, they could be vulnerable to money laundering charges, as banks and individuals can be charged if they reasonably ought to have suspected that funds are the proceeds of crime.

This financial interruption created immediate problems for Paraka (aside from loud complaints from his four wives, who were also cut off from funds). In particular, he was unable to pay his way out of trouble when hit shortly afterwards with a huge tax assessment, and then the criminal charges in October 2013.

This crisis escalated sharply when Paraka produced a letter from prime minister ONeill authorising the suspect payments in direct violation of an injunction prohibiting such transfers.

ONeill said the letter was a forgery. However, the letter was certified as a true copy, leading to the issue of an arrest warrant for the prime minister in June 2014, which, as noted above, he evaded through assembling an armed guard and removing the officials that had issued and authorised the warrant.

The Australian governments overwhelming priority at this time was to preserve an earlier deal whereby Papua New Guinea had agreed to act as a detention center for refugees trying to reach Australia by boat.

Stopping the boats had been perhaps the single most important issue in the previous two Australian elections, and Canberras solution was critically dependent on co-operation from Papua New Guinea.

ONeill (who had also been linked to previous corruption trials) had had his personal bank accounts in Australia closed, because of the corruption risk. The banks decision, occurring at a key point in the negotiations over the refugees, came as a surprise to the Australian government and threw it into a temporary panic about the deal, but ONeill did not raise the subject.

Since this time, the refugee deal has decisively trumped any inclination the Australian government may have had to take action against corruption among senior Papua New Guinean government officials.

____________

Footnotes

In Papua New Guinea's National Court found Eremas Wartoto guilty of misappropriating K6.4 million of public funds allocated to upgrading facilities at the Kerevat National High school in 2008. While the trial was held early in 2016, it took until March 2017 for Justice George Manuhu to reach a decision. On 30 June 2017, Wartoto was sentenced to 10 years hard labour with four years suspended if he repaid K3.9 million.

An arrest warrant against Peter ONeill is still subject to a judicial stay order some three years after it was issued.

Jason Sharman is the Sir Patrick Sheehy Professor of International Relations in the Department of Politics and International Studies at Cambridge. He received his PhD in political science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1999, and his undergraduate degree in history and politics from the University of Western Australia. Previously, he worked at American University in Bulgaria, University of Sydney and Griffith University and spent shorter periods as a visitor at St Petersburg State University, Columbia University and the London School of Economics.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo is calling on President Donald Trump to condemn white supremacists and neo-Nazi groups in the aftermath of violence at a rally Saturday in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Cuomo unveiled a petition Sunday urging Trump to "clearly and unequivocally condemn and denounce the violent protest organized by the white supremacists" in Charlottesville.

A member of a hate group is suspected of killing a woman and injuring 19 others after ramming his car into a crowd that was protesting the white supremacist rally.

"This was a terror attack by white supremacists," Cuomo said.

There were 15 other injuries reported in clashes between racist groups and protesters. Two Virginia state troopers died in a helicopter crash. The aircraft was monitoring the rally at the time of the accident.

Trump has faced bipartisan criticism for his comments about the rally and the attack on those who were protesting the white supremacist groups. He did not specifically denounce white supremacists. Instead, he condemned the "egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On many sides."

The White House said Sunday that Trump was referring to white supremacists in his earlier statement.

The timing of Cuomo's petition comes as Trump is due to return to his home at Trump Tower for the first time since his inauguration.

"While President Trump is back in New York today  let's remind him: hate has no sides and violence has no place," Cuomo said.
Republicans have no shortage of possible gubernatorial candidates in 2018. Two county executives. A corporate restructuring expert. A Buffalo-area businessman.

And then there's state Sen. John DeFrancisco, a Syracuse Republican who serves as Senate deputy majority leader. Earlier this month, he told The Citizen that he was exploring a run for governor in 2018.

The main reason for DeFrancisco's interest in the race is New York's population decline. Last year, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that there were 19,745,289 people living in the state, down from 19,747,183 in 2015. More than 191,000 people left New York for other states.

"I think that's the best evidence that the direction has to change," he said in a follow-up interview with The Citizen.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, is planning to seek a third term in 2018. He's also been floated as a potential candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. But next year's gubernatorial campaign will test his popularity at home  and could be a make-or-break moment for his presidential aspirations.

The advantage for Cuomo is his campaign war chest. He has $25.6 million in the bank, according to his most recent financial filing. DeFrancisco, who has been one of the Senate's best fundraisers, has $1.4 million between his two campaign committees.

But DeFrancisco isn't intimidated by Cuomo's bankroll. And he believes other candidates shouldn't be either.

Cuomo's poll numbers are starting to go down, DeFrancisco said. A Siena College poll released in July found the governor's favorable rating was 52 percent  his lowest in more than a year. His job approval numbers took a hit. And the percentage of voters who said they would re-elect him in 2018 fell from 53 percent in May to 46 percent last month.

The decline in the polls has been attributed to Cuomo's handling of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's woes and what he dubbed as "the summer of hell" for mass transit users. Subway delays have been a problem. Upgraded infrastructure is needed.

While the MTA oversees mass transit in downstate, DeFrancisco is aware of the problems facing the agency. He is the former chairman of the Senate Finance Committee  a post he held for years before becoming deputy majority leader.

He said there should be more state funding to address the MTA's problems and other infrastructure needs across the state.

DeFrancisco criticized Cuomo for how the state has spent bank settlement money. The state received close to $10 billion in settlements over the last few years. Some of the money was allocated for infrastructure projects. But funding was used for other purposes, including the governor's economic initiatives.

"This is a simple solution," he said. "Infrastructure is falling apart. You have to provide funding for infrastructure."

DeFrancisco and other Republican leaders are quick to note that they aren't alone in opposition to Cuomo. Another potential candidate for governor, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, was mentioned in conversations with DeFrancisco and Onondaga County Republican Chairman Tom Dadey. Miner, a Democrat, is considering a gubernatorial bid in 2018.

Other Democrats are interested in the race, too. Cynthia Nixon, an actress best known for her role on "Sex and the City" who has become an outspoken education advocate in recent years, said she may challenge Cuomo next year.

DeFrancisco believes voter distrust of Cuomo is one reason why he could face stiff challenges from the right and left.

"Once you don't trust somebody, it should be difficult for the general public to just ignore the race because's he's got a lot of money," he said.

There are other challenges for Republicans in any gubernatorial campaign. Democrats have an enrollment advantage in New York. According to the latest enrollment figures posted by the state Board of Elections, there are 3 million more active Democratic voters.

Republicans believe they can win upstate and Long Island in 2018. The key will be New York City. If they can win 30 percent of the vote in the city, they're confident they can win the race for governor.

Whether that candidate is DeFrancisco is up to him  and Republican leaders.

DeFrancisco has made it known that his decision to run for governor will be based on reaction from party leaders. If the support for his candidacy is there, he'll enter the race. If not, he'll step aside.

Dadey, who lives in DeFrancisco's Senate district, compared the 2018 race to 1994, when another Cuomo  the late Gov. Mario Cuomo, the current governor's father  was on the ballot. Mario Cuomo sought a fourth term as governor, but lost to Republican challenger George Pataki, a former state senator.

"There's sort of a playbook and a history for this," Dadey said. He added that DeFrancisco is "somebody who clearly understands the issues and is not afraid to go after (Andrew) Cuomo."

Steve Bulger, chairman of the Saratoga County Republican Committee, recently hosted DeFrancisco at the local party's clambake in July. In a phone interview Friday, Bulger said DeFrancisco was introduced at the event by two of his colleagues  state Sens. Kathy Marchione and James Tedisco.

DeFrancisco's speech at the event focused on state government and the importance of retaining GOP control of the state Senate, Bulger said.

"He understands how Albany works," Bulger said. "He still is carrying the torch for a lot of Republicans and conservatives across the state there in the Senate ... His adherence to the things that are important to upstate residents, I think, will put him in a good position if he does decide to go forward for a governor's run next year."

If DeFrancisco does run, Democrats are eager to challenge him on his policy positions.

Basil Smikle Jr., executive director of the New York State Democratic Party, released a statement days after DeFrancisco and Carl Paladino, a Buffalo-area businessman who lost to Cuomo in 2010, publicly expressed their interest in running for governor in 2018.

"They are both from the same end of the ultra-conservative right wing of the Republican Party," he said. "They are against women's rights, LGBT rights, fight for the 1 percent at the expense of everyone else, and promote anti-working class agendas. They both pray at the altar of Trump University. They both talk a big game, and they both have big egos.

He added, "If they run they will lose, handily. We don't see a scenario where their talk of running for governor is anything other than an exercise in their outsized vanity. I guess we'll see."

DeFrancisco isn't taking his exploratory effort lightly. In addition to Saratoga County, he planned to attend events this month in Erie, Livingston and Oswego counties. He said he would add more to his schedule in the coming weeks.

Even if he decides not to run, his goal is to help Republicans field a legitimate contender who can defeat Cuomo in 2018.

"I just think we gotta have a real, serious debate," he said. "Somebody who can discuss the issues with a lot of experience and, I think, increase the level of discourse rather than have a candidate come forward just to have a candidate on the line."
Student nurses in pain

On August 4, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Registered Nurses Association (TTRNA) Idi Stuart highlighted the students plight during a multi-trade union protest in Port of Spain. He said the nursing students were not being paid their $800 monthly stipend and he gave the Government a deadline of month-end to pay the outstanding monies.

Ogunsheye, 31, told Sunday Newsday in a telephone interview that $800 was the starting sum received by nursing students but as you progressed each year the amount would increase. She said in year two it was about $1,100, year three was about $1,300 and final year was supposed to be more than $1,500 though they have not received that sum.

Ogunsheye, who has a seven year-old daughter, said the stipend amount was not enough to maintain anything but its still better than nothing. You still look forward to it at the end of the month. She said it has been hard not receiving the stipend and she at times has to choose whether to give up going to a class or give up going to the hospital. She added that students have to complete a certain number of hours to satisfy the nursing council.

She said when they go on the ward they are working down to bone and they function like a normal registered nurse (RN).

It has been extremely hard. But Im still here. By the grace of God my parents insist that I complete my course. Ogunsheye studied nursing at the College of Science, Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT) for two years but transferred to USC when she moved to South and had to start over.

Im doing it for six years now.

After giving all that amount of time doing this and you expecting a little change end of month and not getting it, is something to frustrate you. She said there are people who believe no one should be getting paid to go to school but felt they need to understand that by student nurses being out on the field studying or learning they do everything that a RN does.

We still need to survive. It should not be something we have to be dogging and begging for. We need to get it, we need to get our backpay. She said there are students who have to borrow money to go to school and receiving the stipend will full a hole. It only fair that we get what we deserved. Ogunsheye had graduated with a bachelors of science in nursing but had not completed her exams with the nursing council, one practical and one written, which is required to become a RN. Sunday Newsday also spoke to two other nursing students but they asked that their real names be withheld.

Delia*, a fourth year student, said the lack of a stipend had been quite difficult. She said when she joined the programme students were informed that they would receive money to cover transportation.

Delia said there were times they received the money late but now they were not getting anything.

I have commitments, I have children. The stipend that is gone used to see about my bills. I have to take money I have for my children and put to use for myself. I have outstanding debts that need to be cleared. It is very tedious and distressing to say the least. Delia said it was very unfair to the students. She said last July students were told they have been paid in August with the outstanding money and then they were told December and then the end of February and then the end of May but nothing happened. Delia said her bank account was in negative which she had never experienced before.

Can you imagine my distress? Nisha*, a 23-year-old student who is also in final year, said the stipend was mainly used for transportation but also for school supplies, books and paying school fees. She said not everyone has financial support and some may have had it but lost it for some reason. She said for her she has to depend more on her parents.

People have to borrow from people.

And pay back small loans. Some students who are mothers. The little money used to go a long way for a lot of them. On people questioning why they should be paid a stipend at all Nisha said students do not just do theory or sit in a classroom but when they are on the ward they are working like nurses but under supervision.

Stacey Mahabal, president of the Trinidad and Tobago Nursing Students, the student arm of the TTRNA, and president of Nursing Assistant Trainees, told Sunday Newsday they were instrumental in getting students out to march during the August 4 protest. She said she had been taking information from students and liaising with Stuart who had been advocating on their behalf.

Mahabal said as part of the programme students have to spend time working at a hospital/health institution and the stipend was for this work. She said the mix of days of going to the hospital and going to class depended on which year of the four year programme the student was in. When they do not have classes they would go Monday to Friday, 7 am to 3 pm, with an option to make up lost time on a Sunday.

Asked who was responsible for the payment of the stipend Mahabal said at first there was an arrangement between COSTAATT and USC where COSTAATT would pay them. She said COSTAATT indicated via letters that it would not be able to pay because of the high intake of students to USC.

She said students were on the wards training and work under supervision as a RN. She also said they have overhead costs for labs, transportation and registration of $1,500.

Sometimes the little stipend just goes in bills. Mahabal said she did not know if it was illegal for the stipend not to be paid but their argument was that they are going to work and should be paid a stipend.

We just want a little thing to cross over. This is an essential service.

We not asking for a salary but just asking for a little cash. She said on the ward sometimes they help to fill the gap as at times the people paid to work did not come out.

Mahabal also said they learned that they were not under the Health Ministry but the Education Ministry and reached out to them.

Asked the response from the ministry, Mahabal said officials keep telling them they are investigating. She said students are discouraged by the lack of a stipend but it has not affected their care.

We steadily going out and giving it our all still. Nursing is something we love. (We there) every day, whole day with the same amount of passion. She said that if by August 31 they do not receive the monies they are prepared to protest in front of Parliament.

Education Minister Anthony Garcia, in a telephone interview, said Minister in the Ministry of Education Dr Lovell Francis had met with the students and they are trying to work out arrangements. He said there was a change sometime last year when the nurses were moved from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Education.

There are some challenges we need to unravel and as soon as we are able to do that will be sorted out.
By now, we all know the story of Prison City Pub & Brewery's Mass Riot India pale ale.

After it took No. 1 in Paste Magazine's summer 2016 blind tasting of almost 250 IPAs from across America, hundreds mobbed the State Street brewpub the next time the beer was released. Even after a year, Mass Riot can releases still sell through in minutes and kegs are still kicked within hours.

What we all may not know, however, is how another Prison City beer fared in another Paste blind tasting.

Earlier this year, the brewpub entered brewer Ben Maeso's Udderly Smooove  a milk stout aged in George Dickel whiskey barrels  in the Atlanta-based magazine's barrel-aged imperial stout contest. This field consisted of 144 beers, again featuring heavyweights like Firestone Walker, Founders and Oskar Blues. This time, though, Prison City's beer didn't even make the top 50.

But here's the thing: If you asked me whether I'd have a Mass Riot or an Udderly Smooove, I'd choose Udderly Smooove. I'd choose it almost any time, any place (90-degree heat being one of those exceptions). I'd certainly choose it over some of the barrel-aged imperial stouts that made Paste's cut. And I know others who would, too.

Cayuga County breweries take three medals at Governor's Cup craft beer contest Cayuga County breweries came up big at the inaugural Taste NY Governor's Cup Craft Beer Comp

My point isn't that Mass Riot is overrated and Udderly Smooove is underrated (though that now has a gold medal to its name, too).

Nor is my point that awards and ratings are meaningless: Paste's methodology is impressively sound and fair, as is that of many other beer judging contests. And when a brewery like Prison City earns as much recognition as it has in less than three years, that indisputably means it's doing something right.

My point, simply, is that beer, like art, is subjective. And that cannot be stressed enough when it comes to awards, ratings and anything else that designates one thing better than another thing.

Why? Because when it comes to craft beer, too many enthusiasts let those awards and ratings dictate what they drink. Following the Prison City example, I've heard many a story of patrons asking for Mass Riot and, when told it wasn't on tap, ordering a domestic like Coors or even leaving altogether. That's like pouting out of a theater because it's not screening any Best Picture winners.

Those types of patrons are missing out on a lot. It could be another top-notch Prison City hop bomb like Maeso's 4 Piece series (though that also has a gold medal to its name now). It could be another terrific local IPA, like Lunkenheimer's Vermont-style Bier 196, Aurora Ale & Lager's flagship Ruckus series or Good Shepherds' new Mr. Mercedes. Or it could even be Udderly Smooove.

You won't know until you forget about the awards, forget about the ratings, and get adventurous. Try things. When it comes to beer, you are the most important judge.

What's on tap

Aurora Ale & Lager Co.

The King Ferry farm brewery is fresh off a medal of its own in the Governor's Cup for its Mango-Infused Goseface Killah Gose. The next batch drops in about two weeks. Meanwhile, brewers Mark Grimaldi and Joe Shelton have recently released another crisp sour, a Raspberry Berliner Weisse, made with locally grown raspberries.

Prison City Pub & Brewery

Marc and Dawn Schulz's brewpub released four new beers this weekend: Copper John ordinary bitter, Riot in '29 IPA, Laugh it Up Fuzzball blonde ale with tea and apricot, and Nope on a Rope IPA. The first two, named after Auburn Correctional Facility, were poured Saturday at the city's Founders Day festival commemorating the prison. Mass Riot will also return this week, with details TBA. And by the time you read this, Prison City, Lunkenheimer and Thirsty Pug Craft Beer Market will be concluding a heated Great Race battle that saw parties bring the fire on social media:
Rowley calls meeting on seabridge

A statement issued on Saturday from the Office of the Prime Minister, said the meeting will be held on August 21 at the ballroom of the Magdalena Grand Hotel, Lowlands, from 2 pm.

According to the statement, the meeting will include representatives from the Tobago Chamber of Commerce, Tobago Hoteliers and Tourism Association, Tobago Truckers Association, Tobago Unique Bread and Breakfast and Self-Catering Association.

Works and Transport Minister Rohan Sinanan and Tobago MPs Shamfa Cudjoe and Ayanna Webster- Roy also are expected to attend the meeting.

The prime ministers decision to meet with the key stakeholders on the island came just one day after he apologised for the Ocean Flower 11 fiasco which has been a major talking point within recent days.

Sinanan announced early last week that the contract for the vessel had been terminated.

The situation has posed a serious inconvenience to Tobago business owners and average travellers, who have long complained about the inefficiencies on the sea bridge.

Rowley, commenting on the cancellation of the Ocean Flower 11 contract on Friday, said, The unsuccessful attempt to find a replacement passenger ferry is a matter of great disappointment to me and I am sure the majority of Tobagonians who rely on this service for their comfort and livelihood. However, he assured that, the Government is not unmindful of your plight and is currently engaged in making all reasonable efforts to remedy the situation in the short term. Rowley also had made an appeal to all the people who are addressing the issues affecting TTs very vital inter island service, to redouble the efforts, without compromising principles and within all contractual safeguards to ensure that an acceptable service is restored at the earliest opportunity. Rowley, who is from Mason Hall, apologised to all affected citizens and particularly the people of Tobago, for whom the service is more of a life line. President of the Tobago Division of the TT Chamber of Commerce Demi John Cruickshank said the organisation welcomed the meeting.

With the prime minister as the head of the government of Trinidad and Tobago, I think is about time he took control of this crisis that has been affecting the economy and the travelling public between Trinidad and Tobago he told Sunday Newsday.

Cruickshank said he hoped the Ocean Flower controversy and the longstanding woes on the sea bridge would not be the only items on the agenda because the air bridge is of similar concern to us in Tobago. So, yes, we look forward to the meeting and we hope that within a very short space of time we can solve this situation that has occurred in Tobago and is now causing havoc with the travelling public between the two islands, he added.

Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister and Tobago East MP Ayanna Webster-Roy also welcomed the meeting.

Webster-Roy said she and her constituents also have been affected by the situation sand were hoping for a reasonably timely solution to the problems on the sea bridge as well as the air bridge. In April, the owners of the Super Fast Galicia withdrew its services on the seabridge which it had operated since 2014. The subsequent lease of the MV Transporter barge and the MV Provider to transport goods and provide passenger services was shortlived, due to the high cost and slow pace of the vessels.

In July, the Port Authority announced the lease of the Cabo Star, which is in service, and the Ocean Flower II from Canadas Bridgemans Service Group which faltered in delivering the Ocean Flower II by an extended August 1 deadline. However, on Friday, the Opposition disclosed a letter from an engineer which cited technical problems with the Ocean Flower II after sea trial in Panama, deeming it unfit for sailing.
One per cent boycott will hurt workers

She was speaking with the media following the graduation ceremony for participants in the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies Empowering Communities through Education - The Laventille Project at the Laventille Community Centre .

At a joint union protest two weeks ago Joint Trade Union Movement president Ancel Roget called for a boycott of businesses owned by the so-called one per cent elite .

Yesterday Baptiste-Primus, who once led the Public Services Association, said she understands the role and function of a trade union and their basic responsibility is to look after the interest of the members whom they serve .

I do not think that the result of such an action would be in the best interest of the workers. Because we have to remember that no matter how aggrieved someone may feel, or the trade union movement may feel, one has to pay attention to the implications of such a call. And one of the implications is the very workers who are at the lower end of the wage spectrum, they are likely to be affected. So I dont think that such a position will give labour its decided result. To the contrary it would be the opposite. She said the contribution of the trade union movement to the growth and development of the country is well known but in life we do make mistakes and I think upon reflection the end result of such a call, the impact on the very workers upon which the trade union movement raison detre (most important purpose for existing) hinges, I dont think that is something that any of the trade union leaders would want to see happen as a result of such a call - hundreds of workers being placed on the breadline. I dont think any of the trade union leaders would want that. She was also asked about the break down in the tripartite process and the exit of union representatives from the National Tripartite Advisory Council which included members of the private sector, labour movement, Government and the Tobago House of Assembly and was formed in March 2016 .

Baptiste-Primus said in March this year the unions walked away from the tripartite process pending Tourism Minister Shamfa Cudjoe meeting with the Communication Workers Union over the decision to dissolve the Tourism Development Company. I think a lot of water has passed under that bridge. She said from the mass union protest two Fridays ago there was a call for a meeting with Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley .

And as I indicated am I sure that the honourable Prime Minister is giving consideration for such a request and we are awaiting that word from the Prime Minister. And we have to wait. Its his call. Its not my call. Its not anybody elses call. Labour wants to meet with the Prime Minister and I have no doubt the Prime Minister will signal when he is available to meet with labour.
Arima JOuvert buss but Chinese come out to play

Even with the change in route, it didnt increase the number of bands leaders wanted to participate in the morning segment of the celebrations.

Despite the few bands, Arima Mayor Lisa-Morris-Julian hailed the festivities The celebration was fantastic.

We need more bands to come out next year. People saw how safe it was going around the savannah.

People made their two laps, got tired and went again. No problems with the blocking of Queen Street. We are trying to bring back JOuvert in Arima. When asked why Arimians and band leaders prefer to parade in the evening, Morris-Julian said, The decline of JOuvert had become a safety issue and people started to come out later and later but people wont have that to worry about it because we have in total, 500 regular police officers, army and municipal police officers on the streets. There was no Wett Fete this year, an event usually held on a Saturday by promoters Boom Champions 94.1fm. An Arima businessman decided to seize the opportunity and started promoting Colour Fest (a similar event) but did not fulfil all of the requirements of the Environmental Management Authority and the Police Service and the event was cancelled on Friday.

The Parade of the Bands in the afternoon saw revellers hitting the streets from about 3 pm intent on maximising the three hour permit to masquerade. First to hit the road was Rum Splash from Tumpuna Road South, who made the first lap around the Arima Savannah, (the second largest roundabout in Trinidad and Tobago).

A quick survey among masqueraders, brought to light that they were pleased with the change in route to the savannah, as it gave them more space to revel. Patrick Joseph, one of the Rum Splash bandleaders, said,  The route change is good. Passing through the heart of Arima is only good for the bandits and mischief makers. Also among the revelry, was a small band from China Railway Construction (Caribbean) Co Ltd (CRCL). Although CRCL had a mere 11 people, it was evident that the Chinese too were basking in the experience of local culture.

The celebrations continued with steel pan and parang at 6 pm and a Youth Concert at 10 pm.
In their quest to reach the European Eldorado, migrants are increasingly shunning the Libyan routes for security reasons in favor of the closer and less risky Moroccan-Spanish land and sea borders.

Deaths in sea embarkations, almost impenetrable six-meter high fence and heavily patrolled land borders on the Moroccan and Spanish sides seem not dissuading thousands of Sub-Saharans dreaming of the European Eldorado.

Attempts at storming the borders of the two Spanish exclaves in Morocco, Ceuta and Melilla, and embarkations on board dinghies are making the headlines in Europe with the UN warning that Spain is on course to overtake Greece in terms of illegal migrant arrivals.

We assume that some of the change is due to the fact that the route [to Spain] is considered a safe route up to the coast through Morocco, said Joel Millman, a senior spokesman at the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Spanish paper El Pais said in an editorial that migratory pressure has effectively moved to the western Mediterranean, in the absence of common EU policies and economic support, noting that Spain cannot stand alone as the guardian of southern Europe.

The influx of migrants has taken violent forms as Morocco foiled Friday, in less than 24 hours, two illegal migration attempts on the border post with Ceuta. At 21:00, the first attempt by 150 migrants was foiled, one hour later about 200 migrants attempted to jump the 6-meter high border fence separating the enclave from Morocco.

Such illegal immigration attempts, which previously prompted the Spanish enclave to close its borders with Morocco temporarily, has yet again disrupted traffic for half an hour.

On August 7, some 300 Sub-Saharans tried to force their way to Ceuta with only 180 managing to cross the heavily fortified and guarded border post.

Other migrants seek an equally hazardous journey by crossing the sea on board of dinghies. The striking images of a group of Sub-Saharans in a fully loaded boat landing in a tourist beach in Cadiz in Spain has indeed shown that a new trend is emerging in illegal migration in the Mediterranean.

The closure of the Balkan route after the EU-Turkey agreement and the deteriorating security conditions and the crackdown on migration in Libya, push would-be migrants to see in heavily patrolled Moroccan coasts and land borders with Spanish cities of Ceuta and Mellilia an alternative.

So far this year, 8000 peoples have taken the Moroccan route in comparison to 2500 in 2012. Thus, Spain has outpaced Italy as the fastest increasing entry point for illegal migrants.

As the EU countries continue to trade accusations on the lack of solidarity and as southern EU Mediterranean countries lament the lack of solidarity by their European counterparts in sharing the migration burden, Morocco has launched a migration legalization process to grant migrants, mostly from Sub-Saharan Africa, a chance to integrate and benefit from basic services.

Fortress Europe, which has been adopting a security approach to tackle the humanitarian challenge of migration, has proven its utter failure in managing migration. The need for a North-South approach taking into consideration the development needs of migrant emitting countries and transit countries such as Morocco is urgently needed.
Like every girl, growing up, I looked forward to the day I would forever live happily with my prince charming  a picture painted in my mind by the fairy tale books.

This was a clear contrast of what society portrayed marriage as. At the village marriage functions, local choirs sang original composition songs. The songs were more of lamentations than romantic. Scary tales were told in the folk songs about what a harsh world the bride was joining.

With the picture painted of marriage, not even the most courageous bride would afford not to cry. Marriage then seemed like a necessary evil. It was against culture to remain single.

Whether people married for love or social status, only God knows. Looking at todays breed of brides shaking their bodies before their in-laws, grooms unashamedly kissing their brides in church and couples dancing till ridiculous wee hours of the morning tells of the metamorphosis the marriage institution has undergone.

Lucky were the girls that married men with social status. To be called a wife to a teacher, commonly referred to as master, brought prestige untold.

Professionals were like endangered species; there werent so many doctors, accountants or engineers in society. Thus as a little girl, I dreamt of a day I would be referred to as Mrs somebody. After all, didnt Napoleon Bonaparte say men are called by titles?

If I could not get my own title, then I should find solace in someone elses. Whether it was fate or chance, I did not find someone with titles. This alluded to what I had heard countless times: love is blind. Love made me forget my dream of a who is who in society, and I walked down the aisle with the ordinary.

Once in a while, I have reflected and wondered what life would have been like had I married the prestigious in society. Probably, I would be the envy of my agemates, living at large and being a public figure. Would this be fulfilling?

Since I have not trekked that lane, I can only leave my answer to imaginations. My childhood friend was lucky to find prince charming that had both social status and wealth. How fortunate she was! She set the bar so high for the rest of us to get marriage partners.

Old women in the village praised her for lifting the village status and putting our hitherto unknown village on the map. I have never quite understood what map they were referring to!

To bring in-laws from Kampala, to conduct the giveaway ceremony in English with an interpreter for the locals wrote history in the village. This was the only function in decades where all the locals had the privilege of drinking soda, irrespective of age.

The tradition had always been that whether on funerals or parties, delicacies like soda, rice, meat and cake were a reserve for visitors from Kampala. The giveaway ceremony, thus, became the most talked about thing in the village.

The current presidential age limit debate would have, by no means, matched the popularity of such a function in our village. Such was the importance of marrying a person of status in my village. Luck seemed to have traced Katu, too. Growing up in the village, we had a way of shortening our rather long names.

To foreigners, our names sounded more like paragraphs than names. Thus, we had got accustomed to calling my friend Katu, instead of Katushemeza. Soon after her pompous wedding ceremony in Kampala, she got her first child.

Before we could take in the envy of the rate at which she was moving in the desired direction, child two, three and four had arrived. Hers seemed to be the perfect family model. They had it all.

Less than a decade into marriage, our in-law got another wife. Silly as it may sound, it is alleged that his wealth, status and influence dictated so.

The wound in Katus life is evident  she walks with a crestfallen face. I have learned that the title came with a sacrifice. I am not ready to pay the price, but to focus on living happily with the ordinary.
honestly wasn't expecting this to get posted this early but hopefully this provides you guys the space to further the conversation! <3

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lmao right? i was just about to head to bed- your post deserves LYFE not the midnight shift ahahah (mods, im thankful you're approving these kinds of posts though no shade)



also OP continued thanks for all that you and those like you do when it comes to these political posts- it does not go unnoticed!

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rip <3

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Condolences to all her friends and family. Losing a loved one suddenly is heartbreaking.



She was just out there, standing up to racists, and she paid with her life. Just awful.

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so sad.. doing more than my lazy ass would to take a stand against hate and loses her life. it's so sickening. every time this happens. sickening.

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so the white supremacist killed another white person...

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Historically, white supremacists have been happy to harm and kill white people who support the groups they hate.

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i hope her brave soul finds peace

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Bless her, she died fighting against pure evil. RIP :(

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RIP

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RIP

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RIP. <3 to her and her family & friends

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RIP 

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This poor girl and her family...

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some dumbass on my fb had the nerve to be all "i don't agree w the nazis but everyone deserves free speech!! turn the other cheek!!" but my friends and i shut that shit down pretty quickly lmao

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People seriously don't know what free speech means.

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ok but where was their "free speech" when it was colin kaepernick's turn etc??

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Damn sis when you're right you're right

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no lies detected

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no lies detected

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exactly

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Just the phrase "free speech" is enough to make me see red these days, because you know it's going to be followed by some ignorant bullshit.

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Yeah, I would told all of them, individually, to eat shit and expire.

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My eyes will fall out of my head if I see another Republican condemning these monsters. Like they haven't benefited and stroked these resentments for DECADES. Never Trump Republicans are willfully stupid.



Like that Rick Wilson dude (that's always on With Friend's Like These) admits to doing racially charged GOP adds but condemns the attacks in VA. My dude...



Trump didn't start this. He just made subtext text. No more dog whistling. Just plain yelling.



Edited at 2017-08-13 07:10 am (UTC)

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exactly. trump wasn't appealing to these losers bc he was saying anything new, it's bc he did it in a very public way and faced no repercussions, whereas his followers were used to having to do it beneath a hood and/or behind country club doors

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This has been going on for years, he just emboldened them enough to the point where they don't wear hoods anymore. I mean how can they not be encouraged tho? Seb Gorka, Steve Bannon, and Stephen Miller are all neo nazis and hold jobs in the administration in some form.



Edited at 2017-08-13 07:17 am (UTC)

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I keep thinking about that thread about how these people would react if they faced actual oppression. And these are young men too! Legit nothing was "taken" from you. You've grown up in a world where POC were supposedly equal. You don't even have the old racist excuse.

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I'm not saying that every person who has ever voted Republican is racist, BUT the Republican party had zero problems with letting the racists into their party and appealing to them via coded language and racist dog whistles. They didn't give a shit as long as they kept winning elections.



Well now the chickens are coming home to roost in the form of Trump and his supporters.

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Ted Cruz's statement was the first thing I saw on FB when I woke up today and just rolled my eyes. I am so sick of these assholes putting out shit to condemn these hate groups then fail to stand up against Grandwizard Drumpf.

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I was just writing about this to an Indian guy that follows me on Twitter and Facebook. Somewhere between acquaintance and friend via social media where I constantly explain American politics and our current administration's constant fuck ups. And I was explaining that these weren't fringe members of any group. They were simply hooded. Now the hood's off. That's the only difference.



I explicitly told him to not attempt grad school in the US right now when he was thinking of applying once I saw Trump one. It's better to be safe than sorry. Racist asshats won't care where he's from. Only that he's not white and doesn't speak native-level English.

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I still cannot believe to this day that man is our president

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"I condemn White Supremacy, but vote for Trump's agenda" is the new "I send thoughts and prayers to the victim, but vote against gun safety"  Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) August 13, 2017



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Truth.



Dan is underrated.

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He really is

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Not really

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You know what else has "many sides?" My ass.  Martha Plimpton (@MarthaPlimpton) August 12, 2017



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Her tweets have been really great for the past couple years lol

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lmao, i love her.

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Great writeup OP



It's been obvious from the off how bad Trump would suck having to respond to a domestic crisis, but these nazis are the exact chuds he's been empowering for years, he was never going to outright condemn them.

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Appreciate your service today, OP, I'm sure it hasn't been a cake walk.

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America is a shitshow right now and I don't see it getting any better.



I pray for the families of the victims.



Edited at 2017-08-13 07:17 am (UTC)

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I'm so fucking tired. This man shouldn't have been able to run for president to begin with and every day I hate him more and more. His statement is a disgrace but i'm not surprised. They're his base and he's doing his best not to alienate them. He needs to be removed from office. We can't take this shit any longer.

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I feel that Europe is having a moment of respite from far-right forces at the moment. The far right have been losing elections and Brexit really shocked the whole Europe, Brits included. And Trump has very few supporters here, even most conservatives despise him. I really hope it's not just calm before the storm, though.

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same. the far right in germany has also been at each other's throats for a while, and many ppl seem to look at the US and go, "you know what? nope"



but yeah, i don't trust ppl not to walk back on that again. fingers crossed, eyes open etc.

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After Brexit, our far right party tried to drum up support for exiting the EU, and they were quickly shot down. Despite all of our complaints, Denmark is the most EU friendly country behind Germany according to polls. And our far-right party has been so incompetent in the wake of losing their leader that they can't really govern properly despite their joint government with the mainstream majority conservative party.

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i feel like during brexit, US elections and a bit afterwards we were heading that way too though. the alt-right party in belgium was gaining way more voters after the terrorist attacks in brussels, for example. luckily that went down again pretty soon and the green party has been doing exceptionally well with most of the voters being young adults, not that they're leading the polls or anything but compared to just a year ago? the progress is amazing.

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Poland is definitely not having a moment of respite.

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I follow some dumbass on twitter who made it sound like this was an US-only problem. It's that kind of mentality from western countries that allows this racist shit to still be an issue.

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macron beating out le pen really did knock the european right wing movement a little thankfully. i just hope that it continues to get shut down because then maybe we'll see other countries rejecting it and actually fucking do something except ask why we can't all get along. you can't get along with nazis. that's why we fucking waged a WORLD WAR to get rid of them.

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and if it gets that far I really hope the idiots who cried "they deserve free speech!" are INCREDIBLY ashamed and mortified.



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Except for a few trolls and dumbasses, ONTD is actually one of the most progressive compared to what else is out there and where I come to for solace these days. Thatssadhuh.gif.

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What happened today was my greatest fear following the election. Nazis are like a bacterial infection - if you mess up the antibiotics, it comes back 10 times stronger. And every time America has a chance to rid itself of this scourge it turns in the other direction. Fuck this love-trumps-hate, kill-them-with-kindness bullshit. Own up to your wretched history, America, learn from your mistakes and do better.

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They're never going to learn from their mistakes because they don't think they did anything wrong. Look at all the people who think racism started with Obama and/or Trump being elected.



Or all the people claiming this isn't America. Racism has ALWAYS been America. It's the most American thing ever. The US was built on racism. It thrived because of racism. It continues because of racism.

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I know. It's just so... sigh... exasperating. We obviously can't wait for them to just die off, a la Oprah, because they just keep indoctrinating their children. We can't talk sense into them because they are immune to reason. We can't coddle and forgive them because then they'll never have to acknowledge the part they played and how they benefited from the systematic oppression of others, and therefore never learn. What the fuck do we do, man? Kill them all? On days like this the obstacle feels insurmountable.



In the grand scheme, today is nothing new, I know that. But jesus christ, to see how fucking blatant and proud they are in their bigotry just fills me up with rage.

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Because it's not taught here. Our history textbooks gloss over (or outright omit) the genocide of Native Americans, slavery, internment of Japanese-Americans, Jim Crow, the destruction of Black Wall Street and other prosperous post-Civil War black communities, that America mostly was pro-Nazi prior to Pearl Harbor, etc. Let alone the shit the US has done abroad.



When (white) Americans are never taught the truth about their history, it's easy for them to say that shit or that it's "heritage, not hate" or to romanticize Antebellum or actually think that it's historically important to have shrines to Confederate leaders (instead of statutes of prominent slaves and civil rights leaders. Look how long it took for MLK to have a proper memorial).



Edited at 2017-08-13 09:23 pm (UTC)

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I just happened to notice an announcement about a military concert at Hoopes Park on Thursday, Aug. 3. To my great delight, I attended what, in my estimation, was one of the best concerts at the park.

On a very pleasant evening, the United States Army's 42nd "Rainbow" Infantry Division Band put on a memorable show featuring musical favorites for all ages. The music included patriotic favorites, Broadway tunes and selections from classic rock and roll. The musicianship was very professional and the vocalists outstanding. The band is lead by Chief Warrant Officer Mark Kimes. It should be noted that one of the band members, Staff Sergeant Jerry Fitzgerald, is an Auburn resident.

A big thank you is owed to the Cultural Italian American Organization, CIAO, and their sponsors for presenting this wonderful concert. After the concert, the band was invited to the Knights of Columbus for a pasta dinner.

If the band returns in the future, do yourself a favor, attend.
True southern queen!

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.. I thought Dutch water magicians had been flown in since the previous enormous flooding to prep New Orleans for a repetition of it? And prevention? Did they just fly over and people go 'Nah, we don't need protection'?

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I know they looked at the whole water shed of the area including sewer system and inland waters and the US government immediately shut down any talk about other than the surge protection. I had co-workers, who are among the leading civil engineers in this subject, say that new flooding was inevitable unless they tackled the whole water system.

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Oh, Christus. Poor people.

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That's horrible :(

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sooo major infrastructural issues that require huge amounts of $$ (that article says $1bil) AND cooperation of a bunch of different government agencies which will be a sluggish nightmarish slog in the world of NOLA bureaucracy. so ppl are pissed about this AND all the officials lying about the pumps being broken, which is really egregious and shameful.



the clogged storm drains are just like the lowest hanging fruit rn and that is a utility job that SWB should have been performing upkeep on from what i can tell. i've seen people in my neighborhood and around the city taking the drainage covers off and shovel out all the muck themselves since the storms. the city is going around and doing it as well now (saw a tweet saying this YESTERDAY so like they're just now getting to it) but that shit is shocking even if the flooding hadn't occurred b/c it means all the water that pools just from normal afternoon rain and groundwater just sits when it could be being pumped out if they were functioning as they should.



just a fucking mess all around. will be fun (not) to see how mitch and the city council debate about remedying this cluster as he's about to be done as mayor october and several ppl, including a city council member, are vying for his spot. hope they come to any and all events prepared to talk about this in addition to the clogged storm drains, there's also a lot of challenges wrt the power supply that keeps the pumps working.... "Built at the turn of the 20th century, the [Sewerage and Water Board] power plant produces an unusual brand of 25-hertz cycle electricity that went out of fashion before World War II. Conventional electricity that Entergy supplies [in 2017] is 60-hertz cycle" http://www.nola.com/weather/index.ssf/2017/08/live_updates_new_orleans_loses.html#incart_big-photo sooo major infrastructural issues that require huge amounts of $$ (that article says $1bil) AND cooperation of a bunch of different government agencies which will be a sluggish nightmarish slog in the world of NOLA bureaucracy. so ppl are pissed about this AND all the officials lying about the pumps being broken, which is really egregious and shameful.the clogged storm drains are just like the lowest hanging fruit rn and that is a utility job that SWB should have been performing upkeep on from what i can tell. i've seen people in my neighborhood and around the city taking the drainage covers off and shovel out all the muck themselves since the storms. the city is going around and doing it as well now (saw a tweet saying this YESTERDAY so like they're just now getting to it) but that shit is shocking even if the flooding hadn't occurred b/c it means all the water that pools just from normal afternoon rain and groundwater just sits when it could be being pumped out if they were functioning as they should.just a fucking mess all around. will be fun (not) to see how mitch and the city council debate about remedying this cluster as he's about to be done as mayor october and several ppl, including a city council member, are vying for his spot. hope they come to any and all events prepared to talk about this

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It is kind of like that. It is weird because we had a hurricane hit a few years ago and there was not that much flooding in the city. It dropped almost two feet of rain over several days and we did not have this issue. We are protected from storm surge but not from sudden flash flooding.

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They flew in made a plan told how much it was going to cost and the US government went hell no and send them back.

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the louisiana levies are something that they have been saying they will fix for 50 years, since my dad was little. they never get fixed because the louisiana state government is perpetually broke and corrupt, they always flood, there is no sign it will ever change.

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also jsyk you are totally right about the dutch water magicians, they've come and spoken in town several times that i'm aware of and people/non-profits love their ideas BUT getting the city gov't to support their ideas in full is not proving to be that successful. not to say that they haven't listened and taken some of the advice, but it's like turning the damn titanic around ya know? the city bureaucracy is soooo antiquated and slow moving that it's a miracle when a stoplight dies at a busy intersection and is actually replaced by another stoplight vs. a dangerous four way stop (this is something currently happening in my neighborhood and ppl are taking to social media to rejoice that stop lights are going back in after 3 months of dangerous 4 way stop signs lol). so hopes have just been on private organizations putting in capital to make the dutch ideas come to fruition.

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Queen of charity! 

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Nnnnnnnn

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lolllll



that Sabi tax write off

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lmao

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Queen of Louisiana 

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oh wow a charitable queen! this reminds me that I believe she donated way more than that $1 mill for the vegas children hospital. we know $1 mill can't do shit when it comes to building a hospital. mama gave them COINS! a rich charitable legend!

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Nice to hear

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luckily my house is raised or we would have had about a foot of water in our house :(

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Mother Theresney

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That's really awesome!

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I'm from Houston & here, we have our bayou system & reservoirs to control flooding that has existed since the 1930's, and recently White Oak Bayou flooded and it covered... like two streets. Period. And it was back in-bank by the end of the day.



But in the 1930's, this area was still mostly white, so I guess it was okay to invest in us back then, huh? :|



Ugh.

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Yeah, and the problem is that we know for a fact these cities were designed a certain way and instead of fixing it, it's nothing but a shrug and move it along. For example:



Last December, Daniel Kolitz wrote a cover story for Hopes and Fears reminding us of Moses's public declarations about the racist character of the streets, buildings and infrastructure he planned, like his rationale for putting still-fatal low bridges over the Long Island Parkway to keep urban black people from traveling by bus to the de-facto whites-only beaches he built; or his decision to put his legendary parks, pools and playgrounds as far as possible from black neighborhoods (the one pool he did install within walking distance of a black neighborhood was kept "deliberately icy" because Moses had heard that black people wouldn't swim in cold water).



http://boingboing.net/2016/08/22/robert-moses-wove-enduring-rac.html

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That's great!



This summer has been awful for the environment. Record heat, flooding in the south, fires in the northwest. The Puget Sound is still covered in a layer of smoke. I didn't buy an air purifier b/c I thought it'd be gone after a week, but now I'm thinking of buying on. I just want to be able to breathe clean air again.

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well i'm glad britney cares about her home state. that's good. i can't believe how fucked up our cities are, we don't take care of them properly and people don't want to pay for the upkeep but somehow it's just supposed to magically upgrade itself?



people want nice roads but want someone else to pay for them. pft. it's disgusting

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I am happy she is doing this but the flooding wasn't severe. It was bad but it was not horrible. I live in the area that got the most rain last Saturday and most of the water was gone by early Sunday morning. It is being shown that way because anytime there is flooding in south Louisiana people want a Katrina-like story.

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It's actually for the flooding that happened last summer throughout Louisiana, which i understand was pretty severe

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Oh okay. I couldn't read the article since I am at work and my computer is acting up. I am from the Baton Rouge area and I am happy she is remembering them. Even though I live in New Orleans, people sometimes forget there is a whole state that has flooding issues recently. Some people are in hotels because their homes are still destroyed. I was more responding the OP's comment in the post.

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She's donating for last SUMMER not last weekend. ;)

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Nothing. People think that because he's mixed (dad rican and mom from the Philippines) somehow he can't be Black.

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oh you're one of those.

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it is funny that you're saying this with a katy perry icon

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whose culture is he appropriating? his own??

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You mean cultural appreciation because that's the only vibe I get since he hasn't changed his style of music from day 1 into his career unlike that textbook culture vulture in your icon.

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$20 to Planned Parenthood every month since The Disease got elected.



Unforch that's all my budget can handle rn :(

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that's more than 200 bucks a year, bb. you do what you can and that's awesome.

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That's awesome and I appreciate you!

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thats great bb

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I thought flit water pipes were mostly replaced?

And that most of the water was clean?

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That's genuinely an amazing gesture.

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Is he still supporting Chris Brown, tho?



I love you Bruno, but that one tweet was messy as fuck.

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He just donated $1 million but you'd rather fixate on a damn tweet.

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No seria partr de ONTD si no lo hiciera, mija.



Ademas, el que este libre de pecado, que arroje la primera piedra.



Edited at 2017-08-14 12:08 am (UTC)

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good <3

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I make occasional donations to my friends' outreach community and donate blood in blood drives or hospitals whenever I can, lol.



YAAAAAS, Bruno. I always appreciate celebrities who make it a point to give back to the world, especially since they make so much money and practically live in excess.

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this is good! he should donate another 1M to NCADV for that chris brown tweet. :)

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I donate to AIDS research every paycheck 

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Charitable, sexy king. When will your faves?

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I volunteer every tuesday morning in the welcome center of a women's shelter :) i help shelter guests sign up for laundry, showers, advocacy and naps :)

volunteerism is a HUGE part of my life, I do other things too, but this is my favorite :D

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That's awesome of him. 

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Awesome. I didn't know he's Latin, I thought he was Hawaiian or something

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I bought a beanie from Carrie Bickmore's Beanies for Brain Cancer. It's a cute beanie.

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America has always been this way. Trump has just made these assholes feel comfortable enough to the point where they don't wear hoods. Get the fuck outta here with the "not in America" nonsense. This country was built on genocide. We aren't above it.



Edited at 2017-08-13 11:18 pm (UTC)

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i feel like people clearly mean 'this shouldn't be america'

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is America and shouldn't be surprised that this is what it's become.



We will not step backward. If this is not who we are as Americans, let's prove it.  Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) August 12, 2017 Anyone who's been paying even a lick of attention to what living in this country has been like for black people for the last hundreds of years, or even realized the deeper meaning of the election's outcome, should know that itAmerica and shouldn't be surprised that this is what it's become.

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I don't think people were shocked by the racism, they know that never went away. I" think they are shocked that these people are proudly Nazis. I never thought in 2017 we would see thousands of Nazis attacking people in America, you learned that that was on the opposite side of the planet many decades ago.

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not what they're saying

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Eh. ONTD doesn't read, and when we do, it isn't for comprehension.

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she prob sent some on her troll accounts lbr

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Drag her for her racism and flippant use of the n-word too

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I'm dying at the fan contacting netflix lmao, stans are too much

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I hope Netflix goes "Looks good sis."

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lmao mte

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LOL

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This is even more pathetic than the Selena stans going after ppl rightfully calling her out for working with that pedophile.



These idiots need to be slapped.

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you would be shocked. cubans in miami at least don't seem to get it tbh.



Edited at 2017-08-13 11:33 pm (UTC)

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It's sad but I didn't realize how fucked up some Cubans are before I listened to the lebatard show.

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I've read many stories about Cubans being super anti-immigration and racist.



Also, I got friends in America that are super unaware of racism just because therefore passing.

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true for the mexican side, but many cubans are just white (with a dash of super anti-communism aka conservatism if they live in america) and behave accordingly



(after googling, her mom is white af and her dad is white-passing)



Edited at 2017-08-14 12:25 am (UTC)

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People obviously mean this SHOULD not be US/America but people on the other side take it so literally



But I don't care about camila so whatevs











Edited at 2017-08-13 11:23 pm (UTC)

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or she could've just said "this shouldn't happen"

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But hey she's an easy target let's all direct our frustrations to camila instead of the real enemies But the #thisisnotamerica us etc tag exits. She probably saw it and used itBut hey she's an easy target let's all direct our frustrations to camila instead of the real enemies

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We'd like to believe that but there's plenty of people willing to say racism "isn't that bad" and those are the ones that are shocked all of a sudden. He has no tact but he dos have a point.

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Frankly, as a Jew with family who died in the camps I also find it flat-out disgusting that my fellow white people keep acting like we've only "just" seen the return of white supremacists and Nazis. Let's forget the fact that the US didn't give a fuck about the death camps (which they knew about) until Pearl Harbor, and then still threw Japanese American citizens into camps. But suddenly everyone wants to think their paw-paw would cry about America today because of some assholes holding tiki torches because we now want to label them Nazis out of a convenient narrative? Fuck that.



We all* have blood on our hands, and refusing to acknowledge it is why we're here now. Using the bullshit propaganda of WWII is just a further way for us to pretend otherwise.



*white people



Edited at 2017-08-13 11:25 pm (UTC)

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but we didn't kill the japs, we were just scared!!!!!! they could've been spies!!!! even the babies!

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"I mean, maybe some of them 'accidentally kind of died due to harsh and inhospitable conditions and then we stole and sold their property, land, etc.' but it was a different thing we promise!"

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I so agree with you on these sentiments! Also, wasn't the 1930s a highly anti-Semitic/fascism growing in the US as well. And aren't there so small towns that are supposedly "whites-only," or Neo-Nazi towns essentially?

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exactly! antisemitism GREW in the us during the holocaust because jewish people were blamed for what was happening in europe (ugh, typing that out grossed me out).

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Nothing like saying that it's harder for them to wash off the blood on their hands and such an burden on them becomes heavier. They done diggin' deeper under six feet. They can go ahead cryin us a river with white guilt to death since they ain't learnin one damn thing in name of history, so fuck white people. I can't with them being shook and turnin a blind eye

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Don't forget they turned away a ship full of fleeing Jews knowing exactly what they were sending them back to.

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lmao mte

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ahh who can forget her standing up for the black community by using the n-word #trueallyship

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1- This is AmeriKKKah



2- Camila's tweet is trash as most celebs who want to be politically active but walking a fine line to not be seen as controversial aka Gaga.



3- I don't know who this person is or follow, but good for ha if she quotes other celebs besides this boring sad excuse for a pop star. If she didn't, why ha? Someone spill the tea.

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lmao this is literally America though. Americans like to forget how WWII played out and how beneficial it was to the American economy. But Americans can keep deluding themselves that they joined WWII because "we hated Nazis and pearl harbor happened."

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Also the total erasure of what they did to Japanese Americans, or what they did to black people all through the war -- even the ones who served and died for their country.

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Yes! Also important. It's disgusting how little black soldiers are mentioned (on all sides tbh).My family is Jewish and moved to the UK just before WWII. My great-Grandad enlisted at 15 and went to fight, and got shot for it (he survived). The way Americans talk about WWII infuriates me because honestly, they don't know shit. I'm extra salty about this today because of how twitter has been posting uncle sam shit.

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We didn't even want Jewish refugees, if that doesn't say everything about us idk what does.

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I am forever fascinated at the U.S. pretending they weren't such anti-Semitic assholes that they initially brushed off the Holocaust as tabloid filth and essentially ~not our problem~

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Preach, sis!



Also I wonder, how much of this (including everything brought up in this thread) is actually being taught in US schools? The shit that the US is responsible for was glossed over a LOT when I went, I dunno how bad it is today in public school but it was really poor 10+ years ago. The teachers wanted to paint America as the big hero, rme. Although I guess you could also argue that today there's no excuse for not being educated on this since information is WAY more accessible now than ever.



A few years ago I was friends with a mod on a board who had posted about how much death America was responsible for historically and how it made her hate America and never want to come here. I replied saying I could understand why she felt that way and agreed with the point she made about wars, and this one woman jumped in replying to me saying "Fuck you. If you don't like America then get the fuck out." Like okay ma'am, stay delusional about what our country's always done and keep living in your ~patriotic denial full of bumper stickers and burgers.

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Preach!



Random but I feel like they wiki'd the shit out of our history books and sweep everything fucked up under their rug. Glad America is getting exposed and its wig snatched tbh. Rinse and repeat!

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I can't imagine being such a fan of a person that I feel the need to go after other people on social media and/or get so defensive of them. It's not like they care about the topic they just feel the need to blindly defend someone.

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imagine stanning for her LMAO can't relate



Edited at 2017-08-13 11:36 pm (UTC)

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mte, stan culture is so ugly

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Teenage standom. I've been there

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reminds me of those ~america is good because america is great~ people

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lmao this trump supporter at work was like this country is so amazing! so great! and i was just like 

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What do they even think is great about this country? What is allegedly supposed to make it "great" is immigrants and living together despite cultural differences and these idiots don't even want that lol

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I hate when people say that.

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Not too long ago Brazilian state oil company Petrobras was the most indebted oil & gas company in the world. The long-suffering company has faced dire mismanagement while being weighed down by allegations of involvement in Brazils widespread corruption. But thats all changing.

Despite being a subject of the massive Lava Jato investigation, in which executives are accused of accepting bribes in exchange for contracting construction firms at inflated rates, things are turning around for Petrobras. Now, thanks to new management and their recently-discovered pre-salt wells, Brazil is the comeback story of the year.

Discovered only 10 years ago, Brazils pre-salt area has rapidly become the biggest oil-producing area in the country. Just this week Petrobras discovered commercial oil in a whole new pre-salt area known as the Marlim Sul Field in the Campos Basin, located about 71 miles off the shore of Rio de Janeiro.

Because pre-salt layers are so deep underground (they are the geological layers that were laid before a layer of salt was created by the Gondwana breakup about 160-180 million years ago) they are quite costly and difficult to drill in, but hold massive potential for production.

Brazil just announced a fantastic first half, with pre-tax profits reaching $4.4 billion in 2017, a staggering increase from $395 million a year ago. This is thanks in huge part to falling production and exploration costs, which dropped by 68 percent.

Related: Oil Rises, But Saudis Face Daunting Dilemma

In June Brazilian oil output rose nearly a full percent from May to a daily average of 2.675 million barrels. Production in the pre-salt areas alone skyrocketed to an average of 1.353 million bpd, a growth of 6.4 percent from May. In July, for the first-time output from the pre-salt wells surpassed the rest of the countrys fields combined.

Now, according to Petroleo Brasileiro SA Chief Executive Officer Pedro Parente, oil is being extracted from the pre-salt offshore wells at the jaw-dropping cost of just $8 per barrel. This is an investment opportunity that has not gone unnoticed, attracting domestic as well as foreign interests to invest heavily in exploration in the previously stagnant market.

The countrys largest pre-salt producing field, known as Lula, is operated entirely by Petrobras, but the Brazilian company only own a 65 percent stake as part of a consortium including U.S.-based Shell (25 percent) and Portugal-based Galp (10 percent). While not a big player at Lula, after Petrobras and Shell, the third biggest oil producer in Brazil is the UKs Repsol currently producing an average of 81,000 barrels per day.

Despite the strong production rates and accelerated foreign investments in the Brazilian marketplace, there is also concern that depending too much on oil could set Brazil on track to follow in Venezuelas footsteps. Thanks to political instability, growing polarization, and rapid de-industrialization, Brazil is not yet out of the danger zone.

Despite the incredible good fortune of the pre-salt discovery, Brazils economy is still volatile. Rio de Janeiro, home of Petrobras, is on the brink of bankruptcy with a myriad of social problems such as skyrocketing rates of drug use, crime, and HIV  not to mention, the states former governor is in prison.

Related: Tesla Successfully Raises Funds As Cash Bleed Continues

While theyve just reached the incredible production benchmark of $8 per barrel, parts of the Brazilian oil industry are still languishing. Sete Brasil, a company specifically set up to build floating rigs for Petrobras and others drilling deepwater has gone bankrupt. Petrobras itself is still under investigation for corruption. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was president when Petrobras struck gold in the pre-salt area off the coast, was recently indicted on criminal charges by a federal court.

Brazil is on the verge of breaking out of third-world labels and into the limelight. They could be well on their way to being an economic superpower - but only if the government can keep a lid on scandal and learn from the mistakes of Venezuela instead of emulating them.

By Haley Zaremba for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) released its monthly oil market report on Thursday, and the news was enough to send WTI below $50 after a brief week-long rally.

The report indicated OPECs production reached a new height in July, as members pumped above and beyond the production cuts agreed to last November and extended this May. Within the group, however, theres lots of potential for disruption, which could send prices up or down depending on circumstances.

Total OPEC production reached its highest level all year, topping out at 32.9 million bpd in July, up 172,600 bpd from June.

Saudi Arabia, the largest producer and de facto leader of OPEC, reported monthly production averaging 10.06 million bpd. The country exceeded its production quota largely due to higher seasonal demand, and will likely lower it again at the end of the summer.

The oil producer has stated it intends to cap exports at 6.6 million bpd in August and believes inventories, which have fallen over the past several months, will continue their decline and allow prices to climb back above $50. A Saudi delegate reported to OPEC that the countrys production was actually 10.01 million bpd.

Iraq and the UAE, which have repeatedly failed to reach their quota targets since November, reported a fall in production. Iraq produced 4.4 million bpd, a decline of about 33,000 bpd from the month before and one which offset the slight increase from Saudi Arabia. The UAE also registered a small decline in production, while Angola reportedly took 19,000 bpd off the market, though this figure is contradicted by direct communication.

The big story, however, is rising production from countries exempt from formal cuts. Libya, which is regaining ground it lost following the collapse of the Qaddafi government in 2011, reported an increase in production for the month Related: This $65 Billion Oil Opportunity Will Never Be Tapped

Libyan output was up to 1.001 million bpd, an increase of over 150,000 bpd from June 2017, according to OPECs secondary sources. Direct communication for Libyan production remains unavailable.

Just this month, Libya has enjoyed a surge in activity from its Sharara field, which was shut down by disruptions earlier this week. The field has been credited for Libyas success in topping out over 1 million bpd last month, and news of its return to operations caused prices to slump on August 6.

Also increasing production was Nigeria. The Sub-Saharan producer is also exempt from cuts as it struggles with an insurrection in the Niger Delta, a major producing region. Nigerian production was up 34,000 bpd in July according to secondary sources; direct communication reported a tremendous 117,000 bpd increase. This represents a seventeen-month high for the country as it struggles to retain its previous position.

Nigerian output is currently averaging around 1.7 million bpd, which remains below the average level in 2015. Should production exceed 1.8 million bpd, it is likely that Nigeria will feel the pressure from the rest of OPEC to cap production.

A steady rise in Libyan and Nigerian production should be expected, as these countries regain their footing and find markets for their light crude blends.

Venezuela continued its tumble in July. The country shed another 15,000 bpd, continuing a streak of steady production declines since 2016, as the countrys economic situation worsens and further pressure is placed on PDVSA, its state-run oil company. Right now Venezuelan output is averaging just under 2 million bpd, a decline from output in 2015, which hovered around 2.4 million bpd.

There is some speculation that a major disruption in Venezuela, perhaps resulting from tougher U.S. sanctions or an outbreak in hostilities between the Maduro government and its opponents, could send prices shooting upward. While the market has proven surprisingly resilient in the face of geopolitical disruptions and increases in tensions, a catastrophe in a major producer like Venezuela, home to the worlds largest oil reserves, could be too much for prices to take. Related: Oil Futures Point To Higher Oil Prices

Yet the take-away from OPECs report is chiefly one of falling expectations. The group has attempted for nearly a year to cut into global inventories through calculated, coordinated supply caps, but the effect on prices has been disappointed. The EIA has indicated that global inventories fell substantially in the first half of 2017, yet remain above their five-year averages.

CNBC reports that the resolve among oil producers to cap production as inventories keep falling and prices hover at or below $50 is beginning to slip. While Nigeria and Libya were chiefly responsible for the historic level of production in July, most OPEC members pumped past their agreed-to limits.

Despite Saudi talk of getting OPEC production under control, and hints that deeper cuts are on the table, its possible that compliance will slip even further in August, while members like Libya and Nigeria pump more to offset losses in Venezuela. The end result may be what weve seen for months: OPEC efforts to cap production sabotaged by differing priorities and circumstances among member states.

By Gregory Brew for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Disqualified Nawaz Sharifs road journey to Lahore 13 August, 2017 By Asif Haroon Raja

Related News Govt finalises draft of national security policy: Nisar Govt okays targeted action in Karachi Related Articles Horde of Enemies surrounding Pakistan

By By Asif Haroon Raja Dirty role of International NGOs in Pakistan

By By Asif Haroon Raja Related Speakout More on this View All Govt determined to transform Pakistan into truly democratic society: Rasheed

Govt finalises draft of national security policy: Nisar

Govt okays targeted action in Karachi

Karachi violence: 10 more killed

Int'l aid can help Pakistan be anchor of stability: FoDP

Pakistan's existence not jeopardised at all: FM Qureshi

Pakistani state is not going to collapse, says Zardari Related News Poll Are you in support of amending the law to raise the strength of the Supreme Court to 27 from 17? Panama case dented Pakistans progress



Pakistan had begun to get stronger at the start of 2016 after tidying over energy crisis, economic crisis, and existential threat of terrorism. Target killings, kidnapping for ransom and extortion in Karachi had almost ended. Up swinging of macro-economic indicators together with launching of $46 billion worth CPEC opened up broad vistas for economic progress and prosperity. The dream of making Pakistan an Asian Tiger looked real. Amid the happy tiding Panama scandal cropped up from out of the blue which gave a chance to the political rivals of PML-N to block and pull down the rising graph of affluence. From April 2016 onwards, the PTI assisted by electronic and social media riveted the nation towards Panama issue alone. Removal of Nawaz Sharif (NS) from power which Imran Khan (IK) relentlessly pursued since June 2013 became his goal. This ambition bred negativism, intolerance, hatred and dissipation of morality.



Culture of allegations, abuses, slander became a norm because of which social and human values dipped low. NS was presented as the most corrupt man this country had ever seen and responsible for the afflictions of Pakistan. For unknown reason, the apex court hearing the high profile case gave suggestive and loaded statements, thereby providing fodder to the media to indulge in sensationalism. It made no effort to curb media war by both sides. Notwithstanding the outright negativity of PTI and rating hungry media, the ruling regime kept its focus on development, while the security forces kept fighting the foreign paid proxies.



Impact of Supreme Court decision



The decision of 5-member Supreme Court Bench (SCB) on July 28 against NS made his opponents particularly IK led PTI euphoric, but shocked the ruling PML-N and its allies. The PTI didnt bother about the political vacuum that occurred and its hazardous repercussions, but rejoiced over the thought that victory was within its grasping reach. Its optimism rested on the assumption that the PML-N fort would crack up and at least 50 MNAs would join PTI or PML-Q. Lot of work had been done in this regard and it was expected that old PML-Q lawmakers who had reverted to mother party and some others would join the celebrations of PTI on July 30. These defections in their view would make it impossible for the PML-N legislators and their allies to win simple majority of 172 seats for the next PM and thus pave the way for early elections.



Apparently, the wind started to blow entirely in favor of rivals of NS after his disqualification from holding public office for life. The PML-N seemed to be on a downhill journey as a national party with no hope of recovery. For them NS and his family had become history and there was nothing stopping PTI from gaining power. It was shortsightedness and wishful thinking and nothing else.



Political vacuum bridged



So far nothing of the sort has happened as assumed by foes of NS. The defendants of the Panama scandal case and the ruling regime accepted the Supreme Court (SC) decision but didnt agree with it and decided to opt for review petition and to take the case to the people. On 01 August, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was elected new PM securing 221 votes. Allied parties NP, PkMAP, JUI-F and MQM (Pakistan) voted for Khaqan. Opposition couldnt put up a consensus candidate because of which their votes splintered. PPP candidate won 46 votes, PTIs candidate Sheikh Rashid 33 votes and Jamaat Islami candidate 4 votes.



Soon after, a new 43-member cabinet was sworn in and the political void was filled. Slot of Foreign Minister lying vacant for 4 years was also filled by Asif Khawaja, while Ishaq Dar and Saad Rafique retook their old ministries of Finance and Railways. Ahsan Iqbal and Khurram Dastagir took over Interior and Defence Ministries respectively. It has now been decided that Khaqan will continue to perform as PM till next elections in May 2018, while Shahbaz Sharif (SS) tipped as his relief will stay put as CM Punjab. SS will also take over as president of PML-N after vacation of the seat by NS.



No dent in NS popularity



What is most bewildering for many is that NS has not lost his old gloss and popularity within the party parliamentarians and among the voters of PML-N. After his disqualification, the parliamentary party meeting on Jul 29, 2017 reposed full confidence in NS leadership and with one voice termed the July 28 verdict as a judicial oversight, and vowed to support him. He named the new interim PM and the future PM and also approved the names of new cabinet members. A glimpse of his popularity among the people was seen on his two-way journey to Murree and back to Punjab House and now it is being further echoed by the human sea of his fans moving with his convoy to Lahore.



Game changing road journey



NS changed his initial decision to proceed to his hometown Lahore on August 6 via Motorway and has embarked on a 400 km road journey along GT Road on August 9. His cavalcade will pass through PML-Ns 14 constituencies and at each constituency NS will be welcomed by slogan-chanting and flag-waving Leaguers. He will terminate his journey at Data Durbar Lahore by next Friday.



Huge preparations were made and security arrangements tied up. PM Khaqan and PML-N lawmakers hugged him and saw him off at Punjab House at 1130 hours while many accompanied him. His fans emotionally kissed his vehicle and showered rose petals. A container equipped with resting facilities accompanied NS and catered for night-stay facility at one-two cities. Senior hawkish leaders of PML-N have started to heat up the political temperature to trigger sympathy wave for NS. The epic road caravan may prove to be a game changer.



Anxieties of foes of NS



Alarmed and flabbergasted by the sudden change of tide, the PTI leaders are making hue and cry as to how come a disqualified PM on whom references have been filed in the trial court can take part in politics. They demanded that he and his family members should be put on exit control list. A case was moved in the SC on August 7 requesting it to disallow NS from undertaking the road move. The petitioner took the plea that the move is intended to discredit the judiciary. Impressed by the turnout of PML-N workers and fans, the SC turned down the petitions.



Woes of IK



IK is faced with court cases ranging from his partys foreign funding to purchase and sale of his flat in London and purchase of huge land in Banigala in Isbd over which he built a palatial house and his luxurious lifestyle without any source of income. He is at risk of being disqualified. Bounce-back by PML-N has distressed him.



As if these worries were not enough, his partys MNA Gulalai from Waziristan levelled accusations against IK and called him characterless on account of sending her erotic messages on his mobile phone. She stated that scruples of women parliamentarians and workers in PTI are unsafe. She also accused PTI Ministry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) of being involved in corruption.



It created an uproar and put IK on the defensive. PTI women parliamentarians feeling sheepish are in ugly mood and are berating well-educated and bold Gulalai who is eloquently and forcefully putting forward her grievances. She has left her party but much to the chagrin of PTI, she refuses to vacate her seat. A parliamentary committee has been formed to probe the truth, but IK is reluctant to appear before it.



Efforts to scare NS



To frighten NS, PTI recalled PAT leader Tahirul Haq Qadri (TuQ) based in Canada. Opportunist TuQ with dubious track record seized the opportunity and suddenly landed at Lahore on August 8 and held a public meeting at Nasir Bagh which was attended by PTI leaders and Sheikh Rashid. TuQ announced that he will reinvigorate the July 2014 Model Town case in which 14 workers of PAT were killed during a clash with the police. After the fall of NS, TuQ hopes to get SS and Rana Sanaullah disqualified through apex court/JIT and then demolish the PML-N Punjab fort. He exhorted his followers to be prepared to stage a decisive sit-in in case blood money was not paid to the families of 14 victims.



Propaganda machinery of PTI has been geared up to further heap abuses on the cast-off NS and IK has decided to hold a public meeting on 13th to water down the impact of NS road move. Punjab PPP leaders are also shamefacedly trying to undermine the strength of supporters of NS who have come from far distances in large numbers. ARY TV and some other channels as usual are giving false coverage. There is so much of rush that the huge caravan of vehicles and walkers has till 9 pm not reached Committee chowk on Murree Road where NS will hold his first address. NS will spend the night at Punjab House Rwp from where he had started in the morning.



IKs improper sarcasm



IK has sarcastically asked NS that he should tell who signaled him to come on roads. Before NS answers his silly question, IK should first tell the nation who signaled him and TuQ to undertake a long march from Lahore to Isbd in July 2014, assault the PTV building, Parliament and PM Houses, stage a six-month sit-in at D-Chowk to paralyse the government and put people of twin cities to great inconvenience. IK should tell who told him to lock down Islamabad on Nov 2, 2016. He should answer Javed Hashmis allegation that he changed his mind when a better course was offered to him by the apex court judge to remove NS and dissolve the NA through courts.



IK should state who signaled rabble rouser TuQ to reach Lahore posthaste and make it difficult for NS to enter Lahore on 9/10 August by staging a sit-in and blocking the entry road. TuQ had almost decided to do so but then sense prevailed and he changed his mind. He is also required to extend support to PTI candidate contesting NA-120 seat, the result of which will prognosticate the future political strength of PML-N and PTI.



IK had lost in May 2013 elections but he never reconciled to it despite the apex court ruling that elections were free and fair. His allegations were entirely based on suspicions and conjectures. NS is not reconciling with the apex court judgement based on controversial JIT report and he smells conspiracy.



NS says that he was not disqualified on account of corruption, but on a frivolous charge of receiving salary from the Capital FZE Dubai based Company owned by his son Hassan Nawaz of which he was a Chairman. NS says he was not convicted on charges made by the petitioners, but was sentenced for not mentioning the salary he had not drawn, as receivable (asset) in his 2013 income tax return. He has decided to seek a review petition and to request the chief justice to appoint a larger bench to hear his case.



Some queries/realities



While IK was never questioned as to why he has not reconciled with 2013 elections; NS is being ridiculed for not reconciling to the apex court judgement?



One may ask PTI leaders as to why they have got so upset over the road convoy led by a disqualified and powerless man. If according to them he is a highly unpopular and despised leader, then what is the worry? Let the people boo him. This road move will give a clear glimpse of NS popularity or unpopularity.



Unlike IK, NS doesnt intend to stage a prolonged sit-in or to lock down a city to cause inconvenience to the public. It will be a two to three days journey and will be undertaken peacefully.



If IK has been holding public meetings for the last 3 years to convince the public that he was a clear winner in 2013 elections but he lost on account of massive rigging, why cant NS present his case to the public that he has been wronged and the peoples mandate not respected?



IK despite being out of power, took the country for a ride all these years and made a mockery of all the state institutions including the Parliament, Election Commission and the SC, but was not obstructed, imprisoned or disqualified. While he left no stone unturned to boot out NS, the ruling regime refrained from deposing PTI government in KP despite constant coaxing by Fazlur Rahman. It also didnt make any effort to block his politics of slander through social media.



NS was a democratically elected leader with a heavy mandate and had produced highly pleasing results in his 4-year rule. Not a single mega corruption scandal took place whereas there were dozens during PPP rule under Zardari. This is what has pained NS that in spite of his all-round performance which none can deny, he has been unseated from PM seat prematurely and disqualified for life under Articles 62 (1) (f), terming him as dishonest and untruthful.



The matter doesnt end here. Several references have been sent to National Accountability Bureau (NAB) against NS and his 3 children for trial and given time frame to start the proceedings within 45 days and complete the trial in six months. On top of it, a SC judge has been mandated to supervise NABs progress which is unprecedented. Supervision of JIT by 3-Member Implementation Bench was also unparalleled.



NS has strong reasons to suspect that the decision was predetermined and feels he has the right to present his case before the people who had voted him to power and still hold him in highest esteem. He rightly says that he never committed a penny worth corruption throughout his 35-year political history. He draws strength from the unity within the ranks of PML-N and the eyebrows raised by legal luminaries and analysts both inside and outside the country about the courts decision. During his addresses on his way to Lahore, he may share his grouses with his supporters.



Views of Legal experts/analysts



Legal experts say as to why the SCB disqualified him for life on the findings of JIT when the respondents had raised so many objections against the biased attitude of JIT.



They ask as to why it announced the verdict without ascertaining the validity of references through the trial court, whether he was guilty or not? The nation would have been quite satisfied had a charge of corruption, or embezzlement or money laundering been proven against NS.



They ask as to what was the grave emergency to take this extreme decision at a time when the country was faced with grave internal and external dangers, it was getting ripe for an economic takeoff, and there were few months left for the next elections?



Wasnt a smooth political transition better for growth of democracy than futilely trying to cure the cancer of corruption by axing one rich family?



Was it that the decision couldnt be pended because the country was economically sinking as had happened in 2012/2013?



Or the ruling elite was callously gobbling up the resources and breaking all records of corruption as was done by previous regime?



Or the country was at the verge of disintegration due to terrorism in FATA, Baluchistan and Karachi as was the case in 2013?



Or the constitution and rule of law were being compromised and there was wide scale nepotism and poor governance?



Or the regime had become a security risk similar to Memogate scandal in Oct 2011, and Altaf Hussains diatribe against Pakistan on August 22, 2016?



If NS had become a security risk owing to his suspected softness and closeness with India on account of business interests, he should have been disqualified on this charge and not on Iqama. But which leader has ever been punished on account of his/her ties with India?



If any of these fears were non-existent, then should it be assumed that urgency of IK to seize power in a jiffy was considered as most pressing and in national interest?



Current Situation



The internal situation although returning back to normal is in actuality in a state of flux. The ones who have engineered the political instability after dividing the society to halt Pakistans economic progress must be sitting with cans of kerosene oil in their hands to fuel ongoing political polarization and instability.



PML-N, PPP, PTI, PML-Q, JI, JUI-F and PAT together with smaller regional parties are flexing their muscles. PTI-PAT nexus is eager to achieve their objectives by resorting to violent means, while PML-N leaders want NS to be absolved by the apex court and restored to power.



Hafiz Saeed heading Jamaatud Dawa and placed under house arrest has decided to enter the political arena by launching his party. Besides Samiul Haq party JUI (S) and ASWJ, all defunct extremist groups will join this party to save themselves from the claws of Raddul Fasaad. Possibility of grand alliance of religious parties like MMA cannot be ruled out.



The proxies on payroll of foreign agencies are eagerly waiting for the political duel to get out of control so that they can strike their targets with ease.



Daesh has been brought into Afghanistan by CIA-RAW for use against Afghan Taliban and Pakistan and to keep the pot of terrorism boiling for next 10 years.



Threat perception. Externally, Pakistan faces hostile India, Afghanistan and USA; lukewarm Iran, not-so-friendly GCC states. Sinister objectives of Indo-US-Afghanistan against Pakistan remain unchanged. Internally, war on terror is still raging with no end in sight. Politicians are at each others throats. PML-N relations with the Establishment and judiciary are tense.



Hoax of corruption and accountability



Is it not a fact that menace of corruption in Pakistan is endemic; it has seeped into all segments of society and the society suffers from moral decay? Political system is dogged by corruption. Can across the board accountability be undertaken without the accountability bill, which is yet to be framed and passed by the parliament, without an independent Ehtesab Commission and without correcting the flaws in criminal justice system?



Elites of Sindh notorious for corruption have saved themselves by framing their own accountability law to keep NAB at bay. NAB in KP was inactive till Gulalais revelation. Holy cows have remained above law. Articles 62 (1) (f) and 63 are most likely to be scrapped by the parliament since none among the parliamentarians pass the litmus test of these clauses.



If that be so, who will perform the surgery to remove the malignant part and cure the cancer of corruption? From where will we find honest and upright surgeons and if we succeed in finding some, will they be allowed to perform the surgeries of the entire elite class when seen in the backdrop of divided society, polarized political class, dynastic politics, curse of materialism, feudal nepotism, and lack of social justice?



Can this cancer be cured before first reforming the education system, carrying out ideological reformation of the society as a whole to upgrade moral turpitude, reforming the electoral system to elect morally clean leaders, reforming bureaucracy, and last but not least reforming the judiciary to dispense justice fairly?



Ground realities



It must not be forgotten that PPP has turned into a regional party and suffers from leadership crisis and internal malaise. Possibility of its revival is so far bleak. Political forces in Sindh are joining hands to end PPP misrule in Sindh.



PTI has no seat in Sindh and Baluchistan. PTI has failed to deliver good governance in KP since IK has shown disinterest in parliamentary affairs. It has not won a single seat in bye-elections and its performance in local bodies elections was dismal. It seems that PTI may lose power in KP in the wake of its opponents ganging up to move vote-of-no-confidence against Pervez Khattak. With so-called electable PPP leaders with murky past record swamping PTI, the party has lost its trumped up credentials of being a party of cleans. The reputation of IK himself is at stake. It has become a party of opportunists hungering to enter corridors of power. So, on what moral ground it claims to build Naya Pakistan and how does it qualify to start across the board accountability process if voted to power unless it first cleanse its own house?



PML-N is the only national party with strong roots in all the provinces including AJK and Gilgit Baltistan. NS is the lone leader who was elected PM thrice with heavy mandates, but each time he was ousted from power prematurely on unconvincing grounds. Yet, he has some feathers in his cap. He continues to act as a glue for his party and his appeal to his voters will be tested in the ongoing road journey. The way the sea of his supporters are welcoming him has dispelled the



propaganda of PTI that he has lost his popularity. He is still the most popular leader of Pakistan. While Bhuttoism has kept PPP alive, sway of NS, which has further wired up because of the sympathy wave, will help PML-N to once again win next elections with a thumping majority.



It is still to be seen how the PTI and PAT reacts to the power show of PML-N, and whether it will have any impact on the judicial course. Reversal of the SCB decision is least likely, unless a larger bench is formed and it takes a lenient view and it calls off trial by NAB and reduces his disqualification sentence.



Judiciary had gained ascendency over the parliament after its July 28 verdict, but has come under pressure as a result of power show of NS and its credibility is under duress.



After NS, SS is the best bet for Pakistan. Besides his outstanding administrative skills, statesmanship, rich experience of handling problems of compound nature and leadership qualities, he is a go-getter, workaholic and indefatigable. He enjoys deep ties with Presidents of Turkey and China and has earned their respect. He is an asset for Pakistan and he has the capability, drive and willpower to build Naya Pakistan and none else. Although the critics will criticize this suggestion saying it will strengthen dynastic politics, but owing to leadership crisis, this factor may have to be ignored.



Courses open



Under the circumstances, the preferred course open is to forge unity, let the political process continue unhampered, strengthen economy and save the country from external and internal threats, and work for smooth transition of power next year. Till then, carryout essential reforms, pass effective accountability bill and empower NAB. Other weaker courses open are across the board accountability without an apparatus and then elections, or abrupt change of regime followed by accountability.



The writer is a retired Brig, war veteran, defence, security and political analyst, columnist, author of five books, Vice Chairman Thinkers Forum Pakistan, Director Measac Research Centre, editor-in-chief Better Morrow and editor of web site The Patriot. Takes part in TV talk shows and delivers talks. asifharoonraja@gmail.com














Shahbaz Sharif to investigate death of 12-year-old boy

GUJRAT: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has formed a high-ranking inquiry team to investigate the tragic death of 12-year-old Hamid Chughtai after being hit by vehicles included in the cavalcade of ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Lalamusa on Friday.



Police have formally nominated the vehicle, which first hit the boy, into the already registered case. The vehicle has been identified with the help of video footage.



The inquiry team is being headed by Additional Inspector General of Police Abu Bakar Khuda Bakhsh with a retired inspector general of prison police, Kaukab Nadeem Warraich, and Additional Secretary of Home Department Tahir Qayyum as its members.



The inquiry team began its work by Saturday afternoon in Lalamusa where it inspected the site of the accident, besides recording statements of witnesses, the complainant and other people.



The inquiry team will submit its detailed report to the Punjab chief minister. The timeframe under which the team has been asked to complete the report is yet to be ascertained, but sources in the police said that the team might complete its report within a few days.



A BMW vehicle carrying registration number SS 785 has been identified by the police. The vehicle has been nominated in the FIR number 216/17 lodged with the Lalamusa city police station on the complaint of Fazal Elahi, an uncle of the deceased boy.



The owner of the vehicle and the person who was driving it at the time of the accident have so far not been traced.



Gujrat SP Maaz Zafar told Dawn that the police were making all-out efforts to trace and arrest the owner and the driver of the vehicle.



Meanwhile, the deceased boy was laid to rest in a local graveyard on Saturday. Funeral prayers for him, held at the Behari Colonys public park along the GT Road, was attended by Minister of State Jafar Iqbal, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawazs lawmakers Mian Tariq Mehmood Dinga and Ashraf Deona, former finance minister of Punjab Tanveer Ashraf Kaira, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insafs district president in Gujrat Chaudhry Ilyas, Jamaat-i-Islamis (JI) emir in Gujrat Dr Tariq Saleem, chairman of Lalamusa municipal committee Nadeem Asghar Kaira and a large number of local people.



Rehmat, father of the deceased boy, was said to be in bad health since he heard the news of his sons death on Friday when he reportedly suffered some heart problems. He attended the funeral prayers and was sent back home because of his bad condition.



According to sources, Rehmat is a poor man and works as a labourer.



Strict security arrangements were made during the funeral prayers as well as during the visit of the inquiry team in Lalamusa where senior police officers along with a heavy contingent of personnel were deployed throughout the day.



JI Emir Sirajul Haq is scheduled to visit Lalamusa on Sunday morning where he will offer his condolences to the grieved family.



Meanwhile, relatives of 50-year-old Khalid Hussain, who also died after being hit by a vehicle in the ousted prime ministers cavalcade on Friday, have so far not lodged a complaint with the police. A retired soldier of the army, Mr Hussain was said to be working as a security guard in a private company.



He belonged to Chak Peerana village, located along the GT Road between Lalamusa and Kharian. According to sources, no official has so far contacted the family of Mr Hussain.
I am interested in wood chips from Pine, Birch and Spruce. We buy about 500m/t per mounth for pellet plant. Please send me price FCO for this type of wood chips.
We are producing wooden briquettes and pellets. So we need sawdust and chips.

We prefer: oak, birch, pine, spruce.

Our own bomass-powered CHP power plant will launch soon so we will need a lot of sawdust and chips for sure.

You can offer us a price for the whole car. Destination: Zory, Poland.

Please notice that we need pure wood, with no MDF and other chemicals.
One of my favorite Woody Allen lines is, "I'm not afraid of death. I just don't want to be there when it happens." Death ...
In March of 1980, Cheryl Jones was eating at a naval base commissary in New Orleans when she was approached by a woman with a camera.

The woman said she was a photographer for a magazine that was doing a beautiful baby contest, and she wanted to submit pictures of Jones and her 10-week-old daughter. Jones agreed.

A few days later, the woman returned, claiming Jones and her baby had won the contest. And she asked Jones to come with her to collect her prize.

Sixteen hours later, Jones was dead.

For years, Jones' death was ruled a suicide until detectives in Alabama noticed some similarities to another homicide. And now, Jones' daughter  Amanda Bell, of Auburn  is looking to keep her alleged killer behind bars.

According to Bell, the woman with the camera was Jackie Schut, who was convicted of murdering a woman and kidnapping her infant son in Athens, Alabama, in 1987. That case, Bell said, was eerily similar to her own.

"The more people dig, the more bizarre it gets, and it gets to the point where it's almost hard to believe," she said.

The day after Jones was told she had won the contest, maids discovered her body in a Houston hotel. Jones' baby, Bell, had also been kidnapped, but was returned to her father unharmed.

"What was happening is Jackie was kidnapping these babies to sell them," Bell said. "The financial transaction to purchase me had actually already occurred ... but at the last minute, someone handed me to a cab driver with $20 and asked that he return me to my father. By the grace of God, he did."

Schut's husband, Harold Schut, was ultimately convicted of murdering Jones in Texas in 1988. But Jackie Schut was never prosecuted.

"(Harold) confessed to the crime in a hypothetical manner," Bell said. "He did implicate (Jackie) and admitted she helped him, but she was never charged."

Both Harold and Jackie Schut were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for the very similar crimes. Now, 30 years later, Jackie Schut has become eligible for parole.

Jackie Schut has never admitted her involvement in any of the crimes, including a child prostitution ring in Washington. That is why Bell said it has become so important for her to fight Schut's parole.

"I couldn't sit back when there is the potential that she will be released," she said.

Since learning of Schut's parole hearing, Bell has collected more than 1,200 signatures in an online petition to keep Schut in prison. She said she plans to attend the hearing in Alabama on Aug. 29.

"I want these people to see my face and hear my voice and know that I'm a person and that this deeply affected me," Bell said. "I basically feel like it's my duty to give my mother the voice she never had."
Establishing a state minimum wage and a permanent workmans compensation system in New York were among the issues on the platform when Hudson Falls Village President Russel C. Paris ran for state Assembly in 1912 on the Progressive Party line.

Paris, a physician and bank board member, was the opening speaker at a Sept. 27, 1912 rally at Monument Park in Saratoga Springs with Frederick M. Davenport, the Progressive Party candidate for lieutenant governor.

The gatering was a representative one, being composed of Democrats, Republicans, Bull Mooses and the fairer sex, the latter being in attendance in considerable numbers, The Post-Star reported on Sept. 28, 1912.

There was a large Washington County presence.

The Hudson Falls Band escorted Davenport into the park.

Silas E. Everts of Granville, lawyer Howard L. Montgomery of Fort Edward, and Major Sheldon W. Mott of Kingsbury joined Paris and Davenport on the platform at the rally, held at the same time the state Republican Convention was meeting in Saratoga Springs.

Paris praised Davenport, a state senator from Oneida County.

The man to whom you are to listen to is no new convert to the doctrines of progressivism, Paris said. He is one of the men who in the Senate of this state so aptly upheld the hands of that pioneer among Progressives, our own Governor Charles Evans Hughes, a Glens Falls native who as a child lived in Sandy Hill, as Hudson Falls originally was known.

Davenport, in his remarks, took a stab at Republicans, who were meeting to select their candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, according to The Post-Star report, which can be found at The New York State Historic Newspapers web site, a project of public libraries.

They are waiting for an angel of light to make his appearance and then they will nominate him, Davenport said, a apparent reference to a New Testament scripture verse about the devil disguising himself as an angel of light.

Later that day Paris and Davenport spoke at rallies in Hartford and Granville.
So what about a kid who starts playing the blues before most kids can read? A kid thats so good, hes opening shows for B.B. King at 11 and playing alongside John Lee Hooker by 13?

Makes you wonder if a kid like that is just born feeling the guitar screams and wails in his soul. Like its always been part of who he is, like some kids are saying, Yeah, look, Ive got hands, and hes saying, Yeah, look how I slide my fingers across a string.

For blues virtuoso Joe Bonamassa, 40, a Utica native, playing the guitar is what hes been doing for most of his life. And on Tuesday, Bonamassa will be performing just two hours from his childhood home at Saratoga Performing Arts Center as part of his packed Summer US 2017 Tour.

Were doing a more original show and we are changing the set every night, Bonamassa said in an interview Wednesday evening just before his show in Cape Cod. Im not going all jam on you, but were keeping it interesting.

Theres something about the blues, the way the music cries in chords, notes and scales that seem to mirror the human voice. Theres something about the way the guitar squeals and responds with a riff, a scream, a long, bent note or a slow, burning slide.

And for those at a Joe Bonamassa concert, theres something about the way it feels  the way it hits, bone-deep, instinctive, visceral and makes you want to squeal a long, Whoooo, and shout, Yeah!

Born Joseph Leonard Bonamassa, he was playing guitar with his dad, who also played guitar and owned a guitar shop, by the time he was 4. And when his dad played Eric Clapton and other British and Irish blues artists, Bonamassa said he always wanted to make that sound.

Its just a personal taste of mine, its ballsier, he said, referring to artists like Led Zeppelins Jimmy Page and Robert Plant.

When he was 12, Jane Pauleys Real Life aired a story about Bonamassa. At school, like most 12-year-olds, Bonamassa was a bit gawky and at times uncomfortable in his own body. But once on stage, flipping the switch on his amp and lighting up those strings was like flipping a switch on himself.

Playing next to legend John Lee Hooker, his soul was cooking as if he had been doing it for about as long as other naturals like Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton.

Still, on Wednesday he said he didnt realize the magnitude of what he did as a teen and only now can he really see what his early days meant.

Bonamassa has played with the best of the best and the list is long, but he hasnt yet shared the stage with Van Morrison.

I would like to, he said. Hes one of my favorites.

In addition to playing with blues icons when he was 12, Bonamassa was also gigging around western New York and Pennsylvania with his band, Smokin Joe Bonamassa.

At the time, he played a 1972 Fender Stratocaster he called Rosie. And since that time, he has amassed a huge collection, even though he still loves his sunburst 1960 Les Paul.

I have a guitar collection with hundreds of guitars and amplifiers, he said.

Its been a 30-year ride so far for Bonamassa. And much like when he was 12, he seems to have two personalities: The one with and the one without a guitar and a stage.

When not on stage, at least in this interview, he seems more laid back, trusting in today and where the journey takes him. And theres an uncanny irony in some of his choices, like his just released Live at Carnegie Hall  An Acoustic Evening.

I hate acoustic guitar, he said, talking about how he thought, how better to film a guy playing acoustic than on stage at Carnegie Hall.

Why does he hate acoustic guitar?

Its a bit difficult to decipher from the example he shared about a pair of snowshoes on a snowy Saratoga night and about how all youre left with is a good pair of snowshoes.

A rough translation might be, the acoustic guitar doesnt take him where the electric guitar does.

This year, he reconnected with hard-rock band Black Country Communion and they are releasing their fourth album in mid-September.

Its been five years since we made an album. We had some problems for awhile, he said about the split. It was about touring and personal preferences.

Bonamassa has sold more than 3 million albums, he tours over 200 days a year and hes had more No. 1 blues albums than anyone in history.

And because Bonamassa believes in the blues, his nonprofit, Keeping The Blues Alive Foundation, funds programs and scholarships for students and teachers with the desire but no resources to achieve their potential in the music industry. The foundation has been able to fund projects helping more than 30,000 students in the past four years.

Joe Bonamassa absolutely walks the walk when it comes to supporting music education and inspiring the next generation, said Beth Marlis, vice president of Industry + Community Relations at Musicians Institute, in a press release. We are proud of our ongoing partnership with Joe, and were confident that this amazing scholarship opportunity will excite the talents of aspiring guitarists around the world.

On Wednesday, Bonamassa said he lives in L.A., he has a girlfriend and shes a musician, but thats about as much as he would reveal. His parents still live in the home he grew up in and he is just trusting in the rest of the ride to see where he lands.

Ive done 35 albums and Ive been doing this for 30 years. Its lucky Ive been able to parlay this ... to me, its all about the bands, he said. Its about 7:30 or 8 (p.m.) and getting out there.
SARATOGA SPRINGS  Geraldo Guispe, who is from Peru and has been working at Saratoga Race Course as a hot walker for 16 years, is now an American citizen.

On Wednesday morning at the track, while Guispe was helping a horse cool down after exercising, he beamed when asked about his new status.

Oh yes, he said smiling but without breaking his concentration on the horse.

Guispe works for C.J. Domino Horse Racing Stables and has been with Carl and Sophia Domino for all his time at the Saratoga track.

Chaplain Rev. Humberto Chavez said the NY Race Track Chaplaincy education program helped Guispe prepare for the citizenship test.

We have classes to help them understand the history, he said. There are 100 questions about the U.S.

According to Chavez, the group helps backstretch workers submit applications for citizenship at no cost to the employee.

They would have to pay a lawyer about $300, he said. Most guys might not know this is a possibility for them.

The NY Race Track Chaplaincy has many programs to assist workers, said Chavez, who is the chaplain for the Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct tracks.

But its not all about work and immigration. Sometimes its just about having some fun.

For the past 10 years, Saratoga Springs socialite Mary Lou Whitney and her husband, John Hendrickson, have been organizing almost nightly free events during the Saratoga meet for backstretch workers.

On Wednesday morning, Chavez pointed to a large white tent to the right of the recreation hall, where many of the events are held, including international dinners, movies and make-your-own sundae evenings.

Last night we had 80 people on the Minne-Ha-Ha in Lake George, he said.

Chavez, who was born in Mexico City, said he tries to make everything work for the backstretch community. As he travels from area to area at the track, workers exchange greetings with him, some in Spanish, some in English and some in a mixture of both.

He stops at various barns to visit.

He is amazing, said Carl Domino. The two laugh and talk about everyday things.
QUEENSBURY  A New York City woman was jailed Saturday after police seized a large quantity of opioid painkillers during a traffic stop, authorities said.

Regina T. Gavin, 37, of Staten Island, was arrested after Warren County sheriff's officers stopped a vehicle she was in on Route 149 at 12:12 a.m., officials said.

Officers smelled marijuana in the vehicle, and located drug paraphernalia in a passenger's purse, police said. A further search turned up 90 oxycodone pills for which no one had a prescription, authorities said.

Gavin, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was charged with two counts of felony criminal possession of a controlled substance and non-criminal unlawful possession of marijuana, police said. She was being held pending arraignment late Saturday.

The vehicle's driver, whose name was not released, received traffic tickets.

Sheriff's officers Peyton Ogden and Jason Larmore handled the case.
FORT EDWARD  Learning to fly is not that easy.

Even after a few mini-lessons and assurances that the co-pilot can take over instantly, anticipating the first flight is a bit frightening. And when the plane, with its 100-inch wingspan, taxis on the field and lifts off, the virgin pilot is prone to shrieks and worries, even when the plane is only model-sized.

On Saturday morning at the North Country Flying Tigers Model Airplane Clubs gathering on Route 43, this reporter piloted a small aircraft at the urging of club members. But the planes turns dipped too low, accelerations were too fast and straight and the aircraft was quickly too far away. Right turns went left and lefts went right.

There were too many pleas to the co-pilot, Take over! Take over! And in what seemed a split second from crashing the valuable aircraft to bits, it again soared as if a pro took control. And he did.

The patient instructors, Ernie Hoenigmann and Steve Thayer, said it was OK, It takes lots of time and practice. And Thayer, the co-pilot and the club vice president, was quick to say, Ive already got it, meaning he had rescued the plane from certain devastation before the trainee even knew it was in trouble.

Less than eight minutes later, the aircraft was back on the ground, unscathed. When asked, Thayer agreed, Yes, you would have crashed.

Saturdays event was the clubs free open house to celebrate National Model Aviation Day, which was on Saturday. The public was invited to their airstrip to watch some of the advanced flyers swoop, twirl and fly upside-down and to give it a try if they were interested. And several residents from the Washington Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare in Argyle came to enjoy the show.

The point of Model Aviation Day is for newcomers, said Bob Lippman, the club president. We build models to understand aviation.

Boy Scouts from St. Marys in Glens Falls, Troop 2, also tried their hand at neophyte flying the beguiling planes. And they did it with much more ease. Still, even they admitted to problems mixing up the lefts and rights.

Its fun, said Danny Cheney, 14. But I get confused from left and right.

And Nolan Moore, 11, said his experience was pretty good, but it was hard to turn. Moore has never personally been on a full-sized plane. And I dont want to, he said.

Cheneys dad, David Cheney, owns the field the club uses for flying and rents it to the club for $1 a year. They have a 10-year lease.

David Cheney is a commercial jet pilot for Warren Buffetts company, Netjets, he said, adding that he flies a Challenger 350. He is also the assistant Scoutmaster for Troop No. 2.

We camped out here last night, he said.

Given his 22 years of experience piloting a jet, it might seem that piloting a model plane would be an easy feat.

They ask me to try it all the time, David Cheney said. But you cant get me near one.

To fly the model plane, the pilot holds a control box that has the accelerator and a joystick that moves with even the slightest touch. And these fingertip controls look easy, but they take years of training and practice to get the flight engineering accurate and safe.

Elizabeth Conants son, Elihu Conant-Haque, flies a helicopter at the field and is a member of the club. He is legally blind, she said, marveling at how he does it.

Then, Conant recognized the men who came to watch from the Argyle health-care center. Hey guys, she said, obviously happy to see them.

I lead karaoke there, she said as she walked over to retired farmer Arthur Hunt, who now lives at The Washington Center.

He loves to sing You are my sunshine,  she said, and she began singing, with Hunt quickly joining in.

President Bob Lippman said being part of the aviation club is educational, fun and is a chance to socialize with people who share similar interests.

Safety is paramount for members, and club member Nick Garvin is the field marshall. I make sure the field is ready to fly and safe, he said.

In July, the club held a FunFly Airshow and raised more than $2,000 for Make-A-Wish of Northeast New York.

Additionally, because David Cheney is so generous with the field, the club also makes a donation to a charity Cheney chooses, Brian Douglas said, adding, I am the clubs second most senior member. I joined in 1982.
GLENS FALLS  Police believe they know who killed a young mother and her daughter on Friday, but answers to the question why remained elusive as of early Saturday.

Investigators arent sure they will ever know why.

Authorities said Bryan M. Redden, 21, did not offer an explanation for what prompted the attack that left Crystal Riley, 33, and her 4-year-old daughter Lilly Frasier dead with knife wounds in their South Street apartment.

Redden was located around noon Friday, driving Rileys vehicle in Glens Falls about 90 minutes after a relative of Riley discovered the horrific crime scene at her 148 South St. apartment, police said.

Authorities said Redden was interviewed and provided investigators with a detailed statement that was part of the evidence that led to him being charged.

Police said Redden did not volunteer much about the nature of his relationship with Riley, or why he was at her home at about 6:30 a.m. Friday, around when police believe the homicides occurred.

Glens Falls Police Chief Tony Lydon said investigators continued to work on the case Saturday, including trying to figure out more about Riley and Reddens relationship.

They knew each other for a short period of time and are believed to have had some sort of a short-term romantic relationship, but Rileys family did not know her to be formally dating Redden, officials said.

We are still trying to determine the extent of their relationship, Lydon said Saturday.

Police believe Redden acted alone, Lydon said.

Police were working to have cellphones examined to see what communication the two had in recent days. State Police forensic evidence technicians were also called in to go over her home and get evidence from Reddens clothes and body.

Lydon said autopsies on the victims were planned over the weekend, and police planned to update the media on the case Monday.

While Redden boasts of drug use on his Facebook page, police said there was no indication the fatal confrontation was drug-related or that Riley was involved with drugs.

Between the time of the killings and his arrest, Redden had visited a friend who works at SUNY Adirondack and made admissions to her about being involved in the deaths of multiple people, officials said.

That friend went to authorities afterward and was questioned and cooperated with police on Friday.

He had also made a recent post online seeking a room to rent, and told Glens Falls City Judge Nikki Moreschi late Friday that he was homeless.

Friends and neighbors of Riley remembered her Friday as a loving mother of her daughter as well as two older sons who lived with their father. She had worked at a daycare center and as a yoga instructor, and never had any trouble with others, according to friends and neighbors.

Many around the region have reacted with horror at the killing of a mother and child. Others who encountered police roadblocks in the area Friday expressed concern for their childrens safety.

We definitely are not used to these sort of things happening around here, Lydon said.

A candlelight vigil for the victims is planned for 7 p.m. Sunday near Rileys apartment building, at the corner of South and Murray streets, according to organizer Robert Pemberton, founder of a local Stop the Violence movement.

Redden, a native of West Virginia who came to the region last summer when working with a carnival rides company, was charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder Friday night. He was sent to Warren County Jail without bail pending further court action on Tuesday afternoon.
GLENS FALLS  A woman and her young daughter were brutally killed in their home early Friday, and a former boyfriend of the woman was charged with murder hours later for their deaths.

The mother and child, identified in court papers as Crystal Riley, 33, and Lilly Frasier, 4, were apparently stabbed to death. Authorities said Lilly was attacked after she came to her mothers aid when hearing her screams.

The suspect, Bryan M. Redden, 21, of Glens Falls, was taken into custody around noon when he was spotted driving the victims gold Toyota sport-utility vehicle on Bay Street in Glens Falls, police said.

He was charged with one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second-degree murder and was sent to Warren County Jail without bail late Friday after arraignment before Judge Nikki Moreschi. A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf.

Redden is due back in City Court on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., but acting Warren County District Attorney Jason Carusone told the judge that the case would be presented to a Warren County grand jury Tuesday morning, which would render that hearing moot if he is indicted.

Carusone would not discuss details of the killings after the hearing, saying the investigation was ongoing.

Any time a child dies, it is a tragedy, Carusone said.

Redden would not comment as he left court. He spoke in court only to say he was homeless.

First-degree murder alleges a person killed multiple victims, and it is punishable by life in prison without parole.

Redden and Riley had a recent relationship, but no possible motive was disclosed as the investigation continued.

Warren County Public Defender Marcy Flores was appointed to represent him, and she said she had no comment on the case Friday night.

Police acknowledged an arrest had been made but said the investigation was continuing late Friday.

Glens Falls Police Chief Tony Lydon said the suspect was located in the victims vehicle, and did not try to flee police when the SUV was spotted.

Lydon would not say if he was cooperative, but law enforcement sources said he consented to being questioned.

Redden listed a Glens Falls address as his last residence, but the chief said police do not believe he is a native of the area. His social media accounts indicate he went to high school in West Virginia.

The arrest came after a massive police investigation that began when Riley and her daughter were found dead Friday morning in an apartment at 148 South St., at the corner of South and Murray streets. Police have not said when they were killed.

Lydon said Rileys mother went to the home to check on her and found both victims deceased around 10:30 a.m.

Lydon said it was unclear how long they had been dead.

A former boyfriend of the woman who police were seeking Friday morning came to the home shortly after noon, and left with investigators. Police said he was initially the focus of the search, but was cleared of any involvement after the SUV was located with Redden in it.

Investigators from Glens Falls Police, State Police and the Warren County Sheriffs Office spent much of the morning going door-to-door in the neighborhood near Glens Falls Hospital, talking to residents about what they may have seen or heard in recent days.

Police put out a radio bulletin alerting other agencies that they were looking for the victims gold Toyota Highlander sport-utility vehicle in connection with a homicide.

Crime scene tape surrounded the apartment building on the corner of South and Murray streets as police investigated the scene, with a block of the busy street closed into the evening.

According to a next-door neighbor, a woman was heard screaming at the home around 9:30 to 9:45 a.m. Friday. She believed that was around the time the victims relative went to the home and found the bodies, with police arriving moments later.

I was sleeping and all of the sudden I could hear a woman screaming, neighbor Kim Harchar said.

The gray two-story duplex is not known as a trouble spot to neighbors, but one neighbor said police were there about two weeks ago to arrest a man. Police said later that the matter was not at that home, and was not related to the homicides.

Neighbors said Riley and her daughter had lived in the front apartment in the building for about eight years. The two apartments in the building both have first-floor and second-floor rooms.

Viola Wells, who had lived in the building for a decade or so before moving out recently, was near tears as she went to the home Friday morning after hearing about the crime. Many other residents of the neighborhood came by the home as well, shocked at the terrible tragedy.

Wells said Riley had two older sons who did not live in the home, but lived with their father. The two boys had lived in the apartment with their mother for years, she said.

Wells said Riley had worked at a local day care center, and was a good mother. She had also worked as a yoga instructor.

She was such a sweetheart. She got along with everyone, Wells said. This is so shocking. Its just so, so sad.

Wells said Lilly frequently came to her apartment for lollipops.

She was such a beautiful child, she said.

Its an awful waste of a wonderful person and a baby, said former neighbor Dick Wells, Violas husband.

Neighbor Cassidy Lewis said the woman and her children were always pleasant and were good neighbors.

She seemed like a really nice person, Lewis said.

Wells said Riley had a boyfriend who stayed there frequently, and she never saw or heard any trouble at their apartment. Wells moved out a few months ago when the building was sold.

Another neighbor, Charity Steans, said she frequently saw the woman and child coming and going from the home. She said she had not seen the gold vehicle that was used by the woman at the home for several days, but hadnt noticed anything unusual otherwise.

Its quiet over there, she said. They (the victims) lived there for a while. Id always see them going in and out.

It has been a deadly week in the region, as this homicide case is the third in a matter of days in Warren and Saratoga counties. A man was killed in Mechanicville on Monday and two men died in a murder-suicide in Johnsburg on Wednesday.












The head of the Mossad warned Sunday that as the Islamic State terrorist group is beaten back, Iran and its proxies are rushing in to take over its territory.





The areas where Daesh [an Arabic term for IS] presence is decreasing, Iran is working to fill the void, Mossad chief Yossi Cohen said during a security briefing to cabinet ministers on Sunday.









In late 2014, the terrorist group controlled approximately 100,000 square kilometers (38,610 square miles) of territory in western Iraq and eastern Syria, according to the US-based RAND Corporation think tank. (The group also controlled an additional 10,000 square kilometers in Nigeria, Libya, Afghanistan and Egypt.) It started losing ground in 2015 and currently controls less than half that area, or some 36,200 square kilometers (14,000 square miles), according to the IHS Conflict Monitor intelligence think tank.





Israeli security officials have warned that Tehran may use the area of western Iraq and eastern Syria as a land bridge connecting the Islamic Republic to Lebanon, through which it can move fighters and weaponry.





Cohen said Iran is also taking over territory for itself and its proxies in Lebanon and Yemen.









The Mossad chief noted that in the two years since the signing of the Iran nuclear deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, Tehran has not abandoned its desire to develop nuclear weapons, and that the agreement only reinforced that trend and strengthened Iranian aggression in the region.





The JCPOA came under considerable criticism in Israel for its failure to address Irans disruptive non-nuclear activities, and for what Israeli officials described as legitimizing the regime in Tehran and its activities in the region.





During his presentation to the ministers, Cohen said Iran was now enjoying economic growth and international contracts in the deals wake.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded to Cohens presentation by noting that Israel is in no way beholden to international treaties signed by Iran, the Prime Ministers Office said in a statement. The Prime Ministers Office added that Israel will continue to operate with determination and in a variety of ways in order to protect itself from those threats.

































Irans parliament voted Sunday to allocate $520 million to develop its missile program to fight Washingtons adventurism and sanctions, and to boost the foreign operations of the countrys Revolutionary Guards.





The Americans should know that this was our first action, said speaker Ali Larijani, after announcing an overwhelming majority vote for a package to confront terrorist and adventurist actions by the United States in the region.





A total of 240 lawmakers voted for the bill, out of the 244 parliamentarians present.





The vote came after fresh US sanctions in July against Iran, targeting Tehrans missile program.





The bill is backed by the foreign ministry and the government and is part of measures by the JCPOA supervision committee to confront the recent US Congress law, deputy foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. He was referring to a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, known officially as the JCPOA, under which Iran agreed to strict limits on its nuclear program in exchange for an easing of sanctions.

Iran meanwhile has launched ballistic missiles in tests, something it is allowed to do under the deal, despite American criticism. The bill passed Sunday mandates the government to allocate an additional $260 million for the development of the missile program and the same amount to the Revolutionary Guardss foreign operations wing, the Quds Force, state news agency IRNA said. After Larijani announced the vote results, lawmakers shouted: Death to America.
















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ALBANY  In New York state government news, the first official candidate for a vacant Senate seat is promising to work to clean up Albany, and there's a renewed push to provide free feminine hygiene products in schools and emergency shelters.

A look at stories making news:

SQUADRON SEAT

Brooklyn Democrat Daniel Squadron's departure from the state Senate will deprive that body of one of its leading voices for ethics and campaign finance reform, but a candidate to replace him is promising to pick up the mantle.

Assemblyman Brian Kavanagh, a Manhattan Democrat, announced his candidacy the same day Squadron announced his resignation. Kavanagh, now serving his fifth term in the Assembly, cited his work to reform "New York's broken election and campaign finance system, and standing up to special interests."

He's the first contender to announce his campaign for the seat, which represents portions of Brooklyn and lower Manhattan. It's considered safe territory for the Democrats. The winner will be decided in November.

Squadron announced Wednesday that he was taking a job working on political reform at the national level. He'll be working with Columbia University economist Jeffrey Sachs and Hyatt hotels heir Adam Pritzker to address what he called "a growing divide  based on geography, background, opportunity and even truth  that threatens our democracy and our future."

TAMPON ACCESS

New York's local police lock-ups will now be required to provide free feminine hygiene products, but one state lawmaker wants even broader changes.

Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, D-Manhattan, said she will work to pass legislation next year requiring free tampons at emergency shelters and schools as well.

Feminine hygiene products are already provided at state and county correctional facilities. Local police detention facilities will follow suit following a decision by the state's Commission on Correction. Rosenthal said she wants to codify the new regulation in law.

"Ensuring prisoners' access to menstrual hygiene products is not only meeting a basic health need, it is ensuring that prisoners are treated with dignity and humanity," said Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal was the driving force behind legislation in 2016 that eliminated the sales tax on feminine hygiene products.

SUPPORT FOR SENATE LEADER

Senate Leader John Flanagan is earning more praise for his frank admission about his struggles with alcohol.

The Long Island Republican announced earlier this month that he sought treatment after realizing his drinking was "becoming a crutch."

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo quickly praised the leader for seeking help and serving as an example for others.

Flanagan's frequent political rival, Senate Minority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, D-Yonkers, tweeted that "John is a good man and I admire his courage. It is my hope that his bravery encourages others who need help to seek it out."

Assembly Minority Leader Brian Kolb of Canandaigua also expressed admiration for his fellow Republican's courage in discussing "a deeply personal issue."

"His actions should inspire others to seek help and support with their own unique challenges," Kolb said. "I wish him my heartfelt support and best wishes."
With a new group of freshmen about to head off to college, Nancy Stockwell has added self defense classes for college-bound women to her offerings.

Stockwell offers the popular, common-sense based classes at the Bettendorf Life Fitness Center and elsewhere for women and girls of all ages.

She lives on her family's 150-year-old farm in rural Walcott and is a certified instructor who leads classes for girls, ages 9-12, ages 13-15, and, now, for college-bound women.

Stockwell initially became interested in concealed-carry handguns as a method of self defense, but discovered that other women were not as comfortable with guns. "I figured there had to be a middle ground between carrying a hand gun and martial arts. I wanted to find out simple things women could do to defend themselves."

In the beginning, Stockwell started with the parks and recreation department in Cedar Rapids, before pitching the program to Nathan Pittman at the Bettendorf Life Fitness Center.

Pittman, the center's recreation director, said he's always looking for new programming and welcomed the inquiry.

Stockwell developed the classes, first by doing online research. She also found a class similar to what she envisioned in suburban Chicago.

"I wanted common-sense defense methods," she said. "How do women stay safe in the first place?"

Stockwell has taught techniques to females from 8 to 67 years old. These days, she works with Josh Howat at Big Five Power Conditioning, Davenport. Howat offers advice on techniques, and helps her deal with various issues that come up in Stockwell's classes.

Howat sees self-defense as a logical step in personal safety.

"Self-defense is like using a fire extinguisher correctly, compared to being a fireman," he said. There's no need for everyone to be a fireman but all people should know basic fire safety.

Each class Stockwell teaches is different, she said. The instructional methods are age-appropriate; there's a lot of role-playing and offering real-life situations that might come up.

At the college level, Stockwell teaches how to get out of difficult situations, and "easy, simple things to do" if trouble can't be avoided.

For example, she hands out pepper spray and shows the women how it's used. She also hands out free gifts: One is a drink test kit for three date rape drugs commonly used in bars.

"That's when we talk about safe dating," she said.

For the younger ages, she uses an activity book. The girls fill out about half of it, and then take the book home as conversation-starters. "I hope it gives parents a way to have an individual one-on-one with their daughter," she said.

There are videos on bullying, cyber security and "stranger danger." Younger girls talk about bullying much of the time, Stockwell said. Typically, the instructor asks about the form of bullying, and then works out a technique to deal with it, with Howat's help.

According to the Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network, or RAINN, women ages 18-24 years old are four times as likely as women of all ages to experience sexual violence. College women at the same age are three times as likely, and most of it occurs in on-campus housing.

Statistics from various colleges and universities, find rape, assaults, and "fondling" cases on college and universities. These institutions are required to report the crimes because of the federal Clery Act, passed in 1990.

Most of the RAINN research comes from the National Crime Victimization Survey. It indicates four out of five young women do not report sexual violence, because they believe it is a personal matter, they fear reprisal, or they feel the incident is not important enough to report.

Pittman, at the Life Fitness Center, said the self-defense classes are popular all age levels. Classes called "Princess Power" for the youngest ages, consistently sell out.

Stockwell has high hopes for her classes. "My goal is a safer community one woman at a time, and a safer future, one girl at a time," she said.
As court officials debate where to put a 16-year-old Johnson County girl who slashed a treatment center employee, Iowas new Department of Human Services director says a training school for girl delinquents like her will not be built in the state.

There are not enough delinquent girls to fill even a 12-bed facility recommended by a task force, said DHS director Jerry Foxhoven.

It doesnt make sense, he said in a phone interview. Its not just a cost issue but also quality of education for these girls  noting that the very few girls destined for such a facility would likely be spread out over three or four grade levels.

It wouldnt be fair to them or cost-effective for the state, he said.

The issue of what do with girl offenders arose last week when a 6th Judicial Associate District Court judge ordered juvenile court officers to find a secure, restrictive facility  like a training school  to place the 16-year-old, who was convicted in juvenile court of slicing the neck of a Four Oaks employee.

Iowa no longer has a state facility for girl delinquents. The Iowa Juvenile Home and State Training School for Girls in Toledo was closed in 2014 following accusations of unlawful restraining methods and of keeping girls in long-term isolation.

Then-Gov. Terry Branstad appointed a committee to study the facility before deciding to close it. As a result. the 10 girls living there were transferred to out-of-state facilities, detention centers or to adult court.

Foxhoven said the violent Johnson County girl is likely to be placed in an out-of-state facility if the judge finds she needs to be in a training school or group care setting.

Foxhoven acknowledged that the Johnson County girl and any others like her requiring a state training school are under the guardianship of his department. But, he said, juvenile court officers are more familiar with the girls and better able to investigate possible placement for them.

The reality is that theres no place in Iowa for girls ordered to a locked, training school institution. And, Foxhoven said, We cant build it for one girl.

A review hearing for the Johnson County girl is set for Wednesday. Juvenile court officers will update the judge at that time on their progress of finding a placement for the girl in or out of state.

Task force seeks equitable services

The Iowa Girls Justice Initiative report, compiled by a 28-member group spearheaded by the Iowa Task Force for Young Women, issued a 34-page report in February, saying the state should have equitable services for deep-end girls  serious, violent and chronic offenders.

It recommended a secure or staff-secure facility for about 12 girls. The report suggested a residential setting similar to the enhanced residential treatment facilities for boys provided by public treatment centers or private agencies that contract with the state.

Foxhoven said its a different situation at the State Training School for Boys in Eldora. The number of delinquent boys there  94, as of Friday  is much larger.

But if there werent enough boys at the Eldora facility, it, too, would be closed, he added.

As of Thursday, no Iowa girls are placed in out-of-state training schools or in group care settings, said Amy McCoy, DHS spokeswoman.

DHS will continue to add community-based services, as it has done after the girls school closed, Foxhoven said.

Lawsuit asserts out-of-state abuses

Two Iowa girls who had been placed at the Copper Lake School in Irma, Wisconsin, assert in a federal lawsuit they were physically abused and held in long-term isolation there in 2015.

DHS contracted with the Wisconsin facility to take the delinquent girls after the Toledo facility closed in 2014.

In the suit, one of the girls, 16 at the time, said she tried to commit suicide with her nightgown while in isolation for 17 days. She was found unresponsive and, after being revived, was sent back to her cell and sentenced to more isolation.

The girl said in the lawsuit she repeatedly hurt herself by putting her head under a metal cot frame, and that a staff supervisor stood on the cot to increase pressure.

Foxhoven wouldnt comment on the pending suit, except to say that if the allegations are true, he hopes the ones responsible will be held accountable.

It can happen in-state, too  look at what happened at Toledo, Foxhoven added.

Alternate study calls for community care

An alternative report also was filed in February after the Girls Justice Initiative report was issued. The alternative report opposes building a training school or secure facility for girls.

The authors were Foxhoven, before he was appointed DHS director in June; Jim Chesnik, also with DHS; Nathan Kirstein, staff attorney for Disability Rights of Iowa; and Brett Pattison, director of the Joan and Lyle Middleton Center for Childrens Rights at Drake Law School.

They instead recommended moving away from locked facilities for juveniles, as many states are doing, and using community-based services to alter behavior, educate and address mental health needs.

Community-based services are far less expensive and more effective, Kirstein said last week.

During the first decade that the Iowa Juvenile Home and girls school operated, the bed count went from 89 to 51, more than a 40 percent reduction, but the costs during that time went up 37 percent, according to the report.

The current cost of locked facilities in Iowa  juvenile detention and the training school for boys  is more than $300 per day, the report said.

What is magic about locked doors? Kirstein asked. How does that stop assaults? There are assaults at the boys training school.

Disability Rights Iowa, a nonprofit law center that advocates for the rights of Iowans with disabilities and mental illness, uncovered the Toledo homes placement of girls in long-term isolation cells that led to its closure.

Disability Rights Iowa also issued a report last week after a yearlong study of the boys school, citing the Eldora school isnt providing evidence-based mental health services, besides medication management, and staff is relying too much on the use of restraint and seclusion. The report also says independent oversight is also needed.

Advocate seeks stability, equity

Jennifer Tibbetts, chair of the Iowa Task Force for Young Women, which gave rise to the report calling for a small facility for girls, said secure doesnt necessarily mean locks or a fence.

These girls need secure residential placement whether that means a locked facility or one with staff trained to handle issues unique to such girls, she said.

The girls deserve a stable environment and equitable services for rehabilitation, Tibbetts said, which the state now only provides to boys.

I dont want any of these girls to think theres no hope for them because there is, Tibbetts said. With the right level of services to support these girls, they can become better adults and have better lives.

Tibbetts said its also an expense to the state when these girls are placed outside of Iowa.

She and other group members hope to start talking to legislators about their report to gain support for a facility.
It was early afternoon this past Thursday when a giant crane lowered a nearly 35-foot column of reinforced steel into place just east of the Interstate-74 bridge.

All seven tons of it.

The stretch of interlocking steel bars is one of four pier stems that will make up a part of Pier 19 in downtown Bettendorf.

If you havent been by, construction of the new, long-awaited, I-74 bridge has begun in earnest. Crews are busy in downtown Bettendorf building the foundations for the span. And theres no shortage of them to be built.

Pier 19 is just one of 15 sets of piers that will be built in downtown Bettendorf, stretching from just north of the Mississippi River to a point north of Mississippi Boulevard, where the new bridge will eventually join the existing roadway.

Another 15 sets of piers will be built in the Mississippi River. And in downtown Moline, another 10 sets will be built from the river to 7th Avenue.

Construction hasnt begun yet on the Illinois-side piers. That will start later this fall. But in Bettendorf, the first foundation was poured a week and a half ago. Officials were so excited, the Twitter account for the project declared, Ready, set GO! Were laying the foundations for the #I74riverbridge piers.

It's always nice to get that first footing poured, Danielle Mulholland, I-74 project manager for the Iowa Department of Transportation, said afterward.

It will take about three months to complete Pier 19, officials say. Construction on it began in mid-July.

Construction times on the other piers, most of which will have three columns, will vary.

The piers being built into the river will take longer to construct. Dredging is going on now for the first set of those piers, but it will be early next year before anything is visible above the water line, Mulholland said.

Overall, pier construction will go on throughout much of the three and a half years it takes to build the new I-74 bridge. But the piers, like Pier 19, for the Iowa-bound lane of the new bridge, will have to be done sooner. They're slated for completion in 2019, because that's when it will be open to traffic. The Illinois-bound lanes will take another year to open.

The seven tons of steel for each of the four columns making up Pier 19 will be accompanied by 34 tons of concrete for the footings and 42 tons for the column.

Officials say the piers, like the bridge itself, are being built to withstand the elements. A special coating, for example, gives the reinforced steel a green appearance. It is aimed at preventing erosion, Mulholland said.

When they're finished, the piers will also be markedly different in appearance from the ones supporting the existing span.

Project officials point out the piers are designed to fit into an aesthetic theme for the I-74 corridor aimed at conveying the bend in the river and that both sides are joined together.

Thus, the piers will give the appearance of two columns joining together to form a "Y" at its peak. On top of that will go a horizontal cap.

The curvature of the light poles that were installed as part of the new alignment of downtown Bettendorf streets reflect that theme, as do other parts of the corridor that were built earlier, like at Lincoln Road and 53rd Street, officials say.

Gena McCullough, planning director at the Bi-State Regional Commission, was a member of the committee that gave input to the designers of the corridor's aesthetic theme.

The idea at the time, she said, was to come up with a theme to tie together the corridor from Avenue of the Cities in Moline to 53rd Street in Davenport.

Civil Constructors, Inc., of Freeport, Illinois, is the primary contractor on the viaduct and off-ramps being built in Bettendorf. Lunda Construction, of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, is building the bridge over the Mississippi River. A third firm, Kraemer North America LLC, of Plain, Wisconsin, is the lead on the I-74 project running from the Mississippi River to 7th Avenue in downtown Moline.

In September, the Illinois Department of Transportation will award another contract for work through just south of Avenue of the Cities.

Construction on piers in Moline likely wont begin until the fall, weather permitting, said Ryan Hippen, the Illinois DOTs project manager. The main priorities in downtown Moline right now are reconstruction of the intersection at 7th Avenue and 19th Street and construction of an embankment from the river to River Drive to elevate the roadway as a transition point between the road and bridge.

The bridge, which is projected to be completed in 2021, will be more than twice as wide as the existing span, officials say. Its estimated cost is $1.2 billion.
1. Bettendorf downtown

More change is coming to Bettendorf's downtown near the Interstate 74 bridge project. Soon, the Twin Bridges Motor Inn will come down to make room for a new housing development. Across State Street, Build to Suit has bought up a couple of former commercial buildings and expects to tear them down. President Kevin Koellner said the new development will complement the housing project and will have mixed use with a bank as a possible anchor.

2. Big money

How do you move tens of millions of dollars? Very carefully, as it turns out. Davenport is in that position, because its current bank, Wells Fargo, lost ground on it's Community Reinvestment Act rating from the federal government. The lower rating disqualified it from continuing as Davenport's bank under the city's policies. So, now, the city is working with Quad-City Bank & Trust to move those millions of dollars in checking, savings and investment accounts from one place to another. It will take lots of meetings and lots of time to make sure everything goes off without a hitch, as City Hall reporter Devan Patel told us in Friday's paper.

3. Palmer concerns

Palmer College of Chiropractic's plans to have the city rezone a swath of property around its campus ran into some opposition last week when the Davenport Civil Rights Commission decided to ask that approval of any plans be tabled to allow for further discussion. The plan could have "a disparate impact on low-income communities of color," commission Director Latrice Lacey said at a meeting. Palmer is seeking to rezone 39 acres near its campus, and the proposal goes before the city's Plan and Zoning Commission on Tuesday.

4. Costco nears

The Davenport City Council took another step toward welcoming Costco Wholesale to town. Last week, aldermen voted unanimously on the second of three readings to rezone property north of 53rd Street west of Elmore Avenue, which would allow the project to go forward. Costco plans a 156,170-square-foot retail store and fuel station at the 17.88-acre site.

5. Automated 80

The Iowa Department of Transportation is studying how to deal with traffic increases on Interstate 80, especially in eastern Iowa, but a report released by the department reached some surprising conclusions. The department predicts that somewhere between 20 percent and 85 percent of traffic on the highway will be highly or fully automated by 2040. That's a lot of driverless vehicles that will be moving along the interstate in just a couple of decades. Transportation officials say that will make traveling on I-80 a lot safer.

6. Cabin fever

There's a new place to stay in Scott County, and these rentals offer a great view. The Scott County Conservation Board showed off its two new furnished cabins last week at West Lake Park, and by Thursday, the board was taking reservations. Rentals are $130 a night and $780 a week, and the cabins come with a great view of Railroad Lake.

7. Fighting deer

Moline took a step toward joining other communities in the Q-C in allowing an urban deer hunt. The council last week authorized staff to develop an ordinance that would establish the hunt, and that will come back before the council at a future meeting. Aldermen told staff to pattern the ordinance after Rock Island's. The council will have to approve the ordinance, and the city will have to get approval from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources before the hunt can go forward. Hunts would occur only on private property.

8. Art on the street

Quad-City Arts has had its public art project going for several years, and new sculptures are sprouting up as part of the 2017 effort. Eleven sculptures have been selected by the cities of Bettendorf and Rock Island, and nine already are in place. That's a big increase from the five sculptures that were installed in the 2016-17 program.

9. Big award

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley celebrated a big honor last week. The Quad-City chapter received a Gold Standard Award from the national organization by exceeding every benchmark set for the local chapters. The Quad-City organization was one of 15 to win the award out of 310 agencies in the country. The chapter celebrated the achievement with a party on Thursday.

10. Drinking problem

Moscow Mules  or at least the vessel they come in  created a bit of a panic last week. Turns out that drinking alcohol out of a copper mug can be dangerous, causing a slow poisoning. The health scare is a bit overblown, however. Most copper mugs aren't made entirely of copper, and most are lined with another metal that doesn't behave badly with alcohol. Just make sure the one in your hand has a liner and enjoy.
Public education is societys most important responsibility. Education affords every child the opportunity for the American Dream, regardless of background or family circumstances. With a great education, you can be whomever you want to be, get a good job and provide for your family.

This is why, as governor, I am fighting to overhaul the way our state funds public schools.

At the beginning of my term, I established a bipartisan School Funding Reform Commission. Democrats and Republicans alike have complained about our states school funding formula for decades, and my administration took on this challenge.

Although it often seems like nothing gets accomplished in the political chaos, this bipartisan commission rose above the discord in Springfield. After many months of hard work, we came together to produce genuine bipartisan reform.

Unfortunately, our work is not yet finished. I was disappointed when the majority party took the commission's work and inserted political goodies for special interests.

Then they sat on their bill  for two months. Democrats in the Illinois Senate used a procedural quirk to keep their version of the education funding bill from reaching my desk. They sought to breed fear, uncertainty and create a crisis.

When the bill finally came to my desk, I issued an amendatory veto within hours, and began earnest discussions on a compromise.

My amended bill allows for the fairest and most equitable path to funding our public schools. It levels the playing field so that all the property value of every community is accounted for. I've charged the General Assembly with ensuring that the new school funding formula serves all the children in our state, with equal respect for disadvantaged children in all regions of Illinois.

With my changes to the bill, Ive placed my administrations cards on the table. You know who I am and what I am fighting for: you, your children and their education.

The General Assembly now has a responsibility to act in that same spirit. I genuinely hope both parties can come to a fair compromise that puts our children first.

The choice before your legislators is simple: do they side with the children and families of Illinois, or do they side with those who have manipulated the system for decades, robbing our children of critical resources?

The legislative majority too often chooses the latter, but it does not have to this time. Illinoisans who pay their fair share deserve a fair deal in education funding. Bureaucracies that have mismanaged their finances should not expect bailouts at the expense of disadvantaged children in other school districts. Communities that hide property tax wealth from the mechanisms of education funding should be compelled to step up and contribute.

This is fair. This is equitable. Outside the walls of the Statehouse and beyond the political machine, it is noncontroversial.

There is no reason Illinois schools shouldnt open on time and stay open for the duration of the school year; but some legislators want to play chicken with your childrens education.

Illinois children deserve better. They deserve the best public education system in the nation. Teachers and school administrators who labor with love and professionalism deserve the resources to ensure that every child can succeed.

Illinois is close to making a historic change in education funding that will improve education for poor children in Chicago and throughout the entire state. We have a chance to show the people of Illinois that elected officials can work together and put our children's futures above political differences.

Lets work together and reach a compromise that makes long overdue reforms in the way we fund our schools.
Almost exactly this time last year  Aug. 20, 2016  we made a decision to shut off comments on our website. The reward for that decision has been immense. In a world where much civility has been lost, Ive heard from readers that they enjoyed the quiet that comes from reading an article without a tin can trail of commenters shouting at each other.

We shut off the comment on every section of the site. It all went quiet.

But, a year later, the environment has us rethinking one small piece of that decision  comments on our own editorials. Starting on Monday, we will allow comments on our editorials again. Comments on the rest of the site will remain off, and I stand by that decision.

But I think the political moment begs for as much dialogue from both sides of the aisle. (I hesitated to use the phrase both sides  there are only two parties but more than two sides of any issue). If we can provide a thoughtful forum for debate, I think we should do so.

Since Aug. 20, 2016, the landscape has changed after a polarizing election. Ive noticed people who were never really interested in politics are paying attention -- from the national to the local level.

The Opinion page has always been the heart of any newspaper and the seat of community conversation. I want to facilitate that conversation as much as possible, in as many venues as possible.

While comments will be turned on for editorials, they will not return on letters to the editor. I received consistent feedback from some who had been hesitant to write letters, because they knew they could be blasted cruelly and anonymously in our comments section. I took that concern to heart. If someone has the courage to put their name on an opinion in a letter, I believe theyve earned the respect of having others respond in kind  named and adhering to our letters policy.

But an editorial is a megaphone to our readers. Its the force of 600 words by a seasoned opinion writer and it can handle the winds of immediate reader response and lively real-time debate.

It would have been interesting to read comments in response to our editorial about the Muscatine mayoral impeachment process, in light of the results of an audit that seemed to vindicate her. Or, did you think it was fair that we called on our Illinois Republican lawmakers, Rep. Tony McCombie and Sen. Neil Anderson, to back schools over Gov. Bruce Rauner in the latest debate over school funding? Or what about our support of a well-regulated hunt to cull the growing deer herd in Moline?

This week, were also going to try one more way to open up the conversation. On Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon, Editorial Page Editor Jon Alexander will be online to host a live chat about the news of the day. This is an experiment to see if readers are interested in talking to each other about whats happening in the news. Visit qctimes.com at noon Tuesdays and Thursday to watch or participate.

When comments are turned back on Monday on editorials and the addition of a live chat with Jon Alexander, I look forward to seeing the results to these additions to an already exciting dialogue on the Opinion page. But I want to offer one word of warning before I flip the switch. As I hope this moment proves, Im not afraid to change my mind if I realize that I was wrong. If turning the comments back on for this one part of our site turns into a platform for racism, bullying or the off-topic incivility that inspired me to turn off comments in the first place, I know where the switch is and Ill turn it back off without apology.
Pounding hammers, streets narrowed to barely one lane by construction vehicles and new three-story buildings looming overhead have become commonplace for Patrick McCabe.

McCabe, a self-described old hippie, bought his bungalow on south Fountaine Street in Southside in 1991 and had lived on Fountaine from 1978 to 1981 during college. In the past few years, he says his quality of life has been ruined by multi-story rental projects on his block, and the noise and traffic the renters bring with them.

MOSTLY RENTALS

We are kind of the last of the Mohicans here, McCabe said of himself and a few neighbors.

Many of the homes on his block are no longer owner-occupied, with 10 of the 18 properties on either side of the 600 block of south Fountaine Street listed as owned by a property management company or someone with an out-of-state address, according to the Coconino County Assessors website.

Most of the other people who are left here are like me -- we are living on very little money, McCabe said.

McCabe said he thinks some of the development and congestion in his neighborhood has been allowed to happen because the area is historically lower income than elsewhere in the city.

Would they dare do this on North Leroux, or in Continental? he asked.

ROAD CONSTRAINTS

The construction of a three-story complex across the street was one of the deciding factors for two of his neighbors to sell their house in the Southside and move to Doney Park, he said. During the school year, he said he sees beer cans thrown around and left outside, as well as other litter.

On McCabes block, Fountaine Street is about 22 feet wide. With one car parked on the east side of the street and a construction vehicle parked on the west, the road is barely wide enough for one car to pass through safely. His block lacks curb, gutter and sidewalk, like most places in the neighborhood, except for portions in front of a new building where city code requires a developer to complete any missing edge improvements.

McCabe, a retiree, fears the congestion will only get worse once three new, three-story apartment complexes open on his street, including one scheduled to be built right next door to his house.

In total, McCabe said, he is expecting 36 new renters to move onto his already crowded street.

There isnt even room for parking for the renters who are here already, McCabe said.

He also worries about construction so near his house, which, at its farthest point, is six feet away from the house that will be demolished to build the new apartments.

ZONING ALLOWS BIGGER

David Carpenter, the owner of Hope Construction, which is building most of the new apartments on McCabes street, said he has elected to build lower than what the areas zoning allows, which is 60 feet, or about five stories. When the citys zoning code was approved, Carpenter said, that area of the Southside was one that was identified as needing redevelopment.

For 50 years the goal of the city was to get someone to do reinvestment there, Carpenter said, adding that he is open to new ideas about architecture on his projects.

Before hearing from McCabe, Carpenter said he had not received any other complaints about his projects in that neighborhood.

Its been 15 to 17 years of thank yous, attaboys, and awards for energy efficiency and my buildings, said Carpenter, who is also the chairman of the citys Planning and Zoning Commission. People have been thanking me for investing money there.

Carpenter said he does not see McCabes worries as an us versus them situation.

We do everything we can to be good neighbors, he said. In an email to McCabe, he said Hope Construction has a strict behavior clause in leases.

Our property manager deals with students on an almost daily basis as it is a never-ending job to teach young people how to behave, what to do with their trash, and to be good neighbors, he wrote. However, as is the case with most things when people are involved, we can always do better. I assure you as a neighborhood dominated by NAU students we are not the only ones dealing with behavioral issues but we do care deeply and work hard at being good neighbors.

In an existing Hope Construction apartment complex in the neighborhood, Carpenter said he chose to provide more parking space than is required by city code, creating 10 spaces instead of the required six. However, if the lot is full, five cars would always be parked in, requiring tenants to ask their neighbors to move their cars if they need to get out.

Youd have to jockey around, but they know each other, they live in the same apartment, Carpenter said of the tenants who would be double-parked. I never said it would be convenient for the tenants, either.

Carpenter said the parking congestion comes with one of the easiest solutions, because the city is preparing to roll out its parking management program, called Park Flag, regulate on-street parking in the neighborhood.

Instead of adding intermittent curb, gutter and sidewalk on Fountaine to areas in front of his complexes, Carpenter asked the city if he could give the city the money that he would have spent to create the improvements and have the city complete the entire streets worth of edge improvements. Now, the money is being held in a trust for the city to complete the project, Carpenter said.

NOT CONSIDERED HISTORIC

None of the buildings demolished by Hope Construction have been designated as historic structures, Carpenter said. All buildings that have been designated as having historical significance owned by Hope Construction have been adapted for reuse, including several former single family homes on San Francisco Street between Dupont and Ellery avenues, Carpenter said.

The properties weve bought and torn down have been in the worst of class, Carpenter said. Some have been boarded up, some have fallen down and some are uninhabitable. Those are the ones weve razed. I would want to preserve the ones that are deemed contributing. We love adaptive reuse, but the structure must be there for it to work.

In an email to McCabe, Carpenter said he and his team try to respect properties that are nostalgic to people in the neighborhoods and reuse materials from old properties when possible.

Carpenter said the building boom on Fountaine from his company has nothing to do with economic class or income of the people who live in the neighborhood, but instead because it is a desirable place to live for students.

Its a great location where anyone would want to live, he said.

Carpenter said he feels that a lot of the complaint stems from the fact that college students will be living in the new apartments.

Its difficult to mix students with other residents who are living there, he said. There are two worlds colliding right there.

WHAT CAN BE DONE?

Flagstaff Vice Mayor Jamie Whelan said development in the Southside seemed like, this almost blatant push to push families out that have been there for decades.

Whelan, who walked around McCabes neighborhood with him, said some city officials havent done a good job of appreciating what these people are going through every day.

In order to address the root of the problem, Whelan said, parties like NAU must be willing to have an open and honest dialogue about the effects of the university on nearby neighborhoods.

It breaks my heart, Whelan said of seeing people feel like they have been pushed out of their neighborhoods.

Carpenter has complied with all zoning requirements, and all his buildings meet city code, but Whelan said that might not be enough when looking at the effect of congestion on the neighborhood. Whelan said the city could look at incentivizing building that might be more compatible with neighborhoods, even if it is less than what the zoning allows.

I see Mr. Carpenters side, and I wish him well, but I see the neighborhoods side and I feel their pain, she said. As a council, what can we do to protect both parties?

Whelan said she would consider voting for the council to take a risk and challenge Arizonas Private Property Rights Protection Act, also called Proposition 207, which requires a government to reimburse a property owner for lost value due to a change in government regulation.

I dont think we need to be frightened of property rights or of Prop. 207, she said. Its OK for people to question a governments decision, and legally they do that by suing. If its time to walk in that direction then we could do that.
Jess Eixenberger and workout partner Devon Nelson made a dedicated ritual out of rising at 4 a.m. and making the 45-minute drive from Spearfish for sessions at a hot yoga studio in Rapid City.

They had tried other forms of workouts but caught on to the hot yoga concept, which combines yoga workouts in high-temperature heat and humidity for sweating and detoxification.

After a couple of months (of the commute), we thought this is ridiculous, Eixenberger said. Why does Spearfish not have a yoga studio, or any other studio like this?

So they decided to open their own hot yoga studio, The Hot Room, located in the High Plains Health Center off North Avenue in Spearfish a couple of months ago.

We said, 'lets just do it,' she said.

Eixenberger and Nelson, a chiropractor, their husbands and other family members pitched in to remodel a building owned by Nelson Chiropractic.

Ceiling-mounted infrared heat panels combined with state-of-the-art humidifier and air purifier systems heat the room to 95-100 degrees with the level of humidity taking the temperature to a relative 103-105 degrees, ideal for hot yoga workouts, Eixenberger said.

They offer two early morning classes, a 5:30-6:30 a.m. session and another from 8:30-9:30 a.m. Nelson teaches a strength conditioning class and Eixenberger teaches yoga.

The women alternate teaching the morning classes to accommodate those who want both types of classes at the same time of day.

Were really enjoying it. Weve gotten a lot of feedback, Eixenberger said.

They also offer noon-hour yoga sessions on Tuesday and Thursday, a Saturday morning class, combining Nelsons strength session and Eixenbergers yoga training, along with Sunday and Monday evening yoga classes.

They plan to add more evening sessions in the fall, Eixenberger said.

The Hot Room is located at 1930 North Ave. in Spearfish. Check out their Facebook page, blackhillshotroom.com, or call 605-728-2204.

More on Sonic

Kirstie Russell of Oklahoma City-based Sonic Drive-ins offered a bit more information on what will be the third Sonic in Rapid City, to be built on Century Drive in northeast Rapid City.

The new Sonic is slated for completion around the first of October, Russell said in an email to the Journal.

She also said the company is looking at areas surrounding Rapid City for potential new locations for the drive-in.

Improv anniversary

The West Dakota Improv Theater at 632-1/2 St. Joseph St. in the lower level of the historic Buell Building in Rapid City will celebrate one year at the location on August 18-19.

According to an email, West Dakota Improv is the only comedy club in South Dakota since the recent closure of Wacko's in Sioux Falls.

Over the course of this year, WDI has hosted improv and stand-up comedy shows, sponsored a Comedy Festival Competition in January and hosts family shows on the last Sunday of the month. Movies have been shown there and local bands have used the space.

Contact theater director Ryan Schendzielos at 605-431-6848 for more information.
American Rosie the Riveter Association is trying to locate women who worked on the home front during WWII. Thousands of women worked to support the war effort as riveters, welders, electricians, inspectors in plants, sewing clothing and parachutes for the military, ordnance workers, rolling bandages, clerical, farming, and many other jobs such as volunteer workers collecting scrap metals and other critical materials. These women have stories of their WWII experiences that are of historical value and perhaps have never been told. American Rosie the Riveter Association would like to acknowledge these women with a certificate and have their stories placed in our archives.

American Rosie the Riveter Association is a patriotic/non-profit organization whose purpose is to recognize and preserve the history and legacy of working women during WWII. This organization was founded in 1998 by Dr. Frances Carter, Birmingham, AL and now has over 5700 members nationwide. Current elected officers from Georgia, Maryland, Texas, Missouri and Alabama all serve on a volunteer basis.

An annual convention lets the members get together with old friends and make new friends. The next convention will be held in New Orleans in June 2018. When plans are finalized, details will be posted on our website www.rosietheriveter.net and through the media.

If you are a woman (or descendant of a woman) who worked during WWII, or if you are just interested in more information, please call the toll free number 1-888-557-6743 or e-mail americanrosietheriveter2@yahoo.com.
The second annual Caring Hands of Chadron will once again offer free services to area residents as part of a day of community service.

Several businesses will take part in the Seventh-day Adventist Church-organized event Sept. 11 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Last years Caring Hands day provided an estimated 75 individuals with $30,000 in free services.

Were hoping the word has gotten around. Wed love to see more people take advantage of it, said Terry Owen, one of the organizers.

The mini-clinic is modeled after much larger events which the Owens and other Chadron residents have attended. Those mega-clinics, Terry Owen said, are sponsored by the World Seventh-day Adventist Church in an effort to share Jesus with those in need in the inner city. The first event was in San Francisco in 2014 and was followed by events in San Antonio and Spokane in 2015 and Los Angeles in 2016.

Attending those larger clinics inspired several Chadron residents to attempt a similar event on a smaller scale, and Caring Hands of Chadron was born.

This years community service day will again offer a variety of services. Dr. Zachary Owen, an oral surgeon, will provide tooth extractions, while three dentists, Owen, Dr. Jonathan Owen and Dr. Sally Clark, will be able to do fillings and crowns. Two dental hygienists will conduct cleanings and problem-focused exams, as well as necessary x-rays.

The Great Escape and a student from the Black Hills Health and Education Center will provide massage therapy, and the Chadron Vision Center will give eye screenings. Members of the church will also do car check-ups, checking fluid levels and tire pressure with fluids donated by GMC. There will also be healthy snacks and water available on site.

Anyone interested in taking part in Caring Hands of Chadron can check in Sept. 11 at either Owen Dental at 101 East Sixth Street or one block east at the Seventh-day Adventist Church from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attendees will then be directed to the appropriate place depending on the services they need. Services will be on a first-come, first-served basis, and depending on turn-out, the number of procedures per person may have to be limited.
I continue to tour the different correctional facilities across the state. Our committee visited the Work Ethic Camp in McCook and the Nebraska Correctional Center for Women in York. These tours are very informative, and I am learning more and more about the many different aspects and challenges everyone is facing either as an inmate or as a staff member. The Legislature will be better prepared to discuss and address these concerns and challenges after we wrap up the work of this committee this summer, but wrap it up we must.

Im a new Senator but Nebraskas problems with corrections is an old issue. I think this is the third legislative committee to study this. Its something the Legislature has to address in the next session.

Im happy to report that an idea for reducing property taxes has finally emerged. Since January, the staff and I have had weekly discussions between groups of concerned citizens and many senators, all working toward a solution. This idea will reduce property taxes by about 30%, and will not impact the revenue currently collected by any local unit of government, namely schools. The details of the language of the proposal are being worked out right now, but I am confident citizen groups will begin circulating a ballot petition that amends the Nebraska Constitution in the next month or so. As soon as it is available, I will share all the specifics of the plan. I am very excited about this.

While the many groups of citizens will be presenting this ballot initiative to the people of Nebraska, Sen. Erdman who is the State Senator for District 47 (just to the West of us) has stated he will introduce the idea as a Legislative Resolution. Hopefully, one way or another, either through the people on a ballot initiative, or Sen. Erdmans resolution, we will have real property relief for the first time in generations.

I am pessimistic about this idea ever passing in the Legislature, so it is very important to have the people (the 2nd House of Government in Nebraska) propel this forward as a ballot initiative. I have heard many painful stories from you in the district and also from all across Nebraska. We get calls every day with heartbreaking stories of how property taxes are breaking the backs of our citizens.

In the Army we had a thing we called the decisive operation. In plain English, that means the number one priority. This is it! Thats why I support this duel effort thru a ballot initiative and a Legislative Resolution. When this ballot initiative petition hits the streets, these groups of citizens will need all the help they can get in order to obtain the required number of signatures before the deadline to place it on the ballot in November 2018.

Sen Erdman will also need all the help he can get supporting his Legislative Resolution in January when the session starts. I will co-sponsor it, as will many others, but we need concerned citizens to fill the Capitol the day of this resolutions committee hearing. Please email or call me if you are interested in helping with this project, and my office will connect you with the right people.

As you know from my last weekly update, I have asked the Chairmen of both Natural Resources Committee and the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee (Senators Hughes and Murante) to hold Public Hearings concerning NPPDs proposed R Line project.

I have many concerns about this. A number of things have eroded public trust in this project, so I would hope all parties concerned would welcome a public hearing to clear the air and answer questions. As of this writing, I have yet to receive word any hearings have been scheduled. Citizens who would be interested in participating in these should contact Senators Hughes and Murante and encourage them to schedule them.

Sen. John Murante may be reached at; jmurante@leg.ne.gov or call 402-471-2725

Sen. Dan Hughes may be reached at; dhughes@leg.ne.gov, 402-471-2805

Please contact my office with any comments, questions or concerns. Email me at tbrewer@leg.ne.gov or call us at (402) 471-2628.
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. | Maj. Gen. Scott Vander Hamm, the Air Force assistant deputy chief of staff for operations and former 28th Bomb Wing commander, will retire Aug. 14 after more than 30 years of service.

Vander Hamm commanded the nations largest B-1 combat wing while at Ellsworth from June 2007 to June 2009. During that time, he worked diligently to advocate for long range, precision strike capability for the B-1 and also strengthened joint activity between Ellsworth and its counterparts in the South Dakota National Guard.

Vander Hamm also played a vital role in strengthening relations with area tribal nations and being good stewards of the environment as evidenced in the cleanup of 2,486 acres of the Badlands Bombing Range. Vander Hamm was key in the successful consultation agreement that helped the Air Force fulfill its commitments to the land and the members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

In addition to his time at the helm of the 28th Bomb Wing, other key assignments included being commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, and commander of the Eighth Air Force at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

While commanding the Eight Air Force, Vander Hamm led the planning to move the B-1 fleet from under Air Combat Command to Air Force Global Strike Command, consolidating all bombers under the same command to improve coordination and sharing across the Air Forces bomber wings. Prior to that, he also served as the lead pilot for the first mission of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2002, leading three B-2 bombers from Missouri on a 38-hour mission to strike targets in Baghdad.

Recently, Vander Hamm received a Diplomat Corps Award from the Rapid City Area Chamber of Commerces Diplomat Committee. The award, created in 1986, recognizes individuals for their contributions to the Black Hills. Vander Hamm is the 65th recipient of the award.
HOT SPRINGS | When local playwright, director and movie-maker Justin Gausman was 12 years old, he developed a thing for Elvis Presleys music.

If he had to pick a particular album as his favorite, he said, it would be From Elvis in Memphis, a 1969 Presley effort that includes the big hits Suspicious Minds and In the Ghetto. Gausman likes the cohesiveness of the album.

Gausman didnt realize it back then, but Elvis and his perpetually enjoyed music would eventually come to figure prominently in Gausmans adult life, particularly when he set about writing the script for a movie he wanted to make.

The script

In 2013, Gausman began working on the script to Never Been To Graceland, the story of several people whose lives intertwine with Presleys iconic legend and his music.

According to Gausman, he wanted to write a script that would examine the subculture of people involved in the Elvis phenomenon.

Most people, Gausman said, see Elvis as an icon, a brand, the guy in the white jumpsuit eating peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Gausman wanted to examine that and explore ways to push back against the iconography that is Elvis.

How many people who like a particular band have Barbie dolls of that band? he said. Toy maker Mattel produced a collector's edition of a "Barbie Loves Elvis" pair of dolls.

I wanted to address that phenomenon," Gausman said.

So, his script  a blend of drama and comedy  revolves around a story about an older fellow, Larry Belasco, an aging hippie, who announces to the world that he is in possession of a long-lost, never-before-heard Elvis recording.

Naturally, this draws the attention of Elvis lovers.

One of them is Michael, an avid young Elvis fan at a crossroads in his life. Michael likes Elvis for his music.

Another is AJ, a young magazine journalist who is contemplating her career accomplishments  or lack of them. She sets out to cover that Elvis story in hopes of finding the other side of a story thats been told 100 times before.

A third is a collector of Elvis recordings who desires to acquire the newfound recording for his own, so no one else can listen to it. Michael is on a mission to hear the Elvis recording before its sold to the high-dollar guy.

Theres also a crazy Elvis fan.

These peoples lives intertwine in their individual pursuits of the recording, with AJ finding her story with Michael  she becomes intrigued by his passion for the music  and learns more about herself than she ever expected.

But thats all of the script Gausman would give away. He didnt want to spoil the ending.

The movie

Gausman said the script became a feature film about 30 minutes long during 2016. He directed the film as well as wrote it. Co-directors included Mary Goulet and Deana Roberts. It was produced by Gausmans production company, Skeeter Bite Productions.

Gausman filmed the movie in the Black Hills with director of photography Ryan Brewer. Original music includes Brandon Scott Jacobsens work and music by Jamie Kelley, an Elvis impersonator during the 1990s who now performs his own music, Gausman said.

Locations included Hot Springs (he said Wally and Danuta Cachro were very generous in allowing him to use a room in their Hills Inn for filming); Black Hills Vinyl record store in Rapid City; his brothers house in Rapid City, because it was built during the 1950s and had the perfect ambiance for the film; and other sites.

The cast includes local and area actors:

Stephen Farruggia plays Michael; Bridgett Hill, AJ; Harland Allen, Larry; David Azadi Scott, Bryan; Nik Aberle, Wayne; Tyler Mathieson, Dan; and Hot Springs filmmaker Wendee Pettis plays the crazy Elvis fan.

The film is Gausmans third. His previous works are The Incredible Search for Jamie Klotzs Diary, and its sequel, The Extraordinary Secret of Jamie Klotzs Diary II.

Gausman has worked in many different creative fields and has experience in theater/stage production, film/video production, music production, photography, and website and social media.

For more information on the film, visit facebook.com/neverbeentogracelandmovie or imdb.com/title/tt5861742/
When John Raeck showed up at Sylvan Lake Resort looking for work during the 1960s, he found a job  and a home.

The tall, rawboned loner, who was then in his sixth decade of life, fell in love with the forested mountains and granite formations of Custer State Park. He took off on long hikes, began writing verse, nicknamed himself The Vagabond Poet and discovered an ideal spot for solitary inspiration  a place known today as Poet's Table, where many people visit but of which few know the history.

High up and over the granite-studded terrain east of Sylvan Lake, about 6,600 feet above sea level, Raeck found a cool and silent patch of shade under a natural recess in a rock face. Like a giant viewfinder, the darkened nook framed a far-reaching view of the southeastern Black Hills.

Eventually, Raeck apparently hauled lumber to the high-elevation alcove and built a plain and sturdy table, a pair of chairs and a couple of small benches.

Soon he was distributing calling cards that described the site as The Poets Desk at Paradise Retreat, Est. 1968.

His placement of the apostrophe after the s in Poets  indicating the place belonged to all poets, not just one  was a subtle invitation, and other vagabonds began to show up. He supplied a box for them to leave their poems behind.

For decades, Raecks retreat remained a little-known but unofficially sanctioned Custer State Park attraction, as awareness of its existence spread slowly by word of mouth. The place came to be known simply as Poets Table, and although the table and chairs have been moved a short distance from their original location, they appear as though they could be Raeck's original handiwork.

In recent years, smartphones and social media have brought more visitors to Poet's Table. With every new arrival, word of the existence and exact location of the site can spread to hundreds and even thousands more people who are eager to find the quirky and hidden gem, which is not on maps and has no signs pointing hikers to its location. The trail to Poet's Table, which branches off from a trail to Little Devils Tower, has become worn enough that it's easy to spot.

Some problems have accompanied the site's growing popularity. The rock wall at Poet's Table is now defaced by graffiti from hundreds of hands, and a bookcase beside the table is stuffed full of notebooks scrawled with writings both profound and profane. Last month, Custer State Park officials removed a makeshift shelter nearby that someone had built from logs and branches.

The state of the modern Poet's Table would probably sadden Raeck, who penned this ode to his hideaway:

A castle that secluded lies

Beyond the Gates of Paradise.

A soul-restoring mountain ark

In South Dakotas Custer Park;

Where time and life are reconciled,

And man-of-years is like a child.

A copy of that poem, printed on one of Raecks calling cards, has been kept all these years by Donald "Nick" Clifford and his wife, Carolyn, of Keystone.

Nick, 96, is the last surviving member of the crew that carved Mount Rushmore. He also served in World War II and then ran a dry-cleaning business in Custer before submitting a winning bid for the concessionaire contract at Sylvan Lake. Cliffords first summer running the resort was in 1957.

Raeck, meanwhile, grew up in rural Two Rivers, Wis., and farmed with his brother, Edwin. Neither married, and Edwin died in 1960. Raeck sold their farm and worked two years for the purchaser, and then headed west. Those details are among the few that were eventually printed in Raeck's newspaper obituary.

Clifford valued older workers at Sylvan Lake because of the stability and maturity they added to his summertime staff of mostly college-age employees. When Raeck came looking for a job during the early 1960s, Clifford put him to work at the gas and service station that was then a fixture at Sylvan Lake. The Cliffords remember Raeck as honest  one of the most honest people they ever knew  and dependable, with few material wants or possessions.

Raeck continued to work at the lake into his mid-70s. One of his poems, The Auditorium, reflected the comical tribulations of an elderly bachelor living among rambunctious youths in what was then a dormitory-style facility.

... The inmates carouse

Past midnight till three.

They mess up the house,

Leave cleaning to me.

Their bedrooms are strewn

With clothing and brash.

But once in a noon

They clean up the trash.

As morals go down

From year unto year,

Theres hardly a clown

We havent had here 

Raeck spent several winters in California, partly to be near a pastor who moved there from Rapid City, according to the Cliffords. But according to Carolyn Clifford, John couldnt take California.

Raeck made that clear in a poem titled Exodus California.

Ive seen California,

And first I was glad,

But close observation

Has left me most sad.

I found, to my sorrow,

That here is a state

Where fond expectation

Is turned into hate.

Her streets are deficient

In sidewalks and drains,

And quickly theyre flooded

By moderate rains.

Her mornings are hazy,

And all summer long

No sunrise inspires

The mockingbirds song.

Her landowners worship

The god of inflation,

Expecting increase

For mere speculation.

Her standard of living

Is highest on earth,

And people are spending

For all they are worth 

Clifford gave up his concessionaires lease at Sylvan Lake after 1967, but Raeck continued to work there until 1976, after which he moved to Spearfish. Raeck died there in 1982 at the age of 81.

The Cliffords kept some of Raecks poems, along with some letters he sent them and a photo of Raeck looking every bit the old bachelor-farmer in a pair of jeans and a denim jacket over a flannel shirt.

After reading recently about the unauthorized structure that was removed at Poets Table, and about the graffiti there, the Cliffords decided to share their memories of The Vagabond Poet and his Poets Desk at Paradise Retreat.

They figure people need to know something of the love that the father of Poets Table had for the place.

I would hope they would treat it with respect, Carolyn said, and not destroy it.
When it comes to the quality of tap water, Rapid City residents are in the clear.

But the same cant be said for some small towns, subdivisions and private water systems surrounding the city.

In an analysis of more than 30 million state water records by the Environmental Working Group  a nonprofit organization that specializes in environmental research and advocacy  nine of the top 10 largest water quality violators in South Dakota were in Piedmont, Sturgis or Black Hawk, with the states largest violator residing just outside Rapid City limits in a small subdivision called Cedar Gulch II.

Originally developed by former state Sen. Gordon Howie, Cedar Gulch II has been in violation of at least one federal drinking water standard for every quarter since April 2014, with violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act stretching back to at least 2010, the analysis found. Radium-226, radium-228 and uranium were found in the wells water, which provides drinking water to about 30 residents. Since 2010, Cedar Gulch II has amassed 102 violation points, more than any other state water system analyzed.

Violation points are accrued for exceeding federal/state drinking water standards and failing to monitor or report issues. The length of time that problems remain unaddressed is accounted for, too. Data compiled by the South Dakota Department of Environment & Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Agency's Enforcement and Compliance History Online database were used in the EWG analyses.

John Stephenson, a resident of Cedar Gulch II since 2012 and president of the Cedar Gulch II Water and Sanitation District  formed by residents to address the subdivisions well water issues  said all residents have installed water softener and reverse osmosis systems in their homes to decontaminate the water for safe consumption. He said the issues have existed since the subdivision and well were originally created in 2007.

It shouldve been treated at the source by the developer, Stephenson said of the wells issues in a Journal interview, calling it frustrating when as citizens, you have to build what the developer should have built.

Howie told the Journal that he no longer has any ownership or interest in the water system at the subdivision.

I know there have been problems over a period of time, he said. My understanding is that the system is in compliance.

According to EPA and DENR testing, however, that is not the case.

In an effort to bring Cedar Gulch II into compliance, Engineers Without Borders, a nonprofit humanitarian organization, has conducted pro-bono engineering studies and assessments for residents investigating possible water sourcing and treatment options. EWB is researching possible water distribution and storage solutions, said engineer Jonathan Mulligan, who is leading the EWB efforts for Cedar Gulch II. Once that is completed, EWB will assist residents with grant applications. When asked about the cause of radium and uranium contamination, Mulligan characterized it as just natural to the area.

Theyre basically footing the bill, Stephenson said of the EWBs assistance. Still, Stephenson said the process has tested his patience.

Its a slow process. It takes a lot of time to work with the government, he said. Every time weve gotten to a point, theres been legal hurdles. Weve regulated ourselves into stupidity.

The other eight area water systems with the most violation points are Terra Cotta Estates (Piedmont), Rainbow Water Co. (Piedmont), Shirt Tail Gulch Development (Lead), Oak Mountain Country Estates (Sturgis), Viewfield Rural Water System (Black Hawk), Spring Creek acres (Black Hawk), Owanka Rural Water System (Black Hawk), and Golden Valley Water Co. (Black Hawk).

Radium-226, radium-228 and uranium were detected in most of those systems, though the report does not detail the concentration of those contaminants. The EPA Safe Drinking Water Acts limits for Radium are five picocuries per liter and 30 micrograms per liter for Uranium.

Shirt Tail Gulch Development, located in Deadwood, was also found to contain arsenic at around 10 parts per billion, near the legal limit. The national average for arsenic concentration is 1.33 parts per billion. South Dakotas average is 2.86 ppb.

Sonya Lunder, EWG senior research analyst who worked on the report, explained that the water tests behind the data and report typically occur at the treatment facility of each water system. Testing for lead, though, occurs in consumer homes.

In Rapid City, the water system was found to contain chromium, radium-226, radium-228 and total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), which are formed when chlorinated water interacts with organic materials within the water system.

While all of those contaminants have been linked to cancer, Rapid City fell well below the average state and national levels for chromium and TTHMs and well below the EPA limit for radium-226 and radium-228. The data in the report was from testing from 2010 to 2015.

Rapid City looks good, generally, Lunder said in a Journal interview.

Dr. Scott Kenner, professor and head of the civil and engineering department at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, said the groundwater in Rapid City is of high quality.

Were really blessed with a groundwater supply that is superior, Kenner said. Its better than most, by far, and thats the Madison aquifer.

The Madison aquifer underlies Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming, South Dakota and Nebraska, as well as Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba provinces in Canada. Local communities including Rapid City, Spearfish, Hot Springs, and Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota and Gillette, Douglas, Sheridan, Buffalo, Devils Tower National Park, and the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming rely on water from the aquifer.

Still, challenges remain in protecting the aquifer and combating TTHMs.

TTHMs have been an issue ever since we started chlorinating waters, Kenner said. Newer technologies to replace the use of chlorine and subsequent creation of TTHMs are in development, including using ultraviolet rays to disinfect water. Currently, though, the technology is still in early stages of development, making the cost largely prohibitive.

We are a culture here in the U.S. where we dont want to pay taxes, and we dont want to pay for the quality of life sometimes; but to get the treatment and quality we need, its not inexpensive, Kenner said. We have to understand whats that cost and what it costs to protect it.

TTHM contamination isnt just an issue in Rapid City, though. According to the EWG report, it is the most common contaminant found in America's water, infiltrating more than 25,000 water utilities for 281 million customers across all 50 states. The national average is 23.4 parts per billion; Rapid Citys average was 14.4 ppb.

Addressing the overall state of Americas drinking water, Lunder explained that though almost every water system is in compliance with state laws, almost every system was also found to contain contaminants above health guidelines. Water filters are helpful, she explained, but many filters dont make specific claims about how they actually improve water quality, and most are ineffective at filtering out nitrates and fluoride. On top of that, consumers often forget to replace the filters, nullifying their effects.

Lunder advised contacting the manufacturer to understand a filters effectiveness before noting that women who are pregnant or nursing should be especially cautious, as infants are most susceptible.

In a perfect world, Lunder said, the onus of water treatment would fall on the utility, not the residents as has occurred in Cedar Gulch.

In so many cases, removing these contaminants at the treatment site is more affordable, more effective and certainly more democratic, she said.

In the future, Kenner noted that Americas consumptive use of water for things like watering lawns was a practice that would eventually need to curbed, if not eradicated. Scientists, government officials, and regulators will also need to continue monitoring any development near watersheds.

We have to carefully watch, and how land use changes on the watershed, Kenner said. Thats a challenge. If its public land, its a little easier to regulate for the common good, but if its private land, how do we tell someone what to do?

He concluded by stressing the importance of continued support for regulatory agencies like the EPA.

We better be very thankful for the EPA, he said. There are a lot of countries that dont even come close to the water quality we have in this country.
HOT SPRINGS | About 300 acres of an alfalfa field southwest of Hot Springs could soon become home to South Dakota's only "utility scale" solar power collection site.

Fall River County commissioners learned this month that a solar power generation company based in California with ties to South Korea is in the early stages of creating a solar collection site that could generate enough electricity to power about 10,000 homes as early as September 2019.

The firm is already obtaining easements with landowners and forging a connection with Black Hills Energy in order to build the solar facility and transmit the energy created.

Ed Maddox, a project manager, and Ken Kostok, engineering and operations manager, both with 174 Power Global Co., visited with the county commission in early August about the South Dakota Sun Solar Energy Project  labeled the first utility scale solar energy project in the state.

The project would be constructed near Minnekhata Junction, along U.S. Highway 18, between Edgemont and Hot Springs.

Maddox said the project began earlier this year when the company negotiated 20-year leases with landowners to build the solar power collection station. Meanwhile, securing 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 junction of highways 18 and 89.

Multiple types of solar collectors will track the sun daily as it rises in the east and sets in the west, 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 three 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 seven feet off the ground.

According to plans, these collectors will gather photovoltaic energy from the sun and turn it into direct current electricity as sunlight interacts with semiconductors in the collectors. The DC electricity will be converted into alternating current 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 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 about 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.
At the beginning of my reporting career, I covered a federal judge hearing a civil suit against National Guardsmen that made it to his court several years after the Kent State killings. The judge refused to allow transcripts of grand jury testimony from earlier criminal proceedings into evidence. Grand juries are supposed to be secret, he ruled, and allowing their deliberations into the record would mean they'd become public.

Unfortunately, I had gotten my hands on the transcripts from sources I won't identify to this day. Each evening, as a local TV reporter, I'd do live shots about the material that his honor had suppressed that day, and then read on the air what was relevant in the text. It infuriated the judge. I know that because I was summoned to his chambers: "I need for you to tell me where you got these transcripts. From whom?"

"I can't" I replied. He continued, "You know, I can throw you in jail." My response was polite, but curt: "Go ahead. Make me a star." He decided not to pursue it. Maybe that's why I never became a star.

Decades later, little has changed. Come to think of it, it's gotten worse. We're now at the point of open warfare against reporters and their duty to protect the sources who have anonymously revealed information that Americans have a right to know.

President Donald Trump makes no bones about his contempt for journalists and his fury at the leaks that make his time in office a constant embarrassment. He has railed against the disclosures of classified material, but he really means anything that presents him in an unfavorable light, and there's plenty of that.

Now his "beleaguered" attorney general, Jeff Sessions, is desperately trying to save his job by announcing a prosecutorial investigation to identify any and all leakers. That includes "reviewing policies affecting media subpoenas."

The policies to which he refers severely restrict the Department of Justice from taking action that requires newspeople to disclose their sources under threat of imprisonment.

The reasons for insisting on protecting the sources on stories that simply displease politicians are obvious: The misbehavior our leaders are trying to hide, whether it's personal or corrupt, has no business being hidden. That applies to almost all official secrets, too. First of all, information about the inner workings of our government is grossly overrestricted, oftentimes because public servants want to keep us from knowing about their misdeeds. Second, if I have found out about something, you can bet that other countries' intelligence agencies already know it. Most importantly, the classified documents camouflage actions of our leaders that seriously threaten our civil liberties or mask irresponsibility. The constitutional role of media is to pull apart the veil so that the citizens of our democracy can see inside and make informed decisions about the ones we elect.

The First Amendment is just advisory in Trump's mind, and he's chosen to ignore the advice.
Although its far from the path of totality, Lowell Observatorys Flagstaff campus will have its own eclipse-day events on Aug. 21.

Doors will open at 8 a.m. and the observatory will hold special activities throughout the day that include solar viewing through its telescopes, kids crafts, educator presentations and science demonstrations. A variety of local food trucks will be on site as well. There will also be a live stream of the total solar eclipse from the event the observatory is organizing in Madras, Oregon. That event will last from 9:06 a.m. to 11:41 a.m., with totality occurring between 10:19 a.m. and 10:21 a.m.

Regular admission rates will apply that day.

When the eclipse happens in Flagstaff, the city will experience a little more than 70 percent coverage of the sun. Here, the eclipse will begin at 9:14 a.m. with partial totality at 10:34 a.m. The eclipse will end at 12:01 p.m.

Lowell Director Jeff Hall cautioned that people staying in Flagstaff shouldnt get their hopes up.

Honestly if you didn't have all of this information and didn't know this was happening and had no idea that an eclipse was coming and a 70 percent eclipse went by, you might not even notice anything happened at all, Hall said. It will look like daytime, maybe a little duskier with a small dip in the temperature, but that's about it, he said.

Hall also put out a fair warning to people who think they might just jump in the car and drive into the path of totality next Monday.

Remember that wherever you are along the track, 100,000 of your closest friends have had the same idea," Hall said. "So get there early. It's going to be a zoo all along the track of totality."

One interesting eclipse phenomenon that people in Flagstaff will be able to see happens with the shadows formed by leaves on a tree or bush. The small holes between the overlapping leaves simulate a pinhole camera and will cast an image of the moon passing over the sun on whatever surface the shadow falls.

The same thing can be created using a wicker basket, a colander or by pricking a hole in a piece of aluminum, Hall said.

In any place not in the path of totality, including Flagstaff, sunglasses alone wont cut it for viewing the eclipse. More protective eyewear is necessary, or people can view the eclipse through a homemade pinhole projector. NASA produced a video, available at eclipse2017.nasa.gov, that shows how to make one using a cereal box, aluminum foil, paper, tape, and scissors. Lowell Observatory has solar glasses on sale for $2 a pair and will also have telescopes set up with solar filters during its eclipse day events.

The observatory is expecting a lot of people to make their way up Mars Hill on Aug. 21, so anyone opting to walk or bike up the hill will avoid traffic and the search for a parking spot, spokeswoman Molly Baker said.

This article has been edited from its original version.
PIERRE | Last month the Legislatures Government Operations and Audit Committee received the first report on the first year of South Dakotas tax credit program for insurance companies that contribute to an organization providing educational scholarships.

The state law allows insurance companies to give money for scholarships to students who attend non-public K-12 schools in South Dakota. The companies receive an 80 percent credit on contributions made from insurance taxes they otherwise owe state government.

The Legislature passed the law in 2016. That was after the House of Representatives didnt put similar legislation on its debate calendar in 2015, when a procedural vote ended 31-31.

Then-Sen. Phyllis Heineman, R-Sioux Falls, sponsored the measure both years. It was her only bill in 2015 and her only real bill in 2016; she also sponsored a placeholder in 2016 that was designed to be the shell for improving public safety but wasnt needed.

Heineman didnt seek re-election in 2016. She served 15 regular legislative sessions. The Legislature approved her tax credit, and Gov. Dennis Daugaard signed it into law, despite the South Dakota Constitution prohibiting state support for sectarian schools.

No one challenged the new laws validity during the past year.

Senators voted for Heinemans legislation both years. The House changed its stance, from a cold shoulder in 2015, to a warm hug in 2016.

Eighteen House members switched from a nay or excused (the equivalent of a nay) in 2015 to an aye in 2016 on whether to put Heinemans measure on the calendar for debate.

Republicans were Arch Beal of Sioux Falls, Jim Bolin of Canton, Scott Craig of Rapid City, Justin Cronin of Gettysburg, Alex Jensen of Sioux Falls, Mark Mickelson of Sioux Falls, Al Novstrup of Aberdeen, Jeff Partridge of Rapid City, Nancy Rasmussen of Hurley, Tona Rozum of Mitchell, Lee Schoenbeck of Watertown, Roger Solum of Watertown, Burt Tulson of Lake Norden and Larry Zikmund of Sioux Falls.

Democrats were Shawn Bordeaux of Mission, Dennis Feickert of Aberdeen, Kevin Killer of Pine Ridge and Patrick Kirschman of Sioux Falls.

Three Republicans switched from ayes to nay or excused: Lynne DiSanto of Rapid City, Dan Kaiser of Aberdeen and Lana Greenfield of Doland.

The House ultimately voted 45-23 to approve SB 159.

The report presented by Heineman showed:

Four insurance companies donated $325,000, qualifying for an 80 percent tax credit that was worth $260,000 in calendar year 2016;

The scholarships awarded to 295 eligible students totaled $213,402;

There were 180 scholarships awarded to students whose household incomes qualified for free and reduced meals. They totaled $153,262; and

The scholarships went to 61 new students who transferred from a South Dakota public school and to 118 who were new to a South Dakota school, including students who previously attended home schools.

Students attending non-public schools in 19 communities received scholarships. Their schools were in Huron, Aberdeen, Watertown, Mitchell, Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Pine Ridge, Yankton, Corsica, Dell Rapids, Freeman, Madison, Milbank, Miller, Pierre, St. Francis, Salem, Vermillion and Volga.
Do not look at the sun  not in smoky skies, not for an eclipse, not anytime.

It is tempting to look at the beautiful colors in the sky and the crimson sun with the smoke in the air. It's even more tempting to take a photograph.

You need to be careful, warned Dr. Rob Wilkins, an optometrist at Big Sky Eye Care in Hamilton. Looking at a digital screen or looking through your phone is fine, but actually looking though a viewfinder can cause eye damage.

Wilkins explained that eyes are sensitive and the damage is permanent. He said the danger is to the retina - a group of cells in the back of the eye that transmit signals of light to your brain to interpret.

Glancing or staring at the sun, even if partially eclipsed, focuses dangerous rays on the retina.

Its almost like a magnifying glass, like youre burning ants, Wilkins said. When you look right at the sun it can actually burn and scar the back of your eyes. If looking through your camera viewfinder or telescope, it is worse.

Wilkins said he has seen people who have stared at the sun.

We can see (on the scans that we do of the retina) actual burns and scarring, he said. Its really small but when it happens right in the macula it can really reduce the vision and you cant get that back. Theres no fixing it once the damage is done.

No pain receptors are at the back of the eye, so there's no warning pain to look away.

You can get a sunburn on the front of your eye from being out in the sun too much or on the lake or water, Wilkins said. Scars to the retina wont show up right away but your vision will be reduced. Thats why its so scary - youll have people looking at the eclipse who think Its not that bright. Ill look even just for a glance, but even just a few seconds can do the damage.

Bitterroot College Eclipse Event Safety Officer Jennifer Johnson said looking up when our light changes is natural.

People will definitely notice the dimming, the twilight, and they will want to look at the sun, she said. Even when the lights flicker, we are drawn to look up. It is instinctual. We are a curious animal.

Bitterroot College and NASA is most concerned with safety and shade your gaze from the rays is their mantra.

We dont want anyone going out to the eclipse and looking at it, Johnson said. These are the only eyes you have. You cant grow another set and theres no amount of Lasik surgery thats going to fix it.

Wilkins and Johnson both recommend wearing approved special-purpose solar filters, such as eclipse glasses," and viewers.

Sunglasses dont filter enough  the sun is too strong, Wilkins said. The right filters are in welding masks #14, which are really, really dark. Filters are good and thats what people should be using. There are a couple weeks to get those.

Wilkins said there have been reports of sales of fake filters so check that you are buying a reputable filter. The NASA website lists approved vendors: eclipse2017.NASA.gov/safety.

Bitterroot libraries have been handing out eclipse glasses at their events this summer and the approved glasses will be available at the Bitterroot Colleges Great Eclipse Caper Event 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 21.

Johnson said keeping eclipse glasses on is important.

During our event, well have elastic and hole-punch the earpieces of the glasses, she said. This is particularly important for children because they have smaller heads. You can even use yarn.

As of Thursday, 330 people have registered to attend the Bitterroot College free event.

The moon pies are ordered and the fun is lined up.

There will be coloring contests with prizes, telescopes to look through with the right filters for safety, live-streaming from NASA and one of the colleges motorized telescopes, a pin-hole projection box, and subject matter expert Thomas Engelmann will be available to answer questions.

To register, contact Bitterroot College at www.umt.edu/bitterroot-college/Eclipse.

Bitterroot College will be ready for 500 people and folks can stop by.

We may wind up getting more people, Englemann said. The word is getting out. Ill have a display, then improvise. It will truly be a caper.

Englemann predicts the height of interest will be between 11 a.m. and noon, when it is darkest. Hamilton will see the sun about 95 percent eclipsed at the peak time of 11:31 a.m.

Johnson said the event will be fun and educational.

Im so happy that weve gotten so much interest, she said. Im so glad the public is so stoked about this, it is very exciting. It renews my faith in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math).

The eclipse will happen even if there are clouds and smoke. Wilkins said smoke is an irritant that can cause inflammation, redness and more tearing.

Were seeing people with more tired, achy eyes, he said.

Wilkins recommends saline lubricants and drops, and if necessary medication or steroid drops to help calm the irritation.

Staying inside also helps but artificial tears are the first line of defense, Wilkins said. If it gets worse come to see an eye doctor so we can prescribe something stronger.
The Hamilton Police Department is hosting a free barbecue dinner for new high school students and their families on Aug. 16.

Hamilton High School Principal Dan Kimzey said it is a welcome for new families and students and provides one more opportunity to get to know the school before school starts.

Every summer we register new students from all over the country and rural Montana communities - and schools are very different for many kids - in a good Hamilton, Montana kind of way! Kimzey said. The new family orientation and BBQ on Wednesday should be a super event to welcome our new students and parents to our awesome school and community.

Hamilton Police Chief Ryan Oster said the event connects his department to the freshman class and new students.

We thought it would be good to welcome the incoming freshman class to the high school and just reach out, Oster said. Were always looking for ways to get the police officers and the police department the human touch and break down any barriers. Its a way to let kids know this is all of our community and were here to support them as they go through their high school career and we want to see them make healthy choices.

The event also introduces School Resource Officer Randy Epinger to the students.

Weve had a SRO for many years and most of the kids know him because he works with them at the middle school, Oster said. Its a good way to welcome them to the high school and let them see cops cooking burgers.

The Hamilton High School barbecue hosted by the Hamilton Police Department will be at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 16, in the commons, right after the new student and family orientation that begins at 5 p.m. in the commons.
Victor senior Sadie Bailey recently returned from the FBI National Academy Youth Leadership Program Session in Quantico, Virginia, with a stronger desire to serve others, a gold brick, and an appreciation for service.

It was a completely life-changing experience, Bailey said. The things I learned there on leadership and ethics are things Ill take with me my entire life. The friendships are amazing, Im so glad I decided to take a chance and go.

Ravalli County Sheriff Steve Holton previously attended the FBI National Academy and was impressed that a youth from the Bitterroot Valley attended the leadership program.

"I am very proud of Sadie and so appreciative of her representing not just Ravalli County, but the entire State of Montana," Holton said.

Last year, Bailey attended the Montana Police Leadership Academy in Helena. This spring she was nominated to the next level, then applied to her local chapter of the National Academy Associates, which is a membership of FBI National Academy Graduates. She completed forms and physicals, wrote essays and letters, and endured intense interviews.

Two weeks after completing the requirements, she received a call that she had been selected to represent Montana and Idaho June 2230. One student is chosen from Montana then in alternating years a student from Idaho is selected.

It helped that Bailey has a solid background of serving; shes been a Unified Athlete for the past four years helping Special Olympians, is involved in the Montana Hope Project, started an anti-bullying program, and led the BEAR mentoring program for middle school girls.

We encourage her to participate, help others and do good things, said her father, Rocky Bailey.

Bailey flew to Virginia by herself, then connected with 60 other teens from across the United States, as well as one from a German chapter.

The youths had classes every day on leadership, ethics, etiquette and juvenile crime. They stayed in a hotel, were transported to the FBI Academy each morning, and ate lunch with Marines and the Hostage Rescue Team.

They were transported to Washington D.C. for tours of national memorials and the Holocaust Museum.

That was a very hard thing and incredibly sad, she said.

Bailey called experiencing the sunset parade at the Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial) one of the best experiences of her life.

It was absolutely amazing, she said. It was one of those things that you dont want to take pictures because you dont want to stop looking at it. It had the Marine Band, formations, and with the sunset behind the memorial it was amazing to watch and to see. It was life changing, definitely, and just beautiful.

The youth participated in physical training, running three miles every day and work outs.

We did the Yellow Brick Road, which is the Marines physical fitness test shortened from six to three miles for us, Bailey said. It was intense. You run through the woods and mud and rocks. We did it together and we formed strong friendships that are like family. I made lifelong friends.

Bailey is on the volleyball team at Victor High School and goes to the gym regularly for cardio workouts. She also takes a class on weight lifting at the school.

I try to keep myself in shape, she said. Volleyball is the main sport I like to play. My mom, Tracy, and I try to do a 5K every month.

Graduates from the FBI Leadership Academy were challenged to recognize heroes in her community as a service project. Bailey has decided to do an awards ceremony recognizing silent heroes who serve locally.

Bailey chose to honor Ravalli County Sheriff's Sgt. Chris Colgan, Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Tami Winchell, Florence Fire and Retired Air Force Phil Fitch, Victor Fire and medical responder Kristy Gaul and National Seat Belt Safety presenter Janet Bierer.

Bailey said she is not interested in police work as much as she is interested in psychology and, since her experience at the FBI Academy, criminal psychology and forensic science.

For my senior year Ill be taking a forensic science class and I might fall in love with that, she said. Ive always been interested in psychology and helping people.

Bailey encourages teens to apply to the FBI Leadership Academy.

It is something youll never forget, she said. At first I was scared to go that far away from home with no one I knew but it was absolutely amazing.

The Silent Heroes Presentation is at 7 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Mary Stuart Rogers Performing Arts Center in the Victor High School, 425 Fourth Ave. in Victor.
They have Ernest Hemingways shotgun, and William Codys Medal of Honor. And, there's a custom rifle built for Abraham Lincoln with the presidents head for a hammer.

All that can be seen daily at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.

But some of the most interesting and bizarre items at the Center rarely make a public appearance.

The Center of the West is home to five world-class museums devoted to chronicling the history of the Western United States. The Buffalo Bill Museum opened in 1927 and over the last 90 years the Center has grown to include the Whitney Western Art Museum, Plains Indian Museum, Cody Firearms Museum and the Draper Natural History Museum. Each of the museums have collections with thousands of items, but space constraints, delicate materials and sometimes cultural sensitivities force the museums to keep a majority of their treasures hidden from visitors in climate-controlled vaults.

Buffalo Bill Codys Wild West show toured in 47 states and throughout Europe over the course of three decades. Cody, the Wyoming citys namesake, hosted hundreds of exhibitions every year and hobnobbed with royalty and the days newsmakers across the globe.

The cowboy back in 1883, when Buffalo Bill started the Wild West show, was seen as a thug, basically a Hells Angel on horseback. By the time (Cody) was done, the cowboy was an American hero, said Jeremy Johnston, executive curator of the Buffalo Bill Museum.

When Cody died in 1917 he left behind an outsized legend and thousands of historically significant items related to his life as a frontiersman and performer. Thanks to the efforts of Mary Jester Allen, Bill Codys niece, the Buffalo Bill Memorial Association was formed to connect Codys descendants in the name of preserving the mans legacy.

According to Johnston, the Buffalo Bill museum now claims more than 10,000 items. But, only about 10 percent of the artifacts are on display at any given time. Key items in the collection are always on display, while many others are rotated between exhibits, several vaults beneath the museum and off-site storage facilities.

Some of the items like a carriage used in the Wild West show are kept off-site because theyre too large to keep on the main campus. Others are loaned to museums across the country and some items, like a collection of 200 promotional posters from performances as far away as Ukraine, are stored in controlled environments to facilitate preservation. The posters were meant to be temporary objects, so keeping them in tact takes calculated handling.

You can imagine these were used once and then scraped off the wall or painted over, Johnston said while pulling out a blood red poster promoting a tour through France.

He said museum curators have two main duties, to share history and artifacts with the public but also to ensure the items are around for thousands of years in the future.

The museum displays 20 of the promotional posters at any given time and circulate them every six months. If the museum displayed the posters full time, UV rays would damage the materials and rob the images of their brilliant color.

Other items reside in the museum vault because similar items are already on display in exhibits like a few examples of Codys over-the-top buckskins or the dozens of saddles kept by the museum. Some artifacts are just too bizarre to fit into an exhibition.

The Buffalo Bill Museum vault contains a wig worn by Annie Oakley in her later years with the Wild West show. Johnston said Oakley went gray prematurely. The official story blamed her loss of color on stress created by a train crash she experienced but in reality she went gray after soaking too long in a spa containing potent chemicals. Her vanity prompted her to wear a wig during remaining performances.

The odd objects arent limited to the vaults of the Buffalo Bill Museum. The Cody Firearms Museum has about 35,000 items in its collection but only 7,000 of those are guns. Many of the objects are tools, gun parts, ammunition, or items otherwise connected to firearms. At any time, about three fourths of the collection is in storage.

Since 1998 the firearms museum vault has contained large milk chocolate plates bearing depictions of bison, geese and other western imagery. While edible at one time, the chocolate is actually an artifact telling a piece of American firearms history.

Danny Michael, Cody Firearms Museum curatorial assistant, said the chocolate moldings were created by an engraving company and depict images etched into the firearms the firm worked on. The museum maintains few records concerning the candy so little else is known about them.

Other items in the vault are as unusual though their connection to the museums mission is easier to see. The museum is home to a prototype shotgun known as the liberator. This unusual firearm was designed in 1964 at the height of tensions with the Soviet Union as a cheap gun that could be dropped to resistance fighters in enemy territory.

Michael said the four-barrel 12 gauge has a single firing pin that rotated to fire a shell in one barrel at a time. The shotgun was designed to be cheap with mostly cast parts and a folding wire stock. The idea was for a fighter to use the gun to obtain better weapons from their enemies. Not all the items in the vault are so utilitarian.

A gold-plated revolver once belonging to Cody madam Cassie Waters is often on display, but not currently. The .32-caliber Hopkins and Allen has mother of pearl grips with a personal inlaid message: To My Friend Cassie, Every Inch a Lady.

Its gold plating is kind of ironic because Hopkins and Allen are kind of known for their inexpensive handguns, Michael said with a smile. Notice theres no description who its from, only whos getting it.

Almost all the vaults and behind-the-scenes areas are inaccessible to Center of the West visitors, but there is a notable exception. The Draper Natural History Museum encourages guests to gaze through large windows into the lab where their wildlife specimens are processed by researchers and volunteers.

The Natural History Museum opened in 2002 and is the newest of the five institutions at the Center. Charles Preston, Drapers Willis McDonald IV Senior Curator of Natural Science, said the museum operates a little differently than the others in Cody.

Much of the museums mission lies in research. Biological specimens are constantly brought into the lab where they are processed for scientific study. Folks walking through the public sections of the museum will enjoy taxidermied wolves, bears and other animals native to the area, although Preston said this type of preservation has little value for researchers because the dimensions change during the taxidermy process.

Instead, volunteers in the lab routinely preserve specimens by carefully skinning the animal and collecting the bones. The skins are pressed flat and the bones cleaned and organized into a representative skeleton. The method has an added benefit with smaller species in the ability to be stored flat in file cabinets.

Thats not to say the only specimens chronicled in the museums vaults are small birds or mammals. The Draper has about 1,000 specimens including the complete skeleton of a bison that once lived and died in the Big Horn Basin.

The collection grows every day and sometimes in surprising ways. Preston said a volunteer once chanced upon a young male mountain lion that died in Yellowstone National Park. The level of decomposition prevented easy identification of the cause of death so the cat was taken to the lab in Cody for investigation. Researchers discovered punctures in the animals skull from the canine teeth of adult mountain lion. The deceased lions skull is now part of the Draper collection.

Its in good company. The museum is a repository for skulls belonging to wolves killed in Yellowstone National Park since their reintroduction in 1995. There are now about 150 wolf skulls in the collection.

You get a series as big as this you can tell how the wolves are getting injured, if they were kicked in the head while hunting or something, Preston said.

Researchers are also finishing a comparison between the skeletal records of the reintroduced wolves and wolf specimens that lived in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem 100 years ago. Preston said some of the people opposed to the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone have claimed the gray wolves brought in from Canada are larger than the original population. The study has not yet been completed but preliminary results indicate the reintroduced packs do not differ in size to the animals that preceded them.

The skulls and other specimens are kept away from public view like the vaults of the other four museums at the Center. But visitors with an appetite for a look behind the scenes can catch a glimpse of frontline research at the Draper.
KATHMANDU,August 13: An emergency meeting headed by Home Minister Janardan Sharma today has formed a central command post for intensifying rescue operations in the country.

The command post was formed to intensify the rescue works as the country has been hardly hit by floods and landslides since the past few days. The meeting also deiced to urge the Indian side to open more doors of Laxmanpur barrage and Koshi barrage so as to minimize damage on the Nepali side.

As many as 8,300 security personnel from Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and Nepal Army have already been mobilized in the rescue operation across the country.

As per the Home Ministry sources, different 11 districts were badly affected by the floods. The worse hit districts are Panchthar, Sindhuli, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Sarlahi, Bara, Dang, Banke, Makawanpur and Palpa.

As of now 33 people have been reported killed while four have gone missing in the landslides and floods so far.

Following the rescue operation, over 200 people from Narainapur, Holiya, Phattepur, Tikulipur, Bairiya Sikta among other places of Banke district were rescued to safer zones.

Similarly, rescue work were on at Madargachhi, Kapan, Kawas, Salpara, Saurghutu of Jhapa and Budhikhola of Sunsari, Hanumannagar and Tilathi of Saptari, Bagmati area of Sarlahi and Rautahat by using the rafting boats.

The District Natural Disaster Rescue Committee has distributed dry foods to victims in these areas. Efforts were also on to pack food items to be distributed to those affected by flooding and landslides, while helipads at Nepal Army's barracks have been kept ready for relief distribution.

Likewise, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Management has intensified clearance and repair of obstructed roads across the country so as to resume transport to help ease rescue operation and relief distribution.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has been asked to manage mobilising health workers with medicines to affected areas, while Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has been asked to operate private helicopters with priority in helping rescue operation.

Similarly, the Home Ministry has appealed to one and all including industrialists, business entrepreneurs, civil society and social workers to help in rescue operation and relief distribution. RSS
The City of Santa Maria Recreation and Parks Department and People for Leisure And Youth (PLAY), Inc. will host the Crisptones as part of the YMCA Family Day in the Park at Waller Park, 300 Goodwin Road, near the main entrance of the park on Aug. 20 during its concerts in the park series.

The Crisptones are a soft classic rock band that perform covers and originals, started by brothers Mark and Robin Crisp here on the Central Coast.

Concerts in the Park are free, and family friendly. Invite family and friends, and pack a picnic, bring lawn chairs or throw blankets and come enjoy some music and good times under the sun. The concert begins at 1 p.m. and ends at 3 p.m. As this Sunday concert is part of the larger Family Day in the Park event, parking is limited, so be sure to arrive early, officials said.

A listing of all Concerts in the Park is on the Citys website.
Director Alper Mestci will soon return to Turkish cinema screens with Siccin 4, the latest entry into his popular series of local horror films. And Mestci certainly appears to be familiar with the principal rule of sequels - give them the same, but more - as the trailer for this latest outing promises a parade of outrageously over the top frights.

The trailer for this one is freshly arrived and the version below DOES include Engish subtitles, though you may need to click the cc button to get them. Check it out!
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The second day of Outside Lands 2017 was one of those gray and typically gloomy August days in Golden Gate Park where the sun barely peeked out from under the fog at 6 p.m. And despite the pall that hung over anyone who had read the news Saturday morning  multiple performers acknowledged the violence in Charlottesville from the stage  tens of thousands still packed the festival grounds and rocked out to acts like Vance Joy, Cage the Elephant, Kaytranada, Metallica, and Empire of the Sun.

And, once again, A Tribe Called Quest disappointed their fanbase and this time canceled altogether. The band had been waylaid by travel problems Friday and missed their set, despite the fact that Jarobi White managed to make it to his appearance on the GastroMagic stage Friday. They were rescheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday on the Twin Peaks stage, and just moments before they were supposed to take the stage, an alert went out on the Outside Lands app that they would not be appearing after all. Cue a legion of Gen Xers in mass exodus, and an influx of younger festival-goers who had to chase down a relocated set by dance music DJ Claude VonStroke, who took the stage in Tribe's place.

The day began with Oregon-based sister-act folk trio Joseph on the Sutro stage, and another female-led band, Warpaint, on the main stage, offering up their unique brand of alterna-emo and jangle-rock. Thundercat was another afternoon highlight, and their track "Heartbreaks + Setbacks" is a new favorite.

My day began with a Marlowe burger and thrice-cooked fries with horseradish aioli which seriously hit the spot and prepared me for the long day of trekking between stages. In cocktail highlights: the Homestead's Manhattan at the CocktailMagic stage was a standout amidst some sweeter and fruitier tap concoctions.

Dawes played a well attended set at the Sutro Stage, and as the Chronicle notes frontman Taylor Goldsmith took a moment out to condemn the events in Charlottesville, saying, "Im able to celebrate love and connection and music. Thank you for reminding me, and for reminding all of us, what its really all about and how easy it actually is to love each other."

The energy of the crowd notably picked up with sets by dance DJ Kaytranada (though all he really did was play with his laptop from the stage) and pop songster Vance Joy. Cage the Elephant  themselves a last-minute replacement for Queens of the Stone Age  revved up rock fans for what would soon be a two-hour set by heavy metal gods, Metallica. (Here's an 8-minute video of part of their set, fireworks and all.) A widespread rumor that Lady Gaga, in town for a show tonight at AT&T Park, was going to take the stage with the band never became reality, sadly.

And everyone still in the mood to dance  and that was a lot of people  headed back over the Twin Peaks side for a bumping 9 p.m. set by Empire of the Sun.

Check out all our pics here, and see our pics from Day One here.
About 450 people joined a demonstration Saturday night in Oakland in solidarity with counter-protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, some of whom were victims of a violent vehicular attack in which a lone 20-year-old man with white supremacist ties is accused. The Oakland march  which ultimately made it onto the 580 freeway and shut it down briefly around 9:40 p.m.  mirrored similar rallies and vigils around the country, including smaller events in LA and San Francisco, and a rally this morning in Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza.

The Oakland march, titled "Charlottesville We Got Your Back, Bay Area United Against White Supremacy," began at 16th Street and Broadway, as the Daily Californian reports. Marchers carried signs that read "White Silence Equals Violence" and "This S**t Is Not Okay." Marching toward Lake Merritt, protesters climbed up onto the freeway at the Grand/Lakeshore exit, and after police gave dispersal orders, they mostly left the freeway within 15 minutes, according to the Daily Cal. KRON 4 has some brief video of the freeway blockade, seen above.

Many of the marchers, as KQED reports, were clad in the black gear and masks of the so-called "antifa" or anti-fascist activists who were possibly the target of James Alex Field's Dodge Charger, which plowed into a crowd on a side street in Charlottesville, killing one woman and injuring 19 others. "We have to bring attention to whats happening in Charlottesville and to show that we will resist Trump and this fascist regime, said one female marcher wearing a mask to KQED. "We will not tolerate white supremacy. So we have to get in the way of peoples normal days, we have to cause a little bit of disruption peaceful disruption."

The protests followed a night and day of upheaval in Charlottesville, where a "Unite the Right" rally was planned Saturday and ultimately called off by the mayor. Various factions of the alt-right, including a large contingent of white nationalists, descended upon the college town under the auspices of protesting the removal of a statue of Confederate general Robert E. Lee. But one of the speakers at the weekend's events, former imperial wizard of the Ku Klux Klan David Duke, said the rally was "going to fulfill the promises of Donald Trump" to "take our country back," according to the New York Times.
KINGSLEY, Iowa -- Kingsley State Bank recently welcomed two new employees, Sam Van Wettering and Dan Brandenburg.

Van Wettering grew up in Le Mars and graduated from Le Mars Community High School in 2010. From there he continued his studies at the University of Northern Iowa, where he graduated with a degree in financial management. While he was attending college, he funded much of his education by working at Wells Dairy during the summers.

His first professional job was with Wells Fargo-Premiere Asset Services, West Des Moines office, where he worked from February 2015 until recently.

Van Wettering will work at the Le Mars Office of KSB as a junior loan officer.

Brandenburg worked for the Iowa Division of Banking, where he was a bank examiner for 34 years. He possesses a strong background in banking laws and safety and soundness considerations.

His general and initial duties will include being an agricultural and commercial loan officer, assisting in the design of the Loan Audit Program for the bank's ag and commercial loan portfolio, and serving on various management-level committees at KSB. He will work out of the Le Mars and Kingsley offices.

He and his wife, Sue, have resided in Le Mars for more than 30 years. He has been active with various service clubs as a volunteer.
LOS ANGELES -- Actors like to complain how difficult their work is. But, says Nolan Gould, he and the other stars of Modern Family must be incredibly lucky.

We have the easiest work schedule in all of Hollywood. I work two or three days a week, on average, and we get to go home to our families and our lives.

That sense of casualness, really allows us to feel very comfortable on our setand it comes out.

Renewed for two more seasons, Modern Family will likely end when Gould turns 20. That means half of my life will have been spent here, he says. Im panicking a little bit because thats kind of crazy, spending so much of my life on one show. Im a little nervous about what comes next.

While college is a likely next step, Gould says hell probably stay in show business. Hed love to produce or direct, but hes not going to settle on anything  just yet. I love my job. I love everybody I work with. At this point, theres so much I could do.

When the Emmy-winning series started, Gould was just the goofy little Dunphy kid who often followed in his fathers footsteps. Now, hes a hip high school grad, looking to find his place in the world.

I definitely think Luke has changed a lot, Gould says. If you go back and watch Season One, he was this really sweet, lets be honest, dumb kid. Now, hes this teenager whos becoming adult and his experience is relatable. It was really an intelligent move by our writers to take that route.

Gould, a Georgia native, says he was lucky his awkward years didnt involve too much acne.

Its challenging growing up in front of an audience.

Thankfully, the adult actors took him under wing and helped him through the rough spots. Ty Burrell, who plays his father, is just the funniest man I have ever met. I can truly say hes also one of the kindest individuals. But I honestly learned so much from Ed ONeill (who plays his grandfather).

Whenever Gould struggled with a line or an emotion, ONeill would pull him aside and work with him. Hes like a mini-director that way. When youre 14 years old and Ed ONeill gives you advice, you listen to it.

During the course of the sitcom, producers toyed with various pairings. Ultimately, the very large cast has had a chance to work one-on-one with every one of their fellow actors.

Sometimes, the combinations are magic. Scenes with Burrell and Gould are always comic gold; now ones with Sarah Hyland and Ariel Winter, his TV sisters, are proving fruitful. In the coming season, Luke will take a gap year before starting college. That could offer even more possibilities.

Gould says scenes with Sofia Vergara (who plays his step-grandmother) are always fun. Its so strange to see Luke and Gloria together it makes interesting storylines that wouldnt seem likely to happen.

While Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Gould worked together in the second season, they havent been paired recently. I would love to work with him again.

And Lukes fate?

Its just as tenuous as Nolans.

The industry is a very strange place for kids to grow up, the 18-year-old says. Ive been really lucky that my family has been so supportive. None of them are actors, so they keep me grounded. My TV family has seen actors come and go and they know how this business works. Theyve helped me through it, too. Its challenging.

Excellent writing has made Modern Family a critical and audience success, Gould says. When people tell me Im funny I have to give all the credit to the writers. I could improv the whole show, but it wouldnt be funny at all.

Leaving Modern Family, he says, will be a lot like graduating from high school.
SIOUX CITY | Michael Frizzell is an artist with a passion for hip-hop.

That explains why the 43-year-old Sioux Cityan was putting the finishing touches on a portrait of iconic rapper Biggie Smalls (aka The Notorious B.I.G.).

"There's just something special about rappers and musicians in general," Frizzell said, inside an art studio on the third floor of the Benson Building. "They have a real presence about them."

In addition to Biggie, Frizzell has immortalized such musicians as Alice in Chains' Layne Staley and a "Ziggy Stardust"-era David Bowie in a series of evocative pieces.

"I may have missed my opportunity to see Biggie, Bowie and Layne perform in person," he said of artwork dedicated to the late entertainers. "Hopefully, my paintings will capture the energy of their music."

Talking about the ways in which the art and music scene intermingle, Frizzell comes alive. It's hard to imagine he's only been painting for the past three years.

"I drew when I was a kid but I gave it up for decades," the 2017 Briar Cliff University graduate explained. "It wasn't until I returned to college to get an art degree that I actually picked up a paint brush."

Art as a second career is becoming increasingly prevalent. Many are going back to school as a way to pursue their creative aspirations.

Indeed, the two artists sharing studio space with Frizzell are recent Briar Cliff graduates who left other occupations.

"I'd love to paint full-time but my days are spent as a trainer for a call center," Frizzell noted. "I still need a steady paycheck."

That's not the case with his studio partners.

Brian Joel Damon is a 2015 Briar Cliff art graduate who went back to school after retiring from a 40-year career as a psychotherapist. Debra Knealing, a 2014 Briar Cliff art graduate, has a work history that included stints as a mechanical engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) and Walt Disney Imagineering, where she assisted in the engineering of exhibits at Disney theme parks.

All three will be present when their shared space, Studio 355, has its grand opening from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Suite 355 inside the Benson Building, 705 Douglas St.

"In the 1980s, I worked on the Indiana Jones exhibit, the Tower of Terror and Toon Town," Knealing, 53, said with a smile. "If you were a draftsman in Southern California back then, you more than likely worked for the DOD or Disney. I just happened to work for both."

Despite having a proficiency with mechanics, Knealing was always drawn to the world of fine art.

"When I was young, I painted typical girl things likes horses and angels and fairies," the Idaho native remembered. "But I also loved fashion design and music, which seemed to be better career paths.

"Well, that turned out not to be the case since fashion design was a hard industry to break into and so was music," Knealing said.

Instead, she concentrated on drafting before moving to Sioux City 10 years ago, when her husband, Todd Knealing, accepted a teaching position at Briar Cliff. Todd Knealing is now the vice president for academic affairs for the school.

"Time and circumstances allowed me to pursue fine arts," she said. "I knew I would always return to it and this was the moment."

Since then, Knealing has been creating fantasy paintings influenced by such artists as Jeffrey Jones and Frank Frazetta.

In addition, she finds inspiration in literature, as well as, believe it or not, from vintage record covers.

You see, Knealing is as big of a music fan as Frizzell.

"I was totally into heavy metal back in the day," the grandmother of one offered with a laugh. "Guess I still am."

Moving from a home art room to an actual studio was a natural progression for Knealing.

"I wanted to take my art to the next level," she said. "Having a studio to come to allows an artist to become a part of the community. Otherwise, producing art on your own becomes a lonely profession."

Frizzell needed the studio simply because he didn't have enough space at the two-room apartment she shared with his 13-year-old daughter.

"My daughter likes art but she's more of a writer than a painter," he said.

Thumbing through his completed work, Frizzell said he didn't have much direction when he was younger.

"I knew I had a knack for art but I didn't take it seriously," he said. "I went to the University of South Dakota for a while and, then, dropped out. I worked at Gateway for years. Becoming an artist never crossed my mind."

That is, until Frizzell went back to school.

"Initially, I was going to become an art teacher," he explained. "But I found out I liked art better than teaching."

Frizzell returned to his easel, adding some shadowing to Biggie Smalls' face.

"Art is something that brings color to life," he said. "It's something that I want to share with others."
SHANGHAI - China Eastern Airlines on Saturday denied the alleged insult of an Indian at Shanghai Pudong International Airport reported by an Indian news outlet.

In a statement, the company said that after checking related materials and the airport CCTV footage, it found the news reports did not conform to the fact.

Instead, the airlines employees offered meticulous service, it said.

The company said it is dedicated to providing quality flight service for passengers around the world.

The Times of India reported on Thursday that North American Punjabi Association executive director Satnam Singh Chahal wrote a letter to Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to complain that he had unfair treatment at the Shanghai airport as he took China Eastern Airlines flight MU564.
Max Sr. and Patty (Eastman) Hool of Sioux City will celebrate their 52nd anniversary with a gathering following the church service on Aug. 20 at First Christian Church, 2101 Jackson St., in Sioux City. The couple requests no gifts.
SERGEANT BLUFF -- Rod Earleywine, the superintendent of the Sergeant Bluff-Luton Community School District, was recently arrested on a charge of operating while under the influence, first offense.

According to court documents, the incident occurred Aug. 5 in Dickinson County, home of the Iowa Great Lakes and one of the state's top vacation destinations.

After he was stopped, Earleywine was taken to the Dickinson County Jail and he paid a $1,000 cash bond to be released. An arraignment is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 7.

A Journal voicemail left on Earleywine's cellphone was not returned prior to publication.

Jeff Wright, president of the Sergeant Bluff-Luton School Board, said the board does not have a comment on this situation as it does not publicly discuss personnel matters.

The Sergeant Bluff-Luton School Board met on Aug. 10 for its regular meeting and Earleywine was present.

According to the minutes of that meeting, the board entered into a closed session to perform a superintendent evaluation. The session lasted 13 minutes but no action was taken.
WAYNE, Neb. | Wayne State College's fall semester begins Aug. 21, but Todd Young plans to be nowhere near a campus classroom.

With the path of a total solar eclipse passing through central and southeast Nebraska not too far away, the physics and astronomy professor plans to spend the day observing rather than teaching.

"I've already told my president I'm taking the day off," Young said.

Instead, he'll be accompanying more than 200 elementary students from Wayne to Central City, Nebraska, which falls in the path of totality, where the sun will be totally blocked out by the moon for two minutes.

"I've never experienced (a total solar eclipse). I can only imagine that it's going to be breathtaking. It will be an experience for me and these kids that we'll remember for a lifetime," said Young, also the director of Wayne State's Fred G. Dale Planetarium.

Not since 1979 has a total solar eclipse -- when the sun, moon and Earth are in direct alignment -- been visible in the United States. The path of the eclipse passes across the country from Oregon to South Carolina, including a swath stretching from Nebraska's western border to the eastern edge of the state. The total eclipse will be visible in Lincoln but not Omaha.

"For this path of totality to cut right through the U.S., that is rare," Young said. "For our region, it won't be this close for a long time." Not for 365 years, to be exact, he said.

Siouxlanders won't be able to see the full eclipse, but the sun will be about 95 percent blocked, ensuring that the skies will become dark, making it seem like dusk at the peak of the eclipse at about 1 p.m. Those viewing the eclipse in this area will see the sun appear as a thin crescent.

"It's probably the most dramatic event in the skies that can be seen," Joel Sander, an assistant professor in the University of South Dakota's Department of Physics, said of the solar eclipse.

It's one of the few natural events that can be found referred to in ancient texts dating back 4,000 years, he said. An eclipse in ancient civilizations was viewed as a bad omen, perhaps a sign that the gods were angry or were going away. Scientific research through the centuries removed that mystery, but the darkened skies during the middle of the day still can cast an eerie scene.

"This is something that does connect us back to earlier generations," Sander said.

Rather than retreat in fear, educators across the region are making arrangements to give as many people as possible a chance to view the eclipse.

Sander said he'd love to go see the totality in Nebraska, but he'll be teaching an astronomy class at USD at noon. He'll dismiss the students early to head out to the lawn outside the Ackley-Lawrence Science Center so they can see the partial eclipse. He'll have plenty of eclipse glasses available so students passing by can take a look, too.

The Sanford Museum and Planetarium in Cherokee, Iowa, also is inviting anyone to stop by to have a look at the partial eclipse through special glasses and a projection box that will be set up outside.

"If they want to come by and look at it, they can," director Linda Burkhart said. "People are very excited about this eclipse. It's a very exciting natural event."

Just don't expect to see Burkhart there. She and a few other museum staff members are heading to Nebraska to see the total eclipse.

"I wouldn't miss totality this close," she said.

The next total solar eclipse to be visible in the United States won't occur until 2024, and the path will travel from Texas to the northeast, far from Siouxland.
A few words on trash-talking the president.

Said words are occasioned by emails from a large number of readers who have noted an increased propensity toward that practice in this space. Many found that rather ironic in light of an admonition that appears in the auto response received by any person who sends me an email. It warns that the reader who engages in name-calling will not receive a personal reply.

How, these readers demand to know, can I square that delicate concern for decorum with the fact that yours truly has repeatedly name-called the present tenant of the white mansion at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? I plead guilty as charged, having dubbed him the "so-called president," the "boy president" and "President Dumpster Fire," among other choice epithets.

"Amazing," wrote one person. "So it's OK for you to name-call the president of the USA and then exclaim that you don't respond to name-calling?"

The short answer is yes. The longer answer goes like this:

As a general rule, I've always tried to avoid excessive name-calling in this space, particularly of the chief executive. The one big exception was back during the Monica Lewinsky scandal, when I dubbed Bill Clinton a "human oil slick," "manipulative slime," "Gomer," and "President Hefner."

There is a simple reason -- beyond decorum, I mean -- for not going to that level too often. You see, two things happen when you call someone names.

The first is that you signal your lack of respect. The second is that you foreclose any possibility of engaging that person in a substantive manner on whatever the point of contention might be. The woman you call a stupid so-and-so is unlikely to then sit and have a calm discussion with you about police brutality.

So the reader who is affronted by my views on police brutality or any other topic has every right to call me names, but no reasonable expectation of any response beyond a tap of the delete button. Similarly, when I call the present president a human dumpster fire, it signals that I do not expect to engage with him or any of that shrinking minority of Americans who think he's doing a bang-up job.

It is a tacit surrender, an admission that I don't believe I can persuade him or them. That is, trust me, a bitter pill for someone who has spent more than 40 years as a professional persuader. But it says less about me than about the fact that many of us now live beyond the reach of reason and logic.

I won't subject you here to another listing of the president's many extraordinary shortcomings and acts of incompetence. I'll just say that anyone for whom those things are not manifestly clear by now is unlikely to see them, ever -- unless it be by the light of a nuclear explosion, which he is even now working to bring about.

The rest of us are in a fight for the life of our country. The memory and promise of America is our last redoubt. It is our Alamo against those who ask us to accept and normalize this madness.

I, for one, will not.

My preference is always to persuade. But when you cannot persuade, you can still protest. And yes, I know someone will advise me to respect the office, if not the man. My answer: I will if he will.

Until then, conscience requires me to treat this president, this singular existential threat, as I've never treated any president -- liberal, conservative, Democrat, Republican -- before him. Meaning with utter contempt. I understand that some people will find that offensive. But our country is at stake here.

And I think subtlety would be the greater sin.
"When a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight," Samuel Johnson observed, "it concentrates his mind wonderfully."

And the prospect of a future where Kim Jong Un can put a nuclear weapon on a U.S. city is going to cause this nation to reassess the risks and rewards of the American Imperium.

First, some history.

"Why should Americans be first to die in any second Korean war?" this writer asked in 1999 in "A Republic, Not an Empire."

"With twice the population of the North and twenty times its economic power, South Korea ... is capable of manning its own defense. American troops on the DMZ should be replaced by South Koreans."

This was denounced as neo-isolationism. And, in 2002, George W. Bush declared the U.S. "will not permit the world's most dangerous regimes to threaten us with the world's most destructive weapons."

Bluster and bluff. In 2006, Pyongyang called and raised and tested an atom bomb. Now Kim Jong Un is close to an ICBM.

Our options?

As Kim believes the ability to hit America with a nuclear weapon is the only certain way he has of deterring us from killing his regime and him, he will not be talked out of his ICBM. Nor, short of an embargo-blockade by China, will sanctions keep him from his goal, to which he inches closer with each missile test.

As for the "military option," U.S. strikes on Kim's missile sites could cause him to unleash his artillery on Seoul, 35 miles south. In the first week of a second Korean war, scores of thousands could be dead.

If North Korea's artillery opened up, says Gen. Barry McCaffrey, the U.S. would be forced to use tactical atomic weapons to stop the carnage. Kim could then give the suicidal order to launch his nukes.

A third option is to accept and live with a North Korean ICBM, as we have lived for decades with the vast nuclear arsenals of Russia and China.

Now, assume the best: We get through this crisis without a war, and Kim agrees to stop testing ICBMs and nuclear warheads.

Does anyone believe that, given his youth, his determination to drive us off the peninsula, and his belief that only an ICBM can deter us, this deal will last and he will abandon his nuclear program?

Given concessions, Kim might suspend missile and nuclear tests. But again, we deceive ourselves if we believe he will give up the idea of acquiring the one weapon that might ensure regime survival.

Hence, assuming this crisis is resolved, what does the future of U.S.-North Korean relations look like?

To answer that question, consider the past.

In 1968, North Korea hijacked the USS Pueblo on the high seas and interned its crew. LBJ did nothing. In April 1969, North Korea shot down an EC-121, 100 miles off its coast, killing the crew. Nixon did nothing.

Under Jimmy Carter, North Koreans axe-murdered U.S. soldiers at Panmunjom. We defiantly cut down a nearby tree.

Among the atrocities the North has perpetrated are plots to assassinate President Park Chung-hee in the 1960s and '70s, the Rangoon bombing that wiped out much of the cabinet of Chun Doo-hwan in 1983, and the bombing of Korean Air Flight 858, killing all on board in 1987.

And Kim Jong Un has murdered his uncle and brother.

If the past is prologue, and it has proven to be, the future holds this. A renewal of ICBM tests until a missile is perfected. Occasional atrocities creating crises between the U.S. and North Korea. America being repeatedly dragged to the brink of a war we do not want to fight.

As Secretary of Defense James Mattis said Sunday, such a war would be "catastrophic. ... A conflict in North Korea ... would be probably the worst kind of fighting in most people's lifetimes."

When the lesson sinks in that a war on the peninsula would be a catastrophe, and a growing arsenal of North Korean ICBMs targeted on America is intolerable, the question must arise:

Why not move U.S. forces off the peninsula, let South Korean troops replace them, sell Seoul all the modern weapons it needs, and let Seoul build its own nuclear arsenal to deter the North?

Remove any incentive for Kim to attack us, except to invite his own suicide. And tell China: Halt Kim's ICBM program, or we will help South Korea and Japan become nuclear powers like Britain and France.

Given the rising risk of our war guarantees, from the eastern Baltic to the Korean DMZ, and the paltry rewards of the American Imperium -- we are being bled from Libya to Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen -- a true America First foreign policy is going to become increasingly attractive.

Kim's credible threat to one day be able to nuke a U.S. city is going to concentrate American minds wonderfully.
SAN DIEGO -- Color me surprised. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and I finally agree on something, albeit with radically different motives. It's time to end affirmative action in college and university admissions.

The Alabaman -- who has been wrong on matters involving race and ethnicity for his entire career -- used to be my least favorite senator. Now he's my least favorite Cabinet official.

Under Sessions' direction, the Justice Department recently announced that it will take a long, hard look at the controversial practice -- which goes back about 50 years -- of colleges and universities taking into account the race and ethnicity of applicants in the hopes of achieving a more diverse student body. The lawyers have already telegraphed what they intend to find: rampant discrimination against white people who were wrongly rejected to make room so that "less qualified" Latinos and African-Americans could be accepted.

You can see where this is headed. The Trump administration is poised to make a federal case out of affirmative action, file racial discrimination lawsuits against universities, and force a showdown in the Supreme Court in the hopes of killing the program once and for all.

Bill Clinton tried to split the baby to please both people of color and conservative white Democrats by feebly suggesting that the proper way to navigate the affirmative action minefield was to "mend it, but don't end it." But Trump -- who was elected with minuscule support from Latinos and African-Americans -- doesn't even have to do that much. His presidency comes to us courtesy of white America, and that's who he's looking out for.

And so, if you're a Trump voter and you've fallen on hard times, and blaming immigrants or trade deals isn't satisfying enough for you, well, there's always the old scapegoat: minorities. The administration's message becomes: "It's an outrage. Your kid might be able to go to a better college if some Latina hadn't taken his spot!"

The real outrage is that there is anyone still around who believes this rubbish. The idea that white people are victims of so-called "reverse discrimination" is a total fantasy. Math puts the lie to it. Just look around. You can't be discriminated against because of skin color if other people who have the same skin color are advancing. The truth is you're just being outperformed by your own kind. Deal with it.

I've traveled in some elite circles -- from the Ivy League, to major media companies, to judging the Pulitzer Prize. And do you know what I've noticed? White folks are doing just fine, especially white males.

Still, Sessions and the Justice Department are right to be skeptical of affirmative action -- and even more hostile to its more malignant cousin: racial and ethnic preferences. Engineering by race and ethnicity is a messy business, and colleges and universities should stay out of it.

It's also a dangerous practice. And, as the Trump administration suspects, someone is indeed getting hurt. It's just not who they think it is. The folks being harmed by affirmative action are Latinos and African-Americans, ironically the program's intended beneficiaries.

Affirmative action lowers standards, stigmatizes recipients and masks terrible inequity at the all-important K-12 level fueled by tracking and low expectations. It also allows upper-class minorities who have suffered little or no hardship to benefit while the truly needy are overlooked and promotes elitism by allowing into privileged arenas a small group of high-performing Latinos and African-Americans who scoop up all the benefits. Meanwhile, the majority of their communities are shortchanged by the public schools and will never be in a position to receive one of these golden passports.

I'm not saying that affirmative action did no good, and that it wasn't once a reasonable idea. My parents grew up in the 1940s and 1950s, and they lived through unvarnished racism and discrimination. My father wanted to be a policeman in an era when that goal seemed -- to most Mexican-American kids -- as unattainable as becoming an astronaut or nuclear physicist. In the 1970s, affirmative action helped him get his badge and earn promotions.

But that doesn't mean it should be there for my children, who -- 40 years later -- are being raised in the suburbs by parents who have graduate degrees.

Affirmative action had its time and place. But this is a different time and place. This policy has overstayed its welcome, and now it has to go.
With the deadline for candidates to file having passed, the field is set and the campaign is under way to fill three seats on the Sioux City Board of Education.

Five candidates will vie to fill the open seats of Perla Alarcon-Flory, John Meyers and Paul Gorski. Alarcon-Flory is a candidate for re-election; Meyers and Gorski are not.

In addition to incumbent Alarcon-Flory, this year's field includes Shaun Broyhill, Miyuki Nelson, Ron Colling and Jeremy Saint.

No shortage of questions await answers from these five candidates at what is a time of challenge for education at the local, state and federal levels.

In our view, voters should ask and candidates for school board should be prepared to respond to these 10 key questions:

1) Infrastructure

What are your priorities for building projects, including new schools?

2) Legislature

On what education issues at the state level should the local Board of Education take a leadership position?

3) Diversity

What steps do you advocate our school system take to meet the challenges of a student population growing in diversity?

4) Programs

What is your position on controversial administrative proposals discussed during the last school year focused on changes to the middle school reading program and changes to the Talented and Gifted program?

5) Openness

What is your opinion on how the school board responded earlier this year to allegations made by John Chalstrom, former chief financial officer for the district, about Superintendent Paul Gausman? How would you seek to protect the publics right to know the business of the local school district?

6) Compensation

What principles will guide your decisions when salaries and benefits for employees of the school district are discussed during budget deliberations? How, if at all, will changes made during the last legislative session to the states collective bargaining laws impact your approach?

7) Budget

What steps will you support and do you believe the Board of Education should take if state budget challenges result in allowable growth of 1.1 percent (the figure approved by the Legislature this year) next year?

8) Consolidation

In what ways should the local school district work with the city of Sioux City and Woodbury County to merge services as a means by which to save taxpayers money?

9) IPERS

What, if any, changes do you believe should be made to the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System, which faces unfunded liabilities of $5.6 billion?

10) Common Core

Should Iowa schools embrace the Common Core State Standards Initiative in mathematics and language arts?

We look forward to a robust community discussion of these important issues in the weeks left before the Sept. 12 election.

One final thought.

Because Board of Education directors receive no pay or benefits for their time and work, school board service represents public service in its purest form. Our community owes all candidates for election to the board respect and appreciation for their willingness to assume the responsibilities entrusted to this position.
Could somebody fax me a copy of Steve King's town hall meetings schedule? After an exhaustive search, I can't seem to come up with it.

I think it would be interesting to hear his spin on the totally failed GOP effort to throw 23 million Americans under the bus with no health insurance so the Koch brothers and the rest of the fat cats could get a tax cut.

After leading the charge for the last seven-plus years to make sure the poor and middle class have no access to health care, I think King's version of why he thought it was a good idea would be very interesting or, at the very least, it should be good for a few laughs. - Jerry J. Kobs, Sergeant Bluff, Iowa
Has anyone noticed lately that we have gone from three branches of government (legislative, executive and judicial) to basically one (judicial)? The Founders warned against this. They purposely made the judicial branch the weakest. Now we have judges across the United States who are legislating from the bench and are making erroneous decisions while trumping their legislatures.

The best example of this at the moment is what the Iowa Supreme Court did recently in telling our 99 county courthouses that they are not to allow responsible gun owners into their buildings. This is not only an abuse of power but is also in complete violation of Iowans' Second Amendment rights (who, by the way, pay for their respective courthouses). The Iowa Legislature just passed a massive pro-gun bill that will allow these responsible gun owners to carry in the state Capitol. We wouldnt ask our county courthouses to allow guns if we ourselves wouldnt allow it in the beautiful state Capitol that Iowas gun owners help pay for.

It is with great joy that I am able to applaud my friend, Supervisor Matthew Ung, on his stand to protect gun owners' right to carry in their courthouse in Woodbury County. It is a shame that more counties have not done what Supervisor Ung and a couple of his colleagues have in upholding the law. Woodbury County citizens should be very proud to have them as their county supervisors. - Iowa State Rep. Skyler Wheeler, R-Orange City
Barack Obama is ranked as the 12th best president in a survey of presidential historians conducted by C-SPAN.

The historians rated him highly for pursuing equal justice and for his skills at public persuasion.

His signature domestic policy accomplishment, the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare), was unpopular with Republicans but extended health insurance coverage to 20 million more Americans. His administration helped guide the country through the great recession and rescued the U.S. auto industry.

Historians in the C-SPAN survey gave him weaker marks for his dealings with Congress and international relations. C-SPAN is a nonpartisan channel reporting daily on Congress.

Take that, you Obama haters. He was a great president.

E.J. Dionne, Jr.'s column in The Journal's Aug. 6 Opinion section was headlined "Pressure increases on Trump's 'rickety' alliance of supporters" and discussed lack of support for Donald Trump and his lack of leadership. All Americans want our president to succeed. And I am still praying that Donald Trump will make good on some of his more promising promises. However, this has not happened so far. Where are his ideas for revamping Obamacare? He has none. And he seems now to be trying to get us all killed in a North Korean conflict.

Please, Mr. Trump, do your job or you will not be ranked anywhere near Barack Obama at the end of your term. - Carl Hardy, Sioux City
A trio of longshots  Scirocco Bob (20-1), Fashion Woodchopper (15-1) and Toast Of Lindy (13-1) laid waste to the favourites by sweeping the three divisions of Saturdays Pennsylvania Sires Stake at The Meadows.

Scirocco Bob may have been the least likely winner, given that he had finished off the board in his two previous PASS encounters and remained a maiden. But he left alertly for early position, powered first over past Lawmaker down the backside and held off that rival late to defeat him by a neck. Rose Run Tyrone earned show. The time of 1:55.2 was just two ticks off Correctamundos world record for two-year-old geldings on a five-eighths-mile track, a mark set at The Meadows that has stood since 2009.

I dont know what got into him today, Miller said. Before, hed been very quiet, kind of timid. Today he was charging at the gate and raced unbelievable. I would have sat in but I couldnt even hold him in a hole.

John Butenschoen trains the son of Explosive Matter-Fun At Parties for Lewis Whitaker, Jr. and Kathleen Whitaker.

Fashionwoodchopper overcame an eventful trip, as he was bothered past the half and forced wide. Then, without cover, he wore down the 1-5 favourite, Samo Different Day, to down him by three-quarter lengths and break his maiden in 1:56.4. Maxs Beast earned show.

All year training down, I thought he was my best colt, said Jim Campbell who conditions the son of Donato Hanover-Woodshopper for Fashion Farms. He has the speed and a great attitude, so the first-over part didnt bother me. But hes very green and still learning. He went a helluva trip today, and it didnt surprise me. He has a lot of ability but hasnt been ready to go with it.

Toast Of Lindy, who came alive with a PASS triumph at Harrahs Philadelphia in his most recent outing, took a more conventional path to victory, shooting the Lightning Lane to score for Andy Miller in 1:56.4. Maxus, the 1-2 public choice, was a half length back in second while Crystal Fashion rallied for show.

Last time I got him to the front, and he really fought good there, Andy Miller said. That really broke him loose. Then he got the nice two-hole trip today, and he was loaded when he got to the open stretch. Hes a pretty nice horse. Hell make a little money, I think.

Julie Miller conditions Toast Of Lindy, a son of Cantab Hall-Bellini Lindy, for Andy Miller Stable, Lindy Racing Stable and GTY Stable.

(The Meadows)
The Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association of New Jersey has announced that any member interested in running for a seat on the board may do so in one of the three categories: breeder, owner, or driver/trainer.

All candidates must notify the SBOANJ office in writing by August 24, 2017.

To be eligible for a specific category, you must be a member of the SBOANJ in that category for at least two years. Check the by-laws at sboanj.com for all detailed qualifications.

All members will receive voting instructions, ballots and candidate biographies via mail in September.

The results will be announced at the annual board meeting on October 13, 2017 at Freehold Raceway. Keep an eye out for more details at sboanj.com.

(SBOANJ)
Noam Chomsky and John Pilger spoke with teleSUR, denouncing U.S. President Donald Trumps threats to Venezuela as irresponsible, but typical according to the presidents behavior and U.S. history.

During a conference Friday in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump told reporters that the U.S. has a number of solutions to Venezuelas situation and military force was still an option being considered.

"We don't talk about it but a military operation, a military option is certainly something that we could pursue," Trump told a reporter when asked to elaborate on his statement.

Linguist and intellectual Noam Chomsky told teleSUR the presidents show of bravado was indeed shocking and dangerous, as many commentators have pointed out. Furthermore, the Tweeter-in-chief may be painting himself into a corner.

It is worth remembering, Chomsky continued, That he is probably following his usual practice of speaking to his base, and trying to ensure that he remains in the limelight, not caring much about real world consequences (except to his pocketbook and image).

The best hope is that some of the generals around him, who presumably understand the consequences, will manage to control him, he concluded.

Australian journalist John Pilger commented that Trumps suggestion for an aggressive course of action falls in line with U.S. history in the past century.

Donald's Trump's threat of a military invasion of Venezuela is typical of U.S. threats to the world over the past 70 years, he said.

The U.S. has already invaded Venezuela with its subversive groups, such as the NED, that back a so-called opposition that seeks to overthrow an elected government by force: a high crime under international law, Pilger told teleSUR, speaking of the U.S.s involvement and funding of the violent right-wing opposition whose protests have brought about the deaths of over 120 Venezuelans.

It's unlikely the U.S. itself will invade Venezuela  Washington only invades defenseless countries, and Venezuela is not defenseless. But at the very least, the decent world must stand with Venezuela, now subjected to a virulent propaganda that is war by media. If Venezuela falls, humanity falls, the journalist stated.

Shortly after Trump announced his consideration of a military option to Venezuela, the White House issued a statement saying it had rejected a request from his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro to have a telephone conversation with him.

According to Chomsky, the war-hungry state has ignored proposals for peace delivered by Chinese and Democratic People's Republic of Korea authorities.

North Korea will freeze its weapons programs and the U.S. will call off threatening military maneuvers on its borders. The record gives considerable hope that further progress could be made from there, Chomsky advised.
Cowlitz County is one of 12 Washington counties with a needle exchange, and its program is not dramatically different from the others  except in one respect.

Its apparently the only one with an ax over its head.

In Grays Harbor County, citizens mostly support the syringe exchange as a crucial service for people ravaged by addiction, said Karolyn Holden, the countys public health director.

Weve occasionally had a citizen unhappy with (the syringe exchange program), but its never risen to a level of controversy, Holden said last week. People see it as an opportunity ... to outreach for those who might not get help otherwise.

In Whatcom County, the syringe exchange attracts little attention, said Nancy Polin, nursing supervisor for Whatcoms needle exchange.

I would say people dont even know we have an exchange, and its been going on for 18 years, Polin said. People who dislike the exchange are out there, but as far as actual political pushback, theres none.

Dr. Alan Melnick, health director for Clark County, is confused by his northern neighbors distaste for the needle exchange.

I think theres a lot of misinformation out there, he said. Im trying to understand what the cons are. Hearing some of the (arguments) in Cowlitz County, they didnt make sense to me. Its kind of like getting into a debate about immunization, the cons there dont make a whole lot of sense to me, either.

Cowlitz County commissioners are scheduled to decide Tuesday whether to continue the countys 17-year-old program. With that decision looming, The Daily News looked at the syringe exchange programs in Clark, Grays Harbor, Skagit and Whatcom counties for similarities and differences.

Methods

Although there are many similarities in these counties programs, each has slight variations.

Skagit might have the most unconventional syringe exchange. According to Assistant Director of Skagit County Public Health Bob Hicks, Phoenix Recovery has a large van that travels to sites throughout the county to swap dirty for clean needles (The Cowlitz exchange is in a fixed location). Hicks said the on-the-road exchange has been a huge help in preventing disease in a faster and more cost-efficient manner.

Its really mobile, the assistant director said. Wed normally have to have six different buildings to do this, but instead, theres six different sites that are provided, free of charge, for us to do this.

Commissioner want the Cowlitz exchange to become a true one-for-one exchange. But Whatcom County is moving in the opposite direction. Last month it dropped any one-for-one concept and adopted a needles as needed policy, where customers can get up to 100 clean syringes, though clients still need to turn some needles in, according to nursing supervisor Nancy Polin.

Polin said that the new method is an attempt to further curb bloodborne diseases. Whatcom will decide whether or not to keep with this method. She said she hopes it will.

You get more clean needles out, Polin said. Its more user-friendly and more people come to the exchange. The more clean needles, the less Hepatitis C and HIV.

Clark and Skagit counties also supplied drug users with naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, at their exchange sites. This drug can reverse the effects of an opiate overdose, and both counties said theyve seen the drug save many lives.

Melnick said Clark Countys needle exchange has had over 500 reported overdose reversals since 2014, and Hicks counted around 111 reversals in Skagit in a similar timespan.

According to Holden, in Grays Harbor, distribution of methadone and Suboxone, which help people stay off opiates, reduced the amount of syringes exchanged in 2016 in the county by 16 percent.

I believe people are able to access treatment more easily, and theyre also getting treatment thats more effective than just abstinence, Holden said of Grays Harbors needle exchange.

Dian Cooper, director of the Family Health Center, which helps run Cowlitz Countys needle exchange, said their program does not distribute Narcan yet, but theyll be getting a supply within 30 days.

Public reaction

In Cowlitz County, the needle exchange has proven controversial, with many citizens and city and county officials voicing their distaste for the program. The program is blamed for the prevalence of discarded needles, enabling abusers and failing to document its claimed benefits in curbing disease and drug addiction.

State Rep. Brian Blake, D-Aberdeen, said although there have been plenty of people upset about littered needles throughout Grays Harbor, he wasnt aware of any organized movement to shut down the exchange.

Hicks echoed Blakes statement. According to the assistant health director, local churches, senior centers and the Salvation Army in Skagit support the mobile syringe exchange by letting the programs van use their property.

Melnick, who was at the June Board of Health meeting in which the Cowlitz County commissioners issued their demands for reforms in the Cowlitz exchange, said he was deeply worried about the safety of his neighbors to the north if the commissioners shut down the needle exchange.

Im really concerned about whats going to happen in Cowlitz County. This is a population where HIV and Hepatitis C is a real concern. Having an HIV outbreak would have a huge cost to the community.
Mark Thorson, a retired Longview physician, remembers the last total solar eclipse that hit the Pacific Northwest. It was February 1979, and he had just started his practice in Longview. His child was only one month old at the time.

It was a cloudy day in Longview, but he took the day off from work and headed to the Horse Heaven Hills in Central Washington to be in the path of totality, where the moon completely obscures the sun.

As the sun disappeared behind the moon, the temperatures dropped.

The fog started setting in the Yakima Valley, and the geese from the Columbia started flying up to the Horse Heaven Hills because they thought it was bedtime, Thorson said.

This Aug. 21, millions of people across the continental United States are expected to congregate along the 70-mile wide line of totality, hoping to glimpse two minutes of astronomical glory when the sun disappears completely behind the moon.

During the first total solar eclipse viewable in the United States in 38 years, the moon will move in front of the sun, casting a shadow across the earths surface. The shadow will sail over 14 states from Oregon to South Carolina in the span of 90 minutes, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). (The count varies from 12-14 states, depending on whether you count Montana and Iowa, which will be on the edge of totality.)

For those who plan to view the eclipse from home, Longview will have about 97 percent totality, making it a partial eclipse. The eclipse will begin a few minutes after 9 a.m. and then reach the maximum coverage at about 10:20 a.m., but the maximum will last only for a couple minutes.

Total solar eclipses are rare because they only occur when the plane of the moons orbit lines up perfectly between the earth and the sun. It seems like an eclipse should happen once a month, but the moon is small compared to the sun and its orbit is tilted slightly so sometimes its shadow does not fall on earth.

As a result, a total solar eclipse happens only every 18 months in various places on the planet. Astronomers calculate that it takes about 1,000 years for every location in the United States to experience a total solar eclipse.

Thorson and his fellow members of the local astronomy club, Friends of Galileo (FOG), said witnessing a total solar eclipse is a spiritual experience for many people.

Steve Powell, a physical science teacher at Mark Morris High School, witnessed a partial solar eclipse in Seattle in 1979 and was unsettled by the weird, eerie orange light, during the astronomical event.

While the sun will completely disappear in the zone of totality, off in the distance will be the faint glow of sunlight outside the moons shadow. Thorson described the phenomenon as the horizon at dusk, except the sunset is in every direction.

(Its) like when you have a forest fire and theres a lot of smoke, and the light is dimmer, Thorson said. And youll sense somethings wrong.

FOG member Bill Norvell, who has chased four previous eclipses around the world, said he did not know what to expect the first time.

You see first contact, when the moon first takes a bite out of the sun, and that makes you realize its really going to happen, Norvell said. As the eclipse proceeds towards totality, you get a little bit more anxious and then you see the diamond-ring effect.

To the naked eye, it is difficult to perceive the moon blocking the sun most of the time because of the sheer amount of light the sun gives off. But then as moon blocks more light, its gives the appearance of a dark crescent gobbling up the face of the sun.

The moons surface is not completely smooth, so when sunlight travels through valleys, flashes of light pass through and shine on Earth, resembling a diamond ring.

As the moon continues to move in front of the sun, the ring breaks down into smaller specks of light called Bailys Beads after famous English astronomer Francis Baily.

Even if it appears almost completely dark during a partial eclipse, the small amount of light can still harm viewers eyesight.

Suddenly, in the complete darkness, constellations will appear. In some cities, automated street lights may suddenly go on.

In the middle of the day, its sunny and suddenly Bling! The stars appear overhead, Thorson said.

Totality is only expected to last a couple minutes, and then the shadow will move eastward. The sun will reappear, temperatures will rise and birds will welcome the day again.

Greg Smith, a FOG member, said he met very little traffic on his way to the Columbia Gorge for the 1979 eclipse. That likely wont be true this time around.

Anywhere from 1 million to 10 million people around the United States are expected to move into the path of totality. Hotel rooms along totality have filled up and cities like Madras, Ore., St. Joseph, Mo., and Greenville, S.C. are expecting numerous visitors.

Norvell said part of the fascination with the total solar eclipse is that the natural phenomenon is completely beyond human control.

Theres nothing we can do to start it or stop it, he said.

Current FOG President Chuck Ring added that anybody can view the free event.

(The eclipse) is not going to last very long but its going to be talked about for a long time, Ring said. Were going to be reading about it for quite a while.

Thorson said the event could be life-changing for young students thinking about pursuing science.

Fishermen remember the biggest fish theyve ever caught, Thorson said. Or the day your child was born, you remember that. Its imprinted on you brain for the rest of you life.  (The eclipse) is a very unusual natural phenomenon, and youll remember it the rest of your life.
Cancer survivors, caregivers and support groups began their 24-hour journey Saturday as they circled the Kelso High School track for the 29th annual Relay for Life.

Festivities kicked off at 10 a.m. Saturday morning to raise money for the American Cancer Society. During the overnight event, team members take turns walking or running around the track for 24 consecutive hours to represent the patients that never get a break from battling cancer.

The fundraiser idea started in 1985 when Tacoma resident Gordon Klatt walked around the University of Puget Sound track for 24 hours to raise money. 32 years later, the event has spread around the United States and 27 other countries.

As of Saturday morning, more than 300 participants had signed up for the local event and officials expected another 100 to 200 people to come by and show support.

Event coordinator Brandon Russell said it was a good turnout this year with potentially more survivors present than last year. He added that the occasion had already raised about $68,000 before Saturday and organizers were hoping for another $20,000 in donations throughout the day.

During the opening ceremony, local survivor Todd Conradi told his story about being diagnosed with cancer in 2010. He said he did not get checked for colon cancer as soon as he should have and he reminded those in attendance that the best prevention is education.

Youre the only one that can help you prevent cancer, Conradi said. If you think theres something wrong, go to the doctor.

He went on to say that family medical history awareness can help detect cancer early on.

A man once told me, in order to have a great day, youll shed a tear, youre going to laugh and youre going to learn something, Conradi said. Hopefully they can bring you a great day today.

With that, survivors in periwinkle shirts, caregivers in dark gray shirts and supporters in all the other colors of the rainbow took a victory lap together to commence the relays.

And then participants were off.

Walkers, joggers and runners lapped the track throughout the night and well into Sunday morning while supporters mingled at auctions, competed at the bingo tent and played games like Cancer Crusher Chairs (musical chairs). In whatever form, the activity was constant.

We cant stop or give up, just like a cancer patient cannot stop or give up, Russell said.

Dolores Kelly and her friend Genevieve Handbury, both survivors, said that the relay represents hope for them.

It reminds you that youve survived this long, Kelly said.

The 78-year-old Longview native was diagnosed with melanoma and carcinoma 46 years ago and lost family members to cancer.

Handbury, who was diagnosed with carcinoma in 2011, added that the celebration brings people together.

The relay shows you that youre not the only one, she said. There are many more survivors out there.

Don Morton, a medical assistant at the Cancer Center in St. John Medical Center, said he attended the event to encourage all his patients from over the years.

(Relay for Life) is a big community of support to show that we all care, Morton said. We do our best to help (our patients) through this time in their life. And were having fun doing it.

Betty Cliffton, 83, said she has seen many of the same people at the more than 10 Relays for Life she has attended since she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005.

Cliffton said last year was especially hard after losing her 4-year-old great-granddaughter Addy Jo Cliffton to cancer, but she was looking forward to a special lap dedicated to Addy Jos memory.

Throughout the day, attendees brought paper Luminari bags decorated as a tribute to those who are facing or faced cancer. As night fell, candles inside the bags were lit and the lanterns were placed around the track to commemorate the long but hopeful road ahead.

Were fighters, were battlers, Conradi said. But were also survivors.
Theres usually at least one baby tucked away in a special room thats separate from the main nursery at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center. Occasionally, there are several.

They probably seem normal to casual visitors passing by. Like all newborns, they eat, sleep, cry and need new diapers.

But these infants are different  theyre in withdrawal from exposure to opioids.

The growing number of babies born with opioids in their blood is a health crisis highlighted this week, when the hospital announced that nearly 50 percent of women who give birth in Longview have a substance abuse problem. That figure is more than twice as high as the statewide average, according to data from the Department of Health.

The development tracks closely with an explosion in the national rate of babies born with narcotic abstinence syndrome, or NAS, which tripled between 2000 and 2009. NAS babies  who are exposed to opioids while inside the mothers womb  develop symptoms that include hypersensitivity to light, nausea, vomiting and tremors.

A baby wont necessarily develop NAS just because the mother uses opiates, but for those that do, it can be an excruciating way to enter the world.

U.S. Sen. Patty Murray called the St. John number stunning on a tour of the hospitals Broadway campus on Tuesday. Two days later, President Donald Trump declared the opioid crisis a national emergency.

In April, St. Johns birth center and womens clinic started offering new services in order to meet the health needs of local women and their newborns.

Were their last hope in some cases, said Nicole Waddell, a nurse who works in the birth center.

Disturbing new data

When emergency room and birth center director Natalie Booker joined St. John in August of last year, she conducted a review. It was an eye-opener.

Booker was hired after spending three years at Kaiser Permanente, one of the nations largest managed care organizations. Kaiser is well known for its embrace of data and evidence-based medicine.

There hadnt been a really solid tracking of data at St. John, she said, so I built a database to start at the very beginning.

Booker and her team started tracking all of the babies delivered at St. John.

We wanted to know what types of babies go where, she said. After 90 days, what fell out as our highest issue was substance abuse  maternal substance abuse, she said.

Bookers research revealed that in 2016, about 85 of the roughly 900 babies (10 percent) delivered at St. John had to be transferred to PeaceHealth Southwest in Vancouver for drug withdrawal treatment.

The results of Bookers review reinforced what many health care workers in the community have known for years: Cowlitz, like the rest of rural America, is currently in the throes of a crisis-level opioid epidemic.

As Booker dug further into the numbers, she realized more could be done at St. John for local pregnant women struggling with addiction.

Prior to Bookers arrival, NAS babies born in Longview were transferred to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, which has a neonatal intensive care unit. Mothers with drug problems whose pregnancies carried a high degree of risk were also transferred to Southwest to deliver.

The problem, Booker said, is that this meant all of the mothers prenatal visits would be at Southwest. And in many cases, shipping a newborn south severed the link between mother and baby at the most important time for bonding.

Many of these families dont have the resources to drive to Vancouver, said St. John Medical Director Eleen Kirman. They dont have automobiles. They dont have the money for gasoline.

However, Bookers research also suggested that some of the infants transferred to Southwest could be cared for locally.

After an internal review process with Obstetrics Manager Corinna Emch, Booker said her team came away confident that St. John could provide safe care for maternal patients with drug problems and their newborns once they were delivered.

Local care

Today, when addicted pregnant women first arrive at St. John for a prenatal consult, they are greeted with an array of wraparound services.

In some cases, St. Johns social workers refer pregnant women who are actively using opioids to Dr. Luke Rosen, who completed his residency at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. Rosen is a certified addiction specialist who runs St. Johns opioid treatment clinic, located at its Broadway campus.

Of the 78 patients Rosen currently treats, 11 are pregnant. Hes treated 22 pregnant women total since the clinic opened in March 2016.

That number is increasing, he said.

Opioid withdrawal can be especially harmful to an unborn baby, potentially resulting in preterm labor, fetal distress or miscarriages. For this reason, its recommended that pregnant women do not stop taking an opioid drug suddenly during pregnancy if they are dependent on it.

Rosen prescribes mothers subutex to combat withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Subutex, approved by the Federal Drug Administration in 2002, partially blocks the brains opioid receptors and reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

While subutex can cause withdrawal symptoms in babies, Rosen said its a safer alternative than a dependent mother attempting to completely wean herself off opioids during pregnancy.

When NAS babies are first born, they typically start showing symptoms within about 24 hours. Nurses observe the baby using a score sheet that lists the 21 symptoms most frequently observed in opiate-exposed infants.

When a baby starts to show signs of NAS, nurses then take the baby into St. Johns nursery and start them on an oral narcotic to help with its symptoms and start the withdrawal process. Its also placed on monitors so nurses can closely observe its heart rate, which is lowered by the narcotic.

NAS babies can be such poor feeders that it can sometimes take up to an hour and a half to give a baby bottle, Emch said.

Babies in withdrawal also need to constant cuddling.

They need that extra snuggle, said Candice Hammons, another nurse who works in the birth center. They like to be held nice and tight because they do have tremors a lot of times and thats really exhausting on them.

The average stay at St. John for a newborn in withdrawal is 22.5 days.

The Miracle Project

Since St. John restructured its birthing unit in April, Booker said mothers with substance abuse problems are disclosing their addictions more often.

Weve had mothers present that were actively needing to be withdrawn, and weve been able to assist in that process and with the bonding of the baby as well, she said. I think that changes the trajectory of your life.

When nurses in the birthing unit take their break, theyre not headed to the break room  they head for the nursery and grab a baby to cuddle, Booker said.

Rosen said hes also working with PeaceHealth to build the clinical infrastructure he needs to treat up to 275 patients (hes now limited to treating 100).

And Booker said she has plans to start a research project that tracks NAS babies over the course of a lifetime.

Were wondering when its college time, job time, marriage time, how far do we move you on your life path with this one little intervention? she said. We dont know yet.

Booker said the program is starting in Longview and St. John may become part of a NAS research association across the state.

Thats going to impact society and the culture of Longview forever, she said.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP)  A car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting a white nationalist rally Saturday in a Virginia college town, killing one person, sending at least 26 others to hospitals and ratcheting up tension in an increasingly violent confrontation.

The chaos boiled over at what is believed to be the largest group of white nationalists to come together in a decade: the governor declared a state of emergency, police dressed in riot gear ordered people out and helicopters circled overhead. The group had gathered to protest plans to remove a statue of the Confederal Gen. Robert E. Lee, and others who arrived to protest the racism.

Matt Korbon, a 22-year-old University of Virginia student, said several hundred counter-protesters were marching when "suddenly there was just this tire screeching sound." A silver sedan smashed into another car, then backed up, barreling through "a sea of people."

The impact hurled people into the air. Those left standing scattered, screaming and running for safety in different directions.

The driver was later arrested, authorities said.

The turbulence began Friday night, when the white nationalists carried torches though the university campus in what they billed as a "pro-white" demonstration. It quickly spiraled into violence Saturday morning. Hundreds of people threw punches, hurled water bottles and unleashed chemical sprays. At least eight were injured and one arrested in connection.

President Donald Trump tweeted Saturday that "we ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for." He then wrote "There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!"

But some of the white nationalists cited Trump's victory as validation for their beliefs, and Trump's critics pointed to the president's racially tinged rhetoric as exploiting the nation's festering racial tension.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson noted that Trump for years publicly questioned President Barack Obama's citizenship.

"We are in a very dangerous place right now," he said.

Right-wing blogger Jason Kessler had called for what he termed a "pro-white" rally in Charlottesville. White nationalists and their opponents promoted the event for weeks.

Oren Segal, who directs the Anti-Defamation League's Center on Extremism, said multiple white power groups gathered in Charlottesville, including members of neo-Nazi organizations, racist skinhead groups and Ku Klux Klan factions.

"We anticipated this event being the largest white supremacist gathering in over a decade," Segal said. "Unfortunately, it appears to have become the most violent as well."

The white nationalist organizations Vanguard America and Identity Evropa; the Southern nationalist League of the South; the National Socialist Movement; the Traditionalist Workers Party; and the Fraternal Order of Alt Knights also were on hand, he said, along with several groups with a smaller presence.

On the other side, anti-fascist demonstrators also gathered in Charlottesville, but they generally aren't organized like white nationalist factions, said Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Many others were just locals caught in the fray.

Colleen Cook, 26, stood on a curb shouting at the rally attendees to go home.

Cook, a teacher who attended the University of Virginia, said she sent her son, who is black, out of town for the weekend.

"This isn't how he should have to grow up," she said.

Cliff Erickson leaned against a fence and took in the scene. He said he thinks removing the statue amounts to erasing history and said the "counter-protesters are crazier than the alt-right."

"Both sides are hoping for a confrontation," he said.

It's the latest confrontation in Charlottesville since the city about 100 miles outside of Washington, D.C., voted earlier this year to remove a statue of Lee.

In May, a torch-wielding group that included prominent white nationalist Richard Spencer gathered around the statue for a nighttime protest, and in July, about 50 members of a North Carolina-based KKK group traveled there for a rally, where they were met by hundreds of counter-protesters.

Kessler said this week that the rally is partly about the removal of Confederate symbols but also about free speech and "advocating for white people."

"This is about an anti-white climate within the Western world and the need for white people to have advocacy like other groups do," he said in an interview.

Between rally attendees and counter-protesters, authorities were expecting as many as 6,000 people, Charlottesville police said this week.

Charlottesville Mayor Michael Signer said he was disgusted that the white nationalists had come to his town and blamed Trump for inflaming racial prejudices.

"I'm not going to make any bones about it. I place the blame for a lot of what you're seeing in American today right at the doorstep of the White House and the people around the president," he said.

Charlottesville, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is a liberal-leaning city that's home to the flagship University of Virginia and Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson.

The statue's removal is part of a broader city effort to change the way Charlottesville's history of race is told in public spaces. The city has also renamed Lee Park, where the statue stands, and Jackson Park, named for Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson. They're now called Emancipation Park and Justice Park, respectively.

For now, the Lee statue remains. A group called the Monument Fund filed a lawsuit arguing that removing the statue would violate a state law governing war memorials. A judge has agreed to temporarily block the city from removing the statue for six months.
WASHINGTON  Donald Trump doesn't spare much time for reading. "I never have," he explains. "I'm always busy doing a lot."

But what he is now busy doing is managing a global crisis with nuclear dimensions and historical precedents. One adviser, Sebastian Gorka, has said, "This is analogous to the Cuban missile crisis." Which demonstrates how a little bedside reading might come in handy.

In his account of that 1962 nuclear standoff, "Thirteen Days," Robert F. Kennedy describes a meeting with President John F. Kennedy early in the crisis. "A short time before," recounts RFK, the president "had read Barbara Tuchman's book 'The Guns of August'"  a still-compelling account of the lead-up to World War I. "He talked," RFK continues, "about the miscalculations of the Germans, the Russians, the Austrians, the French and the British. They somehow seemed to tumble into war, he said, through stupidity, individual idiosyncrasies, misunderstandings, and personal complexes of inferiority and grandeur."

"I am not going to follow a course," JFK later says, "which will allow anyone to write a comparable book about this time, 'The Missiles of October.' ... If anyone is around to write after this, they are going to understand that we made every effort to find peace and every effort to give our adversary room to move."

Is it possible to imagine our current president reading "The Guns of August" and applying its lessons to current events? By all indications, Trump lives in the eternal now of his own wants and compulsions. He combines a total ignorance of the past with a total confidence in his own instincts. Now, in the first crisis not of his own making, he must produce traits of leadership he has not exhibited before: judgment, prudence and wisdom. His default mindset is not only indifferent to these traits; it is antithetical to them.

Trump's main virtue as president (and there are some) has been his choice of responsible, respected advisers on foreign and defense policy. The three generals  John Kelly as chief of staff, H.R. McMaster as national security adviser and James Mattis as defense secretary  are the real reasons Americans should sleep well at night, or at least sleep. And Secretary of State Rex Tillerson  though resented by his own demoralized department  is trying to be a calming influence.

But Trump has begun this chess game with a move taken from cage fighting  promising "fire and fury" if North Korea makes "any more threats to the United States," then defending and emphasizing his intemperance. This may be the flimsiest, most foolhardy red line in presidential history. The North Koreans  with a threat to Guam  crossed the line immediately, without consequence. Trump's statement, made after days of briefings with advisers who surely urged pacific rhetoric, is perhaps best interpreted as a declaration of independence from those advisers themselves. It may have been Trump throwing off the resented constraints of sound counsel.

Ultimately, the most consequential event in the current crisis will take place between the president's ears. He must decide if a North Korea with nuclear-tipped ICBMs is acceptable or not. Yes or no.

A case can be made for both sides. In one view, the North Korean regime is a criminal enterprise, not a suicidal death cult. The logic and practice of nuclear deterrence  which includes the right of a pre-emptive nuclear first strike  will hold. In another view, the North Korean regime is deeply unstable, prone to miscalculation and capable of unthinkable horrors. With the artificial confidence of nuclear capabilities, the North Korean regime could blunder past real red lines and set off unpredictable escalation.

This is the decision we are trusting Donald Trump to make  a choice that will determine policy at every stage of the standoff. And what will inform that decision? The instincts of an untested leader? The deal-making experience of the New York real estate market? The collective wisdom of military leadership?

During the 1962 crisis, President Kennedy determined that the presence of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba was unacceptable. But he consistently pushed back against the advice of military action and probed its assumptions. In the end, he pursued a nonnegotiable objective with maximal diplomatic flexibility. "Above all," he later said, "while defending our own vital interests, nuclear powers must avert those confrontations which bring an adversary to the choice of either a humiliating defeat or a nuclear war."

What Trump may need most at this moment is a geography lesson. The White House library is in the basement, right next to the main stairs.
Love wins. Even for immigrants.

On Tuesday, a federal district court struck down a Louisiana state law denying marriage equality to foreign-born residents. The law had been backed by the religious right, the same crowd that had earlier fought to deny marriage equality to same-sex couples.

The legislation, which I first wrote about last October, required anyone wishing to get hitched to produce a birth certificate as well as an unexpired passport or visa before receiving a marriage license. People born in the United States were allowed to get a waiver from a judge if for some reason they didnt have a birth certificate; people born abroad were given no such option.

Ostensibly the objective was to prevent bigamy and other types of marriage fraud. And also, somehow, to thwart crafty terrorists.

We dont want terrorists obtaining green cards and citizenship through marriage and I believe my constituents would agree with me, the legislations sponsor, Republican state Rep. Valarie Hodges, told a local radio station when the law went into effect in January 2016.

Whatever the laws purported justification, one vulnerable population was especially hurt by it: refugees.

Louisiana has a large population of refugees who fled Laos and Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Despite being here legally  and in many cases, having ultimately received U.S. citizenship  these Louisianans often were never issued birth certificates.

This affected couples such as Laotian-born refugee Out Xanamane and his longtime partner, U.S.-born Marilyn Cheng. Xanamane had been born at home in a village near Savannakhet, Laos, in 1975, in the year the country fell to communism. He never received a birth certificate.

The couple had undergone a Buddhist religious marriage ceremony in 1997  and subsequently had four kids  but never filed paperwork with the state. After Xanamane was diagnosed with liver cancer in 2016, he desperately needed a legally recognized marriage certificate to qualify for Chengs employer-sponsored health insurance plan.

Xanamane had multiple forms of identification, including a green card and state-issued drivers license, but the couple was turned away by multiple parish clerks because he could not produce a birth certificate.

They told me I have to go back to Laos and get my birth certificate, Xanamane told me last fall. But there isnt any birth certificate there, either.

The family contacted lawyers, judges and public officials, and everyone told them there was no wiggle room in the law. The couple and their kids ultimately drove to Alabama and got married there instead.

Other immigrants who were turned away by Louisiana parish clerks simply gave up. One, Viet Victor Anh Vo, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in an Indonesian refugee camp to Vietnamese parents, sued.

In addition to being heartless, the law was also unconstitutional because it infringed on the fundamental right to marry.

The court recognized that Louisiana had a two-tiered system, between those born outside of the country and those born inside the country, said Alvaro Huerta, a National Immigration Law Center staff attorney who represents Vo.

Tuesdays ruling was based on the equal-protection and due-process clauses, which do not distinguish between people of different immigration status, the court said. In the most recent legislative session, state lawmakers had applied some fixes to the marriage law, but the new bill did not address all its constitutional problems.

Vo and his U.S.-born significant other, Heather Pham, convinced a Catholic priest to officiate at their religious marriage ceremony last year even after they found out they could not get a state-issued license. (The planned wedding was two weeks away at the time, and they didnt want to cancel on their guests and vendors.) And while the court had issued a preliminary injunction against the law in March, thereby allowing the couple to obtain a legal marriage license, they decided to hold off until a ruling on the merits that vindicated all Louisianan immigrants marriage rights.

The happy couple expects to re-apply for a state-issued marriage license soon.

Also cheering the ruling is Out Xanamanes cousin, Phanat Xanamane, born in a Thai refugee camp to Laotian parents and now a naturalized U.S. citizen.

I feel that justice was upheld today, Phanat, who is not married, wrote me.

This is actually not the first time a federal court needed to step in and affirm Phanats constitutional right to wed; Phanat is gay, and almost exactly two years ago he celebrated when the Supreme Court made same-sex marriage the law of the land.

Tuesdays ruling, he said, shows you how easily you can have your rights ripped away if youre not paying attention to lawmakers.
Britain says will not stay in EU via `back-door`

EU Chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier, right, welcoming British Secretary of State, David Davis, for a meeting at the EU headquarters in Brussels.

AFP, London :

After weeks of feuding, two key figures in Britain's cabinet came together on Sunday to say any post-Brexit transition would not be a "back door" to continued European Union membership.

Finance minister Philip Hammond, who favours a softer, pro-business Brexit, and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox, a hardline supporter of Britain leaving the EU, have clashed over the UK's future outside the bloc.

But in a joint article for The Sunday Telegraph newspaper, they agreed there should not be a "cliff-edge" when Britain leaves in March 2019.

They said any transition period would be "time-limited" and that Brexit would mean Britain pulling out of both the European single market and the customs union.

"We want our economy to remain strong and vibrant through this period of change. That means businesses need to have confidence that there will not be a cliff-edge when we leave the EU in just over 20 months' time," they wrote.

"That is why we believe a time-limited interim period will be important to further our national interest and give business greater certainty-but it cannot be indefinite; it cannot be a back door to staying in the EU.

"We are both clear that during this period the UK will be outside the customs union and will be a 'third country', not a party to EU treaties."

Meanwhile British government ministers were this week due to start publishing detailed papers setting out their aims for the Brexit talks, with Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative government facing criticism over a perceived lack of clarity about its negotiating position.

The papers will include one covering the difficult issue of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland once Britain has left the EU.

Another batch, to be released ahead of the October meeting of the European Council in Brussels, will examine future arrangements including Britain's proposals for a customs agreement with the EU.

Britain's Brexit Secretary David Davis is due to hold a third round of talks with the EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels at the end of August.

Meanwhile, Britain needs a transition period to soften its exit from the European Union, but it cannot be used to stop Brexit, two senior ministers said on Sunday, signaling a truce between rival factions in Prime Minister Theresa May's cabinet.

May's Brexit strategy has been the subject of open debate among her top team ever since a botched June election which weakened her authority and exposed differences of opinion over how Britain should manage its departure from the bloc.

However, the pro-European Chancellor Philip Hammond and ardent Brexiteer trade minister Liam Fox looked to end the debate by setting out a joint position in a newspaper article, as Britain said it was ready to push on with Brexit talks.
COMILLA: Jubo Red Crescent, Comilla Unit greeting Jubo Red Crescent, Noakhali Unit at Comiila Railway Station during their visit on the occasion of the International Youth Day on Saturday.
Ctg admin to tighten vigil on Eid cattle markets

A Correspondent :

As holy Eid-ul-Azha is approaching, the Chittagong district administration has decided to strengthen its vigilance in order to control the law and order situation and curb extortion in the cattle markets of the district.

The decision was made at a meeting of Chittagong district law and order committee held on Friday at Chittagong deputy commissioner's the office.

DC of Chittagong Mohammed Zillur Rahman Chowdhury said in the meeting that the administration had to ensure a sound law and order situation and control extortion in the cattle markets. The meeting was also attended by high officials including the representatives of law enforcers.

Mohammed Zillur Rahman Chowdhury also said that no illegal cattle market could be setup in the district. The Chittagong DC has already given directives to the concerned authorities to ensure the arrangement of temporary cattle markets and good management of the said markets. He said, "We have to make sure that no sick animal are brought to the cattle markets during the upcoming holy Eid-ul-Azha.

We also have to keep the law and order situation under control so that no anomaly can take place in the cattle markets this year."

According to sources, there might be a demand of more than six lakh sacrificial animals in the district in the upcoming Eid. The district livestock department and Chittagong district administration informed that a total 5 lakh and 91 thousand cattle are likely to be sacrificed in the district this Eid-ul-Azha. The authorities concerned are making necessary arrangements to setup temporary haats and provide other logistic supports.

Sources have said the district administration is going to arrange a total of 250 cattle markets in the district. The number of approved cattle markets for selling cattle was 240 in last year while there were several hundred illegal cattle markets in city and rural arrears in Chittagong. According to the sources in district administration, the Chittagong dwellers sacrificed a total of 5 lakhs and 40- thousands cattle in last year for Eid Ul Ajha.

But, the administration hoped that in the current year the number of sacrificed cattle will be more at least 10 percent of the last year.

Locals presume that alongside the approved 250 haats several hundred illegal cattle markets might be setup in the district as well.

District livestock officer Reajul Haque said the number of sacrificial cattle will be more than 5 lakh and 91 thousand in the upcoming Eid-ul-Ajha. We hope the demand for sacrificial animals will increase by at least 10 percent this year from that of the previous year."

"We have sent a letter to the concerned authority including the Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Science University to provide 80 physicians in the cattle markets. We want to make sure that the cattle brought to the markets are free from disease,' he added.
Unhealthy isolated neighbourhood links childhood asthma

Life Desk :

Low birth weight was thought to be a major risk factor of childhood asthma in blacks. A recent study finds that there is another trigger which might increase the risk of asthma in black children.

Persistent residential segregation exposed to air pollution and older buildings which harbor mold spores and fecal matter from rodent and insect might be the actual reason. Black children in the US are twice as likely as other children to develop asthma. But why black children are much more likely than other children to suffer from asthma?

Persistent residential segregation, which traps minority children in unhealthy, polluted neighborhoods might be the reason, suggests a new study by Princeton University.

'Highly segregated neighborhoods near the highway exposed to air pollution may be a major factor behind the risk of childhood asthma in black children.'

Past research has attributed that low birth weight defined as less than 2,500 grams, or about 5.5 pounds could be a risk for asthma. But birth weight alone might not be the reason.

Janet M. Currie, who is the Henry Putnam Professor of Economics and Public Affairs, explains that the racial disparity in asthma rates is so strong that some researchers have even concluded that "being black" is a risk factor for asthma.

Low birth weight may predispose children to asthma, but by itself it doesn't cause the disease. A physical trigger is required. Thus it appears that something about the neighborhoods where the low-birth-weight children live, regardless of their race, is causing them to develop asthma.

"This distinction is important," Currie said, "because unlike race, it is possible to change neighborhoods, either by finding and remediating the hazards that are causing higher asthma prevalence or by helping vulnerable children to move."

Not only can indoor and outdoor air pollution trigger asthma in susceptible children, Currie and Alexander noted they could also cause women to have low-birth-weight babies in the first place.

To conduct their study, Currie and Alexander combined two sets of data records of all children born to mothers who lived in New Jersey from 2006 to 2010, and records of all New Jersey hospital emergency room visits from 2006 to 2012. The records help in determining whether or how many times each low-birth-weight child was treated in an emergency room for asthma during the study period.

"The United States continues to be highly racially segregated," Currie said, "with African-American neighborhoods suffering higher poverty, lower average educational attainments, higher unemployment, higher exposure to pollution, and other ills."

Currie and Alexander's study suggests that the characteristics of highly segregated neighborhoods may be a major factor behind such persistent racial health disparities.

But when Currie and her co-author, Princeton Ph.D. Diane Alexander of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, compared low-birth-weight children of all races and ethnicities who lived in "black" ZIP codes in New Jersey-in which half or more of the residents are African American-the racial disparity in the association between low birth weight and asthma disappeared completely.

In other words, all low-birth-weight children in these ZIP codes, whatever their race, had the same elevated risk of asthma, compared to children born at a normal weight.

The researchers found that New Jersey neighborhoods with a majority of black residents are on average twice as close as other neighborhoods to major industrial sources of air pollution. They are more likely to be near busy highways that produce high concentrations of harmful particulate matter.

Currie and Alexander's study couldn't say definitively what exactly about the link between the Zip codes and the risk of the disease. But indoor and outdoor pollution might be the triggering factor for asthma in low birth weight children.

Source: Medindia
Nasim pairs up with Mila Hossain in Eid play

Sheikh Arif Bulbon :

On the occasion of coming Eid-ul-Azha, noted director Sumon Anwar has made a special play titled Somporker Jaal to telecast on ATN Bangla. For the first time, Ahsan Habib Nasim paired up with Mila Hossain in the play.

Last week Mila has come to Bangladesh from USA to stay here for 20 days to take part in shooting of TV play and to perform as a model in a TV commercial. After returning she has started shooting for the play Somporker Jaal.

In the story of the play it will be shown that Nasim is a director and Mila is a heroine. They are husband-wife. Director Nasim insists wife and heroine Mila to increase her emotions while acting. Once while giving direction he could not accept a romantic scene between his wife, heroine and hero on the screen. Story of the play continues later with climax.

While talking about the play Nasim told this correspondent, For the first time I worked under Sumon Anwars direction. It is also my first working experience with Mila. In fact, it was really an enjoyable experience for me to work in this play. Therefore, its story is superb. I believe viewers will enjoy the play in Eid.

Mila Hossain shared her feelings by this way, After one year, I have worked in Bangladesh by this play. I really enjoyed working with Nasim Bhai and Sumon Anwars direction. I have liked story of the play. I came here to work in good story based play. In fact, I feel acting from my heart and soul but due to reality I cannot continue acting here.

Meanwhile, Nasim will be also seen in Salauddin Lavlus a serial in Eid. From August 16 to 23 he will take part in shooting of Lavlus serial. On the other hand, Mila Hossain will take part in shooting of a TVC from August 16.


Myanmar troops on border adding tension

MEDIA reports said the Myanmar government has deployed more troops in the Rakhine state across Bangladesh border and as the human rights situation of Rohingya people further deteriorated in the past weeks the United Nations (UN) on Saturday expressed serious concern calling upon the Myanmar government to respect people's life and stop repression on them.



Other international organizations like International Red Cross, UN Commission on Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), among others are regularly calling on the Myanmar government to stop the repression and create situation for return of homeless Rohingyas, but the Myanmar government is giving a deaf ear to the call while further aggravating the situation. Needless to say Bangladesh is taking the brunt of the pressure of the stateless Rohingya people as Myanmar finds it easy to push them across the Naf river.



The new deployment aims at further intensifying torture and genocide of Rohingya people torching villages and raping women to force them out of their ancestral home. It is clearly part of an ethnic cleansing strategy by ousting the Muslims to make Myanmar a country free from Muslim population. But it is a shame on the international community to let such atrocities continue. The silence of the ASEAN nations is also highly intriguing as they are keeping their hands folded when an ethnic community is risking annihilation from their homeland. We also witness the ineffective diplomatic moves by Bangladesh government; which has so far failed to mobilize strong international action, although Rohingyas have enough sympathy for their cause. It is important to list support of China and Russia to end the crisis. It is unfortunate they have blocked a UK backed statement early this year at UN Security Council calling on Myanmar to stop the repression. The government must do more to secure their backing.



The new deployment of troops across Bangladesh border has created fresh tension in the border as new homeless refugees are trying to enter the country risking their life. It is unbelievable that such a big crime against humanity is taking place when Aung San Suu Kyi -- a Nobel Peace Laureate -- is heading the Myanmar new democracy in which Rohingyas are booted out from their land.



It is quite shocking that Myanmar government has imposed new curfews in the state blocking media to screen out people away from the watch of the International Community. The troops are in fact carrying out crackdown on the helpless Rohingyas since last October blaming Rohingya outfits for attack on a police outpost to start fresh repression. Since then over 70,000 people have entered Bangladesh for safety.



We must say Muslims are not the only ethnic minority. There are many others. Why Muslims should be singled out to uprooted.






Message

On the auspicious occasion of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan's 70th Anniversary of Independence, I wish to express my profound felicitations to the Pakistani community residing in Bangladesh.

The day is an occasion to pay tribute to the enormous sacrifices of our forefathers, the proponents and workers of the Pakistan Movement and is also a moment to recognise, honour and appreciate all those who have been safeguarding our ideological and geographical borders. Pakistan's reality only became possible through relentless struggle, perseverance and the extraordinary sacrifice of thousands of Muslims of the sub-continent under the unparalleled and charismatic leadership of the Quaid-e-Azam, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

Since independence, Pakistan has been steadily moving towards the path of progress and development. Our men and women, from all faiths and sections of society, have recorded renowned services in all fields of life and placed Pakistan on an elevated pedestal among the comity of nations. Our dynamic and motivated young generation is emerging on the global arena imprinting rich impressions in the fields of science, information technology, art and culture, cinema, music and sports; whereas the diversity of our people from Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, Sindh, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab has blended the rich cultural and ethnic heterogeneity into a cohesive national brilliance.

Cognizant of our enormous national potential, the present government fast-tracked the country's journey to prosperity through an elaborate social and economic development agenda. It is heartening to note that within a short span of time, Pakistan's socio-economic indicators are showing positive improvement. International financial institutions acknowledge that Pakistan's economy is on an upward trajectory. With a growth rate of 5.3% in 2017, Morgan Stanley Capital International has classified Pakistan as an Emerging Market. The World Bank in its annual 'Doing Business 2017' report concluded that Pakistan is among the '10 most improved' economies out of the 190 that they reviewed.

The launch of the flagship China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in April 2015 has played a pivotal role in shaping a new narrative about Pakistan. The CPEC, a project of energy generation, roads, railways, infrastructure and designated economic zones, will bring more than US$ 60 billion of Chinese investment into the country, providing impetus to Pakistan's long-term growth. By linking China with Gwadar through road and rail network measuring 3000 kms across Pakistan's entire North-South length, the CPEC will act as a catalyst for economic connectivity and integration in Central and South Asia, the Middle East and beyond. Hence, the CPEC will be a game-changer not only for Pakistan, but also for the entire region. I also wish to invite Bangladeshi investors to involve themselves in the unfolding silent revolution in Pakistan. It is an ideal opportunity for Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to explore new vistas of cooperation between our two countries.

While celebrating the Independence Day, let us also reaffirm our commitment to strengthening further the ties of friendship between Pakistan and Bangladesh and dedicate ourselves to bringing our two great nations closer. I undertake, through this message, to work tirelessly, alongwith the full team of officers assigned to the Mission, towards achieving these objectives.

However, the journey would be incomplete without participation from the Pakistani community. I hope their presence will continue to promote friendship, peace and harmony between the two countries as well as understanding and awareness in Bangladesh about Pakistan, its people, and culture.

To conclude, I extend, our deepest gratitude to the great visionary leader, Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for providing our nationals with the opportunity to prosper in this beautiful land of Bangladesh.

May Allah protect Pakistan and Bangladesh and bless our people.



(H.E. Rafiuzzaman Siddiqui, High Commissioner of Pakistan, on the occasion of 70th Independence Day of Pakistan)
Pakistan the journey after Independence

Malik Muhammad Ashraf :

Pakistan will turn seventy on 14th of August this year ready to celebrate the day in a befitting manner. Nations celebrate their national and independence days to rejoice at their achievements and to renew pledges to keep marching on the course chartered by the founding fathers to fulfill the objectives of attaining independence. They provide the nations with an opportunity to introspect and reflect on their mistakes and the detours taken from their cherished goals with a view to take corrective measures and reiterating their commitment to tread the path envisioned by the architect of the independence. They offer them the chance to make an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses as well as to ask themselves the questions like, do they really have something to rejoice at and celebrate?

With regard to Pakistan, before evaluating and answering the posed question it would be pertinent to have a brief insight into how and for what Pakistan came into being.The independence movement for the creation of Pakistan was arguably the shortest ever struggle to throw off the yolk of subservience to a colonial power. What made that miracle to happen owes it to the fact that despite a thousand years co-existence with Hindus in the sub-continent, the Muslims ever since their arrival in India either as conquerors or traders, maintained their distinct identity culturally and politically and were already a homogenous nationality in India before the movement to end the colonial rule in India started.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah who initially was a staunch supporter of Hindu-Muslim Unity and believed in peaceful co-existence with Hindus under a constitutional arrangement that protected the political rights of the Muslims and gave them their due share in governance---after his disillusionment with the designs of the Hindus who only wanted India for Hindus and did not acknowledge the Muslims as a separate entity---used this factor to rally round the Muslims to the cause of an independent state for the Muslims.

The process of his transformation into a supporter and leader of the independence movement began with his statement in 1937 that asserted "India is not a national state. India is not a state but a sub-continent composed of nationalities, the two major nations being Hindus and Muslims whose culture, art, architecture, names and nomenclature, sense of value and proportion, laws and jurisprudence, social moral codes, customs and calendar, history and traditions, aptitudes and ambitions, outlook on life and of life are fundamentally different.

By all cannons of international law we are a nation" The vision given by Allama Muhammad Iqbal provided a clear direction to this thought process. Pakistan Resolution was finally adopted on 23rd March 1940 and within a span of seven years Pakistan became a reality on 14th August 1947, notwithstanding the fact that the Hindus and British did not want partition of the sub-continent and made several overt and covert attempts to sabotage Muslim claims to a separate statehood.

It is said that achieving independence is not as difficult as the consolidation of the gains of independence and maintaining strong connection with the ideological moorings that guides a nation towards a right path to achieve its cherished goals. The founder of Pakistan not only won a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent but also bequeathed a vision about the course that Pakistan had to follow.

He envisioned Pakistan as a democratic entity fired and fuelled Islamic principles and teachings but not an entity ruled by priests.

Since 2008 the country is under the representative rule and for the first time in the history power transition occurred through ballot in 2013. When the present government was installed in 2013 the economy was in complete shambles and the GDP growth rate hovered around 3% and the country was on the verge of defaulting IMF and international loans; a severe energy crisis gripped the country that not only hampered economic progress but also caused untold difficulties for the masses and terrorism that also had international dimension threatened the integrity of the country.

Now after four years a discernible transformation has been witnessed in all the areas and in regards to the inherited challenges.

There has been remarkable turned around in the economy. The GDP growth rate stood at 5.3% this year which was the highest during the last ten years. The macro-economic reformsintroduced by the government have produced very positive results and the turn- around in the economy has been repeatedly endorsed by the international lending and rating agencies as well as the media.

Terrorism has been checked in its tracks through successful operations like Zarb-e-Azb that dismantled the terror infrastructure in North Waziristan, Operation RaddulFasad and operation Khyber IV. Thanks to the sacrifices of the armed forces and law enforcing agencies which rendered unparalleled sacrifices to get rid the scourge of terrorism. Although the war has not been completely won due to external dimensions to the phenomenon yet the portents are very encouraging.

The energy crisis has been adequately managed with the result that power outages have been reduced considerably and the industrial sector is having uninterrupted power supply.Under CPEC power generating projects with a cumulative production capacity of 10640 MW have been initiated and are expected to start contributing to the national grid by the end of 2018. With the completion of projects under CPEC, the economists contemplate 2% increase in the rate of GDP growth, indicating future economic prosperity.

The credit for these achievements surely goes to the incumbent government, particularly for showing the courage to take decisive and indiscriminate action against the terrorist outfits. It may not have been able to surmount all the challenges but it certainly has put the country on the right track. Democracy in spite of the hic-ups that have occurred during the last four years, seems on course with the prospects of continuation. So while celebrating completion of seventy years of their independence, the people of Pakistan can take pride in the fact that the country had retraced its steps to its cherished goals, though there was yet a long way to go to reach there.
'Bangabandhu's epoch-making steps created agri revolution'



The revolution that Bangladesh is now witnessing in the agriculture sector is the outcome of the epoch-making steps that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman initiated after the independence.

As many as 85 percent people and more than half of the total national income were dependent on agriculture when Bangabandhu took the helm of the country on January 10 in 1972.

Bangabandhu knew well that the country's economic backbone won't be strong if the agriculture production is not boosted. That's why he called for "Sabuj

Biplab" (Green Revolution) with a slogan "Krishak Bachle Desh Bachbe" (country will survive, if farmers survive).

His government didn't use the slogan as only a slogan; rather a colossal task for rehabilitation of more than 22 lakh peasant families was reposed on it after the liberation war which the government accomplished with utmost efficiency.

This rehabilitation was a real rehabilitation as the farmers were provided with agri inputs like machineries, seeds, fertilizers and pesticides at nominal prices or free of cost in some cases.

Beyond the existing cooperative society, the Bangabandhu government adopted the two-tier cooperative system under the Coordinated Rural Development Project in 1972.

And the country's first-ever microcredit programme for the rural poor was introduced under the scheme. To meet the demand of liquid milk, the cooperative-based "Milk Vita" was established in the country in 1974.

The Bangabandhu government waived tax up to 25 bighas of land including pending tax of all lands and fixed land ownership ceiling up to highest 100 bighas per family.

The loanee farmers were relieved of 10 lakh certificate cases filed during the Pakistani rule and their all pending credits including interest were waived.

At the end of 1972, the farmers were provided with 40,000 low lift pumps, 2900 deep tube-wells and 3000 shallow tube-wells at the reduced price.

As a result, the quantity of land under irrigation increased to 36 lakh acres in 1974-75 by raising one-third in comparison to 1968-69. Alongside enhancing irrigation facilities, 17,616 tonnes of high yielding varieties of paddy, jute and wheat seeds were distributed among the farmers only in 1972.

Besides, arrangements for supply of fertilizers at reduced price in comparison to the world market were made. These steps boosted the use of chemical fertilizers by 70 percent, pesticides by 40 percent and high-yielding seeds by 25 percent.

The Bangabandhu government distributed one lakh bullocks, 50,000 cows and Tk 30 crore agriculture loans among the farmers.

For ensuring fair price of the agri produces, it also fixed the minimum sale price of important agriculture products including paddy, jute, tobacco and sugarcane.

The Bangabandhu government gave priority to agriculture research and took special measures for reorganising higher educational and research institutions related to agriculture.

Bangabandhu made arrangements for introduction of the Ganges-Kapotakhkha Irrigation Project in full swing within eight months in 1973, while his government constructed 100 godowns by 1972 for building food stock officially.

It introduced awards named "Bangabandhu Jatiya Krishi Puroshkar" at the national level to encourage the farmers, scientists and researchers in agriculture development.
Discussion on Bangabandhu held at IU



A discussion on Bangabandhu was held at Islamic University (IU) marking the National Mourning Day.

The university authority organised the discussion on "The Role of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in the development of higher education in Bangladesh" at Birshreshtha Hamidur Rahman Auditorium of the university on Saturday.

Professor Abdul Mannan, Chairman of University Grant Commission (UGC), addressed the function as the chief guest with IU Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr M Harun-Ur-Rashid Askari in the chair.

University Pro-VC Professor Dr M Shahinoor Rahman and Treasurer Professor Dr M Selim Toha spoke as the special guests.
Latin America rejects US military threat in Venezuela

Al Jazeera News :

Several Latin American nations have come out strongly against US President Donald Trump's threat of military intervention to solve the ongoing political crisis in Venezuela.

In surprise comments on Friday, Trump asserted a "military option" could be considered, which Venezuela's Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino slammed as "an act of craziness". Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on Saturday Venezuela rejected "hostile" threats and called on Latin America to unite against Washington.

"We want to express gratitude for all the expressions of solidarity and rejection of the use of force from governments around the world, including Latin America," she said in a short speech.

President Nicolas Maduro and his government have faced strong criticism from several Latin American nations over the controversial Constituent Assembly, which has the power to rewrite the country's constitution.

Firing back at Trump's threat, Maduro's son - speaking as a newly elected assembly member - said rifles would "arrive and take the White House" if Venezuela was "tarnished" by US military intervention.

Nicolas Maduro Guerra said Trump should solve his own problems and promised that - should the US attack Venezuela - the Vietnam War "would seem small in comparison". Peru, one of Maduro's fiercest critics, led the charge in criticising Trump's threat, saying it was against United Nations principles. "All foreign or domestic threats to resort to force undermine the goal of reinstating democratic governance in Venezuela, as well as the principles enshrined in the UN charter," said Peru's Foreign Minister Ricardo Luna. Mexico and Colombia joined in with statements of their own. "All measures should be peaceful and respect the sovereignty of Venezuela," a statement from Colombia's foreign ministry said. Regional alliance Mercosur added it rejected the use of force against Venezuela, despite having indefinitely suspended the country last week amid international condemnation of Maduro's new, all-powerful legislative superbody.

After four months of deadly protests against his government, Maduro says the assembly is Venezuela's only hope of obtaining peace by locking in the socialist policies of his mentor and predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez. Al Jazeera's Lucia Newman, reporting from the Chilean capital Santiago, said Trump's comments have "raised alarm bells from Mexico to Pantagonia".

"The mere suggestion is being rejected in a region with bitter memories of the days when the US marines were sent in to impose American interests in Washington's so-called backyard," she said. Latin American support for Venezuela against the US threat comes on the eve of Vice President Mike Pence's trip to the region beginning Sunday. He is set to visit Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Panama. Analysts say Pence will have his hands full in trying to gain political leverage in the region.


Cancel approval of 320 industries near Sundarbans: Sultana Kamal

Staff Reporter :

Former Adviser of the caretaker government Sultana Kamal on Sunday urged the government for immediate cancellation of the approval of 320 industries near the Sudarbans.

Of the industries, 118 factories got approval from Directorate of Environment after 2015, 186 industries got approval in the nineties and 16 very recently.

Sultana Kamal, the Convener of National Committee to Protect Sundarbans said it in a press conference yesterday at Dhaka Reporter Unity demanding cancellation of the approval of all industries near the UNESCO declared World Heritage Forest. She claimed, many rivers and marshy lands have spread in the Sundarbans like net occupying 31.1 per cent areas of the forest.

It is common that industrial pollution will be threat to the mangrove forest and its plant and animals, she said.

"We can build industry in any other place instead of Sundarbans as we cannot build the natural forest like Sundarbans," Sultan Kamal said.

She placed four points recommendation to the government for immediate implementation. These are: To stop construction of 320 industries, private and public establishment, and cancellation of the allotment of those plots, to implement UNESCO's 11 points recommendation taken at Poland conferment recently, to cancel the government's prepared Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report as it was biased, make a fresh EAI report by a combined experts' committee with UNESCO, and to increase manpower in forest department and train them regarding protecting of the flora and fauna of the forest.
CJ apprised of govt stance on verdict

Review may be sought if necessary, says Law Minister

The Saturday night's sudden meeting between the Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has drawn the notice of the political and other concerned circles.

It became talk of the country on Sunday when none of the CJ or Obaidul Quader, who is also General Secretary of ruling Awami League, disclosed the agenda of the two- hour long meeting that was followed by dinner.

In fact, the meeting between the duo is getting high importance in the prevailing political circumstance while the ruling and opposition political camps are engaged in a tug of war following the cancellation of 16th Amendment by the country's apex court.

Quoting the Minister, Senior Information Officer of Road Transport and Bridges Ministry Md Abu Naser yesterday told The New Nation, "Both of them held important meeting from 8:00pm to 10:00 pm where the minister also joined dinner hosted by the CJ."

But sources close to the Awami League said that main object of the meeting was nothing but to apprise the CJ of the ruling party stance on the recent annulment of the 16th Amendment of the Constitution.

Obaidul Quader informed SK Sinha that the government as well the Awami League both have got aggrieved over the judgment, particularly some parts of the court observation, terming it totally irrelevant, the sources said.

Obaidul Quader, echoing the same, told a public meeting in the capital yesterday that he had informed the CJ about his government and party's stance over the scrapping of the 16th amendment. "There will be more meeting between the two sides over the same issue," he said.

In the meantime, several Awami League leaders, ministers and pro-government lawyers have expressed their discontent over the verdict. Not only that some ministers and ruling party leaders have harshly criticised the CJ over the issue and demanded his resignation.

Some found 'politics' in the observation of the court and conspiracy too. So, the AL will do its best to make the verdict questionable. Especially, the AL leaders and ministers have taken tough stance against the CJ.

About the same issue, Law Minister Anisul Haque on Sunday said that "unacceptable" statements have been used in the verdict and its observation.

"Besides, the history was distorted in the observation that said the country did not get independence through a single person's leadership. I've read out the verdict. Though the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was not mentioned there, it was irrelevant. If necessary, the government will seek review to expunge the statements," the Minister said while addressing 'meet the press' at Dhaka Reporters' Unity in the city.

While Anisul Haque was asked about the agenda of CJ and Quader's meeting, he said, "Meetings between the judiciary, legislative and executive branches can be continued for the sake of the country and people."

Meanwhile, BNP General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has expressed his "astonishment" over the Saturday night's meeting between CJ and Quader, saying that government was creating pressure on the judiciary to change the verdict.

"We've learnt through the media reports that Awami League's General Secretary Obaidul Quader met CJ SK Sinha to discuss the 16th Amendment to the Constitution. We are surprised, worried and also afraid seeing this."

The BNP leader also said the language the Awami League leaders are using to express their views over the verdict was not "political" at all, rather it's the language of terrorism.


The employees at First Interstate Banks downtown Billings branch at 401 N. 31st St., donated their Jeans Day funds to several deserving area nonprofits.

Jeans Day funds accumulate as employees donate funds in order to wear jeans on Fridays. As a collective, the employee group decided who would receive this years Jeans Day funds: Big Sky Senior Services, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Tumbleweed, Family Services, Education Foundation (Teen Pantry Program, Angel Fund and Backpack Meals), and ZooMontana.

Funds collected from employees were also matched by the First Interstate Foundation to total $17,204.
10,000 pilgrims may miss Hajj

HC orders resolving crisis

Sanwar Hossain :

Uncertainty looms over performing Hajj by some 10,000 pilgrims this year because of severe mismanagement of the Hajj agencies, their carelessness and profit boosting tendency, Hajj aspirants have alleged.

With just two weeks to the annual Muslim pilgrimage of the Hajj, only 58361out of 1, 27,198 eligible Bangladeshi pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia until Saturday, the Bangladesh Hajj office in Makkah said.

The Hajj will fall on August 30, depending on moon sighting. Saudi authorities will issue visa for pilgrims until August 17 and the last Hajj flight from Dhaka is scheduled to leave on August 26.

Meanwhile, Biman may face serious shortage of carriers and additional slots, as agencies failed to provide passengers scheduled flights.

"Though agencies are assuring the Hajj aspirants of providing last minute visas but scheduled flights cancellation led to a loss of about Tk 40 crore revenue due to lack of passengers," said Sakil Meraj General Manager of Public Relations, Biman Bangladesh.

"Last minute pressure of passengers may cause carrier shortage though we are adjusting pilgrims' flights with the regular flights along with additional slots arrangements," Meraj added.

It is alleged that like 2015 and 2016, the agencies have failed to deliver proper and smooth services to the pilgrims. Lack of adequate monitoring by the Religious Affairs Ministry, illegal syndication among ministry employee, Hajj agencies and Biman insiders, who are taking brisk business opportunity, has created such complexities and uncertainty over the flights of pilgrims.

Profit-merger Hajj agencies made delay to rent houses at Makkah and Madina at cheap cost and failed to submit papers for visa clearance on due time, which caused such flights cancellation.

Till date, 25 hajj flights of the national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh have been cancelled due to shortage of pilgrims. For adjustment, Biman bought 14 additional Hajj slots from the Saudi authority of which 2 slots have been lost due to cancellation of flights due to passenger shortage on Saturday and Sunday.

Other reasons for not issuing visas for the pilgrims on time were increased Muallem fees, electronic visa processing system by the Saudi embassy in Dhaka which required documents of pilgrims like national identity card and police clearance and sudden imposition of additional 2000 Saudi Riyal by the embassy equivalent to TK 44000 on the repeat pilgrims who performed Hajj in 2015and 2016.

Till Sunday, as 90 Hajj tour operators failed to book flight tickets, arrange accommodation in Saudi Arabia for the pilgrims, as many as 13,415 pilgrims despite having visas could not fly to perform Hajj, according to the Hajj office at Askona in the capital.

According the Hajj office source, some 127,198 pilgrims have registered for performing Hajj from Bangladesh this year under government and private managements. A total of 1, 07,198 pilgrims have so far received visa and 60,510 pilgrims have already been carried to Saudi Arabia for performing Hajj. Biman has carried 28,179 pilgrims and Saudi Arabia Airlines 32, 331 pilgrims to Hajj destination.

Of them, 4,200 pilgrims will perform Hajj under the government management and 1, 22,998 pilgrims will perform Hajj under private management.

Some 66,000 pilgrims are yet to receive visa though the deadline of visa assurance by the embassy is August 17.

Joint Secretary (Hajj) of Ministry of Religious Affairs Md Hafiz Uddin told the New Nation that the pilgrims who have registered will not be left behind.

"We are keen to solve any complexity on Hajj issue and working on it. The Ministry has taken initiatives so that pilgrims receive visa on time and can fly to perform holy Hajj," Hafiz Uddin said.

"Strict actions including fine, cancellation of license will be taken against the agencies failing to send pilgrims," he added.

"Nobody will be left behind who have registered. Agencies are lobbying for visa in the embassy and receiving also, so we hope till August 26 all the pilgrims will be carried to the Hajj destination, the Ministry's Joint Secretary affirmed.

When contracted, General Secretary of the Hajj Associations of Bangladesh (HAAB) Shahdat Taslim told the New Nation that they are going to place a 4 point demand to the Biman Bangladesh and the Ministry of Religious Affairs for adjustment with additional steps for carrying pilgrims properly to Hajj destination.

According to Taslim, HAAB will request Biman to arrange additional 14 slots with the 11 slots that Biman has already arranged.

They will also request Biman to cancel other route flights and accommodate Hajj pilgrims in those flights.

Besides, the HAAB will request the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to persuade the Saudi Airlines to carry more pilgrims.

Meanwhile, questions have arisen over the misuse of Tk 10 crore tax prayer's money by allocating to different members of parliament, powerful government employees and ministers' close people to perform Hajj free of cost.

Of 4200 Hajj pilgrims under government management, 318 pilgrims are going to Saudi Arabia at the cost of the state, according to a press statement issued and signed by the Deputy Secretary (Hajj) Md Sarafat Zaman of the Ministry of Religious Affairs on August 6.

It shows that among 318 pilgrims, 81 were from the election area of the minister Professor Motiur Rahman. Besides, 4 members of parliament, 50 staffers of Bangabhaban, Prime Minister Office and Sudhasadan are on the list of the priveleged.

Though the state fund was reserved for different classes, occupational and devotional worshipers to perform Hajj, it is alleged that very few of them get such chance. Rather influential lobbyists from different government offices get chances of performing Hajj at state cost, which is tax payers' money.

There are allegations that an inter ministry syndication is doing brisk business by taking lump-sum donation and thus allocate to influential people to go for Hajj at state cost and thus misusage the state fund set aside for devotional worshipers of the country.

The HC has ordered to take steps within 48 hours for sending Hajj pilgrims who still could not fly for flight disruption.

Justice Syed Md Dastagir Hossain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan came up with the order and rule following a writ petition filed on Sunday.

A writ petition was filed with the High Court (HC) on Sunday morning seeking its order to form a probe body to find out the reasons behind the mismanagement of hajj flights operated by Bangladesh Biman.

High Court lawyer advocate Munjil Morshed filed the public interest litigation writ petition making five government officials, including the secretaries of Religious Affairs Ministry, Foreign Affairs Ministry and Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, defendants.

The writ also sought a court directive to solve the visa crisis within 48 hours through communicating with the Saudi Arabia embassy in Dhaka.


Devastating floods ahead

10 drown, lakhs of people marooned in NE districts: Teesta Barrage flood bypass road collapses, red alert issued: Acute crisis of food, pure drinking water: Bus-train links snapped

The flood by-pass road on the Teesta Barrage broke down due to opening of 54 Sluice Gates of Gajoldoba Barrage in India coupled with heavy rains and onrush of waters from hills. Panchagarh Sadar and other nearby areas over flooded (bottom left) and Railwa

Staff Reporter :

At least ten people drowned in Kurigram and Dinajpur districts as the flood situation in the country's north and northeast regions worsened further on Sunday with the rising of water level in the major rivers following heavy rains and onrush of water from the upstream.



Army and BGB have been deployed in the worst affected areas of the districts to rescue the marooned people, official sources said.



About 300 villages in nine upazilas of Kurigram district were inundated due to rise in water level in Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla and Dudhkumar rivers.



Rail communications between Kurigram Sadar and two of its upazilas remain suspended since yesterday morning as the rail tracks at different points on Kurigram-Chilmari route have become unfit for train movement due to flood waters.

Meanwhile, lakhs of people in Rangpur, Dinajpur, Jamalpur, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon, Bogra, Sirajganj and Brahmanbaria districts were marooned for the fourth straight day on Sunday due to heavy rains and flood waters over the past few days. As reported, the flood bypass road on the Teesta Barrage broke down due to opening of 54 gates of Gajoldoba Barrage in India and onrush of water coupled with heavy rain in the last five days in Lalmonirhat district.



Local office of Bangladesh Water Development Board on Sunday morning issued red alert in Teesta Barrage area, asking the people living in 63 chars of Teesta and Dharala to keep updated with the latest flood situation.



Besides, several thousand people in the affected areas remained cut off from the rest of the country after surging rivers, triggered by heavy downpour broke through mud embankments and swamped villages.



The flood also displaced large number of people, washed away their agricultural crops and vegetables, damaged houses and forced the educational institutions shutdown.



Waterborne diseases, including diarrhoea, were spreading to the affected districts as many fresh areas were inundated by the floodwaters.



The affected people are passing their days in great misery with their belongings including domestic animals and poultry birds for want of shelter, food and drinking water.



The flood-hit people, who took shelter on the flood control embankment and in school and college buildings, are facing acute crisis of food and pure drinking water.



The river erosion and stagnant floodwater destroyed hectares of the farmers' croplands and engulfed innumerable houses of the people.



The shuttle rail communication on Thakurgaon and Pachaghar route also remained suspended since Saturday as floodwaters were flowing over the rail tracks in different places due to heavy rain.



Meanwhile, Flood Forecasting and warning Centre (FFWC) warned that country's northern and northeastern regions may witness severe floods, if the current rising trend of the major rivers continues for the next few days.



"Low-lying areas of northern and northeastern parts of the country may be flooded as the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and Surma-Kushiyara are in the rising trend due to heavy rainfall" Md Sazzad Hossain, executive engineer of FFWC, told journalists yesterday.



"The rising trend of the major rivers may continue for the next three to four days as two Indian states-Assam and Arunachal-are also experiencing heavy rainfall, meaning northern and northeastern regions of Bangladesh may be inundated by severe flood," he added.



Low-lying areas of the country are normally affected by floodwater during the months of July and August, Sazzad said adding, "We are forecasting that flood may hit the country this month as monsoon is very active over Bangladesh."



Water levels at 77 rivers stations monitored by FFWC have marked increase and 12 stations recorded fall on Sunday.

Among the 90 monitored river stations, 25 river stations are flowing above danger level, a bulletin of FFWC said yesterday.



The Brahmaputra-Jamuna, Ganges-Padma and Surma-Kushiyara rivers are in rising trend.



The Brahmaputra-Jamuna and Ganges-Padma rivers may likely to continue rising in next 72 hours while Surma-Kushiyara rivers may likely to continue rising in next 24.



The rainfall was recorded 100.0 mm at seven stations and 50.0 mm at 20 stations across the country during the last 24 hours ending yesterday.



The highest rainfall was recorded 200.0 mm at Lorergarh station and minimum rainfall was recorded 52 mm at Sylhet station. In Rangpur, the flood situation sharply deteriorated following heavy rains coupled with huge onrush of water from the upstream during past 24 hours till Sunday morning marooning some five lakh people putting them in miseries in the Brahmaputra basin. The Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Dharla, Ghaghot, Jamuneswari, Punorvoba, Upper Atrai and Tangon rivers were flowing above their respective danger mark at 13 points in Kurigram, Rangpur, Gaibandha, Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, Bogra and Sirajganj on Sunday.



According to the Water Development Board (WDB) sources, deterioration of flood situation might continue further during the next 72 hours as huge onrush of water still continues from the upstream. Officials in the district administrations and local public representatives said nearly five lakh people have become marooned in the low-lying and char areas.



"We have started dumping sand- and geo-textile bags at four vulnerable points of the flood control embankments under four unions of Gangachara upazila," said WDB's Executive Engineer for Rangpur Mahbubur Rahman.



Rail communications from Burimari Land Port under Patgram upazila to Hatibandha upazila in Lalmonirhat with other parts of the country were snapped as flood water started flowing over the rail lines since this morning.



District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer of Rangpur Faridul Haque said 22,526 families of 92 villages under 21 unions of Gangachara, Pirgachha, Kawnia and Badarganj upazilas have been marooned in the district. The Department of Agriculture Extension sources said standing Aman seedbeds on 705 hectares, Transplanted T-Aman on 1.29 lakh hectares and vegetables on 2,996 hectares of land already submerged under floodwater in all five districts under Rangpur Agriculture Zone alone. In Lalmonirhat, more than two lakh people of 30 unions in the district's five upazilas-Patgram, Kaliganj, Hatibandha, Aditmari and Sadar-have been marooned by floodwaters as both the Teesta and Dharla rivers were flowing above the danger level.



Meanwhile, 18 villages went under water as Itpota dam, Shiberkhuti and Khatamari dams in Moghalhat area of Sadar upazila have broken down due to heavy current of the river. Patgram town saving embankment also collapsed.



WDB Lalmonirhat deputy-Assistant Engineer Kamrul Islam said, "We have started dumping GO bags (sandbags) to prevent erosion at the vulnerable points of the barrage."



District Education Officer Nobez Uddin said a total of 168 educational institutions in the district were declared closed for floodwaters. Several thousands farmers have to face heavy losses as more than 300 ponds were washed away by flashfloods, said Rezaul Karim, district fisheries officer.



Lalmonirhat deputy commissioner Shafiul Arif said that overall flood situation in the district has turned serious, leaving more than two lakh people marooned. Bus and train connection have declared suspended due to the floods.

On last Sunday, some 1,600 packets of dry foods have been distributed among the flood-affected people, he added.

In Netrakona, the water of the Someshwari River has been flowing 150 centimetres over the danger mark due to the incessant rainfall for the last couple of days and onrush of water from the upstream, leaving more than 30 villages in Durgapur upazila inundated. Residents of those areas have been passing measurable lives as roads have gone under water.



All educational institutions of the affected areas have been submerged while several fisheries have washed away by the floodwaters. Durgapur upazila agriculture officer Omar Faruk said around 500 hectares of paddy field will be damaged if the water level increases. In Gaibandha, water levels in all the major rivers, including Brahmaputra and the Ghagot, have marked rise in the last 24 hours ending at 9 am on Sunday due to incessant rain and onrush of hilly water from the upstream.



The officials of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) said the water level in the Brahmaputra rose by 57 cm, the Ghagot 56 cm, the Karatoa 84 cm and the Teesta 50 cm during the period.



Of them, the Brahmaputra was flowing 29 cm above its danger level at Fulchharighat point of the district while the Ghagot was flowing 08 cm over the danger mark at New Bridge Road point. Executive Engineer of WDB, Gaibandha Mahbubur Rahman said, "The Brahmaputra was flowing over its danger mark, officials and employees remain alert to protect 78 km-embankment from erosion."
Pro-AL lawyers find CJs remark motivated, pro-BNP lawyers demand Khairuls removal

Staff Reporter :

Pro-Awami League and pro-BNP leaders on Sunday organized meetings and counter meetings over the verdict that cancelled 16th Amendment in different parts of the country.

Of them, the Bangabandhu Awami Ainjibi Parishad (BAAP) staged demonstrations in the cities, districts and upazilas demanding withdrawal of observation in the verdict on the 16th Amendment by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

The BAAP also rejected the motivated remarks made by the Chief Justice in the courts observation terming it irrelevant, unacceptable and unconstitutional.

In Dhaka, the leaders made the demands at a rally held at the south hall of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) as part of their three-day protest programme.

The draft of the verdict was prepared by the Editor of an English daily, claimed Barrister Fazle Noor Tapos, member-secretary of the convening committee of BAAP.

The BAAP leaders at the meeting announced a two-day protest programme across the country on August 16 and 17.

Presided over by Convener of the BAAP advocate Yusuf Hossain Humayun, the meeting was also addressed by vice-chairman of Bar Council Abdul Baset Mazumder, Nurul Islam Sujan MP, Awami League Law Secretary SM Rezaul Karim, former secretary of SCBA Momtazuddin Ahmed Mehedi, Umme Kulshum Smriti MP and Sanzida Khanam MP.

Our correspondents reported that similar meetings were also held at district and upazila level demanding withdrawal of the remarks made by the CJ in the observation.

Meanwhile, the Jatiyotabadi Ainjibi Forum, a pro-BNP lawyers platform, demanded arrest of former Chief Justice and incumbent Chairman of Law Commission, ABM Khairul Haque on Sunday. The forum leaders raise their demand while staging a demonstration in front of the Supreme Court Bar Association Bhaban in the capital.

Justice Khairul Haque takes a dual role. He said that justices should not take any job after their retirements. But now he has taken a government job. He has violated service rules by delivering controversial statements against the Chief Justice and 16th Amendment of the Constitution, said, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Secretary of the forum and BNP Joint-Secretary General, while addressing the rally as part of the forums pre-announced three-day programme.

The forum announced demonstration programme on Friday to all Bars across the country demanding arrest and removal of Khairul Haque from the Law Commission Chairman post for his negative statements.

Barrister Khokon said, Justice Khairul Haque had changed his verdict on Caretaker Government system cancellation case after 16 months. He had cheated with the nation. We want his immediate arrest.

He said that the Ministers are giving disputed speech on the verdict of 16th Amendment without studying that.

Forum leader Advocate Sana Ullah Mian, Advocate Masud Ahmed Talukdar and Barrister Badruddoza Badal, among others, were present.




CJ apprised of govt stance on 16th Amendment

More meetings to be held over the issue, says Quader Review may be sought if necessary, says Law Minister

Special Correspondent :

The Saturday nights sudden meeting between the Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader has drawn the notice of the political and other concerned circles.



It became talk of the country on Sunday when none of the CJ or Obaidul Quader, who is also General Secretary of ruling Awami League, disclosed the agenda of the two- hour long meeting that was followed by dinner.



In fact, the meeting between the duo is getting high importance in the prevailing political circumstance while the ruling and opposition political camps are engaged in a tug of war following the cancellation of 16th Amendment by the countrys apex court.



Quoting the Minister, Senior Information Officer of Road Transport and Bridges Ministry Md Abu Naser yesterday told The New Nation, Both of them held important meeting from 8:00pm to 10:00 pm where the minister also joined dinner hosted by the CJ.



But sources close to the Awami League said that main object of the meeting was nothing but to apprise the CJ of the ruling party stance on the recent annulment of the 16th Amendment of the Constitution.



Quader informed SK Sinha that the government as well the Awami League both have got aggrieved over the judgment, particularly some parts of the court observation, terming it totally irrelevant, the sources said.



Echoing the same, Quader told a public meeting in the capital yesterday that he had informed the CJ about his government and partys stance over the scrapping of the 16th amendment. There will be more meeting between the two sides over the same issue, he said.



Questions have been raised how the General Secretary of the ruling party could meet the CJ over such a sensitive issue. The concerned circles of the country are also surprised hearing that such meetings will also be held with the CJ over the same issue in the future. How the ruling partys General Secretary could announce such programme? Who has given him such authority?



As per Constitution, the Chief Justice and other Judges shall be appointed by the President. So, only the President has the authority to get clarification from the CJ over any judgment.



Besides, the Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anisul Haque can play a role on behalf of his government to deal with any issue deemed important by the government. Its a big question, how Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader could take the initiatives to negotiate with the CJ?



Ii is not the end. Several Awami League leaders, ministers and pro-government lawyers have expressed their discontent over the verdict. Not only that some ministers and ruling party leaders have harshly criticised the CJ over the issue and demanded his resignation.



Some found politics in the observation of the court and conspiracy too. The AL sources said the party will do its best to make the verdict questionable. Especially, the AL leaders and ministers have taken tough stance against the CJ in line with the strategy.



About the same issue, Law Minister Anisul Haque on Sunday said that unacceptable statements have been used in the verdict and its observation.



The history was distorted in the observation that said the country did not get independence through a single persons leadership. Ive read out the verdict. Though the name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was not mentioned there, it was irrelevant. If necessary, the government will seek review to expunge the statements, the minister said while addressing meet the press at Dhaka Reporters Unity in the city.



While Anisul Haque was asked about the agenda of CJ and Quaders meeting, he said, Meetings between the judiciary, legislative and executive branches can be continued for the sake of the country and people.



Meanwhile, BNP General Secretary Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has expressed his astonishment over the Saturday nights meeting between CJ and Quader, saying that government was creating pressure on the judiciary to change the verdict.



Weve learnt through the media reports that Awami Leagues General Secretary Obaidul Quader met the CJ SK Sinha to discuss the 16th Amendment to the Constitution. We are surprised, worried and also afraid seeing this.



The BNP leader also said the language the Awami League leaders are using to express their views over the verdict was not political at all; rather its the language of terrorism.




Camp on the Boulder, which has hosted thousands of kids over six decades, is closing for good at the end of the summer season.

The scenic 63-acre United Methodist Church camp is located 39 miles southwest of Big Timber. With two-dozen buildings, including large and small bunk-style cabins, a dining hall and chapel, it plays host to up to 250 people at a time.

The effect it has had on people over the years is evident. When the closure was announced on the camps Facebook page, where the news was shared 167 times and 118 people left comments.

I went there in the late 60s, a woman named Kathy wrote. So many beautiful memories that I still cherish with old friends and new ones that I met at camp.

The spiritual legacy left in so many peoples lives will never die, said John, another commenter. God speed my old friend!

Camp on the Boulder began in 1957 as the primary camp for the Evangelical United Brethren Church, said the Rev. Jeremy Scott, chairman of the camps board of trustees. When that denomination merged with the Methodist Church in 1968 to form the UMC, it became one of three UMC camps in Montana overseen by the UMCs Yellowstone Conference, with one more in Wyoming.

For several decades it was a place that was home to youth and family camping ministries in the way that most church camps did, Scott said. For the last 10 years, the ministry of the camp has been focused more on serving non-UMC, nonchurch-related groups.

The biggest gathering most recently has been an annual meeting of the Beartooth AA Association. That event draws 150 to 200 people from many different states to the camp.

Flathead Lake United Methodist Camp and Luccock Park Camp, south of Livingston, continue to host the denominations traditional camping ministry. But use at Camp on the Boulder has decreased over time.

In the busy years, when it also rented the premises to other denominations, it would see 2,000 to 3,000 visitors in a summer. The last couple of summers brought probably between 800 and 1,000 people, Scott said.

A number of challenges have converged to make its continued use difficult. The price and availability of food and other supplies has increased significantly over the past few years. There is a need for major upgrades and repairs.

A strong employment market has made it more difficult to find seasonal employees. And the secluded location has posed its own challenge.

The isolated nature of the camp an hour away from cellphone coverage is wonderful for guests and awful for employees, Scott said.

The decision to close the camp and eventually sell the property wasnt an easy one, he said. Months were spent consulting with national camp and retreat leaders on discerning the best way forward.

A decision was delayed until all the options could be explored. The trustees spent one last meeting talking about the challenges they were facing and asking questions.

Then we adjourned for a week, with every board member tasked with spending time in prayer, Scott said. I made it part of my daily devotion and prayer life for that week.

When they met again, they ultimately arrived at the decision to close the camp. As hard as it was, Scott said he viewed it as a sort of death and resurrection, that though Camp on the Boulder will eventually be sold, the money from it would continue to be used to reach out to young people with the good news of Jesus Christ.

There is a lasting legacy that will come out of the process of dying, he said. Something hopeful will come out of the other end.

The camps regular season will end Friday. Most of the staff will remain on the premises until the end of September.

The camp will be winterized and maintained until its eventual sale, with a part-time manager on site. A closing worship service and meal, open to the public, will take place at 11 a.m. on Sept. 16.

Scott said seeing all of the comments on Facebook, the condolences and reminisces from nostalgic campers has been a sweet reminder of the camp's influence.

"Tens of thousands of people over the course of 60 years have been impacted by the place," he said.
I dont remember much from my first eclipse experience. It was during elementary school in Jefferson City, in 1979. Our class had made pinhole shoebox viewers. I was ready to be amazed.

As day turned to dusk, I peered through the pinhole and saw a tiny yellow dot on the cardboard wall. It was ... underwhelming.

Trying to capture the upcoming eclipse with a smartphone will probably lead to a similar experience.

Shooting a total solar eclipse that rapidly changes in brightness and lasts only a couple of minutes poses technical challenges that raise the question of whether its even worth trying to photograph at all.

If they just point their iPhone up at the sky, theyre going to be disappointed, said Joe Lopinot of Scopedawgoptics.com in Highland. Lopinot has been an astrophotographer for 15 years. His website is devoted to the upcoming solar eclipse. He offers tips and also sells eclipse gear, like cellphone kits, to view and photograph the eclipse.

If you want to take a photo during the eclipse with your smartphone, Lopinot suggests the following steps:

First, you will need a solar filter for your smartphone. You can buy one or make one by cutting it out from a pair of solar glasses. During totality, no solar filter is needed, so remember to remove the filter during that time.

To capture the sun as more than just a dot in the sky, have a telephoto lens. There are many brands of lenses that clip onto a smartphone easily and produce sharp images (prices start at $20).

If you dont have a telephoto lens, cellphone adapters are available to attach to binoculars and telescopes, but you would also need a solar filter for this setup.

A small tripod will steady the camera and allow you to use a time delay to take the picture without touching the phone.

If your phone has an HDR (high dynamic range) setting, select it. The setting tells the camera to take three exposures, and from them, create one image. It helps with tricky exposure situations. Even without using this setting, the smartphones auto exposure function can measure light during the partial eclipse.

During a total eclipse, it may be too dark for the camera to focus. The suns corona will be visible as a ring around the moon. Tap the image of the corona on your screen to help the camera focus.

Its a good idea to practice. Shoot the sun, or the moon, as both will appear roughly the same size during the eclipse. Lopinot suggests practicing until you can execute a picture in one minute, which should give you another minute to see the eclipse. You dont want to be fiddling with your camera and miss the whole thing, he said.

In 1979, Lopinot first experienced an eclipse while attending the University of Colorado. He piled into a van with a group of six friends and saw the eclipse from a gravel road in North Dakota. It is the most spectacular thing youll ever see, he said. (Afterward) people were walking around in a daze.

If you dont want to risk missing the eclipse, consider these options:

Famous astrophotographer Alan Dyer offers his images for sale through Flickr for $25 to $85 and has published detailed books on how to take your own pictures, including one just for this eclipse, How to Photograph the Solar Eclipse: A Guide to Capturing the 2017 Total Eclipse of the Sun. It costs $9.99.

The Royal Astronomical Society in Great Britain sells photos through sciencephoto.com

NASA.gov promises images from hard-to-reach places, including 11 spacecraft and 50 high-altitude balloons. NASA will broadcast live in Jefferson City, from the Capitol. Its website is eclipse2017.nasa.gov.

If you decide to buy a photo, a smartphone can snap photos of you and your friends watching the eclipse together.
The Yellowstone County Attorneys Office doubled its felony caseload between 2010 and 2015, going from 677 cases to 1,237. Felony filings numbered 1,324 in 2016 and are on pace in 2017 to outstrip last year.

A survey of felony cases filed in 2016 indicates that 426 were related to methamphetamine, according to County Attorney Scott Twito.

Its a very difficult problem in our community and it bleeds into the child abuse and neglect cases, Twito said at a recent County Commission meeting.

Yellowstone County District Court has seen an explosion in the number of child abuse and neglect cases. The number of Yellowstone County children entering the foster care system has quadrupled from 124 in 2010. In 2016, the county attorneys office filed for the protection of 531 children. Filings this year are running higher. The majority of child abuse and neglect cases statewide involve parental abuse of alcohol or other drugs. The incidence of parental substance abuse is even higher in Yellowstone County with meth being the primary drug involved.

The county attorneys staff, and other court officials have stepped up to these challenges by working harder, handling more cases and collaborating to be more effective and efficient, such as:

Establishing drug treatment courts to address the root cause of recidivism, but these courts have limited capacity.

Rearranging arraignment schedules to save time.

Adopting and improving electronic records to streamline court paperwork.

Justice of the Peace David Carter spearheaded a screening program to provide better information about who should and shouldnt be released pending trial.

Twito launched an early intervention program to get first-time felony drug offenders into treatment quickly with the offer of having their records cleared  if they stay drug free.

All those ideas have helped manage burgeoning demands on Yellowstone County courts, but the countys resources are maxed out.

Yellowstone County voters approved a levy to fund the county attorneys office 17 years ago. That levy no longer covers the costs of the much larger demands on the county attorney. In recent years, the County Commission has had to transfer more and more general fund money to cover staff increases sorely needed in the overloaded county attorney's office. Those transfers arent sustainable.

An independent study of workload in all the states district courts, last year showed that Yellowstone County needed six more judges  double the number we have. The Legislature and governor authorized two new judges for our county  the busiest District Court in the state  but those judges cant start work till January 2019.

The county attorneys office has a workload problem that rivals the court overload.

The increase in child protection cases is especially challenging. The office still has just three attorneys to work on those urgent, difficult cases.

Also on the civil law side, the office filed 182 involuntary commitments to psychiatric care last year for people who were an eminent danger to themselves or others, or who were unable to care for themselves. In 2011, the office had just 52 involuntary commitments. These cases involve civil rights of seriously mentally ill adults and must be handled with extreme care.

Its not easy to get Yellowstone County voters to approve a tax increase, but that is what Twito and the County Commission unanimously have decided to seek.

The alternative is bleak: turning a blind eye to the children endangered by drug-abusing parents, ignoring seriously mentally ill adults at risk for suicide or dying on our streets, allowing the drug trade to run unchecked  along with the violence and property crimes it spawns.
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In other business, the council is expected to:

 discuss and provide direction to staff on proposed amendments to the Code of Ordinances Chapter 22, relating to recreational vehicles and all other special vehicles;

 discuss and act on an ordinance disannexing 6055 Clarksville St.;

 discuss and authorize Godwin to execute a contract with Williams Equipment Services to construct the Paradise Estates Sewer and SE Outfall Main Project in an amount not to exceed $2.4 million;

 receive a presentation from the architect, provide feedback and authorize completion of design and bid documents for bidding of the northwest EMS station;

 receive presentations and act on the 2017-18 budgets for Love Civic Center and the Visitors & Convention Council; and

 discuss the 2017-18 budget for the city of Paris.

The council is expected to convene in closed session to discuss Project Sun Bird and Project 3.141.

Any actions required based on those discussions will take place when the council reconvenes in open session.
MARION  The City of Marion on Wednesday responded to the adversarial complaint filed July 10 by lawyers for the owners of the Star Centre Mall in Marion.

The lawsuit comes after the owners of the mall, Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC, on May 4 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy following years of working to keep the financially challenged shopping center afloat.

The adversarial complaint sought an equitable accounting from the city of Marion as it related to the financing of the Illinois Star Centre Mall and surrounding area in Marion.

In legal documents filed by Marion city attorney Steve Green, the city has made a motion to dismiss the adversarial complaint.

According to court documents, the city alleges that complaints made by Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC are insufficient in several ways.

Those documents state that Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC does not allege fraudulent behavior of the city with sufficient specificity, and neglects to cite the occurrences of this fraud, the accounts from which the fraudulent activity took place, and the alleged amount that has been fraudulently used.

Court documents also state requests by Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC for an accounting of the SSA#2 bonds as well as other bond funds, accounts, ordinances, and materials for the creation thereof, should not be granted because Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC signed a waiver with the city of Marion.

Per those documents, on April 25, 2011, Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC entered into an agreement with the City of Marion for the refinancing of the 2002 SSA bonds with the issuance of the 2011B series bonds.

The city alleges that in that agreement, Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC irrevocably waived certain rights with respect to all past bonds with any relation to the SSA#2 bonds.

Further, the city said that the claim by Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC for equitable remedy is insufficient, as that remedy can only be granted when there is insufficient remedy available by law.

They state that Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC has not made a single FOIA request to the city and has not stated that a FOIA request would be insufficient.

Finally, the documents claim Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC has failed to show specific harm, and does not list any counts of harm that are identifiable and recoverable.

According to earlier reports, Dennis J. Ballinger Jr., the managing partner of Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC, said he authorized the filing of the adversarial complaint because the city would not voluntarily cooperate with requests for additional financial information to determine what, if anything, was still owed on the bonds related to the development of the mall and surrounding area.

Ballinger said he informed the city that the additional information was needed because a potential buyer of the mall had been identified and needed the information to perform its due diligence.

A July 10 news release from Illinois Star Centre Mall LLC attorney Paul T. Slocumb of Hoffman & Slocomb LLC, said a review of the available ordinances, financial documents and bonds related to the financing of the mall reveal potential fraud, including:

 Several unexplained transfers, totaling several million dollars, out of designated accounts established to fund the development of the mall and surrounding area.

 Continued assessment and levying of taxes on the mall when it appears that all of the bonds related to the development of the mall and surrounding area have been satisfied.

 The appearance that bond fund proceeds earmarked for the development of the mall and surrounding area were not used in accordance with the requirements of Illinois Special Service Area Tax Law.

 The appearance that the city of Marion has improperly commingled bond fund proceeds.

 The appearance that the city of Marion unfairly gerrymandered the special service area established to fund the development of the mall and surrounding area, which unfairly burdened Illinois Star Centre LLC with all of the tax liability, while arbitrarily excluding three of the four anchor stores and other surrounding businesses that clearly benefited from the improvements.

 It appears that the city of Marion assessed a 1 percent sales tax on the Illinois Star Centre LLC property to retire a series of general obligation bonds even though the city previously enacted an ordinance that specifically excluded such property from additional taxation.

Historic challenges facing the Illinois Star Centre Mall owners include a failed sealed-bid auction in November 2017, in which the buyer backed out of purchasing the property during the due-diligence period, and the 2015 conviction of some of the Illinois Star Centre Mall owners or their relatives for a bid-rigging scheme in Madison County.

The bankruptcy petition refers only to what is effectively the center portion of the mall. Anchor stores Target and Dillard's, both of which own their own parking, as well as Sears, Pirate Petes and the remainder of the parking area are, as of now, unaffected.

According to documents, the declared value of the debtors interest in the property, including real and personal assets, is $5,605,127.04. Notices of the petition were sent to 37 different businesses and government agencies.

According to Marion City Clerk Alice Rix, city employees and officials have been advised that they may not comment on the Star Centre Mall lawsuit.

Neither Ballinger nor his attorney, Paul Slocomb, have comments at this time.
In trapshooting terms, attendance at this years Grand American could probably be scored a 95 or higher.

Lynn Gipson, executive director of the Amateur Trapshooting Association and tournament director for The Grand American, said all the numbers arent in, but attendance appears to be on par with last year.

About 4,600 shooters were classified in the 23 events leading to Saturdays Grand American Handicap.

Most of our events were flat with last year, Gipson said. Thursday, we had a nice increase, we had 106 more shooters than last year. Thats about a five percent increase from last year.

On the other hand, participation in AIM (Academics, Integrity, Marksmanship) the ATAs youth program, was up significantly this year. AIM serves as the Grand Americans warm-up act, running five days prior to the beginning of the Grand American.

Skeet and sporting clays on AIM were up about 20-30 percent, Gipson said. We just started that last year, Thats been very well received. The trap shooting was probably up 3-4 percent.

Although the ATA hasnt had an opportunity to crunch all the numbers yet, it appears as if more of the AIM shooters are staying in Sparta to shoot at least some of the early Grand American events.

Anecdotally, Gipson noted that participation in ancillary events was up this year.

Our evening events have been very well attended, he said. Were seeing about a 10 percent bump in the number of plates we hand out for free food.

In addition, it appears as if more spectators are being drawn to the event.

I think were getting non-participants coming to the shoot, Gipson said Thats good for the sponsors, thats good for the vendors. They like the traffic. Thats a good thing. Not everybody sells guns here, they sell other items too. It helps the local economy too.

Moderate weather undoubtedly attributed to the overall success of the event.

I think this is the fifth year weve had some moderation in the weather, Gipson said. Last year it was humid, but it wasnt real hot. This year it wasnt hot or humid. Its been very pleasant. Thats part of the reason people stick around for the evening events.

The Grand American draws shooters from throughout the United States. In addition, this year there were competitors from Brazil, South Africa, New Zealand, England, Costa Rica and Australia.

The ATAs board of directors recognized Australia as a sanctioned member this year. Gipson said he expects to see more competitors from Australia in the next few years.

Finally, Gipson said there no complications arose from the State of Illinois budget crisis that was finally resolved earlier this summer.

The state has been wonderful to work with, he said. The facility is in as good or better shape than its ever been in. The change in staff had no negative effect on the Grand.

Overall, Gipson said it was a good year.

We can live with that, he said. We can make that work.
Public education is societys most important responsibility. Education affords every child the opportunity for the American Dream, regardless of background or family circumstances. With a great education, you can be whomever you want to be, get a good job and provide for your family.

This is why, as governor, I am fighting to overhaul the way our state funds public schools.

At the beginning of my term, I established a bipartisan School Funding Reform Commission. Democrats and Republicans alike have complained about our states school funding formula for decades, and my administration took on this challenge.

Although it often seems like nothing gets accomplished in the political chaos, this bipartisan commission rose above the discord in Springfield. After many months of hard work, we came together to produce genuine bipartisan reform.

Unfortunately, our work is not yet finished. I was disappointed when the majority party took the commission's work and inserted political goodies for special interests.

Then they sat on their bill  for two months. Democrats in the Illinois Senate used a procedural quirk to keep their version of the education funding bill from reaching my desk. They sought to breed fear, uncertainty and create a crisis.

When the bill finally came to my desk, I issued an amendatory veto within hours, and began earnest discussions on a compromise.

My amended bill allows for the fairest and most equitable path to funding our public schools. It levels the playing field so that all the property value of every community is accounted for. I've charged the General Assembly with ensuring that the new school funding formula serves all the children in our state, with equal respect for disadvantaged children in all regions of Illinois.

With my changes to the bill, Ive placed my administrations cards on the table. You know who I am and what I am fighting for  you, your children and their education.

The General Assembly now has a responsibility to act in that same spirit. I genuinely hope both parties can come to a fair compromise that puts our children first.

The choice before your legislators is simple: Do they side with the children and families of Illinois, or do they side with those who have manipulated the system for decades, robbing our children of critical resources?

The legislative majority too often chooses the latter, but it does not have to this time. Illinoisans who pay their fair share deserve a fair deal in education funding. Bureaucracies that have mismanaged their finances should not expect bailouts at the expense of disadvantaged children in other school districts. Communities that hide property tax wealth from the mechanisms of education funding should be compelled to step up and contribute.

This is fair. This is equitable. Outside the walls of the Statehouse and beyond the political machine, it is noncontroversial.

There is no reason Illinois schools shouldnt open on time and stay open for the duration of the school year; but some legislators want to play chicken with your childrens education.

Illinois children deserve better. They deserve the best public education system in the nation. Teachers and school administrators who labor with love and professionalism deserve the resources to ensure that every child can succeed.

Illinois is close to making a historic change in education funding that will improve education for poor children in Chicago and throughout the entire state. We have a chance to show the people of Illinois that elected officials can work together and put our children's futures above political differences.

Lets work together and reach a compromise that makes long overdue reforms in the way we fund our schools.
This year, an exciting thing happened: I drew a bull elk tag for the Missouri River Breaks. Yes, it is just the archery tag, but to all us hunters, its practically a Wonka golden ticket. Why? Because the Breaks are one of the best hunting spots in the state, if not the entire West.

It's also no secret that the Breaks hold the world's best bighorn rams. Hunters try to draw those tags for most of their lives. Conservation groups auction tags for up to $400,000  each.

The Breaks are a hunter's paradise, namely, because of the Monument. While the region has plenty of water and food, the Monument also gives animals something not found in most of Montana: shelter from people. That's why they get so big.

At a June press conference, Zinke said he doesn't want to make changes to the Breaks. Recently, he issued press releases taking three other Monuments off review. Why not the Breaks?

Over 12,000 Montanans sent letters to keep it as is. The issue was publicly settled 16 years ago by Montanans, before it was ever designated.

I'm tired of D.C. bureaucrats screwing with my hunting heritage. Zinke, take the Breaks off the list.

Jared Frasier

Manhattan
Do you want to meet with Rep. Greg Gianforte, Montana's lone congressman? Go to his website to request a meeting and you will learn a lot about Greg as he gives you two locations to meet him: "KY (Yes, Kentucky!), Washington, D.C., or elsewhere." That's right Montana  you can meet him at the Creationist Museum in Kentucky. That's also where Sen. Steve Daines held his breakfast fundraiser  support from anti-science creationists who believe the earth is only 6,000 years old and dinosaurs lived with men.
Opioid abuse and addiction know no geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds.

They are reality in Everytown USA.

Over-prescribing of pain-killing drugs is identified as a key factor in what has become a national crisis.

The U.S. Centers for Disease and Controls latest Vital Signs shows opioid prescriptions continue to be written at a high rate, with the amount of opioids prescribed per person standing three times higher in 2015 than in 1999. It is a problem that state and local officials say they are also closely monitoring.

The report indicates that while the amount of opioids prescribed in the United States peaked in 2010 and then decreased each year through 2015, the volume of the potentially addictive medications prescribed is still about three times higher than in 1999, when the problem with opioid addiction was in its infancy.

Researchers sorted counties nationwide according to the average amount of opioids prescribed per person. This was measured in morphine milligram equivalents, or MMEs, to account for the fact that the drugs come in a variety of types and dosages.

The picture locally is mixed.

The average per capita amount prescribed in Orangeburg County was 822.7 MMEs in 2010 and 709 in 2015. So the county saw a decrease in the prescribing of opioid painkillers.

The level remained stable in Bamberg County, with the average per capita amount prescribed there going from 776.4 MMEs in 2010 to 736.9 in 2015.

Calhoun County, however, saw an increase in the average per capita amount of prescribed opioid painkillers, going from 0.4 MMEs in 2010 to 39.4 in 2015.

Shelly Kelly, DHEC director of health regulations said, Opioid abuse and addiction is rightly called an epidemic in our state and across the country.

The CDC has reported that prescription painkillers were responsible for roughly half of the nations 33,000 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2015.

The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reports 512 deaths occurred in South Carolina from a drug overdose with prescription opioid drugs listed on the death certificate in 2015, up 10 percent from 464 in 2014.

While 2016 data is not yet available, DHEC reports there were 508 deaths in the state from drug overdoses involving opioids. In 2015, there were 565 deaths. In both years, opioid overdoses outnumbered murders.

There were six opioid-involved overdose deaths in Orangeburg County in 2015, one death in Bamberg County and none reported in Calhoun County.

Over-prescribing opioids

I would consider that opioids are overprescribed in general. What has helped in the recent past are the guidelines that have come out from the CDC and the DEA in terms of their recommendations for how to use opioids and having the providers be more aware of their prescribing habits through just that educational process, said Dr. Monnie Singleton of Singleton Health Center in Orangeburg.

I think that has helped us to sort of see a slight decrease in the number of prescriptions that are written, but old habits are hard to break. There are lots of physicians whove had patients on opioids for long periods of time and its hard to get them off of opioids, Singleton said.

The South Carolina Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) has been touted by medical and other professionals as helpful in addressing the problem.

DHECs Kelly said PMP is a model for other states in helping physicians track patients use of prescription opioids to spot signs of abuse.

In 2016, nearly 5 million opioid prescriptions were filled in South Carolina. By using SCRIPTS, we can also exchange information with other states to track prescriptions. Our drug-control officers also work closely with federal, state and local law enforcement to identify prescription drug abuse hot spots  geographic locations where there is a pattern of abuse, Kelly said.

Singleton said, I think that the prescription monitoring programs that have been put in place have helped, especially in the area of doctor shopping, where a patient may come to one doctor and pick up some opioids and go across town or to another city and pick up some more. The program really helps us as providers see if patients are going around getting them from other places.

So we dont see as much of that now as we did three years ago. Most all states have prescription-monitoring programs now.

Wanda Copeland is a certified family nurse practitioner who said the over-prescription of opioids is a reality.

One of the things thats a problem is a lot of times health care providers may be giving too much at one time. For instance, theres a lot of times when these kids -- especially the kids -- go and have their wisdom teeth pulled and theyre given like 20 pills of an opiate when they dont really need that, Copeland said. They can just use ibuprofen or something.

She said while she understands doctors want to help alleviate pain, I wonder if theyre taking the time to fully evaluate the problem, noting that the states PMP has served to curtail the over-prescription of opioids and has been a great lifesaver for a lot of physicians.

She said she works in a local doctors office twice a week and they rarely prescribe opiates.

Legislative effort

Greenville state Rep. Eric Bedingfield is chairman of the House Opioid Abuse Prevention Study Committee. He said while the PMP has served to help in discourage the over-prescription of narcotic painkillers, that is only one piece of the puzzle.

We decided as a group of people who wanted to attack this issue that there was no single direction to go to fix it. The study committee is made up of a cross section of members from not only around the state, but all the various committees in the House, Bedingfield said.

This is going to have budgetary impacts that we are going to have to pay attention to. When you take the ability of addicted individuals to doctor shop, they just dont quit using opioids. They move to street-level drugs and then eventually they will hopefully decide to get clean and want to seek out treatment, he said. That, too, will come at a necessary cost.

We want to attack the falsified prescription aspect of things and keep those pills from reaching the patient and the street for those who dont honestly need them, but at the same time we need to also be prepared as a state to deal with the humanitarian aspect thats going to follow it, Bedingfield said.

The legislator said the committee has seen that the states opioid addiction problem is pervasive and knows no socioeconomic or racial boundaries.

I wouldnt dare put percentages on this yet, but a lot of the abuse that we see today is a result of people who  have been using prescription opioid pain medication for injuries at some point and time in life, Bedingfield said.

Thats the reason weve attempted as a committee and as a House to try to approach this thing from a very holistic standpoint, whether that be educating children about the dangers of prescription drugs or educating our future prescribers  be that physicians, orthodontists, orthopedists or nurse practitioners  about noticing the signs of addiction, he said.

The legislator said he is hopeful that by the time the committee issues a report on its statewide assessment of the opioid addiction problem  which he said will be accompanied by various pieces of legislaton in January  the panel will have enough evidence to convince budget writers on the Ways and Means Committee that we have not only got to be serious about attacking the problem, but weve got to be serious about funding the recovery.

The government cant fix it all, the government cant pay for it all, but weve got to make sure that we let people know that the services of organizations who are not governmentally funded but are still doing positive work in our communities are available.

There are people out there who just arent looking to make a dollar off of treatment and recovery, but are seriously concerned with people being able to live and provide for their families and be good citizens, Bedingfield said.

The General Assembly is hoping to pass legislation next year to help curb the over-prescription of opioids, he said.

Its called Prescription Report Cards, and it would take DAODAS (S.C. Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services) data from the Prescription Monitoring Program. It would issue a little report to every prescribing doctor in the state and say, Heres how many prescriptions for opioids you wrote this year, and try not to judge them, but give them some perspective and a reminder of what theyre doing and how it compares to other doctors around them, Bedingfield said.

We hope that it raises some awareness within them that maybe theyre stretching the limits of what they should be prescribing, he said.

Singleton said pharmaceutical companies are also partly to blame for the rise in opioid addiction.

The pharmaceutical companies should step up to the plate and own up to their role  in that they heavily marketed these pain pills in the 90s when there was an explosion of synthetic opioids coming to the market.
An India native, Ashok Patel moved to America in 1985 at the age of 20 with $20 in his pocket.

The youngest of six children, Patel had a burning desire to come to America and do what millions before him have done -- achieve the American dream.

Patel grew up in a small village in India where he worked on his family farm.

"He didn't ever shy away from hard work," daughter Priya said, speaking on behalf of her father. "So he set out to America with his brother."

"Though he was frightened to embark on this new adventure, he was optimistic about his brighter future here," Priya said. "He barely spoke any English when he arrived, starting off with jobs that didn't require much of it like baking for Dunkin Donuts and working in factories."

Ashok spent about a year in the United States before going back to India to marry his wife, Parista.

He returned to the United States and continue his dream of making a living and starting a family.

"He started off his journey in Chicago, then moved to New Jersey," Priya said. "He moved around place to place trying find jobs."

"The biggest challenges he faced were trying to adjusting to a new language, new country and being away from family," Priya said. "What got him through was knowing it was temporary. His faith in God helped him through the tough times."

These tough times led him and his wife to Orangeburg in 2001 in pursuit of entrepreneurship opportunities.

The couple purchased the Carolina Lodge on U.S. 601 (3620 St. Matthews Road).

Over the past year, Ashok completely renovated the hotel, now a Travelodge.

It is the latest step in his continued living of the American Dream.

Priya, who's a nurse at the Regional Medical Center and also runs the hotel with her parents, says the business is like brand new.

"They tore down the walls to put in new ones, broke open the old windows to put in new bigger windows, ripped out the old carpeting and replaced it with brand new carpet, switched out the old furniture and beds, and upgraded to new flat-screen TVs," she said.

Other than a few renovations every other year, this is the most recent and biggest renovation to come to this hotel," Priya said.

The only thing left is to paint the outside.

"He's very proud of the hotel," Priya said. "He looks at it and sees not just the past 16 years, because that's just the tip of the iceberg."

Priya says her father is a testament to what hard work can mean.

"He would tell people who are down and out about how they can succeed to never give up," she said. "There is no such thing as an overnight success. You have to value growth, experience, and struggle. You have to learn at every point in life. Never stop!"

"The American Dream to him is defined by success," Priya said. "Success isn't defined by money and wealth, it's defined by health and happiness. Being able to send his children to college, giving them the opportunities he didn't have, spending time in the yard with his son, and being able to sit down every morning to drink tea with his wife in the morning."
July 31, 2017

Ten individuals involved in the attack on the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Tehran in January 2016 had their prison sentences upheld by an appeals court, according to the lawyer of one of the defendants. Mohammad Narimani said that five individuals were sentenced to six months in prison and five other individuals were sentenced to three months in prison. In the original sentencing, 13 individuals received a suspended sentence; a number of others were acquitted.

In response to the execution of Saudi Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, protesters who had gathered at the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Tehran and at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Mashhad eventually stormed the buildings and destroyed property. Iran arrested approximately a hundred individuals after the attack. One of the main organizers of the attack is believed to be a cleric who was linked to conservative Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Saudi Arabia cut all diplomatic relations with Iran after the attacks on the embassy. This crisis, however, was preceded by another crisis between the two countries in September 2015 when 474 Iranians were killed in a stampede in Mina while on hajj. Iran accused Saudi Arabia of incompetence and called for Mecca to be under international supervision. Saudi Arabia accused Iran of politicizing the event. Iran skipped the 2016 pilgrimage after the two countries were unable to agree on provisions to guarantee safety for Iranians.

But this year, after intense negotiations, Iranian pilgrims were sent to hajj. According to Iranian media, the first group of Iranian pilgrims in Medina for this years hajj were greeted by Saudi Arabias deputy minister for hajj.

During a speech to hajj officials July 30, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei discussed Saudi-Iran tensions related to hajj. We will never forget the tragedy of 2015 hajj, Khamenei said. He added that the safety and honor of all pilgrims is one of the demands of the Islamic Republic. Khamenei also addressed current political events and urged Muslims on hajj to take a united stand against Israel, in light of the Al-Aqsa protests, and the United States. Saudi Arabia has objected to any politicization of hajj.

At the event for Khameneis speech, Ghazi Askar, Khameneis representative of hajj affairs, said that Iran sent pilgrims this year because Saudi Arabia accepted Irans conditions, especially with respect to the safety of Iranian pilgrims. Iran had previously accused Saudi Arabia of banning Iranian planes from landing in their country and also requiring Iranians to travel to a third country to obtain an entry visa. Other media have reported that Iran objected to bracelets for tracking. The decision to send pilgrims this year was reportedly made by the Supreme National Security Council, which is headed by Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

While the attendance of Iranian pilgrims is a positive sign, there are still many differences between the two countries. Iran claims that Saudi Arabia has still not apologized for the Mina stampede. The two countries are still vying for regional dominance, and there continues to be a number of tension points in the region.
I met U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale in Kalispell a month ago, and Im glad I did. I was impressed with his views on property rights and getting the feds out of our everyday life in Montana. I also respect Matts stance on the sanctity of life.

Rosendale will fight to repeal Obamacare and return the right to the Montana families so we are free to choose our own health coverage.

I agree with Rosendale that the NSA eavesdropping is a violation of our constitutional rights; we should not have to wonder whether our own government is spying on us.

Rosendale is the type of person I feel will be good for Montana. Rosendale has earned my trust and the trust of my neighbors and friends. His proven experience in the Montana House and Senate, will allow him to actually accomplish good things for all of us in Montana while also ensuring that our local values are always taken to heart. He is also a rare specimen in politics, humble, kind and a God-fearing honest man. If you get a chance to meet him, dont pass it up.

Chase Sik

Billings
After reading the entire editorial page in the July 31 Times and Democrat, it struck me that I had just been hit with a massive dose of gloom and doom, which in my opinion is an alternative view of the real state of things. Not only do the columnists, Kathleen Parker and Eugene Robinson, both offer their own alternative, pessimistic view, but The T&D in the "Our View" editorial presents its own somewhat pessimistic, alternative opinion.

Reading both Parker and Robinson over the past several months, I have come to the conclusion that both are really "Chicken Little" always crying that the "sky is falling, that President Donald Trump's administration in collapsing right before our eyes. As alarmists and drama queens, they feel they are obligated to predict for us the demise of both the president and his administration.

Thankfully, there are other outlets providing a completely different perspective. They describe very positive events and circumstances, views that are completely different from the "Chicken Littles.

Reading them, we immediately realize many of the really positive changes that have taken place in the first six months of Trump's administration. Just to point out a few, we have seen the appointment of a Supreme Court justice who is a constitutionalist, the highest stock market ever, the lowest unemployment numbers in 17 years, the highest business confidence in 10 years, the creation of thousands of new jobs with more to be announced. And this has happened without the impact of tax reform, which when enacted will spur even more economic improvement and create more jobs.

Let's remember that internationally, Trump has reversed the previous administration's practice of leading from behind, taking decisive military action in both Afghanistan and Syria, completing highly successful trips to the Middle East, Ukraine, Poland, France and Israel, and meeting with foreign leaders from many other nations including Japan, South Korea, Canada and Mexico.

These very real positives have happened in just six months and without the assistance or support of Congress. Makes one wonder just what would the future be like if Congress worked with our president for the good of our country.

We can get a glimpse of that future when we consider the Veterans Administration for a minute. Congress did pass one law that allowed the VA secretary to fire underperforming or incompetent VA employees and after over 500 terminations, the VA today appears to reversing an ugly environment that has festered for at least the past four presidents. Really does makes you wonder what could happen if Congress worked with our president, doesn't it?

John McCain is without a doubt an American war hero. And McCain was a maverick. I first became aware of McCain as a midshipman at the Naval Academy in the late 1960s. McCain already was a hero to all of us midshipmen, and an inspiration, and a maverick. Given that, I was ready for John McCain to be president in 2008. Unfortunately, he did not run for president like a maverick and he, as we all know, lost.

My eyes opened, I came to the realization that McCain had changed. No longer a maverick, he had become a very moderate Republican, in fact, a Republican in name only, the kind of Republican who says he will do one thing while he is campaigning and, once elected, does something completely different (Think Lindsey Graham here.) Now we also see that McCain who has become a "Never Trumper (think Lindsey Graham again.)

The Times and Democrat editorial opinion that John McCain opposed the latest attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare because he is a maverick may have been true at one time, but my feeling is that today the real root of McCain's opposition is because he is first and foremost a "Never Trumper.

Thank goodness for those alternative, positive, more realistic opinions out there giving relief from the "Chicken Littles" of the world. And thank God for John McCain the patriot and may God be with him through his battle with cancer.
Bamberg County native and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley continues to impress as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

A major success came in engineering an unprecedented vote by the U.N. Security Council to level new sanctions on North Korea for its nuclear and missile programs. North Korean ally China and Russia voted with the United States in a rare show of unanimity for which Haley should get a lot of credit.

And its not because the ambassador is being timid or unrealistic.

Haley described the action as "the single largest economic sanctions package ever leveled against the North Korean regime" and "the most stringent set of sanctions on any country in a generation."

The council condemned North Koreas actions "in the strongest terms" and reiterated previous calls for the country to suspend all ballistic missile launches and abandon its nuclear weapons program "in a complete, verifiable and irreversible manner."

But Haley warned the U.N. action it is not enough. "We should not fool ourselves into thinking we have solved the problem  not even close.

The Security Council has already imposed six rounds of sanctions that have failed to halt North Korea's drive to improve its ballistic missile and nuclear weapons capabilities.

Haley told council members: "The threat of an outlaw nuclearized North Korean dictatorship remains ... (and) is rapidly growing more dangerous.

A day after the vote, she expanded on her thinking about North Korea in an interview with Fox News: Its time for North Korea to realize, we are not playing anymore.

They can either respond by pulling back and saying they are not going to be part of this reckless activity anymore or they can see where it goes.

The words are straightforward but far less provocative than President Donald Trumps vow of fire and fury should North Korea endanger the United States and its allies.

The North Koreans are aware of what will happen should they use nuclear weapons but the regime is unlikely to relinquish them, seeing nukes as an insurance policy for its survival, making military action to disarm the North a nearly unthinkable option.

Heres hoping Haley is called upon further to speak about the crisis. She is a most effective voice for America.

Others, including political opponents back home such as former Bamberg County Rep. and present CNN commentator Bakari Sellers, agree.

After praising Haley on Twitter for the U.N. vote, Sellers told The Times and Democrat this past week that while no one had more disagreements with Haley as governor of South Carolina, he is impressed with her performance at the United Nations.

The fact is, on the new national level, she is a shining star, Sellers said. She has an inclusive world view  and is showing just that.

North Korea, Iran, Israel: She has been right on all these issues.

Sellers continued: I dont want her to be governor, but Nikki Haley as U.N. ambassador is good for the United States of America.

Good for the United States indeed.
By Trend





World Bank (WB) forecasts the grow of 0.5 to 1 percent of the Azerbaijans economy in 2018, head of the banks Baku office Naveed Hassan Naqvi said in the exclusive interview with Trend.

This year, Azerbaijans economy will probably contract between 1 and 1.5 percent, he said.

"Unfortunately, Azerbaijan is overly dependent on oil," he noted. "Nonetheless, oil prices decline and subsequent devaluation of national currency created opportunities for other sectors of the economy to evolve."

He added that, the current exchange rate will create conditions for many potential agricultural exporters to become more competitive on different markets.



The fall in oil prices means that revenues of the Azerbaijani Government have declined, which forced consideration for new reforms that will encourage diversification of countrys economy, he said.

Azerbaijan continues to work on various reforms, he noted. "So we are happy to see the Road Map that Government has unveiled this year," he said.



Among other reforms, he also outlined the establishment of the Financial Stability Council.

Reforms take time and its too early to tell how effective they will be, he said.

He added that, reforms by the Azerbaijani Government have the potential to positively impact the countrys economy.

World Banks expectations for Azerbaijans economic growth are approximately similar to those of other financial organizations.

Consequently, International Monetary Fund expects Azerbaijans economy to decrease by one percent in 2017 and grow up to two percent in 2018. Dutch ING Bank expects a one percent decrease this year and a 1.6 percent increase in 2018, Asian Development Bank  1.1 percent decrease and a 1.2 percent increase, respectively, and the Standard & Poors international rating agency  a one percent decrease and a two percent growth, also respectively.

Azerbaijan has joined the WB group in 1992.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has signed an order to provide funding for renovation of a Gakh-Zagatala section of Goragan-Gakh-Zagatala highway.

Under the presidential order, AZN23.3 million is allocated from the state budget for renovation of the 29.8 km long road connecting 22 residential areas with a total population of 37,300 people, Azertac reported.
The Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC) has awarded Siemens a contract for the construction of two substations.



These will transmit electricity from the Burullus power plant, set to become the worlds largest combined cycle station located at Kaft El Sheikh Governorate, to supply up to 15 million Egyptians with reliable electricity.



The two new substations at Samanoud and Aboul Matameer will enable power delivery to Egyptian homes as well as different industries located in the Delta region. They will also help increase the capacity of the national grid, which is a key requirement to foster economic growth as defined by the goals of Egypts vision 2030, Siemens said.



Gamal Abdel Rahim, chairman of the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company (EETC), said: To enable more resilient, efficient and reliable power systems, Egypt needs to enhance the countrys transmission lines to accommodate the increase in power generation capacity. This is why the EETC has been redefining the conventional approaches to upgrade the grid infrastructure across the country.



As part of the agreement, Siemens will be responsible for the design, engineering, construction, supply, installation and commissioning of the two new 500/220-kV substations that will be delivered on a turnkey basis. This includes gas-insulated switchgear (GIS); power transformers; control systems as well as protection and telecommunication equipment.



Emad Ghaly, CEO of Siemens Egypt, said: An efficient and robust electricity network is an essential part of Egypts vision to drive long-term economic growth. We are pleased to build on a trusting relationship with EETC to boost grid infrastructure.



The fast-track project is being executed in consortium with El Sewedy Electric for the construction work of the substations. Completion is scheduled within 15 months from signing the contracts. Once constructed, the substations are set to become one of the largest turnkey substations ever supplied to the national grid, Siemens said.



Egypt outlined an ambitious target of developing 54 gigawatts (GW) of additional generating capacity by 2022 to accommodate its rapidly-growing population and economic expansion. To help the country meet this growing demand, Siemens has been analysing Egypts energy system, carrying out a Transmission Network Study. In partnership with the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy, the study will include the existing, as well as the expected increases in Egypts power generation capacity until the year 2025. - TradeArabia News Service
Global manufacturers and distributors will address risks and security concerns related to combustible facades at the Windows Doors & Facades Event 2017, being held in Dubai, UAE, next month.



Following a number of global and regional blazes in high-rise towers, there is a growing debate on the implementation of fire safety regulations. The UAE updated its Fire Safety and Life Protection Code earlier this year, incorporating international standards and best practices. The new code also targets the exterior cladding that has been blamed for the spread of many fires and aims to reduce its flammability, said a statement.



The event, to be held from September 25 to 27 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, will showcase products, latest trends and explore opportunities for growth in a more collaborative and safer future.



Organised by dmg events Middle East, Asia & Africa, the second edition of Windows, Doors & Facades Event will host industry leaders and experts sharing their thoughts and experiences on how the rapidly advancing facade technology and innovative design are playing a critical role in the industry development.



Windows Doors & Facades is the regions only dedicated platform for global consultants, manufacturers and distributors of window, door and facade products to network and conduct business in one place, at one time. Following its successful launch that attracted more than 5,500 visitors in 2016, the event will feature more than 300 exhibitors from 64 countries, and is expected to attract more than 8,000 industry professionals from the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.



The event introduces professionals to global and regional trends that are changing the traditional approach of the windows, doors and facades industry. This includes the advent of 3D building information modelling and innovations supporting regional government agendas related to environmental sustainability, safety and the wellbeing of occupants.



This gathering of industry professionals presents a great opportunity for visitors and exhibitors to gain strategic insights from international and regional thought-leaders and industry experts, said Muhammed Kazi, exhibition director of Windows, Doors & Facades 2017.

Visitors and exhibitors will be able to benchmark with the latest global and regional trends to ensure their organisations can take a leading approach in addressing industry needs, demands and challenges, he added.



The business-to-business event brings together in one place global and regional developers, investors, consultants, architects, contractors and distributors. Representatives from key industry stakeholder groups including Alumil, Platinum Sponsor; Reynaers, Executive Associate Sponsor; and Founding Partners Schuco, Elumatec, Cladtech International and Orgadata, will leverage the exhibition to engage in active and productive dialogue on key challenges facing the industrys projects, working to bring businesses closer and fulfil their potential, said the statement.



Windows Doors & Facades is a much-anticipated event for industry players to meet potential business partners, investors, and collaborators, said Christopher Chatzigeorgiou, managing director of Alumil. Building on the growth of the Middle East market and after successfully establishing itself last year, more exhibitors from the region and the globe are expected to join, giving event participants more opportunities to develop their business and fulfil their potential.



The exhibition will host a series of visionary keynotes, educational seminars and relevant workshops presenting the best global practice, providing the tools and knowledge to develop and improve business efficiency. With accredited workshops and over a thousand innovative products on display, the second edition of Windows, Doors & Facades event is packed with exciting features, said the organiser. - TradeArabia News Service
SSH, a leading masterplanning, infrastructure, building design, construction supervision and project management firm in the region, has announced that CEO Bob Hope will step down from his position and will hand over charge to Matt Squires, the current chief operating officer, as part of the group's ongoing succession plan strategy.



Hope, who leaves after five years at the helm, will remain in an advisory support capacity for the remainder of the calendar year and will also continue to provide ongoing consultancy support to the group chairman, said a statement.



SSH chairman Omran Hayat stated: On behalf of myself and the board of SSH, we would like to thank Bob for five years of outstanding service to SSH and in leading the transformation of the group from being a highly respected local design consultancy into a leading multidisciplinary design consultancy group across the Mena (Middle East and North Africa) region.



Bob has developed a solid leadership team at SSH and as part of this team Matt has been developed as his successor. This news demonstrates both our commitment to internal staff development and the success of our succession strategy. I'm sure that Matt will now build on the foundation established to date and take SSH to even greater future success, and I congratulate him on his promotion, he said.



Squires will be leading the SSH delegation to the Dubai Cityscape as CEO in early September, the statement added.  TradeArabia News Service
UAE-based Gulf Craft, a major manufacturer of luxury yachts and fibreglass boats, has announced the sale of a passenger vessel, a Touring 36, to a buyer in the remote Polynesian country of Tonga.



Erwin Bamps, chief executive officer, Gulf Craft, said: We are focused on globalisation and have been working hard to be present in far reaching places on the planet.



This sale demonstrates that we have achieved that and reinforces our overall strategy of building products for a global audience, he said.



Our company does not hesitate to sell boats thousands of miles away because we have full faith in our products reliability, durability, and seaworthiness, he added.



Weve been in business for 35 years and during that time the company has grown exponentially. Reaching the South Pacific is a testament that our vessels can go anywhere. Bamps said.



The remote archipelago of Tonga  population 107,000  sits two-thirds of the way from New Zealand to Hawaii, more than 8,000 nautical miles from Gulf Crafts base.



Its customer ordered a Touring 36, a versatile vessel which has been utilised as a small ferry, an ambulance, by coastguards and law enforcement agencies, and for leisure pursuits such as diving.



Toufic Hobeika handled the transaction. His dealership, Smart Own, has been involved with Gulf Craft for almost a decade.



Hobeika said: It is a real joy to team up with Gulf Craft on the distribution and promotion of its utility series around the world. The company builds a wide and diverse product range that meets the clients requests and therefore offering something unique.



Im especially proud to represent Gulf Craft in emerging economies, whether in Africa, Latin/Central America or Polynesia. It is spectacular that we already find proud owners of the world-famous Touring 36 in markets as far as Peru, Mexico and Aruba, he stated.



Gulf Crafts strategy and commitment to its customer base differs from that of other companies  no stone is left unturned. Together, we are identifying more remote and niche markets where people dont feel catered to. The kingdom of Tonga sale is the perfect example of that, he added.



Bamps continued: In any emerging market, when people buy boats, trucks, or cars, the primary purpose is to move people and goods from one place to another. Its about fulfilling needs, not desires.



Recreational boating and yachting are becoming more established in South-east Asia, but in the early days the focus was on functionality. For us its not only about chic, glossy and top-end yachts  we are a company that brings people onto the water, transports them and gives them great enjoyment whether they are wealthy business men or fishermen, he said.



Even now, we still feel were pioneers in our industry, and weve never lost sight of our roots. The adventure we embarked upon 35 years ago continues every single day, he concluded.  TradeArabia News Service
The Dow Chemical Company, a leader in specialty chemicals delivering products and solutions to several markets, has confirmed its sponsorship of the Plastics Pipes XIX Conference and Exhibition at Gold Level, to be held next month, in Las Vegas, US.



This event will take place from September 24 to 26, at the Red Rock Resort.



Sarah Patterson, chair of the PPXIX organizing committee (OC) for the Plastic Pipes Conference Association (PPCA), said: We are delighted to welcome the Dow Chemical Company on board as sponsor of the conference.



This material supplier of long standing continues to produce innovative solutions within the plastic pipe pressure segments, she said.



For almost 120 years, Dow has expanded successfully on the original business vision of founder Herbert H Dow. Throughout the years, it has developed multifaceted solutions and the right product porfolios to widen the range of plastic pipe applications, she added.



Patterson also reports that the Brussels-based PVC4Pipes Association will sponsor one of the IPAD corners during the conference and exhibition.



The association promotes the benefits of PVC pipe systems throughout the world. PVC4Pipes recently joined forces with The European Council of Vinyl Manufacturers (ECVM) to amplify the promotional approach.



She added: PVC pipes were first installed commercially over eighty years ago. Once installed and usually out of sight, these pipes and their benefits are never out of mind. And certainly not by users.



Our industry continues to be shaped by invention and our technology continues to create significant worldwide demand for its application in new, replacement and rehabilitation projects. This conference explores the scope and scale of technical innovation and the market expertise that underscores the vitality and versatility of the industry, Patterson added.



The participation of these sponsors reflects PPXIX as one of the key platforms for the industry to speak with one voice, she concluded.  TradeArabia News Service
You can't fault Corey Stapleton for lack of ambition. He's run for every office except dogcatcher, and he finally found someone he could beat. Unfortunately, the position for which he was elected is the Secretary of State which isn't normally a stepping stone to governor or U.S. senator. Nobody, probably including the secretary of state, knows what the secretary of state does.

Stapleton realized that in order to keep his name before the public he would have to find an issue. He cast his lot with political wizards the likes of journeyman Jeff Essmann and the callow Culbertsonian, Austin Knudsen, who were opposing the mail ballot for the Gianforte/Quist election. Although lacking evidence, they had decided that the mail ballot worked to the disadvantage of Republicans. Republicans were a bit offended because that presumed that they were illiterate. The added cost to counties for opening the polling stations was only $750,000.

Stapleton seized another cause which was a sure thing to garner headlines and television time throughout the state. It was his and only his. He didn't have to share the credit with anyone, and it was just lying there, crying for his investigative talents. The issue was election fraud.

There was only one problem. There was no voter fraud in Montana, and Stapleton was left to bicker with county officials who had some unkind words for their peerless leader. The situation is desperate. The publicity is unfavorable, the ship of state is sinking, his staff members are heading for the exit, and his approval rating is sinking to Trumpian depths. What can he do to restore his image?

Joseph S. Sample

Billings
CustomerXPs, a leading provider of real-time financial crime, risk and compliance software for the global banking sector, has for the second consecutive year been positioned as an Enterprise Solution in the Chartis RiskTech Quadrant for Enterprise Fraud Technology in the 2017 Financial Crime Risk Management Report.



Global risk technology research and analysis leader Chartis latest report covers the leading vendors of Financial Crime Risk Management (FCRM) systems. The RiskTech Quadrant measures the vendors completeness of offering and market potential.



In this years Financial Crime Risk Management Systems Update Report, Chartis conveys how, against a background of more financial crime and shifting regulatory pressures, two trends are increasingly shaping Financial Institutions FCRM requirements:



 Greater volumes of regulatory reports, notably Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs);



 More complex relationships, involving correspondent banking, ultimate behavioral owners, and Open Application Programming Interface (API) banking.



The report states that while several technologies are proving useful, platforms/databases, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and entity resolution, are emerging as key elements in the development of effective new FCRM systems.



CustomerXPs has a clear strategy for providing financial crime risk management technology to banks across the globe, said Sidhartha Dash, research director at Chartis Research. Their strong real-time fraud management capabilities, coupled with comprehensive cross-channel and cross-product coverage, ensured their position on the RiskTech Quadrant.



Rivi Varghese, CEO, CustomerXPs added: Chartis recognising CustomerXPs once again echoes our continued customer success. Our AI-powered central nervous system approach ensures that banks are able to benefit exponentially better with a unified cross-channel, cross-pollinated and real-time enterprise fraud management system that summons the collective wisdom in the short transaction window.



CustomerXPs has also been recognised in the annual Chartis RiskTech100 rankings consistently since 2015. The rankings are globally acknowledged as the most comprehensive research of the worlds most significant risk and compliance technology companies.  TradeArabia News Service






"You are the hope...you are the future, year by year our country will grow bigger by you." That was the inspiring message for the UAE's youth from the country's leadership on the occasion of the International Youth Day.

UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, sent the personal message to the Emirati youth on the occasion of International Youth Day, which is celebrated on August 12 every year, said a Wam news agency report.

"On the occasion of the International Youth Day, we want to tell you that you are the hope... you are the future... Year by year... our country will grow bigger by you... and you are more proud of it," the message read.

Meanwhile, Shamma bint Sohail Faris Al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth Affairs, launched a web portal containing reports and articles detailing the progress of the youth empowerment programmes and policies.

The launch of the portal coincided with the International Youth Day celebrations.

The portal http://iyd.youth.gov.ae provides information about the UAE's first ministerial council, which was formed in 1971 and included 13 young ministers.

The portal includes links to the social service programmes offered by the UAE to its youth, including free housing, free healthcare and funds for marriage.

"The youth of the UAE received a pleasant surprise this morning with the personal message from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. We are proud of the inspiring message. We are determined to be number one, and under their leadership, the UAE will continue to prosper," she said.

Al Mazrui noted that the UAE leadership had established the world's best model for youth empowerment.

"We are blessed with a leadership whose priority is to provide happiness to its people. Our priority is to serve our country," she stated.
Al Khafji Joint Operations has confirmed the safety of its facilities and that they are free from any oil spill after reports of an oil spill from an oil tanker in the northeast of the Arabian Gulf.

Al Khafji Joint Operations announced the activation of the crisis management plan and the conduct of an aerial survey of the submerged area to ensure the safety of installations and beaches, said a Saudi Press Agency report.
Dubai Business Events (DBE), the citys official convention bureau, has reported strong results for the first half of 2017, with 97 bids submitted to host business events being successfully awarded to the city.

The events secured since January, including conferences, exhibitions, meetings and incentive trips, are poised to attract over 51,636 delegates from around the world, resulting in an expected economic impact of approximately Dh375 million ($102 million).

Issam Kazim, chief executive officer of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, said: Dubai has grown tremendously to become a leading destination for international business events. We recognise the significance of the business events industry, and acknowledge the various growth facets each event brings to the city. Not only do they accelerate our journey towards becoming a knowledge-sharing economy, but business events are also major contributors towards our goal of welcoming 20 million visitors each year by 2020.

In the first six months, Dubai Business Events won a total of 97 pitches to host business events in the city, and is currently awaiting verdict on 97 more that have been submitted. Key wins include: Baby Care Annual Incentive (2018), World Conference on Desalination and Water Re-Use (2019), and Congress of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions (2022).

Dubai Business Events has also ramped up efforts to highlight the citys business events offering to international audiences. DBE representatives have attended over 50 trade events in the first half of the year, interacting with over 4,500 business events buyers and planners. The bureau has also facilitated a total of 16 site inspections with 38 clients, and hosted 144 buyers from around the world as part of four in-depth Dubai study missions.

Steen Jakobsen, director of Dubai Business Events, said: Weve had a stellar start to the year, and are well on our way to achieving our targets set for 2017. As we continue to work towards further strengthening Dubais reputation of being a premier host destination for business events, we have a steady pipeline of initiatives planned for the year ahead. We are also focusing on expanding our network and reach globally, enabling businesses, event buyers and planners to benefit from our expertise.

Dubai Business Events Al Safeer Ambassador Programme has also contributed significantly to the citys success in bidding for international events. The programme features a network of 300 prominent experts from diverse sectors, including academia, finance, and healthcare, who are based in Dubai. Since January, the programme contributed to securing a total of 11 business events for the city.

Further study missions in 2017 will come from India, China, the Americas and Southeast Asia, while DBE will also build on its participation in major trade shows with a significant presence at IMEX America in Las Vegas and IBTM World in Barcelona towards the end of the year.

Recently, Dubai was named as one of the top 10 destinations for international meetings by Union of International Associations (UIA) in its latest edition of the International Meetings Statistics Report published last month. The city previously ranked 14th in the 2015 edition, and moved up the list with a total of 180 meetings taking place in 2016. - TradeArabia News Service
Marriott International has announced the appointment of Stuart Birkwood as cluster general manager for its upcoming properties in Dubai - Aloft Me'aisem, Element Me'aisem, and Aloft Dubai South.

Birkwood will oversee the openings and operations of over 500 rooms, eight food and beverage outlets and facilities across the three hotels.

Scheduled to open by the end of the year, Aloft Meaisem will offer comfortable loft-inspired rooms and a vibrant social scene while Element Me'aisem will cater to todays savvy and environmentally conscious travelers. Element Me'aisem will mark the debut of the Element brand in the Middle East.

The 145-room Aloft Dubai South, located at the entrance of Al Maktoum International Airport, is scheduled to open in the first half of 2018.

Birkwood brings more than 25 years of hospitality experience from across the UAE, Poland, Finland, UK and Saudi Arabia. He started his career with Hilton in the UK in 1991 before joining Marriott International in 1994 and has since worked in some of the companys most prolific properties including the Sheraton Skyline Hotel & Conference Centre, Sheraton Warsaw Hotel & Towers and Hotel Kamp.

Birkwood accepted his first general manager role at the Sheraton Riyadh Hotel & Towers in 2008 and achieved the position of the #1 hotel on TripAdvisor for Riyadh in 2012. He briefly left the company as CEO for Riyadh-based FAS Hotels Company and then relocated to the UAE in 2015 as general manager at Le Meridien Abu Dhabi.

Commenting on the appointment, Birkwood said: We are excited to introduce the Aloft and Element experiences to Dubai which are evolving the hospitality industry by delivering a modern, urban-style experience at an affordable price. I very much look forward to working alongside a wonderful team to successfully open and operate the three properties. - TradeArabia News Service
Dove Award-winning contemporary Christian group Sidewalk Prophets headline the 2017 Uprising Music Festival on Sunday at Mike Lansing Field. The popular band returns to the festival with six other regional and national Christian artists, along with an after party hosted by Transform DJs.

The event begins with a Community Worship Service at noon with the bands taking the stage at 1:30 p.m. and wrapping up at 10 p.m. The event is free. Food and merchandise vendors will be available.

The band line-up includes Sidewalk Prophets, Anthem Lights, Seth & Nirva, Bread of Stone, Transform DJ's, Skylar Kaylyn from Wheatland, and Foreverlin, Wyoming-grown.

The Kalinowski family will share testimony about faith through their recent tragedy just prior to Anthem Lights taking the stage.
Several Wyoming towns will experience a 7,000 percent increase in the number of visitors using the online lodging platform Airbnb during the total solar eclipse next week, and thanks to a new tax agreement, the state is finally in position to reap some of the benefit.

Airbnb and similar companies allow individuals to rent part or all of their own homes online to travelers who might otherwise stay in a hotel. Until this month, Airbnb hosts in Wyoming were expected to collect lodging taxes and remit those funds to the state individually.

State Department of Revenue Director Dan Noble said that never really happened.

Very rarely is the way I would put it, Noble said. I cant say never.

About a year ago, Noble said that his department approached Airbnb about collecting lodging taxes on behalf of its users and turning that money over to the state on a regular basis. But on Aug. 1, Airbnb began collecting lodging taxes, which range from 4 percent to 8 percent of the total room cost depending on the county.

Starting the tax agreement before the eclipse, which is expected to draw tens of thousands of visitors to Wyoming in the days leading up to the Aug. 21 event, will ensure the state and local governments, which also levy lodging taxes, are able to capitalize on the additional visitors.

For many families, this will be first time experiencing a solar eclipse together, and possibly even using Airbnb for the first time as well, Marisa Moret, the companys public policy manager, said in a statement.

Eighty-three percent of those renting their homes on Airbnb during the eclipse are first-time users.

While Airbnb is expecting a 754 percent increase in overnight stays immediately prior to the eclipse across Wyoming, several cities in the line of the eclipse will experience a far larger increase.

Casper will see a 7,000 percent increase and Riverton can anticipate a 7,700 percent boost. Cities like Jackson and Wilson, already popular tourist destinations, will see a more modest uptick of 115 percent and 70 percent, respectively. The increases are measured from the previous week.

To put the increases in hard numbers, Casper has hosted just 601 Airbnb visitors during all of this year, but with hotels near capacity, the Oil City will see 1,150 people using Airbnb during the eclipse.

According to numbers provided by the company, hosts across Wyoming who are in the path of the eclipse will receive a total of $1 million in revenue from guests on the night of Aug. 20. That is compared with a total of $3.96 million earned by Wyoming users in 2016.

Noble said the tax remittance agreement wasnt intentionally timed to start prior to the eclipse but that it is a nice bonus.

This is when it came to a head, but obviously we want to make sure were receiving as much of that eclipse revenue as possible, Noble said.

He said that while the specific amount of taxes collected from a company or individual is confidential, lodging tax revenue from Airbnb stays will be not trivial.

Part of the impetus for negotiating the agreement with Airbnb was to ensure that visitors who used Airbnb rather than staying in a traditional hotel werent dodging taxes and thus putting hotels, which have long been required to collect lodging taxes, at a competitive disadvantage.

The 12-month timeline to finalize the agreement was due in part to a disagreement between the state of Airbnb over whether the company was legally mandated to collect taxes on behalf of users, Noble said.

Had we not reached this agreement we probably would have ended up in court, he said. And thats not where you want to end up.

Moret said in a statement that the company was interested in helping users pay the appropriate taxes.

These partnerships can take time to develop and implement, she said.
GILLETTE  On the morning of the surgery, Nate Delamotte was scared out of his mind.

Days before, he played it cool. Nerves didnt start to kick in until he was dressed in a hospital gown, wheeled into a room and was minutes away from being cut open for the removal of one of his organs.

Nates niece, Javonni Delamotte, was in the bed next to him. Here he was, a grown man, a nervous wreck, lying next to his 20-year-old niece who had more reasons to be nervous. He decided to lighten the mood.

You know, Javonni, he said. The first time you go to the bathroom, its going to be my pee.

If he hadnt kept it light that morning, Nate said he would have lost it.

His dad came in from Missouri. His mother, aunt and uncle were there, too. His brother and sister-in-law, Matt and Kim, the parents of his three nieces. His wife, Andrea. The whole family made the trip for the big day.

Forty-eight hours and five surgeries later, the entire family lined up at the foot of Nates bed.

We dont know how to tell you this, his father said.

Thats when he lost it.

Javonnis story

When Javonni was 6 months old, she was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a rare disease that attacks the filtering units in the kidneys.

Because of the disease, Javonni was on dialysis until she was 7. At about that time, a kidney became available from a child who had died.

Doctors knew that organ would only last so long. They put a 10-year limit on it. It ended up lasting 12 years. During the final year, the kidney began to hurt Javonni more than it helped her.

I always talked about and joked that I would one day give her one of my kidneys, Nate said. When the time came around, I got pretty serious about it and kind of knew it was my time.

About two years ago, doctors removed the old transplanted kidney and put Javonni on a dialysis machine that kept her alive.

Nate talked with Kim about it from time to time. The family, who live in Milliken, Colorado, looked elsewhere for donors just in case Nates blood wasnt a match for Javonni. Kim even thought to donate her own kidney, but Javonni didnt want that.

She didnt want her mother down while she was down, Kim said.

Fourteen months ago, Nate started taking the necessary steps to make sure he was not only physically able to donate an organ but emotionally and psychologically ready as well. Early in the process, Nates bloodwork came back. He was a match.

The process was long and arduous, Nate said. Its a series of blood tests, physical tests, mental tests. They want to make sure youre a perfect match for the kidney, but also be mentally and physically able to give it.

Nate completed most of his tests in Gillette and took two trips to Denver for the others. After all the lab results came back positive, he was given a date for the operation.

The decision

Ever since my three nieces were born, theyve meant everything to me, Nate said. I helped raise them, Ive always been there for them, I would do anything for those girls.

When the time came and the opportunity presented itself, Nate didnt hesitate to help Javonni. Even when doctors told him that he could back out at any second, Nate knew his decision was final.

The doctors told me that they could be rolling me around the operating room, setting me up in the ER and all I had to do was ask out of it, he said. But again, Id do anything.

Nate and Andrea have been married for about two years. He had a whole, healthy kidney  so healthy, he later learned, that during surgery doctors had to make his incision larger so they could get his oversized kidney out.

He didnt have any outside worries to cloud his judgment. He had the mental capacity for the transplant and the physical signs telling him to do it.

It would be a new experience for him. Hed never spent a night in the hospital, much less been under the knife.

The kidney transplant and the aftermath would count for several firsts in Nates life, some he could have never expected.

After all the tests, a day before the trip to Denver in April he reflected on what it means for himself, his niece and his family.

Its almost mind-boggling to me, he said. Its giving the gift of life. Its a true blessing. She cant live on the machine forever. Thats what the doctors told me, too. That Im saving her life.

Before the surgery, Nate said it made sense that he would be miserable after the operation and Javonni would be thriving.

The pain and discomfort would be transferred from an unhealthy body to a healthy one.

My body wont be used to the disruptions, he said. Shes scared just like I am, but I told her that were in this together.

Surgery day

The night before the surgery, Javonni said she was more excited than nervous. She was ready to get off the machine, say goodbye to the sickness and migraines.

When he struggled to find the courage on the morning of the surgery, Nate was grateful that the staff at University Hospital in Denver put him and Javonni in the same room.

When I was scared to death, I would look over to that bed and see my niece, and it would make it all OK, he said. Thats why Im doing this.

Having Uncle Nate there helped me feel like I wasnt alone, Javonni said.

Kim whispered in Nates ear before he was wheeled away that she couldnt thank him enough for saving her daughter.

Andrea made him promise something.

You come back to me, she said.

Surgeons told Nate to think of a vacation spot and go to it. In his mind, he didnt even start looking up flights before he was out. He doesnt even remember waking up, but through the haze, the first thing he said to his wife was, I did it. I kept my promise.

At one point during the surgery, however, Nate stopped breathing. Something wasnt right. His oxygen was low and he was put in the ICU as a precaution.

At about midnight, Nate was wheeled to his inpatient room while Javonni was rushed to her second surgery of the day after a blood clot threatened the life of her new kidney.

The next morning, Javonni started bleeding internally because of the clot and her side began to swell.

It was time for the third surgery.

She was clotting and they didnt want her to clot the kidney off, so they gave her (medication) to keep her bleeding, so it wouldnt clot the kidney, Andrea said.

Instead of letting the internal bleeding worsen, doctors attached a balloon to Javonnis abdomen. Cleaning up the balloon would be the fourth surgery in three days.

The doctor assigned to Javonnis surgery said he had never witnessed four surgeries to one patient like that in his 27 years of practicing.

Then came the meeting at the foot of the bed.

They all came in and said that Javonni is dying and the kidney is too, Nate said. My kidney and Javonni are dying? It was the worst emotional roller coaster.

The decision was made to stop all the medication and the surgical procedures because it was slowly killing Javonni.

Nate not only let a crippling fear and sadness take him over, but anger as well.

I said, Then why did we even do this? he said.

Nate was an emotional wreck for the next several days. Postmortem depression set in, nervousness, anxiety. He didnt sleep.

Four days after the surgeries, Nate finally was able to see Javonni. He told himself he wouldnt break down in front of her.

He still had to be the rock, the lighthearted one.

Javonni put two of her uncles fingers in the palm of her hands, opened her eyes and was more alert than ever.

We did it, Nate told her. Youre the strongest person I know. Youre going to beat this.

The recovery ended up taking longer for both Nate and Javonni.

After taking the trip to his grandmothers in Greeley, Colorado, he realized that his loss of breath during surgery had caused the lower portions of his lungs to collapse and flood with fluid.

He was rushed to the ER back at University Hospital and dealt with pleurisy and pneumonia for another week.

Nate had to learn how to breathe again while his remaining kidney learned how to work alone.

Slowly but surely, Nate and Javonni both recovered, even using walkers together, making slow races of their exercises on the inpatient floor.

Recovery

Nates getting better every day.

Javonni too. Her new kidney started at 19 percent functionality and is already at 60 percent.

We noticed a difference as soon as she was able to come home and recover in her own house, Kim said. We were in the hospital for so long that she started to get cabin fever.

It feels good to be home, Javonni said.

Collectively, the family is able to breathe easier now. Looking back at the hard road he and his niece had to walk, Nate said he has no regrets.

It was the worst time Ive ever had in my life, Nate said. But seeing Javonni doing well, I would do it again. Just for her.

Theres a hill with grass and gravel that leads to Nate and Andreas home in the Cedar Hills subdivision of Rozet.

I take little walks, Nate said, looking out a window at the hill. We did half a hill today. We havent done the full hill yet.

One day soon hell make it to the top of the hill, having already climbed mountains with his niece.
This is an excerpt of a letter I recently sent to Sen. Enzi: For the most part, you should have good health, given you are a beneficiary of premium health care, paid for by the American people. Senators are the biggest welfare recipients in the country. You all are very lucky to receive huge salaries and the best of everything. Talk about food stamps, you all get better than that. Every meal you eat does not come from your pocket, it comes from us. I'm sure you love those Svilar's dinners when you come into my county. You know, the only time we enjoy a lavish dinner, as you do daily, is when we sell our calves. That's once a year. The rest of the year, we're stretching every single dollar to get by. I have got to admit, you've been a welfare recipient for probably far too long to remember what it was like owning a small business. You've come a long way from your daddy's little shoe shop in Thermopolis to the lavish lifestyle of Washington, D.C. Maybe that time in Congress being the biggest welfare recipient in the whole country has made you detached from the reality of the average American.
The net is closing around Trump. With the Aug. 9 news from NPR, the FBI has raided the home of his former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and found incriminating documents relating to Manaforts role as an unregistered agent of a foreign power (Russia).

On at least two other counts, it is now clear that Donald Trump is out of touch with reality.

His recent comment threatening to unleash fire and fury on the North Koreans for their nuclear ambitions was his own creation. This while his secretary of State was making milder comments about negotiating with Pyongyang to attempt to get their compliance with the U.N. Security Council resolution introduced and promoted by Trumps U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley.

The administration cannot get a stable policy as long as we have a 5-year-old narcissist in the White House. He cares nothing about the millions of South Koreans and Japanese who would suffer most from an American attempt to bomb North Korean missile sites. Yet our president thinks only of deflecting attention from his own political troubles.

This week, a group of American and international climatologists released a report documenting their opinion that the warming temperatures which our president says dont exist are primarily the result of human activity. Why Trump refuses to accept this when his own Florida home is rapidly becoming isolated from rising sea levels is incomprehensible.

It is time the Republican Congress put a stop to the most dangerous man in America.

Dave Grimland

Columbus
Tucsons only locally owned bank has nursed itself back to financial health with the help of local residents who invested millions of dollars to shore up the banks balance sheet.

Commerce Bank of Arizona, which weathered huge losses on small-business loans following the Great Recession, announced recently that state and federal regulators had lifted a 2013 consent order requiring the bank to significantly raise its capital reserves.

After raising $3.5 million in new capital in 2015, Commerces parent, CBOA Financial Inc., raised about $10 million in capital earlier this year, boosting the banks capital-reserve ratios beyond the requirements in the consent order by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions.

About 130 local investors contributed to Commerces capital campaign, bank Chief Financial Officer Mike Sheneman said.

As a result of continued efforts to rid its balance sheet of bad debt, Commerce is on firm financial footing and continues to build its profits, Sheneman said.

Through the first half of the year, we continue to earn positive profits, and increasing profits, he said, noting that Commerce posted net income of nearly $500,000 for the first six months of 2017 compared with about $50,000 for the first half of 2016.

Now that weve put some of these other issues behind us, were looking forward to growing the business, Sheneman said.

Under the consent order, Commerce was required to raise its leverage-capital ratio  a key measure of a banks ability to weather loan losses  to 9 percent, and a key risk-weighted capital ratio to 13 percent.

As a result of the capital infusion, Commerces leverage-capital ratio improved to 11.7 percent at the end of the second quarter, from 6.7 percent in the first quarter, and boosted its risk-based capital ratio to 14.4 percent, from 8.9 percent, Sheneman said.

Commerce Bank President and CEO John P. Lewis said local investors really stepped up to support the bank.

We are the last locally owned, locally managed bank in Tucson, Lewis said. With everything thats gone on in the world with the large banks, its a remarkable turnaround, and we have a great story to tell.

Local businessman Bill Assenmacher, a Commerce Bank investor and chairman of the banks board of directors, said the turnaround of Tucsons last locally owned community bank is good news for local small businesses.

The whole idea of community banking is to allow the little guy access to relationships at the bank  its all about relationship banking and the bigger banks are getting very hard to work with, said Assenmacher, who is president of the industrial fabrication company CAID Industries.

Were the little guy that has a lot of room to grow, and were the ones that have staff and people who have been in the community all their lives, he added.

The stock of the banks holding company, CBOA Financial, is publicly traded over the counter on pink sheets, giving the stockholders a market for their shares.

Commerce is actively looking for loan business, Sheneman said, as it slowly works out bad loans that have kept the banks percentage of non-performing assets  such as delinquent loans  among the highest in the state, at about 5 percent.

That figure is shrinking slowly as Commerce works out as many viable problem loans as possible to minimize the amount it has to write off, he said.

Commerces recent progress hasnt yet been recognized by Bauer Financial, a Florida-based firm that has been rating the financial health of banks since 1983.

Bauer rated Commerce at one star, or troubled, for the first quarter that ended March 30, the companys most recent ratings.

Commerce Banks Lewis said he hopes Bauer will recognize the banks progress and reward it with a higher rating in its second-quarter report, due out in mid-September.

Another local bank that has been under a regulatory order to raise capital, Canyon Community Bank, kept its two-star, or problematic, Bauer rating for the first quarter of 2017, after posting a $109,000 loss in the quarter.

Once locally owned, Canyon raised $9.5 million from a Texas-based investment holding company in November 2015, making it one of the states best-capitalized banks and giving the investors a 77 stake in the operation.

Canyon is still working with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency to lift a 2013 consent order that required the bank to raise its capital reserves.

The 2015 investment helped Canyon blow past its required capital ratios, but the bank has been absorbing losses as it focuses on the quality of loans rather than volume, said Lauren Kingry, Canyons president and CEO.

We are highly capitalized and highly liquid. Our ratios would suggest we are poised for growth, and we are, said Kingry, a former director of the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions.

In this time of recovery and fixing, we have been very cautious about where we loan money, as opposed to just looking at the balance sheet.

Canyon posted a $64,000 loss in the second quarter, and losses could continue this year as the bank continues to shed bad loans and focus on high-quality new loans.

Kingry said he hopes the Comptrollers Office recognizes Canyons progress and lifts the consent order after its next examination.

They want to know how were doing along the way, and the reason they didnt lift (the order) is they want a little more time to watch us work, he said.

Meanwhile, all Arizona banks and credit unions with operations in Tucson kept their Bauer ratings unchanged in the first quarter.

For the first quarter, 70.6 percent of banks operating in the state were recommended by Bauer,  meaning they won one of Bauers top two ratings, superior or excellent  while 11.8 percent were rated troubled or problematic.

That compares with a national average of 88 percent recommended and 2.3 percent troubled or problematic, but most large banks in Arizona are rated four or five stars.

Southern Arizona credit unions maintained their prior Bauer ratings in the first quarter, with locally based Vantage West, Hughes Federal, Tucson Federal, Pima Federal and Pyramid Federal all keeping the five-star superior ratings.
We've collected a few front pages from newspapers.com to give you a look at some Aug. 13 papers in history. With a subscription to newspapers.com you can search the Arizona Daily Star and many other newspapers using keywords or dates, and download articles or pages.
Holding a round disc, Greyson Batz pretends to drive a bus.

He turns the wheel and 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, says Greyson, who is 8.

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.

Count with me, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Serrano-Lopez says as she places coins in Greysons hand.

Greyson counts along, as he unknowingly receives a math lesson.

Imaginative play like this was a milestone Greyson never reached as a younger child.

He wouldnt touch a toy, now he does, Serrano-Lopez said. He was really in his own world.

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, thats 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 capacity of 120, it still wont 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 ORourke, the schools director of communications.

Tucson Unified School District has 490 children with autism this year.

One in 66, or 1.5 percent of 8-year-old children in Arizona are identified as having autism spectrum disorder or ASD.

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.  Were 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 theyre older and have had trouble in school.

And each one of those students has entirely different issues, needs and abilities.

Southern Arizona parents looking for programs that work best for their child have more options than ever  public, private, online and home school.

PUBLIC SCHOOL

Once a student in a public school is screened and identified as having autism, an 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 childs needs.

The programs that are developed at the IEP meeting are so individual because each student needs something different, Clark-Ingle said. Thats the beauty of having the team process. Its 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? Not to just be OK, Clark-Ingle said. 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. Thats what public schools do well.

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.

The first goal of TUSDs exceptional education program is to give students access to typical peers in the general-education population. Self-contained classes are available for children with more significant needs.

We dont 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 thats where great learning takes place.

Angela Nelsons 11-year-old son, Drake, has been in public school since kindergarten and had a mostly good experience at Kellond Elementary.

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 hes 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.

Drake excelled in academics 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.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS

Intermountain Academy, on Tucsons west side, opened four years ago for children in grades K-12 who have an autism diagnosis.

Class sizes are small, with about 10 students per class and a teacher-to-student ratio of 1-to-3, said ORourke, the schools communications director.

Intermountain Academy, which is part of Intermountain Centers, prides itself on being the only school in Tucson specifically for students with autism, although at least one other serves mostly students with autism.

Greyson attended a public TUSD school until second grade, but his mom started getting nervous about the higher grades.

Hes not someone that inclusion worked for, Amanda Hinton said. 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.

When she heard that Intermountain Academy offered Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA therapy, she thought it would be a good fit for her son.

ABA aims to help extinguish some behaviors associated with autism, such as hand flapping, with a goal of helping children fit into the world around them. Although some critics say ABA can rob children of behaviors that might give them emotional comfort, it remains the gold standard in autism therapy.

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, said Kyle Lininger, director of the school.

Children who attend Intermountain Academy have access to behavioral therapy in school as well as in their homes, Lininger said.

Were serving people in the community in the cultural and environmental context in which they live.  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 Intermountain Academy, Greysons behavior has improved dramatically. And his mother has peace of mind knowing she doesnt have to worry about him at school.

I feel safe here. I feel like hes not gonna be lost, Hinton said. Its not, Oh well, Greyson doesnt like to do math and he hits, so Im just gonna put him over here. Theyre going to challenge him and work through these challenges even though they might get hit or scratched on a daily basis.

Each school day includes musical therapy, physical education, math, reading, language arts and specific programs catered to social skills.

On Tucsons east side, a group of parents took action when the private school their children with autism were attending closed in December 2013.

I couldnt 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 wasnt. Then it was a nightmare. Her special-ed teacher went on maternity leave, and in her place they put an aide and she wasnt really qualified and didnt have the tools necessary to work with my daughter. She had this personality that was like, Dont cross this line and my daughter is like, Im gonna put my toe over the line. It went from nice behavior to being out of class in three weeks.

Moore used Arizonas Empowerment Scholarship Account funds to send her daughter to what was then called the Abbie Loveland Tuller School and hire an aide to be with her.

Families can apply for state money earmarked for their childs education to help pay for private or home schools. For children with special needs, the money can also help pay for vocational or life-skills education, psychological or education evaluations, assistive technology rentals, Braille translation services and more.

Awards for children with special needs range from $3,000 to $33,500.

For Moores daughter, the change was transformational.

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, she said.

When she learned the school was going to close, Moore and a few parents took action.

They repurposed an autism-related nonprofit held by one of the parents, and the Abbie School opened its doors in January 2014. It now has 34 students in grades second through 10th, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 8-to-1.

I think its 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.  She (Moores daughter) knows shes different, so being with all the other kids was really stressful for her. She didnt want the support they were going to provide because that meant looking different. Here, everybody is different.

Unlike Intermountain, Abbie School is not yet accredited, but thats something the administration is working toward.

In addition to academics, students choose from electives such as photography, drama, orchestra, student council and home economics.

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 Abbie School rather than public school because she worried about bullies and things like transitioning from class to class.

It takes him at least 10 minutes to center himself, Nelson said. In middle school, hed have to do that (change classes) 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.

HOME AND ONLINE SCHOOLING

Ciara Martinezs daughter, Isis, was 2 when she stopped talking.

Martinez took her to several doctors before receiving an autism diagnosis. Further 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.

We wanted her included in regular-ed classrooms and they wouldnt work with us on that and I knew it would be a fight, Martinez said. Im not willing to go down that road. Itll be a heartbreak for me.

So Martinez applied for ESA money to purchase adaptive equipment and hire a para professional, or teachers aide, so she could home-school her daughter.

Isis, now in second grade, uses a Tobii communication device  a computer-based tool that uses lasers to connect with her eyes. 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.

Shes doing really well with it, actually, Martinez said.

At 9 years old, Brandon Sosas 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, Victoria de Sosa said. Brandon is extremely smart, but its also difficult as parents because we didnt know how to support him. We went to every therapy and repeated it every day at home and even though they didnt 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 didnt 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 dont belong in this world.  I may not have been able to communicate well, but I was able to understand for the most part.

Victoria spoke with one of Brandons special education teachers, who confirmed that Brandon was being bullied by students and sometimes mistreated by other teachers.

I asked Brandon if he wanted to go back to school and he said no, Victoria recalled. And I said, You dont have to. We will find a school and this will be a world where you belong.

The Sosa family enrolled Brandon in the Arizona Virtual Academy.

Our first goal as parents was to raise his self-esteem, Victoria said. When I spoke to teachers and counselors at Arizona Virtual Academy I said he may not get the best grades, but thats not our goal. They were very open. They said he would be able to move at his own pace and thats what we did.

Arizona Virtual Academy provided a loaner computer, books, supplies to do chemistry labs and artwork for school. Lessons were done in real time with a teacher online and work was done at Brandons 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. 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. He took two classes  leadership and anthropology  and got an A in both.

Over the past few years I started sympathizing with others who have gone through similar experiences I have because of my autism, he said. 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.
First, the Kingdom of Jordan said three Green Berets were shot dead because they hadnt followed proper procedures while driving onto an air base.

Next, Jordan said they were dead because one of them had accidentally fired a shot first. Or there was a loud noise.

Eventually, there was a leaked suggestion that the American soldiers were drunk.

Now we know none of that was true. And Jordan, one of our countrys closest allies in the Middle East, knew it all along.

In late July, under domestic political pressure, Jordanian officials released a video of the incident that they had possessed from the beginning, even while offering up those false justifications. The video shows that a Jordanian sergeant shot U.S. Staff Sgt. Kevin McEnroe of Tucson and two of his colleagues dead in cold blood, for no reason thats visible or has been discovered.

The killings, followed by Jordans cover stories, followed by Jordan backing off the cover stories, have led to friction in the kingdoms relationship with the United States, and to internal political strife. It all has made McEnroes family wonder whether Kevin wasnt killed as part of a bigger plot.

Our point is simply this, Kevins father, Brian McEnroe, told me, the Jordanians lied about it. He intended to kill them. It wasnt a reaction or overreaction.

We believe he was acting under somebodys orders.

Benign deployment

Kevin McEnroe lived in Tucson off and on from 1996 till 2009, when, seeking a new direction, he joined the Army. His mother, Linda Frost, still lives here, and his father lives in Florida. Once in the Army, Kevin not only became an elite Green Beret, but also earned combat diver qualification, an even more grueling test of mental and physical ability.

Last year, he was ready to leave the service, his father said, but he took an additional deployment to save up money to go to college on his return. Kevin was engaged by this time to Kimberly Argo, and was planning to move to Connecticut. But this was considered a safe deployment to a friendly country.

In Jordan, McEnroe and his colleagues were carrying out training for the CIA of moderate Syrian rebels who would go back and fight in the neighboring countrys civil war. The Trump administration has since ordered an end to that training, the Washington Post reported last month.

On Nov. 3, Brian McEnroe exchanged text messages with Kevin, who said everything was fine in Jordan.

Im fine, just really busy here. Tell mom and the boys Ill get back to them right around Thanksgiving, Brian McEnroe recalled Kevin texting. Kevin has two younger, twin brothers, who live in Nashville, Tennessee.

The next morning, McEnroe and his fellow Green Berets went out to do weapons training with the Syrians. After a few hours, they returned about noon, rolling up to the gate of the King Faisal Air Base in a convoy of four light trucks.

A guard pulled back a spike strip and raised one gate arm, and the vehicles drove forward to a guard shack, where another guard opened a sliding gate. The first truck pulled through without a problem.

Then 1st Sgt. Marik al-Tuwayha started firing from the guard shack through the open window of the truck McEnroe was driving. He fired over and over and over. McEnroe was killed instantly, and the passenger, Staff Sgt. Matthew Lewellen, died from his wounds later.

The drivers of the next two trucks in the convoy got out and hid behind barricades, showing their hands and shouting in Arabic and English that they were friends. Then, as the fraught minutes ticked by, they fled further back to concrete barriers.

Al-Tawayha eventually pursued them to the concrete barriers, where the soldiers exchanged gunfire with him. Al-Tuwayha was able to kill Staff Sgt. James Moriarty, but the fourth Green Beret shot and wounded Al-Tuwayha critically, ending the incident after about six minutes.

Tight alliance tested

In a treacherous region, Jordan has not only been a solid ally to the United States, but dependent on it.

This is a friendly country and the second leading recipient of U.S. foreign assistance, said David Schenker, director of the Program on Arab Politics at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

U.S. foreign assistance of $1.7 billion is a big portion of the countrys $12 billion annual budget, said Schenker, who served in the Pentagon overseeing Jordan and the Levant, as that area is called.

They are a critical partner for the United States in the region  military partner, diplomatic partner, a key partner in battle against ISIS and militant Islam, Schenker said.

Thats part of what makes Jordans bogus blaming of McEnroe and the other American soldiers so hard to understand.

They maintained this line essentially for five months, inexplicably, Schenker said. That created problems later.

The FBI began investigating right away, and American officials were already telling the press in November 2016 that the surveillance video showed the Americans were simply following procedures. In March, an investigator for the U.S. Special Operations Command submitted his conclusions: The three Green Berets had died in honorable service and did nothing wrong  no alcohol, no procedural missteps, no gunfire.

Finally, Jordan started to change its tune.

In April, King Abdullah II sent letters of condolence to the families of the three murdered soldiers. In the letter to Brian McEnroe, he wrote: It is our conclusion, having viewed all the reports, that your son did nothing to instigate this attack and had complied with established procedures at the base. These considerations make the incident at al Jafr Air Base on November 4th all the more disturbing.

We, as a nation, are fully committed to concluding the thorough investigation of this tragedy, which we had done in coordination with agencies of the United States. I can assure you that justice will take its full course and the perpetrator of the attack will be held fully accountable.

Conviction spurs protests

In June, Jordan formally charged al-Tuwayha with murder, and in July the case went to trial. On July 17, the court convicted al-Tuwayha of the three murders and sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of release after 20 years.

The reason he wasnt eligible for the death penalty, Schenker explained, is he was not tried as a terrorist, but as a regular criminal defendant.

The relatively short sentence bothers Kevins mom, who lives in Tucson.

Twenty years for each of the soldiers would have been a little more fair, Linda said. Right now, it is what it is. I have to be OK with the fact that at least he got the 20 years and didnt walk.

The legal process enraged members of the large, powerful tribe Al-Tuwayha belongs to, the Howeitat, Schenker said.

When they tried him, his tribe was shocked, because they had been told for five months that it wasnt his fault, he said.

After the conviction and sentence, Howeitat tribal members blocked roads, staged protests and threatened the government with more if the conviction wasnt overturned. Thats what led Jordan on July 25 to release the video showing the unprovoked nature of the attack.

The video, in turn, raised more questions from the Americans  most importantly, why did this really happen?

They cant find any links to terrorism, Brian McEnroe said. Theres no narrative or story anywhere that says this guy had it in for the Americans.

The premeditated, unprovoked nature of the attack, plus the Jordanian governments effort to cover up the incident, is what has him and other family members thinking there must be something more to it, or someone else behind it.

We dont know who told him to shoot some Americans. We think somebody did.

Schenker doubts Al-Tuwayha was in league with others when he launched the attack, but said you cant rule it out.

The absence of evidence doesnt mean there wasnt a broader conspiracy.
The four finalists vying to become the next superintendent of Tucsons largest school district will have their first public appearances next week, as they host public forums and question-and-answer sessions.

Whoever the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board chooses for the position will have their work cut out for them. TUSD suffers from declining enrollment, funding and teacher shortages, below average standardized test scores and a board that often cant work together.

The Arizona Daily Star caught up with the four candidates to talk about their backgrounds, vision and goals for Tucsons largest school district.

STEPHEN TREJO

Stephen Trejo, a longtime TUSD principal who retired in July 2016, capping off a 23-year career, says turning the district around will be a lot like sending a man to the moon.

Not only will it be a very difficult task, but it will require focus on one big goal.

Its really hard to focus on 10 different things at the same time. Every organization that has been pretty successful, they focus on one or two things, he said, adding that if the district keeps one or two big goals in mind, the many smaller goals will also fall into place.

Trejo has an impressive track record in TUSD. In his 13 years as principal of TUSDs C.E. Rose K-8 School, he turned the formerly failing south-side campus into a nationally recognized school and a gem of TUSD.

If chosen as the districts next permanent superintendent, Trejo said he wants to take the same approach that helped him succeed as C.E. Roses principal and apply it to all TUSD schools.

That means offering principals the same kind of support that past superintendents offered him  from setting up mentoring opportunities for struggling principals, to providing the technological tools teachers and students need to stay ahead of the curve, to simply listening to principals and teachers concerns.

Trejo plans to rely on academic research in his approach to ensure TUSD is the best district it can be, and if chosen for the job, one of his first orders of business will be to start a listening tour with stakeholders, and start a book club of sorts with district employees to discuss one of his favorite books on education: Teaching Practices from Americas Best Urban Schools. That book, he proudly noted, features C.E. Rose as an example of one of the succeeding schools.

I think when they read this research-based book, theyre going to have a sense of the kinds of things that really could turn the district around. But it cant be one persons dream. It has to be a common vision that everybody buys into, from the custodians to the principals and superintendent, he said.

He said that kind of atmosphere is what President Kennedy created when he announced that the U.S. would send a man to the moon. Trejo recounted a story wherein Kennedy asked a NASA janitor what he was doing, and the janitor replied helping send a man to the moon.

If you can get that kind of attitude from everyone in the district  that our goal is to really help every student reach their potential and achieve to their best ability  if everybody buys into that, thats what makes all the difference, he said.

Trejos public forum will be held Monday, Aug. 14, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Catalina High School auditorium, 3645 E. Pima St.

MARIA MARIN

After 24 years as a teacher, principal and administrator with TUSD, Maria Marin has had a lot of bosses, which has taught her a lot about collaboration  a skill shell need if she gets the job as TUSDs next superintendent.

I love collaborating and I would love nothing more than collaborating with the TUSD Governing Board and all of the professional educators and support personnel to create a vision that supports a greater Tucson for today and tomorrow, and to ensure all of our students have access to a high quality and meaningful education, she said.

Marin is a native Tucsonan with a long history at TUSD, most recently as director of elementary and preK-8 schools, but previously as principal of John B. Wright Elementary, Roskruge Bilingual K-8 Magnet School and Carrillo Magnet School. Before that, she was a teacher at several TUSD schools.

In that time, shes learned that relationship building is key to getting things done, and she hopes to work collectively to improve educational outcomes.

I see so much promise in the district and I think that has to do with my long career in this district, she said.

Marin got into teaching after having two of her own children, and becoming fascinated with that moment when the lightbulb goes on. One of the most gratifying aspects of being a teacher and later principal and administrator, was seeing those lightbulbs light up on a daily basis, she said.

Marin hasnt outlined a specific policy agenda  she wants to talk to teachers, parents, students and administrators first. But one of the first things she wants to focus on, if chosen as the districts next superintendent, is the districts discipline policy. Its neither too strict, not too lax, she said, but needs to be utilized properly.

We go to school to learn to read and write and do math and all the content areas. But not only that, were learning to be people and interact with each other. Those socializing skills are important as well, she said, adding that an effective discipline policy considers the disposition of both the adults and the students.

Marin said TUSD needs to address the statewide teacher shortage, and one method of attacking the problem would be to explore utilizing a new state law that allows principals to hire uncertified teachers who have relevant work experience in the subject matter they teach. The district so far has been hesitant to take advantage of the new law.

The district can also address the shortage by working with the long-term substitute teachers to become certified, she said. And she wants to make sure the district is supporting teachers with ongoing professional development, training and mentoring.

When you have a shortage, I think we have to examine all the options, she said.

Marins forum will be held Tuesday, Aug. 15, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Catalina High School auditorium.

GABRIEL TRUJILLO

Gabriel Trujillo, the interim superintendent of TUSD since March, has made a career out of taking a temporary position and making himself indispensable.

In one of his first jobs as a teacher, for example, he started with a 10-day contract, and ended up holding the position for seven years. When he was named interim principal at a troubled school in Phoenix, he originally had a 30-day contract, and ended up staying for 10 years.

He hopes to repeat that feat as the TUSD Governing Board selects the districts next permanent superintendent.

Trujillo wasnt the boards first choice to step in after former Superintendent H.T. Sanchez resigned  the board originally tapped someone else, but she backed out. But since Trujillo took over, he has been praised by board members as an effective communicator who has stepped into a difficult role and flourished.

As the interim superintendent, Trujillo has a head-start on the other candidates for the job  he notes that hes already conducted listening tours and visited all of TUSDs 89 schools, hes built relationships with the TUSD Governing Board members and set a series of goals for the district. But Trujillo said his status as a relative newbie to the district is also an asset.

Im still new enough to have fresh eyes on a very complex organization, he said.

If he is chosen as the districts next permanent superintendent, Trujillos immediate goal will be to focus on recruitment and retention of kids. He also sees a need to tighten the districts curricular focus and ensure standards being taught align with the states standards and standardized testing.

Trujillo also wants to ensure TUSDs leadership is visible and customer-service oriented, which can be as simple as making sure every call or email is returned.

To improve the districts disappointing scores on standardized tests, Trujillo wants to zero in on middle and high school students, who are not performing as well as their elementary school counterparts, and enact academic interventions to help students who are falling behind.

The TUSD Governing Board members rarely see eye-to-eye, and Trujillo said the key to success as superintendent is to build meaningful relationships with all five governing board members. One of his biggest strengths as a candidate for the next superintendent is his temperament and ability to keep a calm demeanor in stressful environments, he said.

Having the right temperament is key. If you examine my body language, my presence in board meetings, it has to be a constant state of composure, grace, order. Because thats whats needed when youre in a very, very tense environment  an ability to move meetings and discussions along and work with the board president so we can get though the agenda, Trujillo said.

Trujillos public forum will be held Wednesday, Aug. 16, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Catalina High School auditorium.

DONNA HARGENS

As a first-generation college student from a humble background who earned her doctorate in education, Donna Hargens said she was attracted to the job of TUSDs superintendent because of the districts emphasis on inclusion and giving every student the opportunity for a great education.

I know the power of education.  It was education and educators who really made the difference for me, she said.

Hargens stands out in the field of four candidates both for what she has and hasnt done. She is the only candidate who has ever served as a permanent superintendent of a large school district, and shes the only candidate who has never worked in TUSD.

She spent the last six years as superintendent of Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, Kentucky, where, under her leadership, schools saw improved graduation rates, and increased student performance on standardized tests. Before that, she was an administrator, principal and teacher in North Carolina.

Hargens said the key to improving test scores, especially for lower-performing subgroups of students, is to create high expectations and provide the support to meet or beat those expectations.

Working with the TUSD Governing Board will also be essential to the success of the next superintendent, and Hargens said her strategy for building relationships with board members in the past has been to meet with them individually.

Hargens describes education as a people-powered business and said a key to ensuring students get a good education is to recruit and retain high quality teachers. In lieu of having the ability to offer nationally competitive wages, the school district needs to focus on empowering teachers to make a difference in students lives.

You have to start by making it important and relevant and inspiring. So just as a teacher inspires students in their class, we have to inspire and engage employees to really be part of something that is greater than themselves, she said. The ability to make a difference is really what keeps teachers going.

In Kentucky, inspiring teachers took the form of a deeper learning symposium that was led by teachers, where teachers and principals presented strategies that work for them and were celebrated for their achievements, she said.

But her time in Kentucky wasnt without controversy. In July, she split with the district, after a poor 2016 evaluation and a scandal involving student seclusion and restraints in the district.

Hargens said the controversy erupted after she disclosed a problem in the way the school district tracked incidents of seclusion and restraint, and she did absolutely nothing wrong.

Her resignation came shortly after the Kentucky education commissioner announced an unprecedented full-scale audit of the district, which is still ongoing, saying Kentuckys largest school district suffered from critically ineffective and inefficient management.

Hargens forum will be held Thursday, Aug. 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Sahuaro High School auditorium, 545 N. Camino Seco.
I would like to respond to Mr. Dalton's letter in The Gazette on Aug. 6. Before doing so, I would like to thank him for his service to the country. All veterans deserve our respect and gratitude.

My husband was an Air Force veteran. His health care provider was the VA in Billings. Unfortunately, the Billings VA is an outpatient clinic. When he was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in July 2016, he was told he needed to switch to Vet's Choice.

This is where the problems began. His VA doctor, who was wonderful and took great care of my husband, contacted Vet's Choice on his behalf. At his point, it was completely out of her hands. It took two months for Vet's Choice to approve his treatment. Waiting two months allowed that cancer to run rampant. Ultimately, the cancer won and my husband passed away. I don't think I should be grateful for waiting two months and watching my husband suffer while cancer ate him down to the bone.

Mr. Dalton is one of the fortunate veterans who was treated in a timely manner. There are far too many, like my husband, who was not. Trump has signed a bill which allows veterans to go to any doctor of their choosing. That all sounds great on paper, but before any treatment is done, it still has to be approved. More work needs to be done to assure the veterans are seen and treated in timely manner.

Kathy Galbreath

Roundup
If you were on social media last week, you may have seen a quiz produced by Time magazine called Find Out If President Trump Would Let You Immigrate to America. Most of its target audience, people willing to click stuff on the internet, quickly found out that no, if they were judged by the criteria of the latest Trump-supported legislation, they would not be allowed to come to the U.S.

Nobel Prize winners and Olympic athletes have a leg up on the merit-based scale that would let immigrants be considered for a visa under the Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment Act, or RAISE Act. But even Americas sweetheart (and Tucson native) Kerri Strug misses the cut. Sorry, but she medaled over eight years ago.

This would all be funny if it wasnt supposed to be a real proposal put forward by thoughtful people wanting to fix a genuine problem. Instead, it joins the travel ban, the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office, and the big, beautiful, fully-paid-by-Mexico border wall as the latest example of political rhetoric masquerading as serious policy.

Its time Arizonas federal representatives propose and support legislation that counters the flailing actions by the Trump administration, which not only make a broken system worse, they run counter to who we are as a nation.

The RAISE Act, introduced by Republican Sens. David Perdue and Tom Cotton, wants to cut legal immigration by about 50 percent. It does this through the elimination of the diversity visa (which awards 50,000 visas a year through a lottery system), placing limits on family members who can apply for legal permanent residency, and limiting refugee resettlement.

One of the bills purported goals, and big selling point by the president, is that it will increase the number of high-skilled immigrants by favoring people who have high educational attainment, speak fluent English and have a high-paying job waiting for them.

The truth is that it will create a points system for work visas but it will not increase the existing cap, according to the libertarian Cato Institute, negating the claims that it will bring more high-skilled immigrants into the country. No wonder Silicon Valley, which would be the natural beneficiary of allowing in a higher number of skilled foreign workers, has laughed off the proposal.

This kind of bait-and-switch is nothing new for the Trump administration, but at least it had the decency this time to try and pretend it wasnt all red meat for the anti-immigrant groups among its supporters.

On the positive end of legislation tackling immigration, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin introduced the 2017 Dream Act last month. The bill, which has been around in one version or another since 2001, would grant legal status to immigrants who entered the country illegally as children.

Right now, approximately 800,000 dreamers, as these immigrants are called, are protected from deportation by President Obamas Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. But with that measure under attack, it is essential that Congress step up and give these young people  who are American in all but birth  the chance to live their lives without fear in the only home many of them have ever known.

But while helping dreamers is almost easy compared with true comprehensive immigration reform, that is still the ultimate goal.

If there is one unintended consequence of the free rein that President Trump has given anti-immigrant elements, it is that with their every action they throw into sharp relief the cruelty of their positions. They make it harder for people to ignore that its not all about national security or proper integration or about respecting the rule of law.

It wasnt that long ago that Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake were part of the Gang of Eight, the bipartisan group that wrote the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013. While not perfect, it was the kind of sensible, practical legislation thats missing today.

McCain bucked the administration with his vote to prevent the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Sen. Flake has staked his re-election on the strength of conservative values versus the philosophy of Trump.
Continuous rainfall has brought about myriad difficulties for road constructions across Ho Chi Minh City.

Upon completion of the works, the surface of several streets has been improperly reconstructed, causing hardship for commuters and local residents.

Along Go Dua Street in Thu Duc District, a project on improving the drainage system has been carried out for over a month.

Vehicles are banned from the road between 9:00 pm and 5:00 am every day for the implementation.

As several sections of the streets have been finished, the developer has had the surface of these parts restored, not in a thorough manner.

Residents complained that countless bumps and potholes had been formed on the new surface, which can be extra dangerous whenever it rains.

Such flaws were not present on Go Dau Street prior to the project, Truong Thanh Tung, a local resident, asserted.

Heavy downpours have seriously affected the execution of the project, a worker said, adding that the newly established street layer had been soaked, resulting in its uneven surface.

A similar situation can be noticed on Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Cong Quynh, and Do Quang Dau Streets in District 1, and Nguyen Van Dau Street in Binh Thanh District, where construction is being conducted for the burial of electric and telecom wires.

Despite the rain, these projects have to be completed in accordance with the original schedule, some workers said.

According to Nguyen Bat Han, deputy chief inspector of the municipal Department of Transport, many developers have been fine for their careless implementation.

About 353 violations have been recorded with fine totaling VND2.6 billion [US$ 113,850] in the first six months of this year, Han elaborated.

Developers response

Statistics of the citys transport department about 518 projects were initiated on the citys streets since the beginning of the year.

Nguyen Thanh Phuong, director of the Ben Thanh Water Supply JSC, developer of several drainage projects, said that it is hard to avoid carrying out these works during the rainy season.

It takes nearly four months for competent authorities to approve the detail plan of each project, Phuong explained.

According to Huynh Hao Tai, an official from the Saigon Water Corporation, it is most ideal to start a roadwork in December.

However, if a project is proposed in that time of the year, an official permission will be granted in round March of the following year, while the rainy season often starts in April.

There has been concern over the lack of coordination between developers, resulting in repeated constriction on the same street.

A transport official considered the issue an inevitability as different projects cannot be conducted at the same time on the same road.

There are certain differences between drainage system, electricity, and telecom projects, thus coordination is not possible, he stated.

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Many Vietnamese undergraduates who are short on money have resorted to regularly donating their platelets for a few extra pennies to put them through college.

Some of them even ignore doctors recommendation and go for platelet donations as often as three times a month, risking adverse health problems.

Platelets, also called thrombocytes, are a component of blood whose function is to stop bleeding by clumping and clotting blood vessel injuries, according to Phu Chi Dung, director of Ho Chi Minh City Blood Transfusion and Hematology.

A donor can lose up to 20 percent of their platelet counts after each donation, Dung said.

Donated platelets are used in transfusions for cancer patients who suffer from low platelet count as a side effect of their treatment, and to help patients survive major surgeries or serious injuries by replacing those lost during bleeding, according to the American Red Cross.

Frequent faces at platelet donation room

It was 8:00 am at the six-story blood transfusion center of Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, and 25 people, most of whom still in their 20s, were already lining up outside the platelet donation room.

Another group of 15 people could be seen inside the room, with cords running from their arms to centrifuge machines that separate platelets from their blood.

Cho Ray Hospital is among only three medical institutions in Ho Chi Minh City where platelet donations can be done, with the other two being the Blood Transfusion and Hematology Hospital and Military Hospital 175.

According to experienced donors, platelets are favored over whole blood when it comes to making money off the donation, as they are collected by hospitals at a higher price and can be donated more regularly.

V.H.H., an undergraduate at a university based in Ho Chi Minh Citys District 1 who was waiting for his turn to donate, told a Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper correspondent he could not recount how many times he had undergone the procedure, which had become his savior every time he runs out of money.

They will run your blood through a centrifuge machine to separate platelets and some plasma before returning the blood to your body, so you wont feel as dizzy as during a blood donation, H. advised the newcomer.

Handing over a cup of warm ginger tea, H. said a single-unit donation, equivalent to 250ml of platelets, would be collected at VND400,000 ($17.62), while a double-unit donation, which is double that amount, would be paid VND700,000 ($30.84).

Whether one is allowed to make single-unit or double-unit donations entirely depends on their physical fitness and doctors prescription, H. said.

A lot of undergraduates come here regularly to sell platelets, a nurse at Cho Ray Hospital revealed. Ive even memorized some of the frequent faces.

After waiting outside for about two hours, H. and the Tuoi Tre correspondent were both called inside the air-conditioned room furnished with 15 beds and 15 centrifuge machines.

Around 300ml of blood is pulled from the donors veins at a time into the machine, where it is spun around to separate platelets and blood plasma before being returned to the donor.

Each separation cycle takes 10-20 minutes to complete, which each donor undergoing between six and 20 repeated cycles of draw and return depending on the amount of platelets they are up for donation.

After finishing the donation, each donor goes home with their allowance and a takeaway meal consisting of a banh mi, three cartons of milk and some iron supplements.

I had to think of other things to distract myself from the thought of having a needle inserted into my vein, said Minh, an undergraduate from the Central Highland province of Gia Lai, after leaving the donation room.

Having donated platelets multiple times, Minh said he had never got over the nervousness of seeing blooding flowing out of his body, though he had no other options to earn quick money to cover the expenses of living in the city.

My parents back in our hometown can only afford to pay for a part for my tuition fees, so I have to find my own ways to get by, Minh said.

Fooling doctors

P.T.T.H., a female undergraduate from a university in Ho Chi Minh Citys Thu Duc District, boasted about her achievement of undergoing no less than 20 platelet donations since starting college.

Having learnt of the service while being a member of a volunteering club at her university, H. said she had since taken up platelet donating as a part-time job.

There were months when she would pay visits to hospitals for up to three times just to sell platelets.

I only take about two weeks for recovery after each donation before returning for another, H. said.

To avoid being rejected by doctors for donating too frequently, H. said she would visit one hospital at the start of the month, then come to another hospital 10-12 days later, and return to the first hospital at the end of the month.

Its okay as long as I can hide the needle scars on my arms, H. said.

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In terms of UK news, the last week has been relatively quiet but there were a few announcements that may have been missed. Three men were jailed when it was discovered that they had used a nuclear bunker to grow millions of pounds worth of marijuana in Wiltshire. Despite the summer holidays, the Conservatives have found time to axe a benefit that helps millions of households each year, plans have emerged to sell of more NHS properties and there are twice as many people homeless than initially thought.

Meanwhile the end of world could be nigh, as Donald Trump vows to respond to any North Korea threat with Fire And Fury.

In Australia, the vote to legalise gay marriage has become more complex after the government decided to hold an advisory voluntary postal vote on the issue plus more.

The news in the UK

The Conservative government have found time in their summer holidays to double the amount of NHS properties they are selling off, in a report it has been estimated that 543 plots of NHS land were deem surplus to requirement in 2016/17, which is approximately 1,332 hectares. This is a rise from 418 plots totalling 545.7 hectares the previous year. Details of more than half of the NHS land up for sale is being kept secret due to sensitivity issues and dozens are still being used for patient care despite being surplus to requirements.

There has been a significant change in a benefit that helps millions of families each year, the Support for Mortgage Interest benefit, which costs around 170 million a year, will be axed and replaced with a loan. Ironically, the loan itself will be secured against your house and billow interest. Currently 124,000 receive the benefit, half of them are pensioners.

A new study has revealed that approximately 9,100 people are sleeping rough in the UK, more than double the previous estimate of 4,100 with homelessness set to double by 2041.

Theresa Mays Brexit stance will harden after papers outlining the governments Brexit stance could be released within the next two weeks. They are set to release multiple papers to try and show she is getting on with the job ahead of the next set of talks at the end of August.

Rapper Lowkey has released a heartfelt track about Grenfell, the rapper lives within the community and witnessed people dying during the tragedy. Finally, the UK have been criticised for selling arms used by the Venezuelan government against opposition.

News of the world

Donald Trump has put the world on edge after he stated that North Korea would be met with fire and fury, this was after Kim Jong-Un threatened an attack on the US territory of Guam. This eclipsed an earlier decision by the UN Security Council to impose sanctions on the secret state. Myanmars official investigation into human-rights abuses committed by the army resulted that no such crimes occurred, earlier this year a UN reported that mass killings, rapes and beatings were committed against the Muslim Rohingya population.

Myanmars response was to bar the UN from investigating.

South African president, Jacob Zuma, has narrowly kept his position after the motion of no confidence failed to get the 201 votes needed to remove him, however, approximately a sixth of the MPs from the ruling African National Congress either abstained or voted with the opposition. Venezuelas troubles worsen despite a newly elected constituent assembly, which Maduro called to try and solve the crisis to give the people more power but was boycotted by the opposition. The assembly have subsequently sacked attorney-general, Luisa Ortega Diaz.

The US have since imposed more sanctions on Venezuela officials and Mercosur, a South American trade bloc have suspended them.

The election of the assembly was called after Maduro wanted to create a fresh mandate for the people of Venezuela and begin to solve the problems that have occurred, however, it was boycotted by the opposition. Despite the mistakes that have been made by the countrys ruling party, this shows that the opposition have no desire to end the violence.

There is further evidence of this after a Peace and Dialogue Table was set up to negotiate peace with Maduro, the opposition then refused to negotiate demanding the presence of the Vatican, after the Nunico arrived, they still refused, which was when Maduro called for the Constitutional Assembly to force the opposition to negotiate with the people.

However, the reasons that America are keen to remove the Venezuelan government, is that they dont follow policies that include austerity, privatisation and deregulation. Furthermore, blame has been placed at Maduros feet for food shortages, despite the private sector playing a key role in crucial sectors such as food distribution, consumer product importation and sales.
The Homeland Security of Guam, a U.S. island territory in Micronesia, in the Western Pacific issued a 'Fact Sheet' guide to surviving a Nuclear attack, through the Guam Joint Information Centre on Friday. The warning comes after the past week has seen tensions rise with rousing statements from the US President Donald Trump and the North Korean leadership.

Safe and sound

Eddie Baza Calvo, the governor of Guam has reinforced that the island faces no threat from North Korea and that people should continue living their lives. The Republican governor also mentioned last Wednesday that, "there are several levels of defence, all strategically placed to protect our island and our nation".

While the island nation has received no direct threats from North Korea, many fear a major rift in diplomatic talks between the United States and North Korea could be followed by an all-out war which would affect the island nation first owing to its proximity to the Korean peninsula.

Nuke survival guide

The fact sheet issued by the Homeland Security of Guam goes on to list important measures to undertake during a case of emergency. Steps such as; "Make a list of potential concrete shelters near your home, workplace and school. These places can include basements or the windowless centre area of middle floors in multi-level buildings.", are laid out to prepare people for potential attacks. Steps to be undertaken during potential attacks are described as well, some of which are; "take cover as quickly as you can, under a concrete structure or below ground if possible" and "Do not look at the flash or fireball  It can blind you".

Post-bombing survival instructions in the guide ask people to stay away from damaged areas, areas marked radiation hazard or HAZMAT". The guide also covers cases where parents can find their children in school at the time of the attack and things to remember such as the distance, shielding and time relative to the threat.

While all this seems very academic at this point, the very fact that the situation has deteriorated to such a stage is quite scary not just for the people of Guam but for people all around the world. The world has already witnessed the monstrous effects of nuclear weapons in their early stages, a solitary thought of such a possibility now is petrifying.

An all-out war maybe out of the picture for many but the highly volatile political figures of Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un are certainly flirting with situations that could very well give rise to a Cold War.
Dwight Fields claims that he was wrongfully bitten by a K-9 from the Houston Police Department, and was mistaken for the suspect, according to KHOU11.

Fields told KHOU11, that he was working at his neighbors home as a handyman when he noticed the police were searching for a suspect that took Houston PD on a high-speed chase.

The actual suspect has been identified as Anthony Woods and was later arrested.

According to KHOU11, when Woods fled from his motor vehicle, police asked Fields to intervene. Fields refused to get involved. He told the KHOU11, that it was none of his business. Fields pointed to the direction where he saw Woods jump a fence, and even told them that the suspect had jumped the fence, he told KHOU11.

As the search continued, a K-9 and his handler arrived on scene. At some point, the K-9 was let loose and attacked Fields by biting him. Fields was forced to go to the hospital, where he received more than 40 stitches, according to KHOU11. He suffered multiple bites to the side and back of his leg and is seeking $6,000 in medical bills that are owed, according to the lawsuit.

Fields maintains this could have all been avoided, and that the sloppy police work was a result of his Civil Liberties being violated, he told KHOU11.

Fields lawsuit is scheduled to go through the Federal Court System in the Spring of 2018.

4.8 million people are bitten by dogs annually

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 4.8 million people are victims of dog bites per year.

CDC says 800,000 of those bites will result in medical attention. Half of those seeking medical attention from dog bites are children, according to the CDC.

87-year-old woman is wrongfully attacked by K9

Meanwhile, an 87-year-old woman in Vancouver was also attacked by a K-9, according to News1130.

The report claims that after the Vancouver Police Department were taken on a high-speed chase, a man fled from the scene and ran.

The woman was simply minding her own business at her residence, when a handler was led down the block by his K-9. When the dog rounded the corner, it attacked the elderly lady. The K-9s attack sent her to the hospital and she was later released, according to News1130.

Doug King, of the Pivot Legal System, told News1130, that something needs to be done about the wrongful dog attacks on civilians in Vancouver.

King claims that Vancouver PD has the highest rate of dog bites in the country. King says that better training is needed for the K-9 handlers.

There is no word on whether the elderly lady plans on pushing forward with a lawsuit or not.
After police received reports of sightings of the mythical Bigfoot in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina, they headed off to investigate. However a plumber, who hails from Minneapolis, has since come forward to say it was him, all dressed up in a homemade suit of raccoon pelts. 36-year-old Gawain MacGregor said he didnt intentionally head out to fool the group of Bigfoot hunters that spotted him.

Man dresses up as Bigfoot for shamanistic ritual

MacGregor said he was in McDowell County on his own Friday night when he climbed into his fur suit to perform a shamanistic ritual.

However later that night he saw lights and heard sounds as he encountered the Bigfoot hunters. Saying he and they were startled, he decided not to say anything and just turned around and headed back to his tent to sleep. MacGregor said the people didnt speak to him, but when he saw a news report of a Sasquatch sighting, he instantly called the police to tell them it was him.

'I don't want any trouble': How I was mistaken for Bigfoot https://t.co/Dawgal3VDo via @nypost Worth the read #Sasquatch #Bigfoot  Eric Richard (@CorporateEric) August 11, 2017

Bigfoot hunters dont believe the story

According to a report by the BBC, despite the fact MacGregor contacted the police to clear up the mystery, John Bruner of Bigfoot 911 went on to post on their Facebook page that he had been part of the team who spotted Bigfoot that night.

According to the Charlotte Observer, Bruner claimed to have seen details of the creature and that the eyes were wider apart than human eyes. He also said he clearly saw the face and that the hair was matted and stringy. Bruner had also seen photos of MacGregor on his website and said the Bigfoot they saw was much taller.

Greenville Police in South Carolina couldnt resist heading to their own Facebook page to issue a tongue-in-cheek warning about Bigfoot sightings.

They included video footage from 2015 of another possible sighting in Boone, NC. Their post went on to say that it was clear that proof of the existence of Bigfoot still eludes us. However they went on to say, in a likely more serious tone, that should someone believe they have spotted Bigfoot, please dont shoot, as you are most likely facing a fun-loving, well-intentioned person in a gorilla costume.

Several Sasquatch encounters in the past

According to MacGregor, he has experienced several Sasquatch encounters in the past in three different states. He went on to say he has worn his costume for more than five years and has encountered people before. While he said some people had asked to take photos, MacGregor added he had never had any trouble with law enforcement before.
A CNN journalist took to 4Chan, an anonymous messaging site, to explain how the channel has been manipulating news stories to devalue President Donald Trumps administration. The reporter, who quit the network last week, said that CNN Money created a false narrative about healthcare stats in May.

Heres what happened in May

On May 24, Congressional Budget Office (CBO), along with Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), released a statement that an estimated 51 million people below 65 years would be uninsured in 2026. This statement released by the CBO is not true, and it was fabricated by the channel to devalue the American Healthcare Act of 2017, the reporter said.

The former CNN reporter, who has now gone rogue, said that the news channel began manipulating these statements way back in March. The team, which comprised 12 writers, worked for two weeks (between March 4 and March 11) to establish the initial connections between the news channel and the CBO and JCT. The reporter also revealed that the writers who were involved in this anti-Trump campaign were former contractors of the justice department during the Obama administration.

CNN's anti-Trump timetable

CNN is planning another destructive campaign of the healthcare system, the reporter said. Giving a blow-by-blow account of CNNs modus operandi, the journalist revealed that the channel has an anti-Trump timetable.

The channel focuses on healthcare on Mondays, White House gossip on Tuesdays, Russia collusion on Wednesdays, and discrimination on Thursdays. Fridays are a free day.

How CNN traps White House staff

The former CNN reporter admitted that the journalists set up traps for white house staff on the pretext of assisting in a media campaign that they may accept.

The reporters would then come up with a series of off-topic and light-hearted questions to bait them into answering. On Tuesdays, the team scrutinizes every tiny detail of a White House press release, staff statements and, at times, even fabricate sources.

A desperate attempt to tie Trump with Russia

Wednesdays at CNN are meant for Russia collusion stories, where a dedicated team reviews Russian contacts.

Besides the desperate search for some kind of Russia connection with Trump, the team also scrutinizes construction reports about Trump properties across the world. They look into names and backgrounds of close real-estate authorities and their relations with the Trump Organization. The journalist further added that CNN might release the findings in November.

ALSO READ: CNN doesnt cover stories that have real impact: Kellyanne Conway

ALSO READ: American parents asked to stay vigilant
The F-35, a replacement for the existing fighters like the F16 and F-22 is the most advanced plane in the US inventory. The plane is a fifth generation Fighter and incorporates stealth technology and is a formidable weapons system. It has been accepted by many countries including NATO as their front line fighter plane. According to the BBC, the aircraft has had a troubled existence and three Air Accidents have taken place and topping this is the cost of development of the fighter which has touched $1.9 Trillion. The F-35 first flew in 2010 and till date 231 of these machines have been built The engineers at Lockheed have concluded that the plane needs to be upgraded and this will cost an estimated 3.9 billion dollars.

This is essential to help the fighter retain its Cutting Edge over the latest Russian fifth generation fighter the Su-57.

Government report

The government accountability report released this week has said that modernization of the plane and the projected cost of up gradation of over $3.9 billion will make it the costliest weapon system in US aviation history. In contrast, the Russian Su-57 has cost only $10 billion. As per the report, this up gradation will continue till 2022, making it the most expensive acquisitions in US history. The fault appears to lie with the data processor of the plane that needs to be upgraded. The defense department will ask Congress for the additional funds in Feb 2018.

Costliest fighter in world

The plane which costs over a billion dollars a piece is the costliest fighter plane in the world. President Trump is worried about the cost and has asked General Mattis to ask the engineers at Lockheed to try and cut the cost of the plane to $ 80 million a piece. This is not easy as it may mean compromising on the some of the advanced features in the plane which are so essential to evade the latest radars of the Chinese and the Russian defenses.

Of greater worry is the loss of three planes in air accidents.

Future

The USAF has always maintained a cutting edge over its rivals right from World War II and the Korean War when the Mustang and Saber Jet dominated the sky in the Pacific and the Korean peninsula. The Pentagon is hoping this edge will be maintained with the induction of the F-35, but rising costs have been a dampener and experts are wondering whether it is a cost effective weapon compared to the F-18 Hornet and F-22 Raptor. Despite what the experts say the options are not easy to execute.
New Years Day 2016 was not exactly a pleasant day for Officer Quincy Smith of the Estill Police Department. Smith was called out to investigate a "suspicious person." A local shop owner reported that a person dressed in camouflage and a red bandana seemed to be stealing groceries from patrons as they left the store, according to the New York Post. Smith simply did his job and arrived at the scene to confront the "suspicious person." Smith was wearing his glasses at the time of the encounter. He had a tiny bodycam attached to his glasses and managed to film the entire encounter.

The encounter with Malcolm Orr

The video of Smith's encounter with Malcolm Orr can be seen at the bottom of this article. In the video, one can see how Smith first approaches Orr. When Smith arrives on the scene, Orr is on the phone. Orr starts walking away from Smith and Smith politely asks Orr to stand still so that he can talk to him. It is then that Smith notices Orr's hand in his pocket, seemingly holding a weapon. Smith warns Orr that he will use his Taser on him if need be. However, before Smith can do anything else, Orr turns and opens fire, firing 8 shots, according to the Sun.

The horrifying footage then shows Quincy running back to his car, hands covered in blood, calling for help. The video captures Smith's wait for help, his raspy breathing and his messages to the dispatch, telling fellow officers to tell his family how much he loves them, according to a transcription by the New York Post.

The shots broke both of Smith's arms, passed through his upper torso and also cut through a vein in his neck. The video shows how J Tompkins, a passerby tries to help Smith in what he believes are his last breaths. A woman's voice - supposedly from a phone call - is heard in the video, praying desperately for Smith's safety.

The verdict

The brave Officer Quincy Smith survived to tell the story. And better yet, he could show the story using video footage. This Tuesday the court saw the video and listened to Quincy's story. They also saw the eight bullet casings from the eight shots that Orr fired. It didn't take long for the jury to make their decision.

After 45 minutes, Malcolm Orr was found guilty of attempted murder and being in the possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison. He should really just be thankful that Quincy survived. otherwise, Orr would have been facing the death penalty.

Smith's video is a stroke of genius in law enforcement. It seems that Officer Quincy Smith is a man bent on justice and on embracing modern methods of law enforcement and is bravery is to be commended.
Criminal Minds season 13 has already started filming and those that are following the series have one question in mind. Will Thomas Gibson ever make a comeback to the show? The actor played as Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotch Hotchner, the Unit Chief of the FBIs Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU).

In August 2016, he had an on-set altercation with Virgil Williams, one of the shows writers and said that the dispute was due to their creative differences in one of the episodes that he was directing. He was deliberately fired from the series and was written off by having his character enter the Witness Protection Program.

Will Hotch return to the series?

Since the actor departed Criminal Minds last year, some fans decided not to watch the show again. Most of them said that they will only patronize the series once again as soon as Hotch makes a comeback to the BAU. The police procedural dramas ratings have significantly declined following the departure of Thomas Gibson and Shemar Moore last year.

Both of them are the foundations of the show since it premiered in 2005 and we cant blame fans if they decide not to watch the show again without these characters. Fans were even pissed when one of the showrunners posted on Twitter telling fans not to expect to see Aaron Hotchner again in the team of profilers at the BAU.

Criminal Minds fans also started the social media hashtag #NoHotchNoWatch in an attempt to deliver a message to the showrunners that they are boycotting the show without Gibson. They also filed a petition asking fans to sign it to have the actor back in the show.

However, the producers and showrunners have been reluctant at fans request to this date.

When Williams left the show to work for Universal Television, fans are wondering whether its possible for the actor to return as a series regular. Recently, showrunner Erica Messer has lengthened her connection with the shows producer, ABC Studios, which means that she will still be the one developing the series.

#NoHotchNoWatch I miss seeing Aaron Hotchner on my TV screen pic.twitter.com/pOaDx7RRCj  Jodi (@jodicessings) July 11, 2017

Aaron Hotchner, BAU

It can be recalled in one of Criminal Minds episodes when Aaron Hotchner and his son, Jack entered the Witness Protection Program when one of the countrys notorious serial killer, Mr. Scratch began stalking the latter. He then personally asked Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) to take over his post as the department Unit Chief. Apparently, Prentiss agreed and eventually becomes the team leader of the BAU.

Hotch is known for being serious and determined despite lacking wit and humor but fans have learned to love him.

Are you also one of those who wants Thomas Gibson back in Criminal Minds? Let me know in the comments below!
The "Little People, Big World" Roloff family has so many things to celebrate lately. The latest is the upcoming wedding of their daughter Molly. With her wedding set for next month to Joel Silvius, the bridal shower and bachelorette party took place this weekend.

Family and close friends gathered for the bridal shower at the Roloff farm in Oregon. Her beautiful two-month-old nephew Jackson was there for the festivities as well. The bride-to-be opened gifts and enjoyed time with the guests, taking a break from the stress of planning a wedding. Spending time with her first nephew may have sparked a few conversations about her plans for children as well.

Time for the party!

The next day it was time to continue the fun as Molly and the girls loaded into a limo for an evening of fun. According to the Instagram account of Molly's sister-in-law Tori, it looks like they had a great time. Molly sang in the limo with her friends and family that attended and later did some line dancing. Her mom Amy even made an appearance and showed off a few dance moves of her own. Tori posted a video and referred to her mother-in-law as a party crasher. As close as the family is, "Little People, Big World" fans would have been disappointed if Amy had not attended the festivities of the bachelorette party.

Molly hasn't been in front of the cameras a lot on "Little People, Big World." Fans of the show are hoping that that changes so that they can "meet" her fiance Joel.

They announced their engagement back in December, and there is still time to get a wedding on the next season of the show -- if they want to.

What is known about Joel Silvius?

It is believed that Molly Roloff and Joel Silvius met while attending Whitworth College in Spokane, Washington. The two are very private about their lives but Instagram photos show that they have been together since 2015.

Their engagement has the support of Amy, showing that Joel has a good relationship with her soon-to-be son-in-law.

There has been some speculation that Molly has a strained relationship with her parents because she rarely appears on "Little People, Big World." That simply isn't the case, however. Her living in Spokane with her fiance' makes it difficult to be a part of the reality show.

The couple is very private about their lives. The wedding is set for August 5th, and though fans of "Little People, Big World" would love to share the experience, it probably won't be part of the next season.
Madam Secretary Season 4 will be aired on October 8. As always, there are already spoilers and theories online. According to fan theories, the shrewd and determined Dr. Elizabeth McCord (Tea Leoni) will continue to drive international diplomacy and fight office politics in the upcoming installment. CBS officially renewed the political drama series on March 23, and fans are already anxious as to what the show has in the pipeline. TV Series Finale has previously shared that the upcoming installment will have a total of 18 episodes, which is similar to the previous season.

Whats more interesting is that Henry McCord (Tim Daly) and Dmitri Petrovs (Chris Petrovski) worlds will soon collide.

Will Dmitri Petrov and Stevie McCord find love?

It looks like Madam Secretary Season 4 will soon have Dmitri and Stevie McCord (Wallis Currie-Wood) fall into each other. Fans can recall in the previous season when the 24-year-old Russian Army officer met Elizabeth and Henrys daughter, Stevie. Their attraction towards each other can be quickly noticed when they met. Even the former Marine Captains reaction to his daughters interest towards the young Russian officer was also out of the ordinary. Theories have it that these two youngsters will fall in love in the upcoming season, which would be certainly interesting.

It can be recalled that Tim Daly hinted Chris Petrovskis return in Madam Secretary Season 4 when he spoke with TV Line. "He's doing a lot better. I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to say, but f*** it, I'll just say it: He's coming back into the fold, Daly said. It's this weird thing where the intelligence community now has a need for him, and Henry finds a way to bring him back in. In the previous season, the McCords were the ones responsible for helping Dmitris sister get retracted from Russia.

Everyone even believed at first that the young Russian army was killed during his mission but apparently, hes back into the McCords world.

We would 100% trust in Elizabeth McCord to lead us through the end of days. Find out how you'd fare: https://t.co/zTwo1qGiGe #Salvation pic.twitter.com/Lp6wM3Bi8B  Madam Secretary (@MadamSecretary) July 11, 2017

Everything we know so far

In Madam Secretary Season 4, Dmitri Petrov will work as cable guy or at a TV repair shop.

However, he is expected to be tapped by the McCords in the next installment to help resolve another challenging situation, which will involve Russia. Since he has expertise on the Russians, the American government will soon ask his assistance in an attempt to get another global issue solved. The upcoming installment is expected to feature most of the original cast members.
Hundreds of white nationalists took part in a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday, which quickly turned into violence and riots after counter-protesters clashed with those in attendance. After Donald Trump gave his thoughts, the president was ripped apart across social media.

Trump on riots

During the eight years that Barack Obama was in the White House, racial tensions reached a boiling point as the political divide in the United States continued to widen. Following Obama's exit from Washington, Donald Trump took his place, creating even more issues between those on the political left and right.

Ever since kicking off his campaign for president, which has since continued into his seventh month in office, the former host of "The Apprentice" has been accused of racism and other forms of prejudice. From his inflammatory rhetoric towards Hispanics and Muslims, to the policy proposals that could have a negative impact on other minority groups, Trump and his supporters have been forced to push back against the label of "racist." As reported by NBC News on August 12, white nationalists took to the streets in Charlottesville, Virginia to take part in the "United the Right" rally, but were instantly met with opposition. As seen on his Twitter account later in the day, Trump condemned the violence that has since left at least one person dead.

We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency because of the violence that broke out at the aforementioned rally, which included a car plowing through a group of protesters that left one person killed.

On Twitter, Donald Trump wrote "We ALL must be united & condemn all that hate stands for. There is no place for this kind of violence in America. Lets come together as one!" The president and the Virginia governor spoke shortly after the violence began, with the two agreeing that "the hate and the division must stop and must stop right now."

What is vital now is a swift restoration of law and order and the protection of innocent lives.#Charlottesville pic.twitter.com/DB22fgnu6L  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 12, 2017

Twitter reacts

In response to Donald Trump's remarks, those who oppose the president on social media were quick to speak out.

"'Let's come together as one?' How in the hell are you going to ask that when you're the one cheer-leading the division?" writer Kelly Scaletta tweeted out.

You won't even condemn right-wing terrorism. Let's be clear about where the hate is coming from.  Kelly Scaletta (@KellyScaletta) August 12, 2017

Donald Trump mocked Barack Obama for not calling Islamic Terrorism by its name.



Now HE must call White Supremacy Terrorism by its name.  Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) August 12, 2017

"Trump is the one who made it okay to 'Beat the crap out of 'em,'" author Stephen King wrote. "Donald Trump mocked Barack Obama for not calling Islamic Terrorism by its name. Now HE must call White Supremacy Terrorism by its name," MSNBC host Joe Scarborough stated.

Trump is the one who made it okay to "Beat the crap out of 'em."  Stephen King (@StephenKing) August 12, 2017

Donald Trump's silence proves he is weak and pathetic. He remains MUTE as neo-nazi terrorists kill Americans. #Shame https://t.co/ue5hEat5Yz  Mika Brzezinski (@morningmika) August 12, 2017

"Donnie, denouncing white nationalists now after encouraging them throughout your campaign? You're days late and as usual many dollars short," actor George Takei posted. In a follow-up tweet, Takei added, "When terrorists abroad plow cars into crowds Trump condemns 'radical Islam.' But when it happens here, he talks of violence 'on many sides.'"

Let's be clear. The hatred we're seeing in Virginia lies at the feet of Donald Trump. Stoked during the campaign,his silence condones this.  Rob Reiner (@robreiner) August 12, 2017

No mention of the evil of white supremacy or ugliness of racism. No acknowledgement of the hatred he has stoked. Disgraceful.  Rob Reiner (@robreiner) August 12, 2017

"Let's be clear.

The hatred we're seeing in Virginia lies at the feet of Donald Trump. Stoked during the campaign,his silence condones this," actor Rob Reiner wrote. In another social media post, Reiner noted, "No mention of the evil of white supremacy or ugliness of racism. No acknowledgement of the hatred he has stoked. Disgraceful."
Haruo Nakajima, the actor that played Godzilla in the original Film, died on Monday at the age of 88, according to Toho production company representatives who were cited by the BBC. Haruo Nakajima died of pneumonia, according to the same source

Famous, but unknown

Haruo Nakajima was a famous actor, but you never saw his face. The Japanese actor performed the part of the famous monster in the first Godzilla movie from 1954. He played Godzilla wearing a special costume. Since then, the actor wore the costume of the famous monster in 12 films.

For this role, Nakajima was considered the best actor acting inside a suit.

Haruo Nakajima also played other monsters

In 1954 he played the role of Godzilla a giant creature waking up in the depths of the ocean after a nuclear test  for the first time in the original movie. The movie produced by Toho cinema studio was directed by Ishiro Honda. Since then, he played the same character in several sequels of the original film. Nakajima also played other beasts on the big screen, like Rodan, Mothra and King Kong.

His most recent appearance in a special costume was in 1972 in the movie "Godzilla vs. Gigan." The latest movie in this series "Shin Godzilla" was released in 2016.

Godzilla  a difficult character

In an interview published this year, Haruo Nakajima revealed the difficulties he faced during the film shootings from 1955.

Apparently, his costume was made of bamboo and latex and weighed about 100 kilograms.

The Japanese movie star said that he had to study the behavior of animals in the Zoo in Tokyo to prepare for his role.

Godzilla has become a classic movie with monsters. Cinema studios from Japan and Hollywood have produced dozens of films with the frightening character.

Most of the recent films from the famous films used computerized graphics and animation programs to create the marine monster.

Successful career

Haruo Nakajima began his career by acting in several samurai films and war films. The actor also acted in the feature film "Seven Samurai" directed by Akira Kurosawa.

In a short video posted on YouTube last year, Nakajima, aged 87 at the time, told fans how he had come to play the character who made him famous.

Other actors who played in disguise

In June 2016 Mihaly Meszaros died. Nobody has heard of him, unlike Alf, the famous character he played. Alf (Alien Life Form) was a strange alien wandering on Earth. The TV series enjoyed a great success for four seasons. Both children and adults watched the show with the same pleasure. It is a less known fact that the character was not an animation, as some people believed. Alf was played by the actor Mihaly Meszaros, one of the smallest people in the world, who was only 83 inches tall.

Kenny Baker, the actor who played the famous R2-D2 robot in Star Wars died last year.
New Zealand - A 65-year-old grandmother accused of killing her 2-year-old grandson over his slow learning curve when it came to toilet habits is allegedly a methamphetamine addict.

New Zealand court hears how grandmother killed child

Methamphetamine addict, Kathleen Cooper, of Auckland, New Zealand allegedly "threw the toddler down the hallway of their Manurewa home following a toileting accident on 13 December 2015," the International Business Times (UK) reported.

Grandmother Cooper's trial on Friday 11 August revealed that the boy (Jermain Ngawhau), received head injuries after he was flung down the hallway by his meth addicted grandmother.

Although he was rushed to the hospital, the severity of his head injuries resulted in his death five days later.

Slow to learn toilet habits, meth addict rage

After the child was hospitalized, old bruising was found that indicated that the methamphetamine addict had beaten the child on more than one occasion. The court heard how the child was slow to develop and at least one witness told the court that the day before the incident the boy was dragged around naked by Cooper.

Prosecutor Aaron Perkins told the court that Jermain was often beaten by his grandmother as she was short tempered from her meth addiction. The New Zealand child was in the custody of his grandmother, along with his three siblings.

All of the children were aged under five at the time and were the offspring of Cooper's troubled daughter.

Grandmother did not mean to kill 2-year-old says lawyer

According to Paul Dacre, the lawyer of the meth addict, she did not deny killing her two-year-old grandson but argued that she did not mean to. His reasoning was that because there was no intent to murder the boy, she should not be charged with murder.

The prosecution countered this claim by arguing that her record of beating the children reflected that she was well aware of how to hurt them.

Something else that is not in favor of the grandmother is the fact that methamphetamine traces in the house indicated the little children had been exposed to the dangerous drug in the home.

Meth addiction in New Zealand

Meth addiction in New Zealand is on the rise, and while the small island nation which has a population of just over 4.6 million boasts a good standard of living, the drug is impacting on society. Stuff NewZealand quoted Stephen King, the director of the Hamilton Alcohol and Drug Community Support Trust, as saying, "There is a rise and it's right across the board. There are 700,000 people in New Zealand with addiction-related problems."
Promoted, hired

Several people have been promoted or hired at Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center in Bismarck.

Leann Hokanson was promoted from director of nursing to vice president of resident services.

Tara Huss-Redding was promoted to director of social services.

Kendra Roeder was promoted to safety and health manager.

Troy Bailey was promoted to assistant director of maintenance.

Kaitlyn Green was named director of assisted living for Valley View Heights, MSLCCs assisted-living community. She previously was MSLCC director of social services.

Chad Wangler is the environmental coordinator at Valley View Heights.

Levi Kilzer joined the MSLCC social services department as a social worker.

Ackert joins staff

David Ackert has joined Braun Intertec in Bismarck.

Ackert has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of North Dakota and more than four years of experience in geotechnical, construction materials testing and field instrumentation areas.

Agents recognized

Two New York Life agents from North Dakota are being recognized for their accomplishments.

Reid Flaagan, an agent from the North Dakota General Office of New York Life, has become a registered representative of NYLIFE Securities LLC, passing a Financial Industry Regulatory Authority qualifying exam.

Becoming registered allows Reid Flaagan to sell through NYLIFE Securities LLC North Dakota General Office.

Kevin Flaagan, of Beulah, was named a member of the 2017 Presidents Council of New York Life, members of which are among the top five percent of the company's sales force.

Kevin Flaagan graduated from North Dakota State University with a bachelor's degree, has earned the Chartered Financial Consultant and Chartered Life Underwriter designations from the American College and is associated with the Minot chapter of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

New hire

Mid Dakota Clinic Center for Women Pelvic Health & Continence Program hired Djaninn Shannon, a certified physicians assistant.

Shannon has a bachelors degree in biology from Austin Peay University in Clarksville, Tenn., and a masters degree in physician assistant studies from Bethel University in Paris, Tenn. She is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants.

Two hired

Sanford Health has hired new employees.

Jenna Nickels, a certified physicians assistant, orthopedics, recently joined Sanford Seventh & Thayer Clinic in Bismarck.

Nickels specializes in treating sprains, strains, tears, breaks and joint pain. She graduated from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Mont.

Mick Peterson, a family nurse practitioner, was hired as a pulmonology provider to diagnose and treat lung conditions and disease.

Peterson graduated from the University of Mary with his doctorate in nursing practice. He sees patients at Vibra Hospital in Mandan as well as at Sanford Clinic in Bismarck.

Agent achieves

Ryan Schnell, of Bismarck, was the top producer of Farmers Union Insurance Personal Lines Insurance sales and also a top five producer of PACCO Auto Insurance for the company during the month of June.

Schnell is the insurance agent for CCU Insurance Agency LLC, a partnership of Farmers Union Insurance and Capital Credit Union.

New manager

The North Dakota Department of Commerce hired Zoe Wergeland, of Bismarck, as a business development manager in the Economic Development & Finance Division.

Wergeland previously served as a special projects coordinator at the department. She holds a bachelors degree in business administration and international studies from North Dakota State University. She has additional coursework from the Aarhus School of Business in Aarhus, Denmark.

Stugelmeyer hired

U.S. Bank in Bismarck has named Joel Stugelmeyer commercial banking relationship manager, vice president.

Stugelmeyer is responsible for managing existing and new business relationships. He has 11 years of experience in the financial services industry, including eight years, previously, with U.S. Bank.

Stugelmeyer has a business administration degree from University of Mary in Bismarck.

Advisors honored

Jason Kirchmeier and Joel Bird, private wealth advisers with Legacy Financial Partners, have qualified for the companys Circle of Success annual recognition program, having established themselves as two of the companys top advisers.

New hires, promotions

Kupper Chevrolet-Subaru has added multiple team members to its staff and promoted within the company.

Scott Eckman re-joins the staff at Kupper Subaru as general sales manager.

Michael Knapp moved from the Kupper Chevrolet-Subaru Detail Center to a new role as sales and leasing consultant at Kupper Subaru.

Donna Morrell joined the staff as evening receptionist.

Michael Peterson is a new service adviser.

Tyler Sapp joined the sales staff as a sales and leasing consultant.

Dixie Thoman joins Kupper Auto Body & Glass as an office assistant.

Shawn Weekes, previous business manager at Kupper Subaru, moved to the Finance & Insurance team at Kupper Chevrolet.
As tensions between Donald Trump's administration and North Korea continue to rise, the Rodong Sinmum, an official mouthpiece of President Kim Jong-un's government, has warned that the American mainland could be reduced to ashes at any moment.

The US will pay dearly for its aggression

The North Korean newspaper warned that the reckless and hysterical behavior exhibited by United States President Donald Trump would be to blame should Kim's government decide to attack the US. The newspaper said that Trump's administration had been hit by terror and anxiety after North Korea successfully tested a long-range missile.

According to the paper, use military warmongers are running scared by Pyongyang's growing military might.

The newspaper went on to say that North Korea was fastidious in its efforts to end hostile moves by the United States. The media organization vowed that Kim Jong-un's communist state would emerge the final winner in the stand-off between it and the imperialist United States.

According to news outlet KCNAWatch, the North Korean state media gave the ominous warning that the United States and its allies would be made to pay dearly for their harsh sanctions, pressure, and irresponsible military provocations against Pyongyang.

North Korea's latest threats come after days of growing tensions between Donald Trump's US administration and President Kim Jong-un's reclusive state.

The tensions began after North Korea tested an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and Trump promised to inflict 'fire and fury' in response.

Planned missile launch on Guam

After Trump's boisterous threats, the North Korean government responded by declaring that it was formulating plans to fire four missiles. Pyongyang plans to fire the missiles close to Guam, the American Pacific territory that is under the jurisdiction of the United States.

With the rhetoric between the two nuclear-powers not seemingly coming to an end, the United States increased joint military drills with its allies Japan and South Korea. The US also flew warplanes over the Korean Peninsula.

Despite heavy criticism that his threats had fueled tensions between the United States and North Korea, President Trump refused to back down, saying that maybe his previous warnings maybe hadn't been tough enough.

Trump stated that North Korea should be anxious, adding that Kim Jong-un's administration had been posturing against the US for a long time. According to Trump, it's time that someone stood up for the American citizens, and for the people of other countries.
US President Donald Trump's administration on Aug 14 will decide whether to use Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to rebalance the United States' trade with China, which could trigger a trade war.

And the inquiry the US administration has ordered into China's trade policies, if carried out, could intensify tensions, especially on intellectual property rights.

Section 301 authorizes the US president to impose trade sanctions on countries that are judged to have violated trade agreements or engaged in unfair trade practices. Since 1989, the US has issued a Special 301 Report every year, focusing on intellectual property rights. The US Trade Representative put China on the "Priority Watch List" in 1989, and ramped up pressure on "intellectual property rights protection" since then.

In the next two decades, the US Trade Representative launched many investigations into Chinese companies. Despite that, the Chinese economy has developed robustly.

According to International Monetary Fund data, China's nominal GDP in 1989 was $461.10 billion and that of the US $5.66 trillion, or 11.39 times that of China. And China's GDP based on purchasing power parity in 1989 was $1.04 trillion, compared with the US' $5.66 trillion.

When a "Special 301" investigation against China was launched in 1991, China's nominal GDP was $415.60 billion and the US' $6.17 trillion, which was 14.86 times that of China. And China's GDP based on purchasing power parity was $1.26 trillion and the US' $6.17 trillion, or 5 times that of China.

But last year, China's nominal GDP reached $11.39 trillion, with the US' being $18.56 trillion, just 1.63 times that of China. But more importantly, China surpassed the US in terms PPP based GDP - $21.27 trillion compared with $18.56 trillion. In percentage terms, the US' purchasing power parity-based GDP was about 87 percent of China's.

On the foreign trade front, China's import-export structure used to be unbalanced - a large percentage of the exports were primary products and imports mainly comprised manufactured goods.

But by the time the US launched investigations into Chinese companies based on the Special 301 clause in 1990, China's exports of manufactured products ($46.20 billion) exceeded its imports ($43.50 billion) for the first time, with the overall trade balance turning from a deficit of $6.6 billion to a surplus of $8.74 billion. China has generally maintained a trade surplus since then.

China has gradually developed into the largest exporter of manufactured goods and the largest importer of primary products. Last year, it exported about $2.09 trillion worth goods, about 10 times more than in 1989.

Apart from having a balanced import-export structure and a trade balance, China has climbed up the international value chain with its share of the global market increasing from only 0.9 percent in 1948 to 14.2 percent in 2015, about twice that of the US.

And that China made these achievements even as the US continued using the Special 301 clause of the Trade Act of 1974 shows that those investigations have had limited impact on the economic development of China. China has become the world's largest manufacturing economy and the largest exporter, and has the largest foreign exchange reserves. Therefore, the use of Section 301 by the US will not have much impact on China's progress toward stronger economic development and a better future.

The author is a researcher at the International Trade and Economic Cooperation Institute of the Ministry of Commerce.

Related: Trump to direct USTR to determine whether to investigate China's trade practices
New Orleans is a vibrant city on the Mississippi River, famous for its nightlife, unique inns, music, free attractions, family activities, great seafood and other fantastic cuisine. Explore the historic French Quarter, visit the New Orleans Museum of Art, and take a cooking class. Listen to jazz at one of the local music clubs, and go on a Mardi Gras World Tour. Here are the best things to do in New Orleans.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

1. The French Quarter, New Orleans, LA  Courtesy of Fotoluminate LLC - Fotolia.com

The French Quarter is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans, and it is steeped in history and heritage. Dating back to 1718, the district was established by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville and grew around the central square of the Vieux Carre. Home to magnificent historic buildings, cathedrals, and famous jazz clubs, the French Quarter is one of the top New Orleans attractions. It has a history that goes back 200 years and it has been designated a National Historic Landmark. Resting at the heart of the French Quarter is the 18th century historic Jackson Square, formerly known as the Place dArmes. It was later renamed in honor of Andrew Jackson, the hero of the Battle of New Orleans. Overlooking the Mississippi River, the square is surrounded by famous old buildings, including the St. Louis Cathedral, the Presbytere and Cabildo Museums, and the stunning Pontalba Apartments, as well as a plethora of restaurants, museums, cafes, and art galleries.

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2. Things to Do in New Orleans: New Orleans Garden District  Courtesy of Natalia Bratslavsky - Fotolia.com

Tucked between St. Charles Avenue and Magazine Street in uptown New Orleans, the historic Garden District is a famous neighborhood that is home to a beautifully preserved collection of antebellum mansions, immaculate gardens, and tree-lined avenues. Established by Barthelemy Lafron in 1832 as an upper class settlement for new American residents in the city, the area flourished as lavish homes were built in the Italianate, Greek Revival, and Victorian styles on large plots surrounded by spectacular gardens. Today, the district is home to several movie stars and celebrities, the famous Lafayette Cemetery # 1, and quite a few boutiques and excellent restaurants, including the renowned Commanders Palace Restaurant.

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3. New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park, New Orleans, Louisiana  Courtesy of 1L26 - Fotolia.com

The New Orleans Jazz National Historic Park is the home of jazz, and it hosts live educational performances at two locations in the city - the Old U.S. Mint on Esplanade Avenue and the visitors center on North Peters Street in the heart of the French Quarter. Excellent 11-stop guided tours of both venues are offered, starting at the modern visitor center in Peters Street, where visitors can learn about the history and culture of New Orleans jazz from ranger-led demonstrations, talks, video documentaries, and live music. If you are wondering what to do in New Orleans today, this is a great place to visit. Enjoy live music performances by world-renowned jazz artists every Saturday and Wednesday night, as well as during guided tours. 916 N. Peters Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, Phone: 504-589-4841



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4. New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, Louisiana  New Orleans Museum of Art



Established as the Delgado Museum of Art in 1911, the New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is the oldest fine arts museum in the city. Situated in City Park, the Museum is home to a renowned sculpture garden and a magnificent permanent collection of almost 40,000 art pieces. The collection, which has a distinct focus on French and American art, consists of several paintings, including works by masters of the School of Paris such as Picasso, Braque, Dufy and Miro, drawings, photography, glass, and African and Japanese works. he New Orleans Museum of Art is one of the best things to do in New Orleans. The five-acre Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden features over 60 sculptures dotted around a beautifully landscaped site. Winding footpaths, ancient oak trees, and pedestrian bridges, surround the garden, which is one of the most important sculpture installations in the United States. One Collins C. Diboll Circle, City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana, Phone: 504-658-4100

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5. Things to Do in New Orleans: The Historic New Orleans Collection  The Historic New Orleans Collection



The Historic New Orleans Collection is an institution dedicated to preserving the history and culture of New Orleans. Founded in 1966, the museum has a collection of over one million items from more than three centuries across four exhibitions spaces  namely the Williams Gallery, the Louisiana History Galleries, the Boyd Cruise Gallery, and the Laura Simon Nelson Galleries for Louisiana Art. These galleries are home to both permanent and rotating exhibitions that showcase fine art and celebrate the history and culture of the Southern Gulf. The Williams Research Center offers scholars and students a wide variety of publications to explore the various genres of art and decorative art, history, and culture. Visitors can also enjoy two guided tours of the Williams Residence and the historic buildings that make up the complex in an Architecture and Courtyard Tour. 520 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130, Phone: 504-523-4662

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6. Things to Do in New Orleans, LA: The Spotted Cat Music Club  Courtesy of Zsolt Biczo - Fotolia.com



Located in the heart of the charming Faubourg Marigny District in the French Quarter, The Spotted Cat Music Club is a famous jazz club that is a favorite amongst locals. Known simply as The Cat and world-renowned for its music and ambiance, this quintessential New Orleans jazz club offers a variety of music from blues and jazz to funk, klezmer, and more. Their stage hosts up to three bands a night. The club does not serve food, but there are several restaurants close by, including Snug Harbor, Cafe Negril, Praline Connection, and Adolfo's. 623 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, Louisiana

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7. Things to Do in New Orleans, LA: Maison Bourbon  Courtesy of GeoffGoldswain - Fotolia.com

Maison Bourbon is one of two historic jazz clubs that still exist on New Orleans famous Bourbon Street, and it is legendary for being the home of many notable jazz musicians such as Harry Connick, Jr. Dedicated to the preservation of jazz music, the club is a popular tourist attraction that showcases authentic jazz every evening in a comfortable, laid-back atmosphere. A quaint courtyard and wrought iron balcony overlooking Bourbon Street offer an ideal place to relax with a drink and enjoy the music. The club has two private event venues that can be rented for special occasions - the Jazz Parlor, which is located above Maison Bourbon and the Speakeasy. 641 Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, Phone: 504-522-8818



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8. Things to Do in New Orleans: FreeWheelin' Bike Tours  Courtesy of Hayes - Fotolia.com

FreeWheelin Bike Tours is a family-owned company that offers visitors a relaxing and healthy way to experience New Orleans. Passionate, experienced local guides lead bicycle tours that take visitors through various parts of city, including City Park, the Garden District, and the French Quarter, and the guides share interesting information and facts along the way. Guests ride through the town on reliable cruiser bikes, which boast comfortable 13-inch seats, puncture resistant tubes and tires, and eye-catching chrome. Visitors can book private tours for two or special family group trips, and FreeWheelin Bike Tours also provides services for corporate and team-building events as well as specialized VIP tours. 504-522-4368



9. Things to Do in New Orleans: New Orleans School of Cooking  Courtesy of zadorozhna - Fotolia.com

The New Orleans School of Cooking offers an introduction to the diverse cuisine and food culture of New Orleans and Louisiana through a range of cooking lessons using products from the Louisiana General Store. Located in an early 1800s molasses warehouse that has been beautifully renovated in the heart of the French Quarter, guests can take advantage of cooking lessons, tips, and tricks taught by Cajun / Creole experts who share their expertise on local Gumbo, Jambalaya, and Pralines, along with their culinary history, trivia, and interesting foodie facts. The New Orleans School of Cooking offers individual and private group classes, as well as catering for special events and off-site events. The Louisiana General Store is packed with local Louisiana delights such as cookbooks, spices, gift baskets, and cookware. 524 St. Louis Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, Phone: 800-237-4841

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10. Things to Do in New Orleans, Louisiana: 21st Amendment at La Louisiane  21st Amendment at La Louisiane

21st Amendment at La Louisiane is a stylish French Quarter cocktail bar that pays tribute to the Prohibition era of the 1920s. Located in a historic 1881 building that now houses the Hotel Mazarin, the speakeasy-style bar is decorated with black and white photographs and memorabilia of some of the country's most infamous mobsters who lived during the time of Prohibition. The bar offers a unique menu of handcrafted cocktails and custom libations created with a range of infused spirits, homemade syrups, and locally grown herbs. Guests can enjoy a line-up of live jazz and blues music every night from Tuesday to Saturday, and up to three bands play on weekends. 725 Iberville Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, Phone: 504-378-7330



11. Things to Do in New Orleans, Louisiana: New Orleans Glassworks & Printmaking Studio  Courtesy of wip-studio - Fotolia.com

The New Orleans Glassworks & Printmaking Studio features a gallery of glass works and prints, open working studios where visitors can watch nationally and internationally renowned artists at work, and free, hands-on daily demonstrations. Located in the American Sector on celebrated Magazine Street, the studio offers mini-workshops where visitor can learn to blow their own glass and short courses on glass and printmaking. The studio also provides instruction in glass torchworking and copper enameling, and stained glass programs are available for all ages and areas of interest. 727 Magazine Street, New Orleans, Louisiana Next read: 24-hour restaurants in New Orleans

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12. Things to Do in New Orleans: Sylvain  Sylvain

Sylvain is an old-world bistro steeped in the rich history and tradition of New Orleans. Located in a three-story carriage house overlooking St. Louis Cathedral, the restaurant has been beautifully renovated into a stylish and sophisticated space with a warm ambiance. A roguish copper bar is the focal point of the elegant gastropub, and it serves an array of handcrafted cocktails, signature beers, and boutique wines. The restaurant, on the other hand, serves a simple yet sophisticated menu of appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts, along with classic sandwiches, burgers, seafood, and pasta. If you are looking for romantic date night ideas in New Orleans, this is a great place to try. Well-worn wooden floors, a tucked away side alley entrance, and ambient lighting emanating from the street lamps and candles create a sultry, yet cozy atmosphere that has visitors returning time and again. 625 Chartres St, New Orleans, Louisiana, Phone: 504-265-8123



13. High Hat Cafe, New Orleans, Louisiana  High Hat Cafe

Open seven days a week from brunch until dinner, the High Hat Cafe is a casual neighborhood eatery serving food from Louisiana and the Mississippi Delta. Located in the old Longs Bakery building, the restaurant features a menu consisting of dishes made with locally sourced, sustainable ingredients such as American farm-raised catfish, which is a menu favorite, and locally caught shrimp and fish. The High Hat Cafe offers a full bar service with an impressive wine list of local and international vintages, local craft beers, and a range of signature, handcrafted cocktails and spirits. 4500 Freret Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, Phone: 504-754-1336



14. Modernist Cuisine Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana  Modernist Cuisine Gallery

Modernist Cuisine Gallery features the artwork of photographer Nathan Myhrvold. It is the worlds first gallery completely dedicated to food photography created by a single artist. The gallery walls are covered by large-scale pieces made to order for each clients space and cannot be found anywhere else. The gallery is located in a beautifully preserved historic building that once housed furniture by the designer Prudent Mallard and was for a time the home of writer E. Hoffman Price. In the heart of French Quarter, surrounded by other art galleries and New Orleans famous restaurants, Modernist Cuisine Gallery is in the right neighborhood. 305 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130, Phone: 504-571-5157



15. Things to Do in New Orleans, LA: MoPho  MoPho



Southeast Asia meets Louisiana at MOPHO on City Park Avenue. Combining a delicate fusion of Vietnamese and Louisiana cuisine, Chef and co-owner Michael Gulotta has created a menu featuring po-boys, pho, rice and noodle bowls, and the ever-popular sweet-crispy-salty chicken wings. The drinks menu is as off-beat as the food menu, and it offers cocktails that include cooking ingredients, such as tamarind-honey syrup, as well as a range of medium-bodied white wines to offset the Southeast Asian spices. Dark spaces and exposed ductwork in the dining room create a svelte, rather cool ambiance, and a shaded back patio is great for outdoor dining on warm evenings. MoPho is open for lunch and dinner, Wednesday to Monday. 514 City Park Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana, Phone: 504-482-6845

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16. Things to Do in New Orleans, LA: Pizza Delicious  Pizza Delicious



One of New Orleans best pizza restaurants, Pizza Delicious is a comfortable, family-friendly neighborhood hotspot ideal for a hot date or a family feast. Owned and managed by Michael Friedman and Greg Augarten, Pizza Delicious, also known as Pizza D, offers several daily specials, including homemade spaghetti, bucatini carbonara, and a variety of pizzas, including everyday favorites like cheese, pepperoni, and Margherita pizzas. Diners can enjoy pizza by the slice or as a whole pie and an uncomplicated menu of wines and beers are available to accompany the food. 617 Piety Street, New Orleans, LA, Phone: 504-676-8482



17. Kayak-iti-Yat, New Orleans, Louisiana  Courtesy of upslim - Fotolia.com



Experience New Orleans from a different perspective on a Kayak-iti-Yat tour. Kayak-iti-Yat offers a range of kayaking tours through the city on the historic bayous of Bienvenue and St. John. Glide through the historic waterways of New Orleans and take in the citys most beautiful sights and attractions, stunning natural scenery, and exciting wildlife along the way. Kayak-iti-Yat offers three tours of different levels to cater to every level of physical fitness and kayaking experience. There are two urban-based trips along Bayou St. John, which gives paddlers a feel for the city, and one in Bayou Bienvenue, a wilder and more nature-based experience for adventure-lovers. Kayak-iti-Yat offers year-round kayaking tours which need to be booked in advance. 3494 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA, Phone: 985-778-5034 or 512-964-9499

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18. Things to Do in New Orleans, Louisiana: SoBou  SoBou



SoBou is a popular eatery and lounge designed as a modern Creole saloon located in the W New Orleans hotel in the French Quarters SoBou (South of Bourbon) neighborhood. The place is famous for its inventive cocktails and elevated pub grub with a Creole touch and produced by Chef Juan Carlos Gonzales. Try his sweet potato beignets or yellowfin tuna tartar with basil and avocado. While the service is excellent, if youd rather not wait for the refill of your beer of wine, choose one of the tables in the restaurants beer garden, which has built-in wine and beer on tap so you can serve yourself. There is always something going on at SoBou, so check out their list of events for the next jazz evening or Burlesque Brunch. French Quarter, Rue Chartres, New Orleans, LA 70130, Phone: 504-552-4095



19. Things to Do in New Orleans: Brown Butter Restaurant  Brown Butter Restaurant



Brown Butter Restaurant is a locally owned and operated eatery that offers a creative menu rooted in Southern culture and tradition. Located in Mid-City New Orleans, the restaurant was founded by Chef Dayne Womax and Simon Beck, who wanted to provide New Orleanians with food that is both thought-provoking and consistently delicious. They serve their dynamic cuisine in a casual and relaxed atmosphere. Dishes are made with the freshest seasonal and local ingredients to come out of the south, and the bar serves a range of delicious, signature cocktails, micro-brewed beers, and in-house sodas. Brown Butter Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner, and the bar serves small plates and drinks. 231 North Carrollton Avenue Suite C, New Orleans, LA, Phone: 504-609-3871

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20. Things to Do in New Orleans: Mardi Gras World Tour  Courtesy of David - Fotolia.com



Mardi Gras World Tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of Mardi Gras on a fantastic one-day tour of the Blaine Kern Studios, which is world-renowned for building magnificent parade floats for Mardi Gras and other parades all over the world. Knowledgeable guides lead visitors through the vast studios, sharing the history of the unique and festive tradition of Mardi Gras. Tour goers will gain a better understanding of the planning and work that goes into the annual parade. Visitors get to see how the massive floats and props are built and can explore the art behind the costume making before enjoying a complimentary slice of King Cake. Tours are offered seven days a week and run every 30 minutes. 1380 Port of New Orleans Place, New Orleans, LA, Phone: 504-361-7821



21. Pythian Market Food Hall  Pythian Market



New Orleans is famous for its creole cuisine, but youll find much more than that at Pythian Market. A hugely popular hangout spot with New Orleans natives, this food hall and event space is filled with local food and drink vendors, curated retailers, rotating pop-ups, and more. A super location for foodies and friends, the Pythian Market is also a place to engage with New Orleans as a city, feeling the soul and spirit of Louisiana all around you in this community-focused gathering space that really celebrates and honors the people and culture that make the Big Easy such a unique location. The Pythian Market is housed in the Pythian, one of the most storied and celebrated buildings in the whole city of New Orleans. Instantly recognizable with its unique architectural style and imposing facade, this building was constructed back in the early 1900s and actually played a big role in the Civil Rights Movement for New Orleans, becoming a beacon of sorts for the local African American community. It was a place for people to come together and feel like they were in their own 'home away from home', enjoying live entertainment and good company. That same spirit is present in the Pythian to this day, thanks to the Pythian Market. 234 Loyola Ave, New Orleans, LA 70112, Phone: 504-481-9599



22. The Where Y'Art Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana  The Where Y'Art Gallery



Located in the historic Faubourg Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans, The Where Y'Art is a unique art gallery with satellite galleries across the city where visitors can discover, buy, and experience the best of New Orleans art. It is also an online gallery that represents more than 100 New Orleans artists  painters, sculptors, craftsmen, and jewelry designers. The Where Y'Art Gallery helps visitors get the curated picture of the rich art offering of New Orleans, and it offers artists the opportunity to connect with buyers and art lovers. The online gallery offers 24-hour access to New Orleans art and information about the artists behind each piece. It allows art lovers to search artworks by category, collection, color, price, or neighborhood. It directly connects potential buyers with participating artists and provides information on the latest trends in the art world of New Orleans. 1901 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70117, Phone: 504-325-5672

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23. Bevi Seafood Co., New Orleans, Louisiana  Bevi Seafood Co. Bevi Seafood Co. is a neighborhood seafood market and restaurant that serves seasonal dishes according to the traditions associated with New Orleans' crawfish, crab, shrimp, and oyster seasons. Located in Metairie and soon to be located in Mid-City, Bevi Seafood Co. works closely with local seafood suppliers to ensure their seafood is sea-smacking fresh. Menus feature made-from-scratch Po-Boys using homemade ingredients and a variety of hot plates and platters laden with fresh Louisiana seafood. The menu also features specialty-to-go items such as various soups, salads, and sauces, and it also caters special occasions and private events. 236 Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, LA, Phone: 504-488-7503



24. Audubon Nature Institute, New Orleans, Louisiana  Courtesy of Patrick Rolands - Fotolia.com The Audubon Nature Institute was established to celebrate the wonders of the natural world through a variety of museums and parks dedicated to nature. The aim of the institute is to preserve Louisianas natural habitats and exhibit the diversity of wildlife that live within them, as well as encourage and inspire visitors to learn more about the natural world and to work towards conserving it. There are eight museums and parks that make up the Audubon Nature Institute: the Audubon Park and Riverview, the Audubon Louisiana Nature Center, the Audubon Zoo, the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, the Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, the Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, Audubon Wilderness Park, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, the Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, and the Entergy IMAX Theater. 6500 Magazine St. New Orleans, New Orleans, LA, Phone: 504-581-4629



25. Commander's Palace, New Orleans, Louisiana  Commander's Palace Occupying the spectacular blue mansion snuggled in the middle of the historic Garden District and shaded by 100-year old trees, Commanders Palace is one of New Orleans most venerated restaurants, and it has been in operation since 1880. Grand, elegant rooms, terraces, and gardens are spread throughout the palace. Commanders Palace is the place for celebrations and festivities, and this New Orleans icon will give you one of the best culinary experiences of your life. Executive Chef Tory McPhail continues the tradition of world-renowned chefs like Paul Prudhomme, Emeril Lagasse, and Jamie Shannon to provide guests with superbly prepared and expertly presented Haute Creole cuisine. The wine list has 2,400 titles, with 240 half-bottles and 50 wines by the glass. 1403 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130, New Orleans, LA, Phone: 504-899-8221



25 Best Things to Do in New Orleans, Louisiana

Best New Orleans Trolley Rides

New Orleans is an incredible city with a vibrant culture, never-ending nightlife, rich cuisine, and fascinating annual festivities. It's a must-visit Louisiana location, and there are a lot of things to do in New Orleans, so any visitors will need to be familiar with one of the most popular ways to get around the city quickly and easily: the New Orleans trolleys. Also known as streetcars or trams, the New Orleans trolleys run all around the city and have been in existence since the 1800s, making them one of the oldest trolley or streetcar systems in the entire world.

New Orleans Trolley Rides

Beloved by locals and tourists alike, the New Orleans trolleys provide a fresh, fun, original way to get around and see the sights, soaking up a little of the city's Creole culture on the way and enjoying convenient transportation at great rates. If youve never visited New Orleans or ridden the citys trolleys before, you might need a little information to figure out how the system works, how much it costs, and which line you should be taking to get to where you need to go. Read on to learn all about the New Orleans trolley system.

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First of all, one important thing to note about New Orleans trolleys is that the locals will always refer to them as 'streetcars'. They are basically trolleys, looking and functioning in the same way as the trolleys you'd find in other major cities all around the United States, but they're known as streetcars in New Orleans so if you need to ask for directions from a local, remember to ask for a streetcar station if you don't want to sound too much like a tourist!

The New Orleans trolleys run on five separate lines which are color coded on maps as blue, yellow, red, light green, and dark green. Each line also has its own names. There's the Riverfront Line, which is blue on maps; the Loyola/Rampart Line, which is yellow; the Canal St Line running to Cemeteries, which is red; the Canal St Line running to the City Park Avenue and the Museum of Art, which is light green; and finally, there's the St Charles Line, which is dark green on travel maps and is typically regarded as the main and most popular line on the New Orleans trolley system.

It's important to note that the New Orleans trolleys run around the clock almost all year long. This schedule is only interrupted by special events and festivities like New Orleans' famous Mardi Gras celebrations. Train schedules will vary but the trolleys can run as often as every five minutes during peak rush hours. It's important to keep your hands and legs inside the vehicle at all times as these trolleys can pass quite close to trees and other obstacles, and you'll need to pull a wire above your head to signal that you'd like the car to stop.

Riding the New Orleans trolleys or streetcars is very simple. The fares are really cheap, with single tickets available for only $1.25. Unlike some other trolley systems that you may have encountered around the United States, the New Orleans streetcar system involves payment on board the cars, so you don't need to worry about buying a ticket from machines in advance. Simply step on and pay your $1.25 for a one-way ticket. You can also choose to buy a 'Jazzy' pass which will give you full streetcar access for a whole day. Multi-day passes are available too and offer significant savings for people who are staying in New Orleans for several days or weeks.

New Orleans Trolley Lines

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As previously mentioned, there are currently five lines in operation on the New Orleans trolley system. Read on to learn key details about each line, including schedules and important stops along the way.

- St. Charles Line

The St. Charles Line is the longest and most historic in New Orleans. It's the oldest continuously operating street trolley anywhere in the world, so it has a lot of history behind it, and it runs through the 'American' side of the city. It's one of the most popular lines with tourists, making major stops at places like the Garden District, the Audubon Zoo, the World War 2 Museum, and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art.

- Loyola/Rampart Line

The Loyola/Rampart Line starts at Union Passenger Terminal, so it's a good starting point for people who are getting into New Orleans by public transport like bus or train. It heads off along the side of the French Quarter and through the business district of the city. It offers easy access to some of the bars and eateries in the French side of the city.

- Riverfront

As its name suggests, the Riverfront line runs along the side of the Mississippi River. It's a good line to choose if you're looking to visit key areas in the French District like the French Market. You can also use this trolley line to check out locations like Jackson Square, the Convention Center, and the Audubon Aquarium.

- Canal Lines

The two canal lines have different end points but follow more or less the same routes. These lines are good options for people who want to enjoy the bars and restaurants of Canal Street itself. The line that heads up to Cemeteries is a good option if you'd like to explore the city's world-famous gravesites, while the Museum option is a good option for the New Orleans Museum of Art and surrounding City Park area.

More ideas:

City Park

City Park is one of the nations oldest urban parks, and it is home to beautiful botanical and sculpture gardens with ancient oaks and picturesque moss canopies, walking and biking trails, tennis courts, an 18-hole golf course, and several outdoor concert venues. Established in 1854, the charming 1,300-acre urban oasis has enchanted visitors to the city for decades, offering something for everyone. Stroll through the Besthoff Sculpture Garden or the beautifully maintained collections of the Botanical Garden. You can also enjoy a game of tennis on one of 26 tennis courts or ride a flying horse on the one-of-a-kind antique wooden carousel in the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park.

1 Palm Drive, New Orleans, Louisiana, Phone: 504-482-4888

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One of the best things about Lake Tahoe is that, due to its location in California and Nevada, it enjoys some great weather through large parts of the year, with plenty of sunshine and warm temperatures offering idyllic conditions for a lot of fun outdoor activities like water sports, sunbathing, swimming, kayaking, hiking, bicycling, and more. It's also a fun winter sports location, with lots of major ski areas all around Tahoe like Heavenly Mountain Resort, Alpine Meadows, Kirkwood Mountain Resort and Sugar Bowl Ski Resort.

If you're planning a trip to Lake Tahoe and want to make the most of the experience, a boat cruise on the lake needs to be on your agenda. Actually getting on the water and admiring the scenery all around you from the comfort of a boat is a fantastic way to experience this wonderful lake and make some magical memories youll never forget.

Best Lake Tahoe Cruises

There's no better way to enjoy Lake Tahoe than to actually head out on the water and cruise along the coastline, admiring the stunning views in every direction. Various cruise tours are in operation all around Lake Tahoe, with many different routes to be enjoyed and lots of cruise boats to try out. Each Lake Tahoe cruise has its own advantages and features. Read on to learn some key details about the very best options for cruises on Lake Tahoe.





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Court clerkships

Several area people recently began one-year court clerkships.

Working at the North Dakota Supreme Court are Connor Melvie, SheraLynn Ternes and Morgan Wagner. Tyler Ericksons clerkship is with the South Central Judicial District.

Melvie, of Bismarck, received a bachelor of science degree in political science from North Dakota State University and a juris doctorate from the University of North Dakota School of Law in May. He is the son of Loren and Roxann Melvie, of Bismarck.

Ternes is from Stanton and earned a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice and psychology from NDSU. She received her J.D. from the UND School of Law in 2016. She is the daughter of Terry Ternes, Stanton, and Laura Hellebush, Garrison.

Wagner, of Bismarck, received a bachelor of science degree in public administration from UND and her J.D. from the UND School of Law in May. She is the daughter of Mike and Lynda Wagner, Bismarck.

Erickson received a bachelor of arts degree in history from UND and his J.D. from the UND School of Law in May. Erickson is the son of Kim and Richard Sanford, Williston.

On national board

Kevin Reisenauer, supervisor of marketing education and DECA student organization adviser in the North Dakota Department of Career and Technical Education, was elected to the board of trustees of MBA Research.

Reisenauer will serve a three-year term establishing priorities and policies of the 28-state organization.

Reisenauer joined the department in 2002 and has overseen the development of business administration programs focusing on marketing and entrepreneurship in high schools and community colleges. He holds bachelors and masters degrees from the University of North Dakota and taught in Minot Public Schools.

MBA Researchs mission is to support educators in efforts to prepare students for careers in business.

Ornament artist

Artist/sculptor Sarah Regan Snavely, from Bowman, was commissioned by the North Dakota Council on the Arts to create the latest of its Special Edition Ornaments.

Each of Snavelys bison ceramic ornaments is hand-sculpted. No molds are used in the process. The glazes on the ornaments are designed to move during the firing process, highlighting the ridges and crevices on the surface of each piece. Each bison can be displayed hanging from its wire hook or standing.

The ornaments will be available for purchase in mid-September by calling 701-328-7590. The price is $25 plus tax (shipping is additional) and $12.50 from each ornament can be used as a tax-deductible donation to the North Dakota Cultural Endowment Fund, which was created by the Legislature in 1979 to assist NDCA in providing artistic opportunities throughout the state.

Snavely was born and raised in Bowman and received her bachelor of fine arts degree with an emphasis in printmaking from Minnesota State University Moorhead.

She was awarded a North Dakota Council on the Arts Individual Artist Fellowship and has been appointed to the NDCA board of directors. Snavely has also received grants from the Bush Foundation and the Greyhound Club of America. She has exhibited across the United States and has artwork in all 50 states and 17 countries.

Krueger recognized

Sandra Lee Krueger, from Bismarck, has been selected for an award from the Rural Roots Music Commission.

Krueger will be honored with a Country Gospel CD of the Year award for her CD titled "When We Meet Again" during the 42nd National Old Time Music Festival Aug. 28-Sept. 3 in LeMars, Iowa.

Krueger made the album with her two brothers, Vern and Harold Krein.

The Rural Roots Music Commission is part of the National Traditional Country Music Association, founded in 1976 to save America's old-time music.
HA NOI  Vietnamese shares have had a rough losing week and the next five trading sessions at least are likely to trade negatively, according to analysts and brokerage companies.

The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange and the HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange respectively inched down 0.2 per cent and 0.1 per cent to close Friday at 772.08 points and 100.86 points.

The two stock indices have posted losses of 2.6 per cent and 1.5 per cent in four consecutive sessions. They also declined by 2.1 per cent and 1 per cent from the previous weeks closing levels.

The decline has been attributed to investors affected by rising tensions between the US and North Korea and by false news about the arrest of a former bank executive on Wednesday.

The loss in investor confidence as a result of the bad news affected local stocks, bringing the VN Index down 2.3 per cent, the biggest loss in the last 20 months, and the HNX Index down 1.2 per cent, costing the stock market US$2 billion in market capitalisation.

Liquidity was quite low in the last two trading sessions of the week after having risen sharply on Wednesday on investors sell-offs of local stocks.

An average of 307.3 million shares worth VN4.72 trillion (US$209.7 million) was traded in each session on both local exchanges last week.

The global and domestic bad news also pulled down foreign investment. Foreign investors last week posted a total net buy value of VN328 billion, a weekly decrease of nearly 55 per cent.

The banking sector was the worst-hit among 20 industries on the market as shares of the Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BID) slumped 6.9 per cent on Wednesday, and a total of 10 per cent since then.

Other bank stocks also posted sharp declines the same day, remaining negative in the last three trading sessions.

According to analysts and securities companies, there is no sign that the stock market will turn positive this week as investor sentiment remains poor and there is a lack of supportive business news.

Chau Thien Truc Quynh, senior analyst at Viet Capital Securities Company, said that the Vietnamese stock market will undergo a short-term downward trend.

Buyers were still unwilling to make new purchases as they were concerned about market rumours and are likely towait till these clear up, she said.

The Vietnamese market was also running out of supportive business news as the earnings report season was ending, and it was also being affected by the short-term declining trend in the global and regional markets, Quynh added.

The FPT Securities Company (FPTS) said that the bad news last week had pulled investor confidence down strongly, and it would be hard for them to regain balance very soon. This would affect the two indices negatively, it said.

Sai Gon-Ha Noi Securities (SHS) said in its weekly report that the benchmark VN Index would move narrowly between 770 and 776 points on Monday before breaking this zone and heading to test the 780-point level again.

However, that would be a short-term, unstable technical recovery, SHS warned. The short-term technical indicators for the index are still in the negative territory, therefore, investors should not limit their purchases.

VN30 futures

The derivatives market officially opened on Thursday and two trading sessions were conducted last week with a total of 1,102 transactions worth VN82.5 billion.

The movements of the VN30 futures contracts, which reflect investor expectations, showcase low investor confidence.

The movement of the VN30 Index normally has big impacts on the local stock market as it tracks the performance of the 30 largest listed companies by market capitalization, including Vinamilk, Vietcombank and PetroVietnam Gas.

But analysts said that the movement of the futures contracts is likely to have minimum effects on the market as the scale of Viet Nams derivatives market is small and it is not linked directly to the stock market.  VNS
A NANG  Two more construction projects in coastal Son Tra and Ngu Hanh Son districts of a Nang have been found discharging untreated waste water into the citys household sewage system.

The head of the citys construction department inspection team, Le Van Tuan, said the hotel project of the Viet Nam Holiday Company and the Sea Shore Hotel of Chinwin Company had illegally pumped waste water from their on-going excavation of basement floors into the citys household waste treatment system.

Tuan said the waste water from these projects would pollute the popular beaches of Ngu Hanh Son and Son Tra districts. We asked the two investors to stop discharging waste water into the citys sewage system before an assessment of the waste water at the two sites are approved, Tuan said.

He added that the department will carry out additional inspections of all construction projects in the coastal area.

A a Nang beach polluted by untreated waste water in Son Tra District. Three hotel projects have been found discharging waste water into the citys sewage system. VNS Photo Cong Thanh

Last week, the 27-storey Royal Era 1 Hotel was caught discharging untreated waste water from its construction site into My Khe Beach. The project investor, TMS Hotel a Nang Joint Stock Company, was fined VN6 million (US$265).

According to the latest report by the construction department, seven out of 15 wastewater pipes still discharge untreated household sewage into the sea in a Nang. Some beaches have been heavily polluted by untreated waste water from hundreds of seafood restaurants and construction sites along the city beaches.

The central city plans to build a waste water treatment project for cleaning the My An discharge outlet that has polluted a section of My Khe Beach in Ngu Hanh Son District.  VNS
HCM CITY  As a central hospital, Cho Ray Hospital needs to boost co-operation with provincial- and district-level hospitals to reduce its constant overcrowding, Luong Ngoc Khue, head of the Ministry of Healths Department of Medical Examination and Treatment, said.

The co-operation is part of a 201320 Government project to reduce overcrowding in oncology, surgery/trauma, cardiology, obstetrics and pediatric hospitals and wards, he said.

It also helps improve the quality of treatment at district and provincial hospitals, he told a conference in HCM City on Friday.

Cho Ray Hospital has tied up with 12 public and private hospitals including Xuyen A Hospital, 7A Hospital, International Neurosurgery Hospital, Tan Son Nhat Hospital, City International Hospital, uc Khang Hospital, April 30 Hospital, and Orthopedics & Rehabilitation Hospital.

Around 12,000 patients are transferred to them from Cho Ray every year, Pham Thanh Viet, head of its general planning department, said.

As part of efforts to reduce overcrowding, the hospital has also set up a network of 20 satellite hospitals in the southern region under a ministry programme that began in 2013 and transferred various skills to them.

Cho Ray provides health check-up and treatment for an average of 10,000 inpatients and outpatients every day, Viet said.  VNS
HCM CITY  The Australian Embassy will tomorrow (August 15) begin accepting applications for its Direct Aid Programme (DAP) grant round 2017-18 for projects in northern Viet Nam, which covers provinces north of, and including, the central province of Thua Thien Hue.

Small grants of up to AU$60,000 (US$47,000) are available to NGOs, community groups and other not-for-profit organisations to undertake small-scale development projects focusing on the economic empowerment of disadvantaged communities and groups.

In the year 2017-18, Ha Noi DAP will prioritise higher value projects and projects which take an innovative approach to a longstanding development challenge.

DAP is a small-grant programme funded by Australias foreign aid budget. It has the flexibility to work with local communities in developing countries on projects that reduce poverty and achieve sustainable development consistent with Australias national interest.

DAP projects cover a range of sectors, such as education, health, water and sanitation, environmental protection, womens empowerment and gender equality, supporting people with disabilities, economic livelihoods, food security and human rights.

The DAP in northern Viet Nam is an extremely competitive programme. Applications must meet the requirements detailed in the DAP guidelines and comply with the requirements in the application form.

The deadline for submitting applications (online) is Friday September 29.

Meanwhile the Australian Consulate General in HCM City will administer DAP in the southern provinces (visit https://hcmc.vietnam.embassy.gov.au for further details).  VNS
The third open mathematics festival was launched yesterday at the Ha Noi University of Technology by the Viet Nam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics.  Photo tuoitrethudo.vn

HA NOI  The third open mathematics festival was launched yesterday at the Ha Noi University of Technology by the Viet Nam Institute for Advanced Study in Mathematics.

The festival, which included a photo exhibition about mathematics application in daily life, seeks to create opportunities for students, teachers, parents and mathematicians from around the country to share their views and experiences related to mathematics.

Festival organisers also hope it will inspire lovers of mathematics and help promote the development of this field in Viet Nam.

In another development, the Ministry of Education and Training awarded scholarships of VN7.29 billion ($324,000) to 185 students from 12 universities and 297 high school students for excellence in mathematics.

In addition, 85 math projects were awarded VN2.57 billion (US$114,200).

Professor Tran Van Nhung, general secretary of the State Council for Professor Titles, said the award and scholarships would motivate teachers and students to continue striving for the countrys mathematics development.

The awards event is a part of the national target programme on mathematics development in the period 2010-20, which was approved by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Mathematics projects receiving the award must have been published on international magazines and must include one lecturer in addition to students.

Students awarded scholarships all had a grade of at least 9 in maths or had achievements in domestic and international contests for gifted students.  VNS
The Cowan Building in downtown Bismarck will soon be home to The Rejuvenation Place, a multifaceted medispa, skincare store and training facility.

Owner Gina Norton, who founded Spa DAthena, plans to use her 35 years experience in skin care to offer a multitude of services at the 405 E. Broadway Ave. location.

Norton has spent the last several years as owner of Advanced Skin Support traveling the country and training licensed estheticians, offering events everywhere from New York and Los Angeles to Winnipeg and Fargo.

During that time she also started selling the skincare line Bio Jouvance Paris, a system based on European style facials. Recently she secured distribution rights for the product line for the Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Illinois territory.

We made the decision this summer, because weve so busy, I need to have my own facility, Norton said, so she could accommodate both her distributing business and training. When we found the space I thought, This is the space I've been dreaming about. 

She is bringing her two sons and daughter into the business, with her sons aiding in marketing and sales.

Nortons daughter, a registered nurse, will be operating a treatment center in the basement level of the building, with four treatment rooms offering injectables, laser hair removal, laser treatment for spider veins, permanent makeup and more, getting her training from a 25-year veteran injector from Hollywood. They will also offer cryotherapy, a cold therapy believed to promote cell regeneration, which Norton said is popular with athletes to help with muscle recovery.

On the ground floor will be the training facility and a retail skincare and makeup facility. Norton said she wanted to bring a similar experience as that provided by Bobbi Brown or MAC Cosmetics retail store.

That corner department store type of store seemed like what downtown Bismarck was missing, she said.

Norton will sell the Bio Jouvance and a line of makeup called Cailyn Cosmetics. The store will have a makeup artist on site, as well as a brow-tini bar, offering eyebrow waxing, tinting and more.

The space is leased and under construction, Norton said, and they are aiming for a November opening.

The training center will also be on the ground floor and Norton still hopes to attract trainees from across the country. Her trainings are limited to four people to offer close attention and she plans to bring in both local and national expert speakers.

Hours for the store will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The treatment center is open by appointment.

For more information, go online to https://www.facebook.com/trainingskinprofessionals/?ref=br_rs.

New sandwich shop

Which Wich, a midwestern sandwich shop chain, is opening in south Bismarck.

We saw an opportunity in the market and decided to bring one in and see how goes, said owner Tyler Bentz.

Bentz said Bismarck has a Subway, Jimmy Johns, Erberts and Gerberts, and recently, Grand Junction but what Which Wich brings is variety, with nearly 50 different sandwich varieties. The Which Wich signature sandwich, called The Wicked, loaded with five different meats and three cheeses, is what hooked on the franchise.

The menu also includes ice cream shakes and fresh baked cookies, and the store will offer catering.

Bentz hopes to open in mid-December at Southridge Center, between UPS and AT&T. He would also like to open a second location in north Bismarck within a couple years if the first one does well.

The restaurant will have seating for 38 people. Preliminary hours are 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
Business jelly

set Aug. 28

INDEPENDENCE  Buchanan County Economic Developments next business jelly will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Aug. 28 at Circle 8 Cyclery, 201 First St.

Guest speaker will be Andy Higgins, owner of Circle 8 Cyclery and developer of the Kaddy Rack, which is assembled and sold at Circle 8.

The Buchanan County Economic Development Commission encourages business growth in Buchanan County by hosting a series of business jellies, a casual co-working event where entrepreneurs, freelancers, home-workers and people running businesses meet in order to get out of their normal work space.

ISU Extension

gets grant

INDEPENDENCE  Employees from the Monsanto Research Center, Independence, recommended Buchanan County ISU Extension and Outreach to receive a $3,500 grant from the Monsanto Funds 2017 site grant initiative. Funds from the grant will be used to build a Tug-o-War grain bin which will be used for grain bin safety education.

The office hosts two Safety Days a year. One for all second-graders in Buchanan County schools, held at Heartland Acres Museum, and the other is a Rural School Safety Day for K-eighth grade Amish students, held at Fontana Park south of Hazleton.

This year, the Monsanto Fund awarded more than $1.4 million to nonprofit organizations through its site grant initiative to help address essential needs in rural communities. Nonprofit organizations across the U.S. have received more than $7.5 million through this program over the last five years.

HCC hosts 3-D

printer session

WATERLOO  Hawkeye Community College will host an information session Aug. 29 for local businesses and the public to unveil the new additive manufacturing program.

The event will take place during the monthly Advanced Manufacturing Sector Board meeting, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at Hawkeye Community College-Buchanan Hall, John Deere Computer Lab, 1501 E. Orange Road. The additive manufacturing portion of the meeting will begin at 3:30 p.m.

Program developer Jerome Amos will explain upcoming training opportunities, demo the new 3D printers and answer questions from attendees.

Additive manufacturing, also known as 3D printing, refers to the process used to create three-dimensional objects in which layers of material are formed under computer control to create an object.

College to host

CDL session

CALMAR  Northeast Iowa Community College will host a free information session to invite community members to enroll in a Class A Commercial Drivers License Career Pathway Certificate program.

The transportation industry in Northeast Iowa has in-demand employment need for individuals who have earned the CDL.

The information sessions will be at 6 p.m., Aug. 28 in Conference Center 1 at the Wilder Business Center at the Calmar campus.

For more information and to register, go to www.nicc.edu/careerevents.

Floyd County

ranks in wages

CHARLES CITY  For first quarter 2017, Floyd County was the third highest county in Iowa in average weekly manufacturing wage at $1,344, according to Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, published online by Iowa Workforce Development.

Only Linn County at $1,707 per week and Muscatine County at $1,373 per week eclipsed the Floyd County figure. The average weekly manufacturing wage for the state for the first quarter was $1,117.

Floyd County has witnessed a manufacturing renaissance in the past six years, officials said. From 2011 through 2016 it was fifth in Iowa in percentage of manufacturing job gains. The number of manufacturing jobs in the county has risen 66 percent from first quarter 2011 through first quarter 2017, while the state increase was 5 percent.

Fourteen percent of Iowas workforce is employed in manufacturing, compared with 27 percent in Floyd County.
WATERLOO  A $107,700 contract to demolish the former Devonshire school will be considered Monday by the Board of Education.

The board meets at 5 p.m. in the Education Service Center, 1516 Washington St.

Lehman Trucking of Waterloo was the low bidder among five companies that submitted proposals. Other bids ranged from $124,083 to $249,000.

The board held a public hearing on the project last month. Waterloo Community Schools closed Devonshire Elementary in 1987. After that, it served as an Area Education Agency school for a number of years.

In other business, the board will:

Accept a $40,000 specially designed instruction grant from the Iowa Department of Education. It will pay for $5,000 of staff training and materials in the areas of assistive technology and significant disability at seven schools. That includes Poyner Elementary and East and Expo high schools in assistive technology; Kittrell and Lou Henry elementaries and Bunger Middle School in significant disability; and West High School in both areas.

Approve various personnel matters. Among those are appointing Jeff Frost as executive director of career and technical education with a salary of $123,000 and accepting resignations from Crystal Buzza as CTE executive director, Todd Coulter as Central Middle School assistant principal, and Albert Wiggins as Bunger assistant principal.

Receive a number of donations. Waterloo Schools Foundation grants for the last year totaled $23,370 including $12,305 for innovative learning, $10,000 for twice exceptional students and $1,065 for young scholars. The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa donated $3,035 to West High through the John and Marge Young Family Fund and $417 to George Washington Carver Academy through the Dr. Carline Bardford Phillips Fund, both of which can be used for general charitable support related to the schools educational mission.
WATERLOO  Ensuring that needy children have school supplies across the Cedar Valley is a mammoth undertaking.

From receiving donations to making purchases to signing up participating families, there are numerous tasks that require many volunteers  and thats before the supplies are distributed.

Organizers of the nonprofit Back to School Project have brought those collected supplies to the Lou Henry Elementary School gym. They started preparing last week for the distribution Thursday and Friday to children in kindergarten through the end of middle school whose families signed up to participate.

Volunteers have methodically been bringing order to the mountains of school supplies. There are well over 100 this year, organizer Ruth Orth said of those who are helping out. I got new people just coming out of the woodwork, which is a good thing.

The second day into the effort, tables were already loaded with neatly stacked piles of notebooks, plastic pencil boxes and tissue boxes. Many other supplies had been sorted into boxes which were full of scissors, markers, glue sticks, pencils, three-ring binders and much more.

The program, now in its 24th year, benefits students in Black Hawk County as well as those from surrounding school districts such as Independence, Jesup, Waverly-Shell Rock, Denver and Turkey Valley.

Everything on these tables is for the non-Waterloo list, said Orth, pointing to supplies at one end of the room. The backpack of supplies each student gets is based on lists prepared by their schools. What were doing back here is assembly for the Waterloo Schools, because every school gets the same thing.

Students from Waterloo Community Schools, the largest district in the Cedar Valley, account for the majority of supplies that get handed out each year.

In another part of the gym, volunteers were sorting and counting donations. Once thats done, we make a shopping list and see what else we need, Orth explained.

I have about 50 businesses and organizations, churches that donate supplies. I have two more big truckloads coming, she added with a laugh. I dont know where Im going to put it.

Plenty of the donations are cash from individuals or organizations. Some of the money comes in the form of grants, including funds from the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, the R.J. McElroy Trust and the Max & Helen Guernsey Charitable Foundation.

I had 20 palettes of school supplies that I order in bulk, said Orth. There are some things that we buy locally (because) we can get a better deal.

We will spend close to between $45,000 and $50,000, she said. The rest comes in donations and well give over $70,000 in supplies.

In all, she expects to provide supplies for 3,156 children this year, each of whom will receive items worth more than $22 on average.

Carver kids supplied

The effort to outfit kids with supplies is receiving some unexpected help from George Washington Carver Academy.

It began with a simple comment Principal Stephanie Mohorne, who is starting her first year leading the middle school, put on her Facebook page early last month. She suggested it would be really cool to collect enough school supplies to meet the needs of every Carver student.

Mohorne posted her idea never really expecting that the response would be as great as it was, honestly. Her Facebook friends shared the message 101 times, though, and she now expects to be able to provide supplies for all Carver students  at a value that will probably be close to $25,000.

As a result, the Back to School Projects supplies will stretch further. Carver students who had signed up are being removed from the list, since they will be able get their supplies through the school.

Staff will hand out the supplies from 4 to 6 p.m. Aug. 23 at Carver during back-to-school night. Families also will be able to meet teachers and have dinner at the school.

Orth and her husband Larry, a Courier employee, have led the Back to School Project since 1997. That was three years after the effort started in 1994, when 130 children were served.

It was a case of the food pantry went to a Sunday school class at our church where organizers told them about the effort and made a plea for assistance, she recalled. The Orths got involved and made some suggestions for improving operations and soon found themselves at the helm.

Kevin Winstead has been helping set and up distribute supplies each year since the Orths took over the project.

Children, thats the main thing, said the Elk Run Heights man, who knows the couple through church. I was a school teacher, so thats near and dear to my heart, helping the children.

Ashley Yeats of Waterloo spends part of a day volunteering every year with co-workers from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa. Usually the group helps with the distribution, but they got involved during the set-up this year.

Ive just been amazed how much goes into the process, she said. Its really awesome to be a part of it.

Its another way for us to help kids, added co-worker Ashley Leistikow of Denver.

Volunteer Amber Moser of Cedar Falls agreed helping with the project is a great opportunity. After learning about it, she came to volunteer with four co-workers from Progressive Insurance.

I couldnt believe that they help over 3,000 kids, said Moser. To help right here in the Cedar Valley and to help kids is just something everybody can get behind.
WATERLOO  The city is mining its crash data to determine where automated traffic enforcement cameras will be installed to catch motorists running red lights.

Waterloo Police Chief Dan Trelka consulted with the citys traffic operations department before unveiling a list of nine intersections being eyed for cameras.

These were identified by the city traffic engineer using a weighted score, Trelka said. The score was based was based upon fatalities, the number of people injured and property damage.

City Council members voted Monday to authorize the use of automated traffic enforcement cameras for red light and speeding violations in the city. They approved a contract with Gatso USA of Beverly, Mass., to install and operate cameras at locations selected by the police chief.

Details released on fatal crash that killed baby WATERLOO  Authorities continue to investigate the two-vehicle crash that claimed the life o

Trelka expects it may take two to three months for the red light cameras to be operational, while a movable speed enforcement trailer and handheld speed cameras may be ready to go within a month.

First Ill sit down with the engineers from Gatso and well decide if cameras will improve the safety at any of these (locations) based upon the dynamics of the intersections, he said.

Waterloo Traffic Engineer Mohammad Elahi collected red light crash histories for the citys roughly 200 intersections and ranked them for Trelka.

I gave each severity a weight based on what we use for traffic safety analysis, Elahi said. Major injury is given a higher weight than a minor injury.

Waterloo is probably one of the very few cities (using red light cameras) that selected the list purely based on red light running crash history, crash severity and officers observations, he added.

The intersection of West Sixth Street and eastbound Washington Street, near where vehicles have exited U.S. Highway 218 into the downtown area, had the highest score. West Sixth and westbound Washington, one block away, was the third-worst intersection.

The high-volume crossing of University and Ansborough Avenues was in second place, sandwiched between the two West Sixth and Washington intersections.

Trelka chose to leave a couple highly ranked intersections out of the consideration list because they were too close to others where cameras are proposed.

A couple more from Washington Street were in the top 15, but I didnt want redundancy and overkill, he said.

What I like about this list from a strategic enforcement perspective is that they are throughout the geographical areas of the city, Trelka added. One of my goals with this program is to attempt to have a calming effect on assertive and aggressive driving throughout the city.

The city will need Iowa Department of Transportation approval to place cameras at several of the proposed intersections involving state highways, including U.S. Highway 63 and Ridgeway Avenue and U.S. Highway 218 and Shaulis Road.

The intersection of East First and Sycamore Street, also part of U.S. 63, saw a 7-month-old boy killed in an Aug. 7 collision. But the traffic signals had been turned off and replaced with stop signs due to highway construction.

Steve Gent, IDOT director of traffic and safety, said cities are allowed to install automated traffic enforcement cameras, including speed cameras, on state highways. But they must submit a wealth of data and information to justify improved safety.

They also need to look at what other safety countermeasures are out there, Gent said. What else have you done? Dont just come up with (cameras) as your one solution.

Elahi noted the city has made major traffic safety improvements at some of its most dangerous intersections.

For example, the intersection of U.S. 63 and Ridgeway was listed in 2009 as the most dangerous intersection in Iowa after it saw 33 car wrecks over five years, claiming four lives and injuring 21 others.

It is no longer in the top 200 statewide after more than $400,000 in grants were received to put up flashing prepare to stop warning signs and new signalization. But red light violations continue to occur there.

Elahi also said Waterloos traffic signals are timed to make it less likely motorists will run red lights because yellow lights instead of red lights are used to clear an intersection.

We have very long yellows allowing for safe and legal clearing of the intersections, he said. Cities that use red clearance time see a lot of red light running and issue tickets.

This will not happen here because all our clearance times are in yellow, he added. Waterloo is also unique in ample use of be prepared to stop warning systems; these help reduce red light running.

Waterloo is not planning to install fixed automated traffic enforcement cameras to ticket speeders but will have a trailer that can be set up in a specific location to photograph and record violations for citations.

That will be a perfect tool for us where citizens have called in with concerns about speeding in their neighborhoods, said Trelka, noting hes already getting requests for the trailer.

All the cameras will capture video and images of violations which will be reviewed by a Waterloo police officer before the citation is mailed to the registered owner of a vehicle. The owner can assign the ticket to the actual driver or appeal it to a city board and, if desired, district court.
MESKWAKI SETTLEMENT  As the announcer called people in the audience to join the ceremonial Friendship and Intertribal dances, many in the stands Friday hesitated modestly at first.

That included Willie Mae Wright, a former Waterloo City Council member and activist who is arguably not one to sit on the sidelines of anything.

But after cajoling her great-grandchildren, ages 6, 4 and 3, she finally said, Ill go, and walked out to the middle where dozens of Meskwaki dancers bounced along with dozens of attendees in a slow clockwise circle to the beat of a cadre of drummers.

When they said, Come out and dance, I did, Wright said.

It was the first time in many years Wright attended the Meskwaki Powwow, which wraps up today with shows at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. on the settlement tribal grounds. She remembered the powwow having an effect on her, and wanted her great-grandchildren to experience the same.

Ive wanted them to see other cultures and how they celebrate, she said.

Thats exactly the idea behind the Powwow, now in its 103rd year, said Christina Blackcloud, who chairs the Meskwaki Annual Powwow Association.

This is how we can share our culture and songs and dances, she said. These songs have been passed down.

Blackcloud remembers dancing in ceremonial dress as a child, learning the dances of the Meskwaki that havent been altered for generations, on tribal ground that has been their own since the 1850s.

And even through adversity  Blackcloud remembers the tribe not having access to running water as late as the 1980s  theyve continued to share that culture with everyone.

Its a part of us  everyone looks forward to it, Blackcloud said. I think everyone is really excited and enthused to get back on the grounds where our ancestors danced.

Delegations of other Sac and Fox members from Texas and Oklahoma, as well as Kickapoo and Apache elders and delegates, joined the Meskwaki this year. Between 200 and 300 dancers registered this year to dance to a variety of songs in a variety of categories and age groups.

Dances were announced to the audience by what they represented  the Pipe Dance honored warriors for their bravery; the Bean Dance celebrated the harvest and plentiful food; the Buffalo Head Dance, a traditional religious dance done after a successful hunt; the Shield Dance between two warriors dance-fighting with spears and shields.

Friday was also Senior Citizen Day, where various dances were undertaken by the older members of the tribe, some of which were contests where winners were picked.

A variety of vendors were on hand from around the country, many selling the popular fry bread. Next to his collection of jewelry, Niles Aseret of Murfreesboro, Tenn., invited people to sign a petition asking for a federal holiday for Native Code Talkers who sent messages during World War II and whom Aseret, a Vietnam veteran, said havent been properly recognized.

If it wasnt for code talkers, this would be a Japanese government, Aseret said, noting hes been at the effort by himself for three years.

Other vendors sold clothing to those wanting to mimic the styles seen on the dancers, many of whom wore elaborate costumes of ribbons, feathers, fringes and a variety of colors.

Though most things have remained the same for a century, Blackcloud was excited this year the tribe was able to livestream the powwow for members who couldnt make the trip to Tama County.

We want to empower the community, she said.

Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children over age 5. The tribal grounds are off of Highway 30. Turn south at the Meskwaki Casino exit, turn left (east) and go up the hill until the first stop sign, turn right and go down the hill on the dirt road, past the tribal center and continue to the T in the road with the railroad crossing on the right, cross the railroad tracks and continue to the powwow grounds on the right.
WATERLOO  The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley needs help with the following:

 The Back To School Project needs volunteers to assist with distribution at Lou Henry Elementary School in various shifts from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday.

 The Northeast Iowa Food Bank is looking for a volunteer to drive a van from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays to solicit and pick up donations from vendors at the College Hill Farmers Market.

 Volunteers are needed to clear, wipe down, and provide refills at Pizza Ranch from 4:45 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 23 for Amani Community Service Community Impact Night.

 The Jesse Cosby Center is in need of drivers and runners to help deliver meals on wheels on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

For more information, call the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at 272-2087, or go to www.vccv.org.
Jason attends a private school. His mother works in an activist social justice group. We listen in on their conversation.

Jason: You know that kid in my class who doesnt always have anything to eat for lunch?

Mom: Yes. You told me about him.

Jason: Well, I made sure he had lunch today.

Mom: That is very nice, Jason. I am very proud of you for sharing your lunch.

Jason: I didnt give him any of my lunch. I had a better idea. You remember that rich kid in my class? The one who always comes with more than he needs?

Mom: Yes, I remember.

Jason: I got him to share his lunch with the poor kid.

Mom: You talked him into helping?

Jason: Well, I asked him nice, but he wouldnt help. I thought he was being selfish and, what is that big word you use?

Mom: He wasnt being compassionate.

Jason: Yeah, I am bigger than him, so I knocked him down and and took his lunch and gave it to the poor kid.

Mom: (Looking concerned) You knocked him down?

Jason: I didnt hurt him much. He was not compassionate.

Mom: Jason, it is not right to hurt another student. If you took his lunch you essentially stole it. Jason, I dont think you are a bully and a thief.

Jason: But Im not! He had more than he needed and the poor boy didnt have enough, so I fixed it. Doesnt that make me a good boy?

Mom: A good boy would share his own lunch and try to get others to share. He wouldnt force others to help.

Jason: OK. Would you make me two lunches tomorrow?

Mom: I will, but we really need to do something else. I will fight to get my social justice group to demand the government furnish lunch at your school.

Jason: Then both of us will be compassionate!
Poor Mr. Trump gets a lot of flak and second-guessing, but when he does something right the pundits and opponents take little notice.

But I have.

One recent decision was to turn the generals loose in fighting the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. You say big deal? It is a big deal because for once the Pentagon is free from the chains of oversight from people who never had military training, never served in the military and do not understand either the big or little elements of strategic or tactical action.

From World War II up to the present, the Pentagon fairly dripped with politics. I know this from personal experience and the experiences of others who have seethed under the political approach to every detail of every action, including our No. 3 son, who recently retired from the Air Force after months of Pentagon interaction. He hated going there.

You see, without rigid controls from above, the Army can generate strategies and tactics that include elements of the other services, such as the Air Force, the Navy and intelligence-gathering agencies. Working in concert they can maximize effectiveness without loss of American lives and at minimum cost. I know in recent times certain politicians and members of our society believe in reining in the military, but Trump has realized he never went to soldier school and lets those who have attend to business. Besides, our military people know better than to be adventurous on American soil. It would be an exercise in futility to try to subjugate free Americans.

Another good decision by Trump was to approve monetary support for apprentice programs in the new order of manufacturing and commerce. Understand this: Businesses used to have apprenticeships but cut them out as a blow to unions and to provide more wealth for overpaid upper management. Such short-sightedness overlooked that we got through World War II on the backs of production serviced by a cadre of journeymen and master mechanics who had undergone not only apprenticeships, but also formal training as they plied their trades.

Recently, Siemen Corp. reinstituted an apprentice program that now is providing training and reliable help in producing complex machinery. They now can compete with the Chinese and Japanese. We need more of that kind of thinking.

There is a way to galvanize apprentice programs. Certain large corporations have socked away almost $3 trillion offshore to escape paying taxes. Mr. Trump, please devise a program that lets them bring it back tax free if they institute apprenticeships. We desperately need an entire population of people who understand and use computers, understand and can make or fix complex electronic command centers and can read blueprints for assembling complex automation devices.

As I was writing this, Trump did another good deed. He removed his poor choice of a press secretary out of the television limelight. Some people thrive at public speaking and can think fast on their feet, but this gentleman isnt one of them. In fact, he was giving the administration an even poorer image than all of Trumps tweets. If the president wants an improved image, please, someone take that gadget away from him and dont give it back until his term is over.
Look east down Interstate 94, to Fargo, to Grand Forks, to Minneapolis, to Chicago and Detroit. You'll see the road drug investigators say heroin, and now fentanyl, are driving into Bismarck. Look west, you'll see the older roads, where methamphetamine traveled to town for more than a dozen years.

Drug traffic has shifted in the past three years. Though meth and marijuana remain prevalent, heroin has made a stop in Bismarck along its national tour, carrying with it the breath-stopping overdoses seen across the country.

By one metric: Metro Area Ambulance used Narcan, a drug that temporarily reverses an opioid overdose, 22 times last year. They're on track to use it 41 times in Bismarck and Mandan this year.

By another: Narcotics-related deaths in North Dakota rose from 20 in 2015 to 43 in 2016, according to vital records.

"It is definitely here, Bismarck Police Sgt. Mike Bolme said. It's the most deadly trend Ive seen in my 14 years in police work."

By prioritizing life and cooperation with addicts at overdose scenes, police are trying to keep people alive, while building cases against people trying to make money off their addictions.

Called to an overdose

It was a Wednesday evening nearly a year ago, and Bolme, a drug investigator, went to CHI St. Alexius Health to check on a 23-year-old man recovering from a heroin overdose.

The man was brought to the hospital by two friends, who were using heroin with him. He was using from a different supply when he overdosed, according to a police report.

The hospital called in a patrol officer for a suspicious person, who turned out to be a friend "on the nod" from shooting heroin. The officer found small bags of heroin and methamphetamine in the friend's car. Then he called Bolme, a drug investigator, to come see if the overdose could produce any leads on whoever was selling the potent version of the drug.

It's a scenario police and emergency personnel are carrying out more than ever in this area.

For Bismarck Police Patrolmen Damien Girodat and Melvin Vargas, calls to a heroin overdose come nearly twice a month on their shift. It rarely happened when they began as police officers three and four and a half years ago, respectively.

Often, it's a night manager at a hotel or a friend with the report, they said. An overdose is a "code" emergency, so they hit their lights and sirens and rush over.

If police officers are first on scene, they've now got Narcan, Girodat explained, pulling a small orange box from a pocket in his bulletproof vest. The antidote also could be used for a police officer, in case they encounter fentanyl, which can cause a reaction with tiny quantities.

Bismarck Police Det. Tyler Welk said he does not know of police officers using Narcan since it was distributed in May, but the Bismarck Fire Department reports using it 11 times since staff members were trained last July.

Vargas said officers are trying to interact in positive ways with people around the overdose. Users often know where the treatment is, they're just not ready and they're afraid of getting "dope sick," the painful and nauseating process of withdrawal.

"When you interact with these individuals, pretty much take off your uniform and talk to them man to man as adults," Vargas said. "We drill into their heads, we're here to help, we value your friends."

The powerful addiction often evolves from a penchant for pills that can began with legitimate painkillers prescribed after an injury. People turn to heroin when the pills become too expensive. In other cases, people using on other illegal drugs start using and get hooked on heroin.

Girodat told a story about meeting a 24-year-old woman at the hospital about to be discharged from an overdose. She said her brother died the week prior from one and laughed, "I'm not gonna stop."

When they respond to an overdose, the officers' job is also to secure the scene, taking names and collecting evidence, which they'll relay to a narcotics detective. If there is even a small chance of a lead, an investigator will come by looking for clues. Drugs that cause overdoses are often tainted with fentanyl, which is deadlier than heroin.

"If the fentanyl is floating around town, it's going to happen again. But if we can find out the source and stop that, then that eliminates a lot of problems," Girodat said.

The night at CHI St. Alexius last year, the drugs and a syringe were taken as evidence. Bolme left his card for the hospitalized man, but the officers let the three go with no charges.

"All subjects were told by me that because they had done the right thing, no one would be charged in this case," Bolme wrote in a Sept. 6 report.

Bolme was using the Good Samaritan law, which protects friends, who may have shared drugs with the overdose victim, if they seek medical help and stay on scene until it arrives.

Too often, Bolme said, friends will call police and leave before the ambulance shows up, drop a friend alone out of a car or stay but flush all of the evidence.

The best thing to do would be to stay, Bolme said. "There is still the stigma out there that they will get arrested ... At least in our area, they will not.

Good Samaritans

Tyler Auck, 42, has been both the friend and a victim in an overdose situation.

Almost 20 years ago, he was living in Colorado and hooked on heroin and cocaine. Auck overdosed on a combination of heroin and cocaine in Colorado. His so-called friends tried to throw him in a dumpster, and he would not have survived except that someone found him there and called the hospital.

The experience, he said, was hardly the wake-up call one might expect.

"It didnt even phase me. We actually joked about it," he said. "I was embarrassed that I couldnt handle my drugs."

On another occasion, he watched a friend overdose on cocaine, starting to flop in a bedroom. Auck said he felt afraid.

"My first thought was where are we going to put him," he said. "All your judgment is clouded by drugs, and its just youre not sure what to do ... Youre all sitting around doing something illegal."

Auck, who has been in recovery for six years, testified before a legislative committee two years ago in favor of the Good Samaritan law.

"I think it makes a little bit of a difference," he said last week.

There will still be fear, misinformation and the impaired judgment that comes with being high on drugs, he said. But he is encouraged by the tone he has heard recently from law enforcement.

"I think theyve tried everything they can with their old tactical ways, that they have to try something new," said Auck, who is training to become an addiction counselor.

The drug trade

Heroin comes here from Detroit or Chicago, according to Welk, who works drug cases for the Bismarck Police.

The drugs are originating in street gangs, who send relatively disposable people to sell them here in Bismarck, Welk said. That's because there's big money to be made. The drug sells for $9,000 on 100 grams in Chicago but $30,000 on 100 grams here  a profit of $21,000  he said.

It's sold in points, which is one-tenth of a gram, that go for about $60. Typically, addicts will buy a gram for $250 to $300 and sell off a few points to fund their habits.

We dont have the supply that Chicago does, but we have the addiction," Welk said.

Investigators are watching the problem get worse, but policing has led to some victories with a spike in federal opioid-related cases filed here.

According to Bolme, in the past year, Bismarck Police has developed federal opioid cases against 25 people. He said that, in his previous seven years as a detective, he cannot remember any.

"For these cases to get bumped from state court into federal court, those are major cases, major drug trafficking organizations," he said. "We went from virtually none into now multiple drug trafficking organizations getting charged out.

'I wish I could be more encouraging'

There are some services developing in the community in response to the opioid problem. Heartview Foundation recently increased its treatment options to include methadone. A drug monitoring program now tracks opiate prescriptions. And new vouchers have helped pay for treatment.

President Donald Trump this week declared the opioid crisis a "national emergency," a move that could enable more resources to combat the problem nationwide.

But medical professionals remain concerned.

Gordon Leingang, an emergency room doctor at CHI St. Alexius, who advises the police, told this anecdote last week. He resuscitated a man who overdosed recently for the third time. The next day, the man's brother came in with an overdose. A woman was there and pulled the doctor aside to tell him that her boyfriend, the guy who overdosed the previous day, was in the bathroom shooting up. So, they went to check it out. He wasn't there. Rather, he was in a car across the street, overdosed with a needle in his arm. So, they dragged him in and resuscitated him again.

Overdoses show up in the ER almost every day now, Leingang said.

"I wish I could be more encouraging. I really do. Its bad. I wouldnt say its worse in Bismarck than anywhere else, but the raw numbers are truly impressive," Leingang said.

As he spoke by phone last week, his team worked on resuscitating another overdose victim.
Republican Congressional leaders, conservative journalists and Trumps core base are becoming less enamored with our 45th president. Seventy percent of Americans think political civility has worsened since Trump was elected president; 61 percent dont trust Trump.

Donald Trumps blatant public assaults on Jeff Sessions, Americas 84th attorney general, have only exacerbated the 29-week downward spiral of Trumps approval rating from 45 to 33 percent. Sessions was the first senator (a Republican from Alabama) to support Donald Trump and was on Trumps vice presidential short list.

Trump doesnt comprehend that threatening Alaskas federal funding due to Sen. Lisa Murkowskis, R-Alaska, voting behavior, calling Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., betrayers and publicly belittling ultra-conservative Sessions infuriated ardent Republicans.

Americans ponder if Trump back stabs loyal Republicans, who wont he throw under the bus?

Republican legislators have had it with Trump, as witnessed by four events:

Supporting the bipartisan Senate and House investigation of the Russia scandal.

Backing Republican Robert Muellers special counsel and two grand jury endeavors.

Voting (Senate 98-2 and House of Representatives 419-3) to approve Russia sanctions while giving Congress the power to review any White House attempt to roll them back.

Senate blocking Trump from being able to make August recess appointments.

These actions are an explicit no-confidence vote about Trump.

Trump is correct when he said, Its very sad that Republicans do very little to protect their president. Even a ninth-grader understands human behavior and would say, Mr. Trump, if your Republican-controlled Congress cant find the votes to pass your agenda, wont defend you against a scandal and avoid town hall meetings to stay clear of questions about your unorthodox behavior, guess what? GOP legislators shouldnt protect a weak president.

Research is clear voters are tired of Trumps compulsive lies (116) and juvenile tweets (991) exhibited in the first six months of office.

When federal judges overturned Trumps Muslim immigration edict and Trump called them so-called judges, he denigrated USAs basic rule of law.

Trump questioning the veracity of USAs 17 intelligence agencies didnt exhibit much intelligence or street smarts.

Trumps apparent ignorance of the three independent branches of government and Constitution bewilders those who took a high school civics course.

Trump has filled only 117 of the 577 key government positions (20 percent) requiring Senate confirmation. Either he doesnt realize the importance of government workers or people dont want to work for Trump.

Again, Trumps approval rating has fallen 12 percent in 29 weeks. Put into perspective, thats a drop of 16.7 million voters from the 2016 election; 575,172 per week or 82,167 per day. This surpasses the total number of voters from the six states (Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Florida) that flipped from supporting Obama to Trump.

Disheartened Trump supporters have put two and two together and now realize why Trump wont release his taxes, why he wants Sessions, Mueller and the Russian election collusion investigation to disappear and why hes talking about pardoning his family and White House staff.

The Trump make America great again loyalists realize the swamp in D.C. didnt get drained, coal mining and manufacturing jobs are not rebounding, $1 trillion infrastructure spending is in a pothole, the wall is not being built and the promise to repeal and replace Obamacare and reform our tax code by July 31 failed. Their sigh of Oh, what a tangled web we weave, once we practice to deceive becomes louder and louder.

Should Trumps abuse of power, lies, threats, harangues, contempt, bullying, ridicule and disgrace continue, his days are numbered. Believe me.
No one you know says grain when they mean soybeans or John Deere when they mean tractor.

Of course, you might get away with these vague and misleading substitutes when talking to the non-farming public because most people dont know soybeans are an oilseed, not a grain, and that Deere & Co. makes a lot more than just tractors.

Intentionally doing so, however, is neither vague nor misleading. Intention makes it lying, and lie is what your U.S. Department of Agriculture now recommends some of its employees to do when discussing climate change and its impact on U.S. farm and food production.

According to more than 60 pages of internal memos published Aug. 7 by the British newspaper The Guardian, USDA, the government agency most responsible for the science and safety of U.S. food served both here and abroad, would like staff members to refer to climate change as weather extremes and climate change adaption as resilience to weather extremes.

These less-than-subtle suggestions  there were more  sound harmless or even hair-splitting to a casual consumer. To scientists, however, they are loaded with ambiguity and political misdirection meant to point to something other than clear, honest facts.

Interestingly, The Guardian story appeared the same day the New York Times published a not-yet-public draft report from 13 U.S. government agencies on climate change (not weather extremes) that stated without equivocation, Evidence for a changing climate abounds, from the top of the atmosphere to the depths of the ocean.

The Times story all but put a spotlight on the USDA effort to downplay and mislead the public about climate change and its impact on American agriculture.

Perhaps acknowledging how foolish USDA looked by doing so, Tim Murtaugh, a USDA spokesman, told Politico there has never been a directive  regarding the term climate change and that it was unclear why career officials behind the memos had raised the issue to staff.

What may have been unclear to Murtaugh appears quite clear to others who had their eyes open to facts and not blinkered by petty politics.

For example, heres how Politico explained what it saw in its daily Morning Agriculture report Aug. 8, the day after the USDA story broke: President Donald Trump has long questioned the existence of climate change, once calling it a hoax perpetuated by the Chinese.

The Trump White House, Politico added, also pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate deal and changed climate-change-related webpages for EPA and other government agencies to reflect its skepticism about the science.

Those actions might not constitute a clear directive from the White House on climate change, but they clearly show which way the wind blows in the Oval Office.

Theres another unmistakable link between the Trump administrations view climate change is a hoax and USDAs misleading terms in discussing it with the public: Sam Clovis, Trumps nominee to be USDA undersecretary of research, education and economics.

Clovis, you may recall, labels climate change junk science and not proven, according to the San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News. He also has spent most of the administrations first 200 days at USDA as Trumps top political operative there, reports veteran ag journalist Chuck Abbott.

Whether thats a complete coincidence or not, Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue was feeling enough heat over all the steamy USDA climate news he interrupted his all smiles-and-handshakes trip around the Midwest Aug. 7 to, once again, fully support the Clovis nomination.

And this despite the disclosure last week Clovis had once called progressives liars and race-traders and accused labor unions of coming out of the Communist closet to support President Barack Obama.

Linking the former president to communists, labor unions and progressives likely would earn Trump, Perdue and Clovis a cup of coffee  if not noon dinner  at most farm town cafes.

Denying climate change, however, and whitewashing its lasting effects will earn them nothing but scorn from our grandchildren because, as farmers and ranchers well know, the climate has changed even if folks at USDA, the White House and the local cafe lack the integrity to admit it.
Pay it forward

BART and BEV KNIPFER

JESUP  My wife is homebound and unable to drive. We were celebrating her 77th birthday at Perkins Restaurant on University Avenue in Waterloo on Sunday evening. When we asked for our bill, our waitress said the gentleman in the booth across from us paid our bill. We were awestruck, not knowing him.

To say thank you to him and wherever he may be, we are donating $50 to the next Honor Flight out of Waterloo.

The long view

RICK BROWN

CEDAR FALLS  I want to thank the City Council of Cedar Falls for subscribing to the long view when it looks to redesigning our streets. Phase 1 of University Avenue is completed and is working very well, and I hope they pick the boulevard design for our main street.

This is the type of progress President Ronald Reagan was talking about when he said progress is our most important product. Our new Main Street was very progressive at the time, and look at it now. Lets hope Waterloo considers doing some of what we did in their long-term planning.

Traffic cameras

FRANCIS DEGNIN

WATERLOO  Waterloo has voted to install traffic cameras for safety. This may be true, but usually its not. How can one tell? If its for money, the signs notifying drivers will be nominal and easily missed. Like in Cedar Rapids, where if the traffic is heavy other vehicles can block one from seeing them. For traffic light cameras, signs may not only be small, but yellow lights will also be of minimal duration. Legal right turns will often be flagged as violations.

Those places are just pretending its about safety; its really about income. But I have seen places where the signs are large, well placed, colorful, some placed above the freeway with a flashing light to alert drivers, and yellow lights are longer. Those are about safety. I hope Waterloo is serious about the second.

Program to try

SHERRI MURPHY

WATERLOO  The Coffee with a Cop program was implemented in Cedar Rapids at the police department. This program might be a way for people to report information on crimes without fear of retaliation.

Id like to give it a shout of thanks to Chief Wayne Jerman and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.

Reading buddies

DEE EUCHNER

WATERLOO  Some children in our community are struggling to develop reading skills and may not have someone at home who can help them. Reading buddies help these kids prepare for their future, to be able to communicate and learn through reading and writing.

Volunteers go to school once a week for one hour and listen to two to three children read. If you are interested, call me at 272-2553 or email at euchnerd@waterlooschools.org.

Secure borders

AL ZUMMAK

DUNKERTON  This has been a growing problem for a number of former administrations. I agree we need to make border security our nations number one priority. A majority of Americans only see a sliver of whats going on along our southern border. But not the folks living along it. They see how ugly it really is. Not only the countless illegals crossing over, but the overwhelming flow of drugs and illegal guns that are going both ways over our borders. But this only scratches the surface to all the illegal aliens who have died or been left to die along the border.

As far as the drug cartels are concerned, they are simply mules to transport their killing drugs into the hands of our youths. When former President Obama was in office he went to Texas but never once visited along the border to see first-hand the carnage that goes on there day in and day out. Yes, secure the borders. But not only to stop illegal immigration; to help save lives on both sides of the border. We need to focus on stopping the drug and gun flow in and out of America.

Health center week

DEBRA HODGES- HARMON

Peoples Community Health Clinic board president

WATERLOO  This week leaders at the local, state and national level will join communities in celebration of National Health Center Week 2017, demonstrating not only is it possible to move beyond the partisan divide over health care, but to support and agree on a program vital to our communities. We appreciate the support of Gov. Kim Reynolds and Mayor Quentin Hart through a proclamation for National Health Center Week.

Peoples Community Health Clinic provides health care services through more than 60,000 patient visits annually, specializing in primary care including pediatrics, family medicine and internal medicine and dentistry. Health centers are cost effective providers serving 13.6 percent of all Medicaid beneficiaries in Iowa, but representing only 1.21 percent of the states total Medicaid expenditures. They are problem-solvers that look beyond medical charts to address the factors that cause poor health, such as homelessness, lack of nutrition, stress or unemployment.

A crisis looms with the scheduled expiration of a fund at the end of September that will result in a significant cut to the budget of every health center. Congress must act swiftly and extend funding to fix this funding cliff.
ZUMBROTA, Minn.  A St. Ansgar man was killed Friday in a crash north of Zumbrota.

The Minnesota State Patrol identified him as Cody William Lloyd Squier, 22. He was a passenger in a car being driven by Jacob P. Nelson, 22, of St. Ansgar. The crash was reported about 6:50 p.m. on Highway 52 at the intersection with Highway 57.

Troopers said the car collided with a semi being driven by Christopher J. Small, 54, of Coon Rapids, Minn. The semi was northbound on Highway 52. Nelsons car was stopped at a sign sign at Highway 57 and then crossed southbound Highway 52 traffic and failed to yield at the median yield sign, pulling into the path of the semi.

Nelson was also injured and transported to Mayo Clinic-St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minn.

The crash remains under investigation.

Cedar Falls man injured in crash

CEDAR FALLS  A Cedar Falls man was air-lifted to University Hospitals in Iowa City following a crash Friday near Cedar Falls.

Marcus Sletten, 63, suffered a leg injury in the crash, according to the Iowa State Patrol.

Troopers said he was operating a disabled tractor being towed by an SUV driven by Suzanne Sletten, 64, of Cedar Falls, when the crash was reported about 4 p.m. on Grundy Road south of Ranchero Road.

Troopers said the SUV was northbound on Grundy Road with a disabled tractor behind it. The disabled tractor lost control and collided with the SUV.

The crash remains under investigation.

Life sentence

handed down

HAMPTON  A Meservey man convicted of kidnapping and torturing a woman was sentenced to life in prison without parole Friday.

Charles Albright, 42, was found guilty by a jury in Franklin County District Court for two felonies, first-degree kidnapping and willful injury, in July.

The first-degree kidnapping charge carries a prison sentence for an indeterminate term, not to exceed the rest of the defendants natural life, court documents say.

The case was held in Franklin County because thats where the woman was taken to at one point and where the crime was discovered.

A 36-year-old woman, whom Albright knew, was held against her will in Meservey for 12 to 14 hours in October, court records state, and was punched, cut, shocked and bit repeatedly by a dog.

The woman suffered electrical burns, sinus damage and an eye injury that caused loss of vision, court records state. An X-ray found broken bones in her face.

Albrights defense attorney James Metcalf said during closing arguments the man knows he committed willful injury.

While Metcalf said Albright lost it and went nuts, he argued the man didnt commit first-degree kidnapping.

Throughout the ordeal, Albrights dog bit the woman repeatedly, police said. The woman said during her testimony Albright did not sic the dog, a German shepherd, on her but he did not stop the dog from biting her.

Albright was fined $750 and sentenced to five years behind bars for the willful injury conviction.

Buchanan County crash injures 2

FAIRBANK  Two area men were transported to hospitals following a crash between and truck and motorcycle Friday afternoon near Fairbank.

Motorcyclist Gregory Fernau, 35, of Hazleton, was air-lifted to University Hospitals in Iowa City, while Jacob Smith, 22, of Oelwein, was taken by ambulance to Mercy Hospital in Oelwein.

The Iowa State Patrol said the crash was reported about 1:40 p.m. at the intersection of Iowa Highway 281 and County Road W-13.

Troopers said Smith, driving a Chevy truck, was westbound on Highway 281 attempting to turn south of W-13. Fernau attempted to pass the truck as Smith was turning and struck the drivers side door.
Advertisement

By Bill Hughes

Aug. 07, 2017 | PADUCAH, KY

By Bill Hughes Aug. 07, 2017 | 02:48 PM | PADUCAH, KY

Former Ballard County Judge-Executive Vickie Viniard will learn her sentence for fraud and other charges in a few months.



Viniard, who is 61, appeared before Judge Thomas B. Russell in Paducah's Federal Courtroom on Monday with her attorney, Butch Bradley. She pleaded guilty to bank fraud, wire fraud, and two counts of making false statements on loan applications.



In court, Viniard admitted that she took out five loans on behalf of the county without the permission of the Ballard County Fiscal Court, and lied to bank officials in order to get the loans approved. The loans totaled around $450,000.



Viniard was indicted in November, along with former Ballard County Treasurer Belinda Foster, who pleaded guilty in December. The borrowed money was concealed from County Magistrates by Foster, who put it back into the budget as payroll tax receipts. In court, Judge Russell made it clear that Viniard took none of the money for herself.



The maximum sentence for Viniard's charges is 110 years in jail, $1,250,000 in fines, and 5 years' supervised release. Combined, both women will have to pay at least $21,000 in restitution.



Foster's sentencing had been postponed until after Viniard's trial, but with the plea agreement, Judge Russell announced that Viniard will be sentenced on November 16 at 11 am.



Assistant U.S. Attorney Nute Bonner, who represented the government in the case, said it's possible that both women will now be sentenced at the same time.



While leaving the courthouse Viniard was asked if she was glad the ordeal was over. She nodded her head but did not speak as she and her husband walked over to friends who were waiting on the sidewalk.



Viniard was elected Ballard County Judge-Executive in November 2006 and served until she retired in June 2017. Prior to that, she served eight years as a Magistrate on the Fiscal Court.
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Mary Roessel Engel, 88, Bismarck, died Aug. 4, 2017, at her home with family members by her side. A memorial celebrating the life of Mary Roessel Engel will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, at the United Church of Christ, 1200 E. Highland Acres Road, Bismarck.

She grew up in Webster Groves, Mo., and graduated from Macalester College, St. Paul, Minn., with a double major in Spanish and Russian studies. She met Austin (Jim) Engel at Macalester and they married in 1950. They began a family while he was in Yale Divinity School and continued to grow the family while living in Slayton, Texas, and then New Town and Parshall, where Austin ministered on the Fort Berthold Reservation.

Five boys made for a full station wagon when exploring the country side and making annual summer trips to Ely, Minn., to spend time at Aspen Lodge, a cabin built in 1925 by Marys father and where she spent her summers as a child. It is from there that Mary and Jim launched their honeymoon canoe trip into the Boundary Waters of N. Minnesota. Aspen Lodge was the center of the universe for the extended families of the Roessels, Noahs, Brownells and Engels. It is a place where parents and grandparents, brothers and sisters, in-laws, cousins, grandchildren and great-grandchildren gather to this day. She never missed spending part of a summer there in all her years. She made sure a love of the north woods was a part of her boys lives and this has been passed down. As the last surviving child of Robert and Rita Roessel she became the matriarch of Aspen Lodge and was often called Granmary by the younger generations.

The family moved from Parshall to Bismarck in 1965. In 1973, she earned her state teaching certificate from Mary College but she began her career as a Spanish teacher at Bismarck High School even sooner due to the need for foreign language teachers. She was an active part of the Bismarck Public Schools Foreign Language Department and she was much loved by her students and fellow teachers. She was caring, creative, outspoken, innovative and unconventional. In 1983, she was awarded the July Gold Award for her many civic, religious and educational activities. She had great empathy, generosity, tact and patience for her students that were in academic or emotional trouble. She was an outstanding teacher and unofficial counselor of many Latin American students spending a year in Bismarck. Her home became a home away from home for many of them. She loved learning the many nuances of Spanish from them as much as they valued her help with English and understanding a new culture. Mary was also a volunteer Spanish interpreter with local police and government agencies. She was a volunteer with the Awareness House and Charles Hall Youth Services. She was active in church as a Sunday school teacher, a confirmation Listener, and a chaperone/organizer for youth trips as well as a leader in adult study groups.

She retired from teaching High School Spanish after 15 years and then went on to earn a Master's in teaching English as a Second Language, ESL, (now English Language Learners, ELL) at UND, Grand Forks, where her husband was attending Law School. In 1986, she began working for the North Dakota Adult Learning Center, working with diverse groups of refugees and immigrants settling in North Dakota via agencies such as Lutheran Social Services. She worked for ALC for over a decade and continued being involved in many ways as a volunteer after retiring. A typical year at the ALC might involve 60 adult students from as many as nine different countries, each with their own background and life accomplishments but now needing to learn English, not the easiest language in the world. They were very fortunate to meet Mary. She was tireless in her efforts to address the needs of so many learners at different levels and eventually compiled a book, Kitchen-Tested ELL Games and Activities, that was published in 2013. The title is testament to Marys hands-on approach to education. Beyond teaching English to her students she was very involved in helping them with other skills needed to become self-supporting citizens in their new country, things like how to bank, shop, budget, complete forms, make appointments and take driving and citizenship tests. Not to mention being a personal taxi service when needed and remembering birthdays with treats and songs. It is extraordinary the number of lives she touched and how important and loved she was by so many.

Mary was dedicated to her husband and family of five boys. She was as adept at cooking over a campfire as a kitchen stove during the many family camping trips, whether a long weekend on the Missouri River with the family pontoon boat or weeks-long Christmas camping trips to warmer climates such as California, Mexico and Florida.

Mary will be remembered for her personal warmth, her love of language (an avid crossword puzzle fan she had an amazing vocabulary and understanding of grammar), her direct communication, her creativity, and her sense of humor. She had a sincere interest in helping others that she demonstrated throughout her life. Along with her husband she was active in North Dakota liberal politics and environmental concerns as well as youth and adult church activities. She was outspoken about what she believed in and wrote frequent letters to the editor. She loved a good laugh, books (mysteries and travel books were always on her night stand) poetry, movies and music. Favorite pastimes included boating with family and friends to various sandbars on the Missouri River where all types of shenanigans ensued, visiting with friends, sunbathing, cocktail hour (Jim Beam on the rocks, thank you), watching the evening news report, and reading.

Mary is survived by her children, Michael, St. Paul, Minn., Peter, Craig, Colo., Paul, Evanston, Wis., and Steven, Hillsboro, Ore.; her daughters-in-law, Marta, Soldiers Grove, Wis., Wendy, Minneapolis, Sybil, Minneapolis, Mary Kaye, Evansville, Wis., Renee, Craig, Colo., and Joan, Denver, Colo.; 11 loving grandchildren, Jon, Daniel, Jed, Samuel, Trevor, Miles, Olivia, Joshua, Noah, Tobiah and Lillian; and 11 great-grandchildren, Oliver, Kyra, Adelaide, Zoey, Austin, Otto, Yasmani, Gus, Wyatt, Rafael and Ellis.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 58 years, Austin; her son, David (65); her brother, Robert Roessel Jr.; and two sisters, Rita Roessel Noah and Betsy Roessel Brownell.

Go to www.eastgatefuneral.com to share memories of Mary and sign the online guest book. (Eastgate Funeral Service, Bismarck)
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.
August 9, 2017

RAMALLAH, West Bank  As Jerusalemites protested at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque in July, in rejection of the Israeli decision to install metal detectors at the holy site, members of the city's African community offered protesters water and food. They also welcomed worshippers into their homes during the protests, as the hub of this community is located near Al-Aqsa, around the Council Gate (Bab al-Majlis).

Jerusalem's African community is relatively small and consists of nearly 50 families living in the Bab al-Majlis neighborhood of the Old City. The majority of the community comes from countries such as Chad, Nigeria, Senegal and Sudan. Their ancestors came to Jerusalem in successive periods, beginning in the Ottoman era and continuing into the British Mandate.

Moussa Qaws, a co-founder of the African Community Society in Bab al-Majlis, told Al-Monitor that Africans "immigrated to Palestine for two main reasons: the first is religious and consists of the hajj [to Al-Aqsa Mosque, which often follows the pilgrimage to Mecca]. In fact, Africans who used to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem were rewarded a privileged social status. The second reason is jihad and the [religious] bond [formed] in Jerusalem.

Though Africans first began to visit Jerusalem in the Ottoman period, Qaws said they only started settling there in the 1940s, during the British Mandate. Most Africans came to the city as part of the Arab Liberation Army, which included volunteers from various Islamic countries who wanted to help the Palestinians in their fight against the British and the Zionists. Many African members of the army stayed in Jerusalem after the fighting concluded. According to Qaws, Jerusalem's African community numbers around 750 people at present.

Qaws' father came to Palestine from Chad in 1942 to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque after making the hajj to Mecca. He carried a French travel document since Chad was then under French rule. He ended up staying in Jerusalem and marrying a Palestinian woman.

When Jordan controlled East Jerusalem, from 1948-1967, the Jordanian government did not grant citizenship to Africans. Following the Israeli occupation of Jerusalem in 1967, Africans who lived in Jerusalem obtained identity cards.

Once they obtained identity cards, members of the African Palestinian community in Jerusalem were forced to travel with a document known as the laissez-passer. This prevented Qaws and his brothers from visiting their relatives in Chad due to the country's nonrecognition of Israel and the absence of diplomatic ties. My father died in 1983, so I went to the French Embassy to ask for [French] nationality," he said, noting that his father had been a French citizen. "My request was rejected since Chad was no longer a French colony.

Although the African community merged with Jerusalemites and adapted to the city's way of life, it has kept its own traditions and customs. Qaws said, Even though we do not come from the same country, we were raised in Jerusalem as members of one family, and we have common traditions that we seek to maintain  such as those of death and marriage, as well as our shared popular dish of porridge known as Asida that we eat on special occasions.

These traditions were in part preserved with the help of the African Community Society, which was established in 1983. The society seeks to connect its members to their varied African heritages, especially the youth, and also to introduce tourists in Jerusalem to their traditions.

The economic situation of the African community is no different from the rest of the Old City, where the poverty rate reached 82% in 2014, according to a study by the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies. Members of the city's African community are generally not landowners in the city; they primarily rent houses.

Ihab al-Jallad, a researcher on Jerusalem affairs at the Jerusalem Popular Committee, said this community is a central part of the city's social fabric, which is composed of many different groups that all acknowledge the sanctity of the city. However, members of the community tend to marry within the community, and can also face discrimination based on their skin color.

Jallad told Al-Monitor that African community members were "famous for their work as guards at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque over the years." He said the community does not have any singular political leaders, since members are often affiliated with a diverse range of authorities in Jerusalem.

Many years have passed since the African community's initial arrival in Jerusalem. Though they still feel an innate sense of connection to their ancestors' countries of origin, they have chosen to continue living in Jerusalem for its sanctity. It is in this tradition of fusion, Qaws said, that the African Community Society has embarked on a new project: to embroider a traditional silk African wedding gown using the stitched embroidery of the Palestinians.
North Dakotans praying for rain this summer should switch it up for just one day.

Clear skies would be very welcome on Aug. 21 to view the first solar eclipse in the United States in nearly 40 years with a solid partial view in North Dakota.

The phenomenon occurs when the new moon passes between earth and the sun, blocking the sun. The last total eclipse visible in this country occurred in 1979; the next one doesnt come around until 2024, with much less effect for this region.

Thats all the more reason to check out the rare celestial happening  for people in the Central Time zone, itll be nicely timed to coincide with their lunch break.

In western states, the visible path of total eclipse will run through Nebraska, Wyoming and through Oregon. In this region of North Dakota, the moons shadow will block about 84 percent of the sun, leaving a crescent of the suns upper left quadrant visible at the maximum eclipse.

Itll be pretty cool to have partial darkness descend over the land mid-day and hear the birds go quiet.

Therell be few better places to take it all in than at the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site near Stanton. The park will cooperate with the Stanton Public Library to hold an eclipse-watching event, focusing on activities for kids, education and safety. Everyone is welcome to attend. The park opens at 9 a.m. Moon shadow will enter the suns field at 11:32 a.m., reach maximum at 12:52 p.m. and exit 2:14 p.m. Thats an hour earlier on the clock for folks in the Mountain Time zone.

Brian Kerns, of Stanton, a seasonal park employee and amateur astronomer, will set up his telescope, fitted with a protective lens, for folks who want to take a closer look.

He did the same thing about a decade ago at the park so people could observe the transit of the planet Venus across the face of the sun.

It was inspiring, just as he expects the eclipse to be.

We forget our scale and our place in the universe. I hope to turn people on to that and open doors in their imaginations, he said.

The historic site at Stanton preserves the homeland of the Hidatsa, Mandan and Arikara, including the earth lodge village site where Sakakawea lived before joining the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1804.

Chief interpreter Alisha Deegan says there is no oral legend shes found that relates to the native peoples experience of an eclipse, though 62 total eclipses occurred during the 18th century, according to the NASA website.

They did name years for something significant that happened, so there may have been a year they called `The year of the dark sun," she said.

She will turn to a book The Sun and the Coyote, based on a Mandan story, to help youngsters understand the science of the sun.

Public librarian Nancy Miller said shes planning some simple activities so kids can make a chalk art depiction of the eclipse, understand the phases of the moon and create familiar constellations with toothpicks and marshmallows.

Im really looking forward to it; its why I wrote the grant. I hope the kids learn the phases of the moon, so they could become little astronomers, little observers, Miller said.

The organizers will have more than 1,000 NASA-approved glasses on hand. These are cardboard and they look like those goofy 3-D movie glasses, but their protective coating safely blocks dangerous ultra-violet rays from burning the retina.

Sunglasses dont have the right coating and Joanne Kerns, the parks museum technician, said people picking up eclipse glasses need to be sure theyre not bogus and also wear them through the entire eclipse event.

Space.com website says people should look for glasses that have an ISO label, which stands for the International Organization for Standardization.

The Veterans Memorial Library in Bismarck has a limited number of glasses to give away and other libraries in the region may also be participating, so its worth checking around. Also, Gateway to Science in Bismarck will hold an eclipse viewing party.

Joanne Kerns said the park will stream a live NASA feed of the eclipse in the visitor center's theater. Visitors can duck in there to see coverage of the total eclipse from various locations in the country, a bonus if it happens to be cloud-covered here in North Dakota that day.

In Stanton, organizers are keep their fingers crossed and hoping that a summer of blue skies will prevail for at least one more day.

Its an exciting event. We hope to get tourists and younger people interested in the park, to come out here and learn something, Joanne Kerns said.

For more information, call the park at 745-3309. The NASA website www.eclipse2017.nasa.gov has trajectory maps and other interesting information about the event.
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RICHARDTON -- The events that transpired on Sept. 11, 2001, would go on to impact the lives of millions around the world; for the Ambrose Hoff family in Richardton, the date marked their entrance into flax processing.

For much of the decade or so before that, Hoff and his wife Charlotte relied on processing garbanzo beans at their Stone Mill food grade processing facility near Richardton. After 9/11, Hoff lost his primary export market in Afghanistan, where garbanzo bean products are popularly consumed, and quickly repositioned his work into the burgeoning domestic flax processing industry.

Though they still process some garbanzo beans, flax now makes up the vast majority of Stone Mills business. Flax production is now a significant part of the states economy and North Dakota leads the country in flax production.

On Friday morning, U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp D-N.D., visited Stone Mill and chatted with the Hoffs and their daughter, Daneen Dressler, who serve as CEO, CFO and vice president of Stone Mill, about their business.

Stone mill

Ambrose said that in the late 1980s they got started in processing specialty crops when he was dealing with a drought. He went to California in search of ways to diversify crop production and found garbanzos.

"We took them to the market and they laughed at us, North Dakota garbanzo bean, there's not such a thing," Ambrose said.

Eventually, Ambrose found a market in the Middle East but was forced to change gears and go into flax after they could no longer export to Afghanistan.

"The U.S. was just starting take on the food flax for health reasons," Dressler said, and "(flax) was just gearing up pretty hardcore, but nobody was able to process it to standards.

Dressler and her parents were able to repurpose their garbanzo processing machines into processing high-quality flax.

Dressler said Stone Mill has been able to max out production every year since then. Stone Mill has now almost completed production on an adjacent processing facility that will help them double or triple their processing capacity. Dressler and her parents gave Heitkamp a tour of the new facility.

Heitkamp was impressed with the familys industriousness.

"You see these family businesses that have weathered every challenge known to mankind, adapted, and they're stronger because of it. That's the story of North Dakota, she said.

Heitkamps help

The drought hasnt impacted Stone Mill to the same extent that producers of North Dakotas more traditional crops have been affected, but they are still facing some challenges.

The main issue for Stone Mill right now is in their ability to transport their products around the country, and eventually around the world.

According to Dressler, Stone Mill currently depends on trucks bringing containers from Minneapolis to transport their goods. Stone Mill fills the the containers with their products, seals them and sends them back to Minneapolis on the same trucks.

We send it back to Minneapolis where they put it on the rail and send it out to the coasts," Dressler.

This is a costly process that Stone Mill employees would like to see reformed.

Dressler said that this issue with source loading, where containers are filled and sealed at the point of production, will only become more daunting.

I feel like a lot more (buyers) are going to want them source loaded. Not just us, but everyone is going to need to source load containers

One solution Dressler discussed with Heitkamp was to open up the Minot railroad facility to ship their containers.

Heitkamp agreed. There's the intermodal up in Minot that I think can be an incredible asset for specialty crops, Heitkamp said, "we just need to figure out this transportation piece, and if we don't we can't be successful in these specialty crops.

Dressler said that Stone Mill is still a few years away from pursuing expansion internationally again, but Heitkamp said she wanted to make sure that North Dakotas Export-Import Bank, which provides insurance guarantees for exports, would be ready for them when they did.

We've got $30 billion of export financing waiting for a quorum and we can't get a quorum. It makes absolutely no sense, we want the Ex-Im Bank to be absolutely a great tool for all of you, Heikamp said.

Takeaways from Western Tour

Heitkamps stop at Stone Mill marked one of her last stops on her two-day Drought and Farm Bill Tour across the western part of the state.

After seeing the impact of the drought up-close, Heitkamp had some pretty specific ideas in mind about what she wants to work on in Washington, D.C., to help North Dakota farmers and ranchers.

We're going to need to find some resources for hauling hay and hauling cattle she said, the water hauling program is capped at 20 mill nationally, we want to lift that cap. We want to look at federal regulations that has stopped people from taking emergency measures to retain their herds.

But Heitkamp also insisted that she wants to look beyond this year in finding workable solutions. The federal government needed to formulate a long term strategy (about) what farmers need, she said, it's not just (the Trump administrations) budget, I'm fairly critical of what's happening in trade.

Heitkamp understood that some of this work might be politically unpopular, but she was willing to commit to it no matter what political challenge is coming at me because of it, those are the things we were sent there to do.
The state assembly was stormed by one name Radheshyam Mopalwar and he is labelled as corrupt IAS officer in the country. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had to remove him from his MSRDC post and that was not for corruption. Interestingly, in the recent past Maharashtra political discourse has been dominated by the talk of the Samruddhi Expressway. The project is being showcased as a game changer by Fadnavis; a highway that can link the backward areas of Vidarbha and Marathwada to developed regions and markets of Thane and Mumbai. But, farmers who will lose land have opposed the project, questioning the nature of acquisition, the credibility of the government and the planning of the project. Still who cares for farmers or landowners when the very own ambition of project is self-centered? This aspiring 46,000-crore worth six-lane highway between Mumbai and Nagpur, Fadnavis home constituency and the winter capital of the state, is his dream project and he wants it to get off the ground at any cost, even if it means depriving farmers of their fertile land.

Samruddhi has run into several roadblocks from farmers who have opposed on various expanses including in Amravati, Aurangabad and Nashik. It is in the Sinnar and Igatpuri talukas of Nashik district that the opposition has been the severest and the MSRDC, which is the nodal agency to deliver on the project, has been resorting to all sorts of measures with the help of the local administration to trick the farmers into parting with their lands. Fadnavis has gone record by saying that most bureaucrats dont listen to him but it is now on record that he does not listen to his boss.

Radheshyam Mopalwar is a man Fadnavis totally trusted to deliver the Samruddhi Expressway to him. Mopalwar seemed to be willing to adopt all means, fair or filthy (saam, daam, dand, bhed) in his dealings on Samruddhi and that is why perhaps Fadnavis did not act on complaints of corruption against Mopalwar forwarded to him by the PMO in January this year. Even the Vigilance Division of the Income Tax department has been probing him for disproportionate assets. Some say his wealth is worth Rs 800 crore or more. Even the Union Home Ministry had written to the Maharashtra Director General of Police in December 2016 to investigate Mopalwar who was earlier involved in the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket, popularly known as the Telgi scam, with its chief protagonist Abdul Karim Telgi claiming that Mopalwar knew about the scam from the beginning and was an equal partner in his crime. Yet for six months or more, Fadnavis continued to ignore all warnings against Mopalwar until on Sunday, July 30, he discovered just by accident that the man he trusted to deliver Samruddhi was in fact creating the biggest hurdle in the project.

Despite issuing many alerts, Fadnavis tried to wave off responsibility by lobbying the ball in the Congress court for having kept Mopalwar in plum jobs despite his corrupt acts, he had no words to explain why he turned a blind eye to the MSRDC chiefs corrupt acts. Fadnavis knew of the nexus between the bureaucrats and many of his party leaders. A judicial inquiry into Samruddhi will reveal how many IAS officers and BJP leaders knew Samruddhi was coming and how they bought land from farmers along its direction at throwaway prices. The expressway is meant to benefit merely cargo companies and transporters. In such circumstances protecting these corrupt officers is necessary; else the BJP will be systematically exposed. Corruption by bureaucrats is allowed to happen because they are expected to pass on percentages of their collections to their political masters and mentions an exorbitant figure that makes its way to the BJPs coffers every month. Actually, BJP claims to be a clean party but in reality, let it be any ruling party Congress-BJP or others, they use their officers and contractors as source of additional income. Its the bureaucrat or the authority who gets caught and labelled but not the master.

BJP should have initiated a probe against Mopalwar before, but Chief Minister was protecting corrupt bureaucrats. This is raising several eyebrows not just about Fadnavis but also Modis commitment to clean governance. Why Modi is unable to crack the whip on his own handpicked Chief Minister? It is no secret that corruption at that level and therefore down from that level, has been going on since Independence. We, the citizens, are to blame. We accept whatever work is done by these IAS officials. Almost every officer right from tahsildar, police inspector, sub registrar, secretaries of department help themselves and everyone knows this. One burning example was the Adarsh scam in Mumbai. Right from army generals to municipal commissioners, secretaries and three previous chief ministers in Maharashtra government helped the file move in one day and got clearance. In India with the politicians, not even leaves flutter without their approval, wield the real power courts find it convenient to convict the bureaucrats who are only obeying their masters orders. I have one question to ask the Indian judiciary  if a murder is committed by a supari killer but whose planning is did by somebody else, the court gives harsher punishment to the planner rather than the executant. But in case of political interference, the same courts award harsh punishment to the executant rather than the planner. Justice, as is said is really blind.

Anyway, Radheshyam Mopalwar was finally removed as assembly witnessed ruckus and was adjourned twice after the opposition pressed for the ouster of Mehta and Mopalwar. Fadnavis himself has admitted that Mehta did not inform him before transferring development rights. Still, no action has been initiated against him. These are not rare samples, there are many IAS officers and ministers who have been caught in scam time and again.

Lets read in the next part why Indian bureaucrats are corrupt 

(Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com)
GRAND FORKS -- Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said Friday that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt was too private in his Wednesday visit to North Dakota.

Pruitt made three stops in Fargo and the Grand Forks area as part of his ongoing national tour to discuss efforts to roll back and rewrite environmental regulations advanced under President Barack Obama. He spent Wednesday meeting with political representatives and figures from the energy and agriculture industries in invitation-only meetings that were closed to media and other members of the public.

The closed nature of Pruitts meetings in the Red River Valley was consistent with his wider touring schedule. But as far as North Dakota was concerned, Hoeven didnt agree with the administrators approach on this leg of the talking tour.

I think (meetings) should be open, Hoeven said. And when my office organizes them, thats how we do it.

The level of privacy -- and the security it entailed -- led to a pair of Grand Forks Herald reporters who arrived ahead of Pruitts appearance at the UND Energy and Environmental Research facility being ejected from the grounds of the campus building by UND Police.

On Thursday, National Press Club President Jeff Ballou stated on social media that his organization was looking into the incident.

Though reporters didnt have access to the meetings themselves, Hoeven and other attendees said there wasnt much shared that hasnt already been heard across the state. North Dakota is no stranger in dealing with EPA regulations and, as part of that, has shared an often strained relationship with the agency.

Given the familiarity of regulatory talking points across the state, Hoeven said his representatives questioned Pruitts office about the need to exclude the media from the administrators visit.

I guess I saw no reason not to have it open, he said.

Alex Finken, a spokesman for Hoevens office, said a fellow staff member had called the EPA early Tuesday to urge them to open the whole meeting.

By that night, he said, Hoevens office heard from the EPA that the meetings would be entirely closed to the public and the media. Pruitts visits did include some media contact, and at least three outlets -- including WDAY-TV -- spoke with the administrator outside of meetings.

Two of Pruitts events also offered a 15-minute window after the closed meeting in which reporters could speak with Hoeven, as well as Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

An early announcement of Pruitts visit from Burgums office offered media access to the final 15 minutes of the private meetings in Fargo and Grand Forks. However, that promised access was rescinded at the EPAs request.

Burgum representative Mike Nowatzki described the change in events as a misunderstanding between his office and Pruitts. Cramer said he was surprised by early news of the change.

When I saw that, I said Youd better check to make sure these are open press, because to me (the closed session) seems unlikely, he said.

Cramer said he didnt try to advise the EPA on how to conduct its visits. He didnt necessarily favor total openness of the events to the public, he said, but thought Pruitt might have done well to meet with credentialed media representatives.

Like Hoeven, Cramer said the conversation wasnt one that would have troubled -- or maybe even interested -- most North Dakotans.

There certainly would have been no reason to feel threatened by North Dakotans, though I dont know if that was the issue, he said. And certainly North Dakotans (in the meetings) wouldnt feel threatened by more people around because these are all positions that every farm group has taken publicly already.

Jack McDonald, an attorney who represents the North Dakota Newspaper Association, took issue with the venues chosen for Pruitts meetings. The Fargo appearance was hosted by North Dakota State University and took place on campus in its Memorial Union. The Grand Forks event was held in the EERC, which is a UND-owned building on the university campus.

McDonald questioned why higher ed leaders allowed the universitys buildings to be used for a private political event and why the public could not at least stand outside.

Nowatzki objected to the characterization of the meetings as private political events. He said the visits themselves were arranged with the help of EERC staff and the staff of NDSU President Dean Bresciani. EERC officials did not return requests for comment.

NDUS spokeswoman Billie Jo Lorius said the chancellor doesnt sign off on university events, even those featuring high-caliber guests like Pruitt. Kennedy didnt respond to a request for comment, but UND spokesman Peter Johnson echoed Nowatzki by saying the event had been organized by the EERC, not the president. At any rate, Johnson said, its not unheard of for UND to host events with restricted access. He added that entry to the EERC itself is restricted by the university more than other buildings because of the fact that the center often deals with proprietary technology. Even beyond the EERC, UND Police Chief Eric Plummer said the university has a campuswide policy backed by a 2009 North Dakota Supreme Court opinion that allows the school to limit public access to publicly owned property.

The courts have held that institutions can limit public forums based on time, place, and manner.  The policy of the institution is consistent with these rulings, Plummer said.

He added that he wasnt at the event itself and would review footage the body camera worn by the officer who spoke with reporters to get additional context.

I dont know why (Pruitts staff) wouldnt deal with the media appropriately but, again, I wasnt there, he said.
August 11, 2017

Nesma Rafets love of the sea dates back to her childhood in the coastal city of Alexandria, but very few people would have predicted that this would be the basis of her career, as Egypts first certified female dolphin trainer.

A graduate of Alexandria University's faculty of law, she moved to Sharm el-Sheikh to work as a secretary in a hotel. It was there near the Red Sea when her career plans changed after attending a dolphin show.

"I wanted to pursue a career after my own heart, so I decided to make a career shift. I left everything for the sake of dolphins. My mother thought I lost my mind, but I insisted on becoming a dolphin trainer, and I applied for this job opportunity at one of Sharm el-Sheikh's hotels 10 years ago despite many raised eyebrows," Rafet told Al-Monitor.

Her first step 10 years ago was to take lessons from a group of Russian trainers. "Both the trainers and trainees were all male, said Rafet. My male colleagues were sure that I was not serious about the job and would quit in the near future. Their attitude further stimulated me to smash the gender role barriers and prove that girls can do anything.

During this six-month training course, she learned how to deal with dolphins and how to keep them alert and playful during live shows. "Dolphins are very intelligent, and the trainer should be smart enough to get them to do what she wants. I learned how to read dolphins minds. At first I watched them, keeping a distance. Step by step I got closer to them,'' Rafet said.

Although she is a good swimmer, she took an intensive swimming course because this career requires professional-level swimming skills and fitness. After finishing the swimming course, she started to work as a co-coordinator, rather than a trainer. "I was just helping the dolphins do the multiple tricks in public shows. Before the live show, I had to swim with the dolphins in the pool to break the ice to make them love me. I had to feed them and spend a certain period with them in the water. All these steps help enhance interaction between us," she said.

Propelling her career forward, Rafet became a full-fledged trainer  the first woman to do the job in Egypt and the whole Middle East, she emphasized. She started to train dolphins to do various show tricks and jumps that she devised. Her technique involved positive reinforcement, where good performance gets awarded. "I adopt a certain philosophy in dealing with my dolphins. We are friends. If the dolphin performs well, it will receive a fish as a reward," she said. "Dolphins are like children, and each dolphin has its own character. It takes very long to train dolphins. For instance, dolphins have a fear of balls. So I must eliminate this fear before teaching them how to do tricks with a ball. It may take four months to train a single dolphin. This job needs patience.

She also uses hand signals and a whistle to train the sea mammal. "Each signal refers to a certain trick. As for the whistle, it is a signal that the dolphin performed well and the food is coming. When I blow the whistle, the dolphin knows the reward is on the way,'' Rafet said.

Her daily routine involves an early start to prepare food for the dolphins. Then she gives them a shower and massage twice a day to keep them physically active. "I play with them and give them a one-hour break before the show."

Rafet faced many obstacles on the way to achieving her dream. "I heard many negative comments: 'You will wear tight clothes,' 'You will spend the whole day in the pool,' 'You should not jump and swim in public.' But I ignored them," she said, adding that her mother and husband are very supportive and understand the nature of her job.

Rafet noted that dolphins are more receptive to female trainers, giving her an advantage over her male colleagues. "Once I took a long vacation and one of the dolphins I trained was extremely sick. It refused to take medicine because I was not there. So I cut my vacation short to stay with it," she said.

She also suffered a skull fracture after jumping in a wrong way. "It was my fault, not the dolphin's. Any injury is usually caused by the trainer, not the dolphin," she said.

As animal rights activists worldwide are calling for putting an end to dolphin shows because they believe dolphins should not live in captivity, Rafet argues that trainers provide dolphins with the optimum care that cannot be found elsewhere. "We provide them with nutritious meals. We perfectly care about their cleanness and health. They are not living in confinement. Swimming pools are also large enough," the trainer said.

Rafet is planning to step up her career by organizing training courses for young people who aspire to become dolphin trainers, not only in Egypt but in the Arab world as well. "I dream of leaving public shows and dedicating my whole time to teaching people and raising their awareness of this profession. Many girls from various governorates nationwide told me they want to become dolphin trainers. And I am planning to train the largest possible number," she concluded.
August 10, 2017

A visit to Ramallah these days leaves you with a sense of pessimism. The streets are buzzing with rumors about Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas health. He was hospitalized July 29 for several hours. The official communique stated that his health condition is good, but to the skeptical Ramallah inhabitants, something suspicious is going on at the Muqata  the Palestinian Authority headquarters. More so, the health of the Palestinian leadership at large is the talk of the town. Recent publications revealed that PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat suffers from a serious lung disease and is waiting for a lung transplant in Israel or the United States.

A senior PLO official close to Abbas told Al-Monitor that Abbas is physically in good condition, but that his mood is very gloomy given his realization that there is no movement toward a two-state solution on the horizon. Abbas is very concerned for his confidant Erekat, who for all intents and purposes is his real foreign minister, as Erekat is in touch with the US administration, the European Union and Arab countries. On the other side, Abbas was encouraged by the strong backing he received from King Abdullah of Jordan when he visited Ramallah on Aug. 7.

Erekat has been viewed by many as the unofficial No. 2 and possible heir to Abbas. The PLO official noted that now that Erekat is sick, discussions concerning the future of the Palestinian leadership, even post-Abbas, are not a taboo topic anymore amid Abbas close circles. He said that in any case, be it under Abbas or the period after, the Palestinian Preventive Security Service headed by Gen. Majid Faraj will play an internal stabilizing role. Faraj is the strongman of the West Bank; he followed Jibril Rajoub in this position and is considered close to him.

Faraj is indeed an efficient intelligence officer. He counters challenges by Hamas, challenges within the Fatah movement by the radicals and challenges by loyalists of former Fatah senior and Abbas rival Mohammed Dahlan, who is cherished by the Gulf states and Egypt. Faraj is widely seen as the apparent heir of Abbas in the foreseeable future. He is a fervent nationalist, in close contact with the Israeli security commanders and in constant contact with US President Donald Trumps peace process team.

Similar questions about leadership succession are heard in Jerusalem given the recent growing suspicion that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be indicted in the months to come. A senior Israeli official close to Netanyahu told Al-Monitor that the prime minister is convinced he is facing a witch hunt. According to the official, Netanyahu is managing his legal and public case. He intends to face this challenge by battling against the Israeli left and media that allegedly want to unseat him. The official believes that the Likud leadership will remain loyal to Netanyahu at least until a decision is made by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, yet he admits that in the corridors of the Israeli Knesset, one can hear much talk about Israels leadership after Netanyahu.

The current uncertainty hovering over the prime ministers political future opens the door to speculation on who will ultimately join the race for Israels new leadership, beyond Yesh Atids Yair Lapid and Labors Avi Gabbay. Netanyahus confidant would not elaborate, but expressed deep cynicism concerning Israels political elite beyond Netanyahu. Echoing his masters voice, he described Israeli politicians of all parties as opportunistic clerks. He believes that after Netanyahu, which in his view may be quite a while away, other leaders than the ones currently dominating the political scene will advance to the forefront.

As Israels security predicaments will become only graver, the Israeli public will accept at the helm only people with a strong security background. The names of Yoav Galant, a former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) general and minister; Ehud Barak, a former defense minister, prime minister and IDF chief of staff; Moshe Yaalon, a former defense minister and IDF chief of staff; Gabi Ashkenazi, a former IDF chief of staff; and Avi Dichter, a former Shin Bet director and Knesset member came up as people with such a background.

There is a mirror image between Ramallah and Jerusalems political instability, opening the way for graduates of the strong security establishment on both sides to take over political leadership sooner rather than later. But until that happens, the main and immediate victim of the current political situation on both sides is the US-sponsored peace process.
GRAND FORKS  Recent changes to North Dakota state law have put more of a burden on local jails to house inmates, according to Grand Forks County Correctional Center Administrator Bret Burkholder.

Gov. Doug Burgum signed several new laws after the 2017 legislative session to reform the criminal justice system. While those changes excited some criminal justice advocates, there are changes that have county sheriffs and jail administrators concerned their facilities will fill up fast.

Theres a couple factors that kind of scare me, Burkholder said.

For one, the North Dakota Department of Corrections now has the ability to shut its doors, effectively putting on a no vacancy light at the prison and forcing county jails to hold inmates until a spot opens. A law passed by the Legislature allows the DOC to not accept new inmates for up to 30 days at a time. Those sentenced to prison, meaning their sentence calls for more than a year of incarceration, will be assigned a 1-10 priority ranking. A 1 ranking is reserved for those convicted of a Class AA felony. Lower rankings are based on the level of offense, criminal history and other factors.

So by virtue of having someone sentenced to the pen, theres no guarantee they will ever go, Burkholder said. So its possible we could have people here sentenced to the pen and serve most of their time locally.

If, for example, Grand Forks has 10 people waiting in the queue, and all were ranked as No. 5 in the prioritization system, theres a chance they never go to the State Penitentiary, Burkholder said, depending on the ranking of other penitentiary-bound inmates from other jurisdictions.

The state DOC has a capacity for 1,624 men and 224 women, said Director of Administration Dave Krabbenhoft. In July, the DOC had an average daily population of 1,603 men and 224 women.

Weve always been right up against it for the last couple years, he said of reaching capacity.

Although the DOC has yet to reach the point where it has to tell counties to hold their prisoners until space clears out, Krabbenhoft said its likely they reach that point in the next couple of months.

Changes to laws reducing first-time drug possession for substances other than marijuana from Class C felonies to misdemeanors also makes it so those convicted serve their sentences in county jails, not state facilities.

These changes to the law did not include additional funding for local governments, which bear the costs of incarceration.

Increase in inmates, exploring alternatives

The Grand Forks County Correctional Center is averaging 204 inmates per day in 2017, Burkholder said. In 2016, average daily population was 198, up from 191 in 2015.

Populations at the jail tend to rise on the weekend, when people arrested on suspicion of felony offenses must wait to see a judge to set bail and others in the process of serving time for minor offenses check in to sit in jail for the weekend.

Burkholder petitioned for a study on the future of incarceration in the county.

On Aug. 1, Grand Forks County commissioners gave the go-ahead to proceed with a $49,200 jail needs assessment study, which will explore whether the jail needs to expand and if policies regarding which crimes require incarceration should be re-evaluated.

The study, prompted by years of rising jail populations in Grand Forks, is being conducted by Icon Architectural Group, which partners with HDR, a consulting firm with expertise in planning, including for criminal justice systems.

Alternatives such as house arrest will be considered in the study, he said.

The facility has 242 beds, but functions best with 200 inmates or less, according to Burkholder. Recently jail held more than 250 inmates.

The law requires inmates to be separated by gender, and the jail tries to separate people incarcerated for similar offenses or who were arrested together.

Traill County is remodeling its facility, so its detainees have been housed in Grand Forks. Walsh Countys female inmates are also housed in Grand Forks because there are not enough female corrections officers in Grafton to guard women inmates 24-7.

The jail is also averaging about 40 federal inmates a day from Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Marshals Office, a major revenue source for the facility.

To address some of these needs, across North Dakota, jails are expected to add more than 886 beds through expansions and completion of new jail projects in 2017, according to the North Dakota Association of Counties.

In neighboring Minnesota, law enforcement does not typically book people into jail for offenses such as underage drinking or misdemeanor marijuana possession.

The Department of Corrections is near capacity, Burkholder said, but has not yet reached the point of filling up. For now, administrators of county jails are waiting to see what that would look like. But rising population numbers over the years are impossible to ignore, Burkholder said, and the community must decide how to address the situation.
August 11, 2017

The Iraqi Turkmen Front, the largest political party representing the minority Turkmen ethnic group, has reiterated its objection to the Kurdistan referendum scheduled for Sept. 25. In a statement issued July 29, the front stressed that the fate of Kirkuk  a particularly disputed province that is set to be included in the referendum  "must be decided by the Iraqi parliament." In Kirkuk, Kurds account for 52% of the population, while Arabs, Turkmens and Christians combined account for 48%. The referendum also includes other areas of contention, including ones considered by the Turkmens as their own.

The Turkmen objection to the referendum goes in line with the position of the Iraqi government, which announced July 20 its rejection of the referendum. This raises the possibility of a war erupting in the region between the Iraqi security forces and the armed factions supporting them on the one hand and the peshmerga forces on the other. This would force Turkmens to take sides and would place their areas on the confrontation lines between the two parties.

Those areas, which have been disputed between Erbil and Baghdad since 2003, could be the spark that ignites a war between the Arabs and Kurds at any moment. On Nov. 16, 2016, Baghdad and Erbil mobilized their forces against the backdrop of a security dispute in those areas, namely in Kirkuk. This created the real possibility of armed conflict. The Turkmens, the third-largest ethnicity in Iraq after the Arabs and Kurds and whose presence in Iraq dates to the Ottoman occupation of the region, are well-aware of the repercussions of such a conflict and are concentrated in the provinces of Kirkuk, Salahuddin, Diyala and Ninevah, in Tal Afar and rural areas around Mosul, as well as in Erbil, Altun Kupri, Kifri, Qarah Tabbah, Khanaqin, Gazzrabat (Saadia) and Mandali.

Mehdi Saadoun, an activist in the Turkmen Rescue Foundation, told Al-Monitor, Holding a referendum in these areas is to be expected following the defeat of the Islamic State [IS] in Iraq, as the Kurds seek to extend their control as much as possible in the disputed areas by definitively annexing them to Kurdistan while turning a blind eye to the fate of the Turkmens.

He said, The peshmerga forces have further sought to dominate the areas under the pretext of preparing them and securing them for a successful ballot at a time when the Popular Mobilization Units threatened to intervene, thus throwing the Turkmens into a quagmire of a possible bloody war between the two sides.

Saadoun added, Kurdish groups, backed by Kurdish parties and forces, are provoking the Turkmens by carrying out assassinations, killings and looting operations in broad daylight and with the knowledge of the local government. Since 2003, Kurdish forces have changed the demographics of the Turkmen regions and imposed a fait accompli.

Saadoun said he believes that because of the repercussions of the referendum, a political conflict is rapidly developing into a military clash between the Kurdish political forces and parties on the one hand and the Arab parties on the other, as each party seeks to impose its presence in those areas.

Jassem Mohammed Jaafar, a Turkmen member of the Iraqi parliament, told Al-Monitor, The persecutions and armed actions are affecting the feeling of coexistence with the Kurds in Kirkuk and other common areas.

He added, We cannot see these operations unfold without doing anything to help our areas, which have become dependent on the relations between Baghdad and Erbil."

Asked about the reaction of the Turkmens, whose population is estimated at 3.5 million (there are no official statistics), Jaafar said, The Turkmens will not be a difficult card in the conflict because of their limited number and practically nonexistent military potential  compared with the Arabs and Kurds. Add to this their displacement at the hands of the Kurds, which led to their dispersion in areas inside and outside Iraq, in Turkey and Iran.

Since 2003, Kurds have sought to displace Turkmens from Kirkuk and other areas and replace them with Kurds in a bid to bring about a demographic change, he added.

Jaafar threatened to internationalize the issue of the Turkmens, should their demands continue to be ignored and should the government continue to remain silent about their persecution at the hands of the Kurds.

However, despite this feeling of weakness, the Turkmens and their leaders are still hanging in there. On July 29, Hassan Tauran, the deputy head of the Iraqi Turkmen Front, told media outlets that the regional tours by the front aim to convey a message to the world that Turkmens worries in the post-IS stage are caused by the Kurdish referendum and the inclusion of Turkmen areas within the territory Kurds seek to establish.

Meanwhile, Turkmen political forums have been addressing the many massacres the Turkmens have been subjected to, including one in Kirkuk in 1959 and one in Altun Kupri in 1991 by Saddam Hussein's regime. Turkmens were also subjected to an Arabization campaign during the Baath regime and a policy of nationalism correction, which forced many of them to change their national affiliation and become Arabs. On May 9, Human Rights Watch accused the Kurdish security forces in the city of Kirkuk of forcing Turkmens out of the city.

Member of parliament Mohamed Othman Khalidi told Al-Monitor, The concerns of minorities and different communities are mainly driven by the injustice that has been inflicted upon them under Saddam's regime and the successive governments after 2003, which made them suspicious of the positions of the other party.

He added, This led all the parties to take extreme positions out of fear of undergoing the same injustice, and pointed out that dialogue, harmony and a proper and fair application of the constitution is the solution to guarantee the rights and demands of all communities.

Article 143 of the Iraqi Constitution considers Kirkuk an area outside the borders of Kurdistan, meaning that Kurds are not entitled to include it in the referendum.

Turkmens have been seeking to claim their right to government positions and to teach their children in their mother tongue. They also have been demanding their administrative rights and have been calling for an end to the Arabization campaign by the Arabs and Kurdization attempts by the Kurds. At the moment, their main concern is the Kurdistan referendum.
An investigation is underway after a man was shot multiple times in Inglenook Saturday afternoon.

The shooting happened shortly before 4 p.m. on Newton Street. Police officials on the scene said an argument erupted in the street.

An adult male- whose doesn't live on that street - was shot three times in the lower body, said Sgt Rebecca Herrera. The man was rushed to UAB Hospital with life-threatening injuries, she said.

An unrelated shooting happened about 6 p.m. in the 5800 block of Underwood Avenue. A 44-year-old man was wounded, but his injuries aren't believed to be life-threatening.

In the Inglenook shooting, Charlene Pollitz said she and her husband had just gotten home from the grocery store when the gunfire erupted near her home.

She said she saw two males and a female walking down the street. One of the men - who was eventually shot - was walking down the street backwards, followed by the others. "He kept screaming, 'Do y'all have a gun?'' she said.

At that point, the female pulled out a handgun and fired several shots. "She just started shooting him and that boy fell down on the ground,'' she said.

Pollitz said they fled the scene. The victim, she said crawled onto her porch and started yelling for help. "I just laid him down and got some towels,'' she said, adding that he was shot in the hip, the groin and the stomach. "It was horrible."

She said she just tried to keep him calm. "He was really upset,'' she said.

Pollitz said she'd never seen any of those involved before.

No one is in custody, but Herrera said they have promising leads on the shooter.
After months of campaigning, after attack ads back and forth, after endorsements coming from the current presidential administration as well as the one that just left office, it's come down to this:

Getting voters to the polls.

The Democratic and Republican primaries are Tuesday in the Senate special election and the focus has shifted to where it always does in the final days of any campaign.

"We are working very hard on our get-out-the-vote efforts," U.S. Sen. Luther Strange said. "Our focus is going to be reminding people to vote and getting out our voters."

For Strange to make that point underscores the basic fundamental of all elections. He received perhaps the holy grail of endorsements earlier this week when President Trump gave Strange his stamp of approval. Yet the need to encourage supporters to go vote remains.

On the Democratic side, former U.S. attorney Doug Jones this week picked up the public backing of both former Vice President Joe Biden as well as U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell. On Saturday, Jones held a rally in Birmingham where Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan delivered a message of support.

"I believe if we don't focus like a laser beam as Democrats on the economic issues that are pressing these families, we're not going to be able to win," Ryan said at the rally. "What I like about Doug and why I wanted to come and be helpful is because that's what he's talking about.

"We have got to figure out how to get this economy working for every single family from coast to coast, north to south. And that's what this is about."

Polling continues to indicate that candidate supporters should be motivated to cast their ballots. The Trafalgar Group released a poll Friday on the GOP primary that showed former Alabama chief justice Roy Moore continues to lead a splintered field.

The poll, conducted earlier this week with 1,439 respondents of likely primary voters, also showed that Strange is maintaining about a 3-point edge on Brooks - close to the poll's margin of error of 2.59 percent.

Hours before Trump's endorsement, Brooks told supporters at a rally in Huntsville that internal polling indicated he had moved ahead of Strange.

"Brooks had momentum and we believe short of Trump's endorsement tweet, Brooks would have overtaken Strange for second place," Robert C. Cahaly, senior strategist for Trafalgar, said in a statement accompanying the poll. "Of course, last-minute campaign activity and presidential tweets could change this thing again."

On the Democratic side, polling has been sparse - perhaps because the seat is expected to remain Republican no matter who the nominee is due to the state's overwhelming GOP-leaning electorate.

A poll last month by Raycom News and Mobile-based Strategy Research showed Robert Kennedy Jr. - no relation to the legendary Massachusetts Democratic clan of the same name - grabbing 49 percent of the vote while Jones had 28 percent of the vote.

Candidates are scattered throughout the state campaigning on this final weekend before the primary.

Strange is campaigning in Cleburne and Calhoun counties Saturday while Moore will be visiting churches on Sunday and speaking in Shelby County on Monday.

Brooks was in Baldwin County on Saturday before speaking in Birmingham and Decatur on Monday in wrapping up his statewide bus tour.

State Sen. Trip Pittman, a longshot GOP candidate - based on polling - spent his 57th birthday visiting with voters at the USS Alabama in Mobile at the famed battleship's 75th anniversary.

Meanwhile, social media is littered with campaign ads and robocalls to potential voters are also active. Lighting that spark of enthusiasm to make the effort to vote may make the difference in who finishes in the top two in each primary to secure a spot in the Sept. 26 runoff.

A runoff is firmly expected in the GOP primary while it appears likely as well in the Democratic primary with eight candidates on the ballot.

Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill, the state's top election official, said he expects a turnout of about 20 to 25 percent of registered voters. That's lower than the typical election cycle primary that attracts more than 30 percent of the electorate.

"It's going to come down to turnout," Brooks said.
The leading candidates in the race to fill the Alabama seat in the U.S. Senate vacated earlier this year by Jeff Sessions have joined elected officials across the state in condemning the Saturday violence in Charlottesville, Va.

Violence broke out there Friday night and throughout the day Saturday during protests led by far-right white supremacists and neo-Nazis and counter-protests.

One woman was killed and others injured when an Ohio man drove a car into a crowd at an event protesting the white supremacist gathering Saturday. The driver, 20-year-old far-right protester James Alex Fields Jr., was caught by authorities and charged with multiple crimes connected to the incident, including the second-degree murder of 37-year-old counter-protester and paralegal Heather Heyer of Virginia.

President Donald Trump issued remarks Saturday at one of his properties in Bedminster, N.J.

"We have so many incredible things happening in this country, so when I watch Charlottesville, to me it's very, very sad," he said.

On Twitter, Trump offered his "[c]ondolences to the family of the young woman killed today, and best regards to all of those injured, in Charlottesville, Virginia" and said that the federal government "will provide whatever assistance is needed."

Many observers and politicians - including some prominent Republicans - criticized Trump Saturday for not specifically condemning white supremacy and neo-Nazism.

The top three candidates in Tuesday's U.S. Senate special election GOP primary all issued statements condemning the violence in Charlottesville. Their remarks, like Trump's, did not call out white nationalists by name, unlike those of some of their Democratic challengers.

U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks wrote the following on Twitter Saturday evening: "I join @POTUS - we're all Americans first & there's no place for this type of violence. We must stand united and oppose hatred and bigotry."

Roy Moore, the former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice, issued the following statement via Facebook Sunday morning: "The violence and hatred behind the events in Charlottesville is unacceptable and must be stopped. These inexcusable acts will only cause more violence and division in our communities. Now is the time to turn to God and ask Him to change hearts and heal our land. My prayers go out to those innocent victims involved."

And Sen. Luther Strange, the former state attorney general selected by former Gov. Robert Bentley to fill in for Sessions until the special election to replace him, said the following on Facebook Saturday evening: "I am deeply saddened by what I saw in Charlottesville today. The violence and despicable attacks are inexcusable. I stand with President Trump and leaders from both parties condemning these actions and encourage Americans to stand together in opposition to those who encourage hate or promote violence."

Doug Jones, a former U.S. attorney and leading candidate in the Democratic primary to fill the Senate seat, issued an in-depth statement via email Saturday night:

"As people of conscience, I believe we have an obligation to work against hate and call [it] out when we see it. We have seen hate the past two days in Charlottesville," he wrote, adding later, "I am personally disappointed that President Trump has not issued a strong condemnation of the white supremacists and neo-Nazis responsible for these events ... This is not who we are as Americans - and I applaud and join the vast majority of both Democrats and Republicans who reject and condemn these actions."

Michael Hansen, an environmentalist running in the Democratic primary, condemned the far-right rally in strong terms Saturday.

"This is downright frightening and should be alarming to every single decent human in this country. White nationalists are marching, emboldened by Trump. Don't let the tiki torches fool you - this is evil on the march. #NotMyAmerica," he wrote on Facebook.

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby appeared not to have made a public statement on the events as of 9:30 a.m. Sunday.

But other Alabama politicians did speak out against the violence in Charlottesville.

Rep. Terri Sewell, a Democrat, issued a statement by email Saturday:

"I am deeply disturbed by the act of terror which was committed Saturday in Charlottesville," she said. "As a nation, our message must be clear: racism, white supremacy, and violence will not be tolerated. I send my prayers to the victims in Charlottesville, their families, and the first responders who are working to keep their community safe."

Rep. Bradley Byrne, a Republican, issued the following statement on Facebook Saturday: "I join President Donald J. Trump and other leaders in strongly condemning the violence and hate we are seeing in Charlottesville. As Americans, we must stand united and make clear our vehement opposition to this type of hatred and bigotry."

Rep. Martha Roby, a Republican said on Facebook Saturday night she is "appalled by the unspeakable bigotry and violence by white supremacists in Charlottesville. This kind of hatred is against our American values and has no place in our great country. I'm thinking about and praying for those hurt by the unnecessary violence today."
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Virginia state police said one of their agency's helicopters crashed Saturday outside Charlottesville, killing two troopers.

Police said the helicopter was assisting law enforcement officers monitor the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.

Police said Lt. H. Jay Cullen of Midlothian and Trooper-Pilot Burke M.M. Bates of Quinton were killed in the crash.

The crash happened just a few hours after a car plowed into a crowd of people peacefully protesting against the white nationalist rally. One person was killed and at least two dozen were hurt.

Virginia State Police said the helicopter crashed in a wooded area near a home. No one on the ground was injured.

Police said they are investigating the cause of the crash.
After receiving backlash for an official statement that accused an alleged sexual assault victim of trying to extort money from the University of North Alabama, campus officials have removed the press release from their website.

UNA on Saturday posted a new official statement in response to an unnamed former student's lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed in federal court, claims the woman was assaulted by David Dickerson, a marketing and sales professor, multiple times during a university-sponsored trip in 2015. The lawsuit also accuses the university of covering up Dickerson's sexual assault of the student by failing to notify police or take a written statement about what happened.

UNA's initial public response to the lawsuit came Friday in the form of an official statement that accused the unnamed woman of making "baseless allegations" of sexual assault in an effort to extort money from the university.

That official statement was removed from the university's website Saturday and replaced by a new official statement that carries a different tone.

The initial statement garnered criticism from current and former students as well as members of the Shoals community. UNA is in the north Alabama city of Florence.

"This is the definition of blaming the victim," one person wrote on Facebook. "UNA should be ashamed."

This is the definition of blaming the victim. UNA should be ashamed. Posted by Madison Smith Evans on Saturday, August 12, 2017

In a Sunday-morning email to AL.com, UNA spokesman Bryan Rachal said this about the university's issuance of a new statement:

"The university wanted to both clarify and elaborate on the initial statement."

"The University of North Alabama is committed to providing a safe and nurturing learning environment for all students," the new statement reads. "The University has a professional and well-trained staff that addresses claims of sexual misconduct with the utmost seriousness. Students impacted by sexual misconduct are provided strong resources and excellent support."

The statement provides UNA's account of how it handled the woman's sexual assault allegations:

"Upon notice of the alleged misconduct, the university reached out to the student and conducted an investigation. The University concluded that, in the fall of 2015 the faculty member had violated University policy regarding faculty/student relationships. As a result, the faculty member was removed from the classroom and ordered to stay away from campus and to avoid contact with students. The faculty member is no longer employed by the University.

"The university responded quickly and professionally throughout this process, complying with all applicable policies and laws. The matter was investigated thoroughly and the University acted decisively to protect our students while also protecting the student's right to privacy."

The former student's lawsuit claims she was inappropriately touched by Dickerson while they were attending a conference in Orlando. The first inappropriate contact happened at the pool of the hotel where they were staying, according to the lawsuit, which also claims that other students witnessed the incident and took pictures on their cellphones.

Also during the Orlando trip, Dickerson took the victim and another student to dinner, according to the lawsuit.

The plaintiff remembers being in and out of consciousness, being walked back to the hotel by Dickerson and being undressed by the professor, according to the lawsuit. She did not have the strength to fight Dickerson and when she later regained consciousness, she realized she was naked, the lawsuit states. She immediately dressed herself and left the room.

Dickerson later called the plaintiff's cellphone and told her he hoped they could remain friends, the lawsuit states. "I want us to be good friends," Dickerson told the woman, according to the lawsuit.

"The lawsuit alleges sexual assault of a student by a former faculty member and claims that the university did not respond appropriately," UNA said in its new statement Saturday. "Nothing could be further from the truth."

The tone of new statement differs from the initial public comments from UNA, which included this declaration:

"One of the privileges of our legal system is that courts are open to all citizens," UNA wrote in the initial statement. "Our courts are even open to those who may misuse their right to initiate litigation for the purpose of extorting money with baseless allegations calculated to damage reputations and inflame public opinion."

The university's board of trustees will gather for a special called meeting Monday at 4 p.m.

"The purpose of this meeting is to discuss pending legal matters," according to an Alabama Open Meetings Act notice. "No action is expected to be taken."

To read more about the former student's allegations, click here.
A common plot in B movies involves central characters messing with Mother Nature with dire consequences. Good intentions invariably lead to disaster.

Some North Dakotans believe thats true of the weather modification program. They argue the program redirects the rain to other areas resulting in less rain for them.

Six North Dakota counties - Bowman, Burke, McKenzie, Mountrail, Ward, Williams - as well as a portion of a Slope County, take part in the North Dakota Cloud Modification Project, which aims to reduce hail and enhance rainfall. Counties decide whether to participate in the program. The program started in the 1950s and at its peak 36 of the states 53 counties were involved in some form of cloud seeding. Many of those programs were short-lived.

Bowman County residents voted on the issue last year with 70 percent of voters supporting cloud seeding. Williams County endorsed the program in 2000 after a four-year trial period with 80 percent of voters approving.

On the other side, some residents of Hettinger County are spearheading an effort to end weather modification in the state. The county dropped the program in 1988. After listening to complaints, the Ward County Commission voted to suspend cloud seeding. However, it appears the Ward County Weather Modification Board has the power to decide whether to follow the commission decision.

Even Gov. Doug Burgum has gotten involved. He asked State Engineer Garland Erbele to do research on weather modification and report to the Aug. 23 State Water Commission meeting.

The attention the weather mod program is receiving shouldnt come as a surprise. There always have been those opposed to efforts to change the weather. They fear the unintended consequences, such as rain being redirected from one area to another. In a story last Sunday, reporter Amy Dalrymple talked with Jon Wert of New England, a former supporter of weather mod. Hes now convinced after doing his own research that Hettinger County receives less rain because of weather mod.

Darin Langerud, director of the North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board, told Dalrymple, "We're not making it rain, we're working around the margins of clouds to help increase rainfall a little bit." He also cites studies showing the program has suppressed hail by 45 percent and increased rainfall by 5 percent to 10 percent. The North Dakota Atmospheric Resource Board, a division of the State Water Commission, manages the weather mod program.

Whos right? The Tribune editorial board believes the program benefits the counties it serves. We dont think its stealing rain from other areas, but working to increase rainfall that otherwise wouldnt occur. It will be interesting to hear Erbeles report to the Water Commission. However, its doubtful the report will change many, if any, minds. Opinions about the weather are based on a variety of factors ranging from scientific data to family folklore.

This years drought highlights the issues surrounding the program. Any rain becomes extremely valuable, so if you think you are losing it to weather mod or gaining rain, it shapes your opinion of the program. Langerud pointed out at a Mott town hall meeting Monday night that the program isnt a drought-buster.

Burgum told the town hall meeting audience that he wants to establish a means for weather seeding planes to transmit data on the impact of their actions in real time, using social media.

You guys are right to ask about the data, Burgum told the audience. The data for the taxpayer studies is yours. It isnt the states, it belongs to all of us. The raw data, not just the studies. It doesnt matter if its tax information or policy information, that data belongs to the people.

New data could be helpful in deciding on the future of cloud seeding. The Water Commission meeting will be a good place to continue the discussion.
The UNs repeated buckling to US and Israeli pressure stands contrary to claims of an anti-Israel bias, analysts note.

Nikki Haley, the US envoy to the United Nations, made headlines in June when she denounced what she claimed was a pattern of anti-Israel behaviour at the UN.

I have never taken kindly to bullies, and the UN has bullied Israel for a very long time, she said. We are not going to let that happen any more. It is a new day for Israel in the United Nations.

While Haleys words were music to Israeli leaders ears and echoed long-standing talking points of pro-Israel advocacy groups, analysts say there is little substance to her allegations that, in the words of Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, Israel has been the UNs punching bag.

According to human rights lawyer Noura Erakat, the attention given to Israel/Palestine at the UN harkens back to a particular historical moment in the 1960s and 1970s, when national liberation movements and newly decolonised countries used the UN as a site of protest against imperialistic Western politics.

While issues concerning Namibia, South Africa, Cape Verde, Vietnam, Laos and others have in one way or another been resolved, Erakat told Al Jazeera, the only one that hasnt is Palestine.

READ MORE: UN chief  No alternative to Palestine-Israel solution

In 2016, the UN Security Councils activity focused on the likes of North Korea, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, Somalia and Libya. Sudan and South Sudan produced the most Security Council resolutions last year, with 11, while just one resolution dealt with Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. It was the first in almost eight years.

It is a different story, however, elsewhere within the UN, where Israel faces frequent condemnation for its actions through bodies such as the UN Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.

Undoubtedly, the UNHRC and General Assembly do devote disproportionate attention to Israel/Palestine, South African international law professor John Dugard, the UNs former special rapporteur for human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, told Al Jazeera.

But this must be viewed in the context of the UN political organs as a whole, Dugard added. The Security Council and Quartet on the Middle East [UN, European Union, United States and Russia] are notoriously pro-Israel and refuse to pay adequate attention to Palestinian issues.

The UNs top official for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, an office that represents the secretary-general and leads the UN system in all political and diplomatic efforts related to the peace process. The post comes under the authority of both the secretary-general, as well as the Department of Political Affairs (DPA), headed by US diplomat Jeffrey Feltman.

READ MORE: Israel holds anti-BDS summit at United Nations

During his time as Special Rapporteur, Dugard told Al Jazeera that some senior officials in the DPA made no attempt to conceal their pro-Israel feelings to me. He believes that more attention should be paid to the bias of the Security Council, Quartet and Secretariat.

In 2007, then-outgoing Special Coordinator Alvaro de Soto said in a leaked End of Mission Report that US and Israeli pressure was compromising the ability of the Quartet, and the UN, to act even-handedly in Middle East negotiations.

The current UN envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, is unlikely to make such complaints; he has made no secret of his admiration for Israel as a strong democratic country, while as Bulgarian foreign minister in 2010, Mladenov visited the region and made extremely friendly public comments about Israel at a time when such comments from foreign ministers around the world [were] anything but the norm, according to a report in The Jerusalem Post.





Recent months have seen an uptick in anti-UN hostility from Israeli officials. In March, UN official Rima Khalaf resigned from her post as executive secretary at the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) after the secretary-generals office forced the withdrawal of an ESCWA-commissioned report on Israeli apartheid. A subsequent ESCWA report on the effect of the Israeli occupation was denounced by Israels ambassador to the UN as a blood libel.

In June, Israeli media reported that the foreign affairs ministry was demanding that the UN terminate the contract of senior humanitarian coordinator Robert Piper, under threat of revoking his visa. Piper was deemed to have overstepped by describing the 50-year occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip as ugly. The same month, Netanyahu called for the dismantling of UNRWA, the UN refugee agency.

Such attacks have led some to question Haleys claims that Israel is a victim of bullying, rather than the bully. In 2015, Israeli officials reportedly threatened UN staff in a successful attempt to prevent the Israeli army from being listed as a serious violator of childrens rights. Dugards successors have also faced detention and denial of entry.

Noting how the US has protected Israel in the Security Council through its veto (or threat of veto), a Western diplomatic source told Al Jazeera that over substantive reports or initiatives critical of Israel, the US and Israel always exert high-level political pressure and the office of the secretary-general usually buckles, leading to a serious credibility gap for the UN.

When Haley, Netanyahu and others make the accusation that everyone is singling out Israel, Erakat said, in fact, the exception is made in the reverse direction  Palestine is singled out from similar treatment to other colonies or other peoples living under foreign domination and subjugation. Palestine, like other sites of settler-colonialism, remains an exception to the world order.
Charged with second-degree murder and other charges, the 20-year-old Ohio resident is being held without bail.

Police arrested a 20-year-old man after he allegedly rammed his car into a crowd of anti-racist protesters marching against a white supremacist rally in the US state of Virginia on Saturday.

The assailant was identified as James Alex Fields Jr and was charged with second-degree murder, one count of hit-and-run, failure to stop with injury and three counts of malicious wounding, according to local media reports.

The incident in Charlottesville killed 32-year-old Heather Heyer, an anti-racist protester, and injured dozens more.

The alleged attack took place during a march against Saturdays Unite the Right rally, one of the largest white supremacist gatherings in recent US history.

What happened?

Fields grey Dodge Challenger reportedly slammed into a crowd as hundreds of anti-racist and anti-fascist marchers made their way through downtown Charlottesville.

I just saw multiple bodies fly over car windshields. The black car that did it drove off. This is horror. This is a war zone #DefendCville  Kim Kelly (@GrimKim) August 12, 2017

Video footage of the incident shows bodies flying over cars and others being hurled to the ground by the force of the impact.

The car reversed, hitting more people, and then drove off.

Who is James Alex Fields, Jr?

Fields arrest was announced shortly after the incident. Local news outlets obtained his booking photo and posted it on Twitter.

JUST IN: Booking photo of James Alex Fields, Jr. @NBC29 pic.twitter.com/9nxtsvqNmt  Henry Graff (@HenryGraff) August 13, 2017

Photos captured from the scene showed that the cars licence plate was registered to Fields, who is a resident of Maumee, Ohio, according to multiple news outlets.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations Richmond Division, the Civil Rights Division and the Attorney Generals Office for the Western District of Virginia are investigating whether it was a civil rights incident.

The Toledo, Ohio-based daily newspaper The Blade spoke to Fields mother, Samantha Bloom, after his arrest was announced.

Bloom said that her son went to Charlottesville to attend the Unite the Right rally. I told him to be careful, his mother said. [And] if theyre going to rally to make sure hes doing it peacefully.

Speaking to the Associated Press, she said: I thought it had something to do with [US President Donald] Trump. Trumps not a white supremacist.

He had an African-American friend so , she said before trailing off.

According to public records published by BuzzFeed, Fields is registered as member of Trumps Republican Party.

Social media posts

Several news outlets and social media users captured screenshots of posts from a Facebook account believed to have belonged to Fields. It is neither deactivated nor deleted.

Many of the posts express support for the alt-right, a loosely knit coalition of far-right groups that includes white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

https://twitter.com/alexnpress/status/896575923474100224

Others showed support for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whom alt-rightists and other far-right activists have publicly stood with in recent months.

A picture posted on the Facebook page of James Fields who ran his car through the crowd in Virginia today. pic.twitter.com/xGB4vclsFG  Yashar Ali  (@yashar) August 13, 2017

The account also regularly posted photos that expressed support for Nazism, fascism, racism and President Trump.

White supremacist group

The Southern Poverty Law Center, an Alabama-based watchdog that monitors hate groups, and social media users quickly pointed out that Fields had been photographed marching with Vanguard America, a white supremacist group that is part of the alt-right.

A photo of Fields marching with apparent Vanguard America members have been circulated on the internet. In the image, he is carrying a shield with the groups emblem.

Looks like killer member of "Vanguard America," neo-Nazi group part of "Nationalist Front" led by Matthew Heimbach. Known for vandalism. pic.twitter.com/pjseWbThrN  It's Going Down (@IGD_News) August 13, 2017

Vanguard America has been active in white supremacist recruitment efforts on university campuses across the country this year.

After the images went viral online, the organisation denied that he was a member. In a statement posted on Twitter, Vanguard America said that Fields was in no way affiliated with the group and that the shields were freely handed out to anyone who was in attendance.
The Jogisu attack happened in May 1971, not in June, as stated in the earlier version of the story. Also the Hindu parties were not part of the official United Front.

It was May 16, 1971, when soldiers from the Pakistan army rounded up all the Hindu men in Jogisu village in the Rajshahi district, about 300km from Dhaka, the capital of what was then East Pakistan and is now Bangladesh. There were 42 in total. They were all shot dead and the Muslim villagers were ordered to dig a hole in which their bodies would be dumped. Nine widows in white saris recounted the scene for a show I was filming on the atrocities committed during the Bangladesh war of independence, fought between Pakistan, then known as West Pakistan, and East Pakistan and India.

The soldiers then urinated on the grave, one of the widows, 60-year-old Sri Shundar, recalled.

Jogisu was one of the thousands of villages that faced such a fate.

But were the events of that year the product solely of the war of independence or could they be traced back to 1947 and the partition of British India?

In Bangladesh, 1947 is a distant memory, erased by the much fresher bloody ones of 1971. The partition was experienced by India and Pakistan, but for Bangladesh, it is both partition and unification  of Punjab in the West and Bengal in the East to make Pakistan  that haunts its national consciousness. It is Pakistans birth that pains us.

Marginalised Bengalis

My father grew up in Kolkata but in 1948 found work in Dhaka, then the capital of East Pakistan.

He was contemporaries with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led the Bangladeshi nationalist movement and went on to become the first president of independent Bangladesh, and Abu Sayeed Chowdhury, the countrys second president. They all stayed at the Baker hostel for Muslim graduate students in Kolkata in the early 1940s and all came from the rising Muslim middle class, which resented, but also respected, the Hindu elite against whom they had become competitors for jobs.

During the holidays, they would return to their East Bengal villages, where the peasants waited for the day when the British colonial rulers would go away and with them the zamindars (landlords). The peasant and the aspirant middle class shared a common dream: an end to British and Kolkata-Hindu domination in jobs and trade. This was not an issue of Hindu or Muslim identity but of economics.

After the Lahore resolution in 1940, which called for the creation of two states in the two majority clusters of Muslims (Punjab and Bengal) the future seemed better for my father. But the political future would not be controlled by Bengali Muslims. It was in the hands of the elite, Urdu-speaking North Indian politicians of the Muslim League and led by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.

There were no Bengalis, who were already being marginalised within Indias Muslim politics, in Jinnahs circle of political friends.

The roots of 1971

If 1947 was a great tragedy for many as the partition, the unification of Punjab in the west and Bengal in the east to become one Pakistan was an even bigger one for Bengalis. Suddenly, the majority Bengalis  East Pakistan was home to 55 percent of Pakistans population  were to be ruled by a distant minority in West Pakistan.

When the two states became one Pakistan, resistance began to grow among young Bengali Muslim leaders. In 1947, the Bengal Muslim League leader Abul Hashem proposed the United Bengal Movement, the first independent state of Bengal for both Muslims and Hindus. They received support from Bengal Congress leaders but the powerful Congress party showed no interest.

If India was being partitioned, it was argued, Bengal had to be.

The Kolkata-based Hindu elites, who didnt intend to live under the Muslims in Bengal, also supported partition in 1947, according to historians Joya Chaterjee, Sheela Sen and others. Nor did ordinary Hindus wish for a united Bengal, having seen so much Hindu-Muslim violence, particularly during the riots of 1946.

The United Bengal Movement collapsed under the burden of unshared history.

The murdered milkman and the wounded polisher

My mother would often tell us about how she witnessed a Muslim mob killing a Hindu milkman in Kolkata in 1946. He is a milkman, not a Hindu, dont kill him, young housewives screamed from their balconies, she said. His identity was his occupation, not his religion.

The police recovered his body from the drain the next day. It was bleached white. I wanted to escape Kolkata, my mother recalled.

I would mentally compare the fatal wounds on the milkman to the deep scars on the skull of Kalo Chahcha, the male nanny who raised us.

He was also knifed and left for dead in front of the jewellery shop where he worked as a gold polisher. But he survived the attack and escaped to Dhaka.

We would run our fingers across the deep scars on his head, his memento of partition.

When Bengali Muslims voted overwhelmingly for the Muslim League in 1946, they were not voting for Pakistan but for a life free from zamindary rule and famines. Bengali Muslims were mostly peasants, sharing many traditions with their Hindu and Buddhist counterparts. But most of the landlords were Hindus.

Before 1947, Bengal leaders from both communities tried to forge joint political activities and a ruling coalition, including the United Bengal state. It never materialised. But the middle class from both communities, willing to work together politically, had built a tradition. After 1947, it became a major political factor as the large Hindu community of East Pakistan joined the Bangladesh nationalist movement.

When the United Bengal Movement failed, the young radicals of the Bengal Muslim League secretly formed a group to establish an independent Bengal. The man they thought should lead the movement was the popular firebrand Sheikh Mujibur.

This animated map shows how the borders of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have evolved since partition https://t.co/LaQGoVFsDV pic.twitter.com/1RSEqvyp1z  Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) August 10, 2017

How the birth of Pakistan delayed the birth of Bangladesh

Almost immediately after its birth, Pakistan tried to weaken the power of its majority through exclusionary employment policies that used language as a tool. East Pakistan, where the majority of Pakistanis lived, was told that Urdu, which no one spoke there but which was widely spoken in West Pakistan, was the sole national language. That meant that Bengalis would have no access to jobs, the media or policymaking.

The language movement began almost immediately in response, and Dhaka observed its first day-long strike in the summer of 1948. The middle class, being the most anxious about jobs, led the movement. It intensified in 1952, when police fired on agitating Dhaka University students, killing four. The fallen students were hailed as martyrs and language took centre stage in the politics of East Pakistan.

In 1949, Bengali Muslim league leaders had formed the Awami Muslim League and in the provincial elections of 1954, a United Front (UF), led by the Awami League and made up of four Muslim parties swept away all the pro-Pakistan parties. The Hindu parties, though supported independence, were not part of the official UF.

The Hindus and Muslims of East Pakistan had voted together. But for some, it would be a death sentence, as the Pakistan army, which was then running Pakistan, instead of handing power to the Awami League, began to crack down on Bengalis, in general, and Hindus, in particular. Hindus were treated as Indian proxies and, therefore, as fair game. And members of the Awami League were not considered much different.

By 1958, when Ayub Khan, Pakistans army chief imposed martial law on the country, Pakistan was on life support in East Pakistan.

The rise and fall of the secular middle class

In early March 1971, my father, who was the East Pakistan chief of the National Bank of Pakistan, was told he was being transferred to Karachi, in West Pakistan, and was accused of being disloyal. But he went on leave instead, until the Bangladesh war of independence ended in December that year. He would sit for long hours on an unlit balcony, waiting for the dreams he had first dreamed in Kolkata long before 1947 to become reality. Those dreams were never of Pakistan but of Bengal.

But my father the banker didnt see a professional middle class reign supreme in Bangladesh after 1971. A section of the middle class quickly became a wealthy hyper elite, their alienation from the reality of most Bangladeshis as real as their exclusive upper-class neighbourhoods. Ready-made garments and labour exports have played the biggest role in creating this moneyed class, which was largely based on cheap labour from the villages.

But the villages have changed, too. A new middle class has emerged in the rural areas funded by the remittance economy and positive agro-policies. Their socioeconomic clout can no longer be denied by the political parties, including the current ruling party, the Awami League.

The middle class of the 1940s held many ideals dear, including secularism and socialism, but times have changed and neither has any ideological clout now. Perhaps the curtains fell on this liberal class most symbolically in 2013, when hundreds of thousands of people gathered at Shahbag, next to the iconic Dhaka University campus, to demand the execution of those accused of committing atrocities during the 1971 War of Independence. The majority of the accused belonged to the Jamaat-e-Islami party, which had supported Pakistan in 1971.

It was the largest display of force by a class who swore by the values of 1971  secularism, a touch of liberalism laced with socialism and Bengali nationalism. But it was weakened by a counter-campaign, which accused those in the Shahbag movement, as it became known, of being atheists.

The Shahbag movement had an urban support base and little influence in the rural areas of a country where nearly half of the population is rural. And with no organisation to match its ideals, it didnt last long.

But it was the second gathering of 2013 that was to have a greater impact. Hifazat-e-Islam, the largest organisation of rural madrassa and mosque leaders, came to Dhaka with demands for an indefinite sit-in. They were backed by Jammat and its ally the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Much to the dismay of their political enemies, the Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina dispersed them without bloodshed. She had found a new ally, an emerging middle class, much larger and more deeply rooted in the soil than the urban middle class that had shown itself incapable of holding the Shahbag movement together, despite her reluctant patronage.

The rural middle class could no longer be ignored.
US white supremacists and Neo-Nazis are no longer afraid of showing their faces because they face no repercussions.

Erika Wilson is the Reef C Ivey II Term Associate Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law.

On Friday evening in Charlottesville, a coordinated group of white supremacists marched through the University of Virginia campus holding torches, shouting white lives matter, and setting the stage for the Unite the Right rally on Saturday. The rally, which protested against the removal of Confederate monuments and sculptures within the city, galvanised white supremacists from various groups, most notably Ku Klux Klan sympathisers, Neo-Nazis, and leaders of the so-called alt-right movement.

With their faces unmasked and identities uncloaked, the protesters raised their arms and chanted blood and soil, in the Nazi tradition, not fearing their association with the hate group and its ideology. The rally highlighted not only the growing normalisation of the white supremacist movement in the United States, but also its intimate synergy with the administrative and institutional leadership in Washington, DC.





US President Donald Trump, his rise and subsequent regime, have emboldened white supremacists of every stripe in America. Of course, championing such an ideology in modern times is neither new nor unprecedented. In fact, both an Ivy League law school professor and a member of congress have done so recently.

What is new is the brazen manner in which the protesters are expressing their support for white supremacist ideology, not being afraid to show their faces, eschewing coded language or dog-whistles to describe their beliefs. They appear seemingly unconcerned about being stigmatised as racists or Neo-Nazis and feel that they are part of the mainstream political landscape in the US once again.

Masks off

The presumption of innocence and the freedom from collective guilt are, arguably, the two most potent hallmarks of white privilege. This privilege was on full display in Charlottesville, as white supremacists brandishing torches as weapons and hurling racist slurs showed their names and faces, seemingly not fearing any repercussions. Rather, they were unabashed about their affiliations with hate groups and ready to reclaim their country from African Americans and immigrants, Muslims and whoever else stood in their way.

READ MORE: Charlottesville attack  what, where, who?

The expected crowd of 6,000 joining them on Saturday extinguished fears of stigma or punitive action. Even more forceful was the tacit endorsement from within the Trump Administration. White supremacy is well-represented in Washington, DC, today and well-embedded in the structures that precede the current administration.

It is easy to condemn Neo-Nazi protesters, but difficult to enact policies that dismantle and divert from white supremacist structures and policy. by

After all, the white supremacists marching in Charlottesville are the conspicuous face of a broader and stratified movement, which includes statesmen, CEOs, and other prominent faces hidden from our gaze but well-positioned in mainstream society.

Therefore, white supremacists are hardly ideological deviants or fringe segments of society nostalgic for American apartheid. While mainstream political discourse has framed them as such for decades, the movement in Charlottesville showed that the visible foot soldiers on the ground are intimately connected to state power and policies seeking to abolish affirmative action, suppress the vote of communities of colour, enforce Muslim bans, and limit immigration to English speakers.

Mainstreaming white supremacy

Unfortunately, our historic and present-day treatment of white supremacy gives individuals like the protesters in Charlottesville little reason to be ashamed or fear stigmatisation. As a country, the US has not gone far enough to disrupt or dismember white supremacy as a prominent ideology. Instead, support for white supremacist ideology within the US has historically been permitted to fester nearly unabated.

A concrete example of this is the Confederate flag  a symbol proudly displayed by white supremacists during the Charlottesville protests. The historic significance of the Confederate flag is that it symbolises a faction of defectors who left the Union and went to war to preserve a way of life that included white supremacy, Black subordination and chattel slavery.

Despite this history, and even Gen Robert E Lees pleas for the divisive flag to be put to rest, the Confederate flag is allowed to fly freely, with some form of it even embedded in some state flags.

In contrast, in Germany after the demise of the Third Reich in World War II, the Nazi flags, insignia and symbols were banned. It is now a criminal offence in Germany to display Nazi symbols.





The historic embrace of the Confederate flag reflects our collective failure to stamp out white supremacy as an ideology and, in some ways, contributes to what we are seeing in Charlottesville today. It is easy to condemn Neo-Nazi protesters, but difficult to enact policies that dismantle and divert from white supremacist structures and policy.

Beyond the alt-right

In addition to the historic tolerance for white supremacy, today, there is ambivalence and even tolerance for the rise of white supremacist ideology. In 2009, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) composed a report that warned of the significant terror threat white supremacist groups pose. The report met scathing criticism and scepticism. Buckling to political pressure, the DHS eventually back off on the report and disbanded the team that produced it. Even when the threat of white supremacist ideology finally began attracting increased scrutiny in the wake of the 2016 presidential election, it was treated with kid gloves.

READ MORE: What is the alt-right and what does it stand for?

The euphemism alt-right started being used instead of white-supremacist, racist, or Neo-Nazi. The term was so lacking in proper context and confusing that the Associated Press eventually issued guidelines governing its use.

Further, humanising profiles marvelling at how well-dressed and well-spoken white supremacists like Richard Spencer are grace the pages of mainstream popular press outlets. Instead of branding them as pariahs, or elements that spur racist violence, the mainstream has normalised the new champions of white supremacy.

A great American myth holds that racism erodes as time passes. However, reality consistently reveals that racism fluidly adapts to prevailing political norms, demystifying the idea that it is perpetually diminishing and declining. Events in Charlottesville, and the swelling movement of explicit and unabashed white supremacy that it represents, illustrate that modern racism is mutating back to its original out-in-the-open form.

Erika Wilson is the Reef C Ivey II Term Associate Professor of Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Khaled A Beydoun is an associate professor of law at the University of Detroit Mercy. He is also senior affiliated faculty with the University of California-Berkeley Islamophobia Research and Documentation Project.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Prince Philip carries out final official engagement, the BBC informed the world on August 2, 2017. The Duke of Edinburgh met Royal Marines in his final solo public engagement before he retires from royal duties.

There is an air of historic solemnity in the tone of the BBC. The 96-year-old announced his retirement in May, after decades of supporting the Queen as well as attending events for his own charities and organisations. Prince Philip has completed 22,219 solo engagements since 1952. In 1952 I was one year old. The year after that, the MI6, the military intelligence outfit of the Duke of Edinburghs government, helped the CIA to stage a coup in my homeland. The BBC would not say which one of those 22,219 royal duties coincided with that occasion.





On this occasion, instead, the BBC did what it does best: pointed to a truth but camouflaged it with a number of choice euphemisms that completely distort what it seems to mark. Prince Philip  how shall we put it gently here  is a rank racist. His racism is a public secret. Everyone knows it. The Prince himself habitually stages it. So the BBC needs to report it, though in a typically BBC kind of a way  by making it frivolous and innocuous.

Prince Philips gaffes from decades on royal duty, the BBC headlines it. So the good Princes astonishing utterances are not what they are, symptomatic of a deeply racist mind. They are just gaffes  unintentional and unfortunate remarks causing embarrassment, things he should not have said, and did not really mean, but unfortunately did say. Thats why they are gaffes.

Still throwing spears?

The BBC then moves to colour these vintage racist utterances with even thicker brushes as memorable one-liners that can make some people chuckle and others cringe. That is meant to cancel the cringe with a chuckle and come up with a neutralising cough. The rest is entirely standard BBC lore chiselling at brutish facts with etymological gymnastics: Prince Philip is renowned for speaking his mind  often explained as his attempt to lighten the mood  and that outspoken nature has at times led to controversy with some of those remarks teetering on the edge of being offensive.

Such vintage BBC phrases ought to be studied at Columbia School of Journalism and other such reputable places as exercise in sheer charlatanism. Speaking his mind is lovely, isnt it? Lightening the mood he does  doesnt he? Fabulous indeed! Outspoken is our lovely Prince  isnt that courageous! Every turn of phrase is brushed thickly to sugar-coat a bitter truth.

Now lets look at some of these attempts to lighten the mood:

British women cant cook

Everybody was saying we must have more leisure. Now they are complaining they are unemployed (during the 1981 recession).

You are a woman, arent you? (in Kenya after accepting a small gift from a local woman).

If you stay here much longer youll all be slitty-eyed (to a group of British students during a royal visit to China).

You cant have been here that long, you havent got pot belly (to a Briton he met in Hungary).

Arent most of you descended from pirates? (to a wealthy islander in the Cayman Islands).

How do you keep the natives off the booze long enough to pass the test (to a Scottish driving instructor).

It looks as if it was put in by an Indian (referring to an old-fashioned fuse box in a factory near Edinburgh).

Still throwing spears? (question put to an Aboriginal Australian during a visit).

Theres a lot of your family in tonight (after looking at the name badge of businessman Atul Patel at a Palace reception for British Indians).

The Philippines must be half-empty as youre all here running the NHS (on meeting a Filipino nurse at Luton and Dunstable Hospital).

Prince Philip to European aristocracy is what Donald Trump is to American liberal democracy: an embarrassment - the men who flaunt the ugly truth from under the thin veneer of their bourgeois etiquette. by

There are other even more remarkable gems that the BBC has of course not listed but others have. But these should suffice.

Priceless racism

BBCs transparent attempt at whitewashing notwithstanding, Prince Philips racism is actually quite priceless because it comes so naturally to him. He is not faking it. He is not trying to offend anyone. He is offensive. This is he. This is who he is  and the long panoply of his racist, sexist, elitist, misogynistic, class-privileged and unhinged prejudices is a mobile museum of European bigotry on display.

The Duke of Edinburgh has done the world an extraordinary service by being who he is, by staging generous servings of his bigoted disposition and he is retiring happily with having catalogued all or at least most of his priceless inventory for posterity to read and learn.

Our dearly beloved Duke of Edinburgh is blissfully old. He has lived a long, rich, and fulfilling life  and may he live the rest of his racist days with the dignity and poise that he has denied others. His xenophobic bigotry is pure, his sense of class entitlement undiluted, unencumbered, uncensored, liberated from any inkling of bourgeois inhibitions. He does not mean to be offensive. He just is. He is a walking embodiment of every layered lava of European racism summed up inside one royal head.

Today people of the privileged class have learned how to camouflage their racism in varied codes and convoluted bourgeois euphemism. The kind of bigotry that Prince Philip exudes and stages is now considered rude and vulgar, old-fashioned and outmoded, presumed classed and pointed at the lower social strata. The precious advantage of Prince Philip is that he is a royal from the heart of British (and European) aristocracy. He tells it as he sees it fit.

The Prince is the repository of all the colonial past and all the class privileges of the present. His racist remarks should not be whitewashed or camouflaged. They need to be properly, accurately, and verbatim catalogued in the British Library and made available to future generations of scholars and critical thinkers, anthropologists of the racist foregrounding of European imperialism for careful and close analysis. They are the insignia of an entire semiology of colonial racism in full-blown aristocratic diction. From the rampant racism now dominant in Israel to pernicious xenophobia evident in Trumps America, its all there: rooted in these unhinged expletives in polite, aristocratic British English.

Expressions of Prince Philips racism are not gaffes as the BBC and other British outlets embarrassed by their vulgarity brand them  though one can see why the BBC is rushing to term them as such and brush them quickly under the proverbial carpet. For the world at large, however, at the receiving end of British and European racist colonialism, these gaffes are in fact priceless relics of an age now deeply camouflaged under lovely-looking and liberal euphemisms. We as a result need to treat them as archaeologists treat any other relic and fragment they find. Based on such remains, they reconstruct bygone ages and the forgotten truths they reveal and conceal at one and the same time.

The guilty conscience of a fallen empire

The kind of racism Prince Philip exudes is reminiscent of the very spirit of British and other European imperialism at its height. This is the way the British thought when they ruled India, the French when they ruled Algeria, the Italians when they conquered Libya, the Belgians when they owned Congo.

Prince Philip is a museum piece  a living, breathing, mobile, jolly good fellow, smiling, handsome, charming great-grandpa who happily walks about, utters obscenities while his entourage try to cover up for his indiscretions. But these are not indiscretions or gaffes. He means what he says and he says what he means. He is the living memory of an entire history of imperial hubris now being actively repressed to offer a more liberal, tolerant, cosmopolitan character for the British and, by extension, the European.

Prince Philip to European aristocracy is what Donald Trump is to American liberal democracy: an embarrassment  the men who flaunt the ugly truth from under the thin veneer of their bourgeois etiquette. The racist provincialism of both Prince Philip and Donald Trump is irresistibly charming to their admirers and embarrassing to their detractors, but identically revelatory to the world at large. Their racism is so against the grain of recently manufactured liberal tolerance that they dont know where to hide it.

Think of the word, the concept, the very idea, of tolerance of which liberal democracy is so proud. What does it mean to be tolerant?





From John Lockes A Letter Concerning Toleration (1689) to Voltaires Treatise on Tolerance (1763), two towering European philosophers have argued against religious or political bigotry and fanaticism. But today liberal tolerance amounts to a fanatical conviction about ones own beliefs thinly disguised under the veneer of tolerating, meaning putting up with, other peoples misguided beliefs and practices.

To be tolerant today means we are convinced by the superiority of our own beliefs but out of the generosity of our spirit and goodness of our heart and the superiority of our civilisation we put up with you, for we have no choice. Both the superiority of belief and the virtue of tolerance are thus attributed to the tolerant culture rather than denied to the barbarity thus tolerated.

Until such time that we reach a point when we do not tolerate each other but in fact see the truth and the beauty of the world from each others perspective, Prince Philip, bless his splendidly racist soul, exposes the hypocrisy of liberal tolerance. I love him for it. He screams out loud what other racists like him have learned how to conceal and camouflage in what they think and project as civilised demeanour  as they load their fighter jets with bombs to drop on brown and black people to send them back to the Stone Age.

There is a beautiful barbarity of truth to Prince Philips racism, exposing the ugly hypocrisy at the very foundation of Western civilisation.

Hamid Dabashi is Hagop Kevorkian Professor of Iranian Studies and Comparative Literature at Columbia University in New York.

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy.
Antonio Guterres calls on Kenyas opposition to refrain from violence after deadly post-election clashes.

The UN has urged Kenyas defeated opposition to calm its supporters after claims of election rigging sparked violent protests that officials say left 11 people dead.

Antonio Guterres, UN secretary-general, called on defeated candidate Raila Odinga to send a clear message to his supporters urging them to refrain from violence, a statement on Saturday said.

Police opened fire to disperse protesters who blocked roads and set up barricades in the capital, Nairobi, on Saturday, a day after incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner of the presidential poll.





Kenya is no stranger to post-election violence and scars still run deep from a disputed 2007 vote that led to two months of ethno-political clashes, leaving 1,100 dead and 600,000 displaced.

There were also riots in the opposition stronghold of Kisumu, where supporters of Odinga claim they have been robbed of victory.

A Kenyan human rights watchdog said at least 26 people have been killed in the post-election violence, while opposition leaders claim the death toll is much higher.

Guterres message was echoed by Boris Johnson, British foreign secretary.

We join the Kenyan people in mourning those who have died, calling on those with influence to exercise restraint at this difficult time to ensure calm, and to honour the Kenyans who turned out in such number to vote to determine their future, he said.

READ MORE: Relative calm in Kisumu after Kenya election clashes

Federica Mogherini, the European Unions foreign affairs chief, also urged the opposition to respect the results and to use legal means available for appeals and complaints.

Police have been trying to prevent demonstrators from coming to the city centre where most of the shops have been closed for days now. People have opted to stay away, said Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi, reporting from Kisumu.

Business owners and residents voiced their concern about the situation dragging on for too long.

Its a political situation which has brought everything to a standstill, Kisumu resident Uno Philip told Al Jazeera.

Not backing down

Anger erupted on Friday night after Kenyatta was declared the victor by a large margin against his rival Odinga following an election pollsters had described as too close to call.

Kenyas opposition has stood by its demand that the re-election of Kenyatta be overturned.

Odinga, 72, a mainstay of the Kenyan opposition since the 1980s, has been silent since his loss was announced.

In Nairobis Mathare slum, shops and markets slowly began opening and there was no sign of police or protesters on Sunday.

We want to hear Raila. We want to hear what he has to say. Its him who will guide us. If he tells us to go on the streets, we will go on the streets. If he wants us to stay home, we will stay stay home, said Humpfrey Songole, a 25-year-old hairdresser in Mathare.

It remains unclear what the next move will be for Odingas National Super Alliance opposition coalition, but party leaders have said they will neither back down nor take their grievances to court.
Mukhtar Robow, a founding father of group, reportedly taken to Mogadishu after surrendering to government forces.

A renegade leader of Somalias al-Shabab has defected to the regional government, severing ties to the armed group that has been carrying out attacks in the country, according to a Somali military official.

Al Jazeera has learned that Mukhtar Robow has been airlifted to Mogadishu, after surrendering earlier on Sunday to Somali forces in the government-controlled town of Hudur in the countrys southwest.

Ahmed Mohamed, a senior government security official, earlier said Robow was taken from the Bakool jungle area, where he and hundreds of his fighters had been battling al-Shabab since early last week.

Al Jazeeras Mohammed Adow, who had interviewed Robow, said the defection is significant as he is one of the founding leaders of al-Shabab, and is the only one living today.

READ MORE: US military sets sights on al-Shabab in Somalia

Earlier this week, Robow lost at least 19 of his fighters to al-Shabab, our correspondent said.

Robows defection comes after the United States in June cancelled a $5m reward offered for his capture.

His surrender is the culmination of months of talks between the Somali government, and it is believed the cancellation of the bounty for his capture helped convince Robow to turn himself in.

Robow, who was the deputy director of al-Shabab, is the most senior figure to have quit the group since its founding in 2001.

Falling out with al-Shabab

Estimated to be in his 50s, Robow is one of al-Shababs most experienced leaders, having travelled to Afghanistan and trained alongside al-Qaeda back in 2000 after studies in Sudan.

Robow had served as an al-Shabab spokesman, military commander and spiritual leader who planned and executed deadly attacks on Somali government troops and African Union peacekeeping forces, according to the US government.





Robow and al-Shabab parted ways in 2013, and since then he had been laying low in the jungles with his forces.

Al-Shabab had launched multiple attacks to try kill or capture him.

It was not immediately clear what would happen to Robow now that he has been captured. But residents and an analyst were doubtful over the impact of the move.

Mohamed Aden, a history lecturer at a Mogadishu University, told Reuters: If criminals are not taken to court, then there will be no peace.

Al-Shabab last year was named the deadliest armed group in Africa, with more than 4,200 people killed in 2016, according to the Washington, DC-based Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

The fighters pledged to step up attacks after the recently elected government of President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo Mohamed launched a new military offensive against it.

Al-Shabab also faces a new military push from the US after President Donald Trump approved expanded operations, including air attacks.

Fluctuating fortunes

Al-Shabab has been fighting for years to try to topple Somalias central government and rule the Horn of Africa country according to their interpretation of Islamic law.

The fighters were driven out of the capital Mogadishu in 2011.

They have also since lost nearly all other territory they previously controlled after an offensive by Somali government troops and AU-mandated AMISOM peacekeepers.

Al-Shabab, nevertheless, remains a formidable threat and frequently carries out bombings both in Mogadishu and other towns against both military and civilian targets.
Another nuclear missile test by Pyongyang is likely, but no US intelligence indicates imminent nuclear war, says Pompeo.

CIA director Mike Pompeo has offered assurances there is nothing imminent in the US standoff with nuclear-armed North Korea but said he would not be surprised if Pyongyang conducts another missile test.

Pompeos remarks came on Sunday, capping a week in which US President Donald Trump vowed fire and fury if North Korea continued to threaten the United States with nuclear weapons, and Pyongyang countered by announcing plans to test-launch missiles towards Guam.





Asked how worried people should be, Pompeo told Fox News on Sunday: Theres nothing imminent today. But make no mistake about it. The increased chance that there will be a nuclear missile in Denver is a very serious threat.

Pressed on his nothing imminent statement, Pompeo said: What Im talking about is, Ive heard folks talking about that we have been on the cusp of a nuclear war. [There is] no intelligence that would indicate we are in that place today.

He said the US intelligence community has a pretty good idea about whats going on in North Korea.

Pompeo also said that he believed North Korea would continue to develop its missile capabilities under its leader Kim Jong-un.

He conducted two in July, so it wouldnt surprise me if theres another missile test, Pompeo said.

READ MORE  Why a war with North Korea is unlikely

Also on Sunday, the top US military officer, Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford, travelled to South Korea.

After meeting the South Korean leader, he is expected to meet the heads of Japan and China.

Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters travelling with him that he aimed to sense what the temperature is in the region.

He will also discuss military options in the event the diplomatic and economic pressurisation campaign fails.

Were all looking to get out of this situation without a war, Dunford said.
ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.

David Sher is Co-Founder of AmSher Compassionate Collections and past Chairman of Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce, ONB, and CAP.

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Do you have any idea what's about to hit us?

D Day is October 1st, 2018--next year.

And we're letting it happen without a whimper--because, quite frankly, it's too late.

This is just another example how we in greater Birmingham accept our helplessness and lack of vision.

No wonder Atlanta passed us by. Folks in Atlanta would never accept our passiveness.

On about October 1st of next year the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) will close I-20/59 through downtown Birmingham for about 14 months.

This would never happen to Atlanta.

Do you remember the Atlanta interstate fire April 1st that caused a bridge to collapse on I-85? It was estimated it would take months to repair. However, three sections of northbound I-85 and three sections of southbound I-85 were replaced by May 13th-just 42 days.

You're probably thinking that our interstate has way less traffic than I-85 in Atlanta--so this may not be as big a deal for Birmingham.

It's estimated 220,000 vehicles a day travel I-85 in Atlanta vs. 160,000 through downtown Birmingham--but I-20/59 is one of the busiest stretches of highway in the State of Alabama.

Neither Atlanta-- nor any other city in its right mind would accept such a complete amputation.

You live Over-The-Mountain so it's not your problem?

You may be thinking--"Oh, I live in Mountain Brook, Hoover or some point south of Birmingham--so this is no big deal to me."

Well, guess where many of those detoured cars and trucks will be routed? Yes, that's right--I-459.

Trucks and travelers going through Birmingham have to go somewhere.

So this debacle will impact us all.

How did we allow this to happen?

The problem, as usual, is there's no government entity or individual who has the authority or power to plan for our region.

That's why we haven't been able to agree on a permanent solution for Highway 280.

Highway 280 impacts five municipalities and two counties: Birmingham, Homewood, Mountain Brook, Vestavia Hills, Hoover, Jefferson and Shelby Counties.

What's good for the City of Birmingham may not be best for Mountain Brook or Hoover-so we are gridlocked.

Why didn't we see this coming?--now it's too late

Actually, we did see it coming. Operation New Birmingham (now REV Birmingham) had serious conversations with ALDOT and the City of Birmingham more than ten years ago, but had no mechanism to have a broader community conversation. It's not reasonable to expect the cities surrounding Birmingham like Mountain Brook or Vestavia Hills to take a leadership role in visioning the broad transportation needs of our region.

No one is in charge

Last year there was an effort by some business leaders to urge ALDOT to consider alternatives pursued by other metro areas, such as sinking the interstate or moving it out of downtown. But it was too little too late.

It's imperative we find a way for our government entities to plan and collaborate with one another. Not working together has consequences.

So we must accept the fate of closing the interstate that passes through the center of the largest city in Alabama.

Birmingham was one of the last cities in America to complete its interstate system-now we make history again.

It's pretty clear we are chumps.
Heavy monsoon rains in northern India cause landslide that carried two buses off mountain in Himachal Pradesh.

At least six people were killed and dozens more were missing on Sunday after a massive landslide swept two buses off a hillside into a deep gorge in mountainous northern India.

The vehicles stopped for a tea break at midnight on Saturday in Himachal Pradesh state when tonnes of rock and mud swept away an entire stretch of highway roughly 200km from the state capital Shimla.

Six bodies were recovered so far but there were fears many more may have died, district official Sandeep Kadam said.

Rescue teams reached the scene, but struggled in the dark and steep terrain with the army later joining the search.

The other bus has been swept away, 800 metres down the steep hillside. We are not sure how many people were in this bus, Kadam told AFP news agency.

READ MORE: Nepal landslide victims will never be found

Local media reported 30 people were feared dead in the disaster, while other reports suggested an even higher death toll.

Several houses were washed away in the torrential rain that hit the Mandi region in the Himalayan foothills.

Landslides are common in the area during the monsoon season, which runs from June through September.

The area around the village has been deforested extensively, increasing its vulnerability to landslides. Similar deforestation and environmental damage have caused floods and landslides in other parts of India.
Aid group suspends sea-borne missions after MSF halted the use of its largest boat because of hostile environment.

A German aid group said it was suspending its refugee rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea, citing security concerns after Libya barred foreign vessels from a stretch of water off its coast.

Sundays announcement comes a day after Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it was halting the use of its largest boat in the area because of an increasingly hostile environment for lifesaving rescue operations of asylum seekers.





In a statement, the aid group Sea Eye said it was with a heavy heart that it had decided to follow suit after the Libyan governments explicit threat against the private NGOs.

Tensions have risen since the Libyan navy on Thursday ordered foreign vessels to stay out of a coastal search-and-rescue zone, a measure it said was specifically aimed at non-governmental groups.

Libyan authorities have accused charities of aiding human smugglers with their rescues at sea, hampering efforts to crack down on the migration route.

Under these circumstances, a continuation of our rescue work is not currently possible. It would be irresponsible towards our crews, Sea Eye founder Michael Buschheuer said.

But he cautioned that the retreat of the aid groups was putting lives at risk.

We leave behind a deadly gap in the Mediterranean, he warned.

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano, however, welcomed Libyas stepped-up efforts to curb the flow of desperate people.

The Libyan government is ready to put in place a search-and-rescue zone in its waters, work with Europe, and invest in its coast guards, Alfano told La Stampa daily on Sunday.

This sends a signal that the balance is being restored in the Mediterranean.

Italy, which has borne the brunt of Europes migration crisis this year, has itself moved to rein in NGOs helping the multinational rescue operations by making them sign up to a new code of conduct.

Six years since a revolution that toppled longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has become a key departure point for people risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

Tens of thousands have resorted to paying people traffickers for the journey, often on overcrowded and unseaworthy boats.

Sea Eye says it has helped save some 12,000 lives since April 2016.
Citing recent US sanctions and adventurism, Tehran plans to bolster its ballistic missile system as tensions rise.

Irans parliament has overwhelmingly voted to increase spending on Tehrans ballistic missile programme and the elite Revolutionary Guards in retaliation for new sanctions imposed by the United States.

In a session on Sunday, a total of 240 politicians out of 244 present voted to allocate $520m to develop the countrys missile programme and boost foreign operations of the paramilitary troops, with only one abstention.

Parliamentarians approved the outlines of the bill to counter Americas terrorist and adventurist actions in the region as some chanted Death to America after the vote results were announced.

READ MORE: Saudi Arabia seeks Iraqs help to mend ties with Iran

The vote came in reaction to legislation passed by the US Congress and signed by US President Donald Trump in early August to impose new sanctions on Iran over its missile programme.

The sanctions followed Iran successfully testing a rocket that can deliver satellites into orbit.

The Americans should know that this was our first action, said speaker Ali Larijani after announcing the overwhelming majority vote for the package on Sunday.





Iran denies its missile programme violates a UN resolution that endorsed Tehrans 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and calls upon the Islamic Republic not to conduct activities related to ballistic missiles designed to deliver nuclear weapons.

Tehran says it does not design such missiles.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who was sworn in for a second term earlier this month, called the nuclear deal a sign of Irans goodwill on the international stage.

Iran has launched ballistic missiles in tests, something it is allowed to do under the deal, despite American criticism.

Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told members of parliament the government and the foreign ministry backed the bill, which he said was designed wisely so that it does not violate the nuclear deal and provide excuses for opposing sides.

READ MORE: It is in Trumps interest to keep the Iran deal alive

Iran boasts potential and actual options to confront hostile US actions, said Araqchi.

The Iranian plan would require Irans government and armed forces to draw up a strategy to counter US violations of human rights around the world, and to support Iranian bodies and individuals affected by American sanctions.

The bill must now pass a second vote before being submitted to a clerical body for final approval and passage into law.
Opposition leader asks people to boycott work and stay indoors until he announces new strategy after losing elections.

Kenyas opposition leader Raila Odinga has called on his supporters not to go to work until he announces his next course of action after losing an election to President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Odingas move came on Sunday after the international community appealed to him to send out a message to try to halt deadly protests.

Do not leave your homes. Do not go to work. We will make a declaration on Tuesday on which direction we are taking, he told supporters in the Nairobi slum of Kibera, an opposition stronghold.





However, he defiantly pledged to remove Kenyattas government that he said stole votes from him in August 8 elections.

We had predicted they will steal the election and thats what happened. We are not done yet. We will not give up. Wait for the next course of action which I will announce the day after tomorrow [Tuesday], he said.

Kibera residents climbed on to rooftops and hung off trees to catch sight of Odinga, who was speaking for the first time since Kenyatta was declared the victor on Friday in a poll Odinga claims was massively rigged.

Al Jazeeras Catherine Soi, reporting from Kibera, said: People here said they will heed his call. They believe Odinga when he says his victory has been stolen. They will wait for more details of how exactly that happened.

Kenyas electoral commission announced on Friday that Kenyatta, 55, who has been in office since 2013, won a second five-year term with 54.27 percent of the vote. Odinga, 72, secured 44.74 percent.

READ MORE: UN calls for calm in Kenya after deadly protests

The opposition has said 100 Kenyans had been killed in clashes between Odingas supporters and the police.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said on Sunday it had counted 24 deaths and accused police of using excessive force.

The National Police Service denied the allegations on Sunday, saying they were unfounded and have no basis in fact and are clearly aimed at escalating tensions in the country.

There had only been six fatalities in the past two days, according to the statement published on Facebook, saying armed criminals had attacked police trying to arrest them.

The statement said police were investigating individuals suspected of incitement to violence and warned that there are photos of dead bodies being attributed to police action that are fake.

Ethnic grievances

Odinga, an ethnic Luo who scored nearly 45 percent of votes to Kenyattas 54 percent, has a huge following notably among the poor who are drawn to his platform of more equitable economic growth.

But ethnic grievance is also a key aspect of his appeal.

Three of Kenyas four presidents have been Kikuyu and the other Kalenjin, leaving Luos feeling excluded from power for over half a century.

Politics in Kenya is largely divided along tribal lines, and the winner-takes-all nature of elections has long provoked communal divisions.
Peru, Colombia and Mexico condemn President Donald Trumps comments of using military option against Caracas.

Several Latin American nations have come out strongly against US President Donald Trumps threat of military intervention to solve the ongoing political crisis in Venezuela.

In surprise comments on Friday, Trump asserted a military option could be considered, which Venezuelas Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino slammed as an act of craziness.

Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said on Saturday Venezuela rejected hostile threats and called on Latin America to unite against Washington.

We want to express gratitude for all the expressions of solidarity and rejection of the use of force from governments around the world, including Latin America, she said in a short speech.

READ MORE: Venezuelas Maduro urges direct talks with Trump





President Nicolas Maduro and his government have faced strong criticism from several Latin American nations over the controversial Constituent Assembly, which has the power to rewrite the countrys constitution.

Firing back at Trumps threat, Maduros son  speaking as a newly elected assembly member  said rifles would arrive and take the White House if Venezuela was tarnished by US military intervention.

President Maduro said Trump should solve his own problems and promised that  should the US attack Venezuela  the Vietnam War would seem small in comparison.

Peru, one of Maduros fiercest critics, led the charge in criticising Trumps threat, saying it was against United Nations principles.

All foreign or domestic threats to resort to force undermine the goal of reinstating democratic governance in Venezuela, as well as the principles enshrined in the UN charter, said Perus Foreign Minister Ricardo Luna.

Mexico and Colombia joined in with statements of their own.

All measures should be peaceful and respect the sovereignty of Venezuela, a statement from Colombias foreign ministry said.

OPINION: Why is Venezuela in crisis again?

Regional alliance Mercosur added it rejected the use of force against Venezuela, despite having indefinitely suspended the country last week amid international condemnation of Maduros new, all-powerful legislative superbody.





After four months of deadly protests against his government, Maduro says the assembly is Venezuelas only hope of obtaining peace by locking in the socialist policies of his mentor and predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez.

Al Jazeeras Lucia Newman, reporting from the Chilean capital Santiago, said Trumps comments have raised alarm bells from Mexico to Patagonia.

The mere suggestion is being rejected in a region with bitter memories of the days when the US marines were sent in to impose American interests in Washingtons so-called backyard, she said.

Latin American support for Venezuela against the US threat comes on the eve of Vice President Mike Pences trip to the region beginning Sunday. He is set to visit Colombia, Argentina, Chile, and Panama.

READ MORE: Venezuela  A country divided

Analysts say Pence will have his hands full in trying to gain political leverage in the region.

I think Pences problem is that he is going to come to Latin America and people are going to ask him, Are you speaking on behalf of President Trump, are you speaking on behalf of the US government? Will President Trump be the president a year from now in the US?' Patricio Navia, a political analyst, told Al Jazeera.

So, I dont think he has enough political clout to exert any kind of influence in Latin America.

Navia added: I dont think any Latin American nation would support military invasion of Venezuela. What I think Pence wants to do is shore up support to remove Maduro through other means.
Hyeon Soo Lim was sentenced to life of hard labour in 2015 for trying to use religion to destroy the North Korea system.

A Canadian pastor who was imprisoned for more than two years in North Korea has arrived back home.

Hyeon Soo Lim was serving a life sentence of hard labour in North Korea for alleged anti-state activities, but was released last week on what the North Korean government described as sick bail.

Hyeons release came nearly two months after US college student Otto Warmbier died shortly after he was released from North Korea in a coma. Warmbier had been sentenced to 15 years of hard labour in March 2016 after being accused of stealing a propaganda poster.

His son, James Lim, said it was surreal to see him again on Saturday after living in fear over what might happen to him.

James Lim said his father was resting at home and looked forward to going to his churchs Sunday service and meeting with the community after so long.

Now, more than ever, hes never felt more Canadian, the son said.

READ MORE: Canadian pastor reported missing in North Korea

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sent National Security Adviser Daniel Jean to North Korea to seek Hyeon Lims freedom.

Hyeon Lim, a 62-year-old South Korean-born Canadian citizen, was convicted and sentenced in 2015 for allegedly trying to use religion to destroy the North Korean system and helping US and South Korean authorities lure and abduct North Korean citizens.

South Korea, the United States 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 were coerced while in North Korean custody.

Hyeon Lim is pastor at 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.

At least three Americans and six South Koreans remain in custody in North Korea.
Badong Muktadil was accused of highjacking a Vietnamese vessel, kidnapping, and murder on the sea border with Malaysia.

Philippine troops have killed an Abu Sayyaf commander wanted for kidnapping and attacks on foreign ships, a military official said on Sunday.

Troops were on patrol in waters off Jolo island, 1,000km south of Manila, on Saturday when they clashed with the Abu Sayyaf fighters aboard a wooden boat, Brigadier-General Cirilito Sobejana said.

The group was led by Badong Muktadil, a commander wanted for kidnapping, murder, and attacks on foreign vessels at the maritime border with Malaysia, according to Sobejana, commander of an anti-terrorism task force.

The death of the commander is a major loss for the armed group, Sobejana said.

The neutralisation of Badong is another big setback on the Abu Sayyaf group, particularly on their kidnapping and terroristic activities, Sobejana was quoted as saying in a local news report.

Among the recent attacks blamed on Muktadils group was the kidnapping of six crew members from a Vietnamese-flagged cargo ship in February and the killing of one crew member.

READ MORE: Inside Abu Sayyaf  Blood, drugs and conspiracies

One of the captive crew members from the MV Giang Hai was also killed during a clash between his abductors and troops in Jolo in July. It was not clear if the victim was killed in the crossfire or shot by Abu Sayyaf fighters.

The group is believed to be holding about 20 hostages, including 14 foreigners, on Jolo island and the nearby province of Basilan.

Abu Sayyaf is accused of being allied with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, known as ISIS) group.

Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf leader, has been identified as the head of ISIL-allied fighters battling government troops in Marawi City since May 23.
Deadly clashes that killed five people near the regions largest city, Srinagar, prompted angry street protests.

Two Indian soldiers and three separatist fighters have been killed in a fierce gun battle in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Hundreds of Indian soldiers surrounded Awneera, a village about 50km south of the main city of Srinagar, on Saturday night following a tip-off about fighters in the area, AFP news agency reported.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the end of British colonial rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in full.

Muneer Khan, Kashmiri police chief, told Al Jazeera that fighting took place in the Shopian area.

We laid the cordon yesterday evening after we received information about the presence of five militants, he said, adding: In the morning we were able to recover three bodies.

Khan said the three fighters belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen group and were from nearby villages.

Three Indian soldiers were wounded in the fighting, Khan said.

READ MORE: Mirza Waheed  Violence will not end Kashmir conflict

As news of the fighters deaths spread, hundreds of residents from neighbouring villages took to the streets in protest, throwing stones at soldiers and chanting slogans against Indian rule.

About a dozen villagers were injured.

People tried to march towards the site of the gunfight yesterday but there was a strong cordon, said 29-year-old Irshad Ahmed.

Ahmed, a resident of the village of Awneera, said: Today when the encounter ended, clashes [between police and protesters] started and many people suffered bullet and pellet injuries.

People from all the adjoining villages came to protest the [killings] because they are all from the same district. How long can we bear this bloodshed? They are killing our brothers.

Those wounded in the clashes were taken to a nearby hospital.

Other incidents

In a separate incident early on Sunday, fighters opened fire on an Indian army convoy in the northern area of Hajin and wounded two police officers and a soldier, said Khan.

On Saturday a civilian and a soldier were killed in gunfire between Indian and Pakistan soldiers along the heavily militarised de-facto border splitting Kashmir.

Officials say at least 130 fighters and 39 soldiers have died in clashes so far this year after the Indian army launched a major operation against armed groups in the southern part of the region.

The groups have battled Indian security forces since 1989 in Indian Kashmir, demanding independence or its merger with Pakistan. Tens of thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed.

Additional reporting by Rifat Fareed in Kashmir
A man rammed a car into anti-racist protesters in US state of Virginia, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer.

A fundraising campaign for the family of a woman killed in a car-ramming attack in the US town of Charlottesville has raised tens of thousands of dollars.

Heather Heyer died on Saturday when a man drove a Dodge Challenger into a crowd of people protesting against a white supremacist rally taking place in the small town located in the US state of Virginia.

The suspect, James Alex Fields Jr, 20, a resident of the state of Ohio, was arrested shortly after the incident and is in custody.

On his Facebook page, Fields posted images associated with the alt-right, such as the Pepe the Frog meme, and a photo of Adolf Hitler as a baby.

Images shared on Twitter also showed him attending a rally by the far-right Vanguard America group, which later denied Fields was a member.

I think we know what side James Alex Fields Jr is on pic.twitter.com/IQeR4sVApl  doug crp (@dougcrap) August 13, 2017

Police have charged him with one count of second-degree murder and three counts of malicious wounding.

READ MORE: Unite the Right  white supremacists rally in Virginia

The FBI has also announced its own investigation into the incident.

Several others were wounded with severity ranging from life threatening to minor injuries, according to officials.

Heyer was named on social media and a GoFundMe page set up by a school friend had picked up more than $28,000 in donations at the time of publication.

Please help aid the family of Heather Heyer who was martyred today courageously standing up to hate. https://t.co/ZHH4XNcm2R  DSA  (@DemSocialists) August 13, 2017

Heather Heyer was murdered while protesting against hate, wrote Felicia Correa.

We are raising money to give to her family for anything that they may need. She is a Greene County native and Graduated from William Monroe High School. She will truly be missed, she added.





Many on Facebook and Twitter shared Heyers Facebook banner picture, which featured the quote: If youre not outraged, youre not paying attention.

Confederate statue

Charlottesville has become a focal point of the resurgent white supremacist movement in the United States after officials there voted to take down a statue of the Confederate General Robert E Lee.

The Unite the Right rally brought together a number of far-right and white supremacist groups, including National Socialist Movement, the neo-Confederate League of the South and Identity Evropa.

READ MORE: What is the alt-right and what does it stand for?

Also in attendance on Saturday were white nationalist ideologues such as Richard Spencer, David Duke, and Mike Peinovich.

US President Donald Trump has been widely criticised for not condemning white supremacism directly in the aftermath of Saturdays events.

The US has seen an upturn in far-right attacks since Trumps election, which critics blame the president for stoking or ignoring.

In May, two men were stabbed to death in Portland, Oregon, when they stood up for two Muslims girls who were being abused by a white supremacist.
One of the consequences of the Qatar-Gulf crisis has been the disruption to the education of more than 200 Qatari students, who have not been allowed to continue studying in Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and UAE since June.
The case against Assange is as political as it is legal; where does it go from here? Plus, Kenyas election influencers.
A leader of a white nationalist organization, who participated in the violent Charlottesville, Virginia rallies Saturday, is arranging to speak at UF next month.

Richard Spencer, the president of the National Policy Institute, an organization that lobbies for the people of European descent in the United States, is attempting to speak at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at an unknown time Sept. 12, said UF spokesperson Janine Sikes.

UF is not affiliated with Spencer and no student groups are sponsoring the event, UF President Kent Fuchs wrote in an email sent to UF students Saturday afternoon. He said the university has a First Amendment obligation to let Spencer speak.

Sikes said Spencers reservation of the Philips Center is tentative. UF hasnt signed a contract or received payment from the National Policy Institute, but the process should be finalized in a week, she said.

I think its really important to point out that nothing is confirmed yet, and if they come, they will pay the appropriate fees, she said, adding that payment would cover security and rent for the facility.

Sikes said the price to rent the facility is undetermined, and the price for security will be undecided until UF speaks with law enforcement.

UF regulation specifies that people or organizations that are unaffiliated with UF can rent space on campus if they pay for facilities and security, Sikes said.

In his email to students, Fuchs called Spencers presence deeply disturbing.

I again denounce all statements and symbols of hate, he said.

Sikes said UF will likely consult law enforcement to ensure the event doesnt turn violent. At the white supremacy rally at the University of Virginia this weekend, at least three people died and dozens were injured, according to the Los Angeles Times. The governor declared a state of emergency in response to the fighting.

Multiple arrests were made, including the arrest of James OBrien from Gainesville. He was charged with carrying a concealed handgun, according to Virginia State Police.

The days worst injuries came when a car drove directly into a group of protesters, killing one and injuring 19, according to the New York Times.

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Spencer fought with police at the rally, according to the Los Angeles Times. On his Twitter, Spencer blamed local police and protesters for the bloodshed and retweeted praise for himself and David Duke, a former KKK leader who also attended the rally. Spencer previously led a torch-lit rally in May protesting the sale of a Confederate statue in Charlottesville.

When Spencer went to speak at Auburn University in April, officials cited safety concerns and canceled the event, according to CNN. However, a judge sided with Spencer and said the university had to host him.

After learning of Spencers plans to speak at UF, Mitch Emerson, an Orlando-based political organizer, created a Facebook event called No Nazis at UF  Protest Richard Spencer, on Saturday morning. More than 700 people said they were going and about 1,700 said they were interested in the event, as of Saturday night.

Emerson said he found out about the tentative event after a late-night talk with a UF official, who Emerson declined to name.

Emerson said he was concerned because no public information about the event was available.

I was disgusted and upset, he said. I wanted to make sure the community was aware of it.

Emerson said Spencer represents a hate group interested in discussing the oppression of people of color. He said UF shouldnt allow the event to take place because it endangers students and Gainesville residents.

Its not appropriate for groups like this to visit a university campus, Emerson said. Its as if I was to hold an event with 300 people and then yell, Fire! to create panic  the event is unsafe.

Emerson said he believes UF should notify students, university employees and local organizations whenever a hate group shows interest in holding an event. He said this would allow for protesters to organize.

Chase Werther, a UF philosophy junior, said UF should prevent Spencer from speaking on campus to avoid violence. She said she believes there should be something the UF president or the dean of students can do, although she isnt sure what.

She said although shes afraid the counter-protest will turn violent, she plans to attend anyway because she feels its her moral obligation.

Its important to send a message that this isnt normal, and its not acceptable, the 20-year-old said.

After reading Fuchs email, Werther said she had mixed feelings. Said said although shes happy Fuchs denounced Spencer, she said she didnt like that Fuchs asked everyone to be respectful of each others opinions, because people should not listen to white supremacists.

That email is empty, she said.

Werther said there have been multiple hateful acts on campus, like the noose found in a classroom and the swastika-wearing man on campus, and that UFs only response has been to send an email.

Hes just a talking head, but hes not committed, Werther said. It doesnt seem like he actually does anything about it.

Contact Jimena Tavel at jtavel@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @taveljimena.

Richard Spencer
Most Americans are sick of self-righteous, breast-beating leftists moaning about the shame they bear for being American. They claim we have become wealthy on the backs of the oppressed - as if no American ever worked for anything himself. They whine that America has treated its women badly, its natives even worse, and that the poor are still poor, and the rich, heaven forbid, are still rich. Shame on us. Really? Lets take score.

In our brief history from the early European colonization efforts until now, Western society in North America has only existed a little over 500 years, and as a nation weve only been in business for 241 years  about which the average college student knows very little. However, said students seem certain that we do not measure up to some unstated scale they have set for national behavior, and, despite of their lack of historical expertise, they seem sure that our sins are mostly buried in our deep, dark past.

Slavery, of course, comes to mind. Though the average liberal seems unaware that only 1.4% of Americans ever owned slaves, that only about 250,000 ever arrived in North America. In fact, in 1860 when the slave population was at its highest there were under 4 million slaves - 20,000 of whom were owned by other blacks. None of which mitigates the fact of slavery, but to hear a leftist tell the story youd think our entire economy was built on the forced labor of a quarter of a million blacks. And the left ignores the fact that 360,000 Union soldiers were either killed, wounded, or imprisoned trying to stop slavery.

But even before slavery we were awful. When Columbus and subsequent explorers landed in the New World, they brought with them smallpox and other diseases for which the natives had no immunity. That they didnt do this on purpose seems not to alleviate our white, privileged, European guilt.

Some historical events do sully our history - the Salem Witch Trials, the Trail of Tears, the massacre at Wounded Knee, and the decimation the Great Plains bison herds. There was both carelessness and evil in those events, but most were perpetrated as isolated incidents and none were stated policy of the majority of the people of the United States.

It is true that in our free enterprise economic system some people become very rich and others remain poor. Which, to a conservative, seems better than everyone being poor, but to a leftist it is a situation most dire. That our poor have hot and cold running water, electricity, heat and air conditioning, TVs, phones, cars, and access to food from all over the world doesnt seem to matter. That we all have an opportunity of climb out of poverty is also of little importance.

All of these indictments are:

1. So far in the past that we can do nothing to change them;

2. No worse than the general muddle human beings have been making of history since the dawn of time; and

3. Mostly the result of a cherry-picking, Marxist twisting of history. But what is really disturbing is that the things this country is guilty of right now  things that land squarely in the leftwing lap  are what we should be concerned about.

You see, we are alive now and can do something about our current national sins, but instead, half of this country seems just fine about it all.

It doesnt bother liberals that cities like Detroit, and Baltimore, and New Orleans - once powerful, prosperous cities  are now, after decades of Democrat rule, fiscal and moral disasters, mere ruins of their former selves.

No one seems particularly worried about what has happened to the black family. Fuss and moan and complain about what happened over 200 years ago, but not a word about today. Over 70% of black babies are born out of wedlock. Thats over two-thirds of black males growing up without fathers, who no longer need to be there for their families because the government has taken over their responsibility for supporting their children. Black youth are gunning each other down in their own neighborhoods because they have never been taught not to. America did this to these people when Lyndon Johnsons War on Poverty swooped in to make dependents out of a vital portion of America. Therefore, the inner-city blacks are still slaves but weve taken from them the dignity of work. That we should feel guilty about; it happened on our watch.

Weve further trapped the poor in this nation by forcing them into failing schools. Its hard these days for the average middle-class white kid to get a really good education, but these inner-city kids dont have a chance, and yet liberals fight tooth and nail to keep at bay efforts to free them with school vouchers and charter schools. Teachers in their unions care more about their jobs than they do about educating children. Theres some remorse to chew on.

We have promoted, both with governmental policy and by cultural rot, a broad-spectrum of sexual immoralities, which have further destroyed the family and the stability and prosperity that strong families bring to a society.

During the Obama administration - with his sanction and involvement - we left Iraq high and dry for Iran and ISIS to set up shop in. We destroyed civilization in Libya, and aided and abetted Syrian rebels, who turned out to be ISIS. Twenty million people in the Middle East have been displaced and 500,000 Christians, Jews and Yazidis have been brutally murdered. Rape and the taking of sex slaves is endemic, and the world has not seen the current level of brutality in a thousand years. Crucifixion is back, as are beheadings and immolation. In turn, Europe has been inundated with these Middle Eastern refugees and will never again be Europe as we have known it. All this on our watch.

In the name of Mother Earth, our new goddess, and a demi-god called the snail darter, we have destroyed the economy and the hard work of generations of Americans by cutting off the water supply to family farms. Drive through the dead orchards of the San Joaquin Valley in California and see the devastation. We can be blamed for letting this happen.

But none of those national sins come even close to the lives weve taken (using taxpayer money) before they even got started. Most estimates put the number of aborted babies since the Roe v. Wade took effect in 1973 at some 60,000,000 children. Sixty million. Who would those tiny people have become? What gifts would they have brought with them? What effect has this had on the black community, which has been hit especially hard by the presence of Planned Parenthood in black neighborhoods? I have been complicit in this, coming late into the realization of the demographic devastation. The hard-hearted selling of baby parts and the cruelty of the methods used makes my stomach turn. We allowed this to happen.

We have driven God out of our schools, allowed drugs to be brought across our borders, and sexualized our children. We have much to atone for and much that can be fixed, that can be stopped. But before we do that we have to stop wallowing in a pit of pointless guilt that can help no one, and get on with undoing the damage we ourselves have done and making things as right as we can for those who have suffered under our stupidity.

Deana Chadwell blogs at www.ASingleWindow.com. She is also an adjunct professor and department head at Pacific Bible College in southern Oregon. She teaches writing and public speaking.
An Old Testament prophet said, "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land[.]" That's part of a Bible verse from Ezekiel  chapter 22, verse 30  and the gist of what Ezekiel said is that God went looking for a man to stand in the gap to stop sin's encroachment. It was 600 B.C. or so that God judged His people.

Fast-forward some 2,600 years to the days of William F. Buckley. Mr. Buckley said something similar to Ezekiel's words when Buckley defined a conservative as "someone who stands athwart history, yelling Stop." Buckley's quote is on point. Not since Ronald Reagan has a U.S. president said something like that and meant it. There is another whose words echo Buckley's, but let's digress a bit before we concern ourselves with him.

It was August of 1968, and I remember it as though it were yesterday, as I watched the televised riots in Chicago outside the meeting of the Democrat National Convention. If I remember right, hardly anyone was arrested. The rioters, barbarians all, were at the door. Usually, when barbarians come, somebody bars the door, but not this time.

Why did party leaders treat the rioters so mildly? Perhaps they wanted new blood to energize a tired old party. If that was their purpose, they got what they wanted, but they got something else, too. This new blood with all its new energy supplanted the old order, and today that "new blood," or its proteges, runs the DNC. Naturally, in order to look presentable, the barbarians took baths, put on clean clothes, and combed their hair. It was a facade, a change in appearance only. The barbarians refused to grow up, and they haven't grown up since; nevertheless, along with the DNC, they have infested academia, the press, and Hollywood. The result is that today, the DNC has a stranglehold on the good old U.S. of A.

You could pick another date for the beginning of this current fiasco, and you could be right, but back in the late 1960s and the early 1970s, I saw the hatred that consumed these people. They hated America, they hated the Constitution and the Declaration, and they hated the Stars and Stripes. It was evident. I'm sure others saw it, too. However, these hate-filled people were able to keep their hatred masked, as they blamed conservatives for the things of which they themselves were guilty.

I thank God that America got a short reprieve beginning in the '80s, when Ronald Reagan assumed office. He stood in the gap athwart history and yelled, "Stop!" He was successful for the time he was in office. However, his veep, who would be the next president, couldn't or wouldn't take a strong stand, so Clinton came. He almost exposed DNC hatred, but he couldn't because the time wasn't right yet. Then there was George Walker Bush, a man well liked, a good man, even, but he had no one to stand with him, and he refused to stand for himself. Consequently, we got Barack Obama, and "ol' Barry" truly pulled the mask off the DNC. Their hatred was exposed.

I've been writing as if things happen because of man's deeds. To a great extent, they do, but understand that God rules in the heart of man, and God will allow man to go only so far. Then God will set up whom He wills and take down whom He wills.

It was God who put Barack Obama in office. I believe God did that in order to wake His people. As always, God was successful. God woke His people, and they prayed, and the prayers of the saints put Donald Trump in office. I believe that, and I believe that the prayers of the saints will keep Donald Trump in office. Conversely, I believe that the prayers of the saints will bring down the regressives, thus helping President Trump drain the swamp.

I said that God went looking for a man to stand in the gap against sin. Further, and perhaps with Ezekiel's verse in mind, Mr. Buckley defined a conservative as "one who stands athwart history yelling Stop."

Since the late '60s, I've been looking for a man in D.C. who would stand for me. Ronald Reagan did that, and the politicos hated him, as did the barbarians, as well as the RINOs. (By the way, though I voted for President Trump and hope to vote for him again, I left the Republican Party, and I won't return until certain RINO's are gone: McCain, Graham, Ryan, McConnell, Sasse, Snow, Murkowski, Alexander, et al.)

Having said all I've said, let me say this. Donald Trump stands for me, and he stands for my wife. He stands for us against all those regressives who say, "You can't question my patriotism," and I say to them, "Why not?" Your regressive deeds speak louder than your "progressive" words, and when you stand against Donald Trump, you stand in the way of America's greatness. You also stand against me.

I don't know if Mr. Trump is Christian, but I know that God used a pagan king named Cyrus to bless His people some 2,500 years ago. That same God still sits on the throne of the universe. Whether Mr. Trump is Christian or not, I know not, but I know that God can and will use Donald Trump to bless His people today. He already has, and he will do so again. I would hate to stand against God's man.

Now, let's hear the conclusion of the matter. I looked for a man to stand in the gap for me, and I found him in Donald Trump!
Great Expectations is more than a Charles Dickens novel from the 19th century. It is also one of the primary reasons 63 million Americans cast their votes for Donald Trump last November. Americans also had great expectations for Barack Obama in 2008  our first "post-racial" president, bringing an end to racial strife, not to mention lowering the sea levels. Hope and change. Great expectations.

Fast-forward eight years. Obama didn't deliver on expectations, whether on health care or economic growth. He did not bring peace in the Middle East  instead, further chaos and the rise of ISIS. There were racial unrest and riots reminiscent of the 1960s. Donald Trump came along and, with four simple words, "Make America Great Again," gave America real hope for real change. Great expectations. And the Obama coalition was sent packing.

Congress too created great expectations. When Barack Obama was elected president, Democrats controlled the House and the Senate. Obamacare was passed and implemented, immediately making health care more expensive and less accessible to many Americans. Republicans, none of whom voted for the original Obamacare legislation, immediately promised that if given the reins of power, they would repeal it.

In 2010, Republicans told America to vote them control of the House so they could repeal Obamacare, cut wasteful spending, and implement a conservative agenda. Done. Republicans then told America the House couldn't do anything alone; they needed the Senate, too. Delivered in 2014. Obamacare repeal bills were passed, multiple times, and sent to the president's desk for the expected veto.

Congress next told America Republicans needed the White House to avoid Obama's veto pen. This too was delivered, although not the president most in Congress would have preferred, but the clear choice of the voters. Great expectations met. Republican control of Congress and the White House. An electoral majority not seen in nearly a century. Time to deliver.

Now, seven months into the Trump presidency, Congress has delivered little other than Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court. What happened to the great expectations?

Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell certainly gave America reason for high hopes. Last December, basking in the glow of another banner election for Republicans, McConnell promised that Obamacare repeal was "the first item up in the new year." He doubled down on expectations, saying, "We have an obligation to the American people to change it and to do a better job." We took him at his word.

How did that work out? The Senate waited six months to get to Obamacare, certainly not the "first item up" on their legislative agenda. When they got to it, did they repeal it? Revise it? Skinny repeal? Nope. So much for "doing a better job."

After failing to deliver on myriad promises, Senator McConnell, like a true Senate milquetoast, turned around and blamed President Trump over his expectations. At a recent Rotary Club meeting in Kentucky, he told his audience, "I think he had excessive expectations about how quickly things happen in the democratic process."

Funny that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid weren't lecturing their president about "expectations." They got stuff done, for better or for worse, including passage of Obamacare. Despite President Trump's campaign promises, it's common knowledge that legislation originates in the legislative branch, meaning Congress. Trump can't repeal Obamacare. He can't replace it, either. He can certainly support congressional efforts, which he did, but that's it.

Trump responded to McConnell's excuses in typical Trump fashion, tweeting, "Senator Mitch McConnell said I had 'excessive expectations,' but I don't think so. After 7 years of hearing Repeal & Replace, why not done?"

True leaders, including the Senate majority leader, lead. Excuses are for Hillary Clinton and her supporters  not for Republican leaders sitting on a once-in-a-lifetime electoral majority and a long awaited opportunity to deliver on years of campaign promises.

Promises lead to expectations. These are the same promises that gave Republicans the votes they needed to now be in the majority  and the expectation by voters that they do what they promised.

Senator McConnell, don't blame your legislative ineptitude on President Trump. Or on "artificial deadlines unrelated to the reality of the legislature which may have not been understood."

We elected these people to lead. We have great expectations of them and their colleagues.

We expect them to say what they mean and mean what they say. Spare us the talk of deadlines and legislative realities.

We expect them to support their president  not blind obedience, but fealty to the campaign promises made by President Trump and Republican members of Congress. Recall that these are the promises that gave the Republicans more votes than your electoral opponents.

We expect action, not excuses.

We expect McConnell and the rest, if they can't deliver on their promises, to abdicate in favor of their colleagues who can.

As Uncle Ben told the Spiderman, "With great power comes great responsibility." Senator McConnell and his merry band of do-nothings should keep that in mind. The 2018 midterm elections are not too far away.

Brian C Joondeph, M.D., MPS is a Denver-based physician and writer. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
President Trump is being attacked by a hostile liberal media, undermined by a Deep State full of Obama/Clinton holdovers and betrayed by some GOP Never-Trumpers who never will accept him as President.

The commander in chief is undaunted, and determined to do what he promised during the campaign. He seated a solidly conservative Supreme Court justice. He has reduced regulations and increased jobs  another 209,000 in July; caused a dramatic drop in the number of illegal immigrants entering our country and taking jobs from Americans. Criminal illegal aliens like MS-13 members and convicted felons are being hunted down and thrown out.

The President is restoring the strength of our military; making sure that our veterans receive the medical care and services they need; stopping the transgender and sex reassignment policies that have damaged morale and distracted our armed forces from their core mission; waging aggressive war against ISIS; and warning North Korea and other adversaries that American might is back. His message: Tread lightly. We no longer have a commander in chief who is leading from behind or paralyzed by fear and indecisiveness.

President Trump has reversed the Obama Education Departments edict on gender identity, and in so doing, liberated public school students, teachers and parents from an outrageous federal violation of local autonomy. He has also reoriented the Justice Department to defend our borders and crack down on sanctuary cities; stopped the Environmental Protection Agency from harassing businesses and property owners; and appointed an Election Integrity Commission to protect the vote of every American citizen.

He just led the UN Security Council -- including Russia and China -- to unanimously sanction North Korea for its nuclear weapons program. He united 55 Arab and Muslim nations against terrorism, condemning Assad, Hamas, and Iran. In the first 200 days of his presidency, Mr. Trump signed 44 pieces of legislation and 42 executive orders reversing Obamas policies.

While it may not rank high in liberal media circles, evangelicals and Catholics have certainly noticed the Presidents enthusiasm for acknowledging the importance of God in American life.

Instead of reporting these accomplishments, the media are fixated on the myth of Russian collusion, which lacks a shred of evidence after months of investigation. As a result, many people are unaware of the progress the Trump administration is making on so many fronts.

Now is the time for Republicans in Congress to put a bill to repeal and replace ObamaCare on the President's desk. Conservatives and moderates must band together to keep their promise to the American people.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell must realize the dire need of the American people for relief from the terrible policies of the Obama administration and end the filibuster rule so that the Senate can pass important legislation on taxes and healthcare. If the Majority Leader is unable or unwilling to rise to the challenge, he should resign.

Eliminating the filibuster rule would allow legislation to pass with only 51 votes. The 60-vote requirement is an impossible hurdle because of the far-left ideology of most Senate Democrats. They will oppose important legislation from the Republican side simply to keep the GOP from getting credit for anything that helps the American people. Instead of working with Republicans on legislation to improve the lives of our citizens, they are using the Senate filibuster rule to obstruct the peoples business.

Senate Republicans can change this by a simple majority vote. Leader Mitch McConnell has expressed worry that Democrats will take advantage the next time they are in control. Failing to repeal and replace ObamaCare and reduce taxes would be such a profound betrayal of the people who voted for GOP candidates, that McConnells fear may prove to be a self-fulfilling prophecy in 2018.

The battle lines are drawn, and the future of the country is at stake. David Brock of Media Matters, a George Soros-funded leftist think tank, has issued a 49-page secret war manual for destroying the Trump Administration and regaining Democratic control of Congress.

It calls for impeachment of the President, a de facto coup detat. Ultimately, this is not merely an attack on Donald J. Trump. It is an assault on the presidency, the Constitution and the people who voted for change. Fair-minded people, whether Democrats or Republicans, are shocked by the complicity of the mainstream media in trying to overthrow the President.

Its time for Americans to be heard again in congressional offices, town hall meetings, rallies and on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media. The message is simple.

To the President: We stand with you.

To the media: Restore journalistic neutrality and ethics or be driven out of business.

To the Republicans in Congress: Support the President, get back to work or be voted out of office.

To Mitch McConnell: End the filibuster rule or resign and allow someone else to lead.

E.W Jackson is a Republican Political analyst; a nationally syndicated radio host on American Family Radio & Urban Family Talk; Presiding Bishop of The Called Church; was 2013 Republican Nominee for Lt. Governor of Virginia; and is founder & president of S.T.A.N.D. www.standamerica.us
North Korea is really rattling its cage, threatening -- or perhaps promising -- to send atom bomb-tipped missiles toward the American territory of Guam. They are also making a follow-up threat of launching nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) at the western United States -- including Hawaii and Alaska -- as well as states along the Pacific Coast -- Washington, Oregon, and California, along with Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and perhaps even parts of Rocky Mountain states.

The iffy quality of these threats is based on the relatively poor performance during tests of Korean war rockets. For instance, North Korea -- when threatening Guam -- said they would send missiles to detonate within 17 miles of Guam, suggesting that their accuracy is, by U.S. and Russian standards, pathetic. The small nuclear bomb their Hwasong-12 rockets are able to carry, when detonating 17 miles from Guam, will cause relatively little damage to the island. However, if one of those missiles landed close to Anderson AFB, one of the other American bases on Guam or on the islands capital city, Hagatna -- known to Americans as Agana -- casualties would reach the tens of thousands.

However, if the North Koreans new ICBM -- the Taepodong-2, with a reported range of more than 6,000 miles, becomes war-capable -- and it has a way to go before that can be proven -- it might put cities as far east as Denver and Chicago at risk of a nuclear strike. The nuclear bomb it could carry would be small -- very likely smaller than the bomb which vaporized much of Hiroshima -- but even a small nuke would make the 9/11/2001 terror attack look like a walk in the park.

What can you do, especially if you fear that your city might be targeted? There are preparations you can make -- if you survive the initial blast -- to survive until help arrives. Any atomic attack will create devastation on a Katrina-on-steroids level, which means that relief for the surviving victims could take thirty days to arrive and become operational. So -- assuming the missiles blast doesnt kill you -- how do you survive for thirty days?

This question has specific meaning for the two of us, since Las Vegass Nellis Air Force Base is not only the largest military air base on earth, but it is home to a bunker farm that houses one-third of all American nuclear weapons. However, most major U.S. cities host vital military facilities -- and even those which dont arent safe, as the North Koreans consider civilians to be a legitimate target.

There are two answers to this question, and to understand them, consider Katrina.

First, if youre very close to the blast site -- not close enough to be killed or to suffer debilitating injuries, but close enough to make staying until help arrives impossible, you need to be ready to flee. In the Katrina example, the flooding of New Orleans demanded an evacuation -- you cannot live for long with your house flooded, the roads flooded, and desperate people looking to loot anyone who has the wherewithal for survival.

However, if youre far enough from the blast site to avoid potentially-deadly radiation, you might do better to remain until help arrives. Again looking to Katrina, this applied to people outside the flood zone, whose houses remained intact, even while road-access remained iffy.

If you have to Get Out Of Dodge (GOOD), youll need the following:

A 72-hour survival kit that contains potable water at a rate of a gallon per person per day, a three-day supply of non-perishable food, along with basic living supplies, from tents and sleeping bags to fire-starters and first-aid kits. A reliable car large enough to hold your family and all your survival supplies. It may seem odd, but an older car might be more survivable, because a nuclear blast creates an electromagnetic pulse -- an EMP -- that can fry anything related to computers, including the digital systems that make modern cars work. An evacuation destination -- a FEMA-supported shelter or friends/relatives living outside the blast zone who you can stay with -- along with plans on finding alternate-route roads that havent been either destroyed or blocked by a tidal wave of cars trying to flee the scene. Self-defense weapons -- if you have something that will help you survive, those with less foresight might want to take that away from you. Not all looters will be criminals -- some might be desperate fathers trying to feed, clothe and water their families. However, in an us-vs.-them scenario, the right to self-defense remains. If youre prepared, with weapons you know how to use, your chance of survival as society breaks down increases.

In this scenario, you only need to survive until you can reach a Federally-supported disaster-relief shelter location or friends/family who live outside the blast zone and are prepared to offer you long-term shelter.

However, what do you do if you are far enough from ground-zero to have an intact home and at least marginal support from society? Simply put, youll survive for as long as your pre-disaster preparation remains intact, and as long as youre able to defend whats yours against the ill-prepared who will do anything to survive -- including seizing whats rightfully yours. Its easy to think of these people as murderous criminals, but many might be parents desperate to keep their children alive. That makes their actions understandable, but in an us vs. them situation, nobody is really entitled to strip you of your ability to survive, no matter what their justification.

This question also applies if youre not in a position to evacuate. An example of not being able to flee was the 500-year snowstorm -- 56 inches fell in two days -- that hit Flagstaff in January of 1997. Trapped in the middle of the storm, with water but no food in an unfurnished efficiency apartment wed moved into the night before the storm hit, we found that some important local businesses remained open. A Burger King, of all things, remained open even while the roads were closed, providing all-American sustenance. A K-mart within walking distance not only remained open, they had chains that would fit our two cars. We were luckier than people stranded on 1-17 in cars literally buried under the snow. It took the National Guard using heat-sensing devices in their helicopters to ID the buried cars, and ground troops in all-terrain vehicles to rescue people who had no idea that they were driving into a nightmare.

However, if you have the option to safely stay where you are, youll need everything in the GOOD kit, along with the following.

a. Self-defense. In a car, on the move, handguns make sense as self-defense weapons. However, in a stationary target, you may need something with longer range. A short-barreled pump shotgun is an obvious choice, both because what it hits stays down, but also because of the fear factor -- no sane person wants to face down a shotgun. Another option is a light rifle with a telescopic sight. Even a relatively puny .22-caliber rifle provides effective defense out to 100 yards, but a Ruger Mini-14, or any other carbine-length that shoots .223-caliber rounds, is a slam-dunk winner. With little recoil and an effective combat-tested round, these rifles will provide effective self-defense out to a couple hundred yards.

b. Getting more prosaic, youll need a source of potable water that will support you and your family for 30 days, until disaster relief experts restore the water supply.

c. A Sterno or propane camp-stove that will allow you to warm up your Meals-Ready-to-Eat, the replacement for the armys venerable C-Rations -- or any other long-term storable food.

d. Batteries, solar cells, or other sources of electricity are necessary while the grid is down. To go with that include flashlights, a battery-powered or hand-cranked radio -- the best survival radio gets AM, FM and short-wave.

e. A first-aid kit that will help support you and your family from both injuries received in the blast and health needs during the rugged long-term survival life as you wait for FEMA and the National Guard to bring safety to you. Dont forget the medications you normally take. Multiple vitamins are also a good idea as meals may be less than ideal.

f. Sanitary supplies -- toilet paper, wet-wipes, diapers, feminine hygiene supplies -- whatever your family will need to handle sanitation issues until the water and sewer systems are back in action.

Be prepared -- thats not just for Boy Scouts. If you have a serious concern about the possibility of being too close to a North Korean nuclear strike -- and given the sanity of Kim Jong Un, everybody west of Chicago ought to be paying attention -- you need to practice. Put together your 72-hour kit, then practice both the evacuation and living rough for three full days. Then consider the 30-day survival issue, buy your supplies then live on the edge for 30 days.

Sure, youll go to work and the kids will go to school, just like always, but when youre home, you drink bottled water, you eat MREs, you practice field sanitation and -- bottom line -- you make sure that your survival plan is real, and really effective.

With those preparations, you can vastly improve your potential for survival in the case of a North Korean nuclear strike that wasnt close enough to kill you, but which was close enough for you to have to fight to survive. Good luck, and well see you on the other side.

Dianne Bilderback and Ned Barnett are currently working on a book focusing on surviving a Katrina-level event, focusing on the first 30 days -- typically, books on survival either focus on the first 72 hours or on a total societal collapse. They can be reached at ned@barnettmarcom.com or misinctoday@yahoo.com.
The week started off with a bang when a Google employee dared to say there were reasons why we should have an open discussion on the goals of diversity of employment and equal hiring and promotion outcomes. It ended with a clear refutation of the argument that women politicians would be more moral than men. Some of us are looking wistfully at the old patriarchy. At a minimum, we want to see a stake being driven into that hoary meme and, for once, an honest dialogue about diversity and equal outcomes.

Diversity and Google

Google engineer James Damore was fired for seeking open dialogue on the companys diversity policies. Most of the press grossly misstated the text. You can see for yourself how distorted the coverage was. In sum, he argued:

[quote] I hope its clear that Im not saying that diversity is bad, that Google or society is 100% fair, that we shouldnt 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 dont fit a certain ideology. Im also not saying that we should restrict people to certain gender roles; Im 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 require for much of the drudgery and maintenance work characteristic of a mature company. Confront Googles biases. Ive 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. 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 extend 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.

The best defense of the Damore point of view came from 4 scientists who say we must choose between equality and diversity because we cannot have both.

So, if the sexes and races dont differ at all, and if psychological interchangeability is true, then theres no practical business case for diversity. On the other hand, if demographic diversity gives a company any competitive advantages, it must be because there are important sex differences and race differences in how human minds work and interact. For example, psychological variety must promote better decision-making within teams, projects, and divisions. Yet if minds differ across sexes and races enough to justify diversity as an instrumental business goal, then they must differ enough in some specific skills, interests, and motivations that hiring and promotion will sometimes produce unequal outcomes in some company roles... So, psychological interchangeability makes diversity meaningless. But psychological differences make equal outcomes impossible. Equality or diversity. You cant have both. Weirdly, the same people who advocate for equality of outcome in every aspect of corporate life, also tend to advocate for diversity in every aspect of corporate life. They dont even see the fundamentally irreconcilable assumptions behind this equality and diversity dogma. Why didnt the thousands of people working to promote equality and diversity in corporate America acknowledge this paradox? Why did it take a male software engineer at Google whos read a bunch of evolutionary psychology? I suspect that its a problem of that old tradeoff between empathizing and systematizing that I wrote about in this Quillette article on neurodiversity and free speech. The high empathizers in HR and the diversity industry prioritize caring for women and minorities over developing internally coherent, evidence-based models of human nature and society. High systematizers, such as this memos author, prioritize the opposite. Indeed, he explicitly calls for de-emphasizing empathy and de-moralizing diversity, arguing that being emotionally unengaged helps us better reason about the facts. He is right. His most important suggestion, though, is apparently the most contentious: Be open about the science of human nature. He writes 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. This is also correct... American businesses also have to face the fact that the demographic differences that make diversity useful will not lead to equality of outcome in every hire or promotion. Equality or diversity: choose one. In my opinion, given that sex differences are so well-established, and the sexes have such intricately complementary quirks, it may often be sensible, in purely practical business terms, to aim for more equal sex ratios in many corporate teams, projects, and divisions.

Women in Politics: Equal Corruption

The Capital is largely deserted, with the President and his senior staff having decamped to New Jersey during renovations to the White House, and Congress having largely returned home. But the scandals of Hillary Clinton, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, Loretta Lynch, and Samantha Power are not dying down. They are growing.

Hillary Clinton

This week, after years of delays and former FBI director James Comeys inexplicable acquiescence, she finally turned over to the Department of Justice her private email server, which seems to reveal extensive mishandling of classified information. Even the Washington Post was unable to put a lid on this burgeoning scandal.

Chris Cillizza writes: (update: in 2015, though the scandal remains current)

Will any of the more than 31,000 e-mails that were deleted off of the server after being determined to be private and personal be recovered? According to an expert on e-mail recovery that our own Philip Bump talked to this spring, there is a 90 to 95 percent chance those deleted e-mails could be recovered "if no other steps were taken to go in and otherwise make the data inaccessible." That last part we don't know yet -- were any other steps taken to ensure the e-mails could not be recovered -- but presumably we will get some answers once the Justice Department begins to look at the server. The bigger question is whether there are legal reasons to try to recover the 31,000 deleted e-mails. If those are recovered and examined, it's hard to imagine this story doesn't go from bad to worse for Clinton. There's simply no way to see these latest development in the long-running e-mail story as anything but bad news for Clinton. The turning-over of her private server not only takes control of its contents out of her hands but also likely ensures this story will be in the news for far longer than she'd like.

Debbie Wasserman-Schultz

At the American Spectator, Austin Bay reviews the strange case of the Awan brothers and Schultz and suggests there may be a great deal behind her hiring of the Awans and refusal to fire Imran Awan despite overwhelming reasons to have done so. He suggests the Hillary emails, former AG Lynchs previously hidden pseudonymous email account (Elizabeth Carlisle), and Schultzs reluctance to fire Awan are connected with the hiring of GPS Fusion and the cockamamie confected Russian Collusion scandal. (GPS Fusion continues to occlude Congressional investigations into its role.)

Loretta Lynch

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLUJ) filed a Freedom of Information Act inquiry regarding documents respecting the untoward tarmac meeting between Lynch and Bill Clinton in the midst of the FBI investigation into Hillary's mishandling of official emails and this week published more than 400 pages it received in response. For a year the FBI, then headed by James Comey, denied any such documentation existed. The Department of Justice, however, did respond.

The emails are heavily redacted and dont reveal much about what Clinton and Lynch discussed, why the former president put the attorney general in such a compromising position, or why she allowed herself to be put there. What they reveal is an agency trying hard to control the damage. They reveal as well a press doing everything it could to bury the story which, when fully revealed, must certainly involve James Comey.

Samantha Power

More evidence was revealed this week that Obamas UN ambassador Samantha Power was the person who made hundreds of unmasking requests, though she had no apparent intelligence-related function And there is evidence that such unmasking, along with Obamas directive to share this information far more widely than historically was the case, was to aid the spying on Trumps campaign.

(Some) Ladies First

As the meme of the Hand that Rocks the Cradle Cannot be Politically Corrupt proves nonsensical, those women who love affirmative action for women continue their attacks on women of a non-leftist cast.

Nina Burleigh, who once publicly expressed a desire to fellate Bill Clinton (an offer he seemingly declined), attacked the Trump women for wearing high heeled shoes.

And Glamour took a clueless, gratuitous slam at conservative women.

One woman who has been regularly abused by the media -- Sarah Palin -- is not sitting in a corner whining about it. She sued the New York Times for a libelous editorial accusing her of inciting the shooting of Gabby Giffords, and in an unusual step, federal District Court Judge Jed S. Rakoff is allowing her counsel (upon the papers motion to dismiss) an opportunity to question the editors who wrote it. The editorials claim contravenes years of articles in that very paper disputing the editors charge against Palin. The questioning, while brief, is to permit her to ascertain how they could have ignored their papers own reporting.

Its fun to imagine the editors involved confessing to follow our own practice of ignoring what the paper prints and what their editorials say.
Obamacare hooked the insurance industry on the federal honeypot, while punishing them with financially untenable regulations. This is how crony capitalism goes nuclear. Political contributions from the industry leaders went up 26% in the last election. We are talking big money.

Hillary Clinton got almost a million dollars in campaign contributions from the insurance sector. Donald Trump got less than $20,000.

The insurance industry is number two (after Wall St.) in political contributions. In 2016 they spent one hundred and fifty million dollars on lobbying, and employed 870 lobbyists. Democrats in Congress received 18 million in campaign contributions and Republicans received 30 million. The drug companies, counted separately, donated 30 million to candidates, slightly more going to Republicans.

Insurers also spent 60 million dollars on the seven sets of gubernatorial races in 2016 .

Newsweek reports that

13 Republican senators, including McConnell, on average received $214,000 in contributions from health insurance and pharmaceutical companies from November 2010 to November 2016, money and politics watchdog MapLight found by searching campaign finance reports.

McConnell alone received $433,000 from insurance and drug companies between 2010 and 2016.

According to Opensecrets.org

Over the course of Ryans career in Congress, insurance has been the top industry (after retired people) contributing to his campaigns, with $895,928 in contributions since he first campaigned for his House seat, according to OpenSecrets.org data. The Health Professionals and Pharmaceutical industries follow close behind as his fourth and seventh most supportive industries, contributing $626,249 and $350,282, respectively, since 2000.

Eight of Paul Ryans top twenty contributors are insurance companies, drug companies and the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors.

That pretty much explains everything, doesnt it?

Karin McQuillan is a retired Peace Corps Volunteer, clinical social worker and psychotherapist, and author. She is a frequent American Thinker contributor.
Back in our early days in the U.S., my parents used to tell us not to speak so loud. They felt that Americans would find it strange if all Cubans spoke like Ricky Ricardo and moved their hands.

So my dad would always say "suavecito" (Cuban slang for softly) whenever we went out in public and started talking.

My mother's favorite phrase was "recuerda que esto no es Cuba"  "remember that this is not Cuba."

One time, my brother and I were having a conversation at school. My friend saw and wondered what we were arguing about. Nothing, we said; we just talk that way. Again, can you say "Ricky Ricardo"?

On a more serious note, it does look as if noise levels in Cuba may be about to set off a diplomatic war between the U.S. and the island. This is the latest we know about this "noisy" incident from our friends at PanAm Post:

The United States expelled two Cuban diplomats from its embassy in Washington D.C. after several American diplomats in Havana were left with damaged hearing due to what has been called a "covert sonic device." Details of the event, which took place back in May, had been kept under wraps by US State Department officials until recently. Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said the US sent home the two Cuban officials in response to an investigation that found American diplomats suffered "a variety of physical symptoms." She said that they could not go into details about the health of US citizens due to department policy, but that no one's lives were at risk as a result of the incident that occurred. The FBI is also reportedly participating in an ongoing investigation regarding the incident, which some officials have pointed to as evidence of Cuba's poor relationship with the United States, and the island's inability to develop strong international relationships. Nauert said that the Trump administration "takes these incidents very seriously" because the Cuban government "has the responsibility to protect" the diplomatic personnel of the United States occupying Cuban territory, "according to the Geneva Convention." According to Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio, the Cuban government has harassed the United States and its personnel in Havana for decades. "This did not stop with the appeasement of President Barack Obama," he said this week. "Personal injury to US officials shows how far the (Raul) Castro regime is willing to go, and is a clear violation of international standards ."

Cuba violating international standards? Really?

Was President Obama expecting that a display of weakness, or demanding nothing from a corrupt regime, would lead Cuba to play by international rules? From the Bay of Pigs to Korea in the 1990s to Cuba now, the Democrats never learn the lessons of history. Bullies stop being bullies not because you are nice to them.

This is a story that will get worse, especially with President Trump, who believes that the Cuba deal was too much about Mr. Obama's resume and not enough about promoting U.S. interests.

Yes, something happened at the U.S. Embassy in Havana, and this time, it had nothing to do with Cubans being too loud.

P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.
See also: Trumps critics reveling in the opportunity to tie him to white racists and Nazis

Donald Trump made a statement on the violence that broke out in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday that fell far short of what needed to be said and what Americans needed to hear from their president.

The statement was given at a "press conference" at a bill signing ceremony (no questions about the violence or the bill were taken). While the president condemned the violence and hate, he softened his criticism by blaming "all sides" for the violence. This may have been technically accurate. But by not specifically condemning white supremacists and most importantly, their rancid ideology, the president played into the hands of his critics who are now condemning his statement as "insufficient."

Once again, the president is playing pattycakes with the haters who have adopted him as one of their own.

Trump has condemned white supremacists in the past and said he "disavows" them. So why isn't that enough? As long as the racists continue to identify themselves with Trump and brag about electing him, he is vulnerable to the charge of being insufficiently vigorous in denouncing them.

Indeed, contrast what Trump said with the statement of Senator Ted Cruz:

It's tragic and heartbreaking to see hatred and racism once again mar our great Nation with bloodshed. Heidi's and my prayers are with the loved ones of those killed and injured in the ongoing violence in Charlottesville. The First Amendment protects the rights of all Americans to speak their minds peaceably, but violence, brutality, and murder have no place in a civilized society. The Nazis, the KKK, and white supremacists are repulsive and evil, and all of us have a moral obligation to speak out against the lies, bigotry, anti-Semitism, and hatred that they propagate. Having watched the horrifying video of the car deliberately crashing into a crowd of protesters, I urge the Department of Justice to immediately investigate and prosecute this grotesque act of domestic terrorism. These bigots want to tear our country apart, but they will fail. America is far better than this. Our Nation was built on fundamental truths, none more central than the proposition "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness".

Is Ted Cruz soft on the Antifas because he didn't mention that the kluxers weren't the only ones responsible for the violence? Cruz, whose statement was far more presidential than Trump's, realized that there is a time and a place for everything in politics and as a conservative leader, it was time to denounce without reservation or hesitation the white supremacists. It doesn't matter that the anarchists and radical leftists took part in the violence. They may have started it. They may be mostly responsible for it. No one knows. But what is known is that people who claim to support and identify with Donald Trump were promoting an un-American agenda filled with hate and resentment, that has no place in the mainstream of political discourse.

Trump apparently didn't get that and is being rightfully criticized by all sides for that oversight.

This was an incident that demanded a formal presidential response - not an afterthought to a bill signing ceremony. The president kept leaving the prepared text to make disjointed and awkward observations, lessening the impact of his words. His inclusion in the middle of the statement of his administration's economic accomplishments was bizarre, diluting his peroration about Americans needing to love one another - by far the best part of the statement.

Trump is not a conscious racist or a bigot. But when given the opportunity to hit the ball out of the park by condemning by name the odorous ideology demonstrating in Charlottesville, he failed.
On Saturday, the NYT had a front-page story about the EPA being run in secret.

Last week, the NYT ran a false story saying the Trump administration was refusing to publish a climate change report when it was actually public months ago.

Is this story just as fake? The NYT seems to do little research.

Within the last few years under Obama, the EPA refused to give Congress or the public scientific data to support all of its regulations. Why would that information be secret if it was so supportive of the "climate change caused by humans is settled" agenda?

I do not recall the NYT running front-page stories about the secretive EPA under Obama. In fact, the Times went along with the agenda and never cared about the actual data.

EPA administrator Lisa Jackson, under Obama, used a private email address to conduct government business, including with a lobbyist (this is illegal). This seems to have been a habit of the extremely secretive Obama administration.

Will the NYT ever be ashamed that it just repeats what it is told?

Here is a story that probably will not make the front page anywhere or achieve wall-to-wall coverage on TV. The Nation decided to do some actual research on the Russian collusion/DNC hacking story. The paper concludes that it was an inside job and not Russian hacking. So why is there a special prosecutor and umpteen investigations?